Chapter One

Some days after defeating Rod Reiss and making Historia the true queen, Levi found himself summoned to Erwin's office at the Survey Corps headquarters in Wall Rose. He came after volunteering at the orphanage, so in civilian clothes. He was surprised when he got there to find Historia and Hange present as well. In the corner, standing behind Hange, a private he'd seen around before but didn't know well.

With a soft, yet distantly sad smile, Historia greeted him first as he entered. "Levi, welcome," she said, looking ever more regal each time he saw her. "Please join us."

While Historia had been looking out the window when he came in, Erwin was seated at his desk with his remaining arm resting on the desk before him and eyes closed pensively. He'd barely lost a step after losing the other one. Hange meanwhile had on a very strange expression and was smirking rather tensely at the desk before them. Even the private had on an intensely troubled frown. Something weird was going on.

Levi took the empty seat beside Hange, facing Erwin and Historia. "Erwin," he said. "I'm not free. What did you drag me here for?"

"It was my request, Captain," Historia said in a soft but commanding voice.

Levi raised an eyebrow. He was not one who was at all impressed to be summoned by royalty. "That so?" he asked flatly.

"Her Majesty has been considering offering incentives to skilled officers to…start families," Erwin said in a very careful tone.

Levi simply watched him without a change in his expression. It hadn't occurred to him that the two topics were related. "Uh-huh," he muttered, assuming Erwin would continue.

Erwin, however, was watching Levi and trying to gauge a reaction. When he didn't find one, he reluctantly went on, "And…I have to say, I think it's a good idea. Obviously not for the long term, and we can't encourage it too much because the population inside Wall Rose is already strained, but…sad though it is to say, we run out of soldiers faster than we can train them. And humanity can't afford to lose many more without a contingency plan."

"You say some good things," Levi responded dryly. "Like how there's already too many brats here and not enough people to take care of them. Where do you think I've been all morning?"

"We will ensure care of any children who lose their parents to the titans," Historia inserted coldly. "But by and large I really only mean to institute this policy once we retake Wall Maria. When we do, I think you can agree, humanity will need more people of all kinds, especially soldiers. You do still intend to retake Wall Maria, do you not, Captain?"

Levi's eyebrow twitched at her. "I'm chomping at the bit, you know."

"I thought so. Which is why I'd like to ask something special of you in particular." Historia crossed to the front of Erwin's desk, folded her hands before her and took a calming breath before she began. "Captain Levi. Have you ever considered having children?"

A cold, sinking feeling started bleeding into Levi's gut as he looked unflinchingly into Historia's eyes. "You're not serious."

"I'm afraid we both are." Levi was surprised that this had come from Erwin. He looked back across his desk with the same emotionless gaze as ever, always ten steps ahead and just holding his intellect back enough to be present in the conversation. But his expression softened a little with pity for Levi as his gaze flicked downward. "In the particular case of the Ackermans, your family seems to be the only one immune to control from the Reiss family. And while we are allies now, there may be others of the Reiss bloodline among the enemy, in which case we cannot afford not to have an Ackerman on our side. Not only that, you seem to have above-average abilities that simply can't be matched by other soldiers. Above all, we can't afford to let your blood line die with you."

Levi glanced toward Hange, looking for some backup, wondering if they were in on this too. Hange's expression had grown cold but remained tense and strangely nervous. They did not like what was happening, but they were clearly not surprised by it. So they were involved too.

"There is of course Mikasa, but even if she were old enough, she's too valuable as a soldier to take leave right now," Historia went on. "We don't want to strain her body either." Both she and Erwin were completely ignoring the anger rumbling under the surface of Levi's expression as they kept talking. "On top of which, she seems to have already decided on a person to start a family with," Historia added with a private smile. "But unfortunately that means that every Survey Corps mission, in order to use our full strength in both you and Mikasa, we risk losing all traces of the Ackerman bloodline."

