Both of them got some rest, though it wasn't uninterrupted.

Aubrey had no nightmares but every so often she would wake to Levi shaking in her arms. He wasn't dreaming, only falling too far into the torture of his own thoughts. Some rounds were only shaking and some were horrifying sobs. Aubrey would just hold him tighter, pressing her lips to every bit of his skin she could find and running her hands through his hair until he finally calmed and fell back asleep.

It happened over and over again but Aubrey never hesitated to comfort him. She'd do it as many times as she needed to.

Eventually, Aubrey woke not to the feeling of Levi's trembling but to the light of the morning sun. It crept in through the cracks in the curtains and cast orange patterns across the room.

They'd made it through another night.

She turned her eyes to Levi. He was still next to her, his arm loosely wrapped around her as he slept. She smiled, happy to see the peaceful expression on his face after a night full of torment. She realized that when he wasn't scowling he actually looked his age. He looked young.

She sank back into the bed, admiring him. From the orange color of the light, Aubrey knew that it was only sunrise. They still had a few minutes before she'd have to wake him.

Her hand reached out to touch his face and she traced his features, careful to keep her touch light so as not to disturb him. Her fingers went over his jawline, his cheekbones, the bridge of his nose, the dark circles under his eyes, and finally his lips. She lingered there for a moment before moving her hand to his hair, brushing his bangs from his eyes and feeling the softness of every strand.

Aubrey reaffirmed her belief that he was the most beautiful person she'd ever seen.

She stayed there with her hand in his hair until the light changed from orange to yellow. Sunrise had passed. It was time to get up.

She moved closer to him and pressed her fingers to his cheek as she placed a kiss on his lips. He stirred but didn't wake and Aubrey laughed quietly. She'd have to try again. Her mouth met his once more and she knew he'd woken when his lips started to match her movements.

Ever so slowly, Levi's arm tightened around her waist, pushing her further into his chest. She smiled against his mouth, excited to have him back. Even just the few minutes she'd let him sleep had been enough to make her miss him.

After a couple more seconds Aubrey broke away, pressing her forehead to his.

"Good morning."

Levi answered by putting his lips back on hers. He couldn't think of another way to express how happy he was to see her.

Aubrey pulled away from him again. She knew that if she didn't, she wouldn't want to leave the bed all day. And they had things to do.

"It's time for us to get up. I need to go to the forest for herbs and then we need to get some clean uniforms."

Aubrey hadn't been expecting them to go back to training so soon and she'd failed to grab any extra uniform clothing for either herself or Levi. All they had were things meant for leisure time.

But Aubrey realized that getting a clean outfit for Levi would mean going through more of Jack's things or even going to Levi's dorm. Both of those sounded like very unpleasant options.

She pushed the thought away. She'd deal with it when they got there. For now, she didn't want to lose the happiness of their morning.

"Did it make you sick?"

Aubrey was brought back to the present when Levi's voice rippled through the air. But she didn't understand what he was talking about.

"What?"

Levi leaned his head into her chest, obviously still under the influence of sleep.

"The tea. You said it could make you sick."

Aubrey felt her heart melt. She couldn't believe he remembered such a small detail.

And yet, she didn't really know how to answer his question. She'd felt sick that whole day but that could have been the result of any number of things. She decided a white lie wouldn't hurt anything.

"No. It didn't make me sick."

Levi hummed into her skin. He was almost starting to regret his insistence on going to training. Her skin was so warm and her touch was so comforting that he never wanted to leave.

Aubrey could sense his laziness and knew that she'd have to be the first one to move if they were ever going to get out of the bed.

She swung her leg over Levi's hip and rolled them until he was on his back and she hovered over him. She leaned down, placing a last kiss on his lips.

"Now let's get up."

Aubrey climbed off him before he could object and she slid across the bed, her feet hitting the cold floor.

When she stood she realized that her legs were rather sore and she stumbled, placing a hand on the bedside table for support. She heard Levi snicker behind her and turned to shoot him an unamused glare.

She saw him making his way off the bed and finally he stood behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Need some help?"

Aubrey smacked his arm.

"No, thank you."

She tried to walk only to stumble once again.

She could practically feel the smirk on Levi's face as he pulled her back and steadied her.

"Are you sure about that?"

