Strangely, for the first time all semester, Levi and I didn't part ways at the usual street corner so that we could each head to our respective houses. Instead, he walked me all the way to my house. The entire walk home had been silent, save of course for the usual sounds of nature and typical noises that came with living in a suburb.

Cars went by, and school buses too, along with joggers and dog walkers and even the occasional plane went by far above our heads on their way to or from the airport in the next city over. But as for us... we were silent.

There wasn't much to say. The only notable thing that had happened to us today was getting our exams back, and I'm sure he could guess that mine wasn't exactly a great grade. I felt bad not talking with him, not even to thank him for sticking by my side today, but quite frankly, I just did not feel like talking, not in the least.

But his presence at my side was comforting and warm, and I wished I knew the words to let him know just how appreciated it truly was. Because this... was the worst day I'd had in a long time, if only because I failed my first major exam, my grade was surely to plummet, and not only did I let myself down, but I couldn't help but feel as though I'd let Levi and Mrs. Williams down, too. And not to mention my teacher.

There were so many ways I tried to rationalize it today, but nothing would work. It was one test. Only one. And only in one class. My other classes were going well; despite the changes I'd encountered in a new learning environment, everything was going better than I'd expected, with everything considered.

But no matter how I rationalized it, it didn't matter, because my mind only continued to race with a million different scenarios of what was to happen now. Each seemed to be more ridiculous than the last, but I just couldn't seem to stop it.

That was... not until Levi reached out to take my wrist, and everything came screeching to a halt. The touch was hesitant, gentle and featherlight, as though he was afraid to hurt or startle me. He didn't seem to have words ready to speak, or perhaps he did, and he was only waiting to summon the nerve to say them.

While he stayed silent, I decided to speak. "Thanks," I said to him. "I know walking me home is out of your way."

"It's five more minutes of walking," he mumbled. "It isn't a big deal."

And that was, of course, his way of deflecting. Because it was a big deal to him. Not the extra few minutes of walking but making sure I got here alright. For the first time today since before getting the grades back, I smiled.

"Right," I said, clearly unconvinced. "I shouldn't keep you from getting home, though."

He opened his mouth to speak but must have thought against it because he closed his mouth without uttering a single word. Levi nodded slowly, though I could tell that there was still something he wanted to say. I waited for a moment more, glancing down at his hand still grasping my wrist with the lightest of touches. His eyes followed my gaze, and he let go, tucking his hands instead into his jacket pockets.

"Text me when you get home," I said quietly.

He only nodded in answer. Then I turned, heading up towards the house. I could feel the weight of his gaze following me as I went up the path to the door and fished my key out of my pocket. After I unlocked it, I let my hand linger on the doorknob and glanced back at him, only to smile as reassuringly as I could.

His face remained impassive, with only his eyes betraying what he felt. And from what I could see, there was hesitance in his eyes, something I didn't see often from him. And yet too there was indecision, which was just as rare.

I could only hope my smile reassured him, because even I could tell that it didn't truly reach my eyes. I should have known he wouldn't have fallen for it, not for a second. His brow furrowed, yet he remained silent.

I turned away and opened the door, only to step inside quickly and shut it behind me. I couldn't be sure how long Levi would linger at the end of the path, but I felt certain that he would linger, at least for a moment.

But it was a tricky thing, to try to figure what he would do now: allow himself to come knock on the door to further comfort me like I'm sure he wanted, or head home, to respect the boundaries in place, to let me figure things out on my own.

The former option would mean forcing him to put his pride aside, to forego what made him comfortable to make sure that I was alright. The latter option would be what he was more comfortable doing, but one that left a sour taste in his mouth, knowing that I was doing things alone.

If he was left to make the decision, I know what he would do. He would choose to put his pride aside, to do what he was sure would make me feel better faster. Unfortunately for him, I was making the decision for him. And so I headed upstairs to my room to sit alone with my thoughts and let them simmer.

