♡︎𝑨𝑶𝑻 𝑺𝑯𝑰𝑷 𝑶𝑵𝑬-𝑺𝑯𝑶𝑻𝑺♡︎

Hange x Levi: A Folded Note

"Oh, Levi!"

Hange cheerily opens the door into Levi's room, he sits at his desk with a cup of tea in his left hand, seated with his back to them on a rustic wooden chair.

"Don't talk to me, four eyes," says his stiff, adamant voice.

"You're as big of a downer as ever," they smirk in response. "Some things never change, right?"

The air fills with the gentle clack of boots as Hange walks towards him. They place a book on his desk, he barely flinches at the sight of it.

"I have the newest report, about Langnar," they tell him calmly. "With this new 'monkey titan' ordeal, I've been digging further into her notebook- the talking titans phenomenon. I would like you and Erwin to look over my research some time this week, if that is alright."

His reply is sharp and bitter, "mhmm. Is that all you came in to say?"

"Is something the matter?"

"I'm dealing with a situation right now, Hange, I don't need you barging in as well. Leave your research here and go."

His reply should've hurt them but surprisingly, it didn't. Maybe they've become used to Levi's constantly annoyed remarks or maybe seeing him frown with his eyebrows arching down serious-like makes him look adorable.

"Levi, Levi, Levi," they say with a smile. "I'll leave you alone in due time, but first, may I ask you a question?"

"Make it quick."

"Why don't you smile?" they ask.

For the first time in the conversation, he turns to look at them. His dark grey eyes only look darker today, showing the happiness dripped away from his psyche in a purely physical representation.

Levi's voice is skeptical in response, "why do you ask?"

"I'm curious."

A beat follows as he seriously stares at them, analysing their every movement as if reading them in the same way he would a novel. Part of the silence is dedicated to his own reaction, taking the man time to figure out just how he should answer.

He shows a rare sign of honest as he turns his head back and remarks flatly, "I look like a little kid when I smile."

His response is unlike anything they expected. For a man with the amount of painful memories and loss as Levi, they were almost waiting for a dark backstory.

"Is that all?" they continue, raising an eyebrow.

"What are you prying for? I thought you only came in to talk about Ilse."

"Yes, Ilse! You see, there's information on her in the book I gave you," their hand points out at the dark notebook they left on his desk.

He rolls his eyes, very unbothered, "I'll do that later."

"Just read the book, Levi," Hange tells him, a sharper tone to their voice.

He heaves a sigh and picks up the notebook, his hands darting across it. In anticipation they smile widely, watching his movements. As he opens the book up, out falls a brightly coloured note to the floor. Levi glances up at them with interest before going to pick it up. He unravels the folded note, sprawled in ink it reads a comforting sentence.

"'I love you, Levi'," he repeats, keeping eye-contact with Hange as he does. He looks unimpressed, yet amused.

"So, what do you say?" they pry further with a proud expression. "Have anything to add?"

"Oh, come on, Hange," he replies, looking no longer frustrated, more amused.

They egg him on, eyes widening with more pride, "what?"

"We're working, don't made me say it..."

They pout, "please?"

On his face shines a new smile, yet small. "I love you too."

"You do look like a kid."

He chuckles slightly. "Shut up."