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Chapter Text

Volume 1: The Death of Eren Yeager

The volume takes place in the five years between the fall of Shiganshina and the battle of Trost. The following characters are the ones mainly in this volume:

Eren Yeager
Hange Zoë
Levi Ackerman
Jean Kirstein
Erwin Smith
Moblit Berner
The original Special Operation's Squad

I'm writing this because I don't want to put all the volumes into different works, but that leads to many tags so here I am cleaning it up a bit.

Chaos was everywhere. Houses crumbled as Titans poured in through the breach. They spared no one, destroying everything and everyone in their path. Among the victims was Carla Yeager, who, as her final wish, begged Hannes to save her son and his two friends at any cost. So, the man grabbed the kids and ran without waiting to see what would happen. He never looked back, unlike Carla’s son, Eren, who wanted nothing more than to save someone who was beyond saving.

As Hannes moved toward the other refugees, carrying three children in the chaos, the crowd easily overwhelmed him. And that was all it took. The previously screaming Eren slipped away and ran back to find his mother. Hannes just sighed and continued on. He valued his own life and the lives of the other two children more than chasing after that reckless boy who just sentenced himself to death.

When the Survey Corps returned from their expedition, they found a gaping hole in the gate where they were usually let in. Seeing the destruction inside the walls, Erwin immediately began issuing orders, forming a new battle plan as always.

Hange Zoë coordinated her squad while feeling her stomach tighten into a knot. She knew damn well her sister lived here. Hange had often seen her standing in the crowd with her son when the Survey Corps left for missions. Were they dead? Judging by the devastation, almost certainly. Yet something in her gut told her not to leave it at that, and her mind was already running through all kinds of possibilities.

Her head buzzed so much that she simply sighed and turned to Moblit. Her assistant looked at her in confusion, but the moment she spoke, he thought she was about to drag him into another one of her insane ideas.

"Take over the squad while I check something," she stated. But this wasn’t her usual excitement, it lacked the tone that Moblit knew all too well. The Squad Leader was serious, more serious than he had ever seen her. And he had known her since the beginning of their training days.

"You can’t go, Squad Leader, Erwin" he started, but Hange immediately cut him off.

"I’ll handle Erwin when I get back," she said and, within moments, dismounted from her horse and continued on foot. She needed to see something, and moving on horseback in Titan-infested territory wasn’t ideal. But she had her gear, so she had nothing to fear. Not like she ever feared the titan, she was always fascinated by them, their nature and existence.

But instead focusing on the titans Hange tried to recall where her sister had lived. It was harder than she thought as she had only visited her once, not long after she had married that doctor and had that kid of hers with him.

"What was his name again?" Hange muttered to herself as she turned onto another street. Everything was hazy, but she wasn’t surprised. It had been nearly ten years since then. A long time to remember where your sister once lived. However, the unmistakable sound of crying snapped her out of her thoughts. Looking up, she saw a child beside the ruins of a house.

"So here you are," Hange muttered. This was that kid! But why was he still here? Why wasn’t he with the other refugees?

When Eren looked up at the woman, he was startled to see a Scout he he only recognised because she was usually galloping next to Humanity's Strongest when Eren and his friends went to see the Scouts off. He furiously wiped his tears away and, with a voice soaked in pain, declared:

"I’ll kill them all! I’ll wipe them out! I’ll exterminate the Titans! I’ll avenge my mother!"

Hange only sighed. The boy’s desperate voice was something she had heard in many soldiers over the years. But he wasn’t a soldier, just a child, a lost child in the middle of this chaos that was tearing their world apart. What was she supposed to do with him? She had no idea. She had never planned on having children after what her own parents had put her through.

"Is anyone here with you?" Hange asked, trying to divert the child’s attention so he wouldn’t continue to scream and attract Titans. "You’re Carla’s son, aren’t you?"

Hearing his mother’s name broke through Eren’s attempt to appear strong. He lowered his head, tears spilling from his eyes.

"Yes... I’m Carla’s son," he whispered, pain hitting him even by saying her name.

The wound in his soul was too fresh. The grief weighed on him like lead. He couldn’t bear it. He collapsed to the ground, burying his face in his hands, trembling with fear, forgetting that one of his heroes stood before him.

"I’m alone…" Eren mumbled. "I lost Mikasa… Armin… Dad…"

Then he started sobbing again, realizing he was completely alone. He already regretted running from Hannes. At least that alcoholic man had been a stable presence in the life that had suddenly crumbled like a house of cards. Even worse, if he died now, he would never get his revenge. He would never become a Scout. He would never fulfill his dream.

His whole body shook with pain, on the verge of a panic attack. He just seen her mother get eaten by a titan.

Hange sighed deeply as she looked at him. She had seen many friends in similar states over the years. She closed her eyes, trying to remember what her mother used to do in situations like this. It was difficult, her mother’s gentle voice and dark brown curls now only appeared in her nightmares these days. But one thing was sure… a hug. That’s what Hange seen mothers do when their children were hurting.

So, that’s exactly what she did. She knelt before him and, after making sure he wouldn’t lash out suddenly, gently pulled him into an embrace.

"Carla was my sister," she said while gazing into the distance, scanning for signs of Titans. Not that she had the strength to look the boy in the face as she said it.

Eren was startled that this stranger hugged him. But he didn’t resist, because deep down, the child inside him desperately craved the presence of a comforting parental figure, someone who would hold him without judgement, love him unconditionally. And that was enough to push back the panic attack, though not enough to erase the grief. He knew that the black, sticky mass of sorrow would cling to his heart forever. A hug wouldn’t change that. And then, for a brief moment, his overwhelming emotions faded. The child's curiosity awakened in him He had never expected to meet a distant relative. His parents had always avoided talking about family as if it were some contagious disease that could only be avoided by not talking. So he asked, despite knowing the woman probably wouldn’t tell him everything:

"Did you know my mom well? Why have we never met before?" It was genuine curiosity, the need to understand his situation.

"We were close," the woman replied after a moment’s thought. Then she firmly lifted the boy like a sack. They had to move, Titans would be here sooner or later. Not to mention, she wanted to avoid a certain short-heighted captain’s unnecessary scolding. Levi always hated when she or her squad lagged behind, acting like it was his duty to babysit her, then complaining about it over tea later at the base. "But it’s hard to meet up when you’re in the Scouts," she finished, hoping she wouldn’t have to dig into the messy relationship she had with both her parents and Carla. She wasn’t lying to the kid, but Hange doubted she could be fully honest anyway right now.

Eren nodded. Then, as they started moving, his focus shifted from the past to his future. Holding onto the woman’s neck, he asked:

"Where are we going? What happens to me now? Where will I live? Will I ever see Mikasa and Armin again?"

Hange didn’t want to tell him that the chances of reuniting with his friends were near zero. There would be too many refugees, orphans, and wounded. They weren’t prepared for this crisis. She could already foresee the famine, the real disaster, that would strike everyone. The bloodbath just started and the end will be far away.

"We have a base inside Wall Rose," she said as she picked up the pace, trying to reach her squad faster. "I’ll take you there. I won’t leave you behind."

Eren nodded. Though he didn’t say it, gratitude shone in his eyes. He clung to her tighter, silently begging her not to abandon him. For the first time since this nightmare began, he glimpsed a faint ray of hope. Now he could finally meet his heroes, the people he looked up to now for years. Maybe if he proved to them how strong he was, they wouldn’t throw him away like trash and start training him. Then he would keep his promise and get revenge on the Titans.

When Hange returned to Moblit, the man’s eyes nearly bulged in surprise. Somehow, seeing the Squad Leader with a child who looked suspiciously like her wasn’t on his bingo card this year. But Hange mounted her horse with the utmost calm, then signaled to her team to continue riding.

“Let’s go! Assume the usual formation until we reach Wall Rose!” she shouted with her usual confidence. “As much as I’d like to observe the titans, we need to focus on survival right now. If anyone sees a Titan, let me know and we’ll change course!”

“Squad Leader,” Moblit looked at him, still looking at him in amazement. “Who is this–”

“What? Can't people have relatives?" she cast a sharp glance at her assistant, who found this so unfamiliar and new that he immediately fell silent and it seemed that he would not speak soon. He had to figure out how Hange has relatives when she never mentioned any of them.

"Lance Corporal Ackerman's team is approaching us!" shouted one of the soldiers, who was scanning the terrain with binoculars. Hange knew very well why Levi's team was approaching them and had already mentally prepared herself for the Shorty's tsking. He won't like that her team got behind, even more she decided to take a kid with herself. Levi's team soon caught up with Hange's team. The short man stopped his favorite black steed with the bridle, then raised his eyebrows and said in surprise:

"Oi, Shitty Glasses, who is this kid with you?" he raised one of his eyebrows in confusion.

"It's kind of a long story" she declared, adjusting the goggles she used for fighting. How could she tell anyone this in the middle of this chaos? That her sister is dead and she's taking in her kid because he has nowhere to go? How can she tell anyone that she just lost a sister? Not to mention, she felt the boy begin to squirm in her arms. "This little man here is…" she started but stopped halfway through as she realized she forgot to ask the kid what his name was.

"My name is Eren Yeager, Captain Levi!" the kid straightened himself proudly, wanting to appear brave and strong in front of one of his greatest role models. "My goal is to destroy all the Titans! I want to kill them and wipe them off the face of the earth! I swore that I would take revenge on them and I wouldn’t rest until…"

Levi didn’t really understand the rest of the boy’s monologue, as these words bored him. The last time he heard something this long and boring was one of Erwin's speeches meant to motivate the soldiers before expedition. So instead listening to the kid, he turned to Hange:

"So what do you want to do with him? I hope you’re aware that the Scouting Legion doesn’t maintain a kindergarten department," Levi said sarcastically.

“If Erwin could get you those ridiculous cleaning supplies, it wouldn’t be a big deal for him to feed another mouth!” the woman huffed, rolling her eyes. She obviously had no idea what to do with the kid. She wasn’t stupid and knew he was too young to just give him up for training. She couldn’t just leave him on the street either, she owed it to Carla to take care of him.

“Cleaning supplies don’t need to be trained, but this strange kid does. And from what I can see, those cleaning supplies are much more useful to the Scouting Legion than this whining kid,” Levi retorted.

“I’m not a whining kid!” Eren interrupted, red-headed and embarrassed, feeling bad that his role model was speaking so disparagingly of him. “If I learn to fight, I can be a useful member of the team too! I want to kill Titans, just like you, Captain! My goal is also to kill the titans and…"

“Okay, kid, enough talking, you make my head hurt” Levi interrupted tiredly, who was already about to go back to the base to drink a cup of hot tea. Then he turned back to Hange and asked her about this new complication and what she intends to do with it:

“How about we ask Erwin what to do with the brat? Maybe he has some good ideas."

“The last thing I want to see today is Eyebrows. And I think after the fall of Wall Maria, I don’t think his priority won't be to talk about a single child I picked up,” the woman looked at Levi flatly, while Eren just sat on the horse, discouraged. Then somehow, in a split second, he was right next to him with on his black horse because the next moment, he pulled the child over to him, grumbling something like he didn’t trust the woman with the glasses. “Okay, if you wanted to adopt him, you could have told me earlier.” After that, Levi spoke again:

"Then the kid can stay at the base for the night. In the morning, we'll discuss with Erwin what to do with him." At this statement, Eren looked at Hange hopefully. The boy trusted that the woman would stand by him and not let him be thrown out onto the streets. Then, looking at the boy, Levi said:

"Hold on tight, stowaway. We have to hurry and I would rather not want you to fall off the horse." After that, both Hange and Levi's team set off towards the base. 

Hange glanced back at him and nodded, while Eren swallowed hard when the strong scent of cleaning supplies hit his nose. It was then when he truly realized that he was sitting on a horse with Humanity's Strongest. It was like some dream come true, which of course seemed more like a nightmare under the current circumstances. He was then quickly snapped out of his thoughts by Levi riding off with his horse, and Eren grabbing onto the nearest thing he could. Which in this case was Levi's jacket. And soon the galloping lulled him into a restless sleep.

Chapter Text

A few hours later, the small group arrived at the base. The soldiers quickly dispersed to eat and rest, while Hange and Levi were walking in the hallway with Eren. Their only luck was that Erwin was working in his office, so they didn't have to explain why they had brought a child with them.

The silence was finally broken by Eren, who tugged at Hange's shirt and said:

“I'm hungry.”

“There must be food somewhere,” the woman mused as she looked down at the child. His clothes were torn, and the mix of blood and mud on his body had probably been on him for quite some time. And although she didn't often think about something like that, but this child needed to be bathed first. So she turned to Levi. “I'll go find him some food, and you can bathe him in the meantime.”

“Of course you're making me do the hard work,” Levi grumbled. After Hange's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, the man turned to Eren: “To the bathroom. Now.” Eren nodded at this, as he didn't dare stop to argue with the Humanity’s Strongest.

When they arrived at the bathroom, Levi gave him a quick lecture on the soaps and cleaning products there. The man told him what he could and couldn't touch. Then, before leaving the kid to bathe, he spoke again:

“If you may, don't drown yourself in two inches of water, because if you do then Shitty Glasses will kill me.”

However, before he could even step out, Eren's curiosity was bigger than the boy first thought. These two were behaving like his parents used to. They were always bickering about everything, and one of his mother's favorite things to do was to give his father all kinds of nicknames, which he sometimes returned with equally awful names.

“Are you two married?” he asked, observing Levi, searching for a ring on his finger.

Anyone else would have blushed at such a question, but it took more than a curious child for Levi to lose his composure. So, his only reaction was to raise an eyebrow and then give the boy a sarcastic reply:

“Do you think a Captain in the Scouting Legion has time for shit like this?” Eren was a little surprised by this cold response. So he shook his head in embarrassment, and Levi continued in a serious tone.

“Here, in this base, serious decisions have to be made every single day, with human lives at stake. Here, you could lose even your friends any day, it is impossible to form that type of relationship, brat. So I suggest you learn very quickly that life in the Scouting Legion is not a walk in the park.” Levi then paused again, but only for a short time: “Now, take that fucking bath, because you smell like horseshit. Hopefully, Hange will be back with dinner by the time you’re done.”

“Yes, Captain!” the boy replied, even saluting to sound serious and grown-up. Eren thought to himself that he had never heard a more disappointing speech in his life.

Because of this, Eren thought that Humanity’s Strongest was more sour than two-week-old milk. The boy’s only question was whether Hange could help Levi’s rotten-milk-like psyche. Because they seemed to like each other.

Eren really tried to take a bath, like really. However, to his defense he was only a ten year old and at home, “bathing” had always been done with a bucket. Not in a bathtub. Despite all of this, Eren did enjoy the warm water, which reached up to his chest and was full of foam and bubbles. But he just didn't know how to wash his hair, because it was always done by his... no, he didn't have time to remember it now.

“Can I get some help?” he said almost shyly. He wanted to sound strong, but the shampoo stung his eyes and he just couldn't rub his scalp properly.

Levi just sighed at Eren's question. He accepted his fate that he wouldn't be able to drink his tea in peace because of the brat. He muttered something to himself about kids being so annoying, but then finally went into the bathroom. He didn't say anything when he saw the completely soaked bathroom tiles, but when he saw the amount of foam in the tub, he couldn't help but start talking:

“I'll kick your ass, you brat, if you have used up all my liquid foam” Levi growled, but despite everything, he went over to Eren and started washing the boy's hair.

Meanwhile, he thought it was no coincidence that he had never thought about having a child before, and this boy only reinforced his belief that he shouldn't start thinking about creating an Ackerman brat anytime soon.

Despite his not-so-happy thoughts, Levi was careful with the boy, making sure that any more shampoo didn't get into his eyes by accident. He was of course also thorough, washing the boy's dirty brown curls at least three times.

Eren let out a pleasant sigh, indicating that he was glad for the help. His body, which had been tense to the point of breaking down, finally began to relax. His shoulders sank, and his face smoothed out. At that moment, he was not the person he had always tried to portray himself as. A strong soldier who wouldn't hold others back. Now, he was nothing more than a ten-year-old boy who had just been rescued from the ruins of his former life.

When he finally reached complete peace, he simply glanced up at Levi, who was fully focused on washing his hair. Eren, on the other hand, thought that if he wanted to be the best soldier, he might as well ask him for advice.

“Did you lose your mother too?” he asked. If he answered yes, Eren could ask him how to get over it.

Levi was surprised by Eren’s question. This boy’s words kept pulling him out of his comfort zone and he really wasn’t used to being asked such direct questions, questions that were impossible to avoid. But the man didn’t want to talk about his past. It was too painful of a story, the effects of which he still felt, and on his more difficult days, these memories hovered over his head like dark, rolling storm clouds. Hange and Erwin knew the most about Levi, but the man didn’t tell everything, even to them. It wasn’t because he wanted to keep it a secret. On the contrary, sometimes he wanted to talk about it, because he knew that then he would be able to carry the burdens more easily. However, when he imagined the underground city, a leaden weight settled on his heart and he felt like a thorny lump growing in his throat, making it impossible for him to speak. In addition, the man was also afraid that if everyone knew about him, he would become vulnerable. So he chose to remain silent.

Now the same situation arose again, so he only answered Eren: “Yes.”

“How did you get over it?” he asked his next question. “I want to forget the pain, I don't have time for that” he stated plainly. At first Levi was suspiciously silent (not that he had talked too much anyway) but now he seemingly almost froze.

Then he finally spoke again, but as usual, he didn't say much more this time too:

“I had to concentrate on staying alive. I didn't have much time for that.” And besides, that was when Kenny had also entered his life, who had taught him some pretty tough lessons about life. But he really didn't want to share that with a ten-year-old kid.

Finally, Levi told the boy that his hair was done, so he could get out. Meanwhile he would look for where Hange had gone. Levi began to suspect that instead of looking for food, Hange had locked herself in her lab and started doing her favorite experiments, while leaving the young brat to him. But before he could step out into the hallway, Hange opened the door, with a tray or two full of food in one arm and fresh clothes in the other. The woman didn't have her usual grin on, she was more focused on not dropping the food.

“I had no idea about what he eats, so I brought a little of everything I could find” she placed the trays on the desk next to the tea. “I also got him some clothes. Petra sends her apologies because after washing your things, they all shrinked in size. But don't worry, they'll be perfect for Eren” she finally smiled. “Finally, there's something good about you being a Shorty.”

Levi rolled his eyes at this, then snapped back with a snarl:

“Not everyone can be as tall as you and Eyebrows.” After that, Levi growled at Eren. “Get changed, brat.”

The boy nodded enthusiastically, as he was happy to inherit the clothes of Humanity’s Strongest. The shirt and pants were still a bit too tight on the boy, so Levi spoke up:

“He should get some normal clothes. This is so big that he'll stumble and break his leg. I don't want to pay for a doctor for the brat” the man added a little sullenly.

“And what makes you think you should pay for it?” the woman blinked in confusion. She knew that Levi, for some reason she couldn't understand, always stuck his nose into everything that had to do with her. But this time was different. This was a child she had brought here and Levi was putting himself in the middle of things with the same intensity as always. Why would he grumble about having to pay for the kid that wasn't his responsibility? “I mean, okay, you know I said if you want to adopt him, just tell me” Hange rubbed her neck in confusion as she put the tray in front of Eren so he could choose from the food.

“Who wants to adopt brats?” Levi mumbled back listlessly, while watching the happily snacking Eren so he wouldn't have to look at Hange. Levi then finally sighed, and added grumpily: “I just don't want this poor thing to get his ass kicked here. So I thought, until we find foster parents for him, I'll take care of him.” Then Levi's sarcastic style returned, and looking at the scientist, he spoke confidently: “And anyway, if you were the only one taking care of the brat, he'd have a nervous breakdown from all the scientific Titan shit you'd be pouring into his head.”

“HUH?!” The woman was completely taken aback. “He's my nephew, so if we have even a little bit of the same blood running through our veins, he'll love what I'm going to tell him about Titans!” she adjusted her glasses, forgetting that she still hadn't explained the whole situation to Levi. She really wouldn't while Eren was awake.

Levi's eyes widened in shock at this statement. He had no idea that this child was Hange's nephew. This somewhat complicated the whole situation, because Levi knew that the woman would not easily part with the boy. He didn't really know what to answer, but he didn't need to, because Eren started talking to Hange with his eyes shining and his mouth full:

“Do you really know much about Titans? Do you know how to defeat them? Because I want to destroy them all!” But before Hange had a chance to answer, Levi quickly interrupted so that he wouldn't have to listen to the woman's usual scientific rambles.

“First of all, don't talk with your mouth full, Eren! Second, you two will discuss this tomorrow. I've had a long day, so I'd like to finally sleep.” Hange nodded at this and took Eren in her arms after he finished eating.

“Come on kid, we're sleeping together tonight” she looked at the boy. Surely after such traumatic experiences, she would not let Eren sleep alone in some random room. So, he would sleep there next to her, and all she had to do was put away the sharp and explosive things. “And yes, if you want to kill all the Titans, it's best to start by getting to know them.”

Hange's words made Eren nod. Then the boy yawned. This day had not only exhausted Levi, but also Eren. And probably Hange too. And since the boy felt safe in Hange's arms, he soon dozed off. While the woman carried him through the dark corridors, Eren's dull and tired brain grew heavier and heavier. On the border between reality and dream, he felt as if he was in his mother's arms again, and that this whole day had been just a bad dream. This helped calm the boy's troubled soul, so after muttering a “good night, mom” , he soon fell into a deep sleep.

Hange just smiled as she headed towards her own room. In the meantime, she stopped by Moblit to ask for the book on raising children that the man had intended for his sister's birthday, but hadn't given it to her yet.

“I promise I'll bring it back to you safely, Moblit, but I don't know what to do with a child” the Squad Leader said with a sigh, while she was handed the book by his subordinate.

“But you really have to bring it back, Squad Leader” the man looked at her seriously, and then Hange disappeared with a grin. “Looks like I need to buy a new one” he muttered under his breath.

Soon Hange arrived in her room, where she laid Eren down and then quietly started cleaning. Yes, she was cleaning and it was interesting to see her do it.

“This is a historic moment, it's a shame Shorty isn't here to see it” the woman said to herself as she poured cleaning products into the bucket of water. Because Levi obviously kept cleaning products here too, so that if he came in and didn't like something, he wouldn't have to go through half the base to get them.

After Hange cleaned, she started reading the book on raising children. It talked about how a parent should not cause permanent psychological damage to their child and if this did happen, what the consequences would be for the child's mental development. This chapter worried Hange quite a bit, since Eren had already been through some quite serious traumas, and she was afraid that this would have irreversible consequences. Especially when you consider how hot-headed and quick-tempered the boy is.

“Compared to this, killing a titan seems like a child’s play,” she groaned nervously, sprawling on her desk, burying her face in her book. But when an idea came to her, a light glinted in her eyes. “Yes, yes, yes,” she stood up suddenly and started pacing around as if she was about to make a breakthrough in her research. “All I have to do is channel his anger into something else. I’ll find him a hobby and everything will be fine,” she put her index finger to her lips, not noticing the figure leaning against the doorframe, watching the woman. Levi was someone who didn’t usually sleep much anyway, especially not when he was unusually curious about what the hell was going on with Shitty Glasses.

“You look excited again,” Levi said, moving away from the door frame and walking closer to the scientist. “I can see you have some crazy idea again.”

“This is not like that now” Hange stated simply, not at all surprised that Levi was here. “You could have come sooner” she said as she continued to walk around “because you missed the historic moment. I cleaned up my room” she stopped. Hearing this, Levi looked around.

“Well, it doesn’t look like it. But I appreciate that you tried at least.”

“Thank you very much for being just as motivating as usual” Hange shook her head absentmindedly. “And I appreciate that you helped with the kid, because I know you can’t stand them” she looked at him, knowing Levi’s nature of not liking kids at all.

“That’s true,” Levi replied, not even trying to deny it. “But speaking of the brat, what do you plan to do with him?” Then Levi paused briefly, and added thoughtfully: “By the way, you never even mentioned that you had a nephew. All I knew was that you had a sister somewhere.” Levi sighed, then spoke again. “And I naively thought I knew everything about you, after all the talking you do.”

“He’ll stay here with me, and I’ll sort out Erwin somehow” she folded her arms. “Of course you don’t know things about me,” she shrugged her shoulders. “Just like you never mention your mother, I never mention my sister. And by the way, I last talked with her about 10 years ago.”

“Well, okay. Hopefully Erwin will allow it,” Levi shrugged.

The man didn't comment on Hange's family. It looked like she had a life almost as complicated as his. But Levi hadn't forgotten those words. Instead, he stored them in his mind and decided to ask the scientist about it later, when there wasn't a traumatized ten-year-old boy sleeping nearby.

"Fuck," the woman sighed nervously, pulling the hair tie out of her already messy ponytail. After that, she collapsed onto her bed next to Eren, her brown curls falling onto her shoulders. "I can't do this," she buried her face into her hands.

"What can't you do?" Levi asked cautiously, knowing how unpredictable the woman could be when she was angry.

Then he sat down on the bed next to Hange. He didn't want to leave her alone while she was so upset. But Hange didn't answer, not that she could put into words exactly what she was thinking. Besides, now, that she had finally sat down on the bed in the middle of the night, the fact that Carla was dead had hit her like a bullet. She was her only sibling and now she was dead.

"I can't..." her voice trailed off as she shook her head.

"It's okay, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Levi replied in a much gentler tone than his usual style. After all, he had experienced firsthand that painful things are often difficult to put into words. The man knew that all he could do now was try to help Hange, in everything he could. So Levi added reassuringly: "Don't worry, I won't let the brat get hurt." Then his voice got quieter as he began to speak again. "And sorry for your loss. She didn't deserve this. None of them did.”

Then the woman looked up at him with a bittersweet smile, tears already gathering in her eyes, and before Levi could do anything about what was surely coming, Hange hugged him. But still didn't shed a single tear. Instead, she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand.

“Thank you” she whispered into his ear. “I don't know what I would do without you.”

“It’s nothing,” Levi replied, not being used to hugs and didn't really like them because of that. But now he made an exception and didn't try to get out of the woman's arms, because he felt that Hange really needed one right now. So Levi patted her back a little awkwardly. “Don't worry, everything will be fine.”

“I'm sure it will be fine, with you by my side” she muttered as she closed her eyes while resting her head on his shoulder, then fell asleep in the man's arms. These words touched him, making him feel a strange warmth in his heart.

“You’re an idiot,” Levi whispered gently, as he carefully took off the woman’s glasses and placed them on the nightstand next to the bed. “You could have fallen asleep with them on again.”

After that, Levi laid the sleeping Hange down on the bed, the child already curled up next to her, sleeping soundly. Levi covered both of them with a blanket, and after making sure that everything was okay, he walked out of the room.

Chapter Text

Hange, just like Eren, woke up the next morning to someone banging on her door. The boy sat up in fright while the woman, blinking tiredly, crawled out of bed.

“I’m going!” she shouted indignantly as she headed for the door while putting on her glasses. "I can't understand why you need me so early…" she grumbled as she opened the door and stopped in the middle of her sentence. Erwin stood in front of her and judging by his expression, the man was not in a good mood. She didn’t blame him for that, because now that Wall Maria had fallen, they would have a lot of things to do.

“We need to talk about several things,” Erwin said in a serious voice. “First of all, there will be a meeting regarding Wall Maria in the next few days, where I need you to appear by my side, along Levi. Secondly, the families of the scouts who have fallen during the last expedition need to be informed, and thirdly, are the rumors true that you want to adopt a child?”

“Who told…?” Hange suddenly looked up in surprise. How could Erwin already know about Eren? “Doesn't matter, I'll take care of everything,”  she quickly shook her head while Erwin looked in with interest and saw that Hange's room was cleaned. Of course, it wasn’t as clean as when Levi does it (although that’s something you can’t beat), but it still looked quite nice.

Hearing Hange’s hasty answer, Erwin frowned. A cloud of worry darkened his sky-blue eyes.

“This is a military base, Hange,” Erwin replied sternly. “A child here would only be in danger. Find him foster parents! Who would look after him during the day anyway? Who would discipline him?”

But before Hange could answer, Levi appeared at the end of the corridor. The man had heard the argument and couldn't leave it without saying a word. So he went over to his comrades, which made the tension between them now boil.

“I'll take care of him. He won't get in the way” Hange looked imploringly at Erwin, who was not convinced at all, so she ran her hand through her undone hair stressed out. Meanwhile, she saw that Levi was also arriving here. Just the backup she needed.

“I don't want dead weight, Hange” Erwin stood his ground stubbornly as always.

Levi knew how important it was for Hange to keep Eren, since the boy was her dead sister's child after all. He owed her much to support her when in need. So Levi finally turned to Erwin and began to speak:

“How about if I train the kid? There is always a need for new scouts.”

Erwin then looked down at Levi, his gaze looking exactly as it had been when Levi had first met him. He was constantly thinking, re-planning everything in a split second so that things would go the way he wanted.

“You don't take in strays,” Erwin stated, scanning Levi's face because he knew the man well enough to see; he doesn’t do anything without a reason. And if Levi wants to train a ten-year-old, there’s a reason for it. Levi saw something in that kid and that immediately interested Erwin.

"I don't," Levi gave a small nod. “But this boy seems talented. Besides, he idolizes the scouts as if they were some kind of gods, so I’m sure he’d be happy to be trained.” Levi paused then added, “Eren is persistent and brave. The only thing he lacks is discipline, but that can be easily solved with training. I can solve that by training him properly.”

“I trust your judgment,” the Commander agreed. “So from now on, this Eren is a member of the Legion, which means he will be coming with us to all the expeditions.”

Hange was about to say that a ten-year-old child cannot be taken out into the field. That this would have been utter madness, and no one knew what madness was better than the woman. However, Erwin's gaze silenced her. The man must have realized what the Squad Leader wanted to say because he then turned to Levi and continued:

“Eren is your responsibility from now on, Levi. Prepare him so that we don't have to drag his corpse along on the next expedition.”

"Got it, Commander!" Levi answered, then saluted his superior. Erwin nodded, then left Hange and Levi to continue on with his day.

At that moment, Eren walked out of Hange's room, then spoke with his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm:

“Did I hear that right? That I have officially became a member of the Scouting Legion?”

“You know, brat, that it's not nice to eavesdrop, right?” Levi asked sternly, and Eren shivered a little bit. The child was afraid that he would now receive a thorough scolding from Humanity’s Strongest just like yesterday.

"Could we talk about how you plan to train a ten-year-old?" Hange stepped between Eren and Levi. "And to be fair, he has the right to hear about his own fate, so there's no place for a fight here anyway," the woman folded her arms.

“I have no idea how I will train Eren yet” Levi admitted with a sigh, then added grimly. "A ten-year-old should not be holding a weapon."

“But I want to hold a weapon! I want to fight too! I want to kill all the Titans!” Eren shouted, while he started to stomp in a typical childish manner and Levi knew he's about to have a temper tantrum.

“I think I know how I will start the training. First you have to learn what discipline is," he said coldly, stopping the brat before he could start anything. “Until you learn to calm down, I won’t give you a sword, because you’ll only hurt yourself. After we’re done with that, I’ll teach you how to ride and handle the Legion’s horses, so that if you’re in danger, you can at least escape.”

“But I’m calm!” Eren grumbled and looked away, his cheeks red, not liking the fact that he had to learn how to calm down at all.

“Then I’ll teach him the formations and smoke signals,” Hange glanced at Eren, then at Levi, as she divided the tasks. It didn’t feel like such a big deal to raise Eren now that Levi was here. “Knowing Erwin and the current situation, we have about a week until the next mission. First, let’s do what you said yesterday and buy him what he needs. I still have money left from my research, I hope it’ll be enough.”

“Okay” Levi agreed to the woman’s offer, ignoring the grumpy child. “We’ll go shopping first, and then we’ll start training Eren.”

“Shopping is boring” Eren sulked with his arms crossed.

“You have two options, brat. Either you come shopping or you stay here cleaning toilets” Levi said in a tone that didn’t tolerate his temper tantrum.

“You two are just like my parents” Eren accepted his fate, then to make this shopping exciting, he took both Hange’s and Levi’s hands and headed out. Hange just laughed at this and let the child hold her hand. And Levi? Levi just rolled his eyes at the child’s behavior, but didn’t let go of Eren’s hand either.

He still remembered what it was like to go about his daily life as a kid in the Underground. The pain and the misery. That’s why he didn’t want this unfortunate brat to go through what he had to go through. Levi thought if this would comfort Eren now, then fine, so be it. He would hold his hand, even though he wasn't a fan of other people's touch.

Seeing that they both held hands persistently, Eren's eyes sparkled with joy and somehow he seemed less nervous than he had been.

“Hey, by the way, do you want to hear what I know about the Titans?” Hange looked down at him, because she couldn't stand to stay silent throughout that fifteen-minute walk into the city. And before Levi could speak, Eren had already started nodding excitedly.

“Tell me!” and then Hange explained all the her theories about the Titans the entire way towards Trost.

However, Levi was quite bored by this topic, but he didn't voice it, because he saw how much Hange and Eren loved talking and that they were having fun.

When they got to the city, they first checked out a store to find clothes for Eren. The task of finding clothes fell to Levi, since the man couldn't keep Eren occupied as well as Hange. After buying pants, a shirt, and shoes for the boy, they left the store. Then Levi turned to the child and asked confused:

“Do you need anything else? What do ten-year-olds do to entertain themselves these days?”

“I always listened to Armin read something from his book,” Eren said, his heart sinking a little. Especially since he simply couldn't recall his best friend's face anymore, it was just a vague memory, even though he last saw him yesterday. “I can't read. Nor write, so that's why Armin was the official genius out of the three of us.”

“Then we'll buy you books too, okay?” Levi asked, then ruffled the boy's hair to cheer him up, since he saw that he was saddened by the mention of this Armin.

Then Levi looked at Hange for help, because he had no idea how to cheer up a ten-year-old child.

“How can you not read?” Hange asked him, surprised. “Your father was a doctor, wasn't he?” Although the woman had brought Grisha up, she knew very well that Carla could read and write just as well. They went to school together.

“Dad wasn't home much” the boy explained, then looked up at Levi as he remembered something. “But I would accept a new knife. We also liked to throw them at the targets. I was always the most accurate.”

“It's okay, you'll get a knife too” Levi agreed, then he added, muttering: “Just don't cut your hand with it.”

“I won't!” Eren replied, who of course heard what the man was muttering under his non-existent beard.

So, after getting a few books and the knife for Eren, they headed back to the base. The way back was the same as the way there. Hange spoke, and Eren listened to the woman.

“So yes, after having to clean the lab for a week, I now always have to report when I experiment, because Levi doesn't like to leave me to even Moblit anymore” Hange enthusiastically told the story of when she blew up her own lab and only escaped because Levi entered in time and was able to pull her away.

Eren's eyes continued to sparkle with enthusiasm. He saw huge explosions in his mind, from which it was natural that only Humanity’s Strongest could save the woman.

“Can I see these explosions too?”  Eren asked the scientist excitedly. “Will you take me to your lab? Please!”

“No. You won't see any explosions” Levi quickly interrupted before Hange could irresponsibly agree to this. “This explosion was hopefully just a one-time incident that won't happen again.”

“Unfair” Eren replied disappointedly.

“Well, even if not in the lab, I'll definitely show you what I do on the battlefield!” Hange said, remembering that they would have to take Eren with them on their missions. “In fact, once I teach you how to read and write, we can experiment together” she looked at him enthusiastically and now the similarities between them was clearly noticeable. If Levi hadn't known, he might have thought that these two were mother and son.

“Okay” Eren replied excitedly, who was already really looking forward to the learning process to start. Then, of course, the boy spoke with childlike sincerity in his voice: “I'm glad the Commander allowed me to stay, because you two are so much like my parents!”

Hange just gave him her usual grin then she easily picked Eren up and hugged him. She was almost surprised at how easily she fell into the role of a caregiver.

At this, Eren laughed, then let his aunt carry him. It felt good to have someone take care of him again after losing his mother.

Levi just looked at the duo in amusement, a smile hiding in the corner of his mouth. He never thought that a child would ever think of him as a parental figure, but to his greatest surprise, it didn't bother him as much he thought it would. Rather, he was just happy that someone trusted him. That's why Levi decided not to disappoint the child and tried to take on the role of a protective parent.

Of course, that didn't mean that he would protect him from everything. If the kid did mischief he would punish him. Probably by making him clean up.

In the meantime, the three of them had successfully arrived in front of the base, so Eren started to move in Hange's arms, wanting to run around and explore the area like any child would at his age.

But before Hange could put him down, Levi's squad appeared, and from their expressions, the woman could tell that they had probably been looking for their Captain all day. When Hange saw Petra, she involuntarily held Eren tighter.

When Levi saw his squad, he immediately asked everyone if they had done their job for the day. Meanwhile, Eren looked around from Hange's arms with interest in the other soldiers, since he didn't really know them. He didn't really know anyone.

Petra smiled amicably at the kid, and Eren smiled back faintly too. Despite this, she didn't let go of Hange, because he knew her better than Petra, and therefore felt safer with Hange. Meanwhile, Petra turned back to Levi, a dreamy expression appearing on her face. The young woman took her captain's words as Pyxis took alcohol.

"We want to know, Captain, when did you have a child with the Squad Leader?" asked Oluo, to which Petra just nudged his side.

“You can't just ask other people such things,” the woman hissed at him annoyed.

“The brat is not my son,” Levi replied to Oluo's statement. “So I would appreciate it if you didn't start spreading baseless rumors. Unless, of course, you want some idiotic military senior leader to throw you out of the Scouting Legion for it.”

“Then where did the child come from, if he's not a secret Ackerman?” Oluo asked, scratching his head confused.

“The brat is Hange’s nephew,” Levi said with folded arms.

“I see…” Oluo replied disappointedly, who was no longer interested in the child.

“But if you had nothing to do with the child, then why were you with the Squad Leader all day?” Petra looked at him with interest. “You never miss cleaning…”

“It’s hard to take care of a child. I thought I’d help Hange” Levi shrugged. “And you know I never miss cleaning. I’ll start soon, I’m just going to give him something to eat first. He hasn’t had lunch yet.”

Petra just scratched her head confused. She never understood why Levi was always with the Squad Leader, why he went everywhere with her when she had so many friends and acquaintances. For example, Moblit was there too, with whom she could have easily gone shopping for her nephew. But no, for some reason the Captain went with her, who appreciated the woman so much that he was willing to postpone cleaning until later.

Levi didn't really pay any attention to Petra's reaction. Instead, he turned back to Hange and started talking again:

“I think we should go have lunch. I'm sure that not only me, but the brat is hungry too.” Then Levi started talking to his squad: “You guys continue with the paperwork. When you're done with it, put it on my desk in my office. But try not to make any mistakes, because the Commander only accepts perfection from us.”

Hange nodded at this and looked at Eren cheerfully.

“Come on, let's go and get something to eat, my little warrior” she stroked his head and then they went to eat.

Chapter Text

Time flew by, Levi and Hange barely had time to teach Eren anything before they went on an expedition. So they agreed that the kid would be sitting in front of Levi on his horse the whole time. Hange trusted that the safest place where Eren could be was there. And of course Levi didn't want to disappoint her. Even when they were making their way towards the gates, Hange was practicing the different smoke signals with Eren as she was trotting just next to them.

Eren looked at the landscape with interest as he sat on Levi’s horse. He had rarely been anywhere other than Shiganshina, maybe that was the reason why he always wanted to become a Scout. Because then he could have gotten rid of the crowded city and explored the world to see its beauties.

As the Scouting Legion passed through the Wall Rose, the dilapidated buildings and the dead became visible. Levi held Eren, who was sitting in front of him, tightly and covered his eyes. The man didn't want the boy to see any more horrors after his mother's death. Even though the scent of the rotting flesh was not a thing he could shield the boy from.

Soon, Erwin, who was galloping at the front of the group, began to urge everyone to pick up more speed. So, they soon left that area behind them and arrived outside the wall. As the wind caught Eren’s hair, he just laughed happily while spreading his arms wide.

“I'm free!”  he declared.

“Be careful with those statements” Levi growled, holding the boy tightly. “The titans will appear in this area soon. And then there won't be time to observe the landscape.”

Then the man looked around. Fortunately, none of the scouts were bothered by Eren's loudness and enthusiasm. They were all lost in their thoughts. They already knew that these expeditions were not nearly as fun as Eren thought.

“Yes, Captain!” Eren pulled himself straighter on his horse. Somehow he knew and felt that no trouble will come to him as long as he is with Humanity’s Strongest. Soon, he took out the binoculars that Hange had given him along a compass, entrusting him with the task of spying on the titans and telling where he saw them coming from.

Levi left the child to spy as they went. He looked ahead, watching for when Erwin would issue a new order. Sometimes he glanced at Hange, too, to make sure she wasn't getting herself into trouble just like usual. Soon, Erwin signaled with a wave of his hand that the teams needed to split up. So, Levi changed direction and his squad immediately followed.

“So, what am I going to learn today?” Eren asked as he lifted the binoculars from his eyes and looked at Levi, but he only watched Hange's disappearing figure. “Not married, my ass”, Eren rolled his eyes while mumbling. He had already successfully learned from several members of the Captain’s team that half of the Scouting Legion had already bet about when the two of them would get together, amongst other things.

“Hmph? What did you say, kid?” Levi asked, glancing at Eren.

The man wasn't really paying attention to the kid's words, as his mind was on whether Moblit would be able to stop Hange from doing something reckless again. Levi could only hope that the woman didn't want to bring home some titan again.

“Other people want a dog or a cat, but this idiot wants a titan as a pet” Levi thought in frustration.

“Mom said that if she gets a titan, I get to name it” Eren stated as he returned to surveying the landscape, not noticing that he had called Hange mom just by accident. Eren didn't notice, perhaps because of what had happened to him that day in Shiganshina. “And when is the wedding anyway? I want to be a part of it,” he declared as he saw something approaching through the binoculars.

“Mom? You mean Hange?” Levi asked in surprise, not having thought that Eren would be so attached to Four Eyes now. Then Levi asked another question in confusion: “What kind of wedding? Don’t daydream, just watch the terrain instead. You can dream about weddings when we get back to base.”

“Um, Captain, the kid wasn’t thinking about his own wedding, he was thinking about yours,” Oluo interjected, who, as usual, couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Because of that, Petra would have liked to kick him in the shin, but unfortunately she didn’t have the chance to do so, after they both galloped forward on their horses towards the forest.

“By the way, I’d also like to go to your wedding, Captain!” Oluo added enthusiastically, not stopped by Petra’s murderous gaze.

“Calm down, Oluo,” Günter looked at him. “Not only you, but the entire legion is eagerly awaiting the invitations to that wedding.”

“I have heard that Erwin even made Shadis bet on them” Eld looked at the others.

Eren listened to all this enthusiastically, because there was more gossip among the scouts than in the entire Shiganshina district in the past.

“And who did the old man bet on? Moblit?” Oluo looked at Eld curiously. However, before Oluo could get an answer, Levi grumpily told his team to finally stop gossiping:

“Enough of the chit-chat. Pay attention, because the Titans won’t wait for you to finish your juicy gossip.” Eren frowned at this statement. He didn’t like waiting in silence, and he would have liked to hear more of the scouts’ words.

Everyone sighed in agreement, but Eld still answered the question to satisfy Oluo.

“Shadis put his bet on the Titans” he looked at his comrade, who blinked in confusion, while the usually serious Petra started laughing so hard that she almost fell off her horse.

“So your competitors are Moblit and the Titans, sir” Eren looked up at Levi thoughtfully. “I believe in you, Captain. By the way, I saw…” he then re-aligned the compass “Titans coming from the southeast.”

Levi nodded. On the one hand, he was happy because he knew that the appearance of the titans meant the end of the gossip. On the other hand, he also started to worry, because he knew that dealing with titans was no child's play.

“Eren, you stay here on the horse and don't move. The rest of you, follow me. We'll deal with them” Levi gave the instructions, while preparing to use the ODM equipment. “If we're lucky, there won't be any abnormal among them.”

“Yes, let's go!” Oluo answered enthusiastically, who of course wanted to imitate Levi again. Which didn't really work, because his voice was nowhere near as gloomy and deep as Levi's.

Eren watched excitedly as Levi killed the titans with a few, very graceful movements. Exactly the way he would want to do once he was allowed near the equipment and learned how to use it. While they were busy killing the titans, Eren took out the notebook he had also brought with him, then a pencil and began to draw the scene with great enthusiasm, naming all the titans he saw, not knowing when Hange would appear and catch one of them. He had to be prepared for that moment.

Finally, Levi and his team successfully killed all three titans nearby, so Eren could be sure, that sadly no name giving will be happen. But this did not bother Eren, he still scribbled the names with his own little cat scratch. That was why he was glad that Levi and Hange had taught him to write earlier. At that point, Levi returned to his horse and gave another order:

“Move forward. We should reach the meeting point in the forest before dark.”

It was evening by the time they reached the meeting point. And when Eren saw Hange, who was explaining something to Erwin with great enthusiasm, he immediately jumped off the horse and started to run towards her.

“Mom!” he hugged the woman’s waist as he got there. He couldn’t wait to tell her the Titan names he had come up with. “Imagine, the Captain and his team finished off three Titans today!” Eren said excitedly, then handed Hange a rather clumsy drawing. “This is what they looked like! The one on the right is called Apple, the one on the left is called Bread, and the one in the middle is called Tea! I named them after my breakfast! What do you think? Do you like it?”

At these words, Erwin just looked ahead of him, thanking fate that he didn't have to take care of this strange child. He almost felt sorry for Levi, who was now not only taking care of Hange, but also Eren.

“Great” Hange picked the young boy up as she watched the drawings of the titans. She had to admit to herself that she didn't draw any better either. “I like Tea too, but we'll have to specify its name as Black Tea” she said. The meanwhile, Eren glanced at Erwin and asked the following with his usual childish honesty:

“So you also bet on the Captain’s and mom’s wedding?” he observed the blond man, whose eyebrows looked interesting. It was not by chance that Hange called him that.

“You must have misunderstood something” Erwin lied, trying to maintain his dignity in front of his soldiers. After that, the Commander patted the child on the head in a friendly manner, then added: “Don't believe all the rumors you hear from the scouts. They all tend to exaggerate.”

“What?” Hange looked down at Eren, completely confused. “What kind of bet are you talking about?”

“Everyone bet on who you'll get together with. The possible candidates are Moblit, the Captain or the Titans. This Shadis guy is in also it and he placed his bet on the Titans” Eren explained.

“ERWIN” she looked at the man so sharply and frighteningly that he froze in place. “If you didn't bet on the Titans, then I quit the Legion!” she shouted dramatically, then turned around and headed for her tent with Eren in her arms. Meanwhile, Levi arrived next to Erwin.

“What's the discourse about?” Levi asked when he arrived next to the Commander.

“Nothing special. Just the usual gossip about bets,” Erwin waved, thinking it best not to upset the short man.

“Tch. Heard enough of that for a century,” Levi grumbled, still annoyed that his subordinates were gossiping about him in their free time.

“Yes, I think so too,” Erwin agreed, then gave Levi a new order. “Go and see how the cadets are doing with setting up the tents.”

“Understood, Commander!” Levi replied in a formal manner. The Captain then left his superior alone and set off to check on the cadets. He planned to check on Hange and the kid later.

Hange and Eren were sitting in the very small tent while the woman continued to teach the kid how to read. Soon when Levi finally finished he walked over to them stepping into the tent. And by small, it meant that there were about two sleeping bags in there, a few blankets and pillows, the woman's things laid out somewhere, and a lantern hanging from above.

“I thought you'd tell me if half the legion started to bet on something this ridiculous” he said a little disappointedly, while he was more interested in watching Eren, who was absorbed in finally understanding which words meant what.

“I didn't know about that either” Hange replied, knowing how much Levi hated being the object of gossip.

He just nodded slightly at this. Finally, his gloomy mood ended when Eren smiled at him and then pressed a piece of paper into his hand: “I drew you killing that titan” Eren explained enthusiastically, guessing that the man wouldn't be able to make out much from the jumble of lines. “I want to be as strong as you someday.”

“Uhm, thank you…” Levi muttered, holding the drawing in his hand awkwardly. No one had ever called him their role model before, and that touched him, even though he hadn't shown it.

“Did you set up your tent?” Hange asked Levi, to which he shook his head and with a sigh as he declared that next time he shouldn't let Günter pack up the tents, because his had been successfully left out. Of course, this didn't bother him that much, he thought he would take on the night watch and that would be it. But then Hange signalled Levi to stay. “Sleep with us then.”

“No way,” Levi answered sullenly. “I don't want the kid to kick me while sleeping.”

“I promise, I'll behave!” Eren said quickly but Levi just gave the boy a doubtful look. But the boy, however, did not give up and continued to beg him. “If you sleep here, I promise, I will clean my room at the base without saying a word! If necessary, twice too!”

“Okay, I yield” sighed Levi resignedly, who couldn’t say no to the kid’s cute, big eyes, and of course to the offer of cleaning. After that, Eren quickly fell asleep, saying that he would need the strength the next day anyway. Then, Hange quickly packed her things up so that there would be room for all three of them.

“I just can’t understand it” she muttered to herself. “Why wasn’t the kid properly taught? Grisha was a doctor, and me and Carla went to school at Stohess…”

“Yes, I don’t understand that either” Levi replied, his gaze sliding to Eren. The boy was in his sleeping bag, yawning as he fell asleep. “Plus, you and Carla were siblings,” Levi added. “I would have thought that after all of this, learning and knowledge would be important to her too.”

“Carla has always made more enemies than friends. It wasn't by chance that she had to move to Shiganshina to be at peace,” she explained, knowing that Carla was just as violent as Eren when they were kids. "Although…” Then she paused for a moment. “A sacrificial lamb…” she muttered.

Levi didn't understand much of this explanation, so he asked back: “What do you mean by sacrificial lamb?” After that, he added, muttering: “But now at least I know where the kid inherited his aggressive nature from…”

“I haven't seen Grisha much, but he's always been really weird to me” she said, and if Hange thought someone was weird, it meant something. “Like he came from a cult of some kind. And if he did, then you understand…” she looked at him. “Maybe that's why he can't read or write and that's why they didn't raise him properly. They were planning something with him, Levi.”

Levi thought about this statement. He knew that Hange didn't usually make unfounded claims, so Eren's situation suddenly began to worry him. That boy deserved more than misery.

“It's possible that you're right,” Levi replied. “Besides, no one knows anything about Grisha. After the fall of Shiganshina, he just disappeared. Sometimes they see him in another city, but he always stays away. That's quite suspicious. Plus, he didn't make any effort to find his son.” This thought made Levi think of Kenny. Just like Grisha had abandoned Eren, Kenny had abandoned him. They were both orphans, spat out into the wilderness of life.

“I didn't think you'd search after his father so much,” Hange said surprised. Sha hadn't thought that Levi would take raising a child together so seriously. “Did you do it because of Kenny?” she asked a few moments later.

At this question, Levi turned his head away from the woman. Then, speaking softly, he admitted:

“Yes.” Sometimes the man was surprised by how well Hange knew him. At such moments, it was as if she was reading his thoughts. Levi then exhaled and spoke again: “Eren seemed so lost, that’s why I wanted to help him find his father. But it seems his father doesn’t want his son back,” Levi said darkly. “I think this kid is safer with you than he was with Grisha, ever.”

“Wow… thank you,” the woman rubbed her neck a bit confused, blushing involuntarily at his words. “I haven’t fully gotten the hang of it yet, but I think I’m making progress. The books help a lot,” she pointed to the stack at her feet.

Levi smiled for a moment when he saw the woman blush. He was amused by her confusion. But then a few seconds later, his usual serious look returned. “I didn’t think you’d bring those books even here. I can see you're really into this parenting thing. But honestly, I don't mind. Raise a child rather than a titan.” Hange just shook her head absentmindedly, then crept closer to the man.

"You're doing it so great and you don't even need a book. I truly envy you," she sighed as she looked up at the lantern. "And I know you're not being forced to do this, but you're here anyway," she closed her eyes. "If I told my past self who just met you that we are going to raise a child together, I think she'd choke on laughter."

"Come on, I don't do that much," Levi shrugged. "I just cleaned up after him and tried to teach him how to survive." Then Levi added absentmindedly. "Yeah. I never thought I'd be babysitting a ten-year-old kid in my free time."

“Let's go to sleep, because Eren will definitely tire us both out tomorrow” she yawned, then lay down and pulled the kid to her, who only sighed pleasantly in his sleep. She did that because that way if anything happens, she can immediately carry him with her.

“Yeah, you're probably right” Levi agreed, then blew out the lantern above the tent. “The kid is doing well. Did you see how he smiled in his sleep a few seconds ago? If he didn't throw a tantrum every hour, he would be a really cute kid.”

“His personality hasn't fully developed yet, so, if you do it right, you can make a cute kid out of him” the woman muttered in her half-sleep state as she rested her free hand on the first thing she found. And it was Levi's hand, who had already laid down next to them.

"I'd rather have him not only be cute but also be a neat kid," Levi whispered back, feeling himself starting to get sleepy too. He soon closed his eyes and let the woman hold his hand. The touch didn't bother him, but rather calmed him down. That's why Levi unconsciously slid closer to Hange and the boy.

Eren woke up in the middle of the night. Somehow he wasn't in the middle or in Hange's embrace anymore, which is why he sat up, rubbing his eyes. It took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust to the darkness and he saw them entangled in each other. And the sight made Eren giggle. Was this a common occurrence between the two of them? Eren would probably ask them as soon as he could the next day. He watched the two adults with interest for a while. Especially Levi. It was strange to see him so calm and peaceful while he dreamt. His face was smooth now, whereas when he was awake he would always frown...

But finally, the boy yawned and lay down next to Hange's back. He saw that he wouldn't be able to return to his original place, as Levi had already taken it.

"Good night, Mom and Captain Levi," Eren muttered, even though he knew he wouldn't get a response from the sleeping adults.

Chapter Text

A voice woke her up and the fact that the tent was too comfortable and somehow not in the position she had fallen asleep. Especially the pillow. It was so pleasantly warm that she rubbed her face against it, sighing calmly. The trouble happened when she opened one eye to assess the situation and realized that her pillow was Levi's chest. Soon Levi woke up too, and was shocked to find Hange's head resting on his chest. This left Levi speechless. Partly from surprise, partly from not fully waking up yet.

"Okay, that's not how I fell asleep," Hange muttered half-asleep as she tried to crawl out. She didn't succeed. Eren, who was now of course awake and drawing with great enthusiasm, started to giggle.

"Well, I didn't fall asleep like that either," Levi replied. He then looked at Eren with piercing eyes, then growled unfriendly: "What are you doing in the corner?"

“Well, I’m capturing the moment,” he pointed proudly at himself, then quickly continued drawing as if nothing had happened. “I'll draw it so when you say that you're not married by any chance, I can show you this and disprove everything,” he explained enthusiastically.

"I can see you really don't want to let go of this marriage thing," Levi sighed wearily as he let go of Hange. "Okay, keep your picture. Just don't show it to all the other scouts."

“I won't!” Eren replied without paying much attention, while he was already planning how to tell this to Oluo, who had been gossiping about it the day before.

"I need some tea..." Levi muttered, still not fully awake, and Eren only drained his energy even more. Kids were tiring.

“I have some tea mix in the top pocket of my bag,” the woman pointed to one of the bags, then started to stretch as Eren showed her the picture. “I thought I'd bring some, because you always need some tea.”

“Thank you,” Levi replied gratefully, watching Hange.

The man watched his teammate for a while as he drummed his fingers on the ground of the tent. He clearly wanted to say something more, but had no idea how to begin. Finally, with great difficulty, he opened his mouth to speak:

“Listen, I’m, um… sorry…” Levi muttered. “I didn’t mean to put you in an awkward position. I don’t know how I managed to fall asleep like that.”

“Ah, it’s nothing” she waved, then helped Eren with drawing. “In fact, if you ever feel like it, do it any other time. You are much better than my pillow” she stated with exactly the same honesty with which Eren usually said everything. “And the others can say what they want.”

A small smile appeared at the corner of the man's mouth at this statement. Levi liked the woman because she always had something surprising or humorous to say. So Levi spoke, somewhat sarcastically, but somehow cheerfully: "It's flattering that I'm better than a pillow. No one has ever said that to me before." After that, Levi started making tea. When he was done, he gave some to not only himself, but also to Hange and Eren.

“Will I be committing crimes against humanity if I put sugar in your tea…” but she stopped halfway because Levi flashed one of his deadly glances. “Then I'll drink this nicely like this…” so she started blowing on the tea to cool it faster, while Eren burned his tongue which was expected from him at this point.

"That's right, I thought so too," Levi replied sternly, sipping his tea. "The Scouting Legion isn't a treasure trove that can buy endless amounts of sugar anyway. Erwin wouldn't be happy if we wasted the money we need for weapons and food."

“Ah… And tell me, who makes Erwin buy those ridiculously expensive cleaning products?” the woman teased him. “I mean, sometimes my experiments don't cost as much as you spend on cleaning products with the legion's money!”

“The detergent is more important than the sugar,” Levi immediately retorted. “The sugar only makes you fat, but the detergent keeps the base clean and protects the soldiers from diseases.” Then the Captain added, teasing the woman: “You, as a scientist, should know that this is the most effective method against all kinds of bacteria.”

“Of course I know!” Then she rummaged through her stuff and pulled out one of her notebooks, showing several pages full of all kinds of formulas and diagrams. “This is your birthday present. Of course I haven't finished it yet, but once I do, you'll never want to buy cleaning products again.”

“What is this?” Levi asked, leafing through the journal the woman had given him. “Because I’m sure a few formulas and graphs won’t convince me not to buy more cleaning products.”

“Well, this is your birthday present,” the woman repeated herself. “It’s not necessarily the formula, but the cleaning product I make from it. You can make it if you want. I thought you’d be happy with something like that.”

Levi's jaw dropped at this statement. He wouldn't have thought that Hange would be making cleaning products for him in her spare time. "Thank you. I would really appreciate that." Levi then patted the woman's head as a sign of gratitude, trusting that Hange know this is how he shows his feelings.

"Thank me when I'm done with it," she smiled as she put the notebook back in its place.

Meanwhile, Eren just watched them in silence. This kind of calm was unfamiliar to him, his parents usually fought over everything.

"I'll thank you as many times as needed if I get an effective cleaning agent," Levi replied, letting go of the woman's head. However, his gaze continued to follow Hange's every move, while a strange warmth flickered in his eyes.

Eren saw this too, but he didn't dare speak up. He was afraid of disturbing the intimate moment between the two adults.

"If I had known, I would have started making it like two years ago," Hange sighed, then looked at the man. As her gaze scanned him, all she could think about was that she would have to tell him she loved him someday. But how could she say it without sounding too awkward? But it didn't matter, because the day had already begun and they had more important things to do.

Eren went running among the scouts, while Levi headed to his squad to tell them they would be leaving soon. The man then approached the cadets who were having trouble with the tent to help him dismantle it, amidst frustrated chatter. Finally, he went to Erwin to find out about the plan.

After an hour, the entire camp was ready, so the scouts set off to go back into the safety of the walls. They arrived back soon, and Levi immediately took Eren with him to teach him the most important thing he would ever need in his life. How to clean. But not just like that. But how to clean properly, like an Ackerman. Eren just watched excitedly as the man tied the scarf for him. After that, the boy was handed a mop and was shown how to mop the hallways. Which was quite difficult, as Eren knocked over the bucket, which was full of water, quite a few times.

Levi just shook his head amused and then helped him clean it up.

“And what if I put a mop on my feet and slide back and forth?” Eren proposed the idea enthusiastically, watching his face in the bucket of water.

"No," Levi replied sternly. "The base is not a playground. Learn to be more disciplined, brat."

"That's lame," Eren began to complain as he watched the bucket.

“If you don't behave, I'll have you clean Hange's lab,” Levi said with folded arms. “And if that's not enough, the base's toilets are next.”

“I never thought Humanity’s Strongest would be so boring!” he groaned as he collapsed onto the floor. “No wonder why my mom is your only friend,” he said, folding his arms in a sullen tone.

“It is time for you to learn Eren, I have two friends: tea and cleaning products,” Levi answered boredly, then added. “Besides, not everyone can be as interesting as Four-Eyes, who talks to titans in her free time, or Eyebrows, who is always sitting over his papers and constantly planning something.” Levi then paused for effect, but then continued his monologue with renewed vigor. “Get to cleaning as long as I'm in a good mood.”

Eren huffed and started walking. He would have started walking but slipped and caught the first thing that happened to be Levi. However, the man wasn't prepared for that either and Eren successfully pulled him to the floor with him, obviously spilling the water all over again.

"I didn't mean to..." Eren looked up in fear, but then he not only saw, but also heard Levi laughing gently.

"If I had money every time you spilled water, I could have bought the broom of my dreams with it," Levi said absentmindedly as he got up from the ground. The man then took a towel and, not very gently, but all the more thoroughly, tried to dry the child's hair, which had become wet.

Meanwhile, Hange was just handing over her papers to Erwin when they heard laughter.

“Did you hear…?” she asked, but didn't finish, instead quickly looking out at the hallway, and Erwin followed suit, only to see Levi laughing for a few moments, who then started drying Eren's hair.

“I've never heard Levi laugh in my life,” Erwin said with wide eyes, while Hange, who was waiting next to him, also dropped her jaw. “I rarely see him smile, and even those are usually sarcastic grins most of the time.” Then he added, grinning: "Maybe it was good for him to have to babysit a child."

"I love him," she looked at them, smiling, then remembered that she had said it out loud, so she flinched a little. She tried to radiate calm, hoping that Erwin wouldn't notice and believe what he was supposed to believe. That she had said it about Eren. And not about the man sitting next to him, who was rubbing the child's hair.

Erwin raised his eyebrows at this statement, as he didn't expect Hange to say it out loud. But then the blond-haired man smiled and spoke again: "I don't know which one you said that about, but I suspect it's both of them," Erwin said as Eren tried to free himself from Levi's grip, as he didn't like his hair being dried. "By the way, don't worry, they love you too. Even Levi, who doesn't always show it."

“Yes-yes, we love each other like friends do” she folded her arms and then walked towards the pair. “I've never heard you laugh before” she stopped next to them while Eren, who wanted to get rid of the hair drying anyway, quickly ran over to her. Levi looked after him, thinking that the kid could definitely use a haircut.

"Well, yeah. I rarely laugh," Levi shrugged, still watching Eren.

Meanwhile, the boy looked at Hange pleadingly: "Please tell the Captain that this much cleaning was enough for today! I want to play!" Then Eren added belligerently: "Or I want to kill Titans! I want to destroy them all! I want to kill them so that..."

“What did I say about yelling, Eren?” Levi asked sternly, arms crossed.

"If you hear that again, you'll make me clean the horse stable as punishment," Eren muttered, his confidence immediately gone.

"I'll take it from here," she picked up the boy, knowing exactly how much cleaning would tire him out. "But there's really no need to shout. We all know you're going to kill titans. Shorty will teach you."

"I'm sorry, Mom," he looked at her saddened.

"But until you become Eren Yeager, the Titan Slayer, we'll learn how these monsters work. We might even conduct experiments on them," she started to walk with the boy as she wiped his face, which still had a little foam on it.

“What experiments?” Eren asked enthusiastically, clinging to the scientist's neck.

"Well, it looks like you found yourself someone who's interested in your experiments," Levi rolled his eyes as he started to mop up the water.

"Although he never says it, Levi also likes to listen when I talk about my experiments," she whispered to Eren, like it was some big secret. "But I have to admit, I also like to watch him clean."

“Really?” Eren asked with wide eyes. Then he added excitedly: “It must be because you’re married! Otherwise you wouldn't want to watch the Captain clean. Because cleaning is pretty boring! I, for one, hate cleaning! I'd rather kill titans!”

“You speak a lot, brat,” Levi said, then looked at Hange and added, “You can’t deny that this naughty little brat is your relative.”

“But you love this naughty brat,” she grinned enthusiastically, then when she looked down, she saw that Eren had already fallen asleep. “Wow, you must have tired the poor guy out. He’s already asleep.”

"He still seems to be having a hard time tolerating more than two hours of cleaning," Levi said, gently patting the sleeping boy's head. "And yes, you're right. I'm starting to like the kid. Even if he gives me a headache sometimes."

"That’s great, I’m happy you like him too," she gave a quick smile, then took Eren back to his room.

Chapter Text

But as soon as Hange put the boy down and covered him with a blanket, he immediately started to roll over, his eyebrows furrowing. The boy soon began to mumble something, but Hange didn't really understand what the child was saying in his sleep. Soon Eren began to tremble, like a wet bird after a summer thunderstorm. His voice made her put another blanket over the child, but the boy continued to shiver.

“Maybe he's sick?” the woman wondered, thinking of Eren as a frightened and defenseless puppy, mostly because the boy's hair was as shaggy and matted as a dog's fur.

It was only a moment, no more, no less, when he sat up on the bed, screaming, with such force that it suddenly frightened even the woman. But she didn't hesitate for long, her brain was working too well for Hange to understand what was written in those parenting books she had read.

“Eren!” she said, quite unusually virtuous, as hse pulled the boy to her and held him tightly so he wouldn't hurt himself.

“Mom…” Eren muttered as he snuggled closer to the woman to feel safe. “I had a bad dream,” the child murmured quietly.

The boy's young mind was flooded with terrifying images, which only the presence of Hange could block. Thanks to this, his heartbeat slowly began to return to its usual speed. But his tiny child's body was still shaking, causing his teeth to chatter rhythmically.

"Everything will be fine," she gently stroked his back. She was amazed at how well the child had handled himself so far. Eren smiled so much that sometimes even Hange forgot that she had taken the child from the ruins of his own house.

"I don't remember," Eren muttered into the woman's chest as tears welled up in his eyes. "I can't remember their names anymore..."

“Oh, Eren…” Hange hugged him tighter.

"Can't you help me? What were my friends' names?" Eren asked desperately. "I want to remember them because I know they were good friends! Please, if you know, tell me their names!"

“You told me about that Armin,” the woman told him, stroking his head. But to be honest, Eren never really talked about his friends and Hange thought it was because he was always a bit of a loner, just like Carla. “You said he always read to you.”

"Armin? I don't remember his name..." Eren muttered in disappointment as he snuggled up to the woman. "And I don't remember what he read to me about. All I know is that I always enjoyed his company. There was a girl with us too. Don't you know anything about her?"

“Unfortunately no” she sighed, shaking her head. “But everything will be fine, Eren. We'll find you new friends” she promised him, already wondering about what to do. There were a lot of children in Trost, he'd definitely find someone for himself if they took him to play.

"Okay," Eren finally smiled. "I like the scouts, but a friend would be nice. I feel lonely being the only kid here because no one wants to play with me."

“We'll take you to Trost tomorrow, what do you think?” she asked the boy, caressing his cheek. “You'll definitely find someone there who you can get along well with.”

“Okay!” Eren replied enthusiastically. “Shall we take the Captain with us? Maybe he knows where the children are in the city.” Then the boy yawned. Now that he had finally calmed down, his tiredness returned.

“Levi will definitely come too,” she nudged the child’s nose as he lay back down on the bed. “Would you like me to snuggle up next to you?” she asked. Lately, it was enough for her to put the boy to bed and then lie down next to him to sleep when she finished her work. But this time, she wasn’t going to just leave him like that.

Eren giggled when Hange playfully poked his nose. Then he spoke sleepily: "Yes, please. I don't want to fall asleep alone now. I'm afraid my bad dreams will come back." After Hange lay down next to him, the boy smiled happily, then yawned and said: "I hope I dream of you and the Captain instead of blood."

“Oh,” the woman smiled as she lay down next to him. “And what will you dream about us?” she asked, interested. “Maybe you’ll dream about our wedding? Because then I’ll tell you that, although you might not think it, I’ve always wanted to wear such a fluffy dress,” she said enthusiastically.

“Yes!” Eren answered enthusiastically. “I want to dream about your wedding! There will definitely be a lot of food there! And cake! I will eat at least ten slices of cake!” the boy enthused. “And you can wear a fluffy dress, although I don't know what it is,” the child said thoughtfully, a skirt made of whipped cream appearing in his mind. “I'm sure the Captain would like that too!”

"You'll bring the rings," she continued to encourage the boy. Because anything was better than thinking about what happened in Shiganshina. This made Eren even more excited and it took him about two minutes to fall asleep.

The next day, Hange managed to drag Levi along with them to find a friend for Eren. As they walked down the street, Eren held both of their hands as usual, somehow enjoying the fact that everyone was watching them. People walking on the street naturally recognized Levi and Hange, so when they saw them holding a child's hand, they immediately whispered behind their backs. Levi shot a murderous glare at some of the citizens, but it wasn't enough to stop the rumors spreading through the city.

"I love it when we walk together," Eren said cheerfully, as Hange saw a nearby park where children were playing and headed there.

“It’s not that bad,” Levi admitted. “Of course, this program would be even better if people didn’t stare at us all the time,” the man added, grumbling. “Whatever. You better go, brat, and make some new friends. Have some fun before Hange and I will study with you in the afternoon.”

“Okay, Captain!” he saluted and looked around. When he saw a blond child playing alone at the edge of the park, he quickly headed towards him. “Hi!” he greeted him enthusiastically as soon as he got there.

"Hi," the blond kid replied. "Are you new around here? I haven't seen you here before. What's your name?"

"My name is Eren Yeager and I'm a Scout! I was recently adopted," he said excitedly, pointing at himself. "Who are you?"

“My name is Jean Kirstein,” the boy said proudly. “How did you get into the scouts? It sounds so unbelievable!”

“To be honest, I can’t believe it either. My aunt found me in Shiganshina, and it turned out she worked for the Scouts. She took me with her, and then they adopted me,” Eren told me as they sat down on the grass. “You live here in Trost?”

“Yes, I live here,” Jean replied. “I live with my mother, so I don’t have really exciting stories.” Then the blond boy paused for a moment, then spoke again: "Wait a minute! This means you saw the titans breach the wall! Was that scary? They won't make it to Trost, will they?"

“Yes, yes, it was very scary,” he said, scratching his neck confused. Everything about that day was a blur now. He would probably recognize those titans if he saw them, but now? They were covered in the same fog as his friends. Nothing more than the echoes of the past. “Hey, do you want to play something?”

“Of course!” Jean replied enthusiastically, jumping up from the ground. “What are we playing?”

Then Eren nudged his shoulder and looked at Jean. “Tag, you’re it!” He then ran away, with the other boy following him.

Meanwhile, Hange and Levi sat quietly on a bench and watched the two children play happily. At first, Levi said that knowing Eren, he would definitely go over to that chubby boy and teach him a lesson, being all angry and aggressive as always. But it didn't seem to be the case. And Hange was very happy about it.

"Well, it looks like the kid managed to find a friend," Levi said happily, his eyes on Eren, knowing that the boy had a tendency to get into trouble. "Maybe he'll feel happier this way and won't suffer so much."

“That reminds me,” Hange looked at him, remembering that maybe Levi could help her. “Do you remember your mom?”

“Not really,” Levi admitted. “I was very young when she died.” Then the man added in a gloomy voice: “But I remember Kenny more” Levi pondered about his past for a few seconds, then spoke again: “But why are you asking all this?”

“Eren said he doesn't remember his friends. Only that they existed and that he liked being with them” the woman said as she stared into the distance. “You've been through something similar and I thought I could get a starting point this way” she explained.

“Maybe the trauma made him forget his friends,” Levi replied. “It’s probably how his mind protects itself from the horrors he saw in Shiganshina.” Then the man sighed and put his hand on Hange's shoulder: "But don't worry about that. If he makes new friends, he’ll be happy here, just like he was in his old home. Maybe it's better if he forgets his friends. I have no idea if those kids are even alive. It's better if he forgets about them and doesn't mourn them."

"It's better this way," she nodded in agreement, as Jean and Eren lay exhausted next to each other in the grass.

"Do you wanna be my friend?" Eren glanced at the boy, trying to take deep breaths to recover from all the running.

“Of course!” Jean replied happily, then they high fived excitedly. “If you think so, you can come out here tomorrow too, and we can play again. I don’t live far from here, so I’ll definitely be here. Until then, good luck with the scouts!”

“Thank you” Eren nodded enthusiastically and then ran back to Hange and Levi. Jean watched Eren in surprise as he held their hands. “See you tomorrow, Jean!”

Then Levi, Eren, and Hange headed back to the base. While Eren was jumping around happily, Levi asked him: "Did you have a good time, brat? Did you make any new friends?"

"Yes, this Jean Kirstein is my new friend! We talked about seeing each other tomorrow!" Eren said enthusiastically. And this is how Eren Yeager and Jean Kirstein became friends.

Chapter Text

A year later, Levi decided it was time to start teaching Eren how to use the ODM gear. The man took the boy to the Scouting Legion's training grounds, and the first thing he wanted to do was teach him how to put on the gear and attach it to his military uniform. Eren was a little bit disappointed because he thought they would start practicing using it and fighting right away.

"Mom showed me what she was working on last night," Eren said, trying to pass the time. "She collected the weaknesses of the Titans and described step-by-step how to kill one if you don't have enough experience. She said she wrote it for me."

"I'm glad she's helping you learn this, but in practice you won't be able to kill a titan until you can’t put the equipment on," Levi replied, adjusting a buckle on the boy's back. Levi then stepped back and checked to see if everything was okay with his equipment so far.

“Is there something wrong with me?” Eren asked, as he always did when she gave him a look like this. He would have loved to call Levi his father, but somehow he had always stopped himself from doing so. The Captain wouldn't want a child like him anyway. He felt lame, which is why it took him a year to stand here now.

"No, there's nothing wrong. I just checked to make sure it is strapped on tight enough," Levi replied. Then the man nodded in satisfaction. After half an hour of suffering, they finally managed to put the titan-killing device on the boy.

“You’ll have to learn to put on your gear quickly,” the Captain said. “The scouts can get this gear on in two minutes.” 

Then Eren sighed in disappointment, while he adjusted the straps that were quite uncomfortable. "I'm so lame, I'll never kill titans..."

"You're not lame. You're just inexperienced," Levi replied, then added the following encouragingly: "You're a good kid, Eren, so I'm confident that one day you'll kill Titans." Then the man began to speak in an uncertain voice, as he was not used to talking about his past: “At first, I had a hard time getting the ODM gear on. Plus, I had to figure everything out on my own, since they didn't teach me that in the Underground. But you have me, so you'll get the hang of it faster than I did.” Then Levi sighed a little. Now not only Hange and Erwin, but also Eren knew that he was from the Underground City.

“From the Underground?” he looked at him curiously, as all his doubts disappeared. “I never would have thought of that,” he said after a moment of thought. “Then that’s why you like cleaning. Everything must always be dirty there. If I came from there, I would be a clean freak too.”

"Well, it certainly wasn't a clean place," Levi replied grimly. Then the man shook his head. He didn't want to think about the past, he wanted to focus on the present. So Levi then put the blades into the boy's hands and spoke again: "Can you hold these two in your hands? I need to know if they’re too heavy for you or not."

Eren lifted the blades with ease, thanks to Levi starting Eren's training with physical training. "This isn't that heavy..." he wondered aloud, then jumped up enthusiastically to test how much he could handle the strain of the blades.

"Good then. That means that once you've learned how to put on your gear as quickly as possible, we can start training," Levi replied, taking a deep breath as the boy jumped and cheered again. Of course, Levi didn't show or tell how much fun he was also having. He was trying to appear strict to Eren so that the boy would take these titan-killing lessons seriously.

He started nodding vigorously immediately, but then, thanks to his childish curiosity, launched himself into the air and soon hung from a tree upside down a few seconds later. “I’m fine!” he said embarrassed as he saw the Captain, who was upside down for him, walking towards him. Levi walked over to Eren and then used his ODM equipment to take the boy down from the tree.

"You messed up the same thing you did when cleaning. You were too impatient and rushed," Levi scolded the boy almost fatherly, as he picked a stuck leaf out of the child's hair. "Anyway, you used too much gas at once."

“But at least it really feels like I'm flying,” he smiled as he fell to the ground tiredly. He was a little wobbly, but that might have been because he had been hanging upside down for too long.

“Yes, that’s true. It’s intoxicating to fly through the air at high speed. That’s why it’s important to remind yourself that you can run out of gas. And when you do then you’ll fall to the ground,” Levi explained. “That means certain death on the battlefield against the Titans.” Eren nodded at this, and Levi continued his monologue: "We won't be flying for now anyway. We'll learn fighting moves. Once those are going well, we'll combine that with flying."

"Okay, no flying," Eren agreed and would have stood up, but somehow his dizziness only got worse, so he closed his eyes to feel better.

"I see you're dizzy. Rest a little longer, you've been hanging from that tree for longer than needed," Levi said. "When you feel better, we can start learning those moves."

Then Eren nodded, sat back down and watched the Captain do the same. It was like always. Eren noticed when he restrained himself from touching others. It was the same now, Eren almost felt the way the man wanted to hug him, like Grisha had done long ago to make sure he was okay, but Levi just couldn't.

Levi saw Eren studying him with interest. The man had no idea why the boy was watching him so closely. Eren's penetrating gaze reminded him of Hange, as he had seen the scientist watching him with the same interest on more than one occasion. In the end, Levi didn't ask Eren what he was looking at so much, because he didn't want to embarrass the boy. Instead, he turned his thoughts back to training:

"Tell me when you've rested."

"I'm feeling better, thank you," Eren nodded. He wasn't as talkative as he used to be, now there were things like this he kept to himself. He didn't want to clean a stable anyway because he asked Levi if he could get a hug.

“Great,” Levi replied, then got up from the ground. Then, slowly, step by step, he introduced the exercise to Eren. The boy enthusiastically repeated them in the hope that one day he might be as strong as the Captain.

Now Eren felt like he was doing quite well. His mother often told him not to be so hard on himself, he was only 11 years old after all. So Eren took the advice and accepted that he was as bad as he thought.

Levi was proud of Eren. The boy was improving and was talented in learning fighting moves. So the man showed him the more difficult moves, which Eren eagerly imitated. An hour later, they finished training.

"If we keep going like this, in a week I'll be able to show you how to fight and fly through the air at the same time," Levi said, pushing a mug of tea into Eren's hand to refresh the boy.

“Really?!” he looked at him excitedly. “I'll have to tell Jean about this!” he said. Eren always showed his friend everything, and if he could, he taught him also.

"Okay. Tell him next time then," Levi replied, happy that Eren had a friend he could talk to. The man then ruffled the boy's hair, causing Eren to laugh and try to dodge his hand.

"Thank you for everything," Eren smiled, then continued drinking his tea while moving a little closer to the man.

"It's nothing," Levi replied, never thinking that the child would ever thank him for anything. Especially not after how many times he had him clean his room.

“Anyway,” Eren tilted his head, then remembered something. “Mom told me about how you and her met. She said she remembered Furlan telling you to be nice to her and you just stared at her blankly, trying to force a smile on your face. She said you failed miserably.”

Levi's gaze darkened at this statement. Although several years had passed since Furlan and Isabel's deaths he still grieved just as if they died that moment. Levi didn't like talking about his late best friends, but he didn't want to leave Eren without an answer. So he spoke reluctantly: "That's true." He didn't answer any further. He didn't want to dwell on the past.

“They sounded so cool when mom described them to me. I wish I knew them,” Eren sighed, disappointed, like when Hange wouldn’t let him eat all the sweets for the evening. “The ones the Captain wasn’t so boring with.”

“They would have liked you,” Levi replied with a sigh. “Especially Isabel. She was just as enthusiastic and smiling as you.”

Levi then sighed. He remembered what Hange had said during Eren's very first mission. That the boy's personality wasn't yet formed and that he could still raise a cute child out of him. For this reason, he decided to tell what he had learned from his two former friends. For a moment, a melancholy expression crossed his face, but then his usual gloom returned, and he spoke again:

"Also, they both taught me a very important lesson in life. When you're faced with difficult decisions, make one that you won't regret later. For example, I haven't regretted joining the Scouting Legion for a second."

“Really?” he tilted his head in curiosity, then felt Levi place his hands on his shoulders and look into his eyes with his usual serious gaze. At that, Eren thought for a moment. “I don't regret joining the Scouts either.”

"Okay then," Levi nodded slightly. Then he added: "And I have no regrets about deciding to take care of you. I'm sure you'll go far one day."

"Thank you," he blinked fiercely as tears welled up in his eyes. He remembered less and less of what had happened before she had joined, but his mother's worried and angry face still floated before his eyes. He remembered when she had told him that he would never get anywhere in life if he didn’t do what she told him.

"Don't cry, kid," Levi said, then handed the boy a handkerchief. "I didn't say such heartbreaking things. That's Erwin's specialty anyway. He knows how to deliver heartfelt, moving speeches." While Eren was blowing his nose, Levi took his tea mug, which meanwhile became empty.

"Carla never said that to me," Eren stated as he wiped his eyes. It was strange to call his mother by her first name, but since Hange currently existed under that title for him, the child didn't want to confuse Levi. Eren hoped that if he brought her up as Carla, it would be less painful to remember her also.

“Well, she didn't do that right,” Levi replied in a gloomy voice. “Maybe she needed that parenting book that Hange was reading,” the man added absentmindedly, trying to cheer Eren up. And he didn't mention how strange it was that the boy called his biological mother by her first name. Levi thought he must have a good reason for that.

“Eren!” Jean ran towards them, having been to the base so many times that people knew to let him in when he arrived.

“Jean!” Eren jumped up cheerfully and got rid of his equipment in less than a minute, then headed towards his friend, with whom he had a chat.

"What's up, Eren?" Jean asked excitedly. "I saw you were in the scouts' gear earlier? Can you fight in it? Will you teach me too?"

Levi just sighed wearily at the noise of the two children. So he headed back to the base building, as he didn't feel like listening to any more noise.

“Not really,” Eren scratched his neck in confusion. “I managed to hang from a tree for about three minutes while the Captain came to take me down,” he said.

“Interesting,” Jean muttered, then looked back at Eren. “You always call the Squad Leader 'Mom', but you never call the Captain 'Dad', even though he’s always there with you and the Squad Leader.”

This made Eren a little embarrassed, but he answered, since he didn't really have any secrets to keep from Jean. So Eren thought he could tell him this too.

“Well, that's because I'm afraid the Captain would be angry with me if I called him 'Dad',” Eren said, scratching his neck. Then he added, “And if he gets angry, he'll definitely make me clean like half of the base again.”

“I think you're overthinking it,” the boy chuckled, then put one of his arms around Eren's shoulders. “But maybe one day it will come naturally and then it won't be a problem.”

“Well, I hope you’re right,” Eren replied. “But I’m sure Mom wouldn’t mind if I started calling the Captain 'Dad'.”

“Are they still denying they’re married?” Jean asked, laughing.

"Unfortunately, yes," Eren replied with a smile, happy that the topic had finally become lighter. Then the brown-haired boy took the topic further: "Hey, how about we play something?"

"Okay," Jean replied enthusiastically.

After that, the two boys began to slay imaginary titans, laughing loudly and participating in ever more heroic fictional adventures. Finally, the day was soon over, and Eren had no idea what kind of surprises and difficulties the next expedition held for him.

Chapter Text

The sun was shining brightly as Eren trotted along beside his parents on his horse as they set off on an expedition. Eren was glad that he had finally learned to ride a horse properly, which meant he didn't have to sit on one with him the whole way. He could already feel that he had grown out of it quite a bit. Just like he now had his own room now, because they had found an apartment on one of the floors, where a living room opened into three bedrooms. That's how it happened that he, Levi, and Hange moved into that apartment together. Although Hange used her room more like a laboratory, which often resulted in her going over to Levi's place to sleep, he never seemed to mind that so much. But it didn't matter, because a sharp sound pulled him out of his thoughts. The gate opened, signaling that they were going to leave.

“Forward, scouts!” Erwin shouted from the front of the line, his sword held high. At this the horses whinnied, and the soldiers began to gallop at them.

Levi and Hange stayed close to Eren so they could protect the boy if needed. Luckily the boy didn't need protection yet, as there were no titans nearby. So Eren talked excitedly with Hange while Levi watched them with his usual emotionless gaze.

"You're so good already," Hange looked at him cheerfully as she finished telling him about one of her new experiments. "A few months and you'll be done with your training. Levi you did a good job with you, as always."

“Squad Leader!” Moblit appeared next to the woman, while Erwin signaled with his hand.

“Looks like I have to go, but I’ll be nearby. You know which smoke signal to shoot if you get in trouble, right?” the woman asked him.

“The red one!” Eren shouted.

"Exactly," Hange replied with satisfaction.

“Squad leader, we should be on our way,” Moblit replied uneasily, fiddling nervously with his horse’s bridle.

"Of course, of course. Let's go," Hange replied, then set off after her assistant with her four-legged companion.

So, Levi stayed with his own team and Eren, who then started talking to Oluo, because he didn't really like silence. Of course, it didn't take long for the Titans to show up. It took even less time for Eren to end up fighting them. Even less time for him to break away from the team, to look for a Titan who would rather run away from it all.

“Where are you?” the boy looked around as he landed on a branch. “I’m going to kill you!” he shouted proudly, but hearing only his own echo made him shiver a little.

Eren looked down from the tree searching for titans, but the entire area echoed with emptiness. The boy was just about ready to stand aside and try his luck elsewhere when the ground suddenly began to rumble.

Because of this, Eren's horse began to whine nervously, stamping its hooves. The boy looked up, and his suspicions were confirmed. It approached them, and soon arrived under the tree. The sharp-toothed, bald titan threw Eren's horse away, which immediately died a horrible death. This began to worry the boy, as it would make it much more difficult for him to escape if he were to be confronted by even more titans.

But there was nothing to do, because he had made up his mind. And Eren never ran away once he had set his mind to something. So, he headed towards the titan, remembering what Levi and Hange had told him. However, he realized one thing too late. This was not an ordinary titan that Eren had seen before, as he sat on Levi's horse and waited for the man to finish the job with the help of his team.

However, Eren did not want to run away from the abnormal titan either. So he gathered his courage, gripped his sword, and charged at the titan. He tried to go for the nape of his neck, which seemed easy enough. Using only steam, he glided through the air, straight towards his neck, and then when he was quite close, it was time to land. All the air ran out of Eren's lungs when, with an unnatural movement, the titan reached back with his arm and caught Eren in midair. The boy tried to cut off the titan's arm, but failed, as he dropped his sword, which fell to the ground with a loud thud. Then the titan began to lift the boy closer to his mouth, which was already dripping with saliva. The boy's face was hit by the stench of rotting flesh, which made him almost vomit. Eren started to scream in terror.

Meanwhile, Levi was killing Titans with his team as usual, when he felt a sense of loss. He was overcome by a feeling, exactly like before…

“EREN?!” he cried out with uncharacteristic terror when he noticed the boy's absence. He was overcome by exactly the same feeling he had before Isabel and Furlan died…

Levi looked around and the next moment he noticed the boy, who was struggling in the grip of a titan. The man didn't hesitate a moment, and with the help of ODM's gear, he flew faster than light towards the titan. The man cut off the titan's arm with a well-aimed move, sending Eren falling. Luckily, the titan's hand got caught on a tree, preventing the boy from crashing to the ground. Meanwhile, Levi spun and somersaulted in the air, blinding the titan with his signature elegant movements, leaving him defenseless.

Eren sat on the ground and waited as Levi finished off the titan. He held his right palm wincing, because it was bleeding, thanks to a tree branch that had cut it. Meanwhile, his heart was pounding in his ears and the events of Shiganshina flashed before his eyes. He wanted to cry, but he knew he couldn't. So, with difficulty, he calmed himself down while Levi finished off the titan.

After Levi cut down the titan, he took Eren down from the tree and examined him on the ground. Fortunately, the boy was not seriously injured, only the branches cut his hands, legs, and shoulders in a few places.

"Everything's okay now, son," Levi murmured, then hugged the boy to comfort him.

At first, Eren felt embarrassed by the hug, because it had never happened before and he didn't know what to do. However, when he realized what he had said next, he simply couldn't stop his tears and hugged him, just like he always did with Hange.

"I'm sorry, Dad," he cried, all he could think about was how he could have come up with such a foolish idea, to confront the titan all alone.

"It's okay, Eren," Levi replied, still holding the boy in his arms. After Eren calmed down, the man let go of him. Then he spoke in a stern voice: "Never again think about killing a Titan on your own! Do you understand? How could you even think of leaving the team when I told you to stay close to me?!" Levi was still breathing rapidly, his heart still beating fast and anxiously. The adrenaline hadn't completely left his body yet, and it made him feel like they were still in danger. "You can't imagine how many close friends of mine have died at the hands of titans," Levi said, exhaling again. "I don't want you to be one of them."

Eren just nodded in fear, feeling something had definitely changed. Maybe it was at that moment that he realized that anger was no good. At most, it only got him a cut on the palm of his hand. But before he could say anything to Levi, he pulled him back to him again and hugged him tightly. At first, Eren didn't understand why. Then he felt the slight shaking. Then there was the soft sniffling, which made him realize what was happening. Humanity's Strongest was crying.

Levi held his adopted son in his arms for a while, then let him go. The man turned away from Eren and wiped away his tears. As he spoke, he tried to sound strong and confident, even though he knew that the image of Eren almost being eaten by a titan would haunt him forever, reoccurring in his nightmares.

"Let's go and find Hange. I'm sure she's already worried about us," Levi said, glancing at Eren again.

“Okay, Dad,” he nodded, then held the man’s hand tightly. He was still scared, he didn’t want to move at first, but then he forced himself and started walking with Levi taking weak steps. His palm ached, as did many other parts of his body after this almost fatal encounter. He felt very tired and now being a scout wasn’t as exciting as it had been before.

Levi saw that the child was tired, so he lifted him up into his arms, and they continued on until they reached the man's horse. The Captain saw that Eren had lost his horse, so the boy was once again forced to sit on his father's animal.

“Hold on,” Levi muttered as his black steed swayed beneath them. Then he began to speak again, “I know you’re exhausted, but don’t fall asleep yet. I don’t want you to fall off my horse.”

"Okay," he wanted to nod, but the world was spinning around him, so he grabbed whatever he could, but he didn't have time to do anything else because he suddenly lost consciousness while his blood got smeared all over Levi’s shirt.

Levi thought he was going to have a heart attack when the child became dizzy and fell from the galloping horse. So, he immediately turned his horse back, hoping that the boy hadn't hit his head too hard. Luckily, Eren's head was spared, but his arm was at a rather interesting angle. Levi thought it might have broken because of the fall. Finally, he placed the unconscious boy on the horse in front of him, holding Eren close with one arm and the bridle with the other.

Because of this, they were moving rather slowly. Levi trusted that there would be a scout at the rendezvous point who knew medicine and could help Eren. He didn't even dare to think about how scared Hange would be when she sees the boy. When he got there, Eren was already quite pale and breathing weakly. So Levi picked him up and then made Petra call a doctor for Eren, while he looked for Hange with his eyes, but he only saw Moblit in the distance. Where was she?

“Where is Hange?” Levi growled at Moblit, annoyed that he couldn't find the woman anywhere.

“She’s in her tent and she said not to disturb her because she’s taking notes,” Moblit explained, shifting restlessly from one foot to the other. Levit, however, was not interested in Moblit's warning. He had to talk to Hange. The woman was checking out her notes when Levi hurried in.

“Didn’t Moblit tell you not to…” she looked back irritated, because she thought Levi had come to annoy her again. But as soon as she saw the half-dead Eren in his arms, she immediately ran over and took the boy from his arms into hers. She noticed that his left arm was in the wrong position, and there was a cut on his right palm. “Why didn’t you bandage his wound?!” she growled at him as she pressed the nearest piece of linen to the wound. Because it might not have seemed like he lost much blood, but to an 11-year-old it was. Good thing Eren hasn't bled out yet.

"I didn't have any bandages," Levi replied, equally tense. "Now take care of the kid, I'll go find him some doctor. He also hit his head, so if he gets up, he might feel dizzy and throw up."

And with that the man then stormed out of the tent. Partly to help Eren, and partly to avoid having to report the details of the boy's injury for now. Hange did everything she could, but she had stopped practicing medicine a long time ago. She didn't want to be a doctor because she couldn't bear to see good people die.

“Everything will be okay, Eren,” she said, but less to the boy, more to herself. Then, thanks to Petra's help, the doctor was there a few minutes later and fixed Eren's arm. Which of course, made the boy wake up screaming. Which, although it didn't seem like it, was a good thing.

Meanwhile, Levi returned and was relieved to see that Eren was feeling better. "Everything will be okay now," Levi muttered to the boy.

The man wanted to gently pat the boy on the head, but he didn't do it because he was afraid that it would only hurt him, since the child had hit his head. The boy then looked at Hange, then Levi, and finally at his right palm, which was already bandaged up. The doctor said that although it wasn't big, it was deep enough to leave a scar.

“Mom,” he looked at the woman. “Dad,” he turned to the man, “I want to go home,” he sighed in embarrassment as he curled up in an uncharacteristic way.

"We'll be going home soon. I promise," Levi replied, unusually gently, as he put a blanket over the boy. And Hange just hugged the child to comfort him. “I’ll make you some tea, okay?” Levi offered, for whom this was the only proven way to handle problematic situations.

“I'll go back with him,” she declared. She didn't care about any kind of plan anymore, it was more important to her that Eren was safe. “Moblit can lead my team without me.”

"But you're needed here too! You know the most about Titans. If an abnormal were to appear again, I'm sure you alone would have a plan," Levi argued, glancing at the pale-faced Eren.

The boy didn't react because he wasn't feeling well. He let the adults decide for him.

“Who the fuck needs a plan when you're here?” she looked back at him angrily. “You'll go and cut them up into pieces like you always do. I've never needed one before. But I'm not staying here with him like this, when we will be out in the field for like a week,” she hissed through her teeth as she pulled the boy towards her.

"And how did you imagine this whole trip home? Are you going alone with a half-dead kid? What if the Titans attack? Then both of you die!" Levi said angrily, his voice getting louder and more agitated. "How do you think I'll feel if you and Eren get hurt because of me?!"

“I don’t know, come with us then!” she said the first thing that came to her mind. She couldn’t stay here, because even in the tent there were only targets. And for the first time in her life, the woman wanted to go back inside the walls rather than be outside for a month. “But I’m not staying here and you can’t change my mind, Levi.”

“I can’t go. I can’t let my men down,” Levi replied grimly. “Erwin wouldn’t let his best soldier just leave the battlefield anyway.”

While Levi was talking, Eren only shrank even more in Hange's arms. He no longer cared about the adults making the decision, because he simply wanted silence. His head was pounding as if a thousand hammers had been hitting his brain from the inside. Moreover, Levi's deep voice, full with anger and despair, only frightened him even more.

"Please," she said quietly, looking up at him as she pulled the boy closer. "We'll leave tonight and Erwin won't know until it's too late. I'll take care of everything. I beg you."

“But what if Erwin kicks us out of the scouts?” Levi said, now more quietly. “I… I have nowhere to go…” At this, Hange laughed. Not madly or forcefully like she usually did, but genuinely.

“Do you seriously think Erwin will fire us for this? I mean, he'll probably be angry and yell, but like you said, we're too important to him. Who would he replace us with?” She looked at the man honestly. “You're irreplaceable, Levi Ackerman, and that's power,” she adjusted her glasses.

"I can bear him yelling at us. After all, he'll be right in the end," Levi replied listlessly. "But it'll be harder to see his disappointed look. I know Erwin trusts me, and I don't want to abuse that trust." Then he sighed, and looked out of the tent realizing that it was quite dark and most people had already gone to sleep.

“Then, you're coming?” she looked at him, smiling mysteriously. She hated making him choose, but in this case, she had no other option.

Chapter Text

"I don't really have a choice," Levi replied with a sigh. "I don't want to leave you and Eren alone. And I don't want to drag anyone else into breaking the rules." Then the man lowered his voice and added: "I just hope that Erwin will forgive me for this one day."

“If what he has to say is so important, you might as well go and marry him,” Hange said, slightly offended, as she lifted Eren and walked with him to Levi's horse. There wasn't any faster horse in the camp than his. “Come on Eren, I'll take you home,” she gently stroked his head in a way so that it wouldn't hurt.

"And you can marry your beloved titans," Levi grumbled back, who nevertheless went after Hange. Meanwhile, Eren dozed off in the woman's arms, as it was already quite late.

Levi wrote a quick message to Erwin, informing him that he, Hange, and Eren were heading back behind the wall due to the boy's condition. He placed the message in a small compartment in the saddle of the Commander's horse, so that the blond-haired man would be sure to find it.

