The next morning, Levi and I were among the very first to rise if not the first, which made plenty of sense considering we hadn't exactly gone to bed in the first place. There really hadn't been a single part of me that had expected to, in all honesty.

There'd been so much to unpack, so much to discuss, and besides all the, you know, complete strangers on the island (most of which were trained soldiers, by the way), Emiko didn't exactly sleep through the night yet. She could go a few hours now, but as babies typically did, she decided when and if she wanted attention.

Still, she was working on it.

Regardless, even if she did sleep through the night, we couldn't, given the circumstances. Rather, Levi and I had stayed up talking, going over what had been learned. There were some nonsensical musings and mumblings, and certainly some quiet stretches where we mulled over all of what had happened in our minds, but otherwise, we talked and talked - there was still a lot about the world we didn't know.

What occupied a lot of our time was a conversation regarding the two most prominent of our visitors, because if Yelena and Onyankopon were being genuine, maybe we could use them to our advantage. They were, as of now, our only links to the outside world. I wasn't sure how far we could trust them, but for now, we needed the help.

When we awoke, we took our breakfast quietly, and were soon joined by Hange. She met with us at dawn, telling us to let her deal with Eren keeping information from us higher-ups. She was the commander, after all, so she decided she'd talk with him and punish him accordingly.

Of anyone, we shouldn't be learning such information from foreigners, especially if it was knowledge Eren could've shared with us at any time. Levi had been understandably ticked off by that, but surprisingly deferred to her judgment, knowing anything new learned would be relayed to us, her most trusted confidants.

We then called upon Onyankopon and Yelena, treating them to breakfast while we discussed the plan Yelena had mentioned last night. There had to have been a good, solid reason for them to defect to us, and we listened intently to the plan Zeke had formed. He had some terms, of course, but for the most part, it genuinely seemed that he wanted to help Paradis advance in the pursuit of freeing all Eldians.

As far as I could tell, they were being honest. They shot the captain of the ship last night, and something like that typically wasn't done lightly - I should know.

What we were in, put delicately, was a tricky situation. There was a lot at stake here, depending on whether we decided for our brave (and perhaps disingenuous) volunteers. We could, at the very least, grant them some freedoms, gather some knowledge, and use them.

We had the power here, right? They were on our island, we took their weapons away, and we could very well take their lives away as well. At the first sign that they were turning their back on us, I knew without even the slightest shadow of a doubt that Levi and I would have no problem tossing them back into the sea - or worse.

Still, the promise of advancing our technology to catch up with the outside world was a chance we couldn't pass up. With Zeke and the Volunteers' plan fresh in our minds, we left the pair to their devices, Hange taking Levi, Emi, and I on a walk to discuss our options. Hange was cautiously optimistic, and I had to admit, I was too. Levi was, of course, more wary.

Hange decided it would be best to discuss everything with the brass before making anything official, but she figured it'd be a good idea to let them help us. We needed it, after all, especially if we were as far behind the rest of the world as the volunteers suggested.

She was quick to send word to the interior, figuring it was best for us to head there as quickly as we could. We'd bring with us the kids, but everyone else would remain here under the rest of the Survey Corps. They were to sit tight for a while, and once we had the official go-ahead from the brass, our partnership could begin.

The next day, our odd fellowship prepared for our trip back to the territory within the Walls. Horses were tacked up, provisions collected, gear stashed, preparations finalized - and at last, we made the journey back to the main base.

Unsurprisingly, Yelena and Onyankopon had the full attention of the kids, and they weren't even traveling with us. We hadn't permitted them thus far to meet any of the kids, so it was as if the entire trip back we were swarmed with questions about the outside world. Once back at the base, we had to wait for a response from the interior on a confirmation for the requested meeting.

The afternoon on which we'd returned, Levi and I had promptly dropped into our bed for a nap but had ridden to the base that evening for dinner because neither of us had felt like cooking. It was nice to have an evening like that again. It'd been a while since we'd seen the kids, and already we could see the changes they'd undergone.

In only the year or so we'd known them, I could see just how much they'd grown. I still called them the kids, but in all honesty, they were so mature now. Sure, they still messed around and had their fun, but when it came down to it, they were forced to grow up faster because of the fighting they'd found themselves in.

I teased Jean as much as I could for having grown his hair out, and he'd found it funny until Eren got involved, at which point I reminded Eren that he was doing the same thing. That'd shut both of them up but had made me laugh.

Luckily, a meeting was set up quickly, headed by Historia and Zackley, and some of the heads of the military regiments. Three rows of tables were set up before that of the Queen. I'd met with her the morning of the meeting, excited to have a chance to speak with her. She'd stepped into her role as leading monarch quite well, and she was so excited to meet Emi.

