OtakuKidXD- here's your holiday chapter! :)

As for all you ErenxAnnie shippers- your chapter comes next! :)

There was an explosion. Levi's door flew open, a half-dressed Erwin staring at Levi, who'd been signing paperwork.

"Prepare for combat! We have a confirmed explosion in the yard!"

Levi jumped to his feet, for once thankful he was up at odd hours in the night doing paper work as he began to equip his 3DMG.

"Who the fuck is attacking us in the dead of winter!? And what the hell was that explosion- it sounded like cannon fire!" Levi spoke quickly, getting his weapons ready, and Erwin said nothing, frowning and rushing to ready himself as well. Within three minutes they sprinted into the front yard….

there was a bonfire roaring, about five feet in diameter and seven feet tall, blazing where someone had dug a hole out for it in the snow.

Soldiers were gathered in the yard in the freezing night, breath clouding in front of them, while a figure tended to the massive fire, and two others fiddled with something….

"Eren get down!"

Both figured took cover, before there was a woosh and something shot into the air, exploding into blue sparks. The crowd oohed and ahhed, and even Levi was taken aback for a moment by the brilliance of it, before he remembered why he was here.

"Jager! The fuck are you doing with explosives!?"

Levi stalked over, finding the culprits for everything standing in the yard. Mikasa shoveled something into the bonfire, which roared, while Eren and Armin stood beside a pile of small, rocket-like devices, looking at their Captain with confusion….

"You have three seconds to explain yourselves." Levi deadpanned, eyes anything but amused.

"It's New Year's, Sir." Eren said, giving his commanding officer a sideways look. "We were just celebrating it like usual…."

Levi stared. "You mean to tell me that you three celebrate the new year by nearly blowing yourself up with colored explosives and lighting massive fires?"

"Doesn't everyone, Sir?" Armin asked, looking confused. Levi turned to the child-like blonde, and realized he was genuine.

"No, Arlet- in fact, setting fires and explosives is in fact, illegal, most places."

"Is it illegal here?" Mikasa asked, lowering her scarf to speak.

"Well, not specifically…."

"Then we're golden!" Eren said with a grin, nodding to Armin. "Hand me another one!"

Armin handed Eren a small paper rocket, and Eren wordlessly struck a match, lighting the fuse.

"Jager what the hell-"

"Get down!" Eren shouted gleefully, as both he and Arlet fell face-first into snow, dragging Levi down with them. A moment later there was a hiss as the rocket launched into the air, before exploding into green pinwheels.

Levi stared. He was now soaking wet from the snow, staring up.

"How the hell do those even DO that?" Levi demanded, staring up at the sky.

"You like them, Sir?" Armin grinned gleefully. "They're called fireworks- we used to buy them in Shingashina, but since we can't anymore, I made them…."

Mikasa shoveled another heap of something into the bonfire.

"Oi! What are you burning !? Resources are scant enough as it is, if you're using wood-"

"We already thought of that, Sir." Eren piped up gleefully. "We figured wood was too valuable, so we gathered up all the soiled hay from when we were cleaning the stables…."

All Levi could think about was how unsanitary that was as he quickly got to his feet.

"You shitty brats do this every year?"

Eren gave him that stupid-grin of his, throwing his arm over Arlet's shoulders. "Of course, Captain- it's tradition!"

Levi spent a good moment wondering how any of these kids had survived this long.

Armin smiled, and Mikasa hummed, tossing another shovel full of shit into the bonfire.

Levi frowned. "Well, congratulations. You three idiots have succeeded in waking up the entire regimen with your shitty tradition. Everyone has duties to complete tomorrow- including you. So wrap this shit up so we can all go to bed."

Eren nodded. "Of course, Sir. Armin- prepare the sacrifice!"

Levi did a double-take, finding Armin holding a rather-large looking explosive with a poorly-made doll tied to it.

Looking closer, Levi saw the doll had been made from an old sock, with uneven button eyes and sloppy stitching that all screamed Jager had been the one to make it.

"To a good new year!" Armin said cheerfully, as he handed the large rocket to Eren.

Eren nodded. "To a good new year." he said somberly, before he tucked it into the cardboard box with the remainder of their fireworks. Before Levi could ask him what the hell he was doing, Eren had tossed the box into the bonfire….

"EVERYBODY DOWN!" Eren shouted, flopping into the snow and covering his ears.

Armin followed suit, as did Mikasa, and within an instant the entire scouting legion was laying in the snow, a massive whistling sound filled the air, and fireworks shot off in all directions….

The only sound to be heard over the cacophony of colorful explosions were Eren's maniacal laughter.

"Happy New Year, Armin!" he shouted, grinning at his small, blonde friend as the night sky exploded in colors.

Red pinwheels clashed with blue bursts, yellow flashes fizzling and silver swirls taking over the sky, with intermittent bursts of green and white….

The explosions went on for a good minute or so, and despite the noise and the danger in setting them off, Levi couldn't help but notice how… captivating the fireworks were.

Eventually, the last firework- a silver swirl- went off with a bang, before the night fell eerily silent, the only sound the crackling of the bonfire.

Eren sat up, brushing the snow off his clothes.

"Well, it was nice while it lasted…." he admitted, and Levi bit back a stinging remark when he saw the sad reminiscent look in the boy's eyes.

"It's over?" Connie asked, eyes disappointed. "Seriously? That was the first time I've seen something like that… it was beautiful..." his voice got quieter near the end, but Levi still picked up the awe in the boy's statement.

Hanji was rushing over a moment later, nearly frothing at the mouth.

"Armin! how did you make the fireworks and what's the cultural significance of your tradition and how did it affect your childhood…." her notebook was ready, glasses glowing eerily in the firelight.

"Oi. You can interrogate the pyromaniacs later- it's nearly midnight. Go to bed, all of you."

Slowly, people started to disperse, heading back to the barracks, bleary-eyed but still talking about the fireworks. Levi wordlessly dragged a crate over and sat down, and the Shingashina trio exchanged glances….

"What are you doing, Sir?"

Levi scoffed. "You really think I trust you three bumbling idiots to put out this huge ass fire properly?"

"Well…."

"Jager. Shut up." Levi warned, and Eren obediently closed his mouth.

"We could shovel snow onto it, to make it go out faster." Armin suggested, trying to be helpful.

Levi scoffed. "And leave a pile of shitty hay in the yard? No. Let it burn. You three will clean up the ashes in the morning."

Levi had expected some sort of protest, but Mikasa merely nodded, Armin thought that seemed more than fair, and Eren was too engrossed staring into the flames to argue.

So they sat in silence, watching their breath mist in front of them as the (quite literally) shitty fire burned down.

Once it was only ashes and smoke, Mikasa heaped a couple of shovels full of snow atop it, just to be certain it wouldn't start up again.

They parted, Mikasa and Armin wishing Eren a Happy New Year and a good night, which Eren returned, before he and Levi were heading back inside the castle.

Levi was relatively cold and uncomfortable in his wet clothes, though he didn't show it- he was a perfect soldier, maintaining his normal bored expression. Eren looked no better- the boy was positively drenched, and he had a handful of singed hair- probably from the fireworks. Still, despite the boy's wet attire and slightly blue lips, he wasn't even shivering. Probably because he'd been conditioned to harsh winters as a child.

"Happy New Year, Captain." he said, with that dumb smile still on his face. Levi simply gave the boy an unamused glare, and Eren, getting the message, ducked down into the dungeons.

As soon as the brat was out of sight, Levi allowed his face to soften, slightly. "Happy New Year, brat." he muttered, before power-walking upstairs to his quarters, eager for dry clothes and a warm bed.

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