Sacrifice For You (Hange Zoe x Female Reader)

5: Yearning and Regret

I was so caught up in their embrace that I didn't take a second to analyze the action, the feel of their body against mine bringing a prominent sense of comfort. To my dismay, though, it didn't last long - as Captain Levi stepped in behind them. He cleared his throat a little too loudly, and Hange pulled away, staring at me with an expression I couldn't decipher.

"You're supposed to be scrubbing shit off of the walls, [Y/N]." His tone was definite, and there was something else to it that I couldn't quite pick out. He eyed me with his infamous, tiresome expression. He's probably still pissed that I abandoned orders.

"Of course, Captain," I spoke through gritted teeth, glancing at Hange for a moment. They met me with a distant look, almost like they wanted to tell me something but couldn't. I'm probably just reading too much into it. But, could they be upset that they had to come to save me? A red flush fell hot on my skin at the thought and I could feel the embarrassment rush over me. I briskly picked up the soap I had been handed and got back to cleaning the cell.

I snuck a quick peek back at them, noticing Hange avoiding Levi's obvious burning stare. I don't have the energy for this. I continued cleaning, and after a few seconds, the sound of crinkling paper filled the air.

"Well... I'm gonna, uh, go..." the soldier that had been sent to watch me not too long ago stood awkwardly, his eyes darting around. He crinkled a newspaper in his hands. It was obvious that a stifling layer of tension had filled the air. With a nervous wave he darted out, and Captain Levi scoffed.

"Levi!" A booming, deep voice sounded from down the hall. Within a few seconds a familiar tall, blonde man entered the room. "I need you, now. It's a meeting about the Female Titan, along with what was discovered within the walls." I looked around the corner, my eyes meeting the Commanders. He met my gaze only for a moment, wordless, and then looked back at Levi.

With a brief moment of hesitation, he eyed Hange and then nodded at Erwin. "Keep busy," he spoke to me, almost as if he was implying something. Too tired and unarmed to argue, I nodded, and the two men exited the room. After they left, I dropped the soap in the bucket, rubbing the sweat off of my forehead with my sleeve.

"Are you alright?" Hange's voice filled the air, and I looked over at them with a nod. My ribs had healed from the first expedition in the titan forest days ago, and I assumed I was just as sore as anyone else. "Can I ask you a question, Section Commander?" I prompted, the words filtering from my lips before I could think. They straightened up at my words, their usual slouched posture disappearing. They nodded.

"...Why did you save me from Annie? I was seconds away from being crippled by her hand," I looked down at my hands, "surely you knew the risk you were taking for one mere soldier." The last part came out as a whisper, as what seemed like a million thoughts swirled around in my head. I moved my head to look at them once more, and their posture had slouched again. They had their head in their hand, causing bits of hair to scrunch up slightly.

"Hange?" I whispered, standing slowly and making my way over to them cautiously. Light-headedness took over me, and my heart was starting to race little by little. Just being in their presence gives me an unparalleled feeling; one mixed with yearning and ecstasy.

They met my gaze with their own, peering at me with widened chocolatey eyes and their mouth agape just a bit. "I... was close, that's all." Their usual eccentric demeanor had dissipated, and it was obvious they were struggling to maintain eye contact. My shoulders dropped, and I blinked a few times as if to process the information.

"Of course, what else could it possibly be..." I laughed emptily, speaking in more of a statement tone than a questioning one. Pressing my palm over my lips, I ran it down the rest of my face as I looked away. Why would you ever think it'd be anything but luck, [Y/N]? You didn't seriously think they went out of their way for you, right?