Make Her Smile Again

      As promised by the doctor, over the last week, Levi had started feeling significantly better. The unfamiliar medicines worked excellently, and with each day, the pain bothered him less. The names of the medications stubbornly slipped his mind, written in an incomprehensible language. But reading the strange symbols was his only entertainment. Besides, Levi had no intention of simply suffering without the miraculous painkillers, and even after leaving the hospital, he wanted to know what to look for.       As promised, the doctor soon inquired if the captain wished to stay at the hospital for another week. Apparently, he didn’t want to seem callous. Levi was, after all, a war hero, and no one was eager to rush him out. But he didn’t want to loiter in the hospital, just lying around. Sooner or later, he would have to start a new life anyway. Why postpone it? However, he did have one request.       “Could you discharge Ackerman as well? It seems to me she’s perfectly fine now.”       Levi remembered their agreement and had no intention of leaving her here alone.       “I suppose I could, but for that, I need to examine her one more time,” the doctor replied and went off to see other patients. Levi wasn’t particularly concerned about whether Mikasa would be discharged or not. Some formalities and papers didn’t matter. They wouldn’t just keep her here. He had heard more than once that Mikasa didn’t want to stay, so he just needed to wait a bit for the doctor to return with an affirmative answer.

✦❘༻༺❘✦

      Levi was already standing at the clinic’s threshold, with a crutch in his hand, a bandage over his eye, and a pile of some medications in his pocket. He left the hospital in the same clothes he had arrived in—his worn-out uniform. It had been washed, of course, but that didn’t help much. Blood had soaked into the fabric in places, impossible to wash out, and the holes from falls and cuts were very noticeable. Mikasa looked no better—covered in band-aids and in an equally tattered uniform. There was, of course, no way to get other clothes. Levi wouldn’t have asked for someone else’s. Too humiliating. They had no money to buy anything either. Naturally, they had no money, but they had the fame of war heroes, and Levi thought he might use his status for once in his life and ask for everything they needed on credit.       “Sir, wait!” someone shouted from the hospital doors just as both were about to leave. A slender woman in a white coat and a headscarf—clearly a nurse—was holding something in her hand, trying to catch up with the former patients. The woman hurried over to them and handed them two letters, one addressed to Mikasa and the second to the captain.       “Thanks,” Levi thanked the woman dryly and, nudging Mikasa, stepped forward. These letters didn’t interest him in the slightest right now. Everything inside him demanded a change of clothes, otherwise, the bloodstains would drive him mad. He didn’t want to spend another moment thinking about war and battles. However, Mikasa slowed down, examining her letter. Levi frowned in displeasure. They hadn’t even left the hospital grounds, and Mikasa was already causing him trouble.       “Well, what is it now?”       “There’s a royal seal here. These letters are from Historia.”       Who wrote these letters was a matter of indifference to Levi. He knew perfectly well that in the king’s name, they often sent sentimental notes about how important the Scout Regiment was to humanity, what courage and bravery they showed in battle, and how the world within the walls was grateful for their honest service. In short, the letters were full of useless nonsense written by royal assistants. Levi had no desire to read such things.       “Don’t waste your time on it. It’s surely more long-winded speeches about our service to humanity. Throw it in the nearest bin.”       But Mikasa wasn’t listening anymore. She broke the seal and pulled a yellowish official paper from the envelope. As she read, her eyes grew wider, and Levi finally became interested in the letter’s contents.       Curiosity got the better of him, and he tore open his envelope. The letter surprised him no less than it did Mikasa, and for the first time, he was glad she had disobeyed. He surely would have thrown this paper away if Mikasa hadn’t been with him.       A shadow of a smile appeared on his face as his eyes ran over the lines. Just a few words—congratulations, joy that they had survived the nightmare, an invitation to return home if they wished, and a promise of protection from the crown. But the most important thing was that the letter contained a check for a large sum, made out in his name. Judging by the unfamiliar design, it was from a Marleyan bank.       Mikasa stared, wide-eyed, at her paper. Apparently, it said the same thing.       “Well, at least we won’t have to beg,” Levi said with disdain, as if the letter hadn’t surprised him at all, though inside he was elated. The money problem had solved itself. “Let’s go, we’ll find the bank.”       Levi threw a glance at the smiling Mikasa as he walked ahead. She stood behind him for another second but quickly caught up, not lagging behind again.       