Author's Note: Do you guys remember like...four chapters ago when I kept promising a longer one? And then it didn't happen...UNTIL NOW! I should really study now. So, there might be a slight pause in the updating for a couple of days, but we're finally getting to the main story line! Let me know what you guys think in the reviews! Thank you to antisocialFox and XxNimith531xX for your kind words! I really appreciate and it and it really helps me keep going on the story.

Chapter 10

"Hey, Miria. What's it like living in the capital?" Furlan asked. His face rested in his hand, propped up by his elbow on the table. His eyes were a little glazed over, as if he were trying to imagine a world beyond his reckoning.

"It was kind of like this." Miria responded, pushing around a piece of fruit on her plate. "The men worked, the women shopped, and the Military Police kept the order."

"But there are no criminals." Levi corrected her. Miria thought of her father and laughed.

"O no, there are criminals, but much like everything else in the capital, they're bigger and scarier. Why do you think I came down here?"

"They must not get caught." Furlan reasoned.

"Everyone knows about their corruption and crimes. They commit them out in the open. They just do it politely and in suits." Miria answered.

"Then how come the Military Police don't arrest them?" Furlan pushed.

"Because when you have power and influence in a world where resources are scarce, no one is willing to lose their livelihood to make a point. If a member of the Military Police took it upon themselves to arrest a noble, at best, they risk losing their one source of income and they watch their family starve and die. At worst, they're executed and their family starves and dies waiting for them to come home."

"Why don't the other nobles or higher ups do anything?" Furlan was like a curious child learning about something new and bewildering. It was strange, perhaps because these had always been the realities of Miria's world.

"Because the system functions in a way where the spoils are split across the nobles. So, they have an incentive to rake in the money and resources, not question the corruption." she explained. There was a pause in the conversation.

"So…why did you leave?" Furlan finally asked.

"Does it matter?" Miria flinched at the sound of her own voice. The question came off harsher than she had intended.

"No, I was just curious." Furlan replied. "It's just that you've been here for over a year, and people don't typically choose to come down to the Underground, especially not when they can live in the capital." Miria stood and grabbed the plates. "What do you miss the most about living up there?" He's like a dog with a bone.

"There's nothing worth remembering." she said plainly.

"There must be something!" Furlan leaned against the counter as he watched her wash the dishes, staring at her with starry eyes. "At least one thing." Miria stopped and thought for a while.

"Baths."

"Baths?" Levi asked.

"Yea, I miss my big tub. I loved taking baths whenever I was sore or tired."

"Furlan…do you remember that cliff we found?"

"O yea! It's not a bath, but if you're looking for the next best thing, we can take you up there." Furlan's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Up where?" she asked.

Miria stared up at the sky. It was beautiful. She had missed it. The small opening in the cave ceiling provided a window into her world.

"Wow…." she whispered, taking in the small swath of stars that were visible from their cliff. "How did you find this place?"

"Levi and I wanted to see if there was another way out when we first stole the ODM gear. There's nothing for the grapples to hold onto, so we can't escape through that opening, but it sure is nice to be able to see the sky and smell the fresh air every once in a while." Furlan explained. Miria looked at their cliff. It was pretty large, and she was pretty sure it had been a part of the mountain side.

"It must have collapsed in, leaving that hole." Miria said, touching the abnormal areas of grass and soil that seemed to grow out of the rocks. She leaned over the edge of the cliff, trying to see down to the bottom of the cavern.

"Don't fall." Furlan cautioned, holding onto the edge of her dress, just in case. It's so high…I can't even see the bottom. Miria finally made her way to the pool of water. Even in the darkness, she could tell it was clear. She dipped her hand into it. So cold.

"It must have collapsed in a long time ago. It looks so deep." She touched the stone. "There's no cracks. It's so smooth. It must have just happened from rainfall."

"How long do you think it took to create a pool this big?" Furlan asked.

"Longer than a hundred years." Miria speculated. "Longer than a hundred thousand years."

"How do you know that?" Levi asked.

"I learned it from my mother." Miria ran her fingers across the smooth, wet stone again.

"Well, let's jump in!" Furlan said, stripping down. Levi followed suit.

