Ch. 50 - Titles We Earn

We found our clothes for the day in the main room of our suite, freshly laundered and pressed for us. After I commented something or other about how these folks had to get up pretty damn early in the morning to clean before Levi could, for which I earned a sharp flick to the temple for, we started for the bathroom.

Together, we bathed and got ready for the day. We did so in relative quiet, though at some point during the bath as I lathered up my arms, I began to hum a tune. It was a mindless sort of melody, the kind that I made up as I went along. In the otherwise silent bathroom, it was hard not to hear it, and Levi had looked at me strangely at first as he lathered up at my side, but he had seemed to visibly relax as I continued and his eyes lost some of their sharpness.

There was something incredibly surreal about the experience, honestly; it was a large tub, with enough room for both of us to laze back and not touch each other. The walls were tiled delicately, with intricate embellishments lining the edges and corners and reaching the floor, too. It wasn't like our bathroom at home, with walls of stone or of wood, with a tiny tub we couldn't help but touch each other in. The water was warm as soon as I'd turned the faucet, and a plug that wasn't ill-fitting ensured we could be in here all day if we wanted to.

I'm sure we didn't look like we fit in here. Battle-hardened, muscled soldiers now sitting in a porcelain tub. Criminals with sharp edges, coated in soap that felt like silk on our skin and sitting among clouds of floating bubbles, taking and tossing the light as they pleased. But to see Levi here made me realize that we deserved such things.

Or perhaps that was my still sleepy mind cooing over the sight of him curiously watching a bubble float by his face as he sat just before me, preparing to rinse his body. 

Once we were done, we got dressed. As we put the finishing touches in place, I made sure to put his cravat on for him, continuing to hum as I did so. My hands were well-practiced at this by now, and I smoothed out his collar once I was finished. I straightened the cravat out, and I figured that we were about as prepared for our day as we possibly could be.

Levi must have thought the same, for he took my hand in his and started to lead me towards the door out of the suite, but I linked my fingers with his and held firm. Suddenly stopping might have made a lesser man stumble, but Levi only turned and glanced at me over his shoulder incredulously.

"What? Forget to wipe after taking your shit this morning?"

"That's gross," I said even as I laughed. "No, I just remembered something."

"And what is that?"

Before we put on the overly-restrictive overcoats (we had to be presentable, being in the capital and all) which were hanging by the door, I figured that now was as good a time as any to steal some time for ourselves.

"It just seems that since we put these rings on," I said slowly, using our connected hands to pull him closer to me, "we haven't had much time to ourselves. We haven't been able to really enjoy being engaged."

"Oh? A military coup isn't your idea of romantic?"

"Maybe if it was just us on the run," I considered. "Like when we were underground..."

In the most wonderful turn of events, he did not shy away from my incredibly clear advances; rather, he accepted them willingly, as he always did, but now without hesitation. He was still embarrassed and maybe a bit nervous, that was made evident by the way his cheeks started to burn, dimly at first yet growing stronger like a growing fire.

"I think you're right," he replied, and my smile grew at his attempt to face my flirting directly, and to fight back, at that.

"So?"

"So, what?"

"Staging a military coup and facing an insurrection aside," I said, "I didn't get to see you practically all day and night yesterday. So, shut up and accept my love."

"Uh huh," he said, allowing me to pull him even closer than before, so close now that I could press my chest to his and I now took his other hand in my own free one, as well. "And what does your love entail, exactly?"

"Right now? Lots and lots of kisses," I informed him easily, my smile growing wider when his eyes flickered rather obviously towards my lips. "Why do you ask? If you have other ideas, you need only tell me, my love."

"N-No," he managed to stammer out. "Not..." He cleared his throat. "No, kisses are fine."

I could've teased him further. I could have taken the obvious route before me, and perhaps in another life at another time I would state, as I so wanted to now, "What, just fine?"

But I didn't.

No, before he had time to react in any way, I had my arms around his neck and before he could realize what was going on, I had already pressed a kiss to his left cheek, then his right, then his forehead.

That was about when he caught on to my antics.

"Amaya," he said, his voice firm and protesting. The grip he had on my waist told me he felt otherwise, however, and I pecked him on the lips, teasing him and giving him no time to react or kiss back. "Hey," he muttered, "what the hell are you up to?"

"It's either I kiss you like crazy and make up for lost time now, in the privacy of our room," I said with a smirk to rival his own trademark look, "or later, in front of the new queen and all of our comrades, embarrassing the shit out of you. Take your pick, my darling."

"You're a real piece of work," he said against my mouth, pulling me close against him. His palms flat on my back kept me flush against him and I smiled against his lips teasingly, running both hands into his hair, which was soft from the bath and perfectly parted - which I would like to change.

We were both still not quite awake yet, so the kiss, once our lips found each other, was slow and lazy but openly loving, incredibly so. I pulled away first, but his teeth caught my bottom lip, tugging me back in.

"Mm," I hummed out, letting out a breath of a laugh when he released my lip only to kiss my cheek. "Still going? I thought you wanted some tea this morning."

"It's still early," he said, his breath ghosting across my skin in the most delightful way. With a kiss planted to my temple he drew away, and I placed my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes contentedly.

"So it is," I said quietly, the pounding of his heart echoing in my ear. One of his hands came to rest on my hip, the other rubbing my back rhythmically. After a moment, he started to sway us back and forth slowly, and my arms found a home wrapped loosely around his waist. He pressed a kiss to my hair before resting his cheek on the spot his lips just vacated.

And there we stood, enjoying the peace and quiet while it lasted. I wasn't quite sure when we decided to finally head down to make tea, but the other occupants of the guest house were only just waking up as we settled in the grand dining room.

—

We couldn't have asked for better weather for Historia's coronation, we really couldn't. The sky was this gorgeous blue and was dotted with these fluffy, perfectly white clouds that floated by lazily.