---

While I had been able to get to my room relatively unnoticed by my family, it didn't stay that way for long. Eren sought me out first, giggling about something or other. He told me about something that happened at school, completely oblivious to the way that my eyes were glazed over with disinterest and even though I did try to pay attention, my thoughts kept wandering, just as they had all day.

The only real thing I could pay attention to were the sounds coming from elsewhere in the house. Every time I heard the usual creak of the floor as someone crossed into the living room, I tensed slightly, anticipating Mrs. Williams to come down the hall and chastise me. Each time I heard her voice, muffled and quieted through the walls, I flinched, preparing myself to get yelled at.

But so far, that hadn't happened. All that had happened was that Eren had babbled on and on, never quite catching on to the way that I was only nodding along and muttering a quiet "mm-hm" every so often. He was none the wiser that I was only paying enough attention to know when there was a pause and so a quiet hum was appropriate, and that I wasn't actively participating in the conversation. 

I felt bad, but... Well, there was hardly anything I could do right now other than just listen to him. And so I did.

Eventually, Mrs. Williams did come into my room, but only a few minutes after Mikasa came to say hello to me. She and Eren left soon after that to play a game of some kind, an invitation sent my way, but I politely waved them off.

I remained as I was when I had come in: lying prone on my bed, my chin squished against my pillow, and gazing out the window. The shadows danced on the walls opposite my window and because it was a nice day out, the window had been cracked open to let fresh air in. The curtains shifted, morphing the shadows along with them.

There was a bird twittering just outside, perched on a branch and singing about something or other. It at least gave me something to listen to, other than the repeated mantra playing in my mind that I was about to get screamed at.

And when Mrs. Williams knocked on the door, I called out to let her in, knowing damn well that I should just get this over with. She came in once she had the permission, closing the door behind her. I couldn't see it with the way my eyes were still transfixed by the outside world just beyond my window, but there was a sympathetic, understanding kind of look on her face.

"Hey, hon," she said softly, crossing the room. She perched on the edge of the bed by my feet, the mattress dipping slightly under the extra weight. "Have a bad day?"

I nodded.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I wondered how exactly she knew I was having a bad day. Was it because I went right to my room? Maybe, but I'd done it before and on good days, and she hadn't come in to talk like this. Was it just... motherly instincts, then, or something maternal in her to let her know when her children needed her?

I wasn't sure. Maybe it was part of that maternal instinct to know that I fucked up and needed discipline. I bit back my bitter laugh. Wouldn't that be something?

"I don't wanna talk about it," I answered, "but I failed an exam today."

"I see," she said quietly, taking my words in. "Was it the math exam? The one you were worried about?"

I nodded again.

"What did you get?"

I saw no reason not to answer her.

"Fifty."

"A fifty," she repeated. "So the studying did help."

I lifted my head to look incredulously at her. "What?"

"The studying," she said again. "It helped. You didn't get a zero like you thought, right? You got a fifty. Which is better than you thought you would do. And when we went over it together, you told me you hardly knew how to do the first problem of the review work before working with Levi, and yet on the exam, you clearly did something right. Am I wrong?"

"No," I said, still confused. "Why aren't you..."

"Angry? Were you expecting me to yell at you?"

"Kinda, yeah," I admitted.

One of her hands reached up to rub behind her neck sheepishly. "Goodness, did I give you that impression somehow? I'm so sorry, honey. But I wouldn't yell about something like this. You did your best, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't that good, clearly."

"Don't talk like that," she said firmly. "One exam doesn't define who you are as a student. But I do want you to get tutoring. The classes you're taking now are the basis for the classes that come after it, of course, so it's crucial at your level to get a good foundation."

"Ok," I replied quietly, at a loss of what else to say.

"As a professor, I meet a lot of students," she went on to say. "Math is hard for a lot of students. You're not the first to struggle in it, and you certainly won't be the last. So don't feel bad about this, alright?"

I could only nod in answer. "I'm sorry," I said, after a moment to gather my nerve.

