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

Chapter 43: The Journey to Paradis

The journey to Paradis was grueling.

The ship rocked with the relentless rhythm of the waves, but Levi barely noticed. He sat near the edge of the deck, his crutch resting against the wooden planks. His single eye stared at the endless horizon, his mind a storm of unrelenting thoughts.

Hange was in a coma. The words from the letter refused to leave him, repeating over and over until they felt like a brand seared into his chest. He had spent years learning to control his emotions, to keep himself steady no matter the storm. But this... this was different.

The letter hadn't said much-just that there had been an attack, and that she was barely hanging on. Levi's mind raced with questions: How did this happen? Who was responsible? And, most painful of all: What if I lose her?

On the second day, Levi retreated to the cabin, but not for rest. Sleep eluded him, replaced by an ever-growing pressure in his chest. He paced the small space, his crutch clicking against the wooden floor.

Sitting heavily on the small cot, Levi reached into his bag and pulled out a dark coat. Hange had given it to him for his last birthday, insisting he needed something "stylish and practical," her words punctuated by that grin he could never forget.

He gripped the coat tightly now, his hands curling into the soft fabric as if it were a lifeline. It still smelled faintly of her-tea leaves and ink, and that faint, earthy scent that seemed uniquely hers. Holding it, he felt the weight of her presence even in her absence, the memory of her laugh echoing in his mind.

He thought of Hange's laughter, her wild gestures when she explained something incomprehensible, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her experiments or their tea garden. He thought of the quiet moments when they would sit together, saying nothing but understanding everything.

Now she was lying in a hospital bed, and Levi was powerless.

The anger began to simmer, bubbling beneath the surface. If they had listened to her... If I had gone with her... If I had tried harder to stop her. The blame looped endlessly in his mind, but the answers never came.

For the rest of the journey, the coat never left his side. When he sat on the deck, staring out at the endless waves, it was draped over his lap. At night, when exhaustion finally forced him to close his eye, he held it close, its worn fabric grounding him in a way nothing else could.

By the third day, the coast of Paradis came into view.

Levi stood at the bow of the ship, his sharp gaze fixed on the shoreline. His heart twisted at the sight of the place he had left behind years ago-a land filled with memories of loss, sacrifice, and the burden of survival.

Before disembarking, he slipped the coat over his shoulders. It fit perfectly, tailored to him as Hange had promised. The familiar weight of it made him feel steadier somehow, as though she were with him, urging him forward.

A group of Paradis soldiers approached him near the harbor, their stiff uniforms a stark reminder of the military order he'd left behind. The leader saluted, his eyes wide with awe. Onyankopon had arranged for a horse to be waiting for him at the dock. As soon as the ship docked, Levi disembarked, his crutch clicking against the wooden planks as he moved with a purpose. The dockworkers stepped aside, murmuring quietly as the infamous Levi Ackerman passed.

He didn't care about the rumors or the stares. His focus was singular: Hange.

The horse was ready, and Levi mounted with practiced ease, his crutch strapped securely to the saddle. He didn't waste a second, urging the horse into a gallop toward the hospital where Hange was being treated.

The ride through Paradis was both familiar and alien.

When the carriage arrived at the hospital, Levi didn't wait for the soldiers. He descended before the wheels had fully stopped, his crutch hitting the ground with deliberate force.

A young nurse met him at the entrance, her eyes widening as she recognized him. "Captain Ackerman-"

"Where is she?" Levi interrupted, his voice cold and sharp.

The nurse hesitated before nodding quickly. "Follow me."

The hallway was quiet, save for the soft squeak of the nurse's shoes and the rhythmic tap of Levi's crutch. Every step felt heavier than the last, the walls seeming to close in around him.

When they reached the door, the nurse stopped. "She's stable for now," she said hesitantly, "but her condition is critical. The doctors-"

Levi brushed past her without waiting for the rest.

The room was quiet, save for the steady hum of the machines.

Hange lay on the bed, her face pale, her body still. Bandages covered her arms and head, and an IV dripped steadily beside her. The sight of her like this-still, silent-was like a punch to Levi's gut.

He moved closer, his steps slow and deliberate. He stopped beside the bed, his single eye scanning every detail of her face. The familiar lines, the scars, the slight crease at her brow-all of it was still her, but this wasn't how she was supposed to be.

"Hange," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You idiot."

There was no response. No teasing comeback. No wild laugh. Just the beep of the monitor and the faint sound of her breathing.

Levi lowered himself into the chair beside her, his crutch leaning against the wall. For a long moment, he simply sat there, his hands clasped tightly in his lap.

"You promised," he said quietly, his voice barely audible. "You said you'd come back."

His gaze dropped to the ring on his finger, the cool metal a sharp contrast to the heat of his emotions. It was supposed to be a symbol of the life they'd built together-a life that now felt fragile and uncertain.

Levi clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palm. "You don't get to leave me," he whispered, the words trembling with unspoken fear. "Not like this."