Holy Cheese and crackers yall, is it Sunday already?

You know what that means – more trips to the river! *sigh* Well, I wish. Actually, yesterday and Friday it was the husband who got to go to the river, and NOT me (note the way these words are written with an obvious jealousy and bitterness), so now I'm really itching to get the kayaks loaded up and bustling down to the river because the water levels are amazing and the weather is getting HOT.

Hopefully sometime this week my chance will come, considering the holiday for my fellow U.S friends, it might clear up my schedule a bit to go toast my skin and get some miles accomplished.

But enough about me! Yall enjoy this chapter :)

...

...

For Levi, the night seemed to pass by in a sort of fever dream like haze.

For Petra, it did not.

It wasn't long before an exhale and creaking caused Petra to stir and she groggily looked up from where she was cradled against the side of his bed in slight confusion. It was Levi, she realized after a moment of sleep deprived confusion; it seemed the rag wasn't enough to keep him comfortable anymore. She didn't think that he was fully awake just yet, but he was clearly overheating again as he kept turning on one side to the other, rocking his head back and forth before shifting again in attempts to find some relief.

Petra sat up slightly, searching for the rag she had placed on him earlier and finally finding it crumpled up near his side. She grabbed the all but dry fabric and pushed it back into the water bucket in exhaustion. She rinsed it out thoroughly once or twice before wringing it out mechanically. She bit back a yawn, barely awake as she leaned forward and gently pushed the Captain by the shoulder, urging him to move off from his side and lay back down onto his back again.

He jolted slightly as he woke up fully from the sudden contact, eyes wide and disoriented until he realized it was just her. He relaxed and slowly closed his eyes again, resting on his back and giving a relieved sigh. As he had before, he turned his head this way and that as she worked, elongating his neck then leaning his head forward as she wiped the cool rag over him - down his neck, his hair, as well as the expanse of skin across his collar and shoulders, going so far as the beginnings of his chest in attempts to cool him down and keep him from overheating again. She put the rag back into the water and again pressed out the excess liquid, folding it quietly and again pressing it against his forehead gently.

Levi was asleep again.

Hours continued to pass by this way, but slowly. Unfortunately for Petra, the process repeated itself frequently and she was barely starting to fall asleep by the time the Captain would begin tossing and turning once more.

While the water was helpful in keeping him comfortable and would quickly lull him back to sleep without fail, it's sedating effects just didn't last long. He would effortlessly fall back asleep after being tended to, and Petra would cautiously place her head back on the mattress and shift slightly in her seated position on the floor, trying to find a somewhat comfortable position of her own. Her back ached, her legs were numb from sitting for so long, and to top it off, whereas the Captain was too hot, Petra was freezing.

It was early spring and the night still brought a chill – she hadn't known she would be staying with the Captain overnight so didn't have a blanket on hand, and the frequent use of the cold water wasn't helping matters either. At one point she debated grabbing one of the blankets that Levi had kicked away, but she knew huddling into one of his blankets for hours on end was all but a guarantee she'd get sick. She had thought about going back to her own room for one, but each time she prepared to leave, as if on cue, Levi would stir again and she'd forget about it by the time she had finished tending to him.

Even still, as miserable as she was, she knew the Captain was close to getting over that hurdle that was his intense bought of illness and she was determined to see him through. Even though it was exhausting, her body ached, and her limbs throbbed, she could tough it out to make sure that he got as much rest as possible in such a state. Besides, with the paperwork finally done, tomorrow wouldn't be as demanding of a lineup as it had been previously, so between his last few doses of medicine and meals, she would be able to catch up on her sleep throughout the day.

There was a small groan that cut into the silence of the night, and Levi tossed his head to the side violently, causing the rag to slide off his forehead once again. Petra sighed and grabbed it, setting it in the freezing cold bucket and rubbing her tired eyes in attempts to focus.

It was going to be a long night.

…

...

When Levi woke early in the morning, the first thing he realized was that perpetual throbbing that had been in his head for days on end was finally gone. He opened his eyes and noted further that while he felt exhausted and drained of all energy, he actually felt…fine.

