What was going on?
She couldn't help but feel frightened and confused. What did he mean they couldn't stay there anymore? They were soldiers weren't they? Where else would they stay?
Nothing really made sense anymore.
Lilly was starting to accept that.
When she thought back on how simple her life was once when she lived with her parents, she could almost laugh. The days in the apothecary seemed so simple compared to this new life.
But now things that felt out of the ordinary were her everyday life.
And things seemed to only get more odd as time went on within the Survey Corps.
Of course she didn't regret it.
She now possessed strength and skill that most could only ever dream of having for themselves. She trained hard everyday to get to where she was.
She was proud of herself.
But besides that, she'd made great friendships and even unexpectedly found love in ways she never knew she needed to be loved. And by someone who was the opposite of her in many ways. They balanced one another.
And this love, she'd never let go.
She respected him more than just her lover.
She respected him as a soldier, and commanding officer.
So if he said she needed to come with him all of the sudden to some unknown place for some unknown reason, then she would.
Changed and bags ready, Lilly ran out to the stables and saw that Jean, Sasha, Historia, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Connie and Levi were all saddling up horses. Lilly quickly jumped up on the one Levi had saddled for her and nodded politely at him.
Everyone was silent, and no one was asking any questions.
Levi rode to the front of the line without a word. She knew he was going to lead them away right that moment, and she couldn't help but feel sort of nervous. Jean rode his horse next to Lilly's and nodded at her quietly. Soon they were out the gate but riding off the main roads.
They were definitely avoiding being seen.
But by who?
This made her even more anxious.
But she kept her mouth shut and her head held high anyways.
"Where do you think he's taking us?" Jean asked quietly as he rode beside Lilly closely.
"I have no idea. He hasn't told me anything." Lilly answered.
"Oh, I see... um I-I like your dress. I haven't seen you in a dress since we joined the training corps." Jean said bashfully.
Lilly looked down at the light grey material that clung to her slender body.
"Thanks. There must be a reason he doesn't want any of us in uniform." Lilly said.
"Yeah, he even isn't in uniform. It's strange seeing him dress like a normal person. If I can even use that word with him." Jean said.
Lilly looked ahead and looked at Levi who wore a simple black long sleeve with a a dark green jacket over it. Lilly's eyes strayed for a moment to admire his neck and the broadness of his shoulders before Jean's voice interrupted her lustful thoughts.
"So he's treating you right?" Jean asked as he gazed ahead to Levi.
He wore a skeptical expression. Lilly knew Jean was just being protective of her as he always has been, but she also couldn't help but notice a tinge of jealously in his tone.
"Of course." Lilly answered and smiled.
"You say that as if it's obvious." Jean waved his hand in the air lightly and furrowed his brows. "You can't blame the rest of us for being curious. I mean, you know how he is." Jean said as he continued to keep his voice low.
"I mean I guess I can understand why you'd ask. But he's a good man. So he can be a little harsh, overbearing, and definitely... a smart ass. But his heart is in the right place. Even now as he leads us away off the main roads, I'm positive it's for our best interest." Lilly said.
"Well as long as you're happy, I'm happy. I don't want to see you with your heart broken." Jean said looking at her with a side glance as he held his reigns.
Lilly looked ahead at Levi whose head was slightly turned as he rode onward.
"I don't know if that will ever happen." Lilly said with a sigh.
...
A few hours had passed and they had rode up into a very rural area hidden by trees and mountains. Lilly had never taken a bumpier horseback ride in her life. By the time they had arrived at a small cabin, it was just past noon.
The cabin in a way reminded Lilly of her home with her parents. It was made of dark oak wood, and small white and purple wildflowers grew all around it. The contrast was lovely. It had a small porch on the front with a couple of old stools. Trees surrounded the small home and danced in the breeze which carried the sound of a nearby stream.
It was peaceful.
"This is where we will be staying for now. Hange will also be meeting here as well." Levi said.
"But Captain, why are we here?" Connie asked.
"That I will discuss once you all are finished cleaning this cabin and unloading our supplies. I have to leave soon, but I will be back tonight with Hange. This place better be spotless." Levi said.
Everyone started tying their horses up and unloading their bags and carrying them into the cabin. Levi lit a few oil lamps around the place and was obviously disgusted by the state of the small home. She could hear him clicking his tongue and huffing in disgust anytime he touched anything.
There was dust everywhere.
Lilly accidentally bumped into him when carrying a box of food into the kitchen area. She tripped but Levi quickly caught the box and kept her from falling. He looked up at her with a raised brow as he sat the crate on the table.
"It's not like you to be so ungraceful on your feet. At least nowadays." Levi said.
Sasha and Historia were at the counter cleaning the cabinets out, but she knew they were listening closely. So Jean had made it clear. Everyone was curious about Lilly and Levi's relationship, and how they communicated. Apparently they couldn't picture the Captain actually being in a relationship with...anyone, and they just couldn't picture Lilly being with someone like the Captain.
"Yeah I'm fine. I think the ride here just took a lot out of me." Lilly said as she flattened her skirt. "It also not too often that I work in a dress." Lilly looked up at Levi.
She was tired. Her whole body felt extremely exhausted, including her mind. This whole thing was such a huge change to adjust to. She even caught the others spacing out, obviously in deep thought and worry.
