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"Are you sure this will work?" Eren asked timidly.

He stood in - well - a lab. The stench of formaldehyde and other unknown chemicals assaulted his senses, though he had grown accustomed to it at this point. Countertops covered in brewing vats and intimidating tools surrounded him. The laboratory was a literal maze. The shelves lining the walls and hovering above the tables were stocked full of glass mason jars that were sealed tight with wax. Their contents ranged from regular, everyday objects, to what looked various organs from various creatures, including - sickeningly enough - those from humans.

Eren had never been comfortable in there. Shuddering, he forced himself to focus back on the other two occupants.

Next to him was a raven-haired man with a neat undercut and piercing silver eyes. In mortal form, he stood four inches shorter than Eren. Gentle fingers entwined with his own, relaxing Eren slightly as a thumb traced over the back of his hand. The other person was the only human in the room, their brunette hair swept up in an untidy ponytail as they stirred the contents of one of the cauldrons. They adjusted their glasses to sit higher on the bridge of their nose as they muttered to themself.

"Don't you trust them?" his husband scolded gently, though his clouded eyes betrayed that he had doubts of his own. "Have faith."

"Listen to your King!" the scientist agreed, not even glancing his way as they mixed the contents of two test tubes. "I know what I'm doing, Eren. I know you're both nervous, but I made sure to make it perfect. If I had the slightest feeling I may have made a mistake, I would scrap the whole batch and start over." They finally turned, smiling at the couple. "I want this kid just as much as you. I'm excited to be a godparent!"

"Like hell I'd make you a godparent!" the ravenet scoffed. "You'd experiment on the poor thing until it grows some deformity."

"No, I wouldn't!" The brunette bristled. "I would love them and spoil them and they'll always ask for Hange because I'll be the favorite!"

"Their first insult will be 'shitty Four-Eyes.' Father knows best, after all."

"You're right, I'm sure Eren will be a wonderful parent."

"How does it work?" Eren interrupted loudly, the bickering worsening his anxiety. He relaxed slightly as his husband's arm slipped around his waist. Hange adjusted their glasses, turning around to the boiling cauldron behind them.

"The process," they answered, giving the solution inside a few stirs with a metal rod, "is a lovechild between the sort of magic Erwin excels in and human scientific advancements."

"Meaning?"

"There is going to be a surgery - " At this, Eren winced, and Levi's hand tightened around his waist. Hange was quick to reassure. "That is, a minimal risk surgery. If it fails, you'll just have some pretty tender stitches to wait to heal. We give you the internal female parts from - well - a donor, and this solution - " They gave it another stir. " - does the rest for us."

"A donor?" Levi questioned, as Eren persisted, "What's 'the rest?'"

"Someone who won't miss their uterus," Hange promised, and although still curious, the husbands trusted their sincerity. "This stuff should encourage your body not to kill the new reproductive organs, and should also find and redirect sperm to the uterus - where there is, in fact, already an egg waiting to be fertilized. One the potion will try its hardest to keep alive."

"That's a lot of 'shoulds,'" Levi pointed out suspiciously. Hange shrugged off the accusation, pulling a ladle out of a drawer nearby and an empty flask from a cabinet above the cauldron.

"I've only tested it on a few women," they said simply. "All attempts, no matter what variables I changed, went well. It has a one hundred percent success rate. Eren, however, being a man, throws in a lot of other factors. I can't guarantee results."

Eren visibly drooped, and Hange smiled at him.

"But you know, considering the whole miracle magic stuff from Erwin, I don't think we have to worry." They poured some of the concoction into the flask and held it out to Eren. "Stuff tastes awful, though. Pinch your nose."

Eren did as he was told, accepting the drink, pinching his nose shut, and downing the whole thing in one go. He gasped for air when he was done and grimaced at the gross taste as Hange rinsed the glass out in the sink. Levi squeezed his hand.

"You alright?"

Eren nodded, wishing the taste would fade already. "They weren't kidding," he muttered, and Hange chuckled. "How long before - you know?"

They tilted their head thoughtfully. "Soon," they mused. "It really just depends on you two." With a grin, she added, "You'll know when you're good to go, though, for certain."

"You don't know," Levi deadpanned, and the smile on Hange's face faltered. He rubbed at his face tiredly. "What if none of this works out?"

"Relax, your Holiness," Hange said, clapping their friend on the shoulder. "A week or so. It'll be fine. Sounds to me like you're letting a lot of stress get to you."

"Maybe a little," he admitted.

"Or a lot," Eren corrected. Hange nodded sagely, linking their fingers together professionally.

"Well, mister, I prescribe at least three hours of rest and relaxation a night," they said with an air of formality. "After tonight, start taking time off. Love on your husband. Let him love on you. The kingdom can do without its king for a few hours an evening." They grinned. "Doctor's orders."

Levi sighed, but allowed himself a small smile. "Fine. If you insist. I suppose I can't disagree with a professional."

"Good! Now get out of my office." Hange waved their hands at the couple with a shooing motion. "I have work to do!"

.-.-.-.-.

