The tolling of bells echoes into the sky, resounding off of the Walls and filling Levi's ears with dread. The blade Ymir clenches in her right hand is most certainly not a kendo sword, slightly curved and serrated, vicious-looking. All of her nonchalance and confidence and sarcastic wit is gone, replaced by madness, eyes wide and wild. "There are no such things as miracles," she says with a crazed laugh, pointing at him with her sword, "I'll show you, Levi. I'll show you."

"You're dueling for all the wrong reasons," Levi tells her, but she's too far gone to hear him, laughing over his words.

She runs at him, the thirst for blood evident in her eyes, and Levi braces himself, trying to remember how it came to this.


The day had started normally enough; Levi had a somewhat awkward morning with Eren where they both struggled to maintain the boundaries they'd set the previous night. Levi tried to keep his distance, but he'd occasionally bump arms with Eren or brush hands with him as they walked to campus, and, likely mirroring Levi's own inner conflict and desires, Eren did it a few times, too, offering apologetic glances afterwards.

He's saved from a long day of mind-numbing lectures he doesn't care about and inevitably awkward lunch conversations where he and Eren avoid looking at each other when someone grabs his forearm on his way down the hall during lunch. He snaps a glare over his shoulder at whoever dared touch him but his eyes widen when he sees the grim face of Ymir, lips a tight frown.

"You have a minute?" she asks.

Behind him, Levi hears Eren's footsteps abruptly stop. He glances back and gestures with his head, telling him to go on without him, and Eren does so reluctantly. "What is it?" he asks Ymir, who silently leads him the other way, out through the open air hallway, past the birdcage garden, all the way to the east end of campus, near his dorm.

The old academy hall used for dances and other social functions looms over the northeastern corner of Trost Academy's territory, casting a tall shadow over the land behind it cultivated and paved into a hedge maze. Ymir passes the building altogether and heads straight for the entrance of the maze, beginning to speak only when she steps behind the first green wall of tightly packed leaves and forcing Levi to walk faster to keep up.

"I'm usually a pretty confident person," Levi hears her say. He catches just a glimpse of her ponytail disappearing behind a corner and takes a right turn, suddenly feeling claustrophobic with tall walls on all sides of him. "Yesterday, though, I felt like a total loser. I skipped class and a student council meeting to pick up a bouquet. I planned on asking someone to the school dance."

"The school dance?" Levi repeats incredulously, "You don't seem the type who'd be interested in going." He's lost sight of Ymir completely, and he thinks he might be lost. He's made a few sharp rights, a left, and he can't see a damn thing over the bushes. He wonders whose idea it was to grow a fucking maze on campus.

"I'm not usually," he hears her say from somewhere not too far away, maybe just on the other side of the wall to his right, "But sometimes, you meet someone, and they're just worth it, you know? They're worth doing all sorts of dumb shit that you'd never do otherwise."

Just as Levi's starting to get nervous, he finds himself at the end of the path, the maze opening up into a circular clearing with gazebo in the center. Ymir is leaning against the railing staring at nothing, and Levi slowly walks over to join her. It's eerily quiet here; Levi has noticed that he can't hear any cars passing even though they shouldn't be far from the road, and the chatter of students and even the cooing of birds is long gone.

"Why does this shit keep happening to me?" Ymir asks no one in particular, voice much softer than usual.

Levi glances at her out of the corner of his eye, feeling almost uncomfortable, as if he's intruding on a private moment even though she's the one who led him here. "You deserve better than Reiner," he says.

Ymir turns her entire body to look at him, eyebrows raised in amusement despite the pain evident in her eyes, and she laughs, raucous and sharp, until she's doubled over holding her stomach. Levi doesn't understand what the hell is so funny and waits until she's calmed herself down, laughter dying into bitter chuckles as she shakes her head. "Ackerman," she says with a sad smile, "Don't talk about things you don't understand."

"I don't know him that well, but he made a distinctly poor first impression."

"Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about." Ymir relaxes again, but her expression hardens into something surprisingly solemn. "I wanted to talk to you about something important, and yes, it has to do with the duels."

Levi is on the defensive immediately. "What about the duels, exactly?"

"Tell me what you're dueling for."

