Hello everyone!

It today dragging, or is that just me? Yall I swear, Imma need like a huge cup of coffee or something to get me in gear. Either way, you know the drill. Happy Sunday, hope you had a good week – and lets just get right to it!

…

…

Levi woke with a grimace, a soft sigh of discomfort leaving his lips as he shifted across the bed, hot and sweating and miserable, because his dreams had once again been nothing short of scandalous, filled to the very brim with every little thing he had wanted to do with, and to, the beautiful woman asleep…he shifted to find that again they had moved in the night, and this time she was settled right into his arms, apparently.

Great.

He held back a groan as he tried to ignore the aching, intense throbbing that he could feel from his lower half, and Levi slowly opened his eyes, all at once seeing a mess of orange hair splayed out all around him. Regardless his overwhelming discomfort, Levi couldn't help the sort of smile that came to his lips as he looked past the absolute mess of her wild, sleep tossed hair, down toward where Petra was sleeping against him even now, and his lopsided grin grew more pronounced as he looked her over.

Petra was sleeping on her side, facing him with one side of her face pressed against his chest, and he in turn was facing toward her, one hand cradled underneath his head, and the other wrapped around her lazily, his arm resting in the dip of her waist, and his hand splayed directly over the swell of her rear – something that he hadn't consciously done – however now that he was awake, some part of him found that perhaps his hand felt a little too comfortable to move, and so he didn't. His fingers flexed ever so slightly across the smooth planes of her backside – her ass feeling firm and warm and perfect beneath his curled fingertips, and a tightness churned in his groin at the sensation.

For a moment, he actually considered waking her up, kissing her into alertness and rolling her beneath him so easily as he moved his hands under her clothes, pulled the fabric off from around her and touched her deliberately because he knew she wouldn't push him away. He would spoil her with touches, kiss her and make her feel so good; he'd push her back into the bed, leave bruising love bites and intentionally mark every inch of her skin down from her neck to her thighs. Every time she got dressed, every time she'd look in the mirror, she'd see the remaining marks and be reminded at once of who had put them there. He imagined that she'd blush; struggle to come to terms with the fact that it was him, her own Captain – the man who was also her husband, and now lover. She'd think back on what they had done, blushing all the more as she secretly anticipated the next time they would be together in such a way, because she had to know he wouldn't keep her waiting long.

Surely that wouldn't be such a bad way to kick off their day, right?

And yet.

With a muted whimper, Levi carefully untangled himself from the sleeping woman, careful not to wake her up as he moved away from her with a light and tempered sigh. With the dim glow of light filtering throughout the room, it was clear that it was still the very early hours of the morning, and some part of him was hoping that Petra might be able to sleep in a while longer yet. The sane part of him knew that more than she needed the impromptu morning sex, she really just needed to rest. Even still, despite the obvious importance that was Petra's health, his body wasn't fully on board with the idea of backing away and very much wanted to remain as close to her as possible, in hopes that his discipline would continue to whittle away until it snapped altogether.

As he started to move away, his body was actively protesting his choice with a vengeance, stubbornly making a point of his very unsatiated desire, shooting pangs and throbs up and down his torso in a way that made his muscles pulse unpleasantly, as though silently begging the question what the hell he was waiting for because this was just as good a moment as any to be with her.

Even now, he couldn't be sure of what sort of 'moment' he was waiting for, and yet he found himself holding out just the same. Not so much for his sake of course, but rather for Petra's. Because he knew that she would let him take her, he now felt somewhat responsible for remaining disciplined and picking the right time, and the right moment. What was more, it was important that he got it right the first time, because there would be no going back and undoing his actions once he finally made such an advance on her. No, it had to be right – perfect, like Petra - and gods, he just needed to be a little bit more patient, for just a little while longer. The right moment was coming, he could feel it. He just had to last until then.

Granted, that was well enough in theory, but in application…

He moved off the bed and put his feet onto the ground, taking a much-needed breath because his body was so damn hot and he needed a moment to allow his heartrate to fall back under control as he forced his body to comply with his will. He stood up from the bed, grossly uncomfortable with the ever-present ache in his groin and the way his pants were so uncomfortably bunched and stretched over his miserable hard on that refused to go away quietly.

