I'm trash.

There was nothing in the books.

It had been well into the night before Levi decided to end his hunt with a sigh. After skimming and scouring through pages of fruitless knowledge, he found no historical evidence that Garrison bums would embed their drugs in their fucking arms.

How could Mikasa Ackerman know this, especially when there was no chance that Levi would?

Levi was quite the intuitive individual, so he could draw some abstract conclusions. Firstly, he knew Mikasa had met that Hannes guy prior to the day's earlier events. And that comment that she made about her non-adoptive father taking her up the wall when she was younger. Or when she accidentally let it slip that she'd been at that guard station before.

Hannes knew Mikasa, and knew Eren Jaeger.

Mikasa Ackerman had some depth that went far past being a prima ballerina from a distinguished adoptive family, and Levi would do everything in his power to fill in the gaps. He was eerily content with his own life—after all, he had no known admirable family and he was as about as successful as one his age could ever hope to be—so why not try to entertain himself with playing detective? Maybe he'd get some action from her along the way. Maybe he'd finally have the satisfaction of slitting her pale, smooth throat.

Levi was contemplating both sodomy and premeditated murder within the same thought—a sure sign that he needed something to drink before bed.

Down to the kitchen area of the castle he went. As convenient as a bottle of liquor at his bedside would be, Levi preferred not to mix vices with his sleeping environment.

And blocking the cabinet that held his precious bottle of piss-warm whiskey was none other than the star of his thoughts, a prima of its own right within Levi's head. She had a half-eaten apple in one hand, a novel in the other. It was considered proper manners to greet politely with small talk, such as asking her what book she was reading.

Then again, Levi wasn't well-versed with social grace.

Not that it mattered, because Mikasa didn't even look up from her book.

"It's pretty dim in here," Levi offered the olive branch. "The lighting's better in other parts of this place, you know."

"Like where?" Before he could think of a snide answer, she flipped a page of her book with a loud huff. Her head made no move, but her eyes finally lifted to make eye contact. "Your bedroom?"

She was a smart one.

He laughed. Granted, it was more gratuitous than anything. "I thought I'd never see the day."

And with that, her eyes went back down to the book. But her focus remained with Levi. "What day?"

"The day you'd suggest something so provocative. For all you know, I could've had nothing more than the library in mind."

She was frozen in her tracks. Levi knew this because he saw the way she forced a bite out of her apple to maintain nonchalance. Then she cleared her throat after swallowing. "I didn't know there was a library here."

He was going to argue how she managed to get that book, but considering he was older, and therefore the representative mature one out of the two of them, he decided to keep the conversation moving forward. "The offer to my bed, however, is up for your taking."

Levi wasn't sure where this dire attraction toward Mikasa really, truly came from. But to save himself from thinking too hard, he settled on the explanation that she was easy to look at, not easy to bag, and the only competition he's had within these walls in a long time. Plus her legs were looking especially supple in those cotton pajama shorts.

"Why would I do that?" That malicious smile hiding behind those dark eyes only made Levi all the more attracted. "You're disgusting."

It was probably a deeply rooted psychological power struggle. He was dominant between the two of them, he knew it, and all he had to do was make her know it, too.

"Your disgust would be the least of your worries while I'm fucking you."

And it didn't hurt that she was so precious when he made her squirm like that. The way her nose wrinkled at the vulgar language, but the way she held her eyes so evenly. She was like a child who tried way too hard to sit at the grown-up table at dinner time, only to find out that she didn't understand half the language they spoke.

"I could just do this."

Levi quickly learned that she was taking her time to study the adult language. She brought a foot up onto the counter she was sitting on, widening the space between her legs. Her cotton shorts could only cover so much, allowing a peek of something lacy and black out from underneath.

With the way she dropped her book to the floor, freeing up one sole finger to trace over the outline of her shorts, Levi really quickly learned that she learned to sit at the grown-up table.

But it wasn't supposed to be this easy. However, he wasn't too dumb to not take an opportunity when it landed right in his lap.

