invidia 『Hange Zoë』

3: "i don't want to talk about it"

So you've managed to rule out Levi and Hange being in a secret relationship. Only problem left is that Levi now also won't talk to you.

"If you continue being a brat, then you can deal with this on your own." He had threatened you yesterday, and after you continued to moan about Hange avoiding you, he just started doing the same.

Not that you blame him, you had just blurted out the question 'are you and Hange dating?' at him in the middle of ODM practice, making him lose his balance uncharacteristically, so maybe your current treatment from him is justified, but other than your team, you don't really have anyone else to hang out with. And you love them dearly, but they aren't either of your best friends.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if only Hange would just find you and tell you about whatever is bothering them so you could work it out, but they just won't, and it's so unlike them that you can't help but panic. What did you do? For about a week now, you've been trying to think about anything that you said or did to them that might have upset them, but you keep coming up empty handed.

'Hange's jealous,' Levi's voice echoes in your head, his explanation from the other day reminding you that it's entirely possible you haven't actively done anything wrong. Still, it's not something you're willing to accept without concrete evidence. 'Tch, brat.'

You mentally scold mind-Levi for sassing you. Now is not the time.

Hands gripping some training notes that Erwin had asked you to write up of your team's strengths and weaknesses, probably just as an assessment of your skill as a Team Leader to be objective about your soldiers, you knock on his door before entering, not registering the voices already in the room in your distracted state.

"Commander, I have the-" you stop mid-sentence, eyes catching Hange's in front of you as they turn to find out what the interruption was. Normally this situation would've been fine, you'd either leave again and wait for them to finish (and get teased later by Hange for barging in unannounced), or just wait inside the room at Hange's easy smile and Erwin's approval. Instead, Hange seems to initiate some weird staring contest, maroon eyes locked onto (E/C) ones like a test of willpower, daring you to look away. They seem tense, like you walked in on a conversation that was private (or maybe they just really don't want to see you), so you break the eye contact to look at Erwin. "Sorry sir, I didn't mean to intrude, I'll wait outside." Your voice stutters a little, mind reeling with confusion and something else that makes your insides jolt almost pleasantly.

He nods and waves you away, so you turn and almost run out of the door, the tension in the air so thick it was almost like you could feel it in your lungs as you breathed. The voices start up again as you close the door, discussing plans for tomorrow's trip outside Wall Rose.

Leaning against the wall next to the office doors, you hold the paper to your chest and pinch the bridge of your nose to ease the beginning of a stress headache you can feel forming behind your eyes. Hange had looked at you with such intensity, it felt like they could see right into your soul. Perhaps they could. After only a short time of barely interacting with them, that one moment had felt like something so important, so captivating...

"Shit," you curse almost silently, banging your head back against the wall gently, trying to sort out your conflicting feelings and thoughts. Their stare made you uncomfortable, sure, but something about the strong look in their (very gorgeous) eyes sent a surprisingly pleasant shudder down your spine as you remember it, so intense, and for seemingly no reason. "Stop thinking about it, (Y/N)."

"About what?" Hange questions, catching the tail-end of your one-person conversation as they walk out of the Commander's office.

Before you have a chance to react, Hange moves ever closer to you, crowding you in against the wall, giving you no chance to slip away from them. Their left hand lands on the wall by your head, right hand in the pocket of their trousers. Their pose screams 'casual', like trapping you up to the wall is a regular occurrence for them, but it's not threatening. If anything, you're just happy they didn't ignore you again.