"I know," she said. "While it's not the end of the world and not indicative of who you are as a student, I don't expect this to become the norm. Understand?"

The words were measured, paced, and seemed almost to be rehearsed, as though this was exactly what she'd said to students at risk of failing her own class. And once again, I felt like little more than a disappointment.

"I understand," I said.

"I'd email that teacher right away, if I were you," she said, standing. The bed shifted once more as it resettled, and I let my eyes lower to the floor instead of remaining on her. I found that I couldn't quite look at her, not without feeling like I let her down. "See if you can't get into tutoring tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," I couldn't help but reply incredulously.

Tomorrow was, of course, Friday. And normally Levi and I would take a little longer to walk home from school together, either stopping by somewhere to eat using what little allowance we were given, by wasting time at the park, or just settling down on a bench to sit and talk for a while.

But tutoring happened right after school. I knew that if asked, Levi would wait up for me, but I didn't want to make him do that. And I knew that despite never admitting it, he counted on that time. Not like we didn't always walk home together anyway, but Fridays were traditionally the day that we just spent a little extra time together.

"Yes, tomorrow," she repeated. "You're not going to want to fall behind, (Y/n)."

"I know that," I responded, lifting my head up to look at her. "But we're having a review day tomorrow anyway. I'm not the only one who failed, so she decided to spend tomorrow going over-"

"Well, then you'll get a lot of extra review time in," she stated firmly. "I can call and plan it myself, but I don't want to have to do that."

"Why don't I just wait to see how I do tomorrow," I suggested weakly.

"(Y/n)," she sighed. "You studied all weekend. I don't think one extra class will be what makes the difference. There's no shame in getting tutoring."

"It's not that," I protested. "It's just... tomorrow, I..."

"What?" She prompted, hovering in the doorway, poised to leave once this conversation was over.

"Tomorrow I have... plans."

"With that boy?"

Oh, boy. Here we go.

"My best friend, yeah," I answered, probably with an attitude a parent wouldn't quite appreciate. As it turned out, I was correct. One of her eyebrows rose, the very picture of "go ahead, talk to me like that again."

"What kind of plans are more important than passing a class?"

"The kind of plans that make me happy," I answered easily.

"Keep it up," she warned, "and I won't hesitate to ground you." She then sighed through her nose, the quick exhalation releasing a lot less frustration than she likely would've wanted it to. "I'm not trying to be awful; I just want you to do well. And running around with a boy is not exactly going to help you."

My eyebrows furrowed but I stayed quiet. I didn't have the energy – or rather, I didn't want to spend the energy required – to argue further. Best to just leave it be or risk getting punished.

"When dad gets home, we're going to have a talk," she continued. "I think your priorities are a bit off."

"Whatever," I muttered under my breath, looking away from her. My gaze returned to the window. Wordlessly, she turned on her heel and left the room, leaving the door wide open as she headed back to the living room. I huffed and got to my feet, crossing the room quickly to shut the door myself. Then I promptly flopped back onto the bed.

My eyes went then to my desk, to where my phone was. I wasn't sure what exactly my plan was, but there was one forming in my mind.

---

As soon as Mr. Williams got home, sure enough, we did all have that talk. It went about as well as I expected it to. Honestly, I was expecting far worse from my first lecture from my parents. The whole thing was rather tame, actually. Manageable.

It was easy to just allow the words to enter one ear and leave through the other. All Mr. Williams did was essentially back up what his wife was saying, and she did most of the talking anyway, so it wasn't anything I hadn't heard before.

I was lectured rather firmly about my priorities, and about how even though failing one exam wasn't the end of the world, it was up to me to respond accordingly and fix it. It was only one test, after all, but they didn't want it to become a pattern and I needed to take the necessary steps to improve my grade and make sure I knew what I needed to before I fell further behind, yada yada yada.

Ridiculous. As though I hadn't already mentally berated myself enough today. I certainly didn't need this too. Regardless, I had to sit through it, and I did so while staying still and silent and only spoke up when they asked me to. Truly, what a wonderful time.

