One Shot Collection - (Don't Die Series) - Levi x OC

by docoo

A collection of one shots that take place between Levi and Aubrey and depict scenes that never made it into the original fics!

3. Levi's Birthday

Description: Levi spends his 19th birthday with Aubrey and she'd determined to show him just how special a birthday, and Christmas, can be.

Setting: This one shot takes place about four months after Aubrey and Levi move in together.

Genre: Fluff

WARNING: Underage Relationship, Implied Smut

A/N: Okay, y'all, so I'm well aware that this one is a stretch lol. As some of you may know, Levi's birthday is December 25th, which in OUR WORLD is Christmas. BUT, I doubt the AOT universe has Christmas or even Christianity (at least within the Walls). BUT, we're gonna roll with it and pretend that they DO have Christmas because it makes this one shot a whole lot cozier and more fun to write. So… yay.

Also, there are A LOT of cliché Christmas tropes in the one shot, but I loved them, so I left them in lol. Alrighty, I think that's I'll I have for the BEFORE reading author's note, but I will see you again at the end with more :) Enjoy!

Aubrey woke first. Which was good. And rare. Usually, Levi was up first. He'd told her that his insomnia had improved tremendously ever since they started sleeping together, but it never disappeared entirely. Usually, he fell asleep after her and woke up before her and there were several times in the night when he'd wake and simply trace her face until the motions lulled him back to sleep.

And while he'd fallen asleep after her and woken up at least a couple of times that she knew of last night… she'd woken up before him. And, today… that was a blessing. Because… it was his birthday. And it was Christmas.

Aubrey stared at his sleeping face, admiring the peaceful look that always covered his features when he fell asleep in her arms. She felt like she could look at him for hours just watching his chest rise and fall and marveling at how young he looked when he relaxed. But, today, that wasn't an option. She was going to make him breakfast and then kiss him awake and wish him a happy birthday and a merry Christmas. But in order to do all of that… she'd have to get off the bed somehow… without waking him… which was starting to seem a little impossible.

Levi was never shy about pulling her as close as she could possibly get during the night and last night hadn't been an exception. He had an arm wrapped around her waist and his legs were tangled with hers beneath the covers. She'd have to be extraordinarily careful if she was somehow going to get away without waking him. But, she was determined to do it. She'd already planned to make this day perfect for him and she was going to do just that.

So, ever so slowly, Aubrey began to untangle their legs. Her motions were so slow that she could hardly detect them herself, but she still kept her eyes on Levi's face the whole time. If she saw even the slightest sign that he was going to wake she'd stop and hope to god that he didn't fully open his eyes.

Somehow, she managed to get their legs completely untangled without any wake-up scares, but just as she was starting to slide his arm off her waist she froze.

Levi's brows suddenly furrowed and she felt him roll closer to her, his arm tightening around her body as he sighed happily and unfurrowed his brows now that she was in his grasp again. Aubrey had to press her lips together to stifle a laugh. She didn't think he was awake, but that only made it all the better. Even in his sleep he was upset when she tried to leave. But, unfortunately for him, she was determined to get up and make him his favorite breakfast. She'd go right back to cuddling with him as soon as she was done, but first food.

With that goal in mind, Aubrey slowly started to shift away again, grateful that he didn't grab her again when she lifted his arm. She managed to successfully move off the bed, standing slowly so as not to make the mattress shift harshly. When she'd done that, she turned back with a smile on her face and checked one last time to make sure that Levi was still sound asleep. He was. She could see his chest rising and falling slowly and she could hear little puffs of air going in and out of his mouth. She choked back a giggle. As long as he stayed that way, she'd be able to give him the surprise she'd planned.

So, with one last glance, Aubrey began to make her way toward the kitchen.

But, as she was walking, she couldn't help but notice all of the decorations that were shining brightly in the morning light. Somehow, she managed to get Levi on board with decorating for the holidays and he'd even helped get a tree for their room. It was standing in the corner now, dozens of shiny ornaments hanging all over it. The mantle was decorated, too, with garland draping over it and a wreath hung above it. She'd even found the time to embroider stockings with the first letters of their names, which she was sure would cause an instant heart attack for Levi if anyone other than the two of them saw. Aubrey had added a few red and green blankets to their bed and scattered some extra candles around the room for cozier lighting at night and she was entirely satisfied with the work she'd done. She was fairly sure that Levi had never had a proper Christmas with the tree and the piles of presents and the candies and special foods. And she was determined to give that to him. For the first time in a long time, Aubrey felt like she had a real home with Levi and she wanted to make sure that both of them experienced every aspect of what it meant to share a home.

Aubrey tore her eyes away from decorations as she scurried silently across the floor and stepped into the kitchen. It was far too early to start crying about how happy she was, so she'd have to focus on something else. Breakfast.

She got to work immediately, not wasting a second. She lit a fire in the stove and put the kettle on to boil before quickly moving to the icebox and pulling out the ingredients she'd been saving for this day. Levi didn't mind sweets every so often, but he definitely leaned more toward savory. So, Aubrey had bought some ham, cheese, eggs, potatoes, and vegetables last time they'd gone into town and she was planning on making omelettes. She had a little bit of fruit, too, just to break it up a bit.

Aubrey took all of those ingredients and set them out on the counter, chopping, stirring, and mixing until she finally added everything into the hot pan on the stove. She cringed a bit at the sound of everything sizzling as it cooked, but knew that it couldn't be avoided. Hopefully, Levi wouldn't be woken up by it.

As quietly as she could, Aubrey continued, taking the kettle off the stove just before it started whistling and making tea with Levi's favorite, and most expensive, leaves. He hardly ever used them, but Aubrey figured that if there was any day to use them, it was today.

The omelettes were done soon after and Aubrey plated them alongside the potatoes and fruit she'd already prepared. And, just like that, everything was ready.

Aubrey held back another giggle as she took the tray of tea and crept back out to the main room. One glance told her that Levi was still sleeping and she smiled excitedly as she set the tea on his bedside table. She made another trip to the kitchen for the food, placing the plates on her own bedside table, before slowly and carefully climbing back onto the bed.

She grinned down at Levi's sleeping face and felt a warmth spread through her entire body. Aubrey had a feeling that, not only had he never had a proper Christmas, but also that he'd never properly celebrated his birthday before… and she was determined to change that. He'd gone all out for her birthday and she was going to do the same for him. She knew he wouldn't want a party or large, extravagant gifts, but she did know that he'd like spending a day with her. Just the two of them. And she was going to make sure that this day changed his mind about his own birthday. She was going to make it as special as she possibly could. Starting right now.

Slowly, Aubrey lowered herself down to the mattress again. Levi was still on his side, his arm extended toward her side of the bed as if he was pretending she was there even in his sleep. But he didn't have to pretend anymore. She was right there.

Aubrey was a little less scared of waking him up now, since that was the goal, but she still wanted to do it gently. So, she lifted his arm, slid beneath it and wrapped it around her waist as she watched his brows furrow ever so slightly at the movement. She bit her lip to stop herself from laughing and snuggled closer to him as she brought her hand to his cheek. He stirred slightly, but only ended up leaning further into her. Aubrey beamed at him and decided that she couldn't wait any longer. She was far too excited.

So, she moved in, pressing her lips to his and feeling him stir again and then again until he hummed into her mouth and started to move his lips in time with hers. Aubrey smiled into their kiss when she felt his arm tighten around her waist again, trying to get her as close as possible.

There were no words for a while, only the sound of kissing and the occasional small giggle from Aubrey or content hum from Levi. But, eventually, Aubrey knew she had to break away if she didn't want to be left breathless as she gave him his surprise.

So, reluctantly, she slowed their kisses to a stop and smiled brightly as she pulled back to look Levi in the eyes.

There was a small smile on his own lips and his silver eyes were still half-lidded from the haze of sleep, but it was easy for Aubrey to see that they'd started their day off right.

She stroked his cheek and stared back at him as she whispered the words she'd been waiting to say all morning.

"Merry Christmas." She paused for one a moment, giving him one more light kiss before pulling away and whispering again. "And happy birthday."

"Mmm." Aubrey saw his lips twitch up into a slightly more obvious smile as he hummed and he leaned back in as he whispered. "Thanks." Aubrey giggled lightly as his lips hit hers again and stayed there for a long moment before he pulled away again.

His eyes locked with her and Aubrey instantly smiled. Even with messy hair and droopy eyes, he was still absolutely dazzling. No matter what, he always managed to make her heart skip a beat.

"So… how does it feel to be nineteen? Are your bones creaking? Any grey hairs?"

Levi huffed and pressed another lazy kiss to her lips.

"Not quite. Just another shitty birthday."

Aubrey rolled her eyes immediately. She wasn't going to allow that kind of attitude. He was going to love his birthday whether he wanted to or not. She was going to make sure of that.

So, without a wasted second, Aubrey pushed Levi onto his back and straddled his hips as she hovered over him. He looked a little surprised, but certainly not upset and Aubrey raised an eyebrow at him as she spoke.

"It is not 'just another shitty birthday'. It's your birthday. It's supposed to be a special day. Plus, it's Christmas. And we are going to celebrate all day long."

Aubrey lowered her lips to his neck and kissed along his skin as a low grunt rumbled in his chest.

"More Christmas parties?"

Aubrey hummed a small laugh as she continued to kiss along his collarbone. They'd celebrated the holiday with Hange and Erwin and… the rest of the regiment last night. It was a yearly occurrence with the Scouts to hold a 'party' of sorts in the Mess Hall. It wasn't really a party, more like a slightly more extravagant meal with the addition of alcohol. But, it was fun nonetheless. And it served their purpose of celebrating Christmas with friends yesterday. They'd decided, or Aubrey had suggested, that they do all of the holiday celebrating with others on Christmas Eve so that they could have the actual day of Christmas and Levi's birthday as a time just for them. Aubrey had even insisted that she open Levi's gifts for her, all of which were amazing, last night so that today could be completely focused on him. He deserved it.

So, they'd done the parties and friends yesterday. Although, it seemed to have tired Levi out a bit. He wasn't one for tons of socialization. But that worked out just fine because neither was Aubrey. Both of them were perfectly content to be alone together in their room for most of their free time. They never needed much more than a bit of interaction with their close friends. That was plenty.

A huge smile came to Aubrey's lips, but she just kissed along Levi's collarbone as she answered.

"No. No more Christmas parties. But, I do have another suggestion if you'd like to hear it."

There was a beat of silence and then Levi's hand moved to her back, gently stroking up and down as he spoke.

"Go on."

Aubrey huffed a small laugh and then pulled away to whisper to him.

"I think the New Year's Festival starts today. If you want to go, I can show you all the good food. But really we can do anything you want. We could go to the pond or just lie here… whatever you want. It's your birthday."

