Two days later, Levi was just leaving the capital with Eren and Hange and were on their way back to headquarters.

The proposal for the machine that Hange had come up with was approved, and they could start construction on it as soon as possible. He had missed Lilly, even if it had been just one night away from her. He'd grown accustomed to laying in bed with her every night, the sound of her breathing being a comforting white noise for him.

He glanced over at Hange and huffed.

He figured now would be a good time to invite Hange and Jaeger to the wedding, now that their important business in Mitras was taken care of.

The thing was, he was putting off telling Hange on purpose.

Hange was probably one of his closest friends. They'd talked a lot the past few years, and she was always amusing to him when things got dull around headquarters. He appreciated her intelligence and her creativity, and they worked closely together frequently. She and he were the Commander's most trusted, for sure. But during the uprising, it had brought their friendship to a whole new level. Some of the plans and strategies that had gotten his squad through that nightmare were completely owed to the mixture of both their insightful minds. She thought in ways he didn't, and vice versa. He appreciated her point of view, even if sometimes he couldn't understand that wild mind of hers.

And well, she also helped save Lilly's life.

And that he was most grateful for.

But truth be told, she tended to be overly excited about certain things, and sometimes too touchy. But now they were on their horses, and she wouldn't be able to reach out and squeeze the living hell out of him when he spilled the news.

Now was his best bet.

"Hey. Hange." Levi spoke as he rode beside Eren.

Hange turned her head to look at him from from her saddle.

"Yes, Levi?" She asked in a cheerful tone.

He cleared his throat awkwardly before he opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm getting hitched three weeks from today. Figured you would want to come." He said dryly, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"Whatttt?!" Hange squealed as she slowed her horse to ride at the same pace as his.

She reached out for him, nearly falling off her horse.

"For fucksake Hange, keep your hands to yourself." Levi groaned.

"You're getting married?!" Hange asked excitedly.

"Yes, four eyes. Quit making so much fucking noise." He said as he adjusted his horse's reigns, glancing over at her quietly. "Can you make it? Or will you be busy probing titans' asses that day?" Levi asked in a bored tone.

Hange grinned wide and her eyes lit up.

"Of course I will come! Levi, I'm so friggin' happy for you! How exciting! I haven't been to a wedding in so long! Oh I bet Lilly will look absolutely amazing in a wedding gown." Hange held her reigns up to her chest as she sighed.

"And you. Jaeger." Levi glanced over to the young boy who had kept silent, trying hard to mind his own business. "Wanna come?"

"Uh, Yes Sir! I'd be happy to come." Eren answered, obvious taken off guard by the fact that he was invited.

Levi nodded quietly before returning his focus back on the road.

"Good." He said.

Hange continued to babble on in her typical energetic way about the details of the wedding as they rode on. It wasn't hard for him to tune her out after about fifteen more minutes. But she didn't try to hug him again.

So that was a plus.

He sighed softly as he looked down at the silver leaf pendant that had snuck out of his shirt.

Well.

That was easier than he expected.

He wondered how everyone else was taking the news back at headquarters.

...

*LILLY POV*

"So why'd you ask us to meet you here? Is everything okay?" Jean asked.

Lilly had asked Conny, Jean, Sasha, Armin, and Mikasa to meet her at the Mess Hall half an hour before dinner. She figured it'd be easier to invite them all at once, and that it'd be nice for them to all have some tea together.

She hardly really saw much of them now that she was off duty.

And she missed each one of them dearly.

"Well, Yes. I just have some news that I wanted to share with you all." Lilly said softly.

"Don't tell me you're pregnant again." Conny said.

Sasha smacked him upside the head.

"Ow!" He groaned as he rubbed the short fuzz on his scalp.

"Idiot." Mikasa muttered.

"No. I'm not pregnant, again, Conny... that's not how.. it... works..." Lilly said with a slightly concerned expression. "Armin, I'll let you explain that one to him." Lilly smiled softly.

"Why me?!" Armin groaned.

God, didn't Conny's parents teach him anything? She could hear her own mother's words echoing in her head "That Conny boy... he's not very bright".

"Well then what?" Jean asked, his eyes digging into her.

Lilly took in a deep breath.

"Well...I'm getting married. Levi asked me to marry him." Lilly smiled.

Everyone stared at her with their mouths hung open. Mikasa just stared at her blankly.

"He.. he did?! Congratulations!" Sasha said.

"Thank you." Lilly smiled.

"Wait.. let me get this straight... the Captain got down on one knee?!" Conny asked in disbelief.

"Is it that hard to imagine him asking me? And no he didn't, we were laying in the grass looking at the clouds." Lilly explained.

All of them practically fell out of their seats.

"Laying in the grass?! Did he get dirty?!" Sasha asked.

"Congratulations. Where's the ring?" Mikasa asked.

Lilly quietly put her hand over the wooden table and showed them the shiny new ring.

"Wow, it's really pretty Lilly. Congratulations." Armin said with a smile.

"Thanks." She grinned.

"Wow, I'm so happy for you!" Sasha said. "When's the wedding? Will there be food?" She asked.

"Three Sundays from now. And I'm not sure about that. We haven't discussed what we'd do after the actual ceremony yet just because it's going to be such a small wedding. But you're all invited, and it'd mean a lot if you all could be there." Lilly said.

"I'll be there." Mikasa said.

"Me too!" Sasha said.

