invidia 『Hange Zoë』

13: "so, why couldn't you sleep?"

"That isn't one of your shirts," Alice points out as the four members of your squad walk into the meeting room for your weekly plan discussion. "Explain yourself."

Theo whispers something to Finnegan, who tuts disapprovingly, and the embarrassment and fluster you'd just managed to cool down comes back in full force, memories of the morning flooding your mind viciously. They all seem shocked by your very obvious reaction, but stay quiet to let you explain.

"W-well, it's… Complicated?"

"Not good enough, we want all the details," the others (even Finnegan, traitor) agree wordlessly with Pyotr, who continues. "With that reaction, I'm gonna guess you spent the night with Section Commander Hange."

You sigh and resist the urge to strangle yourself with one of the straps of your harness. "I did but not in the way you're thinking," you admit shamefully, knowing they'd see through any lies you could come up, doodling with the pencil in your hand on the desk so you don't have to look at their undeniably surprised but also knowing faces. "We just had an impromptu sleepover and I didn't have any spare clothes with me."

"That's awful convenient, seems to me like you're not telling us the full truth…" Her voice full of conspiracy, Alice seems to be determined to find out whatever she thinks is the truth.

"Well I am."

"And you didn't even give them a night to remember before they go off on a mission? How rude of you." Pyotr decides to accuse you of… Not having sex with the Section Commander? Well at least he doesn't think you did.

Having enough, you give them all a pointed look, switching easily into 'Captain' mode, something you're finding yourself needing to employ more often these days. "Okay, enough discussion of my personal life. If you even mention Hange in a sentence not related to work,  you'll be cleaning the toilets for the next week."

Clearly getting your message, your squad finally calms down, sitting at a desk each with their journals out. You breathe out a sigh and walk up to the chalkboard. "Okay, the mission is going to last for three days, if it's a success, so I'm granting us one of these days as a free day, since the Commander is going with them. Which one would you guys like to reserve?"

"Definitely Wednesday," Theo pipes up loudly, hand in the air. You nod at him to continue. "My family close their shop that day so I can visit them without being a burden."

"Is that okay with everyone else?" You ask, and they all nod, so you jot that down on the board. "Okay then, for the other days we'll do this…"

Once the meeting is over, you collect your things and follow your squad out of the room. "Don't forget that since we're the only veteran squad that isn't going on the mission, we have to uphold a strong image for the others. What I mean is, no getting drunk on your free day." You teasingly chastise them (mainly Alice), waving goodbye to them when they give various responses to your order as you separate to carry out the day's plans.

❀❀❀

That night, lying awake in your bed, something feels wrong. You're not entirely sure what it is, but you know that you won't be able to sleep. Maybe it's that the mission starts tomorrow and you're worried, scared something will happen to your friends out there whilst you're safe inside the Walls. That must be it, but you can't just lay here all night and get no sleep, you still have a busy schedule tomorrow.

Sighing, you slide out of bed and put on some slippers before sneaking out of your room into the hallway. Only one person would be up at this time, and you know where you'll find him.

There's a kitchen in the senior officers' hall, and Levi is usually there on nights like tonight, when the sky is clear and the stars are out. He'll start the night by roaming the hallways like a ghost, scaring anyone who dares to be out past curfew for no good reason back to bed. Then he'll make his way up to the roof and watch the stars as they glow in the sky for a while. You know better than to disturb him then, only Erwin can go up there and deal with his wrath (you'd really rather just wait to talk to him). Then he'll end up in the kitchen, drinking tea until the birds sing, when he'll leave and pretend he'd been asleep.