Levi walked through the room, moving toward the closet and grabbing out what he needed for a shower. As he moved to gather his things, he knew that in the event Petra did somehow wake up, his clear arousal wasn't all that subtle and it would likely be the first thing that grabbed her attention because the outright bulge in his pants was an obvious one. He wasn't necessarily hoping that that conversation would come about now, but at the same time, he found that he didn't really care if Petra saw him in such a state (surely she knew by now that he was absolutely desperate for her) and Levi continued about his business because it was only a matter of time anyway, and he had no interest in sneaking around their room.

He had nothing to hide.

Luckily, he had disappeared into the bathroom without Petra so much as stirring, and he shut the door behind himself with a long, labored exhale, feeling a sheen layer of sweat over his forehead because his desire was making him completely miserable. He was already turning on the water as he pulled his uncomfortable and itchy clothes off of him, stepping into the water stream after a moment and praying that the hot water would bring his muscles into a more relaxed state.

Thoughts of his dream, thoughts of Petra began plaguing his mind with a stubborn and vengeful onslaught, and with an accepting exhale as the fire surged through his veins all the more as though entirely unwilling to dissipate, Levi found himself reaching lower across his body, fingers tracing down to his swollen length as he gave a quiet sigh of relief. This time, yes, he needed the release and he needed it now, because mental high ground or not, he was certain this was the only way he'd be able to stand so close beside her throughout the day and not outright jump her from sheer desperation.

With how frustrated his body was, with how painfully taut and coiled his muscles were as he touched himself deliberately, it hadn't even taken all that long for him to finish. His body quaked and spasmed only moments later; it seemed he was somewhat hypersensitive, his body eager for the release in whatever fashion he could obtain it. Levi allowed himself a moment, still in the immediate aftereffects of a much-needed orgasm, somewhat leaning against the wall as the hot water continued to beat down on his flushed and heated skin. He swallowed thickly and held his hand up toward the water, washing the warm and milky substance off his fingers as he fought to catch his breath even now.

Fuck. This desire, this outright lust for her body that he couldn't act on – it was a first for him, and to some extent he found it all to be completely maddening. Before, anytime he had wanted the company of a woman, he had found it rather easily. In terms of friendship or camaraderie, women as a whole tended to steer clear of him because of his gruff mannerisms and his crude language – but in terms of a quick and meaningless fuck, his standoffish personality seemed to have the opposite effect, and somehow his quiet nature actually drew women to his side almost effortlessly - it certainly didn't hurt his chances when they recognized him as Humanity's Strongest, either. If their own attraction to him wasn't enough, their curiosity of how he was in bed often more than made up for it, and as a result, Levi never had to try all that hard to find himself a willing bedfellow to blow off steam with.

Petra though, goddammit. He had never had to wait for a woman before, not once in his entire life, and while he supposed this was probably a good thing for him to experience, he had to wonder just how much more he could take, because he had been wanting her for so fucking long now, and knowing that it would be four weeks without any sort of schedule to keep to, where they could spend all day, any day, buried in the sheets of some random bed while he fucked her into sweet oblivion – gods, it was all just too much for him, and his discipline was crumbling fast.

After a few moments, his body finally, finally started to uncoil and relax into a more subdued, agreeable state – and with a relieved sigh, Levi stood up from the shower wall with a newly regained focus that had been lost to him for the entirety of the morning. He grabbed the provided shampoo, lathering the gel into his hands and proceeding with his shower as though nothing out of the ordinary had taken place.

It wasn't perfect, and his body certainly wasn't fooled by the difference, but even still, it might be just enough to get him through the day; one miserable, frustrated and agonizing step at a time.

He could only hope.

…

…

"You said breakfast was when?" Petra's voice came through the bathroom door once again, and Levi gave a nod she wouldn't see, turning to face the closed door and speaking through it passively as he combed through his hair and styled it in his traditional manner. It seemed that his shower had successfully woken her up, and as he continued getting ready for the day, presently with a towel wrapped around his hips, that Petra had begun to bustle about the room, not seemingly bothered at all by the fact he was in the bathroom because she continued speaking to him as though he were out in the open with her.

