Hello SnK readers, Midnight here!

So Christmas and all the other holidays (depending on what you celebrate) is right around the corner! I always have loved it when authors that I follow release a special Christmas piece they wrote simply for the holiday season, so I wanted to do that this year for my readers!

I wanted to write this special holiday piece for SnK because that's the series I'm stuck on right now! After a lot of thought and talks with friends who watch the show, I was able to create what I believe would be their version of Christmas. I don't per say claim 'rights' on this made up holiday, but if its something you want to work with, tell me so I can appreciate the fact that my writing (hopefully) inspires others out there!

Anyhow, this is my gift to you this year! Merry whatever you celebrate – get some cocoa, pull up a blanket, and enjoy the read. Stay safe this coming year, and as always, thanks for reading!

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"Dearest Father,

It's the Eve of All Walls Day again, so I can safely say that I hope you have a Merry Walls Day this year! The holiday season seemed to come so quickly this time around, didn't it? I've been so busy with my military duties; I haven't even had time to do any shopping yet! Not that I have too much shopping anyway though. I'd like to get a trinket or two for my squad mates and maybe the Captain – but most of all I want to make sure that you get everything on your wish list to the Goddesses, so let me know okay?"

Petra continued writing to her father, expressing her excitement for the upcoming season. All Walls Day had always been her favorite holiday; it was one of the few government-approved celebrations where many people had the day off to spend with their families and enjoy all the good that was left in humanity.

All Walls Day had originated as a religious holiday, documenting when the goddesses had come to Earth and built the three walls for protection - a gift that had spared humanity from a grim fate. In turn, it was traditionally celebrated every December by families giving each other gifts and writing wish lists to the Goddesses for further blessings. It was a time marked with gratefulness that humanity was able to survive another year.

While not everyone believed in the Goddesses and the religious meaning behind the holiday, it was still a joyful time at the end of the year that many people, Petra included, looked forward to. In a time of constant fear and uncertainty, All Walls Day was a source of hope and joy.

Finishing up her letter, Petra slid it inside a small white envelope, hoping that somehow her father would feel all her love upon receiving it. Setting the letter in her desk for the day's mail pickup, Petra moved out of her room and to the kitchen to start the day's preparations.

Setting to work on the coffee, Petra hummed a holiday tune to herself while she worked. While this wasn't her first holiday season spent as a member of the Scout Regiment, it was her first Walls Day on Team Levi, meaning that unlike previous years, she wouldn't have to spend the holiday alone. She wasn't silly enough to believe they would sit around a fire and sing songs or eat dinner together, but just the fact that the day would be spent with her comrades, that would be enough.

As she began grabbing small coffee mugs from the cabinet, she heard noise in the adjacent dining room. Peering out from the doorway, Petra gave a warm smile, "Good morning Captain, Merry Walls Eve!"

If Levi had heard her, he didn't make any acknowledgement of her greeting and sat down at his usual spot at the table. Not surprised by his lack of response, (the Captain was hardly a morning person) Petra continued, deciding that to start the day, she would make the coffee a bit special.

Rummaging through the supply closet, Petra grabbed the small containers of cinnamon and cocoa powder. The Scout Regiment was not exactly well funded, so she was always careful about how much she used in the kitchen, but today was a special occasion. Grabbing a bit of cream, Petra whisked it into the coffee, adding the cocoa and cinnamon slowly as she stirred, taking care that she didn't add so much that it became bitter and overbearing.

Taking a sip of her creation, Petra smiled warmly. Usually in the mornings she prepared basic black coffee with just a bit of sugar to help cut the bitterness of the drink, but today the coffee tasted sweet, creamy, and festive. It was sure to be a good start to what would certainly be a good day. Carefully bringing out the mugs of the prepared coffee into the dining room, Petra sat down, greeting her teammates who had gathered at the table in the past few minutes.

"Good Morning everyone!" Petra greeted as she sat down, "Merry Walls Eve!"

Eld nodded back at her, "Merry Walls Eve to you too. You seem in good spirits Petra."

Giving a bright smile, Petra grabbed a mug and pulled it up slowly, enjoying the warmth of the porcelain, "Yeah. I've always loved this time of year."

"I can tell," Eld responded good-naturedly, grabbing a mug of coffee as well, "It shows in the coffee alone. Is that cinnamon? I can smell it from here."

Petra nodded, glad that her work was being appreciated, "Yep. Nothing too fancy, just something a bit out of the ordinary you know? It's got extra sugar, a bit of cream, cocoa and cinnamon."

"Well done!" Eld responded after taking a drink, "You'll have to make it like this more often, this is really good."

"Nope," Petra insisted stubbornly, "It's special just for the holidays. We can't afford to burn through spices like that, so if you want more, you'll have to wait till next year."

"Well, on topic of the holidays - and this is very good by the way Petra-" Gunther spoke up, "Do we have any tasks to complete today Captain?"

Petra nodded her head in thanks at Gunther, turning her attention toward Levi. The Captain nodded, "Well, because of the holidays, higher ups have requested the Scout Regiment stay in Wall Sina for the time being to enjoy the end of the year with the noblemen and other regiments." Levi sighed, "So, while it's unfortunate that the holidays are cutting into our normal routine, I think it best if we use our time productively and run drills until the Walls Day Formal tonight."

