*ahem* uh... hi? I know I know, it's been literal years since I last posted anything let alone an update... Alas, as life tends to be quite a jealous mistress, I've been awfully busy trying to sort things out. A lot of you may know me from Tumblr before I purged my account and some of you probably have forgotten who I am. I used to be quite an active member of the rivamika fandom back in the day, and during that time I wrote and did some fun art for the ship. It's interesting because I haven't looked back in ages, or have more or less stuck to AO3 now since did a purge of its own. Funnily enough, an old friend from the RM fandom contacted me on discord because of an ask she received on tumblr for a specific piece I wrote and thought I'd accidentally deleted when I burned my tumblr account, and I told her as much. Lo, and behold, I found the piece as I was digging through my personal archive and decided to do it proper justice and post it here and on AO3. Anyway! Without further ado

FAILURE IN FIVE

Fukushuu prompt: High School AU - five ways senior Levi tried to ask freshman Mikasa to prom (And failed)

summary: He hated prom. He hated the idea of it. But he hated the idea of losing more.

Rated T for language.

There are two things you need to know about Levi, Captain of Trost High's football team. One, he was unbelievably competitive and hated the thought of losing. and Two, he was convinced Prom was easily the most idiotic thing to ever come to fruition within the minds of scholastic leaders and pupils alike. To say Levi was an avid protester against the prom would be a bit much, but it was simple.

He hated prom. He hated losing. He hated the thought of losing and going to the prom.

Simple as that.

To be completely, frankly, despicably honest, he had always thought the idea of prom was a serious waste of time. What, you spend roughly one hundred—two hundred dollars on a lousy suit, a mealtime that would most likely end up hilariously awkward, and going to a stupid dance where the music was shit and no one knew what they were doing? Don't even get him started on the ridiculous things people do to ask each other out. Call him crazy, but Levi didn't necessarily think painting a girl's car or covering her locker—god forbid even her room—to ask her out was his idea of fun.

His freshman year, he had completely tossed the idea out the window despite the many broken hearts he had left—or so Gunther had claimed when Levi had declined his teammate's invitation to join their double date to prom.

"We're freshmen, Gunther," Levi drawled, eyeing the taller male with a flat stare. "We're not even supposed to go to the prom."

"But don't you wanna go with Petra?" his friend asked, wiggling thick eyebrows whilst balancing a football on his head and leaning back on the hind legs of a chair. The end result was a football jock on the back of his head and the shorter, albeit more athletic, man to watch him try to pick himself up from the ground.

"Why would I want to go with Petra?" Levi asked, turning back around to scribble in the answer to a math problem. He wasn't an idiot. He knew the football's team manager had a solid crush on him ever since he transferred into the school. It's not like he wasn't flattered or anything… he just didn't see himself as the type to have a girlfriend. He had enough to deal with school and work to get by on his own one-bedroom apartment.

"You should just gooooo, man!" Gunther had exclaimed, throwing his beefy arms in the air.

In the end, Levi never went to prom and from the recounts, he found out Petra had gone out with Auruo instead. So it all worked out.

Sophomore year, it was the same deal. While he had even received some inquiries from the girls on the cheerleading squad, the school's talented football player and lead offense on the junior varsity team (yeah, he managed that), expressed quite simply he had no intentions to go to the fucking prom.

By the time junior year came around, the questions seemed to have found less and less room in his locker. When MORP had come and gone, Levi had basically moved his belongings over to Gunther's locker—knowing full well the girls would most likely still be trying to ask him out to prom, despite going against the tradition of a male asking A female.

Overall, Levi was pretty certain he been pretty patient. Did Petra deserve to get shouted at in the middle of the cafeteria when she asked him? Probably not. In fact, he knew that he royally screwed up the moment he snapped and saw her eyes well up with huge, embarrassed tears. She didn't have to get the marching band to play a huge song for him and set up a ridiculous banner just to ask him though… in a way, he supposed, he just hated being under that kind of attention when his locker was jammed up with heart-shaped inquiries and chocolate briberies.

