The Fragments of Us | Levihan |

|{|}| FIVE |{|}|

"Of all the stupid, crazy, reckless—"

Emmanuel's rapid-fire ranting fades into the background. Hanji hums distractedly as she peers at a recent sapling she found growing in the Titan Forest through her microscope, pausing every now and then to jot down notes on a piece of parchment. As Hanji adjusts the magnification on one of the leaves, she stares down at the wide green blade, admiring the way its veins shoot outwards from the midrib in a crisscross pattern. In fact if she squints hard enough, the leaf almost resembles the long, stitched wound of a certain Ackerman—

"Hanji!"

"Hmm?" Hanji's train of thought derails. She looks up to find Emmanuel standing over her, arms folded across his chest.

"Did you not hear a word I said?" The Marleyan barks, fuming.

"Sorry, no. What were you saying?"

He shakes his head and rakes a hand through his dark hair. "Never mind. Just... what were you thinking, disappearing like that?! You could've been hurt or killed and I would've never known about it!"

"But I wasn't," Hanji points out. "Levi hasn't hurt me once the whole time I was with him."

"You didn't see the way he fought in Liberio; the Eldian's dangerous! Do you really think he's just befriending you out of sheer kindness?"

"Well in case you forgot, I went to see Levi of my own accord," she huffs, tightening the fresh bandage wrapped around her left shoulder with an indignant tug. Hanji starts to rummage through the messy pile of papers strewn across her desk, muttering to herself.

"What are you doing now?" Demands Emmanuel.

"Checking I wrote down everything that happened when I was with Levi," she grabs a worn page overflowing with messy flowcharts and sketches. Graphite and smudged fingerprints stain the parchment. "I've finally made a breakthrough with my past; everything makes sense now! I'm a Subject of Ymir. We were both soldiers. We were on an expedition together and—"

"That's crazy! You can't actually believe any of that!"

"But it's true!"

"Whatever lies that Devil told you—"

"He never told me those things! I remember them!" Hanji bursts out.

Emmanuel freezes, his sharp retort clogging in his throat. A tangible silence passes between the two of them.

"... You-you—what?" He finally manages to stutter, dazed.

"I remember," she repeats, her voice and heartbeat lowering. "Even the forest Levi took me to... was familiar. I know you said I can't trust my feelings, but just being there... your theory was right."

Emmanuel says nothing. He's motionless, rooted to the spot. Unspoken thoughts war within him. He is so still, Hanji wonders if he even heard her.

At last he falters, "... I still don't trust him... I mean, why would an Eldian soldier loyal to Eren Yeager be living out here of all places, alone? That seems suspicious."

"I thought so too, which is why I don't think Levi's a patriot. I think he's a prisoner."

"Hanji—"

"Think about it," she implores. "Levi lives in a remote location away from the city—and even then, he was so insistent I leave before eight o'clock; his eyes were shifty... as if we were being watched... if he really wanted to hurt me, then why would he beg me to go when he had me cornered like you said? Why not just kill me then and there?"

Emmanuel opens his mouth as if to protest, but then shuts it again. He looks away, not meeting her eyes. "Are you sure about this? Visiting him again? This... Eldian?"