Very little time had passed, but the city had transformed surprisingly. The streets were completely clean, and the looks of terror and worry had been wiped from people’s faces. No destruction around, no panic in their eyes. People went about their business, giving strange looks to the tattered demons from Paradis.       It was unusual to see calm people. After the wall breach, it was rare to see a relaxed face. People never managed to feel completely safe, fearing another breach. But here, serenity reigned. The power of the titans was gone. And it seemed that was the only thing humanity had lacked to find peace.       They didn’t have to walk for long. Not without the help of passersby, but they quickly found the building in the city center. With the money obtained without much trouble, they could live comfortably.       Recounting the sum once more, Levi couldn’t believe his eyes—he had enough money in his hands for a comfortable life, he had the opportunity to buy a house and never think about war, battles, or fighting again. He wouldn’t have to crowd in with someone, scrape together pennies for food, and try to start a new life without a coin. Had they really gotten a chance for peace in this world? Both Levi and Mikasa only knew one thing—how to kill. They wouldn’t have to get used to poverty and cramped spaces, but the situation was turning out incredibly fortunate.       “We must write a thank-you letter!” Mikasa immediately chirped, waving her paper, which also showed a tidy sum. It was unusual even to think about such an amount of money, and her sorrows temporarily retreated, making room for pure, relieved joy.       “We must, but first we’re going here.”       Levi pointed to a small shop with a dress-shaped sign, hoping they would find everything they might need for the time being.       The shopkeeper, a short middle-aged man, seeing two quite tidy people but in absolutely torn uniforms, first snorted to himself, thinking they were just a couple of ragamuffins who had wandered into the wrong place, but the next moment something clicked in his head, and he realised what kind of uniform it was. He immediately rushed out from behind the counter.       “Captain Levi? Welcome to my shop! Please, come this way, I’ll show you our selection. Unfortunately, the collection is old, our tailoring department didn’t survive such a shock. Come in, come in!”       Levi didn’t immediately understand what was wanted of him. Before the Rumbling, he had managed perfectly well with one everyday shirt and a pair of trousers. And he hardly ever had to wear even those. He had already forgotten when someone last tailored clothes for him.       Mikasa simply followed behind Levi, cautiously looking at the dresses. Everything here looked expensive, and walking among the fabrics in torn, albeit clean, clothes was intimidating.       It was strange to see everything hanging ready-made. Back within the walls, you couldn’t just buy clothes like that. A shop usually had its own seamstress who would skilfully measure you and sew what you needed and could afford. You had to wait a long time for a new item, even though Mikasa never ordered anything extremely complicated. She simply didn’t have the money. There was no need for anything particularly beautiful either. Where would you wear a pretty dress when you’re surrounded by forests and all you care about is preserving your own life and the lives of your friends?       “Ma’am, please come over here, let me pick something out for you too.”       The man took her by the arm and led her in the opposite direction. She had never seen so much different clothing. The shop was packed with all sorts of things, but Mikasa wasn’t very interested. She simply didn’t know where to start and walked helplessly alongside the shopkeeper, who kept pulling out various items from somewhere.       After laying out a small pile of women’s clothes next to the men’s on the counter, he sent her behind a screen so Mikasa could try on everything she was offered.       Coming out from behind the screen in new clothes, Mikasa kept looking in the mirror. It was unusual to see anything other than a black uniform in her reflection.       She examined the long, light-brown skirt and the cream-coloured blouse with puffed sleeves, as the shopkeeper called them, and didn’t recognise herself. Her cheeks flushed slightly. She felt uncomfortable in beautiful clothes, like a dressed-up doll, not a soldier. Despite her painfully thin frame, Mikasa was still a scout, and the nice clothes sat on her strangely and unfamiliarly.       “Ma’am, try on this dress as well, I’m sure you’ll like it.”       Ma’am. No one had ever called her that. Mikasa was used to the captain’s insults and lewd jokes from passersby who were sure women in the army were only good for one thing. But this man was polite and friendly, and it all seemed far too strange. Mikasa embarrassedly accepted one hanger after another and, coming out from behind the screen again, met the gaze of the newly dressed captain.       Mikasa didn’t even try to hide the fact that she was staring at Levi. The handsome black suit suited him incredibly well. The turtleneck worn underneath emphasised his strong neck and stern face. His pale skin seemed even lighter against the dark fabric, and Mikasa froze for a moment, unable to look away. She had never seen Levi like this. Did he look attractive because of the suit?       “Take this, it suits you,” Levi said.       