The moment that Mikasa had managed to sneak her foot behind his and flip him onto his back, with that same irritating stoic expression on her face, Rivaille knew that he had nothing more to worry about.

Although Levi ultimately won the match, the girl had done quite a number on him. Several hits and kicks and getting him on his back. That was a feat. As much as it pained him to admit it, she was almost as good as he was. Within time,she might even reach his level.

He examined her, she was panting. chest heaving, temples damp from sweat. Hm. Levi smirked to himself. He loved that their spar had caused her to break a sweat. Watching her train along with the other scouts, where she barely had to exert any effort to surpass them, had caused him to see her potential. Now he was pushing her to her limits, something he was sure that she had never done before because she never had to.

She could be as good as he was, but he was going to make her work for it.

"We're done for the day." He told her, polishing his sword before putting it back in it's sheath.

Mikasa only glared at him from where she was sitting on the dirt of the training grounds. He was a slave driver and she was pretty sure that the sadistic man enjoyed seeing her close to collapsing. She had never been as tired as she was right now. To make it worse, the man wasn't even breaking a sweat.

It annoyed her that he could still remain so calm after their five hour spar. Yet, at the same time, she was glad that he trained her so brutally. If she could win against him then she would become more capable in protecting Eren. Also she couldn't wait for the day when she would shove his smirking face in the dirt. The mental image alone was enough to drive her to improve her skills.

Levi noticed her silence. A pensive look was on her face but he could see a predatory gleam in her eyes. Perturbing.

Mikasa's mind returned back to the present situation, staring at the eyes of the Lance Corporal, who was also staring at her with squinted eyes and a scowl that hinted that he knew what she was thinking.

"Heichou." He raised his brow at the title. Although it was hard to tell with her, he was skilled in interpreting the small details that gave away her emotions. There was that same expressionless face but he could hear a hint of uncertainty in it. "If you aren't busy tomorrow, I was wondering if we could train."

"Hm." Was all Levi grunted as a response. Well there was certainly nothing holding him back from doing some extra training with her. While they were staying here they might as well be in top shape. Studying her face,surprised she would ask to spend more time training with him, he conceded. "As long as you continue doing what you did today, then I'll allow it."

"Mm." She nodded in response, the predatory gleam still in her eyes but this type he could see a ghost of a smirk forming on her face which caught him off guard since Ackerman didn't smile. And it made something in his stomach drop. Most likely dread. What is she up to?

He could see the determination in her eyes and sighed. He felt as though this sudden motivation in training with him was due to the fact that she wanted as many chances as she could have to kick him square in the face.

She stood up from the ground, grabbing her weapons in the process. Mikasa put her jacket on, sweeping her hair to the side. Finally, she picked up a cream-colored cloth, shaking the dust off it first before wrapping it around her neck only to have her hands stop in the process.

Levi looked up to notice her sudden stop, the ruffled fabric hanging loosely around her neck catching his eyes.

Mikasa's eyes flickered toward his and a sudden look of embarrassment appeared on her face before she schooled it back into nonchalance. Levi was slightly amused at the unfamiliar look that had flashed on her face. He never thought it was possible that she could make such a face.

"Heichou." She said, walking up to him with the cravat in her hand. Mikasa was silently berating herself for holding onto the stupid thing. Her hands were outstretched to give it back to Levi.

He took one look at it before picking up the cravat. Levi looked at her,expressionless scowl still intact, before wrapping his hands around the cloth and wrapping it around her head, inadvertently pulling her closer to him. Mikasa glowered at him though the corporal ignored it, focusing instead on tying the fabric neatly around her neck.

Both of them stayed silent, neither willing to bring up the subject of last night. Although both of them were thinking about it. Levi cringed at the memory of him actually hugging her person and promising to protect the Jaeger brat. He wasn't thinking clearly last night.

Mikasa was disgusted with herself for allowing the man to invade her personal space. And yet she was allowing him to do so again.