Nearly as soon as I was dismissed, it was dinner time, and so we ate as a family, though the atmosphere was certainly stilted and rather uncomfortable. Still, I kept quiet, and Eren seemed perfectly content to just blabber on and on about something they did in school today.

Even Mikasa piped up with a few comments – and a few corrections – for what he talked about, considering they were in the same class and Eren seemed to embellish things. But as soon as the table was clear, the chores were done, my teeth were brushed, and I was back in my room, I had my phone to my ear, waiting for Levi to pick up.

I just didn't really want to sit at home right now. And he was the one person I knew I could count on to help me sneak out.

And all I had to do was ask.

---

Levi stifled a yawn as he sat at his desk. His family had just eaten dinner, and so his stomach was full, and yet there was a very persistent seed of worry that had been planted there that still made him feel uneasy. He let his head hang back as his eyes closed and he relished in the comparative quiet of his room.

His new brother occupied the room just across the hall and normally he was quite quiet. He tended to spend his time reading, and while occasionally Levi would hear the music Erwin played while reading from across the hall, it was sometimes easy to forget that he was there due to how quiet he was. But right now, he was watching a movie, and his door was left open and so the sound poured out into the hall and could be heard through Levi's closed door.

While he knew why he was worried, and who he was worried about, he couldn't quite bring himself to call her. If she wanted to be alone, then he would leave her alone. If there was anything he learned, it was that sometimes, there were times to be pushy, and there were times to step away. This just seemed like an instance in which he needed to step away.

While not the best at reading people in general, he was quite good at reading her, and there was usually a tell when she really did need the company and only asked for time alone to try to convince herself that it's what she wanted.

But he hadn't seen that tell today, hadn't heard the waver in her voice, and so he respected what she wanted. If he had seen the tell, he would've insisted that she stayed with him to talk about it. Not that he was great with words, but if he could give her a safe place to vent, then he would.

His eyes fluttered open as his brain went through idea after idea to occupy his time until Petra was supposed to call. He'd done his homework, not that there was much to be done for tonight, and all his designated chores – and a few he picked up for himself to ensure they were done properly – were done.

The house was clean, his stomach full, and yet there was still time before he and Petra were supposed to call, and he would explain how to do what little she didn't know how to do from this past exam. It wasn't exactly a problem, he didn't mind helping her, it was just not quite how he wanted to spend his evening.

He sighed.

Just as his eyes closed again, content to just relax for a moment, a loud noise cut through the silence like a knife, and his body reacted as though physically sliced with one. His eyes flew open, and he sat up straight, only to huff agitatedly when he realized what it was. His phone screen was lit up, displaying the contact name of the exact person he wanted to hear from.

...not that he would ever admit that. Not to himself, and assuredly never aloud.

He wasted no time in reaching for the phone and answering the call. It was strange that she called first; normally, she would text first and make sure he was available or even just if he wanted to call, because she knew him better than anyone and as such, she knew that sometimes he just didn't want to talk to anyone.

Levi put the phone to his ear. "(Y/n)?"

"Hey," she greeted immediately. "Are you busy?"

"No," he replied. He was about to tell her about the plan he had with Petra but thought better of it. Whatever (Y/n) wanted, it was definitely more important. And he would always, always, make time for her.

He nearly clicked his tongue with annoyance. What an embarrassing thing to realize.

"Great," she said. He could practically hear the smile she wore on her face from the single word. "I kinda don't want to be home right now."

Immediately, he knew what she was hinting at. He smirked. "What's this? Does (Y/n) want to sneak out?"

"Maybe," she chimed. "Would you join me if I did?"

There was a sudden, fluttery feeling in his chest. "Maybe," he echoed. "Where would we go, if we did?"

"The park maybe," she replied. "Or maybe just to walk around. It doesn't matter to me. I just... want to see you. That's all."

His heart let out another annoying little flutter. "Alright. I'll come get you."