Though it was strange, conversing with her from a closed off room, he supposed it didn't bother him all that much, and he responded just the same, continuing his morning routine with ease regardless her constant chatter, "Eight thirty."

"And you said Erwin's already taken care of it, in terms of pay and everything?"

He gave his reflection a studious stare, fixing a few more strands of hair and nodding, "Everything but the tip."

"Alright. Now how about I cover that this time around? You took care of everything last night so-"

"No." he looked toward the door seriously, as though she would feel his displeasure through the door's surface and he continued flatly, "I told you before we got here that I'd be covering everything in terms of expenses. This place isn't one that you would have picked out for yourself, so it's not fair to expect you to dip into your funds and provide them with endless tip after tip. Besides, the reason I'm here at all is to try and make it up to you, and I wouldn't be doing my part if I let you pay the tab out of sheer convenience."

He heard a groan, very near to the bathroom from what it sounded like, and Petra's stubborn voice could be heard from just the other side of the doorway as though she had settled against the adjacent wall, "I wouldn't be paying the tab Captain – I'd be splitting it. You know, just doing my share."

Levi rolled his eyes, crossing his arms at her weak defense and staring at the door in unamused challenge, "Petra, no. This place is expensive, and I just said that it wouldn't be right for you to try and pay for it. You just earned that bonus, and just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should throw your money at them by the handful. Gods, you're really bad about saving, you know that? Why spend your money when I've already offered to take care of it? Besides, isn't that part of being a girl, getting all sorts of expensive shit bought for you by your man? If you get the perfume thing, then I get this. Just let me do my part, at least every once in a while, otherwise I'm going to feel like I'm taking advantage of you."

When she gave a slow, bitter exhale, followed by the sound of retreating footsteps, Levi shrugged and looked back toward the mirror in what he hoped was long last victory. He wet his face down, spreading some shaving cream onto his skin as he spoke in further confirmation, unable to stop the impulse to drive his point home all the more, because he was certain that Petra was still unconvinced, "Oi, if it makes you feel better, when you add in the fact that I'll be staying at your place or whatever for two plus weeks, this really is only fair. I may complain about the constant tipping that occurs here, but it's not about the money; it's about their stupid staff expecting a handout for just doing their job. I thought that's what a damned paycheck was for, but apparently I'm just old fashioned."

He grabbed a razor and brought it down the side of his face, tracing his jaw with focus. From somewhere in the room, he heard Petra's muffled voice, far enough away this time that he couldn't make out what was being said all that clearly. He set the razor down with a sigh and opened the door a few inches, "Oi, what was that? I couldn't hear you."

"Oh sorry, I'm just packing up is all. I asked if you had a bag for your dirty laundry, so I can gather them up? I imagine you want that separate from the rest of your clean clothes, but I don't really want to start rummaging through all your things."

"Ah, no that's fine. It's an empty black bag. It's folded up in the grey suitcase; I think to the left side. If you can't find it, don't worry about it. I can pack up my stuff here in a sec, I'm almost done."

"Oh it's no trouble Captain. I'm just trying to multitask and save us a bit of time. If you don't mind, I'd like to check out once we're finished with breakfast. My ankle is feeling pretty good and I want to take advantage of that while we can."

"That's fine." He waited for a few moments, wanting to make sure that she had said whatever she needed to before he closed the door again, and after a moment of silence, he shut the bathroom door and resumed his task, picking the razor back up and starting where he had left off.

After a few more moments, Petra's muffled voice could be heard yet again, and he sighed. Again, he set the razor down and opened the door, looking around the room and trying to find her form, "Alright, one more time on that?"

The ginger didn't seem to pick up on the fact that she was inconveniencing him, and she spoke pleasantly as she continued moving around the room in a busy manner, walking into the closet as she explained further, "Sorry, about these clothes left out on the closet floor here, is this what you're wearing today, or did they get pulled out so you could grab all your shower stuff?"

Levi's eyebrows rose at her valid call out, and he nodded in admitted gratitude, "Oh yeah, that's all for today. Actually if you wouldn't mind bringing them here? I meant to grab them earlier, but I guess I left them on the floor by mistake."

"Oh, sure thing. Give me just a minute. I'm repacking my shower bag from last night, but after that I'll head your way."

