Ch.2

Mikasa woke up late the next morning, yet she couldn't see the sun coming in through the window. A shirt had just been thrown over her face, blocking the sun. She groaned and wiped it off with sleep leaden arms. She opened her eyes slowly, and was greeted by a strange and rather annoying sight. Lance Corporal Levi was opening her drawers and pulling out a pair of pants.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mikasa grumbled, forgetting her manners in her anger.

"You were so late to our training that I decided to put my foot down and wake you up. Now put on some clothes and drag your sorry ass outside." Levi said, throwing the pants at her. She caught them as she got out of bed, but the sudden movement lit up a flare of pain along her injured side. She fell onto the floor in a hiss of pain.

She was surprised when a pair of strong arms lifted her gently back onto her bed. She saw that the Corporal was no longer finding her clothes, but was right next to her. She looked into his eyes and thought she saw a flicker of guilt. No way, I must be imagining it. The Captain doesn't feel guilt. He's probably annoyed with my weakness. Mikasa thought.

"Perhaps you are not ready to train this morning." Levi said quietly.

"No way, I have been lying down long enough. I just forgot and got up too quickly." Mikasa swung her legs back off the bed and stood up.

Levi watched as she picked up the shirt that had woken her up, and the pants that Levi had thrown.

"I'll change quickly and meet you on the training grounds sir." Mikasa said, her normal cool self again. Levi nodded and was walking out of the room when Eren walked in carrying a slice of bread and butter.

"C-Captain!" Eren said, surprised to see Levi there in the morning. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't recall you being a higher rank that me Jeagar. You have no authority to speak to me like that." Levi snarled.

"Lance Corporal Levi was waking me up for training. I didn't mean to sleep so late. My apologies Captain, I will be out shortly." Mikasa bowed to Levi, clearly unhappy with how he talked to Eren. Not that he cared of course, but he felt annoyed that Jeagar had interrupted him and Mikasa again. It shouldn't bother him, but yet it did.

"You aren't serious Mikasa. We talked about this last night, he hurt you bad yesterday!" Eren's voice travelled to where Levi was standing. Levi felt anger and guilt on hearing Eren's statement. Anger because how dare Eren talk to her like that, and guilt because what he said was true. He had hurt her yesterday. But today there would be no chance at that. Levi stalked back to where he could hear Mikasa yelling at Eren, and he felt pleased with that. He walked back into her room.

"Jeagar, if you continue to delay my training session I will make sure you get half rations for a week! Now let my Cadet dress!" Levi spat at Eren. Eren, obviously cowed, left quickly with a bow to Mikasa and a quiet apology to the Captain.

"Now hurry up Ackerman, I don't have all day." Levi said, turning out of the room and made his way to the training grounds.

Mikasa arrived moments later looking ready for action. Levi stood with his back to her, looking into the forest that surrounded the house.

"Sir, I am ready for training." Mikasa said. Levi spun around.

"Good, now go get your 3DM gear." Levi said briskly. Mikasa noticed that he had his on as well. She ran back inside to grab her gear and put it on with ease. With it now on, she was ready whatever Levi had planned. Once back outside, Levi began to instruct her immediately.

"The route is marked in the trees. It is not easy to see though, so you will have to pay attention. There are other surprises hidden that you will have to watch out for. Whoever completes the race first wins." He said instructed.

"And what do I win, when I win." Mikasa joked. Levi looked surprised at that, thinking she was serious. However, Mikasa took that momentary confusion to sprint towards the trees. She shot out her hooks and took off into the trees. She could see that some trees were marking with a small scratch. They were hard to see like Levi had said, but not impossible. She had a miniscule lead, but she knew she would need it. She would no longer underestimate Levi. For all she cared, he could do anything. This idea would keep her always prepared and on her toes for any advantage.

The trees began to grow thicker, and Mikasa remembered Levi's warning that there were surprises waiting for her along the trail. Suddenly something white shot past her. It shot past her and into the trees where it disappeared. She dared a glance behind and saw the Captain not 10 feet behind her. A wave of adrenaline coursed through her body, spurring her to go faster. Another white object flew past her, narrowly missing her nose. This caused Mikasa to stumble a little with her gear. When she looked back this time, Levi was only feet from her. She looked him in the eyes, and the moment only lasted a second before another white object exploded on her leg. She broke eye contact to see what had hit her. It was some sort of white powder that looked an awful lot like flour. For a moment she looked at her now dirty pant leg with annoyance, but pushed the thoughts down and focuses on the race.

