The soft glow of the lanterns cast long shadows across the castle's main hall, their flickering light dancing on the weathered stone walls. I stood in the doorway, my eyes fixed on the scene before me. Evelyn sat at the long wooden table, her raven hair cascading over her shoulders as she leaned over a book, her reading glasses perched delicately on her nose. Jake lounged beside her, a plate of food in front of him, his posture relaxed and familiar.The sight of them together, so at ease in each other's company, sent a sharp pang through my chest. I clenched my jaw, forcing down the bitter taste of jealousy that threatened to rise in my throat. It had been two years since Evelyn had left the Scouts, two years since I had last seen her smile that way. And now here she was, laughing and joking with Jake as if no time had passed at all.I watched as Jake nudged Evelyn playfully, his voice carrying across the room. "How about after we're done with this assignment, we go somewhere? Take a little vacation, hmm? We could do that thing you wanted."Evelyn raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a small smile. "You mean rock climbing?""Yeah, why not?" Jake grinned, leaning in closer. "I think after two years of non-stop MP work, we could use a break. Maybe we could... have dinner together too or something?"Evelyn glanced at Jake, her expression a mix of surprise and amusement. "Are you asking me out? Or are you just being weird?"Jake rubbed the back of his neck nervously, his cheeks flushing slightly. "I am, Evie... I really like you. I think you're amazing, and I think we make a great team." He paused, his voice dropping to a softer tone. "Just say you'll think about it, okay?"I couldn't stand it any longer. The sight of Jake confessing his feelings to Evelyn, the woman I had once thought would be by my side forever, was more than I could bear. I strode into the room, my footsteps echoing loudly in the sudden silence that fell.Jake leaned back in his chair, his face twisting into a scowl as he saw me approach. I ignored him, focusing instead on the kettle that sat on the small stove in the corner. With practiced movements, I began preparing a cup of black tea, the familiar routine helping to calm the storm of emotions raging within me.Evelyn picked up her book and stood up. "I'm going to my room. Goodnight," she said and left, her departure leaving a palpable tension in the air.Jake slumped in his chair, his eyes narrowed at me. "You just couldn't help yourself, could you?" Jake's voice was low and bitter, breaking the silence like a thunderclap. "Had to come in here and ruin the moment."I took a slow sip of my tea, savoring the warmth and familiar bitterness before responding. "I wasn't aware I needed your permission to enter a common area, Novak."Jake scoffed, pushing his plate away with more force than necessary. "Don't play dumb, Levi. You know exactly what you were doing."I set my cup down, finally turning to face him. "And what, pray tell, was I doing?""Interfering," Jake spat, his blue eyes flashing with anger. "You can't stand to see Evelyn happy with someone else, can you? You had your chance, and you blew it. Now you can't bear to see her move on."His words hit too close to home, and I felt my carefully constructed composure begin to crumble. In a flash, I crossed the room, grabbing Jake by the collar and pinning him against the wall. The sound of his back hitting the stone echoed through the hall, but I barely registered it over the roaring in my ears."Listen carefully, Novak," I growled, my face inches from his. "You don't know a damn thing about me or my relationship with Evelyn. You're just a replacement, a poor substitute for what we had. And deep down, you know it."Jake's eyes widened, a flicker of doubt crossing his face before it hardened into anger once more. "You're wrong, Levi. I'm not a replacement. I'm the one who's been there for her, who's supported her and cared for her when you couldn't be bothered. I love her, and I'll never hurt her the way you did."

His words cut deep, bringing up all the guilt and regret I'd been trying to bury. I tightened my grip on his collar, my knuckles turning white. "You think you love her? You don't even know her, not really. You don't know about the nightmares that wake her up screaming, or the way she blames herself for every life lost under her command. You don't know the weight she carries, the sacrifices she's made."

Jake's expression softened slightly, a hint of uncertainty creeping into his voice. "I... I know enough. I know she's strong, and brave, and kind. I know she deserves someone who will stand by her side, no matter what."

