*After the expedition*

(F/n)'s POV

Levi and I were at a table in the mess hall, late at night. Neither of us could sleep so we just came here.

There was this one thought that kept distracting me, and I wanted to know the answer. I wanted to know how Farlan and Isabel died.

"Um...Levi? C-can I ask you something?" I asked, glancing up at him before returning my gaze back to my tea cup. "Go ahead." He replied.

"I was just a little curious on how...Farlan and Isabel went out." I quietly asked him. I saw his eyes widen a small fraction.

"I'll only tell you if you tell me where you were when we didn't see you for years." He took a sip from his tea cup.

Wow Levi. Nice move, trying to get me to tell you where I was? Not happening.

"Okay. I'm fine with not knowing then." I sighed, taking a sip of my tea. "What's so bad about where ever you went? Why won't you tell me, (f/n)?" I could tell he was getting a bit annoyed.

"It's just-...I don't know..." I rubbed the back of my neck, looking down at the wooden floor. "Hey...what's this?" He leaned closer to me, touching the side of my neck.

"What's what?" I furrowed my brows in confusion. "A scar on your neck." He bluntly answered.

That must be from when that happened.

Flashback

He took the belt and started to choke her. The girl's eyes widened with fear, for any breath could be her last.

Her mother slowly sat up, catching her breath from the previous beating she received. "S-stop...p-please..." She quietly spoke, but her father didn't listen.

"P-please...stop, t-take your anger o-out on me...just leave (f-f/n) out of it..." The mother's breathing was unsteady. The girl's eyes started rolling to the back of her head, very little air filling her lungs.

Her father finally stopped, letting go of the belt. (F/n) gasped for air, falling over and hitting her head against the nightstand beside her.

Flashback End

"Where did this come from?" Levi asked me, concern filling his eyes. "Oh, that scar? I was a clumsy toddler." I hesitantly answered with a dry chuckle afterwards.

"Quit lying to me." Levi rolled his eyes. "But I'm not lying." I frowned. "Just know that whatever happened to you, I will find out about it. I will make you tell me, even if it calls for desperate measures."

"Oh I'm so scared." I used sarcasm. "What are you going to do to me, torture me?" I raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Dear God, I hope you don't mean it in that way." He muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Levi!" I gasped, "Why on Earth would I mean it like that?!" I laughed. "Thank God." He sighed. After a few more minutes of me quietly laughing, I had an idea.

"Levi, did you want to go outside and watch the stars? Like how we used to at the big hole in the underground?" I asked Levi, not making eye contact.

"Sure." He replied without hesitation and standing up from his seat. I followed suit, getting up from my seat and walking outside with him.

When we got outside, we lied on some hay next to the stables. Levi was a little skeptical at first, but he made an exception to lie on it.

"I forgot how much I missed stargazing." I smiled, looking all around at the night sky. "I did too." Levi replied. I focused on one star for a second before something caught my eye.

I turned my gaze to the left a bit. "Look Levi, a shooting star." I pointed out. "Make a wish." I added, looking over at Levi. He inhaled, thinking about something before exhaling.

"I wish that whatever bad happens to our well beings, there will be something good that comes out of it."

That's an interesting wish. Surprised he didn't want more cleaning supplies-wait...

"Our?" I repeated what he said. "...Yeah, as in all the citizens within the walls." He hesitated.

Weird. He's starting to act strange.

I shrugged it off and continued with the stargazing.

"H-hey, (f/n)?" I heard Levi stutter, after a few minutes of silence passed. "Yeah?" I replied, looking over at him now.

"Corporal Levi!" We both heard someone shout. We both sighed in unison, sitting up. I could see the irritation in Levi's eyes. "What is it cadet? Can't it wait till morning?" Levi frowned, looking past me.

I turned around and saw Gunther. "Sorry sir, but squad leader Hanji wanted to see you urgently." He answered. "Alright." Levi muttered, getting up and brushing the hay off his clothes.

"Goodnight (f/n)." Levi whispered to me, making me grin. "Night twinkle toes." I giggled. "Shut up." He muttered and walked inside to go see Hanji. "What were you and captain doing out here at midnight?" Gunther asked, walking over to me.