Aubrey grinned down at him as his brows furrowed. She thought she could guess what he was going to say next.

"What the hell is the New Year's Festival and why is it on December 25 and not January 1st?"

Aubrey giggled and brought her lips to his bare chest. He'd slept without a shirt last night and Aubrey was in nothing but her underwear and one of his shirts, but she thought they were perfectly dressed for a lazy morning in bed. Levi loved to see as much of her skin as possible and she felt the same about him. Plus, the fact that he didn't have a shirt on left her able to kiss the scars on his chest… which was one of her favorite things to do.

"It's just a winter festival in town where all of the vendors set up stands and sell food you wouldn't normally get. I think there are games and shows and I'm pretty sure there's a parade on New Year's day. And it's starting today because it starts on Christmas and goes until the New Year. It's just a week-long party."

Aubrey waited a second, but he gave no immediate response. There was no rush, though. She was perfectly happy to simply lie in bed with him all day long if that was what he wanted.
So, she lifted her lips from his chest and brought them to his neck, kissing all the way up until she reached his jaw and then kissed all the way to his mouth. When her lips hit his, she smiled again and savored the feeling of his hands gripping her hips. She loved it.

But… she did have one thing that couldn't wait much longer. The food.

"You don't have to decide about the festival right now. But, we do have to eat breakfast or it'll get cold."

Aubrey saw Levi's brows furrow and then he turned his head to the side, taking in the sight of the steaming plates of food on the bedside table. He looked back to her immediately and Aubrey giggled when he gave her a crooked smile. But, before she knew it, his fingers dug into her hips just a little harder and he had her flipped onto her back.

He lowered his face to hers, their lips brushing as he spoke.

"You made me breakfast in bed?"

Aubrey giggled again, her arms wrapping around his neck as she answered.

"Yes. And I made your good tea, too. Oh, and I promise not to spill on the sheets."

Aubrey saw his eyes flash with excitement and she laughed again. But, the sound was soon cut off as his lips locked with hers. She could feel in the kiss that he was certainly warming up to the idea of having an actual 'birthday celebration' with her. It would certainly be their own celebration without a party or any kind of public attention, but they would still enjoy just as much if not more.

Their lips broke apart after a long moment, but Levi still stayed close, a small smile on his lips.

"Thank you."

Aubrey giggled again and nodded.

"You're welcome."

Aubrey saw a flash of white teeth as he smiled down at her and then, just a second later, he was kissing her again. She tightened her arms around his neck, trying to pull him closer, but it seemed that he had other plans.

He pulled away after just a moment and before Aubrey knew it he had her sitting up with her back pressed against his chest and his arms wrapped around her waist as he kissed her neck. She could never figure out how he managed to move so damn fast, but she certainly didn't mind when he used that skill for this kind of thing.

She giggled, but didn't lean back into him quite yet. Instead, she reached for the bedside table and took the plates in her hands, gently setting them down on the bed and doing her best not to spill as she'd promised Levi.

When she had the plates next to them, she finally leaned back against his chest and turned her head over her shoulder, a silent request for his lips. He didn't hesitate to give her what she wanted and Aubrey smiled as he leaned forward to kiss her. He lingered for just a moment and then let her go before he moved his lips to her neck.

Aubrey giggled again as she reached for her plate, bringing it into her lap as she took her first bite. It was good. Really good.

She grinned. She'd already started the day off right.

"Hey, take a break and eat your breakfast."

Aubrey reached up and wrapped her fingers around Levi's chin, moving his mouth away from the skin of her neck and instead freeing it up to eat.
Aubrey heard him grunt.

"Tch."

She just giggled again and nudged his plate toward him.

"You can kiss me all day if that's what you want. But first breakfast. Look, I even got ham."

Levi raised an eyebrow. Kiss her all day? That seemed like a rather tempting option. He couldn't count the number of times he'd pulled her close in the morning and wished that they could simply lay there all day, lips locked and limbs tangled. And if she was offering, he was certainly going to make good use of the option, but… the festival she'd spoken about sounded rather intriguing.

If it was truly full of food and shows and decorations, it was certainly unlike anything they'd ever had in the Underground. Plus, he loved going into town with Aubrey even on a normal day. He loved watching the way her eyes lit up when they walked past the chocolate shop and how she would always squeal with excitement when he pulled her inside and picked out the ones he knew she liked the best. He loved the way she would always pull him out of the crowd and over to their private little spot along the river just so they could kiss each other senseless. He loved the way she always managed to sneakily purchase the most expensive tea leaves in the shop even though he insisted that he didn't need them every time. He loved the way he'd sometimes catch her staring at him with a look so full of love he felt like he could hardly take it. And he loved watching the way her expression softened when she saw the jewelry store he'd bought her necklace at… and the jewelry store that was now in the process of creating her engagement ring. Although, she wouldn't be seeing the finished product for at least a few more years.

So, they'd go to the festival. But not before he ate the breakfast she'd made him and gotten in at least one round of kisses.

Levi turned his attention to the plate that was now sitting by his side. He had to admit, it looked delicious. But everything Aubrey made was always delicious. And she'd mentioned something about ham…

He picked up his fork and took his first bite, smiling slightly as he chewed. It was just as good as ever… if not better. She'd gotten ham, cheese, and all kinds of vegetables that she'd obviously taken the time to season carefully. It was perfect.

Levi leaned forward, placing a single kiss on her neck before whispering to her.

"It's delicious. Thank you."

She laughed and he savored the sound as she answered him.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."

Levi leaned closer and kissed her cheek before sitting back again to take another bite. Still delicious.

He felt Aubrey snuggle back against him and he tightened his arm around her waist. He was starting to think that maybe he could get on board with actually celebrating his birthday if he got to spend it like this.

He took one more bite of food and then another and another and another and soon all of it was gone and he was left with an empty plate and a warm Aubrey pressed up against him. It was perfect. But he hadn't forgotten about the promise of tea.

He looked to the side and saw the tray all laid out and ready to be used. And he wasn't going to waste any time. He leaned over and was happy that his arms were just long enough to reach. He lowered the tray onto the bed carefully and then poured the tea into the two cups Aubrey had set out for them. Even as the tea was just pouring out, he could already tell that it was going to be delicious and much better than their usual drink.

When he was finished, he pressed a cup into Aubrey's hands, which he had reluctantly added milk and sugar to, and then took his own before carefully lifting the tray back onto the bedside table.

When he took his first sip he let out an unconscious sigh. High quality leaves combined with Aubrey's tea-making abilities was… exceptional.

Aubrey giggled and he smiled at the sound as he continued to sip away.

His eyes traveled over her body, particularly the set of completely bare legs stretched out in front of her. Plus, she was wearing one of his shirts, which was certainly too big for her… but still managed to make her look alluring. Maybe they'd have to do a little more than kiss before they got in the shower.

Levi finished off his cup of tea and set it on the tray before he wrapped both arms around Aubrey's waist and tucked his chin into the curve of her neck.
"Let's go to the festival."

There was only a slight pause before she answered.

"Really?"

He huffed a small laugh at the sound of the excitement in her voice.

"Yes. But, first…" Levi brought a hand to her thigh, slowly gliding his palm over the smooth skin and stopping dangerously high up as he took her teacup from her hand and set it to the side. "How about we start the morning off right?"

He heard Aubrey giggle again and his hand slid further up to hook beneath the waistband of her underwear. This was definitely going to be a good day.

"Ready?"

Aubrey hooked her arms around Levi's neck and held him close as he brought his lips to hers in response. She felt like he'd probably kissed her a million times that morning… but she couldn't say she really minded all that much. They'd certainly 'started the morning off right' like he'd suggested and then he'd held her in his arms and they'd exchanged whispered "I love you"s and endless kisses. If Aubrey had to guess, she'd say he'd probably kept her there, his lips locked with hers, for at least an hour. But, not once had she ever suggested that they move or get in the shower or start to get ready. She would have been perfectly content to stay right there with him for however long he'd wanted. But, eventually, he'd scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bathroom.

They'd gone through their morning routine and then dressed themselves in bundles of warm clothes. It was cold out and they'd be walking through town all day. There was no snow, one usually had to go to the mountains in the north if they wanted that, but it was certainly still cold enough to need some extra layers.

So, they put on their sweaters and heavy winter pants, grabbed their coats and everything else… and now they were ready to go.

"Let's take Reece today."

Aubrey nearly opened her mouth to argue for Lex… but she didn't. It was his birthday and they were going to do whatever he wanted. And if that meant taking Reece, then that was what they would do.

So, she nodded. She heard Levi snicker and knew that he must have recognized her forced silence. She always argued for Lex. But, apparently, not today.

With that, Aubrey adjusted the bag on her shoulder. Its inner pocket held a stack of cash that would be far more than enough to get them through the day and they'd need something to carry their purchases around… if they made any.

Aubrey reached for Levi's hand, locking their fingers and giggling when he pulled her in for another kiss. She was happy to know that he'd taken her earlier offer seriously. He really could kiss her all day long if he wanted to.

But, eventually, that kiss ended and, with one last smile, Levi tugged them out the door.

Aubrey grinned as they walked through the corridors, her eyes on Levi the entire time. She wasn't concerned about running into anything. He was watching where they were going. For the most part.

Almost everyone was off to visit their families or friends except for them and Aubrey took advantage of that fact by leaning over every so often to kiss Levi's shoulder or even stop him to kiss him entirely. It took them far too long to finally make it out of the castle, but neither of them really minded. Their little stops had been totally worth it.

But, eventually, they did step outside and Aubrey immediately felt the chill of the cool air nip her cheeks. She smiled. While winter certainly wasn't her favorite season, she couldn't imagine a more fitting time for Levi's birthday. Winter was certainly cold on the outside… but it was warmer and cozier than anything else once you went inside.

Levi started to pull them toward the stables and Aubrey went along with him easily. She was eager to show him what Christmas and his birthday could really be like and the sooner they got to the festival, the sooner she could start.

Aubrey giggled again when Levi finally pulled her into the stables and through the building until they reached Reece's stall. They didn't waste any time. Levi pushed inside, giving Reece a few pats before grabbing his saddle off the wall. Aubrey gave Reece a kiss on the head before grabbing his reins. He wasn't Lex… but she still liked him. A lot.

Aubrey put the bit in his mouth and by the time she was finished, Levi was done, too. Before she knew it, he'd taken the bag from her shoulder, loaded it into the saddlebags, and pulled her close. His lips found hers and Aubrey smiled into him. She was happy to know that he was enjoying his day already. And she was only planning to make it better.

