Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The office was cold despite the roaring fire. Papers were strewn about, littering the floor. They used to be in distinct piles, Hange’s organization technique that only they and Moblit understood, but there was more paperwork than they could keep up with. 

They’d originally started sorting through the papers that Commander Erwin had left behind, putting them into piles of To Do, To Do Later, and Ignore. Those had all gotten jumbled. At one point, they’d absentmindedly asked aloud for Moblit to help them, to grab the stack on the left side of the room, but he didn’t answer.

He was dead.

Sitting at the desk, the desk that used to be Erwin’s but was now somehow theirs, Hange put their head in their hands. They closed their eye. One eye, because that’s all they had left. One stupid eye. They wondered what the point of keeping it was if it meant they could never see Moblit again. He’d evaporated right in front of them as they fell into that well. Hange couldn’t help but think it should’ve been them; they should’ve pushed him in, he should be the person in this room right now with only one eye, helping Commander Erwin sort through his paperwork.

But Erwin was dead too.

Commander Hange Zoë. It didn’t feel right. They sighed, reaching for the bolo tie they’d received earlier that day. As Queen Historia bestowed it upon them, they couldn’t help but think they didn’t deserve it. Only nine Scouts had returned from Shiganshina. Hange wasn’t positive that the sacrifices were needed, that they meant something. They’d plugged the wall, stolen the Colossal Titan, retrieved the secrets from Yeager’s basement. Technically, they’d completed their mission. But now, they knew the truth — there wasn’t a wide open, uninhabited world out there for the citizens of the Walls to reclaim. It was occupied by people who wanted them dead. 

Hange stood. They knew they wouldn’t be able to focus on all of the words on the papers anymore. They turned around and stared out the window. It was the middle of the night; if they had a normal sleep schedule, they’d be in bed. Their new bed. The one connected to this office. They hadn’t slept in it yet, opting for the couch instead. They couldn’t bring themself to even open the bedroom door.

There wasn’t much to see outside. Some candles lit up windows of the buildings. They saw two figures slowly making their way down the street. Not much else. The world was so quiet and still at this hour. Usually it helped them focus, knowing they weren’t missing anything going on; no conversations to join, all the drinking outings were over, all their fellow soldiers at rest. Now, though, it hurt. The quiet haunted them. Filled them with dread. Quiet meant death. They recalled pulling themself out of that well, taking in the devastation, briefly looking for any trace of a body to bring home.

Nothing was left. There was nothing to bring back. It was as though Moblit had been erased from existence entirely.

A knock on the door pulled them from their memories. Hange wiped the tears off their cheek they hadn’t realized they’d shed, straightened their bolo tie, tried to flatten the mess that was their hair. They turned to face the door, clearing their throat. “Come in.”

The door slowly opened, revealing the judge, juror, and executioner himself — Captain Levi. The one who’d chosen Armin over Commander Erwin. Armin, small, well-spoken, brilliant Armin, who now held the power of the Colossal. Hange always had a soft spot for that kid, though they knew if the choice had been left for them they would have given the serum to the other blonde. They wouldn’t be the Commander right now. Maybe they’d be asleep in their own, familiar bed.

That didn’t matter now. Levi made the impossible choice. He let go of Erwin, the love of his life, let him rest in peace. Didn’t bring that devil back to the horrors which he had a hand in creating. Didn’t allow him to fulfill his dream, prove his father right. Hange could still see the weight of the decision on Levi’s shoulders, could see it in the dark bags under his eyes, in the way he held himself. 

The Captain slowly closed the door behind him. “What’re you still doing up, Shitty Glasses?”

Hange scoffed. “I could ask the same of you, Shorty.”

Neither of them answered the question. It was an obvious answer, anyway. Hange’s eye fell on Levi’s own bolo tie and wondered if it was strange for him to wear the artifact they’d associated with Erwin for so long. They walked away from the window, towards Levi, and leaned on the front of the desk, crossing their arms.

“What brings you to my office?” they asked, though it was still strange to refer to it as theirs. 

He looked them up and down, studying them for a moment before answering. “I wanted to check in on you. Don’t let the attention go to your head, though.”

Hange laughed. They were pretty sure it was the first laugh they’d had since… everything. “I’m fine, as you can see,” they said. Levi looked around the office, eyes shifting from paper to paper. He frowned. “Don’t mind the mess.”

“I mind,” he said. He walked over to a small pile of discarded papers and began picking them up. Hange watched him carefully put them into a stack in his arm, inspecting them, making sure they were all upright and facing the same direction. Once he gathered all of the papers that had been in the makeshift pile, he brought the new stack to their desk and set it down carefully. “I know you don’t have your assistant, but try to keep his office clean.”

They stared down at him. He didn’t look up at them. Hange wanted to tell him to never mention Moblit again, that this was their office now, Erwin and everyone else was dead so he’d have to come to terms with their disorganization, they’d never recover, they’d never take care of themself, they’d never find anyone as helpful and kind and patient and wonderful and— And he just needed to shut his mouth. 

But they didn’t say any of that. They knew he was hurting, too. So instead they simply said, “Okay.”

Levi didn’t say a word. He turned and began to gather more papers. Hange followed suit, not wanting him to have to clean up the entire office on his own. The two picked up papers in silence, delivering small stacks back to the desk, Levi’s piles straighter than theirs. Once all of the paperwork was piled on the Commander’s desk, Levi let out a sigh.

“Now go to sleep,” he said. He gestured to the bedroom door. 

Hange turned to the couch. It was covered in their clothes. They walked over and began piling the clothes onto the floor.

“What the hell are you doing?” Levi asked. Hange turned around. He’d crossed the room over to them, began to pick the discarded clothes up and fold them.

“This is where I’ve been sleeping,” they confessed, watching him fold and gently set their clothes back onto the cushions. “I haven’t… I haven’t gone into the bedroom.”

He looked up at them, right into their lonely eye. “At all?” They shook their head. He sighed, setting a neatly folded yellow shirt down. Tentatively, he took their hand in his. Hange almost recoiled — Levi had never been one for physical contact. Sometimes he’d grab them playfully, but this touch felt different. It was soft. It was genuine.

Levi led them to the bedroom door, picking up a candle from the desk on the way. He opened the door slowly, revealing a tidy room. Someone had come in and cleaned it for Hange. The bed was made, the curtains drawn shut, the end table empty except for an unlit lantern and a book. Levi let go of their hand, crossing to the lantern, using the candle to light it. Hange had never been in here before. Levi looked at home as he carefully set the candle next to the lantern. He picked up the book, flipped through the pages.