"Let's go," Levi finally whispered as he helped Eren sit on the horse. The journey back was quiet as Hange kept making sure Eren was comfortable in her arms. Fortunately, the color finally returned to his face, so he didn't look so pale as he slept.

“Thank you,” the woman finally said, as she raised the lantern higher with her free hand so they could see more in the night.

“It's okay,” Levi replied, continuing to scan the landscape. The man was more at ease, knowing that most titans sleep at night. So if it came to a fight, it would be with much less titans than usual. Finally, Levi turned his head towards the sleeping boy: "How's the kid?"

“He's better now, he's finally sleeping properly,” Hange told him, then scanned Levi with her gaze. “He called you dad, you know,” the woman smiled, noticing what Levi hadn't. However, Levi also smiled cautiously at this statement.

"I'm glad he thinks so. I've grown to like him too," Levi replied, then added, "It's good for Eren to be sleeping. Maybe he'll get better faster that way." The man waited in silence for a while, but then he asked another question: "Are you planning to rest, or are we going to march all night?"

“I don’t think I can rest like this. My brain is buzzing, like when I’m experimenting,” she explained quietly. “But then, welcome to the club. It seems we really do have a child together now,” she winked teasingly.

Levi just rolled his eyes at this. But then he added: "Well, after breaking the rules just to help him get home, I guess you're right. I really am responsible for the kid." Then he added: “Anyway, I don't mind if we don't rest. Eren needs a doctor as soon as possible anyway.”

"He really needs to see a proper doctor," she said as she looked down at the boy. His arm was only bandaged because they couldn't put a splint on it due to shortages in supply, even though he needed one. Of course, because they were talking about him, Eren started to wake up too. His head hurt less and he didn't feel like he was going to die.

"You are really taking me home," he muttered softly, feeling grateful, because hearing their previous argument, this must have been something really serious.

"Yes, we'll take you home. You'll be safe, kid," Levi murmured gently. But then he added in a sterner tone: "Lie back and sleep. It's a long way to the wall. Hange will watch over you while you sleep. And I will be near you the whole time."

“Okay, Dad,” he said, then leaned back. And although he couldn’t really fall asleep, he tried to rest.

“Okay, I think it's time for us to actually get married” Hange looked at Levi absentmindedly, and Eren opened one eye to observe the events. They were arguing exactly like married people. “Everyone thinks we are married anyway.”

Levi was quite surprised by this statement. He never thought Hange would say something like that. But he had no idea whether she meant it seriously or not. So after he gathered himself, this was his very first question: "Are you serious? Or is it just a joke?"

“If you want, it can be a joke” she shrugged. They never has romance in the traditional sense between them, just mutual respect, as they took care of each other when needed and they loved each other like family. Of course, Hange never expected more than that, knowing Levi's nature. But if everyone thought so anyway and they became Eren's parents, then they could really get together, if only for the sake of the boy.

"I just don't understand why you would want to marry me…" Levi muttered, a little confused. "You'd only do this because we're both raising Eren?"

“And maybe because I “accidentally” wrote to some people who were harassing me that I was your wife” she stated in a monotone voice, but a little nervously also.

This shocked Levi even more. So he just stared for a few seconds, trying to think through it all. As Hange continued to wait for his answer, Levi finally spoke:

"Well… I'm not really ready for marriage. I don't know how good of an idea that is. I don't even understand why you would choose me, considering that… I'm not exactly titan height."

"This has absolutely nothing to do with your height and everything to do with what I said. People never make fun of you, so I thought they'd leave me alone if I wrote that to them," she said, then started muttering to herself.

"I understand…" Levi nodded slowly. The man was still embarrassed about the topic of marriage, so he didn't really know what else to say. Instead, he began to watch the road so they wouldn't get lost. The man tried to focus on his task and ignore how fast his heart was still beating.

"You know, I've never told you about my parents, but now that we're doing it like this..." then she sighed heavily. She hated talking about them, but she knew that sooner or later she would have to bring up the subject because her family was Eren’s family just like Levi too now. “We’ve already seen them quite a few times. It’s not for nothing that I hate going to that annual meeting in the capital with Erwin and the others…”

“So they like some fancy people?” Levi asked curiously. “What are their names? Why haven’t you introduced them to me before?” The man's voice wasn't accusing. It was more like curiosity. He suddenly felt like he wanted to understand Hange and her past.

“I hate them,” this was a fact she didn’t hide. “I think it’s pretty telling that Carla went all the way to Shiganshina to never see them again.” Yes, the other reason Carla ended up in Shiganshina as a waitress in a bar.”

“So you and her rebelled against your oppressing parents?” Levi asked another question, urging his horse to a faster pace. “Is that why Carla became a waitress and you a scout?”

"Basically yes, but when you say it like that it sounds like a story from a bad book," the woman grimaced.

Levi smiled at this statement, and added cheerfully: "I hope Eren doesn't become that rebellious. Because if he does, we'll be in big trouble."

“Considering that you are better than my parents ever were, I don't think you have anything to fear” then she sighed “Do you think he is really in a good place?”

"Yes, he's in the right place," Levi said firmly. "You love him as if he were your own son. That's all a child could ask for."

After that, the confidence disappeared from the man's voice, and he added cautiously:

"I'll try to play the role of husband. But I can't promise anything. I… I'm not very good at these romantic things. But I'll do my best, because I know it's what we need to keep Eren."

“Thank you” she smiled at him kindly. “Anyway, at least you don't have to pretend so much, I think people would expect me to pick up some weird guy” she waved carelessly.

“Okay, then I’ll be myself,” Levi said with a smile, then added a little sarcastically. “But first, I’ll flip through some romantic books and learn the most romantic phrases from it, which I’ll say from time to time so that everyone can really think we’re married.”

"If you say anything overly romantic to me, I'll punch you in the face," the woman looked at him with a grimace.

“But really, get married” came Eren's slightly hoarse voice. “I've put all my money on you” he declared, and Hange and Levi looked at each other, wondering where an eleven-year-old child could have gotten money. “What? Didn't you know that the commander supports me with a little money every month?” he was completely awake now and looked at his parents with interest.

“I didn’t know,” Levi replied in surprise. Then he added with a frown, “I hope Eyebrows taught you how to handle money, and you’re not just making stupid bets.”

“Well, he said I can spend it on whatever I want because it's my money. Then he went on to say that I get it because all scouts get paid for their work” the boy said excitedly. “And I wanted more money so I bet on you two getting together”.

“Oh my god…” Levi sighed wearily, rubbing his forehead. “You would have done better if you never bet on anything at all.”

“Let's look at the bright side” Hange came to her senses from her horror. “Erwin also loves the child, maybe he won't yell at us because we left him in the middle of the expedition.”

"If he won't scream, he'll definitely come up with some other punishment. But he'll have to think hard and use his creativity to do it, because cleaning isn't a punishment for me," Levi shrugged.

Eren really didn't like the fact that the two adults were diverting the topic, so he spoke up again: "But seriously! When is the wedding? I want to finally get my money!" Hange then looked at Levi, then back at Eren.

"Considering that Erwin also bet on us, I think he'll punish us by making us get married, because that way he'll win the bet too," she said thoughtfully.

“Is that what everyone in the Scouting Legion was betting on?” Levi raised an eyebrow. All the while Eren just waited excitedly, hoping that the man would finally give in.

“Yes, and as it came up before, there are three options. Moblit, the Titans or you, Dad. The Titans are the most popular among those who don't know Mom well” he told them about the bet, which he heard about while Oulo was collecting the money from Günter. “Everyone else bet on Dad. Except Petra. She was so desperate that she bet on Moblit.”

"I see," Levi replied thoughtfully, then looked at Hange. "I hope you're not so depraved as to marry an ugly, bloated titan. And I don't think Moblit is the best choice for you either. You could find anyone to be better than him."

"Yes, there's definitely someone better than him. You ," the woman declared, not even thinking about what the hell she was saying. Somehow things came out of her mouth more easily in the middle of the night.

Levi was embarrassed again by this statement, now for the umpteenth time that night. So he decided it was time to fight back: "I wouldn't flirt in front of a child if I were you. Eren is too young to hear such things."

Hange just rolled her eyes at this, as it seemed they had reached the walls. Considering that the Garrison won’t open the gates for just the two of them in the middle of the night, all that was left was to use the proper technique and ODM gear to scale the wall. Supposedly, their horses should be fine until the full unit returns and they could go in with the others.

So Levi took Eren in his arms and then, using the ODM gear, swung himself up to climb the wall. Meanwhile, he glanced back to see if Hange was following him, and the woman just grinned and waved enthusiastically at him. Levi shook his head and continued on while telling Eren to hold on.

And soon they were up there, much to the surprise of the soldiers patrolling the night. No one expected Humanity's Strongest to return from his expedition in the middle of the night. Especially not with his child and wife. Or so they thought, and they immediately started gossiping about it.

While the soldiers of the Garrison began to make up stories and rumors about Hange, Levi, and Eren that would belie romance books, the three of them headed back to their quarters.

"We'll find a doctor for Eren tomorrow," Levi told the woman. "Now it's more important that the kid finally sleeps."

"I'll sleep as soon as we get there, I promise," Eren declared. It was unusual for him, usually at this time he would have long since thrown a tantrum about being a big boy and that he’s not tired at all. Because Eren was like that.

“That's right,” Levi replied, glad that the kid wasn't throwing a tantrum for once.

Chapter Text

They arrived home an hour later. Levi put Eren to bed, and the boy immediately curled up and fell asleep with the stuffed animal he uses for sleep. Then Levi looked at Hange satisfied and said: "He'll sleep like a baby for a while. So we can do whatever we want because the kid won't bother us."

“Yes, especially since there's no one here right now, hehe” she laughed awkwardly, while thinking that for some reason her statement that there was no one here seemed too romantic. Should she punch him in the nose or not? Hange didn't know much anymore.

"Well, yeah, the whole base is empty," Levi shrugged his shoulders then added: "And I don't know when the scouts will be back."

“There are two possible scenarios. If Erwin carries on with the others, we have a whole week. If not, everyone will be here by tomorrow night,” Hange explained to him.

"Knowing Erwin, he won't turn back. I've never seen him run away," Levi replied thoughtfully and with respect in his voice. But then the man's gaze darkened: “I hope that my decision won't result in so many scouts dying. Because I'm aware that I’m the one saving their asses many times.”

“They can handle it without you,” she sighed, then looked at the man. “Well, then… What are we going to do now? I mean, maybe I’ll go and pack up a few things so I can finally clear my bed and not sleep with you every night like I’ve been doing since we moved here.”

“After you pack up, we’ll sleep,” Levi replied. “I’m pretty tired from riding horses all night.” Then he thought for a moment and added: "But I'll make some soothing tea before bed. Would you like some?"

“I would gladly accept it…” she said, then her mouth curved into a wicked little grin, as she always did or said something like that, “my dear husband."

This made Levi's face turn a little redder than usual, but he still cynically retorted: “When exactly was the wedding? Unfortunately, I forgot.”

“Well, you didn't give Eren an answer and since silence is consent, we're going to get married. I'm waiting for the ring and in the meantime I'll correct myself and call you ‘my dear future husband ’” she giggled happily.

"You don't leave me with much choice," Levi replied absentmindedly. He then stepped closer to the woman and added in a slightly more serious voice: "How did you know I wouldn't say no?"

“Because sometimes I feel like you want to kiss me,” she said. Telling her thoughts were hard to control anyway, but it was even harder for her tonight after such a stressful day.

“Do you just feel this way sometimes?” Levi teased the woman as he stepped even closer to her, leaving only a few inches between them. Meanwhile, the man thought to himself that he would be happy if Eren would sleep for a while longer and not disturb them.

"Why do you ask?" the woman blinked in surprise, then shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Not that it matters because you just look at me so… weirdly. Nothing else."

"What do you mean, I look weird at you? Would you describe this to me more precisely? Unfortunately, I don't understand what you're talking about," Levi teased the scientist, knowing that Hange wasn't half as indifferent as she was trying to show herself to be. Then he added almost in passing: "Don't you think it's about time you told me why you want this marriage thing so much? Because I don't think Eren is the only reason."

“That is exactly the same look you’re giving me now,” She said as she swayed on her feet in confusion. “I guess it never occurred to you that I just simply like you,” she muttered quietly to herself.

"I just suspected. But for some reason I never thought much about it," Levi muttered, feeling like his brain had a minor short circuit, as no clever retort or sarcastic line came to mind.

“Oh…” she sighed and took a step back. “Then I… I go and” she pointed towards her room, her face already quite red.

“Sure, go ahead…” Levi said quietly and confusedly, simply not understanding the woman's behavior. Then, almost to himself, he added: "Then I'll drink my tea alone."

And after the woman disappeared, a disappointed voice spoke. “No… It was so close!” said Eren who just looked out to see what was going on. “I'm only eleven, but even I knew she wanted you to kiss her” he said sleepily and turned back. “It was pointless for me to get up then” he went back to sleep. But now properly.

“Fucking God… I even had an audience,” Levi said listlessly. Finally, he answered Eren out loud: “Oi, kid! If you tell any of the scouts about this, I’ll make you clean Pyxis’s toilet for a week!”

"Thanks, but even I want to forget this unfortunate attempt at romance!" he said grumpily as he hugged the plushie as best he could with his broken arm.

"You better," Levi retorted. "And if there's a way, don't eavesdrop next time. There are things that an eleven-year-old shouldn't hear."

Eren didn't answer because he managed to fall back asleep very quickly. Let's just say it wasn't hard after the disappointing sight. His parents never falling in love and getting together was the last thing he thought of before falling asleep.

Levi tsked annoyed, then went and made his tea. After drinking it, he lay down to sleep. Since he had had a pretty tiring day, he managed to fall asleep relatively quickly.

The next morning, Eren woke up early and, since he was hungry and couldn't make food with one hand, he sneaked out of his room and went straight to Hange. It looked the same as before. Things were piled up in and in a mess full of documents and books. One of these piles was on the bed next to the woman who was sleeping on it. Walking over to her, he noticed the dried tears on her face, which she must have fallen asleep with.

Eren wanted to make sure that everything was okay with his mother, so he shook her gently and then spoke to her: "Is everything okay, Mom?"

At this, Hange began to wake up, but until she woke up completely, the boy sat next to her on the bed and waited patiently.

“Huh?” she sat up tiredly, rubbing her eyes. “I’m fine,” she said softly, feeling embarrassed that she had fallen asleep crying. While she was sleeping, the rubber band on her hair had slipped off, leaving it dangling at the ends. Her clothes were also rumpled as she reached for her glasses on the nightstand. At least she took them off before everything else.

"Are you sure? You look like you've been crying," Eren replied with childlike innocence in his voice, shifting restlessly on the bed. Meanwhile, the boy's stomach grumbled hungrily, but he ignored it, as he wanted to get an answer to his question first.

“Yeah,” she waved and hugged the boy. “Come on, let's go make you some food.”

At this statement, Eren jumped out of bed excitedly, then while walking towards the kitchen, he said enthusiastically: "What are we going to eat?"

Meanwhile, Levi woke up too, and so he headed towards the kitchen. Even though he had no idea what to say to Hange after their awkward conversation yesterday.

"Whatever you want. There's no one to talk to us about right now," she winked and poked Eren's nose. She knew Levi had also entered, but she avoided looking at him or talking to him,

“Yay! I can eat what I want” Eren shouted enthusiastically, then jumped in the air.

Then he opened all the cabinets in the kitchen and put everything on the kitchen table. Finally, he walked around the table, wondering what to eat.

Levi didn't choose and think that much. He just made himself a cup of tea, cut off a slice of bread, and then started his breakfast. In the meantime, he also avoided Hange's gaze.

“Well, what does my little hero want?” the woman walked over to help him. “When we finish breakfast, I’ll take you to Trost to get your arm properly splinted,” she explained. “Are you okay, Eren?”

“Let there be bread with jam!” said the boy excitedly, hoping that his mother would allow him to have sweets for breakfast. Then Eren added: "My arm still hurts, but I feel better now than yesterday."

“Maybe you will love this even more,” she said, then took the kalács* off and spread it with butter and then jam. “I'm glad you're feeling better,” she stroked his head while the boy put his arm around her waist.

"I hope you're feeling better too and not crying anymore," Eren said, and Hange looked back at him in confusion. She didn't want Levi to know about it.

“Uhm…”

At these words, Levi also raised his head, then turned towards Eren and the boy's mother. Although the man didn't fully understand what kind of relationship he and Hange had at the moment, he knew he didn't want her to suffer alone.

So he spoke, for the first time that morning: "What's wrong, Hange?"

“I'm fine, really!” she raised her hands in front of herself and shook them. “What am I going to come up with now? This is so embarrassing… I can't tell him that I cried because he didn't kiss me… it's childish to even think about it like that… ” she thought to herself as Eren sat down to eat.

Levi suspected that the woman was not telling the truth and that something was hurting her. But despite this, he decided not to question her further, because she might not want to talk about it in front of Eren.

“Okay. But if something is bothering you, just tell me,” Levi finally replied. “I promise, I’ll try to help.” The man then turned his attention back to his tea, while Eren happily munched on his breakfast next to him. As soon as Eren finished his breakfast, he looked at his listless parents.

"I'm going to wash myself," he announced in an unusual way, and then disappeared, leaving them alone.

"I said some shit yesterday. I was tired and I'm sorry for that," she tried to ease the tension so that everything would be like before. Then she took another bite of her bread.

"It's okay," Levi replied in a tone meant to be reassuring, even though he was also still feeling tense from yesterday's events. The man felt that his muscles and stomach were still in spasm, so he knew he had to release the tension somehow. He was already regretting that Eren had gone to do his things, because he would have surely said something that would have calmed the mood. Finally, Levi spoke again: "I'm sorry if I offended you. I was tired yesterday too."

"Then we discussed that," she nodded, then continued eating. She tried to think of something interesting, like the Titans, but it wasn't working at all. Her head was full of silly thoughts about Levi and she had never felt so stupid.

Levi also remained silent, as he had no idea what else to say.

And so breakfast passed in an awkward silence, broken only when one of them moved an object. This situation quite surprised the man, because up until now Hange always had something to say and never ran out of words. Because of this, Levi glanced at the scientist every now and then, hoping she would speak up and start explaining her latest experiment.

But Hange ate her breakfast next to Levi in the most silent way. It was so unusual that Levi pulled her back when she was about to leave.

"Are you sure you're okay? You've been quiet all morning and haven't shared your thoughts about the Titans like you usually do," Levi said, a little worried.

"I have nothing to share with you right now," she shrugged and tried to leave, but the man only held her wrist tighter.

“But I can see that something is bothering you,” Levi replied in frustration. “I don’t understand why you don’t want to tell me what’s wrong. In the past, you wouldn’t even have been ashamed to tell me how often you used the bathroom. So why are you keeping a secret now? And anyway, if you don’t tell me your problem, who are you going to tell? Are you going to whisper it in a titan’s ear?” Levi asked sarcastically.

“I don’t want to tell you this because you’re my problem,” she said before she could stop herself. But after she did, she just cursed to herself.

“Me?” Levi asked in shock, not expecting that answer. But despite his surprise, he still didn't let go of the woman's wrist, because now he really wanted to get an answer.

“Yes, you,” she declared. “And me,” she added reluctantly. “I thought yesterday…” she began, but stopped and took a deep breath instead.

“Yes? Yesterday?” Levi asked impatiently. “If you’ve started a sentence, finish it.”

“Just,” she finally sighed reluctantly. “Just tell me you didn’t want anything from me last night,” she finally whispered.

“I still don't understand. What did I want?” Levi asked, confused, no longer able to follow the thread of the conversation.

“Nothing, you already answered my question,” she sighed, then hardened her features. If he didn't even know what she was talking about, how could he have wanted to kiss her?

“But I still don’t understand what was wrong with me. Did I say something that hurt you?” Levi asked cautiously, not wanting to leave the subject until he got an answer to his question. “If I hurt you, how can I make it up to you? I don’t want to lose your friendship.”

“More like what didn’t you say… or do…” she muttered. “I don’t understand. What the hell are you doing here anyway? You think I’m a nerd, you hate it when I talk about Titans. You say I’m annoying, but you’re always here, following me! Why are you so involved in my life if you don’t have feelings for me?!”

“Yes, it’s true that you’re messy and often annoying,” Levi replied with a sigh. “But you also have a lot of positive qualities. For example, you’re brave and you’re smart. And you lead your people much better than I lead mine. I also respect that you’re persistent and you never give up.” After this, the man paused for a few seconds, then added: "And you're not indifferent to me at all. I like you. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't be here now, I would have stayed with the scouts on the mission so as not to break any rules."

"Just kiss me," she whispered softly, hoping he wouldn't hear and she could say what was on her mind.

Levi swallowed hard at these words and blushed a little. But finally he mumbled: "I'm sorry if it's not good enough."

Then he did what the woman asked. Hange just blinked in shock as he pulled her close and kissed her. She then just grabbed his shoulders as they snuggled together.

Levi held her for a while longer, but then carefully released her and opened his eyes. His face remained a reddish hue, while his breathing and heartbeat were rapid. He really wanted to say something witty to Hange, but nothing came to mind. So he waited in silence for her words and reaction.

"If it helps, no one has kissed me before, so I have no basis for comparison," she told him softly, smiling a little.

"Well, at least there's two of us," Levi muttered, still embarrassed. "There wasn't really time for that in the Underground. Back then, I was just solely focused on survival," Levi admitted.

"Well, now you're here," she looked at him as she took advantage of their closeness to hug him.

"Yes. I'm here," Levi whispered as he pulled Hange closer to him. Then he carefully stroked the woman's back and spoke softly: "Do you feel better now?"

"A lot better," she giggled as she nuzzled her head against his neck while placing her hands on his chest.

"I'm glad about that," Levi muttered, still letting the woman hug him. "We're lucky the other scouts aren't here, so they won't disturb us."

“Why, what are you planning?” she looked down at him, interested. “That for the other scouts not being here is a good thing?” she whispered in his ear.

“I didn’t plan anything,” Levi whispered back. Then he added teasingly, “Yet.” At that, the man smiled uncharacteristically. “What we’re going to do is up to you.”

Then the woman looked towards Eren's room, then back at Levi. "Do you think Eren can wait a little longer?" she asked him, snuggling up to him the best she could.

"I think so. He's old enough to be able to be on his own for a bit," Levi replied, gently stroking the woman's hair. Although the man didn't say it, he secretly enjoyed Hange's closeness, as it filled his heart with a strange warmth. That's why he hoped they would stay like this for a while longer.

"Great," the woman nodded, also enjoying the situation, and then the man picked her up without saying anything. It didn't matter that the woman was bigger than him, because it wasn't like a problem for Humanity’s Strongest .

“So, where should we go?” Levi asked teasingly, holding Hange tightly so he wouldn't drop her. “Now that the scouts aren't here, the whole base is ours.”

"Which room is closest? Where Eren can't hear us," she whispered in his ear.

“Moblit’s room is the closest. Are you sure you want to go there?” Levi asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Just take me there,” she nodded, grabbing his shoulder. “If they keep moving, it will take a week for them to come back, and we can clean up and I say this is my gift to him for taking over my squad for me.”

“Well, whatever you want,” Levi replied, walking towards Moblit’s room, Hange in his arms. “I hope your assistant doesn’t suspect anything.”

"You have nothing to be afraid of," she said as her hand slid under his shirt, onto his back.

"Be careful until we get to the room," Levi murmured, holding the woman tightly. "I don't want to drop you because of a sudden move."

Hange just chuckled at this statement, but still didn't let go of Levi. Finally, they arrived at the room, which Levi carefully locked so that Eren wouldn't accidentally open it and see them. When he closed the door, she immediately kissed him and immediately reached for his jacket to pull it off, while the man didn't hesitate either.

Chapter Text

Levi helped Hange remove the garment, then carefully laid the woman down on the nearby bed, forgetting that it was Moblit's to begin with.

Hange was panting heavily, and the clothes on her were already making her uncomfortably hot. She wanted to get rid of them, so she started to unbutton her shirt, the rubber band already slipping from her hair, her brown curls falling to her shoulders.

Levi's gaze was almost scorching as he watched Hange's every move with eyes sparkling with desire. "I can't count how many times I've imagined this," the man whispered, breathing heavily as he touched her skin.

“Really?” she asked in a lustful voice as she slid her shirt down her arms and she was left in just her bra.

"Really," Levi replied, then he too began to get rid of his clothes. Meanwhile, he didn't turn away from Hange for a moment, because he wanted to see her reaction. She just smiled at him while playing with Levi’s hair.

"It's a shame I can't give you surprises like this," she said, stroking his chest as he got rid of his own shirt. Levi had bathed her more times than she can count, so she knew he saw everything that can be seen when it comes to her.

"I'm sure you can still surprise me," Levi replied, a pleasant shiver running through his entire body from the woman's touch. The man then pulled Hange closer and kissed her again.

"Well, you've seen everything," she said as she took a sharp breath and her fingers dug into the man's back as he kissed her neck.

"That's true," Levi murmured, but then he added, "But I haven't experienced everything I wanted to with you yet. That's why I'm sure we'll both be in for surprises." Levi sighed as he felt Hange's fingers on his back. However, that didn't stop him from finishing what he had to say: "And I was thinking of positive surprises."

"Then help yourself," the woman reached into his hair with her other hand and ran her fingers through it encouragingly, while Levi reached for the clasp of her bra.

"Don't worry, that's exactly what I'm going to do," Levi replied, then kissed the woman's shoulder. Because of this, he also smelled Hange's scent, which made him not grimace for once, since the woman had not walked out of her lab and, and even more fortunately, she had taken a bath last night.

“I guess you like it because you gave the shower gel to me” she giggled as the man impatiently pulled down her bra straps. Hange rarely saw him like this, but it didn't bother her at all. She could have lived with a Levi like this for the rest of her life. She shuddered at the thought of what was coming. She remembered when several female members of the Legion got together (Petra was among them of course) to discuss which man was the best in bed. Hange never paid attention to this (it was no coincidence that she wasn't invited) she only knew about it when she went to Erwin with the papers and walked past the room they were talking in. Of course she stopped for a moment, just to listen to Petra's report on what she thought of Levi.

Hange remembered Petra singing odes about how good she thought Levi was in bed. This was because Petra thought the Captain was experienced in the field, when it turned out Levi had never done it before. This was noticeable, as some of the man's movements were clumsy, and at other times he was clearly thinking about where to touch the woman.

“Do you really want to be with me?” she asked, already gasping for breath. Petra seemed like someone Levi really needed. Quiet, diligent, feminine. But her? She was just Hange, the weird and loud scientist.

"Yes," Levi whispered, gently stroking her hair. "Honestly, I can't imagine this with anyone else."

“I want to be with you too,” she whispered to him, trying to forget that Petra always made these things sound like there was more than a work relationship between her and Levi. She already regretted never having spoken up, never telling them that she had been with him in his worst moments, that she had convinced him not to end his life after Furlan and Isabel died.

Hearing these words, Levi smiled.

"I'm glad you think so," Levi replied, holding Hange tightly. "And thank you for giving me a chance. Even though this will all be quite new and unusual for me."

“It's more like the other way around,” the woman adjusted her glasses. “I'm glad that…” but she couldn't finish because she moaned from the man's touch.

Levi stroked her skin again, watching what Hange liked best. Meanwhile, he felt that not only him, but Hange as well, was trembling with desire, which was starting to take over both their bodies and souls.

"Levi," his name came out of her mouth so lightly and longingly, her skin burning where he touched her.

And when Levi heard his name, he shivered. He then continued what he had started, because, based on Hange's reaction, he thought that all this would be good for the woman as well.

Between the sounds that reluctantly came out of her mouth, Hange tried to use her legs to pull down her pants somehow.

Finally, Levi helped her get rid of the garment while looking at her again, even though he had seen it before, for example, when he helped her wash her hair. Then Levi spoke in a whisper while stroking Hange's hair: "Just tell me if you feel uncomfortable. I don't want to cause you any pain."

"Please, please, please…" the woman begged him, almost digging into his back with her nails.

“Tell me, what do you want?” Levi whispered in the woman's ear, then leaned closer to Hange. Meanwhile, he watched the woman's face to see her reaction to his words.

“You know,” she panted, feeling completely soaked. “I want you…”

"If you want it that much, I won't say no," Levi replied, breathing heavily. The man then got rid of the rest of his clothes. And Hange pulled him into another kiss.

“You are beautiful,” she murmured, her voice looking at him the whole time. She knew it wasn't something he was told often, even though she had seen fewer men more beautiful than him.

"Thank you," Levi whispered back, feeling himself blush at the compliment. It wasn't every day that the man received such praise, and that's why he felt the happiness warm his heart even more.

Levi carefully leaned over the woman, and while he tried to hold Hange still, he thought that Furlan would have a fit of laughter if he saw this. The man remembered how his best friend had seen him look at Hange when she wasn't paying attention to him the first time they met her. Then Levi shook his head. He tried to focus on the present again, as Hange was still waiting for him.

Hange just smiled at him shaking his head, then she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and started drawing all sorts of patterns to relieve tension. She knew he was thinking about something, but she didn't want to ask because Levi's expression was the same as when he was trying really hard to concentrate.

Finally, Levi looked into the woman's eyes, then gently caressed her face and said: "Are you ready, or do you want to wait?"

“You know I'm always ready for anything,” she grinned, exactly as she always did. “So I hope you're ready too,” she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“I'm ready too,” Levi replied, smiling for a moment at the woman's words.

Then he gathered himself and took a deep breath, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

Then he finally did what Hange had been waiting for, causing her to dig her fingers into his back as he groaned while burying his face in her shoulder.

"Now I know where your size went," she muttered, panting, trying to get used to the new feeling.

"I always told you I'm not small," Levi retorted, feeling himself sigh involuntarily.

The woman nodded at this, because she couldn't really speak between the sounds she made, and she hoped that she wouldn't disappoint him. And Levi also secretly hoped not to disappoint Hange. However, he could no longer voice this, as he felt that, like the woman, he was starting to pant and sigh louder and louder.

“I love you,” she said, a little hard between moans, as she pulled him close to her so they were close together.

"Me too," Levi replied in a slightly hoarse voice, then to better show his emotions, he gently kissed the woman's forehead.

Hange chuckled at this, trying to keep up the pace, and the scientist in her immediately started thinking about how effective this could be. How to make the most of it.

“What are you laughing at?” Levi asked, a little confused and uncertain, afraid that Hange was laughing at him. This caused him to slow down for a moment.

“There’s so much untapped potential in this. It can be tough because, even you’re sweating,” she hugged him affectionately, indicating that she had no problem with the man.

"I won't say no to take advantage of these opportunities," Levi replied teasingly, returning Hange's hug.

"Great. It's not like I won’t drag you into it, like I do with everything," she continued drawing shapes on his back, sighing. She knew she wouldn't last much longer, but she noticed that Levi had quite a bit of stamina.

"Well, yeah… You even dragged me into coming home with you and Eren from the expedition," Levi murmured. Finally, with a panting breath, he added: "But the thing is, I don't regret it. Especially not now that we're both here like this."

"I'm glad it wasn't as big a disaster as you first thought," she looked at him with a smile, then he smiled too while she kissed him.

This made Levi tremble and he knew he wouldn't last much longer. Which caused all sensible thoughts of his to disappear from his mind, while he only focused on moving as fast as possible. And when it was over, Hange didn't have much time to think, because Levi was already lying on top of her, exhausted.

“Huh?” she looked down at him, his head resting on her chest, between her breasts. She wanted to say that Petra was right, but somehow she didn’t want to ruin the exceptionally quiet and intimate moment. “Now I’m going to tell you something you never expected me to say. Let’s go, take a shower.”

"I really didn't expect that," Levi muttered, who was too tired to raise his head for now. But then he spoke again as he caressed Hange's face. "Are you okay by the way? Are you in any pain? Was it really bad?"

“Me? I'm perfectly fine. In fact, we should definitely do this again,” she looked at him with her usual cheerful expression. “But let's rest a little longer…”

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, Eren was happily running around his room. “Oh my God, I’m rich!” he shouted, jumping up and down, when he heard a knock on his window. Opening it, he saw Jean. “How did you get here? How did you know we were home?”

“Words spread fast in town,” Jean replied, grinning as he came in through the window. Then he added, “What are you so happy about? I’ve never seen you so excited.”

"I won the bet and I'm going to be rich," they sat down on Eren's bed, then the boy adjusted the bandage on his palm. "I think my parents are currently busy making me a little brother," he said. Because he knew that, when two adults are in the same bed, they make a child. Although Carla did not tell him more than that, she said that they will discuss it when he is older. Although Eren knew that if he asked his mother, she would tell him everything, as usual.

“Really? So you know how a child is made?” Jean asked with sparkling eyes as he sat down next to Eren. “My mom said I am too young to know that yet.” Then Jean added the following, shifting excitedly on the bed: "If you have a little brother, he could play with us too. Even if it's a girl. What do you think, Eren? We can also teach him to fight so he can defend himself."

“Actually Carla only told me that if two adults are in the bedroom for a long time, we shouldn't bother them. She said that I'm still young back then. But if I ask mom now, I think she'll tell me everything” he grinned. “Have you seen dad by the way? I think my little brother will be a titan slayer even right out mom. So, maybe you and I will be the ones to watch him fight. What do you think, my best friend?

“That’s fine with me,” Jean replied enthusiastically. “But I hope the new child doesn’t become a clean freak like your father.” Then Jean added thoughtfully: “Of course, the child will be a baby first. And a baby certainly won’t think about cleanliness. Right, Eren?”

“Oh no… Do you think it’ll be able to clean up after itself even as a baby?” he looked at Jean in fear. “If so, I’m scared. But anyway” he sighed and looked up at the blond boy. “What did the rumors say? I wonder what they made up about us.”

“I don’t know how much I believe the rumors, but some say the Captain and the Squad Leader got tired of the mission and ran home,” Jean said, scratching his head. “So now quite a few people think your foster parents are cowards and traitors.” After that, Jean proudly straightened himself and added: "But I didn't believe the rumors. I was sure the truth would be something else, because I wouldn't think of them as traitors."

“Well, um, I was the only one who got tired actually…” then Eren raised his broken arm and hissed a little. “Let's say that I had an encounter with a titan that didn't go the way I dreamt, and I almost didn't survive it. At first, only Mom would have come home with me, but you know what Dad is like. He wouldn't let her go anywhere alone with me in the middle of the night.

"That sounds pretty dangerous," Jean said uneasily. "Weren't you scared? I would have been pretty scared if I were you. Being a scout is pretty tough, I see…" the blond boy muttered.

“I was really scared too,” Eren nodded. “That’s when I realized that being angry is not good. It always gets me into trouble. I almost died now,” he looked down at his arms. “I want to change.”

“What do you want to be if not angry?” Jean asked curiously, then added fearfully. “I hope you don’t intend on becoming a clean freak like your dad.”

"I don't know, but Dad told me to live without regrets," Eren looked at his best friend. "Maybe I should take his advice."

“Why do you say that? Have you ever made a decision in your life that you regretted?” Jean asked another question. “By the way, I’m sure your foster father would be happy if you lived the way he advised.”

“At first I regretted running away in Shiganshina, but now… I barely remember anything. I think I had friends” he looked at Jean. “Now I don't even know who they were or what they look like. But I know that mom and dad love me, that you're here for me, and maybe I don't have to worry so much that Shiganshina will be a thing of the past.”

“Whoever your friends were, it doesn't matter now, because I'm here!” Jean replied encouragingly, patting his friend on the back. Then Jean added in a slightly more serious tone: "Anyway, it's best if you forget about Shiganshina. That area belongs to the Titans now. I don't think you'll ever get back there."

"You're right," the boy sighed. "Shiganshina doesn't matter anymore. Not to Eren Ackerman," he declared as he looked out the window. There was no more Eren Yeager, that boy had died when Carla was eaten by that titan back then. So it was about time he buried him.

“So from now on, I have to call you Eren Ackerman too?” Jean asked. “Does your foster father know about the name change? I wonder what he’ll say about it.”

“Yes, you should” but after that he shrugged his shoulders. “But you only call me Eren anyway, so it doesn't affect you that much. And Dad” then he remembered the way his father hugged him “I don't think he'll get mad at me for it.”

“That reminds me, your foster parents haven’t been back in the room for a while,” Jean said. “I think they’re having fun making you a little brother. But I’m just glad it’s because it means I can stay here longer and they won’t bother me.”

"Then there's only one question left," Eren looked at Jean, nudging him mischievously. "Do you want to be Eren Ackerman's best friend, Jean Kirstein?"

“Of course,” Jean replied enthusiastically, then the high fived laughing together.

Three years have passed since then, and Eren has followed his father's advice ever since. He has lived without regrets, which has meant that he has become much more serious. He was no longer willing to rush into trouble like he used to, because he knew that the fire would burn him if he ran into it.

Jean, of course, was not bothered by this, and sometimes even praised him. “Eren Ackerman is a much better guy than Yeager was.” But that wasn't the only thing that changed, all this time his father had been training him properly, which meant he was given a greater role during the expeditions. People whispered his name, calling him the heir to Levi Ackerman, but he was more than that. And nothing showed this better than the googles perched on top of his head, something Hange had given him for his 12th birthday, which he had never taken off ever since, except when he was bathing and sleeping.

Also, if there was one thing Eren Ackerman had realized in recent years, it was that equations are the most exciting things once you understand them. And Hange knew how to teach Eren this. But now, instead of equations, Eren was thinking about how excited he was that his parents had let him go to training camp.

However, the boy did not go there to train, rather he was assigned the task of helping the teachers train the new cadets. In addition, Eren was also looking forward to meeting Jean again, whom he hadn't seen in a while, as his friend had chosen to go to training and their only way of communication were the letters they sent to each other.

Eren arrived at the camp after a short journey, so he picked up his backpack, said goodbye to the cart driver, and continued on foot. The boy ducked a little, as he could already hear Keith Shadis shouting at the cadets from here, even though he was standing a few meters away from the camp gate.

When he arrived at the camp, all eyes were suddenly on him. Although Eren was quite used to this, he was often looked at because he was already among the scouts at such a young age when they went on an expedition. Soon Shadis noticed him too, and then observed the boy very carefully.

“Ye-” he wanted to address him, but Eren cut him off.

“Ackerman,” Eren declared. “I don’t use Yeager anymore,” the man frowned at this, but accepted what he said.

“PAY ATTENTION, YOU FUCKERS!” he shouted so loudly that Eren thought he was going to lose his hearing. But with a sigh, he turned to the cadets next to the man. “Considering that you have just started learning how to use the ODM equipment, the Scouts were generous enough to send Eren Ackerman to show you little shits how to do it!”

At this, Eren stepped forward and nodded slightly. However, the cadets didn't really notice this, as most of their attention was on the still-shouting Shadis, who was giving Eren instructions on what to show the others. The boy kept wondering if how didn’t Shadis' voice had gotten hoarse after all that yelling.

"I'll take it from here," Eren told him quietly and calmly, and Shadis suddenly fell silent. The technique his father had taught him on how to silence people still worked perfectly.

Eren was a little embarrassed to have so many eyes watching him, but after overcoming his stage fright, he began to explain to the cadets how to use the ODM equipment.

“WHAT’S THAT WHISPERING, EREN ACKERMAN?!” Shadis yelled. “WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE IN THE BACK CAN HEAR?”

"If the people in the back can't hear my voice, it might be because they've already gone deaf because of you," Eren thought to himself.

However, the boy preferred not to say this out loud, as Levi had already taught him not to argue with those higher up the ladder. So he obediently began to explain a little louder, but still didn't speak half as loudly as Shadis.

“If anyone has any questions, speak up now, not when you start flying with the equipment” he looked at the cadets with a stern look. They were also quiet while Eren explained, which completely surprised Shadis. He was used to the fact that the kids always cause some kind of trouble. “Because no one takes responsibility for the deaths that might happen.”

The cadets had no questions. They just whispered among themselves how strange it was to be taught by a boy their own age. So, some of them only listened to Eren with half an ear, as they were more interested in gossiping among themselves. They took advantage of the opportunity to talk now, since Eren wasn't yelling, unlike Shadis.

The boy saw this too, but he didn't dare say anything to the cadets who were talking to each other. So, he rather reassured himself that at least there were a few people who were actually paying attention to his teachings.

"Then let's get started," Shadis said, and as the cadets began to take up the gear, he turned to take a look at Eren. His hair was neatly cut and there wasn't a single wrinkle on his clothes.

“Levi did a good job with you,” he nodded approvingly. “Your mother would be proud of you.”

"She is. She praised me this morning too," he looked up at the older man, who looked back at him in surprise.

“I was thinking about Carla,” he told Eren, confused.

"Oh, I see…" Eren replied, starting to feel awkward. After all, for him, the word mother already meant Hange, after the scientist had taken care of him for years now.

Moreover, due to his trauma, he could no longer remember Carla's face, and sometimes he thought that maybe it was better that way. Thanks to this, the life he left behind in Shiganshina hurt less than the day Hange saved him. But Eren didn't want to discuss this with Shadis, just as he didn't want the wounds in his heart to open up again and fill his entire body with pain. So he turned back to the cadets and started dealing with them, even though Shadis clearly had more to say about Carla.

And when he saw one of them fiddling with the equipment a lot, he walked over to him. The blond guy had terrible posture, he obviously couldn't tie the straps.

“This way you will definitely not finish in time and the titans will devour you on sight.” he declared as he pulled the guy back into the normal posture with one simple movement. “The correct posture is the basis for using the equipment! If you don't hold yourself right, you'll fall on your face!” he explained louder because this was a particularly important piece of information.

The blonde boy then glanced at Eren, and he soon realized that he was seeing his childhood friend in front of him.

“Eren, do you recognize me? It's me, Armin!” the blond-haired boy said excitedly. “Do you remember me? In Shiganshina, I always read books to you and Mikasa! We planned to visit the ocean together!”

“I don't know any Armin, so you better make sure you have the correct position than talk to me” he said coldly. The boy had remembered nothing of his friends except that they had existed at some point. “Now you take off and put on your equipment properly until you're done with it in a minute!”

"You don't remember Mikasa either?" Armin tried again. "Mikasa cried a lot for you. She thought you were dead. She missed you dearly. Maybe if you talk to her, your memories will come back," the blond-haired boy insisted, not really interested in his equipment at the moment. Armin wanted Eren to remember him so everything would be the same as before.

“Leave him alone, Arlert!” Jean, standing not far away, shouted to him. He had done this often since Eren had changed. Since his best friend had become quieter and was afraid to confront others. And as always, Eren sent him a smile, which meant that he was grateful to Jean. Meanwhile, Eren nervously rubbed the scar on his palm, as he always did when he was in this kind of situation. “He doesn't want to listen to what you're babbling about. You better focus on the task at hand!”

"I just want to help him! I don't want Eren to forget," Armin replied with his head bowed. The boy wasn't just sad because Eren didn't remember him. He was also hurt that he wasn't Eren's best friend anymore, that it seemed to be Jean. This frightened Armin. It really seemed like Jean knew Eren better than he did. Armin should have thought that perhaps this wasn't so surprising. After all, his best friend was Eren Yeager, not Eren Ackerman.

“There's no need for that,” Eren stepped in front of Jean. “We'll discuss everything after training.”

“I won't let Arlert harass you with all his delusions,” he folded his arms. “You're nervous,” Jean noticed that Eren was rubbing his palm again.

"No," Eren said, putting his arms behind himself as if he suddenly just reached into a fire.

“Yes, you are nervous,” Jean argued. “When you are stressed, you always pick at the wound on your hand.” Then Jean turned to the blond-haired boy: "You're only making Eren tense, so you better get out of here and mind your own business."

Armin looked sadly at Eren: "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just want everything to be the same as before."

"I don't know what ‘same as before’ means," Eren whispered.

"I hope we can talk a little after training," Armin replied sadly, then walked away disappointed.

"You shouldn't have talked to him like that," Eren looked at his friend.

“You always stood up for yourself when we were children,” he grabbed her shoulder. “Now you let him talk to you about all his delusions or whatnot,” he stated while Shadis let everyone go to have lunch.

"I wasn’t standing up for myself. I was just screaming and kicking without giving any thought to who I hurt," Eren sighed, then looked down at the wound on his hand. "I've learned that anger leads nowhere since then."

Then Jean closed his eyes and sighed. “But still, don't let them get away with it. You're Levi Ackerman's son!” he squeezed his shoulder a little. “But I'm glad you're here. I missed you, Ackerman.”

"Don't worry, I won't let them hurt me. I can defend myself," Eren said confidently, then squeezed his friend's shoulder. "I missed you too, Kristein." Finally, Eren just laughed to himself, then spoke again: "Now we sound like two little girls at school who were put at separate tables at lunch. Since when did we start talking so girly, man?"

Jean shrugged his shoulders at this, then grinned as he saw the approaching figure.

“Here, Marco!” he motioned to the black-haired, freckled boy. “Well, there’s someone I want to introduce you to. Eren, this is Marco Bodt, who I wrote to you about in my letters. Marco, this is Eren Ackerman, my best friend since I was about ten years old.”

“Nice to meet you. Jean has told me a lot about you,” Marco said, holding out his hand.

“Hello,” Eren greeted, shaking Marco’s hand. “Jean wrote a lot about you in his letters. How did you two meet?”

"They put us together for a task and the rest is history," he winked, and Eren just laughed and nudged Jean.

"You forgot to say that Marco was not just your friend, but your boyfriend too," Eren looked at the boy amused.

"That's true," Jean grinned.

"Doesn't this bother the instructors?" Eren asked, looking around in confusion to make sure no one heard, as romantic relationships weren't really allowed during training.

"What they don't know about doesn't hurt them," Jean replied confidently, placing a hand on Marco's shoulder. This made the freckled boy blush quite a bit, which made Eren start to giggle.

"Anyway, Christa and Ymir are helping us," Jean and Marco looked at each other amused.

“Maybe we found out by accident what they do in their free time,” Jean whispered to him.

"You…" Eren continued to chuckle, rolling his eyes as they headed off to lunch.

“Well, you need allies if you want to break the rules,” Jean said with a grin. “But now that you’re here, you can help us in keeping our secret safe.”

"That doesn't sound like a very exciting leisure activity," Eren pursed his lips.

“It may not be exciting for you, but it is for me and Marco,” Jean winked, then added. “In fact, it’s not just exciting. It’s loud.” At this, poor Marco blushed again, because he didn't like it when Jean told the others about it.

“Well, I didn't want to hear about your sex life. It's enough that sometimes I can hear my own parents at night” Eren looked at his best friend as he rubbed his face. “I won't be here long anyway. The commander needs me for the next expedition.” And then they entered the dining room and everyone noticed them. Specifically, Eren.

Chapter Text

Two younger girls, one blonde and one brunette, ran up to Eren and started asking him about his life and the scouts. The brunette wanted an autograph from Eren, and the blonde wanted an autograph from the boy's foster father.

Jean wanted to run away from the screaming girls, but in the end he decided not to leave Eren alone in his trouble.

Eren just spoke to them nicely, signing one of them's papers and telling the other to see what he could do. After that, they left him alone pretty quickly. Especially since a black-haired girl with an uncomfortable looking red scarf around her neck started walking towards him. Eren wondered why anyone would wear such a strategically questionable thing. 

Finally, the black-haired girl arrived and spoke carefully: "Eren, do you recognize me?"

"Look, I know everyone will tell me that they know me, but no, I don't know you," Eren looked back at her, taking a deep breath to keep himself from getting irritated.

“I'm not a fan of yours. You, me, and Armin were childhood friends. My name is Mikasa,” the girl said. “Don't you remember me?” the girl asked hopefully, holding her scarf. “You gave me this scarf too.”

"I would never give anyone such a tactically questionable scarf. If someone were to grab it and pull it, and you'd be strangled," he explained, remembering Levi's lessons and all his advice on what to wear and what not to wear.

"We weren't soldiers back then. You gave it to me so I wouldn't be cold," whispered Mikasa, feeling her heart tighten with sorrow. "You really don't remember me? We spent so much time together as kids!"

"No, I'm sorry," he said, confused, trying to recall his memories of Shiganshina. But there were only blurry pictures. Missing faces, covered in fog. He couldn't even remember Carla's face, and there was nothing left of Grisha either. What did they look like? Did it even matter?

Mikasa's eyes filled with tears at this answer. Despite this, she tried not to cry in front of Eren, as she didn't want to appear weak. So she bowed her head while touching her red scarf, which had seen better days. When Armin saw how disheveled Mikasa was, he immediately went over to the black-haired girl.

"I'm sorry… He doesn't remember me either…" Armin muttered as he placed his hand comfortingly on Mikasa's shoulder.

“Oh… I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry” he said, completely embarrassed as he started fiddling with his wound again. “God, what should one say at a time like this?” he muttered as he closed his eyes. Eren Yeager would never have had a problem with something like this.

"It's okay," Mikasa whispered, trying to hold back her tears. "Just promise to try to remember, okay?"

At this question, Armin looked at Mikasa worriedly. He was starting to lose confidence that Eren would remember, and he was afraid that it wouldn't have a good effect on the black-haired girl.

"Um… Of co-" he started, but Jean was already there and glanced at Mikasa.

“I see you found another Ackerman,” Jean said, grinning, putting her arm around his shoulder. “Two Ackermans in one mess hall. Sounds deadly.”

"It'll be deadly if you don’t shut up," Mikasa replied angrily, annoyed by Jean's behaviour. "You better go back and have fun with Marco."

"Don't fight. It won't solve anything," Armin asked anxiously, pacing nervously in one place. Then Armin sighed heavily and said: "Jean, please leave Mikasa alone now. She's had a hard day."

Mikasa looked at the blond-haired boy gratefully at this statement. She was glad that at least Armin was here with her, if Eren was keeping his distance from them.

"Let me? She went to my best friend like a fly," Jean frowned loudly indignantly. "And at least I have someone to have fun with," he looked straight at Mikasa.

Hearing this, Mikasa frowned angrily. Her gray eyes were cold as steel and sharp as a knife. But Armin still didn't want to cause trouble, so he grabbed Mikasa's wrist so that she wouldn't be able to even accidentally hit Jean's face.

"Leave it, Mikasa. You know what Jean is like. It's not worth getting into a scandal with him," Armin said calmly, while Mikasa continued to stare at Jean with eyes that could murder him in a thousand ways if they could.

Meanwhile, Jean looked at Eren, who was terribly quiet as he and Mikasa argued. He didn't dare to speak up because he didn't know what to do at this point. “Are you okay?” Jean asked him worriedly.

"Yes," Eren replied gratefully, happy that in the chaos he could at least count on Jean's friendship.

Meanwhile, Armin tried to support Mikasa, who was still upset that Eren didn't remember her. Moreover, instead of asking her for help, Eren turned to Jean instead.

"That's great. I wouldn't want you to get into trouble. I don't know if your mom or dad would kill me sooner if something were to happen to you," he smiled, patting his friend on the back encouragingly.

"Knowing them, they'd both kill you," Eren replied with a smile, appreciating Jean's attempt to ease the tension.

“I don't know what you want, but Eren Yeager is dead” he looked sharply at Armin and Mikasa. “This is Eren Ackerman” he poked Eren's face in a friendly way. “The Son of Humanity's Strongest and Smartest.”.

Armin and Mikasa looked at each other in confusion. They simply couldn't understand why Eren ran away from his past and changed his last name. Armin, however, still chose peace, so he spoke calmly:

"It doesn't matter if Eren is a Yeager or an Ackerman. Regardless, he's still my friend, who's important to me and Mikasa."

“Look, I really don't know who you are, but it's never too late to get to know each other again, right?” Eren smiled as he massaged his wound. He didn't want to be here, he didn't want to deal with Shiganshina. He buried it deep a long ago.

“Are you serious?” Jean asked him in a whisper.

"Yes," Eren whispered back to the boy.

Although Eren didn't want to be dragged down by his past, he didn't want to reject Armin and Mikasa's advances either. So Eren spoke again: "Let's make new memories, okay?"

“Okay,” Armin replied, knowing that this would have to be enough for now. Mikasa only nodded slightly, and Armin looked towards the girl with concern. The boy knew that Mikasa would become quieter when something was bothering her.

“Um… So Shiganshina…” Eren scratched the back of his head in confusion as they sat down. Jean sat next to him, and Marco sat next to Jean. Armin and Mikasa were opposite them. “I don't remember anything before Mom found me in the ruins of that house.”

“Really nothing?” Armin asked in disappointment. “Not even the faces of your original parents?”

“I don't remember Carla and Grisha anymore,” he said, using their first names directly, as they began to eat.

“Why do you call your parents by their first names?” Armin asked in shock, forgetting even about the food. Mikasa had to nudge him to finally get the blond-haired boy to start eating.

“Um… Because they’re not my parents,” he said. “After my aunt found me, she took me in and raised me as her own. She’s my mother.”

“And Levi Ackerman is his new father,” Jean added with a grin. “Not everyone can say that they were raised by Humanity's Strongest,” Jean said proudly on Eren's behalf.

“I see,” Armin replied, shoveling soup into his mouth. “And were those two good parents to you?”

“They are the best,” he smiled. “On my first birthday, which I celebrated with them, they took me on vacation to a nearby lake. That's when Dad taught me to hunt,” he told them kindly, and one could just feel how much he had changed.

“I’m glad you’re happy,” Armin replied with a smile. “If it makes you feel better, maybe it’s okay that you forgot about Shiganshina. Despite that, I hope that we can become friends again.”

Mikasa nodded in agreement, then added: "Sometimes I wish I didn't remember what happened in Shiganshina either. I remember every detail exactly. I haven't even forgotten Grisha and Carla's faces."

Armin knew that this was why Mikasa was having so many nightmares, but he thought that she might not want to share this with the others, so he stayed quiet. Instead, he put his hand on her shoulder to offer her silent support.

“What exactly happened back then?” Eren asked, trying to understand the situation, to see if he could remember anything at all. “Although, of course, if you don’t want to talk about it, I completely understand. What happened to you after that, anyway? Were you adopted too?”

“No, we had to manage on our own,” Armin answered grimly. “Hannes helped us when he could, but most of the time we were alone until we joined the training corps.”

As Armin spoke, he saw how empathetically Eren listened to them. The boy didn't yell or demand answers right away. Armin felt like his childhood friend had changed. Mikasa was also studying Eren's behavior, and from this, Armin realized that the girl had noticed it too.

"I heard that many people went out to work in the fields so that there would be enough food, I guess you worked there too then. I'm glad you weren't sent out on those campaigns to reclaim Wall Maria," the boy smiled kindly at them.

"You're too nice to everyone," Jean grumbled under his breath, while Marco just nudged his side.

"And you're not nice," Mikasa replied, frowning.

"Don't start it again," Armin sighed wearily. Before Jean or Mikasa could retaliate, Armin changed the subject and turned to Eren and began to speak: "Weren't your foster parents too strict? I was wondering because I know they're both soldiers.”

“I don’t think so. I think they just set rules that were necessary for me to become a good person,” he explained, tilting his head slightly. “Especially since I joined, I’ve been involved in all the expeditions since then. So it was necessary for me to learn the rules quickly,” he started to massage his palm again, remembering the time he received the wound on it.

“I can understand that. You can't be careless on expeditions. Even I know that,” Armin replied. “A small mistake there has a big price.”

“Yes, I've learned that since then” Eren nodded reluctantly, and Jean just grabbed his shoulder. “But my current results from the last four years are 38 titans and 3 abnormals” he said a little more enthusiastically.

“That's so cool!” Armin replied excitedly. “I don't think I could ever achieve that.” Then the blond-haired boy said encouragingly and enthusiastically, pointing at Mikasa: "But she might have a chance. She's one of the best in the cadet camp."

"I haven't been training as long as Eren. So I don't know if this would work," Mikasa said quietly.

“Oh, it’s going to work! We Ackermans are amazing! You should see my dad in action,” he said enthusiastically. “3 Titans in one minute.”

"Then I regret that I will never be that strong," Armin said despondently. "I may not be of any use to humanity."

"Don't say things like that, Armin. You may not be that strong, but you're very smart," Mikasa replied comfortingly. "And in difficult situations, soldiers need a warrior who is intelligent and knows what to do."

"Thank you," Armin replied, then smiled faintly at the girl to express his gratitude. Armin thought that Mikasa deserved this much after she was his biggest support after Eren left them.

“Yes, it's good to be smart” then Eren turned to Jean as something came to mind. “Imagine, I'm making progress on the new equipment! I've already calculated how it could be more compact and use less steam! When I finally make the first prototype, I'll definitely bring it to show you” his eyes sparkled with excitement. Just like Hange's.

This statement surprised both Armin and Mikasa. When they knew Eren, the boy couldn't even read. Therefore, they never dreamed that Eren would ever think of a new invention.

Nevertheless, Armin spoke again: "Really? Can you show me too? I wonder if it would work," said Armin, who was also starting to be interested in the invention.

Mikasa still didn't know what to say. Eren had changed beyond recognition. She didn't know what to do with this new Eren, who had renounced his former family and taken a new surname.

“Would it work? Eren is a genius, everything he does is almost a miracle” Jean hugged him proudly. “He's just always shy, he would never tell anyone.”

"Jean.. don't do this…" Eren looked at him shyly as he lowered his eyes. He didn't like to tell others about what a great person he was. If he was really that great.

“Genius?” Mikasa asked in shock, who used to think Armin was smarter and Eren was stronger. “Why, what does he do that makes you call him so smart?”

“He invented the new blades we use in training,” Jean said proudly. “He’s so smart, he developed them in a month.”

"I didn't expect this. I thought only Armin would be capable of such development," Mikasa said, her voice shaking slightly, as she was quite annoyed that she didn't understand why Eren had changed so much.

"Well, since I'm not working in the military yet, it would be pretty impossible for me to work something like this out," Armin muttered in confusion, feeling like this conversation was starting to go in a direction he didn't like.

Armin felt bad that Mikasa praised him, even though Eren was the only one who had shown any real results so far. The boy began to feel more and more useless and worthless.

“I hope we can work together then!” Eren smiled. “If you have some free time, you can come over” he said as he adjusted his glasses on his head, with great enthusiasm. “By the way, if we were such best friends, I just can't imagine how I lost you in Shiganshina…” he wondered out loud.

"I don't understand that either," Armin replied thoughtfully.

"How did you get those glasses, anyway? You didn't have any vision problems as a child," Mikasa said, studying Eren's face.

"I only use it when experimenting with titans so the steam doesn't melt my eyes. My mother gave it to me for my 12th birthday. I haven't taken it off since," he said.

Mikasa nodded at that. But nothing else came to mind, so she quietly digested the changes in Eren's appearance and behavior. Armin also ran out of things to say, so the group's conversation soon ended in awkward silence.

This bothered Armin quite a bit, because as children, he, Mikasa, and Eren could always talk and never run out of things to say. Armin finally glanced at Mikasa, trying to figure out if she wanted to go or if they should stay a little longer.

"But really, I wish I could remember it," Eren sighed. "What happened that day?" he thought, but his head only hurt, so he started massaging his temples. Had he run away? Eren Yeager had always been unpredictable.

"I would be happy about that too," Mikasa sighed sadly.

"I hope you'll remember us one day. If not, we'll make new memories together. Okay?" Armin offered, extending his hand towards Eren.

“Of course,” he too held out his hand enthusiastically. “I’m glad I got to meet you,” he smiled. But not as crazy as before, but naturally.

"Nice to meet you too, Eren Ackerman," Armin said with a smile as he shook the boy's hand.

Eren nodded at this and then turned to Mikasa. “It’s nice to meet you too,” he observed. “And be careful with that scarf, because it could cause a disaster on the battlefield.”

"I'm glad too," Mikasa replied, touching her scarf as she continued. "And don't worry, I'll be careful. I've already learned how to fight effectively while wearing a scarf."

"That's great," he told her, and then Mikasa suddenly hugged him and Eren just stared at her while standing frozen. What should he do in a situation like this? Armin smiled reassuringly at Eren, signaling him to hug Mikasa back.

Meanwhile, the girl only started hugging Eren even tighter, because she missed him so much. When Eren ran away from Hannes, she thought she had lost him forever. But now she could finally hold the most important person in her arms again.

"Um…" he said, embarrassed, as he patted the girl's back. He usually only accepted hugs from his parents or Jean. Hugging other people was foreign to him, something he wasn't really capable of.

Mikasa finally let go of Eren. The girl waved one last time at her former childhood friend, then she and Armin disappeared down the hallway. Eren saw Armin pat Mikasa on the back encouragingly, and she smiled gratefully at him. Then Eren lost sight of them.

Chapter Text

When they were out of earshot, Armin and Mikasa stood next to each other. A few seconds passed as they stood, then it was Armin who broke down as he slid down, against the wall, starting to cry.

"This is worse than if he was dead," he groaned. Mikasa was also struggling with her tears, but she tried not to cry. She wanted to stay strong for Armin's sake. So she sat down next to the blond-haired boy and gently touched his arm:

"I feel the same way. I have no idea how to deal with this new Eren. I don't even know what to say to him. It's like I've met a complete stranger."

“Then there's Jean” the boy's face suddenly turned red from all anger. “I'm Eren's best friend!” he said which has been on his tongue for a while now.

"Yes, you are," Mikasa agreed. "You've known Eren for much longer than that cocky monkey." After that, Mikasa moved closer to Armin and said sadly: “It's bad to see Eren trust Jean more than us. I can see in his eyes that he's afraid of us. And I don't understand why, because we've never hurt him. We've always wanted the best for Eren.”

Then Armin buried his face in his hand, trying to figure out what had happened to Eren. "We should have gone after him. In Shiganshina," he whispered weakly. "Then he'd be here training with us, not walking around like a shadow of himself…"

"But maybe if we go after him, we wouldn’t have survived. After all, the Titans were everywhere. And we were just kids. I just don't know what would have been the right decision," Mikasa said, also burying her face in her hands in despair. "And I don't understand why he changed his name. I can't understand what was wrong with Yeager. It just makes me feel like he's completely lost himself."

“He doesn't even consider his parents his own…” he sighed. “You lived with them, you would only know if they hadn't treated him properly” Armin wondered.

"Eren's parents were kind and well-meaning. They loved him. They liked me too," Mikasa sighed, looking thoughtfully into the distance. "I don't understand why Eren refuses to remember his parents when they did so much for him, and for me too. Carla and Grisha took me in when I was left without a family, and they took care of me as if I were their own child."

“But maybe he was really upset by what he saw. He ran straight back into the middle of it,” Armin said, giving up. “But maybe the scouts fooled him. His mother never wanted him to join, maybe that's why” the boy concluded.

"Or maybe the scouts just traumatized Eren even more, and that's why he forgot everything," Mikasa thought. "But whatever the truth is, I won't give up. I'll try to get closer to him again, and maybe then he'll remember something from his past."

"We won't give up without a fight," Armin leaned his head on Mikasa's shoulder.

"That's true. We won't let Eren be alone again. No matter what he's been through, we'll prove to him that he can trust us and that we're worth remembering," Mikasa replied, gently stroking Armin's head, which was resting on her shoulder. After that, Mikasa was silent for a while, but then she spoke again: "Hey, Armin. Promise me that no matter what happens, at least you won't forget our shared past. I don't want to be the only one who remembers those times."

"I won’t forget. I promise," the blond-haired boy said firmly, not wanting to let Mikasa down.

"Thank you," the black-haired girl replied calmly, letting go of Armin's hair, feeling a little better now. Mikasa reassured herself that at least she wasn't completely alone. After all, Armin was here by her side, and he also shared the goal of trying to bring back Eren's memories.

Eren, meanwhile, walked beside Jean while Marco went to do something. Eren took this as a sign that they could finally talk properly.

“Do your parents know yet?” he asked, almost knowing the answer. He had known Jean for a long time, of course he knew who he would like when it comes to dating. It wasn't like he cared, Eren's mother had raised him to believe that everyone was human and everyone was equal.

“Not yet…” Jean muttered, staring at the ground. “I’m afraid they’d be angry if they found out I’m dating a boy.” At this, Jean sighed with a heavy heart: "Of course I know I can't keep this a secret from them forever. But I don't feel brave enough to admit it to them right now."

“Look, if necessary, my parents would be happy to adopt you. They’ve already learned the business with me,” Eren grinned as he put his arm around the boy’s shoulder. “Because if anyone knows about weird relationships, it’s my parents.”

Jean laughed at this and then said: “That's for sure. Considering that their relationship is not ordinary.” Then Jean added, still smiling: “Thank you for the offer, but I wouldn't take it up on it. I don't have any problems with my parents anyway. The only problem is that they're not very open to a… well, an unconventional relationship. I can only hope that they'll accept this one day. But until they've gotten used to the idea, I won't introduce Marco to them.”

“They must have guessed this by now. They made interesting faces even when they only met me” Eren nostalgically recalled when Jean took him to lunch with them. “But it will work out, I believe in you” he patted his shoulder. “Just don't ever lose sight of Marco.”

“Don't worry, I'll take care of him,” Jean replied, smiling dreamily as he remembered Marco's cheerful, freckled face.

“I'm glad. You're going to the Military Police, right?” came the other question. He would have hated it if Jean had become a scout too, because Errn could lose him at any time during an expedition.

“Yes, life is much easier there,” Jean replied. “Besides, Marco wants to go there too, and I want to go with him. But I hope that won’t be an obstacle to us meeting up.” Jean then playfully nudged Eren in the side, then continued with a grin: “Anyway, we still have a lot of pubs to visit, as we need to experience life in a Pyxis state.”

"I don't really think that’s a good idea ," Eren said shyly, remembering how Oulo and Günter had offered him plenty of alcohol last time. He didn't remember much, but he did know he had a terrible vision of him and thought he was going crazy. "A tea would be better."

“You’re just like your father,” Jean pursed her lips. “He drinks tea all the time but never alcohol.”

"Well, he raised me," he nodded. Levi told Eren that, just like him, he also suffers from terrible hallucinations when he drinks and his brain shuts down for a moment. He said that at that time he saw Isabel’s and Furlan’s dead bodies again when drunk enough .

“Did you consciously adopt his habits, or did it just happen to you?” Jean asked, half-jokingly, half-seriously. The boy wasn't just joking right now, he was also genuinely curious about this answer.

“I don’t think he wanted to pass on as many things he actually did,” he explained. “I don’t like drinking because it gives me terrible hallucinations,” he admitted. And these words surprised Jean.

“What hallucinations?” the boy asked. “When I get tipsy, I just feel a little happier and the world gets a little blurry. I thought everyone experienced the same,” Jean muttered, confused, having never experienced anything more than that. Jean never drank himself unconscious, because he knew that not only Eren but Marco wouldn't like it either.

"Mutilated bodies, corpses," he explained confusedly. "It's like I’m going to completely collapse psychologically at any given moment. Fun, right? So obviously I hate it, it's all a disaster," Eren scratched the back of his head.

Hearing this, Jean shivered. "I understand everything now. I wouldn't like to see dead bodies either."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you with it," he looked at him confused. He hated being a burden to others.

"It's okay," Jean waved. "I'm glad you told me." After that, the boy added encouragingly: “We're friends, right? And friends share their problems with each other. And I don't think any less of you just because you can't handle alcohol.”

"Yeah, best friends," he grinned. "I've known you longer than anyone," he folded his arms, remembering that he and Jean had known each other for almost five years now.

“Unless Mikasa and Armin were telling the truth, because then you'd have known them the longest” Jean replied thoughtfully. “Do you think they're telling the truth? Could it be that they're just trying to get closer to you with all this talk? Because after all you're a fairly well-known person, people would want to be with you.”

"I don't know... I remember having friends," he rubbed his palm again. "But when I asked what happened exactly, they just pushed me away as if it were some secret not meant to be told."

“Maybe they're planning something,” Jean thought out loud. “I don't trust them.”

"Let's go for a drink then," he started to think of ideas immediately as the scientist in him awoke. “If my hallucinations are related to my past, maybe I can find out what exactly happened then.”

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Jean asked worriedly. "I don't want you to get sick." Then he quickly added: “If you're going to drink, maybe you should do it in the presence of your mother. If you were sick, she might know what to do.”

"I know my mother is quite flexible about boundaries, but I don't think she would allow this either," he muttered flustered. Hange allowed him almost everything as long as it didn't end up hurting him. If he told her now that he was subjecting himself to psychological torture in order to remember the faces of his friends, she would definitely be angry.

“Well, if Hange wouldn't allow it, then Levi definitely wouldn't agree to it either” Jean sighed. “Okay, then I'll go. But I'll stay sober so I can act immediately if something happens to you.” So that evening they sneaked out with Marco (because Marco obviously didn't let Jean go alone). They went into a nearby pub and sat down. Eren then put his notebook down in front of him.

"Is that really a good idea?" Jean looked at him worriedly. "To relive everything just to remember two faces that might not even be theirs?"

“Yes,” Eren replied confidently. “I want to know the truth.” Then the boy looked at Jean in confusion. “But what kind of alcohol do you think I should order? Which one would bring back my memories the best?”

“Hmm…” Jean thought. He had never asked for alcohol to relive his childhood. “It depends. They’ll definitely serve beer, but if you have enough money you can buy wine, it has a higher alcohol content.”

“Maybe you could try the whiskey,” Marco said, leaning against Jean’s shoulder. “Just don’t mix it too much, because you’ll throw up and I think the hallucination is just enough.”

"I see, then I won't mix it," Eren replied, trusting his friends' advice. "Then I'll have a beer. I hope that's enough to hallucinate. And if not, I'll have another."

Jean ordered Eren a drink and just watched as his best friend busily took notes and solved various equations while drinking his beer. Jean didn't want to let him down, because he knew Eren trusted him to take care of him in his darkest moments. And that's why he was a little tense.

"Well, at least the beer doesn't taste that bad," Eren shrugged as he took a sip of his drink. He then continued to work with the equations, trying to calculate how much beer would affect him. Jean just nodded and continued to watch his best friend, who was writing things in his notebook that he didn't even recognize. Although Jean knew that he wasn't necessarily the sharpest knife in the drawer.

“Your best friend is really weird,” Marco told him. “And somehow it doesn’t surprise me,” he closed his eyes, and Jean just shrugged.

At that moment, Eren stopped for a moment, then looked up in fear, causing Jean to tense up. This was probably the moment that had already shrunk his stomach to the size of a pea. Eren's eyes widened and he took in a sharp breath. His hand began to shake, the pencil falling out of his hand. The outlines of the pub blurred, replaced by hallucinations.

Unexpectedly, Eren was not sitting among chairs and tables, but floating among corpses and the dying. Some were missing limbs, others were bleeding, while a few were screaming at the top of their lungs in fear. Eren tried to control the fear that gripped his bones. He tried to control the anxiety that was shrinking his stomach and started walking in one direction, hoping to find some familiar faces. Then he saw the ruins of the house where he lived. A titan stood there, holding a woman who looked exactly like him and his mother. Could this be Carla?

“Carla?” he asked himself, mostly, as he watched the titan eat the woman. Something he had seen happen to his fellow scouts many times before. And though he was terribly afraid, he found himself feeling nothing as he watched the scene. He was no longer affected by Carla’s death. More like a sudden calm had come over him.

So Eren walked forward a little more calmly among the ruined houses, hoping to catch a glimpse of Mikasa or Armin. After all, that would have been proof that the two cadets weren't lying and that they really knew him. However, this did not happen, as the hallucinations now continued elsewhere. Eren had to relive the moment when a titan almost ate him and Levi rushed to his aid. The boy thought about this scene. Perhaps his subconscious was using these hallucinations to compare his family and life in the past and present. But then where did Mikasa and Armin leave all this?

“Eren!” He heard someone cry out his name. The voice was distant, but he searched for it. Who did he hear? He tried to somehow stop at a memory, but he couldn't and various terrible moments flashed before his eyes and instead of faces he only saw blots. He couldn't find Armin or Mikasa anywhere. And when calmer memories also came into his vision, in them he only saw Jean and him playing tag together, or cooking with his parents. Then suddenly it was as if someone had pulled him out of the water.

And when he saw his father's face, he knew he was in big trouble. Not far away, Jean was pacing nervously, telling himself that this was a terrible idea, while Marco was explaining something to him. When Levi saw that Eren had regained consciousness, the man stepped closer to him. However, his gaze remained cold and emotionless. Although Levi didn't show his emotions, in reality he felt a confused mass of worry and anger. He was worried because he saw that Eren was not feeling well. And he was angry because the boy was acting irresponsibly. Finally, Levi, completely in control of his emotions, spoke coldly:

"May I know what you do in a pub during your working hours?"

“I…” he said as he held his head because he had a terrible headache. “I just wanted to remember,” he muttered as he swayed on his feet in confusion. “But I was working, I was continuing my notes and I thought at least I could relax with Jean,” he tried to get himself out of trouble. How did his father get here anyway? Jean called him here? How long had he been hallucinating?

“If you have the chance, don’t go out when you’re sent to work at the training corps,” Levi replied coldly. “If it turns out you were drinking while you were here, you’ll not only embarrass me, but the entire Scouting Legion.” Levi deliberately didn't want to ask what Eren wanted to remember and why, now. It would have been a confidential conversation that he didn't want to have in front of other soldiers and cadets. Still, Levi stored this information away. He would question the boy as soon as he had the chance. Until then, however, he continued his speech in an official tone:

"Eren Ackerman, I hope you know that this transgression of yours will result in severe punishment."

"It's not his fault, I took him here," Jean said before Marco could stop him. But Eren just waved him off, saying he will handle it by himself.

"I understand and accept my punishment," Eren nodded as he adjusted his goggles and then saluted. He didn't want to get in trouble or get Jean and Marco in trouble, so he accepted his punishment. Levi looked at Jean and saw the worry and regret in the boy’s eyes. Because of this, he decided to pretend he hadn't heard Jean's words. So he just punished Eren:

“For a week, you will clean the horse stables instead of the groom. This will take an hour twice a day. Furthermore, I expect you to do your job accurately.”

“Yes!” Eren saluted as usual, then followed his father out of the pub.

"I'll go with you," Jean told him, but Eren just shook his head.

"I'll be back, just a few minutes," he said, then left after Levi so they could talk privately. Levi then led Eren to the nearby alley where there were no people. The black-haired man took one last look around. After making sure that no one was nearby, he spoke:

"So, what did you want to remember? And why did you need alcohol to remember?" Then he snorted sarcastically: "I've never heard of anyone drinking to remember. You know, kid, some people use alcohol to forget. But it would be best if you didn't take any mind-altering drugs at all."

“Two cadets said they knew me. From Shiganshina,” Eren leaned calmly against the wall. “I just wanted to remember what happened before Mom found me, using my hallucinations,” he sighed. “It wasn't a good idea, I know that now.”

"Yes. That really wasn't a good idea," Levi said, his voice still lacking emotion. However, when he saw the boy's troubled gaze, he could no longer regard the boy he had taken in as a child as a mere subordinate. So he added in a gentler tone: "I understand that you wanted certainty. But you forgot what happened in Shiganshina for a reason. Perhaps it's best to keep those painful memories buried deep."

Levi then sighed a little, then spoke again, feeling awkward. It was clear from the man's voice that he still didn't like talking about his past: "A large part of my childhood is shrouded in obscurity. But I don't try to bring it to the surface anymore. I want to look to the future rather than the past."

"You should have seen them," he said, rubbing his scar again. "They were so desperate and…" he stopped for a moment, thinking of something. "The name, Mikasa Ackerman, does it ring any bells?" Eren looked at his father curiously. "That's the name of the girl with the red scarf who said we were friends."

"Not really," Levi admitted. "Maybe she's related to me. Considering we share the same last name. Why, who is this Mikasa Ackerman?"

“Jean's fellow cadet. She's the one with Armin Arlert who said we were friends a long time ago. Mikasa looks like you, she has black hair and gray eyes. Could easily kick my ass if she wanted to,” Eren said awkwardly. “But when I said I didn't know her, she started to cry and I somehow didn't want to make anyone cry. I thought at least this way I could help them.”

"Then from what you've said, this Mikasa is my relative," Levi replied, not expecting to find out if he had any family members still alive. "But if she bursted into tears, she probably isn't lying. Maybe if you spend more time with her, some of her words or gestures will become familiar, even if you won't remember everything."

“I just wanted the truth, nothing else,” Eren said, knowing he could tell his father if he felt pressured. “But I felt uncomfortable with them. It was like they were looking for someone who was no longer here.”

"I have no idea why that is," Levi sighed. "Maybe you should talk to Hange too. She can think of a plan for what to do with this Mikasa and Armin thing."

"Yeah, mom has a plan for everything," Eren smiled as he closed his eyes. When he goes home, he would definitely ask his mother what could be done about this. But she would probably say something like Eren has changed and anyone who doesn't like it can go get eaten by the Titans.

"There's no doubt about that," Levi said with a ghost of a smile on his lips. But then his gaze hardened and his voice became serious again. The man did not allow himself to start thinking and dreaming about Hange in the middle of such a serious situation. "I have to go back to the base soon. I only came here to carry out Erwin's orders and to check on how well you are helping the cadets." Then Levi's voice only became even stricter: "But even though I won't be here, you still have to clean the stables. Shadis will be supervising that. I'll tell him that this is your punishment."

“Have I ever let you down when it came to cleaning, Dad?” he looked back at his dad as he pushed herself away from the wall. “Everything will sparkle and shine, just like you taught me,” he smiled kindly, which always reminded Levi of Hange.

"You're a good kid, Eren," Levi muttered to him, gently patting the boy's head as a sign of his fatherly love.

"Obviously, you raised me," he stepped back to look at his father. He had learned so much from him and his father meant so much to Eren.

“And Hange,” Levi replied. Then he paused for a moment, then spoke again: "I hope you know we're both proud of you. That's why neither of us would be happy if you became an alcoholic just to get your memories back. Stay away from the bars, okay, kid? And come home to base sober in a week."

“I promise, I’ll stay completely sober,” Eren nodded. He knew he owed his parents a lot for raising him, while they already had so much on their plates already. Something he didn’t think Carla and Grisha had really done, because no warmth radiated from his heart when he remembered their names. “And thank you for your trust, I won’t disappoint you.”

"Take care of yourself, Eren," Levi said one last time.

The man didn't hug his son, but instead ruffled his hair. Levi was trying to let him know that he was important to him, even though he couldn't show it as well as Hange.

Levi then left Eren alone, found his favorite black horse and headed back to the scouts' base. Eren returned to Jean and Marco and enthusiastically explained his plan of how he would clean the stables. He knew that he had been given this task because it seemed strict to others but in reality Levi had given Eren his favorite activity, because he just loved his son too much.

Chapter Text

Volume 2: Birds of a feather

The volume takes place at the rest of season 1. The following characters are the ones mainly in this volume:

Eren Yaeger
Hange Zoë
Levi Ackerman
Jean Kirstein
Mikasa Ackerman
104th Training Corps
The original Special Operation's Squad

This is the volume where we also get to know just how much cooler Eren Ackerman is from Eren Yaeger. And for that I present you with my picture of Eren Ackerman:

A year later, Eren was standing in front of Erwin because the man had called the boy into his office to talk to him. When Eren entered the room, he saluted. Then Erwin began to speak:

“Since you have been with the scouts for quite some time, the time has come for you to rise in the ranks.”

“What do you mean by that, Commander?” Eren asked, tilting his head curiously. He never thought he would ever get promoted, since so many others had been here for years, way before he joined. He had also enjoyed working under his father in the Special Operations Division.

“When 104th Training Corps is finished, you will be the Captain for those who want to join the Scouting Legion,” Erwin said. “I know you don’t know much about leading a team yet, but Levi and Hange have experience in that. They will teach you how it works and what you need to do to make the soldiers follow your orders.”

“Me?” Eren blinked as he started to massage his palm again. “But there are people in the legion who are much more experienced and capable than me, who can bring more to the table than I can,” he explained, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. When he was sent to the Training Corps last year, he couldn’t really hold anyone’s attention when he held the explanation.

“I have other tasks waiting for them,” Erwin replied. “Besides, I don't want to break up teams that have been working well for years, because then their performance would deteriorate.”

“Understood!” he saluted again. Somehow the late night promotion was not in his plans for today. In fact, he thought it’s likely that his parents didn't even know about it, because he didn't think his father would have wanted him to leave his team. “I will do my best to bring glory to humanity!”

Erwin nodded. Then, before dismissing the boy, he spoke again: “Prepare thoroughly to welcome the cadets. It is difficult to manage new recruits at first.”

Eren just nodded, then set off for their living quarters, the path leading to there being something which he knew the road to by heart by now. Five years. He has been a member of the Scouts since then, and has been Levi and Hange's son ever since. And when he entered, his parents were sitting at the table. His father was drinking tea, while his mom was reading his scientific notes with interest. Something she often does and the boy never regretted it, because afterwards they always brainstormed together.

“Did you know that Erwin is going to promote me?” he asked as he took off his boots upon entering the living area.

"No. He didn't even mention it," Levi frowned, so surprised by this statement that he even put his tea aside. The man turned his full attention to Eren, his ice-blue eyes flashing with interest and surprise.

"I'll be the Captain of the recruits I was sent to last year. If anyone joins the unit," he explained as he sat down next to his parents. "I don't even understand why. I have no experience or anything."

"Erwin must have some plan that we don't foresee yet," Levi suggested. But then he continued grimly: "I'm not happy with Erwin's decision. Now that you're a Captain, you'll be removed from my team. That way I won’t be able to help you as easily when needed."

“Mom?” Eren looked at Hange, who was completely absorbed in reading the notes of Eren. She immediately looked up at the mention of her name and only shrugged her shoulders.

“You’re ready,” she said with pride as she put down his notebook and adjusted her glasses. “We raised you well, you’ll be fine, no matter what.”

“And if the cadets cause you too much trouble, just tell me. I’ll kick their asses gladly,” Levi said seriously. “You’re more experienced than them, so they’ll have to accept you as their leader, even though you’re about the same age as them.”

"I hope so," he buried his face in his hands, but his mother just nudged him enthusiastically.

"Well, on another note, you better tell me about this theory because it sounds very bold," the woman said as she slid the notebook in front of him and pointed at one of the diagrams. At this, Eren's eyes finally lit up and he began to talk about the formulas and ideas in his notebook.

Levi just rolled his eyes. He didn't have much to add to the topic, so he went back to his tea. The drink had cooled by then, so Levi tsked in annoyance, then continued drinking his tea cold.

“This is something Armin and I talked about,” he said. He had been visiting the two cadets when he could over the past year, and while he still couldn’t maintain a close relationship with Arlert, he liked him as a partner in science. “I wondered, why the nape? Why is that the weak point of the titans? Just look at the size of the cut you have to make to kill a Titan,” he pointed to the diagram. “The size of a man, Mom.”

"You and your beloved Titans," Levi said gruffly. 

At this, Eren turned to his father and spoke again: "Armin and I noticed something pretty important. I'll have to discuss this with Mom, and it won't take two minutes. So, in the meantime, if you're thinking about it, you can leave if you like" Eren smiled at him, understanding if this will bore his dad.

“I'll make some dinner while you two are at it,” Levi said, then headed towards the kitchen area. He didn't even care that he didn't get an answer, because he knew that Hange and Eren had completely shut out the outside world when they were discussing their theories.

"The point is, what if there are or were humans in the Titans?" Eren said so enthusiastically that he suddenly stood up and started walking around. "That explains everything! If there are humans in the Titans, the nerve pathways don't go to their brains, but to their nape, where the human would be. That's why that's their weak point and why we have to cut so deep to kill them" but then both Hange and Levi froze.

“Are you absolutely sure about this?” Levi asked, forgetting about dinner. “Do you have any proof of this?”

“Not yet, but I have an idea,” he said, flicking away to another diagram. “Have you two ever heard about acupuncture?” He looked at them for a moment, then back. “They use needles to stimulate nerves, which can cause a person to instinctively swing their arm if they stick a needle in their shoulder. If I could poke the right spots in a titan’s nape, I could achieve a similar result, if the nerve pathways actually run there.”

Levi and Hange looked at each other in shock at this statement. This thought had never crossed their minds before.

"If this theory were true, we could make an important step towards defeating the Titans," Levi replied. "We just need to test it. We'll need Erwin's permission to do that."

“I don’t think it would be that difficult,” Eren shrugged. “Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we have a plan,” he smiled at his parents enthusiastically as he adjusted his goggles on top of his head. This all will be fine. “An expedition will be coming soon anyway.”

"That's true," Levi replied. "We just need to come up with a plan. But that can be discussed at the pre-expedition meeting." Then Levi confidently added: "But I trust you. You, Hange, and Erwin can surely come up with a plan that will make testing the titan's neural pathways safer." Eren nodded and sat back down while Levi put down the dinner to the table.

“Your ring is beautiful, Mom,” the boy said as he noticed.

"I don't have any…" she frowned, then looked down at her hands.

“You have now,” Levi replied to Hange. Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued eating dinner.

“But,” the woman was completely taken aback when she saw the ring on her finger. “You bought this!?” she showed her hand into his face.

"No, Sawney and Bean bought it," Levi replied sarcastically, referring to Hange's two beloved titans. But then he added in a slightly softer tone: "I thought you'd be happy about it."

At this, the woman suddenly hugged him and started murmuring yes into his shoulder, while Eren drank his tea evers so calmly despite the usual chaos of his family. Levi hugged Hange back, even though Eren was nearby to see all of this. The man couldn't really express how happy he was at this moment, and how grateful he was that Hange was a part of his life. So he tried to show his emotions through his actions. So he cautiously moved closer to the woman, gently stroking her hair.

“I love you,” she said as they hugged each other. “And I want to marry you,” she whispered into his ear as she gave him a kiss.

"Me too," Levi whispered back, completely forgetting about Eren's presence. At this moment, only Hange mattered to him. Eren just looked at his parents happily, knowing how much this meant to them.

“So does this mean we can finally organize a wedding?” he asked, genuinely interested.

“Yes,” Levi replied. “We’ll also have to write down who we want to invite. Right, Hange?” The man looked at the scientist.

"Sure, but all members of the entire legion will need an invitation. Which will be easy if you ask me,” the woman waved. “I think Erwin has already prepared for this exact moment.”

“So, we're not inviting anyone else outside of the unit? What about Pyxis and Shadis?” Levi asked.

“I don't know how much Shadis would be interested in another Zoë wedding,” Hange laughed, remembering that for some reason, Shadis was present at Carla's wedding.

"I think you should only invite him if he promises not to yell at the guests," Eren suggested.

"He didn't always yell. About 10 years ago, he was so cool that every girl in the legion wanted him," the woman said, already feeling quite nostalgic.

"Well, I find that very hard to imagine," Eren replied, scratching his head. "But if that's the case, why did Shadis change so much?"

“Can’t we talk about the wedding instead of Shadis?” Levi asked boredly. “We’d have to find a place to hold it. We’d have to get food and drink from somewhere. In short, there’s a lot to do and we don’t have time to chat.”

"We don't have to overcomplicate this" Hange also started eating her food again. "The place here, because most of the guests live here and I will leave the drinks and food to Erwin…"

“Okay, I can't keep this a secret anymore,” Eren said, then sneaked out and went into the dining hall where everyone else was having dinner. “MY PARENTS ARE GETTING MARRIED!” he said cheerfully, causing everyone to pause for a moment.

“OH MY GOD! I WON THE BETS!” Oluo shouted excitedly.

“When will it be?” Eld asked.

“Will we be invited too?” Günther asked another question, while Petra just turned her head away to try to hide her disappointment. While the entire dining room erupted in cheers.

"Well, since everyone has made some form of bet on my parents, I suggest we donate the money for the wedding we'll all be attending," he said enthusiastically, explaining his idea to everyone.

The soldiers agreed to this, because they thought Levi and Hange deserved a good wedding, even more since everyone had been invited. So the people in the room started to offer who would pay what. And Eren wrote everything down in his notebook (to give to his parents later), until he reached Petra, the last person on the list.

“Do you want to help?” Eren tilted his head in interest.

"Yes," Petra replied, only saying this answer because she knew her teammates wouldn't like it if she didn't help. The woman even managed to force a smile, even though she felt like crying.

"That's great," Eren smiled. "You always wear such nice clothes, you could help mom choose her wedding dress," Eren looked at his notes while biting the end of his pencil.

“That’s not true…” Petra muttered, twisting the hem of her shirt. “I don’t have good taste in clothes. I’d rather give money for food,” the woman suggested, who had no desire to help Hange.

“You could really help mom a lot, because even though she's smart, she doesn't have much of a fashion sense,” he sighed as he wrote things down, then looked at Petra. “But are you really okay?”

"Yes, I'm fine," Petra lied. The woman said this because she didn't want to talk about her feelings with a teenage boy. All she could think was how nice it would be if Eren would finally step aside and leave her alone.

Petra could only hope that Eren wouldn't bring up the topic of clothes again. It would have been awkward to say no to his request again. But she would have rejected him again, because she didn't want to help Hange. That would have only resulted in a fight.

Eren walked outside and then stopped next to Oluo and began to speak softly to him: "Comfort her, because she's about to cry," he nodded towards Petra. Eren knew that he was probably too young to understand what goes through women's heads at times, so he thought of asking Oluo, who seemed to be close to Petra anyway.

“Leave Petra to me,” Oluo replied confidently. “You take care of your parents and enjoy their upcoming wedding.”

“Thank you,” he said, then went back to tell his parents that he had organized the wedding. Meanwhile, Oluo sat down next to Petra.

"I didn't think losing a silly bet would hurt you so much," the man looked at her. "But don't worry, it's no big deal. Anyone can make a mistake."

Petra laughed bitterly at this. "You know this isn't just a simple bet for me," the woman said listlessly.

“You always say that,” Oluo stretched like a cat. “But has he ever given you any sign that he's worth waiting for?”

"Unfortunately not," Petra replied with a sigh. "I think you're right. Maybe it's time for me to let him go. Even if it hurts."

“You could start letting go by helping Hange find clothes before she tries to marry the Captain in some disaster of a wedding dress,” Oulo encouraged her, nudging the woman’s side.

“Okay,” Petra agreed. Then, smiling faintly, she added: "But only if you come with me."

“Me?” he blinked in confusion as he pointed to himself. “I mean, you’re welcome, but still… me?”

“Yes, you,” Petra replied, her smile widening. “Even if you don’t have much to do with the clothes. I just don’t want to be alone with Hange, because I’m afraid the atmosphere would be too tense. But maybe you could solve that problem.”

“As you wish,” he shrugged. After a few seconds, Petra leaned her head on his shoulder, causing Oluo to blush hard. Meanwhile, Eld and Günter held their thumbs up in encouragement.

"I hope Oluo remembers all the tips you gave him," Eld whispered as he nudged Günter in the side with a grin.

“Well, I hope so too,” Günter replied enthusiastically. “I want to go to their wedding too.”

Chapter Text

A few days later at the training camp, Armin walked towards Mikasa, who was just sitting on top of the wall, watching the sky as they patrolled as part of their assignment.

“Eren sent us a letter,” he said quietly as he sat down next to her. “It says his parents are getting married and we’re welcome to go to the wedding,” he said.

“Do you feel like going?” Mikasa asked. The girl didn't want to go there alone. She didn't like Jean, and she didn't really know what to do with this new Eren. Still, she was glad that Eren had thought of her and Armin and invited them. It meant that the boy was willing to fight to revive their friendship from the ashes.

“Of course,” he nodded enthusiastically. “This new Eren is different, so…” then he sighed “smart. Sometimes he starts talking about things that even I don't understand at all” Armin also looked up at the sky. Now he knew that he had lost Eren and that they would never be best friends again. Despite this, Armin also appreciated how much this new Eren tried. His old self wouldn't have fought so hard and so calmly for them.

"When he was a child, he didn't know that much about the world and different things," Mikasa sighed. "I think his adoptive parents taught him a lot." Then the black-haired girl looked at Armin, and she saw the doubt in his eyes. Mikasa didn't want to see her friend so discouraged, so she spoke encouragingly: "Don't worry, Armin. To me, you will always be the smartest one in our friend group. So never underestimate yourself, okay?"

“Do you think if we met Eren sooner,” he looked at her listlessly. “When we were still working in the fields… Would we have been adopted just like him?”

"Yeah, I think so," Mikasa nodded.

“That would have been good. Not standing under the scorching sun the whole time” he remembered their childhood days of doing hard labour on the fields. “Remember when they gave us rotting meat so we had to go into town to steal food?” Armin thought. He remembered how scared he was but Mikasa easily managed everything so they had a decent meal.

"Yes," Mikasa replied, smiling at the memory. "We almost got caught stealing the bread. And had to fight for the meat. The worst part was that we couldn't count on anyone. Only each other," the girl said grimly.

“But that was enough, wasn't it?” Armin tilted his head. “Now that we've finished our training, we'll join the Scouts and help Eren.”

"Exactly. And we won't starve anymore," Mikasa replied as she moved closer to Armin. Then the girl added with a sigh: "Our lives as scouts won't be easy. Those expeditions are quite dangerous."

"Maybe, but I'm not afraid with you around," he declared with surprising confidence. "I know you'll protect me! After all, you're Mikasa Ackerman, the strongest person I know."

Mikasa smiled upon hearing Armin's statement. "Of course I'll protect you. But you know, there are people much stronger than me," the girl said, playfully ruffling the boy's blond locks. "It would be nice if one day I could be as strong as Levi Ackerman, Humanity’s Strongest."

“Well, you two are related, so it'll probably work out” he nodded as he glanced at Mikasa. “And please don't give up, because I think Mikasa Yeager still sounds really good,” he smiled at the girl. Mikasa blushed at this. Then, after overcoming her embarrassment, she spoke again:

"Thank you. I hope one day Eren will think the same way." But then the blush disappeared from her face. She became moody again. “Unfortunately, that won't happen anytime soon, considering that he doesn't even remember me.” Then the girl spoke in an even weaker voice: “Hey, Armin… Do you see any chance that Eren will ever return my feelings?”

“I don't know,” Armin thought. “But I hope it will work out. This Eren seems more open and sensitive when it comes to dealing with people” he wondered aloud. “If not then I don't know… you start dating Eren's secret brother or something.”

Mikasa nodded. She thought Armin was right. This new Eren was indeed more open, and perhaps more emotionally developed. But the girl knew that even so, it would be a long road before her dream came true.

Then Mikasa took Armin's hand and said: "I'm grateful to you for being here with me and supporting me."

“It's okay Mika…” but then Armin looked to the side and found himself shocked as he faced the face of the Colossal Titan. At that moment, all the training he went through left his body and Mikasa had to pull him away. Armin knew at that moment that they would break the Wall Rose, just like the Wall Maria five years ago.

Mikasa immediately realized that the two of them wouldn't be able to win against the Colossal Titan, so she grabbed Armin's arm and ran with him as fast as she could.

"We need to inform someone about this immediately!" Mikasa said, still running.

But by then the wall had already shaken and chaos had broken out. People were running away, and the titans were coming through the hole that the Colossal Titan had made with the help of the Armored Titan, before they disappeared into nothingness. This was all a big mess, no doubt, especially since the scouts were beyond the walls on an expedition.

Mikasa stopped. With the chaos and the broken order, she had no idea where they could go. Moreover, there were already many wounded and dead.

"Where should we go now, Armin?" Mikasa asked, sounding just a little desperate.

Armin suggested that they contact their superiors, because they would know what to do. So they did exactly that and an hour later, Jean was speaking angrily to one of them, saying that he needed Marco and that someone else should go with Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie. His superior agreed because he didn't have time for that. So instead of Marco, he assigned Armin, which the girl didn't really like, because Mikasa wanted to stay by her friend's side to protect him if necessary. However, there was no time for argument. So all Mikasa could do was hug Armin tightly as a farewell.

"Take care," Mikasa whispered, touching the boy's blond locks one last time.

"I'll be careful," Armin nodded as he hugged Mikasa and set off on his way, not knowing what awaited him. Mikasa watched Armin's retreating figure silently and worriedly, only turning away when the squad leader gave the signal to leave.

Then the girl, using her ODM equipment, went after the others. All the while, her mind kept thinking that she might have made the wrong decision when she let Armin go. Maybe she should have gone with the boy instead. But then she shook her head. There was no time for regrets now. So she kept moving forward.

Eren was galloping home behind Levi, wondering how he could best test his theory. How he could see what the truth was. But in the meantime, he had a bad feeling, and Eren soon realized why he had a bad feeling. There were no Titans nearby. Because of that, they were going back too quickly and too easily.

At the same time, the question arose: If the Titans weren't here, then where were they?

Eren knew that titans were attracted to humans, which was why there were so many guards at the walls in the outside districts, since the titans often came in hordes. But to not have any titans at all… At that moment, the boy nervously galloped over to Erwin.

“Wall Rose has been breached,” he looked up at the man, who stopped, which made everyone else stop too. “We haven't seen a single titan in 30 minutes, and they're always here.”

