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[Entry for espressocakes contest, December 18, 2015]

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Birds sang outside your window, glorifying the rising sun. There was a shift in temperature as the soft, early morning breeze danced through the slightly cracked window of your bedroom, cooing to you in a soft whisper, imploring you gently to rise from your fabric cocoon. Though your eyes opened, all you could see was a soft violet haze, but a soft smile found residence on your lips and a pleasant warmth across your cheeks.

You were no longer a soldier, eyes wounded in an accident that should have claimed your life. You were fortunate, having seen so many of your comrades fall before you, but there was a time you felt little solace in being one of the lucky ones. To sit by, disabled, unable to protect your country from the monsters that plagued it, nearly forgotten by the men and women who fought along side you once sent you into a spiraling depression. It would have consumed you had it not been for one soldier, Humanity's strongest.

The curtains caressed your skin, the violet haze taking on an orange hue as you waited. You grew slightly impatient, knowing that you would surely miss the entirety of the sunrise if he was a second later. He'd been promising you for days and, though he always honored his word, you couldn't suppress the urge boiling inside of you. You fingers tapped lightly against the wood, your ears listening for other outside disturbances.

Only a moment longer passed and you heard the faint jingle of reins being pulled, a faint grunt answering the horse's obedient huff. Leather stretched and the grass crunched beneath two feet. Your blind eyes widened, smile spreading and you gripped the windowsill in hopes to remain still. It would surely sour his mood if you wandered aimlessly through your house to let him in.

The wood floor creaked and thudded in sync with the footsteps that approached. You turned around on cue with the opening of the bedroom door, your heart beat picking up speed to the blur of his green cloak. You hoped your eyes were met, that he could see the happiness that still lingered within your paled irises.

Levi sighed, and his warm hand enveloped your own. "Ready?"

You beamed at him, and nodded.

Carefully, he guided you through the house and over small obstacles in the yard. Your fingertips grazed the soft hair of the horse beside you, and Levi grunted in disapproval, placing your hand on the horn of the saddle where it belonged. He helped your foot find the stirrup, and hoisted you onto the mammal before mounting it himself. You wrapped your arms around the soldier's waist, his body shifting to take one last look at you before the world moved around you.

You didn't mind the silence of the ride. By simply closing your eyes, you could fully concentrate on his steady breathing, and the way his body moved so fluidly with the horse's. His posture was proud, strong, dutiful. Despite his title, despite the way he looked to some, his right hand never released your clasped hands around his torso. He always came back for you...

He rescued you.

The horse came to a stop and Levi's body disappeared from your grasp. Before you could reach or speak to him, he grabbed you by your hips and pulled you into his arms like a groom does his bride. You balled his cloak into your first, gently bouncing in his hold as he walked onward, and you blushed like you so often did.

It was quiet on the hill, the grass lush and the atmosphere still. You and Levi sat next to each other, absentmindedly rotating the steel band around his ring finger as vibrancy and tones shifted around you.

"It's been a while, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Describe it to me," you whispered, head leaning against his shoulder.

"You forget what a fucking sunrise looks like?"

"No, but I want to know how you see it."

You could hear the frown in his voice, "Why?"

"Please, Levi."

The man clicked his tongue, "It's... colorful."

You giggled, snuggling closer to him, "What kind of colors?"

"Sunrise colors."

"Levi."

"Brat."

Silence.

"Is it as pretty as I remember?"

Levi paused and turned his head toward you, "I've seen prettier things."

You pulled you head back to gawk at him, sensing a rare smirk about him. He brought you closer and placed a chaste kiss on your forehead. He held you against him and a content hum pressed passed your lips.

"Thank you, Levi."

His embrace tightened, "You're welcome, _____."