It had been a couple of weeks since the Scouts were told about the Walls being made of Titans. Hanji was trying to help Eren train in a hardening technique to help mend Wall Maria, but it was proving difficult. On top of that, they'd been working non-stop trying to find out the origins of the Walls and what Krista Lenz, rather Historia Reiss an illegitimate daughter to the Reiss family, had to do with it. Hanji and Levi managed to "convince" a pastor at the Church named Nick to tell them something about what was going on. Pastor Nick, however, barely said anything about what the Church was hiding from the rest of its congregation.
As all that was going on within the Walls, outside more and more Titans were appearing. Not only that, but there was a giant Titan, larger than the Colossal Titan that had been dubbed the Beast Titan. It had brown fur, long arms, and massive yellow eyes. It was hypothesized that it was directing Titan hordes to different villages outside Wall Sina. A small scouting group composed of Reiner, Bertholdt, Sasha, Conny, Ymir, and Historia, had spread out to go to their respective home towns to check up on them. They were instructed to bring any survivors back to an abandoned fort but they were the only ones to return, every town had been obliterated. It was revealed that Ymir had Titan powers after they had a run-in with the Beast Titan and his horde at the abandoned fort.
Everyone was at a loss for words at this discovery, and tensions grew higher. Hanji and Erwin wondered if there were any more Titan shifters within their ranks or in other factions of the military. Ymir didn't seem to have any ill intent towards humanity, just like Eren. She didn't seem to have a care for it either, however, and that bothered Erwin. They kept a close eye on Historia, Eren, Ymir, making sure to triple security around them and Pastor Nick. The Scout leaders were confident they were close to all the answers they were looking for. Whatever the Church hid, and the answers in Eren's basement would reveal everything, but they needed to keep them safe.
Mila had returned to HQ after running another bout of "paperwork" to the Palace of the King. She was relegated to intelligence missions within the Walls. She learned the MPs were cracking down on security around the Church and the Palace. They didn't like what the Scouts were doing or discovering, and that excited Mila. If they were hiding something, that meant that Erwin was getting closer to answers. She dismounted and all but ran back to his office to find him and the rest of the leaders engaged in a discussion.
"If we don't do something now, they're going to kill him," Hanji said, her voice had a tinge of hysteria to it.
"They've threatened to kidnap Historia as well, Erwin," Levi's voice had an urgency to it that Mila had grown accustomed to.
Mila cleared her throat and saluted awkwardly, "Sir, I've returned with news."
The room silenced and stared at her, "More and more MP troops are surrounding HQ as we speak."
"Anything regarding Pastor Nick or Historia?" Erwin asked. He looked tired as he had dark circles under his eyes.
Mila shook her head, "Just the usual chatter about Hanji getting her nose where it doesn't belong. The only thing of note is that they're moving a noble by the name of Reiss tonight to an undisclosed location."
"Historia's father maybe?" Erwin mused aloud, he turned to face the window with his hands behind his back, "Mila, Levi, tonight you two will stay here and keep a watch on Historia and the Pastor. Hanji and I will be trying to find out who the noble is. Good work Mila."
She nodded and saluted again, "Sir."
She looked at Levi. His mouth softened a little bit at Erwin's orders, but his eyes still looked troubled. It had been a while since Mila and the Captain had another rendezvous. Everything blew up after the capture of Annie Leonhart, and they'd hardly had any private time together. When they were alone, they were too tired to do anything but talk. Even then, Mila did all the talking while the Captain listened. She found herself telling him about Silas, her brother, and about what her family was like. She told him about her aspirations to get outside the Walls and taste freedom. He never said anything back, he just stayed silent and listened.
Mila barely knew anything about the man she loved so deeply, but she knew that he at least liked her. For now, that was enough. She didn't need to know what his favorite tea was, or what his childhood was like. All she needed was to be near him, and she felt whole. Now was not the time for courting, but she did feel like she wanted to know more about him. She spilled out her whole life story to him and he didn't seem to mind. It felt like she was giving a summary of her life. She wanted someone to know about Silas, about his aspirations to leave the Walls, and fulfill them if she couldn't. Who better to do that than the Captain who had survived countless battles?
That night, Mila and Levi sat at a table in the hall just outside Historia and Pastor Nick's quarters. They shared a fresh pot of black tea and Mila had brought up some bread and cheese. She felt a small sense of happiness in her ability to share this moment with Captain Levi. It had been a while since the last time they were alone. Well, they were out in a hall where anyone could see them but still, she cherished it.
