Happy Friday, enjoy!

ROBYN POV

The town bustled as early evening drew into night, the streets glowed with lit lanterns and some of those new lights created from the glowing crystal of the cave. They sparkled. The carriage pulled up to Keza's place. Levi had been holding my hand the whole time, but as Keza's front door came into view he held tighter. There was a lot to be said. It was why we had come ahead of the others, to let things be settled. I squeezed his hand and smiled. Showtime.

We stepped onto the cobbles as the door opened, and she grinned at me, holding her arms out. Dressed in a fine dress of green silk she was stunning as ever, and her eyes gleamed as she drew me into a tight hug. Bit by bit she was looking more like herself. Mourning still, of course, but she was beginning to shine again too. I was glad. Erwin would have been as well. I held her close and then stepped to the side as Levi approached, dressed in his fine suit, his steps slow and careful.

They looked at each other.

Keza held a mask well, just like him, but I knew they were equally nervous. I didn't know exactly what had happened down in the cells between them, when she laid the groundwork for freeing him, but it had definitely struck her more than she'd anticipated. She was first to blink, as I knew she would have to be. Levi would stand there all night until she decided it was okay. He felt he was in the wrong, he was the one who needed forgiveness. On several levels. She smiled and dipped her head, putting a hand to her chest and the other reaching towards him to shake. He blinked. Then he stepped forward and clasped her hand, shaking firmly.

She tilted her head as they let go. "You look better, Levi."

"I feel better, Keza." He dipped his head. "Thanks to your efforts."

"I was only one piece of the puzzle." She shrugged and stepped aside, gesturing us in. We walked into the warmth of her home. "How has the recovery been going? You settling back into life?"

"Between Robyn and Hanji, I'm being well looked after. Probably too well, considering."

"Now, now, none of that. We're past the guilt trips, surely?"

I snorted. "Now there's wishful thinking."

Keza sighed. "Ah. I see. Well sit down, I'll get you two a drink and we can have a chat before the others arrive. They just a few minutes behind you?"

"Yeah, they'll be along soon."

I sat beside Levi near the window, the space cosy and well furnished. A fire crackled behind a grate, and it looked like she might have borrowed some chairs from neighbours. That or she had gone for a rather eclectic style. But it was beautiful. And it was a home. You could feel it the second you walked inside.

She gave us both a glass of wine and sat opposite us, expression calm and open. She wanted to mend bridges as much as anyone else.

Levi sipped his wine and drew a long breath. "I realise I've already written to you with the apology, but I still wanted to say it in person. Keza–"

"You really don't have to keep paying for past sins, Levi. Some of which weren't even your own." She winked and sipped her own wine, but the way he pursed his lips made her chuckle. "But all right, if it's something you feel you need to do. Go ahead."

"Thank you." He breathed, sipping again, probably trying to steady his nerves. "I won't pretend that there's not been some serious damage done to your trust in me. Of course there has, and I'd think you foolish if it was any other way. Not only did I make the decision to let your husband die, I hurt your best friend. In fact, I thought I was k…" He swallowed hard, the speech obviously having been run through his head a few too many times. "I thought I was killing her, and was glad about it. I smiled. And I'm sorry. You trusted me to look after her, warned me what would happen if I didn't, and I failed the promises made…"

I looked between them, having no idea what he meant. Promises?

He continued. "But I will do whatever I can to rebuild that trust, Keza. You deserve that and much more. And you don't owe me forgiveness, you owe me nothing, not even civility. But you've welcomed me into your home, and that's… It's incredibly kind of you. So with all that said…" He looked at her directly, her posture straightening under his stern gaze. "I'm sorry."

She paused for a moment, letting the words sink in and settle. And then she smiled. She leaned forward and clinked her glass to his before taking a long sip and sighing in contentment. "Very pretty speech, and clearly sincerely meant. Don't go painting yourself as too much of a villain here though, Levi. You were as much their victim as Robyn. And I've already told you how I feel about the Erwin thing. So with all that said, you're forgiven, but I do look forward to all that rebuilding." She grinned and he clinked his glass to hers.

I let them have three seconds of quiet before I butted in. "Now what promises were you on about?" I looked between them, and they both smirked. "C'mon!"

Keza laughed. "The night of that lovely wedding? When you ended up getting that serum injected in you and all that drama kicked off. Well once you were looked after and resting up… I… Well I had one too many wines and may have had a go at Levi."