"We all will." Armin said.

Lilly looked over at Jean who was sitting quietly. He gave her a soft smile and sighed.

"I'll be there. Congratulations, Lilly. You deserve to be happy." He said with a nod as he slowly rose from his seat to leave the Mess Hall.

Lilly's expression dropped when he left, as the others talked amongst themselves about the wedding.

"So, when are you getting your dress?" Mikasa asked.

"I already purchased it. It won't be ready for a while though." Lilly said.

"Oh I can't wait to see!" Sasha beamed.

"How is your pregnancy going?" Armin asked.

"It's going good, I'm just so sleepy all the time. And hungry. This baby is always giving me the weirdest cravings too." Lilly chuckled.

"Like what? What do you like to eat? ...Tell me!" Sasha leaned forward on her elbow, listening intently.

"Um.. I don't know. I guess a lot of cheese? And pickles. Lots of those." Lilly smiled.

"Mmmm." Sasha hummed.

"Oh don't get her started Lilly." Conny groaned.

Lilly laughed and smiled at all of her friends. She was lucky to have such good company.

She just wished Jean had stayed.

...

Later on, Lilly had tiptoed out of the bath and quickly wrapped herself up in a towel.

Levi should have been back by now, but perhaps he got caught up in something. She walked quietly into the bedroom, dripping water from her hair onto the floorboards. She dried herself off the best she could before dropping the towel to the ground and creeping over to the closet to look for a shirt to sleep in.

She stood there with with her hands on her belly, rubbing at the small swell in her abdomen.

She was experiencing more cramps as each week passed.

Then she felt something bubble up under where her hand was placed. She froze and her face dropped.

Was that the baby?

It was so faint, it was hard to tell.

She rubbed her belly again, trying to see if that would cause it to happen again. Then she felt a stronger sensation within her uterus, definitely a movement. She covered her mouth and her eyes teared up as a wave of awe and joy washed over her.

She actually felt her baby move.

But just then, she felt strong arms wrap around her waist.

She screamed and turned around frantically to find Levi was standing there with an amused look on his face.

"God dammit Levi. Why would you just sneak up on me like that?!" She panted.

She didn't even hear a floorboard creak behind her.

"I'm sorry. Usually you're asleep by now, so I was quiet going up the steps. Didn't expect to see you standing there...nude." He pulled her back in to him, his nose brushing against her cheek bone, lips grazing her ear. "I did miss you." He said.

"I missed you too, you pervert." She said softly. "I-I just felt the baby move.." She smiled as she looked into his eyes.

"What?" He asked as his hand swiftly flew down to feel her abdomen. "Just now?" He asked frantically, moving his hands around on her skin.

"Well before you startled me, yes. It did feel like little bubbles, like April said. I couldn't feel it from the outside with my hand though, so I doubt you'd be able to." She frowned gently at him.

A small frown tugged on his lips.

"Oh."

"But you will soon. Maybe by the time we get married." Lilly said reassuringly. "The baby just has to get a little stronger." She said.

"He will be strong." Levi said as he gently rubbed her abdomen.

"Or she." Lilly said with a raised brow.

Just then she felt the movement inside her again, and her face lit up.

"There, again. The baby just moved again." Lilly placed her hand over Levi's and grinned.

"I can't feel it, Lilly." He frowned.

It appeared that he was genuinely disappointed by this. It was rather sweet.

"No, but isn't it special to know your child is moving right under your hand?" She said as she caressed his cheek.

Levi lowered himself down to her abdomen and pressed his lips to her bloated belly.

"The proposal was approved for that machine." He said quietly.

"That's great." Lilly said as she stared down at Levi who had his eyes closed.

"I also invited Hange and Eren to the wedding." Levi said.

"And, how'd that go?" Lilly chuckled knowingly.

"Obviously she lost her shit. But overall, well." He smirked against her skin.

"I figured. I invited the rest of the squad today." Lilly said.

"And?" He asked.

"They were all happy and they're looking forward to it." She said.

"Jean too?" Levi asked as he rose to his feet to look at her expression.

Lilly sighed softly as she remembered how quiet Jean had gotten after she spilled the news. He looked like he wanted to be happy for her, but he was being troubled within.

"That's a no, I assume." Levi said.

"I don't know. He said congratulations and told me I deserved to be happy. He just didn't look as thrilled as everyone else." Lilly said as she walked over to the closet to grab a shirt.

"Well, feelings don't just disappear. It probably wasn't easy for him to hear." Levi said as he begun to unbutton his shirt.

Lilly slid a clean white undershirt over her head and then climbed into bed.

"Should I talk to him?" Lilly asked.

Levi turned to stare at her.

"Personally, I don't think you should. What could you possibly say? The only thing that would ease that mopey kid's mind is if you said 'Levi doesn't want me or my baby anymore, will you take over from here?'. Which, believe me, wouldn't happen in a million fucking years. Just leave him be. That's what I think. He'll get over it eventually." Levi said as he unbuttoned his pants.

Lilly stared at him blankly.

Levi had a point, perhaps it would be better if she just let him be...

It just made her uncomfortable knowing her friend was upset...

She felt Levi crawl into bed beside her and then wrap his string arms around her.

"Rest well. Tomorrow we are looking at that plot like I said we would. If you like it, then that's where we will live." He said against her shoulder.

"I'm looking forward to it." She whispered .

"Me too."