So to speak.

Boldness as his middle name, Levi joined in on her little game, taking the stiffness into his own fist, grunting in the sad fact that there was still the fabric of his pants ruining all of the fun.

His eyes were sunken into his head, the bangs of his hair falling into the way, but he couldn't stop looking at her. Levi was not an amateur, he knew that there was more to a woman than the places directly south and north of the belly button. Which is why he was drinking in the sight of her face. He looked at the way her lips glistened after each time she licked them, and the way her cheeks were so rosy, the could actually be mistaken for a goddamn rose.

However, he didn't dare make any step closer.

"Matter of fact," She finally said, slowing her motions but not stopping entirely. "Thank you for such a great idea."

Because he knew this was Mikasa and this was how she played her game.

"Goodnight, Captain Levi."

And although she thought she had the high road by leaving the kitchen, and therefore leaving her douchey superior all hot and bothered and rejected, she really didn't.

"Captain?" A new player's voice rang in the kitchen, only a few minutes after Mikasa left. All sleepy and innocent and really not even a player in this game, if Levi were being honest. "I didn't expect to see you in here so late."

"Just came to, uh," He rubbed his eye, the stiffness in his dick breaching the line of comfort. "Can't sleep right now."

"Neither can I. I thought maybe some water would help."

When an opportunity presents itself, Levi won't pass it up. "I think I have a better solution than water."

"Like wha—"

He kissed her, forcefully, and didn't leave much time for her to either accept or decline. Not that he doubted Petra would not be completely up for this.

"Come sleep in my bed tonight," He dropped his voice an octave and a half, added a twinge of husky breathing. "Let me give you a reason why you can't sleep."

Because this was Levi, and this was how he played his game.

"What exactly are we waiting on?" Auruo inspected his nails, frowning at either his cuticle bed or the financial state of these walls, but either way, it was grimace city on his face. "It's almost fifteen minutes past clock-in time."

"I mean, maybe I could be late if I slept with my boss," Gunter added in, and Levi was sure it was in a humored spirit, but he couldn't help but ball his fists a little tighter. "I mean, I could only imagine what you did with that pussy, Captain!"

"Oh god, I don't know how you do it, Levi," Auruo managed to lose enough interest in his nails long enough to look up and fully join the conversation. "I've been chasing that for years and not even a handshake."

A handshake may have been more stimulating than whatever Petra offered last night. "It's captain."

"How was she?"

"Was it ripe for the taking, or did she put up a fight?"

"She's a freak, huh? It's always the quiet ones."

There were many other questions of similar vulgarity spitting out rapidly between his fine men. They all seemed perversely interested, or ready to help time pass a little quicker. Neither of which really mattered, because all Levi seemed to notice was that Mikasa sat quietly against the window, wrapping and rewrapping her hands over and over. Innocent enough, sure, but Levi could already smell her weakness.

Jealousy really, truly was a bitch.

A door thudded from down the hallway, with apricot hair, golden skin, and a pearly smile acting as a physical representation of sunshine as she rounded the corner. Her post-sex glow almost blinded Levi.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Petra offered, but with that lilt that hoped that all would be forgiven.

Auruo, or maybe it was Erd, Levi had no clue, less-than-gently spat out into the open. "Don't expect special treatment just because you're getting some, okay sugartits?"

"What in the hell is a sugartit?" Petra seemed to laugh off that sad excuse of an insult, or pet name, or whatever. Such a good mood. As if she and Levi were the only two goddamn people left in the fucking walls, she hardly made an attempt to shush her voice, or maybe save her token of appreciation for a more discreet time and place. "Thanks for last night, Captain. No one makes me feel the way you do."

And as a cherry on top, she pressed her peachy lips against his cheek. It was a tender moment sure, and maybe he could work this situation to his advantage later, but still. This was new levels of uncomfortable. Not because of Petra, or at least not entirely, but because the sound of Velcro ripping through this new level of silence.

Velcro belonging to a certain set of hand wraps.