"A go?" I raised a brow. "Why?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "You were asleep after the syringe incident, and Keza… Well she told me quite plainly what she'd do if I allowed you to be hurt on my watch again. A rusty spoon was mentioned."

Keza blushed. "I did apologise the next morning, but the sentiment remained. Scowler was told how it was." She snorted and shook her head. "My mother-bear reared its head a little."

"Mm, a little." He raised his brows. "But in all honesty it was good to know how genuinely and fiercely you would protect, Robyn. So it worked on many levels."

"Indeed it did." She stood as the other carriages rolled up. "Now then, no more glum faces, no more pouting or scowling, time for a good night of laughter and wine. Got it?"

Levi raised his glass. "Yes."

I did the same. "Got it."

"Good! Now then, I've got to play hostess. See you two later on!"

LEVI POV

He finished his first wine and accepted another. By no means did he intend to get drunk, but the booze was helping take the edge off his nerves. It was frustrating. He had endured so much, had dealt with gangs, thugs, had fought his way out of the Underground, faced off with Titans, broken free of mind-washing bastards, and even faced the idea of having murdered Robyn, but this party was making him tremble. Was it the noise? The amount of people? He had no idea. He took another sip, swallowing hard, maintaining composure as the conversations flowed.

Hanji was happy, laughing while she told stories of Moblit and her doing research. The brats were in good spirits, reminiscing about training, about their foul-ups and triumphs. Keza floated between groups and of course belonged in all of them. And Robyn. She was burning bright, smiling, laughing, talking, even taking a small spin to the music with Keza at one point, her long auburn hair glimmering in the candle glow. Her dark blue dress hugged her in all the right places, she looked wonderful. His people were there, they were happy. No, not his people, his family. His wayward, broken doll filled family.

He just wished he could trust himself fully.

They had done the tests, asked the questions, tried to look for triggers, been as thorough as possible. Hanji wouldn't have let him out if she didn't trust his recovery. Robyn wouldn't risk the others if she doubted it either. It was himself he had to convince.

But it would just have to be one step after the other. Simple as that.

He was very grateful to have her holding his hand so tight.

Looking at their hands, he found her grip sound but relaxed. She trusted. She was content. He looked to her, her own attention enraptured by her conversation with Artlet and Kirtschtein. Her eyes sparkled, the hazel looking like molten gold in the warm light of the room. A blush rested on the apples of her cheeks, probably partially the warmth, the wine and of course the laughter. That smile. So at ease. He could spot a couple of her new scars along the collar of her dark blue dress, dim against her pale skin, but present enough to set his teeth on edge. Bit by bit he had been trying to let her know what he remembered from his time in captivity, tried to reach out and check those walls were still down. But beyond a few knowing looks, she hadn't said much in return. She saw her own time as so much less problematic. Because she had been saved. As if that negated any pain she had endured. It didn't. Nothing did. But in her mind, she was the lesser victim, she had to be there for him. Eventually, he hoped she felt all right enough to speak with him about it openly. And if she didn't, he would have to ask why. Because if it was because of him somehow? He had to fix that. In their world of lesser Titans and opening walls, he had to be more than a good soldier. A good Captain. He had to be a good man.

He looked at their hands again; fighting both urges at once, one to smile and the other to pull away.

How had she forgiven him so easily? What had he done to deserve it?

But as the evening continued and they talked, drank and laughed, him listening to the weird normality around him, she sat there smiling. Occasionally she turned to him, silently checking he was coping. All the while hoping he didn't notice her innocent inspections. He did see. But he also knew it wasn't concern for him losing his grip, it was his well-being she fretted over.

It was driving him mad in all honesty, the sheer weight of his ongoing relief. He couldn't keep his eyes off her, expecting to wake up in that cell to discover it was all a dream. That he had killed her. That those bastards had won.

She squeezed his hand again – like she knew what he was thinking. Could she read him that well? Those golden eyes that had haunted him and comforted him, saw right through him, didn't they?

Music trilled through the air and the clinking of glasses soon followed. It was all so mundane. So utterly peaceful. Like the past six months were a bad dream. Maybe that was all they had to be. Perhaps they could move on? A sharp sensation prickled the back of his mind and he watched his wine ripple. No. Not quite. Those callous bastards had to pay their bloodied dues. For what they did to both of them, and subsequently the regiment. But if he was really honest with himself; he wanted them to suffer for what they dared to do to her. With him as a witness to only a small handful of their crimes. He could see it, as the memories had returned; the blood trickling over her paling skin, weeping from open wounds, and glazing over deep bruises. Cold sweat clung to her for days, her weary breathing as they took aim with each stroke of the knife, whip or baton. He set down his glass, for fear he might crush it. So clear. The light leaving her golden eyes as she succumbed to the pain. And all that came before their drugs sullied his world, turning her into his enemy.