The meeting began with Hange briefing everyone on what had been happening on the coast, leading up to the other night, with the appearance of the Marleyan Survey ship. With that said, I'd stood and given my report on what had happened that night, including relaying what Yelena and Onyankopon had told us about Marley being occupied for now with war against other allied countries. With my bit done, I sat, and Hange had stood, relaying Zeke Jaeger's plan.

"Zeke Jaeger's demands are as follows: to be accepted in Paradis Island, so he could spend his remaining years here, and to be introduced to Eren Jaeger, his half-brother, and the current owner of the power of the Original Titan," Hange spoke.

Already, ripples of discontent rose up in volume and in intensity, but no one, for now, interrupted.

"In return," Hange continued, "he guarantees the safety of Paradis Island, promises to introduce new technologies and weapons, to act as intermediate between us and potential ally nations, and to support us in our fight against Marley by providing information and forming war plans, and so on. All in order to assist the Eldian people in this time of grave danger-"

"This is outrageous," one of the soldiers of a different regiment called out. Hange stopped reading and we all turned to look at the man who'd yelled out. "No way we'll cooperate with such nonsense! This is the Beast Titan we're talking about here!"

Well, true.

Emi, seated in my lap, leaned as far as she could, reaching for her father. Hange was stood between us, so I set her down. She walked around Hange, using her legs for help balancing as she did. Hange looked down at her with a smile as the man continued and Levi picked her up to set her in his lap.

"He turned the people of Ragako Village into Titan! He assaulted the Walls! We're talking about the man who led the attack that killed almost every man and woman in the Survey Corps! How dare he even suggest-"

"Marley's goal has always been to take back the Founding Titan," Zackley cut in evenly and justly unswayed. "They failed to do so by force, so now they're trying to talk their way in."

"The enemy must have realized this themselves," Pixis said. "First, let's hear what Commander Hange has to say."

"There's more," Hange said. "According to Zeke, there's a secret plan that could resolve the problem of the Eldian people in one swift action. In order to put this plan into effect, two things are needed. The Founding Titan, and a Titan with royal blood. With both of these things, the world can be saved. However, he will only divulge the details of this plan after his conditions are met."

"I can't bear to listen to this," someone a few tables over muttered.

"Does he take us for fools?" Another soldier asked bitterly. The sound of a chair being pushed back behind our table caught my attention.

Eren stood. "He's telling the truth." One of my eyebrows rose skeptically as he looked towards the front of the room to the monarch. There was an oddly intense look in his face, but his eyes were distant. "I just remembered something."

Interesting.

"The only time I was able to use the power of the Founding Titan was when I came into contact with a Titan with royal blood."

Oh, for crying out loud.

"That Titan had the same face as a person who appeared in a picture left behind by my father. Her name was Dina Fritz. It was definitely her."

So, if she happened to be the lady in the picture Grisha had left behind, it'd have been his first wife, and mother of Zeke. I leaned forward, setting an elbow on the table, a hand pressed to my temple, my eyes closed. Zeke Jaeger had royal blood.

"That day," Eren continued, "by complete coincidence, I touched Dina Fritz who was roaming around as a senseless Titan, and thanks to that, I was able to save myself from getting killed."

What he was referring to, of course, was the rescue mission the night after we went to Utgard Castle to retrieve Historia and the other kids, when he'd been captured by Reiner and Bertholdt. It was also the mission in which Erwin had lost his arm. Now that I thought about it, we hadn't seen Ymir since then, so it was absolutely certain that they had the Jaw Titan back in their power.

"So now, thanks to Zeke, Dina's own son," Eren said, "it all becomes clear. The only way to escape the oath to renounce war, the only hope left for us Eldians, is to get what we need to enact the plan to flatten the Earth, under the stomping feet of the thousands of Titans who lie dormant inside the walls."

All was silent in the room as everyone considered what he'd said. I opened my eyes and looked back at him.

"Eren," Armin said quietly, hesitantly.

"Brat," Levi sighed, one arm draped lazily over the back of his chair, "why are you only telling us this now?"

"Because I was worried about Historia," he said simply. "I was concerned that because of this uncertain information she might be forced to turn into a Titan. I agree that it was a reckless decision."

"We will discuss this further later," Levi said, turning to face forward again. Hange slumped back into her seat, holding her head.

"Sit back down, Eren," I said quietly to him. He did so, slowly and gently.

"But, if this is true," Hange mused, "then for Zeke to have this 'secret plan' makes sense."

"Are you insane?" Nile piped up. "You mean to say you're willing to trust these people?"

"That's right! Who knows what will happen if we let all those enemy soldiers stay on the island!"

"We should hang them all!" A chorus of agreements from other soldiers rang out from all around the room.

"No," Hange protested, "we can't do that, either. In order to protect this island from further visits from Marleyan survey ships, we need help from the anti-Marley military volunteers. We must obtain this 'radio communication' they have."