Mikasa flinched, lowered her eyes, realising she had been staring at him too brazenly. She hadn’t even noticed he was looking at her too. Mikasa finally glanced at her reflection, noticing that the dress really did suit her. Orange-brown with white polka dots, it reached her ankles, and the gathering at the chest, tied in a cute bow, gave her emaciated body some volume. Mikasa hardly wanted to examine her skinny body, but she really did like the dress.       “Here are some shoes as well, they’ll look great with these items!”       The shopkeeper handed her an open box with beige pumps on a small heel. To the shopkeeper’s delight, they fit just as perfectly.       “Do you have any trousers…?” Mikasa hesitated but then saw the shopkeeper’s surprised and thoughtful look.       “Oh, come now, women don’t wear trousers!” he said, and then immediately caught himself. Of course they do, if they’re joining the ranks of soldiers.       “Oh, but wait a minute, I’ll bring something right away.”       He returned with another hanger holding a vest and trousers of a noble grey colour. The shopkeeper handed them to Mikasa, and she quickly disappeared behind the screen.       Returning to the mirror, she finally felt like herself again. The Scout uniform felt much more familiar than a skirt, and in the suit, she felt better. The grey vest fit perfectly over the cream blouse, and the trousers, though a bit loose at the waist, fit quite decently. The men’s belt the shopkeeper thoughtfully provided solved that small problem. Mikasa didn’t hesitate any longer. A couple of new trousers certainly wouldn’t hurt. And it wouldn’t hurt to take the rest either, though she would have to get used to such things.       When the shopkeeper announced the cost, Mikasa’s eyes widened. That amount could have fed her for a month. The sum in the bank was such that she could make more than one such shopping trip, but her frugality rebelled inside. Too expensive. She could make do with just one thing for the time being.       “I’ll pay,” a low male voice sounded somewhere near her. Mikasa turned to the approaching Levi and immediately objected.       “Captain, no, you shouldn’t, I can pay myself…”       “Consider it my gift to you on the occasion of the end of your service.”       Mikasa locked her gaze on his stern eyes again. It was clear he wouldn’t tolerate objections, and Mikasa could stuff them away. Thoughts swirled in her head that this was too strange, that the captain shouldn’t spend his own money on her clothes, but she smiled softly and gave in. After so many years of faithful service, she probably deserved a gift.       Leaving the shop in her new suit, Mikasa still couldn’t resist. She had to say something. The awkwardness and tension between them were beginning to show again, just like in the scouts.       “Thank you so much, but you really shouldn’t have spent so much. Now I simply must treat you to lunch.”       “You owe me nothing,” Levi cut in sharply, not intending to listen to anything, but Mikasa just shook her head.       He was wrong. The clothes were far from the only thing she wanted to thank him for. She owed Levi her life. If he hadn’t babysat her, she would have thrown herself off that cliff where they had their last battle. He might not have realised it, but Mikasa was able to walk on her own two feet now only because Levi hadn’t left her completely alone when she had pushed everyone away, and even with the captain, she had acted like a capricious girl.       “I’ll do it, even if you don’t want me to,” Mikasa stated firmly. Her stomach rumbled just in time. Levi looked at her with displeasure but sighed and nodded.       “Alright, we’ll have lunch on you, since you insist.”       It was clear from Levi that this all seemed like some silly game to him, but he had no energy for arguments. They needed to get closer somehow, after all, Levi had asked her to live with him. At that moment, the idea hadn’t seemed so bad, but Levi wasn’t so sure now. It would be much easier alone. But looking at Mikasa’s relaxed face, he immediately shoved those thoughts away. He had asked her to stay himself, so at that time, he must have felt it was right. Levi wasn’t in the habit of regretting his past decisions.       “Just let’s find something quick. We still need to figure out where to spend the night,” the captain grumbled, and Mikasa obediently walked ahead.       On the way, Levi noticed a sign with an advertisement for house sales. He mentally noted where he would need to return.       Walking too fast wasn’t possible. His knee wouldn’t let him forget it—it hurt with every step, but he tried not to show it, so as not to make Mikasa nervous. He didn’t understand why he thought Mikasa would care about his well-being, but running through past missions in his mind, he realised—she would care.       They quickly found a small cafe. After a hearty lunch, paid for by Mikasa as agreed, they left the cafe under the surprised gazes of the patrons. Surely no one had ever seen a girl pay for a meal before, hence the stares. Or perhaps people recognised the faces of those demons from Paradis. Still, Levi urged them to hurry, and he was right. Neither of them wanted to sleep on the street, and they needed to find a house soon.       They came back to that house-selling place Levi had noticed before. In the office sat a rather nice young woman who immediately began showing all sorts of houses in this city, which had survived thanks to the efforts of Mikasa, Levi, and their comrades.       