Chapter Text
Hange stirred in the midst of slumber, glimpses of sunlight peeking behind her eyelids. She let an incoherent murmur seep past her lips, her brow furrowing forward as her eyelids slowly fluttered open.
She shifted slightly in her current position, noting the stiffness in her limbs and particularly her neck. She let a grimace grace her features as she felt her sweat dampened shirt rub against her skin; falling asleep on the couch was less than ideal.
The brunette then paused in surprise as her blurred vision settled on the sight of a sleeping Levi beside her. A sense of warmth and happiness spread throughout her as she continued to observe his peaceful expression. His black hair fell onto his forehead, horribly mussed from sleep, while his lips were pursed adorably.
Hange remained as still as she could in her current position as his head laid on her upper arm, trying her hardest not to disturb the man as she was aware of how much he struggled with getting enough sleep. Her thoughts wandered over to possible remedies she could conjure up that could potentially help with his insomnia, her ears not picking up the sound of their front door opening.
“Good morning.” A familiar voice greeted from above her. Hange visibly startled at the sound of his voice, her head snapping up to meet the amused gaze of Erwin who peered over the two of them from behind the sofa.
“Jesus Christ, Erwin, you scared the hell out of me.” She hissed lowly, her eyes darting back to Levi who stirred visibly at the noise. The raven-haired man’s eyelids peeled open not a moment later, clearly disoriented from sleep. “Oops.” She said as he blinked up at Erwin, clearly bewildered by his presence. “Good morning, Grump.”
“Who let you in?” Levi ignored Hange for the time being, raising a thin brow as his eyes narrowed in a half-hearted glare
“You gave me a key.” Erwin answered simply in explanation. The blond then lifted up a white paper bag, shaking the contents within it twice. “I brought breakfast, as well. Consider it a peace offering for disturbing your morning.” He said with a small apologetic smile.
Levi turned to the woman beside him as Erwin wandered into the kitchen.
“Did you sleep well?” She asked lightly, knowing exactly what his answer would be.
His expression remained unamused as he stared at her. “You drooled on me.”
“Did I?” She responded, clearly entertained.
He sighed lightly as he moved to stand on his feet, the clothes that he had fallen asleep in disheveled and wrinkled on his form. “Oi, Erwin, did you spend the night in Gracie’s room?” Levi ignored the brunette as he walked into the kitchen, as well.
Erwin placed himself in one of the chairs that surrounded the kitchen table, reaching into the bag and pulling out their breakfast. “I did.” He answered absentmindedly. “Thankfully, she bought an air mattress, so I wasn't forced to sleep in Gracie's bed. I’m not sure I would've been on board with that.” He trailed off.
Levi sluggishly turned on the coffee machine and watched as the contents dripped down into the contender. “Wait - how big is Gracie’s bed that you would consider sleeping in it an option?” Hange raised her brow in bewilderment. Levi snorted.
Erwin expression turned wry at her question. “Her bed is large enough to fit at least two St. Bernard's. That Pomeranian is heavily spoiled by my mother and she's well aware of it.”
“That stupid mutt has a better life than I do.” Levi rolled his eyes, pouring both Erwin and Hange a cup of coffee. He sat down on the table as he placed the mugs down in front of them respectively. He refused to admit to himself just how happy he felt at the moment - he openly despised mornings, but the two people in front of him managed to paint them in a flattering light.
The three friends sat around the table as they ate their food. A casual and easygoing conversation flowed between the three of them until it was time for work. Hange had chosen to bolt out of the door before Levi and Erwin, leaving the two of them by themselves.
Levi picked up his car keys, beginning to head towards the front door when Erwin spoke up. “I told you so.” The man said in a knowing tone, one that Levi was highly familiar with.
Levi turned and glared lazily at the blond. He had predicted that Erwin would act smugly at least once throughout the day - he was just surprised that it had taken him this long to bring up the subject. “Usually, my gut instinct is almost always right.”
Levi barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his words “Your gut had absolutely shit to do with anything.” He said in a flat tone.The raven-haired man stepped out of the door and out into the hallway. “And this doesn't mean that you get a ‘get out of jail card’ regarding the vacation I was promised.” He added as an afterthought.
