And hello again readers! I tried to post the last half of the story as quickly as possible so it would be completely finished before Christmas – didn't that turn out well? Took a bit longer than I had wanted, but I am really, really happy with this!

Shoutout goes to both Ghosteyes444 and FrostyCakes for having reviewed the previous chapter between when I posted and now. I always love the encouragement, so from me to you, Merry whatever-it-is-that-you-celebrate, and have a great upcoming year – Thanks so much for the support and kind words!

Of course to everyone, thanks for sticking around for the last chapter, and enjoy the read :)

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Petra swallowed thickly, looking down at her feet and watching them move in time, mirroring the Captain's. After having been completely insulted for no reason about her apparent 'overeating' and then promptly drug away to dance without even being able to say goodbye, Petra had expected that the moment the song ended, Levi would disappear without explanation. Much to her surprise however, when the song came to a close he simply stood there until the next song started, and their dancing resumed.

They hadn't really spoken much, and Petra found that she was still so flustered that she still couldn't look at the Captain. She was feeling far too many things at once, causing herself to lack the ability to properly express herself. Her heart pounded loudly as nerves continued to get the best of her, and she couldn't deny that a part of her was truly flattered that Levi had decided to dance with her. However, another large part of her was mortified that he had said something so awful before, and in such a public setting too! That same part of her wanted nothing more than to give him a serious whatfor and berate him for just being so...so rude! She understood that Levi was not one that was often held to any sort of accountability on his social skills, but there was no reason for him to behave so terribly. Had she not been tolerant of his lack of manners the entire evening? Why did he have to go out of his way to insult her?

By the time she gathered her courage to speak her mind on the matter, she realized that it would do no good. She would looked up at him with a determined expression, for she was nothing if not determined, and she knew that the moment she would look at his face, she would be intimidated almost immediately. She supposed it couldn't be helped really. Levi would have his typical expressionless face, with a possible glare mixed in that would remind her of her place, and thus serve to intimidate her thoroughly. Thus, by all accounts, Petra decided that she would just save the time and energy and continue watching the ground in forlorn silence.

"Are my feet really that interesting?" she heard Levi's voice, and Petra had to take a deep breath as she felt herself getting frustrated at the irony of the situation. The entire evening thus far, she had been waiting with baited breath for Levi to talk with her, however, now was the one time that she was hoping he would be his normal self and ignore her entirely.

Petra glanced up slightly, looking over his shoulder as she gave a forced laugh, trying to be amicable regardless of her mixed feelings, "Sorry Captain, I was just…thinking," she stated slowly as she tried to form a polite response. From her peripheral vision, she could indeed see Levi's stare; his eyes still boring into hers and making a shiver run down her spine at its intensity.

"About my feet?" he stated quickly, his voice still low, though she could swear she could hear a hint of amusement.

Petra inwardly scowled. Was he doing this on purpose? Did he somehow know she was wishing she were anywhere else because he was being thoroughly intimidating, as usual? Though she couldn't really prove it one way or another, Petra suspected that the Captain knew just what he was doing, and this only served to irritate her further.

"No, I was not." Petra stated, her voice taking a sudden icy edge.

"That's good." Levi stated plainly, his voice sounding casual, "I was starting to wonder if you knew how to dance actually, the way you keep watching the floor like that." She could see him smirk slightly, and her eyes narrowed, "Plus there's the fact you've gotten so quiet. Are you counting out the steps in your head?"

Petra ground her teeth. With that look in his eye and the way he spoke, she was certain of it now – he was teasing her. While a small part of her took in that knowledge with a bit of joy at the fact he saw her as someone he could joke around with, she told that part of her to shut the hell up because it was Walls Eve, she was dancing, she was being insulted, she was with Levi, her emotions were a mess, and she was miserable. Why was it all so complicated?

"I know how to dance." Petra summarized quickly, trying to bring the conversation to an end.

"If you insist," he responded simply, "but if you'd like I could warn you before we do a turn or something other than the basic steps so you don't get confused."

Petra clicked her tongue as she pressed her lips together, frustrated by his little unwanted assessment. "That won't be necessary Captain, but thanks for the offer."

Turning out his arm for her to spin, Petra moved outward in step, spinning around in time with the music before returning back in front of him, seeing a smirk still at his lips.

Petra huffed at his expression, pressing her lips together into a thin line. What the hell did he find so funny?

"I'm actually surprised you know how to dance Captain." Petra stated, attempting to change the direction of the conversation off from herself in hopes that it would calm her rising emotions. However, her voice was still low and clearly irritated. She had never been all that good at masking her emotions when it came down to it, and with Levi seeming to go out of his way to goad her, Petra was becoming flustered rather quickly.

"I've been to enough of these pathetic events to learn, it's not really that hard." He quirked an eyebrow, then somehow his smirk grew even more pronounced. Petra's stomach flipped as she dreaded the words that she somehow knew were coming, "However some people pick it up better than others, so it seems."

"Did I do something to offend you Captain?" Petra asked as she glared towards him, almost cutting off his words as he insulted her yet again. Petra tried to remind herself that they were only tiny comments and that she shouldn't rise to his antics, but he was really starting to piss her off! First, he came and for no reason explained that she had eaten way too much, which, Petra reviewed in her mind, was a complete lie. The way he had been talking, it made it seem as though she had eaten the entire banquet by herself, which was, of course, physically impossible. Practically speaking, she had only had enough to fill up one single plate and a few cookies, which by no means was over indulgence. The fact she even had to mentally defend herself was ridiculous.

Aside from that, he now was insulting her dancing, which also came out of nowhere. She could dance just fine; in fact, she knew she could dance rather well. She had yet to miss a step, had never once fought him for the lead, and was in rhythm when they preformed more intricate sequences of each dance. She knew that she could move with grace through the songs – if she could fly through the trees with skill and agility, she could learn a few easy dance steps.

"Offend?" Levi repeated, "How have I given you that impression?"

