HAVE SOME MERRY JOY!

HAPPY NEW VOTE!

Prompt: Huddled up somewhere while it's snowing and one is hurt. 

https://youtu.be/0glu9Hkv9qE

The expedition was both a failure and a success.

They had ventured further than they've ever gone before and mapped out the land as well as they could. But it was the returning to the walls where everything had gone wrong. The first half of the expedition only held a few injured by the titans hands but the return had wiped out more than one squad. They had somehow walked back into a herd of titans before nightfall, before most would stand unmoving till dawn. 

It was a mess. 

A bloody mess. 

No one believed the expedition would go smoothly and most understood that they may never return to their love ones. But no one had expected such a mess. Titans ate them, squashed them in their hands and was able to easily step on them. But with gear, humanity held a fighting stance in return and could use smartly formed plans to fight back and avoid trouble. 

Not as many died as they should have but the number of injured increased to an alarming rate that would worryingly add to the death count time the bodies reached the wall gates again. But the soldiers fought back well. The injured and bleeding were thrown onto wagons and horses back, being hurried back towards the walls in the cover of night. 

All but them. 

His stupid ankle. 

It was fully healed, has been for the past five years. 

But during winter, during the cold or rather damp days, it'd ache and hurt all over again as if he sprained it once more. 

Normally he'd pay no attention, get through the day with hidden rest and not pushing extra weight on it. He could complete his captain-ly duties easy enough without having to walk about or keeping on his feet so much. And if it started to ache at night, he'd simply sleep the pain away with ease. 

But in the middle of battle, titans reaching out and comrades flying and slicing all over the place. It wasn't easy to keep his mind off the pain and to keep pressure of it. 

But he wasn't the reason they were in hiding in some old forgotten cave with a tiny fire burning by the edge of the entrance. 

Well, he was part of the reason but not all of it. 

His ankle was killing him and he did land rather badly on it once the mess with the herd was dealt with. But he was also dealing with a comrade who held a head injury. A nasty wire snap to the forehead left a lost of a blood staining their face and a deep stash across the temper and ending just above her eye, her dark eyebrows now stained in dry blood. 

Seemed she was flying low before shooting up to slice at her prey and a soldier ended up having it's wire snapped above. They started to fall and she clumsily went to catch them but was stopped as their snapped wire came smacking across her own temple with a force that made her life flash before her very eyes. She wasn't fully certain what happened to the other soldier since such a height to the fall would have killed them and she barely remembered doing anything to use her own gear to stop her own fall in the moment. She had to slap herself a few times on the cheek before returning to the fight, stopping as her own blood blinded her eyes and she was left awkwardly shuffling around out of the way. 

He found her not long after all had ended. Both were rather far around from the gathering survivors. He limped and wobbled and found her trying her best to clean her own face enough to see again. Failing as fresh blood seemed to simply replace the old she wiped away, both had forgotten over how much head wounds seemed to bleed. 

"Am I gonna be charged for a new cape? You were the one to rip it" Mikasa asked with a frown on her lips, glancing down to what was left from her ripped up cape. Only the actually hood had survived her captain's handy field medic work.

"Well I wasn't going to rip my own. It's your head wound" Levi scoffed back as he glared towards the pile of bloodied strips of cape that had once made up the women's actually cape. The last strip was tied neatly and tightly around her head wound as a make shift bandage until they could reach an actual doctor. 

"You're an asshole" Mikasa grumbled back as she kicked the tip of her boots towards the small fire, knocking back a bit of branch that had slipped out of the flames. 

"I thought we both already knew that fact?" Levi shot back with a raised eyebrow and starting to worry if the head wound was much worse than he'd originally thought. 

"How's your ankle?" Mikasa decided to ask instead, happily changing the topic before they started argument.. again. 

"Stings" Levi quietly admitted under his breath, his hand unconsciously reaching out and rubbing at the throbbing limb under his trousers leg and boot. 

