Chapter 12: Erwin Smith (Part 2)

The Dating Adventures of Princess Levi and Gentleman Erwin:

Date #2

Erwin was right, of course. There's no point lingering on regrets of how we could have gotten together sooner; or worrying about our uncertain future when we leave the Survey Corps. We both resolve to dedicate our hearts, and enjoy the present.

And while the Dating Experiment is over, my dating experience with Erwin is only just beginning.

When I insist it's his turn to pick the next date, he smiles enigmatically and assures me he already has something planned. He refuses to tell me anything else; except that we will be gone for the whole day. And to bring a spare change of clothes.

I hate surprises. Last year Erwin, Hange, Petra and Mike threw me a secret birthday party. But when I entered the room and they screamed 'Surprise!', I panicked and started attacking everyone with a sweeping broom (I was in the middle of cleaning at the time). It took them several minutes to calm me down. Poor Mike developed severe PTSD after the incident, and now flinches every time he sees me holding a broom.

Despite my misgivings, I can't suppress a shiver of excitement every time I speculate on what my boyfriend has planned.

The morning arrives. After a quick breakfast, Erwin leads me to the stables where two horses are ready for us. Along with a load of baggage that Erwin refuses to explain.

"Where are we going? Are we there yet?!" I ask for the one-hundredth-and-fourth time as we ride through the country-side.

"You'll see." Erwin's face is smug and impassive. Despite the rushing wind of riding on horse-back, his gelled back hair remains perfect.

My own hair is a complete mess. I hope I at least look sexily dishevelled.

We're outside the Walls, and wild titans stagger and totter around like clumsy infants. I have to remind myself sternly not to murder them – we're all allies now, thanks to Hange's new peace treaty. But old habits die hard.

Erwin pulls out packages of homemade baked goods from his bag, and tosses them on the ground as we ride past.

"Hange Zoë sends their regards!" he calls out cheerfully.

The titans wander over to investigate, with big stupid smiles on their faces.

"Thank you, large human," the kindly bearded titan says, tipping his hat politely.

I don't know why he's wearing a hat. Then I see a titan wearing a large green cape with the wings of freedom logo, and another with a gigantic t-shirt that says Attack on Human. Ok, Hange's obviously been giving them clothes. Somehow seeing them partly dressed is a whole lot worse than seeing them naked.

At this stage, I've got a pretty good idea where we're going on our date. And I'm confused.

"Erwin! We already visited the beach 2 chapters – I mean, only a week ago! How on earth did you get the higher-ups to approve this unnecessary trip?!"

He laughs. "I just told them that Eren left his shirt behind last time, and we're going back to get it."

I whisper a silent a prayer of thanks for Eren Yeager and his inability to keep a shirt on.

My boyfriend grins mischievously. "But trust me, even if they banned us from going, it wouldn't stop me. What are they going to do, fire me? I'm already retiring in six months!"

Wow. This rebellious bad boy side to Erwin has me a little hot under the cravat.

And now, here we are again - the ocean.

We dismount our horses, and admire the view from a sand ridge. The sea shimmers in the sunlight, making me squint. When I turn to Erwin, his eyes are sparkling too.

With just me and Erwin here this time and no whining brats, I'm struck by the breath-taking tranquillity of the long coastline and lapping waves. Dare I say it – this place is actually romantic.

Then I turn back to my boyfriend. He's drawing a deep breath, his eyes taking on that familiar crazed look. Oh no

"Erwin, I swear to fucking god, you better not be about to-"

"MY DARLING LEVI, IT IS OUR SOLEMN DUTY TO MAKE THIS THE BEST DATE EVER!

DO IT FOR OUR FALLEN COMRADES!

DO IT FOR HUMANITY'S FREEDOM!

DO IT TO FORGET HANGE'S GOD-AWFUL DATING EXPERIMENT!

NOW LET'S DEDICATE OUR HEARTS, AND CHARGE INTO THIS BATTLE – I MEAN – DATE!

