Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Levi heaved a deep sigh as his pale eyes came across the white particles drifting silently from the sky. If there was one season he absolutely despised; it was winter. There were more than a few reasons for his hatred, each of them was justified in his opinion. He couldn't stand the way the snow gathered dirt in the gutters and turned into mud onto the side of the streets; it was also a pain in the ass to shovel. He disliked that his birthday was held during the winter, he'd rather just forget about the date altogether. But, most of all, he especially found himself becoming grouchier whenever the holiday season approached. Christmas was a miserable time.

He found himself captivated by the pristine flakes nonetheless as he watched tentatively from inside his workplace. He huffed once more, breaking away his gaze and trailing it back towards the white rag he was clutching onto. "Oi, Mikasa, can you close the shop today?" Levi asked from over his shoulder, swiftly finishing his task of wiping down the surfaces.

His younger sibling strode out from the back room, a white apron placed around her waist and her short black hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. She wiped her flour-coated palms hastily on the material, nodding her head slowly in response to his request. "Sure, but why? You're usually super strict when it comes to closing." She observed him with narrowed, almost suspicious eyes.

Levi resisted the roll his eyes at her curiosity, not in the mood to reveal his evening plans to the teenage girl. Not that it was anything eventful in the first place. "None of your business." He droned out in boredom, turning back around and feeling around for his keys that he kept in a glass bowl beneath the counter.

He blatantly ignored the feeling of her glaring holes into the back of his head as he finally came across his set in the other few keys that had piled up. "I'm going now. If anything happens here, or if I find anything out of place, It's coming out of Eren's paycheck." He threatened emptily, knowing it would annoy her further if he brought up one of his other employees. A teenage boy that was apparently one of Mikasa's childhood friends. One that she very obviously had taken an extreme liking too.

With those last spoken words, he strode easily out of the shop. In his ears rang the distinct bell that Mikasa had insisted they place on top of the doorway. He shuddered involuntarily as the frigid air bit venomously at his pale cheeks. He glared at his surroundings as the white dust settled in his hair and eyelashes, effectively making him feel damp. Freshly fallen snow was most definitely to be experienced from the comfort of your own home while the heater blasted at the highest setting.

He unlocked the doors to his car, sliding in hastily as his fingertips grew numb from the cold. He reached downwards into his pocket, grasping onto his cell phone and pulling it out sluggishly. He felt drained from the day's ventures, it didn't help that he had woke up at the crack of dawn after a rough night of attempting to fall asleep. He raised a thin brow as he came across two text messages from Erwin. Both of them seemed to be written anxiously which was strange for the usually well-composed man.

From Erwin:

Are you on your way home?

From Erwin:

I have something to tell you. It's important.

Levi paused in thought, wondering what the blonde could have possibly wanted to tell him. After a brief moment of silent contemplation, he figured it wasn't worth being baffled over. He would be finding out upon arriving back to their shared apartment. He twisted the key into the ignition, starting his car and feeling relief as the heater immediately threw out hot air that grazed his pink tinted cheeks.

It was a mere five-minute drive to head back towards his apartment, which was something he found himself being grateful for each passing day. Traffic and idiotic driving made for a highly peeved off Levi, more so than usual.

Levi entered his home with a calm demeanor, carefully placing down his keys in the bowl next to the entrance. The raven-haired man walked further into the apartment, scouting the area with a narrowed gaze for any sight of the blonde man in the living room or kitchen. Upon realizing that he was nowhere to be found, he ventured towards his roommate's bedroom in slight agitation. The man was adamant about revealing something and then hides in his room with the knowledge he was on his way home. He rapped his knuckles on the wood of the door twice, waiting for him to speak up.

"Come in." Came his invitation, seemingly more calm than Levi imagined it'd be considering the tone of his texts.

With those spoken words, Levi swung open the door carelessly, as it thudded aginst the wall. Erwin shot him a look in response, hunched over the small desk he kept in his room, his fingers primed over the keyboard. "Hello. How was work?" The blonde began conversationally, swiveling around in his chair to face him properly.

"Tiring," Levi answered truthfully, leaning against the door frame. "Can we just skip all of the bullshit and get to what you wanted to tell me?" He spoke bluntly as he often did, which seemingly amused the older man by his expression.

"Very well, then." Erwin nodded once, pushing his chair away from his desk and standing up his full height, towering over the shorter male. "I'm going to be leaving." He announced carefully, looking down at his longtime friend.

"Leaving?" Levi echoed blankly. "You're going on vacation?" Erwin had gone on plenty of other exotic getaways beforehand; what was so special about this one? Levi buried his slight bewilderment under a blank mask that dressed his pale features.

Erwin shook his head once, no. "Not exactly." He paused in an attempt to gather his thoughts and speak in a way that wouldn't upset the man further. "I'm going to be moving out." He finally revealed, his tone unwavering as he stared down the raven-haired man.

Silence blanketed the room uncomfortably before Levi recomposed himself hastily. "Why the fuck are you -" He started but was interrupted by the other man right away.

"I was offered a job promotion I couldn't refuse," Erwin explained calmly. "Besides, you know that I've been needing a change of pace after what happened earlier this year."

"What does your relationship ending have to do with your living arrangements, idiot?" Levi glared darkly at him, not willing to admit he understood the circumstances. Erwin moving out was a foreign concept considering he was the only roommate he'd had since moving out at the age of eighteen. A little over fourteen years ago. "Where are you even going?" He inquired, crossing his arms over his chest.

"London," Erwin answered after a brief moment of hesitation. His gaze observing Levi's expression which flickered with an emotion he couldn't decipher before it disappeared.

"It better damn well be a fan-fucking-tastic job since you're moving out of the damn country for it." Levi told him blankly, resolving to defeat as he knew he couldn't change the blonde's mind nor did he want too. The older man obviously needed a change of scenery after the last few events that had taken place in his life. His father passing away, and his three-year relationship falling apart included.

Erwin let a smile grace his lips, letting out an amused chuckle at his friend's dry words. "I'm leaving in three weeks. In the meantime, you should start to search for a possible new roommate candidate." He advised him and Levi didn't bother to hide the disturbed look that crossed his features.

"A new roommate?" Levi frowned deeply, unsettled at the idea. Would there even be a person who could cooperate with him? Erwin barely threaded the line at times and they had known each other in high school, so what would the outcome of living with a stranger be like? Someone who knew not to bother him at certain hours. Who understood how important it was for him to live in an extremely clean and pristine environment at all times.

"Don't look so distraught. This might be good for you." Erwin quirked a brow in a teasing manner. "Or maybe not and you'll end of murdering your new roommate for not using hot water to clean the dishes."

"The latter seems to be more realistic," Levi said dryly.

Erwin nodded in admittance, before straightening himself. "I'm sorry, but I need to get back to what I was doing before you came in. I was in the middle of emailing my boss."

Levi nodded in understanding, before turning and walking out of the room after he had finished speaking. He felt ultimately torn between being the slightest bit happy that his friend was moving on to bigger and better things and annoyed that he was leaving him behind in the dust. He frowned and threw the thoughts away, he was a thirty-two-year-old man. Life was much more complicated than 'friends leaving each other behind'.

They both had their own lives, and at some point, it was obvious one of them was bound to move out. Levi couldn't picture himself at the age of seventy (god forbid he live that long) taking up space in Erwin's attic while his friend had a wife, kids, and grandchildren. "Gross," Levi muttered under his breath in disgust at the vision.

He figured he could wait a few days before posting up wanted ads on the internet. Erwin had told him three weeks until he moved out which seemed like more than enough time. Or, perhaps not. He couldn't be sure seeing as he'd never been in this situation.

All he was certain of was that the next few weeks would surely give him countless amounts of migraines.

~

Levi gave a puff of breath, ignoring the white fog that descended from his lips as he did so, lingering around his face before it disintegrated. His pale gaze connected briefly upwards, taking in the variety of colors painted in the sky. Yellow, pink, and a hint of blue combined together prettily, highlighting the snow on the ground nicely. The once pure crystal flakes now turned into a muddy slosh mixture in the roads. He would have to get Eren to shovel the front of the shop as soon as he arrived.

it was Saturday, meaning both of the kids would be off from school. The two of them would likely arrive something between eight thirty, meaning he had a few hours by himself which he preferred in all honestly. Customers wouldn't start piling in until at least another hour or so, and all he had to do was get prepped for the upcoming day in delightful silence.

He unlocked the door swiftly, eager to be shielded from the bitter weather. Upon entering the cozy space, he shed the extra layers of clothing, placing his thick coat on the stand near the door. He took in the small leather couch in the corner of the room. The cherry wood of the coffee table sat in the midst of the small area, piles of gossip magazines placed neatly on the surface. Mikasa had suggested the furnishing. She and her friends spent countless amounts of hours lounging there, talking amongst themselves.

He strode around to the back of the counter, swiping an apron and tying it around his waist as he entered the back room where his sister spent most of her time. Eren loved working the counter, interacting with the different types of people that entered the shop, while Mikasa preferred baking in solitude. He opened the large refrigerator, spotting the batch of freshly made cookie dough Mikasa had likely made before leaving yesterday. He needed to keep himself occupied with something, otherwise, he'd be overcome with the stress of the idea of finding someone suitable to live with him for who knows how long.

As he scooped up balls of the dough, his thoughts stubbornly drifted back to the current problem he was facing. Damn Erwin and his fancy fucking job promotion, he inwardly cursed the blonde. He had enough on his plate as is, with running the shop and trying to keep his head above water, he certainly didn't need this news dumped on him in the process of everything. He shoved the tray of cookies into the pre-heated oven, enjoying the warmth it provided before he closed it shut.

Levi's ears perked up as the bell rang throughout the eerily quiet shop, it was unusual for someone to enter so early in the morning. Nonetheless, he strode out of the back room to greet the customer only to be met with the brown tousled locks of hair and green eyes of Eren. "Hey, Boss." The teenage boy greeted him breathlessly, shrugging off his jacket clumsily.

Levi felt dread at the thought of being stuck alone with the Brat for an hour more than usual. "What are you doing, Yeager? You're shift's not for another hour." The older man pointed out blankly, eyeing him as he slipped on a white apron identical to his.

"I came here earlier because I had nothing else to do, and I knew you'd be here. Oh, and I have to be somewhere to be tonight so I can't stick around for my normal shift time. Mikasa is own her way too, by the way." He told him distractedly, routinely grabbing the broom that sat neatly in the corner.

"Great." Levi droned out dryly. "I'm guessing Mikasa also has somewhere to be, then?" He guessed blindly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Uh, no? I don't think so." Eren answered in clear confusion. "I'm just going to my friend's to hang out. He just came back from vacation so I wanted to spend some time with him."

Levi nodded his head in understanding. He'd wrongly assumed the boy had suddenly grown a fully functioning brain. "Fine. Sweep the floor thoroughly, Yeager. Don't fucking half-ass." Levi muttered out, his gaze trailing back to the brick wall that decorated the space behind the counter. A chalkboard sat neatly on the wall, his cursive handwriting displaying a dozen different caffeine options, along with the few dessert treats the teenagers had begged him to include.

"Yes, Sir!" Eren nodded his head once, continuing his task of sweeping the shining of hardwood floors. Levi made sure he waxed and polished them at least once a week. He was sure they'd need a deep cleaning after he closed for the day, he was already on edge thinking of the dampness people would track in from the snow.

Yet another reason he despised winter.

Silence enveloped the space once more as Levi turned on the light to the glass display case where the sugary treats were usually placed. He remembered that the cookies were placed in the oven and casually made his way back towards the kitchen area. He grabbed the hot tray, his hands covered by beige oven mitts and placed them on the counter, letting them cool a bit before he placed them in the shop.

"Morning, Levi." Mikasa greeted casually as she strode into the room. Her black hair sat just above her shoulders, the signature bright red scarf she wore wrapped around her neck loosely.

Levi nodded in acknowledgment, taking the mitts off of his hands hastily. "Nice job, yesterday."

"You look more terrible than usual." Mikasa blankly noted aloud, uncaring if she offended him in the least. She eyed him warily, taking in his sluggish posture and dark eye circles.

"Shut up." He shushed her in annoyance, fanning the cookies in order to busy himself. Eren walked into the kitchen as well, seemingly done with his sweeping duty.

"Hey, Levi, are you alright?" Eren questioned after a few moments of tense silence blanketed the three of them. Mikasa shot the brunet a look of warning, effectively shutting him up before he spoke once more.

"I come here earlier in order to spend some time by myself, and of course the day I need some peace and quiet the two of you are here in my damn face." Levi huffed out blankly, narrowing his eyes at the pair.

"We're... sorry?" Eren tilted his head, unsure of what to tell the shorter man in response. "What's wrong?" He persisted innocently.

"Eren, leave him be for now," Mikasa told him, glancing over at her sibling.

"Erwin's moving out," Levi told them with a short glare. Perhaps now they would leave him alone, now that they knew what was going on. "Now, can you both leave me the fuck alone?" Levi asked them, placing back on his mitts and carrying the tray of cookies back into the front of the shop.

"Wait, what? Erwin's moving out?" Eren echoed in disbelief, his eyes widening slightly.

Mikasa looked a bit surprised at his announcement as well, watching as Eren stubbornly persisted after the raven-haired man. She followed after her best friend, having nothing else to do in the meantime. "Wait - does that mean you need a roommate?!" Eren asked, masking the excitement in his voice.

Levi turned abruptly, looking Eren directly in the eyes. "If you're implying you want to move in with me, the answer is hell fucking no." He rejected his offer immediately, his tone gruff at the mere idea of it.

Eren let out a nervous laugh, shaking his head, no. "No, no. That's not it! I have a cousin who's looking for an apartment, that's why I asked, I swear!" He amended quickly, awaiting Levi's response.

Levi's interest was peaked a bit, and he waited for the teenage boy to continue. "Oh, um, if you want I can tell -"

"Listen, Eren, you know more than anyone that I will not deal with anyone who's -"

"Don't worry! I'll tell my cousin to get in contact with you." He promised the older man, as Mikasa watched the exchange with varying interest.

"If they're interested, tell them to meet up with me here so I can interview them and see if they meet my standards." Levi told him, his attention quickly turning towards the door as the bell chimed, indicating someone had entered the shop.

He could think about everything later, for now, his sole attention would be focused on serving customers and taking care of the cafe.

~

Hange gave an exasperated huff of breath as she hopped off of the noisy bus, grimacing as she was greeted with the frosty weather of mid-November. She clutched onto her carry on that was wrapped around her shoulder, it's weight pressing against her hip in a comforting manner. She knew that piles of research documents and written down notes were compiled into a distinct order in the bag. If anything were to happen to it; she would be up shit's creek without a paddle.

Her cell phone vibrated once in her front pocket and she spared a glance downwards, debating on whether to check it out or not. She quickly decided that it could wait until she got back to Mike's house, she was certain it was most likely Moblit giving her a reminder of some sort.

"Oops, sorry!" She apologized and gave a sheepish smile to the angered looking woman she had bumped into while distracted by her thoughts. The brunette didn't bother looking back as the older lady muttered hurtful words directed towards her.

She bobbed and weaved through the large crowd gathered in the streets, clumsily colliding with several other strangers due to her eagerness to return back to Mike's house. She still had one more bus to catch, and then her course would be set. Her close friend lived further out of the city as he preferred living a quiet and peaceful life, which was fitting considering he was calm and soft-spoken.

She could spot the bus stop from where she was walking, just a few feet away from her. She held in the sigh of exhaustion she felt bubbling in her chest, taking several public transportation routes a day was beginning to get old quickly. Still, she knew this was her only option, and that she shouldn't complain because her friend was being kind enough to her that he allowed her to stay in his home for a few months.

Stupidly enough, she envied her past-self for having the privilege to drive her car to work once upon a time. If she hadn't been so reckless she still would have had the vehicle. however, her driving skills weren't exactly the most cautious and she had totaled the mobile completely a few months back. She tried not to think of her careless behavior, and let out an exaggerated huff of relief as she finally stood beside the bus stop. She reached for her phone in her back pocket, not having the patience to wait until she returned to Mike's house. She turned on the device, wearing a surprised expression as she noticed a text message from her younger cousin; Eren.

From Eren:

Hey call me when ur not busy pls

Hange raised a questioning brow at his elusiveness, now left in intense curiosity of what he could have wanted from her. She rarely spoke to the teenage boy these days. Not because she disliked him or preferred to keep her distance; she was just far too busy to socially interact with those she didn't need too. It sounded harsh, but it was her reality. Her research was her entire life, and she disliked being distracted from it. Often, she stood awake for days at a time, surviving off of a gallon of coffee and granola bars.

Her lifestyle was messy, she could admit that. But, once she came upon a piece of groundbreaking information, everything would be worth it, in her opinion. Her thoughtful gaze trailed back towards her lit up cell phone screen, it seemed her thoughts had trailed off once again. She let out a soft hum, swiping the message and typing a quick reply.

To Eren:

Is something wrong? Did something happen? Is everything okay?

Perhaps she was overthinking things, as she often did, but she couldn't help but be a bit concerned about him contacting her out of the blue. What if her Uncle had fallen ill? Or perhaps her Aunt? Or maybe even Eren himself? She couldn't stop herself from worrying over him, even despite not being very close to him as she once was. She and Eren were as close as siblings when she was younger, back before she had left for college she served as his babysitter most of the time.

She was startled out her thoughts as her phone rang once again, and she eagerly turned on her phone to see the message.

From Eren:

Everything's fine, it's nothing like that. I've got good news!

She audibly let out a sigh of relief, returning her phone to her back pocket. She would make sure to call him as soon as she returned 'home'. She was excited, of course. She hadn't spoken to him in a few weeks, after having told him she was temporarily living with Mike for the time being.

Her thought process was once again interrupted, this time by the bus loudly pulling up to the curb, it's door opening expectantly. She stepped onto the bus, shooting the bus driver a bright smile as she dropped her change in the bin. She grabbed onto the metal pole, steadying herself as the bus took off once more. Public transportation was always a unique experience for her, she liked studying the various amounts of different people that climbed in and out. She spotted a mother with two children, desperately trying to keep them in check as they hollered, obviously not content with having to sit still. She turned her gaze and caught sight of a tired nurse slouched forward, obvious bags beneath her eyes. Hange could sympathize with her; work sucked out all of her energy as well.

She re-directed her eyes to the window, practically bouncing on her heels in anticipation of the news Eren wanted to tell her. Just thirty minutes more!

~

"Hey, Hange." A voice greeted over the phone, picking up after only a few rings. "I didn't expect you to call so soon!" He admitted albeit happily.

She let a smile tug across her lips, leaning back onto the couch lazily. "Yeah, you texted me while I was on the way home from work, so. What's the good news?" She asked, excitement evident in her voice.

"Well, I remember how you told me you were in need of an apartment -" He was interrupted before he could finish by the woman on the other line letting out a squeal.

"You found me an apartment?" She gaped in disbelief after she had gotten recomposed herself. She adored Mike, but just the mere thought of having the opportunity to leave his place made her want to shout in joy.

"Yeah! My boss' roommate is moving out, and he needs someone to replace him. But, uh, I'm warning you, he's very -"

"Yeager, get the fuck back to work." A voice was heard scolding in the background. Hange raised a brow at the rude tone, hoping to god that it wasn't the boss Eren was talking about, but she knew it likely was.

"Ha, sorry Levi." The teenager sheepishly apologized, before clearing his throat and lowering his tone to a more hushed one. "As you just heard, he's super uptight about everything and anything, I'm warning you. I'll text you the address to the shop, and you can have an interview with him tomorrow."

Hange nodded along to his words tentatively. "Sounds great! Thank you so much, Eren." She expressed her gratitude profusely.

"I gotta go now before he whacks me in the head with a broom! See you tomorrow, Hange." He hung up the phone quickly, sputtering out a quick goodbye before the line went dead. Hange let her cellphone fall to the sofa, letting out a string of excited giggles as she leaned her head back.

"What's got you so excited?" Mike inquired softly, stepping into the living room and observing the happy brunette.

"I have an interview for a potential new apartment tomorrow!" She cheered out, throwing her hands in the air in exclamation. Mike let a gentle smile grace his lips, plopping down next to her with a quiet thud. The couch pillow sunk beneath his added weight, and she leaned into him comfortably.

"You know what we should do to celebrate?" Mike asked her slyly, and she lifted her head from his shoulder, a mischievous glint in her sepia irises.

"Hopefully drink alcohol? I definitely need it after work today, to be honest." She told him, already pushing herself off of the couch and up on her feet. Mike didn't protest at her actions, merely watching in amusement as she practically trounced into the kitchen to scour for any type of alcohol they may have had laying around.

A few minutes later she slapped down two shot glasses on the coffee table, along with a tall bottle of vodka. Mike shook his head at her antics but accepted the glass nonetheless when the brunette handed it to him. "Why do I suddenly regret suggesting this?" He quirked an eyebrow at her, which was hidden beneath his shaggy blonde hair.

She shrugged easily, unable to give him an answer. "I can't bring myself to care. Cheers, Mike!" She grinned widely, harshly clinking glasses with her friend, before gulping down the shot swiftly. She hissed as the liquid trailed down her throat, leaving a burning sensation in its wake.

Her scrunched up facial features eventually relaxed, and she moved to grab the remote, changing the channel to the Discovery Channel. "Ooh, look! There's a documentary on about an island near Africa! Look how big that Spider is!" She gasped in awe, and Mike outwardly grimaced as she pointed at the screen.

"Yeah, think I'm gonna need a few more to watch this." He admitted, pouring yet another two shots.

She let out a boisterous laugh in response.

~

She groaned loudly as sunlight peeked in from window blinds, grazing her face annoyingly and disturbing her peaceful sleep. Hange let her eyes open blearily, squinting as her vision remained unfocused and hazy. She sat up reluctantly, feeling a dull pounding in her head. Thankfully, that seemed to be the extent of her hangover.

She stretched her limbs out, letting a soft moan slip past her lips as she did so. Her gaze flickered to her phone, catching the influx of texts that were swarming her screen. Hange furrowed her brow in slight bewilderment, wondering who could be trying to contact her. It was Sunday, her day off, so it couldn't be work. She quickly reached over to the bedside table, grasping her glasses and pushing them up her nose. She unlocked her phone, feeling a stone sink in her stomach as she came across a dozen texts from Eren.

The apartment! Oh god, how could she be so irresponsible?! She felt panic well up in her chest, but she forcibly pushed it down, determination settling in quickly. She would make it to that interview, and she would move into that apartment if it's the last thing she does. With those thoughts in mind, she flew out of bed and dashed across the hall to the bathroom, not caring if Mike was in the shower.

"Hange?! What are you doing in here?" He exclaimed in surprise at her appearance, obviously flustered as his head emerged from behind the shower curtain.

She brushed him off with a lazy hand gesture, brushing her teeth at the speed of light. "I forgot that I had to meet the guy about the apartment today!" She explained with a mouthful of toothpaste, ignoring how it flecked all over the mirror. She would get to cleaning it later, she inwardly promised.

She bent down and spit in the sink, hastily wiping her face. "Bye, Mike! Wish me luck!" She shouted from over her shoulder, running towards the door.

"You might want to change your clothes, Hange." He called out after her. She skidded to a halt, narrowly colliding with the front door in the meantime. She gave herself a once over, grimacing at the galaxy shorts and a black tank top that had a Totoro imprinted on it. God, imagine if she had actually left the house in her pajamas? She owed Mike bigtime.

"Thanks, Dear!" She yelled out, expressing her gratitude as she bolted to her room. She threw open the guest closet that she was currently living out of, randomly throwing on a pair of jeans and a beige sweater that was a bit oversized. She grabbed her bag that hung from her doorknob and tossed it over her shoulder, feeling it's comforting weight leaning against her shoulder. "Okay, I'm leaving for real this time, bye!" She bid farewell to the blonde who was still showering.

She adjusted to the cold wind after a few moments, jogging towards the bus stop that would drop her off near the coffee shop Eren had directed her too. She would have to walk a few blocks, but it wasn't as if she had much of a choice so she couldn't complain. She muttered to herself in disappointment, still in disbelief that she had let herself sleep in today of all days. She was aware of the long trip, and she was aware that Eren's boss, her potential new roommate had a stick up his ass. This was the first impression he would have of her. Running late, nursing a slight hangover, and sweaty from running around the city like a chicken without a head.

Her day seemed to be going even worse as she spotted the bus she was supposed to be taking pull away from the curb and slowly begin to drive away. She shouted as if that would halt the vehicle in its tracks, taking off after it as if her life depended on it. "Stop, please!" She yelled, her throat feeling raw after the countless screams that had ripped from it.

She managed to keep pace, and miraculously enough, the bus slowly pulled to a stop and opened its doors for her. The bus driver looked extremely annoyed at her actions and glared daggers at her as she sheepishly dropped the amount needed in the bin. "Thank you so much for stopping, Sir! Honestly, you have no idea what you've just done for me." She gushed out, watching as his irritated expression didn't falter at her words.

"Go take a seat, Ma'am." He ordered her in a bored tone of voice.

"Sorry, sorry." She apologized with a sheepish chuckle, moving to plop down in a seat near the doors. The bus was surprisingly vacant with the exception of herself, the bus driver, and an elderly woman who sat near the back. "Hey, how long until we arrive towards Maria St?" She questioned, her leg bouncing all the while in anxiousness.

The bus driver didn't bother sparing her a glance. "It depends."

"Can you give me a rough timeline, perhaps? I'm sorta on a tight schedule" She tried again, hopeful that he'd give her an answer.

"Twenty minutes." He told her begrudgingly after a brief pause.

"Thank you!" She smiled even though he wouldn't be able to see it, settling down in her seat. She wasn't exactly nervous to meet with the guy who could possibly give her a place to live. In fact, she was more excited about it, than anything.

Thirty minutes later, give or take, the bus pulled up to her desired stop. "Thank you again for stopping, have a nice day!" She told the driver gratefully while traversing down the steps. The man didn't respond to her, merely letting out a grunt before the doors slammed shut and he drove off.
`
"Okay, okay, so the coffee shop is around three blocks from here. No problem." She mumbled to herself absent-mindedly, her feet beginning to move. She quickly sent Eren a text, telling him that she would be there in five minutes or so.

She strode past several little shops and boutiques, passing by a few different bakeries and cafes that looked warm and inviting. She wondered how each shop stood apart from one another, it must have been difficult for a business to strive when there were so many different options just around the block. It silently made her grateful that she didn't have to deal with anything like that. Her job wasn't exactly stress-free, but it was a steady income unlike owning a business.

She clenched her fingers in her coat pockets, having lost feeling in them around ten minutes ago. Her facial expression showed relief as she came across the coffee shop. She observed the classic cursive lettering that read 'The Underground'. She thought it was a bit contradictive, yet she could admit that the place looked warm and inviting from what she could see through the large window panes. She blew out a puff of air, mentally preparing herself as she pushed open the door and was greeted by a pleasant chime. The girl working behind the counter head snapped up at the sound, a soft smile gracing her lips, almost shyly. There was no line, so Hange made her way towards the counter and responded with a bright smile of her own. "Hi, how can I help you?"

"Oh, just a large coffee in a to-go container please, light and sweet." She ordered after a thought, leaning onto the counter to observe the girl further. Her brain was nagging her, something about the teenager seemed so familiar, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly why or how come. She racked her mind but couldn't come up with anything, she supposed it was due to the lingering headache she still had.

"Hange!" A boyish voice greeted happily, and Hange grinned at the sound, turning to the right where her little cousin stood in the back doorway, a mop in his hand's. She noted how his hair seemed longer than the last time she had seen him. He was also taller as well, just about her height. He set down the mop and strode over to her, enveloping her in a quick hug before letting go. "You're way late, by the way."

"I know, I may or may not have drank too much last night." She admitted with a grimace, turning towards the girl once more who handed her a steaming cup of coffee that provided immediate relief for her freezing hands. Hange gaped as she made eye contact with the girl, memories resurfacing of Eren and a little girl with black hair practically attached at the hip each time she visited. "Mikasa, right!? Wow, look at you! I remember when you were little and followed Eren around like his shadow." She laughed lightly at the pink blush that covered the girl's cheeks.

"Nothing's changed." Eren teased which Mikasa shook her head at in exasperation. The girl busied herself by re-stocking desserts into the glass display, and Eren gestured for her to sit down at one of the tables near the window. "Levi's busy at the moment. He might be taking something out of the oven, I don't know." He shrugged his shoulders unknowingly. "I'll send him over once he's done."

She watched as he grabbed the mop once more, getting back to thoroughly cleaning the floors. She turned her attention to the window, her mind wandering back to her research and different types of theories that could be plausible. Her palms were wrapped around the warm paper cup, providing a much-needed warmth. She didn't know how much time had passed until a man stood in front of her.

Her gaze slowly re-directed towards him, scanning him over. He was short, possibly shorter than she was but she couldn't be sure seeing as she was sitting. His black hair contrasted against his pale features, his bangs parted down the middle and falling against his forehead neatly. He had a youthful face, complimented by rounded cheeks and a cute nose, noticeably heavy bags sat beneath his light eyes. A non-impressed expression was painted across his face, and she hurried to sit upright in her seat as he sat in front of her.

"Hello, I'm Hange Zoe!" She introduced herself with a smile, holding out her hand for him to shake.

He merely gave her hand a glance, before intertwining his fingers and placing them neatly on the table. "You're late." He stated dryly, his steely blue eyes glaring at her. His voice also carried a blank tone, devoid of any emotion she could decipher. It was apparent to her that he was, in fact, intimidating, but she felt more curious than anything about him.

She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it, she would need to think carefully about her next choice of words. "I missed my bus and had to wait for another one. My friend, who I've been staying with lives further out of the ci-" She was interrupted rudely by the man across from her.

"I don't care about your reasoning. If you're late, you're late." He droned out, and Hange fought down the flare of irritancy that threatened to escape her throat. "Where do you work and what's your financial income?" He continued on.

She recomposed herself and leaned forward, gripping her coffee a bit tighter. "I work as a scientific researcher, and enough to live comfortably, I promise."

"Do you have any pets?" He threw back at her without missing a beat.

She made sure to not hesitant and answer him. A little lie wouldn't kill anyone, right? Besides, her lizards were her babies, not her pets. "No."

"Why'd you move out of your old place?"

She felt her shoulders slump at the question, it was reasonable enough, but she still disliked answering it. "I couldn't afford the rent and was evicted." She confessed sheepishly, watching as he raised an eyebrow.

"How often do you clean your toilet?"

Okay, this one was a little bit odd. "Uh, I don't know. When the stains are visible?"

Hange could see the disgust swimming in his light eyes for a brief moment before it disappeared. That was the wrong answer, apparently. "What are your work hours?" Okay... This was getting stranger by the minute.

"I work every day with the exception of Sunday, usually from morning to night. I'm not sure what that has t-"

"I prefer being left alone without any social interaction, I'd like a roommate who's busy most of the time." He cut off quickly with his explanation. Right, so that meant movies nights and getting drunk together was out of the question. Bummer.

"Then I'm your girl!" She grinned out, hoping to sway him into thinking about it. "But, shouldn't we be having this interview while actually at the apartment? It's weird talking about a place I could potentially be living in a few weeks without even seeing it."

Levi raised a thin eyebrow at her words. "No. I'm not letting anyone near it until I deem them acceptable."

"Do I not seem acceptable?" She questioned in curiosity. She wasn't all that offended in all honesty, but she did want to know what it took to be deemed as 'acceptable' enough to enter his home.

"No." He answered simply

"What, why?" She demanded an explanation.

"You're messy, irresponsible, and smell gross." He told her after a moment of silence, his calm demeanor never faltering. She gaped openly at him, unbelieving that he had just said that to her face.

He was more than surprised to see her start laughing, his eyes widening a bit as he watched her. "Why are you laughing..?"

"I don't know, I guess it's because I've never met someone so blunt in my life? I like that. Don't get me wrong, you're a bit of a dick, but it's refreshing in a way." She explained with an amused smile, her laughter dying off. Levi debated on whether he should be offended that she called him a dick or not, but he decided that he probably deserved it for saying those earlier things about her.

"I think we're done here." He said as he pushed himself back up to his feet.

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"Um, will you be in contact with me then?" Hange tilted her head slightly, standing to her feet as well. She was correct in predicting she was taller than him, it wasn't much, however, only by a few inches.

"We'll see." He crossed his arms over his chest, and the air turned awkward.

"You know, you never did properly introduce yourself." She reminded him cheekily, stuffing her hand that wasn't occupied with holding her hot beverage in her coat pocket.

"Levi Ackerman." He told her disinterestedly, before walking back into the back room, leaving her there in silence.

That didn't go the way she had wanted it too, obviously. But, he seemed like a difficult person to get along with even despite her tardiness and half-hazard thrown together appearance. She let out a sigh, feeling defeated as Eren made his way towards her once again.

"I warned you that he has a stick up his butt." the shaggy-haired brunette grimaced at her expression. She glanced at her cousin before her gaze trailed towards the room the raven-haired man walked into.

"If it makes you feel any better, that's how he always acts. You didn't do anything especially wrong." He tried cheering her up, which she laughed a bit at.

"It does, but I wasn't all that great either. I shouldn't have shown up late." She huffed in frustration at herself. "Fuck, I really needed this apartment."

"Hey, you don't for sure he won't pick you." Eren reminded her, his eyes glancing towards Mikasa who seemed busy serving another customer. "You should ask Mikasa, he's her brother so she knows how difficult he can be."

Hange didn't bother covering up her surprised expression at the tidbit of information. She scanned over the teenager and noted that they did look fairly similar in some ways, the color of their skin and hair were identical, along with their expressions. They both seemed to be quiet and liked it that way.

"Well, thank you again, Eren, for telling me about this even though I'm certain I screwed up. It means a lot!" She smiled widely, ruffling his hair with her fingers. "I guess I'll get going, then. It was nice seeing you again, Mikasa." She waved to the both of them while walking out, once again being met by the frigid weather.

The only thing she could do now was wait.

Chapter Text

Over the course of a week, Levi had searched high and low for a new roommate. He had plastered posters in the shop, asked the people he knew to get the word around that he had a spare bedroom available. He had even gone as far as to post an ad on Craigslist. The one response he had gotten from it made him want to cringe into his own body.

The only person that seemed somewhat suitable besides the other few applicants he had talked to was the very first. The woman who was almost an hour late and looked like a disaster in herself. She was financially stable, wasn't an old man (seriously, Craigslist was the biggest mistake he had ever made), and her job seemed a bit demanding meaning he wouldn't see her often. He sighed heavily, leaning against the counter while his fingers rubbed at his temples. He was screwed, either way, it seemed.

"Still haven't found a roommate yet, boss?" Jean, one of his other employee's spoke up. Levi raised his head to glare daggers at the teenager, his posture straightening.

"Kirstein, do I pay you to do actual work, or do I pay you to sit there and dig into my personal life?" He spoke dryly, pushing himself off of the counter space. From behind him, Eren looked highly triumphant and shot Jean a wide smirk while their boss wasn't looking. The ash-haired boy rolled his eyes in response, biting back the insult that was on the tip of his tongue.

"Sorry, Sir. I was only asking because I might be interested." He cleared his throat awkwardly, and Levi raised a thin brow at his words.

"You're barely eighteen, Kirstein, and you work here part-time," Levi replied, looking away from him in order to clean out their espresso machine.

Jean looked hesitant as he scratched the back of his neck. "Is that a no?"

"Yes," Levi stated blankly.

His thoughts trailed off as he cleaned and Jean hurried to the front of the counter to take an order. Erwin was moving out in just under two weeks, brown boxes littered their apartment floor, and the blonde spent most of his time locked in his bedroom swamped with work. It was a bit frustrating considering they'd been friends since high school and it seemed like he was ignoring and avoiding him for whatever reason. Perhaps it thought it would be easier to distance himself that way? He couldn't be sure.

Nonetheless, time seemed to be flying by and soon his apartment would be occupied by only himself if he didn't make a decision soon. His funds were tight as it were, he couldn't pay the rent on his own, it wasn't possible right now. He felt his head throb at the stressful thoughts, and his washing had gotten increasingly rougher as his thoughts progressed. He needed to make a decision quickly, or else he would be on the streets soon enough.

"You're going to break it." His younger sibling eyed him almost disapprovingly. She had taken off her apron, and let her sleek hair fall above her shoulders, her black winter coat dressed her form, her red scarf distinctive among the colorless shades of black.

His hands dropped to his sides reluctantly, blankly staring at the younger girl. "Are you on your way out?" He asked for confirmation, watching as she nodded her head once.

"Yeah, we've got a date with Armin and a horror movie night marathon!" Eren interjected in excitement. Jean rolled his eyes at the loudness of his voice.

Levi didn't bother responding, not having any interest in what his employees did in their own personal time. He was aware that tomorrow was their day off, so them staying up past midnight had nothing to do with him. "Oh, by the way, it's been a week since you've talked to Hange, you make a decision yet?"

"No." He stated after a few moments of silence.

"She really needs someplace to live, so I hope you consider her." Eren continued, hoping to persuade the man into his decision. "She's super smart, and she works practically day and night, so you might not even notice she's there." Okay, so Eren was heading into white lies territory. His cousin was extremely, extremely talkative and outgoing. She loved meeting people and making new friends, and admittedly she could be draining after awhile.

Levi raised a thin brow at his words, again, not choosing to reply to the boy. "Alright... We're gonna go now I guess. Have a good night, boss." Eren waved lazily as he and Mikasa made their way towards the exit.

Despite trying to ignore them, Eren's words lingered in the back of his mind. Perhaps he should move her into the debatable category rather than outright defiance, he felt like he didn't have the right to be as picky as he was being. Besides, it wasn't as if he spent his entire day in the apartment anyway - he rarely even took days off. Anytime the shop was closed, he spent the time thoroughly cleaning it.

His head slowly turned towards the door when his ears picked up the distinct bell chime, indicating someone had walked in. He raised his brows in surprise as his eyes were met by the tall form of his closest friend and soon departing roommate. He watched as the blonde strode past the front counter and towards him instead. "I thought you died in your room." Levi dropped the rag onto the counter, speaking dryly.

"And with that assumption, you just left my corpse to rot?" Erwin frowned for a brief second before he chuckled once.

"The usual?" Levi asked for confirmation, changing the subject. He grabbed a mug and starting the machine up,

Erwin nodded, shooting him a grateful smile. "How's the roommate hunt coming along?" He started conversationally, his hands deep in his coat pockets.

Levi paused at his question, wondering if he should just lie and say it was coming along fantastic. He wasn't sure where'd that get him, though, so he settled for a slight shrug. "It's coming."

"Well, did you talk to anyone?" He pried further, leaning forward a bit.

Levi glared at him before he poured the steaming hot coffee into the large mug, leaving it unsweetened and strong just as the blonde preferred. He wasn't a particular coffee drinker, just plain espresso in a mug satisfied him. It was a bit of relief after the complicated orders he got day in and day out. "A few people."

"Anyone suitable to your standards?" He questioned as he grabbed the drink from Levi's hands.

Levi snorted at his words. "Not even close. The one most suitable is a woman who showed up an hour late, wrinkled and unshowered. She didn't even know when to clean her toilet." He scoffed openly at the memory.

"You asked her how often she cleaned her toilet?" Erwin looked both horrified and entertained by his friend's words.

"It's important." Levi defended himself.

"Was there anything positive about her? It's obvious - at least to me it is, that you're never going to find someone who meets your perfectionism." He took a careful sip of his drink, wincing as the scalding liquid hit his tongue.

Levi rolled his eyes at his friend's stupidity. "She's busy, and she's capable of paying rent." He stated blankly, his expression neutral.

"Well, those seem to be two pretty important things to you. You need to learn how to pick your battles, Levi. Just for once, try stepping out of your comfort zone, this could be good for you." Erwin tried to convince him sternly.

Levi lazily gestured around him, his eyes locked on to the man opposite of him. "Do you think this shit is my comfort zone, Idiot?"

"No, but technically, you were forced into this business. It wasn't by choice." The blonde countered swiftly.

"Yes, but I'm still here, aren't I? I didn't fucking run away." Levi huffed out, feeling increasingly irritated. Erwin hadn't taken the time to speak more than a few sentences to him in over a week, and now he thought he could just barge in his own coffee shop and lecture him about life choices like he held the most wisdom. Fuck that.

"That's because you discovered that you enjoy doing this," Erwin smirked knowingly.

"Those are two completely different circumstances."

"I'm just telling you this because I'm concerned, Levi. A different type a roommate who's a completely new fresh breath of air will benefit you." He told him confidently, taking another sip of his drink.

Levi remained silent, considering his words for whatever reason. "How's moving coming along?" The raven-haired man asked in order to clear away the tense air.

Erwin looked exhausted at the mere reminder of work, and Levi almost felt bad for him. Almost. "I've never done so much paperwork in my entire life."

Levi felt a strange satisfaction in that fact that Erwin was suffering as much as he was. "Shame." He droned out snarkily.

Erwin slightly narrowed his blue eyes at the shorter man. "Thanks for your sympathy."

"Thanks for yours, you fucking asshole. I might get stuck living with a living hurricane thanks to you." Levi countered with a glare.

"Call her," Erwin suggested lightly.

"What? No." Levi refused his idea immediately.

"No one else is going to be suitable, besides, I have a gut feeling." He revealed, watching as Levi snorted in disbelief.

"Last time you had a gut feeling you ended up hospitalized." Levi reminded him with pale narrowed eyes.

"But, I ended up being right," Erwin responded quickly. "Just do it, please. If you call her, I'll buy you a month's stock of your favorite tea as a parting gift." He bargained with a charming smile.

Levi huffed in annoyance, knowing the temptation of a month's worth of free tea was nearly impossible to refuse. After a moment of debation, his finger's inched down towards his front pocket where the mobile device laid. "Can't believing I'm resorting to this." He murmured as he pressed the number that Eren had given him a few days ago, he had given her the contact name as 'Shitty Glasses'. He found it both fitting and amusing, however, childish it may have been.

After the sixth ring, with the blonde's eyes expectantly watching him all the while, she finally answered the phone. She panted into the receiver, seemingly out of breath. "H-hello?"

Levi paused, internally contemplating hanging up on her face. "Is this Hange Zoe?" He asked for confirmation, just in case Eren had been a little shit and given him a joke number to a stripper service.

"Yes? Who is this?" She asked, clearly baffled.

"This is Levi - " He started but was quickly interrupted by her eccentric voice.

"Ah! The guy who was looking for a roommate, right?" Levi took the phone away from his ear, his finger hovering over the 'end call' button before Erwin reached over the counter and pressed the phone back to his ear.

"Yes. I was wondering -" He felt the words practically choke him, but he swallowed down the tightness and pressed on determinedly. "If you would like to see the apartment?"

"Are you serious? Please don't be joking with me right now?" She held back her squeals, obviously holding in her excitement. "Of course! I'll be free tomorrow night, and that's the only time I'll be available this week, unfortunately. Is that alright with you?"

Levi gave a glance towards Erwin, who looked stupidly triumphant. Levi wished he could reach over and knock the expression off of his face. "That's... fine."

"Great! I'll see you then, just text me the address." Levi could hear the grin she was wearing in her voice. Well, at least she sounded eager. It was obvious she was desperate for a place to live, so in a way, it pleased him a bit that he could be someone to give that opportunity. He knew the feeling of being homeless all too well.

He promptly hung up the phone, not bothering to say goodbye to the woman on the other line. "There, are you happy now?" Levi crossed his arms over his chest.

"It's a start." Erwin smiled warmly at him.

Fuck Erwin Smith and his persuasive ways.

~

Hange stood nervously in front of the wooden door, bouncing on the heels of her feet in anxiousness she was unable to reel in. In all truthfulness, she hadn't expected Levi to contact her. He seemed like a stick in the mud who held the highest possible standards, and her interview, while not being her worst, was still bad.

The door swung open after a few seconds of anticipation, the raven-haired man greeted her with a blank expression. "Hi! Nice seeing you again." She waved with a wide smile, standing up straight.

He nodded in response, moving aside to let her step in his living space. "Come in." He kept his tone neutral, taking in her appearance. She wasn't as disheveled as she had been upon first meeting her, just lazy it seemed. She wore black tights and a thick gray sweater, her hair thrown in the messiest ponytail he had ever laid his eyes on, and her glasses lay crookedly on her long nose.

Immediately upon walking in, Hange's eyes darted to each piece of furniture and structure she could. She took in the overwhelming amount of white and gray that decorated the open space as she walked slowly into the living room area. The living room and kitchen were separated by a sparkling granite island with three white stools sat in front of it. The kitchen counter tops were a light gray granite, flecked with lighter and darker tones randomly throughout. The cabinets were a pure white as well, the appliances stainless steel. She swallowed, it seemed highly difficult to maintain clean.

"This is the living room." He gestured for her to look around, walking further in. She glanced around the room, liking the charcoal colored couch, accented with silver and pearl pillows, a white rug placed over the dark floor paneling, a glass coffee table placed on top of it. There was a black glass TV stand that held a nicely sized television, DVDs placed neatly in the shelving beneath it.

"The kitchen." He walked ahead, and she followed after him.

"Wow, everything's super bright." She marveled openly. "Must be a bitch to clean, huh?" She re-directed her line of sight to his.

"It's not as if I splatter tomato sauce on the cabinets." He responded warily. "Follow me." He gestured with his head, leading her down a narrow hallway with two white doors. He stopped in front of the first door on the right, twisting the knob and pushing it open carelessly.

She waited as he stepped aside before stepping into the admittedly small bathroom space. It was simple enough, the walls were painted a light gray, complemented by white tiles. A medium sized mirror was placed directly in front of the mirror, the toilet sat next to the sink and the shower next to the sink. "It's small, admittedly -" He started, watching as she observed the space.

She abruptly swung around, shaking her head and interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. She did that a lot, he noted in annoyance. "No, no, it's more than okay. I mean, I don't even have my own bathroom right now, so who am I to complain?"

Levi nodded his head slowly, before moving out of the doorway. "What's this?" She pointed an index finger to the door a bit further down the hall, Levi turned at her question.

"My room." He answered dryly, before turning heel and striding straight towards the living room once more. Hange blinked a few times, before shuffling after him quickly. He led her down yet another hallway, this one considerably shorter with one door on each side. "This is a storage closet," he explained in a bored manner. "And this would be your room." He pointed to the door on the left.

Levi softly tapped his knuckles against the hard wood, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited. "Oh, your roommate is still here?" She raised her brow in surprise, looking at him for confirmation.

"He'll be gone in under two weeks," Levi told her in reassurance. A few seconds later, the white door opened to reveal a tall blonde, his hair styled neatly on his head and his pale blue eyes unable to be read.

"Move out of the way, overgrown dumbass." Levi spat out, making a brief shooing motion with his hands. Erwin furrowed his brow forward but slid out of the way regardless despite his friend's rudeness.

"Erwin Smith, nice to meet you." He held out his hand politely, shooting her a warm smile.

"Hange Zoe, nice to meet you as well." She introduced herself eccentrically, matching his smile easily.

"Well, come on in then, this could very well be your room soon enough." He scooted towards the corner, ignoring the heated glare Levi sent his way. "It's actually bigger than Levi's" He revealed with a hint of a smirk.

"Wow, really? I guess he doesn't really need a ton of space, huh?" She held a mischievous glint in her eyes at the implication of her words. Levi's glare intensified, and Erwin let out an amused laugh.

Hange let her eyes drift around the decent sized bedroom, knowing the size would noticeably increase without the dozens of boxes scattered across the floor. She couldn't help but imagine this being her own personal space. Her desk near the window, a bookshelf in the corner, her bed and a bedside table with her family's picture placed on it. She imagined herself waking up every morning, drowsy and sluggish as she made her way towards the bathroom across the way, perhaps she would bump into Levi along the way.

Erwin watched her with a knowing look, shooting Levi a swift glance. Levi rolled his eyes at his behavior, ignoring the blonde for the time being. "That's it, you've seen the entire apartment." He said in a dry tone.

"Well, what are your thoughts?" Erwin brought up as she moved to stand in front of them both. "Do you like it?"

She nodded swiftly, a grin spreading across her tanned features. "Absolutely! This place is fantastic! I couldn't thank you enough for even considering me as an option, honestly." She babbled out in a louder tone.

Levi held back his rude insults, nodding his head with some difficulty. "Levi, can I talk to you privately?" Erwin requested politely, pulling the shorter man aside by his shoulder. "If you could excuse us, for a moment, Hange?" Erwin looked towards her, and she hastily nodded, stepping out into the hall.

"What is it?" Levi spoke through clenched teeth.

"Tell her she can move in."

"Are you fucking kidding me, Erwin?" Levi glowered at the taller man.

"Just - trust me on this, Levi." He spoke in a convincing tone.

"Has sleep deprivation finally gotten to your brain?"

"No. Well, not on this, at least." He huffed a bit. "It's a gut feeling, but I know I'm right. It's obvious she needs somewhere to live, and from what you've told me and the very, very little of what I've seen, you two are complete opposites. Are you going to tell me you aren't going to accept this challenge of living with a person that you most likely have nothing in common with? Honestly, Levi, that's exactly something you wouldn't do."

"What are you even talking about, you moron?" Levi drew his brows together slightly, his blue eyes hardening further as he tried to make sense of the blonds ramblings.

"How about this, I challenge you to live with this woman for a year without so much as calling to complain to me about it." He purposed with a light smirk on his lips.

"What good would that bring me besides having a mental breakdown?" Levi asked albeit snarkily.

"If you do so, I'll pay for your vacation to The Bahamas." He said after a moment contemplative silence.

Levi scanned him with narrowed eyes. Was Erwin actually being serious? The blond knew of his desire for a vacation, but recently, he'd been to swamped with work, plus, he didn't exactly have funds he could blindly throw away on a getaway. Still, a week vacation for living with someone for an entire year? That seemed impossible, and it wasn't under fair circumstances. "That seems like a shitty deal."

"Alright, you can call and complain twice a week, better?"

"No, not at all -"

"I'm doing this because I care about your wellbeing, Levi." The older man softened visibly. "I'm not going to be around. I know that you rarely socialize with other people, if it were up to you you'd work endlessly, never sleep, and just stay inside when you're home. It's not a healthy lifestyle to live, and I'm not going to be here to physically shove you out of the door anymore."

Levi stared up at him, his expression carefully concealed under the mask he often wore. "...Fine." He agreed reluctantly.

"Fine? Then, you agree?" Erwin re-affirmed with a smile.

"Are you losing your hearing now?" Levi growled out in annoyance.

"You should go ahead and tell Hange the good news." Erwin urged him lightly.

Levi didn't bother responding to him, simply turning on his heel and stalking out of his room and into the living room area. There, he found the tall brunette staring out of the window wearing an awed like expression, the light bouncing off the lens of her glasses. "Oi, Four Eyes." He called for her attention.

She swung around abruptly, apparent happiness swimming in her chocolate brown orbs. "Four-Eyes? Going to have to get more creative than that." She smirked.

"I'll think of something eventually." He droned out, moving to stand near the door.

"Eventually?" She furrowed her brow together, stepping towards him. "...I might be overthinking things - admittedly, I do that a lot, but -" Levi quickly interjected before she could go on.

"You can move in on the 23rd." He stated simply.

She openly gaped, her brown eyes widening behind her thick lens. "Seriously?" She breathed out in disbelief, a gigantic smile gracing her lips. "Oh my god! This is amazing!" She whooped loudly, clenching her fists to her chest, her eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"Yeah, yeah, now get out before I change my mind." He rolled his eyes, opening the front door.

She walked out with a skip in her step, shooting him one last grin. "I promise, you won't regret your decision. I'll be the best roommate there ever was." She swore to him, and the complete sincerity in her eyes almost made him believe it.

Once she was out of sight, and closed the door and leaned his forehead against the cool wood. He shut his eyes, feeling an upcoming headache throb irritably at his temples. He already regretted his decision and it hadn't even been more than five minutes. On the bright side, (although, it wasn't very bright at all, more dim-like) he no longer had to worry about searching high and low for a new roommate, which was a huge weight off of his shoulders.

This reward better damn well be worth all of the trouble.

Chapter Text

Levi wished he could miraculously slow down time.

It may have sounded ridiculous for someone of his age, but there was nothing else he could've wanted more than that. Unfortunately, the world he lived in seemingly despised his guts, and time flew by in the mere blink of an eye.

It was now the 21st. The day before Erwin left for London, and two days before Hange would move in.

To say he wasn't anxious or saddened would be a lie. It was apparent in his gestures and the way he'd spoken recently. His teenaged employees had even caught the down state he had been in; it was more than embarrassing. Nonetheless, he came to terms with the fact that he was an adult, and that it was okay for him to be dejected due to the fact his closest friend was moving out of the country.

For the first time in a year and a half, he had closed the shop earlier than usual for the day. Erwin had warned him a few days beforehand that they would most likely be going out for the night, and he figured he'd need a bit of time to tidy himself up to look presentable for wherever they may have been going. He guessed it was the bar they'd been frequenting since they'd been living together because Erwin was a sentimental idiot like that.

"Levi?" A fist tapped at the wood of the bathroom door, startling him out of his thoughts. The raven-haired man resisted the strong urge to roll his eyes at the sound of the blond's voice. "Are you almost done in there?"

Levi straightened his light gray button up one last time, cuffing the sleeves patiently on each arm until they were both up to his elbows. "I'll be out in a minute." He responded to the man waiting outside the door, using a black comb to brush down the hair that fell on his forehead. Once he deemed himself presentable, he opened the door only to be met with his departing roommate's impatient facial expression.

"Do you mind another person joining us tonight?" He questioned innocently enough.

Levi shook his head slowly, confused at why Erwin would be asking his permission to hang out with some of his other friend's. Obviously, people would want to see him for the last time for who knows how long, and Levi wasn't going to be the person to protest against that. He knew something was going on. He hadn't invited his ex, had he? Last he had heard, she was engaged to be married. "It depends on who it is." He told him contemplatively.

"It's Hange, I invited her along." He admitted to the shorter male, standing up straighter as he looked down at him. "I figured it'd be similar to a ritual of sorts, what with her moving in and me moving out." He explained meekly.

Levi felt immediate dread fill his stomach at the idea of seeing the brunette on the night he was supposed to shove away all of the thoughts of her moving in. This was the exact opposite of how he wanted his night to go. "You're a dick," Levi told him unreservedly.

Erwin let an apologetic smile tug across his lips. "She's not a bad person you know. A tad bit over the top, maybe, but she's incredibly interesting. Highly intelligent as well, and she's easy to get along with. All things that will be good for you."

"When I gave you her number, I expected you to use it in the case of emergencies only. Not for you to go ahead and become best friends with her." Levi glared at the man in annoyance, walking away and towards the living room to grab his set of keys that were set on the coffee table.

Erwin walked towards the door, stuffing his wallet into his suit pocket smoothly. "You're making it seem like I committed a sin for wanting to become acquainted with my closest friend's new roommate." He twisted the knob of the door, allowing Levi to walk out before him. "Have you even made any attempts to talk to her?" He pried curiously.

"I have," Levi answered blankly, not willing to go into further details. In truth, he had, in fact, made an attempt to talk to her. It wasn't for personal reasons, as Erwin must've assumed, but for apartment configurations and that had been that. The last thing he wanted was to build a relationship with the woman, as harsh as it seemed, he had enough on his plate as it were.

Erwin quirked a thick brow, knowing very well that Levi hadn't put any effort in talking to the woman. He waited for Levi to unlock his car door, before ducking into the passenger seat. "I told her to meet us there around eight thirty, it's eight twenty-five right now." He pointed out tiredly, looking down at his watch. It was obvious to Levi that the past month had been strenuous for the blond. He attempted to act like he was fine but he could tell he was exhausted despite his best efforts.

"Don't worry about it, she'll be a half hour late at the least." Levi rolled his eyes, turning his key into the car's ignition. He pulled out of his parking space smoothly, silence blanketing the vehicle in a peaceful manner that was familiar to them. Often, Erwin would bring up a topic related to work, or something amusing that had happened to him throughout the week, while Levi merely listened.

The bar was hardly a few blocks away from the apartment, so they had arrived in a few minutes time. Levi huffed to himself, letting his fingers slide down and unbuckle his seatbelt that felt as if it were strangling him. The raven-haired man furrowed his brow together, wondering why he suddenly felt the way he did. Was he getting this upset because this would be the last time arriving at this particular bar with his longtime friend in who knows how long? He wasn't dying, Levi reminded himself quickly. There was no reason to be feeling as sentimental as he was.

"Are you alright?" Erwin asked, and only now did Levi notice he'd climbed out of the car and was hunched over in order to peer down at him.

Levi brushed him off easily enough, nodding his head. "What? Do you need me to babysit your ass? Go ahead, I'll be in there in a minute."

"For the record, technically I should be babysitting you considering I'm older." Erwin smirked at him slightly, before straightening his form and taking the few steps it took to enter the bar.

Levi leaned back in his seat, unable to reel in his feelings of discontentment. His life would be changing significantly starting tomorrow, and he was going in completely blind, something that made him feel on edge. He had tried putting off thinking about it as much as he could have, but now he had no choice but too.

A tap on the glass panel on the passenger side caught his attention, and his pale gaze came into contact with one of his many problems. She wore a concerned expression, her brown wisps of hair up in a neat ponytail for the first time since he'd known her. She was also clad in a white button up, from what he could tell. Just his luck that she would appear. "Are you okay?" She frowned, her voice muffled from the outside.

Levi nodded his head once, feeling a bit embarrassed at being caught thinking too hard in his car. He opened the door reluctantly, closing it with a slam as he made his way over to the woman. "Thought you'd be late." He stated, stopping in front of her.

She gave him a knowing smile, stuffing her chilled hands in her slacks pockets. "I made sure to take an earlier bus just to appease you." She chirped out in concealed amusement.

He stared her down in clear displeasure at her sense of humor. "Let's go inside, Four Eyes, I'm freezing my ass off." He droned out, wanting to avoid being alone with her for now. He was sure they'd be doing that enough in the upcoming months.

"Right there with you!" She agreed hastily, moving ahead and walking before him. She politely held open the door for him, a warm smile gracing her tanned features. He didn't bother muttering a thanks or anything of that sort as he strode in, embracing the warmth that greeted him willingly. "By the way, I thought you'd come up with something by now. Four eyes, really? Are we in middle school?"

"It fits you nicely." He stated blankly, spotting Erwin seated at the bar. He slid up onto a stool, sitting next to the blonde in a grumpy manner. Hange enthusiastically greeted him, baring a grin and a happy hello.

"Nice to see you again, Hange. Have a seat." He gestured for her to sit on his opposite side. He smoothly motioned for the bartender to come over. "I'll pay for drinks tonight."

"How generous of you," Levi said dryly.

"So, Erwin, are you excited about tomorrow? Nervous, anxious? All of the above, perhaps?" Hange started conversationally, leaning her forearms on the bar counter.

"A little bit of each." He admitted to her, turning to face her. "The only thing I'm dreading is the actual flight and airport process."

Levi tuned the both of them out skillfully, crossing his arms and laying them on top of the cool counter. He wasn't one for small talk, admittedly, he never had been. More often than not, he preferred being quiet or just simply listening if something the other was saying was interesting. Occasionally, he would throw in a rude response or a shitty joke. (In a literal sense.) That was the furthest his social skills allowed.

"You know, Levi's never been out of the country either." The mention of his name made him look towards the both of them.

"That will change soon," Levi spoke confidently.

Erwin gave him a stern look. "Will it?" He spoke incredulously, something that Hange had caught onto. The brunette ignored their confusing behavior for the time being and swiped up the bottle of beer that had been placed down in front of her.

"Absolutely." Levi's cold eyes bore into him.

"So, Hange, just two more days until you can move in. Are your things all packed?" Erwin inquired in interest, changing the topic flawlessly.

Hange looked a bit sheepish at the change of topic, taking a quick swig of her drink. "Not exactly." Levi raised a thin brow at this. He had given her two weeks to pack up her belongings and she hadn't done it yet. "Recently, I've spent most of my personal time researching and studying the particular behavior of some exotic plants that are mainly found in the Caribbean. It's called Aristolochia Grandiflora and it's unique because it gives off a scent that resembles the smell of rotting meat." She rambled off. Erwin looked surprisingly interested by her tellings, while Levi felt immediate disgust.

"Anyhow, I've been so invested in reading up about it, and plus with my work hours, it's been difficult to just sit down and organize my belongings." She explained with a sigh, drumming her slender fingers against the wood surface. "So, I assume you've already shipped all of your stuff to your new place?"

"Yes, a week ago, actually. I'll be glad to have a variety of clothing again once I'm all settled in." He chuckled easily, raising the glass bottle to his lips.

Levi smirked at the reminder of Erwin wearing the same pair of sweatpants for three days in a roll, washing and drying included, thankfully so. He couldn't say he had ever had a similar situation. He had only moved once in his entire life, and the one time he did he just had a backpack full of personal belongings and the clothes on his back. That was the gist of it.

He grasped the cold bottle firmly, tilting his head up and letting the chilled liquid trail down his throat. He felt disappointed in the fact that he had an inhumanly high alcohol tolerance. He felt like for this night to prosper he would need to be properly plastered. It was both a blessing and a curse. "I should tell you a few things about Levi beforehand because I feel as if it's my responsibility to share as much as I possibly can when it comes to such a difficult person to communicate with."

"Do I need to write this down?" Hange asked eagerly.

Levi rolled his eyes openly, feeling his expression darken in annoyance. "When he first comes home from work - which can be anywhere from seven p.m, or ten p.m; he'll need an hour or so to recuperate. Don't talk to him, don't say hello, just remain silent otherwise he'll be upset for the remainder of the day." Erwin finished his first example. Levi was silently glad that he didn't have to go through the trouble of telling Hange these small things.

"Got it." She nodded tentatively. "Is there anything else?"

"He obsessively cleans four days out of the week. Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. If you're not going to participate - and I suggest you don't because he has his own ridiculous way of doing things, then steer clear of him." Erwin warned her, ignoring the shorter man for the time being.

"Is all of this just about when and when not to avoid Levi?" Hange cracked an amused smile, her gaze flickering over to the man aforementioned.

"More or less," Erwin admitted with a nod.

"Hmm, well, thank you for the information. However, I do like to see how things work on my own, analyzing people and their personality quirks included." Hange watched as Levi looked up at her words, shooting her a glare. He doesn't want me to get too close, she concluded inwardly, feeling even more determined than before to get to know him.

"Fair enough." Erwin obliged politely.

The rest of the night was spent conversing in a friendly manner. Levi learned that Hange could have a conversation about anything and everything for hours if you'd allow her too. He learned that she drank rather heavily, and was highly outgoing when drunk off of her ass by the way she engaged in talks with the several other people at the bar.

By the end of the night, Levi hadn't wanted to admit his time spent with the two of them had been enjoyable even without being slightly buzzed. Although he'd never admit that out loud. "Hange, do you want me to call a cab for you?" Erwin asked concernedly, having already called one for the two of them.

"No, it's fi-" She began but Levi cut her off before she could begin to protest.

"You can't die two days before you move in the apartment, the rent hasn't been paid yet," Levi said dryly, clearly the alcohol had made him a bit more dickish than usual. Surprisingly, the brunette snorted loudly at his sense of humor, and Levi himself felt surprised that she had known he was joking. "Call her a cab, Erwin."

Erwin nodded, pressing a few buttons on his phone in silence after asking for Hange's address. "All done, it should arrive in ten minutes." He informed her.

She nodded, shooting him a grateful smile. "Thank you! Honestly, it's such a shame you're moving so far away after we've only just been introduced to each other. I feel like we could have been really good friends." She hummed out, her words slightly slurring at certain points.

"You can call and message me anytime you feel like." The blond responded non-hesitantly. "And I'm certain I'll come visit once in a while."

"Once in a while?" Levi echoed in distaste. "Who says you're allowed back in the apartment after you leave?" He questioned blankly.

"It's not only you who's going to be living there; Hange is too. And I'm more than sure she'd be happy to lend me the sofa to sleep on." Erwin countered, looking towards Hange who eccentrically nodded her head.

Levi crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "You're fucking annoying when you're drunk." He stated matter-a-factly.

"Who says I'm drunk?" Erwin pointed out.

"I don't think you're exactly sober, either." Hange chimed in cheerfully.

"Four Eyes here is half fucking asleep, and even she can tell you're drunk."

"Alright, fine. I'm a bit buzzed." Erwin shrugged his shoulders and Levi smirked at his actions. Alcohol influenced Erwin acted much more relaxed and chilled out than sober Erwin. He shrugged his shoulders, used dated slang terms, and was just an overall embarrassment in Levi's eyes.

Their cabs soon pulled up the side of the curb and they all stood side by side to bid their farewells. Hange practically pounced on Erwin, wrapping her slender arms around his waist tightly as she embraced him. "Goodbye, Erwin! I hope your flight goes smoothly tomorrow, and everything works out the way you want it too. Good luck with your move." She pulled away, shooting him an encouraging grin.

"And I hope your moving transition goes well, as well," Erwin replied, stepping aside as she made her way towards Levi.

"And you!" She started, pointing an index finger towards the raven-haired man who merely stared her down. "I'll see you in a couple days, Levi."

Levi nodded, feeling exhausted at having to interact with her. "Yes, you will." He told her in a bored tone of voice. She nodded and opened the car door, ducking inside swiftly but not before banging her head roughly against the roof of the vehicle. Erwin winced, and Levi wasn't surprised in the least that she had injured herself, it was bound to happen.

"Let's go, then." Erwin gestured for him to get into the other cab that was waiting. With zero reluctance and a sense of closure, he nodded and slipped in, not bothering to look back.

~

To say Hange was swamped would be an understatement. It was the day she was supposed to move all of her boxes in, and so far she had dropped and broken more than a few of her prized possessions due to carelessness. Mike, bless his heart, had volunteered to help her and with his assistance, she had managed to stuff the remainder of her things in the back of his pickup truck.

She, admittedly, didn't have a whole lot in the first place. When she was evicted, she had sold off most of her furniture with the exception of her beloved bookshelf, and a few of her old mementos that she was too sentimental to part with. Her clothing was all thrown in black garbage bags in a haste, which she had thankfully gotten to pack properly this time around. She knew her new roommate would be less than pleased upon walking in with ten or so trash bags; the last thing she wanted was to get on the wrong foot on the first day of moving in.

She bounced in excitement on the soles of her feet as she stepped back a few steps and admired the back of Mike's filled pick up truck. This would be a new beginning for her, she could feel it in her gut. A new apartment that would be miles closer to the lab she worked at, nightlife in walking distance, and possibly a new friend in the process? Certainly, a good way to end the year which was more difficult than she let on.

"Are you going to miss me, Mike?" She inquired teasingly as he stepped up beside her, laying his elbow on the top of her head in retaliation. She twisted her head to look up at him, catching the small shake of his head. "Hey! That's just rude, you know." She glared playfully at him.

"I'm not going to miss you barging in the bathroom every morning while I shower." He told her calmly, removing his arm from her head. "Or you eating all of my fruitloops."

"I can't help it. Do you know how physically exhausting it is to be this intelligent all of the time? It takes a lot to fuel a brain as fully developed as mine." She joked around, and the tall blonde let out a soft laugh through his nose.

"I believe you." He said as he moved towards the driver's side of the truck, opening the door and ducking his tall form into the vehicle without a word. Hange took one more glance, letting out a soft squeal through her closed lips before bolting towards the passenger seat.

Once safely inside, Mike drove off as she rattled off the address to him. "So, do you think once you're all settled in, you'll get along with this guy or not?" Mike asked conversationally.

Hange looked away from the window, tilting her head. "Levi? I think I'll crack him eventually." She shrugged her shoulders limply. "Honestly, he just seems like he's a grumpy guy who prefers to have his own space."

"Are you going to respect that space?" Mike raised a brow that was covered by his bangs.

"Of course! But, I fully intend to try and poke him as much as possible." She smiled slyly, turning her gaze back towards the trees whipping by them. "I like getting reactions from him, it's fascinating. I think his face is actually broken to the point where he can't look anything but mad or bored."

"You're going to get kicked out in the matter of a week," Mike told her in amusement.

"You have no faith in me, Dear." She responded back with a shake of her head.

Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the apartment building. Hange practically jumped out of the car in her haste. Mike followed suit, although with a much more calm exterior than his brunette friend. "He texted me last night telling me he would be at work, so the place is empty." She explained cheerfully, pushing through the entrance and leading Mike towards the elevator.

"Fancy." He commented while scanning the small confinement, while Hange pressed the number four.

She nodded her head in agreement. "Right?" She grinned up at him.

The elevator doors slid open once more, no slow grinding noises or creaking to be heard which was a nice step up from her previous apartment building. She honestly felt like her life was in danger each time she stepped foot in it, which proved to be convenient eventually. There was no better way to wake yourself up than a dose of morning adrenaline.

"It"s this way, 406." She guided the blond, recalling the hallways she had walked a few weeks beforehand.

Once the door came into view, she proudly whipped out the key Levi had given to her the day they had all met up at the bar. "God, I can't believe this! Give me a moment, Mike. Let me take this in." She breathed in deeply through her nose, closing her eyes.

Mike sat awkwardly next to her as silence enveloped the two of them. "We sho-"

"Shush, Mike!" She scolded him once, and he quieted instantly. She squeezed her lids shut for a few seconds before opening them once more, her honey-colored orbs becoming visible behind her thick lens. "Okay, okay, I'm good now! Sorry." She apologized swiftly, sticking the key in the keyhole and twisting it.

They two of them stepped into the place in an observant manner; Hange relishing in the moment and Mike admiring the scenery. "Nice place." He commented with an impressed expression painted across his features.

She beamed at the words. "Thanks! Now that the door's open, we should get to bringing everything in."

"It shouldn't be too difficult. How many boxes did you pack, ten or so?" Mike frowned in thought, his hands reaching for the door knob, letting his shorter friend walk ahead of him.

"I'm not worried about the boxes, I can move those myself no problem. It's the bookshelf I'm worried about. I don't think it'll be able to fit in the elevator." She huffed uneasily, stepping in front of the machine to examine it thoroughly.

"It might." Mike chimed.

She shook her head knowingly, a frown dressing her features. "Guess we're going to have to do this the hard way, huh, Mike?" She smirked at the blond.

Mike, in turn, hid his uneasy expression.

Ten minutes later they found themselves in the stairwell.

"Mike, you're too tall!" Hange grumbled out loudly, feeling the weight of the shelf digging into her shoulder discomfortingly. She gritted her teeth in determination, tightening her grip on the wood further. Her fingers slipped dangerously, her palms slick with beads of sweat. "Tilt it." She advised him in a calm tone of voice, inhaling deeply as they stood in place trying to figure out their next move.

It was only the second flight of stairs; the first flight had gone surprisingly easy. Suspiciously easy in Hange's eyes, which was now more than warranted seeing that the height difference between her and Mike was highly significant. He sat the furniture on his shoulder, which Hange had to outreach her hands to the top of her head in order to be on the same level as the blond. This caused her to be unbalanced, and the shelf was tilting and swaying dangerously left and right.

"Let me just adjust," Mike grunted out, moving a few steps up and Hange followed him, having no other choice. She swallowed hard, feeling her forehead become damp as her concentration increased.

"Wait! Not so qui-" She fumbled out, her words being cut short as the piece of furniture shifted suddenly. It's weight swayed towards the left - over the railing. Hange could only gape openly, the scene unfolding in slow motion as her precious shelf slipped out of their grasps, noisily colliding with the hard floor. She felt sadness and despair well up in her form, brown eyes locked on the now three useless wooden planks splattered across the tiles.

"Fuck!" She exclaimed loudly, her voice bouncing off of the walls, as she dug her hands into her hair in frustration. "Fuuuuuck!" She repeated again in anguish, the word drawn out.

~

"Hey, Levi!" Hange waved from her place on the living room floor, a carefree grin on her face. Levi frowned as he walked further into his home, his eyes scanning the brunette in a criticizing manner.

"What the fuck is that supposed to be?" Levi quirked a thin brow. He looked unimpressed at the sight of her sitting crossed legged on the floor, three large pieces of pine wood sprawled across the carpet. It hadn't even been three minutes being in the same environment as the woman and he was already developing a headache.

She chuckled in a sheepish tone, glancing towards the mess in front of her before she returned her gaze to her new roommate. "My friend is the size of a small elephant and it caused some difficulties when it came to bringing up my bookshelf. " She explained offhandedly, lifting up the largest piece of the broken furniture in emphasis.

Levi sighed lightly, feeling the need for a hot glass of tea after a long stressed filled day. He mentally noted to put the kettle on after this conversation was over, which would be relatively soon. He didn't want to talk to the woman for longer than he had too, but it was important to know if those pieces of trash were going to remain in his living room. "And why are they here?" He asked her after a moment of awkward silence passed through them.

She tilted her head towards him as if it the answer was completely obvious. "I'm going to fix it." She stated quickly, an underlying tone of determination was apparent in her voice.

His blue eyes traveled over the chipped, jagged, and broken apart pieces of wood once more. "Good luck with that." He droned out tiredly, stepping towards the kitchen area after a beat.

"What? You don't think I can do it?" She raised the volume of her voice slightly in order for him to hear her words properly.

He spared her a brief glance from over his shoulder, preparing himself a cup of tea. "It's trash." He answered simply.

"It's not, it's perfectly fixable." She shook her head at his naivety. He snorted quietly, she was insane. And seemingly very passionate about broken pieces of furniture, for whatever reason.

"It's broken, Four Eyes." He rolled his light eyes.

"Just because it's broken doesn't mean it can't be put back together." She countered in a sing-song tone. He didn't agree with her sentence one bit, but he nodded along anyway. "Anything can be mended if you have enough patience."

"Sure." He responded back blankly, letting the conversation dwindle down. He didn't have the energy to argue with her any longer. The coffee shop had been especially stressful today due to the lack of staff on hand and the extended amount of customers due to the colder weather. That and his new roommate potentially wrecking or robbing him of every penny he had while he wasn't home.

Her presence would definitely take some getting used too.