Levi was now ahead of her, which was even more annoying that the flour. More flour bombs were streaking through the trees now. Mikasa zig zagged around the flour bombs, while still trying to stay on the path of the race. She could feel them whiz past her, or on rare occasions hit her. The trees began to thin out once more. Mikasa could make out the house they were using in the distance. It looked like they had just gone in a giant circle. No more flour bombs were coming out of the trees, so Mikasa took this time to catch up to Levi as best as she could. He was not far ahead of her now, and the distance was getting shorter. Mikasa used her 3DM gear like it was an extension of her own body. She was now right next to the Captain. As the trees gave way to the yard, they both jumped and rolled to land unharmed. Levi looked genuinely surprised to see Mikasa standing right next to him.

"Well done Ackerman. I'm impressed you could keep up. Although you look like a bakery." Levi noted. Mikasa looked down at herself. The flour had mixed with the sweat from her body to make a sticky and very uncomfortable dough. She made a face in disgust, when she looked at Levi. He was no better than she was. Looking at the proud Captain covered in dough made Mikasa laugh out loud. He looked absolutely ridiculous. His usually perfect cravat was covered in drying dough. His sleek black hair was dusted white.

"That's enough Ackerman. Now get inside and cleaned up. You smell and look repulsive. I expect you to be ready to clean the dining room in 20 minutes." Levi ordered, annoyed about getting laughed at. Mikasa straightened up at that.

"Yes sir." Mikasa saluted, still giggling as she ran into the building and to the nearest shower. She wanted to make sure all of the dough was off of her before she had to start cleaning.

Levi watched her run off and couldn't help feeling impressed. She was fast, really fast. No one could keep up with him, yet she could. In fact, she almost beat him. She tricked him in the beginning into thinking that she would treat this like a joke. It showed she was smart too. Levi began to walk towards him own private shower. He was glad her joke at the beginning was a trick, because it would have seriously annoyed him otherwise. He didn't like nonsense when it came to fighting. He didn't really like nonsense at all. But watching her race through the trees from behind had been…satisfying. She had perfect form, but she was also an attractive girl. And that never hurts. Levi laughed to himself.

As he reached his room, he couldn't stop thinking about how she had dodged those flour bombs. Granted, the other Cadets were not very good throwers, but she had done it almost easily. Levi was still picturing her form and use of the 3DM gear while he threw his dirty clothes in a hamper, and stepped into his shower. The hot water felt good, but it turned the rest of the flour into dough, and he had to pick it out little by little. This began to annoy him greatly, and he was soon cursing his idea of throwing flour.

30 minutes later and Mikasa was in the dining room dusting the corners of the ceiling for spiders. The ceilings were low in the house, but there were plenty of places where bugs could hide in the ornate decorations that lined the room. Whoever once owned this house much have been rich, she thought. Mikasa sneezed as dusty danced around her head. She coughed lightly and then stepped down from the small ladder she was standing on. She was alone in the room, and pretty much the whole house. The beautiful weather had drawn everyone outside. Mikasa longed to join her fellow Survey Corps members, but Levi had told her to clean the dining room. Although, thought Mikasa, he has yet to show up. When she had entered the dining room after her shower, Mikasa expected to find the Captain standing there and barking orders at her. However, she found nothing. Not even cleaning supplies. But, thinking it might be some sort of test, she grabbed supplies from the nearest closet and began dusting.

"Mikasa what are you doing?" Mikasa spun around, surprised that she hadn't heard anyone come in. Eren stood in the doorway to the dining room. He was dressed in nothing but his boxers. If it was anyone else Mikasa would have been embarrassed, but they grew up together. She remembered one time when Eren was sick, and Dr. Jeagar had been out of town. Mrs. Jeagar and Mikasa had to take care of him. His fever got so high that he laid on his bed in nothing but his underwear.