Even the local fauna and flora seemed to be more than happy about the current conditions. The flowers, while it may have been attributed to their careful maintenance and careful upkeep, were these wonderful, vivid hues that I thought might have only existed in paintings, but here they were in nature.

The songbirds chirped cheerfully from their perches in the trees around the courtyard and hidden within the eaves and scaffolding of what had been put up for the purposes of today: the crowning of our new young monarch - the true heir.

I was content just waiting for the coronation to start. Standing in such weather, warmed by the son yet cooled by the breeze, I could've remained here in this spot all day if I had the choice. Sure, there was all the pomp and circumstance around, and more than a few dozen Military Policemen and women around (which I could certainly do without), but to be here in the capital was a welcome break from all the fighting recently.

Amidst all the loss, all the grief and all the pain and heartache of losing not only our squad, but Mike and so many others, it was nice to just... breathe. So much grief wasn't easy to forget and I didn't expect it to be, but even just having the opportunity to allow the young scouts the chance to unwind a bit, to be the teenagers they were supposed to be, not just battle-hardened soldiers.

When it began at long last, Darius Zackley led the ceremony, aided by the heads of the three military regiments and several other officials I didn't know, nor care to know, the names of. We had all been provided long coats to wear for the occasion with our assignments and positions, and just wearing them offered a sense of solidarity among those of us in attendance.

Despite the fact that for Levi and myself, and for the other superior officers, our jackets detailed as such, those standing here all matched and for once, I didn't feel as though the military was split into distinct branches, but rather that we were one, unified unit - the way it should have felt, if we weren't the black sheep of the military.

Levi and I stood in front of our squad proudly as we watched the coronation; it was the same positioning used for each commanding officer for each squad of each regiment as soldiers lined the sides of the stage. The general public had been invited to the event as well, crowding the courtyard well beyond its capacity.

When Historia knelt, Zackley gingerly picked up the crown from its spot. As soon as it was in his hands, the public crowd erupted with cheers and whistles and triumphant cries. I could only smile as Zackley turned to Historia. The noise around me, despite actually reaching a fever pitch, faded to become just a buzz as I focused on Zackley's slow, precise movements, careful not to drop or destroy the crown. As soon as the jewelry was secure on her head, she stood, and once she was standing securely on her feet, she turned to face her people.

Her eyes, blue and bright and full of honor, scanned over the crowd. These were the very people she was now meant to lead. She placed a hand over her heart, the cheering only growing louder in response. I could no longer contain my excitement, so I joined in on the celebration, putting my thumb and forefinger in my mouth to let out a loud whistle.

Historia addressed her people, and even with the simple movement of her opening her mouth to speak, the crowd quieted down within that single moment. Words of encouragement and hope for the future poured from her easily, and I wasn't quite sure where she'd been hiding this talent of hers - perhaps it was a pre-written speech? Perhaps it wasn't, maybe it was coming right from her heart. I didn't know, but really, it didn't matter, because it was made clear that regardless, she seemed to have this way of motivating people that rivaled even Erwin's ability.

Once the final words had been spoken and she nodded, Darius took to the front and dismissed everyone. From there, it was up to us soldiers to help guide people toward the exits. Even as people were ushered out, they did not stop celebrating. Rather, the celebrations continued in the public gardens of the capital.

I soon lost count of the amount of men that had taken - and kissed - my hand as I pointed them to the exit and had asked me to accompany them. It seemed to be happening to more than one female soldier, but I had very quickly mastered the ability of letting them down easily, though a few made sure to let me know how... hot it was for a woman to be a captain in the military.

These rich men had such a way with words. All the higher-education available here had made them so eloquent, truly.

Once everyone had filed out, I made my own way back inside (and a rather roundabout way at that, for I was still trying to enjoy as much of this weather as I could), and I soon found Levi waiting for me just inside the lobby of the capital building. I looped my arm with his at his silent offer and he led the way down the hallway. He told me quietly that it was in this direction that our squad had gone, and so that's where we went. There was the promise of a large feast tonight, so apparently they had run off as soon as they were released from their duties.

We slowed to a stop at the sound of their voices, recognizable as they were... mischievous. I watched as our squad approached in a tight clump, with Historia walking determinedly at the head of them all and in a plain white dress to boot. Apparently, she'd already tired of the formalities, now that she was out of the public eye.

I couldn't say that I blamed her.

Knowing what was about to come because of Mikasa warning me, and realizing it was happening now because of the determined, courageous fire alit in Historia's eyes, I patted his arm and stepped away. Goodness, seeing her like that, I was happier than ever knowing that she was letting me off the hook for the way we all but demanded that she become queen.

I wondered if Levi knew what was happening too, because he set his hands in his pockets and stepped into the center of the hallway with an air of ease about him. I smiled as Historia summoned up her strength and balled her hands into tight fists. She raised them with a mighty cry before running at Levi, punching him with all the power she could muster within her small frame.

Surprised shouts rang out from the kids, especially considering Levi's complete lack of a reaction and I stifled a laugh - for he had reacted, one just needed a trained eye to see it. Though perhaps now... he might let them in, just enough so that they might see it, too.

Historia laughed triumphantly, looking awfully proud of herself. "How'd you like that?" She asked with this wide, wicked grin on her face. "I'm the Queen! If you got a problem-"

Historia cut herself off and everyone seemed to go silent at the sound of his gentle chuckle. It was soft, as his laughter always was, and though I smiled at the delightful sound, all of their eyes widened at the sound. My heart warmed at the sight of their shock; hell, I'd had the same reaction upon hearing him laugh for the first time, too.

"Thank you," Levi said, a small smile blessing his lips. "All of you."