Chapter Text

Tossing and turning in bed throughout the night wasn't an odd or rare occurrence for Hange. At times, her brain ran at ninety miles per hour, clouding her mind with needless thoughts until it got to the point where she had no choice but to stay awake and jot everything down. But, she supposed under this particular circumstance it was considered normal enough.

It was her first night spent in her new home, and her excitement and anxiousness were at an all time high. A new environment was both unsettling and thrilling, and she couldn't help but stay awake in marvel in it all. It may have seemed silly enough, but she felt like she was in college once again, young and anticipating what was to come next.

After a few hours of staring up at her white painted ceiling, she reached over to the bedside table and grabbed her glasses hastily. She might as well go fetch something to drink, or maybe something to eat as well. It was then that her stomach let out a loud grumbling noise, and she sheepishly came to the realization that she had neglected to feed herself during the day. In all fairness, she had been extremely preoccupied with other errands, so the thought had slipped her mind completely.

With a grunt, she pushed herself upwards and onto her feet. Hange stumbled clumsily in the dark, bumping her hip harshly against her drawer. She let out a low hiss through her teeth, baring through the sharp pain and continuing on to the door. The brunette padded down the long hallway, entering the open space area and making her way into the kitchen as quiet as she could. It would be a disaster if she'd awoken Levi and pissed him off the first night of her residing in the apartment.

She flicked on the light after running her hand up and down the wall blindly. "Oh!" She jumped in startlement, not expecting to see the shorter man hunched over the table somberly, his palms wrapped around a tea cup. She relaxed after a second, hesitantly approaching him.

He looked up at her upon hearing her footsteps nearing. "Something the matter, Four Eyes?" He asked blankly, and Hange couldn't help but note the heavy bags beneath his narrowed eyes.

She shook her head, wandering towards the fridge and pulling out the bottle of water she had placed in the cold storage earlier that day. "I just came out to grab something to drink." She answered him, shaking the drink to show him.

He nodded understandingly, returning his cold gaze towards his tea. A tense silence settled over them, and Hange contemplated a few ways to make things easier on the both of them. "So. why are you awake so late?" She inquired in curiosity, already having an inkling as to what the answer would be.

"I don't know what sleep is." He answered her truthfully, his deep voice coated in apparent exhaustion.

"Neither do I." She admitted easily. "Tonight has been especially bad, but I suppose it's to be expected considering I'm living in an entirely new environment. It'll take some getting used too." She sighed lightly, taking a quick swig of her water.

He let out a soft hum in response, too tired to conjure up a proper reply. "Do you usually spend your night in the kitchen, or?" She observed him in slight amusement at the odd interactions between the two of them.

"No." He stated simply.

"Ah, I've stumbled upon a rare occurrence then. I'm sorry for disturbing you." She let herself tease him a bit, her tone light despite her current mood.

"I have a feeling you'll be doing that a lot." Levi raised his pale gaze once more, both his facial expression and tone of voice dry.

She let out a small snort at his words. "Honestly, I wouldn't doubt it."

She couldn't help the tired sigh that escaped past her lips while pushing herself upright from where she was leaning against the countertops. "Well, I'm going to go back to bed now. I hope sleep finds you soon." She wished for him in a sympathetic tone.

"Me fucking too." He grumbled out tiredly. "'Night." He added as a quick afterthought. She let a small smile tug across her lips, before turning her back towards him and maneuvering her way back towards her room.

It was too soon to tell just what kind of person her new roommate was. She could tell he was easily irritated, that he preferred doing things his way, and that he was extremely unsociable and rude. Hange had yet to see an instance where he had been nice without a backhanded insult or a name thrown in the midst of it. Even despite that, she knew he wasn't exactly a terrible person, Erwin had to have his reasons for being such close friends with him for so long, and she was determined to find them out.

She let out an exhale upon plopping down in her bed, the bed sheets cooling against her warm skin. She slipped her glasses off of her face, beginning to feel sluggish in her mannerisms. She was grateful that her body and mind could take a hint and let her rest. Her day would be starting especially early come tomorrow. She had to run a few errands before catching the bus for work (thankfully only one) and then she would return home and begin unpacking her room and sorting through her things. She wasn't looking forward to unpacking in the slightest, looking through her things and attempting to organize them in her eyes was a waste of time that could be spent doing something useful.

Her breathing eventually evened out, and her eyelids grew heavy to the point that opening them would be more hassle than it was worth. Reluctantly, she let herself drift off to sleep, and for the first time in several months, slept in a bed she could call her own.

~

Levi clenched his fingers around the glass of his teacup, enjoying the warmth it provided for his chilled palms. His bangs fell in front of his eyes as it tilted down towards the surface, his steel gaze locked on the dark liquid.

Loneliness was an emotion that Levi rarely allowed himself to feel. However, sitting alone at one in the morning with the thought that the one person he felt he could confide in leaving thousands of miles away, there was no other way to describe it. Well, besides pitiful, that was.

The brief conversation with Hange felt uneasy, yet familiar in an odd way. He observed that she was a fairly easygoing person and had no problem approaching others, so it came as no surprise that she was laid back and casually talked to him as if they'd known each other for years. He decided that her personality, while he only knew a tiny fraction of it, was unsettling in a way. She seemed much too eager to barge her way into his life, and while he knew that they were now living together, he wanted a line to be drawn.

He let out a soft sigh, unwrapping his hands from around his cup and standing up from his chair. He turned on the faucet, letting the water grow hot before he got to the task of washing it thoroughly. He dried off his hands afterward before he resigned to his bedroom for the night, knowing that sitting in the kitchen would get him nowhere sleep wise.

He decided that he was definitely on edge after three hours passed by without so much as a wink of sleep. There was no way he'd let himself succumb to slumber with a complete stranger just down the hall from him. Perhaps he was being too paranoid for his own good, but he certainly wasn't about to let his defenses go down so easily. No, he'd be fully prepared if she came barging in with a weapon and threatened to kill him. Though, with her clumsiness, he wouldn't be surprised if she'd just fell on the weapon during the process.

The imagery he'd conjured up in his mind was doing nothing to lull him to sleep. In fact, the disturbing thoughts had stood with him throughout the entire night, and before he knew it, it was five A.M and the sun was beginning to show its presence. He let his heavy eyes travel to his bedroom door, debating on whether or not to get up and shower in preparation for the day or attempt to gather a few minutes of much-needed sleep. The former won out after a few brief seconds; he knew that there wasn't a chance in hell he'd be able to doze off anyway.

He was more than surprised to see that the bathroom was preoccupied with his new roommate. He was almost entirely convinced that she wasn't even aware of what a shower was. He stood at the doorway, a little annoyed that his routine was being delayed, if even by a few minutes. The sound of water pattering against the tub echoed throughout the hall, and Levi crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for her to be done. He considered speaking up and telling her to hurry her dumbass up, but before he could open his mouth he was cut off by the sound of a woman singing.

What the actual fuck?

He quirked a thin brow at her actions, holding in a snort as she brokenly bolted out the lyrics to a pop song. "Oi, Madonna, believe it or not, there are other people besides you who use hot water." He droned out, bringing his mouth closer to the door so she could hear him better. Much to his irritation, she seemed intent on ignoring him. Or perhaps her hearing abilities were just as bad as her eyesight?

He rolled his eyes, knocking on the wood of the door in another attempt to catch her attention, to no avail as she failed to respond once more. "Goddamn it, Four Eyes." He sneered out blankly, moving away from the door and retreating towards the kitchen area. So far, his day was going splendidly. In fact, his entire week was going splendidly.

He busied himself by preparing breakfast for himself. He skillfully cracked and scrambled eggs, the task having been done so many times he felt as if he were on autopilot. Considering the amount of sleep he'd gotten (zero) it didn't surprise him.

"Good morning, Levi!" Levi looked up at the sound of her voice, and immediately his features settled into an apparent scowl. "Didn't expect to see you up so early." She hummed out, her hair loose dripping wet around her shoulders, effectively making her top damp.

"Likewise." He stated dryly, placing his breakfast in a plate neatly.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked in an attempt to start a conversation. She scooted past him, reaching upwards and scouring through the cabinets until she found what she was looking for. Levi raised a brow as she pulled out two granola bars, plopping down on a stool beside him and opening the first one.

"No." He admitted blankly.

"Ah, any particular reason why?" She pried further, her mouth full of food.

Levi scowled at her, feeling the urge to scold her for her bad manners. "Don't fucking talk with your mouth full."

Hange let an amused smile grace her lips, taking another bite of her breakfast. "Don't avoid the question, Levi," she told him cheekily, not listening to his earlier spoken words, speaking while she chewed.

"Why is it any of your business?" He spat out blankly, shoveling the food back and forth in his plate uninterestedly.

She shrugged her shoulder once, leaning back further in her chair. "I figured I could maybe provide some advice of some sort. However, if the reasoning behind your insomnia is too personal, I completely understand not want-" Levi swiftly interjected before she could finish her sentence.

"I couldn't fucking sleep because the thought of you killing me in my sleep kept me up. Are you satisfied now?" He narrowed his light orbs at her, annoyance painted across his features.

Hange lifted her brow in surprise at the confession, her sepia eyes widening slightly before she quickly recomposed herself. "I see." She hummed out in thought. "Well... I'm sorry my presence caused you unease. However, in order to help ease your anxiety, I think I should tell you a bit more about myself to make you feel more comfortable." She suggested slowly, carefully watching his outside demeanor for any sort of change.

"This is stupid." He said with a huff of breath, taking a sip of his coffee.

"No, this is completely necessary." Hange countered back swiftly. "Okay, I'll start, then. Hi, I'm Hange Zoe! I'm thirty-one years old, and when I was five years old I planted acorns in my backyard because I was convinced they would grow into a magic treehouse that would teleport me to the world of Sesame Street." She revealed brightly. Not an ounce of embarrassment in her tone, Levi noted.

Levi stared at her almost incredulously, unsure what to do with this tidbit of information. "Well? Come on then, it's your turn." She urged him on encouragingly. "Alright, fine, let's start with something simple then. When's your birthday?"

Levi furrowed his brow forward at the question. He despised answering it due to the unneeded amount of awe or gushing people did when he did reveal it. "Geez, is every subject touchy with you?" Hange joked, finishing off her granola bar and beginning to unwrap the second one.

Levi ignored her teasing, unwillingly answering her earlier question begrudgingly. "December twenty-fifth." He muttered out dryly, lifting the cup to his lips once more.

"Holy shit, that is the most ironic thing I've ever heard." Hange snorted out in amusement. "Mine's September fifth." She responded back comfortably. "Is this helping any?" She inquired with a head tilt.

Levi shook his head once. "No."

"Okay. I was born and raised in California. I moved out to Seattle when I was eighteen to attend the University of Washington. I've known I wanted to be involved in science since the age of seven. I don't have any criminal records except for the one time I was taken to the police station and had to be picked up by my mom for attempting to dig a hole in the cement with a shovel near a memorial statue, I was nine." She blabbered on without looking even a bit gassed, and strangely enough, Levi found himself listening despite himself. "My favorite dog breed is a Border Collie, my favorite color is and always will be yellow."

"Oi, okay, I've heard enough." Levi stopped her suddenly.

She grinned at him. "Do you still think I'm a serial killer? I can go on if you'd like." She paused for a brief moment, before continuing on, albeit somberly. "I know that you beginning to feel comfortable with me around isn't going to be a magical overnight transition, believe me. But, I'd like to provide any sort of help I can with making it easier for you in the meantime. However, I'm not going to pretend you don't exist when we live in the same space, it's unhealthy, and in my opinion, silly."

Levi grunted once she finished talking, pushing himself away from the island and placing his dish in the sink. Hange merely observed him as he cleaned up after himself, slightly peeved at his silence. Upon finishing the task, he whipped around once more, facing her properly. "I'm gonna leave for work now. Don't forget to lock the doors once you leave, Four Eyes." He reminded her, walking towards the door, but not before he pulled on his thick coat and grabbed his car keys.

She watched him with keen eyes. "Have a good day." She told him as he was leaving, and not even a second later, the door slammed shut.

Serial killer, huh? She supposed she could see it...

~

"Hi, Levi." Petra smiled warmly at him as she walked in the coffee shop. Her pale cheeks were tinted pink, even despite the five layers of clothing she most likely had on. "Good morning."

Levi glanced up from his task of organizing the register, nodding towards the red-head as a sign of acknowledgment. "Whew, I'm so happy to be back home and working again. I love my family to bits and pieces but it's good to be separated from them again."

Levi nodded in understanding and ignored the small huff that his longest working employee gave him for his non-responsiveness. "Oh, by the way, how's the new roommate? You're not giving them a hard time are you?"

"Are you implying something, Petra?" Levi droned out.

"You're not the warmest person to have ever lived, Levi." Petra choose her words carefully. "I just wanted to make sure she wouldn't run off because of your intimidating demeanor."

Levi rolled his light eyes. "Trust me, it's going to take more than that for her to run away."

"...Is that a good or bad thing?" Petra questioned in confusion, hearing the slight disdain in his voice. Their conversation was put on halt as yet another person walked in the shop, and Petra rolled her eyes upon seeing her fellow employee; Oluo Bozado.

"Good morning, Levi." He greeted the raven-haired man casually. Levi's eyes narrowed as he took in what the man was wearing; the exact same coat that Levi wore almost every day.

"Really? You're still upset?" Petra huffed out, looking up at the man.

"Not at all." He blatantly lied, ignoring her gaze.

Levi eyed the two of them briefly before ignoring their presence altogether. Whatever had happened between the two of them was not his business, nor did he care enough to make it his business despite knowing the two of them for years.

"What about you, Levi? Have you got any plans for the holidays?" Petra chimed out happily, and Levi snapped out his thoughts.

He frowned at her words, knowing what sort of spiel she would most likely delve into next upon hearing his next statement. "No." He answered truthfully, waiting for her response.

She sighed in disappointment; the usual reaction. "Levi, when are you going to give in?" She moved closer to him, her brown eyes revealing sympathy. The raven-haired man didn't miss the glare of envy that swam in his other employee's eyes as she moved closer.

"It's not about me giving in." He told her blankly. "I don't like them, and they don't like me, simple as that." He explained in a bored tone, having had this conversation far too many times with the woman.

"But they're your family, Levi. And besides, no matter how much you deny it, I can tell how much you care about Mikasa."

"How about instead of hassling me about useless matters, you clock in for work?" Levi told her firmly.

She looked frustrated before she masked it, nodding in understanding. "Alright, I'll let it go this time." She told him pointedly, slipping off her coat and her scarf, replacing the layers with a white apron.

"How gracious of you." Levi droned out snarkily, turning his attention Oluo who seemed displeased. "Something wrong?" He voiced blankly.

"Not at all." He shook his head quickly, slipping into the back room. Levi shot a glance behind his shoulder as he left, inwardly noting that the entire exchange took more energy than he would have liked.

He slowly turned his attention towards the large window panes. The sunlight trickling in the otherwise dim area, painting the walls in pale yellow. He mentally checked off his signs of approval; no hints of dust anywhere, floors mopped and polished, chairs and tables in position.

It was no secret that he prided himself on what he had been able to accomplish and overcome with this space. He had inherited the shop when his mother had passed away, for whatever reason he still couldn't be sure of. He had re-opened it at the age of twenty-seven, one year exactly after his mother had gone. The entire process of revamping the space and rebranding had been much more than he had been willing to take on, but, Erwin had been the one constantly encouraging him. In the end, Levi thanked his friend for believing in him enough that he had stuck with it until the end.

Truthfully, he couldn't imagine himself anywhere else now.

Before taking over the business, he had worked as a part-time bartender. He was alright at his job, or so he was told, but he never felt like that was what he was supposed to be doing his entire shitty life. He figured making coffee was eerily similar either way, but at least he found enjoyment in the drink, unlike alcohol.

He had broken out of his thoughts when he saw a familiar blur of brown hair whip past the window and down the block. Levi frowned in bewilderment, had that been Four Eyes? He scoffed and willed himself to forget about the woman altogether for the day. The last thing he needed was another headache after getting sleep the previous night.

"Oluo, refill the espresso machine." He ordered out calmly, shooting a glance over his shoulder towards the man who had just appeared from the back room.

The man nodded slowly and swiftly got to doing the task placed upon him. Levi moved away from the front counter and moved towards the wooden door towards the back of the shop that was practically hidden. His office space. "Kirstein should be coming in soon, don't worry about running the counter." He informed the man while walking away, stepping into his safe place.

He sat down in his office chair, fingers absentmindedly playing with the frayed edges of his notebook. Mikasa had an off day today, while Yeager didn't, meaning he would have to put up with Jean and Eren's banter throughout the day without anyone interjecting. Well, unless the blonde boy came in which was highly likely all things considering. He always attempted to get the both of them on different schedules, but with only five employees at his disposal, it was difficult. He needed at least one more person in the shop for things to work properly.

He leaned his head back against the chair, letting his blue eyes flicker shut in a moment of tiredness. Petra's earlier spoken words were still irritating him. His mother had passed away nearly five years ago. He had run away from home and had been living with Erwin for about nine years at that point in time. His father was never a factor in his life, his mother had told him he was the product of a one night stand and he didn't even think the man knew of his existence. Or perhaps he did and just didn't give a shit, either way.

His mother had gotten married when he was nearing the age of fourteen, and truthfully he had felt out of place ever since. When Mikasa had come into the picture, the hidden feelings grew into more. He definitely didn't belong there, he didn't deserve to have a place in their picture-perfect family lifestyle was what he had told himself. Looking back, Levi could admit that he had been far too angsty at that age, but he didn't regret leaving them once. He was sure he never would.

He had somewhat kept in touch with Mikasa, occasionally he would talk to her over the phone for holidays and her birthday. It wasn't until she turned fourteen that they began to see each other once again, and he had offered her a job once she was old enough, which she gladly took. Still, he had never bothered returning to his childhood home, in his mind he had nothing left there to return too. His mother was gone, so he had no obligation to visit the man she was married too, they had never had a relationship in the first place. He saw Mikasa almost every day, so it wasn't a big deal, but no matter how many times he tried to convey this to Petra, it never got through to her.

A knock on the door made his eyes drift towards the wood, he raised a thin brow. "Come in." He droned out, moving to sit up properly in the chair.

The face of Jean Kirstein made itself known as his head popped in through the crack in the door. "Hey, boss. I've got a theoretical question for you." He started slowly, and Levi dreadingly prepared himself for what he was about to hear. "If an entire pound of coffee beans were to metaphorically be dropped into the bucket of mop water, metaphorically, of course, would they be salvageable?"

"Kirstein, I'll give you three seconds to step away from my office before I stick my foot up your ass," Levi warned him with a heavy sigh. His fingers rubbing his temples in an attempt to soothe his headache.

"Okay." And with that, he left hurriedly with a slam of the door.

Fucking fantastic.

Chapter Text

"Moblit, can you hand me those reports I asked you write out yesterday?" Hange requested absentmindedly, her brown eyes skimming across the small words typed across the paper in her hand. The blond man that sat behind her nodded his head, quickly hopping to his feet and retreating to find the papers he had written down.

She hummed to herself, her foot tapping rhythmically on the floor beneath her in the meantime. "Hey, Hange, you've been working nonstop since you've arrived, why don't you try taking a break?" A voice sounded concerned. Hange furrowed her brow forward, slightly agitated at the interruption before she came upon the face of Nifa.

"Oh, no, thank you, I'm fine." She brushed off her concerns with a smile, thankful for her co-worker's thoughtfulness.

"But, you haven't eaten dinner yet." The woman frowned at her, her eyes flickering to the clock on the wall. "And it's eight at night."

Hange returned her gaze back to the reports in her hand, clearly not interesting in eating at the moment. "I'm fine, really."

"She's right, though. You haven't eaten anything today, and you've yet to even take a break." Moblit walked back into the room, wearing the same expression as the woman next to him.

Hange heaved a heavy sigh, slapping down the paper carefully on her desk. "If I take a five-minute break, will you both be happy?" She asked for confirmation, already beginning to stand up to her feet. She shot them both a bright grin, stretching her limbs in the process. "I appreciate you guys caring about my wellbeing, but sometimes I wish you both would care just a little less." She joked around, feeling around for her phone which laid in the front pocket of her white coat.

Nifa let out a small laugh, while Moblit's expression didn't move an inch. "I'll be back in five minutes." She told them, opening the door and stepping out of the vicinity against her own will.

She turned on her phone that she held in her grasp, her mouth settling into a small 'o' shape as she noticed the six missed calls from Levi. Her mind raced as she thought of different possible scenarios on why he would call her so many times. She was positive he wouldn't bother getting in touch with her if it weren't a serious matter, much less six different times. She swiftly swiped left, calling the number back and pressing the device to her ear.

"You fucking lied." He told her flatly upon answering.

She paused in surprise at his words, her brow drawn together as she mentally tried to distinguish what he was talking about. "Huh?" She forced out, baffled. She let out a silent gasp a second later as she came upon the realization; Levi had found out.

"You know damn well I'm talking about, Hange." He growled out. Hange noted that he was very, very pissed off.

"What were you doing snooping around my room?" She avoided his question in an accusatory tone. Sure, she may have told a little white lie, but he had no business roaming through her private things.

"Don't even try to change the subject. You told me you didn't have any pets in the interview we had, and yet here these two demon motherfuckers are, staring straight at me with their beady little eyes." He hissed out over the receiver.

"Well, now I'm fully aware of the fact that you have absolutely no respect for my privacy, and that's a problem. When I get home, we'll talk more. I need to get back to work." She stated calmly, pressing the 'end call' button before he could get another word out.

Was she a bit upset? Absolutely. But, did she also see Levi's underlying unease around her and the thought of living with her? Of course. She couldn't be extremely angry, as the words he had said before he left for work still resonated in her mind. 'The thought of you killing me in my sleep kept me up'. She figured he meant no harm and was merely trying to put his mind at ease, but she was still peeved that he had taken the liberty to search her room.

With those last thoughts, she strode back into her workplace, her anger disintegrating as her thought process continued.

She would deal with it upon returning home, which would be in just over an hour.

"How was your walk?" Nifa inquired with a small smile.

Hange made a grab towards the pile of reports on the experiments they had done the previous day, her eyes glued to the paper. "Fine, I suppose. I had an interesting conversation with my new roommate." She revealed nonchalantly, not looking up.

The woman quirked an eyebrow at her words. "About what?"

The brunette shrugged her shoulders limply. "I told him I didn't have any pets in the interview we had, and he snooped through my room and found my two bearded dragons I was hiding."

"Do you think he'll make you get rid of them?" Nifa frowned at her story.

Hange's gaze snapped up at that. "He's got a stick up his butt, so I wouldn't doubt it. But, I'll find a way even despite that, they're not just lizards, they're my babies."

"This is going to end badly."

"Nope, not at all." Hange grinned widely in response.

~

And hour and a half later, and Hange walked through the door of the apartment in a flourish. She immediately saw Levi sitting on the couch, his back turned to her. "Hello." She greeted, moving to stand directly in front of him.

"I want them out." He told her firmly.

"Alright, but can you state a few valid reasons as to why they should be thrown out, first?" Hange placed her hands on her hips, staring down at him in a serious manner.

Levi narrowed his blue gaze. "I don't like them. They're disgusting, you agreed to not having pets, and if they escape from their tanks I will not hesitant to ruthlessly murder each of them." He listed off his reasons nonchalantly.

"I don't recall ever agreeing to not having pets; you asked if I had any and I said no. That's not an agreement, Levi." She countered quickly.

"It was obviously implied." He glared at her.

"No, it wasn't." She huffed out. "I just don't see the problem with them staying in my bedroom, it's not like you'll be visiting very often."

"Just the thought of them living in the same vicinity makes me irritated."

"You're acting like a child."

"You're being irresponsible. You shouldn't have lied in the first place." Levi stood up to his feet, glowering up towards her. "I want them out of the apartment by tomorrow."

"Or what? You'll throw me out? I paid my share in full, I have every right of living here as you, just accept that." Hange said in exasperation towards his actions.

"I'll repay you back." He stated simply. "I don't see what the big deal is, they're just fucking lizards."

"They might just be lizards to you, but they're important to me." Hange argued, her frustration increasing slowly by slowly. She sighed suddenly, willing herself to calm down with some difficulty. She would have to come up with a way to satisfy the both of them. "You know what, fine. I'll give them to my friend, Mike. Are you happy now?" She exclaimed, faking a defeated and tired attitude.

Levi looked suspicious at her actions. "Why the sudden change of mind?"

Hange shrugged her shoulders limply. "I just want the two of us to get along, that's all. I just moved in the other day, and the last thing we need is to get off on the wrong foot, you know? Anyway, I'll have Mike come by tomorrow morning and pick them up, he's always loved them anyway."

Levi nodded his head slowly, eyeing her for a brief moment before he strode towards the kitchen. "Is that all?" Hange called after him.

He merely half-assedly hummed out a response which she took as a yes. The brunette followed after the shorter man determinedly. She would become friends with him if it was the last thing she did. "How was your day." She chirped out in order to start a conversation.

He ignored her, his back turned towards her as he brought out a pot before venturing to the refrigerator and scouring through it. "Okay, how about I tell you about mine, then?" She cleared her throat, plopping down on the stool in front of the island, laying her elbows on it.

The kitchen was filled with noises such as the clang of pans and the sharp tapping of a knife against a chopping board as Levi prepared several different vegetables for his dinner. "I got to closely inspect several differing types of common bacteria and how they responded in other environments which was nothing short of fascinating." Hange continued without prompting.

Levi swallowed back the grunt of revulsion that threatened to escape his throat. "And afterwards I wrote up a quick report which went better than expected. I rewarded myself with a burger from McDonald's which I devoured at the bus stop. Obviously not the most desired place to eat but you take what you're given, right?"

He almost felt sorry for her as he threw the vegetables into the pan that was sizzling with butter, enjoying the scent that wafted throughout the area. "Levi, can I ask you a question?" She tilted her head as she observed him.

"No." He answered without missing a beat.

"Why are you so against making a bit of small talk with me?" She continued, ignoring his statement pointedly.

Levi kept his gaze on the slowly browning food, throwing diced chicken in the pan. What was his honest answer? He couldn't muster up the energy to bring someone new into his life? He was still hurt about Erwin leaving in the first place and was in denial that he had moved for good? "I don't see any point in it. You're my roommate, not my friend."

Hange hummed in thought, leaning her chin on her palm. "I think that's ridiculous."

"I don't remember asking for your opinion," Levi replied absentmindedly.

"We're living together, Levi. Don't you think things would settle and be much easier to deal with if we were actually on talking terms?" She rebutted swiftly.

"You're talking to me right now, Four Eyes." He droned out, scooping the food from the pan directly into a dish.

Hange snorted at his words, finding humor at his closed off behavior. She would have another attempt at cracking him tomorrow, she thought determinedly. For now, she had other matters to tend too; namely, her lovely pets that were currently residing in her bedroom. "Okay, well, have a nice meal. I'm retiring to my bedroom for the night. Good night, Levi." She told him as she easily hopped off the stool and began to traverse her way down the hall.

Alright, so, Levi was under the impression that she would be giving away Sawney and Bean come tomorrow morning. He usually left for work earlier than she did, so if she simply told him that was the time frame in which they were picked up, he wouldn't know any better. Still, she felt a bit guilty for her actions. She knew it wasn't right to yet again go behind her roommate's back, but she knew this was what she had to do in order to keep her pets. Still, this surely wouldn't help in aiding her towards gaining Levi's trust.

She slipped into her room easily, flicking on the light. "Hi, little babies!" She greeted brightly, a grin plastered across her face as she moved towards their tank which sat on her desk.

"How was your day, huh?" She cooed, leaning her arm into the glass and grabbing Bean carefully. "Did that mean grumpy man come in here and bother you both, huh?" She stroked her head affectionately. "Don't worry, I'll make sure that won't happen again."

She was predictably met with silence as she placed the bearded dragon back into her tank, grabbing ahold of Sawney in her place. "You're looking a bit annoyed today, aren't you?" Hange noted with an observing stare.

The lizard merely stared back at her unblinkingly. "I'll take that as a yes." She smiled warmly down at her, placing her besides her lizard counterpart.

She narrowed her eyes, examining her room and putting careful thought into where she could potentially hide their tank. The closet was a no go, she couldn't imagine putting the two of them in that small suffocating space. She furrowed her brow forward as she contemplated placing them beneath her desk before she shook her head outwardly; that wouldn't do.

She glanced towards the window, her eyes drifting before they flickered back hastily, an idea forming in her mind. She stood up to her feet, an excited giggle escaping her lips as she bounced towards her closest door and tore it open. There, she spotted one single piece of square wood that she hadn't needed for her bookshelf.

Yes, it was a miracle the thing was still standing.

Nonetheless, she grabbed it along with a few nails and the hammer she had stored right next to it.

Yes, this would hopefully do just fine.

~

Levi finished his food uneventfully, glaring towards the direction of Hange's room as hard thudding noises drifted out of it. He didn't bother checking to see what the ruckus was about. She was most likely putting together that stupid bookshelf she insisted on keeping despite it being in pieces upon bringing it in.

He was brought out of his thoughts when his phone began ringing on the counter. Reluctantly, he walked over and picked up the device, his narrowed eyes showing slight surprise as Erwin's name lit up across the screen. Wasn't it way past midnight in London, or was he mistaken? Either way, he answered the call with a swipe of his thumb.

"Hello?" He answered blankly.

"Ah, you answered. I'm surprised." Erwin's voice sounded, and Levi fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"I just got finished eating dinner. You're lucky you called before I got to washing the dishes," Levi responded while eyeing the sink full of cookware.

"How have things been over there?" The blond changed the subject, his voice edging towards curiosity.

"Fantastic," Levi answered his question snarkily.

"I sense a bit of sarcasm in your tone," Erwin noted in amusement.

"No shit." Levi snorted. "How's your fancy ass job working out for you?"

"Great, actually. It's a bit more stressful overall, but I can't say that I don't thoroughly enjoy the distraction from real life affairs." He admitted truthfully.

"That's good to hear." Levi's tone softened slightly, honestly glad that his friend was feeling better.

"How's Hange? Are you two getting along well?"

Levi remained quiet for a moment, mulling over his question. "She lied."

"About what?" Erwin asked in surprise.

"She has pets. Two lizards that she hid in her bedroom."

"And?"

"I told her that I wanted them out of the apartment," Levi told him in a calm tone.

"You threw a fit over two small pets." Erwin surmised in an almost disappointed tone. "Why don't you two try to come up with a compromise, then? Or are you set on wanting them out?" The blond suggested.

"Can you stop acting like my father, Erwin? Honestly, it's fucking creepy as shit." Levi droned out unimpressed, ignoring his response entirely.

"Well, excuse me for trying to be the adult in this situation." He sighed in resignation.

"I'm perfectly capable of acting like an adult."

"I'm aware of that," Erwin said quickly. "I'm trying to mend things between the two of you so that your living situation doesn't unravel to the point of discomfort."

"You're the one who forced me into this situation in the first place, Dumb Ass." Levi reminded him while leaning his butt against the counter top.

"You wouldn't have chosen anyone otherwise."

"You couldn't be sure of that." Levi rebutted blankly.

"I've known you for years, Levi."

"Should I be apologizing?" Levi threw out lightly, despite his flat tone.

"Yes," Erwin smirked a bit. "I've got to get to sleep now, I've got an early day ahead of me tomorrow, unfortunately. Say hello to Hange for me, will you?"

"Hell no," Levi responded. "Good night."

"Good night." And with the last words, he was met with a dull click indicating that the blonde had hung up the phone.

Levi huffed a quiet sigh, turning his attention once more to the dishes piled up in the sink. For once, he didn't feel like investing his time into making sure they were spotless. Still, he knew it would bother him otherwise if they sat overnight so he turned on the faucet regardless of how he felt.

"Hey." A voice behind him startled him out of his thoughts.

Levi dreaded having another conversation with the woman in such a short time, but he found himself responding anyway. "Did you tell your friend about your demons?"

"Yep!" She grinned cheekily. "Everything's all set. He said he'd be here around seven or eight to come pick them up."

"Good," Levi responded awkwardly. An uncomfortable silence blanketed the two of them, and Hange hummed out a sound before she spoke once more.

"Alright well, that was what I wanted to say, so I'll just be getting back to my room now." She stated with a warm smile. "Oh! By the way, you didn't end up finding anything potentially dangerous in my room, did you?" She inquired in a light tone.

"I found a pair of demons and a particularly sharp screwdriver, but besides that, no." Levi shot her a glance from over his shoulder.

"Well, now that I've been thoroughly inspected and cleared of any misconduct, hopefully, you'll get a better night's rest." She exclaimed cheerfully, already heading back towards her room. "Night!" She called from over her shoulder.

Levi snorted under his breath. She was certainly something.

After he finished the task of washing and drying each piece of eating wear, he made his way towards his own bedroom. He hadn't slept at all the previous night, so Levi hoped his body would take a hint and let him slumber somewhat peacefully tonight. He wasn't asking for a miracle, hell even a couple hours would do just fine in his eyes.

He let himself sink into his uncomfortable mattress, his head sitting against his pillow in an awkward manner. Sleep was once again escaping him as his blue eyes remained glued towards the white ceiling of his bedroom. He willed himself to close his eyes, and steady his breathing as the silence of his bedroom felt almost threatening in a way. He hadn't felt like this in quite some time, he noted tiredly.

He drifted in and out of sleep fruitlessly, and in the end, he wasn't sure how many hours he had actually slept and how many he had actually been awake. He stretched his limbs slowly, climbing out of bed, happy that the entire ordeal was over with. It was definitely an improvement from the day before, that much could be said, at least.

He was silently grateful that he hadn't run into his roommate as he went through his morning routine. He was out of the door and driving down the street by seven fifteen, a bit later than usual as he had deemed it necessary for a long hot shower in order to take on the day.

He unlocked the front of the shop, turning around the sign that read 'closed' to 'open' in one swift motion before he made his way behind the counter.

"Really!? Wow, I can't believe it ended like that." A girl walked in while conversing loudly with the male beside her. He recognized them as the obnoxious duo in Mikasa's group of friends; they were practically attached at the hip and enjoyed poking fun at everything and anything.

"Yeah, and to top it all off, he never even got to say I love you back." The teenager beside her continued their conversation as they walked up to the counter.

"Hi, Boss!" The brunette whose hair was placed up in a ponytail greeted happily.

Levi raised a thin brow at the nickname, his facial expression remaining blank as he stared her down. Behind her, the door opened once more and in strolled in the rest of Mikasa's friends, including his sibling herself.

"Two hot chocolates to go, please!" The one with the shaved head ordered quickly.

Levi nodded his head, beginning to prepare the two drinks without a word. "Good morning, Boss!" Eren strode up behind the pair, hands buried deep within in his coat pockets.

"Morning, Eren." Levi unwillingly greeted the teenager.

"Hey, would it be okay if I made my way behind the counter and made our drinks? I can see you're sort of swamped here without any employees being around." Eren asked the raven-haired man after a glance around the shop.

"Sure, go ahead." He sighed out, making a lazy gesture with his hand for Eren to do what he pleased. He turned towards the pair that sat at the counter, watching for at least twenty seconds as the two of them argued over who was going to pay. Eventually, they both agreed to settle it over a match of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The boy won and he watched as the girl sulked briefly before her face lit up as the warm cup was placed in her hands.

"Thank you so much!" She groaned as she brought the container to her nose and inhaled its sweet scent. "Mika, we'll be outside waiting for you guys!" She told Mikasa who was next in line, grabbing her male companion by the sleeve and trounced out of the door.

"You should expect this place to be flooded today. It's the last day before thanksgiving break and they're flooding us with tests so there'll be a lot of teenagers in need of caffeine." The blonde boy named Armin told him knowingly.

Levi looked towards his sister. "You studied, I presume?"

She nodded silently, her gaze attentive towards the brunette in the back. "We all stayed up past midnight studying together." Eren chimed in tiredly.

"If you had been a bit more responsible we wouldn't have had to stay up that late." Mikasa reminded him in a reprimanding manner.

"It wasn't on purpose. It's not my fault Stardew Valley is so addicting." He frowned at her, mixing their drinks.

"It's a game about chopping down trees, Eren, how addicting can it be?" She sighed at him.

"Hey! It's much more than that." He argued immediately. Levi rolled his eyes, shooing away the two teenagers away as new customers approached the shop.

"Tell that to your math teacher." Armin chimed in cheekily.

Eren handed Armin and Mikasa their drinks; A latte and a tea respectively. He grabbed his drink, an iced coffee, and hopped over the counter much to Levi's dismay.

"You do realize it's winter, right?" Levi eyed his cold drink.

Eren shrugged his shoulders in response. "Yeah."

"We're going now," Mikasa told her sibling with a soft tone, using one hand to guide her friend's towards the exit.

"Wish us luck!" Eren exclaimed from over his shoulder.

Levi turned his attention to the customer in front of him, silently bidding them good luck. If any one of them came back with a failed test, he would kick their asses without any hesitation.

He knew that they were much more capable than that.

Chapter Text

The jingle of keys brought Levi out of stupor state as he sat near one of the large window panes, a steaming cup of tea in his hands. The raven-haired man glanced up disinterestedly, catching sight of Jean and Armin standing side by side near the entrance, hands swinging absentmindedly as they conversed in a quiet manner.

The ash-haired boy turned as if suspecting eyes on him, and took a few steps closer to his boss. "I'm going to be heading out, Boss," Jean told him in a relaxed tone. Armin stood behind him silently, his arms hanging limply near his sides.

Levi nodded, already having known this information considering the shop had been closed for almost a half an hour. "Have a good night, Brats." He sighed out in a steady tone. He looked away after a few moments as they began to walk out of the door, bidding him farewell with a lazy waving gesture.

Jean Kirstein was someone he respected a lot for someone of his age. The boy was only the age of seventeen years old, almost eighteen and had been through much more than he let others originally let on. He had been hired a year and a half ago, and at first, he annoyed the hell out of Levi. He was arrogant, moody, and constantly thought himself above others for having his life already all planned out at his age. Nonetheless, Levi had brought him in along with another teenager by the name of Marco Bodt.

The two teenagers had instantly clicked together, Levi had noted. They worked so well off of each other, that most of the time he had placed their shifts together.

Their relationship had obviously blossomed into something more during the time they had worked together. Levi wasn't oblivious and neither were his other employees, particularly Petra who cooed and awed over them each chance she got. Six or seven months later, while returning home from school, tragedy had struck and the two of them were both involved in a head-on car crash that had instantly taken Bodt's life.

A month later and the teenager had gone back to work as if nothing had happened previously, but Levi didn't miss the empty look in his eyes that were still apparent to this day. He still wore the other boy's apron each day he came into work, a habit that hadn't gone unnoticed by other employees.

Levi took a slow sip of his tea, feeling it dance across his taste buds in a bitter fashion. He frowned, glancing down at his watch and noting it was probably around the time he should be getting home.

Admittedly, he had been coming home later and later each day that passed by. It had been a little over a week since the brunette had moved into the apartment, and admittedly, she hadn't done much in terms of annoying him, except for the fact that he had noted she was a bit sloppy cleaning wise and enjoyed pestering him each time she saw him walk into the room.

He stood up from the table, feeling an odd sadness weigh down on his shoulders for whatever reason. He could admit he missed having someone to talk to whenever he wanted. Petra or Oluo were interesting to listen too, and small talk came naturally with the pair but it wasn't as personal as conversations with Erwin were. He cleaned up a bit and swung his coat over his shoulders, bracing himself for the numbness that would prickle his skin upon opening the front door.

The drive home was uneventful as quiet music played hollowly throughout the small vehicle, doing nothing to serve as a distraction from his thoughts. He growled lowly at the car in front of him who insisted on driving at 10 MPH. He honked his horn in exasperation, just wanting to get home and relax a bit.

He rolled his light blue eyes as the driver stuck out their middle finger through the window. The raven-haired man honked his horn once more just to spite them. He was thankful as he saw the distant sight of his apartment building, pulling into the parking lot seamlessly.

Upon walking into his home, he was greeted by the prominent smell of something burnt. He cautiously walked further in only to see his roommate sprawled across the floor in defeat. Her glasses pushed up against her forehead as she stared blankly up at the ceiling. "Hi, Levi." She greeted him without looking his way.

"What is that shitty smell?" Levi narrowed his eyes in suspicion, not moving an inch from his spot in the living room.

"Oh? You mean that burning stench? Just my hopes and dreams." She murmured collectedly, opposite to her words of anguish which made Levi raise a thin brow.

"My condolences." He offered dryly, maneuvering his legs to traverse into the kitchen, stepping over her long limbs in the process of doing so. He scowled openly as he spotted the smoke that was slowly but surely fading away with each passing second, along with the tray of lumpy pieces of charcoal that sat on the stovetop. "Jesus Christ, Dumbass, how long did you leave them in for?" He turned around as he heard her footsteps nearing behind him.

"Too long, obviously." She sighed deeply. "You know, science and cooking are eerily similar in terms of technique, and while I'd call myself a good scientist, I am terrible at anything and everything when it comes to cooking."

"Yeah, I can tell." He droned out as he made his way over to the oven, opening the door and taking a peek inside. He was happy to see that the inside wasn't burnt or damaged.

The brunette let out a long groan, obviously, a bit frustrated at her creations turn out before it faded out. "You know what, I'll just have to start over again! I think I have the perfect idea for a recipe too." She perked up once more, bouncing on the soles of her feet in excitement.

"No." Levi looked back at her.

"What? Why?" She stopped in tracks, asking for an explanation.

"You'll just end up burning them again," Levi stated knowingly, crossing his arms as he stared up at her.

"I'll put a timer on this time." Hange waved off his concerns, moving to grab the tray of cookies. She dumped them carelessly in the trash bin, placing the silver tray back on the counter top.

"You didn't have a timer on the first time?" Levi stared incredulously at her.

"I set it up but forgot to press start because I got too wrapped up in the recipe book I was reading in the process." She admitted sheepishly, opening the refrigerator.

"What kind of cookies were you trying to make?" Levi questioned, feeling irritated at her baking skills display having baked his entire life.

"Sugar cookies." She answered without missing a beat. "My friend is supposed to be coming over in a little bit. They were supposed to be done by the time she arrived but I don't think I'll have enough time now." She sighed out.

The charred lumps he had seen on the tray was the furthest thing from sugar cookies he had ever seen in his life. "Your cookies looked pathetic, Four Eyes."

Hange didn't look offended in the least at his words. "I'm aware, Levi, which is why -"

Levi sighed heavily, not in the mood for the brunette to fuck up the interior of his oven. "I'll make them for you." He offered, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"Huh? You would do that?" She brightened instantly, her brown eyes widened considerably.

"The last thing we need is for you to burn down the whole building. It'll be quicker as well, so they'll be done by the time your friend arrives." Levi told her as she reluctantly stepped away from the fridge.

"Levi, thank you so much for doing this. Honestly, you have no idea how much this means to me." Levi watched as the most sincere smile he had ever seen grace her lips. He looked away quickly, brushing off her thanks with a wave of his hand.

"I just don't want us to die tragically in a fire that you caused by baking cookies," Levi stated dryly.

"Of course, of course. I'm still extremely grateful, though." She continued on, moving away to give him some space in the kitchen. He looked like the type of person who didn't want to be disturbed while working in the kitchen, and she would respect that.

"Oh, by the way, I bought a Christmas tree today and I'm planning on decorating later. Is that alright with you?" She asked from her placed the island.

"You don't need my permission to decorate a Christmas tree." He told her calmly, before continuing after a pause. "Unless it's a real tree, then I do have a problem."

"You dislike real Christmas trees?" Hange echoed in curiosity. "Any particular reason why?"

"They make a mess, and I'd rather not have my home smell like a dog's pissing post." He explained offhandedly, swiping the jar of flour from the countertop.

"Nicely said." Hange smiled and snorted in amusement. "It's a good thing I opted for an artificial one, then."

Levi nodded his head once, and with that, he put most of his focus on mixing ingredients together in a careful and precise matter. "So, you bake, huh?" Hange spoke up, tried to start a conversation with him.

Levi looked up at her with a stare she deemed as belittling. "I own a coffee shop, Four Eyes."

"I didn't have enough time to observe your menu when I was there in all truthfulness," Hange responded after a quick search of her mind. "What do you usually make, then?"

"Cookies and cake." He answered simply. "Pre-heat the oven, three hundred seventy degrees." He ordered her absentmindedly.

"How informative." Hange plopped down on a barstool once she was done, setting her chin on her palm as she observed him in interest. "I should stop by your place once in a while. I pass it every morning on my way to the bus stop anyway."

"I wasn't hallucinating, then?" Levi droned out, remembering the brunette figure that would dash by the windows each morning around eight.

"So, you saw me?" She grinned, letting out a small laugh.

"Unfortunately."

As Levi kneaded the dough with his hands, he felt eyes tracing his every movement. Reluctantly, he lifted his gaze to the brunette woman who seemed fascinated by the simple gestures he was making. "I didn't make it into a dough, the recipe I used didn't mention anything about that." She noted in thought. "Maybe that's why they came out like that." She hummed to herself.

"No, they turned out like that because you fucking burned the hell out of them," Levi assured her in a bored tone. He shaped the dough into a round ball, letting it sit for a moment as he reached around to grab for an ice cream scooper. "Once I put them in the oven, it should take about ten or so minutes until they're done." He told her as he opened the oven door and slid in the tray carefully.

"Thanks again." She expressed her gratitude once more. "You're always welcomed to join my friend and I if you want? You should hang out with us, she's bringing over drinks too!" She exclaimed happily, awaiting his response.

Levi shook his head, declining her offer as politely as he could. "I'd rather not."

"You're so boring, Levi!" She teased him easily, and Levi stared blankly back at her. "Come on, it'll be fun. Drunk Christmas tree decorating doesn't sound appealing to you?"

"Not in the least." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Okay, then, how about you stay sober and supervise? Who know's what kind of mischief we could possibly get into?" Hange smirked inwardly as she plotted carefully. She would get Levi to hang out with her one way or another, no matter what it took.

"I'd rather have a bad case of the shits than spend the night with you," Levi stated dryly. He turned around and snatched a few paper towels, wiping down the table swiftly.

"Lying is a sin, my Dear," Hange told him in a sing-song tone of voice teasingly.

"I'm already in hell." He spat out in a serious tone.

Hange let out a boisterous laugh at his response before the timer went off, interrupting any snarky response she may have had. "Ah! They're done!" She shouted happily, hopping off of the stool and bouncing up behind Levi who was crouched over with two pairs of oven mitts on his hands.

He pulled out the tray in one swift motion before settling it on the stove top. "Don't tou -" His words were all but ignored as her fingers moved to snatch one off of the tray. She let out a short pained cry, hissing as she cradled her burned hand.

Levi rolled his eyes at her predictable behavior. "I was literally just saying not to do that, you idiot."

"I couldn't help it, they look so good." She pouted, turning on the faucet and running her fingers underneath the cold water.

"Wait a few minutes for them to properly cool down," Levi instructed her sternly, peeling off his oven mitts one at a time. "I'll be in my room. Try not to be so loud." He said as he walked out of the kitchen and down the hall.

Hange stared at his retreating form in mild disappointment. Well, during their small amount of interaction they had just had, her earlier crafted theory about Levi not being a complete dickhead was proven true. An average asshole would have just left her wallowing in self-pity, but he had offered to bake them for her, even if he had just used the excuse of her burning down their shared home.

Five minutes later her long time friend had arrived and Hange led her into the apartment excitedly. "Isn't it just fantastic?" She grinned widely, watching as the blonde woman scanned the area in a criticizing manner.

"It is." The blonde acknowledged, happy that her friend had finally found a home she could approve of. "I'm really happy for you, Babe." She turned towards the brunette sincerely.

"Shall we get drunk off of our asses in terms of celebration, then?" Hange quirked a brow, grabbing the bag that was held in Nanaba's grasp before trouncing towards the kitchen.

The blonde followed her with no choice but too. "Where's your roommate?" She inquired after a moment.

Hange glanced towards her as she grabbed two wine glasses from the cabinets. "He's in his room being grumpy." She huffed slightly at the reminder of Levi, pouring wine recklessly into the glasses.

"Well, how has living here been so far? I haven't really got a full summary yet, just half-assed texts saying it's been great. I need details, Han." Nanaba pressed the woman eagerly.

"Moving in was pretty smooth, well, except for the fact that Mike made me drop my bookcase down three flights of stairs. Other than that, my roommate is a bit of an anti-social dick, but he keeps to himself most of the time. Oh! And I've had to resort to hiding Sawney and Bean behind a makeshift science project that's not actually at all a science project but is actually just a couple jars of water with a few drops of food coloring, but my roommate doesn't know that tidbit of information, so."

Nanaba furrowed her brow in clear bafflement at her friend's ongoing ramblings. "Let's go back to the topic of your roommate." She suggested curiously. "You said he's a dick?"

"He refuses to partake in any sort of conversation with me, he has a stick up his butt, in general, actually. Besides that, I don't think he's a terrible person, in fact, he just made cookies for us." Hange gestured to the plated treats half-heartedly.

"Is this dickhead roommate of yours going to be making any sort of appearance tonight?" Nanaba questioned with a playful smirk.

"I don't think so, not unless one of us gets too rowdy and he shows up to scold us. Why, do you want to mess with him?" Hange laughed a bit, knowing her best friend loved to poke and tease people.

"No, I just want to see how he reacts to two plastered chicks decorating a Christmas tree." Nanaba shrugged her shoulder once, taking a sip of her drink.

"Which we should get too, honestly. Come on, we just have to set up the actual tree and we'll be good to go from there." Hange grabbed the plate of cookies, shoving her friend playfully into the living room where a large box sat on the wooden floor boards.

"Oh, god, we have to build it ourselves?" The blonde laughed a bit, a light and airy giggle that made Hange laugh alongside her. "This is going to be disastrous." She emphasized her statement by taking another sip of her drink.

"Have a little faith in us, Nana." Hange let a playful smile tug across her lips. "I need a knife, first and foremost."

"That is your opening statement to convince me we can do this?" Nanaba lifted her brow in amusement, watching as Hange took a swig of her drink before dashing to grab a knife.

The brunette slid to her knees as she made a move to slice through the tape that was holding the box opening together. Once it was slashed cleanly, she pried open the cardboard in excitement. "Look at this beauty!" She cooed upon lifting the first part of the artificial tree. It was the smallest meaning it was the top piece. She placed it on the side of her, they wouldn't be needing that until later.

The blonde plopped on the floor as well, wine swishing dangerously in her glass at the sudden movement. She pulled out a metal stand and looked it over in curiosity. "Is this what you place it in?" She pursed her lips.

Hange glanced up as she pulled out another piece of the tree. "Yes, that's it. I'm still not sure where it should be placed, got any ideas?"

Nanaba glanced around the room carefully, letting out a small, thoughtful hum. "How about right next to the window? I think it would fit nicely over there."

Hange looked to where she was pointing and nodded after a second. Admittedly not overly picky about where the decoration would be placed. "Sounds fantastic to me!" She offered her approval, letting out a light grunt as she lifted the final piece out of the box and made a move to attach it to the metal stand.

"Help, it won't go in the hole," Hange whined as she furrowed her brow in concentration. "Hold it still for me."

Nanaba burst into sudden laughter at her exclamation, moving to guide the tree carefully into its holder. "Oh, god, the wine is having effects on me already." She snorted despite her efforts not too.

Hange poked her cheek affectionately. "I forgot how you consuming alcohol reverts you into being an immature teenager." Hange let out an amused laugh.

"Alright, so what shall we do from here? Do you want me to spread 'em?" Nanaba snorted once more as the words escaped her own mouth.

"That'd be helpful," Hange said offhandedly, grabbing the middle piece and with some difficulty, managed to attach it to the bottom. "This is going to be so good."

"It certainly will be." Nanaba agreed wholehearted, taking a large gulp of her wine.

Ten minutes later and the pair had managed to put together and stretch out each artificial tree branch individually. It's forest green shade tinted white towards the edges, giving it the appearance as if it had been sprinkled with snow dust. "It needs lights!" Hange shouted while carrying her second glass of wine.

"Can't be a Christmas tree without lights." Nanaba easily agreed, her words muffled as she stuffed two cookies in her mouth at once.

"Precisely." Hange brightened, digging into one of her bags and finding a string of rainbow-tinted lights. She carelessly pulled them out, tugging on the ends to unravel them from their packaging. "I think I might need your help." She thought put loud, pursing her lips as she somehow managed to wrap her legs in the process of her untangling the cords.

"No problem." Nanaba hummed out, placing her hands on Hange's shoulders and forcibly turning her around until the lights were no longer encircled around her limbs. The blonde grasped the end of the wires, inspecting the plug. "You have anywhere we could plug this in?"

Hange nodded towards the wall, a few inches from where the tree was placed. "Perfect." Nanaba smiled, quickly plugging the lights in, watching with expectant eyes as they lit up brightly.

They got to work, and soon the entire bottle had been drained to the point of just a few remaining drops and the plate of cookies had been swiftly devoured. "Mike should be here." Nanaba murmured with an underlying tone of sadness.

Hange looked towards her close friend, her expression immediately evolving into an empathic one. "He'll be back in time for New Years. Perhaps you'll finally get your midnight kiss." Hange teased her with a slight smirk, nudging her with her shoulder as they stood side by side.

"Mike would contemplate kissing Gelgar before he thinks about kissing me." Nanaba rolled her eyes heavily, hanging an ornament. "I think it's time to take matters into my own damn hands." She stated determinedly.

"Oooh, and just how are you going to do that?" Hange poked her a few times encouragingly.

"I haven't thought that far ahead, yet. But once I make a move, he'll regret every moment he spent not being with me." She told Hange confidently.

Hange let out a loud cackle, placing the last ornament on the tree. The pair stepped back further to admire their piece of work, which admittedly looked like a mess and a half. The lights hung lowly, scattered and thrown, and the ornaments were hung closely together and not at all color coordinated. It didn't matter to Hange, however, she adored it all the same. "It's beautiful."

"It is." Nanaba agreed wholeheartedly.

"Wait, we forgot the star," Hange exclaimed loudly. She hurriedly ran to her room, returning after a few seconds and brandishing the silver topper to her blonde friend. "I'm too short to reach, let me get on your shoulders." She breathed out, obviously, a bit buzzed and past the point of noticing that the tree wasn't much taller than Nanaba.

The blonde nodded nonetheless, crouching down for the brunette to climb on her back. "Steady, Nana." Hange huffed out as the blonde swayed backward and forwards.

"I'm honestly trying." The woman responded with clenched teeth. Hange reached forward determinedly, plopping down the decoration hastily and sloppily.

"I got it!" She cheered out happily. Nanaba let out a small yelp as Hange's weight shifted as her arms flew up, she squeezed her eyes shut and prepared for impact as she lost balance and fell backward.

Hange's head smacked against the floorboards harshly, Nanaba's body had landed on top of hers as well, effectively knocking the air out of her lungs. "Ouch," Hange muttered in pain, her eyelids twisted shut as she moved to nurse her now throbbing head.

Soon, heavy footsteps began echoing throughout the hall and upon Hange re-opening her eyes, she was met by the looming shadow of her short roommate. "Hi, Levi." She greeted him sheepishly, she couldn't quite decipher his expression as he appeared upside down.

Levi raised an eyebrow at the two girls tangled together on the floor. "What the fuck is that monstrosity?" He eyed the Christmas tree.

"Our Christmas Tree, Levi! Isn't it beautiful?" Hange gushed out. Nanaba arose to her feet unsteadily, furrowing her brow forward at the sight of the man before her.

"Hello, I'm Nanaba, Hange's best friend. You're Levi right?" She introduced herself easily, placing her hands on her hips.

"Yes." He stated blankly. "I'm assuming you drove here, then?"

"Yep."

"I'll grab a few spare blankets, you can sleep on the couch." Levi rolled his light eyes, noting how she swayed on her feet.

"Thanks." She managed out as he walked away. "Wow, he's way shorter than I imagined he'd be from the way you were describing him." She told the brunette in a hushed tone.

"His face is broken, Nana." She murmured out in a sad tone.

"Oh my god, you're right." The blonde gasped in shock.

"I wanna fix it." Hange sniffled.

"How?"

"I don't know." She shrugged from her position on the floor.

Levi strode back into the living room calmly, a few light blankets bundled in his arms. He tossed them on the couch, before turning his attention to his roommate. "Go to bed, Four Eyes." He narrowed his eyes as she wiggled and shook her head, no.

"Fine, I won't stop you from sleeping on the floor. I don't want to hear any bullshit from you about your body aching in the morning, though." He tossed a light throw blanket to her, and it landed on her face.

"Thanks, Levi. Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite." She bid him good night.

Levi shook his head slightly, returning to his bedroom and hoping to forget the scene he had just walked in on.

Chapter Text

Levi glanced up from his phone once he spotted his roommate sluggishly traversing towards him. Her hair was frizzy and tangled together, sprouting up in random directions, and her pajamas were wrinkled and bunched up together. "I'm sorry about last night." She apologized instantly upon seeing him, her expression somewhat sheepish.

"I think your friend is in a coma." He droned out, gesturing with his head towards the sofa. Hange squinted her eyes at his words, having seemingly forgotten that Nanaba had slept over. She curved her head towards the direction he had motioned to, amusement trickling into her tired orbs at the sight of her friend's blonde hair poking out beneath layers of throw blankets.

"She's a lightweight." Hange shrugged her shoulders, a nonchalant expressing painting her tanned face. "Oh! You went ahead and re-decorated the tree. It was that bad, huh?" Hange noted aloud, surprise and amusement evident in her tone, facing him once more.

"It was horrid looking." He stated blankly, not a hint of apologeticness in his tone. "I hope you don't mind." He added as an afterthought, bringing his teacup to his lips. Hange couldn't help but notice the way he held the cup in his grasp as if touching the handle would make it fall off.

"I guess not." She hummed out. "It would've nice if you would've told me beforehand, though. A lot of work went into making that masterpiece." She joked around, a smirk playing on her lips.

Levi nodded his head once, and they fell into an uncomfortable silence. Hange tapped her fingers against the island granite in thought for a moment, before speaking once more. "I should make some coffee for Sleeping Beauty. She gets grumpy without any immediate dosage of caffeine upon waking up." Hange announced in amusement.

"True." The other woman spoke up in a drowsy tone from her place on the sofa. Both Levi and Hange looked over at her as she stood up unsteadily.

"Good morning! How's your head doing?" Hange asked in concern, scanning over the taller blonde.

"Fine, for the most part." She responded in a sluggish manner. "You must be Levi." Nanaba eyed him warily, plopping down on the seat across from the raven-haired man. "I'm Nanaba, nice to finally be introduced to you."

Levi raised a thin eyebrow at her slightly, vaguely recalling being introduced to her last night. He played along, however. "Likewise, after you crashed on my couch for the night.

"You mean you don't often have strangers get pissed drunk and sleep on your sofa? You must live a boring lifestyle, then." Nanaba countered his words with a slight smirk.

"If those are the requirements I need to meet in order to live a boring life, I happily will," Levi replied in a monotonous tone.

"Are you sure you don't need anything for a headache?" Hange tried again as she placed down a steaming hot cup of coffee in front of her friend.

Nanaba gave her a small warm smile and shook her head, wrapping her hands around the mug. "I'm fine, really. So, Levi, what do you do for a living?" She asked conversationally, taking a slow sip of her drink.

"I own a coffee shop." He answered her after a brief pause of silence.

"Oh, really? My dad owns a bakery. He insists that I'll be running it one day, but I'm not at all interested." She revealed easily, furrowing her brow down. "I'm a personal trainer, so it'd be a step in the wrong direction in terms of my career path."

Hange plopped down in a chair beside Nanaba in a lazy fashion, a granola bar dangling out of her mouth. "Don't you think it'd be the most ironic thing ever to say when people ask you what you do? 'I'm a part-time personal trainer, oh, and I also own a cake shop.' You'd be breaking a whole bunch of stereotypes with that one." Hange snorted, her mouth full as she spoke, crumbs tumbling from her mouth.

Levi huffed at her actions, narrowing his eyes at the brunette. "Do you have any manners, Four Eyes?"

"Plenty." She answered him cheerfully after swallowing.

Nanaba eyed the two of them in observation. "How have you two not killed each other yet?" She voiced after a second of glaring occurred from Levi.

"This is the most we've interacted in four or five days." Hange disclosed with a waving off hand gesture. "He's been avoiding me the entire week I've lived here." She continued knowingly.

Levi mulled over her words inwardly. So, she had been aware that he was avoiding her presence at any cost. Of course, she would've figured it out. Not that he was upset or even felt remorse for his actions, but Hange was a perceptive person and he should've predicted she would conclude what was going on. "There's no reason we should be actively trying to spend time together." He defended himself blankly.

"I disagree," Nanaba spoke up. "You should at least try and attempt to become friends. I lived with a dormmate in college for a year and she rarely even spoke two words to me. It was weird." The blonde trailed off into a slight grimace at the memories.

"You mean the girl with the long brown hair? What was her name again?" Hange scoured her brain for recollection to no avail as she looked towards Nanaba for an answer.

"I did as well," Nanaba admitted with a slight shrug. "That's what happens when you barely utter a word to someone, I guess."

"You don't seem a bit sorry that you forgot your dormmate's name." Levi pointed out dryly.

"I'm not because she was a stranger."

"You lived with her." Levi countered.

"Exactly!" Nanaba let out an exclamation of triumph. "That's my entire point."

"What, that you have a terrible memory?" Levi tilted his head slightly, hoping that upon irritating her she would drop the topic completely.

"You're a dick." She huffed out at him.

"Nothing I haven't been called before."

"Alright, how about some breakfast, you two?" Hange interjected with a loud clearing of her throat and a forced grin, placing her palms flat down on the table as she glanced between the two of them.

"No, thank you." Levi denied her offer with a small shake of his head. He didn't want to even go near one of Hange's cooking experiments after the cookies she had made yesterday.

"As much as I would love to have breakfast, babe, I think I have an appointment with a client in an hour and a half. I should get going." Nanaba's face was painted with an apologetic expression as she made a move to stand up.

Hange looked understanding as she mirrored the blonde's movements and stood beside her. "I'll walk you out." She offered with a warm smile.

Levi watched as the two woman left the room, leaving him alone in familiar silence he had grown quite accustomed to in the past week. He let a small puff of breath escape his lips as he brought his light gaze to his teacup. The contents within had long grown cold by now, and he had barely even taken a sip of it.

He wasn't even completely aware of what had occurred the previous night if he were being honest. He remembered falling asleep in his office chair after retreating to his room for the night and being awoken by a loud crash. He remembered how drunken Hange's friend was, and how he had retrieved some blankets for her, but that was the gist of it.

It was still odd to have unknown people in his home, sleeping on his couch, and greeting him in the morning when in his twelve years of being on his own he hadn't ever dealt with a situation like this one. Well, with the exception of Erwin's romantic encounters, which were rare and hardly ever did they attempt to converse with him. It would take a bit for him to settle into this routine, but he knew he was adaptable. He always had been when it was needed.

Hange returned after having walked down her friend, shooting him an easygoing smile. "Were we loud last night?"

Levi looked up at her. "I wouldn't know. I fell asleep and was woken up when the entire apartment shook." He explained calmly.

"Oops." Came her simple response, a sheepish tone paired along with it. "I didn't even think it was possible for you to fall asleep before midnight." She playfully jabbed.

Levi arose from his seat, grasping his teacup in the process and making his way over to the sink. "I didn't think so either." He admitted dryly.

"I was planning on curling up and reading today, but my head hurts so bad I don't think I can focus on anything." The brunette sighed out. "Want to read to me, instead, Levi?" She smirked at her proposition.

"I'd rather suffer from long-term constipation," Levi responded without missing a beat. His hands coated in soap suds as he made a move to rinse off the glass.

"You'd eventually die, though." She pointed out.

"Your point?"

"Fair enough." Hange snorted out. "That'd be a terrific way to go out, to be fair!"

"Shit overload," Levi muttered to himself, the scenario playing out in his head against his will.

Hange paused as she came to the realization that Levi was actually participating in her teasing and responding back with his own dry responses. This was definitely a start, she prided herself inwardly as they settled back into silence.

"You know, for someone who owns a Coffee Shop, you don't seem to drink a lot of it." She observed as he put away the cup back into the cupboard after drying it off.

"I've never been a coffee person." He stated after a bit of debation of whether he should take part in her obvious topic transition. This meant she would stick around longer, and he immediately regretted his decision as she voiced her next question.

"Interesting." She hummed out. "So, then, what made you want to open a business revolving around it?" She inquired, her brown eyes speculative.

"Wasn't by choice, Four Eyes." He told her simply, wiping his hand down with a dry rag before he placed it back on the countertop. He turned around to face her, frowning in distaste at her disheveled mane of hair.

"Ah." She voiced in understanding. "Family owned."

"Somewhat." He droned out, he made a move to walk past her and into the living room. Perhaps he should invest his free time into actually doing something productive that would take his mind off of things. What that entailed he wasn't exactly sure, but going for a run around the block didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"Where are you going?" She asked from over her shoulder.

"Out." He sighed out, grabbing his jacket and slipping it around his form.

"Have fun, then. It's cold as balls outside, though." She waved at him from the kitchen, wearing a large grin that looked ridiculous in his opinion.

With those last words spoken from the brunette, he ventured out the door and into the hallways where he was met by the sounds of conversation behind closed doors. He scoffed at the sound of bickering, as usual, his neighbors were almost always loud and obnoxious with little care towards others in the building.

The raven-haired man had seen people come and go throughout the years he had lived there. He had seen people's lives evolve, whether they had moved in with their significant other, had a kid, or in some rare cases, passed away. His life had more or less stood the same, up until now. He wondered if people had taken note of Hange's presence yet, and what they thought of her. He predicted that Hange would be acquainted with half of the people in the building by the end of this week, anyways, so it didn't matter much.

~

Hange hummed to herself as her fingers grazed over the pristine countertops. Christmas was exactly three weeks away, and she was planning on leaving on the twenty-first back to California to visit her family for the holidays. She planned on returning back home a few days after Christmas, preferring to spend New Years with her close friends rather than her parent's who reluctantly ever went out and celebrated.

This meant that she would have to go shopping for her family, as well as her friends. And it would be rude if she didn't buy anything for her co-workers, right? With this thought in mind, she reached for her laptop and plopped down on the couch.

"Mike and Nana, first." She thought out loud to herself, typing in a few words quickly in the search bar. Her eyes scanned the differing items with a scrutinizing gaze, overlooking each of the colorful bars of soap carefully.

Hange had lived with Mike for a month and a half, and during her time there she learned that he was absolutely smitten for Lush products. Particularly bath bombs. She browsed through the items in fascination, her brown eyes scanning through the descriptions of each of them.

Relaxed, soothed, confident, energized. She hummed in contemplation before her eyes fell on sensual. Perhaps this could count as a present to Nanaba, as well? She cackled loudly, throwing it in her shopping cart. She added the purple-pinkish one that she knew the blonde favored and the one that resembled a robot because she found it adorable.

She quickly paid and gave her address, typing in another website quickly. Nanaba loved anything to do with fitness, but Hange knew she was also stressed out to the max recently. The brunette racked her brain for any instances in which Nanaba had brought up something she'd been wanting. She grinned manically as she recalled an instance in which the blonde had stated she'd love for the two of them to join a few yoga classes.

She searched for a few local yoga places near to her and found a decently popular place that was closer to Nanaba's house which would be no problem. After scheduling a few classes, she moved on to her parent's.

Almost an hour later and she was finished with almost everyone, but still, there was a nagging thought in the back of her head. She knew exactly what it was, as well. She hadn't bought anything for her roommate.

She glanced around the apartment carefully, wondering what he would like. She noticed he read a bit from the few books that were placed on the TV stand, but she didn't know his tastes well enough to purchase him a novel of some sort. She dragged her eyes from the living room, where she took note of the abundance of cookbooks and cooking ware; it seemed he was more than set in that section.

What had she seen Levi often doing? She brought her eyes towards the ceiling as she recalled the moments she had actually seen Levi in the apartment. Glare, sit down, eat, drink tea. Drink tea! She punched her fist in the air as she came across a few ideas.

'Gifts for short people who like to drink tea?" She typed into the Google search bar with a grin. She squinted her eyes at the numerous articles that popped up.

'43 Unique and Useful Gifts for Tea Lovers' was the one that had caught her attention.

She scrolled through the list, mentally checking off each item she didn't find useful. Levi already had a kettle, a pretty darn expensive one at that. And while the idea of tea wine was intriguing, she didn't want his present to go to waste and him not even touch it.

"Oooh." She sang out as she came across assorted handcrafted teas. She was sure Levi would appreciate something like that, how could he not?

She clicked the link that led her to the website, spotting the category 'gifts'. She instantly clicked on the 'Rejuvenation Collection Deluxe Tea Chest', Levi would surely become her friend if she bought this for him, right? A little bit of bribery never hurt anyone...

But, in all honesty, she would feel bad if she left without leaving a present underneath the tree for him, regardless of whether or not he liked or disliked her. Potential brownie points from Levi was just a nice bonus.

She hovered her mouse above the description. The tea packet came in a nice chest that was light gray and flipped open, revealing the separately stored tea packets. This would definitely suit Levi who appeared to only buy things of the highest quality for himself.

Once the task was done and she had purchased the items, her light brown eyes once again trailed back towards the article. The notion of ridiculously designed tiny teaspoons was far too tempting to not check out.

Five minutes later and she had bought three teaspoons with tiny polka dotted neon colored teapots at the top of the handle. If she was recalling correctly, the twenty-fifth was not only Christmas day, but his birthday as well. A Christmas present was different than a birthday present in her mind, so this played out perfectly.

Satisfied, she closed her laptop shut with a hard thud and tossed it on the couch pillow beside her.

She still had a bit of a lingering headache, but that was to be expected, she supposed. The day hadn't started off on a bad foot, which she was thankful for. It proved that Levi wasn't appalled by her friends staying over, because this was her apartment as much as it was his, and he respected that, she could tell, even though he'd never voice it out loud.

She couldn't help but feel like she'd taken a small baby step towards being on friendly terms with the raven-haired man, and for that she was excited.

Chapter Text

Hange carelessly threw in piles of randomly chosen clothes in her carry-on luggage. The brunette was practically known for cutting deadlines close, but even she could admit this was irresponsible on her part.

It was a mere few hours before her flight was due for takeoff, and she had been so wrapped up in work and research, packing had completely slipped her mind. She frantically dashed across her bedroom, picking out necessities and tossing them into her luggage without a second glance. Her gaze flickered to the window where her beloved pets were hidden away from the line of sight. She had given Nanaba a strict schedule to come in and take care of them when Levi wouldn't be home. Hopefully, she would follow her instructions otherwise she would be highly disappointed.

She had called a cab over ten minutes ago, and if she was remembering correctly, it would only be ten more minutes until it would arrive. She whined at her lack of time, stuffing a few pairs of underwear in the overloaded storage.

"Oi, the fuck are you doing in here?" Levi appeared in the doorway; a scowl evident on his features. "Stop stomping around like a child. Do you want more complaints from the neighbors?"

"That was only one time, thank you very much." She told him lightly, not bothering to glance in his direction. "Besides, how was I supposed to know that their infant son was sleeping directly below us?"

"You shouldn't have been playing Just Dance at One in the morning, anyways." Levi rolled his light eyes, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe. His narrowed orbs took in the disaster that Hange called her room. Dirty clothes littered the floor, books lay sloppily on top of each other, snack wrappers and empty water bottles scattered across the entirety of the space. Not to mention whatever the hell she had lingering near the window; a various colored liquid put into tall jars that made him want to purchase a hospital mask every time he came near her room.

"What else was I supposed to do with all of the leftover energy I had from the Red Bull I drank?" She frowned in thought at him. She turned away once again and moved to sit on top of her luggage, beginning to zip it shut with some difficulty.

"I guess this is goodbye then, Shorty." She grunted as she lifted the heavy baggage off the bed and plopped it onto the floor.

"I suppose so." Levi responded montonuesly.

"Oh, one thing, I gave Nanaba a spare key and she'll be coming in to water my plants while I'm gone." Hange lied easily, giving him a wide smile. She strode past him, her luggage rolled behind her as she dragged it from its handle. Levi crossed his arms against his chest and reluctantly followed the brunette to the front door.

"I'll be back on the twenty-seventh so don't miss me too much." Hange playfully teased him, a smirk making its way onto her lips.

Levi scoffed openly at her words. "I'll try not too." He droned out in a blank tone.

"I should get going." She looked down the hall before returning her gaze to the short raven-haired man. "Have a nice holiday, Levi! Try not to overwork yourself too much!" She shouted as walked backward down the hall, still facing him.

Levi watched as her figure disappeared down the hall before he retreated back into his home once more, slamming the door shut behind him. Finally, a week of solitude without the loudness of his roommate. They had only lived together for a month and he was already happy that he was being given a break. A short break, but a break nonetheless.

He headed into the living room, grabbing his phone and placing himself soundlessly onto the sofa. He plucked his cell phone from his pockets, the light device sitting neatly in his palm. He felt himself wondering what Erwin was up to right about now, it was about nine at night his time, so he should have been home from work, right?

He huffed a bit, a little irritated that Erwin hadn't called in a little over a week. He sent occasional texts, but never a full on conversation which sat uneasily with the raven-haired man. He scowled and clicked on Erwin's contact name, bringing the phone to his ear as he waited for the blond to pick up.

"Hello?" A smooth voice sounded.

"Hello," Levi responded in a low tone, crossing his legs over one another.

"Are you alright? Usually, you never make an attempt to call me first." Erwin's voice was lined with concern, and Levi resisted the urge to frown at his words.

"I'm fine, offended that you think that way, but fine." He answered back. His ears catching the soft chuckle that Erwin let escape his throat.

"How are things over there?" Erwin ignored his retort easily, and Levi caught the crisp sound of paper shuffling in the background. Workaholic, Levi noted, not surprised in the least that he was most likely still working.

"Fantastic, actually, Four Eyes left for the week," Levi stated, pleased at the outcome of his holiday season.

"I'm aware of this. She and I talk quite often," Erwin revealed absentmindedly. "Have you decided what you want to do for the holidays yet?"

