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As a soldier, Petra was blessed with rarely getting her period. It came once in a while, mostly when she was on break that never spanned more than a week. She never missed the bloating, the cramps, the excruciating headache, an insatiable appetite, and most of all, teasing from her squadmates. Their captain, her boss, made sure to silence the men, shooting them warning looks when they noticed blood in the shower and all over Petra’s towels. One word out of line was extra laps for the day, to which Petra joked it should last as long as her period did.
That earned a laugh and an uncharacteristic smirk from their captain. “Not a bad idea, Ral,” he said, giving her fresh laundry and pads from the medic supply.
Maybe she should have thought it was odd to not have her cycle for the past four months, but she was too preoccupied with Eren Yeager and keeping things professional with Captain Levi. Sure, she was nauseous more often than not, chalking it up to stress, but excusing herself to throw up threw her off. She thought she was sick and the guys and Eren clucked over her like mother hens.
“You need to drink more water,” Eld scolded her while Gunther handed her bread.
“Didn’t you eat an apple off a tree before washing it?” Oluo pointed out from two days ago.
“I can’t imagine food poisoning takes that long to set in,” Petra sighed, feeling herself go dizzy as she sunk into the pillows.
“Miss Petra, I can get you more food—“ Eren offered, panicked as he brought a warm towel to her forehead.
Levi was the last to enter her room and glowered. “Oi, let her rest.” He held a tray full of tea and honey, the latter a luxury while Petra gave a weak smile.
“Thank you, sir.”
He nodded, and the briefest flicker of concern crossed him while the rest of the squad exited. Opening his mouth, it appeared he wanted to say something, but he paused at the door frame and set his gaze on the tea tray. “You can leave it at the door when you’re done.”
Petra frowned, assuring herself that he would do that for any member of their squad, but he was gone, clicking the doorknob shut before she could reply.
The next day, she felt right as rain, smiling as the sun rose. A sour taste filled her mouth and she twisted her nose, wanting to wash up as soon as possible. The tea tray was gone and the faint smell of lemon wafted from the hallway leading to the bathroom. A smile came to her lips; leave it to the Captain to clean on her behalf. It had nothing to do with her, she told herself, he hated foul odors, and vomit didn’t have a place in the Special Operations Squad.
It wasn’t until she tried to put on her pants that she noticed the bump.
Or that it was harder to pull the zipper up and impossible to button.
She was lucky Levi had the foresight to put trash cans in all their room. As the realization hit, another wave of nausea swept over. Her face found the bin as she cried between drools of vomit.
Shit.
The castle was miles away from headquarters, and Petra took a personal day after she collected herself, declaring she needed to see the doctor. Levi promptly signed her leave, not saying a word as she departed in civilian clothes. A dress wasn’t ideal for riding, but she didn’t have a choice as all her pants were military issued.
“I think I’m pregnant,” she told the doctor, and it didn’t escape her how his eyes looked at her left hand. No ring, no husband or fiancé on file, hot judgment filled her cheeks as the doctor placed his stethoscope on her stomach.
His gaze softened immediately, his voice paternal as he kept the metal object on her skin and handed her the device to listen.
“Close your eyes,” he instructed. “You can hear its heartbeat.”
Breathless, Petra almost refused to listen. She came here to end things, not fall in love with a nameless child.
But the minute she heard its heart, the world stopped. It was slow, so faint she almost mistook it as her own. It beat in tandem with hers, a small voice cradling itself in her womb, and tears came to the corners of her eyes.
“I want to keep it,” she declared, her mind swimming. The doctor had already begun drawing up the paperwork to allow her leave of absence, but his voice was like a faraway echo. The only thing Petra could focus on was the baby—her baby, and the life she was about to throw away. It should have filled her with resentment and anger, but there was only one thing she was worried about.
How was she going to tell Levi?
“Miss Petra, are you okay? Did the doctor give you bad news?”
Eren paused in his sweeping to hurry over to Petra. Keeled over, surprise took her as she nearly fell to the ground, but Eren held her steady as he clasped her shoulder and waist.
She felt it kick.
It felt like a tap, almost like a stomach gurgle if she hadn’t been so acutely aware for the past week that she was growing a human. But it was the baby, and Petra gasped while she supported herself on Eren’s shoulder, trying to assuage his worries with a weary smile.
