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

Chapter 42: Losing Ground

The tea shop buzzed with its usual rhythm-the gentle clinking of teacups, hushed voices from the corner table, and the faint rustling of leaves in the tea garden outside. But to Levi, the world around him was distant, muted. His hands moved mechanically as he poured tea into delicate porcelain cups, his gaze distant, his thoughts elsewhere.

The bell above the door jingled sharply, breaking through the haze. Onyankopon entered, his expression taut, a stark contrast to his usual easy demeanor. In his hand was an envelope sealed with the mark of Paradis' military.

Levi's sharp gaze immediately locked onto it.

Without a word, Onyankopon approached the counter, his hand extending toward Levi. "It's for you," he said softly, his tone heavier than usual.

Levi took the envelope without hesitation, his fingers brushing over the familiar seal. His grip tightened as a wave of unease washed over him. Slowly, deliberately, he broke the seal and unfolded the letter inside.

His single eye scanned the words quickly, his brow furrowing deeper with each passing line.

Captain Ackerman,

We regret to inform you that Dr. Hange Zoë has been critically injured in an attack during a diplomatic mission. She is currently in a coma and receiving medical care in Paradis. We will provide further updates as her condition develops.

The paper trembled in his hands, crumpling slightly as his grip tightened. The words blurred and sharpened in his mind, his gaze fixed on the words as if staring at them long enough would change what they said.

"Levi?" Onyankopon's voice was cautious, pulling at the edges of Levi's spiraling thoughts.

Levi's eye remained fixed on the letter, rereading the words as if they might change. His jaw clenched, the tension in his body palpable. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and hollow. "Get the kids out of here."

"What-"

"Get them out," Levi snapped, the sharpness in his voice cutting through the air like a blade.

Onyankopon nodded, his expression grave as he stepped into the back room where Gabi and Falco were arguing over an order.

"Gabi, Falco," he said, his voice firm but calm. "Take the rest of the day off."

"What? Why?" Gabi demanded, her arms crossing as she fixed Onyankopon with a defiant glare.

"Now," Onyankopon said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Falco placed a hand on Gabi's arm, urging her quietly. "Come on. Let's just go."

Grumbling under her breath, Gabi grabbed her coat and followed Falco out the door, though she cast one last look toward the counter where Levi stood motionless.

Once the shop was empty, Onyankopon returned to find Levi standing by the window, the letter still clutched in his hand. The tension in the room was suffocating, broken only by the faint sound of the waves outside.

"What happened?" Onyankopon asked, his voice careful, steady.

Levi didn't turn around. His shoulders were stiff, his posture rigid. "She's in a coma," he said quietly, his voice uneven. "They tried to kill her."

Onyankopon's breath hitched, but he masked his shock quickly. "Hange...?"

Levi nodded once, his grip on the letter tightening. He stared out at the empty street beyond the window, his thoughts spiraling as images of Hange-smiling, laughing, teasing him-flashed through his mind. The thought of her lying unconscious, vulnerable, was unbearable.

The hours that followed were a blur. Levi paced the small back room, his crutch clicking against the floor as his mind raced. He replayed their last conversation in his head, every word and every look. He thought of the letters she'd written, the way she'd tried to reassure him even when she was halfway across the world.

And now she was lying in a hospital bed in Paradis, her life hanging by a thread-and there was nothing he could do.

Onyankopon hovered nearby, watching Levi's restless movements with concern. "Levi, I know this is-"

"I need to think," Levi interrupted, his voice clipped as he turned sharply and headed upstairs to the small room he and Hange shared.

That night, the weight of the letter hung over him like a storm cloud. Levi sat on the edge of the bed, the paper crushed in his fist. The words refused to leave him:

"Critically injured."
"In a coma."
"Further updates."

He stared down at the ring on his finger, the smooth metal catching the faint light of the lantern. His thumb brushed over it absently, the once-comforting weight of it now a reminder of how fragile everything had become.

"You promised," he whispered, his voice rough, breaking under the weight of the silence. His hands trembled slightly as he clenched the ring tighter. "You said you'd come back."

By the time dawn broke, Levi's resolve had hardened. The restlessness that had consumed him for weeks now burned with purpose.

He descended the stairs, his travel bag already slung over his shoulder. Onyankopon was waiting for him at the counter, his face a mix of concern and understanding.

"I need to get to Paradis," Levi said without preamble, his voice steady but laced with a quiet intensity.

Onyankopon nodded. "I figured as much. I'll take care of the arrangements."

Levi didn't offer thanks-he didn't have the words for gratitude now. His focus was singular: getting to Hange. Seeing her. Letting her know that she wasn't alone.