December 25th 847. The heart of a winter significantly better than the last; when thousands of families were grieving the loss of over 249, 800 people and picking themselves up again after a deplorable harvest. Two years have passed since the fall of Wall Maria. People are looking forward to a better Christmas this year after an improved harvest and "generous" donations from the government, as though they hoped presents could make people forget. But Christmas is a time for turning perspectives inward and holding loved ones close.

As per tradition, most of the Scout regiment have gone home for a couple of weeks. Some years, Petra may have gone too but her parents are visiting friends in Mitras and Petra would rather spend her time off back at HQ with the captain anyway. Especially once she learned that they would have the old castle to themselves for a week. In the New Year, they would be relocating back to Trost for their main base so the opportunity to enjoy the castle alone with Levi is too irresistible. It's also totally disconnected that this is her and Levi's first Christmas as more than just captain and subordinate.

—-

Warmth and the caress of slender fingers are what Petra wakes up to that Christmas morning. With a comfortable hum, snuggling back into the firm body wrapped around her, she lifts her head back in a sleepy smile. "Happy birthday," she whispers.

"Season's greetings," her lover's chuckle comes out as a huff but his lips find Petra's anyway and touch them with a light, loving caress. He follows it up with another kiss, one hand sliding up her shoulder to cup her cheek, holding her face as he bestows kiss after kiss.

"You could just say Merry Christmas," Petra chuckles, nuzzling his nose.

"It's too early for that level of spirit," he murmurs against her lips, drawing her into another kiss.

Petra relaxes into it with a breathy chuckle and a contented sigh. This time Levi holds her closer, prolonging the contact. His other arm moves around her chest, tucking her further into his body, legs entwining with hers. The heat of their embrace sends small soporific waves through Petra but she resists them. This is too perfect right now.

"Merry Christmas," Levi whispers against her shoulder. Petra lifts a hand so she can run her fingers through his thin strands of raven hair.

"Merry Christmas," she tells him back, kissing his temple. "Mmmm," she mumbles, turning her face forward again, "this is so cozy."

"Mmm," Levi's agreement rumbles through her shoulder. Petra gathers more covers towards them and feels Levi's expression shift against her skin. "You cold?" he asks. His hands move around hers and tug more of the quilt over them.

"No," Petra assures him, "but you can never be too cozy."

"I wouldn't know."

"Clearly we need to put that to the test for you today," Petra smiles and rolls over so she can wrap her arms around Levi as well as the quilt.

His arms secure the covers around them both then settle around her shoulders, giving her the perfect opportunity to lay her head over his heart. Her body melts against his as his hands move to rub her back, pressing the cloth of her night shirt into her skin. Those motions invite more of the same sleepy sensations that she has to fight. Bringing one hand to her mouth, she covers her yawn.

"Go back to sleep," Levi urges before kissing her temple. "I'll still be here."

"No," Petra shakes her head. "I'm okay. I'd like to stay awake." She runs her hands over his loose shirt, leaning in to kiss his lips. "It is Christmas after all."

Another quiet puff of amusement. "You sound like a child," he teases.

Petra inhales, puffing out her cheeks in a way that makes Levi's lips twitch, and then releases her breath. "One of us should have the Christmas spirit and I have enough for both of us," she chides him.

"You can say that again." His lips are shifting like he's trying to suppress himself.

Amber eyes gleam knowingly. "We better get you a cup of tea soon, Grumpy."

"Tch. I'm always grumpy."

"You can say that again," she retorts and is met with raised eyebrow.

"Are you sassing me, Ral?"

"I am indeed, Captain." She giggles and enjoys the slight colour tint that appears in his cheeks and ears. There's a spark of surprise, brightening up his grey-blue eyes.

It fades quickly as he leans in towards her, his stare lowering to her plump, smiling lips before he captures them with his own. He swallows the squeak of surprise and Petra literally feels him smirk as the noise turns to a moan instead. She surrenders to his deepened kiss, angling her head to meet the movements of his lips better.