In the end, Levi did apologize—thanks to the brutal scoldings of his teammates when they saw the humiliating spectacle and he had done nothing the hours afterward. Petra had been surprisingly understanding and even apologized for putting him on the spot like that. She ended up going with Erd to the prom. So that worked out alright too.

Of course, no one could forget his explosion and so when senior year rolled around, Levi's locker was mercifully empty of all date requests when the time for MORP popped in.

Only… a lot can change in a year. Seeing as how there are newer students every year, new freshmen, new faces.

The newest came in the shape of tan skin, brown hair and green eyes. Eren Jaeger was a football enthusiast. He had arrived to tryouts in his favorite jersey and had even formally introduced himself to the team and made a special case to get on Levi's good graces now that the short young man had risen in prestige and had become the school's football captain.

All in all, Eren was a different kid. He had tenacity, Levi would give him that. But the kid lacked what the team needed at the time. It had been difficult to see his face when they had posted the names of the newest football team members. Levi had been used to seeing dejected faces and had even seen his previous captains get yelled at by distraught rejects. Eren, had been different. He had approached the team, bowed, and thanked them for the opportunity to try out and asked if there was anything he could do. As it happened, Levi decided to place him as the team's water boy—it was seriously the most he could do for the kid at that point.

What had happened after…Levi had not expected.

A few days after Eren had been appointed as the team's 'refreshment specialist' (honest to god, Petra. What even.) Levi had been yanking off his shirt in the middle of an empty locker room, filthy and more than ready for a shower. As usual, he had been the last to finish practice, making sure the equipment had been properly stored and the footballs cleaned like he liked. So when the Captain heard the locker room door slam open, he had been startled—but not nearly startled enough when he heard stomping footsteps and saw a girl with jet black hair cropped to her chin stop, dark eyes searching before they landed on him.

There he was, shirtless and sweaty, hair sticking to his face as she turned and faced him the fiercest glare anyone had ever dared to place on him.

"Are you Levi?" She asked, taking several steps close despite the obvious fact she should not be here.

"That's Captain Levi," He had no idea where that came from but for some strange reason, it made her eyebrows rise. He narrowed his eyes, "Who's asking?"

"Mikasa Ackerman," She grunted, folding her arms over her chest as she looked him over. Levi fought the urge to put his shirt back on, choosing instead to let one of his hands rest on his hips. He nearly winced when he realized just how low his shorts were hanging but decided to use that against her. She met his gaze again, unafraid and completely defiant. "I hear you were the one who placed my brother as the team's water boy?"

Brother? This girl was Eren's sister…? "Problem, Mikasa Ackerman?" He retorted, strangely liking the way her name rolled of his tongue.

"Yes, problem, Captain Levi." A fierce shiver rose from the base of his spine to spread to his fingers as she said his name. He didn't doubt she had every intention to mock him with his title, but it had the exact opposite effect. Her eyes, he realized, were a dark shade of gray, like steel or coal.

"Eren has been practicing and practicing day in and day out. He has put himself too many times on the dirt and played too hard as a football player to be humiliated and disrespected with the role of water boy." She ranted, taking an intimidating step forward that—once again, left him feeling more excited than threatened. Who…is this girl? "I want you to fix this and put him on the team."

"No can do, Miss Ackerman," Levi replied, finally feeling a spark of irritation at her demands. What is she… a freshman? She certainly looked older, but he had never seen her before and Eren was a freshman. Or maybe it wasn't that she looked older… she held herself different than most girls he had seen. Taller, pronounced with power and no-nonsense attitudes that made her appear older… Whatever and whoever she was…Levi had never been more impressed.

Although, he would be loathed to admit it.

"Why?" She barked.

"Because I'm the Captain of the team," He drawled, turning more to face her and settle into his own power stance. Her eyes widened just a fraction, as if surprised he didn't just give in to her demands. Not today, sweetheart. "I make the calls. Eren played well during tryouts, but he didn't cover what the team needs. I'm not going to pick coddling a kid over the well being of my team, you get that, brat? He made his choice and he made no objections when I offered him the position to still contribute. Maybe you're the one who's being disrespectful."