When they broke away, Aubrey looked up into his eyes only to see that they were glowing with a warmth that made her heart melt. Whenever he looked at her like that, her entire body lit on fire. He was so perfect, so beautiful… and she loved him so much.

He smiled down at her and took her hand without a word as they led Reece out of the stables and onto the field. They walked silently, but Aubrey didn't take her eyes off him once. Just the look in his eyes was better than any words he could ever say.

But, soon, they came to a stop on the field and Levi turned to her again, pulling her close.

"Shall we?"

Aubrey nodded eagerly at his words and Levi placed one last kiss on her forehead before climbing into the saddle. He reached an arm down to her, as he always did, and Aubrey climbed up after him. Her arms went around his waist immediately and she buried her face in his back, pressing kisses to his coat even though there were probably too many layers for him to be able to feel them. But, even so, she liked kissing him. So she'd keep going.

Levi turned his head over his shoulder and Aubrey saw the movement and smiled. She lifted her lips away from his coat and instead brought them to his lips, kissing him one last time before they made their ride into town. The kiss was short, but intense, and it was everything it needed to be. Happy, loving, excited. Aubrey was intent on making this day absolutely perfect for Levi and nothing made her happier than knowing they were on the right track.

But, after a few long moments, they broke away, Levi turned forward, and he dug his heels into Reece's sides before the rode off.

Aubrey did what she usually did whenever they rode into town. She took this bit of time to kiss over every inch of Levi's back, shoulders, and neck, repeating the actions as many times as she could before they reached town. Levi never said anything about it, but she knew he loved it. And anything he loved was all his today. Particularly her lips. He seemed to really like those.

So, Aubrey went on with her kisses, brushing over the skin of his neck and then his coat. She kept going, completely content. In fact, she was so content that she didn't even notice they were nearing their destination… until she heard the music.

A smile came to her lips immediately as she heard the caroling. She wished she could see Levi's face. She wasn't sure he'd ever heard the New Year's carols or celebrated the holiday at all. The Underground didn't seem like a very holiday-friendly place and she had a feeling this would be the first time he'd be experiencing a celebration of this magnitude. And if that was the case… she was happy she got to be the first one to celebrate with him.

They grew closer and closer and Aubrey chuckled as she saw Levi's head turning from side to side, taking in the sights as they finally pulled up to the hitching rail they always tied their horses up at. Aubrey followed his gaze and knew that she was probably just as delighted as he was.

Countless stands lined the streets, all of them selling some novelty holiday food or item. There were decorations of red and green on all of the storefronts, giving an overly festive atmosphere. There was indeed a group of carolers parked along the side of the street, children sat on the ground in front of them and giggling as they listened. Adults stood nearby, chatting and holding warm drinks as they listened too… and watched their children. But the best part… was the tree. Down the street, in the middle of town square, was a tree so large that Aubrey wondered how they'd even managed to transport it… and decorate it. Intricately crafted ornaments were hung all over it, gleaming in the daylight and drawing even more attention to the monster tree. But, even if it was a monster… it was beautiful.

Aubrey turned her attention back to Levi only to find that he was still looking from attraction to attraction, obviously still enraptured. Aubrey giggled and tucked her chin into the curve of his neck as she whispered.

"Let's tie up Reece. Then we can actually go participate rather than just watch."

Levi didn't move for another second and Aubrey giggled and kissed his neck. That seemed to finally wake him from his stupor and he trotted over to the hitching rail, allowing Aubrey to swing down first before he followed.

Levi tied Reece to the rail and Aubrey quickly grabbed their bag, and their money, from the saddlebag. Aubrey slung the bag over her shoulder and gave Levi a quick smile.

"I'll pay. Be right back."

She leaned forward and put a light kiss on his cheek before turning on her heel and walking toward the owner that Levi had grown rather familiar with. Or at least he'd grown familiar with watching that owner. Aubrey always insisted on paying. She could get the man to cut the price if she smiled enough.

Sure enough, it seemed the same thing was happening today. Levi glared at the owner as he made the usual horrible jokes, Aubrey giving him overly excited responses until he finally went through the process of telling her that she was such a 'loyal customer' and a 'lovely young lady' and telling her that he'd let Reece stay for half the price. Aubrey gave him some kind of appreciative smile and reached into her bag for the money. Once she'd paid, she gave the man one last smile, wished him a Merry Christmas, and turned back toward Levi.

Levi saw her wink at him and he rolled his eyes. But, when she finally got close enough, he didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her up against him.

She giggled at him and then wiggled her remaining stack of money in her hand.

"Half price."

Levi rolled his eyes again and Aubrey tucked the bills back into their pocket before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Ready to go?"

A tiny smile came to his lips and Levi nodded. Aubrey giggled again and kissed his cheek before pulling away and lacing their fingers.

She wasn't sure where to start.

There was so much to show him, so much to make sure he experienced and enjoyed. It was overwhelming. And if she was overwhelmed, she could only imagine how he was feeling.

Aubrey had never celebrated the holidays much when she was child, so when she'd joined the Training Corps and Tika had insisted that they find time to go to a festival and put up a tiny tree in their room… she'd been overwhelmed, too. But, now, the holidays were one of her favorite times of the year. Everybody was always so happy and excited and there was smiling and laughing and music. Everything was always so warm and inviting and it was a time like no other. And now… it was also Levi's birthday. Which only made it ten times better. This time of the year was about being with the people you loved… and Aubrey loved Levi more than anything else in the world.

She scanned the street one more time, her eyes settling on a nearby stand selling some kind of hot drink. Perfect. Her hands were getting cold anyway.

"How do you feel about hot chocolate?"

Aubrey glanced at him again and shot him a smile. He raised an eyebrow as he looked back at her.

"Hot chocolate?"

She giggled again and turned into him, her chest pressing against his as she spoke.

"Mhm. Have you ever had it?"

Levi gave her a tiny smile. She was obviously excited… and her excitement… made him excited.

He shook his head.

"No."

Levi was fairly sure he'd never had most of the things at this festival. His mother had always celebrated his birthday and Christmas with him, but they'd never had a tree or even decorations. The most they'd done was have a meal slightly more extravagant than usual and then his mother would tell him a special Christmas story before going to bed. He'd always get a gift, though it was never anything large or expensive. Usually it was a new piece of clothing, which he knew had probably taken his mother months to save up for, and a piece of candy.

He'd always enjoyed those days and his mother had always been a little extra happy… which had made him happy. But after she'd died, all traces of anything holiday-related had disappeared. Kenny certainly hadn't been interested in decorating a tree with him and neither Christmas nor his birthday had ever even been recognized.

But, when he'd found Isabel and Furlan… he'd gotten just a smidge of the holidays back. Isabel had always tried to make some kind of birthday cake for him plus some tea that had always been horribly steeped… but that he'd still drunk anyway. Furlan had always wished him a happy birthday and teamed up with Isabel to give him a gift of some kind and Levi had always bought something for each of them at the market as a Christmas present… but they'd never gone much beyond that. They'd certainly never had a tree or gone to a festival or drunk hot chocolate.

But Aubrey… she seemed ready to show him absolutely everything he'd been missing out on.

"Well, I think we should get some, then."

Levi was brought back to the present as Aubrey squeezed his hand lightly. His lips twitched as he looked down at her. Her eyes were bright and shining and a light flush covered her cheeks as the cold air nipped at her skin. How could he possibly say no?

"Lead the way."

She giggled lightly, planted a light kiss on his cheek, and led him into the crowd.

Aubrey walked right up to the stand, thankful that there wasn't currently any line, and looked to the vendor.

"Two hot chocolates, please."

The man nodded and smiled.

"Right away."

Aubrey smiled back at him and briefly let go of Levi's hand as she reached into the pocket of their bag and pulled out a bill that would certainly be enough to cover the cost.

She looked up again only to find that Levi was completely and totally enchanted by the scene around them. His eyes were darting around, trying to take in all of the sights even though there was far too much for him to process without her help. But, they'd get there.

"Here you are."

Aubrey turned her attention back to the vendor. She smiled at him and took one cup from his hand before paying and then taking the second drink.

"Thank you." Aubrey smiled even more brightly at him. "And Merry Christmas."

The man's own smile grew and he repeated the same words back to her.

"Merry Christmas. Enjoy the festival."

Aubrey gave him another small nod and then turned back to Levi, tugging on his arm to get his attention again and then giggling when he woke from his daze and blinked at her. She didn't say anything, only pressed his steaming cup of hot chocolate into his hand and then laced his fingers with hers as she led him away and further into the festival.

Aubrey scanned the area, thinking that they might as well visit the tree while they drank their hot chocolate. But, first, she was dying to see Levi's reaction.

"Drink!"

Aubrey giggled excitedly and nudged his cup toward his lips as she stared up at him expectantly.

"Tch."

Levi gave her an annoyed sound, but his expression was anything but annoyed. There was a small upward tilt of his lips and his eyes were burning bright. He was just as excited as her.

Levi turned his eyes to the drink in his hand. It looked exactly like what it was called. It was a rich chocolate color and it was steaming, the cup was warm against his hand. He had no idea how the vendor had managed to keep the drink warm on such a cold day, but he wasn't about to ask; he was far too eager to finally taste it.

So, after just one more second of staring, Levi lifted the cup to his lips and took his first sip.

It was sweet. And definitely chocolatey. And even though he wasn't the biggest fan of sugar… it was delicious.

"Well?"

Aubrey raised her eyebrows excitedly, waiting anxiously for his reaction. Hot chocolate was one of her favorites and if he claimed he didn't like it she was ready to list every single reason why he was wrong.

But she never had to.

"It's good."

Aubrey saw him take another sip and she laughed lightly. "Good" practically meant "amazing" in Levi terms.

She raised the back of his hand to her lips and kissed his skin gently. It had certainly been a good day so far.

When Aubrey let their hands fall between them again she looked up to see that the tree was coming closer… and Levi was once again mesmerized.

She wasn't surprised. The closer the thing got, the more amazing and intimidating it was. It truly was a monster. And it was decorated from top to bottom.

Aubrey smiled. The town tree was always decorated with not only ornaments, but also small presents and gifts that were left for festival-goers to find. Some of them were obvious and some of them were fairly well hidden, but with Levi's super-vision she was sure they wouldn't have any trouble finding one.

Their feet padded across the ground and Aubrey took a sip of her own drink. Sure enough, it was delicious. She could remember the first time she had ever tried hot chocolate… she was pretty sure she'd actually groaned.

Aubrey glanced over at Levi again only to see that his own cup was already half empty. She held back a laugh as they finally approached the tree. After they were done here, she'd have to get him to try some other kind of Christmas treat.

Aubrey stared up at the tree. It was ever more intimidating up close. She could only imagine how Levi must be feeling.