Aubrey scowled, recognizing that she would have to give in.

"Fine."

Levi snickered again and swept her feet off the floor. She'd have to walk eventually but for now he could get away with carrying her.

He set her down on the sink in the bathroom. He moved between her legs to place a kiss on her jaw and Aubrey crossed her ankles behind his back. She smiled. He was being particularly sweet this morning.

Both of them brushed their teeth and washed their faces and when they'd finished, Levi lifted Aubrey back to his arms and gently set her down.

"Want to give it another try?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes. He was smirking again.

She gripped Levi's arm and took a step, feeling the soreness shoot through her. Her face screwed up in frustration. It didn't seem fair that she was the only one struggling.

She took another step and then another and eventually the pain started to lessen. Levi kept close by as they returned to the main room but after a while, Aubrey let go of his arm. She'd gotten through the worst of it.

She found her shoes and took a seat on the bed but Levi snatched the boots from her hands before she could even get them on.

Aubrey watched as he crouched down and slid them onto her feet. Her hand moved to stroke his hair as he tied the laces and when he finished she lifted his chin and put her lips on his.

Levi stood when she broke away and went to get his own boots. He had them on in less than a minute and then he was back at her side.

Aubrey sighed. It was time to go.

She reached her arms out to him and Levi grabbed her, helping her up. Her hand slid into his and he placed one last kiss on her forehead before they headed for the door.

Together, they made their way through the halls and out the back door that Aubrey had become very fond of. It was much more discreet and it was still too early to deal with the stares of the soldiers wandering into the Mess Hall.

As soon as they were out Aubrey led them toward the forest. She decided to just pick as many of the herbs as she could and dry them. That way she wouldn't have to make a trip to the woods every time Levi got handsy.

She headed for the nearest spot in the treeline, not bothering to follow any kind of path. She just wanted to get the plants and get out.

Finally, the two of them entered the forest and Aubrey searched the ground for anything she might need. She looked for a while, tugging Levi along with her until her eyes landed on the same little white flower that had reminded her of the tea in the first place. She huffed a laugh when she thought about how it had only been a couple of days since then. Had it not been for the grief still hanging overhead she would have sworn it was a lifetime ago.

Aubrey was pulled back to the present when she felt Levi's hand around her wrist. She turned to him to see that he was examining the flower she held. His eyes were so focused that he almost looked angry.

"What is it?"

Aubrey checked the flower again. Maybe there was something wrong with it and Levi had seen before she did.

"You need to teach me what all of these plants are."

Aubrey's brows scrunched. That wasn't the response she'd been expecting.

"What? Why?"

Levi gave her an annoyed look. Sometimes her selflessness could make her dense.

"Because it takes two, Aubrey. I'm not going to put all of the burden on you."

Aubrey's eyes widened as she realized the thoughtfulness of his gesture. But her first instinct was to always do everything herself. She didn't want to put a burden on him.

"Levi, you-"

His hand covered her mouth.

"Don't even finish that."

Aubrey snapped her jaw shut. He was using that tone that commanded authority. Whenever she heard it she couldn't help but do as he said. She knew he was serious.

He turned his attention back to the flower as his hand dropped from her mouth.

"What is this called?"

Aubrey looked down at the plant, her speech delayed by her lingering surprise.

"It's, um… it's called an anemone flower."

Levi's expression remained neutral as he continued to ask questions.

"How do I know it's the right one?"

Aubrey took a deep breath. There was a lot of explaining ahead.

"Well, they like the shade but they need a little sun, too, so look for an area that has just a little bit of light. Um, they always have this very distinct, fuzzy-looking center with the petals growing out around it, see?" Aubrey ran her finger over the center of the flower. "And their leaves are always pointy like this. They kind of look like tree leaves. Oh, but they can come in tons of different colors so don't think that they're always white."

She peeked up at Levi, expecting to see him confused or overwhelmed. Instead, he was more focused than ever as he processed what she'd said.

When his eyes finally met hers she gave him a gentle smile.

"What's the next one?"

Aubrey's smile grew wider and she pulled him in for a kiss before moving on to the next plant. He really was just a sheep in wolf's clothing.