She leaned away, eyes wide and staring at him in shock. He felt rather pleased with himself until she narrowed those brilliant dark eyes into slits, "You've got some nerve." And with that she turned and began to stomp off, "This won't be the last you hear from me!"

I sure hope not. He thought, smirking widely as she sauntered away.

"Oi, what's with the grin?" Hanji asked hours later in the library while he worked on his latest homework assignment.

"What grin?" He asked.

Hanji adjusted her glasses as she leaned over to him, pointing at his mouth, "That one. You've been grinning non-stop since you got here. You come up with a new way to torture your new recruits?"

Levi leaned back on his chair, his eyes falling over to a group of girls from the student council, talking amongst each other as they pulled up a banner that had been splashed with obnoxious colors and labeled, "PROM IS ALMOST HERE!"

The shorter man smirked, thinking of the girl with the fierce gaze and the no-nonsense attitude. "Something like that."

Over the course of the next few weeks, Levi had noticed a rise in tension during practice. Everyone seemed to sense the edge and seemed to shy away from it. One thing was certainly clear, it always got worse whenever Eren was around—specifically, his sister. Mikasa.

Eren, true to his word, attended to every practice, watching the formations with rapt attention and taking down notes during huddles. Levi did what he could to teach what had brought success to the team to the newest team members, pulling them through hell while Coach Smith ensured Levi didn't get out of hand. When it came time to demonstrate many of the moves that the fresh meat, Levi was sure to rise to the occasion—noticing with some curiosity how Mikasa watched him move.

Well… more like glowered at him at every instant he turned a glance in her direction. She seemed pretty adamant in expressing her distaste for him. Yet despite her hateful glances and heated staredowns, Levi still felt that surge of excitement push him harder whenever he felt he was under her scrutiny. He didn't realize just how hard it was pushing him until he had kicked one of the balls particularly strong enough to make the newest goalie—Jean Kirschstein—fall to his knees, air knocked clean out of his lungs.

It was usually at that point he realized he needed to take a step back and see what the hell was going on with him.

"That girl," Gunther hummed one day as Levi was reaching for his towel, wiping off sweat. Levi raised a brow at his friend and the beefy jock jerked his chin ahead. Levi turned, towel over his hair, and saw Eren appearing to have a rather heated discussion with that girl. Mikasa was pretty straight-faced, and while they spoke her eyes suddenly jumped over to him, making his stomach dip.

She looked away and he reached for his water bottle, taking a swig and appearing nonchalant. "What about her." He asked and Gunther shrugged.

"She's… I dunno… she seems intense. Like… it's like whenever she looks at you she's trying to kill you with her brain, or something."

"Really now," Levi remarked, rolling his eyes. Gunther smirked.

"I think she's got the hots for you, man."

"Laps, Gun. 10 of 'em." The taller boy laughed before smacking his Captain in the shoulder before taking off to do as he was told. When Levi looked back, Eren had stormed off and Mikasa was standing there looking particularly wretched. It surprised him, actually. Seeing her look so…not herself. When she glanced back up at him, her glower came full force and Levi had to fight a strange urge he hadn't quite felt before.

He could be wrong… but he honestly wanted, for a split second, to march over to her and make the stare-down a bit more… intimate.

The following week, streamers and announcements during class began to take commonplace. Big banners of all kinds of levels of atrocity stained the walls and talk of what this year's Prom theme was going to be. It was a mystery or some shit…

As was the norm he had accepted for the past three years, Levi approached the topic of Prom with obvious disdain and disinterest. Still, despite his character aloofness toward the school's annual dance, he was beginning to see the familiar shapes of paper hearts in his locker. It had been one day after classes were over that he had headed over to his little box of books and work that he found a particularly huge red heart, the question – Prom? –on its surface. With a snort, Levi grabbed all the paper hearts and noted inquiries and tossed them in the nearest trash bin.