“I’m fine, thank you Eren. We better hurry so the Captain doesn’t get upset. You know how he is.”
Grumbling, Eren agreed, but concern still rose. “Captain Levi is different than I imagined him. He should at least give you a break, you’re sick!”
“I’m fine,” she lied. “Just a stomach bug, remember?”
“You’re still recovering,” Eren argued, huffing. “You haven’t been yourself since you got back from the doctor, and you’ve been training with all of us. Maybe you should talk to the Captain to give you time off—“
“Eren, it’s not a big deal. Captain Levi is strict, I can’t ask for an exception since I’m under the weather.” Her voice was thin. Even she didn’t believe her lie, and they resumed sweeping the empty room in silence until Petra paused, biting her lip.
“What do you remember about your mother?”
The question caught the young man off guard, but they’ve had conversations like this before. He disclosed to Petra that he joined the Scouts since he lost his mother in Shiganshina—eaten right in front of him. It was horrific, and to also be a Titan shifter, she couldn’t imagine the confusion he was wrestling with.
Eren’s green eyes shone like emeralds and a rare smile graced his face. “She was always scolding me. Told me if I didn’t shape up, I’d get myself in trouble and one day Mikasa wouldn’t be there to help.” He gave a mirthless laugh. “Guess she was right.”
“What about the good things?” Petra asked, and hot tears began clawing up her throat.
“Where do I start? She made the best potato soup. She loved to knit. I used to wear this scarf she made for me all the time until I gave it to Mikasa.” He closed his eyes and tilted back and forth on the balls of his feet, wistful. “She never spared a second thought when I invited Armin over for dinner. In retrospect, it was a bit selfish of me—food is scarce. But she never questioned it and always set a place at the table when I asked.”
“Even though it’s been three years, can you still remember her face?”
“Of course,” Eren answered immediately, and he snapped back to the present. “Miss Petra, why are you asking all these questions?”
A surge of fear flew through Petra. Her ears were ringing, but she had to make a choice. She already told Erwin—he left the decision up to her. It didn’t surprise her he didn’t care whether a fetus died in battle, she was an essential member of Levi’s squad.
‘Please don’t tell Captain Levi yet. I want to do it myself, whatever I decide.’
‘Of course,’ Erwin agreed, giving her a measured look. Erwin knew. He had to by how delicate he treaded, respecting her wishes because as her commanding officer, Levi had a right to know.
She took a deep breath.
“Eren, I’m pregnant. And Captain Levi is the father.”
Silence consumed the room as Eren’s jaw dropped, and a bucket falling to the ground made both of them jump into the air. Water sloshed in, and the soap caught on the crevices of the floor. Levi stood at the entrance, bandana-clad, and his gray eyes could kill as he removed the handkerchief from his mouth.
“My office. Now.”
Levi could do the math. When Petra said she’s around four months along, he can count how many days it’s been since they slept together.
It’s how many days since things changed between them.
Their interactions had been playful for some time—too flirtatious and close to be captain and subordinate. He let it slide because it was harmless and neither would jeopardize their careers over something as trivial as lust.
Except he made the first move after he saw her body swing from a Titan, knocked out cold from a hit, blood dripping from her temple. After Oluo cut the arm off, he caught her in the air, whisking her away on his horse, and it took every ounce of his strength to not lose his composure. He should go back and slaughter that Titan for nearly killing her, but her eyelids fluttering open bated his ire.
When he kissed her in the infirmary, he said it was a mistake and swiftly apologized.
When she returned to the barracks and kissed him back, she told him she wished it wasn’t.
Bedding each other was a mutual decision. Far more experienced than he was, he didn’t mind telling her he was a virgin. He wished he could say their coupling was from post expedition adrenaline—they both decided on that excuse, but Levi knew he ached for her laughter and smiles. To her, sex was a means of escape and pleasure. To him, it was an unraveling and acceptance. He may be a captain and Humanity’s Strongest, but he was also a man.
Despite those facts, they both agreed that it was a one-time thing. They valued their careers, the Scouts too much to let anything get in the way. So, they never spoke about it again. Cue awkward one on ones, avoiding eye contact at the dinner table, and not pairing himself with her during training.
Leave it to Levi to sleep with a girl once and get her pregnant. If Kenny were here, he’d cackle and talk about fucking plenty of girls and not ending up with a brat.
He folded his arms. “When were you going to tell me?”