I released him abruptly, taking a step back. "You're right about one thing, Novak. She does deserve someone who will stand by her side. But you're fooling yourself if you think that's you."

Jake straightened his shirt, his eyes never leaving mine. "And you think it's you? After everything you've done?"

I turned away, unable to face the truth in his words. "No, I don't. But that doesn't mean I'll stand by and watch you take advantage of her vulnerability."

"Take advantage?" Jake's voice rose in indignation. "I would never-"

"Enough!" A sharp voice cut through our argument like a knife. It was Hange, her usually cheerful face twisted into a mask of disapproval. "If you want to fight and shout, then do it elsewhere," she scolded, her eyes darting between Jake and me. "This is neither the time nor the place for your petty squabbles."

I felt a flush of shame creep up my neck, realizing how childish our argument must have seemed. Without another word, I turned on my heel and stalked out of the room, leaving Jake and Hange behind. My feet carried me to my quarters almost of their own accord, and I slammed the door behind me, leaning against it as I tried to regain my composure.

The room felt suffocating, the walls closing in around me as I replayed the confrontation in my mind. I had lost control, something I prided myself on never doing. And for what? To assert some claim over Evelyn that I had no right to make? I ran a hand through my hair, frustration and regret warring within me.

A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. "Come in," I called, straightening up and trying to school my features into their usual impassive mask.

To my surprise, it was Evelyn who stepped into the room. She closed the door behind her, leaning against it as she regarded me with a mixture of concern and frustration.

"I heard about what happened," she said softly. "Hange told me."

I couldn't bring myself to meet her gaze, instead focusing on a spot on the floor. "I'm sorry," I muttered. "I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."

Evelyn sighed, crossing the room to sit beside me on the bed. The familiar scent of her lavender soap washed over me, bringing with it a flood of memories I'd been trying to suppress.

"Levi," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "Look at me."

Reluctantly, I raised my eyes to meet hers. The depth of emotion I saw there took my breath away. Anger, hurt, confusion, and something else I couldn't quite name swirled in those blue depths.

"Jake is my friend, Levi. A good friend who's been there for me when I needed someone. But he's not you. He never could be."

Her words hung in the air between us, heavy with implication. I swallowed hard, trying to find the right words to respond. "Evelyn, I-"

She held up a hand, cutting me off. "I'm not finished. What happened between us... it hurt. It still hurts. But seeing you like this, lashing out at Jake, it's not the Levi I know. It's not the man I..." She trailed off, biting her lip.

I felt a surge of hope at her unfinished sentence, but I tamped it down. I had no right to hope, not after everything that had happened. "I know," I said quietly. "I'm sorry. I just... seeing you with him, it brought up a lot of things I thought I'd buried."

Evelyn's expression softened, and she reached out, hesitantly placing her hand on mine. The warmth of her touch sent a jolt through me, and I had to resist the urge to pull her closer.

"Do you remember," she said, her voice taking on a wistful tone, "that time when we first came here? In the first month of being here, me, you, Isabel, and Farlan got locked in a storage room for a whole night."

A small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth despite myself. "I remember," I said, my voice hoarse with emotion. "Isabel kept trying to pick the lock with her hairpin, and Farlan was convinced we'd starve to death before anyone noticed we were missing."

Evelyn laughed softly, the sound warming something deep inside me. "I think you were more annoyed by how messy the room was than anything. And I saw a spider and screamed-"

"You nearly deafened me," I recalled, the memory vivid in my mind. "I had to climb up on some crates to catch the damn thing and throw it out the window just to shut you up."

We both chuckled at the memory, the tension in the room easing slightly. As our laughter faded, I found myself looking at Evelyn, really looking at her for the first time since she'd returned. The years had changed her, hardened her in some ways, but the essence of the woman I'd fallen in love with was still there.

Before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers. For a moment, she stiffened in surprise, but then she melted into the kiss, her hand sliding from my cheek to the nape of my neck. It was like coming home after a long, arduous journey, familiar and comforting and exhilarating all at once.