—

The accompanying dinner that followed the coronation in the guest building was loud and rowdy, but no one had the heart to tell the kids, and especially the new monarch, to settle down. As a matter of fact, she was perhaps the loudest of all, more so once the drink began to flow. No one could tell her she couldn't drink, for what should have been obvious reasons (not least of all that she was, of course, the Queen and we had to listen to her, and not the other way around), and no one would even dare to try, not even her advisors, those who were meant to watch over her.

The feast itself didn't last exceptionally long, but the conversations lasted well into the night.

Seated at Levi's side, I was pulled into several different conversations, sometimes being brought into different ones at the same time. During one of the rare instances in which I had a moment to breathe, I took a sip of my water, for I so foolishly thought that I might not be pulled into a conversation for a moment, but as soon as I even started to soothe my throat, I was called once more.

"Captain," Armin said, and I took the moment to swallow and lower the cup from my lips before turning to face him.

"Yes?"

"What do you think is beyond the walls?"

"What do I think? I know what's beyond the walls, darling," I said, setting the glass on the table. "I've gone beyond them several times."

"Ah," he considered sheepishly, "that's right. So..."

"So," I said, taking his prompt and thinking over my response before answering him, "there's a lot to see. Plains, forests, abandoned villages and castles among other projects humanity started beyond the walls but never finished. Oh, and Titans. But I suppose there are plenty of those within the walls too, aren't there?"

"I suppose so," Armin agreed. "But what else?"

"What do you mean?"

"How far out have you gone?"

"Sometimes not far at all," I informed him, "and at other times, incredibly far, farther than I thought we could go. Sometimes we pass rivers, lakes, these barren stretches of land where nothing but grass grows, things like that."

"What do you think is beyond that?"

"Are you going somewhere with this, Armin? This is a very obviously pointed line of questioning."

"Just... I'm curious, Captain."

"Right," I said, unconvinced. "Well... I can't really imagine anything else. There were mountains, but whatever was past them I don't know. There are probably just more rivers and forests if I had to guess."

"I see."

"I can't think of anything else, I'm afraid," I said. "That's all I've ever seen. Is that... perhaps not that answer you were looking for?"

"No," he told me, smiling now. "No, actually. I just used to read this book, and there was-"

"Armin," Connie suddenly called. He and Sasha were looking at Armin expectantly, clearly wanting him to win an argument about something or other. With that, Armin excused himself from our conversation and I resolved myself to ask him about it at another time.

Other than Armin I suppose, Levi and I might have been the only people at the table that weren't drinking any alcohol. Even if I wasn't pregnant, I didn't drink much anyway and I was never a big fan of doing so in a place I wasn't entirely too used to. Levi never really drank either.

But still, he was relaxed, that much I could tell just by looking at him. Sitting where we were at one end of the table near Erwin and the other regiment higher-ups should have offered us some privacy or make sure we weren't pulled every which way, but clearly that didn't happen - but it was certainly a treat to see everyone let loose, at least a little bit.

Our end of the table was considerably quieter, and plenty more controlled, and incredibly less drunk, than the other end where the kiddos were. We got a few minutes of relative peace, but I wasn't quite sure when the conversation turned to Levi and me, but it did - with Hange at the head of it all.

"We can have your ceremony right here in the gardens!"

"Did you get permission from the Queen," I started slowly, "or are you just shitting out ideas?" I set my chin in my right hand with my elbow against the table. My left hand had been taken by Levi and put in his lap, his thumb rubbing across my knuckles and occasionally fiddling with my ring.

"Hange's just shitting out ideas," Levi said, looking at them, knowing that they wouldn't have any problem with him poking fun at them. "Nothing new."

"Well," Erwin spoke up, "why don't we ask her?"

"Ooh," Hange said excitedly, "great idea!" Hange turned to Historia, down at the other end of the table and downing another glass of wine. "Hey! Historia!"

"That's Queen Historia to you," I reminded Hange gently, though they'd already gotten the monarch's attention. "Mind your manners."

"Your Majesty," Hange cried, standing up and getting the attention of the entire table, now. "Requesting permission to have Levi and Amaya's wedding ceremony here, please!"

Historia's eyes widened with shock, but she grinned devilishly right after, her cheeks darkened with blush from the drink. When she spoke, it wasn't with slurred words, but rather incredibly clearly: "Permission granted!"

"Can she even do that?" I asked under my breath to Levi, leaning in close to him so that only he would hear. "She only just got crowned this afternoon, and here she is renting out her property for weddings."

His responding question was quiet. "Are you going to question her?"

"No," I replied. "No, not at all. I'd really rather not get beheaded anytime soon."

"That settles it," Hange said, setting their hands on their hips and acting as though the decision had been their own to make. "You two will be married here."

"Mm-hm," I responded easily and more than a bit playfully. "And what if we wanted a winter wedding?"

"You're kidding me," Hange said as Moblit tugged on their arm to urge them to sit back down and a smirk played on my lips. Hange complied with Moblit's wishes and dropped back down into the seat and seemed to deflate at the same time. "No one wants winter weddings. Too cold."

"I happen to like winter," I argued gently, but knew to let it go. "But it doesn't look like we have much choice, do we?"

"Unless you don't want to marry Levi, hm?"

"Oh, please," I said. "You're a fool if you think that, and you know it."

Hange smiled easily and winked at me, and I knew at once that they were only teasing. Then, Hange lifted their cup and stood up once more, much to Moblit's dismay. "I propose a toast!" Everyone lifted their drinks in anticipation as they began to speak. "To the new Queen!"

"Hear, hear," we all cheered, clinking glasses with those around us. I stood up then, raising my own glass high.

"To our beautiful and gracious Queen Historia," I said, pride lacing my voice. "May she lead us well in the coming years. And to Erwin," I said, looking at him with a smile, "and his harebrained schemes that have finally begun to pay off!"