"Say what you're trying to say. Stop wasting time," Levi grunted, simply waiting for an excuse to leave at this point.

Historia raised her eyebrows at Levi's impertinence, but she obliged. "I'm saying that I want you to have children. As soon as possible. I don't think you have a partner right now, is that correct?"

"How could I?" Levi muttered, refusing to look at her. "You're all missing the bigger problem here…"

"And we can't afford to wait until you find one," Historia went on. "Commander Erwin tells me the next conflict is likely to be the most dangerous the Survey Corps has ever faced. Albeit you have the highest probability of surviving an all-out clash with the titans, the same goes for you as for every other member of the Survey Corps. This mission may well be your last. And then humanity will be without your talent forever."

Levi's jaw muscles tightened. He had started tapping the heel of his boot against the floor without realizing it. They were talking out of their asses. And yet somehow, they kept going.

"Of course no one is forcing you," Historia continued, with a demure expression that nonetheless spoke of an unwillingness to back down. "If there's someone you have in mind, be my guest. I'll make sure the child is cared for. You need not be involved at all if you don't want to be. In fact that might be best."

Levi swallowed a surge of anger and self-hatred that arose from her statement, kindly though it may have been meant. "So you do understand some things," he growled.

"But assuming you wouldn't have anyone in mind, I took the liberty of preparing one for you," Historia said, finally letting a hint of sadness slip into her softening voice.

Levi's eyes widened in disbelief. " 'Preparing'?" he repeated in incredulity.

Finally, after noticing where Erwin and Historia were looking, Levi's gaze turned to the private he had barely noticed when he came in. A plain-looking girl, on the tall and muscular side, with somewhat pretty eyes that were concealed by scruffy bangs. The rest of her mousy brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail at the back of her neck. The remainder of her face did not speak of beauty, but of sternness and strength. And to Levi's gaze, the look in her eyes as she stared at the floor beside Hange's feet said that she would rather be dead than be standing where she was.

Levi turned a harsh gaze instead to the oddly silent member of this little charade. "Hange," he demanded.

Hange's lips twitched upward in a self-deprecating smirk before it faded. They shrugged their hands. "At Her Majesty's request, I asked around among the Survey Corps for…volunteers."

"You did what?" Levi seethed. "So what, you're pimping now?"

Hange closed their eyes with a look that said they were as disgusted as Levi was, but continued respectfully in Historia's presence, "And of those who volunteered, Sif Larsdatter had the best combination of family health history and titan kill count."

"Congratulations," Levi said dryly over his shoulder.

Sif looked surprised to have been spoken to directly. She nodded wordlessly, still looking rather like a baleful hound. Had she really volunteered for this?

"Of course it's still your decision. But Captain," Historia said, now standing directly in front of him and looking hard into his eyes. "We need you. And I'm afraid there's no other way."

"Okay, you've made your case. Understood. In that case, I'll make you a deal," Levi said, closing his eyes tiredly. "Until Eren and his psychotic friend pop out a kid, I promise I won't die. Fair?" That said, he got up and started heading toward the door. "See ya later."

Historia took in a sharp breath. "Are you really that selfish?" Historia cried, sounding desperate.

Levi stopped in his tracks, his fists tightening at his sides. "No. I don't think so. In fact, I think you all need to get your heads out of your asses and realize you're asking the impossible. If you want to save the human race, then the last thing you need is any more monsters like me. You definitely don't need me being a parent. I. Can't. Do that," Levi growled with emphasis. "I'll help your cause any other way. I don't want the human race to die out either. But I decided a long time ago, my shitty family ends with me. And if you don't like it, you can shove it right back up where you keep your heads. Later."

With that, Levi left them as he had found them. It took him most of the rest of that day to shake off the horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach at the thought of bringing a child like himself into the world. If either his or Mikasa's families were representative of a trend, that child would know nothing but terror and misery. Learning to fight would only enable them to survive, it wouldn't take away the horror or pain.