“He was reading this before we left,” he said quietly. Hange reached out and placed their hand on his shoulder. They looked down at the book, too, reading the pages he had open. It was some novel about war from what they could tell; strategy, conflict, and the burden that came with it. Levi shut the book and set it back on the nightstand. Hange made a silent vow they’d read the book, finish what Erwin couldn’t. Levi’s fingernails dug into the cover.

“I’m sorry,” they whispered. Those words didn’t feel right. They didn’t encapsulate all of the emotions they felt, everything buzzing around their head, but they were the only words Hange could say.

Levi shook his head. “I’m the one who’s sorry,” he said. “Sorry to you, to those brats who lived and those who died, to Erwin. I failed.”

“You didn’t fail, Levi, you—”

“I let that beast get away,” he snarled through gritted teeth. Hange relaxed their grip on his shoulder for a moment before wrapping their arm around him, pulling him into a strange one armed embrace, his back to their chest. He stiffened.

“I failed, too. I had the Armored in my grasp, I almost killed him. I… I should’ve killed him. But I stuck to my morals.”

“You should abandon those now that you’re Commander. That’s what he did.”

Hange let go of him. They removed their jacket, turning to hang it up on a peg on the wall. They let out a sigh, turning back around to face Levi. He had turned around to face them, too. “I can’t,” they said. “That’s the difference between me and him, I suppose. I’d never have the strength to become what he did.”

Levi didn’t argue. He approached Hange, took their bolo tie in his hands. After taking a moment to inspect it, he loosened it, pulling it over their head and hanging it by their jacket. Slowly, painfully, one button at time, he undid their shirt. Goosebumps rose on their skin as it was exposed to the chilly night air.

“Go to bed,” he demanded, peeling the shirt over their shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. Hange reached out to him, lightly gripping his own bolo. They repeated his motions, loosening the tie and pulling it over his head. They leaned back, hanging it on the peg next to their own. They slid his coat off, undid his buttons. They weren’t entirely sure if they meant this, if they would go any further. 

As his shirt hit the floor, pooling at his feet as theirs had, they watched the light of the flames dance on his pale skin. Hange had seen him shirtless before, of course, in the barracks and on overnight missions. Once they’d walked into Erwin’s office without knocking and found them in a compromising position — they weren’t sure how Levi let them live after witnessing that, but he did. This felt different. They reached out, tracing down his body, from his throat to his belly button. They moved their hand back up, running their thumb over the thick scars under his pecs. 

“Hange,” he whispered. They looked up at his eyes, the perpetual pouty look on his face. Hange wanted to grab him and sob. Scream and cry about all of the loss that weighed heavy in their heart. They wanted to be near him, feel his warmth; despite everything, Levi was alive and Hange needed to prove that to themself. Instead of screaming or crying or stopping, they reached down to the waistband of his trousers, undoing the button. 

“Hange,” he repeated. His voice was desperate, a tone they’d never heard from him before. They ran a hand through his hair and pulled him close, connecting their lips. Levi pulled them closer by the fabric of their bra straps, deepening their kiss. Their tongues pressed against each other and he let out a small moan. The noise that escaped Levi made Hange’s stomach twist; they could feel themself straining against the fabric of their pants.

With little kisses, Hange made their way to Levi’s ear. “I want to feel you,” they whispered, moving a hand to his boxers. They stroked him through the already damp fabric. He let out another moan as they touched him. They gritted their teeth, trying to hold back from immediately throwing him onto the bed and burying themself deep. 

Hange focused all their attention on their fingers, how wet he felt. They tried to ignore Levi’s hand making its way to their button to undo it, then their zipper, tugging it down. When his hand grabbed their length, they bit his ear, groaning. They slipped their fingers into the fly of his boxers then between his folds. 

“You’re so wet for me,” they said, kissing the side of his face. 

“Yeah, and you’re hard already,” he muttered, groping them. Hange smirked, bringing their fingers to his clit. He squirmed at the sensation, biting his lip to hold in his noises.

“Don’t do that. Don’t hold back.” Hange grabbed his face, pulling his chin down to keep his mouth open, then squeezed his cheeks. Levi moaned as they stroked him harder, pressed onto the tip of his already swollen clit. He freed their cock from their underwear, moving his hand slowly up and down their length. They couldn’t stop themself from thrusting into his grasp. Hange desperately wanted to feel him, only him, ignore all of the other thoughts and feelings buzzing throughout their body. They rubbed him harder, listening to his delicious noises. 

Levi stared up into their eye, face still squished by their hand. He was almost panting, a bit of drool falling from the corner of his mouth. Intoxicated by the sight, Hange dipped their fingers away from his clit and inside of him, easily sliding in because of how slick he was. He moaned loudly, pulling on their painfully hard cock, grasping at their bra for support with his other hand. 

“You like that?” they asked. Levi managed to nod. Hange gripped his face tighter, thrusted their fingers deeper into him. “Fuck, you’re so tight. Feels good.” They could feel precum leaking out of their length as he stroked them, felt him tremble as they buried two fingers into him knuckle deep. Humanity’s strongest, reduced to a moaning, drooling mess melting into their touch. They shifted their hand that was squeezing his cheeks to his jaw so he could move his mouth. “Tell me how much you like it.”

He scowled instead of answering. Hange gripped his jaw tighter, thrusted their fingers as deep as they could, setting a harder pace. Levi let out loud, almost animalistic noises.

“Say it,” they growled through gritted teeth.

“I like it, Hange,” he moaned. “I like feeling you inside of me.”

“Good. I’m going to get inside you properly now, okay?”

“Please.” Hange smiled at the word, at the way it sounded more like a whine than speech. They removed their fingers from him, pulled down his boxers. 

“Get on the bed,” they said. He nodded, turning and climbing onto the bed as they pulled their bra off, shimmied fully out of their pants and undergarments. 

Levi was on his hands and knees. Hange kneeled behind him, running their hands up his back. His skin was soft and warm. They hummed at the feeling.

He groaned, looking over his shoulder. “Just fuck me already, Four Eyes.”

Hange let out a snort, gripping his hip with one hand, adjusting the angle of their cock with the other. “I only have three of those now, Levi.”

“Right. Sorry.” Levi looked away, facing forward again. 

“It’s fine,” they said, pressing their tip against his warmth. It had just happened. Everything had just happened. They paused, taking a moment to breathe in deeply, push all of the events to the back of their mind. 