Erwin shook his head with disbelief (but honestly, he should have expected this). He lifted his glass to me even as laughter erupted from around the table, and when it died down, he stood. "To each new victory, and each sacrifice made to get us there," he said.

"To the scouts," I cheered, taking a swig of my drink as everyone else did.

When Hange lowered their cup, they pointed at me with a smile. "We may be idiots who know nothing but defeat," Hange said, "but we're brave idiots!"

"Brave idiots that toppled the government," Connie agreed.

"Brave idiots that had to save Eren's ass - again!" Jean jested.

"Brave idiots that saved the world," Sasha added.

"Captain Levi," Connie called, getting his attention. Levi leaned forward to see the boy around me, one eyebrow arching upwards to prompt him to continue. "Give a speech!"

"Not a chance," Levi refused outright.

"Speech! Speech! Speech," the kiddos sang happily.

"I already said no," he pressed, refusing to budge.

Though most of the kids pouted and seemed disappointed, I sat down now and patted his arm gently. Hange took another long draught of ale and nearly fell over. It was a damn good thing that Moblit was there to catch them, so Hange didn't tumble to the floor. Erwin was at their side then, helping Moblit escort Hange from the hall. I shook my head as we watched the spectacle unfold, and I figured this was as good a time as any to sneak out as the kids all broke into their own conversations once more.

"How about we get going?" I asked him quietly, having to lean towards him as the chatter on the other end of the table picked up in volume again at Hange's expense.

"I'm way ahead of you," he said, pushing his chair back and standing up.

He pulled my chair out for me like a true gentleman and held his hand out to me, acting every bit like a distinguished man of the court. I accepted his hand gratefully, letting him help me stand. He kept my hand in his as he led me from the hall, but I realized right away that he was leading me not in the direction of our suite, but somewhere else entirely. It was obvious as soon as we didn't head up the closest flight of stairs and ignored it completely. As a matter of fact, I'd assumed that we were heading upstairs, and Levi had needed to guide me away gently, redirecting me from it.

As soon as that happened, I had allowed him to lead me along without complaint and without issue. We walked slowly through the hallways, mindlessly wandering for now, or at least, that's how it seemed to me. Even without a destination, I think Levi had a nice time being the one to lead me along regardless, to take charge and take us on a tour through the darkened, empty hallways.

We knew it'd be warm in the dining hall so we'd left our long overcoats in our room, but now I wished we'd brought them, because it was a lot cooler in these deserted hallways. I focused on the warmth coming from Levi and stepped closer to him.

"Are you cold?" Levi asked, ever observant.

"A little," I answered truthfully, seeing no reason to lie to him.

"And here I was, planning to walk with you through the gardens," he said, teasing me as always. "But if you're too cold, I suppose-"

"No, no," I said, cutting him off. "Just keep me close." I stepped closer still, grasping his forearm with my free hand so now I was hugging his arm. His eyes held within them a mischievous tint as he looked down at me, a look devilishly playful and at the same time, so incredibly loving. How little more than a look could make me feel so warm, so loved, and so wanted, I didn't know, but I was grateful for it.

I pressed my cheek to his shoulder but tilted my head back to look up at him, letting a smile spread across my lips. It was slight, but along with leading me along, letting my head rest against him and allowing him, for a moment, to be taller, would mean a lot to him.

He set his other hand in his pocket as we continued to walk and eventually we found our way to one of the gardens. He pushed the door open and we stepped outside into the cool evening air together. I shivered at the sudden change, and there was no hope of hiding it, either.

My thin button-up didn't do much against the cold, apparently - not that I thought it would. At the very least, the view was pretty - the view being both the gardens we were walking through and my man - and it gave me something to focus on other than the chill settling into my bones.

The lines of flowers out here were maintained with special care, that much was obvious. The path on one side was lined by an ivy-covered brick wall that only went up to about my waist, while the other was lined by hedges with buds just ready to bloom.

Even out here, it was clear that the party inside was still going strong. There was lantern light pouring out of the windows of both the guest building and the main building. The golden glow illuminated the edges of the gardens. Amidst the chatter, there was music coming from the city, fiddles and guitars and even pots and pans, all merging into an unfollowable, unreadable melody - and yet it made perfect sense.

I glanced up at Levi once more. He was looking out over the gardens, the moonlight casting his face in a ghostly blue. His eyes were illuminated beautifully, and his pale skin was especially contrasted against his dark hair. He noticed me looking and looked down at me. "What, Amaya?"

"Nothing," I said in response, speaking innocently even as a playful smile reached my lips. "Can't I just look at you?"

"I'd rather if you watched where you were going," he said.

"There's no need," I said easily, as though it was obvious - and to me, it was. "That's why I'm holding onto you."

He chuckled lightly. "Is that so," he mused, humoring me.

"It is," I said surely. "Just... try not to walk over any bumps or anything, or go out of your way to trip me up."

An offended sort of noise escaped him, one far too forced to be genuine - especially coming from him. "I'm shocked you thought I would try something like that," he said. "But I'll do my best. Stay close, then."

I smiled and relented instead of teasing him further, and looked forward again once more. We walked in relative quiet again, and soon we wandered out of reach of the voices and the music and everything else. Only the sounds of our footsteps and the natural sounds of the gardens - the wind rustling through the leaves, the owls hooting to each other, the running water flowing through the gardens.

At a time like this, in a place like this, and in a wonderful moment like this... I decided that I'd give Levi the news tonight. I don't think I could have asked for a better night to do so. Honestly, I was saying that a lot today, wasn't I? Today just seemed to be good for... well, everything planned for it.

The morning was perfect for a heart-to-heart with Levi, the day was perfect for the royal coronation, and tonight... well, it seemed to be perfect for this, as well.

