Yours Truly, Levi

What the Telescope Reveals

That night, the chilly early-spring air doesn't so much as make you shiver. You curl up with Levi, sharing your blankets and body heat. The other men seem to have gotten over their petty rumor-making, and now just treat you like they would any other couple.

It's hard, trying to act like a man when you're now in a relationship with one, but now that the Clan's prying eyes are off of the two of you, it begins to feel natural. So now, it's just you and Levi, cuddling under a layer of blankets and just enjoying each other's company.

"Hey... are you asleep yet?" Levi whispers, landing a soft kiss on your forehead. The feeling sends warm waves of bliss through you.

"Mm, no, not anymore," you murmur, opening your eyes and looking at him peacefully. You barely are able to make out his silhouette, a black shadow against the darkening sky. "Why?"

Levi sighs, and his arms tighten around you. "I don't know."

You smile and close your eyes, burying yourself in his chest and inhaling his smell. And since the first time on this island, you feel like you are at home.

Morning comes, but none of the crew men stir until the sun is high in the sky. When they do get up, there are no chores. Each man is in charge of preparing his own food and keeping a communal pot boiling for drinking water, but the rest was all relaxing and soaking up the sun.

You and Levi are the last two to leave the shelter, and by the time you do, the sun is in the highest position in the bright blue sky. You walk, hand-in-hand, to where the fruit stash is.

"Hey, lovebirds!" a voice calls out. You look, and see Jason jogging towards you. "Congrats, you two, but we have a problem."

Levi bends down and picks up a coconut. "What is it?" he asks, sounding exasperated.

"I have good news and bad news."

Levi looks up at him as he cracks open a coconut with his bare hands and passes you half. "Well?"

"The good news is- Baxter's been working on a signal flare to catch the attention of a passing ship. Once he got it working, though, there were no ships around to catch the attention of. We've been using telescope that Mikasa and Eren-" (whoever that is, you think to yourself) "-gave you before the journey, and think we've caught the view of a ship, maybe a few miles out. I think it might be one of the other waterfront exploration Clans."

Your heart pounds as this news sinks in. You can- maybe- go home! You'll be able to see your dad, make sure he's okay, and tell him about your journey. No more binding your chest or hiding to go to the bathroom. No more makeshift feminine hygiene products. No more eating fruit and fish for every meal.

But as the reality sinks in, you come to another realization.

"What will happen... if we go home?" you ask, taking Levi's hand nervously. He seems to understand what you mean, and wraps his arms around you lovingly.

"I don't know," he answers truthfully. "Supposedly, we go back to normal life."

"But what is normal, anymore?" Jason asks. "Who knows where the Survey Corps is going to send us?"

Levi growls softly. "That shithead, Samuel Carter, won't let us stay home peacefully... he'd send us back with a fresh set of supples and a new ship. But who can be sure where? Who knows if we can survive a second journey?

"But here," he continues, "here we know we'll all be safe. It may be a remote island, but we all have plenty of food, shelter, and all the time in the world." He lets go of you.

"That is true, but what happens as we get old? Do we continue to hide her identity," Jason nods towards you, "and just all die out here? Do we try to repopulate?"

Repopulate?!

Levi blinks, then, as he realizes what Jason is suggesting, lands a punch in his gut. "That is not for you to decide," he snarls.

Jason sucks in air, gasping for breath. "Yes..." he manages to wheeze. "I know that... but you-" gasp -"have to think of what's best for her."

"Best for me? How is leaving this island going to be anything but trouble for me? My father's a drunk and probably close to dead now anyway, my mother was eaten by a Titan years ago." You've snapped. "Even if I can move out and live on my own, my father will need me to care for him, I've got no way to get a job, and worst of all, I might never get to see Levi ever again. The world inside the walls has nothing for me. So don't let me be a factor to decide to go back." You cross your arms across your chest and glare defiantly at Jason, who squirms under your hot gaze. "Please," you plead of Levi. "I want to stay here."

Levi sighs. "I do too," he says. "But if the other men find out we have a chance to go back and we passed it up, we'd have a mutiny on our hands. And by telling them about you... who knows what they might try, as pent-up as they all are."

Mutiny. It's a surprise that they haven't already caused an uprising against leadership in general, being on an island for so long, you think to yourself. "Then talk to them. See what they want. Also... I think it's best if we make my true gender known to all, so we can be sure they know all the facts. I trust you to protect me if they... decide to... try... to... you know... try anything."

Levi looks deep into your eyes. You hear Jason sigh of exasperation at the gesture, but Levi ignores him, instead landing a soft kiss on your mouth. "Okay."