As the poised and intrepid leader, Levi knew he had to slice through this tension. "Well, we can talk later. Right now, we have training."

Levi didn't even offer his most recent sexual partner a smile. Not even a smirk. Very poised and very intrepid, indeed.

"Actually, um, I'm late because Commander Erwin pulled me aside to send you a message."

And to think Levi was going to have a decent day. Commander Erwin had to come and paint himself into the portrait of what Levi had hoped to be a quiet Thursday. "Okay, so what is the message?"

Right when Petra opened her mouth to form words, Commander Erwin entered Levi's line of sight. This was timed as if it were a scene out of a play, but Levi tried not to think too hard about the more serendipitous moments of the universe.

"I'll take it from here, Miss Ral," Erwin gave that wide smile, dimples and everything, patting on her shoulder as a polite dismissal. And Petra almost melted right there. Nevermind Levi gave her three consecutive orgasms, because Commander Erwin was actually Commander Handsome. Everyone fawned over him. Even the kitchen boys.

"Levi," Erwin greeted, friendly and cheery. He must have landed some ballerina pussy, because according to the schedule, there was another performance at the theater last night, and his post-sex glow was pretty much worse than Petra's. "I came bearing gifts."

Levi mostly resented Erwin's height. Nevermind the otherwise inconsequential bickering. It was definitely the height. He really pushed his posture to its limits around Erwin. He couldn't lose an inch on account of slouching. And honestly, his spine was at its limit. "And it's not even my birthday."

"I have a special assignment for you," Erwin was all smiles, and Levi was not impressed.

"That's hardly a gift. I had a special mission yesterday, and the day before. This entire squad only handles special missions."

Erwin shook his head, some sort of irritated laugh escaping his mouth. "So bitter in the morning, aren't you?"

"I have to get my squad going on their three-mile right now, so can we discuss this—"

"Oh no, you have to leave almost immediately if you want to make it to your mission on time."

It couldn't be what he was suggesting. Erwin wouldn't have been nice enough to hold off on this mission for so long. "What is this mission?"

"You got to get to the inner walls, and as soon as possible," Levi still wasn't fully sold. Erwin knew this. "For your father."

He wouldn't get the satisfaction of getting a smile out of Levi. After all, he was so bitter in the morning. "Then I best be on my way, then."

"Take Mikasa Ackerman," Erwin announced at the last possible moment of Levi's hearing range. "I'm still not fully satisfied in seeing what she can do."

Levi finally dared to look at her for the first time since their little mutual masturbation bullshit in the kitchen. It wouldn't have been so painful, except for the part where Levi fucked someone else in the time between then and now. Suffice to say, he was a little...underwhelmed. He saw no sign of true anger, nor jealousy. Just idle, empty eyes, but those have been there since she stepped foot in this place.

"Pack for a day or two, Ackerman," Levi ordered in his perfected leadership voice. "And make sure your knives and bullets are fully stocked."

She narrowed her eyes, flexing her fingers in her wraps, and without any vocal acknowledgment, she pushed past Levi. If he weren't imagining things, he could have sworn he heard a bitterly faint "thanks for last night, too," but of course, it could have just been the wind.

"I thought we had to leave immediately," Levi hissed bitterly. "That was a direct quote from Erwin himself."

"Immediacy is a relative term," The guard at the front gate of the castle rolled his eyes. "We're not opening this main gate until dusk, so until then, feel free to wait here or," The guard looked back toward outside the gate. "Somewhere else, prefferably."

Levi never found himself going out to restaurants or shops or at places where he'd be subjected to underpaid, overworked disgruntled humans, and this guard only helped to reaffirm his lack of desire to ever start. But, eventually, the sun was nestling into the earth's horizon, and true to that guard's word, the iron bars of the gates were peeled away for Levi.

Thankfully, this day-long escort to the innermost Wall Sina was not by horseback, but by carriage, so Levi was free to recline in the leather seats and tune out the sounds of the outside world. Maybe he'd allow himself a moment to sleep, or maybe he'd catch up on some reading.

