"Y/N!"

Instinct made your right fist lash out so quickly that you didn't even realize what you were doing until it connected with a sharp smack. For a moment, you froze – and then hearty laughter broke out. You opened your eyes and gasped when you found it so easy; just to prove it to yourself, you blinked again. The simplistic movement held exhaustion in its muscles, but after the cloud and your memory, you knew that you could easily hold off just a little tiredness.

"Good thing that I was prepared," you heard someone mutter derisively. It took you a moment to gather your wits and actually look at where your fist had ended up. It was fitting quite snugly within another person's hand, their open palm meaning that it had meant to catch your blow. You looked to whom the arm belonged to and wasn't surprised at all to find Levi glaring at you, his grey eyes shining. Behind him were Marco and Jean, both of them laughing at your abrupt punch. Krista, Ymir and Isabel stood just to the left of the hospital bed, and you made sure to grin widely at each and every one of them.

"You look more or less alive," Levi murmured, looking carefully at your face as you brought your attention readily back to him. He fell back into a glare as he shot Jean a look. "Kirstein, you may live."

"Gee, thanks," the sarcastic reply came, but it trembled with something akin to relief.

"Y/N L/N, do you have any idea what you put me through?" Isabel demanded, kneeling at the side of your bed. You attempted to send her a weak smile, but the red-haired girl was having none of it as she looked down haughtily at you. "I heard about the attack – nearly went insane with worry - but as Shadis finally got us prepared to move out and come to rescue you, Jean sailed right through the open gate with you clutched in his arms!"

You looked at Jean, surprised. He shrugged at the bemused look, deliberately ignoring the threatening aura that Levi managed to present. "You passed out, and I couldn't very well ride if you kept trying to unconsciously fall off."

Levi growled, but let it go. "I can't believe you fought the fever off for as long as you did. That damn doctor... I have a good mind to tell him just what exactly he might need the medicine for in the future –"

"Don't," you interrupted. "As soon as I get back on my feet, I have more of a right than any of you to tell him off."

"You… You may not be able to have that opportunity for a while," Marco said softly. "You only just got medicine today, Y/N. You fought off the fever on your own for three days – frightened us half to death as we got back to school and found that you were completely comatose, having gotten no medicine or care."

"I only just got medicine today?" You repeated, outrage stiffening your voice.

"Levi cantered through the gates today and demanded to see you. Once Jean and I told him that the doctor refused to give you antibiotics, he..."

"Went a bit mad," Jean finished, glancing nervously at the black-haired man standing in front of you, who was quietly seething with the memory of his rage. Ymir snorted.

"If 'a bit mad' means absolutely tyrannical, then I'd say that you're correct," she slyly said, shooting you a wink, as she stood up. "Jean and Marco haven't slept very much at all these past few days. I'll take them to their Dorm."

You nodded, the simple movement sending a flash of pain up your neck. You clamped your teeth together to keep from hissing, and watch as Krista and Ymir lead the two boys away. Jean smiled and Marco nodded at you one last time, and then they were gone.

Isabel edged her chair closer and ended up laying her head on your bed. You smile weakly, glancing up at Levi with a blush. You had no clue how to act around him - and was it really so hard to understand why? He'd just randomly kissed you before you'd fallen fatally ill. Maybe that would put a damper on the possibility of future kisses.

Levi saw your confusion in your blush. He sighed dramatically, pushing his hair back from his eyes – clearly not understanding exactly how appealing the movement was - and sat on the edge of your bed before lying fully back, his body just a few inches away. You felt, rather than saw, his head lie on the pillow beside yours.

You both stayed in that position for far longer than you'd expected, in utter silence. Isabel's easy, deep breaths told you enough about her state – utterly asleep, her head level with your waist. And then, of course, Levi was lying right next to you. His voice flew over the few inches of space between your head and his. "Don't look so scared, brat. I'm not interested in getting dirty germs."

You breathed a laugh. It was only a while longer that Levi's breathing had evened out to match Isabel's, meaning that you were once again alone in the darkness. You reached up to your face with your hands, marvelling at how easy it was to move, and traced your jaw and chin. It was the small things that made you happy to be alive.

But it was only when you traced your cheeks that you realized they were wet with tears.

The memories that had surfaced during your dreams had been so strong that it had caused your body to react without you even knowing. Cursing yourself for thinking about the 'before' time, knowing that it was useless to go back to then, you once again shut down all memories and feelings from that time. You built up the wall, familiar and strong, before finally settling down to sleep.

The exhaustion made it easy to lapse into a land of dreams.

But what you hadn't planned on was the fact that all of the figures that appeared had brown eyes full of kindness and a head full of curly dark brown hair – and whispered his name, again and again.

