Two times became three times and fourth times and even more later on as well.

Hanji still found no new job offer which would take her in and where she could do what she loved to do, her research. Erwin told her however in two more months he knows a place better and bigger even than her last working place which would love to meet her and hire her hopefully.

Money was not an issue anymore for Hanji after she got the babysitting job from the Ackerman household. She was needed a lot and Kuchel paid extremely well. She even raised the payment because Levi looks so much more happier now after she came into his live 3months ago.

Hanji was practically family for them now. Kuchel was very welcoming to her and Levi was accepting her company too despite his rough way of speaking for a 12years old he still had. But by now Hanji could encrypt his words quite well.

Hanji found out the reason why Kuchel had to leave so many times Levi alone even if it pained her too. Her job paid well but wasn't the most prettiest she supposed. Kuchel was a well known model but for lingerie. So her shots were sometimes very erotic looking as well which is why Levi knows nothing of it. He just knows she is a model.

His father left Kuchel as she became pregnant being an useless man as she says herself. They have no contact to him and Kuchel had to raise him all alone.
Hanji had mixed feelings over this. She felt bad for Kuchel but feels amazed even more over how strong she was and managed to raise Levi and have this job all alone.

Looking at her calendar Hanji sighed. Christmas was around the corner and Kuchel had her invited too, to come to their place on Christmas eve if she had no other plans. But Levi would be happy because it was his birthday too. How could Hanji say no after learning this information?

She learned quickly as well how he had not many friends and on his birthday they were all busy with their own families of course.
But now what was she to do!?

She needed presents and a cake. But she is not good with baking! This called for drastic measures! Dialing Nanaba's number Hanji waited, tapping her finger unpatiently against her kitchen table until a tired sounding Nanaba appeared on the other line.

"Hanji...? You know how early it is?"

"It's 7'clock in the morning. I have to babysit Levi soon but I need your help. Are you free in the next few days?"

"Free for what?"

"Teach me how to bake a cake or two."

The other line turned quiet probably having to double check the words she just heard. Hanji wanting to bake. A sentence she never believed to hear and especially not so early in the morning.

"You? For who?"

"For Levi. The Ackermans invited me for Christmas which is his birthday too the 25th... They were always really nice to me so I want to give them something in return so please Nanaba, I need your help! You are the cooking and baking expert."

"Fine I will come tomorrow? Is this ok for you?"

Hearing a loud cheering on the other line Nanaba chuckled.

The kitchen was a mess, the ground was white with flour, cake dough was sticking to the furniture be it the table, the chairs, the cup boards and most of all sticking on Hanji's Zoe herself.
But it was done, in the oven finished baking successfully were two cakes and they were both decorated now standing on the table. One brown Baumkuchen looking like a shoe with a santa on top and the other was a biscuit white cream covered cake with strawberries and candles on top and in the middle was a chocolate brown shield with 'Happy Birthday' written on it.

Nanaba sat on the chair next to the two cakes completely tired. But she was proud of Hanji. After a few hundred attempts this was the perfect end result and exactly on time. Tomorrow was the day for the boys 13th birthday.
Hanji touched her sticky hair frowning. She had to take a shower and clean this mess all up. But looking at the two cakes it was worth it.

"Thank you Nanaba. I would be lost without you! Don't worry I will clean this mess up myself. You can go and take a shower here."

"Thanks Hanji. I need a shower or Mike won't be happy seeing me like this appearing on our date."

"Don't say that he would just eat you up right away."

"Oh come on shut up Hanji!"

Hanji smirked watching Nanaba turn red and hit her friend playfully on the shoulder before disappearing into the bathroom.

Finally the day of Levi's birthday came up.

Double checking the two boxes where she stored the cakes in, Hanji went into her room to get changed. It was still only noon but Kuchel had said she can drop by whenever she wanted. She already had decided on what to wear too. A red thick shirt covered by a black warm wool cardigan with black slim pants hugging her long legs and black boots to make the look perfect. She did shower again this morning and her hair was put up in her usual ponytail. She even decided to wear some simple make up just because she wanted to look a little better than usual.. if the Ackermans decided to invite her for Christmas and a birthday it was only a proper way to do this much.

Hanji even got Levi a small present. A book over nature, plants, insects and how everything did co exist. Like this she could show Levi a little better on what all she researched on and why it fascinated her. Last time as she talked over her work he said he does not understand her, so it was time to show him how fascinating it could be!
Taking one last glance in her mirror Hanji grabbed everything she needed and made her way to her door. But just as she opened her front door she was face to face with none other than Moblit Berner.

"M-moblit!?"

"Hanji! Merry Christmas! I was near your home so I decided to visit-"

His eyes traveled to her beautiful appearance making him blush and than his eyes traveled to the many boxes she was carrying.