With a bit of focus, certainly not wanting to make Levi wait on his clothes for that long, Petra grabbed her discarded clothes from yesterday, along with her pajamas, and moved them into her own bag to ensure they remained separate from her clean clothes.

She grabbed her shampoo and conditioner next, checking the seals on the bottles to ensure that they wouldn't fly open in her travels, pleased with herself that she had thought ahead and brought her own. Though the hotel had provided courtesy toiletries, all the bottles were impossibly small – certainly not enough for her long hair – and what was more, she was highly suspicious that that was what Levi had used in his shower this morning so it was for the best that she had her own supply at the ready. The only thing Petra had found herself using was the hotel's small bottle of lotion, because riding for so long tended to dry her skin out and the hot bath had only made her skin all the more parched. She had been pleased by the lotion's high quality, so much so that she had packed it in with her things, because after using it last night, her skin had felt so supple and moisturized and what was more, the lotion had smelled so-

Petra's eyes widened in memory, and at once she was opening the bottle, giving it a suspicious inhale and putting a hand over her mouth in all too late realization.

This.

This was what Captain had been smelling last night!

It wasn't perfume; it was the lotion she had put on.

Petra found herself shaking her head in amusement, admittedly amazed by Levi's sharp sense of smell, and on a whim Petra found herself checking the label, wondering just what sort of scent it was that had done him in. If she recalled, Levi had described the smell as sweet, and he had enjoyed it to such an extent that he had been a little on the aggressive side, hands roaming around her as he whispered low teasing words meant to entice her.

Whatever scent she had found here, it was clearly a bit of a turn on for him, and she was curious as to what it might be. She held the small bottle up closer for inspection, reading the small label with fancy, cursive styled letters in hopes to see what scent the product was marked as.

She squinted for a moment, struggling to read the small and elegant font, some part of her having to read it again because maybe she was reading it wrong? She read it again for clarity's sake, and her mouth dropped open from sheer disbelief.

Lemon Verbena

Petra couldn't help the snort that left her lips, loud laughs erupting from her throat all at once because…gods, she just couldn't believe it! Lemon! Eld – stupid, know it all Eld, had been right all along! Gods, it really was the lemon that had done him in, and the irony was just too much for her. How was it that Levi could be so elite, and yet so damn simple at the same time? It was nothing short of a conundrum, and laughter continued spilling out of her with gusto because the entire situation was nothing short of hysterical.

She heard the bathroom door creak open, and Levi's voice sounded off in the next moment, "Oi, what's so funny? You almost done in there? What are you even laughing about?"

She took a few breaths, struggling to contain herself and eventually packing her things away with a shake of her head because she was certain that Levi would not be as amused as she was in the event she tried to explain it to him. "It's nothing. I just realized that…uh well, I kinda think I owe Eld some money is all."

"Lost another bet, huh?"

She bit her lip, unable to control the growing smile that fell across her face, and she gave a shrug, "Something like that, I suppose."

As Petra grabbed the Captain's things and walked them toward the bathroom, a new, surprised expression pulled at her lips at the odd sight that greeted her, considering he had left the door open so she could give him his clothes for the day, she realized that Levi was clearly in the middle of shaving; a white foam spread around the majority of his jaw line. She couldn't help herself as she giggled at his appearance, and Levi watched her with a quirked eyebrow, likely having seen himself in such a state so many times that he didn't even register the source of her laughter.

"You shave?" Petra found herself asking curiously, even though her answer was obvious, and as Levi nodded and grabbed the bundle of clothes from her, he responded simply.

"Yep, every day."

Setting his clothes on the counter, Levi blinked after noticing that Petra remained standing just outside the doorway, a mischievous smile on her lips as she watched him in curious delight, "…Do you ever cut yourself?"

He exhaled, unnerved by her lingering stare that was entirely unnecessary, and he fought off the urge to cross his arms suspiciously, "Do you ever cut yourself when you shave your legs?"

Petra's smile waned, and Levi found himself smirking then, pleased that he had somehow successfully managed to ruin her enjoyment. She made a pouting face and retreated after a moment mumbling a 'You're no fun, Captain' and Levi gave an amused chuckle of his own, closing the door behind him and once again resuming his task.