When he finally finishes roaring like a crazy person, I clench my jaw and glare at him. Does he really have to hype up every single fucking thing?

"Erwin, could you calm down? You know my Uncle Kenny used to say, 'If you expect the worst, then you'll never be disappointed.'"

His brows rise, there's hurt in his eyes. "Levi, I'm sorry to say this. But your uncle was a neglectful drunk who raised you to only see the bad in the world. Didn't he abandon you, after he ran away with Uri?"

Erwin knows a lot about my uncle. His dad wrote a book about Kenny's life, and his scandalous affair with the secret royal family member, Uri Reiss. When the Reiss family decided to pass on Uri's Founding Titan ability to young Freida, Kenny swooped in to rescue Uri and now they're in hiding.

My fury surges - Kenny was indeed a lazy guardian. But I don't appreciate anyone else pointing that out.

"Do you think being optimistic to the point of idiocy is any better?" I hurl the insult at Erwin, and instantly regret it. I wish I didn't bring the topic up at all. But then again, doesn't Erwin keep blathering on about open communication between us?

I'm sorely tempted to mention 'The Basement Incident.' Erwin's fanatic obsession with Eren Yeager's basement turned out the be the biggest let down in Survey Corps history when we discovered it was empty. Erwin was so depressed afterwards, he refused to leave his quarters for a week. He's still sensitive about the matter, so it'd be cruel to bring it up now to prove my point.

This is a horrible start to our date - having our first proper argument on the goddamn beach. There are too many emotions raging inside me to process. I'm about to storm off dramatically, Princess Levi style, when Erwin puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Darling, I'm sorry I upset you. And I appreciate your honesty. Can we agree that neither of us is perfect, and enjoy the rest of our day?"

Damn the man's expert negotiation tactics! I take a deep breath to contain my irritation.

He's right, there's no point bickering over this. And a part of me actually finds his passionate, over the top speeches charming. I just wish he wouldn't shout like we're going into a life-or-death battle. But I understand that our old Survey Corps habits die hard.

"Fine," I mumble, and he envelops me into a warm hug.

It turns out Erwin came well prepared, and his bags are full of beach-related supplies. He even brought a camera, to commemorate our second date with photos.

Before we do anything else, he insists on slathering me in suncream. I mean, despite what Uncle Kenny told me about Ackermans burning in the sunlight, I never burn at all. But I don't tell my boyfriend this.

"Erwin, why are you doing under my shirt?" I tease.

"Oh, um… you might get burnt through the fabric!" he says sheepishly.

Once he's done rubbing cream all over my abs, we are ready for our beach date.

"So what do you want to do first?" I ask. Our disagreement earlier is a distant memory – my nerves are tingling with excitement to be spending a whole day here together.

He rubs the back of his neck, and mumbles something incoherent.

"What?!"

"I want to take a long romantic walk on beach with you!" Erwin confesses, face burning. "I know you'll think it's stupid and sentimental, but -"

"Ervy, it's ok. I want to do it too." A laugh escapes me at the sight of the composed Commander babbling like a nervous cadet. It makes me love him even more. (Although, neither us has actually said the big 'L' word to each other yet). Hooking my arm in his, I steer him down to the surf's edge.

We stroll down the clear, smooth beach, just like we did on our trip here last year. Only this time, our hands are clasped, swinging comfortably between us. And Erwin keeps grinning at me with unashamed adoration.

Luckily, we are not ambushed by a cluster of angry crabs like we were last time.

Instead, the heaven's open on our way back. Heavy raindrops strike us like the blood splatter from a dying titan.

I turn to Erwin to make some wry comment about our bad luck. But my words turn into a startled "Ooof!" as he sweeps me up in his strong arms and clutches me to his chest.

Now, carrying me princess-style (the irony is not lost on me) he roars, "Shinzou wo Sasageyo!" and charges over to the nearest clump of trees in the distance.

Which turns out to be a mile away. So we're both drenched by the time we get there, and Erwin's attempts to 'rescue' me were actually completely pointless.

