eloquence ➪ aot oneshots + prefs

butterflies // hanji

"Oh, come on," you shoved your brother, your shoulder aligned with his face. You instantly regretted this, however, as Levi immediately elbowed the shit out of your stomach. "What the hell, shortie?" you strained, "Calm down!"

"Tch," your elder brother muttered before walking away.

"Okay, got it," you whined, "I'll stay here and train..." by this time Levi had disappeared down the stairs and you took off the opposite way to the door.

The Survey Corps, or rather, Levi was not very lenient with visiting friends during training hours, but your brother wouldn't kill his own sibling, so you weren't worried. The second you were out of his sight, you practically teleported onto your horse and started toward the Corps laboratory.

—:—

"Hanji!!" you squealed, running towards the door where Hanji had been waiting. She must've been expecting you. Hanji ran to meet you.

"Y/N!!" the two of you crashed together in a tight embrace. The usual greeting. "It's been so long!"

"It's been three days, Hanji," you laughed happily, "How did you know I was coming?"

Hanji was jumping up and down with excitement now, dragging you toward the titan enclosure. "I just wait there for a couple of hours in the morning to see if you'll come!" she said, "I was just about to go back to the titans—"

"Wait," you asked, stopping your run toward the Hanji's titan pets, "you wait there everyday?"

"Mhm," Hanji nodded, still smiling, as she dragged you toward the enclosed area.

"You don't have to do that..." you muttered, feeling both guilty and flattered. If you'd known she was waiting there every day... Thinking about it made your cheeks hot.

You couldn't deny that Hanji was beautiful. You would kill to run your fingers through her dark hair or hold her waist—you cut your train of thought, not wanting to get carried away.

You didn't think Hanji felt the same, but after her comment about waiting for you every day...

"What do you think?" Hanji held her arms as if to display the titans strapped and nailed to the floor that lay in front of you. A chill went down your spine.  You'd never been this close to Sawney and Beane, only ever hearing about them late at night as Hanji excitedly explained her adventures as a titan enthusiast. You were eager to get even closer to them.

"They're cute!" you said. You were flat-out lying, in fact, you thought they looked horrific in a cool way, but you'd never tell Hanji.

Hanji's eyes sparkled as she looked at you, her mouth open and cheeks deep red. "You really think so?"

"Yeah," you scratched the back of your neck, desperately searching for something you found cute in the titans. You found nothing, so just started making things up. You gestured toward the ragged strands of fur on top of the bigger one's head "That one has nice brown hair," you laughed nervously.

"We're matching," Hanji smiled jokingly. She looked back at the titans and crossed her arms, "Do you think they're brothers? or friends?"

"Friends, I bet," you said, "or maybe lovers," you laughed, but Hanji took your remark seriously.

"Ooo!" she said, "I love a good friends to lovers," she smiled, throwing you s strange look before walking toward Sawney, who sat with his tongue hanging out. "Sawney, this is Y/N," she held her hand out towards you as you walked over to greet the literal human-eating monster, "Isn't she cute?"

Though 'cute' was not your compliment of choice, your heart leaped at Hanji referring to you as such. Your face and ears felt as if they were on fire.

Sawney stared at you blankly, and you vaguely wondered whether or not he wanted to eat you. "Is he hungry?" you asked Hanji, failing to remember your childhood education. In your defense, you best friend was looking awfully beautiful at the moment.

"Titan's don't—" Hanji started, but stopped mid sentence and froze. You did the same and heard a horse gallop come to stop outside the titan containment area. You peered between the tarp walls and saw an all-too-familiar midget hop off the horse and head towards the entrance to the research area.

"Shit—" you whispered, sprinting behind Sawney to hide from your responsibilities and older brother.

"Hurry!" You heard Hanji mutter nervously, rushing you towards the makeshift lab at the back.

You barely ducked behind a table when you heard Levi call out to Hanji.

"Hey, Captain!" Hanji said, already managing to sound suspicious.

"Where's Y/N?" Levi asked, not caring to exchange greetings.

"I dunno," Hanji said, "she told me a few days ago she'd be at training today. Did you check the forest?"

Levi didn't answer, but you could see his feet get closer and closer to your hiding spot.

"Ah, hello!" Hanji said quickly, noticing what looked to be a cadet appear in the doorway and desperately attempting to keep Levi away from the lab.

"Commander Erwin is looking for Captain Levi," the cadet said, somewhat nervously.

"Levi!" Hanji said louder than necessary.

At this point, Levi was less than a foot from your hiding place. You held your breath and shut your eyes praying he'd turn around.

When you heard nothing but a sigh, you opened your eyes, which then met the most horrifying gaze you'd ever seen. Levi didn't say a word, simply stared through your soul, as if to say that you were in 'deep shit.'

And then he left. Just like that. Your heart was beating out of your chest with fear of countless extra training hours, and before you knew it Hanji was running over to where you hid.

"Okay, he's gone," she sat next to you on the floor, panting with from the adrenaline of her life being in a tiny Captain's hands, "that was close," she laughed.

Thinking of the glare he shot at you, you couldn't help but laugh. Sure, he could send you running around headquarters until your legs fell off, but you knew he wouldn't you had a feeling he'd give up trying to keep your where he chose after today.

"Even Beane looked scared when Levi showed up," you joked. Beane looked the same as always.

Hanji laughed, resting her arm on your shoulder as she did so. For the ten millionth time today, your stomach filled with butterflies and you stopped laughing.

"You know, Hanji," you said, gaining a sudden surge of confidence, "thinking of titans as your pets is kinda hot." You fought the urge to cringe after that, struggling to even keep eye contact with the brunette.

Hanji stopped laughing, too, now, her expression returning to the excited and astonished look you knew and loved. She shook herself and put on a straight face, with clashed violently with her red cheeks. "Yeah?" she asked cooly.

You felt yourself inch towards her, leaning forwards on your hands, which were flat on the ground.

Suddenly, Hanji was also leaning towards you, though at a much faster rate. Your eyes widened as her lips collided with hers, but closed as you basked in a dream come true.

Your arms reached around her neck and you pulled her closer to you as you grabbed your wrist behind her head. You felt Hanji's warm hands on your waist, only assisting in the euphoria welling up inside of you.

When you finally stopped kissing your best friend, you ran your fingers through her chaotic ponytail, checking off a box you certainly didn't think you'd be checking off this Wednesday afternoon.

You were inches from her face, but your eyes kept skipping back and forth between her eyes and lips as your brain tried to accept what just happened.

Hanji smiled and shook her head in disbelief and you moved to rest your forehead on hers. "How was that for friends to lovers?"