A sort of relief washed over him and he gave a quiet exhale.

About damned time.

He sat up and pushed the hair out of his face, blinking once or twice and rolling his shoulders to test his previously sore and tense muscles. Fuck, would he kill for a shower right now. Petra had been diligent in trying to keep the process of his fever breaking as painless as possible, but even with her constant attention, he had still been sweating profusely for hours on end. His hair was stiff, his skin was gritty, he may as well just burn his bedding – he bit back a sigh.

He redirected his focus and looked down toward where Petra was. She was still there, half sitting across the floor and leaning up against the edge of his bed, a rag clutched weakly in her hand from her self-imposed task of watching him throughout the night. It was a miracle she could sleep at all, what with her being hunched over like that. There was no earthly way that was even remotely comfortable, yet she was asleep all the same.

Just how exhausted did one have to be in order to be able to sleep like that…?

He frowned pensively as he stared at the rag still bundled up in her hand; finding it to be an odd detail that grabbed his attention for a second time. For her to still be holding it, it was likely that she had fallen asleep while in the very process of tending to him – also an undeniable testament to how drained she really was after having cared for him for the better half of a week straight.

He found himself giving a half smile as he looked down at her, feeling a swell of pride in his chest as he watched her sleeping form. Her stubbornness, her work ethic, the discipline she carried herself with through the past few days – it was admirable, and just what he had come to expect from a member of his squad. Though a part of him wished to move her or do something that might make her a little more comfortable, he couldn't risk waking her up.

Once she was awake, regardless her obvious exhaustion, he knew she would stubbornly demand to stay awake and resume her normal day to day tasks, likely insisting further that he remain bedridden just one more day so he didn't relapse. Even if he was fine, even if she was the one that needed the rest at this point, he knew his subordinate well and knew that she wouldn't listen. A normal Petra was difficult enough to reason with, but a sleep deprived Petra was a goddamned nightmare.

What was more, as much as he did want her to sleep for her own health – fact of the matter was he had done none of his own work for a solid four days now, and relapse or not, he couldn't afford to sit and do nothing when he was already so far behind. For his own sake as well as her own, he needed Petra to remain asleep for as long as possible.

Mind made up, he carefully shifted toward the foot of his bed and moved to stand on the floor, using every bit of caution he had at his disposal to avoid making any sounds that would alert her to the fact that he was up and moving.

Walking softly across the floor and working in perfect silence, he collected his disease ridden and sweat stained bedding from off his bed, setting the bundle outside in the hallway before grabbing a fresh set out from his closet and carefully making his bed again, first pulling the sheet's corners onto the foot of the bed and working his way up to the opposite corner against the wall. He moved back to the floor and walked toward the head of his bed, having to tread very lightly as he gently and cautiously pulled the sheet over the last section of the mattress - the part that Petra was currently resting on - hoping the slowly moving fabric would not jar her awake as he wedged the crisp sheet inch by inch underneath her arms and face.

With where she was resting, it was difficult to work around her, but he felt it was important that fresh bedding be placed on his bed because the thought of the old bedding just...sitting there, was beyond disgusting. While he had somehow been able to pull the sheet beneath her without incident, getting the sheet fitted up and over the corner of his mattress was at a much harder bracket of difficulty, as Petra was hunched right where he needed to be in order to properly access the mattress from the right angle.

He stood in place and stared at his mattress and untidy sheet for a moment of puzzlement and irritation, mentally trying to deduce the best tactics of making his bed without waking her considering she was right in the damned way.

Taking a breath of preparation after a moment of thought, he placed one foot around her and crouched lower, putting himself in a rather… compromising position as he hovered mere inches above her body, straddling her to some extent before leaning directly over her and stretching his arms around her resting form as he inched the last of the fabric over the corner of the mattress, lifting the edge up just slightly and pulling the fabric gently over the edge of the mattress. He had to angle his head in an unnatural way so it didn't brush against her while he tried to tug the fabric up and over the corner carefully, and due to the impossible angles and the even more impossible way he was standing, the sheet stubbornly would pull back off the corner and he was wondering if the task was even worth it. After a few more desperate attempts, finally the fitted sheet slowly snapped into place and he cautiously set the mattress back down against his bed frame, turning his head just slightly to check if she was still asleep or not.