“I think you’re right,” Erwin replied grimly. “But that means we need a plan for how to destroy the Titans and plug the hole in the wall.”

“I have a plan,” Eren looked up at the blond man. If they had really breached the Rose Wall, there was almost no chance of them plugging the hole. But Eren knew that if his assumption was correct and they could control the Titans, they could use one of them to plug the hole. “If my theory is correct, we can plug the hole. If not, we need to focus on getting the people out.”

“Okay. Then we’ll split into two teams. One will kill the incoming Titans, while the other will test your theory,” Erwin said. “If the theory doesn’t work, then this second team will focus on rescuing the people.”

Erwin then divided his soldiers into two teams. He, Hange, and a few others would go with Eren. The majority, led by Levi, would kill the Titans.

“Let’s get started,” Eren muttered to himself as they rushed him through the hole. A bitter mixture of excitement and fear gnawed at his throat. Eren had been through this before five years ago and didn’t want anyone else to have to go through it. He was also worried about Jean. He could only hope she was okay. “A 15-meter titan would be fine. Don’t cut it down, just distract it,” the boy looked at his mother.

“You heard Eren!” Hange shouted to the group, her voice sounding surprisingly serious. “Form a line! But stay at least three meters away from the titan!”

“We understand, Squad Leader!” the soldiers shouted.

“Don’t get too close to it, Squad Leader,” Moblit asked her as per usual.

"I'll have a different task. I'll keep an eye on Eren," replied Hange, who didn't want to leave her adopted son all alone.

Moblit nodded at this, and then moving forward, the squad killed all the titans that did not meet Eren's criteria, in order to clear the area in the meantime. Then, not far from the hole, Eren saw the perfect titan. At that moment, his eyes began to sparkle and it seemed as if he had completely forgotten all the difficulties that awaited him at the moment.

“This will be it!” he pointed at the 15-meter, wildly grinning titan, then maneuvered towards it, trying to recall the diagrams in his notebook.

Meanwhile Erwin, Hange, and Eren headed towards the titan, while the others began to distract the titan. The huge, grinning, bald monster soon started toward the bait, the ground rumbling beneath its feet.

“Don’t stop!” Moblit shouted to his team, and the horses began to gallop faster.

Eren soon landed on the back of the titan's neck, while Erwin and Hange waited on the roof for Eren's signal to intervene. The boy tried to find his balance on the moving target, his heart pounding in his ears. When he was completely sure of his feet, he raised his blades and in a split second, stabbed them into the titan's neck, deep. The titan roared at this. The dangerous creature began to throw itself and flail wildly with its arms. It even kicked a nearby house with its foot, which immediately collapsed due to the titan's strength.

"Come on," he muttered as he held on, then with one swift movement he turned the blade inside the titan, whose arm stopped flapping and suddenly rose. Exactly as Eren had thought.

After that, the huge beast's gaze only grew emptier. It seemed to have lost its will and forgotten its original murderous instincts. Eren then took two more blades from their holders and stabbed them into the titan at his feet with medical precision. He then applied pressure to the protruding part of the blade with his feet, causing the titan to move forward, towards the huge stone next to the hole. The titan moved forward slowly. When he arrived, he lifted the stone, just as Eren had planned, and then headed towards the hole. The titan trembled slightly under the weight. But it moved forward and did not stop.

“Do you see this too?” Hange looked up at Erwin, then back at her son, surprised. She never would have thought that the nape could be much more than just a weak point. Meanwhile, Levi arrived next to them, wanting to be there if Eren did something dangerous.

"Yes," Erwin replied, shocked. But then he quickly collected himself. "But that doesn't mean immediate victory. We don't know yet how long a titan can be controlled," he said seriously. Meanwhile, Levi never took his eyes off Eren. He was ready to save his son if Eren lost control of the titan.

Eren kept adjusting, removing, and reinserting his blades into the titan until it successfully deposited the stone, plugging the hole. At that point, he finished what he had started and killed it. As he stood on its back, he looked down to see quite a few cadets and soldiers gathered at the sight.

"Reinforcement has arrived," Eren told them as he pushed his goggles up onto the top of his head.

At this, the cadets and soldiers were immediately relieved. Some looked at Eren in gratitude, while others immediately expected solutions to the problem of the Titans. But the people didn't have to wait long. The scouts soon began killing the Titans. Eren then continued to his job, and after killing a few more titans, he landed next to his parents on a rooftop and fell to his knees, panting in exhaustion.

"Well, that was something…" he looked up at them.

"Seems like it," Levi agreed, his gaze drifting to the plugged hole. "I don't think anyone else could have done this but you" he stated as Eren stood up. But Hange just enthusiastically hugged her son, just like a proud mother would.

"By the gods of the walls, our son is a hero! I'm so proud of you, Eren!" she ruffled his hair.

"Thank you, Mom," Eren smiled as he hugged back his mom.

"I'm also proud of you," Levi replied, then ruffled Eren's hair too.

“Well…” Eren looked at them and then also pulled Levi into his embrace. “Family hug!” He became enthusiastic. “We’ll definitely have some tea tonight! I mean, as soon as we clean up this mess” he said seriously.

“This is my son! He even cleans!” Levi said proudly. “And did you hear this, Hange? He wants to have tea! I think we raised the kid well if he has such excellent taste.”

But Hange just sighed heavily.

“Now there are not one but two of you. I think everyone has to prepare for this at the legion…” she muttered to herself. But she was also happy because Levi rarely expressed his feelings with such intensity.

“We better get going because we have work to do” Eren looked around and when he saw the others loading the dead bodies for the impromptu cremation, he remembered what he had to do. “JEAN!” He started shouting his best friend’s name as he jumped off the roof and started running down the streets. “JEAN!” he was very scared, he hoped the boy had survived the attack.

Luckily, Eren didn't have to go far to find Jean. The blond boy had forgotten about Eren a little, as he was currently hugging Marco reassuringly because the freckled boy was a little worn out from the battle. Seeing them, Eren calmed down and hurried over to the pair, panting.

"Oh my God, I'm so glad you're alive," he said, then without hesitation he hugged them both. After all, Eren had grown quite fond of Marco and was already hoping that these two would get married sooner than later.

"Hey, you don't want to bring a third member to bed," Jean joked, patting Eren on the back in a friendly way. "I'm glad you're okay, too, by the way. How about we go find the others? I hope the they are okay too."

At this, Eren just rolled his eyes absentmindedly. Only Jean could think about sex as they stood here in the middle of the ruins of Trost.

"Also, I think Eren likes Mikasa," Marco whispered in Jean's ear as they left.

"Then I'll help him get Mikasa," whispered Jean, whose whisper wasn't quite as discreet. So not only Marco, but Eren also heard this.

"Although I thank you for your generous offer, I won’t take it," he nudged him mischievously, this not bothering him at all. He knew Jean, he was always like that. All three of them laughed at that.

“You two are never serious,” Marco shook his head, smiling. “After that, it’s no wonder why you became such good friends.”

“Me? Not serious?” Eren pointed at himself sarcastically. “Who do you think filled the hole in the wall? Jean's mother?” he pointed at the stone that blocked the hole, thus saving humanity from having to flee further inside again.

"You’re wrong, it's not my mother! Everyone knows it was my father," Jean replied, grinning.

“Okay, I'll change my mind. Jean is the one who can never be serious,” Marco said absentmindedly. “But that's just how he is. That's how you have to love him.”

As they laughed together, Eren saw Mikasa appear, her red scarf blowing in the wind as she approached them. Mikasa looked around worriedly. Her eyes searched for Armin. Since she didn't see him, she addressed the boys:

"Do you know where Armin is?"

“Can I help you find him?” Eren immediately stepped up to her, grabbing her shoulder.

"Yes," Mikasa nodded immediately. The girl didn't want to be left alone in this dangerous environment. She just wanted to find Armin so they could go back to the training camp.

"Then let's go find Armin," he smiled, then set off with Mikasa.

“Good luck with your date,” Jean called after him.

“And good luck in bed to you!” Eren shouted back teasingly. “Don't listen to Jean. He's always like this,” Eren looked at Mikasa.

"It's okay," Mikasa replied, then added the following, while touching her scarf. "Thank you."

“It's okay,” he put his arm around her shoulders, because he felt their friendship was deep enough for that. And when they walked past his parents, Eren waved to them.

"Eren really walked away with a girl just now?" Hange looked at Levi in surprise.

“Well, he starts early,” Levi replied, equally surprised. But then he added sternly: "I think it's time to enlighten Eren, I'm too young to be a grandfather."

“Don't worry, I've already done that, I've told him everything he needs to know” Hange waved carelessly. “You're welcome by the way” she smiled at him a little embarrassed because she remembered something.

Meanwhile, Eren and Mikasa walked side by side in silence. Eren didn't know what to say to the girl because he could never really talk to her. She had no hobbies and her only goal was survival. Of course Eren completely understood her, but because of that, they never managed to develop a very deep connection despite his desire to do so.

Mikasa was also silent. Partly because she wasn't a talkative person anyway, and partly because she was worried about Armin. Eren saw this too, as Mikasa turned her head back and forth to notice her blonde-haired friend.

They marched forward until Mikasa stopped. A few meters away lay a corpse that had been missing his right side, his familiar blond hair stained with blood. Eren, not scared at all after all these years, easily took the lead and went to the corpse only to see Armin's face or more precisely the half of it, frozen in fear.

"No… This is impossible…" Mikasa whispered in shock when she saw Armin. She knelt down next to the dead boy and grabbed his cold and bloody hand. "This must be just a bad dream…" Mikasa muttered with a blank look. "Wake up, Armin! Do you hear me?"

“Mikasa,” Eren whispered, as he crouched down next to her and grabbed her shoulder. “I’m so sorry. He was a good soldier,” he told her. Somehow he couldn’t feel grief as he looked at Armin’s body, seeing nothing more in him than what all his other comrades had meant to him. Eren Ackerman hadn’t been gripped by the same fear of when he didn’t know if Jean was alive or dead.

"That's all? I’m so sorry?! Armin was your best friend!" Mikasa said angrily, tears streaming down her face. "Armin deserved so much more than that! He was the only one who stayed by my side when everyone else abandoned me! Thanks to him, I survived!"

Then Mikasa turned her gaze back to the blond-haired boy and intertwined their fingers. She wanted to believe that this way Armin would feel, even after death, how much his presence meant to her. Mikasa felt that she would forever regret not telling him that enough.

At that, Eren stepped back in surprise and tried to gather his thoughts. How could he tell her this without hurting her? Or maybe it was better to say it straight to her face and not be coy? Maybe.

"Jean is my best friend," he finally said, thinking of the boy, trying to introduce this all normally.

"It wasn't Jean! It was Armin," Mikasa replied angrily. But then Mikasa’s anger faded, leaving only grief in its place, a gaping hole in her heart. She started to sob again as she held Armin's hand tightly, even though she knew the boy couldn't feel it anymore.

"I don't remember you anymore, nothing from Shiganshina," Eren said in a shaky voice as he swayed on his feet. "I thought we could start over, that you loved me for who I am and not for who you wanted to see me as. But I was wrong," he said, then turned and was about to leave.

"The old Eren would never have treated Armin like this. Never," Mikasa said grimly, wiping away her tears with one hand while still holding the dead Armin's hand with the other. "I think you're right. We don't know each other, Eren."

“Eren Yeager is dead. I don't know if you noticed” he looked more nervous than usual for a moment while he massaged the scar on his hand. He wanted to scream, to tell how much it hurt that they didn't accept him for who he was. “But you're right. We don't know each other. Maybe we never did”

Mikasa turned away from Eren. She couldn't tell him how disappointed she was in him now. And the worst part was, Armin wasn't there to tell him. The girl felt alone. Armin was her best friend and her dearest confidant. She told him all her fears and whispered her secrets to him. Armin had always been by her side, even when they worked in the fields. So at this moment, it seemed impossible that she could ever trust anyone else so much.

Eren just continued on his way, trying not to cry. He closed his eyes and tried to forget about it all. He even doubled his steps until he reached his parents, who were looking at him in confusion. Eren was the hero, he shouldn't be sad.

“What’s wrong, kid?” Levi asked, a little worried. “Twenty minutes ago everything was fine…”

“Armin died and I…” he sighed. “I didn’t feel anything,” he groaned.

“I’m sorry about what happened,” Levi replied, knowing it was hard to lose comrades. “I can understand why you didn’t feel anything, since you barely knew Armin.”

"The thing that hurt the most was when Mikasa yelled at me afterwards. I've never seen her lose her temper before, but now she was so angry that I didn't mourn Armin," he said. "She said he was my best friend and deserved better. That my old self wouldn't have let him down."

"Don't be mad at Mikasa," Levi suggested. "She's grieving right now. Give her time to process Armin's death. Then talk to her."

“You're right,” he nodded. He couldn't regret things because there was no point in doing so. “No regrets, right? I'll have enough to do anyway because the new cadets are joining soon.”

"No regrets," Levi nodded. "And yes, prepare to welcome the cadets. Your life will not be easy at first with this new responsibility."

"Thank you," he nodded and then left to do a few more things.

Hours later, the sun had set as the fires were set for bodies to be burned. Mikasa stood by one of these pyres, watching Armin burn to ashes in the fire.

"Goodbye, Armin," Mikasa whispered her farewell. "I'll miss you. I miss you already."

The girl's eyes welled up with tears and her voice trembled. Nevertheless, she continued speaking, clutching a piece of cloth she had torn from the blond-haired boy's uniform as a keepsake.

"You were my best friend. And you will remain so, forever, even after death. I hope we meet again in our next life."

"This wasn't supposed to happen this way," a voice said behind Mikasa, and she turned around surprised, only to find herself facing Dr. Yeager, Eren's real father. Mikasa thought he had died along with Carla during the fall of Shiganshina, but it seemed she was wrong.

"Dr. Yeager! What are you doing here?" Mikasa asked, shocked, still holding the fabric of Armin's uniform in her hand.

"I need you," the man stated with noble simplicity, as his eyes lingered for a moment on the pyre. "We need to get Eren Yeager back."

"I don't need him anymore," Mikasa said coldly, still angry with the boy. Meanwhile, her gaze wandered back to the dead Armin, and then she spoke again: "He betrayed us." Despite this, Mikasa asked a question: "But why do you need Eren Yeager? And why have you been hiding until now? Why didn't you help Eren before? Or at least me and Armin?"

Then the man placed his hand on Mikasa's shoulder.

"The truth is, I'm not from around here. I’m from a faraway place beyond the walls," he began. "I was given a task that I was supposed to leave to Eren. But before I could finish it, he disappeared. I've been planning how to get him back before it was too late."

“I see. And why do you need me for this?” Mikasa asked. Her voice was cold and calculating.

"Because you're special, Mikasa," he whispered in her ear like some well-kept secret. "You have the ability to fix everything."

"How can I fix everything? Eren doesn't remember me. Armin is dead. And I'm left here, all alone," Mikasa replied with her head bowed.

"If I give him the power, he will remember everything. You, Armin, who he was and what he must become," he explained. "This place is full of lies. Do you want to know what's really going on?"

"Yes. I want to know the truth," Mikasa replied. "Even if Eren won't remember me." Mikasa then took off her red scarf from around her neck and threw it into the fire, watching it burn away.

"Then come with me," he extended his hand towards her, watching Mikasa throw the scarf she loved more than anything into the fire. "We have a lot to do."

Mikasa nodded. She accepted Grisha's hand and followed him. And as she followed the man, she touched the piece of cloth in her pocket again. She could only hope that she was doing the right thing and that Armin would agree with her.

Chapter Text

Eren stood next to Erwin as the fire illuminated the cadets. It was time for them to make a decision. And for Eren to become a Captain. He was nervous about it anyway.

“There is no place for the weak in the Scouting Legion. However, if you feel brave enough and want to do everything you can to help humanity reclaim Wall Maria, we welcome you with open arms” Erwin said his usual welcoming speech, which Eren had attended a few times already. “And those who join will fight under the hero of Wall Rose. In Captain Eren Ackerman's squad” the man pointed at Eren, then motioned for him to step forward and speak to the cadets.

Most of the cadets were unmoved by Erwin's speech. They were not interested in serving under a hero. Nor were they concerned with the greater goal of humanity's freedom. These people began to walk away, not that Eren expected them to stay. But not everyone left. Those who had goals other than survival joined the Scouting Legion.

So there stood Jean, Marco, Ymir, Christa, Sasha, Connie, Reiner and Bertholdt, awaiting command.

Eren then nervously stepped forward and looked down at the people who remained here. His future squad. Of course he immediately noticed Mikasa's absence, but somewhere deep down he wasn't surprised. However, he was completely surprised that Jean and Marco remained. He hadn't thought it would happen and really didn't want them to stay. The Legion wasn't the safest place to be.

“Those who remain…” he swallowed hard. “I welcome you to the Scouting Legion. Life here will not be easy, because we can die at any time. But I can promise you that we will not die in vain. We will achieve success and one day we will regain what was taken from us” and then he saluted.

“Captain,” Sasha raised her hand. “Are there many potatoes in the Scouting Legion’s kitchen?” the girl asked, daring to ask such a question because Eren was the same age as her and because he didn’t seem very confident.

Connie just chuckled a bit at this, but didn't say anything, only waited for Eren's reaction.

Eren just blinked a few times, because he had prepared himself for every question but this one. But he forced himself to remain calm, knowing that he couldn't show weakness. He was a captain now, for God's sake!

"If you eat it all, I think there won’t be any potatoes left," he replied briefly and concisely as he jumped off the podium and walked towards them.

“Captain! I have a question too,” Ymir said. “Can I share a room with Christa?”

"I hope I won’t be your neighbour” Connie laughed into his hands.

"If they're in the same room, I want to share a room with Marco," Jean said, winking at the freckled boy, who just blushed as he saw it.

“Just be quiet,” Sasha asked them.

“Eat loudly and you won’t hear us,” Jean retorted with a grin.

"Hey, Captain! Wherever you assign Berthold, make sure there's light. My poor friend is afraid in the dark," Reiner explained.

"Liar…," Bertholdt denied, looking at Reiner annoyed.

“Okay, relax everyone,” Eren looked around his squad. “We have a lot to discuss, so let’s start at the beginning. Jean Kirstein, you are my second-in-command. I’ll leave the room assignments to you. Yours is the second floor of the north wing. I want everyone to be ready and waiting for me in the mess hall tomorrow morning. We’ll clean it up so you will get used to how things are going on here, because I won’t tolerate dirtiness in my squad.”

“But I don’t want to clean,” Marco complained, groaning.

"It wouldn't hurt sometimes. Especially after you and Jean," Reiner replied with a stern face.

At this, Sasha and Connie looked at each other and then started laughing happily, like two members of a kindergarten group.

"Please stay quiet. Poor Eren wants to talk," Christa said going to to the boy's defense.

“Listen up!” Eren shouted, trying to sound a little more intimidating. This was so easy for his father. “While you work under me, you do as I say, or you will be devoured by the Titans. Of course, whoever wants that fate, I won’t stop them. Now, you are all dismissed! Be ready tomorrow morning, or I’ll drag you out of bed myself!”

"If you give me food, you don't have to drag me out of bed," Sasha said excitedly.

“I’ll watch whoever drags Jean and Marco out of bed,” Connie giggled.

“Shut up, Baldhead!” Ymir replied irritated. “You should do what Eren said and go. Don’t annoy me any more. And don’t annoy Christa with your nonsense.”

Connie was more scared by Ymir's threatening tone than by Eren, so he stayed silent. Then everyone started to disperse and headed to the bedrooms. Eren, however, grabbed Jean's arm to ask him about someone.

"Mikasa? I haven't seen her since we found Armin. Where did she join?" he looked at his best friend.

“To the Military Police,” Jean replied. “I don’t know why. I thought she was going to be a scout too.” After this, Jean lowered his voice and added: "But the last time I saw her, she was really upset. I think she's still grieving Armin's death."

“I’m not that surprised,” he sighed. “Maybe it’s better this way. But why are you here? Because if anyone should be in the Military Police, it’s you and Marco.”

“We saw at the Battle of Trost how useless the Military Police were,” Jean replied. “I don’t want to be like them when it comes to fighting. And Marco didn’t want to end up like that either. So we joined you.”

"I understand," Eren nodded. "But I really can't guarantee that you'll both always come home safe. As you can see, I can't even properly command a squad," he admitted disappointedly.

"You'll learn," Jean said encouragingly. "You’re human, of course it won’t be perfect right away. But don't worry, Marco and I are strong. You won’t lose us."

"Thank you," he said, pulling Jean into a hug. "You're my best friend. You always will be."

After that, he went back to their quarters, where his parents were already waiting for him. His favorite food was already steaming on the table, while his father drank tea and his mother took notes.

“Well, here is the hero of Wall Rose! We saw your first speech to your squad!” she said happily, jumping up and nudging Levi.

"What you said wasn't bad. It was just that you were too unsure of yourself," Levi said, sipping his tea.

"It was terrible," he slumped back in his chair and buried his face in his hands. "They just looked at me like another cadet, I have no authority over them! How can I control my team when I’m not taken seriously?"

“Earn their respect,” Levi replied. “Show them that you are the more experienced one.” Levi then looked at Hange, who had sat back down and was still busy with her notes. Nevertheless, Levi addressed the woman: "Shall we invite Eren's naughty subordinates to our wedding?"

“That girl who asked about the potatoes would eat all the food before it was lunchtime” Hange chuckled, but she saw that Eren still looked listless in her mind. “Even though you don't feel it that way, as we've said many times, we're proud of you. You may not be much of a leader right now, but if we don't give you a chance, you never will be.”

“Thank you, Mom,” the boy smiled at her, his heart warmed by her usual kind words. “And you’ve probably told me that more than once, unlike Carla and Grisha.”

"When I became Captain, at first, it was strange for me to order people around, to be responsible for them," Levi told the boy. "So you're not alone in this. It has to be learned. And then, once you've learned it, there will be nothing unnatural about it."

Eren smiled at this and looked at his parents for a few more moments.

"I love you, Mom and Dad," he told them, then went into his room to prepare for tomorrow.

At the same time but in a completely different place, Mikasa was in her room packing her things that she had brought with herself from the quarters she used to share in the Training Corps. She was waiting for her roommate, who was Annie, because they needed to talk. Now that Grisha had let her in on everything, Mikasa knew what she had to do. And she wouldn't stop until she emerged victorious from here. Even if that meant teaming up with the very enemy of her people.

Annie soon entered the room, greeting Mikasa with a curt nod. Then as she reached her bed the blonde-haired girl began unpacking from her bag.

"Now that we've come together like this, I think it's time for us to have a little talk," Mikasa stated in a monotone tone as she sat on her bed, leaning against the wall. "I know who you are and where you came from… Female Titan ."

“What do you want from me?” Annie asked, her eyes narrowed, her movements immediately filled with tension. The blonde haired girl was ready to defend herself against Mikasa if necessary.

“I know who has the Founding Titan. You know, the one they've been looking for for about five years now” she tilted her head absent-mindedly. The game had only just begun. “And what do I want? To join your wonderful little team with Reiner and Berthold” she stated with simplicity, then giggled a little when she saw Annie's frightened face. “Do you think I only figured out who you are?”

“How do you know about this? What are your goals?” Annie asked in shock, then added sarcastically, “It looks like I underestimated you, and you're not just dreaming about Eren, you're also thinking sometimes.”

“Obviously, my mind is on Eren” she giggled. “He’s the one with the Founding Titan” Mikasa knew it would be easy to make them believe because the people in the Training Corps didn't really know Eren. Only from what she and Armin had said.

"And why are you telling me this? What is your purpose with the Founding Titan?" Annie asked suspiciously, still in an attacking stance, waiting for Mikasa's answer.

“Calm down, no need to worry” Mikasa stood up casually. “We're teammates now” then, standing next to her, she whispered in her ear. “If I wanted to kill you, I would have already plunged a blade through your spine.”

Annie continued to stare at Mikasa with distrust. She didn't like that the girl hadn't told her the purpose of her ‘generous offer’. That's why Annie didn't say much more about herself. She just kept thinking. Mostly about where Mikasa got so much information from, and whether Reiner and Berthold knew about it.

“Now, let’s write to your little friends about the change in plan. Eren Ackerman is our target now. And think about it. He controlled a Titan to save Trost,” she said, then allowed her words to sink in for a moment. “He couldn’t have done that if he didn’t know that humans are in the napes of Titans. And how do you think he would know that if he wasn’t a shifter himself?”

Annie nodded at that. She believed Mikasa's lie.

"We'll let you join the team. But only if you tell us why it became important to you to get the Founding titan."

"For nothing other than to have a ticket out of this hell," she shrugged, then fell back onto her bed.

“Okay. We agreed,” Annie replied. “I’ll contact Reiner and Berthold today.”

“It will be a pleasure working with you,” she yawned, then lay back and fell asleep. Armin was dead and there was a hole in her heart, and if this had taught her anything, it was that she could never trust anyone again. So there was one thing left to fill the void. Power. And Grisha had offered it to her on a silver platter.

Mikasa tried to stay strong. Despite this, she struggled with nightmares at night. As in her dreams, the dead Armin appeared again, speaking to her, but she didn't understand what he was saying. After that, only confused memories swirled in her mind, first of their childhood, when Eren was still with them. Then memories of later, from more difficult times also emerged, because the next moment she was working in the fields again alongside Armin. Then, as they tried to find shelter together from the pouring rain. Finally, their conversations about Shiganshina and Eren that lasted into the night also appeared in her dreams.

Finally, Annie shook Mikasa up:

"Wake up, Mikasa. You're having nightmares about that blonde guy. You kept muttering his name, and it was really annoying me. I couldn't sleep because of it."

“What’s wrong?” she looked at her tensely, like a wild animal ready to pounce. “And you’re always muttering the name Marcel in your sleep. I noticed it during our training,” Mikasa threw the ball back at Annie as she sat up and ran her hands through her hair.

After that, Annie preferred to leave Mikasa alone. She didn't want to talk about her past, and she didn't want to have a verbal duel like at four in the morning.

"You better shut up and keep sleeping. As quietly as possible," Annie said, then went back to bed.

"I thought so too," Mikasa grumbled.

“WAKE UP, YOU BRATS!” Eren shouted, unusually loud, as he came to wake up his squad early in the morning. He was dressed in cleaning gear so they could get to work right away. He figured that if they didn't listen to him, food would be a great motivator for them. Because hell if he lets them eat before they clean out the base.

"I'm not shitty, I'm just tired," Connie complained.

“And I’m hungry,” Sasha added.

“I am thirsty,” Berthold said.

“I just want a second round with Marco,” Jean said.

“No one is having breakfast until we clean up. So it’s time to get dressed!” he said, much more confidently than yesterday.

After this, the group, while puffing a lot, set off to change into cleaning gear.

Ten minutes later they started cleaning up. So one half of the base was cleaned by Eren's unit, while the other half was cleaned by Levi's unit. The others could go eat in peace.

“I can't believe this! This is our first day here and we're cleaning!” Sasha whined. “I'm hungry! Captain, don't be so cruel!” The girl threw herself onto the ground in front of Eren’s feet.

"Then I suggest you hurry," Eren said as he pulled the scarf up over his mouth.

An hour later, the teams finally finished cleaning up, so they all could go to eat. This morning cleaning discouraged the cadets, so most ate their breakfast in silence.

Eren, on the other hand, was calmly drinking tea at the head of the table, while he was watching Erwin's plan for the next expedition. As soon as it turned out that there were more than likely humans inside the Titans, his mother immediately asked the real question. What if there were humans who turned into Titans? What if these humans were the Armored or Colossal Titans? Eren knew that his mother was right, because she was a genius. Everything Eren knew, she taught him along with Levi.

"So, what's up? You're not so talkative anymore," he finally spoke, when the silence started to feel unusual. Eren was used to his mother always talking at meals.

The cadets just shrugged their shoulders at this statement. Now they were more in the mood for silence and eating after all the work. Then one of the scouts appeared and handed Eren a letter. He just looked at the top, but didn't open it. It wasn't his business.

"Berthold Hoover, you have a letter from Annie Leonhart," Eren told him as he passed the letter to the two boys. Berthold opened it tensely, then he and Reiner read its contents to themselves.

"Mikasa knows everything. Eren Ackerman has the Founding Titan," Annie's letter said harshly and succinctly.

Bertholdt and Reiner looked at each other and nodded. They knew this meant they had to kidnap Eren.

Berthold then put the letter away. All he told to their always curious teammates was that Annie’s letter said that working for the Military Police was boring and that she was curious if everyday life in the Scouting Legion was just as uneventful.

“Eren!” Hange appeared behind him cheerfully, ruffling her son’s hair. “Can you tell your father that Petra and I have gone shopping for clothes? I haven’t been able to talk to him yet today,” she smiled at him, and Eren nodded.

"Of course, Mom," he said, and the woman continued walking out, while Reiner and Berthold noted to themselves that the Section Commander seemed to be close to Eren.

Chapter Text

“Well, we can go now!” Hange appeared next to Petra as she tied her hair back into her usual ponytail. “By the way, thank you very much for your help, because I don't really know anything about dresses, let alone wedding gowns…”

“It's nothing,” Petra shrugged as she tried to find a clothing store on the street. She was confident that they would hopefully get this over with quickly.

But they didn't get over this quickly. Especially because half the time they thought Hange was a man and because of that they immediately started offering Petra all kinds of clothes. Hange didn't mind this openly, of course, and even encouraged Petra to look around and try on a few dresses that seemed to catch the younger woman’s eyes. But deep down? Deep down, she always wondered why Levi had chosen her when Petra would have been a much better option. Even now they were offering her a bunch of nice clothes, while they grimaced at Hange when it turned out that the dress was actually for her.

Meanwhile, Petra began to feel better, as the salespeople praised her and offered her even more beautiful clothes. And she enjoyed their attention and compliments. Despite this, she tried to focus on her task and tried to find something for Hange.

Sometimes she involuntarily imagined what it would be like if she were to marry Levi instead of Hange. But then she brought her thoughts back to reality, as she had promised Oluo that she would move on from the Captain.

“The clothes look good on you,” Hange muttered as she sat in the corner trying to draw what kind of dress she wanted. She hadn’t managed to find anything yet, let alone try it on. “It seems I don’t have the figure for these…” she looked down at the drawing, then back at Petra.

“There's definitely a dress for your shape,” Petra said encouragingly.

But then her thoughts wandered away from the clothes again. Instead, she asked a question that had been bothering her for some time now:

"How did you get so close to the Captain? He never wanted to… well, he never wanted to open up to me," Petra said in a fading voice, watching the floor.

“I don’t know,” Hange shrugged, surveying the ground with great interest. “I always gave him only myself, and he came when he needed me. Or when I needed him. But I never thought more about it ever,” and then she snorted a little. “I thought he would choose someone like you.”

Petra's shoulders shrugged at this, but she gave no further indication that Hange's words surprised her. Instead, she continued to spy on the ground so she wouldn't have to look into Hange's eyes.

“Um… sorry, I know I'm always making things weird” she scratched her neck in confusion, then looked down at the ring on her finger. “Maybe he chose it because he knew I'd be okay with anything. I woke up one day, and it was already on my finger. I only noticed it when Eren pointed it out to me.”

“He didn’t say anything?” Petra asked in surprise. “Wasn’t that bad? I would have been bothered if he had handled things so easily.”

“It’s Levi,” she chuckled. “If you think he’s going to get down on one knee and say some really romantic shit, you don’t know him well enough,” she said as she pulled off the ring. “His love is never loud,” she said, smiling as she read the message engraved on the inside of the ring.

“What's inside the ring?” Petra asked curiously, forced to admit that Hange knew Levi better.

“ I love you, Hange, ” she read out with a smile. “And his name, so I won’t think this is some joke the soldiers made up.”

“Then I think you were right. Levi is really not a man of words, but rather the man of actions,” Petra replied thoughtfully. “I think he will make a good husband.”

“Yeah,” the woman nodded, and the assistant came in to see how the dress looked on Petra. She complimented her on how pretty it was and hoped it would look good on Petra when her wedding day comes.

The assistant then turned to Hange handing some dresses to try on. However, when she tried them on, in vain, the assistant just chirped in dissatisfaction.

“Is there something wrong?” Hange asked the assistant after observing herself in the mirror. She knew that somehow the clothes didn't look good on her. Of course, there wasn't really anything she could do about it now.

“Unfortunately, yes,” the assistant replied with a sigh, while Petra sat on a chair nearby. “Your belly is too big for these clothes. But if you could lose a few pounds before the wedding, you might look better in them,” the assistant said, poking towards Hange’s belly with her finger.

Hange didn't know what she was doing, when she instinctively grabbed her knife from the chair next to her as she backed up a step or two and held it towards the assistant as she placed her hand on her belly. By the time she realized what the hell she was doing, she could only curse these Ackerman instincts.

The assistant looked at Hange in horror, thinking a buyer was about to kill her.

However Petra, being a soldier for far too long now, wasn't so scared, but rather surprised, as Hange had never been on the aggressive side of things, except when angered. When she noticed that the woman was protecting her belly, she addressed her:

"Are you pregnant?"

Her heart pounded in her throat for a few seconds, then when she finally convinced herself that she was not in any kind of danger, she immediately dropped the knife. She knew now that the adrenaline was no longer driving her, her blood sugar would drop and she would pass out.

"Sweet. Something sweet…" she tried to say, but ended up fainting anyway.

Hange finally woke up to find herself lying in her room again. Levi sat next to her, holding her hand, waiting for her to wake up. He was the one who brought her home after she fainted, because Petra told him what had happened. But she kept quiet about the fact that his future wife was expecting a child.

Hange rose in confusion, her last memory was pulling a knife on the assistant, something she knew was completely out of character for her. She had never attacked anyone before. Then she remembered Petra. Petra knew. And she couldn't even find clothes for herself!

“Hange, are you okay?” Levi asked worriedly. “Petra said you fainted. But why? Didn’t you eat enough? Or didn’t you drink enough? Or maybe you didn’t get enough sleep?”

“I must have just gotten really excited,” she said, smiling. She can’t let him know yet. “You know, I fainted once because I got so excited to experiment on the titans!”

Levi nodded. He believed this, but his concern remained. So, still holding Hange's hand, he spoke:

"Do you need anything? Water? Food? Medicine?"

“I’m completely fine,” she squeezed his hand affectionately, but out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Petra waiting by the door. “But a cup of tea wouldn’t hurt,” she told him, knowing that Levi hated being useless. This way she would give him something to do and at least while he wasn’t here, she would talk to Petra.

"Okay, I'll make some tea. Until then, rest," Levi replied, then left the two women alone.

Then Petra walked over to Hange and said:

"I didn't say anything to him. I said I don't know why you fainted."

“Thank you,” the woman nodded, nervously holding the corner of her blanket while watching her hands. “Am I really fat?” she didn’t know why this hurt her now, though she had felt like she had bitten into a lemon all day.

“Well, I guess everyone gains weight when they're pregnant,” Petra replied awkwardly, not understanding why this bothered Hange. A much bigger problem was that she passed out.

“Did I really scare the assistant?” she asked with a big sigh. “Congratulations Hange Zoë, you’re probably not going to get any more clothes because you don’t have breasts and you’re fat,” she sighed, not even noticing that she was still wearing the dress she had tried on. But that wasn’t surprising.

“The assistant almost fainted. The poor thing was so pale,” Petra replied with a sigh. Then she added, “Don’t worry about the dress. We’ll definitely find something. And, uh… you’re not ugly.”

The woman just sighed heavily.

"You don't seem surprised," she muttered to herself, realizing she was still wearing the dress. It was uncomfortable, so she immediately tried to take it off nervously. She didn't want to remember that moment.

“Well, anything can happen to you,” Petra shrugged. “After all, you’re the craziest scout on the team.” Then Petra helped her take off the clothes that didn't really fit her. Then she spoke again: “Is morning sickness really that bad? You know… because of the baby… How can you hide all this from Levi? He's pretty observant.”

“He always does the dishes after breakfast. I learned to hold it until he starts, because then the water is too loud for him to hear me in the bathroom,” she said softly.

“But why don't you tell him? Didn't Levi want a child?” Petra asked, surprised.

“If he knew, he would send me away to be safe,” she explained. “Probably far away, back with my parents in the confines of Stohess. But I don’t want to live without him,” she said, tearing up. “I can’t stand even the thought of having to wait all the time to see if he’ll come back alive or not.”

“That would be true. You're pregnant. Now you have to take care of not only yourself, but a child as well,” Petra replied, handing Hange a handkerchief. “It's completely understandable that Levi would want to keep his child safe.”

Hange wiped her eyes with it, but her stomach growled and the nausea hit her, so she put her hand in front of her mouth while she tried to swallow her lunch back. In the meantime, she tried to hear what Levi was doing, so that if she had to, she could vomit at that moment while the water was boiling loudly, so he wouldn't hear her.

“I'll divert Levi’s attention,” Petra offered, seeing that Hange was feeling sick again. “You can go to the bathroom in peace until then.”

The woman nodded and hurried to the bathroom, which opened from the bedroom. She didn't know how long she had been there, only that once again there was nothing left of her lunch in her now. How could a child be so picky? Lately there were few things she could eat without throwing up. Things that Levi liked to eat, but she usually hated. 

Although the more urgent problem was the lack of friends for her. Like female friends not Erwin or Moblit. Ones she could talk about this kind of stuff. Because of course, this had never bothered her before, but lately she felt so lonely. If she had been on good terms with someone, poor Petra wouldn't have been forced to buy clothes with her and maybe it wouldn't have been such a disaster.

Levi had a hard time tolerating unnecessary talk, and he didn't tolerate it from many people, except Hange. So Petra's distracting conversation was starting to become a bit difficult and awkward. Because of this, Petra hoped that Hange would get better as soon as possible and return here.

The woman used all her knowledge to keep Levi talking, and even tried to ask him about types of tea. Levi, however, didn't even want to talk about his favorite drink now, after Hange got sick and passed out that day. Slowly Petra started to rather annoy him, even though she only wanted to help them in reality.

Then the tired Eren appeared, who luckily immediately occupied his father by starting to tell him about his day and how tiring it was with the new recruits. This kept Levi's attention on his son, which allowed Petra to sneak back. Then she saw the woman muttering to herself about how unlucky she was, how she didn't deserve this and that Levi deserved much better than her. For Petra, who had always known the Squad Leader to be so confident it was strange to hear this.

“As I see it, not only the vomiting, but also the mood swings are making this all the more difficult,” Petra muttered. But then she realized that maybe she should say some comforting words to Hange: "You're not unlucky. What you're going through is completely normal. By the way, Eren is home. He's talking to Levi right now. He doesn't know anything either, right?"

She nodded at that. If Eren found out, he would definitely tell Levi. And she couldn't let that happen.

"I know, it just… it doesn't make me feel any less lonely," she admitted.

“But why are you lonely? You have Levi here,” Petra replied. “Besides, you have friends, like Moblit and Erwin. What's the matter with them?”

“The fact that these are all men,” she said. “You can imagine Erwin telling him about it. He would definitely be happy about it,” she rolled her eyes.

"That's true. It would be a little awkward for male friends to talk about women's things," Petra agreed.

“Thank you for stating the obvious,” the woman said with a wooden face. “I can’t do this,” she buried her face in her hands.

Petra was starting to get a little impatient. She didn't feel close enough to Hange to constantly provide her with emotional first aid. So the whole thing was starting to get tiring for her. Besides, she didn't understand what Hange was grieving about when she got what Petra hadn't even dared to dream of.

“Then seek help from a doctor,” Petra said one last time, then left Hange alone.

As Petra left, Eren told his father that he would find his mother and bring her out while Levi finished his tea. However, when he entered, he didn't see her in the bedroom.

“Mom?” he asked, looking around, then saw her sitting on the floor in the bathroom, looking terrible. “Mom?” he asked again, and Hange looked up in fear and motioned for the boy to be quiet. “What’s wrong, Mom?” Eren asked, sitting down next to her. “What happened? Did Petra hurt you?”

“No,” she shook her head, not wanting to involve poor Petra in the whole thing. But then she felt sick again and almost threw up again, holding her stomach.

“Are you sick?” Eren asked worriedly. “Dad told me you fainted. Shouldn't you go to the doctor? If you think so, I'll go with you.”

“I already was,” she said, then took her son’s hand. “Do you promise not to tell anyone?”

"Yes," Eren nodded as he squeezed Hange's hand reassuringly.

"I'm with child," she announced, trying to pull herself together somehow.

At first the boy's eyes widened in surprise. But then he smiled happily and said:

“I’m having a sibling! When will they be born? Why can’t I tell anyone? Will it be a boy or a girl? Are they healthy? Is it normal for you to feel so bad about it? Is there anything I can do to help?”

Hange tried to calm the boy down, but to be honest, she liked how interested he was.

“Um… You can't tell Levi. He'd send me away and I wouldn't be able to live without you,” she said to Eren, immediately hugging him. “By the way,” she started playing nervously with the hem of her dress, “the doctor said it's the third month, so the due date is around December…”

Eren nodded, then hugged Hange back to let her know that he would be there for her and support his mother.

"I hope you get better soon," Eren spoke again. "You're quite pale right now. Is being pregnant that bad?"

"I think it's just an Ackerman thing," she mumbled tiredly, and Eren blinked a few times because he remembered that it takes two people to have a child, meaning his sibling is not only Hange's child, but Levi's as well. Eren nodded. He then brought his mother a pillow to make her sit more comfortably.

"Maybe you should rest. As I can see, my sibling is wearing you out quite a bit," suggested Eren, who wanted to help Hange in any way he could. She then nodded and, weakly standing up, stumbled over to the bed.

"Your sibling is as tiring as your father," she lay down tiredly.

“I can imagine how tiring life must be with two Ackermans,” Eren said sympathetically. “Have you ever felt the kid kicking your stomach?” the boy asked curiously.

“It will take some time, but they will start moving soon” she yawned as she rearranged her pillows to make herself more comfortable and leaned against the bed frame. “But the doctor said they already have a heartbeat” the woman rubbed her eyes tiredly. “By the way, I am living with three Ackermans right now. With your father” she pointed to the door “with them” she pointed to her stomach this time “and with you” she finally pointed to Eren.

Eren smiled happily at this. He was glad that his mother called him Ackerman, as it meant that she considered him part of her family.

“I can't wait to hold my sibling in my arms,” Eren said excitedly. “They’re going to be so cute!”

"Of course," she smiled as Levi came in with the tea, cheerfully taking it from him immediately and starting to drink it. It bothered her deeply that she liked his tea so much, but if she was carrying her child, she shouldn't be surprised.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile Petra marched to her room, agitated. She was so distracted that she went straight into Oluo, who was trying to relax and do some paperwork.

"Petra!" he greeted her as she stepped back a little when she realised he had walked straight into her teammate. "How did the shopping go?" he asked immediately.

"Well, it wasn't very good," Petra sighed. "Hange nearly killed the salesman, then he fainted, then she fainted again. Finally she started complaining to me about the things she was unsure of. I think she's forgotten that we're not really friends, and I used to like Levi too."

"She almost killed the assistant?" Oluo tried not to laugh, because it all sounded serious, but still. It was absurd, even for Hange. "And why did she want to kill the assisant? Didn't she agree with her opinion of the titans? She must have been very out of character today if she was complaining after all that."

"I don't remember what she was so upset about," Petra shrugged.

She had lied because she knew that Hange didn't want to tell anyone she was pregnant yet. Petra didn't even want to talk about Hange anymore, so she quickly diverted the topic:

"At least you had a good day, if my day was so bad?"

"I was doing paperwork and I'm going to keep doing it," she explained. "You're a lousy liar, by the way," he put his hand on Petra's shoulder. "I know you. You wouldn't be so upset if only Hange had been even more like herself today."

“Well, paperwork doesn't sound very exciting,” Petra said, pursing her lips. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you any more about Hange. She asked me to keep it a secret why she fainted. But if you ask me, you won't have to wait much longer before the entire scouting legion finds out the truth about her. Can you hold out till then?" Petra asked, then squeezed Oluo's hand encouragingly.

"For someone you don't like, you'll keep her secret, but that's fine. I'll wait it out" and then he squeezed Petra's hand back. "I think this will be the beginning of a great friendship between you two. I'm sure it'll be nice for her to have a girl she can talk to" he encouraged her to make friends.

"I don't know' Petra shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't call Hange my friend right now. I wasn't really nice to her last time anyway. I left her when she was in trouble," she said ruefully.

"I don't understand it, you're always so nice to everyone," Oluo blinked, puzzled, and Petra suddenly burst out, for she was in no mood for it.

"Yes, I am nice to everyone. Except the people who took away the man I'd liked for years!" Petra said angrily as she spoke louder and louder. "And even after that she had the guts to play nice with me!" She clenched her fists and continued. "Hange isn't so pretty anyway. And she's messy. Levi likes order! Then why didn't he choose me?

I'm tidy and I don't need to clean up after myself! And I don't make a lot of noise, unlike Hange!"

"Listen to me!" said Oluo. "You want to know the truth? Levi would never have chosen you," he began, not holding back. "I don't know if you ever noticed, but the Captain loves challenges. He doesn't need somebody to do what he wants, somebody who will kiss his ass. He needs someone to stand up to him and tell him to go and fuck himself. And that person is Hange. Not you."

"That's not true! I can give him a piece of my mind too!" Petra shouted. "I can be strong too! That's why I became a scout! So you're wrong, I'd be better suited to her! Levi should have married me and not Hange!"

"Then go up to him and tell him to fuck off. To choose you,” he looked her in the eye, a little disappointed, "but no wonder Hange took him away from you, if you've been such a coward all this time and didn't tell Levi your feelings."

At this statement Petra bowed her head sadly. She knew Oluo was right. She should have told Levi that she loved him. But now it was too late. The captain had chosen Hange, and soon they would have a child.

Oluo wanted to apologize, but he didn't have time because Levi showed up. The man couldn't hear what they were talking about, that wasn't why he was angry. Rather, it was because Eren had found out from his mother what had happened before she fainted (of course Eren had missed the most important part). That Petra had put on all sorts of clothes and on top of that she had let her wife e  fat just because she was a bit thicker (which he was terribly happy about, because it meant she was finally eating normally and he didn't have to stuff her with food).
So Levi's look said it all and Oluo was gone before he could apologise.

Then Levi looked coldly at Petra, then folded his arms. He waited for Petra to explain to him why she had left Hange alone in the bathroom while his future wife was not feeling well and was completely out of her depth.

"Oh, Captain!" she said in her usual sweet voice, while she was scared shitless. Oluo was right again, she could never look at Levi and say ‘fuck you’. Not like on the expedition where they got in trouble because of Hange and Levi yelled at her as he pulled her off the ground. It was so scary then too but Hange was able to laugh in his face like nothing was wrong.

"When Hange got sick in the bathroom, why did you leave her?" Levi asked coldly. "Did you know that the kid had to cheer her up afterwards?" At that, the man took out his most disappointed look and looked at Petra with it: "And here I thought I could count on you."

"When I left, she was perfectly fine. Besides, I don't think I'm the right person to reassure her. After all, the Squad Leader will be the Captain's wife soon," she told him quietly, trying to explain herself out of the situation.

“She wasn't feeling well before, she fainted,” said Levi, frowning. But he still did not raise his voice. So his look was the only thing that told how angry he was with Petra for leaving Hange alone in the trouble.

"It's not my job to look after her. After all, Hange is an adult" but she couldn't finish, because Levi hadn't much patience now anyway and pushed her against the wall. And not in the way she'd imagined, because she just yelped in fright. She had never seen Levi so angry

“Yes, it's your business when you're with her,” Levi said coldly “And that's an order,” he added, saying this because he could see that Hange hadn't been feeling well lately. And he wanted to avoid her fainting again. Then Levi noticed that his unfortunate subordinate was trembling with fear. So he quickly released Petra, and then said in a remorseful voice: "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just that lately... everything's been so hard..."

Then Petra adjusted her uniform and looked at Levi and somehow understood why Hange didn't want to tell him the truth yet. It was a lot to take in and it must have been upsetting for him to know that something was wrong, but Hange wouldn't open up to him.

"Ah, children grow up with time, unfortunately," she told him, thinking that one of the harder things might be the promotion of Eren. "But that's the good in it. We get to see them outshine us."

"Yeah... Eren's a Captain now," Levi said. "I am proud that he has been promoted. But he still has to learn how to be a good leader. He has a hard time disciplining new recruits."

"If you're worried about him, I think you should talk to him about it. Honesty is the best policy after all," Petra looked at him as she concentrated on not running away because she was still so scared. "Well, time has flown by and we have a lot to do tomorrow. I'd better go and get some sleep!" and as inconspicuously as possible, she ran off.

Levi didn't follow. Instead, he thought about what Petra had said. Then he sighed wearily. He was still worried about Hange. And now he felt remorse for scaring Petra. Levi didn't want to hurt his subordinate, and so he could only hope that she would forgive him. The man finally went back to his quarters to talk to Eren. He had to start teaching the boy how to be a good captain. Eren, unlike Erwin, was far from what people would call a natural leader. When he entered his room, he saw Eren standing at his desk, trying to assemble something of his own design. Next to him on one of the boards were the training details of his squad members, which he occasionally glanced at while assembling and scribbled something next to it in chalk.

"You should be asleep, Dad," Eren told him, already aware of who had entered without looking at him.

"What are you working on, Eren?" asked Levi, ignoring the boy's question. He stepped closer to the table and looked at Eren's notes. Unfortunately he didn't understand much of them, and could only conclude that the boy had handwriting was much like Hange's.

"Just something to help me get a grip on the titan's nape when I want to control it," he said, pulling a screwdriver from the perfectly tidy box. "The papers I asked Shadis for came in just a while ago. I wanted to find out who's good at what so I could put them in the right place in my team," he pointed to the board.

"I see," said Levi. "Whenever my team is asked to do something, I assess who's good at what and assign them accordingly. Besides, your subordinates will certainly appreciate it if they are asked to do a task that suits them."

"I was thinking about that too," Eren said, confused, as he pulled a screw. "I don't know what I should do, how I should approach them. Because I can't be completely 'above' them because of my age," he complained to him, which bothered him. "But I can't be one of them either because I just can't..." he stopped for a moment, out of breath as he screwed, "so I can't be as laid back as them. Maybe only when I'm with Jean, but you know Jean."

"Be tough on them. But if the situation calls for it, be understanding with them. Give them clear orders, but sometimes listen to their ideas," Levi said. "Sometimes being a leader is full of contradictions."

"I still don't understand why Erwin chose me," he said, adjusting his glasses as he glanced at the board and took his father's advice. "I mean, I have an idea, but you're not going to like it," Eren said, trying to gauge what his father would think when his mother told him the truth. "He's setting the stage for the inevitable fact that you two are going to retire one day."

"Don't worry, kid. We're not retiring anytime soon," Levi said, ruffling Eren's hair. "But you can still feel free to tell me what you've figured out."

"If only he knew..." Eren thought to himself, smiling. "Tell me what you thought. After all, you're about to get married and the saying goes that after love and marriage comes children," Eren declared as he sat down on the table and continued to put things together.

"I don't know," Levi shrugged, "I don't think I want children just yet. I want to stay in the Scouting Legion to help humanity. With a child, that would be impossible. Then I'd have to retire to support Hange and the baby."

"You can do that. You raised me, too," he said as he was already sitting cross-legged on the table and tossed the wrench up for a moment to play with it. “But if Mum asks you the same thing, don't tell her that,” Eren declared. Knowing his mother, sooner or later she would try to find the perfect time to tell his Dad the truth.

"So what should I tell her?" Levi asked anxiously, knowing that he didn't know much about the subject. So he decided to ask Eren for help, even though the boy was more than a decade younger than he was.

"Hm..." Eren wondered. It was hard because he knew the truth. He had to advise his father to do something to get his mother to confess the truth. ‘Tell her that whatever happens, you'll be there for her and you won't leave her,’ he stretched, then looked at the board again. Then he jumped up and shuffled through the papers, because he wanted to make a new formation to replace the old one.

"I thought it was obvious. I mean, of course I don't want to leave her, that's why I'm marrying her," Levi said, amazed. "Did I do something to hurt her? But if so, why didn't she tell me? Of course, if that's what she needs, I can tell her."

"You know how she loves to overthink things. It's not your forte, but if you tell her straight then there's nothing to overthink," he suggested as he hummed with satisfaction while looking at the new formation he had made. "But go to bed, Dad, because I think Mum misses you."

At this Levi nodded and Eren stayed to finish his business.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Erwin called Eren and went into his office, and he went bringing his reports with him. It was a good thing because the boy wanted to ask him if he was right in what he was thinking nowadays anyway.

"I understand why you appointed me to become Captain," Eren looked into the blond man's eyes seriously as he entered the office.

“Do you now?” Erwin asked with a smile. The Commander knew that Eren was a smart boy, so he won't be surprised if he actually figured this out by now.

"You're desperate," he said as he placed the papers on the desk. "Because you're running out of time. My parents will retire from the legion sooner than later, so you need to train someone to replace them as soon as possible. Who happens to be me."

“I wouldn’t call myself desperate,” Erwin replied calmly. “I would rather say that I want to make sure that everything is going according to plan and that the Scouting Legion will not be left without soldiers in the times of need.” The blond-haired man then paused, then continued: "Your mother is going to have a baby soon. That means I'll have to go without two of my best soldiers for a while. That's going to be quite a loss, so I had to start training the next section commanders."

“For a while? It will be a decade at least before they come back, if they ever come back at all. The legion is not known for being overly family-friendly,” he declared, knowing that although Erwin tried to make it seem like the least of his problems, the child was a strategic disaster. “I have my mother’s intellect and my father’s strength. I will take their place if necessary. I will not disappoint. Neither you or them.”

"Okay, then. Be it as you wish," agreed Erwin, not wanting to argue with the boy's naive words, as it was clear from Eren that he wanted to keep his parents safe. However, Erwin knew Hange and Levi, that neither of them could stay away from the events and will not stand idly by while soldiers died for freedom.

Therefore, the blond-haired man calculated that, in the worst case scenario, he would only have to be without Hange and Levi for half a year, after which they would probably entrust the child to the woman's parents and only return to them for a longer period of time when circumstances were more peaceful.

"Thank you" Eren nodded and then set off. He knew his parents, his mother even more. She adored that child now and could never leave them. It wasn't like there was anyone whom she could give them to. Certainly not her grandparents. And his father would always be there for the baby, because no one knows better than him how hard it is to grow up without parents. If Levi left his own child, Eren knew that his dad would never be able to look in the mirror again. After that, Eren decided to go and see what his squad was doing and if they were working.

But as expected, they didn't really work. No one cleaned, and no one did the paperwork. Sasha and Connie ate some leftovers from the kitchen, Reiner and Bertolt talked about their hometown, Ymir and Christa braided and combed each other's hair, while Jean and Marco went to the barn to "have some fun".

"We're going to practice now" he declared in a voice that would not tolerate objection. "Do you think you can kill titans just because you participated in the Battle of Trost? You're wrong. We'll practice before the expedition" then he looked around sharply. "Where are Jean and Marco?"

“In the barn,” Connie said. “They’re having fun, if you know what I mean.”

"I'm definitely not going to tell them, because I just ate. If I saw them, I'd throw up my breakfast. And that would be a waste," Sasha added.

"Out to the field. By the time I get there, you'll be geared up and ready for practice. And a new rule, sex is from nine in the evening to one in the morning" he looked at them because he had a feeling that it wasn't just his best friend from the group who was having fun. And then he went to find him.

Jean and Marco were not that hard to find, considering that the whole stable was filled with their voices. The two boys were so loud that they even started to disturb the horses, who were whinnying restlessly or drumming their hooves on the ground. Only Levi's black horse remained calm, apparently just as indifferent as his master. Eren took the noise of the horses as a bad sign, so he cautiously stepped inside to speak to Jean and Marco.

“God, give me strength,” Eren sighed as he clasped his hands together to pray, because he didn’t have the strength for what he had to do right now. He wondered if his father had to go through the same thing when starting out as a Captain. The boy finally stopped behind one of the hay bales, within earshot. “When you’re done with whatever you’re doing, come over because we're training today. And a new rule! Sex is from nine at night to one in the morning!”

“Okay, just don’t spy on us!” Jean shouted back, his voice still sounding like he was in a pretty compromising position with Marco. “One hour and we’ll be there! And yes, it takes an hour! Especially if we include the cleaning.”

"I don't like the new rule…" Marco muttered, not moving because he didn't want Eren to see him.

"You have one hour! If you don't come by then, I swear to God I'll drag you out of here even if you two are naked!" he shouted at them, then walked away and found the rest of the team, who were already geared up for training. "We'll start with twenty laps" Eren announced with a blank look on his face. "Now!"

The team members nodded reluctantly, as they didn't dare to speak back right now, because they could see that Eren was clearly in a bad mood. Because of this, they were all afraid that the boy would give them more laps to run as punishment. When they finished running, it was time to practice with the ODM gear. After setting up the dummies properly, Eren had put up a few extra targets, they were ready to begin. The boy was hoping that if he could at least show that his skills were significantly superior to those of his subordinates, he might finally earn some respect, as his father had suggested. Eren's method didn't work out completely. Only Christa watched him enthusiastically, as she was interested in what tricks the boy knew. The others stared blankly ahead, as running had drained their energy and they would have preferred to rest.

After that, he let them practice while taking notes on how they performed. And Jean and Marco also reached the end of the task with great difficulty. Eren had another idea to gain the recognition of his squad. So he spoke:

"Okay, you all worked well. You can go and rest now. Except for the two latecomers. Jean and Marco, since you didn't show up on time, you will train twice as long as the others."

“It’s a tough one, bro,” Connie patted Jean on the shoulder as he and the others headed off to rest. “It seems like even the best friend card won't work here…”

“Come on!” Jean complained as the others left her, Marco, and Eren. However, the Captain was not moved by Jean's complaints and instead began to lead their training.

"Don't whine, because if you've do the exercises well, I'll show you how we're going to control titans," he said to them. This piqued the interest of the two boys, so they both turned their attention towards them. Then Eren brought out a target that only had a top, so that he could demonstrate it more easily.

“During the Battle of Trost, when I stabbed the blade here,” he then took out one blade from his case and stabbed it into the nape of the neck, “the titan raised his arm. This matches my drawing perfectly,” he said, then using one of the chalks, he drew a man in the nape of the neck. “Look what falls on that spot,” he pointed to where the blade had been stabbed, “the man’s arm.”

Of course, the others also seemed to walk back to listen when they saw his presentation.

“So this means everyone could control titans?” Marco asked.

“But how would a human get into the titan?” Jean wondered too.

"You're asking the wrong question, Jean," Eren looked at him. "The real question is how do people turn into Titans," he said when everyone had returned and was in earshot.

Jean and Marco looked at each other in shock. Then the blond-haired boy spoke again:

"But how do you know humans turn into titans? Have you ever seen one turning?"

"But that means there could be traitors among the humans who are actually helping the titans," Marco said worriedly.

"I've never seen anything like this before, but all signs point to the titans are or were human at one point in time. Which raises an even more interesting question," Eren then looked at his squad. "Are the titans the real enemy?" he said, causing Reiner and Bertolt to flinch slightly.

"There might be some truth to that. I can imagine that the titans were once humans, since titans look more like humans than, say, a horse or a deer," Marco said.

“Yes, but we need proof of that,” Jean spoke up again.

"That will be our task," Eren said. "We will find out the truth behind the titans and their existence," he explained as he pulled the blade out of the dummy. "The expedition is in two days, and in the meantime I have to teach you how to control a titan. Because that's how we will have a chance against them."

Hearing this, all the team members were excited. Naturally, they all wanted to learn how to control titans. So for once they all listened to Eren with interest and attention.

That evening, when everyone was tired and went to rest after all the training, Reiner and Bertolt sneaked out into the forest, because that's where they had arranged to meet Annie. The blonde girl was already waiting for them, of course, and Mikasa was sitting under a tree.

"What is Mikasa doing here?" Reiner asked in shock when he saw the black-haired girl. Bertolt, as usual, said nothing, just waited for the conflict to be resolved.

"I wrote that she knows everything, you idiot," Annie glared at him as she pushed herself away from the tree. "She offered to help us if we took her home to Marley with us."

“I understand, but the letter didn't mention including her in the team,” Reiner grumbled. Then, in a slightly offended tone, he added, “I'm not an idiot. Bertolt is.”

The black-haired boy just sighed in resignation at this statement. Mikasa had already written him off as a bland, milksop guy. She expected more from the owner of the Colossal Titan. Reiner wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed either. Mikasa didn't understand how Annie could tolerate two such idiots.

“Because you think I'm going to let her tell everyone that we're titan shifter, right?” Annie sighed. She really did not like working with them. Except with Bertolt when he was willing to act like a man and was not sharing a single brain cell with Reiner.

"Thanks for the great introduction, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm here too," Mikasa said as she stood up. She no longer had her signature red scarf on her neck on and her hair was tied back in a short ponytail.

"Now that Mikasa has joined, how will the plan change?" Reiner asked, preferring to leave the team's leadership to Annie. Bertolt shrugged, indicating that they shouldn't turn to him for advice. He didn't know how to plan things like that anyway.

"You idiots, you know now who to kidnap. Eren Ackerman. What did you find out about him?" Mikasa immediately took the lead seeing a chance.

“Answer him,” Annie looked at the two boys. “We’ve wasted too much time here and I don’t want them to send Zeke up our asses because the mission has ended in disaster.”

“Well, uh…” Bertolt scratched his head. “We found out that he doesn’t like it when someone does things… during the day. That’s why we can only do things with someone in a bed with between nine o’clock at night and one o’clock in the morning.”

"Mikasa didn't mean that kind of information, you idiot," Reiner sighed. "What's more important is that Eren figured out how to control the titans. He also figured out that there are people who can turn into titans."

“So he really figured out how you can you control titans, huh?” Annie looked at her companions in surprise. She had never heard of someone controlling titans without any abilities, but this Eren Ackerman seemed to defy those.

"When is the next expedition?" Mikasa asked, wondering who this Zeke, the trio was afraid of, could be.

"In two days," Reiner replied. "We attack them, then? And kidnap Eren?"

"Annie and I will try to kidnap him. You will stay as spies so that we can continue to gather information if the attempt fails," Mikasa explained confidently. She thought it best if she took over the mission.

“We understand,” Reiner replied. Bertolt didn't even say that much. His reaction was only a nod.

"Then we discussed this," Mikasa said as Reiner and Bertolt headed back, leaving Annie and Mikasa behind. "Who is this Zeke? " Mikasa turned her head halfway towards the blonde girl, looking at her with questioning eyes.

“The guy leading our mission,” Annie replied. “His titan is the beast. In Marley’s army, they say he’s a tactical genius, and they worship him like your people worship Levi on this island.”

“I hope he's not as much of an idiot as those two,” she said as they finally started going back to camo. “Because if he is, then Marley will really have big problems." Based on them alone, the black-haired girl couldn't expect too much from the people of Marley.

“No, Zeke is not an idiot,” Annie said, making sure to speak softly. “If I were you, I would be careful with him and not underestimate him.”

"We'll see," Mikasa said boredly. Grisha hadn't told her anything about Zeke, but somehow she figured the man couldn't condense everything into one meeting. Then they finally arrived at the military police base. So they snuck back into their rooms. Both girls were quiet, so no one woke up and no one questioned them.

Chapter Text

Two days later, Eren and his team rode forward in the formation Erwin had assigned them as the next expedition began. As they pressed on, Eren killed nearby Titans with ease, clearing the area efficiently.

Eren's elegant movements gave strength and courage to the rest of the team, so everyone fought with full force by their Captain's side.

Meanwhile, Eren was just thinking about how did he eventually managed to convince Erwin not to let his mother go on this expedition, but to give her something to research instead. Because now that he knew the truth, Eren didn't want his mother to get into any trouble. So, for this expedition, Moblit took over her team.

The team members listened to Moblit, which Eren watched with a little envy. For now, it seemed like even his mother's assistant was a better leader than him. However, Eren didn't have time to lament this, as the next moment the Female titan appeared behind them.

Eren then signaled for his team to change formation and told Jean to fire a signal for his father's team while they rode into the forest. Eren, of course, was in the air as soon as they arrived, trying to get close to the titan while watching her movements.

The Female titan's behavior towards Eren changed. She didn't attack him immediately like she attacked the other soldiers. She was planning something.

“Watch out, Eren! She’s thinking of something!” Jean shouted to his friend.

“That's great!” Eren shouted back excitedly. “Because this means there are people in the Titans! Focus on the nape! We need to find out what's there” Eren gave the order, as he was much more in his element than at any other time in the past few days. Eren's team didn't argue with him for one. Some tried to distract the titan, while others helped Eren. Which meant they were able to fight in real harmony for the first time.

Eren tried to cut open the back of her nape, but then the titan stopped and placed her hands there. The boy knew then that this wasn't just an involuntary movement. Something that he had seen from ordinary titans, it was a strategic decision, a conscious one. Because there really were titans that had humans inside of them.

"Aim for her arms! If necessary, we will cut her to pieces!" he declared, watching the titan. If she understood what he was saying, she would now defend herself with her arms, trying to get the least damage possible.

The titan then tried to protect her arms. But she had no chance. as Ymir distracted her while Jean and Marco cut off her hands.

“That was nice!” Sasha exclaimed excitedly. Then the girl turned to Eren and spoke again: "What next, Captain?"

"Let's see what's in her nape," Eren looked at his squad, but then the titan roared so loudly that for a few minutes, everyone had to cover their ears or they would have probably gone deaf. Meanwhile, Eren noticed a shadow moving in the distance.

As Annie began to flee, more than ten Titans suddenly appeared on the horizon, all approaching the scouts at high speed.

“What do we do now?” Connie asked in panic as, lacking any better idea, he flew up one of the trees using his equipment.

The others followed Connie's example. Apart from Reiner and Berthold, the rest of the team looked rather terrified. But the two boys remained disturbingly calm.

But then Levi and his team, who Eren had summoned, showed up. Petra and her friends helped to clean up while Levi landed next to Eren.

"The titan wanted me," Eren stated as he adjusted his goggles. "When she slashed, she always aimed it at me. She moved where I was going."

“She probably wanted to catch you,” Levi replied. “That means your theory is true, and there really are Titans that are controlled by humans.”

"But how good of an idea is it to tell the public? It would cause panic among the common people," Petra said worriedly as she finished killing the titans.

“I have no idea,” Levi sighed. “I’ll leave that decision to Erwin.”

“We need to tell everyone,” Eren declared next to them, the gears already turning in his brain. “Let’s just lure out those damn traitors who breached our walls.”

"Eren is right. Erwin's statement will be heard by the traitors. It will cause them to panic, and that could motivate the bastards to take action," Jean agreed.

“I'll beat the crap out of those filthy traitors!” Connie said belligerently, so Reiner quickly stepped away from him.

"Uh… yes… shame on them…" Berthold muttered, trying not to sound like a traitor.

Then Oluo appeared next to Petra and Levi, panting. He seemed to be in a hurry.

“Deputy Section Leader Moblit claims that more than 5 people from his squad died when they also encountered the Female titan on the other side of the forest” he told them, and they just looked at him strangely, because people always died here, especially when it came to titans. “They had their throats cut.”

The scouts looked at each other. This was clearly not a titan. The only question was whether the murder had been committed by the Female titan in human form, or by a traitor amongst their ranks. So, Levi finally broke the silence:"We're going to the scene and see what we can do. Follow me!"

"We'll stay here to clean up," Eren said, looking at his father. "And take care of yourself. I don't want to take you home in pieces to Mom," he said, a little more absent-mindedly, as he started giving orders. To which his men finally started to listen.

Levi nodded. He was satisfied that the cadets were finally listening to Eren. The man took one last look at his son, then left to see the people with their throats slit with the others.

As more titans appeared, Eren tried his control theory again, practicing on one of the titans. It was much easier now, turning the blades became a breeze, making the titan move much more lifelike. The others tried to follow his example, but it didn't really work for them as they were in need of further practice. Christa almost fell off once and Ymir had to save her. So, the others tried to figure out Eren's technique. Some even asked him questions, while others wanted to figure it out on their own.

"Who needs shifters when we can control the titans?" Jean said cheerfully, as they finished their training, killed the titans, and arrived at the camp, where Erwin had given the new orders. The tasks consisted of preparing dinner and setting up the tents. While the majority were doing these two tasks, Levi informed Erwin about what had happened.

The situation of the traitors worried the Commander enough, so he decided to double the guard for the night. That night, Eren decided to eat with his squad and get to know them a little better, even though getting to know people wasn't his strong suit for a long time. So it happened that he sat down next to Jean by the campfire, and the enthusiastic conversation stopped and they just stared at him in confusion.

“Captain, what are you doing here?” Connie asked in surprise, while Sasha continued to eat her dinner next to her despite the awkward silence.

"We've already cleaned everything up," Ymir added gruffly.

Then the boy looked at them and, sighing heavily, said only this.

“You all can call me just Eren,” he finally said. “And this whole thing isn’t weird only for you,” he said, then started munching on his food in confusion.

"Okay, Just Eren," Jean replied cheekily.

At this, the others rolled their eyes, while Marco was the only one to giggle. At this, Jean looked at Marco proudly, and from then on, he didn't pay much attention to Eren.

Finally, Christa asked a question to help Eren with the conversation:

"I heard you used to serve in Levi's squad. Was life there very difficult?"

“I’ve been a member of the Scouting Legion and my father’s team since I was ten,” he began to tell them the tale. “Was it hard? Maybe. It didn’t seem that way to me. In fact, I think my father sometimes spoiled me,” he smiled, remembering the good old times.

“How did he spoil you?” Reiner asked curiously, finding it hard to imagine Levi treating anyone gently.

“I would have swore that your mother is the one who spoils you,” Connie interjected. “She even spoils the Titans.”

“I don’t think when I beat him at 11 it was because I was so strong,” he explained, smiling. “Mom could always persuade dad into anything she wanted. Maybe I did or maybe I didn’t take advantage of that and learned really well to have mom’s good graces.”

"If Levi had shown your eleven-year-old self his true power, you wouldn't be here with us right now," Connie laughed. Sasha nodded in agreement as she continued eating her dinner.

"Probably," Eren smiled as he caught sight of his father. Erwin was explaining something to him, but he wasn't paying attention at all. Instead, his father glanced at him and then gave him a smile.

“Your father is setting a bad example,” Jean said absently, holding Marco’s hand. “He’s not paying attention to the Commander’s words.”

“You just keep quiet, buddy,” Connie said with a grin, moving closer to the fire. “The real bad examples are you and Marco.”

"The Commander is a brilliant man, but he can talk for so long like no other guy in humanity," Eren chuckled as Levi walked by, behind him and in a split second, ruffled his hair and disappeared.

In the meantime, it got dark, so some of the soldiers retreated to their tents, while the other half began to stand guard.

As the moon and stars lit up the camp, Eren yawned loudly as he got up from the fire and headed towards the tent.

“Are you okay?” Eren asked as he saw his father sitting by the fire. “Do you miss mom?”

"Yes, I miss her," Levi admitted. The man then stared at the ground for a while, struggling with himself, not knowing how much to share about his feelings with the boy. But then he realized that Eren was practically his family, so maybe she could show a point of vulnerability in his soul in front of him. “I don’t just miss her. I’m worried about her,” Levi added, kicking the ground to relieve his tension. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but she’s been looking pretty pale and moody lately. I haven’t seen her this enthusiastic in a while, and her movements seem to have slowed down. I’m afraid Hange might have gotten sick and is trying to hide it.”

“Oh” Eren sat down next to him, holding his father's shoulder, not knowing whether to tell his father the truth. “She's probably fine, she's just really overworking herself because of the wedding. She wants the big day to be perfect.

“That’s my other problem…” Levi muttered worriedly. “I thought Hange would be more enthusiastic about organizing our wedding. Despite this, I can see that even though she’s happy about it, she simply doesn’t have the energy to organize it.” The man lowered his head and then spoke in a muffled voice: "I'm sure she's sick. I shouldn't have left her alone there. I shouldn't have come on this expedition," Levi said with remorse in his voice. "I'll never forgive myself if something happens to her while I'm away."

“Look…” Eren said as he watched the fire. He couldn’t let his parents suffer here just because they were too stubborn to talk about their feelings. “Mom’s not sick. She told me.”

“Then what’s wrong with her?” Levi asked worriedly, feeling his fear shrink his heart into a tiny knot. “Did someone hurt her?”

“Mom is pregnant,” he said, closing his eyes. He knew his mother would be angry with him because he had promised her not to tell. But there was no point in this, because knowing them, they would have just fought over it, and right now, that would have been the worst option.

“What?” Levi asked, shocked and blinking, thinking for a moment that he had misunderstood what he had heard. “You mean… from me?”

At this, Eren laughed out loud because he couldn't believe that he had to play the mailman here. And that he was the child here.

“No, from the Titans,” he said, stretching. “If you take this seriously, I’ll pour tea on you, Dad.”

“Don't waste the tea, kid!” Levi growled, his composure restored by the mention of tea. But then the man returned to the child's problem again. “So I'm going to be a father?” Levi asked himself, adding a little hesitantly. “I don't know if I’m ready for this…”

“Well, there really aren't any choices,” Eren hugged his shoulders. “Anyway, like I said, you raised me just fine. And I don't think that child could be much worse than me.”

"You weren't that bad. You were a pretty tolerable kid," Levi replied, playfully ruffling the boy's hair, which belied his seemingly bored words. Then the man spoke again, "Why didn't she tell me that? Maybe she thought I would object to her having the child?"

“She’s more afraid that you’re sending her to the end of the world all alone while you’re out serving here in the Legion,” Eren said as he added more wood to the fire. “She doesn’t want to be alone because she can’t stand it.”

“I won’t leave her alone with my child,” Levi said firmly. Then, a little more quietly, he added, “I know what it’s like to be left alone. And that’s why I don’t want my family to have to go through that.”

“Then just tell her that and the problem is solved” Eren yawned. Then it's really up to his parents to convince Erwin that they're unlikely to return anytime soon. Eren thought they wouldn't be coming back for a while.

"You're right," Levi replied with a sigh. Then, after seeing Eren yawn, he spoke again. "I think it's time for both of us to go to sleep. Otherwise, we won't be at our full strength when we continue the expedition tomorrow. If we're lucky, the Female titan won't show up at night."

“Good night then, Dad,” Eren hugged him tightly. “Don't even think about it until we get back tomorrow.” And after that, Eren went to sleep.

Chapter Text

The next morning they headed back to the base, where Hange was already waiting for them. Or rather, when they entered their apartment, they noticed that the woman was eating noodles, and judging by the plates stacked on top of each other, she was already on her third plate when Levi and Eren entered tiredly.

“Hello,” she said, the noodle hanging out of her mouth. Noticing it, she quickly sucked it in.

“Hello,” Levi nodded. As his gaze wandered over the plates, his eyebrows shot up.

“Didn’t you eat a little too much, Shitty Glasses?” Levi asked, then put the two plates away with the intention of washing them. While waiting for Hange's response, he started cleaning.

“No,” she replied, then finished the third bowl and started on the fourth. She was so hungry, she could have eaten the entire Scouting Legion.

“It looks like you started eating a lot because of the pregnancy. I don’t know how healthy that is,” Levi said worriedly. Then his voice returned to its normal tone. “By the way, would you mind telling me why you were hiding this from me? I would have preferred to hear this information from you first, and not from Eren.”

The woman froze while eating, the noodles still hanging from her chopsticks. Somehow the food didn't taste so good anymore. Hange felt so nauseous that she thought she was going to throw everything up there. But she also wanted to faint from nervousness. Eren told him the truth and although she understood, she simply felt so betrayed. That was exactly why she didn't tell him. His gaze was too sharp for her to bear.

Levi saw that Hange had turned pale, so he took a step next to her and, placing his hand reassuringly on the woman's back, said:

"It's okay. I'm not mad. I just don't understand why you didn't tell me."

But the woman was still scared and finally started to cry, burying her face in her hands. Eren just made a confused face and blamed himself a little for not discussing some kind of plan with his father, who thought it would be a good idea to ask her right away, instead of softening Hange up first, who might have then voluntarily told him the truth and now there would be peace.

Levi didn't fully understand why Hange had started crying. But he didn't ask her about it, thinking it would only make her more tense. So instead, he hugged his future wife and whispered soothing words in her ear. He didn't even pay attention to the fact that Eren was nearby and saw everything. The comforting Hange couldn't wait until they were alone.

As Levi held the woman in his arms and gently stroked her hair, he whispered:

"Don't worry, I won't leave you or the baby ever. I'll take care of you. I promise."

“I’m so sorry,” she continued to cry, clinging to him as if he were the only thing in this world that could keep her sane. “I was just scared… You never wanted children…”

“Yes, that’s true. I didn’t want a child. I was afraid of what kind of father I would be, and that I wouldn’t be able to keep them safe in this war we wage,” Levi replied, hugging Hange tightly. “But I don’t regret that you ended up keeping them. It would have been bad not only for you, but for me too if you had chosen to abort them. After all, that child is already a living thing. I wouldn’t want to kill my unborn child.”

“I want to stay with you,” she buried her face in his shoulder. “But I’m so scared,” she muttered, clutching his jacket. She was tired, very tired. No one understood how hard this was.

“You have nothing to be afraid of,” Levi whispered, even though he was actually afraid of having a child. However, the man didn’t want to show it. Instead, he focused on reassuring Hange. “I’m here for you. Everything will be okay,” Levi murmured gently, running his fingers through the woman’s hair.

He was upset that he didn't have up-to-date information about the pregnancy, so he couldn't say anything encouraging. Besides, he was still worried about Hange. After all, most of the time, the woman faced any danger confidently, with an indelible grin on her face. Now, she was acting gloomy, not even trying to show herself strong and invincible.

“You don’t understand,” she muttered, shaking her head. “I’m always so hungry, and for the strangest things. Last time I dipped a cucumber in honey!” she said, embarrassed. Although it seemed ridiculous, it really hurt her. “And I can’t live without tea now, even though I’ve never liked black tea before!”

“That doesn’t sound like the most delicious food,” Levi pursed his lips. But then he quickly corrected himself so as not to offend Hange, who was too sensitive due to the pregnancy. “But if you want to eat this, I’ll make it for you. You can even have tea with it. A strange taste is not the end of the world. I’m not going to break off our engagement just because you eat cucumbers with honey,” Levi said, brushing a stray strand of hair away from the woman’s face. “Just clean up after yourself after you’ve eaten this gastronomic specialty.”

Then Hange started pulling Levi with her, and when she opened the door, the room was so perfectly cleaned that it looked as if Levi had cleaned it himself. The woman then started crying again.

"That's why I was so hungry! I woke up and the next thing I knew, I was cleaning our room!"

When Levi saw the order, his mouth dropped open in amazement. He had never seen Hange clean up so thoroughly in his life. That's why he just walked around the room in silence to look at everything. Levi didn't know what to make of it. Everything was perfect.

“It’s your fault,” she said, but not in any way offensive or hurtful. “Look at what your child is doing to me,” and finally sat down on the bed, starting to calm down.

"That's a good sign. At least our child won't be as messy as you," Levi said absentmindedly, then continued, his voice cracking, just like the woman's, but still gentle. "Maybe if I'm lucky, the child won't inherit not only your messy nature, but also your love for the Titans." Then he sat down next to Hange and, while holding her hands, said carefully: "Are you feeling better?"

“Uh-huh,” she nodded, her face less sour as she squeezed his hands. “They’ll probably be like you. I can feel it now, because they’re annoying me just like you,” she said.

Levi wasn't offended by this. Instead, he just smiled faintly.

"Looks like I'm going to be their favorite," Levi said with hidden amusement in his voice, continuing their playful discussion. Then he just hugged her again and sighed deeply.

“That’s why I fainted in the store last time,” she said quietly, like some big secret. “It was like the way you used to tell me how you act on instinct.”

"Maybe your instincts have intensified because of the child," Levi thought, pulling Hange closer to him, so that she would feel even safer.

Finally, the woman managed to calm down in his arms and realized that now that Levi finally knew the truth, they had so much to talk about. Although she obviously didn't want to overwhelm him, knowing that he didn't handle emotional shocks that well anyway, no matter how much he tried to pretend otherwise.

Levi also started to feel better, seeing that Hange was better. He didn't mind that Eren had stayed in the hallway and not come in. The man was still not used to showing his emotions in front of others, and he still didn't feel comfortable doing so. He was trying to change that for the sake of Hange, and so he was willing to show the woman a little more of himself.

Levi's thoughts then turned to his unborn child. He still had no idea how he would take care of a baby. Even though he had adopted Eren, the boy was already ten years old at the time.

At that point, the woman pulled back a little, just so she could lie down, because she had a feeling she was going to faint. She always fainted when she stressed herself too much.

“Give me a few moments,” she muttered. “Then I’ll tell you everything you want to know,” she offered kindly.

Levi nodded and let Hange lie down on the bed. He then put a blanket over her to make sure she wouldn't get cold.

Meanwhile, his gaze involuntarily strayed to the woman's belly. He hadn't seen any changes in it yet, but he thought that maybe if she took off her shirt, he would see that it had started to grow. That would explain why Hange had been avoiding it lately. Finally Levi spoke again:

"Rest as much as you want. I'll stay here with you while you sleep."

Now that she was finally in a lying position, the world was spinning less and she could focus on things. Where should she start with this? It had no beginning or end like her scientific theories. How much did he want to know anyway?

"You haven't missed much yet. They're only three months old," she told him as she found a position to rest.

"I'm not very good at biology and other scientific things, but even I realized that the kid wasn't that old," Levi said sarcastically.

"But their heart is beating now," she yawned as she buried her head in the pillow, and then, without even waiting for his answer (which she wanted to know), she dozed off quickly.

Levi kept his promise and stayed by Hange's side. In the meantime, to keep from getting bored, he started drinking tea while reading a newspaper.

The man just shrugged his shoulders at the text. The main topic was still whether Pyxis had been out on the town at night because of her lover.

"Idiots. The old trotter was just looking for a pub," Levi thought to himself as he took a deep sip of his tea.

Meanwhile, Hange turned onto her back in her sleep and her hand instinctively slid to her stomach. And it was also more noticeable that her breasts had grown for the same reason. In her dream, her face was smooth, which must have been a good thing after all this.

Levi saw that the woman's dream was peaceful. Just as he saw Hange protectively holding their growing child in her belly, even in her sleep.

“Hange said the baby already has a heartbeat. Can that be felt already? ” Levi wondered as he sat closer to the woman.

The woman immediately woke up in a little fright at the movement. She had always been a deep sleeper, and Levi sometimes had to pour water over her to wake her up. But now she woke up at the slightest sound and wanted to reach for the knife she kept under her pillow. Because you can't be too prepared.

“Is everything okay?” she rubbed her eyes as she sat up. He could see that Levi was very interested in something.

“Yes,” Levi replied. “I was just thinking that the baby already has a heartbeat. Can you feel it? Can I touch your belly?” Levi asked, feeling a little embarrassed.

The man never thought he would ever ask Hange such a question.

"Of course," she nodded, smiling as she sat up and pulled him closer. "Sometimes I feel them, I think. But really, only rarely because they haven't moved yet."

“I felt something before…” Levi muttered. “But if it starts moving, maybe I’ll feel more.” A moment passed before the woman's eyes popped open.

"This is new," she muttered as she now felt quite clearly what was happening.

"It's not just new to you. It's new to me too," Levi replied, watching the woman's reactions with interest.

At this, Hange just shook her head and looked down at her stomach.

"Hey, kid, your dad's here and I'm sure he's just as tiring as you," she stated as if it was a perfectly obvious fact.

Levi wasn't surprised that Hange was talking to their unborn child. Instead, he added, more absent-mindedly:

"And I hope they will love cleaning just as much as I am. I hope he'll love tea like I do."

“This kid already loves tea,” Hange nodded, then just sat quietly next to Levi.

Meanwhile, there was a knock and Eren opened the door and saw Marco standing in front of him. He looked nervous, as if something had happened.

"Ever since you said people might become Titans, I've only had one thing on my mind," he began as they went to Eren's room. "After the Battle of Trost, everyone cleaned up their gear. I sat next to Annie and although I didn't think much of it at the time, I noticed that the equipment she had was Armin's."

“But how did the equipment end up with Annie?” Eren asked thoughtfully. “Maybe it had something to do with Armin’s death. He should have been questioned.”

"You said you came up with your Titan theory with Armin," Marco said. "And the Female Titan kept coming towards you. Like she wanted to kidnap you."

"I think it's not impossible to say that Annie is the Female Titan," Eren said thoughtfully. "I need to tell my parents. And the Commander. We need a plan to confirm this suspicion."

"Maybe you could ask Mikasa. She also joined the Military Police. She was close to Armin," Marco suggested.

Eren knew that Mikasa was still angry with him, and that was probably why she wouldn't have wanted to talk to him. Still, he had to talk to the girl, even if he would only get terse and cold answers. So, agreeing, he spoke:

"You're right. I'm going to the Military Police."

"Good luck," Marco patted Eren on the shoulder, then went back to Jean. Eren then quickly packed up and quickly checked in on his parents.

"I'm leaving, I need to discuss something with Mikasa. I might not be back until tomorrow," he said.

"Good luck with the date, after that the girl hates you," Levi said sarcastically, not having much hope for Eren and Mikasa's conversation. "Oh, and if possible, don't make the soldiers there angry. You shouldn't further worsen the already tense relationship between them and the Scouting Legion."

"We're definitely not going on a date," Eren said, blushing. "But I promise I won't cause any trouble. Whether they cause any trouble is another matter…" the boy scratched his head in confusion.

"Don't just cause trouble, don't get her pregnant either," Levi said with a stern face. The man then sat back down on the bed next to Hange, who just smiled to herself, finding Levi's discipline style amusing.

“You speak from experience, aren’t I right?” Eren raised his eyebrows in amusement, then disappeared.

"What an annoying brat…," Levi muttered.

But he didn't answer Eren any louder than that, just let him go, since the boy was obviously in a hurry.

Chapter Text

Eren didn't stop until he reached the Military Police base, where he spoke to some guards who promised to challenge Mikasa while he waited. So Eren did just that. He waited, leaning against the wall, feeling quite nervous. Although he never admitted it to himself out loud, he did like Mikasa even though he couldn't remember anything from Shiganshina. Maybe they would have had a chance if Armin hadn't died.

“What do you want?” Mikasa asked, her arms crossed, snarling. The girl was clearly still angry with Eren. The previous warmth towards the boy had completely disappeared from her gaze. Instead, she looked at her former childhood friend with irritation.

“I want to talk to you,” he pushed himself away from the wall while looking at her. “About Armin.”

When Mikasa heard Armin's name, her heart sank painfully. She still missed the blond-haired boy who had been her biggest supporter for so many years. Mikasa has never found anyone who understood her as well as Armin.

She had previously told him her sorrows. So after he died, one of the doors to her heart closed. And after what happened, Eren definitely wouldn't be the one she would open that door to.

That's why Mikasa didn't even answer Eren. She was waiting for the boy to ask his stupid question and disappear from here. She didn't want to see the person she had been most disappointed in in her life here.

“Marco said that after the Battle of Trost he saw Annie cleaning Armin’s equipment,” Eren looked deep into her steel gray eyes, but he also noticed that the girl had changed. Her hair was in a ponytail and the red scarf was missing from her neck. “She also joined the Military Police. Have you seen her doing anything strange lately?”

"No," Mikasa replied curtly, not wanting to reveal Annie's plans. But she decided to take revenge on Annie personally if Armin died because of her.

"Oh" he sighed, then scratched the back of his head. He hated running into dead ends "Um… What happened to your scarf? I've never seen you without it before" he asked curiously. Armin told him that he had given Mikasa the scarf when they were kids, when he saved her. She never took it off.

"I burned it," Mikasa replied coldly.

"You did the right thing," Eren nodded, knowing that there had been nothing between them for a long time. The scarf would have only hindered her in the fight anyway, because it would have gotten caught everywhere.

"I didn't ask for your opinion," Mikasa replied coolly. The girl's words cut through the gentle and warm air like a blade. "And if you have nothing else to say, you can leave now. I have work to do," the black-haired girl added.

"There's something I've always been interested in" Eren's voice became a little colder as he readied himself, his instincts ready for battle. Because Mikasa might not like what he wanted to ask. "What happened when Shiganshina fell? You always claimed we were good friends. So how did we end up apart from each other?"

"You ran away from Hannes because you were a stubborn idiot who always walked his own way," Mikasa replied, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, why are you asking this now? Armin is already dead. It's all over…"

“Of course,” he smiled sadly. “What did I expect from Eren Yeager?” he shook his head. “I asked him, but Armin never gave me a proper answer. He always led me astray.”

"Why do you think he never brought up the subject?" Mikasa asked sarcastically, trying to hide how much it hurt her to hear Armin's name. "Nobody likes to talk about painful things."

He sighed then, not really knowing what to say. One thing was certain, they had crossed the line of no return.

"Mikasa, I hope you find someone who will love you the way you wanted me to love you," he said as he walked past her towards his horse. "You did the right thing by burning the scarf. Because it was nothing more than a leash."

Mikasa didn't answer. She turned away from Eren and headed back to the Military Police base. She tried not to show her pain, but in reality, all she could think about was how alone she was. Armin was dead, and Eren had turned away from her. And there was no way she would ever trust Annie.

Eren returned to the base at dawn the next day, still wondering about the Female titan why she would want to catch him. Why did she kill Armin? Unless Armin told him about the Titan theory, Annie couldn't have known. But the truth would probably never see the light of day, considering Armin was dead. After he arrived and left his horse at the stable, his father was waiting for him at the door to the base. Levi was never a good sleeper and hearing the neighing of a horse, he knew that Eren had returned home.

“Hello,” Levi greeted his son. “Be quiet and don’t wake Hange. She needs her sleep.”

"I know," he nodded, then suddenly hugged Levi. It was hard for him to see Mikasa like this. And being separated from her was even worse.

“Was the date that bad?” Levi asked sympathetically, patting Eren's head comfortingly.

"She burned my scarf," he said softly, but quite coldly.

“Come on, Eren, don’t worry so much. It’s just a scarf. She didn’t throw let's say; your wedding ring into the fire,” Levi said. “Maybe she just found that scarf to be unbearably dirty. At least that’s when I burn your mother’s clothes.”

"It doesn't matter," Eren shook his head. "I wished her luck and we said our goodbyes. I hope she finds someone who can love her."

"I'm sorry about what happened," Levi replied. "But if you love Mikasa, don't give up so easily. If you don't, then it really would be best if you parted ways."

"There's nothing to fix. Eren Yeager ruined everything, as usual," he rolled his eyes as he thought of his childhood self. The boy with the raging fire inside, the one who thought freedom was in punching everything he could. 

"There's nothing that Eren Yeager ruined, what Eren Ackerman can't fix," Levi said encouragingly. "Don't let your past determine your future."

“I can’t fix everything,” he shook his head. “I can’t bring Armin back to life,” he said. He felt no regret about it, but he knew that everything would have been different if the boy had lived.

"That's true," Levi agreed, handing Eren a cup of tea to help him calm down. "But there are still some things you can fix by learning from your mistakes."

"Yeah. For example, don't have a crush on someone who could easily turn out to be a psychopath" he said boredly as he sipped his tea and burned his tongue, as usual. "So much for learning from my mistakes…"

"You think Mikasa is a psychopath?" Levi asked in surprise. "After the way she looked at you earlier, she didn't seem like one. And she was quite protective of that blonde kid."

"I don't know, it was always so scary when, um…" then he bit his lower lip. "I tried to get closer? It was like talking to a block of ice sometimes. It didn't really bother me at the time, because you're not much different either, but I know you and she's…"

"Then maybe Mikasa is like me and opens up to people slowly," Levi thought as he took the empty teacup from the boy's hand. "Maybe she needs time."

"Mikasa is not like you," Eren shook his head. "Something has changed in her now. I felt it."

"That's understandable. Mikasa has been through too much for her age," Levi said. "The only question is whether this change will have a positive or negative effect on her."

"I don't know," he smiled. "But I won't be the one who'll be there for her anymore. But I think she'll find someone who will love her."

“If not, then no,” Levi replied, then added reassuringly, “There are still many girls in the world. You’ll definitely find someone you can relate to.”

“Yeah, I don’t know,” he mused. “Maybe I’ll get a princess next time,” he started to chuckle.

“You’re doing the right thing,” Levi replied with a hidden smile at the corner of his mouth. “Just be careful not to find some spoiled princess.”

Then Sasha and Christa appeared in the kitchen. Sasha had more than likely come for the morning meal, while Christa had probably just followed the girl to help.

"Wow... Good evening," Sasha forced a grin. "Of course we're just going to the bathroom. Definitely not for food."

"Can I have some tea?" Christa said a little too enthusiastically, sitting down next to Eren.

Eren nodded at this and started making tea for Christa and Sasha. Levi then said goodbye to the group and left. The man wanted to check on the sleeping Hange to see if everything was okay. Meanwhile, he thought about how he hoped that Eren wouldn't let Sasha eat in the middle of the night.

“Thank you,” Christa smiled as she took the tea from Eren. Meanwhile, Sasha started eating, and Eren let her, just so he could make the following wonderful remark.

“You eat as much as my mother. Maybe there is a mini Connie on the way?” the boy said, noticing that the two of them were standing quite close to each other.

Sasha blushed at this and then said:

"Me and Connie… well… we didn't do what Jean and Marco did. I'm just hungry. Anyway, Connie's just my friend."

“You spend quite a lot of time together,” Christa said, smiling.

“Yes, but not as much as you and Ymir,” Sasha retorted.

"Obviously, because girls do it differently," Eren said, and Sasha suddenly didn't want to eat that much anymore.

“We don't do much anyway,” Christa shook her head in confusion. “We were only in a slightly compromising situation once and that's all everyone talks about ever since.”

"I find that hard to believe," Sasha said skeptically, putting her food aside because she wouldn't eat when faced with such a topic. “I heard you two once…” the brown-haired girl added.

“Those weren’t us. That was Jean and Marco’s voices echoing through the walls!" Christa muttered, blushing.

"Um, I don't think I'm the best person to educate you about sex, Sasha," Eren rolled his eyes, while Christa continued to drink her tea absentmindedly.

"Connie will definitely do that for her. It will be very practical," Christa added.

“Stop it. I never thought of Connie like that before,” Sasha complained. “I didn’t want to think about it at night. I just wanted to eat.”

“But it's good to know about your options,” Christa giggled happily. “Connie seems like a nice guy anyway. And mini Connie and Sasha were our big dream with Ymir!” she added, and Eren joined in the giggling.

"Okay, then you two will be the aunts. Eren will be the uncle," Sasha rolled her eyes.

“It would be an honor,” Eren nodded enthusiastically. “But I think Marco and Jean will also be happy to help me raise the children.”

"Those two wouldn't be raising children. They'd just be teaching sex education classes," Sasha said, her eyes drifting to her food. She was still hungry.

“Sasha, if you start eating again, I'll really tell everyone that you're pregnant with Connie's child,” Christa declared as she folded her arms more angrily.

"I'm not pregnant," Sasha argued, looking away from her food.

"But no one will object if I say you are, and knowing Connie even he will believe me. Because you seriously eat as much as the Squad Leader. Did I hear correctly that your mother ate four bowls of noodles in a row?" Christa looked at Eren with interest.

"Yes. We arrive at our quarters exhausted and we just see her eating the third bowl and then starting the fourth."

“That’s cool!” Sasha said in surprise. “Do you think I could eat that much?”

“Maybe. But the Commander wouldn’t be happy if you robbed him of his wealth,” Christa replied.

"Um… Sasha…" Eren said awkwardly. He thought his parents hadn't had time to say it properly yet, but… "my mother is expecting a child. So you understand the reason why she eats…"

"Eren means that if you want to win against her, you have to ask Connie for help," said Christa, who was having a lot of fun with the whole situation.

“No way! I eat a lot without Connie’s help,” Sasha argued. “I don’t have to be pregnant to do that.”

At this, Eren and Christa shook their heads, while Sasha just raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"Are you two like a couple in the making? I mean if you're saying there's nothing between you and Ymir? Because I can feel the chemistry between you two," the girl declared. At this, Christa turned away blushing. She didn't want to elaborate on her relationship with Ymir. So she just said this:

"I didn’t say that there's nothing…"

“Hey, Eating machine, what are you holding Christa up for?” Ymir appeared, as if she sensed that they were talking about her.

"It's best if we all go back to sleep then," Eren suggested, and the others agreed.