It hurt to even think of that.

Hanji and Robyn joked, but he wasn't really hearing them, lost in his own thoughts. Hanji's glasses flashed as she held Robyn's wrists, shaking them with ridiculous over-excitement. Presumably some kind of talk of experiments. Robyn laughed. She shook her head, red hair flailing all around as she cood back at her friend.

His chest ached. To let her out of his sight again would be impossible. Did she know how important she was to him? Could he ever properly convey that? And then his mind honed in on a small black leather pouch, holding a small silver ring. His breath caught. Had that been lost? No. No she hadn't been wearing it when they were taken. Maybe someone had found it in their apartment, kept it safe. He would have to ask Hanji. Then again… What would he do with it? She had said yes, but that had been before, in what felt like a different life. Maybe one day. No, he had to talk to Robyn about it. The idea wasn't only his to decide.

"Captain, may I speak with you?" Jaeger's voice burst Levi's bubble.

A couple of those nearby watched carefully, Robyn most of all. The boy hadn't really been near the Captain since his release. It made sense. The boy had been enraged when thinking Robyn was dead, if he had been given the chance he likely would have killed Levi then and there in the mess hall. Not that Levi would have blamed him.

Though Levi had to admit, the sheer mania in the boy's voice had pinged a strange sense of jealousy in his mind. How close had Jaeger gotten to her during his absence? How far had he dared? Levi knew how the boy looked at her, even if she was still oblivious. The anger soon passed of course. A momentary flicker of basic instinct. For one thing, Robyn would never be unloyal in any sense, on top of that she saw the boy as that, a boy. Probably closer to a brother than anything else. And as for Jaeger, Levi doubted the boy would actually have the nerve to act.

Levi dipped his head and stood, following Jaeger out into the small patio area behind Keza's house. He glanced back at Robyn and gave a small smile to quell her nerves. It seemed to work. She sat back into her chair. She would wait.

Then he focused on Jaeger with a practised amount of indifference. But this would be good, things had to be said. On both sides.

They stepped out onto the patio and closed the door. Just before it closed, he glanced back and caught Robyn's eye. She smiled broadly, clear hope shining in her eyes. Looking at him like he was everything. He swallowed hard. Somehow she kept making him love her more, and he wondered when his heart would simply succumb. She really was relentless.

"So, you wanted to talk?" Levi crossed his arms, mask firmly in place as he faced the boy.

"Yes, sir." Jaeger muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, summoning the nerve to be honest. He wasn't hard to read, but Levi didn't have endless patience. The boy could say his piece, but Levi wasn't about to completely indulge him.

"Spit it out.." He sighed, noting how Jaeger's expression hardened.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Granted, if you get on with it."

"I'm sorry." He stood straight all of a sudden, looking Levi straight in the eye.

The mask stayed in place, but Levi had to admit that he hadn't seen that coming. It wasn't clear what he had expected instead, but not that.

He looked the boy up and down. "The hell are you saying?"

"I'm saying sorry, sir. For lashing out at you in the way I did…" He gritted his teeth. "I realise you were under the influence of whatever it was those people did to you, and it wasn't fair for me to—"

"Tch. Don't ask to speak freely, then talk at me like you have a stick up your ass." Levi shook his head. The boy had gotten taller, and certainly grown up a fair bit, but he was still a brat. Levi had a gut feeling where the discussion was really heading, and Jaeger was a fool to think he might not. "Don't say shit just because you know it's what she wants."

The nervous demeanour vanished, melting beneath anger as those green eyes blazed. "I'm keeping the peace."

"No, you're kissing ass." Levi corrected, but sighed again as the boy tensed, readying for a fight. It was pointless, it would lead to nothing but maybe Robyn thumping their heads together. Levi held out his hand, hoping the boy might have the brains to accept it. Jaeger stared. Levi was about to retrieve it when Jaeger suddenly grasped it, and shook firmly. A little too firmly, but Levi let it slide. He then took back his hand and nodded. "I'm grateful to you, Jaeger."

"Um… What?" The confidence dimmed.

"You obviously care a great deal about Robyn, and I'm guessing you're one of the reasons she's actually still slightly sane?"

