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

Chapter 44: Pieces They Could Save

The hospital room remained heavy with silence. Levi sat motionless beside Hange's bed, his crutch resting against the wall. His focus never left her still form, the faint rhythm of her breathing the only reassurance he had. The bandages covering her arms and head were stark reminders of the attack, their white harsh against her pale skin.

It had been hours since he arrived, yet time felt meaningless. All Levi could think about was how this had happened-and why he hadn't been there to stop it.

The silent knock at the door broke the suffocating quiet. Levi didn't answer, but it creaked open anyway. Jean, Connie, Reiner, and Pieck stepped in, their faces shadowed with exhaustion. Jean carried a bag of supplies, but his usual ease was replaced with hesitation.

"Levi," Jean began softly, his voice cautious. "We wanted to check on you."

Levi didn't look at them, his gaze still locked on Hange. "What happened?"

Pieck stepped forward, her voice steady but subdued. "It was an ambush. The summit wasn't what it seemed. There were groups within Marley and Paradis who saw this as a chance to retaliate against the ambassadors. Hange and Armin were the primary targets."

Jean placed the bag on the table, his shoulders slumping. "They didn't even give us time to react. By the time we realized what was happening, they'd already shot Armin and taken aim at Hange."

Levi's grip on the edge of the chair tightened, his knuckles white. "And?"

Connie's voice wavered as he stepped forward. "We tried, Levi. We really did. Hange was still giving us orders even after she got hit. She told us how to get out, where to take cover. She... she wouldn't stop."

"She fought back," Pieck added, her voice quieter now. "Even after they shot her, she refused to let us stop. She kept shouting for us to get Armin out first."

Jean exhaled, his hands clenching at his sides. "We managed to take out most of the attackers, but it was chaos. The soldiers nearby couldn't keep control, and by the time reinforcements arrived, it was too late."

Levi's jaw tightened, his gaze finally shifting to Jean. "And the bastards who did this?"

Pieck hesitated. "Some were captured. Others fled before we could stop them. The Marleyan government is investigating, but you know how slow they are."

"Too slow," Levi muttered, his voice low and dangerous.

Connie looked at Hange, his voice barely above a whisper. "She saved us. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have made it out alive. None of us."

"She's always been like that," Pieck said softly, her gaze falling to her hands. "Putting everyone else first."

Levi's expression hardened, his fingers brushing against Hange's hand. "And now she's lying here because of it."

Jean stepped closer, his voice filled with quiet guilt. "Levi, we're sorry. We... we should've done more."

Levi's gaze turned cold, but he didn't respond immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was sharp but measured. "You can't change what happened."

The absence of Armin in the room was palpable, and Levi noticed. "Where's Armin?"

Reiner, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "He's two floors down. He was shot in the side. The doctors say he'll recover, but... he's in no condition to talk yet."

Jean nodded, his voice heavy. "He's been in and out of it since we got here. When he wakes up, I'm sure he'll want to explain everything."

Levi's gaze flicked to Hange. "And what if she doesn't wake up?"

"She will," Pieck said firmly, though her voice trembled. "She's Hange. She doesn't give up."

The group stayed for a while longer, their presence a mix of comfort and burden. They recounted every detail they could remember, filling in the gaps Levi didn't want but needed to hear. As the sun set outside the window, they finally took their leave, giving Levi the space he hadn't asked for but clearly needed.

Alone again, Levi leaned back in the chair, his head resting against the wall. The room was dark now, the faint glow of the monitors casting shadows across the walls. He reached for Hange's hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles.

"You don't get to do this to me," he murmured, his voice breaking slightly. "You promised. You said you'd come back."

The words hung in the air, unanswered.

As the night stretched on, Levi remained at her side, his thoughts swirling with anger, guilt, and something far more fragile-hope. Hange had always been the one to see the light in the darkest moments, to keep moving forward no matter how impossible the odds. Now it was his turn to believe in her strength.

But as the hours crept by, and the dawn of another day approached, the uncertainty gnawed at him, relentless and unforgiving. All he could do was wait.