We were relaxed and safe, and as far as we knew, we still had enemies out there. We didn't know how long it would be before they would attack again, or if they would at all. Days never were guaranteed in this regiment, I knew that very well. Tomorrow, I could be called in to fight a threat much bigger than Rod Reiss had been. So... I wanted him to know. I couldn't put it off, for we could all die at any moment and if I were to truly live without regrets - as Levi wanted us to - then I couldn't let either of us perish without him knowing that we were to be a family, if fate had that in store for us.

I began racking my brain for a good way to start the conversation, but I was drawing a blank. I couldn't be too blunt, and I couldn't be too lax, either. There was a happy balance in there somewhere, I knew there was, but...

Oh goodness, but I'll still have to let Erwin know too, wouldn't I? And then Hange would find out whether I told her or not because the damn woman had eyes and ears everywhere, and Moblit would probably hear it from her, though he'd be a sweetheart about it, so I wasn't worried about him, but-

"Brat," Levi said, "you're thinking too hard." He slowed to a stop and I frowned but followed suit, unable to do anything less than that because of the fact I was still clinging to him so tightly. I bit the inside of my cheek all the while, releasing it only when Levi spoke. "You've got that stupid look on your face again."

"Caught me in the act," I said, holding back a sigh. "Guess I should just come out and say it, shouldn't I?"

He pulled away from me then, concerned by my words. "Amaya," he said as I released him entirely then came to stand just before him, wringing my hands nervously in front of me. "What's wrong?"

Goddesses help me... why was I so nervous? I wasn't sure I knew the answer to that. I guess I was just worried about how he'd take it. "I don't think I've ever been so nervous around you before, Levi. Not even... no, not even when I told you that I loved you for the very first time."

"Amaya," he called again, taking my hands into his own. "What are you talking about?"

"I..." I cut myself off immediately and cleared my throat, but it wasn't as though I needed to. I only needed something to take up a single moment's breath so I could gather up some courage. "You know how I told you this morning that I'd tell you more about my appointment?"

He nodded, his throat bobbing as he swallowed, as if he was nervous, now. Hell, maybe he was.

"Well," I continued, "I'm going to need to withdraw from fighting for a while." As I spoke, I tried to gauge his reaction from his face alone, but that was difficult to do no matter who you were, even for me. What I could see, however, was that he was confused, incredibly so. His furrowed brow revealed that much. I could so clearly see the concern in his eyes, the tension in his jaw.

"Doctor's orders," he stated more so than asked, but I nodded in confirmation all the same. "What did they..." He cleared his throat, seemingly taking a cue from me. "Why?"

"It wouldn't be safe for me," I said slowly, keeping my voice as even as I could force it to be, "or... or the baby."

His brow furrowed more, eyes narrowing as he considered what I'd said very closely. I could nearly see his brain working hard as though to pick my words apart syllable by syllable... and as more seconds ticked by, my throat suddenly went dry. I licked my lips, not that it helped at all.

"Levi," I said, speaking softly, but knowing that my words would reach his ears all the same. "I... I'm pregnant."

Levi was silent, and I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign. Of all my time looking into his eyes and learning to read him, and growing pretty damn proficient at it, I now was at a loss. Instead of seeing everything in his eyes so clearly, it seemed that everything was tucked away so well that even I could not see even a damn thing.

And... his complete lack of a reaction terrified me. I could feel tears well up in my eyes as thought after thought went through my mind, more prominent than them all being as follows: What if he didn't want this child?

"Pregnant," he repeated at long last.

"That's right," I said quietly. "I am. It's why I've been getting sick, lightheaded... They tested me for it, based on my symptoms."

"You're pregnant," he said again, his voice so gentle, so soft... not hesitant, not worried, only soft and gentle and loving.

Or... was I making that up? Oh, I must've. With his eyes so veiled, I couldn't confirm or-

"There's a baby inside of you."

"Yes, Levi," I huffed impatiently. "That's what being pregnant means. You're going to be a father."

Suddenly, I was... I was in his arms.

Within a single instant, he took me into his arms, lifting me up in a tight hug. He had my arms pinned down to my sides so I could do little about the situation I was in, which was probably better off because I had no idea what was actually going on. In a stunning display, he spun me around once and then again and I blinked, confused, once he put me down.

"...Levi?"

I began to pull away from him, but he didn't let me go far, not at all.

"Amaya," he said, grabbing me by the upper arms and pulling me to him in a kiss.

I hummed in surprise as our lips met, and all the words I wanted to say got caught in my throat. He pulled away and pressed his forehead to mine. I was still too in shock to really enjoy what was happening, but it seemed he was lost in the moment, completely and wholly; his eyes were closed, and there was this brilliant smile on his face.

So caught up in everything, I didn't realize that I was crying, that the tears that welled up in my eyes finally came to fall. A tear rolled down my cheek, but at the sight of his own smile, one of my own stretched across my lips. His eyes opened, watery and bright, and he reached up to wipe my tears away with a gentle touch.

"You damn woman," he said, "why are you crying?"

"I couldn't... I wasn't sure how you'd react," I said honestly. "I wasn't sure if you would be happy, or if you'd...."

"You idiot," he laughed, and I knew at once that he didn't mean his jab. "Why wouldn't I be happy?"

"I don't know," I said, letting out a relieved breath. "I was just worried. I... wasn't sure if you'd want a baby right now... or ever."

"Right now?" He repeated teasingly.

"You know what I mean," I said with a roll of my eyes and a scoff. "Right now as in, you know, at this point in our lives."

"You're my woman," he said plainly. "I would have a baby with you anytime."

Despite the embarrassing words, he didn't allow me to linger on them long; rather, he kissed me again and I smiled into the kiss this time, so incredibly relieved that he was happy, that he was so damn happy. He was excited, even.

Finally having it together enough to take control of my limbs, I held his face between my hands and he grabbed my hips, keeping me flush against him.

"You're a mother," he said against my lips. "I'll be a father."

