Work Text:
This was getting ridiculous.
Ever since that fateful and dreadful day, ever since Hange became a Commander, Levi was following her every step.
He was accompanying her to meetings with higher-ups, he came with her to check on the new recruits’ trainings, he helped her with paperwork and made sure she ate and slept. He came every morning to her room to make sure she woke up, and he visited her every night to make sure she got in bed. Sometimes, it felt like Levi would soon begin to follow her into the bathroom as well!
And, really, Hange appreciated his concern, and she would have been so glad to spend so much time with Levi, if only his constant fretting wasn’t so annoying.
She knew he only meant well, and Hange even understood why he was behaving this way – they lost so much at Shiganshina, and Hange knew that Levi worried about her, because he didn’t want to lose her as well. But Hange wasn’t a fucking child, who constantly needed to be cared for and looked after. She was a Commander of goddamned Survey Corps, she didn’t need a babysitter.
Hange sat at her table, going over various reports. She twirled her quill in her hand and looked out of the window. The sun was shining brightly, not a cloud in the sky. It was a perfect weather to be outside, not sitting in her stuffy and dusty office.
So Hange stood up, fixing her military coat.
“Where are you going?” Levi asked, raising his head from his own paperwork.
Damn, Hange almost forgot he was here.
“I’ve decided to go and take a look at the construction of the port.”
“Alright,” Levi laid down his quill, and got to his feet. “I’ll prepare the horses.”
“No,” Hange stopped him with a hand on his elbow. Levi stared in confusion at her, and Hange gave him a brilliant smile. “I need you to stay here, someone needs to look over our recruits.”
“Hange, but—”
“No buts!” Hange replied cheerfully. “That’s Commander’s orders!”
She joyously clasped Levi on the shoulder and ran out of her office.
Hange was in high spirits, as she left the HQ. She felt bad for leaving Levi alone, but, really, both of them needed to rest from each other’s company. Besides, she could show him that she didn’t need to be looked after.
Hange smiled, as she saddled her horse. Today was going to be a very good day.
Today was not a good day. No, it wasn’t just not good – it was bad, horrible, completely disastrous.
Hange would have laughed at the irony, if there wasn’t a heavy fucking stone, lying atop of her chest.
And maybe it was due to adrenaline, or maybe the others were really onto something, when calling Hange crazy, but a quiet, hoarse giggle actually escaped her lips, as she lay in the center of the carnage.
Levi would fucking kill her, Hange thought before blacking out.
Levi furiously scrambled the floor in his bedroom. His hands were already red, but he did not care and continued to wipe at the same spot for the last ten minutes.
Fucking stupid Hange!
She left him there all alone under some stupid premise that he needed to look after the recruits. While she ventured off to god knows where!
Levi threw his rag across the floor. It left a big wet spot, and seeing the mess he just made Levi realized how stupid he had been.
He took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. Everything would be fine, everything was fine. Hange was smart and capable, she was a seasoned soldier and confident leader. She could take care of herself, Levi knew that!
And it wasn’t as though she was gone to perform some dangerous task, she just went to oversee the construction works. Nothing could happen to her there.
Levi knew that and he knew that his worries were foolish, but ever since that day, ever since only Hange and him left, this worry, this panic and fear staidly grew inside him. Every time he wasn’t next to Hange, every time she wasn’t in his line of sight, his pulse raced double time and his breath hitched in his throat.
Logically, he knew that there was nothing to worry about, they weren’t on enemy territory, they were safe behind the walls, and their foes were far on the other side of the sea, but no matter what he told himself, every time Hange wasn’t beside him, Levi’s insides twisted themselves into knots and he felt almost uncontrollable urge to go and find her, to take a close look on her face and make sure she was alright.
Levi sighed deeply and wearily, running a hand through his hair. He was so fucked up, but weren’t all of them? Even the kids from 104th, although still so very young, already experienced the true horror and tragedy of their lives. And Levi had survived more than three decades of this never-ending nightmare, he could be forgiven on getting over-fixated on the well-being of the only person in this world that he cared about, right?
His solemn thoughts were interrupted as he heard the sound of hooves on the pavement. He snapped his head to the window, expecting to see Hange coming back from her trip.
Instead he saw Jean, riding Hange’s horse. Connie was beside him, and his horse was pulling a cart. In the cart sat two people, Levi recognized Mikasa and Sasha’s backs. He looked closer, trying to see Hange, but there were no sign of her.
His heart began to drum erratically in his chest and Levi ran out of his room, racing to the courtyard.
As he arrived, he saw Mikasa and Sasha carefully and gently helping Hange up. Jean and Connie was hovering above them, making sure Hange moved as little as possible.
Hange looked like a mess, her hair, face and clothes were dusty and she was clutching her side. She raised her head and noticed Levi.
“It looks worse than it is,” she warned him immediately. She tried to grin, but in that moment her leg wobbled under her, and her face contorted in pain.
“Jean,” Levi called, not even looking at the boy, his eyes still focused on Hange. “Bring the med kit in Commander Hange’s room. Connie, bring hot water, fresh towels and new clothes for her. And hurry up with that.”
Both Jean and Connie saluted, and Levi absent-mindedly nodded at them. After that, they immediately took off, rushing to complete their tasks.
Levi took a step closer to Hange, waving Sasha off and laying Hange’s hand on his shoulder.
“Mikasa, help me to walk Commander to her room, and you, Sasha, go to kitchen and see, if there was anything left from dinner.”
Sasha sprinted off to carry out Levi’s order.
Together with Mikasa, Levi slowly and carefully began leading Hange to her chambers.
“What the fuck happened to you this time?” Levi hissed, as they walked through the corridors of Scouts’ HQ.
“Commander walked into a newly built structure, and it unexpectedly collapsed onto her.” Mikasa explained instead of Hange.
Hange herself averted her eyes from Levi’s furious gaze.
“I’m so sorry, Levi,” she whispered a little hoarsely.
Levi said nothing, just sighed and gripped Hange’s waist a little tighter.
Soon they reached Hange’s room and after Levi and Mikasa carefully deposited her on the bed, Levi dismissed the young girl and focused on Hange.
Grabbing the med kit and a towel, Levi started to carefully and slowly undress her.
Her whole torso was covered in ugly bruises, there was a deep gush on the side of her stomach and nasty cut was running down her left hand.
Hange cringed, seeing Levi’s face pale considerably.
“It’s that bad?” she asked and tried to get up to see it for yourself.
Levi’s hand put a hard hand on her shoulder, pushing her back.
“Stop moving around,” he told her harshly.
Hange sheepishly grinned. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “For… running away and getting hurt.”
Levi sighed. He said nothing for a long time, his eyes avoided Hange’s, as he focused on cleaning her wounds.
“I’m not mad, Hange,” he muttered quietly, as his hands began to bandage Hange’s injuries. “I just… worry about you. A lot. I know it annoys you, and I know that I get stupid sometimes, but I just can’t… help it.”
Hange put a hand under his chin, making him look at her.
“I understand it, Levi,” her voice was gentle and her smile was soft. Her hand slowly caressed Levi’s cheek. “I know that I can get careless and stupid sometimes, but, hey, I survived a falling building. And I’ve survived a lot worse. You’re not going to lose me that easy.”
And Levi knew that it was selfish, knew that asking to stay in their world was stupid and futile – he lost people his whole life, and who said that Hange would be an exception? But still, he needed to hear it, wanted to at least get some reassurance that he wouldn’t be left alone this time. So, looking deeply into Hange’s eyes, he asked.
“Do you promise that?”
And Hange smiled at him, her eyes sparkling so prettily. “I swear.”