A/N: Hello again my lovely readers! I'm sorry I haven't updated in a few days. This chapter was really difficult to write and for VERY GOOD REASON. (wink wink, nudge nudge) I hope this chapter is to your liking! Also, I MUST warn you... THE 'M' RATING IS MEANT FOR THIS CHAPTER AND OTHER CHAPTERS LIKE IT. If you don't like, don't read it. (But I REALLLLLLYYYYYY hope you do. It will break my little heart if you don't T.T)

The inspiration for part of this chapter was "17 crimes" by AFI and "Ribcage" by Andy Black.

Please favorite, follow, and or REVIEW if you like the story. PM me as well anytime. I enjoy hearing your feedback and anything else you would like to say as well. It makes me feel closer to my audience :D (Looking at you again, bluebellvine).

Well, without further ado, CIAO FOR NOW!


LEVI'S POV:

What started off as a situation built out of innocent good intentions had suddenly been turned right on top of its head, complete with finding myself sitting in between Celica's leg while a light blush branded itself onto her cheeks. The close proximity though wasn't what had originally called for the immediate change of atmosphere. It was when she had called my name. And how the sound had left her lips.

She had looked at me with an unabashed lust and longing in her eyes as if she hadn't heard her own voice just then or simply didn't care; oblivious to how it sounded in my own ears or the effect it was having on me while all my blood immediately ran south. A breathy sigh had been her call and I'll be damned if I didn't have to restrain myself from shuddering at the sound of my own name falling from her lips.

Right now, it was as if she was a sheep; left all alone to be devoured by the rogue wolf, completely helpless if it would attack. The perfect meal. And it wasn't until now that I realized how starved for her I had become.

Struggling to grab the reins on the situation, I forced myself to take a mental step back. Stop it, Ackerman! Get a hold of yourself! You can't touch her, she HAS to make the first move!

Detaching myself as much as I could bear, I sat back only an inch to give myself some breathing room as I hung my head in shame of the lack of self-control I was experiencing in my own head. However, one glance up at her, with pink cheeks and bright eyes fixated on me so hard that I thought she could see right through me, I knew I was thoroughly and irrevocably fucked.

I wanted to ask myself how the hell it had ended up like this again. I wanted to question why my chest felt like there was a fifty-pound weight on it while my heart beat a louder, stronger, yet more erratic rhythm. Why was I having such a hard time keeping my distance from her, subconsciously leaning forward until only a few measly inches separated our face; kept her lips from mine and kept my heart from flying out of my ribcage when they finally made contact?

Hearing a small tremor in my own voice, I finally had the courage to ask, "What do you want from me, Celica?"

Though her eyes didn't waver from mine then, I could feel her body tense beneath me. Suddenly, I wondered if the question had completely gone over her head or if it was too forward in general. Even more frustrated at the situation, I ran a hand through my hair and sighed, reiterating my question to her once more.

"I told you I wouldn't force anything out of you anymore." I reminded her. "And that if you wanted something, that was your choice. So, I'll ask you again,"

And please answer me this time, I thought.

"What do you want from me?"

She sat up straighter on the bed, the trembling in her arms barely noticeable to the untrained eye. Her following words were my complete undoing as she whimpered them out softly.

"I want you to stop holding back."

Panic melted away into absolute resolution and all attempts to talk myself out of it shattered as she pulled me forward, hands making purchase in the fabric of my shirt and lacing through my hair as she initiated the kiss. If I had a single rational thought left before that moment, it was that I was grateful for being a fast healer, as the switch was suddenly flipped and the only thing that I cared about anymore was her taste, her touch, and her body against mine.

Her kiss was not gentle. In fact, it was harsh and rough and desperate enough to bruise. However, all that managed to do was ignite a fire within me that I thought had wilted away long before.

I didn't argue when her tongue swiped over my bottom lip, just as eager to taste her as she was me. She tasted as sweet as I had remembered, if not sweeter, as I savored her flavor. Guiding her head to the side to further slot our mouths together, I was determined to memorize the distinctness that was her while our tongues danced together.

While her hands were fisted in my hair, trying to pull me impossibly closer, mine trailed up her side and around the small of her back. Breaking the kiss, her legs immediately wrapped around my waist as I repositioned her into sitting in my lap.

Her head tilted back as my lips nibbled and licked along her jaw line and down her throat, the subtle of taste of sweat lingering on my tongue. Soft, breathy moans fell from her lips, sounding like music to my ears. I wanted to hear more. I needed to hear more of those beautiful sounds. Her uniform, however, was getting in the way.

Hastily undoing the buckles to her gear and sliding the straps off her torso, the buttons of her shirt were popped open one after another, while she whimpered softly above me. I coveted every inch of newly exposed skin, leaving small little marks scattered across her chest and then her shoulders as I slipped her shirt off of the them; the garment collecting in the crook of her arms while her hands roamed wherever they could reach. Lacing in and tugging my hair, trailing down my neck, over my shoulders and chest, along my jaw. Everywhere she touched felt like more and more like fire the longer she lingered.

"Levi," She mewled, turning my gaze back at flushed cheeks and bright eyes. Her lips fell against mine again, slower and more controlled this time. Hands were bunched in my shirt again, tugging it away from my heated skin as she whispered against my lips. "I want it gone."