They all were probably wondering the same things as her.
Levi looked her up and down cautiously before turning to empty the contents of the crate. He lifted out a sack of potatoes and paused.
"Sasha, if I find out you've eaten more than your share of our rations, you'll be-"
"No worries Sir! You can count on me!" Sasha saluted and laughed nervously.
Levi's eyes pierced into Sasha with pure skepticism before turning back around. Lilly continued to help him unload that crate until it was empty. The other boys were cleaning in the living area and Lilly could hear Jean and Eren bickering.
Lilly left the kitchen in attempts to quite them down before Levi had to.
"I was using that broom!" Jean shouted.
"Well you suck at your job so I'm just going to sweep, lazy ass!" Eren snapped.
"What?! I was doing just fine!" Jean shouted and gripped onto the back of the sofa.
"Guys, quiet down... you're both going to get in trouble." Lilly looked over and saw a feather duster laying on the shelf.
"He took the broom while I was dumping out the dust pan." Jean said.
Lilly looked at Eren and waited for his answer.
"Lilly, Jean does a terrible job sweeping. You know Levi has high expectations!" Eren said nervously.
Lilly grabbed the feather duster and put it in Jean's hands.
"Just dust the windows off, okay? It's not a big deal." Lilly said to Jean.
"You're right, it's not. But I'm sick of this little psycho thinking he's better than me!" Jean growled at Eren.
"It doesn't take much effort to be useful." Eren said under his breath.
"What did you say you little-"
"You heard me horse face!" Eren snapped as he held the broom in his hand.
"Guys!" Lilly shouted and grabbed both their collars and tugged them down to her level.
Both of them were significantly taller than her, but it didn't take much effort to bring them down to look her in the eyes.
"Look me in the eyes! You two better stop your bitching right now. We all are tired. We all are stressed out. We all are trying to get this place in good shape. No one wants to hear you fighting over pointless things like a godforsaken broom. If you guys can't behave, then I'll just switch with one of you and one of you can work beside Captain Levi in the kitchen unloading the boxes." Lilly said sternly and then let go of their collars.
"What's wrong with working besides me?" Levi asked from the doorway.
"Nothing Sir!" Jean and Eren said with a salute.
Lilly turned and smirked at him before entering the kitchen, leaving Levi sternly glaring at the two men in the living area.
...
Lilly was cleaning the table and chairs and then felt a hand on her back. She turned around and looked to see Levi standing behind her. He looked around to make sure no one was around before pulling her in closely. He moved her hair from her face and looked into her eyes with a slight hint of reluctance.
"What's wrong?" she asked as she draped her arms around his neck, still looking into his eyes.
"I have to leave now. I'll try to come back before dark." He said.
"What? Are you going to tell us why we are here?" Lilly asked.
"It will be easier when I bring Hange back. She couldn't come up with us because she had to take care of something. I couldn't even tell you what she was up to, but it seemed urgent. So I'm going back to meet with her and Erwin before escorting her up here." Levi said.
"I see...Is there anything you'd like me to take care of while you're away?" Lilly asked.
"Just take care of yourself. Rest. You've done your part here in this kitchen. It looks good." He said.
"Well you did help too." She said.
"Which is why it looks good." Levi said.
She rolled her eyes at him.
"Roll those eyes at me again and I'll pluck them right out of your head." Levi said.
"I'd like to see that, Captain." She smirked as she teased him.
"It'd be the last thing you see." Levi said in a low tone, with his mouth just grazing her ear.
Lilly smiled at him for a moment and then frowned slightly.
"Well I guess you should go. Before it gets any later. We will have food ready for you and Hange when you get back." Lilly said.
"I'll be looking forward to that." Levi said before pressing a kiss against her cheek.
His lips traced against her skin until they found her lips where he planted a final kiss. His lips were warm and smooth against her own, and she didn't want them to leave.
"Um, Captain.." Eren's voice came from the doorway.
Levi pulled away but the warmth of his lips still lingered. Lilly's eyes widened when she looked up and saw that Eren, Jean and Sasha were standing in the doorway staring at them with reddened faces of their own. Lilly turned slightly to hide her own embarrassment.
Levi seemed to be the only one unaffected by the intrusion.
"Yes?" Levi asked.
"Well we just were letting you know that we finished the living room and the bedroom upstairs. We set out everyone's bedrolls too. We didn't know if you wanted to check before you left." Eren said awkwardly.
Jean's face was beet red and he was avoiding looking up at Lilly.
Levi quietly stepped forward and walked past them to enter the living room. Lilly quietly walked behind him so she could see the progress that was made too.
The house really had been in rough shape prior.
But it was true, they had done a good job in the living room, and they even moved around the furniture to give it a new feel. There was even a warm crackling fire lit in the fireplace.
"We tried to start the wood stove upstairs but we think it might be broken. None of us know how to fix it though, so we were hoping maybe you or Hange could when you get back." Eren said.
"I'll go take a look at it." Levi said as he ran his fingers along the shelves to check for dust.
Once he was done inspecting the living space, he started to go up the stairs to check the bedroom. They all watched nervously as he inspected the room. He ran his fingers across anything that could have dust or cobwebs. But thankfully he found nothing. He then knelt down before the wood stove on the slate floor that it stood on and began to observe it. After a few minutes he stood up and wiped his hands on a rag.