She was tempted to tell Rivaille that she didn't want anything of his to be on her body but the words couldn't escape when she was blanketed with the warmth around her neck.

So instead she stayed silent, watching tentatively as the man in front of her ceased his movements, his fingers stroking the cloth. Something akin to unease settled within her at the action, her shoulders tensing.

"It suits you." The words slipped out of his mouth unexpectedly, his eyes focused on the fabric. Mikasa looked at Levi with furrowed brows, flustered at how close they were. She found herself confused, asking herself why he was doing these things and why she was letting him.

"Levi!" The loud cry was heard making Mikasa and Levi start and whip their heads to the source. They were greeted by the sight of Hanji and Eren.

The sight of the two made both soldiers conscious of the weird position they must have been in, within close proximity with each other, Levi's hand on her person. Both immediately took a step backwards.

"Hanji."

"Eren."

They said at the same time.

"What is it?" His voice was back to all of its formalities, Levi turned his attention towards Hanji, noticing that she was holding something in her hands. She had a mischievous grin and a look of excitement in her face.

Levi glanced to Eren's form who was strangely studying him as well. The boy was dressed in a strange suit that he had never seen before. Levi raised his brow knowingly at his colleague.

This could only mean one thing.

"I might have a solution to our problem." The bespectacled woman sang smugly, hands on her hips,clipboard in her hand. Levi said nothing, merely raising a brow to let her continue. "I think that if we could experiment with Eren-"

"Experiment?!" Mikasa's voice raised immediately at the mention of Eren and experimentation together. It shocked Hanji to see any sudden emotion on Mikasa's face.

"Uh, yes. Since we haven't figured out completely how it is that Annie can harden her skin, maybe by testing different chemicals on-"

"No." The girl sternly said. The shock and disappointment on Hanji's face and the sigh that left Eren's lips prompted Levi to turn his attention to the girl besides him.

"Mikasa, I'll be fine." Eren said in response, crossing his arms, irritation showing on his face. Her resolve wasn't moved and Mikasa opened her mouth in protest.

"This could be dangerous, chemicals-"

"He'll be fine." Levi interrupted her, making the girl glare at him. "Shitty Glasses knows what she's doing."

Mikasa didn't say anything, looking from Levi to Hanji and Eren. The scowl on her face remained, still not trusting the woman to deal with Eren.

"She won't do anything other than test out Jaeger's capabilites." The statement was meant to reassure her, but the tone in his voice was that of an order and the gaze he aimed towards Hanji showed that he was telling the woman not to do anything strange.

Hanji only laughed nervously, not entirely agreeing with the condition but nodding anyways.

Mikasa took another glance at Levi, who was throwing an expression which promised her that nothing bad would happen to her friend. She couldn't believe she was agreeing to this but she didn't feel like starting another argument.

"Fine." She agreed grudgingly.

Levi smirked inwardly at the small victory, patting the girl's shoulder to which she only narrowed her eyes at him.

"Really?" Eren had an expression of shock on his face at the turnout. He had known Mikasa since they were children and she never gave in so easily, especially when it concerned him. Mikasa only forced a weak smile. It was tearing her apart that he would be subject to whatever Hanji had in mind. She knew the woman was a little eccentric.

"Ok!" Hanji said pumping her fist in the air. "We need the training ground, if you guys don't mind."

Levi and Mikasa moved out of their way as the woman pulled her test subject into the area. Mikasa rushed to enter through the doorway. She didn't think she could stay to watch.

A frown formed on her face when she heard an explosion.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Eren?!" Armin's voice asked as a very tired Eren Jaeger entered the their room. He didn't bother to even say hello to the blonde haired boy as he quickly trudged to his bed, collapsing on the soft mattress. It hurt when he moved his legs as there were bruises everywhere. Black hair fell into his eyes, he was pretty sure his hair had been singed.