Nervously, Petra shifted back and forth, keeping at least three feet apart between them. “Before the next expedition,” she said, her voice just above a whisper, and ended with a “…sir.”
Levi kept his voice measured. “That’s in one week. And cut the sir crap, this is bigger than our ranks.”
“I know,” she said softly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to tell you. When I told the Commander, he left the choice up to me and he said he’d expedite my leave of absence—“
A dangerous hiss curled over Levi’s lips. “Wait, Erwin knows?”
“He doesn’t know it’s yours!” Petra exclaimed, but her wary tone caused her to falter. “Well…I think he has a suspicion. But he didn’t ask.”
Levi pinched the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath, trying to make sense of it all. It isn’t difficult—they fucked and he knocked her up.
“You don’t have to take responsibility for it,” Petra continued and wrung her hands. “Or tell anyone it’s yours. I told Eren because he confided in me and I trust him. But the guys will kill you. I can’t have you ruining your reputation because of me.”
“Are you insane?” Levi finally closed the gap between them, and for once, he’s afraid. Of losing her. Of losing it. Dying didn’t matter to him, but leaving a kid behind; fuck, he wanted to be here for all of it. “And what do you plan to do once it’s born? Go back to the Scouts?”
“This is why I didn’t want to tell you!” Petra cried. “I want to go back. But what kind of mother would I be if I left my child?”
“Our,” Levi corrected, and his gaze zeroed in on her stomach. He finally sees it. That small protrusion was their child. He noticed Petra was wearing more dresses than usual when they were off duty. To think, that was a part of him inside her—
Mentally, he shook his head. That can come later. For now, he wasn’t going to make the same mistake as Kenny.
“You’re close with your parents, yeah?”
Petra nodded. “They wouldn’t be happy about it, but I know mom always wanted grandchildren. And I’m their only child. They wouldn’t hesitate to watch it after it’s born.”
Levi swallowed. “If you wanted to return after, you can. I can’t stop you. We aren’t married and this….” He trailed off, unsure of what to call this, but Petra finished for him.
“This isn’t a relationship,” she agreed. “It was an accident. But a happy one?”
Unsure of how to reply, Levi forced a smile. “Yeah,” he affirmed.
Beaming, Petra outstretched her hand. “Do you want to feel him? He was kicking just before you walked in.”
“He?” Levi breathed. “How do you—“ he doesn’t know anything about children or pregnancy, and Petra laughed.
“I don’t.” She cautioned a look to him. “But the longer I spend with you, I feel like it’s a he. He has his father’s energy.”
“Tch,” Levi grumbled, but he placed a hand on Petra’s stomach.
Unsure of what he was looking for, minutes pass while Levi tried to center his thoughts, blocking out images of the last time his hands were on her stomach.
Then it happened. Like a greeting, Levi found himself overcome with an emotion he couldn’t name, and a few more kicks answer him while Petra exploded into giggles.
“Does it hurt?”
“Not yet. It’s like butterflies.”
Levi rolled his eyes. “That doesn’t tell me anything.”
Petra blushed as she turned away. “Butterflies like when you’re in love. Or like someone. When they enter a room and you’re so happy you could explode.”
Levi remained silent as he removed his palm. “I see,” he said, staring at her in awe, finally meeting her amber eyes. “Should we start thinking of names?”
Petra never thought of herself as motherly. Nurturing, yes. She liked taking new Scouts under her wing and mentoring was a skill that bloomed under Levi’s tutelage.
But with Eren sobbing into her lap, and running her fingers through his hair, she wished to protect him from the horrors of the world.
“I’m sorry Miss Petra. I couldn’t save them.”
“Shhh, it’s okay,” she cooed, brushing away his bangs. He’d be leaving for Stohess soon, alongside Levi, and Petra wasn’t sure whether to go home or wait for the outcome. Her leave was official, her pay suspended, and Levi’s offer to provide necessities was looking tempting. She didn’t want to part with Eren; in a way, he was the last survivor of her squad besides Levi.
She choked back a sob. She had to be strong for Eren, but the sting of losing her best friends was still raw. When the Scouts returned too soon after departure, Petra expected the worst. Levi was like a ghost, staring vacantly into the crowd, and her father, just receiving the news of her pregnancy approached Levi as they entered.