Petra opened her mouth, huffing slightly as she tried to organize her thoughts, "Well you've been so…" She bit her lip as tried to find the right word.

"So…?" Levi continued, his eyebrow rose slightly as he stared blankly at her.

"I don't know!" she stammered, so frustrated that instead of moving backwards, she took a step forward, causing herself to crash abruptly into Levi - she would have fallen over entirely if he hadn't been holding onto her.

Smooshed against him slightly, Petra froze, closing her eyes in dismay as embarrassment coursed through her. Just as she was about to pull herself back upwards, she heard Levi's voice which cause her to stop in place for an extended moment.

"Petra?"

She slowly looked up at Levi, a grimace on her face, "Yes, Captain?"

"You're standing on my foot."

Something about the way he was looking down at her, or his tone of voice, or his expression – Petra couldn't point to just what exactly, but with a click of her tongue, Petra stood up fully.

That was the last straw.

She dropped her arms to her side, glaring at the Captain and knowing all too well her face was bright red once again. She took a sharp inhale and felt her lips pull into a thin line. With whatever trace of dignity she had left, Petra nodded curtly toward Levi, not caring that they were in the middle of the song, "Thank you for the dance Captain. Excuse me."

Without even sparing a further glance, Petra stormed off the floor, wondering to herself what in the world had gotten into Levi for him to so pointedly go out of his way to tease her and make her night utterly terrible! Shaking her head, Petra looked around the area to see where her friends might have gone off to, though, as she surveyed the crowds, she noticed that Levi had started walking after her. Eyes widening, Petra quickly pondered her options as her blood started pumping through her veins with anxiety, speeding up her walk considerably. He was chasing after her? While the moment seemed surreal to Petra, she couldn't deny the sudden feeling of dread that washed over her. Really, she just wanted him to leave her alone. If all he was going to do was mock her, she simply didn't want to be near him. Was that so terrible?

Besides, if she could escape the Titans, certainly she could escape Levi right?

Petra frowned at that thought, deciding to speed up even more. Levi was stronger than the Titans and certainly much faster, meaning that he was sure to catch up with her one way or another if she wasn't thinking on her feet. Petra looked over her shoulder, horrified that Levi was still following after her; a now pronounced scowl across his face as he cut around groups of fellow participants. At one point, he almost entirely ran over one lady in his pursuit, and Petra became instantly determined to not be caught with him being in such a state. Starting to weave in and out of the crowds to evade him, Petra looked around again at her surroundings, finally smirking upon seeing her perfect escape route.

"Petra Ral." She heard his voice call out, though she pretended to not have heard and continued onward.

While she couldn't believe how childish this was starting to become, Petra laughed slightly as though she were getting away with something, darting across the room with as much grace as she could until she finally slipped into the girl's bathroom.

Feeling victorious as she disappeared into the small powder room, Petra turned towards the doorway, "Ha!" she stated loudly, not sure if he would actually hear her or not, though she did receive a strange look from a fellow woman who was washing her hands.

"Oh, sorry." Petra mumbled, "I just…date problems."

The girl gave a slow nod that showed she clearly doubted her sanity before she left, shooting her one last look of concern before heading out.

Petra gave a small, nervous laugh, not quite believing she had actually managed to get away from Levi, even if the method was perhaps a bit underhanded. Taking a seat at the bench along the wall, Petra exhaled slightly. Never would have she believed that she would reach a point where she wanted to run away from him, but odder still, she would never have believed that Levi would have actually chased after her. In any other circumstance, she would have been flattered that Levi found her worth pursuing, but in this particular case, she doubted it was for anything other than to hassle her for leaving in the first place.

Taking the time to relax and unwind, Petra pushed a stray piece of hair out of her face. When she had been getting ready earlier, she had wondered how the night would turn out, suspicious that perhaps it would be less than enjoyable. She wasn't sure why she was so surprised by the fact that her predictions had been spot on, but she secretly wished that Levi would have proved her wrong.

With a collective breath after feeling that a considerable amount of time had passed, Petra stood and turned toward the mirror, adjusting her dress slightly as she reviewed her reflection. Truth be told, she did look fairly stressed out even now. Her face was still tinted red from her emotionally charged state, but at least her hair and makeup were still in place and hadn't been too destroyed from the night's events.

Taking another long moment to force herself to calm down, Petra stared back at herself in the mirror seriously, trying to give herself a pep talk of sorts. While she had no idea what was in the Captain's head, she was not about to let him destroy the rest of her evening. Hopefully, by the time she left the bathroom, Levi would be long gone and she could resume the party's celebrations the way she normally would.

There was still so much to do and people to catch up with, and time was running out. She had friends in different regiments of the military, and there were also people from her trainee squad that she heard were still in the service. As annoying as the first part of her night had been, or at least the part spent beside Levi anyhow, there was no need to allow her entire night to be compromised as well.

Petra readjusted her hair and carefully rubbed her eyes free of any smudged or smeared makeup. Checking her teeth and giving herself a final once over, Petra moved back towards the door, certain that she had been inside long enough to discourage a certain Captain from waiting around for her.

Moving out of the bathroom's entryway, Petra looked out around the large room for what she wanted to do first, though after only getting a few feet outside the door, Levi's voice made her stop cold in her tracks.

"About time you came out. I was starting to think you were having trouble."

Any peace Petra had been able to find previously was instantly shattered, immediately being replaced with a torrent of complete exasperation. She had been in the bathroom for at least twenty minutes, had he seriously stood outside the entire time? Petra shook her head firmly as she looked toward him spitefully. Of course he had.

"That's why you don't eat that much, it causes horrible constipation."

Petra coughed slightly at hearing his words, feeling her patience run dangerously thin, "Why are you here Captain?" her question was very pointed, and she stared at him with crossed arms, conveying every bit of annoyance she was feeling.

Levi returned her gaze easily, not at all perturbed, "You left in the middle of the dance and went off to hide away in the bathroom like a coward. That's pretty rude."