"As it stands," I said, "Marley has the manpower to destroy our island on foot, in water, and from the air. They're distracted for now, but we need to take advantage of the opportunity before us to catch up. We are a century behind in terms of technological development. Even if we can't entirely trust them, while they're willing to offer their help, we cannot pass this opportunity up."

"Commander Hange," Zackley said. "You too, Captains Levi and Amaya. You are the only ones to have met with these volunteers. If you truly have faith in them, then you are free to do as you see fit. If the world retaliates, it will be on your shoulders."

"Yes, sir," Hange said.

—

"I can't believe that kid," I said, biting back my sigh as I closed the office door behind us.

Levi set Emiko down on her feet, and she took off right away to the small box containing her toys set against one wall of the room. Hell, I don't know why we even had so many toys for her - she only ever picked from a few.

With the door now closed, and my small family in about as much privacy as we could hope for, I leaned back against the door and pressed the heels of my hands to my eyes.

Goddesses help me, I had such a headache today. It wasn't a random headache, no; rather, I knew exactly how I'd gotten it. What with Eren intentionally keeping information from us, to the meeting in general, everything had been so frustrating. And the implications alone of what he said, and how we found out, and having to take it all in and dissect it and absorb it all at once...

Yeah, it was a perfect storm, that was for sure - a perfect storm that led to the worst headache I'd had in a while. It was easing up now, slightly so but it wasn't as bad as it was, if only because I could find solace in the fact that for now, things were out of my hands. Hange would have to think about all of what we had learned first, and when she came up with something to discuss or hear our opinion on, she'd come to us. But for now...

Things were out of my hands.

As soon as we had returned to the base after the meeting, Hange had invited us in to meet with Eren. He wasn't to be detained again, but we did impart on him the importance of relaying information to us, and that meant all information. What he'd done was reckless and stupid. In a war where already we were lagging in terms of information and development, we needed all we could get, and he hadn't helped. Not at all.

I lowered my hands and watched as Emiko rummaged through the box, finally fishing out a small, stuffed horse. She made a happy little noise when she found it and hugged it to her, squishing it tight.

I turned my attention then to my husband, watching as Levi stepped around the desk to drop down into one of the desk chairs, his usual one. He leaned forward, set his elbows on his knees, and rested his head in his hands. So, he was as frustrated as I was, then. I didn't blame him. I didn't blame either of us.

I reached behind me with one hand to lock the door behind me as I pushed away from it. I then decidedly started to head into the bedroom, rubbing my temple with one hand to try to soothe the pain.

Levi lifted his head to watch me, a concerned knit in his brow. He called out to me, a simple call of my name that alluded to the sudden worry he now felt. Emi plopped herself down in the middle of the office to play, looking up at me briefly as I stepped around her.

Not stopping for anything, not even to answer Levi, I entered the bedroom and made a beeline for the bed to drop down face-first onto it. After a few moments, I adjusted, rolling onto my side to allow myself to draw deep, slow breaths in.

It wasn't long before I heard footsteps behind me, the usual creak in the floor as Levi stood beside the bed, and another gentle call of my name. I opened my eyes to look up at him. His arms were crossed over his chest, yet there was nothing in his eyes but concern. Right away, I felt bad; surely, there were more important things to worry about? Still, when he met my eyes, he dropped his arms to his sides and lowered himself to perch on the edge of the bed beside me.

"What's wrong?"

"Just my head," I answered at long last, my voice matching his own in remaining quiet and noninvasive against the relative quiet of the room. "I've had a bad headache all day. I'll be alright."

"Migraine?"

"No," I answered. "I don't think so."

Levi reached out and pressed the back of his hand to my forehead, then to my neck, pressing gently and only to gauge my temperature, I'm sure. "You're warm," he said, confirming my thoughts.

He leaned down and pressed the softest of sweet kisses to my cheek, so soft and so sweet that it was hard to think that he was a battle-hardened soldier, and hard to really accept after having such a hard day.

It was almost too much, really, but I appreciated it all the same, even in the way his bangs brushed against my skin with a ticklish sensation and the way my skin suddenly felt much cooler than it had been before he kissed me. He then stood from the bed.

"I'll run you a cool bath," he offered right away.

"A cool bath," I whined, propping myself up on my elbow to watch him head into the bathroom.

"Yes, a cool bath," he confirmed from the other room. I groaned and plopped back down to the bed. "I said cool, not cold, you brat. It should help you feel better." He started the water then stepped back out. "Sit up."

I did so, confused as to where he was going with this as he approached the bed once more. What I wasn't expecting was for him to gather me up into his arms as soon as I was sitting up and carry me to the bathroom, especially when it was only a few short feet away.

