A/N:

Hope you enjoy, leave a review if you can, and see you in the next chapter.

(Mello P.O.V)

"I thought I told you to have the next few days to yourself." My father persisted. "We can take care of ourselves."

I served the hastily made lunch before grabbing my side bag. "You know it's my routine to take care of everything. Besides, I have to go into the market today anyway."

"What for?"

I paused in my tracks and thought of something quickly. "Supplies and such. Mostly things for the garden."

The family all looked at each other before accepting my lame excuse.

I guess it would have been easier to tell them about Matt, but I got worried that my father would get too excited for me. Not to mention my mother and grandfather pressing questions on how I met him or what we were planning on doing today. Honestly, I couldn't even answer that much. I knew we were meeting up at the docks, but other than that what else could we be doing? I suppose I'd have to be on my guard. Lord knows how much the garrison actually tainted this one.

"Could I come with you?" Armin suddenly asked.

I hesitated. Normally I let him come with me as I enjoyed the company, but I couldn't let him know about Matt right away.

"Not today, Armin. I'll be awhile and I don't want you to get too tired. Maybe you could go see Eren and Mikasa today."

He slumped into his chair. "Okay."

I grinned slightly. "Want me to bring you back anything? You know I can find the best deals around in the market."

He grinned back at me. "Could you find those taffies you did last time?!"

"I'll certainly try. But that means you have to eat your entire dinner."

"No problem!" He said excitedly.

I chuckled as I opened the door. "Too bad father's cooking tonight."

And I immediately left the house. No one in our family could eat more than a few bites of our father's cooking, not because it was bad… because there was so much to usually eat.

Once in a week or two our father would cook and make heaping portions due to the food's expiration. He could cook fast and freely, and it usually ended in heaping portions. More often than not we invited Grisha and his family over as well to enjoy the portions with us. Eren seemed to enjoy the large amounts out of all of us.

It was hard to stock up on food nowadays, what with the food shortage and everything, but I knew where to get the best and the largest amounts. It was a gift really, and I shared this secret with no one. Not even my mother.

I got to the market in no time and almost immediately went for the docks. Even if Matt didn't show up, there were enough stalls down there that I could find something to occupy my time. I'd raised a bit of coin to spend on myself, so there had to be something.

The docks always smelled funny to others but I enjoyed it more than I let on. It smelled like freedom and adventure to me. Like there was history in the old boats. I doubt they'd been very far, or even outside the wall, but I still liked to imagine they'd gone on hundreds of adventures and saw the world in new points of views. And I longed to be on one of those boats and just… leave everything behind. Go out and see what the world had to offer.

I rested against the wall of a building and let my mind wander. I didn't know how long my eyes had been shut but it wasn't for very long. It didn't last that long since I felt a presence rest beside me, and when I opened my eyes I jumped back a little in surprise at seeing Matt so close to me.

"Cripes, do you have to be so silent?!" I exclaimed.

He shrugged. "You looked like you were deep in thought. I didn't want to ruin that."

I rolled my eyes. "That or you were mocking me."

"What would I have to gain by mocking you?"

This time it was my turn to shrug. "Most of the other soldiers make fun of others for being different. And they arrest the ones who are too different."

He pushed off the wall and strode up close to me. "I told you last night I'm not like other soldiers."

I don't have any clue why I didn't back away. Maybe it was his smile, or the way he looked me in the eye instead of up and down my body, but I felt… connected to him, somehow. Almost like I trusted him.

I forced myself to back away. I couldn't trust him. He was a soldier, corrupted and greedy like the rest of them. He probably got word from other soldiers about me rejecting them and decided to give it a go himself. Filthy pig.

I looked away from him. "I need to pick up a few things from the stalls. Follow me if you wish, but don't scare me again."

He put a hand over his heart and the other in the air. "You have my word!"

I decided to trust him, slightly, and walked off into the direction of one of the stalls. There I could get some gardening supplies. I was looking forward to a new crop of carrots this year. The ones last year did amazingly well. Maybe I could try for some fruit trees again.

I heard Matt chuckle slightly. "You're getting stares, Mello."

I blinked, looking up at him then around me. Indeed I was getting a few looks of fear and disapproval. I suppose that was because of the company I currently kept though.

I huffed. "You're to blame for it. You're part of the garrison. Everyone here has a reason to hate you."

"Oh? How so?"

I felt my eyes roll but continued anyway.

"For starters, all your soldiers ever do is get drunk and bother the residents of the district. You get paid to lounge around and do nothing, and when you do do something it's against our rights as free people. We aren't allowed to speak our minds, have what we need, and do what we'd like. Our taxes are through the roof, the price for food is too high, and it's all because we have to fund for people who do nothing at all. My family got lucky, but there are people who are starving themselves to death due to the soldiers having it all. You're fed all the bread and butter you wish, while the rest of us fight for even a morsel of that."

"I see. So then, what can we do to improve this?"

I stopped in my tracks and looked him straight in the eye. "You can start by trying to feed people who truly need the food. It's part of your jobs to help out the hungry and the homeless, yet you do nothing!"

"Our job is to keep the peace." He retorted.

I crossed my arms. "Good luck doing that without limbs. The moment everyone realizes there's strength in numbers your garrison will be nothing but the dirt beneath our feet."

He surprisingly grinned at this. "You're pretty passionate about this sort of thing."

I felt my nostrils flare. "I've watched people starve to death since I was ten."

"I've been starving since I was born." He countered.

I suddenly remembered his story and I immediately regretted everything I'd said.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

"Don't even worry about it." He interrupted, still grinning as he started our walk again. "The past is in the past. And I'm here now to make sure no other kid goes through the same thing I did. I thank your father for this opportunity. And you of course."