Aururo snorted, and Petra found she was mildly surprised that he had managed to stay quiet for so long, "Running drills all day on Walls Eve? Sounds like you really are a festive fanatic there Levi. Gotta tone down on that holiday cheer, it might just top Petra's merry coffee blend."

Opening her mouth to berate him for his unneeded sarcasm, Petra took a breath, though Levi beat her to the punch, "I could care less really. What good is a holiday if humanity doesn't exist? Besides, I don't want my squad to drop in skill because you guys have gorged yourselves into fat pigs. Today, we run drills."

Petra frowned. Though she would never speak against the Captain's orders, she was hoping that they might get a bit of free time today. She did in fact want to go into the city and buy gifts for everyone, and she still had to get a dress for tonight as well.

Each year the government held a large party in Wall Sina for the military and noblemen. It was a way for the government to thank the active military members, as well as a time of remembrance for those that had been lost throughout the year. While it wasn't hard to have all military members attend – it was the biggest celebration of the year – attendance was technically mandatory. The only issue for Petra was that the Walls Day Formal was a black tie event. Being in the military meant she didn't exactly have a lot of time to go shopping for such trivial things, which left her having to figure things out last minute.

Likely having seen her downcast expression as she regarded their situation, Aururo turned to her, "Oh don't worry about Levi's choice, Petra dearest. I heard that people who make their subordinates work on Walls Eve have their own grim fate to worry about. Supposedly, the three spirits of Maria, Rose, and Sina will visit them in the middle of the night and show them their past, present, and future. If you don't choose to be a holly jolly, Wall-loving citizen from then on, you die!"

Having heard enough, Petra rolled her eyes, "Oh shut up and drink your stupid coffee. You shouldn't joke like that; no one is impressed when you try to act cool like the Captain."

Aururo snickered, "Ah, but brown nosing won't add kills to your record Petra, remember that."

"Enough." Levi spoke up, grabbing his coffee finally and drinking it quietly while Petra gave a small huff, reminding herself to ignore her outspoken teammate as best as possible.

"Considering no one seems overly thrilled about running drills today, does anyone else have any better ideas?" Levi asked, continuing to drink his coffee while waiting for a response.

Gunther spoke first, "I won't say it's a better idea per say, but I have personal things I am hoping to attend to, if possible. As always however, I will follow orders if given."

Levi nodded and moved his attention to Eld, who gave a light shrug, "It's Walls Eve, and I have family here in Wall Sina. It's been a long while since I've been able to enjoy spending time with them. I'd be back before the formal, but I wouldn't have time to visit if we have duties throughout the day."

"And I've got to find a date for the formal tonight." Aururo smirked, glancing across the room at Petra, who rolled her eyes, "Not like that will take too long though. Lots of ladies would love to go with me. I'll probably have to take more than one in fact, you'll see."

Petra tried not to snort, though she was amused by his arrogance none the less.

"And you Petra?"

She looked at Levi, a small smile painting her lips innocently, "Well, I do love Walls Day. I was hoping to get some shopping done. That is of course, if everyone will be here together tomorrow. If not then, I guess it wouldn't matter if we ran drills."

Levi nodded, looking around at his team, "Alright then, we run drills, but only after Walls Day is over."

Petra smiled fully, fighting the urge to leap across the table and hug him.

Levi continued, "The following morning after Walls Day I expect you all here, prepared for serious work at seven a.m. sharp. We are going to make up for these two days, mark my words."

Various words of gratitude and holiday wishes were said and everyone quickly bustled out of the room to set off on their own agendas. Soon, only Levi and Petra remained.

Petra busied herself with clearing up the used coffee cups in a hurried fashion, drinking the small amount that was left. She wanted to finish up as soon as possible and head into town to make the most of the day. Childish or not, she could not deny how excited she was to have some real time to enjoy the holiday. While being on such an advanced squad was certainly an honor, personal time was almost always sacrificed for further training, and was rarely given so freely – holiday or not.

As she rinsed out the coffee cups, Petra spoke up to ensure Levi would be able to hear her past the running water, "So if I can ask Captain, what are your holiday plans?"

"I don't really plan anything special for the holidays – the government does enough of that for me," he responded simply.

Petra looked over toward Levi, "Most people are thrilled to get invited to the formal, but then I suppose if parties aren't your thing then-"

"They aren't." Levi stated factually, tipping the coffee cup higher as he drank it, finishing off the cup.

Petra couldn't help but find his response amusing. For most military members, the formal was something that was anticipated for months in advance; who was going with who, what was the theme, which dresses the girls were going to wear- but she suspected Levi was not the type to value such lavish events in the first place.

Levi stood up from the table, holding his empty cup, and moved into the kitchen. A comfortable silence filled the room as Petra rinsed and began setting the cups for drying.

Levi stood beside her, looking down at her slightly. "The formal, do you have plans set?"

Petra laughed warmly, moving to a lower cabinet to grab a dish towel. Grabbing the first mug and drying off the residual water, she set the mug down and set to work on the next, "Hardly. No offense Captain, but you've kept us so busy I've hardly had any time at all to prepare for the holiday, let alone something like the Walls Day Formal."

Levi nodded, "Time well spent at least." He set his cup down in the sink, then crossed his arms and slouched against the counter, "You'll accompany me tonight."