It was doting and overly sweet, and rather instinctually I put my arms around his shoulders and watched as we drew ever closer to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom he let me down and told me to undress.

"What's gotten into you?" I asked as he checked the temperature of the water and I pulled my jacket off. He dipped his fingers into the water, adjusting the temperature, then wiped them on the seat of his pants. I watched him as I began unbuttoning my shirt. "You never fuss over me like this."

"You fuss over everyone else," he said easily. "Why? Am I not allowed to take care of my wife?"

"Of course you can," I said as I shrugged out of my uniform shirt, fighting to keep a smile from blossoming on my face. "It's just not like you."

"Don't you think that's..." He trailed off, and I watched as he walked around the bathroom, grabbing a towel, and set it on the rack by the tub. "Never mind."

I slowed in my movements right away, afraid I'd upset him. "Levi?"

"Forget it," he said, stopping the water now that the tub was full.

"No," I protested immediately, stepping before him and setting my hands on his upper arms. "No, I can't just forget it. What's wrong? Did I say something wrong? Did I upset you? Levi, please."

"I said to leave it be," he pressed. "Get in the bath. I'll make you some tea."

Not us. Me. He was making me tea, not tea for us.

It was a subtle change, but a change all the same. "Levi..."

Emi stepped into the bathroom then, the horse dragging on the floor behind her, wondering what we were doing. He crouched down and Emi ran to him, grinning from ear to ear. He lifted her up, holding her close to his chest.

"Do you want to come with me to go make tea, little girl?" She nodded happily, even though I was sure she didn't understand the question. "Give mommy a kiss," he said, lifting her towards me. I smiled and she leaned as far as she could towards me. I pressed a kiss to her cheek, getting an excited giggle from her. "We'll be back."

"For us," I called after them. "Tea for us, Levi. Not just me."

He didn't answer. With my words trailing after them and nothing more, they left the room, closing the doors as they went, leaving me in the now quiet bathroom. I stood there for another moment, confused and concerned and altogether upset, but continued to undress.

I sighed as I settled into the bath, easing myself into the water. It was cool, as he said, but it wasn't too bad. Ah, well, it was a warm day anyway. It was hard not to feel better, no matter what was happening in this family, this regiment, and the world at large, when I was alone within these four walls and soaking in water.

To that end, I closed my eyes and tried to relax, but Levi's words continued to worry me. There was a lot to worry about today, what with the go-ahead to work with the volunteers, Eren withdrawing information from us, and now, this. I couldn't get his odd tone and what he'd said out of my head.

I would just have to wait for him to return, I supposed. I hadn't meant to sound unappreciative because I wasn't. I loved that man so much and everything he did for me. But fussing over me was something he very rarely did, if at all. It wasn't in his nature to fuss.

It was in my nature to fuss, only because I'd spent time caring for Caden, and I'd been fine-tuned to do so by the time I joined Levi and Farlan, and later, when Isabel joined us. I enjoyed caring for others because I'd been cared for so well when I was younger, and I wanted to repay that favor. It was a simple way to show love, and I genuinely enjoyed doing it.

In the military it was more common for people to be left to care for themselves, and I'd seen that firsthand, but I knew how happy it'd made me when people showed even the most simple acts of kindness, and I wanted to share that feeling.

Levi was caring, so caring, but he showed it differently. He wasn't one to fuss, that was a fact. When I'm sick, he cares for me, helping me out, but he doesn't baby me. The only person on the planet that he babies is Emiko, and that's because she's literally a baby.

I didn't typically enjoy being fussed over either, so it worked out. I fussed because I could, and I'd been shown that kindness before. Levi had never been fussed over, at least until I entered his life, and I was the only one he'd accept it from, and even then, it was begrudgingly. He didn't need to fuss over me. That was the dynamic we'd settled into, and I didn't want him to feel like he needed to change that.

I loved that man and everything that he was. There wasn't a single damn thing I wanted to change about him.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear the bathroom door open, but I did notice it when he crouched down by the side of the tub.

"Hey," he greeted unsurely, with a clearly forced sense of ease. I opened my eyes and turned my head to look at him.

"Hey," I responded quietly with a smile.

He'd set the tray on the floor and was already pouring a cup by the time I spoke, and so I sat up and rested my forearms on the side of the tub, leaning over to watch. In doing so I nearly bumped heads with him, and he noticed, letting out a quiet chuckle when he did. He lifted my cup towards me, and I took it gratefully.

The first thing I noticed was that it wasn't black tea. My nose was met with a wonderful floral aroma, and I sighed and closed my eyes as I took a sip. When I lowered the cup, I opened my eyes and smiled at him.

"I made chamomile," he said. "You like it, right?"

"I do," I said honestly. "Thank you."

"Jean was in the kitchen," he said, pouring himself a cup. "He told me to add honey, but I wasn't sure if you'd like it."

