Hi all! I'm busier than I thought I would be so I'm afraid there will be no more regular updates. On the bright side I've several chapters already written so they'll get here eventually!

Hope you won't give up on me ;)

We gaze at each other for a long moment, taking in the other's appearance like we can't quite believe what we're seeing. I don't know why but I feel like crying. Levi's right next to me, unchanged from the last time I've seen him. He looks tired but he's aware of everything happening around him, ready to strike at the first sign of a trespasser. He's the same Levi I remember. I gulp, trying to dislodge the lump that has settled in my throat. It's no use though.

"Eren." Levi repeats, sounding sort of numb.

Sounds of banging and running from inside the building make us turn towards the door just in time to see a woman wearing glasses erupt from the doorway.

"LEVI!" she shouts, a huge grin on her face.

I subconsciously move backwards. Who is this glasses demon?

"Hanji." Levi sighs.

It's a very heavy sigh. Whatever Levi was going to say next is drowned in the excited cooing she produces upon seeing me.

"Who is this cutie?" she asks bouncing excitedly as she examines me with sparkly yet analytic eyes.

"Eren." Levi answers, like that explains everything.

And apparently it does because the woman coos some more at that.

"Really?" she asks. "Is it really him? Levi?"

But Levi isn't listening anymore. He walks over to me and grabs my arm to pull up to my feet. Then he leads me inside.

"Take my place for a bit Shitty Glasses." he throws over his shoulder as we disappear inside the fortress.

He slams the door shut behind us before grabbing my arm once again and pulling me along. I can hear some voices up ahead, which I assume belong to his other companions. I thought we were off to meet them but to my surprise Levi pulls me towards another corridor. We walk some more, the voices growing fainter and fainter behind us. They've almost become inaudible when he pushes me inside a dark room.

I barely have time to register where we are that I'm slammed against the wall and a hot body is pressed against mine. Levi's dry lips are on mine in an instant. For a moment it's a less of a kiss than being pushed on the lips and pushing back, and I can't help the amused thought that Levi's getting back at me for something. But then Levi makes this little noise that's not quite a whine but really probably is and parts his lips. I don't wait for a written invitation to slide my tongue inside his mouth and deepen the kiss.

It's not perfect. Nothing ever is with me and Levi. There's something poking painfully at my back and Levi's pulling at my hair too hard but I can't find it in myself to care because my arms are wrapping themselves around his back and for the first time in my life I understand the feeling of coming home.

We stop to catch our breath and in the dim light filtering through the cracks in the window I can see the glazed look in Levi's eyes and the wet shine of his lips. It's so sexy I'm tempted to ravish him some more but instead I press my forehead against his and sigh contentedly. I feel his fingers letting go of my hair to settle at the back of my neck instead and he buries his face into my shoulder. I hold him tightly against me and let my head lean against his.

"I missed you Levi." I whisper in the darkness. "I really did."

Eventually we do make it to the room his comrades are in.

"There they are!" Hanji exclaims when we come in.

She bounces up to us, still looking like she's on a constant sugar high.

"Where have the two of you been?"

"Talking." Levi answers curtly.

And I have to repress a derisive snort because we've barely said five words to each other in all that time. I manage to distract myself by looking at the two men occupying the room. They're both tall and well-built although the similarities stop there. One is blonde and has 'figure of authority' written all over him. It's in the way his blue eyes are both welcoming and hard, in the way he holds himself and in the way he smiles tightly at me. The second man is of a darker blonde and has a rather large nose. I probably only notice his nose because he's sniffing weirdly in my direction.

"These are Erwin and Mike. Survey Corp too." Levi tells me noticing my gaze.

I nod. I recognize the blonde. He's the Commander of the Survey Corps. At least he used to be five years ago and if he's still alive and in active duty there's no reason why they would have replaced him.

"I'm Hanji Zoe!" the woman says placing herself directly in my line of sight. "I'm a scientist in the corp."

"It's nice to meet you." I tell her with a friendly smile. "I'm Eren."

"Levi's told us a lot about you." Erwin says, stepping forward.

I glance at the dark-haired man. He looks back at me very calmly.

"Oh really?" I comment, equally calm.

If our extended making out session is a sign that Levi actually cares a little about me, I'm guessing he would have the decency to give me some kind of sign if he had said anything compromising about me to these people.

"I was hoping we would meet you eventually." Erwin continues.

Saying 'oh really?' a second time might be perceived as rude so I opt for silence. Hanji takes the opportunity to intrude in the conversation.

"We would be very interested in anything you could tell us about Titans." she tells me. "These creatures are fascinating. I can't believe we never knew they existed. I…"

I'm sure she would have continued in that manner for a lengthy time if Mike had let her. As it is the burly man silently grabs her collar and pulls her away from me, allowing Erwin to take back the reins of the conversation. Unfortunately for him, I've had enough of being a passive participant and I decide it's high time I ask my questions.

"First I want to know what the hell is happening outside." I say. "I've never seen so many swarms in one place at the same time."

I try to keep my tone civil but I can't help letting a hint of suspiciousness in my tone.

The three soldiers exchange a glance. I get the feeling that either they don't know the answer themselves or they don't want to tell me. In the latter case, it's possible they'll be chattier after I've shared some info on Titans. Which I was intending to do anyway.