"That's rather insensitive of you." He heard and nearly stiffened. Turning around he saw her, Mikasa Ackerman, leaning against the lockers just a few feet away, glaring at him with disapproval.

"Making the choice to not go to prom?" Levi rolled his eyes before placing his books back in his space and taking out others to place in his book bag.

"Disregarding all those invitations," Mikasa clarified. "A lot of those girls have feelings, Captain. Maybe you should consider them first before tossing them in the garbage. But, what do I care?" she finished with a shrug.

With a firm slam, he shut the metal gate before turning a curious stare on the dark-haired girl. "You make an awful lot of assumptions for someone who doesn't care," He noted. She crossed her arms, fingers sliding over the dark jacket of her uniform.

"And you're an insensitive jerk who walks over the hearts of girls for fun." Levi nearly laughed. She had spoken as if she was merely commenting on the color of the lockers, or how their uniforms were stupid. You are something different.

"None of those invitations had names on them," he monotoned. "And if they were really curious about feelings, they should let me actually have a say on who to ask."

"And will you?"

"Will I what?"

"Ask someone?"

The question honestly took him by surprise and she seemed to notice that because she was pushing herself off the lockers with a frown. "You won't, will you?" it didn't sound like a question and the way she was looking at him made him feel like he one of the bacteria Hanji placed under her microscope to study.

"I have better things to do with my time." He finished saying before tugging the strap of his bag over his shoulder.

"Seriously? Not one girl?" Mikasa scoffed, sounding disgusted.

"Interest in me is not a form of entitlement," he replied. "I can still make a choice."

Mikasa's lips pursed for a moment, the movement caught his attention and he realized—quite abruptly—how naturally pink and plump they were. "So what, you're just going to throw all those invitations away instead of telling them you're not interested?"

"They'll get the picture."

She glared at him, "You're unbelievable. Eren said you weren't a bad person. That you were kind when you wanted to be, but I don't see it at all. Or is kindness only good to give when it's convenient for you?"

He had no idea why but her comment made a sharp burst of irritation rise in his chest, he was certainly not expecting her to approach him today. And he had certainly not expected her to treat him like he has some kind of evil man. "What do you expect me to do, Mikasa?" He asked, trying to hold back from seething in front of her. "You want me to walk up to every single girl who's ever asked me anonymously and let them down to their face? Or would you want me to post it on some huge banner and cover it in glitter so they could see it better? Slap it on the nearest double doors?"

The power of her glare tightened, her hands falling to her sides to grip at her hips. "Maybe if you'd agree to one of them, they'd all get the picture a little better. Hey, you could even make some girl's day and grow a heart yourself!" and with that she turned and began to storm off, her dark hair bouncing behind her.

"Alright, then," He growled, finding himself chasing after her. "How about you go out with me to the Prom then, if you want everyone to get the picture so much?"

She skidded to a stop before whirling around, her eyes wide and surprised. He had to stop on his toes before he barreled into her, frowning as she stared at him. "What did you say?" She gasped, looking outraged.

"How about it, Ackerman?" Levi repeated, tilting his chin as he pitted against her. "Go out with me to the prom if you care so much."

"I don't." She hissed through gritted teeth. "And you can go with yourself to the Prom because there's no way in hell that I'd go with you." With that said, Mikasa turned and stomped off, furious in her strides, her short skirt and jacket flying behind her.

If there was ever a time to hear anything as a challenge, this was not it. This was not the time to take these sort of things as a challenge. But being seventeen and hotheaded seemed to make logical reasoning the last thing he wanted to use and a challenge against this fiery girl seemed to spark something in him he had never felt before.

"We'll see about that." He muttered to himself.

Three hours later he slammed his bag down on Hanji's table, startling her and Erwin as they watched him yank all kinds of crazy arts and crafts things from his bag.

"Uh… Levi?" Erwin asked slowly, picking up a tube of glitter glue. "What are you doing?"

"We're skipping math homework tonight," the short man ranted, storm gray eyes narrowing into a violent glare, slamming a pair of scissors on the table. "The two of you are going to help me."

