Levi punched the sandbag, stronger and faster than before. Then again and again, until he could feel the pain surpass the protective bandages over his hands, reaching his knuckles. He needed proof of his agony.

He switched the strikes to kicks, the bag bending to the side as the rusty metal chain hanging it screeched. With every twist of his ankles, the dust on the ground lifted and swirled around his white pants. But he didn't care, just like he didn't care about the technique and control of his kicks, only their strength and release.

Left. Right. Again. Higher. Stronger. Better. Simple actions to substitute the complex emotions in his mind. Zeke's plan was no longer a faint idea, a "worst-case scenario" resort. No, it was an official proposal, written with those fancy calligraphed words. It had Kiyomi's signature at its end and a blank space next to it, waiting for Historia's. And she wasn't opposing it.

They were going to do it. They were actually going to work hand in hand with the cold-blooded beast that had murdered Erwin and all those kids in Shiganshina. The one he had sworn to kill.

Left. Right. He switched to punches again. At least Eren had complained about the plan, but the Commanders wouldn't listen to a seventeen-year-old kid, no matter his power. And they wouldn't listen to Levi's opinion either, no matter all the battles he had led, all the horrors he had seen.

Grunting, Levi delivered one last, powerful strike with his left hand, feeling the sand sinking underneath. He dropped himself on the floor, observing the bag sway like a pendulum while his shallow breathing slowly turned normal. But the rest of him didn't.

The afternoon sunlight, covering the empty training courtyard, shone on the drops of sweat over his arms and naked torso. He didn't like to train outside; too much dust to remove from the uniform, too many people observing him. But everyone was probably on their way to dinner, and he had hoped that the last rays of the sun would give him some clarity.

Levi threw his head back and stared at the clear sky. Barely any bird's chirps or footsteps from the building could be heard. He was completely alone, and despite his regular need for quietness and tranquility, his loneliness had slowly become too much for him to handle.

Instead of dwelling on his frustrated wishes of revenge, Levi stood up and went towards a water tank. He splattered some of it over his face and chest, but as he extended his hand to reach a nearby hanger, he realized that he had forgotten his towel in the changing room. Without even registering it, he punched the edge of the tank, water spilling all over as he focused on his distorted reflection.

"Looking for this?" said a voice. Levi turned around.

Hange leaned against the doorframe connecting the hallway with the yard, a white towel in their hands. Before Levi could reply, they threw it towards him.

"Thanks," he mumbled, swiftly catching the towel. Hange approached him. They were still wearing their wrinkled uniform, and they hadn't joined the rest of the Commanders for dinner. That could only mean that their day was far from over. "Shouldn't you be sucking it up to Kiyomi for her kindness ?"

Hange scoffed and adjusted their glasses. "You are such an asshole sometimes, you know that?"

"Yeah," he whispered, drying off the water and sweat on him. "How did you find me?"

"Well, you left the meeting so angry that I figured you would be here, blowing off some steam or whatever."

"Right." Levi looked away, rubbing the towel against his chest. Hange took a step forward and cleared their throat.

"Look, Levi…"

He stopped his motion and instantly turned to them. "If you are going to give me another talk about how this is in the island's best interest, spare me."

"I wouldn't need to if you didn't go around with that annoying, judging face of yours," they replied, and Levi frowned. "Yes, that one."

"This is just my face."

"Yeah, sure," Hange scoffed. "I get that this is…difficult for you. But you need to see the bigger picture here."

"What bigger picture? Breeding Historia for the next thirteen years because a furry killer said so?" Levi turned around and placed his hands over the tank, staring at his reflection again as he mumbled, "There has to be another way."

"We've been going around in circles for the past year. This is the best shot we have. And if you disagree so much, why don't you speak up at the meetings? Why don't you propose something?"

He stared at his reflection again. What could he possibly offer? All his life had been dedicated to slicing necks, human and titans alike, at someone else's command. Kenny, Erwin, and now Hange.