“It hasn't been an entire year yet.” Erwin reminded him.
“Mhm, but it will be.” He said as they strolled down the hallway and towards the elevator. “So, you've got to be responsible and start saving up some funds,otherwise you'll be caught off guard with all of those expenses.” Levi told him in a tone of disinterest as he pressed down the button to call the elevator up.
“I appreciate your concern towards my financial well being.”
“Mhm.”
~
From Shitty Glasses: Hey, I’m heading your way for lunch. I’ll be there in five!
Levi’s eyes skimmed over the text notification quickly, noting that it had been ten minutes since she had sent the message. His gaze drifted from his phone screen to the front window, scanning the bustling streets for any sight of her. She should be here any minute, he thought to himself.
"Hey, Boss. What do you think of neon-colored whipped cream? I hear it’s the new big thing trending in coffee shops.” Jean startled him out his thoughts. Levi snuck a glance at the teenager from over his shoulder, watching as he refilled the espresso machine.
Armin, who stood a few feet behind Levi, wore an expression that looked torn between amused and exasperated. “Jean, when you say ‘coffee shops’, do you actually mean Starbucks?”
“Look, that drink that they recently put on their menu -” Jean’s sentence trailed off as he attempted to remember the name of the blended drink he had tasted a month or so back.
“The unicorn one?” Armin chimed in helpfully.
“Yeah, that one, thanks babe.” He flashed an appreciative smile towards the shorter boy. “Anyway, as I was saying; it wasn't exactly terrible. I liked it and I thought it was creative. I think we could knock that shit out of the park if we wanted to.” He paused before speaking again. “Come on, Boss, we need a staple of our own. I vote for neon whipped cream.”
“Kirstein, will you leave me alone if I give you permission to buy some food coloring?” Levi raised a thin brow, his tone flat as he turned to address the ash-haired boy.
“That depends; will you give me full credit for my idea?” Jean responded without missing a beat. Levi gave him an unimpressed look in return.
"Jean, technically speaking, you stole the original idea from Starbucks.” Armin reminded him before Levi could. Jean shot him a look of exasperation, but he softened a moment later as a cheeky smile spread across the blond’s face.
“Thanks for your helpful input.” Jean said, both exasperated and amused as he returned to his previous task. Levi silently watched the interaction; it was nice to the boy bounce back a bit after last year.
The bell chimed above the door and Levi forced himself not to eagerly turn around and inspect who had walked in. The raven-haired man glanced towards the door and felt strangely content at the sight of the brunette. His light eyes trailed over her casual appearance; a looser sweater and black tights dressed her form. It was clear that she hadn't put much effort into her appearance, so, how she appeared so radiant was puzzling to him.
She approached the counter quickly, her palms slapping against the surface in an urgent manner. “I need something with at least four espresso shots in it, please.” She requested, her eyes showcasing her exhaustion.
“One Zoe coming up.” Jean exclaimed from behind him before Levi could get a word in as he began to prepare the drink she had requested. Levi watched her face carefully as her facial features gradually shifted from mild bewilderment to utter joy at Jean’s words.
“You actually did it! You named a drink after me.” She grinned from ear-to-ear, her brown eyes lighting up. “I didn't think you would actually go through with it.”
“I said that I would.” Levi shrugged his shoulders limply in response.
“So, tell me exactly what's in it!?” She leaned forward in excitement
“Four shots of espresso, ten grams of sugar, creamer, vanilla, and a touch of cinnamon. It's also topped with whipped cream and sprinkles of granola.” Levi said flatly, easily listing off each ingredient.
She gaped at him, her eyes visibly widening. “That sounds both terrifying and fantastic.”
“It is.” Jean chimed in with a grimace. “Eren and I had to endure an hour’s worth of taste tasting each recipe he came up with as punishment a few weeks ago. I think i still have the taste in my mouth.”
“That sounds a bit like torture.” Hange raised a brow at the man in front of him, letting a small small spread across her lips as Armin softly laughed at her words. “Hey, Armin!” She greeted the blond with a short wave.
“Hi, Hange.” He waved back politely from behind Levi, a soft smile dressing his features.
“Rough day?” Levi pointedly ignored his employees behind him. He shifted his weight against the counter, his elbows propping him up. Hange nodded her head.
