Brewed to Perfection: Quiet Tea | LeviHan | Levi Ackerman x Hange Zoe | FalBi

Chapter 5: More Than Just Tea

The aftermath of the tea-off had left Quiet Tea buzzing with new customers, drawn in by tales of the small shop that had outperformed the flashy Golden Brew Café. Levi found the increased attention exhausting; he had never intended his success to include entertaining a never-ending stream of curious townsfolk.

As he restocked tea tins behind the counter, the familiar jingle of the doorbell rang through the shop. Without needing to look up, Levi called out, "Welcome to Quiet Tea," his voice flat, betraying his lack of enthusiasm for customer interaction.

"Still as cheerful as ever, I see," came a familiar, gentle voice that made Levi pause and look up.

Armin Arlert stood at the entrance, a soft smile on his face, with Jean and Connie flanking him, both wearing their characteristic grins.

"Great, more brats," Levi muttered, setting down a tin with more force than necessary. "What brings you here again?"

Jean smirked, striding to the counter. "Thought we'd check in on our favorite tea shop owner. Make sure you haven't scared all these new customers away yet."

Connie added, his grin widening, "And we brought Armin this time. You know, so he could experience the magic of Quiet Tea firsthand."

Armin chuckled softly. "I came on my own, actually. I was caught up with work in Port Whitestone when these two left. Figured I'd follow them after hearing about your tea-off victory."

Jean scoffed. "We told you, Armin. We're the reason Levi won. That honey-drizzled flatbread? Our idea."

Connie leaned toward Armin, whispering loudly, "We told him bacon tea would be better, but he didn't listen."

Levi shot them both a glare. "Keep talking, and I'll ban you from the shop."

"Relax, Captain," Jean said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "We're here to support you. I guess."

Gabi, spotting the familiar faces from across the room, bounded over, practically shouting, "Armin! You're here!", her voice full of excitement. "Jean! Connie! You're back!"

"Wouldn't miss it," Armin said warmly, his gaze taking in the bustling shop. "Looks like business is booming."

Levi shrugged, the tension in his shoulders visible even as he tried to play it off. "It's more mess than business."

Jean laughed, clapping Levi on the back. "That's just your way of saying you're thrilled."

As they settled at a corner table with cups of Levi's marlok-infused black tea and a tray of honey-drizzled flatbread, the conversation turned to the past few weeks.

"We've been in Port Whitestone since the tea-off," Jean said between bites. "Needed a breather after all the excitement."

Connie nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, running a tea empire is hard work, Captain. We've been scouting potential new locations for you. Picture this: Quiet Tea, Port Whitestone branch."

Levi stared at him, unimpressed. "I'd rather drink swamp water."

Falco, who was wiping tables nearby, chuckled quietly while Gabi said, "I think it's a great idea! We could have banners with Levi's face on them."

Jean grinned. "A tourist attraction and a tea shop."

Levi sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is why I don't like visitors."

Armin, ever the voice of reason, steered the conversation back. "Actually, before I left Paradis last month, we met Hange."

Levi froze for a moment, his hand stilling on the teapot he was cleaning. His gaze flicked briefly to Armin before returning to the pot. "You did?"

"Yeah," Armin said, smiling as he sipped his tea. "She was consulting on peace talks with the ambassadors. Mostly advocating for Marleyan-Eldian cooperation, but she couldn't stop talking about this shop. She told us to check in on you."

"That does sound like her," Jean added with a chuckle. "She said if we didn't show up here, she'd make us regret it for the rest of our lives."

"She's good at that," Connie said, grinning. "We didn't want to risk it."

Levi didn't respond immediately, his face unreadable. He adjusted the tea tin on the counter with meticulous precision, the silence briefly stretching between them.

Jean leaned back, watching Levi closely. "She really went on about this place, though. Must be proud you're keeping busy instead of, you know, sulking."

Levi shot him a look. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

"Not today," Jean said with a smirk. "And speaking of Hange, she told us she's sending you something again. Said it's a teapot shaped like a turtle this time."

Connie burst into laughter. "Another one? You have a whole collection of weird stuff now, don't you?"

Levi sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It's not a collection. It's clutter."

"You still keep it, though," Jean pointed out, grinning.

Levi ignored him, focusing on pouring another round of tea.

As the afternoon waned and the shop began to quiet, the group lingered, the camaraderie between them effortlessly rekindling.

"Come back anytime," Levi finally said as they stood to leave, his tone softer than usual but still laced with a hint of brusqueness. "Just don't bring a crowd."

Armin smiled, adjusting his scarf. "We will. And maybe next time, we'll bring cookies for everyone."

Levi grunted but didn't object.

As the door closed behind his friends, Levi stood in the now-empty shop, his hands resting on the counter. The faint hum of the teapot and the memory of Hange's name lingered in the air. For a brief moment, his expression softened, but he said nothing, letting the quiet speak for him.