"I'm not…qualified," he mumbled.

Hange grunted, "Oh and you think I am? You think I took a course in Commander or something?"

"That's not what I meant."

Levi turned around, leaning his back against the tank as he stared at Hange. An apology began to form in his mind when they interrupted him.

"I know," sighed Hange. "Look, I can't do anything if you don't tell me what's on your mind."

A drop of water fell from a lock of his hair and splattered on the floor. Levi looked at it, how insignificant it became alongside all that dust.

"You weren't there," he whispered.

"Hm?"

"You weren't there," he repeated with a louder voice. "You didn't see how he laughed when he threw those rocks. You didn't hear them screaming." Quieter, he added, "I still hear them."

"I—"

Levi turned to them and crossed his arms. "What if it happens again? How can you entrust the island's future to that bastard and that greedy, old woman?"

Hange rubbed their forehead. Levi waited for their response, feeling the faint sunlight burning his back.

"Kiyomi needs the iceburst stones and Mikasa. Their clan won't survive without them," they explained. "Both of our nations are on the tightrope, and if they trust Zeke, so can we."

Levi scoffed, "Trust? Really?"

"What?" Hange lifted their arms in disbelief. "Say it."

Levi dropped the towel on the floor. If they wanted to hear his opinion, he would be loud and clear about it.

"You worry about Sophie backstabbing us, but you don't mind working with Erwin's murderer." He approached them and scoffed, "Weren't you the one asking her to take responsibility for her actions?"

Hange crossed their arms and looked away. "Come on, don't make this about Sophie."

"Maybe you should ask Kiyomi to spy on her instead, since she is so trustworthy."

"Levi…"

"What?" he grunted. "You wanted my opinion? There you go."

"You are not being fair."

Levi clenched his fists, shaking his head as he took a step forward. "He almost wiped us out there, Hange. You didn't—"

"Enough!"

Their shout echoed over the courtyard before everything turned to silence again. A few water drops from the tank fell on the pool under it with a muffled plink. Levi observed Hange's hurt expression, the sun glaring on their glasses as they bit their lower lip.

Hange turned around and leaned their back against the stone wall, hanging their head.

"I know I wasn't there," They paused and sniffled before continuing, "I know I will never understand what you went through. And I know…" Their voice began to tremble. "I know I should've died that day. I shouldn't have let Moblit protect me. I should've exchanged places with Erwin. I should've…"

Hange cut themselves off and slid their back until they sat on the floor. Levi approached them, trying to figure out a way to comfort them. Was there even one?

He had never had trouble following orders and doing what he was told, but every day they spent discussing that plan, it became harder to reach out to Hange, beyond the ranks and diplomacy talks.

But for their sake, he had to. Levi kneeled in front of them, looking for a way to appeal to them as his comrade and not a cold-hearted superior.

"Hange…"

"Sorry." A fake, transient smirk appeared on their face. "I know you hate all that stuff about regrets."

"No, I get it." Levi shook his head, trying to find the right words, one desperate act to convince them of backing out from that plan. "But think about it, Hange. We lost everything because of him."

"I know," they whispered, looking away.

Levi sat next to them as they silently stared into the sunset. The Commander of the Corps, hesitating. And Humanity's Strongest Soldier, powerless.

"I just want you to understand that I don't want to do this. I don't want to put you against Sophie or make any deals with that beast," said Hange. "And yes, maybe we shouldn't trust Zeke, but I don't know what else to do, Levi." They turned to him, the eye under the glass reflecting their conflict. "I'm sorry, but none of us get to be selfish now."

Levi threw his head back and let out a small breath. "Did we ever?"

"No," they whispered. "I guess not."

The ochre color of the horizon became dimmer as night began to close on them. Just as he had never wanted to slice necks, Hange didn't want to be in such a liable, key position. Even if he didn't know whether to believe in Zeke, he knew that he could always believe in Hange.

