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Hange Zoe was no stranger to wild, complex emotions. In fact, she thrived on them, fueled by an insatiable curiosity about the world around her. But this... this feeling? It was different, invasive even, creeping into her thoughts during experiments, strategy meetings, and even when she was deep in research. It didn't make any sense! Well, it would've made sense if it were about some scientific mystery or breakthrough. But no, it was about him. Captain Levi.
At first, Hange brushed off the notion that she had developed a crush. So what if she occasionally noticed the sharp lines of his jaw or the intensity of his eyes? So what if his gruff voice sometimes lingered in her thoughts longer than it should? It was nothing—just some harmless observations, she told herself. She'd done it a million times with others. No big deal.
Except, it was. Every time she tried to focus on her work, Levi popped into her head. His stare, his words, his stance—everything. It started to interfere with her experiments. One time, she almost mixed the wrong solution in the lab because her mind was distracted by the memory of how Levi had casually cleaned a bloody sword. She never made mistakes like that!
It wasn't until she fumbled her third assignment that week that she accepted the hard truth: Hange liked the captain. And it wasn't just a fleeting feeling—she really liked him. It bothered her to no end. She was a section commander and a scientist, for goodness' sake, feelings like these should be manageable. Emotions were chemical reactions in the brain, and like any problem, they could be solved through the scientific method.
So, Hange decided to rid herself of these pesky feelings once and for all.
Step 1: Identify question- how can I get rid of my crush
Step 2: Do back ground research - look for ways people have overcome crushes (limiting contact distraction, confiding in someone)
Step 3: form a hypothesis - If I practice any of these or perhaps all of these methods my crush will fade overtime
Step 4: Conduct experiment:
The first approach was simple: avoidance. She reasoned that if she just spent less time around Levi, her feelings would dissipate. After all, exposure was the root cause, right? But avoiding Levi was easier said than done, especially when they were in close quarters every day. She found herself sneaking out of rooms when he entered or staying holed up in her lab, only to realize that, even in her isolation, Levi's image lingered in her thoughts.
Next, she tried distraction. Hange immersed herself in her research, taking on more tasks than she could handle, hoping that by keeping her brain overloaded with work, there wouldn't be any space left for romantic thoughts. But no matter how hard she worked, Levi still haunted her thoughts. She even tried exhausting herself physically, running longer, sparring harder, and taking on extra scouting missions, only to collapse into bed at night and dream about him.
Her next solution was confiding in someone, figuring that maybe talking it out would help. She chose Moblit, her ever-reliable assistant, thinking he'd provide some objective, scientific perspective. But when she nervously mentioned Levi, expecting Moblit to be surprised, he just sighed like he'd been expecting this for months.
"Section commander, we all knew," Moblit said with a weary smile. "It was only a matter of time before you realized it yourself."
Hange had gaped at him. "What? You... you knew?"
"Yeah," he replied. "It's kind of obvious. The way you act around him, your excuses to see him, how distracted you've been... You like him. It's not exactly a secret."
That was a blow. Had it been that obvious? If Moblit knew, surely the others knew too! Worse, if they could see it, did that mean Levi knew too? Embarrassment flooded her at the thought. She'd tried everything—distraction, denial, and now, even talking about it—and nothing worked.
Step 5: Analyze data and Draw Conclusion
Days turned into weeks, and the more Hange tried to suppress her feelings, the stronger they became. What had once been a harmless crush had now morphed into something deeper, more painful. Was this... love? She didn't want to admit it, but every day her heart felt heavier, and every time she saw Levi, it hurt. She couldn't focus, couldn't think. She needed to get rid of these feelings for good.
One night, feeling utterly defeated after yet another failed experiment (and one that Levi had bluntly criticized), she went for a walk around town to clear her mind. The streets were quiet, bathed in the soft glow of the evening lamps. She found a bench near the square and sank down onto it, running a hand through her hair in frustration.
Step 7: report results
She was mulling over her failure to control her emotions when she heard a small voice next to her.
"Why are you sad?"
Hange looked up to see a little girl, no older than eight, sitting beside her. The girl's eyes were wide and curious, her legs swinging off the edge of the bench.
"Me? Oh, uh..." Hange scratched the back of her head, unsure how to explain. "I guess I'm just upset because there's something I really, really want, but I know I can't have it. No matter what I do, I just can't stop thinking about it."
The girl tilted her head thoughtfully. "I had that once too. There was this doll I really, really wanted. But it was really expensive, and I knew my mom would say no if I asked for it."