;Levi's fingers tangle in her hair, stroking it with his knuckles brushing up against her scalp which only draws more little moans from her.

With one arm guiding her waist, Petra is adjusted until she's lying over his stomach. It's her turn to smile against his mouth before she pulls back.

"Ready for your first present?" she grins, reaching one hand to the hem of her shirt.

His eyes are so much darker between the desire burning within them and the dim lighting of the room. His hand moves to stop hers. "I'll unwrap it," he murmurs.

Petra's chuckle is muffled under his next kiss.

—

Levi's "present" rapidly turns into "presents", followed by a subsequent shower, after which, he sets off for the kitchens to prepare some tea and breakfast.

Petra would have objected to him being the one to do that today had this not presented her with a good opportunity to fetch her gifts for him as well as prepare the room. She quickly set off to fetch the gifts, hugging herself against the chill as she darted along the nearest hallways, grateful that her room was fairly close to his quarters.

These days, the castle's temperatures have fallen so low that the fireplace in Levi's office needs to be lit immediately. Several logs are thrown on the fire and gradually the room fills with warmth. Pale light fills up the space once the curtains are open and there's a quiet stillness to the room. She lays out the three parcels on the low table beside the sofa after brushing off any dust and dirt from them. She drapes a blanket across the back of the sofa as well.

Levi nudges the door open with his foot some time later, maintaining excellent balance of the breakfast tray in his hand. He nods towards his desk and Petra pulls out his chair so he can set everything down and take his seat. Steam wafts out of the tea pot, filling Petra's nostrils with the familiar aroma of Levi's favourite black tea. Levi lifts two plates that are covering two others. On each plate a small roll of bread has been cut in half with a little butter drizzled on each piece. Petra is grateful that her stomach doesn't noisily rumble at the sight of it.

She moves to close the door, containing the heat inside the room. When she returns to the desk, she smiles upon seeing Levi dragging her chair to sit besides his. He sets to pouring the tea as she joins him. A small plate of plain biscuits sits between their cups. She picks one up and bites into it.

"Tch, you're supposed to have your bread first."

"Guess I'm a rebel," she remarks with a smile and takes another defiant bite, cupping her hand under her chin to catch any crumbs.

Levi's lips curve as he lifts his cup to his lips to blow on the tea. "Sure you are," he murmurs. "You make all the Underground shits look like pansies," he quips.

She chuckles and swallows, finishing off her biscuit and turning her eyes on the view of the grounds. Thick whiteness has blanketed the ground for many days now. It shows no sign of easing. If anything, the snow clinging to the trees has grown thicker. She observes it all with a happy smile. There's something so comforting about snow in the countryside, far from cities where it all gets trampled away too easily. She finishes off her biscuit as she stares.

"Oi," Levi chides, nudging her with his elbow, "your bread will go cold."

Petra plucks one of her halves off the plate and bites into it with an approving hum. The bread is still lovingly warm which pairs well with the rising heat of the room and the view of the frozen world outside. It's a comfortable silence that fills up the room as they eat and drink their tea. The biscuits Levi has chosen are mostly plain with a touch of sweetness about them but they serve very well with the tea.

Both plates are soon cleared and put aside for now. As Levi refills their tea, Petra retrieves the parcels and brings them over, balancing them on her lap once she's sat.

"Happy birthday," she tells him with heated cheeks, handing him the topmost parcel which is a dark box with a blue ribbon wrapped neatly around it.

Levi puts his tea aside and his careful fingers untie the ribbon. "Thank you," he tells her quietly, his eyes lifting to hers for a moment before he lifts the lid and peers into the box. He rises to his feet and brings the soft black material out of the box, holding it up against him, eyes growing as he takes it in. "Petra," he pauses, "you really didn't have to," he murmurs as he marvels at the coat and slips his arms into the sleeves. The fabric hugs him well and Petra's own cheeks warm up as she watches him button it up and hold out his arms to stretch out the material. "It's a perfect fit too," Levi realizes. His eyes find hers again while he unbuttons the coat. "How did you…?"

