Chapter Text
Levi parked the car at the curb and adjusted the collar of the flannel shirt. The fabric felt strange against his skin. He was not really used to this kind of clothing, but it had been his brother’s favorite and now it was all that remained as a quiet reminder. A piece of him. A memory stitched into plaid. Levi let out a slow breath and leaned the back of his head against the seat.
This summer was going to be different. The thought pressed heavily against his chest. He knew there would be moments sweet enough to ache and moments bitter enough to cut. Yet he had come anyway.
He came for one reason.
Her.
Not even his mother had found the courage to return to the family cabin this year. The silence of loss had wrapped itself too tightly around her. But Levi had to come. He told himself it was to honor his brother, to keep a promise unspoken yet understood.
He unbuckled his seatbelt, the faint click sounding too loud in the stillness, and stepped out into the warm air. The familiar scent of pine clung to him as he lifted his bags from the trunk. The cabin waited at the end of the gravel path, weathered but steady, as though holding its breath for their arrival.
She would not be here for a while. That gave him time. Time to dust the shelves, sweep the floors, and air out the rooms. Time to put the place in order before the memories began to press in.
It was going to be a long day. Every task would tug at him, every corner of the cabin whispering reminders of summers past. He told himself not to shed a tear. Not yet. Not when there was work to be done.
This is what he would have wanted. That was the mantra he kept repeating, steady and quiet, as he walked up to the cabin door.
***
Levi untied the cloth from around his head after finishing the last round of mopping the floors. Sweat clung to his forehead, and his arms ached, but he welcomed the small exhaustion. He stepped out onto the veranda and sank into the swing, letting the wood creak beneath him as he sipped his ice tea. The sun was dipping low, casting long shadows over the lake.
From afar, he could see Hange’s family lake house, and the sight made his chest tighten. Cars were pulling up the gravel driveway, tires crunching against the stones. A small, reluctant smile tugged at his lips.
“She’s here, Lee. Are you sure about this?” he muttered under his breath, his voice low and rough.
Levi rose from the swing and moved inside, stopping before the mirror in the hallway. He studied his reflection, tracing the sharp lines of his face, the eyes that mirrored his brother’s, the expression that people had always called unyielding. He messed his hair into Lee’s usual style, practicing the tilt of his grin until it almost felt natural.
He straightened his shoulders, took a deep breath, and whispered to himself, “This is to protect her.”
The mantra clung to him like a shield. It was Lee’s world, and for a while, Levi would step into it, carrying the weight of a brother, a memory, and a love that had always remained unspoken.
***
“Look, Levi!” Lee yelled.
Levi frowned. His brother did not need to yell; he was just beside him.
“What?” Levi replied, voice low, his frown deepening.
“There’s a little girl just like us! We should ask her to join our game. It’s boring to play by ourselves,” Lee said, already beginning to tug Levi toward the girl. She wore a frock patterned with tiny frogs and a matching frog hat.
The closer they got, the more Levi’s frown deepened. She was holding a live frog in her hands.
“Whoa! So cool!” Lee shouted, leaving Levi to kneel beside her. Levi noticed now that she wore glasses, her wide eyes fixed on Lee.
The girl looked startled at first, then her lips curved into a wide grin. She held the frog closer to Lee’s face. “I named him Beane. Do you like him?” she asked.
“Yes! So awesome. Hi Beane, I’m Lee,” Lee said, poking the frog gently on the chin.
The girl giggled. “I’m Hange,” she said, then turned her gaze to Levi. “Ah,” she murmured, eyes widening. “Wah… are you guys twins? I’ve never seen twins in real life before.”
Lee laughed loudly and stood up, draping an arm over Levi’s shoulders. “This is my brother. Younger one, of course. His name is Levi,” he said, elbowing him lightly. “Now Levi, don’t be rude. Say hi.”
Levi gave a small wave and muttered, “Hi,” glancing away quickly.
That summer, their friendship began, one that would return like clockwork every year. They met at the cabin, shared games, laughter, and little secrets. And over the years, that first awkward meeting with the frog named Beane would remain a memory both cherished and untouchably precious.
***
Levi was sweeping the driveway, gathering the leaves that had drifted down overnight. The rhythm of the broom was steady, almost meditative, until a sudden weight crashed into his back.
Someone had jumped on him, arms wrapped tight around his torso.
The familiar scent hit him first, warm and unmistakable, and his heart slammed against his chest. Time slowed. Levi froze, his hands still gripping the broom, as he turned to see her face beaming up at him.
She released a small laugh and hugged him from the front, letting the broom slip from his hands. His arms went slack, failing him entirely. For a long, suspended moment, he just felt her warmth.
Then he returned the hug, hesitantly at first, his chest tightening with every second.
“I missed you, Lee,” she muttered, her voice soft and almost shy. “Missed you last summer.”
Levi froze. Right. He was Lee now. Every instinct screamed at him to step back, to tell her the truth, but he couldn’t. He swallowed hard and lowered his voice, muttering softly, “Right. I missed you too.”
His hand rose almost instinctively, brushing over her hair, careful not to disturb the hug. He noted, as he always did when he was close to her, that her hair was shorter than before and that she had grown taller, easily a head taller than both him and Lee, who were shorter than most boys their age.
Hange had always liked to tease them about that, and for a split second, Levi allowed himself a ghost of a smile under the weight of his own deception.
***
Levi sat around the campfire with the Zoes, Hange’s cousins scattered around on logs and blankets. The flames flickered across their faces as the sun dipped behind the trees, casting long shadows over the lake. He felt slightly out of place. He had never been close with Hange’s extended family the way Lee had been. Levi wondered how he would get through the evening without stumbling over the lie he was living.