And then there was the ludicrous idea that he might care for the child himself. There were only two things Levi could think of when he heard the word "parent". His mother, who wasted away to hunger, sickness and despair before his very eyes, leaving him starving and alone. And Kenny, who scared the shit out of him and, though he taught him to fight, in the end abandoned him just as his mother and most likely birth father had.

At the core of his being, though he knew it was irrational, part of Levi had believed all those things to have been his fault. Maybe it was his blood, this Ackerman blood. Maybe he wasn't entirely human. He was more like a diseased hybrid. A monster in the shape of a human. The kind that could only bring misery to those closest to him. There was more than one reason Levi had never had a steady partner, especially after joining the Survey Corps.

It was more than just the fact that he found the exchange of bodily fluids more or less disgusting. More than the fact that anyone in the Survey Corps thought twice about developing feelings for anyone, when any mission might be their last. The fact was, Levi was afraid. Afraid that he would abandon those who loved him the same way he had been abandoned himself. Afraid that something about him made him unfit to be loved, in the same way Kenny had left Levi for his own good. Levi even agreed with him that that had been the right decision. He didn't want to imagine what kind of psycho he would have become if he'd really been raised by Kenny.

But at dinner that evening, he found it hard to concentrate on eating. That Historia. She was crafty. Or she'd asked Erwin how to push Levi's buttons. Her comment about being selfish, along with Erwin's agreement with the idea, kept ringing in his ears. Levi always found Erwin's cold logic the hardest to argue with. But every time he entertained the idea of agreeing, every fiber of his being said no. It was making his head go around in circles and giving him a headache.

He pushed away the empty tray of food he had forced himself to eat and sighed, resting his head in his hand. He felt a gaze his way and looked up to see that private, Sif Larsdatter, watching him from a couple tables away, carrying a tray of food as if she'd only just arrived. She quickly averted her gaze and went to look for another table.

Levi sighed. "Oy," he said on a whim. "Sit down. I'm leaving soon anyway."

"Oh…" she murmured, her eyes concealed by her bangs so he couldn't read her expression. "Thank you, sir," she said, and set down her tray in front of him. She waited a moment in silence to see if he would leave. When he didn't, she glanced up with uncertainty. She reluctantly started eating.

"My bad," Levi said abruptly.

Sif looked up at him with her almost-pretty eyes, which he now saw were dark green. "Sir…?"

"Looked like you wanted to get out of there just as badly as I did," Levi sighed again. "I don't know what's going on in Erwin's head sometimes. And the queen is a fucking mystery. Anyway. Sorry they wasted your time."

She took that in for a moment before simply shaking her head. Without another word, she continued to eat.

Levi raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to talk to me?"

Sif flinched. Her eyes refused to meet Levi's. "I'm sorry. I don't know what to say, sir."

"Huh," Levi commented, resting his head on his hand again. "Not surprising. What I don't understand is why anyone would volunteer for that kind of nonsense in the first place. Did Erwin or Hange say something to you?"

She looked surprised, her green eyes partly veiled behind her bangs and a confused frown. She considered her answer as she pushed her spoon through the soup she'd been eating. "Squad Leader Hange explained the situation…and I was happy to do my duty."

Levi took in that answer for a while. "So it's true you didn't volunteer. Hange asked you."

"I agreed when they asked. It's the same thing."

"For duty?"

"Because I respect Captain Levi more than almost anyone," she murmured, mostly to her soup. "And it would be a tragedy if humanity lost you. But…"

"What?" he pressed when she trailed off.

She returned to pushing her spoon through her soup as she searched for words. For a time it looked like she wouldn't answer at all. Eventually she said, "I agree, this method is backward."

Levi raised an eyebrow, quite pleased by the sudden harshness in her tone. "A nose for bullshit too. No wonder Hange picked you."

Her head lowered as if in shame, and her spoon absently moved through her soup again. "If I had to guess, I would say their choice was based on statistics. But that doesn't matter. Captain," she said, finally relenting to look up at him, though still behind her bangs. "What are you going to do?"