“A stressful day.” She corrected him with a wry smile. “But, an exciting one, nonetheless.”
Jean carefully reached over and placed the hot mug into the counter in front of her wordlessly. Hange watched as tufts of steam stemmed from the cup, the scent of the espresso and cinnamon drifting around her nose. She inhaled as she brought the mug to her face, letting out a sigh of pleasure shortly after. “It smells so good.”
She took a sip, her expression twisting as the drink coated her tastebuds. “It's actually… not terrible.” She nodded in approval, beaming at him.
“Pay up, then.” He lazily gestured for her to hand him the money she owed him.
She narrowed her eyes at him from over the rim of her mug before reluctantly digging into her pocket and smacking a five dollar bill onto his open palm. “You're already the worst boyfriend I've ever had.”
“Even worse than the guy who abandoned you at a diner without even paying for the bill?” Levi inched closer to the brunette, their noses inches apart. Hange remained firmly in place, a hint of a smile spreading across her lips.
“He wasn't my boyfriend, we only went on one date.” Hange reminded him softly in amusement. She felt surprised that he had bothered to remember the story she had told him a couple of months ago.
“...Hey, Armin, do they look suspiciously close to each other or is that just me?” Jean whispered to the blond who was also curiously peering over at the pair of roommates.
“No, I can see it too.” He responded quickly in the same hushed tone. Levi and Hange separated at their quiet musings - the former glaring daggers at the two boys who instantly appeared sheepish in return.
“Oh, I - uh, I actually think it’s time for my break so I'm going to go… do that.” Jean cleared his throat after a moment of uncomfortable silence. He shot armin an apologetic expression as he quickly moved away from Levi’s intense glare.
“So, where's Erwin?” Hange inquired as she looked around, trying her best to wave away the awkward air that continued to persist between them.
Levi gestured towards his face door, silently answering her question. “He's been answering work related throughout the entire day.” He droned out in a flat tone.
“He's flying back to England tomorrow, isn't he?” Hange’s brow furrowed forward, a discontent frown tugging at her lips.
“Yeah.” Levi said, trailing off in thought.
“I guess it sort of slipped my mind that he would be leaving again eventually.” She admitted in a somber tone. “Well, what are we planning on doing tonight, then?”
“Nothing.” Levi answered. “He's spending the rest of the night with his mother.”
“Oh.”
“And I still fully intend to fulfill the agreement we made yesterday and throw you straight into the bath once we get home.” He continued in a steady tone, his blank stare undeterred.
“Ah, I was hoping you'd forget about that.” She appeared amused, taking a slow sip of her drink. “You know, if you want to see me naked so badly all you have to do is ask.” She said in a low teasing tone.
Armin hurriedly slammed the tray he was holding into the glass display, his pale cheeks flushing pink. “I-I think it’s time for my break as well.” He stammered out befor rapidly moving away from the two adults, scurrying towards the kitchen.
“I completely forgot he was still there.” Hange pressed her lips together as Levi let out a sigh.
“For the record, four eyes, all I care about is untangling those knots in your hair and scrubbing every inch of you clean.” He said, expressionless. “You being naked is just a bonus.”
“Very smooth, short stuff.” She quirked a thin brow, amused.
~
Hange laid her satchel onto the couch pillows sluggishly, the muscles in her back and shoulder both tense and tight. She stretched and rolled her shoulders in an effort to loosen them to no avail as they remained strained. “Levi, are you home?” She called out as she walked further towards the hallway that led to his bedroom.
The sound of a running faucet caught her attention as she approached the door. Oh - she had almost forgotten about their earlier conversation. Hange twisted the doorknob and swung the door open to reveal Levi kneeling near the bathtub, his fingers submerged in the soap-filled water. “Hi.” She greeted, leaning against the doorframe.
Levi’s light eyes trailed over her form carefully. “You look like you got run over by a truck.” He spoke after observing her, silently concerned by the swollen bags beneath her eyes and her heavily disheveled ponytail that seemed to be sticking up in every direction. However, what truly captured his attention was how tired her eyes seemed; usually they expressed a range of emotion, but he could only distinguish exhaustion in them.
