Work Text:
It was well past midnight when Levi found himself outside Hange’s door. He'd been wandering the corridors for a while, unable to sleep. It had become somewhat of a ritual, wondering the dark corridors whenever sleep failed him. He found the soft glow of light from the crack in the door drawing him in. Pushing it open quietly he saw her slumped over the desk. Head resting on her papers before her.
Paper littered the desk and floor around her slumped form. Levi's fingers itched to clear it up. How one person could make so much mess was beyond him.
Barely making a noise Levi slipped into the room closing the door behind him. He approached Hange carefully, not wanting to startled her but there was no chance of that. Soft rumbles of sleep could be heard as he stood over her. Eyes closed behind her glasses.
Gently Levi shook her awake. Slowly she opened her eyes, blinking up at Levi with confusion.
'Wha.. Levi?' She mumbled, sleep slurring her words.
'Come on, you need to get to bed.' Levi replied.
'I'm okay,' she muttered sitting up.
'Yeah okay, I'd believe that if you didn't have paper stuck to your cheek,' Levi retorted, eyebrow arching. Without a second thought he began picking up the paper which lay at their feet.
Hange plucked the piece from her face, dropping it back onto the desk. Stretching she watched as Levi quickly cleared the floor of pages. Moving almost silently as be collected the crumpled pages, tossing them in the trash. He was even graceful when he was cleaning she noticed as her eyes followed him.
When Hange began looking through her notes again Levi sighed and shoved her.
'Bed,' he told her.
Grumbling she got up, and padded over to the bed, which surprised him. He hadn't actually expected her to listen. Levi watched her as she sat, back resting against the headboard. Blanket pulled up over her knees. And of course that damn notebook still in her hands.
'Happy now?' Hange asked a smirk playing on her lips.
He rolled his eyes at her.
‘That’s not exactly what I meant’ he said.
Her glasses were still lying crooked from when she'd been sleeping. Levi couldn't stop himself thinking how cute she looked hair disheveled, eyebrows creased together in thought as she mumbled to herself.
'Hey pass me that book will you,' Hange said suddenly bringing Levi back to himself.
'No. Go to sleep' he replied.
'Levi, come on it's important.'
'I doubt that,' Levi said putting the last of the papers in the waste basket.
'Just pass it over, don't be a dick.' Hange said indignantly, glaring at him.
Levi ignored her. Instead walking over to the bed and taking the notebook from her hands, placing it on the nightstand.
'Hey!' She cried, leaning over to get it back but Levi blocked her path. Pushing her back gently.
'You need to sleep Hange, you don't have to work yourself til you pass out y'know?' he said sitting on the bed beside her.
'M'fine,' she said through a yawn.
'Clearly,' Levi said, sighing in defeat Hange rested her head against Levi's shoulder.
Levi picked up the only other book which lay on the nightstand. It was a book of old fairytales. The type a parent would read to their children at bedtime. His fingers skimmed the faded and worn cover. He was surprised Hange owned something like this, she didn't seem the type to like nonsense fairytales. Levi had always viewed her as the type of person to strive for facts over fiction, a more scientific mind. Seeing her craving knowledge of the titans every day he would never have guessed she would be interested in fantasy like this. He didn’t know why he was shocked, Hange always found ways to surprise him, she was the personification of the unexpected.
'What are you doing?' Hange mumbled lifting her head from Levi's shoulder to look at him.
'Reading. Surely even you could work that one out.' He replied.
'But why? Shouldn't you be going to bed?' she asked.
'Nope, let's face it if I leave you here alone you're just gonna pick that notebook back up. And you need to sleep. I can't have your exhausted ass putting humanity at risk tomorrow.' Levi told her.
'We don’t have an expedition planned for tomorrow,' she reminded him.
‘No, but you simply existing is a threat to humanity. Now sleep.' He said, his gaze never leaving the page.
Hange dropped her head back into Levi's shoulder. In the quiet as he read Levi thought she had finally went to sleep until she whispered,
'My dad used to read to me from that book.' Levi paused his eyes glancing over to Hange face. Her eyes were closed. A gentle smile curving her lips.
Levi imagined Hange as a child tucked up in bed, blanket pulled up to her chin. Those shitty glasses too big on her tiny face. Her eyes hungry for the stories of castles, magic and true loves kiss.
His heart fluttered as he whispered, 'fucking idiot,' under his breath.
'Wha'?' Hange mumbled as she wriggled beside him. Curling up to his side.
“Um, I could read it to you.’ the words tumbled out before Levi could stop himself.
Shit, why did he say that? But he only reply he got was a muffled snore.
Hange had finally fallen asleep.
Levi let out the breath he didn’t realise he was holding.
Carefully he took her glasses off, placing them on top of her notebook on the nightstand. He brushed his fingers lightly through her hair as she curled into him, a hand slipping around his waist.
Levi couldn't stop the small smile creeping onto his face as he returned his gaze to the book. Reading the words of fairytale as Hange snored gently on his shoulder.