"Rude?" Petra stated, her voice hushed to not make a scene, though she could feel harshness in the way that she spoke, "I'm being rude? Well forgive me Captain for my lapse of manners!" her voice had raised slightly in volume, though she somehow managed to not grab the attention of onlookers, "Perhaps I just don't know how to properly respond to a commanding officer who has abused his authority and order I spend the evening with him; something he really has no business doing, actually."

Petra watched as Levi's face went from shocked, then shifted to his more common, bored, expressionless state. Regardless of his calm demeanor, she knew she had struck a nerve. His reaction, or seemingly lack thereof, was not one of boredom, but of defense.

Petra continued, placing a hand to her temple as she spoke, frustration coursing through her, "Dammit Levi, did you think that maybe if you would have asked me, I would have said yes? Do you think that maybe I would have gone with you, simply because you are my friend, and I appreciate that bond we have? That maybe that alone makes it worth my spending time with you?"

Petra looked up at him, glaring into his eyes that were clouded with some unnamable emotion. Even if he wasn't saying anything and even if he didn't care, she was determined to get it through his thick, pompous skull that he had crossed the line, and she was not pleased, "And then there's the fact that this entire time you've treated me like dirt. I'll have you know I spent a considerable amount of time getting ready, and I don't care if you have to lie through your teeth, you should have said I looked nice or something. It's just common courtesy Levi, especially after putting me on the spot like that. You shut down any conversation I attempted to make, then you came out of nowhere and made fun of me, pretty much calling me fat-"

"I did not call you fat."

"Shut up." Petra stated quickly, raising her hand as she glared at him, "I am not finished."

She pressed her lips together as Levi gave her a look that clearly read 'I'm waiting' and that alone fueled her to keep berating him further, "You might as well have called me fat then, in front of my friends, who you then dragged me away from – Goddesses only know if I'll be able to see them ever again - you dragged me to the dance floor which, I'll admit, was slightly thrilling, but more so dreadful because you spent the entire time glaring at me and making fun of me until I was a nervous wreck! And don't you dare say that you didn't know what you were doing."

Petra paused as she took in a shaky breath, then pointed at him, "Even now, here you are being a royal pain in the ass! Well enough, Levi. I am calling you out because this is getting ridiculous. Either stop being such a jerk, or leave me alone!"

By the end, Petra was huffing slightly, and it seemed she had somewhat forgotten herself because the surrounding participants were all staring at her, then at Levi, waiting for a response. Levi seemed to have also noticed the stares of others, because with a single icy glare toward the onlookers, people quickly returned to their lives and pretended not to notice the arguing pair.

"You seem to feel strongly about this," came his simple reply, and Petra rolled her eyes, wondering if he even cared at all that he had almost single handedly ruined her favorite event of the year.

Petra shook her head, finding she just didn't understand him and his blatant disregard for others, "I feel strongly about this? Captain, say what you will about me, but it is you who feels strongly about this holiday because you have gone far out of your way to be miserable." Petra shrugged slightly as she tried to explain herself, "And actually, that's okay, truly. You don't have to like the holiday, and you don't have to like the party – but you know what else you don't have to do? Drag me down with you."

She paused, feeling less anger, but now more conflicted by the entire circumstance, "I just don't understand Captain. Walls Day is my favorite holiday - not a fact I would expect you to know per say - but to anyone even slightly paying attention, they would at least know I liked the holiday. Even knowing that though, you still had to be so…" Petra shook her head, looking toward Levi as she once again tried to grasp at the right word.

She knew that he was listening, and she knew that he was somehow being affected, but as his eyes started back at her as if it were just any normal conversation, the word finally came to Petra, and she frowned with realization, "…So cold."

A small, sort of smirk came to Levi's lips as his gaze bored into her, "You think so, huh?"

Petra gave a firm nod, "I do."

While she couldn't believe she had just said all that to him and with a straight face no less, she didn't regret a word. His gaze didn't intimidate her in her current state, not when she was firm in her resolve to stand up for herself. His behavior didn't change anything - she still cared, she still thought he was every bit as amazing and awe-inspiring as he had always been before, but she wasn't blinded by her admiration. If he wanted to break outside the strict business relationship and maybe be friends, she would be happy to meet him halfway, but she would not be trampled on – not for him, not for anyone. No, he would have to treat her with equal respect like anyone else, and that meant being held accountable to his demeanor.

Levi held her gaze for a long moment, and Petra found she could only stare back with equal intensity, waiting for him to respond. Levi then took a step closer to Petra, speaking pointedly, "I think you look…" he took a slight breath as though also grasping for the right word, his voice firm with conviction, "Stunning, Petra."

At first not quite believing she could possibly be hearing right, Petra's eyes widened and she blinked a few time in surprise. As his words fully resonated, Petra gave a small warm smile. She knew Levi would never give a straight 'I'm sorry' and she had no intentions of dragging such words out of him anyway. For him to say something so sincerely though…perhaps Levi would still manage to prove her wrong yet. Petra pondered the idea for a small moment, feeling a small amount of excitement at the notion.

Without needing any further reassurance from him, Petra grabbed his arm, linking hers in his and unable to not laugh at the odd expression he gave her. Perhaps she was too forgiving, but easy as that, her tension melted away. When it came down to it, she would rather just enjoy herself than to spend another moment contemplating the complicated natures of Levi. If he started to be a jerk again, she could at least know that she gave it her best effort and leave him be. However, if he decided to give her, for the first time ever, a real compliment, then Petra wasn't beyond having a selective memory about some of the evening's events.

She then explained to him there was things that she wanted to do, and that he should come with her. He seemed rather hesitant at first to be pulled along with Petra's every little whim – after all 'things' was hardly a descriptive word - though after watching her smile brightly and laugh at his expression, Levi gave a resigned sigh and allowed her to pull him back into the large crowds.

The time after was spent mostly with Petra going from place to place, talking with people, playing the ridiculous holiday games and forcing Levi to participate, no matter what sort of look he shot her. It was certainly far out of his comfort zone to be doing such things, especially in a public setting, and yet, Levi couldn't quite convince himself that he wasn't enjoying the festivities – if only a little, at least.