She glanced over at him and saw that his eyes were slowly traveling up the tree, lingering on a few particularly bright ornaments. Her smile grew even brighter and she moved closer to him, her arms wrapping around his waist as he unconsciously wrapped his own arm around her back. Aubrey giggled at the fact that the action had become so natural to him. It was hard to believe that just last summer they'd spent two months trying to do everything but hold each other and now… they were standing under a Christmas tree, celebrating his birthday, and he was wrapping his arm around her without even thinking about it.

Aubrey giggled to herself again and then looked back to the tree, her eyes scanning for a sign of any of the mini presents that were hidden.
"Levi."

Aubrey spoke his name gently as she continued to scan the tree.

Levi looked to her immediately, suddenly snapped out of his daze. He saw that she was staring intently at the tree, her eyes flitting around. His brows furrowed. What was she looking at?

"Put those weird super senses to work and see if you can find something that looks like a mini present hung on the tree. The village hides them in with the ornaments. If we find one, we get to keep whatever's inside."

Levi scoffed at her teasing. She always did like to tell him that he had 'super senses'.

But, the idea of a hidden present did sound intriguing… and Aubrey seemed rather excited to find one. So, he'd help.

He turned his attention to the tree again and scanned the branches. He still couldn't fathom how large the damn thing was and how many ornaments were on it. It was almost too much… but it was certainly beautiful.

Levi continued to scan and seconds ticked by as his eyes flitted from branch to branch. Until he found it.

"Oi."

Levi squeezed Aubrey gently and she gave him her attention immediately. Levi let his hand drop from around her back and instead took her hand as they walked forward. He reached up and grabbed the tiny box he'd seen and pulled it down before gently setting it in Aubrey's hand.

Aubrey squealed excitedly and glanced up at him. He'd found it so quickly that she was sure it was entirely due to his super seeing, but at the moment she wasn't going to tease him for it. She was far too eager to know what was inside their little present.

"Open it."

Aubrey held her hand out, encouraging him to take the lid off the box. At first, she thought he was going to tell her to do it herself, but all she got was a small 'tch' and then his hand reached out.

She giggled again as he tugged at the lid and then grinned wildly when he finally pulled it away, revealing the gift inside.

She reached into the little box and took out another ornament, except this one was for them to keep. And… it was the Christmas Star.

Aubrey laughed at the coincidence. It wasn't quite the North Star, but the stars still seemed to follow them wherever they went.

"It's a star?"

Aubrey laughed again and nodded as she held up the ornament.

"It's the Christmas Star. And it's an ornament."

Levi gave her an unamused look, but his eyes gave a way that he was anything but unamused.

"Great. Another ornament."

Aubrey giggled and jumped at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She'd already made him decorate the tree they had in their room with her and she was sure he was sick of ornaments by now… but now they had one that meant something special.

"Yes. Another ornament. But now, whenever we decorate the tree, we'll remember exactly where we got this one and you'll be forced to think about how much you love Christmas, and your birthday, and me, and-"

"Oi, I get it, I get it."

Aubrey let out a few small laughs. She loved teasing him. The face he made was absolutely to die for whenever he got even the slightest bit flustered or annoyed.

But, she figured that had probably been enough for now and she lifted herself onto her tippy toes to press her lips to his cheek.

When she lowered herself back to her normal height, she was thrilled to see a tiny smile on Levi's lips and she was even more thrilled when he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She giggled and pulled him into an embrace, holding him there for a few long moments as she continued to kiss the skin of his neck that was left exposed by his coat. He was so warm, even through his layers of clothing, and the tight hold he had around her body made her feel just as safe as she always felt in his arms. And she hoped that he felt just as safe in hers.

Aubrey hummed into Levi's ear. She felt like she could stay there hugging him forever, but there was still so much that she was anxious to show him. There were still countless stands full of amazing foods, candies, and drinks that she was sure Levi had never tasted before. And then there was caroling to listen to and shops to explore and so much more.

So, reluctantly, Aubrey loosened her arms and Levi let her step back. She looked up into his eyes and grinned when she saw the warmth in his gaze. Whenever he looked at her like that… she melted.

Aubrey kept her eyes on his as she reached for his hand, locking their fingers and starting to pull him back toward the main street and away from the tree.

"Come on. I want you to try fudge."

The rest of their morning, and most of their afternoon, had been spent wandering around town exploring, eating, buying, and giggling. At least Aubrey had been giggling.

After they'd left the tree, Aubrey had indeed managed to find some fudge and Levi had tasted it only to immediately claim that it was so rich he could hardly take it. Aubrey had just laughed at him and eaten both her piece and what was left of his. When she'd finished, they'd gone to stand by the carolers for a bit, just so Levi could hear a few of the songs, and Aubrey had smiled at all of the giggling children. One of them had even gotten up to run somewhere and he'd run face first into Levi's leg. Aubrey had panicked immediately, but Levi moved faster than her and he'd immediately bent down to help the kid off the ground before asking him if he was alright. The kid had just nodded with an embarrassed flush on his cheeks and then Levi had told him to "be a little more careful, brat" and sent the kid on his way. Aubrey had only been able to watch with a stunned expression until Levi had turned back to her and given her a confused "What?". She'd just laughed again and dragged him away and down the street to their next destination. Aubrey had forced him to try pumpkin pie and he'd enjoyed it but made her promise to not make him eat anything sweet again for at least the rest of the afternoon. She'd reluctantly made that promise and then gotten them some mashed potatoes before leading him to their little private spot along the river. Just like always, they'd kissed each other senseless and they might have even stayed a little longer than usual. But, eventually, they'd both figured that maybe they should take a break and go back to the festival for a bit before they made their way back home.

So, reluctantly, they'd done just that and rejoined the festivities.

They'd gone into all of their usual shops and gotten all of their usual things. They'd figured that they might as well not waste a trip to town. Plus, almost everything had been on sale for the holiday. Aubrey had gotten a couple new shirts and then forced Levi to get one that she had been convinced would make his muscles absolutely defined. They'd headed to the bookstore and gotten some more quills and ink along with a few more books for their enormous bookshelves. It had become a tradition for them to get at least one new book every time they went into town just to try to fill some of the space. After that they'd gotten some groceries and then headed for the tea shop, where Aubrey had once again managed to sneakily purchase the most expensive black tea leaves in the shop… and even more than usual… It was Levi's birthday after all. They'd made a couple more stops for some soap and some special Christmas candies and then they'd ducked into the chocolate shop. Just as he always did, Levi had picked out Aubrey's favorites and purchased them instantly before leading her back outside and listening to her squeal and kiss his cheek like it was the first time he'd ever done such a thing.

But, after all of those stops and all of that shopping, the two of them had decided that they were ready to retreat back to base and spend the rest of their evening completely alone in each other's arms.

So, that was what they'd done.

They'd walked back to Reece, loaded all of their purchases into the saddle bags, taken one last look at the huge Christmas tree and the festival, and then ridden back to base.

Now they were in the stables… and Levi was kissing her again.

They'd already taken off Reece's saddle and his reins, but as soon as they'd been done with that, Levi had gently pushed her up against the wall of the stall and put his lips on hers.

Aubrey wasn't sure how long he'd been kissing her already, but she knew it had been a long time. And she didn't mind one bit.

Every single one of his kisses sent a new wave of warmth through her entire body and she was holding him against her so tightly that she was half convinced their bodies would simply meld into one. Every touch was gentle but intense and left Aubrey gasping and giggling. She could see a smile on Levi's own lips as he came back again and again, only ever pausing to move his lips to her neck when she needed the chance to catch her breath.

It wasn't until they heard a set of voices entering the stables that Levi finally pulled away. Aubrey froze, clutching his coat in her hands as the voices came closer and closer and sharing an anxious look with Levi as they passed by Reece's stall. It wasn't that they couldn't have broken apart and pretended that nothing had happened, but their mussed hair, swollen lips, and disheveled clothing probably would've given them away instantly.

But, they hadn't gotten caught and as soon as the voices disappeared far enough into the building to no longer be heard, Aubrey buried her face in Levi's chest and giggled. She hadn't really expected that anyone would be wandering into the stables on Christmas Day… but she'd been wrong. And now they'd nearly been caught making out in the stables on Christmas.

Levi was laughing lightly in her ear and Aubrey bit down on the fabric of his coat to prevent herself from having a full on laugh attack.

But it was time for them to go. They needed to leave before whoever had just come into the stables decided to leave the stables. But, as long as Levi was up for it, Aubrey wasn't quite ready to go back to their room yet.

She unclenched her teeth and a few more giggles escaped as she brought her mouth to Levi's ear and whispered gently.

"Let's go to the pond."

Levi pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes and raise a brow.

"Now?"

Aubrey nodded eagerly. It was his birthday and she wanted to spend at least a small piece of it there… plus… it would buy a little more time before they had to go home.

"But what about the food?"

Aubrey shook her head and raised her hands to Levi's cheeks, holding his face in her hands.

"The food will be fine. It's just as cold out here as it is in the icebox. We'll grab it on our way back."

Levi stared into her eyes as a smile came to his lips. He would like nothing more than to go to the pond with her, even if it was cold out and getting colder by the minute. It just felt wrong not to go.

"Let's go, then."

Aubrey giggled excitedly and took Levi's hand, instantly pulling him out of Reece's stall and leading him out of the stables.
As soon as they were out of the building, Aubrey noticed the darkening sky. Clouds had formed overhead, blocking out any rays of sunlight that tried to get through and it was also nearing sunset. Which, on December 25th, was at a ridiculously early time. But that was alright. Aubrey didn't care if they were at the pond in the daylight or the dark and she had a feeling Levi probably didn't care either.

So, with the sound of her excited giggles filling the air, Aubrey jogged across the field and toward the forest that they'd travelled through so many times.

Levi ran right alongside her and when they reached the treeline, he tugged her to a halt and scooped her into his arms just so that he could kiss her the rest of the way. Aubrey giggled some more against his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck as they walked along the path that had only become more and more defined by all of the trips they'd made to the pond over the last months. They came at least a couple of times a week, if not more… even in the cold.

Levi walked them through the forest, his lips hitting Aubrey's over and over again as they both let out little huffs of laughter. But, eventually, they broke into the clearing and the pond came into view. It certainly looked different than it had in the summer. The trees no longer held their leaves, the grass had turned a yellowy color rather than the bright green it had been, and the pond itself reflected the grey and cloudy sky above instead of the bright oranges and pinks of sunset that they saw in the summer.

But, despite the place not being as ethereal as it was in the warmer months, Levi still loved it all the same. And so did Aubrey.

He walked them both over to the peninsula and let Aubrey's feet slide to the ground before he pulled her in for one last kiss. If they were going to sit out here for a while, he'd need to grab a blanket.