A grateful little murmur escaped her then. "Quick as you can?"

"Quick as I can," he answered with a nod, even though she couldn't see it.

"See you in a few," she said happily. "And... Levi?"

"Yeah, brat?"

"Thanks for this."

The smallest, faintest of smiles appeared on his lips. He was happy she wasn't able to see it; she'd surely tease him for it if she had. "Don't thank me for something like this," he managed to say. "Just sit tight. I'll be there soon."

Well, he thought after they ended the call and he got to his feet. It's a damn good thing his room is on the first floor.

---

Sneaking out of my family home was a far cry from sneaking out of the orphanage. It should've really gone without saying, honestly, but it was, and I still found that I was surprised by it.

The first obstacle was that my room wasn't on the first story, so climbing out of my window would be a challenge. And I couldn't exactly just go out the front door either, not the back door, for both parents were downstairs in the living room and watching a movie as far as I could tell. So this would be tricky. That was the long and short of it.

Though perhaps I wouldn't even have to sneak out, maybe Levi could sneak in. Honestly, it was less about being home – despite what I told him – and more about just seeing him. That was all I really wanted right now. Just to see him.

I very quickly got ready, putting on a jacket to combat the potentially chilly night now that the sun went down. I slid my window open when I was dressed, peeking out as though Levi might already be here even when I knew it would take more time.

I felt a slight twang of worry that he might get caught even just approaching the house but then I remembered who I was thinking about. Levi was used to sneaking around, so he knew better than to make his presence known. He knew better to make a loud fool of himself. I smiled at the image of him dancing around, making an absolute buffoon of himself in my front yard.

Then I had an idea and got a small bag and one of my throw blankets. Maybe we could stargaze? I didn't think to bring the sleeping bag I'd gotten at the orphanage with me when I got adopted, but we could probably find a comfy enough spot and cuddle up? No, not cuddle up. Um.

I distracted myself from that train of thought by continuing to ready my bag. I shoved the blanket inside, ignoring the way that my cheeks warmed at the thought of snuggling up with him to watch the stars.

Whatever, I thought. We used to do it all the time. It'll be just like old times. Right?

I huffed.

Just like old times. Just, you know... When he's kissed me, and I've kissed him?

I closed my eyes and sighed.

Why would you think of that right now?! Dumbass.

I closed the bag and slung it over my shoulder. I went to my door, locking it, then went to the window. I pulled it open and set my elbows to rest against the pane, waiting for his arrival. I didn't have to wait very long.

The window to my room overlooked the backyard, and I grinned as I saw a pair of hands grip the top of the fence. Levi pulled himself up and over, landing quietly in the yard. He looked around warily as he crossed the yard, approaching the house. Then his eyes traveled upwards, looking for me.

And when he found me, his eyes seemed to light up... or was it just because he got closer to the house and was suddenly illuminated by the dim light coming from the downstairs windows? It didn't matter much. I was just happy to see him.

"What's your plan, dumbass?"

"Uh," I muttered, thinking it over. His voice had been hushed, and only loud enough for his words to travel up to me. I was grateful we didn't tend to keep the windows downstairs open in the evenings. But still, we had to be careful. "I don't know."

"Were you just thinking of jumping out and breaking your legs?" His voice, quiet though it was, did nothing to hide the teasing tone.

"Maybe I thought you'd catch me," I sassed right back. "You're strong, aren't you?"

"You're not jumping," he said firmly. Then he crouched down, slipping his own bag from his shoulders. Guess he came prepared, too. He removed a tied bundle of rope from the bag. "At least one of us has a brain."

"I do have a brain," I assured him with a laugh. "I just wanted to see if you'd come prepared. And you did. So really, I win this one."

He looked up at me, his eyes letting me know that he didn't believe even an ounce of my bullshit. "Uh huh. Catch this."

Without much more warning than that, he tossed one end of the rope towards me. There was a small knot tied off, and I was grateful for that because I'd have missed it completely otherwise. When I had it, I glanced down at it, then at him. "Now what?"