Meanwhile, Mikasa looked through "Annie's" equipment at the Military Police, looking for any clues that Eren was telling the truth. Mikasa didn't have to look at the equipment for long. Annie didn't even try to remove any evidence that the ODM gear had once been Armin's. For a moment she just silently watched the Armin that the boy had scratched into the blade holder. Then with a shout that was louder than necessary, she broke the whole thing in two. Mikasa felt the tears of grief and anger flow freely down her face. The girl knew she would never forgive Annie for killing Armin. She would take revenge on him.

“Mikasa?” Hitch, the other girl she shared the room with, appeared behind her. Hitch was a cheerful and outgoing girl who seemed to like both Annie and Mikasa quite a bit.

“What do you want?” Mikasa asked sullenly as she wiped away her tears and stood in front of the shattered equipment so Hitch couldn't see the marks.

“I woke up and didn't find you in our room. Are you okay?” the girl asked as she sent him a reassuring smile.

"Yes," Mikasa replied curtly. Meanwhile, she hoped that Hitch would finally leave her and get out of here. After all, hse still had to somehow cover up the evidence that she had broken the equipment.

“Then let's go back to our room,” she said, holding out her hand to Mikasa enthusiastically. She knew she wasn't quite okay, but it would be good to show Mikasa that she wasn't alone in her grief.

"Okay," Mikasa replied, knowing it would be suspicious to say no, she quickly pushed the equipment back into its original place and went after Hitch, figuring she would arrange this when her roommate wasn't lurking around.

"You're not alone, Mikasa," Hitch said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "And I'm so sorry about Armin. I heard he was very talented." Mikasa's eyes darkened for a moment when she heard Armin's name. She still missed the boy. Finally, turning away from Hitch, he spoke quietly:

"Yes, he was. The most talented." Hitch nodded, then returned to their room and lay down on his bed to sleep.

"Goodnight Mikasa," she said to her before falling asleep.

But Mikasa just laid there thinking about how to avenge Armin.

Chapter Text

After this tiring day, Mikasa fell asleep. Her dreams consisted of confused images. Sometimes she saw Annie suffering in a prison cell, then in the next image she saw her running through the streets as a child with Armin. Then she saw dead people. Then again the blond-haired boy, smiling at her reassuringly. Mikasa started to run towards him to hug him, but she never reached him as Armin vanished with the air. Mikasa then heard something, but couldn't make out anything. Sensing someone behind her, she turned around and saw Armin again, but this time the boy was running towards her. However, as he got closer, it became clearer that it wasn't Armin.

The blond-haired, man with the glasses looked at her calculatingly. He was clearly planning something. Mikasa wanted to ask him who he was and what he was doing here. She also wanted to know if the man had seen Armin somewhere around here. However, as soon as he opened his mouth, the man turned into a monkey and climbed a tree. Then he was lost forever.

Mikasa stood up, rubbing her eyes, as their superior yelled for everyone to get up because they had other things to do. The girl pulled on her things and fastened her belts just in time to start the day. Her thoughts were spinning around how she could betray Annie without anyone finding out about their relationship. The other thing was this blonde man. She had never seen him before. Or had she? Mikasa decided to draw the figure after work. She had to go now as their squad leader started yelling as loudly as Shadis.

But luckily, they had some really boring work to do today. Mikasa didn't understand why the strongest of humanity would come here if there was nothing to do. It was disgusting, but that was the way the world worked. The point was, at least she had time to draw while she worked. Mikasa soon finished her drawing. She made some corrections here and there, then nodded in satisfaction. The girl was just holding her work into the distance when Annie appeared next to her. The blonde-haired girl immediately turned pale upon seeing the drawing.

“When… when did you see him?” Annie asked in shock, trying to regain her usual composure.

"In my dream," Mikasa said only because Annie seemed to know the man. And judging by the look in her eyes, she was probably afraid of him. "Do you know who this is?"

“No, I don’t know him… He just had such a… familiar face,” Annie lied. Then, to gather information, the girl asked this question: "Have you seen him anywhere outside of your dreams?"

"Never before," Mikasa said with a blank expression. Why did she ask? Not that she cared.

“I understand,” Annie replied. But the girl really didn't understand. She had no idea how Mikasa could see that man if she hadn't met him yet. But she would definitely mention this to Reiner and Berthold when they met.

Eren stood in front of the café that was supposed to be the meeting point, confused. Yesterday Mikasa said she didn't know anything, but this morning he had already received a letter saying they should meet in the afternoon because she wanted to tell him something. Deep down, Eren hoped they could finally talk properly, so that Mikasa wouldn't just grumble at him.

"Listen, Eren. I know our last meeting didn't go so well," Mikasa began. "But now, as annoying as it is, I need your help."

“Come on, let's sit down,” Eren said, then sat down at one of the tables, and Mikasa followed suit. He then picked up the drinks menu and started browsing. “What do you want my help with?” he asked, paying attention to the menu instead of Mikasa.

"It's about Armin," Mikasa continued. The girl's voice faltered audibly as she said the boy's name. Mikasa felt this too, so she took deep breaths and tried to calm herself down. She avoided Eren's gaze, not wanting to appear weak in front of the boy.

“Did you find out anything?” he asked as he ordered tea and cookies for both of them. He then placed a stack of papers on the table, thinking that once his conversation with Mikasa was over, he would continue with the paperwork.

"I think so. I found Armin's ODM gear at Annie's. That's why I suspect she killed Armin," Mikasa replied, her hands clenched into fists, trying to control her anger. "And I want revenge. I want Annie to pay for her actions."

“Can you trick her to go outside Wall Rose?” Eren asked as their tea and cookies arrived, and he took the top paper off the stack and started reading. “If she can turn into a Titan, it would be a bad thing if she did it in a part of town full of civilians.”

"I'll try to trick her to go with me," Mikasa nodded. A plan was already forming in the girl's head. She thought that she would first convince the half-witted Berthold and Reiner of this. If the two boys supported her, Annie would give in more easily.

"Great," he nodded. "Then write a letter with the date and we'll be there," he sipped his tea, while Mikasa seemed to look at him with an interested expression for the first time. Or something like that.

"Okay," Mikasa nodded. Then she added reluctantly: "And thanks for the help."

"It's nothing," he said as he saw Mikasa finally sigh and relax a bit to drink her tea. Eren, meanwhile, was quietly looking through the reports of his team. As Mikasa looked up at Eren, she noticed once again how much the boy had changed. Eren was never able to sit still as a child. Now he's looking through official documents, seemingly focused on his work. "What's life like in the Military Police?" the boy finally asked, a little bored with the silence. At least there was something that hadn't changed. By the way, Eren wanted to tell her about his promotion, and he was also interested in how Mikasa was doing if they could finally have a proper conversation.

"Boring," Mikasa shrugged. Then, so that their conversation wouldn't end, she quickly added: "You always have to patrol or clean. Less often, you have to fill out official papers. So, what is life like in the Scouting Legion?"

“In short? Exciting,” Eren said as he began to examine the next page and scribble things on it. “I became a Captain, mom is expecting and I am experimenting like always,” he said as he instinctively adjusted his goggles on his head. “Armin was a genius. Without him, I would never have been able to work out my titan acupuncture theory,” he added, hoping this would bring them closer a little.

"I'm glad your life turned out so well," Mikasa replied sincerely, smiling for a moment. However, the mention of Armin made her sullen and withdrawn again. "Armin was the smartest person I've ever met," Mikasa muttered, crumpling her napkin. "He deserved so much more than that." The girl took a deep breath and tried to swallow back her tears. She hoped that Eren wouldn't mention Armin again. Otherwise, she would be left feeling ashamed in front of the boy she had liked as a child.

“You know, if you ever want to… the Scouts would be happy to take you in,” he said with a smile. “I would be happy to take you in. Armin wouldn’t have wanted you to suffer alone."

"Thank you. I'll think about it," Mikasa replied, even though she had other plans for the time being. When Armin's name was mentioned again, Mikasa's eyes filled with tears. Nevertheless, she nodded, agreeing with Eren.

At this, Eren sighed and although he should have considered their relationship closed, he didn't. It was his mother's fault for teaching him to be too compassionate. Because the next thing he did was stand up and walk over to Mikasa, crouch down and hug her. Although Mikasa was still angry with Eren for forgetting her and Armin, she still didn't push him away. Instead, she just pulled him closer. The girl liked Eren's comforting gesture. It had been a long time since someone had held her so tenderly. Too long.

“If you need anything, I’m here,” he told her, wiping away her tears. He didn’t want her to cry, but he knew he couldn’t really comfort her, since he still didn’t remember anything. But maybe if he did, things wouldn’t be too different.

"Thank you…" Mikasa muttered. But the girl didn't know how much to trust those words. The last time Armin was the one who had said that to her. And the boy was dead now.

Soon the girl left and Eren stayed to finish looking through the papers. Within a few days, Eren received the letter with the meeting place and time. The boy then gathered his team and discussed a plan with Erwin.

Mikasa was already at the scene with Annie, impatiently waiting for the scouts. Annie sensed Mikasa's uneasiness and didn't understand why. Then she saw the scouts and realized that this might be the cause of her roommate's frustration.

“Annie Leonhart,” Eren nodded towards her. “You have something to say, don’t you?” the boy tilted his head.

“Not really,” Annie replied calmly, even though she felt something was wrong here.

The scouts shouldn't be here. Annie knew that Reiner and Berthold couldn't have devised a plan to betray her all the while they're sharing one braincell. So, she immediately realized that Mikasa was behind the scenes. Annie looked around anxiously, trying to figure out the easiest way to escape.

"Annie Leonhart, you are under arrest for the murder of Armin Arlert," Eren stated as he pulled out his gun. At Erwin's request, he didn't bring everyone with him. Only Marco, Jean, Christa, and Ymir from his team were here.

Upon hearing this statement, Eren's team and Mikasa immediately surrounded Annie so that she would have no chance to escape.

"You don't really leave me any other options…" Annie murmured. Then she took out her ring and cut herself with it. The next moment, Annie attacked the others in her titan form.

Eren was fast, very fast, and he had already attacked the Female Titan, cutting off her fingers with one easy movement. Perhaps it was at this moment which showed the most just how much he had changed. He was collected, already two steps ahead. He didn't lose his temper or started shouting. He just worked in silence, like Levi usually does.

The others, seeing Eren's courage, gathered themselves and they also attacked Annie. The female titan soon lost both her arms and her eyesight, but she still protected her neck. Then Eren landed next to Mikasa, who was still watching him in amazement. Eren just smiled and ran his hand through his hair, then adjusted his goggles.

"Do you want to finish it?"

"Yes," Mikasa replied, then using her ODM gear, she jumped into the air and attacked Annie. Annie knew she had lost. That's why she used the only method that still gave her a chance to survive. She instantly transformed the titan's skin into a block of crystal, encasing herself in it. Mikasa was unable to stop herself in time, so her sword hit the block of crystal, causing the blade to break.

"This is interesting" Eren hurried over, immediately pressing his ear to the crystal while tapping on it. "It doesn't seem unbreakable. I just need to figure out what to do" he said, already thinking. "Did you see how she cut her finger? That's how they shift into their titan forms" then he took out his notebook. "They cut their skin. But why that?" the boy asked himself the poetic question. Mikasa ignored Eren's question. Instead, she angrily slammed her fist into the ice and then shouted:

"It's no use hiding, Annie! I'll kill you one day! I won't let you get away with things after what you did to Armin! Do you understand?!"

"Hey!" Eren immediately pulled her away. "Don't just hit it like that! We don't even know what form she's in yet and if you accidentally break her and she breaks like a porcelain doll, then we've lost a lot of valuable information" he stated angrily, because he hated it when someone interrupted him like that while he was thinking.

"Leave me alone! I don't care! I want to see Annie dead!" Mikasa yelled as tears began to flow. The girl had never been so out of control before. For the first time in her life, she had completely lost her cool. But Eren wouldn't let her go and dragged her away from it. He didn't have the time or will to deal with a teenage girl when science was waiting for him.

"Calm down," he said coldly, as the girl squirmed back and forth. It was ironic, Armin would have laughed at the moment when Mikasa lost her cool and Eren was the calm person who helped her. "Armin wouldn't have wanted to…"

"How would you know what he wanted?!" Mikasa yelled, finally ripping her wrist out of Eren's grip. "You forgot about him!"

"I'm sure he didn't want you to go lose your temper," Eren replied calmly, still holding Mikasa. "You better help me figure out how to break the crystal. The blades doesn't seem to work on it."

At that point, Mikasa, in anger and disgust, just spat at Eren's face.

"Die," she declared, then using her equipment she disappeared. Eren was quite shocked by these words. But then he noticed that his subordinates were watching him. So he quickly gathered himself and spoke:

"Help me get Annie back to the base somehow. Maybe we can figure out what to do with her there."

So they managed to get Annie underground while Eren enthusiastically took notes. He tried not to focus on the fact that the part of his face where Mikasa had spat on him was still warm, even though he wiped it off quite a while ago.

“I’m going to get you out of here, Annie,” the boy said confidently, “as long as I'm living.”

Chapter Text

Volume 3: Sea of lies

This volume takes place during the whole second season of the series. The following characters are the ones mainly in this volume:

Eren Yeager
Hange Zoë
Levi Ackerman
104th training squad ensemble
Mikasa Ackerman
Grisha Yeager
Zeke Yeager
Erwin Smith

Meanwhile, Hange's pregnancy was starting to show more and more. This made Levi realize that while his child was still small, he needed to support both them and Hange better. For this reason, he would need more free time, and he needed to discuss this with Erwin as soon as possible. So the man headed for the Commander's office. When he arrived, he knocked on the door.

“Come in,” said Erwin, whom Levi found in between piles of papers. The man had only recently received Eren’s report on how his study on Annie was progressing and how the crystal could be broken. Not so surprisingly, the Military Police were also waiting for an explanation for the whole thing. They couldn’t afford to let anyone slack off now.

“I want to talk to you about something important,” Levi began with a calm look on his face. “I think you know that Hange is going to give birth in a few months. That means she’ll need me more during that time. So after my child is born, I want more free time.”

Erwin looked at Levi for a moment, thinking. How far along was Hange? He quickly checked his calendar and confirmed that he had plenty of time until then. And after that? Who knows. This was already giving him a headache.

"I can cover you for a total of two months," he said with a serious look.

Hearing these words, Levi's eyebrows furrowed. He thought two months wasn’t long enough. However, he knew he couldn't get more than that, since the scouts were already short of soldiers. However, after the two months of leave, he didn't want to return to his full-time job, so he tried to get at least more days off:

“Okay. But after that, I'd like to have three days off a week for a while.”

“No,” he said coldly. Erwin didn't want to be confronted either and would have been happy if he didn't have to lose not one but two of his best soldiers. Simply, especially now, when it turned out that the enemy might have been inside the walls all along.

Levi didn't like having to argue with one of the people closest to him. But now, his family's comfort and safety depended on his words, so he didn't let himself be swayed. So, he spoke to Erwin not as a close friend, but as his superior, for whom nothing else mattered but the goal.

"Commander Erwin, my family needs me. I'm the only one who can provide for them. That's why I insist on the three days off."

Erwin sighed, but it wasn't the kind of sigh that indicated his tiredness, this one seemed much worse. He wanted to tell Levi that it was his fault that he couldn't take care of Hange and now they were having a child on top of all that. He needed Levi, especially since Eren was still just learning how to deal with soldiers, and Moblit from whom he knew he wouldn't be able to handle the work alone.

"Then look for someone who can provide for your family. Because I can't replace you," he said, his fingers barely but still tensing up.

"Yes, you can replace me," Levi said coldly. "Anyone can be trained to take my place. The ones who can't replace me are Hange and my child."

“Can you name anyone who is as strong as you? As organized? Who can perfectly complete the task assigned to them?” he asked, dropping his pen on the table.

"Eren," Levi snapped immediately. "And there are strong people on his team too. I'm sure you'll find someone."

“The weekends,” the man made his final offer, not at all bothered by the need to negotiate in such a situation. “And only if you get everything done by then.”

"We agreed then," Levi replied, knowing that Erwin wouldn't give him more than that.

“Great,” he nodded slightly, then his eyes went back to the paperwork. “Is there anything else you’d like to share?”

"No," Levi replied with a blank expression.

At the moment, he didn't feel like sharing all his frustrations with his superior. Levi had just left Erwin's office when a soldier was already waiting for him at the door. He was wearing a Military Police badge and the man knew who it was right away.

“I thought you were just paying me for nothing for years but to chase a ghost,” he said casually. “But I saw him. In Stohess, at the abandoned construction site.”

“Who did you see?” Levi asked suspiciously, taking a closer look at the figure.

“The one you paid for me to look for,” he played with the knife in his hand. “Grisha Yeager.”

“What was he doing in Stohess?” Levi asked.

"Who knows," he shrugged. "You asked me to find him, not to find out what he's doing. That's your job."

"Okay," Levi nodded reluctantly, expecting a more thorough job. "Then your work is over. You can go about your business."

"As you wish," the man said, then left now that his work was over.

After that, Levi walked slowly and deliberately back to his quarters at the base. He wanted to inform Hange about what Erwin had told him. Hange was lying in their room while Eren was telling him about the possibility that the right sound frequency could break the crystal. Hange was smiling enthusiastically while holding one hand on her stomach.

Levi smiled at his family for a moment. But then he looked straight ahead again, emotionless. He knew deep down that Hange would be annoyed by the little time he had been given by Erwin. So he tried to prepare himself for that. Trying to compose himself, he dusted the table, just to make it look like he was doing something, while visibly avoiding Hange's gaze.

“Hi dad! How did it go? Was Erwin stubborn as always?” Eren asked as he noticed him. He had been with his mother for quite some time, he loved talking to her as always, but Eren also saw that for some reason her eyes always looked so tired. But as Hange noticed him, she got up much more cheerfully and walked over to him and hugged her future husband.

"I missed you," she muttered to him.

"You too," Levi replied, his voice filled with caution and concern rather than warmth. So he didn't hug Hange back, he just gently patted her head as a sign of his love.

“Is something wrong?” She looked at him, pushing her glasses up, noticing that Levi didn't hug her back. And she knows that him not hugging her back means bad news.

"No, there's nothing wrong…" Levi replied instinctively, as he was used to not burdening others with his problems. But then he realized that no matter how uncomfortable the situation was, he had to tell Hange this. "I mean, yes, but still," Levi muttered as he turned away from Hange.

“Is that Erwin? Should I go and scream his head off? I am already prepared for this moment,” the woman stretched excitedly, because this was the first non-household chore she could finally do.

"Yes, it's Erwin. But don't yell at him. Don't cause a scandal," Levi replied, as he began to watch Hange. Finally, with a deep sigh, he added: "He refuses to give me any more off work time."

“You see…” she finally folded her hands with a grin on her face. “I'm already prepared, Levi. And Marie said she'd be willing to help me if it comes to Erwin.”

“Marie? When did you talk to her?” Levi asked in shock, even forgetting about his problem. “Doesn’t she live on the inner wall with some boring guy named Nile? Maybe she got tired of that ferret and realized that Erwin was the better choice after all?” Levi inquired, secretly caring about Erwin’s feelings even if he refused to give him more free time.

“No, actually she came to me when you were on expedition last time” she explained things. “She said she heard from Erwin and wanted to help me. This was so sweet!”

“Oh, I see,” Levi nodded. Then he added suspiciously. “Are you sure she doesn’t have some ulterior motive? What did she tell you?”

"I don't think so. She was the first one who could give any useful advice about this whole thing," she pointed at her belly.

“Really?” Levi asked in surprise. He really didn't expect this. He never thought that Erwin's ex would one day be the one to help Hange.

“Yes, she already has children,” the woman said, then sat down on the chair. So if needed, she can help too.

Levi had absolutely no answer to that. Instead, he just blinked and waited for Hange to explain why Marie wanted to help her ex's two best friends raise their child. He didn't trust Marie anyway, after the woman didn't accept Erwin's lifestyle and chose a more comfortable and secure life.

“Whatever” she shook her head. “The point is that I'm prepared for anything and nothing will happen” she stood up again. “But I can also tell from your face that something else happened” the woman scrutinized him, knowing him all too well.

“Yes,” Levi nodded. “The spy reported seeing Grisha Yeager in Stohess. At a construction site. I think we should go there, because he’s probably there for a reason.”

“In Stohess?” Hange asked. Somehow she knew what Grisha might be doing there. Maybe Carla had left him something… “Did you mention the abandoned construction site?” She asked Levi.

"Yes, there," Levi replied. "Why? Do you know that place? Have you been there before?"

"When Carla and I were teenagers, we played truth or dare and Carla dared. I told her to climb to the top of the abandoned reconstruction site," the woman said. "When she came back, she looked like she had seen a ghost and then she dragged me home, even when I wanted to go up too."

“Then she probably saw something she shouldn’t have,” Levi concluded. “Maybe it’s no coincidence that Grisha is also wandering that way. Maybe he’s looking for what Carla saw.”

"Then we should go there and see for ourselves," Eren finally spoke up, as he grabbed his mother's shoulder. It was interesting, he hadn't really heard her talk about Carla.

"That's true," Levi agreed. "The only question is when should we leave? If Erwin doesn't give us any tasks, we might as well leave now."

“Let's go now! It's been so long since we did something, just the three of us,” Eren said excitedly. “I mean, let me clarify. There are four of us now,” he said, then sneaked back into his room to pack up his stuff.

"We're not going to have fun, kid. We're going to investigate," Levi said after the boy.

However, Eren didn't pay attention to his father's response, instead quickly getting ready and was soon jumping around the room again.

“Can we finally go?” Eren asked excitedly.

“Yes,” Levi replied with a sigh as he helped Hange put on her coat.

“Hey, Eren,” Hange looked at him quickly. “Um… has Carla ever taken you to Stohess?”

“No, why are you asking?” The boy looked at his mother.

"Because then I'll have to introduce you to my parents," she sighed a little nervously.

“Were your parents that bad?” Eren asked sympathetically. Meanwhile, Levi placed his hand on the woman's back comfortingly and growled at Eren:

"Don't be nosy all the time. There are things people don't like to talk about."

“Relax” the woman looked reassuringly at Levi, then at Eren. “This is inevitable anyway and you are their grandson” she explained as they sat down next to each other on a cart. “They will get to know we are there one way or another, so the best we can do is that we go to them, meet them and leave them.”

“Okay!” Eren replied excitedly, eager to meet his grandparents.

However, Levi was less enthusiastic. He would have preferred to skip this meeting, as he hated artificial conversations and tedious chats. But for Hange’s sake, he undertook this task. Nevertheless, he said grumpily:

"I hope we don't stay there that long."

“It depends on how much my parents will care that I kinda made a fool out of myself” said Hange, remembering the last thing she said before she went to training and before she was unofficially disowned. That she would never have a husband, let alone a child. And then after all these years, she will be back with her fiancé, her sister's child, and her own in her belly. What kind of absurd thing would this be for them?

"I would rather skip any family fights," Levi grumbled under his breath, listless.

“I'm sure it'll be fine!” Eren replied enthusiastically, his mood not even dampened by his father's grumpy mood. “I think we'll just talk.”

"Tch, I don't care what you do. Just don't kill each other or anything like that," Levi shrugged.

"Everything will be fine," she said, not very convincingly. Most of the journey was spent in silence, because Hange managed to fall asleep and didn't wake up for a while. It wasn't a problem, because Eren was just doing paperwork, and when he was done and there was nothing left, he turned to Levi.

"That day… she spat on my face and told me to die," Eren whispered softly as he looked in front of him. "I mean Mikasa."

“From what I can see, dating Mikasa isn’t working out very well,” Levi replied. He thought for a few seconds, then sighed heavily and said, “Look, kid, I’m not the best dating advisor. I don’t really know much about women. But I think even I can tell you that a girl who spits on your face isn’t right for you. You deserve better than that.”

“You might be right,” he nodded. “Don’t say things like that anyway, you and Mom got along so well. It happens to so few people,” he put his hand on her shoulder. “So if I want to ask anyone for love advice, it’s you, Dad.”

“Thank you,” Levi muttered, touched. “I never thought I would see the day that I will be helping a teenage kid with this.”

"Thank you for being here for me," Eren said, then started looking at the landscape.

Chapter Text

A few hours later, Hange stood nervously in front of her parents' house. It wasn't a luxury villa, but it seemed neat enough to show off her family's status. Hange didn't know what she was going to say to them, but she knew it needs to be done. Otherwise, they would find out from someone else that she is here and then they would give her a very hard time.

“Let’s not waste more time,” Levi told the woman firmly. “Knock on the thor. Let’s get through this before we run out of time.”

Hange took a deep breath and knocked, then waited for someone to open the door. In the meantime, she folded her arms and tried to straighten up so that her stomach would be less noticeable. Then finally, a gray-haired, bespectacled woman opened the door, who looked exactly like Hange.

“Grandma!” Eren shouted happily, even though he didn't know the old woman. However, the woman did not pay attention to the young boy. Instead, she raised her gaze to Hange:

"Do I see you're wearing a engagement ring? I hope you're not going to marry the short, dirty bastard next to you." Levi's brow furrowed at that statement. He kicked the last person who called him dirty, kicking them so hard they slid two meters on the ground.

“Mom!” She gave her a forced smile. “It’s been a while since we last saw each other!” she mumbled, confused. “Um, this is Eren, Carla’s son,” she pointed at Eren to distract her mother from Levi. At this, the woman looked at Eren, then back at Hange. Though Hange's mother still didn't show much interest in her grandson. Instead, she tried to find out with sharp glances what Levi's relationship was with her daughter. "And Levi Ackerman," she finally pointed at the man, giving up trying. Her mother was just like her, if she thought of something, that was all that mattered. The name made her mother's eyes light up with familiarity, and then she just frowned in confusion. As if that wasn't how she imagined Mankind's Strongest.

Finally, the old woman asked the question that had been nagging her for some time: "And who is he to you? What is he doing here?"

“We’ll just be here in Stohess and I thought you’d rather find out from me than from anyone else,” she scratched her head in confusion. “And we’re… we’re going to get married,” she said quietly.

“With this dwarf?” the old woman asked in surprise.

"Yes," Hange nodded, confused.

"I see. You know what you want," Hange's mother finally said albeit very skeptically. Meanwhile, she stood away from the door and invited the guests in: "Come on in. While you're here, let's have a cup of tea."

Levi looked at Hange doubtfully. He really wanted to get out of here, and apparently even his favorite drink couldn't make him stay. All the while Hange just nodded and then she stepped inside.

"The place hasn't changed at all," she looked around the hallway. Then she took off her coat carefully, and within a few moments they were drinking tea together, quite tense. Hange saw that her mother was scrutinizing Eren this time.

"You don't look like Carla," she stated simply, and instead of getting upset, Eren just shrugged.

“Maybe it’s for the better,” he replied, with less enthusiasm than at first. Then Hange's mother started staring at her daughter again, and Hange could only hope that she wouldn’t find out about her pregnancy.

“Is Dad still working?” Hange asked to divert attention. She didn’t really want her to know.

"Yes, but not for much longer. He's going to retire soon," the woman said, cutting the conversation short. Then the old woman noticed that her daughter was constantly tugging at the bottom of her shirt. That's why she examined her daughter again to find out the reason for her concern. Finally, frowning, she said: "You're not pregnant, are you?"

“No,” she lied, not very well. It was just like when she was a child, where she was just as bad at lying as now and because of that her mother always saw right through her. So there were rarely any pranks she could pull off with Carla. And with Carla, she usually got into trouble.

Levi looked at Hange with a raised eyebrow at this statement. He didn't think she would try to deny the obvious. This small gesture, however, clearly told the old woman that her daughter was lying.

"I hope my grandchild doesn't inherit your dwarf genes," Hange's mother said while pointing at Levi.

"I'm of completely average height," Levi stated.

Hange just looked ahead and waited for the aggressive comments to come about them saying that they had told her. A woman's job was to marry a man and have children. And even her stubbornness wouldn't change that. Although Hange thought her mother would stick to her usual passive-aggressive comments.

“And would you tell me how you plan to support my daughter?” Hange’s mother asked sarcastically. Then, before Levi could answer, she added, “Guys like you are the ones who just make the child and then leave it with the woman.”

"Until you know me, you'd better not make assumptions," Levi said in an icy voice, gripping the arm of the couch in anger.

"Anyway, no one have to support me anyway," Hange declared, though she tried to seem as small as possible, as she always did in every situation like this when it came to her mom.

"Well, you may not need it, but your child does. And it won't be a cheap pastime," Hange's mother said. Meanwhile, Levi was still clutching the armrest of the couch. The old woman's words were tearing up old wounds in him that he didn't want to recall.

“We raised Eren,” Hange stated with a bit more confidence, while her mother simply lit a cigarette, as she always did when she was nervous. “We know exactly how much it costs.”

“And you’re aware that the Ackermans are being hunted? Because they’re too dangerous to society or whatever,” the old woman said tensely, her fingers holding the cigarette trembling. “I don’t want to expose my grandson to that danger.”

“You never told me that,” Hange looked at Levi suddenly. It wasn't such a big deal, because the woman knew he would protect her whatever comes, but it would have been better not to hear it from her mother.

"Maybe because you never asked?" Levi asked sarcastically, starting to get really fed up with this family meeting. "Anyway, the Titans are a much bigger threat than some stupid assassins."

“Whatever,” she rubbed her arm in confusion and then closed her eyes for a moment because she had to stop herself from crying right there. But even then, she couldn't stop a few fat tears from rolling down her face.

"Maybe you should have thought before marrying someone instead of whining," the old woman said to her daughter, her mouth pursed.

“Will you shut up?” Levi growled at the old woman, starting to lose his patience. “Can’t you see that Hange isn’t feeling well?”

"If she can't deal with the facts now, how would she deal with a baby? A child not really a piece of cake," the woman said, taking another drag from her cigarette and looking sharply at her daughter. "Maybe she shouldn't have been a whore."

“Would you mind if you didn’t call my wife like that?” Levi asked, his voice shaking with anger as he jumped up from his chair. “But I can see that you don’t know anything about your own daughter. So one thing is for sure, I’ll be a better parent than you were!”

The woman blew out the smoke and saw through Levin with one glance, as Hange usually did. “Your mother was a whore,” she said with the naturalness that Hange usually had when talking about things. “Interesting, isn’t it? We run from one mistake into another. Over and over again until we die. We never break out of the cycle, instead we become its slaves,” she pressed the butt down with a light movement.

Levi's patience ran out at this point. So he stormed out of the room and left the apartment before he did anything he would later regret. The fresh air outside helped him calm down a bit. It made Levi think that he shouldn't have let the old woman control him like that. It had been a long time since the man had lost his temper like that. Eren then hurried after Levi, leaving the two women alone. Hange just sat on the couch in fear, wondering what to do. She almost froze when she saw her mother stand up, because she knew that soon she would slap her like she did when she was a child while the woman lamented how much of a shame he was. But then the older woman lowered her hand, reminding herself that her daughter was expecting a child. Nevertheless, she stepped closer and spoke in a cool voice:

"After you're about to marry a filthy son of a whore, forget about me helping you take care of your bastard child. If you've been fine on your own so far, you should sort things out from now on. And I don't want to see that dwarf in front of my house again. Do you understand?"

“Yes,” the woman nodded, then quickly slipped out like a cat, taking her jacket with her. But she didn’t get far with her heart pounding in her ears because as soon as she stepped out and saw Levi waiting, everything went dark and her legs buckled under her.

Levi managed to catch her in time, and Hange didn't hit his head on the pavement. The man had no idea what to do, so he just sat down and placed his future wife on his lap, hoping she would come to her senses. Meanwhile, he instructed Eren to get some water very quickly so that Hange would have something to drink when she woke up. Hange opened her eyes a few moments later, just as Eren arrived with the clean water he had bought with his money. All she knew was that her world was spinning and she felt terrible. When she remembered everything, she sat up scared and put her hand on her stomach to feel if everything was okay. Levi held the woman carefully as Hange tried to compose herself.

“How are you feeling?” the man asked, concerned.

When she couldn't feel anything under her hand, she thought she was going to have a panic attack, but when Levi slid his hand over hers, the child kicked so hard that even the woman hissed, then she calmed down. The Ackermans couldn't be defeated that easily.

"This kid's strong..." Levi muttered, still holding Hange close to him.

Eren just stood there awkwardly with a glass of water in his hand. But of course Hange finally asked for the water, which Eren gave her, squatting down next to her. Meanwhile, the woman tried not to hiss every time, while the child started doing gymnastics, something they had never done before.

“Maybe the baby is moving so much because it senses you’re tense,” Levi said to Hange, his hand still resting on the woman’s belly. “Maybe if you calmed down, it would calm down too.”

The woman nodded and then did the only thing that had really worked lately. She snuggled up to him and slid her hand over his, over his stomach. She took deep breaths, the kind Marie had shown her when she came over and they were talking. Levi carefully pulled Hange closer to him and then gently stroked her hair to help her calm down. Although he wanted to know what Hange's mother had said to the woman, he decided to wait before asking her. He didn't want to upset Hange again. Soon the woman calmed down and wiped her tears and cleaned her glasses. Then she leaned back, because she wanted to never leave his arms again. She wanted to stay here with him, even if it was just sitting on the sidewalk.

“I love you,” she murmured like a mantra as she leaned her head against his chest.

"I love you too," Levi whispered back, then kissed the top of her head. Then, in a gentle but still reprimanding tone, he added: "We shouldn't sit on the sidewalk because you'll catch a cold. And that won't be good for the child." Levi saw that Hange was still weak, so he gave another instruction to Eren: "Get up, kid, and find a bench nearby for Hange to sit on."

The boy, who had been studying an advertisement with great interest before to give his parents space, nodded. Then he did as his father asked. A few minutes later, Eren returned with great enthusiasm.

"I got something better than a bench. A room," he announced proudly as he helped his mother stand up. "Come on, mom, you'll definitely feel better on a bed in a nice warm room," he held her tightly while Levi stood up too.

"But we still have to go..." the woman tried to say, saying that they still had work to do and shouldn't postpone it because of her.

"There's still tomorrow. It's getting dark anyway," Eren declared.

"Eren's right," Levi replied as he and Eren let Hange lean on them. "You need to rest now. I don't want you to faint again."

"Okay" she nodded, then upon entering the inn, Eren asked for the room key, which he took and they were ready to go upstairs. Upon arriving, Levi immediately sat the woman down, and Eren went downstairs with the excuse that he would bring food right away. He knew it was better to leave his parents for a while now, so they could talk.

“I'm sorry,” the woman told Levi, knowing full well how much her mother must have hurt him. Of course, Hange had suspected for a long time what his mother was, she never asked about it out of politeness.

"It's okay," Levi replied. It was easier for the man to say that than to admit how much Hange's mother had hurt him. He also wanted to appear strong, to prove to Hange that she and the child would be safe with him.

"Let's look at the bright side, at least we found out why my tolerance for harsh comments is so high," the woman looked at her future husband with a bitter smile.

"Yeah," Levi replied listlessly. Meanwhile, he thought to himself that he hoped he would never have to see Hange's mother again. He didn't want to hear any more hurtful comments about his past. There was a good reason why he had shared these details with almost no one.

“Are you really okay?” she asked again, seeing how nervous the man still looked. She had never seen him like this before. He had never stormed out in the middle of a conversation or broken his mask of indifference.

“Yes,” Levi answered calmly. Then, to change the subject, he spoke up. “I’ll go and see why Eren is late with the food. I’m pretty hungry now and if I have to guess, you too.” But Hange would have grabbed his wrist before he could leave.

“Don’t go,” she said in a choked voice. After all that, she didn’t want to be alone for a moment. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“Okay,” Levi replied, then sat back down next to Hange. Then he hugged her again, to at least comfort her with his closeness, if he couldn't say anything smart or comforting about this all.

And Hange went back to its usual place as she thought about hows he could relieve the tension. It had been a while since she could talk to him normally, because lately he had mostly just been distracted and had the same nervous look on his face. But she couldn't think for too long because she saw that there was dust on top of the nightstand.

“We need to clean up here,” she said.

“I'll do it,” Levi said. Then, surprised, he added: "It's unbelievable. The demands this kid has. I think we're dealing with a real, stubborn Ackerman." After that, the man started cleaning. Until then, he didn't have to talk or think about what had happened. Soon, Hange joined him, who unusually enjoyed cleaning.

“Look…” she finally spoke, knowing they had to talk about it. “Your mother was just trying to survive the only way she could. There’s nothing wrong with that, because others wouldn't ever try that.”

"Just... don't talk about this," Levi asked in an emotionless voice. He didn't want to remember what he had seen and heard there. He didn't want to see his dead mother's face again. He just wanted to forget about this whole conversation, as if it had never happened. Levi finished the rest of cleaning the room, then sat down with Hange and Eren to eat. While Eren spoke, the man ate his dinner, lost in thought. He didn't feel like joining in the conversation. Soon Hange was already asleep because she was completely tired after today, so Eren and Levi were left alone.

"You need to talk about it," Eren said carefully, standing in front of the window, looking out at the night sky. "Before it consumes you and you do something you'll regret."

Chapter Text

“It’s not that simple,” Levi shook his head. Then he quickly added, “And I wouldn’t do anything I’d regret later.”

"If you completely distance yourself from Mom, I know you'll regret it," Eren declared as he folded his arms. "Look, you helped me come to terms with what I went through in Shiganshina. And I just want to return the favor."

“I don’t need that,” Levi replied coldly. Then his voice only grew grimmer. “Don’t poke your nose into things you don’t understand.”

“Sometimes I can’t decide if Mom or you are the one who’s more stubborn,” Eren sighed as he ran his hands through his hair and adjusted his goggles on his head. “But if you don’t trust us enough to tell us what’s bothering you, who will you trust?” he asked. This wasn’t a field full of titans, which made things much more dangerous. They were wandering in hostile territory that neither of them really knew. That’s why it would have been more important than anything else to trust each other.

These words made the man think. Eren was right. If he wouldn't trust Hange, then he would no one else. Levi thought maybe he could try to lower the wall protecting his heart. He couldn't tear it down, but maybe he could lower it enough to let his family in. Then he finally spoke again, this time with a bit more emotion in his voice:

"Let's get back to this tomorrow, kid. I'm too tired to ponder this question right now."

"Goodnight, Dad," the boy nodded, then sat down on the chair in the lamplight and took out his notebook, once again starting to think about how he could break the crystal that Annie had locked herself in.

"Goodnight, Eren," Levi nodded.

He then went back to Hange. The woman was just sleeping quietly on the bed, her hair spread out on the pillows, while strangely her glasses rested on the nightstand.

Levi saw that Hange was sleeping, so he tried not to wake her up as he lay down next to her. The man carefully covered his future wife to make sure she wouldn't get cold. He studied Hange's peaceful face for a while, feeling a twinge of guilt. He feared that perhaps he had treated her too coldly. And Levi was sure that Hange didn't deserve this after what happened to her today.

“I'm sorry…” he whispered.

“It's okay,” she mumbled half asleep. For some reason, since she was expecting a child, her senses had become much sharper, she could wake up in the middle of the night at the slightest sound. That's why she must have heard what the man said and, although she didn't fully understand what was going on, she tried to calm him down. Levi gently stroked the woman's hair and then whispered:

"Go back to sleep. Everything is fine."

Then he slid closer and hugged her. He felt that they both needed each other's closeness now. And she went back to sleep.

The next day, well rested and after a hearty breakfast, they set off for the abandoned construction site. Hange could almost hear Carla's voice, as they ran happily through these streets, playing catch, in her memories. It had been too long, but it still hurt her that her sister had died.

Levi immediately noticed that Hange was sad. So he gently placed his hand on her back to provide her with at least minimal comfort. Hange let him hold her hand on her back as they reached the scaffolding.

"So, as far as I could find out, the wall was damaged during a minor uprising. They put it up for repair, but it's been abandoned for about 20 years because they never finished the work. Not clear why," Eren explained as he looked at his notes.

“Maybe we should go closer to find out what this place holds,” Levi suggested. However, when he noticed Hange's eyes lighting up with interest and her usual excited movements as she moved closer to the stand, Levi immediately stopped her: “You’re not going anywhere. Eren and I will check the place out.” Then the man added in a reprimanding tone, “You should be more careful. At least while you’re pregnant.”

“And miss the most exciting part?” she raised her eyebrows inquiringly. “No way!” Then she hurried forward to find out why her sister was so scared of back then.

Hearing these words, Levi became frustrated, as he wanted to keep Hange safe. But he realized that he couldn't stop her, so he quickly caught up with her so that he could intervene immediately if an accident happened. Hange was enthusiastically stomping up the scaffolding, filled with the musty air and the dusty things she had left behind. When they reached it, the woman needed a moment to adjust to the darker place. Then she glanced at the wall and screamed in fright, tripping and falling on her butt. Levi appeared next to Hange in an instant, and after seeing that the woman was okay, he immediately scolded her:

"I told you to be more careful! You have a child inside you that you should be taking care of! After you give birth to that child, you can jump around as much as you want!"

"It won't happen again," Hange murmured, somehow not expecting Levi to yell at her after yesterday.

Meanwhile, Eren, ignoring the adults' bickering, moved closer to the wall, wanting to know what had scared Hange so much. He ran his fingers along the wall, and as his eyes adjusted, he too saw what Hange had seen.

“There are Titans in the walls,” Eren said to himself. “And Carla knew it all along.”

At this, Levi raised his gaze to the wall and was shocked to see that Eren was right.

“That raises a lot of questions,” Levi muttered, keeping one eye on Hange, lest she get into trouble again. “Like why are there titans in the wall? Why hasn’t Carla told anyone about this before? What do the higher-ups know about this?”

"You said Carla didn't go to Shiganshina willingly," Eren looked at his mother, who just nodded. "Maybe that was the reason. And maybe Grisha knew. Why else was he here?"

“You’re probably right,” Levi agreed. “That means the next step would be to find Grisha so we can question him.”

"I think Carla had notes at my parents' that she left behind when she left," Hange said as she stepped next to Eren and he too observed the crack from which a titan's face was clearly staring out into nothingness.

"Then we have to go back there too," Levi grumbled listlessly, who had no desire to see Hange's mother again.

“It seems so,” said Hange. “But first let's go have lunch, I'm starving!” she said as her stomach growled. It was so loud that it made Eren laugh.

“Okay, let’s go,” Levi replied.

Then all three of them headed towards the city center. The small family didn't really look around, but went into the very first restaurant. After taking their seats, Eren and Hange started talking excitedly about what to order, while Levi looked at the menu boredly. Then Eren nudged the man to join in. He didn't want him to be left out of the conversation, since they were a family. So Levi finally turned his attention to his family and talked to them until the food arrived.

Then all three of them started eating. After eating, Eren went to take care of the payment, leaving his parents alone.

“You’ve been tense all day,” the woman said as she sighed. “Look, something’s been bothering you a lot since yesterday and…” she stopped because she knew she was only making herself nervous by saying that.

Levi knew that if he wanted to make things right, he could do it now. So he spoke slowly and carefully, giving himself time to think about what he had to say:

"I just... didn't like the way your mother talked about you and me."

“She’s always like this,” Hange said with the utmost naturalness. “She gets under your skin to fuck with you as best she can,” the woman explained, drumming on the table. “She’s a battle like any other and you can’t let her win. No matter how impossible it is sometimes.”

"I understand," Levi replied, trying to remain calm. Then he tried to articulate what his biggest problem was with Hange's mother: "But I don't want to share my private life with her. I don't want her to know what I've been through, because it's none of her business. And I really don't like how easily she found out about what happened to my mother."

“Look” she adjusted her glasses “we’ll get my sister’s notes and I promise we’ll never go back. I hate her too, she sees through everything and everyone so fucking easily, but I can’t change the situation. She’s like a vulture, if she sees you’re bothered, she knows where to peck you. We’re a team Levi, let’s not work against each other, but together!”

"You're right," Levi replied, shifting restlessly in his chair. There were still a few things they hadn't discussed. And now it was his turn to open up to her and ask. Finally, he did so in an uncertain voice: “What did your mother say after I left? What made you feel so bad?” Levi asked, feeling as his hands clenched into fists. If he hadn't caught Hange in time when she was faining, they definitely wouldn't be talking here now.

“I thought she was going to slap me,” she scratched the back of her head a bit awkwardly. Although she didn’t want to talk about it that much, she knew it was better to let it out now. “She used to do that often, but she spared me this time. Then, as I recall, she said she would never help me and she didn’t want to see you either.”

Levi's eyes darkened at those words. He couldn't imagine how he would have reacted if he saw someone hitting his pregnant wife. Finally he spoke in a gloomy voice:

"Well, the feeling is mutual. I don't want to see her again either."

“If all goes well, Dad will be home this time,” the woman explained, glancing at the clock on the wall. “And although he’s always had a bit of a temper, he’s easier to deal with when Mom’s not there.”

“Okay,” Levi nodded. Then, placing his hands on the woman’s, he spoke in a contrite voice. “I promise, I won’t leave you alone now. I’ll stay there even if your father gets mad at me. Okay?”

“Thank you,” the woman smiled, as she only ever did for Levi. She loved the man more than anything and couldn't imagine her life without him. “But if there's something wrong, tell me. I don't want you to suffer alone.”

“Okay,” Levi replied seriously. But then he spoke absently. “And you promise not to faint again. Because otherwise I’ll definitely go gray before we have grandchildren.”

"I'm trying, but I think we will soon have grandchildren when Eren finds someone good," she winked back absent-mindedly as the aforementioned person returned.

“Were you talking about me? What are you talking about?” the boy looked at them with interest.

"We didn't talk about anything special," Levi shrugged, not wanting to bring up the topic of grandchildren with Eren. "Are you ready for us to visit your grandparents again?" the man asked, again diverting the subject, as he always did when he didn't want to talk about something.

"Another round of disaster? Let's get started! We're Ackermans and Ackermans love a challenge," Eren declared as they set off again. The boy knew how difficult this was for everyone, but he noticed that his father had taken his advice, because the air between them was much calmer again.

As they walked towards Hange's parents' house, Levi paced silently ahead, deep in thought. He needed to gather himself for another encounter that might be like another war. And in order to remain calm during that encounter, he needed to gather his thoughts.

But this time, Hange's father opened the door, which made Hange thank the heavens. 

The man had gray hair, was even taller than the woman, and had the same brown eyes as the woman. For a moment, the man just blinked at his daughter in confusion, and then when Hange thought she was going to scream, her father hugged her happily.

“Hange! My God, it’s been a while since I last saw you!” he said, and the woman calmed down because it meant he was in a good mood.

The old man's reaction didn't ease Levi's tension. He was still prepared for Hange's father to make some offensive remarks about them. Eren wasn't as tense. He was just pacing around excitedly, wanting to meet his grandfather.

“I missed you too, Dad,” the woman said as she stepped back. The man looked around at who his daughter had brought. “This is Eren, Car-” she started, but couldn’t finish because the man was in front of Eren.

“I’ve heard of you, young man, and I must say you seem just as great as Carla was,” the man looked her over. “Although I see Hange raised you more.”

“Thank you!” Eren replied, then added proudly. “That’s true! I view Hange and Levi as my true family.”

Hearing this, Hange's father's gaze slid to Levi, and the younger man swallowed uneasily.

"So you're the one who puts up with my daughter's crazy antics. It's impressive that you still can because even I can't always," he said as he extended his hand towards the man. "Greetings, son."

“Hello,” Levi nodded, then shook the older man’s hand. He silently thanked the heavens that Hange's father had not treated them as coldly as Hange's mother had.

"Come on in," he invited them in, and instead of doing the job, Hange sat down for a while to chat with her father.

“Did Mom tell you everything?” the woman asked him, and her father just shrugged.

“She didn’t tell me anything. Why? Is there something I should know?” he tilted his head as he handed his daughter a cup of coffee.

At this, Levi looked at Hange cautiously, trying to figure out what the woman wanted, who would tell her the news. But then, instead of the two adults, Eren spoke enthusiastically:

"I'm going to have a sibling!"

“Oh” the man looked at her. “Interesting, especially since before you left you said you will never have children if I remember correctly” he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “But people change and with a good man it’s not difficult,” he concluded.

Levi nodded slightly in thanks, still confident that they would get through this quickly.

“Thank you, dad,” said Hange, who then hugged him. “We actually came for some of Carla’s stuff, I’ll go and find it. You wait here until then,” the woman said, then disappeared down one of the corridors.

Levi tried to remain calm, but in reality he still felt tense. That's why he couldn't think of any topics to talk about, and in the meantime, the awkward silence bothered him. Finally, the silence was broken by Eren, who addressed his grandfather:

“What was mom like as a child?” Then he quickly added something else because he realized that it had been misunderstood. “I mean, I was thinking about Hange now.”

Levi tried to look nonchalant, but he was actually interested in the answer to this question too.

“Exactly the same as now,” the man said, sipping his coffee. “Lively and loud, someone who sometimes required too much patience. But she didn’t get into trouble, Carla always dragged her into it.”

“What kind of trouble did Carla cause?” Eren asked curiously. “And were the two of them good siblings?”

"If you don't count the moments when they beat each other up, I think so. And Carla... if there was an option to cause trouble, she caused trouble."

"I promise, I won't beat up my sibling," Eren looked at Levi.

"You damn well do damn not to hit them," the man replied in agreement.

“But I’m interested in why you chose my daughter,” the man looked at Levi with a very serious look. “My daughter is not known for her charming nature.”

Levi had suspected he would be asked this question, so he had a well-thought-out answer. He knew it wouldn't impress the older man if he just said, "I don't know. We somehow got closer between life-threatening missions." Thus he finally spoke:

"What struck me was that Hange is an intelligent woman. She always has an idea. She managed to save the soldiers of the Scouting Legion from a difficult situation many times."

"They were already acting like a married couple when they adopted me at the age of ten," Eren said, looking at the man cheerfully.

"Oh, really?" he looked back at the boy. "Then it must have been great to be raised by loving parents. I'm glad Hange found someone who can put up with her."

"It's more like Hange is the one who tolerates me," Levi muttered, almost to himself.

“They don't just tolerate each other,” Eren said with a smile. “Even I can see that it's much more than that.”

“Where there is love, all will be well,” the older man declared as he drank his coffee again. “Because you love her, don’t you?” he looked straight at Levi.

“Yes,” Levi replied, feeling that this was a rather idiotic question, considering that Hange was already engaged to him. So he added, “If I didn’t want her, I wouldn’t have asked her to marry me.”

“That’s great,” he smiled. “Not everyone is as lucky as you.”

Levi almost snapped at him, that he wasn't surprised. He had no idea who the fool would be to marry a witch like Hange's mother. Instead, he said nothing. And so an awkward silence settled over the group again. Soon, Hange arrived with a box in his hands.

“Thank you, Dad, for your hospitality, but we should go now,” the woman gave him a kiss. “We've had a tiring day.” The man nodded, then looked at Levi and said that last thing.

"Please take care of her. I don't want to lose her too."

"I'll take care of her and our child," Levi replied firmly. Then all three of them walked out of the house.

Chapter Text

“Was it really bad?” the woman asked immediately, while Eren took the box from her.

“No. It was just averagely bad,” Levi replied. “It was a little awkward, but at least we didn’t fight.”

“That doesn't sound so bad,” Hange sighed pleasantly as she placed her hand on her stomach. “But maybe we should go and buy something more comfortable,” she admitted, a little embarrassed.

"You mean clothes?" Levi asked, equally confused, while Eren watched them with interest.

"Yes," she nodded as she tried to adjust her yellow shirt, which, although it wasn't that noticeable, was a bit tight not only on her stomach but also on her breasts.

“Okay,” Levi nodded. “Then let’s go and find a clothing store.” The man then placed his hand protectively on Hange's back, and they continued on their way.

The shopping went well, Hange chose a few T-shirts and pants that she could wear comfortably for a while. Returning to their room, Hange changed, taking off the now uncomfortable straps from her legs. When she was done, the woman let her hair down and, taking out one of Carla's notebooks, started reading. But she only did because the child started moving and the woman couldn't concentrate on anything else.

“Is everything okay?” Levi asked worriedly, immediately noticing that Hange was feeling uncomfortable.

“Someone is just doing gymnastics,” she smiled as her face smoothed out. Although it was a little uncomfortable, it felt so good.

“Okay then,” Levi replied, then smiled for a moment. Then his serious gaze returned. But despite this, he touched Hange's belly surprisingly carefully, so that she too could feel her baby's movements. “Calm down now, kid,” Levi murmured gently to his unborn child. “Don’t upset your mother now.”

"It doesn't bother me," she muttered as she moved closer to the man. "I'm starting to get used to the child now anyway. I love them very much," she stroked her belly.

“I know you love them,” Levi said, pulling Hange closer to him. “I love them too. And I can’t wait for them to be born. Even if it turns our lives upside down.”

“Yes, we haven't talked about this yet” she remembered the life-altering thing. “I handed in my resignation last time, Erwin thinks it's only temporary” she began. “But I'm not going back anymore.”

Levi nodded. He could understand that, since Hange's most important thing now was to protect their child. And she couldn't do that by going on dangerous missions. Nevertheless, a question arose in Levi:

"But then what about your research? I know you don't want to put it aside."

“Eren will continue them. Then when I have time I'll start working on some smaller things. Something like that cleaning product formula I made for your birthday” she explained. “I may not save the world with them, but at least I will have the time do other things besides science.”

“Okay,” Levi replied. Then he added, worriedly, “I just want you to be happy. And I know you well enough to know that that also requires you to use your brain and keep thinking about something.”

At that point, the woman just shook her head. “I only needed you three to be happy. You, Eren and them” she continued to stroke her belly. “Science is just a hobby, not my life. And maybe that's not really a big of a problem.”

Levi nodded. Then he began to speak again: "I understand. And I know you're going through changes right now because of the baby. But don't worry, I'll stay here by your side the whole time, no matter what the end of this change is."

“Thank you,” Hange kissed the man. It had been so long since she had done it that she had almost forgotten what it was like.

Levi pulled Hange closer to him and gently returned the hug. This made him hope that his fear wouldn't come true, and that maybe he and Hange wouldn't drift apart. Then she snuggled up to him and fell asleep again easily in his arms. All the while, Eren was reading Carla's notes on the other side of the room as quietly as if he wasn't even there.

Carla first described the day she learned the secret of the wall. She went into great detail about how scared she was when she saw it and how much she wanted to keep it a secret from her family. Then she wrote that if anyone knew about this, it would be the priests in the church. So one Sunday Carla went to church, much to Hange’s surprise, because they both hated Sunday mass. After a long conversation, she realized that Pastor Nick knew about the truth, and that he was the one who had ordered the wall to be renovated a long time ago.

The boy wrote this down. He thought it was another clue. Maybe not only his blood father, but Father Nick also knew a thing or two. But as he read the pages, Carla's life became increasingly dangerous, but she didn't tell her family about what she had learned. And when she was finally forced to flee because several people found out what she was planning, these were her last words:

"I may not be a genius like my sister, but I believe I have a chance to save the world. Shadis promised to help me disappear and settle in Shiganshina. I will not give up. I will look for someone to help me find the truth."

Then the boy sighed and put the notes aside. It turned out that Carla didn't know much either. She was the only one who had any inklings about what secrets the wall might hold. So he decided to tell his parents tomorrow. So it happened that the next day at breakfast he sat down in front of his parents with the notebooks.

“We have two clues. Carla says Pastor Nick and the church know that there are titans in the walls,” Eren explained, then flipped through one of the notebooks. “Carla made sure that this wasn’t just one case by drilling holes in the walls in several places. That’s why she got into trouble. The other clue is Shadis, who helped her disappear to Shiganshina.”

“Then we’ll start by questioning Pastor Nick,” Levi suggested, sipping his morning tea. “One of the churches isn’t that far from here anyway. Then we’ll find Shadis and question him.”

“It's interesting that during the time he was the Commander, he never brought this up to us, and according to the dates, he already knew about this even back then” Hange leafed through the notebook.

“I guess it was because the government would have had a say in it. Maybe they would have punished him,” Levi speculated.

“But think about it” Eren said, also drinking his tea. “Who would want to fight if they knew that humanity had locked itself in a cage?”

“Nobody,” Levi said the obvious. “Maybe some of them don’t want us to know useful information. And that would keep us locked in a cage forever.”

“Then we will finish what my sister started,” Hange closed the notebook. “We will expose the truth and free the people.” Levi nodded. They started getting ready, and an hour later they were on their way to the church to find Pastor Nick.

"I'll leave the interrogation to you, I'm better at torture," Hange left the work to the two men.

"I'm a little afraid that torture won't do the child any good," Levi said worriedly, and Eren just laughed.

"They have to start early. We’re talking about an Ackerman," the woman shrugged.

"Well, they're starting their training quite early," Levi muttered. "But if for some reason you can't stand the torture, Eren or I can help."

"Let's get to the point where we have to torture him first," she became so excited that she clapped her hands together.

“You’re right,” Levi replied, then quickened his pace so they could get to the church faster. Upon entering, the place was empty, considering it was the middle of the week when everyone was working.

“But where would the priests be?” Eren asked, looking around in confusion.

Meanwhile, Levi studied the paintings, which depicted the wall, surrounded by divine light. Soon Pastor Nick appeared and looked at the Scouts who had dropped in, puzzled.

"Ah, the Ackerman family," he greeted them, immediately recognizing Levi and Eren.

“Yes, that we are,” Levi nodded, then turned to the pastor instead of the pictures. “We would like to ask a few questions. Can we talk?”

"Of course," he nodded, awkward, because he somehow didn't like the whole thing. But there was nothing he could do, it was better to get over it quickly.

“Do you and your priests know that there are titans in the wall?” Levi asked him.

“How could…” his eyes suddenly widened in fright as he stepped back a little. “I don’t owe you an answer for that!” he snapped, then regained his strength. “What do you think you are doing, coming in here and uttering such blasphemy!”

"Stop talking about God and his blasphemies. We want answers and we don't have time for words," Levi said in a tone that could not tolerate contradiction. Meanwhile, for greater effect, he gripped his blade tightly, while Eren joined in chastising the priest with a stern look.

“Yes, I know about it!” he raised his hands in surrender. “But I can’t say more.”

“Do you know why there are titans in the wall?” Levi continued to ask menacingly, knowing that nice words wouldn't have any effect on the pastor.

“I can’t say more. But maybe Christa Lenz can help you,” Nick said with a serious look. Levi and Eren looked at each other in surprise. They didn't understand why Christa was here. They thought the man was going to mention Carla or Grisha. Levi was the first to pull himself together:

"What does Christa have to do with all this?"

"Ask her yourself," he looked at them, then turned and disappeared.

“Christa?” Eren muttered to himself as he remembered Christa. She was kind and sweet, someone who didn't cause any trouble.

"This must be some kind of misunderstanding. I can't imagine that girl keeping such serious secrets," Levi said grimly. Then he placed his hand on Eren's shoulder and spoke again: "Don't worry, I'll find out what's going on here. I won't let your friends get into trouble."

Then a scout soldier stumbled in with a frightened face. He was panting as he walked over.

“Titans have been seen inside the Rose Wall!” he exclaimed.

“Did they breach the walls?” Levi asked the soldier in shock. “Where are the other scouts?”

“Erwin sent the troops out with Moblit, Petra, Mike, and Jean,” the soldier said, and Eren’s eyes widened. He shouldn’t have abandoned his team. Levi didn't like this answer either. He also wanted to be with his soldiers in trouble. So he quickly made a decision:

"Eren, escort Hange to a safe place. In the meantime, I'll go out to the battlefield."

"Your team is fine without you, but my team is still made up of rookies. I have to be the one to go out," Eren objected, a little awkward, but he knew it was necessary.

“Then I’ll merge the two teams. In case of an emergency, it’s better to have an experienced leader,” Levi replied uneasily. “Until then, you protect Hange and the child.”

"Okay," Eren finally nodded, knowing that he wouldn't convince his father.

“Do you have to go?” Hange suddenly asked, not wanting to see Levi leave.

"Yes, I have to. I can't leave my team alone," Levi replied. Then, when he saw how saddened Hange was upon hearing this, he added in a slightly gentler tone: "Don't worry, I'll be back. I'll be fine, you'll see."

Accepting that he couldn't stop Levi, Hange instead pulled him close and kissed him, while Eren began to stare at the ceiling with great interest. After that, Levi went on his way, while Eren accompanied his mother to the room they had taken out.

“Go after him,” the woman said, grabbing her son’s shoulders as they stood in the room. “I want to see him coming home in one piece.”

"But he asked me to stay with you," Eren said, confused. Because of this, he couldn't decide which parent he should listen to now.

"I know," she nodded with a smile. "But you're the only one I can trust to keep your father safe. Because I know him. He always makes stupid decisions when he's under so much stress."

“Okay. I'll go after him then,” Eren agreed. “You stay here until then, because this is a safe place.”

"Thank you," the woman hugged him, then let Eren go while she sat comfortably on the bed and occupied herself with something.

After that, Eren got a horse and headed towards the battlefield as quickly as possible. In the meantime, he was either worried about his friends and his father. Although he didn't find Levi when he arrived, after a short conversation he found out where his team had been sent. Eren thought it would be best if he found his people, met with Levi, merged the two teams, and went back to his mother. Eren soon found his team. The boy's subordinates were immediately relieved to see that Eren was okay. However, they didn't have much time to talk, as the fight wasn't over yet.

“Are all of you okay?” Eren looked at everyone one by one to see if anyone was hurt. “I'm sorry I left you behind, but it won't happen again. Jean” he turned to his friend, who had been leading the team so far. “What are our tasks right now? How’s everyone?”

"No one from our team has been hurt so far. We have to protect the eastern part of the city. Your foster father has headed west. Erwin is leading the whole company from somewhere in front," Jean explained in an unusually serious voice.

"Then we'll continue our journey east," Eren said, and while they were getting ready, Connie approached the boy.

"The village where I live is along the way. Could we check to see if the people there are okay?" he asked, a little embarassed, before Eren nodded and, taking out his map, circled the village where Connie lived.

Chapter Text

Grisha Yeager was waiting for Mikasa on the street. When the girl arrived, he spoke in his deep, now rough voice:

"You're late. I told you to be on time. We still have a lot of work to do."

"Be on time, we still have a lot of work to do," Mikasa copied Grisha in a thin voice, rolling her eyes. "Sorry I can't teleport," she said, folding her arms. If Grisha wanted to play like that, then so would she. Grisha didn't react to Mikasa's cheeky remark. Instead, he spoke in an emotionless voice:

"I hope you're ready to turn the people of this village into titans."

“Sure,” she shrugged. Ever since she spat on Eren, it was like she had crossed a line. The anger was constantly bubbling under her skin like a worm. But she refused to let it go, to let go of the fact that Annie had gotten away with it, that Eren didn’t care at all. “And why are we doing this?” she asked, raising one eyebrow questioningly.

“To prevent the scouts from finding out the truth. While they’re fighting the titans, they won’t have time to think about why there are titans in the walls and what they can be used for,” Grisha replied. “But you don’t have to worry. The Ackermans can’t be turned into titans. Their blood is immune to it.”

“Reassuring,” she sighed as they searched the streets. “But I think Eren Ackerman will figure everything out anyway. Maybe even faster if we do this,” she pointed to the flask in his hand, which probably contained some gas. Grisha flinched uncomfortably at the name Eren Ackerman.

“Not that you’re that worried about me, but I’ll tell you, luckily I won’t have any problems either,” Grisha said, turning the valve. “Those who can transform into titans don’t transform into regular titans.”

"Wonderful, I thought you were on a suicide mission," the girl sighed as she watched the people closest to them suddenly freeze, then their bodies started twitching until they grotesquely transformed into titans. After the people turned into titans and stared at each other in a foolish manner in their new forms, Grisha nodded in satisfaction. Then he spoke again:

"There's only one thing left. I need to send a message to Eren." Grisha wanted to message his other son as well, but he preferred not to tell Mikasa that he had not one, but two children.

"I don't think Eren wants to hear from you," Mikasa said in a bored voice. Why would he want to message Eren? The boy she was thinking about is dead, all that's left is Eren Ackerman, and he had nothing to do with Grisha or this madness.

"We'll see," Grisha replied doubtfully. He then took a red chalk from his pocket and carved two simple words on the wall of a nearby house. "Come back."

"Sounds nice," Mikasa read the words. "He'll probably run back into your arms like a little kid at school when he sees this. Why do you think he wants to see you after all this? He saw Carla die before his very own eyes while you were nowhere to be found."

“If I had been there, I wouldn’t have let that happen,” he said with guilt. But then he hardened his voice and spoke again, “Now let’s get out of here before the titans decide to devour us.”

"As you wish," Mikasa began, stretching in her Military Police jacket. "But don't be disappointed if he chooses his new father."

“Ackerman is not his father,” Grisha replied grimly. “Because I am.” The man then placed two dolls on the wall above the message, knowing that his sons would understand what it represented.

"Hm?" Mikasa looked at the dolls, then touched the blonde one. The brown-haired one apparently symbolized Eren. But what did the blonde one mean? Grisha didn't answer, however, because like Mikasa, he had secrets, and he wanted to keep them to himself. 

So he spoke to the girl rather forcefully: “Let's go.”

“Okay,” he nodded a little, then went after Grisha. She saw that this father topic might be a weak point, so she stored this information to herself because it might be important. After this, Grisha and Mikasa fled the scene before the Titans could even catch a scent.

A few hours later, a military unit arrived at the village. Their blond leader had been pacing nervously for some time now, because nothing could really interest him. He hated that he had to clean up after everyone, that the Warriors hadn't been able to show any results even after five years. He considered this operation a stillborn and a complete waste of time. But here he was, and he did what he was ordered to do. Then Pieck approached him:

"Sir, everyone in this village has been turned into titans. Is it worth looking around? Who gave the order to do this, anyway?"

“Nobody,” the man said, looking around the small village with interest. No one had given permission for this, and it seemed that all the gas tanks were there. As they got further inside, he saw the words “Come back” written in red on one of the walls. He only had to take one look for a lump to form in his throat. The man knew who had left that message there. Nevertheless, he moved closer to the wall and the two dolls. First, he checked to see if they were dangerous, and after deciding they were not, he touched his own. 

As he picked it up, it was as if something had pulled him out of reality. He knew it was the Paths, but it had never done anything like this with it before. Zeke had always summoned his power at will and it had always obeyed him. When the vision cleared and he wasn't just seeing flashes, he was in a room. He knew he was in the future because he almost felt older, but not that much. Maybe four years had passed.

Zeke felt like he was in a comfortable, soft bed with a woman a few years younger, under him. The unknown woman's black hair spread across the pillows like a raven's wings as she breathed heavily.

He wanted to say something, to ask how they got here and what the hell was happening, but the vision wouldn't let him. He just leaned down and started kissing her neck while grabbing her breasts, only to realize that she was lying naked underneath him. Meanwhile, the unknown woman was not idle either. She ran her hands down Zeke's back and then grabbed the man's blond hair.

He then stroked her side and she grabbed his thigh while pulling him into another kiss. The woman kissed Zeke back, then pulled him even closer with a strong and wild movement.

He wasn't thinking, at least his visionary self certainly wasn't. He just devoured the woman, even sucking the skin of her neck between kisses. The man's partner also didn't hold back and wasn't gentle with Zeke. She bit into his skin while her hands gripped his back. Then she started moving faster and faster underneath him, trying to get Zeke to act.

He didn't hesitate for long, especially since he could feel how wet she was already for him. He didn't know who she was or from where he should know her, but when he was inside of her, all he could think about was that he had never been with such a good woman. Even though he had tried a few before. Feeling this, the woman hissed at first. But then her body relaxed and she began to enjoy what the man was doing to her. So her breathing only became faster at first, then soft sighs burst from her throat. And soon she began to moan, which Zeke rewarded with a grin and faster movements.

"What's up, War Queen? Isn’t this enough for you?" he whispered the words into her ear, sliding as deep as possible with one simple movement. He had never heard that codename before, which only made things even more interesting.

"What you give is never enough," the woman replied breathlessly, responding brazenly even though beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Then, to emphasize her words, she ran her palm along the man's spine, sending a shiver down Zeke's spine.

"I have so much to give you," he kissed her cheek again as they moved. This woman was perfect.

“Then how about giving me a child?” the woman asked cheekily. Then, seeing Zeke's shocked look, she added with a chuckle: "But your last name would be a good start."

He was so shocked that the next thing he knew was Pieck's hand on his shoulder. The woman was looking at him with her usual indifferent face.

“What’s up with you?” she finally asked, raising one eyebrow.

“I just saw something… Something really strange…” Zeke muttered thoughtfully and in a surprisingly deadpan voice.

He could still feel the warmth of her touch as they snuggled together, or even as she moaned beneath him. But that was over. Putting the baby away, he ordered the soldiers to disperse. He had other plans. Zeke was determined to find his father and get revenge on him for the way he had treated him as a child. Zeke wanted his father to suffer. And if he wasn't dead by now, he is going to make sure he is. He also had to find his half-brother. Because from the looks of it, he has one. He knew his father too well. He always just ran from one mistake to another.

“You thought you could just replace me, huh?” he asked himself as he stared at the brown-haired doll. “But you just ended up in the same place.”

Pieck watched Zeke thoughtfully. She didn't fully understand what the man was saying, but she didn't dare ask about things. She was afraid that the man would just scold her for being too curious. After that, the man put the doll in his pocket and looked back at Pieck.

"Let's get this over with quickly. Looks like I have a fucking family reunion to attend," he chuckled as he adjusted his glasses on his nose.

“Okay,” Pieck nodded. Then, using the man’s words, she added, “Should I come to the fucking family reunion? Or do you want to go alone?”

“We’ll see,” he said, not knowing exactly how he was going to find his father. But he would, if necessary, burn this whole damn island down. And then he bit his hand and transformed. It was something that had to be finished.

A few days later, the scouts arrived at the village, which was bustling with titans. That's why Erwin distributed the tasks to the teams as quickly as possible. When Eren set out with his men, he had a bad feeling. He saw no people anywhere in the village, even though all signs pointed to people still living here a few days ago.

“ Could they have escaped? ” Eren wondered.

“Where did everyone go?” Connie looked around the ruined buildings, looking for her family.

“How the hell did this get on the roof?” Sasha asked in shock.

“And why doesn't it get up?” Jean asked.

“Because I don’t think it can, you idiot,” Sasha rolled his eyes.

“Maybe another Titan pushed it there?” Connie asked, watching the Titan.

"I don't think so... I've never seen titans fight," Marco replied, scratching his head.

"Welcome... home..." the titan grumbled almost incomprehensibly as he looked straight at Connie with its huge eyes. When Connie heard this, he jumped back in shock along with Sasha.

“It can talk!?” Sasha shouted in shock.

“But what are we supposed to do with a talking titan?” Connie asked, glancing at Eren, clearly expecting an answer from him.

"It must be an abnormal. It explains why it’s trapped like this," Eren stepped forward, but then Jean appeared and carefully tugged on the sleeve of Eren's jacket.

"You have to see this," he said, looking into his best friend's eyes.

Jean then pointed to the wall of one of the houses, where the words "Come back" were painted in red chalk. Furthermore, on the wall was a strange, sewn-on doll with button eyes, who had the exact same hair as Eren. Because of this, it was pretty clear that this message was intended for Eren.

"It's not scary at all," Jean remarked, while Eren just picked up the doll and examined it closely, looking for some hidden message. He didn't understand why Grisha was looking for him now after all these years. Why was he making it seem like Eren had run away when Grisha left him in Shiganshina.

"If possible, let's examine this strange thing somewhere else," Sasha asked, pacing restlessly. "The titans are coming soon, and I don't want to be a titan's dinner."

“And as I see, it’s getting darker,” Marco added worriedly.

"Maybe we'd be safe in Utgard Castle," Reiner suggested, and Berthold began to nod in agreement.

“Then we’ll head for Utgard,” he said, glancing at his team. He hoped his father would be nearby so he could share the news about Grisha with him. For it seemed that not only were they looking for the man, but he was also looking for them. “When we arrive there, we’ll light a signal for the other scouts, and then we’ll move on in the morning.”

At this, the members of Eren's team nodded, then they all jumped on their horses and galloped away from the scene.

Chapter Text

The squad arrived at the castle in the evening. After securing the horses in a nearby stable, they went up inside the stone building. When Eren's nose was hit by the stench of the fust, he immediately grimaced and started fanning with his hand in front of his nose.

"Unpack and we'll start cleaning this place up fast. I won't spend a single ning in such a filthy place," he declared, as he saw from the window that there was a well not far away. If he was lucky, there was water in it they could use for cleaning.

"He's just like Levi," Jean grumbled listlessly under his breath. Despite this, he started cleaning and, exceptionally, didn't start having fun with Marco.

"Yes, I noticed that they are very close to each other," Marco said, while Reiner and Berthold drew buckets of water from the well, which Christa enthusiastically carried into the castle, happy to be a useful member of their team.

"Well, yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if Eren secretly wants to be like his adoptive father," Jean agreed as he began mopping the floor. Meanwhile, Eren was nudging Sasha and Connie not to slack off and to work too.

“Has Eren always been like this?” Marco suddenly asked his friend as the floor became cleaner. Jean was the only one of their group who had known their Captain personally, since they were children.

“No. He was quite hot-headed as a child,” Jean replied. “He was always angry. And most importantly, he didn’t like cleaning back then.”

“And what made him change so much?” Marco continued, as he stopped and leaned against the wall. “Does it have anything to do with him changing his name?”

“He changed so much because he had new parents who raised him differently,” Jean stated, remembering his childhood and his moments with Eren. “And yes, that’s why he changed his name.”

“And you? What did you think about it all?” he continued to inquire. Marco thought it was important for him to understand Eren, considering how important he was to Jean.

"I was happy with the change. Since Eren calmed down, he seems much happier," Jean replied. "So I don't regret that he is not remembering Mikasa and Armin. Maybe remembering would have only caused him sadness and pain."

"Were you ever afraid that if he remembered, you wouldn't be his best friend anymore? Armin always talked about how much of a best friends he and Eren were when they were little," Marco recalled, as this caused most of the conflict between Jean and Armin while they were in training and after Eren reunited with his childhood friends.

This question was uncomfortable for Jean, so he began to fidget uneasily. Nevertheless, he finally started talking again, wanting to be honest with himself and Marco.

“Yes, I was afraid of that,” Jean said with a deep sigh. “I didn’t want to lose Eren. He… means much to me, he’s like my brother.”

"Well, it's good then that everything turned out perfectly in the end. But I think you'd still be his best friend if he remembered," Marco said as he saw Eren approaching.

“Are you sure?” Jean asked doubtfully, staring at the ground, for this spiritual subject was unpleasant to her. “What makes you think that?”

“Because nothing can erase the memories you two made together. The love and the laughter won’t fade easily,” he gently grabbed Jean's shoulder with one hand, then smoothed his friend's hair with the other.

“You're right,” Jean replied, then cuddled up to Marco as much as he could right now. The boy was grateful that he could always count on Marco and tell him everything. He never thought he would have such a supportive partner.

“So, are you done cleaning?” Eren came over to them, holding his own bucket and adjusting the cloth in front of his face. He knew he should definitely do something with his best friend sometime sometime, because they didn’t really have the time nowadays just to do something fun together and Eren was a bit afraid he might lose Jean if they go on like this.

“Of course, Captain Eren,” Jean said jokingly. “We wouldn’t dare talk without cleaning up first.”

“That's great,” the boy nodded cheerfully. “This place already looks much more livable. We could make something out of it. Maybe a lab,” the boy immediately thought, thinking that he could use the castle as his personal lab. And wouldn’t end up blowing up the Scout’s base.

“Your foster mother would certainly agree with that,” Jean said absentmindedly. Marco smiled at that, then added,

"I think she's more busy with her unborn child these days. Is that right, Eren? Are you looking forward to having a sibling?"

“Of course. Mom has nothing else on her mind but what to eat. I can't wait” he smiled enthusiastically. “Although the age difference will be a big obstacle, I believe I can solve it” he said and thought about something for a minute. “But I hope it's a boy, because I wouldn't know what to do with a girl.”

"If it’s a girl, all you would have to do is give her nice clothes and cute things," Jean suggested.

"Yeah, girls definitely like that," Marco agreed, trying not to sound really confused.

“I think they would want small knives and pistols. With cleaning products” Eren folded his arms. “But I won’t give them cleaning products because the cleaning products are mine” he got angry but the playful glint in his eyes said it all. “Well, whatever. Do you have a brother, Marco?” Eren asked the boy.

“No,” Marco replied. “So I have no idea how to deal with a small child.”

"You'll learn someday," Eren winked enthusiastically, then continued to walk outside and pour the water out of the bucket.

"Talk to him," Marco nudged Jean, realizing they could use a proper conversation. The boy knew that when he was around, Eren didn't really open up, even though he would definitely have something to say to Jean.

“Okay,” Jean replied, then started after Eren. When he reached him, he said, “Can we talk?”

"Of course," Eren watched him as he poured out the water and pulled down the cloth from his face.

"It's been a while since we last spoke, like really, and I want to know how you're feeling," Jean said, then added in a worried tone. "I'm sure life isn't easy for you right now. And to top it all off, even Mikasa got mad at you and spat on you."

Eren flinched at Mikasa's name and looked away, feeling ashamed, as he collapsed onto the grass.

“Do you think I was too harsh on her?” he asked suddenly, not even talking about his own well-being or anything.

"No, of course not," Jean replied quickly. "I think you were nice to her and tried to help her. So that's why I don't understand why Mikasa acted the way she did. Especially since she was still singing odes to you in boot camp."

"He sang odes about Eren Yeager, about an image in his head that is no longer there," he explained nervously, as he began to rubbing the wound on his hand, as he always did when he was nervous.

"That's not true. You're not an outsider. Your team likes you, Eren. We’re counting on you," Jean said reassuringly. "While you weren't around, they were worried about where you might be."

“Really?” he asked in surprise. He didn't think that after all the work he put into them, they would like him so much.

“Really,” Jean replied. “Even I was surprised by that, after how many times you sent them out to clean.”

"Thank you Jean," Eren said as he wrapped his arms around her legs and rested his head on his knees.

"Are you okay, Eren?" Jean asked worriedly as he slumped down next to his best friend. "You still look sad."

“I don't understand why Grisha is looking for me” he took out the doll and looked at it in his hands. He saw that it was dressed in the same clothes as the one its mother had found it in. “By the way, I'm worried about my parents. I've never seen my father with his shit not together” he sighed.

“Why, what’s wrong with your father?” Jean asked in surprise. He hadn't noticed any change in Levi's behavior. Of course, that didn't mean anything, considering the man didn't show his emotions on his face.

“My mother’s family got under his skin and he’s been distraught ever since,” he explained nervously. “My mother sent me after him originally because she doesn’t think he can take care of himself anymore the way he used to.”

"I hope things work out and they don't call off their wedding because of some stupid relative," Jean said hopefully, patting his friend on the shoulder encouragingly.

"Yeah," he smiled. "I hope my father isn't that stupid. If he is, I'll have to have a really fight with him."

“I wouldn’t want to see that,” Jean replied. “Everyone knows it’s not to mess with humanity’s strongest soldier.”

"If he hurts my mother, I won't hold back," he looked seriously at his best friend. "If necessary, I'll punch some sense into him."

"Hey, Eren, calm down! I'm sure you won't hurt him," Jean said worriedly, not wanting to see his best friend beaten to a pulp. "You should try to talk to him so he changes his mind."

“Do you think if he doesn't listen to my mother, he'll listen to me?” he asked back, then sighed. “I just want this to end. Then everything will go back to normal and I can concentrate properly.” Jean was just about ready to respond, but unexpectedly Ymir rushed towards them.

"The castle has been attacked by the Titans! Christa is crying, Sasha and Connie are missing, and Berthold and Reiner still have the same number of brain cells which probably equals to zero!" Ymir reported the situation.

“Let's go!” Eren looked at Ymir as he immediately stood up with Jean.

“Where is Marco?” Jean asked worriedly as the three of them started walking. Meanwhile, the ground beneath them trembled. Titans were approaching.

“He's trying to comfort Christa,” Ymir replied. “Don't worry, your sex partner wasn't hurt,” she added cheekily. By this time they had arrived and Jean immediately rushed towards Marco while Eren began giving orders to defend the castle.

“Do you know where Sasha and Connie are?” the boy turned to Reiner and Berthold when he saw that the couple really weren't here.

“No,” Reiner replied and Bertholdt just shook his head.

“Please find them,” Christa cried. “I don’t want them to get into trouble!”

"I'll go look around," Eren said, heading off to find Sasha and Connie while the others started getting ready. Eren soon found them. Sasha and Connie were huddled together in fear in a corner of a room.

“Are you two okay?” Eren immediately rushed over to them and crouched down in front of them. He didn't want to see his team members like this. He should have better prepared them so they wouldn’t be so afraid now.

“Yes,” Sasha replied, a little embarrassed that her boss had found her in such a vulnerable state. Connie just blushed and pulled away from Sasha. “Is everything okay with the others?” the girl asked worriedly.

"Yes, they were actually looking for you too. Go over to them, I'll take care of the Titans," Eren stated as he began to tighten the straps so he could get his ODM gear on.

“Do you want to take care of them on your own?” Connie asked worriedly.

“Shouldn’t we call the others here to help?” Sasha suggested, getting up from the ground.

“I will not let anyone fight in this condition,” he told them sternly as they headed back and he put on the blade holders and checked the gas. “Everyone will stay here until I say so,” he ordered.

“Understood,” Connie replied. Then he and Sasha headed back to the others to update them on the developments.

Eren then stood in one of the windows and looked out at the landscape. Luckily for him, tonight was a full moon, which meant that even at night there were quite good seeing conditions. As the boy saw the titans approaching he looked out and chose one of them to control. He was clinging to the window frame, ready to move at any moment. Then Eren finally jumped out of the window when he saw the perfect moment. Using the ODM gear, he successfully reached the selected titan. Then the boy stabbed his sword into his opponent's weak points to control it.

Meanwhile, he pulled down his goggles from his forehead to protect him from the hot steam, while the titan slowly started moving in the direction Eren wanted. However, as he got more and more familiar with controlling the titan, he got to accelerate it until it was running. Eren had a hard time keeping up, but with the right posture, he managed to stay on top. Then a stone flew past the titan he was controlling, and Eren watched in surprise as it crashed in front of the castle. He had never seen a titan who was able to use tools before. But one of them knew and he had to find out which one. So, Eren began to direct the titan towards the flying stones, holding on tightly. He also ducked his head to avoid the stones from hitting him. Finally, he saw the titan who was throwing the stones. The figure was much larger than his companions, and looked more like an ape than a man.

Eren then changed the positions of his blades and ran straight into the other titan, which lost its balance and began to fall backwards, while the stone fell out of its hand. Eren looked into its eyes and made a salute with two fingers, while grinning. He would definitely experiment with this titan if he can.

The beast tried to get up from the ground, but it was quite difficult for him due to his huge size. So in his final desperation, he called out to the approaching titans to attack Eren instead of the castle.

"Okay, then it looks like you want a bloodbath," Eren shrugged, then severing the titan's neck he controlled as he jumped off it and turned his attention to the titans approaching him. It didn't take about three minutes for all of them to lie dead on the ground.

Zeke didn't think the boy was that strong. But then he saw the doll hanging out of Eren's pocket and immediately realized that the boy was his half-brother. He would use this information to confuse the boy.

"Please don't kill him! We should talk, because I think we're brothers," Zeke said as he struggled to get up from the ground. Eren was still almost a child, he would be easy to deal with. Eren didn't seem surprised, he just landed on the ground bored and started wiping the blood off his blade with a cloth.

"If you want to talk, then talk to me as a human, shapeshifter ," he declared, knowing that this was a shapeshifter. His eyes followed his movements as precisely as Annie's, and if he was saying things like the two of them were siblings, then he could only be a human. How much of his words were true no longer mattered to Eren.

Chapter Text

Zeke agreed to Eren's request and he transformed back into a human. He then took out his doll from his pocket, which Grisha had left for him.

"I hope this is proof enough," Zeke said, pointing the doll at Eren. "What's your name?"

"Eren Ackerman," he announced as the gentle spring wind was blowing through his hair. "Grisha sent you?" he looked at the other suspiciously, his hands on his blades.

“No. I have nothing to do with Grisha,” Zeke replied. “But I see, you don’t either,” said the man, who noticed that the boy introduced himself as Eren Ackerman.

“Then why are we standing here?” Eren asked back boredly. Somehow this wasn't how he imagined his night and he knew he had more important things to do than eyeing this blonde. Maybe the man looked like Grisha, but Eren had seen Grisha so long ago that he couldn't really decide.

However, Zeke didn't respond. Instead, he grabbed his knife and cut himself. This turned him into a titan again. He then reached out his hands to Eren to kill him. He didn't want his half-brother to cause problems later, so it was better to get rid of him now.

Eren's instincts, which his father had helped him perfect, kicked in immediately and using his gear, he already cut the arm he was trying to reach with, into pieces. Although this titan was much more agile than the Female, his skin had no protection against an attack.

Seeing this, Zeke was a little scared. This boy was clearly too strong. All the while he was starting to run out of ideas on what to do against him. Plus, he was also running out of rocks, which he had been throwing so furiously.

“You bore me,” the boy said as he landed on the ground. Although he had the advantage, he knew he was running out of steam. Finally, Zeke's better idea was to uproot a small tree and attack Eren with it. His plan was to hold the boy back until the other titans arrived, at which point he would escape.

"I see Grisha successfully put his anger in you," Eren stated as he simply dodged the attack.

"And I see that you're as cold as ice," Zeke said, attacking Eren with the tree again. This time, Eren almost got caught by the tree, but he managed to dodge it in time. He could see that Grisha was a weak spot for the man. They probably really knew each other.

“He wanted to do that to me too, but he never finished what he started,” he continued, trying to sound confident. He also hated talking about Grisha.

At this moment, the other Titans finally arrived, trying to distract Eren. So Zeke was finally able to escape the scene. He thought to himself that he had to report to his superiors that a boy on the island had learned to control the Titans. Eren, however, did not let the matter rest, his attention not being distracted by the titans no matter how much they wanted to. Instead, he used his remaining steam to cut off the legs, causing his titan to fall to the ground. After that, Zeke couldn't move. He had no chance of escape now. Still, he didn't start begging for his life. He would have thought that was pathetic.

"Grisha may have made me, but he never was and never will be my father," he started walking towards him, while the titans instead aimed for the castle now that no one was ordering them.

“Then it looks like we have something in common,” Zeke replied sarcastically.

The man then transformed back into a human and started running, even though he knew Eren was faster than him. But Eren just let him run. He saw the hatred in his eyes, in every move he made. The man could never get over Grisha, whatever the man meant to him. And Eren found that pitiful. That someone would dedicate their whole life to revenge.

"You can't run from what's inside you forever," the boy said, mostly to himself now. Meanwhile, Levi's troops and reinforcements arrived as dawn arrived. Thus, the castle and the people inside were saved.

“Are you okay, kid?” Levi asked after stopping next to Eren. Meanwhile, the other soldiers dealt with the titans left.

“Yes,” he said, because he didn’t want to talk about his bizarre experience of meeting someone who said he was his brother. “Do you have any gas? I’m out,” he said as he removed the bottles so they wouldn’t hold him back if he had to run.

"Yes, we have more," Levi replied, then passed Eren new gas bottles. When he saw that everything was fine with the boy, he spoke sternly and angrily: “Why did you leave Hange alone? I told you to take care of her, because while she was expecting a child, she was more vulnerable.” After that, the man's voice only became even colder: “Now you have disappointed me greatly. I thought I could count on you.”

“She sent for you, so if you have any problems, bring them up with her,” he set up his new bottles. “My mother is safe anyway, but my team wouldn’t have survived the night if I wasn’t here,” Eren argued, not bothering with the mood of his father. There was no need for them to argue unnecessarily on top of all this.

"How do you know she’s safe? If this place was attacked by the Titans, they could even show up in that city!" Levi said, his voice shaking with suppressed anger.

"But not I should be the one with her. You should," Eren stated coldly, thinking that maybe he could make some sense out of his father's head.

“You think I don’t want to be with her?” Levi gritted his teeth. “Then you don’t know anything!”

After that, the man turned away from Eren. He didn't want the boy to see the conflicting emotions swirling in his eyes like a whirlwind. He didn't feel like explaining to Eren that he had to leave Hange because someone had to lead his squad. Besides, that would have been Erwin's orders if he was around. Eren just sighed and turned his back on his father as well. Somehow he couldn't believe how hard it was to say no and really focus on what was important. Eren knew Petra and the others, they were veterans, they could have easily done it without Levi.

"I hope you decide soon whether the order or us is what’s more important," Eren said, then headed back to his team.

Levi didn't say anything. He didn't want to choose between the two. He was frustrated that he couldn't balance his work and his family life. When he was with Hange, Erwin would give him disappointed looks, and when he helped Erwin on the battlefield, Hange would get offended. And he didn't want to disappoint either of them. In his heart, he would have given them both the best. The only problem was that it turned out to be an impossible task. He couldn't focus on his work and his family at the same time.

Eren then called his team together to check on everyone's well being. He felt his father's gaze on him, but he didn't really care because it would only make him nervous.

“Jean, report me please,” he looked at his friend and his right hand.

“No one was hurt. The castle stayed intact. The horses are alive too. Nothing else ran out except your gas tanks,” Jean replied.

"Great," Eren patted his friend on the shoulder. "Given that we didn't see any cracks in the wall, Erwin's orders are for the teams to meet at Wall Rose," he said, wondering if everything would really be okay.

The members of the group nodded at this. Then, of course, they had questions.

“When are we going to the Rose Wall?” Marco asked.

“Is there food at the Rose Wall?” Sasha asked excitedly.

“Can't we sleep before the journey?” Ymir asked.

"We're leaving now, but once we get there, you can eat and rest," he said, then headed towards his horse. The others complained and grumbled for a while, but in the end they all followed Eren.

It was already noon when they reached the wall, but as soon as they were there, Sasha started eating and half the squad joined her because everyone was very hungry. However, Reiner and Berthold stood apart. They tried to come up with a plan but couldn't.

"After what he's done to Zeke, I'm definitely not trying to kidnap him," Berthold protested against Reiner's idea. His friend was obviously nervous, because Zeke's appearance was bad news.

“You’re right. We should kidnap someone else,” Reiner thought. “Let’s kidnap Hange. I know she’s strong too, but now that she’s expecting a child, I don’t think she would be really fierce.”

Berthold went silent. Partly because he didn't have a better idea, and partly because he couldn't really formulate his objection well against this plan. Kidnapping a pregnant woman? Not even he wanted to do something so terrible.

“Stop being so snobbish!” Reiner said. “We won’t hurt the woman. Or her child. We’ll kidnap her gently. And then the Captain won’t be angry either.”

"I don't think the words gently and kidnapping really go together," he said finally, as he slowly began to come to terms with the matter.

"Then we'll make things work out," Reiner said. "Just don't screw things up like always. Don't scare her too much, but be firm enough to make her feel that this hostage thing is serious."

“Let's bring Ymir with us because she'll bring Christa. And Christa knows how to do this caring stuff,” Berthold thought.

"I don't care. I just don't want Zeke to kick our asses," Reiner shrugged. Meanwhile, Ymir walked over because she heard her name said.

“What are you guys planning?” she asked, disinterested.

“Nothing special. Just the usual. If you heard we were going to take pregnant women hostage, you must have heard something wrong,” Reiner spoke in a muffled voice. “Wouldn’t you like to be our hostage too?”

“Then what the fuck are we waiting for?” Ymir looked at them confused. “Let's kidnap that woman!” Then she paused for a moment. “We're taking Christa with us, right?”

“Of course we will!” Reiner replied. “I always open for good-looking blondes to join my hostage-taking team!”

“But Reiner, isn’t Christa already dating Ymir or something?” Berthold interrupts.

"That doesn't matter now. Let's go and kidnap the pregnant woman," Reiner replied.

“But what if she gives birth during this?” Berthold hesitated.

"Shut up. She won't," Reiner argued.

“You idiots,” Ymir declared in disgust. It was no coincidence that she didn't participate much in their little actions. But luckily for them, Hange flew up slowly and carefully just at the very same moment.

As soon as she heard the scouts gathering at the wall, she rushed there to see Levi and Eren as soon as possible. When Levi saw Hange, he immediately headed towards her. However, at the same moment, Reiner and Berthold also started heading in that direction.

“Levi!” the woman shouted, waving cheerfully as she tried to quicken her pace, but Reiner was already behind her.

Levi didn't even have time to answer. Hange was cornered. Reiner was blocking her path from one side and Berthold from the other. With one easy move, Reiner knocked the woman out, while Berthold caught her. Seeing this, Levi felt a rage he had never experienced before. Because of this, he started rushing towards the two boys with the intention of killing them for hurting Hange. Reiner blocked Levi's attack, even though it meant the man cut off his arm cleanly. Not that Reiner cared much, because the stump immediately began to steam and heal.

"Shiganshina. Eren for the woman," he declared as Berthold, Ymir, and Christa jumped off the wall, carrying Hange with them. Reiner soon followed.

At this, Levi's eyes widened in shock. He simply couldn't believe that this could happen. The man wanted to scream in helpless rage. But he didn't. Instead, he took out his anger on Eren, who arrived shortly after, having been told what had happened. Then Levi spoke to him coldly:

"It's your fault. If you stayed with Hange, those idiots wouldn’t have kidnapped her."

“Me?” Eren declared, almost panicking. “They want me! You know with who the fuck she would have been safe?” he shouted, losing his cool. “With you!”

"Don't you dare yell at me, you dirty brat," Levi said in a voice colder than ice. "You disobeyed my orders. And look where that led!"

“Don’t you dare to put the blame on me!” the boy pointed at his father, using his own words. “Don’t you dare put that on me, just so you don’t feel regret. So you don’t have to admit you screwed something up!”

"I'm not blaming you. You should accept that it was my job on the battlefield then. Considering that I led combined, larger forces before, while you didn’t. So you should have stayed by Hange's side while I fought! And now look where your stubbornness has led you, you stupid brat! Hange has been kidnapped!" Levi said angrily, his hands shaking with anger.

“Then why did you leave my team behind?” he shouted angrily. He had been this angry since he was a small child. But if Levi had merged the teams, Eren’s men wouldn’t have been alone in the middle of the forest and Erwin wouldn’t have wanted Eren to go after them.

“Because I had no idea where they were going! Maybe if they had listened to Erwin’s orders and not started running around like crazy kids, I would have found them,” Levi replied angrily, feeling his patience running out and his voice rising in pitch. “This shows that Erwin was wrong. He shouldn’t have appointed a hot-headed kid who can’t discipline his team as Captain!”

“I’m a Captain because you fucked up! Literally!” Eren declared. It wasn’t as if Erwin had asked him so much as, “Hey Eren, do you want to be a Captain?” The boy didn’t want to be a Captain, and he always questioned his abilities.

"That's no reason to appoint you. Someone who knows their job should have been chosen," Levi replied coolly. "But you know what, you can just keep feeling sorry for yourself. I'll save Hange on my own."

“Feeling sorry for myself?! Who has been parading around here all week because their feelings were hurt? My mother asked you for one thing!” the man nudged Eren. “One thing! To stay with her! For YOU to stay with her!”

"Well, I'll be by her side now," Levi said emotionlessly. He then strapped on his ODM gear and sabers, and before Eren could stop him, he left the wall and its perimeter. All the while, he was thinking that he had hopefully made the right decision by not waiting any longer. While he was here arguing with Eren, Hange's life was in danger. So he had absolutely no time or patience left to wait for Erwin to come up with a plan.

“Idiot!” Eren shouted angrily, and when it was over, the boy began to calm himself down, exactly as his mother had taught him. Deep breaths and positive thoughts. “He will calm down and come back” he muttered to himself, knowing that his father would not stop acting without Erwin's permission. So the boy headed to the Commander to come up with a plan to get his mother back.

Chapter Text

When Eren arrived to Erwin, the blond-haired man looked at him surprised:

"What do you want, Eren?"

Erwin was too far away when Hange was kidnapped, so he didn't see anything of it. All the information hadn't reached him yet, so Eren was the one who will tell him everything now.

"My mother has been kidnapped," the boy declared anxiously. "Probably by other shapeshifters who want me. You must help me to save her. You are probably the only one who can."

Erwin didn't like this at all. A rescue mission would hinder their progress on finding out the truth, but he still didn't say no. Hange was a useful member of the legion, so they couldn't let her go.

"Okay. I'll try to come up with a plan as quickly as possible," Erwin said, then looked around and couldn't see the boy's father. "But where is Levi?"

"I don't know. He yelled at me and went to brood," Eren said, immediately throwing himself into planning. They were going to save his mother.

