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It was almost the end of this mission. They were just a step away from going back to their normal detective life. After almost three years, tomorrow would be the day they catch the big fish.
Yes, just one more day.
The sound of her phone vibrating on the table brought Hanji Zoe out from her trance. She had wanted to ignore it since she’s just not in the mood for any chit chats but the name shown on the screen erased that thought away.
Clean Freak.
“Yo Levi!” She put on her best cheerful tone and greeted him. When the other end of the call remained silent, Hanji’s tone went softer. “Levi?”
“Let’s go for a drink.” Levi stated, not giving Hanji any chance to say anything. “The usual place. Just the two of us.”
Levi hung up right after that.
Hanji stared at the phone in her hand and let out a sigh. It seems like she’s not the only one feeling the jitters. It would have sounded ridiculous to outsiders since the Police Force had always seen them as a bunch of troublemakers. Them as in Erwin, Levi, herself…
And the team they used to lead.
A sad smile formed on Hanji’s lips when she thought of their past comrades and she wondered if that’s the reason why Levi called her. Taking in a deep breath, she stood up from her chair and grabbed her coat before she leave this quiet one room rental flat of hers.
When Hanji reached the bar, Levi was already there at the counter with a drink in his hand. His face remained expressionless but from the sudden tightened grip of his cup, Hanji could tell that he’s probably thinking the same thing as her.
Hanji walked up and sat down beside Levi, telling the bartender her order before she turned to face him with the best smile she could mustered out.
“Wipe that fake smile off your face, you look ugly with that.” Levi spoke first before she could even say anything.
The smile dropped from Hanji’s face immediately as she let out a bitter chuckle. The both of them stayed in silence which was only broken briefly by Hanji’s soft ‘thank you’ when the bartender served her her drink. She took a small sip from it and twirled the cup in her hand.
“You know,” Hanji decided to break the ice first. “Being the one who asked me out for a drink, you shouldn’t remain quiet. Are you really feeling scared?”
Levi did not answer immediately but instead he too, took a sip from his own drink.
“We’ve been on this undercover operation for a few years; we got some of our comrades killed too… I can’t screw this up.”
Hanji frowned at how Levi’s words went from plural to singular.
“We can’t screw this up.” Hanji repeated. “We, not you. This is not just your mission, it’s ours. You’re putting everything on your shoulders again. My team will back you up, Erwin is on standby with them, this is not just your fight.”
“I know but—“
“You just think it’s yours because your old team got sacrificed to keep your identity hidden. But that’s not your fault, if anything…” Hanji suck in a deep breath. “If anything, if someone had to be blamed, it’s me.”
“Don’t be stupid—“
“That is why Levi,” Hanji cut him off again. “It’s not a ‘you’ thing, it’s a ‘we’. We can’t and we won’t screw it up. This is not the time for me or for you to wallow in our own self blame.”
Levi stayed quiet, finishing whatever’s left in his glass. The bartender who noticed asked if he wanted another glass and Levi nodded. Hanji did not continue to say anything after either and the both of them fell into silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
It was only when Hanji was going to order her fourth glass that Levi stopped her.
“That should be enough for the night.” Levi stopped the bartender from pouring Hanji her fourth glass and instead, he asked for the bill.
“Let’s go.” He took her hand in his and dragged her out after paying for their drinks.
Once they’re out of the bar, he let go of Hanji’s hand and hid his hands into his pockets instead. Upon seeing this, Hanji burst out laughing.
“Are you being shy from that hand holding?”
Levi glared at her but as usual, Hanji’s unfazed by the legendary Levi glare that everyone’s afraid of.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” Hanji laughed and waved her hand. “Although that actually felt nice.”
Levi kept quiet at Hanji’s words, his face no longer looking annoyed. Hanji walked beside him, humming quietly to a random tune. The two of them were very familiar with each other’s touch and sometimes they don’t even know what they were.
Between them were drunk and late night kisses when their minds weren’t working well. There were also comfort hugs, forehead kisses and cuddles when the other weren’t feeling good. Then there were the desperate sex they needed when they feel like they’re losing their minds.
The only unfamiliar touch they had was the earlier hand holding.
Or rather, that action was way too innocent for their relationship or whatever they had between them. They never had the chance to talk about them.
“Hey Four Eyes.”
Hanji stopped and turned around when she heard him, realising that he had stopped in his tracks. She looked at him quietly, waiting for him to continue.
“Make sure you stay alive tomorrow.”
Hanji blinked but it took her just a few seconds to understand what he meant.
She smiled.
“You too, Clean Freak. So we can have another round of drinks without you stopping me this time.”
Levi nodded.
They both kept their promises and stayed alive but not the drink they had initially planned.
The mission started smoothly initially. Just like how it was planned, Erwin was on standby with Hanji’s team. Levi and Hanji were both acting their roles well too. Until the Boss pointed out that there were traitors in them.
It was their miscalculations (Erwin’s words after), they did not expect the Boss to be suspicious of any of them and had a thorough investigation on them.
A huge fight broke out when Hanji aimed the gun at the Boss instead of Levi. The Boss had knew it all along. Both the Boss and Erwin had bet their everything on that day and neither side could afford to lose.
After Levi’s stay in the mafia, the Boss had a good idea of Levi’s ability. That’s why he was the target right from the start. He was able to keep it under control for a while but despite his skills, he’s still way too outnumbered. By the time their own reinforcements came, Levi was all battered up and Hanji was in the enemies’ captive, a gun pointed at her head.
Nifa, Keiji and Abel were the first few to arrive and joined in the fight. They stood behind Levi, guns all pointing at the enemies and waiting for Levi’s orders. But he snatched Abel’s gun from him instead and pointed it at the Boss.
He pulled the trigger.
A gunshot was heard.
But he wasn’t the one who fired it.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw Keiji falling onto the floor. Two more gunshots were fired and he saw Abel and Nifa falling dead one after another.
Hanji’s eyes widened.
So did Levi’s.
The image of his own team dying flashed across his mind and the anger, the grief ran through his body all at once. Levi went out of his mind as he fired all the shots, killing 5 of the enemies and the final one was aimed at the Boss’ hand which was holding onto the gun. He threw the unloaded gun away and charged at the Boss right after.
But his rash actions had gotten him stabbed by one of the lackeys and then he heard gunshots.
Erwin and their reinforcements came.
It took a while but the big fish was caught.
Levi’s vision was getting blurry as the Boss and his (still alive) members were being forced into the car. He could see Moblit’s eyes widening in shock when the latter saw Nifa’s dead body.
Right, Hanji had shared this gossip with him.
His eyes was still searching for that woman even when he felt himself losing conscious.
It was all black after.
The mission ended.
Both him and Hanji were alive.
But he was too guilty, too scared to face her again. Eventually, he resigned from the force, using his injuries as an excuse although he’s almost 100% sure that Erwin knew the real reason.
The drink they’re supposed to go for never happened.
Until about two years later.