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That first day, Mikasa was completely fine. She'd been distracted with her friends and time she reached wall Marie again, she was bidding farewell to Carla and grabbed the last cart back to the survey corps base. 

She was dead tired after earing her dinner and she happily got ready for bed before just collapsing on the sofa. Falling asleep without a problem, looking forward to Armin and Eren first shared letter to arrive next week. They had all promised to write a weekly letter to each other, to stay friends no matter what. 

Mikasa couldn't help but look forward to the letter. One side of the paper being written by Eren and the other side being written by Armin. She didn't mind them sharing a single bit of paper, it be easier for her to keep them safely tucked away. 

But why she did have a nice dreamless night, no nightmares or fears ruining her day. The second day came along, she got ready, eyes glancing to the untouched bed before she moved to do her normal morning routine. Leaving to meet with Carla and helping the older women with her daily chores and shopping. Having a cup of tea with her and having a chat that was neutral grounds for them both. 

Then she'd return back to the base, eat her last meal. Do her studies left for her and catching up on the ones she missed out yesterday. Having a bath before heading to bed and hating the silence a little more this time. 

Waking up, just sitting on the sofa as she stared at the untouched bed once more. Missing out on her morning patrol and slowly getting dressed. Looking around Levi office and during her studies, she'd not even bother to visit Carla today, the women did tell her she didn't have to come every day if she wanted to explore on her own after all. 

Doing her studies early before walking around the mostly empty building that held all the officers and higher ranked rooms. Stopping by a window and staring at the empty training grounds. 

Walking around a bit more before doing the laundry and just taking in the silence. 

Frowning before she wondered around, checking on the empty horses stalls that normally held Levi and his squad of horses. She'd stop by where Levi horse "Cuppa" would normally stand to rest. She'd found small enjoyment of brushing the gorgeous horse hair sometimes in the mornings. Helping to feed it when Levi didn't have time to check over his horse and why it was normally his squad members job, he'd preferred keeping an eye on his own horse. He left the cleaning up to them, replacing hay and actually cleaning up the shit to his squad members but the rest he did himself. 

Cuppa was a lovely horse, a snow white with silver mane they always left lose and a matching mane that they'd always placed up in a pony tail when on an expedition. Its hoofs were black almost making it seem to be wearing shoes and a small blob of black was on under the chin in the shape of a leaf. 

According to Levi, the leaf made him think of tea leafs and so, he called his horse as Cuppa and the horsed had learnt it to be his name. Even daring enough to trot around and try to follow Levi when he's mentions he needs a cuppa. Due to that mistake happened, he now calls all his cuppas as tea break. 

But now, the amusement the horse brought towards her was gone as she stared at the empty space. Walking away and swinging her arms as she walked before sighing and walking around mindlessly. 

He might be returning tomorrow but that would mean that the expedition went really bad if he did. If things were going right, she had two more days left to wait for him. 

She was use to being alone, to being trapped in a single room, unmoving from the bed and yet now, she had all this open space and she just felt ... alone. 

Skip to the night of the Fourth day..

Levi had returned, he'd was at least pleased to find Mikasa wasn't around Shiganshina when they came trotting in around nine in the evening. They should be returning tomorrow but the weather took a hit for the worse and Erwin agreed it was best to head back now before they risk losing any more men. 

The first couple days were rough, rough enough for Levi to admit it wasn't easy to deal with. But they were back, some injured, a small amount dead with either their bodies just slung in a cart, left outside the walls or parts of their bodies brought back. Most of the supplies were left behind, the once firm grassy grounds turned into a mud pool that even the horses started to sink in. 

Things got left behind as they made their way back as quickly as they could. 

And it was around eleven at night when they had finally reached back to the camp. Everyone tired, wet, muddy and just sore from the past four says load of work and titan fighting. The injured was taken to the on camp mini hospital. The dead taken to be burned, their names noted down and any useable capes or jackets stripped from them along with boots and straps.

