Attack on Titan: Beyond Canon

Birthday Tea | Levi x Reader

December 848

It was Hange who had let Levi's birthday slip, one day when they were giving you a check up. You'd taken a tumble when you'd twisted your ankle. Hange had declared that your ankle wasn't badly hurt and that, if you rested it today, you should be able to return to training tomorrow. They'd commented on the Christmas market coming up and how much of a pain it was trying to be imaginative when it came to buying Levi a joint Christmas and birthday present.

You kept that in mind, somewhere near the back, as you and Gunther rode into Trost with the rest of Levi Squad, minus the captain himself who had chosen to catch up on paperwork. Now that winter had fallen, the Scouts were mostly occupied with training, freeing up more time for the officers. You've been thinking about the captain a lot lately. On and off duty. You like to think you've done a decent enough job concealing it, considering none of your comrades have teased.

Three years had passed since Wall Maria fell and two since 20% of humanity had been wiped out in the Operation to reclaim Wall Maria. Trost had recovered steadily from the famine that had plagued the Walls and Walls Rose and Sina had enjoyed a better harvest this year. It's good to see the town doing well again.

The market was bustling with cheerful, freezing people and your eyes gazed over many stalls, drinking in baked treats, colourful fabrics and ornaments. As usual for the height of winter, snow has fallen thickly everywhere but there's beauty to it. Children race around, making snow-people and angels. Numerous braziers stand around radiating warmth. People linger around their fires between exploring the stalls. You smell hot tea and sweet baked treats.

By the time a couple of hours have passed, you've picked up some small gifts for your squadmates and friends: a book Gunther has had his eye on for a while (and which Eld promises to keep Gunther for buying for himself), a duck-egg blue sweater for Oluo (which takes some master maneuvering to slip away from his nosy self ), a set of miniature carving tools for Eld since his last set are looking worse for wear, and finally a pair of colourful, patterned scarves for Petra.

Your budget has been all but annihilated when you spot a gorgeous, oak box, polished and sitting centre stage on a stall covered in jars of tea leaves. The box is covered with carvings of tree branches and leaves. You're instantly drawn to it. The stall proprietor opens it, allowing you to see that it contains six different types of tea. Black, green, peppermint, ginger, chamomile and lavender, so you're told.

Your thoughts turn to the perpetually tired-looking captain, slaving away in his office and his love of tea. Hange's revelation creeps back into your mind and so, the Christmas market finishes off the last of that month's wages.

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Once most of the scouts have gone home for the Christmas break, you take the opportunity to deliver Levi's gift when Commander Erwin calls him to his office after dinner. You can feel your nerves tapping away as you creep into his office and approach the desk.

You frown at the four piles of immaculately stacked paperwork that have taken over most of the desk. You ponder putting it on the chair instead but you immediately conjure the picture of him sitting on it instead and you bite your lip to prevent a laugh.

Cautiously, you slide one pile of papers closer to another, allowing for some space between. You carefully lay the box- newly wrapped in an emerald-coloured scarf that you'd forgotten you'd intended to give to the captain for Christmas. It set the tea box off beautifully. You secure the present and lay the small card of well-wishing on top of it.

You creep out of the room, unable to hide the wide smile on your face at the thought of Levi's reaction. If only you could see it.

Hours later, you realize you forgot to sign the card.