The old Levi Ackerman would be affronted at being treated like a damsel in distress. But you know what? I've gotten Erwin and my friends out of danger so many times, I think it's about time the roles were reversed.

"Sorry you still got wet!" Erwin pants. "Do you want me to put you down?"

"No, I'm good." I relax into his arms, pressing my face against his warm chest.

Unfortunately, the Commander has to put me down eventually. I might be short, but I'm packing about 99% muscle so I'm surprisingly heavy.

The rain clears and the sun comes back out to dazzle us. As we trudge back to our supplies, both soaking wet, Erwin does his best to be a gentleman. But he keeps sneaking furtive glances at me. When I catch him at it, I raise my eyebrow, and he laughs.

"It's a good thing Eren Yeager isn't here. He'd have a heart attack seeing you like that!"

Since we're already wet, he suggests we go swimming. And the time comes for me to reveal my biggest secret…

I'm terrified of going into the ocean.

"Levi, it's ok, nothing will hurt you!" Erwin says soothingly.

"What if there's sharks? Or sea titans?!" I plant my feet firmly in the wet sand, the water barely covering my ankles.

Eventually Erwin takes my hand and coaxes me in, promising to fight off any shark titans if they appear. I get a fright when I step on something, but it turns out to just be Eren Yeager's shirt.

When I'm finally submerged up to my neck, an irresistible wave of relaxation sweeps over me.

"Erwin, the sea is just a gigantic fucking bath!"

He laughs, pulling me close. "I'm so glad to be here with you, Levi," he whispers in my ear.

I have to admit – this really is the best date ever.


Later that evening, we finally make our way home to the Survey Corps.

There was no trouble when we encountered the titans; they waved merrily at us as we rode by.

However, when we entered the Walls again and made our way through Trost, we were ambushed by a mob of screaming fangirls, fanboys, and fan non-binaries.

"Levi, is it true you broke up with Zeke Yeager?"

"Are you and Commander Erwin dating?"

"Are you getting married?"

"Are you having babies?!"

Those fucking nosy brats. "We're adopting cats!" I correct them furiously.

Oh shit. I shouldn't have said that.

The crowd collectively squeals and cries, "Awwwww!".

After signing a few autographs, we shake them off and reach headquarters. Erwin, like the gentleman he is, assists me dismounting my horse.

"So we're adopting cats, eh?" he asks with the smuggest fucking grin on his face.

I take it back, he's not a gentleman. I shoot him a death glare. But it dissolves when I see the enthusiasm in his bright eyes.

"Only if you want to," I shrug, trying to hide my embarrassed smile.

"I do," he says earnestly. And this makes me blush even more.


The Dating Adventures of Princess Levi and Gentleman Erwin:

Dates #3-5

Soon after our trip to the sea, I surprised Erwin by cooking him dinner for our next date.

But the biggest surprise was finding out you're supposed to cook a chicken for two whole hours before it's safe to eat it. Erwin and I spent the next day puking our guts up, which was not the romantic outcome of the dinner I'd expected. I resolved to get some easy, meat-free recipes from Petra the next time I tried cooking.

A week later, Erwin organised for us to revisit the giant forest inside Wall Maria. But somehow Hange, Petra and Mike overheard that we were going, and begged to come too. (Petra in particular was very excited about hugging some trees). In the end, we lied to them about the day we were leaving, and snuck off without them.

We pitched our tent in a peaceful clearing, shielded by huge trees. That night we toasted marshmallows, gazed at the stars, and laughed about my sleepover with the Survey Corps' girls last time I was here. Then we cuddled up together to stay warm, and started kissing.

Just as things were getting interesting, we were horrified to spot a titan peering curiously out from behind a tree. I mean, we were inside the Walls, how the fuck did that bastard get in?!

Needless to say, having a nosy pervert watching us completely killed the mood.

The titan approached after realising we were soldiers from our green capes. He was wearing an Attack on Human t-shirt. He excitedly told us he was Senpai Hange's biggest fan, and pestered us with questions about his idol.

So that's how our romantic forest date turned into a sleepover with a titan. Thank you, Hange.