"Eren you should put on some clothes. I'm cleaning, the Captain ordered it." Mikasa stated.

"Oh yeah, well a bunch of us are going swimming the lake, do you want to come? The room is already sparkling, I'm sure the Captain will be happy with your work." Mikasa thought about it. She would love to cool off in the lake on the other side of the house. She was setting down the cleaning supplies when a sinister voice made her stop.

"How about the Captain decides. I don't remember you having mind reading abilities now Jeagar." Levi, looking cross, stepped into the room. However, the sight of him was more of a shock than his tone. He was dressed casually, well casually for Levi. He wore a plain white dress shirt with his usual white cravat. Instead of the white and leather uniform pants, he had on black dress pants and shoes. Mikasa winced internally at his outfit, because the last time he had worn something similar to it, he had been injured because of her.

"Sir, I meant no disrespect!" Eren saluted as proudly as he could in boxers. Levi looked him over with a scoff.

"Go run along with the other idiots, Jeagar." Levi ordered Eren left the room with a pleading glance at his sister to follow. Mikasa gave the smallest of nods that she would try.

"This room is disgusting." Levi said, crushing her hopes of swimming. "Have you been napping in here? It looks like no one has lived here in years."

"No one has lived here in years." Mikasa snapped. She was annoyed at being ordered to clean an already clean room, and to be told it wasn't good enough. Levi looked at her sharply.

"What, do you want to go waste your time like those idiots?" Levi barked.

"They aren't idiots, they are my family!" Mikasa wouldn't stand to hear Eren and Armin called idiots anymore. Even though the Captain was her superior, she would not put up with hearing the boy who saved her life be called an idiot one more time.

"Your brother is strong, but he still has his head up his ass most of the time. Get over it." Levi was getting annoyed, couldn't she see that Jeagar was just a dumb child who needed his hand held?

"Eren is smart and kind and fearless! I wouldn't be alive without him!" Mikasa yelled, her anger driving her forward.

"That seems to be a gross exaggeration." Levi scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. That was the last straw for Mikasa, she knew that she was overreacting. She even recognized that Levi didn't know her history. That didn't stop her from throwing the feather duster down and stalking off past Levi.

"To hell with your cleaning, I'm going swimming with people who actually have a heart!" she yelled over her shoulder, tears threatening to spill over. She reined them in though, she would not give her Captain the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

Levi was stunned into silence for a moment. He had heard people call him heartless before, many times in fact, but hearing it from her stung. But why should it sting? This girl had no value to him other than her skills on the battlefield. Yes, she did have spirit, and yes she was beautiful. Gorgeous if Levi was honest with himself. And somewhere alongside the sting of her calling him heartless, he also felt bad for making her upset. Which was another thing that absolutely did not make sense. Since when did he care if someone cried because of him! He remembered being a bit softer as a criminal, but there was no room for softness in the Scouts. He heard a door slam above him and guessed that Mikasa had retreated to her room before she went to the lake.

He was curious however, about Mikasa saying that Jeagar saved her life. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had been the other way around, but the fact that Jeagar may have saved her life was mind boggling. He shook his head to try and forget about it, what did it matter really? But the thought just stuck in his mind. It would explain why she was so devoted to that half-wit. Levi decided that, as their commanding officer, he had a right to know. With that thought in his head, Levi strode to Mikasa's room.

The door shut. He stood staring at it for a minute. He was preparing himself to find Mikasa sobbing on her bed, perhaps with a stuffed animal collecting the tears. Girls did that right? He wasn't much of a ladies man. In fact, he had never looked at a women with much more that indifference. Petra was the only woman that he had a great deal of respect for, and that was just because of her prowess fighting Titans. When her dad had mentioned marriage, he had been shocked to say the least. But this was different. There was something different about the girl on the other side of the plain wooden door that drew Levi in.

He knocked quietly but with authority. He heard no reply from the other side of the door, so we tried the doorknob. The door was unlocked. He opened the door all the way before walking in. Mikasa was not on her bed sobbing, nor was she clinging to a stuffed animal. In fact, he could not see her anywhere. The room was empty except for a bed, chair, dressers, and table. He walked in, leaving the door open behind him.