"This was supposed to be short and sweet." Ryder said to herself as she followed Levi on her horse. The pair had one job to do in the city, but it took longer than expected. Then they asked one of the military police to point them in the correct direction for them to get back, but they must've known that the pair were still slightly new and thought it would be a good idea to point them in the wrong direction. "They probably knew we were from the underground." Ryder muttered to herself.

"We're going to have to find somewhere to stay. It's getting dark." Levi yelled back to his black haired companion. She looked up and he was right – it was beginning to get dark and they were already in the middle of the woods, so staying out this late in an area they didn't know wouldn't be a good idea. The pair continued forward and went through the trees until they reached a small clearing. There was a cabin and a horse stable beside it. They rode up to the edge of the levelled ground and got off their horses. Ryder placed her reigns in Levi's hands before telling him,

"Let me do the talking. I'm a people person." Before Levi could protest, she walked up to the door and knocked, but the door had creaked open. Instinctively, Levi quickly tied up the horses and walked over to Ryder.

"Look, you scared them away." Levi said as he stood in front of his friend. She glared at his back as he pushed the front door completely open. The pair began to make their way inside, but noticed that no candles were light. Levi, with his cleaning instinct, felt as if he needed to wipe the whole house down because he could almost feel the dust particles landing on his skin.

"Levi, this way." Without realizing, Ryder had walked away from Levi and he had to catch up to her. They walked down the hall and noticed that no one was home. With how dusty the house was – it appeared that no one had used this cabin in a very long time.

"I think we can stay in this filthy place for one night." Levi told Ryder as she walked into the last room. There was a single bed in the room that was big enough to hold at least two people comfortably.

"Look at that!" Ryder ran towards the window and looked outside. The pair were met with a view of the mountains in the distance and trees and grass leading them there. The sky was now black, but almost looked as smooth as velvet. The stars scattered the sky and made it seem as though diamonds were placed on the velvet sky. Levi looked at Ryder and saw the amazement in her eyes. She always loved looking up at the sky ever since they came up above ground, but Levi enjoyed looking at her when she did. She always reminded him why he kept his promise to her mother all those years ago.

"Come on, let's eat. I'm starving." Levi told his black haired friend. She nodded her head and followed him into the kitchen. As Ryder began to go through her bag to grab out the rations that she always kept, Levi rummaged through the cupboards. He was determined to put some light on, so the two could see.

"Levi, check in that cupboard." Ryder pointed to one of the cupboards that were higher up and she happily watched the man in front of her reach on his tippy-toes in order to open the door and pull out what they were looking for – a candle and a few matches.

"What made you to look up there?" Levi asked as he sat down at the table and began to flick the matches against the box, so he could light the candle.

"Because I used to always put them up there, so Isobel wouldn't grab onto them." She laughed as she answered his question. Levi light up the candle and saw the sadness in Ryder's eyes as she looked at the food in her hands. The death of their two friends didn't just affect Levi, but it also took its toll on Ryder. She always tried to hide it from him, but Levi knew her too well.

"What do you have in that bag of yours anyways?" Levi changed the topic just so then he could see her smile again.

"Just some simple rations, but I'm sure it'll tie us over until tomorrow."

"Not if you eat it all."

"Hey!" Ryder threw Levi's portions to him as he chuckled to himself. He enjoyed getting a rise out of the black haired girl in front of him. The two opened up their rations and began to eat at the table. "How bothered are you right now?" Levi cocked up an eyebrow as he looked at Ryder. "By all the dust in this house?" A sigh escaped Levi's lips.

"It's absolutely disgusting. How could any one live a place in such a condition, I don't know. They're probably animals." Ryder laughed at Levi and his attitude towards the house.

"I'm sure you can survive one night."

"Sleeping outside would be cleaner than this house." Levi scoffed as he took another bite.

"Now you're being overdramatic." Ryder pointed out.

"You won't be saying that if we get bitten tonight by bugs because they don't keep this place clean." Levi pointed out. Ryder sighed with defeat.

"I clearly won't be able to change your mind." The two continued to make idle chit chat as they finished up their food. Afterwards, Ryder took the garbage and placed it in her bag. Ryder went out to the horses and gave them some food to eat and some water to drink before heading back inside. She walked in and saw Levi sitting on the chair with his right leg over his left as per usual. He looked so comfortable sitting in that chair, but he always looked comfortable sitting in a chair for some reason. She walked over and sat on top of the table in front of him. "So what should we do now?"

"Well, we should go to sleep because then we can wake up at dawn and move out." Levi answered.

"Sounding like a true soldier." Ryder sighed as she hopped off the table and held her hand out to Levi. He looked at it with a quizzical look. "Come on, I would very much appreciate it if you slept in the same room as me because I don't feel safe."

"Why? Are you afraid of the dark all of a sudden?" Ryder sighed.

"You know I don't like being in places that I'm not familiar with." Levi knew that this was a fact. Ever since they were younger, Ryder didn't enjoy being in places that she wasn't familiar with alone. She felt vulnerable in those places because someone could easily take advantage of her and one time that almost happened, but luckily she got away. However, it left a very obvious paranoia of hers.