Orion.

Orion.

Orion.

Waking up was a relief, regardless of the fact that your skin was clammy and damp with sweat. It meant that you were still alive, despite your illness and the cloud hovering near in your mind. You opened your eyes to the cool, white room of the infirmary and stretched your arms out, the icy temperature of the room making you shiver. As you adjusted your positioning on the bed, there was a grumble somewhere down at your side, and you glanced down to see Isabel's messy hair still on your bed. You grinned at her ability to sleep like a log, and then looked around.

The beds were mostly taken up by students. Curtains were drawn around those casualties that were too seriously hurt, but there were a few that were just sleeping. There were students from both the first and second years, but when you couldn't see any third years you realized that they were probably still on their 'work experience'.

"You're awake," a voice said, frighteningly close to you, "so I suppose that you didn't die in your sleep."

"Your confidence in me is truly strong," you retort smugly. You moved your body, turning onto your other side so that you were nose to nose with the raven-haired man who had slept there. Forcing yourself not to blush at the sudden proximity, you confidently smiled at him instead. "I won't let a stupid illness kill me." Levi raised an eyebrow. You growled at him before burrowing into your pillows and blankets so that only your face was visible. "Just be glad that I continue to tolerate your presence."

"You're the one that tolerates me?"

"Barely even then."

At Levi's lack of a witty response, you open your eyes to see his face leaning into yours and you squeak in surprise as he kisses you. This wasn't the furious clash that had been your first kiss with Levi, but softer somehow. He was leaning on his elbows, keeping his weight off of you carefully. In a matter of seconds, you decide that you do in fact like this - you like kissing Levi very much.

"Huh - what?"

Levi jerks back, breathless, as he trains his glare on Isabel - who had just woken up. Her green eyes were wide and stunned, looking from you to Levi and back. "Aniki? Y/N? What...?" You glance up at Levi for a millisecond, blushing down to the very roots of your hair. Seeing the look of utter annoyance on his face, you immediately lower your eyes to your lap, where your hands had formed small fists in the blankets.

"Aniki!"

At Isabel's protesting shout, you look back up. Levi had gotten up and begun walking away, his hands in his pockets. He didn't bother to look back over his shoulder as he coolly said his farewell. "I've got to go. Haven't even started my paperwork yet."

"But –" Isabel started to say, but Levi shot her a look that quickly shut her up. He gave you a smirk, causing you to blush further, and then he was gone. The door shut behind him, and you sighed as you sunk further into your bed. "Y/N... What in the actual name of Erwin's eyebrows was that?"

"Ummm - well, I'm not entirely sure... It was very unexpected..."

"Aniki kissed you," Isabel said, sounding as though she was just trying to understand the meaning of the words. "Was this the first time?"

"No," you groaned. "I was about to die and he kind of just... You know."

Isabel stood up, running her hands through her hair. For a brief second, you were angered at her – surely she could manage to be excited, or thrilled that you found someone you'd like to kiss, or angry that you hadn't told her sooner – or something? But then the girl stopped her pacing and turned back to you slowly, pinning you under her sincere stare. "Do you love him?"

You look up at her and evaluated her unflinching gaze. There was something behind her eyes, some scheme or knowledge that she was keeping from you. Knowing that she wouldn't tell you if you asked what she really meant behind the simplistic question, you did the thing that you knew best. You sank back into the game, bartering information and keeping information until you knew that it could be used for something bigger. Bristling at Isabel's hidden motives, you immediately avoided her question. "I don't really know... I'm not used to it all yet."

Isabel nodded, standing up from her chair. You ignored her raised eyebrow, the ultimate evidence that she knew that you knew about her not telling you everything. And her sigh, the impudent stance of her crossing her arms – you could tell that she knew about all of that as well. You two could read each other far too well. "Well, I've got to go. It's Friday, by the way."

"So?" You asked, blankly wondering about your best friend and her clear attempt to get out of the room.

"So, the game's on," Isabel smiled slightly. "Farlan and I've been playing it by ourselves for the past two weeks... We've lost to Petra both times now."

"The game's on?!" You yelped, sitting up abruptly and feeling a wave of nausea roll in through your gut. "But we've just got back! What are they thinking?"

"You won't be playing," Isabel gently chuckles. "You're too ill. Let the old team go at it! Seven Deadly Sins - minus Pride, of course. We might even beat Petra now that we have Annie back... You never know. Although Farlan seems to be a little wary of her, I'm not going to lie."

"I'm not too ill," you said, but even as the words passed your lips you knew that they were probably a lie. "I'm just tired. I'll see you tonight."