Mentally preparing himself for this mission of a lifetime was always an option, but this was Levi, and he was always prepared to do what he had to do.

So what did this leave Levi to do?

Obviously watch at the girl who was forced into this rather personal mission, who sat opposite to his seat in the carriage. She made no attempt at, well, anything. Mikasa lazily gazed out of the window, picking some point in the arbitrarily moving distance, and remaining quiet, with only the very occasional shift in her seat, or to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear that never seemed to stay firmly in one place.

She asked no questions, offered no amnesty for any sort of mild conversation. Hell, by the time the moon was grossly overhead, wide and saucer-like in the reflection of her dull eyes, she didn't even blink long enough to even toy with the idea of sleep.

Her undereye bags looked as severe as bruises, and they only emphasized her vulnerability.

Levi, of course, was a proud man, but not proud enough to try and deprive himself of sleep just to maintain his lead in some pride pissing contest. To be honest, though, there was no chance of anyone ever getting rest in a carriage that was constantly bumping up and down over the terrain. He did manage to find a comforting limbo where he could rest his eyes and feel his muscles melt into the chair.

The thought of his father kept entering his head. Unfortunate imagery that didn't promote happy, bedtime images, yes, but Levi couldn't seem to rid the what if's and the how come's of the events that would come to fruition in the next day or so. His father couldn't possibly be capable of truly changing. Levi changed, and he liked to think he did for the better, so he couldn't help toy with the possibility that his father did, too.

Hell, maybe Levi could grow to like his dad.

No, father. Dad showed too much familiarity, and no rapist deserved anything more familiar than scum.

Levi could not show weakness, and especially not mercy. There was no room in his life for blurred morals and exceptions to rules. He was held to this standard by Erwin, and by himself, and he'd be forever damned if he chose this moment to soften up.

"You look sick."

The interruption of the silence didn't make him jump. He was, however, sort of surprised the silence was broken that easily. Levi expected her to not go down without some sort of petty fight. Although she already talked, Levi was bored, and he always loved the pettier things in life.

"Oh, I was beginning to think she didn't talk."

Right as the words left his mouth and traveled through the atmosphere to penetrate her cochlea, he watched her face, anticipated even the slightest twitch of her eyebrow. Of course, he was rewarded with narrowed eyes that seemed especially dark under this moonlight.

"Don't forget I could kill you so easily."

She was right, of course. In all of his years, he'd never seen anyone fight the way she did. She could kill him, but only in the right circumstances. She was smart, and determined as hell, with the soul of a survivor, but she was also sloppier with her emotions than she even knew. Her heart was practically dripping down her sleeve and pooling on the floor of this very carriage.

"Someone's a little hostile. Is it because I fucked Petra," Maybe Levi was sloppy with his emotions too, because he didn't expect to smile as wide as he did. "And not you?"

Like textbook, Mikasa had to look back out the window. Her voice was still stiff. Even, but stiff. "I had the opportunity, if I may remind you," She turned toward Levi again, but only for a quick moment. "I didn't take it for a reason."

Levi felt the blood rushing right underneath his skin. He lived for this, he swore. The way Mikasa Ackerman tried so hard to keep her cool, and the way he was able to make her squirm. She was tougher than average, at least by society's standards, but in the presence of Levi, she was so young and impressionable and naïve and he was just getting started with her.

"It's okay, Ackerman," Levi liked to throw in a lie wherever he could, just to prove he could get away with it. "She's so much better than whatever some virgin baby girl could do."

Her response was almost immediate. Immedite enough for Levi being unable to tell if she was confident in her answer, or she was trying to hard to make it convincing. "Who said I was a virgin?"

"Doesn't matter if you were, Ackerman," He already had his voice sinking deep, heavy and hot, because he was just so good at it. "Because even the thought of taking it away from you..." Levi's eyes were just as dark as hers. "I'd kill for the honor."