My hands found their way to her waist, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened. The world around us faded away – the looming threat of the Titans, the weight of our responsibilities, the pain of our past – all of it disappeared in that moment. There was only Evelyn, her warmth, her scent, the softness of her lips against mine.

When we finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, I rested my forehead against hers. My heart was pounding so hard I was sure she could hear it. I closed my eyes, savoring the moment, afraid that if I opened them, I'd find it was all just a dream.

"I love you, Evelyn," I whispered, the words I'd held back for so long finally spilling out. "I never stopped loving you. I know I hurt you, and I know I don't deserve a second chance, but I-"

Evelyn silenced me with another kiss, this one softer, more tender. When she pulled back, her eyes were shining with unshed tears. "I love you too, you idiot," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I tried to move on, I really did. But no one could ever compare to you."

I felt a weight lift from my chest at her words. The guilt, the regret, the pain of the past two years – it all seemed to melt away in the warmth of her gaze. I pulled her closer, burying my face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in.

"I'm sorry," I murmured against her skin. "I'm sorry for pushing you away, for not understanding. I was a ass, Evelyn. A stubborn, prideful ass."

She ran her fingers through my hair, a soothing gesture that sent shivers down my spine. "We were both assholes," she said softly. "But we're here now. That's what matters."

I pulled back to look at her, drinking in the sight of her face – the curve of her cheek, the slight upturn of her nose, the fullness of her lips. How had I ever thought I could live without this? Without her?

"What about Jake?" I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it. I hated the hint of jealousy in my voice, the insecurity that crept in despite my best efforts to squash it.

Evelyn raised a brow, her lips quirking into a small smile. "What about him?" she asked, her tone light but with an undercurrent of seriousness.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet her gaze. "I've seen the way he looks at you, Evelyn. The way he cares for you. I just... I need to know where things stand between you two."

Evelyn's expression softened, and she reached up to brush a strand of hair from my forehead. "Jake is a good friend, Levi. Nothing more. He may have feelings for me, but I've never encouraged them. My heart has always belonged to you, even when I tried to convince myself otherwise."

Her words washed over me like a soothing balm, easing the knot of tension that had formed in my chest. I pulled her close once more, burying my face in the crook of her neck and inhaling deeply. The familiar scent of her – a mix of lavender and something uniquely Evelyn – filled my senses, grounding me in this moment.

"I love you," I murmured against her skin, the words feeling both foreign and completely natural on my tongue. "I promise, I'll never let you go again."

I leaned in to kiss her again, savoring the feeling of her lips against mine. It was a kiss full of promise, of hope for the future. When we parted, Evelyn's eyes were bright with a mixture of love and mischief.

"You know," she said, her voice taking on a teasing lilt, "we have a lot of lost time to make up for."

I felt a smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth. "Is that so?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Evelyn nodded, her hands sliding down to rest on my chest. "Mhm," she hummed. "And I think we should start right now."

With that, she stepped back and began to remove her boots. I watched, transfixed, as she unlaced them and kicked them off, followed by her socks. Her fingers then moved to the buttons of her shirt, undoing them one by one.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice coming out huskier than I intended.

Evelyn looked up at me through her lashes, a coy smile playing on her lips. "I'm staying in here tonight," she said matter-of-factly. "I'm too tired to walk back to my room."

I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. "Evelyn," I started, but she cut me off with a look.

"Unless you have any objections, Captain?" she asked, her tone challenging.

I shook my head, unable to form words as I watched her continue to undress. Her shirt fell to the floor, followed by her pants. She stood before me in nothing but her undergarments, her pale skin glowing in the soft lantern light.

"You're beautiful," I breathed, unable to take my eyes off her.

Evelyn's cheeks flushed at my words, a rare display of shyness from her. "You're not so bad yourself," she said, her eyes roaming over my body. As she stood there, clad only in her underwear, she looked at me with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Want me to take the rest off?" she asked, her tone playful yet laden with desire.