For our next date, I managed to snag tickets to Willy Tybur's new musical - the Greatest Snowman (the widely anticipated sequel to Let it Snow).

I shared Erwin's excitement as we headed to the theatre together. But of course, everything went horribly wrong once we took our seats…

"Thank you so much darling, this is going to be our best date yet!" Erwin bounces around in his seat like an excited child. He takes out his camera to snap a photo of us - our heads tilted together, his eyes bright with joy, and me smiling awkwardly.

"OH MY GOD! It's Captain Levi and Commander Erwin!"

Eren Yeager's unholy voice shatters the romantic moment into a million fragments. We unclasp our hands hastily and pull apart.

"What the fuck are you doing here Yeager?"

I cannot believe this is happening. But it's not just Eren. His bratty friends – Armin, Mikasa and Annie – shuffle into seats on the same row as us. Armin happily explains that Hange bought them tickets, as a reward for baby-sitting Sawney and Bean while Hange is at work.

And so, I endure the play, wedged between Erwin and Eren. My boyfriend insists on singing along to every bloody song, while on my other side, Eren pesters me with questions about the plotline.

"I just don't understand… why are they all singing? I'm so confused."

"It's a fucking musical, Yeager!" I slap a hand to my forehead. Holy Rumbling, if this idiot ever succeeds in taking over the world, we're all doomed.

On Erwin's far side, Armin is questioning him frantically about his retirement, and if they'll be holding open interviews for the next Commander. Erwin furrows his brows, trying to concentrate on the show.

I'm about to release my pent up rage, when Mikasa leans over from two seats down. "Ereh, Armeh, shut the hell up!" she hisses. The boys sink down in their seats, like two guilty children.

I smirk into my popcorn. After the Acker-Woman realised her wild accusations against me were untrue, she's been much friendlier to me. I'm even giving her specialised lessons to improve her combat skills. If the title of Humanity's Strongest Soldier is passed on after I leave, then I'll be proud for this ferocious Ackerman to claim it.

Once she starts washing that filthy scarf of hers, that is.

At the end of the night, we all leave the theatre together and walk back to headquarters. Annie, another musical enthusiast, is still belting out the lyrics to Let It Snow. And Holy Female Titan. I've never seen the Ice Queen display this much emotion over anything.

Suddenly Eren glances suspiciously between me and Erwin.

"I just remembered - I saw you both holding hands earlier! Are you two cuddle-buddies or something?!" he asks excitedly.

"What did you say about cuddle-buddies?" Armin squeals, peering out from his blanket. Annie stops singing, and she and Mikasa glance over at us.

I silence Humanity's Brattiest Soldier with a glare that promises a slow, painful death if he speaks of this ever again.

"Oh, nevermind…" Eren smirks.

I swear to god. The sooner Erwin and I leave the Survey Corps and these brats behind us, the better.


That evening, we skip dinner in the messhall and head to Erwin's quarters instead. I take a long hot bubble bath, trying to relax after our stressful date. This gigantic bath is my favourite thing about Erwin's place. I'll miss it when we both retire.

After Erwin makes dinner, we snuggle on the couch under a blanket, drinking hot chocolate and munching on lemon cake. We end up in an avid discussion about our dates so far.

"Erwin, our sea trip was the best fucking date ever. I mean, I didn't think we could top the cleaning date. But you somehow pulled it off."

Erwin chuckles. He pulls me closer, kissing the top of my head. "Levi, you are not an easy man to please. So thank you."

"The problem is, it was too good. We just can't seem to top it! All our dates since then have gone wrong."

"That's not true. The play earlier was incredible! Who would have thought the sequel would be better than the original?"

He sees me twisting the edge of the blanket, and his expression sobers. "Darling, it wasn't your fault Eren and his friends showed up."

"Yeah, it's Hange's fault," I mutter darkly. "I just hope Yeager doesn't tell everyone we were holding hands. We were doing such a great job keeping things a secret until then!"

