It was difficult for Isa to keep track of time in the Underground. On the surface, they had clocks and the sun to keep track of time, but clocks could be expensive, and most people couldn't afford them.

She did her best, and as the hours wore on, Isa's mind continued to cruelly play memory after memory of her times with Levi, reminding her of what she had to lose. The simplest things that threatened to break her.

The way he'd shake his head at her in amusement when she made a silly joke.

The way his fingers had brushed against the bruise on her temple where Uma had hit her.

The way his eyes lit up with pride whenever she mastered a new move he was teaching her.

The way he'd cried silently in her arms after he'd lost three of his squad members.

The way he'd looked so at peace just the morning before as he lay next to her in the meadow.

Then, her mind reminded her of all her missed chances for her to take that risk, to trust her friends, to trust that small, hopeful part of her that said he did.

The night of his birthday, after he'd walked her back to her room.

The night of her birthday, when he'd let his forehead rest on hers.

That day when he'd taken her to Ethel's grave, and he'd held her close, again, letting his forehead rest on hers.

That night after Uma had kidnapped her, and he'd been holding her so tight. She didn't even know how many chances she'd had that night. Right after he'd kissed her forehead, wanting to know if she was alright. Again, moments later, she'd had another chance. Multiple times as she lay in his bed next to him.

She'd had countless opportunities, and had never taken a single one.

I don't care how many I've let pass me by. I WILL take the next one I get.

Marjorie came in to check on her, letting her know she could use her bathroom to clean up. She'd just gone to get some fresh water from the communal well for the run-down complex.

Isa entered the bathroom and was appalled by her appearance in the mirror. Her eyes were swollen from holding back tears and lack of sleep. She looked as exhausted as she felt, but she refused to sleep until Levi was awake. While she trusted Marjorie to not hurt them, if those people came back, Isa would be the only one who could protect them.

Was it just yesterday that I was running through a meadow without a care in the world?

She rinsed off her face and washed up as best as she could, changing into the second set of clothes she'd bought before they'd come down. She washed the other clothes, knowing she'd need something to change into the next day.

If Levi could see me right now…I doubt he'd still think I'm beautiful.

She walked back in to where Levi lay, relieved that his breaths were no longer raspy and weak, and rolled up his sleeve to check his wound. She was reassured further when she saw the bumps had gone away, though the skin surrounding the cut was still discolored.

Now that she had a chance to look at it without the bumps, she saw that it wouldn't need stitches. She would just need to wrap it once he was awake.

To pass the time, Isa brought out her sketchbook, flipping through her past drawings, looking for some inspiration for a new one, hoping for a distraction from that barely restrained fear that was looking for a way to make her fall apart.

Her drawings of Luna brought a smile to her face. Her horse had done more for her than most people in her life. She remembered how thrilled she'd been to know that Luna had been the one to somehow find Levi and bring him to her. She'd always believed that horses held a level of understanding that was often underestimated.

She came across a drawing of Isabel and Furlan, that first day when they'd watched the sunset, and while she loved the memory of them, she missed them immensely.

Tears pricked at her eyes when she came to her drawing of Levi from the day before. He'd looked so relaxed, so at peace.

Was that only yesterday?

Her hand stroked across the drawing of him as a stray tear trickled down her cheek, splotching onto the page.

"Isa?"

Sniffling, she wiped at the tears in her eyes before turning to look behind her to see Marjorie poking her head around the curtain.

"Isa, I need to run and grab a few things, I'll be back in maybe twenty minutes or so."

Isa reached into her satchel, pulling out her coin purse. "Here, use this, please, let me help." Isa tried to hand Marjorie a handful of coins.

The older woman shook her head. "Child, I could never ask you for that."

A stubborn light filled Isa's eyes. "You're not asking, you're accepting what I'm offering." Her voice quiet and full of gratitude. "Please, it's the least I can do for all your help."

Marjorie seemed reluctant to take Isa's money, but did so anyways. "Only if you're sure, child."

She turned back to Levi without another word, leaning in to check his forehead. She was relieved to feel that his skin had returned to a normal temperature, though she still switched the cloth for a new one, refusing to let the fever return.

As the day wore on, Isa tried to keep herself busy, sketching and writing in her journal, but the things that she normally did when she had too much on her mind, were no longer working. This fear inside her, the dread, the agony that was twisting her insides into knots was too much for her, and she didn't have an outlet for it.

It made it all the more difficult for her to keep the tears at bay when they filled her eyes at random moments.

She sat out with Marjorie for a bit, who had pulled out an old chessboard. She played a few games with the older woman, though her heart wasn't in it. Even still, she appreciated the older woman's attempt to distract her.

She tried to eat, but the knots in her stomach and the constant lump in her throat made it difficult to eat anything more than a few bites of food.

