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When Armin Arlert first joined the Survey Corps he spent a lot of his spare time going on walks. The forest surrounding the Corps’ headquarters filled him with curiosity. Of course, it wasn’t like he’d never seen a forest before, he’d just never lived in one. As long as he could remember, all his vision had ever held was walls. The density of the leaves and the thick underbrush gave him a feeling of freedom despite how closed in he actually was.
Walking or reading, his other favorite pastime, were his ways to relax and he was always happy when someone was willing to join him on his little excursions. It was usually Mikasa, since Eren always seemed busy those days.
One warm evening, after dinner, Armin set out towards the woods with a book in hand. He’d left his maneuver gear and jacket behind, simply enjoying the small breeze he could catch when not stuffed into uniform.
As he exited the front of their fortress he glanced to the side and paused, quickly saluting, “S-sir,” he greeted. Levi was standing just outside hq, leaning against the stone wall to the right of the wooden double doors.
“At ease, Arlert. Where are you off to?” Levi asked, eyeing the book in Armin’s left hand as he lowered his arms back to his sides.
“For a walk, in the forest, sir,” the blond boy said softly, wondering if the captain would allow it, even though he’d been going out for several weeks now.
Levi nodded and regarded Armin with his usual cool, uninterested gaze, “Ah, so that’s what you’re always doing?”
“I guess, sir.”
“Heh, you guess,” the dark-haired man repeated quietly before pushing himself off the wall and standing at his full height, just an inch shorter than his blond underling, “May I join you?” The question caught Armin off guard and he faltered, “Don’t feel like you have to say yes, I don’t want to impede if this is your personal time.”
“N-no, I mean, yes, you can come,” Armin replied quickly, he’d never spent any one-on-one time with the captain before, “I enjoy having company.”
Levi nodded and began walking without any question as to where Armin had been heading. The blond followed slightly behind him anyways and Levi looked over his shoulder before motioning Armin to walk by his side.
The pair spent five minutes walking in silence, side-by-side in seemingly no particular direction before Armin finally talked, “Do you ever go on walks yourself?” He asked, after occasionally peeking at Levi from the corner of his eye and noting the man’s bored-looking expression.
“...Sometimes. I’m taking you to a spot I like, it would be a good idea to pay attention to where we’re going in case you’d ever like to return. It’s a nice place to read a book.”
Armin nodded hurriedly and began paying more attention. The two didn't speak again until another fifteen minutes had passed.
"We're here," Levi stated as they walked out into a small clearing with a pond in the center.
Armin smiled, "You're right, this does seem like a good place to read a book."
Levi plopped down in the soft grass by the edge if the water and sat cross-legged. Armin sat as well, a few feet away, and brushed a mosquito off his wrist. The captain didn't start up a conversation so he opened his book and began reading.
Eventually Levi straightened his legs and crossed them at the ankle then laid back with his hands under his head, watching the clouds through the hole in the canopy of branches above them. Armin continued to read quietly until there wasn't enough light left to see the letters with.
He set down his book carefully next to his legs and glanced over at Levi. The man was already looking back and Armin smiled a little, "We should head back before it gets too dark..."
He grunted in response and sat again before standing. He offered Armin his hand before the blond could get up all the way but he declined, "I'm fine," Levi didn't say anything.
Once the blond was up they started back through the dim woods. Armin realized the weather had cooled once they began moving, he'd been warm when he was sitting and hadn't noticed, but now he could feel the chill in the air.
"It got cold, huh?" He said, crossing his arms.
"Yeah..." Levi looked at him and Armin looked back only for the older male to turn his eyes forward again, "You can wear my jacket if you're cold."
"Oh, I'm fine," Armin repeated what he'd said earlier, feeling a bit awkward about the question.
"I'm too warm anyways, just take it," Armin stuttered to decline once more but the captain was already shrugging the clothing article off, "Here."
The blond hesitated before taking the jacket from the man's outstretched hand, "Th-thank you, sir," he mumbled as he pulled it on, his cheeks feeling warmer along with the rest of him.
"Don't mention it..."
The same way they had entered the forest, they walked out in relative silence, getting back to hq just as the stars started showing.