Deviate | Levi Ackerman x OC

Ch. 4

A familiar scowl came into view as the door pushed open.
"Should've known you'd end up joining us," Hange mused without looking up to greet him.
Levi clicked his tongue in response. "This place is only so big. Options were pretty limited."
"I'm sure the tea had something to do with it too," they smirked, pouring a few cups, and handing me one. I thanked them and felt the heat warm my hands.
"Please, Four Eyes. I'd hardly consider any tea you make fit for human consumption," he protested, but accepted a cup from them anyway. They winked at me victoriously and I chuckled, bringing my own cup to my lips. It wasn't the worst thing I'd ever had in my life, but it wouldn't be entirely truthful to say it was the best, either. It was a happy middle somewhere in between, but more than anything, it was a way Hange was showing that they cared.

We all quietly sipped our tea until Levi finally broke the silence. "Are you actually going to turn Erwin down?"
I looked up to see him already looking at me. This was the first he'd spoken to me directly all day. "I don't know. I don't think so? I haven't quite decided."
He looked away from me and into his cup. "You'd really have to be an idiot to do that."
I pulled my eyebrows together, but Hange jumped in before I could. "Man, Shorty, can you really blame her? You make having to work with you seem like such a treat."

I love them. I love them. I love them.

Hange knew just what to say without me having to say it, it seems. They reminded me of Violet in that way.
Violet, I recalled. Could I ever tell her about this? They're a fan too, sure, but there are some things that maybe other people aren't meant to know about us. And elaborate dreams about fictional worlds and characters are in that category for sure. Right?

"Tch, after working directly under you for so long? It would be like having to train a cadet all over again."
I'm not sure who that dig was more pointed at, but I was at my limit with his quips. "Alright, you know what-"
"Stroid!" Hange once again cut in; they only ever seemed to do that when it was my turn to fire back. "We'll figure it out! I thought you guys had become better friends by now, but you'll have to resolve this one way or another."
I had nothing further to add, but it sounded like Levi mumbled something under his breath. I lacked the energy or desire to press further as it was likely another sarcastic gripe, so I elected to take another sip of my tea instead.

Hange and Levi discussed among themselves for a few more minutes before he saw himself out without acknowledging me again. They stared at me, pursing their lips. "What is going on with you guys?"
"I was hoping you'd be able to tell me."
"Me? How would I know?" They grabbed a couple bread rolls from a nearby basket and threw one over to me.
I had been dreading this part: having to explain or address any discrepancies on the fly. I'd gotten lucky so far, but I knew I was going to have to get on that eventually. "I don't know, you seem to know him better than I do."
"Hardly. If it isn't obvious by now, Levi isn't the most social person around. He isn't nearly tenured as you and I and while he obviously loves me already, the only one I've seen him especially interact with is Erwin."
I looked at them inquisitively – if that was the case, there wasn't much room in that equation for me.
Hange was very good at reading me and picked up on what I was thinking. "I thought I'd noticed you guys hanging out a little more than usual lately. That's why this aversion to working together struck me as a little odd, that's all."
Levi? Interacting with me on anything more than an as-needed basis? Judging by how less-than-thrilled he's been to see me at every opportunity all day, I seriously doubted that.
"Yeah, I uh- I'm not sure. You know that one, he's a little tricky to navigate."
"You could go straight to the source, ya know," they suggested. "Or do you prefer this passive aggressive back-and-forth?"
"I don't know, Hanj – you make an excellent middle ground. My first choice in one, really."
Hange laughed and gave an exasperated sigh. "You keep me on my toes as much as I keep you on yours, you know that?"
"There's absolutely no way!"
"Relax, darling. I didn't say I didn't enjoy it," they assured me. "It just might make both of our lives a little easier if you got to figuring out what happened or what will happen with Short Stack so we can establish your next steps, too."