Recognising Levi and Mikasa as the Scouts from the island—the woman didn’t even need to ask who they were: photos of the saviours of humanity were in all the newspapers—she even promised to try and get them a discount. It was clear from her how surprised she was that they had decided to stay here.       The selection was surprisingly good, and what was even more surprising were the photographs of these houses. Several for each place. Back within the walls, they had, of course, already mastered the art of photography, thanks to the steadily arriving soldiers from Marley, but few could afford such a luxury yet.       The captain’s gaze stopped on one of the light brick houses, the view from which opened directly onto the promenade.       “Can we see this house?” he asked immediately.       “Of course! It’s quite nearby. Wait just a minute, I’ll get the keys.”       The woman jingled a large keychain and was ready to show them the place right then. Mikasa and Levi exchanged glances. They were having incredibly good luck today.       The house was indeed located very close and looked much more attractive in person. A two-story building made of light brick with a bluish trim between the floors, it adjoined its neighbours on the left and right, forming a beautiful, ornate wall by the sea. Large, handsome windows on the facades. White, clean doorsteps with vases of green plants. Luxurious.       The place was quiet, despite its proximity to the sea. The cries of seagulls and the sound of the surf could be heard. The sounds were calming and relaxing. It seemed it was never noisy here, and Levi immediately liked the place. A beautiful, by his standards even luxurious, house would be an excellent place to start a new life.       “Come inside, I’ll show you everything,” the woman said, and they entered the house together. She immediately flicked a switch, and the house was flooded with light. Neither Levi nor Mikasa had yet gotten used to electricity, but now they had an excellent chance to adapt to the novelty.       “The house is fully furnished. We can replace any items you don’t like, but otherwise, it’s completely ready to live in. We are now in the lovely, spacious living room: to the right is the dining room and kitchen. Upstairs are both bedrooms and bathrooms, let’s take a look…”       Mikasa couldn’t tear her eyes away from this place. Everything looked simply wonderful, and the large windows with a sea view were stunning. Of course, this wasn’t at all how she had imagined life after all the titans disappeared. A small wooden house at the foot of a mountain, somewhere deep inside the walls, far from people—that was the perfect place for her and…       Mikasa immediately forced herself to stop thinking about that, so as not to burst into tears right there in the middle of the room. The past was irretrievable. She needed to learn to accept that.       “This house has another very pleasant bonus. There’s an exit to the square at the back. Houses like these usually open their shops and stores there. A good opportunity, don’t you think? You can enter there from the back door, under the stairs, but let’s go around the back so you can see the beauty of this addition for yourselves,” the woman chattered on, praising the house, but Levi didn’t mind. Everything looked truly neat and beautiful.       They walked around the row of houses and came out to the square, where there were many more people bustling about. The addition was indeed charming. It protruded but didn’t spoil the house’s appearance. Its own small staircase with carved railings led to the doors, clearly designed so that strangers wouldn’t have to go through the house. It was quite spacious inside. There was enough room for at least one large room.       Levi immediately had a thought about what he could do here, but he wasn’t rushing the decision, wanting to think it over and inspect everything properly. His daydreams could wait a little while the most basic problems were solved.       They entered the house through the back door. It turned out there was another small storage room with wide shelves between the doors, so the addition didn’t lead directly into the house.       'Quite secure', Levi thought immediately, trying to push away all the strange thoughts that were clearly unnecessary in peaceful times.       Standing in the living room with the woman, Levi discussed everything he was interested in. He himself barely understood what to ask, but he tried to at least dispel his own internal doubts. He never thought he would be buying his own house. Everything was happening too quickly and fortunately, but Levi didn’t want to think about it too much. Let him have a bit of great luck, just once in his life.       Mikasa didn’t intervene. She had nothing to say and simply looked around, noting how neat and beautiful everything looked. Unpleasant thoughts kept creeping into her head, not allowing her to relax, but she held on, not showing her emotions.       She walked through the first floor again. This house seemed almost like a palace to her compared to the hospital room and especially the barracks. She would very much like to live here, but she saw perfectly well how much it cost and understood that the money would be just enough, with almost nothing left for living expenses. She would find something simpler for herself, maybe a place not too far from the captain. Mikasa shivered. For a moment, she imagined having to stay alone. Completely alone.       “What do you think?” the captain addressed her, and Mikasa turned around.       “It’s a wonderful house. I think it will suit you perfectly.”       She tried to smile sincerely, though her heart felt heavy. The captain had promised not to abandon her, but Mikasa wouldn’t be able to afford a house next door. She didn’t quite understand how the captain could afford it, but she didn’t pry into his affairs.       “What about you?”       “I like it here very much too, but I’m afraid I can’t afford such a place. I’ll find something cheaper for myself,” Mikasa admitted honestly, but the captain, apologising to the woman, took Mikasa by the arm and led her aside a little.       “Tell me honestly, what’s bothering you? You don’t like something?”       His voice held a note of irritation, and Mikasa genuinely didn’t understand why her opinion mattered so much to him. She hurried to reply:       “Not at all, it’s great here. I don’t see any point in looking for something else if you like it here. Such a beautiful and cozy house, but I can’t afford it. I have no reason not to let you have it.”       Levi stared at her, beginning to understand that she wasn’t thinking about living together. Maybe the proposal made her uncomfortable, and he had misunderstood her? Her gaze was completely empty, wandering around the room, and it seemed nothing attracted her. She probably still hadn’t come to her senses.       “Did you notice there are two rooms here? Do you understand why?”       “For inviting friends over?” Mikasa blurted out without thinking, jolted from her thoughtful state. She couldn’t have said anything more foolish. Levi was never the type to welcome outsiders near him, probably not even close ones. And what friends did he have? Erwin and Hange were dead, he had no one else. The expression on the captain’s face showed he didn’t find her words funny in the least and that they had offended him. Mikasa immediately slumped, quietly apologising.       Levi realised that Mikasa was completely lost, that her clarity during the day had been fleeting, that she had sunk back into herself, and that expecting the answer he needed from her was pointless. Something wasn’t connecting in her head, so he took her by the elbow, drawing her closer to him, and said in a coaxing tone:       “We talked about this in the hospital. You wanted to stay with me, so stay. I’ll buy this house. I still have some money back in Eldia. Don’t worry about it. We’ll live on what you have left for the first little while.”       Mikasa immediately blushed. Of course, she remembered that conversation, but all this time she hadn’t allowed herself to think that they might live together. Loneliness horrified her, but imposing herself was just as scary. Did he really mean living in the same house?       Mikasa lowered her eyes, thinking. It was nice to know the captain was keeping his promise, that he wasn’t abandoning her, was truly willing to stay nearby. And it was too late to refuse now. Maybe Levi regretted his offer, but now it seemed like she had to agree, as if he was waiting for her positive answer. Yes, they hadn’t gotten along at first, but later, when Mikasa came under his command, everything changed. They became a great team, learned to respect each other. It wasn’t for nothing that she trusted him now, was it? It would still be better not to be alone.       “More fun together, right?” Mikasa said vaguely, raising her gaze, looking at the captain from under half-lowered lashes.       Levi breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t want to pressure her, to persuade her, but he felt that he couldn’t leave her alone with herself.       Levi returned to the waiting woman and said:       “I’ll take this house. When can we move in?”       “I’m glad we could come to an agreement so quickly, Mr. Ackerman. It will take a couple of days to prepare the documents. You can move in right after that. I can hand over the keys as soon as you pay, even today.”       Levi nodded, listening to all the necessary information. A couple of days… So they still needed to find a place to sleep.       “Then recommend a decent hotel for us.”       The woman immediately named a couple of places nearby, and Levi, thanking her for her help and arranging another meeting, left the house with Mikasa.       The hotel turned out to be quite decent, and, taking two separate rooms, they both went to rest. Levi was dreaming of the moment when he could lie down on the bed and take all the necessary medications because his knee and scars were beginning to hurt unbearably. Walking was becoming increasingly difficult, but there was only a little way to go. Just up to the rooms.       “You look quite pale, maybe I should help you to your room?” Mikasa asked, and she looked puzzled and concerned.       “Stop that nonsense.”       Levi didn’t want to ask for help. He had managed on his own all day, and all he needed was to take his pills, but stepping on his injured leg had become completely unbearable, and he grimaced after taking another step. Mikasa noticed.       “Why are you enduring it? No one can see us anyway. Don’t be stubborn, let me help you,” Mikasa said, coming closer.       