"You are a father," I corrected him. "Even now." I closed my eyes to keep more tears from falling, but it was rather useless, especially once he drew away enough to look into my eyes and spoke more.

"Thank you, Amaya," he said, and I slid my hands down, drifting them past his neck then lower to rest against his chest.

"For what?"

"For... for everything," he said, more surely than I had expected from him. "I'm not a very easy man to love, I'm sure, but..."

"You'd be surprised," I said with a laugh. "As a matter of fact, I find it so incredibly easy to love you. But if we're being sentimental, then thank you: for being you, for loving me, for blessing me with this child."

"I never thought I'd actually have a family one day," he said quietly. "I've done so much wrong in my life, I never thought I'd deserve even the chance to. Thank you for giving me the chance, for thinking I was worth it."

"You're worth everything good in life, my love," I said genuinely to him. "And I'll prove it to you, someday," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

Levi let his smile curl into a smirk, and I knew something mischievous was coming my way. "This is very against regulations, Amaya," he said. "We're not supposed to even be together, you and I.

"And yet here we are," I countered. "Together, engaged, and expecting."

"So we are," he affirmed, sounding... goodness, so proud.

Everything else aside, for someone so against following regulations he didn't need to, he was taking this far - not that I was complaining. He was a good soldier to the end, but only where it counted. When it came to the pomp and circumstance of following each and every individual rule, he could do without it.

Above all else... the love in his eyes was unmistakable. I could see it so clearly now, just as I had always been able to see.

"We'll figure it all out," I said. "Together. Though I'm sure Erwin will find a loophole for us to keep our jobs."

"Dammit," he chuckled, "I love you."

"I love you too," I responded. Goddesses, I felt so light, as if I'd float away without Levi here to anchor me.

"I'll need to find us a house," he said, "but one close to the base so I can still work and be close by, and I'll need to learn how to make a crib, and then do it, and-"

"Levi, Levi, slow down," I said with a laugh. "We can't do it all in one night, and you can't do it all alone. We'll take it day by day."

"Shit," he said, clearly relenting. "You're right."

"Shh," I hushed him playfully. "Watch your language around the baby."

"I'll need to work on that," he admitted.

"We both need to work on it, I think," I said with a warm smile. "But... I hate to ruin the moment, but could we maybe head inside?"

Levi pulled away, surprised, but his gaze softened. "Still cold?"

"Exactly," I said. He shook his head fondly before pressing one more kiss to my forehead and taking my hand into his own. And he led the way inside, and we walked hand in hand all the way back to our quarters. The whole way there, Levi was mumbling something or other about having to start a list of things to do, and I let him be.

He was excited, so who was I to pull him down from this high? I certainly did not want to, and so I didn't.

Levi kept that same brilliant, joyful smile on his face for the entire walk back to our temporary suite. Though at any other moment I might be inclined to say that if someone, a stranger, or more likely one of our comrades, were to walk by that Levi might wipe the look from his face, in this instance... I wasn't so sure. Rather, I thought that even if someone we knew walked by, they might just get the chance to see Humanity's Strongest Soldier with his walls down.

His hold on my hand was tight, but I didn't mind; knowing his bloodline, I'm sure it was hard for him not to be strong, which explained more about him than I previously thought. In the near-silence of the hall, it was all too easy to hear the occasional hushed word that passed through his lips - but once more, I didn't have it in me to tell him to stop.

He loved so deeply, cared so passionately, and proved it through his actions - his smile was all I needed to know that he was so extremely excited about this, but I knew he would put his all into everything that went into this, just as he put his all into us.

When we reached the suite, Levi opened the door for us once and was then off walking towards the desk in search of something to write with and something to write on. In his movements, he forgot to, so I took the initiative and closed the door in his stead, and I watched in amusement as he started on the list he began in his head.

I approached him quietly, then read over his shoulder as he wrote with my fingers linked behind my back. I stayed quiet, noting that the way he was writing now was closer to chicken scratch than to his usual very pretty, very deliberate, very legible calligraphy. He didn't even bother sitting down in the chair, instead just leaning forward over the desk as he wrote.

As far as I could tell, he had several lists going already, including things for us to do together, things for him to learn to make, things we needed to budget for. He scribbled the words quickly and without reason or method, and in this way, the page quickly became a jumbled mess.

Deciding I'd seen enough, I smiled and left him to it, knowing at this point that there'd be no stopping him, not like I wanted to.

I headed into the bedroom and grabbed a set of pajamas that had been laid out by workers earlier. I changed into them in the bathroom, impressed as always at the quality of the materials woven into it. I stood in front of the mirror once I was done and after I tossed my dirty clothes into the small hamper provided for us.

Watching myself in the mirror (which in itself was a strange thing for me to do), I undid my hair from its plait with gentle hands and then ran my fingers through it, sighing in relief at the feeling. I shook my hair out slightly, and for once I didn't find it so strange to be looking at myself.

Had I seen my reflection before? Yes, I had. Even underground, there was plenty of broken glass and puddles through which I could see myself. But it was strange to do it. I never found myself doing it, not really. Who had the time to be vain when death was hiding around each corner and lurking in every shadow?

But now, looking at myself now that I had the leisure to do so...

My eyes, the curve of my nose, my hands and my hair... All me. Only me. They were all features Levi loved, and features only I acquired... that I knew of, for I was the last of my family, both my biological one and my adopted one. Within these three walls, I was the only one who had these eyes, this face, the strength instilled in me from my environment but the love and care taught by my father.

How long had it been since I really looked at myself? In the Underground City, looks weren't really important to me. Even now, they weren't, but in looking at myself now, I could see just how much I'd changed. At some point, I'd grown up from a little girl to a young woman and now, to a grown adult. One with a fiancé, and a growing baby. A soldier, one of the best in the Regiment, tamed from years of living as a thug in a crime-ridden town.

