A/N: Continuation of Day 6
Mikasa sat secluded the little hideout she had once found during 3DMG training. Oftentimes, when she was the first to be done when they did the training exercises with the Titan dummies, she had a lot of free time on her hands.
One day, she had stumbled upon this particular spot. It was cozy and small. A small patch of soft, green grass, hidden by a dense thicket of trees and shrubbery. It was quite comfortable to sit on the grass and lean up against a tree trunk. She liked to tilt her head up and look up as the sun's warm rays filtered through the leaves.
This spot had a fresh smell that was refreshing and invigorating.
Some days when it felt too overwhelming, Mikasa liked to slip away to her secret little hideout. And she was definitely overhwlemed at the moment. The small thought of being missed crossed her mind, but she dismissed it. Yes, she had been gone longer than she normally was, but it was early, they shouldn't be awake yet. Usually when Mikasa came to this place it was during a break or mealtimes when she wouldn't arouse suspicion about being absent.
But her mind was more concerned with other things. First and foremost, her confession to Levi. She couldn't describe the way her heart had swelled when he had kissed her. She had done her best to squash her feelings for him but they had come surging back, stronger than ever when he pulled her in for a kiss. She'd had no idea he felt the same way.
She let her head loll back against the tree trunk when she heard the rustle of leaves and twigs snapping. Her eyes popped open and she was met with Levi's sharp eyes, darkened from worry and concern.
"Mikasa," he exhaled, "Can you please explain why you disappeared this morning and now all you friends are in an uproar trying to find you."
Her eyes widened farther, "I didn't realize everyone was looking for me. I just needed to clear my head."
Levi crouched down in front of her so they were both at the level, "Mikasa, if this has anything to do with us, let me assure you that I would never, ever do anything you didn't want me to."
"No, no, that's not it," she exclaimed hurriedly, "No, that's not it at all. It's just that I need a break sometimes, that's all."
Levi nodded, his eyes softening, "I understand." And he did understand. He bore the burden of being humanity's strongest soldier. He understood the weight placed on Mikasa's shoulders as being the Woman Worth a Hundred Soldiers.
She smiled softly at him, "I guess we should get back if everyone's looking for me."
But he was already sitting down beside her, leaning his back up against the same tree she was leaning against. His arm brushed against hers and he shook his head, "Nah, let them wait a while. I see why you like it here. It's peaceful." He closed his eyes and Mikasa found herself tracing his features with her eyes, examining the dark circles under his eyes.
He spoke, "It smells clean. Why does it smell so nice?" She snorted a little. Of course he would think of it as clean. It was supposed to be refreshing. But for Levi, she supposed clean was refreshing. "It's a eucalyptus tree," she answered. "I read it somewhere in a book of Armin's. I think you can make tea out of it."
"Hm," Levi muttered. He stayed there, sitting next to her for a few more minutes before his eyes popped open and he sighed, "We should head back." She nodded and stood, brushing her pants to rid them of any twigs or grass that had decided to stick to her. She walked away from the little spot and paused to wait for Levi. She didn't notice when Levi plucked a few leaves from the tree and stuck them in his pocket.
When they got back to the base, the rest of Levi's squad came running to meet them. "Mikasa!" Eren exclaimed, "Where'd you go? Thank the walls you found her, Captain." "Tch," Levi replied. Armin smiled softly at Mikasa, "We're glad you're safe." Sasha threw her arms around Mikasa, wailing, "Ah, don't do that again, Mikasa! Who else would give me their bread at supper!"
Levi slipped away during the commotion and made his way back into his office. The brats could have the day off from training. It had been a rough day, yesterday.
Mikasa simply spent time with her sqaud mates, they goofed around, laughing at Eren and Jean, sat around waiting for Connie and Sasha to come back from stealing food from the kitchens, listened as Armin regaled them with tales of the outside world.
That night, Mikasa returned to her room in a good mood and was surprised to find a teacup sitting on her bedside table. It was still steaming. The person who put it there must have just left.
She took a sip and felt a calming effect as the brew slid down her throat. It tasted like nature. It reminded her of the tree that she always leaned against when she escaped to her hideout.
She noticed a small slip of paper that had been neatly folded and placed underneath the tea cup. She unfolded it to reveal small, carefully formed letters:
Mikasa,
I took some leaves from the eucalyptus tree. I actually had Hange help me with it, but I managed to make some tea out of it. It actually doesn't taste all that bad. It's very earthy I like it. I hope you enjoy it too. You and your friends earned your day off. I know I've already said it, but I still thank you for saving my life. Without your help I wouldn't have been able to stop the titans. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, I like you. I like you a lot. You could even call it love. I want to be with you, more than anything I've ever wanted my entire life. But I can't lose you. I refuse to lose you. So, stay alive for me, Mikasa, and drink this tea. All of it. It will help you sleep better. I know it's not much, but you deserve to sleep without nightmares.
Levi
