A/N: So here's the thing. This chapter was supposed to be twice as long, but I've been struggling with the second half forever so I figured I should release what I have finished. I desperately need to release this portion of the story or else I'll tinker with it forever (and evidently delay the completion of the rest of the chapter). I think I'm just overwhelmed by the never-ending body of text cluttering my word processor, so I might be able to focus better on the later half if I get this out of the way.

Anyway, I'm dearly sorry for the long wait. You guys are amazingly patient!


Mikasa's eyelids flickered open to see the glow of dawn seep between the draperies, diffusing stripes of gold across the quiet bedroom.

A cold draft nipped at her nose then, impelling her to burrow deeper in the heap of fur and flesh she had woken up in. As she lied there, absorbing the warmth of Levi's body nestled up behind her, she wondered how she ever managed to sleep without muscular arms enclosed around her before. Sleeping alone would never be the same now that she had shared a bed with Levi.

Closing her eyes again, Mikasa lapsed in and out of the realms of sleep and reality until her mind was drained of dreams. The lighting and shadows had refracted since the last time she woke, indicating the morning had come and gone without them, but Levi's hold on her never moved. The even breaths grazing the back of her neck affirm he was still fast asleep.

Untangling herself from his hold, Mikasa flipped to her other side, gently enough not to rock the bed. Almost instinctively, Levi restored his embrace with her, pulling her body close to his with a protective squeeze, all while he slept.

Facing him now, she rose a finger to trace his temple, the curve of his jaw, and finally his chin, which jutted out from the touch.

Stirring awake with a little growl, Levi slit open a watery eye to see a blurry shape limned in sunlight. He blinked a few times to clear his vision and saw Mikasa's soft smile welcoming him back to consciousness.

Comfortably reposed, he silently admired her beauty, paying little mind to how stiff his joints had gotten from the long, needed sleep. He couldn't recall the last time he slept that long. Night terrors often shook him awake at dead hours of the night. Loneliness and despair would linger thereafter, preventing him rest. There were no sign of those crippling emotions haunting him now, thankfully. Only the woman he loved blessed his company.

Levi rolled to his back to stretch his limbs, and also his playful lips. "You were staring at me while I slept, weren't you? Creepy."

"You should be the last person to make a comment about staring," she pounded her fist down on his chest, hard enough to make him utter a winded oomph.

"Can't I tease you without painful penalties?" he bravely reached out to pinch her cheek. "You're supposed to blush, not give me a bruise."

The look she gave him sent a chill down his spine.

"What kind of girl do you think I am?" she questioned, dominance ringing in her voice as she swatted his hand away. "I'm not some blushing damsel, you know."

"Perhaps not," he said, his tone scratchy from sleep, but also bold, "although, I do think you're the kind of girl who blushes when touched here…" Biting his lip, Levi slid his hand over the curve of her bottom to give it a hard squeeze.

After a startled gasp, her brows settled low over her narrow eyes and she fired up, agilely whipping her leg over his waist to mount him.

Twitching in excitement, Levi snatched hold of her girth with both hands and savored the reward of her ruddy complexion staring down at him. Nothing was cuter than seeing her normally sullen face flare with embarrassment. Or—Levi squinted—was that anger?

Thinning her eyes on the man under her, she curled her fingers and lightly tapped his cheek with a closed fist. "I'll give you a black and blue blush if you don't knock it off."

"How cute," he responded to the threat. "Will you kiss it better after?"

More heat rose to her face; making her feel as if she were trapped in a furnace with no hope of escaping. As much as she liked Levi's intimate side, she's not used to it yet. During these times, her inability to control her emotional and physical responses to him troubled her most of all. Enduring rough physical training with Humanity's Strongest would be much easier than enduring one gentle touch from him, she realized. As a woman hailed as the prodigy of her generation, Mikasa couldn't fathom how Levi could so easily weaken her with a single touch or word.

Everyone had their weaknesses, she supposed. That might explain why her power drained significantly when Levi used these flirty tactics on her.

Levi must have his own weaknesses, too, she thought. A smirk formed on her lips and an idea formulated in her mind. Sinking herself down low, Mikasa laid flat against his body, his chest fluctuating steeply as she pressed her lips to the spot she had hit him.

Feeling the tables turn, Levi swallowed thickly, his bottom lip drooping in astonishment. He didn't think she'd actually go through with his teasing suggestion.

Mikasa lifted her hooded eyes. "Look who's blushing now," she sang victoriously. "Feeling better?"

He gave a nod, and she gave a timid giggle, her eyes casting aside. "That actually reminds me of a dream I had about you once."

Levi tilted his head, curious. "What was it about?"

"It was a long time ago, a little after the trial. Some of the details are fuzzy now but I dreamt that I punched you in the mouth, and—"

"Ah," he interrupted. "I was expecting something a little more..."

"—I kissed you," she continued. "We didn't have a first-aid kit handy and according to dream logic a kiss would fix up your busted lip," she hung her shaking head. "I avoided you for almost a week after that."

"So that's why you kept running away from me at HQ for a while..." Levi reflected back with this new information in mind, and the recounts began to make more sense now. Levi distinctly recalled Mikasa acting strangely there. At the time, he chalked it up as her avoiding him out of resentment.

When he'd walk into the mess hall in the evenings, she'd thrust herself from the table and flee the room. In the daytime, they'd tend to chores, both inside and outside of HQ, and Mikasa would actively keep at least a five-yard distance from Levi at all times. Naturally, this became inconvenient when Levi would try to hand out commands to his subordinate; he'd either resort to straining his voice to communicate one-sidedly from afar or would chase her down until he lost sight of her. This went on until he finally managed to corner her in a small room one day. There, he confronted her about her odd behavior.

"When we did finally speak, I remember you said something along the lines: 'You're nothing like your friends, you don't kiss up to me.' I nearly fainted, Levi. That was the worst possible phrasing you could've used at that time."

Before Mikasa was even done speaking Levi had flung his head back to laugh; he couldn't help himself. Mikasa's perspective of that situation had spiced up the bland memory more than he expected.

"It's funny. Back when I met you the second time around I thought of you as this unfazed warrior, sullen and strict—and yet you went and got yourself flustered over an imaginary kiss."

"I wasn't flustered," she emphasized. "I just felt...weird being around you."

"Sure," he rasped skeptically.

"Do we have to go through this again? I'm not the type of girl who gets flustered, I told you."

She says as she's gradually becoming more flustered. Levi smiled with his eyes. "Fine then. Prove it to me, change my false impression on you."

Soon after he said that, Levi ate his own words and his heart out when Mikasa worked on unbuttoning her blouse. He felt his composure deteriorate as she rocked in his lap ever so slightly—he couldn't tell if she was doing that purposely or not.

In an attempt to tease him, she only undid the first three buttons; enough to show off some cleavage but not enough to appease his rising passion.

An experienced veteran wouldn't be conquered so easily, nor would he allow this titillating torment to continue. And Mikasa learned that the hard way when he wrestled her to her back, locking her beneath him with a vulgar glint in his eyes.

Dazed from the sudden shift, Mikasa misplaced her fervor and bleakly said, "New rule: The use of fighting techniques are now prohibited in bed."

"What are you talking about? That should be the first enforced rule. Fighting is like foreplay to us."

"You think so?" In an instant, she had Levi locked between her thighs. Reflectively, he tried to counter this move, but by then Mikasa had already flung him off the bed like a weightless pillow—though he did not land as softly.

"Oops," she uttered dryly without a hint of remorse. Levi tumbled harder than she had planned, but maybe from now on he'll heed her rules.

From her lounged position, Mikasa watched Levi's hand sprout up and grasp at the sheet, using the grip to help pick himself and his wounded pride up off the floor.

Feigning a defeated scowl, Levi slid back into bed, leaving a wide berth between him and his perilous lover. Not because he was afraid of her, (that dangerous spirit of hers actually excited him) only to practice some restraint.

"That kinda felt good," Mikasa expressed through exhilarated sighs. "I've been wanting to do something like that to you for a long time."

"I thought we were passed that."

"We are, but I never did get my revenge. I can't help but feel like I accomplished some obsolete goal."

Levi snorted. "Funny how you fell for the man you tried to exact revenge on. Good going. You sure taught me a lesson."

The irony sent Mikasa into a fit of laughter, which caught Levi by surprise.

"You are testing my patience this morning, Levi." The giggling subsided, leaving a grin on her lips. "Nothing ever goes as plan. You'd think we'd be used to that by now. But I think achieving my revenge backward was more effective. Just when you feel vulnerable and content around me, I slammed you to the ground."

"And I wholly support that aberrant mindset you got there, so long as you don't give my heart the same treatment. I don't think it would ever recover if you broke it."