Levi knew Cuppa needed a good wash as much as he did and he promised to wash his horse in the morning. But for now, he had just to get out of his clothes and rest. He'd yanked his shoes off once entering the officers building, pulling his socks off with them and just carrying them towards his office in hopes to make less mess when he did reach his room. Leaving the boots, straps, cape, jacket and socks outside his office door before he stumbled inside. Closing the door with his foot before making over to his bedroom, hoping he won't spook his roommate awake.

But he should have been more worried over scaring the crap out of him instead.

He knew he was tired and he felt his whole body freeze in the doorway of his bedroom. His hand gripping the handle and his eyes just staring at the sight before him with horror.

Mikasa was fast asleep on his .. bed.

Wearing her nightdress, snuggling into the scarf he had gotten her while she laid on top of his covers and just sleeping on the half he didn't sleep on.  

Removing his eyes from the sight before smacking the door into his head to try and wake him up or get rid of the image that he was clearly making up due to slack of sleep. But as he opened the door, rubbing his now throbbing forehead .. he found her where he saw her. 

Laying on his bed .... ON A BED!

He couldn't accept this right now, he was clearly dreaming or just gone mad. Maybe he died and god was playing some sick joke on him .. yeah, he was clearly dead and this was a demons trick. 

Carefully closing the door and walking over to his office sofa, just collapsing before he fell into a deep sleep. He'd wake up and he'd either be in nice warm hell or awake enough to not have his mind playing tricks of him. 

He'd go check on Mikasa and she'd be sleeping on her sofa like normal and his bed would be untouched just like how he left it. 

Everyone had learned that Mikasa did not do beds, he's gained the bruises and nails scratches in the past to prove that fact. 

So, there's no way that Mikasa was asleep on his bed. 

No way at all .. it was an insane thought. 

Not even Hanji would believe the single thought of Mikasa on a bed to be real, she'd just laugh it off and go back to bed. 

That's how crazy the idea was ..

He just needed sleep. 

So, why was it that the sun was rising and he stood in his bedroom once more to find her still huddled up on his bed .. asleep. 

This wasn't Mikasa, this was a fake that looked liked her.  

Running a hand through his hair before he grabbed a new clean set of clothes and walked into the bathroom. Closing the door and running himself a bath. Getting cleaned up was way more important then dealing with an imposter of Mikasa and having breakfast. 

He took a deep breath as he walked out in his fresh clean uniform, a towel around his shoulders to catch any lose drips from his still wet hair. And his eyes, they were staring at the sleeping girl on his bed .. he had to face it at some point. 

Mikasa was finally sleeping in a bed and freezing to death. He took a deep breath before grabbing the blanket from her sofa and draped it over her huddled up form. Noticing the pout on her face as she slept and took notice how tightly she was gripping at her scarf. 

"She got lonely" Levi whispered to himself, he's remembered doing the same when his mother died. Gripping at her hair comb by her bed and waiting for her to wake up and let him comb her hair for her .. but she never did wake up. 

He would have sat with her, making sure to be in her line of sight when she woke up but he needed to wash his mucky uniform, his boots and his horse. He also had to get the list of names over the injured, the dead and the MIA soldiers. Grabbing a new cravat out and placing it on while throwing his wet towel in the laundry basket in their room. He turned around, walking over to his office, grabbing his horses brush before placing it on his nightstand.

Giving a happy nod before walking away and leaving to do the first lot of laundry from his trip. Even cleaning his boots up with more water the needed before leaving them hanging upside down on the line. He took extra care washing the cravat he used during the expedition, he had to ask over Eld what cross-stitching was during the expedition and he knew to be a little more carefully when washing his cravat. Hanging it between his jacket and cape, letting the cross-stitch pattern face the wall to keep their "secret" hidden a little longer. 

Finding the lists of names he needed and scaring some cadet to take them to his office ... quietly, he made sure the quiet part was clear. Heading towards the stables and finding his squat already out with their horses, buckets full of soapy water and sponges in hands. 