Eren sighed in mild annoyance, fixing his husband's cravat for the umpteenth time. Standing an entire foot taller than him now, he shifted from foot to foot uncertainly, looking less like the Vampire King of the Underworld and more like a man nervously waiting at a job interview. The thought was amusing, and some of Eren's irritation at his husband's constant moving melted away - a nervous vampire with the build of a basketball player, chilling black scleras and red irises, and swirling tattoos that covered his body and framed his face - not to mention the prominent fangs.

Nervous. What a dork.

This was the form the Underworld knew and adored, the man they worshiped as Vampire King Rivaille. His crown balanced on his head as he paced the torchlit stone corridor, grand and shiny, a thing Rivaille loathed, and Eren wore a smaller, similar one. Both were dressed formally, and Rivaille hated that, too.

"I hate public speaking," he grumbled, adding another thing to the list. Rivaille was still Levi, even in this grand, terrifying form.

"I know, I know," Eren soothed. He laced their fingers together and smiled up at his husband. "But they're excited at the prospect of their King and Queen producing an heir."

"It's not rare or anything," Rivaille scoffed. "Men have hellspawn here all the time."

"Yeah, but in royalty?" Eren rolled his eyes at the pessimism, standing on tiptoe and tilting his head at his husband. Rivaille relented, leaning down to kiss him. "We're the first."

"That we are," Rivaille relented, and kissed him again. His eyebrows drew together in that characteristic furrow. "Which means we have to tread carefully. There will be those who are less than pleased. Especially with your . . . standing."

"Oh . . . right." Eren's smile faltered. It was an unfriendly reminder, one that brought painful memories of a gaping wound and horrible transformation. He supposed it didn't matter to them what he'd gone through - once a human, always a human. "Well, then, it's good you're so paranoid, huh? How bad do you think it will get."

For a brief moment, Rivaille's eyes narrowed, but he shook his head and kissed Eren once more. It was getting hard to pull away now.

"It doesn't matter. You've got me, and I'll always protect you. Nothing can harm you while I yet live."

Eren's smile returned, and they shared another kiss, then another. His hands went to his husband's neck, Rivaille's to his hair - but before they could get very far, a petite strawberry-blonde hurried into the room. She spotted them and rolled her eyes, fluffy tail swishing about impatiently.

"Come on," Petra snapped, and the two jumped slightly, having not noticed her entering. "They're waiting for you out there."

Rivaille spared her a brief glance and, as if just to spite her, turned back to Eren and claimed his lips again, holding up his index finger to signal just a moment. Petra let loose an irritated huff and walked out the nearby glass doors to the balcony. As the doors opened, the couple could hear the crowd outside roaring with noise, then quieting to listen to the cat demon speak.

"You'll have to excuse your King," she announced, sending a pointed glance over her shoulder to Rivaille. "He's decided the Queen is more interesting. Give them a moment."

A loud wolf whistle piercing the air led the crowd into a mocking frenzy, laughter clearly audible from where the two stood inside. Eren, face flaming red, shoved at Rivaille's chest playfully. "See what you've done? She's embarrassed us in front of everyone! They're never going to listen to you now." Rivaille let out a deep chuckle.

"Then I suppose we just won't go out there. Who needs to deliver a speech when I can stay here and ravish you all day?"

Petra cleared her throat pointedly, hands on her hips. "Enough with the bedroom eyes!"

Both laughing, Rivaille wrapped an arm around Eren, and they left Petra in the hall to walk out onto the balcony. Cheers and shouts rose up from the crowd below, as well as a cat call or two. Eren gave a brief little wave, a nervous smile curving his lips, and Rivaille held up his hand for silence.

"Apologies for the delay. I was blessed with an irresistible mate." More whistling and laughing, and he had to wait for them to quiet again before speaking again. Simple projection magic carried his voice across the castle's courtyard. "There have been rumors - that I expect you all have heard - that we are expecting an heir. This is not true. However," he continued before the crowd could react, "we are trying, and if all goes well, Eren will be expecting within a few days."

More deafening noise in the crowd - and among them, murmurs of dissent. There it was, Eren thought. Rivaille clearly heard them as well. His grip on Eren's waist tightened as he fought not to bare his fangs. Anxiety rose in Eren's chest at the display of aggression, placing a hand over his husband's in an attempt to calm him before he said anything risky. It seemed to help, as the tension that had coiled in Rivaille's muscles dissipated slightly, but he still couldn't keep the warning out of his tone when he spoke again.

"It sounds like some of you disapprove of this arrangement. Why is that, I wonder?"

Eren didn't think anyone would speak; the silence was palpable, tension like static in the air, every demon in the clearing scarcely daring to breathe - it seemed like those who opposed the idea still knew better. And yet one voice rang out loud and clear in the quiet courtyard, belonging to an incubus.

"It's bad enough you married a mortal like him," he scoffed contemptuously, spaded tail flicking behind him for emphasis. "But now you're going to breed? As if we needed to dirty the royal bloodline even further."

Anger pulsed from Rivaille in waves, and Eren took hold of his arm, preventing him from taking a step forward like he oh so wanted to. Eren had hoped his touch would soothe the vampire, but if anything it made the protectiveness worse, which in turn amplified his fury.