I took another sip before responding. "Honey's good to help with a sore throat, among other things. Did you tell him I was sick?"

"He asked how you were," he said, "because he knew you were usually the one who makes tea for us. He figured if you weren't, you were either busy or not feeling well."

I couldn't help but smile. "He's such a sweet kid. But I like chamomile tea by itself, so don't worry. I feel better already." I couldn't lean that far out of the tub without dripping water all over him, so I reached out with one hand to caress his cheek and gently pull him to me. I pressed a grateful kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, my love."

He cleared his throat and put his cup back on the tray. He stood, walking across the room. I watched him curiously, wondering what he was up to. He grabbed a towel, neatly folded, and returned to the tub. He set the towel down on one end and knelt on it.

"Lay back," he instructed.

I did so wordlessly, resettling myself to lay in the tub, my back to the edge. I leaned my head back to rest on the top edge, and I got my answer as to what he was doing. He gently tugged my hair out of its tie, running his fingers through it gently to undo the knots that'd formed today.

I closed my eyes and let out a content groan at the feeling. His fingers, calloused and scarred from years of fighting, were delightfully gentle as they ran through my hair and massaged my scalp, and with that feeling coupled with the tea, I was very much worried about the possibility of falling asleep in here.

I couldn't bring myself to tell him to stop, though. He played with my hair for a few minutes, then parted my hair into three parts, at which point he began to fumble as he tried braiding it. Still, it felt amazing because he was still playing with my hair.

"Shit," he muttered. "How the fuck do you do this?"

"Are you sure you want to? Honestly, what you're doing right now feels great."

"I asked, didn't I?"

I smiled and sat up. "Watch my hands, then," I said. I gently undid the messy plait he'd started and parted my hair into sections. I started it, going slower than I normally would, so he could watch closely. "Go ahead and try," I instructed.

He took the sections from me and held them still for a moment, still unsure.

"Take the section in your... left hand and put it through," I said slowly, focusing hard to try and remember the step I'd left him on. He did as I said, and I grinned as he continued from there.

"You know," I began easily as he progressed, "my father used to braid my hair all the time."

"El did?"

"Mm-hm," I affirmed. "Ever since I was a little girl. Even after I learned how to do it on my own, I still let him do it, sometimes."

"He loved you," Levi noted. "More than anything else."

"He did," I agreed wistfully. "He really did."

"Do you miss him?"

"Every single day, yes," I answered. "It was his partner who taught him how to braid, because she wanted him to be able to braid their daughter's hair, if ever they had one."

"She died not long before he adopted you, no?"

"That's right," I confirmed. "She got sick. El wanted to marry her, but unfortunately... he never got the chance." When he got to the end of my hair, he tied it off, and sat back on his heels. I ran a careful hand along the plait and looked back to smile at him. "How does it look?"

"It looks... like a braid."

"It's perfect, then," I said. A quick look into his eyes and I could see that he still looked hesitant, unsure, a bit distant, perhaps. I turned to face him in the tub, my forearms on the tub's edge. "Levi," I called gently. He met my eyes, though warily. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, and I didn't believe that for a second. When he dropped his gaze, I knew that my disbelief was written plainly in my features. "...It's stupid."

"You say that," I said slowly, "but I very much doubt that. How about this: give me a few minutes to wash up, and then we'll talk. That'll give you some time to gather your thoughts. Does that work?"

He considered it for a moment. "I'll bring a set of clothes for you." He stood, and I knew at that moment that he'd agreed to my terms. I reached down towards the tray to grab my teacup again, taking another sip as he walked back in with a set of his clothes.

"Thank you," I said to him. "I'll be out shortly."

He left the bathroom again, taking the tray with both of our cups on it with him. I got cleaned up, rinsed off, then stepped out to dry off. I drained the tub and got dressed into the clothes he'd brought in, which was a pair of his dark sweatpants and a shirt that dipped low enough on my chest to offer him a teasing view of what lay hidden beneath - but he didn't seem to be in the mood right now to comment on it, or appear flustered at all.

I stepped out of the bathroom when I was ready, closing the bathroom door behind me. Levi was on the floor with Emi, who was talking in her own language to him. He was nodding along, his dark bangs swaying. Emiko was showing off her horse toy, telling him all about it.

My heart warmed at the sight, and I found I didn't quite want to interrupt. With a quick look around the room I noticed he'd put the teacups on the nightstands on either side of our bed, and I stepped around my family to reach my side. I perched on the edge, reaching for my cup. I continued to watch the two of them for a few minutes, content to just watch and sip my tea.

But Levi turned and gestured with his head for me to join them. I did, lowering myself to a crouch behind him, my arms draped lazily over his shoulders, my head leaned to one side to see around his. Emi grinned and lifted her horse higher, explaining whatever it was with more urgency now, as if I'd needed to catch up on the main points of her lecture before she could even think of continuing.