"You know my opinion on this, Hange," said Levi, observing their profile. "But whatever you choose to do, I'll trust you."

"And if I'm wrong?" replied Hange. "What if you are right, and I'm worried about the wrong person backstabbing us?"

Levi took a moment before replying. He could deal with collaborating with Zeke, as long as he got to fulfill his promise in the end. But could he deal with another betrayal? Another bloodshed?

Still, for the island's future, and Hange's confidence in their position, he had to take that risk.

"I'll still trust that you will find a way to do what's best."

Hange had offered Levi to have dinner with them, but the tension from their conversation still lingered on, and he wasn't keen on eating a stale sandwich in-between awkward looks and small talk. Instead, he had taken a shower, put on a clean uniform, and headed home.

"I have to change this shitty door," he muttered to himself as he entered his apartment, the clefts still visible in the twilight.

On the way there, he had kept circling back to Hange's words, doing what was necessary for the island and not selfish wishes of revenge. But was their selective, blind trust enough to allow such a plan? After everything they had lost and everyone's sacrifice?

As he walked up the stairs, he was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the vague, savory smell arriving at his nose. He paused and lifted his chin, sniffling again to make sure of his suspicion. Was that...?

Levi climbed up the rest of the stairs, the smell becoming stronger and clearer. At least it wasn't a burnt one. Once he opened the door, he found the table from the kitchen moved to the middle of the room with plates, cutlery, and glasses set up over it. Too confused by the sight, he tip-toed into the apartment and slowly let go of the door, revealing the kitchen behind it. And Sophie.

She turned to him and smiled, "Oh, hey."

Levi took a moment to observe her. She had done something with her hair, but he wasn't sure of what. It was slightly wavy, a couple of pins on each side holding the strands behind her ears. There was black powder around her eyes, making them look rounder and bigger, and crimson tint over her lips and cheeks. Her outfit had changed from farmer's clothes to a cream shirt, tucked under a pleated violet skirt that looked like it had once been of a brighter color. Levi noticed that she seemed taller than before, and he switched his gaze towards her feet for a moment to confirm his suspicion. She wore beige, rounded tip high-heels. Why was she wearing heels around the house?

"Shit, no," muttered Sophie, returning her attention to the two pans, boiling over the kitchen stove. She stirred one of them and then turned off the fire. Levi straightened his back, recovering his composure.

"Hey," he managed to breathe out.

Sophie looked at him and whispered, "Hey." She bent her neck and added, "Uhm, I'm sorry about the mess. I promise I'll clean it up later,"

Over her shoulder, Levi distinguished a pile of dirty cooking utensils and food stains over the kitchen counter. His skin bristled for a moment, but he shook the thought away and focused on Sophie.

"You didn't have to do this," he said.

"Oh." Her cheeks turned redder as she babbled, "I'm sorry if this is…too much. I wanted to thank you for letting me stay here. And for everything else, I guess."

"Right, yeah," he gulped, trying to find a way to convey his gratitude that didn't sound as crude. "I appreciate it."

Sophie looked down and grabbed his left hand with a gasp. "What happened?"

Levi blinked and followed her eyes. The knuckles were red and swollen, with little patches of violet. She passed her fingers over them, carefully enough for him to not feel any pain.

"I was training, don't worry." He placed a hand over hers and moved it away.

"Don't you have bandages, or…?"

"Sophie," he whispered, his fingers still lightly wrapped around her palm. "It's fine."

"Okay," she sighed. "I know you said my cooking is dreadful, but I made some of our old recipes for dinner." Her eyes scanned him as she asked, "Do you want to try it?"

"Sure."

Sophie smiled, "Great. Go sit down. I'll take care of the rest."

Levi followed her invitation and, from the chair, he observed her moving around the kitchen. She brought the pans to the table and served the food: potatoes with some vegetable sauce. As soon as he saw it over the plate, he remembered; that smell was the same one invading their den back in the Underground after cooking dinner. Something he thought he would never witness again, was now right in front of him, transporting him back to those days of petty crimes.