He had only managed to shave a little over half his face when Petra's voice reached him yet again, her voice still muddied and impossible to understand, and he was suspicious she was back in the closet again. He gave a quipped exhale, set down the razor, and again opened the door as he searched for Petra's small frame.

He tried not to glare at her when her head peaked out from the closet door a few moments later, and he gave a single decisive nod, "You know, I'm just going to leave this open." He stated tensely, and Petra nodded with a smile, still none the wiser toward his irritation and repeating herself in a lighthearted manner.

"Yeah, I was asking what we'd be having for breakfast. Three courses, right? Does that just mean three different things, served one at a time, or maybe three different menu options where we pick the style we want? Sounds like an awful lot of food. I'm not sure if I should be more excited, or outright intimidated."

Levi sighed, leaning back toward the mirror and picking the razor back up, somewhat wishing he had thought to leave the door open some time ago, because with the fact Petra could talk for hours without end, this just saved time. He responded to her barrage of questions, what seemed like one after the other, although now that he didn't have to keep shutting and reopening the door in an endless, miserable loop, her constant chatter wasn't all that irritating and he really didn't mind spending his morning conversing with her like this.

Eventually she had fallen quiet, favoring her sudden task of repacking their things in preparation for their travels, and as she moved one of her bags out of the closet, Levi watched absently from the mirror's reflection as Petra paused in step, looking toward him and…

Levi found himself stalling in place, because instead of Petra saying something or just continuing on with her task, she merely stood motionless for a long moment as though distracted by something. Just as he was about to speak and ask if everything was okay, from the mirror's reflection Levi watched as her eyes began trailing him – trailing across his skin in a less than innocent manner, and his words were lost to him all the more. He watched in disbelief as she outright ogled him, intentionally no less, and Levi almost deadpanned when her eyes lingered on his abdomen, clearly eyeing the planes of his hips and his pelvic bones that peaked out from the confines of the plush white towel he had wrapped himself in. He supposed he should be flattered, but more than that he couldn't help the sheer puzzlement he felt, all but two seconds away from sounding off with a 'Petra, the fuck are you doing?' because didn't she know that he could see her…?

His own question answered itself, because it was then that he took notice of the unique angle she was standing at - an odd little position between the closet and the main room that cut off a large majority of the mirror from her sights – and he realized that she actually…wasn't aware he could still see her.

Well, he supposed that explained a few things.

Biting back a pleased smirk as he pretended not to notice her inappropriate little voyeurism, Levi resumed his previous actions as though none the wiser, intrigued by the way Petra's eyes continued to scan him up and down so shamelessly. He decided to have a bit of fun with it, turning every which way in the mirror as he suddenly surveyed his form, first looking at his hairline as though he had spotted something stuck in his hair, then toward the side of his face to double check his work. No matter how mundane the task, Petra's gaze seemed to remain perfectly transfixed on him, as though utterly mesmerized by the way his skin pulled across his body with his every little action.

Levi couldn't deny his ever-growing amusement, pleased that he was able to hold her attention so completely like this. Petra was always so reserved and so perfectly disciplined when it came to this sort of thing, and as a result he hadn't seen this side of her in quite some time; not once since she had stopped taking her pain medicine.

It was as he leaned forward toward the mirror, raising his arms up slightly in a way that made his back tighten and flex so he could shave his upper lip, that he had to disguise a loud snort with a sudden and forced series of fake coughs, because as Petra had watched the display, watched his body flex and shift to complete the simple task, her mouth had dropped open outright and she mouthed a very distinct 'Wow' to herself as her eyes darted across his back and rear in a mix of surprise and clear approval.

Levi certainly hadn't expected such a comedic reaction from her, and the dramatic combination of her gaping mouth and wide green eyes almost caused him to lose his composure outright. As he coughed in attempts to disguise his onslaught of laughter, Petra's previously dramatic expression sobered and she looked toward the bathroom in sudden concern, "Hey Captain, is everything okay in there? Sorry, I know it's probably just a cough, but the last time it all started like that and then…well, you're not getting sick, right? If you aren't feeling well, maybe we should just stay here for another night or whatever. I get this place is expensive, but we can figure it out. It's not worth your health Captain."