He doesn't hesitate quite as long as he did with Jean. What used to be a horribly private matter has become something he doesn't mind telling people who ask, and he isn't sure if that's because he's stronger now, or if the duels themselves are changing him. "For my parents," he says, "I want to bring them back to life. And, I guess, for Eren, too."

Ymir's eyes narrow. "Why?"

"Because he can't be happy doing this."

The student council treasurer is silent for a long time, considering his words. "So you're like them."

"What?"

"The other duelists," she clarifies, "You're all the same." She holds up her right hand, showing off her ring. "Levi," she says, and he notices the slight fondness with which she says his first name, recognition of their kinship, "I challenge you for the Rose Groom."

Levi thinks he must have heard her wrong. "You what?"

"I challenge you." She takes a step forward, and the height difference between them is suddenly painfully obvious, as is the strength of her arms, muscle definition that Levi first noticed when he saw her at kendo practice. "Are you surprised? Bet you thought I'd never duel."

Levi feels betrayed. He and Ymir weren't close by any means, but he thought he'd found somebody on the student council he could really relate to, someone almost as pessimistic as him who felt confused and bitter about the duels, someone who he might've confided in given time. Like almost everyone he's met since he started dueling, she, too, has been keeping something from him.

"Don't give me that look," she says with a frown, "It's even worse than usual."

"You told me you don't believe in any of this."

"I believe in some of it," Ymir says, "I just don't believe in miracles. I thought you and I were a lot alike, but I guess I was wrong. You're just as delusional as the rest of them."

"Why?" Levi snaps, "Because I want my parents back? Because I'm willing to trust Eren? What's wrong with that? What's wrong with wanting to fix things?"

"I'm helping you," Ymir snarls, suddenly in his face, "You and Armin and Reiner and Jean, you're all fucking idiots, you want magic to solve all your problems instead of just facing them. What will you do if there's nothing in the Walls? What will you do if all this shit you've done, all the fighting and passing around the Groom, is for nothing? What will you do, Levi?"

He doesn't back down. "What are you dueling for?" he hisses, "Something had to have brought you into the game."

Ymir leans away, standing at full height again, looking away. "None of your goddamned business."

"You can't look down on me for wanting to make things right when you want to do the same fucking thing," Levi growls, "You've just given up, while the rest of us are still willing to fight."

"This conversation is over," she declares, turning her back on him and starting to leave the pagoda, "I'll see you tonight at the arena."

"You're a coward," Levi says to her back, "You're afraid that even magic can't fix your problems. You say you don't believe in it, but really, you want to win just as bad as we do." He feels his blood boiling as she ignores him and runs at her, fist raised. "Fucking look at me when I'm talking to you!"

Ymir spins around, grabbing his wrist before he can land the punch and kneeing him in the stomach hard enough to knock the wind out of him. She drops him to the ground gasping and looks down in disgust. "I've got no problem with beating the shit out of you right here, if that's what you want," she says, glaring down, "It's not like you're gonna stand a chance in the dueling arena anyway. You'd need a miracle to win, so it's a damn shame there aren't any."

Levi grits his teeth and fights to get to his knees, defiance shining in his eyes. "Fuck you."

Ymir takes this as a sign of surrender and smirks, turning to leave again and Levi lets her go this time, thoughts rushing in anger, consumed by the desire to win the next duel. He feels bad for Ymir, of course, but more than pity, he's incensed at her attitude, that she thinks she can elevate herself above the rest of the duelists. He isn't about to give up just because the power to bring his parents back might not be there; he has to try. He just has to try.

And he can't give Eren over to anyone.

A minute after she's gone, Levi gets to his feet and looks around, wondering if he'll find his way out of the maze if he just starts wandering.


Hange is waiting for him at the edge of the maze, and despite his frustration and mental exhaustion from finally navigating back out into the open, he stops to talk. "You're early again," he says.

They let out an exasperated sigh. "I told you, I don't just come out at night, or just for duels. But never mind that. It seems you have another duel tonight, and with none other but the Dancing Blade herself."

"Dancing Blade?"

Hange smiles. "Maybe you haven't noticed yet, but each duelist can be considered a unique sword."

"You mean they have unique swords?"

They shake their head. "No. A duelist is their sword. Even you, Levi. What kind of sword you are determines what you're capable of, and how you'll achieve victory."

"So Ymir's the 'Dancing Blade?'" he asks, "What does that mean? Is that how she fights?"

"You'll find out tonight," Hange says unhelpfully.

"What's Jean, then? Or Armin? What am I?"

"Sorry, we're just about out of time today." Hange gives a slight wave and walks in the direction Levi came back into the maze. "I couldn't tell you what kind of sword you are, anyway. A duelist decides for themselves what kind of sword they'll be. If you don't know, you should give it some thought."


Levi has time before the duel. Classes have just gotten out when he gets back to his dorm, and he only has a minute or two of undisturbed silence to consider what it means for Ymir to be a "Dancing Sword" when the door opens and Eren comes in, cheeks flushed and breathless. He drops his school bag and practically collapses at the table across from Levi, resting his face on it.

"Are you okay?" Levi asks hesitantly.

Eren takes another moment to catch his breath. "Yeah," he pants, "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. I ran here from class."

"What for?"

Eren turns his head and looks up at Levi, cheek still pressed to the table. "I wanted to see you." Levi knows his face shouldn't get warm just from that, but he has to turn away to hide his blush.

"It's not like I'm going anywhere," Levi says.

"I know." Eren picks himself up, sitting up straight. "There's going to be a duel tonight, though." Levi doesn't ask how he knows. He's past that phase. "I believe in you. But…just in case." His smile is full of warmth and fondness and unconditional love. Levi almost can't look at him. "I wanted to spend time with you, even if it's not for very long."

Levi knows he wanted to see Eren. This isn't Eren saying what he wants; it's Eren reacting to what Levi wants. He knows that, but he can't stop the pleasant feeling that spreads through his chest, the thought that he's wanted and needed by someone. That he is a prince right now.

In the half second that he isn't paying attention, Eren has come around the table, and he slides into Levi's waiting lap, draping his arms over his shoulders. "Eren," Levi warns.

The brat just smiles at him. He leans in slowly, letting Levi savor every second that they come closer, the feeling of Eren's breath against his lips, the heat from Eren's body and his weight on top of him. Levi moves without thinking, hands framing Eren's face and he gazes into his eyes, teal and passionate, the same ones that led him down this road not so long ago.

"Eren," he says again, softer this time, "I feel like I'm taking advantage of you."

"You're not," Eren assures him.

"I am," Levi says, trying to sound firm.

The Rose Groom presses himself into Levi fully, chests touching, forehead to forehead, and whispers, "How are you taking advantage if this is exactly what I want?"

Levi's brain short circuits.

His mouth meets Eren furiously, trying to claim him, trying to prevent him from ever wanting or needing anything else ever again. Their tongues twist around each other and Eren groans into his mouth when Levi's hands wander to the edge of his uniform jacket and sneak underneath, feeling his skin under his fingers.

His voice brings Levi back to his senses, and he separates from Eren reluctantly, pushing on his chest when he tries to move in for another kiss. "Eren, stop," he says, feeling more sure of his decision when the boy does exactly as he's told, remaining a respectful distance away. "I am taking advantage of you, and your prince would never do that."

Eren looks down, obviously disappointed, but doesn't argue. "I guess." He crawls off of Levi's lap, remaining at his side when he stands up. "It won't change, you know," he says, "Even after the duels are over, I'll still want to be with you."

Levi smiles bitterly. That's exactly what he wants to hear. "Don't worry about me," he says, "When the duels are over, you need to start thinking about what you'll do, because you'll be free to do whatever you want."

Eren looks at Levi strangely, like he's not sure what to think about what he just said, but a smile slowly overtakes his features, and Levi finds himself smiling back. "I guess I will be," he says, and he sounds happy about that.

It's all the motivation Levi needs to face his next duel without fear.


And that's how it happened, Levi remembers.

It was Ymir and her twisted ideals, the way she projected her own insecurities onto him and claimed she would stop him from hurting himself when all she wanted was to win, just like everyone else. It was Eren and his smile, his innocent desire for a prince, for somebody to save him, his dedication to upholding the image of their perfect mate despite his true personality lurking just behind the façade, just waiting for Levi to set it free.