During the following silence, Mikasa adopted a serious expression, her earnest eyes boring into him. "I might not be the gentlest woman in the world, but I swear I'll never hurt you on purpose—not emotionally, at least. Your heart is mine now and I'll have you know I always treat my precious valuables with care."

The softly spoken vow made Levi's chest fill with contentment, though you couldn't tell by the stunned look he wore.

"I'll be honest with you, if someone told me months ago that I'd fall for my cranky captain with a staring problem I would've never believed them. And yet you feel like an extension of myself that has been missing my whole life. Looking back, I don't know how I survived this long without you." Saying those honest words seemed to have paralyzed her momentarily. "What I'm trying to say is, if I ever hurt you, I'd only end up hurting myself more, so you needn't worry."

Just like everything else in this world, Mikasa's feelings were shrouded in mystery; they were hard to decipher and impossible to understand. Little by little, though, with Levi's help, she was figuring it out and making sense of the strange new emotions blossoming inside her. In retrospect, it made sense she'd fall for a man like Levi, but the overall concept still needed adjusting to.

"And if someone told me that the love of my life would return my feelings, I would've never believed them either." Levi savored the truth of his statement. Many years ago, he had reserved a special place in his heart for Mikasa. Up until recently, that spot stored nostalgia, unrequited feelings, and morose jealousy, but the disarray had been cleared and Mikasa claimed her rightful spot. As Mikasa said, he was just a cranky captain with a staring problem. It was a miracle she even developed feelings for him to begin with. Because of that, he'd never take her for granted and was confident he'd never hurt her, either.

"Now that you mention it," curiosity laced his tone, "I'm surprised you never called me out on the staring-thing despite being well aware—why is that? You look like the type of girl who would kick someone in the face for looking at you the wrong way."

Eyes going astray, Mikasa rested her head on her fist. "I never mulled much about it, at first. Eventually, I came up with my own explanation for it, and..." Levi detected the gradual stress straining her features. "I didn't want you to confirm my suspicions, so that kept me from confronting you about it."

"And what did you come up with?"

"I told myself that you kept a watchful eye on me, as if constantly anticipating my next move, because you were waiting for me to do something stupid again, like that time in the forest..." Mikasa felt her heart sink. Even though Levi was more than just her captain now, she still didn't feel comfortable talking about something that bothered her for so long.

Grimly, Levi moved his attention to the ceiling to avoid the contrite gaze Mikasa had set on him. The panic he felt in that hazy second when Mikasa was mere inches from death revisited him. The memories constricted around his chest and wouldn't let go, and as a result, his words came out stilted, "I'd be lying if I said I didn't keep a closer eye on you after that. My stares were often out of affection, yes...but also out of worry. You had a bad habit of losing your cool when Eren was concerned."

Mikasa slipped down into the sheets, sharing his view of the ceiling now. "I still feel bad about that."

"Don't be," he ordered firmly. The tightness in his chest loosened, for those flashbacks had no more power over him than a bad dream; one he woke up from. He wished he could say the same about the other haunting nightmares that became a reality, but he was able to snatch Mikasa from that horror in the nick of time, and that's all that mattered now.

"It was a mistake conceived by sentiment, not stupidity. Remember that. We all lose our cool sometimes, especially when loved ones are at stake. I've had my fair share of reckless endeavors while in a desperate or angered state of mind."

The way Levi said that, with such dark undertones, only filled Mikasa with more guilt. Levi had witnessed the loss of many important people, and because of her recklessness, she nearly caused him even more suffering. She was all too familiar with that feeling and never wanted to inflict it on anyone. There was no way to erase past mistakes and guilt wouldn't alter the facts, that much she was aware of. All she could do was consider it a lesson learned.

"We've come a long way since that day, Mikasa."

Indeed, they have. The evolution of their relationship was remarkable; she went from resenting this man to sleeping the night away in his arms. Moreover, she learned so much from him. Everything from better self-control out in the field to forgiveness. The two of them were capable of extraordinary things, especially when they worked together. That's why dwelling in the past wasn't a good idea. It would only hinder their potential.

"Thank you…" She wasn't even sure what she was thanking him for specifically. Maybe for cheering her up just now. Or, for everything.

Levi pat the empty space between them. "Come here."

Scooting closer to him, Mikasa snuggled up with him and used her fingers as a comb to tame his tangled bedhead.

There's magic in those hands, he realized, as he cherished the touch of her chilled fingertips grazing his forehead. How could they be so strong and so gentle at the same time? People called her a killing machine, but there was still an evident gentleness about her; the same sweetness she had when she was a child with the whole world in front of her. Even now, with the world in despair and tragedy around every corner, she still maintained an angelic image.

"I don't know if you know this," Levi started, his eyes heavy from her wandering touches. "But you're amazing—thought you should know."

"Shush." Mikasa covered his mouth with her palm, forbidding any more of his flattery.

Levi closed his fingers around her wrist and kissed each of her knuckles lovingly. "It's true, though. You're amazing."

She shook her head shyly. "I'm not."

At first, Levi thought it'd be impossible to convince her, but then… "I'll just have to make you feel amazing, then, won't I?"

In breathless silence, their eyes met and a circuit of lust eddied between them.

"Levi..." The weak note sounded like a distant song, like an enchanting lyric inviting him by name. Slowly, Levi crawled on top of her, situating his hands near her flowing hair spread across the pillow.

Below, Mikasa trembled under his weight as Levi's face loomed closely, close enough that she could feel his bangs tickle her brow and his breath on her lips.

"You certainly are feisty today."

"Can you blame me? I woke up next to a beautiful woman," he shifted his lips to her ear, "and I have her all to myself."

The lustful accent Levi adopted caused Mikasa's body to go limp, but a surge of vim quickly woke her from her trance. Fueled by desire, she seized a fistful of his hair and fastened their mouths together. Levi eagerly complied by angling his head, holding her face in his hands with utmost delicacy—until the kiss grew fierce.

The wet suction of their lips mingled with their quick pants and the rustling of sheets beneath. At one point, their heated kisses weren't enough to satisfy Mikasa, and she tried to remedy that unfulfillment by tugging on his bottom lip with her teeth.

Surprised, Levi yanked his head away, excitement brightening his eyes. Diving back down to her mouth, Levi reamed open the seam of her lips, his tongue swirling with hers like a graceful dance that soon turned raunchy.

Time itself slowed down for Mikasa then, yet her pulse quicken; the throbs dispersed to an area frictioning against Levi's clothed loins. A lively spark flared in Mikasa's eyes when unrestrained sounds came spurting from her as Levi's hips drove in harder, crushing their aroused regions together. Another kiss managed to quiet her, for a time.

Passion possessed Mikasa; she panted hotly into his mouth until her head went flying back, snapping the glossy stripe of saliva connecting their lips. Levi burrowed his face into the crook of her neck, his hips grinding against her, faster now with more pressure. She felt his bulge nudging between her, hardening more by the second.

With heavy sighs, Levi ran his hand over the wrinkles of her shirt, taking the time to feel her thumping heartbeat before groping at a handful of her breast, the nub beneath the cloth hardening from his touch. Moving lower, Levi traced his mouth down her heated neck, immersing himself in her natural scent.

Mikasa flinched when his tongue made contact with her skin, but not as much as she did when he yanked the flap of her shirt aside and sunk his teeth into her collarbone. When he was done nibbling and sucking there, he left his marks behind to move his attention even lower, shuffling backward on his knees.

Levi slipped his fingers into her waistband and tugged; the fabric went sliding down her legs. Mikasa lifted up her head, peeking over her fluctuating chest to see Levi situated at the edge of the bed, spreading her legs far apart to give himself a raw glimpse of her.

Mikasa's heart nearly stopped. Red stained her complexion once again.

The cave she had left her virginity in had offered poor lighting and water to cover the areas she was too embarrassed to expose, but here in the bedroom, lit brightly by the afternoon sun, there was no hiding. This realization caused her to stiffen with anxiety.

How she felt must've shown on her face, because when Levi glanced up to check on her he asked, "Am I going to fast? We could stop and pick this back up when you're ready."

She rattled her head. "No, I'm fine. Really," she assured with a quiver.

Levi returned his attention back down to claim a spot on her inner thigh, leaving a gentle kiss upon it. Then, he lolled out his tongue and left a stripe of saliva up her heated flesh. Mikasa jolted when she felt a gust of breath hit her.

"Wh-What are you—" she started, but when she felt a wet lick, she reclined her head back and expressed an airy, "oh."