"Captain!" Eld, Gunther, Oluo and Petra all called out as they were quick to salute making a spray of water fall by their feet from whipping the wet sponge around. 

"At ease, just here to care for my horse" Levi sighed, giving a tied nod before getting a bucket of water and leaving it outside the stalls before heading inside to fetch cuppa. He grimace over the state of his horse, it's snow white skin now nothing but a shitty brown. 

"Disgusting" Levi frowned as he looked to his horse who neighed back at him, clearly speaking it's own point of view over being left like this for as long as she has. 

Levi just unhooked the rope that kept her in the stall, clicking his tongue and letting her wonder out why he moved to grab a sponge and towel to dry cuppa with later. He walked out, finding his horse whacking the side of the stables with her tail, clearly unhappy over it all. 

"You've been hanging out with that brat too much" Levi commented under his breath, dropping the sponge into the bucket of water. 

He rinsed the sponge a little, stopping it from dripping before standing back up and working on cleaning Cuppa face first. Trying to get rid of the mud while taking care not to scrub too hard, his horse always liked a gentle touch. 

He didn't really give much care over his squad members washing their own filthy horses behind him. Rolling his eyes as they laughed and joked, some yelping when they flicked water at each other when disagreeing over something and deciding to act childishly over it. 

Levi shook his head as he heard Petra telling them to behave for he hears them and puts them on in their place or makes them do extra cleaning duties. She was only stopped by her horse shaking it's mane and spraying her with water earning the rest to laugh. 

He was thankfully finished with washing Cuppa, ready to dry her and brush her horse hair when she started acting up. He sent a glance over his shoulder while pouring away the dirty water and noticed her trotting off a little.

He was about to click his tongue to call her back but stopped as a tiny hand was patting her snout and leading her back towards the stall. 

"You're awake then" Levi called out as he stood up again, pulling his sleeves back down and doing the cuffs back up while he left Cuppa in the girls hands.

"I slept in a bed" came Mikasa reply, her voice raspy and scratchy as she looked over to him with a shy but proud look. Fiddling with the end of her top while her skirt swayed in the slight breeze. Her scarf around her neck and her hair played in a high pony tail. 

"My bed" Levi corrected as he lifted an eyebrow. 

"Still a bed" Mikasa pouted, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head away earning Cuppa to step forward and nuzzle her snout into her cheek. 

"Any reason you slept in a bed? Suddenly felt brave or did you secretly break the sofa and are trying to hide it from the rest of us" Levi asked as he walked over to them, throwing the towel over Cuppa back, keeping away the chill from the air. 

"I-I ... I deserve a treat. I slept in a bed .. on my own. Children get spoiled when they're good and I slept in a bed" Mikasa shyly muttered as she started brushing Cuppa mane, the horse lowing her head to help Mikasa reach. 

"You want a treat?" Levi asked surprised, Mikasa didn't seem like a child who screamed to be spoiled.

"Yeah" Mikasa coughed out, rubbing at her sore throat as she was pushing herself to talk at this point. 

"What do you want? If it's expensive you're not having it but I can help you trick Hanji or butter up Mike into getting it for you instead" Levi replied, his hands on his hips as he looked to her.

"I-I want to drink tea with you ... just us. I-I want to stay w-with you ... I-I d-didn't like you gone" Mikasa started to ask, tearing up before finally crying as she tried gripped at the horse brush in her hands and just let it all out. 

Levi froze up before glancing to Cuppa who was trying to nudge the side of her face into Mikasa head, trying to comfort her. He stepped forward, kneeling down and slowly lifting his arms knowing quick movements can still spook her.

"I'm here now, you can stick to me as much as you want even after you get annoyed with my attitude" Levi promised, about to wrap his arms around her before freezing as she leaped forward, clinging to him. Hiding her tear stained face into his the crook of his neck and just sobbed it all out. 

"I'm not leaving you, Mikasa. I won't do that" Levi promised, wrapping his arms around her and just keeping her close why she let all the fear, pain and loneliness out.