Hanji let out an elongated, "Uh…" before exchanging a startled glance with the blonde senior. "With what…exactly?"

"Mikasa Ackerman," Levi announced, spitting her name out like poison. "I'm asking her to the prom and I intend to have her say yes."

To be fair, he probably should have said that in a different way. He hadn't counted on Hanji fainting.

The second time Levi asked Mikasa to the prom, he had created a pretty good card. Decked out with ribbons and curving calligraphy that Erwin had nearly broken a wrist getting right for him. It was a beautiful card, and even though Levi usually didn't give two shits for pretty things like that, he could honestly say it was handsome. Handsome enough to earn consideration and maybe acceptance.

Hanji had been overly thrilled in assisting and even suggested ordering flowers for Mikasa. Levi thought that was idiotic but, if it works—it works.

When Levi slid the card into her locker he only had to wait, maybe, ten minutes before she arrived, tugged along by the arm thanks to Mina Carolina—who had all but jumped at the chance to help Hanji get the girl a date. Apparently, Mikasa had also been rather uncouth to potential recipients.

Levi wasn't too intimidated. He was fucking Captain Levi of the Football Team. One look of the card and Mikasa was bound to accept his proposal.

Only, when she finally looked at the card and read the inscription—You and Me, the Prom. – Levi.—Followed by a Poem by Pablo Naruda that Erwin had claimed 'was a winner.' she didn't even blink before she made her way to the nearest trash bin and threw the invitation away. Grabbing Mina by the arm she walked off, "Let's go, Mina. I have better things to do with my time."

That bitch.

The third time Levi asked Mikasa to the prom, he had draped a huge glittery banner, asking her quite publicly if she would like to go to the prom with him. The project had taken him, Erwin, and Hanji two hours of debating and another two hours of putting together. Levi had forced himself to stay up another two hours that night making sure it was just right. Needless to say, he didn't sleep and he had marched back to the school right after it was finished to pin it over her locker.

When she arrived and saw the whole thing she only searched for him once, and when their eyes met she very firmly grabbed the banner and tore it to shreds.

Levi could only feel his irritation mount when she smirked at him and sashayed toward class. The flowers he had sent to her class, he had found snapped in half and tossed into a cafeteria garbage bin. It was that same irritation that allowed him to ignore the very shocked stares from the entire student body for the rest of the day. Quite honestly, her behavior was baffling. Hadn't she been the one to pioneer the defense of feelings and tradition or whatever? He would've been all to ready to accuse her, and with high amusement too, of calling the kettle black and put the whole damn thing to rest... but something in him refused to end now. Let it be known Levi goes through with his word, even if his own stubbornness was steadily driving him insane.

"Why the flying shit is she not saying yes, already?" Levi had growled as he kicked ball after ball into the goal post.

"You got me," Gunther commented, stretching his arms as he watched his Captain kick yet another ball viciously into the open net. "Hanji showed me a picture of the card you sent her. I have to say, that would've gotten any girl into bed with you. I know I would've probably jumped your bones for the poem alone."

"I'm not trying to have sex with her, Gunther." Levi grunted. "I just want to take her to that stupid dance and get everyone off my fucking case over it."

The tall jock fell silent for a moment, musing. Finally, "Well, have you tried flowers?"

Levi let out a loud snarl before kicking the last ball, effectively tearing a hole in the net.

The fourth time Levi asked Mikasa to the prom, he had basically blown nearly three hundred dollars on chocolates (which she gave away), toy plushies (which she decapitated), bouquets of flowers (she had tossed in the middle of traffic), and all manner of cards decked with beautiful poetry (Erwin had started charging him after the fifth card had arrived in ashes in a small letter in his locker, signed – M). The woman was an unreachable shrew and it was driving Levi more than insane.

It was driving him out of his mind.

Even more so when she would still show up to practice and watched him play with an irritating little smug look on her face. That little bitch.