My breath caught in my throat at her words, and I felt a familiar heat begin to pool in my lower abdomen. "Evelyn," I breathed, my voice husky with want.

She closed the distance between us once more, her hands sliding up my chest to wrap around my neck. "I've missed you, Levi," she whispered, her lips brushing against my ear. "All of you."

We fell onto the bed together, a tangle of limbs and heated kisses. Evelyn pressed her thigh between my legs, and I couldn't suppress the groan that escaped me as she felt my arousal. Her touch was electric, sending shivers down my spine and igniting a fire in my veins.

As we shed the last of our clothing, I took a moment to drink in the sight of her. She was even more beautiful than I remembered, all soft curves and pale skin in the flickering lamplight. I traced my fingers along her collarbone, down the swell of her breasts, marveling at the way she arched into my touch.

"You're perfect," I murmured, pressing a kiss to the hollow of her throat.

Evelyn let out a breathy laugh. "Far from it," she said, her fingers tangling in my hair. "But I'm yours."

Those words sent a thrill through me, and I captured her lips in a passionate kiss. As we came together, the rest of the world faded away. There was only the sound of our ragged breathing, the feeling of skin on skin, and the overwhelming sensation of being whole again.

Evelyn suppressed her moans as my thrusts grew harder and more urgent. I knew we had to be quiet, lest we alert the entire castle to our activities, but part of me wanted to hear her cry out in pleasure. I wanted everyone to know that she was mine, just as I was hers.

As we lay tangled together in the aftermath, our bodies slick with sweat and our hearts still racing, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. For the first time in years, I felt truly content.

Evelyn traced lazy patterns on my chest, her head resting in the crook of my shoulder. "What are we going to tell the others?" she asked, voicing the question that had been nagging at the back of my mind.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "The truth, I suppose," I said. "Or at least, enough of it. They don't need to know all the details."

Evelyn propped herself up on an elbow, looking down at me with a mixture of amusement and concern. "And what about Jake?"

I felt a twinge of guilt at the mention of his name. "I'll talk to him," I said. "Apologize for my behavior earlier. He deserves that much."

She nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer, and settled back against my chest. As she drifted off to sleep, I found myself marveling at the turn of events. Just hours ago, I had been consumed by jealousy and anger, convinced that I had lost Evelyn forever. Now, she was here in my arms, her love for me as strong as ever.

"I can hear you thinking," Evelyn mumbled, her voice thick with approaching sleep. "Stop it and go to sleep."

I chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Yes, ma'am," I whispered, tightening my arms around her.

As sleep began to claim us, I found myself thinking about the future. For the first time in years, I allowed myself to hope – to dream of a life beyond the walls, beyond the constant fight for survival. A life with Evelyn by my side.

~

The next morning, I woke to the soft light of dawn filtering through the small window of my quarters. For a moment, I was disoriented, unused to the warm weight pressed against my side. Then the events of the previous night came rushing back, and I couldn't suppress the small smile that tugged at my lips.

Evelyn was still asleep, her face peaceful in repose. A strand of her raven hair had fallen across her cheek, and I gently brushed it away, marveling at how soft her skin felt beneath my calloused fingers. Part of me wanted to stay like this forever, cocooned in the warmth of our shared bed, away from the harsh realities that awaited us outside these walls.

But duty called, as it always did. With a resigned sigh, I carefully extricated myself from Evelyn's embrace, trying not to wake her. She stirred slightly, mumbling something unintelligible before burrowing deeper into the blankets.

As I dressed, I couldn't help but steal glances at her sleeping form. It still felt surreal, having her here, knowing that she loved me as much as I loved her. The weight of our shared history, the pain of our separation - it all seemed to fade in the light of this new day.

Once dressed, I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Evelyn's forehead. "I'll see you at breakfast," I whispered, even though I knew she couldn't hear me.

Stepping out into the hallway, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the day ahead. There was much to be done - training to oversee, plans to be made, and a conversation with Jake that I was not looking forward to. But for the first time in a long time, I felt truly ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.