Petra couldn't help but noticeably jolt at his words, the dishes clinking loudly in the sink after one slipped from her hands.

"I'm doing what exactly, Captain?" Petra stuttered in shock, physically understanding what Levi said, though not quite able to take it in fully.

"The Walls Day Formal, you're going with me." Levi repeated in a casual manner, as though he were discussing the weather or some other bland, uninteresting topic.

"As in, like a…?" The word that she wanted to say was 'date' though she found that she couldn't speak the word aloud.

"As in, like an order." Levi inserted with a note of finality, "It starts at eight, so I'll meet you here at seven thirty. That should leave enough time to get there."

"I – I…" Petra stammered, not sure how to get out the right words. It was common for military personal to bring dates – hell, she'd even go as far as to say it was expected as there were very few people that didn't, but for events like this, a girl was asked to go, not told, and certainly not ordered.

"I can't." Petra finished lamely; feeling like her heart would beat right out of her chest if given the opportunity. If she were being honest with herself, she did admire the young captain, perhaps more than she should, and going as his date, romantic or otherwise, was just a bit much for her.

"Is that so?" Levi stated, his voice still lacking any real interest, "You've never questioned my leadership before."

"No it's not that, I mean…You have to take someone else!"

"Someone else? Certainly you aren't referring to Aururo…" Levi asked with a quirked eyebrow, looking confused, as though she were the one spouting out nonsense and not him.

Getting tongue tied even further, Petra could feel her face flushing, which only added to her dismay, "No that's not - I really shouldn't have – I mean, why me, exactly?"

Levi grabbed the towel from her, re-drying a mug she had placed down before looking it over and setting it in the cupboard, "You are my subordinate; it only makes sense you'd accompany me as a member of my squad."

Petra scoffed internally. No, that did not make sense at all. Because of their difference in rank, that was all the more reason to not go together, actually. Also, with the fact that she was the only female that reported directly under Levi, their relationship was already suspicious enough. She didn't want to send the wrong message to the other party-goers by going as his escort.

Levi continued, breaking her thoughts, "Do you prefer not to be around me?"

"No no, that's not it at all!" Petra squeaked in protest.

"Alright then, I'll be here at seven thirty." Levi folded the towel neatly and handed it back to Petra, not at all seeming to note her rather obvious hesitance. "Between now and then, I have things to get accomplished while you Deck-the-Walls-merriment-seekers enjoy holiday cheer." He spoke the word 'holiday' like a curse, before adding in, "I'll be speaking with Erwin if anyone needs me."

Levi pushed off the counter slowly, giving Petra a curt nod, before walking off toward the doorway.

Trying to once again gather her words, Petra stuttered further, "Uh… yeah, um, I'll let the squad know…"

Only after she was sure that Levi was far out of sight did she allow herself a small glare to the heavens, wondering if this was a higher power's bad attempt at a Walls Day miracle, or if she was in fact just that unlucky.

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It was hours later that Petra found herself staring into a mirror self-consciously, trying to pin up her hair in some intricate fashion while eyeing the time warily.

She had about fifteen minutes before she was supposed to meet up with Levi.

Letting out a nervous sigh, Petra moved over to her desk, grabbing out the various small containers of makeup she had managed to find in town. Having been a soldier for most of her life, she hadn't found it necessary to invest in things like makeup, but she did have a steady hand and felt she wouldn't have too much difficulty with the products.

Carefully dusting her face with a tinted powder, Petra wondered what the night would have in store. Was Levi just expecting her to walk in the party with him, or did he expect her to stay with him the whole time, like an actual date? She would hate to assume the former and offend him by leaving. On the other hand, she didn't want to be annoying and stick around all night if he really just wanted to be alone. A mental image of Levi endlessly glaring at her came to mind, and Petra couldn't help but feel mortified as a sense of dread washed over her.

This was certainly not how she had envisioned spending All Walls Eve. She had imagined she would have gotten dressed up, sure, but the evening would have been light-hearted and fun. She would have easily spent the night dancing with her teammates or other military friends. She wanted to mingle and catch up with any remaining friends enlisted in other regiments, and talk about something other than death and titans. Now, however, all she could imagine was awkwardly hanging around Levi who was certain to make her far too self-conscious to relax and too nervous to be able to say anything even mildly intelligent. She had originally thought that after the party, she would stay up late until All Walls Day. She planned on making more coffee for the squad to enjoy, but now she was seriously contemplating crawling back to her room to hide as soon as the event was over.

Why did Levi even want her to go with him anyway? He had never seemed to treat her as anything other than his subordinate, and even his 'invitation' today had been done from a standpoint as her commanding officer but…

"It really would be helpful if he was a bit less cryptic sometimes," Petra decided inwardly with slight frustration, setting the powder aside and continuing to prepare for the evening.

After a few more minutes of primping, Petra huffed, frowning as she looked into the mirror. Surely he understood that this was not a normal request! It was not normal for a commanding officer to order someone to do things that had nothing to do with the military. Sure he could order the squad to train, or clean, or a number of different things, but social behavior at a party? Surely that crossed some sort of line, right?