Petra blushes. "Um, well, uh…" she gives an uneasy laugh and turns away from him, back to her new cup of tea. "I measured yours while you were in a meeting. I was cleaning your office anyway and so it was a good opportunity."

A small huff of laughter accompanies the press of her lover's hand on the back of her head. "Sneaky. If that was anyone else but you…" Levi warns, rubbing her head. "But…" he brings his hand away so he can remove the coat and fold it, "this is incredibly generous on its own. You didn't have to get me anything else."

"I wanted to," Petra insists, waiting for him to put the box aside on the low table. Once he's returned, she hands him a smaller box, this one beige with brown trimming. "This is also a birthday present."

Levi quietly admires the black and white woolen scarf (knitted by Petra's mother, as Petra insists that she had all the knitting prowess of a titan) and the sleek black gloves that accompanied them. Once they are back in the box, his hands find Petra's waist and he draws her in for a kiss.

Reaching up to cup his face, Petra returns the kiss, her eyes slowly closing as she melts into his arms, pulling him gently into another kiss before he can pull away. She sighs against his mouth as he caresses her hair with one hand and the back of her neck with the other.

The need to breathe wins out and Petra, still dazed from said kiss, is slow in reaching for the third parcel. As a result, she is halted by the appearance of a thin green box, with a black lid and thin ribbon, under her nose.

Levi leans in to kiss her forehead. "Happy Christmas, Petra." He nudges her nose with his, drawing another smile out of her.

It takes more than a few seconds for her to refocus on the present but when she manages to, her fingers lift the lid and she goes very still at the sight of the ticket lying inside. The title across it reads RIVERSIDE SECRETS. A play currently running in Stohess about an undercover group working to save the monarchy from corrupt advisors. Back home her friends have teased her interest in such a thing yet here is Levi actually giving her the chance to see it. Her vision begins to water.

"Hey." Levi's hands touch her wrist. "You okay?"

"More than," Petra smiles up at him. "I can't believe you got me this. This is… I never thought…" Speech just will not cooperate. "Thank you."

Levi leans in so his forehead touches hers then his lips find hers again briefly. "You should go and enjoy such things while you can, Petra." He nuzzles her nose again. "I bought a ticket myself… if you don't object to me joining you."

Petra pecks his lips. "Of course I don't object. I'd love to go with you."

"It sounds interesting," Levi muses "Not like those romances everyone in Mitras goes on about; kings having affairs with stable girls or some shit like that."

"I've read the book it's based on," Petra remarks. "It's really thrilling. Apparently they took some liberties so I'd be interested in seeing what they do differently."

"As long as they don't turn it into a trashy romance, I don't care what they do."

Petra giggles and kisses him again. "Thank you." She reaches, once more, for his final present but instead Levi presses another present into her hand, a small, soft green bag. She raises her eyes to him. "I'm sure the ticket cost enough! You didn't have to-" Her objection is swiftly cut off by Levi's slender finger pressing on her lips.

"You're one to talk with my new clothes," he points out with a nod to the third parcel. "Anyway, this is just a little thing." He withdraws to pick up his tea.

Petra withdraws a green, delicate hair clip. It's shaped like a bird taking off, wings and neck outstretched, like it's headed for something far greater. Petra strokes the wings softly. "That's lovely," she murmurs.

Levi looks away although his cheeks are a little flushed. "Thought that might look nice when we go to the theatre," he mutters.

The temptation was there to tease him and Petra consider trying her luck but she decides to be kind. She tucks the clip back in the bag and puts it aside. "Thank you," she tells him once again. "I can't wait to wear it."

She picks up his final present. This final box is significantly larger than the one containing the gloves and a similar size to the coat's box.

Levi lowers his cup with a slightly incredulous look. "What the hell have you bought me?" he gently scoffs, taking the box to his side of the desk.

;Petra retrieves her own cup again. "Just take a look," she tells him with a grin. "And Merry Christmas," she adds.