"How dare you speak of your queen like that!" he snarled. "Cretin! As if you would be better."

"At least I haven't got human blood in my veins," the incubus growled back.

It was shocking how aggressive he was being - was he challenging the King? Indeed, it seemed for all of a few seconds (which felt like an eternity) that Rivaille was ready to lunge, fangs showing in a scowl, muscles coiled tight, ready to spring. Panicking, Eren shoved Rivaille out of the way, hearing him growl out in annoyance as the brunet stood in front of him. All eyes were now on the Queen, who took a shaky breath.

What am I doing? I don't know what to say to them! And yet he spoke anyways.

"I-I hope," he began, and then, realizing he wasn't loud enough, cleared his throat and spoke again, "I hope that one day I'll get everyone's approval, but I know some of you will never like me, and that's okay. You're allowed to think that." He took another deep breath. Anxiety stirred somewhere in his gut, but he said the next part firmly, certainly. "But if anyone tries to hurt our child . . . Rivaille won't even make it to you. I can only say - "

He cut off abruptly, and Rivaille made a noise of shocked concern as Eren grasped wildly at the railing in front of him, a wave of heat rippling through his body. His mate was on him immediately, checking him over for signs of injury, and he saw magic sparking at Rivaille's fingertips, a spell to check for harmful magic. The crowd below started up in conspiratorial murmurs, no doubt already coming up with wild theories and speculation about what was happening. Another heat wave ripped through him and he covered his mouth to muffle the gasp it elicited. Hazy eyes turned up to meet Rivaille's.

"Levi - "

Rivaille knew that needy tone, recognized the mild panic in those pretty teal eyes that were being overwhelmed by lust, and the use of his mortal name only confirmed his suspicions.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath, glancing at the crowd. "Now?" Eren latched onto his arm, breath coming in short pants.

"Now."

Rivaille quickly motioned to the two servants that stood on either side of the balcony doors, and they ushered Eren inside without a word. He turned to the crowd and addressed them quickly. "Apologies, he isn't feeling well. I must tend to him." He left it at that and swept inside, leaving the crowd disappointed.

He couldn't care less; Eren was inside, slumped against the opposite wall of the hall, nothing short of a hot mess. He had loosened his tie, and the top few buttons on his dress shirt were undone, revealing a tan chest, the sight of which had Levi's breath hitching. He clutched at his messy hair in frustration, chest heaving with shaky breaths and skin glistening with sweat.

"Levi," he gasped out, sea green eyes cracking open to meet Levi's red and black ones. "Levi . . . "

The king needed no urging. The needy way Eren said his name sent a shiver through his body, and he crossed the room in an instant to his husband. Eren threw his arms around Levi's neck, and Levi gripped his thighs in a bruising hold and hoisted him up, pressing him up against the stone wall.

He could feel the tent in his husband's slacks as Eren's hips started to move. The brunet let his head fall back against the wall, panting harshly as he rutted against Levi and whining when Levi started to move as well, pinning his hips to the wall and grinding their cocks together through the fabric. A possessive snarl tore from Levi's throat in response to the vulnerable noise. He lunged for Eren's throat and nipped harshly, lapping at the blood that was drawn, and Eren moaned softly in response.

"Please," he whined, and Levi pulled away from his neck to rest their foreheads together.

"Please, what?"He punctuated the prompt with a harsh thrust, and a broken cry answered him.

Levi wanted to torment further, but Eren was so shameless, too needy to tease, gyrating his hips like a bitch in heat. He could feel the tension in those lean muscles, pleasure radiating through Eren's body and cock straining against his pants. His whines grew higher in pitch until they were cries, his nails tearing at the back of Levi's shirt as they moved in tandem, pleasure coiling and building and tension seizing his muscles until it all released suddenly and without warning.

Eren's hips bucked unevenly and he moaned weakly as he came, grip tightening on Levi's shirt and then going limp a moment later as he came down from his high. His head dropped to Levi's shoulder as he fought to catch his breath. Levi kissed the only skin he could reach - his neck - fondly, keeping Eren in his arms as he finally moved them away from the wall and started the trek to their room.

"You're cold," he mumbled against Levi's neck.

"Does it bother you?"

"No. It's hot. Really hot." Levi chuckled at the petulant tone Eren used. "Why is it so hot?"

"I'm going to take a wild guess," Levi said as he shouldered their bedroom door open, "that it has to do with the stuff Hange gave you."

Eren started up in an immediate whine of protest when Levi set him on the bed, but halted when his husband's hands started working at his clothes, peeling them off layer by layer. Eren assisted the best he could by fumbling at Levi's clothes.

"When will it be over?" he asked, and Levi tilted his head in thought.

"I'm not really sure," he responded honestly. "A demon's heat can last several days. I doubt yours will be that long. Twenty-four hours, max, if we fuck like rabbits the whole time."

Eren let out a snort at the comparison. The last of their clothes were chucked at the floor, and he tugged Levi onto the bed, switching their positions so he was straddling his husband's lap.

"Well . . . I'm up for a round two."

Levi's lips curved into a smirk, his thumbs rubbing circles into Eren's bare hips. "Let's see how many rounds we can go, then."