Besides, it had been difficult enough for her to keep things strictly professional on her end. Whatever term be stamped to it, she did highly admire Levi. She had known of him through whispers on the wind when she first joined the Scout Regiment. She had heard he was a perfect soldier. Untouchable. Humanity's Strongest. His very name held great respect amongst their ranks even then. She could still remember being thoroughly shocked when she received orders of an internal transfer to the Special Ops Team– shocked even further when she heard it was Levi himself who picked each member. Granted she was the best on her squad, but to be chosen by Captain Levi himself? She vowed then and there that she would live up to that great honor. She knew she would never be as good as Levi – but she was determined to prove to him as many times as it took, that he was not wrong in picking her.

Somewhere between trying prove her worth as a member of the Special Ops Squad and learning to bring her skills further up to par, something had shifted. She couldn't exactly point to when, but what had started as admiring his strength as a leader morphed into something more; something that couldn't so easily be labeled.

The odd thing was that under any other circumstance, she would have been thrilled about going out with him. If Levi had asked her to go, she would have said yes without a moment's hesitation. That was the problem though.

He hadn't asked. He'd told her.

Plus, his reasons seemed anything but heartfelt; she doubted it was personal at all. That was perhaps what bothered her the most. She wanted it to mean something to him. She wanted him to think of her and feel something. She wanted him to be lost in thought about her eyes, or her smile, or toss and turn at night wondering if she cared for him too. She knew it was too much to ask, and she knew it was a foolish dream, but it was a beautiful dream none the less, and one that she held fast to.

Grabbing the black stick of kohl, Petra outlined her eyes and dusted on some neutral shaded eye shadow. Aside from her frustration about how the evening was starting, to make matters worse she was fairly nervous. She had never dressed up around her team before. Actually, she was used to being seen in her absolute worst. They had all seen each other slick with sweat, dirty from the expeditions, bloody from battle – not to mention having to smell each other on the way back home. In fact, that was the norm. While Levi was known for being a neat freak in their particular division, some things were inevitable.

Taking another long look at herself in the mirror, Petra bit her lip in contemplation. She thought she looked nice. She had managed to find a green cocktail dress that fit her nicely and was still affordable. It hugged her curves but was still classy and elegant. If she had her way, she would have worn a pair of strappy heels to make her short little legs have just a bit more length to them, however with the knowledge she was going with Levi, she made sure to find a nice pair of flats instead.

Petra grabbed her tinted chap stick – lipstick was just a bit too expensive she found – and applied that, careful to not smudge any onto her teeth. Shooting herself a smile, Petra reviewed her reflection once more.

Her hair was pulled up, curled slightly in a fashion that hinted at elegance, her eyes were lined and her lips were sheen and pink. The dress did in fact fit her well. Green was a good color for her, and all things considered, she felt the color appropriate for the occasion. Her stomach churned nervously as she looked herself over in the mirror. In some twisted sense she was dressing up for her Captain, and that knowledge was hard to swallow . Petra groaned at her bad luck, unable to stop an embarrassed red hue from spreading over her face under her blush as she pondered the idea.

…What if he thought she was ugly? While she couldn't see him ever saying such a horrible thing – though with Levi one could never be sure – she was hoping that perhaps, just maybe, he might say something nice. Despite herself, Petra gave a small sarcastic laugh. That really would be a Walls Day Miracle, for Petra could not once, not even once, remember Levi paying her a single compliment.

Taking a deep breath, Petra put her things away before slipping on her matching flats and, after a moment of gaining her courage, she closed the door behind her and started walking down the hallway.

Why was she doing this? Why had she spent so much time getting ready, going through the emotional ringer, all for a stupid Captain who clearly was treating this as just another military transaction? Petra let her mind continue in sarcasm – that's right, because Levi pulled rank and ordered she go. Was that even legal?

"Petra."

She heard Levi's voice before she saw him. She had been so lost in her thoughts that his voice had taken her by surprise, especially considering she was expecting to meet him not right outside her door. Schooling her expression, Petra turned slowly to the voice that had come from behind her.

There stood Levi, slouching against the wall by her doorway, looking down at the floor with no readable expression. Taking a small moment to observe him, Petra wasn't sure why she was so surprised to see him in a suit. Dressing up was just as mandatory as the attendance, but still. Petra was shocked at just how well formal wear looked on him. The well cut angles of the attire accented his sharp facial bones and the black attire highlighted his pale skin. Petra noticed that instead of a tie, he wore his trademark cravat.

"You're late." He stated after a moment, standing up fully and putting his hands in his pockets as he approached her.

Feeling suddenly very small under his gaze, Petra looked around the hall, wondering just how much time had managed to escape her, "Sorry Captain, I guess time just got away from me…"

"No matter." Levi stated in a dismissive tone, "Let's go."

Levi walked at a moderate pace, which took Petra slightly off guard. Not that she had imagined they would start running or break out the 3DM gear to make up the time, but a leisurely stroll? Then again, it wasn't like Levi was looking forward to the party, so there likely wasn't any real rush to get there.

Petra let out a breath at this small revelation, matching him in step as they moved. She knew better than to expect Levi to have a long drawn out conversation with her, but as they moved out of their temporary dorm and into the streets of Sina, she began to wish he would at least say something.

