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Eren's eyes opened for the umpteenth time that day - he had lost track after about six - feeling both unbelievably achy and extremely satisfied. This time there was no unbearable fire lighting his skin or pleasure coursing through his veins, and he breathed a sigh of relief. After waking up God knows how many times like that, it was absolute heaven to be free of it. The unpleasant heat was replaced with the comfortable warmth of strong arms wrapped around him from behind.

He moved to wriggle out of his lover's grasp so he could stretch out, but he was stopped rather abruptly by a harsh soreness that radiated from his lower back outwards. Eren couldn't help the sharp inhale that it elicited and bit his lip to stifle a whimper; with a jolt, he realized that hurt just as much, and ran his tongue over his bitten bloody lip while he tried to remember when the hell Levi had downright assaulted his bottom lip like that. The previous night was, admittedly, mostly a blur.

A gentle hand on his chin had him turning over to look at a now-awake Levi, an action which radiated pain and had him whining petulantly as his husband inspected the damages. Levi's eyes were back to a concerned silver, and he was notably shorter than before, though he still took up more of the bed than Eren. The tattoos had receded from his face but remained everywhere else. Levi's thumb brushed over Eren's lip.

"It's bleeding again." Almost on impulse, the thumb went to his mouth, and kept searing eye contact as he lapped the blood off. Eren flushed darkly and hid his face in Levi's chest, clutching fistfuls of his shirt. "Judging by the fact that you haven't jumped my bones yet, I'm going to guess your heat is over."

Eren groaned from his hiding spot, earning a chuckle. "I was that bad?"

"Don't you remember?"

"Not a thing," Eren said, and then, quickly, "Don't tell me."

Levi laughed once more, and then yawned. Eren realized just how tired he looked then - apparently tired enough he could not uphold his full form. Levi tugged his mate close and nuzzled his hair fondly, closing his eyes with a worn sigh.

"You seem exhausted."

"Who wouldn't be?" Levi joked, yawning again, and ran his fingertips lightly up and down Eren's spine. "Heats are exhausting for both involved members. Keeping you satisfied wasn't a walk in the park, you know."

Embarrassed, Eren let out an apologetic sigh, lacing his fingers with Levi's free hand and pressing a gentle kiss to it. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Levi gave an answering kiss to the top of his head, and Eren snuggled closer. "It's not like it's a chore to have sex with the love of my life." Eren let out a strangled noise, and he chuckled. "I love you more than life itself. I would move mountains for you if you just said the word."

Eren slumped a little like that. Levi was always such a fan of grandeur, and what did Eren have to offer? "I can't repay that."

"Don't," Levi warned, and Eren quieted. "You mean the world to me. Every breath you take, every time you smile at me, every time you tell me you love me, you repay me a thousand times over. It means you're alive and well and mine."

It had been years since the incident, but Eren knew neither of them were fully over it. Eren would never completely shake himself of the PTSD that literally dying and coming back to life brought with it, and Levi would never stop blaming himself for the danger he had put Eren in, for ruining his life, as he saw it. Somehow, though, they managed.

"To think," Eren said after a pause, "We wouldn't even be here if I hadn't died. I never would have found out you were a vampire, even."

"All over some petty craving. I never would have met you if I wasn't hungry for human."

Eren snorted. "Thanks for not sucking me dry." He was the one to yawn this time, and Levi ruffled his hair.

"Best decision of my life."

They settled into a contented silence and drifted off together once more. The sun was high in the sky when they awoke hours later, and Levi groaned at the light filtering around the dark curtains, burying his face in Eren's hair. Eren laughed, attempting to roll away, but Levi grumbled and only pulled him closer, so he gingerly turned around and placed his hands on his mate's chest.

"Come on," he cooed, grinning. "We need to go see Hange."

"Fuck that," Levi said, groaning dramatically once more. "Fuck getting up, fuck seeing that shitty Four-Eyes, fuck the kingdom, fuck responsibility, fuck everything. I just want to stay here with you."

With you. The words had warmth spreading through Eren's chest, and a soft smile touched his lips. What a softie. How had he gotten someone so perfect?

"I know, I know," he said, tone sympathetic. "It's daylight." He himself, having been Turned, was not affected by sunlight. Levi, however, as a natural bred pureblood, was very sensitive to it, hardly being able to withstand it without feeling feverish. "But humans aren't nocturnal. We have to go now."

"We could wait a day or so," Levi tried. "I'm sure you're still in pain - "

"Could you wait that long?"

" . . . I hate when you're right."

Eren let out another bright laugh. It took a bit more coaxing and kisses peppered all over Levi's face, but eventually, with a great, burdened sigh, he got up. Eren waited patiently, admiring his husband as he dressed himself, and thanked him quietly as Levi assisted him in getting dressed.

"I really like this look."

"What look?"

"Well . . . " Eren smiled sheepishly, suddenly self conscious, not wanting to come across as materialistic. "Your eyes. I missed the silver. When you change, they're not the same. But you still have the tattoos, and I really like those too."

"You should have told me. I would change in a heartbeat for you." Levi swept Eren up in his arms, bridal style. "I aim to please."

Eren snorted and leaned up to kiss his mate. "You, a people-pleaser?"

"Me, an Eren-pleaser," Levi corrected. They shared another few loving kisses, Eren's arms snaking around his neck, before Levi stepped over to the tall covered mirror in the corner of the room. He reached out and carefully pulled the silk cloth from its smooth surface.