"The vent door is jammed. Birds or a squirrel probably made a nest in there. I'll have to take the tubing apart when I get back. But for now, stay warm in the living room. Eren, Jean, Conny, Armin. Split wood for tonight. Mikasa, Sasha, Historia, Lilly. Put dinner together." Levi said.
"I'll help with the wood." Mikasa said.
"But Mikasa, aren't you still injured?!" Eren asked.
"I want to stay in shape." Mikasa said.
"I saw her doing sit-ups earlier." Armin said.
"Mikasa!" Eren said.
"Then I don't mind helping with dinner." Jean said.
"Of course you don't, pervert." Eren mumbled.
"I don't care who does what. It just better be done before I return with Hange." Levi said as he walked past them and headed downstairs.
...,.
The group watched in silence as Levi rode off into the woods towards headquarters. After they returned indoors, they started to tend to the jobs that they were asked to do.
Lilly was helping in the kitchen with Sasha, Jean, and Historia.
Lilly and Sasha were pealing potatoes and Historia was chopping carrots at the table. Then Jean came walking in with a sack of potatoes.
"Here's more potatoes. They're your buddies, right Sasha?" Jean teased as he plopped the sack on the table.
"What could you be talking about? I've forgotten all about it." Sasha said as she cut a potato, obviously being sarcastic.
Jean leaned back in his chair as he held a potato against a peeling knife and smirked.
"Don't worry, I'm sure anyone else in the 104th could remind you." Jean said.
Sasha looked down at the potatoes with hungry eyes. Sweat was glistening on her forehead. Lilly was watching her while trying not to crack a smile.
"That's right Sasha. Just try to sneak some food out. Captain Levi will slice you into nice bite-sized pieces." Jean said as he peeled his potato.
"I-I wouldn't." Sasha said.
"Alright carrots are done. I'm going to start the water." Historia said.
"I've definitely peeled enough potatoes. I'm going to pick some herbs to season the stew." Lilly said as she rose up from her seat and walked over to the cabinets.
"Pick something good Lilly." Jean said.
"As if I wouldn't?" Lilly laughed.
She had made a special place for her herb jars and tinctures on one shelf, and she was very proud of her space.
"That should be enough firewood for tonight." Armin said as he entered the kitchen with Conny, Eren, and Mikasa.
"Yeah hopefully Captain Levi can fix that wood stove tonight. It's getting pretty cold." Conny said.
Lilly grabbed a few of her jars and placed them on the counter, she lifted the lid off the rosemary and let the aroma rise up to greet her face.
"We need to be careful with these groceries. If we lose them or ruin them, we will starve to death." Armin said.
"We don't have to depend on these groceries. We can hunt in the mountains." Sasha said.
"We can't, Sasha. Even this far out, hunting is still prohibited. What's the point of hiding out here in the first place if people find us out there hunting and start talking." Armin said.
"We still don't even know why we are here." Conny said.
"I don't care why. This place is way too far from everything." Jean said.
"I kind of like it. I think it's peaceful." Lilly turned around and smiled.
"It really is beautiful up here." Historia said as she walked by with a stack of bowls.
Lilly then went over to the pantry and pulled out some beef.
"Great choice Lilly." Sasha said enthusiastically.
Lilly began butchering it and Jean stood beside her to watch. The others continued chatting amongst themselves.
"Who taught you to cook?" Jean asked.
"My mother did." Lilly gave him a weak smile.
"I don't really tell anyone, but my mother taught me as well. In fact, let me help you." Jean pulled out another cutting board and started chopping beside Lilly.
"Are you ashamed to be able to cook?" Lilly asked. "It's not just a woman's job. We all need to eat." Lilly said as she grabbed an onion.
"It's not that. You know how everyone is about my mom... and the whole 'Jeanie' thing never really died down." Jean said.
"Ah, I see." Lilly smirked. "I think that was sweet. She loves you. No need to be ashamed of that. Just be grateful she is still here." Lilly smiled briefly before looking down and sighing. "Because I wish my mom was here. And I'd let her call me any stupid name in the book if she was." Lilly said.
"I'm sorry... I-I didn't think of it that way." Jean frowned.
"I know. Don't worry about it." Lilly said with a smile.
...
A few more hours had passed and the stew was still simmering slowly. The aroma filled the house and everyone's stomachs were growling as they waited in the living space.
"What's taking them so long?" Conny asked.
"It's getting late." Jean said.
Just then they heard horse hooves outside. They all looked out the window and saw Hange and Levi getting off their horses.
"Thank goodness, I was beginning to starve." Sasha said.
"Starve? You were just snacking-"
Sasha covered Conny's mouth and shushed him.
Just then the front door opened and a cold draft came into the house. Lilly's eyes landed on Levi as soon as he walked in. Hange came in behind him and hung her jacket on the hooks on the wall.
"Wow, smells great in here!" Hange grinned as she wandered into the kitchen.
"It does." Levi said in an almost surprised tone before entering the kitchen behind Hange.
...
After some table setting, they were all seated around the table with their bowls of beef and vegetable stew. Levi had taken his seat beside Lilly and Jean had sat on her other side quietly. Lilly watched as Levi had given Jean a ever so slight stern eye before turning his head away.