"Look, I was thinking…" She sat down and cleared her throat. "Since there is no secret complot, husband, or imminent exile, I was hoping we could…talk. Like, really talk."

"About?"

"Oh, anything. It's just that I would prefer if it wasn't all about work."

Levi grabbed the fork and knife, observing the hot food in front of him. No talks about work would mean no spying on her or dwelling on those dreaded meetings. For that night, with that food and comfort he had been missing, he could pretend that there was nothing else. Just like in Yormgen.

He looked at Sophie and nodded, "Yeah, I would like that too."

"Great," she smiled. "Well, enjoy!"

Instead of grabbing the cutlery, Sophie observed him take the first bite, expectant. He let the flavors mix in his tongue, merging with that familiar smell from before.

"It's good, actually," he said as he swallowed. "Yeah, it's good."

A grin of satisfaction suddenly appeared on Sophie's face. "So you agree, then?"

"On what?"

"That my cooking is not dreadful."

Levi leaned back on the chair and scoffed, "It's better than whatever rat you used to throw in a pot back in the Underground. But you still need to tone down the spices."

She swayed her head and pouted. "Alright, alright."

They both continued to eat their food in silence. Levi wasn't used to dinner conversations that didn't involve teasing Hange, talking about equipment, tactics, and the training of the recruits. Talking about work, thinking about work, had been his life for the past decade. But he still tried to replace those heavy thoughts of revenge and trust with simple, easy chatting.

"How was your day? he mumbled, unsure.

"Fine, I guess. I read up on Charles's horrible notes, went for a walk, and cooked dinner. Nothing special." She drank some water and asked, "What about yours?"

"I had a couple of meetings."

"Boring ones?"

Levi frowned. "Are there fun ones?"

"I remember there was good cake in some of them," she laughed. Seeing her cheeks lighting up, Levi almost felt the urge to smirk too. "Speaking of, I went to this bakery during my walk and got some pastries for dessert."

Levi dropped the fork, and its cheap metal clinked against the plate. No. Not that bakery. Not her .

He noticed Sophie's worried expression and forced himself to clear his mind and throat. "Which bakery?"

"The one next to the gate," she replied, hesitant, her eyes widening. "What? You don't like it?"

"No, no. I—" Levi let out a small breath of relief. "I do. Thanks."

He turned his attention back to the food, but he noticed Sophie's curious gaze on him, dissecting his words rather than the plate in front of her. Levi remained impassive but aware of her tense presence. Once she leaned back on the chair and continued eating without suspicion, he allowed himself to breathe out, focusing on his tangible present instead of the memories of the past.

The scene wasn't so different from their Underground days, but they were. They could no longer bond over Sophie's lack of tidiness in her workspace or Levi's grumpy habits. He was still observing her like back then, but with a different reason than trying to get to know her, to understand her passion and dedication.

They both had changed so much. Was there any part of their old selves left? Could he talk to the woman that had once had the Military wrapped around her finger in the same way he would've talked to that lousy, crafty girl? Would she dare to mock him for being a ruthless brute and growing up with a murderer like she used to?

"How is that teashop of yours going?"

Levi blinked several times. "Sorry?"

"The teashop," she repeated. "You said that when you didn't have to fight anymore, you would open a teashop. Do you have it already?"

Levi relaxed his shoulders. She remembered.

"No," he whispered, grabbing his glass of water.

"Why?" she asked. "If there are no more Titans, I assume that counts as not fighting, right?"

"Yes, but…" He repeated the question in his head. Why? "I'm still very busy."

He wasn't. Besides training and meetings, he had no missions to prepare, no necks to slice. What was stopping him?

After a pause, she asked, "Well, have you found a place for it, at least?"

"For the teashop?"

Sophie nodded, "Where do you want to open it?"