As the night began to wrap up, the traditional ending ceremony began, and the soldiers were called to the center of the large room so the speaker could be heard.

Each year, the party ended first with the names of all fallen soldiers read off one by one, then to attempt to lighten the mood, the Walls Day story of the Goddesses building the Walls was read, and the party was considered adjourned. Some people, Levi being one of them, would immediately head back to their own housings, though there were always those who liked to stay for hours and socialize with the remaining crowd. Levi was hoping that Petra wouldn't demand they stay any longer than required, though he wouldn't make a fuss one way or another if leaving 'early' would offend her.

As the year's chosen speaker began the Walls Day greetings and thanked everyone for their attendance, Levi couldn't help but roll his eyes. He had always hated the ending ceremony simply because it was a cold nuance the government established every year. Levi was not at all opposed to honoring the fallen soldiers, but it seemed like such a joke for the government to acknowledge the military only in death. There were things each regiment needed to succeed in the battle against the titans and uphold the peace, but it seemed the government could care less - yet come the end of every year they held a ridiculous party like this to honor those that had been lost. Levi couldn't help but wonder how much shorter the list of casualties would have been if government actually supported their goals.

As the names began being read off one by one, Levi stood in silence, the previous light hearted atmosphere of the room quickly changing to somber and forlorn. A slight sniffling caught his attention, and he looked over beside him to see Petra, tears running down her face as she also listened to name after name endlessly being listed.

Though there was certainly a ferocity to her character that allowed her to excel in her position as a soldier, Levi found he was quick to forget that Petra, herself as a person, was far too tenderhearted for her own good. Quietly pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket, he handed the white cloth to her in silence, though she gave a small cough of laughter as she took it from him, somewhat embarrassed so it seemed at being caught in such a state.

From the corner of his eye, Levi could see Petra wipe her eyes, her makeup smearing onto the cloth, then blow her nose before wadding the cloth up in her hands slightly. She looked over herself, her eyes widening as she looked for a spot to place the dirtied handkerchief, only now seeming to remember she was wearing a dress. For a few moments she stood dumbfounded, then tried patting herself slightly in search of a pocket, though of course to no avail.

Swallowing thickly as he grit his teeth, Levi gave a pressed sigh and carefully reached out, grabbing the moist tissue from her and quickly shoving it back into his pocket, not missing the look of complete shock from Petra, then the slight snicker that followed as she looked at his expression of disgust.

Forcing himself to not think about the snot covered rag he was now harboring, he gave a firm nod of acceptance toward Petra, knowing now was not the time or place to have a conversation about the event. Besides, he would just have her wash it later when they got back.

As the names came to an end, the speaker continued, exuberantly reading the 'hopeful' story of good tidings and goodwill the Goddess had brought to mankind upon building the Walls. The story dragged on and on, and while Levi had expected Petra to be the bleeding heart who would eat the story up word by word, he was pleasantly surprised to see she clearly looked bored, yawning from time to time as the long reading continued.

"May our lives always be this hopeful and filled with purpose in the upcoming year." The speaker stated as he set down the large scroll, "Thank you for all you do. Dismissed."

Giving a half hearted salute back as was required; Levi soon dropped his arms, looking toward Petra.

She shook her head, "Thank goodness that's over. He's such a killjoy." Levi smirked at her words. Looking toward him, Petra paused, then glanced around the area once more, "Is there anything you want to do, or are we good to go?"

Levi also took a look around the area, inwardly pleased to note that Petra did not seem at all opposed to leaving, "This place makes me sick. Let's go."

Regardless his harsh words, Petra gave a smile, nodding slightly in understanding. The way the party ended each year really was terrible, so she was always happy to leave the second they were dismissed in search of a not so dismal atmosphere.

Walking back toward the compound, Petra continued speaking with Levi, the conversation on the way back, while of course lacking on Levi's side, had actually been quite pleasant. He would offer a small comment or two when necessary, and would listen good-naturedly as Petra talked about whatever came to mind, having thoroughly enjoyed the latter half evening - aside from the dreadful speech of course.

"And so I plan on making more coffee, if anyone else wants to stay up late tonight and socialize." Petra continued slightly as they neared the compound's entrance.

Levi nodded as he opened the door, allowing Petra to enter first before he followed behind her.

"Will you be staying up Levi?"

"Probably. I have a few papers to review from Erwin about upcoming expeditions, so I'll be up for a while."

Petra gave a slight, 'Ah' then continued, "You know Captain; you never told me if you actually liked the coffee or not this morning." Petra wore a playful grin as she moved further down the hallway. While she didn't really expect Levi to comment on every little thing she did in life, she did enjoy hassling him from time to time.

"It was…sweet." Levi decided after a moment as they walked onward and Petra quirked an eyebrow, smiling none the less as they stopped in the dining room.

"Too sweet, or like, tastes like Wall-Day-in-a-Cup amazing, wish I had this every day sort of sweet?"

Levi gave a slight snort at her choice of words, though didn't confirm his thoughts one way or another. Petra grinned at his expression, letting the subject die.

Taking a moment, Petra stretched her arms upward, yawning before suddenly pausing in motion, holding her arms in the air still.

Seeing Petra somewhat stuck in her odd position mid-stretch, Levi shot her a questioning glance, though it was lost on her as her focus was elsewhere, "What is it?"

"The clock." Petra mumbled, her voice quiet with awe.

Levi looked at her a moment longer then looked toward the clock in question, seeing no strange details to its appearance; at least, not any that warranted such behavior, "It's twelve fifteen…" Levi stated slowly, watching Petra with interest because whatever she found to be fascinating was not apparent to him.

Petra dropped her arms slowly, turning her head gently from the clock toward Levi, "Exactly."

Before he could respond, Petra folded her hands in front of her, turning fully towards Levi with a radiant, genuine smile that he had never seen from her before, "…It's Walls Day."

