By now, I think you've all noticed that once I set my focus on something, I forget everything else. Sorry! I'll do my best to tend to the other fanfics I have.

I really like this one;as asked by KUBL, a chapter depicting the reaction of the other cadets is in order! The next segment of Casual Affair will be hot; at least, it's meant to be, and I hope it'll be of you liking.

Enjoy!

Casual Affair (Office!AU): The Beggining, The First Lapse, Chocolate, Devil Of A Boss, Cancelled Plans, Confessions
The Baby: Failed Attempt, Another Try, Silence, Confront/Comfort, Assurances, Truth
Icaurus: Found, Awake, Conversation

XVI: The Baby

VI: Confront/Comfort

In the wake of the revelation of her pregnancy, Mikasa was immediately moved from her shared bedroom and relocated to another one close to her superiors', more specifically in a chamber situated right between Hanji's and Moblit's rooms. It was to be expected, of course; being close to Hanji meant immediate aid if anything were to happen, though the scientist spent most of her time away in her cluttered laboratory – and that is why Moblit was also nearby.

The moving of rooms was standard procedure, however rare the cases of pregnancy were in the Survey Corps. Her sparse personal belongings were put away in their correct places with the help of Eren, Armin, Historia and Sasha, specifically. The rest of the squad was nowhere to be found, though she had the distinct impression that Jean was taking it harder than even her brother and childhood friend. He looked pale as a sheet when she passed by him in the hallway, led away by Hanji as she cited every little thing she should keep in mind for her health and the baby's.

Their squad leader, Captain Levi was also nowhere to be found.

That left her deeply unsettled and, in Blouse's words, looking very sick and nauseous. She might as well be; her stomach was churning around so unpleasantly that, sooner or later, she would empty its contents in the adjoined bathroom she had been given. For now, though, she would brush it away and say it was just a side effect of being three months pregnant, and not because her secret lover slash father of her child was missing.

Erwin and Hanji appeared by her doorstep long after the girls left, but the boys lingered, standing by her bedside as she made herself comfortable under clean cotton sheets. Erwin had not frowned upon her, though he did stress that her absence would greatly affect the work they performed inside and outside the field. Mikasa understood that clearly, bowed her head in shame and apologized, but her friends placed their hands comfortingly on her shoulder, and Hanji was telling him to be a little more delicate in times like these.

"Since you will not be joining expeditions outside the walls soon," he started saying as a way of changing the subject, perhaps in hope that he would ease the tension in the room that he himself brought with his previous words, "you are to help me and Levi with paperwork and other affairs when needed."

None of them seemed to notice when her shoulders stiffened and a quick horrified look crossed her features, but she accepted the predicament anyway, and Erwin came as close as to let his expression soften as he gazed at the trio closely huddled together on one side of the bed.

As alone as she could be now that her superiors were gone and her boys were either passed out on the edge of the bed or fighting a losing battle against sleep, Mikasa reclined on the headboard and fiddled with her fingers impatiently, hoping he would appear sooner rather than later. She came close to deciding that praying would be of more help rather than just silently wishing, but she was never a religious person and did not know where to start. As far as she could remember, her biological parents were not religious either, Carla attended to church a few times, always unaccompanied, and Grisha seemed to condemn these behaviors.

In the end, she figured that if a mightier force truly existed, it would not help her now after all she had done in her life.

The door opened with a creak, catching her immediate attention, and her eyes widened as she spotted him standing there for a brief moment, his legs taking him inside without a second though. Levi entered the room without sparing a glance to the hallway, as if he could not care less if anyone saw him there, and did not seem bothered at all by the sight of Armin and Eren in her bedroom. Given that by now everyone knew that the second strongest was carrying a child, they would most likely assume the reason why he was in her bedroom at night and get it right.

Unable to look him in the eye for longer than necessary, Mikasa reached over and gently shook her friends awake, murmuring that they should return to their bedroom and get some rest. They stirred awake, slowly opening their eyes and stifling yawns, but quickly jumped to their feet when the captain loudly cleared his throat, still standing his ground by the door, which he nearly slammed shut once they were on their way. They kept silent, he staring at the crown of her lowered head as he waited for the footsteps to fade away completely; she nibbling on her lower lip and squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

"You're going to keep quiet, and you're not going to speak until I tell you to. Is that clear?"

