What Could Have Been (HangexFemReader)

Chapter 1: Family is Everything

A/N: Hi everyone! This is the Arcane inspired story that I promised. This story does not follow the exact plot or timeline of Arcane—it has its own plot and only uses the AOT characters so it's totally fine if you haven't watched the show. But, it does have some concepts from the show that will be mentioned (like the topside and undercity, shimmer). Y/N has a similar personality to Vi, and Hange's is a combination of Viktor and Caitlyn. There are no spoilers for either Arcane or AOT!

It was the perfect night for a fight. The air was chilly, the streetlamps illuminating the dark cobblestone roads. A crowd of people lingered by, eagerly watching and placing bets. Who would win tonight? Many would opt to bet on Levi Ackerman—the underground's strongest fighter. Nobody dared to mess with him. He was undefeated, his stories whispered through the alleyways. Not a single person had challenged his strength before. Well, except for (Y/N).

She stood in the center of the ring of people, her fists poised in front of her. Her lips were curved into a small smirk, and it was just like her to not show an ounce of fear. The underground's strongest fighter? Yeah, right. She'd beat him one day. Even if it meant she had to challenge him to a hundred fights.

"Haven't you learned your lesson?" Levi frowned. He stood opposite of (Y/N), his fists remaining at his sides. He never took her seriously.

"Oh, come on, Levi!" (Y/N) scoffed. "You're not telling you're scared, are you? Are you worried that I'll finally beat you? Reclaim your title of being the strongest fighter?"

"You've never beat me before," Levi narrowed his eyes. He was tired. It was evening time, and all he wanted to do was drink a cup of his favorite tea.

"Fight, fight, fight, fight!" The crowd chanted, surging in to trap Levi into the circle of spectators. He looked around, expression full of distaste. Looks like he didn't have a choice, after all. Levi glanced back at (Y/N), taking in the determination that glinted in her eyes. He let out a long sigh before mimicking her stance.

"Let's make this quick, shall we?" He quipped.

"Of course. I'd love to pulverize your face in under five minutes," (Y/N) grinned. While the remark seemed mean and brash, everyone knew that it was a joke. Levi, ten years older than (Y/N), had practically adopted her as a younger sister a long time ago. He had found her wandering the streets, lost and alone, wearing nothing but a ragged nightgown. She had been only six. Since then, (Y/N) looked up to him as a brother. This fight wasn't malicious. It was a friendly one.

"3, 2, 1," the crowd counted down, gleefully waiting to see Levi defeat another person. It was always fun watching Levi's unique moves. He wasn't called the strongest for no reason.

(Y/N) didn't waste a single second before she launched herself at Levi, fist aimed straight for his face. Ever since she was a kid, she was in awe at his strength. She would mimic his moves, punching bags of stale flour or rice and lifting the heaviest boxes she could find. She wanted to be stronger. Like him.

"When will you ever learn?" Levi mused. His hand shot out quickly, grasping (Y/N)'s wrist. She grunted, trying to remove herself from his grasp while simultaneously kicking him in the shin. Levi winced but was able to flip (Y/N) onto her back before she could do anything else.

(Y/N) wheezed, the air knocked out of her lungs. She stared up at the milky blue sky, disappointment settling in when she realized that she had lost. Again. She let out a groan, covering her face with her hands. This sucked.

"You've gotten better," Levi outstretched a hand, hauling (Y/N) back to her feet. "But you need patience. Every single time, without fail, you always strike first. What are you so eager for, (Y/N)?"