Hello! Another Friday, another update. Enjoy!

Mrs Robyn Ackerman. If I took his name, of course. Which in all honesty, I probably will, because why not grab the opportunity to be rid of Vincent's name? It still sounded odd to me though. But I guess that came with the fact that I barely expected to have a long term relationship, let alone a marriage. But as he asked the question, it just felt right. I didn't need a piece of paper from the government to prove that I loved Levi, or that he loved me, but it still felt good. It was a sign he was willing to go against it all for me. For us.

So as I sat there in the morning light, him still asleep next to me, I stared at the ring and wondered what the future might hold. No doubt it'll get grubby, it might even be splattered in blood from time to time – my own, a Titan's or someone trying to hurt my family. But it would still be there. An anchor. Tethering me to a time that was simple and happy. The rain falling, tea brewing, and our hearts just being utterly content. I grinned. Petra would have lost her shit.

Not to mention how Keza was going to react.

I got up and put some water in the kettle, setting it onto the stove and searching for that fancy tea he always loved but hardly used. A lazy morning seemed fine. We weren't due at the orphanage until the afternoon, and we had already done the chores yesterday. This morning could simply be us stewing in some happiness. And as indulgent as that sounded to me, fuck it, we deserved it and much more. How many people had we lost? How many fights had we trudged through? How much blood and pain had we lost and endured in order to reach this point? Him, a child of the Underground, staring up through sun wells, dreaming of a world with open skies. Me, a child of Vincent's madness, staring up through a small basement window, dreaming of a world free from drunken hatred. And now we had each other. The open sky above, and the freedom to say yes. To all of it. The future, the possibility. Yes. I will marry you.

Once brewed, I took the tea back through and set it onto my bedside table, clambering back into the bed and laying down beside him. He laid face down, arms tucked under the pillow, facing me. Eyes closed, dark lashed against his pale cheeks. Dark hair fell across, a silken curtain that I gently pushed aside to kiss his forehead, immediately puckering his brow as he was drawn from sleep. I kissed again and he mumbled, nuzzling into the pillow for a moment before his eyes slowly opened.

He smiled sleepily. "Good morning."

"I have tea."

He propped himself up. "You have my attention."

"Figured we could use the fancy stuff, considering."

He smirked and sat up properly, propping himself against the headboard, blankets puddling round his hips. The same hips that my thighs had been wrapped around the night before, our breaths combined in frantic kisses. Hands kneading, caressing, gripping, stroking. He held me so tight. He whispered such sweet nothings as I gasped his name.

You're beautiful.

I love you.

Thank you for saying yes.

We'll be happy, I'll do anything to make that happen.

And as he sipped his tea, looking me over, I could only guess his mind was revisiting the same scenes. His eyes met mine and a blush rose up my neck. Would he ever not effect me like that? I hoped he always would. This kind of fire was something I could get used to, in fact, I wanted to. It warmed me to my bones. To be that wanted. And to want in return.

He tucked my hair back. "I was thinking we could make a little announcement at the orphanage today. Most of them will be there, including Keza."

"She'll shriek, I'm warning you."

He chuckled. "Earplugs, got it. But does that sound like a good idea?"

"Sounds great." I grinned and sipped my tea. "Maybe we should take in some wine? A few things to celebrate with?"

"Mm, agreed. We can head to the market after this. I'll make an appointment with the jewellers, and then maybe we can treat ourselves to an indulgent breakfast of fresh bread and cheeses from that vender you're so obsessed with."

"Oi, no one makes cheese like that man. It's heavenly."

"Doesn't hurt that he gives you a discount." He snorted and enjoyed his drink, ignoring my stuck out tongue.

Was this it? Was this what it felt like to be happy in life? To exist with someone so wholly on the same page as you? Madness. And yet, so utterly normal as well.

After the rain, the world always smelled that bit fresher. The cobbles still shined and the puddles rippled as we passed, but soon they would all bake dry, the sun already peeked between the dispersing clouds. It would be a beautiful day. I held the basket on my arm, and we gathered a few things as we went. Locals bid us good morning, and we returned it. Normal. Domestic. Surreal. I had left the ring in our apartment for the time being; until it was altered I didn't want it slipping off and falling down a drain or something. Even so, my finger felt odd without it, and Levi kept running his thumb along the spot where it would be. Soon forever.

For obvious reasons, marriage had never really been a goal for me. I hardly came from a good example of it. But I hadn't been saying yes to marriage, I'd said yes to Levi. He wouldn't try to own me. He wouldn't be cruel. It was a further forging of our partnership. And I could only guess that he liked the legitimacy of it as well, having always been that little odd about official titles and such. It came from being a child of the Underground I think. It wasn't my own concern, but I respected it as his.

"I'll go make that appointment with the jeweller. You go find us some fresh fruit." He kissed my cheek before heading down a side road, glancing back before he turned the corner.