“I feel like I got hit by a truck.” She shrugged her shoulders as she toed off her sneakers, leaving them in the middle of the doorway. Levi's words of scolding got clogged in his throat as she pulled her shirt over her head, exposing her tanned skin and toned abdomen. Levi hardly resisted the urge to trail his fingers over the warmth of her skin.
“I hope that water is scalding hot.” She said as she dropped the article of clothing to the floor.
“It would have been if you had come home earlier.” Levi responded in a blank tone. The raven-haired man rolled his eyes as the woman neared him and obnoxiously shook her hips in front of his face, a wide smirk on her face.
He reached up and slipped his fingers into the waistband of her tights, effectively stopping her movement as she paused to stare down at him. “Idiot.” He muttered as he gradually began to pull them down her legs, his knuckles brushing past the soft skin of her thighs.
“Will you be joining me in this bath?” Hange inquired in a quieter tone than previously used. She placed a hand on the top of his head to balance herself as he slipped the pants off of each of her ankles.
“Do you honestly think that this bathtub is big enough to fit the both of us?” Levi lifted his gaze to look up at her, an unimpressed expression dressing his features.
“It could be if we try hard enough.” Hange shrugged her shoulders. Without waiting for his response, she bent down and grabbed ahold of his collar, her fingers working to undo the first three buttons.
“It'll be uncomfortable.” He protested while plucking her glasses off of the bridge of her nose.
“You can sit on my lap, if you want.” She managed to swallow down the snort of laughter that threatened to escape her at the sight of his unphased expression. “But, really, I don't think it'll be that tight of a fit.” She reassured him, moving to press a kiss to his lips as her fingers worked to undo a few more buttons.
“I’m not going to be given much of a choice in this situation, am I?” He questioned knowingly, feeling heat prickle at his skin as her fingertips began to linger against his chest. Her lips brushed against his collarbone.
“If I’m going to be forced to bathe, I’m taking you down with me.” She told him as she pulled away from him, pushing the sleeves of his shirt shirt down the length of his arms. Levi let his weight settle against the bathtub, his eyes wandering over the brunette who swiftly unclasped the hooks of her bra and let it fall to the floor.
“No games, four eyes.” He warned her absentmindedly as his fingers became preoccupied with unbuckling his belt. Levi found his mind slowly succumbing to thoughts that made his skin grow hot and his pants tighten as she reached up and tugged off the band that held her messy ponytail together. Her wild mane traveled just past her shoulders, her bangs framing her face, as well as her eyes which shone with a fire he admired.
“Mhm.” She hummed out in half-hearted agreement as she watched him undress, her eyes roaming over the pale expanse of his skin, his abdomen lean and toned, and incredibly tempting to touch. She shifted on her knees as the chilled bathroom tile made her skin grow numb; the bath that levi had prepared was beginning to seem more and more inviting.
“Get in.” He sighed out exasperated as a moment passed by without any movement from the brunette. The scent of lavender drifted around the small room, the familiarity of the smell easing his rapid thoughts.
Hange issued a smirk down at him as she stood up to her feet, her kneecaps noticeably reddened by her previous position on the floor. Levi swallowed as his gaze trailed over the tanned skin of her long legs; his fingers itched near his sides to touch them.
The woman slipped her fingers into the fabric of the last article of clothing she had on. She slyly moved the material down until the jutting bones of her hips were showcased, intending to tease the man in front of her as much as she possibly could.
Levi, in turn, made sure to keep his expression entirely neutral - however, he knew his attempts at shielding his emotions were going to be futile in the long run. There was no doubt in his mind that the brunette was well aware of the effects she had on him.
“The longer you stall, the colder the water is going to get.” Levi pointed out monotonously as she continued to take her time in shedding off the last piece of clothing she had on.
“If you're in such a hurry, why don't you come over here and take them off yourself?” She raised an eyebrow, clearly teasing him. She allowed herself to wear a surprised expression as Levi took the bait and leaned forward until his lips teasingly brushed against the skin beneath her navel. “I thought you said no games?” She said as her eyes fluttered shut in content.
Levi didn't bother responding as his hands reached around her, grazing the back of her upper thighs as he bent his head forward and left a trail of lingering kisses from her hips to her inner thighs. “You're breaking your own rules.” She reminded him quietly, her fingers running through his hair.