‘I personally think she’s a little too young for marriage, but since you two are expecting…’
Bless her father’s heart. Petra couldn’t bear to tell him they weren’t in love, that their child was a product of lust and pent-up tension. Not like what he and her mother have.
Levi just stared straight ahead, nodding along, and her father excused himself when Petra caught up to them.
She knew immediately they were gone.
Petra should be comforting Levi—he had to bear the loss and saw their lifeless bodies on the field. But she slept in his arms, not leaving his room while she tried to etch their faces into her memory. How their last time together was filled with the guys thinking of baby names. Eld continued to give Levi a hard time, while Gunther and Oluo placed bets on the baby’s arrival date. No one was pleased; as predicted, they were all livid with Levi, all threatening to harm their beloved captain on Petra’s behalf, but after the dust settled, the five of them morphed into an odd family. They were always family, but their attentiveness to Petra warmed her heart in ways she never realized, and their usual stiffness around Levi had waned as jokes were made about what he would be like as a parent.
‘Don’t let him be a deadbeat, you hear?’ Eld warned her.
‘You’re acting like you guys won’t be around to make sure,’ she teased back, but Eld was serious. A rare moment for the blond.
‘I’m just saying, if you retire from the Scouts, don’t let him lose touch. I swear he could keep his head in the cleaning bucket if he tried.’
‘I think he’s excited to be father,’ Petra admitted quietly. ‘Even if he’s scared shitless.’
Eld snorted. ‘Well, if there’s anything for him to be scared about, fatherhood is a good place to start.’ He slid his gaze over Petra and leaned back with a puckish smile on his lips. ‘So, how long have you been in love with him?’ Despite being pregnant, Petra still knew how to land a punch, and Eld woke up with a sore arm the next morning
Did Eld know he wouldn’t see the Scout’s mission fulfilled? Did Gunther purposely make an extra batch of cookies for her before he left? Did Oluo leave his cravats in a place Petra could find them, neatly folded with a note that said: For the kid :)
Levi kept her in the dark after her leave went through. She didn’t blame him, it was just protocol. But looking back, did she want a heads up that the family of five years would disappear from her life forever?
Levi didn’t have answers. Only his laser-focused vision that’s kept her moving since she joined. Except, now that they were temporarily no longer captain and subordinate, she didn’t know what to say.
“Do you want to come to my next doctor’s appointment?”
She guessed that was a good place to start.
Having Levi in her childhood home was both eerie and pleasant. He flitted in and out, having business in the inner wall, but Karanese wasn’t too far away. Her mother and father adored him, even after the pair made it abundantly clear that they had no intention of getting married. He helped with the cleaning, enjoyed her mother’s cooking, and even humored her father at the vegetable stand on one of his off days.
They were all distractions. He was itching to get back onto the battlefield, but with his injury, all he could do was assist Hange and Erwin from the back end while making sure he protected Eren.
There weren’t many rooms in Petra’s house. Just two, one for her parents and herself, and since Levi was a regular guest, Petra didn’t want him sleeping on the couch. So they set up a cot next to her bed, which turned out to be handy during her late-night cravings and aches and pains.
“He’s kicking again.” She winced as he awoke to fetch her some painkillers. Grumbling, “Of course your kid has massive strength.”
Levi raised an eyebrow as he took the glass. “Oh, he’s my kid now?”
Rubbing her stomach, Petra groaned. “When he’s causing his mother pain, yes. Like father, like son. You both have a sadistic streak with your drills and with him causing me pain.”
Levi bent down to look at Petra’s protruding stomach and gave it a serious look. “Stop hurting your mother.”
Giggling, Petra drew her nightgown up, propriety out the door now that he attended all her doctor’s appointments. In her opinion, there was nothing sexy about her underthings and her round tummy, but Levi seemed to think otherwise as he reddened and turned away.
“You can talk to him closer if you’d like.”
“I’m good,” Levi said stiffly, then cleared his throat. “You said heat helps? I could, uh, hold you while you fall asleep. But only if you want, or else I can boil some water and fill up the waterskin.”
Petra yawned and flipped her dress back over as she leaned back into the bed. “That sounds nice, sir.”
“Oi, what’d I say about the sir?”
“I’m tired,” Petra answered lazily and patted the spot beside her. “You coming in?”