When Marjorie suggested Isa get some sleep, she refused. She needed to be able to keep Levi safe, and that was driving her every move.

She also knew that even if she tried to sleep, it would be nothing more than fitful, restless bouts of sleep, most likely filled with the resurgence of old nightmares that would leave her feeling more exhausted than she already felt.

Instead, she focused on making sure she kept adding salve to his wound and switching out the towels on his forehead.

The following day, when what Isa assumed was morning, Marjorie poked her head into the curtained off area again.

When the older woman told her she needed to run out and get some tea, Isa insisted that she go instead, needing a moment to stretch her legs.

Before she left, she turned back to Levi, wishing he would wake up as she leaned down to place a ginger kiss on his cheek, brushing away the tear that had fallen from her eyes onto his face.

"I'll be right back, Levi…I…I love you." Her voice was a tear-filled whisper as her eyes clenched tight, attempting to regain composure, before turning to walk out.

Marjorie was in her little kitchen preparing a light lunch with the food she'd bought with the money Isa had given her the day prior, while she waited for Isa to return. She was slicing up some potatoes, hoping to prepare a stew for her.

That girl is quite the generous soul. Not many people would go to the trouble. I hope she'll be able to eat this time, it's not good for her to be missing so many meals, though I understand the stress she's under.

A noise coming from the curtained off bedroom had her look up in time to see a blur rush at her, pushing her against the wall, knife pressed at her throat, her own knife clattering to the floor.

Goodness these two are a match.

"Where is she?" Levi's voice had dropped to a chilly growl, cold, narrowed eyes boring into the woman's, demanding she answer.

Not even the slightest bit afraid, Marjorie chuckled. "Child, your girl is fine. She left maybe ten or so minutes ago to grab some tea from one of the merchants."

Marjorie watched the faint hint of worry and fear fill his eyes, that was quickly shoved away.

The scowl on his face twisted further. "You let her go off on her own down here? Are you insane?"

She raised her chin in defiance, though amusement twinkled in her eyes. "I didn't let her do anything. I was set to leave, and she refused to let me, insisted that she go. Your girl is quite the stubborn one."

Levi pulled away and made for the door without a word.

Marjorie blocked his path, hands held out in front of her. "Levi, you are in no condition to go on a hunt for her. I promise you she's fine and she should be back soon. If she isn't back in ten minutes, then you can go look for her. But if you leave and she comes back, you two will be hunting each other for days."

His eyes narrowed at her, body tensing at her suggestion. "Anything can happen in ten minutes."

"I know, child, but I promise she'll be back. There's a bathroom through that door there and I've got some fresh water in the bucket there, you can clean yourself up if you'd like. We did our best to keep you clean, but we also wanted to respect your privacy as much as possible."

"If anything happens to her it'll be—"

"My head on a stake?" She couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes I've heard that before. Your girl is quite the protective spitfire. You two are quite the match."

Marjorie caught the slightest tensing of Levi's shoulders, the way he avoided her gaze. "She's not my girl."

"No. But you want her to be."

His narrowed eyes snapped back to hers. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Child, you think I can't recognize a man in love when I see one."

She watched as a flash of uncertainty and surprise came into his eyes that was quickly pushed away. "Ahh, I see. You hadn't figured it out yet."

His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits warning that she needed to back off.

She ignored the warning, sensing the man needed a push. She walked up to him, patting his cheek. "Child it's alright if you haven't figured out what it is you feel for her. But I can tell you fell for her a long time ago. Don't you worry, she'll come to you. She's a strong girl that one."

He gave the woman a long look before speaking. "She is." Without another word, he turned away, but before he could leave, Marjorie called out to him.

"Levi."

He paused, glancing over his shoulder.

"Don't hurt her."

His eyes glinted with irritation. "Why does everyone think I'm going to hurt her? I have no intention of ever hurting her, in any way."

At that, he walked into bathroom to clean up and wait.

Marjorie could tell his emotions for the small woman ran deep. She hoped her interference wouldn't keep him from her, though she had a sense that it wouldn't.

I can tell he's highly loyal, and his loyalty for her runs deep. Deeper than I've ever seen in a person.

He's too in love with her to ever leave her, even if he's completely uncertain and a little afraid of how intense his feelings are.

Goodness, this is the sort of romance you read about in books. He'll get there, I'm sure. They both will.

Isa walked out to the merchant area, knife tucked into the pocket of her pants, within easy reach should she need it. Her cloak was wrapped tight around her, hood over her head, sending glares to anyone who dared look her way.

When she found the merchant Marjorie had described, she made quick work of buying the tea the older woman had requested, when something caught her attention. She saw the rare tea leaves Levi had once told her about.

She knew she shouldn't carry around something that valuable, it was too risky, but she couldn't resist. She bought a small tin, tucking them into the hidden pocket of her cloak.