The tea made me sleepy, and I closed my eyes as our daughter babbled on. I wasn't sure how exactly he was able to notice, but Levi reached up to pat my face. I scrunched my face up in response and pulled away from him, setting my head on his other shoulder.

As it was, I was nearly on top of the poor man, but he used that to his advantage. He leaned forward and I let my body go limp over him, but I wasn't expecting him to get to his feet. He stood up, reaching back to grab my thighs as I yelped with surprise, wrapping my arms and legs around him.

He looked back at me with a smirk, and I bit my tongue to keep from swearing in front of Emi. Our daughter was excited by this turn of events, and stood, sitting on Levi's foot, and wrapping herself around his leg. Holding both of his girls, Levi took a few steps, a small smile on his lips.

My little family began to play then and did so until Emi tuckered herself out. When we put her to bed, and she yawned and settled into her bedding, we stood there looking at her for a few minutes. Then I took his hand, leading him over to the bed. I settled myself in the center of the bed, pulling him after me, to sit just in front of me. I sat cross-legged, and he mirrored me. I held his hands in mine, rubbing my thumbs over his knuckles.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better," I answered honestly. "The tea and the bath worked wonders. So did your magic fingers."

He rolled his eyes at my words. A quiet, comfortable moment passed. The flickering light of the one lit lantern in the room cast him in a warm light, the blues of his eyes complimented by the light.

"Am I a good husband?" His words were soft, tentative. My eyes widened at the absurdity of the question and for a moment, I couldn't find the words to respond.

"You're an amazing husband," I finally said truthfully. "I couldn't imagine a better man to share my life with." He didn't respond, but I continued. "...How am I as a wife?"

He looked at me like I was stupid. "Don't ask dumb questions."

"I won't if you won't," I said. I needed to figure out where this was coming from. It wasn't like Levi to talk like this, it wasn't in his nature to doubt things, much less himself and his own abilities. "Did somebody tell you... that you weren't?"

"Not directly," he sighed.

"Who?" I asked, anger bubbling up in my chest. Who the fuck would have the audacity to even imply that he wasn't a good husband? "I'll go beat their ass right now and knock some sense into them."

"Oh?" He mused. "You'd beat up an entire continent of people?"

"...What? Levi, what do you mean?"

"I told you this was stupid," he muttered. "Fuck it. Before we left the other day, I overheard some of the Marleyan assholes. They'd heard that we were married but said that I served to prove their point that none of us on this island were capable of love because of how I treated you."

My mouth dropped open in pure shock. "How you treated me? What were they...? What do they think they saw?"

"Couldn't tell you," he said. He cleared his throat. "So, I figured I'd... fuss. Over you."

"Levi," I said gently, "baby, you don't need to. They were only saying it to get a rise out of you, to prove something to themselves, to justify what they were trying to do. Don't you dare think for a single second that what they're saying it true, because they couldn't be more wrong."

I sighed, hating the fact that someone - mere strangers - had made him waver like this.

"I can't believe them," I muttered. "They went their entire lives thinking of us only as Devils, people who can't love because of what our ancestors have done. But there is so much love on this island, it's insane. We managed to find love in the dirtiest, scummiest part, and look at us now."

"Is there anything I do that you want me to change?" He asked. I shook my head before he even finished asking it.

"There is not a single thing I would change about you. I fell in love with you, Levi. I didn't conjure up some fantasy version of you and think, well, I can change him to fit that. No. I fell in love with you, and I love the love that we share."

"You're happy with me." He said, but there was a question dancing in his eyes.

"Absolutely," I said. "We're a strange couple by any standard, I'm sure, but I don't give a shit. We don't need the mushy-gushy, in your face declarations of love that I'm sure they were expecting. I love all the little things you do for me." I smiled. "I mean, we'd go to war for each other, and honestly, we'd probably win." That got a smirk out of him. "I know we don't overuse the phrase or anything, but you must know that I am so fucking in love with you. But... you're happy too, right?"

"Yeah," he said immediately, nodding. "Obviously. I didn't mean to..." He trailed off and cleared his throat. "I didn't mean to make you doubt."

"I just wanted to make sure," I smiled. "I'd go to war so quickly for you and Emi, and you could bet your ass I'd be home in time to make your evening tea." He chuckled. "But how about this: when we get back to the coast, and we see those Marleyan assholes, we're just gonna make out."

His eyes widened. "Amaya, that's-"

"Think about it," I said through a laugh. "They seem to be under the impression that we're not capable of love. Well, let's put on a show for them. There's a path that leads to a pretty bed of wildflowers out there, I found them on our first trip. You can pick some, make a very public declaration of love and I'll run into your arms, and-"

"Amaya," he said firmly, "no. I'm not doing that."