During the walk, she had opened her mouth a few times, hoping to break the silence, but found she didn't really have anything of value to say. It wasn't that the silence was awkward; it was just that it was supposed to be a day of celebration. They were walking to a party, not a memorial service; couldn't the atmosphere just be a little bit more joyful? Or at least a bit less serious?

"Um, so…do you like wearing a suit…?" Petra asked, horror instantly washing over her the moment the words had left her mouth. A suit? Of all the things to say! Petra was inwardly bashing her head against a wall; she should have just stayed quiet!

While Levi was normally very stoic, the question was indeed rather odd, so he looked over slowly at her, confusion clearly defined in his features.

"I… suppose..." Levi stated slowly, his hawk-like gaze unwavering, making the once comfortable silence suddenly unbearable.

Petra could feel her entire face flush a deep red. She laughed slightly, before adding in slowly, "That's good… It would be bad if you didn't, you know, because then you'd be in it all night, and then it would be really…" Petra could no longer make eye contact, instead focusing on the ground, "…uncomfortable."

Levi watched her for an extended moment, silence blanketing them once again as he observed her. "You're strange." he stated factually, pointing toward the upcoming roadway, "We can cut across to the embassy through this courtyard. It should save some time."

Petra followed after Levi, looking around the area he was leading them through. It appeared to be an old church garden of sorts, perhaps even a graveyard, though she couldn't be too certain.

"You sure know your way around out here; I always have to get directions to the embassy each year."

"I used to live around here," Levi stated, "Well, sort of at least."

Petra was instantly curious, though she was able to stop herself from bombarding him with questions. She hadn't heard too much about Levi's life before coming into the Scout Regiment; however the little she had heard was rather interesting. Apparently, Levi's background was quite dark and far from legal. She wasn't sure if he was previously a drug lord, or some violent mob man, but the rumors she heard hinted strongly at a 'troubled' past.

Her gut told her that it was something best left to curiosity. Levi was her Captain – if it was something she needed to know, he would tell her. In fact, the knowledge that he had a past, however good or bad it may have been, didn't really scare her. She had seen, perhaps more than anyone, what Levi was capable of, so it wasn't that hard to visualize him as someone on the darker side of society.

Petra understood all too well the lengths people had to go to simply to survive in the world today. Her father had always held a stable job so she never had to worry about where her next meal would come from, but most were not so fortunate. It was actually when things began getting too tight that Petra started considering signing up for the military. The way she saw it, that would be one less mouth to feed, plus she could help support her father with whatever funds she was able to save. Her father had begged her to reconsider, but Petra felt she owed it to him to at least give it a try.

If it hadn't been for him being able to support and raise her, Petra wasn't sure what her life may have looked like. Being in the military had taught her that she was indeed a survivor, so she wondered if her life would have led to crime or the black market if faced with following the laws or starving to death. She suspected Levi's story was something like that, not outright cruelty, but simply someone doing what they had to in order to survive.

But then again, she could never really be too certain either way.

"It sure is dark…" Petra mumbled, looking around the area and trying to adjust to the growing darkness. When they set out, their way had been lit by lanterns in the streets, but now there was just the moonlight to guide their way.

Levi nodded, "The embassy is just around the corner. You'll see it soon."

True to his word, a few moments later the large building crept into view. Some of her nerves being forgotten as sheer excitement began to take over, Petra smiled widely at the light spilling from the windows and doors. As they neared the edge of the building, she could see hundreds of people through the windows. Some were dancing, some were talking socially, others seemed to be playing games of some sort, and still others were gathered in a line, likely getting food from the large banquet that was prepared each year. The building was decorated with Walls Day bobbles and ribbons, and from what she could see, the government spared no expense on decorating the inside as well.

Petra turned toward Levi, unable to hide her large smile as they neared the front entrance, "The party looks so fun, hurry up!"

Too excited to notice his single raised eyebrow, Petra grabbed Levi's hand, pulling him along as she hurried towards the stairs to join the others. Levi's questioning glance was lost on her, as well as the small smile, almost untraceable, that would have made her heart flutter.

Practically dragging him up the stairs and into the room, Petra stood in the entrance, dropping her hold on Levi and folding her hands in front of herself, taking in all the sights. There was an orchestra playing the carols she had grown up with, the smells wafting from the banquet were mouth-watering, a million lights twinkled in the windows and overhead, and Petra sensed that everyone there was relaxed and looking forward to an evening full of festivities.

"It's disgraceful," Levi stated from behind her as he moved up closer, looking around the area as well, "With how bad off everyone is in the cities, you'd think the royal government would have a better way of allotting their finances than to host a disgustingly over elaborate party like this."

Petra rolled her eyes, some of her excitement dying at his negative words. They rang painfully true. His negativity, however, irked her. Just a moment ago, she felt like she was a kid again and the world was new and kind. Leave it to Levi to pull her crashing back down to Earth.

Turning her attention to him, Petra couldn't help but glare at the Captain, her words clipped, "Fine then. What would you like to do first, Captain?"

Levi looked around again, his expression the very definition of boredom, then sighed, "I don't really care. Let's just get out of the doorway."

Following after him, Petra sighed, looking around at all the people having a grand time, then back at Levi, who appeared to be at the very least unimpressed. She frowned in distaste when they stopped along the back wall, joining a crowd of what appeared to be fellow antisocial people that were watching the other party goers with similar bored expressions.