"Sorry" Mikasa mumbled, guilt flashing in her eyes before she ducked her head down and making her expression out of eye sight. 

"I won't pretend it's not your fault since you're the reason I gained the original injury but I would prefer if you didn't sit in self guilt over it anymore. We moved past that time. We've learnt to forgive one another. Never to forget but forgive, that's what matters now. The weather is to blame for old wounds to sting and grow stiff. Cold always brings the bitter pain back to our bodies" Levi sighed as he ran aa hand through his hair, holding back his grimace as he could feel the mud, blood and grime sticking to his scalp. He'd already used half of his water container to wet the ripped strips of her cape to wash away the blood from her face instead of using it to clean himself up better. He left the other half for them to drink in case they don't make it back to the walls as quick as he's hoping to.

"It's normally my ribs" Mikasa comments, her tone lighter and meeting him half way with the conversation. 

"I don't remember what doesn't hurt by this point in my life" Levi joked as he let his hands fall back to his lip, he wouldn't be able to wash until they were back in camp and he knew it was best to not feel anymore of the muddy state he was in. 

"You should learn to take better care of yourself" Mikasa slyly smirked back as she glanced at him between her over grown bangs. 

"I won't take such advise from someone who is downed in her own blood. With how much you've bled out I'm actually assuming the titans themselves thought you were already dead and left you be" Levi grumbled back as he lightly knocked his uninjured foot into her own leg. 

"Do you flatter everyone with such charming words of comfort and compliment? I can seriously why so many hearts have been stolen by you when you're so sweet to me" Mikasa sarcastically scoffed back as she rolled her eyes. She knew how handsome her captain was and how skilled he was but she had no clue how anyone took one look at his gloomy face and hear his bad temper before deciding they were in love. He was a pain and he knew it. How did anyone fall in love at first sight with him. 

"You'd stab me if I ever truly acted like a real gentlemen. You'd assume that I had lost my mind or was a stranger dressed as myself to act as a spy. In truth I'd stab myself if I suddenly woke up like a prince charming" Levi mumbled back with a light shrug before frowning a little more at the thought of acting like some high ranked MP, he'd rather die then act as stuck up and spoiled as they do. 

"All I'm hearing is that you've given me permission to stab you the next time you annoy me" Mikasa admitted with an amused tone and clearly going to remember this conversation when she "accidently" trips him, knocks into him or lightly prank him. Their relationship has became rather light and more friendly in their own terms these few passing years. Even if most were horrified by how far she'd push her luck against his restraint and temper. 

"And I wish I could put the claim of your foul mood to missing Christmas with those brother's of yours but sadly I know it's your true self. If I wanted my Christmas to be anymore depressing than I'd have spent the night in the pub without a date" Levi huffed back in annoyance, purposely scowling as he wasn't going to laugh in her presence or god forgive she might actually assume he doesn't mind her as much as he acts like he do. 

"Spending the evening alone isn't so bad" Mikasa commented under her breath, huddling in herself a little more and the good mood fading once more. 

"Says the women who holds a line of comrades wishing to spend the night with you and the hoilday in hopes of standing as something more than a comrade to you" Levi pointed out with a knowing look. Even a blind man could see all the pups wagging their tails behind her and hoping she'd chose them as her own pet in life. Everyone knew she'd be the master between them in any relationship. 

"You're in the same boat as I am. And I'd prefer someone I'm content with than some hopeful stranger" Mikasa argued back in her defence. 

"We should get a few hours of sleep and try making it back towards the walls while it's still night. We can't handle facing any titans as we are right now" Levi sighed as he slowly and unwillingly laid down in the dusty cave. He still wanted to head out, knowing they could waste at least two hours into the early night to rest up. 

"Were you really going to spend Christmas alone?" Mikasa quietly asked, staying sat up and staring towards the fire. Her legs had been pulled to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. 