Finally, they slid into Levi, taking it slow. He let out a loud moan as they pushed all the way in, only stopping once they reached the hilt, their hips connecting with his ass. Hange stayed still for a moment, allowing Levi to adjust. They carefully pulled out and he bucked back, as if challenging them to speed up. Hange let out a laugh, then gripped both of his hips, picking up the pace, thrusting in and out of him.

Again, Levi was soft and warm, wrapping around them like a sleeve. Hange clenched their jaw and gripped him harder, nails digging into his flesh. He moaned, arching his back more and balling the blanket in his fists. Their eye rested on the back of his head, wondering what his face looked like. They watched as he bit his fist, muffling his noises.

Hange leaned forward, grabbing a fistful of his black hair, pulling his mouth off his hand. “I said don’t do that,” they whispered into his ear. “I want to hear you, Levi.”

Their hand moved to his throat, holding his face up, projecting his noises into the room. They picked up their momentum, pressing deeper into him with each thrust. Their perky nipples grazed along his back as they moved, sending a shiver down their spine. Hange left small kisses on Levi’s shoulder.

His noises changed. It almost sounded like he was crying, though Levi and crying wasn’t something that Hange had ever put in the same sentence. They stopped fucking into him, removed their hand from his throat. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” he replied, though the sob that shook through his body immediately after said otherwise. Hange removed themself from him and pushed him to the side, plopping his body onto the bed. He moved onto his back and they wiped his tears away. “Stop it. Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

His eyes were red and puffy, face twisted into a nasty scowl. Hange leaned down and kissed his nose. “Stop being all soft and just fuck me.”

“Levi.” They brushed some of his hair from his face. “You want me to keep fucking you, really?”

He nodded, putting his hands on their cheeks, pulling them down for a kiss. “I want you, yeah. That’s the reason I came to your office at this horrible hour. I don’t want to stop just because… just because this room reminds me of him.”

Hange kissed him hard. They’d take his grief away, even for just a fleeting moment. Reaching down, they lined themself up with his entrance again, pushing back in. Levi gasped like they’d punched him and took his breath away, moving his hand to their hair and grabbing at the strands. The pair moaned into each other’s mouths as Hange thrusted, building back to their previous pace, pushing in as deep as they could go. 

They snaked a hand in between their bodies, reaching to his clit. They pressed on him hard, swirling around the sensitive nub. Levi let out those loud, beautiful moans, bucking his hips, pushing back into Hange’s thrusts. They kissed down his face to his neck, licking and suckling on the skin there. Hange could feel how close he was, his plush walls pulsing around their cock, tensing up every time they pounded into him. 

Their lips made their way up to Levi’s ear, leaving a trail of kisses. “You feel so fucking good,” Hange whispered. They licked from his lobe to the top of his ear. “Are you going to cum for me?”

“Yes,” Levi whispered back. His grip on their hair tightened, his other hand moving to their back, clawing into their flesh. With a few more thrusts, their thumb stroking his puffy clit, nibbling on his ear, they felt it — Levi tensed, clenched his cunt around them hard. He wrapped his quivering legs around them, the nails digging into their back nearly drawing blood. “Hange, fuck! Hange!”

It was all too much. Levi was so fucking tight and wet they couldn’t hold back anymore. “I’m gonna— fuck, Levi, I’m— Where? Where should I?”

“Just do it inside,” he breathed. “Please, just do it inside.”

Hange didn’t ask why. They didn’t have the brain power to at that moment. Maybe they would later, once the foggy ecstasy had lifted, or maybe they weren’t meant to read into it too much. They pressed on, fucking into him as he came down from his climax, as they reached theirs. Hange could hear their own voice, barely realized they’d been babbling — “Fuck, Levi, you feel so good, you’re so tight, I’m going to fill you up, fuck, fuck—”

Levi kissed them as they came, buried as far as they could be. He swirled his tongue around their mouth, gently ran his fingers through their hair. Hange pulled back, looking at his face; they wanted to see how disheveled he was, the expression he wore as they filled him. He was so handsome beneath them.

They finally slowed their thrusts, came to a stop still inside of him, desperately trying to catch their breath. Levi caressed their cheek; the softest touch Hange had ever felt from him. His steel gray eyes traced their features.

“May I hold you?” they asked. Levi nodded. Hange carefully pulled out of him, an ache building in their chest as they were no longer surrounded by his plush warmth. The two adjusted their position, Hange getting behind him on the bed, wrapping their arm around him tight. They stared at the back of his head, waiting for him to say something, anything. 

Hange had never seen him cry before. Through all of the pain, the hurt, the death, Levi had never shed a tear. Not in front of them, at least. They thought of Erwin; had he ever seen humanity’s strongest soldier cry? Moblit had seen Hange cry many times, either out of sadness or happiness or frustration. He’d always been there to wipe their tears, get them tea, keep them on track. They shifted closer to Levi, burying their face into the soft flesh that connected his neck to his shoulders. 

They cried. Maybe the Captain could be stoic now, only let his true emotions show while vulnerable in the act of sex, but they couldn’t hold it in. They whimpered into him, shaking him with every sob, desperately pulling him closer and closer to feel his skin against theirs. His warmth, his beating heart, his breath. Levi was alive. Levi was the only one left alive.

After a while, their crying calmed. They sniffled, held in the urge to apologize. Hange knew that Levi wouldn’t be mad at them. He wouldn’t see it as a weakness. Still, they felt guilt. They were the Commander, afterall. There was no room for them to be such a mess anymore. Somehow, without their dear assistant, they’d have to keep it all together.

“I’ll do it,” Levi whispered. Hange lifted their head at the sound of his voice.

“Do what?” they asked softly into his ear.

“I’m going to slaughter that big, hairy bastard.” 

Hange hummed in agreement. They knew by the conviction in his voice he meant it. If anyone could bring the Beast Titan down for good, it’d be Captain Levi. And they knew if he ever wanted to rest easy, he’d have to accomplish his mission. The last thing he told Erwin he’d do.

“I’ll be there when you do it,” they said. “I’ll be with you through it all. Whatever comes next.”

“We’ll see this to end. You and me, Hange.”

“You and me, Levi.”

Not long after that, he drifted off into sleep, still in their arms. Hange listened to his breathing, tried to follow him into slumber. They were tired from the day, from the sex, from not having a good night’s sleep since returning from Shiganshina. They wondered if Levi had slept well at all since returning. Probably not.