Standing awkwardly while Levi perched himself against the wall, Petra waited foolishly for Levi to do something, even idle chatter about how horrible he thought everyone looked, or how ridiculous the dancers were. To hear whatever he was thinking would have been better than silence, but after minutes began passing by without so much as a word, Petra sighed loudly, also leaning against the back wall and crossing her arms in frustration.

Well, wasn't this just perfect. Her favorite holiday of the year was only hours away, she was at the biggest party of the year and all her friends were having the time of their lives while she was stuck watching it all from the sidelines with Levi, the Walls Day Scrooge.

Petra wasn't sure how long she stood there in silence, but the orchestra played song after song and they stayed rooted in their spot. Petra soon doubted Levi had any intention of moving at all. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she decided she would at least try to get him to do something other than decorate the edge of the room like wall paper.

"Captain, the party really would be more fun if we did something…" Petra pressed, looking at the crowd, then back to him, "We could go get food or a drink, or maybe go dance-"

"I don't like dancing." Levi stated pointedly, not even sparing her a glance.

"…Oh." Petra stated, looking down at the ground awkwardly, feeling utterly defeated after being shot down so quickly.

"Petra, is that you?" a familiar voice called.

Looking through the sea of people to find whoever it was that called out to her, Petra smiled, seeing her squad member, "Eld, hi!"

She waited for him to cross through the crowds, and soon he stood in front of her, holding a glass of champagne. Petra looked him over with surprise, "You look so handsome! Enjoying the party?"

Eld looked at her with an odd expression, "Well enough I suppose, but it's you who looks lovely Petra. I'm impressed!" Eld grinned at her slight blush, moving his attention to Levi, "Hello Captain."

Levi gave a nod but no other response and Eld continued, "I'm surprised to see you over here Petra! I mean, I'd expect something like this from Levi, but with how excited you were this morning, I was certain you'd be all a buzz at the formal."

Petra looked over at Levi shyly, uncertain of how to put words to the fact that he had ordered her to go with him. If it hadn't been for that, she would indeed be enjoying the party like any other normal person was doing.

Levi cleared his throat, "She's here with me."

As if somehow putting two and two together, Eld gave a hoarse laugh, "Oh? Well I'm sorry to hear that Petra, good thing I'm here to rescue you. Captain, you wouldn't mind if I took her away for a dance would you?" Eld said with a bright smile as he held out his hand to Petra, "She looks bored to tears."

Petra suppressed a laugh, her tension melting away at having someone to finally interact with.

Levi looked over at him, Eld's large grin causing him to scoff, "Whatever."

Petra reached out and took his hand as Eld whisked her away onto the floor, unable to stop himself from laughing loudly when she sighed pointedly and declared, "Thank you so much."

Eld took his place on the floor as he placed an arm around her, taking the lead as they began gently moving across the floor with the other dancing attendants, "So what's with the Captain?"

Petra groaned loudly, shaking her head, "I have no idea. I don't know if I should be flattered, or freaked out, or what. He told me today that I would 'accompany' him here tonight, and this whole time he's been as conversational as a rock." Petra giggled, "It's pretty awful."

Eld shook his head in amusement, finding the circumstance just as puzzling, "Who knows what goes through his head. That's odd that he ordered you. Is this a date?"

Petra shrugged to the best of her ability, her arms currently in a ballroom stance, "Hell if I know. If it is, he really needs to be taught what it means to take a girl out. Not that I'd expect anything different from him, but I was starting to think he forgot I was there at all."

Eld smiled, "He's a strange one."

Petra couldn't help but appreciate Eld's good nature. She knew better than to think he was trying to steal her away or irritate Levi. While she had a decent relationship with most of her squad mates, her bond with Eld was special. She found he was a pleasant person that she could relax around without things becoming weird or flirtatious. She could never label them as anything even close to romantic, in fact she knew he already had a girl; he liked to talk about her when the days got long. No, Petra could only see him as something like a brother.

Eld had long since developed the habit of watching out for her; he was always careful to make sure that she wasn't overworked and that she was always treated like a lady, regardless of her position among the men in the squad. It was especially moments like this where she was beyond grateful to him. If it hadn't been for his constant watching out for her, who knows how long she would have been confined to the wall.

"Thanks again." Petra stated as the song came to an end, looking over at the wall to see Levi watching them, still looking as bored as ever, "And he's still there." She marveled at the Captain's apparent resolve to have no fun whatsoever.

"Want to go for another song, or something else?"

"Food please." Petra gave a sly smile, looking toward the tables holding what seemed like an endless array of dishes, "I couldn't really get Levi to do anything. Even eating seemed out of the picture."

Leading her off the floor and toward the table, Petra looked at the arrangement of foods, wondering if it was even physically possible to try everything without bursting one's stomach.

As she prepared a plate, Petra was suddenly addressed by a group of her friends that were fellow members of the Scout Regiment.

"Petra! Hey, over here!"

Petra looked over, waiving at her friends, "Lily, June! Hold on, I'll be right over!" Finishing her plate of food, she moved over, giving her friends each a hug, careful to not spill her food in the process. It had been almost a full year since she had last seen them, so she wasn't surprised to feel her eyes sting with unfallen tears. With their chosen career, she never knew who she would be able to see again in the future, and who she had unknowingly already seen the last of.