"Then he'll definitely come back after he calms down," said Erwin calmly, who then included Levi in his plan. They moved quickly with the plan because Eren put everything he had learned from his mother and father into it.

"If we can't catch them in the forest of giant trees, then that's it," the boy explained, while Erwin watched him with great interest. Here and now he finally saw the potential he had been looking for in the boy. He just had to push him to his limits to make it come out.

"Then we'll catch them in the forest. It would be best if we split into teams so we can surround them," Erwin finally replied. But he couldn't say more, because Levi's team unexpectedly appeared, saying that they had seen their Captain leaving, but they couldn't stop him. Erwin glanced at the boy and then said in a stern and slightly surprised voice: "Didn't you say Levi would come back?"

"I did, but because I thought he wasn't that stupid that..." Eren said, but Oluo, still panting from running, interrupted them.

"He went completely crazy! We've never seen him like this before," he said in fear, his eyes widening as Petra gently put her hand on his shoulder.

"Because that’s what we needed right now," Erwin sighed, rolling his eyes slightly. "That means we can't count on Levi at the moment. We'll have to rework the plan then."

"I'll take over all his tasks. I'll merge our teams, especially since I don't have many people left from mine anyway," Eren explained, quickly rearranging things so that he could replace Levi everywhere.

“Are you sure you can do this?” Erwin asked. “If not, Petra will lead the combined forces.”

"I'm sure," he said as he finished transcribing. He had to show he could lead, he had to save his mother. He was an Ackerman and he wouldn't bring shame to his name.

"Okay. Then I'll regroup the people, share the plan with the others, and we can leave," Erwin said, and the soldiers standing nearby saluted him.

Hange came to herself frightened and bound. She and the others rode on the shoulder of the Armored Titan and Christa and Berthold stood beside her, waiting to see how she would react.

“Please…” she begged immediately, not taking the time to act strong. She didn’t care, if she had to beg for the child to be safe, she will beg. “Let me go…”

“Unfortunately, we can’t,” Berthold replied calmly, then added in a slightly anxious tone. “We need you for now. But uh… don’t worry. We’re not in the habit of hurting pregnant women.”

Despite all her knowledge, the woman could not utter a single word. She was terribly afraid that she would never see the people she loved, again.

“Why didn't you stay with me?” she muttered to herself as she cried, thinking of Levi. All she wanted was for him to stay with her, but he had left her to be taken care of by Eren the very first time he could. Of course, she knew their work was important, but she never doubted that family was even more important. What's the point of work anyway if there's no one to do it for?

“Don't worry, everything will be fine,” replied Christa, who also burst into tears when she saw Hange's tears. So the young girl hugged the older woman. Then, after releasing Hange, she spoke kindly: "Do you know what you’re going to call the baby?"

“Yes,” Hange nodded as she began to calm down. Since Christa spoke to her so kindly, the woman figured that the girl must have been kidnapped too. “If it’s a girl, then I name them Isabel, and if it’s a boy, then Furlan.”

“I think those are nice names,” Christa said with a smile, not knowing the story behind them. “And how many children do you want?”

"I think this one will be enough next to Eren," she whispered softly, because she didn't want to share this information but only with Christa.

“And what if Levi wants more?” Chirsta asked, clinging to the Armored titan’s shoulder.

"He didn't even want this one," she said, somewhat restrained.

“Oh, I see… I’m sorry,” Christa muttered, then looked at the woman worriedly. “I hope you’re okay.”

"I think so," she nodded slightly as they walked through the forest of giant trees.

“Just don’t faint,” Christa said carefully, looking around. “I don’t really know what to do with fainting pregnant women. And I suspect the others don’t either.”

“I won’t,” she said, suddenly hearing the unmistakable hiss of ODM gear. But now, no one (including herself) was wearing any gear.

"Reiner, hurry up! The scouts are here!" Berthold shouted, and the armored titan picked up speed.

“Don't go so wildly, Reiner! There's a pregnant woman with us!” Christa said indignantly.

“Reiner can’t move quickly and gracefully at the same time!” Berthold retorted impatiently.

“Whoever this is, they’re alone!” Ymir shouted, ready to transform. She quickly noticed that a single voice was repeating itself. If more people came, they would easily know.

“Alone? Who's the idiot who would come alone against three shifters?” Berthold asked.

"The point. Be prepared," Ymir said as she held the knife in her hand ready to cut herself at any time. And a moment later, that person appeared.

Levi immediately charged at the titan, using his ODM equipment. He kicked the knife out of Ymir's hand and showed Berthold off the titan, leaving Christa intact, who was terrified, alone. The man then grabbed Hange and jumped off with her using his equipment. However, due to his haste, Levi landed rather unluckily, as the ODM equipment smashed into a rock, causing it to break in two. Hange's ears were ringing and she hoped she was still holding on tightly to Levi as she screamed in fear because she had closed her eyes on the way. She didn't want to see how high they were or anything like that.

“Are you okay?” Levi asked, gently hugging the woman. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“I'm fine,” she said, while she almost hugged the man as tightly as she could. “Don't ever leave me again!” she cried out in fear, because she needed nothing more than Levi. To be here with her.

Hearing these words, Levi immediately felt guilty. He didn't want Hange to be so scared. Just as he didn't want her to be kidnapped.

"I'm sorry..." Levi muttered, still holding Hange close to him. "I thought Eren would stay by your side to protect you."

“But I wanted you to be with me,” the woman began. “Why can’t you understand?”

“Hange, you should know that’s not the case,” Levi replied desperately. “My family means a lot to me. But I can’t throw my work away because of it! Then who will support the child?”

"If you keep going like this, you'll die and then I have to…" the woman collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

"I'm not going to die," Levi replied coldly. "You should trust me and my abilities more."

The woman didn't answer anymore, she just sat on the ground crying to herself. This whole thing was a terrible idea. Levi didn't want to be with her, maybe if he had to choose he would rather go on an expedition than to be there for the birth of his own child. Levi turned away from Hange with a deep sigh and a gloomy expression. He now saw that he would not be able to comfort her, and therefore had no idea what he could do to resolve this situation. Then the earth shook and titans approached them. But they didn't have the equipment to disappear quickly.

Levi was closer to the titan, so he was caught by it. The man was unable to defend himself as the titan lifted him into the air, as his sword was left on the ground.

“LEVI!” the woman shouted desperately as she started running towards him.

The titan was ready to throw Levi into his mouth. The man felt like his end was near. A tear fell from his eye, and he watched Hange the whole time. If he had to die, he wanted her to be the last thing he saw in his life.

“Run!” Levi yelled at her.

Hange's feet were rooted to the ground as she watched the scene in shock. Then, more hisses came and Eren appeared, cutting off the titan's fingers with a simple movement and grabbing his father, while the other scouts arrived. Some began killing the other titans, while others went after Reiner. and the others.

Levi, on the other hand, remained still. Soon he had to sit down because his legs were shaking from the near-death experience. Because of this, he couldn't even utter a single word.

“Levi!” Hange cried as she immediately hugged him. “Don't do this again to me!” she said, but despite everything, she pulled him into a passionate kiss. Meanwhile, Erwin appeared, looking sternly at the man in Hange's arms.

“You were right. I was wrong not to grant your request” he said, then continued with a sigh. “ Levi Ackerman, I am dismissing you from the military. Effective immediately Your team and duties will be taken over by Eren” he looked at the boy, thanks to whom the day did not end in tragedy.

Levi's eyes widened in shock at this statement. He didn't want to believe Erwin's words. He has never thought that the Commander would one day fire his best soldier. But Levi didn't beg. He didn't want to look pathetic in front of the others. Still, he felt something inside him being crushed. He had fought to survive his whole life, so he had no idea who he was if not a soldier.

Hange also looked at Erwin as he pulled Levi closer to him. "Everything will be fine," she whispered to him, glancing gratefully at Erwin. Deep, she was happy with his decision to fire Levi.

“Is this really a good idea?” Eren suddenly asked.

“This is the right decision,” Erwin replied, then added sternly, “If Levi can’t follow orders and cooperate with the other soldiers, then he has no place among the scouts.”

These words only made Levi more frustrated even if that can be said. He had always wanted to live up to Erwin's expectations, and he thought he had succeeded so far. Then the blond-haired man fired him for a stupid mistake.

"Come on Eren, we need to talk," Erwin told him, the boy nodded and followed him. He thought he would apologize to his father when they got back.

“Levi?” Hange asked him as they were left alone.

Levi, however, was unable to respond. He was still trying to digest the fact that Erwin had fired him. He began to wonder to himself where he would get the money to sustain his family. Besides, his goal so far has been to help humanity by fighting beyond the walls. Like Erwin, he wanted humanity to be free, and was willing to make sacrifices for it. All this just to be kicked out? Who was he if not Humanity’s Strongest? And who would protect his subordinates if not him?

“Levi?” the woman asked again.

She didn't know what to do. Levi had dedicated his entire life to serving others. But now? She knew this would be hard for him to swallow, but Hange never doubted for a moment that the man wouldn't find a job to support them. She knew Levi would learn something if needed to, because he was an Ackerman and the Ackermans loved a challenge.

“Are you okay? Should I call a doctor?” the woman asked quietly.

"I'm fine," Levi said softly.

But in reality, he really wasn't feeling all that well. He felt like his whole life was falling apart, ripping on the seams. He had no idea what to do next.

Hange just nodded, then sat on the ground for a while longer. She felt the child move, which normally made her hiss and put her free hand on her belly.

“What do we do now?” he asked, spreading his arms helplessly. Meanwhile, he watched the scouts fighting. He wanted to go there and fight alongside them. He wanted to continue to participate in humanity's fight against the titans.

“We’ll survive,” she said, massaging her back, which was already quite sore. Hange didn’t feel like fighting. She wanted to go back and rest. Levi nodded. However, he was still unable to move from his spot. All he could think about was that he would no longer be able to kill titans and fight for freedom.

“Let’s go,” the woman helped him up, and then they set off towards the horses. The woman didn’t complain or say anything, instead focusing on getting them back safely. But even the man, who was deeply in his self-pity, could feel the silence.

“I see you’re not in a very talkative mood either,” Levi remarked, urging his horse to a faster pace.

"I don't want to talk because we'll just fight," she said. She knew that it was really hurting him right now and it was best not to bother him with her problems. Levi nodded in agreement. He really didn't have the patience for any argument or disagreement right now. The ground had been completely pulled out from under his feet, and he didn't know what to do with his life now.

Chapter Text

When they finally got back to the base in the evening, Hange drew a bath for him and even washed Levi without saying a word. It was quiet as she gently washed his back with the cloth and then she even poured shampoo on his head to wash her fiancé's messy hair. Levi still didn't speak. Instead, he sat in the bathtub, lost in thought. He wondered what would happen to the others now. He hoped they were all alive and that nothing had happened to them.

As the woman began massaging the shampoo into his head, she carefully began humming to make the monotonous work more exciting. This helped Levi focus on the present moment instead of his doubts. It made him appreciate that Hange was here with him and that she wasn't hurt. Reiner and his team could have easily killed her. It was just sheer luck that she wasn't hurt. So Levi said, barely audible:

"Thank you..."

“You’re welcome,” she forced a smile as she finished washing the man's hair. “I'll be outside while you dry yourself off and get dressed,” she pointed to the clothes rack in the bathroom. “In the meantime, I'll make you some tea and something to eat.”

“Okay,” Levi replied curtly.

After Hange left the bathroom, he got dressed. Then Levi went to the kitchen, where he sat down silently to eat his dinner. They sat next to each other in silence, eating the woman's cooking. Hange wanted to speak, to ask if they were a family now, if this was what he really wanted. Or if it would be better if she just disappeared and didn't cause him so much trouble.

Levi still didn't speak. His thoughts returned to the scouts again. He felt it was unnatural for him to be resting here while the others were fighting for their lives on the battlefield. But since it was evening, maybe they weren't fighting either, but were just preparing for the night. They were setting up tents and cooking dinner. They were probably sorting out the night guard shifts…

The woman knew what the man was thinking and although she also played with similar thoughts, she still focused on getting enough to eat, while the child continued to move in her belly, probably waiting for their dad to devote time to them as well. However, Levi didn't care much about Hange and the child. Even at this moment, he was still thinking about his firing.

So the woman picked up the plates and washed the dishes while Levi went to sleep.

“I’m sorry,” the woman said to her belly as she quietly washed the dishes. “You deserve better…”

The child in the woman's belly felt her mother's frustration, so it only started to move even more which caused Hange quite the discomfort. So, the woman tried to wash the dishes quickly and when she did  she sat back into the chair. Eren soon appeared of course, putting down the papers and hurrying to his mother.

“When did Dad go to bed?” he asked as he made sure the woman was feeling better.

"Recently, but leave him alone," the woman said with a pleasant sigh as the kicking subsided, "he had a long day. Tell me, is this all a joke?"

“No, Erwin was serious,” the boy said, pointing to the stack of papers. “I tried to talk to him, but he’s adamant. Said something about keeping the integrity of the scouts.”

“I'll figure it out another way then,” the woman thought. “Maybe if I talk to Marie, she can convince Nile to hire Levi. And then it'll be good for everyone, right?”

"Dad would rather die than work with those bastards," Eren declared as he served himself some dinner. "But we all know I'm nowhere near as good as him. Erwin is just mad at him right now, but in a month he'll be begging him to come back" he stated in a convinced tone and his mom could only nod in agreement.

"Thank you for saving his life," Hange said softly.

"It's nothing. I just paid back what I owed," he shrugged. "I'd do it again if I had to." Hange just nodded, then she went to lie down next to Levi. There was silence, and that unusual silence that had set in recently.

The woman did everything she could to keep her family together. She took on all the housework, meaning she did the laundry and cooked every day. And every morning there was the newspaper on the table, in which the woman highlighted suitable job advertisements for Levi. She never asked the man, she let him do what he wanted with this information. The woman didn't force anything on him, she let him process it all at his own pace.

For a few days, Levi didn't really pay attention to the ads Hange had found. Instead, he was lost in thought, trying to process the fact that Erwin had fired him. But then he realized that, no matter how much it hurt him, he had to find a job if he and his family didn't want to starve. Hange couldn't work for the time being due to her pregnancy, and Eren's money wouldn't have been enough for four people.

So he took a job as a cleaner in a restaurant, even though his heart still belonged to the scouts. Since it was cleaning, Levi didn't find the job that horrible, nor did he find it humiliating, considering that there were much worse and more uncomfortable jobs in the Underground. Despite this, he didn't like working that much, and in fact, he was still waiting for Erwin to call him back to the scouts.

One night, Eren pressed a key into his mother's hand while they were alone.

“I bought you two an apartment in Trost,” he announced. “I was able to soften Erwin up, but I know that having him here and letting him see everyone working won’t help” he said thoughtfully and then leaned against the wall. “He always comes in through the back door so no one notices him.”

“I know,” she smiled. “He always walks past the laundry room while I’m doing the laundry,” she explained as she began to look at the key with interest. Meanwhile, Levi came home from work. When he saw Hange and Eren, he nodded to them. Then he headed towards his room. He didn't feel like talking to them.

“Do you think he would like to come with me to the doctor tomorrow?” the woman asked her son. She wasn’t sick or anything, but she needed to go for a checkup because of the child.

“I have no idea,” Eren replied uncertainly. “He hasn’t been very involved in our family life lately.” But then the boy added: "I hope he wants to go with you. That child is his too. Ask him."

“I’ll ask,” she said, then sighed. “If not, then it’s no big deal. Anyway, Marie and Petra said they’d be happy to accompany me. Marie knows the way anyway, and Petra wants to prepare, especially since she’s finally got together with Oluo,” she said. She’s gotten on really well with the woman lately, which has helped her much nowadays.

Hearing this, Eren smiled. He was secretly happy that Petra had found her happiness. But then his thoughts returned to Levi. So he spoke again encouragingly:

"Go and talk to das. He needs to know you're going to the doctor."

“Yes,” she nodded, then went into their room. It would be better if she told him the doctor thing first and they could discuss the new apartment later. “How was your day?” the woman sat down on the bed next to him.

“I cleaned. As usual” Levi shrugged. However, the man didn't ask her what Hange was doing. He didn't want to talk to her and just wanted to be left alone.

“Do you want to come with me to the doctor tomorrow?” she asked without hesitation. She knew that the man hated the long-winded talks anyway.

“Is something wrong?” Levi asked, his voice finally carrying emotion for the first time. The man was clearly starting to worry about Hange.

“No. I just have to go back for checkups,” Hange said as she started to stroke her belly. “If you don’t want to come, it’s okay, Marie and Petra have already signed up to help me,” she tried not to make it too big, so that he wouldn’t feel forced.

"I'll go with you," Levi replied. "I want to know if everything is okay with my child. Are we going in the morning or in the afternoon?"

"Morning," she answered shortly, a little surprised. She hadn't thought he would want to come with her.

"Okay," Levi nodded. The man's attention then returned to his tea again and he drank the contents of the cup.

"But if you don't want to come, just tell me," she said, then lay down on the bed and was asleep within a few moments.

Levi didn't answer so as not to wake her up. Instead, he put his teacup aside and covered her up to make sure she wouldn't get cold. Then he lay down next to her.

The next morning, Hange and Levi waited in silence while everyone around them chatted happily. Hange wanted to say something to him, to at least make them seem like the other couples, but she didn't know what to talk about. Levi didn't know what they should talk about either. But he knew he wanted to support the woman in some way. So he gently placed his hand on Hange's back and said:

"Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine."

"I know," she sent him an encouraging smile while swinging her legs in boredom. Seeing this, Levi smiled cautiously and moved closer to his fiancée. The woman didn't say anything back, instead they sat in silence and enjoyed the time they could spend together.

Soon the doctor called Hange in, so they both entered the room. She sat the woman down and began to examine her. While the examination was going on, Levi waited, stomping around in one place, anxious. He was worried that something was wrong.

"His face is so sour it looks like he just had his teeth pulled," one assistant whispered to the other as they had a good time watching Levi.

"But he has no reason to. Every man would want a woman and child in such good health as his," the other whispered back, shrugging her shoulders as they returned to their business.

Levi heard what the assistants were whispering about him, but he didn't react. On the one hand, he didn't want to cause a debate, and on the other hand, he didn't want to talk about his life and its problems. Instead, he just hoped that the examination would end quickly and he could finally go home.

“Everything is fine, the child seems to be in great health despite everything that happened to you,” the doctor told Hange. “I’ll see you back next month,” she smiled at her.

Hearing this, Levi sighed in relief. After the kidnapping of Hange, even the child could have been seriously hurt.

"Thank you," the woman nodded, then took the papers and signed what was needed. Then they both said goodbye to the doctor and headed home. As they walked down the road, Levi carefully took the woman's hand and squeezed it reassuringly for a moment.

"You don't have to worry now. Everything is fine with the child," Levi told her.

“Yes, that’s great,” she said, squeezing his hand back. “Come on, I want to see something else.”

"Okay," Levi nodded, still holding her hand.

So they slowly walked to the apartment in Trost, the one which Eren had told the woman about yesterday. Then she stepped forward and put the key in the lock and turned the key easily in it. Soon they both entered the apartment and Levi looked around curiously, observing the slightly dusty, but at least intact furniture. The man also observed the whitewashed walls, which were fortunately in good condition. Finally, his gaze returned to Hange: "Why did you bring me to this apartment?"

“This is our apartment,” she said quietly, as she looked into the other similar looking rooms. “Eren bought it for us.”

“Why did he buy us an apartment?” Levi asked in shock. Then he quickly added: "But he actually made a good choice. I like this place. It's just... it's a bit far from the scout’s base."

"You know why he bought it. You just don't want to admit it," the woman told him quietly. "But I like it too. The view is nice. He really put a lot of effort in finding us a place."

Levi bowed his head at that. He knew that Eren was telling him to get over his disappointment and try to start a new life without the scouts. However, that was easier said than done. After a lifetime of combat, he had no idea how to live a civilian life.

“We just need to get the furniture moved, but Petra already said she'd come help with the others,” she said, a little more enthusiastically. “Eren also said the shop downstairs is for sale.”

“I'll help you move the furniture,” Levi offered. Then he added: "And you're right. The view is nice. But what do you want to do with the shop for sale?"

“Well, I have an idea that involves one of your favorite activities,” she grinned cheerfully.

“What?” Levi asked, still confused.

“We’re opening a tea shop!” she looked at her excitedly. “It’ll be perfect! You can make the tea and I can experiment with all kinds of new flavors!” Hearing this, Levi finally smiled, as he liked Hange's idea. And the woman's enthusiasm improved his mood as well.

"Okay," Levi replied happily, not thinking about the Scouting Legion for once. "I'm sure this will work. If we do things right, we'll have plenty of customers."

“Yeah!” The woman jumped up excitedly, then quickly hugged the man tightly. For the first time, she felt like there was a plan, an idea of what to do. Levi pulled the woman closer to him, happy to finally see Hange happy.

"And while working the teahouse, we'll definitely have time to take care of the child," Levi spoke again, his voice finally filled with joy instead of indifference.

“I love you so much!” she said as she pulled away just enough to look into his eyes. She suddenly had so many plans and thoughts. So many ideas to implement.

“Me too,” Levi whispered, then gently caressed the woman's cheek and added, “I hope our child will have a cheerful, positive, and strong personality like yours.”

“But it wouldn't hurt if they got your love for cleaning and order. Just look at Eren, what a nice boy we raised him to!” she said cheerfully.

“Seeing how much you clean up nowadays I’m sure it will be obsessed with cleaning just like me and Eren” Levi replied, still with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

“Yes… And that makes me think” the woman thought, adjusting her glasses. “I don't even know what I should do to thank Eren for all this…”

"I have no idea either," Levi replied with a sigh. "I don't know what we could give him to thank him for what he did. Not only did he save my life, he even got us a new apartment."

"Maybe the most we can give him is to continue to love him as if he were our own child," smiled the woman, who had obviously always been the more sentimental of the two.

Chapter Text

"You’re right… Besides, I should apologize to him. We had quite a fight the day I was kidnapped," Levi muttered knowing Hange's words were true and that the most they could give the boy was love.

“Really?”s he looked at him in surprise. “It didn't seem that way to me and Eren never brought up that you two had a fight,” she blinked a few times.

"Maybe he's forgiven me since then," Levi replied uncertainly. "But I still want to talk to him. I don't want Eren to think I hate him."

"Then it's best if we head back and you discuss things with him," the woman said. So they went back together, while Hange was so cheerful that everyone who saw her just smiled.

"I'm glad to see you cheerful again," Levi remarked as they walked home. Then he added in a guilty tone: "I'm sorry if I've caused you so much trouble lately."

“Problem?” She looked down at him. “Well, there were a few problems, because I didn’t really understand these housewife things, but I got used to it quite well in the end. Marie gave me a recipe book, and Petra showed me how to wash clothes,” she said thoughtfully. She didn’t seem angry or disappointed.

“No, you weren't the problem here,” Levi said with a sigh. “It was more like me. I’m sorry that I've been so moody lately. But… it really hurt when Erwin fired me,” the man added, swallowing hard, finding it difficult to talk not only about his joy, but also about his sorrow.

“It’s okay,” she squeezed his hand. “You know I’ve seen you at your lowest. I would never leave you,” she said, remembering the time after Isabel and Furlan.

“Thank you,” Levi replied gratefully, then after squeezing the woman's hand back, he added, “I hope you know that I would never leave you either.” The woman nodded as they returned to their apartment.

"I'll be in our room, and you go and talk to Eren," Hange told him.

"Okay," the man replied, leaving Hange alone and knocking on Eren's door.

“Come on in,” said the boy, who was solving equations on a blackboard, as he almost always did.

“Can we talk, or are you working?” Levi asked when he saw Eren with the formulas.

"Sure, we can talk," he put down the chalk with a smile and then wiped his hands with the rag next to the blackboard.

“I'm sorry I hurt you the day Hange was kidnapped,” Levi finally said, with difficulty and embarrassment. “I hope you can forgive me.”

"You didn't hurt me," he sighed. "And I'm not angry with you. I'm the one to be sorry because I upset you. I should have known my place."

"It's okay. I'm not mad at you anymore, son," Levi said, then ruffled Eren's hair as a sign of his love.

This was not an easy process for him, as he forgot that Eren was no longer a little boy, but a teenager who was already taller than him. Eren was currently the same height as Hange, but they all knew that the boy would soon outgrow his mother. Finally Levi let go of Eren and then spoke again:

"I hope you'll be a better Captain than me and won't make the same mistakes I did."

“I’ll try,” he said, folding his arms. “But it’s easier with your team, as they don’t want to disobey my every command. “Maybe it’s because they’re afraid you’ll come back and kick their asses,” he chuckled. “But of course Sasha wants a mandatory lunch break at noon, and she’s also convinced Eld and Günter to join the petition.”

"If they're really naughty, I'll gladly beat their asses," Levi replied absentmindedly. "Tell them that. And lunch break is when you say it is. Don't let them interfere in your business."

“There's something I haven't told you yet,” Eren suddenly became serious, then took the ragdoll out of his pocket. “I found this in Rimiko under a sign saying, 'Come back.'”

"That must have been Grisha," Levi said grimly. "No one else would resort to such cheap tricks."

“Then I met that beast shifter. He said we are brothers or something,” he continued to watch the ragdoll. “He had a match for this one.”

“And he didn’t say anything about Grisha?” Levi asked, trying to get information. “Do you know if those two are allies or not?”

“Nothing useful. But they’re not friendly with each other,” the boy declared. “Because I could sense his daddy issues from miles away.”

"Well, at least we know that Grisha wasn't a good father. We can use that against the titan shifter if necessary," Levi replied thoughtfully.

"I've already tried it and he came at me with a whole ass tree. Needless to say, he underestimated me terribly," he explained, looking down at his father. "He thought Grisha raised me, so he was surprised when I introduced myself to him. He was wrong, because Grisha is not my father. You are."

Hearing this, Levi became a little emotional, but he tried not to show it. So he only spoke when he was sure his voice wouldn't shake:

"One thing is certain. Whatever the beast’s purpose, he is our enemy, and we must be careful with him. I hope you have already reported this to Erwin."

“Of course, I already gave him everything we could use,” he nodded. “Are you okay?” he asked, immediately noticing that his father was getting emotional. He had known him for too long not to notice.

"Sure, I’m okay," Levi replied, even though he knew he couldn't fool Eren. The boy was just as attentive as his mother.

"You know, you can hug me if you need it," he stepped a little closer.

"It's not that important," Levi muttered, feeling surprisingly embarrassed that Eren had seen through him so clearly. However, he did not say this, and instead he only replied: "But I hope you know how proud I am of you. Anyone else would have crumbled under such a huge responsibility, but you didn't give up. The cadets could take your example."

"I had a good teacher," Eren said proudly, continuing to smile. "And an even better father."

"Thank you," Levi replied, his voice cracking for a moment due to his overwhelming emotions. The man was touched by Eren's words. He never thought that the boy would consider him a role model.

“Thank you, Dad,” he nodded enthusiastically. “Without you, I wouldn't be who I am today.”

“It's nothing,” Levi replied. The man then smiled at his son one last time, then left him alone so he could work.

Grisha's new plan was crazier than the last, but Mikasa didn't let it bother her. If she had to convince the whole world that Eren Ackerman was a shifter, that was exactly what she was going to do. Even now, as she walked down the hallway with one of her superiors, she could only think about how she could get revenge on everyone. Reiner and Berthold left, leaving her behind, which she knew she would give them a piece of her mind when they met again. Because they will meet again.

“We’re here,” his superior stopped. “For your dedication to the Military Police, I’d like to transfer you to the Anti-Personnel Control Squad,” he said as he opened the door. Several soldiers were already standing at attention in the room, waiting in front of a man who introduced himself as Kenny Ackerman.

"He will be your leader for a while," Mikasa's superior pointed at Kenny. "You must obey all his orders."

“So, what did you bring me, you piece of shit?” Kenny walked up to them and looked at the man and then at Mikasa. He recognized those distinctive Ackerman features. Which surprised him as he thought they were all extinct. “Who are you, brat?” he nodded at Mikasa.

“My name is Mikasa Ackerman,” the girl replied. Then she added sarcastically, “And I’m not a brat.”

“Where did you come from?” he tilted his head a little. “I thought our kind was wiped out.”

"From Shigansina," Mikasa replied, watching Kenny curiously.

Since the man looked quite similar to Levi and their names were the same, Mikasa thought they might be related.

"Well, Mikasa Ackerman, welcome here," he grinned as he extended his hand towards her. He thought this would be the start of a wonderful partnership. Because if the girl was a true Ackerman, then God forbid everyone who want to stand in their way. 

Mikasa shook Kenny's hand and nodded. Then she spoke again: "What are your orders, sir?"

“Tell me, do you know anything about this Eren Ackerman?” the man asked. He has been hearing this boy's name everywhere, but he knew nothing about him. However, this girl seemed to be the same age as him. Maybe she knew him.

"I only heard his name," Mikasa lied. Even though the girl had a fight with Eren, she didn't want to give out information about him to an assassin. Kenny certainly wouldn't want to invite Eren to a friendly tea party.

"A suggestion, brat," the man looked at him. "Don't lie to a man who can easily slit your throat. Do you know who we are working for?"

"To the military police," Mikasa snapped immediately, not scared by Kenny's words at all.

“No, not them. The king. The real one,” Kenny snapped back. “Not the puppet who sits on the throne.”

Mikasa had thought Kenny was against Grisha's plan. But apparently that wasn't the case. So she decided to share some information: “Eren Ackerman is none other than Levi Ackerman's adopted son. His original name is Eren Yeager.”

“And why is there so much bullshit going on around him?” he took out a cigarette to smoke. He had heard the Dwarf's name come up a long time ago, he had seen that shit even longer ago. And if he took anything away from his teachings, it was that he hadn't taken in that Eren kid out of some sentimentality.

"Because he's almost as strong as his foster father and almost as smart as his foster mother," Mikasa replied.

“And?” he lit a cigarette. “If the outsiders want him for themselves, it’s not just about brute force or intelligence.”

"Besides, he has the Founding Titan," Mikasa lied with a poker face.

“Ah, therein lies the problem,” he grinned as he blew out the smoke.

Meanwhile, at the scout base, Christa decided to visit Eren b because she wanted to talk to the boy. So she knocked on the Captain's door.

“Come on in,” the boy opened the door for her, pushing his goggles up on top of his head. He was glad Christa had shown up because they had a lot to discuss anyway.

“We need to talk,” Christa said. Then, in a slightly more uncertain tone, she added: “I didn't regret coming back to the scouts, because I didn't like the fact that Reiner and Berthold kidnapped your mother. But I'm sad nonetheless. After all, Ymir went with them, leaving me behind.”

“I’m glad you stayed with us,” the boy told Christa as he began to make tea for her. “Do you want to talk about Ymir?”

Christa nodded. Then she spoke again: "I miss her. And I wish she would come back to me..." the girl muttered, her eyes welling up with tears.

"You must have loved her very much," he said as he handed her the tea. He could also feel the same to some extent, because he had thought the same about Mikasa, although it was true, not with such intensity.

“Yes…” Christa whispered. Then she wiped away her tears and asked, “Eren, don’t you have anyone you miss?”

“Um…” he scratched the back of his head in awkwardness. “There is actually someone…”

“Who is it?” Christa asked. “You can tell me. I was crying about Ymir to you earlier.”

“This is called emotional blackmail! How could I have walked into your trap?” he suddenly laughed, trying to lighten the situation not only for Christa but also for himself. “By the way, it's Mikasa.”

"I can understand that," Christa replied sympathetically. "Mikasa is both beautiful and smart. I'm not surprised you like her. I hope she returns your feelings one day."

“Maybe it’s better this way,” he shrugged. “But let’s get to the point because I need to know something. We found out there are titans in the wall and when we went to Pastor Nick, he pointed us in your direction. Do you want to tell me why?”

“Yes,” Christa nodded. Then she told him her secret: “I am the true heir to the throne.”

“Uh. I think we missed a few steps in the conversation here” he blinked, because the statement came a bit suddenly. But it didn't matter, because at his surprised face Christa immediately started laughing heartily.

After Christa stopped laughing, she spoke again: "The pastor knew about this. That's why he directed you to me. Oh, yes, I almost forgot. My real name is Historia. Historia Reiss."

“Your name is history? I mean, who wants to name their child, history?” he smiled kindly as he nudged her shoulder. “So, Historia. How exactly are you the heir to the throne? And why do you spend your days working under me?”

“Our family was dethroned. That’s why I grew up near a farm,” Historia said. “And I work under you because I don’t know how to get the throne back,” she confessed.

“And how can I help you with this?” Eren looked at her seriously, not as if her dream was ridiculous or unnecessary.

"I have no idea," Historia replied with a sigh. Then, ashamed and with her head bowed, she confessed, "I don't understand politics. Up until now, I've been more of a soldier than a ruler or a politician."

“And do you want to be queen?” he asked sincerely, free from any cynicism.

“Not really,” Historia muttered. “I’d lose my freedom. Besides, I like working with the scouts as a soldier. That’s why I haven’t revealed my identity yet. So that they’ll treat me like their comrade and not their ruler.”

"Then don't be queen Historia," Eren stated simply, taking the empty tea mug from Historia and placing it on the table with his. "Help us uncover the truth and free the people, as part of a team. As part of a family," the boy looked at her encouragingly.

“Thank you,” Historia replied gratefully. “You are the best Captain a subordinate could ask for,” the girl said, moved.

"You’re..." he started to say, but Historia was already there, hugging him tightly, burying her head in his chest.

"Thank you," the girl whispered again, hugging Eren. "Without you, it would be much harder to bear my burdens and my secrets."

"It's okay, Historia," the boy said, remembering what his mother had taught him. That girls are usually more emotional, so if a girl hugs you, hug them back because it means a lot to them. So Eren did just that. Historia still didn't let go of the boy. She was secretly glad that there was someone she could hold on to and who would comfort her in her trouble.

“If you need anything, I’m here,” he told her as he stroked her hair. The same thing his father always did to her mother to calm her down.

This pleased Historia, so she moved even closer to him. Then she whispered: "I'm sorry if I'm being too sentimental. But not only do I miss Ymir, but I've also had to hide my true identity..."

“It’s okay,” he told her kindly, waiting for her to calm down. “What your name is doesn’t mean anything as long as you’re the person you want to be.”

“I think you're right…” Historia replied with a sniff. Then, after she calmed down, she let go of Eren. “But I'm sure this situation isn't easy for you either. After all, it was recently revealed that almost half of your team consists of traitors. And on top of all that, your mother was kidnapped.”

“But the point is, we got my mother back and I saved my father,” the boy shrugged. “And my mother says that all's well that ends well.” Historia smiled at this. She liked Eren's positive attitude towards things.

"I think you're right," Historia replied kindly.

"Well, then welcome to the Scout and my team, Historia Reiss," Eren extended his hand. Historia shook hands with the boy. Then she spoke up:

"Thank you for the opportunity, Eren Ackerman."

Chapter Text

Volume 4: Blood runs thicker than water

The volume takes place during the third season of the series. T he following characters are the ones mainly in this volume:

Eren Yaeger
Historia Reiss
Hange Zoë
Levi Ackerman
Mikasa Ackerman
Kenny Ackerman
Jean Kirstein
Erwin Smith
The original Special Operation's Squad
Grisha Yaeger

It had been two weeks since everything, and it seemed like Eren and Historia had grown together. No one really knew why or how, but it seemed like these two liked each other. At first, Eren just wanted to support Historia, knowing what it was like to lose someone, but every time she stayed up all night strategizing with him, he felt so strange. And one day after Eren and Historia finished planning the next day's strategy, Historia spoke in a sad voice:

“I remember less and less what Ymir looks like. Even though it's only been less than a month, I see her features more and more faintly…”

"I forgot Shiganshina quickly too," Eren looked at her understandingly as he rolled up the map. "Mom told me that I once woke up crying at night because I couldn't remember my own friends."

“I’m sorry. I can understand this. I’m afraid that in a few more months I won’t remember Ymir at all. Neither her face nor her voice will remain even in my memories,” Historia said as her head bowed. “I feel like I’m betraying her memory.”

“Ymir made her decision and you made yours,” Eren placed his hand gently on Historia’s back. “You have nothing to regret.”

“I hope you’re right,” Historia replied with a sigh. Eren just nodded, then packed up his things and looked at the clock, seeing that it was getting late.

“You're always here with me for a long time,” Eren looked back at the girl. “Why?”

“I’m just enjoying your company,” Historia shrugged. “Besides, I’d like to help you put together the plan, since you’ve been helping me a lot lately.”

"I don't think I've helped you that much," he muttered, embarrassed. He knew he was a little nervous because he started to pick at the wound on his hand like he always did.

“You already helped by listening,” Historia replied with a smile.

“It's only natural that I listen to everyone. That was the first thing my mother…” he said, then stopped because he remembered what Historia had told him about her mother. “I'm sorry…”

"It's okay," Historia replied indulgently. "I'm not that sensitive. You can talk about your mother without any worries."

“Whatever,” he shook his head, then looked up at the clock again to make sure it was really that late. “Everyone is already asleep, it’s better not to wake them up by walking around.”

"You're right," the girl replied, then nodded slightly in agreement.

“My bed is free, sleep there,” he looked at her kindly as he took her by the arm and led her to his room. Since his parents moved out, the entire apartment had become his. As a result, he turned one room into an office, the other into a lab, and his bedroom was finally not cluttered.

"Thank you," Historia replied, then climbed into Eren's bed. She yawned a little, then pulled the blanket over herself and closed her eyes.

But she couldn't fall asleep quickly, and in fact, when she heard the rustling of clothes, she half-opened his eyes, only to see Eren taking off his shirt. This made her blush a little, so she quickly turned away so Eren wouldn't see her red face. Then she closed her eyes again and tried to sleep. But this time she couldn't sleep because she liked what she saw quite a bit. Eren simply took off his shirt without any thought and was only in his more comfortable pants because he always slept like that.

"If you need me, I'll be on the couch," the boy walked to the side of the bed, knowing that Historia was still up. But when he was about to leave, the girl suddenly grabbed his wrist.

"I hope I'm not causing you any trouble by staying," Historia said uncertainly, avoiding Eren's gaze.

"Not at all," Eren shook his head kindly. "Stay as long as you want," he said and was about to leave, but he noticed that Historia was still holding his wrist.

"I promise I won't snore," she muttered, still feeling embarrassed. "And, uh... if anything happens, you can tell me."

“Why, I will only be in the living room…” he looked down at her absentmindedly, then realized why she said that. She wanted him to lie next to her. “Oh… okay…” he sat down on the bed next to her.

"There's a place for you too," Historia quietly asked, after she had already gotten under the covers.

"Okay," he lay down next to her, trying to hide his blush. He still couldn't ask his father what to do when a girl wants to sleep with you yet.

Historia hugged Eren and closed her eyes. Her breathing soon slowed and she soon fell into a deep sleep. Eren was prepared for many things by his parents. To lead, to deal with social situations, to kill, to become the strongest. But what to do when a girl hugs him while he sleeps was something they never said a word about.

Historia didn't mind that Eren didn't really know what to do. She was already pretty tired, so sleeping together was enough for her. Finally, Eren carefully hugged the girl back, wondering if this was the right thing to do and if he wasn't crossing a line he couldn't turn back from. He didn't want to hurt Historia like he had Mikasa. But the girl just smiled in her sleep feeling Eren's embrace.

Then finally Eren closed his eyes and tried not to think about how everything had changed. That his parents had moved away, that he saw them less and less often, that even though he had taken over his father's place, he couldn't bring the same level of strength as him. But now none of that mattered, only that Historia was here, and as he watched the girl, he was overcome by sleep.

The next morning, Jean decided to visit Eren, as he wanted to talk to his friend. However, when he entered the boy's room, he was shocked to find Eren sleeping in the same bed as Historia, with the two of them quite tangled up. Jean grinned at this, then said:

"Good morning, Eren. I see you had a pretty nice sleep."

But before Eren could answer or wake up properly, Erwin also entered the room, as he had important things to tell the boy. Erwin was also quite surprised when he saw Eren and Historia in the same bed. That's why he raised his eyebrows in question.

“I'm awake!” he got up immediately, rubbing his eyes. “I would have been happy if you knocked first,” he said, glancing grumpily at Jean, then at Erwin. Meanwhile, Historia slowly woke up. “Commander, how can I help you?”

“I would have knocked if I knew what you were doing,” Jean replied, grinning.

Meanwhile, Erwin, ignoring the boys' teasing, spoke up: "Eren, I have a talk with you. Are you aware that the government wants me to extradite you and Historia?"

“Me?” he looked at his Commander in confusion. “What the fuck?” he asked simply, just like his father usually did. He wasn’t surprised by Historia being involved, because she had something to do with these political events. But him? What does he have to do with all this?

“First of all, it would be great if you didn’t swear in front of me,” Erwin said sternly. He only forgave Levi for swearing. “Secondly, yes, you, because those idiots think you possess some kind of titan.”

“I’m sorry, Commander,” the boy nodded as he crawled out of bed. “You’re not going anywhere, Jean, because we’re going to have a talk after I’m finished with Commander Erwin,” he said, as he saw from the corner of his eye that his friend was about to leave. “And I don’t own any Titan, because if I did, everyone here would know about it, including me.”

“Yes, I know all this,” Erwin nodded. “That’s why I didn’t plan on handing you over to the government. Just like I didn’t plan on handing over Historia to them. But that means the government will turn against us.”

“But we know that there are titans in the walls, and that there are people in the titans,” Eren began to explain, quickly grabbing his shirt and jacket. “There is a puppet sitting on the throne, and if we expose him, we can stop a catastrophe from happening.”

“Yes,” Erwin replied, then added thoughtfully, “We could perhaps use this information against them.”

"Then we'll discuss everything after breakfast," Eren said, and Erwin nodded and left. "I'll make you breakfast," the boy said, knowing that Historia was awake, only pretending to be asleep so as not to get into an awkward situation. Then Eren grabbed Jean's arm and dragged him into the kitchen.

“Did you have fun with Historia?” Jean asked with a grin as they entered the kitchen. “I hope you two were at least as loud as Marco and I.”

"We didn't do anything," the boy said, leaning into the cupboard while searching for the plates so he wouldn't be seen blushing. "She was just afraid to sleep alone and I'm not a monster."

“If the Commander was afraid to sleep alone, would you snuggle up to him like this?” Jean asked jokingly, then grinned as Eren worked in the kitchen, just trying to avoid his gaze.

"Look, there's nothing between us. There's nothing between me and anyone, since Mikasa..." he started, but cut himself off halfway through. He was already telling Jean too much.

"Why are you talking about her? I thought whatever was between you two is over," Jean replied surprised.

“I just…” Eren looked away. He just hoped. Even though she spat on his face and told him to die. He tried to convince everyone, including himself, that it was good this way. It’s good that whatever was between them is over. But he still hoped. Maybe for too long.

"So you still miss Mikasa," Jean replied with a sigh. "I suggest you try to get over it. Because it's not fair to Historia."

“She has enough problems,” he shot back, referring to Ymir. “There’s nothing between us anyway, so there’s no way I can hurt her.”

“Well, okay, you know what you want,” Jean shrugged. “But it’s still weird that you two slept in the same bed.” The blond boy then thought in silence for a few seconds, but then spoke again: "If Mikasa were here right now, would you still sleep next to Historia?"

"Of course," he said before he could think of anything. Mikasa probably would never have asked for protection, because as he had known her, she carried the same Ackerman pride as his father.

“But why?” Jean asked in amazement, not fully understanding Eren's logic and wanting to understand his friend's decision.

"Because I know what it's like to be lonely and have no one to rely on," he said, but even he himself didn't really know the answer to this whole paradox he was feeling right now.

"I don't know. It's still pretty weird to me," the blond boy said thoughtfully.

"But maybe it's just me who's afraid that this will end up the same way it did with Mikasa," he finally admitted quietly.

“If you don’t lead her astray, everything will be fine,” Jean replied reassuringly.

“Do you think she likes you?” he asked his best friend cautiously, and he just cheerfully put his arm around his shoulders.

“Don't be an idiot, Eren,” Jean said jokingly. “If she didn't like you, she wouldn't have fallen asleep next to you.”

“But Historia is so warm with everyone,” he told him, embarrassed.

"That's true," Jean agreed. "But she doesn't sleep in the same bed with everyone. So I'm sure you and her will hit it off in no time. Even though she might still be missing Ymir."

"How do I do this? I don't know how to do it and..." Eren panicked completely and started pacing back and forth.

"Calm down," Jean said, then put a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "There's no need to worry about it. Just ask her out on a date and see what happens."

"I've just become a wanted criminal," he suddenly remembered, which made him even more worried. But before anything could happen, Historia stepped out, holding Eren's favorite goggles which she gave to Eren and then spoke:

"What do you think we should do now that they've started chasing us?" The girl's gaze was worried. She was just as afraid of the situation as Eren.

"We'll have breakfast, I'll talk to Erwin and..." he said confusedly as he tried to put on his goggles but couldn't, so Historia started to help him put them on. While Historia was helping, she blushed, but she hoped Eren wouldn't see it. Then they had breakfast and then they all headed towards Erwin's office.

In another place, Mikasa was kneeling in the ground, weeding out the small hill where Armin's headstone had been placed. Since the ashes had been blown away by the wind after the cremation, the headstones were only symbolic. Mikasa knew in her heart that there was little point in cleaning a grave where no one was buried or where no one had ever been. Yet she still did it every time she wanted to feel closer to Armin. Sometimes she even talked to him, even though she knew there would be no response. It was the only way she could vent the pain she felt.

“I don’t know what Grisha is planning,” Mikasa told the grave. “But he says it’s important. He needs me because we’re going to change the world. Just like you wanted,” she pulled out a few weeds. “I’m going to see the ocean, Armin. I’ll go see it and tell you what it was like.”

There was no answer. Only the rustling of the leaves could be heard. This only intensified the grief and loneliness in the girl's heart.

"I miss you, Armin," Mikasa whispered, a tear falling from her eye. "You shouldn't have left me so early."

“Who's the handsome boy?” Kenny suddenly appeared behind her, coming to pick her up for the mission. “Armin Arlert,” he read the name on the headboard as he lit his cigarette. “Alliterative.”

Mikasa didn't answer. She didn't like that Kenny had interrupted her at a sensitive moment of hers. She wanted to be alone with Armin's memory for a while. She wanted to tell the boy what she had been going through recently. But she doesn't have the chance to do that now.

So she squeezed the piece of fabric that was from Armin's uniform one last time. Then she wiped the tears from her face and got up from the ground.

"We can go now," Mikasa said.

“Love is a weakness in this world,” he said calmly as he blew out the smoke. “It leaves a hole that destroys everything in you,” he said as his sister’s face floated before his eyes for a moment. “Be careful of that.”

Mikasa nodded. But she didn't add that she didn't have to worry about it anymore. She had lost everyone she once loved. Armin was the last person she ever loved.

Chapter Text

The plan they came up with was this: They take Eren and Historia to Pyxis, but they use Jean and Sasha as decoys. Meanwhile, Eren and Historia walk separately, like shadows, through the city.

Historia tried to sneak next to Eren as quietly as possible, not wanting to be noticed. She looked carefully left and right to see if anyone was following them. They stopped in one of the alleys for a few minutes to rest and scout ahead a little. If all went well, they would reach Pyxis on this separate road. Eren hoped his parents wouldn't find out about all this, otherwise they would both have a heart attack, which he definitely didn't want.

“Are you okay?” Eren asked as they sneaked in. He wanted to keep the girl safe.

“Yes,” Historia nodded. “Don’t worry about me, I’m a soldier, just like you. I can fight when needed.” But just to be safe, the girl asked, “And are you okay?” 

“Of course,” he nodded as they walked, their faces covered by hoods. “I’m just worried. I have a bad feeling and my father taught me to trust my instincts.”

“What are your instincts telling you?” Historia asked worriedly, trusting Eren's words.

"That we're not alone," he quickly pulled her close to him so he could whisper in her ear.

Historia snuggled up to Eren, feeling her heart start to beat faster with fear. Eren had now planted the seed of worry in her soul, so now she too was afraid that someone was watching them.

“Just calm down,” the boy stroked his back. “The hounds are attracted to the scent,” he looked around cautiously. If they get scared now, they’ll surely give away their position.

“Okay,” Historia whispered back. The girl's trembling slowly stopped. Eren's touch calmed her.

After that, they didn't have to go far when a smaller group attacked them. Eren of course didn't wait and started taking down people using his equipment when he saw someone in the distance, someone whom he had only heard about briefly when his father told him about his past.

Kenny also recognized Eren from the descriptions the Military Police members had given him. So he didn't hesitate and immediately shot Eren with his pistol. The boy successfully dodged the bullets, while Historia ducked. Eren then charged at the man with full force and successfully kicked one of his pistols out of his hand. Was he doing something stupid? Of course. Will his father kill him if he finds out? Sure.

Despite this, Kenny didn't give up the fight and kicked Eren. The boy successfully dodged it, so Kenny attacked him with a knife.

“The Dwarf raised you to be a good Ackerman,” he laughed enthusiastically, because the fight only made him more excited. “Although I thought he would come to end this himself,” he slashed with the knife, but Eren dodged and it landed in the wall.

"I'm definitely a better Ackerman than you," Eren retorted, slashing at Kenny with his sword.

"Not even close," he pulled out the knife, then with a quick movement he cut the boy's arm, causing him to drop his sword. "You still have a lot to learn, brat. Now, tell me where your father is, because I have a little business to take care of with him after I dropped you and that bastard off."

"I'll never tell!" Eren shouted angrily, then somersaulted and jumped after his sword, ignoring his sore and bleeding arm.

“What, is the Dwarf that weak now?” he laughed, grabbing Eren and throwing him through a bar window. “I thought I raised him better than this,” the man jumped in after Eren.

This caused several small cuts on the boy, who bled in several places. But because he was protecting his head, he escaped mostly unharmed. But Eren was now feeling dizzy and everything hurt, but despite this he didn't give up the fight and just got up from the ground, then grabbed his arm and said:

"Don't you dare talk about my father like that!" However, he didn't mention a single word about why Levi wasn't here, because he didn't want to reveal a weak spot to Kenny.

"You think you're so smart, huh?" he grinned enthusiastically, seeing nothing but an injured animal in front of him. "I know him, that hellhound doesn't disappear when it comes to fighting. It's in his blood," he wondered, as Eren threw himself behind the bar.

Eren didn't answer. He tried to catch his breath. The fight with Kenny had left him quite exhausted. After he had enough air in his lungs, he retorted with mocking words:

"It's almost flattering that you're so interested in my father. The only question is, why?"

“I raised that little shit, of course I’m interested to see if he’s grown an inch since I last saw him,” he continued laughing as if he’d told some really interesting joke. “But tell me, brat, is what I heard really true? Did he hook up with some crazy woman?”

"It has nothing to do with you," Eren retorted, feeling himself getting tired of the sweet talk. He now wanted to end this nonsense of a fight.

“I see you’re as talkative as he is,” Kenny said, raising his gun higher. “You’re cornered like a rat, so I don’t think you have much choice.”

Eren saw that Kenny was right. Despite this, he didn't give up the fight and continued to look for a way out with his eyes. Then he saw the rifle under the bar and had an idea. Although he had to quickly reorganize it because the next moment a bullet flew past Kenny's head. Historia confidently held the gun towards him that she had taken from one of Kenny's men.

Kenny saw that he had been surrounded. So he decided to run away and headed towards the broken window. Or rather, it only seemed like it because when he wanted to jump out he quickly turned around to shoot Historia, but Eren was faster and grabbed the rifle under the bar and shot the man. Then he jumped out from his hideout and grabbed Historia as they fled. Although they couldn't for long because Eren's arm was still bleeding.

“Where should we go?” asked Historia, panting from running. The girl's gaze fell on Eren's bleeding arm, so she spoke again in concern: "We should find some shelter quickly because you're injured."

Eren knew what was next, very well. But regardless, he didn't want to go there. His parents had just found some peace at last, who was he to go there now and expect his wounds to be bandaged? But there was no other way, because by the time they reached Pyxis, he would have bled out.

"I know where we're going," he said with a deep sigh, as Historia was under his arm and put her arm around his shoulders to help him move forward.

“Okay,” Historia replied, then added worriedly, “Just please don’t faint.”

“Do I look like I’m going to faint?” Eren looked at him questioningly as they set off. It was getting dark, so he had a plan. He hoped his parents would be asleep by the time they got there, so he could just sneak into the apartment, bandage his wound, and move on like they did their job well, without his parents suspecting anything.

“You look pretty pale,” Historia remarked, walking faster. “Wherever we’re going, I hope it’s not far.”

"No, it's not far," Eren stated as they continued walking.

They arrived at the house shortly. Eren took out his key and opened the door. However, when he entered there, he immediately saw his mother and father by the wall in a rather compromising position. They didn't know that Eren would be visiting them right now, so they were both quite surprised.

"I think I'll go outside now and wait a minute," Eren finally spoke up, being the first to pull himself together.

So Eren went back to the corridor with Historia. He wasn't that bothered by their compromising situation because to be completely honest he'd seen them like this a few times. It was more awkward because Historia was there too. It must have been a great thing to introduce your family to a girl you have a crush on like that.

"I'm so sorry," he finally looked at the girl quickly and fearfully.

“It’s okay,” Historia waved indulgently. “I was behind you and didn’t see anything. By the way, just imagine that I accidentally opened the door on Jean and Marco once. So if I had seen something now, I wouldn’t have been so shocked.” Historia then gently stroked Eren's arm and said: "But let's not even bother with that now. Let's just bandage your wound."

"Sure," he said as they entered the bathroom by another route. There, Eren sat on the edge of the tub and, hissing in pain, began to take off his jacket.

Historia helped Eren take off his jacket. Once she had done that, she gently stroked the boy's arm and then began to clean it. Eren shivered pleasantly as Historia touched his skin. But he tried not to worry about that, or the stinging sensation from the alcohol, but to see if the girl was injured or not. Historia soon finished cleaning the wound, so she bandaged it. The girl was not bothered by the sight of blood, and she was able to do the bandaging properly, as she had been trained to do so.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Historia replied with a smile, happy that Eren was worried about her.

“Really?” he swept the girl's hair out of her face with his free hand.

"Really," Historia replied, feeling herself blushing from the boy's gentle touch. The intimate moment was broken by a cough. It was Levi who stood at the door with a stern look, fully dressed.

“So what are you doing here?” Levi asked sternly.

The man was trying to hide the fact that he was still embarrassed that Eren and a close female acquaintance of his had opened the door on them. He was also ashamed that the young people had to see this. He wanted to set a better example for the couple.

“Short version? Kenny,” he said without hesitation, because he had already seen them, and it hadn’t been that long. “Longer version? I’m not sure you’ll like it.”

"Tell me the long version. I want to know what Kenny did," Levi replied grimly.

“He's mostly looking for you. He said he missed you from the party,” Eren began to tell the story. “And he's working for the government.”

“The bastard,” Levi muttered listlessly, “thinks he can fuck with us.”

“I didn't tell him anything, but if he wants to find out where you are, he will,” Eren continued. “I guess you know that much too.”

"Yes, I know," Levi nodded. "I'll face him. But first I want to make sure Hange is safe."

"And this time, don't try to pass me mom, or I'll let your old man beat your ass," Eren said, a little amused. But not too much, because he didn't want to make his father angry.

“I wanted to ask Erwin,” Levi replied thoughtfully. The man continued to trust Erwin, even though he had fired him.

“Sounds good,” Eren agreed with a nod. “But there’s one thing I just can’t understand. I’m wanted, yes, did you know I’m a wanted man? So I’m wanted because, in theory, I have some power in my possession. And that’s probably why Reiner and his team wanted me too. But there’s one problem,” he looked into his father’s steel-gray eyes. “I don’t have any power. So someone’s feeding everyone false information. Someone’s playing on all sides. But who?”

“I have no idea,” Levi replied with a sigh. “But I’m sure that person will benefit greatly from this.”

“Yeah” then Eren realized that he hadn't even introduced Historia, who was just sitting quietly next to him on the edge of the bathtub. “Um, I haven't even introduced you to each other. Historia, this is my father, Levi Ackerman. Dad, this is Historia Reiss, my…” then he got stuck because he didn't know how to finish.

“Uhhhhm… his friend… I’m his friend. And… his subordinate,” Historia muttered.

"Hello," Levi nodded. "I'm sorry our first meeting was so awkward. But Eren didn't say you were coming over."

"It's okay," Historia replied kindly.

"I didn't think I had to take a detour because your old man tried to kill me, either," Eren looked up at his father sarcastically.

“I made dinner!” came Hange's voice from outside, and Historia enthusiastically went out to eat, leaving the two of them alone.

"I'm really sorry, Eren," Levi said again. "I didn't mean to introduce myself to your girlfriend like this. I thought I'd be alone with Hange."

“Nothing happened here dad,” Eren patted his shoulder kindly. “Anyway, I don't have a girlfriend,” he corrected his father.

“Oh, I see. I thought she was your girlfriend because you two were pretty close,” Levi explained. “But it doesn’t really matter. Let’s go and join the dinner.”

"Well, yes, I'm starving and we also should get to Pyxis," he yawned wearily as they set off.

“Can't Pyxis wait until tomorrow?” Levi asked worriedly, seeing how tired his son was.

"I don't want Kenny to get a whiff and lead him straight to you," he said seriously. He couldn't do this to his family.

“You're right,” Levi replied with a sigh. “And I'll take Hange to Erwin tomorrow. Then I'll visit Kenny. I'll have a word or two with him,” the man said grimly.

"Let me know if you need help," Eren told him, and when they arrived, Hange immediately hugged the boy as she always did.

"I hope you're feeling better now," she said, smiling.

“Yes,” Eren replied. Then, smiling at Historia, he said, “I received excellent help.” Historia just smiled embarrassedly and fanned her hands.

"It’s nothing," she said as Eren sat down next to her, followed by the rest of his family. It was interesting to see them like this. It reminded Historia of the nights she had dinner with her mother and Freida.

Soon the dinner began, with the unborn Ackerman child being the main topic. Everyone had an idea of what could have been done to make life better for the soon-to-be-born baby. And Historia found herself being included and even helping them with her ideas. Something that happened so rarely to her because people liked to exclude her because of her weak character. Sometimes even Ymir. Eren looked happy, and his parents looked the same. Everything would have been so perfect if Kenny hadn't threatened this family. So Historia didn't want that guy to hurt them.

After dinner, Eren said goodbye to his parents with a hug and then they could head to Pyxis to finish the plan, which was already delayed enough.

Chapter Text

Erwin knew that Eren and Historia would be staying at Pyxis. However, first, Erwin wanted to speak to the Garrison leader to let him know what to expect. So Erwin knocked on Pyxis's office. After the older man let him in, Erwin spoke:

"I hope you have some time, because I have a talk with you."

“I always have time for you,” the bald man declared, nursing the drink in his hand. “You’re in big trouble,” the man stated. “So of course I’m interested in what you’ve got in store.”

"Historia and Eren will stay here for a while so that the Military Police won't find them," Erwin said. "I don't think they'd be looking for them here. I think they'd look around the scout bases first."

“If you don’t hand them over, the entire Scouting Legion will be locked up. Are two people worth that much to you?” he asked as he sipped his wine.

"I won't let them close down the Scouting Legion," Erwin replied firmly. "I'll try to make the government understand that they've been tricked and that Eren doesn't have titan power. If necessary, I'll prove it to them."

“And what if you're the one who's been tricked? What if the boy really has the power they're looking for” he leaned back with the utmost calm. “Or what if they don't understand the truth, what if they don't stop?”

“I’m sure Eren doesn’t have any powers,” Erwin replied. “And if the government doesn’t want to believe me, then I’ll be forced to turn against them.”

“And what makes you so sure? Because Levi raised him?” he asked curiously, because that was another thing he wanted to know about.

“Yes,” Erwin nodded. Then, sighing, he added, “The government’s anger toward the scouts is partly understandable. Since Levi has been out of the legion, we’ve been much less successful. More dead soldiers, and fewer dead Titans.”

“Then why did you fire your best soldier? I don’t see the logic in it,” he continued drinking. “I couldn’t believe it myself when I first heard. Levi Ackerman was kicked out of the army.”

“I made that decision partly as his superior,” Erwin admitted. “At the time, I was thinking more like his friend. I thought he needed a break. To get himself together, because he was quite frustrated with everything going on in his life. I think he still is to some extent.”

“And what if he doesn’t want to come back and be a slave to the country?” Pyxis looked down at the bottom of his glass. He had never thought Erwin Smith was capable of such sentimentality. “What if he plays by his own rules from now on?”

"Then it won't just be the Scouting Legion that will be in trouble," Erwin replied grimly. "But humanity as well. Without Levi, we won't be able to make any serious breakthroughs against the Titans."

"Then I suggest you come up with a plan," the man advised him. "You may think you know him, but you have no idea how much a child can change a man. Because the moment Levi Ackerman actually has something to lose, all the rules will fall apart."

"Yes, you're right. I'll need a plan," Erwin nodded. Then he added: “Plus, Hange leaving has also reduced the power of the scouts. Moblit doesn't have nearly as many good ideas and scientific breakthroughs as Hange.”

"Well, then you're going to have to rely heavily on this Eren kid," the man said. "They came here about an hour ago. I talked to them, and if this Eren is on your side, you're in luck, Erwin. Because the kid seems like a genius."

“Yes, you’re right about that,” Erwin nodded. “But I have no idea if he could replace his parents.”

"Well, now he can show everyone what he's capable of. He certainly survived the fight against Kenny the Ripper. And that's saying something."

“He certainly has talent,” Erwin replied. “And he’s already a useful member of the scouts. But…” Erwin began, but his sentence was left unfinished. He didn't want to admit, even to himself, that he missed his two friends. The days were much more boring without them. "Doesn’t matter. I'll have a few more words with Eren and Historia, then I'll move on."

“As you wish” he nodded and then, as he left, he shouted something to Erwin amused. “Knock first, so you don't disturb anything!”

"Okay," Erwin replied, not fully understanding why Pyxis had asked for this. Nevertheless, he did so and knocked on the two young people's doors.

Eren opened the door while rubbing his eyes. His left arm was bandaged and he had already taken off his shirt because he was getting ready to sleep.

“Commander,” he saluted immediately, then hissed because of his arm.

"Eren, I'd like a report on what happened," Erwin said in an official tone. The man wanted to know word for word what happened with Kenny.

“We were following the designated route until Kenny Ackerman and his group attacked us,” the boy began his report. “I had no choice but to confront him. Kenny’s job was to catch us, but he was very interested in my father. Finally, with the help of Historia, we were able to distract him enough to escape. My right arm was injured in the fight, so we stopped by my parents’ house to tie him up and then came here.” 

Erwin nodded at this. “Then we should be prepared for Kenny to attack the scouts,” Erwin said, then added, “By the way, Jean was kidnapped. The Military Police could probably be behind this too.”

“What?” he said, gripping the doorframe with one hand. “Did you say?” he looked up at Erwin with such deadly eyes that his Commander took a barely noticeable step back.

“Um,” Erwin cleared his throat. “Jean was kidnapped. I’m sorry.”

"I want names," Eren declared. "He and Sasha were just a diversion, no one would have kidnapped him unless they knew he was my best friend."

“I don’t know who they could have been,” Erwin repeated his earlier words. “Just as I don’t know where they could have taken him.”

"I'll find out then," he said quietly. "Thank you, Commander. Good night."

After Erwin walked out of the room, Historia stepped closer to Eren. She placed her hand reassuringly on the boy's back and then spoke: "Don't worry, we'll definitely find Jean. I'll help you."

“Fuck!” he shouted angrily, slamming his fist into the wall as he burst into tears. Now that he had been kidnapped, who knew what they would do to him.

Historia wasn't scared of Eren. She knew the boy was rightfully frustrated. So she spoke again:

“Erwin could have been more sympathetic. Plus, he hasn't apparently done anything to find Jean yet.” Then the girl came closer and hugged him as she began to speak: “But if he doesn’t do anything, we’ll find out who kidnapped Jean.”

Eren hugged Historia back and tried to calm her down. He rested his head on her shoulder while his hands gripped her jacket. Historia stroked Eren's hair to help him calm down.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," the girl whispered, hoping that her closeness would provide some comfort to Eren.

"They'll torture him," he said weakly. Jean should never have done this.

"Don't worry, Jean is strong. He won't break," Historia said comfortingly.

"I shouldn't have..." Eren muttered, shaking his head on her shoulder as he held her in desperation.

“You’re right about that. But now that the trouble has happened, we shouldn’t be thinking about the past. That won’t help Jean,” Historia replied, stroking the boy’s back. “To save Jean, we have to look to the future.”

"You're right," he took a deep breath as his hands slid down her back to her waist. "This is not helping."

"We need to think clearly to help him," the girl said, then felt herself shiver from Eren's touch.

“Yes. We probably won't find him in this condition. We'd better get some sleep,” he sighed in relief, as he involuntarily sniffed Historia's hair. How could someone smell so good after a whole day of running around? And how could it be so soothing?

“Can I sleep next to you again?” Historia asked, smiling warmly at Eren.

Eren didn't answer, he just smiled back, put his arms around her waist and lifted her up and started to carry her towards the bed. Historia giggled at this. She then snuggled up to Eren and rested her head on his chest while Eren carried her.

"I'm sorry I broke down like that," he said, pausing for a moment.

“It’s okay,” Historia replied comfortingly. “Everyone has their weak moments.”

"You're too good for me," he blurted out before he could think of anything else.

"Come on, that's not true. You deserve someone to be nice to you," Historia replied with a smile.

At that moment, Eren swallowed hard, because he really had to restrain himself from kissing the girl right here and now, while all his instincts wanted nothing more than that.

But since Historia didn't approach Eren, the boy ended up just putting her down on the bed. The girl smiled at Eren and then tapped the empty space next to her, encouraging him to join her. Eren plopped down next to her and while Historia took off her jacket, he took off his glasses and carefully placed them on the nightstand, stretched, and then lay down on the bed. Then Historia moved closer to him and said with a sleepy smile:

"I'm glad you're here with me. Everything would be much harder without you."

“I'm glad you're here too,” Eren whispered back kindly. “Because you're a wonderful girl, Historia.”

Hearing this, Historia blushed and then mumbled a shy thank you. No one had ever said that to her before. Ymir was the only one who complimented her like that. Eren just pulled Historia closer to him, so that her face rested on his chest and she could hear his frantic heartbeat, which he couldn't slow down. Historia's heart was also beating fast. And hearing Eren's heartbeat only made her even more excited.

"Good night," he whispered softly into her ear, because if he had said it louder, other voices would have joined in.

"You too," Historia whispered as she closed her eyes and tried to calm down.

Eren finally successfully fell asleep, his heartbeat slowing down to a steady pace.

While Eren slept peacefully, Historia tossed and turned in her dream. The girl saw Eren, who in the dream was not only shirtless, but also without pants. In the meantime, he winked at Historia, then looked seductively at her. The girl reached out to touch her face. It all seemed so real, as the boy touched her skin while gently pulling her clothes off. Historia shivered both in her dream and in reality when the imaginary Eren touched her skin. Then the Eren in the dream pulled the girl closer to him. Historia then pulled him into a fierce kiss as they snuggled together. She had never felt like this before, because to tell the truth, she had never gotten further than a few gentle kisses with Ymir. While Eren kissed her fiercely, his hand didn't stop for a moment, caressing her back the whole time. Because of this, Historia only started to tremble even more. They've never done anything like this to her before.

Everyone treated her like a porcelain doll, someone who always needed to be saved, someone who couldn't take care of himself. But Eren wasn't like that. He didn't protect her in the fight against Kenny because he knew exactly that she could take care of herself. And she showed it by saving the boy.

That's why in Historia's dream. Eren praised her for being strong, brave, and independent. Then he showered her with compliments. So she praised the boy back. She told him how smart he was for coming up with controlling the titans, how strong he was for standing up to Kenny. That she couldn't wait for the moment when they could be together.

Then Eren took her in his arms, laid her on the bed, and towered over her. And Historia begged him in her sleep not to stop what he had started. She moaned his name as she nibbled on his back. Eren whispered something in her ear, but she didn't understand it at all. She didn't want to. The feelings and touches began to fade. But one thing was certain, she still enjoyed it.

She woke up in the middle of the night panting heavily and thanked the heavens that Eren was asleep, because her body, despite it being just a dream, burned with desire. She could still feel the heat between her legs and her heart was still beating wildly. And as she sat up, she could think of one thing. She didn't look at Eren like her friend.

Historia started to think about when she should tell Eren. Because she knew that she definitely didn't want to keep her feelings to herself. Even if the boy didn't return them. She wanted to get answers to her questions.

“Are you okay?” the boy asked half-asleep, as if he had sensed that something had changed. “If you need anything, let me know and I’ll get up properly,” he yawned.

"Everything is fine. Keep sleeping," Historia replied. The girl certainly didn't want to discuss her feelings with Eren in the middle of the night.

"As you wish, boss," he said kindly, then fell back asleep, pressing his head into the pillow while resting one of his arms on the girl's waist. This made Historia blush again. After she got over her confusion, she snuggled up to Eren again. She hoped that she wouldn't have another unpleasant dream like this. She didn't want to explain herself to Eren.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Eren and Historia visited Eren's team, who were there at the baiting situation.

“I want names,” Eren slammed his hands on the table, looking around. “Who took Jean?! And how did you leave him?” he then glanced at Petra and the rest of his team. The four of them were already veterans, so Eren couldn’t imagine them losing sight of his best friend.

“I didn’t see anything, Captain,” Oluo explained. “Petra was attacked and I was protecting her.”

“I was watching Eld while he was busy getting on his ODM gear,” said Günther.

“I saw something,” Sasha said. “There were members of the Military Police stationed nearby. And they were watching Connie and me quite suspiciously.”

“If the plan went as we said, you were sitting next to Jean the whole time. Who took him?!” he asked angrily. How can someone not recognize ordinary people?

"The person was wearing a cloak and I couldn't see their face very well. But I think it was Mikasa," Sasha said, flinching at Eren's stern voice.

"Mikasa..." he said the name quietly to himself. Of course it was Mikasa. Because no matter what Eren did, things always ended up with Mikasa.

“Yes… Maybe,” Sasha replied uncertainty.

“What now, Captain?” Connie asked.

"We need to find out where they took him. If necessary, we'll exchange hostages," the boy declared.

“But who should we give in exchange for Jean?” Oluo asked.

“Well, a horse,” Connie laughed. Sasha nudged the boy and glared at him. Connie remained silent after that.

"Me," Eren declared. "They think I have a power that I don't have. So I'll give myself up and you can find out the truth."

“But how are you going to escape?” Petra asked worriedly.

“Captain Levi will kick our asses if we give you to them,” Oluo muttered. Eld nodded in agreement. He didn't want to be caught in the crossfire of Levi's wrath either.

“So you guys are helping Erwin overthrow the current King” Eren stated simply. “Soon the entire legion will be under surveillance because we know the truth. So there is no other option but to organize a coup. Pyxis and the Garrison have now been involved in this” he explained. The members of Eren's team nodded. They knew they had no other option. Then, looking around, Eren noticed something else.

“Marco?” The boy looked at Sasha and Connie.

“He’a crying in his room,” Sasha replied sadly. “He misses Jean.” Then Eren went to Marco's room without a word and knocked.

“Marco? It’s me, Eren. Can I come in?” he asked kindly.

“Yes,” Marco muttered. Then he wiped away his tears so that his superior wouldn't see them.

"Come on," he said, hugging the boy warmly. "We'll get Jean back. I promise you."

“Thank you,” Marco sniffed, hugging the boy as well. “I promise, I’ll try to pull myself together.”

"Get some rest so you can help Jean when she gets back," Eren patted her on the back kindly. Marco nodded, so Eren left him alone and walked out of the room.

"Well then… let's go turn myself in," Eren muttered to himself.

Meanwhile, Levi and Hange were walking through the streets towards Erwin's office. The man thought his fiancée would be safest with him. When they arrived at the village, Levi jokingly said to Hange one last time:

"Behave yourself around Erwin and don't burn down his office out of boredom."

"Your child never lets me get bored," she smiled sweetly, caressing her growing belly.

"That's for sure. They’ve been moving around a lot again lately," Levi replied with a faint smile. Then he added absentmindedly: “I know Erwin's eyebrows are legendary, but you better not experiment with them. At least not without his permission.”

"I won't, I promise," she gave him a gentle kiss, then they entered.

"Hello, Erwin," Levi said measuredly when he saw the Commander behind his desk. He didn't tell him anything else. Levi didn't know how to converse with him after he had fired him.

"Levi," Erwin looked at the other man as he straightened up. "How can I help you?"

"As you know, Kenny is back," Levi began. "And one of his targets is probably me. That means Hange is in danger around me. So I'd like to ask you to watch over her while I face Kenny."

“Alone?” he asked quietly, while Hange had already sat down in one of the chairs.

"Yes," Levi nodded, preferring not to include anyone in this clash between him and Kenny as it was personal. Besides, he didn't want to get the scouts into trouble.

"You would do better if you come with us, I need you for a coup..." he started to speak, but Levi cut him off.

"You kicked me out of the military, Erwin," Levi said coldly. "After everything, don't expect me to be interested in government matters. I'm playing this game by my own rules now."

“Those rules?” Erwin looked at him, raising his eyebrows. Erwin was interested in whether they were the same rules as the ones he had used when the man caught him. In other words, there were no rules.

“Exactly,” Levi replied. Then he added, “Do you have any more questions?”

“You’re going to kill yourself,” Erwin declared flatly.

“It’s flattering that you’re so concerned,” Levi replied sarcastically. “But you should know by now that I’m not something to be dealt with so easily.”

Meanwhile, Hange watched the two men's argument with concern. She didn't like how the former friends spoke to each other so coldly.

"A titan would have eaten you if Eren hadn't saved you," Erwin began in the same neutral tone. "So I have my doubts about your fight with the man who taught you everything you know."

Hearing this, Levi was quite offended. However, he didn't show it, instead retorting in a sharper tone than intended:

“Then don't have any doubts. Because I may have made a mistake once, but I won't do it again.”

"Come back in one piece because I don't feel like explaining myself to your child," he said, then started working again.

Levi just nodded. He took one last look at Hange, then walked out of the office. Soon Hange got comfortable and started reading a cookbook while stroking her belly.

"Is everything okay, Levi? He seems… a little tense," Erwin asked the woman.

“I think he's quite calm now,” the woman looked at him for a moment, then back. “But I would be nervous too if I had to meet my ‘father’, who abandoned me when I was a child.”

“Does he really resent me firing him?” Erwin asked.

“Well, he'll find a job after the first week, which is pretty good I think,” the woman replied. “He's used to it now. And maybe he's still a little pissed about this whole situation. But resenting you? I don’t think so.”

Erwin nodded. He didn't know whether to be happy about this or not. He was happy because it might make his friend happier, but it would have made it much harder to call him back into the military.

“I thought you would be busy, so I called Marie over,” Hange said with the utmost calmness.

“Okay,” Erwin replied calmly. “Have a nice chat with her.” The man was in complete control of his emotions. If the mention of Marie upset him, Hange didn't see it in him.

The woman nodded and was already excitedly waiting for her friend. Marie arrived shortly after, smiled and waved to Hange, then sat down next to her.

“So Levi said the lavender went really well with the mint, but it was better with the valerian,” Hange told Marie about her latest experiments with the new teas. “I brought you some of the mixture,” she handed it to the woman.

“Thank you,” Marie said, then sniffed it. Then she smiled, because she thought it was good. After they enthusiastically made tea from it and tasted it, her smile only grew wider. “Your partner is very good at this tea business,” Marie said kindly.

“Well, he's not good at creating these mixtures, but he said if I bring him the teas, he'll tell you which one is good or not,” Hange smiled back at him.

“Then I see that the teamwork is going well for you and him,” Marie replied. “That’s a good sign. Maybe then you’ll be able to share the responsibilities around the child. By the way, do you know when the wedding will be? Or do you still not? You’ll invite me too, right?” the older woman asked excitedly.

“We don’t know yet,” the woman shook her head. “But we’ll probably do it later, Levi doesn’t want me to worry about that either. I have enough to worry about him and Eren. But when it does, you can definitely come too. I’ll need bridesmaids anyway.”

"Thank you," Marie replied with a smile. "It's a shame my wedding has already happened. If I had known you earlier, I would have definitely invited you."

"It's okay, this is perfect anyway! You helped me feel less lonely," she looked back at her cheerfully as she stroked her belly.

“I hope our children will be friends too,” Marie said excitedly. “I recently had a daughter, so your child will definitely have a friend of around the same age. And Eren can look after the little ones in his free time,” the woman giggled.

"I hope so," she smiled, and as soon as she remembered Eren she immediately started to worry. "I hope things will get better and Eren won't have to carry so much responsibility on his shoulders. After all, he's only 15."

"Well," Marie nodded in agreement. "He should just be a cadet, not a Captain. If he could be a cadet, he could live a much freer life."

“I don't understand why they want him so much… Eren doesn't have any power, he's just a simple boy” her eyes welled up with tears. “Maybe if I had been better he wouldn't be in such trouble now.”

"Don't cry, Hange," Marie consoled her friend. "You didn't do anything wrong. And the government members are half-witted idiots. I don't understand why they think Eren has any abilities. They should leave that boy alone."

"I just hope everything works out in the end. I may not have given birth to him, but Eren is my son and I love him very much," the woman said.

"And Eren must love you too. You saved him and helped him grow up," Marie said. "That's what made Eren so strong and brave. So I'm sure he and Erwin will outsmart the government."

“Knowing him, he's already about three steps ahead of them,” the woman smiled, adjusting her glasses.

Meanwhile, Kenny just stood bored in the middle of a mostly empty warehouse waiting for the Dwarf. Although he was starting to doubt that Levi would actually show his lousy side. He wasn't here yesterday either, but then the hellhound never missed a party.

However, Kenny was wrong. Shortly after, Levi entered the warehouse and spoke in an emotionless voice: "Long time no see, Kenny."

While Levi spoke, he didn't let go of his sword for a moment, and while gripping it tightly, he was ready to attack.

“Brat,” he looked her up and down. He was still as short as he remembered him to be. “I missed you yesterday. I thought you weren’t coming. What the fuck took you so long?”

"I had a couple of things to do. Unfortunately, your wishes are not the most important thing to me, old man," Levi said sarcastically. Then the man pointed his gun forward and said: "Let's settle this quickly. I don't like wasting time."

“You still haven’t learned anything, you piece of shit?” he pulled out his gun. “There’s something wrong with you, I can feel it. I think it has to do with the fact that you’re not in the fucking pretty uniform you wear.”

Levi didn't answer. He would have preferred to skip the mental chat with Kenny. Instead, he jumped away from the gun and then flicked his arm towards Kenny.

"Let's see, let's see," he began to think as he fired one shot at a time. "What the hell happened to you, you piece of shit. Why did you give up your cool little place among them..."

Levi dodged the shots and then tried to knock the gun out of Kenny's hand. But the older man jumped away in time, so Levi only hit his shoulder with his foot.

"Go to hell, you old goat," Levi raged as he thrust forward with his gun. Kenny, however, didn't care, he just kept thinking.

“The woman, huh?” he asked mockingly as he wrenched the sword from Levi’s hand. Levi growled angrily, then kicked Kenny. However, he didn't answer the older man's question. He didn't want to reveal a weak spot to him. Kenny dodged his kick and only grinned even more. "So you found someone crazy enough to take up with your shit," he said, swinging his leg.

"It doesn't have much to do with you, but if you must know, no one needs to take up with my shit," Levi replied sarcastically, dodging the kick with a light movement. Levi knew Kenny's movements and therefore almost anticipated that the older man would swing his leg.

“Well, I heard something even more interesting,” he raised his pistols now that there was distance between them. “That there will be a child.”

"That has nothing to do with you," Levi replied coldly, then tried to stab Kenny in the stomach with his sword.

“So it’s true,” he started to giggle as he dodged and grabbed Levi’s wrist. “You’re going to have a fucking child.”

This made Levi hiss. But even in the pain, he managed to respond sarcastically: "You're the one who's fucking. And not my child."

“You know, I would have appreciated it if you had told me I was going to be a grandfather,” he twisted his hand and this time he succeeded. He kicked the fallen sword away with his foot. “But when I’m done with you, I’ll go and see what kind of little family you’ve made while I was away.”

"It's a shame I won't invite you to family gatherings," Levi replied sarcastically, then tried to free himself from Kenny's grip.

“You know very well that I don’t need invitations,” he said with a grin. “Especially if you’re not going to be there to stop me.”

“Yes, I’ll be there,” Levi said, then added angrily, “And forget about the grandchild thing. You can’t go anywhere near my child.”

"Isn't it a little late for that?" he grinned as a shot rang out. But it wasn't Kenny who fired and hit Levi in the side. Levi staggered away in pain as he felt blood flowing from his side. The situation wasn't helped by Mikasa appearing in the doorway, clearly standing by Kenny's side.

"I'm here," Mikasa said boredly as she raised her weapon lower. She didn't understand why she was being forced into this family drama.

Levi tried not to show it, but he knew he was in trouble. He had been wounded by Mikasa, and he was helpless against two such powerful opponents. He had to figure out something to escape.

“It was good, it was nice, brat,” Kenny said, pressing his gun to Levi’s head. “But it’s time to say goodbye.”

Levi wasn't thinking about his own death. As he closed his eyes, he was terrified that this madman would never find his child. However, before Kenny could pull the trigger, Eren appeared and shot the gun out of Kenny's hand with his pistol.

"I'm offering you a deal," he said, glancing from Kenny to Mikasa. "You leave my father alone and give Jean back. And I'll go with you."

Chapter Text

"We agreed," replied Kenny, who was not that interested in the fate of either Jean or Eren. He only wanted to get his money.

"You'll get Jean back if Historia surrenders," Mikasa stated boredly, butting in on things.

"I'm not giving Historia," Eren said with clenched fists.

"Then unfortunately you have to say goodbye to your beloved father," Mikasa said coolly, then pointed her pistol at Levi.

"There is no need for unnecessary bloodshed!" Historia appeared scared behind Eren. She did not want the boy to have to choose because of her.

"Historia, get out of here!" Eren asked, then looked at the girl worriedly. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I won't leave you," she stepped closer and suddenly hugged him so that he wouldn't do something stupid.

This made Eren calm down, while Mikasa's eyebrows furrowed in anger. She looked away, and Kenny grinned. He could see that his ally was jealous. The man simply couldn't believe he was involved in the biggest family drama of the decade. Although he shouldn't have been so surprised, because the Ackermans loved to fight with each other.

"Well, now that we've had our teen drama, it'll be time for business," he folded his arms absentmindedly.

"I surrender," Eren said. "In exchange, release Jean and my father. And leave Historia alone."

“Two for two, one for one,” Kenny tilted his head. “You can choose what you want, kid, but you have to know that you can’t have everything.”

"Then take me and Historia," Eren said. The boy thought that once Jean and Levi were free, he would help Historia escape.

Kenny nodded at this, then nodding to Mikasa, the girl pulled out Jean, who had seen better days.

"Eren..." muttered the weakened Jean. The boy had a monocle over his eye and his clothes were torn in several places. It was clear that he had suffered many injuries. His torturers had not treated him with kitty gloves.

“Jean!” he ran over to him and hugged the boy. “Take my father and go,” he said, not wanting to look at Levi to see how bad he was. Jean nodded, then he and Levi slowly limped out of the warehouse.

Historia started to feel scared again, so she moved closer to Eren. She was afraid that they would be tortured like Jean. Eren didn't even have time to think when something hit him and Historia on the head, sending them both crashing to the ground.

Jean helped Levi stagger out of the scene back to base. Meanwhile, Erwin, Hange, and all the other scouts had arrived.

“Commander, Kenny has kidnapped Historia and Eren,” Jean reported after saluting Erwin. All the while, Hange began to deal with Levi, wanting to make sure that the man would survive his injuries and recover.

“How can I stay calm when you do things like this?” Hange said nervously as she sat Levi down on a chair, reflecting on their past conversations.

“What exactly happened, Kirstein?” Erwin asked as Jean sat down on another chair, while Marco was already standing next to him.

“Kenny said he would only release me and Levi if he and Historia were taken prisoner,” Jean replied.

“Where were they held? Who tortured you?” the man asked immediately, already working on his plan. “What do they really want to do with them? Have you heard anything useful?”

“They kept me in a military police cell,” Jean replied. “They didn’t say what they were planning. Mikasa was there too, supporting Kenny.”

“Then I suggest we be so kind as to get some soldiers from the MP,” Eld said, folding his arms.

“Yeah, let’s show them that they’ve been trying to fuck with the wrong people. No one’s going to kidnap our Captain!” Petra agreed.

“But how are we going to get soldiers?” Jean asked.

“That certainly won’t be easy,” Levi agreed, Hange still standing by his side to support him. “Their base is too heavily guarded. We couldn’t break in. Maybe we should capture some patrolling soldiers and interrogate them.”

“And we need support, don’t we? The coup won’t work if the people don’t support us,” Marco said, and Eld looked at Petra.

“Your father is a businessman, right? Let’s start with that” the blond man said and Petra just nodded quietly.

“Then there’s the Reeves family. We know that Dimo ​​was killed by the Military Police and then they used us as the scapegoat” Oluo also spoke up.

"We could also make that public somehow, so that we can use it to discredit the military police," thought Erwin.

“Then Günter and I will go and find Flegel, Dimo’s son, while Petra and Oluo find Petra’s father. Sasha, Connie and Marco will stay behind as reinforcements and watch over Jean” Eld suggested his plan, glancing at Erwin.

"Okay," Erwin agreed.

"And if Kenny does show up, I'll take care of him," Levi said, not caring that he was injured.

"You don't deal with anyone," Hange poked the man's face angrily.

"Hange is right," Erwin agreed. “Heal from your injuries. Then you can fight Kenny.”

"Okay," Levi said, trusting that the Ackerman genes would help him recover quickly.

The man hated being so helpless. He still wanted to help the scouts, even if Erwin had fired him. But of course, life went on without him, because Petra and Oluo started getting ready, as did Eld and Günter, while Marco was already pressing ice to Jean's right eye as he held his hand.

"Thanks, Marco," Jean sighed. “I don't know what I would do without you. You're the best.”

"Fortunately, you don't have to find out," the boy smiled as he kissed his boyfriend on the cheek.

"Don't start that again," Connie rolled his eyes. “You better help with organizing things. You can relax after we finally freed Eren.”

"Since we're staying here, it's best if you two make something to eat," Marco looked at Sasha and Connie. "And then you don't even have to look at anyone."

"I'm in!" Sasha replied enthusiastically, then went off to get some food with Connie.

Meanwhile, Oluo, Petra, Eld and Günther finished getting ready.

“We’ll meet at the same place the day after tomorrow. None of you dare to die until then” Eld looked at the rest of the team, who nodded in agreement.

Historia felt pain, but she ignored it. Instead, she spoke:

"Eren, are you okay?"

“Be quiet back there!” Kenny shouted at them. “Prisoners don’t talk!”

"Historia?" the boy muttered quietly, his head aching. Mikasa hit him hard. He knew he wouldn't be able to stay awake for long.

"Eren..." the girl muttered back quietly so that Kenny wouldn't hear them.

"Historia," Eren reached out weakly towards the girl's face. The girl blushed at Eren's touch. Then she whispered back:

"I'm here..."

“Whatever happens…” he stroked her face. “Thank you for letting me get to know you…”

"Eren, please... Don't say things like that! We will definitely survive," Historia whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "Don't give up!"

"Yes... Everything will be okay," he stroked her face with his thumb, wiping away her tears. "I won't give up either..." he pulled the girl closer to him.Historia moved closer to Eren. She wanted to hug him, but since her hands were tied, she couldn't do anything about it.

"I'm sorry... for dragging you into this..." he whispered, knowing it was all his fault.

“It’s okay,” Historia replied. “I knew what we were getting into when I agreed to this. In fact, when I became a scout, I was aware of how dangerous it was.”

“Historia… I have to tell you…” he muttered softly. He had known for a while that he had to tell her his feelings if he wanted anything to happen.

“What do you want?” the girl whispered, her heart beating fast, as she felt herself blushing.

“If we survive this… do you feel like…” he swallowed hard at this point, “going somewhere?”

“Yes,” Historia said enthusiastically, her eyes lighting up at hearing this. “I would be happy to.”

"Great... princess," he smiled, then lost consciousness again. Before Historia could start to panic, they arrived.

“We’re here, brats,” Kenny announced. Then he leaned closer to Eren and nudged him with his shoe: "Look at that! Someone’s out cold."

Petra and Oluo walked through the streets in a tense mood, as they were both afraid of running into a member of the military police. Oluo was also worried about what Petra's father would say to her. But in the end, they luckily reached the woman's father's house, where Petra knocked. A gray-haired man in his fifties opened the door.

"Dad!" Petra smiled cheerfully, but she was tense at the same time. She had not yet had time to tell him that her and Oluo were a couple now, no matter how strange it sounded.

"Good morning!" Oluo greeted the man, shifting uneasily from one foot to the other. He was afraid that he would only give the wrong impression.

"Hello, Petra," he smiled, then looked out into the street and quickly let them in. Of course he knew what was going on. Everyone already knew. "And you too, Mr. Bozado” he held out his hand to her like a real businessman. Oluo shook the man’s hand. He tried to appear serious and trustworthy.

“How can I help you?” he looked at them. He knew exactly what he needed to help with, but it was better to hear it from them.

“We need political support and help,” Oluo said. “The Military Police have turned against the Scouting Legion.”

“The government wants to ban the Scouting Legion. But that means we will never get the Maria Wall back, and that will have unforeseeable consequences. You are a businessman father and I thought you might be more effective in convincing people that there is no point in banning the legion” Petra explained what the problem was and the solution.

Petra’s father thought for a while. Then he said:

“I will try to help. For now, I can only support the Scouting Legion with money. But I promise, I will try to find sponsors.”

“That means a lot too! Thank you!” Petra hugged her father tightly.

“It’s nothing” Petra’s father replied, then ruffled his daughter’s hair. After releasing Petra, he spoke again: “Is Oluo your teammate by the way? Are you friends?”

“You didn’t tell him?” Oluo looked at Petra in confusion, who just smiled awkwardly. “You didn’t tell HIM?!”

“So much has happened recently that it must have slipped my mind” Petra made a weak excuse.

“What didn’t you tell me?” Petra’s father asked.

“Oluo is my partner” the woman finally said, feeling herself blushing because of her embarrassment. At that moment, an awkward silence fell between the three of them. Petra’s father blinked in confusion.

“Didn’t you write about him as the most irritating, arrogant person you’ve ever known?” her father asked, raising one eyebrow. Meanwhile, Oluo wanted to sink deep underground. Did Petra really think of him that way?

Petra only turned redder when she heard this. She never wanted Oluo to know that she had thought that way about her a long time ago. But since her father was still waiting for an answer, she spoke up:

“That was a long time ago. I still loved Levi back then. My feelings have changed since.”

“Well, do as you think,” he said, and then he began to stare at Oluo with piercing eyes, as if he could dig out some secret from him. Oluo cautiously took a step back from the older man. He didn’t like the way Petra’s father looked at him. Moreover, it didn’t help his mood that he knew that the older man wouldn’t have looked at Levi that way and would have been much more willing to accept him as his daughter’s partner.

“Can I talk to my daughter for a moment? Thank you,” he said, before Oluo went into the other room. “Are you completely crazy? What would your poor mother say if she saw this,” he muttered to himself, sighing heavily.

“I don’t understand what’s wrong with you Oluo. He’s a decent, reliable, and respectful man,” Petra stated indignantly.

“He has a face that I think will give me nightmares sooner than the Titans,” the man said. “How old is he anyway? Because I’m guessing 40.”

“No,” Petra replied grimly. “Oluo is twenty-five. And anyway, I don’t think your problem is with his face. I think it’s more that he’s not rich or even an influential person. If I had brought Levi Ackerman here, you would have liked him better, wouldn’t you? After all, he’s Humanity’s Strongest. Everyone knows him. You shouldn’t have been ashamed of him. But unfortunately, I have bad news. Levi is going to marry someone else.”

“At least he looks like something. I'm sorry that I'm thinking about my grandchildren not having faces that only you can love,” he said with a big sigh. "By the way, where does he come from?"

"Oluo is one of my teammates. We're in the same squad. Thanks to him, I managed to get past Levi," Petra admitted.

"That didn't answer anything. Where does he come from? Because it's definitely not Trosti," she asked again.

"Oluo comes from a small village near the Mária Wall. So yes, he's not rich," Petra replied sharply.

"But he's not even good-looking or of any rank. Is there anything to salvage here?" The man looked at his daughter with interest and weariness. "Your poor mother, she's turning in her grave now," he muttered to himself.

"Oluo is loyal and brave. You have no idea how much he fights for humanity to live in better conditions," Petra defended her partner. “And leave my mother out of it. Don’t mention her.”

"As you wish, but don't come to me if you regret it," he sighed, then Petra hurried past her to the other room where Oluo was.

"I'm sorry for the way my father treated you," Petra said guilty, then put her hand on Oluo's shoulder.

"Am I really irritating?" he asked, watching the bookshelf with great interest, so that he wouldn't have to pay attention to Petra.

"You're not," Petra answered, then hugged the man, not caring that Oluo wasn't paying attention. At this the man sighed and patted the woman’s head in confusion, but Petra only hugged him even tighter.

"Don't worry, because if he sees that you're a great man, he'll accept you," Petra said reassuringly. “And I’m sorry for thinking such things about you before. I was wrong.”

“I lost everything when the Maria wall fell. My family, my friends, my… girlfriend,” he said as he ran his fingers along the spines of the books. “And nothing ever seems to break Captain Levi, and I thought if I could be like him, it wouldn’t hurt so much…”

What she heard shook Petra quite a bit. Until now, the woman had only suspected that Oluo had lost everyone because of the fall of the Maria Wall. However, now that the words had been spoken, everything became much more real and painful. Moreover, until now, Petra had not even known that Oluo had a girlfriend. So it all just sounded even worse. So the thought crossed her mind that maybe if the wall hadn’t collapsed, Oluo wouldn’t be standing here by her side now, but would be with his old girlfriend.

However, Petra tried not to show her doubts. Instead, she just hugged the man even tighter, and then spoke again:

“You don’t have to be like Levi. You’re perfect like this.”

“If only anyone else could see this…” he sighed, reluctantly hugging Petra back. He liked her, but every time he had to act, he froze and Elise’s blood-curdling face floated before his eyes.

“They will see. No one wants you to be like Levi,” Petra said again. The woman wanted to make sure that Oluo didn’t feel inferior to Levi. Then the woman added, “And don’t worry about me. I’m a soldier. I can’t be defeatd so easily.”

“Let’s go. We have business anyway,” the man said, his features hardening, then he stepped back just so he wouldn’t have to hug the woman any longer. Because if he did, he would probably start crying and he couldn’t! After all, he had no right to cry after all that he had survived.

“Okay. Let’s go,” Petra nodded. She stepped back from Oluo, but she didn’t take her eyes off him, watching him worriedly. The man then turned on his heel and walked out without a word.

“Goodbye, Mr. Rall,” the man said quickly. “If Petra has any sense, we will never meet again,” he said. Because if Petra has any sense, she will leave him and find someone much better.

“Goodbye then,” Petra’s father replied, then closed the door behind the young people. The man just kept walking forward, until Petra grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“Don’t say things like that to my father,” Petra said seriously. “This is not the last time he saw you, because sooner or later you will be part of our family, right?” Then the woman moved closer to him, then placed her palm on the man’s cheek and continued: “At least that’s what I want. I want you to marry me one day, when the situation is no longer so tense. Do you understand, Oluo?”

“If you have the brains, you’ll leave me,” he said, embarrassed, as he tried to move away from her.

“But I don’t want to leave you,” Petra replied, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. Because of that she also moved away from Oluo. “What’s wrong with me? Why am I not as good as your old girlfriend?” she sniffed.

“No, no, no…” the man panicked, not wanting to make Petra cry. “I shouldn’t have told you…” Hearing this, Petra burst into tears. She felt that her doubts were indeed true, and that Oluo would never love her as much as his old girlfriend. As her tears flowed, all she could think about was how unfair her life was. Both of the men she had fallen in love with actually wanted someone else.

The man closed his eyes at that moment, knowing that he had to get over himself. He couldn't let his personal grievances and doubts hurt others. So he stepped closer and, grabbing Petra's face, pulled her close and kissed her.

Petra was quite surprised by this. She thought that the man had just decided to leave her. However, apparently that wasn't the case, so she immediately kissed him back. In the meantime, she stroked Oluo's hair, trying to tell him that she loved him with this gesture.