She began making her way back to Marjorie's apartment, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched…followed. She didn't know if she was overreacting, but it had her gripping tight onto the hilt of her knife under her cloak, ready to defend herself if she needed to.

'Down there, it can be kill or be killed.'

Don't worry, Levi, if I need to, I will. I don't want it to come to that point, but I'm going to do everything in my power to stay safe. If I die, then there's no one to protect you.

She knew she probably shouldn't walk directly to Marjorie's apartment building with the sense that she was being followed, but she didn't know her way around, and she couldn't risk getting lost. If she got lost, there was no one to help her.

Luckily, she made it back to Marjorie's apartment with no confrontation, and hoped she'd just imagined the feeling. She didn't see any sign of the older woman, and assumed she was in the little bathroom. She turned to walk into the curtained off area, pulling out the tea leaves she'd bought, intent on storing them in her satchel.

When she walked back into the bedroom area Levi was in, she dropped the tin she'd been holding in her hands as she saw him. The sound of it hitting the floor with a thump didn't even register.

"Levi?" Her whispered voice was filled with disbelief as tears filled her eyes at the sight of him awake and standing.

He'd already turned to face her, eyes narrowed in irritation and worry, mouth twisted in a scowl. "Idiot, where the hell have you been? You should know better than to wander around here alone."

She ignored the question, ignored the gruffness, it hardly registered as she raced to him, leaping into his arms, mindful of his wound as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He caught her with ease, wrapping his own around her.

She buried her face in his neck, breathing in his scent, relishing in the feel of him being awake and alive. Hot, silent tears escaped her eyes from the pure relief flooding through her, washing away all the fear, worry, terror she'd felt in the recent days, leaving her with nothing but joy and love.

One hand was at the base of his neck, clenched in his shirt in a tight fist, the other had threaded itself into his hair, pulling him in tight, as tight as she could, and she could feel his arms holding her in just as tight.

His own arms had wrapped to pull her in as close as possible, arm wrapping around to clench into her shirt at her waist, the other coming up to clench in her hair at her neck.

She'd never felt relief like this. And just feeling his arms surrounding her had a confidence inside her rearing its head, ready to give her that final push she needed.

Her body shook with her silent sobs, she couldn't stop the trembles wracking through her body, the pure relief she felt pouring out of her.

If he was startled by her reaction, he didn't show it, if anything, he just held her tighter, just as relieved that she was safe.

"I thought I lost you." Her words came out shaky and unsteady, never wanting to let him go again.

She didn't think it possible, but he somehow pulled her in even tighter, as he murmured to her a gentle reassurance. "I told you before, you're stuck with me, like I'm stuck with you, always."

She pulled back and peppered kisses across his face, the sheer relief she felt spurring her actions. No trace of skin was left untouched, his forehead, his cheeks, the shadows under his eyes.

She let her forehead rest on his as she looked into his eyes that were wide with surprise and confusion. She brushed at his hair, an elated laugh escaping her as she cupped his face with her hands, tracing his beautiful lips with her thumb, meeting his eyes with hers, those beautiful blue eyes of his full of questions.

He does! You know he does! Stop letting your fears control you!

It's like Nifa said, I control my fears. They don't control me. I'm not letting myself be controlled by my fears.

How many people have to tell you he wants you as much as you want him, that he cares for you as more than just a friend, before you believe them?

Hange.

Ethel.

Sherri.

Nanaba.

Nifa.

You have all but one person telling you this!

And you choose to listen to the person who had it out for you? Who tried to kill you? Who wanted to take everything from you?

Enough!

I'm taking this risk dammit!

She could feel the insecurities and fears bubbling up, telling her he didn't want her, he could never want someone like her, but she kicked them aside, holding on tight to the slightest bit of confidence that was filling her, her love, her relief, her joy, all fueling that determination that was slowly building.

His brows were knit in confusion as he watched her. "What are you—"

Without a second thought, not letting herself second guess, she crushed her mouth onto his, cutting him off. The reminder of the desperation, the fear, the worry, the sheer need for him she'd felt the last few days guiding her, and now the relief and joy that he was awake, her love for him all working together to override the anxieties that plagued her.

She could tell she'd surprised him even further by his sharp inhale, but this was Levi, and he recovered fast as he met her beat for beat.

She parted her lips, silently begging him to deepen the kiss, and when she felt his tongue slip through to dance with hers, a shiver coursed through her, his taste, his smell, everything that was Levi, filling her senses, until nothing else around her registered except him.

Once again, she was swept away and consumed by the feel of his lips on hers. The ceiling could have come crashing down and she wouldn't have noticed.

She could feel his arms tighten around her, drawing her closer, the hand on her neck coming up to cradle her head as he changed the angle of the kiss, deepening it further.