"I've done it ever since I lost my best friend. A man I saw as my own brother" Levi honestly answered as he saw no point over lying to her on this fact. The last time he celebrated his own birthday and Christmas, it was with Furlan and Isabel. They had always forced him to join in on the fun in life. 

"Eren won't be spending Christmas with us. He's caught up in his own angry mind and decided to spend the few days of leave by himself somewhere. Armin has chosen he's going to spend our few days of leave with Jean, those two have grown rather close and neither have braved it enough to actually make a move so far. But that simply means I've got a free seat at the diner table if you wish to eat with me.. if we actually get back alive" Mikasa shyly offered the seat to him as she kept her eyes glued to the view just outside of the cave, her line of sight above the tip of the flames. She'd be spending Christmas alone due to Eren and Armin gaining their own plans now and she really did hate the thought of wasting food. 

"Are you so desperate for company that you'd ask your own captain?" Levi asked completely stunned, laying on his side and staring at her with surprised eyed. He could expect being ambushed by titans but this type of offer .. he might have actually died somewhere in the last battle. 

"I've always cooked Christmas supper. If it was just helping my parents or Carla while I was younger before making it for just the three of us during our training corps day's of leave. I've never supper for one person and it'd be a waste for my food to go uneaten. I know how you feel over wasting food and knew you won't make the day awkward for either of us if you do arrive" Mikasa huffed back her explanation as a deep and irritated frown took over her lips once more. Her gaze snapped towards him as she tried making it seem more reasonable than a need for him to join her for supper on Christmas. 

"If we return to the walls with both our lives than I'll allow myself to think over such an offer" Levi replied with his own quick answer once his shock had finally passed and he knew he was in danger of being punched in the face for a late reply.  

"If you do accept than dress nicely. We rarely get proper leave anymore and our good clothes are going to waste. Christmas supper is a good enough of a reason to wear them and feel good for once" Mikasa ordered out without skipping a beat and returned her gaze back to the darkening view outside the cave.

"I always dress smartly. In uniform and out" Levi grumbled back, glaring towards the back of her bandaged head as if she just insulted his favourite cravat.

"Don't make me regret my offer before you even think over declining or accepting it" Mikasa sighed in despair, already regretting her offer to him. 

Neither dared to speak again after that. 

The expedition had been stressful and long enough as it is and their drained states was showing by the calmness between them. 

They had lost their playful bite to each other, both being too open and raw that they knew they were close to killing the other if they ended saying something meaningful. 

Two hours of rest wasn't what their bodies demanded but it's all they could give for now.

And yet, a calm washed over them as a bond freezing breeze filled through the cave and snapping their attention to outside. 

Snow, it had finally started to snow.

All winter, all the days and weeks of December without snow had it finally paying it's price now. 

It wasn't a storm, nothing nasty and ugly as that. 

It was a rather breath taking view for them both. 

Snowflakes danced through the breeze outside, a slow and soothing dance had them both watching each and every drop fall to the ground. 

In some cruel but beautiful way, it seemed as if the angels were crying high above and their tears being used to show them over how gorgeous this world still was. 

Neither noticed as they huddled closer, their boots on the edge of the fire and his cape unclipped and drape over both their shoulders to keep the chill away. 

If he took notice over her head resting on his shoulder than he never mentioned it at the time. And if she felt him rest his own head on top of her own, than she never showed any signs of noticing it either. 

They simply sat their, breaths turning into a cloud in front of them and their eyes taking in the sight of beauty blessed to them in the tiny, dusty and forgotten cave. 

If they were fools, than maybe they'd accept how romantic that moment was and confess their own secret feelings. 

But they had long since learnt to enjoy the moment for what it was and allow fate to make it's own move once it was ready for them instead. 

Extra:

Christmas Day..

"Happy Birthday, Levi" Mikasa smiled sweetly as she slipped over a pair of knitted grey gloves. They were soft to the touch and would clearly be comfortably warm to wear out in the gold as well. 