Dressed in sleep pants and no shirt, Levi paused. About to grab a shirt from the rocking chair, Petra tugged on the tie around his pants and gave him a pull, a coy grin on her face. If she were more lucid, Levi would have a clever retort on his lips, something akin to blaming the baby hormones. But it didn’t come, as she was already curled around her pillow as the painkillers set in. He sighed and awkwardly maneuvered himself onto the bed while placing a respectful hand at the base of her spine.
“Here?” he asked tentatively, his voice raspy against her neck. She shivered and molded closer to his frame, sighing in relief while heat pulsed between them.
“Better.”
Slowly, he dragged his fingers back and forth, his callouses catching her nightgown while he propped himself up with one arm, his hand on his cheek. “Would it feel better if I massaged the area?”
“Mmm,” she replied, and Levi began drawing his thumbs back and forth, gently digging and kneading. Petra squeezed the pillow until the tension released from her shoulders and her idle breathing drifted like a steady stream.
Drawing the blanket over them, Levi smoothed his hand around her middle until it settled on the bump. He closed his eyes, trying to envision their child, but it still astounded him that what was growing inside Petra was theirs. Tightening his hold, it didn’t escape him how Petra nestled further into his arms or how she slept with a smile on her face.
‘You talk in your sleep,’ he observed the first night he stayed at the Rals.
Laughing, Petra pushed aside the bookcase against the wall to make way for the crib. ‘Yeah, I got that a lot when I was a cadet. Then from my roommates in the Scouts. I think people were happy when I got promoted just so they wouldn’t have to hear my babbling anymore.’
‘I think it’s cute.’
He rendered her speechless by the blush on her face. It was ironic that a child brought them back to their usual banter. He missed it; he missed her and Levi knew he was riding a delicate line. Captain, friend, now father-to-be, temporary lover seemed to be trivial compared to the rest of their complicated labels.
Love and affection were messy, and Levi hated messes. People’s feelings got hurt, he couldn’t make any promises, and the only regret he didn’t want was abandoning his kid.
Still, seeing the steady rise and fall of Petra’s chest had him wondering: what if there was more to life than survival?
“Mom, he’s only leaving for a week and he’ll be in Mitras! I don’t think he needs your scones.“ Petra shot a nervous look to Levi who was preparing the last of his things.
Petra’s mother huffed, her ginger hair longer than Petra’s and in all sorts of wisps and tangles from baking earlier that morning. “No son-in-law of mine is going hungry. Levi, dear, do you have enough money for a carriage?”
Petra groaned. “The captain can take care of himself. Sir, you don’t have to accept anything—“
“—I’d love some, actually,” Levi said, popping a buttered scone into his mouth, then shot Petra a smirk. “They taste delicious. And I’m good for the carriage, Scouts are taking care of it.”
“Of course they are,” Petra’s father nodded, clapping the shorter man on the back, and Levi grimaced. “Tell Commander Smith we say hello!” he added and Petra’s mother swooned from the sidelines.
“Oh yes please tell him we’d love to have him over for dinner!”
“Mom,” Petra warned, mortification crawling up her cheeks. “I think the commander has more important things to do than stop by for dinner.”
“You’re probably right,” her mother lamented in defeat, then snuck a smile to Levi. “Maybe Levi can snag us one of those new Survey Corps posters. The one with the commander in the center?”
Choking, Petra nearly slapped a hand on her forehead. “You already have one of me and the squad!”
Her mother pouted, “But this is for my sitting room.” Bundling the rest of the scones into a handkerchief, she pulled Levi into a hug, to which he stood stark still, his eyes wide and he stiffly patted the woman’s shoulders in return. “Safe travels,” Mrs. Ral said.
“I’ll be back soon,” he assured the Rals, sending a pleading look of help to Petra, who coughed into her hand. Her mother, just an inch shy of Levi, grew watery-eyed as she pulled away.
“She always gets like this when I leave too,” Petra laughed and made a shooing motion to her parents. They exited the foyer, leaving them in private while Levi adjusted his bag across his shoulders.
“I might be gone longer,” he murmured just so only the two of them could hear. “Things are shaking up now that Erwin’s back.”
Petra touched the round of her belly, smoothing the wrinkles over her blue dress. “I know. We’ll be right here when you return.” She laughed in disdain, longing in her gaze as Petra felt far away, back when she joined the cadets. “Wish I could join you guys, I feel like I’m being replaced with your new Levi Squad.”