"Here? What if someone sees us?!" She stood and looked over at the city. It was close enough for the lights to illuminate their way and sounds to echo to their location, but far enough away that they were concealed by the darkness. The dim moonlight couldn't be seen through the light pollution. It was a hidden oasis. Yet, Miria still felt so uncomfortable. Stripping down in front of her father had been horrifying. She only stripped in front of Furlan when arousal would override her shame. Even after they were done, she would cover her body and make him leave before she could redress. There was something so…indecent about it all. She stared at the two naked men jumping into the pool and blushed.

"You have to stop being a noble woman sometime." Furlan said with a smile. "Just let go." That's right. She was still holding onto the rules of her old home. It was silly. She didn't need to be ashamed and afraid anymore. This was her new home, and her new home was accepting and loving. Just pull it together. Start by moving your arms. Miria grabbed the hem of her short dress and took a deep breath. One quick motion. Don't think, just act. She flung it over her head, tossing it onto the grass, pulled down her underwear, and kicked it away with her foot. She jumped into the pool. So cold! It was a massive shock to her body, but exhilarating at the same time. It made her feel alive…until she struggled to breach the surface of the water and found that she couldn't. I'm drowning. She sank like a rock, watching the last bubbles of air escape her. The stars still looked beautiful, even from beneath this glassy barrier. She felt an arm around her stomach as she began to inhale water. It quickly brought her to the surface, pulling her to the edge of the pool. Miria coughed it all up, and began swallowing air like it would run out.

"Are you okay?!" Furlan asked, swimming over to her.

"Idiot. Why'd you jump in like that if you don't know how to swim?!" Levi's voice was filled with concern. He saved my life. He moved his arm from her stomach to her back, slowly patting and rubbing it as she hugged the edge of the pool. She turned her head toward him and smiled. Her wet hair clung closely to her features.

"Because that's exactly what a noble woman wouldn't do." she replied.

"Welcome to the Underground." Furlan said. Levi gawked at her, but slowly relaxed, letting out a small laugh at her expense.

Furlan laid in bed and stared at Miria as she brushed her long hair. Section by section, her fingers effortlessly slid through the silky curls. He sat up, planting his feet on the floor and pulled her arm. She set the brush down and let him position her between his knees.

"Miria…." She pulled him close, taking in the smell of his hair.

"What?" she asked as he gently kissed her neck. His hands rested on her hips, thumbs lightly rubbing her silk nightgown.

"Will you tell me about your past?" She tensed, untangling her hands from his locks and positioning them on his shoulders, ready to push away. He felt it and held onto her tighter. "Please?"

"Why are you so interested in this?"

"Because I'm interested in you." Furlan pulled back and looked into her eyes. "How does someone as incredible as you end up in this position?"

"It's a long story, Furlan."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather just have sex?" Miria let out a nervous laugh.

"Well, I'll never say no to that." he joked. "But I want to get to know the real you."

"This is the real me."

"You have so many walls up." Miria pulled away.

"I'm really tired. Can we talk about this later?" She moved to the other side of the bed, dropped her nightgown to the floor, and wrapped herself up in sheets. Despite the distance she put between them, despite facing away from Furlan, he laid down beside her, pulling her in close, and kissed the top of her head.

"Yea. I'll be here whenever you're ready." I'm sorry, Furlan.

Levi's woke at the sound of the window unlatching. He grabbed the knife from under his pillow, slowly approached his bedroom door, and began to inch it open.

"Tch." He relaxed when he saw Miria, resting her elbows on the sill and leaning out with an enamored look on her face. "I almost stabbed you." he explained, peering out of the window with her. "What are you doing?"

"Do you hear that?" Levi listened.

"The guitar?"

"Yea…it's so beautiful…." He recognized the song. "Do you dance?" He was taken aback by her question. Why did it matter?

"I don't know how." he replied.