From where he was positioned now, his own face was mere inches from hers.

Before, he had been focused on the small task at hand and just getting the sheet over his bed but now…

He could hear her even breathing - damn, he could even smell her hair he was so close. He kept his own breathing quiet and controlled as he watched her for an extended moment; not certain why he was just standing there in such an uncomfortable position. He could only imagine Petra's reaction if she actually woke up right now. He imagined a surprised yelp or a loud gasp, and it would be a miracle if she didn't all out slap him in a knee-jerk reaction, and yet, even knowing there would be an absolute shit storm if she woke up, he found himself stalling just the same.

The task of getting the sheet across his mattress was done, he really didn't want her to wake up, so there was no logical reason as to why he was indulging this sudden impulse to remain beside her, so close like this. He wasn't trying to cross any boundaries, it was just…

His eyes narrowed as he watched her in muted observation.

…It was strange.

She looked exhausted, her hair was frizzy and unkempt – sleep tossed and falling out of what was perhaps once a bun of sorts – her civilian clothes were baggy and wrinkled from her poor sleeping position, yet even still under all the mess…

She was undeniably beautiful, he noted in wonder.

There was simply no other word for it. Her peaceful expression, her wild hair, flushed cheeks and parted lips - Beautiful.

He stayed for a few moments longer until his legs ached from the odd position he was in, and he quietly shifted his weight back into his heels and tried to resume getting ready for his day, trying to put the memory behind him as it was just another observation that he was unsure of what to do with.

He grabbed a fresh change of clothes, grabbed his first dose of medicine from off his desk - he planned to take a shower, make a dent in his stack of paper work, perhaps report to Erwin before Petra could get to him and rat him out – but even still, no matter the amount of mental tasks he gave himself, the importance that was his time management… the image of a certain sleeping subordinate - hair glowing in the sunlight, amber threads splayed out around her like a halo - would keep coming back to him at the most inconvenient of times and distract him just the same.

…

...

It was about thirty minutes later that Levi had finally left the bathroom, feeling infinitely more like himself now that he was freshly showered and in his Scouts uniform, save for a towel that was still draped across his shoulders to keep his hair from dripping water onto his shirt and harness.

He stepped into the cool air of the open hallway and exhaled as he ran the towel through his hair once more and walked unhurriedly toward his office.

He had certainly needed that.

He had taken a longer time in the bathroom than normal, intending to make up for the previous four days of considerably lacking hygiene. He took the time to meticulously scrub off all the caked layers of sweat and grime, shaved the four-day stubble off his face, and even went as far to test the strength of his voice while in the privacy of the bathroom where the running water would drown out any pitiful noise that might be made as a result.

Much to his relief, his voice had actually returned. Granted it was weak and much deeper than it normally was due to all the drainage and rawness of his throat, but at least he could speak if he needed to where his voice was clear enough that it wouldn't lead to people laughing at him like Petra had previously.

Admittedly his energy levels were still on the low side considering that after his shower he was ready to sit down for a bit, but he wouldn't say he was full on sick anymore, more so just drained and exhausted from the previous battle that was his long and miserable recovery.

He would use today to work on his paperwork and prioritize what had to go out immediately, versus what he could put off or people that he could conveniently avoid for a bit longer. With any luck, he could get a few hours of work in before Petra made her rounds and eventually found him at his desk. He was hoping that if he played his cards right, she wouldn't fuss and would decide to go about her day like normal. Truth of the matter was he didn't know if he had the energy to outlast her if she decided to become a pain about his decision to knock out some of his overdue paperwork. While it was true that he was rather tired and could probably still use a break or nap come the afternoon hours, he was simply too far behind to even consider it.