"What happened?" Armin asked, examining Eren's form.

"Hanji-san." Was all he answered, his thoughts focused on their experimentation session the hour before. She had made him try at least twenty different solutions, each one failing to produce any good results.

His body had become sore and he actually wished that Mikasa hadn't changed her mind about it.

Now that he thought about it, the old Mikasa never would have agreed. The old Mikasa would have fought tooth and nail to get Hanji's hand off of him. and the old Mikasa certainly wouldn't have agreed just because Levi-heichou had told her so.

The thought was bothering him. Was there something going on between them?

Eren quickly dismissed the thought. No, she hated him. She had told him so before.

He was going crazy. This was a good thing, after all. She was being lenient, she was giving him the space that a 15-year old boy needed. She wasn't treating him like a child as much anymore. That was good, he guessed.

It was great. He thought as he buried his face in his pillow.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

By the time Eren had woken up, it was about dinnertime. He arrived just in time, walking over to the same table that he and his friends usually sat at. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mikasa sitting besides Armin. He walked over, sitting across form them.

"Eren." Mikasa said with a small smile.

He watched as everyone at their table greeted him as he sat down. Jean was glaring at him. Probably over what had happened the day before.

Looking down at his food, he picked up a piece of his bread before facing his two best friends.

"How was the experimentation?" He heard her ask worriedly. "Are you hurt?"

Eren was suddenly glad that his clothes covered his bruises."No, I'm ok."

She looked at him suspiciously but dropped the subject anyways.

Chewing his food, he glanced at the happy gleam in her eyes that suddenly appeared on her face.

"How was training?" The question came out out of his mouth. Eren had been aching to ask. Even though it emasculated him in every way possible that his adoptive sister was training under Levi-Heichou rather than him, he was still very interested.

"It was good." He was surprised that she would describe it as good. Most of the time a scowl would just appear on her face and that would answer that.

"So he's been going easier on you?" Armin piped in from besides her.

"No." She said thoughtfully, before a strange expression formed on her face, making Eren and Armin drop their food in their laps. This is turn, caused the others to wonder what had caused such a reaction.

Even though Eren had seen her smile before, it was such a rare occurrence that he had forgotten what it looked like. This was different from the many shy and relieved smiles that he was used to receiving from her, it made her look so carefree and childish, not at all the titan-slaying prodigy that she was. Now seeing the gleam in her eyes and the soft upturn of her pink lips, he now realized why Jean was so in love with her. She was actually attractive?

The idea alone made him choke on the chewed bits of his food. Attractive? Mikasa? He had never thought of it that way. She was just an annoying sister of his that wouldn't stop nagging him. Thinking of her that way... It was too weird. It was wrong.

He placed his attention elsewhere, looking around the room, trying to avoid looking at Mikasa. Then he looked around and notice that Jean had his jaw dropped and was just as red faced as he was.

"I'm actually glad to be training with Levi-heichou." She said softly, but the words were said so sweetly and happily and so unlike her. It made something inside of Eren twist in anger.

"I thought you hated him." Eren blurted out without thinking. He just hoped that the others didn't hear the obvious jealousy in his tone. This was pathetic. Why was he getting so worked up about this? He should be happy that she was so busy, right?

"I do." Mikasa deadpanned."But I also want to be stronger. I feel like that's possible with his help even though he's unrelenting." Strong enough to protect you and Armin.

Eren could feel his shoulders relax. In the end, it was still always about protecting him.

"But, hey," Connie began, staring at Mikasa's neck."Isn't that the thing that Levi-heichou wraps around his neck?"

Everyone's eyes turned to what Connie had pointed out. Jean's face darkened once more, as he noticed it as well.

Mikasa raised her right hand to stroke it gingerly, forgetting that she still had it on. Her thoughts wandered back to what had happened last night and what had happened at the training ground today. She had tried to give it back, but she only ended up confused as Levi said nothing of it and wrapped it around her neck as if he was claiming her as territory.

