Disclaimer: I don't own SNK

Ch.3

Mikasa had gone back to her room to calm down. She put her head in her hands and let out a long sigh. Did she actually just yell at a senior officer? How could she be so stupid! Her punishment would be extreme, that much was certain. Would Eren be punished too? No that was silly, he didn't do anything. She would probably be demoted. But she was already the lowest rank. Maybe Levi would make her be a trainee again. It felt good to yell at him though. She hadn't talked to him like that since the forest of giant trees. There she had blamed him for Eren getting taken by Annie.

She did feel a little bit bad though. He had taken time out of his day to help her get stronger, and he was actually putting a lot of effort into it. The race today had shown how much he expected of her, and how much faith he had in her. No one had shown that much confidence in her abilities, not even Eren. She did have to admit that Levi had a point when he called Eren an idiot; he was. Mikasa loved him with all her heart, but she knew that Eren had a lot of growing up to do. That still didn't give him a right to say it though! But her anger was ebbing away. She ought to apologize for her rudeness, and hopefully not become a trainee again.

But first she would go swimming with her friends. She couldn't get herself in more trouble that she already was, and this might be the last time she could do something fun with them. She rose off her bed and went to the bathrooms to grab a towel. She slunk quietly through the old house so as not to draw a certain Captain's attention. Once she was past the back doors, she sprinted to the lake where everyone else was splashing around or laying in the sun.

"Hey Mikasa! You made it! I thought the Captain was going to chew your head off for sure!" Eren yelled from the middle of the lake. He waved his hand for her to join him and the others. She threw her towel on the ground and stripped to her underclothes. Jean whistled from his place near Eren, but choked on it when Mikasa threw him a look that nearly killed him. Mikasa ran into the water and swam confidently towards Eren. She hadn't had many chances to ever swim, but it was a skill that seemed to come naturally to her.

As Mikasa came close to Eren, something grabbed her from below and pulled her down. She panicked for a moment, before seeing that it was only Sasha, who had copious amounts of bubbles escaping from her silently laughing mouth. Mikasa popped back up on the surface only to be met with a wave of water from Eren. They both laughed as they began a war of splashing. The others soon joined in.

After an hour of splashing around, everyone was getting tired and hungry. They all trekked back to the house in a sopping wet line. Mikasa trailed behind, not wanting to face the Captain yet. However, she knew it was inevitable. She walked back to her room with nothing but her towel wrapped around her. She hadn't wanted to put her good clothes on over her wet ones. As she rounded the corner of the hallway where her room was located, she saw that her door was open. I thought I shut that, she thought. She walked in and was startled to see Captain Levi sitting on her bed, holding her scarf in his hands. She cleared her throat, since it seemed he didn't notice she was there.

Levi looked up at Mikasa, and his eyes widened noticeably. He had not expected her to be wearing, well hardly anything at all. Mikasa's face reddened but she remained calm, she knew what she had to do

"Sir, I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. It was unacceptable and there are no excuses. I will accept whatever punishment you assign to me. I can only repeat how sorry I am." Mikasa said all of this with a deep bow.

"Put on some clothes Ackerman." Mikasa looked up in surprise. That was all? Maybe he wanted to make a public announcement; to make an example out of her.

"Yes sir." Mikasa scrambled to grab fresh clothes from her dresser while keeping a tight hold on her towel. The last thing she wanted was for the Captain to see her practically naked. When she saw that he hadn't moved from her bed, she went out to the bathrooms to change.

When she was all dressed, she walked back to her room. Levi's position had not shifted.

"Shut the door Ackerman." Levi ordered when she walked back in. Mikasa nodded and shut her door, butterflies blossoming in her stomach at the thought of her looming punishment. She stood in front of him, waiting for the worst. What next came out of his mouth was completely unexpected.

"How did Jeagar save your life?"
"What, sir?"

"Earlier, you said that Jeagar had saved your life. How?" Levi looked up at her now. His eyes revealed nothing but faint curiosity. They were searching, but there was nothing malicious or threatening in them. They were so unlike the eyes that normally glared out of that face. Mikasa was unsure if she really wanted to talk about it, even her and Eren rarely talked about it, but he had asked her a question and if she wanted to avoid getting in more trouble, she ought to answer.

"Well, it happened when I was a little girl." Mikasa began.

"Sit." Levi interrupted her, patting the open space of bed beside him. Mikasa sat awkwardly, not wanting to sit too close.

"Continue." Levi ordered, his tone commanding but without the sharp edge that usually followed it.

"I used to live in the mountains in Wall Maria. It was just me and my parents. We were happy together. One day my mom got a cold, so we sent for Dr. Jeagar, Eren's dad, who was the nearest doctor. While we were waiting for him to arrive, two men knocked on our door. They were not the doctor. They came in and-", Mikasa had to stop and choke back the tears that threatened to come. The memory she was revealing was not one she thought about much. It was painful and the scar left on her heart still bled. Something warm fell on her shoulders. Mikasa opened her eyes and saw that her scarf was no longer in Levi's hands, but he had placed it gently over her shoulders. The feeling was so comforting that Mikasa almost lost her grip on her emotions. But it also felt good to tell her story to her Captain. It felt like a bond was being made that would make them stronger soldiers. Mikasa cleared her throat and continued.