Erwin rubs my shoulders. "Will it cheer you up to know I have plenty more date ideas in mind?" His voice is infuriatingly smug.

"Tell me."

"No, I think I'll keep them a secret. It's more fun that way."

"Goddammit Erwin I hate surprises!"

Erwin sighs dramatically, like he's some sort of fucking saint who has to put up with a snarky little demon for a boyfriend (I suppose that's sort of true though.) He ruffles my hair affectionately.

"I don't know why you're assuming you'll be planning all these days," I say, copying his lofty tone. "I might have a few surprises myself hidden up my sleeve."

I actually don't. Why did I say that? Now I need to come up with romantic dates ideas!

Wait, maybe I can draw inspiration from the Dating Experiment. I hastily recount the dates in my head – a crappy boardgame evening with Eren; a business meeting with Petra; a visit to the horse paddocks with Jean and Marco; a nightmarish, titan-filled tea party with Hange…

Shit. I'm totally fucked. Why were all these dates so awful?! Erwin's already stolen the best one – the visit to the sea.

Erwin wraps his strong arms around me, resting his chin on my head. "Levi, It's not a competition to see who can come up with the best dates. If it was, then I'd probably win." I elbow him in the ribs. "Ouch, I'm joking!" he laughs. "But seriously, there's no pressure."

"Yeah? Well same goes for you," I say firmly.

Erwin puts an insane amount of effort into planning our dates. It's like he's worried I'll get bored with him or something. "Listen Ervy, I love spending time with you. I don't care if all our future dates are just us staying in, eating junk food and cuddling on the couch. So long as you're the one with me, I'm happy."

Erwin's silent for a long time. He just stares wide-eyed at me. Oh crap, is he put off by my incredibly low date standards? Is he beginning to doubt his life choices by agreeing to be my boyfriend?

"Levi, I –" Erwin falters, then takes a ragged breath before plunging on. "Levi, I'm in love with you."

And this is the last thing I expect him to say.

"Wait, what?! You love me?" I splutter, the words squeezing past my tight throat. All my Ackerman elegance has gone down the drain. Uncle Kenny would disown me if he saw me now.

Erwin pats my back, thinking I'm having a cough fit. I sense his concern, like I'm a wild animal he's just spooked with a sudden movement. Or a sudden declaration of love, in this case.

"I'm so sorry Levi, I didn't mean to scare you! Please don't worry about it; I have no expectations for anything that you're not ready for and I don't expect you to feel the same but I just had to tell you because I've wanted to tell you for years and I just kept telling myself to dedicate my heart and-"

The swirling storm of emotions inside me explodes like a thunder spear.

"Erwin, stop babbling like a crazy person! I fucking love you too!"

His face freezes in a comical expression of astonishment; with those impressive eyebrows threatening to disappear into his hairline.

And suddenly I burst out laughing. How the hell did I manage to reduce the calm, confident and charismatic Commander Erwin Smith to an incoherent mess?

"Really?" he asks, his voice shakier than Sasha when she misses breakfast.

Obviously my words didn't convince him. I throw my arms around his broad shoulders, and pull him down for a passionate kiss.

And clearly we're both thinking the same thing – because soon we're pawing at each other like a pair of horny cadets.

When we break apart for air, Erwin asks breathlessly, "Levi, do you want to stay the night? I mean, we don't have to do anything, and you can stay in the spare bedroom if you prefer-"

"Erwin, I will definitely stay the night. In your bed," I add in a seductive undertone.

Erwin's eyebrows almost disappear into his hairline again. It's adorable. "What about your pre-bed, two hour cleaning routine? Do you need to do that first?"

"No, fuck it," I growl. "Right now, you're the only thing I want to do."

Encouraged by my response, my boyfriend transforms from nervous gentleman to confident Commander in a matter of seconds. In one swift motion, he scoops me into his arms, just like he did at the beach, and starts carrying me towards his bedroom.

A loud banging on the front door startles us both. Erwin freezes.

We stare at each other in sheer panic. Is this Zeke Yeager, back for revenge?!