Her voice was warm and kind, and with the way she was looking at him, Levi found he could only give the smallest of smiles back, "That it is."

Petra smiled still, shocked that Levi was giving her a smile – or at least half of one anyways. "It is Walls Day," Petra repeated, "Just a second, I'll be right back."

Without another word further, Petra moved out of the kitchen and headed towards her room, humming to herself slightly as she moved through her desk, sorting through the various boxes of wrapped gifts she had managed to buy in town earlier that day.

She had successfully been able to find a gift for everyone, even Aururo. None of the gifts were spectacular or anything, but she had been determined to get something for each of her Squad mates, if only to say thank you for all the good times and laughs they had shared in the year previous.

Double checking the name tags, Petra grabbed the present that was for Levi, a small flutter of nervousness coursing through her as she wondered how he might take it, but her nerves were not nearly as powerful as her current holiday spirit. So, holding the box in her hands, Petra left her room quickly, returning back towards toward the dining hall.

"Captain!" Petra called, looking around the area for him, though he was nowhere to be seen.

"In here." She heard his voice call out from a different corridor, and Petra started in that direction. Moving down into the hallway, she suspected that Levi had moved into his temporary room within the compound as well.

While most of the Scout regiment had been given traditional military housing, because of the unique standing of the Special Ops Squad, they had been giving their own entire compound for their time in Sina. Truth be told, it wasn't all that different from how things normally were in Wall Rose actually. While the location was certainly different, with her upgraded position in the Scout Regiment, Petra had long been used to having her own room and space that was separate from the rest of the Survey Corps. While at times it did get lonely only having a handful of people to interact with, it certainly made things, such as getting ready or changing each morning, much less stressful.

Nearing the room she believed to be Levi's, she noted the door was already open, though she knocked on the wood frame anyway for formality's sake.

"Come in," Levi stated from within the room, though Petra couldn't quite see him from her current angle.

Taking a step into his room, Petra took a small look around the area, smiling to herself at how perfectly organized everything was. Granted there hadn't been all that much time to make a mess of the area – they had only been there for a few days after all – but Levi's perfectionist nature could easily be seen if one knew what they were looking for.

His bed was made without a wrinkle to be seen, the floor was free of anything being set on it like shoes or dirty laundry, and even the paper on his desk was aligned perfectly in the direct center of the desktop.

Petra felt like laughing to herself, though she managed to keep her composure and looked towards Levi cheerfully. He was standing near the closet, holding a hanger as he pulled his suit jacket around it, then placed the hanger back in the closet before closing the small door.

Looking toward Petra, he moved toward the desk silently, though the atmosphere was far from tense. After a small moment, Levi spoke, "The squad should be returning here soon if you want to get started on the coffee. Are you... wanting my help?" he stated, trying to be polite, though his real unstated questions was towards the line of asking what she needed, or perhaps why she had sought him out further.

Petra held the box she had carried just a bit tighter, then brought the small object higher so it would draw his attention, "Don't be silly Captain. I don't need any help or anything, I mean, I do manage to make coffee each morning without anyone after all. I wanted to give you this!" She smiled warmly at his odd expression, feeling the need to explain herself, even though by all accounts it should have been obvious already, "It's for Walls Day! I know it's not much, but I wanted to get you something, so… here you go! Merry Walls Day Captain Levi!"

Levi cocked his head slightly, seeming hesitant at best, "Aren't you a little old for Walls Day presents?" he stated, looking down at the small box as though it were unclean, then back at her with a similar expression.

Petra shook her head, finding herself smirking, "Aren't you a little too well mannered to be complaining like this?"

His expression narrowed, "Hardly."

Petra was in too good of a mood for his words to intimidate her like they normally would. She tried to not laugh further, regardless how amusing she found his behavior to be, "Don't be such a bore Captain, I bought gifts for everyone - this one is yours. Now open it up or I'll use it myself." Petra smirked mischievously, adding quietly "But I'll warn you, you'll be sorry if you miss out."

Petra looked down at the small box she held. The box itself small enough to rest in her palm – not quite so small where she could wrap her fingers around it fully, but small none the less. When considering how to prepare the gift, she had decided not to waste her funds on intricate wrapping paper that would just be thrown away. After searching through the compound when she returned from her shopping, she had managed to find some old brown paper bags she was able to repurpose, and she managed to use that for wrapping instead.

Levi quirked an eyebrow as he studied her, uncertain if he should be amused by the odd look in her eye. He wasn't quite sure how to respond to her childlike excitement either. While Petra was one of the more spirited members of his squad, this side of her wasn't one he was familiar with. He sighed lowly at her resolve, slowly out turning his hand for Petra to place the small wrapped box in, watching her uneasily.

Grinning ear to ear in victory, she placed the box in his hands, watching eagerly as he neatly unfolded the brown paper piece by piece, and after carefully setting the paper aside on his desk, he started to investigate the container for what treasure might be held inside.

Petra smiled watching him, "Any guesses Captain?"

He looked up at her for a moment, then took the lid off the box, which caused Petra to shake her head at his antics, "That's cheating Levi."

She could hear the smallest 'hmph' of amusement from him, and Petra could only smile wider as she watched him take out the small tin contained inside. Opening the metal container, Levi looked inside, smelling the contents upon recognizing it, "It's tea," he stated plainly, though his voice held a sort of softness to it.

Petra nodded proudly, knowing that regardless his mellow response, he was quite pleased, "Predictable I know, but its best not to over think these things right? While I don't know much about tea – Father was a carpenter so we never crossed paths with finer things of life too often – the clerk said it was a blend that's best served as a milk tea. I talked to Hanji about it, and you'll have to thank her because she was able to pull some strings to get a few extra rations of milk. That's her Walls Day gift to you."

Levi listened to her explanation in silence, smelling the blend again; able to appreciate the warm and sweet earthy scent that black tea always held. It was a breakfast tea then – appropriate since the only time they ever got to lounge around and relax was in the early mornings.