"It's great to see you both, truly." She gave a laugh, wiping a tear from her eye, careful not to smudge her makeup.

"You too Petra, though I don't think either of us were worried for you, what with you working on such an elite squad now! Who's this?" her friend June asked kindly, nodding toward Eld.

Petra laughed warmly, "Oh of course, sorry. June, Lily, this is a member of my squad, Eld Jinn. He's second in command after Captain Levi. Eld, these are two of my friends from before we all got moved to Levi's squad. They are fellow Scouts as well."

"Pleasure," Eld greeted them kindly, turning toward Petra, "Well, I think I'll leave you so you can catch up, but I'll keep tabs on you. Flag me down if you need another rescuing."

Laughing again, Petra nodded, "Alright, I'll hold you to that! See you around!"

Petra began chatting with her friends, conversing about how life had been for each of them, though a majority of their talk hovered around the subject of a certain Captain, who was still undoubtedly plastered against a wall somewhere.

"So what's he really like?" Lily asked, taking a cookie off Petra's plate and biting into it before placing it back with a triumphant grin.

"Hey thief, I saw that." Petra giggled, not at all offended by the action, "It's hard to say really, I mean what's there to say? He's quiet I guess, pretty reserved." Petra wondered how to choose her words carefully without making him look like a complete jerk. Reserved wasn't quite the right word, was it?

In truth, to someone outside looking in, they likely would consider the Captain to be a rude, unpleasant person, but Petra found that these actions were all exterior. In reality, she knew Levi was a very conflicted, purposed individual who, if anything, was unable to properly communicate how much he did indeed care to an ever-watching world– a world that never truly wanted to understand anyway. To many people, Levi would never be anything more than a living, breathing weapon.

To Petra, Levi was strong, but not because of his physical skill, though of course he was always impressive on the field. Petra felt he was strong because of how he always kept moving forward. She knew he had lost so many people, but he never let it halt his resolve. His determination was nothing short of inspirational, and always drove Petra to fight with more purpose when he was around. True, he was rough around the edges, but once she learned to see past that, she found she legitimately liked the Captain, as more than just a commanding officer, but as a person.

"He's…nice." Petra summarized, only feeling slightly guilty at her choice of words. 'Nice' was far from an accurate depiction of Levi - or at least incredibly lacking - but how to explain someone like Levi to her friends in such a causal conversation? Petra found it was just easier to lie.

As she nibbled at her plate of food, she listened to her friends gush about their previous expeditions, new techniques and formations they had been working on, and regaling any bit of gossip they had managed to hear throughout the past year. It was so refreshing to just relax and talk with her friends. She had always enjoyed get-togethers like this, because if only for a few hours, she felt normal.

While Levi had made it fairly obvious that he did not appreciate such an event, Petra had always enjoyed it because, if only for a few hours of the day, she felt like there was more to life than fear and Titans. For a few hours, talk wasn't focused on who had the best kill record, but rather who was wearing the best dress. As superficial as it may have been, Petra enjoyed it because it gave her hope that maybe, just maybe, one day her life would have nothing more to it than gossip, light hearted garden parties, and plentiful food. She wouldn't have to spend her life constantly tipping back and forth on the fine line that was survival, and with any luck, she would have a real future.

As simple as it was, All Walls Day was one of those reminders to her that, perhaps one day, things would be different.

As they continued talking, Petra worked on finishing her plate, looking back at the table and planning what she would get next, though she doubted how much more she would be able each without upsetting her stomach. She wasn't normally such a fanatic about food, but most of the food the military was provided throughout the year was heavily rationed and often not nutritionally balanced – and certainly not as tasty.

"Well well, look what we have here!"

Petra groaned instantly, recognizing the voice. She looked in the direction it had come from, and saw her squad mate, Aururo, make his way toward her.

"Aururo, what a surprise." Petra stated, her voice lacking any real conviction.

"And a pleasant one at that." Aururo stated arrogantly, grinning crookedly as he looked around the room, "Some party, right? Government sure knows how to throw a formal, that's for sure. You get any of the food, Petra? Its good stuff, much better than the crap we get to eat for the rest of the year." He paused as he neared her friends, looking Petra over a bit too long for just a friendly once over, "And look at you! You can certainly tell we are members of team Levi's squad."

Petra was taken back, "And how do you figure that?"

Aururo smirked, "Well we clean up so nicely."

Petra paused, feeling annoyed at having walked right into his ploy. She scoffed after a moment, "Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"Only if you found it to be funny."

"It wasn't funny, it was terrible." Petra stated waspishly, staring up at him with a bewildered expression.

It's not that she disliked Aururo, but he had always been a bit much for her to take in. He was always talking about the strangest things, asking her the most bizarre of questions, and was always seeking her approval in some way or another. She would have liked him a thousand times more if he could just learn to let her be.

Her friends smiled at the new person, enjoying the odd bantering between the two, "Petra - so this is another squad member from your team?"

Petra smiled brightly toward her friends, her eyes shining with mischief, "Sure is ladies. This here is Aururo – living proof that even Captain Levi can have an occasional lapse in judgment from time to time."

Aururo gasped at her words, "Hey! I'll have you know that I carry my weight better than all of you. I'm almost as good as the Captain himself even!"