Lilly at this point just wanted to know what was going on and why they were here. But she continued to wait patiently in her seat while taking small bites of her food.
"Well done guys. This came out fantastic. Right Levi?" Hange said as she wiped her mouth.
"Mm." Levi answered with a napkin over his mouth, nodding his head slightly.
Then the tea kettle started to steam so Lilly got out of her seat to finish preparing it.
"Did anyone else besides Captain Levi want ant tea?" Lilly asked.
"I'll have some." Hange said.
"Me also." Historia said.
Lilly carefully walked over and began pouring Hange her cup.
"Thanks Lilly!" Hange grinned.
Lilly smiled at Hange. She was somewhat relieved she was here. There was something about her high energy and enthusiasm that was extremely refreshing to Lilly. Even if she got carried away at times, Lilly didn't mind any.
"Thank you." Historia said as Lilly poured hers afterwards.
The room was quiet still. Everyone was still waiting for answers. It was a heavy awkward feeling that filled the room.
Lilly made her way to where Levi was seated and hovered beside him as she began to pour his tea.
*LEVI POV*
He could smell her.
As she leaned over to pour him his tea, her scent rose to his nose and it drove him mad. How he wanted to just grab a fist full of her icy platinum hair and kiss her.
Do more than kiss her.
It had been well over two weeks now since he'd last bedded her.
Too long for him. He'd grown hungry and even the slightest brush against his skin made him clench his teeth.
But they'd been busy. What could he really do.
So he'd remain frustrated.
She finished pouring his tea and all he could do was stare blankly at her.
"Thank you." He managed to say after sorting through his distracting thoughts.
"You're welcome." She smiled politely.
How he admired her for this. Being able to hold it all together and still smile despite all this going on around her. She had no clue about real details of it though.
But he knew her.
And he knew though she was able to keep a calm outward appearance, that her mind was likely going a mile a minute.
Levi couldn't help but notice that everyone at the table seemed to get noticeably more quiet as Lilly interacted him. Even just pouring his tea. But especially Jean would pause and send side glances. He probably remembered what he and the others had walked in on earlier.
But he didn't care.
Of course he hadn't intended for Jean to have seen him kissing Lilly, holding her tightly against him as he reluctantly said goodbye to her. He was much more reserved than that. They had only assumed the brats were still upstairs cleaning away.
He could remember just how red Jean's face had gotten.
He wasn't by any means threatened by Jean.
But he didn't like how glued to Lilly's side he was either.
Surely It wouldn't hurt to remind him what was his place was.
"So are you going to tell us why we are all hiding up in the mountains away from everything and why we were ordered to wear casual clothing?" Jean asked abruptly.
"Oh. Right." Levi wiped his mouth and placed his napkin down.
Lilly was waiting with a serious expression for his answer.
"We have a hunch that the royal government may be after Eren and Historia after recent events. Eren for his obvious titan abilities, and Historia for her connection with a noble family who may know more about titans than any of us. We aren't quite sure why they want her, considering there are plenty of aristocratic families within these walls. This is suspicious to us alone. We are out here till things quiet down. Your jobs for now are to protect Eren and Historia." Levi said.
Levi couldn't help but notice everyone's puzzled expressions. He took a sip and placed his tea down quietly, feeling everyone's eyes on him. He looked up again before starting to speak once more.
"But though much as happened recently, our goal is still the same. That is to close the first hole in Wall Maria and to get to Eren's basement. As long as we can do that, most of the details don't matter. Whether it's the people next to us turning into titans, a hair covered titan tossing boulders at us, or a handful of titans popping up inside the walls." Levi said.
They all still remained silent, obviously in deep thought. Levi looked at Armin who was staring at the table thinking.
"Hey, Armin. You said if things went well, that we could plug up the wall fast. Explain that again." Levi said.
"Yes sir... my idea was to have Eren transform into a titan, then use his abilities to seal the wall. The walls seem to be made of hardened titan bodies, so if we could create enough matter on the spot to plug the hole... if that's even possible of course. There'd be no need for wagons to carry large amounts of material like in the original plan. We could just choose a cloudy night when titans are less active, to head to the wall. If it's just us, we should be able to travel the road from Trost District to Shiganshina District in one night. Under these ideal conditions, the mission to retake Wall Maria would take less than 24 hours." Armin said.
Everyone continued to be silent.
Lilly was staring at her tea with almost no emotion, beside him.
"But now that I'm talking about it again, it does sound like a pie in the sky dream." Armin said with a frown.
Levi looked up again at Armin.
"Whether that dream can become a reality depends on this guy." Levi said as he nodded towards Eren who was seated across from him.
"Yes Sir. I understand that." Eren answered.
"Hear that, Hange? He's for it. And you're the one who will choose where our experiments will take place." Levi turned to look at Hange on his left side.
"Yes, of course it's my duty, as long as I'm alive..." Hange said in a serious tone that he'd not often heard her use.
Levi furrowed his brows and his mouth fell slightly open.
"Huh?" Was all he could manage.
"The Garrison is fully mobilized and patrolling the wall. That requires an incredible amount of labor and manpower. Patrols in the walled cities have become so infrequent, they can't even maintain order. This situation will only compound chaos in the cities. We have to recapture Wall Maria. I'm even more convinced than before. I want everyone to feel safe again soon..." Hange looked at every single one of them and sighed.