She continued, "Now I know how to make the coffee, but I'm afraid that tea is a bit outside my expertise-"

"I can show you." Levi stated quickly, almost cutting her off. He was still focused on the tin container, and though his face was relatively as expressionless as always, his eyes were lit slightly - something Petra was beginning to see was a trait Levi couldn't mask so easily. As stoic as Levi often was, his eyes were often quick to give away his emotions. He couldn't fully hide his irritation or sadness, much less any other predominant emotion.

As she watched him, he continued looking down at the box in silence, deeply concentrated, so it seemed, until his brows pulled downward slightly.

"…What's wrong?" Petra asked slightly alarmed, wondering if somehow the gift offended him.

Levi shook his head slightly, if only to acknowledge that he heard her, though he found he was speaking more to himself than to his worried subordinate, "No it's nothing…" his voice was barely above a whisper. If there had been any background noise, Petra likely wouldn't have been able to hear him at all, "It's just that, I can't remember ever getting a Walls Day gift before."

Petra felt her mouth drop slightly as he spoke, feeling her heart break at his words. To have lived all this time and not once gotten a single Walls Day present?

Levi's quiet voice continued, "When we were younger, my friends we-" he sighed slightly, seemingly trying to recollect his thoughts, "Times were different then, things like presents were not…"

Levi stopped speaking then, taking a deep breath before placing the tin back in the box, a conflicted expression on his face as he placed the lid back, then set the box gently down on the study table beside him. He looked up at her, his usually blank face so conflicted and raw that Petra felt he was seeing straight through her, to her very core. His words resonated deeply within her, "Thank you, Petra."

His gaze held her, and Petra couldn't help but blush at the intensity in his eyes. Before she had found that very same look to be intimidating, to the point where she couldn't even look back at him, however now it had the opposite effect. She didn't think she could look away even if she wanted to. Had Petra ever seen such a true response before from anyone? No, certainly not from her friends, not from anyone she could think of. Cold? Petra felt foolish for ever having thought such a thing about Levi.

She blinked a few times, wishing that she had better control over her emotions, praying silently that she wouldn't cry in front of the Captain as his words rang in her ear. In her life, she had so many blessed memories and so many happy times to recall - that's part of why she loved Walls Day so much even now in her adult life. What would it have been like to grow up, watching it all from a distance - to have grown up without that source of hope?

Petra gave a broken smile, taking a step toward him, "All Walls day was always special to me. Father and I, we never could afford anything fancy, but just being together… being with someone you care about is what makes the holiday so special."

She smiled warmly, feeling a single tear slide down her face as she thought about the evening, and the fact that through it all, she really wouldn't have changed a single detail, "So really, truly Captain, it's me who should be thanking you."

Levi wasn't looking at her, but she could see it in his face; he was listening, waiting for her to speak further. She found that even if he didn't feel the same, even if her too deep feelings weren't returned, she wanted him to understand. It wasn't often they ever had time like this, where it wasn't the military and mission reports and training. Today, in this moment, it was just her, and her Captain. Somehow past all the barriers and circumstances, she had broken through.

"In fact," she continued, her voice quiet as she thought over the evening, "I think I owe you an apology. I was so afraid earlier that I would have to spend Walls Day alone, and here you are with me. It's silly I guess, maybe even selfish, but I'll never forget today, not ever. Just taking me with you, sharing a dance, driving me crazy, even your negative view on the holiday - it was time spent together and I'm sorry I complained when you were going out of your way to just be there."

Petra laughed, shaking her head, "True it was unconventional and you really were being a jerk - I don't regret saying that much, but you spent most of the entire formal by my side, and I should never be ungrateful for that, not when time is so fleeting and so valuable."

She paused, not sure if any of her ideas were connecting anymore. She looked up at Levi, hoping that she was able to express her sincerity and that he could understand her message, even if she wasn't able to perfectly puts words to it. She smiled ever so slightly, "I mean… It really means a lot to me that you chose to spend the evening with me, Levi."

Before she knew what she was doing, Petra leaned closer to him, placing her hand gently on his shoulder before lightly kissing his cheek. As sense immediately rushed back to her, Petra recoiled her hand like she had been touching fire, taking a large step back as she held her hand in front of her, rubbing it slightly as realization of what she had just done overcame her. She could see Levi from the corner of her eye, and he was visibly surprised.

She looked at the ground, mentally scolding herself for getting lost in the moment, "I'm sorry Captain, that was out of line. I guess…the holidays just make me so sentimental and I start to lose my focus and do stupid things like that. I'm really sorry, forget it happ-"

"Petra." Levi stated calmly, his voice having a standard quality of authority to it.

Slowly looking up, Petra warily made eye contact with him. As if in slow motion, Levi took a step forward, his hand ever so gently moving around to the back of her neck, pulling her closer so they were only inches apart. For a small moment, he simply stared at her, close enough where she could feel his breath against her skin. His eyes searched hers, his narrowed and calculating, hers wide and uncertain. Just as she was about to ask what he was doing, he tilted his head forward, his lips firmly pressing against hers.

Petra's eyes shot open wider still if that was possible, and for a moment, she fell perfectly still, unsure of what to think or do. Never would she have believed that Levi would… but he was. He was there, and so tangible, and so real.

Petra closed her eyes, kissing back gently, putting each moment to memory as he held her against him. While his hold was gentle, his kiss was not. His actions were purposed and precise, his lips moved over hers with possession and claim, and Petra was left breathless when he finally pulled back slightly, only to have him return once again with more fervor, making her head spin.

Her only thought was that she couldn't believe this was really happening, and that wow Levi sure knew how to kiss. Unable to form much more thought than that, Petra moved her hands onto his shoulders, pulling him closer to her, deciding she didn't care if she could breath or if he was standing 'too close' or whatever her nerves had told her before.

From across the compound, Petra could suddenly hear the sound of the Compound door open and then voices of a few of her squad mates – it sounded like Gunther and Eld– echo across the area.