After Levi had managed to oversee the newer player's training, he had reached to his side, aimlessly accepting an offered plastic cup of water from Eren.

"You doing alright, Captain?" Eren asked after Levi down the water silently. The young man nodded before stiffening, his mind carrying the weight of a brand new epiphany. Eren. Of COURSE.

"Eren," He spoke and the young freshman was giving him his full attention, "What would you say is the problem with what they're doing right now?" he motioned to the team as they did a practice match.

"The problem… Captain?"

"With Gunther's team. Erd is obviously doing something right, figure out what's wrong."

For a moment the brunet remained silent, watching them play and practice the formations Levi had demonstrated at Coach Pixis' commands. "They're offense is too narrow, Captain."

"Oh?" Levi rose a brow.

Eren nodded, "They're too spread out. Dieter is clearly pushing forward when he should be engaging the rest of the offense together." He had to admit, Levi was impressed and could only feel the beginnings of a smirk begin to tug at his lips. Excellent.

"Stalinsky," Levi called and the blond player perked up, gasping for air. "Switch with Jaeger."

"What?!"

"You heard me, Dieter. Move!" Levi barked before turning to meet Eren's wide green gaze. "Show me what you can do, kid."

Eren grinned, wide and excited, "Really, Captain? You mean it?"

"Before I change my mind, Jaeger," He groaned but couldn't help the smile that lifted his lips when Eren dropped the water bottle in his hands and burst into a sprint into the field, slapping Stalinsky's exhausted hand with a little too much enthusiasm. When Levi dared to glance up toward the bleachers where Mikasa usually sat, he was pleased to see her looking rather surprised.

By the time she was turning to look at him, he was already looking away and calling out commands while they practiced.

He probably didn't want to admit it quite so openly, but the way her expression had softened had left him feeling funny… funny in the sense that his chest didn't quite feel so tight.

The fifth time Levi asked Mikasa to the prom, it had been the moment she approached him in the locker room. Storming in while he was in a towel and naked—clean, but definitely naked. The reminiscent action of their first meeting was overwhelmed by the fact she was staring at him with hard eyes and he only had a white fluffy towel around his waist to keep him from exposing everything to her.

"Why did you do it?"

Levi tried, really tried to keep nonchalant. But it was pretty hard to do even that when her eyes would not-so-inconspicuously fall to the loose towel around his waist, and the droplets of shower water over his taut skin. "Do what now." He asked, tugging his locker open and grabbing at one of his clean shirts.

"Put Eren on the field," She insisted, voice tight. "I thought you said you wouldn't coddle him over your team."

"I'm not," Levi replied and turned to face her. To his immense satisfaction, she looked away, cheeks burning when he reached to re-adjust his towel. "You told me once that he has been practicing. I gave him a chance to prove himself. That's all."

"…That's all?" dark eyes blinked to stare into his own, suspicious and untrusting. Levi smirked.

"Didn't you say once that I should give people more chances?"

She looked away, her cheeks darkening in color as he leaned a shoulder over the metal grate of the lockers. The metal was cold against his skin, making him shiver. "I didn't think you'd take me seriously."

"Why wouldn't I?"

Mikasa scowled, "Because you're an insensitive jerk." And even though the words were insulting, he wasn't. Because it didn't feel like an insult… more like a confirmation. What he didn't understand, was the fact that he didn't feel smug, or proud, or even slightly conceited. It honestly startled him, how much he actually found her appealing… and even more so, how he enjoyed seeing her looking so… soft.

This wasn't the hardened blade of steel he had been used to battling against. Here she was, all attitude and all fire… but it wasn't harsh and biting. It was warm, and made his chest feel like it was opening up… or something.

"…Go with me to the prom." He said, but his tone was softer and his expression gentler. It was enough to make her look up at him with surprise, but not like the surprise of outrage and anger that she had directed at him when he had asked her the first time. This surprise was different.

"Why?" She asked finally, after a strange moment of staring at him.

"Because I'd like to take you."

For another long moment she stared at him, but this time it was as if she were looking at him through a different perspective and while her anger and fury had excited him—this gaze thrilled him.

