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That evening, you were sitting in your room, mulling over the plan. Everything had been going accordingly so far but you couldn't help but wonder: were you hurting Levi, and quite possibly, Eren? You knew Eren had developed slight feelings for you when you first met and seemed almost too happy to oblige in helping you execute this course of action. But the question that lingered in the back of your mind was if Eren still held those feelings. You blushed at the thought of him touching you from before. The way his rough hand had delicately placed itself around your small waist and brought you so close that you were afraid he could hear your heartbeat race without end. It had threatened to jump right out of your chest the moment he had made contact with you.

And that kiss he had placed on your head…

You blush increased ten fold at the memory. Your hand flew to your cheeks in an attempt to cool them down. You ran your sleek fingers through your hair in thought as your mind was now crowded with feelings and emotions you had never experienced before. Feelings that had been growing ever since Levi had saved you during the expedition and when Eren confessed his original feelings for you from before. It was getting to be too much to process all at the same time. You didn't want to hurt either of them…

"Why is this so confusing all of a sudden? I can't have feelings…for both of them? Can I?" you muttered to yourself, burying your head in your arms and pulling your legs close to your chest.

Deciding that you needed a breath of fresh air to clear your mind. You donned your jacket and your cloak to keep yourself warm in the cool night air. Most of the other recruits were either having dinner or running errands for the higher up soldiers, like Levi or Erwin. Quietly closing the door to your room and locking the door, you escaped into the fresh evening air. The instant your body came into contact with the air, all muddled thoughts and oppressed emotions suddenly disappeared. You walked slowly, counting your steps to provide a distraction.

"23…24…25…26…" you counted silently and surely.

You reached an opening from the training ground which led to a small grassy area. You had only been there a few times during training but it seemed like a perfect spot to relax and take in the night air. You sat down on the soft grass and ran your fingers through the blades. Tilting your head back, you watched the stars dance within the vast blackness that was the sky. The stars twinkled in liveliness and beauty. You scanned the view for the constellations you knew best. Before too long, you had spotted Orion's Belt by identifying the three stars perfectly aligned, forming the belt of the mighty hunter. You had also discovered the Southern Cross and the Big Dipper. Your father had taught you the meanings and backstories of each constellation and also taught you how to find them. Each clear night, the two of you would sit on the roof of your small house and stargaze for hours on end, finding old constellations and for the fun of it, coming up with new ones. You found the Dragon of the Sky with his wings spread out and you also spotted your father's made-up constellation of The Sword in the Stone, a constellation he had made up after telling you about the Legend of King Arthur.

You smiled at the memory of your father, the one who had raised you ever since you had lost your mother.

You had lost her due to an terrible illness. She had gotten sick too late and no treatment was helpful. Any effort made to cure her was futile. She had passed away in her sleep, peacefully, which seemed like the best way for her to die. You were only 2 years of age at the time so you never knew her but your father constantly kept pictures of her around and it was clear that you had inherited her beautiful eyes and her looks. He told you stories about her all the time, reminiscing about anything he could and never leaving out any detail. You felt a small tear of happiness snake down your cheek and you slowly wiped it away with your hand.

You missed your father dearly. He was lost to you by a Titan at the age of 14. He was doing his job in protecting you, keeping you safe from harm and hiding from the bloodthirsty sight of the Titans. He had sacrificed himself for you, in order for you to get away. All that you could remember from that day was the large hand, closing in and encircling your father's body and lifting him from the ground.

He was severed by the teeth of the Titan.

You had watched in horror as a friend of your father pulled you to safety, screaming for him the entire time. A few days after the incident, you had changed drastically. Your features had grown more aggressive and your stance was different. You stood with a look in your eye that resonated vengeance. You weren't going to let your father's sacrifice be in vain. The very next year, you applied for the Training Corps in hopes of becoming stronger and living up to your father's dream of seeing the world rid of the Titans.

The tears were streaming down your face now and you couldn't help but continue to smile from the memory you had of you father.

"What are you doing out here?" An all too familiar voice said, interrupting your thoughts.

"J-just…getting some fresh air," you muttered quickly to the voice while wiping the tears away.

