The brunet whipped his head around when he heard a soft thud behind him. His eyes went wide when he saw the familiar human figure of his mate kneeling down before him.

"Levi!" Eren said as he kneeled down to Levi, wiping the blood from his face.

Levi panted heavily, feeling extremely weak from his wounds. Despite this, he still continued to lock his soft metallic grey gaze on his mate's.

"E-Eren..."

"Levi... You're bleeding!"

"I'm fine..." Levi croaked as he reached his trembling hand forward to graze Eren's cheek, "Eren I..."

He was cut off once again when Erwin, Jean, and Marco came running towards them. Levi could hear the muffled sounds of them panicking around him as his vision started to go in and out of focus. His stomach turned as the bittersweet scent of his own blood filled his nose.

"We need a medic over here! Now!"

Levi's pants turned into shallow gasps when he heard Erwin call out for a doctor. His eyelids grew heavy and he could barely keep his head up. He leaned up against Eren, inhaling his mate's scent before he slowly slipped out of consciousness.

. . . . . . . .

Levi groaned as he started to come to. He felt safe and warm where ever he was. He could hear the muffled sounds of people talking around him. The dragon felt his muzzle being nudged a bit as his eyelids slowly fluttered open.

"Papa...?"

His ears pricked up at the sweet sound of his youngest daughter's voice. His looked around to see Petra and her siblings gathered around him.

"Yes my little one?" Levi croaked as he tried to lift his head a bit, only to fail.

Eric went to open his mouth only to close it when the five saw their mother coming over.

"Don't be messing with your father now. He needs his rest." Eren said as he licked the top of Levi's head.

The ash-colored dragon let his tail lash back and forth behind him as he looked up at his mate.

"You scared me for a minute there..." Eren whispered, "Don't ever do that again."

"Don't be too hard on them... I haven't seen they in what seems like so long..." Levi said as he gave a small nod in reply.

"I'm glad to see you're alright, Levi." Erwin said as he peeked into the cave.

Levi raised an eyebrow as he looked at him. "I am too Erwin." He said, "Wait... What are you doing here?"

"I would like come down here personal to apologize for my rash decisions..." King Pyxis said as he stepped into the cavern, "It's becoming obvious that I've grown very harsh and rash with my old age... This is why I'm turning my crown over to Erwin."

Levi let a small smirk cross his lips as he gave his longtime friend a congratulatory nod.

"Thank you so very much sir. I'll accept your offer on one request." Erwin said as he gave a low bow to Pyxis in respect.

"And what request might that be?" Pyxis asked with a hint of curiosity.

"That Levi, Eren, and their family are given a proper home within the castle grounds. They deserve as much with the amount of loyalty and honor they show." Erwin said before his gaze flickered over to Levi as he continued, "Besides... I don't think a cave is best home for my commander and right-hand man."

Levi blinked in slightly surprise at his friend before he spoke:

"It'll be my honor... Your majesty." He said in a teasing tone of voice; the sound feeling weird upon his own tongue.

"So... Does this mean we get to live in the castle?" Jasper asked as he poked his head out from behind Levi, followed by his siblings.

Eren was just about to open his mouth to scold the five until he decided against it. He simply nodded in response as a small smile crossed his lips when the young dragons ran up to him.

"Yay! We can play with Uncle Jean and Uncle Marco more!" Samson cheered as his tail lashed about behind him.

Levi nodded with a small chuckle. "Just don't burn them..." He said.

"Papa...?"

Levi's ear perked up when he heard Carla trying to get his attention.

"Yes my dear?" He asked as he nuzzled her gently.

"No more bad dream?" She asked.

"No more bad dream." He replied before the five chicks all gathered around their father.

Levi let out a content sigh as he rested his head back down in the nest. He curled his tail around his children as he slowly fell into a peaceful sleep. The first peaceful night he had in ages and it was even better now that he was finally home where he belonged with his growing family.