“You started it.” He murmured against her skin, his palms wandering up her thighs until they met her bottom. His mind urged him to cease his actions - that he had teased her more than enough, but the feeling of her skin was addictive and the desire to taste her skin was overwhelming. He opened his eyes reluctantly, moving to slip his fingers into the band of her underwear and pull them down her legs.
Levi teasingly brushed kissed along ther inner sections of her thoughts, stopping right as he approached the area in between her legs. His grip on her ass tightened briefly before he moved away from her entirely. “...You're a terrible person.” She said, dismay dressing her tone.
“When I said no games, I meant no games.” He brushed off her words easily as he slid off his own pants. He was more than satisfied that he had teased her the way she had teased him previously. He would have to make it up to her later, regardless of her much he craved to make her unravel at the moment; bathing was his first priority.
Hange forced herself to ignore the ache that had gathered in between her legs, letting out a shuddering sigh as she dipped one of her legs into the warm water, which was much more heated than she had initially prepared herself for. The musk of Levi's favorite scent was even more prominent in her nostrils as she slowly sunk herself into the tub.
Levi glanced behind him at the sound of the brunette letting out a content moan as the water eased the tension from her limbs. He hesitantly peeled off his underwear and awkwardly lowered himself into the water in front of her as she moved her legs into a crossed position.
“I told you that it's too small to fit the both of us.” He said flatly, his eyes traveling around. He appeared dismayed by the water that dangerously swayed back and forth, threatening to escape the tub and splash onto their floor.
“Technically speaking, we do both fit in here. It's just a bit of a tight squeeze.” Hange said without missing a beat, her tone nonchalant. She leaned back against the tub and let her fingers play with the soap suds, creating unique shapes absentmindedly. She paused as the soap sculpture she created reminded her of her two bearded dragons. The two bearded dragons she was currently hiding from her boyfriend. Shit.
Why, out of all of the times, did her brain decide to remind her of her wrongdoings at this exact moment? She grimaced at the thought of Levi finding out that she had kept Sawney and Bean despite his clear disdain for them.
Levi noticed the shift in her behavior after a few minutes as she remained uncharastically quiet, seemingly lost in her thoughts. “Oi, shithead.” He said in order to gain her attention, flicking her with a bit of water. “What's wrong?”
Her eyes drifted back to him, silently debating on whether or not she should confess and tell him about her two pets. Hange inwardly decided against it; now wasn't the best timing. “It’s nothing too serious, don't worry, I’m use thinking.” She reassured him with a slight smile, feeling guilty at having to lie to him again.
Levi attempted to move closer to her, the water shifted once again. “You looked severely constipated for at least a minute straight.” He said, knowing that she was not telling him something. He hesitated, not sure how to approach the situation at hand. It seemed she didn't want to divulge into it any further, which made him drop the topic entirely. She would tell him if she deemed it necessary.
The raven-haired man grabbed ahold of her forearm before she could properly respond to his statement. He reached behind him and pumped soap into his other hand. Hange leaned onto him as he massaged the body wash over her skin, laying her head onto his shoulder as he scrubbed at her arm. “You're not being very gentle with me, shorty.” She told him as her fingertips trailed along his collarbone.
His hands traveled to the middle of her back and up towards the shoulder blades digging his fingers into her skin as took notice of the numerous knots that had gathered there. “I wouldn't have to be if you took the time out to properly scrub your ass once in awhile.”
“Well, then I guess it’s a good thing I like it rough.” She jested quietly, holding in the bout of laughter that threatened to escape her throat.
Levi responded by lightly flicking her in the forehead. “You're a nuisance.”
She smiled and reached up, pushing his bangs back from his forehead. She slicked them back against his head affectionately, making sure that they would stay in place before she pulled her hand away. “I don't think i’ve ever actually seen your entire forehead up until this point.” She said after a moment of gazing up at him.
“I hope it meets your expectations.” He droned out absentmindedly as his palm traveled down her side. Hange wrapped her soap-covered arms around his neck, pulling the man down in order to place a kiss on his lips.
Levi tilted his head and deepened the kiss, melting into her. His fingertips pressed into the skin of her lower back as he pulled her closer, their chests pressing against one another. He silently hoped that she wouldn't be able to detect his rapidly pounding heartbeat.