Aubrey showed him each and every plant, explaining what it was and how to identify it. Levi listened carefully and when they'd finally finished he helped her to gather as many of the herbs as they could fit in their pockets. Aubrey went through his finds and was surprised that she only had to pull a few incorrect varieties from the pile. He really had been paying attention.

As soon as she plucked the last deceptive weed from his picks, her hand found his and she yanked him close. Her arms went around his neck and she stared softly into his eyes.

She hoped he could see just how much she cared for him, appreciated him. She still couldn't believe that she'd been lucky enough to have someone like him love her back. She knew she wasn't perfect but she thought that maybe she'd found someone perfect for her.

Levi must have been able to read her mind because just as she was about to lean in he pressed his lips to hers.

Aubrey savoured every second. She loved the way his hand rested against the back of her neck, the way his tongue felt on hers, the way he always made her feel like she was about to melt away. He made her see stars.

Levi pulled away and Aubrey chased after him, managing to get a few more kisses in before they broke away for good.

Her head pressed into his shoulder as she held onto him. She didn't want to let go, even if it meant they'd be late. Levi must have felt the same because he didn't say anything and his arms slid around her back as his chin moved to rest on her head.

Minutes passed by with only the sounds of their breathing to fill the silence. It was beyond relaxing and Aubrey could feel herself sinking into Levi's body more and more every moment. He was making her lose all track of time.

Finally, there was a chirp of a bird nearby and Aubrey was brought back to her senses. They'd been standing there for far too long. They would have to rush for uniforms if they were going to make it to the Mess Hall.

Aubrey reluctantly lifted her head and there was a pout on her face as she spoke.

"I think we have to go now."

Levi sighed. He didn't want to move any more than she did. But he knew she was right.

Aubrey placed one last kiss on his cheek and pulled back. Reminding herself that she would have all night with him was the only thing that kept her from going back to his arms.

Their fingers laced together and they left the forest unwillingly.

Aubrey's mind moved to their next task and an instant cloud formed over her. Levi's uniform would either have to come from Jack's things or they'd have to go to his dorm. She didn't know which was the lesser of two evils. She grappled with the decision for a while before realizing that she shouldn't be the one making the decision at all. It was up to Levi. He had to decide if he was ready to face that room or not.

But when Aubrey opened her mouth to ask him, she realized that her room was already coming into view. She didn't have time to get the words out before they arrived at her door.

Levi put his hand on the knob and pushed inside, pulling Aubrey in behind him. The door clanked shut and she got to work immediately. She was happy she'd kept her room rather tidy after Levi had helped her clean it. Otherwise, she'd be getting an earful of reprimands.

She emptied her pockets, tossing the herbs onto the bed and then heading for her dresser. She yanked open the drawers, pulling out a clean uniform.

Suddenly, her hands froze as she recognized the pile of bloody clothing on the floor next to her. It was her uniform from the day of the expedition and it stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the neatness of everything else.
She drew in a sharp breath and turned to Levi only to see that the damage had already been done. He was staring at the clothes, a distant expression on his face.

Aubrey moved as quickly as she could. She picked up the pile of bloodied cloth and shoved it into a drawer, closing it away.

She grabbed her clean uniform and twisted back to Levi. She walked to him, her fingers going to his cheek as she tried to bring him back.

"Help me."

She took his hand and placed it on the seam of her shirt.

"Help me, Levi."

For a moment he didn't move and Aubrey thought she was going to have to repeat herself again. But then the light came back to his eyes and he seemed to understand what she was asking of him.

His hand tightened around the edge of her shirt and he pulled it up and over her head.

Aubrey moved closer, pushing into his chest and kissing his neck as he moved to her bra.

It was off in seconds and her pants and underwear weren't far behind. He took the clean clothing from her hands and redressed her just as efficiently as he'd undressed her.

When the last piece went on, Aubrey pressed a hand to Levi's abdomen and she pushed him back until his knees hit the bed. She forced him to sit, moving the herbs out of the way, and then crawled into his lap.

She hugged him tightly and felt instantly reassured when his arms returned her embrace. He was back, he was with her.

She continued with her kisses, running them across his collarbone and then along his jaw. She'd completely forgotten about the bloodied uniform and by the time she'd realized what she'd done it was already too late. She'd made a mistake.

"I'm sorry."

Levi groaned as he tucked his head into her neck.

"Don't apologize to me. Please, don't."

