Lara (Long-Fic Levihan | Armin Arlert X OC)

Chapter 43 - Family Name

A week before the mission to retake Shiganshina, Lara was alone in her room, writing some reports about the research done with Eren's Titan.

Then, she heard a certain buzz coming from the corridor. The voices were familiar and they seemed to be arguing, quietly. Lara turned around just to find her parents standing in the doorway, side by side, in an extremely rigid position. They were both red and looked anxious, as they clasped their hands very hard.

"Is everything okay over there?" asked Lara, laughing at her parents' awkward behavior.

Hange and Levi looked at each other and got into the room, closing the door.

"Sweetie," said Hange, "sit down on your bed, please."

Lara noticed that her mother's hands were shaking. She sat on the bed, with Levi and Hange also sitting on either of her sides. Lara looked from one to the other, confused, as her parents seemed to be mentally arguing.

"Go on, Hange!" exclaimed Levi, his teeth clenched.

"You say it, Levi!" she replied, with the same expression.

"Uh... Hello?" Lara waved at them. "I'm here, okay?" she looked at Hange. "Mommy, what's going on? Why are you guys acting strange?"

Hange looked at Levi, who waved his hands, as if to say, "Go on!". She then took an envelope out of her pants pocket and handed it to Lara.

"Open it, baby..." she said, handing over the envelope, her hands still shaking.

"Wow..." replied Lara, smiling. "What a mystery..."

She opened the envelope and began to read the paper inside. For a moment, she thought she was dreaming and felt her hands tingle.

On the paper was written:

"ROYAL GOVERNMENT,

I hereby declare that, as of today's date, LARA, current Squad Leader of the Survey Corps, is under the full custody of:

LEVI ACKERMAN, current Captain of the Survey Corps,

and

HANGE ZOË, current Squad Leader of the Survey Corps.

Now having her name changed to:

LARA ZOË ACKERMAN

The adopted one must receive all the rights and privileges relating to legitimate or biological children of the parents mentioned.

Sincerely,

Historia Reiss."

Lara stared at the paper for a long, long time.

Hange and Levi looked at each other, eyes wide, not knowing whether to call her or not.

"Baby...?" tried Hange, softly. "Did you understand what's written there?"

Lara's chin trembled and she had to blink several times to wipe away the tears that were in her eyes.

"I'm..." she began, almost in a whisper, "I'm... Officially... Adopted by you two?"

Lara looked from one to the other, her chest going up and down rapidly.

"Yes..." answered Levi, with a little smile. Then, he rubbed behind his neck. "We... We even tried to do this a while ago, but..." he glanced at Hange, "As your mother and I are not..." Levi cleared his throat, "Married... Things are a little more complicated..."