"They came in and killed my father. The tried to take my mother, but she fought so hard they killed her too. I was too little to do anything but stand and watch. They knocked me out, and when I came to, I was in a dingy little cabin somewhere I didn't know. It couldn't have been too far thought, because by that time Dr. Jeagar and Eren had discovered my house. Eren tracked the men down. While they were discussing about selling me on the black market, Eren came in and killed two of them with a knife. He untied me, and when a third man came in the room, I killed him. He gave me this scarf then. Eren saved me from a horrible fate, and no matter how hard I try, I can never repay him for his courage. He once told me that we have to fight to live, and I now live by those words." Mikasa stopped talking. She no longer felt the need to cry, she just felt tired. Reliving the story was exhausting. She didn't want to look at Levi, all she wanted to do was lay down in her bed and fade off into sleep.

However, her Captain currently occupied a portion of her bed. She looked up at him only to find his eyes staring straight through her. They were clouded with…something. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there were definitely not focused on her or anything at all it seemed. She noticed that his fists were clenched tightly. Why was he so worked up?

"Captain?" Mikasa asked hesitantly after several moments of silence. Levi's eyes snapped back from wherever they had been. They stared straight through her soul with piercing fury. Mikasa widened her eyes in shock at their grey intensity. She had no idea what had made him so angry. Was her punishment about to come? Did he think she had made it up? He had been so gentle and, dare she say caring, when he put her scarf around her.

Levi sprang off of the bed and paced the room a few times before stopping right in front of Mikasa.

"I understand your loyalty to Jeagar now. I didn't think the kid had it in him to do something like that. I apologize for forcing you to relive those memories, however, I think we now better understand each other." Levi said quickly.

"Understand each other sir? I am sorry, but I'm confused. I thought I would be punished for earlier." Mikasa's head was spinning, why was Levi apologizing? He didn't do anything wrong, she had, and yet it seemed that had been forgotten.

"You are forgiven from earlier. It seems everyone has shocking secrets that are hidden within them." Levi remained standing. Mikasa felt she ought to do or say something, but she didn't know what.

"Do you have secrets, sir?" She asked, instantly regretting it. She had been forgiven from her outburst earlier, and now she was sticking her nose where it didn't belong.

"That is a story for another time." Levi said slowly, seeming to agree with her thoughts. "But perhaps if you perform well during training tomorrow you will earn it." Mikasa looked at him with surprise. Was Levi offering to share his past with her? That seemed out of character for the enigmatic Captain. But she didn't complain, the bond that she felt growing earlier was certainly there now, and she could think of no reason not to strengthen it.

She stood up from her seat on her bed and saluted him. This put them very close together, with her fist almost brushing against his shirt. She had expected Levi to take a step back, but he remained where he was. Their eyes look directly into each other's. Mikasa felt her heart skip a beat for reasons unknown to her. Why did she feel so weird right now? That was the only way to describe how she felt.

Levi, on the other hand knew exactly what he was feeling, and he did not like it at all. He felt himself being pulled towards her, and he hated it. How dare his emotions betray him like this! This girl in front of him would die one day at the hands of a Titan, he wouldn't let himself become attached. It had hurt when his squad had been killed, but he knew that if he had to watch Mikasa die it would be worse. He felt a new determination to train her harder. She needed to be better than him. The last time he thought an equal could take care of themselves, he lost two of the closest friends he had ever had. He could still see their faces as they were devoured by Titans. He would not let her meet the same fate. She had to be stronger than he was.

"Be at the lake early tomorrow for training. I will not come a get you again." Levi said and spun on his heels out of the room. He had his hand on the door when he paused. Without looking back at her he said, "Thank you for sharing your story with me. I will take it with me to the grave." With that he walked out of the room, closing the door softly. Mikasa was dumbfounded. She couldn't understand why her heart was having trouble slowing down, or why she felt sad when he left the room. Her stomach growling interrupted her confusion. She decided that she ought to eat first and then figure out why her body was acting so strangely.

Mikasa made her way down to the dining room where everyone else was already eating. Eren waved her over. He already had a tray of food for her next to him. She smiled at him, and thought about how much he meant to her. He may never know, but she would always take care of him, no matter what.

"You're late! Where have you been?" Armin asked her from across the table.

"The Captain needed to talk to me." Mikasa said, gaining several curious looks from around the table.

"About what?" Eren asked, putting his full fork down.

"Cleaning." Said a stern voice form behind Mikasa. She spun around and saw that Levi had followed her into the dining room. "She did a good job in here and I need her to clean the upstairs hallway tomorrow. You lot can't even clean behind your ears properly." With that Levi walked up to Erwin to eat with him and Hange. Mikasa was surprised that he decided to compliment her. A warm feeling in her stomach startled her. She decided to ignore and eat her food.