Levi stared at her, frowning. He hadn't really wondered it. He had always seen that teashop as a distant dream, something too far away and unreachable, but close enough to help him keep going, promises aside.

He stared at the wooden ceiling and thought about it before replying. "Here, in Trost, I think. Yes, I like it here."

"That's nice." She drank some water and clicked her tongue. "It's a shame you haven't opened it yet, though."

"Huh?" Levi observed her standing up and heading towards the bedroom. "Where are you going?"

She placed a finger over her lips before disappearing behind the door. "Just give me a moment."

Levi waited for her return, observing the almost empty plate in front of him. Probably the first full meal he had had in days. He closed his eyes and took another bite, relishing that familiar taste and smell when faint footsteps began to approach him.

"I took the liberty of looking at your tea collection," said Sophie, returning to the kitchen with her hands behind her back. Levi frowned at her intrusion. "What? I needed to know what to buy for dinner."

"Tch, sure."

"And I have to say…" Instead of sitting on her chair, she kneeled next to Levi's. "That I'm a bit disappointed. You only have dust tea, not the loose leaves. The dust is just the leftovers from the—"

"The broken leaves. Yes, I know," he finished the sentence, but she didn't seem bothered by it. "The loose leaves taste better, but the dust is cheaper and easier to find in Wall Rose."

Sophie smiled and placed her hand over the table, holding a small, brown cord sack.

"There you go," she said, sliding it towards Levi.

He undid the black string around it, and the whiff of black tea appeared on his face. He stretched the fabric and opened the sack, revealing dry, elongated tea leaves inside. "Where did you get this? I always had to go to Mitras to find them."

"I know an old apothecary close to the food market," she placed her fingers over the sack as she explained, "She gets loose leaves to hide the taste of her mixes because…"

"Their flavor is much stronger," they said in unison.

Levi breathed out. He hadn't been wrong after all. She could still understand him, make him forget his role as a struggling soldier, make him feel things beyond grief and loss.

"It must've been expensive," he whispered, passing the tip of his fingers over the leaves. "I'll pay you back."

"Don't worry, I had some hidden savings in Yormgen for the class," she shrugged. "Too bad the apothecary didn't recognize me. She always made me a special price." The smirk on her face disappeared as she muttered, "Well, actually, I guess it's better that she didn't…recognize me."

"Sophie…"

"Anyway!" She took a deep breath, subtly changing her expression to a more cheerful one. "I thought you could use it for the tea mixes of your shop, but maybe you can be a little selfish and enjoy them yourself."

Be a little selfish.

Could he? He couldn't be selfish at the HQ, but what stopped him from it in his own house? Why hadn't he opened his teashop yet?

"Yeah, you are right," he said with a tiny voice. "Let's try it together."

Sophie smiled and walked towards the kitchen. Levi observed her setting up a kettle as if she had always been around the house. She fit in like those cogs she used to put together back in the Underground.

Nothing had changed, but there was something missing. Something he had waited for since the moment she had stepped into that old carriage. While she lit up the stove again with a match, he headed into the bedroom and grabbed the black case under his bed.

Sophie kept obliviously arranging dishes and humming. After leaving the case on the table, Levi approached her and instinctively put a hand over her shoulder. At first, to get her attention, but as she turned around, he realized that closeness had triggered something else in him. He wasn't looking at the mess over the sink, thinking about the impotence of his position and his disagreements with Hange. He could only focus on what was right in front of him; a broad smile and the round, dark eyes he had missed for so long. The only ones that understood him beyond his rank, no matter the years or distance apart.

He knew he shouldn't get close to her, not after the duty that Hange had assigned him. But all the doubts they had planted on his mind weren't there anymore. Only a quiet sentiment between them. He had dedicated his life fighting for what was right, but no one, from Hange to him, knew what the right thing was. And if the rest of the world wasn't playing fair, why should he? Why wait for permission to start living his own life?

The screech of the boiling water inside the teapot interrupted his thoughts, but he kept staring at Sophie. Meanwhile, her gaze switched back and forth between him and the stove.