"Whatever," Isabel clucks, waving her hand carelessly at you and walking her way out. She paused in the doorway, her face looking troubled, and looks back as though she wanted to say something. But as a few moments passed, she merely walked out and quietly closed the door. You looked blankly after her, wondering what had got her in such a weird state. Was seeing Levi kiss you really that shocking? Your relationship was a very passionate one – once, it had been full of hate and anger and excitement. But was it so hard to believe that he had kissed you?

You swung your legs over the edge of the bed, the movements aching but not seriously hurting. Standing up was a bit more painful - and by painful, you meant that you bit your lip too hard in the process so that soon your mouth was full of the taste of blood. You were up, though, and standing on your own two feet felt wonderful. Then, you heard a movement just behind you and you immediately twisted around to face it, ignoring the protests of your legs.

A man in a white coat was just three meters away, holding a water bottle and looking at you with stunned eyes. He glanced at your bedside table, where a clipboard was laying, and then glared at you. "Y/N L/N, yes?" You said nothing. From the instant that he began talking, you recognized his voice as the new doctor's, and you had a score to settle with him. "I didn't realize that you were awake," he continued once it became clear that you weren't going to answer. "You're a very strong willed person."

"I'm just glad that I got medicine," you said, your tone sickly sweet. "Who knows what would have happened if I didn't." His grey eyes froze on yours, and you could tell that he knew exactly what you were referring to.

He steps backwards, a movement that you weren't expecting. He impatiently gestured for you to follow him, and so you took small steps so that your legs could handle the movement. He led you to the end bed, to where a second year was sleeping behind a curtain, her light brown hair swept into a messy plait on one side of her face.

"I only got more medicine yesterday," the doctor snapped, looking over his patient pityingly. "If you had gotten medicine before that, then this girl would have had to have gone without. And she'd be dead by now." He yanked the curtain back into place and moved onto the next bed, with a boy this time. "Him too. If I'd used the medicine on you instead of him, he'd be rotting underground."

You swallowed. You regretted saying anything; it was obvious that this doctor had believed that you could fight off the disease better than the two second years that you had just seen. Seeing your harsh gaze soften a fraction, the doctor decided that you understood and walked back towards what must have been his office. "You probably owe your guy your life, though. I wouldn't have given you the medicine today if he hadn't… Persuaded me otherwise."

You ran your eye over the doctor's body and noted how he was slightly hunched, pain clearly lying across his ribs. The man snorted, knowing where your attention had gone, and shut the door to his office. Walking back to your own bed, you decided that you weren't going to stay here any longer than was absolutely necessary. Not with that doctor snapping at you.

Putting your hand into your pocket, you jumped as you felt cold iron underneath your fingertips. But after a few seconds of tracing the outline of the object, you promptly calmed down enough to understand what it was – and who had slipped it there, should you be in need of it. Checking that the doctor was still in his office, you quietly walked towards the door that Isabel had just went out of and slipped outside, taking care to close it with equal silence.

The school was exactly the same as ever. The same carpet cushioned your footsteps, and the same walls were around you - it was these small things that made you smile. You steadily paced yourself as you climbed up the spiralling staircase, past all of the floors until you got to the top one. Your goal was obvious - you just wanted peace until the time was right to play the game, and the key in your pocket was comforting in the fact that just one other person had another one just like it. And Levi had gone away to do paperwork, so there was no need to worry about anyone else being up there at all.

The process of making your way around the many corners and through a series of doors was hesitant. At first, you weren't sure of the way there at all, but then as you began walking the path was clear. You mostly moved on muscle memory, knowing the feel of the floor and the smell of each room. Then, the rusted door swam into view at the very end of one of the last corridors, and you grinned to yourself as soon as you saw it. Tucking your H/L hair behind your ear, you placed the key into the keyhole and twisted, the heavy mechanism twisting itself to open the door.

The scents were immediate. Locking the door behind you as an extra precaution, you climbed the stairs to be greeted with a beautiful scene of heaven. Overgrown plants were spilling everywhere, but you climbed past the roots and the lengthy leaves to make your way to a bed of moss that you'd lied in before.

You were afraid to close your eyes; you didn't want to dream. But something about the garden called to your sense of sleep, and lulled you under – to a place where your body wasn't screaming in pain, and a place where your friends were all happy.

The court session was dull. In the crumbling hall of a forgotten manor, you and your family were seated at the head of the dining hall, in seats that were straight-backed and uncomfortable. You kept yourself still, even if the wooden chair was digging into your back with unstoppable ease, because you knew that if you were seen fidgeting then the consequences would be severe. Your cousin had been whipped once, all due to the fact that he had seemed to blink too much.