Their mind drifted to those kids. Hange was in charge of them now, each of their lives their responsibility. Any new recruits that came along would be their burden, too, each one looking up to their Commander for guidance, strength, direction. They weren’t sure they had the gall to be their leader. Compared to their predecessor, the man who embodied the strength of a grizzly, the wisdom of an owl… they were but a flea. Who were they to promise Levi they’d be with him through it all, when they weren’t even sure they could muster the courage to face their subordinates tomorrow?

Hange pulled him closer. They listened to his soft snores, felt his chest rise and fall in steady rhythm. They buried their nose into his hair, took in his scent. For him, they’d be strong. With him, they’d face anything.

For tonight, at least, they tried to forget about it all. In this bed, they weren’t Commander. They could simply be Hange. And he, just Levi.

Chapter Text

The food on the plate in front of him went untouched. Levi couldn't stomach it, couldn't fathom bringing the bread or potatoes to his mouth. The mess hall was far too quiet. He remembered when it was packed, when some Scouts had to stand because all of the tables were full.

His eyes trailed to the other end of the table, where those seven brats sat. Sasha was stuffing her mouth full of potatoes, of course, the little glutton. He watched as she attempted to grab a potato off of Conny's plate, but he slapped her hand away. Jean was closeby to those two as he always was. That redhead Floch was here, too, keeping his head down, eating silently. Eren, Armin, and Mikasa were chatting, voices low whispers, undoubtedly discussing the horrors that had flooded to Eren's mind from his father's memories. That firecracker hadn't been the same since entering the basement in his hometown, though Levi supposed that none of these kids were.

Kids. That's what they all were, just kids. Levi felt responsible for them, for all of their lives. The secrets of Grisha Yeager's journals had only made their situation worse. Levi's stomach was twisted into knots when he learned Titans were humans, that he'd been butchering people all these years; he felt as though his body would implode after learning it was the entire world he'd have to fight. Somehow, he'd stomach it. He had to. For them. For Erwin.

Levi glared at the food on his plate, the potatoes cold now. He thought of those stupid bushy eyebrows and that smug look Erwin often wore. How he wished he could kiss that face one more time. He wanted to scream at himself, tell himself to get over it. Death was inevitable, especially in the Scout regiment. Soldiers died all the time. He tried not to dwell on it, but the pile of bodies was getting too large to ignore.

"Are you going to eat that?" a voice asked. He looked up into the glutton's eyes. He shook his head, pushed his plate towards her. Sasha gave him a big smile. "Thank you, Captain!"

He stood quickly, giving Sasha a fright. She leaned back, away from him, brown eyes wide with fear as though he was about to scream at her. He wasn't. Levi gave one last look around the table, at all of the children that were looking up at him, waiting for him to speak.

"Take the rest of the afternoon for yourselves," he said before turning around and leaving. He made his way out of the mess hall and up the stairs, shoving his hands in his pockets. A part of him told himself to stop going the direction he was headed, to turn around and head to his room instead. His legs didn't stop though. He pressed on, making his way through the empty corridors, a familiar path he'd taken hundreds of times. Levi knocked on the heavy wooden door.

"Come in!" that chipper voice called back. He pushed the door open quickly.

"Hange, I—" He stopped as he looked up into the room. Hange was at their desk, looking far too put together. Three men in Military Police attire sat across from them, all looking back at him. He gripped the door handle tight, frozen in place.

"Ah, Captain Levi," one of the MPs said, waving at him. Levi didn't recognize him.

Without a word, he looked at Hange. They smiled at him, a devious smirk. If these damn MPs weren't in the room, he'd charge over to their desk and climb onto their lap. He could feel his palms begin to sweat.

"Captain," Hange greeted, their tone far more professional than he was used to. "Is it an urgent matter?"

"No," he said. He kept staring directly into their one eye, hoping that they'd be able to read him, that they'd be able to sense what he really meant.

Hange gestured to the men in front of them. "In that case, can you return in an hour? We should be done by then."

He gave his Commander a curt nod before leaving and shutting the door harder than he meant to. An hour. That would give him time to cool off, to forget about his impulses, to screw his head on straight. Levi walked back down the corridor, eyes fixated on the floor. He'd get some fresh air. That's all he needed.

It was another chilly day. The air nipped at his ears and nose. He walked out of the gates of the building and onto the streets. Lots of people were out and about despite the cold. They carried bags of produce, held their small children's hands, talked and laughed with each other. He scanned each of their faces, hoping to catch a familiar glimpse, almost praying that everything that had happened was a dream; Erwin would approach him, embrace him, forgive him.

At Shiganshina, it would've been easy for Erwin to abandon Levi and the recruits. He could've scaled back up the wall, taken Eren and brought him to the basement. He could've fulfilled his dream, learned the secrets, avenged his father in some way. In the end, Erwin chose humanity. In the end, Levi chose Armin.

Levi leaned up against a brick wall, cursing under his breath. Did he have any right to mourn Erwin's death? He was the one who could've prevented it, afterall. He'd have to live with his choice. Erwin deserved to rest, to be done with the world. Levi looked up at the sky, the white clouds floating by, determined to be at peace with his choices. He decided he should feel privileged to look at the sky at all, given the amount of people in the Underground who'd died without ever laying eyes on it.

His eyes narrowed. The clouds seemed to slow. He thought of Furlan and Isabel, how happy they'd been to witness the outside world. No matter how many years went by, he always thought of them. No matter how many bodies those years brought with them, they were some of the first. He owed it to them to keep moving. Owed it to everyone after them, too — Eld, Oluo, Gunther, Petra… He could see their faces in his mind, tried to remember them as they were, not what they ended up being. Their faces frozen in shock and fear, covered in blood.

The fresh air wasn't helping. These days, nothing seemed to help ease the heaviness on his mind.

Except one thing.

Levi was supposed to be humanity's strongest. That's what everyone told him. He was supposed to hold his own, keep himself disciplined, stay sharp and focused. It was becoming increasingly difficult to do so. In the weeks since returning from Shiganshina, everything felt blurry and strange. Grief overwhelmed him. He either laid in his bed for hours or aimlessly wandered the streets. The night he ended up at Hange's office, he had gone there with the intention of burying his feelings in their warm embrace, though it was just some far-fetched idea. He hadn't considered they'd want him too. That the pair would end up in the bed he used to share with Erwin. That he'd like it so much.