"Tea?" she whispered. Her eyes fixed on him again, no rush or impatience in them.

He slid his hand from her shoulder down to her arm. "Yes."

Levi returned to the table and stood in front of the leather case. As he opened its metal locks, he noticed a hand on his back, and a faint breathing next to his ear.

"You kept it," said Sophie.

His skin bristled, but he didn't turn to her. Instead, he lifted the cover, revealing her bright tea set. The intricate and colorful designs of the white cups gleamed from the light above them.

"These cups are very nice," he mumbled, passing his fingers over them. He caressed the row of silver cutlery and then moved his hand to the strap above, holding a metal needle. Sophie observed him as he gently took it out.

Sophie chuckled, "I never thought I would see it again." Levi offered it to her, but she shook her head. "I'm done with that. Besides, it's not like I can wear it anymore." She grabbed her hair, unsuccessfully trying to put it in a bun before letting it fall back again. "May I ask what happened to the other one?"

"I gave it to Historia to fund the Underground orphanages," he said, putting the needle back inside the case. "I hope you don't want it back."

"Many of my kids stayed there before the families adopted them" She leaned against the edge of the table while Levi took out two cups. "I guess that in a way, I did get it back. And as something more valuable than before."

Levi served the tea and placed himself next to her, offering her the drink. She grabbed it, but he noticed a teasing smirk on her face. "What?"

"Nothing," she scoffed. "You keep doing that thing with your teacup."

He looked at his usual grip. "Does it make me weird?"

"I think it makes you special."

They took a few sips in silence, observing the sparkly night sky through the window. The taste of the tea was stronger than what he was used to, but in an intense rather than bitter manner. And for once, he hadn't had to break into her house to have tea with her.

"What about you?" he asked.

"Hm?"

"You wanted a toyshop."

"Oh, right." She lifted her chin and wrinkled her nose. "Hm, I don't know. Once I started the school, I sort of forgot about it." Levi observed her profile and the little freckles on her cheek, illuminated by the lamp above and the moonlight from the window. "Truth is, I think I realized that I didn't need anything else."

"Must be nice." Levi left the teacup on the table. "Feeling like that."

Sophie also put the cup down and turned to him. "Don't you?"

"Sometimes."

"Like when?"

He tried to recall specific scenarios and times where he had shared that sentiment. But he was too mesmerized by Sophie's face, the light outlining her face, shining on her pupils with the whiff of tea between them. He didn't have to look too far.

"Right now," he breathed out.

She batted her eyes, leaning forward as she slowly separated her lips. Levi didn't move, thinking about his duty, the mission Hange had assigned him, how he couldn't let such reckless feelings guide him.

But he felt her lips on his, the taste of the tea on his mouth, and all doubts disappeared, substituted by a single phrase in his mind, whispered with her voice.

Be a little selfish.

He realized that, inside that humid, lonely, and cold house, the rest of the world didn't matter. Not tonight. Not with her. They were both being betrayed by the same people they had once devoted themselves to, and he was willing to not play fair this time. Not for Paradis, but for himself.

Levi wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer, responding to her slow, gentle kiss. She placed her arms over his shoulders, hands behind his neck. They remained embraced until Levi let go of her lips, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Thank you," he whispered. "For this."

Sophie let out a small snort. "You don't have to."

"I know." He moved a hand from her waist to cup her cheek. "But I want to."

Levi guided her towards him again, closing his eyes and kissing her again. He slowly slid a hand under her shirt, caressing her back.

With her fingers. Sophie traced his jawline, then the outline of his neck and collarbones, until her palm rested on his chest. He could feel his heart pounding against the warmth of her hand. She broke the kiss with a breath, pressing her index finger on the buckle of the strap around his torso.

"May I?" she whispered, her eyes fiercely fixed on him. "I don't want to see you so… restrained."

"Sure."