"The hell do you mean, now what?"

"Uh..."

"(Y/n)," he sighed out. "Tie it off to something secure so you can climb down."

"Oh," I said, looking around now. "Hypothetically, if it was you doing it, what would you tie it to?"

"A dresser, if you have one," he answered.

"Ok," I said, retreating from the window, only to return moments after. I leaned out the window again, trying not to laugh at Levi's annoyed expression. "Hypothetically, what kind of knot should I tie? And how does one tie it?"

"You're a moron," he muttered.

"Hey," I retorted defensively, "it's not like I'm a boy scout or something! I didn't have to ever learn how to tie anything other than my shoes back at the orphanage!"

His eyes rolled. "I'll walk you through it."

And so he did. I got him on facetime, so it would be easier and quieter. And he talked me through how to tie the knot around the leg of the dresser and make sure it was secure. And once it was, we ended the call, I made I had what I needed in my bag, set it on my shoulders, then readied myself to climb down after turning the light off in my room.

Levi waited patiently at the bottom of the rope, watching as I very uncertainly started on my descent. He held it steady so it wouldn't sway in the wind, not that it would affect my climbing all that much. Still, the effort and thought were there.

"Um," I managed quietly when I glanced down at him, a twinge of fear taking hold of my body suddenly. "If I fall..."

"You won't," he assured me.

"Right," I replied, unconvinced, "but if I do, you'll catch me, right?"

"I'll try."

"Levi!"

"I'll catch you. Just take it slow."

I took a deep breath in before easing myself over the windowpane. It was only a two-story drop, and certainly people had survived worse, right? And with no injuries?

...I could only hope.

"Don't look down," Levi said. "Just focus on what you're doing. Doesn't matter if you're 500 feet up or 5, the technique is the same."

I swallowed my nerves down and did as he instructed. I adjusted my hold on the rope once, then twice, and then once more for good measure. And then I started to climb. With a great deal of effort, a good deal of time, and no shortage of rope burns on my bare hands, I managed to climb down.

But of course, in a (surely warranted, for I had made it this far) bout of confidence, I grinned, and my focus shifted only slightly; and yet my grip slipped, and I fell the last few feet. With a shocked yelp I tried grabbing the rope again, only to miss several times and finally, I landed in a heap on Levi.

He had, as he assured me, tried to catch me, but with such short notice there was only so much he could do other than just get underneath me and hope for the best, so that's what he did. Even his superhuman instinct and trained reflexes couldn't help him all that much.

He'd stumbled backwards after I landed on him, and he took me with him. I could only assume he wrapped his arms around me because he thought he could catch me, and he had, but the catch threw him off balance and we ended in a heap on the ground.

But thankfully... we were alright. As soon as I realized I was alive, I sat up, twisting around to check on Levi. The fear that had constricted my heart changed to worry, and though some rogue part of my mind wanted to make sure that no one had heard the commotion and weren't coming out to check, I was far more concerned with making sure that Levi was alright.

"Levi," I said worriedly, the one word little more than a gasp. "Are you hurt?"

His eyes were closed, and because I'd sat up, one of his arms had fallen from around me to instead cradle the back of his head as he started to sit up. I got off him, settling on my knees just beside him. His lack of an answer – besides a low, pained groan – scared me.

"Levi?"

I must have sounded as nervous as I felt because his eyes opened, and he looked at me. "I'm fine," he finally said.

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't say it if I wasn't," he replied. "My ass might be bruised in the morning though."

His dry, dark humor managed to make me laugh and lift some of the weight from my shoulders. "That's not so bad, then," I said. "Did you hit your head?"

"Yeah," he replied, "but it wasn't hard."

"Alright," I said hesitantly. "We don't have to go far if you're not feeling up to it-"

"Shut it," he interrupted, starting to stand. When I didn't follow his lead, he held his hand out to me. I accepted it, letting him help me up. "Now come on. I know a place you might like."