"Alright," I said with a smirk, "but does that mean if I just so happen to kiss you right in front of them that you'll pull away?"

"You're an ass," he said, but the smirk on his lips let me know he was only joking.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

"You know exactly what I mean." He sighed when I didn't move, though it was indulgent if nothing else. "Get over here, brat."

I smiled indulgently as I crawled to him, sitting in his lap sideways. He put his arms around me, and I took his face into my hands, wasting no time in drawing him to me for a kiss. I traced the lines of his jaw, the contours of his cheeks. His skin was smooth, soft to the touch, but I ran the pads of my fingers along the scars I knew were there, faded with time. The only remaining evidence of them was the slightly raised sections of sliced skin.

I let my hands drift down to his neck and shoulders, lightly pressing against his muscles, the permanent lines against him from the gear straps. One hand danced down his chest to press against his abs and he sucked in a breath.

"How are you so damn perfect," I whispered against his lips.

"You're asking me that?" He said, pulling back. At my smile he smirked and rested his forehead against mine, his eyes closed. "Thanks for putting up with me, brat."

"Thank you for letting me," I said, letting my own eyes close. I yawned suddenly, the tea and my exhaustion taking over. I rubbed my eyes and with a tender kiss to my forehead, he tossed me towards the head of the bed. I bounced on the bed on impact, a laugh escaping me.

"Go to sleep," he said as he pulled the covers back. "The sooner you do, the sooner I can get back to being the best fucking husband."

—

"Amaya."

The call of my name roused me from sleep further. I'd already been drifting between the realms of being asleep and being awake, considering Emiko had just woken both of us up with her crying. As part of him being the best fucking husband, he never let me get out of bed to take care of her at night. The only times he needed me to care for her was when she woke up hungry. I sat up, rubbing my eye, and blinking sleepily to try to wake myself up.

"She's hungry."

I got out of bed, padding over to the crib on quiet feet. I took our daughter from him and began to rock her to soothe her as I went back to the bed to sit. With one arm I set the pillows against the headboard and sat leaning against them.

"Hush," I said to the crying girl as I lifted my shirt. She was quick to latch on, and I adjusted my hold on her to get more comfortable. "There you go, sweetie," I cooed quietly. Levi followed, stifling a yawn as he dropped back down onto his side of the bed, sliding over towards me.

I smiled sleepily down at him and he let a crooked smile lift his lips before he looked away to pull the covers up over him. He tossed my end over my legs again, reaching over me to tuck that side in. While he was leaning over me, he planted a kiss to Emi's cheek, distracting her only momentarily from her meal.

Then he sat up next to me, enjoying the peace and quiet now. But not too long passed before he yawned again, his eyes fluttering closed. I could see out of the corner of my eye his futile attempts to stay awake. He fought sleep for as long as he could, he really did, but only a few quiet minutes passed before he slowly slumped over, his cheek landing squarely on my shoulder. I looked down at the mess of black hair, and I pressed a lazy kiss to the top of his head.

I looked down at Emi, our little carbon copy of Levi. She had his pale skin, blue eyes, and dark hair. I smiled at the thought that once again, he'd gotten what he'd wanted. I'd wanted a little boy, but he'd been adamant that we were to have a baby girl, and he'd been right. Ah, well. She was perfect in every way, and I was so proud of my little family.

Levi's breathing evened out and I knew he'd fallen asleep. Emi unlatched from my breast and I carefully drew my shirt back down, but Emi, now full, yawned and was already falling back to sleep. I swiped my thumb gently over her lip to remove the leftover milk, and lowered her to lay in my lap, an arm still supporting her.

I'd have a terrible crick in my neck in the morning and my back would definitely be stiff, but I couldn't bring myself to care. For now, I was content to sit here as the two loves of my life slept peacefully and comfortably.

If I did have a sore neck in the morning, well, I could just ask my perfect husband for a massage.

—

By the time I woke up again, the sun was surprisingly up. It streamed through the curtains and I allowed my eyes to get used to the light slowly. Another surprise I found was that at some point in the night I'd moved to actually lay down.

...Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that I'd been moved.

The blanket was tucked around me, but Levi wasn't in bed, and Emi wasn't in my lap. I stretched my limbs out with a long sigh before I sat up. Emi wasn't in her crib either, and with the bathroom door wide open, I could see that no one was inside.

The bedroom door leading to the office was open just a crack, though, and so I was able to hear Emi's happy babbling from here as she presumably played on the floor. I rolled my neck out, satisfying cracks and pops ringing out.

I stretched my arms above my head, my shoulder popping, and I let them drop to my sides as I fell back against the pillows. There was a knock on the office door then, and I propped myself up on my elbows, trying to peek through the door to see who it was.