He found himself walking back to base, unsure how long he'd been staring at the sky. Keeping a quick pace, he hardly observed his surroundings as he made his way back to the office. Once he arrived at the door, he leaned his ear against it, straining to detect any voices. It seemed to be silent, so he knocked on the door.

"Come on in," Hange called. He opened the door once more, shutting it softly behind him when he saw no one but the Commander was inside. They motioned for him to come closer and he did so, crossing the room, getting behind their desk and standing over them. Hange shifted in their seat, facing him completely. Levi took a moment to trace their features, their strong jaw and nose, how good their hair looked today, how put together they were other than their bolo tie being a tad crooked.

"What was that meeting about?" he asked.

"Nothing," they said with a sigh.

He reached out, took the tie in his hand, and straightened it. "You look put together," he mumbled.

Hange smiled up at him. "I bathed."

"Tch, of your own volition? That's a first." They let out a laugh, and there was another first occurring — Levi wanted to see them messy, wanted to see how fucked up and breathy and dirty he could make them. He finally let go of the bolo tie and dropped to his knees in front of them.

"Levi," they hissed. He ignored them, untucking their dress shirt from their trousers. He made quick work of their belt, then their button, then their zipper. "Levi, the door's unlocked."

"So? Most people knock, unlike you." He saw a blush creep across their face at the memory of walking in on him and Erwin. Levi had almost punched them for it, but he opted to lecture them about privacy instead. They always knocked after that.

He pulled down their pants and underwear just enough for their dick to pop out. "You're already so hard," he whispered.

"I've been hard since you burst in here earlier," they said, putting a hand in his hair. "Hell, if I wasn't in a meeting, I would have bent you over this desk then and there."

Levi glanced up at the desk, all of the papers still on it. He wouldn't have let that happen. He turned his attention back to their cock, licking it from base to tip. Hange moaned, their hips and length twitching up towards him, so, so eager. Levi gave in immediately, wrapping his mouth around them, taking in as much as he could.

As soon as his warm mouth completely enveloped them, he let them take most of the control. Their grip tightened on his hair, their other hand gripping the side of their chair. Hange pulled him close, his nose tickled by the wiry hairs that trailed down to their cock. Tears welled up in his eyes as they hit the back of his mouth over and over. Levi adjusted his position so they could slip down further into his throat.

He'd done this before, many times. Everything he knew about sex he learned from Erwin, the only other person he'd been with. Giving himself to Hange felt easy, familiar. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to focus, licking and slurping and sucking on their cock as they sloppily thrusted up into him, pulled down on his hair.

He could tell Hange was close. It was amusing, almost adorable, how they babbled. "You feel so good, so good for me, Levi. I'll cum down your throat, swallow all of it, please, oh fuck, fuck, oh—"

With that, they came, filling his senses with the taste and smell of their seed. He swallowed around them, causing them to jerk up into him again and again. Levi tried to get it all down without coughing. He gasped when they pulled out of him, saliva trailing out of his mouth, dripping from their cock.

They held his chin in their hand, lifting his face to look at them. Hange smiled, their eye giving him a soft, loving look. "You're handsome," they said. Levi frowned, unsure how to deal with their affection. "Oh, don't pout."

Hange grabbed his bolo tie, tightening it and pulling him up with it. They kissed him hard, put their tongue in his mouth. He put his hands on their thighs, holding himself up. Levi felt that twist in his lower abdomen, yearning for Hange to touch him. He wanted to feel like he did the other night, though hopefully with less crying. It would be best if Hange never saw him that weak again.

They stopped kissing him, released his bolo tie, and pushed him with force. Levi fell back onto the floor, right on his butt, and propped himself up on his palms. He stared up at them, watched as they stood from their chair, scooting it away with their foot. Hange began peeling off their clothes. "Strip," they demanded. Levi slowly unbuttoned his shirt, shooting a glance at the door. They laughed. "Now you're worried about it being unlocked?"

He glared. "Yeah, it's a bit harder to hide being completely naked."

Hange smiled down at him, tossing their jacket aside. They undid their shirt buttons, letting it slide off their shoulders and onto the floor. Their pants were still tight around their thighs as they made their way to the floor, grabbing at Levi's waistband. "Didn't I tell you to strip?"

"Hange." His face burned as they yanked his pants and boxers down, only pulling them completely off of one of his legs. They positioned themself between his thighs, rubbing themself against his folds; they were already getting hard again. Hange leaned forward until Levi was forced to fall down to the floor on his back, no longer propped up. They loomed over him, looked into his eyes, held his cheek in the palm of their hand.

"The meeting was about the Titans in Wall Maria. No new Titans will enter, so once we wipe out all of the ones currently penned in there, people can return to their homes," they said.

He stared at them. "Okay," he said. "That's good."

Tears fell out of their eye, dropping on his face. Levi furrowed his brow, wondering if he said something wrong. He ran a hand through their brown hair. "It's because we did it," they choked out. "We plugged the Wall, Levi."

"We did."

"Now, the final step. My Executioner will slaughter all of the Titans left. M-Moblit, he… I wish he could've been here to see it. The full reclamation."

Levi pulled them close, kissed them. With one hand still in their hair, he brought the other to the small of their back, brushing his thumb on their skin. He wanted to hold them, comfort them in his arms for the rest of the afternoon. Hange sobbed into his mouth; he moved their head to his shoulder, holding them tight.

"I'm sorry," they cried into him. "I'm such a wreck. I'll move on soon, I promise."

They lifted themself up, repositioning, kneeling now. Levi put a hand on their abdomen. "You don't have to promise that."

Hange let out a wry chuckle. "I'm the Commander, Levi. I don't get to wallow in the past."

They leaned forward, pushing their cock inside of him. Levi reached his other hand to their stomach, gripping at their skin, unprepared for the penetration. Hange's eye stayed trained on his face, watching as it twisted in surprise, how his mouth hung open a little. They placed a hand on each of his hips, pulling him up a bit, getting him at the right angle. They weren't even slow like last time, already fucking into him hard, almost pulling out entirely before slamming back into him as far as they could.

"Ha-Hange," Levi moaned, moving his hands up their torso. He pushed up the fabric of their bra, putting a palm over each of their breasts. They hissed in a sharp breath as he massaged them, rolling their nipples under his thumb.

"Keep doing that," they said, tightening their grip on his hips. Levi nodded, pinching and pulling at their hard nipples, trying to focus on that act as they fucked into him, as his face grew hotter and his walls clenched around them. "You were ready for me, Levi, so fucking wet. Did you enjoy having my cock in your throat?"