At her undisguised worry, Levi held back a sigh because, of course, her kind nature would win out over her sexuality every damn time. Unfortunately, it seemed that in his attempts to draw the moment out and enjoy her amusing reactions just a little bit longer, he had instead forced it all to an immediate end - a true shame, because he had been thoroughly enjoying himself, and from what he could tell, so had Petra.

Regardless his disappointment, Levi still pretended to not 'see' her, and merely turned over his shoulder to respond in his attempts to keep the illusion alive. As amusing as the moment had been, more than anything it spoke to her shy and modest nature that was very much present in his young subordinate even now. For all his teasing and toying with her, he certainly wasn't looking to embarrass her, because Petra really could stand to be a little more selfish and it was resoundingly clear that she found him attractive. While on the whole he didn't traditionally enjoy being stared at and detested it when people watched him with overwhelming lust in their gaze, he supposed that for Petra specifically, well… he really wouldn't mind being an object of her desire. No, not in the least.

Fuck, he even welcomed it.

"It's fine." He lied easily, "Just knicked myself is all. Shit burns."

Petra gave a sigh of relief and shifted her weight as though preparing to move back toward the main part of the room, but she paused and stole one last glance toward him, looking back down his chest and focusing on his hips as she bit her lower lip with an amazed exhale of contented finality. Levi didn't miss the shy smile that painted her lips, a blush soon following that tinted her cheeks a rosy hue, and with a quiet press of her lips, Petra grinned all the more and continued about her day with a notable spring in her step.

Apparently, it seemed that she had rather liked what she saw.

Once she was out of sight – truly out of sight - Levi had been unable to stop the smug grin that came to his face, realizing all too late in his distracted state that the razor was still against his skin. He winced at the suddenly stinging sensation when the blade bit into his chin, and he pulled the razor away with a displeased hiss.

"Ow, fuck me." He mumbled bitterly to himself, already grabbing a washcloth and pulling the fabric up toward the small cut, patting the blood off his skin to survey the damage. True to his prior claims, it was just a small knick, and he found that to some extent, perhaps he had deserved it.

…

…

The next few days had passed rather miserably for the both of them.

Levi found that apparently some part of him, if only subconsciously, had truly assumed they would be spending their nights together; bodies twisted in layers of disarrayed blankets and sheets, swearing that after this they'd go to bed because it was late and they needed to keep traveling in the morning, but never actually making good on it until the dim glow of sunrise filled the room.

He could see it all so easily in his mind – Petra would be curled up against him, her hair wild and unkempt, her body flushed from their passionate acts, and she would look around the room with sudden clarity, notice that it was already morning and she'd groan. She would probably blame him for the whole thing, giving him an empty glare that held no true anger, because they would have to leave soon and she was completely exhausted and if he hadn't kept her up they'd be better prepared for the day.

He'd tell her that she was being dramatic; he'd pull her against him and whisper sultry things into her ear, remind her how much she had clearly enjoyed staying up in the night with him, and she'd blush at his call out as he told her of all the sounds she made for him in the night, but then she'd shove him away with a huff because she'd 'see what he was trying to do' and grumble bitterly as she pulled blankets and pillows around her, as though making a weak fortress would actually keep him away when she didn't trust him to behave.

Their travels would be utterly miserable, both of them exhausted and running on sheer adrenaline and coffee as they rode for hours on end to the next town, but he'd catch her lingering stare more than once - a small smile that would confirm how happy she was that they were finally together like that – and he'd find himself giving her a pleased stare in return, satisfied by their bond and already looking forward to settling down in the next hotel so they could do it all over again.

Realistically, Levi supposed it was for the best that that wasn't what was happening between them, because Maria knew that once that door was finally opened, he just wouldn't have the discipline to force himself to sleep at night when there were much more interesting things they could be doing instead. While the physical element would be amazing, on the whole, three back to back days of riding, followed by subsequent nights with little to no sleep – that was a recipe for misery and short tempers and petty arguments.

