Casual touches are a thing. During the day she initiates small shoulder squeezes if she passes behind him or the quick hand grab-and-release if she's walking in front of the counter that his hands are resting upon. She'll sometimes lean against his side when working next to each other at the shop. She's even snuggled her cold feet under his outside once. But he's the one who pulls her close at night. He just knows it.

He knows because it has gotten to the point where it's getting harder and harder again for him to fall asleep. And he has this crazy idea that his body doesn't want to wait until he's unconscious to hold her close and wake with her, but rather wants to fall asleep that way now as well. It's preposterous. But he's running out of ideas and he's worried his restlessness keeps her up as well, though she would never complain.

And so, as he gets in bed with her and they settle into the covers, he finally reaches over and, not too fast but not slow either, drags her into the warmth of his body and locks her there with his ridiculously strong arms.

It goes smoothly for a few days.

And then after three nights of pulling her back to his chest and waking with her still there locked in his embrace, he's thrown off when on the fourth morning there's no spine pressed against his chest, but Mikasa's front instead.

He registers many things in the first instant of being awake; that it would appear he has finally woken up before her as she seems to still be asleep, that her head is tucked perfectly in the juncture of his head and shoulder thus her breath is ghosting over his neck in just a way that is so close to a tickle but instead of bringing discomfort shoots pleasure through his body, and that speaking of pleasure, one of her legs is warm in between his two while her other leg is lazily thrown over his hip. It is easily the most intimate he's ever been with a woman.

The second instant of being awake he registers more; his body growing warm, an internal fire that's flickered to life, a want, not completely coherent but completely understood, primal, that his body likes what is happening.

And the third instant is shock, shock so sudden he can't hold back as he gasps and takes in an overly large breath and Mikasa's eyes snap open, instantly alert.

The seconds that proceed seem to be trickling like honey in comparison with how fast everything had hit him the three seconds prior.

She lets out a breath close to his neck, closes her eyes again, and snuggles deeper into him.

Hesitantly, whispering, "Is this o-"

"Shut up Levi."

And as he relaxes, he can't help the feeling of utter contentment washing over him.

He likes his simple life with Mikasa, if enjoyment is still an emotion he feels, he'd say he enjoyed it too. They have a routine and they have a comfort level. And Levi is finding he likes Mikasa. He admires her and her work and her peacefulness that has washed over her with the end of the war. The peacefulness that is seeping out of her and into him as well.

But there's that twitch inside of him. The part that enjoys his body pressed up against her in the mornings. The part that urges him to run his hands through her hair or softly stroke her leg when it's next to his at night.

He can never remember in his whole life wanting to gently touch another human being. He knows what these urges are; has seen mothers hugging their children, teenagers making out on benches, elderly holding hands as they walk, and he knows it's some form of attachment, affection, and strangely attraction.

He wonders if she feels it too. She doesn't pull away from him when he holds her in bed. She initiates contact with him when she feels like it. So, she must not be completely opposed to the idea of finding comfort in him. Or maybe even liking him the way he discovered he likes her.

His growing attraction to her doesn't bother him much as it's overshadowed by the calmness he feels in this new life. But it's there in the back of his head when he wakes up pressed against her, when she places her hand on his upper arm after putting dinner in front of him, when they spar just for fun and she has him pinned beneath her, it's there.

And he wonders when it will grow too strong to ignore.

It grows too strong to ignore a week or so later. Routine is normal, they've just finished breakfast and Levi is on his way to the shop as Mikasa is ready to head out to the garden. They are in the doorway together when Levi gets another one of his sudden urges to touch her, and instead of tempering it down like usual, he gives in to his urge. He reaches his hand up, runs it down the hair in front of her face, tucks it behind her ear, and settles his hand under her ear at the juncture of her jaw and her neck.

He stares too long at his hand, then her eyes. He takes one more moment to enjoy the feeling of his skin on hers before he removes his hand, nods, and walks away.

He only gets three steps before he turns around and walks back towards her where she hasn't moved.

He puts his hand back on her neck where it just was moments before.

"Can I kiss you?"

He can tell his question surprises her, but her shock is brief as it morphs into a small smile and she slowly nods her head under his hand.

Right then. She consented. Right.

Trying hard not to overthink this, he slowly moves her head down towards his as he moves his to meet her.

It's gentle and hesitant and something grows in his wretched heart and it's not nearly long enough but he also doesn't know what he's doing so he retreats. He makes it just far enough to see a shy smile on her face before he feels her arms around his neck pulling him in again.

It's still gentle but she moves her mouth against his in a way that makes his want to move too. So he does. He loses himself to feeling rather than thinking, which to be honest, he's always been better at anyways. Instinct guides him how to move and it's happiness and passion between them. And then it's over and she's pulling away and she leaves him with a, "See you later."

Needless to say, concentration on work is difficult that morning when all Levi is able to do is dissect that kiss.

She comes in same as always and doesn't give any indication away that she's been plagued with the same overthinking conundrum as himself.

He tries to take her cue to put it out of his mind as he works the rest of the day.

She takes his hand on the walk home and holds it in hers the entire way.

After dinner they drink more wine than usual and talk about how inexperienced they both are in the ways of love and intimacy.

She laughs at him because he's 'so old' and never experienced closeness such as this. His ears get red and he mutters 'brat' before she swings herself around and is suddenly straddling is lap and her hands are holding his face.

Humor gone, she tells him that they will just have to learn how to do it together.

And learn they do.

That Ackerman instinct isn't just for fighting apparently as they both are quick learners and adapters at how to be a good lover.

Seamlessly going from gentle to rough, from shy to bold, they are able to find a rhythm perfect to both.

Integrating their enjoyment of physical activity into their routine is surprisingly easy. Yes, the first few days they're insatiable like cadets about to go on their first expedition, but after that, routine falls back into place.

They do what feels right when it feels right. If he wants to hold her hand, he does. If she wants to kiss him when they wake, she does. And yes, there is even a day they keep the shop closed and stay in bed the whole damn day.

And Levi is content. Happy even. He has never had a home the way he has in Mikasa.

He once asked her if she thought they loved each other.

"I honestly do not know. But I know I completely understand you." A pause. Her smile, "And that feels pretty amazing."

He wasn't let down because he felt like he understood her too. And she was right, it felt pretty amazing.