"Am I coming at a bad timing? I am sorry I should have called beforehand. You are meeting someone specific?"

Moblit asked hesitant. His fear was rising up due to how she cleaned herself up that the person must be a very special person for her. More special than him... the guy with a crush on her since high school times.

"Ah this? It's for Levi. I am about to go to his house."

Hanji grinned at him not noticing how Moblit's heart was shattering. So Levi was her boyfriends name.

"Is it far away? You need any help carrying these?"

Even if his heart was shattered he could still be her friend and he knew she did not own a car due to the costs to maintain one.

"Actually this is really nice. I would have a hard time carrying these alone to his place."

Giving him a cake box from the two she was carrying.

"But be careful a cake is inside. It took hours to bake this one for him."

"Hanji you did bake yourself?"

"So surprised?" She pouted. "Nanaba teached me. It's his birthday. So I made a cake for his birthday and a cake for Christmas."

"I see." Moblit sighed defeated. What a lucky guy this was.

Not so far from Levi's house was a playground where Levi was currently sitting on a climbing area for kids, having climbed up to the top. Three other kids standing next to him on the ground and talking to him.

"Hey Levi, what is with your crush?"

Levi glared at the blond two years older boy called Tom.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"You know the woman always babysitting you when your pretty mommy is away because little Levi is a baby and needs a babysitter."

The other boy a brown haired and one year older than Levi boy said before he stuck his tongue out. Levi continued to glare at them silently.

"Shitty glasses, four eyes. That ugly glasses wearing dirty woman. I was thinking you were a clean freak Levi? How come you can accept her as your babysitter?"

"Hey Simon! Shh that's because Levi has a crush on her of course."

Tom elbowed his friend. Lukas the youngest as old as Levi and having black hair like Levi started chanting all of a sudden.

"Levi and shitty glasses sitting on a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G"

The other two joined in and Levi's cheek turned pink as he jumped down from his place and onto the ground.

"HEY! ONLY I CAN CALL HER LIKE THIS! AND SHE IS NOT UGLY! IF THAN ONLY I CAN CALL HER UGLY AND NO ONE ELSE BECAUSE SHE IS MINE!"

His fist came flying and knocked the tallest Tom down to the ground as he climbed on top of him to hit him onto his ugly face again. To his bad luck Tom had two friends and continued attacking Levi as well and all 4 started to fight each other loudly.
As Hanji and Moblit passed the playground they heard the loud groans and yelling which made them stop and turn around, facing the direction to were the noise was coming from.
Hanji's heart almost stopped beating seeing a small raven haired boy standing in front of three other boys. Two boys on their knees and one on the ground receiving kicks from the side of his body.

"Levi!?"

Hanji yelled trusting her box into Moblit's hands before she started running into the playground leaving Moblit perplexed standing there.

Hearing the familiar deep woman voice Levi stopped with his kicks, the fury displayed in his eyes disappearing slowly. He whipped his bleeding nose clicking his tongue as he saw the blood smeared on the back of his hand now.
Grabbing Levi by his shoulders Hanji turned him forcefully around to look at him.

"Levi what are you doing!? Are you ok!?"

"I'm fine."

Levi grumbled looking to the side but Hanji grouched down next to him and forced his face back to look at her.

"Levi! Don't lie to me. Your nose is bleeding."

Pulling out a tissue bag she had in her pockets she took a tissue out and pushed it against his bleeding nose despite his complains.

"But I am fine. It's just a bleeding nose. I am the winner unlike these three assholes here."

"Yeah I can see that. Such a strong birthday boy."

Hanji sighed.

"Why did you even start fighting with them?"

As Hanji took a peak again at the three boys they already had scrambled up onto their legs and started quickly running away. Levi was giving them death glares which made them run even faster. Now they knew better to not mess with him and his Hanji.

"They were talking shit and spreading lies."

"And you needed to protect this person?"

Hanji asked curious now.
Knowing Levi Hanji knew he could not lie to her. And she really wanted to help him if he had some problems.

"They talked bad things over you..."

Her eyes widened. She was the reason he was beating up others?

"Oh Levi... you have a cut on your cheek too..."

Hanji took her bag out and was lucky she found a band aid in it in case for emergencies in her lab. Now she didn't needed it for her lab job but for her babysitting job and a little boy she cared a lot about. Putting the band aid on his cheek carefully Levi flinched.

"Soldier scar."

Hanji joked poking his nose with her finger making him blush.

"You aren't angry?"

"Why should I? You fought for me, right? I find this very cute. But I am happy you are not badly injured. This would worry me even more if you were hurt because of me."