I shook myself free of daydreams and focused on our little list of supplies. Vendors were friendly, I chit-chatted, and generally allowed myself to be as human as possible. The apples all looked wonderful; crisp greens, blooming reds, even a couple in a keen shade of pinked orange. Beautiful. I took a few, and started looking over the vegetables.

"I'll be back in a moment, miss." The vendor dipped his head and walked away. Clearly I looked trustworthy. Not that he was wrong, but it did make me smirk a little, considering how much I used to steal from these sorts of stalls with Keza. She'd distract, I'd grab, we'd run.

How would she feel about my news? Likely glad that I was taking her advice, but maybe a little bitter about me still having some happiness to tap into. I shook my head. She wouldn't be bitter. Perhaps a little forlorn but not bitter. She would be happy for me, even for Levi. Life had to continue after deaths, of course it did, and Keza knew that better than most. Still, I would announce the engagement to her separately, allow her to react however she needed to. After all, her pain of loss was still fresh.

The vendor still hadn't returned. I looked around, hoping to spot him, or else I'd have to leave my things and come back again later. I had a morning to enjoy, after all.

But there was no one.

Literally.

It was only then that I realised how quiet the whole market had become. A breeze shifted the hairs on the back of my neck and I shivered. There had been lots of folks a few minutes ago. Where had they gone? Why had they disappeared? My basket of food suddenly felt rather heavy. I left the apples. I headed back to the corner where I would meet Levi. Paranoia was just getting to me, that was all. Nothing to worry about. Everything was fine.

I waited five minutes, heart in my mouth.

Still no one else on the street. Not a soul. I lowered the basket and tried to catch sight of someone nearby, even if only inside a house or lingering by the door of a shop. But there was nothing. Almost like a dream. I shook my head and focused. Breathe. Just breathe an–

A crash sounded down the side road.

Running steps came towards me, and out of the gloom came a panicked Levi. Dishevelled, clearly having just been in some kind of scrap. The hell? He bolted for me. I started running in the same direction. He caught up, grabbed my wrist and hauled me in the opposite direction from home.

"Levi, wha–"

"Keep running!" He yelled, holding tight. "They've come for us. Shitting hells, I dunno why but it's them. Same bastards. C'mon!"

But he was moving slower than usual.

Normally I could barely keep up with him on a sprint.

And he got slower with every pace. He was sweating. A cut ran along his neck. A puncture wound sat near the join to his shoulder – he'd been injected with something. Shit. Think Robyn, get him out of here. Save him. His grip failed on my wrist and he stumbled. I pulled his arm round my shoulder, holding him up, keeping us moving.

"Levi, did they drug you?" I tried to hold him up. "Who the hell is after us?"

"Go… R-Run…" Like a puppet that had its strings cut, his limbs were falling still, his eyes blinking slow as his breathing became laboured. Whatever the hell they'd dosed him with, it was potent. "Keep r-running… Please… They can't t-take you…"

"I'm not leaving you here like this, what's–"

Another crash. Swearing and barked orders. Whatever Levi had knocked over in the alley to slow down his pursuers, had been moved aside. More running steps. Yelling.

Levi groaned, trying to force himself forward, eyes glazed. "Th… They… They're coming…"

"Who is?" I tried to find us cover, somewhere to hide from these bastards.

But there was nothing. And still no civilians. The street was barren. I had no gear, no signals, I wasn't a soldier right then, just a civilian left to stumble. This had been set up in advance, they knew where we lived, they had planned for this to happen as soon as we left the house. Shit.

"Levi, who–"

Something pricked against my back. Sharp, with a stinging sensation bleeding out from the point of impact immediately. Like ice had been poured into my veins. I cried out and my legs staggered.

I looked back. White cloaks. I could see nothing but white cloaks rushing towards us, one lowering a blowdart of some kind. Dammit. The men that took Kenny? What the hell did they have to do with this?

"Levi, I c-can't…" I faltered under his weight, the numbness dragging me down to the cobbles where we both slumped.

A puddle soaked into my civilian clothing, making me colder by the second. I couldn't feel my legs anymore. My skin was clammy. My breathing hard, like I was sucking air through a straw. Looking to the sky, everything was spinning, and darkening at the edges. The steps were still approaching, though no longer running. No need. We were down.

"Take them." One of them said.

"Hurry it up." Another one snapped.

I tried to find Levi, my head lolling from one side to the other, no strength left at all. He was beside me, an arms length away if that. He was dazed from the fall, hair across his eyes.

He blinked slow, watching me as his pupils went wide. "Robyn… R-Run… I can't…"

I reached for him, clasping his chilled hand tight. "S-Sorry…"

He couldn't hold my hand. His brows raised in the middle. He looked so afraid.

And then the world went black.

And there we have it... Nothing wrong here at all...! Cya next time!

BeChillDarling: Heh... Yeah he asked... And now... sure, happiness...! Lol, they had a wee morning together okay? Apologies for the turnaround, but then again, it is AOT. Thanks so much for still chiming in, it is awesome to hear from readers, truly.