The rain was cold and harsh, but Levi's embrace enveloped me in warmth. The torrential downpour remained relentless, tearing into us the further we traveled. Galloping through the muddy terrain, Levi's horse charged forward, forcing each and every droplet to evolve into tiny razor-blades stinging and biting at my exposed flesh. In the same breath, I cursed and thanked both the hellish weather and my dizziness for the chance to ride horseback with Levi. Feeling him hold me tight, safely pressed close to his chest our entire journey, was incredible. His eyes were focused ahead, determined to reach our destination quickly, but his heart and his touch remained present.

Eventually, I allowed my palm to rest atop Levi's hand which he had placed so lovingly against my core. My thoughts began to race as I acknowledged exactly what was developing beneath his fingertips...or rather, who. I was fairly confident that he was only ensuring my safety, keeping me close to prevent me from falling off the horse, but I couldn't help but wonder if he had any suspicions. He was incredibly observant; always keen on his surroundings and never really one to miss important details. However, I honestly had to wonder if he even knew what the early signs were for pregnancy. As the Captain of the Survey Corps, pregnancy wasn't exactly a matter of much concern, and with the mortality rate so low in the Underground, I doubted he was ever really around pregnancies... viable pregnancies to be more specific.

Levi must have noticed my heart rate skyrocket, for his grip tightened around my waist to get my attention before he nuzzled against my neck.

"Oi, don't pass out on me now. We're almost there."

Tilting my head back slightly, I pushed my cheek into his and hummed, acknowledging him as best I could. Levi replied with a quick kiss to my nape before returning to his gaze ahead. With a deep inhale, I sipped a long breath in through my nostrils before releasing my worries and doubt to the wind.

"Tonight...maybe tonight," I whispered softly to myself, knowing the rain would more than drown out my words.

What seemed like minutes later, the silhouette of a farmhouse came into view. A plume of smoke fought through the precipitation, doing its best to escape into the atmosphere. I could feel the tension leaving Levi's body as he relaxed his grip and eased his weight forward with a sigh.

"Alright, listen up, (Y/N). First thing's first: we take off these shitty wet clothes," Levi growled against my ear.

"I won't argue with you there," I smiled, stifling an awkward laugh.

"Good."

The moment our approach was noticed, a few royal attendants waved their arms to flag us down. Barely slowing his horse to a trot, Levi tossed the reins into the attendees' hands and swiftly dismounted. Throwing his hood back, he squinted from the rain and locked his eyes with mine before reaching for my waist. Without so much as a grunt, he pulled me from the saddle into his arms and gently placed my boots onto the wet grass. Never withdrawing his hand from my body, he guided me indoors where we would finally find refuge from the storm.

"Captain! (Y/N)! I am so glad you could make it!"

I could never mistake Historia's sweet voice for anyone else's. With complete disregard for how sopping wet I was, she threw her arms around my neck and wrapped my body into a warm hug. I awkwardly returned the embrace, a bit surprised by her reaction. When she released me, she gave Levi a small nod accompanied by a bright, beautiful smile.

"I am so grateful to you both, coming all this way in such awful weather! It means so much to me! Please, let me show you to your room! My amazing attendees already started the fire in the hearth and set out some fresh, dry clothes for you to change into. Oh, and Captain, they are brewing your favorite black tea as we speak," Historia added, knowing full well what the Captain's preferred beverage was.

The farmhouse was quaint, but not without its royal touch. The hall was adorned with rustic brass candelabras resting against the walls, their flames flickering as they lit the way. Our room was not far from the main living space, but when she opened the door, I failed at hiding my reaction. I had expected a shack; a bundle of sticks thrown together with buckets on the ground to catch the leaks. However, the Guest Room could have been stolen directly from the royal palace. Even though it was far from extravagant in size, it had obviously been furnished for the wealthy in the past. A king-sized bed with a large, cream-colored duvet was staggered in the corner, facing the magnificent stone hearth that gleamed from the dancing flames within. An old, circular rug covered the hardwood planks, which was far more than the usual dirt floor.
It was obvious that the room had been stripped of its ridiculously over-the-top royal decor and replaced with only the necessities. It was perfect.

I turned to face Historia who beamed with pride. Placing my hand on her cheek, I smiled and thanked her for such wonderful hospitality. Turning on her heels, she swiftly left the room alongside another attendee, who shut the door behind her.
Once the door clicked shut, I let out a long, audible sigh and began pulling my saturated uniform off of my cold, wet skin. After removing my cloak, button-down, and bra, I turned to find an also shirtless Levi pausing to stare at me. Taking a step closer, he reached out and placed his hand on my hip, pulling my bare chest against his own.

Levi's embrace was honest and pure, void of any underlying desires to go further. Wrapping my arms around his back, I flattened my palms against his toned shoulder blades and endearingly nuzzled his neck. We stood together beside the warm flickering flames, casting one single shadow across the floor. He briefly squeezed me tighter before releasing me from his arms and pecking my forehead gently.

"Sorry, you can keep changing," he muttered.

"Don't be stupid; that was nice," I blushed.

We both knew Historia was waiting for us to return after ridding ourselves of our drenched clothing, so we only stole little peaks at each other as we continued to undress. There would be time for other such activities later, especially with our room having such a giant bed. We craved one another badly at that moment, but we were mature enough to just dry off, redress and exit the room with nothing more than a loving kiss.

We met back up with Historia in the main room, where she was speaking with one of her Royal attendees as he read off a list of names and quickly jotted down notes. Another attendee stopped before Levi, tray in hand, offering him a cup of tea, which Levi gladly accepted. Being that I was still a bit cold, I agreed to one as well; It felt quite pleasant to hold the warm china in my grasp. 
When Historia noticed us, she smiled and thanked the man before her. Then, spinning on her feet happily, she greeted us once more.

"The first group of families from the Underground just arrived! Would you like to join me in receiving them?"

I turned to look at Levi since Historia was mainly addressing him, unsure of his comfort level. However, he glanced at me instead, as if to make sure I was feeling up to it. I gave him a reassuring smile and placed my hand in his, intertwining our fingers with care. Pressing his hand into mine firmly, he nodded his head at our Queen.

"Lead the way."

We followed Historia down the hall to the back of the farmhouse where her carriage was waiting. Levi helped us both up, then sat down beside me, tea in hand.

"Normally, I just walk there, but this rain is just awful!" Historia laughed.

I stared out the window and gaped at the seemingly endless line of carriages and covered wagons that had lined up past the gate. There must have been hundreds of people waiting to be greeted by their Queen into their new home, where they would finally feel at least somewhat safe. The farm was lined with small buildings, each a little place for families to call home. The last larger building would serve as the orphanage, where children would be cared for, no longer forced to live on their own.

"Historia, what you have done here for Humanity is astounding. I am sure the people from the Underground City are grateful," Levi admitted, doing his level best to keep his composure. I could tell by the way his eyes shone that he was amazed at the sight before him. Finally, someone had acknowledged that the citizens of the Underground were humans just the same.

Our short commute ended beneath an overhang where we were greeted by more attendees and a few soldiers. At first, we hung back, allowing Historia to fully engage with her people. It was a glorious sight to see smiles radiating off of children's faces, who may have never truly smiled before. What began as a trickle of nervous footsteps quickly evolved into a wave of laughter and racing about.

Just when Levi and I began to feel comfortable enough to join Historia, I heard a high-pitched squeal emitted from the crowd. There was barely enough time to react before an auburn-haired beauty burst through the masses and flung her arms around Levi.

"Levi!!! You handsome devil, you're alive!"