Hanji stood up again and held her hand out to him Levi eyed her for a moment before his eyes landed on Moblit still standing at the same place he stood before. Not knowing who this guy was it was enough to make Levi's blood boil strangely again and he grabbed greedily her offered hand or rather whole arm, holding it tightly and standing closely to her as they made their way to this tall brown haired guy.

"Hanji who is this?"

Levi continued glaring at Moblit silently wanting to know as much as Moblit himself who this other person is.

"Eh? Ah right sorry you two don't know each other!"

Hanji hit her head forgetting about this detail.

"This is Moblit Berner a friend I know from my school days. And Moblit this is Levi the birthday boy."

"This is Levi?" Moblit asked surprised as he looked the small boy. "How old are you..?"

"Why? I am since today 13years old. A problem with this?"

Levi moved closer to Hanji and held her hand even more tightly while he stuck his tongue out at the other male as Hanji wasn't looking.

"No... so I think I should congratulate you. Happy Birthday Levi."

Moblit tried to be nice but Levi didn't reacted or gave him a smile or at least a neutral look. He continued glaring at him.

"What's in those boxes?"

Levi asked finally after his eyes looked at them while Moblit was still holding them.

"A secret until we reach your home. Moblit helped me carry them. They are all from me for you."

Hanji grinned down at him, now pulling Levi along with her and signaling Moblit to follow them. Levi stood close to Hanji and in between Hanji and Moblit to have them separated from each other.

"I can carry these boxes too. Than Moblit, your friend can go home and won't be bothered anymore."

Levi suddenly offered smirking slyly even.

"Oh right. Moblit if you need to be somewhere else it's not far to his house. Levi and me can carry it on our own now."

Hanji offered feeling already bad enough to have him help her out until now.

Levi saw his chance and held his hand out to take a box already, which Moblit gave him rather easily.

Moblit had no invitation to join them even if he didn't wanted to leave Hanji yet. Especially after he learned that this cheeky brat was Hanji's NOT boyfriend and he still had a chance to win her heart. But this raven haired boy was definitely in the way.

"Yeah I should get going now."

Emptying his hands Moblit moved up to Hanji and gave her a friendly hug much to Levi's shock. Moblit was definitely his enemy now.

Watching him leave Levi glared daggers at him until he was out of sight.

"Now let's go Levi. And let's keep your little fight a secret to your mother to not worry you, ok?"

Levi's face lit up as he nodded and they walked to his home.

"Thank you."

Levi said honestly. Because he really did not want to worry his mother in any way possible. He was always obedient, did everything she asked him to do and was good in school.

Levi was surprised as they entered his home and not only his mother but two of his closest or rather only friends were there. Farlan Church and Isabel Magnolia.

"Levi bro! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

"Merry Christmas Levi my friend. We came by for a short while until we have to celebrate with our parents."

Farlan explained way more calmly unlike little Isabel which jumped at Levi and started embracing him tightly.
Kuchel smiled happily just like Hanji did. Kuchel helped her with the boxes and the cakes inside knowing Hanji baked them. The two had the idea to ask the parents of Isabel and Farlan this year if they could let the two visit Levi for a few hours to celebrate his birthday.
Letting the three kids alone the two woman took out the cakes carefully and Hanji placed her present under the big Christmas three in the living room along to the other presents lying down there.

"Your idea with inviting his friends was great Hanji. And the cakes look amazing Hanji. You made them all yourself?"

"I had some help from a friend teaching me how to bake them. I am not good at cooking or baking so..."

Hanji admitted sheepishly.

"I can teach you at some point if you want Hanji."

Kuchel offered smiling brightly. For the woman she was already like a daughter she never had.

"Maybe I will accept the offer."

"But Hanji... what happened to his cheek?"

Kuchel asked worried. Of course she noticed it.

"Uhh... he tripped but it was nothing. I put a band aid on his cheek. He is fine. A strong boy."

Hanji lied trying to hide the fight. Luckily Kuchel believed her and dropped the subject seeing Levi was okay.

Hanji just grabbed the plates with the cakes ready to serve them as suddenly a small raven haired boy appeared behind her and hugged her tightly from behind. His head pressed against her body pouting and having lightly red cheeks.

"Mother said it was your idea to invite Farlan and Isabel?"

"Whoa Levi! Careful I am carrying two pretty delicious cakes with me here. I made both of them myself for you. And I am quite proud how they turned out."

Hanji chuckled.

"Thank you Hanji."

His next words were only whispered but Hanji heard them nonetheless smiling fondly.

"This is the best Birthday and Christmas ever for me. I am glad you are here... please continue looking after me even if you get a job..."

If she weren't holding two cakes in each of her hands Hanji would hug him so tightly now and probably start sobbing out of happiness. This boy was so precious cute and crawled into her heart way too fast.

"I will try my best to be there for you all the time. Happy Birthday and a Merry Christmas Levi."