Levi sighed heavily. "Yeah. What indeed? Historia's bad enough. But it seems Erwin's made up his mind too. I can put it off, but I have a feeling that they'll corner me an hour before the next mission and force me into a room with some random person before they let me leave the walls again."

Sif's face grew darkened with anger. She set down her spoon. "It won't come to that," she murmured. "In that case I'll just lie."

"To Ewrin?" Levi grumbled sardonically. "Good luck."

Sif held his gaze with perfect seriousness. "I'm a good liar, sir."

"If you say so. That would…help me out a lot," Levi muttered, though disliking the feeling of being indebted to someone younger. "You're really willing to do that? What about 'duty'?"

Sif shook her head. "If we save humanity by losing it in ourselves, what's the point?"

Levi scoffed, almost tempted to smile. "That's an interesting perspective. But one Erwin wouldn't like, I think." He pushed out his chair to stand. "In any case, I'll be in your care. What should I call you in public? Sif? Darling? Sweetie?"

Sif seemed to visibly shiver. "I'm still your subordinate. My surname is fine," she mumbled.

Levi's eyes narrowed. "You're underestimating Erwin. Sif, then. You can call me 'Levi', that will make it more convincing."

She froze. "No. I can't."

"Hah?" Levi growled in annoyance, resting his hand on the table hard enough to rattle her soup.

Sif quickly shook her head. "It's impossible."

"Are you kidding me? You seriously volunteered to have my kid, but you draw the line at saying my actual name?"

"Captain Levi," she replied at length.

Levi rolled his eyes. "I don't think you get the idea. Well, work on it."

Before he left the mess hall, he saw Sif's head lower in a heavy sigh. Erwin and Historia really had their heads up their asses, trying to force something like this. At least the one they'd picked seemed like a good person, but if anything that made this worse. Levi felt guilty for betraying them, but no matter what he had to avoid this.

Unfortunately, Levi had to meet Historia the next day as they both volunteered at the orphanage. While they were folding sheets that had been drying in the sun, she was consistently giving him hard looks. He met them boldly with his own but refused to start the conversation.

"You talked to her?" she asked finally.

"Sure. She's not bad."

"Only talked?"

Levi sighed. "Hey. Your Highness," he drawled. "I'll put this as plainly as possible: if we fucked, do you think I'd tell you?"

Historia blushed, apparently not having expected him to be so blunt. "I only ask because Sif apparently told Squad Leader Hange that she stayed in your room last night."

Levi carefully kept the surprise from his face. He had asked her to lie, but he thought she would wait a while until it was more believable. Well. It was done now. It would be more unnatural if he denied it, so he said nothing.

Unfortunately, after gauging his expression, Historia continued with suspicion, "Even though no one saw her go in or out. Or even anywhere near the officer's barracks."

Levi rolled his eyes. Well that ended quickly.

"So it's a lie?" Historia pressed.

"One more time, if there's anyone I would be less interested in having this conversation with, I can't think of any. Fold your sheets. Your Highness," he tacked on facetiously. He almost called her "brat" as always, but was starting to feel weird about it in her case. Not because she was queen. But after she punched him, he started thinking of her as an adult.

Historia eventually complied, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes at the innocent sheets as she folded them. But after a time she added, "There's at least two months until Commander Erwin tells me the Survey Corps will be ready for the next mission. That means at least two chances for you to prove your good intentions."

The hairs on the back of Levi's neck stood on end. He still couldn't believe she was pushing this so hard. But unfortunately, he realized she was right. This lie had at least one obvious deadline.

"Or what?"

"Well. The only other thing I can think of is to ask Hange to preserve your seed for future use." Levi recoiled. Had he misheard? Had those words really just come out of the mouth of Queen Historia? "I only provided the previous option because I thought it would be easier for you. If I were you, I would at least want to know the person and have some sort of relationship with them."