"We were just catching up. Y'know, since we sort of haven't seen each other in awhile." I responded. "Oh." He replied, sitting down next to me. "You and captain like stargazing?" Gunther looked over at me.

"Yeah. We used to do it sometimes when we were younger." I smiled, looking up at the sky. "How? You two are from the underground."

"There was a large hole in there where you could see the outside world." I answered. "That makes sense." Gunther said, looking at the stars as well.

About five minutes passed without either one of us saying a word. "It's getting a bit late, I better get some sleep. Goodnight." I looked at Gunther with a smile.

"Okay. Goodnight." He smiled back, but he looked a little nervous? As I was getting up from the hay stack, I felt him grip my wrist and pull me back down.

"Gunth-" He put his hand on the back of my neck, pulling me towards him. And before I knew it, his lips were planted on mine.

Uhhhh......

My mind went completely blank.

I didn't even know what to do! What do I do? Scream for help? No, how can I do that when someone's kissing me?! A second later, Gunther pulled away with a flushed face.

I took this chance and stood up again, quickly walking inside and back to my dorm. I tried my best to be quiet when I got in bed so I wouldn't wake Petra up.

"(F/n)?" I heard her voice call out, tiredly.

Just what I didn't want to happen.

"Yeah?" I responded. "What are you doing up?" She asked.

"I was in the mess hall getting a drink." I answered, not wanting to tell her the whole thing. "Oh, okay." And that was the last thing she said before going back to sleep.

*Morning*

As my squad and I were eating breakfast, everyone was wondering why Gunther and I weren't speaking. "You two okay?" Eld asked. I looked up at him and quickly nodded my head "yes".

Do I tell Levi about what happened last night after he left? No. He wouldn't care about something like that.

"Alright, get yourselves ready for training soon." Levi said, getting up and cleaning his tea cup in the sink.

I finished my tea and bread and put the cup and plate in the sink as well, cleaning them off. Then I went outside for today's training.

I don't think I can look at Gunther the same now.

Time Skip

Training was over for the day, so I went out to the stables to check on (h/n). I went to (her/his) stall and the first thing I did was freshen (her/his) food and water supply.

"Hmm...looks like I should groom you." I thought out loud, picking up a brush. While grooming (h/n), Levi walked in and saw me. "Hey." He greeted, leaning against the stall door.

"Hi." I looked over my shoulder at him, smiling. "Can I ask you something?" "Go ahead."

"What happened after I left to see Hanji, last night?" Levi asked. "Nothing happened. Gunther and I just talked for a few minutes before I went in as well." I answered, not looking at him.

"(F/n)...I know something went on when I left. Why are you being so secretive now?" I could tell Levi was frowning without me having to look at him. "Levi. I'm telling you the truth! Can you stop accusing me of lying?!" I raised my voice a bit.

"That's not how you speak to a higher-up." He said in a stern voice. "Well maybe I don't give a fuck!" I was starting to get annoyed with him. "Oh, and what was it you wanted to tell me last night?" I finally turned around to look at him.

"Never mind! That doesn't matter now, and I don't think I need to say it now." I could barely hear him reply. I heavily sighed.

"Sorry I raised my voice at you." I said in a calm tone now. "Tch." Was all Levi replied with before leaving the stables.

I rolled my eyes, putting the brush away since I finished grooming (h/n) during that small argument. "I'll see you later, okay (girl/boy)?" I smiled, earning a neigh from (her/him)

I went back inside of HQ and decided I would go and hang out with Petra for the rest of the day. I really needed some "girl time" after all this boy drama going on.

Right now I was doing Petra's hair. While I was brushing it out, I remembered something. "Petra, remember before the expedition you asked me to tell Levi something?"

"Yeah." She replied. "You know, about how you loved Levi. Well...did you tell him yourself since you made it back alive from the expedition?" I asked, putting her hair in a small bun.

"N-not exactly." She sighed, rubbing her forearm. "So, are you going to tell him? Do you actually love Levi?" I fixed the bun up a little before handing her a mirror.

"I don't know...but thanks for doing my hair. It looks really cute." She smiled, giving me the hand mirror back.

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*Word count: 1,745*

I'm proud of myself. I made the chapter a bit longer than the previous ones! Yay me!

❤️Peace❤️