Shyly, Mikasa spread her thighs even farther apart, giving Levi the room he needed to lather her in as much pleasure as possible. A wet whimper slipped out of her when Levi started slowly simulating a particularly sensitive zone with the tip of his tongue. It didn't take Mikasa long to become paralyzed with mind-numbing sensations. All she could focus on was the wiggling wetness riding up and down her delicate flesh and her breathing, that had become uneven and ragged.

Each flick of his tongue sent her deeper and deeper into a state of absolute bliss. She could hardly even bear it. A clump of the bedsheet tightly clenched in her fingers, for she felt as though she were about to melt into the mattress.

Levi's hands groped her outer thighs and goosebumps festered everywhere his hands touched. The tips of his nails clawed into her skin as his head bobbed between her. Moans and wetness trickled from her with every lick, and the dampness rilled over his tongue. He savored it like a fine wine until his entire mouth tingled from the taste, but his thirst was far from quenched.

The faint sound of birds singing could be heard outside as Mikasa made music of her own. Long sighs and high-pitched notes drifted about the room, with Levi joining in with some bassy hums of his own. Mikasa could feel the sizzling reverberations echoing through her.

"How does that feel? Good?" Levi lifted his head to ask.

Mikasa bobbed her head, unable to pronounce a word. Don't stop, she wanted to say, but her breathlessness wouldn't allow her. Instead, she slid her hand over his bristly undercut to forcibly urge his mouth back where it belonged.

To brace herself for more vigorous stimulation, she arched her back and sucked in a lungful of air, and the hot breath hissed between her clamped teeth. Her entire body felt inflamed, but the wetness oozing from her did nothing to extinguish it. Levi's tongue only fanned the blaze more. Mikasa buckled her hips impetuously, her body squirming restlessly as her hands tousled through his hair, her fingers raking through his scalp. Tension ached through her entire body; it was that overwhelming sensation of anticipating climax. Panting, Mikasa tossed her head side to side as he sucked and licked and absorbed all she produced as if he was trying to extract every drop from her and leave her drained.

The indescribable sensations built up like rain clouds. It was only a matter of time before the light drizzle created a flood that would carry her away and leave her drenched. She bit her fist to repress the urge to scream, but when a jolt shot through her, her throat discharged a piercing cry.

And with that, Mikasa fell limp. Only racing beads of sweat and her heaving chest stayed in motion.

Lifting himself up, Levi licked the gloss from his lips before wiping the rest on the back of his hand. For a long while, he watched her, carefully observing her trembling frame. One of her arms rested across her forehead, her other fist gradually loosening its grip on the sheets.

"Okay," she let out in an airy sigh. "Now I feel amazing."

His lips quirked up. "I'm only getting started." Without giving Mikasa much time to recover, Levi dove on top of her.

"Are you trying to test my stamina here?" she asked breathlessly under his weight.

"What, don't tell me you're drained after a little warm up," he challenged her, scrabbling desperately at the front of his breeches to lower them. Just as he took hold of himself and was positioning to launch his body into hers, a noise pulled him from his lustful trance.

He perked his head up, listening. Mikasa, who was now peeking over his shoulder, listened too.

A succession of rampant noise manifested outside the walls of the bedroom, loud enough to resound through the timber. Expanding her hooded lids, Mikasa exchanged a questioning gaze with Levi.

"...It must be Kenny," he assumed.

Just as he said that a clamor of voices overlapped his words, ranging in tone and pitch. Mingling with that was the distant whicker of horses outside. Alarmed, they both fumbled away from their intimate embrace. While a rhythm of footsteps sounded out in the hall like a ticking countdown, Mikasa snatched up the blanket and bundled it up against herself and Levi tucked his erection back in his pants.

There was no warning, not even a brief knock, only the boisterous sound of the door blasting open, rattling on its hinges.

"Your savior has arrived!" The intruder announced from under the door frame. There, striking a heroic stance, was Hanji Zoë. "We've tromped diligently through relentless snow and persevered through the piercing winter winds and—" Hanji stopped her boasting then. Levi momentarily considered that a miracle—that is until he realized why her speech halted so abruptly. Stepping back a pace, Hanji stared at the couple in bed, her eyes shooting back and forth.

"Well, well, well," she adjusted her glasses, "don't you two look all warm and cozy together."

"Get out," Levi demanded.

"Excuse you?" Testily, Hanji propped a hand on her hip. "You do realize this is an emergency rescue, right? Don't tell me your brain froze." The new commander moved deeper into the room, inspecting them and her surroundings carefully.

Already tired of Hanji's noise, Levi waved her off again. "That doesn't give you the right to barge in here unannounced and give us a wake-up call, shitty-glasses."

"How was I supposed to know you weren't in immediate danger?" Hanji argued. "Do you have any idea how worried your squad and I have been about you two?"

"What he's trying to say is we're not presentable at the moment." Fear was leaking from Mikasa's throat more with every word. "It's not that we don't appreciate you coming to retrieve us. If you can just give us a moment of privacy…" Although she managed to cover herself with the blanket in time, Mikasa still felt naked under Hanji's observant eye. They were in no condition for an audience right now.

"What do you mean you're not…" Hanji started to ask with a tilt of the head, but when those observant eyes fell to the rumpled garments that were hastily tossed to the floor, her question remained unfinished. Slowly, she lifted her head up to say, "No friggin' way."

This was one of those scenarios where saying 'it's not what it looks like' wouldn't work. It was exactly what it looked like. All Mikasa could do now was hang her head and hope Hanji didn't notice how utterly guilty she looked.

"You look guilty of something, Mikasa," Hanji said with shifty eyes, "care to explain what the hell is going on here?"

Levi's tolerance to Hanji's meddling was dwindling. If the titan-loving freak couldn't figure it out at the sight of them half-nude and wrapped up in bed together, then Levi didn't care to explain. Unless you're dense, there was no way to misread this situation, which was unfortunate; Levi only wished such a busybody didn't catch them off guard.

"Out," he urged again with a hostile leer, fiercer this time since passion still swelled his loins below the covers, and he still craved the internal warmth and pleasure only Mikasa's body could offer.

Hanji tentatively looked back into the hall, like she briefly considered his order, but she twirled back around with a stomp. "I can't believe this. And I believe in a lot of explainable things!"

And with that, Hanji killed Levi's erection and dispelled the mood he and Mikasa created. He rolled his body off the bed and leaped to his feet. Aggressively, he charged for Hanji and shoved her out the door. Slamming it shut, he pressed his back against it.

"At least, she's out of our hair for n—"

A mighty force rammed into his back, cutting off his words. The door knocked him off balance and nearly sent him tumbling.

Hanji popped in once again, persistently asking, "C'mon, don't leave me in the dark here, tell me! Did you guys seriously hook up?"

Gritting his teeth, Levi's muscles flexed from a mixture of anger and determination. With all his strength, he heaved his weight against the door, and Hanji did the same.

The wooden frame cracked from the sheer weight assailing both sides. For a while, the captain and new commander stubbornly clashed between the door, and Mikasa thought it would burst from the hinges any second.

Eventually, though, Hanji submitted under the weight and was locked out from the other side.

"I'll take the hostile silence as a yes! I can't wait to tell Moblit!" Levi heard her say, followed by trotting steps and squeals descending down the hall.

Levi felt a sharp pang where the door had hit him. "That obnoxious idiot," he spat under his breath and rubbed the ache from his shoulder. "Remember last night, when you asked how we'd tell everyone, and I told you we'd cross that bridge when we got to it?" he began, pausing to scoop up Mikasa's pants and his shirt. "Well, I think Hanji burnt that bridge and our business is about to spread like wildfire."

Half-listening, Mikasa kept her eyes down, hardly even reacted when he tossed her pants to her. She just stared listlessly at the rumpled fabric in her lap.

"What's the matter?" he asked, shrugging his shirt over his shoulders.

"I...nothing." She dodged the inquiring eyes set on her and quickly forced herself into motion by stepping into her pants, wriggling them over her hips. But once she buckled them, all energy drained from her fingers, and then her legs. She plopped back down on the bed with a bounce, her eyes down-turned and burdened with gloom.

"You always make that face when you're avoiding a topic."

Hoping to wash all traces of whatever expression he referred to away, she rubbed at her face, but it did no good. Nothing could wash this anxiety building up inside her. It had first triggered off when she saw Hanji; that had been a grim reminder of the difficulties she was soon to face, and then a barrage of dread followed. It took her a moment to lift her head to look at Levi, and even longer to finally answer. "I'm scared," she muttered, but quickly shook her head with a tight gulp. "But don't worry about it. We shouldn't keep everyone waiting."

She stood again, but Levi approached her with a thoughtful strut and urged her to sit again. Mikasa complied stiffly.