So, reluctantly, Levi broke away and opened his mouth to tell her to stay… but he never got the chance.

"I'll get it."

Aubrey spoke against his lips and then gave him one more kiss before she turned and skirted along the edge of the pond toward the cabin. Levi didn't even have time to object.

He watched as she disappeared into the cabin and then slowly turned his attention to the pond. It was still reflecting the dark grey clouds in the sky and when he looked up he wondered if it would rain. If that happened they'd have to book it back to the castle and they'd probably get drenched in the process… but maybe that wouldn't be the worst thing. Warming Aubrey up in the shower afterward would certainly be the furthest thing from unpleasant.

Levi jolted slightly as he felt Aubrey's arms wrap around him from behind. His lips twitched up into a smile as he thought about how amazing their day had already been. He'd loved every second of being at the festival with her and he was happy that he'd decided to go, but he was glad to have the night to be completely alone with her… because there was no better feeling in the world than having her hands in his hair and her lips pressed against his.

He turned immediately and noticed all of the blankets slung over Aubrey's shoulders. She'd brought plenty.

He wrapped one arm around her waist and used the other to lift one of the blankets from her shoulder. He pressed a light kiss to her forehead and then stepped back to fan the blanket over the ground before taking his seat.

Aubrey giggled again and moved toward him, but when she got close, he suddenly yanked on her wrist, causing her to practically fall into his lap. It seemed that he'd been perfectly prepared for that outcome, though, because he caught her immediately and shifted her around like she was as light as a feather until her legs were wrapped around his waist and her chest was pressed against his. Her eyes widened and she stared blankly at him. Every time he moved her around like a ragdoll she was reminded of just how much strength was hiding in those muscles of his. Which only made the fact that he was so gentle all the more intoxicating.

Aubrey was still staring blankly at him as she felt his hands move to her shoulders, pulling off the extra blankets she'd brought and wrapping them tightly around the both of them. When he was about half way done with that task Aubrey finally came to her senses and a small smile formed on her face. He really was so extraordinarily gentle… and loving… and beautiful… and caring… and perfect.

Aubrey suddenly grew impatient and before Levi could completely finish wrapping the blankets around them, she crushed her lips to his desperately. She heard him give a surprised grunt and she giggled lightly before pulling away.

But, instead of pulling back to look in his eyes she simply moved her lips along his jaw and down his neck until she could tuck her head into his shoulder.

"Oi, you couldn't have waited a few more seconds? You almost made me drop the damn blankets."

Aubrey giggled again, the sound echoing clearly through the clearing. The fact that he always tried to act annoyed even when she was well aware that all he wanted to do was kiss her breathless was entirely amusing.

"Sorry."

Levi gazed down at her for a moment, admiring the way her hair was shifting in the breeze and the way she already felt so warm and soft against him. No matter how many times they held each other he was always amazed by how perfectly her body fit with his. Before he'd met her, he'd never been a fan of touch… but when Aubrey touched him, he couldn't get enough.

"Tch."

He turned his head and pressed his lips to her hair as he continued to work on the blankets. Just a few more layers and he'd be able to savor her touch even more.

Aubrey snuggled into him, inhaling the scent of clean clothes, pine, and mint that he somehow always managed to radiate. It was just so Levi… and it was her favorite smell in the world.

But, after just a short while, her time spent snuggled into his coat came to an end and she felt Levi tug gently on her shoulder as he silently requested that she move back.

She grinned and leaned back, ready to do whatever he wanted. It was his birthday after all.

When her eyes met his, her smile grew even wider. So wide that she was sure every last tooth was showing. Levi was looking at her with a burning in his eyes that caused a feeling of comfort and love to wash over her entire body.

She leaned forward, her forehead meeting his as she whispered to him.

"Are you enjoying your birthday?"

Levi huffed a small laugh and pulled her tighter against him. As strange as it felt to admit it, he was really enjoying his birthday. He hadn't been this excited by a holiday since he was a child. And maybe not even then.

"Yes."

Aubrey giggled and he felt a smile of his own cover his lips. She'd put in so much effort just to show him what a holiday could feel like when he had a home that was always safe and warm… and a person that he loved more than anything else in the world.

"Well, good. I still can't believe you don't like fudge, though."

Levi felt her hands move into his hair and start massaging his scalp and he could barely find the will to give her a snarky reply.

"I can't believe you do. That shit tastes like sugar on a fucking stick."

Aubrey laughed lightly and kissed the tip of his nose.

"Well, fine. More for me."

Levi let out a sound somewhere between a scoff and a laugh as he lifted a hand to her hair. She'd worn it down today and it was falling in gentle curls around her shoulders. He absolutely loved when she wore her hair down. She looked just as beautiful with it pulled back, but there was something about the way it framed her face or fell in her eyes or shifted in the breeze that made his heart flutter. It made her look almost ethereal.

He took a lock between his fingers, gently rolling it against his skin and feeling the softness. Sometimes he still couldn't believe that she was real, even after all this time. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to fully believe it. She was just so perfect.

Levi's mind snapped away from Aubrey's hair to his own hair as he felt the pattern of her fingers switch from massaging his scalp to playing with the strands. Although, it didn't seem like she was just playing with his hair. He recognized the feeling of what she was doing and he huffed again. She was braiding.

"Oi, what's up with you and braiding my hair?"

Aubrey giggled and her eyes flashed to his, her fingers working without even having to look.

"I like it when I braid it and then you scowl at me. Totally ruins the effect you're going for and then I get to laugh at you."

Levi's eyes widened and Aubrey giggled immediately. He was so easy to tease sometimes. But her giggle was cut off when he yanked lightly on the strand of her own hair that he had between his fingertips.

"Hey!"

"Teach me." It was Aubrey's turn to widen her eyes. Teach him? To braid? "If you're going to use it as a weapon against me, I at least have a right to know how it works."

Aubrey was shocked for just another second and then she snorted as she answered.

"If you're planning to use this 'weapon' on me, I feel obligated to tell you that I don't think it would have the same effect."

Levi let out a puff of air and Aubrey laughed again as he spoke.

"Shut up and teach me already."

Aubrey huffed and placed a light kiss on Levi's lips for just a second before leaning back and taking a section of her hair in her hands.

"Okay, so, you take the hair and divide it into three pieces. Then, you take the left piece and cross it over the middle piece and then you take the right piece and cross it over the middle piece and then you repeat."

Aubrey went through the motions as she described them and started the braid off for him before handing the reins over.

When he took the strands of hair in his hands, his brows furrowed in a mix of concentration and confusion as he started to do as she told him. He crossed the pieces over each other and Aubrey was rather impressed that he never once forgot the pattern or crossed the wrong strand. But, while he always managed to cross correctly, his braid was definitely too loose and it sort of ended up being a floppy mess.

"Tch."

Aubrey laughed at him when he made a frustrated noise as he finished, but she had to say she was rather impressed.

"You know, it's not bad for a first try."

Levi gave her an unamused look and scoffed.

"It looks like shit. Why is it falling apart?"

Aubrey just giggled and took the braid in her hands as she explained.

"You didn't do it tight enough."

Levi's brows furrowed and he grabbed the lock of hair right out of her hands as he hastily undid it and started again.

"Well, you didn't tell me about that part."

Aubrey leaned forward and pressed her lips to his gently and he suddenly seemed to forget about the braid. Slowly, his hand dropped away from her hair and instead moved it to the back of her neck, pulling her closer and pushing his tongue past her lips.

Aubrey smiled into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Levi's neck as her mouth moved with his. When Levi's lips were on hers, it seemed so easy to let everything else go and feel as if there wasn't a single worry in the world. And, perhaps, today… there wasn't. It was just the two of them, alone and together… and that was exactly how they liked it.

Aubrey wasn't sure how long Levi had been holding her, his mouth pressed to hers, when she suddenly felt a cold sensation on the skin of her forehead. It wasn't enough to jar her, but when another hit and another, she forced herself to open her eyes, even as Levi pulled her back in. But she was glad she'd looked. It was snowing.

"Levi!"

Aubrey broke away from their kiss immediately and Levi grunted automatically at the loss of her lips.

"Oi, come back her-"

He cut off as his eyes finally took in the sight around them. Little white flecks falling from the sky and slowly making their way to the ground. It was more magical and more unreal looking than he'd ever imagined. It was… beautiful.

Aubrey grinned at his reaction. His eyes were wide, his lips were slightly parted, and he had his neck craned back so he could look straight up at the sky.

She was well aware of the fact that Levi had probably never seen snow before. The thought broke her heart, but it also made her feel indescribably warm to know that she was the first person he was experiencing this with. And it was somewhat of a miracle that they were experiencing it all. It usually didn't snow in this area and the fact that it was happening on his birthday was an even greater coincidence.

Aubrey had to hold back a laugh. Now this pond held another first.

"Levi." Aubrey called his name gently and his eyes flashed to hers instantly. He looked like he was in a trance. "Hold out your hand."

Aubrey saw his brows furrow in confusion, but she simply took his hand in her own and held it out, waiting for a snowflake to hit his skin. It didn't take long.

A small snowflake drifted down from the sky, swaying in the wind and landing directly on Levi's palm. Aubrey moved quickly, lifting his hand so that they could both see better.

"Here, look at the little pattern."

Aubrey was happy when Levi did exactly as she'd said without hesitation and he leaned forward to get a better view. She saw a tiny smile form on his lips and she smiled back when he lifted his eyes to hers again. She giggled at the look of excitement on his face and then pulled him close again and kissed him for just a second before tilting her head toward the sky and sticking her tongue out.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Aubrey giggled as a snowflake fell onto her tongue and she looked back to him as she answered.

"I'm tasting the snow."

Levi's face scrunched and he grabbed her jaw.

"That's disgusting. Keep you tongue in your mouth."

Aubrey raised an eyebrow, seeing an opportunity to make him blush… which she would never pass up.

"First of all, the snow is not disgusting. It's just water. And second of all…" Aubrey leaned closer as a sly smile made its way across her lips. "You don't seem to find it disgusting when I use my tongue elsewhere." Aubrey jerked forward, her tongue swiping across his cheek as a faint tinge of pink covered his face.

"Oi! That is disgusting! Quit it!"

Aubrey laughed wildly at his reaction as he frantically wiped her saliva off his cheek. She barely managed to speak again through her giggles.

"Oh, relax. You've been swapping spit with me all day."

Levi scowled at her, but he still had the braids in his hair. Aubrey laughed again. They certainly had the desired effect. It was hard to see him as scary when had tiny braids sticking out everywhere.

"Tch. Don't say it like that."

Aubrey did her best to rein in her giggles, but a few continued to escape even as she leaned in again and started to undo the baby braids.