He stepped into his office and moved to sit into his chair, relaxing for only a moment and trying to mentally prepare for the onslaught of papers that had already accumulated before getting sick, let alone whatever had been added to the stack throughout these past few days while he was off duty.

He opened his first drawer, pulling out the various folders of collected data; performance reports, maintenance orders, receipts of the team's expenditures, and finally moved to his side drawer to grab out the large folder that would be waiting for him, his so aptly labeled 'To Do' folder, with a resigned sigh.

He blinked as he opened the drawer, immediately noticing that the folder that was once at least an inch thick with overdue tasks and demanding notes that were intended to come across as threatening, was resting in the drawer completely flat, as though not a single piece of paper was in it at all.

Levi grabbed the suspiciously light folder, a confused expression wrinkling his face as he set the empty folder across the surface of his desk in admitted curiosity and building frustration. Where the fuck were all his documents? Had Erwin come and grabbed the papers out perhaps, as a way to make it so he couldn't work until he was fully recovered? While he couldn't see Erwin going so far out of his way…Maybe Hanji?

That did seem like the kind of thing that crazy so called 'scientist' would do.

He opened the manila file to investigate further, seeing only a single piece of white paper contained within it; a handwritten message across the surface of the page. He grabbed the paper pensively, only confused all the more as a sort of familiarity came to him. He knew that handwriting well, considering how many letters he had seen sent out with that same penmanship over the years.

The handwriting was not Hanji's or Erwin's – it was Petra's.

Well.

…He certainly hadn't been expecting that.

He held the page up, still not sure what Petra of all people had to do with his missing documents, and began to read.

"Captain,

Over the years, it's always been you watching out for me. You've trained me, you've advised me, you've pushed me to my limits – I don't even know how many times you've saved my life during expeditions, and as I sit here writing, looking at the ring on my hand, it just serves as a daily reminder of how you've come through for me once again in even the most unlikely of circumstances.

I know you would disagree or say that it's just your job so I shouldn't take it to mean anything, and yet…

Even still, I feel indebted to you in ways that I know I could never pay back. There's no avenue to; you don't talk to me about your problems and there's not been a single time that you've asked me for help over the years. If I were being honest, half the time I feel all but useless when compared side by side to 'Humanity's Strongest'

So, when I found this folder, I couldn't just sit back and do nothing simply because it was your problem and not mine. That's never stopped you before, so even though I didn't know how to fill them out, even though Erwin wouldn't permit such a thing, even though I was suspicious you wouldn't want me messing with your things when you were sick like this – surely even I could do something like this, right?

Hanji taught me, and after a considerable learning curve, I have to say that I am kind of impressed by everything you and the rest of leadership take note of and records like this. It's extremely detailed! Either way, I would fill out a form and then Hanji would deliver it to the respective person so there were no questions about why someone like me was running around with all your paperwork while you were sick. Rest assured, she looked over each one individually and would not turn it in unless it was done correctly, so there shouldn't be any errors that you have to account for later.

While it took almost every second of free time I've had over these past few days, I'm happy to say that you are caught back up. Your next report will be due two weeks from now on the 15th, followed by the quarterly business report to confirm what materials we are going through, if any, at a more accelerated rate when compared to last quarter. I've added my notes and findings in your data folder, so that should save you some time as these last few weeks of records finally trickle in.

I know it's only a small gesture and I'm sorry that I can't be a bigger help to you, but I promise that I will keep trying to find ways to support you and be there for you as your friend and subordinate. I truly appreciate everything you've done for me. Even if it's meaningless to you and you really are just doing your job, even still… it means the absolute world to me.

Thank you for everything,
Petra RaAcke-
Petra

Ps – If you are reading this, it'd better be because you're feeling better. I did not slave day and night for four days straight so you could relapse as a result of your sheer stupidity. I mean it, Levi. The flu may not have killed you, but I will.

Levi set the paper back down on his desk, a light sort of smile across his face as a chuckle escaped his lips from the sudden change in spirit at the very end of the letter. It went from apparent gratitude to an all-out underlined threat in less than fifty words – there was no doubt in his mind that this was Petra's work alright.