He nodded again.

"Use your words."

"Y-yeah," he managed to say. He could feel his movements on their breasts becoming sloppy, his brain felt overloaded. "I wanna cum," he felt himself say.

"Do it," Hange said, their voice eager. "Touch yourself. Make yourself cum on me."

He removed one hand from their chest and brought it to his clit, making circles around it with his forefinger. Hange observed his movements diligently, as though they were studying his technique. He stopped making circles and simply stroked himself from base to tip, tip to base, like he was stroking a small dick. He felt himself getting close.

Hange must've felt he was getting close, too, by the way they sped up their pace, pushed his thigh down with one hand, getting deeper into him. "Levi, you're getting so tight around me, fuck. Cum for me, please, cum for me."

With Hange's words guiding him, Levi reached the precipice, falling over the edge as he felt them spill into him. He came as they did, looking up into his eyes with their half-lidded one. They kept up their pace, still thrusting into him as he slowly removed his hand from his clit, placing it on their belly.

"Hange," Levi said firmly, watching as a tear fell from them, splattering on his chest. Their movements were stuttered and uneven, and though they were gradually becoming soft, they kept pushing into him. They let out a small sob, clawing at his hips desperately, like an animal trapped in a cage.

Levi gritted his teeth, trying to hold himself together. He'd gotten what he wanted, hadn't he? Hange was a mess above him, their hair undone from its tie, their bra still on but pushed up to reveal their breasts, sweat glistening on their skin. What he hadn't wanted was the tears streaming down their cheek, the sobs and hiccups escaping their mouth as they tried to push their flaccid dick deeper inside of him. Guilt pooled in his chest. This was supposed to make them both feel better.

"Hange," he repeated.

"I want to keep doing this," Hange whispered. "I don't want to stop."

Levi shook his head, pushed on their abdomen. "You have to stop, Hange."

They stilled their hips, clenched their jaw, took in a breath between their teeth. "Okay," they said.

After pulling out of him, they plopped onto the floor on their side. Hange cuddled with him, putting their head on his chest and an arm around his torso. Levi stared at the ceiling, slowly dragging his fingers along their forearm. He almost felt like he could fall asleep on the floor. He'd slept in far more uncomfortable places in the past. But he forced himself to keep his eyes open, focus on Hange's breathing. It was evening out as they calmed.

"I'm sorry," they said. He leaned down and gave the top of their head a kiss. "Being with you, it's the only escape I have from… this." Hange gestured to the desk. Levi knew they meant more than just the paperwork. It was the burden, the expectations. He kissed them again, that feeling in his chest spreading, twisting in his stomach, clogging up his throat.

It was all so familiar. He'd been here before, listening to his Commander lament, letting him bury his sorrows inside of him. Levi gripped Hange's forearm, looking for something to ground him in the present. Ground him here, in the same office. The same position. The same problems.

He barely realized he'd said something, but he must have, as Hange had brought themself up to his face, kissing him hard.

"It's alright," they said between kisses. He was crying again. Hange gripped his cheek, kissing him harder and harder, trying to make him stop. Desperate to take his pain away. "I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you, Levi."

He brushed some of their hair out of their face. Stared into that big brown eye, a sob bursting out of him because of how soft and kind Hange looked at him. "I know," he said. "I know."

Chapter Text

The sky was clear, not a single cloud dotted the horizon. The bright sunlight had been shining through the large window, a warmth spreading across Hange's back all afternoon, but the sun was setting now. They looked up from the report they were writing, eye settling on the boy sitting alone at the conference table.

Armin was writing his own reports, brows furrowed as he focused. Hange wasn't sure why he liked hanging around so much. He could've written up his report in the barracks or the library, but he'd often wind up in their office, helping them with their work if he didn't have his own to do. He was dedicated, highly intelligent. It didn't hurt having him around.

He must've sensed the gaze on him; he looked up from his papers and gave the Commander a smile. Hange flashed a quick smile back at him before looking back down at what they were supposed to be working on.

Technically they should've reported back to Zackly by now. This report should've been written days ago. It was hard for them to focus on it when so much else was buzzing around their mind. Last week, the Scouts had returned from surveying Wall Maria. Their plan had succeeded: The Executioner From Hell sent the last of the penned up Titans to their graves. There weren't any left. The refugees could return to their homes.

It also meant the Scouts could venture outside the Walls once more.

Hange glanced back up at Armin. He held a paper up, reading intently. The words on their own paper all seemed to blend together. Hange didn't want to write anymore, didn't want to detail all the things they'd seen, all the things they hadn't. They wanted to get on their horse and ride away. They wanted to share the news of Wall Maria by word of mouth, spread it far and wide, and have a drink to celebrate with their team.

Their team. Hange recalled how Nifa could drink any member of Squad Four under the table, despite her size. Keiji's blunt demeanor would fade throughout the night, giving way to jokes and snapping Abel's goggle strap against his head, teasing him for not swapping to his glasses while off duty.

A sigh escaped them. They stood, turning to look out the window. The sky was a beautiful pink-purple.

"Commander?" they heard Armin say. "Is everything alright?"

Hange took a deep breath before turning around to face him. "What have you been writing, Arlert?" they asked him, ignoring his question.

"Oh, uh, the same as you, I assume." He scratched his face as they continued to stare at him, waiting for more. He caught on after a moment. "Detailing our findings in Wall Maria. I promise I actually finished it a few days ago, but last night I remembered more items to include."

They tilted their head, a smile spreading on their face. "Bring me your full report. I want to read it. Perhaps use it."

He nodded. "Yes, sir. It's all here."

Armin stood, gathered all of the papers in front of him, and walked over to the desk. Hange motioned and he set the papers down in a neat stack in the middle, avoiding their other untidy pile.

"Thank you," they said, placing their arms behind their back. "I actually have to get going. I'll be back later tonight. Ah, but don't feel as though you have to return later."

"Okay. Do you need me to do anything for you while you're out? Or accompany you?"

Hange chuckled. "No, no. You've done enough; your report will benefit me greatly. I'm simply going to visit an old friend. Go enjoy the evening."

He gave them a salute. "Yes, sir."

Together, they left the office. Once Hange closed the door softly behind them, they looked to Armin to bid him goodbye. He smiled at them.

"Hope you have a nice time with your friend," he said.

Hange couldn't bring themself to smile back at him. They simply gave him a small nod before walking away.