"Me? What did I do?"

He hummed a bit. "If I hadn't had ran into you I would have never even met your dad. Though, I never did get to stay the night at your place. I kept my promise though."

"Promise?" I asked, confused.

He turned to me with a wider grin. "You made me promise to come see you the moment I was done training. And here I am. Now what do you need at those stalls?"

I grinned back at him, feeling my cheeks go hot. It surprised me how much he remembered from our five seconds as kids. I guess it must have meant something to him.

I cleared my throat. "Just some seeds and tools for the garden."

"Well then, 'Lettuce' be off then!" He smiled happily. "Get it! Because… gardens!"

I rolled my eyes so hard my lids fluttered. "That was terrible."

"Oh, okay. Then you might like this one. Did you know I was once a chicken farmer?"

"Excuse me?" I questioned.

"You know. I raised cocks?"

I couldn't help the bit of laughter that escaped. That one was actually not that bad.

"Okay, I'll give you full points for that one. It was clever."

"I got a million of them!" He said proudly.

I sighed, still smiling. "Well, I got nothing to do for the day. Please, continue your stupidity."

"Ouch, that hurts." He joked. "But not as much as what my grandfather said before he kicked the bucket."

"What did he say?"

He sighed to himself. "He said, 'son… how far do you think I can kick this bucket?'."

I had to cover my mouth to stop from laughing. "Okay, another good one. Please, continue."

From the docks to the stalls he did his best to make me laugh. I admit to chuckling at a few, but laughing was not happening. It only made him try harder though. Even after I'd gotten what I needed he continued to joke around and tell stories. All of which had me grinning and smiling like a moron, but more than a few I had to groan at since they were just plain bad. But it was nice to have his company like this. Especially if he had such an accomplishment over me, even if he was a soldier.

But he was a better soldier than the others.

When the sun started to set I'd fully realized how long I'd been out. I didn't think my parents would care too much if I was late, but they knew me well enough that I never stayed out too late. They probably thought I'd been taken in by the military or something.

It's happened to others before.

When I convinced Matt I had to go home, him believing I was trying to ditch him, he made it his duty to walk me home and make sure I wasn't jumped. I appreciated the gesture, but I was more than capable of handling myself.

On the way home I looked up towards the sky and my mood drastically changed. On the other side of that wall was a sunset worth seeing. And I'd never get to see it myself.

I think Matt noticed this change inside me. "Are you okay?"

I took a breath before shrugging. "I suppose. Just daydreaming I guess."

"About what?"

I gestured to the wall off in the distance. "The wall blocks titans, but also the sunset. I've been here for sixteen years and never saw a real sunset over the horizon. And I'm too sure I'll be here for another sixteen and miss it completely."

Matt hummed at this. "Things can change over a few years. You might see one yet."

I shook my head. "No. Not when soldiers are the only ones allowed on the wall, and getting up there is no small feat for someone without your type of gear. It doesn't matter though. I'm usually holed up at home anyhow."

Matt said nothing to this and we continued our walk home.

Once we got to my home he let me be. But not before asking one last thing.

"Are you free tomorrow?"

Something about this question made me jolt in excitement. Did he really want to see me again?

I took a moment to think about it before turning to him with a grin. "Meet you at the docks?"

His grin widened. "Promise you won't forget me again?"

I didn't answer him. I only replied with, "See you at noon," then entered my home.

For the first time in my life, I had something exciting to look forward to.

(Armin P.O.V)

"You're back!" I said excitedly, getting everyone's attention.

Soon everyone was up and greeting Mello with hugs and worried words of 'where have you been?' or 'we were worried!'. Mihael didn't seem too upset about it though, and apologized for being late. He'd said something about taking some time for himself and just getting some fresh air before sitting down to eat.

"So where's to go off to?" Father asked him. "I thought you were just going to a few stalls."

Mihael shrugged. "Walked around, like I said. It took more time than I thought it would and I lost track of everything."

He jolted for a second and searched through his pack. "I think I forgot something though."

I smiled innocently. "Something for me?"

He gave me a look before looking to mom and dad. "Did he eat everything on his plate?"

"Even the greens." Father replied.

With that he brought out a box of taffies with a grin. "Then have at it. Save me some."

I hugged him happily before taking one out to nibble on. My brother really was the best.

"So did you meet anyone?" Father suddenly asked.

Mihael choked on his food before painfully swallowing the morsel. "Really?"

"I'm just asking!" The man replied with a smile. "You seemed pretty happy when you came back!"

"Because I got everything I needed." He reasoned. "Now I can start on a new crop of veggies."

"Really? What kinds of seeds did you get?" Mother asked.

"Carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and cauliflower. The merchant checked in the back and got me some pumpkin seeds as well. Good crops for the year, I'd say."

"Plus the seeds we harvested from the other crop, and we got ourselves a plantation!" Grandfather replied. "Well done, boy! You do take care of this family!"

"It's my job." He said proudly, finishing his plate of food.

"But not for this week." Father replied. "For this week, take some time for yourself. You overwork like this and you'll end up in a grave."

Mello sighed heavily. "You just aren't going to stop until I agree to this, are you?"

"Does that mean you'll finally listen?" He persisted.

The blonde teen took a moment to think about this before coming up with a compromise.

"Tell you what, let me still work in the mornings, and the afternoon is all mine. If only for this week."

"Deal! At least you'll get out a bit more and meet some new people."

Mihael grinned cheekily at this as he took his plate off to the wash bin. Something about that smile made me question him slightly. Like there was something he was hiding.

Maybe he was hiding something…

…or someone.