He shook his head in silent wonder, trying to wrap his mind around the fact Petra had taken the time to not just learn how to fill out the forms, but had been disciplined enough to grind out months' worth of paperwork in a mere four days, all while keeping up with everything else she had been doing for him while he was sick.

It was impressive, to say the least, and it was a little difficult for him to comprehend from a time management standpoint. Their skill sets were clearly different, as he knew that he wouldn't be able to replicate even half of what she had accomplished if given the same tasks and time restraint. There was no possible way.

He looked over the letter again, still finding himself in shock as he tried to come to terms with her impressive time management capabilities. She hadn't said a word about it or given him any indication that she was even aware of his deadline issues, let alone the fact that she had decided to tackle his paperwork head on like this. Furthermore, he knew that many of those forms were not a simple matter, so even with Hanji's help along the way, he was surprised that she hadn't asked him any questions or didn't default to running to him when she got stuck, because the was no way she hadn't gotten stuck at least once along the way.

He felt as though he should be offended at the invasion of his privacy, or perhaps perturbed that she had the audacity to go behind his back yet again, only this time using Hanji as her pawn instead of Erwin. He was expecting a wave of frustration to course through his veins considering that, while yes, it was done with good intentions, this behavior crossed so many lines, so many important rules. He knew that and was waiting for the exasperation to build within him as he pondered how to address the situation, and yet the feeling never came. Instead of frustration, there was a wave of overwhelming relief instead, that, and an undeniable feeling of amusement that was Petra and her uncanny ability to take him by surprise time and time again.

He supposed that if there was any frustration he felt, it was more from the fact that even after doing the practically impossible – learn the ins and outs of paperwork meant exclusively for a Commanding Officer and actually completing an overwhelming volume of documents in an extremely small time window – she still felt that she was inferior and was doing these things as a way to further prove her worth to some extent – an attempt to 'Pay him back' essentially, something that he had intentionally tried to drill into her countless times over – that she didn't owe him anything. It bothered him that Petra still didn't seem to understand the importance and value she brought to his team just by being herself, but he was at a loss for how to get it through her head that she had already proved her worth time and time again, to everyone but herself it seemed.

He leaned back in his chair with a light exhale, trying to decide what to do with the free time that had seemingly been opened up for him. He wasn't well enough to strap on the 3DM equipment and command his team through routines – that was what Eld was for – but just sitting quietly in his office for hours on end with nothing to do sounded far too boring and unproductive, especially after spending a solid four days in bed.

First thing was first - he needed to speak to a certain meddling subordinate who's compassion was rivaled only by her audacious stubbornness.

He looked over the letter one last time, finding yet another small smile pull at the corners of his lips as he contemplated all he had unknowingly put her through for the past number of days. It really was a shame she couldn't see herself in the same light that he did.

Although… he wouldn't deny that her need to prove herself had created some rather…. interesting results as of late.

He looked down to his left hand, turning his wedding band along his finger before standing up out of his desk chair. He carefully set the paper back into the folder, closing the file softly and set it back within the confines of his desk.

…

…

There was a shifting noise, a creaking of sorts perhaps, and Petra stirred slightly, lifting her head and giving a light groan as she opened her eyes a crack to see what it was that had disturbed her. Was it Levi again? She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep now – had he needed her help and she had somehow slept through it?

She looked through squinted eyes across the expanse of his bed, half awake at best, and noting in confusion that his bed was completely empty. She blinked again and tried to force herself to wake up more completely as her mind registered that something wasn't quite right. Where was Levi? And…she looked closer into the mattress, wondering if the sheet had been blue the whole time. She could have sworn it was white…

She looked out toward the rest of the room, a jolt of surprise running through her as she suddenly saw the Captain, dressed in his uniform and crouched down beside her just a few feet away.