Hange blinked. "Oh? What did you do?"
"I asked her anyway," the girl said, smiling. "When she said no, I was sad for a few days, but then I got over it. It didn't seem that important after she said no."
Hange stared at the child. A slow realization dawned in her mind. "You... You just asked for it and got rejected?"
"Yep!" The girl beamed. "Maybe you should ask for what you want too. Maybe you'll feel better after someone says no."
Hange's eyes widened. Rejection therapy. That was it! If she got rejected by Levi, she'd finally be able to move on. If she knew for sure that there was no chance, then these feelings would finally stop bothering her. She shot up from the bench, startling the girl as she grabbed her by the shoulders.
"You're a genius!" Hange declared, hugging the girl tightly. "Thank you!"
Step 8: repeat
With renewed determination, she bolted off toward headquarters. This was it—the perfect plan! If Levi rejected her, she could finally stop feeling like this. She wouldn't have to suffer anymore.
But as she approached his room and saw light under his door, her steps faltered. What if this didn't work? What if she wasn't strong enough to handle rejection after all? She almost turned and left, but she steeled herself. No. This is for humanity, she reminded herself. If she wanted to keep doing her work and aid humanity, she needed to be at her best. And that meant getting rid of these feelings.
Taking a deep breath, she marched up to his room not even bothering to knock—not that she ever did anyway. "Levi," she called, her voice surprisingly steady.
He looked up from his desk seemingly doing some paper work and stared to her, his expression unreadable. "What is it, Four-Eyes?"
Hange's heart pounded in her chest. Now or never.
"I need to tell you something," she blurted out, no filter. "I like you. Like, really like you. It's been driving me insane, and I can't focus on my work because of it. So, yeah". 'I just need you to reject me, and then I'll feel better. Just—tell me no, or tell me you hate me or something. Anything.' She said that last part in her head.
Levi stared at her, unblinking. For a moment, he looked like a deer caught in headlights. Hange's confidence wavered. Why wasn't he saying anything? Was he so disgusted that he was speechless?
Finally, his expression shifted back to neutral, and he crossed his arms. "Is that what's been bothering you these past weeks?" he asked, his voice flat. "I thought you'd finally gone mad. Or maybe all that shit you got stuck up your ass went to your brain."
Hange blinked in surprise. He wasn't... rejecting her? Not yet, at least. But why was he dragging it out like this? Was he trying to hurt her more by making it long and unbearable? Was he really that cruel?
She was about to speak when Levi cut her off. "It's not a big deal," he said, his tone casual. "Shit like this happens all the time. You can't control it."
Hange's heart sank. Here it comes. The rejection. She braced herself for it.
"Besides," Levi continued, glancing at her. "Why would you be that worried if I feel the same anyway?"
Hange's eyes widened. Her brain screeched to a halt, unable to process what he had just said. Wait... what?
Levi, clearly entertained by her reaction, dropped his pen, watching her flounder. "You're making that stupid face again, Four-Eyes."
Hange could barely form a coherent thought, let alone speak. "W-What do you mean... feel the same?" she finally stammered. "You know I meant I like you..like romantically right?"
Levi's lips twitched slightly, like he was holding back a smirk. The captain knew about his feelings for longer than he could remember. It was hard not to develop anything for her, she was beautiful, intelligent, hot and cute, unbelievably kind and he had not met a single human who disliked her. I mean the crazy lady felt empathy towards those human eating monsters for goodness sake's.
"Sit, you look like you're about to shit your pants" His tone was so nonchalant, like they were discussing something as trivial as cleaning supplies.
She was speechless. She dragged her feet to his couch so she could recollect her thoughts. 'Is this some sort of joke to him? But he didn't look like he was joking.. but when does he ever look like he's joking. WHAT IS THIS CLEAN-FREAK DOING TO MEEEE'
Hange was brought out of her thoughts as Levi sat next to her. He gently cupped her face with both hands, his expression softening "I guess I don't have to hold back now" he whispered so only she could hear
Before she could process what was happening, his lips were on hers. The kiss was gentle at first, barely more than a brush of his lips against hers, but it quickly deepened as Hange found herself responding instinctively. It was as if all the tension, the frustration, the overwhelming confusion of the past few weeks melted away in that single moment.
Levi's grip on her face tightened slightly, pulling her closer, and Hange couldn't help but smile against his lips. Was this really happening? The same Levi who grumbled at every little thing, who never hesitated to insult her, was kissing her like he'd been waiting his whole life for it.