While their travels were leisurely, the hotels luxurious, and the food substantial; Levi's body was nonetheless just as disagreeable, and he found that his 'personal time' in the shower was becoming a rather accustomed, daily part of his morning routine. He didn't like making excuses, but he supposed he simply couldn't help it. He was doing everything he could to behave, but it wasn't enough to keep his desire at bay. He'd stay focused throughout the day, he didn't let his mind wander, he didn't let his eyes trail her when he thought he could get away with it; he was certain that if he intentionally went about his day with purpose and discipline, that his unchecked lust would just go away on its own. Granted, he wasn't sure if it was really working or not, but at least during the day…during the day, it wasn't so bad.

The problem was the nights, where he was asleep and not so mentally in control. He would give himself the best shot he could, because he really was trying – Petra would sleep on one side of the bed, and he'd sleep on the other, far enough away that it really did seem like he was sleeping alone. Regardless the distance between them in the night, his dreams still got the best of him, every time, and every time when he awoke, he was flushed and sweating, miserable and desperate and so filled with lust that he thought he was going to go mad.

He'd awake to find Petra in his arms, and he wasn't sure if her being there was helping to sedate him, or if it was only making it worse. At the very least, he supposed it was interesting, because in the past, it was Petra who had moved and eventually found herself nestled against him, but now, it was him that was moving in the night. He'd find himself on the opposite end of the bed from where he had started, his arms wrapped around her frame tightly, sometimes over her waist, around her back, and once over her bare stomach, as though he had pushed her shirt up in the night in order to feel her skin against his.

He supposed he was lucky in that he was a naturally early riser, because it gave him the privacy he needed to quietly slip out of bed, gather his things, and take a much-needed shower that served to barely keep him sane – all without Petra being made aware of his redundant little problem and spare him a few rather uncomfortable conversations he wasn't wanting to have quite yet. He knew that if Petra saw him like that, she'd probably outright force herself on him, not from attraction so much as a sense of obligation and guilt, and no – after all this time and all he had built up in his head, he would be damned before he let their first time be a mere quickie, simply because he needed to get off.

It wasn't ideal, and he was admittedly tense, frustrated and more than a little on edge in every sense of the word, but he was getting by and he could handle his own body. Petra was worth the wait, and to some extent, the knowing it could happen whenever, wherever, at any point in time if the moment felt right between them, that merely built his anticipation all the more and Levi supposed that at the very least, it gave him something to look forward to.

As for Petra, even with how miserable he was, Levi was well aware that she was even worse off – something that had undeniably stilled his hand, because she was clearly unhappy and distant as she mentally faced the battle that was meeting back up with her father. He had been suspicious that her nerves would eventually start to get the best of her because she was relational to her core and would feel at odds with herself, but this – as each day went by and her nerves continued to unravel at the seams - this was something else.

With every mile traveled, her thoughts would race all the more and she'd relive the whole event. She'd think about when she was told that she was discharged from the military, about the proposal, how they were married and how her father would be devastated by her choice. She was feeling guilty he knew, for marrying him in the manner that she did, and was perpetually debating with herself how her father would react, and how she would react to seeing him after all this time.

As they traveled throughout the day, she hardly said a word, clearly lost in thought, and while the silence didn't bother him, her palpable agitation was nerve wracking. He had tried a few times to spark some sort of conversation with her, anything to distract her from her warring thoughts and bring her out of her strange, miserable stupor, but she would only give him empty, halfhearted answers and allow the conversation to die off at the first presented opportunity.

A few times he had caught her talking to herself, bits of conversation or things she wanted to communicate to her father, as though she were already working out what she wanted to say and was tweaking her approach word by word to make her imaginary argument as strong as possible. He had asked her with legitimate concern if everything was okay, because for her to be that nervous about their upcoming reunion - it was a bit of a red flag, and he had no problem telling her as such.

With a defeated exhale, Petra had confided in a quiet whisper that some part of her had always, always sought after her father's approval but she had never gotten it – not once according to her – so she was just trying to be as ready as possible because she was hoping that this wouldn't be yet another thing that he'd look down on her for. Her words had surprised him to some extent, because Petra had always spoken so highly of her father throughout the years – he would have never guessed that her homelife had been so complicated and put her at such odds.