"Levi…" she whispered in a breathy exhale, her voice faint from the lack of sleep and sheer surprise of seeing him up and about after days of being in bed. Did this mean he was feeling better? He must have been if he was out and moving around like this. Should she ask him? She knew he wasn't one to admit outright weakness, so would he even give her a straight answer? Could he even give her a straight answer? Last night his voice had still been so hoarse, so she wasn't quite sure if he was able to speak just yet. Though her mind raced with questions, there was a certain warmness to the Captain's expression, a slight wonder as he watched her, that caused all her questions to die on her tongue as he continued to watch her contentedly. She could only stare at him in prolonged silence, wondering what he was going to say – or if he was going to say anything at all.

He swallowed once and cleared his throat softly, quirking an eyebrow as he watched her knowingly, "So Petra…you said you've been busy these past few days."

Petra's mouth fell open as he continued watching her with that strange expression, realizing after a moment that he knew. She wasn't sure what time it was, she wasn't sure if he was actually better or not, but in that moment she was certain that he knew. She only nodded once, closing her mouth and swallowing thickly as she watched him for a response.

Levi returned her gaze and finally gave a long sigh, a smile pulling at his lips and he shook his head, "All this time…" he gave her a reproving stare that was only marred by his grin, "You're a complete fucking brat, you know that?"

Petra gave a weak smile, pleased that he didn't seem to be too upset, biting back a yawn and sitting up fully - wincing as she did so. Her body ached from the uncomfortable position she had been in for so long, and the hard-tiled floor certainly hadn't done her any favors either. She brought a hand to her throbbing head and frowned. She knew she wasn't sick, and yet-

"You're sleep deprived." Levi stated factually as he watched her, his expression finally morphing into a more serious one. He watched her flatly, "If you want to return to duty I won't stand in your way, but only after you've rested properly. Here." Without pausing or waiting for her response, Levi had moved down toward her and placed one arm under the crook of her bent legs, wrapping the other around the expanse of her back before shifting his own weight and picking her up off from the floor smoothly, a squeak of surprise emitting from Petra as she was suddenly hoisted into his arms without warning.

She wrapped her hands around the straps of his harness in a death grip, eyes wide as she looked up toward him then back down to the floor in alarm. Her face was already blood red from the shock and embarrassment of being suddenly carried by him, "Captain! I can - I can walk!" she squeaked dramatically in protest, rolling her shoulders and kicking her legs slightly.

"Shit, calm down." He stated evenly, taking a single step before leaning over his mattress and placing her on top of his bed gently, "I don't want the men disturbing you throughout the day so you can sleep here - my end of the hall is usually pretty quiet. Bedding is clean too, so you should be fine."

Petra bit her bottom lip nervously before giving a single nod, a little less flustered now that she wasn't being manhandled by a certain Ackerman anymore. She wasn't exactly sure why she couldn't just walk down the hallway to her own room, but she supposed there was merit to getting undisturbed sleep and decided not to press him on the matter. Reality was she was just too exhausted to care one way or another, that, and she was already here.

She exhaled in acceptance, shifting slightly to find a more comfortable position and bending slightly as she began to sit up. She had intended to grab one of the clean folded blankets that had been set out across the foot of the bed, however it seemed the Captain had beat her to it as he was already unfolding the fabric and preparing to splay it out around her.

Petra tried to give a haughty sort of smirk, remaining in an upright position for a moment longer before slowly laying back down onto the bed after realizing that the energy required just wasn't there. As much as she wanted to play it up, her exhaustion was getting the best of her and she had to bite back a yawn while she spoke, "If you…if you try to tuck me in I'll…I'll fucking slap you." She mumbled slowly, smirking faintly when a note of recollection finally came to the Captain's face.

There was a shadow of amusement that laced his tone, "…You would dare strike your Captain?"

"That depends." Petra responded coolly, "Are you actually well enough to do something about it?"

He almost chuckled, but considered her question for a moment. He gave a smirk and watched her intentionally as he set the blanket down around her in outright challenge. He crossed his arms and sat down beside her on the edge of his mattress and leaned toward her smugly. He nodded with narrowed eyes, though a light smile painted his lips, "Try me."