Almost forgetting her friends were there at all, Petra gave a bark of a laugh, turning toward Aururo further, "Oh please. Who's the one who's always whining and complaining about running command sequences or how tired they are – honestly it's a miracle the Captain puts up with you."

Aururo didn't seem all that offended by her words and only chuckled lightly, "There you go nagging at me again Petra. Here's an idea, instead of defending the Captain, how about we go have some fun and get a dance or two in."

Petra shook her head, smiling wider, "Thanks but no thanks Aururo. I'm enjoying time here with my friends, so if you don't mind-"

"Aw but where's the fun in that Petra? You can't tell me you don't like dancing, I saw you with Eld out there so you can't fool me."

Petra's smile faltered slightly. She didn't want to reject him because it really wasn't such a ridiculous request, but truth be told, she didn't really want to go with him and subject herself to his general nonsense any more than she already had to.

"Well honestly-"

"If you can dance with Eld, you can dance with me – right?" Aururo smirked at her, seeing her resolve start to crumble at his persistence.

"No really Aururo, I'd much prefer to stay here. I'd like to maybe get a drink or eat some of the other foods – there's still so much to do really, and I did already have a dance so I'd like to try…" Petra knew she was rambling, but even as much as she was perturbed by him, she couldn't bring herself to flat-out say no.

"Petra dearest, give me one good reason why you can't spare a few minutes of your life to spend time with your squad mate. Really now, you're just being stubborn."

Petra opened her mouth, looking around slightly, "Well I-" she stuffed the last remaining cookie into her mouth, hoping to buy herself just a few more moments to collect her thoughts.

Aururo watched her with a quirked brow, waiting patiently for her to chew and swallow. She looked up at him nervously. He shrugged, grinning wider, "I'm waiting."

"Don't you think you've had enough?" Both Petra and Aururo visibly startled at the deep voice of their Captain.

"Captain Levi?" Petra asked, turning around slightly, shocked to see he was standing beside her, though his focus was on the nearly empty plate of food she was holding.

"I'd ask you to have more discipline but I think I would just be wasting my breath. Really now Petra, did you leave anything at all on the table for others to enjoy?" Though Levi wasn't all that much taller than Petra, he was staring down at her, a serious expression on his face.

Hearing his words, Petra couldn't help but feel entirely embarrassed, her face burning brightly as his words rang in her head. Who did he think he was saying something like that? She was not at all lacking discipline, she was-

"Captain, what are you doing here?" Petra stammered, not able to respond to his previous statements, still too shocked and insulted to form a proper response.

Levi quirked an eyebrow, looking at no one else regardless of the fact that her friends and Aururo's attention were drawn to his sudden intrusion. Levi took a step closer to Petra, grabbing the plate from her hands and handing it to Aururo without breaking eye contact, "Aururo hold this."

Petra looked from Levi, to Aururo, to her plate in wonder, then back at Levi. Before she could form a response and demand to know what the hell was wrong with him, Levi grabbed her wrist, "Let's go Petra."

He pulled her forward, almost causing her to trip at the sudden forced motion. Levi walked away swiftly, dragging behind him a very flustered and rightfully confused Petra.

"Captain!" Petra squeaked as she tried desperately to not run into people, "What are you doing?"

Levi didn't respond, simply pulling her along further until they were in the middle of the dance floor. With a smooth pull of his wrist, he caused Petra to spin ever so slightly toward him until she was standing directly in front of him. Her eyes were wide with confusion, caught in the moment as she took in their new surroundings.

Levi shifted his hand ever so slightly, wrapping his hand around hers and placing the other around her hip.

Looking slightly at their new position, Petra looked at her hand that was held secure in Levi's. Her hand fell slack slightly, though Levi's grip tightened and he pulled her slightly closer, shooting her a look of irritation.

Petra gulped slightly, feeling his stare. She found it was difficult to meet his gaze, and while she would have liked to think of herself as a confident individual, she started to feel very self conscious at being so close to him. "Captain, I…" Petra's voice died down, at a loss for words.

"You stated you wanted to dance earlier." He stated plainly.

Petra nodded, slowly placing her hand on his shoulder, though trying to place as little pressure as possible in her hand, still not fully believing that Levi was actually attempting to dance with her, "Yeah but you said you didn't like dancing."

"I don't." Levi confirmed, taking a first step and leading her with the beat of the music.

Petra allowed him to lead her across the floor, trying to control her wavering nerves. Not that long ago she had been dancing with Eld and she certainly wasn't nervous or second guessing each step she took like she was now. She could feel her face heat up slightly as she looked over at her hand clasped in Levi's. It was a small gesture, in fact it was certainly all for formality's sake than anything else, but there was a part of her that was thrilled that Levi was holding her hand so contently. Regardless her unsorted thoughts, Petra gave a small smile.

Levi's hand was surprisingly warm.

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That's all for chapter one. Originally I had planned on this being a lengthy one shot, however as I kept writing I felt it was getting long enough to where it would need to be a two shot instead.

Rest assured most of the second chapter is already written, so this piece will be finished and listed with the last half of the story hopefully by this coming Monday (the 22nd). Until then though, thanks for reading, and see you soon for Chapter Two!

~Midnight