She reluctantly pulled away, a genuine smile spreading across her face as she let her head rest against his shoulder once again. “I’m sorry for the distraction. I think seeing you with your hair pushed back inflicted an emotion in me that would only agree to settle down by kissing you senseless.” She explained lightly, her voice muffled.
Levi let his hands travel up her ribcage, leaving a trail of soap in his wake. His lips brushed teasingly against the shell of her ear as his hands angered up her skin they reached her chest. He cupped her breasts, pleased at the way they fit nicely into his palms.
“No games, Levi.” She reminded him in a cheeky tone. She squirmed as Levi pinched her side, exasperated.
“I'm not scrubbing your as for you, you're more than capable of handling that by yourself.” He said dryly, reaching for the soap and dumping the liquid into his palms once more in order to wash his own body.
Once he was finished, he cupped his hands together and poured the water he gathered over Hange's head. “You've been waiting for this opportunity for a while now, haven't you?” She asked knowingly as he made sure her scalp was thoroughly soaked.
“I'd be lying if I told you no.”
“My hair isn't that horrible, is it?” She questioned with a raised brow, grimacing as levi coated the top of her head in shampoo that was fairly cold to touch.
“If i tried hard enough i could properly see my reflection in all of that grease buildup.” He jested blankly in response as his fingertips dug into the roots of her hair. Hange resisted the urge to twist one of his nipples at his comment.
The bathroom had gone silent with the exception of Levi gathering soap and massaging it into her hair. Hange felt annoyed at the excessive amount of soap he used; it was beginning to run down her forehead,seeping down dangerously near her eyes. “I'd rather not damage my eyesight any further, thank you.” She complained audibly.
Levi brushed the soap away from her forehead, placing her bangs behind her ears in an affectionate manner. Hange squeezed her eyes shut as he washed the shampoo away a moment later, her bangs once again falling into her eyes despite her efforts. “You look like an ungroomed poodle.” Levi commented, amusement swimming in his light eyes.
“That's a stretch and you know it. I definitely resemble more of a… mixed border collie, if anything.” She corrected him as she gathered shampoo in her hands and began to run her fingers through his hair. Levi leaned into her touch, his nose nudging against her cheek.
An unfamiliar feeling spread throughout him as a content smile graced her lips, his belly fluttering embarrassingly at the sight of it as they remained in a close, scarily personal proximity. He had never experienced something like this before; it was terrifying, but he enjoyed it. “Your hair is stupidly soft.” Hange said as she doused away the soap, unable to stop herself from brushing his bangs away from his face.
Levi reached behind him and unplugged the bathtub drain in one swift motion, eager to climb out of the water that had chilled a bit since they had entered it. The irritating sound of the water swirling down the drain echoed throughout the bathroom, filling their comfortable silence. “You know, I wouldn't be completely against doing that more often.” She admitted half-heartedly.
Levi raised a thin brow at her words. “I’ll remember to throw those words in your face whenever you refuse to shower, then.” He said as he stood up to his feet carefully, the water circling around his ankles. He offered his hand down to her, which she took without hesitation.
Hange snatched two towels from the rack and tossed one over to Levi. “Did you eat dinner? Levi asked as he wrapped a towel around his waist, his aven hair damp and dripping with water
Hange nodded as she bent down and wiped any excess water from her legs. “Good.” He said simply. “I’m going to go get changed. Wait for me in your room please.” He forcibly dragged his light eyes away from the curves of her body, moving towards the door.
Hange eventually maneuvered out of the bathroom as well, immediately inhaling the crisp air in relief. A trail of wet footprints were left behind by her as she strode down the hallway to her own bedroom. The bath had helped with the tightness of her limbs, but her exhaustion still weighed her down and the urge to plop down on her bed and fall asleep was tempting.
She sat down at the foot of her bed water droplets that had gathered at the end of her strands of hair splattering against her shoulders and back. She contemplatively examined the ends of her hair; she was torn on whether or not to cut it. It would certainly make things easier on her part.
She lazily reached for a pair of underwear in her drawer, letting out a small grunt as her arm stretched out as far as it could. Once her fingers gripped the material, she slipped them up her legs and then grabbed an oversized t-shirt, throwing it over her head.