"Don't you ever dare to cry for me again," he whispered to her as he wiped away her tears with his fingers. “You fool.”

"Then don't you ever dare to tell me again that you want to break up with me," answered Petra, then pressed her face into Oluo's chest. And the man's steady heartbeat slowly succeeded in calming her down.

“Okay,” he nodded as he slowly but surely hugged her. He knew there were things he still had to work on, because he wasn’t the model of support Levi was. “And I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have burdened you with my past. It doesn’t matter what happened five years ago anyway.”

“But it does. You should have told me earlier,” Petra sighed. “I was an idiot for not asking you about this sooner. This shouldn’t have come out in my father’s house.”

“I don’t talk about it. No one knows except you,” he muttered to himself as he held the woman in his arms. Why did he have to tell her that?

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” she replied sympathetically. “But you can tell me, okay? You can tell me anything.” Then she took a deep breath and asked the question that had been weighing on her heart for a while: “Will you ever love me the way you loved your old girlfriend?”

“Petra…” Oluo looked down at her. “I’ve never loved anyone like you. That’s why I know I’m not good enough for you…”

“That’s not true!” the woman replied quickly. “You’re perfect for me. Please don’t say things like that about yourself,” Petra said, running her fingers through the man’s hair. At that, the man just hugged her and almost imperceptibly began to cry. “It’s okay,” Petra whispered, as she snuggled up to him again. “Everything will be okay…”

“You’re a fool,” he said, sniffling. “You’re such a fool,” he said again as she looked down at her.

“You are too…” Petra muttered, then gently wiped Oluo’s tears away. “We both are.”

And then he kissed her again. But slower this time, as he took the woman’s face in his hands. Petra returned Oluo’s movements just as gently. Now all that mattered was that the man felt her love. That's why he even forgot that they were standing in the middle of the street.

“Well, I know a place where we can still eat. Would you like to have lunch with me, Petra Ral?” he asked, whispering in the woman's ear.

"Of course," Petra answered with sparkling eyes. "Let's go."

Chapter Text

Eld and Günter walked side by side, looking for Flegel to talk to. “I hope we’ll finish the talk quickly,” Eld sighed as he dodged a puddle on the road. “I’m getting hungry.”

“Me too,” Günter nodded in agreement. “Do you think Petra and Oluo will be causing drama? Like always.”

“Of course. When they’re not causing drama?” Eld replied. “But at least Petra won’t be whining about Levi anymore. It was bad to watch.”

“Don’t tell me? It wasn’t just bad. It was embarrassing. Especially since you only had to look at Levi and how he always looked at Hange,” the man said.

“Well, yes,” Eld replied. “Levi was never that interested in Petra. I always thought he was closer to Hange.”

“Plus, they’re raising Eren together. So I don’t even understand what she was thinking,” Günter thought.

"I agree," replied Eld. Meanwhile, they finally arrived in front of the Reeves family house.

"But now we have Petra x Oluo, so there's nothing to be afraid of," Günter smiled as he knocked as the doorbell was pulled tighter. The two scouts had to wait for a while, but finally a plus sized man in his thirties opened the door.

"What do you want?" Flegel growled at them.

“I’m Günter Schultz, and this is Eld Gin. From the Scouting Legion” the man pointed at them. "I think we can help each other."

"How?" Flegel asked listlessly, not liking the fact that he was looking at two soldiers. Despite this, he let them in.

“We heard that your father was killed by Kenny the Ripper” the men sat down at a table. “We want to expose the filthy animal for accusing us of Dimo’s death.”

"And how do you plan this?" Flegel inquired.

"With your help," Eld looked at him with a suspicious smile. “I feel your pain, really. My father, like yours, was a victim of the Military Police because he knew something he shouldn’t have.”

“But what can I do? I have no influence in politics” Flegel said disappointedly, then shrank back in his chair.

"We don't have to be the protagonist to make the world a better place," Günter said as he started playing with the glass on the table. “It’s enough if we stand up for ourselves and live a life we ​​can be proud of. We want nothing more than for you to convince the members of the Military Police to confess what they did to your father. Of course Eld and I will also get an audience. So that everyone can hear the truth.”

"I'd be happy to confront the Military Police," answered Flegel. “But I’ll need help with that. How much support could the Scouting Legion provide?”

“Much. We’ll organize everything,” said Eld. "You just have to participate."

"And if all this is successful and we restore our reputation and get our Captain back, the Scouting Legion will owe you one," Günter continued his friend's words.

“Then… I’m in,” Flegel agreed. "Just tell me what I have to do," the man added, scratching his forehead somewhat happily.

"That will be a very simple matter, my friend," Eld looked at him amusedly.

Meanwhile, Sasha, Connie, Marco and Jean were already having dinner at Levi and Hange’s apartment, because Sasha and Connie realized that they couldn’t find any food, so Hange offered to go back to their place and she would cook dinner.

“That’s divine Mrs. Ackerman!” Sasha shouted as she ate her soup, which was obviously full of potatoes. And Hange blushed a little because people started to call her Mrs. Ackerman, even though she hadn’t even married Levi yet.

"It only tastes so good because it's full of potatoes," Connie joked, then poked Sasha playfully in the side.

“I think it turned out good too! Can I have some more?” Jean asked, then handed his plate to Hange.

"Of course!" the woman said and was about to stand up with great difficulty because of her belly, but Marco put his hand on her shoulder to stop her, then he stood up and helped Jean eat more.

"Seriously, take it for yourself next time and not poor Mrs. You want to put Ackerman on it!” scolded the freckled boy gruffly.

"I'm sorry," Jean muttered, then blushed in embarrassment.

“I agree with Marco,” Connie replied. “You’re lucky Mr. Ackerman is in the kitchen and didn’t see this. Otherwise he would have you cleaning the stables for a week, for making his pregnant wife serve you food.”

“Oh, you don’t have to take this so seriously, kids!” Hange shook his hands in embarrassment. “I would have gladly served you Yean, it wouldn’t have been a problem. I think I should walk more anyway because I’m still getting really lazy.”

“Is there a problem?” Levi asked, who had just returned from the kitchen to the hall. The man had sensed that the mood had suddenly become depressed. So he stood protectively next to Hange, so that he could protect her if someone wanted to hurt her.

“Nothing happened, you better sit down! It's bad to watch you standing there!” Hange pulled Levi down onto the chair next to her. "In fact, then we'll solve all this with; Jean, please bring us the main course," Hange looked at the boy with a kind smile.

"Okay!" Jean answered and ran to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Connie and Sasha started joking again, so the tension was relieved. Because of this, Levi also calmed down and smiled gently at Hange.

“See? There's nothing wrong” the woman took Levi's hand.

"Of course there's nothing wrong, this food is so good..." Sasha started and then saw Jean bringing the main course. “My God! This looks sensational!” the girl's saliva immediately started flowing. "Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman, I want to have lunch with you every day from now on!"

“You would eat all their food in a day,” Connie said with a grin.

“That’s wrong! That would be one meal,” she grinned with a goofy face. “But I definitely want to compete with you, Mrs. Ackerman. I heard you have a big appetite! You once ate four bowls of pasta!” Sasha said enthusiastically, causing Hange to blush.

“Yes, that’s right,” Levi nodded, then added. “Hange’s been eating more than me lately.”

“But I eat for two people!” Hange said, already blushing as she stroked her belly to make herself feel less embarrassed.

“That’s true after all,” Connie replied thoughtfully. “But I think Sasha would still eat more.”

“And Mrs. Ackerman, aren’t you afraid of gaining weight?” Sasha asked, ignoring Connie’s comment.

"I don't think I'd get fat, but right now..." she looked down at her, "I don't think anything would show so much on me..."

"I see," Sasha nodded as she took a hearty snack.

"Don't worry about things like that," Levi told the woman. "Now the most important thing is that the child gets enough nutrients and is not weak."

“Weak? They’re an Ackerman, so the’re anything but weak – the woman giggled, already becoming more cheerful.

"I hope it's as you say," Levi said, then smiled faintly.

"Trust our child, Levi," she squeezed his hand gently. "Just as strong as you."

“I believe you. If you say so, then he definitely is” Levi replied, then he squeezed Hange’s hand too. "You're his mother, so for now you know him best."

"So Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman... Will you adopt us too? Connie asked suddenly. "We would love to be the Captain’s siblings!"

"I'm sure Eren wouldn't mind that either," Levi smiled. “But unfortunately I don’t have that much money. I can’t adopt that many children.”

"What  shame!" Sasha said in a sad tone.

“Don’t whine, Sasha. You can always come over to our place to eat” Levi said, then he gently ruffled the girl’s hair. “But only if you don’t eat everything at once. Hange and the baby really need the food right now.”

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman!” the young people cheered, while Petra, Oluo, Eld and Günter arrived tiredly.

"Hmm... this looks delicious," Günter looked down at the food as they took their seats.

“Did you also want some? There’s still some left” Levi said, glancing at his friends.

"If that's what you offer us Cap..." Oluo began but stopped halfway. Levi was no longer his superior. So how the hell was he supposed to address him?

“Uhhh… Call me Levi,” the man said. Levi felt just as embarrassed as Oluo. He didn’t know how he should behave with his former subordinates.

“Okay, Levi then,” Oluo mumbled in embarrassment as he sat down next to Petra.

“So, then we’ll do our Flegel plan and then trap Djel and Ralph,” Eld spoke. “According to Erwin’s information, the pair know something, because they’ve been involved in many covered-up cases.”

“But how can we trap them?” Levi asked. While making his plan, the man forgot that he was no longer a scout, since Erwin had fired him. That’s why he was watching Eld with just as much interest as the others.

“Don’t worry about that, Levi,” Petra smiled at him. “We’ll take care of it, you just deal with Hange and the baby.”

“Okay.” But if you need help, let me know,” Levi replied, who only then realized that for a moment he had forgotten that he had been fired.

“We won’t need it. We are elite soldiers, right? You chose us yourself,” Oluo pointed out proudly.

“But yes. You are right,” Levi admitted reluctantly. The man felt bad that his presence was considered unnecessary, so he began to study the tablecloth on the table instead. In the meantime, he tried to think of Hange and his child to reduce the pain he felt from being fired. He tried to convince himself that it was okay that this happened, since at least he could be with Hange. Meanwhile, Hange placed her hand on the man’s back soothingly and stroked it. She knew that he didn’t like this.

“I think we’ll let you talk then. I’m really tired anyway,” Hange yawned and tried to stand up. Levi noticed this and helped her get up. Then he gently placed his hand on the woman's back and led her into the room, where he helped her lie down on the bed. Finally, he covered her with a soft, pink blanket.

"Come, let's sleep together and let them come up with their own ideas," she told him as she enjoyed the softness of the pink blanket. "It's not our job anymore and we only hinder them if we interfere."

"Okay," agreed Levi, who didn't want to say no to Hange's request, because he didn't want to hurt her. So he lay down next to the woman and then gently stroked her hair. Hange just snuggled up next to him and rested her hand on the man's heart. Then, as always these days, she immediately fell asleep like a log, even when the child started to move.

Levi stayed by her side so that Hange would not feel alone when she woke up. Even though he was not that tired. Finally, he buried his hand in the woman's hair, while his body instinctively pulled her towards Hange so that he could feel her warm skin. The woman only relaxed even more, and his hand finally slid protectively onto her stomach. Seeing this, Levi smiled faintly. It was good to see that the woman cared so much about their family. Levi finally placed his palm on Hange's hand. This way, he could feel his partner and child close to him.

"So tomorrow we'll gather the people for the big reveal," Eld said, looking at the papers on the table.

"It's best if we trick those two into it so that after they tell the truth, we'll just capture and torture them," Petra said thinking.

"And who tortures them?" Oluo asked worriedly.

"Me," she stated confidently. "You think I only talk about girly things with Hange?" Petra looked at Oluora, smiling suspiciously.

"I'm starting to get scared," Oluo said cautiously, then began to squirm tensely in his chair. “I thought they were talking about clothes and children. And now it turns out they were talking about torture?”

"You have nothing to fear," Petra put her arm around Oluo's shoulders. "However, those two idiots certainly should."

"Well, that's what I call character development," Jean looked at the older soldiers with a grin, while Marco just rolled his eyes.

"Are you going to teach me to torture people too?" Sasha asked Petra enthusiastically. "Because I want to torture Jean and Marco when they are too loud at night."

Hearing this, Connie just laughed and said: "Well, yes, it would be nice if someone would finally discipline them."

"We don't torture our comrades!" Günter said indignantly. "Anyway, If I know right, the Captain has regulated how long you can... do things from now."

"Unfortunately, you know that right," Marco replied with a sigh.

“Eren did that right. At least you two won’t be late for anything ever again” Connie said.

"Now are you going to mention this forever?" Jean buried his face in his hands.

"Yes," Connie and Sasha answered in unison.

"And you two will be the loudest in the end," Eld stated as he mapped out their route. At this, Sasha blushed and started poking the leftovers with her fork instead. Connie suddenly became interested in the pattern of the floor. Jean just grinned mockingly at that, happy that Connie and Sasha were now feeling a little reluctant.

"Yes, as much appetite Sasha has, she might just be already pregnant with the mini Connies," said the boy and leaned back in his chair.

“Idiot,” Sasha muttered to him, her head red. “I’m not even fat enough to look pregnant. And Connie is just my friend anyway.”

“It doesn’t seem like that often,” the boy continued, but Marco just nudged him in the side with his elbow.

“Behave yourself!” he hissed through his teeth. “Sometimes you’re such an idiot.”

“I agree with Marco,” Connie nodded. “You could finally behave, Jean.”

“What if instead of childish arguments, we came up with a plan?” Eld asked, then looked sternly at the young people.

“I feel so sorry for Eren that he had to start his Captain career with rookies. It’s really hard for us, even with them, but for Eren…” Petra said, thinking of the boy who had passed every test so far. It wasn’t surprising, since he was Levi’s son.

“Well, yes,” Eld agreed. “It’s hard to discipline a group of newbies.”

"It's a wonder they listen to Eren at all," Günter added.

“We listen to him because he’s cool. And he’s so nice to everyone” Sasha began to list. "He understood everyone."

"Really cool," Jean agreed as he thought of his best friend. "He learned how to control the titans!"

"That's why it's important to find it," Eld gathered the papers. "We'd better get some sleep, we have a lot to do tomorrow."

After that, the members of Eren’s team said their goodbyes and left the apartment. So Levi was finally left alone with Hange.

"I miss Eren," the woman said half asleep as she got up to see the others leave the apartment.

“I know. Me too” Levi replied, then pulled Hange closer. “But don’t worry. The others will definitely save him. He’ll be fine.”

“It’s impossible not to worry, especially at times like this. He's our son,” she said nervously, clutching the man's shirt.

"Of course he's our son,” Levi answered, while placing his palm on Hange's hand. "But by being nervous, you're not doing yourself or the child any good. So please try to calm down,” the man said and started stroking Hange's back to calm her down.

"I hope he's like you and gets out of trouble soon," she sighed as she began to calm down. "Then when he comes home, he can’t run away. I will hug him for like five minutes…” she stated and Levi smiled at this.

"I don't know what he would say to her, since he's not a child anymore," Levi answered. He still held Hange protectively. He trusted in himself that perhaps his proximity would calm him down.

“I don’t care, after this he should be glad he gets a hug and I’m not grounding him for like forever” she said with a smile as she completely relaxed.

“After disappearing like that, he would get at least two weeks of grounding” Levi said. “He’s lucky he can’t help it. Otherwise he wouldn’t pocket what I’d give him, after you’re stressing out because of him.”

“He would never do anything wrong. He always wants the best for everyone” the woman suddenly burst into tears, because now she was starting to miss her son a lot again.

"Yes, that's true," Levi replied, then hugged her tightly again. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. I promise.” Then he wiped away the woman’s tears. Levi never liked seeing Hange cry, because it always hurt his heart. He liked it much better when he saw Hange smile. It seemed to him as if the whole world was dressed in brighter colors. Then the woman nodded and buried her head in his chest.

“I don’t know how you can handle this, even though you’re even closer to Eren than I am,” she muttered softly as she tried to calm down again.

“I have to,” Levi replied calmly. “What do you think, if I collapse, who will support you and the child?”

“You won,” the woman sighed as she closed her eyes. “But don’t keep everything to yourself. I hate that.”

“Okay,” Levi replied, then carefully ran his fingers through the woman’s hair. “But right now, feeling sorry for yourself would only hold you back. Go to sleep instead.”

“I can handle my feeling sorry for yourself. If I handled it when you got fired, so I can handle it now,” she said, her usual willful voice.

“I know you can handle it. But I don’t want to burden you with it. It's enough that you know that I'm worried about Eren too," Levi sighed. That's why he tried to distract her: "How's the baby? Are they still moving?"

"They’re exceptionally calm now. Maybe they know that nothing will happen to their brother," she sighed.

"I'm glad about that," Levi replied, then stroked the woman's belly. And he realized with pleasure that Hange was right, and the baby really wasn't moving as much as usual.

"You know, I don't say it often, but I'm glad it's you," the woman muttered half-asleep. "That you're the one whose baby..." she started, but eventually fell asleep again.

"I know," Levi whispered. "I'm glad too."

The next day, everyone was in their places in the secluded alley. Sasha, Connie, Jean, and Marco stood on the rooftops and waited, while Eld and Günter blended into the crowd. Meanwhile, Fliegel appeared, running away from Sannes and Ralph in fear.

"Just tell me..." Flegel said as he seemed to be cornered. “Why? Why did you kill my father?”

"He was in our way," Sannes replied in an icy voice. "Just like you're in our way now."

"Whose way was it?" he swallowed. "If you're going to kill me anyway, you could really tell the truth..."

"In the government's way," Sannes said. "Because you have information that you shouldn't know."

“Like the fact that the Military Police are working with known assassins?” the man continued, hoping that he could get a confession out of them and not die from it.

"For example," Sannes replied as he stepped closer to Flegel. "But it's even worse that you know that the Military Police kill a lot of civilians as well."

"Then it will be good if we put an end to this, won't it?" – the man became more confident as Petra and Oluo appeared and held their weapons to the backs of the two men.

"Surprise," Petra said with a smile, as Eld gave the signal and the rest of the team and so many civilians came forward.

"Now everyone knows the truth," said Oluo. "Thank you for clearing our name."

Because of this, Sannes turned pale. He hadn’t expected this. Trembling, he spoke: "What do you want to do to me?"

“You’ll find out” at which point Petra and Oluo knocked them out using their weapons while the people started cheering. Then they set off to take the two men to prison. Meanwhile, Eld explained to the crowd and Flegel what the next step was.

And now the people were on the side of the Scouts, which could only be a good thing. While Petra, Oluo and the others took the two soldiers, Eld and Günter went to tell Erwin how things were going with the plans. The people were now on the side of the Scouts, which could only be a good thing. While Petra, Oluo and the others took the two soldiers away, Eld and Günter went to tell Erwin how things were going with the plans.

"What were you able to get out of Sannes?" Erwin asked from behind his desk.

“Not much yet. Petra and Oluo will probably start torturing them now” Eld announced. “What he told Flegel is that those who know the truth will be killed.”

“Well, that’s really not too much. I hope Petra and Oluo will get more out of him than that” Erwin replied. “And what about Eren? Have you found out where he is being held?”

“We don’t know. The only way we could move forward was to clear the name of the Legion. Now, in the event of a coup, the people will support us” Eld continued his report.

"Exactly," Erwin nodded. "That way, the Military Police won't stand a chance."

Then the blond-haired man started talking about something completely different: “I heard you visited Levi and Hange. Are they okay? They are probably worried that their adopted son is missing…”

“Levi was calm as always. He believes that Eren will return home safely. Hange misses him more, but she’s quite sensitive right now anyway” Günter said.

“Yes, I suspected that. Levi is not having an easy time right now” Erwin said, then pushed some papers away on his desk. "I don't know if I should visit them or not..."

"Well, he made a pretty sour face when he wanted to help, but he realized that he was no longer a member of the legion," Eld told him.

“Then maybe it’s better if I don’t go. I’d just be tearing up old wounds” Erwin decided. “I hope one day he’ll understand that I fired him for his own good.”

"One day he will surely understand, Commander," the two men agreed with him.

"They could go," Erwin finally dismissed them. "Look at how Petra and Oluo are doing with the torture."

"Of course," they nodded.

"Wake up Honey!" Petra chirped in his angelic voice to Sannes as he started to wake up. The woman put on gloves and tied an apron as if she was just getting ready to cook.

"What do you want?" Sannes asked reluctantly. The man was still dizzy, as he had been hit in the head a few hours ago, which had caused him to faint. But then Petra grabbed the tweezers on the table and with one simple movement pulled out one of the man’s teeth.

“You know what I want very well. If you don’t answer, first you will lose your teeth, then your nails. But why am I talking here?” she giggled as she pulled out another tooth, while the man screamed. “You’ve tortured enough people to know how things work. Like Eld Gin’s father, John, among others.”

"Okay, I'll talk," the man trembled, not wanting to lose any more teeth. "You already know most of the secrets." Then he just tried to compose himself, panting, hoping that this would buy him time.

"Speak, then," she said, as she pulled out one of his nails with another simple movement. "This is really quite fun," she smiled as Oluo walked in and immediately started screaming at the sight of blood.

"What are you doing?" Oluo asked in horror, nearly fainting at the sight of the pulled, bloody teeth.

"I'm getting information from our lovely guest," she grinned enthusiastically as she proudly pulled herself out, placing her hands on her hips.

"I see," Oluo muttered nervously. "And um… was the method successful?"

“I’m not done yet, so I can’t speak to the results. But I think Eld will come to pull some teeth when he returns with Günter” she looked at the man as she put down the tweezers.

"Will the entire Scouting Legion pull teeth?" Oluo asked indignantly as Sannes cowered in terror.

"It can happen," Petra shrugged her shoulders as she took off her gloves and hugged her boyfriend's neck.However, Oluo wasn’t really happy about this right now. She thought that a torture scene wasn’t the best place for a hug. So he quickly released Petra and then spoke:

"I'll go and find Eld and Günter," he said, and the woman nodded and returned to what she had started.

"I love you Oluo," she told him cheerfully before walking out.

"Me too," Oluo replied quickly before leaving the room. But after Petra had taken hold of the bloody tweezers again, he didn't really dare to say anything else.

"Well, how are you doing?" Eld and Günter appeared later.

"Quite well," answered Petra with satisfaction. “We're at minus two teeth and minus three nails. Is that right, Sannes?” the woman said cheerfully, then patted Sannes's cheek.

"I've never seen a woman who enjoys causing pain so much," the man said, but it didn't look like he was going to break anytime soon. At this, Eld and Günter looked at each other in surprise. They wouldn't have thought that Petra had a darker side, after how kindly she always spoke. They would have expected something like this from Hange.

“I was expecting you anyway, Eld. I guess you want a piece of it too” she handed him the tweezers. "I got hungry anyway from all this work, especially since I'm just a beginner."

"Okay, go and eat," replied Eld, who didn't understand how you could eat immediately after torture without vomiting. Meanwhile, Günter leaned against the wall and looked at Eld. Eld could read what he wanted just from his look.

“When you’re done, we need to talk. I have an idea” Eld knew that if it were possible, his friend would have told him this.

Eld couldn’t get much out of Sannes half an hour later. So he finally left the man alone, because he was curious about what his friend wanted to say.

"I thought we'd have a text with his friend about how he broke down and told the truth, maybe the fact that he feels betrayed will make him give up and tell us where Eren is," Günter came up with the idea as they stood in a corridor.

"I think this could work," enthused Eld. "What should we write in the text?"

"That he couldn't stand the torture and was broken, that he told us everything," Günter shrugged his shoulders. “How did it feel anyway? The revenge?”

"I thought it would be nice," Eld sighed. “But in reality I felt nothing but emptiness. I hate that we have to do this.”

"Well, if you ever want to be redeemed, I know a church," Günter winked, unusually amused.

"Thanks, but I'm not a believer," Eld shrugged, then added in a slightly more cheerful voice. "Then we'll go to the church for the wedding of the ex-Captain and Hange."

“Ex-Captain? It sounds so stupid and I can’t wait for Erwin to take him back” the man stretched as he fell silent for a few moments.

“Yes, I’d be happy if he came back too. Our team is incomplete without him” Eld replied, looking thoughtfully into the distance. "Besides, I saw him longing to return to the scouts last time."

“But it’s better if he doesn’t. Levi seems happy like this” he finally said. “Maybe he will someday, but this is the best thing for him. Especially with the decisions he’s made lately. If Erwin were to take him back, he’d be completely unpredictable.”

"I guess you're right," Eld replied as they headed for a flight of stairs. “I’m not sure Levi could balance his family life and the life of the scouts. But working in a tea shop is more peaceful.”

"You reminded me that we should definitely go there for tea sometime. Maybe I’ll take my mom and sister if I have time” he told him.

“That’s a good idea! I’ll take my family there too” Eld replied cheerfully.

“And in the meantime we’ll make a profit for our former boss. Perfect” he nodded enthusiastically. "But then, let's write that text."

Eld nodded, and then the two of them sat down to brainstorm. Soon, they had Ralph read the text, which completely broke Sannes's heart. So Sannes told the truth, that Historia was the true heir to the throne. And finally, they found out where to go to save Eren. So they set off.

Chapter Text

Eren next came to his senses on his knees. He was tied to a podium like a circus animal. He was cold because for some reason his jacket and shirt had been taken off him. However, when he came to his senses completely, he looked around in fear, searching for Historia. She was nearby as she stood further down in the cave. She held a needle in her hand, shaking. The girl's father waited beside her.

“What's going on? Historia!” Eren shouted, finally getting her attention.

Then both Historia and her father walked next to Eren, and then Historia's father spoke: "Prepare yourself, Eren, for you will die soon. My daughter will receive the injection soon, and she will become a Titan. Then she will eat you so that the Founder Titan will be in our family again."

"I don't have any titan. Even if you feed me, nothing will change," Eren stated dazedly.

"Don't lie! Mikasa and Kenny told me you had it," Historia's father replied angrily.

"Mikasa is lying..." he said, his heart breaking. Despite everything she had done, Mikasa had betrayed him and put his family in danger. Why did she do all this? Because Armin was dead? "I don't have any strength, my wounds won't heal," he said, because his mother had told him that during his kidnapping she had observed Reiner's arm growing back.

"See? This is proof!" Historia said pleadingly to her father, pointing to the fresh wound Eren had sustained during his fight with Kenny. This made the man think. So he asked a new question:

"So you're saying it’s still with Grisha? But then why did Mikasa lie?" Then a gun went off and Kenny, who had been talking until now, just groaned in pain and fell to the ground as Mikasa stepped over him.

“You slut,” Kenny growled. Mikasa didn't answer, she just kept moving forward, just like hail moving across the sky on a spring afternoon.

Now that everyone knew that Mikasa was the one who had been lying all along, the girl decided that there was no need to continue to play herself in front of these people. Now the next step of her plan could begin, in order to get Armin back from beyond death. Grisha had told her. With that power, she could do anything. And the girl was prepared to lie to everyone and cut everyone to get what she wanted. Only Armin knew her true self. And if the boy was here again, she would reveal everything to him alone.

Behind him, Grisha's glasses glinted almost omnisciently as he simply walked into the underground section. He had been here once before, exactly five years ago, when everything had changed. But now, here, he was restoring everything the Reiss family had been unable to.

"As you can see, the Founder Titan is of great value to everyone," Grisha began. Then, with a simple shot to the head, Mikasa ended Rod's life because no one wanted to deal with the man. Then Grisha turned to Eren and said:

"My son, the founding titan is your inheritance. Obtain it before Historia. I want to give it to you, not to the girl."

Eren couldn't believe his eyes for a few moments. Grisha was standing there, not just leaving half a trail, leading them somewhere. Then he heard what he said and the first thing he did was laugh.

“So that's why you need me after all these years?” he looked Grisha straight in the eyes. Watching him like that again, he thought he could detect the features of that ape shapeshifter in the older man.

"Not only for that. But also because I miss you, son," said Grisha, trying to manipulate him into joining him with these words.

"I'm not your son," Eren declared, shaking his head. It made no sense. He thought after all these years of preparation, Grisha would come up with something better.

"But yes, you are my son," Grisha said firmly. "I gave you life. With these words you would break the heart of your dear mother, who loved you more than anything and gave you everything," the man added, trying to make an emotional impact on the boy.

“That’s funny to hear you say that. Did you love her at all?” he asked suddenly, as if something had come together in his mind. “Or did you just choose her because she knew there were titans in the walls?”

“Why not both?” Grisha asked, spreading his hands. “But as I see, you already know one thing or another.”

“You're a coward,” Eren laughed. “You were a coward to raise me, because I was never anything but a sacrificial lamb to you.”

“No, Eren. I am not a coward,” Grisha replied with a sigh. “You can’t imagine how much suffering I have faced and how much I have struggled in life.”

“And what do you want from me now? To take on your suffering and carry your cross?” he spat out the words angrily.

"You don't have to take on my suffering," Grisha replied. "But my titan. You can't imagine how much power that would give you."

"Don't you understand?" he asked back, standing up despite his chains. "I don't need your power!"

"Everyone needs power," Grisha said. "Without it, you can't make a difference in the world. If you don't have it, you can't protect your loved ones."

Eren just shook his head. He didn't need anything. It was enough for him to know that his parents were happy and that Erwin would reveal the truth. Eren felt he was enough to be a supporting character in the events.

"You can't give me what I want," he said coldly.

“Really? Don’t you want a power that can change the future? Don’t you want a power so great that you could protect everyone with it?” Grisha asked, stepping closer to the boy. “Only a fool would turn down such a great opportunity, given to only a few.”

Eren thought for a moment. This could have saved his parents, Historia, everyone within the walls. But was it really worth such power? "Then I'm a fool," he said, rejecting the offer.

Grisha then looked to Mikasa for help. He hoped that the girl would help him convince Eren. He had no idea that Mikasa had completely different goals.

"And I'll tell you again to remember," he said, jerking his hand and the chains snapped. A simple trick his father taught him. "My name is Eren Ackerman. And you? You're not my father."

Hearing this, Grisha's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't believe that this son of his had also abandoned him. So instead of kind words, he angrily shouted:

“Think about it, you fool! If you don't get this power, others will! Is this what you want!? To be controlled by others? To never be free? Is this what you desire, you half-wit!?”

Eren, however, didn't say anything, just walked past him, because he realized that although his grandmother had treated his parents cruelly when they were there, she had said one thing right. They lived in a cycle, making the same mistake over and over again. But Eren has had enough. He wasn't going to be a part of this anymore. And if that meant walking away, then he would.

However, Mikasa wouldn't let that happen. She drew her sword and charged at Eren. Eren simply dodged her attack. "I hope it was worth it. Betraying everything that Armin fought for," the boy said.

"Don't you dare mention Armin's name!" Mikasa said angrily, thrusting her sword at Eren again. "You don't even remember him! You betrayed him!"

Eren, lacking a weapon, could only evade Mikasa. "And you betrayed me! I tried to be your friend and all you did was make my life miserable!"

"That's a lie! You weren't trying to be my friend! If that had been the case, you would have tried to remember me and Armin! But it was more convenient for you to forget things!" Mikasa shouted, not thinking, just attacking. Anger and grief had long since taken control of her.

"I tried," Eren said, not managing to dodge in time and Mikasa cut him off. "But you didn't try to get to know me!"

“You didn't try to understand what Armin and I were going through! And because of you, Armin had to die feeling like his best friend was letting him down!” the girl screamed, giving free rein to her grief. “I will never forgive you for treating him like this!”

"But that doesn't give you the power to hurt those I love!" he cried out in pain. "Kill me if you want, but leave them alone!"

"Oh, no. I won't kill you," Mikasa laughed mockingly. "I'll torture you. I'll take everything you love from you. So that you feel nothing but this emptiness I have been feeling since."

"You really are crazy," Eren looked at her, completely surprised, but somehow not.

Mikasa wanted to respond. However, she didn't get the chance to, as she shot towards Historia. The girl managed to shoot Mikasa's sword out of her hand. Along with her right ring finger. Mikasa screamed in pain as blood gushed out. When she saw her missing finger, she thought she was going to faint.

"Don't you dare touch my boyfriend," Historia said coldly as she raised the gun, ready to fire.

Mikasa had no intention of touching him. In fact, she didn't even feel jealous because of the pain. She felt dizzy, so she finally managed to leave the scene only with Grisha's help.

And Eren just stood there tiredly until Historia ran into his arms. “Eren, are you okay?” Historia asked, hugging the boy tightly.

"You... you said..." he blinked in surprise.

"Yes..." Historia whispered, stroking the boy's hair. "I said what you heard."

Then Eren suddenly pulled her into a kiss. He didn't know what he was doing exactly because it came so instinctively. Historia kissed Eren back, running her hands first down his back and then his chest. She then pulled him even closer to her so she could feel his heartbeat. She completely forgot about the outside world.

Eren was surprised by this for a few moments, but he didn't object, instead he tried to figure out exactly what he should do now. How long should they kiss? Can he kiss her neck too? What can he touch? Historia sensed that Eren didn't know what to do, so she took control and placed the boy's hands on her waist. She then pulled away from him for a moment, seeing that the boy needed air.

"Be careful not to run out of breath," Historia joked, brushing a stray strand of hair away from the boy's face.

"I won't," he whispered breathlessly into her ear as his fingers gently slid under her shirt at her waist. This made Historia shiver. Then, leaning her head on Eren's shoulder, she tried to signal to him that she wanted more and not to stop even for a moment. “What do you want me to do?” he asked her softly. He had ideas, but he was afraid he would be too wild. That he would hurt the girl after all that stressful stuff.

“Just do what comes naturally to you,” Historia whispered back reassuringly. “Don’t worry, you won’t hurt me.”

“Then…” and then he gently began to kiss her neck. Her skin was smooth and soft, unlike anything else. Historia closed her eyes again, enjoying the boy's touch. She placed her hand on Eren's back again. One of the boy's hands then slid down and lifted Historia's thigh with one movement, as they backed up to the nearest wall.

This made Historia sigh and whisper his name in a voice filled with desire. She clearly didn't want this moment to end. Then Eren pulled her into another kiss, then finally pushed her against the wall as they got there, whispering her name like a prayer. Historia began to kiss the boy back more and more fiercely, grabbing his hair as well. Things had never been this passionate with Ymir. This was completely new to the girl.

“Would you like to do it?” Eren asked her, holding his breath as he pushed the girl closer and closer to the wall.

"I want everything you can give," the girl whispered as she caressed Eren's face.

“You asked for it,” he said mischievously as he picked up Historia. At this, Historia laughed, then snuggled up to the boy and ruffled his hair. “But you deserve better than this. When we get back,” he whispered as he kissed the part behind the girl’s ear. “In a bed.”

"Okay. Be it as you wish," whispered Historia, who was pleased with Eren's concern. The boy smiled at this and then hugged Historia to him kindly and lovingly. It would be better if they did this later because he would have to ask someone, anyone, how this has to be done. That means he needs to read a book quickly.

After Mikasa and Grisha successfully escaped, the girl tried to bandage the stump of her finger while they were riding in a cart. However, it was quite difficult to do it alone, so he ended up helping her, looking at her with pity. Mikasa hated the pity in Grisha's eyes. He was a strong warrior, not a weak puppy. So she growled at the man:

"Instead of feeling sorry, bandage the wound. And be glad I saved your ass."

"I don't understand how you could get hurt," Grisha grumbled boredly, who didn't like at all that Eren wasn't the easy-to-control, naive boy he raised him to be. This Eren would be incapable of what he was supposed to do and Grisha had no idea how he could carry out his plan like that.

"It's none of your business. Instead of being a fool, you should do your job," Mikasa growled back, letting the man tie some fabric around the stump.

“Take care of it, if you don’t, it will get infected and you will die,” the man said as he tied the material tightly. “You’re lucky, you’ll be able to live without any problems.”

"Thank you," Mikasa said after Grisha finished. Then she added firmly, "It won't get infected. I'll take care of it."

"Great," he said, then sat back down and watched Mikasa watch her finger, or rather its location.

The girl felt bad about losing her finger, because it not only hurt her, but it also made her see herself as uglier. But Mikasa still didn't give up on her goal. If she had to pay with her finger to get Armin back, so be it. She would do it. She would endure even greater pain just to get the blond-haired boy back, because Armin was the last person who truly understood and accepted her. The girl started to think. After this, they would probably be looking for her, so the only thing she could do was get off this island as soon as she could. Were those idiot Reiner and Berthold still here or had they already run back home to cry? So, she thought she would first find them, and then escape with those two unfortunate fools. After all, if they caught her, she wouldn't be able to carry out her plan.

Then she looked up at Grisha and knew what offer she would make to those two idiots. The next moment Mikasa grabbed her rifle and hit Grisha in the head with it. As Grisha lay unconscious on the cart, Mikasa quickly jumped down, picking up the man on her shoulder. Then the girl put Grisha in a barrel so that she could smuggle him out to Shiganshina. But first she drilled a hole so that when the man woke up, he wouldn't drown. Then with a simple movement she picked up the barrel and set off with him.

The Garrison recognized Mikasa and thought that the Military Police had ordered her to leave the area. So they opened the gate for her. Mikasa set off towards Shiganshina with the cart and Grisha in the barrel. Not surprisingly, the girl made it to Shiganshina thanks to the fact that she brought back a luminous crystal from the cave that allowed her to see at night. Thanks to her power, the titans died without any harm. Shiganshina was still in the same dilapidated state as when Mikasa had fled there with Armin many years ago. The girl shook her head at the thought. She didn't want to dwell on the past now. If she wanted change, she had to find those miserable Reiner and Berthold. The area was empty, the titans the girl thought Reiner might have destroyed to clear the area. And if the boy cleared the area it meant they were waiting. Great. So Mikasa slammed the barrel on the ground, then shouted.

“Come out, I know you’re here!” she shouted into the void, her voice echoing off the houses. Reiner, Bertholdt, and a blond man with glasses who was apparently their leader appeared shortly after.

“Who are you and what do you want?” Zeke asked, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"You promised to take me with you," the girl declared, not frightened by either of them. And when she caught sight of the blonde, she suppressed the realization that she had seen this man in her dream. "And you won't shake me off that easily."

"Why would we take you anyway? What can you give us in return?" Zeke asked, before that half-witted Berthold could even nod at Mikasa's words. 

Then Mikasa just kicked the barrel, which tipped over and Grisha slid out like some fish from the net. "I present to you the holder of the Attack and Founder titan. You're welcome," Mikasa declared, folding her arms.

Zeke was quite surprised when he saw his father. He hadn't expected them to meet again. Especially not with Grisha in a vulnerable position again, just like when Zeke turned him in to the police. However, the man quickly pulled himself together. He turned his head away from his unconscious father and instead began to think about the current situation. Finally, he decided that he wouldn't mind if the girl came too. She seemed strong, having come this far all her own.

"Okay, you can come with us," the man nodded.

"Obviously. As chronically stupid as you people are, you would never have found him," Mikasa said boredly as she looked up at the man standing in front of her. What was his name, she wondered? And why did she dream about him?

"I'm not stupid..." Berthold began to protest. But then Zeke shot the boy a look that cut him off. They didn't have time to argue. They had to get back to Marley as quickly as possible. Despite this, Zeke replied to Mikasa:

"These two may be stupid, but where I come from, you won't only meet people like that."

"It's a sign if you send the worst people on the most important mission," she took a step closer with a mocking grin.

"You're naive, little girl. This isn't Marley's most important mission. Your pathetic little island is just a speck of dust compared to the rest of the world's events," Zeke replied sarcastically.

"Then why the fuck are you waiting here for? A miracle? If it didn't matter like you said, you would have been gone a long time ago," she stepped closer, while Reiner and Berthold stepped back in fear. They already knew what happens when Mikasa is like this.

Zeke looked at the two boys with pity. He thought to himself that they were not only stupid, but also cowards. After that, he turned his head back to Mikasa and spoke again:

"Shut up! You better get ready for the journey."

Mikasa kicked him in the stomach and when he crouched down, she grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder, down to the ground behind her.

"Don't you dare to boss me around," she declared, then kicked him in the stomach again when he was already on the ground. Zeke was so surprised by this that he forgot even his pain and just stared straight ahead, blinking. No woman had ever sent him to the ground before. Nevertheless, he soon stood up, dusted off his clothes, and then said:

"I'll overlook this rude behavior for once. But learn that as your boss, I expect humility from you."

Mikasa just laughed to herself and then shrugged her shoulders and said:

“Say whatever you want, pretty boy,” she said as she massaged her right hand, where the finger was missing. It was so strange, like she could just feel it was there and it wasn’t. Zeke's gaze fell on Mikasa's missing finger. The bandage was still covered in blood. She must have gotten it shot off not long ago. It made Zeke realize once again how strong the girl was, even with a missing finger, she had sent him to the ground. But he didn't mention this to her. Instead, he diverted the conversation:

"You forgot to introduce yourself in the midst of all the fighting."

"Didn't those two unfortunate idiots tell you about me?" she pointed at Reiner and Berthold, who had only taken another step back. "Mikasa, Mikasa Ackerman."

“Is she related to that Levi Ackerman or something? Those two idiots already told me about him,” Zeke replied. “My name is Zeke Yeager.”

Reiner and Berthold looked at each other. It was strange to see that the two enemies found a common ground in insulting their IQ levels. But they didn't dare speak up. They didn't know whether to fear Zeke or Mikasa more.

"We better get going," Mikasa said, and when she and Zeke looked towards Grisha, they could see that the man was no longer there.

“You let Grisha escape!?” Zeke growled angrily at the two boys.

"There's no doubt about it. You need me," the girl nodded to herself, seeing that she was surrounded by idiots.

“I suggest you be smarter than these two bastards,” Zeke said grimly.

“The bar isn’t high,” she snapped back. “Then let’s find him. And get ready, because Eren is coming here. And it won’t be pretty when he does.”

“Let’s split up. I’ll escort one weak link, you escort the other,” Zeke said, then added sarcastically. “That way they won’t get themselves into any more trouble. Ladies first. Pick an idiot to accompany you.”

"Berthold, come with me and stop being milksop," Mikasa shouted at him.

“Yes!” the boy shouted, then saluted the girl.

Later, Eren was walking outside with Historia hand in hand when the boy saw the half-dead Kenny by the wall. He felt sorry for him because he really had nothing to do with these things, he was just caught in the crossfire.

“What do you plan to do with him?” Historia asked, also watching Kenny with regret.

"I'll break the cycle," he declared, then walked over to Kenny and, throwing one arm over his shoulder, began to carry him. "You can't die yet. You have to take revenge on Mikasa," he told him coldly, trying to keep the life in him. Kenny just coughed hoarsely. He didn't have the strength to answer.

“But what will your father say to this?” Historia asked worriedly. “The two of them clearly hate each other.”

"I don't think either of them are in a position to beat each other up," Eren grinned cheerfully as they arrived and Eren's team appeared, who after some questioning figured out where their Captain might be.

"Don't worry, Eren, Jean is already resting," Sasha told him.

“And Hange has already bandaged your father’s wound,” Connie added.

“And are you two okay?” Marco asked.

“Yes,” the boy nodded as Eld and Günter took Kenny from him.

Eren then left his team alone and headed towards Levi and Hange's house. When he arrived, he knocked on the door, and Hange opened the door for him, then happily hugged him.

“Mom…” he hugged her tightly, because he just realized how much he missed her. Meanwhile, Historia was standing behind him, who was obviously following Eren (not at all because she wanted to finish what they started with him). While Hange held her son in her arms, Levi appeared. The man soon spoke:

"Everything okay, kid?"

“Yeah,” he nodded and then hugged him too. “But we need to talk.”

“What happened?” Levi asked after Eren let go of him.

“Um… maybe…” he clenched his fingers nervously, like when he accidentally used up all of Levi’s bath foam.

“Yes?” Levi asked suspiciously. “What did you do this time?”

"So, Kenny will live here," he finally said, remembering that this apartment was practically his.

Chapter Text

“What!?” Levi asked indignantly. “He definitely won't live here! I won't let that crazy person near my child and my wife! Why should he live here at all? Get him away from here, wherever you want!”

"I can't put him anywhere else right now, and believe me, he won't stir too much water, considering that he’s currently out of commission," Eren explained, confused.

“Yes, you can put him somewhere else. For example, throw him onto the street,” Levi replied sternly. “I don’t want that rat in my apartment.” Then the man added with a sigh: "I don't hate Kenny, I feel sorry for him. But I still don't trust him. Can you understand that, Eren?"

“Technically and practically, this is my apartment,” he shrugged. “Look, he probably won’t be able to get out of bed for a month, so during that time I can plan what to do with him. He won’t hurt you,” Eren tried to convince him.

“Tch, okay. Let it be,” Levi finally agreed. “But only because you said he can’t move. But I’m warning you, Eren, if that bastard even dares to look at Hange in the face, I’ll break every bone in his body.”

"Fine, you can break all his bones if you want," Eren sighed as he watched Historia talk to Hange enthusiastically.

"You've been spending a lot of time with Historia lately," Levi remarked when he saw Eren watching the blonde-haired girl. "Is there something going on between you two?"

“Um…” he mumbled, scratching the back of his head in confusion. “Maybe…”

“What do you mean, maybe?” Levi raised his eyebrows. “What happened while I was away?”

“Nothing important,” he waved to change the subject. “It’s just that Grisha wanted to give me some power to ‘save’ the world. And I politely declined his offer.”

"First of all, what kind of power were you talking about? And secondly, you still haven't told me honestly what's going on with you and Historia," Levi replied, folding his arms.

“Something you could use to protect everyone,” he said, but he didn’t broach the subject of Historia. He somehow didn’t know how to talk about it. Especially since the person in question was still standing not far away.

Levi saw Eren glance at the girl again. So he decided they would talk about this later, when Historia wasn't around. Therefore, he began to focus on Grisha's words to Eren:

"If that's all he said, he didn't reveal much. There are many kinds of powers that can be used to save people."

“He wanted to turn me into a Titan so I could eat him and become a shapeshifter,” Eren continued. “I told him I didn’t need the power.”

“I think you made the right decision. Power often changes people because it gives them too much responsibility,” Levi said. “And you have just enough responsibility on your shoulders. I know from experience that it’s not easy to lead people.”

"I'm happy. With you. With Mom. With my team. With Historia. That's why I rejected him," he declared.

"Then everything is fine," Levi replied, then gently ruffled the boy's hair. "Maybe it's better that Grisha disappeared from your life completely. I think he would have only forced his own desires and wishes on you. You wouldn't have been free with him."

“Are you feeling better?” Eren asked, wanting to know how his father was doing after he was shot.

“Yes, I’m better,” Levi nodded. “Hange helped a lot.” Then he added absentmindedly: "Of course, she also scolded me for not being careful enough."

"I can believe it. Somehow trouble always finds you," Eren nodded, then suddenly Historia jumped on his back, whom he held, of course, surprised.

“Shall we go then?” the girl asked, putting her arm around his shoulders. “Good morning,” the girl greeted Levi as she looked out from behind Eren.

“Hello,” Levi nodded, in his usual reserved style.

Seeing this, Levi looked at Eren questioningly, then experienced that Historia's actions didn't bother the boy. Because of this, he didn't really know what to say to the two young people, so he looked at Hange for help. He hoped that this way she would understand that he didn't really know what to do with the situation.

“You two are cute together,” Hange finally remarked as she adjusted her glasses.

"Thank you," Historia replied happily, still hugging Eren. The girl didn't mind that Levi didn't really tell them anything. She knew Levi well enough to know that he could be tight-lipped sometimes.

"Well, let's go," Eren said, holding the girl on his back steady. "I think Erwin still wants to talk to us."

"Okay. I'm glad you were here," Levi said again, really pleased that his adopted son had thought of him and visited him.

"It’s nothing, dad. Anyway, I'm glad I got to see my real father," he shrugged. Levi smiled faintly at this. He was happy that Eren considered him his real father and not Grisha.

“Have a nice day then,” Levi finally said. “I’m sure Erwin is waiting for the report.”

“I love you dad” then he looked towards Hange. “You too mom” he smiled at her and then Eren set off while Historia continued to happily sit on his back.

“They grow up so quickly,” Hange teared up.

"Well, unfortunately, yes. I still remember when Eren was ten years old, happily running and playing in the base’s yard," Levi replied, then carefully wiped away the woman's tears.

The man continued to be patient with her, as Hange was still sensitive due to her pregnancy.

"For a long time, he only wanted to sleep with both of us," she recalled with a smile. "I also remember when you finally got him to like cleaning. Not long after he took your name."

“It took him a while to like cleaning,” Levi replied with a faint smile. “I thought he’d be as messy as you when he was older,” the man teased Hange.

“But he turned out to be just like you. I told you you could make a cute boy out of him” Hange gently grabbed his shoulder. “You did a lot for him and it wasn't in vain.”

"You are right. But just this once," Levi said, slightly frowning, then reached up and playfully ruffled the woman's hair.

“How does it feel to you?” she asked suddenly, looking down at the man. “Knowing that you’re his father?”

"Although we had difficult moments, I'm still glad we adopted Eren. This boy has made our lives more colorful," Levi replied, looking into the distance. But then the man returned to the present: "And what do you think about Historia? Do you think Eren will be happy with her?"

“She's a cute girl, she even helped me when I was kidnapped,” she said, trying to imagine Historia next to her son.

"If that's what you think, then fine. I wouldn't want to see some idiot next to Eren," Levi pursed his lips.

“He didn't really tell me but…” then she thought a little before asking. “What happened to Mikasa? The last time I heard of her was…”

“He didn’t tell me much more. He just mentioned that they had a fight,” the man replied. “But I see he’s starting to get over it.”

"The main thing is that he be happy," Hange agreed as he stretched and then sat down because he was already tired.

“I agree,” Levi replied. “If he’s happy with Historia, then I’ll accept his decision.”

But the woman didn't answer because she had fallen asleep on the chair, resting her arm on her stomach. Seeing this, Levi smiled. Then he carefully stroked Hange's hair, then went to make tea so that when the woman woke up, she would have something to drink. Of course, the woman woke up to the smell of tea and grumbled a few times that she had almost no energy for anything lately and that she needed to sleep even after a short walk. But at least the tea helped.

“Did you manage to get some rest?” Levi asked as he sat down next to Hange and took a sip of his tea. “I know you haven’t been sleeping so well lately.”

"I don't sleep well is too nice a term," she grumbled, but of course more grumpily than truly angrily.

“Is the baby still moving?” Levi asked, knowing that Hange couldn't sleep because of this and that was why she woke up regularly.

"Always. I don't know when this one wants to rest," she said as she blinked a few times tiredly.

“They’re an active kid, that's for sure,” Levi replied with a hidden smile at the corner of his mouth.

Then he carefully placed his hand on the woman's belly so he could feel his baby's kicks. The woman hissed in pain and clung to Levi to make herself more comfortable. She also needed his help. Her ankles were already very sore and the woman had noticed earlier that they might be even swollen.

“What's wrong?” Levi asked worriedly, trying to support Hange.

“It feels like someone is kicking me in the stomach from the inside,” she tried to be humorous, but it didn’t really work. “But truly, my ankles just really hurt.”

“Have you taken any painkillers?” Levi asked gently. “If that doesn’t work, maybe warm water would do you some good.”

“The warm water and massage worked,” she said. “But it can be that I can’t reach my ankles anymore…” she admitted. Now she wasn’t as flexible as she used to be.

"I can help you if you want," Levi offered, then moved closer to him.

"I'd be happy if you did," she said, then tried to stand up because this would have been uncomfortable and she wanted to continue in bed. 

Levi helped her up and then walked her to the bed. Then he spoke again: "Try to relax and rest. And I'll try to do something about your ankle."

"Okay," she said, leaning back gently. Then, keeping his promise, Levi began massaging his partner's ankle, watching her reactions the whole time, as he didn't want to cause her even more pain.

"Tell me if I hurt you accidentaly," Levi murmured, his fingers on her ankle.

"I'll tell you," she said, just enjoying the rest. Especially after how hard it has been to carry an Ackerman under your heart for almost six months.

Then Levi continued what she had started. In the meantime, he thought about how good it would be if the nine months were finally over and the child was born, because he didn't like that Hange had new pains every day. Hange, on the other hand, sighed pleasantly because her legs finally didn't hurt so much anymore.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

“You’re welcome,” Levi replied. “I would do more than just to see you suffer from your pain.”

"Hm? That doesn't hurt nearly as much as it makes me happy," she smiled kindly. She loved the child more than anything.

“I know,” Levi replied, then gently brushed a stray strand of hair out of the woman’s eyes. “But it would still be best if there was no pain in this joy.” Levi didn't even dare to think that the worst was yet to come. Because he knew that a little leg pain was nothing compared to what Hange would feel during childbirth.

The woman just stretched while her hair fell over her shoulders. “At least we know we're alive,” she said. She wore her hair down more and more often, or at least like Carla used to.

“You’re right,” the man replied. “Life will never be perfect. But we still have to find joy in the moment. Now, and after the baby is born.” Levi then let go of the woman's legs and sat next to her on the bed so she could feel her closeness.

“Yes, somehow,” she instinctively snuggled up to him, loving these moments when they could be just together. “I love you,” she said most naturally.

"Me too," Levi whispered back, then carefully hugged the woman. Then he closed his eyes and silently enjoyed this peaceful and calm moment. He knew that after their child was born, they would have less time to spend together like this.

And the woman, as usual, fell asleep in his arms, while she instinctively and protectively placed her hand on her round and large belly. Levi just hugged her closer and let her rest in his arms. He felt a sense of satisfaction that he could be here next to Hange now, and he thought that there was nowhere else he would rather be. The woman hummed pleasantly as she got up again. She stroked her belly to see if it would get better, but it didn't work, so she half-asleep grabbed the man's hand and placed it on her belly. Levi was a little surprised by this, but still didn't protest. He left his hand where Hange had placed it. Hange then sighed because he was very happy to finally have peace. And he finally fell back asleep, rubbing his head against the man's chest.

This made Levi smile. He was glad that Hange could finally rest. He continued to hold his palm on the woman's stomach to calm the child. "Get some sleep, kid," Levi whispered to the child. "Now, leave your mother alone for a while." The child calmed down, and they both fell asleep peacefully.

Meanwhile, Eren stopped in front of Erwin, putting down his report. "I heard we have a talk," the boy said as he sat down.

"That's true," Erwin nodded. "We need to talk about several things. First, tell me what happened with Kenny, Mikasa, and Grisha."

“They kidnapped me, they thought I had a power that I didn't have” he folded his arms like his father used to. “That power was with Grisha all along. He wanted to give it to me. I didn't accept it. Mikasa worked with him all along and betrayed everything she swore to protect.”

"So Mikasa is now an enemy," Erwin said. "We can't trust her anymore."

“Mikasa has completely lost her mind,” the boy said. “But it will be easy to spot her if we start searching for her. Historia shot off her right ring finger.”

"We need to put out a warrant for her immediately," Erwin said, pushing aside some papers on his desk. "We can't wait for the Military Police. Their bureaucratic system will only limit and slow us down."

“The coup? Was it successful?” Eren asked, remembering the military police. “What are we going to do with it anyway?”

"Yes, it was successful," Erwin replied. "We have removed the false king from the throne. Now Historia can take his place."

“I have a better idea,” the aforementioned person appeared. “Commander,” she entered.

“What do you want, Historia?” Erwin asked, interested.

"Why would the people want another ruler after this? They would never trust me," the girl began. "And I don't want to rule over the people who will never trust me. We are all free. So it's time for the people to decide who they want to lead us."

“That’s all well and good, but it would mean we would have to change our current system,” Erwin said, arms folded. “Can you imagine how much work that would be? It would require new laws, new institutions, and new ranks.”

“But these people will never have to rely on a false king again. They can decide their own fate,” the girl objected. “And that’s the kind of freedom that doesn’t require us to retake the walls. Commander!” the girl slammed her hands on the table. “Now we can go down in history as those who liberated the people, or we can continue the eternal cycle and nothing will ever change!”

“But who will make these changes?” Erwin asked. “To achieve this, you and Eren alone will not be enough.”

“We can call elections to see who could represent the different districts” Eren spoke up. “The infrastructure is there, the Military Police would be excellent for conducting these.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Erwin admitted. “But we’ll have to try to cooperate with the Military Police and the Garrison.”

“The cooperation would have happened anyway. Without it, we won't get the Wall Maria back” Erent argued further. “Besides, Pyxis is on our side anyway. And I don't think it will be that hard to convince Nile.”

“Okay, I’m ready to organize this,” Erwin agreed. “And after we establish order and the republic, we will retake the Wall Maria.” Eren nodded at this and then, stretching tiredly, headed to his room with Historia.

Chapter Text

"Your courage made me realize that I don't have to live the life others want me to," Historia suddenly said.

Hearing this, Eren smiled and then gently stroked the girl's blond hair: "I'm glad I was such a good influence on you. Also, I'm proud of the way you stood up for yourself and told Erwin what you wanted."

“Thank you,” she pulled him into a kiss, holding onto his shirt. She could feel how good the boy smelled, he must have showered before going to talk to Erwin.

Eren returned the kiss enthusiastically, forgetting that they were still in the hallway. So he put his hand on her waist and pulled her closer to him demandingly. Then his fingers began to play with the edge of her shirt, clearly indicating that he wanted more. Historia just wrapped her arms around his neck as she slid her fingers under his shirt, down his back. She knew that tonight they would finish what they had started earlier. Then Eren heard footsteps coming from the hallway, so he quickly let go of Historia.

"Let's go to my room. We can do whatever we want there and we won't be disturbed," Eren whispered.

The girl giggled at that, then let the boy lead her. She intertwined their fingers and was already a little excited, but also scared. When they arrived at the room, Eren carefully closed the door. Then he led the girl to her bed.

“Are you ready?” the boy whispered.

"I've already slept with you," she shrugged teasingly as they stood very close to each other again. She couldn't have imagined this would happen. She was already waiting for when the joke comes.

"But this will be more than just a nap," Eren replied, just as mischievously as his companion. Then he caressed Historia's face, and to seduce her even more, he added flatteringly: "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever met."

"I'm not that pretty," she murmured, blushing. "Mikasa must have looked better. She was stronger. And taller," she said, knowing full well what was between them. Mikasa had never stopped daydreaming about Eren back then when they were just cadets.

"Yes, you are more beautiful than her," Eren whispered back. "You know why? Because your soul is more beautiful and purer than hers. Mikasa betrayed me, while you stayed by my side."

“But what if this happened because of me? I didn't want to come between you…” he looked away, ashamed.

"It's not your fault," Eren said reassuringly. "You didn't stand between us. It's just that Mikasa left," the boy added bitterly. But then his thoughts turned back to the present: "But this made it clear that she wasn't right for me, because she didn't stay by my side. I need you now."

"I didn't know the weird Captain of the Special Squad could be such a flirt," she smiled kindly as she leaned closer.

"If you want, I can be even more flirtatious," Eren replied with a smile, then he leaned closer to the girl.

"I'd like to see that too," she whispered to him as she kissed him.

This made Eren blush a little, but he quickly got over his embarrassment and pulled Historia closer to him. The girl just giggled and snuggled into his chest affectionately. The boy smiled and kissed the girl's hair gently. Then he said happily:

"I'm glad you chose me as your partner. Sometimes you're so good to me that I feel like I don't deserve you. Especially after focusing on Mikasa for so long."

“We didn’t really know each other back then,” she finally said with a pleasant sigh as she fiddled with the buttons on his shirt with her fingers. “So maybe it’s better if we don’t feel this way about this.”

Then Eren helped Historia take off his shirt, leaving him shirtless in front of his partner. But the girl wasn't so embarrassed, considering it wasn't the first time she'd seen Eren like this.

"If I have to do everything myself like last time, I'll be angry," the girl looked at him absent-mindedly, then kissed him while stroking his chest with one hand. Eren kissed her back, his hand running under her shirt and caressing her back, while holding Historia's head with his other hand.

The girl just pulled him closer to her and her hands were on the boy's shoulders. She couldn't believe that someone could be so strong. Because of this, Eren sighed pleasantly, and then his hands started to travel even faster up the girl's back. Historia giggled as they snuggled together.

"Tell me if you don't like something," Eren whispered in the girl's ear as his hands slid down to her waist.

"You can't do anything I won’t like," she told him honestly.

"I'm glad about that," Eren smiled, then kissed the girl again. Meanwhile, they kept backing until Historia tripped and fell backwards onto the bed, pulling Eren with her. At this, Eren just chuckled. Then he swept the girl's hair out of her eyes and leaned over her.

"I love you," Historia said for the first time, gazing into Eren's eyes.

"I love you too," Eren whispered to the girl, wondering to himself why he hadn't said this before. Saying all this to Historia was easy and natural for him.

The girl just pulled him closer while kissing him and running her hands through his hair. As much as she could because of his glasses. With her other hand, she stroked his arm. Then Eren took off his glasses, because he wanted nothing to prevent them from being close to each other.

“You don't have to if you don't want to,” Historia said, gasping for breath. She knew the glasses meant a lot to him, and to be honest, it was weird to see him like this.

"But yes, I want this..." Eren said, breathing heavily. "I'll take it back later. It's more convenient this way." The girl nodded and then gave him a kiss.

"I haven't had a chance to tell you yet, but I've always admired your genius," she admitted, smiling softly and kindly.

"And I've always admired your kindness and patience," Eren whispered, then carefully took off the girl's shirt. Then his hand returned to her back again.

“Um…” she suddenly felt a little embarrassed. “I don’t have big breasts. I’m not very big myself,” she said, embarrassed. She hated being so small.

"It's okay," Eren said comfortingly, then stroked the girl's hair. "I don't need someone perfect anyway, I need you. I love you just the way you are."

"But you look so good," she murmured, but eventually she relaxed completely and let him touch her.

And Eren continued what he had started. In the meantime, he watched Historia's reactions all the time, to make sure the girl didn't feel uncomfortable. Historia remembered her dream, which made her blush even more and felt that she was getting hotter and hotter between her legs. And the feeling made her moan a little. But only a little, because she didn't want to be so loud in the beginning. When Eren heard this, he blushed. He felt so embarrassed that he stopped his movements for a moment. But then Historia pulled him closer, and because of this he understood that the girl wanted more. So Eren returned to caressing his partner's skin again. And Historia made the most beautiful sounds when Eren really touched her. Like when, after some fiddling, Eren took off her bra and gently stroked her breasts. Then Eren kissed Historia's neck, then slowly started to move lower, while still holding the girl's waist.

"You're the first person to touch me like this," she told the boy before pulling him into another kiss. She knew it was best to tell the truth.

“It’s the same with me,” Eren said, then added gently, “So I’m sorry if this isn’t as pleasant as we imagined.”

"We'll figure out how to do it," he said, confused, his eyes sparkling with desire. "Maybe we should just leave ourselves alone, like in the cave."

"Well, you're right after all. Every human has solved this, so it will surely work for us too," Eren replied encouragingly, moving a little over the girl so that they were both in a more comfortable position.

Historia felt completely soaked and her underwear was sticking uncomfortably to her skin, but she didn't know what to do about it. She had no idea how to communicate this to Eren. However, Eren didn't really notice it. He was still busy with the girl's upper body, while inhaling Historia's scent. The girl, on the other hand, tried to move a little and somehow take off her pants. She didn't really succeed. The boy saw this, so he helped Historia get rid of her pants. Then Eren took off his own. The girl moaned as they pressed up against each other again, because now in their underwear they could really feel how much they wanted each other. Eren also moaned, causing him to blush again.

"I’m sorry... about the sound..." Eren muttered, confused. "It was an accident. I'm sorry if it bothers you."

"You don't have to be shy," she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and now she was sniffing his hair. She noticed how good he smelled, as always.

"Okay. I'll try to be more confident," Eren replied, then stroked the girl's back.

"You rarely seem confident. Only when you're completely immersed in your experiments," Historia whispered gently as she caressed Eren's face while raising her hips a little.

"I'll try to change for your sake," the boy whispered, breathing heavily, as he felt his body react to Historia's proximity.

“Great, because I think I need you anyway,” she muttered as she buried her face in his right shoulder.

"I need you too," Eren whispered, rubbing his body against the girl’s. He started stroking Historia's hair.

"Touch me," she asked him, breathing heavily.

"Okay," Eren replied, then his hand moved down the girl's body.

“See if I'll be okay or do I need a little…” then she dug her fingers into his back “help down there…” she whispered into his ear.

Then Eren cautiously tried to satisfy the girl, remembering that she had never done anything like this before, probably not even with Ymir. He saw the blonde sigh pleasantly, while to make sure she wasn't the only one feeling good, she sprinkled kisses on the boy's neck.

"I think you'll be fine this way" he finally spoke when he felt Historia tense up and get close. Historia wanted to feel a little disappointed when it happened, but when she felt his manhood there instead of his hand in between her legs, she immediately blushed, and to hide her face she pressed it into the boy's shoulder.

"Then," Historia muttered, trembling with desire. Will it be like in her dream? Pleasant? Or will it make her scream? There's only one way to find out.

After that, Eren did what Historia asked and then started to move inside her carefully. Historia sighed because they seemed to perfectly fit together. He filled the space without it hurting her. And she liked it so much that she tried to make the most pleasant sounds.

"Tell me if it hurts," Eren whispered in the girl's ear, then gently stroked her face.

"I'll tell you," she smiled, then helped and moved with the boy.

After Eren saw that Historia was feeling good, he started moving faster. He held her waist with his hand and looked deep into her eyes the whole time.

"Eren," she said his name, exactly like in her dream, while stroking his back.

"Historia," Eren whispered back to the girl, then closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy his partner's touch.

“And you okay? Aren't I uncomfortable?” the girl asked back kindly, because she was interested in how Eren was doing.

"What I'm feeling right now is far from uncomfortable," Eren replied gently, then stroked the girl's hair.

"Good, because this won't be the last," she smiled, then rubbed her cheek against Eren's. "I mean if you want us to be together..."

"Of course I would," Eren replied enthusiastically.

Then the boy blushed again, realizing that he had gotten a little more excited than he should have.

Then they finished, but Eren just picked her up and soon they were sitting together in a tub of warm water.

"Thank you for being my boyfriend," Historia said as she snuggled up to him.

"Thank you for being my girlfriend," Eren replied with a smile, then gave the girl the soap. Historia began to rub herself thoroughly with the soap, her muscles relaxing. It felt so good.

"But since I'm your girlfriend, I want to hear about your research. It always sounds so interesting..." At this, Eren's eyes lit up, and he became just as excited as Hange, who also loved talking about his research.

“I'm currently trying to figure out how to make the scouts' swords lighter but more effective,” Eren said. “Because if it were lighter, the scouts would get less tired during combat, and that would make it more effective at destroying titans.”

“And how are you doing with it?” she asked as she snuggled up to him in the water and rested her head on his chest.

“For now, I'm trying to find the lightest, yet strongest material,” Eren replied thoughtfully. Then, smiling at Historia, he continued: “But if you're interested, I can show you in my lab which materials I've tested so far and what I came up with with them.”

“Please!” she looked up at him excitedly. “I’ll try them and if it’s easy for me, then you’re definitely on the right track” she nodded enthusiastically. “You know I didn’t ask, but have you always been this smart?”

“No,” Eren shook his head. “First my mother had to teach me to read when I was adopted at the age of ten. And only then did I start helping her with her experiments.”

“You couldn't read? How could you? Didn't you go to school?” Historia asked him curiously.

“Unfortunately not,” Eren replied. “And Carla and Grisha didn’t teach me how to read and write. I don’t know why. Maybe it was easier for them to keep their secrets that way.”

At that moment, the girl's heart sank and she hugged him tightly. "Then it's a good thing your mom found you. You deserved to know these things."

"I'm grateful to both my mother and father. They both did a lot for me," Eren replied, then pulled Historia closer to him.

"And don't you ever miss the boy you were?" she asked gently. "Eren Yeager?"

“I don’t miss him,” Eren replied confidently. Then he added thoughtfully, “But sometimes I wonder what would have happened if my mother had never found me. I don’t know the answer to that, but I’m sure nothing good would have been waiting for me.”

"And what was the conclusion? What would have happened if you had stayed with Mikasa and Armin?" she asked, resting her head on his chest. Historia was curious about Eren's thoughts because they were so interesting.

"I don't think I would have ever changed for the better," Eren replied thoughtfully. "It wouldn't have been Mikasa's or Armin's fault. It would have been more the fault of the circumstances."

“Why do you think that? Don't you believe in yourself enough?” Historia looked into the boy's green eyes.

“I don't think it's just up to me,” Eren shook his head. “I think if I hadn't had a good example from my parents, I would be in a completely different place in life now.”

“You would always be angry and fight with everyone?” the girl giggled in amusement. “That wouldn’t sound good. That wouldn’t be you.”

“I would definitely be angry,” Eren replied with a smile. “I was angry when I got here too. But my parents helped me come to terms with myself and my life.”

"You are the best thing that ever happened to the world, Eren Ackerman," the girl told him, as she found peace in his arms.

"And you are the best thing that ever happened to Eren Ackerman," the boy replied gently, then kissed Historia's hair.

Chapter Text

The next day, Eren headed to the training camp to talk to Shadis. He believed that his help could be key to establishing the republic.

“Eren,” the man looked at the boy as they stood in his office. “I guess you came for the truth,” he said. His voice was softer than usual.

“Yes” Eren nodded. “I would like to ask for your help. Historia realised that the monarchy won’t hold and therefore she refuses to take the throne, but rather make a democratic government. Not only does she agree with this, but so do I and Erwin. However, this would require your help.”

"I don't think I can help you. I've been carrying the truth for far too long now," he looked out the window. "Carla wasn't just a helpless woman. She wanted to achieve the same thing you did."

“But then who could help?” Eren asked, a little desperate. He trusted that the man would at least give him a hint on how to start this.

"You're on the right track, boy. You don't need help," he said, looking at Eren.

Then Eren had a new idea. Although Shadis can't help form the republic, she might have the answers to some questions. That's why the boy spoke again:

"You said Carla wanted the same thing as me. Why are you so sure of that? And what was Grisha's goal? Were the two of them planning something together?"

“When Carla realized that there were titans in the walls, she turned to me, because we scouts were the ones who really saw the world” he began his story. “I agreed and we started gathering people for a rebellion. That's why Carla became a bartender, because she could meet and involve new people every day. I found Grisha outside the walls. Carla said he could be useful, so I took him with me to the bar where they met.”

“Then they became allies? What was the purpose of the rebellion? What happened to the rebellion?” Eren asked, even though he knew things didn't end well. Still, he wanted to know the full story.

“They both had their goals, but despite all that, they seemed to like each other. We didn't get far, because Shiganshina fell and there was nothing left” then he fell silent for a moment. “In the basement of the apartment where you lived as a child, you will find the answers to everything.”

"Then I have to get back there," Eren said to himself, thinking. Then his voice became more determined, and turning to Shadis, he began to speak: "Thank you for your help."

“Did Grisha give you the key to it?” the man asked suddenly before Eren left.

“He gave it to me, but when I was running away in Shiganshina, I lost it,” Eren replied. “Without the key, won’t I find out the truth?” the boy asked worriedly.

Then the man opened one of the drawers and threw the key into the boy's hands. “They may have loved each other, but Carla never trusted him,” he explained, folding his arms. “So she had the key copied and gave it to me for safekeeping.”

“I didn’t think Carla and Grisha had such a strange relationship,” Eren said, looking at the key. “But I don’t think Grisha could have been a good person if Carla didn’t trust him. I mean, I know my mother trusts my father unconditionally.”

"Your parents are special, Eren Ackerman," Shadis nodded in agreement. "Not everyone gets a partner like them."

"I think you're right," Eren nodded. Meanwhile, he thought to himself, he hoped that both he and Historia were among these special people.

"Don't tell anyone, but I'm interested in their wedding. I'll be there," he finally announced, then let Eren go.

Eren then decided to talk to Nile about the Republic. And then to Pyxis. He was lucky because he found them both in the company of Erwin.

“Well-well, here is the hero of the walls!” Pyxis greeted him as he drank his wine. “Greetings, young Ackerman.”

"Greetings," Eren replied, then saluted the men.

He then began to explain again how he wanted to achieve the establishment of the republic. In the process, he hoped to make convincing arguments and speak with sufficient confidence. After he finished, he looked first at Pyxis and then at Nile, anxiously awaiting their reactions.

“So you want to transfer all power from the ruler to the people?” Pyxis thought as he sipped his wine.

“So freedom is finally coming,” Nile leaned against the wall, folding his arms. “And I didn’t even have to take back the Maria wall,” he looked at Erwin absentmindedly for a moment.

“So, could you help me then?” Eren cleared his throat, still afraid of rejection.

Then both men looked at Erwin for reassurance. They wanted to know what the man who had organized everything thought about Eren's plan.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he folded his hands on the table as he sat down. “This democracy thing is the only way that seems to work right now, especially since we might not be alone and there is life beyond the walls. We need to become a unified state if we want to get through this crisis. So listen to Eren. He’s already shown that he knows what he’s doing.”

Hearing this, Eren glanced at Erwin gratefully. Meanwhile, Pyxis and Nile began to talk about which state organizations should be transformed and how. After that, they discussed the new function of the army.

"For it to take effect, Historia Reiss must renounce her right to the throne in her name and that of her descendants in front of everyone," Nile stretched out wearily as the four men shuffled the papers on the table.

“And when is that supposed to happen?” Eren asked.

“As soon as possible,” they said, and then Nile and Pyxis left the office.

"I'd like it if you were to stay for a bit, Eren," Erwin said, prompting the boy to stay. “I want to talk with you.”

“What would you like, sir?” the boy asked.

“If anything happens to me,” he said, arranging the things on the table, “you will be the next commander of the Scouts,” he stated simply.

Eren was completely shocked by this statement. After he had collected himself, he said in surprise:

“What... me? But my squad barely listens to me! Not to mention the entire Scouting Legion! I'm just a kid in their eyes.”

"You've shown what you're capable of. And what I've seen shows that you can truly surpass your parents," he said with calm in his voice. "So get ready Eren Ackerman because I have plans for you."

Eren nodded tensely at this. He still doubted that he was the best person for this. However, he no longer voiced this, in order to appear more confident.

And when he was finally free, he decided to have a drink because he simply couldn't believe it all.

When Eren entered the pub, Hannes had already been there for quite some time. The man was waiting in the corner, sipping wine. Meanwhile, Eren just sat down at the bar and ordered himself a glass of wine. People noticed him, but everyone was more concerned with their own business.

“The Commander of the Scouts? Me? Don't make me laugh” he said to himself as he started drinking.

At that moment, Hannes noticed Eren even through the haze of alcohol. The man had been wanting to talk to him for a while. He wanted to apologize to him for not being able to save Carla and leaving Eren alone. He thought this was the perfect opportunity to do so, even though he was a little tipsy.

Eren was already writing in his notebook with his glasses hanging around his neck. He wanted to occupy himself a bit. Something that wasn't about taking on more responsibility.

Hannes then walked over to Eren and cleared his throat.

“Um,” Hannes croaked, feeling a little dizzy. “Do you recognize me, Eren?”

“Huh?” he looked at the man and shook his head. “Who are you?”

“I’m Hannes, from Shiganshina,” the man replied, expecting Eren not to remember him. After all, he had been told earlier that the boy had forgotten everything about his past.

“Did we know each other?” Eren asked back as he looked at the man. He felt nothing, just like when he glanced at Armin or Mikasa.

“We knew each other a long time ago,” Hannes replied with a sigh. “When you, Mikasa, and Armin were just little kids, I sometimes looked after you. That’s why I owe you an apology, Eren. I’m sorry I was too cowardly and weak to prevent Carla’s death. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough when the wall fell, and that's why you were able to escape from me.”

"No regrets," Eren remembered what his father always told him. “My father always said that. Maybe it's better if you promise yourself. Because there's nothing here for you to feel sorry for me.

"Will you forgive me then?" Hannes asked as he sniffed because of the alcohol and his regret.

"I've never been angry," he stated calmly as he sipped his drink and continued writing. "In fact, I'd rather thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" Hannes asked in shock. “I let you down. I couldn't help you in your trouble.”

“But because of this mom found me” he stated, looking at the man with such a serious face that he sobered up.

"I think I understand what you're saying," Hannes nodded. “You know Eren, I'm not fit to be a parent. So I'm glad your new mother found you. Both she and your foster father did a good job with you.”

“It's never too late to change. If Eren Yeager became Eren Ackerman, then nothing is impossible” he said, taking the rest of his drink from Hannes' hand. “And I'm also glad mom and dad found and raised me.”

Hannes nodded at that. He didn't reach for the wine. He thought Eren was right. Maybe now was the time for him to change too.

"Thanks for the advice, Eren Ackerman," Hannes smiled at the boy. “You've become much more mature and wiser since we last met. So don't listen to the haters. You really deserve the rank of Commander.”

"Thank you!" he said and then pressed his hand to his chest and saluted. Maybe he'll really make a good Commander one day.

"You’re welcome," Hannes also saluted the boy. He then smiled at Eren one last time, then left him alone and walked out of the pub.

Meanwhile, Kenny woke up to the smell of fresh food. He had been staying in bed for days now because he couldn't move, but today he was in a pretty tolerable condition. At that moment, Hange entered the room and said with her characteristic cheerfulness:

"How are you feeling today? I see you're better now."

“So it would be you?” He looked at the woman with interest as she placed his lunch in front of him, something usually the Dwarf did, while looking annoyed.

“Would I be what?” Hange asked curiously, then sat down on a chair, as she had been getting tired much more easily lately.

“The Brat’s crazy woman,” he declared as he began to eat. “Damn, this is delicious,” he praised the food in the only way he knew how.

“Thank you, I was the one who cooked it!” Hange replied cheerfully, not shaken by Kenny’s words. “And don’t worry, I’m not as crazy as some people say. Even though I used to torture titans all day as a scout” Hange said enthusiastically. “Only for the sake of science, of course.”

"So you are the type the brat falls for," he said, amused. "Now it's understandable how you made it this far. You're just as crazy as he is."

“Thanks for the compliment,” Hange said absentmindedly, not taking offense at Kenny’s words. Instead, she added, “It’s interesting to see the similarities between you two. For example, you’re just as grumpy as Levi.”

"Well, the brat didn’t inherit my cheerful nature unfortunately," he said, as he finished the rest of the soup from the bowl, wiped his mouth with his arm, and started eating the main course.

"I wouldn't call him a brat. But you know," Hange shrugged. Then she enthusiastically added: “I hope the main course will be delicious, and I'll get some similar compliments on it as I did on the soup.”

“Do you always act like you just ate a bowl of sugar?” the man asked boredly as he continued eating. He still really enjoyed the food, but he didn’t want to show it, lest she start jumping on him. Not that she could move much at her current size.

“Yes,” Hange replied with a smile, amused by Kenny’s remarks. “But I’m different on weekends. I act like someone who ate two bowls of sugar instead of one,” the woman grinned, even though Kenny didn’t appreciate her humor.

"So this is my punishment for everything I've done," he grumbled, unable to imagine how a woman could have so much strength even at this time. He involuntarily thought of his sister then. She wasn't like this when she was pregnant with the brat. "Come on, it's not that bad here with us. You get good food and we treat you well," Hange replied with a smile. But then the woman became serious for a moment: “Levi told me you raised him. But why exactly did you do that? Who were you to him? Levi thinks you are his biological father, and that’s why you found him.”

"I don't know the cripple who his father was, Kuchel never told me," the man said, pausing for a moment while eating. "I'm his uncle."

“Oh… I see…” Hange replied in shock. But then she gathered herself and spoke again: "But why didn't you tell Levi this?"

“To make it hurt less,” he said quietly. “That the people who should have loved him the most, abandoned him like a piece of shit.”

“Well, you weren’t much better then,” Hange said grimly. “In the end, you left him too.”

"I'm not a good father. I taught him to survive and I left when I had the chance," he shrugged, seemingly without any regret. "That's the way the world is, I thought it'd be better if he started learning it then."

"That's a pretty selfish thought," Hange said with a frown. "And you just took the easy way out. It's much easier to abandon an unfortunate boy than to raise him. But luckily Levi isn't as selfish as you. He took Eren in and raised him," she added, then placed her hand protectively on her round belly. Now that she was expecting a child, this topic only touched her even more sensitively.

“That's why I'm proud of him. He’s more than any Ackerman ever was,” he finished the main course and then caught sight of the dessert. He'd never had dessert before. “You really outdid yourself.”

"You should be proud of him. He deserved much more than what he got from life," Hange declared. Then she looked at the dessert and spoke again: "I didn't bake and cook this much in the past because I was busy with my work. But now, because of my child, I can't go near hazardous materials, so I tried this," said Hange, who thought it was better not to dwell on the past. She knew that would only make Levi feel discouraged and gloomy.

“So the Kid made you a housewife. I'm not surprised,” he started eating the dessert too. He didn't know what it was, only that it tasted divine. Levi must have been really spoiled if this woman cooked for him like this every day.

"He didn't make me a housewife. I decided to stay away from my lab for a while," Hange replied offendedly, because she didn't like having her will questioned.

Then she just shook her head and tried to calm down. There was no point in arguing with Kenny, who was only good at insults anyway and clearly had little empathy. So she didn't even explain that there were days when she really missed her research and work.

Even during her pregnancy, she remained curious by nature. That's why she often felt like doing more than just reading science books and testing her theories. However, the child's safety was more important than that, so she reluctantly gave up on it for a while. When she finally couldn't stay still, she experimented with tea leaves, which weren't dangerous.

“Is that the Dwarf’s child?” the man asked, pointing at her belly. It seemed somehow inconceivable that Levi would start a family. He wasn’t really fit to be a husband, let alone a father. But somehow he seemed to have succeeded.

“Who else would it belong to?” Hange replied with a smile, then gently stroked her belly.

“Who knows,” he shrugged nonchalantly. “It just seems unimaginable,” he said, immediately thinking of his sister. Kuchel had suffered through it all. She was always tired, unlike this woman who really looked like she had eaten a bowl of sugar. If Kuchel were still alive, she would probably hate her.

"It's not that unimaginable. Like I said, he raised Eren too," Hange replied, her smile still reaching to her ears. Apparently, even the previous conversation couldn't dampen her spirits.

“Sure. What are you grinning about anyway?” he said, because somehow he couldn't imagine anyone being in such a good mood all the time. “You're lucky I'm so calm. Kuchel would have sent you to hell three times already.”

“Who is Kuchel?” Hange asked curiously, guessing that it might be someone close to Kenny.

“Levi didn’t tell you?” he raised an eyebrow questioningly. “She was his mother. And I can confidently say that she couldn’t have stood you if she was alive.”

These words also didn't sit well with Hange, but she tried to hide it. So she spoke again cheerfully:

"I'm sure I would have gotten along well with her. I would have told her that Levi has been smiling a lot more since he found out we were having a baby. And I would also tell her that it's great to see Levi happy after all he's been through."

“Can you not just grin so nauseatingly?” the man suddenly asked, irritated by this woman's cheerfulness. Why was she so cheerful?

"That was an idiotic question. Of course I can," Hange shrugged. "Are you allergic to happiness, by the way? You're sitting here like a sour lemon. At least dessert could have cheered you up."

But then a voice came from the hallway and Hange knew that Levi had come home. She stood up quickly to go and greet him, but because she stood up too suddenly, she passed out. She was lucky that Kenny was paying attention and caught the woman with one arm.

“God, she is so heavy,” he grumbled.

Chapter Text

Levi then entered Kenny's room. However, when he saw the unconscious Hange in Kenny's arms, he immediately went into a rage, as his protective instincts told him that something serious had happened.

“What did you do to her!?” Levi shouted angrily, then went to Kenny and took the unconscious woman away from him.

“Nothing. She was excited about you coming” he stated, just as bored as before. The man didn't scare him. “Be glad I caught her. She’s pretty heavy” the man massaged his wrist.

Levi didn't know how much to believe Kenny's words, so he didn't bother with him anymore. Instead, he carried the woman out in his arms and laid her on the bed. Then he checked Hange's pulse and heartbeat, and also examined if she was injured anywhere. Fortunately, the man found no problems, so he calmed down and exhaled loudly. All he had to do was wait for Hange to finally wake up. And the woman soon opened her eyes in a daze and sat up on the bed. What did she want to do? She didn't remember exactly, but she certainly wasn't on her own bed before. Then, seeing the man, she slid back on the bed in fear, because she didn't want him to angrily lecture her again.

“You fainted again,” Levi said in frustration. “I told you not to overexert yourself and not to get nervous and stressed about everything.”

“But I didn't do anything!” she replied tensely, although she knew he was somewhat right. It took a lot of energy to seem cheerful all day and the woman liked to overstretch herself because she was used to it. That at some point she would get so engrossed in her research that she wouldn't even remember to eat.

“But I’m sure you did something, otherwise you wouldn’t have fainted,” Levi said, annoyed. “Instead of running around the apartment all day, you should be resting, like other pregnant women do!”

“I was just making lunch,” she said angrily. “And I was trying to stay cheerful as I’m locked up with two sour-faced people,” she said nervously, and then she couldn’t take it anymore. “By the way, sometimes I’d be happy to get some understanding instead of being yelled at. It’s so hard and you’re always upset.”

“How can I stay calm when I come home to find you passed out?” Levi replied angrily. But then he saw that Hange was about to burst into tears, he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. Then he added in a gentler voice: "I don't mean to yell at you. I just want you and the child to be safe."

She didn't say anything to that, but she just hugged the man (as close as she could from her belly) and, pressing her head into his shoulder, burst into tears.

"It's okay, everything will be fine," Levi whispered, then pulled the woman closer to him.

"I love you," she replied back with a smile as she calmed down because the man began to rest his hand on her belly, where the child was as active as ever.

"I love you too," Levi replied, then closed his eyes and began to rest his head on her shoulder Now Hange had calmed down too and fell asleep almost immediately, because she had endured too much excitement for today. 

Now, Levi had no choice but to talk to Kenny. And that would be neither pretty nor good. After Levi covered Hange with a soft blanket, he kissed the top of her head and then walked out of the room.

He then entered Kenny's room. However, when he saw the older man staring at the ceiling boredly, he became irritated again. So he grabbed Kenny's shirt and said angrily:

"If you want to do yourself a favor and save the remains of your rotting dentures, I suggest you start telling me very quickly why Hange was in this room and what happened to him."

“I had lunch,” he said in the same neutral tone as always. “And I have to admit, I’ve never eaten so good in my life, tell her that when she wakes up. And, unsurprisingly, you were the topic. She wanted to know how I knew you.”

“What exactly happened when she fainted?” Levi demanded, fighting hard not to slap Kenny.

He didn't even react to the older man's last sentence. Right now, he felt it was more important to make sure that Hange wasn't in any serious trouble and that Kenny hadn't hurt her.

“She stood up,” he replied simply. “She didn’t like the way I looked, you came, and she stood up and fainted. And then of course I was so kind as to catch her. You’re welcome, brat.”

"You'll be very sorry if it turns out you're lying," Levi said threateningly, then pushed Kenny away from him.

"Now why would anyone want to harm the person who makes this good food? I’m not totally spineless, I'll thank a woman if she cooks lunch," he explained, shrugging his shoulders as he pointed to the empty bowls on the nightstand.

"You don't deserve Hange cooking for you," Levi said sullenly, then folded his arms in front of his chest.

"This is not for us to decide," he said, unusually serious in his suddenness.

“What do you mean by that?” Levi asked, still hesitant.

"It's not me or you who decides who the woman cooks for. It's her. And as you can see, she cooked for me, even though we both think it's a crappy idea," he explained.

"That's her nature," Levi replied with a sigh. "She's compassionate towards everyone." Then the man added menacingly: "But that doesn't mean you can take advantage of her. Do you understand?"

"If I get another lunch like this, I don't care," he said, folding his arms.

Levi raised his eyebrows at this, then spoke again: "Just because we didn't let you starve to death doesn't mean we welcomed you here. As soon as you pull yourself together, you'll get the hell out of here. Was I clear?"

"I got it, boss. If I get better I get the hell out of here. You don't have to boss me around like Kuchel used to," he stretched.

"If my mother bossed you around, that's just one more reason for me to boss you too," Levi said unfriendly.

“You’re just as annoying as she was,” he said. “There would be problems if she were here.”

“You’re not much better,” Levi replied gruffly. “I hope you get out of here as soon as possible.”

"I love you too, brat. It's nice to know that this is what I get for not letting you starve to death."

"Be happy, because now you got this back. I didn't let you starve to death either," Levi replied grimly.

"The fact that I'm not hungry is your wife's merit, don't take it away from her," he retorted.

"Shut up and be glad I'm putting up with you here," Levi said listlessly.

“You don't do that very well either. I'll never understand how you can look so bored,” he grinned. “At least you could have learned how to be cheerful from me.”

“You never gave me any good reason to be cheerful,” Levi replied. “No one in the Underground City ever had.”

“Well, killing made me quite happy,” he shrugged. “In fact, even you enjoyed it back then.”

“That was a long time ago,” was the short and concise answer. “Since then, things have changed.”

"Then be happy and don't argue with that woman. Love her while you can," he advised him, like back in the day when Levi was really just a kid and always turned to him for help.

Levi nodded. Kenny's words made him think. He wondered if the older man was speaking from experience and if there had once been a woman in his life who he loved more than anyone else.

“Well, kid… It was nice chatting and everything,” he finally tried to close the conversation because he didn't know how to show his true feelings. He really wasn't used to it.

"It was really good," Levi said sarcastically. He then added: "If you want something, just say it. But don't shout, because Hange is sleeping. I brought you some gossip magazine so you don't get bored," Levi said, then tossed a newspaper to the older man.

“Brat…” the man said afterwards. “I’m proud of you. Despite everything, you’ve become a good person. Kuchel would be one too if she was alive.”

“Thanks,” Levi nodded, his face wooden.

But he was still touched by Kenny's praise. The child who longed for his teacher's recognition still lay dormant, buried deep within his soul. However, Levi didn't show his emotions. Instead, he just walked out of the room and went back to Hange to see if everything was okay with her.

Hange didn't see him when he entered, because with her eyes closed she was fondly stroking her belly, which was now as big as a melon. She was humming something while her hair fell over her shoulders. Seeing this, Levi smiled and for a moment forgot about Kenny.

The man watched her for a while, leaning against the doorframe, but then he stepped inside. Finally, he sat down next to Hange and said in a gentle voice:

"Are you feeling better?"

"Of course," she smiled cheerfully, as always. "Although it's a little different. The doctor said it was because they’ll be turning soon," she said gently.

Levi nodded. He tried to sound confident, but he was actually worried about Hange giving birth. He knew how dangerous it could be. But he didn't want to worry about that right now, so he quickly changed the subject:

“I see you’ve started growing your hair out?” Levi asked, then gently stroked it.

“I haven't had time to cut it off yet, and since I've been wearing it like this, I don't want to anymore,” said Hange, who wasn't worried about the birth at all. Marie suggested that her usual positive attitude would help a lot in making the birthgiving enjoyable.

"Now that you're not a soldier, that's okay. Wear it however you see fit. But whatever you decide, know that you can't make a wrong choice. You're beautiful either way," Levi tried to compliment, even though it wasn't his strong suit.

“Thank you,” she blushed, smiling shyly. “I like it better this way, so I think I’ll leave it.”

“It’s okay,” Levi replied with a smile. He then patted Hange’s back and added, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said, moved because it was the first time Levi said ‘I love you’ by himself and not as an answer. Of course, the woman knew without it that the man always loved her, but this was really nice.

Hearing this, Levi's smile only grew wider, and then he carefully hugged the woman, careful not to hurt the child inside her. And the woman just happily snuggled up to him.

Meanwhile, Eren stood in front of Annie's crystal, drinking wine from a bottle and taking notes. He tried to find the right frequency to free the girl. Of course, at first he wanted to just drink with his friends, but since everyone was celebrating in the mess hall, Eren didn't want to be stuck with all the people. So, he came down to experiment on his own and think about helping to create the republic.

Eren knew that the military was already on his side, but he also needed politicians to support him. Some of them were funded by the presence of the kingdom, so the creation of a republic would have been a financial loss for them.

But he thought that the new electoral system could help the people, because anyone could win a seat on the council. And that was beneficial for everyone else. The boy also thought about the Underground City. They also had to be given a chance, so that life there would finally not be just suffering.

Eren thought that maybe it should be easier for the people there to get out. It was bad to even think about the fact that many people there would die without even seeing the light of day.

“Eren” he felt a hand on his back and soon Historia was standing next to him and she immediately kissed the boy's cheek. “Why are you here alone? You're the hero.”

“I’m trying to free Annie from the crystal,” Eren replied. “Besides, I’m thinking about this Republic problem.”

"Just relax a little," she put her arms around his neck, standing on tiptoe so they were alone. "You deserve it, Eren."

"I'll relax when the war is over and we're free," Eren replied, pulling Historia closer to him.

“Eeeeeeeen!” Historia meowed, snuggling up to him to coax him.

“Eren!” Jean shouted, drunkenly bouncing down the stairs in search of his best friend, Marco following him. “Come celebrate with us!”

Seeing this, Eren's resolve wavered a little. He didn't want to see Historia and Jean disappointed. So he spoke:

"Okay, I'll go. But only for an hour. Then I'll continue my work." Jean then put his arm around the boy's shoulders and happily pulled him closer, while Historia giggled.

"No, no. The hero of the walls is coming now and having some real fun!" Jean insisted as she and Eren got excited.

"We'll see about that, my drunk friend," Eren smiled as they headed up the stairs.

Meanwhile, the sounds of celebration were getting closer and closer to them. As soon as they appeared, Petra and the team made room for them and they also began to enthusiastically celebrate Eren, on whose lap Historia settled.

“When is the wedding?” Oluo grinned, then nudged Eren’s side. Meanwhile, Eld gave the boy a mug of beer, while Petra said to Oluo:

"Stop teasing poor Eren!"

"First you ask Petra to marry you and then we'll talk," said Eren, who was slowly starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. Oluo blushed at this and then started talking to Günther instead.

"You said that right, Eren. He was scared of you," giggled the heavily intoxicated Jean.

Meanwhile, Connie and Sasha appeared, settling down next to Eld. Eren looked around his team and felt a warmth. Despite the difficult beginning, he thought he had become a better leader over the past few months. And maybe one day he would be worthy of the title of commander.

“Eeeeeen, if you don't want the beer, I'll gladly drink it,” Jean grinned drunkenly.

"No, that was enough for the whole night," Marco said, then held his partner's hand so that Jean wouldn't even be able to grab the jug.

Jean took this as a sign and pulled Marco towards him for a kiss, while Historia just rolled her eyes.

"I'd rather know when they're getting married," the girl muttered under her breath.

“Exactly,” Oluo nodded. “I want to go to that wedding too.”

"I'll go with you," Günther replied enthusiastically, while Marco tried to stop Jean before the boy took things too far in front of everyone.

"Go to a room if you really have to, but not in front of us. Sasha will probably throw up and then the food will be wasted," Eren suddenly announced absentmindedly.

“I agree,” Connie pursed his lips.

"Okay, then I think we'll go up to the room now," Marco said, red-headed. Then the boy turned to his partner and said: “Calm down Jean, you just need to hold back for a little while.”

But Jean just picked up Marco and they left, while Eren just shook his head happily. Historia got a little braver and pressed a kiss to his neck. Because of this, Eren blushed and then turned his head away from his subordinates.

“Don’t be like Jean and Marco,” Connie grimaced. “That way, not only Sasha, but I’ll be throwing up too.”

"Don't be so weak," Historia rolled her eyes again as she snuggled back into Eren's chest and began to rest there.

"I'm not weak, because my stomach is strong," Sasha grinned at the blonde-haired girl.

"That's for sure," Connie agreed.

The party went really well because the next morning Eren woke up feeling like they were all tied up. It was one of the last parties before Eren threw himself into planning the creation of the republic and the retaking of Shiganshina.

Chapter Text

Eren was discussing with Erwin at the moment how making a republic could be done in the fastest and most efficient way. It wasn't long before the big expedition began. A few days and they will leave.

"The crystal which the cave was filled with doesn't just glow. It emits energy and I was able to produce the thing that others call electricity” Eren explained his current research to Erwin before Jean hurriedly entered the meeting room.

"Eren, come quickly! Your mother is in the hospital! She's giving birth now! Your father is already there with her” Jean told the boy.

"Let's go then," Eren nodded, then looked at Erwin. "Are you with me, Commander?" he asked with a smile. After all, Erwin was already an old friend of his parents. They probably wouldn't have minded if he was there.