Levi drew his brows together in discontentment at the tidbit of information. "I want to do nothing." He told him blankly.

"Why don't you try inviting Mikasa over for dinner on Christmas Eve?" Erwin suggested lightly. "When was the last time you spent time outside of work together?"

Levi pondered his words, recalling the last time he and his sibling had been together outside of the shop. Had it been the time when it was raining heavily, and he had driven her to school when he saw her walking along the sidewalk?

"She's got a life of her own, she's most likely got plans with her friends." Levi let his light eyes trail towards the window. "I'd rather be alone, anyways."

"No, you wouldn't." Erwin sighed out. "How about this, then, at around six O'clock your time, you can facetime me and we can spend Christmas together?"

Levi felt amusement trickle in him at the proposition. "How romantic." He droned out. "It's good that you're putting this much effort into our long distance relationship."

"I'm glad you've recognized and hopefully appreciate my efforts." Erwin said in a deep playful tone, one that had Levi rolling his eyes.

"This place is quiet." Levi thought out loud. It was strange for the apartment to be vacant of any people for a long period of time. Whenever he was home, either Erwin or Hange would already be there filling the space with noise. Now that he thought about, it almost felt eery.

"Missing Hange already, Levi?" Erwin smirked.

Levi scoffed openly at his teasing suggestion. "Like hell."

"If you need some background noise, why don't you try to put the TV on?" Erwin proposed in a serious tone this time.

Levi lifted a thin brow, contemplating the idea briefly before he reached for the remote control. "Any channel recommendations for me?"

"You're just going to watch television while you're on the phone with me?" Erwin sounded amused.

"You're the one who brought it up, so don't act all upset." Levi defended himself absentmindedly, stopping on a channel that was projecting a crime show.

"You could at least have a bit of decency." Erwin sighed out, but Levi caught the lightness of his words.

"Our relationship is falling to shit, Erwin." Levi droned out, his eyes glued in slight interest as the woman ran from a masked figure holding a knife. "It's your fault."

"How is it my fault?"

"You fucking moved, Dipshit."

"Yes, but in return, you've also gotten yourself a good new roommate and friend." The blond stated, and Levi heard papers shuffling in his ear drum once again.

"What makes you sure of the fact that she's my friend?" Levi frowned.

"Is she not? Eventually then. By the way, have you gotten her a Christmas present? Or anyone a Christmas present, for that matter?" Erwin inquired in curiosity.

"I bought Mikasa a charm bracelet." Levi answered his question, watching as the woman on TV was brutally stabbed to death.

"And Hange?" Erwin poked him further.

"Should I have gotten a present for her? She won't even be here." Levi countered him in slight irritation.

"Something small will do, maybe a candle or two. She says you always complain about the smell of her room, so it will be a gift to you both." The pale-eyed man told him in thought.

"That'll give her the illusion that I like her." Levi snorted.

"What's so wrong with that?"

"What isn't wrong with that?"

"You're ridiculous."

"I'm hanging up on you now." Levi stated in a bored tone, not wanting to listen to his best friend any longer.

"Think about it, Levi." Erwin chided him softly.

"Good night, Erwin," Levi said in an equally soft tone.

"Good night." A quick click indicated that the blond had hung up the phone. Levi tossed the device next to him on the couch, fully devoting his attention to the pictures on the screen.

~

The morning of Christmas Day, Levi had awoken at Five in the morning despite his best efforts not too. He blearily opened his eyes, squeezing them shut before re-opening them once again, his ceiling slowly coming into focus.

He let out a soft sigh, feeling sluggish and groggy. Admittedly, he felt a bit odd at not having worked for two straight days in a roll; yet another reason he hated winter.

He grabbed his phone, his eyes catching a text from Erwin wishing him a happy birthday and a merry Christmas, with a reminder that he was going to facetime him later. The corner of his lips lifted in a slight manner, barely even noticeable.

To Erwin:

Merry Christmas. Don't drink too much, or you'll end up shitting yourself. That'd certainly be embarrassing to deal with in front of all your new foreign friends.

From Erwin:

Thanks for the reminder, I'll try not too.

The raven-haired man arose from his stiff mattress more than willingly, dropping his cell phone uselessly on his rumpled sheets. He would get to properly cleaning his room after he showered and ate breakfast. He figured that he could use a day of laidbackness, it was his birthday after all.

The soles of his bare feet grew slightly numb as he stepped onto the freezing cold tiles of his bathroom floor. He reached into the shower, turning the nozzle until it was scalding hot. He waited patiently for the small cold space to fill with warm steam before he shredded his sleepwear and stepped into the water.

The water that pounded against his throbbing skull lessened his headache a bit, surprisingly. He remained in a standstill position for at least five minutes before he reached over and grabbed for his shampoo.

The strong scent of lavender drifted throughout the room as the man harshly scrubbed at his skull.

Today would just be one of those days, he presumed. There was no one near him that would want to willingly spend the holiday with him, not that he could blame them, of course. Family and close friends were always the top priority. He could have invited Petra and Oluo over, but he was sure they would be spending time together and wouldn't want to be disturbed. He didn't want to interfere in their personal time.

Once he was properly washed, he stepped out of the invitingly warm shower space and placed his feet back onto the frigid tiles.

Once properly dried off and dressed he made a stop to his bedroom to grab his phone, traversing towards the kitchen. He tried to ignore the persistent feelings that hovered above his shoulder as he turned his kettle on and forced himself to focus on anything else but the holiday.

His phone buzzed twice on the counter, he furrowed his brow in bafflement, who else could possibly be up at this hour?

From Shitty Glasses:

Good morning, Shorty! Meppy Birthmas! :D

Levi rolled his eyes at her message. Of course, she would be up at five thirty in the morning on the day you're supposed to relax and be around family members. He scrolled further down to view her other sent text.

From Shitty Glasses:

I actually need to ask you for a favor. Would you be willing to do it?

He scanned his brain for any excuse not to but couldn't come up with anything. He might as well occupy himself with something other than sitting around.

To Shitty Glasses:

What is it?

From Shitty Glasses:

Ah, I knew you'd be awake! It's pretty simple, I promise! I need you to go down to the laundry room for me.

Levi raised a thin brow at this, what was she up to now?

To Shitty Glasses:

The fuck do you need from there?

From Shitty Glasses:

Don't ask any questions, please. You're the one who agreed to do me a favor! Go on, then, Shorty, get to it!

With a reluctant sigh, he slipped on his shoes and headed towards the door, his phone grasped firmly within his palm. He tried to ponder on what the hell his roommate could have possibly wanted in the laundry room, or why she wanted something, for that matter. She was miles away at the moment unless she wanted him to wash her clothes. Her favor would be immediately rejected, he wasn't her damn maid.

From Shitty Glasses:

Once you reach the laundry room, I want you to stop in front of the fourth washing machine and look under the lid.

Alright, this just made him even more confused than before. He could tell that she was planning something, but he wasn't exactly sure what it was. Nonetheless, just as she instructed, he stopped directly in front of the machine and lifted the lid skeptically.

There he spotted a yellow sticky note taped to the metal of the machine, with scribbled words written on it. He tore it off carelessly, holding it up to his face as he read the contents.

'Hello there, if you're reading this and you're not my roommate Levi, please put me back in my place otherwise you'll be ruining everything. DO NOT USE THIS WASHER, PLEASE!'

'If you're actually Levi and you're reading this, hi! Enjoy the journey you're about to be experiencing, it's going to be revitalizing (Sort of anyway). Moving on! - Now that you've found the first note, you should venture to the place where my trash resides. Hopefully, you can pick up what I'm putting down! ;)'

Levi stuffed the note in his pocket in one swift motion. Was Hange sending him on a fucking scavenger hunt? What was he, six years old? He flicked on his cell phone and typed a quick message to the brunette.

To Shitty Glasses:

You don't expect me to actually participate in this, do you?

Instantly, she responded as if she was eagerly waiting for him to text her back. Levi imagined her with her knees to her chest with that insane grin on her face, probably hidden in a dark closet or something of the like.

From Shitty Glasses:

Aw, come on, don't be like that! You agreed to do me a favor, you can't just back out now. Besides, it's not as if there's nothing in it for you, the end result is something I know you'll find worth all of the effort.

He read over her text slowly, before reaching into his pocket and unfurling the crumbled up note once again. What could she be hinting at? Her entire room was what he referred to as trash. Or maybe she was trying to deter him and was actually alluding to the trash bin.

He slowly walked back the apartment, passing countless doors decorated with festive wreaths, catching the sleepy hushed mumblings of neighbors in the process. His phone buzzed once again, making his narrow his eyes in agitation.

From Shitty Glasses:

Did you figure it out yet?!

To Shitty Glasses:

I haven't even gotten back inside yet, can you give me more than five damn minutes?

From Shitty Glasses:

It's okay to admit defeat, you know...

To Shitty Glasses:

Can you shut up for a minute? Fucking hell.

He swung open the door and thought carefully about what he had claimed to be trash that was Hange's. Her ratted old books that she kept on the coffee table in the living room? He was sure he had mentioned them to her before. With that thought in mind, he grabbed the heavy research book that sat plainly on the surface and began to flip through it. After a few minutes, he concluded that the book was a lost cause, and there were definitely no notes within it.

What about those granola bars she constantly devoured whenever she was home? Those were trash in his opinion, but he couldn't remember if he had ever said so in front of her face. "This is stupid." He murmured to himself as he stood up on his tiptoes and reached up towards the highest shelf, grabbing the green box with some difficulty.

After a quick peek inside, he confirmed that there was in fact, no sticky note placed in it.

He considered just giving up and leaving it as it was, but giving up wouldn't sit right with him for the entire day. He sighed and continued on, making his way down the hall before it finally hit him.

The night Hange had moved in.

She had brought in that garbage bookshelf that been destroyed amongst her move. He remembered her sitting cross-legged on the floor and trying to mend the furniture with an optimistic outlook. He swung open the door to her room, and instantly a soured expression was painted across his pale features as the stench of dirty laundry and body odor reached his nostrils.

He proceeded further into her bedroom with a strange sense of determination. He wasn't sure when he had become so invested in the idea of a scavenger hunt. Perhaps it was when Hange relentlessly teased him about needing help because he certainly wasn't interested in the 'prize' at the end. Either way, he pushed forward and reached the sloppily put back together book shelf that had chips and chunks of it missing. It also stood up lopsidedly and was supported up by a large stack of books.

His light eyes caught sight of a neon pink sticky note placed on the bottom of the middle shelf which held five or so thick books. He snatched it and quickly retreated to the hallway, his nose having had enough of the stench.

'Finally managed to find me, huh? Geez, that took so long I'm probably already occupied with opening gifts with my family, and I woke up and hour earlier to make sure nothing like this would happen!'

Levi rolled his light eyes at her monologue. He had wasted fifteen minutes of his life for this?

'Anyhow, this won't be so hard, promise. I left something close to me overnight here. Not too bad, huh? I believe in you, Short Stack!'

He scoffed at the nickname, crumpling up the note and stuffing it into his pocket where the other one was also held. Something close to her overnight? He gave a sigh as he once again made his way into the living room. He had an idea of what she was referring too.

Hange's friend Nanaba had spent the night on the sofa after drinking too much, and he was certain that was what the hint was. The brunette rarely ever left something important to her just laying around, surprisingly. Clothes, old novels, and general trash were placed sporadically around her room, but he could tell important documents meant much more as they were usually stored away from where he could see.

His chilled hands grazed along the couch cushions, overturning the four throw pillows that sat neatly on the furniture. Nothing, he frowned lightly. A deep buzz interrupted his thought process.

From Shitty Glasses:

I'm assuming you've found the second note by now. If you haven't, I'll outright tell you where it is, Levi.

To Shitty Glasses:

Shouldn't you be spending time with your family right now, Four Eyes? Stop harassing me instead.

From Shitty Glasses:

Aw, Levi~ Are you concerned about my holiday plans? How sweet of you.

Levi tossed his cell phone on the couch, ignoring the woman outright. The only place she could have placed it would be under the sofa cushions, as it was the only place he hadn't checked yet.

Once both of them were flipped over, he found what he was looking for. A bright green note stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the black interior of the furniture, and he plucked it right away.

'Note numero tres! Nice job, Levi I'm super proud of you for sticking with this so far. The next step is extremely crucial, alright? Keep on stickin' with me. This is something that you are reliant on each and everyday. it can be both warm and cold, a lot goes into making it, and without it you wouldn't be able to function. In my opinion, anyway. (Mind testing that out anyway? I'll get back to you about it once this is over.)'

What could she possibly be referring to now? Showers, perhaps? Cleaning supplies? After ten minutes of careful thought, he decided that this was becoming ridiculous.

He still hadn't had breakfast nor had he prepared the cup of tea he had been planning to have. The water that he had put on the stove earlier was most likely chilled by now, meaning he would need to reheat it.

Once that task was done, he reached into the cupboard blindly for a teacup. Upon grasping it, he placed it onto the counter without giving a second glance, he brought over the kettle and slowly began pouring the steaming liquid into the cup.

A bright blue piece of paper stopped him in his tracks.

How hadn't he noticed that before? Admittedly, he had more than a few teacups in the cupboard, but it was still jarring that he hadn't even caught a glimpse of it before this.

He smacked the kettle on the stovetop once more, and in annoyance, tore off the paper before it got damp from the steam.

'Okay, last one! I know, I know, for someone with such intelligence capabilities, this scavenger hunt was probably a tiny bit lackluster. HOWEVER, I do have a good reason for this because I may or may not have actually thought and planned this all out the night before I left. Oops.'

Typical, Levi inwardly sneered.

'Here's where it gets fun for you, though, Levi! I want you to travel towards the nearest thing that's green to you. Are you having a good look around? I sure hope you are. Also, at the time I'm writing this there's absolutely nothing green to be found but this one thing, so if you changed something around this entire adventure has been absolutely destroyed and there's no point to it. Get to it, Shorty!'

Levi scanned both the living room and the kitchen area with a bored, narrowed gaze. His pale eyes came across the only thing that stood out right away for him; the Christmas tree. He moved towards it in slow strides, not seeing anything out of the usual.

He felt around in the fake prickly pine needles, and after a minute or so, his fingers came across a strange texture. He pinched the sticky note with his index finger and thumb, pulling it out in one swift motion.

'You've reached the end of the road! Yahoo!!!! I'm so happy that you've made it this far! I've put two surprises underneath the tree skirt just for you, one for Christmas and one for your birthday! Congratulations, enjoy and happy holidays! :)'

Levi was more than surprised to see two neatly wrapped presents hidden beneath the deep red tree skirt, just as she had told him. He carefully grabbed the two boxes, one being much smaller than the other, and placed them on the coffee table.

With a quiet huff of breath, he wrapped his fingers around his phone and began typing a message to the brunette.

To Shitty Glasses:

What the shit is this?

From Shitty Glasses:

Ah, I'm assuming you've opened your gifts then?

To Shitty Glasses:

No.

From Shitty Glasses:

Then why are you texting me? Open them, Levi, hurry!

Reluctantly, his eyes trailed towards the packages once more. Did he even have any right to unwrap them if he hadn't gotten her anything in return? It was definitely a dick move, on his part, admittedly. She should have never bought him anything in the first place, it wasn't as if they were close friends.

Yet, it would be a waste of his time and Hange's money if he didn't accept the gifts. He had a good feeling the woman would be incredibly insistent if he rejected her offerings anyway.

He placed the heavier box in his lap. His fingertips inching towards the corner of the wrapping paper and carefully peeling off the tape on the corners until the contents inside were revealed to him. "A tea chest?" He murmured in slight surprise, expecting a gag gift or something of the sort. But, no, she had gone out of her way and had gotten him something incredibly thoughtful.

H ran his fingers over the smooth surface, trying to ignore the childishness eagerness he felt to make a cup of tea with one of the four choices he was provided with. Grudgingly, he placed the opened gift besides him and grasped the smaller wrapped package in turn.

This one wasn't as thoughtful as the former. But, he was still grateful that she had spent her money on him of all people, regardless of how stupid he thought they were. He held in his palm three tiny teaspoons with ridiculously colored teapots that were dotted white at the top of the handle. He was sure he'd never put them to use, but a gift was a gift, he supposed.

To Shitty Glasses:

You didn't have to buy me anything, Dumb Ass.

From Shitty Glasses:

Shhh, I wanted too! And all I want in return is your friendship, it's free and lasts a lifetime! Easy enough, right?

To Shitty Glasses:

How about a scented candle instead? God knows you need it.

From Shitty Glasses:

Hey! Is that any way to thank a person for buying you presents? :(

To Shitty Glasses:

Thank you.

He sincerely meant it.

Chapter Text

Levi wasn't surprised to hear his phone ringing when it did, it was six at night, meaning Erwin had actually followed through on his promise and was video chatting him. Levi was certain it was midnight; or at least close to midnight, in his timezone.

Upon answering, he was met with the calm exterior of Erwin Smith in a dim lit room, contrasting his sharp facial features. "Hello. Merry Christmas." The blond greeted casually.

"Merry Christmas." He responded steadily, eyes narrowing in an attempt to distinguish what was behind his friend's head. His best friend had never been good at interior decorating, it was pitiful really, so he was curious to see how his apartment looked in London.

"How did you spend the day?" Erwin asked in curiosity. Levi could sense the tiredness in his voice.

"I spent the day as if it were any other day." The raven-haired man leaned back on the sofa, eyeing the glass of red wine that was placed on the coffee table disinterestedly.

"Not even a birthday cake? A cupcake, even?" Erwin frowned through the screen.

"You know I don't like celebrating my birthday." Levi droned out. The only reason he had even gotten a cake previous years was because of Erwin's annoying insistence.

"I know." Erwin looked understanding, quickly changing the subject to something more lighthearted. "I was invited over to a co-workers house for a party this evening, and they were all very polite and well-mannered. It was refreshing, in a way, compared to the other Christmas parties I've attended in the past."

Levi recalled the several different instances in which Erwin had returned from a party and looked almost zombi-like. There was no hint of that tonight. Although his face was slightly flushed, meaning he had consumed his fair share of alcohol. "I'm.. glad." He admitted, and he sincerely meant it.

Erwin let a smile tug across his lips. "Are you not going to delve into further detail about your day? This long distance relationship is ridiculously one-sided at the moment." Levi breathed out shortly through his nose at the serious tone Erwin had adopted.

"Forgive me, Sweetheart." Levi deadpanned at him. "The only thing remotely interesting that happened today was Four Eyes quest hunt she sent me on."

"Quest hunt?" Erwin echoed in confusion.

"She placed notes around the place and sent me looking for them to find the presents she bought for me," Levi explained simply.

Erwin raised a thick brow at that. "Did she now? She mentioned buying you a gift, but nothing about a scavenger hunt."

Levi nodded once in confirmation. "She didn't ask you for advice regarding gifts, did she?" Levi inquired after a moment.

Erwin let out a small laugh, shaking his head, no. "She's very perceptive, she wouldn't need my help."

Levi hummed lowly. "She bought me a tea chest."

"Oh? You must be very pleased about it."

"I am." He admitted openly.

"Are you going to give her anything in return?" Erwin prodded him after a comfortable silence settled over them.

Levi had debated it, honestly. He didn't consider her as a friend, not even close, but it felt wrong to accept such a nice present without giving anything in return. If he merely took the gift, it would almost remind Levi of charity, which was a concept Levi disliked when it came to him.

"Not sure..."

"How about something simple then? It doesn't have to be extremely thoughtful, I'm sure she'll be thankful either way." Erwin suggested in thoughtfulness.

"I don't want her to get the wrong idea." Levi interrupted his thought process quickly.

Erwin's expression melded into carefully masked wryness. "Then you can live with the guilt of not giving her a present back once she returns home."

"Guilt? Who said I feel guilty? We aren't even close to being on friendly terms, Erwin." Levi stated with a scowl.

"All I'm trying to say is that a simple gift isn't going to be a death sentence. If it makes you feel any more comfortable, you can think of it as being even once you buy her something in return." Erwin sighed at his friend's behavior.

Being even, huh? Levi pressed his lips into a thin line, mulling it over. It wasn't such a horrible idea when he thought of it that way.

~

She scanned the crowded airport with a pensive gaze, not seeing any familiar faces amongst the countless amount of strangers. She had remembered Nanaba telling her that she would be right on time before she had even gotten on her flight back home. And yet, the blonde woman was nowhere in sight from what she could see.

The lanky brunette pulled out her phone from her pocket, typing a message to her best friend. She wasn't sure if she'd even see it by the time they'd find each other, which was inevitable at this point. Nanaba had never once failed to drive her home from the airport, and Hange couldn't imagine her stopping now.

Her phone vibrated in her palms, and Hange reluctantly tore her gaze away from the crowds in order to look down.

From Nana:

Babe, I'm so, so, sorry. I won't be able to pick you up, I got a flat on the way there. Mike's on the way to pick me up, gotta tow my car since I forgot to buy a spare...

Hange re-read the message ten times before her dilemma set in. How would she get home? Mike was occupied with Nanaba, she didn't think she had enough money on her to afford a cab home, and she definitely didn't want to disturb her co-workers while they were on break.

She scrolled through her contact list in a contemplative manner. She paused at Eren's name, wondering if he was busy at the moment. It wouldn't do any harm by trying right? She clicked his name and brought the phone up to her ear, hearing the insistent ringing dully as she waited for him to answer.

"Hello?" He picked up after a few moments.

"Hi, Eren, how have you been?" Hange immediately jumped into a topic of conversation, dragging her luggage behind her as she attempted to find someplace quieter. It proved to be impossible.

"I've been great, winter break and all that. I heard you went back home for the holidays, how was it?" He asked. She struggled to hear him properly but responded despite that.

"It was relaxing, I missed California weather more than I thought." She paused briefly, before continuing. "Hey, can I ask you for a huge favor?" She got straight to the point, desperately hoping he'd agree to do it.

"What is it?" He sounded concerned.

"I need a ride home from the airport, you have your license, right?" She questioned lightly, expecting to hear him say yes.

"Oh, ha, about that." He trailed off sheepishly. "No, I don't. Not yet, anyways." He revealed after a few seconds of silence.

Hange paused in thought. Well, what would she do now? This gave her very little options left. "Ah, I see." She sighed out. "You wouldn't happen to know anyone with a license around you, would you?" She inquired as a last resort.

"I do, but Mom's not home right now, and Mikasa doesn't have her own car." He informed her dutifully. "I'm sorry, Hange."

"It's fine, don't worry about it, Eren." She reassured him. She would just have to think of a different way.

"Um, have you thought about asking Levi to pick you up? I'm pretty sure he's home by now." He suggested after a moment of thought, his tone slightly optimistic.

"Levi?" She echoed his name. Truth be told, the thought of asking her roommate hadn't even occurred to her. She figured he would be busy and wouldn't have the time. Or, he could just flat out tell her no and hang up the phone. "You don't think he'd actually be willing to pick me up, do you?"

"Why don't you try it?" She could imagine the teenager shrugging his shoulders as he spoke into the phone.

"I suppose you're right." She hummed out. "I'll go and do that, then."

"Okay, call me back, if anything." He told her before she hung out the phone.

Here goes nothing, she inwardly sang as she began calling his number. One ring, two ring, three ring, four ring, fi-

"Something you want, Four Eyes?" He answered the phone.

Hange resisted the urge for the corner of her lips to turn upright. "Levi! Long time no talk, huh?" She started off cheerfully.

"You didn't answer my question." He pointed out swiftly.

"And you didn't respond to mine, but that's alright!" Hange laughed out, hoping that she could potentially soften him up before she asked him. "Are you by any chance, busy at the moment?"

There was a brief pause before he answered her question. "No. Why?" He answered, his tone almost suspecting.

"Well, I figured since you're not busy and all, you might as well come and pick me up from the airport." She threw out in a sickeningly sweet tone. She waited for his response with baited breath, hoping he'd agree.

"Why can't you just take a cab home?" He inquired disinterestedly.

"Not enough money." She explained in a simple manner.

"What about your friends, then?" He questioned further.

Hange remained patient for the most part, despite her stomach growling persistently in hunger. She had skipped breakfast and lunch today and had only consumed three sugary cookies before bolting out of her parents' door. She recognized now, that that was a mistake on her part. "Nanaba got a flat tire on her way here, and Mike is helping her with that. I don't want to bother my co-workers, Eren's mom is busy and Eren himself doesn't have his license yet."

"I was your last option, then?"

"More or less." The brunette admitted.

"Fine, but, only because I feel like I owe it to you." He agreed reluctantly.

"Owe it to me?" Hange raised her brow in question, obviously bewildered.

"For your gift." Levi clarified shortly.

She let out a small laugh at his words, amused. "Levi, you don't owe me anything. A gift is a gift, I wasn't expecting anything in return. While I would greatly appreciate you coming to pick me up, I don't want you to feel like you're indebted to me."

"Would you rather I leave you to spend a night at the airport, then?" He droned out in a bored tone.

"God, no." She responded frantically. "Fine, fine, you definitely owe me this. You coming to pick me up is only fair." She let out a small sigh, why was this man so difficult?

"I'll be there in a half of an hour." He told her blankly before the line went dead.

She spent the next forty or so minutes wandering around in boredom, looking for something interesting to do or see. As it turns out, people watching never grew dull, at least for her it didn't. It was two days after Christmas, meaning people were returning from their respective families and friends, and the airport was filled to the brim with interesting people.

And, also, restaurants, which just the thought of them made her stomach physically ache.

She traversed near the entrance of the airport, feeling drained of any remaining energy she had prior to getting off of her flight. Admittedly, she had barely even slept the entirety of her trip; the mere aspect of being with her family keeping her awake throughout the night. Her excitableness was both a blessing and a curse.

She perked up as she somehow managed to spot Levi in the midst of thick crowds, his short stature and grumpy aura making him hard to miss in her mindset. She practically dashed over to where he was, beginning to lose him in the chaos. "Levi!" She shouted in an attempt to catch his attention.

He whipped around as his name as called, which she found herself being immensely thankful for. "Why didn't you just text me?" She found herself wondering.

He seemed annoyed at the concept being mentioned which further baffled her. "I did. Ten fucking times, in fact, along with five phone calls." He glared daggers at her.

She slowly reached for her cell phone that sat in her front pocket, turning on the screen only to be met with the picture of a drained battery. "It's dead." She grimaced before her expression melted into that of cheerfulness. "Thanks a bunch for coming to pick me up!"

He walked beside her as she made a move to walk towards the exit, her burgundy luggage trailing behind her form smoothly. "We're even now." He recited to her blankly.

She nodded along despite inwardly disagreeing with the man. She wasn't in the mood to counter him, nor start a bickering argument that would get them nowhere in the long run. She needed food and warmth; seeing her beloved pets wouldn't hurt as well.

"Yep, completely and totally even." She hummed out in faux enthusiasm, practically dragging her sluggish form to the parking lot where Levi's car was located.

Levi side-eyed her warily. "You look like utter shit." He observed her quietly.

"You're not looking too hot yourself, Clean Freak." She noted as her sepia eyes fell upon the shorter man's face, heavy bags falling beneath his hooded eyes, just slightly darkened. They were a bit more noticeable than when she had last seen him a week ago, meaning that he was still struggling with insomnia; if even more so at this point.

An uncomfortable silence fell upon them after those words were spoken, and for once, Hange's brain lacked a conversational topic to bring forth. It irked her to see that Levi was fine with not conversing, even despite the uneasiness that settled between them.

They found and walked up to Levi's car in an uneventful manner. Levi opened the car's trunk without any prompting, letting her put her luggage in, as he slid into the driver's seat. Hange let out a quiet heave of breath, feeling her eyelids begin to heavy against her will as she closed the lid with a loud thud.

"I've never been so hungry in my entire life." She groaned out as she ducked into the passenger seat, cradling her stomach in desperation.

Levi shot her a look as her belly let out a loud rumble in response after a moment or two. "Oh my god, that couldn't have been any more perfect." She choked out in laughter, snorting through her nose.

Levi merely shook his head at her antics, pulling out of the parking lot and beginning their venture home. Hange let her head lean back against the headrest, letting her eyelids flutter shut as the smooth motions of the car lulled her to sleep.

She dreamt of flashes of blurred colors, bright blue and red amongst the most memorable. She could recall the flash of deep red fabric and the sight of the blinding sun making her eyes tear up as she stared directly up at it.

Reality blended into her subconscious as a deep voice sounded out to her. She furrowed her brow as she tried to decipher the tone, one familiar yet odd in a way that was unknown to her. She woke with a start, her brown eyes blinking blearily as disorientation settled upon her.

She looked to her left, only to see Levi slide his key out of the ignition and unbuckle his seatbelt. "We're here?" She managed out in a slurred manner.

He answered her with a short nod of his head before he climbed out of the car. She remained in her slouched position for a few more seconds before following in tow, slamming shut the car door behind her, the sound echoing through the parking lot.

"I left my bag in the trunk of your car, remind me to grab it later on, okay?" She shouted out to him, jogging to match his quick pace. Hange couldn't help but note that for someone with such short legs, he sure could move quickly.

"Jesus, Levi, wait for me." She huffed as she finally caught up to her roommate, still dreary from sleep. "Why are you in such a hurry? Poop coming out?"

"As a matter of fact." He droned out with a stoic expression.

"Then, you're completely justified." She chirped out as they stepped into the small elevator space, a light tone clear in her voice. "I'm so excited to be back home, I can hardly wait to start working again." She grinned widely at the doors of the metal contraception, her reflection staring right back at her.

"Likewise." Levi agreed with her wholeheartedly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Hange wasn't surprised to find that she and Levi saw eye to eye when it came to working. It was obvious, at least to her it was, that they were both workaholics that would be lost without their respective careers. It felt nice to know that she and her roommate had something in common because aside from that, there wasn't much else she could connect to Levi with.

"I hope you didn't go snooping through my things again while I was gone." Hange jabbed with a sly smirk.

He let out a soft 'tch' noise, his blue eyes narrowing further. "I went into your room for five minutes to get your stupid note and almost fucking died from the smell." He paused for a moment. "Trust me when I say I'd never willingly step a foot into it."

"Okay, I trust you." She stated with a small smile playing on her lips. "By the way, how'd you like your gifts? I hope you're putting those pretty spoons to good use."

"If by putting them to good use you mean sitting in the drawer, then absolutely." He told her monotonously.

She snorted in amusement, having known he would react that way. She wished she could have seen his face when he opened them. It truly was five dollars well spent. "Hey! I buy you a heartfelt gift and you openly admit to disliking it? That's cold, Levi." She exclaimed in an exaggerated tone.

From the glance Levi gave her, he knew she was joking around. "I do appreciate the tea, however." He admitted after the doors of the elevator opened.

She lit up like a Christmas at his confession, stopping in the middle of the hallway, pleasantly surprised and happy that he enjoyed his gift. "I can't believe you actually said that."

Levi looked over his shoulder, forcing the key into the keyhole. "What's so hard to believe about it?"

"The entire time I've known you you've been this cold, douche bag. No offense, of course." She amended quickly, walking into the apartment after him. "I knew you'd like my gift, but I wasn't actually expecting you to say it out loud."

He placed his keys on the island, looking directly at her. "I can easily take it back if you want."

She shook her head frantically. "No, no! I didn't mean it in a bad way! I think it's great that you're getting enjoyment out of your gift." She reiterated her statement carefully, moving towards the kitchen, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on her mind.

Levi watched disinterestedly as she prepared herself food. "You're friend came over every day while you were gone, any particular reason?" He questioned, his tone holding a tinge of suspicion, almost.

Hange looked up at him, smacking the two pieces of bread against each other, her sandwich complete. "I asked her to water my plants while I was gone." She fibbed easily enough, taking a bite of her makeshift dinner. "I didn't want to burden you with venturing into my smelly bedroom every day, so I asked Nana to come over instead."

"I didn't know you were so considerate towards me." He stated in a snarky tone that informed her that he did, indeed, know something was being kept from him.

"Of course, Levi, roommate's should look out for each other, right?" She winked before scooting past him and down the hall, intending to retire to her room for the night.

What she wasn't expecting to see greeting her upon walking in was a brand new candle set laying on top of her bedside drawer.

It smelled strongly of lavender.

Chapter Text

New Year's Eve was a day that Hange looked eagerly forward to each and every year.

When she was a child, her parents used to let her stay up past her bedtime in order to watch as midnight ticked by despite her heavy eyelids. As a teenager, Hange had discovered that she loved getting herself in trouble. She supposed it was because her parents were far too strict on her at that age, that she would venture out with friends and get drunk off of cheap liquor for New Years. Not a lot had changed as she matured into a fully functioning adult. The only significant difference being that she could legally obtain all the alcohol she wanted now.

She grinned at herself in the mirror as she studied the clothes on her body. She adjusted her pale pink blazer accordingly, smoothing down the white button-up shirt that laid beneath the article of clothing. She had paired the outfit up with a sleek black pair of slacks and men styled shoes.

She couldn't be bothered with fixing her hair, a messy ponytail would have to suffice for the night. She knew it wouldn't make much of a difference, either way, it would be getting messed up anyway.

Mike and Nanaba had promised to pick her up in less than ten minutes. They were going to be heading out to a newly opened club just a few blocks down from the apartment, and the brunette was more than excited at the aspect of getting out of the house for what seemed like years.

She could admit that she was somewhat over dramatic.

With one last look at her reflection, she slipped out of her room. "Levi?" She called out loudly, patting down her pockets to make sure she had everything she needed with her.

He poked his head out a few minutes later, his expression as blank as his tone. "What?"

"I'm on my way out! Are you absolutely positive that you don't wanna go? I can get Mike and Nana to wait a bit for you to get dressed, they wouldn't mind." That much, at least, she finished inwardly.

She had tried to convince him to tag along with her and her friends for the past three days, to no avail. The antisocial man was very, very stubborn, and refused to accept her offer. That didn't stop her from feeling sorry for him, however. "I'm positive." He reaffirmed as if they'd had this conversation hundreds of times.

She huffed at him, not expecting him to change his mind but still a bit disappointed. "Okay, then. I'll be off, enjoy your night!" She waved to him, slamming the heavy door shut behind her.

Upon exiting the apartment building, Nanaba's sleek black car greeted her. Mike sat slouched over in the passenger seat, his height exceeding the car's roof. While Nanaba waved at her in concealed excitement as she spotted her walking towards the vehicle.

"Hi!" She greeted eccentrically while sliding into the back seat. "Are you guys as eager as I am to bring in the new year?" She practically whooped out.

"Seatbelt, Han." Nanaba reminded her chidingly. "And yes, yes I am." Hange caught the sly smirk playing on the blonde's lips in the rearview mirror.

"Oh? Got anything special planned, Nana? Perhaps a midnight kiss?" She leaned as forward as her seatbelt allowed her too, carefully observing Mike's expression which remained unchanged.

"Hm? Well, you never know." Nanaba herself glanced beside her, not surprised to see the male unphased by her words. "You know, I'm pretty sure I heard that my ex is going to be at the club we're going to, too." She stated, her blue eyes flickering to her right.

Mike turned towards her at that. Hange watched the interaction with keen interest. "Lynne? Really?" He questioned with an intrigued look.

"Mmhm." She hummed in confirmation.

"Oh. It'd be nice to see her again." His voice was calm, as it always was. However, Hange immediately caught the very brief pause before he responded back as if to recompose himself.

Their conversation hadn't had the chance to go much further (Which was a shame considering Hange was just about to relentlessly tease Mike) before they arrived at their destination. The trio winced at the lined in front of the door, as Nanaba parked the car in the parking lot.

"Well, it's not as if this was unexpected." Hange huffed out, climbing out of the car, the other two following swiftly in tow.

The brunette felt instant regret at her choosing not to grab a coat before she left the apartment. She pulled her blazer tighter around her form as they placed themselves in line, the chilled air seeping into her skin, leaving her with a prickling sensation that made her increasingly anxious to get into the club.

Mike wrinkled his nose in obvious distaste. "My nose is being assaulted by the scent of cheap cologne and perfume."

"Do you smell Lynne anywhere nearby?" Hange tilted her head upwards to look at her friend, a sly smile playing on her lips as she spoke.

Mike shook his head once, no. "I don't."

"Well, isn't that a shame," Hange stated in a dry tone. Perhaps she was spending too much time around Levi. It seemed his monotonous was contagious.

It seemed Nanaba had recognized her tone, as well. "You just sounded exactly like your roommate." She pointed out in apparent amusement. "You two getting along any better these days?" She questioned in interest.

Hange paused for a moment, considering her question, before giving a slight shake of her head. "It's not as if we're constantly arguing and at each other's throats." She let her eyes trail over to the front of the line. "He's just insanely committed to not wanting to have anything to do with me."

The line moved up a few steps, and they all moved upwards accordingly. "Maybe you should try to discuss the way you feel with him," Mike suggested softly.

Hange snorted through her nose. " I've tried more than a few times. He shoots me down almost instantly, and leaves the room shortly afterward."

"I think he just needs some time to get used to you, Babe." Nanaba chimed in, shooting her a comforting smile. "Afterall, who could muster up the strength to stay away from you for so long? You're impossible to dislike." She nudged the brunette playfully with her shoulder.

"Mike, do you agree with Nana?" She poked her tall friend in the ribcage.

"Of course I do. You, more than anyone, should know that Nanaba is always right." He answered her without a moment's hesitation.

Hange felt a warmth spread throughout at their words of reassurance. "You bet your ass I'm always right," Nanaba exclaimed in a smug tone.

They were let into the club no more than five minutes later, and Hange felt excitement bubbling within her chest as they walked in, scanning the crowded environment with a large grin. Loud music blasted from a stereo system, the bass thumping rhythmically. She felt the floor vibrating beneath her feet.

She felt Nanaba tug on her jacket, and she turned to her to see which direction she was pulling her. An excited whoop escaped her lips as she spotted the bar nearing. "First round's on me," Nanaba yelled loud enough for her to be heard over the music.

The brunette wasn't about to refuse her offer by any means.

Nanaba leaned over the counter and shouted her order at the bartender. Hange wasn't sure what the blonde had ordered, but she knew she'd drink it either way, regardless of her taste preference. "One for you." She turned around and handed Hange a shot glass. "One for you." She turned to Mike, placing a glass in his hand, as well.

He handed it right back to her, shaking his head once. "Designated driver." He stated in a simple explanation.

She shrugged her shoulders, now holding two drinks in her hand. "Fine, then. Two for me." She made a motion to clink their glasses together.

Hange connected their glasses with a cheerful laugh before tilting her head back and downing the shot in one swift motion. She hissed as the burning liquid trailed down her throat before she re-opened her eyes and grinned at her two friends. "Let's dance!" She grabbed Mike and Nanaba by their sleeves, dragging them through the crowds of people into the midst of the dancefloor.

Mike looked awkward and uncomfortable as he made little to no effort in moving his body. Hange nudged Nanaba insistently, nodding in the tall man's direction. "This is your chance, he's hopeless." She told the blonde in as quiet of a tone as she could over the loud speakers. Mike didn't look as if he'd heard their conversation.

Nanaba looked up at him in contemplation before she grabbed his hands and forced him into moving along to the beat. Hange held in her teasing words as she watched her friend attempt to find any sort of rhythm to the music, he looked like a fish out water.

~

As soon as Hange had left the apartment, Levi had changed into a plain white t-shirt and a pair of dark pajama bottoms. His plan for the night was simple, really; relish in silence that he had been deprived of since Hange had returned home. He was more than content to lounge out on the sofa with a glass of wine, and a shitty movie to keep him somewhat entertained throughout the night.

His plans, however, were tarnished as his doorbell rang, disturbing the peaceful silence. He blinked towards the door in question, wondering who would show up at his apartment so late at night. Nonetheless, he made his way towards the door and cracked it open.

He hid his surprise at the sight of his little sister, her gaze steadily trained on him. "What are you doing here?" He asked her instantly, swinging the door all the way open.

She hesitated briefly before her features hardened. "I don't want to talk about it right now. Can I stay over for a little bit?" She inquired, peering over his shoulder and into the apartment.

Levi raised a thin eyebrow at her, before nodding his head shortly. "No one's here." He stated upon seeing her curious gaze. "Come in." He stepped aside, watching as she walked into his home in an almost cautious manner.

Silence blanketed the two of them as Mikasa's gaze wandered around. Levi stood behind her, unsure of what to make of the situation. "Does your father know you're here?"

She turned around and shook her head. "He doesn't."

"I'm not going to deal with any bullshit in the morning from him." Levi rolled his light eyes, dreading the idea of his mother's husband lecturing him because of him being irresponsible.

"I'll take care of it." She assured him.

"Do you want something to drink?" He questioned, watching as she placed herself down on the sofa, obviously uncomfortable being in his home.

"I'm fine." She declined his offer. At this point, Levi knew something had happened for her to be so distant. Mikasa was a quiet person; she always had been. But, this was different, she was obviously distraught by something, and Levi wasn't sure how to approach her in this type of situation.

"I'm making you a glass of tea." He told her in a monotonous tone. He wasn't interested in his sibling's personal life, so if she didn't want to tell him what had happened, he wouldn't pry.

As he made preparations to make her a glass of tea, his gaze trailed towards the clock on the wall. It was almost eleven O'clock. Had she walked here by herself? He knew the teenager could take care of herself just fine, but it was New Year's eve and the streets were a bit rougher than usual.

He placed the teacup carefully down on the coffee table in front of her, before letting his body sink down into the couch cushions. "I knew you would be home. That's why I came to you." Mikasa spoke after a few minutes of uneventful silence passed.

"Well, if your assumption was wrong, you'd be up shits creek without a paddle." He droned out, his attention solely on the television screen before him.

"Yes, but I knew I was right." She paused before continuing. "You don't have any friends to hang out with tonight." She stated matter-a-factly in a blank tone of voice.

Levi turned his head and glared at the teenager. "There's nothing preventing me from throwing you out on your ass."

She grew quiet once more as his empty threat was made. "You're not going to ask me why I'm here in the first place?"

Levi side-eyed her from where he sat beside her. "No." He said blankly.

She sighed, burying the lower half of her face underneath the red scarf around her neck; a habit she did when she was nervous or saddened. "Can you put on the New York ball drop?" She requested in a small voice unlike her.

He drew his brow together slightly, but nodded and changed the channel. "Why aren't you with -"

"Please, Levi." She interjected swiftly, and Levi quieted once again. "I just.. I want to forget about some stuff right now."

"Fine, but if you plan on propping your feet up on the couch, you better take off your damn shoes." He muttered in irritation.

She rolled her eyes at him but shimmied off her shoes despite herself. She let her black boots fall with a thud onto the carpet, leaving them to sit there. The two black-haired siblings fell into a comfortable silence after that, both not having anything to say as they intently watched the television screen.

~

Hange was more than intoxicated at this point.

She had consumed more than five shots of hard vodka, and a few beers on top of that. Nanaba seemed strangely sober despite the two drinks she had drunk earlier in the evening. It was an odd turn of events.

It was nearing midnight by now, Hange realized as she stopped moving along to the beat of the music. "Nana, there's only a minute left until midnight! Go, make your move." She urged the blonde, her words carrying an encouraging tone.

Nanaba nodded her head in a determined manner, glancing towards Mike whose gaze was encaptured by the large timer on the projector screen. "Right, right. Wish me luck, okay?" She smiled softly at the brunette, her light blue eyes crinkling slightly.

Hange pushed the blonde towards Mike in excitement. A grin quickly spread across her lips as she watched Nanaba drag their tall friend towards a more secluded part of the club, but not so much that they were hidden from her view.

"Ten!" The crowd began to shout, as Hange joined them in excitement.

"Nine!" The music began to quiet a bit as they started counting down.

"Eight!" The projector screen showcased bright changing colors as the numbers dwindled down, reflecting on her glasses lens.

"Seven!" Hange bounced on her heels in anticipation, eager to begin celebrating.

"Six!" She turned her gaze from the projector screen to Nanaba and Mike, unable to help herself from viewing the private scene.

"Five!" Nanaba leaned upwards slightly, her face concealed by shadows, but Hange was certain her entire face was flushed a bright pink.

"Four!" Mike tilted his head as if he was bewildered by the woman's behavior, placing his hands on her upper arms to steady her as she stumbled slightly.

"Three!" Hange held back her squeal as they both stared into each other's eyes, the countdown all but forgotten by now.

"Two!" It seemed Nanaba had lost her nerve a bit as she pulled back, not looking directly at the man in front of her.

"One!" Mike pulled her back in, his fingers cradling her chin as he made her look up at him. Hange gaped openly at the scene.

"Happy New Year's!" They pair leaned in closer until their lips met. Mike cradled her face in his hands while Nanaba pulled him down towards her by his shirt collar firmly.

Hange let out a loud cheer, jumping up into the air before her feet touched the floor once again. She pushed passed the thickened crowd determinedly, making her way towards her friends who were now holding each other in a happy embrace. "Finally!" She grinned pouncing onto them both.

They laughed loudly at her exclamation, wrapping their arms around her as well. "Happy New Year!" Nanaba managed out, despite her ribcage being squeezed tightly.

"Let's get this party started, then!" Hange dragged the two of them towards the bar once again, happiness evident on her facial features.

~

Mikasa had fallen asleep as soon as the clock portrayed it was one in the morning, her head leaned back on the couch, her expression peaceful. Levi heaved a small sigh, maneuvering her form gently so that she laid onto the couch completely.

Her dark eyes flickered open immediately, which Levi had predicted would happen. "What are you doing?" She murmured out tiredly, her speech uncharacteristically slurred. Her gaze still remaining unfocused as she tried to make out his features in the darkened room.

"Trying to make it so that you don't wake up with a sore neck in the morning, Brat." He explained in a patient tone, moving to stand up straight. "I'll be back." He told her as he watched her eyelids flutter shut once again.

He walked back into the living room a moment later, a thick blanket bundled up in his hands. He silently peered over the teenager, not shocked in the least that she had fallen right back asleep. Levi draped the blanket over her body carefully, knowing that if he was too reckless she would awaken once more.

He gave her one last long glance before returning to his bedroom.

It was about two in the morning, and Hange had yet to return home. He suspected that she wouldn't be home for awhile, she seemed like the type of person who stood until the end of an event, completely oblivious to those around her and the dispersing crowds, until she was the only person still on the dancefloor. Levi felt embarrassment for her because she sure as hell wouldn't feel it for herself.

His night had been a bit unpredictable than most; his original plans did not involve his younger sibling, but it's not as if he thought that was a bad thing. It had been quite awhile since the two of them had spent time together.

He climbed into his bed, knowing that sleep was bound to escape him yet again tonight. His insomnia hadn't improved nor had it worsened through the past month or so, it hadn't been as bad as the first night Hange had moved in; which he was thankful for. Even so, each night he had only managed a solid three or so hours of sleep, the rest of the night was spent with a blank mind and staring up at the ceiling.

His thoughts eventually trailed back to his roommate, although he wasn't exactly sure why they did. It was two thirty in the morning now, and he hadn't heard the door open nor shut, meaning she hadn't returned yet. He turned to lay on his back, sighing quietly as he blinked blankly up at the ceiling. He wasn't too concerned; she had gone out with her close friends, not by herself.

She was a grown adult who seemed highly capable of handling herself. Levi forced his thoughts to stray away from his loud roommate, annoyed at both himself, and her, for making him slightly concerned about her wellbeing.

He remained awake until five in the morning. The door still hadn't been open nor had it been closed.

Chapter Text

Levi stirred vaguely, his form drenched in drowsiness as his body slowly and reluctantly swam to consciousness. His light eyes snapped open as light footsteps resonated throughout the apartment; was Mikasa awake already? He wondered, his gaze flickering towards his alarm clock which read seven O'clock.

He had slept a total of two whole hours the entire night.

With a light sigh, he stretched his limbs and climbed out of his bed in a sluggish manner, fully intent on striding into the bathroom to start his morning routine. Once he was finished washing his face and brushing his teeth, he entered the living room area and was greeted by the sight of his sister showered and dressed, hovering over the stove. "Why are you awake so early?" Levi asked her dryly while observing her.

"I couldn't sleep." She answered him in a simple manner, flipping over a pancake. "I've learned a lot about you in the short time I've spent here, by the way." She stated, shooting him a glance over her shoulder before turning her attention back to her food.

Levi raised a thin brow at her words. "Like what?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know what her answer would be.

"You prefer to use womanly scented soap in the shower, which is weird." She deadpanned as she plated the food, handing him the dish nonchalantly.

Levi glared at her, before reluctantly grabbing the plate and sitting down at the kitchen table. The raven-haired teenager joined him a few seconds later. "There's nothing wrong with that." He defended himself.

"There isn't." She admitted out loud. "But, it doesn't change the fact that everyone thinks you're this terrifying person, but in reality, you're a tiny clean freak who uses the body wash scent of 'Lavender Lilac'."

"Did you come into my home last night to poke fun at my life choices?" Levi said in a bored tone of voice, taking a bite of his food. "Your pancakes are dry as hell." He told her bluntly after swallowing, before taking a swig of his drink.

Mikasa stared him down. "You're welcome for the food."

"I don't remember thanking you." He responded dryly.

"Your roommate didn't come home last night," Mikasa told him after a few seconds of silence.

Levi met Mikasa's gaze in slight surprise. He expected the brunette to return home after he had fallen asleep. He hadn't read her as the type to go home with a complete stranger. Or, perhaps he had read her entirely wrong and she was that sort of person. It wasn't his business either way. "Are you sure she didn't?"

Mikasa nodded her head in confirmation. "I'm sure. You don't think something happened to her, do you?"

Levi wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that question. Still, the irrational thought that perhaps something had happened to her last night lingered in the back of his mind stubbornly. "She's smarter than that." He said unsurely after a few seconds of contemplation.

Mikasa nodded her head slowly at his response, shuffling her food back in forth in her plate absentmindedly. Levi eyed her movements, figuring it was about time he brought up her unusual behavior. "Are you going to tell me why you came over yesterday?" He broke their quietness with a firm tone.

"I knew you were the only one who wouldn't persistently question what was going on." She answered him in an honest matter, not meeting his gaze.

Levi wasn't sure if he should feel good or bad about her confession. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." She let the corners of her lips fall downwards. "Eren and I got into an argument last night." She revealed distantly.

"About what?" He pried.

"He told me that he was thinking of attending a college out of state." She murmured, obviously deflated as she remembered the words they had spoken to one another.

"What's wrong with that?" Levi didn't see the issue with what Eren wanted to do. The kid was independent as hell and seemed more than eager to branch out on his own once he was old enough.

Mikasa glared at her brother. "He's going to be leaving behind his aging mother, for one." Levi couldn't empathize with Mikasa on this one, and he wondered if she was aware of who she was talking to in this situation.

"I think that the issue has more to do with you than it does with him. You're afraid of change." Levi stated matter-a-factly.

"You don't know anything." She retorted with a glare.

"If you're so scared of him leaving you behind, why don't you say something to him?" Levi could never understand why teenagers made everything so needlessly difficult all of the time. "I'm sure he would understand where you're coming from."

"He'll just think I'm being overly motherly, or clingy again." Mikasa pushed away her plate, having taken three or four bites of her food.

"It's not like you know that for sure." Levi tried to reason with her. "If this is such a big issue for you, why haven't you considered going with him?"

"I have." She admitted in a shielded manner.

"Then, what's the problem?" Levi rolled his light eyes.

"It's not as easy as you're making it seem." She glowered at her older brother.

"Of course, it isn't," Levi stated dryly.

Levi got up from his seat, gathering his dish as well as Mikasa's and plopping them down carefully in the sink. His thoughts trailed back to his roommate despite his best effort for them not too. Perhaps she slept over at a friend's house, having been too intoxicated to wander anywhere else? The thought that something had happened to her didn't sit well with him; he wasn't that much of a dick that he wouldn't be phased by his roommate's disappearance, regardless of how annoying he thought she was.

"Do you have a phone charger around?" The teenager inquired from behind him.

"It's in my room, right next to my bed." Levi sighed out, not bothering to look behind him. "What do you think I charge my phone with? A wing and a prayer?"

Mikasa eyed him blankly. "It wouldn't surprise me. You're weird."

Levi barely resisted the strong urge to drench her with the water hose attachment. "Can you just leave my house already?"

"I can't leave without my phone being charged. You don't want to be responsible for when I get kidnapped walking home, and I was never heard from again, do you?" She walked towards his bedroom swiftly, returning a few seconds later with his charger. He watched as she plugged it in and laid it down on the kitchen island.

"I can drive you home," Levi stated in an absentminded tone. He turned off the sink faucet after rinsing the soap suds off of the last plate, reaching for a dry dishtowel as he began drying off his hands.

"Thank you." She said in a shielded tone after a few seconds of hesitation. "For everything." She added quietly.

Levi brushed off her words easily; he wasn't supposed to be thanked for trivial gestures such as letting his sister sleepover or driving her home. It wasn't like he was donating one of his kidneys. "Just tell me when you're ready to go." He droned out, watching as she nodded and settled back on the sofa, her charging phone cradled in her palms.

After ten minutes, she stood up and wandered over to him, tapping him twice on the shoulder in order to get his attention. He looked up, grabbing his keys which were laid out on the table in front of him. "Eager to leave?" He raised a thin brow, standing up.

"Yes." She answered him bluntly, although Levi caught the slight amusement circling in her dark eyes.

The ride to Mikasa's house was quiet and filled with distantly playing eighties music on the radio, both Ackerman's content with not speaking. "Turn right." Mikasa directed him blankly, her dark eyes focused on the houses they were passing by.

Levi did as he was told before she mumbled out a quiet stop. It was the third house on the block, and it looked just as Levi remembered it from his childhood. It was painted a pale yellow, which Levi disliked even back then, the lawn was neatly kept, thick and a rich green, a white picket fence surrounding it. Levi recalled a time when Mikasa's toys had littered the grass; dolls, bikes, and scooters, one of those cars that you needed to move manually with your feet.

Mikasa unbuckled her seatbelt, opening the front door and sliding out of her seat gracefully. "I'll see you tomorrow." She offered as a goodbye, her palm wrapped around the door as she leaned down to catch his expression.

Levi nodded silently. "See you tomorrow, Brat. Good luck." He sent her a knowing look. She huffed and slammed his door shut in response before jogging up to her front door and entering the house.

Levi shifted gears and quickly zoomed out of the neighborhood, not wanting to linger in the area for longer than he had too.

~

Hange woke up disorientated with a pounding headache right between her eyes. She let out a low groan as light flooded into her senses; the sun was surely mocking her for the mistakes that were made last night, she concluded drowsily.

"Good morning." A deep voice called out to her. She squinted her eyes instinctively, despite her being fully aware that it wouldn't do any good. Wait - where had she put her glasses, anyway?

"Mike?" She sounded out, wincing at the hoarseness of her voice. That's what three hours of consistent screaming and singing would do to you.

"You're more messed up than I thought you'd be." She heard heavy footsteps near her and lightly huffed at his amusement towards her misery.

"Glasses?" She questioned as she spotted two white blurred shapes in his hand and a glass filled with what she assumed was water in the other.

She took the pills that Mike handed her and drowned them down with a quick gulp of water. "Where are my glasses?" She repeated more specifically, the cool drink doing wonders for her parched throat.

She could make out the way Mike's features shifted into something that resembled empathy. "You cracked both of the lenses when we were leaving the club last night."

She grimaced outwardly. That was what she had assumed had happened. "How?"

"You dropped them when you faceplanted on the cement, and I stepped on them afterward while trying to pick you up off of the ground." He explained plainly, and Hange heard footsteps nearing her once more.

"You're up! We thought you entered an alcohol induced coma, for a minute there." Nanaba made herself known, standing directly beside Mike.

"I didn't drink nearly enough in order for that to be a legitimate concern." Hange brushed her off nonchalantly. "Hey, why aren't you as hungover as I am?" She frowned in thought, observing the tall posture the blonde possessed. Usually, after a night of drinking, she would be huddled in a tiny ball on the bathroom floor.

"I only had two drinks to your eleven," Nanaba answered her question.

"Wait - you two totally sucked each other's faces off last night!" Hange laughed loudly, ignoring the deep throb in her temples that the action caused. Even without her glasses, she could see the redness that dressed the features of her closest friends. "Oh my god, I can't believe this is finally happening. Please tell me you're together now?" Hange grinned expectantly.

"I - no, I mean, at least, I don't think we are. Are we?" Mike turned towards the shorter blonde beside him, flustered. Uncertainty apparent in his gestures and tone.

"Well, then." Hange clapped loudly, gathering their attention. "You two obviously have a lot to talk about, so I'll be on my way out." She smirked as she pushed herself up to her feet. Hange stretched, hoping to ease the tension that had gathered in her spine from sleeping the entire night on the floor.

"Wait, Han, you can't just go home by yourself without your glasses." Nanaba instantly protested, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder before she could move to slip her feet into her shoes.

"I'll be fine, Nana." She brushed off the blonde's concern.

"I'll drive you home, don't even think about arguing about this." She stated firmly, moving to grab her keys. Hange nodded her head slowly, knowing there would no point in protesting.

Once they had left Nanaba's apartment, the blonde sighed, obviously filled with thoughts that needed to be voiced. Once fully situated in the car, she turned to her brunette friend who had just finished buckling her seatbelt.

"Do you think I made a mistake last night? Maybe I shouldn't have kissed him." She furrowed her brow forward in outward contemplation.

"Do you regret it?" Hange leaned back in her seat patiently, knowing the answer she would get.

"No." Came her quick response.

"Do you think he didn't like it?" Hange questioned further.

"Judging by the way he kissed me back, no." Nanaba hummed out in thought.

"Well then, I don't see the problem you're having." Hange smiled warmly. "It's obvious that you both mutually feel the same way. All you have to do now is admit it to each other's faces, easy peasy." She tried reassuring her friend.

"This is so silly. We're not in highschool, it shouldn't be this hard to tell someone you think you're in love with them." She ran a hand over her face, huffing as she started the car.

"It is when you're extremely close to someone and you're afraid they won't look at you the same way afterward. You guys have a really nice relationship as is, but, it's not a sin to want something more." She paused briefly before continuing. "Trust me when I say he feels the same way." Hange comforted her and felt confident in her words; she wouldn't have said them otherwise.

The drive towards Hange's apartment was filled with idle chatter and Nanaba retelling the night's extravagance, much to Hange's amusement. She was glad that in a moment's like this one, she hardly ever felt embarrassment or something similar. It merely slid off of her shoulder's as she laughed at her own self.

"Do you need my help -" Hange quickly interrupted her before she could complete her sentence.

"I'll be fine, Nana. Now, go back to Mike and talk things out. I better get hourly updates with thoroughly described details, as well." She jested lightly, moving to get out of the car. "I'd wish you good luck, but I know you won't need it." She winked, slamming the car door shut before bounding towards the front doors of the apartment building.

She was thankful that there had been another person in the elevator beside herself because while she wouldn't be opposed to getting ridiculously close to the numbers, she'd prefer just asking someone to do it for her instead any day. "Fourth floor, please." She spoke absentmindedly, not paying any mind to the stranger as she examined the bruises and scratches on her arms from the fall she had taken in the club parking lot, apparently.

"The hell happened last night? Did you get into a fight with a demon possessed cat?" A deep familiar voice sounded from right next to her. Hange immediately recognized the owner of it. She turned, and surely enough, stood her roommate with his arms crossed as he eyed her warily.

"Not exactly." She laughed out in amusement. "I did, however, get into a scuffle with some roughened gravel." She told him in amusement. "What brought you out of your hole? Don't tell me you went out last night as well?" She pried as she peered over him.

He scoffed openly, moving away from her as the elevator doors slid open once again. "None of your business." He stated blankly.

"Aw, come on, Levi. Don't be like that." She said playfully as she quickly followed after him. "I have every right to know due to the fact that I asked you to go out a hundred times and you said no. What made you change your mind?"

He turned around and leaned his weight against the kitchen island, shooting her an unimpressed look. "I didn't go out last night. I just came back from running an errand."

"Oh? And here I thought you were secretly a party animal." Levi snorted dryly at her words. "So, what kind of errand was it?"

"Does it matter?" He deadpanned.

"Absolutely. If you tell me what kind of errand you were running, I'll tell you all about the crazy night I had." She grinned at her own proposition, taking a seat on the stool beside him.

Levi raised a thin brow. "What do you think I went to do? Settle a drug deal in a back alley?"

She chuckled in amusement. "Considering I know little to nothing about you, it wouldn't be too unlikely."

"I'm not a part-time drug dealer, Four Eyes." He rolled his eyes.

"I know that now." She emphasized cheekily. "And, I'm not wearing my glasses so technically you can't call me that at the moment."

Levi eyed her appearance scrutinizingly. "What'd you do to them?" He inquired blankly.

"I can't tell you that until you tell me what kind of errand you were running." She sang out in a teasing manner.

"I dropped my sister back off to her house," Levi answered her question easily. "Are you satisfied now?" He droned out.

"Dropped her off?" Hange echoed in confusion. "She stayed over the night, then? Is that why you didn't want to tag along with me?"

"I didn't go out with you last night because I didn't want too," Levi told her dryly, before continuing. "Her coming over was spontaneous."

"Oh. Do you two usually spend New Year's together?" Hange asked in hopes to know a bit more about her roommate. He seemed like he was in a good enough mood, and he had stuck around thus far, which was a good thing.

"No," Levi replied after a few seconds. "She only came over because she knew I wouldn't pry into her and ask her what was wrong." He wasn't entirely sure why he had disclosed this information to Hange after he had finished speaking. Usually, if something like this had occurred, he would have sought out Erwin. That was highly difficult now considering he lived thousands of miles away.

Hange looked surprised at his statement. "It seems like she knows you well, and trusts you enough to look for you in her time of need."

Levi shook his head once, no. "If that were the case, she would've gone to Armin or Eren, or even her father. She just needed a place to escape for a bit."

"Well, if that's the case, why didn't she just go to them instead?" Hange tilted her head at him.

"Eren was the one she wanted to escape from, her father would have pestered her, and Armin was busy spending the holiday with his grandfather," Levi explained slowly to the brunette beside him.

"What did Eren do this time?" Hange inquired knowingly.

Levi glanced at her, having forgotten that his employee was Hange's relative. "He's planning on moving away next year."

Hange nodded her head, understanding the situation. "He's been talking about being on his own since I can remember." Hange snorted in amusement. "I'm assuming Mikasa is a bit distraught about this?"

"Yeah." He hummed out.

"Well, in the end, she did confine in you. That's all that should matter." Hange reminded him in a warm tone.

The two of them were then blanketed in a thick silence. It wasn't tense, nor was it comfortable. Hange squirmed in her seat, looking for a way she could engage him in conversation once more.

Levi glanced over at her, and she could have sworn she saw a glint of what resembled amusement in his light eyes. "Well, Dumbass, are you going to tell me the story of how you ended up looking like more of a mess than you usually do?"

Hange leaned forward on the counter, huffing out a light laugh. "Well, it all started when Nanaba dragged me towards the bar."

With that, she delved into descriptive details that revolved around her entertaining night out. Levi sat back and listened to her ramblings despite himself, occasionally a snide remark would slip from his lips, or a low grunt to remind her that he was, in fact, listening.

Hange smiled largely as she slipped on her spare pair of glasses once their conversation had finished up, finding herself back into the comfort of her bedroom. She felt satisfaction in knowing that that was the first, real, drawn out conversation she had had with her roommate since she had moved in.

If that didn't indicate the start of a good year, she didn't know what did.

Chapter Text

"Levi." Petra poked her head through his office doorway, her ginger hair falling around her shoulders in a frazzled manner. The lunch rush had just conceded, and they were all relieved to have a bit of a breather for a little while.

Levi tore his pale gaze from the paperwork that stretched across the majority of his desk reluctantly. "Hm?" He hummed for her to continue, slightly annoyed that he had been interrupted.

She smiled sheepishly, stepping further into the small office space. "A little birdie told me that you were planning on hiring another employee soon."

Levi knew that the 'little birdie' the woman was referring to was Oluo. He was the only one he had told that information too not even an hour before. "Yes?" He stared at her, waiting for her response.

"Well, I actually have someone in mi -" She started off but was interrupted as Eren practically burst into the room with an exterior radiating determination. Levi felt an oncoming headache forming in his temples before the boy even spoke.

"You should hire Armin!" He stated loudly, slamming his palms on Levi's desk.

Levi glared at him from where he sat on his office chair. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Mikasa stepping into the small room, as well. "Get out, Jeager." He sighed out.

"Come on, Boss, you gotta admit that Armin would be a perfect fit! He's already here the entire day, he's smart, he's friendly, people will love him!" He listed off his reasons one by one in a loud tone that made Levi want to reach out and clamp his hand over his mouth.

"Why are all three of you in here? Shouldn't you be working right now?" Levi questioned dryly, his expression blank as he waited to hear their explanation.

"No one's here at the moment, and Oluo is working the register just in case." Petra smiled albeit sheepishly.

"You should interview Armin." Mikasa stepped in front of him. "He's the only person that will do the job right."

"There's thousands of people living in this city, Mikasa." Levi reminded her flatly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Have any of you asked him if he even wants to work here?"

"Not exactly." Eren looked towards the left, avoiding his boss' judgemental gaze. "But, he's been saying how he needs to start looking for a job, and since he's here all the time anyway, it'd just be common sense to hire him, right?"

"This is ridiculous. I'm going to be setting up interviews with potential new employees, and whoever I find to be the most suitable will get the damn job." He leaned forward and directed his attention towards the paperwork that sat on his desk once again. "Now get out of my office before I kick your asses." He added as an afterthought.

"Uh, yes sir." Eren cleared his throat before moving out of the room quickly. Mikasa lingered behind as Petra huffed and followed in tow.

"Hire him." She demanded steadily from where she stood.

"I'm trying to work. I don't have time for this." He glanced up disinterestedly.

"Please, he needs the job. His grandfather's health is getting worst, and he's stressed out from lack of income. He's worried that their funds will eventually run out and they'll be forced out into the streets." She stated blankly, dropping her arms limply to her sides.

"I'll talk about this with him later." He resigned after a few seconds. "Can you get out now?"

She nodded her head once, satisfied. "Thank you." And with that, she walked out of the room and shut the door behind her.

Thankful for the blissful silence, he distractedly went back to reading the paper he held in his loose grasp.

Armin Arlert was a boy who often came up in his employee's conversations. He was best friend's with Mikasa and Eren, and apparently, had been since childhood. He was quiet from what Levi had seen but also highly intelligent and kind towards others. One of the prime examples of his kindness being his friendship with Jean.

Eren and Jean both got on each other's nerves quite often. They didn't hate one another from what Levi could tell, but they didn't exactly like each other either. Despite that, Armin had approached Jean while he was in one of his more somber moods and they had stricken up a quick liking towards one another, much to Eren's dismay. They hung out quite frequently, and Jean seemed like he was healing steadily due to the boy's presence in his life.

Arlert was a good kid. However, Levi didn't want to jump the gun and immediately hire him without interviewing a few others beforehand. Mikasa's underlying threats be damned, he felt like in doing so he had the shop's best intentions at hand.

He didn't know how much time had passed since he had cooped himself up in his office. A few hours at most, hopefully. He leaned back in his chair, his limbs feeling tight and uncomfortable after having sat so long in the same crouched over position.

He still had one stack of papers to go through, and he would be finished for the entire day. Of course, there were still things to be done regardless, such as cleaning behind the counter, or perhaps he would take over the register for a bit for the hell of it, despite his awkwardness when it came to taking down orders. He disliked being nonproductive at the shop, so he did as many things as he could, even with as many employees as he had.

With a light sigh, he resumed his work with a bit more difficulty than he was used too.

~

Hange fidgeted in her seat as she waited for the test results of her recent experiments to be released, feeling uncomfortable and warmer than usual. Her throat itched irritably each time she swallowed, and her nose was slightly stuffed up but not to the point of having to breathe through her mouth. She was well aware that these were all very clear signs pointing towards the fact that she was in the beginning stages of a cold, yet she plainly ignored them. It may have been reckless on her part, but she couldn't imagine having to call in sick come tomorrow morning.

"Hange, are you alright?" A concerned voice sounded from above her shoulder.

She glanced behind her, not surprised to see Moblit hovering over like a mother hen would her chicks. It was almost as if Moblit had a sixth sense when it came to her not feeling well. "I'm fine, just a bit under the weather." She admitted nonchalantly.

"Are you warm?" He inquired after a moment of inspection, hesitantly raising a hand to press against her forehead.

She didn't pull away from him, letting him do as he pleased. "Honestly, Moblit, it's nothing serious." She tried to offhandedly brush away his concerns.

"You have a fever." He said as soon as she finished her sentence. "You need to go home and rest."

"No need for that, I feel fine." She instantly countered, hoping to soothe his worries.

"Hange -"

"I'm perfectly okay." She reinstated firmly. Moblit opened his mouth to protest before nodding in defeat, but Hange noted the way his shoulders barely slouched forward.

An hour passed by, and she deemed that she was definitely not okay.

Her fever seemed to have worsened considerably, to the point of her sweating in her lab coat, yet she was remarkably chilled despite that. Her throat had tightened and grew scratchy, and her nose had begun to leak as well. Even so, she still grew sad as the work day was coming to an end; only ten more minutes and she would be forced home by Moblit.

"Are you any feeling better?" A voice sounded yet again. Hange didn't have to turn around to know it was Moblit.

"Yes." Came her immediate answer.

"Really?" Moblit voiced in a skeptical tone.

"No." She confessed with a huff of breath, hunching over her desk. "I feel even worse than I did before."

"Do you need me to drive you back to your apartment?" He offered, his expression clearly showcasing his worry.

She shook her head adamantly. "No, I'll be fine taking the bus." She politely declined. "Besides, it's way out of the way from where you live, right?" She tilted her head as she waited for his response.

"That doesn't matter." He instantly reassured her. "Are you sure you're okay with taking the bus?"

"Yeah, I'll be okay." She felt like this was the hundredth time that she had said those words to her co-worker. She appreciated his concern, of course, but she was more than capable of taking care of herself (most of the time, anyway).

She slipped out of the building easily, shielded by three different types of layers on her body; a thin t-shirt beneath a thick sweater, and a heavy coat on top of that. She was also given a gray knitted hat by Nifa, and a pair of leather gloves given to her by Keiji. The bus stop was thankfully only a block away from her workplace, so it didn't take her awhile before she was sat comfortably in the warm transportation.

It was only fifteen or so minutes before she was let off of the bus and placed a few blocks from Levi's coffee shop. She dug her hands into her pockets, debating on stopping and making a quick visit there. She knew that she needed a bit of time to sit down before the entirety of her energy ran low and she was forced to lay on the streets unable to move.

Once the cafe came into view she let out an immediate sigh of relief, hurrying her pace as she neared it. The last time she was here, she was anxious and excited for the possibility of a new apartment. This time, she was hiding her misery as her temperature skyrocketed upwards and her throat was swollen to the point of it being difficult to swallow.

As soon as she entered the thankfully warm space, her gaze was caught by Mikasa. "Hello!" She waved, trying to seem enthusiastic as she moved towards the counter. It apparently fell flat as Mikasa's dark eyes observed her carefully.

"Hello, what can I get you today?" She asked in a polite tone, one that seemed forced on her. Hange let a small warm smile grace her lips as she hummed out in thought.

"Got anything that'll help with a sore throat?" She inquired with a head tilt.

"How about a glass of warm tea with honey?" Mikasa suggested in thought after a few moments, her eyes darting back to meet the brunette.

"Sounds great, thank you." Hange agreed with a slow nod, paying her the amount due before she traversed towards a small table that was shielded away from most prying eyes. She didn't dare shed any of the layers clothing that was clad on her, knowing she would result to shivering violently if she did.

She sniffled pathetically as her thoughts drifted. She rarely ever got sick. The last time she recalled coming down with a cold had been almost three years ago, and even then it had only lasted a day or two before it was completely gone. She hoped this time would be similar.

"Here you go, Ma'am." An older woman with light ginger hair smiled warmly down at her, freckles dotting her face in a cute manner. The color of her eyes resembling the honey that was mixed in the very drink placed in front of her.

"Thank you." She expressed her gratefulness in a nasal tone. "Hopefully this will help a bit before I go out and bare the cold again."

"It will." Petra nodded in a confident manner. "Are you sick?"

"Yeah, it suddenly sprung onto me while I was at work. I didn't even see it coming. My apartment is a few blocks down from here, so it's not too far of a walk, thankfully." Hange sighed out, feeling the tea's hot steam graze against her cold cheeks.

"Do you need anything else, Ma'am? Do you need me to turn up the heater a bit?" Petra asked, concern lacing her tone.

"No, no, I'm fine. Hey, I have a question and I'm sorry if I'm being too intrusive, you can blame it on the fact that I feel like my head is going to explode. But, do you enjoy working here?" Hange couldn't help but voice her curiosity. She wondered how Levi treated his employees, and if they were happy working here. The place seemed orderly and clean, two employees sitting behind the counter taking and making orders, one serving and who knows how many in the backroom. She noted, however, that the shorter man was nowhere in sight.

Petra drew her eyebrows together at the odd question but answered after a brief pause. "I do enjoy working here." She smiled. "My friend, Levi, is the owner, and I was amongst the first hired to work here. It's nice to watch the place grow."

Hange nodded along understandingly. "How long have you worked here, if I may ask?"

"Almost five years now." Petra looked reminiscent as she spoke.

"Wow, you've known Levi for a long time then, huh?" Hange acknowledged with a hint of surprise, taking a sip of her tea.

Petra nodding, her features showcasing slight bafflement. "Do you know Levi, by any chance?"

Hange snorted in amusement, nodding her head a few times. "He's my roommate." She revealed to the redhead who's mouth had formed an 'O' shape as realization dawned on her.

"You're his roommate?" She echoed, before sliding out a chair and sitting in front of the brunette.

"Yep."

"I'm Petra, nice to meet you." She smiled brightly at the woman across from her before her smile faded and she lightly rolled her eyes. "Levi didn't tell us your name, but he talks about you sometimes."

"I'm Hange." She introduced herself to the ginger cheerfully, despite her sickness. "I'm guessing the things he says aren't always good?" She smirked a bit.

