The Humanity's Strongest & The Graceful

Tension

A Few Days Later

Tessa's POV:

When Erwin, Miche, Tessa, and Levi joined the supply wagons, everyone was surprised to see Tessa, and it didn't take long for everyone to notice the tension between her and Levi, yet they kept their mouths shut. Even Hange did after Moblit had to cover her mouth to do so when Tessa stayed with them because she wanted to distance herself from her emotions and everything else. However, her eyes looked for Levi, which would always find him watching over her from a distance. Whenever their eyes met, Tessa could feel her heart race because she wanted to go to his arms and let him explain everything, but her damn pride built a wall that held her back. Hange and Moblit kept Tessa company, but it didn't help much because her eyes would look back at Levi. That's how it was for the next three days until they returned home, and everything changed.

After returning to Headquarters, Tessa puts Star in the stables, ignoring everyone's concerned glances as she and Kip go inside the base to her office. The silence and loneliness slowly fill her lungs while walking through the empty castle to her sanctuary. Tessa wants nothing more than to hide behind the locked door, away from everyone, before she breaks because she doesn't want anyone, not even Levi, to see her weak. After Kip and Tessa walk into the office, she slams the door so hard that it echoes outside before locking it. Tessa slowly slides down the door before putting her head into her hands to finally release the agonizing tears while Kip whimpers by her feet. However, Tessa is unaware of someone waiting outside her door listening to her cries and her hound's whimpers, guilty because they're the reason for her pain the more they stand by the door. Accepting they can't listen to much more of Tessa's anguish, they go to walk away, only to be stopped by another listener before they drag them somewhere to find out what happened.

On the other side, Tessa is busy taking a few deep breaths while trying to find the strength to stand and regain her focus before filling out the notices of the deaths of the fallen comrades. Tessa pulls the list out of her jacket while walking to the filing cabinet but pauses when she reads two names she isn't ready to fill out. Isabel Magnolia and Furlan Church were her two good friends, but Levi's family. When she pulls their files out, her hands start shaking as she stares at their names, and Kip whimpers at her side, causing her to pet his head, "I know, buddy. I miss them too." She softly cries before closing the drawer to walk over to her desk. The afternoon sun shines brightly behind the leather office chair as she sits down to start the paperwork while Kip goes to his bed before flopping on it, keeping a watchful gaze on her as she works. During each signing, Tessa takes a break to rub her temples from thinking about the many people she saw, trained, and laughed with because they were gone. However, when signing for Furlan's and Isabel's, Tessa felt nauseated, causing her to lean back in her office chair as tears fell from her eyes.

While one hand taps the pen on her desk, the other goes to the wing around her neck, twisting it as the memories play back in Tessa's head. It starts from her meeting Isabel for the first time, the late-night waves of laughter with her and Hange, leading into the teasing the following morning, to the many times in the mess hall or the training yard. Tears start coming stronger the more she delves into the many memories. The sounds of Furlan's, Isabel's, hers, and Levi's voices echo in her ears as she tries to stop the tears from flowing. Suddenly there's a knock on her door, and she quickly wipes her face before clearing her throat as she grabs her pen off the desk, "State your name and business." She orders. Part of her hopes it's not Erwin or Levi, but she yearns for it to be Levi. Even after returning to headquarters, Tessa swiftly avoided Levi by hurrying to her office along with Miche and Erwin.

However, to her longing, Tessa hears Hange's voice instead, "Zoe Hange." Hange answers while opening the locked door, causing Tessa to raise a brow while staring at her in the doorway and crossing her arms, "I'm entirely going to ignore that you managed to unlock my door and ask what your business is, Zoe." She admits, and Hange chuckles while closing the door, "I'm coming to check up on my best friend since you've been in your office all day and because I'm worried about you, Cat." She admits while walking over to the sofa, but Tessa shakes her head, "I haven't been in my office all day." She remarks while leaning against her desk, causing Hange to furrow her brows, "Cat, it's seven-thirty at night," She points out, "You've been in here since noon." She says while crossing her legs on the couch. Tessa looks outside, and sure enough, it's nightfall. Yet she checks her watch to believe that her eyes aren't deceiving her, and it reads seven-thirty. Tessa rubs her forehead after realizing that time passes by so quickly. How long was she stuck in the replay of her memories?