"No," Mikasa said and Levi felt his shoulders slump at her response.

But instead of sniffing at him or scoffing, she smiled and it was so strange, so out of place, that the very prettiness of it stunned him speechless. Even long after she turned and left, Levi was unable to stop staring after her with a strange fluttering in his chest, towel falling off his hips. It took Gunther walking in before stopping with a start and asking, "Are we doing naked thoughts in locker time now, or what?" to shake him from his derailed thoughts and bring him back to a (quite embarrassed) reality.

It was one week before prom and Levi had ended his game of invitations. No longer was Mikasa subject to his monetary affections, and while his pocket was finally healing, he wasn't quite so sure about his heart.

It only served to surprise him further when he realized exactly how disappointed he felt when she had rejected his fifth offer. So, falling back on old habits, Levi walked over to his locker one day after school and opened it to see all the newest paper hearts over his books.

He had already begun to grab them in his arms to dump them in the trashcan nearby when something stopped him short. He didn't know what it was but he saw one of the written invitations and before he knew it he was reading it. There was no name, just a seven-digit number.

Pulling out his phone, he punched the digits in the keypad and waited as the tone clicked once, twice...

"Hello?"

"Uh, hi… this is Levi…I got this letter in my locker. There's no name, just a number…Anyway, I liked what you wrote and I thought…would you like to go to Prom with me?"

"…What?"

"You should stop fidgeting, you'll ruin it." Hanji sighed as she straightened the cravat around Levi's throat.

"Forgive me if I'm not used to formal clothing," He deadpanned, pulling at the cloth around his neck so it would fall more comfortably against his throat. Erwin chuckled behind him, watching the two go on about from the reflection of the mirror.

"I'm actually impressed, Levi." The blonde young man chuckled. "You don't look half bad."

"I swear to god…" The short man sighed, running a hand through his hair but winced when Hanji firmly slapped his hand away.

"Idiot!" She snapped, "Do you want to ruin your hair? I nearly spent an entire can worth of mousse because of you!"

Levi snapped back, "I don't see why you want to make it look slicked back anyway, it makes me look like a fucking douche!"

"Guys…" Erwin sighed, placing his hands inside the pockets of his suit. "Hanji, leave him alone. He looks fine."

The redhead pulled away, straightening her glasses before adjusting her dress. "Fine, fine. Did you remember to bring the crousage?"

"It's corsage," Levi rolled his eyes and pulled the small plastic box containing the white roses and baby's breath from his pocket, "and yes, I brought it."

"What's her name again?" the tall blond asked, reaching an arm over to tug at Hanji's waist. She grinned up at him before turning back to the mirror.

"…Rico…or something." The shorter man replied, stuffing the box back in his suit's trousers and adjusting the jacket over his chest. "I look like a freaking penguin."

"An attractive penguin." Hanji laughed and pulled them both into a quick hug. "I'm so excited! Levi's first prom and it's with a pretty girl!"

"So sad about the whole Mikasa thing not panning out." Erwin said, and Levi shrugged. Then again it made sense why Erwin would be so disappointed, he had nearly sprained a wrist doing all those fancy letters for the cause. Another surge of disappointment took over the shorter male's chest and he had to clear his throat to keep from sighing. After she had rejected him, she had disappeared. The days that followed, she didn't appear for practice and he hadn't seen her around her usual spots. When he had asked her friends, they had all said she had said she would be traveling that week with her parents somewhere. Needless to say, it sort of made more sense why she had rejected him even though it sucked not knowing the real reason until he heard from Mina.

The doorbell gave a quick ring and the trio exchanged curious glances. "Levi," Erwin frowned. "Did you tell Rico to meet you here?"

"No." He denied, "I said I would pick her up."

Hanji pursed red lips, "Well, go and get the door then. Maybe it's pizza!"

"Hanji, no one ordered pizza." Erwin rolled his eyes but didn't hesitate to press a firm kiss against her cheek when she shrugged and attempted to list off all the probable reasons why it was pizza. Levi left them to it, deciding to take his chances with the door than seeing them get all cutesy-poopsy.