"What was that about? I thought he was about to breath fire from the way he was looking at us. But hey, Mikasa! You got a compliment from the Captain! I don't think he's ever complimented anyone before." Eren laughed. Armin laughed from across the table, but Mikasa caught the weird look he was giving her.

Dinner passed with no more excitement than Connie choking on a piece of meat. Mikasa felt eyes on her back all nice from the head table, but she didn't want to turn around to find out. After the meal, the Cadets made their way upstairs. They were all talking and laughing, and Mikasa felt good. She was with the people she cared about, she was full, and she felt safe. She thought the last one was kind of stupid since they weren't safe, but a pair of grey eyes made her feel like she could sleep easy.

She said goodnight to Eren and Armin, and walked into her room. It seemed empty for some reason, like there was something that should be there but wasn't. Nothing was missing though. Mikasa sighed, she must be more tired than she thought. She quickly undressed and fell into bed. If she had to get up early in the morning, she wanted to be well rested.

The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon when Mikasa awoke the next morning. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and got up out of bed. Even though it was summer, the cold of night clung on and she shivered. She pulled out her normal uniform. She wasn't sure what to expect from training that day. Wishing she knew what Levi had in mind, she walked into the quiet kitchen to grab a roll for breakfast. She didn't want to be full before training, but she knew that wouldn't perform her best without something to give her energy.

She walked out of the building with the last bite of the bread roll disappearing between her teeth. The birds were singing and the sun made the dew on the ground sparkle. Mikasa couldn't help but smile. There was not much beauty left in the world, but this morning was beautiful to her. She looked out across the lake and couldn't see Levi anywhere. I must have beaten him here. She thought happily. She wanted to impress him today. The past two training sessions had ended in failure, although the race had been close.

She walked to the water's edge and pulled off her leather boots and socks. She rolled up her pant legs a few inches and stepped into the water. It was cold, but it felt good and refreshing. She dug her toes into the sand for warmth. She crossed her arms over her chest and started humming quietly to herself. It was an old song that she knew from Armin. He had said that it was an old lullaby used before the Titans came around. How he knew that she didn't know, but she liked the tune anyways.

Light footsteps interrupted her peace. She turned around slowly, knowing who it was.

"It seems you finally beat me at something." Levi said as he approached her. She wasn't sure, but it seemed like his was making a joke. Mikasa graced him with a small smile, which he returned. This surprised her even more. Perhaps this was part of training, he was trying to throw her off her guard. Well it was working, that was for sure. The warm feeling returned to her stomach and her heart sped up. Mikasa ignored these things and focused on what Levi was doing. She didn't want to be caught off guard

Levi noticed her face flush minutely and had to hold back another smile. One was enough for one day. He noticed that she had her feet in the water and had to hold back another smile. What was wrong with him today? He straightened his back and quickly surveyed the area. It wasn't as clear of debris as the sandy training hollow, but it would work.

"Put your boots back on, this isn't play time. Today we are going to be fighting hand to hand combat again. I'll try not hurt you again, but I expect you to leave with some bruises. Don't hold anything back." Levi waited until she had her boots back on before he launched himself at her. She was obviously not prepared, but she still dodged him. She stumbled to find her footing, and while she was doing that, Levi had spun around, waiting for Mikasa to strike.

Mikasa had quickly readjusted her balance and stood lightly on her toes. She coiled her muscles like a snake and sprang forward in a sharp, twisting motion. Levi didn't have time to react. For once, Mikasa had beaten him with her speed. She jabbed at his left side and then retreated. Levi tried to counterattack, but Mikasa was out of the way long before that. He was stunned. Where did that speed come from? He wondered. She had certainly possessed speed with the 3DM gear, but this was much different from their first battle.

Their training session continued in the same fashion. Mikasa darting in with quickly little blows, leaving Levi dumbfounded. However, Mikasa began sporting several bruises as well. She was too slow on one punch and before she could get away, Levi had landed a blow to her stomach. That one knocked the wind out of her and she was regretting eating anything that morning as it threatened to come back up.

"Alright that's enough." Levi said after an hour of their brutal dance. They were both covered in sweat, dirt, and bruises. Mikasa's bruised ribs from their first battle was bothering her again. She was exhausted. She hated to admit that she had lost again to her Captain, although not nearly as bad as before.

"Get inside and get cleaned up. You smell disgusting." Levi ordered.

"You don't smell much better yourself, and you look even worse than you smell." Mikasa risked a joke. She felt like she could be more relaxed with her Captain and mentor since sharing her story. Levi looked angry for a moment before he noticed her smiling. He let a short cough of laughter escape his mouth and gave a wry smile.

"Careful Ackerman, you are on my good side now, but once these bruises start to smart you had better stay away from me." Levi joked back. It felt good to be friendly with someone other than Erwin and Hange. Now they were all he had left to consider friends.

"I'll go shower and then get breakfast with the rest of the Cadets. Is that alright sir?" Mikasa added the question to still show respect to her senior officer. Levi just nodded. With that, Mikasa ran/limped back to the house, excited to clean the sweat off of herself. Levi followed slowly after, once again impressed by her abilities.