"Why do you think Erwin is having us babysit?" Mila asked the Captain, taking a sip of scalding tea.
"Tch," Levi scoffed and crossed his arms, "Hell if I know."
They sat there in awkward silence for a few beats, each draining their cup of tea. Mila found herself fiddling with her hair, braiding it and undoing, then redoing it again. She didn't know how to talk to him in such a public space. Sure, there was no one around right now, but anyone could pop in at any moment.
"It's been cold the last few nights," Mila said, she immediately wished she had kept her mouth shut.
"Just talk, Brandt," Levi rolled his eyes, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
Mila bit her lower lip and looked away, "Okay...well, I was wondering...have you ever thought about marriage?"
She didn't know where the question came from, and seemed to be an awfully personal topic. She stared down at the table in front of them, wishing she had said nothing at all.
"There's no reason to think of such things," he said simply, Mila looked up to see him staring her down.
"Suppose there was a reason," she countered, "Would you ever want to?"
Levi kept looking at her with his intense gray gaze, "What would the reason be?"
"We destroy all the Titans," she tossed her newly braided hair over her shoulder, "Humanity is free to roam outside the Walls. We don't have to be soldiers anymore."
Levi leaned back in his chair and sighed, "You really think that'll happen in our lifetime?"
"Not mine," she sighed, "Maybe yours, however. You are humanity's greatest soldier."
He scoffed again, he looked up at the ceiling, "No, I wouldn't get married."
Mila looked down in disappointment, "Oh."
"Would you?" he asked.
"If we lived in the world I just described," she smiled, "yes, I would."
Levi cocked an eyebrow, "Don't tell me you'd marry Horse Face? I've seen you flirting with him."
Mila blushed and threw a piece of bread at him, "You're not funny. Besides, he's too young."
"He'll grow up," Levi kept teasing her.
"I'm into older men." She threw back.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Like who?"
"...you."
He was silent again, shaking his head.
"Well, you asked...and you know how I feel about you, Captain." Mila looked around them to make sure no one was listening.
"You shouldn't want to marry a man like me." He finally spoke.
"Why not?" She was getting annoyed at him.
"You just shouldn't," he said, his tone told her he didn't want to talk about it anymore.
Mila ground her teeth and looked away, she played with a butter knife. Of course, she wanted to marry the Captain if they survived the war. Saying it out loud was stupid though, and she felt like an idiot for saying anything. Levi would never see her as anything more than someone to share his bed. She told herself she didn't mind it, and she really didn't. She was just trying to gauge if there was a possibility of having a future with him.
"What's your take on everything that's happening, sir?" She decided to change the subject, the silence was deafening.
"Everything goes to the top," he said, looking at her again.
"You mean the King?" she asked.
"Our world is built on a tomb of lies, Brandt," he leaned forward, "Everything that we knew no longer holds true. The Church, the State...even the Military. It's only a matter of time until we find out what's in Eren's basement and by that same token, what the Church is hiding."
"What do you think they're hiding?"
"The truth about what's outside those Walls and," he paused to pour himself another cup of tea, "I'd stake my right arm to say they know the truth about those filthy Titans as well."
He poured her fresh cup of tea as well and Mila looked down at her cup. She saw her reflection in the tea. She had her own ideas about who Historia really was, and often questioned the truthfulness of the powers above them. Mila often thought that the ones who truly held the power within the Walls were the Church and the MPs. The King had nothing to do with it, though she figured that was by design as well. Erwin never trusted anyone outside Hanji and Levi, not even the other Commanders of the other military factions. Mila took that as a sign that she should do the same. Erwin had never steered them wrong.
"Why did want to talk about marriage?" he asked.
Mila choked on the tea she was sipping and tried to clear her throat, "J-Just a question."
"Remember that you were the one who didn't want to define this." he sounded a little sour, Mila didn't know why he brought it up again.
"It seems like I struck a nerve." She set down her cup and cradled her chin on her hands, "Is there something bothering you?"
Levi looked at her then crossed his arms again, "I just want to know why you were taking back your original statement."
"I didn't take back my original statement," she was pissed now, "I was just asking a harmless question. If you'd like, I'll keep my mouth shut for the rest of the night."
Levi sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Marriage isn't something I would ever pick out for myself."
"Let the record show that you're the one who brought it up again, not me."