Petra pulled back; gently pushing Levi away as she forcibly tried to clear her mind, "It sounds like some of the guys have returned…" she trailed off, trying to avoid eye contact with him.

While her heart was beating rapidly, Petra tried to start focusing once more, not quite sure what to make of the fact that she and Levi had just kissed, really, truly kissed. As enjoyable as the experience had been and as much as Petra wanted more, it was best to bring things to a close, and quickly. He was after all, her commanding officer. Whatever it was, that small spark that had ignited between them, it was forbidden.

"Plus you've got those papers to review from Erwin." Petra stated, looking down at the ground.

"They can wait."

She could feel Levi move his hand from the back of her neck to her chin, moving her to face him, though she kept her gaze firmly rooted downward.

"The guys will be moving down the hallway any second Captain!" Petra responded quickly, not wanting the situation to escalate anymore than it had to. As it stood right now, Petra would be shooting him nervous glances for weeks, wondering what the hell he thought of her, if he was serious, or what was in his head.

Levi's gazed bored into her, and as Petra slowly looked up, she felt her brows crease slightly, begging him to understand, "Please, Captain."

Levi's expression didn't change and he continued to hold her against him, not at all seeming to be concerned by the fact that at any moment, they could been seen together in Levi's room, standing way too close with their arms around each other. While the action itself had been fairly innocent, there would be no doubting the nature of their position, and to say it might raise a few eyebrows would be an understatement.

With a sigh, Levi dropped his hold on her, and Petra self-consciously crossed her arms in front of herself as she took a step back. Blinking a few times as she continued to sort her thoughts, Petra brought a hand to her mouth, noticing her lips were still warm from his kiss.

"I'm going to go make the coffee I guess…" Petra stated as she took a step toward the doorway, pausing in step as she looked back at Levi, shocked to find he looked visibly… upset. His expression tore at Petra's heart.

"I meant everything I said Levi…" She stated softly, "I want you to know that."

Taking another step, Petra took one last glance back before fully leaving, moving toward the kitchen and trying to not let her emotions get the best of her.

She was being silly – it was just a kiss. It wasn't anything to freak out about, or anything that really had to change their dynamic. Didn't things like that happen between adults all the time? One person got a little too drunk, the other person maybe just lonely, and things would happen that neither really meant. People did stupid things around the holidays all the time. That was all it was, right? Certainly nothing that should cause her heart to beat so erratically or cause her breath to catch in her throat like it was now.

Moving back in the dining room, she saw Gunther and Eld chatting near the table, and she forced herself to put on a smile as she walked into the room, hoping that the sting of having walked away would dissipate soon.

"Petra!" Eld waved upon noticing her arrival, "You and Levi make it back okay?"

She nodded, carefully being nonchalant as she responded, "Captain Levi? Oh yeah he's fine. He said he needed to work on some papers so he'll be awake if anyone needs him, though I don't think we'll see too much of him tonight."

Moving closer toward the kitchen, Petra continued, "Are you guys planning on being awake for awhile yet? I want to stay up late for Walls Day so I'm gonna make more coffee – how much should I make?"

Eld smiled brightly, "A lot! I plan on staying up all night, till the sun rises."

Petra felt a true smile pull at her lips, pleased to know that she would have some company. As much as the idea of being alone on Walls Day did terrify her, the idea of being left to her thoughts right now as an even worse fate, "Gunther, what about you?"

Gunther nodded, smiling as well, "Well I can't let you guys down now can I? I'll stay up with you, but any caffeine to help the cause would be greatly appreciated."

Petra's smile brightened considerably, and though she knew she wouldn't be able to put words currently to why their friendship meant so much to her, she hoped that just spending time with them might convey her appreciation, "Alright then, I'll make a pot to get started, but if we drink coffee the way I think we will, we'll run out long before morning."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Petra stated after a moment, "I have presents for you guys too. Just a second."

Running back to her room and scooping up the remaining presents in her arms, Petra came back to the table and set the gifts down, scanning the name tags for Gunther and Eld's gift. "Here you are, Merry Walls Day guys. It's not a lot, but just a way to say thank you and all. Hope you like it."

Gunther smiled as he started unwrapping the box, "You're too good to us Petra, thank you."

Eld gave a similar response, and Petra nodded again as she moved into the kitchen, grabbing the coffee pot and starting to fill it with water. As she filled the pot, Petra couldn't help as her mind wandered back to Levi, wondering what he might be making of the circumstance – that was of course assuming that it meant anything to him at all. Even though she couldn't imagine Levi being out of sorts as he was always so cool and collected, Petra was suspicious that he was just as flustered as she was, what with that look on his face when she left.

As she set the pot down to start heating the water, Petra could hear her squad converse, their words making her heart stop. She had heard Eld's voice first, "Oh Captain, Merry Walls Day! Look what Petra got us, pretty sweet right?"

Captain? Petra's stomach churned.

She heard a small 'hn' from Levi, and before Petra was even so much as prepared to turn around to say a pleasant hello, or at least fake pleasantries as best as possible, Levi entered the room.

Petra looked over toward him, clearly surprised as he came into the room, though instead of him stopping at the doorway or sink or counter, Levi made a straight beeline toward her, not once slowing down in his walk until he was face to face, certainly too close to be considered at a comfortable distance.

Without a single word, Levi pulled Petra forward, instantly kissing her heatedly.

Petra's eyes shot open as Levi's lips moved firmly against her own, and for a small moment, Petra melted into his hold, unable to do anything else but kiss him back, reason just not able to resonate in the heat of the moment. However a moment too late, Petra realized how risky the entire circumstance was and shoved him back firmly, however unfortunately for Petra, Levi himself was rather strong, so regardless her efforts, the Captain did not move, rather pulling her even closer, showing her that he did not intend on stopping his assault until he decided to.

What was he doing? Was he thinking through this at all? He couldn't have been –most of the squad was literally across the wall! If they walked in the kitchen or even leaned a chair back too far while looking this way they would undoubtedly see them. Was he hoping they'd get caught and have to explain things to the squad and Goddesses only knew who else?