I took the brush from the vanity and began combing through my hair, gently undoing the knots that had built up from all the day's activities. For the coronation, my hair had been woven into an intricate sort of braid, one not quite as intricate as Historia's, but delicate and pretty all the same, one terribly out of place on me - or so I thought.

Still, it felt good to let it relax, and to let all of me relax.

When I was done with that, I began to mindlessly braid it myself, something far simpler and something I did occasionally to occupy my mind and keep my hands busy for a few minutes, at the very least.

With my hands occupied, I now needed something to occupy my mind, so I began humming a slow melody that I'd heard somewhere before. I couldn't name it or where exactly I had heard it, but it was a sweet little song, and delightfully simple, at that.

It could've been a love song, or perhaps it was about a break-up, or maybe it was one written for a holiday. Hell, maybe I made it up. I didn't even doubt the possibility that I had begun humming a real song, only to go off on a tangent of my own as I got lost in my thoughts.

Honestly, I found that I didn't really care.

How could I care about something so trivial, when my heart was only continuing to flutter with just the simple thought that I was going to have a baby. And not just that, but Levi was excited. And it wasn't just a front; he was really, genuinely excited. I'd been so afraid to tell him because as soldiers, he could've very easily told me that a child would be too distracting. I'd been expecting him to tell me that a family would get in the way of our duty, that if I really wanted to keep it, he would have remained in the military and sent me off somewhere far away so as not to distract him.

But... he hadn't said anything of the sort. And that had set a flurry of butterflies alight in my stomach that continued to flutter, even now.

I continued to braid, my fingers working on their own by now. This was one of the few things El had taught me when I was a young girl, though he continued to do it often as I grew up, even once I learned to do it myself. He had told me before that when Ellie was alive, she'd always wanted a little girl and had expressed the desire time and time again that she wanted to teach her daughter to braid one day. At some point, she had taught El, and in turn, he taught me - perhaps as the daughter he saw for himself and Ellie.

Maybe... Maybe Levi and I would have a little girl of our own, and I'd be able to teach her to braid, or maybe I could teach Levi and he could teach her to braid, as my father taught me? Perhaps instead we'd have a little boy and he could braid mine, or he'd have long hair himself. The thought made me smile. It was so simple - so simple. It was only braiding, one tiny hobby I had, nothing more and nothing less.

But no matter what, I knew I'd love the child growing in my belly all the same.

I didn't realize Levi had begun to watch me until I caught him out of the corner of my eye once I was almost done braiding. It was surprising to me only because I hadn't felt his presence nor the weight of his gaze, but now I locked eyes with him in the mirror. He was leaning against the door-frame to the bathroom with his arms crossed in front of his chest, and the look on his face was gentle and soft, and his feline eyes were filled with love, so much love.

"I'd offer to braid your hair for you," he said, pushing away from the frame and coming to stand behind me. I watched him through the mirror with a smile as he crossed the space with slow, careful movements, and only once he was behind me did he finish: "But I wouldn't know what the hell I was doing."

"Don't worry, love," I said gently, tying off the plait and letting it fall over my shoulder. "I'll teach you." He wrapped me in a hug from behind and set his chin on my other shoulder. I leaned back into his chest, knowing that's exactly what he wanted - and it's what I wanted as well. My gaze traveled lazily between us in the mirror, and goodness, what a pair we made.

I really couldn't believe where I was and who I was with. How did a bunch of soldiers who were hunted by the Interior Police now find themselves in the interior, and as esteemed guests of the monarch herself?

And to be here, in the arms of the strongest man I'd ever met...

It didn't matter that we were in the capital in a suite that wasn't ours to own, or that we weren't in the base that we'd spent so much time in, because here, in his arms, was home. I never felt safer than when I was with him.

"I," Levi began, but cut himself off immediately. He cleared his throat, preparing himself to say, "You know I'm not good at this sort of thing, talking about... feelings. But..." He paused once more. "I'm going to try, for you."

"How sweet," I cooed playfully, meeting his eyes in the mirror evenly and sending a wink his way. He didn't falter, not even a bit; sure, his eyes narrowed at me, but he chose to look directly at me, foregoing looking through the mirror at me.

He let out a breath through his nose, one nearly a huff more than anything. "I'm happy."

I snickered lightly. "Goodness," I said, smirking now. "You sure sound happy."

"Amaya," he said in warning, reaching up with one hand to clamp over my mouth. "Shut up and let me do this." His other arm tightened its grip around me slightly, then adjusted to rest comfortably over my stomach, keeping me close. "I'm not a good man, you know that. I've done a lot I'm not proud of, but I did what I needed to in order to survive. But I..."

Once again, he paused, eyes drifting away momentarily. I wanted to reassure him, I wanted to hug him close, I wanted to let him know just to speak, to get his feelings out - but that would not help him. He needed to do this on his own terms, to do this of his own accord. All I needed to do and all I could do was offer him the space and patience to do so, no matter how long it might take.

"I want to be better," he finally continued. "I want to be a man you're proud of." I opened my mouth to protest but he shook his head. "Don't. I just... Damn it. Why am I no good at this?"

I gently pried his hand from my face and placed it on my shoulder instead. I held his hand beneath my own to keep him there and took a quiet moment to appreciate just being held, and being held by him of all people.

"I get what you're trying to say," I said to him. "And I'm happy too."

"There's a lot I want to say," he said. "But I don't know how."

"Well, as you think about it," I said with a smile, "I'll talk."

"Oh, good."

I ignored the dig for now, and gathered up my thoughts, and thankfully, they came much faster than I had anticipated.

"I know you aren't proud of your past," I said. "And I've done things I'm not happy about, too. But I think we both are well aware that all that we've done has led us to this moment. If we weren't both criminals down in that city, we wouldn't have met and became partners. If I wasn't the thorn in your side that I was, if you had kicked me to the curb instead of giving me the chance to be in your group... We wouldn't have met, learned to trust each other, or fell in love."