"I want this to be a world where people can live without fighting each other. That's why I want to test out Eren's powers as soon as possible. This time we will experiment without fear to find out more about his hardening ability, and everything else. The idea that he may have manipulated the titans...is an amazing possibility. If Eren can really do that, it very well could turn everything around!" Hange said with a hopeful smile.
Levi's eyes were still watching Hange. Something was up with her.
"That's why we can't sit around and waste time! We have to hurry and take action but I still want Eren to lay low for the time being." Hange said.
"What?!" Eren asked almost spitting out his food.
"But... why?" Armin asked.
"The situation seems to be even more complicated than I thought." Hange said.
Levi raised and eyebrow and casually draped his arm over the back of his seat as he leaned back. He looked into Hange's eyes. The look she returned to him confirmed she was caught.
"From the moment you got here, it looked like you've been on edge. Like you're holding in a shit. You've still got that look on your face. So why do you need to keep it inside? Tell me Hange." Levi said.
"Pastor Nick is dead." Hange said suddenly.
"Huh?" Levi sat up.
He felt Lilly stir uncomfortably in the seat next to him.
"He was found dead this morning in the Trost District barracks. I don't know the cause of death, but I know he was tortured and murdered. I had thought that the church would try their hands on Nick once they learned he was helping the Survey Corps. That's why I hid his identity and kept him hidden away in the barracks. But I never imagined they'd use soldiers to kill him. I was naive, that's why he is dead." Hange looked down.
Levi lifted his tea to his mouth and took a sip.
"So the MPs tortured Pastor Nick to find out how much he told us?" Armin asked.
"Probably... they'd want to know if the connection between the Reiss family and the church had gotten out, and they'd want to know where Eren and Historia are. This only confirms things further." Levi said.
"Of course we shared this information with Commander Erwin, Commander Pixis, and the entire Survey Corps. So the tables have turned on the interior MPs. We are watching them. So they shouldn't be able to do anything too extreme. Still, if they change their methods, there's still plenty of ways they could find us. We don't know who is a friend or an enemy right now. Even coming here today, I had to assign shadows to look for anyone following us... though I don't believe this location is compromised yet." Hange said.
Levi looked over to Lilly who seemed to be trying to process all of this information with the rest of her comrades. Levi then returned his gaze towards Hange.
"So that's why you want to hold off on the experiments with Eren?" Levi asked.
"Yeah. From the time Eren's power was revealed, someone from the interior was trying desperately to get their hands on him. But since the recent turmoil, the level of pressure has changed. They're trampling through territory that they used to see as off-limits. They may have already split into two military factions. Everything inside the walls has become unstable too. If you think about this calmly, it becomes more clear that outside enemies like Reiner and Bertholdt had allies on the inside the whole time. In other words, what we need to be worried about is being fatally stabbed in the back while our attention is diverted outside the walls." Hange said as she looked around at everyone.
"So? You're saying we should just sit here and have tea parties instead?" Levi asked.
"There still a lot we could do inside. Like knitting!...please just for now." Hange said.
"Just for now? No, it's the opposite. Do you think these people are going to give up that easily? They'll find us here eventually. If we do nothing but run, then all that's left for us to do is get caught. Hange, you're normally clearheaded. But right now, you feel responsible for Nick getting killed and that's made you timid. How many of Nick's fingernails were torn off?" Levi asked.
"Huh?" Hange asked.
"Levi-"
"You saw him didn't you?" Levi spoke over Lilly.
Hange didn't answer.
"How many?" Levi asked.
"I don't know. I only saw him for a moment but all the ones I could see were torn off." Hange finally answered.
"Ah. If you're going to talk, you'd talk after just one. If you're not going to talk, it doesn't matter how many they rip off. While I do think Nick was an idiot, it looks like he held onto his faith to the end. If there's a strong chance Nick didn't talk, then it's possible that our someone in the interior hasn't noticed that the Survey Corps is watching the Reiss family. Anyways, there are two paths we can go down. We go outside before we are stabbed in the back, or we exterminate our would be killers first. What do you choose Hange? ...Go before we are stabbed?" Levi asked.
"Both. We'll do both at the same time." Hange said with a determined look on her face.
"I guess that's exactly what Erwin would say..." Levi said.
...
After dinner, Levi started to help everyone clean up. They were all pretty quiet after their discussion. He couldn't blame them.
This was a lot to chew.
But it was strange to see Lilly acting so quiet around him too. Perhaps she was just being timid now that they weren't alone at this point.
Either way, he needed to start planning the location of their experiments with Eren, which Hange would ultimately choose. But they needed to start getting the wheels turning quick.
Levi brushed his arm past Lilly's innocently as he walked past her to exit the kitchen, but then he heard Jean start to speak.
"Is what Conny said about your theory true?" Jean asked. "Were the titans from Wall Rose really people? Was his mom really turned into a titan?" Jean asked Hange.
Lilly's eyes opened wide and Levi instantly shot his eyes over to her.
Hange swallowed with a grim look on her face.
"It's a theory, we can't prove it. But there's evidence that it may be the case." Hange answered.