"It's easy!" Her smile was so beautiful. He loved it when she was in a good mood. She would smile at everything. She held out her hands in front of him. "I'll show you." He hesitated a bit, parting his lips to resist, but decided to just go along for once. He grabbed her hands and she positioned them: one in hers, and the other on her hip. She came closer as she draped her arm on his shoulder and ran her fingers across the short hair on the back of his head. He took in every sensation. The permanent longing that her every touch left behind. The ache that amplified in his heart every time she spoke, every time she laughed, every time she looked at him, and every time she smiled. The silk of her nightgown tempted him. So did her skin. He wanted to press both up against his body tightly. He wanted to know what it was like to hold her. But guilt stopped him, so he just held onto her every word instead. He let her teach him how to dance. When the music repeated, he took the lead, showing her how closely she had seized his attention. When the music picked up speed, so did he. He stepped back, lifting her hand up above them, and she spun gracefully. He stopped the turns by pulling her into his chest and she smiled up at him as they swayed together. It hurt. "My…I guess Levi the Invincible has many talents."

"Don't call me that."

"Sorry, that was really good. Take it from someone who has been to hundreds of dances. You're the best."

"The best in hundreds?" Was she dancing with rats?

"To be fair, the music was never this good, and my company was never this handsome." He raised an eyebrow, skeptical about her claims. "They were all in their sixties." Her laugh was captivating. He wondered if she had planned on making him her prisoner from the very beginning.

"Idiot." he whispered as the song ended.

"Romantic." she said, unwilling to part with her good mood. She pulled away from his embrace and he felt a profound sense of emptiness. "You're not wrong, though." She returned to her spot in the window.

"What do you mean?' Levi picked up a pot and began to brew tea.

"My mother was an amazing woman. She was strong, and beautiful, and so brilliant. She loved medicine ever since she was little. She would find animals that were injured or dying and she would save them. She got so good at it that she wrote books about biology and chemistry. Most of what they teach in our schools is from her work. But she wouldn't dare stop there. She would storm down to the royal government nearly every day and demand to meet with generals and council members to get them to fund research efforts, especially in the Survey Corps. She said it was her responsibility to contribute as much as she could to society before she died—that it was every human's responsibility to do so. Even after she had me, she kept up the same routine, just with a toddler in tow. I think I was around four when she went to see a doctor who had nearly single-handedly cured a devastating plague. I remember she filled up her whole notebook within the hour, and we had to go buy another one for her to continue." Levi poured two cups of tea and placed Miria's on the window sill, leaning against the wall next to her and listening to her recount her story. "For as long as I can remember, I followed my mother from meeting to meeting, listening to her give impassioned speeches about the importance of truth and discovery. Her close childhood friend ended up becoming the general of the three military branches. She was close with each of the three commanders, too. They really respected and admired her. I don't think the royal council liked her very much." He heard her melodic laugh falter, and saw her delicate smile fade. "Despite all of her prestige, power, and accomplishments…even she couldn't escape the reality of being a woman. My father had enthusiastically pursued her. I never got the sense that she was all that interested in him, but he was the son of a man who owned many, many companies. He was rich, educated, and could keep her safe. That's what he claimed anyways. I think from the start, he was more interested in her military connections. Either way, their marriage was arranged and a year later, I was born. When I turned thirteen, my mother said it would be a good idea for me to start learning about medicine. She had somehow convinced my father to start a philanthropic effort to help residents of the Underground in getting medical treatment. The doctor who had cured the plague...he was hired on as a consultant and as my mentor. My father was really unhappy about it. He said that if my mother wasn't willing to give him a son, then she should at least be preparing me for womanhood so that I could give him a grandson to inherit his work."

"Not willing to give him a son?" he asked.

"I don't know the full story…but I don't think my mother wanted anymore children." Levi watched her fight back tears. "My father isn't the type of man to take no for an answer. Sometimes, when I saw her changing clothes or bathing, I would see so many bruises on her body. Sometimes I would hear her crying late at night. I think she was trying to escape."

"Where is she now?"

"Dead." He had known the answer. "I found her in bed a year before I came here." Levi tried to shake the images of his mother that came flooding back, haunting him. "Her throat was slit open, and my father said it was bandits. What bandits would break into a heavily guarded mansion in Mitras to kill someone, but not steal anything?"

"I'm sorry."