She may not yet be able to verbally tell him how in love with him she was, but she would pour every bit of love and everything she felt for him into this kiss.

Their mouths moved together as if they'd been made for each other. Those crashing jolts were flooding her system, bouncing around to end between her legs, sending a throbbing out to her body to join the electric sensations coursing through her.

She could feel every point of contact between the two of them, their chests pressing against each other, their legs brushing, the feel of his arms around her, his hand on her head, the feel of his silky hair between her fingers as they raked through the thick strands.

Every ounce of her love for him, her passion, desire, desperation spilled into the kiss. She wanted to tell him without words how much he meant to her, everything he did to her just by simply existing.

She relished in the taste of him, the feel of him, and she knew that if she'd been wrong to take this risk, she'd never regret it.

They pulled apart, gasping for air, and despite her confidence, Isa's nerves jangled in her stomach, conflicting with the desire in her system as her eyes met his.

What if he didn't want me to do that? What if I just messed everything up?

Dammit, shut the fuck up and leave me alone! Just wait and see what happens before you start panicking!

"Why did you do that?" His voice was quiet, eyes fully centered on her, and only her, in that way that made her feel as if he could see every thought, every desire, every fear, demanding to know, demanding she finally answer. His hand was still cradling her head, fingers threading themselves into the strands, his other hand still holding firm at her waist.

She thought she saw a glint of hope shining ever so slightly in his eyes, mixing in with the swirl of emotions in them. And the feel of it was invigorating, just the sheer possibility that he might be hopeful for her answer.

It had the confidence she'd felt flowing through her slowly build and grow into something she'd only felt once before. A confidence she'd only ever felt when she'd fought Uma and Derek, and now outside the walls.

One that made her feel powerful and capable of anything.

She swallowed thickly as she finally shoved the nerves and fears to the side, and used that confidence to help her put her faith into everyone who'd ever told her that he felt more for her than friendship.

She gave him a shy smile, her love for him filling every fiber of her being, shining bright in her eyes, helping to push away all her insecurities and fears. She moved her hands to his cheek to stroke lightly at the skin once more, watching as his eyes closed, a content sigh escaping him.

She took a deep breath before speaking, imagining she was blowing away any trace of her nerves. "Why are you asking a question you know the answer to?" Her voice was hushed, full of hope.

She'd barely finished speaking when his eyes snapped open to sear into hers before pulling her back in, his mouth ravishing hers with every ounce of his being, and she finally knew. She could have wept with joy at the fact that he wanted her, that he wanted more with her.

She raked her hands through his hair once more, loving the feel of those gorgeous black locks in between her fingers.

His hands had moved to her hips, pulling her even closer, dragging up to her waist, only to wrap back around her, as if he couldn't decide where he wanted to touch.

She could taste his desire for her, the need, the urge, the desperation and she wanted to go back in time and shake the living daylights out of her past self for letting herself succumb to her fear.

She could taste something deeper, warmer, and she didn't know what it was, but it was drugging, addicting, and sent a wave of bliss crashing over her.

One thought managed to muddle its way out of the glorious fog in her mind.

Ethel you...you were right. I should never have doubted you.

I should never have doubted any of them.

It was her turn now to meet him, beat for beat as their mouths danced together, a clash of lips and tongues, desperate to start making up for all the time they'd lost, desperate to move forward together and explore everything they felt for each other.

He pulled back again, resting his head on her forehead, like he had so many times before, like she loved so much, those beautiful eyes holding hers trapped in their gaze, her lips still tingling from the way he'd devoured her.

Finally knowing that he felt for her, as she did for him, sent that ember of clarity ablaze, lighting up the dark, showing her everything she'd been blind to. She could see it all now, see how that mesmerizing blue was full of affection, relief, joy, warmth so many beautiful emotions she'd never seen before.

And they were all for her.

She couldn't stop the affectionate smile from filling her face at the realization of how wrong she'd been.

How did I never see this? Was it really my fear blinding me that badly?

His hand came up to stroke at her cheek, brushing away tears she hadn't even realized were falling.

"Why are you crying?"

She couldn't help the watery laugh that escaped her as her own hand moved to graze down his cheek before moving up to brush gently at the bangs on his forehead. "Because I've wanted this for so long and was afraid you didn't feel the same."

He shook his head in disbelief, and the act had his nose brushing up against hers. "Idiot, you always do that. Let your fears and insecurities hold you back." That small and warm smile she adored was on his lips.

"Just about every single one of our friends have told me that." She cupped his face in her hands, loving the affectionate look in his eyes that she was now able to see. "Levi, you have to understand, I was afraid of messing up what we have. You're my best friend, and I didn't want to lose that if you didn't want more with me too."

His hand came up to tuck some hair behind her ears, thumb grazing across her cheek. "I do. More than anything I've wanted for a long time."