*LILLY POV*
Lilly slowly walked past Levi who watched her quietly. She exited the cabin and stood outside, just trying to breathe in some fresh night air so she could think in peace. Crickets chirped around her as she stared up into the starry sky. Her mouth felt dry and her heart was pounding.
That couldn't have been true...
How could the people of Radako been turned into titans? By who?
Lilly continued to gaze into the sky, staring up at the stars which seemed to be far brighter out here than back at headquarters. She touched the silver pendant around her neck and took a deep breath.
Oh how she missed her mother. She wished she could talk to her again. She wished she could tell her about April's wedding which was coming up in only just a week. Would she even get to go now that they're forced into hiding? Would she have to miss that special day now?
Why was everything such a mess?
"I'm sorry, I didn't know they didn't tell you." Jean's voice came from behind her.
Lilly didn't answer. She closed her eyes.
She felt Jean pull her in and hug her tightly.
"I'm sorry that all of this is happening. If you need to talk about anything, you can lean on me. This isn't an easy time for any of us." Jean said into her hair.
"When did you hear this? About my village and the theory?" Lilly asked.
"A week ago. Conny was asked to go with Hange to discuss the evidence of the situation with Commander Erwin and Captain Levi after we returned from getting Eren back from Reiner and Bertholdt. I assumed Captain Levi would have told you..." Jean said.
She thought back to the week before.
Levi did look off a week ago. He looked like he was keeping something inside.
Apparently a huge shit of his own.
It was his eyes that gave him away. That was the thing with his eyes. They could hide anything or tell everything.
But why hadn't he told her?
"Careful getting so close, Kirsten." Levi's voice came from the doorway of the cabin.
His tone was almost threatening.
He had his leg crossed over the other as he leaned against the doorframe.
Lilly turned her head to look at Levi and frowned before looking away again.
"She just got over a nasty fever. Wouldn't want you to catch one yourself." Levi said in a low tone.
She could hear the irritation on his tongue.
Jean stepped away and nodded at Lilly.
"Goodnight Lilly, rest well. The offer still stands, if you ever need anyone to talk to." Jean said as he walked past Levi to enter the cabin.
Levi kept his eyes on Lilly as she stared back at him.
"Were you going to tell me?" Lilly asked with heavy eyes.
Levi stared at her with no emotion before stepping forward.
"It's just a theory. It's not a proven fact. Why fill your head with worry and your heart with hurt if this shit isn't set in stone?" He asked.
Lilly's mouth fell open slightly.
"Because it had to do with my village. My people...My parents." Lilly's voice cracked and she turned away from embarrassment.
She felt Levi's hand spin her around so she was looking into his eyes.
"I didn't want to hurt you if I didn't need to. Like I said, this is not proven to be true. I don't want to believe I've been spending all my time and energy running around actually killing people either." He said.
Lilly broke eye contact with him and looked away into the trees. Levi sighed and let go of her before turning his muscular back to her. He turned his head slightly before speaking.
"I've set out your bed roll upstairs. You should rest. It's been a long ride here. I'll even try to fix the wood stove so you don't freeze your ass off tonight." He said before disappearing into the darkness of the cabin.
...
After some thinking, Lilly eventually went inside and locked the door behind her. Everyone was still gathered in the living area chatting away and joking quietly. Lilly went up the stairs and saw Levi was kneeling down in front of the wood stove with a candle, trying to take apart the vent.
She watched as he pulled the tube out, sending black soot and dust up into his face and all over the slate mantle.
"Piece of shit." Levi growled under his breath as he began to remove his now extremely filthy shirt.
Lilly lifted her hand to her mouth and giggled in the doorway.
Levi turned around and glared at her with soot smeared across his face. Lilly slowly made her way over to him and knelt down beside him.
"Can I help you?" She asked.
"If you're not still pissed at me." He said as he put the rag down.
"I think seeing you covered in filth like this has made it even. I can only imagine that your skin must be crawling right now." Lilly said as she reached for a fresh cloth and the water bucket on the shelf in the corner.
She returned in front of him and began to wash his face and neck.
"I'm sorry... that I didn't tell you..." He said as she wiped his forehead.
"Close your eyes." Lilly said.
He obediently closed his eyes and she took the cloth and wiped them.
"You understand right?" He asked.
"I do. Just kind of thought you were being a hypocrite." Lilly answered with a small sigh.
"What? Why?" Levi's eyes shot open and he held her wrists still.
"Oh nothing. I just noticed you told Hange that she was holding in a shit earlier for not telling you something. But so were you. I could tell a week ago when you came into the bedroom that you weren't telling me something." Lilly said.
Levi stared at her blankly.
"You held in a big shit." Lilly said to his face.
Levi rolled his eyes and dove onto her, pushing her back and peppering kisses all over her face, smearing the soot on her skin.
"Levi!" Lilly laughed loudly.
Then they knocked over the water bucket onto the floor, spilling it onto a sleeping roll.
"Uh oh..." Lilly said.
"Well... that one can be Jean's." Levi said nonchalantly.
"What?! You can't just give him a wet bed roll." Lilly said.
"Yes I can. I planned for this one to be his anyways." Levi said.
"You planned them out? Like assigned them?" Lilly asked.
Levi sat back and scratched his bare chest.
"Yeah, yours is all the way over there." Levi pointed to her roll which was truly in the opposite corner, and it really wasn't possible for it to be any further from Jean's.