"Sorry. You've been kissing me all day."

Aubrey saw Levi's lips twitch slightly and she was surprised by how quickly he seemed to get over her lick.

"Damn right I have. And the day's not even over yet."

Aubrey's giggles returned as one of his hands wrapped around the back of her neck and pulled her lips to his. She could feel him smiling into her as he kissed her again and again and she smiled right back. She wasn't sure she could've made this day any better for him… and that was the goal. To give him the best day she possibly could. The weather had just helped out a little bit.

But she still had one more surprise up her sleeve. One more thing that should be ready. If a certain duo was on schedule.

But she didn't want to wait any longer to show him. Plus, it was getting dark out and if they didn't want to get lost in a snowstorm, they'd have to move out soon.

So, both eagerly and reluctantly, Aubrey broke away from their kiss and brought her hands to Levi's face as she whispered breathlessly.

"We should go in now. It's getting dark."

Aubrey heard him give a reluctant grunt and she pressed her forehead to his as she smiled.

"If the snow sticks and it's packing snow… I'll show you how to make a snowman. And then we can have a snowball fight if you want. Maybe we can find an opportunity to deck Erwin."

Aubrey could clearly see the look of confusion in his eyes and he voiced his questions just a second later.

"What the hell is packing snow and what the hell is a snowman? And a snowball fight?"

Aubrey couldn't stop herself from laughing again and she kissed him one last time before moving out of his lap and starting to stand.

"Well, if the snow sticks, I'll show you tomorrow. But, for now, let's go inside."

Aubrey started to gather their blankets and she heard Levi give another grunt as he joined her. This time, though, he beat her to the punch and he put the blankets away, returning after less than a minute and taking Aubrey's hand as they headed back toward the castle.

Their walk was exciting, with both of them stopping several times to catch a few more snowflakes. Levi even gave in and caught one on his tongue.

About halfway through, though, Aubrey had one again been subjected to being carried and Levi had quite literally swept her off her feet and taken her all the way back to the stables. They'd grabbed their stuff out of Reece's saddle bags and then headed for the castle.

Levi hadn't been able to carry her through the halls due to the fact that he was now carrying the bag, but he'd still held her hand tightly and kept her close to his side.

But, when they'd finally neared the door to their room, Aubrey slowed their pace just a tiny bit. Levi's last surprise was waiting behind that door and she needed just a tiny bit longer to prepare herself. She knew he'd like it, but she was still nervous.

If Levi noticed her change in pace, he didn't say anything. All he did was slowly walk the rest of the way to their door with her. But, when he reached for the doorknob, Aubrey suddenly moved in front of him, blocking his reach and causing him to arch a brow.

Aubrey only grinned at him.

"Close your eyes."

Both of Levi's eyebrows raised. A surprise?

He desperately wanted to just break in and see what she was hiding, but he knew there was no point in fighting her. She'd tackle him to the ground if he tried to see before she wanted him to. So, he complied.

Slowly, he closed his eyes and let his hands drop to his sides as he waited for Aubrey to guide him. He didn't have to wait long.

He heard the door creak open and then he felt her hand in his as she gently led him inside. His brows immediately furrowed. The first thing he noticed was the smell. He could smell the pine scent of their Christmas tree, but there was more than just that. Melting wax, something sweet that smelled like cookies, and… fire. Definitely fire. He could hear crackling, too, and it was clear that there was a fire lit in their fireplace. But how the hell had it gotten there? They certainly hadn't lit it.

Levi fought hard to resist the urge to open his eyes. Every second he was more and more tempted, but Aubrey cut him a break and didn't drag it out.

He felt her let go of his hand and then heard the lock slide into place. Just a moment later, her arms wrapped around him from behind and he felt her steady heartbeat against his back as she whispered to him.

"Open."

Levi did as she said. His eyes opened immediately and he sucked in a sharp breath when he saw the scene before him.

Somehow, there had indeed been a fire lit and it was roaring brilliantly, throwing a dull and cozy light over the entire room. A few more candles had been scattered across the room, hence the smell of melting wax. There were blankets and pillows spread out in front of the fireplace along with a couple plates that held cookies and what he could only guess were other Christmas treats that he'd yet to try. Although, he did see fudge among them. And, alongside the cookies were a few boxes with tags that he could already see had his name on them. Presents.

But, now that he was standing here, he thought he could smell something else. This scent was extraordinarily familiar… and comforting. It was his mother's soup.

"Do you like it?"

Levi nodded instantly, even though he was still slightly bewildered, and he pulled Aubrey in front of him so that he could raise a hand to her cheek.

"I love it, but… how did you do this? We were gone all day."

Aubrey giggled and Levi couldn't help but smile at the light in her eyes. She was obviously excited that he was enjoying her little surprise.

"Hange and Chris did it for me. I was banking on you wanting to go to the festival… or at least to the pond, and I told them to come by around dinner time and set this all up."

Aubrey paused and Levi couldn't help but grin at her, teeth and all. Somehow, she'd managed to make this day even better.

"They just… set it all up because you asked?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes and nodded as she pulled him closer.

"Of course they did. They're our friends. It's their present to you."

Levi's smile turned softer and then slowly shifted to a smirk as he imagined what Hange setting up a romantic date must have looked like.

"You know, Four-Eyes has probably been through every one of those presents and examined every last piece."

Aubrey huffed and shook her head. She'd had the same thought.

"Well, that was why Chris was with them. She's much more… stable."

Aubrey couldn't help but snort and Levi did the same. But, the surprise wasn't quite over yet. She had one more thing to reveal right now… and another to reveal in a bit. But both of them involved food.

Aubrey took a small breath in through her nose and smiled when she smelled Levi's mother's soup warming on the stove. Hange had followed their instructions.

Aubrey grabbed Levi's hand immediately and tugged him into the kitchen where a pot of soup was warming on the stove. Levi's favorite soup.

"When did you have time to do this?"

Aubrey laughed again as she took the bag that held their groceries from his shoulder and started unloading them to their proper places.

"Well, I told you a couple of days ago that I was going to have tea with Erwin, but I was actually making soup in the kitchens."

Levi raised a brow, processing as she continued to put the groceries away. But, when she finished with that task and moved to pouring the soup into a couple of bowls, he couldn't resist the urge to wrap his arms around her from behind as she worked.

"You lied to me?"

Aubrey snorted at his teasing and Levi huffed in her ear before placing a light kiss on her neck.

"For your own good. Sorry it's not a fresh batch, though. I know you always like it right off the stove."

Levi shook his head instantly. He couldn't fathom how she could possibly be apologizing right now. She'd done nothing but make this day even more amazing than he'd ever dreamed it could be.

"Don't say you're sorry, Aubrey. It's perfect. All of this is perfect."

Levi felt her lean back against him and he knew that she'd accepted his words. Which was good… because they were completely and totally true. All of this was perfect.

Levi watched Aubrey's hands as they poured the last of the soup into one of the bowls and he pressed another kiss to her neck. Not only was all of this perfect, she was perfect. And he couldn't believe that someone so perfect had gone to such lengths for him. She'd put in all of this effort just to make sure he enjoyed his birthday, enjoyed Christmas. He'd never had anyone do anything so… extravagant for him before. And yet… it was exactly the kind of extravagant he liked. She hadn't tried to throw him some kind of party or force him into some rigid schedule she'd planned out… She'd given him a relaxing day with just the two of them and now their night was going to be exactly the same.

Levi grinned, his teeth flashing in the dull light as Aubrey finally turned around and pressed his bowl into his hand. When she caught a glimpse of his smile, her expression moved to mirror his and she giggled lightly. Levi leaned in and pressed his lips to hers for just a moment before he laced their fingers and started to lead the two of them back to the main room.

But he didn't get very far. After just a few steps, Aubrey suddenly halted and whirled around, rummaging around in the bag they'd taken to town until she pulled out the Christmas Star ornament they'd found on the town tree. She grinned at Levi and a small smile made its way to his own lips as she took his hand again and once again started to lead them out to the main room… but they stopped again. In the doorway.

Levi shot her a confused glance, wondering what the holdup was. But when he looked at her, he saw that her eyes were on the ceiling… or, more specifically, on the top of the doorframe. She was looking at some kind of leafy green plant that was hanging over their heads. He had no idea what it was and certainly hadn't been there this morning. Hange must have added it.

"Kiss me."

Levi's eyes widened slightly as he processed Aubrey's words. He had no problem following her instruction, but he hadn't been expecting it to come out of nowhere.

His gaze met with hers and she giggled as she started to explain.

"It's mistletoe."

Levi's brows knitted together. This was probably some other kind of Christmas tradition that he had no clue about.

"What is mistletoe and what does have to do with me kissing you?"

Aubrey giggled again, far too enchanted by the fact that she got to be the one to explain this to him. And far too excited that Hange had bothered to put mistletoe up in the first place. That hadn't been part of their original instructions.

"It's just a little plant that you're supposed to hang around Christmas time, but tradition states that any two people who pass underneath it have to kiss."

Levi wasn't able to stop the tiny smile that came to his lips. Four-eyes had managed to make a positive addition of their own. He didn't mind it one bit.

"Hmm… well, that's fine by me."

Aubrey giggled again as Levi leaned into her, his lips hitting hers and staying there for a long moment. She wished she could put her fingers in his hair, but her hands were currently occupied with a bowl of soup and a Christmas Star ornament… so this would have to do.

Eventually, though, they broke away when breaths started turning to gasps and Aubrey giggled again. She couldn't believe he'd gone along with it so easily… but she was happy he had.

"Merry Christmas."

Aubrey whispered against his lips, which were still brushing against hers as they caught their breath.

She saw a full smile come to Levi's face, teeth and all, and he whispered back to her.

"Merry Christmas."

Aubrey had to hold back a squeal, but it ended up just turning into another giggle as she took his hand and started leading him over to the tree. It was the first time he'd actually said the words 'Merry Christmas' out loud and the sound had sent waves of warmth through her entire body. But… he seemed to be having that effect a lot today. She felt so incredibly… warm.

Aubrey halted them in front of their Christmas tree and didn't waste a second before turning to Levi and holding up the little Christmas Star ornament that they'd gotten in town earlier. It was time to add it in with the rest of the decorations.

"You put it on."

Levi couldn't help giving her another smile as she held the ornament out to him.

He stared at it for a moment, watching the way the firelight was causing the metal of the decoration to glow and sparkle. It truly was a beautiful star. And he was sure he'd remember this moment every year from now on when he put this very same ornament on their tree.