Levi relaxed his shoulders and closed his eyes. Sophie caressed the outline of the belt, checking its tightness. He heard the subtle click of the metal and the leather against his shirt before feeling it come undone. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling without anything holding him back. Sophie passed her fingertips over his shirt, traversing his chest and abs, and Levi's skin lit up under her touch as she drifted towards his right hip. She reached the trouser's belt and, one by one, undid all its fastening with the upper straps. The motion of her fingers was careful, methodical, more so than back in the Underground.

Once she was done, she slid the grey, elongated shoulder pads over his arms. Levi opened his eyes and helped her move all the harnesses away from his body. She patiently folded them and placed them over the table.

She turned to him again and asked. "Better?"

"Much better," he said, letting out a light scoff and grabbing her hands. Levi lowered his eyes towards her shoes. "Don't you want to take those off?"

Sophie pulled herself back. "You don't like them?"

"I do," he replied, gently guiding her towards him again. "But you don't need to play dress-up with me."

Sophie smiled, her cheeks flushing at his words. Using his hand as support, she stepped out of the heels, evening out the height difference between them.

She leaned forward and, grabbing the collar of his shirt, pressed a small, gentle kiss over his lips. "Thank you."

Levi lifted her chin and passed his thumb over her parted, soft lips. Sophie lifted an eyebrow, whispering. "So, shall I set up a chair for you tonight?"

"No," said Levi. "Not tonight."

Their lips met halfway, hungry and passionate, holding onto each other as they stumbled into the bedroom.

Levi rested on his side, observing Sophie lying next to him. Her breathing was quiet, but strong enough to accompany the low ruffling sound of the bedsheet covering them, revealing only the washed-out white shoulder straps of her nightdress. He was still wearing his corporate clothes, but nothing restraining him anymore. Nor the uniform belts, nor his duty, nor the promise.

He was finally with her. Just to sleep, he had said. But even in the darkness of his bedroom, and in the dead of the night visible through the only, small window, he could still see her wide-open eyes fixed on him. It had been a long day, but he didn't want to fall asleep just yet. He wanted to keep relishing that connection between them.

"Yormgen seemed like a nice place," said Levi. "Calm, peaceful."

"Yeah, and also very boring," Sophie scoffed. "But I suppose I needed boring."

"Huh? Were the kids too much?"

Sophie combed her hair with her fingers before moving the locks away from her face. "No, not the kids. They could only drive me insane for a few hours a day." She closed her eyes for a moment, and her breathing became deeper. Levi figured she was about to fall asleep, but her eyes opened again, only to look away from him. "It was hard at first, being all alone there. But it gave me time to think, to reflect on everything that had happened. It allowed me to wake up without a hundred papers waiting for my signature. Or to go to bed without any snarky remarks about my troublesome conduct , as he used to call it." She sighed, "I needed that. And to be honest, I'm still surprised that Hange and Zachary let me go so easily."

Levi cleared his throat. He didn't have it in him to tell her the real reason why they had seemingly let her go, and why she was truly back. At least, he was relieved that she had found her peace in that place.

"And now?" he said.

"Hm?"

"Do you think that you will feel good here?"

"Well, I can't say for sure until I get back to work." She smiled and placed a hand over his cheek. "At least, I know I feel good when I'm with you."

Levi closed his eyes and placed his hand over hers. "I'm glad to hear that."

She slid her hand away, but he didn't. Instead, he fit his fingers in-between hers, fully holding her hand as she rested it on the space between them.

"And you?" She got closer to him. "Are you happy here?"

"It's okay. Also very boring." Levi paused to moisten his lips. "But it's better than when the Titans were around."

"I bet," she chuckled. "Don't you also have some kids to take care of or something like that? I think Hange mentioned them at some point."

"You mean my Squad?"

"Yeah, those."

"They are under my orders, but I'm not a babysitter like you."

"Wow, babysitter."