She didn't dare look away. Mikasa Ackerman stood her ground, sitting in her seat with that thick black hair falling into her eyes. The air was so heavy, and the tension was excruciating in the best way possible. Levi wanted to lick his lips, or lick hers, or lick anything of hers, really, but he wouldn't be the first to crack. His whole entire physical makeup was tingling in anticipation.

Despite how stoic and harshly she held her body language, her voice wasn't necessarily soft, but it wasn't as enraged as Levi would've expected. "You'll never get the chance, Captain Levi."

Maybe she was right. And because of the possibility that she would never want him, he smirked in a way that only meant he intended to play dirty. He wanted to play so dirty, that he even laughed a little. "Well, then it's a good thing I have Petra now."

Like lightening, something propelled into the air, and like seeing something that popped out of the dark, Levi's body tensed in shock. A very loud thudded noise penetrated only his left ear.

Mikasa Ackerman threw a knife that was intended for his head.

He didn't feel as if his life was truly in danger, because with her ability to aim and the mere few feet that separated them, if she wanted him dead, he would already had something sharp in between his eyes, but he didn't react as quickly as he wanted. Before he could get a chance to lunge for her and really escalate this, she was on top of him.

One knife pinned one sleeve against the carriage wall, and one knife pinned the other through the leather, and into the wooden bench of the seat. Sure, he possessed enough strength to pull free, but it would actually take visible effort, and he didn't want to look so strained in front of the girl.

So that left him unable to even scratch an itch on his cheek. And Mikasa Ackerman straddled his lap, pressing almost all of her weight right where he wanted her to.

She was breathing heavily, her vocal chords adding the raspy tension to her little heaves. Her chest even expanded and contacted visibly, but other than that, there was no movement. She had the higher ground, and looked down into Levi's eyes. He couldn't make out what was iris and what was pupil, and even the whites were shadowed, but he could feel the electricity pouring right out of her optic nerves. Their noses were close, but their lips remained dangerously closer.

That's when she began to move her hips. Slowly, like a glacier, but with a tenderness that left nothing to the imagination."You may have Petra," Mikasa's voice was like venom. Hushed, intense venom. "But we both know you picture her with black hair," She bit her lip, relaxing more of her weight right onto his ever so hardening dick. "And dark eyes," Her head tilted, but never distanced. "And pale lips."

Then she pressed her lips against his, carefully forming a gentle kiss. Mikasa was sweet, and warm, and almost comforting. Levi was on the edge, already fighting with the knifes that prevented him from truly acting on his urges. Animals that were caught in traps would chew their arm off in order to break free, and Levi was an animal, but Mikasa kept gyrating those tiny hips and bouncing with the right amount of frequency to keep him sane.

Levi swallowed thickly. "Acker—"

"No, shut up," Mikasa wasn't rude with her tone, but she did break the distance and leaned back, truly giving Levi a new sight to see. She arched her back, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Look at me grinding on you," She was so soft with her command, almost as if it were a plea. But Levi did watch the way she ground herself onto him, and the way only four layers of clothing separated them. "While I'm doing this to you, you're not wishing it was her."

He was gritting down so hard on his teeth, he was sure that in any moment, a molar or two would crack. She kissed him again, but with the same cautious experimentation as if this were all new to her.

"My lips are still pale," She looked into his eyes, and Levi swore for even just a moment, he was losing to her. "My hair is still black," Then she was lifting herself away from him. "My eyes are still dark."

Maybe for even a second, he was willing to maybe negotiate a deal for her to keep riding him like that, but that was before he watched the way her knees found the floor of the carriage, and her fingers found his belt buckle. He shivered with the way she tenderly slid down his pants and undergarments, leaving his cock stretching into the air.

With her tongue already collecting the little drops of precum, she peeked her eyes up and at Levi. "You have Petra because you know you'll never have me."

And those were the last words spoken before she took him fully in her mouth.

It's been so long since I've even thought about this fic, so please excuse the poor writing while I try to find the right voice for Levi again.
Warning: it'll still be poor writing even after I find it.