"Her friends, commanders of the branches, the general, the doctor, they all came to investigate the death with the Military Police. They found notes that she had written to my father a few days before she was killed. 'I won't let you commodify us. If you come after us, I'll kill you.' That's what she wrote. I think she was trying to take me and escape from him, and it scared my father to think that he was losing control, especially to a woman. So, he killed her. They couldn't find a weapon, and the guards said it was possible that someone could have gotten in and out without anyone noticing, but highly unlikely. It was all circumstantial. But I think the military general knew there was something wrong. He just didn't want to believe my father would do something like that. He assigned the commander of the Military Police to be my permanent guard. The doctor insisted that I continue my medical lessons with him. My father hated all of it, but I think he knew he was backed into a corner. Any attempts to isolate me from my mother's closest friends would have been treated as a threat and as an admission of guilt. So, he just made my life unbearable instead. I finally ran away when he arranged a marriage with some soldier in the Survey Corps."

"It sounds like marriage could have been your escape, too." Levi said. Miria laughed.

"My father is only stupid in comparison to my mother. In comparison to the average person, he's quite smart. When my mother died, I was left alone with him a lot. He would constantly undress and inspect me." He watched Miria's body tense. She brought her arms in closer, as if she were still protecting herself from this distant threat. "He said he wanted to make sure I was developing into a woman correctly. So, he would 'inspect' my breasts and…." she trailed off, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Did he—"

"No." she quickly interrupted. "My virginity had too much monetary value for him to rape me. He just did everything but. Marriage wouldn't have helped me. It would have made things worse. Whether it was one of his elderly, childless business partners, or a rising star Survey Corps soldier, they would both die soon, and in the interim, they would both be gone long enough for him to do anything he wanted to me…even give him a boy to inherit his work." Levi scowled. The thought of a man hurting her like that was more than he could bear. "Either way, he would add more wealth to his name, whether it was through already established companies or important military contacts for influence. I was never going to be able to escape it unless I disappeared."

"I'm sorry." He felt stupid. Why couldn't he think of any other words? How long has she been carrying this weight? He looked up at her and was surprised to see her smiling again.

"Why are you sorry? You're the only one that kept me going through all of it." All of it? His confused expression must have been plain to see. "My mother's friends were so kind. The first few months after her death, they would visit me every day. Eventually, we ran out of things to talk about. So, they started telling me stories about the world around us and beneath us. I could care less about the titans or the world outside the walls…I wanted to know more about Levi the Invincible. He was powerful, and no one could force him down their path. He was always one step ahead of everyone else. I wanted to be like that, too. I wanted to have my own identity, and my own purpose in life. I didn't just want to be a girl in the capital raised to be a bride." His breath caught in his throat. "Don't ever be sorry. If it weren't for your stories, I would have never had the strength or the courage to pursue you." She stopped and looked away. "I know it was an inconvenience…but I'm so grateful that you took me in. I know I'm a burden. I'm not like my mother…. I never rose up to be any of the things that she was. I ended up succumbing to everything that she fought against." Levi pulled her into a tight hug, unable to hold himself back any longer. It felt better than he could have ever imagined. She returned his affection.

"Levi…." He buried his face in her hair. If he could have frozen the moment, he would have been happy to live out the rest of his life there.

"No one is handed power. Take it for yourself. I can teach you to fight."

"Really?" Her voice was soft and slightly muffled against his shoulder. He felt his shirt dampen with her tears. "This is the first time I've ever had friends…the first time I've ever opened up to anyone about this and been this vulnerable. I was so used to putting on an act and lying to everyone around me in the interior. All I knew how to do was manipulate people. Furlan asked me about this earlier today, and I had no idea what to tell him. I was so scared that he would think I was a bad person...but I'm so grateful to have you both. I'm so lucky." Friends. Vulnerable. Furlan. Levi betrayed his emotions.

"You should tell Furlan." His voice was barely a whisper. "He really cares about you. He'll understand."

"Thank you." He pulled away and rested his hand on her head.

"We'll start your training tomorrow. Get some rest."

"Levi!" She grabbed his sleeve before he could disappear into his room. "What about you?"

"What?" he asked. She smiled at him. It hurt.

"I obsessed over your stories for over a year. I spent nearly every night dreaming about your adventures. I want to hear about them from you."

"Some other time. It's late." He saw the unmistakable look of disappointment on her face, and he felt guilty, but the pain was intolerable at that moment. "Good night."