“So why didn’t Levi make it this summer?” Sasha, one of Hange’s cousins, asked, peering curiously at him.
Hange glanced at Levi with interest, clearly wanting to hear the answer too. She bit her lip as if amused by what was about to be said. “Ah, he is busy. Really busy. He got a part time job at a tea shop,” he replied smoothly.
Hange giggled. “Levi loves tea. If he could, he would probably get married to tea.”
Levi felt heat rise to his cheeks. Of course she knew about his obsession with tea. He tried to keep his voice casual. “Yeah,” he agreed. “I think he has tea plus Levi forever written somewhere,” he said, throwing a small jab at himself, the words echoing the teasing tone Lee would have used. A pang of sadness washed over him as he thought of his brother, gone but never far from his thoughts.
It had been four months since Lee’s death, and moving on was still far from easy. Levi swallowed, forcing himself to smile, but Hange noticed his sudden quiet. She leaned closer, her voice soft. “Hey, are you doing alright?”
“Yeah,” he muttered. “Just… missing my bro?” he added just like how Lee would.
Hange nodded, her expression gentle, almost sympathetic. “Wow, Lee. I know you love your bro, but… okay, okay. As an only child, I wouldn’t really know,” she said. She reached for the bag of marshmallows and carefully roasted one over the fire. “Say ahh and I will make you happy,” she added with a teasing grin, holding it out for him.
Levi leaned forward and took the marshmallow, letting it melt slightly on his tongue. He nudged Hange lightly, letting a small smile escape. “We might not look like it,” he said softly, “but we love each other in our own way.”
“No doubt about it,” she replied, her eyes sparkling in the firelight, and for a brief moment, Levi let himself feel a little lighter, the warmth of the fire mirrored by the warmth in her presence.
***
The next morning, Hange practically invaded Levi’s cabin kitchen. He stirred pancake batter in a well-worn mixing bowl while Hange fiddled with the radio, trying to find a station that wasn’t full of static.
“Perfect,” Hange said at last, humming along to the song that began to play in that unmistakable tinny 70s sound.
Radio Announcer: “Good morning, folks! You’re tuned to WLCY-FM, bringing you all the hits from coast to coast. Coming up, stay tuned for our weekly soapbox hour and a special announcement from Maplewood Toy Company. Don’t miss our summer raffle, folks… prizes include bicycles, radios, and even a brand new record player!”
Song starts: a soft folk tune with acoustic guitar and gentle harmonies
Levi bit his lip, trying not to stop and stare as Hange’s voice carried along perfectly with the music. The warmth in her tone made his chest tighten in ways he wasn’t prepared for.
“You know, Lee, I never got to ask why Aunt Kuchel and Kenny did not make it?” Hange said, reaching toward the bowl of whipped batter.
Levi swatted her hands away half-heartedly, but she managed to scoop up some batter anyway and lick her fingers.
“Heavenly,” she moaned.
“They’re busy too. Kenny’s deep into his detective work. Undercover, I’m guessing. Trying to bust a drug syndicate,” Levi replied evenly, forcing himself to stay in character.
“So cool. Next time I see him, I am getting that story,” Hange said, this time skillfully avoiding Levi’s defense to grab more batter. Levi gave a small sigh and let her have it.
“Mom is helping her cousin with their newborn,” Levi added. Not a lie per se as his mother was genuinely helping.
“Aww… a cousin. What’s the name of the baby?”
“Mikasa,” he said.
“Cute.”
“Yeah, not when they cry like they’re dying.”
“Oh, Lee, it’s the little eyes, nose, mouth, teeny feet and hands. And ooh, the divine smell of the baby. How can you not obsess?”
“Maybe when I get my own,” he muttered.
Hange giggled. “Your sense of humor has improved. Levi has rubbed off on you,” she teased. Levi froze for a moment, scrambling to change the subject.
“How many pancakes?” he asked, trying to sound casual.
“Five,” she said with a grin.
“Glutton,” he teased. She stuck her tongue out at him, hopped off the counter, and opened the refrigerator to pull out fruits and whipped cream. She spotted the empty cup of tea and raised a brow.
“Wow, Levi did rub off on you. You drink tea now?” Levi froze again. Lee had never really liked tea, he’d always been a coffee person.
“Haha,” Levi laughed awkwardly. “Yes… Levi’s been getting me to try new blends at the tea shop. I’m his guinea pig. Let’s just say… I’m hooked.”
“Woah there, Lee… Levi definitely has done a number on you. Not gonna complain. I tried some refined blends myself on my trip to Ceylon with my dad. Tea there was divine. In fact, I got a tin for Levi. It’s in my room. Remind me to give it to him before you go back. He’ll like it, right?” Hange asked almost shyly, making Levi’s heart skip a beat.
“Yeah, I mean yes, of course. Levi will down any tea,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant despite the rush of excitement. “But did you not get anything for me?”
Hange chuckled. “I did. A magnet, of course. Quite rare, but I managed to get one just for you.”
Levi plated the pancakes and set one in front of her. “Well, I am looking forward to decorating my collection,” he said.
Hange beamed, taking a huge bite, whipped cream smearing across her lips. Without thinking, Levi reached out to wipe it, and they both froze, eyes locking. For a heartbeat, he felt like he was drowning in her warm, inviting brown eyes.
“Lee. Lee,” she waved a hand in front of his face, pulling him out of his daze.
Levi broke into a cough, trying to cover his racing heart. “Ahhh, as always, a messy eater, fo—Hans.”
Hange, not noticing anything amiss, pouted. “Meanie.”