Children

Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

Summary: Squad Levi discusses names for potential children.

"Hey, Petra, what do you think about the name Alana? Or Aldrich?"

"Huh?" Petra closed her book. "I'm sorry, what?"

"They're my future children's names," Erd said. "I was thinking Alana if it's a girl and Aldrich if it's a boy."

Petra's eyes widened. "I didn't know your fiancée was pregnant!"

"She's not. We—actually, I don't really know how we got on the topic." He shrugged. "Anyway, we're wondering what we'd name our kids. Rachel likes the names Alana and Aldrich, too. What do you think?"

"They're nice."

"What about you, Gunther? Oluo?" Erd didn't bother asking Levi.

"I haven't really thought about it," Gunther said. "My grandfather's name is Johan, so maybe that for a boy and Johana for a girl?"

"Nice." Erd nodded and the others agreed.

"For a girl, I'd say...Rose," Oluo said casually.

Levi didn't miss the momentary glance toward the petite redhead.

"Petra?"

"I don't know. Never really thought about kids."

"Really?" Gunther inquired. "Never?"

"Well, not never. I mean, I've kind of thought about it. And I don't really want kids," she said and Levi straightened a little.

"Y-You don't?" Oluo stuttered, eyes wide.

"I thought you loved kids," Gunther said curiously.

"I do. I still don't want any of my own."

"Too bad, I think you'd make an awesome mom," Erd said.

Petra waited patiently under her sheets for the almost inaudible footsteps. They stopped before her door and a quiet figure slipped in. She grinned, feeling the bed dip at the added weight. Levi had barely gotten in her bed before she wrapped her limbs around him like an octopus. The redhead sighed happily. Bedtime was always her favorite. The darkness of the night provided them with cover and let them give themselves to each other.

"Is there something wrong?" Petra whispered, even though being the only female member of the Special Ops Squad meant the rest of the women's rooms in their private barrack were empty.

Normally, he'd either talk to her, they'd get physical, or just cuddle and sleep. He hadn't asked her about her day or kissed her, only holding her distractedly. "It's nothing," he answered. "Just thinking."

"What about?"

He shrugged. "Just what you were talking about with the others."

Petra lifted her head to look him in the eye. He was staring just above her head. "About me not wanting children?"

"You know, whatever," he said, unable to come up with anything else. He thought she'd beat around the bush a little, not go straight to the point. Maybe his blunt personality was rubbing off on her.

"Do you want children, Levi?"

There was a question he thought he'd ever want to hear, much less actually consider. At least until he met Petra. "I didn't..."

She picked up on the obvious use of the past tense. "What about now?"

"I haven't given it much thought lately." Liar.

"So you don't want any children."

He fiddled with the ends of her hair. "I wouldn't mind it if, you know..."

"I got accidentally knocked up?" Petra provided helpfully. He knew that wouldn't happen. Not with how careful they always were. "Tell me honestly, do you want to be a father?"

Levi swallowed, feeling goosebumps breaking out across his skin. There it was, the f-word. It wasn't a word he ever thought could be or wanted to be used to describe him. Now he couldn't deny the small, hopeful feeling welling, deep, deep inside him at the thought of it.

The longing was clear to Petra, even if Levi refused to admit it to himself, much less her. "You do."

"No. I mean, I'm not opposed to it completely and I never really wanted it in the first place and it's fine since you don't want any. I'm not going to shove any expectations on you because it's so much effort and stress with nine months of—"

"Hush," Petra pressed a finger to his lips. She gave him a small kiss and smiled at the confused look on his face. "I don't want kids right now. I always figured I could do without them. Now, with you, I am open-minded for the future."

"What are you saying?" Levi asked cautiously. "Just to clarify."

"You may not have always wanted it, but I know you want to be a father. And I'd be more than happy to make your wish come true." She kissed his nose.

"I..." His gray eyes widened, shocked. "You don't have to if you don't want to. Or if you think it'll make me happy. I want you to be happy, too. I never thought that...this, what we have, could get so serious. And I always thought you wanted to be a mother since you talked so fondly about the children back home. I started imagining what it might be like...and I grew to love that image," he explained softly. "I want to make it real. With only you."

It was so rare for him to be so open and emotional she felt her insides melt like chocolate, leaving her feeling warm and sweet. "Trust me." She curled her hand above her heart, trying to hold that feeling. "I want it, too, if it's with you."

Levi pulled her close and held tightly, smiling into her hair. Happiness made his body tingle with delight. She would be his, he would have children, they'd be a family. "Thank you."

"It gets me excited me, too, making a baby with you." Petra snuggled into his arms. "Raising our child together," she said, smilingly fondly, feeling a stir of longing inside her.

"I'm going to hold you to that."

In the end, she didn't live up to her promise.

She didn't give him a child.

She gave him three beautiful nightmares.

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