Petra looked sheepish for a moment. "He'll just complain about something you did while we're talking once in a while."

"Ah, I assumed so." Hange let her gaze linger on the liquid in the mug. "Where is he now?" She asked, not hiding her curiosity.

Petra glanced towards a wooden door at the other end of the shop. "He's been in his office the entire day doing paperwork. I can go and tell him you're here if you want?" She offered

"That'd be great. Thank you." She grinned widely at the red-headed woman in front of her, watching as she stood up and made her way towards Levi's office. She checked the time on her phone and was surprised to see it was almost eight at night.

She realized then that she was one of the only people left in the coffee shop other than the actual remaining employees. Mikasa was wiping down the counters, and the boy with ash-blond hair beside her seemed to be busy emptying the espresso machine. It was close to closing time, she realized sheepishly.

"Oi, what are you doing here?" Levi's voice snapped her out of her wandering thoughts.

"Is it a crime to visit my roommate's cafe?" Hange inquired with a quirked brow. A small smile pulled at her lips as he slipped in a chair across from her.

He eyed her a for a moment too long, a frown tugging at his mouth. "You're pale as hell." He noted blankly, folding his arms on the table.

Her smile fell, replacing it was a slight grimace. "That noticeable, huh?"

He nodded his head once, yes. "Are you sick?"

"I guess so. I didn't notice anything wrong with me this morning, or maybe I was just too preoccupied with other things to even notice. Regardless, though, I'm sick, yeah." She sniffled to emphasize her words, bring her mug to her mouth once again.

Levi remained silent for a minute or two. "I need to close up this place, can you sit your ass down for twenty minutes?" His stoic tone was hard to decipher.

Hange nodded her head slowly, agreeing. "Well, it's not like I have anywhere else to be anyways. But, what am I waiting for, exactly?" She had a feeling she knew, but she wanted to hear him say it out loud for the hell of it.

He scoffed as he made a move to stand up. "I'm going to drive us home, are you stupid?"

Hange grinned deviously in response, feeling happy despite her quickly deteriorating health. "Quite the contrary, Roomie."

"I'm leaving now, but I wanted to say it was nice to meet you, and I'm happy I finally got to know your name." Petra smiled as she re-dressed herself in a heavy coat and scarf. "Hope you feel better soon."

"Thanks, it was great meeting you as well." Hange waved as she walked out of the front door and into the frigid weather of early January, following after her was Mikasa and the other teenager.

She turned her gaze to Levi who was putting away the desserts from the display cabinet, a concentrated look on his face. He disappeared into the back room for a moment before returning with his hands filled with two black heavy trash bags.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Hange questioned, disliking sitting still and watching him work.

Levi glanced around before his gaze settled back on her. "You can put the chairs up on the tables."

Hange nodded swiftly, as he walked out of the door and towards the right of the shop. She fought against the fatigue clouding her movements, pushing away the deterioration she felt as she forced herself to her feet, intent on doing the task given to her.

She brought the cup she had been drinking out of over to the counter and slowly began to place the chairs on the tables just as Levi had told her. The man still hadn't returned from throwing out the trash, which left her with just her thoughts to keep her busy.

Levi was slowly opening up more and more as time went on, she discovered. Two weeks ago, he had barely offered her a sentence longer than five words at a time, and now here he was offering to carpool with her back to their apartment because she wasn't feeling well. It was a gradual process, which made her situation difficult considering she was the very definition of inpatient at times. However, this gave her hope that he was bound to come around eventually.

"Where'd you put the cup you were drinking out of?" Levi's voice startled her, having not noticed him returning.

She gestured with her head towards the counter space. "Over there, why?"

"I'm going to soak it in bleach overnight. Don't want your deadly disease to infect other customers." He explained flatly, grabbing it and moving towards the back room once more.

"Ah, I didn't realize that a common cold was considered a deadly disease nowadays." She told him a playful tone.

"It might as well be when it's coming from you." Levi droned out dryly upon returning. He reached for his car keys beneath the counter top and made his way to stand beside her. "Let's go, Four Eyes." He motioned for her to exit first as he twisted the lock on the door.

~

After returning home, Hange had passed out immediately upon her head hitting her pillowcase.

She opened her eyes blearily, her head throbbing and her nose stuffed to the point of being unable to breathe through it. She let out an audible groan, swallowing hard as her throat itched and swelled even further than she remembered it being before she fell asleep. She really didn't want to have to call in sick tomorrow, but it seemed she would have no choice if her condition remained the same.

She lifted herself from her bed, reaching for her glasses and slipping them up her nose before she traversed towards the kitchen. Her stomach rumbled insistently, begging for food as she had forgotten to feed herself both breakfast and lunch.

She opened the refrigerator door, peering down into the shelves before her brown eyes halted on a large container filled with a liquid substance that she knew hadn't been there this morning. It seemed to be noodle soup, she realized upon further inspection.

She smiled wide as she reached for it, making a mental note to thank her grumpy roommate later on.

He really was something else.

Chapter Text

Hange let her head rest against the couch cushions, her brown eyes locked on the large window pane across from her.

She watched in a childlike wonder as harsh rainfall pattered against the glass rhythmically. She had always enjoyed the rain. Growing up in California, rain was sparse, which was saddening to her. Each time it did rain, though, her parents would let her jump in large puddles, dance in it, and let her get as muddy as she could have gotten.

If given the chance, she would very well jump in as many puddles as she could to this day. But, unfortunately, as it were, she was still recovering from the cold she had come down with, and it was still very chilly outside. The last thing she wanted was to increase her fading symptoms; having to call in sick to work was literally hell on earth.

The clattering of pots and pans resonated behind her head, from the kitchen area. It was Sunday night, meaning both she and Levi had the day off. She had spent hers delightfully indulging in a new gardening book she had picked up, while Levi was spending his baking, apparently.

Hange wasn't sure what exactly the raven-haired man was up too. She had traversed into the area once and had spotted Levi covered in flour and cocoa powder, stirring rapidly into a stainless-steel bowl. He had shooed her away once she had stepped foot into the room. She left without any protest after grabbing a bottle of water, but, her curiosity still remained unsatisfied.

It seemed like he was testing new recipes, but it was just a theory. Levi didn't appear to be a person with a sweet tooth. He rarely even ever put sugar in his tea, so it seemed odd to her that out of nowhere he'd eat his weight in baked goods.

"Oi." His voice startled her out her thoughts. She promptly slammed her book shut as her head whipped around to face him. Her eyes locked onto the three plates he held in his grasp; a chocolate cake, a white cheesecake, and some sort of whipped cream concoction in a small glass.

"What are those for?" She quirked a brow in bewilderment, turning her body around completely as he placed the desserts on the table in front of her.

"I need you to eat them." He stated in a bored-like tone, his light eyes locked onto her.

"Uh, while I'd be crazy to say no to eating any of these, it'd be nice if I was told the reason why you're ordering me too." She slouched down and gathered the first plate in her lap, taking the fork that Levi handed her.

"The shop needs different dessert menu options, I need an outsiders perspective on how they taste." He explained simply, watching as she slipped a bite of the chocolate cake into her mouth.

"Oh my god." She groaned out, her eyes fluttering shut. "This is the best thing I've ever eaten." She cried out softly.

Levi narrowed his eyes at her over-dramatics. "I need specifics."

"About what? I told you it's good." She spoke around another forkful. "Can I marry this cake? I think I'm going to marry this cake."

"Is there anything I can do to make it better than it is now?" He inquired impatiently, folding his arms over his chest.

She swallowed quickly, humming in thought. "Well, the cake itself is a tiny bit dense. If you add a bit more butter into the batter, it'll be godlike."

Levi nodded once in thought, accepting the criticism. "Next one." He gestured with his head towards the next plate.

Hange pouted as she reluctantly placed the half-eaten chocolate cake down, grabbing the cheesecake in return. "I'm surprised you're putting this much trust in me, to be honest." She spoke after swallowing the bite of dessert, looking up at him.

"You're just tasting a few cakes, Four Eyes. I'm not entrusting you to watch over my child in the case I end up dead somewhere." He droned out snarkily.

She snorted as she scooped another spoonful in her mouth.
"I'd take very good care of them if that were the case."

Levi rolled his pale eyes lightly. "I'm sure you would."

"Is that sarcasm I'm detecting, Clean Freak?" She pursed her lips.

"Yes." He confirmed offhandedly, snark evident in his tone. "Can you get to telling me how it tastes?"

"I've never had cheesecake before, so I don't know what I'm basing my criticism on." She revealed truthfully, pausing briefly before continuing. "But, I think it's good if that counts for anything."

"Just good?" He raised a thin brow.

"Very good." She corrected herself hastily, amusement pulling at her features at the almost offended look that Levi wore. She grabbed the last plate, examining the vanilla whipped cream and chocolate mousse that was presented nicely in a small glass.

She dipped her spoon in, slightly regretful at ruining the prettiness of the dessert before she brought it up to her lips. "Nevermind, I'm divorcing the other cake, and eloping in Vegas with this one instead." She moaned out, leaning her head back against the couch, her eyelids slipping shut.

Levi watched her, fighting back amusement at her antics. "Are you done?" He questioned blankly.

She shook her head, clutching the glass tightly to her chest. "I'm eating the entire thing, you can't stop me."

"Fine, then. Enjoy your diabetes in a cup." He said as he picked up the disregarded plates on the coffee table, moving towards the kitchen area once more. Hange didn't bother looking his way, far too invested in the food to pay any attention to her roommate.

"Hey, Levi, do we have any flashlights laying around here?" Hange inquired from her place on the couch, her tone suddenly directed towards something serious. Levi made his presence known from behind the kitchen island, silent in thought.

"Probably. Erwin used to fucking hoard all kinds of survival tools in the case of an apocalypse. He's a living example of being over prepared for anything and everything." Levi's expression remained blank as he spoke, recalling Erwin's thoroughly thought-out guides when it came to a heavy rainfall storm or something similar.

"Great! There's going to be a bad storm passing through, and apparently, the power is likely to go out, so we'll need all the light we can get. You should charge your phone, and get the flashlights. I'll gather as many candles as I can find." She directed the raven-haired man, pushing herself back up to her feet. Her demeanor was serious, very unlike her previous behavior no more than a few minutes ago. Levi noted that Hange had rapid changing emotions; it was almost eery how quick she could go from lighthearted to solemn.

"Okay." He agreed simply, watching as she practically dashed towards her bedroom. Levi assumed she was going to get the lavender candle set he had bought her for Christmas. He wondered if she had even used them once.

Levi plugged in his phone, watching disinterestedly as his home screen lit up and revealed no messages, nor any missed phone calls. Erwin had been busy lately with work, the blond had said as such the last time they talked and had apologized for it. Levi more than understood his circumstances and had merely thrown an insult and left it as that.

Hange strode brightly into the room as his thoughts trailed off. She carried three tall candles in her arms, and Levi couldn't help but notice that they were, in fact, worn. "I figured you didn't want me fussing too much over the fact that you bought me a gift for Christmas." She started, breaking the comfortable silence as she placed said gift down on the coffee table.

"Which is why I didn't immediately run out of my room and squeeze the life out of you. It's obvious we're not at that point yet." She smiled warmly, not bothering to look up at him.

"Yet?" Levi echoed, distaste evident in his tone.

"Yet." She confirmed with a widening grin. "But, I really do appreciate the gift. Also, it's potentially going to save our asses tonight, so it's a win-win."

"You act like the darkness is going to kill us," Levi stated after a moment passed.

"It could." She simply shrugged her shoulders in response. "You never know what could be lurking in the darkness, and all that jazz."

"The worst thing that could happen is that senile old man that lives next door walking into our apartment instead of his own." Levi pointed out, his expression slightly distasteful.

"That's pretty terrifying considering how creepy that guy is." Hange pursed her lips, moving over to the island and swiping up the lone candle that sat on it. "This is barely enough to light up the living room."

"Guess that's where we'll be setting up camp, then." He said while his narrowed eyes overlooked the room scrutinizingly.

"Yep." Hange nodded her head, before plopping down onto the couch dramatically, her limbs sprawled out in each direction, effectively taking up most of the space on the furniture.

Levi stared at her in a deadpan manner, before he moved over to the stove. He figured he may as well cook dinner while he was at it. It wouldn't do anyone good if they spent the entire night hungry. Or at least himself. Hange could have gone days without eating with the exception of a few granola bars.

"What are you doing?" She spoke from her position on the couch.

"Cooking dinner." He answered her shortly.

"Ah." She acknowledged his answer before they both fell into a comfortable silence. At some point, the rain began pounding harshly against the window pane that was in the living room, echoing throughout the apartment in a relaxing manner. Hange hadn't even bothered to break the silence between them, seemingly mesmerized by the weather.

It was nearing seven O'clock, the sky blackening quickly, blending into navy blue and violet. He scooped up the last of their dinner, placing it evenly onto the white plates before the lights flickered once above his head, and then switched off entirely. The raven-haired man swore beneath his breath, staying firmly in place.

Hange's phone flashlight lit up the living room area, and she carefully took to lighting each candle on the coffee table. Once Levi was able to see three feet in front of him, he traversed towards the brunette and handed her a plate.

"Candle lit dinner, huh? How romantic." She smirked playfully, tone evidently teasing.

Levi pointedly ignored her words, shoving a forkful of food into his mouth. "Oh my god, you're a god." She exclaimed with a mouth full of food.

Levi glanced at her. "Hm?" He grunted once, not bothering to scold her for her lack of manners, for once.

"Everything you make is really good. You have a gift." She complimented with a wide smile.

Levi looked away with a stoic gaze, not used to receiving such praise for his cooking skills. Erwin would tell him the same, yet not to the same degree. Hange was overly emotional and dramatic. "Well, then, be quiet and eat." He muttered out blankly.

"I used to love the rain when I was a kid." She blurted out conversationally, wanting to fill the silence as they ate. "I would make sure to jump in every single puddle I saw, big or small." She snorted at the fond memories.

Levi raised a thin brow but didn't voice a response. She continued anyway. "I used to own these yellow rain boots with little cartoon ducks on them, and I insisted on wearing them every day to school just in case it rained that day."

"It hardly rained more than once a week, though. I grew up in California, so that's a given." She shrugged her shoulders once.

"That's sad." He commented dryly.

"It was." She admitted in amusement. "I guess that's what drew me here, to be honest. I adore the weather during each season."

A beat of silence passed through them before Hange predictably broke it once more. "Have you lived here your entire life?" She inquired curiously.

"Unfortunately." He confirmed reluctantly.

"Hm, interesting. You've never once felt the need to explore somewhere new?" She tilted her head in question.

"No." He answered after a beat. "Why would I?"

"I don't know. My parents were overbearing at times, so once I turned eighteen years old, I bolted out of the state. And you look like the type to not take any bullshit from anyone." She explained with a thoughtful frown.

Lightning flashed briefly and lit up the room.

"Just because I haven't moved out of the state, doesn't mean I took any bullshit from anyone." He stated evenly.

Hange quirked a brow at that. "I'm not surprised, of course. I won't question you any further on that, though."

Levi was silently grateful for that. "So, anything new with you and your line of work?" She asked with a small smile.

"I'm going to be hiring another employee soon."

"Oh? Have you done any interviews yet?" She inquired in interest.

"Not yet. I have a feeling Jaeger and Mikasa will try to sabotage it once I do. They want me to hire their friend." He rolled his light eyes at the thought of Eren and Mikasa purposely messing up interviews so he would have no choice but to hire Armin.

"Sabotage? In what way?" Hange snorted through her nose.

"Whoopie cushions underneath a chair, too much sugar in a coffee, mopping the floor directly next to us and not putting up a warning sign." Levi listed off possible outcomes in a droning matter.

"Pretty sure that last one could result in a lawsuit." Hange pointed out in amusement. "Well, I'm sure if they're both so determined for their friend to be hired, he has to bring something to the table."

"He's a smart kid," Levi admitted shortly. "Quiet, but smart."

"Ah, the scariest kind of person there is." Hange voiced lightly. "I like the dynamic you have going on down there - in your shop, I mean. It feels very homey."

"It feels like a bunch of freaks working in one place to me," Levi commented dryly.

"Maybe that's why I felt so comfortable." She thought out loud, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.

"Definitely." He agreed wholeheartedly.

Hange placed her empty plate on the coffee table, right next to Levi's. There wasn't enough light to safely travel towards the kitchen sink with glass, much to Levi's chargin. The dishes would have to remain there until the electricity went back on or until sunlight graced them.

The brunette grabbed a thick book from side table next to her and promptly plopped down onto the carpeted portion of the floor without a word. Levi stared down at her, before swinging his feet over the couch cushions and laying them there, his head comfortably laid on top of the armrest. There wasn't much he could do in order to busy himself. His phone battery was meant to be sustained for emergency purposes, and he didn't particularly feel like reading. He stared at the ceiling, a frown tugging at his lips subtly.

"Hey, were you aware of the fact that lavender can help with nausea, vomiting and intestinal gas, among other things? I thought you'd find that interesting considering the amount of lavender scented products you own." She babbled off as her brown eyes scanned over the lettering sprawled along the pages of her book.

"I'm not sure whether you're strangely observant or borderline stalkerish." He hummed out, not glancing at her.

"Both, probably." She quipped quickly.

She snapped her book shut and grabbed the flashlight that laid on the table above her ungracefully, knocking it over before her fingers grasped around the handle. She flicked it on and directed the spotlight towards the ceiling where Levi's gaze remained. She crooked her fingers in the light, creating childish shadows that danced above them.

"What is that supposed to be? A dick?" He tilted her head a bit and narrowed his eyes at the odd shapes.

She let out a boisterous laugh at his words. "It's supposed to be a puppy, Levi. God, get your mind out of the gutter." She spoke once her laughter had settled down, not before snorting through her nose once, however.

"You need a stronger prescription of glasses if you think that looks anywhere near what a dog should look like." He pressed his lips in a flat line, watching as she maneuvered her fingers into a different position, making the 'dog' talk.

"I would love to play fetch right now, but Levi's hogging the stick up his ass." She gurgled out in an attempt to do change her voice into something raspy.

A large shadowed middle finger suddenly covered the shadow puppet's face. "That's just rude." She shook her head, a smile on her lips.

"And saying I have a stick up my ass isn't?" He turned his gaze to her.

"Nope." She popped the 'p', meeting his eyes.

Levi resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "How long do you think the lights will stay off? Have they ever went off before?" She changed the subject flawlessly.

"A couple times." He answered her. "They're usually back on by five or six."

"Guess we'll just have to find some way to keep ourselves occupied, then." She shone the flashlight in his direction. "Hey, are you still having trouble sleeping?" She inquired.

"Do you honestly need to ask?" He shielded his eyes in annoyance.

"A little bit of small talk never killed anyone, Clean Freak." She huffed out lightly. "So, are you going to answer the question or not?"

"Yes, I still can't fucking sleep." He told her in a bored tone.

"Aw, don't lose hope, Levi!" She exclaimed positively. "You'll get your snooze hours one day." She reassured him.

"How comforting." He frowned.

"Maybe the rain will help you fall asleep. It used to work for me when I was younger." She revealed in hopes to comfort him.

He remained silent, so she thought of things she could tell him in order to fill up the silence. The rain ruthlessly continued to pound on their window behind their heads. Occasionally the entire room would be lit up in electric blue from the lightning striking across the sky.

"Do you think I'd be a good entertainer?" Hange asked out of the blue.

"Depends," Levi responded.

"On what?" Hange urged him to continue, curious behind his reasoning.

"You're a terrible singer."

"Hey -!"

"I've heard you sing while you're showering, I'd rather listen to the vicious cat downstairs screech repeatedly. It sounds eerily similar." He told her in a flat tone.

"What about acting, then?" Hange tried again.

"You'd be okay as an actress."

"I'll take it!" She cheered out. "I'd be a good comedian, too, right?"

"Sure, but instead of laughing with you, they'd be laughing at you."

"Goddamnit, Levi."

~

It was around three in the morning, and their conversation had halted for the first time since the lights had gone off.

"Hmm." She hummed out, breaking the silence. "When the lights would go off when I was little, I would run around the entire house and collect every pillow and blanket I could find and build a fort in the middle of the living room." She paused with a small smile, reminiscing. "My mom and dad would both join me, and we would play shadow puppets. We used to have a plotline and everything." She trailed off after finishing her sentence.

Levi was surprised that she had stopped talking, her voice distracting him from any wandering unwanted thoughts. "We should totally make a fort one of these days. It'll be a bonding experience." She suggested brightly, a grin spreading across her face.

"Why do I have a feeling that I won't have a choice in this matter?" He droned out.

"Because you won't." She stated lightly.

"I Figured." He sighed out.

A few hours passed and the electricity did go on just as Levi had predicted earlier, although they were both fast asleep and passed the point of caring. The rainfall had lessened, it was now nearing a light drizzle, providing a comforting white noise in their ears.

Levi awoke at six in the morning and realized in slight alarm that that had been the most comfortable he had slept in at least six months or so.

Chapter Text

Mess.

That was the only thing that Levi's exhausted brain could immediately perceive upon walking into his home. There were scattered books that were lying open, water bottles littering the entirety of the living room floor, unwashed dishes in the sink, and granola wrappers tossed around carelessly.

He growled under his breath, his light eyes searching for his roommate who was conveniently nowhere to be found. "Hange." He barked out.

"Over here!" She called out from a distance. Levi glanced around, walking further into the living room. He spotted her curled up on the floor, three books laid out in front of her, her glasses at the tip of her nose. She didn't spare him a glance as he stopped directly in front of her.

"Four Eyes." She reluctantly tore her gaze away from the pages at his displeased tone. "What the fuck is this mess?"

She shot him a sheepish smile in response. "I had a particularly stressful day. I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't clean this shit up." He glared darkly at her.

"You're completely right. Just let me read five to ten more pages and I'll get right to it, I swear." She rambled absentmindedly, her eyes re-directed towards the book beneath her once more.

"Bullshit you'll clean it, have you ever been in your damn room?" He spat out, annoyed that her attention had been diverted again.

"Considering I sleep in there, I'd say so." She hummed out offhandedly.

"The fact that you manage to sleep in that pile of trash never ceases to amaze me." He droned out, beginning to pick up a few stray wrappers. "How many boxes of granola bars do you go through in a week?" He inquired blankly.

"Three." She quipped swiftly.

"Fucking gross." He murmured out, venturing into the kitchen. He tossed the collected wrappers in his hands into the trash bin, before digging his hand into his pocket and pulling out his phone.

He hadn't called Erwin up yet once to complain. He would be breaking that impressive streak today.

"Hello?" The blond answered easily after a few moments.

"I'm going to kill her." He stated in a bored tone.

"Is this about Hange?" Erwin inquired in surprise. "What happened? I thought things were going smoothly."

"She's a fucking pig, Erwin," Levi told him. "She's messy as hell. I was fine with her pigsty bedroom, but now she's bringing it into the living room and she won't fucking clean it up."

"Perhaps you just need to make your words more clear?" Erwin suggested after a beat.

"Is London taking away your ability to comprehend sentences, Erwin? I just said that she won't listen to me." He rolled his light eyes, propping his weight against the counter top.

"Alright, let me rephrase that, then. Why don't you try approaching her in a way that's polite?" He corrected himself, dry amusement in his tone.

"I'm sure that'll fix things. Remind me again why I bothered to call you?"

"Because your subconscious secretly knows I'm right all of the time and carefully considers and deeply appreciates my advice."

"Your advice sucks di-"

"Levi?" Hange interrupted their conversation, leaning her upper body onto the kitchen island.

He reluctantly turned his gaze towards the brunette. "What?" He sighed out.

"Who are you talking too?" She grinned cheekily at him.

He raised a thin brow, shooting her an unimpressed look. "Erwin. Why?"

"No reason at all. Tell Erwin I say hello!" She exclaimed with a wide smile.

"No, call him yourself and tell him." Levi deadpanned.

"Hi, Erwin!" She shouted loud enough for the man on the other line to audibly hear her. Erwin smiled in amusement.

"Tell her I say hello, and that I did read her last message. I haven't had the time to respond, unfortunately." He replied, and Levi drew the phone away from his ear in slight exasperation.

"He says hello, and that he read your message but is too busy being a fancy businessman to pay any attention to us, lowly peasants," Levi told Hange in a dry, yet almost light tone.

"Completely understandable," Hange smirked a bit, before swiping up a broom in the kitchen.

"That's not at all what I said." Erwin chided him.

"It was implied, Erwin."

"It was not." He insisted despite knowing Levi was joking - for the most part. "How are things going over there, despite your earlier mentioned frustration?"

"Same as always," Levi answered him flatly.

"As in, rarely socializing with others, working obsessively, and not sleeping?" Erwin surmised with a tone that sounded knowing.

"Something along those lines." Levi trailed off as he spotted Hange in the living room with a tall broom in her grasp. He narrowed his light eyes. "Oi, what do you think you're doing, Idiot?" He called out to her.

She turned her head towards him, her expression evidently puzzled. "Uh, weren't you the one lecturing me to clean? I'm cleaning now." She gestured around the room with the handle of the broom.

"Do not even think about sweeping my very expensive area rug with the broom." Levi glared at her.

"But, it's so much quicker than vacuuming, Levi." She practically whined out, desperately wanting to get back to her books.

"I don't give a shit, Hange. Get the vacuum." He demanded, before returning his attention to the phone in his grasp. He had almost forgotten that Erwin was on the phone. He distinctly heard Hange grumble to herself before retreating towards the closet in which they kept the vacuum.

"Levi, I have to go, I'm getting another phone call. It was nice talking to you, I'll try to message you later to make sure you and Hange haven't strangled each other. Goodbye." Erwin said once Levi had brought the device back up to his ear.

"Bye, try not to work yourself to exhaustion," Levi responded back.

"Same goes for you." He quipped before the line went dead.

By the time Levi pulled the phone away from his ear, Hange came barreling into the room with her hands full with the vacuum cord and the machine itself, it roared to life and she began to hastily roll it over the living room carpet. Levi watched with an unimpressed expression. "You missed a spot." He told her dryly.

"You are literally worse than my Mother is," Hange stated as she repeated her movement a few more times before shutting the machine off. "There, are you happy now?" She straightened her posture as she turned to look at him.

"No, your trash is still lying around everywhere." Levi pointed out.

"Fine, I'll pick up everything up - on one condition!" She smiled slyly, taking a few steps towards him.

Levi eyed her almost warily. "I didn't know there had to be any 'conditions' involving cleaning the apartment."

"You want the place clean?"

"Fucking obviously."

"Then, you'll listen to my conditions." Hange sang out cheerfully.

"Fine, what are they?" Levi sighed out.

"I want you to come with me out to eat dinner." She purposed in hopefulness.

"No." He crossed his arms and stared her down.

"Why not, Levi? We've been roommates for a month and a half and not once have we ever went out together! That should be a sin." She pleaded with him, ready to argue her case. She would get him out of the house no matter what it took; even if it meant cleaning the apartment for a month straight. Of course, she wouldn't voice that out loud unless it came as a last resort.

"I'm exhausted from work, and it's almost nine at night. I'm not in the mood to go out." He stated, not doing a good job at hiding his tired demeanor.

"We can just hang out somewhere chill, like a McDonald's or something like that. There's nothing that brings people closer together than late night McDonald's visits." She cried out loudly.

"Somehow, that makes me want to go with you even less." He droned out flatly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Come on, Levi. It'll be fun, I promise." She practically begged him, her eyes widening in what she hoped looked like a pleading look that would win over his stone-cold heart.

He paused for a few moments, internally debating it before he sighed and nodded his head once. "Fine, Four Eyes, I'll go with you to McDonald's if you clean the living room. But, you better not fucking half-ass anything. You can start by re-vacuuming the carpet again."

She cheered happily, resisting the urge to wrap her arms around him, knowing that would get her nowhere fast. "Great! I'll put all my effort into making this the cleanest living room you have ever set your eyes on, I swear."

"It better be." He threatened before moving into the kitchen once more.

Hange grinned to herself and flicked the switch to the vacuum cleaner on again, this time thoroughly cleaning the rug and making sure no spot went untouched. She knew Levi had a keen eye and that nothing would slip passed his radar. She'd keep up her end of the deal, she would do her best when it clean to tidying up the place.

Once that particular task was done, she moved onto to picking up each disregarded wrapper that Levi hadn't picked up beforehand and water bottles that littered the room. Admittedly, she did feel a bit guilty that she had cluttered the living room while she was nose-deep in her research books. It wasn't her fault that she needed proper substances to function properly.

She tossed the items in the trash bin, humming a soft tune under her breath as Levi took to washing the dishes in the sink. She was used to living with a working dishwasher, which was the excuse she often used for not taking care of any of the plates currently. When she had questioned Levi about it, he had told her in mild disgust that he felt like the machine didn't 'do the job right'. She didn't bother countering his argument, letting him be.

"You better get your coat ready, I'm almost done!" She warned him as she passed by the kitchen table where he was seated.

Levi lazily tore his gaze away from his phone. "It's only been five minutes since you started."

"Your point being?" She replied with a raised brow.

"You must not be doing a very good job if it only took you a few minutes to clean the entire living room." He stared her down blankly. She narrowed her eyes at him slightly, her glasses catching the dim lighting of the kitchen.

"Want to take a look for yourself?" She gestured for him to stand and follow her.

He gave her a look before standing up to his feet and walking into the living room. His narrowed eyes scanned the entirety of the area, noting the disarrayed couch pillows and the books that were still open on the floor. "This is your definition of clean?" He turned towards her.

"Yes, it is." She stated confidently, her lips pressed into a thin line as she observed him.

Levi gave her a long glance before heaving a quiet sigh. "Fine, I'm too fucking tired to argue with you. Let's just go and get this over with."

She beamed brightly at him. "Do you want to walk or do you want to drive?"

"Drive." He answered her simply, making a swipe for his keys in the bowl beside the door entrance after swinging his coat over his shoulders.

"This is going to be so fun!" She squealed out, practically skipping out of the door to follow after him. "I'm so hungry."

"For someone with such a big brain, you don't seem to care about your nutrition or health much. All I've seen you eat is McDonald's and granola bars." He voiced after a moment of silence passed.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I know those things are important, don't get me wrong. I just don't have the time it takes to live a healthy lifestyle." She admitted in a thoughtful tone, stepping into the elevator space. "I grab whatever's easiest and I go on my merry way."

"Sounds like laziness to me." He glanced at her after using his coat sleeve to press the button that would take them downstairs.

"No, just prioritizing what matters." She responded easily.

"And that would be?"

"Science, of course." She grinned at him widely.

"Sure, but when you die of obesity and lack of nutrients you better not think about haunting the apartment," Levi told her dryly. He listened to her snort quietly beside him.

"I would haunt you specifically, Levi. I'd toss open all of the cabinets and leave crumbs everywhere, it'd be your worst nightmare." She smirked snidely at him, before hearing a faint ding indicating they had arrived at their desired floor.

"Hi, how are you?" Hange waved happily towards the man behind the desk. Levi couldn't be bothered to remember his name - even after seeing him every day for the past three years or so since the man had worked there. And yet, Hange was seemingly on talking terms with him despite having only been in the building for a month and a half.

"Good, how are you, Hange?" The man smiled back warmly,
leaning on his elbows to move in a bit closer.

"Fantastic! I'm just dragging this guy out to eat with me." She gestured with her head towards Levi. At the mention of him, the man turned towards him and gave him a polite 'hello'. Levi nodded his head once in acknowledgment. "How's your night been?" She asked after a moment.

"Uneventful, I'm just about to head home in a bit which I'm thankful for." He said in a relieved tone.

"Ah, well, enjoy the rest of your night, then!" Hange smiled warmly at him, taking a few steps closer to the door.

"Have a good night, Hange." Once his last words were spoken, Hange waved goodbye to the man and they both made their way towards Levi's car.

"Are you sure you're okay with eating McDonald's? We can look around for some other place that's open if you're not a fan of fast food." She spoke once they had both slipped into the vehicle, facing him with a patient expression.

"It's fine." He brushed off her concerns with a short response. He wasn't a fan of any sort of fast food restaurant if he were being completely honest; it was what he was practically raised on. Before his mother had gotten married, she had worked two jobs just to make ends meet, and it was the only thing she could manage at the time. However, if he truly didn't want to go, he would have very well spoken his mind. He just didn't feel particularly hungry.

"Okay, if you're sure." She trailed off, moving her gaze to the window. "I'm sure you know where to go, huh?"

"Unfortunately, I do." He stated dryly, making a smooth turn. Their entire area was filled with places to go or eat. One of the reasons why their apartment was so expensive, and why Levi couldn't afford to live on his own at the sorry age of thirty-two.

"I can never get enough of how convenient this entire area is." She gushed while leaning back in her seat, her brown eyes watching the stores and shops they passed by.

"It becomes more of an annoyance once you get used to it." He murmured, his tone becoming agitated as a car honked loudly behind him as if to prove his point.

"How long exactly have you lived here?" She inquired, turning her head to face him curiously.

"Fourteen years." He answered after a moment of contemplation.

"Geesh." Hange blew out. "And Erwin was the only roommate you had, right? No wonder you were so pissy when I first moved in. I mean, don't get me wrong you're still pissy, but to a lesser extent." She rambled out, pausing briefly before continuing. "I totally get it, by the way. I wouldn't transition so easily if my best friend moved so far away."

Levi wasn't sure how to respond, so he choose to remain silent instead. She didn't seem to mind it, and luckily, their destination was coming up soon, anyway. He slowly pulled into the parking lot, silently grateful that there were only a few cars parked beside his own. He turned the car off, slipping his key out of the ignition before unbuckling his seatbelt and facing Hange stoically.

"Let us feast on the food equivalent of literal garbage." He said in a monotonous voice, his expression unmoving. Hange snorted with laughter at his serious demeanor.

"You are so high maintenance." She managed out through gasps of breath, unfastening her seatbelt quickly and opening her door.

Levi glared at her retreating form and met her on the other side of the car, and they walked silently side by side to the restaurant entrance. She opened the door for him, bowing and gesturing extravagantly for him to enter before herself. "Your cleanliness." She blew out.

He rolled his eyes and barely resisted the urge to kick her in the shin. Instead, he walked through the door she held open for him, ignoring her entirely. "I'll order, you can find us a place to sit. What do you want?" She turned to face him as they made their way over to the short line.

Levi didn't think much about it, quickly telling her his order. "A bottle of water and apple slices."

Hange nodded her head, decidedly holding in her haste thoughts that his food choice was both childlike and cute; two things very unlike Levi from what she had seen thus far. "Got it." She reaffirmed with a swift nod of her head.

He left her by her lonesome, his steely blue eyes catching sight of a table that was secluded amongst the few people in the fast food restaurant. He slid into a seat, frowning in apparent distaste as the chair spun along with his movements. He hadn't realized how much he had grown to dislike fast food chains until now. His mother dressing him in a thin sweatshirt and jeans that were much too long for his tiny legs, propping him in the seats that spun while she ran to order him food before her next shift started and she would have to drop him off back home.

He faintly remembered his mother's roommate, her friendly face and caring demeanor while his mother stood out into the late hours of the night. There were occasionally times when his uncle would also visit and watch over him after that woman had moved out, but for the most part, he had learned how to care for himself.

"Why the long face? Does McDonald's seriously make you that upset?" Hange questioned in a slightly teasing tone, sliding in the seat directly across from him.

He wondered how she could tell he had been reminiscing (something he rarely allowed himself to do). He was positive that his demeanor hadn't changed much, if at all. "We'll talk when you're the one stuck on the damn toilet for an hour and a half." Levi looked towards his left, his eyes catching the dark navy blue sky.

"It'll be well worth it." She chirped out cheerfully while taking a bite of her burger, and it was then that Levi noticed that she had three different types of food on her plate. He wondered when was the last time she had eaten an actual meal.

"Well, anything, in particular, you wanna talk about?" She spoke after she swallowed, eager to learn more about the man in front of her.

"No." He took a small sip of his water.

"How about we play twenty questions?" She ignored his words pointedly, grinning widely at him in excitement.

"What are we, fifteen years old?" He raised a thin eyebrow, unimpressed at her suggestion.

"There's no better way to get to know someone!" She defended herself lightly. "I'll start then! Simple question: what's your favorite color? And you better not say gray."

He deadpanned at her. "That's the best you could come up with?"

"Hey, it's a valid question." She shrugged her shoulders limply, popping a french fry in her mouth. "Are you going to answer or not?"

"Green." He answered her simply, before moving on. "When was the last time you washed that rat's nest on top of your head?" He asked in mild disgust, unsure if he actually wanted an honest answer or not.

"Uh, last Thursday, I think?" She frowned in thought.

"It's fucking Friday." He said while eyeing her warily.

"Like I said earlier; priorities. I'm a busy girl." She defended herself weakly, sporting a sheepish smile.

"Gross is what you are."

"Did you go to college, if so what did you major in?" She ignored him and shot her next question.

"No." He revealed to her flatly. "I never went to college. Didn't know what I wanted to do, and I was broke off my ass on top of that."

She nodded her head understandingly, and Levi noted that she showed him no signs of pity or sympathy which he silently appreciated. "What was your first job?" She asked after realizing he wasn't going too.

"I worked as a bartender at a rundown bar." He answered her truthfully, not mentioning how he had been underage at the time, and that his uncle, the owner, had somehow dodged any conflict involving that fact.

"Ah, really? That's super interesting. I could never picture you as a bartender. Were you any good at comforting those that were sulking?" She smirked knowingly.

"I told them that I didn't give a shit about their problems and poured them a drink." He rolled his eyes at the memories. "I didn't get many tips." He added as an afterthought blankly.

She let out a short, loud laugh. "My first job was at a vet clinic, I worked as a receptionist." She told him with a smile.

Levi wasn't surprised. "That sounds horrible."

"It was both a blessing and a curse." She admitted with a mouth full of food. "On one hand, you get to see first hand how compassionate some people could be for their pets. And, of course, on the other hand, you get to see the ugliness some people possess." She trailed off.

"I was talking more along the lines of how much piss and shit you must have cleaned up every day, but I can see how that can be applicable as well." Levi said dryly.

"Well, come on, Clean Freak, you must have at least one more question for me." She prodded him with a fry, feigning innocence when he glared daggers at her.

"What are those three huge fucking jars full of colorful god knows what on your window sill?" He demanded an answer with a lowered brow, again, not truly sure if he wanted an answer or not.

"You know what? I think we're done with twenty questions for now." She chuckled nervously, looking off to the side. She had almost forgotten about the small secret she was keeping from the man across from her, and now was most certainly not the time to be revealing it.

"Four Eyes.."

Chapter Text

Sunday morning was one of Hange's favorite times of the week.

She could stay up a little later than usual, hunched over her desk and writing down notes and plausible theories to her heart's content. This resulted in her sleeping in a bit later than usual, relaxed and relatively carefree, bundled in a thin blanket as she got hot during the night, and six or seven pillows encasing her form like a makeshift fort of sorts.

Hange's Sunday morning routine was disrupted, however, as the stench of food drifted into her nose. Her heavy eyelids pried themselves open, she squinted at the beams of light that managed to peek in through her window drapes.

It smelled strongly of syrup, she noted in drowsy induced bafflement. She wasn't sure why her curiosity was peaked so high, but it continued nagging at her brain until she slipped her glasses up her nose and climbed out of bed.

Her bare feet padded down the hall, ignoring the cold flooring for the most part as she made her way towards the kitchen in a sluggish manner. "Levi?" She raised her brow as she spotted her raven-haired roommate hovering over their stove.

"Hm?" He grunted out, not bothering to spare a glance in her direction.

"What time is it?" She yawned out, stretching her arms above her head.

"I don't know. Probably close to eight by now." He answered her while flipping over a pancake. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't impressed by his nonchalant exterior when it came to his culinary skills.

"Oh." She said simply, maneuvering her tired form onto a stool, laying her elbows onto the pristine granite of their kitchen island.

"You must be tired as hell if you can't manage to start a conversation right off the bat." He observed her calmly, using his spatula to place two pancakes on a plate, before gathering another plate and doing the same.

"I was awake until four in the morning last night." She revealed offhandedly, stifling a yawn. She sat up straighter in apparent surprise as Levi approached her with food. "What's this?" She quirked a brow, watching as he looked unamused and laid the dish in front of her.

"Please, stuff your face so I don't have to hear you talk while you're in the state you're in." He handed her a fork and sat down next to her quietly.

"You... cooked for me?" She drew her brows together, turning her head to look at him.

"I had some leftover batter, it's not a big deal." He responded blankly, avoiding her gaze which he knew was filled with that same sincerity that he has seen when he had offered to bake cookies for her.

"Yeah, but you didn't have too." She pointed out warmly, a large smile spreading across her lips. "Thanks! I appreciate this, you know."

Levi didn't respond to her words of gratefulness, instead choosing to place a forkful of food into his mouth, giving him an excuse not too. "See, what did I tell you a few days ago, Levi?" He looked up at that, raising a thin brow at her. "McDonald's has a way of bringing two people closer together."

Levi snorted dryly at her words. "Can you just eat your damn food?"

"With pleasure!" She grinned at him, shoveling a forkful of pancakes into her mouth swiftly. "So, what are your plans for the day, Levi?" She asked in an attempt to start a conversation.

"I need to go and scrub the damn floor at the shop. Jean and Eren got into a fight and knocked over a container of creamer that I didn't get to properly clean up yesterday." He rolled his eyes hardly at the recollection of the memory. He wasn't sure why he kept the two of them around.

"Sounds rough." She offered her sympathy half-heartedly, more amused at the thought of the little group of abnormals Levi had hired to work at his Cafe. They were a weird bunch that had good chemistry; it was very interesting to watch in her perspective.

"Hey, if you don't mind, can I tag along with you?" She asked after a moment of comfortable silence passed between them. She figured that she may as well try to spend her day off out of the apartment, and on the plus side, she could very easily bring along her books and research notes to the shop. It seemed cozy enough.

"Why?" He questioned instantly, taking a slow sip of his tea.

She shrugged her shoulders once. "I don't have any plans today, and I don't want to stay in."

"Fine, you can come, but when I start to clean you better not start complaining about the smell of bleach." He warned her in a bored tone, finishing his food quickly. "We're leaving in fifteen minutes, if you're not ready by then, I'm leaving your ass home." He told her as he slid off of the stool, taking his empty plate and cup along with him.

She saluted with a lazy grin, nodding once to ensure she heard him. "Of course, wouldn't expect any less from you!" Her eyes trailed down to her plate, still surprised that Levi had gone out of his way to fix her breakfast.

She knew it was a small gesture in terms of being roommates, but Levi couldn't be considered normal in her eyes. He was rude and abrasive, and his mouth didn't have a filter, which Hange respected and appreciated. It was rare to find people like him, and that was why she was so surprised at the sudden nice gesture.

She smiled sheepishly as she got up and handed Levi her empty dish, noting the way his eyebrow twitched in annoyance. She genuinely liked to get reactions out of the raven-haired man, storing them in her memory each time she managed to prod out a new facial expression or tone of voice. "I'm going to go get ready now, don't wanna get left behind." She sang out before practically skipping towards her bedroom.

~

Levi inwardly grimaced at the harsh way the brunette slammed his car door, giving her a half-hearted glare before he turned the key in the ignition. "You're a nuisance, do you know that?" He voiced as he pulled out of the parking garage smoothly.

"And you're an overdramatic Clean Freak, do you know that?" She quipped back without missing a beat, shooting him a sly smirk.

He tossed a brief scowl her way, before returning his pale gaze to the road ahead of him. "Nothing's stopping me from throwing you out of my car and onto your ass." He stated flatly.

"You need my half of the rent, Levi." She sang out in a playful tone. "Besides, you're too nice of a person to do anything of the sort."

He snuck a quick glance at her, passing by a green light. "Obviously, you don't know me well enough."

She shook her head twice, leaning back in her seat. "I don't have too." She responded back. "It's a common character trope, isn't it? Stoic, rude, asshole that has a hidden soft side that he prefers to hide in fear of getting hurt or something of the like?"

"None of that bullshit you just spouted out is even close to what I am." He told her in an unamused tone. "So, what character trope do you have then? A batshit Insane woman who hoards lizards, and is creepily intelligent?" He wondered out loud as an afterthought, honking his horn loudly at the car who threatened to cut him off. He stuck out his middle finger out of the window uncaringly. "Fucking Dickhead." He muttered under his breath.

Hange looked amused at his actions. "No, but close, I suppose."

They arrived at The Underground a few moment's later, which Levi was thankful for considering the driver's on the road were even worse than usual. He turned off the engine, unbuckling his seatbelt in one swift motion. Hange mirrored his actions, stepping out of the vehicle gracefully. "It feels a lot different when no one's here." She noted upon walking in after the raven-haired man. "Almost eery, in a way."

Levi switched the ceiling lamps on near the counter area. "I'll be in the kitchen. You can sit anywhere you want, just don't make any more unneeded mess." He told her firmly as he slid around the counter and neared the back room.

She didn't bother responding as the man was already behind the silver doors by the time she turned around to face him. "Rude." She mumbled to herself, her warm brown eyes searching for a suitable place to sit. Her gaze stopped on the worn down sofa near the back of the shop, accompanying the space was a small burgundy carpet and a medium sized coffee table. It was perfect for reading, she concluded excitedly, making her way over to the sitting area.

She unwrapped her satchel from her shoulder, plopping it down carelessly onto the dark wood of the table. She let her body fall onto the furniture lazily, resisting the urge to prop her feet up on the wood before her, knowing Levi would scold her endlessly if she did. "Hey, Levi, I'll pay you for a cup of coffee." She shouted from over her shoulder.

"I'm not your damn butler, Four Eyes." He called out from the kitchen in an unamused tone of voice.

"I said I'll pay!" She defended herself loudly enough for him to hear her through the thick metal doors. She distantly heard the sound of running water.

"Give me a minute." He responded back after a moment, not one to ever deny the offer of money. She turned her form completely around from her spot on the couch, waiting for Levi to emerge from the back room impatiently.

"Geez, the service here is the worst." She complained playfully, her tone booming throughout the empty space. "I don't think I'll ever come back." She added without missing a beat.

"Good riddance." He muttered out loud upon returning to the main area of the coffee shop. She noticed the yellow bucket he dragged along with him, as well as a long mop that was almost as tall as him. She didn't bother hiding her amusement at the sight, letting a smile spread across her lips. "What do you want?" He asked for her order in a defeated tone.

"Just a black coffee with three espresso shots, please." She requested with a few swift bats of her long eyelashes.

"God, the last thing you need is that much caffeine," Levi shot her a look.

"I've had a total of three and a half hours of sleep and I'm supposed to be going over the results of our last research endeavors come tomorrow morning, and I've yet to write any notes or anything of the sort concerning it. Trust me, I need this much caffeine for my brain to properly function right now." She ended her long ramble with an exaggerated hand gesture, looking somewhat desperate at the raven-haired man.

"I never said I wasn't going to fulfill your order, just that it was a stupid idea." He looked away from her and began filling the espresso machine.

"What's the worst order you've ever had to make?" She questioned after a moment of peaceful silence passed through them.

Levi looked briefly thoughtful, before remembering his answer. "There was this one lady that came in asking for nine shots of espresso. I think she saw my expression because she quickly explained to me that she had six children at home."

Hange's eyes widened in disbelief. "Christ." She breathed out slowly, wrinkling her nose at the thought.

"Then, there was once this creepy old woman who brought me a coffee mug filled with her dead husband's ashes. She asked me to fill it up with coffee." He told her offhandedly, flicking the machine on, and turning to stare at the brunette seated on the couch.

"Please don't tell me she drank it." Hange gave a look of repulsion.

"She drank it." Levi droned out flatly.

"Oh my god."

~

"All done?" He heard Hange ask absentmindedly. He tore off his yellow plastic gloves, slapping down on the counter top. From where he stood, he could see the back of the brunette's messy ponytail. He could practically see the grease oozing into her skull.

Levi patted down his clothes, before making his way over to her. "I'm going to kick Eren's ass when he comes in here tomorrow." He sighed out, plopping down onto the sofa next to her.

She gave him a wry smile, before tucking her pen behind her ear. "Are we heading out now? Because I'll be honest, I don't think I can move after sitting on my ass for so long."

Levi raised a thin brow at her. "Do you expect me to feel sorry for you?"

"Not at all!" She responded back. "But, I don't think you'd be a happy camper if your ass was this numb."

"Do you ever realize the shit that spills from your mouth?" The raven-haired man asked dryly.

She wrinkled her nose. "That's rich coming from the guy that told me he'd rather die slowly from the runs than play UNO with me."

"I don't know how to play it, and I don't want to learn." He stated blankly.

"Come on, I swear I'd make the learning process enjoyable!" She tried to convince him, seemingly to no avail as his expression didn't change.

"No."

"You're the worst. One of these days I'll make you play some sort of game with me." She smirked lightly. "How about Mortal Kombat? Have you ever played that? Seems like your kind of game."

"I never played video games when I was younger." He revealed, hiding his slight discomfort at the look of genuine disbelief on the brunette's face.

"Blasphemous! Who didn't play video games when they were a kid?" She asked in a loud tone.

"The poor little shits who couldn't afford them," Levi explained, crossing his legs over one another. Hange noted the body movement observantly.

"My parents never bought me any gaming consoles, so I used to mooch off of my friends'." Hange let out a small laugh at the thought. "I used to spend all my time there exploring the world rather than engaging in actual gameplay. No nook or cranny was left untouched by me; I think my friend's hated me at some point because of it."

Levi wasn't sure how he wanted to respond to that tidbit of information, and while he was looking for the right words, the woman next to him spoke up again. "My parents were very strict while I was growing up. I mean, obviously, they weren't extremely overly controlling or used to keep me locked up in the house, but they took my education very seriously." She told him in a thoughtful tone of voice, her mind enveloped in memories.

"I'm thankful for it now, I suppose, although I do think they could've handled it better. Anything that was deemed a distraction to my school work was a big no-no, but during summer vacation I was allowed all of the freedom in the world."

Levi's mind traveled to the past when his mother was barely around due to strenuous amounts of work growing up. His mother was a kind and compassionate person who wanted nothing more than to provide a happy and comfortable lifestyle for him; yet, her absence during the daytime allowed him the freedom to do whatever he pleased. He wasn't a mischievous child, not at first, he wasn't. Levi preferred to naturally be by himself during the early years of his life, he wasn't great at continuing conversations and other kids thought he was weird because of it.

Once he was old enough to wander around his own neighborhood, was when he ran into a bit of trouble. He found out that he was decent at defending himself when it came to overgrown children picking fights at random with him. Levi had never been one to take any bullshit from anyone, and he gained a reputation for it as well.

"Levi?" A smooth voice captured his attention; he moved his light eyes to her.

"What?" He tried not to glare at her.

"How about we head back to the apartment and I pull out my old Nintendo console? I have Mario Kart, but just a warning, I'm fiercely competitive and won't hesitate you kick your ass if you win." She stood up to her feet, watching him with a scrutinizing gaze that made him feel as if she knew every thought circling around in his head.

He stood up to his feet as well as she got around to stacking up the papers laid amongst the dark wood of the coffee table. Levi's contemplated her offer while she cleaned up before he sighed in resignation, giving in. "Hurry your ass up, Four Eyes." He reached for his keys, voice drenched in a tone that was almost shielded in a way. "It's fucking freezing outside and it's not going to get any warmer the later it gets."

She stood up straightly, swinging the strap of her satchel over her shoulder. "I'm coming, god, you're so grumpy for someone who's going home to play Nintendo games." She called after him, her voice drenched in playfulness.

He ignored her as he locked the door to the shop, before stepping out into the bitter weather of mid-January. He huffed out, fog appearing before his eyes as he did so. Hange followed after him not a moment later.

A Sunday evening well spent, Hange thought contently.

Chapter Text

"Suck on my bananas, Clean Freak!" She whooped loudly as Levi's vehicle spun out of control and he slammed into an obstacle. She quickly took the opportunity to take first place, laughing maniacally as her character crossed the finish line at the last second.

"This game sucks dick," Levi growled out, his hands clutching tightly around the controller in his grasp.

"You're just upset because you suck at it." She pointed out in a sing-song tone of voice.

Levi snorted dryly, dropping the controller onto the coffee table. "I will never play another game with you until the day I die."

"Aw, don't be like that! Maybe I can find another one you could be amazing at, you know, like world record holding amazing." Hange leaned back onto the couch, tucking her feet beneath her. "Oh my god - Cooking Mama!" She sputtered out through a burst of laughter. "You'd be great at it!"

"Fuck off, Psycho." Levi smacked her with a pillow, rolling his eyes.

She cackled loudly in response. "I'm absolutely going to make a trip to a game store and buy it first chance I get."

Levi narrowed his steely eyes at the brunette. "You waste money on the stupidest shit." He said in a flat tone of voice.

She shrugged her shoulders as a sign of admittance. "I wouldn't exactly call the things I buy stupid. Most of them are things that can make me happy on a whim."

"How does a two-foot cactus make you happy?" Levi inquired incredulously.

"Well, it's not just the Cactus that makes me happy. Don't get me wrong I think they're beautiful plants, but, they also remind me of a quote my Aunt told me once, 'life is like a Cactus, full of pricks, but also very beautiful." She explained with a wistful smile on her face. Levi spared her a glance, his facial features non-expressive.

"How the hell does that make you happy?" Levi questioned with a raised brow after a brief moment of silence. "Do you enjoy being reminded that the world is full of pricks every morning?"

Her expression immediately turned amused at his words. "You can't appreciate true happiness without first experiencing a bit of prickliness beforehand. That's what it kind of reminds every morning." She told him with a soft laugh.

Levi frowned but otherwise didn't speak up. "You reminded me that I've got a super early morning ahead of me tomorrow." She quipped, although, despite her circumstances, she sounded strangely excited to Levi.

"Why?" He asked after a moment of contemplation, curiosity winning out.

"We've recently been trying to gather funding for a project involving various studies of plant life. After a month of continuous begging they granted our funding and tomorrow we begin research! I'll most likely be at the lab until at least midnight." She let out a thrilled cackle-like laugh that made Levi side-eye her. "It'll probably be the best day of my life."

"You must have a sad life, then." He said flatly.

"Only as sad as yours." She retorted with a sly smile.

He quickly masked his surprise at her response, having not expected such a snarky comeback from the eccentric brunette. "Can't argue with you there."

Hange smacked her palms against her knees before pushing herself off of the couch. "Well, It's been an interesting day, but unfortunately I have to end it here. I don't want to be late to work tomorrow, so I'm going to head to bed early."

Levi knew that she was serious about this project considering the woman rarely ever woke up earlier than she had too. He had spotted her more than a few times bolting towards the bus stop from the shop window. "Goodnight." He said to her, standing to his feet as well.

"I had a good time today, you know? I definitely think we should hang out more often. I can see us being best buds for sure." She told him with a widening grin, her glasses glinting in the dim-lit living room.

"Don't even think about it, Four Eyes." He warned her as she held her hand out for him to shake.

She huffed but dropped her hand back down to her side. "One day, I'll get you to shake my hand." She exclaimed determinedly.

"Over my dead body." He droned out and began to walk towards his own bedroom, leaving the brunette to linger in the living room by her lonesome. She watched with a perceptive gaze as his figure disappeared down the hall. Her eyes then trailed down to the video game console that was left on the table, and the few cartridges she had for it.

Reluctantly, she picked up each individual item, knowing it would make Levi agitated to wake up to the small pile of clutter on the table.

In reality, she certainly hadn't expected to spend her day off lounging around her roommate's coffee shop while he scrubbed relentlessly at the wooden floorboards. There was very little conversation to be made, but it was an enjoyable time nonetheless. They both hadn't felt the need to fill the silence, both too wrapped up in their respective tasks, yet they acknowledged each other's presence despite that; it was comforting knowing that she wasn't alone.

She hoped that they would be able to something similar in the future.

~

Levi narrowed his eyes in suspicion towards nothing in particular as his phone vibrated near his head on his bedside table. It was nearing one O'clock in the morning, who exactly could be calling him at this godforsaken time? Granted, he wasn't asleep, nor was he anywhere close to being asleep, but the person calling should have had a bit of consideration.

He smacked his palm onto the wooden surface, searching blindly for the mobile device in the dark. The call was sent to voicemail as soon as his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the screen, and he wasn't surprised in the least to see Hange's number shown.

He reluctantly called her back, pressing the phone to his ear. "Levi!" Her loud voice sounded after only a moment. "I'm so glad you answered!" She blew out in relieve. Levi noted the sound of cars whizzing past her.

He drew his brow together faintly, before remembering that she had told him she would be working until midnight or later yesterday evening. "What the hell do you want, Four Eyes? It's late, I could've been sleeping."

She sounded almost smug as she responded. "I knew you weren't asleep, I wouldn't have called otherwise."

He barely resisted the urge hang up on her face. "You didn't answer my question." He reminded her impatiently.

"Right, right! So, as you know it's pretty late at night right now..." Hange started off but was interrupted by Levi.

"No shit." He spat out.

"And I can't exactly use public transportation to get back home, and I can't call an Uber because I'm pretty sure I don't have enough money on my card at the moment." She pointedly ignored his words, continuing her story.

"Where are you going with this?" He sighed out, already knowing the answer.

"Well," She drew out the word innocently, "I was wondering if you could do me a favor and pick me up from work?" She asked in as polite of a tone as she could have mustered up.

Levi remained silent for ten seconds straight, and Hange was more than concerned that he had hung up on her before he spoke up again. "Do you think I'm your personal chauffeur?"

"No, of course not!" She denied almost immediately in a loud tone. "It's just that... I have no one else to ask but you." She finished lamely, trailing off.

After he hadn't responded, she spoke up again. "Please, Levi?" She pleaded with the raven-haired man. "I promise I won't soak the bathroom floor in water after I get out of the shower anymore if you come and pick me up!" She negotiated with him.

"I was going to pick you up regardless, but throwing that in is a nice touch." He spoke up, and Hange could faintly hear the rustling of sheets in the background, indicating he was getting out of bed.

"Goddamnit, Shorty." She grumbled out quietly to herself. "I'll text you the address. See you soon!"

Levi let the phone fall onto his mattress as the line went dead, indicating she had hung up the phone. A few second later, his phone buzzed once, and he didn't have to look at the screen to know that she had texted him the address.

He sighed in resignation as he slipped on a pair of jeans and a beige long sleeved t-shirt. Truth be told, he was thankful for the distraction that Hange had provided him with. He had been lying in bed for two hours at that point with no sign of falling asleep, and it was getting to that point where his brain traveled to places he didn't want to be. He'd most definitely rather be doing a favor than letting his mindset settle in dark places.

He grabbed his keys and walked out of the front door.

~

Hange jumped up in excitement from the cold bench she was perched on upon seeing Levi's sleek car pull up to the curb. She waved widely at him, a wide grin spreading across her face.

"Hello, my kind and loyal roommate." She said upon opening the car door.

"You smell like fucking shit." Levi shot her a glare before he pulled out onto the road.

"I hardly had enough time to go to the bathroom today, and you're seriously going to lecture me about taking a shower?" She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"It isn't my fault your priorities are messed up." He responded without missing a beat.

"Hey! Is that a twenty-four hour 7/11?" Hange gasped loudly, pressing her face against the chilled windowpane of the car.

"No."

"Yes, it is!" She exclaimed as they neared it; it's bright sign showcasing green, red, and orange. "How could I have not known about this place?" She marveled out loud in an awed tone. "We have to stop."

"No, that place is fucking creepy at night." He shook his head adamantly.

"I'm not seeing the problem here?" Hange looked towards him.

"Of course you don't, you're insane."

After a second passed with no hint of Levi changing his mind, the brunette decided on a whim to take matters into her own hands. She brought her hand up near the steering wheel, and wrapped her slender fingers around it, yanking it down in order to swerve the car into the parking lot.

Levi let out a startled noise, his blue eyes wide open in both fear and anger at the brunette. "What the actual fuck is wrong with your goddamn brain?" He shouted in her face, his brow drawn down in a furious manner. "You could've killed us, you idiot!"

She merely shook off his words, moving to unbuckle her seat belt nonchalantly. "There were no other cars on the road, we weren't in any danger."

Levi glared daggers at the back of her head as she climbed out of his car. "Well, are you coming in or not?" She inquired after a moment, peering down into the vehicle.

He breathed in deeply in order to calm himself, his heart pounding harshly in his chest. "Look, I'm sorry okay." Hange apologized sincerely, her lips drawn down. "I'll buy you a coffee as an apology, sound good?"

"Shove it up your ass."

"Okay, tea it is, then. I'm not sure about the quality in taste but we'll find out soon, won't we?" Hange let a lopsided smile grace her lips as she saw his fingers move to unbuckle his seat belt.

"I'm not in the mood to be potentially mugged while you prance around in there." He grumbled to himself while climbing out the car.

Hange skipped towards the entrance, leaving her roommate behind as she practically threw open the heavy door. "Hurry up, Levi!" She called impatiently from over her shoulder.

"It's not going anywhere, Idiot." He droned out in a bored tone, slowing his pace down further just to spite her. His light eyes watched as she traversed further into the store, her expression lighting up brightly as if she were in an amusement park and not at a rundown 7/11 in the middle of the night. Levi snorted dryly at her antics, unamused.

"Hey, Levi, what is your favorite candy?" She inquired in a tone of curiosity and the gleam in her warm brown eyes was enough to let Levi know that she was up to something.

"I don't eat candy." He answered truthfully.

Hange smiled knowingly at this. "I'm sure you must have eaten some sort of sweets when you were little? You look like you have a sweet tooth."

Levi did, in fact, have a sweet tooth, or used too, rather. He stopped once his mother began scolding him for having so many cavities each time he visited the dentist office. He didn't have much of a taste preference nowadays. "I haven't had a piece of candy in ten years." He rolled his eyes as they made their way over to a counter with a coffee pot and multiple choices of sugar and creamers. He inwardly sneered at the pathetic excuse of caffeine.

"What?" She questioned upon spotting the slight quirk of his eyebrow. "What? Are you being pretentious towards convenience store coffee, Levi?"

"It's watered down dirt." He stated in distaste.

"Well, while I'm sure that these aren't the highest quality of coffee beans ever used, they aren't as bad as you're making them out to be. Besides, not everyone can get quality stuff shipped out to them every week, like someone I know." She said while pouring the steaming drink into a medium paper cup, placing a lid tightly on the top of it.

"That's your problem." He muttered out blankly.

"You never even answered my question." She pointed out, moving to make Levi a cup of tea.

"I didn't have a favorite candy."

"Lies! Everyone has a favorite candy."

"I didn't." He stared her down with a deadpanned expression.

"Hey, Sir!" She waved her arms widely to catch the attention of the lone man behind the cash register, Levi turned his head to see what she was up too. "What kind of candy do grumpy kids usually buy?" She yelled from across the store.

The raven-haired man watched as the man wordlessly lifted his arm and pointed to the left of him, towards a tall rack of Lollipops that were bigger than the size of Levi's palm. "Fuck you." He glared at her.

"I'm good, thank you." She grinned slyly, pausing briefly before continuing. "Well, now I know what I'm going to buy you! I mean, what else could possibly improve a grumpy person's mood than a lollipop bigger than your head?"

"You leaving me alone." He told her flatly.

"I'll leave you alone once we return to the apartment, is that fair?"

"No."

She ignored him and strode up to the front of the store, towards the counter and the lone man they had spoken to a few minutes earlier. Her brown eyes widened considerably as she spotted colorful containers of sand on the side of the counter space. "Whoa, these are cool!" She exclaimed loudly. Levi hid his amusement as the man behind the counter jumped, obviously startled.

"I need this." She said, pushing one of the containers in the small circle of her items.

"For what?" Levi asked incredulously.

"The possibilities are endless." She shrugged her shoulders limply.

"I'll be in the car." He sighed out as his light eyes took in the sight of the cashier ringing up her items. He walked out of the door, not bothering to look back.

He involuntary shivered as the bitter air of the night bit at his pale cheeks, quickly slipping into the shelter of his car. It wasn't long before his roommate bounded out of the store in an eccentric manner, white plastic bags swinging at her sides as she made her way towards his car. He ignored the temptation to press the lock button beside him, preventing her from getting in.

"I got you something extra when you left." She told him, breathless from the cold as she climbed in the car.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow.

She threw a bag of mints on his lap without a word. "You're a boring person, and I figured you don't like candies leaving any sort of stain or stickiness. Enjoy them." She smiled widely.

He stared down at the bag in his lap, trying to figure out why Hange was so intent on being as nice as she was being. Relentlessly, she attempted to engage him in conversation, bought him things without expecting anything in return, and she also knew when he actually needed personal space and hadn't pushed him into delving deeper into his personal life.

He was continuously baffled by her kindness, he surmised dimly.

"You're dumb." He told her blankly, and after a few moments of silence, he turned the key into the ignition and started the car up.

"Thank you." He said once they were almost home.

Hange hid her pleased smile carefully.

Chapter Text

Hanga was startled out of her thoughts as her blaring ringtone cut through her thoughts. She turned her gaze towards the device, brow furrowed forward in thought of who could be calling her. She let her pen slip from her fingers, bringing the phone to her ear instead when she spotted the name of her closest friend.

"Nana!" She cooed out upon answering, a cheerful smile gracing her lips.

"Good morning." The blonde responded without missing a beat. "I actually called because I have a question for you."

"Lay it on me," Hange said, leaning back in her chair. Her cheerful demeanor hadn't faltered.

"Come over and have dinner with Mike and me tonight? We miss you. You can bring Levi with you if you want, too." Her words were quiet and sincere. Hange didn't have to think twice about accepting her offer.

"Of course I'll come, Babe! And I'll try to drag Levi along, as well. What time do you need me to be there?" Hange inquired.

"You can come over anytime, Mike's cooking tonight and I can use the company while he's in the kitchen anyway," Nanaba responded nonchalantly.

"Great, I can hardly wait! See you then." Hange tapped the tip of her shoe repeatedly against the hardwood floor in uncontained excitement.

Her work and research were her entire life, and she wasn't particularly upset about that fact, but it was nice to have a breather every once in a while. Especially because things had been so hectic lately. The only social interaction she had gotten recently had been from her co-workers and Levi, and while that wasn't a bad thing by any means, a little bit of variety didn't hurt anyone.

She scooted her chair back, practically jumping up to her feet. She had one thought in mind, and it was that she would be forcing Levi into coming along with her tonight. "Hello, there!" She greeted the raven-haired man upon walking into their living room.

He looked up, reluctantly tearing his gaze away from the stack of papers in his hand. "What is it?" He voiced knowingly, his blue eyes narrowed in boredom.

"I actually have a proposition for you." She told him with a smile, plopping down on the couch beside him.

"No." He said, ignoring her presence and returning to the pages in his grasp.

She huffed out an exasperated sigh. "I didn't even tell you what it was."

"You didn't have too." He said flatly.

"Your lifestyle is incredibly boring, Levi, are you aware of that?" She quirked an eyebrow towards him, she watched as his expression didn't falter a bit. "Anyway, Nanaba and Mike invited me over to dinner tonight, and I want you to come with me."

He glanced over at her. "No, thank you."

"I think that this will be good for you, Levi! Come on, you've never even been introduced to Mike, yet. I think you'll like him, he's a quiet guy, but he's kind. He's also probably a foot and some inches taller than you, which I think will be interesting to see." She crept closer to him slowly by slowly until her face was mere inches from his own.

He glared at her from under his eyelashes. "Get your ass away from me."

"My ass is nowhere near you." She stated simply. "You know, even if you wanted to stay in tonight, we don't even have enough food in the fridge to make dinner!" She pointed out knowingly.

Levi lifted his gaze towards the other side of the house, seemingly towards the kitchen area. "How about, instead of going to bed hungry, you tag along with me tonight? You don't even have to participate in any conversation if you don't want too, just come along and eat." She offered with a smile of reassurance, her warm brown eyes swimming with hopefulness.

He rolled his eyes, using his book to push her away lightly. "Fine, I'll go with you."

She brightened instantly. "Awesome! Be ready by five thirty, okay? Dress, however, you wanna dress, whatever makes you feel comfortable." She told him quickly as she jumped up from her place on the couch, jogging lightly towards her room. "I need to finish some notes before tonight, you can shower first." She called from over her shoulder.

~

Levi rolled up his sleeves in a careful manner, the dark navy blue material a sharp contrast to his pale skin. The strong scent of lavender wafted around the entire bathroom, seeping into his skin and clothes.

He wondered if Hange's other friend, Mike, was as weird as she was. From the little information she had told him earlier, it seemed like it, perhaps even more so. Levi had learned that the man was built similarly to a tree and had a habit of sniffing people upon first meeting them like a damn dog. Just the thought of it made him uneasy and irritated.

His fingers grasped around the cool doorknob, swinging the door open only to be met face to face with his disheveled looking roommate. He watched as Hange's eyes scanned him over before a shielded expression was painted across her face.

"Levi, you look great!" She complimented him easily.

"You don't." He observed blankly, his eyes running over her messy hair and sweat-sheened face. "You look like you just took a huge shit."

She burst into short laughter, a bit surprised by his words. "I just came back from a run." She explained, a smile lingering on her lips.

Levi raised a thin brow, questioning her. "I was a bit frustrated that I wasn't writing anything down, so I ran around the block a few times. It helps." She continued upon seeing his expression.

He nodded once. "Go take a shower, you smell." He frowned briefly, moving out of the doorway so she could walk through instead.

"I was planning on it." She responded, shooting him a look before she slammed the door shut carelessly in his face, and soon enough he heard the familiar sound of the shower running.

He took a seat on one of the stools near the island and was more than surprised (and a little disgusted) that Hange burst out of the bathroom within a minute and a half of being in there. He wasn't a stranger to quick showers, the most he remained in there were ten minutes max, but a minute and a half was a near impossible time to wash clean.

"Did you just rinse yourself off and get out?" He asked with a blank expression, turning to face her. He noticed her hair was damp as well, indicating she had washed it. He felt repulsed at the thought of her half-assed hygiene routine. It was no wonder her hair got as greasy as it did.

"No, I used soap." She responded cheerfully, the strands of her hair dripping onto her bathrobe.

"You were in there for two minutes."

"Plenty of time, in my opinion." She paused in thought, her expression appearing contemplative. "Don't you think it'd be neat it there was a spray you could use on your body and you'd be instantly clean upon using it?."

"That sounds gross," Levi said as he swung back around.

"You can't deny it wouldn't be useful." She countered while running her fingers through her hair, wincing when her finger would get caught in any tangles. "Ouch." She hissed out.

"I don't have an ounce of sympathy for you." He droned out.

"Levi, I'm beginning to think you're just a finely tuned robotic figure with a goal of successfully blending into modern society." She quipped out.

"I fucking wish." He stated dryly.

She snorted loudly at his words. "I think I'll be ready to go in ten minutes, sound good?"

Levi nodded his head ever so slightly, which satisfied the brunette as she made her way towards her bedroom, seemingly intent on leaving the apartment as quickly as possible.

~

Hange bounced on the heels of her feet in uncontained excitement as she pressed the doorbell to her friend's house. Levi sat next to her, his arms crossed over his chest as he eyed her silently. "Mike, hurry up!" She shouted impatiently, her slender arms wrapped around her form in an attempt to warm herself. She had underestimated the cold weather of early February and had neglected to bring along a jacket.

A few seconds later, a towering man with shaggy blonde hair opened the door, his eyes mostly concealed by the bangs that hung in his face. An undeterred silence hovered above the three of them, Levi and the stranger both staring each other down. "Move your ass, Mike, It's freezing out here!" She whined out, shoving past him without a care.

Levi narrowed his gaze as Mike leaned down towards him and inhaled shortly a few times, sniffing him. "Laundry detergent and a hint of black tea."

"Back away from from me before I punch you in the gut," Levi stated blankly, meeting the man's gaze directly.

The man stepped back as told, however, he didn't seem threatened by Levi's words. "Well, you do have a good vantage point."

Levi moved past him and into the unfamiliar house, shrugging off his jacket and handing it to Mike without a word. "Creative." He said flatly.

"I'm Mike, nice to meet you." The sandy blond offered his hand out.

Levi let his gaze linger on the outstretched limb for a moment before shaking it. "Levi." He responded before the man led him to the kitchen area.

Levi let his eyes scrutinize the room, taking in the pale yellow walls in hidden distaste; he disliked any sort of bright interior decorating. Nanaba, however, seemed to adore it as her walls were filled with a variety of brightly colored knickknacks. "Hi, Levi, nice seeing you again." Nanaba greeted politely, leaning her weight against her countertop.

"Hello," Levi replied, narrowing his eyes at Hange who approached him with a glass of what appeared to be wine.

"Take this, and drink it, maybe it'll loosen you up a bit." The brunette teased as she held out the glass to him. He took it with a sharp glare.

"It'll take four more of these to loosen me up." He muttered out, taking a sip.

"Oh, yeah! I remember when me, you and Erwin went out to drink the night before he left. You had six beers and managed to only get buzzed, while we were both wasted." She grinned at the memory.

"You seem like the lightweight type." Mike quipped up, taking a stand next to Nanaba.

Levi already knew what the blond was implying. "Oh, and why is that, Micheal?" Hange spoke with a light smirk, turning towards the man.

"His stature," Mike answered, Levi's bored yet intimidating gaze not going unnoticed.

"Nanaba's a lightweight and she's taller than I am." Hange pointed out.

"By an inch." Nanaba quipped.

"An inch is an inch." Hange waved her hand offhandedly, brushing away her comment.

"Mike, you didn't even tell what you were making for dinner, by the way. I'm starving," Hange whined out, placing a hand over her belly in an exaggerated gesture.

"Spaghetti and meatballs, be patient, it's almost done," Mike reassured her, concealing his amusement at her friend's actions.

Levi stood awkwardly in the midst of the room, not having much to do nor did he have the ability to engage in an easy-going conversation. "Well, Levi, why don't you tell them about The Underground a bit?" Hange prompted him into talking, taking a quick swig of her drink.

Levi drew his brows together before he took a few steps forward towards their small group. "What's there to tell? I run a coffee shop in the city, that's it."

"A coffee shop? Hange, you told me he was a maid?" Mike spoke incredulously.