You looked up and you were met with that same monotone stare that you had grown to love. Lance Corporal Levi had approached with that silent step he always carried, making his presence invisible to most. You watched his steel tray eyes flicker in curiosity as he noticed that your eyes were freshly cleaned from tears.

"Have you been crying?" There it is again…that subtle voice of concern.

"Yeah…but it's nothing to worry about. They were happy tears, in a way." You admitted to the Corporal, hoping that he would understand, even slightly.

"Tch…whatever." You blinked as you watched him take a seat next to you. His hands braced himself behind his back and you couldn't help but notice how close his hand was to yours. That regular blush had crept onto your face once more at noticing this.

You shoved the thought aside and went back to watching the stars. Keeping your eye on the North Star, you remembered how your father had taught you that if you find the North Star, you'll always find your way home.

"I'll you again. What are you doing out here?" You turned your head slightly to met his gaze.

"Stargazing," you replied bluntly.

"Why?"

"It brings back good memories…" That seemed to strike something in the Corporal. His questions weren't as oppressing from before when he found you out here.

"If I may ask, memories of what?" His voice was calm, quiet, almost as if he didn't want to strike a nerve.

"My childhood and my father. He used to take me stargazing and teach me about the stars and their stories."

"…and your mother?"

"Never knew her…she died when I was two." You hung your head slightly, but tried to fight back a traitorous tear that threatened to fall.

Levi fell silent at your words and turned back to face the blackness above the two of you. His eyes followed a shooting star and watched the rhythmic twinkling of the small stars. You returned to gazing and your attention was once again drawn to the North Star.

Your favourite star.

"Which one are you looking at?" you heard him ask, still monotone and coarse but gentle.

You leaned closer to him so he would be able to see from your perspective. You blushed as your shoulder brushed his and you were able to hear his soft breaths in your ear, tickling the sensitive skin. You raised your arm and pointed out towards the bright star. You looked at him and smiled warmly as he leaned closer and followed the direction of your arm.

"Do you see it? It's the big bright one," you questioned him.

Your cheeks were practically touching as you felt him nod in response. You saw him raise his arm and point to where you were pointing, making sure he had the right star. Your heart was beating fast as his hand was almost touching yours. You choked back a nervous gulp but you couldn't hide the hitch in your breath as he index finger gently touched yours. He was leaning closer to you now.

"That one?" he asked, seeming very curious as to which star you were searching for.

"That's right," you answered, your voice barely above a whisper.

"What's it called?"

"The North Star. My father told me that as long as you can find the North Star you can always find your way home. Like a compass in the skies."

Levi spent a good amount of time watching the star flicker and twinkle with that same disapproving glare however there was something different about his features this time. They weren't angry, they weren't stern, they were…serene. He looked almost peaceful yet denouncing stare. He watched the star and relaxed his muscles, lazily settling on the grass you two were sitting upon. He leaned back and tilted his back to allow himself a better view of the night sky. His shoulder brushed yours and felt a shiver run up and down your arms. You pulled your cloak closer around your shoulders, trying to shake the cold feeling away. The feeling didn't go away. You decided that you had spent enough time out in the cool weather and it was time to head back inside and get some rest. You went to stand up and dusted off any clinging blades of grass and dirt. You looked back at Levi and gave him a salute, smiling softly at him before taking your leave. You heard him stand up but took no notice of it, not bothering to turn around. You were suddenly stopped dead in your tracks as you felt a rough hand pull your arm back.

Whipping your head around, you had no time to react. You felt a soft pair of lips gently collide with your forehead. Your muscles stiffened at the small gesture before you felt him pull away and walk past you, not looking you in the eye. His silky black bangs covered his eyes, blocking them from your view. Two fingers floated up to the area his softly graced with his lips and you let out a small gasp. Quickly spinning around, you called out to him.

"Levi!"

He stopped mid-step and turned his head enough for him to look at you slightly.

"Good night," you told him sweetly and politely with a genuine smile, despite your racing heart that was on the verge of exploding.

He nodded briskly before walking off and you followed suit, however keeping some distance between you and the Corporal.

Training's going to be fun tomorrow…