Levi rolled his eyes at her mocking tone. "I don't see them a lot lately, save for some of the meetings. They are mostly helping around with the orphanages." Emotion and honesty began to fill his words. "But I'm worried about them."

"Why?"

"They've seen too much for their age," he said. "Like Historia, well, the Queen."

"What about her?"

He took a moment to carefully choose his words, organizing the thoughts and concerns he had never dared to share.

"She didn't want to be Queen, but we forced her to because that would be the only way for the coup to succeed. She is all regal and righteous now, but when I met her she was only a scared, confused teenager. I'm worried that it's too much responsibility for her. Or too much sacrifice, I guess. Same thing with Eren."

He purposely omitted the fact that he had been the one to force her. That responsibility was also too much for him to handle, and even if he didn't feel judged by Sophie, he didn't want to ruin such a moment with his tales of violence.

Sophie wrinkled her nose. "Eren… that's the Titan one, right?"

"Yes," Levi replied. "He's been very tense and evasive lately."

"How come?"

The line he couldn't cross appeared in front of him, and for both of their sakes, he honored it.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Alright," she whispered. After a moment, she turned around, facing the ceiling. "Dan… he was also like that when I met him. Tense and evasive."

"Really?"

Sophie hummed and nodded, "The day I met him...Huh, it's kind of funny. You see, I went to a nearby town. I had brought some books to read on the way, and he tried to steal them." A cheeky smile appeared on her face, and Levi let himself smirk at the sight, even if she wouldn't see it. "I caught him, obviously, and he got all defensive and angry about it."

"And what did you do?"

"I asked him why he wanted to steal them. Dan admitted that he wanted to learn how to read, so I agreed to teach him," she explained, her tone becoming quieter and more serious as she continued. "He used to be part of some Underground gang. He… saw and did some horrible things down there, as we all did, so he wasn't used to reasoning, only chases and fights."

"He doesn't look like that kind of boy."

"I know. It took me ages to help him come out of his shell, to show him how not to be so hostile. And even now, he still is sometimes." Levi could see the profile of her throat tightening, her gaze lowering as her voice became fainter. "But it's only because he doesn't want to get hurt again." Levi moved towards her, placing his free hand over her shoulder, looking for the words to make her forget that pain, those regrets and guilt he could sense forming in her mind. But before that, Sophie turned to him and blinked several times, clearing the emotions off her face. "If Eren is acting like that, then maybe you should talk to him. Show him that he can trust you, not only as his Captain, you know?"

Despite her smirk, Levi wished she didn't hide anymore, but he also wished he didn't have to hide from her.

Levi growled, "Yeah. I guess you are right." He slid a hand under her torso, guiding Sophie to rest her head over his chest. She followed, tightening her hold on his hand. Levi searched for a livelier, nicer topic of conversation than their mistakes and failures, no matter how human they were. "Talking about teaching, I have two other brats that seriously need to do some reading."

"Oh, really?" she snorted. "Send them to my office, and I'll turn them into scholars by the end of the week."

"You just need to put some hot potatoes on your desk to lure one of them. The other one will probably follow her."

Sophie laughed, the sound resounding over his chest. And at that moment, no matter the pain from that day, the sacrifices and promises he had made, he realized that he didn't need anything else. He moved the arm under her, sinking his fingers in her hair. Sophie lifted her head, staring at him intensively.

"Levi?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

"I care about you," she said, closing her eyes. "I want you to know that."

He placed a kiss over her head. "I care about you too."

Author's Notes

Connie and Sasha are in serious danger now lmao.

Ah, autumn is around the corner. There is nothing quite like sleeping under fifty blankets, drinking chai lattes, and outlining angsty chapters :)

I'm joking, a bit. Next chapter will be a lot of dialogue on relationships, why they work, why they fail, and different views on them. And some secrets being revealed. First from Levi, and later, from Sophie. But if you've been paying attention, they might not be so secret :) hehe.

And then we will be getting to the fun stuff.