A Free Day

Disclaimer: I do not own the anime/manga Attack on Titan/Shingeki No Kyojin. The characters, plot/story line, everything- belongs to the respected owners and the creators of this product.

The pairing is Mikasa and Levi once again. I really enjoy these two and hope they are cannon within the plot of AoT/SnK. Anyway, here is another little one shot before I start my longer story for them.

Warmest Regards,

Jay

We'll always be so perfectly… happy.

"Where is the Corporal?"

"Isn't he with the commander?"

"That's odd. Mikasa is missing too."

"God damn it, those two…"

The rustling of dead leaves tumbling about on the ground, crashing into the earth before lifting up once more only to repeat the process, filled the comfortable silence that had settled on the two members of the Survey Corps. It was a peaceful moment in time, one where they both could relax and just take in the serenity the walls occasionally offered, which in itself was becoming more and more rare. No speaking had to happen between them though, for whenever they were together, that was enough. Still, Mikasa couldn't help but look over to her superior when she finally noticed he was even quieter than usual.

Maybe he had fallen asleep? It wasn't out of the ordinary because, after all, Levi worked a lot to not only train her but his other squad members. He had paper work, had to watch Eren, had to clean till he was satisfied with the place; he was a busy body and she couldn't recall the last time she saw him sleep.

Those endless black eyes moved from the clouds over to the face of the Corporal. Levi had his back pressed against the sole tree on the hill they were on, his right leg pulled up so his right arm could rest atop it, and his head seemed to hang lower than normal. His ebony locks blew in the breeze and covered his eyes. When her curiosity got the better of her, the sound of rustling and shifting about could be distinctly heard, for it shattered that blissful silence even if only for a moment. Normally he would move and crack an eye whenever Mikasa fidgeted and this time he didn't.

Yeah, he was defiantly asleep.

She had attributed his sharp sense to her moving to his expert skills, but occasionally she wondered if he was just paranoid he would wake up alone. She even allowed her thoughts to drift and dream that, yes, Levi actually worried that he would one day wake up and look around and never see the second strongest soldier humanity had to offer.

It didn't matter now, however, because Levi didn't have to worry about that- not if she had something to say about it. So, with that in mind, Ackerman settled down right beside him. Her back faced him and those same black eyes that had been searching for answers just a moment ago where now watching blades of grass move whenever the wind picked up.

Up there on their hill, the one that anyone could find them on when both were missing was as close to heaven as they were going to get on this planet, but that was okay. Everything was okay up here. It was even better when the days they were up here were days off, like today, because that meant no one would bother them.

It was like a rule that they were not to be bothered (which, knowing Levi, probably was at this point because when they first started going up to that hill everyone followed and he loathed it) and everyone followed it.

Up there it was only Mikasa and Levi and that's how they liked it.

No one really noticed when Eren and Mikasa started to drift apart, well Eren did but no matter what he did she never tried to patch up gap and instead let it grow, and no one noticed when Levi and Ackerman had grown so close. Everything that happened seemed natural and it felt like it was right, so no one even bothered to question it.

Seeing humanity's strongest pair actually working together was something anyone and everyone tried to keep in place. Soft murmurs, shy glances, awkward encounters, all of those were much more appreciated than their normal arguments (especially when some got so bad it took half the squad to grab Mikasa and the other half to grab Levi). So that's why the pair was allowed the day to themselves.

"Nng…" The shuffling sound rang out into the air once more and this time it wasn't coming from the female. "Ackerman?"

God, his voice was so husky and so deep when he spoke after waking up. Just his voice caused the inexperience in love woman to shiver.

"Hm?" She purred as she rolled her body onto its back so their eyes could meet. She had to admit, it was a little disheartening and concerning for him to wake up already when he needed more sleep, but those opinions never passed her lips.

"…"

It wasn't a smile and it wasn't a smirk that crossed his face. It was a mixture of an appreciative and loving glance intermingled with adoration and contemplation. An odd look, no doubt, but it was one expression only she was able to view and she loved seeing it regardless.

Without a word, the Corporal motioned to his lover and she moved instinctively. Sitting side by side, arms just barley touching, eyes locked… that is how they were sitting. Finally, one gave in and placed their lips against the other pair that had been taunting them for far too long.

The kiss was gentle and loving at first, but it didn't exactly fit either of them very well. While they could be very soft people everyone knew that it wasn't them. When you put those two in a room it wasn't exactly the quietest thing.

Within seconds, it turned a bit more heated. There was a war of attrition going on between the two. Tongues ran along each other's lips, pressed against one another, twirled and tangled within the other, and waged a seemingly endless battle with no clear victor in sight.

Time seemed to stand still and as their lips finally parted, bruised and connected by a thin stand of saliva, only Mikasa seemed to be breathing unevenly- though she was doing a damn fine job of hiding it.

Another timeless moment passed before Rivaille had brought his hand up to gently brush those soft, black locks away from lightly sun-kissed skin. Since when had he become so gentle, on occasions, with this female? He couldn't count the number of fights on his fingers. Some escalated so far that weapons were drawn and articles of furniture were thrown about. They were probably comical looking but no one had the guts to say so.

Who could blame them though?

"…"

"Rest, Rivaille. You're pushing yourself too far too often."

"…"

"I'll be right here the whole time."

"…"

"… I'm not leaving."

"You better not, that's an order."

"Rivaille I-"

"I love you too, now let me sleep."

And that's how most of their days passed together. Whenever they were in the eye of the public, everything was kept professional and strictly minimum contact, though rumors of them dating spread far faster than they had anticipated. It didn't matter, though, because they still acted mature and respectful outside of their private time.

Now when they were alone? That was a different story. It ranged anywhere from peaceful and silent days of just relaxing and cuddling, maybe even walking about town as civilians and not soldiers. Then other times it was just them and their room, any repressed emotions spilling out and pouring through their actions- telling a story with just the way their bodies moved. When Mikasa was thinking of something she normally became more rigid, worked faster and sharper, and her eyes always seemed dull. Levi moved fluently still, but everything he did was forceful. He grabbed a pen, nine times out of ten it shattered and spilled out, and so on.

It was when they were like this that they normally released it onto one another- never in words, but in actions.

Days after those bad ones, both would have bruises and small scratches on their skin. There would be bite marks and claw marks, red skin, you name it. They went at it and they loved it, relished it.

It was their outlet.

Each other knew the pain of losing someone important.

Each knew the pressure and weight of carrying humanity's hope on their shoulders.

Each knew that no matter what, they would live and survive, if only for the other.

Never, never ever, would they give up.

With love like this, love that only comes once in a lifetime, they would be fools to let it go. And while they weren't the most ethical people, they were some of the brightest.

Humanity's strongest soldiers, a pair, a couple, lovers- how ironic.