"Never mind." I say, breaking the uneasy atmosphere. "I don't mind sharing information but for now I want to rest up."

Or get Levi alone. Either one would work really.

"Of course." Erwin says diplomatically. "You're welcome to set up camp with us if you'd like."

I politely decline but assure them I'll join them for dinner at least before taking my leave. As I expected, Levi falls into step behind me.

"What are you doing here anyway?" he asks once we've walked a little ways away from the room the other Doves are in.

"A Runner friend of mine told me I could find explosives here."

"Explosives?" Levi frowns. "We didn't find any."

I grin and give him a sidelong glance.

"I didn't expect you would have. We have our secrets stashes."

I spend the next few hours setting up camp, looking for the explosives – which I find neatly hidden under the floor of a designated room – and catching up with Levi in a more verbal way. Well, at least until he starts showing sure signs of being horny. I've just finished telling him about my baby-sitting trip when he moves up to kiss my neck and basically sits himself in my lap in the process.

"Are you even interested in what I'm telling you?" I grumble half-heartedly.

I can't really be angry because he's started nibbling my ear while one his hands makes it way under my shirt and it's actually kind of cute.

It was surprising when we first began this sort of relationship that Levi was often the one to initiate sex. It was disconcerting that someone usually so stern and serious would be so needy to the point of pushiness. But it's endearing.

"Levi." I groan when he brushes against my nipple – which is less cute and more hot.

He stops his activities around my ear to look into my eyes. I grab the back of his head and pull him into a kiss.

"We need to make it to dinner." I say when we part.

Clearly, he doesn't think I've made a good enough point because he leans in for another kiss and presses himself harder against me.

"Don't care." he mumbles against my lips.

"I do." I groan.

I don't really. But someone has to be reasonable here. Levi harrumphs but gets off me anyway and I struggle to hide my disappointment.

"You said those Survey Corp members died right? What were their names?" he asks me, looking like he's back to being semi-serious.

"Erd, Oluo, Gunter and Petra."

As soon as I pronounce these names, I see Levi's face freeze before progressively morphing into pained acceptance.

"I see." he says.

"Did you know them?" I ask, scuttling closer to him to provide some kind of comfort.

"They were the members of my squad." he explains after a long moment of silence.

"Oh." I say simply, remembering that he'd told me back when we had first met that he had separated with his team because they had different errands to run.

So that had been them then. Small world. And bad luck too.

"So what did tell Erwin and co about me then?" I ask after a moment.

"I told them you were a shitty brat."

I snort, trying to guess at Levi's mood but his face is closed and unreadable.

"No but really?"

He shrugs.

"I just told them I'd met you. I'm supposed to report it when I see suvvies, so we can keep track you know."

I hum.

"You didn't tell them about…."

I'm not sure if I'm about to say 'us' or 'my bite' and since I can't decide I let my sentence float unfinished.

"No." Levi says and I wonder which one he's answering.

Or is it both?

"Eren. Your arm…" about your bite, he means. "We should talk to Hanji about it. She's researching a vaccine and it could help her."

I note how he said 'we' and feel some satisfaction at the idea that we're a 'we' now and that Levi expects to be part of my decisions in the future.

"Um." I say. "I'll think about it."

Levi nods and that's that. Since he's definitely not in the mood for sex anymore – I imagine learning that all his squad members were dead had put a damper on his sexual appetite – I decide to try my luck at asking him about the swarms outside. He hesitates for a moment and I realize suddenly that I shouldn't expect him to naturally take my side. He's a dove after all. A soldier. If an order is given he'll have to obey it. I can't be sure that he wouldn't execute me if Erwin asked him to. It's not because I'm sleeping with him that I have special privileges. No, I can't assume that Levi will be my ally in the future as hard as that can be when it's Levi. Still. I have to remember who I am and what I do to survive. And that the only one I can count on for sure is myself. Anyone else is a luxury.

He tells me they're not sure why the swarms are here and I only half-believe him. I don't insist. Let him keep his secrets. It doesn't really matter anyway. Ultimately, I'm the one who decided to dive in despite the situation outside so anything that happens after this will be my own fault.

After Levi leaves the room saying he needs to inform the others about his squad's fate, I decide to make an inventory of my possessions. It's best I do that while I'm here so that I can collect all I need before leaving.

If I manage to leave.

I empty my bag and examine my stash. I'm alright clothes-wise. I imagine they'll hold for a while longer. I haven't had them for that long anyway. Food is a priority though. Shoes would also be appreciated. This place being an ex-military base I imagine they've got combat boots lying around somewhere. Maybe. I'll have to look for them later, my shoes are looking like they're about to die. I have had them for three years already. My chest piece could do with some replacing but it's hard to get when you're a suvvie so it'll have to wait. I guess I can ask a Runner I trust to get me one in town sometime. I'll have to think about it.

My inventory done and over with, I started packing again, my mind wandering to the past days. Riese. This one word is starting to sound like a curse to me. A city. A city of Suvvies. Created only months after the Outbreak. Hannes and Mikasa who died without ever knowing we could have been safe. If only we had known. If only. But why? That's the question that obsesses me the most. Why weren't we told? Why didn't they look for us, those dozens of kids still out there fighting to live a minute, a day, a week longer? Why didn't we know?

Why did they have to die?