Your clothes were black, like the night. As women and young ones were not expected to fight unless they had been trained that way, they were all forced to wear dresses and skirts that moved as they walked. But you were a warrior, regardless of your status. So you were thankful to wear leggings and a close-fitting tunic, with a cloak fastened at your throat.

Your family were all seated in front of you, growling at the people who had arrived. It was common; titans from everywhere would enter this house, to give news or to entertain those in charge, or simply to see what beasts were going to be leading them into battle next.

One female titan caught your eye. She wore a long dress that brushed the ground as she walked, or rather strutted, showing you that she was first and formerly a female before a warrior. Her hair was as black as the night, drawing looks from those that she wasn't even speaking to. Titans didn't have to wear cloaks if they were not going up against enemies, and this female was making a very public statement that she belonged here.

Your cousin snarled beside you, and as did your uncle. They didn't like this female, and you knew exactly why. Every titan knew about her reputation – how she'd clawed her way up to be here, killing several titans to claim their positions in court. Killing titans wasn't considered a particularly bad thing here; in fact, it was very nearly a normal thing. But the way that they'd been found without necks was something else.

She made her way up to the titans that were known as your parents and bowed deeply, looking up at your father from underneath her lashes. You didn't have to be clever to know that she was just imagining all the different ways that she could kill him. Your father let out a low growl from the back of his throat, and your uncle stood up dauntingly, just to intimidate her some more.

"Please," she giggled, her teeth sharpened and nasty, "there's no need for that. I just came to introduce myself."

"We know who you are," your uncle snarled, his eyes gleaming.

"Then allow me to present my son, Orion. I trained him myself, and he's going to be the best warrior that your army has ever seen... Once he's gone through his ritual, of course."

You glanced around for the boy in question and were surprised to see a well-built boy scowl and walk up to join his mother. Your father looked him up and down, weighing his potential. "You assume much. My own daughter is soon to be known as the best."

Understanding the role that you had to play from the tone in his voice, you picked your nails and glared up at the female with such intensity that you could have sworn she nearly took a step back. You made a point to glare only at her, and not her offspring - it wasn't as though he wanted to be here, before your family. "Well, how about a demonstration?" The female was not about to give up. "A demonstration of your daughter's strength. I'm sure that it would hardly be a match for my son's."

Your uncle let out a snarl and grabbed your arm, forcing you to stay sitting down. "Is this a challenge for Y/N L/N?"

"Indeed it is," the female laughed, stepping back to allow her son to have your attention. Your uncle glared at you, nodding his head, and you stood up. You stalked down the hall to meet Orion where he stood, and walked around him a few times. His brown hair was nothing like his mother's – it was shining and wildly curly, and matched his warm brown eyes. They were framed with such thick lashes that you even felt a little jealous. For a moment, everything was alright. Then you realized that you'd been staring at him for far too long. You caught the eyes of your father and mother, watching you like a... well, like a titan would watch a human. You met their gaze and bowed your head, showing your respect. They'd beat you otherwise.

"Are you going to fight me?" Orion said with his voice strong. You looked at him, and let him see an amused smile.

"You, Orion, are not the one who issued a challenge."

And with that, your arm whipped out to grab the ebony-haired female's throat, your nails digging into her flesh. She hardly had a chance to scream before you threw her bodily across the carpet, her dress already tearing and showing her leggings beneath her skirts. You'd already seen it, of course. You'd known that she could fight.

You dove after her, with all of the agility of a bird. You gripped her arm, bending it with just enough force to make her scream, and drive your hand down. To some, it would seem like you were tearing her skirts off where it was attached to her bodice. But then you tore out the hidden knives, their wicked edges gleaming in the light, and smiled. Twin daggers were rare for a titan to wield.

Leaving her on the floor, you walked up to your family and laid the knives at their feet and bowed. You saw the grim satisfaction on your father's face in particular, and knew that there was something else you had missed. You barely had a chance to turn before the black-haired wreck flung herself at you with her claws outstretched, aiming for your neck.

You were prepared to take the blow, raising your fists so that you could easily punch her lights out. Then there was a blur of light brown hair, and Orion standing over the female that had called herself his mother as she sprawled across the floor.

The boy turned and met your amused eyes, his own lighting up with something akin to happiness. Then he bowed low.

"Thank you, Princess." He said simply.

Your cousin muttered something under his breath and your father was looking at you carefully, as though he was deciding what to do with you. Orion passed you the twin daggers that you had won from his mother, and so you inclined your head. It was the duty of the princess for the royal family of the titans to act respectful.

Because that was what you were.

A princess for the race of disgusting beasts that called themselves titans.