"You knew?" Levi asked surprised as he ran his fingers over the soft pair of gloves given to him. He's never had something hand made for him before, not even his own mother held the strength or time for such a gift for him. 

"I may break into your office for a handful of things but I also took the time to learn about you as well. It wasn't much a surprise you kept your own personal file in your desk than keeping it with all the other files in the storage room. The Commander would have to write you up if she ever learns over that fact" Mikasa casually replied from where she sat opposite to him at the table. Her hands fiddling with something left in her lap that he couldn't see from this angle. 

"She already knows. I stole my file from eyebrows the first couple months I served under him. I wasn't going to let anyone I didn't trust learn about me so easily" Levi scoffed back as he rolled his eyes, his hand unconsciously slipping to the empty chair tucked in beside him and feeling a neatly, tissue paper, wrapped object still there and untouched by anyone but him. 

"Merry Christmas" Mikasa smiled warmly as she lifted up a newspaper wrapped gift and happily placed it down before him. Taking notice over him quickly but with great care move his knitted gloves out of the way from being squashed by it. 

"You've already given me a gift" Levi argued back with a small frown, raising a confusing brow over the extra gift given to him. 

"That one was your birthday gift. Now it's time for your Christmas gift" Mikasa easily explained as she gave an excited nod towards the gift for him to accept it. 

"I never got you something for your birthday this year" Levi reminded her as he slowly unwrapped the small but squishy gift before him. 

"Yes you did. I was meant to be on stable duties and would have missed the chance to buy that wool that went on sale for just that day. Someone had swapped my name for one of the newer soldiers that had joined. I know it was you. Just as I know you were the one to place a order for that wool so all I had to do was pay and pick them up. I already knew you had to pay a little extra to ask the keeper to hold some extra wool out of sight but I didn't have to pay for it. Meaning you did" Mikasa rambled back as she tried distracting herself once he fully unwrapped the paper to find his "missing" (stolen) cravat gently laid inside with the rip completely sewn up professionally and making it seem brand new. 

"Armin is nice enough to do that for you" Levi choked out, trying his best not to let the tears in his eyes fall as he stared towards the once old and battered cravat laid on the paper. It was the one his mother gave to him, he had cherished and loved it all this time and kept it safely tucked in a hidden department within one of his office cabinets after it had gotten a rip from some drunk soldier grabbing at it foolishly. He never told anyone it ripped and no one ever took notice over him using a spare cravat since. Or.. so he thought no one had noticed. 

"It wasn't him. He was ready to sneak into town and get the wool for me when I noticed my duties on the time table. But as I went to pass over my money the day before, he pointed out that the duties shifts had changed" Mikasa carried on with a softer tone as her eyes filled with warmth and understanding as she took in his silent reaction he was so carefully hiding on the inside. She was worried he'd yell at her for steeling it like she did but it seemed he was blinded by any fury by having it returned in good condition again. 

"Tell anyone that I was nice enough to help you gain that wool and I'd kill you as if a titan had reached you" Levi threatened he neatly folded the newspapers back up around his repaired cravat again. 

"Do you like your gifts?" Mikasa shyly asked, her hands fiddling with the ends of her dress under the table. A habit she normally did with her scarf but for some reason wasn't wearing it while in her nice dress. 

"Merry Christmas brat" Levi grumbled back as reached into his jacket's pocket and pulled something out for her. 

"LEVI!" Mikasa snapped back as she glared towards the piece of paper that held a written warning over destroying her cape and held a joint demanding notice of payment charge for a new cape. 

"I'm still your captain" Levi reminded her as he reached for something on the table beside him. 

"You ripped it!" Mikasa argued back and reminded him over him being the one to destroy it. 

"Merry Christmas, Mikasa" Levi spoke gently with a small but honest smile pulling on his lips as he passed over her actually gift. 

And if the two did finally share a kiss as they sat by one of the larger windows and watching mother nature decide to sprinkle some more snow over her beloved land, than who else would have known.