Aubrey stilled. She didn't understand.

"I should have gotten rid of it. I'm sorry."

"I said don't."

There was that authoritative tone. He meant business.

Aubrey almost apologized again for going against his wishes but she caught herself and just nodded in response.

She hugged him even tighter and Levi took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of her skin. He was getting through it but Aubrey's apologies had been what really brought him out of his trance. He hated when she took so much of his own pain on herself. He was grateful to have her, grateful for everything she'd done to help. In fact, he knew that he probably wouldn't have survived without her. But when she blamed herself for every reminder of the past it drove him insane. She wasn't responsible for protecting him, he needed to do that himself.

"Levi."

Aubrey's voice dragged him from his thoughts.

"I need to ask you something."

Levi pushed himself even further into her neck and put his lips on her skin. A silent yes.

Aubrey sighed.

"Are you ready to face your room?"

Levi's breathing stopped as her question sank in. He pulled back to look at her, his eyes urging her to elaborate.

Aubrey's brows furrowed as she began to explain.

"You need a uniform. If you want, I can go through Jack's things and find one but… if you think you're ready… I'll be with you every step of the way."

Levi went still as he thought over his options. He could take one of Jack's uniforms but that would mean subjecting Aubrey to her own suffering. He couldn't do that. Especially not after he'd just vowed to protect himself. He had to face his past for her sake. He couldn't keep letting her remove his obstacles.

But as much as he wanted to face things alone, Levi knew that he still needed her. Just now, when he'd seen that bloodied uniform… if she hadn't been there he would have spiraled. He didn't want her to leave his side, just to stop shielding him.

He pressed his forehead to hers.

"I'm ready, but… I need you."

Aubrey could feel tears forming in her eyes and she hastily put her lips on his. She kissed him again and again, only ever pulling away to reassure him.

"You have me. You have me. You have me."

Levi kissed her back, knowing that he was forever indebted to her. Never in his life did he think he would find someone who loved him so completely, with all of his flaws and weaknesses. He'd already lost count of the number of times she'd saved him from himself and he knew she'd never stop.

When Aubrey finally ran out of air, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands going to his head as she guided him into her shoulder. She'd hold him as long as he needed her to, even if that was forever.

Levi stayed there for a few minutes as his breathing returned to normal. He focused on the sound of her heartbeat and, while it was a little faster than normal, it was still calming enough to steady him. Soon, he felt strong enough to go. He was ready.

He moved his lips to Aubrey's jaw and she immediately knew what he was saying.

She scrambled back and out of his lap, waiting as he stood. Her hand reached up to comb through his hair one last time and then she headed for her closet, grabbing her extra pair of 3DMG straps. She slung them over her shoulder. She'd put them on later.

She hurried to the bed, taking just enough of the herbs to make her tea for the morning. Just like her straps, she'd deal with the rest of the plants later.

Levi twined their fingers as soon as she finished and brought the back of her hand to his mouth.

Aubrey nodded. She was ready when he was.

Finally, Levi squeezed her hand and the two of them left her room behind.

It didn't take them long to reach the men's barracks and Levi pulled Aubrey inside without hesitation. Women still weren't allowed in the men's dorms and if they were caught by a superior, they would be stopped. Luckily, it seemed that all of them had already headed for the Mess Hall.

Aubrey followed as Levi led her through the halls. She vaguely remembered where they were going from the time she'd brought him cleaning supplies but she didn't really care enough to try to memorize the layout. There were more important things coming.

Aubrey inhaled sharply when Levi halted in front of one of the doors. Now she remembered perfectly. They'd arrived.

Her hands quickly traveled to his back, trailing over his shoulder blades and then down the backs of his arms. She hoped her touch was helping.

Levi was still for a moment and then he reached for her, an arm wrapping around her waist. His lips crashed into her but the kiss was over as soon as it had started. Levi's hand went to the knob and turned.

Aubrey held her breath as they moved inside. It looked exactly like she'd thought it would.

Furlan's bed sat neatly made, the sheets folded and pressed.

A few of his belongings sat on the desk, lined up and looking like they might be used at any moment.

Aubrey automatically raised her hand to Levi's cheek. She already made contact with his skin by the time she met his eyes.