The last thought made blood rush up to her cheeks.

Mikasa didn't know how to explain herself, she was confused enough about it. She was pretty sure that she disliked him and he disliked her, but what was going on now? She wasn't sure how to define their relationship anymore. Did she care for him? Her brows furrowed, no, she had too many people to care for as it was.

"Is there something going on between you two?!" Jean's voice nearly shouted as he asked the question. Mikasa thought it over in her mind. Something going on between them?There wasn't. They were merely in the same squad together, there was nothing. They were comrades at best.

"Yeah," Sasha joined the conversation, mouth full of steamed potato, gulping it down before asking her next question."Why would he give it to you?"

Her friends kept staring at her, waiting for an answer from her. An answer that she didn't have.

"It was cold." One of the most worst excuses came out of her mouth and she could feel everyone's eyes on her as she said it.

Nonetheless, no one bothered to ask any further.

She frowned as she ghosted her fingertips on the cravat. It was cold? But she couldn't say she was entirely lying. The fabric gave her a warmth that she was too scared to explain.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Mikasa brought a reluctant hand to the wooden door of her squad leader. The girl didn't know what had brought her here. It was past curfew and she would probably get punished for bothering the man, but she couldn't find sleep. Knocking on the door, she only had to knock once before the familiar voice told her to come in.

"Ackerman." The voice said before even turning his head to face her. It unnerved her somewhat that he could tell it was her so easily.

Levi was sitting on the side of his bed, back turned to her, looking at something in his hands. She wondered what it was. She got her answer when the man placed a picture frame on his bedside table. Five people, dressed in green capes, all smiles and grins except for one who, at least, wasn't carrying a scowl in that picture.

A wave of sadness passed over her, remembering what had happened only a month before. She couldn't help but feel guilty for it.

"It's past curfew." He told her. "You really like defying orders, don't you?" Levi said turning to the girl in question, his head resting on his hand which was propped on his leg. There was a small smirk on his face, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Mikasa didn't smile, didn't come up with a challenging remark, merely studied his face.

The smirk on Levi's face disappeared, returning to that familiar bored expression. As if he didn't give a crap, but he did. She knew he did. They were strangely similar in that way.

"What are you doing here?" He asked curtly, he looked tired.

Mikasa opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when she realized that she didn't have an answer to that question.

Levi snorted at her response. "Come to bother me again for no particular reason?"

Mikasa looked at him intently, raising her brow at this. "I bother you?"

"Don't be coy with me, brat." He replied. "It gives you pleasure to see me in pain."

She smirked at him, it was somewhat true. But hearing the hint of dejection in voice didn't make her as eager as before.

"You're not asleep." Was all she said to him.

"Neither are you." He said tiredly.

Through the moonlight, he could see her walking towards him, holding something in her hand. When light skimmed over her figure, he could make out her expression. It wasn't the usual glare that he was used to. It was still calm, but it looked nonthreatening.

In her hands was his cravat, the very one he had given her last night. The same one he had tied around her this sighed, looking to it then back to her face. It made him slightly irritated that she was so adamant in getting the thing off her hands, as if it disgusted her deeply. It probably did but it was vexing to him. That was his favorite one, after all.

Propping his face in his hands again he said in an exasperated tone."I don't want it back."

"It's yours." Mikasa said, urging him to take it. "I feel...strange , keeping it." The statement made Levi look up at her.

"Is it not worthy enough to put around your neck?" He asked, irritation in his voice. "Keep it. It looks better than that dirty red scarf ever did."

At this, Mikasa glared at him,throwing the cloth at him. Levi's eyes turned to her in a mixture of surprise and agitation.

"You little-" His mouth stopped moving when he felt the mattress dip besides him. The girl actually had the nerve to sit next to him on the bed, making him raise his brow at her.