His brows furrowed as he struggled to find a way to put into words what he felt, his voice dropping to a whisper, full of emotion. "Even...even more than I wanted to leave this place."

Her eyes widened at the admission. She knew how badly he'd wanted to leave the Underground.

H-he…he wants more with me more than he wanted to leave this hellhole?

She couldn't stop the giant smile from forming on her face, teeth nibbling at her lip as a few tears trickled down her cheeks. She drew him in close, burying her face in his neck, relishing in the feel of him alive and safe, relishing in the knowledge that he wanted her too.

She felt his hand come up to stroke lightly at her hair, and she nuzzled her face further into his neck, loving the feel of his fingers brushing through her hair.

She pulled back, couldn't resist placing a kiss on his cheek, too overjoyed to be embarrassed. "Come on, I have someone I want you to meet, she helped us out, more than I would have ever expected from a complete stranger."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him out to where Marjorie was sitting out at her little table.

"Marjorie, this is Levi. We wanted to thank you for all your help. I…I don't know what I would have done without your help."

As she spoke, she found it harder and harder to keep her eyes open, and her limbs were starting to feel heavy.

"Child, it was no trouble at all. Come, sit, sit, I made a little potato stew with the food you bought earlier. I'm sure Levi must be hungry, poor man hasn't eaten in days."

Isa gave Levi a nudge.

He sent her a look that only she knew how to read as amusement. "I am, thanks." His tone was gruff, and Isa had to hold back a giggle.

It's like seeing two different people.

Only I get to see the softer side of him, but I'm okay with that. It just makes me love him even more, knowing that he's completely at ease around me.

When she tried to take a step towards the table, her knees gave out on her, the adrenaline from seeing Levi awake having faded, the exhaustion of the past few days finally catching up to her.

Levi caught her before she hit the floor, cradling her in his arms as he'd done so many times before. When she met his eyes, she thought she saw the faintest hint of both irritation and concern.

He started walking back towards the curtained off area. "Idiot, when was the last time you slept?"

"Sleep?" She pouted. "No, no sleep. Need to…keep an eye…" Her words were starting to slur as the link between her brain and her mouth disconnected from the fatigue, and she could only smile drowsily up at him, barely able to keep her eyes open.

She vaguely heard Marjorie speak from the kitchen. "I tried to get her to sleep, but she refused, didn't want to risk something happening. She's quite stubborn."

Isa watched through bleary eyes as Levi laid her carefully on the bed, drawing the thin covers over her.

"Sleep." His tone still carried the gentleness and warmth he reserved specifically for Isa, but held the faintest hint of the commanding tone he used with his subordinates, leaving no room for argument.

"Hold…feel safer…" It was a struggle to form the simplest of requests.

"Pain in the ass." She thought she heard the slightest hint of amusement, and maybe affection as he laid down next to her, drawing her near.

"Grouchy…ass." She yawned as she snuggled closer to him, drifting off as she felt that featherlight touch across her forehead she loved so much, followed by the gentle brush of his thumb against her cheek.

"Sleep, you need it." His voice was growing fainter as sleep pulled her in. "You did good."

The only response she was capable of was to place her hand on his chest above his heart, nuzzling in closer as she breathed in his comforting smell, before drifting off.

Her eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she registered was the feel of strong fingers stroking at her hair.

Her head was pressed up against his chest, her hand still laying over his heart, the muffled thump soothing her.

He was lying on his back beside her, hand resting absently on his stomach.

Hesitantly, she raised her own and placed it lightly on top of his, before tilting her head to look up at him to see he was already watching her.

"How long has it been?"

He let his hand rest on top of her head. "Not long, a few hours maybe."

She nibbled at her lip. She loved that he held her while she slept, but she couldn't help but feel the slightest twinge of guilt, since he had nothing else to do. "I'm sorry, it can't be very entertaining sitting there watching me sleep."

He gave her forehead a gentle poke, before letting his hand rest back on her head. "You need to stop doing that. I don't mind."

Unsure of what to say, she looked down at where her hand was on his.

And that's when the thoughts began to trickle in.

What do I do?

What am I supposed to do?

How do I know what to do?

How does this work?

What exactly is it that he wants?

How do I ask?

I…I want to kiss him again, but I don't know if I should.

Sighing, he turned onto his side so he could look at her face to face. "I can practically hear you thinking. What is it?"

She avoided his gaze, embarrassed and frustrated that she was still as naïve as ever. "I just...I don't know where we go from here, or how any of this works. It's all so new for me and I have no idea what I'm doing."

He pulled her close so he could place a tender kiss on her forehead, his hand coming up to rest at her face. "It's going to be okay. We'll figure all of this out together, like we always do."

Her gaze darted to his, and then back away. "I…I just don't know what I'm supposed to do."

