We headed to our next class and I couldn't help but notice how quiet Levi was for the rest of lunch. I'm sure no one else really noticed since he put on a fake smile and laughed at all of their nonsense. I could tell something was wrong. He looked more tense than usual and he kept out of the conversation for the most part. He isolated himself mentally while being physically responsive to everyone.

I know something is mentally eating away at him, but I don't want to overstep my boundaries and make him talk about anything. I know he's trying his best to open up to me and others, however, I know first hand that it's definitely going to take time for him to come to me about certain things.

As we walked to class hands intertwined I could tell even as I walked next to him he was somewhere else. His eyes never leaving the floor, they looked glossed over almost as if he was in a daze. I knew what that look meant, he's just going through the motions, he's breaking in his mind but keeping up a facade.

I looked at the time hoping this class would go by quickly for his sake. The last thing he needed was to sit in that class for hours as his mind ate away at him until there was nothing left.

We sat down in our seats and as we waited for Auruo to come in and greet us. I gave his hand a light squeeze trying to break him out of his dazed. He looked right through me with his glossed over eyes and gave me a blank smile. I just scooted closer to him until our shoulders were touching and prayed that the class went by quickly.

Auruo came in and took roll before jumping straight into the lesson. He was going oversize manipulation. When he first announced it there were a few immature giggles, mostly from Jean, Connie, and Reiner.

"So some people can manipulate the size of their bodies, whether it's just a portion of their bodies like there hands, or feet others can manipulate the size of their whole body," he started and I tuned him out in favor of keeping an eye on Levi.

Levi was staring at his desk with his glossed over eyes. He was eerily still and his hand despite holding mine the whole time was cold to the touch. Where our shoulders touched there was no warmth between us. It was like leaning up against a freezer. I took a deep breath and gave his hand a tighter squeeze. This time he looked at me with sad eyes and a sad smile before closing his eyes for a minute and going back to a blank stare.

He was definitely fighting a war in his head. I just wish he'd let me help him through it. "Sorry," I heard him whisper so quietly I almost missed it.

I looked back to him and I couldn't tell at first if he was talking to me or if he even said anything at all. "I'm just trying to keep it together," he whispered out a minute later and I realized he was talking to me and that he was the one talking.

"It's okay babe, I'm right here if you need help through it," I said, giving his hand a light squeeze.

He just leaned his head on my shoulder before whispering out, "thank you."

I half paid attention to what Auruo was saying and half just listened to Levi's breathing. Every once in a while it would stop for a moment like he was trying to fight something back, or it would hitch as something slipped through.

Auruo had looked at us for a moment and when our eyes locked I expected him to shake his head at us or tell us to stop, but instead, when he saw Levi's head on my shoulder he walked over to his desk and started to write something down as he kept teaching. He walked around the classroom before dropping the messily scribbled note on our desk before continuing his rounds around the class. He never stopped teaching and never drew attention to us.

I looked down at the note and it said that if we needed to leave the room we could and that if something was wrong Hanji could help. I just gave him a thankful nod before giving a slight thumbs up so he could see I got the message. He gave the slightest nod before going about the lesson like nothing happened. No one else in the class seemed to notice the silent conversation and it makes me wonder how good the teachers are at these silent conversations.

When Auruo finished talking he started calling students out into the hall. I kept waiting for my or Levi's name to be called, but hours passed. My name was finally called when Levi and I were the only two students left. I let go of his hand and he sat there staring at the desk with glossed over eyes. I had to tell myself that once Levi and I finished up class would be over.

"Sorry, I waited as long as I could," Auruo said as I closed the door.

"It's okay I knew it was coming eventually."

"You were actually supposed to go first," Auruo said with an awkward shrug. "We had a teachers meeting this morning to talk about your powers and what to practice with you so we were going to have you go first so we remembered better, but Levi seemed to need you and I think that took precedent."

"Yeah, it's been a rough day."

"Is he okay?"

"I don't quite know yet," I sighed, "he's still not very open with his emotions and his past so I'm in the dark here."

"Makes sense," Auruo sighed. "I would ask him myself, but I don't think it's my place."

"You and me both," I mumbled.

"Aren't you dating? If so it kinda is your place," He laughed awkwardly.

"I don't want to overstep my boundaries. Our relationship is still very new and he's trying to open up to me but I know it's a slow process."

"That's fair," Auruo said before letting out a sigh. "Well, as much as I would like to stand here and gossip the whole time I think we should actually go over your power."

"No one says we can't multitask," I joked and he nodded.

"Touche," he said before handing me a water bottle cap. "I thought this might work better than a paper ball," he laughed.

"Eld told you?"

"And Petra too," Auruo laughed.

"Great," I said sarcastically before focusing on the cap making it float to the ceiling. "So you think I should talk to him?" I asked.

"I think you should at least sit down with him and try to calmly get him to open up about what he's feeling even if you don't know why he's feeling it," Auruo said before looking up at the eraser and writing down some notes.

"I would talk to him myself, but I feel too awkward to really talk to him about much of anything," Auruo said, "release it."

"Why is that?" I asked letting the eraser fall back into my hand.

"Well, we didn't start off on good terms, and I'm to blame for that," Auruo said writing down a few more notes.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, my first ever class with him didn't go so well. I know it's my fault since I was having a bad day and I didn't get the memo about his powers. I practically yelled at him to take his headphones out. He refused and it got so bad I kicked him out of class and sent him to the principal's office. He came back to class with Pixis who informed me of Levi's powers and why he gets to keep his headphones in. I've never felt so bad in my life, I still feel guilty every time I talk to him. I've apologized over a dozen times and it still doesn't feel like enough," Auruo let out a little sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I don't think he's mad about that still, Levi doesn't seem to be one to keep grudges," I said, knowing how easily he became friends with Jean and Armin despite them saying and thinking such mean things.

"Still, do you ever just think back on a situation and tell yourself if I could just go back and do it over everything would be different" Auruo side before looking at the bottle cap, "make it heavier, easily this time," he clarified.

"All the time," I mumbled back taking a deep breath trying to clear the negative thoughts that threatened to pop up. I focused all my attention on the cap and felt as my hand got heavier. It was a little heavier than I was trying for and I ended up having to bring up my second hand to stop it from falling out of my hand. I took a deep breath and focused and surprisingly enough I was able to hold it in my hands this time. It took two hands, but that's still better than denting the floor.

"Good," Auruo watched me before reaching out his hands. I carefully slid it into his hands he held it with both his hands before nodding. "Okay, release it," he said and I took a deep breath and imagined it going back to its normal weight.

I watched as he instantly removed his other hand and he held it with two fingers. "Very good, that was excellent," he said before jotting down a few more notes.

He gave me a pat on my back before wishing me luck and then dismissed me into the class before calling Levi out into the hall. I looked at the time and let out a sigh of relief class was almost over. When Levi came back in the room Auruo addressed the class before dismissing us. I took Levi's hand in mine and we quietly walked back to our dorm. When I closed the door behind us I wasn't expecting Levi to speak first, but he sat down on his bed before patting next to him.

"We need to talk," he said nervously. I could tell by the way he was avoiding my eyes that he wasn't comfortable in what he was about to say which made me think he was going to open up a little about how he was feeling. He pulled his headphones out as I took a seat on the bed next to him.