"If you did order pizza," Levi called over his shoulder as he reached and pulled open the door. "Then I hope you didn't order that meat lover's shit. I'm done eating sausa…ges… Mikasa?"

Dark coal eyes blinked up at him with a glimmer of amusement. She was dressed in a simple shirt, jacket and jeans, neck wreathed in a red muffler to protect against the chill—so strange seeing her wearing something that wasn't their school's uniform, but it suited her. Made her seem less young…

"I heard around the grapevine you were taking Rico to prom." She said, pink lips quirking into a sideways smile, making him feel strangely weak in the knees. "Good for you."

For a moment he stared at her before realizing that the house was far too quiet. Turning he saw how both Erwin and Hanji were gaping at him before they both wildly urged him to get out to talk to her. Nearly jumping, Levi stumbled out the door and closed it behind him.

"I…wasn't expecting you…" He said, feeling as if his tongue had swollen three sizes and his jaw no longer wanted to work. Why did she look so… stunning? She was wearing the most normal clothes, her make up wasn't any different. And yet there was something in her gaze that made his heart ram against his throat, damn well near choking him.

"I don't doubt it," she replied, shrugging. "I just got back from a trip with my parents."

"How…was it?" the question sounded as awkward as he felt but she didn't seem to notice.

"It was really nice," She said, lifting a hand to pull a black strand of hair over her ear. Whoa. "I got to visit my grandma, and she gave me some curious advice."

Levi tugged at the hem of his suit, suddenly hating how much of an idiot he probably looked. "You look…really handsome, by the way." Levi nearly choked. It seemed she finally seemed to realize what she had said because she was ducking her chin and avoiding his shocked stare by tugging up the fabric of her scarf over her face.

After a moment of seriously awkward standing, Levi cleared his throat before remembering something she had said. "You said curious advice… what do you mean?"

At this she looked up at him, and her smile was returning sheepishly, making his heart do funny things. What is wrong with him?

"I once told you to give people other chances…" She began, fingers lifting to play at the fabric of her scarf. "And… you seem to be doing that okay. I guess I misjudged you… but I also realized that… I haven't really been following that same advice either."

Levi nodded, "Seems fair."

She glared at him and he smirked. Rolling her eyes she continued, "My grandma told me that before I make demands from people… I should seek to make changes myself. In a way, she's right."

Levi rose a brow, not entirely getting where she was going, but said nothing. She turned her gaze toward one of the trees in Hanji's yard before letting out a short sigh and looking back up at him. "You gave Eren a chance to be on the team… and I've honestly never seen him that happy to be playing. Now, you've given a girl a chance to go on a date with you, even to something as hateful as prom…" when did her eyes get so big? "…So…I've decided to do the same. Give you a chance."

He didn't realize he was moving until he was standing just a foot away from her, her features appearing more brilliant the closer he got and under the fading light of day—she looked radiant. It shocked him but left him feeling strangely warm inside. "Really now?" He asked and she was meeting his gaze with that same fire and same no-nonsense attitude that had enthralled him the moment he met her.

"Just one, Levi." She warned, and while her voice was laced with a gentle threat her hand was reaching up to tug at the cravat around his throat. "But it's a chance."

"Alright," He murmured, and she smiled again.

"Alright." She agreed, and before he could think of anything witty to say in response, she was leaning in and pressing her lips against his in a firm but gentle kiss.

Levi had hated losing, in fact he was pretty sure he still hated it. He never got to take Mikasa Ackerman to the prom, and that still counted as a solid failure... and he still ended up going to the stupid prom. But even though he completely failed in taking her to that idiot school dance, he had succeeded in something a little more meaningful in the end. And he could taste it on her lips and he would continue to taste it after the stupid prom thing was good and over with.

This was a failure he was okay with dealing with, and in the end... he found the Prom wasn't quite so bad when it was all over.

It was still fucking stupid though.

fin