Easing himself down beside her, Levi cupped her knee and tried to hide his concern under a blank expression, not wanting to reveal how weak he was to her emotions. "They made us wait long enough. Talk to me."

Just his presence alone managed to mollify her, maybe talking it out with him would reduce this rising dread she felt. "When we were alone here, it felt like we were in our own fantasy world that no one else could invade," Mikasa confided with a smile that slowly morphed into a frown. "But now the reality is starting to sink in and...and I'm afraid these special days we spent together are over."

"It'll never be over," Levi cut her off quickly.

Pity filled her eyes as she cupped Levi's hand. "Levi...you can't honestly believe nothing will change. Once we leave this room, we won't just be lovers anymore. You'll be a captain again, tasked with the responsibility of protecting not only your squad, but the entire human race. I should clarify I'm not saying that out of selfishness; I'll have other concerns as well, one's that will drag my focus from you. I'm afraid of that. I know we're soldiers and we have the fate of the world in our hands, but the only world I care about is the one we created together during these past few days."

The time they spent together had been nostalgic in a way, akin to the simple days spent with her mother and father, back when life was simpler before she harden from all the horrors she endured and began to repress her emotions. That innocent worldview she once had as a child became foreign to her over the years—she nearly forgot how it felt to be an affectionate person who saw so much beauty in the world. Reuniting with that mindset had been a blessing, and she wasn't ready to let go a second time.

Tight-lipped, Levi ducked his head meekly in acknowledgment. Before, when it was just him and Mikasa (and their reluctant third-wheel, Kenny) everything seemed simpler. From here on out, life was going to get harder. There's no dodging that fact. The days spent in this cozy cabin, where their biggest threat was the cold, were over. From now on they'll be in constant danger. Everything from humans to titans would try to split them up, and when Levi realized this he felt nervous as well. And not only that, but their new relationship will be judged today, perceived in all different flavors. Some might be shocked, happy, angered, indifferent, disgusted…That worried Levi most of all.

"You need to understand, Levi. I never wanted to be a soldier in the first place. I only joined the military to protect Eren and Armin from their dangerous ambitions. My dream was to live a peaceful life away from violence and tragedy—that's all I ever wanted, and I actually got a taste of that thanks to you. I know it sounds selfish, I'm sorry."

"It isn't," he muttered sharply, "you deserve happiness. All of us do. None of us should be burdened with these dire responsibilities, but that's how it is. I can't deny that change will happen, I wish I could refute it, but..."

"I guess we'll learn to adapt to the changes," she said, the knot in her stomach tightening, "but I wish we could have a peaceful life together. We'll have to earn that, I suppose. In the meantime, I can't help but to dwell on the many other concerns racing through my mind." Mikasa eyed the door, listening in on the muffled voices coming from beyond. "Once they find out about us, they might perceive us differently and that will trigger even more changes. I can't even imagine their reactions. "

"Especially Eren's," he said.

With a gulp, Mikasa nodded. Levi couldn't picture it either. An imaginary reaction projected in his mind, and it made all confidence evaporate from him. With a subtle cringe, he asked, "What if...he reacts negatively to us?"

"He wouldn't."

"But what if he does?" Levi stressed. They needed to consider that possibility, just in case. Levi realized beforehand that if he wanted Mikasa in his life, Eren would always come with the package, and he fully accepted that (hell, he cared about the brat himself, so in no way was that an inconvenience to him). But if Mikasa were to choose Eren over him after everything they've been through...

Detecting the fear appearing on his face, Mikasa gave Levi's cheek a light kiss and let her head drop upon his shoulder. "I'm afraid of our relationship being shunned by the others too, but don't worry about Eren, okay? If he doesn't approve, then I'll just have to add that to the never-ending list of things we don't agree on. Eren is important to me, as you know, but now you're important too. Rejection would only complicate our relationship more, but it's out of our range of control. Our relationship with each other and everyone else, it's all going to change, that's unavoidable and I hate it. These past few days with you have been wonderful, Levi, and I'm not ready for them to become a memory. I want this to last."

A long silence later, Mikasa's head rolled from Levi's shoulder when he shifted and stood without a word. Her eyes followed up the seam of his shirt as he fastened each button. "You and I have been a team of two for a while now. I doubt it would happen, but even if everyone outside this room opposed us, we will always have each other, and anything that tries to tear us apart will be taken down without mercy. I know you're scared. So am I. Things just won't ever be the way they were before, or how they were during our time in this cabin; there's no getting around that. Our days ahead won't be easy, but regardless of what happens next you're still my partner and nothing will ever change that."

Stepping forward, Levi lent her his strength to help her to her feet. He pinched her chin to raise her gaze from the ground. "We'll get through this and all the shitty days ahead, just like we always do. No matter what, I'll always make time for you, and during the times we can't be alone together we'll be using that time apart to carve a path to our future."

Their foreheads pressed together and for a final moment of solidarity they collected a few ragged breaths. Those cloudy eyes of hers looked like they were holding back a downpour, but Mikasa kept the tears locked tight, and that showed Levi that she was stronger than she thought.

"Think of our time here as a sneak peek of the life we'll have down the line. We'll use our memories here to fuel us; to keep us motivated so we never stop moving forward. I'll give you the life you deserve someday, Mikasa, I promise. Just give it some time and be strong for me—you know I can't do it alone."

Nodding sharply, Mikasa sniffed and reopened her swollen eyes with a recovered resolve. Taking the lead, she headed for the door, a fluttering sensation in her chest. Once she opened it, Levi set his hand on her back, giving an encouraging rub before lightly urging her forward.

Levi's right. Now is the time to be strong, not weak, she thought. Every step forward became stronger, for she knew as long as Levi was close at her side, there was nothing they couldn't do.

Shortly after emerging from the hallway, their determined steps soon slowed to a dejected stop.

It only took a quick scan around to notice the cabin no longer bore the resemblance of a quaint living space. To their dismay, their temporary home reverted back to serving its initial purpose: a militant base. Chatter and commotion livened up the space now. Familiar faces sprinkled here and there. And equipment and baggage collected wherever space was free. That homey vibe Levi and Mikasa came to love had disappeared—but a new hospitable vibe replaced it.

Mikasa tracked the fleeting movement of Connie chasing Sasha around the living room, a lumpy burlap sack hurtled over her shoulder. The sight of their revelry made her grin.

Levi spotted Hanji and Moblit in the near distance, having a one-sided conversation. Hanji briefly turned her beaming expression at Levi and darted back to Moblit, flapping her lips with more enthusiasm. The assistant listened on, looking painfully uncomfortable by whatever Hanji said—Levi had a hunch what it pertained to.

The scent of burnt, ashy wood lingered in the chilled air. Only a few remaining embers smoldered in the fireplace. More logs would need to be added to rekindle the blaze, Levi thought, but before he could consider the task, a gritty voice stole his train of thought.

"Damn brats woke me up with all their ruckus," Kenny rasped, briefly startling both Levi and Mikasa, who hadn't previously noticed him slant up against the wall until now. Chewing his lips in aggravation, Kenny scanned the fresh activity with judgmental eyes. "Is this a militant brigade or a circus troupe?"

"Some of them are members of my squad," Levi answered crossly.

Kenny gave a throaty chuckle. "Looks like you got last pickings."

"I chose them."

Kenny flashed a quick grin, shaking his head. "I should've spent more time teaching you how to make rational decisions. You're all brawn and no brain."

Leering with derision, Levi stomped down on Kenny's foot with all his weight behind it. Spit flew from the older man's mouth as he sprang up like a startled rabbit. Cursing, he shook the ache from his foot. "You just helped proved my point, you imbecile."

Sensing another feud brewing, Mikasa bravely shouldered between the hostile men, hands raised, and forced some space between them. To show that she was on Levi's side, she gave a supportive pat, although his gaze remained glued over her shoulder. "You're no match for Armin, or Hanji...or Erwin, but you're still smart. Smarter than those two, at least," she pointed over to Sasha and Connie, hopping around like idiots.

The icy glare he had locked on Kenny had transferred over to her. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"I complimented you."

"By insulting me?"

Peeved, she stepped back next to her uncle, arms folding tightly. "Kenny has a point, you know. You use violence during times a few strong words would've done the trick," she said, but Levi defiantly shook his head in reply. "Ask Historia, if you need convincing. I'm sure she'd agree with me."

"We have enough traitors to deal with, don't you turn on me too."

Stubbornly, Mikasa remained at Kenny's side.

"Ha, even she's smarter than you," Kenny wheezed on his laughter. "Now we can add Mikasa to the looong list of people who are smarter than Levi."

Bubbling with rage, Levi stalked in closer. Mikasa tried to cut between again, but he practically walked through her.