It's Levi's turn to go still once he opens the box and takes a look inside. He runs his hand along the beautifully crafted wooden box with a glass cover so he can gaze down at the jars of various coloured liquids securely separated in wooden squares. "Are these… cleaning liquids?" he asks with a reverence that would probably seem strange to those who didn't know him.

"Yeah. The set is from this family business in Ehrmich. Some friends of my dad recommended it. They had all kinds of scents. I tried to choose the ones I knew you'd like but if you like these, I'll give you the address. You can customize your own set."

Levi continues to gaze upon the box and his lips do more than twitch into a curve this time. They shift into a satisfied smile. "They look very promising, Petra, thank you," he says, at last moving his gaze from the present to her. "You've been more than generous." He places the box aside and reaches for one of her hands, which she gladly slides into his. "I appreciate it."

"I'm only giving you what you deserve," she assures him, squeezing his fingers and bringing their clasped hands to her lips. "And you can't convince me otherwise," she adds with a defiant raise of her chin.

Levi lets his fingers stroke her lips. "I can see that."

—

There is a little more snowfall late morning but by the time early afternoon comes round, the weather has settled down. The wind has disappeared and there is a delicate feel to the air as Levi and Petra venture outside. The quiet is disconcerting, Petra thinks as she tucks her peach coat around her. One of her hands, dressed in a cream glove, is firmly clutched in Levi's dark glove.

The absence of their comrades and superior officers allows them the liberty for such open contact outside Levi's quarters. Although they've broken no rules with their relationship, Levi is a private man and Petra couldn't care much less for creating gossip. She would rather avoid accusations as to why the captain really chose her to join his squad last January. There would always be at least one person wondering that. Has it really been nearly a year since the Special Operations Squad was formed? she muses as she and Levi leave the stone path circling the castle and venture towards the woods instead.

It's been an interesting year, she thinks, smiling sideways at the captain as he stares ahead although his gaze sometimes flicks up to the trees with the heaviest snow gathered on them. Whenever he and Petra's path wanders close to coming underneath one of them, he steers them away. The protective instinct only invites Petra to smile more. Her free hand clasps his arm and his attention snaps to her, alarm in his eyes just for a millisecond.

She leans her head against his shoulder, giving him a smile. She can feel some of the tension leaves him but her heart aches for him. To be so alert all the time must be so exhausting for him and yet he still has his sleep troubles. When will the world give him a break? Why doesn't he get to have fun and forget about things for a while?

His free hand moves to cover hers and she snuggles into his arm all the more. Her gaze drops behind them, where their footsteps have broken through the pure snow.

"Oi, watch where you're walking," Levi tells her, giving her arm a squeeze.

Petra chuckles, reminded of how often her mother would say the thing to her as a child whenever she tried to watch their footsteps behind them. Moments later, she and her cousin Nifa would break out into a snowball fight. Peaceful, uninterrupted snowy walks were a rare thing in their family. But they were pretty fun though.

She stops in her tracks, inviting another concerned look from her captain.

"What is it now?"

Petra withdraws her hands from his with a thoughtful look. "This walk just won't do. It needs livening up and there's no one else around."

"I'm not freezing my fucking balls off doing that out here, Petra."

Crimson colours her face at once. "Not that!" Although it does bring to mind certain images from this morning and she has to push them out of her head at once. She steps backwards once then again, lowering to the ground to grab a handful of snow in her hands.

Realization settles over Levi's face and his brows furrow. "Don't you fucking dare. You're not getting shitty snow over this new coat."

"It's not shitty snow!" Petra complains as she pats the snow into a ball. "And I bought you cleaning supplies too!"

"Tch, you want me to use some of them up on the first day?" Levi scowls and is walking backwards, away from her. "Good luck trying to hit me."

Petra grins as she begins her pursuit. "Oh well I like a challenge." She calls back to him, arm swinging back to take aim.

However, despite her aim, his movements don't speed up that much. He takes longer strides, moving behind the trees whenever Petra moves into a position where she has a straight shot. Not to be deterred, she quickens her own pace but Levi is far more agile with his turns and shielding himself behind trees and bushes even without increasing his speed. Yet she's dashing about trying to find an opening that he's closing before she can lob the ball. They venture further and further into the forest.