“Tch, they’re a bunch of brats. It’s gonna take me forever to train them.” Levi shoved his hands into his pockets and his eyes remained fixated on the floor. “You’re better with training newbies.” He tightened his grip over the scones, and his jaw flexed as he contemplated his next words. “Your parents are nice, Ral. Even though you definitely didn’t inherit your mother’s cooking skills.”
“Hey!”
“I’m just saying, I could get used to this. Forgot how shitty the dining hall food was until I came here. And you four were horrible cooks.”
Petra shuffled on her feet. “You’re always welcome here, you know. They’ve always loved you. They felt like I was safer with you.”
Even though I got you pregnant, Levi silently bit back, but Petra seemed to read his mind.
“They thought me joining the Scouts eliminated any possibility of grandkids. So even though it’s…unconventional, I don’t think they mind.”
“Even though the brat might end up looking like me?”
She bit her lip. “I wouldn’t mind if he looked like you.”
Levi didn’t want to leave. It was comforting here, living with the Rals in their simple life of scones and vegetables. There was a tempting pull the longer he stayed, this life of domesticity where he and Petra played house for the past ten days. Duty called, and not having her by his side as his comrade sent a mixture of longing, but also a relief.
He got down on one knee, and Petra sucked in a breath while she looked behind her shoulder and back.
“Captain?”
Was that hope in her voice? Levi dared to dream.
Leaning over, his forehead graced her stomach, just barely touching her. “Can I say goodbye to him?”
Her gaze softened. “Of course.”
Blink and you could miss it, Levi skirted his lips past the bump, then muttered, “Don’t cause your mom any more pain, okay? I won’t be here to nurse it.” Rising, unsure if Petra heard him since it was only meant for him and his son, when he met her again, tears were pooling in her eyes.
“Oi,” he chided, but she quickly composed herself.
“It’s the hormones,” she blamed, but her cheeks were rosy and she trembled as he moved to leave. “We’ll be waiting.”
Levi smiled, savoring one last look.
“I know.”
When Levi entered the hideaway, there was an odd shift in the air. He heard the brats squabbling from miles away, and the chimney was in full force from the meal they were preparing. Laughter echoed downwind, and as the door slammed shut behind him, all eyes were on him.
Eren swallowed nervously. “Captain! How was your trip?”
Levi held up a bag of potatoes and tossed them onto the table. “Good. We’re leaving for Trost tonight, pack your things.” He scanned the room, and Sasha and Connie were curiously looking at him like they were trying to hold in a shit. Jean was in the corner, sweeping the same pile of dust for the past thirty seconds, and Mikasa and Armin were twiddling their thumbs. Historia was out back getting wood, he already saw the short girl scamper away from him as soon as he came into view.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing!” they all chorused together and Levi’s eyes narrowed.
“Oi, if you have something to say, say it.”
Everyone remained silent, which only pissed him off further, and Levi stalked to Eren, his presence looming over the shifter. “Yeager, spit it out. If the squad has an issue, you should talk to me.”
Eren shrunk under Levi’s glower and he backed himself into a wall. Sweat beaded off his temple and he adjusted the handkerchief around his neck, fanning himself in the process. “Well, uh, I was telling everyone about my time in the castle and everything I learned from your squad.”
Levi continued glaring and growled at Eren to keep going.
“And I was telling them about Miss Petra and how she advised me to learn more about gas usage in the field. That led to a conversation about Miss Petra herself, and it kinda slipped out that she’s having a baby. Then everyone asked me who the father was, and uh, you guys never told me to not say anything, so I told them the truth!”
The room baked in deafening silence. Water bubbled from the pot on the stove, and everyone held their breaths as Levi inched closer and closer to Eren.
Fuck.
How was anyone supposed to take him seriously if he was a dad?!
Eren continued to ramble as he slid down the wall, his hands in the air. “I think Miss Petra is going to be an amazing mother! She’s nurturing, beautiful, and kind, and she almost seemed happy after she told me! She said she thinks it’s going to be a boy, so we all started coming up with names and—“
“Eren, shut up!” Jean yelled, dropping the broom and rubbed his temples.
Levi finally backed off and crossed his arms, looking to the 104. “So, what were the names?”
“I thought Peter would be cute! You know, after Petra!” Sasha piped in, red-faced from holding in her laughter.
“But we’d call him Mr. Clean,” Connie interjected with a maniacal grin. “If he’s your kid, he’s going to be the cleanest baby in the world. What does Petra look like, we need to factor this into our decision!”