Lilly smirked and looked at Levi.
"You're jealous, aren't you." Lilly said as she raised a brow at him.
"Tch. Jealous? Didn't know you could be so funny." Levi said as he grabbed the cloth and started wiping the soot away from his chest.
"Funny? I'm just calling it as I see it." Lilly said as she began to wipe up the spill.
"You know how he feels about you." Levi said in a more serious tone.
"I do. But I've known him a long time. He's always been a good friend." Lilly said as she picked up the damp bedroll.
"I know. It's just... annoying." Levi said as he stood up. "This wood stove probably wont be done tonight. We need to patch up the vent now. Anyways, my clothes are downstairs. Hang his bedroll to dry by the fireplace." Levi said.
Lilly looked up and smiled at him.
...
Lilly and Levi made their way downstairs and everyone's eyes were glued to them.
Obviously because not only was Levi shirtless, but they were both completely covered in black soot.
"Well I hoped you guys fixed the wood stove." Jean said in a aggravated tone as he glared at them, obviously trying not to look at Levi.
"Well, you're out of luck there Kirstein. And your bedroll is wet. We will leave it here to dry." Levi said.
"Wet?! Why is it wet?...wet with what?!" Jean looked disgusted.
"Oh. It's just water." Levi said as he placed it down on the floor in front of the fire.
"Well you guys look like you had fun." Hange said giving Levi a suspicious smile.
"Tch. That vent shot soot out everywhere, just incase you couldn't see through those shitty glasses of yours. The stove will have to wait until tomorrow." Levi said.
"So are we all going to freeze up there tonight?" Mikasa asked.
"Any of you are more than welcome to bring your rolls down here for tonight." Levi said.
"I call the couch!" Conny said as he got up and ran upstairs.
"What? You're small enough to fit on the loveseat! I'm the tallest one here!" Jean said.
Eren and Mikasa went upstairs quietly followed by Armin and Historia.
"I don't mind sleeping up there. It shouldn't be too cold with the chimney going up the wall." Hange said.
"Yeah, I don't mind either. I get too hot when I sleep anyways. When I do sleep." Levi said as he found a change of clothes.
"There is a creek just behind the cabin, Captain, if you're trying to wash up." Hange said.
"Good to know." Levi said as he threw a towel over his shoulder.
"Waters cold. Obviously." Hange said.
"Lilly, come get washed. You're gross." Levi said as he opened the door.
"Oh... I'll meet you outback. I have to grab a night shirt." Lilly said as she started to make her way up stairs.
When she entered the bedroom, each of the girls were taking turns changing in the closet. She quietly went through her bag and found a jacket and a night shirt and then held them in her arms.
"Going to wash up?" Eren asked.
"Yeah. Not looking forward to it." Lilly said.
"The water is really cold. Sucks not having showers out here. But hopefully we won't have to stay out here too long." Eren smiled, his green eyes watching her.
"Do you have a spare towel Eren?" Lilly asked as she went through her bag.
"Yeah, let me grab it for you." Eren said as he opened up his bag.
Lilly took a seat beside him on his bed roll.
Just then Mikasa exited the closet with her nightgown on.
"What are you looking for Eren?" Mikasa asked.
"Lilly needs a towel." Eren said. "Ah there it is." Eren pulled out a white towel.
"Oh, the creek is really cold." Mikasa said.
"So I've been told. Three times. Must be really cold. Thanks Eren." Lilly smiled.
"Yeah no problem... Hey by the way, we heard you laughing up here with Captain Levi. I never heard you laugh like that before." Eren said.
Lilly's face turned red and she twisted her hair in her fingers. Why was he saying this to her?
"Well I don't know, he just was joking around?..and it made me laugh." Lilly explained, not that she was sure that an explanation was what Eren was asking for.
"Really? He was ... joking around?" Eren asked and looked at Mikasa with surprise.
Mikasa just shrugged.
"Well yeah. We kinda pick on each other..." Lilly said sheepishly.
"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to get in your business. It's just I remember when I first joined the scouts and when I actually saw the way Levi was... I just wasn't expecting him to be so serious all the time...and intimidating. Petra broke it down for me back then...So hearing you upstairs laughing like that with him was just strange for all of us. I mean, we've all had an ass whooping from Levi at one point or another." Eren said.
"Yeah, even you Lilly." Mikasa said as she sat beside Eren.
"Oh you guys remember that?" Lilly asked followed by a nervous chuckle.
"Yeah. Why do you think everyone was so shocked when you ended up together?" Mikasa said.
"I guess I didn't think of it that way. I'm sorry you guys walked in on us in the kitchen earlier. We didn't think anyone was downstairs." Lilly said bashfully.
"Why are you sorry? You mean when he kissed you?" Eren said.
"We usually try to be a bit more discreet is all." Lilly said.
"Nah, I don't care. I think it's nice seeing the Captain act like a normal person. You know, the whole having obvious feelings thing. I think he has a lot of stress and pressure on his shoulders, so if kissing you makes him feel even a little better, then who am I to say anything." Eren said.
"Wow Eren. I didn't realize you were so thoughtful." Lilly laughed.
"One of the most thoughtful people I know." Mikasa said.