With a steady hand, Levi reached out and took the ornament from Aubrey's hand, placing a light kiss on her lips as he leaned closer. But the touch only lasted a second and when he leaned back again, he turned his attention to the tree. He scanned it over, looking for a spot that the star would fit. His eyes landed on an open branch near the top and he didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, hooking the ornament onto the tree and then stepping back to admire it. He heard Aubrey giggled beside him and then her arm went around his waist. He pulled her closer automatically and then turned to kiss her hair before the two of them quieted for just a moment as they admired their tree. Their tree. It still felt absolutely unreal to Levi that it was their tree, their home, their life together. But he couldn't have been more grateful that from now on, everything that would be theirs.

They stared for a few moments longer, but Aubrey soon felt the urge to move on. They were still holding their bowls of soup and she wanted to eat before they went cold. So, gently, she tugged on Levi's arm and guided him right over to the blankets near the fireplace before taking her seat on the floor. Levi followed closely behind her and soon they were both sitting cross-legged on the blankets, their knees touching lightly.

Levi had the urge to simply reach over and pull her into his lap, but he never got the chance. Without warning, Aubrey reached for one of the presents with his name on it and plopped it into his lap.

"Eat and open."

Levi huffed at her instructions, but he saw no reason to object. So, he took his first bite of soup. As soon as it hit his tongue, his eyes closed and he was brought back not only to all of the times his mother had made it for him, but also all of the times Aubrey had made it for him.

He swallowed and leaned forward to place a kiss on Aubrey's cheek. She giggled lightly and he whispered gently to her.

"It's delicious. As always. Thank you."

Aubrey laughed again and placed a kiss of her own in his cheek as she answered.

"You're welcome. Now, open the presents. You have plenty to get through."

Levi gave another small smile and pulled away, his hands falling to the beautifully wrapped box in his lap. He was positive that Aubrey had been the one to actually wrap this gift. Hange and Chris certainly hadn't helped with that part. It was her handwriting on the tag and it had obviously had a lot of care and detail put into it. He almost felt bad for unwrapping it.

But he knew Aubrey wouldn't stand for any kind of hesitation, so he carefully untied the ribbon wrapped around it and then pulled the lid off the box.

Gloves.

Actually, what looked like an exceptionally well made and expensive pair of leather gloves.

His eyes flashed to hers as he pulled them out of the box and started to try them on.

"I've never liked the military-issued gloves. They're gross. So I got you a nice pair."

Levi huffed and nodded. He had to agree. The military-issued gloves were clunky and far too thick for the sad amount of warmth they offered. These looked and felt much better.

Levi finished putting them on and smiled. They fit… like a glove.

"Well?"

Aubrey gazed at him eagerly, ready to hear his opinion.

Levi just leaned over and gave her another kiss on the cheek as he started to remove the gloves.

"Perfect. Thank you."

Aubrey smiled brightly as he pulled away and Levi had to pause for a moment to admire just how beautiful she looked in the firelight. She was absolutely breathtaking. White teeth glimmering, pale blonde hair twisting down past her shoulders, green eyes shining with the reflection of the flames. Breathtaking.

"Okay, next one."

Her gaze flickered to the small pile of presents and Levi set the gloves back in their box before reaching for another gift. But, suddenly, Aubrey snatched the present from his hand.

"Sorry. Save this one for last."

He raised an amused eyebrow, but Aubrey didn't give him any reaction beyond giving him a different present. This one… was heavy.

His curiosity instantly peaked and he quickly undid the ribbon before lifting the lid off the box.

He smirked.

"A tea set?"

Aubrey laughed a bit, the sound echoing around the room like a clear bell before she answered.

"Yes. You're always complaining about the one we have now… so you can stop that now. Everything matches. I promise."

Levi was just about to open his mouth to thank her or give her some kind of snarky retort, but her face lit up and she suddenly reached for another gift.

"Oh, and this one goes with it. It's from Erwin."

Levi's brows furrowed and his eyes met hers as he spoke.

"Erwin got me a gift?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes. He and Erwin were nearly completely past their awkward tension phase and Aubrey would've gone as far as to say that both Levi and Erwin considered each other friends or at least worthy comrades. But she also wasn't going to mention to Levi that she'd made a point to let Erwin know that Levi's birthday was coming up and that perhaps he should get him a gift. Or else. But, she'd been pleasantly surprised when he'd agreed immediately and asked what Levi would like. So, she'd told him. And now Levi had the gift in his lap.

"Of course he got you a gift, Levi. He's your friend."

Levi looked back at the present that Aubrey had placed in his lap and then met her eyes again with a brow raised.

"You mean he got me a gift because you told him to?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes. The secret was out.

"Well, how was he supposed to know it was your birthday if I didn't tell him?"

Levi only shook his head. She'd definitely pushed the gift thing on Erwin.

Gently, he lifted the lid on the box and looked at the contents.

Tea.

Just like Aubrey had said, tea did in fact go along with a tea set. But they'd just bought tea at the shop this morning and they already had a reserve in the cabinets large enough to last them for months. In all honesty… they didn't need any more tea.

"Before you make a judgement, let me explain." Levi raised his eyes to Aubrey only to see that was reaching for the tea, taking it from his hands and flipping it over to display the label. "When Erwin went to that military party in Mitras about a month ago, he stopped to get some of this. You can only get it in the capital and it's quite rare."

Levi's brows stayed knitted together and he took the tea back from Aubrey's hands. He was rather impressed that Erwin had gone out of his way to actually buy him tea while he was in the capital. Although, Aubrey probably would have reemed him if he hadn't. Still, though, the gesture was nice.

"Should we have some?"

Levi lifted the jar of tea and gave Aubrey a small smile as he put the offer on the table. Plus, if he was going to drink such an expensive tea, there was no one he trusted more than her to make it right.

Aubrey took the jar from his hands and nodded.

"I'd love to." Levi watched as she stood from her spot on the blanket and his lips twitched upwards as his eyes met hers. "But later if that's alright. I have one more surprise. Stay here. I'll be right back." She leaned down and kissed his hair lightly before finally giving him one more soft look, holding back a laugh at his slightly stunned expression, and then heading for the kitchen.

Aubrey got to work right away and opened a cabinet that they hardly ever used. Usually, it just held miscellaneous things that didn't really have any other place to go, but right now it held Levi's birthday cake.

She grinned and held back an excited giggle as she pulled it out. She'd made it at the same time she'd made the soup and she'd picked chocolate, just because he'd never seemed to mind regular chocolate and he'd willingly eaten the chocolate cake they'd had on her birthday. So… hopefully he'd like it.

She set the cake on the counter and then reached back into the cabinet and pulled out the candles she'd been hiding. They weren't anything special, but there were 19 of them and that was all that really mattered.

Then there was only one thing left to do.

Carefully, she lined them up along the edges of the cake until she was sure they were all evenly spaced and then she found a match to light them with. She hoped Levi hadn't heard, but wth his super senses, she never knew.

Aubrey felt the excitement growing in her stomach and she felt a little bit like she was floating. This day hadn't just been fun for Levi, it had been fun for her. Seeing him smile and hearing him laugh were two of her favorite things in the world. And, today, she'd gotten to see and hear him do both of those things even more than usual.

And hopefully she'd get even more before their night finally ended.

Carefully, Aubrey picked up the cake and carried it out of the kitchen along with a knife to cut it and couple of small plates and some forks.

Levi was still sitting on the blankets, leaning back on his hands with his legs crossed in front of him… and looking absolutely stunning… as he always did.

The instant she stepped out of the kitchen, he turned to look at her and Aubrey had to suppress a laugh. When his eyes settled on the cake, they widened considerably and she was sure his heart had skipped a beat in his chest.

"Aubrey…"

She really couldn't hold back her laugh this time and a few giggles escaped her as she took in his completely stunned expression. It was adorable.

"Happy birthday."

Aubrey walked over to him quickly, setting the cake down on the blankets and then taking her former seat.

Levi still looked stunned, but they didn't really have time for that. He needed to blow out the candles before they burned down. So, Aubrey reached out and curled her fingers around his chin as she pulled his lips to hers for a kiss that only lasted a couple of seconds. When she moved away, she looked right into his eyes, smiling at the love and warmth she saw, and then whispered to him.

"Make a wish."

Levi stared at her, nearly unable to process how much he loved her. She was everything. He'd never thought a person, much less himself, could be capable of loving someone this much. But he loved her so much it hurt. She made him feel so at ease, so happy, so in love that he could hardly take it. Every time he looked at her he was reminded of just how lucky he was. He'd been through plenty of shit in his life, but the universe had given him her… and she was the best gift he could ever possibly receive. And because of that, he knew exactly what he was going to wish for and exactly what he would wish for for all of the birthdays to come.

Levi turned his attention to the cake and its candles, leaning down and sucking in a breath as he ran through his wish in his head. Aubrey and him, happy forever and living long happy lives in which there were no Walls or Titans to hold them back. And the shop in town and the children they'd once talked about. And everything else they would ever need to be happy. He just wanted them to be happy. Together. Forever.

A small smile came to Levi's lips as he finally blew out all the candles in one go.
Aubrey giggled and clapped her hands a couple of times before wrapping her fingers around his chin again and dragging him in for another kiss. This one lasted a bit longer and Levi seemed entirely willing to go as long as she wanted. But they had all night for kisses. First, Aubrey wanted to have a slice of cake and watch Levi open the rest of his presents.

So, Aubrey broke away and immediately began cutting a couple slices of the cake. One for him and one for her. She put his plate in his lap and then sat back as she met his eyes.

He was staring at her with a tiny smile on his lips and with a look in his eyes that sent a feeling of pure love all throughout her body. But she quickly reminded herself that they had a little more to do before they could resort to kissing all night long.

Aubrey took a bite of her cake, briefly savoring it and praising herself for her achievement before nudging another present in Levi's direction.

"Here. You still have a few more."

Levi had to work hard to tear his eyes away from her. She had him completely dazed and the presents seemed like an afterthought compared to her. But she'd gone through the trouble of setting all of this up for him and the least he could do was follow through before tossing her on the bed and kissing her until they couldn't go any longer.

So, with a great deal of willpower, Levi reached for the nearest present.

He went through it, finding a couple of shirts and a new pair of pants that he'd found he was actually very fond of. When he'd first joined the Scouts, all he'd had was military-issued clothing. Since then, he and Aubrey had slowly been adding to his wardrobe to give him at least a little variety.

When he went through the next gift, he found an abundance of cleaning supplies and Aubrey proceeded to laugh at him when he got genuinely excited.

But, now, he was on the last present before he'd get to the one that she told him to 'save for last'. He was definitely excited to find out what was inside that one, but he had to get through this one first.

But this present was slightly different. Instead of being a box, it was an envelope. It didn't feel heavy and there was no bulging, so he figured that there was only more paper inside of it. Which only made him more curious to find out exactly what was inside.