His thumb brushed across her cheek, eyes lit with warmth. "Don't worry about what you're supposed to do. What do you want to do, right now, in this moment?"

She timidly met his gaze as she chewed at her lip, face flushing. "I…I want to kiss you."

The corner of his mouth quirked up, face softening as he spoke. "Then do it."

She forced herself to look directly into his eyes, hoping he'd understand. "I just…don't want to mess something up."

"You won't, I promise."

She swallowed thickly as she held his patient gaze, stomach fluttering with nerves and excitement.

It's…it's different now. Earlier it was easy because the moment swept me away, but now everything is calm, so the nerves are back.

It helps, knowing he wants all of this, like I do, but it's…scary being the one to move first in calmer moments like this.

I still don't know what I'm doing…I don't want to disappoint.

She leaned in closer, pausing right before her lips met his so she could take a deep breath. She could feel his fluttering breaths mingling with hers and the feel was both elating and arousing at the same time. His eyes were focused on her and only her, and as always, it made her feel as if he could read every thought every feeling, both bringing nerves, and easing them at the same time.

Hesitating ever so slightly, she pressed her lips to his, enjoying the softness of them, using her previous experiences to guide her. She couldn't stop the content sigh into his mouth when it parted, allowing her to experiment with deepening the kiss.

She noticed that this kiss was different than their other ones. The previous times had been full of fire, a clashing of lips and tongues, desperation and desire running rampant through them both.

This one was gentler, sweeter, sending a warm, languid rush through her veins as he guided her through it, while still allowing her to try her hand at leading.

She could feel his hand resting on the side of her face, thumb stroking absently, and it spurred her to cup his face with her hands, enjoying the feel of him as her lips moved lazily with his.

She moved a hand up so she could run her fingers through his hair, and her heart thrummed even faster when she felt him sigh lightly into her mouth, stomach tightening with desire.

Before where there had been hurry and passion as they both had been swept away in the moment, now they were able to take time exploring the sensations that coursed through them, reveling in the feel of something they'd both so long desired, and now finally had.

When they pulled apart, he let his forehead rest on hers, hand still resting on her face, eyes full of affection. "You don't have to worry about this, not with me, not ever with me. We'll figure it out as we go. It's going to be okay."

'If he cares about you the way I think, no, the way I know he does, he's not going to give a damn. He'll be incredibly patient with you.'

His words mixed with Hange's helped to ease some of her nerves, allowing her to speak her fears more freely. "I…I just don't want to disappoint you." Her voice was sweet and timid, still unsure.

She thought she saw understanding fill his eyes as a soft smile crossed his face.

He stroked gently at her cheek. "You won't, you could never, I promise."

"It's just…that's part of why it took me so long to take this risk." She avoided his gaze, hands moving off his face, voice wavering with her nerves. "I…I was afraid you didn't want the same as me, but I was even more afraid that if you did, you'd stop when you realized just how inexperienced I am," she whispered.

"Look at me."

She forced herself to meet his eyes again.

Tucking some loose hair behind her ear, she shivered at the way his fingers grazed along her skin. "I promise you, that is not going to happen."

A relieved smile filled her face. She knew he didn't make promises lightly, didn't make them if he didn't intend on keeping them, and this one sent a calm through her, helping to battle the nerves.

He continued speaking, hand trailing down her neck to her shoulder. When he brushed past one particular spot on her neck, she couldn't stop the shiver that went down her spine, before bringing it back up to rest on her face. "If it helps, I've…I've never done the relationship thing either."

"Is…is that what you want with me?" She knew they'd both admitted to wanting more…but 'wanting more' could mean different things to people.

Her heart thrummed as his face went as soft as she'd ever seen, that warmth in his eyes burning bright, drawing her in, holding her in place, the small smile on his face almost…affectionate.

Her breath hitched when he leaned in, placing a tender, sweet, slow kiss on her lips, even more gentle than before, that had her heart flipping slowly in her chest. A sweet fog had formed in her mind, one that only allowed her senses to register him, the feel of his lips on hers, the taste of him, the smell of him, the feel of his hand on her face, his chest pressed against hers as his other arm drew her close.

When he pulled back, she couldn't stop the dumbfounded grin on her face as her teeth nibbled at her lip, nor could she stop the shy giggle as she looked up at him from under her lashes.

The amused look on his face from her reaction had her face flushing further.

Her breath hitched and she couldn't stop the shivers when he brought his hand down from her cheek, grazing lightly down her arm, leaving tingling trails in its wake, before ending at her hand. He linked his fingers with hers, drawing her hand up to his lips, placing a ginger kiss on the back of it, before letting their clasped hands rest on the bed between them.

As he did this, he kept his eyes on her face, as if using her reactions to guide what he did next.