She nodded, ducking her head as he approached the foot of her bed.

"Do you understand what could've happened if Historia wasn't there to catch you?" His voice was harsh as he reprimanded her, but she accepted it, knowing well that it was well deserved. "You could've lost the baby, or worse, gotten your neck snapped and died. You shouldn't be running around like this. It's a damn miracle indeed that you didn't lose the child."

Her fingers curled inward, nails dragging across the soft bedsheets. She felt his gaze sweeping over her figure, but he was not done yet. "You should've been off duty ever since you found out, which, by the way, happened a long time ago. Am I wrong, Mikasa? You found out about the pregnancy long before today. When were you planning on telling me?" His tone was accusatory, and she dared not point fingers and say that the slight quiver of his voice signaled his feelings were hurt. "Were you planning on telling me at all? Damnit!" His closed fist collided with the end of the mattress in a fit of rage, though it did little to suppress his anger as it would have helped if he were punching the wall instead. "Damnit, Mikasa! Answer me!"

"I was afraid!" Her throat tightened, eyes burning painfully, yet no tears spilled as she spoke to the empty space beside her. "I was afraid you wouldn't want it. I was afraid you'd tell me to get rid of it. We never spoke about children; we never spoke of starting a family because there's no time for this. I–" She choked midsentence, gasping a lungful of air as it seemed her chest was constricting with the lack of breath. "I was so scared."

Dry sobs shook her body, fingertips pressing against the inner corner of her eyes that stung so, so badly. She truly wanted to cry right now; maybe the act would relieve some tension. "I know the risks I took." Mikasa started, voice as small and meek as a mouse. "I know what could have happened, I know, I know, but I was so scared you would leave and..."

"You offend me." His voice came from much closer now and the mattress dipped to her side where he positioned himself. "Do you really think I'd leave you and our child? Or tell you to abort it?"

She shrugged her shoulders halfheartedly, sniffing despite the lack of tears. "I was so panicked I wasn't thinking straight."

A long silence followed her statement, heavily hanging over them as her fears grew and morphed into another monster. Whereas before she was worried he would leave upon finding out about the baby, now she feared he would leave because she insulted him. He must have noticed the direction her thoughts were leading her, if the quivering of her shoulders and trembling of her bottom lip meant anything. With a sigh, his fingers gently closed around her wrist and lowered her hand away from her face, setting it on the bed between them as his palm glided over its back so he could lace their fingers together.

The simple gesture was oddly comforting. "Don't hide things from me again, okay?"

Mikasa blinked at his softer tone and dared to relax some of her muscles. "You're not mad?"

"Oh no, I am mad." His other hand glided around her shoulders softly and pulled her closer to his side. "But now that it's been done and it's in the past, we can only look forward to the future."

Something bubbled inside of her, twisting her insides differently this time, the sensation much different from the anxiety that had been gnawing restlessly at her for the past weeks. "So you're... Not leaving?"

His chuckle would have been more humorous any other day, still it rumbled in his chest and he placed a kiss on her face before her body went completely lax and she slumped against him. "Of course I'm not leaving."

Where her head laid in his shoulder, he felt the fabric of his pristine button up get soaked by the tears that her body finally set free. Levi reclined on the headboard, letting her cling to him for as long as she wished as she cried herself dry and spent, surrendering to slumber in his arms. His fingers trailed leisurely up and down her arm as her breath fanned across his collarbones, body curled up next to his, hair gently tickling his chin and neck, he inhaled the faint scent of lavender and pressed their joined hands to his lips before resting them on his stomach.

He may have fallen asleep at some point, being unconscious for the scant three hours that his body was used to being given as rest time, and set his eyes on the scenery outside the window, at the changing colors of the sky, varying from deep blue hues to colorful pastels in minutes. Birds sang from their nests in trees, and the light slowly crept along the floorboards, inching up the foot of the bed until it caressed their feet and ankles. When the sunlight touched her face, Mikasa stirred awake, slowly and sleepily blinking her eyes open, pulling away from him to stifle a yawn with her hands, and smiled at him.

Despite his obsession for cleaning and his opinion on morning breath, Levi pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss and excused himself so he could exit the room before anyone saw him.