Petra gave a sincere smile as she shrugged in defeat, knowing this was his way of confirming that he was in fact finally feeling better.

Thank Maria.

She exhaled in relief and her smile only grew all the more, knowing that her job of watching over him, the hell that had been their previous four days, was finally at an end for the both of them. She pushed her head back into his pillow, intentionally acting casual as she gave a dramatic exhale, "Well I'd better not then. My Captain is pretty strong. Kinda an asshole when he's sick though."

Levi only smirked at her statement as he leaned back from her, and Petra gave a contented sigh as she bundled some of the blankets in her arms, turning onto her side and watching him for an extended moment. A comfortable silence fell over the room again as Petra watched him calmly with a contented smile on her lips. The corners of his blanket were bundled up in her clutched hands so that it framed her face, and if Levi had to put a word to it, he would perhaps have described her being all bundled up on his bed as admittedly…. cute, if only in the moment at least.

Petra's expression was warm as she watched him, "Hey, Captain?"

"Mm?"

"…I'm glad you're feeling better. Truly."

The way she watched him, the smile on her face, knowing all the work she had done for him – he couldn't help but smile in return as he watched her. His voice was soft as he returned her gaze with admitted gratitude, "Well, I had some help."

As he spoke, as if on impulse he reached toward her and moved a piece of hair that had fallen into her face back behind her ear, his fingertips lightly brushing against the skin of her forehead in a whisper of a caress.

Petra blinked, instantly freezing in place and watching Levi with a completely different expression now, visually mystified by his actions. It wasn't wrong or inappropriate it was just… again she was at a loss for words, at a loss of all thought, and could only watch him with a curious expression as a blush rose and heated the expanse of her face in immediate response.

It seemed the Captain was also rather surprised by himself, as he looked almost shocked, then apologetic as he recoiled his hand far too quickly to be casual. A long silence fell across the room as the pair regarded each other in unspoken and unresolved question. When it became clear that neither knew what to make of the strange event or how to play it off, Levi cleared his throat, standing up from off the bed and looking to the other end of the room to avoid making further eye contact with his still surprised subordinate - though he would be lying if he tried to pretend for even a moment that he wasn't just as surprised as she was.

He nodded toward the door, "Well I…I should let you sleep. I've got my medicine, so I don't want you to worry about me today. Eld will be just fine running three-man drills, so don't come out until you're fully rested." He moved toward the door and grabbed the handle, "That's an order, Petra."

Without another word, he left the room quietly, closing the door behind himself with a metallic click.

...

End of Chapter

…

Alright, and that's a wrap for this chapter as well, as well as the OFFICIAL end of what I dubbed the 'Levi Sick' arc. So much important development in this arc, and I hope you enjoyed seeing how their relationship was challenged and grew as a result of honestly, Petra, and her insane devotion and admirable work ethic that landed her a spot on the squad to begin with. Did you catch the few pieces of symbolism I threw in there along the way – bits of foreshadowing? This arc was super important!

As for my personal favorites, I just love how Levi HAD to change his bedding right then and there – as Petra is somewhat, currently using it. The thought of 'well it can wait until she's up for the day' as you can see through his narrated thoughts, doesn't even cross his mind, because…Levi.

Side note - allow me to throw a bone out to my numerous readers as a whole, who have wisely commented that they can't wait until Petra's dad comes back into play, because there's no way he is fine with the whole arrangement. Enough of yall have commented something to that effect now, so I thought I'd publicly respond and give you a head nod.

Yes. All the yes.

Rest assured that will be hard core addressed and you all are spot on but….patience, my dear readers, thy name is Patience.

*insert winky face here*

*insert comment about how it will be totally worth the wait but it will happen in a way you don't expect slash I'd be amazed if you figured out how, but yall have already taken me by surprise before, so we shall see!*

As always, my reading audience is just awesome and I love, love, love, bringing you content! I'll see you next week and hope yall have a great rest of your weekend!

Thanks,
Midnight