"Will you just listen?" his voice was sharper than usual, it made a shiver go down Mila's spine, "I think about you a lot since...well, since that day. We haven't spent that much time together since, but that's our lives right now. What I'm trying to say is that all I can tell you right now is that I'm thinking about you. Can you be satisfied with that for now?"
Mila bit her lower lip and blushed, "Captain-"
"Levi," he corrected.
"Er...Levi," Mila blushed harder, looking around to make sure they were still alone, "I'm sorry that I pushed you to talk about something you were uncomfortable with. I don't know where it came from."
"I'll always forgive you," he said, there was warmth in his voice, "I'll just have to punish you for your insolence first."
Mila shifted in her seat and squeezed her thighs together, "Anyway, how much longer do you think we'll have to babysit Nick and Historia?"
"Mila," his voice was serious again, "If everything goes to shit after today-"
"Stay by your side. I know, Captain." She interrupted him quickly, still blushing, "What do you think is going to happen?"
"I'm serious Brandt," his gray gaze seared into her soul, "If you want that future you talked about to come true, I need you to listen to what I'm saying."
Mila felt her knees go weak as they so often do when she's around him. He was affirming his feelings for her without saying anything. She didn't need him to say the words out loud, this was enough. More than enough.
"Why are you saying all this?" she asked quietly.
"You never let me say anything about what I felt that day," he was still staring at her, "I figured you would want to know."
Mila stared back at him and felt her body lean forward over the table. She pressed a chaste kiss on his lips before sitting back down in her seat, feeling bashful.
"Sorry, that was stupid," she started to say, "Someone could've se-"
Levi had leaned over the table to kiss her back, not caring if anyone saw them at the moment. He wasn't good with words or talking about his feelings, but he knew that showing her how he felt was important. He didn't know if he or she would survive the war, but he did know that if they did he didn't want to be without her. He didn't want to say all this to her, for fear of losing her but he was going to show her damn it.
Mila tried to pull back but his grip was too strong. At least, that's what she told herself. She didn't want to stop kissing him. She wanted to feel him for as long as she could. To know that he loved her too, even if he didn't voice it. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, she didn't want to think about it. All she wanted was to live in this moment right now. To show him she understood what he was saying, that she felt the same.
If he didn't care about being caught, neither did she. She tried to hide their relationship for his sake anyway, but he threw all caution to the wind. Mila would do the same, she always followed his lead. And she would follow his orders to make sure that the future they both wanted was a possibility.
Levi pulled away just to have her stand up so he could pin her to the wall. He kissed her deeply and passionately, his hands gripped her waist tightly. Mila tangled her fingers into his hair as she so often did. Her heart was racing. No matter how many times she kissed him it always felt like the first time. His body was warm and hard in the best way. She couldn't get enough.
"Levi," she said between kisses, "I love you."
"Mila," he murmured, kissing her deeper than before.
Before she knew it, her pants were around her ankles and his member was inside her. He was thrusting into her with so much passion it took everything in Mila not to moan out his name.
"Someone might see us," she managed to whisper as she buried her face in his neck.
He kept thrusting into her with no intention of stopping, "Then let them."
This time their lovemaking felt different, instead of lust it felt pure. Like they were making a promise to each other about the future. Mila knew she loved Levi more than she could ever put into words. Levi knew he'd fallen hard for her as well, and wished he had the courage to say he loved her back. They both panted quietly, kissing each other hungrily. Mila nipped at Levi's neck as he continued to pump into her needily, making sure she felt every stroke.
"I'm close," he said through gritted teeth.
Mila felt the familiar knot of her orgasm in her lower abdomen tighten like it did when she was close, "Levi...please."
With a final thrust, ropes of cum painted Mila's insides. He felt her core pulse around him, milking out every drop. His body felt like it was on fire, and he kissed her hard. Mila kissed him back, telling him with every fiber of her being that she loved him.
"If I die-" she started.
"Don't finish that sentence," he said, pressing his lips against hers harder, "Don't you dare finish that sentence."
Mila pulled away enough so her forehead rested against his, her green eyes bore into his gray ones, "If I die, don't go back to how you used to be. Promise me."
"Mila-"
"Promise me." she was breathless, and she didn't know where this was coming from but she didn't care.
He hesitated and kissed her again, "You're not going to die, Mila. Not if you listen to me and stay by my side."
Mila kissed him back, "Always."
But she wasn't so sure she could keep that promise.