Her eyes snapped up in the midst of pulling down the shirt as Levi opened the door without a warning. His eyes darted to the wet towel that had been abandoned by her on the floor. He narrowed his eyes and walked over to pick it up.”At this point you're just begging for us to get infested with vermin.” He scowled. “Bend your head.” He instructed blankly, tossing the comb he held onto the bed beside her.
Once she did as he said, he laid the towel over her hair and began to roughly dry it, making sure that there were no more visible drops of water in her thick mane before he tossed the towel into the overflowing laundry bin near the corner of the room..
“Are you going to comb my hair for me?” Hange asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled over him. She swiped up the brush that laid next to her, eyeing it in a critical manner. “This isn't meant for my hair type - it’s either going to break or I am - into tears.” She handed it over to him without a fuss.
He climbed on her bed without a word and gestured for her to sit down in the space between his legs. “I’ll be careful.” He promised sincerely as her expression showcased doubt.
“I’m trusting you here, shorty.” She huffed out, itching her damp scalp before moving to sit in front of him. She leaned against him, sinking into the warmth that radiated from him. Levi silently sunk the teeth of the comb through her hair once, beginning to comb through any apparent knots and tangles he could see.
The brunette relaxed immediately into his arms, which was making it increasingly difficult to brush through her hair as she laid on top of him. “When I was little, my mother would always brush my hair before bed and no matter what, it always made me feel sleepy. It’s a bit funny to see it still has the same effect on me as an adult.” She said absentmindedly, her fingers toying with the material of his sleeping pants.
Levi listened to her voice as he ran the comb through her hair without as much difficulty; it seemed like he was almost done with his task. “Don't fall asleep on me yet. I’m almost finished.” He told her in a softer tone.
A calm silence over the two of them like a blanket, with the exception of the soft sounds of traffic from outside their window and the occasional light footsteps echoing above them. Hange’s room was cool in temperature which was a nice contrast from the steaming bath they had taken an half of an hour before.
Levi placed his comb on her bedside drawer once he was finished and reluctantly sunk down into the brunette’s pillows. His arm slithered around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. “You always manage to suck all of the energy out of my body every time I interact with you.” He murmured, burying his nose into her hair.
She smiled in the midst of her eyes fluttering shut. “I’ll take full credit for curing your insomnia, then.” She joked softly.
Levi had fallen asleep before he could even process how exhausted he truly felt,the soft breaths of the woman laying on him lulling him to sleep.
~
The radiate morning beams of the sun managed to seep into Hange's bedroom, settling across Levi’s face, eventually disturbing his peaceful slumber. The man stirred visible before his eyelids slowly peeled themselves open.
Once his eyes re-focused, they instantly became aware of something peculiar in his line of sight. He paused, narrowing his eyes in an attempt to further inspect what exactly it was he was looking at. He abruptly sat up a moment later in realization.
The two suspicious jars filled with vibrant colors that sat on Hange’s windowsill for months were uncharastically both parted and pushed off to the side, revealing a large reptile tank with those two goddamn demons that he thought Hange had given away. Their beady eyes stared unwaveringly at him and he glared back with just as much intensity.
“Hange, you fucking asshole -”
Hange stirred. “Why am I being shouted at so early in the morning? What's wrong - oh, shit.” She tiredly grimaced as the sight of Levi’s dark scowl as he pointed a finger to her precious pets. The brunette didn't think she had ever seen him so angry. “I can explain.”
“I’d love to see you try.” He promptly responded in an irritated tone, trying his best to ignore the feeling he felt crawling up his spine as he turned his back towards the two reptiles. A trail of goosebumps littered his skin at the thought of the two o them being near him; they had watched him while he slept.
“I - well, long story short, I lied to you when I said that I gave them to Mike.”
“No shit.”
“Will you let me finish?” She rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Look, I know that what i did was wrong; I lied to you not only once, but twice. But, these guys are precious to me and they're harmless, I promise you. I couldn't just toss them out when I've had them for such a long time. They keep me company whenever I’m alone, and they like to listen to me talk.” Hange let her eyes drift off towards their tank where Sawney and bean both sat contently. “They're like my children.”