I leap out of Erwin's arms, landing in a crouch on the floor. Instinctively, I search for my blades. Crap, they're back in my room!

Glancing around, I snatch the first weapon I find – a sweeping broom – and creep towards the door.

This time I'll take that Marleyan Monkey's head off, once and for all.

The pounding starts again. "Who the fuck is there?"

"Levi? It's your friends! Open the door already, you grumpy gremlin!"

It's not Zeke Yeager. But it's the next worst thing. I open the door, and Hange, Petra, and Mike practically fall inside.

These three idiots are the literal definition of cock blockers.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

"It's a pleasure to see you too, Princess Levi!" Hange replies in a sing-song voice.

Mike hides behind Petra at the sight of me brandishing the broom. I debate whacking them all with it, then sigh and put it down.

"Hi guys, nice to see you," Erwin says. His terse tone indicates the complete opposite.

Hange bounds past me, and the others follow, giving me a curious look. Clenching my jaw, I follow them into the living room.

"Oooh, this is cosy." Petra gazes around at the burning candles, the snacks on the table, and the discarded blanket.

Mike sniffs around the room, and then sticks his face in a scented candle. "Mmm, lavender," he sighs.

Hange stands with their hands on their hips. They glance between me and Erwin, with a titan-sized grin on their face. "So, have you guys something to tell us, or what?!"

Neither of us reply. Panic twists my stomach. Do they seriously know already?

Hange bounces up and down on their toes. "Oh come on. The evidence is overwhelming! First of all, you both took a random trip to the sea earlier this month. And on the way home, you announced to a mob of fans you were adopting cats."

They misheard me," I say stiffly.

"Then you sneak off for a forest camping trip together, but don't tell us!" Hange continues. "And one of my lovely titan fans told me he saw you two - ahem - 'wrestling' without your shirts."

"We were practising the Acker-Tackle!" Erwin protests.

Petra decides it's her turn to chime in. "Levi, you've been asking me for loads of recipes lately, but you refuse to say why." She smirks. "And you've been in surprisingly good humour – you didn't even yell when Sasha and Connie had a food fight yesterday. You actually laughed at them!" She points accusingly at Erwin. "Also, you keep ogling at Levi like he's a delicious cake you want to devour."

My boyfriend goes bright red and rubs the back of his neck.

"You and Erwin smell like each other these last few weeks too," Mike adds with a self-satisfied grin.

"In conclusion, the two of you have been acting super secretive and spending lots of time together, ever since the end of the Dating Experiment," Hange says excitedly, eyes huge behind their glasses. "And tonight, Eren Yeager is running around screaming that he saw you two holding hands. We're not idiots, we know what's going on!"

I've said it before and I'll be saying it until the day I die – fuck Eren Yeager.

Erwin and I share a despairing look. We've discussed this very possibility - that our nosy friends would suspect our relationship. They'll drag the truth out of us eventually, so there's no point lying.

"Fine, we're dating," I say steadily, "But you have to keep it a secret because-"

"YOU'RE DATING? OH SWEET TITANS, I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!"

"Hange, keep it down," Erwin pleads. "We don't want the whole Survey Corps to know yet."

"Oh, sorry," Hange whispers belatedly. "I'm just so thrilled that my Dating Experiment worked!"

Petra squeals and rushes forward to hug us both. Mike gives us both a manly pat on the arm, and then covertly sniffs our hair.

Hange's words sink in, and fury burns through me. "Wait, Four-Eyes – what the hell do you mean, 'the Dating Experiment worked'?! The whole thing was a total waste of everyone's time!"

Erwin chuckles. I stare at him, confused. His eyes are bright with understanding. "Hange, was this whole Dating Experiment just part of your master plan to get us together?" he asks.

"Yes! I thought if I forced Levi on a series of terrible dates, he'd eventually realise the man of his dreams was right in front of him the entire time!" Hange's smile turns exasperated. "Of course, things didn't go to plan. Erwin, I expected you'd take the experiment as an opportunity ask Levi out. After you refused, I was afraid all was lost. I resorted to desperate measures to make you jealous – getting Mike to ask Levi out, and even asking him out myself."