"Name and business," Levi called from the desk.

"Jean, personal business."

"Enter."

The door opened and Jean stepped in. "Good morning, captain. Good morning to you too, Emiko." If I leaned and squinted, I could see Emi stand and hop over to Jean, reaching for him. He picked her up and I could hear Levi shift on the desk chair.

"What do you want?"

"How is Captain Amaya feeling this morning?"

"Fine," he answered simply. "And she's still sleeping, so keep your voice down."

"So you've checked on her? She isn't unwell?"

"Did I not just say she is still sleeping? And I'm certain you're not alluding to me not checking on my damned wife."

"Er, no, sir. Not at all. Sorry, sir."

"Why are you in here bothering me?"

"I was only coming to check in, sir. Hange also wanted me to send word that by the end of the week she'll be preparing to head back to the coast, and she would like the both of you to accompany her."

"Is that all?"

"Well, I did have a personal question, if you don't mind answering it."

"That depends on the question, idiot." There was a pause, and a drawn-out sigh. "Spit it out, kid."

"What's it like..." Jean cleared his throat. "What's it like to be in love?"

There was another pause. "Don't waste my time with stupid questions."

"I just, well, I was going to ask Captain Amaya, but if she's still sleeping, I can't."

"You couldn't just wait until she wakes up?"

"I thought I might get a good answer from you, sir."

"Why exactly are you asking in the first place?"

"I uh, well, when visiting my family, they were asking about my love life, and – damn, this is embarrassing. My mom was telling me, for example, that you know that you've fallen in love when uh, with just one look, it's like nothing else matters, and-"

"Stop talking," Levi sighed. "I want you out of my office, so I'll give you the short of it. It's that, but every time."

"Every time?" Jean echoed. "So like, every single time you look at Captain A-"

"Yes," Levi pressed, "now get out. I answered your question."

"Er, of course. Thank you, sir."

Jean left the room, and I heard Levi let out another long sigh. I lowered myself back down to the pillow and rolled over, trying to feign being asleep as the desk chair was pushed back. "I work with idiots, Emi," he said as he walked across the room.

The door creaked open but by then I was laying on my side facing away from the door, my eyes closed, doing my best to keep from smiling. He stood by the bed quietly, but he was soon joined by Emi, her quick little footfalls revealing her position. He picked her up and suddenly she was on top of me, crawling towards my head. I couldn't help but smile when she slid off me, rolling to a stop just under my chin.

"Mama," she said, and I opened my eyes with a grin.

"Good morning, darling," I said, drawing her into my arms, my heart swelling at the realization that she just talked, and it was a coherent word. "Did you just talk? Did you just say my name?" At my excitement she giggled, trying to push herself away from my chest. I held her tightly, sitting up and taking her with me. I let her stand in my lap as I peppered kisses over her cheeks.

"You little shit," Levi said, sitting on the bed. "I thought I told you to say my name first."

"Mama," she said again, looking back at Levi as she squished my cheeks.

"That's right," he said with another sigh. "That's mama." He reached out to ruffle her hair, but she didn't seem to mind.

"I can't believe it," I said, rubbing my nose against hers. She bonked her head against mine, not quite understanding what I was doing.

"Mama, mama, mama," Emi giggled.

"Very good," I smiled. "That's so good. How about daddy? Can you try that?"

"Mama," Emi said.

"You've got that one down," I laughed. "How about daddy? He's feeling left out. Can you say daddy?"

"Da," she started.

"Dad," I said slowly, putting extra emphasis on the second d.

"Da," she tried again. "Da. Dada."

"That's it," I beamed. I turned her, letting her lean back against my chest. "Who's that?"

"Mama," she let out amidst another giggle. Levi, who had perked up when she said dada, visibly slumped again.

"That's daddy," I said. "Try again."

She looked at her father. "Dada." She looked up at me with a wide smile. "Mama."

"Very good," I said. "Good girl! Go see daddy," I said as I helped her from my lap, and she jumped into his arms. He gathered her into his arms and kissed her cheek. He looked up at me.

"You look like shit." He smirked. "Go get cleaned up. We've got a few days before Hange wants us to head back to the coast, so we can head home today."

"Oh, good," I said, standing from the bed. Just to irk him, I leaned down and took his face into my hands.

"Amaya-" I cut him off with a kiss planted right on the mouth, smiling against him all the while. He pressed a hand to my forehead and pushed me away from him. "Your morning breath is rancid," he muttered, wiping his mouth and sending me a glare.

"You know I can't go that long without kissing you," I teased. I headed over to the dresser anyway, fishing out a set of my uniform.

"You already lost that privilege for the day with that," he said, watching me as I did.

I gasped exaggeratedly. "You don't mean that!"

"If you're not back out here in less than five minutes, then you will lose them."