Hange chuckled sheepishly. "No, Mike, I told you he acted like a maid." She corrected him.

"I act like a maid because you leave your crap everywhere like it's my job to pick up after you." Levi rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to pick it up."

"I do," Levi said flatly.

"Nanaba, can you stir the pot?" Mike asked the blonde, looking towards her.

Nanaba moved away from their area, making her way towards the pot that sat on the stove, stirring in the pasta that she deemed were now done. "Need help?" Levi inquired, his hands itching to do something.

Nanaba glanced over her shoulder towards the raven-haired man. "I'm all good, thank you. I definitely would've taken your offer twenty minutes ago, though."

Levi held in the sigh threatening to escape his lips. "I've been debating on getting a pet recently, Hange."

Before Mike could continue any further, Hange intervened swiftly in excitement. "Ah, this is great news! What kind of pet are you thinking about getting? A dog? A cat? Oh! I can totally picture you with a Rat!"

"None of the above, actually. I was thinking of getting a reptile." He revealed softly, used to Hange's antics.

The brunette gave Levi a long, nervous side glance as the blond spoke, hoping with all of her might that the other man wouldn't catch on to what Mike was saying. "Wait, didn't Hange give you those demons she called pets?" Levi voiced suddenly.

Hange hid her wince and gave Mike a quick look of pleading, hoping that he would roll along with her story. "Mike, you didn't kill Sawney and Bean, did you?!" Hange exclaimed, her voice drenched in faux anger and repulsion.

Mike instantly wore an expression of bewilderment, which Levi noted. "...No?"

"Good, because if you did I'd never forgive you." She huffed out, feeling relieved that Mike hadn't accidentally revealed her secret. She had been living in the apartment for two and a half months now, all the while hiding her beloved pets, she'd be damned if she let it come down to this.

"Uh, okay, that's understandable," Mike responded slowly.

"What are you two going on about?" Nanaba asked as she plated the food.

"Mike being an irresponsible adult." Hange interfered before her male friend could get in a word.

"Four Eyes over here is acting more like a freak than usual," Levi answered dryly.

"It's because I'm hungry." She brushed him off nonchalantly, hoping he'd feed into her lies. Of course, this wasn't without guilt. She disliked lying to her roommate, but this was a serious matter that she knew he was cemented firmly on.

"Well, it's a good thing dinner is ready then. Bon appetit!" The blonde set plates around the table that was placed in the corner of the room, it was wooden and well worn down, judging by the chips and fraying color of it. Levi and Hange sat next to each other without much thought, while Mike and Nanaba swiftly sat in the last two remaining chairs.

"You guys are less lovey-dovey than I anticipated. I'm not sure whether to be relieved or disappointed," Hange spoke around a mouthful of pasta.

"Can you fucking swallow before you talk?" Levi sighed out.

"That's what she said," Hange smirked at him.

Mike and Nanaba watched the odd exchange silently before Nanaba coughed lightly, filling the uncomfortable air. "Why is this disappointing for you?"

"Because I've waited years - literal years, for you guys to get together, and it's super anticlimactic. You two just sit there, gazing into each other's eyes, and while I think it's lovely, that's all I get to see. I haven't gotten to witness one hug. One." She ranted out, taking a sip of her drink.

"We're sorry, we'll try to be more PDA in front of you from now on, Babe." Nanaba patted her hand in a comforting manner, her tone lighthearted.

"What do you get out of seeing people you know make out?" Levi raised a brow.

"Satisfaction in knowing that I made that scenario entirely possible." She stated without missing a beat. Levi looked to Nanaba and Mike for an explanation.

"Hange was the one who introduced us to each other while we were all in college," Mike revealed helpfully. "If it weren't for her, we would have never met."

"Mike was a shy guy back in the day - still is, but even more so back then. So, naturally, I was determined to become friends with him. He and I clicked instantly together and eventually I introduced him to Nana, who at the time, was an extremely stressed out workaholic. It was a strange dynamic, but it worked." Hange shrugged her shoulder once, swallowing a mouthful of food.

"Still does," Nanaba added with a small smile.

"Levi, you never told me how you and Erwin became friends," Hange noted out loud, her gaze curious.

Levi looked to his left where she sat, his expression masked carefully. "We knew each other in high school." He said blankly, and Hange knew that he was hiding something from her. Still, she let it slide, not wanting to push him any further than that.

"Erwin? As in Erwin Smith?" Mike repeated the name in a tone of nostalgia.

Levi nodded his head in confirmation, curious as to how the man across from him recognized his best friend's name. "Erwin used to be one of my good friend's in middle school," Mike spoke while looking directly at Levi.

Hange gaped openly. "Small world, huh? Do you two still talk at all?" She inquired, and Levi didn't hide the fact that he wanted to know as well.

Mike shook his head a bit. "I haven't talked to him in months."

"Did you know I was moving into Erwin's apartment?" Hange raised her brow in surprise.

"I never visited his place, we'd only go out to eat lunch and go our separate ways afterward." The blond answered her question.

Nanaba laughed a bit. "I can't believe Hange is sleeping in Mike's best friend from childhood's bedroom."

"How has he been doing?" Mike aimed his question towards Levi.

"Fine, he moved to London because of a fancy ass job promotion, and his plate is so full at the moment he'll be more obese in England than he ever was in the states," Levi responded evenly.

Hange snickered under her breath at his words. "He sure has a way with words, doesn't he?"

The two blondes simply nodded their heads in response. "So, was Erwin a nerd in middle school?" Hange smirked knowingly, changing the topic.

Mike looked thoughtful as he contemplated her question. "He always knew the answer to every question and always dressed in sweater vests -."

"God, that's even worse than I imagined." Levi sneered. "Every picture I've seen of him as a kid has him wearing one."

"Despite that, every kid in school admired him." Mike finished with a slight shrug.

"And what about you, Mike? Did all of the girls have crushes on you, as well?" Hange teased him lightly.

Nanaba raised a hand and laid on comfortingly on his shoulder. "I'm sure they did."

"They didn't, they were intimidated by how tall I was." He admitted softly. "It didn't help that I barely uttered a word throughout the day to anyone besides Erwin and the teachers."

"Aw, Mike." Hange gave him a look of sympathy.

"It wasn't that bad, Erwin always made sure that I engaged in conversation throughout the day."

Levi snorted dryly through his nose. "Fucking Erwin always playing the knight in shining armor."

"Jealous?" Nanaba quipped playfully.

"Fuck no, too much responsibility. I'd be a shitty knight."

"You'd probably make a pretty good maiden, though." Hange turned towards him.

"You'd probably be the witch they're always on the hunt for," Levi responded easily.

"I'll take it." She grinned at him.

Mike and Nanaba merely watched the entire exchange with glints of amusement swimming in their eyes.

~

Once they were settled back in Levi's car, she turned towards him with anticipation. "I've got something waiting for you back at the apartment." She told him in a cheerful tone of voice.

"Is it something that will kill me?" Levi shot her a glance as they drove away from Nanaba's home.

"No. Why?"

"I'm getting that kind of vibe." He admitted dryly.

"What is it with you and thinking I'm about to murder you?" She quirked a brow, seemingly entertained by his notions.

"Because you're insane." He responded to her. "Yesterday, you wanted to dig into the shower drain because you saw a spider go down it."

"It wasn't just any spider, Levi, it looked unique and I wanted to properly study it so I could determine it's breed." She explained to him patiently.

"It's a fucking spider, Four Eyes."

"Anyway, no, that's not it. You'll see once we get there."

"Can't wait." He droned out.

Twenty minutes later, Hange ran into her room upon Levi unlocking the front door and returned a few seconds later with her hand held behind her back. "This is something I think you'll appreciate."

"I doubt it." He frowned as he waited for her to show him whatever it is she wanted to show him.

"Okay, here goes!" She grinned before she brandished a plastic case in front of his face. Upon further inspection, Levi realized that it was none other than that ridiculous game Hange had mentioned a few days beforehand.

"It's Cooking Mama!" She cheered out, shaking it excitedly in her grasp. "I know you'll make me the proudest roommate ever once you start beating those speed run records.

"I fucking hate you." He rolled his eyes.

"You won't when you become famous because of me." She sang out happily.

Levi didn't dare voice out loud that the game looked interesting enough to him and that he wouldn't mind giving it a try. He would, unfortunately, have to wait to try it out until Hange had a late night at her lab, though.

Chapter Text

"Good morning, Clean Freak!" Hange greeted upon entering the kitchen, her hair heavily disheveled and sticking up wildly in a loose ponytail. Levi had a fleeting thought that she eerily resembled a rooster.

"Morning." He responded back grudgingly. He predicted that she would make a move towards the cabinets where she kept her precious granola bars. His steely eyes followed her movements a few seconds later; he had been right.

He wasn't sure whether to be worried or repulsed that he had memorized her morning routine by heart.

"What are your plans for the day? Are you going to be heading over to The Underground?" She inquired with a head tilt, plopping down in the seat across from him.

He gave her a blank stare. "Why are you asking?"

"I figured I could tag along with you if that were the case." She grinned in a hopeful manner, before ripping open the food package. "I think it'd be a neat tradition, you know?"

"What? You sitting on the couch while I mop the floors?" He raised a thin brow in question. He couldn't understand why Hange insisted on that being a good time; there were a hundred things that Levi could think of that sounded more appealing.

"Yes. I got a crap ton of work done while I was there, and I, personally, enjoyed myself." She responded to him in a patient manner. "So, what do you say, can I come?"

Levi knew that she simply wouldn't take no for an answer, so he settled for nodding his head once. "Fantastic!" She cheered out, bouncing in her seat. "When are we leaving?"

"An hour."

"Totally doable! I'll be in my room until then."

Was this how every Sunday would go from now on? Levi wondered silently to himself as the brunette disappeared down the hall.

~

"And then, the old lady next to me was like, 'I'm gonna vomit', so I scramble away - and why are there three teenagers sitting near the entrance of our apartment?" Hange said with a raised brow, stopping mid-step in surprise.

Levi's glare darkened considerably as he paused in his movements alongside her. He could make out brown, black, and blonde colored hair. It was nearing seven at night, why were Eren, Mikasa, and Armin visiting him?

"Eren, I'm so happy to see you!" Hange squealed as she neared the teenage boy. The three of them stood on their feet, and Eren let out a grunt as Hange squeezed him tightly in an embrace.

"Hi, Hange." He managed to say, doing his best to hide his desperate gasp for air once Hange had released him.

"What are you all doing here?" Levi asked with narrowed eyes. He wasn't in the mood to deal with the three of them at the moment. He needed a much-needed shower after practically bathing in mop water.

"Armin's TV broke," Eren spoke up before the other two could. "So, we figured that we'd crash at your place in the meantime."

Levi shot him an unimpressed look. "What about your house or Mikasa's?" He pressed flatly, noting the sheepish look that spread across Armin's face.

Hange waved him off with a wide hand gesture, a nonchalant smile gracing her lips as she moved to unlock the door. "Whatever the case, I'm glad you guys are here. You're more than welcome to stay for as long as you want!"

"Awesome!" Eren grinned widely, following quickly behind the brunette as she walked into the apartment.

"Thank you for allowing us to stay here," Armin spoke up for the first time. "We'll try to be as quiet as possible." He looked off to the side, towards Eren. "I can't guarantee that for Eren, though."

Hange smiled widely at the shorter boy, leaning down towards him. "Don't worry about it! I'm Hange, by the way, I don't think we've met."

Armin looked nervous before it melted into a small smile. "I'm Armin, nice to meet you." He responded back politely, holding his hand out for her to shake. She ignored him with a small comment on how formal he was, clapping him hardly on the back with a laugh. Armin attempted to hide his wince.

"Eren, take off your shoes -" Mikasa started to warn him but was swiftly interrupted by Levi.

"Jaeger, get your damned muddy sneakers off of my floor, or you and your shitty clique are getting thrown out on your asses," Levi warned the teenager flatly.

"You really are old, Levi, I haven't heard someone say 'clique' in ten years." Mikasa deadpanned towards her older sibling.

Hange didn't bother hiding her chortle. "What are you guys planning on watching?" She changed the subject effortlessly, hoping to dissuade an upcoming argument.

"I don't know, Armin wanted to watch some kind of science documentary about the ocean, and Mikasa and I wanted to watch a horror movie afterward."

The four of them in the room knew instantly that Hange would be spending the night with them, just by the look of excitement that dressed her tan features. "You're into science documentaries?" Hange asked with a wide grin.

Armin nodded his head slowly. "I am, I think they're really interesting to watch."

As Hange engaged Armin into a conversation about the topic, Levi made his way towards Eren and Mikasa who both looked on at the duo before them. "Where did you and Hange go?" Mikasa questioned once he neared them, her dark eyes swimming in light curiosity as she observed him.

"To the shop," Levi answered her, albeit not hiding his irritancy at her nosiness. He watched as her expression flickered before returning to its neutral state.

"You guys went to The Underground together? Does that mean you're both friends?" Eren asked in surprise, not expecting this turn of events.

"No."

Yes!"

They both answered simultaneously.

"Oh, come on, we're absolutely friends, Levi! Stop denying it." Hange said shortly afterward.

"I'm not denying anything," Levi stated blankly.

"So, do two strangers just go out to have dinner, or do they pick up a stranger from work? Do stranger's spend hours playing video games together, or buy each other Christmas gifts? Nope, they don't. Admit it, we're friends." She grinned cheekily down at him.

Levi stared her down, refusing to open his mouth and respond to the woman. "Acquaintances, at most." He said after a few seconds of silence.

"Sure, Buddy, you keep telling yourself that," Hange told him in a light tone before turning towards Armin. "Shall we set everything up, then? Levi, you'll be joining us, right?" She inquired, glancing over to him.

Levi inwardly debated it before settling for a nod of his head. "I suppose..."

Eren lit up like a Christmas tree, much to Hange's amusement. He seemed to admire the older man, for whatever reason. "Awesome!"

"I'll make us something to eat," Mikasa said as she moved past Levi and towards the refrigerator.

Levi watched with a raised brow. "I don't recall you living here."

She glanced back at him, seemingly unamused. "Starve, then."

Hange snorted despite herself, while both Eren and Armin looked unphased. Eren glanced down at Armin's phone, which buzzed insistently in his grasp. The blonde looked sheepish at the glare of annoyance directed towards him from his best friend. "Tell Jean that you'll be all his tomorrow and to leave us alone for the night for once." He huffed out, brow furrowing forward.

Armin looked conflicted at Eren's words. "He's just asking me if I'm alright."

Eren rolled his eyes so hard, Hange was sure that they were going to fall out of his head. "You're with us, not a group of bandits, tell him to chill out."

"Eren, I don't think it's a crime for a friend to care for the other's wellbeing." Hange shrugged her shoulder, looking over at Levi and Mikasa who were close to arguing over a mixing bowl.

"It's his boyfriend," Mikasa revealed offhandedly.

"He's not my boyfriend." Armin squawked at the raven-haired teenager.

"Yet," Eren interjected with an apparent frown, seemingly unpleased at the idea of Armin and Jean dating.

Armin flushed pink despite his best efforts not to. "We're not -"

"We don't care if you have feelings for him, Armin, we'll support you," Mikasa reassured him, grabbing a container of sugar.

Eren looked conflicted. "Yeah, even if I think he's a dickhead and I know you could do better, as long as you're happy, that's what matters."

Armin let a faint smile spread across his lips, but otherwise, didn't bother speaking. "Eren, have you decided where you want to go to college yet?" Hange broke the silence bestowed upon them. Levi snatched a mixing spoon and grabbed a mixing bowl similar to Mikasa's, he glanced over in their direction, curious to hear what the boy would say.

"Well, I decided to close my eyes and randomly pick a state on the US map with my finger." Eren started in a nonchalant manner, leaning his weight towards one side. Mikasa and Armin both shared a look of exasperation as Eren began to tell his story.

"Jesus Christ." Levi sighed out, not surprised in the least.

"And my finger landed on Texas." He continued after a short pause.

"Oh, God." Hange grimaced towards her cousin.

"And then, I pretended that never happened and tried again." Armin watched in amusement as the two adults sighed in relieve. "And my finger landed on Arizona, so that's where we'll hopefully be heading!"

"We'll?" Levi questioned knowingly, glancing towards Mikasa.

Mikasa nodded her head subtly. "Mikasa, Armin and I are going to be leaving at the end of the summer." He announced with an excited grin.

"Move out of the way, Shithead." Levi murmured as he tried grabbing a utensil that was out of his reach, towards Mikasa's side of the countertop.

"What are you making?" Armin asked hesitantly, watching as Mikasa's stirring grew increasingly agitated and rough.

"Brownies." She answered simply.

"I'll finish them, you go and watch the movie about water," Levi stated flatly.

"Are you sure?" She asked after a moment of contemplation, stopping her movements. Once Levi nodded his head once, the raven-haired teen turned to her friends. "Let's go set everything up, then." She subtly gestured with her hand for the two boys to follow after her as she moved towards the living room.

"You two are similar in some ways." Hange observed as she moved closer to her roommate, watching the way he stirred in ingredients one after another with mild interest.

Levi looked up towards her at her words. "We weren't raised together, so we shouldn't be." He told her bluntly.

Hange's expression didn't falter as his words. "You're both driven and quiet, preferring to use actions rather than words. I also think you're both extremely loyal to the people you care about it, from what little I've seen from you both so far."

"What gives you the idea that I'm loyal?" He asked flatly as he mixed the now silky batter.

"You lived with the same roommate for fourteen years, Levi. You've had employees working at your coffee shop for years without complaint. Mikasa, despite you both having not grown up together, is in your apartment right now watching movies with her friends." Hange quickly gave him the reasonings behind her thought process. "And, regardless of our completely different lifestyles, you've yet to throw me out of the apartment." She grinned cheekily down at him.

"I should, though." He droned out, before pointing towards the storage cabinet. "Hand me a tray, please."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" She said as she grabbed the baking tray, handing it over to him. His gaze briefly settled on the warmth her deep brown eyes were conveying. He noted how highly expressive Hange's eyes always were, framed by long eyelashes and slightly magnified behind her glasses. He looked away quickly, focusing his attention on the batter, instead.

"How long until they're done?" Hange inquired in curiosity.

"Forty minutes."

"Great!" She clapped her hands together once. "Plenty of time to watch the first half of the movie, let's go."

Levi heaved a quiet sigh, following after her as she traversed into their living room. There, he noticed Armin, Mikasa, and Eren curled up against each other on the couch. The movie had just begun to play, from the looks of it. Hange plopped down easily onto the floor, before patting down the spot next to her invitingly.

He relented and sat down next to the brunette without a word. "Is there any action in this film?" Levi heard Eren ask from above him.

"Sure, there are plenty of territorial battles involving all sorts of creatures," Armin answered without missing a beat.

"Are there sharks in this?" Mikasa questioned in a soft tone.

"There better be!" Eren exclaimed.

"There is." The blond confirmed happily.

Levi resisted the urge to call them out and tell them to quiet down, however, their conversations were lighthearted and innocent, he'd feel like a dick if he interrupted them. "That thing is fucking ugly," Levi muttered out as a giant fish with large eyes took up most of the camera lens.

"That's not very polite." Hange chided him in amusement.

"You were thinking it too." He glanced at her knowingly.

"No, I was thinking about how it looked exactly like my Uncle, but that's an entirely different story."

"That's fucking worse, Four Eyes." He pointed out in a deadpanned manner.

Their conversation trailed off as the movie progressed, not without a comment by Levi or Hange, or the muffled voices above them belonging to the teenaged trio. The documentary wasn't anything Hange hadn't seen before, but Levi looked thoroughly disgusted as time went on, as apparent by the twitch of his eyebrow of the clenching of his fingers.

Levi pushed himself up to his feet, ignoring the numbness he felt in his bottom. "Oh, I forgot about the oven," Hange said as she reluctantly tore her gaze away from the television.

"Which is why I didn't bother asking you to remind me." He told her as he began to walk towards the kitchen. The raven-haired man glanced behind him towards the couch, not surprised to see Eren passed out soundly against Mikasa's shoulder, his feet propped up on Armin's lap. The other two were immersed in the film, however, he knew the other boy would probably reawaken as soon as he smelled the treats Levi pulled out of the oven.

Once they were properly placed on a plate, he brought them out into the living room. All three of them perked up, and Levi glared at them as he placed the treats onto the table. "Ungrateful shits."

"Thank you, Levi! The hard work and dedication you've put into these brownies are deeply appreciated and will not go unnoticed by us." Hange finished her overdramatic speech with a tinge of sarcasm in her tone, a wide smile gracing her lips. She swiped up one of the desserts without another word.

"Thank you, Levi." Armin reached over to grab one, and just as Levi had predicted, Eren stirred in his sleep and blearily blinked open his eyes.

"Did you sleep well?" Mikasa asked once she saw he was awake.

"Better than I did last night, I stayed awake for hours studying for that math test," Eren stated as he stretched his limbs.

"I told you I could help you with it." Armin frowned at his friend.

"I've asked you for help with almost every other subject, Armin." Eren furrowed his brow down, seemingly irritated.

"I don't mind helping you." The blond reassured him softly.

"Yeah, but I do mind. You could be doing other things better with your time, like studying for your own classes or spending time with that asshole." Eren trailed off.

"I can try to help you if you want." Mikasa offered quietly. "I'm not the best in math, but I can pass. at least."

Eren turned to look at her incredulously. "Really?"

She nodded once in affirmation. "Awesome, thanks, Mikasa." He smiled at her.

"So, are we going to watch a horror movie next or not?" Hange spoke up, as Levi placed himself down next to her once again. "Let's just hope Levi doesn't shit his pants." She smirked snidely towards the raven-haired man.

"Not before you crap yours," Levi responded blankly.

"This is going to be awesome!" Eren exclaimed with a grin, quickly snatching a brownie from the plate.

The next hour passed by quickly, Mikasa and Levi were for the most part unphased by the dramatic spilling of blood, and screeching screams. Hange continually ranted about how the way their blood and guts spilled out wasn't at all realistic and went on to describe in disturbing detail about how they would actually die. Armin muttered beneath his breath potential getaway strategies and sighed loudly every time a character would enter a closet or bathroom. All the while, Eren cheered loudly each time a gore filled scene was showcased on the screen.

All in all, Levi decided that his Sunday hadn't gone as planned, but that certainly wasn't a bad thing.

Chapter Text

Late afternoon was a busy time in The Underground.

It was usually the time all of the teenagers came in to study or otherwise hang out with a close-knit group of friends. Petra and Oluo were relieved of their shifts, and they were often replaced by Eren, Mikasa, and more recently, Armin, after being hired. The trio would come in through the doors, usually along with their other friends. The short blonde with bright blue eyes, always paired with the tall tanned brunette whose faced was peppered in freckles. The boy with the shaved head and wide eyes, and the girl whose hair was tied in a ponytail who had an appetite that rivaled a professional athlete. The latter were the ones that drove Levi up the walls with their absurdity.

The sun was shining directly into the shop, casting dark shadows throughout along the flooring and walls. Levi stood behind the counter, the light grazing his facial features, painting him in pale yellow. He gave a quiet huff and squinted against the harsh rays, his blue eyes watering at the strength of the sun. "Levi, it's probably not a good idea to stare directly into the sun." Petra's voice sounded behind him, her voice carefully hiding her amusement.

He turned at the sound of her voice, shooting her a displeased look. "It's time to invest in some damn blinds." He told her flatly, hearing the door behind him swing shut, indicating Oluo had walked into the room.

"Good idea, Boss." The man said as he placed a sheet of cookies onto the counter, freshly taken out of the oven, as evidenced by the steam stemming from them. "The atmosphere in here is too bright for my tastes." He added as an afterthought, an indignant frown tugging at his lips.

Levi heard Petra faintly scoff. "Your tastes, huh?" She raised a thin brow towards her boyfriend almost in a challenging manner.

"Yes, my tastes, Petra." He repeated his earlier statement nonchalantly, beginning to place the treats into the glass display cabinet.

"Why is your bedroom walls painted pale yellow, then?" She questioned further, placing her hands on her hips as she waited for him to give her an answer.

Levi didn't bother hiding his eye roll at their usual banter. He knew full well that Oluo adopted a persona whenever he worked in the shop, preferring to imitate his boss rather than be himself. Levi wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or annoyed by his actions.

Annoyance, his mind corrected quickly. Annoyance was definitely winning out as the days went on.

The bell chimed distinctly, indicating someone had walked into the shop. Levi turned his form around at the sound, and Petra and Oluo's conversation faded, the ginger putting on a polite smile that fit her pale features.

"Hey!" Eren greeted casually upon entering, a black bookbag slung over his shoulder.

Armin and Mikasa trailed behind him, the sunlight shielding their forms and preventing Levi from identifying them until they walked further in. "How was school?" Petra asked with a small smile, leaning her elbows on the counter.

"Fine," Mikasa answered easily, shedding off her coat and placing it on the rack near the entrance. She snatched an apron and tied it around her form.

"Boring," Eren stated not a second later. "Mr. Pixis is borderline psychotic, I swear he drinks on the job."

Armin let out a chuckle at the brunet's words. "I did see a flask hidden in his jacket once while he was taking it off." He paused in thought. "I like his perspective on things, though. I enjoy hearing what he has to say."

"He's insane, Armin." Eren countered, mirroring Mikasa and placing an apron around his waist. "Last week he rambled on and on about how Harambe is going to be a turning point in history. What does that even mean?"

"I mean, he is a history teacher, no?" Petra furrowed her brow as she listened along to their conversation.

"He teaches math," Mikasa stated blankly.

"Oh." Petra frowned.

"Petra, now that these brats are here, we should clock out. I made dinner reservations for the two of us." Oluo spoke up, shedding off his apron. Levi checked his watch, surprised to see it was already three thirty in the afternoon.

Petra nodded quickly, turning towards Levi. "We're gonna head out now, don't want to be late."

Levi nodded his head once. "Enjoy the rest of your night, see you both tomorrow morning." He said to them as they slipped from behind the counter.

The couple waved as they gathered their things and slipped on their coats, hurriedly exiting into the brisk air of late January. "Has it been busy today?" Armin questioned, sliding into a seat.

Levi shook his head, no. "Not after the morning rush."

Armin looked solemn at the news, as did Eren and Mikasa. "I'm not an idiot, you know," Levi said while leaning his weight on the counter top. He didn't want them to think he was oblivious to what had been happening lately. "This place has been slow as hell recently." He admitted with a low sigh, his steely eyes scanning their faces which had fallen further at his words.

"We'll try to tell as many people from school as we can about this place, and once spring break comes around this place will be filled up during all of the hours of the day," Eren exclaimed, a confident grin spreading across his face.

Mikasa nodded in agreement. "Connie and Sasha were supposed to meet us here, but they're late." She noted out loud after a moment of silence.

"Yeah, I wonder what happen -" Armin was cut off by the door opening and the sound of boisterous laughter. Armin sent his two friends a knowing look as they all turned towards the direction of the exit. Levi mentally prepared himself for what he was about to endure.

"Hi, guys!" Sasha greeted cheerfully, lifting up her hand in a waving gesture. Connie mirrored her movements, his other arm wrapped loosely around the brunette's shoulders. "Sorry we're late, we figured it was a nice day for a walk in the park." She said happily.

"By walk in the park, do you mean fighting like savages over the single swing at the playground?" Armin inquired knowingly, overlooking their frazzled appearances, and the wood chips stuck to their clothes.

"No!" Connie denied swiftly, as they walked up to the register. Levi stared down at him, waiting for him to order. "Uh, hey Boss." He greeted uncertainly.

"I'm not your boss, Kid," Levi told him flatly, unfortunately, used to the nickname coming from him. Connie and Sasha were the only people besides his employees that called him that; he found it odd. "Are you going to order or are you going to sit there?" He asked impatiently, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Oh, uh, one vanilla latte and - what do you want, Sash?" He turned towards his companion in the middle of his sentence.

"I'll take a hot chocolate and a chocolate chip cookie, please." She grinned in excitement.

Levi nodded his head, he should take to preparing a hot chocolate for Sasha each time he was informed they would be coming in. It was the only thing he had seen her order. "That'll be 8.50."

Connie and Sasha exchanged a glance before their hands went diving into their own front pockets. The brunette brandished a crisp ten dollar before the other boy could, and he sulked in defeat as she did. "Ha! I get to pay this time." She looked smug as she handed over the money to Levi.

Levi relayed the order over to Eren who quickly got to making them. "So, how's Hange been?" He asked absentmindedly, stirring a few ingredients together.

Levi slight raised a thin eyebrow, wondering what had brought that question on. "Why are you asking me, Jaeger, she's your cousin." Levi reminded him in a flat tone.

The brunet chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, but I don't live with her, and you guys seemed pretty close when we visited a few days ago."

Levi contemplated Eren's words silently. He was aware of the fact that he and Hange had become civil towards one another as of recently but then, he also didn't think they gave off the impression of a pair of close friends; something he didn't consider them to be. Before he could get a word out, the bell chimed yet again.

Eren paused as he held Sasha and Connie's order to look at who had walked in. The brown-haired boy turned his head and shot an almost smug look towards Levi. "Hey, Hange." He greeted casually, moving to place the two mugs of hot chocolate and the single cookie in front of Connie and Sasha.

"Hello, hello!" She waved cheerfully as she walked in further. Behind her trailed two other people Levi didn't recognize, a tall blond man who looked on edge, and a woman with cherry red hair that looked eerily similar to Armin.

"Shouldn't you be working?" Levi spoke as they approached the counter.

"It's lunch time, and I figured that I'd stop by for some coffee," Hange told him as she studied the menu. Levi didn't bother voicing that lunch time was over three hours ago. "Oh, by the way, these are my friends and coworkers, Moblit and Nifa." She gestured behind her. "Guys, this is Levi, my roommate."

Levi gave them a stare of acknowledgment before he turned his gaze back to the brunette in front of him. "What do you want?"

"So, rude, Levi." She smiled playfully, humming to herself, seemingly trying to settle on a drink that sounded good to her. "I'll have a french vanilla mocha, please."

"I'll have an iced coffee," Nifa said as she moved slightly more towards Hange's side. "What about you, Moblit?" The red-head asked, looking over her shoulder towards him.

"Caramel cappuccino." He said uncertainly after a few brief seconds.

Levi calmly relayed the orders to Eren, who quickly got to work behind him. "Mikasa will bring you your drinks in a few minutes, have a seat." He told the trio as he turned back around, though he had a feeling Hange would likely stick around to annoy him.

The other two immediately scattered to find a table they found comfortable, while Hange lingered near the register. Levi knew she was bound to speak up, so he simply waited until she did. "I talked to Erwin today." She revealed after a moment.

"And I should care, why?"

"He told me some interesting things about you, so, I thought I'd try to find out myself if they were true or not." She leaned her elbows on the counter, a devious smile playing on her lips.

Levi raised a thin brow, his lips turning downwards slightly. "What did he say?" He inquired, slightly disinterested to hear what she would tell him. It was most likely Erwin blurting out about that one time he tried to swallow his goldfish while he had been drunk. The blond would never get over that incident.

That night was one of the reasons that Levi never allowed himself to get extremely plastered again.

"Oh, nothing too big, I assure you. He just told me that you haven't been on a date in almost six years." She told him lightly, her demeanor cheerful, not judgemental in any way, he noted.

"You discussed my personal life on the phone?" Levi droned out, clearly unimpressed. He wasn't surprised, to say the least.

"It just came up. I think it started by me telling Erwin about my first date, and it sort of spiraled from there. But, anyway, I wasn't expecting to hear that, I mean, you're not a bad looking guy, a little rough around the edges personality wise, but -"

"I'm going to end this conversation here." He stated flatly, interrupting her sentence before she could finish it.

"I don't think it's a bad thing by any means!" She quickly reassured him, a genuine expression painted across her tan features. "I just - I guess my curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to know the reason as to why that was."

"I'm not interested in that shit." He said while rearranging the money in the cash register, sneaking a glance up at her.

"Why not?" She prompted further.

"Because I dislike socializing with people I don't have to socialize with." He responded with a bored glare.

"You socialize with me." She reminded him cheekily.

"I sleep a hundred feet away from you, Four Eyes. You're also extremely aggravating when I don't talk to you." He pointed out blankly, hoping she would leave him alone after this.

"So, does that mean you don't want to hear the story of my first date?" She asked with a wide smile, completely changing the course of the conversation.

Levi closed the register shut with a soft thud. "I'm working," He gestured around him lazily.

"Have you taken a break at all today?" She inquired with a furrowed brow.

"N-"

"Great! You'll be taking a break, then. Eren, take over the counter for Levi, he's taking a quick break." She shouted towards the back of the shop. "You now have no excuses to not listen to my story." She lowered the volume of her voice once more, now addressing him.

"Great." He sighed.

Levi strode from behind the counter, swiping up Hange's drink as he went. "You're not going to sit with the people you came in with?" He asked as she guided him towards a table near the front of the shop.

She shrugged her shoulders once, grabbing her drink as Levi handed it to her. "They'll understand." She stated simply.

Levi remained quiet as the brunette took a quick sip of her drink. "Ah, what was I going to talk about now? My first date, right!" She let out a small laugh at just the thought of the night.

"I was fifteen, I think, or at least close to it." She started with a smile of nostalgia. "The guy I went out on a date with was a few months younger than I was, and I remember all of my friends telling me how weird that was. I didn't care - I still don't care about trivial things like that." She paused, taking another sip of her drink.

Levi leaned his elbows onto the table, listening to her story with a sense of calmness he couldn't put his finger on. The atmosphere was easing, he admitted to himself. "He asked me out on Thursday, and we went out to dinner on Saturday. I spent probably close to ten minutes getting ready because I forgot all about it. My friend was the one who unknowingly reminded me about it when she asked what I was going to wear."

"Christ. I'm guessing you looked like your usual trainwreck self?" Levi said to her knowingly. He watched as her lips tilted up in a small smirk in response to her words.

"I didn't even have time to shower, so you can probably imagine." She snorted in amusement. "Anyway, his mom arrives at my house, and she drops us off at this diner that's a few blocks away. We sit down and he tells me right off the bat that he only has thirteen dollars to pay for the bill, so I order a milkshake and he orders french fries."

"That's cliche as fuck," Levi stated, unimpressed.

"He refused to share, so it wasn't." Hange rolled her eyes, seemingly still pissed off at the memory. "Anyway, he was a closeted nerd, so somehow we get into a heated discussion involving who the best power ranger was. After fifteen minutes, he just gets up and leaves me in the restaurant by myself after I made a valid argument in defense of the blue ranger."

Levi fought the urge to crack an amused smile at her story. "Did he at least pay for the food?"

Hange's fingers wrapped tightly around her mug, her gaze darkening visibly. "No, no he fucking didn't. I had to sit there and wait until my mom came and paid the bill."

"Why do I get the feeling that that wasn't your worst date?" Levi raised a thin brow.

She blew out a short huff of breath in response. "Because it wasn't." She elaborated a few seconds later, the taste of vanilla coating her tongue.

"Yeah, this one time, a girl and I went to the movies together and her mother found out about it somehow. She burst through the theater doors hysterically sobbing and screaming, and eventually, she found us and dragged her away all while shouting things about how I was literally satan for brainwashing and seducing her daughter." Hange told Levi in a serious tone.

"I'd believe it." He muttered out.

"What, that I'm literally satan?" She asked for him to further clarify.

"Yes."

"Anyway, it doesn't look too busy in here, is there a certain time period when this place becomes busy or is it sporadic throughout the day?" She glanced around, the light catching her glasses.

He leaned back lazily in his seat, his pale gaze scanning the area as well. "The morning rush is the busiest time of the day, obviously. Lunchtime is also busy, and the evening is when things usually slow down." He explained to her in a calm tone of voice.

The strong scent of coffee lingered in the air and the ever-present noise of the espresso machine buzzing provided background noise to mingling conversations from the several customers in the shop.
Hange suddenly turned in her seat and gestured wildly for the two other people she had walked in with to join them at their table. Levi watched as they rose from their seats and walked over.

"Hello, I'm Nifa, you're Hange's roommate, right?" A woman with cherry-red hair held sat down next to Hange, a bright and friendly smile spread across her lips.

Levi bit his tongue as he fought the urge to remind her that Hange had introduced him as her roommate no less than fifteen minutes ago. "I am, unfortunately." He droned out.

"He's just upset that I beat him at Mario Kart every night." Hange grinned at him, waving her hand as if to brush off his comment.

Moblit looked as if he remembered something awful, as a dreadful expression came across his face. "I played Mario Kart with Hange once." He revealed softly. "She threw me off of the couch when I won."

Nifa failed to stifle her laughter. "I remember that! But afterward, she applauded you for being able to beat her and clapped you on the back."

"Hey, Boss!" Eren made his presence known behind them, a dish towel slung over his shoulder. "Valentine's Day is coming up, we should make holiday themed drinks." He proposed with a grin of excitement.

"Oh, oh! I have an idea." Connie exclaimed loudly from a few tables down. "What about pink colored coffee?"

Levi's frown deepened at the suggestion, shaking his head swiftly at the idea. He disliked Valentine's Day; it was a stupid holiday, much stupider than others, in his opinion. "How about pink and red cups?" Mikasa tilted her head in question.

"Too expensive." Levi immediately shot that idea down.

"Cute little foam hearts on every drink?" Hange suggested with a limp shrug.

"Some people despise foam or whipped cream on their drinks." Levi pointed out with a sigh.

"Can I be in charge of decorations?" Sasha spoke up, and Levi turned to look at her in bafflement.

"Sasha, you don't work here." Armin laughed softly at his friend.

"That's okay, I'll do it for free! I love decorating anything, and I'm good at it too." She said confidently, her ponytail swishing with her movements.

"Fine, you and Mikasa can decorate the way you want, but if I think it looks gross, I'm taking everything down," Levi warned the two of them.

"Fair enough." Sasha agreed.

"I was thinking more along the lines of date night, you know? If you're on a date, you get a free piece of chocolate cake." Eren shrugged his shoulders.

"Why don't you focus on your own Valentine's Day, instead of the shop's? I'm sure there's someone out there who'd be willing to put up with your bullshit." Levi eyed Mikasa briefly, who flushed pink before she hid her face in her scarf.

"Yeah, Eren, there has to be someone," Armin spoke in a tight-lipped fashion, obviously hinting towards something.

"Armin, why can't you just tell me who it is instead of being a dick and being mysterious." Eren glared at his blond friend.

Both Levi and Hange sighed heavily at his response, while Armin sunk further down in his seat, resisting the urge to let his forehead fall onto the table.

"I'll give you a hint, Eren, their name starts with a-" Connie was interrupted as Mikasa stealthily reached for the broom and promptly whacked him over the head with it, effectively quieting him.

"Is it always like this around here?" Moblit asked after a brief moment of silence.

"Yes," Levi answered flatly, completely unphased.

Chapter Text

It wasn't strange for Levi to find himself lost in his spiraling thoughts during the early hours of the morning. But, what bothered him about his current situation, is that for once his mind wasn't focused on his past or the future, but the present rather. Or, more specifically, Hange Zoe, his rambunctious roommate.

It baffled him how she managed to slither her way into his life despite his best efforts to keep her away. Their friendship (yes, he could admit that they were friends now, though he still wasn't at the point where he'd admit it out loud) was odd. It relied heavily on poorly timed jokes and Hange talking his ear off, but he found himself slowly coming to the conclusion that he didn't mind her company.

He sat up in bed and brought a hand up to his eyes, rubbing aimlessly to rid the fatigue from them. It was two in the morning, meaning that it was seven in the morning for Erwin. He knew that that the blond would be awake. He was naturally an early bird who preferred soaking in the sunrise while drinking a cup of coffee, unlike Levi, who heavily disliked that time of the day; he was a night owl, and preferred being so.

He reached for his phone, and dialed Erwin's number, bringing the device up to his ear. "Hello?" Erwin answered after a few seconds, and Levi couldn't find a trace of sleep in his tone. He had been right.

"Good morning," Levi responded tiredly, blinking once into the darkness of his room. He considered reaching over to turn on his lamp but decided against it. If he turned on a light, it would only result in him staying awake longer.

"Isn't it late over there?" Erwin asked, pausing briefly before continuing. "Are you alright? Nothing happened, right?"

Levi resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the slight concern that dressed the blond's tone. "No, everything's okay." He reassured him easily.

"I'm relieved to hear that." Erwin blew out steadily. "I'm assuming you called to talk about something, so what is it about?"

"First off, wipe that smug fucking smile off of your damn face," Levi said in a flat tone. The raven-haired man could practically picture the smirk he was wearing.

"How do you know -"

"I know you like the back of my hand, Erwin. I can tell when you act like a know-it-all dick." He asserted firmly.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you, or not?" Erwin asked in a softer tone.

"Hange." He quickly replied.

"Hange?" Erwin echoed steadily, silently trying to make sense of what the brunette had to do with their conversation. "What happened?"

"I've spent the majority of my free time with the woman lately, Erwin," Levi revealed after a few seconds of silent contemplation.

"That's good news." Erwin couldn't hide the surprise that leaked into his tone, not expecting to hear that their relationship had progressed to that point. "You sound upset about this." He noted after a few moments.

"I'm not," Levi responded, tapping his fingers along his sheets absentmindedly. "I'm weirded-out. That's the closest word I can use to describe what I'm feeling."

"I can see how that would be a bit unsettling," Erwin admitted slowly. "It's hard making a new friend, especially when another close friend moved to another country a few months ago."

Levi sighed at Erwin's words. "She's fucking annoying as hell, and she smells like fucking shit most of the time."

"People have their flaws, and that's okay. I'm sure she thinks your obsessive cleaning is agitating sometimes. Or when you talk to yourself when you think no one is listening." Erwin said, and Levi could almost hear the smirk he was wearing in his tone.

"That's an invasion of privacy, Dickhead," Levi stated in a droning tone. "How did I let myself end up in this stupid situation?" He directed his question more to himself rather than the man on the phone.

"Perhaps you subconsciously realized you needed someone to talk to," Erwin said to him, and Levi distantly heard the sound of a mug connecting with a counter top in the background. That usually meant the blond was ready to depart for work.

"Maybe." Levi reluctantly admitted with a sigh. "How have you been? It feels like I haven't talked to you in years."

"Fine, a bit homesick, but it's interesting interacting with all of these new people. I do miss your coffee though." Erwin smiled lightly as he heard Levi snort dryly into the receiver.

"Damn, right, you do." Levi practically spat out. "London doesn't have shit on my coffee."

~

"What do you mean we haven't been doing well lately?" Petra asked with a furrowed brow, concern swimming in her honey-colored eyes. "Are you sure those reports are right?" She inquired, looking towards her boss.

Levi nodded his head once, masking his frustration easily. He hadn't expected the shop to take a hit all of a sudden; admittedly, the business hadn't been as busy as usual, but it was still surprising to see the numbers. Levi hadn't been faced with an issue like this one since the very first few months he had owned the shop. "They're reliable."

"Well, it isn't that bad, yet, right Boss?" Jean quickly looked over to Levi, a slight frown tugging at his lips. Levi heard the sound of hopefulness that coated his voice and tried not to let the frown on his lips deepen.

"Not to the point of shutting down the business yet." He responded blankly, casually taking a seat next to Armin and Mikasa.

"That's not at all helpful." Mikasa gray eyes bore into him.

"Sir, may I see the numbers?" Armin asked meekly.

"And what are you going to be able to do?" Oluo raised a brow down at the teenager, unimpressed.

"He's smarter than you at least, Oluo." Jean retorted easily.

Levi glared at the two of them, ensuring that no bickering would break out. His patience was already wearing thin; he wasn't in the mood to settle an argument. He handed over the papers to Armin after a moment of silent contemplation, watching as the teenager's eyes skidded over the print. "Well, Armin, what does it say?" Eren prompted, beginning to hover over his shoulder.

"Levi's right, The Underground isn't doing as well as it should be." The blond said dejectedly, placing the papers back on the table. "It isn't dangerous, not yet -"

"What can we do to bring more people in here?" Eren interrupted. "Should we make flyers and post them around town, or maybe we should bring in a few cats for people to play with? That attracts people right? I hear those cat cafes are super popular right now." The brunette suggested ideas at a rapid fire, his hand movements becoming sporadic.

"The day I bring a cat into my cafe is the day I die." Levi droned out flatly, adamant against the idea.

"We're not going to lose our jobs, are we?" Petra brought up nervously before her facial features turned determined. "If that's the case, I'll do everything in my power to make sure this shop stays open, and all of our jobs stay safe."

"Nobody is losing their jobs." Levi sighed out. "Not yet, anyway." He added in an honest manner.

Silence hovered heavily in the air after those words were spoken before Jean spoke up. "We're going to stomp the shit out of our competition, no matter what." He stated confidently.

"Mikasa and I can go scout out the enemy, see what they're up too," Eren suggested in a light manner.

"Why don't you and Mikasa go on a date on your own damn terms, Jaeger?" Levi raised a thin brow, his tone blank.

Mikasa's cheeks slightly flushed pink as she sent a glare towards her older sibling. Eren's complexion wasn't faring well, either. "You two should go." Armin encouraged in a neutral tone, Jean sent a small smirk his way. "It could help to see what our competition is up too."

"I don't think it's the worst idea." Oluo relented with a limp shrug.

Levi waved a hand, gesturing for them to scatter. "You can both schedule your date for tomorrow, I couldn't care less. It's time to close, though, so get your asses to work and clean this place up." He scooted his chair back and stood to his feet.

"Yes, Sir," Jean muttered indignantly, his chair screeching as he moved it away from the table, Armin following after him.

Eren glanced at Mikasa as everyone began to drift away from the table uncertainly, unsure if this entire plan was a good idea or not. They would find out tomorrow if anything.

~

When Hange arrived home at eleven O'clock at night, she wasn't surprised to see Levi propped up against the couch cushions, one leg crossed over the other, with his eyes closed. The latter was surprising to Hange though, for the past two and a half months she had lived in the apartment, and she couldn't once recall a time when she had seen Levi relaxing.

The brunette slipped past his legs and plopped herself down next to him. She had a feeling he wasn't at all asleep, merely resting his eyes, or perhaps he was testing to see if she would write on his face if given the chance too. As she predicted, he pried his eyelids open and shot her a glare a second later. "Long day?" She inquired knowingly, noting the darker shadows that formed beneath his eyes.

"Shitty day." He corrected while uncrossing his legs. He realized that he had become accustomed to Hange figuring out his moods, or if his day hadn't gone great. Although disturbing, he found himself doing the same for her. She appeared jittery, tapping her foot against the floor as she leaned in towards him, meaning she had made progress in the lab and itched to tell him all about it.

"What happened?" She asked, curiosity imminent in her tone.

Would telling her about the shop do him any good? He pondered tiredly. No, it wouldn't, his situation would still be the same regardless. "Come on, talking is good for you, Levi." She prodded him further, poking him in the shoulder with her index finger.

"Telling you about it won't magically fix my problems, Four Eyes." He droned out, eyeing her warily.

She shrugged her shoulders. "You don't know that for sure though, maybe I could help you."

"Unless you're secretly a millionaire, I doubt it." He snorted dryly.

She frowned at his words. "So, it's a financial problem, then? Is it The Underground?"

He stood silent, giving her all the confirmation that she needed. "Is it serious? Like you need to close down business, serious?" She asked with widening eyes, her glasses catching the dim light from the living room lamp.

"No." He answered with a sigh, relenting. "But if it continues downward, I might have to fire someone due to lack of funds."

Hange sat back in her seat, a thoughtful frown tugging at her lips. "Well, at least your situation isn't at the point of helplessness yet, all you have to do is figure out a way to bring in new customers."

"Eren suggested a fucking cat cafe." He rolled his light eyes at the mere thought of it, inwardly cringing at the amount of hair that would be collected amongst the furniture and floors. He knew that the majority of his staff would not get any work done if they were cats in The Underground, he could just picture them huddled around them and feeding them treats whenever he wasn't looking.

She let out a loud laugh. "I'd visit every day if that were the case, although you don't seem too pleased by the concept, so I suppose that's out of the question." Hange trailed off, and let out a soft hum. "I think I might have an idea."

Levi turned his head to stare at her. "Why do I feel unease?"

"Because soon you'll be swamped with so many customers you won't know your head from your ass!" She exclaimed with a smirk, hopping up to her feet.

"Where are you going?" He inquired as she skipped past him as towards her bedroom.

"I'll be back in a bit, just going to write a few things down. Don't worry your tiny little head about it." She waved him off without a care, continuing to travel further down the hall without another word.

She sat down in her office chair in an excited manner, opening up her notebook. "Hm, this may or may not be an awful idea." She said to herself, swiveling around in her chair as a distraction from her thoughts.

She snatched a pen from her desk and began jotting down a few words, her tongue poking out of the side of her mouth in concentration. "This could also help." She voiced to herself absentmindedly, her pen moving at an extremely fast pace. Hange let out a sheepish chuckle as she paused and examined her handwriting; it was barely tangible.

She slammed her notebook shut and jogged back out into the living room, expecting to see Levi still sitting on the couch. She was met with disappointment, however, as she found that he was absent. He had mostly likely retired to his bedroom for the night.

Determinedly, she pressed on with a furrowed brow and continued down the hall towards her roommate's bedroom. "Levi!" She yelled through the door, rapping her knuckles against the wood three times.

"Levi, I know you can hear me." She tried again just as loud as the last time. "Open up the door, I have something I want to show you. I promise it's cool, and not like that one time I woke you up to show you that weird spider-man picture."

"Hange, back away from my door before I get a restraining order." His muffled voice responded back flatly. She growled under her breath and turned the knob despite his words of warning, swinging the door open.

Levi turned around in the midst of taking off his pants, his eyes widening in disbelief before they returned to their narrowed state. It was then that Hange realized he was also lacking a T-shirt. Hange couldn't help it as her eyes lingered on his pale skin, her gaze trailing over his midriff before she eventually met his heated gaze. "Oops, sorry!" She quickly apologized, letting out a sheepish laugh.

"Get out of my damn room, you fucking Idiot." He glared daggers at her, swiftly pulling his pants back up to his waist and holding them there with one hand.

"It's not anything I haven't seen before." She brushed off his words nonchalantly, leaning against his doorway. "Can I show you -"

"I'm half fucking naked - what do you mean nothing you haven't seen before." He paused in the middle of his sentence as he took in her exclamation.

"I saw you run out of the shower in a towel that one time." She explained as if it was nothing. "Can you hurry up and get dressed? I have something important I want to show you." She huffed impatiently, shaking her notebook to emphasize her words.

The brunette tore her eyes away from Levi's toned back with some difficulty as he made a move to pull a shirt over his head. She could acknowledge the fact that she found Levi attractive; there wasn't anything wrong with that in her mind, she found plenty of people attractive, Nanaba and Erwin included. "Anyway, remember earlier when you said that The Underground wasn't making enough money?"

Levi rolled his light eyes, finally turning towards her as he appeared fully clothed. "Yes, I remember." He managed to speak through clenched teeth.

"I wrote down some ideas that could potentially help you bring in a few customers." Hange walked over to his bed and sat down at it, flipping through the pages absentmindedly. "If you're not a fan of any of them, I could always come up with some more." She shrugged her shoulders, glancing up towards him.

Levi stared down at her, almost in disbelief at her nonchalant attitude. He reluctantly sat down next to her after a few brief moments of thought, his eyes drawn to her notebook. "If one of these suggestions is an animal cafe of some sort -" He started but was cut off shortly by the brunette.

"I thought about it but rejected the idea in the end. I know how fussy you are." She hummed out, finally coming across the pages she had written no more than ten minutes earlier.

Levi squinted at her handwriting, unable to make anything out of the chicken scratch. "How can you read this?"

"It makes sense to me." She glanced at him questioningly. "I can read it out loud if that's what you want?"

He glared shortly at her. "Considering I can't tell apart which letters you wrote I think that would be helpful."

"I think you should redesign the outside of the shop, it could help attract new customers." She started off slowly, paying close attention to his facial features as she spoke. "And maybe you could change the name to something a little less... edgy?"

Levi looked unimpressed by her suggestions thus far. "Like what, exactly?" He asked her for her opinion, knowing that she would most likely come up with something like 'Levi's Beans' or 'Starlucks'.

"I don't know, Levi. But, you have to admit it the name could be unappealing to new customers. I don't mind it, of course, I'm just trying to think like a customer would." She reassured him quickly, not wanting to step on his toes any more than she had too.

"Anything else in that book of yours?" He inquired with a raised brow, gesturing with his head towards it subtly.

She let a bright smile grace her lips. "One more, actually! How about we strap some roller blades on your employees and have them serve customers while they're wearing them? It's certainly unique, and it might be enough to catch people's attention."

"Are you actually suggesting that I let my employees carry scalding hot coffee while skating? You do know that Eren works there right?"

"Listen, I never said it was a good idea, I said it might be enough to catch some attention." She defended herself with a small, amused laugh.

"I'll think about it some more when it's actually daylight outside." He sighed lightly, his tone dry. Hange watched with unconcealed concern at his behavior. "I need to try to get some sleep, I have an early day ahead of me." He told her tiredly.

She nodded her head understandingly while standing up to her feet, her notebook still clenched in her hands. "Okay, that's fine. Think about it, alright? I've still got a ton of ideas in here that we can talk about tomorrow morning, if you want."

Levi nodded his head, and Hange barely caught the glimmer of graciousness that swam in his eyes. "I will, thank you."

Hange shot him a quick grin, moving slowly towards the doorway. "Goodnight, Clean Freak, sleep well." She waved and closed the wooden door behind her as she traversed out of his bedroom.

She'd be lying if she said that the image of Levi's toned back wasn't permanently etched into her mind as her mind attempting to relax and fall asleep later that night.

Chapter Text

A sharp knock on the door startled Hange out of her reverie, disrupting her thought process and causing her to whip around in her chair at the noise. "Come in!" She quickly recomposed herself, clearing her throat before she spoke.

Slowly, her door swung open to concurringly reveal Levi standing there with a frown. "Hi, what can I do for you?" She relaxed in her seat, sending him a cheerful smile.

He lazily leaned against her doorframe, his expression seemingly displeased. She furrowed her brow slightly at his expression, wondering what had made him upset. Before she could verbally ask him, he began to speak. "Do you have any idea how long you've been in your room?"

She shot him a bewildered look, raising her brow towards him. "Uh, a few hours?" She guessed blindly, admittedly having lost track of time. It wasn't her fault, of course, one of the flaws she openly admitted to having was how easily distracted she got when it came to her line of work.

"The entire day." He answered flatly.

She grimaced a bit, letting out a sheepish chuckle in response. It was then that she noticed her stomach rumbling insistently; something she had obviously ignored in favor of her research. She turned her head towards the window to her right, noting the navy blue sky outside. "I didn't even notice." She confessed, returning her gaze back towards her roommate.

"Get your ass out of that chair, you probably have severe swamp ass right now." He told her, tone laced with a touch of disgust.

She let out a soft laugh, closing her notebook carefully. She stood up to her feet, stretching her arms above her head. "Nice to see you were worried about me, Levi." She quipped teasingly, watching as he snorted dryly.

"I thought you were dead for a minute until you let out a screech a few hours ago." He moved out of the doorway as she approached him. "I don't want to know what the reason for that was."

She grinned at the mention of it, and Levi knew he had made a mistake upon seeing her face light up. "Oh! I stumbled upon a super interesting fact about -"

"Sit." He directed firmly as they entered the kitchen, interrupting her ongoing rambles. He moved towards the stove, hovering over a steaming pot as he stirred the contents within it.

Hange sat in a seat without a word, continuing to speak without stumbling. "The lifespan of a Welwitschia Mirabilis, which is a plant found in the Namibia desert, it can live up to as long as five hundred to fifteen hundred years, and it can survive through many extreme weather conditions!"

Levi listened to her talk despite not caring a bit about the topic at hand, grabbing two plates from the cabinets, before shutting off the stove burner. "That doesn't give you a reason to let out a battle roar." He droned out as he scooped up a few servings of the stew he made, silently pleased at the smell that drifted around his nose.

"I couldn't contain myself, I suppose." She shrugged her shoulders once. "I would give anything to study everything about them myself." She revealed with a gleam in her eye.

Levi silently placed a dish in front of her, handing her a fork. "Eat, god knows how long it's been since you've had a proper meal in your body."

"Thanks, Mom." Hange snorted through her nose, amusement dressing her features. "Oh!" She exclaimed, sitting upright in her chair. "I wrote a few more ideas down to help you with the shop." She said to him as she shoveled a forkful of food into her mouth.

He glanced up her, his eyes silently curious. Seeing this, she continued, "Well, you know how I feel about the renovation, already. Again, I don't see anything wrong with The Underground, but for teenagers and the customers you want to attract, you can afford to lighten up the place a bit! However, seeing as you're not quite ready for that step - which is completely understandable, by the way - I think that there should be a word of mouth reward; you know, if someone brings along a friend or gives them a recommendation, that friend gets a reward in return. Sounds simple enough, right?"

"And the other idea that you have?" Levi prompted.

"Buy a large drink, and get a free slice of cake." The brunette responded swiftly, pausing before she continued. "People love free stuff, what better way to attract a customer than by giving them a deal?"

"I've already thought about that." He said blankly.

"Ah, great minds think alike." She smiled at him. "I'm sure whatever you choose to do, The Underground will be fine, you're just going through a rough patch at the moment." She reassured him, taking a sip of her drink.

"That rough patch can cause me to fire a few employees." He pointed out flatly.

"That's the worst-case scenario." Hange sympathized with him.

He shook his head, no. "The worst-case scenario is that the shop goes bankrupt and I become homeless due to not being able to afford the rent."

"You're awfully optimistic today, aren't you Clean Freak?" Hange pressed her lips together in a straight line, staring directly at him. "Besides, I can always get you a job as a janitor for the lab I work at." She jested with a smirk.

Levi sneered at her. "I'd rather be homeless than clean up after you."

"You already clean up after me, though." She pointed her fork towards him, sending him a playful smile. "You also cook for me, and genuinely care about my well-being - no matter how much you deny it."

"If my new roommate finds out that someone died in their room due to starvation, I'll have to charge lower for rent." Levi let a small smirk grace his lips as he watched Hange tilt her head back and laugh. It wasn't often he found someone that chuckled at his morbid sense of humor; it was almost odd to see.

"Fair enough, I suppose." She let a few more soft laughs escape her lips. "I still think you're a caring person, though."

Levi wasn't sure how to respond to her words; of course, he wasn't an asshole who disregarded people's feelings without a care in the world, he hoped he could provide help for those that needed it, and he cared for the well-beings of many. Still, he also knew that he was cold and rude, and sometimes could be thought of as unapproachable, and downright scary at times. How Hange had managed to put up with his bullshit was beyond him, and he found it unsettling how easy it seemed for her to be able to get along with him.

"Anyway, so last night, I got up a three in the morning and found a huge spider crawling along the roof." She changed the topic flawlessly, drawing Levi out of his thoughts. "I tried to climb up and reach it, but it was too fast and slipped in through that crack in the ceiling." The amount of disappointment in her tone concerned Levi. She grew easily attached to things, he noted.

"And while I was climbing back down, I accidentally dunked my entire foot into the toilet," Hange told him exasperatedly. "I'm surprised I didn't wake you up with my shout of anguish."

"Hopefully you didn't take a shit in it beforehand."

"I did, actually, but it was a few hours later so I don't think that counts."

"Gross."

They ate the rest of their dinner in a comfortable silence, every once in a while Hange would say something remotely interesting to Levi, or Levi would throw in something he thought was stupid that a customer did earlier in the week. They both acknowledged how far their odd friendship had come in just over two months in that moment. Silently, they were both pleased with themselves and each other.

~

"Today's the big day, isn't it?" Hange bounced on the heels of her feet in excitement, a wide grin gracing her lips as she swung her jacket around her shoulders.

"Big day?" He echoed blankly, not following her train of thought. He paused before he came to the realization of what she was implying. "You mean the day I decided to give away free slices of perfectly good cake?" He deadpanned at her, watching as she moved away from their doorway slowly.

"You sound upset, but just think of all the traffic you're going to get with this! Tons of people will be stopping in!" She cheered out reassuringly, moving to lean downwards in order to pull on her shoes with some difficulty.

He looked unsettled at the thought of people coming in and out of the shop for a purchase of a large coffee and a free slice of cake. It felt like he was selling out, in a sense. "It'd be a damn shame if they didn't." He said flatly, grabbing his coat as well. It wasn't often he and Hange both left the apartment at the same time. He was usually up at the crack of dawn opening the shop while Hange left a couple of hours after him. This time, however, it seemed Hange was needed at her lab for whatever reason, and she would be leaving the same time as he was.

They both headed out of the door, Levi firmly closing it behind them, but not before testing to see if it would open first. Once he deemed it safely locked, they retreated down the hall and towards the elevator. "Hi, good morning." Hange greeted as the doors slid open, revealing a tall bald man with tanned features and a scowl to rival Levi's.

He grunted once in response, before he shifted his eyes to the left, ignoring their presence altogether. They entered the small space in an almost awkward silence, and Levi glanced towards Hange who met his gaze. She appeared amused, for what reason Levi couldn't determine.

"I am so unbelievably excited for today, you have no idea!" She told him excitedly, breaking the light tension that had blanketed them. Her warm brown eyes were visibly widened behind her lens; Levi couldn't help but compare their color to his favorite cup of tea. It was a fleeting thought, and he quickly pushed it to the back of his mind.

Without needing his response, she continued happily. "My team and I have an abundance of things on our schedule that needs to be studied and finished by today, hence the super early start!" She exhaled, slouching forward slightly. "We're going to be examining several different -" She was interrupted by the sharp ding of the elevator, indicating they had arrived at their desired floor.

"Oh, thank god." The man blew out in exasperation as he walked briskly away, leaving Levi and Hange to stare blankly at his back.

"What crawled up his ass and died?" Levi droned out loudly enough for the man to hear him, stepping out of the small space himself. He waited for Hange to catch up to him before walking towards the front doors. She pulled the door open for him without a second thought, holding it as he strode through, not sparing her a glance, nor thanking her in return.

"I'm not sure. Maybe your attitude is contagious." She jested, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. She took a few steps away from him, seemingly preparing to part ways.

"Where are you going?" He asked after a moment of contemplation, although, he already knew where she was heading and why. She shoved her hands in her pockets, her stringy brown strands of her bellowing in front of her face as a gust of wind blew from behind her.

"I'm going to be late for my bus." She explained as if it were obvious. Levi shifted his keys in his palms, wondering if the decision he was about to make would come back to bite him in the ass later on.

"Follow me, Dumbass." He sighed out after a beat, walking ahead of her. She stared at him, a bit dumbfounded before she reluctantly began to trot after him.

Was this Levi's way of offering to drive her to work? Certainly odd, but not at all out of character for the raven-haired man. She was very pleased to see him opening up a bit more lately, to the point of him offering to drive her to work. Of course, doing someone a favor didn't equal friendship in her eyes, but it more so proved to her that Levi was willing to spend time with her, whereas a few months ago he barely spoke more than two words to her. It was nice to see progress being made.

Levi unlocked the doors to his car, and Hange non-hesitantly slid into the passenger seat, strapping her seatbelt around her form. "I fucking hate winter." He grumbled out as he got into the car, the tip of his nose colored a rosy pink.

"Good thing spring time is only a month or so away." Hange chirped as he started the car, pulling out of his parking space and swerving into the road in a smooth manner. They settled into a comfortable silence as Hange began tinkering with the radio, switching between station aimlessly.

Levi glared at her for her actions, before stopping promptly at a red light. "What are you doing? Do you want me to kick your ass out of my car?" He said flatly as her hands lifted the storage trunk in the middle of them. "Oi, fuck off." He glanced at her as the light shifted to green and his foot pressed down on the gas peddle.

"Oh my god, what the hell is this?!" She sputtered out in laughter, holding up a 50 Cent CD. "Levi, you can't be serious, do you actually listen to this?" She grinned widely at him, turning the album around in order to read the tracklist.

"Yes, Dickhead, I listen to it, otherwise I wouldn't have it in my car. It's not like your taste in music is much better, anyway. I heard you attempting to yodel a few nights ago."

"It helps as a distraction to keep me awake." She defended herself, leaning her back aginst the chair in a relaxed manner. She resisted the urge to prop her feet up on Levi's dashboard. She knew it would result in a kick to the shin. In order to busy herself, she found her hands wandering back into the small storage unit, browsing through the small nicknacks and papers. Even his car storage was properly organized, she noted.

"This is an invasion of privacy." He frowned heavily, not bothering to stop her knowing she would somehow find a way to dig through his things regardless.

"Oh, wow." She marveled, holding up an album cover that read classical piano music. "Your taste in music just did a one-eighty. Rap and classical music? I didn't take you to be the type, Clean Freak." She told him as she set both CDs back in their proper place, a small smile graced her lips as she turned her attention towards him. "It's surprisingly fitting."

Levi snorted dryly at her words, loosening his grip on the steering wheel a bit as he made a sharp turn. "Geez, we're half a block away from my workplace. Time sure flies when you're having fun, am I right?" She said to him as her eyes came across the familiar sight of the building her transportation bus drove passed each day.

"That would explain the reason why I feel like I've aged five years since getting in the car with you," Levi stated blankly, looking ahead towards the road.

"Considering the fact you were already nearing seventy years old, you must be getting very close to death, then?" Hange responded back, leaning forward in her seat in excitement as her work building came in view.

"One can only hope." He responded as he pulled the car over to the side of the road, shifting gears in order for her to climb out of the car.

"Thanks for the ride, I owe you one, Shorty! Have a good day at work, you're gonna do great, I know it!" She shouted from her place on the sidewalk, her arm waving wildly above her in a goodbye gesture.

Levi pressed his lips into a thin line, debating telling her goodbye or not. "You too, Freak." He said loudly enough for her to hear him, before he quickly shifted the gear into drive, and pressed his foot on the gas peddle.

He still wasn't sure whether or not to be amused or embarrassed at her eccentric antics. He could admit that he felt less embarrassment lately, unfortunately. It seemed her bright personality was certainly growing on him, however alarming that seemed. He couldn't deny that he enjoyed her company. It was weird having someone besides Erwin to engage in long-standing conversation with, but it wasn't unpleasant.

No, not unpleasant at all.

~

Levi held up his phone in a stealth-like manner, quickly snapping a photo of the crowds that hadn't lessened in over five hours. Thankfully, he had enough time to take a short minute break, while Jean and Armin continuously took charge of the register and made orders. Mikasa and Eren were both hard at work in the kitchen, making sure they hadn't run out of the supply of promised free cake. Petra and Oluo had both just finished their shifts an hour ago but had contributed greatly in their own way.

He swiped his screen, tapping Hange's contact name and sending her the photo without a word of context to go along with it. She was smart, she'd figure it out eventually. Besides, he knew she would most likely want an update of how things were going.

From Shitty Glasses:

Wow! Fantastic turnout, I'm proud of u! :D

Levi stared down at the message, before typing a quick response.

To Shitty Glasses:

Is that sarcasm?

She responded back immediately, which wasn't to be unexpected.

From Shitty Glasses:

Of course not, I mean that genuinely. <3

"Hey, Boss, we need your help in the back!" Eren yelled, poking his head through the door, his brown tousled locks of hair even messier than they usually were, his cheeks a deep pink color, no doubt from the heat of the oven and running around in the backroom.

Levi stuffed his phone back in his pocket, not sparing it another glance as he made his way towards the teenager. In the back of his mind, the thought lingered that Hange genuinely cared about his business and wellbeing. She was cheering him on for whatever reason.

He appreciated her support much more than he ever thought he would.

~

Hange let her palms rest on her knees, pants escaping her lips as she paused to take a small break in the middle of the sidewalk. Her intent had originally been to visit Levi's coffee shop on her lunch break, but things had gotten a bit hectic research wise and she skipped lunch entirely in favor of doing more work. It was now nearing eight at night, and she had missed her bus by five or so minutes, resulting in her jogging towards her destination instead; The Underground.

She grinned as she stood up straight, looking forward. She knew she was only a block or so away from her destination, and she was eagerly looking forward to finally arriving. From what she could tell from the picture Levi had sent her, it seemed as if the place was garnering impressive traffic, which made her insanely happy. Levi had seemed even more stressed than usual over the past week, and she knew this would lessen it considerably.

A few minutes later and she was in front of the small coffee shop. The line had dwindled down a lot compared to earlier, which was to be understandable considering how late it was getting. She got in line, just a couple people standing in front of her.

"Hi, what can I get ya?" A teenager she recognized but did not know the name of asked. She glanced downwards at his nametag, noting the black print that read 'Jean'.

She laid her fingers on the counter, tapping them absentmindedly as she read over the menu. "What would you personally recommend I have?" She asked after a moment, moving her gaze towards the ash-haired boy who didn't seem a bit put on the spot at her question.

"I usually have an Espresso Macchiato or a Café Americano. I lean more towards the former, though, both are good if you're a coffee drinker. If you're not, I can recommend something sweeter for your tastes." He quickly said without taking a breath in between.

The brunette hummed in thought, before making a decision. "I'll go with the first one, then, thanks!"

Jean nodded his head and turned his head to look over his shoulder. "Hey, Babe, one Espresso Macchiato, for here." He told him, leaning towards the blond boy who was in the midst of mixing another drink. Hange was sure she wasn't supposed to hear the cute name-calling.

"You can have a seat, we'll bring it to you." He turned back over to her, shooting her a small smile.

Hange nodded quickly and took a seat near one of the windows, and it was then she realized that each time she visited the coffee shop, she preferred to sit at this very table. It was the very table where she had first met Levi, as well.

Her drink was brought to her no less than a few minutes later, and she contently sipped at it as she stared at the strangers passing by the shop, lost in thought. "You didn't tell me you were coming." Levi sat down across from her. His expression was masked, but Hange could tell he was tired.

"Surprise?" She tried lamely with a half-smile. "I wanted to check out how things were going." She looked around, noting the few people who had walked in at the moment. "It seems pretty busy compared to the last time I was here.

"Yeah, I think Eren is passed out in the storage room from exhaustion," Levi said with a frown, leaning back in his chair. He certainly didn't lack graciousness towards his employees, they all did a fine job today, and he had told them as such earlier.

"When are you closing?" She asked with a raised brow, wrapping her fingers around her mug.

"In an hour, or so," Levi answered her after checking the clock on the wall behind him. "Do you know how many people spilled their damn drinks all over the floor today? Clumsy bastards." He growled out.

"Look on the bright side, at least, you had enough people in here today that they made a mess! You can't be mad about that." She tried to cheer him up, pointing her index finger at him.

"I wouldn't be mad if people learned how to be careful. Especially around hot drinks that could potentially send someone to the emergency room." He rolled his light eyes. He noticed that most of the customers had been served and there was no line out of the corner of his eye. He was sure Armin and Jean were grateful for the small break. They seemed brighter too, as Jean playfully ruffled the blond's hair and leaned towards him.

"Thanks..." He looked back towards her after a moment, his expression becoming relaxed as he spoke. "For trying to help me out with this place." He clarified once he saw her bewildered expression.

Her expression lit up at his words, and Levi found himself inwardly regretting giving her thanks already and it hadn't even been more than a few seconds. "Oh, man, I knew it! I totally knew it! You are a good person, with good manners!" He distinctly heard Jean snort at her exclamations. He turned around and glared daggers at the teenager, which quieted him instantly.

"Honestly speaking, though, you don't have to thank me for anything. Friends help each other out when they need it, right? Besides, you didn't even use any of my ideas."

"Yet."

"Yet?" She echoed, before speaking again. "Are you going to change the name of this place?!"

He shook his head, slowly. "No, but I'm going to look into some renovations when I think we have enough funds for it."

"Awesome, I think a couple of coats of bright blue paint will do it." She laughed loudly at the look of disgust plastered across his face. "How about we change the name of this place to Zoe's, then? Sounds fitting, doesn't it?"

"How about instead I name a drink after you?"

"Holy shit, really?" She gaped at him.

"Yeah, it'll be the most disgusting thing on the menu and taste like absolute shit as well." He quipped flatly, his expression blank as it always was, but Hange caught the gleam of amusement in his eyes.

"You know what? I'll take it!" She said with a widening grin.

Chapter Text

To Erwin:

Hey! You should totally facetime me right now! If you're not busy, that is.

Hange sent the text, waiting for a response as she held the phone in her lap. She glanced towards Levi, who was sitting on the other side of the couch, a book held in his grasp. He hadn't spoken a word in over an hour, not matter how much Hange had tried to engage him in conversation.

From Erwin:

I'm not busy, you caught me at the right time. Give me a minute.

She bit her lip in excitement as her eyes scanned over the message, her toes tapped against the floor in anticipation. She hadn't actually seen Erwin's face since they had all gone out for drinks a couple of months ago; she wondered if his appearance had changed a bit. Perhaps he had grown out a beard, or maybe he had let his hair grow out? She wrinkled her nose at the thought of it. Weird.

"Stop, Four Eyes." Levi sighed out, placing the book on his lap as he turned to stare at her in an exasperated manner. "What are you so damn anxious for?"

She held up her phone and shook it near her head, grinning widely in response. "I'm expecting a phone call from someone important." She revealed shortly afterward.

"Like who?" He frowned, pressing her further for answers. Perhaps it was a work related conversation? He could see her being excited over something along those lines.

She opened her mouth to speak but was promptly cut off by her blaring ringtone. Her facial features lit up as she used her thumb to swipe across her screen to answer. "Erwin!" She exclaimed happily as the call connected and the blond's face had appeared on the screen.

Levi scoffed openly at the two of them, crossing his arms as he fully abandoned the book he was reading in favor of watching the pair. Hange scooted closer to him with some difficulty so he could be on the camera as well. "Erwin is the important person you were waiting to call you?" He deadpanned at her.

Hange shrugged her shoulders limply and nodded her head once in confirmation. "Yep."

"How have the two of you been?" Erwin asked as the two of them shared a moment of eye contact. He observed them both intently, as he sat upright in his office chair, his hands folded neatly on his desk.

"Amazingly well!" Hange quickly responded, eager to tell the blond of the recent studies she had been conducting recently, along with the progress her lab had made.