"Of course. I also want to meet the young Ackerman” smiled Erwin, then followed Eren.

When Eren got there, even though his mother was well into labor, she didn't look like a woman normally would.  Although sometimes she hissed a bit painfully, she rather just talked to Levi very cheerfully while holding his hand to squeeze when needed.

"Everything okay so far?" Eren asked excitedly and worried. "Can I help you somehow?"

"Everything is perfectly fine," said Hange equally excitedly. "But whatever happens, you must know that you will always be my first child," she smiled at him.

"Thank you," Eren replied, moved.  The boy would have liked to hug his mother, but he couldn't do that at the moment, considering that Hange is giving birth. 

"You will remain my child as well, Eren," Levi said while holding Hange's hand worriedly. Eren just smiled and crouched next to his father.

"Have I told you that you are the best parents a child could ask for? I think my brother will love you just as much as I do.”

"I hope so. This all should be better if she gave birth already,” Levi said tensely, hating this helpless waiting.

"Good things should not be rushed," said the woman as she caressed his hand with her thumb. "Anyway, your job is to be here and support me."

"Yes, I know. I'm just worried. I don't want you or the child to get hurt. I want this nerve-wracking torture to finally end,” Levi muttered with his head down. Then he finally looked up at Hange again, then gently took her hand and kissed it.

“Do you know that the nerve-wracking torture is only just beginning and will surely last for the next 15 years?” she laughed. "I won't have any problems anyway. Do I look like I'm in pain?” Then she pointed to a woman in the other half of the room who screamed like she was being tortured and cursed everyone to hell.

"But what if it means trouble?" Levi asked worriedly. "And anyway, why is the child not here?"

"Our child is neither late nor early. They come exactly when they want, because they’re an Ackerman! And they’re at least as proud as their father” the woman jokes, trying to reassure Levi, while the delivery was progressing well.

"I hope you're right," Levi answered with a big sigh as he tried to calm down so that he could be a support for Hange if needed. Soon the doctor also appeared, who looked at him approvingly.

"You're doing very well, the head will be crowning soon," the woman told her. "Do you have any questions?" she looked over them.

"When will the child be fully born?" Levi asked worriedly. "And are they all right? When will they cry?

"I don't think there's anything wrong with them," she looked at her papers. “Mrs. Ackerman constantly went for check-ups and never had any complaints,” she explained. “Yes, it is a bit of a slow process, but you have to take it into account because this is only the first child.”

"I understand. And thank you,” Levi replied, still trying to control his emotions.

"You see, you're overthinking this," Hange looked at him as she squeezed his hand while trying to help him through the pushing pains so that the child would be born soon. “Everyone said that if I think positively, this birthgiving thing will be a very pleasant experience. And it is so far,” she noted cheerfully.

"I hope it's as you say," Levi replied, still holding her hand.

Before long, the doctor appeared again, this time with a nurse, because after a few moments, Hange tiredly leaned back on the bed while the child cried for the first time and the doctor announced that she had given birth to a boy.

Hearing this, Levi was immediately relieved and sighed. The kid had a strong voice, so Levi figured there must be nothing wrong with him. So he curiously turned his head towards the child, to see if they would put him in his hands as well. But the child was first placed in the hands of his mother.

"Hi Furlan!" Hange immediately hugged the baby, not thinking much about what to name her newborn son. "You're so beautiful," she smiled at him as she counted his fingers and toes and everything.

Levi sat down next to Hange and he also looked at his child. Even though he had only met the baby for a few minutes, he fell in love with him immediately and knew that he would protect him and take care of him. However, he did not dare to hold him yet, because he saw the grey-eyed child fragile and small.

"Let me introduce you to your dad," she smiled as she kissed the boy’s black hair and handed it to Levi. When Levi carefully took the baby in his arms and after making sure he was holding him firmly, he smiled. 

"Hi Furlan," Levi said happily, then stroked the child's hair. "I hope we'll be fine." The child then instinctively just snuggled up to him, and Hange noticed that Levi started crying. "This all seems so unbelievable…" Levi mumbled after wiping away his tears. "I never thought I'd have a child one day."

"Dad…" Eren put his hand on his father's shoulder in understanding. Meanwhile, Hange also drew closer wearily. 

Meanwhile, Furlan started to cry again, and Levi, turning towards the woman, spoke a little worriedly: "What should I do now? What do you think could be wrong?”

"He's probably just tired, keep it up and he'll calm down," the woman encouraged him.

"Fine," Levi replied, then gently started rocking the child as he spoke to him. "You're as loud as your mother. Do you know about this, kid?” Levi then stroked the boy's little black hair again and continued to speak: "You don't have to cry. You are safe here. Me and your mother will take care of you, Furlan.”

The child then calmed down a bit and opened his eyes curiously and looked up at his father. Meanwhile, he was also trying his hands.

"It's okay, Furlan," Levi whispered to his son. "I said there's nothing wrong." Then the man turned to Hange again and began to speak: "This child is very small. I've never seen anything so small and fragile," Levi said with admiration in his voice as he let Furlan take one of his fingers.

"He'll grow up," Hange caressed the child's face, and Furlan seemed to let out a relieved sigh as he continued to hold his father's finger.

"I hope he won't be as short as me. I don't want him to be mocked as a Dwarf either,” said Levi, still watching the baby.

"If he's small, you'll be small together," the woman shrugged, while the child fell asleep.

"Shouldn't Furlan be put in a crib? He fell asleep,” Levi explained.

"Then let's take him home first," she said, not wanting to stay longer than necessary because they still had plenty to do.

"Are you sure you can go home now? Shouldn't you be resting here? Shouldn't you and the child remain under observation for a while longer?” Levi asked worriedly, knowing that Hange liked to push her limits.

"We're fine," she gave him a kiss as she put her hand on his shoulder. "By the way, I... I don't feel safe enough to sleep here," she tried to find an excuse.

"But this is a completely safe building," was the shocked answer. "What's wrong?"

"I don't like it... I want to be home with you," she said as she rested his head on Levi's shoulder to sell this all better.

"I don't even know..." Levi said uncertainty. "I just don't want you to overwork yourself and pass out again. Maybe it would be better if you stayed here for a few more days. But don't worry because I will visit you every day. I promise.”

"Okay," she nodded confusedly, as she got Furlan back, who got up and tugged his mother's shirt sullenly, and Hange knew almost immediately that her son was hungry. 

"A few days and they'll definitely let you out," Levi said reassuringly, while the woman tried to feed the child. She also watched Furlan as he began to nurse as soon as he found her breast. "How will we know that Furlan has eaten enough?" Levi asked, apparently still having questions about parenthood. "What if he gets fat? And if it gets too skinny?”

"I don't think he will overeat himself," said the woman who left her son, who seemed enthusiastic, nursing.

"Okay then," Levi breathed out in relief. "But as I can see, he must have been quite hungry."

"Well, being born is no small thing. He must be tired” she hugged the boy tenderly, and when she finished, Hange held him towards Eren. "Take a look at your little brother, Eren."

"He's so cute," Eren replied cheerfully as he held the child. "I'm looking forward to teaching him everything I know." Furlan then also snuggled up to Eren, almost feeling that the boy was also his family.

"Oh, what good brothers they are already!" Hange smiled.

"Hi Furlan," Eren smiled at the child. "We'll be fine, right?" Furlan then made a sound and fell asleep in his brother's arms. This made Eren's smile even wider. And so he spoke happily: "I think he feels that I am his brother." It made Hange cry that her children are doing so well now. 

Before long, Hange was also asleep, with Furlan in her arms, while Levi was talking to Erwin.

"You're called Erwin. What do you want to say?” Levi asked as they talked in the hospital corridor.

"I wanted to congratulate you," he nodded a little, then gave Levi a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you," Levi replied. "We named him Furlan."

"Your friend would surely be happy if he was here," he said quietly, then looked away and saw Hange. He wondered if he had any right to ask for what he was about to ask. As Levi's friend he was disgusted by even the thought, but as the Commander of the scouts he couldn't do anything else. "I need you to retake Shiganshina."

"I thought you fired me and I'm no longer needed," said Levi coldly, who was still deeply hurt by Erwin's dismissal.

"I fired you because you needed it. And I don't plan on taking you back. Just Shiganshina,” Erwin told him as he crossed his arms.

Levi thought about this. He knew how important it was to get Shiganshina back, and he knew how much he could help. So he put aside his hurt and his pride and spoke again:

"Okay. I will help. But don't get so used to my presence” said Levi sarcastically. "I'm only joining for this one mission because thanks to you, I'm already used to this civilian life,” added Levi, whose words were still dripping with mockery.

"You're not going anywhere, kid," Kenny stepped out of the shadows, then looked at Erwin. "Leave him, I'll go with you."

At that, Erwin and Levi looked at the criminal in amazement. They would not have expected such an offer from him. Then they looked at each other questioningly. Erwin wondered how much he could trust a group of soldiers to a criminal when Shiganshina was at stake. 

And Levi wondered how much he could trust Erwin to Kenny. He wanted to avoid the elder Ackerman stabbing his best friend in the back. So he looked at Kenny doubtfully and said:

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"I was a bad person and I left you," he began. "But you still allowed me to live in your house and eat your wife's food. So if there's one thing I can do to try to make this all better, this is it. Stay here and don't leave her. Trust me, a battlefield isn't worth that much.”

Levi realized that Kenny was right. It might not be such a good idea to leave Hange here after she recently gave birth. And Erwin certainly wouldn't have waited with the expedition. So Levi finally nodded, then turned to Erwin and said:

"If Kenny gets too annoying, feel free to kick his ass."

Erwin nodded at that. Kenny had trained Levi so he had no doubt that the older man was just as good, if not better, than Levi. After that he turned and left to prepare the expedition.

“Come back alive, Erwin,” Levi muttered, folding his arms tightly. “The Scouts will need you.”

Erwin paused at the doorway, then glanced over his shoulder with a rare, quiet smile. “We’ll meet again. I want to see what kind of man you raise from Furlan – after Eren.”

“You’ll find out for yourself. You’re going to be his uncle,” Levi replied dryly.

Erwin blinked, caught off guard. “Me?”

“Yes, you.” Levi’s voice was firm, but his expression softened. “Just don’t give the kid eyebrow tips. I’m not raising a bushy-browed dwarf.”

A low chuckle escaped Erwin. “Fine. Besides, I’m broke now that you ended up with Hange. My betting empire’s crumbling.”

“There’ll be other couples to bet on. Oluo and Petra are already the hot topic.”

“I know. I’ve got twenty on Petra asking for Oluo’s hand.” Erwin smirked.

“Poor Furlan. Born into a family of gamblers.” Levi shook his head, his voice fond.

Erwin turned back toward the hall, the banter fading just slightly. “Even if I don’t come back... I know the Scouts are in good hands with Eren.”

“Don’t talk like that.” Levi’s voice hardened, arms folded. “You’re coming back. Furlan will need his uncle.”

Erwin paused, then gave a small, solemn nod. “I’ll try.” And then he was gone.

Hange came out happily with Furlan in her arms. Fortunately, there was nothing wrong with them, so they were released from the hospital after a few hours. Hange was also happy because today was important not only because of Furlan but because of Levi and this made Hange smile. And it showed all the way, even when they got home.

Although Levi didn't know why this day was important other than Furlan's birth, but he noticed that Hange was unusually cheerful. So after putting the water to boil for the tea, he turned to Hange and spoke curiously:

"What are you so happy about?"

"My son was born, what's so surprising about that?" she said and stroked Furlan and gave him a kiss on his forehead. He just hoped Eren would be here soon. Hearing this, Levi smiled. 

"You're right. This in itself is a reason for both of us to be happy,” said the man, then he moved closer to Hange and gently stroked the head of the boy resting in her arms.

Before long, Jean opened the door and Eren walked in behind him with a cake in his hands, Historia in tow.

"I'm here!" he said cheerfully.

"Hello, Eren," Levi replied with a smile. After that, the man's gaze wandered to the cake, and therefore he said in amazement: “I didn't know that we were organizing a celebration for Furlan. If you had told me earlier, I would have been happy to help organize the celebration.”

"No, no," Eren grinned, then lit the candles as Petra, Oluo, Eld, and Günter arrived with Erwin.

"Many of you came," Levi said, then greeted his friends and shook Erwin's hand. "What are you doing here?" 

"You'll find out," Erwin replied cheerfully after letting go of his friend's palm. "Hange will surely tell you."

"I can already see that you are all very mysterious today," Levi rolled his eyes. "I hope you know that I don't like surprises."

Then Kenny appeared, the last person they expected. The man just grabbed Levi's shoulder with his usual grin.

"Happy birthday, kid," and then Hange followed suit as she handed him Furlan.

"So, that's why you're all here," Levi answered, and while taking Furlan over, he looked at Kenny with piercing eyes. He decided in himself that Kenny deserved such a look the most.

"Don't make such a sour face, dad," Eren lifted the cake and held it towards Levi to blow out the candles.

Levi listened to Eren's advice. So he blew out the candles while still holding Furlan. In the meantime, the child watched the events with interest, sometimes watching the cake, sometimes the people. Then people put their gifts on the table, and the cake was sliced ​​and distributed.

"So I didn't have time for a present," Hange scratched the back of her head in confusion. "But I hope Furlan will do as one. Plus, you won't forget your birthday ever again because you're celebrating with him now.”

"Furlan is enough," Levi answered with a smile, then hugged the woman. "The most important thing right now is that you and Furlan stay healthy."

And the group celebrated cheerfully until the evening, after which everyone left. And Levi, holding Furlan, started unwrapping his gifts. Levi mostly got tea cleaners and sweets. Of course, he was happy with all of them, but what he liked best was that Furlan and Hange were there by his side.

And Furlan, like Hange, slept leaning on Levi while Eren cleaned up the leftovers with Historia.

"Thank you for your help," Levi replied gratefully, looking at the two young people. "And thanks for the celebration too. It meant a lot to me,” the man admitted while stroking Hange's hair.

"Just don't forget your birthday ever again. Now you're sharing it with your son anyway” the woman muttered half asleep as she snuggled closer.

"I won't," Levi replied as he gently held her. "Thank you for arranging this for me," Levi whispered, touched. "You're the first one to do that for me."

"It wasn't entirely my idea," she said, rubbing her face against Levi's, then pointed at Eren. "It was more like his idea."

"I should have known that the kid had a hand in it," Levi rolled his eyes. Nevertheless, he finally smiled at Eren, and then spoke again: "Thank you very much, Eren."

"You're welcome dad. You really deserved it” he smiled at him as Historia pressed the foam from the dishes on the tip of his nose. Seeing this, Levi smiled. It was nice to see someone loving Eren and joking with him. 

"They're a cute couple, aren't they?" Levi asked Hange.

"Obviously. And think about what beautiful grandchildren they will make for us” the woman looked at Levi with a grin.

"That’s for sure," Levi agreed with a smile while Eren only blushed.

"I will do my best Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman!" stated Historia enthusiastically, who did not let this get in the way of her.

"Right," Levi nodded as he adjusted Furlan, who was resting on his lap. Then he added in a disciplined manner: “But wait with the grandchildren for now. You are only fifteen years old. For now, one baby is enough for me.”

At this, Historia saluted, while Eren only smiled in confusion, then looked sharply at his girlfriend. "Just come here!" he picked her up in her arms, while the girl started to kick and laugh.

"Let me go, Eren!" Historia said, laughing and shouting.  Of course, she couldn't break free, so she ended up letting Eren hug her.

Furlan woke up to the noise. After the boy opened his eyes, he mumbled a bit and then looked sullenly at his mother. Finally, he decided to cry. Then Hange took over Furlan and started rocking him while Eren took Historia in their room.

"Why do you think he's crying?" Levi asked Hange, who was sitting next to him, worriedly. "Did I mess something up?"

"He must have been upset that Historia and Eren were too loud," she said kindly as Furlan calmed down.

"Then there's nothing wrong," Levi answered calmly, and stroked his son's tiny head. "He calmed down very quickly in your arms, so I can already see that you will be a good mother," the man added proudly, then kissed Hange on the cheek.

"We raised Eren, so I believe that this will also work," she stated as she stroked Furlan, and the newborn calmed down even more.

"You're right," Levi answered, then looked gently into his son's grey eyes. The boy then yawned a little and fell asleep again. "I guess you were right," Levi said thoughtfully. “He was very tired, he wanted to sleep, and he didn't like Eren and Historia's loudness.”

"Obviously. Being born is tiring and you also tend to be grumpy when you're tired” the woman said cheerfully.

"But certainly not as much as Furlan," Levi said as he tried to pat his son's head. But finally his movement stopped. He didn't want to touch the child, because he was afraid that it would just wake him up.

"No, you're worse," Hange shook her head, then seeing Kenny's familiar figure, she knew it was time to go. "Well, I'll lay Furlan down and I'll take a nap too. Because I've obviously earned it.”

"Will you leave me here with Kenny?" Levi asked in frustration. "You're still better company than the old man."

"Levi, make peace with him," said Hange and disappeared into their room.

"What do you want?" Levi asked Kenny listlessly. 

The man wanted to finally go after Hange. He was also tired and wanted to sleep like the woman. Moreover, because of Furlan's birth, he felt a strong desire to stay by Hange's side and support her.

"I don't want anything," he said and walked past him unwillingly. He knew that this might not be the best time, so he didn't want to force it.

"Okay," Levi nodded. He figured if Kenny wanted something, he would tell him. Then the older man stopped for a moment and looked back questioningly.

"Why did you let me stay?" he asked. Although they never agreed on when he should just get the hell out of here, Levi never forced it, even though Kenny had recovered a long time ago.

"Because I know you have nowhere to go. Plus, this way I can at least be sure that you won't kill anyone” answered Levi, with folded hands.

"Until now, you've never cared where I was or what I was doing," he shrugged.

"Because you weren't the priority," Levi replied. "And you won't be after that either, because my family comes first. But despite that, I don't wish you any harm, because you were the only father figure in my life.”

"I'm bad with words so..." he sighed and ruffled Levi's hair in exactly the same way as the boy did when he was a child, just as Levi used to ruffle Eren's hair.

"I know... I understand..." Levi muttered back to him. "I'm just as bad with words."

"Because you obviously inherited all my bad qualities," he snorted, shaking his head.

"For sure," Levi agreed grimly. “I hope Furlan will be different. I want my son to look more like Hange than me,” the man admitted.

"Well, at least, you have a lot of good qualities that he can  inherit," Kenny said, crossing his arms. "I'm sure he already looks just like you."

"Yeah, Furlan really does look like me," Levi agreed. 

Meanwhile, he wondered to himself what good qualities Kenny could have thought of. After all, Kenny had never really praised him. The most he did was to ruffle his hair.

"Well, I’m going to sleep," he stretched, then headed for his room. "Good night kid! I love you!” then he disappeared.

Levi was amazed at these words as well. He didn't think that Kenny would ever tell him that he loved him. 

“He must be sick” thought Levi, to whom this seemed to be the only possible solution. However, instead of going after Kenny, he entered Hange's room. He then addressed the woman sitting on the bed and reading. "Do you think everything is okay with Kenny? He told me he loved me.”

"He told me that too," Hange stated as she read while Furlan slept on her lap. "I mean that he loves you."

"But why would you say that? When he’s never done it before?” Levi asked in shock.

"It took a long time for you too to say that you love me," Hange shrugged. Of course, she didn't blame him for that, because despite that, she always knew that Levi loved her. "He just needed time too."

"Maybe you're right," Levi replied, then sat down on the bed and moved closer to Hange. He then gently caressed her face and said in a contrite voice: "I'm sorry you had to wait so long for this. You deserved more than that.”

"Don't feel sorry for me here. What happened to no regrets, huh?” Hange looked at him with narrowed eyebrows, amused as she poked Levi's face with her index finger.

Hearing this, the man turned away from her in shame and waited in silence for a while. He didn't know what to say to Hange. And the woman waited patiently. She knew Levi sometimes had a hard time expressing his emotions and thoughts. But it was worth the wait, because finally Levi turned back to him again and spoke:

"Furlan won't have to wait that long. I'm used to this now.” The man then looked down at the baby and spoke: "I know you're sleeping right now, and I know you're too young to understand. But I want you, Furlan, to know that I love you. And I will always stay by your side to watch over you. I hope you will feel and know this, my son.”

At this, Hange just pulled the man close and gave him a kiss.  "Furlan will love you, just like me and Eren," she told him as the baby woke, but for a completely different matter. He was hungry. And he didn't even wait to tell his mother that. Furlan began to bellow from his full throat. Tears flowed from his grey eyes as he clenched his tiny hands into fists. Meanwhile, his stomach rumbled loudly. 

"This kid has a loud voice," said Levi again, who remembered that Furlan had already screamed in the hospital.

"Hey, you don't have to yell like that," she rocked him as she slipped out of her nightgown. Unlike Levi, she was not so happy about this because the next period will be about Furlan crying at the highest volume. And he won't care if it's the middle of the night.

Levi helped Hange take off her gown. Meanwhile, Furlan only started crying even louder. He didn't like that his parents didn't pay attention to him for a moment.

"Welcome to the next six months of your life, Hange," she muttered to herself as her hair fell on her shoulders and back, and Furlan threw himself into satisfying his hunger with such enthusiasm that Hange hissed in surprise.

"Are you okay?" Levi asked gently, and then gently stroked Hange's hair.

"Of course, only Furlan is quite... willful," she looked down at the baby, who was drinking his mother's milk in the greatest calmness.

"He's like you then," Levi said with a smile. Meanwhile, he drew even closer to Hange. Her proximity always had a calming effect on him.

"Huh?" the woman blinked. "He fell asleep while drinking... He is undeniably my son!" she grinned as she pushed up her glasses.

"This kid is incredible. He wanted to eat and sleep at the same time” Levi shook his head in amazement. "I've never seen anything like this before. I experienced a lot of things with you.”

"Well, I always fall asleep during research, too," she said while Furlan got up again, then made a face similar to Levi's and continued his work.

"Yes, and then I have to tidy up the lab after you," Levi rolled his eyes. However, in reality he was not irritated. Rather, he was just amused by the fact that Furlan already looked like Hange.

"At least now you don't have to clean up after me. Especially not a lab,” she said carefully, snuggling up to Levi.

"Yes, I know," Levi answered, then hugged her. "But after you got stronger and went back to the lab again, I'd clean up after you the same way as before. I wouldn't let you stay in the dirt.”

Levi didn't know how Hange interpreted his words. But he hoped that she still got the idea that he would still care about her, even if her favorite hobby involved dirt and mess. Levi would never have told Hange to give up something she loved.

"That's great because I have ideas. For example, I noticed that women get tired of washing and they still have a lot to do. So I invented the washing machine that does it for us,” she declared.

"Really?" And how would that work? Levi asked. 

It was a much more mundane problem for him as well, and that's why he was curious about it. Because when Hange explained to him about chemical substances, he never understood anything. 

“There is this centrifugal force that I would use to…” then she began to explain at length, as she always does. But now it made perfect sense to Levi. After Hange finished what he had to say, Levi spoke in shock:

"That sounds impressive." It would never have occurred to me.  Then Levi caressed her face and spoke: "I want you to know that I'm proud of you. Someone else would be completely exhausted by taking care of a child, but you have the strength and brains to even think of such a thing. So I'm sure it will work. I trust your knowledge, Hange.”

"Thank you, but it would never work without your support. No one ever believed in me as much as you and Eren do," she gave him a kiss as she fought back tears of joy.

"There's nothing," answered Levi, moved, and glad that Hange was so grateful. "And it's only natural that I support you. You supported me too. You were there for me even when no one believed in me because I was just a rookie in the Scouting Legion. If you and Erwin hadn't been there, I don't know how I would have moved on from the deaths of Furlan and Isabel.”

"I love you," she nodded as she wiped away her tears with her upper arm. "And I can't wait to finally get married after all the craziness."

"I love you too," Levi replied, even though the words felt hollow compared to what he truly felt for Hange.

But since he couldn't express the gratitude, love and trust he felt with words, he just stroked her head. In the meantime, he hoped that Hange would still understand what he couldn't explain. The woman just grabbed Levi's with her free hand and squeezed it really hard.

"Everything will be fine. Because love always survives” she smiled kindly and he also knew that she was right. Love survives everything.

Chapter Text

And soon the day came when the Scouts set out to reclaim Shiganshina. Four days later they arrived at the entrance. The area around Shiganshina was disturbingly quiet. Not a single Titan was anywhere, just ruins and filth everywhere.

“It’s too quiet. The Titans were killed,” Eren said, riding behind Erwin, adjusting his new, experimental equipment that was powered by electricity instead of steam. “There are also the shapeshifters.”

“That’s what I thought. Titans are instinctive creatures. If the shapeshifters weren’t controlling them, they would be here long ago,” Erwin replied. “Our enemy clearly has a plan, so we’ll need one too.”

“I can defeat the Armored and Colossal Titan,” Eren explained the battle plan. “The Beast will probably be here too, and Kenny will handle that. The others will help.”

"The Colossal is the more dangerous, so we should defeat it first. But I'm sure the enemy knows that too. They'll definitely be waiting if Berthold is sent to the battlefield” Erwin said.

“And we should also find a Titan to plug the hole in the wall” Eren agreed with a nod. “And if this new type of weapon works like I thought, neither Reiner nor Berthold has a chance against me.”

"I hope you're right," Erwin replied, then ordered the scouts to search the area.

At this, Eren also gave the order to his team, who of course took their place while Eren set off to search the area around the wall to see if he could find anyone. Historia went with Eren, because she didn't want to leave her boyfriend, in case he needed help. The rest of Eren's team looked around the city for clues. Then, when they were alone on top of the Maria Wall, Eren pulled the girl close and held her face in his hands.

"Whatever happens today, you need to know that I love you."

"I love you too, Eren," Historia whispered, touched. “And I trust that we will both get home alive.”

At that moment, the boy just kissed him, and then hand in hand, they started to look around the wall. However, the next moment, stones began to roar towards them.

"Watch out Eren!" Historia shouted, then pulled the boy, who was lost in thought, to the ground just in time. “This rain of stones must be the work of the enemy. But how could we confront someone like that?”

At that moment, Kenny glided very gracefully past them, who took advantage of the height and headed towards the beast shapeshifter. Meanwhile, Eren also noticed that one part of the wall might be hollow and Reiner or Berthold could be hiding there. Reiner also noticed Eren, so he tried to escape from the hollow wall.

Then Eren fired the weapon, which was powered by the crystal. It hummed nicely, while Eren held it quite nervously because he didn't have time to experiment with it before they left. And Reiner obviously didn't wait for Eren to think of what he wanted, but attacked him immediately.

And Eren fired instinctively and a streak of light passed through Reiner's shoulder, burning a hole in its place. It worked. His invention worked. And he didn't die from using it. Because of this, Reiner screamed and fell backwards. In the meantime, he tried to focus his strength on healing the wound he received from Eren.

"It doesn't have to end like this!" Eren said as he raised his weapon. “Tell us what we want to know and you won't get hurt. Neither you nor Berthold!”

“I’m not saying anything,” Reiner shouted.

Then the next moment he transformed into a titan and charged at Eren, who used his equipment to dodge the Armored Titan’s hand and set the weapon to a higher level. The level that the boy thought was powerful enough to penetrate armor.

“You wanted it!” he shouted as he aimed for the back of his neck.

Reiner knew that Eren would attack for the nape of his neck, so he dodged the blows as quickly as possible. But in the meantime, Historia also attacked the titan, aiming for his arm. Eren fired anyway, piercing the titan, from which Reiner peeked out, with most of his lower body missing. Because of this, Reiner was unable to control his titan any longer due to the excessive pain and fell to the ground like a sack. In the meantime, the boy also lost consciousness for a few moments.

“What should we do with him?” Historia asked.

Eren then grabbed Reiner, pulled him out of the titan, and laid him on the ground on top of the wall.

“They were just children,” he looked at Historia. “And they don’t deserve to be treated like this.”

"Then why don't we torture him, but just keep him under observation?" Historia suggested as Reiner spat blood onto the ground. The boy was in a pitiful state. If he hadn't been a titan shapeshifter, his injuries would have killed him long ago.

“I once heard him talking to Berthold about his family,” Eren recalled, as everyone sat around the fire in Utgard Castle talking. “So we’re letting him go home.”

“Okay,” Historia agreed. “I hope Reiner won’t abuse our trust and attack us in the back.”

“Bullet!” Eren heard someone shout as a barrel flew over their heads, into the walls.

“Watch out!” the boy shouted as he pulled Historia with him, because Berthold in the barrel had transformed.

Meanwhile, the scouts stuck outside set out against the beast shapeshifter, led by Erwin. Kenny stayed with the Scout Commander, as he had promised Levi that he would help Erwin. So the man kept telling Erwin where the stones were coming from and where to go next. Thus, the distance between the scouts and Zeke was constantly decreasing.

Of course, the man's senses were still perfect and he knew something was wrong here. Probably Mikasa, because he hadn't seen that bitch on the battlefield yet, and she was going to mess with everyone. At that moment, the scouts, with Erwin and Kenny in the lead, arrived in front of Zeke. The others attacked the weaker Titans nearby, while Kenny and Erwin attacked the monkey with the ODM equipment.

The titan was defeated relatively quickly, and Zeke emerged with an uninterested expression. He adjusted his glasses and watched the events for a moment, while Mikasa arrived with a soft hiss. He was a little excited because he wanted to see what the girl was like on the battlefield. However, Erwin did not wait for Zeke's next steps, but attacked him. Seeing this, Mikasa also moved.

Mikasa was fast, faster than Erwin would have ever thought and with one simple swing of her sword she cut the man's back. The man just lay on the ground while Mikasa pinned him down with one foot. Erwin didn't have the strength to push the girl off him. So Mikasa thrust her arm into the man's chest with a strong movement to make sure the Commander wouldn't survive this encounter.

But Kenny had already come and stabbed the girl in the stomach, who didn't really flinch. After that, the man snapped his fingers and a real fight could have started. Of course, Miksa just smiled mockingly, then swung his sword at Kenny's head.

“What's up, bitch? That's all you got?” the man mocked her as he usually did with everyone while dodging her attacks. “You're lame because even a spoiled princess could shoot your finger off!”

"I have no intention of wasting my precious time on childish arguments," Mikasa replied coldly, slashing her sword at Kenny again and again. She knew deep down that she couldn't expect any help now. Zeke probably wanted to test his strength this way.

"Childish arguments? Then how about we talk about your alliterative friend whose grave you so enthusiastically tended," Kenny continued to look for a grip on the girl while trying to kick her legs out.

This caused Mikasa's anger to flare up again, and she yelled at Kenny: "Know that you're not worth half as much as he is!" Due to her anger, Mikasa's movements became stronger and faster, but even so, she didn't make a mistake.

Meanwhile, Zeke noted to himself that the girl had a weak spot that she apparently didn't like to talk about.

“Well, at least I'm still alive,” the man kept the beat, but he noticed how much strength resided in this little girl. It was a shame for her, but she chose this path.

"You should have died instead of him!" Mikasa yelled, then aimed for Kenny's neck to decapitate him. He wanted the man to be punished for mocking Armin.

"Uh, you're really angry now," the man laughed as he successfully grabbed the girl's arm and twisted it. Although Mikasa pulled it out in time before it got any worse. Mikasa didn't respond, instead kicking Kenny. The man dodged this as well. As an Ackerman, he knew the moves of another Ackerman.

Zeke meanwhile realized to himself that they had lost this fight. It was no surprise that the whole plan had failed on the first day. The Warriors should have been taken out of here much sooner, but his superiors had obviously left that until the last minute. Mikasa continued to fight Kenny. She waited for Zeke to finally tell her when they could retreat.

Meanwhile, more scouts arrived on the scene, so the girl thought it was time for them to get out of here. When the man turned his back on her and walked away, Mikasa followed, avoiding Kenny.

Meanwhile, Eren defeated the Colossal Titan, but Reiner disappeared during the battle. He probably retreated.

“What will happen to me now? Are you going to kill me?” Berthold asked, trembling.

Meanwhile, Historia looked at the traitor suspiciously. She was afraid that the boy still had some unused trick. At that moment, Kenny arrived with the half-dead Erwin. He laid him on the ground, then took out a needle and pressed it into Eren's hands.

"I stole it from the king. Your Commander is still alive, if you inject this into him he will become a titan and then he can eat him," the man pointed at Berthold. Although he didn't fully understand these titanic things, he got the gist.

"We should save Erwin. We should give him the serum," Historia told Eren.

Eren then looked at Berthold, who was already crying, and a question left his mouth: "How long have they been preparing you for all this?"

"The training started when we were seven," muttered Berthold, not really understanding why Eren was asking him that.

Eren then looked back at the needle and the liquid inside, then at Erwin. He knew what everyone would expect from him. To do it, but that would only continue the cycle. Besides, Berthold was just a child. A child who had been made into a weapon with blood and sweat. Did he really deserve to die?

"I hope you'll forgive me Erwin," he muttered to himself, then threw the needle to the ground, which shattered into smithereens.

Everyone looked at Eren in shock. They hadn't expected this. Historia was the first to pull herself together: "Why did you do this, Eren? We're going to lose Erwin this way!"

"I would only condemn Erwin to suffering. And Bethold was just a child," the boy declared as he looked at Historia. "A scared child who had to do terrible things in the name of something. Who never knew how to truly live."

"Thank you!" Berthold thanked, tears immediately running down his eyes. "I promise, I will help you with everything! Thank you, Eren!"

Eren then walked towards Berthold, despite Historia trying to hold him back. Meanwhile, Jean also appeared next to Moblit because he had helped him during the fight. Eren then knelt down in front of Berthold and grabbed one of his shoulders.

"You're safe. Calm down," he said kindly.

However, Berthold still didn't feel safe. Most of the scouts looked at him with hatred. They all wanted Erwin back.

“What are you looking at?!” Eren said loudly as he stood up and looked around. Erwin was dead, and that meant one thing. He was the new Commander, no matter how much he didn't want to be. “Erwin Smith died a hero and it's better if we remember him that way!” he exclaimed, then saluted. And everyone followed his example.

“But who will be the new Commander?” Petra asked.

“What do we do now?” Moblit worried.

“Shouldn't we go to the basement?” Historia asked another question.

“Erwin Smith has named me, Eren Ackerman, as the next commander,” Eren said with a serious look. “Moblit will lead the scouts and the wounded home. My team will stay and we will comb the area and somehow plug the hole in the wall! Then we will check that basement.”

“I'd be happy to help fill the hole!” Berthold volunteered. “With my titan shifter abilities, I could carry a stone there.”

“I can't believe it. The guy who made a hole in the wall is now offering to fill it. Heroic, Berthold” Jean appeared next to him, grinning amiably. It didn't seem like such a difficult task to him and the others to welcome back the boy who had been part of their team until now.

However, those who didn't know the boy still didn't trust him. So Berthold decided that he would do everything he could to regain the scouts' trust. At that moment, Berthold transformed into a titan, then grabbed a stone and set off with it to fill the hole.

"My mother taught me how to make friends, not enemies," Eren spoke between Historia and Jean, as they watched the Colossal Titan fill the hole neatly, slowly but surely.

"Your mother did the right thing. Thanks to that, you now have Berthold on our side," Historia said with a smile. Then he gently stroked Eren's hair and spoke again: "I'm proud of you."

“Thank you. I was just thinking that if they were sent here as children, they probably never counted as human beings. They deserved it,” the boy said, nervously picking at his wound while Berthold carefully plugged the hole. “And I know what it feels like when they want to raise you as a sacrificial lamb.”

"I think if Reiner had stayed, he would have joined us in time," Historia said hopefully.

"I hope I can meet him again. He carries too much weight on his shoulders all by himself, and I don't think he's stupid at all," he folded his arms as the tired Berthold, still smoking after fresh out of his Titan, walked towards them.

“I did it!” Berthold said proudly. “I filled the hole.”

"It was nice, ex-traitor," Jean replied with a grin, then patted the boy on the shoulder in a friendly way.

"No, we missed the best things again," Sasha appeared with Connie, a piece of meat already in her mouth. Eren had no idea where she got it from.

“Well then…” Eren stepped in front of Berthold. “Welcome home Berthold Hoover” he extended his hand towards Eren, and with it his friendship.

"Hello, Eren Ackerman," Berthold smiled, hoping to himself that Eren wouldn't call him a soldier of my mother, like Mikasa had. "And I'm sorry I kidnapped your pregnant mother. But don't worry, we didn't hurt her. Right, Historia?"

The blonde-haired girl nodded, smiling.

“I know, Berthold. My mother would have told me” he patted his shoulder absent-mindedly. Although it was a bit difficult because the boy was quite tall. “Look, if you don't want to be a soldier or want to go home, tell me and I'll let you go” he looked deep into his eyes. “Although I hope you'll stay until I free Annie. I'm getting close.”

“I want to stay,” Berthold replied firmly. “After you let me live, I want to help you.”

"As you see fit," Eren nodded, then turned to the others. "Let's go and check out that basement then. I want to know what Grisha was hiding so much."

Shortly, Eren, Jean, Historia and Berthold arrived in front of the house. However, to their greatest shock, all that remained of the entire cellar was dust and ashes.

"This wasn't because of my titan," Berthold immediately defended himself.

"I think it's Grisha's work," Historia replied. "The house is still pretty much standing. We should go inside and see if we can find out anything."

“Grisha burned down the basement, but why?” Eren thought to himself as he entered the apartment, but not the slightest sense of familiarity overcame him. “If that monkey shapeshifter is my brother, then Grisha also comes from where you are,” he suddenly looked at Berthold as he ran his fingers over the dusty objects.

“I didn’t know your father,” Berthold said, looking around too. “Only his son, Zeke.”

“Where did you come from? What's beyond the walls?” Eren asked as he opened the door to Grisha and Carla's room.

"It's a more developed world," Berthold explained. "There are trains and cars. Horses aren't really used for transportation there anymore."

“What’s her name?” he said as he opened a drawer in Carla’s desk and found a diary inside. It was strange, because this part of the house had remained almost untouched.

"That area is called Marley," Berthold replied, stepping closer to Eren.

“What did you find?” Historia asked, peering over Eren's shoulder at the desk.

“A diary” Eren said, then opened it and sat down on the rickety table to start reading. The diary revealed that Carla treated her life with Grisha as a transaction. Although she noted that the man said little, at least during sex she could get him to use his mouth more than usual.

Thanks to this, Carla learned that there is a world beyond the walls called Marley. There they produce the spinal fluid that turns people into titans by injecting them. Grisha also mentioned that the world there is much more advanced.

She also learned that their people were called Eldians and that they had been suffering for centuries for crimes they had nothing to do with. Carla found the treatment of the Eldians cruel and wanted to do something about it. Then she came to an entry where it was clear that she had been crying, because the trail of tears made the page wavy. Over the next few pages, Carla began to elaborate length on how she had fallen in love with Grisha, even though he had lied to her. This made her distrust him, but her feelings for him did not diminish. The worst part was that he had got her pregnant. After that, she could not leave Grisha even if she wanted to, because the child needed a father.

It seemed like the last few sentences were addressed to him personally.

“Whoever you are, I’m sorry. I thought I could change the world, that I could compete with my sister. But I couldn’t and I had nothing left. Don’t make the same mistake.”

Reading these lines, Eren's heart sank. Although he still didn't remember Carla, he was now sure that despite her last words, the woman didn't really like him, and felt sorry for him. She never wanted any of this.

“Is everything okay, Eren?” Historia asked the sniffling boy gently. Eren nodded and then put the diary away because he didn't have the strength to read any further. Instead, he let both Historia and Jean hug him. “We're here for you, okay?” Historia said, then gently stroked Eren's hair.

“Exactly. You can count on us,” Jean smiled.

“Let's go home,” Eren said quietly. “We still have a lot to do” although despite all this he hugged his friends tightly once more and thanked heaven that Hange and Levi raised him.

Chapter Text

After a few days of riding, the scouts returned to the city. Hearing the news, the people began to rejoice, as Shiganshina had been recaptured. But they also felt despair, as the scouts' commander, Erwin Smith, had died. In addition, many did not like the fact that Eren had become the new commander, as they thought he was too young.

Eren was nervous when he knocked because he didn't want to tell his parents this news. But he didn't regret sparing Berthold and knew that he would have to fight for this decision. Soon, his father opened the door for him.

"Hello, Eren," Levi greeted, while in the background Hange was trying to calm the crying Furlan. "As I see, everything is fine with you. How did the mission go?"

"During the recapture of Shiganshina, Erwin Smith suffered serious injuries from which he died, so at his request, I will continue to lead the Scouting Legion," Eren said in an official tone, because he simply didn't know any other way.

Hearing those words, Levi's eyes widened in shock. He simply didn't want to believe what he was hearing. He didn't want to believe that this could happen. Erwin was his best friend. He didn't want to lose him like this.

“Isn’t this… just some kind of bad joke?” Levi asked, his eyes wide.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Eren looked at him silently, his hands shaking a little.

Hearing this, Levi lowered his head. The man felt such deep sorrow that he was unable to cry or say anything. The last time he had felt such intense grief, which had squeezed his heart so tightly and squeezed the air out of his lungs with such force, was when Furlan and Isabelle died. Finally, Levi collapsed onto the couch and said with remorse in his voice:

"I should have gone with him... Then this would never have happened."

“What would you have done? Would you have died instead of him?” Eren looked at him confused. “He didn't get his wounds from titans…” then he paused for a few moments to squeeze it out “Mikasa killed him.”

Hearing this, Levi's eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes glowed with hatred.

"That girl will regret her actions if she ever comes into my sight again," Levi said in a terrifyingly deep voice, his hands clenched into fists. The man clearly wanted revenge.

Eren just nodded and crouched down and hugged his father tightly. He knew that he needed him a lot right now because a good friend of his had died.

"I love you dad," he muttered.

"Me too, Eren..." Levi muttered. "At least you're back, if Erwin couldn't." Then the man added with a sigh: "And all this must be told to Hange. She was close to Erwin too. This will hurt her too."

“I'll tell her,” the boy agreed, then went to his mother. “Can we talk?”

“Of course,” she said, hugging Furlan. Ever since he was born, the woman had never really been seen without the baby. Levi also followed Eren. He wanted to be there when the boy told her what happened to Erwin. The man wanted to make sure Hange wouldn't get sick and faint.

“Mom…” he took a deep breath. “Erwin… he didn’t survive,” Eren put his hand on the woman’s shoulder.

Hange reacted similarly to Levi's. She didn't want to believe at first that one of her best friends hadn't returned. However, when she realized how serious Eren's words were, she immediately burst into violent sobs. Levi hugged her to comfort her in her grief, even though his own eyes were filled with tears. Eren held her hand, then knew he had something to do, so he fished out Carla's diary and gave it to his parents.

"Carla learned a lot from Grisha. It could be useful," he said, his voice trembling.

“Thank you,” Levi answered instead of Hange, as the woman was still crying.

Meanwhile, Furlan sensed that his mother was restless, so he started crying in the crib. Of course, Eren stood up before his parents, then took Furlan in his arms to calm him down. And he succeeded.

“Sh…” he soothed his brother. “Everything is okay.” Furlan slowly began to calm down in Eren's arms, so Levi could deal with Hange.

“Carla learned a lot from him, but” Eren stopped at this point. He didn't know how to tell them that his parents never truly loved him and that he was just an accidental product of years of manipulation.

"Tell us," Levi encouraged the boy, trying to focus on Eren instead of Erwin's memory. Hange also tried to compose herself, wanting to know what her sister had been through.

“They never loved each other,” he began to cry. “I am just a product of each other’s manipulation.”

“I’m sorry,” Levi replied gently. “But think about it, even if your biological parents didn’t love you, the same can’t be said about us.”

Hange then walked over to Eren and, to support Levi's words, hugged her son. Eren handed Furlan to his father and then hugged Hange back, resting his head on her shoulder and starting to cry.

"It's okay, Eren," Hange whispered to him as Levi took Furlan from the boy. The little child didn't react to this. He felt just as comfortable with Levi as he did with Eren.

“Thank you, Mom,” he murmured into her shoulder. “Thank you for everything. For teaching me to read and write, for always encouraging me and loving me.”

“It's okay, Eren,” Hange replied gently. “I thank you for the opportunity to be your mother.” Levi nodded in agreement, holding Furlan, who was struggling in his arms. The child wanted to see what his mother and brother were doing.

"I decided to pardon Berthold because we captured him during the battle," he straightened up as he wiped away his tears and became serious.

"If I had been there, I certainly wouldn't have spared him," Levi admitted. "Erwin means more to me than Berthold, and Erwin could have helped the scouts more."

“But Berthold is a child. He was as young as I was when he was made into a weapon. I was lucky because you cared for me, but he didn’t,” he explained. “He deserves better than being a sacrificial lamb and I-”

“I can understand that too,” Levi nodded. “But I couldn’t have been so selfless.”

“We really live our lives in circles and make the same mistakes over and over again,” Eren said. “But I don’t want to be a part of it anymore.”

"I think you're right," Levi replied, still holding Furlan. "Someone has to end this cycle of violence. Otherwise we'll all end up like Mikasa, driven only by revenge."

Eren nodded and patted his father's shoulder. He still had a lot to do.

“I have to go now, I have something to do and I also have to talk to Berthold.”

“Okay. I hope you'll come visit us again. Furlan would be happy to see his brother again,” Levi replied.

“I'll be back as soon as I'm done. I'm sure I'll be really hungry by evening” he smiled a little. “And I'll bring Historia too if it's okay…”

"Sure, she’s welcome too," Levi smiled.

"Thank you," the boy nodded. "Without you, I would never have become someone who cares about other people's feelings. Eren Yeager was never as empathetic as I am."

"I'm glad you were able to change like this. It's not just our credit, it's yours too, trying to become a better person," Levi replied. "And for that, both I and your mother are proud of you. Never forget that, Eren."

Eren nodded again and then set off, seeing Berthold nervously waiting in front of the house. “What are we going to do now?” Berthold asked, stomping around tensely.

“You’ll tell me everything I need to know about Marley,” he adjusted his glasses on his head as they began to walk side by side. “And about you, of course.”

“Okay,” the boy replied, then started talking about Marley’s technology system.

Then he explained the power structure. He also said that his boss was Zeke. "This is Zeke. What kind of person is he?" Eren began as they began descending the stairs.

"He's cunning and calculating. He can be cruel when the situation calls for it," the boy replied. "He's feared by many in the army. Plus, he owns the ape titan."

“Do you know anything about his personal past?” Eren asked as they walked down.

“Not really. Zeke doesn’t like to talk about his past,” Berthold replied. “But there’s a rumor that he had some conflict with his parents and that’s why he’s closer to his grandparents.”

“Interesting” then they reached the crystal that Annie was frozen in. “I think I figured out how to free her.”

“How?” Berthold asked, his eyes shining with interest. The boy really wanted to see Annie again.

“I think if I can produce the right sound frequency, it will shatter the crystal without harming Annie,” he explained as he took out a tuning fork.

"I would be very happy if this could work," Berthold said hopefully, then placed his hand on the crystal.

"There's only one way to find out," he said, flicking the tuning fork.

This caused cracks to form in the crystal. Berthold kept his eyes on Annie. After a few more clangs, the crystal shattered and Annie fell forward out of it, unconscious.

Berthold immediately ran to Annie and tried to wake her up. In the meantime, he also checked to see if the girl was even alive. In his arms, the girl soon coughed up some liquid.

“Are you okay?” Berthold asked Annie, concerned. Meanwhile, Eren watched the events with interest.

“Bert… hold…” she looked up at him weakly, holding the boy’s black T-shirt weakly. She couldn’t believe she had been freed.

“Annie,” the boy whispered, taking her other hand. “How are you feeling?” The girl then leaned her head against the boy's chest as she relaxed and more and more color came to her face.

“It’s better now that you’re here,” she said finally.

Hearing this, Berthold first blushed, then a broad smile spread across his face. Then he smoothed the girl's hair. Annie didn't quite know what she was doing when she touched Berthold's face. She just wanted to know that someone was here with her. Someone who really knew her, whom she didn't have to lie to.

"Everything will be okay now. You're safe with me," Berthold whispered, and he pulled the girl close protectively. Annie just snuggled closer to him and allowed herself to be weak for once. “You're not going to hurt Annie, are you?” Berthold turned to Eren worriedly.

“Do you want to go home?” he asked again, kindly. “If you do, I’ll let you go. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“I want to help you,” Berthold replied.

“I’d rather stay,” Annie said. “Our superiors would punish us if they found out we failed.”

“Then you'll stay here with us,” Eren looked at them. “I'll meet you outside when you're done,” he smiled, sensing the romance between the two of them.

After that, Berthold pulled Annie closer to him and looked deep into her eyes.

“What is it?” the blonde girl looked at her partner, with whom she had been working for years. Berthold was different now, he seemed more confident than ever.

Berthold didn't answer, but gathered his courage and kissed the girl, hoping that Annie wouldn't push him away. It was sudden, but because of the emotionally charged things, she found herself pulling the boy closer and kissing him back. This made Berthold tremble with joy and pulled Annie even closer to him.

“Tell me you’ll stay here with me,” she whispered desperately. They had been taught all their lives that attachment was dangerous and would only lead to pain. But now Berthold was here and she finally saw a future ahead of her.

“I'll stay here,” promised Berthold, who also needed a secure point in his life.

Annie then just hugged him and slowly stood up and they walked away hand in hand. The Scouts now had not only the Colossal but also the Female Titan as their own.

It was already evening, and Furlan had finally fallen asleep. However, Levi couldn't sleep. He kept thinking about what had happened to Erwin. And when he thought Hange wasn't watching him, he sat on the couch and let his tears flow freely.

However, the woman knew Levi too well, so after a few moments she was next to him and gently hugged his shoulders.

"I miss him too," she whispered to him.

For once Levi couldn't stop his tears. So he silently sobbed while hugging the woman. Erwin seemed so strong. He never thought he would lose his best friend one day. Hange just hugged him loosely and let him cry, knowing that was what he needed. She wanted to cry too, but she knew very well that it wouldn't accomplish much. What happened happened.

Levi didn't like to appear vulnerable. But now he couldn't hold back his tears. So he could only hope that Hange wouldn't think of him as weak or less manly after this.

Hange just smiled because he knew that at times like this Levi always thinks that for some reason he won't love her, even though she's seen him cry so many times.

Levi soon began to calm down thanks to Hange's proximity. Although the grief still lingered in his heart, her closeness was a comfort. It made him feel like he wasn't completely alone. The woman then kissed the man's hair while holding him affectionately. Meanwhile, Eren opened the door tiredly after finally finishing his chores and arriving home.

"Sorry, I didn't want to miss dinner, but I had so much to do," he said quietly, then quickly turned away to get dressed comfortably and give his parents some time to gather themselves. When Levi saw Eren, he immediately let go of Hange and wiped away his tears. He didn't want to show weakness in front of the boy.

“I was going through Erwin’s office before I came and I found a letter addressed to me,” he said as he pulled off his boots. “But I thought we could read it together.”

"Okay," Levi nodded, naturally interested in what Erwin's letter contained. Then Eren sat down between his parents and opened the letter, then they started reading it together.

Dear Eren,

I know you doubt yourself, but I still think you would be the best Commander. I don't think so just because you are strong, smart, and an experienced warrior, but also because your empathy can still be of great use to humanity.

When I met you, you were just a scared child with nothing left after Shiganshina. I saw you being taken in by Hange and Levi, two people who back then I couldn't believe would ever be good parents. Hange was always in the clouds, and Levi often scared everyone just by looking at him. But as soon as you entered their lives, it was as if something inside them was switched on and they decided to raise you. In the middle of the war, among the Titans, as a member of the Legion.

Slowly, thanks to them, you started to change and became a better person. I saw Eren Ackerman born before my very eyes, the boy who used his power when needed. Who figured out things with his mind like no one else had before. And when your parents found each other, it was only then that I saw the true potential in you. After all, you were the reason that the two of them saw what was already between them.

When I had to appoint you, I knew that you would have a difficult job, but over time you also learned how to lead the cadets. With this, you surprised me again, because you are still so young.

You showed everyone the truth that this world has been trying to make us forget for so long. That freedom is not to be found beyond the walls. Freedom is to be found in our friends and family. In love. Because of this, I trust that one day you will be able to lead not only them, but the entire Scouting Legion.

That's why if anyone doubts you, fight back and show them that it is possible to win with your methods. War is a cycle, and you can break it. You started the journey, you said no to Grisha, and you saved Kenny. Something few people would have done in your place.

Give my regards to your parents. I trust them as much as I trust you. You three will find a way to live happily and freely.

As Levi would say, live without regrets. Don't be like me. Ever since I realized that love also means freedom, I regret not sticking with Marie and letting her walk out of my life.

I hope you won't make that mistake, Eren, and that you will live a fuller life than I did.

I also hope that all three of you will have a lot of fun in Furlan. Teach him all this so that he can become a better person than I was.

Regards:

Erwin Smith

“Erwin made the right decision. You deserve the rank of Commander,” Levi said. “You will certainly have enemies, as Erwin had them too. But don’t listen to them. Just do what you think is right.”

"Thank you, Dad," he hugged the man emotionally. He didn't know what awaited him, but he was glad that his parents were here with him.

"It's okay," Levi replied, then let go of Eren.

After this, the tension in the house finally eased. Levi began to feel better, knowing he had to pull himself together to support his family.

During dinner, Erwin was not mentioned again, and they talked about lighter topics, especially when Historia arrived and joined in. Despite this, Levi knew that neither of them would forget the former Commander, and that the man would live on through their memories. It was a small consolation, but Levi knew that he could not get more than that, and that he would have to be content with it. And he trusted himself that the pain and grief in his heart would ease with time.

Mikasa looked out over the endless ocean as they reached the beach after a few hours of travel on Zeke's titan's shoulders. The sight was beautiful, but Mikasa's first thought wasn't that. Mikasa could only think that Armin couldn't be here to see this. That Armin had died in agony in Trost and she hadn't been by his side in his final moments. Her eyes burned with tears as she knelt in the cool sand. Then she took the piece of clothing out of her pocket, then carefully filled it with sand and tied it with a string, then pushed it back into her pocket.

Mikasa still remembered how much Armin dreamed of the ocean and how much he wanted to see it.

So the girl closed her eyes and tried to imagine the boy's wide smile when he saw this place. However, after she opened her eyes, the cruel reality hit her in the face again. As much as she wanted to, Armin wasn't standing next to her, not even looking at the fish and shells in the water.

Fat tears rolled down the girl's face. She wanted Armin to be by her side more than anything. He had let go of Eren a long time ago, because the boy had changed so much that he no longer recognized him as his old childhood friend.

However, Armin remained by her side the whole time, and that's why she longed for the blonde-haired boy's presence at this moment as well.

The girl wiped her tears away, then took a deep breath and turned away from the sea to find herself facing Zeke. The man, his hands clasped in his, watched her, then as they looked into each other's eyes, he only said this.

“We’re leaving,” he announced.

"Okay," Mikasa replied, once she was sure her voice wouldn't shake.

She knew that if she wanted to get Armin back from the dead, she had to be determined and could not afford to be weak. She knew that if she wasn't careful, Zeke would trap her.

But no, no one will trap her. Now the real game that Mikasa planned to win will begin. She will get back Armin, no matter the cost. But to do that she will have to be stronger, so strong that her other fingers cannot be shot off. And she will be. Because she is Mikasa Ackerman.

Chapter Text

Volume 5: The War Queen

The volume takes place at the end of the four year timeskip but before season four. The following characters are the ones mainly in this volume:

Mikasa Ackerman
Zeke Yaeger
Pieck Finger
Porco Galliard
Colt Grice
Reiner Braun
Yelena
The younger Warrior candidates

Four years have passed since the failed search for the Founding Titan. Those who returned were demoted and never spoken of again. Reiner was only left alive because the only good thing they brought back from the mission was Mikasa Ackerman.

The girl looked promising when she arrived in Marley's land. So the high command didn't hesitate to train her and immediately send her to fight on the front lines. Since then, she hasn't been heard from.

That's why Zeke stopped caring about Mikasa. Instead, he started focusing on the missions that Magath gave him and his team.

The group was still heading towards Magath's office, asking each other what they were going to talk about.

“What do you think he wants?” Porco looked at Zeke as the blond man walked past him with his hands in his pockets. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been called together like this, especially him,” he said, clearly thinking of Reiner as he pursed his lips.

Reiner turned his head away from them. Instead, he started to deal with Gabi and Falco, while Zeke just shrugged his shoulders. He didn't feel like answering.

Meanwhile, Magath called them into his office and explained to them how they would have to fight the Middle East Alliance. After the man explained the plan to the soldiers, they all boarded the train, which took them to the front.

For most of the journey, Porco waited in silence, Zeke made plans, and Reiner tried to discipline Falco and Gabi.

“I never asked, but how could Paradis be such a failure?” Porco suddenly said, glancing at Zeke, while he saw the memories of his younger brother or Ymir again.

"Things mostly fell apart because of Reiner and Berthold," Zeke said, then gave Reiner a pitying look. "There's a kid named Eren Ackerman. He defeated Reiner first, then Berthold."

"Eren Ackerman? The brown-haired one with the glasses? Levi's son?" he asked involuntarily, as Ymir's memories intensified. He still had difficulty controlling this part of the titan's abilities, but it wasn't as distracting anymore.

“Yes,” Zeke nodded.

This reminded the man of Eren's foster father and his incredible strength he read about in Reiner's reports. So he spoke again, with a teaching intent, since Porco was younger and more inexperienced than him:

"Remember, Porco, the Ackermans are all dangerous. They are much stronger than the average soldier."

“Well… I know we have our own Ackerman, right? The girl you brought back?” Porco stretched, then leaned back while watching Zeke.

"That's true. Mikasa is an Ackerman too," Zeke replied, then looked out the window for a moment, thinking.

The man remembered that Mikasa had sent him to Earth when they first met. Of course, he didn't want to share this with Porco. However, he gave him a related warning:

"Mikasa may be a girl, but with Ackerman's strength, she can easily compete with a man. Don't underestimate her if you ever fight alongside her."

"It's been four fucking years and she’s nowhere to be seen. I think you're overestimating how strong she is," Porco said, rolling his eyes. He didn't believe the rumors about the Ackerman clan.

“If you’re not careful with them, you’re going to find yourself in big trouble one day,” Zeke warned him one last time. Then he turned his attention back to the maps and plans.

“I want to see the War Queen!” Gabi exclaimed excitedly, glancing at Reiner. When Zeke heard the name, the pen in his hand suddenly slipped out.

"Calm down, Gabi. You'll definitely see her," Reiner tried to calm the child down.

That's why he didn't even notice Zeke's reaction. Porco, on the other hand, was much more observant than him:

"What's wrong, Zeke?"

"Nothing," he shrugged nonchalantly, trying to erase even the memory of his vision.

"I heard that he always releases the grenade at the last moment and that he once stuffed it into the enemy's mouth and blew his head off," the girl explained overly enthusiastically, while Falco rolled his eyes.

"Children shouldn't be told such things," Reiner grumbled to himself.

“We’re not kids anymore,” Gabi protested. “Right, Falco?”

"Exactly," the boy nodded.

“The point is, I want to be like her! Strong and cruel!” the girl declared with great pride.

“But who is she anyway? Her name is new,” Porco asked, but Gabi shrugged her shoulders in confusion. She didn't know anything more than the woman's code name either.

"We'll find out," Zeke shrugged, while Gabi was still explaining how strong the unknown woman was.

But then a huge explosion shook the train, which immediately stopped and the Mid-East soldiers rushed to attack them. Reiner didn't even have time to think when Gabi was already caught (considering that for some reason she was eager to go to battle even when she didn't have to) and a gun was pressed to her head.

“Any of you transform, we’ll shoot the girl!” one of them shouted in a thick accent.

“Don’t hurt Gabi!” Falco cried as Zeke tried to come up with a plan.

Zeke did not expect that the enemy would attack them even before the front line.

But before the soldier holding Gabi could say anything, a dagger flew through the window and landed directly on his head. Which resulted in him falling like a sack within seconds. Then, in a split second, a woman appeared. Her black hair was tied in a bun, which was held together by a metal hairpin. On her arm was the beige ribbon that confirmed her Eldian origin. She was quickly followed by Pieck and Colt, also armed like the woman.

“Thank you!” Gabi thanked her, while both she and Falco cried because of the fear of a few minutes ago and the relief now.

“Are you the War queen?” Falco finally asked.

The woman didn't answer, just gave the boy a bored look and then looked around the group while Colt and Pieck took care of the rest of the people.

“I told Magath to send soldiers. Not three idiots and two kids,” she said. Her voice was familiar, but not familiar enough, but her missing ring finger gave it all away.

"Mikasa," Zeke said in shock. "I never thought you were the War Queen. The soldiers and the citizens respect you almost like a goddess. I hope you know that."

“I see you’re still talking nonsense, pretty boy,” she raised her gun and fired it boredly. The bullet just passed Zeke’s face and landed in the head of the enemy soldier who had just entered behind them.

Seeing this, Zeke nodded in approval. Then the soldiers rushed into battle again.

“The camp is a two-day walk from here,” the woman declared as she shot the head off of one of the fallen soldiers, blood splatter covering her butter-colored uniform. “So we’re leaving, and I’ll leave behind anyone who doesn’t come,” she declared, knowing that the train was no longer suitable for transportation or anything like that. So anyone who stayed would face death.

After that, Mikasa made her way to the team. She mercilessly killed anyone who stood in her way, not caring that two children were watching her. Thanks to this, the train quickly became a slaughterhouse.

“This is so cool!” Gabi exclaimed enthusiastically as she watched Mikasa.

Zeke did exactly that, with some snarky remark on the tip of his tongue. He hated it when people ordered him around and thought he was an idiot. Finally, he decided to just start clapping.

"Great. You massacred the train, how cool and dramatic," the man rolled his eyes in irritation.

"Mind your own business instead of arguing," Mikasa retorted, then signaled her two subordinates to break out of the train. Colt then broke one of the windows, and when there was nothing left of the glass in the frame, he simply jumped out and looked around as he landed.

"The field is clear!" he shouted as Mikasa followed him.

Zeke, meanwhile, glanced at Pieck with a “what the fuck is going on here” look. He hated not knowing what had happened. All he knew about Pieck and Colt was that Pieck had been sent to the front four years ago and Colt a year ago, but Magath didn’t say anything more about it. It was a really big deal that Mikasa had just catapulted to the top of the ranks as if it would be a natural thing.

“I want to be on Mikasa's team too!” Gabi told Reiner. Reiner looked at Zeke, expecting him to give some explanation to Gabi, who had already started talking about the heroic deeds she would perform at Mikasa's side.

"Control your cousin's suicidal tendencies, Reiner, if you can't do anything else properly," Porco growled as the team set off.

Meanwhile, Zeke just turned to Pieck and asked this in confusion: “What the fuck is going on here?” he asked the woman.

“Defeating the enemy,” Pieck shrugged. “Mikasa doesn't like to waste time.”

“How long have you been working under her? And why didn't you tell me?” he hissed through his teeth. Because it was one thing that Magath didn't pay much attention to the matter, but Pieck's omission of such an important thing from her letters to him really bothered him.

"A little less than four years," Pieck replied. "After Magath discovered how strong Mikasa was, he immediately assigned me to her. Then later Colt joined, also under Magath's orders."

"If she's so strong, why are we here?" He put his hands on the back of his head as they walked. He didn't like the fact that Pieck wasn't under him. Maybe she was gathering information for Mikasa right now, because this was what she was always the best at. How to spy.

“What do I know?” Pieck replied nonchalantly. “I guess Mikasa isn’t invincible either, and she needs her supporters. But considering that Mikasa does most of the work, I feel like just a decoration in this game.”

“Is there anyone here who can provide information or do I have to get that out of you myself?” he put his hands in his pockets. He was frustrated by Pieck's mysterious behaviour because he knew she was playing tricks as always. The man knew very well what kind of wolf in sheep's clothing the woman standing next to him was, who was still only adjusting her skirt.

“Ask Magath. He's your superior, not me,” Pieck replied boredly.

Then Mikasa stopped and said they would camp here for the night. Then she assigned everyone their tasks. Zeke wanted to be with Colt, hoping that if Pieck didn’t, the man who would one day take over his Titan, would provide more information. But Mikasa overturned his calculations with a simple sentence.

Mikasa knew that if Colt drank, he would easily talk. So she decided to keep Zeke close to her. She thought that Pieck wouldn't say anything, since he wasn't very talkative anyway.

So Zeke just grumbled and followed Mikasa to comb the area together. Which he didn't like at all. Mikasa didn't speak to Zeke. She thought the man would tell her if he had any problems with her, the mission, or her methods.

“New hairstyle?” he asked, trying to think of something to talk about. He wouldn’t get anything out of her that way.

"Yes. I didn't like the old one," Mikasa replied. "But I see you haven't changed."

"There's no point in changing perfection," he said as he stepped over a tree branch.

"It's a shame I don't agree with that," Mikasa replied.

"Would you care to tell me why we're here? You obviously don't need any help, Queen," and therein lied the question.

"Even though I am the War Queen, I won't be able to handle an army of ten thousand," Mikasa said honestly. "That's what Magath said was the number of soldiers approaching us."

"They failed on the northern front and it seems they're trying their luck here," the man said matter-of-factly as he looked around the forest again. Nothing could be heard except the sounds of the animals.

"Exactly," Mikasa nodded. "And we need to be as prepared as possible. They could attack at any time, since the train has apparently been stopped. That's why I've already started organizing the night watch."

“Organize, huh? You don't seem like much of a team player to me,” Zeke raised an eyebrow as he stopped because he noticed they were quite far from camp.

"I'm not a team player. But even I can see the need for a system that can control half-witted beasts like Reiner and Berthold," Mikasa said sarcastically.

“Great,” the man muttered, then instead pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and, pulling one out, lit it. “Would you like one?” he handed the pack to Mikasa while inhaling the smoke.

"Just one," Mikasa replied. "I don't want to get used to this shit. It would ruin my lungs and then my abilities would deteriorate."

"As if they could," he rolled his eyes as he blew out the smoke. Meanwhile, Mikasa pulled out a cigarette and with one simple movement snitched the lighter out of his pocket.

"Can the beast titan's lungs regenerate? Because if so, I understand why you don't care about it so much," Mikasa rolled her eyes. "But at least you're not an alcoholic," the woman added.

"I regenerate whatever I want," he answered the woman's question, giving her a fleeting glance. Only four years had passed, but Mikasa looked as if she were ten years older than the girl he had left behind in Paradis to follow her own path.

"Well, at least it's not just a disadvantage that you can only live thirteen years as a Titan," Mikasa replied, blowing out smoke. "Why did you decide you needed the beast Titan in the first place?"

"I don't need to answer to you," he suddenly replied sullenly, while involuntarily remembering Grisha and how he had persuaded him to be a candidate to inherit one of the titans.

"Wow, you've suddenly become so mysterious," Mikasa said sarcastically. "Do you want to impress every girl with your secrets?"

“Don’t try to anger me,” the man replied, suddenly pushing the woman against the nearest tree. “Because you’ll regret it.”

"Let me go immediately. Otherwise, you'll regret it," Mikasa replied threateningly. The woman didn't like being trapped like this. And she hated the feeling of helplessness that came with it even more. In such cases, she always remembered how helpless she had been even when she couldn't prevent Armin's death.

“Oh? Really?” the man looked back at her mockingly, feeling superior. “Don’t poke your nose into my business or we can talk about yours. Like your little friend.”

Mikasa didn't react to Zeke's offensive words and looked ahead with the same wooden face as before. "I support your idea. Let's leave each other alone," the girl said, then pushed Zeke away, showing him that he was in trouble if he thought she was just a vulnerable little girl.

“Then we discussed this, Queen,” he shrugged phlegmatically as he threw away his cigarette butt and headed back to camp. Then his vision came back to him and he just laughed at it. “ ’ll see how sex turns out, ” he muttered absently as he ran his fingers through his beard.

Mikasa didn't even look back. Instead, she went to check on her two subordinates. All the while, she thought about how she would be in trouble with Zeke if he continued to be so rude to her.

Chapter Text

“Mika-chan!” Pieck waved at her when she returned to the camp. Mikasa had somehow managed to establish a very friendly relationship with the woman. Although she didn't know why or how. She never thought she could be on good terms with anyone after Paradis.

"Hello, Pieck," Mikasa said, then surprised herself by smiling at the woman.

The woman knew it had been a long time since she had been happy with anyone's presence.

“Come on! I left you some food!” the woman announced cheerfully as she patted the empty space next to her.

"Thank you," Mikasa replied gratefully, having already forgotten how hungry she was. So she sat down next to Pieck and started eating.

"Did something happen while I wasn't around?" Mikasa asked, then took a bite of the bread.

“Nothing interesting,” said Colt, who was sitting opposite to her, and Zeke sat down next to him. On his other side, his younger brother sat quietly, while Gabi was enthusiastically munching on the food that Reiner gave her.

“So you're from Paradis?” Porco said, eyeing Mikasa suspiciously.

"Yes," Mikasa replied. But the woman didn't say anything more. She didn't want to talk about her past. It would have been too painful. And she didn't trust these people anyway. And she didn't want to mention Armin.

"Oh, you had that red scarf and the blonde," Porco started to ramble, but incredibly, Reiner spoke up.

"I think it's time for you to shut up," the man said, sympathizing with Mikasa. He didn't like bringing up Paradis either.

Mikasa had no idea how Porco knew this. But she was sure that Reiner was right for once. "I suggest you mind your own business," Mikasa growled at Porco, glaring menacingly at him.

"The new shapeshifters inherit the memories of the old ones," Pieck whispered in Mikasa's ear because he could see she was embarrassed. Meanwhile, Porco went back to eating. Mikasa nodded. This means Porco saw Ymir's memories and that's how he knew about Armin.

The woman found this quite frightening. Porco knew quite a few things about him, while she knew nothing about the young man. So she promised herself that when they were alone, she would ask Pieck to find out a thing or two about the shapeshifter. Meanwhile, she began to wonder how much Ymir had heard of the conversations between her and Armin. Because if she had heard a lot, then Porco now knew everything.

It was soon nightfall and it seemed everyone had gone to sleep around the fire. Only Mikasa sat there alone, looking at the sky.

"Next time he dares to bring up Paradis, tell me and I'll beat his ass," Reiner suddenly said, who also couldn't sleep so he just watched his cousin.

"Thank you," Mikasa replied. The woman wouldn't have expected sympathy from Reiner, but she was still glad to have someone here who understood her situation.

"Porco seems like a pretty hard one to order around," Mikasa said, annoyed.

"Yes he is" Reiner declared, still racked with guilt. After all, he was the one who ordered Annie to take off Armin's equipment and push him into the Titans. "He and I were the ones who were destined to inherit the Armored Titan. When I got it, he got mad and wanted to fall on me. His brother stopped him."

"Great. Then he'll suddenly get angry," Mikasa replied, annoyed. "But as I see it, neither of us will get along with him."

"I don't think you'll have any trouble with discipline," said Reiner, remembering how easily Mikasa had taken over the lead when she had joined him, Annie, and Berthold back on Paradis.

"Maybe. But gossiping could cause a much bigger problem," Mikasa replied grimly.

“I don’t remember anything about Paradis that you should be ashamed of,” Reiner kicked the ground. “So let the gossip continue.”

Mikasa just lowered her head. She didn't agree with that. She had done quite a few wrong things and had a few weak moments on that island. She could only hope that one day it would all pay off and she would get Armin back. Otherwise, her sins and suffering would have had no meaning. Then her whole life would have been a waste.

“But I know how it feels,” the man said one last time, running his hand through his hair. “Not a day has passed that I haven’t thought about Berthold,” he said. He knew what kind of monsters were on that island. Surely, as soon as they found out about things, they ate Berthold to gain his power.

"What does it feel like?" Mikasa asked in surprise, having never seen Reiner so emotional before.

She had mostly thought of the man as stupid so far. She wondered to herself if she had misidentified Reiner.

"It's like there's a hole in your heart that nothing can fill while the guilt consumes you," Reiner told her as he looked into the woman's gray eyes.

Mikasa nodded. She knew that feeling all too well. It was almost the only emotion she had felt since Armin died. She didn't know if she would ever be a whole person, without a hole in her heart. Without Armin, maybe never.

Plus, Mikasa still felt regret, because when Eren left them, she cried about it. She should have appreciated Armin being there for her more back then. After all, she wouldn't be able to thank him now.

"Watch out for Zeke. He could be the real danger," he finally suggested, observing the man sleeping peacefully next to Colt. "He likes to play dumb, but he's not. He's like Eren, only much less predictable."

"Yes, I can see that he's a dangerous creature," Mikasa nodded, then started thinking about Zeke instead of Armin. "I already know that he's a calculating character. And he treats fights like chess games."

"No matter what he promises, don't fall for him," he said, and finally went to sleep.

Mikasa nodded, then tried to fall asleep too.

The next morning, Zeke woke up to the wonderful feeling of someone kicking him hard to get up. Opening his eyes, he saw an impatient Mikasa.

"Is this because of yesterday or are you always this sadistic?" he got up, rubbing his eyes.

"I just don't like lazy people," Mikasa said. "Now get your shit together. The enemy will be here soon."

"You're unbearable," the man stood up and then left with Mikasa to go with the others and get to the camp.

The dawn march paid off, as they arrived at the camp relatively early, where the soldiers were already preparing breakfast. Some were cooking, while others were looking for cutlery and plates. Mikasa gave Colt a few instructions, then went to help Pieck.

At that point, Mikasa went to discuss battle plans with the other soldiers.

“I need to talk to you, Porco,” Zeke said, walking up to the boy.

“What do you want, Zeke?” Porco asked curiously, then sat down next to the blond-haired man.

"You have access to Ymir's memories, I heard. What did you learn about Mikasa?" he asked without hesitation.

Hearing this, Porco thought for a moment, wanting to convey the information to Zeke in the best possible way. Then he spoke:

“Mikasa wanted to get Eren Yeager, now Ackerman, for a long time. He gave her the red scarf. He also had a blond-haired boy named Armin with him. The two of them spent a lot of time together during their training. They probably got along even before that.”

“Did you tell Ymir why she betrayed her kind?” he stretched, the cogs turning in his mind.

"No," Porco replied. "Ymir and Mikasa weren't that close. Mikasa didn't share her thoughts with him. But I can see from Ymir's memories that Mikasa did spend quite a bit of time with the boy."

"Armin? It was mentioned at the Battle of Shiganshina that he had a dead friend," Zeke mused, remembering Mikasa's fight with the aging man who was probably also an Ackerman.

“The two are probably the same” Porco nodded. “Ymir also has a memory where she saw Armin hugging the sad Mikasa as a consolation. But I don't know more than that, because after that... well, Ymir goes to Historia's room. I'd rather not go into details about what happened there” Porco blushed.

“How bad for someone,” Zeke rolled his eyes. He had to use this information somehow.

"Well, that someone definitely wasn't Ymir," said Porco, still red-headed.

“Anything else that can be used against the Queen?” he folded his arms.

“Maybe Eren besides Amrin,” Porco replied thoughtfully. “I can’t tell you any other weakness through Ymir’s memories.”

"Great," he sighed in disappointment. He wanted to know more than that.

"I'm sorry," Porco said dejectedly. "The problem is that Ymir has only exchanged a few words with Mikasa. She knows almost nothing about her."

“Then Reiner will be the next," he sighed.

“It’s interesting that fate brought you together like this,” Porco said. “She’s the War Queen, and you’re a descendant of royal blood.”

“How do you know that?” the man looked at him sharply, now that Porco had spoken. He didn't usually mention this to others.

“I don't know where I heard that,” shrugged Porco, who had heard so many rumors that he couldn't keep track of which information came from whom.

Meanwhile, Mikasa stood over the map and thought about a battle plan when Pieck entered the tent.

"Something's bothering you," the woman told her as she stopped next to the tense Mikasa.

"Yes," Mikasa admitted. "Zeke is what's bothering me. I don't trust him. I'm afraid he's up to something. You don't happen to have any information on Zeke, do you?"

“It depends on what you want to know,” Pieck folded his arms. “He has things here, from his traumatic past to his royal blood to his plan, everything.”

"Everything," Mikasa said. "I want to know him down to the smallest detail."

Of course, Mikasa didn't say why this was necessary. Mikasa didn't even want to tell Pieck everything.

“Then let's start with who he is. I guess you already know Grisha,” Pieck began. “His mother's name was Dina Fritz.”

“And who was Dina Fritz?” Mikasa asked.

"Do you know the story of Ymir? Why is Paradis the way it is?"

"I don't know her," Mikasa admitted.

They hadn't told her much about the truth on Paradis Island, so she hoped that maybe she could learn something about it now.

“Ymir was the first shapeshifter. A slave who served King Fritz and was the mother of his children,” Pieck began thoughtfully.

“And how does Zeke relate to this?” Mikasa asked, confused.

“Zeke is a direct descendant of this family. He has abilities that others don’t,” she continued, stretching, then turning her attention to the map.

"What are his abilities?" Mikasa asked, thinking to herself that there must have been a reason why Zeke hadn't mentioned this to her.

“He can control the Titans. That's why he leads all operations related to them. Also, if he had the founding Titan, he could gain divine powers” she paused “like raising the dead.”

Mikasa's eyes widened in shock at this. It seemed like Zeke was the one she had been looking for all along. The only question was how she could control Zeke to achieve this. And all of this required Grisha's power. Finally, Mikasa managed to stop her thoughts flowing like a river, and then spoke again as calmly as possible:

"I see. Then he really is one of the most powerful men on earth. Do others know about this? Or is it just you?"

“I, the Marley bosses, I think he told Colt,” he explained to her. “But if anyone asks you about this, you won’t hear from me.”

"If anyone asks, I'll lie and say I don't know anything," Mikasa replied, then added reassuringly. "Don't worry, I don't want to get you in trouble. I know how big a secret this is."

"Thank you," she nodded, then looked at Mikasa again. "But I'm interested. How do you plan to do what you want?"

"That's my problem," Mikasa replied, all she could do was hope that Pieck didn't know what she was planning.

“I thought you were going to be honest,” she said suddenly, looking at the map. “Because we both know what the only way is.”

"I'm sorry," Mikasa replied sadly. "But believe me, there are some things it's better not to know."

“Take care of yourself Mika-chan,” she looked up at her as she grabbed her upper arm. “Because once you're in his bed, there's no going back.”

Mikasa nodded. She had no idea how Pieck knew she was planning this, but it didn't matter. Hopefully she would keep her mouth shut and then there would be no problem. Mikasa knew that if she wanted to stick to her plan, she had to be strong. Because it was the only way to get Zeke to cooperate. It was the only way to get Armin back.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she tilted her head inquiringly. “I’m not stupid, I already know Zeke.”

"I know you're not stupid," Mikasa sighed. "Don't worry about Zeke. I'll get to know him too."

"But I hoped it wasn't like this," she said finally, and then the others entered the tent to begin the meeting.

During the meeting, Mikasa and Zeke were the main speakers. Both wanted to use a strategy that was both fast and effective against the enemy. During the meeting, they finally came to an agreement. Mikasa touched the man's hand or shoulder whenever she could. Mikasa saw a strange light flash in Zeke's eyes, so she knew that her touch was pleasurable to him, even if he tried to hide it. The woman thought that seducing Zeke would be easier than she thought.

When it was over and the people were leaving, Zeke folded his arms.

“What do you want?” he looked at the woman. She was different and he didn't like it.

Zeke's unexpected defensiveness and aloofness surprised Mikasa. Despite this, she tried to think of a witty response. However, nothing came to mind, so Plan B came up, which was manipulation.

"I just want us to get a little closer to each other. If we kept hating each other, we wouldn't be able to defeat the enemy with our combined strength."

"Okay," he nodded, knowing exactly how useful an Ackerman he could control would be. This woman was ruthless and probably at least as determined as he was. She could be useful in carrying out his plan. Not to mention, now that she had grown up in every way, he couldn't deny that she looked good.

"I'll stay close to you on the front lines. Together we'll go further than alone," Mikasa replied, then flashed a winning smile at Zeke.

“Of course,” he leaned towards her. “And I don’t know what you want, but think about it,” he whispered to the woman as he pushed up his glasses. He couldn’t believe someone could be so beautiful when she finally wasn’t looking at him angrily.

"I know exactly what I want," Mikasa stroked the man's arm. "You are the only unknown left in our shared equation."

He knew he should have asked how dare she do this. What kind of game she was playing, what she wanted. But he simply didn't know and didn't want to. Here was the chance to control an Ackerman while also playing them.

"Tell me what you want," he tried to soften her features.

"You know what I want," the woman said teasingly. "And from what I can see, you wouldn't mind either."

"That's quite a leap from yesterday's 'let's leave each other alone' ," he took a step closer. He wanted to know what Mikasa was planning.

"I was tired yesterday. I wasn't thinking clearly. I didn't know what I wanted then," Mikasa replied in a tone that was intended to be innocent.

“Then what are you waiting for?” he looked at her with a small grin on his lips.

"I'm waiting for you," Mikasa replied, looking deep into Zeke's eyes to ensure her words had a guaranteed impact.

Then the man suddenly pulled her close, so close that she could feel his breath on her face.

“Would you like something, Zeke?” she asked, gently caressing his cheek.

Meanwhile, Mikasa felt nauseous. And not just from Zeke, but from herself as well. She never thought she would do this in exchange for information. She just hoped Armin would forgive her for this.

"Yes," he declared, and as he caressed her cheek, all his self-control vanished and he pulled her into a kiss.

Chapter Text

Mikasa knew she couldn't just stand there and do nothing. So she suppressed her disgust and kissed him back. To make it seem even more determined, she ran her hand through Zeke's blond hair.

“This is what you wanted, huh?” he whispered seductively in her ear after they stopped kissing. He couldn't imagine that half a day was enough for him to see why this would turn into sex.

No, this wasn't what she wanted. She never wanted it to end like this. But now she couldn't say no. She had to see her plan through.

"I want much more from you than this, Zeke," Mikasa whispered seductively, then stroked his arm again. Then her hands wandered to Zeke's back, and her fingers began to run gentle circles there.

“Zeke, come on…” Colt stepped in, not expecting anything. The man just wanted to leave and do his job, but Zeke had kept him waiting too long and he didn’t have time for that. That was why he was here.

"Go. We'll talk later," Mikasa said, then smiled at Zeke, even though Colt was present. She hoped her smile was attractive enough for Zeke.

Then Zeke left, and as he walked out past Colt, the cold air slapped an unsettling thought across his face.

"What the fuck did I do?" he asked himself as he blinked a few times and wiped his mouth on his arm, hoping to get rid of the memory of Mikasa's touch.

“Um… is something wrong, Zeke?” asked Colt, walking next to the man.

“Have you ever been with a woman who made you lose your mind?” he asked him directly. Maybe a little too directly, but he needed an answer.

“Not really,” Colt shrugged. “The ones I was with were mostly… well, they were just to relieve tension. But why do you ask that?”

“Nothing special. I was just interested,” he said with his usual nonchalant face as they continued walking. Soon they saw Pieck, who was just waving cheerfully at them with Porco. Colt smiled happily, then forgot about Zeke's problem and started talking to Pieck.

“Mikasa?” Pieck looked at Zeke, who shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. But he didn't have to wait long because the woman immediately appeared, fully equipped.

"Are you ready to fight?" Mikasa asked firmly.

"Well, of course!" Gabi appeared excitedly with Falco, but Mikasa just shook her head. She wasn't willing to send children to the front to fight.

"Thank you," Reiner replied gratefully to Mikasa. The man also didn't want to see the two children on the battlefield.

The woman nodded and they headed towards the battlefield, where the fight was already in full swing.

"We'll take out the firing positions first, because then they won't be able to take us down if we turn into titans," Zeke reported the battle plan.

"Me and my team will take care of those," Mikasa said firmly.

“We'll take them out together,” the man grinned at the black hair. “You promised to be with me, anyway.”

"As you wish, Zeke," Mikasa flashed a flirtatious smile at the man. "I'll be happy to do anything with you alone."

“Well, these didn't look like this yesterday” Porco looked at Pieck in confusion when the pair had already disappeared from their sight to take down the enemy weapons. “Do you know anything about this?”

"I don't understand either," lied Pieck, who didn't want to share anything with the constantly babbling boy. She didn't want to get Mikasa into trouble.

“I think he just needs to fuck,” Colt said casually. “He’s not exactly the most approachable…”

"Don't be like Porco," Pieck rolled her eyes. "At least control your tongue. And if I may suggest, don't use that word in front of your beloved brother."

“Oh no, I won't use it because in the end he'll get an idea of what to do with Gabi if we leave them behind next time” Colt rolled his eyes. “But still. I'm right and we all know that.”

“I appreciate you at least keeping your mouth shut in front of the kids,” Pieck rolled her eyes.

“Good…” Colt said as Reiner arrived. “Hey, Reiner! Do you know anything about Zekemika?” he looked at him questioningly.

“About what?” Reiner asked in shock, then sat down next to Colt.

“Didn’t you see how heated these two were this morning?” Porco asked.

“You guys must be really bored,” Pieck sighed as she scanned the landscape with her binoculars to see when they might transform. “As if Mika-chan looks so like she wants Zeke’s company…”

“He seemed to me to be wanting her company this morning,” Colt retorted. “Didn’t you sense the tension between them?”

“The 'I want to kill you' tension?” the woman looked at them with interest. “Because I do.”

“That too. And another kind of tension,” Colt argued, as Porco looked from one to the other with interest.

“What exactly did you see, Colt?” Reiner said confusedly, cleaning his gun.

“That they were standing suspiciously close to each other,” Colt replied, then continued, getting more and more excited. “And they sometimes made eye contact. And I saw Mikasa secretly touch Zeke’s arm.”

“They've only known each other for two days. Aren't you overthinking this?” Reiner raised one eyebrow questioningly.

“They haven’t known each other for two days,” Colt argued. “They met on Paradise Island four years ago.”

"And believe me, they hated each other just as much there. Mikasa sent him to the ground the first time they met," Reiner said, who, although he wasn't used to it, now remembered Paradis.

“I didn’t know that,” Colt said excitedly. “What else do you know about them?”

"Nothing more. Because that's pretty much the story of the two of them," Reiner finished his rhyme.

“No more,” Colt pursed his lips.

“Don’t worry, Colt, I think this is just the beginning,” Porco replied, then patted the man on the shoulder in a friendly way. “I’m sure their story doesn’t end here.”

“Here comes the signal!” Pieck exclaimed as he saw Mikasa holding a red beacon at one of the firing positions.

Hearing this, the small group charged the enemy, all the while keeping an eye on Mikasa and Zeke to see if their leaders wanted to change direction or plan.

Porco and Reiner quickly transformed to break through the front and push forward. Zeke didn't delay either and transformed as well now that the enemy had no effective weapon against the Titans.

Mikasa held Colt and Pieck by her side as she charged forward. But she told Pieck not to transform into a Titan just yet. His Titan would be needed to surround the enemy and trap them.

However, not far away, the enemy targeted the Beast Titan, since if they transform Eldian soldiers, he can control them. Mikasa took this as the perfect opportunity to curry favor with Zeke without being too pushy. So Mikasa targeted the soldiers surrounding Zeke, trying to kill them as elegantly as possible, hoping to impress the man.

Zeke wasn't idle either, and adapting to the woman, he helped her. And when they got into the swing of things, they became almost unstoppable as a team.

Colt watched Zeke and Mikasa's team in amazement until Pieck told him they should move on. The man nodded, but noted to himself how well their superiors could work together.

The battle ended in victory and everyone started celebrating. Although Mikasa wasn't among the celebrants, which Zeke noticed. He thought she wasn't really the party type.

Mikasa would have loved to retreat to her tent to sleep. She wanted some peace and quiet, because she was quite tired. But then she realized that if she did that, she would miss a perfect opportunity to talk to Zeke. So she moved closer to the man, then smiled at him as kindly as possible and said:

"Now we've shown the enemy what we can do, haven't we? It's incredible how well we can work together to win."

"I thought you left already," Zeke looked down at her, not expecting Mikasa to still be here. But he didn't mind that much, although he still didn't really know what to use her approach for.

"Of course I'm here," Mikasa said, still smiling. "I wouldn't miss a conversation with the leader of the winning side," she added flatteredly.

"What do you want, Mikasa?" the man looked at her curiously. He simply couldn't understand why she was here now. "Are you that lonely or what?"

If Mikasa had been asked this question a few years ago, she would have gruffly replied that it wasn't, when the exact opposite was true.

But now she wanted to gain Zeke's trust and sympathy, so she answered in a completely different way:

"Even though I'm physically strong, I might need a little company. Don't you think so, Zeke? Don't you feel lonely among all these half-wits? You're a strategist who stands out from the crowd because of your intelligence."

"Stupids can be fun," he said with a sigh, as he finally took Mikasa's arm and they walked away so they could talk properly. "But I'm usually lonely. Do you still miss your friend?" he asked softly, remembering what Porco had said.

"I used to miss you a lot. But now I miss you less and less, since you're here for me," Mikasa said in a gentle voice, looking warmly at Zeke to make sure he believed her lie.

In fact, the woman still missed Armin. However, she wasn't going to tell Zeke this, because then he would have guessed her plan.

So, for greater effect, Mikasa carefully placed her hand on Zeke's arm, then said with a seductive smile:

"I don't need it anymore, because you will give me what I need."

“You know, you're a terrible actor,” the man laughed. “Don't tense up so much because you look like you need to shit,” he suggested to Mikasa, as they reached the open sky.

"I see you don't really know how to compliment a woman," Mikasa said, teasingly. "Would you like me to teach you?"

“Who said I wanted to compliment you?” he folded his arms in amusement. “I can’t believe you have that much experience to look so scary.”

"You don't look like you have much experience either," Mikasa said absentmindedly.

"More than you, little girl," he patted Mikasa on the shoulder with a smile. He didn't need another Yelena-type person at all because that woman made the hairs on his back stand up.

Mikasa was just annoyed by this response. She didn't like Zeke calling her a child. So she immediately retorted:

"We'll see about that."

"Yeah, we'll see," he shrugged, then stared at the sky for a while. Mikasa didn't answer. Instead, she looked up at the sky, curious to see what had caught Zeke's interest. "I've always wondered what we would find if we reached the stars," he suddenly stated as his gaze returned to Mikasa.

"Armin was interested in the ocean," Mikasa replied. There was no ulterior motive behind her words this time. It was simply the first thing that came to her mind.

“We have people who map the ocean, he would have liked that job,” Zeke replied as he spied the woman’s face for any emotion.

Mikasa nodded in agreement. But she didn't say anything more, because she still didn't trust Zeke. She already felt like she had said too much about herself. So she turned back to the topic of stars:

"What would you do if you could reach the stars?"

"I'd like to see what they're made of," he replied, stepping closer to Mikasa. "To see if there's life on them. Because who knows, maybe there are people living there. Or imagine the whole planet is full of titans."

"I didn't know you were such a dreamer," Mikasa smiled. "But humanity has invented so many things. That's why I'm sure we'll reach the stars one day."

“Our titans will probably drive it or something,” he said as he lit his cigarette. He knew the Marley leaders, he knew that the country was starting to lag behind technologically and that this was holding everyone back. “I don’t consider myself a dreamer, because our life is nothing more than a pre-written story.”

"I find that hard to believe," Mikasa replied thoughtfully. "After all, every person makes their own decisions and doesn't just drift with the flow."

“Then you realize that you can see the future, are you actually in control of your life? Or is everything you do already planned out?” he continued to philosophize as he blew out the smoke.

“Why, you can see the future?” the woman asked, then moved closer to Zeke to better hear what he was going to say.

"Sometimes. By chance, when I least expect it," he replied.

"I thought you could control this somehow," Mikasa replied in surprise. "But what have you seen of the future so far?"

"I saw you once," he told half the truth. "And that the war would soon be over. Just pictures."

“What did I do in it?” Mikasa asked curiously.

“You were annoying as always,” he shrugged, grinning. He probably wouldn’t tell her the truth.

"Then it's nothing new," Mikasa replied absentmindedly. "It's good to know I'm not changing."

"You can be a nice company if you want," he finally said.

"Really?" Mikasa asked in shock. She never thought that Zeke would ever say something without any sarcasm in it.

“You're nice now too,” he replied as he extinguished the cigarette butt. “In fact, it's downright pleasant to be with you when you give yourself.”

"Thank you," Mikasa replied, her head bowed. It actually frustrated her that Zeke had seen through her so easily. It would make it harder for her to keep her secrets.

"It's okay," he said as he gently tucked one of the strands that had escaped from the bun behind her ear.

Feeling this, Mikasa smiled. She hadn't thought that Zeke could be gentle. “So you can smile too,” he looked at her, smiling. “Surprising.”

"And from what I can see, it works for you too," Mikasa replied teasingly, looking up at the man again.

But then he took her chin in his hand and turned her head towards him and kissed her. Mikasa looked too good in the moonlight not to.

Mikasa kissed the man back. She placed her hands on his shoulders and closed her eyes. The man then grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him. This wasn't like breakfast. Instead, it was slow and sensual as he felt how soft her lips were. Mikasa let Zeke take control. So she just moved closer to him and then stroked his hair.

After a short while, he released her and headed towards his own tent. "Good night, Mikasa," he said back.

“Good night to you too, Zeke,” the girl replied, then headed for the tent to sleep.

Chapter Text

A few weeks later, the new soldiers arrived by train. The ones Mikasa really wanted to see on the front. Although the woman didn't know, there was Yelena among them, who directly put herself into one of the teams to be with Zeke at the front. When Yelena arrived, she immediately walked in front of Zeke and bowed to him. 

"I'm here, Zeke. Use me as you wish” said the woman.

"I'll let you know if I need anything," he said, adjusting his glasses and as soon as he saw Mikasa, he immediately looked at her for help.

"You’ll talk later. Now me and Zeke have to discuss the plan,” said Mikasa, who saw that Zeke wanted to leave that woman.

"Yes, we have an important meeting," Zeke confirmed to Mikasa as he felt better that the black haired one was here. Yelena didn't like that, of course.

"I'm also an important ally. I should also come to the meeting” argued Yelena.

"This won't be that kind of meeting," Mikasa let out a fake smile as she took Zeke's hand to quietly indicate who Yelena was dealing with. She won't let one of these bother idiots interfere with her plans. And luckily, Zeke didn't seem to like her very much either.

Seeing this, Yelena's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the fact that Mikasa was taking away Zeke. But she didn't say anything back because she didn't want a conflict. Instead, glancing at Zeke one last time, she began to speak: "I hope we can talk after the meeting."

"Of course we will," he answered confusedly, hoping that Yelena would leave him finally. He hated that she was too precious to cut off all contact with her, even though he would have loved to. "Thank you," he stated as Yelena disappeared and now he was standing alone with Mikasa.

"You’re welcome," Mikasa shrugged. Then she spoke again: "How do you know this irritating figure?"

"I saved her life once and since then she's been following me like a little cat," he sighed in confusion. He hated having to help others. "She’s useful, so I have to put up with her."

"As soon as it becomes useless, get rid of her. We don't need a mindless fanatic,” Mikasa said coldly.

"Are you jealous?" he asked suddenly. Of course, he will get rid of Yelena as soon as possible, but asking this question is much more interesting.

"No," Mikasa snapped at him immediately. Perhaps too quickly. "She’s just annoying," she added.

Zeke just grinned and put his arms around her shoulders. "Calm down, you're still my favorite," he declared enthusiastically and pressed a kiss to Mikasa's irritated cheek. This finally made her smile again. She liked Zeke showering her with attention. "It's better now I see," then his hand slipped from her shoulder to her waist as they walked.

"I agree," Mikasa replied as her hand slid to his back. Before they could do anything, Pieck appeared.

"According to information, the army has been regrouped and they will attack soon," she handed Mikasa her report.

Mikasa nodded and quickly stepped away from Zeke. She then read the report. After she had finished, she spoke:

"Let's line up the soldiers. Everyone should be ready to fight.” Zeke nodded at this and went about his business.

"You two became quite close in a couple of weeks," Pieck said when Zeke was no longer in sight.

"Well, yes. I didn't think it would be like this” Mikasa shrugged innocently.

"Do you already…?" she began as she kindly took her friend's arm but did not finish. She didn't want this to be the end, but she knew that she wouldn't stop Mikasa.

"Already what?" Mikasa asked with mock incomprehension.  She hoped that if she pretended to be stupid, she wouldn't have to answer the unspoken question.

"You know what I mean," Pieck saw through her. They were friends, that was undeniable and therefore she knew Mikasa very well. "You two haven't made love yet, have you?" She asked the whole question.

"No, of course not," Mikasa snapped quickly, then turned away in confusion. Then Pieck sighed in relief, as if a stone had fallen from her heart.