Levi unwillingly felt himself grow soft at her statements, his anger gradually subsiding. He silently grew annoyed with himself for letting her expressive eyes seep into his soul. “You fucking lied to me for almost five months straight. How long were you willing to let this go on for?”
She looked guilty at his words, keeping her gaze trained on the two bearded dragons. “I was going to tell you eventually, I swear. I was just waiting for the right time, you know?”
“Well, I can tell you for sure that the right time wasn't me waking up to see their beady fucking eyes staring straight into my soul.” He said flatly, crossing his arms over his chest. Levi narrowed his eyes at the sight of the amused look plastered across her face.
Hange's phone vibrated, cutting off any incoming remark she may have had as she picked it up. Her eyes quickly skimmed over the text.
From Erwin:
I’m going to go ahead and assume that you're in the same vicinity as Levi is, so if you could please pass on the message that I've been trying to get in contact with him for almost an half of an hour and that my flight is in two hours. If he’s busy, tell him that it’s fine. I could find someone else drive me to the airport.
From Erwin:
Also, my apologies for using you as a messenger, Hange.
Levi swore softly under his breath once Hange relayed the message to him. He felt a bit of guilt for having forgotten about driving the blond to the airport. He climbed out of Hange’s bed, directly avoiding looking at the windowsill. “We’ll continue this conversation later.” He sighed as he stood in the doorway.
She crossed her legs and folded her hands neatly in her lap. “Wait, come back here, you forgot something.” Hange told him convincingly, her expression neutral as she gestured for him to walk over to her.
“What?” He raised his brow as he approached her once more.
“This!” She said before she reached up and cupped his cheeks with her palm, pressing her lips against his. She pulled away from him with a smile. “Have a good day and don't forget to tell Erwin I said goodbye, okay”
“Okay.” He hummed in acknowledgment, unable to stop himself from pecking her lips one last time before he left the room. “Oi.” He stopped in the doorway, looking at her from over his shoulder. “Don't forget to eat today, four eyes.”
~
An hour later, Levi and Erwin stood in front of each other, finding themselves to be in a familiar predicament as they prepared to say goodbye and part ways for at least several months.
“Call me when your flight lands.” Levi said as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, staring up at his closest friend. He felt a familiar sadness weigh upon his shoulders at the thought of the man leaving the country.
“I will.” Erwin nodded his head in agreement, trailing off.
“And… thank you.” Levi said after an awkward pause passed between them, a frown settling on his lips. He swallowed and pushed forward, continuing to talk with a bit of difficulty. He didn't want to come across as too unemotional or vice versa - Erwin would never let him forget about it if he became too sappy. “For forcing me out of my comfort zone.” He finished with a blank stare, biting his tongue to refrain from expressing his gratitude towards the man for putting him on his feet all those years ago, being apart of an irreplaceable friendship, and the constant support and encouragement the blond provided whenever he needed it.
A genuine smile spread across the taller man’s face. “You don't have to thank me for that.” He said as he laid a hand on the raven-haired man’s shoulder and hesitantly pulled him into an embrace. Levi stiffened at the gesture but eventually wrapped his arms around the man, as well. They pulled apart a moment later, Erwin’s hand falling back onto his shoulder.
“Well, I’d better get going.” He said with a somber expression, taking a few careful steps backwards. “Be sure to drive back safely.” He spoke warmly, a bemused smile gracing his lips.
The blue-eyed man turned to walk away, but the sound of Levi's voice stopped him in his tracks. “Oi, maybe for once you should try to take your own advice.” He pointed out flatly, crossing his arms over his chest. “You're just as much of a workaholic as I am.”
Erwin managed to give him a soft grin in return before he began to walk again, giving his best friend a brief wave before he blended into the bustling crowd and disappeared from Levi’s eyesight.
Levi remained glued in the same spot for an unknown amount of time - the scene that he had witnessed was eerily similar to when he had dropped Erwin off at the airport back in November. The raven-haired man paused, feeling sadness sink into his chest, but, this time, however, he also felt a sense of comfort. He knew that instead of being greeted by a cold and empty apartment upon coming home, he would be embraced by warmth and fulfillment that came in the form of his significant other.
Hm, perhaps winter wasn't so bad after all…