"Well thanks you guys. I better go meet Captain Levi out back. He's probably getting impatient." Lilly laughed.
"Oh yeah. He's definitely going to say something to you." Eren said and laughed.
Lilly laughed and quickly made her way down the stairs and past Jean and out the door.
"Hey Lilly-"
"Not now, I'm in a hurry!" Lilly said as she ran out into the grass and around the cabin.
She could see the small glow of a candle through the trees a little ways. She quickly ran through the trees, almost tripping over a root.
She finally made it to the creek and saw Levi washing himself on the edge of the water with a towel around his waist. The air was chilly and she could tell he was trying to hurry. He looked up at her with displeasure.
"What took so long? Don't you know it's cold?" Levi said as he began to slide a grey long sleeve shirt over his head.
"Sorry, I forgot to pack a towel." Lilly said as she crouched down and put her finger in the water.
Freezing cold.
"Oh no. I am not washing myself in this water more than one night." Lilly said.
"Tomorrow we will be able to heat up wash bucket on the stove so you can use it in the room. But we will have to use the creek if you want to get thoroughly clean is all. So don't worry about it. Just hurry up and get clean." Levi said as he handed her some soap.
Lilly quickly pulled up her dress and began washing her legs in the icy water.
"Oh this is sooo cold." Lilly said as she washed her skin.
"Hurry and we can get inside." Levi said from behind her.
"I'm trying. Turn around and make sure no one is coming." Lilly said.
"No one is coming. Are you kidding me. We are so far from everything and everyone." Levi grumped.
Lilly huffed and started to pull her dress over her head. Her nipples immediately perked up as soon as the chilly night air blew against her. She heard a stick crunch behind her.
"You're not sly, Levi." She said as she brought her cloth up to her chest.
"And all this time I thought I was." He said.
Lilly felt his hand snake down her shoulder.
"You should let a lady bathe in peace." Lilly smirked as she felt the warmth of his hand radiating onto her chilled wet skin.
Levi lowered his face to her ear and nipped at it.
"You're no lady. You're just a brat." Levi said in a low tone, reaching down for her breast.
"Levi Ackerman, let me bathe so I can get dressed." Lilly said.
"Alright, Alright. Just hurry it up." Levi backed off her slowly.
Lilly finished washing her body and then wet her hair carefully. She was shivering and trying her best to get clean, but this would have to do till tomorrow.
Lilly turned around to grab her towel but it was gone, along with her clothes. She let her hand fall to the grass and she looked up to the sky.
"Levi, give me my clothes." Lilly said, trying to hide the smile curving on her lips.
"I have them. They're right here." Levi said, holding her clothes in his arms.
Lilly stood up, naked and dripping wet.
"Can I have them please?" Lilly asked.
"Sure, come get them." Levi said.
Lilly slowly walked towards him, hoping he wouldn't give her a hard time.
"I just enjoy seeing you like this." Levi said as he handed her the towel.
"Like what? Cold?!" Lilly asked as she wrapped herself up in the towel.
"Nude." Levi said.
"Pervert." Lilly jabbed.
She could feel water dripping off her eyelashes.
"It's been a while you know. Can you blame me?" Levi asked, looking at her with icy eyes.
"How long?" Lilly asked as she slid her sleeping gown over her head.
"Two weeks. That's long enough." Levi said firmly.
"Well aren't you straight forward." Lilly said as she began to walk past him.
"I've been told." Levi said as he followed her back to the cabin.
...
When they entered the cabin, they saw Jean sprawled out on the loveseat, and Conny and Sasha huddled together on the couch. Eren and Mikasa were laying next to each other not far from the fireplace. Historia was sleeping off to the side.
Lilly slowly crept up the stairs with Levi trailing close behind her. When they got upstairs, Hange was sitting against the wall looking over maps by the warm glow of candlelight.
"It's late four eyes." Levi said.
"I'm just trying to choose a good location for the experiments. The sooner I decide, the sooner we can start." Hange said.
"I'll help you in the morning. You've had a long day." Levi said as he moved his bedroll over closer to Lilly's.
"I guess I can finish narrowing down my search in the morning." Hange said as she started to fold her maps up.
A worried expression was still worn on her face.
Lilly climbed into her bedroll, and instantly felt the discomfort of laying on the floor. Levi climbed into his bedroll next to her and just stared at the ceiling until Hange blew out the candle.
Lilly sighed and tried to roll over on her side to get comfortable. But all she could feel was the her hipbones digging into the floor. The bedroll wasn't necessarily the thickest. She she rolled over onto her stomach, but felt like her breasts were being crushed. So she rolled over on her other side but tried curling her legs up. Still not comfortable.
It was extremely difficult to go from sleeping in a mattress to sleeping on the floor. How long were they going to stay here?
Lilly rolled over onto her back again, and then felt Levi's hand on her shoulder. She looked over and saw him get up on his elbow and open his roll, inviting her in.
Lilly quietly climbed out of hers and slid in front of Levi into his. She grabbed her pillow and placed it under her legs to create more of a cushion between her and the floor. Levi stuck his arm under his pillow, and his other arm around her small waist. He pressed his mouth against the back of her neck, sending goosebumps across her skin.
It was much warmer this way.
Lilly closed her eyes and started to drift into sleep with the quiet sounds of his breaths puffing against her skin.