"Thank you." She didn't even look him in the eye as she said it, but she was being sincere. Mikasa wanted to thank him, for that promise, for making the burden she felt on her shoulders a little lighter, for making her feel his warmth.

Levi wasn't sure what to say to her.

She was thanking him. For what?

"Why?" He asked curiously, bemused by her shift in attitude towards him.

Mikasa felt herself become shy. Was he actually going to make her explain why? Wasn't it enough that she had the decency to show her gratitude even though it was killing her pride to do so? Then again, she supposed she had a lot to thank him for.

"That time, saving me from Annie." She said, remembering that she never had thanked him properly for it. At the time, she remembered that she had even gotten angry with him, telling him it was his fault for not protecting Eren adequately. A wave of guilt passed through her.

He grunted in response, remembering the injured leg he sustained after the incident. Bu then, he thought that thanking him for it was unnecessary. He was merely doing his job.

"For helping Eren." She continued. Mikasa had mulled it over in her mind. Levi didn't have to help Eren. He didn't have to protect him or save him. Just like Jean had told her before, not everyone was willing to give up their life for one person whom they didn't even particularly care for. But Levi did, and he did it while sacrificing what she was sure were some of the most important people in his life. "Losing your comrades, to save mine." Levi flinched at this, remembering the horrific scene he had encountered in the forest.

"Thank you for this." She said clutching his cravat in her hand. He knew what he meant when she said it, his promise to her the night before.

He didn't say anything, letting silence fill the room.

"I'm sorry." Mikasa said to him though her eyes were pointed towards the frame that stood on his bedside table. Levi knew what she was referring to and a flicker of emotion went through his eyes before passing.

"Don't be." He had worked in this field for a long time. He knew what this kind of work entailed. Anything could happen. They could die at any given moment. Losing people, it happened every day. But sadly, these truths still didn't cushion him from the pain.

"That's why, I can't afford you to die on me, Mikasa." He said seriously but almost endearingly. It was the first time she had ever heard him say her name. It was strange hearing it from his lips but not entirely unwelcome.

She was still a new recruit on his squad, one which he was still rebuilding. It didn't help that they didn't get along very well. Mikasa wondered if he felt lonely.

Mikasa didn't reply. She couldn't promise him anything. Nothing, not like he had to her. She couldn't promise that she wouldn't do something reckless, couldn't promise she wouldn't die. Because promises like that were lies.

No one knew what could happen and the sad fact of it was, at the end of the day, they were all just humans, fighting something, fighting a war that was much bigger than them.

Her hand inched closer on the bed, until her pinky touched his hand. The contact made Levi look to her questioningly, but all he could see as an answer was the blush on her cheeks as she inched her hand closer to his.

Her gaze was directed to the ground, not saying a word of explanation. When her face turned to look at him, it showed an expression that made her look as if she was constipated, telling him that she was doing this grudgingly.

It was then that he realized, she was trying to comfort him. In her own way. Levi couldn't help but snort at her attempt, making Mikasa more flustered than before.

But the uncontrollable smirk that made its way onto his face forced him to comply to her actions, allowing her to awkwardly place her hand on top of his until he couldn't help it anymore and opened her right hand for her, interlocking his fingers with her own.

Mikasa's face turned red, eyes widening as she looked into his eyes in surprise. Levi smirked at her, watching in amusement as the girl's stoic facade faded into embarrassment. It made him want to do such ridiculous things, like this and the night before, just to see how she would react.

It was funny. It almost didn't make sense. Why she was here, why she was comforting him, or trying to, at least. But it was working.

Levi felt comfortable. Calm. Untroubled as he sat, holding the hand of a girl who probably wished nothing more than to kick him in the face.

But Mikasa held back that urge for now, and the heat she was radiating urged Levi to come closer, his tired eyes feeling heavier.

That night, Lance Corporal Levi fell asleep dreamlessly for the first time in weeks, head resting on Mikasa Ackerman's shoulder.