“Oh, she has pretty ginger hair!” Eren said, earning a glare from Mikasa and Levi. “And big amber eyes. Captain, does black hair run in your family? My dad said dark hair tends to be inherited more easily. But maybe a mix would be interesting. What do Petra’s parents look like? You spent the last few weeks with them—“
“This conversation is over,” Levi said and walked to the dining table. He could feel a headache coming on and restrained himself from socking Eren in the gut. The 104 parted like the sea, scampering away, and he checked for dust underneath the table by sliding his hand underneath.“And clean this again, it’s still filthy.”
“Yes SIR!”
“Oi, oi, oi, the brat finally got his dick wet!” Kenny cackled as bullets ricocheted into the air. Levi dodged, his heart battering against his chest while he tried to silence the terror creeping up his bones.
Kenny fucking knows. They’re far away from Karanese where Petra is safe, but the blind rage gunning in his veins made Levi want to murder the man on the spot.
A wire hook just managed to miss Levi’s head. “Guess I’ll be a grand-uncle soon,” Kenny chortled, his voice raspy while he held his fedora with one hand as he soars into the air. “Should I stop by ginger’s house to drop off the present? I didn’t get an invitation for the baby shower.”
And then the world stopped.
Kenny was his uncle?!
Petra leaned against the palace wall as she waited for Levi. Dressed in her long military coat, it felt odd to wear with her protruding stomach. The belt and waist were no longer in proportion to her torso, and she noticed her ankles were starting to swell in the tight leather boots. Still, she couldn’t miss out on an invitation to see the new queen’s coronation, and she was still a member of the Scouts.
Raucous chatter filled the hallway, followed by footsteps, and Petra made out Eren’s voice alongside the rest of the 104. They were thrilled to meet her, shooting salacious smirks from the get-go that she quickly dispelled.
‘The captain and I aren’t dating,’ she clarified when they first met, and their disappointed groans made her heart flutter.
“Oh, it’s Petra!” Mikasa said, the glint in her eyes bordering on terrifying, “What’s Captain Levi’s weak spots? Historia is getting ready to beat him up. I told her to make sure she has a strong stance for punching.” She then demonstrated a kickboxing motion, and Petra giggled.
“You won’t stand a chance against the captain, but aim for the stomach.” Petra squared her shoulders and brought herself into a sparring position. The rest of the 104, namely Sasha, Connie, and Jean oohed and ahhed as she gave a few experimental punches into the air. “Make sure you don’t break your wrist, Captain Levi has a tough body—“
“—you would know,” Connie howled, and Jean promptly smacked him upside the head and muttered an apology to Petra.
“After you smack him, say ‘I dare you to hit me back,’” Mikasa advised.
When Levi returned from his adventure, Petra cried. After twenty-five days of not knowing where he was, the Survey Corps accused of treason, and then for him to show up at the Ral’s doorstep in the middle of the night, she couldn’t help but collapse into his arms.
‘You’re bigger,’ were his first words, his hands tracing the curve of her larger stomach.
She blushed and nudged closer to his touch. ‘That’s what babies do, sir. They grow.’
And also like a baby, he slept for an entire day in her bed. She came in to check on him just to make sure he wasn’t in a coma, but she had never seen him so exhausted. When he awoke, he filled the Rals in on his whereabouts and the crowning of the new queen.
Seeing him take a hit from Historia awoke something within Petra. He looked...paternal. He smiled, which was a rarity for him in public, and his swagger when walking away from the 104 as he looped an arm around her made her feel like a schoolgirl.
How could she not steal him away into an abandoned corridor and kiss him?
Grasping him by the lapels, Levi’s eyes flew into shock while Petra slanted her mouth over his. They haven’t kissed since that night, and she forgot how beautiful he was. Hair like silk, his body toned and muscular, he eagerly reciprocated while he trailed his fingers down her cheeks, her neck, and settled on her waist. He nipped along her jawline, his musky scent intoxicating, and his voice lowered an octave as he whispered how good she looked.
“Petra, wait,” he groaned as she dove a hand beneath his coat, cupping his center. He took a deep breath, his pupils blown out, while he gently pushed her away. “We’re retaking Shiganshina in two months. I…I can’t promise you forever.”