As Levi pulled back from her, Petra wasn't sure what expression she was expecting to see from him, though she was thoroughly surprised when she saw he was shooting her a venomous glare.

"Captain?" Petra whispered in alarm, trying to keep her voice hushed so she wouldn't grab the attention of Eld or Gunther. She was rather curious to know how Levi could possibly think this was okay, but with that glare he was fixing her with, she was hesitant to ask. Why was he looking at her that way? He kissed her. Wasn't she the one supposed to be glaring at him?

"You were not dismissed." Levi stated flatly, his voice laced with palpable irritation.

"…What?"

"When you are having a conversation with your commanding officer, you do not just get to walk away like a damned plebian. You only leave upon being dismissed." Levi explained firmly, watching her with narrowed eyes.

Petra's eyes widened at his words. Was he serious? Now was not the time or place for semantics! If he kept acting like this, he'd grab her squad mate's attention, what would they do then?

"Captain!" Petra wailed in frustration, hoping to put some distance in between them as she took a step back. Her plan quickly backfiring, Levi took a step forward, and continued to do so until Petra was pressed back against the counter.

He stared at her, his fierce gaze causing Petra to feel nervous and uncertain, his close proximity causing her thoughts to become quickly unsorted. Petra responded nervously, "I mean sure we were talking and and all but it wasn't a conversation or formal or anything. It was just-"

"I did not dismiss you Petra." He repeated lowly, staring down at her.

Petra felt her mouth hang open, not sure she was even speaking logic with the Captain anymore, "You can't be serious Captain! This is hardly the time to-"

"Oh I agree." Levi confirmed as he cut off her words, crossing his arms as he looked down at her flustered state, "We'll resume this conversation later Petra, but for the record, you will not walk out without orders again. Are we understood soldier?"

Resume? What was that supposed to mean? Feeling a blush come to her face, Petra opened her mouth, "But Levi-"

"Yes or no, Solider?" Levi's voice was firm, and as he held Petra's gaze, she knew he was not leaving any room for argument.

Petra sighed, "…Yes, Captain."

Levi gave a small smile, then very gently, moved a fallen piece of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear, the action so gentle and sweet that Petra could only watch in awe, mystified by his actions.

"Petra?"

"Yes Captain?"

"The water's done."

"The water's…" Petra trailed off, not quite certain what he was talking about, though after a moment, she heard the small whistle of the kettle, and her eyes widened, "The water! Right!"

She moved around Levi, adding the coffee grounds as she started to brew the drink, searching the cupboards for the appropriate spices to make the coffee the same way she had in the morning. She tried to clear her mind, her heart still pounding against her rib cage at the Captain's sudden advance that certainly came out of nowhere.

Stealing a small glance over her shoulder toward Levi, he gave her a quirked eyebrow, silently inquiring what she was looking at, and she quickly adverted her gaze, focusing back on the coffee.

"Are you really going to be in your room all night doing papers?" Petra asked after a few minutes of silence as she prepared the coffee, starting to stir in the spices. She had used the silence to help clear her head, at least attempted to. With Levi now at a much more comfortable distance, it allowed her to focus on other tasks at hand – tasks that certainly weren't as confusing or emotionally involved.

Levi moved against the edge of the counter, resting against it casually, "It needs to be done."

Petra shook her head, looking up at him with a small grin, having recovered for the most part, "Well maybe you can at least stay out with us for a cup of coffee? I mean, you don't have to," Petra began, starting to pour the coffee into each individual cup, careful not to spill, "But it may be fun. I know Eld and Gunther are going to stay up all night with me, and I'll be surprised if Aururo won't do the same. It would be so much fun if you were at least there for part of it."

Looking at Petra, Levi gave a small sigh before nodding, "Alright, I'll stay for one cup of coffee with everyone, but nothing more. I have work to get done."

Petra nodded, confirming that was just enough as she grinned at him, clearly pleased that he chose to participate if only for a little while.

The following hours would be spent in each other's company, each resolved to stay awake and be together for the sunrise. The evening was full of laughter, fond memories, and an ungodly amount of caffeine. True to Petra's predictions, the team had indeed gone through their entire week's ration of coffee in a single night; though no one was worried and felt it was a worthy sacrifice for the 'cause'.

Once it started to get late enough for the sky to start to shift from night to dawn, it was suggested they all move up to the roof to watch the sun rise over Wall Sina more clearly. After bundling up and moving to the roof, the team watched the sunrise together, various holiday greeting and wishes exchanged as the colors shifted across the sky.

For Petra, she couldn't have asked for a better holiday. Never in her wildest imaginations would she have expected such closeness and camaraderie, and it filled Petra with true joy to know she was, through it all, so blessed to have the bonds she did. Never, ever, would she take it for granted.

As for a certain Captain, regardless his previous intentions of just a single cup of coffee, he would indeed stay out the entire night. His paperwork would remain forgotten until much later on in the day, and he would welcome the change when they all moved to the roof, because even if he didn't admit it, he wanted to be there together with his team as well – even for something as trivial as watching the sunrise on Walls Day. Not long after the sunrise would a certain squad member's head fall firmly against Levi, and regardless the few snickers Petra would receive for being the first to pass out, Levi would never fully be able to bring himself to push her off his chest.

Later when she awoke, Petra had given a weak smile in her half awake state, and wished Levi yet another Merry Walls Day before falling back asleep again. Levi would not be able to do anything but smile back and wish her a Merry Walls Day, knowing full well she wouldn't remember it anyway. Looking at the sun, Levi could feel Petra warm against him, and for the first time in a long time, he had felt something different. Though its existence was small like the tiniest light from a flickering candle, Levi knew its name doubtlessly.

Hope.

.

.

.

And that's all for this piece :)

This is a standalone so there is no follow up that will be coming (just to hopefully save that question from needing to be answered.)Thanks for all the support and patience. Happy Holidays, and Happy New year! Stay safe out there everyone!

Best of wishes,
Midnight