Levi felt the warmth of her body, now very close, and nodded. There wasn’t much choice. His leg was hurting even more. Leaning on Mikasa with his hand, he slowly trudged down the corridors. Mikasa was right. There was no one around, and it wasn’t so unpleasant to accept help.       “I’ll take my purchases to my room and then help you with the bandages. Just don’t refuse. I can see you’re not well,” Mikasa said, stopping at his door. She sounded confident, with notes demanding obedience, and Levi didn’t resist any longer. He had already forgotten what it was like to have someone care for him. Besides, he could use the help. It wasn’t so easy to bandage himself with just three fingers. Levi nodded, unlocking the door.       He hastily undressed and threw on the hotel robe hanging in the closet. Levi didn’t want to think about how many people had worn it before him, but the robe was warm and comfortable. For bandaging, it would do.       A few minutes later, after knocking, Mikasa appeared in his room. Filling a small mug with warm water, she dampened a towel and began carefully applying it to the bandages in case they had stuck to his skin. She had brought a first-aid kit she had requested downstairs. Mikasa quickly dealt with re-bandaging his knee. She was afraid of seeing terrible bruises, scars, or even unhealed wounds, but only swelling and yellowing bruises remained from the injury, not scary at all. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad.       Mikasa moved on to his hand. She understood how lucky Levi was with his fighting technique. If he fought like everyone else, he wouldn’t have been able to hold a blade. It was unpleasant to look at the stumps of his fingers, but Mikasa had seen worse things. She didn’t want to show the captain her aversion. Surely it was hard enough for him to accept how his hand looked now.       She had often helped bandage her friends, but when it came time to treat his face, she suddenly felt awkward. The captain was too close. Mikasa pulled herself together, forcing herself to forget that there was a man in front of her. Levi was, first and foremost, her commander and a soldier. They had no gender. And she had volunteered to help.       Removing the bandage was easy. The scars had already started to heal, but his face looked terrible. Hange had haphazardly stitched up the huge cuts in the forest, and there was no talk of neatness. Crooked, slowly healing marks would remain with him forever. Mikasa looked at his open and completely white eye and realised he could no longer see out of it.       Her heart constricted with unexpected pain. Mikasa was surprised to feel tears rolling down her cheeks. She hadn’t expected to cry over something like this. Who was Levi to her? Just a commander, but pity for him overwhelmed her entire being. She hadn’t yet managed to understand, to let go of Eren, and Levi’s injury only reminded her how fragile human life could be.       “What’s wrong?” Levi asked anxiously, touching her shoulder. For a couple of weeks now, he hadn’t seen tears on her face, and his heart clenched, seeing that something had broken her again.       Mikasa covered her face with her hand, just so she wouldn’t have to look at him, not see those terrible, ragged wounds.       “I… I’m sorry…”       The apologies only put Levi more on edge. He shook her shoulder lightly, trying to get her attention.       “What is it?”       Mikasa sniffled, barely managing to lift her gaze to him.       “These… these scars on your face… I’m so sorry…”       “You silly brat,” Levi said, relaxing. It was so unexpected to see that someone could cry out of pity for him. And this pity, surprisingly, didn’t seem repulsive to him. He didn’t feel weak next to Mikasa. It seemed she could genuinely understand his pain. It seemed amusing that there was a place for compassion for him in someone’s heart. He took her face by the chin with his good hand, turning it towards him, and softly stroked her cheek with his thumb, wiping away the tears.       “I have so many of them on my body that a couple more are completely trivial, do you get it?”       His face was so close to hers that Mikasa could feel his warm breath on her skin. Goosebumps ran down her body, either from Levi’s proximity or from the hot tears.       “Sorry,” Mikasa whispered, wiping the tears from her flushed cheeks with her palm. She suddenly felt ashamed that she had cried in front of him again. Surely it was no less unpleasant for Levi to think about his scars. Mikasa sniffled.       “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, sorry, let me treat them.”       Mikasa carefully removed Levi’s hand from her face, feeling her ears begin to burn. His touch had been unexpectedly gentle. Pushing all extraneous thoughts away, Mikasa moistened a cotton ball with ointment, applied it to the cuts, and wrapped everything in bandages again.       “Well, that’s it!” Mikasa said, a bit more cheerfully, putting everything unnecessary back into the first-aid kit.       “I’ll ask them to bring dinner to our rooms so you don’t have to get up. Goodnight, captain.”       “Goodnight, Mikasa,” Levi said softly. “And… thank you for your help.”       Mikasa gave an awkward smile in return and, taking the first-aid kit, silently left, closing the door behind her.