"Erwin, your mom called me yesterday to complain about you," Levi revealed in a nonchalant manner. "She's upset because you forgot it was Gracie's birthday a few days ago."

Erwin's lips tugged downward, although it was barely noticeable. "Did you assure her that it was a mistake and that I've been very busy lately and that it wasn't my intention to forget Gracie's birthday?" Erwin knew that depending on the mood Levi was in that day, it could have been fifty-fifty.

"No." The raven-haired man said simply. "I told her that it was a dick move."

"You hate Gracie, anyway." Erwin pointed out with a raised brow.

"Yeah, I do, because she's a fucking bitch who pissed in my shoes when I visited that one time."

"Uh, may I ask who Gracie is?" Hange chimed up in a curious tone, glancing between the two of them. It felt like she was missing an important piece of information.

"Gracie is a fourteen-year-old pomeranian that replaced Erwin when he moved out," Levi explained with a bored expression. "I think your mom loves that mutt more than she does you."

"It wouldn't surprise me, honestly," Erwin admitted. "Besides that, how have things been going? How has The Underground been doing since your last promotion, has business increased any?"

"It's difficult to say. It's only been a few days since then."

"Well, if it counts for anything, I walked in yesterday and there was a decent sized line ahead of me," Hange responded. "And it was near closing time, as well."

"That's because it was Friday night and a group of people came in with their friends." Levi watched as her expression became almost smug at his words.

"Okay, then, why was it crowded on Thursday night? Or on Wednesday?" She asked him with a slight smirk tugging on her lips. "Admit it, your place has been garnering some attention lately, Levi, you should be boasting about it."

"There's nothing to boast about, Four Eyes." Levi sighed, shooting her a glare that lacked its usual irritancy.

"You two seem like you've grown a lot closer since I've last talked to you," Erwin spoke up suddenly, interrupting their ongoing banter before it could spiral into an actual argument.

Levi narrowed his eyes towards the screen. "What gives you that idea?" He inquired flatly.

"Hange just admitted that she visits The Underground every night, which means you most likely carpool home together, and Levi told you who Gracie was without a hint of hesitation." He listed off his reasons while maintaining eye-contact with his former roommate, his expression knowing. "Also, Levi doesn't seem to mind that you're sitting right next to him, which is highly progressive for him."

Hange let out a small laugh in response to the blond-haired man. "You're insanely perceptive, Erwin. I'd say Levi and I could officially be called friends."

Levi rolled his light eyes at the two of them. "I've gotten to the point where I can now tolerate Hange in small doses."

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Levi." Hange jested lightly.

"That's not true at all. I complimented you on that painting you attempted to do a few days ago."

"You mean that one that looked like a pile of crap?"

"Yes."

Erwin could only manage a slight shake of his head as he watched the way they interacted. His friends were the oddest people he had ever met, although, that worked just fine for him, considering he was just as odd; if not more so.

"What did you decide to name it again?" Inquired Levi.

"A Sunday Afternoon Spent On The Toilet."

"Nice."

"Yeah."

Alright, no, they were most certainly weirder than he was, he'd admit that.

~

"Honestly, Nanaba, I'm only going because it feels like it's been years since I was on a date and he offered to pay, and on top of that, it's Valentine's day." She hummed out absentmindedly while sorting through her closet. She sniffed one the fancier shirts she owned that had been lying on the floor, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the pungent smell that entered her nose.

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't put any effort. Who knows, you might end up really liking him." Nanaba reminded her softly.

"You've said that every time I've gone on a date in the past two years, Nana. Besides, I'm not looking for a serious relationship right now, you know that." Hange bit her lip as she snatched a shorter pencil skirt from a hanger, before shaking her head and tossing it over her shoulder.

"You seemed really excited about that date with Rico a few months back, and you seemed fine about pursuing a relationship with her." The brunette could hear Nanaba sipping from her drink over the other line.

"That's because I was excited," Hange replied as she eyed a yellow button-up shirt and a pair of black slacks. She grabbed them and threw them carelessly onto her bed. They would have to do.

"Well, what happened, then?"

"We just weren't very compatible, that's all." Hange finally grasped her phone in her hand after having it sandwiched between her ear and shoulder for twenty minutes. She tried not to remember the short woman she had gone out with more than a few months ago. She had been too overly ambitious, and her mind had pictured some sort of perfect fantasy when in reality the night hadn't gone anything as planned. The two of them had very little in common, and they never bothered to talk to one another after that. She tried not to get her hopes too high when it came to dating after that particular instance.

"Do you think I should bother with makeup at all, or no?" Hange outwardly contemplated, glancing around her room, silently searching for the small handbag she kept those types of items in.

"Whatever you feel is best, Babe," Nanaba responded after a few seconds of silence, and Hange smirked at her absentminded tone of voice.

"Did Mike walk into the room or something? You sound like you're in the middle of something." Hange teased lightly as she sat on the edge of her bed, crossing her ankles over one another.

"No, nothing like that." The blonde paused over the other line. Hange could hear the sound of shuffling in the background. "Hey, Hun, I'm sorry, but something just came up, I have to go."

Hange snorted loudly in response. "Yeah, yeah. Have fun making out with your boyfriend."

"I will. Have fun on your date tonight! Be safe, okay? Love you."

"Love you too." Hange smiled as she heard the other line disconnect, indicating the blonde had hung up.

She ran a hand through her bangs, pushing them off of her face as she collected her thoughts. A flaw she openly admitted to having was getting ahead of herself. When it came to her research and the relationships she formed, she thought miles ahead. Her mind would picture the years spent happily together when in reality, she had hardly known that person for a week and a half.

The man who had asked her out earlier in the day was a familiar face; he often frequented the gym she went too, and each time she finished her workout routine, he approached her and shamelessly flirted until she asserted that she was going home. Today had been the first day he had verbally asked her out, however. He seemed like a decent enough person, and admittedly, she couldn't think of a reason to say no, so she had agreed to out to dinner with him.

She checked her phone as she swung her legs back and forth, once again viewing the text message he had sent her a few hours beforehand telling her he would pick her up at six thirty, with the advice to dress 'fancy'. She hoped a pair of slacks and a button up would do; each of the dresses she owned was in the cleaner, or extremely worn.

She pushed herself up to her feet, silently wishing that Levi had been home so he could tell her if her outfit was appropriate to wear at an elegant restaurant. She could always call him, but she had a feeling he was rather busy at the shop considering it was Valentine's Day, and supposedly it was a busy holiday for them.

She allowed herself to skip off towards the bathroom in preparation for the night ahead of her, becoming more and more excited as the minutes passed by.

~

Levi narrowed his pale eyes as he allowed himself to lean his weight against the kitchen counter, watching as Mikasa calmly sorted through ingredients to make yet another double fudge chocolate cake. "Nice job today." Levi complimented the raven-haired teenager as she measured how much flour she would need. She had deserved praise, after all, she had willingly volunteered to spend the day in the kitchen baking whatever was needed. She hadn't made a single mistake yet.

She glanced up at him with a shielded expression that Levi couldn't read properly. "Thanks." She mumbled uneasily, almost in disbelief of the fact that Levi had willingly praised her without being prompted beforehand. "It's the least I could do." She spoke after an uncomfortable silence blanketed them.

Upon seeing the questioning look that Levi targeted towards her, she continued. "Mom was the one who taught me how to bake, and she was the one who gave me all of her recipes. I feel like I can contribute to her legacy by using her recipes in the shop constantly. You do literally everything else, so."

Levi took her words in, letting them fully sink in before he could muster up a response. Was she implying that she felt like she wasn't contributing otherwise, or had that been shot at him for not keeping the integrity of The Underground while his mother had owned it? He remembered that Mikasa had been a bit upset when he had announced he would completely renovate the shop. "Your desserts taste a lot like hers - not as good, but close enough. She would be pleased."

Mikasa stopped stirring the mixture in order to look up at him. "I think she would like what you've done with this place so far." She murmured, returning her gaze downwards and pointedly ignoring his eyes. "Though, she probably would have requested more floral print."

Levi snorted through his nose dryly, crossing his arms over his chest. He remembered that his mother had adored anything and everything floral print; one of his very first memories involved living in a tiny apartment with floral print wallpaper. It was hideous. "You're right."

Jean and Eren burst through the door loudly a few seconds later, which had no effect on either of the Ackerman's. Eren wore a look of pure annoyance as he shoved Jean roughly out of the way to walk further into the room, while Jean, in the meantime, aimed a kick towards his ass. "You're such a fucking prick." Eren spat towards the ash-haired teenager.

"Is there a reason why you're both in here arguing instead of doing your damn jobs?" Levi glared at the two teenagers as they sneered outwardly at one another. He watched as Mikasa blew out a sigh and stepped towards Eren, but he held out his hand as a gesture for her not to come any closer.

Mikasa frowned and further observed him, before her gaze flickered to Jean who almost seemed a bit flustered, his cheeks dusted pink. "What happened?" She inquired, her tone lacking curiosity. It wasn't rare for the pair to get into frequent arguments, although this one seemed particularly intense compared to recent ones.

Eren growled at the thought of it before he turned abruptly to Mikasa. "I heard him telling Marlowe that he was going to go over to Armin's house later tonight."

Levi stared blankly at the brunet, feeling the beginning stages of a headache forming at his temples. "That doesn't give you the right to fucking shout at me in the middle of a phone call while you're supposed to be working, you idiot. My relationship is none of your business." Jean exclaimed loudly, frustration and anger apparent on his features.

"You and Armin have been dating for a month, and you're already ready to sleep with him? Hell no, Armin is my best friend and I won't sit there and watch you hurt him." Eren immediately responded just as angered.

"Yeager, you're not the fucking virginity guardian, you can't sit there and tell other people what to do and when to do it. Armin is old enough to make his own decisions." Levi rolled his eyes, standing firmly in between the two boys.

Mikasa hesitated to get involved, instead choosing to lay on light hand on Eren's back, hoping the action would calm him down a bit. It seemed to work as Eren glanced behind him. "He's been through enough, he doesn't need this dickhead breaking his heart too." Eren shot a harsh glare towards the ash-haired boy who seemed offended by his words.

"I'm not going to break up with him after tonight, because believe it or not, Eren, I fucking care about him a lot, and I don't understand why that's so hard for you to get through your thick fucking skull."

"Enough," Levi growled out, pointing towards the doorway that they had come in through. "Go fucking do your jobs before I seriously contemplate firing one or both of you."

Jean huffed loudly, clearly expressing his frustration as he shoved the doors open and walked out of the kitchen area without so much as a glance over his shoulder. "I hate him," Eren mumbled out, meeting Mikasa's blank gaze. "You agree with me, right? He's a dick."

The raven-haired girl gave him a long look before she traversed back to her baking station, Eren following after her. "I think he's changed a lot since he and Armin started dating." She admitted with a slight shrug of her shoulders. She truly didn't have anything against Jean, except for the few times that he had attempted to chat her up when he had first started working at The Underground.

"Sure, I'll give him that, but he's still a dick in my book, and I don't like the idea of Armin -"

"Armin is smarter than the two of us combined, he'll be fine." Mikasa reminded her best friend calmly, absentmindedly handing him the spoon she used to stir the batter, now covered entirely in milk chocolate.

Levi glanced down at his pocket as his phone vibrated twice in a roll, before vibrating once more. He pulled his phone out, out of the corner of his eye he spotted Eren tasting the batter happily while Mikasa placed the contents of the bowl into a couple of circle shaped pans.

From Shitty Glasses:

Oooooh my god.

From Shitty Glasses:

I am on the most boring date I've ever been on in my LIFE.

From Shitty Glasses:

The waitress has more of a personality than he does.

Levi felt a bit of amusement at her texts, tapping his thumbs on his keyboard as he worked on a response. He wondered if she was on the phone directly in front of her date, or waited until he went to the bathroom to complain him.

To Shitty Glasses:

At least you don't have to deal with a bunch of idiots for hours at a time.

From Shitty Glasses:

Oh no, what'd they do this time?

To Shitty Glasses:

Eren is attempting to protect Arlert's honor and is seemingly willing to murder Jean if it comes down to it.

From Shitty Glasses:

HAHA - ishdjkshfjd Oh my god he's comig bakc I gota go Levi ill update in a bit

Levi was left to stare at his screen for a few minutes before turning off the device and sliding it back into his front pocket. He wasn't sure if he felt sorry or entertained by her circumstances, although, admittedly, he was leaning more towards the former.

~

Hange was awfully familiar to having to put on a mask and act happy-go-lucky, and she was scarily convincing while she did so as well.

"Oh, really?" She slightly widened her eyes in disbelief, her warm brown eyes complimented by a few coats of mascara and a swipe of eyeshadow. The man across from her had been talking about his workout regimen for exactly thirty minutes and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. She wondered if this was karma for talking about her research to Levi whenever she was given the chance too. "It's nice to see you so earnestly dedicated to your body, and your health." She complimented easily, tapping her fingers on the table absentmindedly. A little bit of flattery never hurt anyone, right?

"It's one of the only things I can ever see myself being dedicated to if I'm being honest." He said with a small smile, sneaking a shy glance down at the silverware. A red flag was immediately thrown up in Hange's mind; he was completely self-absorbed and he had also just revealed that he was not interested in the idea of a long-term relationship. His intentions were obvious, at this point.

"Well, it's clearly paid off." Hange let herself flirt a bit, the corner of her mouth tilting up.

"Well, I'm glad you think so." He smirked widely at her, his tone becoming low and careful. Hange almost felt bad for giving him the idea that she would be going home with him when in fact, she had zero intention to do so. She might have considered it if she wasn't required to at her lab bright and early.

The conversation had fallen off into an obviously strained silence. Hange searched her brain for any sort of topic she could have brought up, a skill she often prided herself for, but in the end came up blank. They had already talked about their respective jobs, and what they had done throughout the week. She came to the conclusion that it wasn't her being able to come up with any conversational topics, it was her not wanting to, instead.

"Is it alright if I pay for the check?" He asked, pausing in thought before he continued carefully. "And then, maybe we can go back to my place -"

"Look, as nice as that sounds, I have an early day ahead of me tomorrow, so I'd rather not." The brunette painted an apologetic expression across her features, the dim light reflecting off the lens of her glasses.

The man didn't bother masking his disappointment, it was apparent in both his body language and facial features. "We don't have to do anything, we could just chill for a bit, no big deal. I'll even drop you off back to your apartment afterward." He offered in a polite tone that made Hange want to narrow her eyes at him, she resisted, however.

"No, thank you, like I said, I have an early day tomorrow and I'd rather not get sidetracked from it." She brushed his offer off, twisting in her chair with the intent to scan the area for their waiter. Once she saw they were no longer busy, she waved them over. "Hi, can we get the check, please?" She smiled brightly, pointedly ignoring the man behind her entirely.

"Well, then, how about we go back to your apartment instead if that would make you more comfortable, and it'd be convenient for you as well." He tried once more, and Hange side-eyed him as she turned back around properly.

"No means no, I'm sorry. I'll pay for the bill and I'll leave a tip if that counts for anything. Also, my friend is going to be picking me up in a little bit, so there's no need for you to drop me off." She reassured him, her tone of voice underlyingly firm as if challenging him to ask her once again.

He looked stunned and remained quiet as their waiter brought back the check. "I thought you'd be a bit more fun when I asked you out." He voiced out loud, and Hange raised a brow at his words, glancing up as she read the amount she owed.

"I've drunk three martinis, talked about when I accidentally broke into a pet store past midnight, and I also study deadly diseases for a living." She stated evenly before an amused smile graced her lips. "I can understand your frustration, you probably had the night all planned out in your head, but in reality, I don't owe you anything, and frankly, my job that I've worked my ass off for since the age of fifteen means much more to me than five minutes in bed with you." She got up from her seat, leaving a generous tip as well as paying for the bill.

"Happy Valentine's day, it was fun." She waved to him as she strode out of the place, leaving the man dumbfounded on his seat. She sighed in relief as the chilled weather grazed her cheeks. The brunette walked further away from the building, shifting her gaze from left to right as she examined the area.

She knew for a fact that she wasn't too far from the apartment, maybe eight or nine blocks at the least. She could most certainly walk it back without running into any sort of issues. She dug her hands deeply into her coat pockets and began to the trek home with that thought in mind.

She had gone into tonight with zero expectations, and they had mostly been met. Her date had been extremely self-absorbed and almost entitled towards the end of the night, something she would not let herself stay quiet about. She didn't owe him anything for him asking her out, especially not sex.

From Clean Freak:

Oi, where'd you put the remote?

Hange let out a small hum as she tried recalling where she had placed the television remote, before coming up blank. She typed a swift message back, pressing send.

To Clean Freak:

No idea. Sorry.

From Clean Freak:

You responded quickly... Did you already chase your date off?

To Clean Freak:

Not entirely. ;P I'll tell you all about it as soon as I'm home.

From Clean Freak:

Are you in the car with him right now? The fuck... You better warn me if you're bringing him here so I can lock myself in my room.

To Clean Freak:

No, I'm walking home.

It was a few minutes before Levi replied to her text, and by then she had slipped her phone back into her pocket. It came as a surprise to her when her phone vibrated once, indicated he had responded.

From Clean Freak:

How far away are you, Idiot?

To Clean Freak:

I'm on Sina Street, why?

From Clean Freak:

Stay there.

Hange stopped walking in her tracks, staring down at her phone screen. She certainly hadn't expected Levi to volunteer and pick her up; she was fine with walking home, but it seemed he already had his mind set.

A few minutes passed by slowly, and Hange had wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep warm. She let her shoulders sag in relief as she spotted Levi's car pulling up to the curb. She opened the door and slipped in, sending him a grateful look.

"You didn't have to pick me up." She said once she had settled in, leaning against the seat as Levi began to drive once more.

"No shit." He muttered out, his eyes strictly remained on the road.

A hint of a smile tugged at her lips as she spotted their apartment building; it had been almost three months since she had moved in, and her life was transforming into something she could be insanely proud of. It was a much different feeling than being evicted for not being able to pay rent, and demolishing her car. She couldn't have been happier that her life had turned around in such a short time.

"So, how was your night?" Hange turned her head to stare at the raven-haired man, noting the way his lips tugged downwards, although his brow appeared to be relaxed.

"It was busy and filled with jackasses." He answered her bluntly, sighing as he pulled into his parking spot. They both silently made their way into the building and into the elevator. Levi unlocked the door swiftly, swinging it open.

Hange watched as he retreated towards his bedroom with a pensive gaze. He seemed more tired than usual, she noted as she followed after him, turning into the bathroom, however, with the intent to wash off the makeup off of her complexion. She would speak to him afterward.

Once all of the traces of makeup were washed off, and she no longer looked like a rabid raccoon, she made her way towards Levi's bedroom. "Levi, don't you want to hear about my romantic venture?" She knocked on his door loudly; she didn't receive a response in return.

"I'm coming in, you better not be naked in there, and if you are, that's completely on you!" She warned him as she twisted the doorknob and opened the door in a flash.

He sat propped up against his headboard, a book being held up by his knees which were drawn up to his chest. Hange smiled at the sight of her roommate; he looked like a teenager with the way he was sitting. A very grumpy and sleep-deprived teenager, but a teenager nonetheless.

He reluctantly tore his gaze away from his book to glance at her. "So, did your date leave you on the sidewalk after you began to discuss the mating ritual of giraffes?" He flipped a page nonchalantly.

She cackled at his words, walking further into his room. "No, he seemed surprisingly unphased when I brought that up, which is something considering even you had a small reaction."

His room was spotless, which was to be expected from the man. His walls were painted white, complimented by a pair of gray curtains, and a small black desk sat in the corner of the room. "Maybe you were feeding into his fetishes," Levi stated in a calm manner, not bothering to look up at her.

Hange considered his words, before giving a limp shrug. "I mean, that would make a lot of sense, actually." She admitted. "He was insanely boring on top of it all. All he enjoyed talking about was how much weight he could bench at the gym."

"How much?" Levi asked, showing interest for the first time.

Hange smirked at his reaction. "One seventy-five."

Levi scoffed at her response, seemingly unimpressed. Hange concealed her amusement. "He was so desperate for me to sleep with him, he gave me at least three different options every time I turned him down. I paid the bill and left him there, otherwise, I'm pretty sure he would have camped outside of our door."

"Yeah, the giraffe mating ritual conversation is what did it for him." Levi droned out, laying down his book and staring up at her. "Looks like we both had a shitty night."

She nodded her head in agreement. "We absolutely did, Clean Freak. However, I intend to end my night on a high note, with my nose buried in a four hundred page book describing -"

"Don't you have that important meeting in the morning?" Levi raised a thin brow in question, his lips pulling downwards. "Go the hell to bed, Four-Eyes, or else you'll drink the entirety of our coffee supply in the morning to keep yourself up. That shit is expensive, you know."

Hange felt a strange sense of happiness wash over her at her roommate's earlier words. Before she could stop herself, a warm smile graced her lips as she gazed down at him from where she stood.

He had remembered the conversation they had had earlier this morning. She had almost thought they he had been ignoring her entirely, but, apparently, he had listened, and had even remembered the details of it.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do..." She smiled again, while Levi eyed her warily. "I'll get to bed once I finish at least -"

"Get your ass to bed, Idiot."

"Fine, fine." She huffed and retreated towards her room, feeling very happy that she and her roommate had become friends. He was certainly unique in the way he showed he cared about others, but that was fine with her.

She appreciated a challenge, and he certainly made life interesting.

Chapter Text

"Look, it's raining!" Hange announced, pressing the tip of her nose into the window in her excitement, leaving the phone she was previously browsing through abandoned on the couch.

Levi, who stood a few feet behind her, glanced over his shoulder towards the brunette. "Are you aware of what state you live in?" Levi asked flatly, getting back to the task of dusting off the light fixture.

"Levi, I've lived in Washington for years, but the weather will never get old after spending the first eighteen years of my life in Cali." She quipped, her breath fogging up the window pane.

"I'd take hot weather over this shit any day of the year." Levi scowled darkly. The thought of opening the shop tomorrow, and willingly inviting people in soaking wet from the rain made him cringe.

"You would die of heatstroke in a matter of minutes," Hange stated matter-a-factly, turning to glance at him from over her shoulder. "Hey, do you remember the conversation we had during the rainstorm that knocked our electricity out?" She spoke after a few moments of silence settled between them.

"The one about how you were a nerd and wore your rain boots to school every day?" Levi raised a thin brow in question, honestly not sure what conversation she had been referring too. That night had been a blur, particularly the later parts of it.

She grinned at his response, but shook her head, no. "No, but it is interesting that you stored that tidbit of information away."

"It's for blackmail purposes." He easily brushed off her teasing words.

"Well, good luck with that then, because rarely ever does anything I do or say make me embarrassed. It's like a superhero power." She smirked at him. "But, no, that's not it. I was referring to when I talked about making forts with my parents when I was little."

Levi knew instantly that an idea was forming by the gleam in her brown eyes. "What are you planning, Four Eyes?" He asked, almost warily.

"Nothing, nothing!" She quickly spoke, raising her hands up innocently. "I was just thinking about how that may be a good idea, you know, something that could pass the time considering the weather is too bad for us to drive over to the shop."

"You want me to partake in making a fort with you." He repeated blankly, turning around to stare unamusedly at her. "How old are we again?"

"Age is meaningless when it comes to fort building, Levi!" She countered, hopping up onto her feet and making her way over to him. "Come on, it could be fun, you never know until you try." She attempted to persuade him with a bright smile.

He looked down at her from his place on the step ladder. "Alright, answer me this question, what do we do once it's finished? Sit there and twiddle our thumbs? Seems like a waste of time."

She looked almost offended at his words. "No, not at all. We could watch a movie, tell each other stories, or just simply read. The possibilities are endless, Clean Freak."

Levi didn't seem to be convinced by her words. "This isn't going to make the living room a mess, is it?"

"It might, or it might not. It's just a few couch pillows, blankets, and sheets, maybe a few chairs if we're feeling creative." She brushed off his concerns easily, hoping to convince him with a pleading look.

"You do know that the electricity isn't going out anytime soon, right? The rain isn't as bad as last time." Levi pointed out, glancing towards the window.

"Your point?"

Levi sighed and reluctantly nodded his head in agreement. "Go ahead and make your stupid fort." He had a feeling he would come to regret giving her his blessing.

Hange's face lit up at his words, and an ear-splitting grin spread across her lips. "Awesome! I'll gather all of the necessary materials we'll be needing, and you can just sit still, looking pretty." She told him teasingly.

Levi furrowed his brow, almost offended by her statement. "You don't think I'm capable of building a fort?"

She snorted softly, continuing to make her way down the hall where they kept spare blankets and pillows. "I know you're not capable of building a fort." She shouted loud enough for him to hear her.

Levi scowled at her matter-a-fact tone, finishing his task quickly and climbing down from the step ladder, his feet now firmly on the ground. "Dickhead." He mumbled as he placed the duster away. The urge to prove her wrong nagging him in the back of his mind.

Hange came bounding back into the living room a few seconds later, her collection of blankets so high, Levi couldn't see the top of her head. "We need more." She said as she threw them down on the couch.

"There's probably close to ten blankets there, what the fuck are you going to do with all of them?" Levi glared at the clutter she caused, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Levi, is your hearing deteriorating already?" Levi scoffed at her. "I just said what I was going to do."

"Why do you need this many blankets?" He questioned warily, once more.

"Have you never built a fort before?" Hange inquired incredulously, almost in disbelief that he had never experienced this as a child. "You need a few blankets for the floor, or else your butts will be numb for days, and a few for the roof, and a couple for the siding."

Levi ignored her first question entirely, not willing to openly admit that he had never had the experience of building a fort before. "That sounds stupidly intricate." He told her flatly.

"It's a delicate process." She admitted with an amused smile before she walked over to the coffee table, lifting it up and placing it off to the side without breaking a sweat.

"You better not break that." He warned from his place behind her, narrowing his eyes as he watched her movements carefully.

"I won't, I promise." She reassured him offhandedly, before glancing at him from over her shoulder. "Can you grab me a few chairs from the kitchen?" She requested cheerfully.

"Why do you need -"

"Levi, just hand me over the chairs. You'll understand once I start putting the entire thing together." She huffed towards him. "Oh! That reminds me! We should name it."

"Name what?" Levi asked as he walked around the kitchen island, grabbing one of the chairs surrounding the small table.

"Our fort. Obviously."

"Pile of shit," Levi responded non-hesitantly, placing the chair down in the midst of the living room.

"I like it, nice choice, Levi! Our Fort will be affectionately named Pile Of Shit" Hange dragged the chair in the direction and spot she wanted it in before she gestured for Levi to go and grab her another one.

"I now feel accomplished in life." He deadpanned as he settled yet another chair in from of the woman.

"I need two more, please." She ordered him absentmindedly, pointing towards the kitchen once again. Levi glared daggers at her before reluctantly retreating towards the kitchen, this time he had grown exasperated and had lifted a chair in each hand.

"You're going to have to make due with these." Levi gave them to her, watching as she angled them the way she wanted before she snatched a blanket from the couch and draped it over the four chairs.

"Please tell me we have some clothing pins laying around here?" She turned to him, hopefulness dressing her tanned features.

"What the hell would I be doing with clothing pins?" Levi raised a thin brow at her. He knew Hange would go to lengths to ensure that her idea would not go unfinished and left to rot in the living room, he wouldn't be surprised if she brought out a clamping tool of some sort.

"Alright, fine, we've hit our first obstacle, but you know what? It's fine. We'll just have to get a little creative with things." She mumbled out. Levi found himself staring at her, noting how passionate she seemed about the littlest of things; it seemed exhausting.

She brightened as an idea hit her, reaching over and grabbing two other blankets, draping them carefully over the sides, before she tucked them under the feet of the chairs. "This works, right?" She turned to Levi for confirmation.

"Sure." He responded flatly, unsure if his answer were honest or not. "It looks like shit, though." He stated after scanning over the pile of blankets and chairs.

"It'll get there eventually, trust me." She reassured him confidently. "Speaking of which, do you still have those Christmas lights I used to decorate the tree?"

"They're in the -"

"Great, can you please go and get them for me?"

Levi glared darkly at the woman, before striding away from her entirely, inwardly thinking that he'd rather be digging into a closet than be with her while she was in the state she was in currently.

A few minutes later and Levi handed her the lights silently, a bored expression painted across his pale features. Outside, a clap of thunder rang through their eardrums, startling Hange slightly. "It's getting worse outside." He sighed out, his light eyes directed towards the window.

"You don't think the electricity will go out again, do you?" Hange furrowed her brow forward in concern, shooting a glance in his direction. "I don't think we have any more candles left if it does."

Levi shook his head, no. "It won't get to that point. We'll be fine."

"I trust what you say." She tore her gaze away from the glass, focusing on him instead. "I have a job for you to do." She told him in an entertained manner. She was clearly enjoying making him work, he noted.

She continued when he remained silent, waiting for her to speak. "Get down there and place down a few blankets, we don't need out butts to freeze and hurt by the end of the night."

Levi contemplated retreating to his room and locking the door, preventing her from bothering him the rest of the night, but ultimately gave in as he reached for three blankets and crouched down into the makeshift tent. "Shouldn't you have done this before you put down the chairs?"

"Levi, who here has the most experience with building forts?" She went on when she was met with silence, giving her the answer she wanted. "With that being said, I probably should have started with this step." She admitted nonchalantly, placing her hands on her hips.

Levi rolled his eyes as he evenly spread out each blanket, layering them on top of each other. "It's really dark in here." He told her, scanning the small area with a scrutinizing gaze.

He was glad that there seemed to be more than enough room for him and Hange to sit comfortably, he certainly would have protested if it had been otherwise. "That's where the Christmas lights come in, Clean Freak." She said, poking her head in through the entrance.

"This is so fucking dumb." He muttered loudly enough for her to hear him.

"You won't be saying that when you're mesmerized by the pretty lights and childlike wonder." She stated confidently. Distantly, Levi could hear the sound of her unraveling the string of lights he had stored away late last year.

"I'm not sure about that." He droned out, getting into a cross-legged position in an attempt to make himself more comfortable. He heard Hange jogging across the room, presumedly to plug the lights in, before she hastily climbed into the fort herself, a string of colorful lights held firmly in her grasp.

"How are you going to hang those up?" He watched as she dug her hand into her front pocket and pulled out a few hairclips. "I've never seen you with a hair clip in your hair ever, so why the hell do you carry them around with you?" He side-eyed the brunette.

"I like to keep them with me in case someone needs one." She explained distractedly, beginning to hang up the lights in a precise manner. Levi noted that while Hange was clumsy and almost reckless at times - when it came to things that she put her mind too, she was scarily focused and graceful. His roommate certainly had more sides to her than he could count.

"How heroic of you."

"I know. Thanks."

Once she was finished, she climbed back out without a word and slipped back in with her hands filled with a dozen of fluffy pillows. "Help me place these." She said as she carelessly tossed a few his way. "Just place them around the walls and hide the chairs."

Once they were finished, Hange threw two pillows down in one spot, and another two in a spot next to him. "I haven't built a fort in over twenty years, and if I do say so myself, I think I did a pretty nice job all things considering." She said as she plopped down on her back, staring up at the lights with a small smile. "What do you think? Not too shabby, right?" She turned her head to look at him.

"It's alright, Four Eyes." He admitted, letting out a tired sigh as he moved to lay his head down on the pillow placed behind him. The shop had been running him into the ground lately. It had gotten to the point of stress-overload, so he was thankful for the small break.

"You know, we never did finish twenty questions..." She pointed out suggestively.

"Because you never answered my question." He watched as her eyes shifted elsewhere, avoiding his gaze entirely. One of these days he would get to the bottom of what the hell was in those jars, he could only hope it wasn't something that could possibly kill him slowly upon touching it.

"Are you gay?" She questioned, ignoring his words as she blurted out her question. "I won't judge you if you are, of course. I'm pansexual, myself."

Levi paused at her question, not entirely fazed by it, although he did wonder what gave her that delusion, as he hadn't shown romantic interest in anyone. "Not entirely." He shrugged his shoulders limply, suddenly craving an alcoholic beverage. In all honestly, he had never given much thought to his sexuality. It was rare to find people he could tolerate enough to grow fond of, and it didn't matter much to him if that person ended up not being a woman.

"Me too, then." She smirked at him, before letting out a short laugh. "Well, go ahead then, ask me a question." She prompted him, daring to poke him once in the shoulder.

"Have you ever committed a crime?" He asked lamely, having not been able to come up with anything else interesting. There wasn't much he truly wanted to know about the woman next to him, he didn't need to know the details of her past or anything of the sort. She was interesting enough in the present, to him.

"Does trespassing into a local park in the middle of the night to observe the rare plant that grew there count?" She hummed out after a few brief seconds of silent contemplation.

"I think so..."

"Then, yes." She stated simply. "Have you?"

Levi hesitated to answer at first, but he figured that it wasn't as if Hange was an undercover cop, or someone who would judge him for his past, and answered her question slowly. "I was a little shit when I was a teenager." He revealed, glancing at the brunette from the corner of his eyes; her expression hadn't changed. "I ran away from my family when I was seventeen, and I didn't have much money, so I resorted to stealing from convenience stores for food."

"Did you ever get caught?" Hange questioned, turning towards him.

"Once, while I was on my way out of the store, I got caught red-handed." Levi frowned as he recalled the day vividly. "Erwin happened to be checking out at the same time, and since his father was a well-known police officer, he vouched for me and saved my ass from getting thrown in jail."

"What happened afterward?" Hange couldn't help but ask, understanding washing over her as Levi spoke openly to her about his past.

"He brought me over to his house and fed me for a few days, like some kind of stray mutt he found on the streets. He happened to be in the process of moving out for college, and he offered for me to live with him free of charge until I found a job and got up on my feet." Levi finished his story off with a dry snort, his hand moved to lay flatly on his stomach as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Well, no wonder you're so attached to him, huh?" Hange voiced out loud, turning on her side to face him. A moment of silence blanketed the pair, although it wasn't uncomfortable. "I wasn't expecting you to tell me about your past. It's kind of nice to get to know more about the person I've been living with for three months straight." She said, glancing at him.

"It's not a big deal." He brushed off her words, not daring to sneak a glance in her direction. "Are you going to ask a question or not?" He asked once a few seconds of silence passed by.

"...Have you and Erwin ever partaken in any sort of action that may have been overstepping the line of friendship." Hange asked, her tone drenched in curiosity.

"We kissed once while we were both drunk." Levi drew his brow together as he thought about the unbearable awkwardness that had ensued for a few days afterward when they had attempted to return to normalcy without mentioning what had happened the day before.

"Oh my god, I knew it!" Hange exclaimed with a loud laugh.

"We both decided that we felt nothing but platonic feelings for one another, and decided to forget all about it afterward," Levi spoke in a calm manner, strangely comfortable with revealing this tidbit of information to Hange. "Worst decision you've ever made?" He changed the subject.

"I drank an entire pot of coffee an hour before I took my final exams. I was almost thrown out of the class because the entire time I was bouncing and mumbling and laughing to myself." She snorted in amusement at the memory, admittedly most of that day had been a blur due to stress and the amount of caffeine in her body.

"Also, when I was around six years old I refused to give my grandfather a goodbye hug while he was in the hospital, and he passed away a few days later. I really regret not giving him one last hug, and if I had a chance to re-do something in my life, that would be it." She trailed out somberly. "I suppose that's one of the reasons I'm so overly affectionate with my family and friends. I'm afraid that I won't get the chance to hug them or tell them how much they mean to me before it's too late."

Levi wondered when their usually casual conversations had taken such a dark and serious turn. Had their friendship developed to the point that they could discuss deep fears and shitty pasts with one another? Levi couldn't be sure. "That explains why you're so annoying." Levi attempted to lighten the mood which had grown unbearably heavy within the past ten minutes. He wasn't very good at comforting others, and that wasn't going to change in this situation.

"You know, I'm glad we became friends," Hange spoke softly, much different from her usual tone. It made Levi wrinkle his brow at the sound of it.

"You're okay." He shrugged half-assedly, his gaze glued to the ceiling when he felt Hange's fist collide softly with his shoulder, a chuckle paired along with it.

"Admit it, you like having me around, Shorty." She teased easily.

"You've grown on me, Shithead." He admitted after a moment passed. Levi knew better than to turn his head and be faced directly with one of the brightest beams his eyes would ever see plastered across her features.

Yes, he definitely could have used an alcoholic beverage in that moment.

Chapter Text

Levi was thankful that the weather had begun to clear up a bit, lately. He had begun to grow quite tired of the cold air that was chilled enough to seep into layers of clothing and bite at his pale cheeks. Now, however, the brisk air had been replaced by warm rays provided by the sun, and he could have afforded to shed his coat for the first time in months.

It was the first day of March, and the sun outside was bright and blinding in the sky, accompanied by the sound of repetitive chirping of nearby birds, and the loud roar of several vacuum cleaners getting put to work. It was Spring Cleaning season; his favorite time of the year, and by far the most enjoyable, as well.

Nonetheless, he was glad that Winter was nearing its end after what it had thrown at him. A new season meant a new beginning for most. Not to him, of course, but for most, it did.

Levi leaned down and tied his shoelaces together before he stood up straight, and began to unhurriedly stretch out his limbs. He figured he may as well try to get the most out of the weather by taking a long run around the area. However, he hesitated while reaching for the doorknob, pausing in thought.

Hange had been hiding in her bedroom for the entire duration of the day. He hadn't even seen her come out to use the bathroom. Perhaps she could use a bit of fresh air, as well? He huffed lightly, turning around and heading towards the brunette's room. He had a feeling he was about to regret this decision.

He rapped his knuckled against her door twice, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited for her to answer. "Come in!" She said cheerfully, her voice muffled. He noted that she sounded somewhat distracted. She was most likely writing down research notes, as she had been for the past three days each night she returned from her lab.

He pushed the door open, not surprised to see her lanky form sprawled out on the floor, her books and notebook scattered before her. She had three or more pencils strewn in her hair and one dangling from her mouth that she was chewing on. Levi scoffed openly at the scene, nudging her in the ribcage with the toe of his shoe "You're a goddamn mess of a human being."

"You won't be saying that when I eventually find a cure for cancer." She quipped without looking up, her pen stopping it's rapid movement as she spoke to him.

"Everyone and their mothers are searching for a cure for cancer." Levi pointed out in a bored tone of voice before he cautiously stepped further into her bedroom. The prominent scent of dirty laundry made his nose wrinkle in disgust. "God, can you fucking clean up your room? It smells like shit." He sneered towards her.

"Is there something you wanted from me, Levi?" Hange hummed absentmindedly, pointedly ignoring his complaints. "Or did you just come in here to nag at me while I try to finish my work?" She responded steadily, gazing up at him.

Levi paused at her words, growing slightly agitated by the impatient tone of her voice. "I'm going out for a run." He stated blankly. "I thought your lazy ass could join me." He finished after a brief pause, observing her expression carefully.

"Are you asking me to hang out with you, Levi?" Hange inquired with a small smirk, tilting her head as she scanned over him.

"If you're going to act like a dick about it then, no, I'm not." He droned out with narrowed eyes. He wondered if she would agree to join him, after all, she rarely ever let herself take breaks when she was working in her room.

"Ah, shame then because I was legitimately considering accepting your offer."

"Stop making things difficult and get your ass up, then." Levi turned his back on her and began to walk out of her room, thankful that he was able to breathe through his nose again. "I'll be in the living room, if you're not ready in five minutes I'm leaving you behind."

"Okay, okay!" She sighed out before her lips pulled in a smile of amusement. "Can I just go out the way I am, then?" She shouted after him.

"You're in your damn sleeping clothes." His voice responded from down the hall.

"I'm not seeing the point you're trying to make."

"Hange..."

~

"When you threatened to leave me behind I didn't think you meant it!" Hange exclaimed through a string of pants as she neared her roommate. He continued to jog steadily in front of her without sparing her a glance.

"Why would I say something I didn't mean?" He asked her flatly, turning his head as she finally made caught up to his pace. Her hair was thrown up in a bun on top of her head, a pair of joggers and a loose shirt dressed her form. His gaze lingered on her before he forced himself to look ahead.

"You're right, I should've known better," Hange lifted her arms up and stretched out her limbs, feeling satisfaction in the way they popped. It felt good to be outside for what felt like the first time in over a week. "So, where are we heading?" She looked around as they passed by a few shops that were buzzing with activity.

"To the park." He informed her blankly.

"Sounds good to me." She responded happily.

There was a nearby park near their apartment building, Hange had passed it every day while she commuted to work. It was decently sized, thick patches of grass covered the majority of the area, with the exception of the running trails which were shaded by thick, green trees that were covered entirely by white unbloomed flowers.

"This place is beautiful." She breathed out, marveling at the scenery before her. They both paused to catch their breath, the two of them regretting their mistake of forgetting to bring along a couple bottles of water. "It's probably going to kill me allergy-wise, but it's beautiful, nonetheless!" She exclaimed as she straightened her posture.

"We can go somewhere else if -"

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" She reassured him, brushing off his words easily enough, although silently pleased that he had shown concern and had offered to take her someplace else. "Well, Clean Freak, you gonna sit there or are you gonna move your butt?" She let out playfully, jogging further into the park in excitement, leaving Levi with no choice but to follow after her.

"Do you come here often?" The brunette asked conversationally, her arms pumping rhythmically at her sides as her sneakers slapped against the pavement.

"When the weather allows me too." He responded evenly, his expression not revealing any sort of fatigue, although the shortening of his breath was evidence enough to Hange. It seemed he was, in fact, human, after all, she noted in amusement.

A comfortable silence settled over the two of them as the sounds of the atmosphere filled their ears. Hange breathed in deeply as a strong gust of wind rustled the branches of the trees. "Can you believe it's been almost three and a half months since I moved in?" Hange voiced out-loud in wonderment. "It feels like it's only been a few weeks at most."

Levi mauled over her words and found that they were, for the most part, true. It definitely hadn't felt like he had lived with Hange for almost four months. "I'm surprised either of us is still alive, to be honest." He said flatly.

She let out a short laugh at his words. "I for one, had faith in us working together since the very beginning."

He snorted dryly. "Of course, you did. Honestly, you're lucky that the only other person interested in the apartment was a creepy fifty-six-year-old man from Craigslist."

"Oh my god, really? That was my runner up? No wonder you choose me." She voiced out-loud, partially entertained by the idea of Levi living with an old man. They would have certainly had a nice dynamic; Levi acted eerily similar to an elderly person.

"Erwin was the one who convinced me to pick you," Levi revealed as they ran, his hair beginning to stick to his damp forehead. He wrinkled his brow in disgust at the feeling, bringing the back of his hand up to wipe at his skin.

"That doesn't surprise me at all, actually." Hange hummed out, remembering how the pair of prior roommates had spent ten minutes having a discussion before Levi told her she could move in. "How'd he manage to convince you though? Did he bribe you?" She inquired.

"Partially." He admitted. "He told me that if I lived with you for a year he'd pay for my trip to the Bahamas."

"Wait - you're getting a trip out of this? That's not even fair. I'm making Erwin pay for my vacation, then too, it's not easy putting up with you." Hange immediately responded, furrowing her brow forward as a frown settled across her lips.

"In the end, I didn't agree because of the promise of a stupid trip, I agreed because he seemed genuinely concerned about my well-being and he was convinced that you would be a breath of fresh air for me." Levi went on to explain. In the end, it seemed like Erwin had been right on his instincts; he had grown to enjoy Hange's company more than he thought he ever would have.

"You're incredibly lucky to have someone like Erwin in your life, you know," Hange remarked after a moment of silence passed between them. "Not everyone has someone that cares about them to that extent."

Levi glanced over at the brunette, noting the way her lips had turned downwards slightly. "Yeah..." Levi replied unsurely.

"So, have I told you about how two of my co-workers are absolutely smitten for one another, and neither of them has yet to make a move?" Hange started conversationally, not hesitating to change the topic of conversation.

"Something tells me that you're going to do something about this because you're extremely nosey, and you love to get involved in other people's business." Levi shook his head at her antics.

"Levi, if I don't intervene they will spend the next century sneaking glances at each other while they think the other isn't looking. It's cute but absolutely pathetic." Hange huffed out, sounding determined.

"Are these co-workers of yours the same ones that you introduced me to at the shop?" Levi questioned while his eyes scanned his surroundings, watching as children ran aimlessly around the playground that they were nearing, along with lazing parents on their phones sitting on the benches that outlined the area.

"Nifa and Moblit, yes." She answered with a short nod, surprised that he had remembered them. "Hey, can we take a short break?" She gestured with her head towards a bench that was shaded by a large looming tree. "I'm pretty sure I have like three pebbles in my shoe, and I'm not even sure how they got there."

Levi slowed down to a stop as Hange plopped down on the bench with a tired heave. "If we were in the middle of an apocalypse, you would be the first one to die," Levi stated matter-a-factly.

Hange paused in the midst of pulling off her sneaker. "That sounds extremely far-fetched considering I'd most likely be the most intelligent in our group; every apocalyptic squad needs a scientist to prevail." She shook her shoe rapidly after she finished speaking, letting out a small 'ah-ha' as she spotted a few pebbles fall to the ground.

"Ironic considering you literally stopped in the middle of a run to take a break and get the rocks out of your shoes," Levi observed her with crossed arms, wrinkling his brow in disgust.

"Running with rocks in your sneakers is practically comparable to a slow death, Levi." She snorted in amusement, slipping her shoe back on with some difficulty. The brunette paused unsurely as she spotted a couple of familiar figures "Hey - is that Eren and Mikasa over there?" She pointed towards a pair that sat on a bench further down from them.

Levi turned his gaze towards where Hange had been pointing, his eyes widening briefly in surprise as he watched the pair lean towards each other, their lips brushing together. "What the hell are they doing?" Levi narrowed his eyes as he observed the pair secretly.

"Levi, I know you seemingly have very little dating experience -"

"Four Eyes, I dare you to finish that sentence," Levi warned her flatly.

"Should we go over there and approach them, or should we just let them have their little moment?" Hange pondered out loud, as Levi took a few steps forward. "Oh my God, wait! Don't -" Hange reached out for him, attempting to stop him as he began to walk towards the two of them.

"How coincidental is it that we happened to be in the same place at the same time?" Levi approached them in a droning tone, his expression masked and hard to read. Eren visibly startled at the sound of his voice, his green eyes widening. Mikasa narrowed her eyes in annoyance at his interruption.

"H-hey, Boss!" Eren tried not to show how nervous he felt at the sight of his the man, scooting further away from the raven-haired girl next to him. Hange held in a laugh with some difficulty.

"What do you want from us?" Mikasa asked flatly, her glare intensifying at Eren's movement. Hange jogged up behind Levi, lifting her hand in a lazy waving gesture.

"Hi, you guys! What a lovely day for a walk in the park, right?" She tried to break apart the tension that had blanketed the trio as she strode up to them. Eren brightened instantly at her appearance, seemingly relieved that he wouldn't have to talk to Levi without her presence.

"It sure is." Eren agreed nervously, eyeing Mikasa and Levi warily.

"Yeah, it's also a fantastic day to suck my sister's face off, apparently." Levi quipped blankly, leaning against the tree that sat behind the bench the teenagers sat on.

"We weren't -"

"What Eren and I do is none of your business," Mikasa stated firmly.

"You're right, it isn't." Levi relented slowly. "However, that doesn't mean that it's okay for you two to keep secrets from me, especially when you're both my employees. How long has this been going on, and when were you planning on telling me about this?" Levi asked blankly with a raised brow. In truthfulness, he wasn't angry or upset with the two. However, that didn't mean he couldn't scare the shit out of them for a little bit. It was well deserved after what hey put him through every day for the past two years.

"We've only been together for a week or so. We were going to tell everyone eventually, but first, we wanted to keep it to ourselves for a little bit." Eren explained with a lifted brow, his tone sheepish. "But, uh, yeah. Mikasa and I are dating." He finished with a small smile. Levi watched as Mikasa's cheeks grew pink as she glanced away.

"You two are adorable together, congratulations!" Hange smiled widely, reaching over to affectionately ruffle her little cousin's hair. "I remember every time I would visit, you two would be attached to each other's hips," Hange recalled fondly.

Levi snorted dryly, not surprised to hear that in the least. "Yeah, and look at them now, sneaking around like little shits."

"Why are you and Hange here, then? Are you two sneaking around as well?" Mikasa asked expressionlessly as she stared up at the two adults before her, hoping to stir a reaction out of her older sibling just as he had done to her.

Hange let out a loud laugh at her words, while Levi merely stared down at the raven-haired teenager, clearly unimpressed. "Yeah. We don't want our parents finding out about our forbidden relationship, right, Four Eyes?" He turned towards the brunette in a dry fashion.

"Yeah, that's it." Hange let out a cackle, before gesturing with her head for them to continue moving. "We should leave these two alone, and get back to our run."

Levi sighed and nodded his head, but he paused in his movements as he turned to Eren. "Oi, Jaeger, if you do anything stupid regarding Mikasa, I won't hesitate to kick your damn ass."

"Yes, Sir." Eren nodded swiftly, his brow furrowed forward.

As soon as the pair of roommates were more than a few feet away from the two teenagers, Hange smirked towards him, a challenging glint in her warm brown eyes. "Do you wanna race? I bet I could beat you." She suggested confidently, watching carefully for any changes in his outward demeanor.

"I doubt that." He responded back disinterestedly, not bothering to spare a glance in her direction.

"My legs are significantly longer than yours are, which means I have a decent advantage." She pointed out cheekily, noting the way his brow furrowed forward in annoyance.

"That doesn't mean shit," Levi stated firmly.

"Does it? I mean, there has to be a reason as to why you refuse to race me, and that must be it. Levi Ackerman is afraid to get his ass kicked in a race." She continued to prod at him until his form tensed up, and he leaned forward. Hange quickly caught on to his actions and resumed the same position.

They both bolted without a signal, their legs in tune with one another as they sprinted down the gravel trails without hesitation, determination to beat one another spurring them on further. "How are you so freakishly fast?" Hange shouted as the raven-haired man pulled ahead of her slightly.

She quickly searched her brain for any sort of idea to gain an advantage over him but came up blank with the exception of one thought. She could tackle him and claimed she tripped, which would mean they would have to settle for a draw. "Shit!" She exclaimed as she purposely tackled him from the side, knocking them both onto the thick grass.

Levi glared daggers at the woman who practically sat on top of him. "Get your heavy ass off of me." He complained, clearly out of breath. "And I won because you fucking cheated."

"No, I didn't, I tripped." She defended herself offhandedly, rolling over onto her back. Hange brought her hands up to cup the back of her head, while Levi folded his heads on top of his abdomen. Their breathing hadn't returned to normal, as they panted heavily, beginning to regret their earlier actions.

"You fucking tackled me like a football player, how can you call that 'tripping'?" He turned his head to stare at the disheveled woman.

"Alright, fine, it was a draw, are you happy now?"

"No. I won."

"We tied."

"You cheated."

"I fell."

"God, you're such a shithead."

There was a brief moment of silence before Hange spoke again.

"So.... Draw, then?"

"Draw." He agreed reluctantly with a sigh of defeat.

Chapter Text

"Levi, our refrigerator is empty." Hange turned her head to look over her shoulder and shout down the hall. She glanced in the frozen storage once more, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the expired milk and packaged slices of cheese that sat contently on the shelves. Levi had been so preoccupied with work recently he had forgotten to go grocery shopping, it seemed.

"Well, go fill it up, then." Levi's muffled voice drifted from his bedroom, sounding disinterested as usual. Hange frowned at his words before she huffed and began to make her way towards his bedroom. She twisted his doorknob, only to find it locked. "Hey, when did you start locking your door?"

"When you started barging in whenever you felt like it." He said shortly. Hange pressed her ear against the wood, not hearing incoming footsteps meaning he had no intention of opening the door.

"What are you doing in there?" Hange asked after a brief pause. She wanted to be positive her roommate was, in fact, lounging around, and not in the middle of something important if she followed through with her next course of action.

"None of your business." He responded instantaneously.

Hange narrowed her eyes at his tone before she began digging her hand into her front pocket, intent to find the hairpin she knew she kept in case of an emergency. "I'm picking your lock, Levi. I don't care if you're lounging around in your underwear, this is important." She warned him loudly as she crouched down and began picking the lock skillfully.

"Fuck you, Four Eyes." He sighed out in resignation, sounding defeated. Hange swung open the door a few seconds later and was met by the sight of Levi slouched in his office chair with a bundle of string sitting in his lap and two knitting needles in his hands.

She hesitated in the doorway as Levi's unwavering glare pierced through her. "Nice scarf you got going on there." She complimented after a beat. "Why didn't you tell me you were into knitting, by the way? I'd love for you to teach me!"

"I'm a shitty teacher. You'd be better off hiring a senile old lady." He stated, his light eyes drifting back towards his lap where the bunched up fabric sat.

"Well, back to the reason I'm here in the first place - we're completely out of food." She told him matter-a-factly, stepping further into his room. "You're the one who cooks everything, so you're the one most capable of grocery shopping."

"Or I can just write down a list of items we need, and you could go out and get them." He droned out pointedly.

"Okay, sounds great! Hand me over your car keys, then." She shifted her weight, motioning for him to hand them to her, knowing fully well the man would refuse. Levi visibly paused, internally contemplating whether or not to trust her with his car.

"I'd rather not." He said after a moment, dropping the knitting needles into his lap.

"Oh, come on, I swear I'll be extra careful." She promised with a serious expression painted across her tanned features. "Levi, please, I'm starving. If you don't make a decision in a few minutes, I'm going to order a large Pizza with every topping humanly possible." She threatened him emptily, knowing the man was not a fan of ordering out to eat.

"Fine." He agreed unwillingly, standing to his feet slowly and grabbing his keys which sat on his desk, the thought of the greasy food making his stomach churn unpleasantly. "You're coming with me though."

"Believe it or not, I don't mind spending time with you, Levi." She responded as she trailed after him as he made his way towards the front door. "So, it's not as if this is going to be a punishment or a terrible experience." She continued as she locked the door behind her.

"It is considering it's Saturday evening and there's going to be people swarming everywhere." He sighed out as they stepped into the elevator. Levi leaned against the steel wall lazily, bringing his gaze to his roommate. He frowned at her disheveled appearance, noting the dark shadows that had formed beneath her eyes, and her slouched posture. It was apparent to him that she hadn't been sleeping lately, nor had she been eating properly.

"You look like a mess." He observed her after a moment of silence, which was unusual for the brunette.

She cracked a small smile at his words. "I've been spread thin lately with all of these projects going on at the lab." She informed him, knowing that his words weren't an insult but more-so a bit of concern for her wellbeing. "I have two big presentations to do this week." She revealed with a small hum.

"I'm assuming you haven't slept yet?" Levi asked her knowingly. Hange shot him a knowing look as they traversed out of the elevator, confirming his assumption.

"I'm living entirely on caffeine and granola bars."

"Gross." He commented as he unlocked the car doors, watching as his roommate slid into the car hastily. "You're going to have severe diarrhea later." He told her once he was properly situated.

Hange let her eyes linger on him as he placed the key into the ignition, his long-sleeved cotton t-shirt covering his arms, the color beige complimenting his pale skin tone. She tiredly observed him, noting the way his brow relaxed as he pulled out of his parking space in a smooth manner. "I'd say that situation is more than probable." She admitted with a small, tired laugh, not tearing her gaze away from him.

Levi managed to sneak a glance at her from the corner of his eyes. "You are delusional right now." He stated dryly.

"A bit." She said blinking as she felt herself becoming drowsy. "I'm going to pass out in the grocery store, and you're going to have to carry me all the way back to the car."

"I'd leave your ass there and come back for you later."

"Ah, so you would come back for me." Hange lazily smirked, quirking her brow towards him. Levi removed one of his hands from the steering wheel, flicking the top of her head in an almost playful manner.

"...Hey, I've been meaning to ask this for a while, but do you think you could teach me how to cook?" Hange inquired after a few moments of silence passed between them. She'd been meaning to learn for a while, and she figured Levi was a fairly good cook. It couldn't have hurt to ask him.

"You want to learn how to cook?" He reiterated skeptically, turning into the grocery store parking lot. "What, have you finally become tired of granola bars for every meal?"

"You're over-exaggerating, I eat the food you cook as well."

"You go through two boxes a week." He pointed out flatly.

"Irrelevant." She brushed off his words easily. "So, you never answered my question; would you be willing to teach me?"

Levi sighed and turned the keys out of the ignition. "Fine, but I'm teaching you tonight."

"You do realize I'm entirely sleep-deprived, right? This could be a recipe for disaster."

"...Was that a pun?"

"It might've been."

"...Nice."

~

Hange and Levi entered the grocery store at an even pace, the latter pushing along an averagely sized shopping cart quietly as the brunette let her eyes wander around the store in interest. "What are we making tonight?" Hange asked, smiling in amusement at the sight of Levi using his sleeves to prevent his palms from coming into contact with the handles.

"Something you won't be able to burn the house down cooking." He responded absentmindedly, trudging ahead of the woman. "A microwaveable meal." He added as an afterthought.

"Levi, you're much too self-righteous to ever even consider eating a microwaveable meal." Hange lightly mocked him, resisting the temptation to grab a box of sugary cereal.

"I lived off of Lunchables for six months, Four Eyes." Levi droned out, before continuing. "Before I ran away my diet consisted of McDonald's and peanut butter sandwiches."

She paused at his words. "That explains a lot, actually."

"We're going to be cooking spaghetti." He answered her earlier question, ignoring her words.

"Okay, sounds easy enough!" She exclaimed in excitement, not hiding the fact that she was eager to learn how to make a simple recipe.

Levi turned abruptly into an aisle, and Hange was left with no choice but to follow suit. Her gaze came upon a dozen or so varying flavors of pasta sauce, differing in color and texture. She watched as Levi reached for one of the top shelves, standing on his tip-toes in order to reach the tomato sauce.

"Do you need any help?" She asked innocently.

"No, I don't need your damn help." He refused her offer with a short glare over his shoulder, finally grasping the jar after a few seconds of difficulty.

"Nice job." She complimented him with a teasing grin, "So, where'd you learn how to cook?" She asked conversationally as Levi threw a box of pasta into their cart.

He stared straight ahead as he responded, his pace not faltering as he spoke. "My mother worked a shit ton when I was little, and she had a roommate who taught me a few things."

"How old were you?"

"Seven or eight." He answered her question truthfully. He remembered how his mother's roommate had placed a stepping stool in front of the stove in order for him to properly see what he was doing. He hadn't cooked anything overly-complicated; scrambled eggs and boxed macaroni and cheese being the extent of it, but it had definitely sparked an interest in him at an early age.

"Impressive." She said, shooting him a tiny smile that made him feel uneasy for some reason, he quickly glanced away at the sight of it. "If this isn't too personal to ask, what did your mom do for a living?"

Levi visibly paused, not expecting her to ask that sort of question. "She was a waitress." He revealed. "She worked at a local diner by day, and a strip club by night." He continued flatly, speaking honestly. He wasn't the type to sugarcoat, and he never would be.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up owning The Underground, then? You said it was family owned." She vaguely recalled a conversation in which Levi had disclosed that to her, although the information Levi had just given her had thrown away any assumptions she might have had.

"My mother married Mikasa's dad, who bought the shop for her as a five-year anniversary present." Levi rolled his eyes briefly, finding it ironic that the man hadn't wanted anything to do with The Underground since Levi had inherited it. That wasn't to say that Levi was upset about it, he much preferred the man keeping his distance from him.

"That's very sweet," Hange commented as she instinctively reached for a box of granola bars, throwing them in the cart without a second glance. "Do we have everything we need?" She questioned as her eyes scanned the several items placed in the cart.

Levi nodded his head once in affirmation before he gestured for Hange to follow him to a check out line. He scowled as his gaze came across the long waiting lines, heaving a sigh before he spoke. "I hate everyone in this state."

"Can you not be so grumpy all of the time? Look, this line is considerably shorter than all of the others." Hange grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and pulled him towards the shorter line.

Levi warily eyed her hand but made no move to pull away from the brunette. The people in front of them slowly began to have their items rung up, while Levi leaned his weight against the cart disinterestedly, his arms supporting him. Hange casually browsed through a gossip magazine, her foot tapping rhythmically against the floor.

"Oh! Hey, Boss!" A familiar voice exclaimed in surprise. Levi's gaze snapped up at the nickname, his eyes finding one of Mikasa's friends, the one whose stomach was a bottomless pit; Sasha, he recalled.

"I'm not your boss, Brat," Levi responded monotonously. Hange occupied herself by placing each food item on the conveyer belt.

"Hi, Hange!" Sasha smiled politely with a small wave.

"Hi, Dear, how are you? I didn't know you worked here, this is my first time seeing you." Hange moved towards the register after she finished her task, conversing easily. Levi wasn't sure when they had become acquainted with one another, but he wasn't surprised.

"Great! I just started working here this week, and it's been a blast so far." She absentmindedly scanned each item while she talked.

"I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather be than a stuffy grocery store servicing old people that constantly have sticks up their asses," Levi said as he grabbed the bags and placed them in the cart.

"You become surprisingly immune after a while, their smell, on the other hand..." The young brunette trailed off with a grimace. "That'll be 36.89." She rattled off their total.

Hange immediately handed over her card before Levi could even think about it. "You're technically teaching me how to cook, so I figure I should at least pay for the ingredients."

"I'm not going to protest." He told her as Sasha printed out a receipt and handed it to her.

"Enjoy the rest of your day, guys!" She chirped happily, and Hange waved goodbye to her in return. Levi nodded his head once in her direction before they departed from the store.

"So, on a scale of one to ten, one being miserable, and ten being extraordinaire, how do you think I'll do?" Hange nudged him a few times in the ribcage using her elbow.

Levi glared at her briefly at her actions. "I'll give you a four, only because you're a damn scientist and this shouldn't be this hard in comparison."

"You'd be surprised," Hange responded airily.

~

"I'm so exhausted." Hange raised a hand to her mouth as she let out a drawn out yawn, stopping mid-step as she did so. Levi pressed down the button that called the elevator down, absentmindedly checking the watch on his wrist that read eleven thirty-three, two grocery bags held in his other hand.

"It was interesting going grocery shopping with you, though." She hummed out tiredly, her eyes trailing over the form of her roommate who appeared to be relatively relaxed. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, and his raven-colored bangs fell neatly onto his forehead, contrasting with his pale skin.

"What are you staring at?" Levi raised a thin brow, his steely eyes directed towards her, blank and devoid of emotion as they usually were.

Hange felt her cheeks flush a bit, having been caught staring at the man. "Nothing, you just seem a bit more tired than usual. Have you been sleeping any better lately?" She quickly made up an excuse, not wanting to admit that she had been admiring his appearance. Besides, it wasn't as if she had been feigning her concern over his sleeping schedule, she had noted the darkened shadows beneath his eyes and had been waiting for the right opportunity to bring it up.

"No." He answered her question flatly, trying his best to avoid talking to the woman for now. The raven-haired man felt slightly off, and he couldn't put a finger on what it was that was bothering him. It was beginning to frustrate him.

The elevator arrived, dinging obnoxiously and slowly opening its door, inviting the two of them inside of it. Levi pushed himself off of the wall, walking in after the brunette. "That took longer than it usually does." Hange outwardly commented, her brow raised as the door creaked closed.

"This piece of shit is probably close to a hundred years old. It's bound to break down eventually." Levi reluctantly dragged his eyes away from the number pad after he pressed the floor their apartment was on.

"Well, let's just hope it doesn't -" Her sentence was promptly put on halt as the elevator suddenly shifted and stuttered dangerously. The machine let out a loud, strained noise that echoed throughout the narrow shaft. The pair of roommates remained frozen in place as the lift stopped completely in place.

Hange felt like her heart had dropped to her stomach as she realized what had just happened. "Oh, no." She heard herself say, out of breath. "I think we're stuck."

"No fucking shit." Levi spat out in frustration, growling under his breath. "Press down the emergency button, Four Eyes." He told her from over his shoulder.

Hange quickly did as she was told, pressing down the button frantically as if that would help their situation. "You aren't claustrophobic, are you, Levi?" She turned to him worriedly.

Levi shook his head, no. "I'm not. Are you?"

"Thankfully not." She sighed out in relieve, relieved to find out that the two of them wouldn't suffer from any sort of panic attacks while they waited for help. "Has this ever happened to you before?" Hange inquired after a moment.

"No, but like I said five damn minutes ago, it was bound to happen sometime. This fucking thing is a piece of shit," Levi said flatly, moving to place his hands towards the slit in the doors. He grunted as he attempted to pry them open, only succeeding an inch or so. He struggled to keep his grip as his fingers grew strained, and began to hurt.

Hange hurriedly grasped his shoulders, tugging him back without a care as the door snapped shut once again. "Do you even realize how reckless that is? You could have crushed four of your five fingers." Hange scolded him in a serious manner, her hands still wrapped tightly around his shoulders.

"It's better than sitting here helpless." He insisted flatly, taking note of how his heartbeat had begun to thump rapidly against his chest. Levi couldn't help but note their proximity; his back was pressed firmly against Hange's abdomen and chest. He swiftly tore himself away from her grip, moving to the other side of the small space.

"No, it's not. We can't be reckless, otherwise, one of us could get seriously injured in the process." She frowned as she watched him slide down the wall until his bum met the floor, his crossed his legs over one another, his arms folding over his chest.

"This is the fucking worst." He sighed out, leaning his head back against the wall. He narrowly avoided Hange's gaze which was dressed in wry amusement.

This only further cemented his beliefs; the world was out to get him. The timing for this happening could not have been worse with the way he had been feeling lately. It was a nagging feeling, constantly in the back of his mind, and he hadn't figured out what it was yet.

"It could have been worse, you know? You could have gotten stuck in an elevator with Pastor Nick." Hange pointed out with a small shrug. Levi was more than ashamed to admit that he would have preferred that.

His light eyes eventually dragged themselves back towards the disheveled brunette who had taken to sitting in the same position directly across from him. Her hair was thrown up half-assedly, strands of hair falling loose from its tie, falling into her face and framing her warm eyes that were magnified by the lens of her glasses. "How long do you think we'll be in here?" She inquired with a thoughtful frown.

"Fuck if I know." He answered truthfully, swallowing as he felt that strange feeling wash over him once more as the woman across from him pursed her lips, her nose wrinkling as she thought deeply.

Levi watched as seconds ticked by on his watch, his expression painted in unconcealed boredom as Hange rambled about whatever she could to keep herself preoccupied in the meantime. Levi had stopped listening after she had said the phrase 'giant naked men that trounced around through fields of grass'.

Thirty minutes had passed since they had gotten stuck, and there had been no signs of anyone coming to help them yet. "Levi, I need to pee really badly," Hange said loudly, catching his attention.

"Four Eyes..." He warned her, not sure exactly what the woman would have up her sleeve - he would not put it past her to shove her pants down and pee in the corner.

"Clean Freak..." She mimicked his tone mockingly. Levi narrowed his eyes at her.

The sound of metal clanging together startled them both as they immediately looked to where the noise had come from; directly above them. They jumped to their feet, heads tilted upwards.

"Please remain calm in there, we're working as hard as we can to get you out." A masculine voice boomed down, echoing throughout the elevator shaft. Hange sighed audibly in relief, while Levi reluctantly relaxed his form.

"Can you maybe give us a timeframe on how long it'll take? Twenty, thirty minutes?" Hange shouted in order for the man to hear her.

"At least twenty-five minutes." The man responded without missing a beat.

"That's not too bad all things considering." Hange turned towards her roommate, addressing him.

"As long as you don't piss your pants." Levi droned out blankly, sitting back down now that he had been assured that they were safe and in the midst of getting 'rescued'.

Hange took a seat next to him, unaware of how Levi had tensed up. "You know, situations like these are supposed to be a bonding experience."

"We've had more than enough bonding experiences in the past three and a half months." Levi reminded her flatly, feeling a warmth radiating off of the woman.

She laughed softly, her shoulders bouncing as she did. "I suppose you're right." She relented with a hint of a smile.

Levi snorted dryly, letting his head rest against the elevator wall, forcing his gaze away from the brunette for the third time that night.

Yeah, the world was truly out to get him...

Chapter Text

Levi let out an audible sigh of relief as his steely blue eyes scanned over the small printed text. He let the paper fall back onto the desk, letting his eyes flutter shut as he felt the heavy weight he had held on his shoulders become lifted.

It looked as if The Underground was slowly but steadily improving profit-wise. The numbers were even a bit higher than they were before the reports of the business decrease, which was surprising to him. He had mentally prepared himself for future failure, but it had been quite the opposite.

To Shitty Glasses:

I'm no longer in danger of working as a janitor at your lab.

He hadn't known what had provoked him to send Hange a message regarding the news, but he had rolled along with it, knowing she would be elated at the news. The Underground had become a somewhat of a third home for her (behind her lab and their apartment, of course).

From Shitty Glasses:

NO WAY? THAT'S AMAZING NEWS!!! WE NEED TO CELEBRATE!!!

Levi raised a thin brow at her reply, although he wasn't surprised by her eccentric response. He wasn't sure what kind of celebration she was referring to; it could have been anything ranging from a night spent playing Mario Kart or calling everyone she knew over to the apartment.

To Shitty Glasses:

No.

That was the most sensible thing he could have said in return to her proposition. It didn't take long for her to text back, as his phone buzzed in his palms.

From Shitty Glasses:

It'll be fun, I promise. We can just invite people over to The Underground, chill out and eat cake or something. How does that sound to you?

Levi looked around his office as he inwardly contemplated her idea. It wasn't exactly horrible, and his employees had been working hard lately. They deserved a bit of a break, he supposed.

To Shitty Glasses:

Fine...

From Shitty Glasses:

Great! I'll invite Mike, Nana, Moblit, and Nifa, and I'll even find a camera stand for Erwin so he can join in on the fun as well over facetime.

Levi narrowed his eyes as he pictured Erwin standing in the midst of a crowd on a stick. His resented his mind for conjuring up the most disturbing images possible.

"Hey, Boss, Oluo bit his tongue and now he's bleeding everywhere," Eren started with a bemused smile, poking his head through the doorway. "Petra's yelling at him right now."

Levi brought his fingers up his temple and rubbed them in a circular motion, attempting to soothe a headache that was starting to gather there. "We're staying past closing time, Hange's throwing a celebratory party." He announced to the teenager who gave him a look of bewilderment in return.

"What's the celebration for?" The brunet tilted his head in question.

Levi sighed and stood to his feet, shooing away the boy from the doorway and walking into the main area. "Where is everyone?" He asked as his eyes scanned behind the counter and register, which were both unoccupied. What on earth did he pay these people to do?

"They're in the kitchen." Eren gestured to the kitchen with a head nod, pushing open the doors. Levi spotted Mikasa placing a cake on a cooling rack, and Petra and Oluo in the corner. The ginger-haired woman was lecturing her significant other as she pressed a chilled cloth to his mouth, as the man merely listened to her in mild irritancy.

"Oi, I received a report regarding the shop today." Levi made his presence known, and within a second all activity paused as they turned towards him, each one showing they were nervous for what he was about to say.

"The state of the shop has improved, and as of right now, no one is in danger of getting fired," Levi announced in a blank tone, his light eyes unblinking. "Also, Hange insists that we celebrate, so we'll be having a small gathering once the shop closes." He added slowly.

"That is awesome news." Eren blew out in relief, leaning against the counter. "Can I invite some friends, or is it strictly employees only?"

"Invite whoever you want, I'm not in charge of it." Levi crossed his arms over his chest. "All of you get back to work, now." He glanced warningly in Petra and Oluo's direction, who both looked sheepish at his words.

~

Hange shifted in her seat as her eyes glanced over at the watch on her left wrist; it was nearing seven, which was when her lab would close down for the night. Of course, she was never happy about having to go home from work, but this time would be a bit different. She had plans to go to The Underground.

"Moblit, you're coming with me to Levi's coffee shop, right?" Hange turned towards her co-worker abruptly, startling him in the process.

He gave her a nod in return. "Yes, Nifa told me she's coming along, as well."

"Great!" Hange smiled at the man happily. "You wouldn't mind driving us there, right? It isn't too far." She inquired with a small head tilt.

"I don't mind." He paused as he observed her, he paused in hesitation before glancing away. Hange noticed this.

"Something bothering you, Mob?" She asked with a head tilt, curiosity, and concern evident in her tone.

He quickly shook his head in denial, before he glanced up at her and sighed, reluctantly nodding his head. "Are you doing... Okay?" He spoke quietly, looking nervous.

Hange's eyebrows lifted at his question, not expecting him to ask her that of all things. "I'm fine -"

"No, like - you haven't been overworking yourself, have you? And your roommate is treating you nicely, right?" His lips tugged downwards in a concerned frown. "You seem like you've been stressed out."

Hange let a small, reassuring smile grace her lips as she laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm more than okay, Levi and I have been getting along fantastically, and doing research never feels like a job to me."

Moblit looked relieved at her answer. "I worry about you." He admitted almost sheepishly.

"And I'm grateful that you do!" She grinned widely before her eyes glanced towards her wrist at her watch once again. "Let's get going now. Levi will never let me live it down if I'm late to the party I insisted he throw."

Moblit grabbed his keys and within a few minutes, the two of them - plus Nifa who had joined them once they were outside - had climbed into the blond's car. "So, Hange, it looks like you and Levi have grown incredibly close lately," Nifa noted in an almost coy tone.

Hange glanced at her from over her shoulder. "Our friendship has improved drastically over the last couple of months." She replied in a thoughtful tone. "Although, I'm not sure how long that will last once I tell him about Sawney and Bean." She added on as an afterthought, letting a frown grace on her lips.

Moblit visibly paused as he took in her words. "...You haven't told him about them yet?"

"No, and I don't plan on it anytime soon." She shook her head, knowing that Levi would be extremely pissed off if she went ahead and told him that she had been hiding her lizards behind his back for three and a half months.

"...Hange." Nifa started in a chiding tone, her brow furrowed forward a bit. "You can't continue lying to him, or you'll dig yourself into a deeper hole." She said with a frown. "You need to tell him."