Meanwhile, Sasha whacked Connie with the sack and gleefully made a dash for the hall. During this, Levi's fist was about to strike Kenny. Just before the blow landed, a collision knocked him astray. Sasha had skidded to a stop before crashing into the group blocking her path, but Connie ended his pursuit by bumping into Sasha from behind, knocking her off balance and right into the captain.

The sack in her possession had tumbled to the ground. Lumpy potatoes went skittering all about the floor.

Levi whipped around, fist still raised. Flinching back, Sasha squeaked in fright.

"Does this look like a damn playground to you?" he scolded, kicking away a rolling potato as he finally lowered his fist. "Clean this up."

"Right away, sir! I'm sorry!" Teary eyed, Sasha fell to her knees and frantically scooped up the scattered vegetables. "I swear, I was going to share the potatoes with you, captain!"

Levi rose a brow down at her. "...Does it look like I want a potato?"

"I-Is that a trick question? It's impossible to read your expressions..." her smile twitched nervously under his looming shadow.

"C'mon Sasha," Connie tugged at her shawl, "let's go help Jean unload the wagons." Sasha pulled the drawstrings tight and lugged the sack back over her shoulder. Stumbling away, the clumsy duo entered a run, knocking into Jean coming in through the door as they made their escape.

"Nice to see you back to your moody self," Mikasa remarked, almost nostalgically. Just moments before he spoke to her so softly; it was weird seeing how fast he snapped back to his captain persona.

"Don't think our engagement gives you a free pass to disrespect your superior."

"Whatever you say, shorty."

Unblinking eyes flicked up at her in warning.

"I meant sir." Mikasa tried her best to keep a straight face. Sadly, he was right. They still had to maintain a professional relationship together, and Levi had to keep up a respectable image as the authorial figure. Just like everyone else, she had to abide by certain rules—but she couldn't repress the urge to mock him once in awhile. That part of their relationship would never change.

Setting his hands on his hips, Levi overlooked her defiance, just as he always had and asked, "I wonder why they're unloading. Do they plan to stay the night?"

"Probably," she assumed, judging by all the cargo they were unloading. "It's a long trip and I imagine it wasn't an easy one considering the weather conditions. They'll need time to rest."

"Right. We should see if they need any help."

With a nod, Mikasa followed Levi's lead to the kitchen, where she found Jean setting down a crate along the wall of the kitchen. When he erected up, she noted how worn-out he looked, but his face lifted with an energetic grin as soon as his tired eyes focused on her. "H-Hey, long time no—"

"Where's Eren?" she cut him off, motioning her head around, searching.

For a split second, he actually looked pleased to see her, until she said the dreaded E-word. With a grumpy scowl, he curtly shot his thumb over his shoulder. "Outside."

Puddles had flooded the foyer, tracked in by everyone's sodden boots coming and going. To avoid getting her feet wet, Mikasa rose to her toes and walked lightly on dry patches until she reached her boots.

As she laced them up, Levi had grabbed a rag hanging from the back of a chair and tossed it to the ground. Using his feet, he tried his best to sop up the mush to clear a path for himself. As Levi pinched the sodden rag and moved it to the sink with a deep, disgusted frown, Mikasa removed her scarf from the peg on the wall and flicked the red stream over her shoulder.

"Wait up," Levi told her as he flounced his way over, only to be stopped by an unseen force swooping in.

"You don't possibly think I can overlook the incident I walked in on, right?" Hanji had seized him by the arm and dragged him off his set path to back him into a corner. A deranged grin plastered on her face, which annoyed Levi more than frightened him. "I demand a thorough verbal explanation. Or, if you prefer, a strongly written report."

"Die."

Mikasa waited a few more seconds for Levi to rejoin her, but seeing how the interrogation wouldn't end any time soon, she decided to depart solo. "I'm heading out," she announced and quickly dismissed herself, secretly thankful that Hanji kept Levi occupied. It's been awhile since she saw Eren and Armin, so she would like to spend some time with them, just the three of them. Plus, it might be easier to break the news of the engagement to them without Levi looming near. It would have been difficult to express herself if he were there monitoring every word she spoke.

"Moblit, leave us. Go patrol outside or something," Hanji ordered with a flick of her wrist and her assistant rushed for the door without question. Jean and Mikasa headed out with him.

Levi tried to wean away undetected then, and yet again, Hanji blocked his way by stomping her foot down in front of him. Crazed with determination, she poked him back with a finger. "Oh no, you stay here."

"Didn't I tell you to go die?" he attempted another step.

"Is that any way to talk to your superior?" Hanji slewed side to side each time Levi attempted to flee. "Erwin put me in charge, you wouldn't tell him to go die when he gave you a simple command!"

"I would if he kept meddling in my affairs. Quit acting like a child." Levi demonstrated his own maturity by pressing his hand over her face and shoving it away; an effort to make some space between them.

The squad leader—or should he say the commander's behavior was ridiculous and inexcusable, even coming from a curious lunatic like her. In the manner she walked in on them, Levi wasn't surprised by the rise in her curiosity. Nonetheless, her curiosity had always been an unfortunate blemish on her otherwise commendable attributes. Whether she was blabbing about titans or begging for lewd details, Levi didn't want any part of it.

As he cursed under his breath from Hanji's unyielding pressuring, Levi only hoped Mikasa had an easier time talking with her friends.

~x~

Melting icicles lined the eaves of the roof like the fangs of a slobbering beast, dripping down to the wooden planks below. Only yesterday the stairs were a slope of snow, but now the slick steps were clear. Even the railings were missing its white trimming. The backdrop of the memories she created over the past few days were thawing away before her very eyes. Even so, the deathly chill remained, which comforted her in a sense. From now until forever the cold would always remind her of the love that kindled here.

From the porch, Mikasa surveyed the vast wintery landscape. The once empty yard skirted by the dense forest beyond was now tarnished with wagons, horses, and ample amounts of supplies. The carpet of snow, once virgin to man, was now garnished with prints and rutted wagon tracks.

Turning her head toward the echo of laughter, Mikasa spotted Sasha and Connie frolicking in the snowy meadows, engaged in a snow ball fight. So much for helping Jean unpack, she thought as she glimpsed him as well, working hard. Nearby, Moblit stood sentry at the foot of the stairs.

Wisps of mist expelled from Mikasa's chattering lips as her roaming eyes glimpsed tufts of brown and blond hair blowing in the breeze. Mikasa sucked in the crisp breath and descended down the porch steps. Snow crunched underfoot as she hiked between and around the parked wagons. Eren sat on the back of one, a big grin taking up half his face—but the smile wasn't directed at Mikasa. And the blonde hair she had seen before didn't belong to Armin, like she initially thought.

Historia was seated beside him, looking down at her lap after Eren said something that made her giggle. Seeing the two of them smile after everything they had gone through was a rare sight to behold. Mikasa didn't want to be the one responsible for taking away this rare moment of joy, so she twisted her heel in the snow to turn back unnoticed, or at least she tried too.

"Look who it is," said Historia as she gently tapped Eren's shoulder, cutting off the story he was telling. Eren balked cluelessly until smaller girl grabbed him by the chin and directed his face in Mikasa's direction.

A friendly smile pushed up Eren's cheeks as soon as their eyes met. Invitingly, he waved her over. Reluctant as she was, Mikasa zipped over all the same.

Weirdly enough, Mikasa didn't know what to say now that she was finally face-to-face with Eren. It had been a while since she saw him and awkwardness was to be expected, she supposed—especially when she considered all the changes that took place during their brief absence. Not only did the circumstances change, but her own mentality went through a transformation. It was strange, she thought of everything and nothing to tell him at the same time.

Despite this, she soon discovered the motherly-side of herself never altered. Closely, she examined Eren with an attentive eye, making sure he was unharmed and healthy.

"I'm fine, Mikasa," he said her name in a way a kid might say 'mom' when she was being too fretful.

A little embarrassed, Mikasa backed off. Historia's polite smile directed at her somehow soothed her spiking nerves.

"Better than fine, actually, now that that we're off the road," Eren spoke in a familiar tone, as if he hadn't spent any time apart from her. "But I should be asking how you're doing. You're the one that had to endure the last few days with Captain Levi. Must've been brutal," he sounded exhausted at the notion. He exchanged a glance with Historia, expecting her to agree with him, but the girl averted her eyes passively. "Did he make you clean nonstop? Did the two of you have an epic showdown?" Eren chuckled playfully and glimpsed at the exterior of the cabin. "I'm surprised this place is still standing."

Widening her stance, Mikasa crossed her arms. "I'll have you know my time with Levi was surprisingly pleasant."

". . . . . ." Eren blinked at her, smirking, like he was waiting for a punchline that would never come. "Wait, you're not being sarcastic?" He looked at Historia for answers, but she simply blinked her questioning eyes to Mikasa.

"Is it really that hard to believe Levi and I had a pleasant time together?"

"Yes," he spat rather quickly. "I mean, I know you don't want to beat the guy senseless anymore, but I didn't think you'd ever get friendly with him either."

"You have no idea," she shook her head with a flimsy smile. Her heart began to pound as the last few days crammed into her mind—all those sweet words only she would ever hear Levi say, and the parts of him that only she'd ever see... She tried to force down the flutters rising up her throat with a thick swallow. Despite the cold, a hot flash billowed through her.

"You...You have a weird look on your face. What's that all about?" Eren squinted suspiciously, leaning in closer to inspect her.

Uncertain noises flooded out of her mouth. Images of this morning wedged in her mind unbidden just to make it worse. In an attempt to drown out the thoughts, she changed the topic; her nerve wasn't worked up enough to tell him about Levi and her yet. "Let's talk about something else for now..."

~x~

Back in the cabin, Levi's mental status was fraying drastically as Hanji orbited around him, rubbing her chin deductively. Being trapped in a twister of judgmental eyes made him dizzy, though you couldn't tell from the utterly dead expression he wore.

"I'm so sick of your shit," he finally snapped.

"I'll quit bugging you when you tell me what happened."

"It's a long story, one I'm not particularly eager to share with you right now." Levi turned dismissively and spied out the frosted glass window, squinting at Mikasa and Eren and their unreadable gestures. It's not that he didn't want to share the news; in fact he felt proud enough to gloat about his relationship with Mikasa (though in truth he wasn't that type of man). He hated being pressured, for starters, and the idea of exposing his private life still made him uncomfortable. Startled by his own thoughts, he turned his head away from the frosted glass. He should respect others privacy, too.

"Hmm." Hanji kept making those irritating sounds as she, once again, disrespected his personal space. This time he suffered negative consequences of being in close proximity to her. With his nose curled, he lurched back, repulsed after catching a whiff of her.

"Your breath is rotten. What crawled into your mouth and died?"

She shrugged prudently. "I had a raw onion on the way over here."

"Fucking disgusting."

"It was actually quite tasty, but if that doesn't fit your fancy, I do have something you might enjoy."

"If it's something that'll freshen up your breath, please, keep it for yourself. I'm more than content with the current taste in my mouth."

Being the deducing creature she was, Hanji caught his subtle, yet risque tone. As the realization came to her, her eyes widened as big as her glasses. "Did someone get a taste of the honey pot this morning?"

"Quit making disgusting assumptions." Just because her assumptions were correct didn't make it okay to say. Levi elbowed her back, cupping his nose. "Seriously, get away from me."

"Fiiiiiine," she huffed breathily, polluting the air with toxic breath before scampering off to the supplies accumulating one side of the kitchen. Dropping down to her knees, Hanji set aside a woven basket of harvest atop a crate. Using only the strength in her fingertips, she ripped off the wooden lid and plucked something from within.

Curiously, Levi tilted his weight over to see, but Hanji bounced back up with her hands concealed behind her back, her smile just as sneaky.

"I have something in my possession that just might make you spill all the details."

He feigned a smug scoff, trying to play it cool. Although he couldn't deny that the wicked smile beaming down on him made him fidgety, like she might actually have something up her sleeve. "Yeah, sure, shit-breath—"

"Behold!" At last, she uplifted a small rectangular box garnished with a familiar branding logo. It instantly made his mouth water. To Levi, it was as if the item shone with a heavenly aura. His narrow eyes widened with want and he reached out.

Hanji smirked cunningly, resembling Erwin after one of his harebrained schemes pulled off triumphantly.

"Heh, I figured you'd be out of tea by now~"

Stomping forward, Levi firmly thrust out his arm and presented his flat palm. Though, instead of giving it to him, Hanji dangled it just above his head. Only a nutjob would dare tease Humanity's Strongest in such a cruel way.

"Hand it over," he demanded, shamefully rising to the balls of his feet and even leaping up to reach it, but to no avail. "Stop playing around, give it to me."

"I will—if you give me the dirty details." Hanji sang, waving the box of tea enticingly as Levi's pupils followed as if hypnotized.

"Damn it," he spat. He had absolutely no intentions of sharing any dirty details with Hanji; that was his and Mikasa's business only. However, he would agree to just about anything to get his hands on his favorite blend of tea. "After I make a brew I'll fill you in on recent events. Deal?"

"Fair enough." Hanji unfurled her fingers, dropping the teabox into his hands.

He held it with care to his chest, as if it were a newborn and quickly rushed off to fill the kettle, but he couldn't quite enjoy the task for Hanji loomed close by, breathing her onion-breath near him.

"Quit bugging me."

"I'm observing you."

"Let me rephrase, then: stop stalking me."

As he filled the kettle at the sink, he did his best not to peek out the window. He really wanted to see Eren's reaction but...no. He tethered back the urge.

"The physiological side effects of cabin fever certainly is fascinating," Hanji said wistfully, backing herself up against the counter with folded arms.

Levi slid his eyes to her. "What do you mean?"

Hanji's voice filled the room just as gently as the trickling water, "I heard being trapped in isolation for a long time does crazy things to a person. During times of perilous isolation, humans crave solace by bonding with others, friend or foe it doesn't matter. The brain needs comfort and assurance to retain healthy stability, but that's hard to find during dire times. Humans are complex creatures and they can and will subconsciously create the illusion of genuine comfort, even if it's actually fallacious."

A fierce sound shot through the kitchen like gunfire when Levi slammed the kettle down and stabbed a finger at Hanji. "Don't say that."

From the startled look on Hanji's face, she regretted her words. Not because she understood the harsh impact of them, but because of Levi's wounded reaction. Levi understood she meant no harm—but those words stabbed him right through the chest.

He refused to believe all the special moments he and Mikasa created together in this short span of time were merely a mental illusion because they lost their minds in solitude. What they shared together here was more than just a fantasy they created to cope...Levi was sure of that.

"I...I didn't mean to upset you, Levi," her voice dribbled out regretfully.

"You didn't upset me," he spat, clearly rattled by her words still ringing in his ears. Clutching the edge of the counter, he hunched over and sucked in a breath. "I know you didn't mean anything by it; you're looking at it from a logical standpoint, I get it. You need to understand this is an emotional issue, though. None of your logic will ever explain it. What happened between Mikasa and I might've been spontaneous, but this is more than just a fling or a mental side-effect," he said the past bit with contempt, still hating the idea of it.

"Why didn't you say that sooner?" Hanji slapped him on the back, knocking the wind out of him. "I'll be honest with you—I got the impression that you and Mikasa screwed around and felt ashamed after it was over."

Levi blinked slowly. "What the hell gave you that impression?"

She shrugged. "You two just seemed awkward together. Then again, you're naturally awkward people. Perhaps you're a good match after all," she laughed. "So it's serious... How serious? Should I pick out some formal wear?"

He ran a hand down his face; all the new wrinkles he felt suggested he aged ten years since Hanji's arrival. "Let me make my tea first. Sit down and shut up."

Hanji gasped when another idea popped into her head and flew out of her mouth, "Am I gonna be an aunt soon?"

"Shut up and sit down," he reprised his statment.

~x~

"Where's Armin?"

Eren nudged his chin in the direction of the barn. "He's putting the horses away." With his face lighting in recall and stress, Eren hopped down to his feet. "Crap, I'm supposed to be helping him."

"I'll go with you," Mikasa told Eren, although her eyes glimpsed Historia. "I need to tell you and Armin something. And I would prefer if I told you together, in private."

Receiving the hint, Historia dropped down from the wagon. As soon as her feet touched the ground, her face warped strangely and her head thrashed forward. The sneeze made a louder sound than one might expect from her, even the birds in a nearby tree took flight from the startling sound.

Mikasa looked her over. Historia's face was flushed, her nose red and stuffy. She must've caught a cold on the ride over. "There's some medicine inside if you need it. Levi recently came down with a cold too and it fixed him up pretty fast."

"That's good to hear," she gave a feeble smile as she ran a finger beneath her nose. "I came down with a nasty cold as soon as we entered the northern region and I've been suffering since."

"You guys brought all these supplies with you and didn't think to pack some medicine?" Mikasa wondered.

"It didn't cross our minds at the time," Eren answered. "We anticipated injury so we brought along plenty of medkits, but it's not like getting sick is life-threatening."

"It could be if left untreated," Mikasa's voice rose to shake off Eren's aloofness. "You need to get inside where it's warm," she said softly, her hand pressed against Historia's back.

