Save Me | levihan

Chapter 12: Sawney and Beane

It had been a week since Levi and Hanji's fight and they were yet to talk to each other. Levi was avoiding her like the plague. He felt terrible for the way he treated her that day and he felt too guilty to talk to her and try to apologize. She deserved better anyway. Levi convinced himself that this was for the best. No matter how much it hurt in the moment, he knew Hanji would be happier without him.

It had been a week and Hanji missed Levi so much. She missed having lunch with him and making fun of his height. She missed the way he would only smile around her and call her Four-eyes. She wondered if he'd had more nightmares and was struggling alone. She felt like a zombie. She would go to work, eat, think about Levi, sleep and repeat. Her presentation was to be reviewed soon and she had almost zero motivation to finish it. It just didn't seem important to her anymore.

When Hanji was around Levi seemed to fall asleep better. He didn't lie awake for hours. He sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. He got out of bed and made his way to the kitchen. He set the kettle on the stove. He remembered when Hanji hugged him after his nightmare right there in his kitchen. A loud bang sounded from outside Levi's apartment. Gunther's body lay lifeless on the ground. Levi sunk to the floor "Fuck, fuck, fuck." He groaned. He hated when he randomly got triggered by sounds. He sighed. He really missed Hanji.

Hanji decided to take the day off. She got permission from Erwin and decided to take the day to go and see her mom. It had been a while and she really missed her. She couldn't take seeing Levi ignore her anymore.

Hanji's mom lived about an hour away. Hanji packed some stuff from her and Mikasa's apartment and got in her car.

"Mom, I'm here!" She called.

Haji felt something rub against her leg. She looked down to see two cats staring up at her.

"Sawney! Beane!" She cried happily and swooped the chubby cats into her arms. The meowed happily.

When Hanji's dad passed away her mom had decided to get the cats. She hoped they would help cheer Hanji up and make herself less lonely. She had taken fourteen year old Hanji to the shelter where Hanji hand picked the two. Sawney was missing part of his left ear and Beane was missing his right eye. Hanji pleaded with her mom to let them get both because as she argued, "They complete each other." Her mom eventually gave in and adopted the two scraggly cats.

"Hanji!" She heard her mom yell. She came around the corner and wrapped her up in a hug.

"I missed you so much! Tell me about your new job!" Her mom ranted.

Hanji smiled brightly and put the cats down. "I love it! Everyone there is so amazing." She gushed.

Hanji and her mom made their way to the couch so they could talk comfortably. "Is it everything you wanted it to be?" Her mom inquired. She was so proud of Hanji.

"And more." Hanji laughed. Beane crawled into her lap and Hanji began stroking his ears. "I already got Mikasa set up with one of the boys."

Hanji's mom chuckled, "Of course you did." She looked up at Hanji with a look on her face. Hanji knew what was coming. "Have you found a boy?"

Hanji face palmed. "Mooooom."

Her mom shrugged. "What? I just want to know what my daughter has been up to." She defended with an innocent smile.

Hanji smiled sadly. "It's complicated."

Her mom tilted her head and frowned. "So there is a boy."

Hanji nodded. "I really like him." She sighed.

"What's the problem?" Her mom asked gently.

"I just- I don't know. He has some things going on and I just tried to help him. I think I tried a little too hard and ended up hurting him."

"Hanji, if you were honestly trying to help then he'll come around." Her mom comforted. "And remember, you have to take it slow with hurting people."

Hanji looked at her mom, "What do you mean?"

Her mom smiled sadly. "When I would try to help your dad, sometimes I'd push him too far too fast and he'd end up shutting down instead of opening up. Some people need to come to you instead of you coming to them. That way they will come to you for help when they are ready."

Hanji nodded. Her mom had good advice. If only she had waited for Levi to tell her about the incident rather than finding out herself and making him shut her out. "I wish you'd told me that a few days ago." Hanji laughed.

"I have a presentation on Monday." She added, "My branch has been developing this new weapon and I have to present it in front of the higher ranks."

Hanji's mom watched as her daughters eyes lit up. She knew this was the right job for her. "Are you nervous?" She asked.

Hanji shrugged. "A little, but I'm mostly excited. My department has been working so hard on this, I can't wait to show it off."

"I'm sure it will be amazing."

Hanji spent the rest of the day catching up with her mom and cuddling Sawney and Beane. It felt nice to get away for a while. After a few more hours she had to say goodbye. She promised her mom that she would let her know how the presentation went.

"I love you, Mom." She said as she hugged her. She bent down to pat Beane and Sawney on the heads. As Hanji drove away, she felt more determined than ever to get back to the corps and make things right.