He looked… tense. All of the muscles in his jaw were flexed and his brows were lowered over his eyes. Aubrey looked harder, searching for any signs of the far-off expression he took on when he thought back.

Surprisingly, she saw nothing. He was still with her, still in the moment. Her hand ran through his hair as she turned their attention back to their goal.

"Levi… your uniform."

Levi closed his eyes, pausing before he nodded.

He moved away from her and across the room, finding the dresser.

Aubrey watched him carefully as he pulled out a clean uniform. She waited for a sign that he needed her but it never came.
Before she knew it, he was walking back to her, his hand reaching for hers. He dragged her fingers to his shirt and Aubrey gave him a small smile. She knew what he was asking.

Aubrey lifted his shirt over his head and Levi pressed forward to kiss her neck, just as she'd done with him. Her hands went to his waist and she soon had him undressed.

His clean uniform went on quickly and as soon as Aubrey had the shirt over his head, Levi's arms wrapped around her. His head went to her shoulder again and Aubrey held him tightly. Again, she silently promised to stay there with him for however long he needed.

But to her surprise, Levi lifted his head after just a few seconds. His forehead met hers and he pulled her even closer.

"Let's move tonight."

Aubrey hesitated.

"Into the castle?"

Levi inhaled sharply.

"Yes, I want to do it tonight. Right after training."

Aubrey felt her legs go weak but not because of the lingering soreness. She couldn't express how happy his words had made her. They made her whole body shake with relief.

As soon as they got out of the barracks, as soon as they left those physical reminders of the past behind, they could start anew. They could start anew together.

"Yes. Yes."

Aubrey could only think of the one word but it would do the trick.

Levi kissed her for the millionth time that morning but Aubrey still couldn't seem to get enough. Her lips moved with his and he was holding her so tightly that he'd nearly lifted her off the floor. It was a special kind of kiss, one in which they were both only thinking of the future.

Eventually, they both needed air and they broke apart, panting. They clung to each other for a moment longer until Aubrey realized that time had managed to slip away from her again. They were definitely late. Reluctantly, she spoke up.

"Your straps, Levi."

Levi pulled away, confused for just a second before he realized what she meant.

He sighed, letting go of her and opening his closet. He froze for a moment when he saw Furlan's clothes hung next to his. Luckily, Aubrey's hands were on his back almost immediately and pulled himself together enough to find his straps.

When he had them, he turned back to her and Aubrey didn't hesitate to take them from his hands. She unraveled the leather, and pushed Levi's uniform jacket off his shoulders. He helped her slip the straps over his arms and with the two of them working together the work was finished in just a few minutes.

Levi took Aubrey's pair from where they were still slung over her shoulder and started the process all over again.

They were done in record time and the instant the last buckle was in place, their fingers laced together. It was finally time to go.

Aubrey placed a kiss on Levi's cheek and then let him lead her toward the door. When his hand landed on the knob, he paused, taking one last glance behind him. The room was cold, empty, and just the sight of it made his pain worsen. But he'd faced it.

Aubrey squeezed his hand and Levi looked back at her. He wondered what he'd ever done to deserve her.

She moved forward, placing her hand over his on the doorknob and together they walked out, leaving the past behind them.

A/N: Omg, NOT ME looking up white flowers on the internet and just picking anemone because it looked pretty lol.

Also, NOT ME crying while writing my own fic because they're so cute omg. I can't with myself. Like, why am I crying? I know what's about to happen because I'm literally writing it lol.

Okay, lol, I hope everyone liked this chapter. It kind of went in a different direction than I originally had planned but I still like it. It was hella cute. Also kinda sad but, like, who doesn't like a little angst, right?

Who else is hyped for them to move innnnnn? I get excited about my own story. They're just so CUTE. I cannot.

I think y'all liked the smut chapter, too, hah. I'll keep them coming if you want. I'm not gonna lie they're lowkey fun to write. I have come a long way from being as red as a tomato when I wrote the first one lol.

And y'all have really been leaving the SWEETEST comments! I read all of them and pretty much all of them make me cry lol. They just make me so happy :') PLEASE keep leaving them. Some of you keep saying that you think you're annoying but I LITERALLY refresh the page to see if there are any new ones to read. So, no, you are not annoying. Thanks for reading my story. It means so much to me and I love y'all :)))