Anxiously, Historia peered at the cabin as if it were haunted. Quailing back, a nearly inaudible voice asked, "Is...Kenny in there?"

Those lightly spoken words hit Mikasa's eardrum like a sonic blast. Slapping on the most impassively cold expression she could muster, she said, "I'll make sure he's out of sight."

"Thank you, Mikasa," she said, albeit weakly.

It was even harder to muster a reassuring smile.

"I'll catch up with you, Eren." Mikasa broke away from the duo. Feeling heavy with guilt, she held onto the wooden banister for support as she clumped up the few steps of the porch. Moblit gave her a worried look, but she ignored it.

Kenny might be family, but he was still a bad man. During her time here, she had become blissful ignorant to that important fact. Mikasa was so attached to the idea of Kenny being her last remaining family member that all the horrible things he had done slipped her mind. He had been the one to kill Historia's mother, Reeves, and Nifa, and all the others that fell victim during his rampage. He even put Eren and Historia in danger.

The familial love that had began to blossom in her heart snipped at the stem. This was one of the many changes she feared. Why couldn't things stay as they were last night, back when she was ignorant to the truth, when the three of them were a happy family? If only they could've preserved that peace a little longer. Would she have to treat Kenny like the enemy again? No, she couldn't, not her father's blood...but she would have to pretend.

The door frame supported her as she collected her thoughts. Jean slid past her, but circled back to ask, "You okay? You look pale."

"I'm fine," she grumbled.

"What happened?" Her eyes rose to the sound of Levi's voice. Over a teacup she found his eyes, laden with subtle fear.

She shook her head reflexively, wanting so badly to wash away those sad eyes. It's not what you think, she wanted to say. She didn't even tell Eren about them yet, but he probably mistook her gloomy mood as a result of Eren responding negatively to their relationship.

"Everything is fine," she said as earnestly as she could, even though everything was not fine.

Without another word, she stomped through to the living room.

Up against the wall stood a strip of black; docile and calm, but Mikasa was forced to recognize this man as a dangerous foe once again. "You'll have to stay out of sight for a while," she mumbled down at Kenny's feet, one bruising in the shape of Levi's heel.

To her, he was already out of sight. She couldn't look him in the eyes. When he didn't reply, though, she reluctantly dragged her eyes up to his, wondering if he heard her.

"...Little Historia is here, isn't she?" he asked mournfully, staring right back at her.

"Yes," not a trace of affection mingled with her tone.

Kenny stitched his lips shut, eyes falling to the ground. He bobbed his head with a sniff. "I get it. I guess I'll head to the basement."

"Sorry." She didn't want to say it, but she had to.

"It's fine," he smiled thinly, patting her head. "You gave me plenty of time to roam freely. Truth be told I could go for a few more hours of shut-eye."

He lumbered passed Mikasa and she watched him until he was out of sight. Then, she turned back the way she came.

"What's going on?" Levi asked sharply from the table as she tried to slip out undetected. He wore a deepening frown, his eyes curiously thin with a pinch of sadness.

Her teeth clenched and she swung open the door. "I had to secure our prisoner," that came out more crossly than she planned.

"Prisoner?" Levi repeated with an amused tone, forgetting that before the heart-warming moment they all shared, Kenny was just that: a prisoner. An adversary. A murderer. He was harshly reminded of those facts when Historia slipped in the cabin a moment later like a timid mouse. Levi's face softened with grief and a pinch of regret. "Right...I see."

"The medicine is in the back bedroom," Mikasa quickly told the sniffing girl, then her eyes dove down to the ground. She kept them there until she was back outside, where she gazed up at the sky; the overcast gray and thick with clouds.

Both her and Levi felt it, that unavoidable and irrational guilt that came with befriending an enemy. The world was cruel, with many cruel people occupying it—but Mikasa learned that even monsters could possess a beautiful side. Kenny was a bad man, there's no sugarcoating that, but she couldn't bring herself to hate him. Does that make me a bad person? she wondered. Not one person was made perfect, including her. Some are more broken than others, and some, like her, were more forgiving than they should be, down to a fault.

Mikasa followed a snowy trail of foot and hoof prints to the stable and came to a stop at the door. Taking hold of the rusted handle, she thrust it open and rushed herself inside to escape the frosted gale nipping at her. After she latched the door closed, she turned around and spotted Armin and Eren, who were reflecting on a tale from their journey here. Two more people who had monstrous tendencies but were still pure, still good. She wondered if Kenny could ever be viewed as a good monster, too.

When he saw her, Armin set down a pail of oats and rushed over to her, tripping over a bale of hay in the process. Eren hopped down from the gate he was seated on and wove around a bucket of water to join up with his friends.

"Are all the horses put away?" Mikasa asked, wondering if they needed help collecting more.

"All except Jean." Eren cracked a smile, and Armin's face reddened as he suppressed the urge to laugh.

The quip helped dissolve some of the tension in her shoulders. She could always count on them to flip her mood around. "I've missed you both."

Mikasa pulled both her boys into a close huddle; one arm hooked around Eren's waist and the other laid across Armin's shoulders. She held them both close for a long while, unsure if the pattering sounds she heard was her own tears dripping down her cheek or the melted snow leaking in from the weathered ceiling.

"What're crying for?" Eren's said between her yips. "Did you miss us that much?"

She broke her motherly embrace to wipe away her tears. She nodded silently.

"Well, we're here now." Armin gave her a dazzling smile.

"I'm relieved to see you guys. How was the trip?" she said, her voice wet from crying.

"Cold. Wet. Uncomfortable," Armin answered dreadfully.

Eren agreed just as miserably before his faced warped with anger. "Whose bright idea was it to conduct this mission in the northern region, anyway?"

"That would be my bright idea," Armin reminded him, taking mild offence. "If was our only option. This was the only region that guaranteed absolute isolation." He shifted his eyes over to Mikasa. "All of you must've went out of your minds with boredom out here in the middle of nowhere."

"It was more eventful than you might think."

Armin silently noted her playful tone and cocked his head at her, calculating her words.

"That reminds me," Eren started, hopping up to sit on the gate again. "What was that thing you had to tell us? Sounded important."

The wind sighed against the weak structure of the barn as Mikasa turned away from both pairs of questioning eyes. She reached out to pet the snout of Levi's horse. "I don't even know where to start."

"Is it something bad?"

Armin followed Eren's question with,"Did you extract any vital information from Kenny?"

"No, it has nothing to do with the mission or anything. It's something personal that concerns Levi and I." The horse gave her hand a lick and shook his black mane.

"Something personal..." Eren muttered, then flashed a grin. "What did he do this time? Did you form another grudge against him?"

"Did you have a fight?" Armin tried to guess.

"Come on, guys. Why are you assuming it's something bad?"

"Because it concerns you and Levi," Armin said, but shook his head, silently retracting those words and forcing himself to say, "Well, you two certainly do work well together. That's saying something. Your relationship didn't have the best start though, so you can't blame us for making such assumptions. If it wasn't for me holding you back in court you probably would've given the captain a beating more bloody than Eren's."

"That's the past," she tried to say firmly, but her words quivered. "Things between Levi and I changed...drastically. I don't want to alarm you two, but you need to know that things will be different from now on."

"And why is that?" Eren asked, cocking his head dumbly.

A whistling wind came howling through the cracks, and Mikasa breathed in the crisp air deeply in preparation for a long explanation.

~x~

Meanwhile, Levi was in the middle of his own explanation, or rather, a watered down and censored one. As much as Hanji wanted to dive into recent events, he had to wade through the shallow preamble first or else Hanji would drown in confusion. Their love might've come into fruition in this cabin, but the beginning to his and Mikasa's relationship lied in the distant past.

During his entire speech, Hanji listened attentively with her hands bridged under her chin, nodding as if she followed every word, but when he reached the end of his long, heartfelt narration, she had only this to say: "You lost me at 'Kenny is Mikasa's uncle'."

The teacups rattled when Levi smacked his fist down on the table. That was the first damn thing he said. "Then stop giving contradicting gestures, idiot. I'm not wasting any more breath on you."

Hanji rubbed at her temple as she organized her thoughts. It was a lot to swallow, Levi knew, but he wasn't about to spoon feed her either. "You lost me but that doesn't mean I wasn't listening. Let me run this by you so I can make sense of this." She scooted in closer by dragging her chair along the flooring, the friction of wood-on-wood made a screeching sound that made Levi wince. "Okay. Mikasa is an Ackerman and Kenny's an Ackerman, related to her late father I presume."

"Correct."

"But how are you an Ackerman?"

"Like I said, he gave me the name. I was to be his successor. "

"You mean heir. Kenny is technically your step-father."