I hated how right they were. I almost wish Vi would come in and be the one shaking me awake right about now so I wouldn't have to go ahead with this. I sighed and offered what I hope looked like a sincere smile. They must not have bought it because they laughed and shook their head back. "Life around here would be so boring without you."
"I didn't think you knew the meaning of that word," I countered with a smirk.
"I've heard theories," they quipped back, extending a hand to help me down from the countertop.
I accepted and brushed myself off once I was on my feet again. "Anything else on the agenda today?"
"Nothing too drastic, I don't think. Mostly finishing up compiling the data we gathered this week into a report for Erwin," Hange said, heading for the door and holding it open for me to join them. "You, however, have some other work that needs tending to."
I narrowed my eyes at them. "Really? I don't even get any time to work up to that?"
"No better time than the present, my dear," they hooked their arm around mine and lead me down the hall.

I have too much social anxiety for this.

Hange had left me to my own devices as they entered their office on our way back. Sure, I could have escaped to my room and hidden away there - that would've probably been the safest option. But knowing myself as I do, I'd still be anxious about the situation, just from afar rather than addressing it directly.

Why was I so stressed about this?

Probably because this man seemed irritated by my mere existence and here I was with no idea why. And not only could I not just ignore it, but I was expected to approach him about it and somehow figure out how to move forward anyway.
I awkwardly laughed to and at myself. Was I really having something of a crisis over this? Panicking over the opinion(s) of someone who, prior to this morning, I'd only ever even known of through a screen in the comfort of my home?
It's absolutely absurd. I know I sound crazy. I'm thinking too much and making it way harder than I need to. That's part of the beauty of our dreams, right? They get to be whatever I want, which means I can't fail. Although the thought was intended to be reassuring, it did little to actually soothe my nerves.
Totally consumed by my thoughts, I hadn't been all that aware of where I'd allowed my feet to take me. I looked around the oddly quiet corridor. The afternoon sun shone on the stone floor before me. Despite this world often being riddled with death and destruction, the air around me felt still and almost... peaceful? If only for a moment.

"Hey Attie," a husky voice from behind me called. I could tell immediately it wasn't Levi so that was something of a relief. Turning halfway, I watched two blondes approaching me, small grins on their faces and jesting among themselves. I recognized them immediately as Mike and Nanaba, and found it reassuring that not everyone in this dreamscape found me as unpleasant as a certain other captain did.
"Hey guys. How are you?"
"A little more tuned in than you seem to be," she teased. "We've been trying to get your attention for a couple of minutes now."
I felt my mouth fall open. "Are you- oh my god, I'm so sorry. I'm kind of... out of it today."
"No kidding," Mike followed up. "Just wanted to check in and see why you were spending your afternoon aimlessly wandering around headquarters alone."
They were very observant, and suddenly I was a little self-conscious but thought on my feet anyway.
"Hange ditched for a date with some data reports," I shrugged. "I'd just left them in their office and was working my way... well, I hadn't quite figured that part out yet."
"You could join us a little later if you'd like. We have a birthday to celebrate," Nanaba offered earnestly.
"Not usually a big thing around here, I know, but when it lines up with what precious few off days we get, it feels like a crime not to," Mike shrugged but cracked another smile. "Always a solid excuse for some drinking, too."
I felt a grin spread across my face, too, and nodded in acceptance. "For sure, count me in. Do you guys need help with anything?"
"I think we've got it pretty well covered, thank you. We're aiming to have a fire set up around sunset in the clearing near the stables."
"Oh!" Nanaba cut in, "Extend the invite to Hange and Levi if and when you see them, too."
"For sure. I will see you guys then!"
They both nodded in unison and Nanaba offered a small wave as they walked back the way they came.
I breathed a little easier as I watched them go. I thought that went well all things considered, and even felt almost normal. Even most of the day with Hange has come pretty naturally despite the not exactly typical start.

Was Levi going to be the only one dedicated to giving me a hard time?
I switched my focus back to the topic at hand that I now faced with a renewed confidence I didn't have before.
Now, if I was an antisocial clean freak, where would I be in my free time? I started back toward the wing that housed many of the superiors' offices.