"I guess… She's still been a mess though." He spoke between his teeth, frowning down at the ground again. "You really back to normal?"

"As far as we know, yeah." Levi cleared his throat against the uneasy situation of not knowing for sure. He wanted to tell the kid to get a grip, to fuck off out of his business. But it didn't seem warranted. The connection he had to Robyn was infuriating, but he had helped her. So Levi didn't fancy losing that kind of ally either.

"Sir… I'm sorry to have to be so blunt but, I have to tell you right here, and right now…"

Levi waited, and as the boy loomed, there was a hint of feeling impressed.

Jaeger was trembling with rage. "If you hurt her again, I—"

"Kill me."

His mouth slowly closed, and a blush appeared. Levi knew he was heard, and better yet he was understood. He held the boy's gaze. Respect wasn't something Levi felt for many people. But he had beaten Eren half to death in that courtroom, and had hardly been kind since. Most would shy away. Most, at his age and rank, wouldn't have the gall to even look at Levi for longer than five seconds. Yet there he was, threatening to kill Levi. It wasn't clear if Jaeger even really knew what love was, but it was clear he felt something pretty damn deeply.

"So we understand each other." Jaeger nodded, retreating a step.

Levi frowned. The efforts Jaeger had given to looking after Robyn were commendable, but a line still needed drawn. "I'm not sure we do, brat."

"What?"

"Allow me to explain." Levi stepped in close, not touching, but the boy still winced. "I respect the fact you care for her, I'm even grateful for you helping her, so because of that I won't ask for you to leave her alone. You're her friend, and I'm fine with that." He narrowed his eyes a fraction. "But if you so much as think of taking things further? You'll regret even looking at her. And it'll be a permanent regret."

It wasn't rational. It was something she'd have likely kicked Levi in the ass for even saying. After all, it would be her choice also, and he had no right to decide it for her. She had every right to leave him. For all he knew, a few years down the line, (if they lived that long) once she was sick of his bullshit, maybe she would want Jaeger instead. Maybe she would prefer his puppy-dog affection. But Levi would have to hear it from Robyn. And he would trust that from her, not Jaeger.

"Do we understand each other now?" Levi raised a brow. Jaeger nodded. "Good to know Robyn has such a good friend."

"Thank you, sir."

"And you're thanking me, why?"

"For listening. And taking me seriously."

"Well… You're welcome, I guess."

Jaeger rubbed the back of his neck. "And I am genuinely glad to have you back, sir. I hope you know that."

"Sentiment's appreciated, but let's not start braiding each other's hair." Levi turned back to the house, noting Robyn stood in the kitchen with Keza, talking and grinning. She played with her hair, bit her lip, rolled her eyes. Just her being her. Mundane. Normal. Astonishing.

Jaeger's expression clouded. "Sir?"

"Yes?"

"She won't tell you plainly… And I'm sure others wouldn't want to either…"

"Spit it out, Jaeger."

"Right. I just… She really was broken, sir." The boy said, not in an accusing manner but almost in a worried one. Like he wasn't sure it wasn't still the case. Levi glanced at the boy's expression, but found those eyes fixed on the window, fixed on Robyn. "Not that she was moping around the place, or crying at everyone, of course not but… Something just wasn't there. Like the guilt was finally winning, or something. She was dulled. Like an overused blade."

"How poetic." Levi muttered, his own gaze landing on her again and wondering how it must have looked to see her so receded. Hanji had explained a little as well. How determined Robyn had been to keep going, to keep fighting, to make it worthwhile. And as soon as Hanji had used those words Levi had nearly choked.

Make it worthwhile.

They both fell back on those words so easily.

Robyn turned towards the window, brow raised at them both before she smiled and then moved to come outside. Her head popped out the door. "You two done gossiping?"

"Better than beating the shit out of each other right?" Levi shrugged.

She rolled her eyes. "You talked it all out? Cried on each other's shoulders?" She came over and Levi wound his arm around her waist immediately.

They headed back inside, and as he stayed connected to her, he rubbed small circles against her side, glancing her way every so often. She was smiling, content, but there was still bruising under her eyes, and that slightly sunken look to her cheeks. Really she'd done amazing, he knew he'd have snapped had he endured six months not knowing anything. She'd probably suspected he was dead, and he had found a week hard enough with that kind of realisation. He'd never understand her strength.

But he looked forward to having the opportunity to try.

Aaand there we go. Cya next time!