"You know, I really am touched. Your charity knows no bounds. I guess that's why they call you the 'Commoner Queen.'"

Historia took on a sad smile. "I think the term is 'People's Queen'," she muttered. "But I get your point." She folded the last sheet and stared at it in her hands. "Captain…I realize this may mean nothing, coming from me. But I'm truly sorry. I know this is a horrible thing I'm asking of you. No one should be forced to start a family when they don't want to. It's an enormous burden. And it's dehumanizing."

Levi let out a long breath, but refused to answer. If she knew that, then there was no excuse.

"If I were you, I don't know if I could do it," she confessed softly.

Levi glanced up at that, looking her up and down dubiously. "Yeah, well. In your case there's an obvious reason that wouldn't work," he replied.

Historia glanced at him in surprise. Maybe she thought her relationship with Ymir was a secret. Eventually she cast her eyes down again. "Neither you nor I have much idea what a family should be," she said, changing the topic. "And I think our gift in times like these is that we don't want for something we've never had."

Levi scoffed. He knew well that Historia nearly destroyed humanity in her desire to have a real family. Maybe she meant herself now.

"But Sif knows," she said at last. Historia placed her folded sheets into a basket and carried it inside, walking past Levi. "You should ask her about it. That at least is a small thing to do, for the future of the human race."

Levi had no interest in doing any such thing, but was grateful that the grilling was over. He gathered his own sheets and returned to the inside of the orphanage. When he got back to the barracks that afternoon, to change into uniform and perform regular chores and training for the day, he realized after all this time thinking, he wasn't even sure what he wanted to do. Loyalty to Erwin would make him do almost anything. And he respected Historia too. He knew their logic was right but still, these swirling emotions created a barrier he couldn't get past despite all the logic in the world.

To settle his thoughts, he went to the stable. He hadn't told anyone this, even Erwin, but his favorite thing about the Survey Corps wasn't killing titans or saving humanity, or even getting to use 3DMG all the time. He'd done that in the Underground after all. But one thing they didn't have in the underground was horses.

His horse, Gerulf, he had received as a young gelding when he first joined the Survey Corps, just two years old and freshly broken. At the time, Levi and Gerulf had both been curious and unsure about one another. But once Levi realized that, he abandoned his own anxiety and encouraged Gerulf to trust him with trust and confident guidance in return. Levi's naturally firm and yet forgiving nature worked well with horses. Also, horses had no social graces or status or rank, besides who rode in front of whom, so Levi never felt looked down on when he was around them. The effect of being together was mutually beneficial for them.

He walked through the long stables to Gerulf's pen, greeting him by petting his nose when it was presented. Gerulf sniffed Levi as he usually did when seeing him for the first time in a day, then set his chin on Levi's shoulder and pulled him closer, asking for a brush. Levi chuckled, gently stroking his horse's big, muscular neck. This was another thing that might surprise some of Levi's subordinates, particularly those who tensed up with fear around him. Many people thought Levi emotionless, or angry all the time, but when he was alone with Gerulf he smiled quite frequently. He even spoke softly, knowing Gerulf listened better that way.

He had just started brushing him when he heard some commotion outside, in the nearest working area. Most privates had never ridden horses before, so there were many practice areas even inside the Survey Corps barracks. But since the horses were so well behaved, due to strict training and breeding, this area was normally very quiet and peaceful. Levi raised an eyebrow in annoyance, assuming the fault was with some inexperienced soldier who'd spooked a younger horse perhaps.

He gave Gerulf a last pet over his forehead and then set aside his brush to go and check out the cause of the disturbance. When he reached the working pen, he found two soldiers and one horse. The horse was nodding furiously, stomping his feet in a threatening gesture and trying to throw off the one currently holding his reins and trying to stay level with his front legs. The other soldier was leaning on the fence from outside the pen and shaking his head.

"It's no good. The geld didn't take. We can't take a stallion outside the walls," the one at the fence was saying, loud enough to be heard over the stallion's tantrum.