The shirt didn't last another moment on me before it was discarded away, forgotten, before I reconnected our lips again, drowning in her taste. She inched forwards in my lap, her body pressed flush with mine as her hips started rocking gently against mine and her nails scrapped gently over the skin of my nape, shoulders, and back.

I couldn't hold back the groan that bubbled in my throat and bucked my hips roughly against her, the friction feeling so overwhelmingly good that I started to question my own sanity. The choked moan she let out only added fuel to the fire.

"Play nice, brat." I warned, pressing my forehead to hers, the corners of my lips tilting upwards into a cocky smirk.

"Why should I?" She challenged, her own smirk appearing on her face as she looked at me with hooded and glazed eyes; her hand slowly trailing over my chest and stomach.

"Because if you keep it up, you can forget about leaving here tonight." Her eyes shone as she entertained the thought, her smirk turning downright wicked.

"Good." She stated, her hand moving to palm me through my pants, a shudder ripping its way through my body along with a growled curse from my lips as my hips rutted against hers harshly, my fingers digging into the soft flesh.

She pried my hands from her body and slipped out of my lap to sit on the bed, folding her shirt closed as she grinned wide. It took a moment before the blood reached my head on my shoulders to figure out why she had moved away so suddenly. When it dawned on me, I was pissed but also just a little impressed.

That... conivining little... brat.

"Fuck me..." I breathed, still trying to catch my breath, feeling how constrictive my pants had become thanks to my straining erection.

"Not tonight." She mused, a coy smile stretched across her lips. "I think a taste of your own medicine is just what the doctor ordered."

"I would prefer you keep Four Eyes out of this right now." I deadpanned, her sudden playfulness leaving me thoroughly irritated and unsated.

"That's not what I meant. It's more like... payback, of the most rewarding kind."

More than slightly annoyed, I quickly readjusted myself and reached for my discarded shirt that lay wrinkled on the floor next to the bed.

"Personally, I would think that this time differed quite a bit from last." I grumbled while pulling my shirt back on, Celica also putting her clothes back right as they were and shrugging in response.

"Well, last time I didn't have to be up bright and early for training the next day." She pointed out, her tone becoming serious again. "Can't afford to lose anymore sleep."

Somehow, I could have sworn that there was a 'sadly' muttered at the end of her sentence but there wasn't much else I could do. She had a point for once and she was still focused on being ready for the next expedition. I made her swear to be ready after all. I couldn't let myself hinder her progress now. Not with only a few more days left to prepare.

"You should probably turn in for the night then. It's getting late."

I had expected her to agree and leave almost immediately but instead, she just stood there, lost in whatever was going through her head again. Her eyes were downcast as her kept me more or less towards her back, a small tremor quaking through her shoulders. Was she...?

"That first night we were beyond the walls together, I had a nightmare and you offered to stay by my side as I slept. Do you remember?"

How could I not?

"Yeah. Are you still having them? The nightmares?" She looked back at me with scared wide eyes, my prior affliction fading away immediately as her eyes glossed with tears.

"They're getting worse."

I reached out, grabbing her hand and pulled her closer, still clutching her hand with one as the other brushed away the tears spilling over onto her cheeks.

"If you think it would help, you're welcome to stay here." I offered. "I'm serious. No funny business." She nodded meekly as she muttered a quick 'thank you'.

Searching through my dresser, I opened the drawer that I knew still had a couple articles of her clothing in them, stashed away out of sight. I handed her a shirt and pair of pants before closing the drawer back.

"Go shower and get changed."

She didn't argue with me in the slightly, taking the clothes and retreating into the bathroom for a long while, the sound of running water attempting to relax me as I wait patiently sprawled out on the bed.

Eventually, she resurfaced. Complete with the change of clothes and damp hair she crawled over next to me, an uncomfortable amount of distance between our bodies now. It was as if she was scared to touch me again.

Ignoring the debate in my own head, I pulled the covers over her body and tucked a section of hair behind her ear and out of her eyes.

"Try to get some sleep." She nodded again, bidding a soft 'goodnight' as her eyes slipped closed.

I laid next to her for a while longer, waiting until I was sure by her slow deep breaths that she was fast asleep. I showered quickly and changed clothes as well, making it point to return to bed soon. When I padded back into the bedroom though, Celica was trembling and muttering in her sleep, curled into herself tightly as the nightmare wracked through her.

I slipped back in bed, pulling the covers over me as I pulled her closer to me, whispering to her as she slept and stroked her back gently.

'It's okay' and 'You're fine' fell off my lips more times than I could count. 'I'm right here' was added as well when I heard her whimpering my name in her sleep. This time though, it hurt to hear her make those sounds. Her frail voice filled with trepidation and fear as she clung to me as if for dear life.

I didn't know how long it was that we had remained like that but eventually, Celica stilled once more and her whimpering had stopped. The last thing I wanted was for her nightmare to return the moment I let go or left her side, so instead, I cradled her against me until my own sleep overtook me.

Right before everything blacked out, I remember pressing my lips to her forehead before tucking her head back under my chin and whispering a soft 'goodnight'. She clung closer to me and let out a gentle sigh before settling back into place, finally relaxing again as she slept; neither of us waking up until almost dawn.