"Having trouble?" he taunts after about ten minutes of this cat and mouse. By which point the snowball is weakening in her hand.

"Don't be like this," Petra pants, leaning against a tree, her expression pinched with frustration. "You can clean your coat. I'm giving you something fun to do."

"I shouldn't need to clean it after three hours, Petra." Although she can practically hear his eye-roll, she can also hear some amusement within his voice. "Although, maybe I've got nothing to worry about with the success you're clearly enjoying." Petra exhales and glares four or five trees ahead where he's now leaning against a trunk, lips playing up in a smirk.

She huffs. "Try and get me then. Even the score."

"Evening the score implies that you're the one enjoying victory here," her lover muses. "Unless you've achieved great heights of delusion, you know otherwise."

Petra grumbles and tosses the snowball anyway.

As predicted, Levi moves into a low crouch and the snowball crashed into the side of the tree instead. However the spray of snow flies in most directions and Petra hears a familiar hiss. The kind of distaste that usually only comes when the captain's come across some pretty shoddy cleaning work.

"Right," Levi speaks slowly, "if you insist on dancing this dance then commit and have no regrets about it," he announces, stepping out from behind the tree. Some of the snow has ended up on his shoulder.

Despite his warning tone, Petra giggles. Her laughter dies out when she sees the snowball in Levi's hand. Shit.

"You brought this on yourself, Petra," Levi declares.

It's her turn to run. Although she doesn't make it past the sixth tree before Levi's snowball hits her in the ass. She stumbles forward and uses the momentum to grab some snow off the ground and begin packing it together. By which time, another snowball is hitting her in the side. She yelps and darts behind a tree. Still, a third snowball flies into her chest and she looks up to see Levi's dark hair whip away ahead of her.

He barely gives her any time to try and refuel. Snowball after snowball decorate her coat over the next ten minutes. In all that time, she's landed no full hits on him.

Crouching down behind a tree, she starts on making multiple snowballs rapidly. All the while glancing over her shoulder, wondering when Levi's next one will hit.

Nothing happens.

Of course that only heightens her nerves as she stands up with her new collection of snowballs. She walks among the trees but Levi is nowhere to be seen in any direction. She lowers her gaze to the ground, following the footsteps in the last direction she saw him in. His tracks lead away from the others left by their game. However it's only after a few minutes when the tracks suddenly end and the truth begins to sink down on her.

Oh damn.

Cold hits the back of her head and Petra yelps, dropping one of her snowballs, just as another one hits, and then a third. Spinning round, she's met with a blur of black as Levi leaps down from the tree and knocks the rest of her snowballs out of her hands.

"As your captain, I should be concerned that you walked right into that," he remarked with a raised eyebrow.

"You-" Petra's answer cuts short as Levi's hands take her hips and bring her into a kiss.

Soft but cold lips move against hers, chasing the competitiveness away and luring her into the minimal warmth of his embrace and the heat of his mouth. Her hands slide up his arms. If he minds her getting slow on the sleeves, he shows no response, kissing her harder instead.

As her hands reach his shoulders, Petra recognizes one little victory for her at least. Levi's arms don't feel as tense now and she swears she can feel him smiling or smirking against her lips. Not such shitty snow after all then, eh?

When the need to breathe returns, he pulls away just enough to take in breaths, his nose nudging against Petra's.

"You're kinda scary with snowballs, Captain," she mock-pouts. Even so, she slides her arms fully around his neck. "You seemed to like that though."

"It wasn't bad. You're still going to have to help clean the coat. Since it's your fault it got soiled."

"Soiled? Hardly any of it went on you!"

He nods down to his arms and Petra is reminded of the trail she just left there. "Okay, okay," she agrees, leaning up to kiss his lips once more which he returns. "Later though?" she suggests, lifting her eyes to the bright afternoon light. "Maybe we could walk a little more first?"

"Sure," he smiled and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Petra happily snuggled into him. "Happy birthday, Levi."