Hange huffed as she leaned back in her chair, inwardly acknowledging that the red-head was right in most ways. Still, the events that could unfold afterward was what stopped her from being honest. She wasn't sure how Levi would take to being lied to not only once - but twice about her pets. He would likely be furious. She didn't want to risk their friendship or her babies.

"I'm going to." She relented, pausing before continuing. "Eventually, at least."

Moblit looked exasperated before he pulled his car into a parking spot directly across the street from The Underground. Hange pressed her forehead against the window in an attempt to get a closer look. She could spot Mikasa, Eren, and Petra sitting near the front of the shop. "Let's celebrate then, shall we?"

They all climbed out of the car. Nifa and Moblit followed behind Hange who practically skipped to the front entrance. "Is it closed?" Nifa asked as she spotted the sign.

"It is," Hange confirmed, rapping her knuckles along the glass door. Petra quickly unlocked the door, welcoming the trio in with a warm smile. "Hi, Hange, it's great to see you again!"

Hange returned the gesture easily. "Nice seeing you as well. These are my friends, Moblit and Nifa." She introduced her co-workers behind her, pointing to each of them respectively.

Petra waved at them, and Hange quietly excused herself as she walked further into the room. She let her eyes wander, searching for one person in particular. "Mikasa, where's Levi?" She turned to her roommate's sister, interrupting her ongoing conversation with Armin.

Mikasa pointed towards the back room. "He's in there." She told her blankly with a tone that reminded Hange of Levi. The brunette nodded her head, quickly giving her a word of thanks before she moved towards the back of the counter and into the kitchen.

"Why aren't you mingling with everyone?" She spoke as soon as she entered the room, spotting the raven-haired man perched on top of the counter, a teacup cradled delicately in his palms. "You do know that this is your coffee shop, right?" She teased him, moving to stand in front of him.

Levi rolled his light eyes, focusing on her. "I work with these people six days out of the week." He said flatly in explanation.

Hange hopped up on the counter beside him, their shoulders brushing together barely. The brunette took no notice of their proximity, while Levi couldn't help but linger as he glanced at her. "Still - it doesn't seem like you're having any more fun in here than you would be out there." She pointed out.

"Basking in peaceful silence is fun for me, Four Eyes," Levi responded, sipping contently at his tea. Hange let out a small sigh at his words, both exasperated and amused at his behavior.

"Come on, Clean Freak, time for you to crawl out of your hole and socialize with some of your friends." She jumped off of the surface, waiting for him expectantly as she placed her hands on her hips. "Oh! That reminds me, give me your phone, I need to facetime Erwin."

"You were being serious when you said you'd have him video chat us?" Levi raised a thin brow, reluctantly handing the woman his cellphone. He hopped off of the counter and placed his cup down, standing next to her.

"Yeah, why do you think that would be a problem? You don't think he would feel left out, do you?" She furrowed her brow in slight concern, pausing in her movements.

"No. It'd be the opposite, in fact." Levi pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Ah, then, I'm not seeing the problem." She said while pressing the blond's contact name; Commander Eyebrows. She had no idea what it meant, or what sort of backstory the name had, but she immediately knew it was Erwin, for some reason.

The two of them waited patiently for the blond to answer. Hange held the phone up to her face, tilting it downward in order for Levi to be in the frame as well. She had texted Erwin earlier in the evening, telling him she would be calling him in a few hours, and he had said he wouldn't be busy. She hoped he hadn't been distracted or busy while she was calling, she would have hated to interrupt him.

"Took you long enough." Levi droned out once Erwin answered, the blond's face enlarged over the screen.

"Nice to see you too." The blond smiled wryly, his eyes drifting, seemingly observing what was behind them. "Are we in the kitchen?" He asked knowingly.

"Yeah, I found Levi moping around in here a few minutes ago. Luckily, we're both here now to shove him out of the doors and into the warm embrace of socialization." She chirped with a playful smile, laying a light hand on Levi's shoulder and guiding him towards the door.

Levi scowled at his former and current roommate, strangely not barking at the woman for touching him. Since when had he grown so comfortable around her? "You're both pieces of shit." He stated flatly. Hange laughed softly, while Erwin chuckled a bit.

"Is that Erwin?" Petra approached them with an amused expression painted across her pale features. Hange showcased the phone to the ginger, nodding her head.

"It sure is! He'll be joining us for the night." Hange said matter-a-factly. Levi watched as the man on the screen raised his hand and waved slowly.

"Hello, Petra, how are you?" Erwin asked with a polite smile, and Levi dragged his eyes away from the scene, ignoring their ongoing conversation as his eyes trailed over the remainder of the shop.

His earlier fleeting thought still plagued him for some odd reason; when had he become so comfortable with Hange to the point that he didn't protest when she touched him? Their friendship was certainly moving quickly - at least, on his terms, it was. He had told her about his background, listened to her stories, and they spent most of their free time in each other's presence.

There was also the fact that he had found himself stealing longer glances when she wasn't looking and had recently itched to run a comb through her untamed locks of hair. His relationship with Erwin had never involved those types of thoughts - especially in the earlier stages of their friendship.

The raven-haired man huffed a small, inaudible sigh before he found himself moving towards Oluo, who was sitting at a table with
Mike, Nanaba and one of Hange's friends he vaguely recognized. "Hey, Levi." Nanaba greeted him with a tiny wave. "I have no idea what this party is for, but congratulations anyway!"

Levi took a seat beside Oluo, draping an arm over the back of his chair. He tried to ignore the man who had quickly shot up to mirror his actions. "Hange insisted I throw a party because the financial reports I recently received regarding the shop improved a bit." He explained dryly.

"And you listened to her?" Mike joined their conversation, leaning forward in his seat. "That's surprising." He added as an afterthought.

"I knew she wouldn't let me say no, so I saved my energy and agreed to whatever it was she wanted." Levi narrowed his eyes at the tall man whose lips had upturned slightly in a smirk. What was this humanized tree smiling about?

"I see." Mike acknowledged, not bothering to say anything else on the matter. His words irked Levi, although he wasn't about to reveal that to the man across from him.

"You know, Hange really likes you, Levi. It's nice to see that you seem to care about her just as much as she does, you." Nanaba smiled warmly, her blue eyes gleaming almost deviously.

"What are you talking about?" Levi stared, unimpressed by the woman. Had someone put something illegal in his coffee brew? Is that why everyone was acting ridiculous?

"She talks about you all the time." Nanaba further reiterated. "We'll just be having a casual conversation, and she'll bring up your name - 'Oh! That reminds me of something Levi did' - it's really sweet."

She talks about you all of the time.

Why would she talk about him? He was a prick, there was no reason for her to talk about him in a kind way, nonetheless all of the time. "You're telling me this because?" Levi raised a thin brow in question.

"Well, it seems that it's mutual. You do realize that it's perfectly okay to openly admit that you're close to someone, right?" Mike sniffed once, observing the shorter man carefully.

"What are you all talking about?" Hange came up from behind Levi, holding Erwin up for everyone at the table to see him. They all turned to her, surprised by her unexpected appearance.

"Is that Mike?" Erwin said in disbelief, leaning forward towards his phone for a better view of the man.

"Erwin?" Mike leaned forward as well, letting out a small laugh once he had fully confirmed that it was, in fact, his childhood friend. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Me either," Erwin responded with a slight smirk. Hange handed her best friend the phone, watching in amusement as they quickly engaged in easy-going conversation.

"What's wrong, Shorty? You look even more peeved off than usual." Hange observed with a slight frown, leaning down to further inspect him.

"Nothing." Levi deterred her away from the subject, not wanting to reveal what was bothering him.

She talked about him often.

Those words made him feel almost relieved in an odd way. He didn't want to dwell too heavily on them, but it seemed his mind had a different plan.

Hange could tell something was up, but she let it slide as she reluctantly moved her attention to Nanaba and Moblit. "What did you two say to him to make him look like he shit his pants?" Hange inquired with a knowing look, avoiding Levi's dark glare that he sent her way.

"We were just telling him about how much you talk about him," Nanaba revealed nonchalantly, leaning over to elbow Moblit in the ribs who sputtered on his drink in return. "Right, Moblit?" She raised a brow at the blonde.

The man looked bewildered before he nodded his head, albeit unsurely. "Yes...?"

"Is that all?" Hange chuckled, gazing down at the raven-haired man with an amused expression painted across her features. Levi scowled and hastily looked away, his chest tightening at the look she gave him. "Of course I talk about you, Levi." She stated as if it were obvious.

"Why?" He found himself asking, unable to stop himself.

Hange looked surprised by his question. "Because you've quickly become one of my closest friends and the things you do are extremely interesting." She explained steadily, laying a hand to rest on the back of his seat. He could feel her fingers barely grazing the hair on his neck.

Why had he suddenly become so aware of her presence?

Levi forcibly focused his attention elsewhere, noticing Eren and Mikasa standing in front of each other, their noses inches apart. Eren wore a happy grin as Mikasa spoke to him, her eyes shining with apparent happiness. The two of them had begun to showcase their relationship more publicly after he and Hange had caught them in the park; it made Levi want to roll his eyes.

"Hey, Jaeger, no PDA allowed," Jean called from across the room, his tone and expression complacent. The ash-haired boy sat around a table with Petra, Nifa, and Armin, who was sitting directly beside him. The blond shot him a look of warning, a frown tugging his lips downwards.

"Shut your mouth, Horseface." Eren scowled at the teenager, holding back his examples of when Jean had been caught displaying affection to his best friend, but he didn't want to make Armin feel embarrassed in any way, so he held his tongue.

"Jean, that probably isn't going to help assist you in terms of them liking you." Armin pointed out with a small sigh, Levi watched as Jean leaned down and whispered into the blond's ears, presumedly an apology, before wounding their fingers together.

He came to the realization that Hange had once again taken his phone back in her palms, holding up Erwin in order for him to see the entire table and its occupants clearly. "Erwin, you need to come down here and visit us soon," Hange told him sternly. "It's not the same when you're on a glass screen out of the country."

"I've actually been contemplating it. However, I wouldn't be able to fly out until late April, or later than that, unfortunately." Erwin revealed easily. "I'll be sure to keep you updated when I settle on a date."

"And where do you plan on staying when you visit?" Levi spoke up, his tone one of disinterest. Erwin quirked a thick brow, catching the underlying humor that dressed his tone.

"As I've said before, you're not the only person who can give me permission to stay over. I'm confident Hange will give me her blessing to sleep on the couch." Erwin smirked at the raven-haired man, as Hange let out a small laugh in response.

"You're absolutely correct, Erwin!" She exclaimed happily, as Levi sighed and relented.

"Can you guys imagine Erwin in the midst of living with Hange and Levi? I think they'd drive him up the wall with their constant bickering." Petra said in amusement, sitting down next to Oluo.

"I don't know, maybe it'd be a good balance between all three of them. Although, I've known Erwin long enough to know he isn't as sane as he initially seems." Mike added with a smirk. Erwin didn't bother defending himself, letting out a chuckle.

"Is that Erwin?" Eren jogged over to their table, leaning over to get a glimpse of the man who greeted him warmly. "Hey, Erwin! How's London treating you so far? Have you seen any telephone boxes yet?"

"Eren, it's not like they're a rare sight." Armin pointed out evenly, a smile spreading across his face towards his friend. Levi merely sighed and brought his fingers up to massage his temples.

"I've seen a few, however, I haven't had the need to actually step inside one and use them yet." The blonde answered evenly.

"Why are you guys all just piled into one corner?" Connie asked with a raised brow, Sasha right behind him. "Is this some kind of weird cult?"

"Yes, the cult who worships Erwin Smith as their lord and savior," Hange answered in jest, leaning a bit of her weight to the back of Levi's chair. The raven-haired man tried not notice the scent of the brunette that had surrounded him; she smelled like citrus.

"Sign us up." Sasha grinned widely, draping an arm over Connie who shrugged and nodded his head once in response.

~

Levi stared up at his ceiling unblinkingly, his limbs aching after a long day of work, and exertion - both physically and mentally, he was drained. However, even despite his fatigue, his brain refused to take a hint and shut down for the night.

He had gotten relatively good news regarding the shop he had poured his heart and soul into - his business was no longer at the moment in jeopardy, and yet, he was still doubtful. How long would he be able to sustain this recent business resurgence? Eventually, customers would grow tired of The Underground, and flock to the newest trendy coffee shop. That was just how it worked.

Soon, four of his six hired employees would be attending college, meaning he would have to begin searching for replacements, which meant mistakes would happen, and weeks of training would have to occur in order to meet his impeccably high standards. Most of his employees had been hired more than a year or two ago - it would certainly be odd for their presence to be gone soon.

He sighed lightly, his chest rising and falling rhythmically as his gaze sat unwavering upon his ceiling. Self-doubt was never an issue when it came to him, at least not very often, in fact, it was very rare for these types of thoughts to plague his mind. He found himself questioning things about himself that he was well aware he would find ridiculous once the sun arose.

Was he actually capable of running a small business? Or would his entire cafe fail tremendously eventually, resulting in his downfall? Was he actually content with his life at the moment, or was he unhappy with how things had panned out?

A sudden shrill ring broke him out of his reverie, and for the first time that night he drew his gaze away from the ceiling. He reached for his phone in a sluggish manner, blearily reading the name that appeared on the screen.

An incoming call from 'Shitty Glasses'.

The woman was directly down the hall from him, what could she have possibly wanted at this godforsaken hour? With a scowl, he swiped and accepted the call, pressing it against his ear. "Something you need, Shithead?"

"Ah, you're awake, I had a feeling you were." Her voice was soft-spoken into the receiver, and it made him feel almost uneasy, unfamiliar to such a quiet tone from his roommate.

"Why are you calling me, Four Eyes?" Levi questioned tiredly, unable to shield the fatigue that was steadily dripping into his voice.

"I needed someone to talk too." She admitted without missing a beat. He feels an odd feeling in his chest at the fleeting thought that he was the first person she thought to call in the middle of the night. "I hope you weren't in the midst of dosing off when I called." She said a bit sheepishly.

"No." He reassured her blankly.

"When I was little, my mom would talk me to sleep whenever I had a nightmare or something similar." She revealed after a moment of comfortable silence passed. "It helps to this day whenever my insomnia is particularly bad."

Levi let his eyelids flutter shut, the phone still pressed firmly to his ear. He felt utterly ridiculous - the woman was right down the hall, and yet here he was talking to her on the phone. Still, her voice was a good distraction from his spiraling thoughts; he welcomed it with open arms.

"Today was a good day." She stated quietly, a sense of happiness dressing her tone. "It was really great to hang out with everyone for a couple of hours without any worries, or cares."

Levi resisted the urge to snort dryly. Sure, it might have been nice to not focus on any stress-related issues, however, it seemed he was paying for that right now. "Seeing Eren squirm whenever he made eye contact with me was somewhat amusing."

"You're a terrible person," Hange said with a widening smile, holding back her laughter. "He looks up to you, you know?"

Levi paused, contemplating her words. "I can't see any reason for him too." He responded flatly, peeling open his eyelids once more. He felt himself regretting his word choice, hoping that the brunette wouldn't read too much into what he had told her.

"There's plenty of reasons I could think of." Hange instantly countered, her tone growing firm as if scolding him for thinking that way. "Admittedly, you're not the best role model, but you're kind, and compassionate no matter how much you try to hide it. You care deeply about each one of your employees, and it shows. That, and he thinks you're a badass, which I can't really see -"

"Shut up, you fucking dick." Levi rolled his eyes as she let out a boisterous cackle. He felt him mind ease as she continued to talk about whatever came to her mind, swatting way any self-inflicting thoughts he had once had.

She chuckles once, a deep reverberating sound that echoed in his ears. Strangely he found himself savoring the noise. "All jokes aside, Levi, I really am proud of you." She said quietly. Levi could almost see the small smile that dressed her features as she talked. The tightness he had felt earlier in his chest returned at her words. "It's not very often you see a family owned coffee shop such as your own with such a unique atmosphere, succeeding in separating yourself from other local shops in the area. You should be proud of your accomplishments."

"Four Eyes, you're saying stupid shit. You must be severely sleep-deprived right now." He responded after a moment - words of thanks and gratefulness getting stuck and clogged in his throat on their way out. "Go to bed, you have an early day ahead of you." He told her in a softer tone, her earlier spoken words settling over him like a comforting blanket.

"I can assure you that I am not sleep deprived." She stated, before continuing a moment later. "Alright, fine, perhaps a little bit, but that doesn't mean that the words I said aren't true."

"You should be just as proud of your achievements."

"I am." She responded swiftly, her tone confident. A calm silence settled upon them for a few moments, before she spoke again. "Hey, Shorty, anytime you need to talk - even if it is in the middle of the night, I'm here for you, okay?"

"Oh, yeah? You won't be pissed off if I decide to knock on your door at three in the morning and keep you awake for an hour on a workday?" Levi raised a thin brow, his tone dry yet light-hearted.

"No. I mean, I called you in the middle of the night and you're still on the phone with me. It'd only be fair to return the sentiment." She pointed out lightly, letting a drawn out yawn escape her lips. Levi fought one off himself. "I'm getting sleepy, job well done." She complimented, humming softly as she sank further into her bedsheets.

"Goodnight, Clean Freak, try to follow my example and get some sleep, you need it." She said tiredly.

"Goodnight, Dumbass," Levi told her before he heard the faint click, indicating that she had hung up the phone.

It's only minutes after she hangs up that Levi finds his mind distracted from the previous thoughts keeping him up throughout the night; they're replaced by thoughts of her, instead. He thinks of how easily she could read him and provide words of encouragement when he needs them. He thinks of her bright, warm, and expressive eyes, and her wide smile that fit perfectly on her tanned face. He thinks of her messy hair and obnoxious behavior, and how intelligent and passionate she was when it came to anything she put her mind too.

He stopped and paused while in the midst of his train of thought, his body visibly freezing as his light eyes widened uncharacteristically as he came to a revelation.

Oh.

Oh, no.

Oh, shit.

Oh, fuck.

He liked Hange Zoe.

Chapter Text

"Good morning, Sunshine!" Hange greeted from her spot near the kitchen table, a mug filled to the brim with unsweetened coffee placed near her paperwork which was laid unorganized along the entirety of the surface. Levi ignored her greeting pointedly, carefully masking his expression as he walked further into the kitchen.

"I already boiled some water for you. All you have to do is fix your tea the way you prefer it to be." Hange told him in a light tone, a small smile spreading across her lips. Levi noted that she was in a very good mood this morning, almost suspiciously so.

Levi muttered a quiet 'thanks' as he reached for a teacup and a teabag. "Why are you so grumpy this morning, did someone shit in your slippers or something?" Hange inquired, her glasses slipping down her nose as she turned to look at him.

"No," Levi responded flatly, his tone clipped. He inwardly begged for the woman to leave him alone - at least for a little while. He wanted to avoid her presence as much as possible considering the conclusion he had come to last night, which he knew was nearly impossible considering they lived in the same vicinity and Hange wouldn't know the concept of personal space if it hit her in the face.

"Did you sleep any? You're looking a bit worse for wear." Hange said as she observed him with a keen eye, her brow drawn together in concern.

Levi let himself heave a quiet sigh at her question. No, he hadn't gotten much sleep. He had stood awake for the majority of the night internally berating himself for letting himself develop feelings for the worst person imaginable. There was also the few minutes that he had let himself relish in the warmth the brunette brought into his miserable life which had comforted him enough to the point that he had fallen asleep, only to be jolted awake thirty-five minutes later.

He had no plans to reveal any of that to the woman in front of him, however.

"An hour at most." He said blankly while he poured the hot water into his teacup. The steam that stemmed from the liquid grazed his pale cheeks. He felt reluctant to move away from the warmth.

"Ah, that doesn't sound like fun." She commented unsurely, tilting her head to the left as she spoke. Levi visibly hesitated as he took his cup in his hands - should he attempt to ignore whatever he was feeling and sit down with the woman? Perhaps returning to normalcy would help him forget about last night.

The soft, welcoming smile plastered across her lips was enough to convince him to have breakfast with her. He sat down next to her, warily eyeing the documents that were thrown onto the table. "What is all of this shit?" He frowned in distaste at the mess, his eyes turning to her questioningly.

"Research notes!" She answered simply. "The lab I work at was granted a large funding for a research project that we've been pushing for months." She let an excited grin spread across her lips, one that Levi was familiar with when she talked about her work.

"Congratulations, Four Eyes." He droned out, taking a large gulp of his tea before he placed it back down on the table, resisting the urge to wince as the boiling hot drink scorched his throat on its way down. Admittedly, it was a welcoming distraction from the oncoming thoughts of how much he admired how dedicated she was to her work while staring at the way her facial features lit up as she explained what she would be working on.

"Yeah. Thankfully, the presentation isn't until Monday morning, so I still have a bit of time to perfect it." She slouched back in her seat, her eyes trailing over him in a scrutinizing manner.

Levi bit back the urge to snap at her and ask her what exactly she was looking at. "What?" He huffed out, narrowing his steely eyes at the woman.

"Nothing, nothing." She quickly responded, before she scooted back her chair and stood up to her feet. "I have plans with Nanaba later today for lunch. Do you want to join us, by any chance?" She stared down at him patiently, waiting for his response, although she already knew what his answer would be.

"No." He shook his head lightly, blowing on his drink discreetly. She smirked, she had been right; he had swallowed a gulp of burning hot tea. Hange had a feeling that this meant he was shaken by something - what she didn't know, but she would eventually find out in one way or another.

"Okay, then. How about we marathon a few shitty horror films once I get home, how does that sound?" She offered, leaning her weight onto the chilled granite of the kitchen island.

"I'm going to the shop for the day. I need to clean it up after last night." He rejected her offer with a blank expression, his tone flat. He quickly glanced away as he saw her shoulders slump forward in apparent disappointment, pushing away the slight feeling of guilt he felt.

"Levi," She started, her tone serious, "It's obvious that you need a break. You've been overworking yourself lately."

Levi snorted dryly at the irony of her lecture. "Says the woman who lives off of granola bars and caffeine."

"Fine, admittedly, I'm the last person who should be lecturing you about this, but I'm being serious. You look terrible right now." She stated firmly, her lips tugging down into an irritated frown. "You should take the day off to recuperate." She advised him.

"What good is that going to do me?" Levi was well aware of the fact that in order to shove his recent thoughts into the back of his mind, he would need a distraction, and cleaning usually brought forth a decent distraction.

"You're acting strange." She observed with a hint of suspicion coating her voice.

"You act strange all of the time."

"Levi, I'm telling you this as your roommate and friend, take the day off and relax. If there is something bothering you, it's probably for the best that you sit down and think about why it does and what you can do in order for you to fix the problem." She told him as she regained her balance and made off to her bedroom, not before sending one last pointed look in his direction before she disappeared from his line of sight.

Think about what was bothering him? Well, he was already doing exactly that, and he had a feeling he would be for the rest of the day - if not the entire week.

~

From Nanabanana:

Hey, Babe, I'm downstairs.

Hange jogged towards the front door as she stuffed her phone back in her pocket. Her brown eyes scanned around the living room for any sight of her grumpy roommate, sighing heavily once she saw no signs of the man anywhere. It seemed he had left after all, and she wasn't surprised by his decision. She knew he used work as a distraction; they were similar in that way.

She waved to the uniformed man sitting behind the front desk, sending him a small smile before she jogged out of the front door, her eyes instantly spotting Nanaba's small sleek car. She inhaled through her nose, the scent of spring drifting into her nostrils.

"Hello, there!" Hange greeted with a wide smile as she slid into the front seat, wrapping a seat belt around her form before the blonde took off once again. "Where are we heading off too?"

"I'm not sure, yet. What do you feel like eating?" Nanaba glanced at the brunette in the passenger seat, her hands firmly placed around the steering wheel. Hange carefully thought about her question, weighing two options inwardly before she settled on a choice.

"Mexican food sounds really good right now." She suggested with a small shrug, which, in turn, made Nanaba smile in amusement.

"Mexican food it is, then." She agreed easily, pausing briefly before she spoke up again. "So, how was your week, babe? Did anything exciting happen that you didn't tell me about last night?"

"No, just the stuff about my lab, but I told you about that yesterday." She trailed off in thought, her eyes focused on the objects flying passed them out of the window. "Oh, well, there is one thing - but it's most likely me just over-analysing things again."

"What is it?"

"Levi was acting strange this morning - he's been acting strange since the night of the party, actually." Hange tapped her fingers against the hand rest as she tried to pinpoint when exactly she had begun to sense something was off about the man. "Did you say anything to him that could have put him on edge?" She turned towards the blonde, recalling that Levi had sat down at a table with Mike and Nanaba.

Nanaba looked thoughtful as they pulled into a small parking lot. "I don't recall saying anything that could have put him on edge." She paused for a brief moment in thought, before speaking once more. "Mike and I mentioned how great it was that you and he had become such close friends, but that was the gist of it." She said nonchalantly, turning the ignition off, and slipping her keys out.

Hange frowned at her friend's words, her brow drawing together. "Levi isn't the type of person to close someone off because someone acknowledged his friendship with another person." She trailed off. "Something isn't clicking."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. He just seems like the type of guy to want some space every once in a while." Nanaba attempted to reassure her, opening her door and getting out of the car. Hange followed after her.

"Isn't it strange how he suddenly decides to act distant after I called him up late last night?" Hange held open the door for the blonde, pausing as she waited for her to enter. "I mean, do you think I said something that could have potentially made him feel uncomfortable?"

"Hi, table for two please." Nanaba requested with a polite smile, watching as the hostess gathered two menus in her hands and gestured for them to follow after her. "I think you might be overthinking things." She continued their conversation as they walked.

"I admit that I might be overthinking things, but I'd like to think that my roommate wouldn't just shut me out without having any reason too." She spoke in a thoughtful tone. "I can tell that there's something going on with him."

"Your waiter will be with you both in a minute!" The hostess smiled at them, placing the menus down in front of them.

Nanaba let a small knowing smile grace her lips. "You care about him that much, huh?" She teased a bit, tapping her fingernails along the wood of their table.

"Of course I do. I care about every single one of my friends," Hange said in a bewildered tone, not understanding what the blonde was trying to imply.

"Do you linger over each sentence I speak to you, and try to evaluate it piece by piece as well? Or is that strictly reserved for your roommate?" Nanaba tilted her head in question.

"No, I don't. But with Levi, it's a bit different. He doesn't know how to communicate like a functioning human being, so you have to dig a little deeper." Hange smiled in amusement at the thought of the raven-haired man.

"I had the impression that Levi was extremely blunt and upfront about the way he felt." The blonde raised a questioning brow.

"Don't get me wrong, he is. But, when it comes to how he talks about certain things, it can be difficult to interpret what he actually means." Hange explained briefly, placing her elbows on the table and leaning onto them uncaringly. "I just wish he would say what I did to upset him." She continued in a thoughtful tone.

"I'm sure he'll come to you eventually. Besides, you're not even entirely sure if you did say something to make him upset." Nanaba pointed out with a half-shrug of her shoulders.

"I know, I know. You're right." Hange sighed in defeat, slumping over a bit as her thoughts continued to run rapidly.

"So, while we're on the topic of Levi - how did you two suddenly become so close? When I visited near Christmas, you two seemed uncomfortable by each other's presence, and when you both came over for dinner a month or so later it was the complete opposite." Nanaba engaged her friend in conversation, her tone drenched in curiosity.

The brunette seemed to consider her question for awhile before a genuine smile spread across her lips. Nanaba silently noted her behavior, not daring to comment on the action. "I'm not sure, honestly. At first, things were very tense - he was fully cemented on ignoring my existence the first few weeks, but then we eventually began to talk and engage in actual conversations." She paused in her story, feeling a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Eventually, our friendship evolved into having dinner together, camping out in the living room during a power outrage, making blanket forts, and overall being comfortable in each other's presence."

Nanaba took a slow sip of her drink. "Sounds special."

"I suppose so. I don't think I've ever had a friend like Levi." She said happily, shaking her feet beneath the table as she resisted the urge to gush about her roommate. "He's different and refreshing to be around."

"Do you find him attractive?" Nanaba asked bluntly, and Hange's brown eyes widened behind the thick lens of her glasses. The blonde appeared unwavering, and unapologetic for her question.

"Why are you asking me this?" Hange quirked a thin brow towards the blonde, a bewildered expression plastered across her tanned facial features.

"I just wanted your opinion. Mike and I were talking about it on the way home yesterday." She said nonchalantly. "Mike says he's unattractive, and I was on the fence about it."

"I think Levi is very attractive," Hange admitted, trying her hardest to ignore the heat she felt dusting her upper cheeks. She was never ashamed to admit when she found a person attractive, however, she knew Nanaba would never let her forget about this. "I find a lot of people attractive, though, so that doesn't mean much in regards to anything." She added quickly.

"I didn't say anything, Hun," Nanaba said pointedly, a smirk plastered across her lips. "Are you sure that it's nothing more than -"

"Are you about to imply that I have feelings for Levi?" Hange interjected loudly. Nanaba noted the multiple heads that had turned to stare in their direction at her friend's exclamation.

"It would explain why you're so anxious that he's not speaking to you at the moment. Hange, it's completely okay for you to -"

"I don't have feelings for Levi." She interrupted yet again, and Nanaba held in her quiet sigh and waited for the brunette to finish. "I just - I'm baffled, that's all. Our friendship has been so great and stress-free lately, and then, all of a sudden, he wakes up and he's giving me a cold shoulder? I'm running through every interaction we've had in the past day and a half trying to recall any instance in which I may have said something to upset him, but I keep coming up blank."

"We even had a really nice conversation before we went to bed last night." Hange looked down at the table, her brow drawn upwards as she trailed off.

Nanaba looked sympathetic, doing her best to send her friend a comforting smile. "Well, what did you say during this conversation?" She asked, prompting her into speaking.

Hange paused in thought, before speaking unsurely. "I called him at four in the morning because I knew he would be up, and we ended up talking for a half an hour. Near the end of the phone call, I told him that he should be proud of himself and his accomplishments and that if he ever needed someone to talk to, I would be there for him."

"Perhaps I made him feel overwhelmed?" Hange asked in a questioning tone, moving her head to stare at her blonde companion for her opinion.

Nanaba seemed hesitant to respond. "You know Levi much better than I do. Why don't you try to put yourself in his shoes, maybe that will help you make more sense of things?"

"If I was Levi and someone who I've known for four months told me I'd be there for them I would likely shit my pants." Hange jested with a snicker.

Nanaba stared flatly at the woman before her exterior cracked and an amused smile spread across her lips. "He's rubbing off on you."

"That's the worst thing you've ever said to me, Nana." Hange quipped lightly, a string of laughter escaping her lips.

Nanaba snorted, swatting Hange's hands with her large menu. "Oh, please. You absolutely admire him and his lackluster personality." She teased her.

"His personality is not lackluster, Nana! Have you ever met a person who religiously scrubs their kitchen countertops while cracking poop jokes and listening to Fifty Cent?" Hange countered swiftly, defending her short roommate in an amused manner.

"I can't say I have." Nanaba preceded with a small shrug.

Their waiter eventually came and took their orders, and their conversation naturally drifted off into several different topics and subjects. Yet, the thought of Levi and why he had treated her that way this morning remained in the back of her mind naggingly. Was he okay? Had she overstepped her boundaries? Did this mean they were back to square one after all of the progress they had made?

She couldn't wait to get home and talk about everything with him. If he was upset, she would make sure to make it up to him and be more careful in her approach. Levi was not like any of her other friends. He was almost like an untamed cat; one that scared easily if you approached it too quickly.

And now she was picturing a black cat with Levi's narrowed eyes while wearing his infamous scowl. It was almost eery to her how perfectly it fit.

~

Levi settled comfortably on the sofa, crossing his legs as he switched on the television, absentmindedly switching through channels. He stopped briefly on a reality TV show, rolling his light eyes as he watched two grown men bicker like children. He put down the remote, deciding to watch their stupidity unfold in dry amusement.

Hange hadn't attempted to contact him throughout the day, which both surprised and relieved him. He knew that she was emotionally intelligent enough to know that he needed some time alone to sort out his thoughts. He would, however, admit that he felt odd going the entire day without a text message or call from the woman, but he knew it was necessary.

The doorknob jiggled behind him, and Levi's gaze snapped towards it. The brunette walked in silently, raising her hand in a lazy greeting gesture. Levi gave her a nod in response before he returned his attention to the TV, hoping she would return to her room.

She didn't - in fact, she plopped down on the couch right beside him, much to his dismay. "Hi, there." She said calmly, staring intently at him. Levi snuck a glance at her from the corner of his eyes, which was a mistake, as his cold eyes met her warm brown ones. They swam with comprehensiveness and concern.

He felt his stomach churn unpleasantly at the look on her face. "I'm going to get straight to the point here. Are you okay? Did I say something to upset you last night? I mean, I recall it being quite a pleasant and meaningful conversation, and I figured that when we woke up our friendship would have taken a different turn - and seemingly it has, but not in the way I expected it too." She finished her rant, her brow wrinkling.

Levi took in her words quietly, averting his eyes. "Is it a crime to want to be alone for a few hours?" He sighed out slowly, not missing the huff of frustration she let out at his words. "I'm fine, I just want some peace and quiet right now, Four Eyes, Christ." He told her in an irritated tone, hoping that she would leave him alone once the words were spoken.

She narrowed her eyes, her gaze hardening. "You know what? Fine, Levi, I'll leave you alone." She stared stoically at him, moving to stand on her feet. "God forbid you actually put a bit of effort into communicating with me about how you feel for once." She sighed, pushing her glasses off of her face to rub irritably at her eyes.

"Don't you worry, though." She added in a determined voice after a moment of tense silence blanketed them. "I'll let you have some time to yourself tonight, but, you bet your ass I'll be bringing this up again tomorrow, and the next day if I have to if you continue to brush me off without any apparent reason too."

She walked out of the living room and into her bedroom, leaving Levi on the couch in silence. The raven-haired man exhaled deeply, resisting the urge to walk over to her bedroom and apologize in a crude manner.

He was well aware of the fact that he wasn't the type of person cut out for being in a relationship or having feelings. He was brash, uncommunicative, and downright awkward when it came down to it - any relationship that he entered was bound to crumble. It didn't help that the person he had found himself developing feelings for was Hange. The thought of him destroying their friendship scared the hell out of him.

In order to forget about how he felt, he would need to distance himself. He knew that he couldn't continue to feel like his chest was going to inflate each time she spoke a few words to him or laughed obnoxiously; it would just end badly for both of them.

He would prefer for her to be angry at him for a few days, rather than him ruining their friendship entirely due to selfish reasons. No matter how much he wanted to ask her if she'd eaten properly earlier or text her an entire row of poop emojis over text.

Chapter Text

Hange let out a small yawn as she sat hunched over her desk, struggling to keep her eyes open as she read over a document that had been written today for her to overview. She could have very well read it tomorrow, but she was determined to find out the results they had gotten from hours of endless research.

She pursed her lips, bringing up a hand to rub at her tired eyes, lifting up her glasses to rest on top of her head. It was nearing eleven at night, and she had been adamant to stay in the lab a bit later than usual, with the promise to lock each door securely. She hoped the task wouldn't slip her sleep-deprived mind, although she was confident it wouldn't. She wasn't that irresponsible.

She had been ignoring the need for sleep for the past three days - which she was fully aware was unhealthy and downright dangerous for the human body. Lately, work had been the one constant on her mind - and also Levi, as well.

The 'Talk' that she had forced them to have had been a bit of a failure in terms of communication. Levi was a difficult person to get to open up - she knew that from four months of prior experiences with the man. This was different than their usual banter and bickering, however. It seemed that Levi genuinely wanted to avoid her presence whenever possible, which felt like a punch in the gut after all the progress they had made.

She had tried a casual approach upon coming home, sinking into the couch beside him, and he had quickly made an excuse and brushed her off. She had tried to conjure up a bit of conversation when she had spotted in awake in the kitchen at four in the morning, to no avail as he merely responded with nonverbal grunts. It was beginning to get a bit frustrating. She just wished that he would tell her what was wrong.

She missed him. She missed their banter. She missed his dry sense of humor. She missed the way he would go out of his way and make sure she was okay when she stayed in her room too long.

If wasn't as if he had become incredibly cold, but there was an obvious distance that hadn't been there a week prior. He still showed that he considered her a friend as he made sure to make a pot of coffee every morning for her knowing that she would be incredibly irritable without her morning intake of caffeine.

She tapped her pencil absentmindedly on the edge of her desk, biting the inside of her cheek in deep thought. He was a tough shell to crack, but he was kind when he wanted to be, and he was considerate towards others. He respected boundaries and was supportive of the people he cared for, and respected the choices they made regarding their lives. He truly was something else; abnormal would be the most appropriate term, perhaps.

She enjoyed being around him; his view of the world was interesting. She enjoyed hearing him talk about his life experiences and his odd skills in life. He made a fantastic pot of coffee, he was previously a bartender, he knit in his free time, and his cleaning skills most likely revealed those of Mr. Clean himself. He was one of the weirdest people she had ever met, and he had quickly become a huge presence in her life.

Oh.

She dropped her pen, her mouth forming a small 'o' shape as she came to a sudden realization.

She was developing feelings for Levi.

"Huh." She slunk back in her seat, feeling a sense of warmth spread across her chest as she thought of her cranky roommate. It seemed obvious now - the way she had let her gaze linger, admiring him while he was occupied, the sense of happiness that washed over her each time she had succeeded in amusing him.

She was torn, however. She felt immensely relieved that she had figured out what was eating at her, but now she had yet another problem to deal with on top of that. Hange was logical when it came to revealing her feelings, and she knew that if she told Levi she liked him it would make things between them even uneasier than they were currently. He hadn't shown a romantic interest in anyone since they had met, and she was not about to endanger their entire relationship for selfish reasons.

It wasn't as if she was a lovesick teenager. She could deal with a few romantic feelings. Eventually, they would fade and she would forget all about it. She had done it before, and she could do it again.

Although, it would prove to be slightly more difficult since she slept within a 60-foot distance from the man.

~

The brunette walked into the apartment silently, her form sluggish as a wave of exhaustion washed over once she stepped into her home. Her bed was mere feet away, she relished inwardly, toeing off her sneakers with some difficulty. "Levi, are you awake?" She called out, looking over her shoulder towards the living room to try and get a peek at the raven-haired man.

"Kitchen." He responded simply. Hange shrugged off her light sweater and tossed it carelessly on the coat rack that sat in the corner near the entrance. She hesitated briefly, before moving towards the sound of his voice.

"Hey." Hange greeted with a lazy waving gesture, leaning her weight against the kitchen island. She watched as Levi turned at her voice, and she held back the soft smile that threatened to spread across her lips. His hair was damp from a shower, a pair of dark sleeping pants and a dark t-shirt dressing his relaxed form. The shadows beneath his eyes hadn't lessened, his light eyes scanning over her.

"You look like a truck ran over you." He stated flatly, his arm draped over the back of the chair he was sat on. A cup of tea was placed in front of him on the table, steam stemming from the liquid. She felt a feeling of fondness upon looking at him, ignoring his rude words which held an underlying tone of concern.

"Yeah. The lab was pretty eventful today." She explained, trying her best to hide her fatigue. It didn't seem to be working as his frown only deepened at her words.

"When was the last time you actually slept, Four Eyes?" Levi asked with a raised brow, placing his fingers around the rim around his cup and bringing it up to his lips.

"I got a full two hours of sleep last night." Hange cracked a wry smile. "You're one to bring up my sleeping habits, though. You look like a corpse."

Levi scoffed and glared at her, avoiding her gaze entirely. Hange glanced away as a spontaneous idea came to her mind. Maybe it would help normalize their situation once more. "Hey, do you know what I think we could both use?"

"A million dollars and twelve hours of sleep?" Levi responded dryly in return. Hange shook her head at him.

"No, but that wouldn't be horrible." She paused before further elaborating. "What we both need is to destress and forget about our own worries and concerns for a bit. I have a couple of board games somewhere in my closet, do you want to play with me?" She inquired in a hopeful tone.

"It's past midnight. If anything, this will only make our problems worse." Levi pointed out, wanting to refuse her offer for more reasons than one. Still, he knew the brunette was heavily determined, and when she set her mind to something she usually accomplished it. He was likely trapped.

"We'll eventually tire ourselves out." She reasoned already moving towards her bedroom to grab the board games. "Go sit in the living room, make yourself comfortable!" She told him before disappearing down the hall. Levi sighed and grabbed his teacup, moving towards the living room.

He watched as Hange poured all of her concentration on setting up the game he had little to no interest in, yet remained in the living room willingly playing because he had felt odd going a day without talking to her. He knew that the best way to push away his feelings was to distance himself, but he was finding that incredibly hard to do. She brought a comfort in his life that he hadn't known he had lacked until she was no longer there to give it. She was bright and lively, and unlike any other person in his life, and he didn't want her to disappear.

She gestured for him to sit down on the floor across the table from her, and he lazily did as he was told without a word. "So, pick your piece." She pointed to a pile of small metal figures in the box.

"What the fuck is this, Hange?" Levi warily eyed his limited options. "Of all of the board games, you choose Monopoly. You're right, this will fix our problems, Four Eyes, we'll end up falling asleep in the middle of playing it."

"You're just grumpy that I'll end up beating your ass." She shrugged her shoulders, plucking the tiny silver boot from the pile, leaving Levi with one less option. He scowled and reached for the cat, placing it at the beginning of the board.

"We'll see about that." He said simply. "Also, this is a terrible fucking idea, who plays Monopoly with only two people?"

"We do. Obviously." She quipped, throwing the pair of dice into Levi's lap. They bounced off his thighs and promptly rolled beneath the sofa.

"You're the worst." He told her flatly, before crouching forward on his knees and running his hand aimlessly under the furniture. Hange bit the inside of her cheek hard as Levi raised his bottom in order to peek under the couch. She quickly averted her eyes, her cheeks growing slightly warm.

Levi threw the dice upon the board once he had finally located them, his expression painted in annoyance as the dice showcased 'three' combined. Hange smirked widely at him, already tasting victory. "How unfortunate for you." She teased him, taking her turn and rolling a ten. "Looks like I'll be going first, then!" She grinned widely at him.

"This is the worst decision I've ever made." Levi voiced dryly, sipping his tea which had now chilled considerably, much to his displeasure. He watched as Hange laughed, his chest inflating at her happy expression. Ridiculous, he thought to himself, unable to tear his gaze away.

Hange rolled the dice in her palms before throwing them down on the board. "We'll play with our own rules, how does that sound? We can even make up different names for every property." She suggested lightly.

"You're going to regret suggesting this by the end of the night," Levi warned her as she moved her figure up a few spaces.

"Trust me when I say I know I will." She handed him the dice, and he lazily let them roll out of his palms and onto the board. He moved his figure up accordingly, inwardly counting each step.

"How's The Underground been doing? It's been a few days since I last visited." Hange asked conversationally, her eyes trained on the game board as they played.

"Fine, nothing eventful has happened since the night of the party," Levi revealed nonchalantly, his steely eyes sneaking a glance up at her. "I did get a stupid ass customer a few days ago, though." He added on as an afterthought.

"What kind? Angry, or just strange?" Hange inquired knowingly, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Oh, was it one of those overly-complicated orders asking if you could replicate that weird colorful drinks at Starbucks? I know how much you appreciate those." She smiled in amusement.

Levi rolled his eyes at the mention of those types of customers. "No, it was an older guy - tall ass tree looking motherfucker. He walks up to the counter and immediately starts flirting and saying gross things to Mikasa. She tried ignoring him for the most part until he reached over and tugged on her arm to get her attention. Eren went to attack him, and Jean held him back while I threw him the hell out on his ass. Mikasa punched him directly in the eye before I did, however."

Hange's eyes widened slightly as she listened to his story. "What a gross excuse for a human being. Was he a regular customer, or someone you've never seen before?"

"I've never seen him personally, but Jean told me that he comes in quite often." Levi dragged his gaze from the woman in front of him to game, forcing most of his attention to it, instead.

"I'm assuming he's banned from ever entering the shop again?" Hange questioned knowingly, the dim light reflecting off of the lens of her glasses.

"You bet your ass he is," Levi said with a low growl before he quickly changed the subject. "This place is going to be named Shitvile, and I want to buy it." He pointed towards the pink space, his expression completely serious.

Hange let out a snort of laughter, nodding her head as she browsed through the collection of properties. Levi gave her the amount of money due and she handed him the card in return. "I've been scheming lately." She told him with a prideful smirk.

"Who's life are you interfering in now?" Levi raised a thin brow, the sound of dice hitting the surface accompanying his words.

"You remember how I told you about my two colleagues being absolutely in love with one another? Moblit and Nifa?" Levi nodded, recalling the story she had told him in the park a few weeks ago. He knew by the gleam in her expressive eyes that she had plotted something devious.

"Well, I may or may not have hinted to Moblit that Nifa finds him attractive, and then I sent the two of them to go get me lunch."

"You're such a lazy sack of shit." Levi droned out, calling out the woman for making her co-workers get her lunch in the midst of her plan.

"Hey! I killed two birds with one stone, I'm brilliant, you can't deny that." She defended herself with a pleased grin.

He didn't. "I'll call this one Levi." She pointed towards a brown space, looking through the cards once again to find the property she was buying. She glanced up, catching the glare he sent her way. She hid the smile of amusement that threatened to spread across her lips. "Do you want to know why?"

"No."

"Because It's the cheapest space on the board, and it's brown which reminds me of you considering how often you talk about shit."

"What exactly on you implying with your first point?"

"I don't know Levi, what do you think I'm implying?"

"Fuck you, Four Eyes."

Throughout the course of two hours, Hange had managed to drain Levi of most of his money as she had collected almost every property on the board, including the ones he had gathered because the brunette had proven to be insanely persuasive and good at negotiating. The raven-haired man slouched back against the sofa, a yawn he was unable to contain escaping his lips. "I surrender. You win." He stated blankly, blinking his eyes as he forced himself to stay awake.

She loudly laughed in victory, throwing a fist into the air in a celebratory pose. "Ha! I knew I'd crush you. You are the absolute worse at any sort of game. We need to work on your skills." She smiled at him, before plopping down next to him on the couch.

"Hm." He responded simply, turning his head to face her instead. The boardgame now laid abandoned on the coffee table, forgotten about in mere minutes. Hange sat mere centimeters from him, and he could smell the scent that radiated off of her strongly; she smelled like citrus and chemicals. He then found himself admiring her side-profile as his eyes trailed over her jawline, which was sharp and defined - he quickly shoved away the thought of how much he wanted to trail his lips over her skin. Her nose stood out among her features, long and hooked, and undeniably unique, much like her eccentric personality. It was probably the feature he appreciated the most.

He glanced away lazily, inwardly repulsed by his thoughts and actions. He couldn't remember the last time he had let himself stare and deem a person attractive such as right now. Perhaps high school? Either way, this feeling was very foreign to him, and he wasn't sure how to react to it. "Levi, have you ever been in a serious relationship?" Hange found herself asking out of curiosity, wanting to test out the waters a bit.

"What are your standards for a serious relationship?" Levi asked, hiding his bafflement at her bizarre question. She simply shrugged her shoulders in response.

"Have you ever been in love?" She reiterated slowly, turning her tired gaze to the man beside her.

Levi paused at her question; had he ever been in love? No, certainly not. He had never been in such a serious relationship before, hell, he had never even been in an actual relationship before. It was difficult enough for him to find someone he could tolerate and grow to see as a friend, nonetheless a significant other.

"No." He answered her question truthfully, not bothering to garner her reaction as he stared straight ahead towards the TV stand.

"Ah." She let out understandingly. "I have - a few times actually." She revealed softly, her fingers tapping against her thighs absentmindedly. "It was a different experience each time, and it's a good feeling - a happy feeling that you carry around with you whenever you're reminded of them, or whenever you're near them." She trailed off in thought before she stood up to her feet, holding out a hand for him to take.

"Of course, obviously, love isn't only limited to romantic connections. I'm sure the first time you met your sister you felt a feeling similar to love at first sight."

Levi snorted dryly, and grabbed her hand, pulling himself up off of the couch with her help. "The first time I was introduced to Mikasa she puked all over me."

"Did you drop her?"

"No, of course not."

"Well, then that's more than enough evidence to me that you loved her," Hange said cheekily, laying her hand lightly on his shoulder. "It was good to spend some time with you, Shorty. I missed you."

"You're insanely sleep-deprived, Shithead."

"Just admit that you missed talking to me too."

"In your dreams."

Levi watched with a softened gaze as she laughed once and made her way to her own bedroom with a soft-spoken 'goodnight'.

No, he had never been in love before, but he had a good feeling he was getting dangerously close to diving head first over a cliff.

Chapter Text

Over the course of four months, it had become somewhat of a weekly tradition for Levi and Hange to visit The Underground each Sunday. Usually, The raven-haired man would spend most of his time and dedication to thoroughly cleaning each surface in sight, while Hange would curl up into a ball on the couch and write research notes until her wrist cramped.

The latter, even despite her recent revelation regarding her newly developing feelings for her roommate, still very much intended to carry on this tradition without any unnecessary distractions. Hange had felt the need to repeatedly remind herself not to do or say anything that could potentially make their friendship awkward or uneasy in any way. However, that proved to be easier said than done; whenever she was around Levi, she found herself becoming blank-minded, often stuttering once he realized that she wasn't paying attention to his cooking lessons. Of course, she often quickly regained her composure and smoothly deterred him away from any snide remarks he might have made that she would have had no response too.

She huffed in abiding frustration, tapping her pencil repeatedly along the edge of her desk. Hange wondered if Levi would even be comfortable with allowing her to tag along with him to his workplace as he still seemed a bit uneasy at her presence for whatever reason unbeknownst to her. Their conversations had improved communication-wise; however, the man was still noticeably distant even after the night spent playing board games, and despite his best efforts, it hadn't gone unrecognized by her.

There were a few outlandish actions that Levi had taken to doing that she had noted throughout the week. His form would tense up each time she would let her hair down, his fingers would always firmly press into his sides or thighs. As well as, whenever they made eye-contact he would quickly avert his gaze and focus on something to the left of her - which was slightly unsettling considering Levi had not once refused to look someone in the eye during the time she had known him. He seemed to have no problem insulting or telling someone off while looking directly at them, and yet, he couldn't muster up the strength to look her in the eyes while asking for her to pass the salt.

After a moment of silent contemplation, she shoved herself off of her chair. Hange had never been one to sit around and wait for things to fall into place - if she wanted something to go her way, she would go out there and ensure it did. Hange walked further into the living room, her eyes darting around the area until they landed on the raven-haired man who sat on a stool, uncharismatically hunched over the kitchen island. He hadn't looked up at her entrance. "Hey, Levi?" She called out to him, concern etching her tone. "You alright, there, bud?" She said as she took a few cautious steps towards him.

Levi frowned in distaste at the nickname; he wasn't a twelve-year-old kid who had just slipped off of his bike. "What do you want?" He sighed out tiredly, reluctantly turning to face her. The witty response he had thought of had become clogged in his throat as his eyes met her own. She seemed to be nervous, almost, and Levi then realized that he had never her react this way before. Did something happen?

She seemed to relax at bit at his response, strangely enough. "Do you know what day it is today?" She prompted slyly, a small smile spreading across her lips.

Levi felt himself become less tense at the sight of her smile, embarrassingly enough. It had assured him that nothing serious had happened, and he was relieved to know that. "It's Sunday..." He answered her question flatly, already having a feeling as to what she was implying.

"Exactly! And what do we do most Sundays?"

"We visit The Underground." He said, unimpressed by her odd behavior.

"Correct!" She nodded her head, her fingers drumming against the granite of the kitchen island absentmindedly. "...Is that going to happen today?" She asked unsurely after a brief pause.

"Why wouldn't it?" He raised a thin brow.

"Well, I've noticed that you aren't exactly keen on spending time alone with me recently, and I wasn't sure if that would interfere with our plans or not. I figured that I would make sure before anything, you know?" She sheepishly explained, watching as his expression softened at her response. "So, is that a yes or no?"

The emotion in his eyes was hard to decipher before he blinked and it disappeared. "You think too much, Dumbass," Levi said shortly. He stepped off of the stool and placed his feet firmly on the floor. "We'll leave in five minutes if you're ready. I'll be downstairs." He stated as he turned towards the door.

She quickly nodded her head, hiding her bewilderment at his behavior. "Sounds great, I'll be down in a few minutes." She agreed with a small smile.

~

Over the past month and a half, the weather had continuously grown warmer as the days passed, which meant spring was now in full swing - which, unfortunately, also paired with buckets and buckets of rainfall. During a different circumstance, Levi would not have minded the weather, particularly on a Sunday. However, when it had begun to pour so hard it prevented him from safely driving back home, he very much minded.

The raven-haired man let out a small huff coated in frustration, his eyes firmly locked onto the front window of the shop. Levi watched as the rain splattered harshly against the glass. The sound of rainfall echoed throughout the small shop, creating a relaxed atmosphere - for anyone besides Levi. "It'll lessen considerably after an hour or two," Hange reassured him distractedly from her place on the couch, her nose buried in a four-hundred-page book.

Levi let a small frown tug at his lips at her attempt to comfort him. He felt uneasy and strangled being in a room alone with her for a half an hour, nonetheless one or two hours. Despite his best attempts at distancing himself from the woman, his feelings had only multiplied in strength, much to his dismay. It had almost gotten to the point where he was just tempted to tell her what was bothering him - he was bound to face the music sooner than later. He knew that she was intelligent enough to figure it out eventually, and it'd certainly save him the trouble of having that unpleasant conversation. Would she awkwardly comfort him if that were the case? He couldn't imagine Hange avoiding him because she knew he had feelings for her.

"Are you already finished cleaning?" Hange inquired, her tone dressed in surprise. Levi watched as she twisted in her seat to face him. He felt himself becoming blank-minded as his eyes focused on her disheveled appearance, her glasses sat crookedly on the bridge of her nose, and strands of hair fell from her hair-tie, falling into her face. The sight was both endearing and a disaster.

"No, I still have to sweep the floors." He answered her question flatly. Hange hummed shortly, a mischievous expression gracing her tanned features. Levi followed her movements as she hopped off of the couch and made her way towards the kitchen area. He mentally prepared himself for whatever it was she was about to do.

Levi listened as the sound of cupboards opening and closing echoed in his ears. "Oi, you better not be breaking anything in there, or else you're paying for it." He warned her, sighing shortly afterward.

She reappeared a moment later, surprisingly with a bottle of whiskey held in one hand and two shot glasses in the other. "Where the fuck did you get that from?" He narrowed his eyes at the brunette who appeared to be nonapologetic at his accusatory tone.

"I knew there had to be some leftover from the party." She answered with a small shrug, placing the items down on the table. "I figured that we could both use a drink, you know?" She glanced up at him.

"This is a terrible idea. You do realize that I need to drive us home, right?" Levi raised a thin brow in question, seemingly unimpressed by her suggestion.

Hange undeterredly gestured for him to join her on the couch, already pouring two shots for them both. "I'll call us a cab, don't worry about it." She said confidently, her attention elsewhere. She knew that the two of them would not get through two hours alone together completely sober - Levi looked ready to walk back to their apartment, and Hange knew that it would only be a matter of time before she got caught sneakily observing the man from over her book.

Levi snuck one last glance at the window before he hesitantly relented and walked across the room to join her on the couch. "Here you go." She handed him the glass while picking up her own.

Levi leaned back against the couch as he crossed one leg over the other in a relaxed manner. He took the drink from her silently, knowing full well he was going to regret this decision in a few hours. Still, Hange hadn't been wrong when she had said that they could use a drink. "Cheers!" She held out her glass expectantly. Levi softly clinked his drink with her own swiftly.

The raven-haired man pressed the shot glass to his lips, leaning his back as he let the liquid enter his mouth and slowly trickle down his throat, leaving a burning and almost spicy sensation in its wake. Levi swallowed, his throat bobbing once as he attempted to rid himself of the flavor. He could never force himself to enjoy the taste of pungent liquor; in his opinion, it was frankly disgusting and rarely did he see the appeal of willingly drinking and savoring the taste. Erwin was one of the people he knew that actually enjoyed drinking whiskey - it seemed as if Hange did too.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" She asked, her face visibly scrunched up as the taste lingered. Levi watched as she leaned down towards the coffee table and refilled their glasses hurriedly.

"Fuck if I know." He responded blankly. It would take a few more shots for him to properly engage in a conversation with the woman without focusing on the fact that he was sitting so close to her he could feel the warmth radiating from her skin.

She handed him his glass yet again, mirroring his position and leaning back in her seat. "Hm, okay." She said in a thoughtful tone. "What did you want to be while you were growing up?" She asked lamely, turning her head to stare at him. One thing in particular that she found very cute about Levi was his nose - as strange as that sounded. It was slightly upturned and short, unlike hers. It was definitely highly boopable, she thought in amusement.

Levi gave her question a moment of contemplation, not bothering to ask her why she decided to ask this of all of the questions she could have thought of despite his curiosity. "I wanted to be a firefighter." He revealed with a dry snort. He remembered how he used to openly gawk at the men in uniform whenever they were on duty. He had constantly told his mother that one day he would be one of them. She always responded by telling him to settle for a nice desk job instead with an amused smile, clearly preferring for him to stay out of harm's way.

"That is adorable," Hange said with a small smile, knocking back her drink in one swift motion. "It's hard to forget that you were once a wide-eyed innocent child at one point." She refilled her glass but left it to sit on the table. "I'm not sure why I always picture you coming out of the womb as a thirty-year-old man with a glowering scowl. I mean, you're not too far off size-wise, though, let's be honest."

Levi glared at her shortly before finishing his drink. Hange refilled his drink without any prompting. "You're the worst." He sighed out, his light eyes glancing over at her. He paused visibly, admiring the soft flush of pink that had spread across her tanned cheeks, which was influenced by alcohol.

Perhaps the liquor had done exactly the opposite of what he wanted it to do. Instead of forgetting about the recent thoughts that had plagued his mind, they had increased tenfold. Goddamnit.

"Well, what about you, then? I'm assuming you've always wanted to be involved in scientific research?" He prompted her into speaking.

"I wanted to be a veterinarian or a police officer when I was little." She answered his question easily. "Once I discovered science, however, there was no turning back for me. I spent every hour of the day with my nose in as many books as possible, completely enamored with chemical reactions and cell studies. I've always been curious, so going into the researcher field to discover was a no-brainer to me. I adore working at my lab every day." She finished with a small smile, her brown eyes directed towards the ceiling.

"Hm." Levi hummed shortly, not being able to muster up a response to her words. "Did your parents approve of your career choice?" He asked after a moment of silence passed, swallowing yet another shot of whiskey. Hange followed his actions shortly after.

Hange let out a small laugh, shaking the couch they sat on in the process. "I suppose. My mother is an English professor at a California university, while my father is a pediatrician. They were both very encouraging while I was growing up. In fact, they were often too encouraging to the point of being overbearing." She smiled in amusement, turning towards him.

Levi's fingers absentmindedly glided around the rim of his shot glass. He found himself mulling over the brunette's earlier words. They truly were opposites in terms of upbringing and personality; it was almost a wonder they had gotten along so well in the past couple of months. He certainly did not expect for them to grow as close as they were now. In fact, if someone had told him of his current predicament five months ago, he would have scoffed in their faces.

"Erwin called me this morning," Levi spoke suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled over them. Hange quirked a brow towards him, wordlessly prompting him to continue. "He told me that he would most likely be here late April, if not early May."

"Ah! That's great news, I bet you're really excited to see him again, huh?" She nudged him playfully with the brunt of her elbow. The alcohol was most certainly already working in her system, he thought wryly.

"I am." He slowly found himself admitting, finishing his drink once again. In all honesty, he was dreading facing confrontation with the blond who could more often than not read him like an open book. He knew that the man would not outwardly comment on his feelings for Hange, but the knowing looks he would send his way would be more than enough to peeve Levi off.

Hange, on the other hand, felt slight irritancy as her cheeks grew increasingly warm from the alcohol in her system in the past half an hour. "You should be. I think he's probably just as excited as you are to see you again." She laughed softly, finding their friendship to be endearing.

She leaned in closer to the man without a second thought, breathing in briefly through her nose. The odd mixture scent of lavender and whiskey surrounding her senses, and she fought off the urge to lean in closer to him. "He's probably just excited to see Pixis again." Levi droned out flatly.

"Are you talking about the old guy that lives a floor above us?" She said in a mixture tone of bewilderment and amusement. Once Levi nodded his head in confirmation, she let out a chuckle, trying her hardest to push away the fluttering feeling in her belly as his light eyes met hers.

Levi refilled his shot glass and downed the drink in a matter of a few seconds, he then pushed himself off of the couch, walking over to the front counter. He ran his tongue over his lips, grimacing at the leftover taste of alcohol. "I need to finish sweeping." He sighed out, feeling pleasantly buzzed after five shots. He knew that if he remained in such a close proximity with the woman for a few minutes longer he would have blurted out something he didn't want too such as 'Jesus Christ, Four Eyes, your glasses are so filthy, you should really fucking clean them more often because I think your eyes are beautiful and it's a goddamn shame that they're so rarely visible due the grime buildup on your lens'.

He didn't even want to think about what the aftermath would be if he had said something like that.

"Do you need my help?" She inquired in a jestful tone, twisting in her chair to stare at him while he grabbed the broom. She found her cheeks growing even warmer as his back turned to her, her mind flash forwarded images of his bare skin from when she had walked in on him changing that one night.

"I thought you'd never offer." He said while glancing at her from over his shoulder, his tone flat and monotonous. Hange perked up at his statement, more than surprised that he had accepted her playful offer to help. She snorted as he held out the stick for her to take, which she did a moment later. "You better not half-ass, you lazy little shit." He told her, his expression stern.

She held in her laughter, settling for a wide, tightlipped smile, instead. "Who are you calling little, Shorty?" She quirked a brow as she addressed him teasingly.

Levi gave her a deadpanned expression in return as he lifted himself on top of the counter using his hands, settling his bottom down on the surface.

Hange felt an undeniable fondness for the man settle deep within her chest as his light eyes visibly softened, amusement swimming discreetly in them. "Less talking, more sweeping." He gestured for her to move.

Hange slowly began to do as she was told, carefully sweeping the wooden floorboards she knew Levi waxed by hand almost every week. Her mind felt slightly clouded, and her coordination of her limbs was just barely off. "Levi, how can you stand to do this all of the time? Do you know how many other things you could be doing with the amount of time you spend sweeping?" Hange said to him offhandedly, not bothering to look up at his reaction as she continued doing the task given to her.

"Can you give me an example?" Levi asked flatly, his palms pressed flatly against the chilled surface.

She paused in her movements, tilting her head in careful thought at his question. "You can always spend more time with your friends. I'm sure there are a few people who'd be willing to hang out with you." She teased him, taking a few steps near him.

"My friends?" He echoed dryly, his eyes never faltering from her form. "So, you and Erwin, then?" He asked after a moment, quirking a brow in question.

She nodded her head once. "Well, I can't exactly speak for Erwin, but, I would absolutely be willing to spend more time with you." She spoke quietly, raising her eyes to meet his gaze.

"You spend more than enough time with me." Levi softly breathed out.

Hange barely held back the response that threatened to roll off her tongue. I don't think I could ever get tired of being around you, though, she mentally spoke. "That hasn't been the case recently." Was what she eventually settled for.

"I -"

"It's just as much my fault, though. I've been extremely busy with the lab which means I haven't exactly had the time to actually sit down and talk to you." She carefully placed aside the broom in her hands. "I... miss talking to you, you know?" She gave him a slight smile as she settled herself directly in front of him.

Levi's direct gaze pierced through her as a resonating silence settled over them. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense as seconds ticked by without a word spoken, each one of them on edge as they waited for one another to do or saying something - anything. Hange breathed evenly, her sepia colored eyes never faltering from the pale blue eyes across from her. It was then that she truly appreciated the pretty shade of blue his eyes were - a cold ice that both made her feel frigid and provided comfort.

Levi's eyes found themselves briefly flickering down to her lips before he forcefully dragged them away. What did he think he was doing? Did he truly want to destroy one of the only relationships in his life that mattered? Would it even be worth it? Surely not...

Hange found her mind completely enveloped in temptation, as she mentally weighed the outcome of what her next course of action would be - which was to kiss the man in front of her senseless. It certainly had more cons than pros - however, Hange had always been a bit reckless, and this particular instance would be no different. "Levi, I -" She started off confidently but faltered suddenly, trailing off as her mind became blank and words failed her as they suddenly became clogged in her throat. Levi felt almost unnerved at her unusual behavior considering the woman in front of him was almost always loud and outspoken. His eyes once again found her lips as desire slowly overwhelmed him.

"Hm?" He hummed out deeply, prompting her to continue speaking as his gaze lazily trailing back up towards her eyes.

Hange felt her heart pound erratically in her chest as she made a decision, a sudden wave of courage sweeping over her as she felt herself move in closer to the raven-haired man. She carefully laid a light hand on his cheek, her eyes searching for any signs of discomfort from the man. Levi visibly tensed and swallowed, but otherwise made no move to pull away or kick her in the shins, so she nervously continued.

Levi shuddered involuntarily as her breath ghosted over his cheeks, the smell of alcohol prominent in his nostrils. "Hange," He murmured quietly, almost inaudible as her lips neared his, mere inches away from his own. His eyes becoming heavily lidded as the brunette steadily closed the distance between them.

Hange pressed their lips together with a confidence that had Levi pleasantly surprised. The latter brought his hands up to cup both of her cheeks, hardly resisting the urge to reach down and grab her collar in order to pull her down harder against him. He further deepened the kiss nonetheless after a moment, as Hange's fingers reached behind him to tangled themselves in his hair.

Her mind had effectively gone blank once their lips had connected, the worries and anxiousness she had felt mere moments before had immediately been tossed aside for just a few seconds. Levi mind had seemingly reacted similarly as he made no sudden movement to pause or pull away from her.

Hange let out a small chuckle, her lips pulling into a small smile in the midst of the kiss as she reluctantly drew away from him. "Holy shit." She murmured after a minute of silence, their soft pants filling the air.

"Fuck," Levi muttered as well, seemingly coming back to reality a bit, his pale cheeks faintly flushed.

Hange noticed Levi visibly stiffen as what they had just done had finally set in. Oh, fuck, what had they just done? Hange shot him a concerned look which he avoided, admittedly unable to look into her eyes.

How were they supposed to go on after what just happened? He was reminded of when he and Erwin had drunkenly kissed, however, this was almost nothing like that situation. He didn't think he could brush this off as easily as he had with Erwin, no matter how much he would try too.

"Can you call someone to drive us home?" He asked carefully, his tone carefully masked and clipped as he spoke to her.

Hange seemed bewildered but reached for her phone regardless, feeling a wave of anxiousness and disappointment wash over her at his tone. "Uh, yeah, sure." She responded unsteadily, taking a few steps away from him.

Levi's expression had remained carefully masked until they returned home. Throughout the short drive home, the two of them had barely uttered a word to one another. For the first time in four months, an awkward and tense silence had settled over them, both of them unsure of how to approach their current situation.

As soon as they walked through their apartment door Levi had retreated into his room without a word. Hange had listened keenly for any signs that he had stepped out of his bedroom, but it seemed he was firmly intent to hide in there for the remainder of the night.

Hange knew that it was absolutely necessary for the two of them to properly communicate and talk about what happened, but she herself had felt exhausted from the day's events and had succumbed to slumber no more than a few hours after arriving home, but not before reminding herself that she would have to corner Levi and force him to talk about things upon waking up, no matter what it took.

Chapter Text

An unsettling feeling settled in the apartment the next morning.

Hange squeezed her eyes shut in frustration, her mind running with possible scenarios that might transpire once she stepped a foot out of her bedroom. She knew Levi would try to avoid her presence by any means possible; that much had been made clear when he had locked himself in his bedroom for the rest of the night once they had returned home.

The brunette felt as if a seed of regret had been planted in her belly last night that had continuously grown bigger and taller as the hours passed by with no sign that Levi would ever speak to her again. She often followed her instincts, but this time they had led her astray - immensely so.

She let out one final huff, before inhaling through her nose, attempting to brush off the weight that had settled on her chest and shoulders. It was nearing seven-thirty, which meant she could not postpone exiting the comforting confines of her bedroom any longer, otherwise, she'd be late for her bus. (She tried her best to not think about how she had grown accustomed to Levi driving her to work every morning.)

Once she stepped out of the room, she looked to her left down the hall. "Hm." She hummed out, her eyes scanning over the limited space in the living she could see - no sign of him so far. She wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed by this revelation. Nonetheless, she continued forward, doing her best to ignore the erratic beating of her heart pounding in her chest as her eyes continued to dart around the area for any sight of the man.

All clear, she thought with a grim frown, feeling as a sense of defeat wash over her. He had already most likely left for work -

A sudden slam of a door caught her attention, and she barely managed to stop herself from jumping at the unexpected sound. No, she had been wrong, he was very much still home. She whipped around towards the noise, freezing in place as she locked gazes with the raven-haired man who looked uncharacteristically disheveled. The bags under his eyes had worsened considerably, and she fought down the urge to ask him if he felt okay.

"Levi -" She started firmly but was promptly cut off by the raven-haired man.

"I'm leaving for work." He told her in a clipped tone. She held back the glare of annoyance she felt simmering within her, watching as he draped a sweater over his arms. "Do you need to be dropped off?" He asked monotonously, his eyes blank and difficult to decipher.

She shook her head silently, for the second time that week she found herself unable to find the words to smooth things over. "Okay." He said as he twisted the doorknob and opened the door. "Don't forget to lock the door on your way out." He reminded her flatly, stepping out of their shared apartment a moment later. A soft thud sounded a moment later, indicating he had shut the door behind him.

Hange merely stared whence he had left, both frustrated and bewildered by his odd behavior.

She needed to find a way to make him talk about his feelings. This was getting ridiculous - even for her.

~

Levi rushed out of the door, not in the mood to deal with the aftermath of what they had done last night. Or what he had felt after they pulled away.

The kiss they had shared had stirred feelings in his gut he was certain he had never experienced beforehand. It had made his stomach flip, and his heart beat erratically in his chest. It caused his hands to grow clammy, and for his mind to grow completely blank as her soft lips moved against his - the mere memory made him long for her touch again, which was utterly ridiculous considering Hange was his roommate, and one of his close friends. How could he move forward, confess his feelings and ruin that aspect of their relationship for something that most likely wouldn't even work out in the end?

There was also the fact that her actions were not genuine - she had been under the influence of alcohol. She wouldn't have instigated it otherwise, and he wouldn't have let it happen in the first place if he were sober. His emotions had gotten the best of him in that moment, and he hated it.

The raven-haired man sighed as he climbed into his car, shoving the key into the ignition. It was nearing eight-thirty, meaning he was late for work this morning, but he had more than needed a few hours to himself since he hadn't slept the entirety of the night. He knew Petra and Oluo were more than capable of opening the shop and handling the morning rush, but it still felt odd not being there.

Within ten minutes he had arrived at his destination and parked his car directly in front of The Underground. Levi unbuckled his seatbelt, threading his fingers through his hair in an attempt to make them look neat while looking in his rearview mirror. "Fucking Four Eyes." He muttered to himself in annoyance, his light eyes narrowing in a show of irritancy. The brunette had flipped his life upside down in the span of four and a half months - in both a good and bad way.

He pushed open the front door, feeling himself relax as the familiar chime of the bell sounded in his ears, and the strong scent of coffee surrounded his senses, easing his mind. Petra sat slouched over the counter, but quickly straightened her posture as she spotted him in the doorway. "Good morning, Levi!" She greeted happily. "I don't think you've slept in since I've worked here." She raised a thin brow, silently questioning. "You're not feeling ill, are you?"

Levi shook his head, striding up the register in order to have a proper conversation with the woman. He glanced around, spotting two women sitting near the back of the shop, and a single middle-aged man with a laptop, as well. "No, I'm not." He answered her blankly, watching as her concerned expression remained intact.

"I'll make you a glass of tea. Go to your office, I'll bring it to you." The red-head told him as she turned her back towards him and began to make the drink. Levi nodded his head albeit tiredly, knowing the ginger-haired woman would more than likely interrogate him once they were alone. She was stubborn, and he knew from prior experience she wouldn't stop bugging him until she got an answer from him that satisfied her curiosity.

He walked over to his office and slouched down in his seat upon sitting, feeling the last bit of energy he possessed draining from his body. It seemed the long sleepless nights were catching up to him - it was perfect timing, of course, with everything else going on. He ran a hand aimlessly over his face, rubbing at his eyes in irritation. The door suddenly opening snapped him back to reality, and he leaned back in his chair as Petra strode into the room with a cup of tea in his grasp.

"Thank you." He muttered flatly, eyeing the steaming liquid with a pensive glare. Petra was one of the only few people who could fix his tea the way he preferred it to be - admittedly, it was one of the reasons he had hired her after she had made it for him.

"Is there something else you needed?" He asked, raising a single brow questioningly, an unimpressed look plastered across his pale features. His keen eyes watched as the woman fidgeted in her seat. Here it comes, he prepared himself wryly.

"It's just - we're all worried about you, Boss." She finally sighed out, feeling a smidge of embarrassment as a flushed color dressed her pale cheeks. "We've all noticed how tired and miserable you've been lately." She added as an afterthought, looking away as she found herself unable to meet his stoic gaze.

"...You have?" Levi wasn't surprised to hear they had noticed something had been off with him. They were each perceptive in their own way (with the exception of Eren). He watched as Petra sat up straighter in her seat and nodded her head.

"Of course, we have." She seemed a bit off-put as she talked. "You may be our boss, but that doesn't mean we don't care about your wellbeing. I've known you since before you hired me, in fact, most of us have. You're a friend." She said in a firm tone, pausing and taking a breath. "So, are you okay?"

Levi inwardly contemplated telling the woman about his problems but quickly decided against it - it wouldn't be appropriate, especially considering their current location. Although it wouldn't be an awful idea to distract himself once the shop closed, perhaps he could go over to their house and visit them for a bit? He hadn't spent time with them in quite some time, now that he thought about it. "I'm fine, it isn't anything too serious."