She felt Levi's hand move to the back of her head, fingers threading through her hair, and before she knew it, she was pressed against him, practically on his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck. The world around them faded into the background—the only thing that existed was Levi, the warmth of his lips, the way his breath mingled with hers, and the quiet intensity between them.
They finally pulled apart, both of them breathing heavily, their foreheads resting against each other. Hange's mind raced, trying to catch up to what had just happened, but she couldn't stop the giddy smile spreading across her face.
Levi smirked slightly, clearly amused by her dazed expression. "You look like an idiot," he muttered, though there was a softness in his voice that Hange wasn't used to hearing.
"Since when?" she asked breathlessly, still trying to process how they'd gone from her expecting a brutal rejection to... this.
"A while...," Levi replied, his thumb gently brushing against her cheek. "I didn't think I needed to say anything. I figured you'd catch on eventually, but you're as dense as ever."
Hange giggled, a sound of pure disbelief and joy. "I guess I really am an idiot, huh?"
Levi was mesmerized by her, she was gorgeous and unbelievably cute. He paused, his gray eyes locking with hers. "And I love that about you."
The words hit Hange like a freight train. Love? Did he just say that? Her heart pounded in her chest, and for a moment, she felt like she couldn't breathe. She'd been so focused on getting rid of her feelings that she hadn't even considered the possibility that Levi could feel the same—let alone that he'd been harboring those feelings for longer than she had.
"Levi..." she whispered, her hands still resting on his shoulders.
Hange's heart swelled at his words. She leaned in, brushing her lips against his once again, this time letting herself fully enjoy the moment. Levi responded immediately, while adjusting her to sit fully and comfortably on his lap. The kiss deepening with each second, their bodies pressing closer as the intensity grew. Her fingers tugged at his hair, and Levi's hands roamed down her back, pulling her flush against him.
They kissed like that for what felt like forever, the weight of all their unsaid feelings finally being released. It wasn't just physical—it was a release of tension, of frustration, of emotions they'd both bottled up for so long.
Before things could go any further, Hange pulled away slightly, her breath coming in short gasps. "Wait, wait," she said, her voice shaky but full of laughter. "I need... I need a second to process this."
Levi, his cheeks slightly flushed and his breathing heavy, raised an eyebrow. "What's there to process? You like me I like you."
Hange shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. "I... I." Her confidence faltered, Suddenly she was scared to tell him the true depth of her emotions would she scare him away. She loves him.
Levi smirked, the corner of his mouth lifting in that familiar way. "I love you too, four eyes" he said, his voice low. "I am yours completely."
Hange's heart fluttered at his words, and she couldn't help but laugh again, feeling a mix of relief and exhilaration. How did they end up here? She'd come to him expecting the worst, bracing herself for rejection, only to find herself in Levi's arms, kissing him like her life depended on it.
She leaned her forehead against his, their breaths mingling once again. "I am yours as well."
Levi hummed in agreement, his arms still wrapped tightly around her.
They stayed like that for a moment, the world around them forgotten, the weight of their confessions finally lifting. Hange felt lighter than she had in weeks, maybe even months. All the confusion, the frustration, the attempts to rid herself of her feelings—it all seemed so silly now. She didn't need to run from her feelings. She just needed to face them head-on.
Levi pulled back slightly, his eyes meeting hers with a seriousness that made Hange's heart skip a beat. "You're sure about this?" he asked quietly, his thumb brushing against her cheek once again. "This isn't just some weird experiment of yours, right?"
Hange smiled softly, shaking her head. "No, this isn't an experiment.....well not anymore" she said, her voice full of sincerity. "This is real. I love you, Levi. I think I have for a while now... I just didn't realize it."
Levi's expression softened, and for a moment, Hange thought she saw something vulnerable flicker in his eyes. He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I've known for a while too," he murmured. "And I'm not letting you go."
Hange felt warmth spread through her chest at his words, and she knew in that moment that she didn't need any rejection therapy. She didn't need to run from her feelings anymore. Because Levi felt the same way, and that was more than enough.
As Levi pulled her into another kiss, Hange couldn't help but laugh against his lips, feeling a sense of joy and peace she hadn't felt in a long time. For once, everything felt right. And as they sat there, wrapped up in each other's arms, Hange knew that this was only the beginning of something much bigger than either of them had ever expected.