The mirror was an ancient thing. A relic from a past only the Keepers knew, it was more than a simple looking glass, but a place of transport from between realms. Six existed like it, in pairs, two for each world, and only the Keepers knew of their location. The mirror did not reflect their location; instead, they could see a well-kept bedroom, with half of a bookshelf in view, a neat writing desk, and a bed shoved into the far corner. On the bed sat a small blond with a heavy book in his lap, who had failed to notice them.

Excitement bubbling in his chest, Eren reached out and tapped on the heavy wooden frame. "Armin!"

The blond jumped at the sudden noise, and looked around for a few baffled seconds before his baby blues landed on the mirror and a smile grew on his face. Hurriedly, he slipped a place marker into his book, and darted over to the mirror on the other side. "Eren!"

Levi stepped through the portal, the glass rippling like a pond when a pebble is skipped on its surface, and a chill overcame the duo as they passed into the other room. Eren was grinning like a child, though Armin's smile faltered when he remained in Levi's arms. He looked between the two, concerned.

"Is something wrong?"

Eren shared a warning look with Levi, pleading silently for him to keep his perverted mouth shut. "Not exactly - "

"We didn't get much sleep last night," Levi interrupted with a wink, and Eren swatted at his chest with an indignant noise of complaint.

"What was . . . oh . . . oh." Armin flushed a deep crimson, somehow even more embarrassed than Eren. He shook his head to clear it. There was an awkward moment where he maneuvered around Levi's grip to hug his best friend, and when he pulled away they clasped their hands together. "So you're trying it out? Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?"

Levi offered a shrug. "I don't care which. My kid is my kid."

"I'm pretty sure I want a boy," Eren put in. "You know, to carry my legacy." Levi, having hated his past, took on Eren's name when they married. "I would really love a girl, too, though. I mean, if this works, we can always shoot for more." Levi's answering kiss to his forehead expressed his approval of the idea.

"That is if you can handle pregnancy," Armin teased. Eren bristled indignantly.

"I'm a man! I can take anything!"

"Exactly. You're a man."

Eren pouted, raising his hands threateningly. "Shut up or I'll tickle you to death!" Unfortunately for him, Armin moved out of reach, rolling his eyes.

"Well, I won't keep you. I'll see you both later." Before they could say farewell, however, Armin seemed to remember something, and his smile faded as he spoke. "Before you go back . . . go see Mikasa. She needs you and - well - " He bit his lip, as if he didn't know what to say, or perhaps couldn't say it. "I don't know. Just go to her."

Eren furrowed his brows in concern, but nodded. "Okay. I will. See you later, Armin."

"Be safe."

.-.-.-.-.

It took a lengthy process of calling a taxi, getting Eren inside, arriving at the remote base, getting Eren out of the car, getting buzzed in, and waiting on Hange, but finally they found themselves in the laboratory from before. Hange had their eye pressed to a microscope when the husbands entered, and they were practically vibrating with excitement when the arrivals approached.

"Eren! Levi!" Hange stripped off their gloves, their eyes landing on the crippled Eren, and gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I should have warned you about the heat. How are you feeling?"

Embarrassed, Eren mumbled, "Sore." Hange's smile widened into a grin. Why did everyone have to picture the night's events?

The couple were led into a hallway that branched off from the cluttered laboratory and into the second room on the left, which was rather like a typical room at the doctor's office. It was rather clean, which was almost unsettling with Hange's usual standard of cleanliness, but more welcoming than anything. Hange offered a chair that leaned back, and Levi was careful in setting Eren down in it before he backed off and leaned on the opposite wall.

A quiet request, and Eren removed his shirt. Hange rubbed a cool gel onto his abdomen and rolled a cart with an elaborate machine on it closer. They grabbed a sort of wand and held it to his bare stomach, passing lines over his skin, and stared intently at the screen. Eren looked, too, but didn't see anything but grayscale static. He shared a nervous look with Levi, who was visibly restraining himself from interrupting the session.

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity of silence and traced lines on Eren's stomach, Hange set the equipment aside with an absolutely gleeful spark in their eyes. "Do you want the good news, or the good news?"

Across the room, Levi's shoulders sagged as he let out a deep breath, and Hange bounced excitedly in their swivel chair. At first, Eren felt nothing; he looked from the strange apparatus, to Hange's smiling face, to Levi's proud silver eyes, and then to his own stomach as the news processed. Good news. There was a baby in there. A baby. His baby. His and Levi's baby. A little life growing inside him - not even a life yet, but still a little piece of himself and Levi nonetheless.

Pride - mine and Levi's! - excitement - I wonder what they'll be like? Boy or girl? - fear - what is this going to be like? What if I'm an awful parent? - and then raw emotion. He could not decipher what he was feeling anymore, only that his chest ached with it and tears spilled down his cheeks before he even knew what he was doing. Eren wrapped an arm around his own midsection and his other hand went to cover his mouth against his gasping breaths as he struggled to keep control. Levi was quick to rush to his side.

"Eren?"

"Levi . . . " He struggled to form words. Finally, he broke out in a watery smile, looking up at his mate. "We're going to be parents."

Pride surged in Levi's chest. Parents. He held Eren to his chest, a strong fondness overwhelming him, and he almost cried, too, but managed to stop himself. He had to be strong for the precious little mate wrapped up in his arms, for the fragile little body forming inside his husband. For them. For his family. He could hardly believe it - he was going to be a father with his wonderful mate. He was going to protect them, no matter what.

And suddenly, he was terrified.

"I know," he whispered, nuzzling into Eren's hair. "I know."