Despite the clear sky, the air was cold. Winter still had a firm hold on Paradis. Hange put their hands in their jacket pockets, kept their head low as they walked, shielding their cheeks from the air with their collar. They made their way down the street, turning to go up a small hill. The sidewalk turned to a beaten path through the grass, which crunched beneath their feet, covered in frost. Barren trees lined the path, branches shaking in the wind. The path turned to neat rows and columns; they walked until they found the right one, turning down and stopping in front of their destination.

The stone read Moblit Berner. Hange let out a sigh. It was a bit strange, mourning at a stone with nothing buried beneath it. They'd only been here once before, for the funeral. There were so many Scouts lost in Shiganshina, they had a mass ceremony, reading off names. Hange had taken the time to visit this particular stone, place a flower there. He'd always spent time sketching the flowers they saw when they went on expeditions. Moblit's art served as a perfect escape from all the violence and death.

"Hey," Hange said to the stone. "Sorry I, uh… Surprise visit, so no flowers this time. We're going to announce it widely soon, but I wanted you to be the first to know. Wall Maria has been deemed safe to reinhabit."

Nothing answered Hange but the wind. It shook the trees again, ruffled their hair. There was another grave they should visit, they knew that eventually they'd make their way to see him, but it felt stranger. Moblit was their close confidant and caretaker. It was natural to visit the stone, like they could easily strike up a conversation with a ghost. In order to visit their predecessor, they felt like they had to have greater news. The shoes seemed impossible to fill. They kept moving the goalpost, how much they needed to achieve in order to report back to him.

They chuckled. It was a rock. Erwin wasn't actually there, couldn't actually hear them. Neither could Moblit. Hange shifted their weight between their feet, eyes still locked on the carved granite.

"So," they continued, "the Scouts will conduct an expedition outside of the Walls. I know exactly where we'll go, of course. Arlert will be excited, huh?" Hange took a deep, shaky breath. "I'd like to imagine you'd make wonderful illustrations of it. The sea. I'll try my best, though my artistic abilities will never match yours."

Hange heard the crunch of grass. They looked up and their gaze softened as they saw who was approaching.

"Hey," Levi said. He looked at the grave, cleared his throat. "Blondie told me you were visiting an old friend, so."

The Commander's gaze fell back on the stone, too. "And you know all my old friends are dead." A gust of wind caused some hair to fall in their face. They brushed it away, then looked back at Levi. "Except you, of course."

He let out a snort. "Somehow, out of everyone, we're the ones who made it." Slowly, he moved his hand towards theirs, brushing their knuckles together. Hange grabbed his hand tight, intertwining their fingers. They kept squeezing until Levi made a small grunt.

"Sorry," they mumbled, loosening their grip. He didn't respond with words. His thumb brushed against their hand gently.

They both gazed down at the gravestone for a few minutes. Hange quickly wiped a tear from their cheek, then scanned the rest of the graveyard. They hadn't realized how dark it'd gotten; the sun was barely above the horizon now.

"Let's go," Levi said.

Hange looked down into his eyes. "You don't want to visit any other graves?"

He averted his gaze. Hange pressed their lips together, afraid they'd said the wrong thing. They simply didn't want to leave here if he wanted to visit someone, too; they hadn't meant to guilt him.

"No," he finally replied. "Let's get a drink."

They nodded — sounded perfect to them. Still hand in hand, the two walked away. Hange decided not to look back.

It wasn't a very long walk to their usual bar. A lot of soldiers hung out in the same spot, Scouts, Garrison, and MPs alike. The pair let go of each other's hands as they pushed the door open. The warmth of the fireplace felt like an embrace; Hange let out a contented sigh. Like he could sense how cold they were, Levi chose a table near the fire.

Hange gave a wave to the barmaid as she approached. "What can I get you two?" she asked.

"Calaneth Red," Levi said. He turned to Hange.

"Whiskey! With some ice." The barmaid nodded, walking off to fetch their drinks. Hange looked at Levi, who wore a smirk. "What?"

"You're funny, that's what. You've been drinking the same thing for how many years and you still don't refer to it as 'on the rocks?'"

Hange scoffed. "Don't be pretentious. Not a good look on you, Shorty."

The barmaid returned, setting their respective drinks in front of them. "Anything else?" she asked. The Scouts shook their heads. "Don't hesitate to wave me down."

"Thanks," Hange said as she walked away. They took a gulp of their whiskey, peering over their glass at Levi. He swirled his wine, taking a whiff of it before taking a sip. Hange placed their cup back on the table, trying to hold back laughter. Levi glared at them. "It's mad to me how pretentious you actually are."

"Eat shit," he grumbled. He took another sip of his wine. He raised an eyebrow at them as they finished their glass. "I forgot how quickly you guzzle it down. Ever heard of savoring?"

"No," they said with a laugh. Hange scanned the bar, making eye contact with the barmaid. They raised their empty glass and she gave them a big smile and nod, heading back to the bar. Hange brought their attention back to Levi. "So, Levi. Are you excited?"

"For what?"

"The sea!" They turned to the barmaid as she returned, swapping their empty glass for a full one. "Thank you, darling. He'll need another, also."

Levi scoffed. "Force-feeding me?"

"Yeah. I need you drunk." He stared at them as they downed half their glass in one go. "Levi, the sea. Are you excited?"

"You think that's actually real? A body of water so big you can't see the other end of it, full of salt." Hange nodded. "Well, the brats never seem to shut up about it. So sure, I'm excited."

The barmaid returned again, setting another glass of whiskey in front of Hange. They smiled wide, giving the maid an appreciative nod. Levi downed the rest of his first wine and she refilled his glass right from the bottle in her hands. "Thanks," he said.

It didn't take long for Hange to finish their second whiskey and move on to their third. Between the roaring fire and the alcohol, they were finally feeling warm. They shed their jacket, draping it on the back of their chair.

"Let's assume the sea is real for a moment," they said, clinking the ice around their cup. "Think about the aquatic life we have in our rivers and lakes. If we consider the volume of sodium chloride in the sea — which of course, I don't know yet, but for the sake of this discussion, let's assume it's a sizable amount — the aquatic life we're used to seeing wouldn't be able to survive under those conditions. Meaning, we'll likely discover new forms of life! Do you think we could bring some back if we made some sort of waterproof container?"

Levi finished off his second glass of wine. He gently set the glass on the table before looking into their eye. "You want to kidnap a fish."

"Yes. Well, actually, I want more than a fish. Ideally, I'd like to take every different kind back, but that's probably not plausible."