Petra huffed silently, visibly discontent by his shielded response. "Okay, fine, if you say so, Boss." She placed her palms on the armrests, lifting herself up defeatedly. "Just so you know though, Oluo and I will be home tonight if you need somewhere to go. Our door is always open." She gave him a small reassuring smile, before exiting his office space.

A short vibration in his pocket steered his gaze away from the doorway, as instead his light eyes became directed towards his front pocket. He sighed, hoping it wasn't his roommate as he reached for it reluctantly.

From Commander Eyebrows:

I'll be in town tomorrow morning.

From Commander Eyebrows:

Sorry for the late notice, by the way. You don't have to pick me up from the airport. I know how busy you've been. However, I do fully plan on taking advantage of your couch for the next few days.

Levi raised a brow at the messages on his screen. Erwin had told him he would be visiting in two weeks exactly, and yet, the blond apparently had a scheduled flight to Washington tomorrow.

To Commander Eyebrows:

Tomorrow? What happened to 'late April'?

From Commander Eyebrows:

A change of plans. One of the higher-ups scheduled an important meeting during the time I was originally supposed to be visiting. I wouldn't have had any free time available other than this week, unfortunately.

To Commander Eyebrows:

...I'll pick you up, Idiot. What time?

The blond's response was almost instantaneous.

From Commander Eyebrows:

Six-thirty.

Levi felt relief flood his body at the aspect of his closest friend coming to visit. He missed the blond more than he cared to admit, and his friend could also be the distraction he needed from what had been going on recently. In the next few days he could focus his attention entirely on Erwin, and not on the brunette who had plagued his mind the last few weeks.

The man paused in the midst of his thoughts after he had placed his phone back on his desk. Erwin didn't have the slightest clue as to what had been going on between him and Hange. What could he possibly say once the blond inevitably noticed the thick tension that had blanketed their apartment for the past few days? 'Ah, yes, I forgot to inform you of the fact that Hange and I practically shoved our tongues down each other's throats a bit ago - oh, and did I mention that we were drunk? Funny how that seems to be a recurring theme in my life'... Or worse, Hange would blurt it out first.

Well, it looked as if he had little time to figure something out regarding their current situation. It seemed like the apartment would be an interesting spectacle for the next few upcoming days.

He resisted the urge to tell Hange the news that he had received, knowing that the brunette would be more than upset with him if those were the first words he had spoken to her after last night. Or perhaps that would lighten the mood - after all, she had been looking forward to Erwin visiting.

A few hours and a stack of paperwork later, he found himself walking behind the counter where Mikasa stood restocking the pastry display cabinet in a quiet manner. She glanced up at the sound of his footsteps. "You're in a good mood today," Mikasa noted blankly, her dark eyes showcasing a bit of curiosity. Levi raised a thin brow towards the teenager; he was certain his expression hadn't changed.

"How would you know?" Levi inquired flatly, grabbing a nearby dish towel to thoroughly wipe down the counters. He frowned at the stubborn stains of coffee, putting a bit more pressure into his efforts as he scrubbed the surface.

"You're not glowering like you usually do." She stated simply. The raven-haired girl then slammed the glass shelve shut as she turned to face her older brother. "...You've been acting weird." She spoke after a moment of silence, seemingly hesitate to bring forth the topic.

"I've been dealing with some personal shit that involves Hange." Levi rolled his light eyes, his tone dry and unrevealing. He was not in the mood to make up an excuse or lie through his teeth - he was too old for that type of sugar coating bullshit. However, that didn't mean he wanted to delve into his personal life details with his eighteen-year-old sister, either.

"About what?" Mikasa's expression shifted a bit.

"None of your business." The raven-haired man responded firmly, setting down the towel once he deemed that his task was finished, silently content with the way the counter glinted in the sunlight. He knew the teenager was bound to be curious at his answer, but he had no intention of telling her anything.

"Hm." Mikasa hummed out disinterestedly. "Must be a sensitive topic for you, then."

"Say one more word about the current topic at hand and its coming out of Yeager's paycheck this month." Levi threatened emptily, leaning his weight against the counter. Levi felt a bit of amusement as he watched her gaze visibly darken at his words.

"You have a fantastic sense of humor." She narrowed her eyes at her sibling, snark evident in her tone. "You should have been a comedian." She said blankly.

"You'd never be able to tell you two were related," Jean said, announcing his presence as he made his way behind the counter. Levi noted the small, almost playful smile tugging across his lips.

"You're in a good mood today, Kirstein." Levi warily eyed the teenaged boy, crossing his arms over his chest as he observed his behavior. It wasn't his birthday today, was it? He stealthily glance over to the calendar placed on the wall nary the kitchen doors. No, it wasn't, he confirmed inwardly, slightly relieved.

"It seems like everyone is," Mikasa added, shooting a swift glance towards Levi.

"There must be something in the coffee beans." Jean jested with a small smirk, before growing serious. "Actually, it's because it's been three months since I asked Armin to be my boyfriend, and he informed me this morning that he's taking me out on a date tonight." The ash-haired boy revealed after a moment, his tone becoming a bit soft.

"Congratulations." Levi droned out, while Mikasa nodded her head in agreement.

"I'm happy for you both." She stated calmly. "But, if you do anything to hurt him, Jean, just know that I will not hesitate to chop off your -"

"I won't, I won't." Jean quickly interrupted her, holding his hands up in defense, seemingly a bit exasperated at her warning. "I thought you of all people would know that I'd never do anything to hurt him." He said, his tone tinged with irritancy.

Mikasa softened a bit. "You're not the only person we give these warnings too, Jean. We've always been protective when it comes to him. He's been hurt a lot." She explained, meeting his gaze.

"You do know that Armin isn't the same eleven-year-old boy who gets bullied in the hallways in need of someone to protect him, right? He's a genius - and an evil one when he wants to be, at that." Jean snorted dryly. Levi found himself silently agreeing with the ash-haired teenager - Armin was highly intelligent, scarily so.

"I know that." Mikasa reaffirmed with a frown. "I just..."

"It's easy to tell you feel like you raised him in a way." Jean pointed out with a quirked smile. Mikasa felt her cheeks grow warm at the pin-point assumption. "I can't blame you for feeling protective, but it gets annoying as hell after the fifteenth time you threaten to chop off my -"

"Oi, there are customers in the shop." Levi reminded him with a short glare.

"You did a good job." Jean added on, choosing to ignore Levi's presence as the raven-haired girl remained silent.

"...Thanks." She cracked a small smile, and Levi felt a trickle of amusement at her almost bashful reaction.

"Okay, enough to chitchat, get back to work." He flatly told them, breaking up their conversation. He threw the dish towel he had been previously using in jean's direction. "Oh, and Jean, I need you to open up the shop tomorrow morning." He said from over his shoulder.

"Why?" Mikasa questioned, her eyes narrowing in apparent suspicion.

"I have someone to pick up from the airport." He told her shortly, turning and entering the two doors that led to the kitchen.

~

He stepped out of his car and settled his feet upon the rough gravel that made out the road in front of Petra and Oluo's small home. His light eyes scanned tentatively across the small front yard and porch, the neatly kept strip of grass on the sidewalk, and the slightly discolored blue of their house. He hadn't been in this area for quite some time, and he found himself coming up blank as he searched for a reason as to why that was.

He strode leisurely up to their door, lifting a hand to ring their doorbell once. He felt a glimmer of wry amusement as he heard the shouting voice of Petra and the sound of scrambling footsteps approaching the door. The door swung open not a moment later, revealing a frantic looking Oluo who immediately plastered a nonchalant expression on his features. "Hello, Levi, come on in." He acknowledged him with a faint nod, before opening the door wider, inviting him inside.

Levi pushed down the feeling of slight discomfort as he stepped a foot into their home. He turned to face Oluo as the man shut the door behind him, but before he could get a word out, Petra made her presence known. "You are aware of the fact that it's past eight o'clock?" She furrowed her brow forward, her arms crossed over her chest. "You didn't stay overtime to read over paperwork, did you?" She questioned knowingly, crossing her arms over his chest.

Before he could speak up and tell her that, no, he did not, in fact, spend an extra hour reading over paperwork - he had spent an extra hour enjoying the sound of silence while enjoying a warm glass of tea, Oluo spoke up. "You should let yourself rest more often, Boss, or else you'll run yourself into the ground eventually." Oluo gestured for the raven-haired to follow as he walked into the kitchen. Levi followed after him silently.

Instantly, the inviting aroma of Italian food wafted around his nose, and he found himself coming to the realization that he had not only skipped breakfast, but lunch as well. "Sit down, Levi." Petra pulled out a seat with a stern expression, motioning for him to sit down.

Levi made sure that she saw the roll of his eyes as he shrugged off his light jacket and draped it over the back of his chair. Oluo sat across from him, subtly mirroring his actions. "So, how's Hange been? I haven't seen her visit the shop in a while." Petra asked innocently as she scooped food into his plate.

Levi leveled his gaze disinterestedly towards the ginger-haired woman. "Busy." He said, watching as Petra moved towards Oluo, taking a seat next to him. His statement hadn't been a lie; Hange had been incredibly busy lately, and he knew that if she had the time, she would harass him at The Underground just as she had planned to this morning at their apartment.

"She's weird," Oluo spoke up. Levi felt a twinge of irritancy at his words. "And very highly caffeinated at all times." He added as an afterthought, which Levi silently agreed with. The woman was addicted to caffeine, and almost always consumed more than five cups of coffee a day.

"I think she's nice," Petra added with a soft smile. "She's friendly and easy to get along with. I think she has a brilliant mind too, even despite some of her quirks." She finished with a small shrug.

"I'd appreciate it if we didn't talk about Shitty Glasses right now," Levi said in a low tone as he shoveled the food around in his plate, admittedly not having much of an appetite. It seemed the woman was following him everywhere he went, no matter how much he tried to escape the thought of her.

There was a pregnant pause before Petra's expression shifted into that of realization. Oluo snuck a glance at her and quirked a brow at her behavior, wondering what she had figured out. "This is about her, isn't it?" She inquired with a surprised tone.

"What is?" Levi asked, his expression carefully blank, his eyes not faltering from the woman across from him. Oluo wore a bewildered expression as he glanced between the two of them.

"You've been acting strange lately, and it's because of her, isn't it?" She reiterated with a bright expression, her honey-colored eyes lighting up as she spoke. "It all makes sense now." She said with an understanding tone.

Levi remained silent, confirming her theory. "So, are you going to tell us what's been going on? Are you two fighting again? Is that why you've been so stressed out? She asked with a furrowed brow, her eyes swimming with concern.

"...Boss..." Oluo straightened up in his seat, his eyes briefly widening in realization breaking the silence that had settled over them. Petra turned her gaze towards him in confusion at his tone. "Don't tell me you have feelings for her?"

Levi's piercing glare froze the two of them in their seats, his lights eyes appearing frustrated. "You two are nosey as hell." He droned out.

"You knew what you were getting into when you hired the two of us," Petra said with a small smile before it gradually faded. "So, does that mean it's true? You have feelings for Hange?" She reaffirmed.

"I don't want to talk about this right now." He stated firmly, his lips pulled into a thin line.

"You might not want to, but it looks like you need to." She observed him carefully, sharing a glance with Oluo. Levi sighed at her response. "How long have you known you've felt this way?" The ginger-haired woman tilted her head in question.

"Oi, Nag, he said he didn't want to talk about it." Oluo reminded her stiffly, nudging her gently with his elbow.

"A few weeks," Levi answered her question reluctantly, ignoring their quiet banter. He felt a bit of weight lifting off of his shoulders. That had been the first time he had openly admitted to someone that he had feelings for Hange. It felt both relieving and strange.

"I see." Petra acknowledged. "I'm going to make an assumption and say you haven't told her yet." She guessed knowingly.

"Why would he?" Oluo spoke up, his eyes showing disinterest - or at least trying hard to seem as if they were. "That woman seems like she has no interests besides books and caffeine."

"That's not true at all." Petra countered with a swift glare before she turned to Levi. "Are you even planning on telling her about your feelings?"

Levi shook his head, snorting dryly before responding. "No."

"Why not?" Petra frowned.

"Because it's not going to lead anywhere and I already managed to fuck everything up."

"What do you mea -"

"Last night." Levi started, not bothering to mask his frustration at himself. "Last night, we got drunk at the shop. We kissed." He revealed with a frown, swallowing as he remembered the ghost of her lips brushing over his own, confident and almost teasing.

"What happened afterward?" Oluo questioned, leaning forward in his seat.

"I called us a cab and remained in my room for the rest of the night."

"You didn't talk about it?" Petra softly sighed. "I'm really disappointed in you, Boss."

"She was likely more intoxicated than I was at the time," Levi said blankly, pushing the plate of food away from him. "She wouldn't have responded to my actions otherwise." He rolled his eyes, throwing an arm around the chair.

"Levi, you're one of the smartest people I know, but how on earth can you be so stupid? You should go back home and try to fix things before they become irreparable." Petra advised him somberly. "Trust me, I'm sure if you explain how you're feeling she'll eventually understand why you reacted the way you did."

"Once you're finished eating, you're going to go back home and apologize while openly communicating how you feel about her." Petra shot him a swift glare, and Levi turned his gaze to Oluo who looked almost apologetic in response.

She slid the dish back towards him before wordlessly handing him a fork.

~

To Erwin:

Hey Erwin!

Hange hummed once the text was successfully delivered, her brown eyes scanning over their previous conversations in the meantime as she waited for him to text back. It was in the middle of the night for the man, but she knew he was awake considering he had liked one of her social media posts mere moments before.

From Erwin:

You caught me at a good time. I'm an half hour away from boarding my flight.

From Erwin:

How are you?

Hange lifted her brow in surprise; why would Erwin be at the airport? He couldn't have had a business trip to attend - he had already told her that his work schedule would be relatively normal until the end of this month, which was when he had chosen to come back and visit.

To Erwin:

Where are you headin' off to?

From Erwin:

Levi didn't tell you? I figured he would pass along the information... I'm going to be visiting tomorrow.

To Erwin:

What? No, he didn't tell me anything...

Hange narrowed her eyes, feeling a surge of anger run through her as she read over the man's text. Why hadn't Levi told her any information regarding this news? She tossed her phone to the side of her. A simple, emotionless sentence would have satisfied her at this point - but instead, he intentionally avoids her and stomps into his bedroom upon returning from work instead.

She clenched her jaw, climbing out of bed and hurriedly pulling on a pair of shorts - striding into his bedroom wearing a pair of underwear wouldn't do her cause any good. Once she was properly dressed, she maneuvered herself down the hall and towards the room the man had religiously sat in for the past day and a half. Her stomps ceased once she was in front of his door.

She twisted the doorknob and promptly threw the door open. "Look, I know you're upset, but you couldn't have talked to me for a few seconds in order to tell me that Erwin is coming in town tomorrow?" She stood in the doorway with a stern expression on her face.

Levi looked up from his phone, not surprised by her outburst. "I assumed Erwin would tell you eventually." He said slowly, trying not to let his eyes linger on the woman. A small ache made itself known in his chest. He ignored it.

Hange scoffed openly at his words. "That's a bullshit excuse and you know it, Levi." She stepped further into his room, her hands placed firmly on her hips as she planted her feet directly in front of his desk chair.

Levi lazily glared at the brunette. "Do I look like I'm in the mood to argue with you, Four Eyes?" He said flatly, his brows drawing together as he spoke. His words infuriated Hange further.

"Well, I mean, you've had absolutely no problem ignoring me the past day and a half after we made out which is a fantastic way to avoid tension." She spoke sarcastically, her brow lifting in an unimpressed manner. "You're practically begging for an argument." She finished with a growl.

Levi's glare intensified as he stood up to his feet, yet he remained silent as the brunette continued. "Why is it so damn hard for you to tell me how you fucking feel, Levi!? For once, I'd like to not have to speculate about what you're thinking."

"You wouldn't have to speculate about anything if you'd just fucking pay attention for more than a few seconds." Levi hissed out, clenching his fists tightly near his sides. He watched her expressive eyes swim with brief confusion before she blinked and it was gone.

"That doesn't even make any sense." She huffed out, throwing her hands up. "All I want is for you to fucking tell me how you feel, because believe it or not, Levi - No matter how much I want too, I can't read your goddamn -"

Levi grabbed the collar of her shirt and smashed their lips together clumsily, effectively stopping her from talking, frustration and desperation aiding his movements. Hange let out a small noise of surprise, feeling the wind get knocked out of her lungs as his lips moved roughly against her own. Her brown eyes remained wide open in shock, until she melted a moment later, letting out a small sound of approval as she moved to deepen the kiss further while sliding her fingers through the thick strands of his hair.

Levi's tight grip on her clothing hadn't lessened, his balled up fists still remained locked firmly around her collar. "Han-" He moved away a bit, their lips merely centimeters apart as he spoke breathlessly. He needed to convey how he felt about her, but it seemed as if once again the right words were escaping him.

She brushed her lips along the side of his mouth, silently reassuring him that she understood what he felt. He swallowed thickly, and she captured his lips briefly before pulling away. He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, closing his eyes as he felt her tongue lightly glide along his bottom lip; he felt as if his temperature had risen by twenty degrees in mere minutes.

"Bed." Hange murmured lowly, leaning away just in time to see the slight lift of Levi's brow. She pressed the palm of her hands on his chest and slowly began to push him backwards until the back of his knees met the bed, and she fell on top of him, her weight pressing against his form. She pecked his lips before pulling away, feeling laughter bubble in her chest that slowly found its way up and out of her throat.

The raven-haired man beneath her stared at his roommate in annoyance, his brow twitching once as her cackling failed to cease after a few moments. "Is there something humorous about this situation that I'm failing to see, Four Eyes?" He droned out questioningly as his fingers inched down to her hips at a leisurely pace. He pinched her skin lightly, making her snort out in laughter.

She smiled, her chuckles gradually fading as she placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "I swear I was pissed off at you a minute ago." She hummed out, moving to dip her head down to nip at the soft skin of his neck. "So, pray tell, how the hell did I end up in bed with you?"

"You pissed me off, so I smacked my face into your face." He said blankly, giving her a limp shrug of his shoulders. He tilted his head back as her teeth scraped along his skin, his light eyes hidden behind his eyelids which were squeezed shut.

"Well, there certainly is no better way to get someone to shut up, huh?" She murmured, leaning back up to meet his gaze once again. Hange paused in silent contemplation as his darkened eyes met her own. She felt her heart rate steadily increase as he lifted his head up and inched his lips towards hers. She met him half way and sighed contently against his mouth as their lips melded together once again.

Levi's chilled palms grazed her warm tanned skin, leaving a trail goosebumps in their wake as they traveled up the material of her shirt. Hange shivered beneath his touch, as her fingers worked to unbutton his shirt in a careless manner. Levi paused in his movement and scowled at her actions. "Watch it, this shirt was expensive." He complained dryly.

Hange rolled her eyes in response, slowly beginning to gyrate her hips against the man beneath her, creating a friction that made Levi throw his head back against the mattress. "I'm sorry, what was that?" She said with a smirk while reaching for the bottom of her shirt, pulling it over her head and tossing it to the floor in one swift motion.

Hange moved into a straddling position, before she slid Levi's shirt off of his shoulders. She let her eyes travel over his chest which was pale and toned and extremely inviting to graze her mouth across - she withheld those temptations for the time being, however, as she took that moment to silently marvel at how far their relationship had come in the span of a few months. In their first meeting Levi had told her that she was messy, irresponsible, and that she smelled gross - and yet, now here he was; laid beneath her while she straddled his waist. It's funny how things turn out, sometimes.

"...Why are you smiling like that?"

"No reason!"

She leaned down and captured his lips, effectively stopping him from questioning her any further.

~

A soft, almost incoherent mumble slithered into his subconscious, interrupting a haze-filled dream in which thick forest trees and the sound of wind rushed past his ears. He stirred, desperately trying to latch onto the whatever ounce of sleep resided as he felt himself being pulled to consciousness against his will. He blinked open his eyes, his body sluggish and slow as he awakened from the best night of sleep he had gotten in months.

The first thing he took note of was the unruly strands of hair tickling his chest - someone was undoubtedly laying on his chest. He blinked up at the ceiling as what happened the night before flashed before his eyes in excruciating detail before he could find himself questioning what had happened.

Oh, fuck.

Hange stirred quietly, a soft moan escaped her mouth as she stretched her limbs a big. Her eyes sleepily opened a moment later; they searched u till they found his gaze. "You have a ridiculously cute bed head." She mumbled sleepily, a lazy smile gracing her lips.

Levi shifted his position in order to make himself a bit more comfortable. Her bare chest brushed along her upper ribcage in the process. "You weren't drunk last night, were you?" Hange inquired, leaning up to closely examine his expression.

"No, idiot." He flicked her forehead with his index finger.

"I'm just making sure." She defended herself before trailing off. "...You don't regret it do you?" She asked after a moment of contemplation her eyes not faltering from his.

"No." He said shortly, shaking his head. "Do you?"

Hange mirrored his actions and relaxed against him as his fingers began absentmindedly threading through her hair. She rested her head against his chest, finding comfort in the way his heartbeat echoed in her ears. "What time is it?" She mumbled out.

Levis form noticeably tensed beneath her, which made her slightly bewildered. Had she said something wrong? He lifted his head up in order to sneak a glance at the alarm clock that sat on his bedside table. "Fuck." He cursed under his breath. It was almost six O'clock - he was supposed to pick up Erwin from the airport at six-thirty. Levi pinched the bridge of his nose in agitation. "I have to pick up Erwin in less than thirty minutes."

Hange immediately sprung up at his words, the blanket slipping from her chest. "I completely forgot that Erwin is arriving today! Are you excited to see him again? I bet you'll both do one of the dramatic twirling hug sequences at the airport." She paused to take a breath before her expression suddenly shifted. "Oh - oh shit! Are you going to tell him?"

Levi sat up, raising a thin brow towards her. "Tell him what?"

She gestured between the two of them exaggeratedly. "That we slept together, obviously, don't play dumb."

"Do you want me to tell him?"

"It doesn't matter much to me, if I'm being honest, I'd be fine with either. But, he's your best friend and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable during your time spent with him this week by keeping a secret from him." She watched as Levi climbed out of bed and stood to his feet, clad in only a pair of dark-colored boxers.

"I'm not going to tell him." Levi sighed out, pulling a shirt over his head. "Not yet, at least. Is that alright with you?" He turned to look over his shoulder, scanning over her expression carefully.

Hange nodded her head slowly, her features dressed in thoughtfulness. "That's fine with me, but, you can't hold me accountable if we get drunk and I blurt it out to him by mistake."

Levi shot her a deadpanned expression while pulling on a pair of pants. "Well, are you going to get your lazy ass out of bed or what?" He asked flatly, straightening his posture and turning to face her properly.

"What for?" She smirked at him.

"Don't play dumb, Shithead."

"Who says I'm playing dumb? I genuinely have no clue as to what you're talking about."

"Get dressed and come with me to the airport to pick him up." Levi glared at her, slightly exasperated by her antics.

She grinned widely at him a moment later. "I thought you'd never ask." She chirped out cheerfully.

Chapter Text

A calm silence had settled over them like a blanket once they had began the half an hour drive towards the airport.

Levi sighed lightly as he pressed the 'end call' button on his phone, wordlessly handing it over to Hange who grasped it and held it in her lap. He had just finished a phone call with Petra; it had been fairly brief and straight to the point, with him informing the woman that he was going to take a day off, and that she would need to open up the shop for the second time this week. Hange had also called in to work, regretfully informing her lab that she would not be able to come in today. Her form was still slouched forward in sadness.

"I think this has been the first time in over five years that I've taken a day off from work." Hange revealed wistfully, her fingers tapping along the arm rest restlessly. The raven-haired man was not surprised at all to hear her say that; although his lifestyle wasn't very different from hers, so he couldn't find it in himself to judge.

"You could have said no if you didn't want to come." Levi glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. He paused as he waited for her response, holding back the numerous thoughts and feelings he had felt for the past couple of weeks that threatened to escape. He was well awake of the fact that right now wasn't the best time nor place to confess such things.

She rolled her brown eyes, hiding her disbelief at his words. "Of course I wanted to come with you." She said as if it were obvious. "I'm excited to see Erwin, and it doesn't hurt to spend some time with you alone before we pick him up from the airport, as well."

Levi's eyes softened visibly, which Hange noted. "And I do fully intend to have a real, actual drawn out conversation with you later on when everything has settled down and we're alone. You're not slipping out of that one, Clean Freak." She warned him in a serious tone.

"I wasn't planning on it." He assured her, which made a small smile spread across her face. He decided then that he would do as much as he possibly could to ensure that her smile rarely faded; he liked it far too much to let that happen, as stupidly cheesy as that sounded.

A peaceful silence then proceeded to pass between them, and they both relished in it, knowing that it would be at least a couple days until they were alone again. Although, Levi was more than happy to see his friend again, so it wasn't as if he minded much - with the exception of Erwin smugly declaring he was right once he inevitably found out about what they had done. He wasn't looking forward to that.

"What are we supposed to say to him once we see him? Do you think he'll know?" Hange reluctantly removed her gaze from the window, turning to look at her roommate with a pensive stare.

Levi snuck a quick glance at her from the corners of his eyes, lifting a thin brow at her question. "How would he be able to tell? Erwin's clever, but not to that extent." Levi droned out in response, snark dripping from his tone.

Hange briefly hesitated, sending him a sheepish look before she returned her eyes to the window. "Well, I did do quite a number to your neck." She said after a moment, glancing back towards the man and admiring the bruises she had placed sporadically near his collarbone and neck. Levi shot her a venomous glare before lowering his review mirror and overlooking his appearance.

"You fucking dickhead." He said with a heavy sigh, returning the mirror to its previous position. "How the hell am I supposed to hide this shit now?" He knew that if Erwin spotted the bruises he would without a doubt press matters and question him - Levi was not in the mood to deal with that type of confrontation at the moment.

Hange pursed her lips and furrowed her brow in thought before she twisted in her chair in order for her eyes to scan the back seat of his car for anything he could have used to cover up. Her brown eyes brightened as they came across a dark material that was rolled up carelessly on the corner of the seat. A knitted scarf - perfect! The brunette slithered up her seat carelessly, reaching forward to grab the article of clothing.

"Four Eyes..." Levi growled out warningly, hooking his finger through the belt loop of her pants, gently tugging down in an effort to make her sit properly in her seat.

"I have a solution!" She exclaimed triumphantly, dangling the scarf briefly in front of his face before she draped it around his neck. Levi expressed his displeasure at her actions, a discontent frown tugging at his lips. "Admittedly, it is a bit suspicious considering it's almost seventy degrees outside, but it's the best we can do with the circumstances we were given. You can just tell Erwin that you were feeling a bit chilly, if if he even bothers to ask." She shrugged her shoulders, overlooking him in a scrutinizing manner.

"This is one of Mikasa's scarfs, give me one valid reason as to why I would be willingly wearing this shit?" Levi asked flatly, his light eyes directed straight ahead towards the road.

"Fashion?" Hange smirked teasingly. "Let's be honest, Levi, those long sleeves t-shirts you adore aren't doing you any favors- a stylish accessory might be just what you need to liven your casual look up."

"You're the fucking worst." He rolled his eyes.

"You weren't saying that last night." She grinned widely in response, her tone undeniably playful. Levi sighed deeply in response.

~

"Why are you wearing a scarf? Surely it isn't that chilly outside?" Had been the first thing that came out of Erwin's mouth upon seeing them. Hange snuck a glance at Levi, who didn't seem off put whatsoever at the question.

"I don't see why it evens matters." Levi droned out blankly, taking a few steps closer to the man and snatching the bag he held in his grasp. "But if your curiosity is truly that intolerable; Mikasa gave me this scarf as a gift and threatened to kick me in the ass if I didn't wear it out at least once." He explained with a frown, stiffening and then relaxing as the blond embraced him in a quick hug, and then released him a few moments later.

Erwin seemed a bit amused by his statement, his brow raising slightly as the man turned around and began walking towards the car. The blond then turned to Hange, who immediately grinned and hugged him in greeting. "It's good to see you again. How has my old room been treating you? It gets a bit cold during the winter, doesn't it?" He said once the brunette stepped away.

"It does get super chilly sometimes! I thought I was going crazy." She brightened as they slowly began to traverse towards Levi's car. Levi walked a few feet in front of them, clearly not interested in the current conversation topic. "I was also adamant that the apartment was haunted at first, because the closet doorknob kept rattling in the middle of the night, but otherwise it's been great."

"I should have warned you about that beforehand." Erwin gave her an apologetic look. "I learned about the haunted doorknob the hard way on the first night I slept in there. I decided to sleep on Levi's bedroom floor for a few days before he eventually got tired of me and tossed me out. I was forced to learn how to ignore it for the most part after that."

"I literally tripped over his damn head every morning when I got out of bed." Levi scoffed openly, pressing the button on his set of keys, unlocking the doors. "He didn't even seem to care either." Levi added as an afterthought, tossing Erwin's bag in the trunk.

Hange climbed in the front seat, absentmindedly calling 'shotgun' before Erwin could utter a word. The blond climbed in the back seat, his back hunched over slightly in order to be seated properly in Levi's small vehicle. "So, Erwin, how have you been enjoying London?" Hange asked conversationally, twisting in her seat in order to look at him.

"It's interesting." He answered after a moment of thought. "The weather isn't too different from here, which I find comforting. The people, however, can range from dull to overly-eccentric and most of the time there is no in-between. They also have a very brash sense of humor over there." He trailed off, his pale gaze directed towards the window.

"Anything similar to Levi's?" Hange snuck a glance towards the raven-haired man, a small smirk tugging across her lips.

Erwin looked amused at her comparison. "A bit." He nodded his head once. "I see you've grown familiarized with Levi's sense of humor, Hange. In fact, I see you two have grown familiarized in general." He observed carefully.

Hange didn't seem off put or nervous at his statement outwardly, although she did find it hard to keep an amused smile off of her lips. Yes, they had, in fact, grown quite familiarized. Levi shot her a look from the corner of his eyes, discreetly warning her not to say anything ridiculous. "Well, you were the one who was adamant about forcing me to make friends with her, Erwin." Levi reminded him in a bored tone, his light eyes locked on the road ahead of him.

"It's still a bit surprising to see." Erwin responded easily. "But I am relieved to see the progress in your friendship in person - I wasn't entirely unconvinced you two were putting on a persona each time I talked to you and then went on to fight each other once I hung up."

"If our relationship was that bad I would have thrown Four Eyes out a long time ago." Levi scoffed slightly as Hange used her index finger to roughly poke him in the shoulder.

"You wouldn't have." She said confidently. "You are enamored with the idea of an entirely paid for vacation." Hange reminded him cheekily.

Erwin looked surprised at her words. "He told you about that?"

Hange nodded firmly, her expression showcasing a bit of irritancy. "Yes, he did, and I think it's only fair to ask you to pay for my vacation as well considering it isn't the easiest task putting up with Levi's constant crankiness, and quite frankly, I deserve a break from him."

Erwin looked surprised by her request, but he soon relented, nodding his head in a defeated manner. "Fine, I suppose that it's only fair to pay for your vacation as well. At this point, I might as well join the two of you and we can all go together."

Before Levi could verbally protest this idea, Hange spoke, her expression brightening instantly. "Awesome! I'm glad you can sympathize with what I have to deal with every day. Although, I'm sure you've dealt with your fair share of Levi in the morning."

"Fuck you both." Levi rolled his eyes. He couldn't wait until he could distance himself from the two of them; but, unfortunately, there was nowhere to run when you were sat in a four-seat vehicle, so his fate was sealed for the moment.

Erwin and Hange were both a handful on their own; he didn't even want to think about their unreleased chaos potential level when they were placed together. It gave him a migraine just thinking about it.

~

Levi could tell that Erwin knew something was off between he and Hange.

He had known the blond long enough to know when the gears were turning in his head, crafting countless amounts of possible scenarios or theories that seemed plausible in their current situation. The raven-haired man remained unsure as to what had tipped him off in the first place; had they acted unnatural in the car ride back to the apartment? Levi didn't think so. He had been careful - they both had been.

"What's wrong?" Erwin spoke up suddenly from where he sat at the kitchen table. Levi glanced over to the man from over his shoulder, placing down the hot cup of tea he held back down on the counter.

"I should be the one asking that question." Levi responded calmly, walking over to the table. "You've got that stupid look on your face."

Erwin looked mildly affronted before his expression melted into that of neutrality. "You're not telling me something important." He spoke a moment later, his brow quirked up knowingly.

Levi sighed softly and sat down across from the blond. Hange would be finished showering in a minute or two, perhaps less, and he felt it would be wrong to have this type of conversation without the woman present. He was going to avoid it for as long as he could; preferably at least until Erwin was out of town... "You're right." Levi's admitted, leaning back in his seat.

There was a long, uneasy pause before Erwin spoke again. "...Are you going to tell me about it or not?"

"No." Levi said shortly, his expression carefully blank.

"It must be something serious, then." Erwin observed in a thoughtful tone. Levi snorted dryly in response, knowing the exact tactics the blond often used to stealthily scrounge details out of people.

"I'm not buying into your bullshit." The raven-haired man said dryly, his gaze slowly dragging itself away from the blond to the sound of a door opening down the hall. It seemed as if Hange was finished washing up. Things were about to get a bit more interesting.

Hange appeared mere moments later, a loose t-shirt and shorts dressing her lanky form. She aimed a bright smile at the two of them as she made her way over to the refrigerator, plucking a bottle of water from the fridge. "So, Erwin, what's on the agenda for today?" She inquired with a head tilt, plopping down next to Levi who quickly dragged his gaze away from the woman with some difficulty.

"I'm glad you brought that up, actually." Erwin turned towards the brunette. "I think that we should all go somewhere adventurous today."

Hange nodded easily in agreement, seemingly fine with his proposition, while Levi remained neutral. The raven-haired man wouldn't have protested staying in and properly catching up with the blond as well as properly getting to discuss what had happened the night before with Hange, but spending a few hours outdoors with both Erwin and Hange didn't seem like a bad idea either. "Okay, I'm down! What do you have in mind?" The brunette was the fist to speak up in excitement.

"Anywhere but that stupid -"

"I was thinking we could visit Lake Tapps?"

"For fucks sake." Levi sighed out in defeat, his light eyes directed towards the ceiling in unconcealed frustration.

"That sounds like a great idea! I haven't been to a lake in years, actually." Hange exclaimed, her tone growing increasingly eccentric as her sentence progressed. Levi flattened his lips into a thin line.

"It's a beautiful one, as well." Erwin told her with a smile. "Well, what do you say, Levi? Would you be willing?" He inquired knowingly, recalling how uncomfortable Levi seemed last time they had visited said lake.

"Let's just get this shit over with." He agreed reluctantly, trailing off.

"Then, it's settled." Erwin said, his tone a bit lighter. "Thankfully, Lake Tapps isn't a very long drive away. It'll take us an hour at most, if there isn't traffic, which I doubt there will be."

"Awesome! But, before we actually get on the road, I have to make a quick stop to the store." Hange told them nonchalantly, taking a quick sip of her water.

"What for?" Levi raised a thin brow towards her.

"You'll see, Dear." She smiled contently. "You'll see."

Levi frowned at her mischievous tone, feeling regret already putting at the bottom of his stomach. This was going to be a long day.

Chapter Text

"Okay, so as I mentioned earlier, I need you to make a quick stop at a particular store for me." Hange looked up from her cell phone and addressing Levi who sat discontentedly in the driver's seat. "I've already got you directions, but it's a bit off course from where we're currently heading." She continued, waving her phone briefly in front of his eyes before pulling the device away. "I hope that's okay." She added with missing a beat, shooting him a smile that made his exterior soften.

Levi sighed audibly but nodded his head. "Yeah, yeah, just give me the name of the store." He said flatly, shooting a glare at Erwin through the rear view mirror as the blond chuckled once in the back seat.

"Dick's." Hange answered simply.

"...I can't tell if you're being serious or not."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Ackerman. It's an actual store that caters to sports gear specifically." Hange smirked at him, hearing Erwin clear his throat in an attempt to disguise his amused laughter.

"Seems fitting." Levi raised a thin brow, seemingly unimpressed by their childish antics.

Hange snorted with laughter, before her phone began to vibrate in her palm. Her attention drifted towards the device, a smile dressed her features as her eyes focused on the name on the screen. She answered and brought it up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Well, look who decided to answer her phone for the first time in two days. How are you, stranger?" Nanaba teased her lightly, her tone distinctively playful. Hange didn't bother hiding her brightening expression at the voice of her best friend.

"I'm good - great, actually!" The brunette blew out a huff of air, leaning her weight back against her seat. "You wouldn't even believe how eventful the last few days have been, Nana."

"I can only imagine, since you haven't even bothered to text me back." The blonde responded, a bit of playful snark dressing her tone. "We'll have to schedule another lunch date soon, then, to catch up on everything that's been happening."

Hange let her eyes drift off towards the other two men in the vehicle, an idea beginning to form in her head. "You're not doing anything today, are you?" She asked after a moment of silent contemplation.

"No, I don't think so." She answered unsurely, pausing before she spoke again. "Why? Do you want to go to lunch today? I'd be completely down with that."

"No, actually." Hange trailed off, shooting a glance towards Levi and Erwin who both looked curious. "Levi, Erwin, and I are going to be heading towards Lake Tapps today to spend the day there, why don't you and Mike meet us there?"

Erwin seemed surprised, while Levi narrowed his eyes at the aspect of not only being surrounded by a gigantic dirty filth pool, but also Erwin, Hange, Nanaba, and the tree-sized human who seemed to get off on trying to make him feel uncomfortable. "Tell her to leave Mike ho -" Hange quickly clamped a hand over his mouth before he could finish his sentence.

"Oh, that sounds like fun! I'm almost positive that Mike will want to see Erwin again, so just give me the address and we'll meet you there in a couple of hours." Nanaba agreed easily, oblivious to Levi's discontent in the background.

"Sure, no problem! See you later, then!" Hange promptly hung up the phone, turning to Levi with a look of apparent exasperation at his actions. "You are the rudest person I think I've ever met, do you know that?"

"We live upstairs from Nile Dok and Keith Shadis." Levi pointed out flatly, making a sharp left turn as he pulled into a shopping complex parking lot. "They're literally spawns of Satan - I'm a dick, but not to that extent."

"Those two aren't as horrible as you're portraying them to be." Erwin spoke up from the back seat. "Nike used to be considerably nice, and Shadis is fine once you get passed how utterly intimidating he seems."

Levi rolled his light eyes in response. "You're just biased because he was your best friend in high school, and Shadis was your gym teacher." The raven-haired man swiftly pulled into a parking spot before pulling his keys out of the ignition.

"Hange, do you mind if I ask you what you're going to buy in here? A life jacket, perhaps?" Erwin outwardly wondered as the three of them began to climb out of the car; the blond held in a hiss as his head met the top of the roof harshly in the meantime.

Hange shook her head, no. "Nope, I have something a bit bigger in mind."

Levi looked visibly wary at her words as they entered the store. He knew that the brunette wouldn't have made them stop if her purchase was abysmal - whatever it was she was interested in would most likely sit on top of his roof, he just fucking knew it. "A giant float?" Erwin tried to guess again, stopping to admire a fishing pole. Hange responded by shaking her head once more.

"....I hope you're not thinking of buying a boat?" He raised a thick brow in question, which made Hange grin and shake her head in amusement.

"Not exactly, Erwin." She quipped lightly. Levi watched as she approached an employee. The two men both snuck a glance at each other before they both followed after her. "Hi, I'm sorry for bothering you, but where would I be able to find your selection of canoes?"

"Hange... I drive a fucking Audi, where the fuck do you think I'm going to be able to put a canoe? Up my a -"

Erwin nudged Levi sharply in the ribs before he could finish his foul sentence, sending the employee and Hange an apologetic look in the meantime. "Will you lead the way, then?" The blond smiled easily, gesturing for them to walk ahead of them. Levi responded by glaring daggers into his skull.

~

An half hour later, Hange had made the bold purchase of a three-seated canoe with a price tag of fifteen hundred dollars. Much to the protest of Levi who inwardly grimaced at the large dent that would most likely impact the roof of his car.

"Where exactly do you plan to put this thing once we return to the apartment?" Levi inquired flatly, warily eyeing the employee who had been given the task of tying it to the roof of his car.

Hange hesitated visibly, clearly thinking about his question. "I could probably rent a storage unit, or something similar."

"Is this going to keep all three of us afloat?" Erwin examined the canoe scrutinizingly, his feet coming to a stop as the employee came to a sudden halt once Levi pointed out his vehicle. "And is it safe for us to tie this on top of the roof of such a small car?" He added on unsurely.

"You guys should be okay." The man answered reassuringly, gesturing for one of them to help him lift it on top of the roof. Levi reluctantly volunteered, grasping the end of the canoe with both of his hands. "I've got four separate straps to make sure that it won't be going anywhere." He added with a small heave as he lifted it up with some difficulty.

"You won't have to worry about it sinking, as well, because I'm not going anywhere near that shit-filtered germ infested body of water." Levi droned out in a bored tone, placing Hange's newest purchase carefully down on the roof of his car facing downwards. Once it was properly situated, the employee began to wrap the straps he had brought with him around the canoe.

"Sir, you're positive that this is safe? It isn't going to spontaneously shatter our windshield?" Erwin frowned warily.

"I'm positive." The man responded confidently. The brunette smiled nervously, hoping with all of her might that the man was telling the truth and that they would be completely fine while driving towards their destination. Hange didn't even want to think about the aftermath of what would happen if Levi's car got damaged in the process.

Just fifteen minutes after they had gotten on their way, a loud noise interrupted their pleasant conversation, freezing them all in their places as the canoe unceremoniously slipped off of the roof and rolled into the road. Hange's jaw dropped open as she turned to look out of the back window, while Erwin pressed his fingers into his temples, hoping to sooth away an upcoming headache. Levi slammed his foot down on the brakes, his usually narrowed eyes widened uncharacteristically.

“Oh my god?!” Hange gaped in shock, disbelief written all over her features. Thankfully, there were no other cars to found on the road, otherwise, things could have gotten potentially disastrous. She scrambled out the vehicle, her limbs flailing behind her.

“Son of a bitch.” Levi murmured, resisting the urge to slap his palm against his forehead.

“We have to tie it back on, and this time we'll make sure it won't go anywhere.” Erwin said after a moment of silent thought. Levi heaved a heavy sigh as Erwin slipped out of the car and ventured over to where Hange was standing and assessing any damage that the canoe may have taken in the fall.

Levi reluctantly opened his door and climbed out of the car as well, heading their chatter as he approached them. “It's all scratched and dented now.” Hange frowned, turning towards the newest arrival.

Levi noted her saddened expression, and his instincts told him that he should probably say something that would make her mood lighten once more. He didn't like seeing her upset, of course, but at the same time, what could he possibly say to make this situation better? Her recent purchase, was, in fact, now permanently damaged. “It'll probably still float, at least.” He said dryly after a moment. She nodded her head in agreement.

“You're right, as far as I can see, there aren't any holes in it, so we're fine in that regard. However, I just spent fifteen hundred dollars on a canoe that is now severely scratched up and dented.” She sighed out, laying a hand on her hip.

“Well, I'm afraid we don't have any time to sit here and sulk about this, we need to lift this thing up and get it back on the car before someone drives by.” Erwin advised them as he stared down at the boat. The three of them lifted it up yet again, and let it sit on the roof facing downwards, just as the employee had done it.

Hange grabbed the straps and with Levi’s help, tied it entirely around it, securing it firmly in place. “If it slides off again, I'm leaving it there.” Levi droned out in a warning tone.

“We're five minutes away, so Erwin and I could always just walk with it.” Hange shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, shooting Levi a sly smirk. The raven-haired man narrowed his eyes at the brunette.

“You'd beg to be driven there within five minutes of walking.” Levi said flatly, beginning to walk towards the front of the car.

“I don't beg.” Hange said matter-a-factly.

“I seem to be remembering yesterday differently, than.” Levi said dryly from over his shoulder, stepping into the car and shutting the door behind him. Erwin's eyes didn't miss the dark pink flush that dressed Hange's cheeks.

His curiosity only grew at that strange interaction - he would get to the bottom of things eventually.

~

Hange couldn't help the awed expression that dressed her features as her widened eyes scanned the breathtaking scenery in front of her.

The lake water moved serenely, the sun shining down brightly upon it, creating a spotlight among the rippling waves. The area surrounding the lake was covered entirely by tall and thick forest trees that were the deepest shade of green Hange had ever seen - the scent of them was apparent in her nostrils as she inhaled deeply. As beautiful as the lake may have been, the sight that took Hange's breath away was the looming view of Mountain Rainier that was pictured in the far distance, it's peak covered in pearl-white snow.

“It's beautiful, isn't it?” Erwin's eyes were glued to the mountain as well, the sun reflecting in his pale blue eyes. Hange glanced at him and nodded her head, effectively rendered speechless. “My family used to love to visit during the summer, we'd come once every few weeks.” He revealed, his tone dressed in nostalgia. “I believe Levi went with us once, as well.”

Levi frowned at the mention of the memory - recalling how he had spent the entire six hours there sitting underneath a tree, purposely away from the sun, while Erwin's family floundered around in the water, more than happy to let the rays of the sun beat upon their head and shoulders. However, even despite him being cautious and sitting hidden from the sun, his skin had still somehow gotten badly sunburnt. “And I promised myself I'd never return.”

“He returned three more times after that particular instance.” Erwin said matter-a-factly without missing a beat.

“He continually asked me after I kept saying no.”

“That is false. I only asked you twice, and you agreed right after the first time.”

The sound of two other pairs of footsteps made the trio fall into an awaiting silence, which ended abruptly as a familiar voice sounded. “Hey!” Nanaba waved from a few feet away, a bundle of towels cradled in her arms. Mike, on the other hand, carried a case of beer and a traveling bag that was overflowing with necessities.

Hange waved back with a widening smile, gesturing for the other two boys to follow after her as she jogged towards the two newcomers. “Hi, glad you could make it.” She wrapped her arms around the light blonde, squeezing tightly before letting her go.

Mike ruffled her hair playfully as she mirrored her earlier actions, enveloping him in a tight embrace. “We brought beer.” He shook the package in emphasis as she stepped away.

“I can see that.” She said in amusement, before her gaze trailed over to Levi who looked visibly out of it. She frowned and tilted her head in his direction, shooting him a questioning look; before she could walk over and ask him what was wrong, Erwin and Mike’s happy exchange interrupted her thought process.

“It's more than weird how the only thing about you that's changed since you were eleven is your height.” Mike commented lightly, patting the blond roughly on the back as they hugged. “This is my girlfriend Nanaba.” He gestured to the woman besides him, who waved in response.

“It's nice to finally see you, Erwin. I've been dying to meet you in person ever since the four of us had dinner together and spent the entire time telling stories that involved your past.” Nanaba revealed with a smile.

“I hope they didn't say anything too bad.” Erwin glanced over to Hange and Levi who stood silently behind him.

“It wasn't anything super bad.” Hange spoke up. “Levi just told us about the time you accidentally drank too much cough syrup and collapsed onto his bedroom floor while asking for an ambulance.”

“I don't think you ever drank cough syrup after that.” Levi stated in thought.

“It's certainly not worth the risk...”

As the five of them continued to converse, they all edged closer to the end of the dock where Hange's canoe sat tied up on one of the posts. “Hey, Levi, would you like to be one of the first people to ride in it with me?” She directed what she hoped was a persuasive smile at the raven-haired man, pointing to the small boat.

Levi shook his head, no. “I'd rather not.”

“Come on, Clean Freak, please? Just one time, and then I'll leave you alone.” She tried again, seemingly no avail as Levi quickly averted his gaze. “Please, Levi?” She lowered the tone of her voice slightly. “Besides, It'd be nice to talk to you alone for a bit.”

Levi paused in thought, pursing his lips together. It would be nice to talk to the woman alone, but at what cost? “I swear that you won't have to get wet or dirty.” She chimed up again.

Levi sighed and nodded his head in agreement. “Fine, Four Eyes, but I swear to god if I get even a bit of wa -”

“I promise you won't get wet - trust me.” She said as she climbed into the canoe, slipping her legs into it fairly easily as she grabbed one set of oars. He bent down and carefully climbed in as well, facing opposite of her. He let his eyes linger on her as the sun graced her features. He noted in interest that her hair had undertones of auburn when directly in the sun.

As they rowed away from the dock and towards the middle of the lake, Hange sent him a mischievous look. “So, what do you say when we get back, we go sneaking off into the forest by ourselves?”

Levi looked wary at her suggestion. “If you're implying what I think you're implying, the answer is no.” He told her flatly.

“What? Why not?”

“You know why not.” Levi rolled his light eyes, rowing simultaneously with the woman across from him. She let an amused smile spread across her features at his apparent grumpiness.

“I'm going to take a wild guess and say you aren't a fan of the outdoors?” She jested as they settled in the middle of the lake. She let her head fall against the back of her neck, her eyes fluttering shut as the tension eased out of her body.

“I'm not a fan of grime-filled lakes.” He corrected her blankly. “I don't mind being outside.” He added as an afterthought, watching her in content.

“Well, then, what would be your ideal outdoor day trip?” She questioned, her tone dressed in curiosity. “Are you a snowy mountains type of guy? I can't really picture that.”

Levi shook his head, no. He felt immediate distaste as the thought of voluntary choosing to spend hours on top of a slippery slope, his five layers of clothing covered in damp snowfall while he shivered from the freezing weather. “I'd be fine with camping for a day or two.” He admitted after a moment of silence

“Really? You'd be okay with camping? Now I'm tempted to take you on a camping trip.” She said, dangling her fingers in the water experimentally. It was cold, but not extremely so. She was halfway tempted to hop out of the canoe and go for a swim. “Maybe we can bring along Eren, Mikasa, and Armin too. They'll be heading off to Arizona soon, huh?”

In the distance, she could make out the forms of Erwin, Mike, and Nanaba settling near a pre-made campfire which had a modern barbecue pit placed beside it. It seemed as if Erwin had already started it up - she blatantly ignored the rumbling sound her belly made at the thought of food.

“Would you actually be willing to take care of three trouble making teenagers? Not to mention the fact that two of them have just recently gotten into a relationship, meaning we would have to scrutinizingly supervise them throughout the day - I know I wouldn't want too.” He droned out in disinterest.

She flicked a bit of water him with her fingers, holding back a smirk as he visibly flinched. “Okay, well, how about you and I just go, then?” She asked after a moment of silence.

“...When would we get the time to do this?”

“We could leave Saturday evening and stay until Sunday night.” She wore a thoughtful expression as she shrugged her shoulders. She certainly would not have minded taking an actual day off - no books, or taking notes, no matter how much it would kill her to do so. Hange knew that Levi needed a day off with no worries or concerns just as much as she did - partaking in something he genuinely enjoyed doing.

“...That sounds nice.”

She beamed at him in response.

~

All five of them sat curled around the fire that Erwin had started.

Each of them with the exception of Levi had gone swimming in the lake at one point, and now they were thoroughly spent and drying off. Hange sat next to Mike and Nanaba, directly across from Levi and Erwin. “...How are we supposed to get that canoe back to the apartment?” Hange broke the comfortable silence that surrounded them, her head laying on Mike’s shoulder.

“We came in Mike's pickup truck, so maybe we could fit it in the back?” Nanaba suggested, wrapped tightly in a beach towel.

“That could work.” The brunette agreed after a moment of thought. “We’ll have to make sure it's super secure though, because it may or may not have flown off Levi's car on the way here.”

“You're both lucky it didn't damage my car in the process.” Levi directed his gaze to Hange and the man beside him.

“It would have been worth it anyway, just to see which one of us could move faster - Mike or us three in a canoe.” Hange said with a small yawn, a laugh escaping her lips as she remembered how they'd lost to one man with nothing but his arms and legs propelling him forward - by several feet, nonetheless.

“I still can't believe we lost.” Nanaba leaned over to affectionately peck Mike's cheek. “I'm not sure whether to be disappointed or proud.” She chuckled.

“Disappointed, Nana, you should be disappointed.” Hange said simply, beginning to feel sluggish.

“Oi, we should get going soon. Four Eyes, here, looks like she's about to pass out.” Levi watched as she brushed his words off with a hand gesture, indicating she was perfectly fine. “It's almost eleven at night, Hange, how long do you want to stay here for?” He asked flatly, beginning to stand up.

“For as long as I possibly can.” She stated tiredly.

Nanaba smiled in amusement at her friend. “Levi's right, though, we should get going, Babe. The road back home seems super creepy to drive back on past midnight.”

Hange picked up her head and nodded her head reluctantly in agreement. “You're right, I know, but it's been such a fun day, I'd hate for it to end.” She trailed off as she stood to her feet, stretching her limbs as she did so.

“I'm sure we'll all get together like this again soon.” Mike stood up and brushed off the dirt that had gathered on his pants. “Don't worry.” He assured the saddened brunette, patting her playfully on the head.

Hange snorted and brushed his heavy hands away from her head. “Erwin and I will go put your newest prized possession in the truck. Nana, we might need to use your phone’s flashlight.” The shaggy haired blond turned to his girlfriend who grabbed her phone and walked towards him readily.

Mike gestured for Erwin to follow after him, leaving Levi and Hange by themselves for the second time that day. Levi's light eyes followed after the trio keenly, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he waited for them to return. “Hey, look.” Hange spoke, gaining his attention.

Levi let her wrap her fingers around his forearms, pulling him closer until her breath brushed against the apples of his cheeks. “Hm?” He lifted his eyes from her lips to her eyes which the flames of the campfire danced wildly in.

She brushed her nose against his own, her lips mere inches from his, teasing him mercilessly. Levi eventually grew impatient and tugged her down by the damp towel slung around her neck, immediately tasting chocolate from the s’mor she had eaten earlier on her lips. He tilted his head and deepened the kiss, letting his tense form relax in her arms.

“I'm sorry, but you looked extremely kissable in this lighting.” She said as an excuse once they pulled away, shrugging her shoulders in a halfhearted manner.

“I'm sure,” he droned out, not bothering to complain as the woman buried her face in his hair and laughed. He found himself seeking her warmth as a sharp breeze brushed past them, sighing in content as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“This is weird.” She noted out loud, humming. “But, a good weird, you know?” She added after a beat.

“You're weird.” He said flatly, glancing towards the direction that their other three friends had gone. “If they see us like this, they'll never shut up about it…”

“You're probably right.” She acknowledged. “But, I'm too comfortable to move right now.” She tightened her embrace to emphasize her words, letting out a slow breath. “We still have to talk about this when we get home, you know?”

“You're going to pass out as soon as your head hits your pillow, Four Eyes.” He said knowingly.

A shining flashlight reluctantly made the two of them part as they settled beside each other. “I wish I could prove you wrong, but you're probably right.” Hange responded as Nanaba jogged towards them.

“Come on, Mike and Erwin are packing the car. We've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes.” Nanaba stared at them both incredulously, crossing her arms. “You guys must have been having an intense conversation.” She raised a thin brow, giving them both a look of suspicion.

“Yeah, something like that.” Hange smiled cheekily, beginning to walk towards Levi's car. The raven-haired man followed after her, Nanaba falling into step beside him.

All in all, it had been a good day, Levi admitted inwardly, stuffing his hands back into his pockets as the cold weather brushed against him once more. A very good day, he corrected as he watched his roommate laugh carelessly with her friends, practically radiating with happiness and joy.

Chapter Text

Levi was finding it extremely hard to keep his eyes and hands off of the woman who sat directly across from him. Her glasses sat crookedly on her nose, and her hair was heavily disheveled on top of her head - more so than usual. His hands both itched to tidy up her appearance and kiss her senseless. However, both of those actions would likely both be inappropriate since it was six-thirty in the morning and they were all sat around the kitchen table having breakfast.

“So, Levi, I'm assuming you'll be heading to The Underground today? I suppose I'll come along with you.” Erwin said after sipping from his coffee mug.

“You're not interested in visiting your mother?” Levi raised a thin brow, his expression otherwise blank. He then frowned as Hange loudly sunk her teeth into a granola bar, beginning to chew obnoxiously.

“I'll be visiting later today, once you're done with work.” The blond said dismissively. “Will you do me a favor and drop me off there? You won't have to go inside if you don't want too.” He added on.

“As long as I don't have to step a foot in there, it's fine with me.” Levi agreed blankly. He didn't dislike Erwin's mother by any means; the woman had willingly let him live with their family for a few weeks and had treated him with nothing but kindness during that time. He did, however, dislike the mutt she called her ‘baby’ and the odor it resonated throughout her home.

The fact that the asshole peed in his shoes didn't help the cause.

“I should get going.” Hange cleared her throat once she had swallowed the last of her breakfast, sliding her chair away from the table and standing up to her feet. “You boys have fun today.” She said with a smirk, grabbing the satchel that sat hung over the back of her chair. She swung it over her head, letting the strap sit comfortably on her shoulder while the heavy weight of paperwork and books laid against the bone of her hip.

“Don't you need a ride to work, idiot?” Levi asked flatly from over his shoulder as she walked passed him and into their living room.

She waved her hand in a dismissive hand gesture. “I'll just catch the bus, it's no big deal.” She paused, an excited grin plastered itself across her lips. “Besides, I don't want to be a minute late today.”

“Suit yourself.” Levi sighed out, bringing his mug back up to his lips.

The sharp sound of knocking made all three of them turn their heads towards the sound. “Who's that?” Hange shot a questioning look at the two men sat at the table. Who would be visiting their apartment so early in the morning, and on a Tuesday nonetheless? She glanced back at the door before walking over to it.

“Good morning!” An older woman with her hair tied back neatly in a bun greeted with a smile once Hange had opened the door. “Is Erwin here?” She questioned, her pale blue eyes darted behind the brunette, attempting to sneak a peek inside of the apartment.

“Good morning.” Hange responded lightly despite her confusion. “Uh, Erwin!” She turned and shouted over her shoulder in order to catch his attention. “There's a woman here to see you.” She continued without missing a beat, opening the door wider as Erwin's footsteps grew near.

“Mother?” Erwin voice was coated in surprise as his eyes came across the woman standing in the doorway, her expression nearly unreadable. Hange's eyes darted between the woman and her friend, noting the similarities they shared appearance-wise. Well, this was slightly uncomfortable, the brunette thought as she shifted on her feet after a few moments of tension.

“Are you going to invite me in or not?” The woman asked, breaking the silence, her tone prompting.

“This isn't my apartment anymore, mother, I can't just -”

“Come on in!” Hange swiftly interrupted the blond, stepping aside to let the short blonde into her home, shooting Erwin a reassuring smile in the process. “I'm sorry for not inviting you in sooner. I'm Hange Zoe, the person who now sleeps in Erwin's old bedroom.” She introduced herself, holding out a hand for the woman to shake.

“I'm Evelyn Smith, nice to meet you.” She smiled, giving her hand a quick shake before she turned and addressed her son who had now made his way over to her. “Look at you! I thought you would have changed a bit over the course of a few months but you're still exactly the same. I don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.” She said as he kissed her cheek and squeezed her in an embrace.

“I was just discussing how I was going to visit you later today before you appeared.” Erwin disclosed once they broke apart, his hand on her shoulder. “What are you doing here?” He asked in curiosity.

“Well, considering the fact that you've been in the country for over twenty-four hours and have yet to come into contact with me with the exception of a three word message that said you were in Washington, I wanted to see you and make sure that you were okay.”

Hange's stood awkwardly beside Erwin until her eyes spotted Levi quietly disposing of the plates and cups on the table. She softly excused herself as Erwin's mother began to lecture him for not calling her and visiting sooner. “Weren't you on your way to work?” Levi questioned as he stood in front of the sink, not bothering to look up at her.

“Yes. In a few minutes, once things cool down a bit in there.” She chuckled in amusement, watching as the raven-haired man washed the soap suds from the plate. “Did she usually visit when Erwin lived here? Hange inquired in a quiet tone, glancing at the pair from over her shoulder.

“At least once a week.” Levi said blankly.

“Interesting.” She hummed, stepping away from her roommate as he shut off the sink and turned around to walk slowly into the living room, Hange trailed behind him as he made his presence known.

Evelyn lightened up at the sight of him, ignoring her child for the time being.
“Levi, it's so nice to see you again!” She greeted happily, staying in place as she knew the man disliked being touched. “How have you been?” She asked with a smile.

Levi's expression remained unreadable as he acknowledged the woman. “Fine. And you?” He responded flatly, not bothering to hide his disdain at the aspect of small talk.

“Good to hear, and I've been keeping myself busy.” She answered before turning to face her son once more. “Well, it's obvious to see you have plans that don't involve me today, but I'm sorry to say that you'll have to cancel them because I fully intend to drag you back home and feed you a proper meal, so come with me.” She gestured for him to follow her as she turned to face the door. “I'd like to spend some time with my only child, if you'd be so considerate.”

Erwin nodded his head in agreement. “Of course, Mother.” He agreed as she made her way over to the door. He paused before following her, addressing Hange and Levi. “I'll most likely be dropped off at The Underground once we've finished lunch. I'll see you both later.” He bid them both farewell hurriedly as he walked out of the door and followed his mother down the hall.

“Well, that was interesting way to start the day” She trailed off as her eyes lingered on the front door. “She seems nice, though.”

“Do you still want to ride the bus to work?” Levi crossed his arms over his chest, meeting her eyes which crinkled at the edges at his question.

She hesitated before accepting his silent offer for a ride with a smile. She wrapped he hand around the strap of her satchel, gesturing for him to walk ahead of her as she locked the door behind her. “You still smell like that fucking lake.” He told her with a frown.

“If it bothers you that much then why don't you just bathe me yourself?” Hange jested lightly, pressing the button to call the elevator up. She glanced to the side to see his expression, which remained stoic and unimpressed.

“You’re serious” He raised a thin brow at her playful suggestion, seemingly not entirely against the idea. Hange paused at his thoughtful expression. She hadn't been serious at first, and she was more than ashamed admit that she was now considering it.

“...Yes?” She answered uncertainly.

“Fine, then, I'll scrub the shit out of you later tonight.” He agreed nonchalantly, stepping into the elevator once the doors opened. Hange remained silent as she thought over what they had both just agreed to.

Hange inhaled deeply once they were outside of their apartment building, thankful to be out of that small, cramped environment with the man. Their conversation hadn't been exactly awkward, she noted inwardly as she stared at his back as he walked ahead of her. But, their tones were both noticeably tense - it was almost like they were stepping on eggshells around one another.

She supposed it was to be expected after their actions, she surmised, and it certainly didn't help that they had yet to have a proper conversation since then. “You're in a hurry this morning, huh?” She said as she caught up to the man who walked hurriedly in front of her.

“I wouldn't doubt it if the entire shop is burnt to a crisp once I pull up to it.” He told her flatly as an explanation for his impatience. He unlocked the car doors with the press of a button, sliding into the driver's seat.

“You have a more than capable group working for you. You should have more faith in them.” She responded while sliding into the passenger's seat, smiling as she heard him dryly snort in response.

“Once, while I was in my office, Eren thought it would be a good idea to let the dishes soak in the sink.”

“And why is that bad exactly?”

“Because he forgot to shut off the faucet and flooded the entire kitchen area in the process.” Levi sighed out, clearly unamused by the memory as he recalled shutting down the shop early and putting Mikasa, Jean, Eren, and himself to work in order to mop up all of the water.

“Alright, so, admittedly maybe you should be a bit worried.”

Levi slowly pulled to a stop as Hange's workplace came into view, shifting gears as he waited for her to exit his car. She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to face him. “Thanks for the ride, Shorty.” Hange thanked him with a playful smile, climbing out of the car. “Have a good day, okay?”

Levi rolled his lights eyes as he shifted gears. “Don't forget to eat lunch, dumbass.” He told her in a tone loud enough for her to hear, watching as her form disappeared behind the doors before he drove off.

~

Levi’s eyes drifted up lazily towards the front door as the bell chimed, echoing throughout the shop noisily. He watched as Erwin walked in silently, his expression unreadable but radiating self-assurance as it often did. “This place has changed a bit since the last time I was in here.” The blond thought out loud once he approached the counter.

“In what way?” Levi asked flatly. He hadn’t changed anything interior wise yet, so he wasn't sure what exactly Erwin was referring to.

“It feels… Lighter in here, almost.” He stated after a moment of thought. His eyes caught sight of familiar red hair, and he waved to her in greeting. The ginger-haired woman smiled brightly and waved back, continuing to serve customers their drinks and treats.

“That sounds like bullshit.” Levi said as he leaned onto the counter, pointing up towards the chalkboard menu with his index finger. “Are gonna order or what?” He prompted as yet another person entered the shop.

“The usual.” Erwin glanced behind him as well as he ordered. “And it isn’t ‘bullshit’. The atmosphere feels a bit different.” He added as an afterthought, his pale gaze contemplative.

Levi began to silently make his drink: a large black coffee with two shots of espresso, feeling a sense of familiarity as he watched the dark liquid pour into the coffee cup. “Oluo, take over the register for me.” The raven-haired man called from behind him, grasping the cup and gesturing for Erwin to follow him to an isolated table near the back of the shop.

“You seem a bit more relaxed than usual, you know?” Erwin spoke once they were both properly seated. “It's nice to see you like this.”

“Erwin, did the England environment mess with your brain while you were there? It certainly seems like it.” Levi said dryly, throwing an arm around the back of the chair.

“I think Hange’s been a good influence on you.” Erwin continued, undeterred by his friend’s comment. “I was right, after all.” He let a small smirk grace his lips, taking a sip of his drink.

“You’re an idiot.” Levi sighed out. “Hange hasn't influenced me at all, otherwise I would be consuming ten granola bars a day and spouting out useless scientific facts that no one cares about.”

“She's certainly made you happier than you were when I left.” The blond stated easily, noting the shielded expression the man across from him wore.

“Well, considering the fact that I was absolutely miserable and stressed out during that timeframe, it wouldn't have taken that much.” Levi responded in a dry tone. His light eyes narrowed a bit. He could tell that Erwin knew something more was going on. This was just the gradual easing into full-on interrogation mode, Levi was highly familiar with it.

“I’ve noticed the way you look at her.”

“‘If I admit that I think of Hange as a close friend will you drop this bullshit?” Levi inquired flatly.

“I think there's more to it than that.” Erwin paused, seemingly hesitant to bring up his next point. “Also, there was a bit of an underlying suggestive tone when it regarded your banter that I took note of yesterday. There’s something you're not telling me.”

“There's nothing to tell, Erwin.” Levi stated firmly, which wasn't exactly a lie; it wasn't as if they had secretly began a serious relationship - as of right now they were still roommates.

A pair of roommates who had slept together, but roommates nonetheless.

“Are you sure?”

He’d be lying if he said he wasn't tempted to tell Erwin everything, still, he held back hesitantly, choosing to silently nod his head instead. “Well, still, I think that Hange's had a noticeable impact on your lifestyle. She's must be something special.”

Erwin was right, she was something special. “She’s… Something.” He trailed off, hoping to effectively mask the affection in his tone as his light eyes became directed towards the window.

“Yes, it seems she is.” Erwin agreed with a knowing smile, the rays of the sun gracing his pale features as he turned to stare out of the window as well.

~

Erwin had decided after some thought to spend the night over at his mother’s house, beginning to feel guilty for neglecting to send some actual time with the woman. He had called for a ride and left the shop near closing time, leaving Levi to drive home alone.

He climbed into his car tiredly, debating on whether or not to text Hange and ask if she needed a ride home before he decided against it; usually if she needed to be picked up for work she would call him. He sighed and started the car. If anything she was most likely already home.

He knew that Erwin leaving the two of them alone was most likely a ploy by the blond in order for him and Hange to spend some time together. Levi’s grip around the steering wheel involuntarily tightened at the thought. The feeling he felt at the moment couldn't be depicted as nervousness, it was edging more towards dread. Fear, perhaps?

The last thing he wanted was to say something idiotic and non-genuine to the brunette, effectively changing the course of a serious conversation into an awkward atmosphere for the both of them.

What would he even say? Hey, Four-Eyes, I think you're the most radiate and intelligent person i've ever had the pleasure of getting to know, and you make me feel constipated, but in a good way - for the most part. That wasn't something that an average person would say to someone they had feelings for, that much he knew…

He parked his car and sat in the driver's seat for a few silent moments. This was most likely going to end up being a disaster, he thought blankly as he unbuckled his seatbelt and slipped out of his car. He wasn't about hide out in his car for the remainder of the night, however, as he wasn't a cowardice child.

Upon entering the apartment he was instantly greeted with a pleasant aroma that wafted around his nose, inviting him to further walk into the space in order to find out where it was coming from. He turned the corner into the living room and was more than surprised to see Hange sitting in front of the stovetop, stirring into a pot. “Oi.” He said to catch her attention, moving to stand in the kitchen.

She turned abruptly, and Levi noted the deer-caught-in-headlights look she gave him. “Where’s Erwin?” She asked, confusion dressing her tone as she searched behind him.

“He decided to stay the night at his Mom’s place.” Levi explained calmly, taking a few steps towards the brunette, curious as to what she was cooking. ”What are you doing?” He peered over her shoulder.

“I’m cooking.” She stated as if it were obvious, turning her attention back to the pot which was now bubbling a bit.

“I can see that, idiot.” He responded flatly. “I mean, why are you cooking?”

“You should've have just said ‘why are you cooking’, then, instead of what are you doing.” She smiled cheekily at the sight of Levi's darkening scowl. “I figured I'd put those lessons you gave me a couple weeks ago to good use.” She continued easily.

“You just wanted to impress Erwin.” Levi said monotonously, quietly telling her to stir in the pot once more after a few moments.

“That's not entirely true.” She said absentmindedly, turning her head to give him a small smile. “I wanted to impress you as well.” She shrugged her shoulders.

Levi paused before giving her ponytail a gentle tug. “Just the fact that you've yet to let tomato sauce splatter against the counters or cup boards is enough to impress me.”

“You truly possess a silver tongue, Ackerman.” She said while putting on the pot and shutting off the stove. “Are you hungry?”

“It depends on how well your food tastes.”

“I take it back, you can't have any of my food due to your ungratefulness.”

“Would you rather I lie and tell you it tastes good which leads to you continuing to think that it is, or give you constructive criticism and help you further improve?” He leaned up and grabbed two plates out of the cabinet, holding them out for her to place food onto them.

“Aw, Levi, that's almost considerate.” She cooed as she scooped pasta and tomato sauce onto the plates handed out to her carefully.

“So, how was your day?” She asked, hoping to clear the bit of tension that had become apparent once they had sat down at the table. Clearly a distraction, Levi noted as his light eyes connected with hers.

As odd as it may have sounded, he felt himself slowly relax as he sunk into her easy-going attitude and expression. “Same as every day, except this time I had Erwin there to put his two-cents into everything I did.” He answered her question before shoveling food into his mouth. Not bad, he admitted inwardly as he chewed.

“Well, I spent the entire afternoon -” Levi listened as she explained her day with mild excitement and hand gestures, her eyes widening behind the glasses that slightly magnified her warm brown eyes. He ate silently, nodding his head whenever she asked if he was still listening, which he was. The scientific knowledge she spouted was beyond him but he enjoyed listening to her voice, taking note of how her tone rose up an octave whenever she relayed something particularly interesting.

Once they were finished eating, Levi placed both of the dishes in the sink and washed them silently as Hange made her way into the living room. He glanced behind him to find her setting up her gaming system; it was going to be one of those nights, he surmised.

He finished drying the last of the plates and moved to plop down tiredly beside her on the couch. He resisted the nagging urge to lay his head on her shoulder as exhaustion threatened to overtake him. “What are you playing?” He inquired blankly.

“I think you mean what are we playing.” She corrected with a widening grin, tossing him a controller. “We’re gonna play a round of Mario Kart. Does that sound good?”

He shrugged and gave her a short nod. “Let’s see if you've improved at all in the span of a few weeks, Clean Freak.” She shot him a confident smirk before turning her attention towards the television screen.

He had, in fact, improved by quite a wide margin, much to Hange’s dismay as she came in second place for the fourth time since they had started playing. She huffed and tossed the controller away in frustration, much to Levi's concealed amusement. “Fuck you! How are you so good at everything? Are you scientifically enhanced to be skilled at everything you put your mind to?” She said exasperatedly, turning to face him.

“It's probably due to all of the McDonald's I ate as a kid.” Levi said flatly. Hange snorted.

“Are you implying that your excessive fast food intake as a child gave you superpowers?”

“It's a possibility.”

Hange shook her head in amusement at his dry sense of humor, opening her mouth to speak but before she could she was promptly cut off as Levi let his head fall onto her shoulder. “We should probably talk, huh?” She voiced knowingly, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and pulling him closer .

“I'm not one for disgustingly sappy and dramatic love confessions, Four Eyes.” He droned out, grabbing her hand that laid in her lap and intertwining their fingers together.

“Good thing I'm not either.” She responded easily, tangling her fingers in his inky locks of hair absentmindedly. A few minutes passed by without a word before she spoke again. “Would you like to be my broken bookshelf, Clean Freak?”

Levi lifted his head and gave her a blank, unamused look, though his light eyes swam with bewilderment. “What the fuck are you talking about?” The raven-haired man asked with narrowed eyes.

“You know?” She continued as if it were obvious. “You're a pain in my ass and you're a bit unsteady in a way, I suppose, but I'm going to try my best to keep you around for as long as I can regardless, because you're important to me and you make me happy.” She explained while holding back a few snickers at his expression.

“What the fuck are you trying to say? Are you comparing me to your smashed bookshelf that you insist is perfectly fine, even though it's cracked and stands up lopsided?” He lifted his head up in order to glare at her. “That's the worst thing you've ever said to me.”

She stifled her laughter by burying her face into his hair. “Is that a yes or a no?”

He answered her a few moments later by pulling away from her enough to meld their lips together. Hange sighed contently into the kiss, her eyes closing as she pulled him closer. “I’m going to take that as a yes.” She murmured, her eyes remaining lidded as they broke apart, their noses still brushing together.

Levi hummed once in confirmation, connecting their lips once more.

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…