If her heart had flipped with his kiss, this act had it twirling in her chest, excited butterflies flapping their wings in her stomach. She didn't think it possible, but the smile on her face grew even wider, eyes shining with love and affection.

I'll still never understand how the simplest of things ties me up in knots like this.

"Yes, I want all of it with you," he murmured, and she thought he looked more at peace than she'd ever seen, even more at peace than just a few days ago in the meadow.

She couldn't stop the way her heart soared at his words, the admission sending a tranquil warmth through her, eyes pricking with happy tears.

His words gave her the confidence she needed to speak, knowing he only ever said what he meant. "Me too." Her voice was thick with emotion.

He leaned in to brush a sweet kiss on her cheek-one that had her stomach fluttering with butterflies-before drawing her in close, one arm wrapped under her shoulder so his hand could come up to brush at her hair, his other hand resting lightly at her waist.

Her head lay against his chest and as always, the sound of his heart in her ear soothed her.

She couldn't stop the lone tear of joy that slipped down her cheek.

I…I took a risk...and…I was right to do it.

This whole time…I was wrong. I should have listened to Hange, to Ethel, to Sherri, Nanaba, everyone.

Walls, Hange is never going to let me live this down.

But I'm not going to dwell on that, not now, not ever. All that matters, is that I finally took the risk, and now I know.

His hushed voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Care to tell me what the hell happened after I passed out?"

She cleared her throat. "Well, luckily right after, Marjorie showed up to help. I might have...threatened her...a bit."

"How much is a bit?"

She looked up to meet his eyes, a sheepish look on her face. "I might have threatened to put her head on a stake if she tried anything."

She couldn't stop the smile on her face at the sound of his breathless chuckle. She went on to tell him about how they'd carried him into her apartment, the poison on the weapons, which was why he'd reacted to the cut the way he had.

She thought he seemed surprised when he learned of the poisoned weapons, but she was hesitant when she moved on to when she'd had to leave to seek out the doctor. She avoided his gaze as she revealed that she'd had to break her promise to him so she could go get the salve they needed for the poison in his body.

She could tell immediately how he felt by the way his body tensed. He brought his hand up from her waist to her chin, gently bringing her eyes back to his. "I'm not crazy about the fact that you went off on your own…but I also know you probably didn't have a choice."

"It was either me or Marjorie. I'm faster, and I didn't know how much time we had. It's a good thing I did, because the doctor only had one jar left and tried to send me away." She winced internally at the reminder of her interaction with the man. "I umm…might have threatened him a bit too."

"A bit?"

Isa explained how she'd forced her way into the doctor's home and threatened his life if he didn't sell her the salve, and threatened to kill him if she found out he'd given her the wrong jar.

"I meant it too, in that moment, I would have." She brought her hand up to his face, letting her fingers trail across his cheek. "If I had to choose between killing that doctor and saving you…I would always choose to save you, Levi, no hesitation." Her voice had dropped to a whisper, eyes intent on his, wanting him to know how serious she was.

"Does that worry you? That you would have been willing to kill?"

Her brows knit together as she chewed at her lip. "A little…I think. There's so much gray area, especially because the doctor wasn't doing anything wrong."

He brought his hand up, encircling the wrist of the one on his face, thumb tracing lightly across it, eyes focused on her. "I can't tell you what would have been right or wrong. You're right, there's a lot of gray area, even more down here. Everyone is trying to survive and the lines blur until you can't even see them anymore."

She frowned, hating how difficult it was to keep your morals while also surviving and keeping the ones you loved alive. "I know. It's hard to say, I probably wouldn't have been right to kill him, but I would have still done it."

An affectionate smile crossed her face, as she brought her other hand up to his cheek, thumb stroking gingerly across the shadows. "I was willing, am willing, will always be willing to do whatever I need to do to keep you safe, Levi."

He brought her close so he could let his forehead rest on hers. She loved the feel of his forehead pressed up against hers, the feel of his nose brushing against hers, and the way his breaths mingled with hers. She wasn't sure what it was, but she loved being this close to him.

His voice was hushed as he spoke, hand moving from her wrist so he could thread his fingers through her hair. "Me too, Isa. I will keep you safe down here, no matter what. I promise you."

She let her hand brush through the bangs flopping over his forehead. She loved the feel of the silky strands as they moved through her fingers. "I know, Levi. I trust you, with everything I have."

"Good, now get some sleep, we should leave soon if we're going to find your old home, and I can't have you passing out in the middle of the streets."

"At least I'd be lighter to carry. You're heavier than I expected for someone so small."

He flicked at her forehead. "Pain in the ass, you're hardly one to talk about being small."

She glared up at him in mock irritation, though the effect was weakened by the small smile twitching on her lips that she struggled to keep back. "I'm not that much smaller than you."

His mouth quirked up, eyes lit with humor. "Just like I'm not that much older than you. If you can call me old, then I can call you small."