"None of this is plausible," he mumbled, turning away from them. He waved down the barmaid, pointed to himself and Hange. Then, he took off his own coat and rolled up his shirt sleeves.

Hange stared at his forearms for a moment. They traced up his arm, to his shoulder, to his neck. Quickly, they chugged the rest of their whiskey, seeing the barmaid approaching with a wine bottle in one hand, the whiskey bottle in the other. She poured them each a fresh glass of their drinks.

"My boss wanted me to let you know that your drinks are free tonight," she said, giving them a big smile.

"Oh?" Hange tilted their head.

"The heroes who sealed Wall Maria shouldn't have to pay for a few drinks!" With that, the barmaid rushed off to another customer.

Hange stared at their whiskey. Hero. What a grand title for such an unworthy person. They wanted to grab the barmaid and the owner and shake the pair, tell them the real heroes were obliterated by an explosion or shred to pieces by rocks.

Or had their faces blown off before Wall Maria was even sealed.

That grotesque, overwhelming feeling returned to their chest, bubbling into their throat. They picked up the glass and chugged it, willing the feeling to be drowned in it. Once they got it all down, they looked up at Levi. He seemed calm, taking a delicate sip from his wine, holding it by the rim like he held every glass. He swirled the wine again.

"I take back what I said. Pretentious looks good on you." He didn't smile, but Hange could see a blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Shut up," he said. Hange smirked; Levi was so easy to tease. He could fire off sarcastic comments endlessly, had the best wit of anyone Hange knew, but he was miserable at flirting or being flirted with. Seeing him get worked up over a small comment made their stomach twirl, their palms sweat.

"You know what else looks good on you?" they whispered, leaning forward so he could hear them. "The face you make when I'm fucking—"

"Hange," Levi said firmly. Hange leaned back, preparing to be scolded. They watched him glance around the bar, eyes darting from table to table, before his gaze settled on them again. He brought his wine back to his lips, chugging the rest of it down, then set the empty glass down on the table. "C'mon."

He stood. Hange stared at him as he took a few steps away, when he looked over his shoulder to check if they were coming. He gestured with his head for them to join him. They did so, slipping out of their chair, leaving their coats behind. Levi led them to the back of the bar then held a door open for them.

When they entered, they realized it was a small, one-user bathroom. They heard the door shut and lock, turned to face him, to question him — it was strange that Levi of all people would bring them into a possibly contaminated bar restroom. Before they could speak, Levi grabbed their shirt in both his fists and pushed them up against the wall, reaching up to kiss them. Hange moaned into his mouth, putting their hands on him, running them up his back.

"Fuck," they whispered when Levi broke the kiss, moving his hands to their shirt buttons, feverishly undoing them. He only undid them to their belly button, reaching back up to their chest, pushing their bra up. He took one of their nipples into his mouth, rolling the other one with his fingers. Hange leaned their head back on the wall, letting out a soft groan. They closed their eyes, bringing a hand to the back of his head, weaving their fingers through his black hair.

Hange bit their bottom lip, trying to keep their noises under control. Usually they were all for letting go and being loud, but they didn't feel like being kicked out of their favorite bar. Once they were panting and slowly rolling their hips into him, Levi shifted, switching which breast his mouth was on.

"Levi, shit," they hissed as he lightly bit down. He released their bud from his mouth, licking a stripe in the middle of their chest before looking up at their face. Levi looked fucking desperate, mouth open and wet, brow a tad furrowed, eyes half closed. Hange took a breath through gritted teeth, going over their options. They likely had limited time; someone was bound to come along and knock. With the look in those gray eyes, they weren't sure they cared.

Hange grabbed Levi by the jaw, pushing him back. They crossed the small room together, Hange maneuvering him over to the sink. Once there, they spun him around and he placed his hands on either edge of the porcelain.

"I want you now," Hange breathed, unbuckling his belt and yanking his pants and boxers down. Levi began to breathe hard, looking into the mirror at their reflection. Hange undid their button and zipper, letting their pants drop to their ankles, followed by their underwear. They rubbed the head of their cock on his warmth, lubing themself up with his slick.

When they pressed into him, he let out a moan that was probably louder than he should've been, but fuck Hange could listen to his noises for the rest of their life. They placed a hand on his hip, holding him still as they thrusted into him. With how tight and soft he was, they weren't sure if they were going to last long. They looked up to the mirror, watching themself, their small breasts bouncing with every thrust.

Levi's head was down. They reached out, grabbed a fistful of his hair, and pulled him up. "Look," they said, picking up the pace. "Look at that pretty face. I told you, you look so fucking good while I'm inside of you."

"Ha-hange," he moaned. A devilish smile spread on their face, his panting and strained voice and little noises making them feel far more drunk than the alcohol did. His cunt tensed around them and they tightened their grip on his hair.

"You're gonna make me cum if you keep squeezing me like that," they said. He stared at their reflection, raising both his eyebrows. Levi tensed around them again, constricting more, doing it on purpose this time.

Hange clenched their jaw and drove into him harder, pushing themself to move as fast as they could while still bottoming out every thrust. Levi groaned and hiccuped as they pressed him into the edge of the sink, every forward movement making his nose slightly touch the mirror. He reached down, shoving his hands in between his legs. Hange assumed he was touching himself, smiled at the thought.

"Levi," they moaned, feeling their cock pulsing, his walls tightening again, wetness gushing around their cock. In order to muffle himself, Levi bit his bottom lip so hard they could see a bit of blood dribble down his chin. Hange tried to force themself to keep their eye open, to watch his handsome face. "Levi, fuck, I'm— You're so fucking tight, shit, shit, fuck!"

They couldn't help but squeeze their eye shut as they spilled into him; the pressure was too much. Hange kept rocking into him until they felt like they could breathe again, reopening their eye and looking at his face in the mirror. He was already staring at them.

"Talk about pretty faces," he said. "Yours is incredible."

Hange felt their ears grow hot. They slowly pulled out of him and he straightened, turning around to face them. They wiped the bit of blood from his lip off his face, caressed his cheek. He looked so beautiful, even in the dim light of the small latrine.

"You should take me out for drinks more often," they said. Levi let out a short chuckle, pressed his face into their hand more. "I… I should probably head back to base, though. I have a report to plagiarize."

"Alright," Levi whispered, not questioning their choice of words. "Mind if I join you?"

"Please do."

"I won't distract you?"

Hange smiled, kissed him. "Now, I can't promise that."