"Wait… how did you know for certain we even liked each other?" I ask, still struggling to digest this new revelation.

Hange groans. "Please. I knew ever since that sexually-charged moment when you tried to kill Erwin a few years ago."

"And Erwin never shuts up about you, Levi," Mike smirks.

"I used to think Levi was in love with Zeke Yeager. They've got crazy chemistry too," Petra mutters. Catching sight of my face, she adds hastily, "but I'm totally on Team Erwin now!"

I fix my gaze back on Hange. "So, hang on… you lost hope after Erwin didn't ask me out? You never considered the possibility that I'd be the one to ask him out?"

Hange's mouth drops open. "Huh? You asked Erwin out? Not the other way around?"

Suddenly they rush forward and pull me into a bone-crunchingly tight hug, wiping away a tear. "Oh my bitter little lemon cupcake, I've never been prouder of you."

"I knew it, Levi's just a big softie!" Petra squeals, face brimming with affection. Mike nods in agreement.

Furious at their teasing, I whip my head around to Erwin. He's beaming at me, eyes sparkling under those bushy eyebrows.

"He's Humanity's Strongest Softie," he says, in a tone full of such affection, it melts my indignation.

And honestly, any nickname is better than Princess fucking Levi.

So it is that my peaceful, cosy evening with Erwin is interrupted, yet again, by our three overly-enthusiastic friends.

Hange squeezes between me and Erwin on the couch, throwing their arms around us. Petra excitedly runs back to her quarters, and returns with a cake that says, 'Congratulations, You're Finally Fucking Dating!' Mike offers us advice about flower arrangements for our wedding, despite our protests that we've only been dating a month. We all eat cake and drink Petra's overly sweet vegan hot chocolate.

As we console Hange about their long over-due final manga chapter and offer heartfelt advice, my mind wanders back over the past two months…

Despite my annoyance, I can't deny that the crazy Dating Experiment did help me find love. It pushed me to finally acknowledge and confess my feelings for Erwin.

But just as importantly, the whole experience brought me closer to Hange, Petra and Mike. Their unfailing support throughout the experiment, and especially after Zeke Yeager's unwelcome visit, was unbelievably touching. I mean, even the bizarre dates I went on with them weren't so bad (although Hange's titan costume still gives me nightmares).

Sometimes my friends make me want to run back to the Underground and hide forever. But at times like this, when I'm immersed in the warmth of their company, I can't deny that I love them more than anything. Possibly even more than Erwin's gigantic fucking bath.

Suddenly my heart soars, like something inside me has been freed. I can't hide the impulsive smile that consumes my face.

"What are you grinning about?" Erwin murmurs, sending a delicious shiver through me.

I gaze around at them all; savouring the sight of my devoted boyfriend, and my three loud, loving friends. I've never felt so safe, so strong, or so completely content.

"Erwin, I fucking hate to admit it," I sigh. "But Hange's right – the Dating Experiment was a success after all."


Notes: I hope you enjoyed my exploration of Levi & Erwin's early relationship. And the self-indulgent extra dates XD Despite the complete overhaul I did to this story in edits, that final line remained almost unchanged from the ending of my first draft!

This chapter was extremely hard to conclude, but I decided to focus the ending on how the Dating Experiment changed Levi. I especially wanted to acknowledge his friendships with Hange, Petra and Mike, because I loved writing about them! (Poor Mike got the worst jokes though, sorry not sorry). This story's come a long way from the simple series of wacky dates that it originally was, and I hope I managed to convey a heartfelt message about how we all need support and love. And most importantly, humour :D

Thank you to everyone who read/followed/favourited/reviewed! *hugs* A special thanks to eeyop1428 for supporting me all the way through this story and giving me incredible feedback (there's at least one scene in this chapter inspired by you!)

Stay tuned for the Epilogue, where we'll see what the future holds for Levi and Erwin! (We might also see our beloved 104th Cadet Corps again…)