These weren't just pretty words, I meant them. There had been little for us to do but fight and fight well while in that city. But being there and being who we were, led us to each other. That was what mattered. It wasn't the circumstances, but what we did with them - and I'm so incredibly thrilled about what we chose to do with them.

"All of the killing, torturing, fighting," I continued. "They're not things I'm happy that I grew up doing, or that we had to dive back into that while on the run. But we're not just doing it for money or survival anymore; we're fighting for humanity. That is something I think we should be proud of."

Humanity's Strongest Soldier and Humanity's Strongest Woman... The Blue and the White Wings of Freedom, those who led the vanguard and now led the Special Operations Squad and became Captains despite everything that had happened to us...

We fought for humanity - all of it.

"Whether or not you're proud of yourself," I went on to say, "I hope you know that I am. I suppose I never could say it enough to prove it. And I know I say it all the damn time, but I'm just so happy that of all the people you could love, and you could really pick whoever you want... you chose me. And I get the privilege of working with you, loving you, stealing your name, carrying our child..."

"There's no one else worth my time," he said. "I don't say it enough. I do love you, Amaya. So much."

"I never doubt you," I responded quietly. "You give me no reason to. And I love you too - more than words could ever say."

"Sometimes I wonder," he said.

At that, simple though the statement was, my eyebrows furrowed and I frowned. Did he mean... he wondered if I did love him. or something else entirely? Regardless, all those butterflies that'd been still erupting in my belly came to a screeching halt and the warmth of the moment suddenly turned cold.

It took me a moment to find my voice as I searched his eyes in his reflection. "What do you mean?"

"You say I could have my pick of anyone," he said, his voice soft and... insecure. It was as foreign in his voice as the uncertainty in his eyes were "But so could you. Sometimes I wonder why you stay."

My heart hurt at his words. "Levi," I said quietly, shaking my head. "I don't understand."

"I used to think that you could just do better," he said.

"I don't want to hear you talk like this anymore," I said firmly. "It's always been you. It's only ever been you. I've never so much as looked at another man. Where is this coming from?"

He considered my question in silence for a moment. "I don't know."

"Levi," I said, "look at me. It doesn't matter if I can have anyone, because I have you." He looked at me through the reflection, pale blue eyes meeting mine. "Wherever this is coming from, just know that I love you. It's never even been a doubt in my mind. You know I love you, and I know that you love me. That's all I need. You are all I need," I said gently, echoing back to the night he asked me to marry him. "And I mean that, with all of my heart."

He chuckled, relenting. "Alright," he said. "Alright, fine. This isn't really where I wanted this conversation to go, anyway."

"Well, get it back on track then," I said playfully with a laugh. "I can't read your mind, so I don't know where you wanted this to go!"

He hummed thoughtfully and closed his eyes. "I don't remember." I couldn't help but let out another laugh even as I shook my head with disbelief. At that, he let go of me and stretched his arms above his head. I could hear the pops and cracks from where I stood. "Stop laughing, idiot," he said. "Let's just go to bed."

"Oh," I started teasingly. "You're going to bed like that?" I turned and tugged gently on his cravat, referring to the fact that he was still dressed.

"Oh, fuck me," he muttered, lowering his arms as I began undoing the cravat for him. Before I slipped it from his collar, I used it to pull him close for a sweet, gentle kiss. He let out a low, content sort of groan as he kissed me back, the kiss simple and sweet and loving.

I pulled away and once the cravat was off, I draped it over my shoulder for now and got to work undoing his buttons.

"Watch your language," I reminded him, glancing up to meet his eyes mischievously before looking back at what I was doing. I tugged his shirt un-tucked and he shrugged out of it, letting it fall to the floor - but I caught it in hand before it could reach the floor, and I tossed it towards the hamper for him.

I backed out of the bathroom, tugging Levi along with me by the hand. He complied easily, and when our eyes met, there was nothing ulterior within either of our faces, even as I led him to bed - something that could have very quickly turned ulterior.

I couldn't help but smile with such easy compliance from him, and when I reached the bed I didn't let him go to climb into bed. Rather, I clambered up rather blindly, and Levi only continued to follow.

With a chuckle, he came up after me and helped guide me back. At some point my hand slipped against the silken sheet and I fell onto my back. Levi took it in stride, chuckling lowly before lying on his side beside me and setting a hand on my stomach.

His eyes found my stomach too, and I propped myself up onto my elbows so I could meet his eyes properly. "I still can't believe it, you know," I said to him. "I mean, I know I was there at the doctor's office, but..."

"I should've been there," he said quietly, as though it was hard to admit to himself, let alone to me.

"Circumstances like these," I said, "I'll have to go to appointments rather regularly, I hear. There will be plenty of chances for you to ask your questions."

"Good," he said, nodding.

I felt as though my words went in one ear and out the other, for he looked to be so damn transfixed by my stomach. Even now, his hand was lifted away from the fabric covering my torso, and his fingers were running delicate lines across it. His eyes met mine suddenly, and... oh, goodness. With a smirk and eyes like those, I was in for something good.

"You'll lose your abs, you know," he said, and I laughed openly, making him smile.

"You're right," I agreed. "Maybe with all the stress, you'll lose yours, too."

That got a rare snort of a laugh out of him. "Right."

"Listen," I said gently, meeting his gaze surely. "Whatever comes, we'll handle it together."

"That's right," he replied. "Together." He leaned in close, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "Let's get some rest, love."

I had no reason to deny him, so I settled under the bedding and Levi joined me right away. With one more kiss shared between us, and hushed I love you's, we went to sleep. My rest was dreamless, though I could have sworn I was blessed with pleasant images of our future together.

I just couldn't wait to meet it in person.