Before I Leave You

the princess, the prince, & the knight

"Not a word about what you saw here," you tell Historia and Connie the second you are all back in your car and driving back home from the park. "To Jean. Mikasa. Levi. No one. Is that clear? You two are the only witnesses here tonight. If anyone finds out I will know."

They both nod to you in understanding, but you sense their uneasiness, and after a bit of silence, Historia's nerves get the best of her.

"Anya..." she begins to say carefully, fidgeting beside Connie in the front passenger seat, "who is he? The boy."

You flash her and Connie a knowing look in answer. They both swallow apprehensively and look away. You know they know. The boy's resemblance to his father is unmistakable and you're not about to waste your breath stating the obvious.

With their suspicions confirmed, Connie's grip on the steering wheel tightens until his knuckles are white. "What do you intend to do with him?" he dares to ask.

You turn away to gaze out the window, refraining from answering as a flicker of annoyance crosses over your features by how uncomfortable they're being with this whole situation.

But Connie presses on. "We just want to know if —"

"Trust me when I say," you cut him off sharply, "I will tell you whatever it is you need to know when the time comes." You lock eyes with him through the rear view mirror. "If at all."

Once you see the submission in both his eyes and Historia's, your tone lightens.

"Right. Now, drop me off at the pub. I need to celebrate! I've made a new friend, after all." You smile triumphantly in spite of yourself against the interior darkness of your car. Only as you drive past streetlights down the road can the dark grin on your face be seen. "A very important friend."

You catch Connie and Historia exchange a worried glance at your command as Bear climbs into your lap for you to pet. It's infuriatingly obvious they're thinking about Levi and how upset he already is with the way you've been acting towards him. If they take you to the pub and prolong your inevitable encounter with him, they fear what that might mean for you, and by association, them.

"Do as I say, Connie," is all the warning you give. To both of them. But it's the only one they need.

—

When you make it back home an hour or so later, Levi is there waiting for you as you walk in through the front door.

Connie curses under his breath and Historia gasps as they walk in behind you, startled at the sight of your fiancé sitting alone in the large and dark entryway.

You clench your jaw, annoyed but not surprised by Levi's persisting presence. He sits on one of the steps from the main staircase, hunched over with his elbows propped on his knees and his head resting in his hands.

He doesn't move at your arrival, and for a second you wonder if he's fallen asleep there waiting for you, but as Connie closes the door behind you, Levi's gravelly voice rings against the darkness.

"Where were you?" he demands.

When you don't answer he raises his head, and despite the dimly lit entryway, you can feel the intensity of his deadpan gaze on you. Still, you say nothing.

You release your cat from your arms for it to scurry away further inside the house. Levi flicks his gaze to it suspiciously before drawing his eyes back to you.

During this time, Connie and Historia subtly slip away down the hallway, leaving you to handle your fiancé on your own. Neither of them wanting to be around to witness the confrontation between the both of you when you all know how much he's been wanting to speak with you since this morning.