"Alright, come on you big softie." Levi took Ryder's hand and stood up from the chair. He led the girl into the room with the bed that would be big enough for the two of them. They were lucky enough that there was a single blanket for them to use, but Levi knew that Ryder would just steal it all in the middle of the night because she wraps herself up like a cocoon. The two began to kick off their shoes at their sides of the bed and take off their jackets, but Levi noticed Ryder begin to unbutton her shirt. Once she reached the top of her bra Levi spoke, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Levi, I don't know if you noticed, but our uniform isn't the most comfortable thing to sleep in." She said with her hands on her hips.

"So what are you going to do? Sleep naked?"

"No! I'm keeping my bra and underwear on, you pervert."

"This is coming from the girl who's stripping in front of me." Levi shot back.

"Well no one told you to look!" She yelled back.

"How can I-" He quickly stopped himself before he finished his sentence. "Whatever." He muttered as he looked away. He knew Ryder would have her smug smirk on her face as she would finish taking off her clothes. Levi had known her for so many years, but he had always seen her with clothes on because he was a respectable man. He heard her footsteps come towards him and he continued to look away from her.

"Levi, don't make this awkward. You would think that for as long as we've known each other that we could at least be comfortable with each other." Ryder waited a few seconds for a response, but she didn't get one. "You'll be more comfortable with your shirt off." She waited a few more seconds. "May I?" Levi nodded his head and allowed her to unbutton his shirt. It was a different feeling for Levi – letting Ryder unbutton his shirt for him. He felt this tingly feeling begin to run up his spine. "You know…for someone who said they loved me…you're being really weird about this whole thing." Levi looked at Ryder and noticed how close they were. It was just like that night Farlon and Isobel were killed. They were mere inches a part. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable, so if you want to sleep in another room then I understand." With a look of disappointment, Ryder turned around and walked back to her side of the bed, but it was the complete opposite. Levi watched as her hips swayed and he was reminded that he was the complete opposite – he was too comfortable with her and that's what worried him. They haven't been this alone in so long that he was worried he wouldn't be able to contain himself because Levi was a respectable man, but he was still a man with primitive instincts. With a sigh he quickly climbed into bed and had his back facing Ryder. He felt the other side move as she climbed in as well.

"Ryder…"

"Ya?"

"I'm comfortable with you." Levi felt Ryder's body shift before she spoke,

"Then why haven't we talked about what we said…that night?" She asked the black haired boy.

"You're going to have to refresh my memory." Levi said as he kept his back towards Ryder. Her eyes scanned over his shoulder and down his spine. His skin looked so soft and inviting.

"That night you told me you loved me." She whispered. Levi lied there silently as he remembered that night. "Look at me, Levi." He sighed as he turned around and faced her. The two were merely inches a part, but they still felt as if they were miles a part. Levi looked straight into the eyes of the woman that he had confessed to and saw how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. He wanted to feel her soft skin against the palm of his hand, but he kept his hands to himself. "Did you lie to me? Do you not love me?" Levi's hand instinctively reached for hers as he held it.

"No. I would never lie to you." He answered. Her eyes held sadness as she gazed upon him. "I don't know how to…explain my feelings." Levi was no good as explaining his feelings, but he was aware of that at least. Ryder intertwined their fingers as she pulled herself closer to him. The body heat that radiated off of the two was now mixing together due to their proximity.

"You just have to tell me. You don't have to block me out. You know that." She explained to him.

"It's easy for you to say, all you ever do is talk about your feelings." Levi sighed.

"Would you like me to not talk to you about how I'm feeling?" Ryder asked him in such a serious tone that it caught Levi off guard.

"No, of course I want you to talk to me, but I'm just not as good at talking like you." Levi continued to explain himself to his other half. Ryder nodded her head because she understood what he was saying, but she also became frustrated due to his lack of effort in explaining his feelings to her.

"Then if you can't tell me how you feel…can you at least show me?" Levi didn't know what to say to her at that moment, but he knew what to do. Levi began to close the small gap in-between the two as he brought his face closer to Ryder's. He could feel the lightness of her breath on his lips before he placed his on top of hers. Levi felt the same feeling that he did the first time he kissed her. The tingling sensation that ran up his spine and the butterflies that flew around the pit of his stomach all told him that what he was doing felt right.

Ryder's hand escaped his as she went under his arm and placed it on his shoulder blade. Levi wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. They felt their skin touch each other and their bodies began to heat up instantly as they did. Levi's lips let go of Ryder's, so he could begin to pepper the side of her cheek before going to her jawline. Shivers ran up Ryder's spine as he began to kiss down the side of her neck. Levi lightly pushed Ryder onto her back, so he could climb on top of her and as he did he saw how beautiful her body was underneath him. He continued to kiss every crevice and surface of her skin as his hands roamed the tender flesh. The two felt their bodies begin to melt into each other as they no longer used their words to express the love that they had, but they now showed the other how much importance they held in their heart.

OMG WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?! HUH? DID YOU SEE THIS COMING?!