When he met Aubrey's eyes, he could clearly see the anticipation and he smiled. This was going to be a good one.

Carefully, he tore open the envelope, going slowly and making sure he didn't tear any of the papers inside. But, eventually, he got the thing open and he pulled out the folded papers within, unraveling them and spreading them out to read.

But, what he saw only confused him.

It was an official military document, complete with Erwin's signature at the bottom. But when he read the document title his confusion only grew.

"Official Leave Request"

Levi's brows furrowed as he scanned the document, but he was far too impatient to read the whole thing when he had Aubrey sitting right there to explain to him.

"What is this?"

Levi raised his eyes to hers and was surprised to find the soft and gentle look she was giving him, rather than laughing at his confusion.

She set her empty plate to the side and scooted closer to him, her hands going to his hair and her fingers running through the strands as she started to explain.

"Well, you know that we're off for the holidays until the day after the New Year…" Aubrey trailed off for a moment and Levi nodded, urging her to continue. She did. "But I thought we might want a little more of a break." Levi's eyes widened a bit as he realized where this was heading. But she hadn't even told him the half of it yet. "There's a town I know in the eastern part of Wall Maria that has some really beautiful scenery if you go a little off the beaten path. I thought maybe we could get a room at an inn and spend a couple of weeks there, just the two of us with no work or training. Just us."

Levi couldn't do anything but stare at her again. How did she manage to keep making him happier and happier with every passing minute? She was just so beautiful, so unreal, so perfect. Sometimes he was half-convinced she was a figment of his imagination.

"Would you… like that?"

Levi's eyes widened as he realized that he'd yet to even give her an answer and her question had come out sounding uncertain and slightly worried. But he wasn't going to let her worry.

He leaned into her, his lips finding hers for just a short second before he spoke.

"Yes. I'd like that more than anything else in the world."

He watched as a blinding smile spread across her face and a small giggle escaped her throat. He couldn't help but grin back.

"When do we leave?"

Aubrey pressed her forehead to his, still giggling as she replied.

"I was thinking the day after tomorrow."

Levi inched forward and placed a light kiss on her lips before pulling away to answer.

"Perfect."

Aubrey could hardly contain her excitement. She crushed her lips to his again, unable to hold back for another second. Levi laughed lightly into her mouth, but moved his lips with hers. Aubrey didn't hesitate to tangle her fingers in Levi's hair and rise up on her knees, pulling his head back to give her better access. Her tongue travelled along his lower lip and then she bit down lightly to get him to open for her. He grunted and let her in, but moved his hands to her backside and squeezed. Aubrey gasped and before she knew it, Levi was laughing into her mouth again, though he still allowed her to control the kiss.

But, soon, what had started out as a giggly kiss turned far more intense. Aubrey's lips hit his over and over again and neither of them wanted to stop or take a break despite the fact that both of them were panting. It was just too good. Levi's hands were still on her backside and he was pulling her closer every second. Aubrey's hands were still tangled in Levi's hair and the feeling of her mouth on his was so good he was sure he would lose control at any second.

But Aubrey wasn't going to let them go any further. Not yet, anyway. He still had one more present to open… and she had a feeling he was going to be especially excited about it right now.

So, with a mixture of reluctance and excitement, Aubrey pulled away.

Levi grunted immediately when her mouth left his and he desperately reached for her again, trying to pull her back. But she didn't allow it. She wiggled out of his grasp and took her seat on the blanket again, giving him a sly smile. He was well aware that he looked completely hot and bothered, which he was, but apart from a slight flush on her cheeks, Aubrey was showing no signs of frustration at all.

Was she teasing him?

Levi grunted again, but it turned into a growl as it left his throat. He reached for her, completely prepared to toss her onto the bed and tease her right back. But he never got the chance.

"Uh-uh. Not yet."

Aubrey pressed her hand into his chest, halting his advance and raising an amused eyebrow at the clearly flustered expression on his face. Adorable.

She bit her lip to hold back a laugh, even as a surge of nervousness and adrenaline went through her veins. The gift she was about to give him was certainly the most… daring gift she'd given him today and just the thought of him opening the box and pulling out the contents had her heart pounding in her chest. But… in a good way.

"You have one more present to open."

Levi grunted again. A present?

He pushed forward, overcoming the force of Aubrey's hand against his chest as he reached for her face, trying to pull her close again.

"It can wait."

He was torturously close to her lips when, suddenly, the hand he'd just overpowered came up to cover his mouth. He groaned. He couldn't believe she was going to make him open a present right now. He may have been curious to know what was in it just a few minutes ago, but now he had something entirely different on his mind.

"Just open the damn present. I promise it'll be worth it."

Levi thought about fighting back again, but the look in Aubrey's eyes told him he wouldn't be winning this battle. So it would be better to just do as she said.

Bitterly, Levi leaned back and grunted again. He had no idea what kind of present could possibly be 'worth it' right now, but Aubrey had been on the mark with everything else today, so he'd do his best to be present.

Aubrey laughed at his reaction, which only earned her a frustrated glare as she picked up the final present. Her hands shook slightly as she held it, but she did her best to hide it. The rest of this night would be about hiding her nervousness… or the whole point of the gift would be completely ruined. She had to be confident. Or at least pretend she was.

So, with hidden shakiness, Aubrey placed the last present in Levi's hands.

He stared down at it, doing his absolute best to go slow and try to savor the moment. This was a gift from Aubrey and it would be horrible of him if he just ripped through it so they could move on… even if he was feeling extraordinarily impatient.

But, he took a breath and managed to bring his fingers to the ribbon at a semi-normal speed. He untied it gently, but tossed it out of the way with a bit too much haste. But now he could finally get to the good part and see what was actually inside the goddamn box.

He looked up, meeting Aubrey's eyes one last time, and saw nothing but anticipation. So, he went on.

Carefully, he took the lid off the box… and was instantly confused. He had no idea what he was looking at. Right now, it just appeared to be a bundle of bright red lace.

But, when he reached in and pulled the bundle out, his eyes widened immediately. He wasn't sure if he should be confused or shocked. It was a pair of lace underwear. More specifically, women's underwear.

Levi's eyes flashed to Aubrey immediately, dozens of silent questions in his eyes. But all she did was raise a brow and nod toward the box, urging him to keep going.

So he did.

He reached in again, this time pulling out another piece of lace that he had absolutely no idea what the purpose of was… until he saw the stockings. She had a garter belt and stockings in here? In red lace?

Levi finally pulled out the last piece. A bra that was made of the same bright red lace as everything else.

Aubrey watched his reaction with a calm exterior, despite the fact that she felt like she might explode on the inside. She was starting to wonder if she was actually going to be able to pull this off.

But… she had to. She'd already put in so much effort to get to this point. Such kinds of undergarments would never be sold openly in town, so she'd actually had to seek out a seamstress that was willing and able to do it for her. That alone had almost been enough to make her back out of her idea, but she'd pushed through, all the while picturing Levi's reaction in her mind. So, she'd kept looking and eventually found a woman who had a shop with a bit more scandalous looking dresses in the window and she'd gone in to ask if she worked on anything other than dresses. The woman had soon revealed that she had an entire side business doing this exact thing and at that point Aubrey felt like she couldn't possibly have backed out. Somehow, she'd managed to stumble through explaining what she wanted and the woman had been entirely gracious and understanding about her shyness. Aubrey figured a lot of girls were like that when trying to… order.

But, she'd done it and now Levi was holding the finished product in his hands, gaping at her with a lust that ran so deep she could hardly bear to meet his gaze. But she did. She kept staring back at him, doing her best to keep the sly smile on her lips and not show a hint of hesitation. It was Levi's birthday after all, and if this would make him excited… she'd put on the best show of her life.

"Aubrey…"

Levi's voice came out sounding rough and scratchy as his body struggled to stay put. Just the sight of the damn lace was driving him crazy. But when he thought about who that lace would be on… he could hardly take it. But he wanted to hear the words from her lips. He wanted confirmation. So, he sucked in another breath and managed to get another sentence out.

"Why is there women's underwear in my present?"

He watched as her sly smile turned to a full smirk, the firelight casting shadows across her face and body and causing something to stir in his gut. She hadn't even answered yet and he was sure he seemed even more flustered than before.

His eyes were glued to her as she leaned forward, crawling across the blanket until her hands were gripping his thighs and her lips were no more than an inch from his own. It was physically difficult for him to keep himself from grabbing her right then and there, but somehow he managed not to. All he did was stare into her eyes as they glinted mischievously and she answered him.

"Because I'm going to wear it for you tonight."

Aubrey felt the muscles in his legs tense instantly beneath her hands and she could tell that he'd stopped breathing. If she hadn't forced herself to keep her confident exterior, she was sure she would have stopped breathing, too. But she was still pushing for the facade. She was going to fake it till she made it.

She eyed the bundles of lace that Levi had clutched in his hands. She'd chosen red for a reason. It seemed rather fitting considering the holiday season… and Levi didn't seem to mind her choice one bit.

She huffed a small laugh and heard Levi suck in a breath at the sound. It almost caused her to laugh again, but she kept herself calm as she leaned forward and put her mouth next to his ear.

"Merry Christmas, Levi." She paused for just a moment to run her tongue up his neck. He let out a small moan and Aubrey really had to hold in a laugh. His earlier comment about keeping her tongue in her mouth was certainly backfiring on him. But that was the whole point.

Aubrey stopped when she got to his ear again and whispered one last line to him.

"And happy birthday."

A/N: Ayoooooooooo! Did you like it?

The first thing I'd like to say is that I would definitely write a Part 2 of this which would be straight up birthday smut lol. I WILL say that if I did do a Part 2, it would probably feature a slightly more dominant Aubrey. I mean, nothing EXCESSIVE, but she would probably be the one guiding the whole thing, which is something we haven't seen a lot of in the main fic, so it would be fun to write lol. So, let me know if that's something y'all would like to see and I can get to work on it.

Okay, onto the actual one shot lol. I thought it was really adorable! My favorite thing to think about is when they were making out in Reece's stall and Reece was probs just… ⊙﹏⊙. RIP that poor horse lol. But, omg, the fact that Hange and Chris set up the whole room for them and Erwin bought Levi tea… :' ) I cry. And their trip into town was also adorable. Love it.

This one shot was LONG. Like, so LONG. It's almost 20,000 words RIP. But I wanted to make it good and detailed, so it took a while lol.

Anyway, PLEASE leave a comment! The next two weeks are finals for me and I could really use the serotonin. Because of that, updates both here and on the main fic may be more spaced out than usual, but I'll get back to as soon as summer break rolls around :) But, for now, let me know if you'd like to see a Part 2 and what you though about this chapter! Love y'all 333