She stilled, nodding in understanding that this was no longer some tryst. This was her child’s father. It took her a minute to steady herself, the image of them as a happy family remained a daydream. Smiling weakly, Petra took his hands in hers. “I’m due in almost two months. You better hurry up so you don’t miss meeting Kenny Junior.”
“Oi, don’t joke about that!”
Stepping away from him, Petra twirled in the empty hall, finding teasing easier than talking about the imminent future. “I think it’s a cute name.”
“Tch, for a murderer. Besides, I think it’s going to be a girl now.”
Petra skirted to a stop. “What, really? But we’ve only thought of boy names.”
He threw a coy grin. “Guess we’ll have to start brainstorming.”
When the doors flew open, Petra expected to see Levi. Despite going against doctor recommendations, Petra made the trip to Trost from Karanese, and nine months pregnant, she was lying in the Scout barracks with the doctor, about to give birth. Her water broke as soon as they left, and Petra could have sworn this was a cruel joke. Hours into labor, she just wanted it all to be done, and pain seared into her back as she let out a piercing scream.
Levi ran in, followed by the 104, all looking worse for wear, and he flew to her side to take her hand.
“Kid couldn’t wait another day, huh?” Bloodied, haggard, and for once smelled, Petra could have kissed him.
“I can’t believe we almost missed the baby!” Sasha yelled with a potato in her hand.
Her head hit the pillow as another contraction hit, and the doctor began ordering the squad to fetch him some towels. Connie was going pale while Jean attempted to maintain his composure as he dashed for the supply closet. Sasha sliced the potato in half with one of the doctor’s scalpels.
“Sasha, this isn’t the time!” Armin squeaked, unsure of what his place was in all of this.
“Bite down on this if it hurts too much,” Sasha said, and Petra nodded, tucking the potato between her teeth, grateful for the advice.
“Where’s Mikasa and Eren?” Petra asked.
“Brig,” Levi answered, shedding his Scout cloak and began taking off his gear, his hand not leaving hers.
“What?!”
“I’ll explain later. But we did it, Pet. The wall is closed and we’re going to eliminate the Titans.”
Her head was spinning, a million questions on the tip of her tongue, but as another contraction erupted, her teeth digging into the potato until her gums grew sore, Petra figured that could all wait.
They had to welcome their child.
“You’re almost there,” the doctor said, placing a towel underneath her tailbone. “Can you give a big push at this next one?”
Her grip on Levi’s hand would have broken his fingers if it weren’t for his strength, and tears ran down her cheeks as she nodded. Sasha dabbed her forehead as sweat dripped down and reminded her to breathe.
“We didn’t have any midwives in the village so the women helped,” Sasha explained as she talked Petra through the contraction. “I also helped Pa with the foals every spring.”
Petra laughed. She must be giving birth to a horse from how gut-splittingly difficult this was, but as another contraction pulsed around her, she moaned while pouring all her energy into the only thing in the universe that mattered.
“Congratulations Captain, you have a baby girl.”
She collapsed onto the bed as soon she heard crying. From the distance, she spotted Connie slumping over, about to wretch while Jean escorted him outside. Armin was weeping, his hands shaking while he assisted the doctor in handing him more blankets and towels to dry the baby off, and Levi swiftly held their daughter, his expression in awe.
“Petra, she’s….” He was at a loss for words.
“Just like her daddy,” Petra cried, reaching for her, and noted the thick black tuft of hair. She heard from her mother that a baby’s eye color takes a while to settle, and she hoped that a piece of her was inside their child. But it didn’t matter, she was beautiful, and she scooted to the side so that Levi could sit on the bed.
“I’m disgusting,” she said, waiting for him to make some remark about her soiled sheets.
“Petra, I just fought a monkey, dozens of Titans, and dragged a dead body across Shiganshina. You’re fucking pristine compared to me.”
She covered their daughter’s little ears. “Hey, no bad language in front of her! Also, what’s a monkey?”
He flicked her nose. “Later.” Returning his gaze to the bundle in Petra’s arms, Levi allowed himself to rest his head against her shoulder. He’d never say it, he would never hear the end of it, but she was so fucking gorgeous like this. Sweat soaked, fighting to give birth to their child, he didn’t even think when she turned her head, asking about names, only to kiss her on the lips.
The scent of salt wafted between them, and he only let go since they had an audience. But his smile assured her this was just the beginning.
“How do we feel about Kuchel?”
THE END