Eyes laden with contempt shot at Hanji. "Shut your hole."

A toothy grin stretched across her face; it made Levi want to knock her teeth out. "If he raised you and gave you his last name that means he adopted you. Sorry to break it to you, Levi, but he's your daddy."

He pointed a finger at her. "Don't you ever refer to Kenny as my daddy again."

In brief silence, she tapped her chin. "What about papa?"

Wearily, Levi rubbed the creases of his forehead. "Don't make me resort to vulgar threats, Hanji. You just arrived and I'm already running low on creative ones."

"Okay, okay. Back on track. Let's keep breaking this down piece by piece. You were arranged to marry Mikasa, right?"

"Yes. We were suppose to wed as soon as she came of age."

"And now this is the part in the story where you truly lost me: You said Mikasa still wants to marry you?"

Ignoring her rude undertones, he answered, "Yes."

"...Willingly?" Her voice spiked in doubt.

"Yes," he hissed, his control over the conversation was nearly devoured by his rage, but then he recalled how shocked he was by the same sentiment. A sip of tea managed to subdue his irritation long enough to explain, "I was just as surprised as you. When she was a kid our marriage felt so far away I hardly dwelled about it. I was just happy it meant I'd see her again—but after reuniting with her all these years later I was finally able to picture her as my bride...but then I couldn't imagine her reciprocating the proposal. That's one of the reasons why I didn't see the point in telling her our history. We were betrothed under her parent's and Kenny's consent after they contrived the idea, but after everything that happened the engagement was hardly in effect anymore. I only meant to tell her the truth about everything...Kenny, her parents, my past with her, the engagement...and my feelings. I honestly never expected the outcome to unfold like this."

Hanji leaned forward to cradle her head for what seemed like a long time. "You Ackerman's sure are full of surprises. I'll have to supervise you better. I leave you alone for a few days and you make yourself a family. Geez, Levi."

"It does sound crazy out loud, doesn't it..." Levi broodily set down his cup and stared down at his tawny reflection on the rippling surface. "But I suppose that's fitting. I'm crazy for Mikasa and I can't wait to marry her."

Behind them, they heard a loud crash. Unfazed, Levi swiveled in his seat to find Jean standing there, gaping devastatingly and holding his chest as if he'd been shot. The baggage he dropped rested at his feet. Presumably, it was filled with glass objects, unless that was just the sound of his heart shattering into a million pieces.

"You...Mikasa..."

A fragment of pity filled Levi's eyes as he looked at the heartbroken boy.

"Oh boy. I feel like I'm on the set of a dramatic play. This just keeps getting juicier by the second." Hanji rubbed her hands together as she sat at the edge of her seat, watching intently for how the scene would play out.

More cast members arrived on set, marching in single file to take their places next to Jean.

"Hey man, you're zoning out." Connie snapped his fingers in front of his friends face, but he didn't even budge in reaction.

"Hmm...I think he worked too hard. I told you we should've helped him unload!" Sasha stressed.

"You're the one who said he can handle it!"

The two of them argued back and forth as Jean listlessly gawked between them, his lifeless eyes pinned on Levi.

"Worry not, you're not to blame, guys. Jean just found out the love of his life is to be married to Captain Levi," Hanji cranked up the drama with that. Levi silently disapproved of her exacerbating this situation for her own entertainment, but he couldn't exactly deny her claim either.

An uproar of laughter busted out of Sasha. It took Connie a few dumbfounded moments to let it sink in but he soon joined her choir of gleeful giggles with a knee slap.

Sasha held onto her aching cheeks. "That's a good one, Commander Hanji! Your jokes are the best!"

"It's not a joke," Levi echoed into his cup.

Connie's smile twitched and he spoke slyly from the corner of his mouth. "Is...Is he being ironic? Are we supposed to laugh?"

"I don't know," Sasha whispered back, "wouldn't it be insulting if we didn't laugh at the captain's joke?!"

Abruptly, they broke into blatantly fake laughter. "Good one captain!" they cheered in unison. Hanji joined their forced laugh with a genuine, side-splitting guffaw.

I'm surrounded by morons, Levi thought. Not counting Jean, but he was basically braindead at the moment. Maybe Kenny was right. This lot resembled a comedy trope more than a militant squad.

"Phew, that was funny," Hanji removed her glasses to wipe a tear and cleared the humor from her throat. "But all jokes aside, I'm being serious. Levi is getting married to Mikasa."

The silence was deafening. Levi almost found himself missing the sound of obnoxious laughter.

Hearing it the third time didn't help Jean's grief condition at all; it only threw salt into an already festering wound.

"Um..." Sasha clearly didn't know what to make of this. Part of her still looked eager to laugh, and the other wallowed in a deep pit of confusion. Connie was no different. Taking him by the arm, Sasha began to escort Jean out of the kitchen. It took a few tugs to get him moving, and even then he seemed to have trouble navigating his own legs.

"Let's just get you warm, Jean."

"Yeah..." Connie followed after them. Jean's attention continued to linger on Levi until obscured by a wall.

The face Levi wore must've clearly gave away how he felt about all that, which inspired Hanji to say, "You can't let yourself be insulted by their shock. You had to anticipate that type of reaction, no?"

"I suppose I did." Levi wished it ended at that, but the skit wasn't done yet. From the other room, he could hear Sasha and Connie's voices leaking in.

"Sasha...did Hanji just say what I think she just said?" Connie wondered.

"If you think she said the captain's going to marry Mikasa, I think you're right."

"Gah!" Jean let out a sharp yelp, as if a dagger painfully pierced the remaining fragments of his heart.

Sasha sputtered worriedly, tripping over her words. "I-I'm sure they were just joking, Jean. You know how Levi and Hanji are, they have weird senses of humor! Stop getting so worked up."

"But...Hanji said it wasn't a joke..."

Sasha dismissed Connie by saying, "You don't really buy that, do you? C'mon, Connie, even you're smarter than that. We're talking about Mikasa here, the same girl who vowed bloody vengeance on Levi. Why would she suddenly marry him?"

"You're right." The gloom in Jean's voice uplifted. An uneasy titter followed. "There's no way she'd marry that guy."

The smug tone Jean used made Levi's brow twitched in irritation "We're already engaged," he directed his roaring voice into the living room.

There was silence, and then there was crying.

"This isn't fair!" Jean roared. "I always thought that little shit Eren was my only rival!"

The sound of Jean hiccuping and Sasha and Connie's failed attempts to console him became the cabin's ambience. Levi did his best to tune it out. Hanji propped both hands behind her head and leaned back on the chair legs, savoring the noisy chaos like music as she tossed Levi a devious grin. "Anyone with eyes could see that boy is in love with Mikasa. You broke the poor kids heart."

"To be fair, he didn't have a chance with her anyway," he sipped his tea carelessly.

"Neither did you." The front chair legs came crashing down with a hard thud and her hands slapped down on the table. "I never wouldn't imagined you two together. But now that you are I can't imagine the two of you with anyone else. You're both humanity's strongest, it makes sense in a way. And yet I never saw this coming. It's strange, isn't it?"

"You have no idea how strange all of this really is," Levi concurred with a contradictory shake of the head. "For a while I was convinced I died and entered a realm where I'm surrounded by everything that makes me happy. But now that you're here I know that can't be the case," he lifted his mug to hide his creeping smirk.

With a gasp, Hanji playfully slap him in the arm. "You know you don't mean that."

"I know," he admitted. "I'm glad you're here."

"And I'm glad you and Mikasa are safe. I was worried about you guys. If only I knew you two were shacking up and having the time of your lives," she huffed in annoyance. "I wouldn't have busted my ass coming here to save you if I knew that."

"It's a good thing you did. I wouldn't have lasted much longer without my tea." Levi stood to make himself another cup, and Hanji's eyes, flaring with mild irritation, followed him as he did.

"Oh, well in that case, I'm so glad I rushed over and exhausted myself, your squad and the horses to give you a special delivery of tea." Hanji sunk her cheek into an upheld fist. "You'd think the prospect of marrying a beautiful and powerful woman would've changed you a little, but you're still the same ol' Levi."

Little did Hanji know, he had changed. The change might not be physically noticeable, but it was something he felt inside himself. He could only describe it as a natural occurrence, like the change of seasons—subtle, but also as drastic as winter transitioning into spring. For so long he felt trapped under a gloomy sky, surrounded by hazy fog as a bitter cold drenched his being. The fog had lifted now, and he could clearly see the colorful beauty around him and bask in the warmth.

As Mikasa feared, things would change, but that didn't mean every change would be for the worst. Sometimes, love changed people in the most miraculous ways imaginable.