After a full day of traveling and finally reaching their next selected hotel, Petra hardly even looked the room over like she had done before (which was a shame, because Erwin really had outdone himself) and almost immediately disappeared into the bathroom, mumbling that her ankle hurt and she needed to soak for a while. While it was subtle, Levi could hear the sound of her cries over the running water, and it seemed that even with as close as they were, she still didn't want to make him aware of just how upset she really was – that, or she just couldn't bring herself to 'trouble him' with her emotions.

They'd order food, have a quiet meal, a few laughs here and there that helped break the tension and her sheer misery, but the laughs were few and they days were long. They'd go to bed and sleep on their own separate ends so that the other wasn't disturbed in the night. Levi was certain that Petra would feel better – for both him and her – if she were wrapped in his arms from the start, on purpose, but Petra was surprisingly guarded in her grief and spent most of her time in quiet contemplation; her mental battles being fought alone as though she were simply unwilling to allow him in to ease her pain.

He supposed it worried him to see his bubbly subordinate reduced to such a somber state for days on end, but it was okay.

This was the last day, and the last night.

Tomorrow, a little after lunch, Petra said they'd be back at her hometown and getting settled in at her father's house. Whether it was all going to be just as bad as what she was expecting, worse, or perhaps better – at least she'd know and he wouldn't have to watch her mentally berate herself at every turn like this.

Tomorrow, he'd meet her father, face to face, for the first time.

He'd meet the man who had tried to force his daughter out of the military, and had unintentionally sent her running straight into his arms instead. Without meaning to, her father had all but forced them together, because Petra had been backed into a corner and desperate, and to some extent, he himself hadn't been willing to let her go without a fight, even at the cost of taking her as his wife at a time where he hadn't wanted such things.

Tomorrow, he'd meet the man who was responsible for giving him his bride, the spitfire of a woman that he was hopelessly fond of, and yet it was strange, because even though Petra was perfect and more than he ever deserved in this lifetime, where he should perhaps be grateful to the man…Levi knew full well that they'd be meeting as enemies.

After seeing firsthand the mental strain that had been placed on Petra, seeing her shed tear after tear, knowing she was making the best out of her marriage to him but still felt burdened by the fact she were married at all; knowing that it was because of her father that Petra had been placed in such a difficult position in the first place – Levi wasn't sure he could ever get along with such a man. Even back then, he hadn't been pleased with him because that was his subordinate that he had been fucking with, and even if he could understand her father's dislike of Petra being in the Scouts, that was a dirty way to get results.

Although, in some ways perhaps, Levi had to admit that he seemed to share some common ground with Petra's father. Both had been faced with the premise of potentially losing Petra for a lifetime, and both had taken debatably the same drastic, life altering steps in order to lay claim to her and keep her by their side. While maybe that was putting things a little too simply, when it came down to it, Levi couldn't deny that the results of Petra's decision was a bit of a wonder to him.

Petra had chosen him, over her own father.

How surreal.

…

End Of Chapter

…

And yes, in accordance to tradition, this is ALSO one of my favorite chapters. I'd say for me, probably top ten, ranked somewhere around 6 or 7ish? It's a transitional chapter (obviously) and yet, I just love Levi's thoughts so much because it sets that mood of just…waiting. In so many ways, but in all, waiting just the same. I dunno, I find that as a writer it's easier for me to 'speak' from Levi's perspective, and I love it when I get to let his mind run wild like this because he always has such interesting things to say. Petra (in my humble opinion) tends to focus on the here and now, and I usually use her voice when I am describe something that's currently happening. The situation at hand, how it applies to her, how she's going to speak to such and such situation – but as for Levi, I feel he's always living three days ahead, in a mental stupor of what's around the corner so he won't be taken by surprise and be caught unprepared.

All that to say, I usually hate transition chapters because they are full of clever ways to say 'HEY TIME PASSED' and yet for this particular one, I don't hate it so much. That's just my musings – as always feel free to throw them right out the window because your interpretation is what matters here :)

Either way, thanks to everyone, all the new faces, the new subs, those who have been around SINCE CHAPTER ONE (looking at you Pepper!) and so, so many others that have also been around since the beginning and are still here every week. Yall really are great; because its sixty chapters in, we've still going strong!

~Mid