Her mouth opened and closed, unable to find a sound argument for that. "Fine…you win, grouchy ass."

"Good, now sleep. I'm right here."

She chewed at her lip, avoiding his gaze, taking a breath for courage.

Okay, he said earlier to focus on what I want to do. So…do what you want to do.

She brought her eyes back to his, and she could see the amusement in them, clearly knowing what she was about to do, waiting patiently for her to do it.

She leaned in to place a shy kiss on his lips, loving the fact that she was able to do this now, though she was still as nervous as ever, before pulling back, wishing that her face wouldn't flush over the simplest things.

See…that wasn't…that hard…right?

Maybe…maybe it's something that gets easier the more I do it…I hope.

She let her head drop down, snuggling close as she always did, and as he always did, he pulled her in tight against him, grazing his lips across her forehead, bringing that same tingling sensation and a content smile to her face. Eyes drooping closed, the sound of his heartbeat against her ear lulled her to sleep.

A few hours later, Isa and Levi ate some of the stew Marjorie had prepared, before gathering their things, ready to continue their trek to her childhood home.

Isa gave Marjorie a hug, thanking her again for everything. She slipped her coin purse into the older woman's hand, not knowing how else to thank her for her kindness. When she tried to give it back to Isa, she refused, saying it was hers now.

After a final goodbye, the two walked out onto the streets, Levi drawing up Isa's hood over her head, brushing his thumb across her cheek. This time, she pulled Levi's hood over his head, briefly hesitating before leaning in to brush her lips lightly across his lips, face flushing as she pulled back and saw the amused and affectionate look on his face.

Just as it had taken Levi time to become more affectionate, it would take Isa time to grow more confident in her new relationship with Levi. Some parts she'd long grown comfortable with, but these newer parts flustered her, though, she knew that with Levi's patience, she would get there.

Walls I don't want to hear Hange telling me she told me so. I'm not even all too sure how I'm supposed to tell her about this.

But that's a problem for later, right now, I need to focus on surviving.

The two began making their way through the streets, alert and aware of their surroundings. Just as Marjorie had noted, Levi constantly glanced in Isa's direction to make sure she was still next to him, fully intending to protect her no matter what.

As they walked, like earlier that day when she'd left to buy tea, Isa felt as if they were being followed.

She glanced at Levi without moving her head, keeping her voice quiet, only loud enough for him to hear. "Levi, do you…do you feel that?"

"Yes." He grabbed her hand, pulling her against his side. "Stay close to me."

She saw the shift in demeanor again. If she'd thought he'd looked calculating that day she'd shown him the notes, that was nothing compared to how he looked now.

She could tell he was completely on edge, body tense and ready to act at any moment. His hand was clutched tight on hers, keeping her close to him.

And that's when she heard it, the sound of fast paced footsteps coming from behind them.

This time, Levi shoved her behind him, as he whirled, knife flipped in his hand, ready to take on the attacker.

He didn't realize that had been a mistake, neither of them having noticed the other person lurking in the dark alley nearby, hidden behind a stack of crates.

While his eyes were on the attacker from behind, the person in the alley sprang into action, ODM gear latching onto a nearby building, pulling him by Isa so he could grab her, a surprised squeak escaping her as she was yanked from Levi's hold.

Isa struggled against the person's hold around her waist as she was pulled up on top of a building, and as they landed, he was quick to twist her arm behind her back. She froze when she felt him draw a knife up against the fragile flesh of her neck.

A deep voice whispered in her ear. "If you want to live, I suggest you don't move."

She glanced down to the streets to see Levi's horrified face morph into an icy fury she hadn't seen since that day Uma kidnapped her.

Her own eyes narrowed in fury as the man holding her twisted her arm even harder behind her, the pressure on her shoulder making her want to cry out in pain, but she refused to give in, refused to give him the satisfaction.

This is what I did to Uma? Except…I actually dislocated her shoulder.

Shit just him twisting my arm like this hurts, I don't even want to imagine what that feels like…I hope it doesn't come to that.

Dammit, how do we get out of this?

She met Levi's eyes, noting the slightest hint of fear in them, and she tried to reassure him with her eyes.

I trust you, Levi, always. I'll follow your lead. We will get through this. I know we will.

The knife at her throat worried her the most, knowing it was most likely covered in poison, and one wrong move would have her unconscious and unable to help Levi.

"Get your filthy hands off of her." Isa shivered at Levi's icy tone, the one she rarely heard, completely contrasting the warmth she'd grown used to.

The man behind her chuckled. "Well well, Levi. Isn't this touching? I would've never thought you'd be the type to get attached to a girl. Never thought you had it in you."

What the hell?

A/N: Yayyyy, she didn't chicken out! :) Thanks for reading! :)