"We can try again," said the other, though concentrating on not getting kicked or stepped on.

Levi raised his eyebrows. He thought he recognized that mousy ponytail. Though her back was to him, it was definitely Sif wrestling with the stallion.

"There's no guarantee it will work the next time either," the soldier on the fence continued, now sounding bored. "He's too wild. You're wasting your time."

"Maybe so. Don't worry about it, Realgar. Go back to training, I'll see you later."

Sif did not react when he paced and tried to turn, yanked his head back or even tried to rear. She didn't touch him or look at him, just firmly held his reins and kept stepping into his space, forcing him back. To Levi's disbelief, it was working. Each time she stepped toward him, the stallion instinctively moved a pace back and panted with uncertainty. It was obvious that he wasn't trying to dominate or attack, he was just carried away by the nervous tension of his hormones. If anyone had tried to confront him, he would have responded with aggression, as stallions should. But Sif's body was relaxed; calm and determined. Her surety started to affect him.

They continued to struggle for some time, but the stallion was definitely calming. One slow, sure step at a time, she walked him back toward the fence. One final step, and the stallion's rear bumped softly against the fence. He nodded just a little, but slowly lowered his head, panting and sweating. As his breathing started to become regular, Sif spoke to him softly. She laid a hand on his flank. His skin flinched just a little, but his breathing continued to slow.

The soldier on the fence just shook his head. "Suit yourself." He jumped down and walked back toward the stable. He spotted Levi and saluted. "Good afternoon, sir."

Levi nodded as the soldier passed him. He continued to watch as Sif spoke to the stallion in hushed tones until his attention was fully on her. While keeping just behind his eye line, on hand on his flank and the other loosely holding his reins, she encouraged him to walk beside her. After slight hesitation, he took a couple of steps. Soon, he fell into a groove, though still breathing rather hard, walking at a pleasant pace around the pen with Sif at his side.

She stopped. So did he. She took a couple steps backward, and he followed reluctantly. They remained still for a moment. She moved forward again and he copied her. Levi became fascinated by this display. He'd never tried to calm a stallion before. Really they weren't safe to be used in combat, so they rarely ended up here. But even though it didn't seem that Sif had done anything special, Levi had immense respect for someone who understood horses so well.

Finally, the stallion's breathing had returned to normal and his head was at a relaxed height. Sif spoke to him a little more, soothing his flank, which didn't flinch at her touch this time. She opened the gate and led the stallion back toward the stable. It was only as they were entering the large doors that she finally noticed Levi.

"Captain," she muttered in surprise. For a moment, she seemed to struggle for what she should say or do, but she had to keep the horse moving. "Forgive me," she murmured hesitantly, in a tense and quiet voice that she hadn't used either for the soldier who left or the stallion. "I have to run this stallion a little. I'll be back in an hour or so if you need something."

Levi nodded. "You shouldn't go alone. I'll come with you."

Sif's lips parted as she glanced back at him, but she had to keep the stallion moving for now so she said nothing. Levi went back to Gerulf and saddled him as Sif was doing the same. A few minutes later, they rode out of the stable together, heading toward the nearest open space inside Wall Rose, which was a farming and fishing area about a ten minute ride away.

After they let their horses take the lead, now and then running and walking as it suited them, it finally seemed as if Sif had relaxed around him a little.

"Does your family raise them?" Levi asked at one point, thinking he could kill two birds with that question. Historia was right about that at least; it wouldn't hurt him to talk to someone about family. Neither would it change his mind.

"Oh…yes," she answered.

So much for that. Well, there were many reasons she would be comfortable talking to a horse or a comrade but not Levi. Even if they weren't in this strange situation, many subordinates placed Levi on a pedestal, treating him with usually some combination of hero-worship and terror. It didn't seem to be exactly that, but still he couldn't blame her for discomfort.

"It's still not too late to say no," Levi said, fighting off a strange sadness as he did.

Sif looked over at him in surprise.

Levi sighed. "I'm stuck. But as you say, Hange probably just picked the healthiest and strongest based on their calculations. That means if you're number 1, there must be a number 2." He shrugged. "That, or we could both just tell Erwin to go fuck himself. Which I may do anyway."

Sif took that in silently for some time. Her silence was starting to make Levi uncomfortable. He really wasn't good in delicate situations of any kind. "If that's what you'd prefer, Captain," she said at last, so softly he barely heard over the horses' hooves.

"I'm not telling you what I'd prefer," Levi barked irritably. "I'm saying that unlike me, you have options. You don't have to go through with this, so it's stupid to force yourself if you're so unhappy."

Sif shook her head, frowning in slight confusion. "I don't…I wouldn't…" She struggled to find the right words and eventually sighed. "The only thing that concerns me is you, Captain. It's obvious you don't want to do this, and you shouldn't have to. Even if you don't have someone, I'm sure I'm not what you would have chosen for yourself. But whatever the reason, the only thing I want to do is help you. If the best way to do that is refusing to take this mission, I'll gladly do that."

Levi frowned, watching her with uncertainty. He was more and more surprised by this person. He couldn't quite understand where she was coming from, or why she seemed to care about his feelings more than anyone else did on this topic.

"Let's take a rest up there," Levi muttered as they approached a small glade of trees.

"Yes, sir," Sif answered without emotion.

They rode to a gentle stop outside the glade and dismounted, tying the horses to the nearest tree trunks. Levi fished out his water canteen and sat on a fallen log to drink a little. Sif stopped to check how the stallion was doing, speaking softly to him again. After stroking him a little she reached for her own canteen and took a drink, still standing by the horses and not looking at Levi.

"Is there another reason you agreed to do this?" Levi asked softly.

Sif didn't react. Eventually her eyebrows pulled together slightly in a troubled expression.

Well, he hardly needed to ask or be answered any more clearly than that. Even though Levi himself could be a little bit dense about these things, based on this interaction just now he was roughly 70 percent sure that this person had feelings for him. Feelings that, at the very least, went past duty or respect. And in another bit of trivia about Levi that might surprise those who served under him, he could count on one hand the number of times in his life that someone had actually expressed affection for him personally. It was pretty embarrassing. But not bad.

"Sif," he said abruptly.

She flinched. She wasn't used to being referred to by her first name apparently, at least not by him. "Yes, sir?"

"I want to check something." Levi set down his canteen, stood and walked over to stand directly in front of her. "Stay still for a minute."

Sif had frozen in panic, not knowing what else to do. But she only watched in mild disbelief as Levi placed a hand on her shoulder and stood up on his tiptoes. While maintaining her gaze, he pressed his lips softly to hers. Though her eyelashes fluttered in obvious distress, after a moment they slowly closed, a hint of color rising to her cheeks as her lips relaxed against his. As he pressed his lips more firmly to hers, she gasped and he felt the slightest touch of her fingertips against his waist.

But the next moment, the cold evening light struck Levi's face as she backed quickly away from him. Too quickly, bumping directly into her stallion's rear leg. He stomped in frustration, nodding his head impatiently.

Sif, on the other hand, held a shaking hand over her mouth, her eyes completely concealed by her bangs as she hunched down away from Levi in shock. "You shouldn't…do that. Captain," she murmured.

"Because?"

Instead of answering, Sif visibly gritted her teeth, turning away from him. She was angry? She faced the stallion's saddle, placing a hand on his flank as she sorted her thoughts. But at the end of them, whatever they were, she simply untied her stallion and mounted again. Without looking at him, she waited silently and obediently for Levi to join her.

Levi watched her with uncertainty. He wasn't sure what that reaction meant. Either he'd misread her completely or her feelings went even deeper than he thought. One thing he did know was that his heart was pounding, though he wasn't out of breath from riding, and his lips still felt warm.