Ymir throws herself at him recklessly, yet the movement is almost graceful, her sword arm swinging the blade in an unpredictable, wide arc that he only barely parries with the phantom sword, his heels sliding back in the roses from the brute strength she puts behind it. She looks possessed, her body moving with otherworldly poise as she leaps just out of his striking range, only to close the distance between them again in two steps, forcing Levi on the defensive.

"Take off your rose and throw it on the ground," Ymir snarls, "The longer you wear it, the more its thorns'll dig into you. Being a duelist just means you'll suffer."

"I don't care," Levi says, dodging her next swing and trying to get a strike in, cursing in disappointment when she leaps away again, "My parents are worth it. Eren is worth it."

"Of course they are," Ymir laughs bitterly, "Of fucking course they are."

He sees it now, in the way she kicks up roses when she runs at him, the way she crushes them underfoot without a glance spared at them, the wild passion in her eyes. He sees why she is the Dancing Blade, a capricious storm rolling straight towards him, unblockable, unstoppable.

The jagged end of her blade catches Levi's sword, and his eyes widen as she gives a flick of her wrist, forcing it out of his hand and sending it flying. He lands on his back and tries to crawl away, and she points down at him with her wicked, dancing blade, grinning sickly. "See?" she hisses, "I told you. No such thing as miracles."

Levi hears something like whistling, something moving quickly through the air, falling towards them. There's a flash of silver glinting in front of his eyes, and his sword lands in the ground between his legs, point buried in the roses. Ymir lets out a shaky breath, smile frozen on her face in disbelief, sword handle trembling.

It happened so fast, but he saw it. He saw the phantom sword fall, ripping her rose cleanly from her breast pocket.

Ymir's chest heaves as she hyperventilates. "No way," she breathes, "No fucking way." She laughs, broken and pitiful. "Are you fucking kidding me?" The bells ring in the distance, and Levi slowly gets to his feet. Ymir drops her sword and throws her head back, laughing hysterically as tears roll down her cheeks. They both know what just happened.

A miracle.

He tries to walk by her and her hand shoots out, fisting in the collar of his uniform jacket and hoisting him off the ground to be at eye-level with her. Levi claws at her wrists. "Why you?" she shouts in his face, "What do you have that I don't? That any of us don't? Why the fuck did he choose you? Why does this keep happening to me?!"

"Ymir," Eren says from behind her, and Levi sees his eyes become cold, "You lost. Let him go."

She shoots him a glare but does as she's told, dropping Levi to the ground. She looks down at him not with disgust but with envy. "Fuck you," she says, "Fuck you and the Groom. I don't need him. I'll fix this myself." Levi barely glimpses a single tear rolling down her face before it falls and disappears into the flowers.

"He isn't worth it," he tells her.

Ymir's envy morphs into a bitter smile. "I told you to shut the fuck up if you didn't know what you were talking about," she says, but she doesn't sound angry anymore. She turns on her heel to leave, laughing, "Reiner. Ha! As if," leaving Levi bewildered in her wake.


"It's not Reiner that she likes," Eren tells him when they get home.

"Thanks, I figured that out by now," Levi says with a roll of his eyes.

"It's probably surprising to people who don't know her well. Ymir seems like the kind of person who'd like somebody as strong as her." Eren shrugs. "But actually, she's more the type to feel special when she has someone she can protect."

Levi's thoughts fly back to the birdcage garden and the couple he saw there, Reiner and the girl who was pressed against him, petite with golden hair. He didn't see her face, but she was small and fragile-looking. "Someone to protect, huh?" he muses. Eren starts on his evening ritual, hanging his pajamas over one arm and heading for the bathroom. "Hey, Eren," Levi stops him, "What do I look like when I duel?" Eren gets that dreamy look in his eyes he always does when they talk about the prince, and Levi already knows what he's going to say. "Other than like a prince."

"You really do look like a prince, though," Eren insists, "Brave, heroic, determined, strong…you just look amazing."

Levi sighs and decides he'll think on it some more later. He doesn't think he has the introspective skill to examine himself and decide what kind of sword he's supposed to be, and Eren isn't going to be incredibly helpful in that regard. Maybe he'll ask Armin or Jean tomorrow.

He'd ask Ymir, but he's not sure she wants to see him again after tonight.