"Leave all of this Mika-chan," she begged, knowing it wasn't too late. It might have seemed like a good idea at first, but the more Pieck watched them, the less she liked it.

"Don't worry, it won't be a problem," Mikasa answered, then looked back at Pieck. She thought it better not to share with her friend what she was or wasn’t planning.

"You always say that before you plan to do something dangerous," her friend told her as she crossed her arms, not at all convinced. "But if you need help, call me," she muttered, knowing it's better to help her because at least she can keep an eye on her.

"Okay, I'll talk to you," Mikasa promised, even though she actually preferred to solve her problems on her own.

At this, Pieck nodded cautiously, but hugged Mikasa. She knew she would never tell her, but now she could see that she needed a hug. Mikasa was quite surprised by this at first. But then she didn't protest and she hugged Pieck too. 

"Thank you," Mikasa muttered, glad to have someone backing her up.

"It's okay Mika-chan, we're friends," he said. This was the first time that Pieck openly called Mikasa his friend. "Anyway, even the strongest woman in the world might need a hug every now and then." She laughed at this and finally let Pieck go.

"I guess you're right," Mikasa said, still smiling.

"Well, let's go, because the battle isn't waiting. Although, let's say, with that much power, Ymir could have made a titan capable of stopping time” said the woman as they started to get ready.

"That wouldn't have been bad. At least we could rest more,” Mikasa answered, then started after Pieck.

And soon they were in the middle of the battle. Mikasa and Zeke protected each other's backs as always, if necessary the man pulled him closer to catch a bullet, considering that as a shapeshifter, he didn't even feel such things and healed immediately.

Mikasa tried to do everything to prevent the enemy from breaking through their lines. For the time being, she was quite successful in this, because the enemy could not even approach their camp. While Mikasa was fighting, she surprised even herself with how well she was able to work with Zeke. After all, before when it came to a confrontation, she only counted on herself and trusted no one.

However, when they started to surround them, Zeken had less and less patience to kill them one by one. However, the fact that Mikasa was standing next to him would not necessarily have risked him, but if something were to happen to Mikasa, Magath would scream his head off. But let's say the man had a theory that he could never test, but Mikasa might be perfect for it. So at one point he pulled her close and bit hid hand while holding her tightly.

The next moment Mikasa realized that she was inside Zeke's titan as she felt an incredible heat from the titan's steam. 

"What… what happened?" the girl asked in shock, while Zeke next to her already started to control the titan.

The man hung unconscious in the titan, the muscles clinging to his arms and face.

Mikasa sighed. She realized she wasn't going to get an answer now. So all she could do was let Zeke handle things and hope she could get out of here soon.

Meanwhile, he continued the destruction with the greatest enthusiasm. He almost forgot about Mikasa until he felt someone touch his face.

"Once you're done killing, we need to talk," Mikasa said with her hand still on Zeke's face. "I don't like it when you involve me in a plan that we haven't agreed on beforehand."

"I think you're quite comfortable there," the man said. "I didn't involve you in any plans anyway, because it wasn't a plan, I just thought I'd try it if you're already here anyway."

"I didn't think you could talk like that," Mikasa answered in surprise. "But if that's the case, wouldn't you mind telling me when you intend to let me go?"

"If I say never, what will you do?" he asked her amusedly. "But I really enjoy having you here. It's makes this less lonely after all.”

"I would be forced to resort to violence," shrugged Mikasa, who stated all this in a completely calm and matter-of-fact manner. There wasn't even a hint of threat in his voice. "Maybe it’s more fun for you that way, but the place is quite tight and I'm starting to feel uncomfortable," added Mikasa.

"Then make yourself comfortable because this is going to take a while," he laughed and his human body seemed to smile as well.

"Great," Mikasa rolled her eyes. 

But still, she tried to make herself comfortable. However, this was quite difficult for her due to the narrow space. But now that Zeke was so vulnerable and he was so close, she couldn't help but observe the man closely.

The man looked ahead in concentration, while his face showed more of his muscles. And his hands and feet were attached to the titan, also with strong and thick muscles.

"I can feel you staring at me from here. Is there something on my face or what?” he asked sarcastically.

"Don't worry, your face is fine," Mikasa replied. "I was just watching your titan work. Impressive,” she said, then hugged Zeke. "I've never seen so many muscles working at once."

"If you're interested, I can tell you how it works tonight," he said as he was filled with warmth. It's been a long time since anyone hugged him like that.

"Okay," Mikasa replied with a smile, then moved closer to Zeke.

"Well, this is quite motivating," he declared cheerfully and finished the slaughter as quickly as possible. Then his human body started to wake up and as soon as he freed his arms he hugged Mikasa back.

"That's better," Mikasa replied cheerfully as Zeke's titan began to disintegrate around them.

"You were impressive," he said enthusiastically as he adjusted his glasses. "You survived, but others either would have burned or exploded."

"You were too," Mikasa said, then released him, as the others could see them now. "If you hadn't been here, it would have been harder for us to win."

"Yeah," he declared proudly, then suddenly picked her up in his arms. Of course, Mikasa instinctively began to object. "Come, I'll take you now that you've worked so hard today and you've put up with me."

"Where are you taking me?" Mikasa asked as she continued to try to free herself from the grip of his arms. "What do you want from me again?"

"Who knows," he shrugged as Zeke headed towards the camp as everyone watched the woman in his arms. This made Mikasa blush. She didn't like being the focus of attention. She hated being stared at. 

"Don't you want to put me down?" Mikasa asked tensely.

"No," he answered and instead held the woman even closer to him. "Anyway, you're a Captain, you can't be so afraid of people watching you."

"I'm not afraid. I just don't like it,” Mikasa admitted, still not understanding where Zeke was taking her.

"You'd better get used to it," he whispered into her ear as they entered his tent, which could easily have passed for a regular room.

"Nice tent," Mikasa stated. "The way I see it, our superiors must like you if they give you something like this."

"Well, I'm the captain of the Warriors," he said, and as he looked down at her, he became curious. "I'm sure you have a nice little tent too."

"My tent isn't small, but it's not as big as this," Mikasa answered, then waved. "But it doesn't matter. Why did you bring me here?”

"I just wanted to talk," he then laid the woman down on his bed, and he sat down next to her.

"About what?" Mikasa asked, then moved closer to Zeke.

"The titans, and..." he then took out one of his bags from under his bed, then fished out a thick book, which he handed to Mikasa. "About the ocean. If you want to feel closer to your friend.”

This only shocked Mikasa even more. She didn't think she would ever get something like this from Zeke. 

Finally, she carefully took the book from him and looked at its cover. But he didn't dare to open it anymore. She was afraid that her emotions would take over her and she would burst into tears. She thought to herself, this book should not be held by her, but by only Armin.

"It has a whole section on whales and dolphins. Your friend must have liked it” he leaned on the bed, hoping that his plan would work and Mikasa would open up a little.

Mikasa nodded and finally opened the book. She then navigated to where these animals were mentioned. At first, the woman only looked at the pictures and then read the text, because she thought that Armin would have wanted her to do the same. But for now, she still couldn't speak. She's used to keeping her pain to herself.

"You like it as I see," he sat up, then rested his head on her shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, feeling that he was close. A little more caressing and Mikasa opens up.

Mikasa just quietly shook her head as she felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes. The woman sniffed a little now. But even so, she tried to show herself to be strong.

Then the man gently pulled her to him, hoping that she would be okay, but Mikasa had other plans. More precisely, she immediately hugged him and started to cry, quickly soaking his shirt. It happened so suddenly that Zeke looked at her in confusion for a few moments, then finally hugged her tightly.

As she sobbed, she buried her head in his chest. She felt he needed someone to hold her while she suffered.

"Cry as much as you like," he finally murmured as he held the woman and kissed her hair, noting to himself how good she smelled. He felt deeply, very deeply, that now everything had become a little different. Maybe because despite what he made himself believe; that life has no meaning, he actually was waiting for someone to come and prove him wrong. And he wanted to believe that this someone had finally come.

Mikasa slowly began to calm down. However, even after her tears dried, she didn't pull away from Zeke. She felt good that after so many years of lonely suffering, someone was finally giving her comfort.

Chapter Text

A few days later, a message was received from Magath that they should find out what the enemy was up to. And with that, he entrusted Zeke and Mikasa, who sat down in the man's tent to discuss the plan. 

"For sure, we can't use your titan form for espionage," Mikasa began. "We would draw too much attention to ourselves."

"I've been waiting for when I can destroy the entire city," he leaned closer, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear again. Anyway, he liked those missions where not only physical force had to be used. Where he could think and relax a bit.

"First we need to gather information. But then I promise, you can destroy everything once we are finished” Mikasa tried to joke. In the meantime, she carefully sat closer to Zeke, because she liked his touch.

"What a generous offer," he nodded approvingly as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want to participate again? Your hug last time was also very motivating.”

"I'm glad you liked it," she replied with a smile. "When we're not spying, I promise, I'll hug you again." 

After that, her attention returned to the map and she tried to come up with a sane plan that might work.

“Well, then I think now that we've gotten into this, our best chance is to go as a couple, especially since there's a festival now. No one would suspect” Zeke told the plan as he watched the map while holding her waist.

"Okay," Mikasa agreed, then added. "As far as I can see, that would be fine for us anyway."

"You see it right," he smiled, then leaned close to her. By the way, if they are alone, it will be easier to get information from Mikasa.

The same thought played out in Mikasa's mind. She thought she might learn more information about Zeke's ability to raise the dead during the mission.

Then the man watched the woman's steel gray eyes, then giving in a little to the temptation, he kissed her. Then he grabbed her waist to pull her closer to him.

Mikasa kissed Zeke back as her fingers got lost in his blond locks. She then sat on his lap to be even closer to him. She trusted that this would also help her seduce him.

It didn't take long for them to lie down on the bed as all his rational thoughts left the man. He didn't even understand why Mikasa had such an effect on him. It drove him crazy. Unlike Zeke, Mikasa had only just started to really think. She remembered her plan again, that in bed Zeke might tell her more about his powers.

"You're driving me crazy," he said as he kissed her neck. And with his hands he started fiddling with the woman's buttons.

"I can drive you even more crazy than that," Mikasa replied, then stroked the man's back. Finally, her hands stopped at Zeke's waist.

The man laughed at this and then stopped for a moment to observe the woman. Her cheeks were flushed as she took in a breath, and her arms, having slipped from her back, were spread over her head.

"How did you lose your finger?" he suddenly asked as he watched her right hand. Mikasa didn't seem like someone who could lose a fight like that.

"I'll tell you later," she replied, then kissed him again. For now, she didn't want to talk about her past. Anyway, she had planned that Zeke would talk more today and not her.

"Byt I’m interested," he whispered in her ear as he continued what he had started.

"I'd be interested in a thing or two about you too," Mikasa replied, then moved closer to Zeke, signaling him not to stop what he had started.

"What do you want to know?" he asked as he pulled off her shirt and started kissing her collarbone.

"For example, what can your titan do? After seeing what your titan looked inside, I don't think you can only use it for fighting,” Mikasa replied as she let the man continue what he had started. "You said you could see the future. Is it also because of your shifter abilities?”

"My titan is much more mobile than the others," she began and kissed him again. "I can control the other titans as well, although it's actually due to the royal blood."

"You didn't even say you had royal blood," Mikasa said, then slipped her hands under the man's shirt. "I suppose there are quite a few advantages that come from royal blood."

"Advantages? It's more like a curse,” he said to the woman with a sigh, and then started to unbutton his shirt. "But maybe once I succeed I can use it for something else."

"Why would it be a curse? And what would you use it for?” Mikasa asked, then she helped to take off the man's shirt.

"If you tell me how you lost your finger, I'll answer," he offered, knowing what Mikasa wanted.

"It was shot off in a fight," answered the woman, who was confident that this information would be enough for Zeke.

"You don't look like someone who would let their finger be shot off," he said as he began tracing her face with his fingers. "And what do I want? To put an end to all this suffering.”

"How would you like to end the suffering?" Mikasa inquired, glad that Zeke didn't ask any more questions about the finger.

"Who knows? You still know more about me than I do about you” he looked down at her amusedly.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Mikasa said suspiciously, not feeling like she knew that much about Zeke. She felt that he was still hiding a lot from her.

"Well, now we'll definitely get to know each other thoroughly," he grinned as he pulled the woman to him and started to take off her pants with his free hand. "So tell me more about yourself."

"If that's what you want, I can tell you” Mikasa answered, and after stroking the man's back, she continued. “Sometimes I feel strange that I am the leader of a team. Because I couldn't read and write for quite a long time. I only learned this when I became a cadet. But the teachers there contributed less to this. Actually, I can thank Armin for that too. As soon as we got into a safer environment, he taught me that.”

"He must know that you are grateful to him," he hugged the woman. "But don't be afraid, driving is going well. You're smarter than you think” he kissed her neck.

"Thank you," Mikasa replied gratefully, then moved closer to Zeke. "But now it's your turn. Talk about royal blood.”

"It can't do a lot of things on its own. I need the Founding Titan to achieve something,” he said, catching her and smoothing her thigh. "But it's not certain either. Because in order to gain divine power, Ymir herself must be convinced,” he explained, thinking that Mikasa didn't understand much of it anyway.

"And the founding titan is with Grisha," thought Mikasa. "So if you're going to accomplish something, you're going to need Grisha, right?"

"Yes, that was the point of the mission four years ago." Because of this, he said as he gripped the bottom of the woman who started to moan. And this made the man smile because he finally found a sensitive spot on her.

Mikasa tried to keep thinking clearly. However, because of Zeke's hands, it became increasingly difficult for her to do it. Still, she asked one more question before she forgot it too:

"Now that Grisha is here, what do you plan to do with him? Why haven't you done anything until now?”

"No one found Grisha and considering that the mission failed, Marley doesn't even care anymore," he told her the truth as he reached for his belt to untie it.

"So he ran away," stated Mikasa, who didn't mind that Zeke started to get rid of his clothes in the process. "I should have paid more attention to him."

"This just shows that it's not worth entrusting anything to Reiner," he declared as he took off his pants.

"I agree," Mikasa replied, then moved closer to Zeke. She then caressed his chest and said flatteringly, "Everyone knows you're Marley's best fighter. That's why this case should have been entrusted to you.”

"I like it better when you don't play yourself," he whispered to her amusedly. He then looked down at the woman to see his masterpiece while holding himself by her head with both arms.

"Do you like what you see?" Mikasa asked as she also looked over Zeke's body. 

And she preferred not to deal with the fact that he noticed again that he tried to manipulate her.

"I am," he tilted his head and pulled her into another kiss.

Mikasa immediately returned Zeke's kiss, then wrapped her arms tightly around the man's neck. 

In the meantime, she thought to herself, she hopes it will all pay off one day and she will get the information she needs.

This was interesting, because the man knew from the beginning that Mikasa wanted something from him. Information. Despite this, he entered the game as he has never been behind. But he never thought that despite all this, their bodies would betray them and they would desire each other so much.

"You don't seem to be making my job difficult," he whispered in her ear.

"You don't mine either," Mikasa cooed seductively into his ear. Then, after running her palm along his chest, she said cheekily: "Do you want to do something, or are you just going to talk?"

The man was quick, grabbing her and pulling her close to him, and although Mikasa was quite wet, he didn't expect her to be a bit tight. And at that moment, she dug her finger into his back.

Mikasa was in so much pain that she couldn't even speak. In fact, she even forgot about her plan for a moment. Instead, she just concentrated on trying not to cry because of the pain in her body as she squeezed his back.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked immediately as he stopped to give her time to get used to this.

"Because you didn't ask," Mikasa answered panting, then clenched her teeth, because the pain was still unbearable for her.

At that he just shook his head and hugged the woman instead, trying to think of something, because even though he had been with quite a few women, none of them were... he didn't even want to think about it, instead he tried to think that despite all this, this was at least as good as in his vision.

"What can I do so that it doesn't hurt so much?" Mikasa muttered while still clutching his back. 

And inside, she hated how vulnerable, weak and helpless she was at this moment. She much preferred situations where she was in charge.

"You could be less tense. I won't bite your head off” he planted kisses on her neck. Anyway, Mikasa also asked the best person because Zeke understood this situation as much as she did.

"I'll try," Mikasa replied, then tried to relax and try to enjoy his touch. 

That made her close her eyes and try to focus on the pleasant part of things. When she finally relaxed a little, he went back to work. This time, however, it was much gentler. So much so that he even surprised himself.

"Thank you," Mikasa whispered, then gently stroked the man's hair. 

Meanwhile, she tried to relax even more so that she could better receive Zeke's movements.

When they finally got used to it, Mikasa's fingers didn't dig as deep into his back anymore. Instead, she began to sigh and then Zeke knew he was on the right track.

Meanwhile, Mikasa realized that she should do something to make him feel good. So she started stroking Zeke's back and arms. Her other hand was lost in the man's blond locks.

The man, on the other hand, caught the hand on her arm and laced their fingers together instead. And since it was his hand that was missing his finger, he kissed it gently. This first caused Mikasa to sigh and then blush. No one had ever treated her so gently.

"I think you already know, but I'll tell you anyway. You are beautiful” he continued to caress his hand and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you," Mikasa replied, caressing his cheek. "You look good too. I mean, when you're in human form.”

"I thought you were in love with my titan form," he laughed and hugged Mikasa wholeheartedly without thinking.

Mikasa was quite surprised at this gesture. But because she liked it, she ended up hugging Zeke back. In the meantime, she didn't even notice, but she started to smile. And the man enthusiastically finished his masterpiece while whispering his secrets to her. Because at that moment nothing mattered except that they were together.

And Mikasa listened to Zeke's words. Even though it was quite difficult for her to grasp them under the current circumstances. And when they finished, the man hugged Mikasa and pulled her to him while caressing her side. He didn't care about anything after that. Being with a woman had never been so good before.

The woman surprisingly liked the man's words and touch, especially compared to the fact that she originally only wanted to use him for information. Mikasa didn't fully understand how this could happen. She hadn't planned on feeling anything more than indifference towards him. This left her a little confused, and she would have liked to tell someone about her feelings. However, she knew that Armin was dead, so she would no longer be able to give advice. And she didn't want to drag Pieck into it. She finally shook her head, then turned back to Zeke so that they were not just lying in silence, but now next to each other. 

"I hope this experience wasn't that horrible," Mikasa spoke as she let him hug her again.

"We will definitely do it again," he declared confidently, as he was already lovingly hugging the woman. He shouldn't have, he should have done what he always did after he was with a woman. Leave her at the first opportunity, let her do what she wants. But not Mikasa. He wanted to hold her, rest next to her as if nothing were more natural.

"Okay," Mikasa nodded. Then she spoke in an unusually vulnerable voice: "Can we rest a little longer? I don't think I can get up from here yet.”

Then Zeke just pulled her closer and Mikasa's head pressed against his chest. And then, without saying too much, the man fell asleep, his head buried in his pillow.

Mikasa soon fell asleep as well. For once, her dreams were not accompanied by dead and regretted decisions. Instead, she just slept peacefully.

Chapter Text

“ZEKE!” Pieck shouted as he entered the tent. "I can't find Mika-chan, you don't know where..." she began and then suddenly stopped.

Mikasa was quite stunned when she saw Pieck enter the tent. This made her immediately blush and quickly wrap a blanket around herself. "What do you want, Pieck?" Mikasa asked, her face still flushed.

"I'll wait for you to get ready first," the woman declared, then exited the tent. Interestingly, Zeke didn't wake up for all of this, he just continued to sleep in bed. After that, Mikasa quickly got dressed. Before leaving the tent, she took one last look at Zeke, then started after Pieck.

"What the hell did I see?" was Pieck's question as soon as she saw the woman coming out of the tent. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I’m not out of my mind” answered Mikasa, a little offended. "Anyway, couldn't you have signalled to me before you walked through the flaps of the tent?"

"Mikasa, it's the middle of the day, of course I don't think that..." she began and then stopped when she saw Mikasa's neck, which made her take out the hairpin from Mikasa’s hair and start straightening her black hair falling on her shoulders.

"Um, what do you want now, Pieck?" Mikasa asked in surprise. The woman did not understand why her friend took the hairpin from her.

"I just don't want the whole camp to see what your neck looks like," she pressed the hairpin into her hands as she finished, while Mikasa put her hands on her neck in fear.

"Thank you," Mikasa finally muttered in shame, completely forgetting about her neck. After that, she left Pieck to do her work without saying a word.

"Mikasa," the woman stepped back a little. "What the hell is wrong with you? If you needed the information so badly, you could have just told me” she puckered up her lips, recalling what she had seen.

"I originally just wanted information from him," Mikasa finally began, still staring at the ground. "But now... I feel like I've started to get closer to him."

"How..." Pieck looked at his friend completely confused. "What? You…”

"Yes. Me,” Mikasa muttered. "What do I do now?"

"Okay, this is completely unexpected, but..." she then gently took Mikasa's shoulders, "if he loves you, there's nothing wrong with that. And there's nothing wrong... I've known Zeke for a long time, usually when he's with women he leaves the first minute after he's done, but now... he stayed here with you,” she explained, running her fingers through her hair in confusion. "That's why I didn't expect such a sight, if you want to know."

"I see," Mikasa nodded. "Then I hope that means he won't dump me so quickly." She then smiled at Pieck: "Thank you for your help. Without you, my life here in Marley would be much more difficult.”

"It's okay," Pieck hugged her quickly. "But he didn't hurt you, did he? I haven't seen you with a man before, so I guess it was your first time. I can give advice if needed, I've been with quite a few people..”

"He didn't hurt me. Although it hurt a little,” Mikasa admitted, blushing. She wasn't used to talking about something like this.

"Bad news," Pieck tilted her head. "It will hurt the first couple of times, but less and less. But the good news is that afterwards it will be very good, you will love it. Also, see if you bleed a little. It happens to many of us after the first time,” the woman told her. She remembered that Mikasa wasn't really taught about such things, considering that survival was always more important than anything else on Paradis.

"Well, that doesn't sound good," Mikasa pursed her lips. She then cleared her throat in confusion and added, "And... what should I do if I'm bleeding?"”

"Same as when you're on your period. Investigate at the bedding too” she nodded towards the tent. "And be honest with yourself even if you're not with honest me."

"Okay. Thanks for the advice,” Mikasa nodded. And she was really glad for Pieck telling her all this. Now it was a good thing that she had a girl friend, because Armin certainly wouldn't have been able to help with that, even though he was smart and empathetic.

"And the most important thing is Mikasa," Pieck squeezed her shoulders. "If you really feel something, tell him. He may look like a monster and sometimes act like a barbarian, but... he has feelings and has empathy. He won't play with you if you tell him.”

"I'll tell him," she promised. "But for now I'll wait. Everything is still so hazy now. I don't quite understand what I'm feeling exactly,” Mikasa admitted.

"You’ll find out. It's not like you two won't spend a week together. Yes, I know about your mission," she giggled cheerfully. "Well, go and wake up the blond prince because you will be leaving at sunset."

"Okay," Mikasa nodded. Then, before leaving the scene, she turned back one last time: "Thank you for everything. Just don't tell anyone about it. OK?”

"My lips are sealed, Mika-chan!" She held his index finger to her lips and then saw Mikasa enter the tent. "I hope they figure out their feelings because they would be a good couple," she sighed and went about her business.

Meanwhile, Mikasa returned to the tent and gave Zeke a not-so-gentle shake. “Wake-up. We have to go on a mission,” the girl said.

"Five more minutes," Zeke mumbled half asleep, then added almost unconsciously: "I was just with the most beautiful woman I've ever seen..."

Hearing the five more minutes, Mikasa almost kicked him to have him finally get up. But then, hearing his second sentence, she changed her mind. Rather, she just sat next to him and waited in silence. No one had ever told her something like that before. Before long, the man got up and got ready without saying a word.

"I'd say you look at me just as grumpy as my mother, but I don't remember her anymore so I can't say it for sure," he turned back and said, while Mikasa looked at him curiously, crossing her arms.

"Why don't you remember your mother?" asked Mikasa, who remembered that Eren was in the same situation and he neither remembered his parents, or anything from Shiganshina.

"She was a terrible person who wanted to make a weapon out of me along with my father, so I betrayed them," he said with a stone face.

"I didn't expect that," Mikasa answered in shock. "Does this mean she’s dead?"

"I hope so," he replied, trying to stay as tough as ever.

"I've never met a person who wished their parents dead," Mikasa shook her head.

"And yours? Were they nice and did everything for you? That’s why you become so crazy?” he looked at her a little more tensely than he should have.

"My parents were nice," Mikasa answered. Then she added gloomily: "But they died. After that, Grisha and Carla continued to raise me. Carla also died. And you know what happened with Grisha.”

"That explains everything," he declared coldly, then turned and was about to leave.

"Wait," Mikasa answered, then grabbed his arm. "I didn't mean to offend you. I'm sorry for what happened.” 

Then the man suddenly stopped and then looked down at the woman. No one ever came to him to apologize like that. "What should you be sorry for? You have nothing to do with it.”

"But yes,I have. Now that I've gotten to know you, I have something to do with it,” Mikasa answered with unusual gentleness. "And because of that, I think you deserved better."

"You're talking like…" he began, shaking his head, but stopped himself. He didn't know what would have happened if he had said "if you were my girlfriend..." .

"Yes?" Mikasa asked with her head tilted to the side. She didn't know Zeke well enough to guess his thoughts.

"Nothing," he shook his head quickly. "Let's go."

"Okay," Mikasa nodded.

She figured if Zeke didn't want to tell her, she wouldn't force it. She knew how annoying it was to be questioned. But of course he couldn't stop himself and finally pulled the woman to him.

"But are you okay?" he asked her gently.

"I’m fine," Mikasa replied as she hugged him too. "Don't worry, everything's fine."

Meanwhile, Zeke stroked her head gently. He didn't want this moment to end. This made Mikasa sigh happily. She liked his closeness. Therefore, her muscles slowly relaxed and she closed her eyes. Zeke wanted to ask if it was still part of the game, because he couldn't decide for sure anymore. All he knew was that he wanted to be with her, no matter how annoying she was.

Mikasa was also starting to get confused between what was real and what was pretending. However, she did not tell Zeke this. Only this moment mattered now.

The cute moment was ruined by Yelena's entrance. The woman was looking for Zeke because she wanted to say goodbye to him before he left. Of course, the woman would have been happy if she could go with the man, not the black-haired girl who thinks she's cool because she kills her enemies quickly.

"What do you want?" Mikasa asked Yelena sullenly, who didn't like the blonde haired woman's presence.

"I wanted to say goodbye," she said and quickly added. "Not from you," she then looked at Zeke and sent him a smile.

"Send your greetings quickly," Mikasa said listlessly, then crossed her arms.

Yelena nodded at that, and since Mikasa was already standing a little bit further, she bowed to the man and gave him a kiss on his cheek. Zeke was also confused, because Yelena was never this direct, but before he could speak, the blonde haired woman waved at him and disappeared.

"I don't like Yelena poking her nose into everything," Mikasa said after Yelena had already disappeared from the scene.

At that, the man just shrugged his shoulders, and then they walked towards the train.

"If I didn't know you, I'd say you're jealous," he rolled his eyes amusedly.

"I'm not," Mikasa said gruffly. "Let's forget about Yelena. Let's deal with the mission instead.”

As they sat in the compartment and looked at the landscape, Zeke just felt that something had changed, but he didn't know exactly what. What should he have said? Like, hey Mikasa, is this all really just manipulation?

Meanwhile, Mikasa was looking out the window. She thought to herself how they could integrate with the enemy as effectively as possible.

"It's going to be a long journey..." the man sighed and then sat down on the table bored. To this, the girl just nodded in agreement. "And... How was it on Paradis?" he finally asked, as he was interested in exactly how the woman got to the point where she brought Grisa to them in a barrel four years ago.

"When I was a child and I had Armin and Eren by my side, it was good," answered Mikasa thoughtfully. "Then after the fall of Shinganshina, everything changed..."

"What happened after Shiganshina?" He took out a glass or two and a bottle of wine that was in the booth. He also poured for her because he knew that this story would be really long.

"Eren was adopted while Armin and I, on the other hand, ended up together. We stayed by each other’s side and worked in a labor camp for minimal food,” Mikasa said. "None of us would have survived the conditions there alone."

"And why weren't you adopted? Why was only Eren so exceptional?” he asked as he drank the wine.

"Eren ran away from us and was found by his aunt. No one found me and Armin” answered Mikasa, then stared out the window.

"There are so many people suffering needlessly on that island," Zeke empathised with Mikasa. "I hope you never have to go hungry here."

"I was never hungry here," she answered. "Fortunately, the soldiers are always given enough food. I'm just sorry that Armin didn't get to experience this,” Mikasa said, lowering her voice.

Then the man sighed, then put his hand on Mikasa's and stroked her wrist. "Wherever your friend is, he wouldn't want you to be sad about this."

"I guess you're right," Mikasa replied with a sigh. "I don't know what he would think of me now, but I'm sure he wouldn't want me to be sad."

"Then don't be sad," he nursed his glass, as his hand was still resting on hers. "I won't let you be sad."

Hearing this, Mikasa smiled and then spoke: "Thank you."

"You’re welcome," he nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. This made Mikasa blush. Still, she returned Zeke's kindness and slid closer to him.

The man then continued to drink his wine, pouring another glass after another out of boredom, until he drank quite a lot of it.

"I've always thought that life had no meaning," he finally admitted as he tiredly laid down on the table and started playing with the glass.

"Why? Do you think differently now?" Mikasa asked, then she also leaned back in the seat.

At this, the man smiled sheepishly, as if he knew something very interesting. "Yes," he said simply, because the alcohol was no longer holding him back. "The meaning. It's you."

"Are you sure it's not just the alcohol talking?" Mikasa asked suspiciously, not really wanting to believe the man's words. 

She thought to herself that she could not be the meaning of anyone's life. She had a too gloomy personality for that.

"Do you want to know?" Then he looked towards her longingly. "Although it's not like you care, since you're manipulating me because you want something from me. As everyone always does.”

At these words, Mikasa was surprised again. She didn't expect that Zeke would confront her with this one day. 

"Don't pretend you didn't do the same," Mikasa finally said grimly. "You want something from me too. I just couldn't figure out what yet.”

"The problem is that even I don’t," he was now drinking from the wine bottle. "I thought it would be a good game. I didn't expect these… feelings.”

"I think that much wine was enough," Mikasa said, then simply took the bottle from the man. "I don't like alcoholics. Anyway, it is better to think about emotions soberly.”

"Hey!" He tried to reach after the woman (more precisely, after the bottle). If he had to spend the whole trip with Mikasa and his feelings, he'd rather be completely drunk so he wouldn't accidentally remember at least.

"Forget it," Mikasa said, then threw the bottle out the compartment window.

"You won," he said as he sprawled listlessly on the table and buried his face in his arms. "What do you want?"

"First of all, to sober up. Then tell me honestly how you feel,” Mikasa replied calmly as she folded her arms in front of her chest.

"As you wish," he rolled his eyes and went to the washroom to sober up.

Meanwhile, Mikasa remained in the train compartment. And to herself, she began to think about what to do with the drunken Zeke if he wasn't going to sober up by the time they arrived in enemy territory.

Chapter Text

When Mikasa was trying to survive with Armin, the boy never touched alcohol, even though he could have stolen it from Hannes. So she had no idea how to behave with a drunk person who was also a close acquaintance of hers.

Since he usually handled alcohol well, Zeke didn't have to do much to get sober again. It was enough that he splashed some water on his face while whipping himself that he was still listening to Mikasa, even though he had no reason to. So when he returned, he just sat down next to her and didn't say anything.

"Are you better yet?" Mikasa asked, then gently brushed a blonde strand out of the man's eyes. 

Meanwhile, she thought that when Zeke was finally sober again, she would ask him how serious he was about what he had said earlier. She wouldn't have been surprised if it was just manipulation or something. It all just seemed too good to be true.

"Yes," he nodded while trying to look everywhere but at Mikasa. He also hoped that she wouldn't bring it up, because then he would really have to confess all of this. And he didn't know how to do it.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" she asked the question that had been on her mind for some time. "Or was it just the alcohol talking?"

"Yes," he finally groaned, looking towards the window so he wouldn't see her face. "But like I said, there's no point in it."

"But…why?" Mikasa asked in shock. "I thought you were just trying to use me."

"Because I like you," he declared softly as he watched the passing landscape. "Because you're like me. A weapon that can only survive in this world by betraying everything and everyone for a higher purpose.”

"Oh..." Mikasa said in shock. "I haven't thought about that this way. But I think you're right, Zeke,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We're both alike. Like two sides of a coin. And I think… I like you too.”

Then the man finally turned towards her and looked into Mikasa's steel gray eyes. Then, in a split second, he pulled her close and kissed her passionately. Mikasa immediately pulled closer to him and she kissed him back. In the meantime, she completely surrendered to the feeling, thus ending thinking. As soon as he ran out of air, he started kissing her neck as they reclined on the seats. In the meantime, he ran his free hand along her side and grabbed her ass, because that also made her make beautiful sounds in the morning.

This time was no different. She began to gasp louder and louder as her hands ran under his shirt. And she completely forgot that they were on the train right now, and maybe they should wait.

"You're mine," he declared between kisses as he freed Mikasa from her clothes. They still had time before they arrived.

"And you’re mine," Mikasa replied, her voice trembling with desire. After the cold air touched his skin, he somehow recovered. That's why he spoke again: "Close the compartment door. I don't want anyone to see us.”

Zeke didn't need more, he closed the door with a well-aimed move so that at least he didn't have to go far. After that, he returned to the woman and took off his clothes and threw them on the small pile of clothes under the table, which just piled up.

"I'll try to be quiet," Mikasa promised, not wanting the other passengers to hear them.

"Do it however you feel," he whispered to her gently, then kissed her again as he held her hips.

Soon Mikasa ran out of breath and she paused for a few seconds. After that, she started working on the man's neck as she stroked Zeke's back with her hands.

The man then sighed pleasantly, then slid his hand from her bottom to her thigh, and then pulled her closer to him with a simple movement. Mikasa hissed in surprise but didn't feel as uncomfortable as in the morning. So she decided to tell Zeke this too:

"It doesn't hurt so much now. I hope it gets better and you don't have to hold back because of me again.”

"I don't care about anything as long as I'm with you," he said as he immediately began to move carefully. "Anyway, you will make up for it with everything else."

The woman liked these words better than the man's movements. After so many people had shunned her and only spoke of her with hatred, it meant a lot to her now. 

"I hope he will continue to be this kind. Then there will certainly be no problems in cooperation" she thought to herself as she moved with Zeke. "If this keeps up, I'll definitely fall in love with him."

She didn't know how long she let herself be claimed, but later the train was coming to a stop, while they were still kissing completely naked on the seats, huddled together as if nothing could be more natural.

"Maybe we should go," Mikasa muttered as she looked out the window.

"Maybe," he said, kissing her neck as he hugged her once more. Then, he released her, and got ready.

As they walked through the streets, Mikasa held Zeke's hand. Then, turning towards him, she spoke: "Now where should we go?"

"Let's take a look at the fair," said the man as he linked their fingers looking ahead. Then as soon as Mikasa caught sight of something, her eyes suddenly started to sparkle and, dragging Zeke with her, she hurried to the booth.

The girl picked out a green scarf for herself. She even touched the garment with her fingers. This scarf was not the same material as the one Eren had given her years earlier, as it was much softer. Its high quality was also shown by its price.

"Would you like to have this?" the man asked while watching Mikasa stroke the green scarf in amazement, as if it were some kind of holy relic.

"Yes!" Mikasa looked enthusiastically at Zeke. It had been a long time since someone had given her a gift. Therefore, Zeke's offer meant a lot to her, and thus her heart began to beat more happily.

The man nodded and quickly paid for the scarf. And when he held it in his hands, he moved closer to Mikasa, swept her hair, then wrapped the scarf around her neck tightly, then tucked the hanging part behind her back.

"You can put your hair up into a bun again now," he told her.

"Thank you," Mikasa answered gratefully and blushing. And as a sign of her joy, she kissed the man's cheek. Then, following Zeke's words, the woman put her hair in a bun.

Meanwhile, she thought about how comfortable and soft the scarf was, which made her whole body feel warm. It was only now that she realized that she was happy. And that happened a long time ago.

"I hope you will use it with happyness," the man nodded, then they set off again in the whirlwind of the fair, where Mikasa marveled at everything. “There’s no such thing on Paradis, huh? And you haven’t been anywhere else besides the battlefield in the last four years,” Zeke thought aloud.

“There are markets in Paradis too. But they don’t sell that many things there,” Mikasa replied, glancing around. “In Shiganshina, the market mostly sold basic food. Jewelry and clothes were rare. When Eren, Armin, and I were kids, we played near the market a lot.”

"Do you like sweets?" Zeke asked her as they got deeper and deeper into the crowd, holding her hand. He had an idea, but it won't work if Mikasa doesn't like sweets.

"Yes," Mikasa nodded. "But in the past, I only ate it on holidays. Carla baked us cookies and we ate them. Eren's mother was an exceptionally good cook.”

"Then you'll love this," he said as they stopped in front of the cotton candy machine. "They pour in flavored sugar and because of physics, something which I won't bore you with, it turns out to be this shit," he pointed to one of the children who took the huge, soft, bush-like thing. Meanwhile, Zeke lit a cigarette.

"I've never seen anything like this before," she replied in shock. She then went closer to the vendor to see how the candy was made. Mikasa tilted her head to the side, watching the events with interest, while the smell of sugar made her stomach growl hungrily.

"What flavour do you want?" Then he pointed at the list with his index finger. In addition to the words, even the fruits were there to make it easier for the children to understand. "You know fruits, right?" he asked, confused, not knowing if there were any fruits on Paradis.

"Of course," answered Mikasa a little offended. "I didn't live in a cave on Paradis." Then she added in a slightly kinder voice: "By the way, thanks for the offer. I would like a strawberry, if possible.”

"I'll have a strawberry and a banana," said Zeke, and then he paid for that too. And when it was done, Mikasa just eagerly took the cotton candy from the seller's hand.

She then tasted the candy and smiled. "This is delicious!" Mikasa said enthusiastically.

Zeke also started eating his, but of course less gracefully than Mikasa. He remembered that back then, Tom was the one who bought him cotton candy when the man dragged him to do something fun.

At that, Mikasa's smile only got wider. The woman noticed that the cotton candy was stuck to Zeke's beard. Mikasa finally took the candy off the man's beard. And in the meantime, she thought that Eren used to skimp on the foods he liked in the same way.

"What are you looking at?" the man asked as only the wooden stick remained in his hand. "Okay, I understand that my titan looks like a monkey and I love bananas, but it's not like that..." but then Mikasa just started laughing. Who can understand women? Not him, that’s for sure.

After Mikasa stopped laughing, she spoke again. "I was just laughing because I took the cotton candy off your beard first. Now it’s stuck again” Mikasa giggled again and added, "As attentive as you are on the battlefield, you eat just as carelessly."

"Hey, don't insult me!" he narrowed his eyes ‘angrily’ and then simply picked up Mikasa in his arms.

Mikasa just laughed at this too, then spoke again half jokingly, half seriously: "Now where are you taking me? I hope it's not another train car, to have fun.”

"I don't think you'd mind if you did," he shrugged as he headed towards their quarters. "But I'm exceptionally tired and I think you are too."

"You're right," Mikasa answered, then snuggled up to Zeke, who was still holding her in his arms.

"You're unbelievable," he rolled his eyes as they entered the hotel to ask for the key.

"Ah, yes. Mr. and Mrs. Yeager” the receptionist nodded approvingly, then turned around and started searching among the room keys.

Mikasa looked at Zeke questioningly. But then she realized it was better to pretend it was the truth. The woman did not want to explain herself to the receptionist. The man then let Mikasa down so he could take the keys.

"The top floor, the royal suite," he told them as Zeke made his way to the elevator, his hands on the back of his head as always, shrugging nonchalantly at the information.

This only made Mikasa even more amazed. But then she realized that there is nothing surprising in this, since Zeke is a member of the royal family. Which apparently came with quite a few privileges.

"Come on, I demanded this room from Magath because I'm not inclined to sleep in a camp-quality bed again," he declared indignantly. He wasn't really hiding his feelings from Mikasa anymore.

"How sensitive someone suddenly became?" said Mikasa jokingly. "But I don't mind your decision. A king-sized bed will definitely be better than a tent.”

"This is my woman," he said without any thought as they finally reached the room.

"Um, thank you," answered Mikasa, a little confused, who didn't think he thought of her as his partner. Then she followed Zeke into the room.

When Zeke saw the large and comfortable-looking bed, he fell into it exactly the same way Eren did when he and Armin were running around too much and the boy was dying. Or at least that’s what he said

Mikasa smiled at that. Sometimes he forgot that Zeke and Eren are half-brothers and they are very similar in some ways. Finally, Mikasa plopped down on the bed as well, then snuggled up next to Zeke and stroked his hair. 

"I see you weren't lying and you are really tired," Mikasa said, then intertwined their fingers.

"You have plenty of stamina," he sighed cheerfully as he pulled her close. Meanwhile, he tilted his head a little to the side to see her. Then he gently stroked the scarf. "Why a scarf?" he asked sincerely. "Most women want jewelry."

"I used to have a red scarf I got from Eren," Mikasa said. Meanwhile, she let go of Zeke's hair and touched her new green scarf. She then went on to say: "But then Eren betrayed me, so I got rid of the scarf and burned it." Then Mikasa sighed and spoke cautiously: "When I saw this garment, I thought it would be nice to have a new scarf. And with it, a new beginning.”

"It suits you," he kissed her cheek. "And Eren didn't deserve you. Never.”

Zeke never thought he'd be able to bond with someone again, but the future was set in stone as always and he couldn't seem to stop it.

"Thank you," Mikasa replied gratefully, then added. "It took me a while to figure it out, but you're right. I deserve better than Eren. After all, Eren left me.”

Zeke nodded at that and fell asleep, holding the woman in his arms. And Mikasa finally had free time to think.

As Mikasa snuggled up to Zeke, she thought to herself that she hoped his earlier words were sincere. It would have been nice to finally find peace, and it would have been even better to find it all with Zeke. 

Mikasa trusted that hopefully this scarf reflected Zeke's true feelings. She wouldn't have been happy if it turned out that this was just manipulation. It would have been nice if Mikasa could ask Armin that, but since she didn't have the chance, she just squeezed the piece of material in her pocket that came from the boy's clothes. 

"I hope Armin, you don't hate me for what I did" Mikasa thought as she clenched her hands around the piece of material in which she could feel the sand. "Wherever you are, I hope you know that even if I betrayed the island, I never betrayed you. And if you were here right now, I would be asking you what to do with Zeke."

While Mikasa was thinking about it, Eren didn't even come to her mind. His opinion didn't matter to her for a long time.

Chapter Text

The man had a nightmare, nothing surprising, because with everything that weighed on him, it wasn't that hard for the worst things and his weakest moments to come back to torment him. But this was different. The Rumbling, the thing he had spent his entire life trying to avoid, was now in front of his eyes. The mighty titans destroyed everything. But even that wasn't as scary as when he saw Mikasa lying dead at his feet. And the shock hit him with such force that he got up gasping and immediately sat up on the bed, searching for Mikasa with his eyes. When he found her resting next to him, he calmed down. And when he calmed down, he realized that she had probably taken off his unnecessary clothes, because now he was sitting on the bed in his pants and shirt.

Mikasa also woke up to Zeke's squirming. And when she saw that he sat up on the bed, she followed his example. The man's brow furrowed, so Mikasa knew something was wrong. So she gently caressed his arm and then spoke: "What's wrong Zeke?"

"Just childish nightmares," he declared, massaging his nose. He hated looking vulnerable and even more so being vulnerable. "I could really learn to overcome them. I'm not a child anymore.”

"I've had nightmares too. Sometimes I still do,” Mikasa answered, then added in a warm voice. "It doesn't make any of us childish or weak."

"Maybe you're right," he sighed as he swept his blonde locks away and glanced at Mikasa.

"Let's try to go back to sleep," Mikasa suggested. "We will need our strength tomorrow." Then, to help Zeke relax, she stroked his hair and smiled at him. "Don't worry, the nightmare isn't reality," Mikasa said gently as her fingers got lost in his blond locks.

"I hope so," he closed his eyes as he laid back on the bed and let Mikasa stroke his hair.

The next morning, they looked around the city relaxed and purposeful. There were times when they split into two to cover a larger area, but mostly they were together, just like newlyweds, while they were looking for their target. However, in the morning, Zeke and Mikasa found nothing. So they ended up eating in a restaurant. They planned to continue the investigation after lunch.

"Can I help you?" asked Zeke as he saw Mikasa's confused face while looking at the menu. And that made him smile.

"Yes," Mikasa finally admitted. "Unfortunately, I still don't know Marley food that well."

So the man slid next to her and explained everything to Mikasa, who was able to choose a meal for herself, which was ordered afterwards.

After the waiter brought out their food, Mikasa began to eat in silence. She was glad that she finally had food, because her stomach had been rumbling for quite some time. But then she noticed that Zeke was just listlessly stirring the dough on his plate.

"Is something wrong? Is our plan not good enough?” Mikasa asked worriedly, seeing how tense Zeke was. Zeke hated that he liked it. The fair, the lunch, as if they were really a completely normal couple and not Mikasa Ackerman, the War Queen, and Zeke Yeager, the owner of the Beast Titan, the Captain of the Warriors.

"No, our plan is good," he shook his head.

"Then what's wrong?" Mikasa asked, then laced their fingers together on top of the table.

"Do you think it would be selfish for me to want to live like this?" he asked Mikasa as he stroked her hand with his thumb, paying particular attention to her missing finger.

"Like this?" Mikasa asked, not quite understanding what Zeke meant.

"This way," he pointed to the food and then to Mikasa. "Simple. Just the two of us.”

"You wouldn't be selfish," Mikasa immediately looked at him, then smiled at Zeke. "I'd like that too. I love being by your side. I like your company.”

Zeke was about to say something, but he finally caught sight of their targets. And so they got busy right away.

"Let's go," Mikasa whispered to him. "We'll talk about that later."

He nodded and they followed their targets in the city for the rest of the day.

Thanks to the Ackerman's powers, Mikasa didn't get tired easily. So she could easily keep pace with Zeke, even when she had to run. But at some point they ran to the fair again. The man then picked up Mikasa so that he wouldn't accidentally lose sight of her. Mikasa giggled at this. She loved it when Zeke took her in his arms. She always felt safe there.

Because of this, the man suddenly stopped. He looked down at Mikasa and how happy she looked when her face was usually so gloomy. He made her happy. And because of that, he just kissed her instead.

And Mikasa happily kissed Zeke back, forgetting that they were on the street. In fact, the woman even ran into his hair while inhaling his scent, which mostly smelled like bananas, because Zeke had recently eaten them. And when they went after them, they quickly and successfully found them in one of the alleys. Zeke put Mikasa on the ground. So they both attacked the enemy at the same time. 

However, none of them noticed that a dark-skinned boy was watching them from behind one of the walls. And Mikasa and Zeke only noticed the little boy when he ran into the thick of it towards the two targets. But the enemy woman just kicked the boy, who fell on his bottom with a painful hiss. Mikasa was then attacked by the other target. So even if she wanted to, she wouldn't have been able to deal with the boy right now. But she decided to herself that as soon as she had cleared the area, she would see if the child was all right.

But when things got bloody and the guns came out, the woman remembered the moment she had to watch her own parents die when she was just nine years old. So she involuntarily threw herself on the ground and pulled the child close to her, covering his eyes and ears. Meanwhile, Zeke shot everyone.

The boy heard death growls, screams, and the sound of bones cracking. So he hid in Mikasa’s arms in fear and was relieved when she covered his ears and he didn't have to hear what was going on.

When Zeke was done, he just looked at the corpses with satisfaction. There was no time to extract any information from them, but at least they were dead, whoever they were. He then automatically glanced at Mikasa and was surprised by what he saw. Mikasa hugged the boy protectively to protect the child. 

"Everything will be fine," Mikasa whispered to the boy, then stroked the child's black hair. 

The woman's protective instincts apparently kicked in at the sight of the vulnerable boy. The little boy then only snuggled closer to him while tightly gripping Mikasa's uniform.

"What do we do with it?" asked Zeke, who immediately noticed the child's Mid-East features. This kid was the enemy.

"We will protect him and take him in. It's not safe here," Mikasa answered, then stroked the boy's hair again.

"This is a Mid-East child. The enemy” the man crouched in front of Mikasa with a confused look. Adopt a child? In the middle of a war?

"I know. But he is an innocent child. He doesn't even have parents. I don't want to leave him here,” Mikasa said, then hugged the boy even tighter.

"Okay, let's take him in, but tomorrow we'll drop him off at an orphanage," the man stated flatly. This whole thing was a bad idea and Zeke had no desire to get in trouble over a kid, but Mikasa seemed adamant. So that was the compromise.

"Okay, so be it," Mikasa agreed, hoping that in all this time Zeke's heart would soften and he wouldn't want to leave the child.

"Come on," he pulled Mikasa up, who was still holding the child tightly. And the boy snuggled even closer to Mikasa's chest and fell asleep.

"Oh, you’re so cute" Mikasa whispered, then stroked the boy's head. 

Meanwhile, she almost completely forgot about Zeke, who was nearby. The man just rolled his eyes and they returned to the hotel. Apparently, they finished quickly and easily, so they still have a few free days before they have to go back.

Mikasa laid the boy down on the bed and then covered him up so he wouldn't get cold. She then sat down next to the child. She wanted to stay by his side in case the boy had nightmares. Zeke was sitting on the other side of the bed, getting ready to sleep.

"I don't know in which world this is a good idea, but I think you forgot that within a week we will be out at the front and we will fight," the man declared. "Or if you want to play mother, it doesn't matter to me, just don't drag me into it."

"I know we have to go to the front," answered Mikasa calmly. "But I just couldn't leave this child alone. He looked so innocent.”

"And what are you going to do with him now?" he asked as he hugged her from behind and kissed her neck.

"I'll take care of him," Mikasa replied as she moved closer to Zeke. "I won't let him be as lonely as I was."

"But how?" he looked at the woman confused. "And what if this child is also a spy?"

"I don't think he's a spy," Mikasa answered, then stroked the boy's hair. "He's too young for that."

"I was also trained at such an age and I know that I was able to spy. I was a spy,” he declared as he turned away and lit a cigarette.

"I don't care if he's a spy," Mikasa answered. "I just want to protect him. I want him to be safe.”

"It won't do you any good if this kid betrays us and we die," he said as he blew out the smoke.

"Children shouldn't be used as spies," Mikasa replied as she glanced at the sleeping boy. "So I hope you're wrong and this kid is just a civilian."

As Mikasa looked at the sleeping boy, she saw the child snuggled up to his pillow. This woman's heart sank. He remembered that once upon a time, she too had been this vulnerable, and she too would have benefited from someone helping her. That's why she decided not to leave the boy.

"People don't care," Zeke said flatly. He remembered that his own parents had used him as a spy to be a mole. But in the end, he was unable to do it, so instead betrayed his own parents. Was this child forced to do the same?

"Maybe people don't care. But I do” answered Mikasa stubbornly. "You didn't deserve to be a spy. And this child also deserves more.”

"Then you won't take him with you to the battlefield, straight to death," Zeke looked at him as he pressed the cigarette stub in his palm.

"I'd leave the child here while we're on the battlefield," Mikasa answered. "You're right, it wouldn't be a good place there."

The man sighed at this. He didn't want to fight or think. "We'll discuss it tomorrow," he said and went to bed.

But when he saw Mikasa the next morning playing with the kid in her lap, he couldn't say anything. They were so cute. The child was still a little afraid of the man, so he moved closer to Mikasa and hid behind her.

"Don't worry, Zeke won't hurt you," she told the boy.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," the man grumbled tiredly to himself. He didn't want to get involved in this and if it had to be scary then it would be.

Because of this, the child was even more scared and now he was cowering. Meanwhile, he grabbed onto Mikasa's shirt. She was only getting more and more afraid of Zeke.

"Zeke!" Mikasa looked at him sharply, and the man just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. He didn't know how to be a parent and was actually afraid of it.

"I'm afraid..." muttered the child as he pressed his face to the woman's back.

He thought that if he didn't see Zeke, Zeke would disappear from here. He did not like the tall man's gloomy eyes and beard.

"You better," the man told him as he walked past them to wash himself and get ready for the day.

"Don't be afraid, because once he starts to like you, he won't be so rude to you," Mikasa told the boy gently. "What's your name anyway? You haven't even told me that yet.”

"I don't have a name," he muttered under his breath as he held his arms up for Mikasa to pick him up. Mikasa picked the boy up and hugged him. 

"It's okay. Then I'll give you a name.” Mikasa thought for a while before speaking again. "How about Noah as a first name? And you'd get the last name Ackerman next to it, since that's my name.”

Mikasa said this because she thought Zeke wouldn't agree to the child's last name being Yeager anyway. After all, apparently he doesn't even want this unfortunate boy.

"Noah?" the child tilted his head curiously, as if he was just trying out the name, how it sounds on his lips.

"Noah Yeager," said Zeke, who was now dressed and leaned against the doorframe and looked at them with his arms crossed. In the bathroom, he finally thought things through and realized that there was no way out of this, so he needs to be a better man and not behave like his father. He would never want to be a monster like Grisha.

"Have you changed your mind?" Mikasa asked in shock. She thought Zeke wanted them to get rid of the child as soon as possible. She didn't understand why he changed his mind.

"No, but I know you won't either. And I won't leave you to care for it all alone” he shrugged, hiding his feelings.

"Thank you," Mikasa replied gratefully, then kissed the man's cheek. 

Noah just watched this in amazement. He had never really seen love expressed like this. At that, the man just pulled Mikasa closer to him and kissed her. In the meantime, he gently caressed her face with his finger.

Chapter Text

However, Mikasa carefully pushed the man away from her. She didn't want the boy nearby to see something he was too young for. However, Noah watched them with wide eyes and clapped his hands cheerfully. These people looked like they loved each.

"You look happy," Mikasa said kindly to the boy, then ruffled his hair. The boy just laughed and snuggled up to Mikasa as he gripped her uniform with his small hands.

"Let's get him some clothes, because I won't let him walk around in such rags," the man declared exactly as dramatically as always.

"Okay," Mikasa replied. "We should get him some toys." Then she turned to Noah: "How about a stuffed animal?"

"Monkey!" he looked cheerfully at Mikasa when he heard the word stuffed animal.

Hearing this, Mikasa smiled and then looked at Zeke: "I think you'll get along well with Noah. You already have a common point.”

"You're so funny Mikasa," he crossed his arms, then they walked off and watched something for Noah.

"I hope Noah likes bananas too, and then you have two points in common," Mikasa said jokingly, then poked Zeke in the side.

"Haha. Let's hope he's a titan-shifter too, because then we still have even more in common” he rolled his eyes in irritation. Staying calm and relaxed like this was harder than he thought.

"What is a titan shifter?" Noah asked Mikasa.

He didn't dare to ask Zeke, because he was still afraid of him. At this, Mikasa looked at Zeke questioningly. She didn't know how much she should tell the five-year-old boy about the Titans.

"Do you know what titans are? Have you ever seen them?” the man looked at him questioningly. Noah just shook his head. The boy was still afraid of Zeke. "Then it's better if you only find out when you need to," Zeke looked away. They still had three days until they left, so the kid had better live in a quiet little bubble until then. After that, he can’t.

Noah nodded, he held out his thin arms to Mikasa, signaling to her that he was tired and wanted her to pick him up. Mikasa smiled at the speechless child and then took Noah into her arms. Noah cheerfully hugged Mikasa and then, as if nothing more natural, stated the following:

"Mom," he said cheerfully, rubbing his head against her chest. Hearing this, Mikasa immediately blushed albeit a little bit confused. She didn't think the boy would be so attached to her so quickly. 

But in addition to all this, she also felt warmth in her heart. It was good for her that she found someone who immediately accepted her and locked her in his heart. "Mom!" the boy giggled and fell asleep within seconds.

"So we adopted a child," Zeke cleaned his glasses. "Great."

"You're just jealous that he called me mom before called you dad," Mikasa said jokingly, then poked Zeke in the side.

"Look, this may have been your wish, but I'm not particularly happy about this adopting a child thing," he looked at her sharply.

"Okay, I see," Mikasa rolled her eyes. "But regardless, you could be nicer to Noah."

"Why?" he looked at her confused. "If you want a normal child, don't spoil it. Nobody spoiled me either.”

"Maybe that's the problem. Maybe it would have been nice if someone hugged you sometimes when you were a child,” Mikasa answered, then hugged the sleeping Noah.

"It doesn't matter anymore," he shrugged his shoulders and rubbed his hair in irritation. "I don't know how to do this anyway."

"I don't know yet either," Mikasa admitted. "But for Noah's sake, I'll try to learn."

"So be it," he sighed. "Give him to me. Don't carry him all day, the man declared, stretching out his arms to hand over the sleeping child.”

Mikasa smiled upon hearing this and then handed the sleeping child to Zeke. And Noah did not wake up, but continued to sleep in his arms. The kid was easy. It's too easy. When was the last time he ate?

"Remind us to go and eat something hearty," he looked at Mikasa as he firmly held the child in his arms, who completely calmed down. He felt safe.

"Alright," Mikasa replied, then added. "The child could use some food anyway. The boy is all bones and skin.”

And when they entered the first store, Mikasa was enthusiastic about shopping, even though she didn't really know how to shop. She looked at a pile of clothes for the child, bought a blanket and even a stuffed monkey for the child.

Looking at the stuffed monkey, Zeke just rolled his eyes and hoped that Mikasa wouldn't start taunting him again. And luckily the man got away with it. Because Mikasa mostly talked about how much she was waiting for Noah to finish his nap and finally see what she got for him. Later, the boy woke up with big blinks, then flinched when he realized that he was in Zeke's arms.

"Don't wriggle, or I'm going to put you down," said the man, who then patted the boy's head in confusion. Noah nodded. He then looked at Mikasa as he still didn't trust Zeke. 

"Don't worry, I'm here too. Everything will be fine,” said the woman, then she came closer and stroked the child's head. 

This calmed Noah down and her muscles relaxed. After that, they packed up and before going to lunch, Mikasa took Noah to the bathroom to wash him and dress him in his new clothes. After all, she would let that child stay that dirty all day.

"Wow!" laughed the child, while enthusiastically patting the bath foam. Mikasa giggled at that. The woman liked that the child was so engrossed in the bath foam. 

"You've never seen this before, have you Noah?" Mikasa asked with a smile, then started to wash the boy's hair.

"Never," he shook his head enthusiastically and continued playing. "Have you seen it, mom?" he looked at her inquiringly, tilting his head.

"Yes," Mikasa answered as she felt her heart warm with the love she felt for the little boy. 

The woman still liked the fact that Noah called her her mother. She knew in herself that this would come with a lot of responsibility, and there would certainly be difficult moments. But she thought that the love she would receive in return would make up for everything. 

The woman felt that she was finally accepted and that she belonged somewhere and to someone. It was as if her life had been filled with color again, and thus her life had gained a new meaning. That's why she vowed to do everything she could to protect Noah. 

Her only regret is that Armin couldn't see this moment. Because for once she didn't doubt herself. She knew the boy would have been proud of her for taking Noah in. 

Mikasa thought that if Zeke was the boy's father, then Armin could be his uncle. As she imagined this, a salty tear fell from her eye. This tear absorbed all the woman's sorrows and hopes, as she knew that this moment now meant a new beginning. Now she finally got the chance to become a better person.

"Don't cry, mom," the boy reached towards her and since Mikasa was close enough, he reached her face with his small hands and clumsily wiped her tears. Although that only made Mikasa even wetter.

That's why Noah also got scared, because he was afraid that something was wrong. Realizing that she was scaring the kid, Mikasa took a deep breath and tried to calm down. After this was accomplished, she stroked the child's head and spoke:

"Don't worry Noah, there's nothing wrong. I'm fine. We are both safe. I'm sorry if I scared you. I was just touched because it felt good that you called me mom” Mikasa tried to explain the situation to the boy, even though she didn't know how much the child would understand. Moreover, all this was unusual for her, because she was not really used to telling anyone what she thought and felt.

"You're my mom," the boy stated as Mikasa gently lifted him out of the tub and began to wipe him. "You found me, named me and accepted me. Like a mother” he looked up at the woman. He had never been able to hug anyone, but she let him and something he saw the other children do with their mothers. So this black-haired, slightly grumpy-looking woman must be his mother. Even if they didn't look the least bit alike.

"I couldn't have left you there," Mikasa answered, and after helping the child get dressed, she hugged him. 

The woman did not know how much to tell the boy about her childhood. But since it wasn't a happy story, she decided not to burden Noah with it. Then when he gets older, she explains to him that she took him in because she knew what it felt like to be lonely and not have family members.

"I'm not alone anymore," he hugged her back. "And you're not alone either. I'm here for you. And that strange man too,” he said to Mikasa, examining and enthusiastically trying on the new clothes. Dungarees and a white shirt. More than he ever got.

Mikasa laughed at this. She found it funny that Noah called Zeke ‘strange man’. She then smiled and said:

"Don't worry, I'm sure you two will get acquainted in no time. He's not as scary as he seems. He also has a kinder side." Mikasa said gently to Noah.

"Most certainly," he said as he looked up at the woman and remembered the past. "He loves you," he stated firmly as he walked over to Mikasa and wrapped his arms around her leg.

This statement surprised Mikasa. She still wasn't so sure about that. After all, Zeke still hadn't told her exactly what he wanted from her. So she asked the boy with interest:

"What makes you think that?"

"He's still here. Just like you’re here for me" he smiled cheerfully, then stepped back and twirled to enjoy his new clothes even more.

Mikasa smiled at the child's simple and naive logic. She thought to herself that it was interesting that this was what love meant to a five-year-old boy. That someone was there for you. Mikasa didn't know how much to believe in that. But she was sure that she would not give up the hope that it was indeed true. But then at last she diverted the subject and spoke again:

"Do you like your new clothes?"

"Very much so. Is it really mine?" he looked at himself once more as he took Mikasa's hand and they walked out of the room, where Zeke was waiting for them sitting on the bed.

"Really," Mikasa nodded as she carefully held the child's tiny hand. "And when you've outgrown them, you'll get new ones. OK?"

"Thank you!" he jumped enthusiastically, then turned to Zeke, who was holding the plush to him.

"This is yours," he told him as the boy took the monkey from him.

To this, Noah responded with another thank you. This, however, sounded much more timid than the previous one. The boy could feel that Zeke still hadn't completely liked him. So Noah hugged the plush to himself and then went back to Mikasa's feet. The man then just stood up and walked over to Mikasa and planted a quick kiss on her lips. He then took her hand.

"Then let's go and get something to eat," he said.

"Okay," Mikasa answered, then started towards the door, taking the child's hand as well. 

Hearing the word food, Noah also got excited. The boy was already quite hungry, so he hoped that they would quickly find a place where they could have dinner.

And when they sat down and ordered food, Noah began to eat enthusiastically and a little greedily, which made him destroy his portion of food sooner than Mikasa or even Zeke. However, they directly bought him an adult sized one so that he could eat as much as he likes.

"Wow," blinked the man, who simply could not understand that such a small child of around five years had ate so much food. "I see you know something, kid." Noah nodded as he continued to stuff the meat into himself. 

"Eat more slowly, otherwise your stomach will hurt," Mikasa warned the child.

"Sorry, mom," he said as he stopped and ate the rest of his food much more slowly. And when he finished, he burped so loud that even Zeke couldn't help but giggle a little.

"That's rude, Noah. Especially in a restaurant," Mikasa said to the child. She knew that the boy was probably not raised by anyone so now she needs to teach him what others failed. "Don't do that next time," Mikasa added sternly as the waiters watched them disapprovingly. At that, Noah just scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"You'll learn, kid," Zeke tried to reassure him as he finished his own food. "But so you don't feel alone..." and he burped too.

Mikasa just shook her head disapprovingly. However, when Noah started to laugh, she couldn't help but smile for a moment. And when he finished eating, he just hugged the plushie and watched the events unfold.

"Maybe you're not so weird after all," Noah looked up at the man.

"Yeah, maybe I'm not," he declared, ruffling the boy's hair.

"I see you two have started to become friends," Mikasa said happily as her gaze shifted from Noah to Zeke.

"No way," Noah and Zeke stated at the same time as they both linked their arms. Mikasa laughed at this. She then cheerfully added:

"I think you two will get along well."

After that, they went back and when Mikasa finally put Noah to sleep, Zeke knew that there was finally some time they could spend together. He pulled her into a kiss while putting his arm around her waist. Mikasa moved closer to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Then he started rubbing his face with his other hand. He already missed this. This made Mikasa sigh and then shudder. The woman still liked Zeke's touch.

"You can’t run away from me," he whispered to her as he began to kiss her neck.

"I don't want to," answered Mikasa, then closed her eyes. Meanwhile, she completely forgot about the sleeping Noah. All she cared about now was Zeke's proximity.

And in the heat of the kisses, a simple question slipped out of his mouth. "Can I love you?" he was quiet and a little uncertain.

"Yes," Mikasa snapped without thinking. Then her voice became quieter and she added: "I don't want you to leave me."

"I'm here," he said as he took her in his arms. "I'll take care of you." This made Mikasa blush. So she turned away from Zeke so he wouldn't see how embarrassed she was. "Is something wrong?" he asked her as he saw that Mikasa was unusually red.

"There's nothing wrong," she muttered. Then she added unusually shyly: "You just flustered me..."

"Did I fluster the great Mikasa Ackerman?" the man grinned victoriously as he scanned her face.

"Yeah… I guess," Mikasa admitted shyly. But then she turned back to him and retorted: "But let this make your ego bigger. Do you understand, you monkey?”

"And she calls me a monkey," the man rolled his eyes absent-mindedly as he took Mikasa in his arms. Mikasa giggled at that. She loved it when Zeke held her in his arms. So she took a deep breath of his scent and snuggled even closer to him.

"Come on, let's go to sleep," he said, placing Mikasa on the bed and lying next to her. "You know, I thought about how a child from the Mid-East would end up here. They haven't really been walking around Marley territory since the start of the war”, he whispered to Mikasa.

After the woman settled down on the bed and lay down comfortably, she said: "Maybe this is how his biological parents wanted to get rid of him." He then took a short break and then added: “But it is certain that he could not have received much love until now. After all, the poor boy didn't even have a name.”

"Now he has a name," he said as he kissed her hair, then pulled her and the boy closer. Maybe it's not as bad as he thought.

"Yes, you’re right," Mikasa answered, then smiled happily at Zeke. "And luckily, it's not just a first name. I'm glad you gave him your last name.”

"He's still a better Yeager than my father ever was," he declared, then gently stroked the boy's head as best he could.

"I agree," Mikasa replied, her heart once again filled with warmth. The woman was happy that Zeke was so gentle with the child. And so she added: “And you will be a better father than Grisha was.”

"I hope so. I don't understand children,” he said quietly. "But let's sleep, we have two more days and I want to enjoy them."

"You're right," Mikasa agreed. "I'm pretty tired too." She then lay down next to Zeke and closed her eyes.

Chapter Text

A few days later, Zeke, Noah and Mikasa were on the train and were going back to the front together. Noah sat on Mikasa's lap clutching his plushie while Zeke just watched the scenery go by.

"Have you ever been on a train, Noah?" Mikasa asked, then stroked the boy's head. She thought to herself that it would be good for the child if they talked a little.

"No," he shook his head. "I've been on the water before," he said, then pointed out the window as they sped past the beach.

"And what were you doing around the water?" Mikasa inquired. The woman wanted to know Noah's past.

"They threw me in," he declared, tilting his head, and Zeke also turned his head towards him and began to pay attention to him.

"But why?" Mikasa asked, suspecting something bad, and then protectively drew closer to the boy. She simply couldn't imagine how anyone could do this to an innocent child.

"I don't know," he said, then hugged his stuffed animal tighter. "The throw-in is my first memory."

"I'm sorry, Noah. You deserved better" answered Mikasa with a heavy heart, then hugged the child. "But don't worry, I won't treat you like that. I will take care of you because I know how much it hurts when everyone leaves you."

"Yeah, kid," Zeke also spoke quietly. "You're not alone now," the man ruffled Noah's hair, confused, as he didn't really know what he was doing. Noah just smiled. The child trusted the words of his new parents. But then he realized he had a question, so he turned to Mikasa.

"Why, who left you, mom? Did your parents leave too?

"My parents left, but they couldn't help it. But my friends… they betrayed me..." she began to tell, biting her lip to stop herself from crying. Meanwhile, Zeke moved closer and stroked Mikasa's back.

"You don't have to tell Noah if you don't want to," he said, for the first time saying the boy's name, whom he had only called ‘kid’. Mikasa gave a small nod. She liked Zeke's touch and support. So she spoke in a slightly more collected voice:

"I know it will be hard to say, but I want to try. I want Noah to know my past."

Noah then looked up at Mikasa and then at Zeke. He saw several times what was going on between them, but he never directly asked about it. And now it started to bother him a lot.

"So mom. Are you and the strange man married?" he asked her with childlike sincerity.

"No," answered Mikasa, blushing slightly. Then the woman held her hand towards Noah. "There's no ring on it, see? If we were married, I would have a ring." Mikasa then added, still avoiding Zeke's gaze. "Are you still interested in my past, or do you want to talk about weddings and marriage? The latter is definitely a more cheerful topic…"

"Your past sounds sad. I don't want you to cry" Noah shook his head. "It's all the more important to know if the strange man will be my dad," pointed at Zeke, who swallowed wrong, which made him cough.

"If that's what he wants, then yes," Mikasa muttered, still avoiding Zeke's gaze.

"The kid is strong-willed like you" said the man, when he was breathing normally again and wasn't about to suffocate.

"He sure knows what he wants," Mikasa smiled at the child.

"So mom and dad," Noah stated, then held up the stuffed animal. "Can we play something together?"

"What do you want to play?" Mikasa asked even though she had no idea how to play with a child. 

Besides, she knew she had to figure this out on her own. After all, apparently Zeke was even more confused than she was. However, the memory of when he and Grisha played together in his childhood hit the man sharply. It was very painful, but at the moment it is also useful. So he took the child in his arms.

"Did you name your plushie?" he asked her with interest. "I called mine Banana when I was as old as you. I know, very creative."

"Then I'll call mine Banana too!" Noah said enthusiastically, then hugged the plush again.

"What do we need to know about Banana?" asked the man as he hugged the little boy slowly but with a big sigh. "Every plush needs a personality."

"That he is as strong and brave as mommy!" Noah answered excitedly, then looked at Mikasa. This made her smile and feel warmth in her heart. She was glad that the child loved her so much.

"That sounds exciting," the man smiled as he also glanced at Mikasa. "And what does Banana do in his spare time?"

"It protects the other monkeys," Noah replied, glancing down at the stuffed animal. "Because he's the strongest. He is the only one who can face the predators."

"And you protect him?" he asked and it all went like this the entire way. Zeke always asked Noah, who answered him enthusiastically. At one point, he even played with the plush toy for the child. Meanwhile, Mikasa watched them, huddled close to the man, until she fell asleep.

Mikasa's dream was peaceful for once. He dreamed of Noah and Zeke instead of the dead Armin. Soon Noah also fell asleep from the many talks in the lap of the man who then just looked up and said:

"Well, I fucked this up," he declared as he thought about his plan. His euthanasia plan, the peaceful destruction of the Eldians, now meant nothing as he started playing family with an Ackerman and a Mid-East child. After this, who will take him seriously?

Soon the train stopped, because they had arrived. So Zeke had to wake up Mikasa and Noah who were still sleeping peacefully. After nudging the woman, she got up immediately, and they set off, Zeke carrying Noah in his arms the whole time. They didn’t get far because Pieck immediately ran towards them, with Colt and Porco following her.

"Mika-chan!" she waved excitedly as she ran towards them.

"Pieck!" Mikasa answered cheerfully, then she too waved at the woman. "What's the situation here at the front?"

"We've moved a hundred meters forward since you left and..." but she stopped halfway because she saw Noah.

"Is that a child over there?" Colt finally asked.

"Yes," Mikasa answered, then stroked the boy's head. "His name is Noah."

At this, Colt and Porco looked at each other with wide eyes. Then they laughed at themselves.

"So Mikasa Ackerman domesticated Zeke Yeager," they looked amused at the man who just rolled his eyes while holding Noah a little tighter.

"Something like that," Mikasa answered, smiling a bit. He then added in a slightly more serious voice: “Where are Gabi and Falco? I want to entrust Noah to them while I fight at the front.”

"They're having lunch. Well, prepare them thoroughly. I trust my younger brother to take care of a child, but less so in Gabi,” Colt suggested.

"Okay," Mikasa replied, then walked towards Gabi and Falco.

"And you, if you say even one bad word, I'll see to it that you're kicked out of the army early," Zeke stated with a deathly look, then went after Mikasa.

Porco, Pieck and Colt looked at each other in shock. They didn't think Zeke would be so protective of that child. They all knew that the man had not really been interested in the topic of family until now.

"It's unbelievable," muttered Pieck, who couldn't believe that Zeke had changed so much. Having fun with Mikasa was one thing, but this was another. "I hope you know what you're doing Mika..."

Meanwhile, Mikasa found Falco and Gabi, to whom she introduced Noah. 

And then she began to explain to them how to treat a small child. Because of Gabi, she repeated quite a few times that they have to be careful around Noah. 

Meanwhile, Gabi and Falco were looking at the child with interest, who was shyly behind Mikasa. The unknown faces scared him. In fact, at one point Now was so scared that he ran to the arriving Zeke, who took the boy in his arms and looked sharply at everyone.

"We didn't hurt Noah. I don't know why he's so afraid" immediately defended Gabi, who didn't want to experience Zeke's anger.

Zeke just shrugged his shoulders because he was more concerned about why Noah came to him. The boy always turned to Mikasa until now. Of course, not only he but the woman also noticed this. Mikasa was quite surprised by this. But she was also glad, because it meant that Noah was finally starting to trust Zeke. The woman smiled at that. She thought that maybe one day they would be a family.

Meanwhile, Noah just got comfortable in the man's arms and fell asleep holding the plush close. And then Gabi and Falco rushed over to Zeke to see the boy because he was so cute.

"So cute!" Falco said enthusiastically. 

"Does he cry a lot?" asked Gabi, glancing sometimes at Zeke, sometimes at Mikasa.

"Not much. He's rather quiet," said Zeke, who observed that despite all the horrors Noah had to go through, he rarely cried. If something hurt him, he would rather just snuggle up to Mikasa to calm down.

"That's weird. Little children cry a lot, don't they?" Falco asked, and Gabi, who was waiting next to him, started nodding.

Then the man remembered. He never really cried either, he always just hugged his knees and rocked himself, because he quickly learned how to calm himself when no one was there for him.

"Does it matter?" he finally answered phlegmatically. "I'm going to take the kid and put him to bed. In the meantime, explain everything you need to them" he then looked towards Mikasa.

"Okay," Mikasa answered worriedly as she saw that Zeke had become moody again. 

Despite this, she didn't go after him, instead she continued to train Falco and Gabi in babysitting.

After putting the boy to bed, he began to smile in his sleep as he hugged the plush to him tightly. Meanwhile, the man heard steps, but did not look up, as now he only cared about the child.

"Mikasa," he finally looked up, thinking she had returned because she had finished speaking to Gabi, but when she saw Yelena standing in front of him, he fell silent.

"I heard you brought home a puppy. I didn't want to believe it. I had to see it with my own eyes," Yelena said, and then stepped closer to Zeke.

"Believe me, even I'm getting friendly with the idea," he shrugged nonchalantly, as usual. After all, that was the only way he could hide his true feelings. And he had plenty of that now.

"And you want to keep it?" Yelena pulled the corner of her mouth. "Do you want to play house at the front?" she asked mockingly.

"I don't have too many options," he folded his arms as he looked up at her. "Damn, how can someone be so tall? " he thought to himself.

"Of course you have options," Yelena answered with folded hands. "For example, you could drop him off at an orphanage."

"The child is not mine. Mikasa decides what will happen to him" he finally answered, shaking off the chains of responsibility. As always, because he was never willing to take any responsibility for anything.

"Well," Yelena replied as she looked at the child with disgust on her face. "Then I'll also inform Mikasa that we're on a battlefield and not in a childcare facility."

"Don't look at him like that," the man snapped at her suddenly. He knew the look, it was the same on his father when he didn't manage to do something the way he wanted.

"Why not?" Yelena asked with raised eyebrows. "He's just a dirty tramp."

Zeke didn't know what he was doing, he only realized that he was holding Yelena's neck. "I'll rip out your tongue if you say that again," he whispered softly and dangerously in her ear.

At this, Yelena just nodded in fear. He knew how dangerous Zeke could be when he wanted to.

"Now get out of here, while I'm telling you nicely," he said as he pushed the woman away from him and looked at her as if she had some kind of sickness.

Yelena took Zeke's advice and fled the scene as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, he didn't look back for a moment. Meanwhile, Noah also got up and watched Zeke, then spoke.

"What did that woman want here?" Noah asked, thinking of Yelena, as he hugged the plush in fear. 

Meanwhile, Mikasa also entered the room with a smile on her face. She heard Zeke protect Noah and she liked that Zeke's fatherly instincts came through.

"Nothing important," the man sat down next to him, ruffled Noah's hair and then hugged the boy tightly. Noah finally calmed down in his embrace. 

And Mikasa's smile only got wider. She loved seeing how gentle Zeke was with the child. Seeing Zeke's tender side only made him more attractive to Mikasa.

"I think you managed to finish it then," said the man, as he noticed Mikasa and released the boy, who happily ran to his mother, swinging the plushie.

"Yes," Mikasa nodded, then ruffled Noah's hair. “Gabi and Falco will gladly take care of Noah while we are on the battlefield. “

Then she added with a sigh: "At least that's a good reason why we can't send them to the battlefield. I am not interested in Magath's opinion. Twelve-year-olds are still children who shouldn't be seeing dead people.”

"I think Reiner and Colt will thank you very much. Don't be surprised if they always come to help me out like puppies,” the man said with an amused grin as he stood up and walked over to Mikasa, stopping next to Noah.

"They sure will," Mikasa agreed. The woman then turned her gaze towards Noah, because the boy was jumping around her demanding her attention. "What happened to you while I was gone, Noah?" asked Mikasa, who was sure that the boy would have liked to talk about himself.

"Did you know how cool daddy looks when he's angry?" she asked as she raised her arms along with her plush to indicate that she wanted Mikasa to pick her up. Meanwhile, Zeke looked away in confusion. Mikasa took Noah in her arms and answered her.

"Yes, I knew. But why was he angry?” asked the woman.

Zeke just shrugged his shoulders at that, then stepped closer and gave Mikasa a kiss, while Noah just smiled enthusiastically at them and didn't say ‘nasty!’ like most children of that time.

Mikasa reciprocated it for a while, but then pulled away from Zeke, not wanting the kid to see something he was too young for.

"An attack is coming from the east!" Pieck rushed in panting.

"It's okay. We're leaving then,” Mikasa answered, then took Noah in her arms to leave the child in the care of Gabi and Falco.

"See you later," Zeke said as he slung his rifle over his shoulder. "Take care of her," he glanced at Pieck, then disappeared. After Mikasa got the child to safety, she went after Pieck.

"What's happening? How close are they?” asked the woman, while already thinking of a plan in her head.

"They're still about three kilometers away, but they're marching that way," Pieck told her as they set off walking. “Colt and Reiner have already left to scout the area and change if necessary.”

"Then if those two have returned and reported what's going on, we'll join them," Mikasa decided.

It didn't take long for Reiner to return with Colt. The man hurriedly took the other with him, who yelled as they made their way back. Porco immediately rushed over to help, while a doctor, Colt, was also called. As soon as Mikasa and Pieck got there, Reiner was already explaining to Porco.

"This weapon is beyond anything I've ever seen!" the man hit one of the trees with his fist, while the doctor stabilized Colt in the grass.

"What kind of weapon?" Mikasa asked in shock, then walked over to Colt to see if he was okay.

"It shot out a beam of light and burned through everything it touched, just like…!" Reiner said desperately, then suddenly realized.

"Yes?" Mikasa asked anxiously. "If you've started the sentence, finish it."

"I've seen this weapon before, but it's impossible," Reiner looked at Mikasa while running his hands through his hair. “It is impossible that Paradis teamed up with the Mid-East!”

"What?" Mikasa said, her jaw dropping at this. "Where did you see this gun? How do you know that the fighters of Paradis are here?”

"The weapon works exactly like the one Eren used to defeat me four years ago!" Reiner said, trembling as he remembered that day again. As he saw Berthold crying, but he had to leave him behind…

"I hope you don't mean Eren is here too," Mikasa said angrily. She knew that Eren's presence would completely ruin her plan.

"Only the weapons... I didn't see a single person from Paradis," muttered the blond man softly.

"It doesn't mean anything. Even if you haven't seen them, they might be there,” said the woman, and then turned to the others and continued. "More spies should be sent to the battlefield. We need to know if they are here from Paradis.”

"We have no spies. The high command took them out because of our continuous victories,” said Pieck worriedly. "But if the weapon was really mass-produced, then we don't have a chance," she said as she pointed to Colt, whose wound was not only shot but also quite burned.

"Well that's great," Mikasa huffed angrily as she paced up and down tensely. "Now even Colt is hurt. What caused the burn anyway?”

“The gun does not shoot bullets, but energy and light. It even burns through my armor in my titan form” Reiner explained what he remembered.

"Exactly what kind of energy?" Mikasa asked. "If we don't know that, we won't be able to defeat the weapon either."

"I don't know what kind of energy! I didn't pay attention to how it works because they just shot us! There's no need to reload, that's why they keep shooting him,” he retorted nervously, while the doctor stabilized Colt and called two soldiers to take him away.

"Then find out what kind of energy it was!" Mikasa retorted angrily.

"Got it," Zeke appeared with a grin as his right arm (more precisely, its location) steamed. Meanwhile, he held up the gun in his left hand to show he had acquired one from the enemy. "You're useless as always, Reiner."

"You still don't have more than one brain cell," Mikasa told Reiner listlessly, then walked over to Zeke to look at the enemy's weapon.

"Here," he held out the gun to her, but Mikasa didn't stop but went on and hugged her, while Porco came back as well.

"It's bad to see you without your hands," Mikasa whispered into his ear. "I hope it grows back quickly."

"I've already lost them a couple of times, there's no need to be afraid," Zeke put his arm around Mikasa's waist while the gun dangled between his fingers.

"I know. But I still don't like this,” Mikasa muttered as she rested her head on Zeke's chest.

Meanwhile, Reiner turned away from them in confusion to give them space. The man's heart was beating very fast at Mikasa's words and proximity. So when his arm finally grew back, he started hugging Mikasa with it too. Mikasa let out a relieved breath. It felt good to finally have Zeke holding her with both hands again.

"Don't appear in front of Noah with one hand. Don't scare that poor child,” the woman said playfully.

"I won't," he smiled, then lifted her up by the waist and kissed her.

Mikasa didn't hesitate and immediately kissed him back. Meanwhile, she didn't even care who was around. She decided to herself that it was time for the two of them to make their relationship public. Mikasa didn't want to be anyone's dirty little secret anyway. Their kiss was broken by Pieck's cough.

"I'm glad you found each other, but we have work to do," she said as she saw more and more injured soldiers returning. "We have to pull back. The Mid-East outnumbered us with these weapons.”

At that, Mikasa moved away from Zeke, then spoke in the soldier's voice:

"Okay. Let's start arranging the escape.”

Zeke also nodded to this and finally they retreated, and a few days later a letter came from Magath that the Warriors should return to Liberio together with Mikasa. Mikasa and Zeke knew then that this game would not be easy. Especially since Paradis also joined.

Chapter Text

Volume 6: If I lose it all

The volume takes place throughout season 4. The full cast is expected to be in it so I won't list them all as usual.

After the defeat, the Warriors and the rest of the soldiers were recalled to Liberio. Most were dismissed, however Magath and a few senior leaders wanted to speak with Mikasa and Zeke who were leading the warriors. 

Mikasa had a bad feeling since they didn't bring any good news. But since they could not say no to such an invitation, they went to the meeting full of tension.

"Four years ago, you told us there was nothing on the island of Paradis! Nothing, just a bunch of idiots stuck in the past!” Calvi, the commander, shouted with Zeke, with Magath standing silently next to him.

"Maybe since then, they've improved. We couldn't have known this in advance” Mikasa tried to defend Zeke.

"Just keep your mouth shut!" the man pointed at her, then looked back at Zeke. "We sent four people to spy on that shitty island and only one came back! You oversaw the whole fucking operation and it ended in disaster. So tell me one thing Zeke Yeager, why should I keep the Warriors and not send you guys into the nearest lab?”

"If the Warriors die, Marley will be doomed. Nobody but the titan shifters can take a stand against the Eldians," answered Zeke calmly.

The man knew that panic wouldn't help him now.

"Now even the titans can't stand up to those bastards! The weapon that was provided to the Mid-East cuts through titans and humans alike like a knife” he slammed his hands on the table. "And this weapon already appeared in Reiner's report four years ago, but you never told us about it!"

"Because I didn't see it myself," answered Zeke angrily. "I had other things to do in that battle."

At that moment, however, the doors of the hall swung open and Annie walked in next to Berthold, past the guards. They were both older, and Annie was visibly grown slightly. She braided her blonde hair into a circle.

"As ambassadors of Paradis, we have come with a declaration of war," said Annie, who placed the paper on Calvi's table. But before Calvi could speak, Zeke broke the silence:

"What do you mean, Annie? Are you turning against us?" the man asked angrily.

"Paradis is launching a war against the Marley regime for their treatment of the Eldians and the invasion that happened four years ago," Annie stated confidently, as if she had said the same thing a hundred times before.

"Paradis abides by the national military conventions," Berthold also spoke. His voice was no longer as quiet as before. “In other words, in the event of an attack, the civilian population is notified so that they have time to evacuate.”

"Also, Paradis doesn't use titans shifters during the war, if Marley does the same."

"How dare you turn against us!?" Calvi was furious. "And you even have the guts to write a declaration of war!? You think war is fought by your rules, you traitorous filth!?”

"If you read it, you would know that the declaration of war is being sent by Eren Ackerman, the Military Commander of Paradis," Berthold continued with a bored face. He was no longer afraid like before. He was no longer a slave to these people. “And the declaration of war happens as it has always happened”.

"I don't know who Eren Ackerman is and I don't care!" Calvi shouted. "I know those filthy islanders just want to cut us off! And they want to manipulate us, as they did with you!"

“If the regime wants to twist Commander Ackerman's words, it is better if they know that every major nation has received a copy of the declaration of war. And the Mid-East supports Paradis,” Annie Berthold continued.

"This is outrageous!" Calvi informed the two ambassadors. "And you still expect me to sign this contract? A contract that I had no say in!?"

"This is not a contract, Commander," spat Berthold the word 'commander' with disgust. "It's a declaration of war that Marley can either acknowledge or don't. But Paradis will fight for their freedom and their values."

"Please note that I am not interested in your declarations of war," said Calvi angrily. "I will not recall the Warriors from the battlefield, and thanks to them we will win the war. Now get out of here.”

"See you on the battlefield," Berthold and Annie said their goodbyes.

"So, you still need us," Zeke grinned when the pair were far away.

"Looks like it," Calvi said grimly. "Without titan shifters, Marley can't win. We built our entire strategy on this. So be happy, because I won't be giving your titan to Colt for a while."

"It's an honor, sir," the man said casually. "Then Mikasa and I will come up with a plan now that Paradis has pulled the rug out from under us."

"That's right. Go and work. Don't you dare come into my sight until you have some solid plan," Calvi said, then dismissed Mikasa and Zeke.

While they were walking down the corridors, Mikasa spoke up. "Shall we tell Reiner that Berthold turned against us?"

“His mind is still dancing on the edge, if he finds out the truth, who knows what he will do. It's best if Gabi gets the Armored Titan,” the man stated, adjusting his glasses.

"Gabi is still too young for this!" Mikasa said indignantly. "And if she were to inherit the titan now, she would only live to twenty-five years! She would be of no use on the battlefield!”

"Either that, or we lose another titan shifter and we all die!" he raised his voice nervously. He didn't want to, but there was too much going on at the moment to even pay attention to that.

"If we absolutely have to sacrifice Reiner, then at least we shouldn't burden a child with this responsibility," argued Mikasa. "Then why don't we give it to Colt? He has more experience on the battlefield than Gabi.”

But before Zeke could say anything smart, Noah appeared, running happily towards them. Behind him is a tired and nervous Gabi.

"Hey, come back!" she called out to him, but Noah didn't even pay attention.

"Mom, dad!" he smiled as he reached them.

"What's up Noah?" Mikasa smiled at her adopted son. "Did you have a good time with Gabi and Falco?"

"Yeah, but it's better with you," he jumped happily with the plushie in his hand.

"I'm sorry, but he just can't sit still. We had to chase him all day” said Gabi as she got here panting.

"This child is very tiring to deal with," Falco added when he finally arrived. 

"I can imagine that," answered Mikasa cheerfully, who for a moment forgot about her problems due to the sight of the three children.

"Come here," Zeke finally picked up the boy. "Now that you're already a Yeager, I'd better introduce you to the rest of the family," he sighed. He didn't want to see his grandparents under these conditions, but at least the child could be safe there for a while. As long as his parents accept him.

"Which Yeagers are you going to introduce me to?" Noah asked excitedly.

"To my grandparents," he said as he walked away with Mikasa walking behind him.

"Great!" Noah answered enthusiastically, then grabbed onto Zeke's neck.

However, Mikasa wasn't half as happy. She was worried about what Zeke's grandparents would think of the situation.

"And you too," he looked down at Mikasa as he held her hand with the other holding Noah's as they walked the streets.

Noah spoke for most of the way, telling them about how his day went with Gabi and Falco. Finally, after a three-quarter hour walk, they arrived in front of Zeke's grandparents' house.

The man knocked, but the nervousness did not disappear from any of his movements, no matter how much he wanted to. Then his grandmother opened the door and they had to blink for a few moments because of the sight.

"Hello, Zeke," the old woman broke the silence, then looked at Mikasa and Noah in a friendly way. "Who are those two with you? Do you want tea?” the old woman asked the guests. Mikasa was quite surprised by this. She had not expected to receive such a friendly welcome.

"This is Noah," he put the child down. "We found him with Mikasa," then the man pulled himself out and put his arms around Mikasa's shoulders quite kindly.

"He looks like a sweet little child," said the old woman happily, apparently not bothered by the fact that Noah was dark-skinned and thus looked different the the rest of them. She then enthusiastically added: "And Mikasa is your partner? Because I would be happy if such a beautiful woman became your wife”.

Hearing this, Mikasa blushed in confusion and mumbled a thank you. She was not used to being praised.

"Yes, that's exactly why we came!" he grinned, as if he had some brilliant plan, he pulled Mikasa close and planted a kiss on her cheek. If he plays his cards right, he can make everyone happy and they will leave him alone.

"Good!" said the older woman, then clapped her hands together with excited sparkling eyes. "What are you waiting for? Come inside! If I had known that a small child would be coming here, I would definitely bake something delicious.”

Noah disappeared within seconds as soon as his grandmother showed where Zeke's childhood room was. And the child enthusiastically ran away saying something like that the younger Banana and the older Banana should meet. Of course, Zeke was the only one laughing at this as he shook his head. But when he looked back at his grandmother, she immediately started asking Mikasa about the wedding.

"Do you have a family, Mikasa?" began his grandmother, trying to assess the terrain of how financially burdensome a wedding would be.

"No," she replied, lowering her head sadly. "I'm alone."

"Well, you're not alone. As I can see, you have that child here, and Zeke too. And I have a feeling that Zeke is harder to deal with” they sat down together as she handed her a glass of tea.

Hearing this, Mikasa smiled. Slowly, she finally started to open up. She felt that she was safe here and that they would not hurt her.

"Yes, that's true. They are my family,” Mikasa agreed, then turned to Zeke and smiled at the man. "And I would do anything to make the two of them happy."

"That's great!" the woman took Mikasa's hands in hers. “Zeke has always been too stubborn, he said he would never get anyone for himself. But now! It seems we won't die out after all” she smiled kindly at her.

"I think so too," Mikasa smiled kindly at the old woman. "What was Zeke like as a little kid? I would like to get to know him better.”

"He was quiet when he came to us. Even after that, he was withdrawn for a very long time” she said as she looked ahead and spied the wall. "But he's also very brave for speaking out against his parents. Grisha treated him terribly and we noticed this too late. But it doesn't matter anymore. You have to think about the future,” she nodded while observing Mikasa. "You can give him something that almost no one else can."

"I promise I'll try to give him a better future," Mikasa said, then looked at Zeke again. "You want that future too, don't you?"

"Of course," he said, looking back over his shoulder, but he couldn't say more because Noah arrived only to drag him to his room. And when they were gone, her grandmother looked at Mikasa with a serious look.

Mikasa felt that the mood had become more serious, so she began to snuggle uncomfortably in the armchair. Finally, in the most polite voice she could muster, she asked: "Um, sorry, Mrs. Yeager, is something wrong?”

“I just hope that our family will grow soon” she drank her tea. "I know my grandson, if he sets his mind to something, he doesn't stop until he sees it all the way through. So if he’s really serious, he won't keep anyone waiting.” Hearing this, Mikasa blushed. She never thought that one day she would talk to someone about having children.

"We haven’t talked about this with Zeke, yet," the woman finally spoke.

"Then you must. As soon as possible,” she said kindly, but Mikasa knew it was more of an order. She thought grandparents could be like that because Armin's grandfather always asked Armin when he was looking at someone. Even when they were only ten years old.

"Of course," Mikasa finally said, even though the war meant she had no idea when or how they would have the chance. 

To calm her heart pounding from the tension, she imagined how much fun Armin would have, if he found out that it wasn't just his grandparents who always came up with the child topic. Even after all this time, Mikasa could clearly see the blonde haired boy's smile and it gave her a faint comfort at this moment. The woman thought that Armin would have easily found common ground with Zeke's grandparents as well.

However, at that moment, a mixture of grief and revenge cut sharply through her as she remembered Amin. He hadn't forgotten Annie or what she had done. And while Mikasa was serving under Marley, she had the opportunity to look into the woman’s past.

"Mrs. Yeager, do you know where does Mr. Leonhart lives?" Mikasa asked, and the woman enthusiastically showed her the direction as she escorted her out to the front of the house.

"What do you want from Mr. Leonhart?" the woman asked before Mikasa left.

"I have something to do with him. But I'll be back soon,” she said, and Mrs. Yeager nodded with a smile.

Meanwhile, Reiner was sitting in his room with his rifle next to him. The man knew that soon he would be fed either Gabi or Colt. And this completely spoiled his mood. He didn't want to be eaten alive. His situation was not made easier by the fact that both Magath and Calvi were angry with him. And so, in utter desperation, he shoved his rifle into his mouth. 

"You always said you wanted to disappear with a bang. I didn't think this is the way you do it” came a familiar voice, and then Berthold entered. 

"Berthold," Reiner said as he put his rifle aside. "Are you alive? How do you get here?” 

"I'm alive," he said as he kicked the empty bottles away on the floor with his foot. "Thanks to Eren. He didn't feed me to the titans, but kept me alive. He gave us a home” he looked around the room. "He set me free." 

"I thought they were going to kill you there," Reiner answered, then held out his hand to Berthold. "Good to see you again." 

"You too," he smiled as he accepted Reiner's hand, who immediately pulled him into a hug. "I hope Eren treated you well," Reiner said as he gave his friend a friendly pat on the back. 

"Well, he gave us an apartment in Shiganshina and said if we don't feel like playing soldiers, we can do whatever we want," said Annie, leaning against the door frame. "And calm down, I'll answer before you have to use that one last brain cell of yours. He freed me out of the crystal.” 

"But how did he do it?" Reiner asked after releasing Berthold. Despite Annie telling him not to, Reiner kept trying to use his brain cells.

"Something with soundwaves or something. We didn't understand, it was too much science for us” Annie finally shrugged her shoulders as she walked next to Berthold and took his hand. 

"Have you become a couple since then?" Reiner asked in shock, falling from one surprise to another. 

"You missed a lot and that's exactly why we're here," Berthold stroked Annie's hand with his thumb. "We want to ask if you want to stay with us. Will you join Paradis to win the freedom of the Eldians?” Reiner thought for a while, considering his situation. But then he realized that here in Marley they would just kill him anyway. So he finally decided to join: