If Levi didn’t know any better, he would think that his friends were trying to set him up. Play the part of matchmaker for him. As he finds himself entering her apartment using her spare set of keys. Pottering around Hange’s kitchen, locating a watering can and filling it with water. The keys jangling in his jean pocket. The keys that Nanaba all but strong-armed him to take, with the paper thin excuse that she was no longer as near to help with such chores since Mike and her moved to a new place. Still, it all worked out to be a perfectly reasonable and sound idea since coincidentally Levi stayed at the flat above the café which meant he was also just ten minutes away from her apartment. Though if Hange thought about it hard enough, she would know that Mike and Nanaba’s new place was obviously also still a ten minute tops walk, even if you counted the occasional human traffic. Though if Hange did realise, she didn’t say anything. Hange strangely convinced by Nanaba's reasoning.
Levi's starting to think he’s either a desperate idiot or just been out of this dating game for far too long that he’d lost his touch. Feeling way too excited to have a household chore foisted upon him if it’d meant that he had the chance to spend a little more time with Hange. Or even purely to do something for her without any expectation in return.
Not to be co*cky or anything but Levi was sure that he’d been popular once, or maybe even still. Never lacking in female attention. Comfortable with being chased and confident to do the chasing if he felt up to it. Not that he’d completely taken advantage of it to have his whoring way with the ladies. Like any young hot-blooded male rife with hormones and let loose with the shining possibilities of campus life without parental or adult supervision, Levi’s had his time during his golden uni days. Having even had the pleasure of being part of the ‘Holy Trinity’. The nickname bestowed upon Erwin, Mike, and him, during their uni days by the adoring female (and perhaps a select few males as well) student populace. The blasphemous nickname supposedly referring to the God-given good looks that the three friends were blessed with which made the student body collectively swoon or look on in jealousy at the competition they were faced with for the object of their affections. On any given day at present, Levi was not one to shy away from being a cheeky bastard who leaned into whatever his cold aloof exterior seem to do to the ladies; if it worked to charm them into ordering more than just a drink and also to keep them coming back to his humble little café. A modest flirt if you will. As long as it didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings and didn’t involve reciprocating obvious attempts at asking him out for a one off casual fling. Levi learning to strike a balance and keep it in his pants now that he was in his thirties.
But the Levi right now, who stood in Hange’s balcony on a Tuesday afternoon. Staring unmovingly at her repertoire of bras and panties that were hung up to dry. Left out in the open. Plain sight. Fluttering along with the gentle breeze. Mocking him with their lilting dance. Nude plain ones. White lacy ones. Baby blue gauzy looking ones. Hot pink sports ones. Black strappy ones. One would think him a green young man who’d never seen female undergarments on or off a body. He’d entered her apartment with the sole purpose and purest of intentions to help water her dehydrated plants residing in her little balcony. With her knowledge and permission of course. And the not so subtle suggestion by Nanaba to specifically drop by on Tuesdays. Not in the least expecting to be greeted by any of her undergarments on or off her. It would not be entirely implausible that the conniving Nanaba knew that Tuesdays were Hange’s laundry day. Laundry day for her unmentionables at the very least. Some madcap hope of Nanaba that this would finally unlatch the tightly shut gates to Levi’s feelings he’d held for Hange. That only seemed to grow stronger with each passing day.
Levi was most definitely not allowing himself to entertain any thoughts of her in them or off them. Or which ones she would pick to wear and on what occasions.
He's an outright bastard, that’s what he was.
The feeling of wetness on the front of his jeans, down his legs and on his socks, jolting him into awareness. For an absolutely horrifying and nauseating minute, believing that he’d truly gone and lost his mind, getting off on the unbidden thoughts and images of Hange and her underthings. Belatedly remembering that he was holding on to a watering can, the handle now slack in his right hand. The liquid contents of it sloshing over its top and right down his jeans.
He was a depraved idiot, that's what he was.
And if his day could not get any more thrilling that it already was. He heard the bathroom door open. Turning in time to catch Hange exiting it. A freshly showered Hange with a towel to her head, scrubbing a little too aggressively at her scalp. Clad in just a loose oversized t-shirt with one side falling a little off her right shoulder. The t-shirt ending just below her knee. A shapeless thing with bleached out patches, that shouldn’t have made his heart accelerate a little too hard like how it currently was.
To Levi’s knowledge, Hange would only be home sometime in the night if only to just get some sleep before restarting her mad day at 5 flipping am. He’d bet his expensive tea set that Nanaba knew that Hange would be home right now. If Levi once preferred Nanaba over Mike, he definitely didn’t now. The two starting to be so alike he couldn’t tell them apart both by their equally blonde hair and their f*cking insane and inane ploys to spur Levi to act on his feelings. It was like they were back in uni just without the convenience of falling back on youthful follies to excuse poor decisions led by hormones and promises of quick euphoria.
"Oh, Levi!" Hange not in the least looking phased as if it was an everyday occurrence to have a man in her balcony with water sloshed all over his jeans and socks. And her undergarments hanging in plain view in the very same balcony. "I can’t thank you enough for agreeing to come round to help me water my plants. Even though it was really Nanaba who didn't give you a chance to refuse." She sheepishly added the last bit.
"Why buy them if you don’t even have the time to water them daily?" Levi huffed out a reply. As he tried to surreptitiously assess the water damage to his jeans. Silently thanking all the Gods he could think of, that he’d chosen to wear black jeans today.
"I know, I know. I totally deserved that." Hange walked towards him as she threw the wet towel over one of her wooden dining chairs. Levi tried not to wince as he thought of the damp cloth seeping into and damaging the wooden surface. "But the lab hours have been crazy these past few weeks, even more than usual. With the annual internal audit going on. I’m home for the first time since Saturday – "
Explains her absence from the café last Sunday and the accompanying Sunday dinner. Levi sniffed to cover his thoughts as if she could hear them.
" – and my first shower since then too…" Hange trailed off with a cheeky grin. Knowing full well that what she’d just said would send Levi into his tirade on the importance of personal hygiene since the human race evolved from their primate lives.
"You’re disgusting, you know that. Even cats know to groom themselves daily." Levi threw back without any hint of malice. If he squinted hard enough, he was sure it was laced with fondness.
Just to distract himself or maybe it was purely his selfish need to be close to her. He reached out to pull her glasses off her face and fished out the glasses cleaning cloth from his back pocket. The cloth he’d started to carry with him whenever he was around Hange. Making to wipe at her lenses that were no doubt smudged with fingerprints and droplets of water from her shower on them as well.
"Four eyes, I’m starting to understand why your vision is really bad. You don’t clean your lenses often enough that you’re practically forced to see around your sh*tty lenses," wiping aggressively at a particularly stubborn smudge mark.
"Mhm, but then Levi, I now have you to clean them for me whenever necessary. My optometrist thanks you for your kind services."
Levi chose to only grunt in response. Hange picking up the watering can that he’d place on the balcony floor and worked on watering the ten potted plants that littered her cramped balcony area. It was a nice enough atmosphere. The both of them working in companionable silence. No awkward urge or need to fill the spaces with unnecessary chatter. While at the same time if either one of them chimed in with random bits, it was welcomed and fit just as nicely too. It was a wonder really that just a year ago they were virtual strangers. If pressed, Levi couldn’t recall the exact events leading up to this easy friendship between Hange and him. Mostly easy if Levi didn’t feel paralysing embarrassment at the times he’d blurted out bits of his innermost thoughts and feelings to her. Amazingly it seemed that Hange hadn’t caught on yet. But maddeningly their immediate circle of friends saw right through Levi like he was made of glass. Maddening because the lot of them made it their mission to give Levi a hard time and their thinly veiled attempts at getting the two together in a non-platonic manner. Case in point one, Nanaba’s recent good neighbourly suggestion for Levi to help water Hange’s plants whenever work got too busy, taking Hange away from her own home.
Still, he was admittedly afraid and also unsure on how to cross that invisible line with Hange. With or without the lovely assistance from their friends. She seemed to enjoy his company and liked him enough. Even inviting him to hang out together with her best friend Pieck whenever she was in town to visit Hange. And interestingly dragging just him to join in on a Christmas dinner alongside her parents who were in town to spend the holidays with Hange. When she found out it was also his birthday, refusing to take any answer that wasn’t a confirmation of his attendance. Her first Christmas since moving to this town. The memory of the Zoës singing him a birthday song with the candles stuck in a single mince pie, making him all fuzzy inside.
They’d even form a little routine of Hange spending her entire Sundays at the café. Perched on one of the counter seats as she completed some work, did her journaling, or even if it was to catch up on her leisure reading - never failing to read her favourite bits out to Levi. And once the café closed for the day at 5pm, they would trudge up to his apartment where it would involve a night in with the two of them taking turns to whip up a quick and easy dinner. And depending on their mood, post dinner activities could involve easy conversations between them over a pot of freshly brewed tea. The topics flowing and meandering seamlessly from funny work stories, their friends and their shenanigans, what their respective families were up to, pop culture, new recipes and teas that Levi was keen to try for both the café or in his own personal time, the latest progress Hange’s made in her lab projects, even complex science topics that Hange seemed adept at breaking down into easy to understand bits. Or perhaps a quick episode from yet another series the both of them agreed to rewatch or to start and finish, together. Their watch usually devolving into Levi telling Hange to shut up and watch the show first, and they can then discuss and dissect the episode after. But Levi ever the soft hearted fool for her, would give in and hit the pause button ever so often to let her ramble on. A regular occurrence of a one hour episode turning into a total watch time of two hours. Still Levi couldn’t find it in him to seriously tell her off – short of clamping a hand over her mouth if it was something she’d seen before and was about to spoil it for him – when she was right beside him on his couch. Legs tucked beneath her, her wide warm eyes sparkling, lips pursed, her body angled towards him almost jittering with the urge to articulate her theories and analysis on a plot point or character.
The Sundays always ending with Levi’s other favourite thing. When they decided to finally call it a night and he’d walk her back to her apartment. Somewhere along the way in their weekly Sunday affair, Hange taking it upon herself to loop her arm with his. Walking side by side in perfect company filled with random chatters or even comfortable silence. Only slipping her arm off the crook of his, once they’ve arrived at her apartment building. Parting ways with a silly little wave and a beaming smile from Hange as she ducked into the lift.
It was almost frightening how well Hange seemed to fit into his life. How it was so easy to even talk about the difficult topics that took years before he’d even open up about them to Erwin and Mike. Furlan having had bear witness to it all since they grew up together so Levi never had to verbalise it at all with him. He was the son of a cleaning lady. Who was forced to grow up at the tender age of 12 when his dear mother died and left Levi with his baby sister Mikasa who was just a wee little thing of 2 years and sadly never knew nor remembered their mother. But thankfully the same paltry memories of their sad excuse of a father who just up and left before Kuchel’s body was lowered into the dug out earth. Levi’s core memories of the man consisted of him dropping by probably once a year to extort money from his mother and if something got his pants in a twist, he’d break everything that could be broken within reach. If anyone asked, Levi’s swift reply was that he’d never met his father, being raised by a single mother. Immensely grateful and thankful towards Furlan and his kindly parents for taking Mikasa and him in and raising them like their own upon Kuchel’s death. When he got around to sharing this part of his life with Hange, worried that she would feel like he did an unsolicited trauma dump on her. But she surprised him, showing genuine empathy. Peppering his sharings with her own in her kind and sweet attempt to make him feel at ease. Even shedding a few tears of her own and laughing along at the pleasant and funny memories of growing up with the Churches. Tickled pink by the stories of frequent misunderstanding by members of the public, that Mikasa was his daughter due to the decade long age gap.
His heart swelled with so much warmth and contentment whenever Mikasa came around and joined them on their Sunday dinners. Mikasa ever the prickly young lady normally being distrustful of anyone new in their lives but taking almost immediately to Hange. Like an elder sister she never had but always wanted. It almost felt like a window into normalcy. Of what a happy and loving family of his own would feel like. One with Hange by his side.
But Levi didn’t want to risk this friendship with Hange. Thoughts about it not working out if he did finally grow the balls to cross the line and ask her out in a romantic capacity, constantly on his mind. To suggest a shift in their relationship as not just platonic friends but a romantic partnership, but with visions of it ending badly that he would lose this close and wonderful friendship. His Sundays going back to his lonely dinners and tea pot for one. How Mikasa would lose the elder sister figure in her life. And their friends would probably have to walk on eggshells around the two before any semblance of normalcy would fall into place again (if it ever did). The Wednesday morning park runs Mike and Nanaba managed to rope them all in to join before each of them moved on to start their work days. The quarterly backyard barbeques at Erwin and Marie’s. To even the kickstart of an informal study group on weekday evenings supervised by Hange whenever she wasn’t too busy with her work – the original intention was Hange’s kind offer to Furlan to help Isabel with her homework only for it to grow as Erwin and Marie’s son Armin joined, bringing his other friends along. Erwin, Marie, Furlan, Mike and Nanaba just as taken with Hange as he was. Levi just couldn’t bear the thought of all this ending just because of his greedy feelings and selfish desires.
But if he dug deep and was honest with himself. Levi couldn’t ever bear the thought of a life without Hange. Now that he’d had a taste of how it was like. Couldn’t bear the thought of Hange deciding that she might no longer want to be a part of his after their romantic foray fails. So Levi told himself. Convinced himself. That if friendship is what there was only to be, then friendship was what Levi was to contend with.
"I’ll have the triple mint tea and a slice of the coffee cake with espresso icing, please."
"Ah I’m sorry, we’re all out of that cake." Levi maintained his eye contact with the customer over the cake display while his arm reached into the display. Working to nudge the last plate of that coffee cake away from plain sight, without so much as a glance down or a tilt of his head towards the cake. Taking care to wedge the plate at the far most corner, and well hidden amongst the other cake offerings they had.
"Could I…recommend the dark cherry swiss roll instead? It would pair very well with the mint tea you’ve ordered," Keeping his voice levelled and face devoid of any expression, Levi swiftly suggested an alternative to the lady standing at the order counter. Bending over to peer into the cake display as if he was considering the other cake options available to the lady. But frankly only to make sure that the coffee cake was well hidden from this and any other customer’s view.
Furlan eyed Levi from the corner of his eye as he bustled about to meet the orders being placed by the long line of customers. It was a very busy Sunday morning indeed and if Furlan was naive enough, he would’ve been fooled by that stellar acting performance that Levi just displayed. But. Furlan was sure that there was still one slice of that coffee cake left. He’d personally plated two out of three remaining slices for a customer’s order not just five minutes ago. It was virtually impossible that the third and remaining slice was snapped up in that short span of time. When Furlan was the very person plating up the food orders today. And Furlan was willing to swear on the life of his prized KitchenAid mixer that Levi knew this as well, since he was manning the cashier counter this morning.
This strange behaviour by Levi was starting to be a pattern. A pattern that was observed to take place every Sunday. The pattern, however, didn’t seem to have any consistency in terms of the last slice of cake or pastry to be held hostage.
Denied to any unsuspecting customer.
Except for one customer, in particular, who arrived without fail at 9:30 am.
Perching herself on one of the coffee counter seats. It didn’t matter if that customer didn’t order any sweet accompaniment to her beverage. The cake or pastry would be presented to her under the guise of it being a new item that Furlan was testing and needed feedback on. And while Furlan readily welcomes any constructive feedback on his baking recipes, he was pretty damn sure that those were not Levi’s true intentions.
Furlan turned to Mike to exchange a look. Mike merely raising his eyebrows in answer with a shrug of his shoulders, returning immediately to finish the rush of coffee orders that were fast coming.
Filthy liar. Furlan mouthed silently to Levi who was looking anywhere and everywhere but Furlan.
Levi was wiping down the counters and righting all the washed cups, plates, and equipment. Relieved to have a breather after the rush of customers they had since opening at 8:00 am. Angling his wristwatch in his line of vision, a small tinging sensation building up in his chest, as he saw that it was 9:20 am.
Only ten more minutes till Hange arrives.
Levi reached into the cake display, to get the coffee cake slice out and ready for Hange. Humming to himself wondering if he could make a correct guess of what drink she would order today, to pair with the cake. After peering into all the shelves and the various cakes on display, Levi frowned to himself as he realised that the coffee cake was nowhere in sight. Belatedly registering that there was an animated exchange occurring behind him, Levi turned slightly towards the source. If only purely out of annoyance.
"Furlan! You. Are. A. Genius. This coffee cake is awesome. I don’t even like coffee bu – but this cake is so good," Eren gushed to a smiling Furlan, "The icing could almost be too rich but the bitterness of the espresso cuts right through it. Balancing it perfectly."
Levi whipped around to glare at Eren who was holding a plate of the half-eaten cake. "Brat, is that the coffee ca –, who gave that to you? Out with it while I’m still being patient here."
If Levi was in a better mood, he’d think it quite hilarious how Eren’s face quickly morphed from bliss to panic. Mouth hanging open, mid chew of a bite of cake.
"Je-Jean gave it t-to me," Eren stammered. "He said Furlan was testing out a new cake and wanted our opinion on it?"
"Was I not…was I not supposed to?" Eren added as he noticed that Levi’s face only served to darken further with each word that he uttered.
Levi could only roll his eyes. Catching on to a sound of someone trying to hide their snickering behind a serving tray, he shifted his gaze to focus on the person behind Eren. Jean with a big fat smirk. The brats were lucky they were in full view of customers. Or Levi would likely be barking at them to stay behind longer today to sterilise every single one of the café’s cutlery.
"That’s not very nice of you Jean. Eren if you value your job and life, I think you better come with me to arrange some kitchen stock behind. Jean, you too," grabbing on to both young men’s shoulders, Mike ushers them to the back. Not before throwing a look at Levi. A knowing look that Levi did not want to acknowledge. "And oh Levi…I think Hange wouldn’t mind that dark cherry swiss roll as well. It goes really well not just with the triple mint tea, but also the flat white or pot of black tea that she might order today…" Mike’s voice trailed off in a sing song tone, before Levi could throw something at him.
"Turn that frown upside down, Ackerman. She has arrived," Furlan smirked as he gave a mock bow. Levi turned to see Hange entering.
All smiles and messy hair, complete with her usual tote bag. No doubt packed full of books and the various other crap she deemed important to lug around. Today, she was clad in a comfortable looking loose tank top, paired with cut off jean shorts. All ready for summer.
He most definitely was not recalling last Tuesday when he bore witness to her underthings floating along to the summer breeze.
Levi could only swallow around the strange thickness that seemed to be building in his throat, as she took quick strides towards him. Never being a particularly religious man, he could only hope his prayers were answered by the higher beings up there, that Hange hadn’t already noticed that his eyes were caught on her long, tanned arms and legs in full view.
"Might want to close the mouth though and maybe blink a little," Furlan leaned down to whisper directly into Levi’s ear. "Would be less conspicuous". The little sh*t finished, dragging out the last letter with a hiss of air directly into Levi’s ear.
Levi’s hand immediately flew up to check if his mouth was indeed open and to push Furlan’s face away from his ear. Narrowing his eyes as he caught Furlan trying to cover his laugh with a cough as he watched Levi’s flustered movements.
Watching on as Hange perched herself at her usual counter seat. At the perfect vantage point, right where Levi could prepare the coffees and teas. While also stealing looks at her. And throw in some conversation. Normally, Levi would prefer for no one to be seated at the counter seat. He hated being watched as he worked. He hated it even more if any customer tried to engage him in a pointless conversation while he was working. But if it was this woman, she could be journaling with all her papers and books strewn across the counter table. Typing away loudly on her laptop. Leaving wet rings of moisture on the counter as she blissfully ignored the coasters Levi passed to her. Chattering nonstop about her work week or day and needling him to share about his. Reading aloud random bits from her books to him. Levi just weirdly didn’t mind it all the least bit. Actually looked forward to it after the mad rush that Sundays always brought with it.
Waving at Furlan and Levi as she settled into her seat. Hange turned towards him to shoot a smile his way as she realised that he was looking at her. Levi cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. Ruffling it a little as he glared up at Furlan. Irritated with himself for being so transparent to Furlan. And slightly worried that Hange might have caught on to his lingering looks.
"Was it just you guys this morning? Must’ve been really busy." Hange looked between Levi and Furlan as she pulled out her notebook and pens today.
Furlan flashed a winsome smile back at Hange as he sneaked a hand towards Levi, to mess up Levi’s hair further. "Morning Hange! It was busy, and no it wasn’t just Levi and I. Mike, and the two boys are actually behind sorting out some stock we received last night. I might pop back to give them a hand. I’ll leave Levi to you." Laughing as he dodged Levi’s arm that was aimed in a smack to his head.
"You guys seem awfully spirited this morning?" Hange addressed Levi, an elbow on the counter as she rested her chin on her palm. Taking in a blank-faced Levi who continued to just look at her. Not in the least bit minding his silent countenance, Hange reached over the counter with her free hand, to adjust his mussed up hair from both Levi’s own hands and Furlan’s.
At the feel of her fingers ghosting across his forehead as she gently brushed his fringe back, Levi felt a flushing crawling up the tips of his ears, quite sure that he was only going to embarrass himself further. Jerking back involuntarily when he’d truly desired to lean further into Hange’s touch. Levi caught her wrist as she moved to tuck his hair behind his ears.
"Why are there already ink stains on your fingers?" saying it just as a means to distract himself from his definitely blushing ears.
"Good morning to you too, Levi. Looking dapper as usual." Hange winked back at him as she withdrew her beautiful slender fingers back from him. Levi once again hoped to the Gods that those thoughts of his remained squarely in his head. Levi moved to retrieve the dark cherry swiss roll from the chiller, placing it in front of Hange who beamed back at him.
"Is this a new one from Furlan again?" She tilted her head as she stared seriously at the cake. Holding up a hand abruptly, "No, don’t tell me what it is. I want to have it and guess!" Eyes snapping up to Levi’s. Full of excitement and everything that sunshine seemed to be made of.
Sunshine? Really?
Levi cleared his throat.
"Hmmm, this looks like it could be sweet but also maybe a little tart. I did spy some berry-like things in the cream filling." She taps her chin with an index finger thoughtfully. "I think I’ll go with that Alishan oolong tea you talked about last week!" Hange clapped her hands together beneath her chin.
"The light floral notes you were talking about would go well with this swiss roll. Doubt coffee would do Furlan’s little cake here justice. Probably will overshadow what looks to be a vanilla sponge and a berry cream filling."
Feeling ridiculously pleased that Hange remembered what he nattered on about the last time she was here, Levi nodded in response and turned to set up the tea steeping pot. With Hange watching on patiently. Launching into something she read about oolong teas and some new booth she passed at the farmer’s market earlier today, on the way to the café. Apparently this new booth sold tea leaves. Various types of oolongs and green tea leaves to be exact.
"We could take a look maybe, if you’d like? You take your lunch break at 1pm right? I’ve actually checked and they do remain open till about 3pm. Or if you are busy, that’s fine. I could..I could take a picture of their offerings and send them to you instead. And you can tell me which piques your interest and I’ll get some for you to try? Oh Levi! We could have it after dinner tonight."
Levi felt a warm feeling building in his chest. Hoping to temper it down to maintain some form of composure, he found himself biting down hard on his inner cheek. Realising that Hange’s been having a one-sided conversation with him, for a good few minutes. Levi finally blurted out a response to her.
"No." Coming out a little forceful than Levi intended.
Of all the times he’d wish for a filter to his loose tongue around Hange, it had to come at the worst moment when what he wanted to actually say was: I would love to take a look at that booth with you.
Levi couldn’t decide if the Gods or the very Devil himself was playing a cruel trick on him at this very moment. All those times when he’d pray for more verbal self-control around Hange, only for his prayers to be granted at the most inopportune time.
"N–No," In an attempt to fix his vehement objection to her invitation, "You don’t have to do that." Was that any better? Levi couldn’t decide truly.
"Oh"
Closing his eyes briefly to gather his wits, he pushed out the words he’d actually meant to say to her, "Let’s go together. I’ll ask Mike to man the counter for awhile."
"Oh! Yes! Let’s! It’s going to be so fun. I just know that you will like it." Hange gifting to him one of those toothy smiles that he found himself utterly charmed with. Levi couldn’t care less where they were going to, Hange’s happiness radiating and reaching his heart. Enveloping it with its warm and comforting caress. He didn’t even realise he’d press a palm to his chest. To keep it in or to contain his feelings that was threatening to burst forth.
And so at 1:00pm sharp, Levi finds himself walking out of the café with Hange. Hange with her arm looped with Levi’s as per their usual. Levi wasn’t sure how he’d once endured walking beside her without their arms entwined. Though making a conscious effort to ignore Mike as the blonde giant smiled manically at them.
Hange pulls him in all directions to look at the different booths set up. Seeming to forget that their original intention was the booth with the tea leaves. Levi just lets her drag him all over. As they stopped to look at random assortments of rocks being sold. They’re crystals Levi, and apparently with healing powers. As she stopped to pick at the fresh produce on offer today. Look they have tomatoes on vines today, maybe I could do a quick pasta with them tonight? There’s fresh goat cheese too Levi, do you think they would work in the pasta too?
Looks on as she excitedly purchases a puffy colourful cloud of cotton candy, tearing tufts of it to feed to him. Levi tried not to think too hard about her fingers sticky with melted sugar. Thoughts definitely not on hygiene or germs or bugs that one could catch eating from unwashed hands. Thoughts focused on the tips of her fingers brushing lightly against his lips as she fed him. The sticky melted sugar on the tips of her fingers. So near that if he’d just darted out his tongue a little, he could easily lick the sweetness of it.
Or her arm that she’d kept looped with his. Fingers lightly brushing his forearm with each step that they took. Not seeing any reason why he should let go of her arm. Levi rationalising to himself that it was really just to stop her from wandering off to see more random sh*t like knitted rompers for cats (when she didn’t even have any pets), or to declare that she absolutely needed knitted coasters (when she really never bothered to use such items), or to buy some potted herbs which she would only forget to water amidst her busy schedule (and pestered Levi to drop by her apartment to help to do so).
They finally come to a stop at the tea leaves booth in question only to hear someone call out to her.
"Hange?" A tall man walked up to them with arms open wide.
Levi feeling a little miffed that she lets go of his arm to embrace this tall man, "Moblit!"
"Fancy seeing you here on this fine Sunday morning. Might be getting a little sick of your face Hans. What with it being already nearly 6 days a week that I see your face," The man's mellow voice joked good-naturedly.
Hange barks out a laugh.
"Oh! Moblit, this is Levi. Levi, Moblit. My former uni house mate turned colleague. We work in the same lab, though I’m sure Moblit would put it that I just bring chaos while he does actual work." Hange smiled widely as she hugged Moblit’s arm and leaned onto his shoulder. Moblit patting her hand resting on his upper arm in return. Levi had to mentally rein himself in, to avoid scowling at the space where Hange was leaning onto.
"Levi works at and co-owns that café that I was telling you about. The one that Erwin co-owns too! Small world isn’t it," Hange looked at Moblit and then back at Levi, "Moblit went to school for abit with Marie before he moved to Mitras for uni. And now he’s back here." Punctuating that statement with an affectionate smile aimed at Moblit who returned one equally full of tenderness.
Levi could only nod, his eyes still fixated on Hange’s arm holding on to Moblit’s. Hange leaning onto Moblit. And Moblit smiling down at her as she talked on. The warm feeling returned to his chest again. Only this time it felt like something ugly. Twisting and clawing its way up into his throat.
Clearing his throat, "I think I ought to head back to the café." He sounded really lame, even he knew this was such a sudden and lousy thing to say.
Levi winced as he watched Hange’s face fell. "Oh, has it been an hour already? Ah, ok. I’ll head back with you then."
"Oh there’s no need, you can enjoy the rest of the market." Levi arranged his face in what he hoped was a friendly smile. "It was nice to meet you Moblit, and thanks Hange for bringing me to the tea booth."
"I’ll see you after 5 pm still yeah?" Hange called out to him. Levi only nodding wordlessly in reply.
Turning quickly on his heel and walked away from Hange. Wondering why it felt so wrong to do so while also not wanting to spontaneously combust on the spot as the image of Hange cozily tucked into this Moblit’s side, burned his retinas, brain and right in the centre of his chest. If he’d allow himself some rationality, he would have called it outrageous jealousy that had no basis since he hadn’t the balls to ask Hange out on a date as more than just friends. Even if they had their Sundays together.
The very Sunday night dinner that turned out to be awkward. Which had never occurred before or ever. Hange seemed distracted and burnt the pasta while it was boiling, which was something Levi never thought possible. Levi rushing into his kitchen wondering what all the commotion was about, brainlessly moving to take the scalding hot pot from her hands – without anything separating his flesh from it. Promptly letting go of it in surprise and getting burnt pasta and hot water all over his kitchen floor. The only silver lining was that they didn’t scald their feet. A promised dinner of tomato and goat cheese pasta morphing into dining out at whatever was left open in their small town, on a Sunday evening. Over plates of mediocre sushi that was mostly pushed around their plates. The conversation strangely stilted and uncomfortable between them. The weird night capped off with Levi walking Hange back home but without any looping of arms. Levi’s right arm twitching like it was missing something. Hange only making to nod at him with a ghost of a smile on her lips as she ducked into her lift.
On the very same day when night fell, Levi could only stare blankly at his phone as he spiraled into a mad cycle of typing and deleting various messages. Without hitting send on any of them. Words of apologies. Half-formed sentences to try and explain. With the intention to let Hange know that he enjoyed the little farmer’s market jaunt they took and he didn’t mean to cut things off so soon. Hoping Hange wasn’t put off or Moblit didn’t think him a rude little man who was mean to Hange.
Hange, whom Moblit could freely offer warm big embraces and throw soft affectionate looks at.
When the sounds of traffic grew louder and sunlight started to sift through his bedroom curtains, Levi stuffed his phone under his pillow and threw his blanket over his head. A faint echo of a chant, mocking him.
Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.
I’m an idiot.
His private self-loathing continues for another week. If Furlan, Mike or Erwin noticed, they don’t say anything. Probably for the best as none of them wanted to be lectured on the best way to polish cutlery or to get water stains out from the drinking glasses or to ensure there were no smudge marks on the window (when there were definitely none at all).
Hange seemingly unaffected as she sat on her usual counter seat on a Wednesday morning. The public holiday meant that the café was buzzing with customers. Erwin and Hange deciding to pop by the café for abit after the park run they all had as per their usual Wednesdays. The park run that was only mildly awkward as Hange chose to ran alongside Erwin and Furlan today as opposed to beside Levi which was their custom. Hange who was currently engaged in a spirited conversation with Erwin. Something about the ethics of AI or whatever. Levi subconsciously found himself keeping an ear on their voices. Noting a lull in the conversation as Erwin’s voice cuts through Levi’s pity party.
"- you got the wedding invite right? Are you bringing a date then?"
Levi’s eyes snaps to a piece of paper between him and Hange. Of what seems to be an innocuous piece of paper earlier. Thinking it to be just another one of Hange’s other sh*t that was always haphazardly thrown all over the coffee counter whenever she was here. On closer inspection, Levi realises it’s a card of some sort, halfway sticking out from a hastily torn envelope. The pretty cream coloured card with a silver border. Sitting stark against the ripped edges of its similarly shaded counterpart. Gold cursive letterings extending their warm invite to Hange Zoe to witness the lovely celebration of love between a Miss Nifa and Mister –
The groom’s name hidden from view by a carelessly torn part of the invitation’s envelope.
Levi’s eye twitched, momentarily forgetting what that card actually was and what Erwin just asked Hange. "Four eyes, do you not know how to open an envelope like a civilised human being?" An incredulous air about him as he said it.
"Do I not know how to – , huh?" A confused pair of warm amber brown eyes looking into his.
"The envelope."
"Uh, yeah. What about it?"
Tapping the cream-coloured envelope at its flap. "Look, you’ve ripped it completely when it would have just opened fine with a lift of the flap."
Hange only seemed to blink in response. Levi’s finger tapping coming to a stop as he realised he was just deflecting. When all he truly wanted to ask her was:
Who are you going to bring as a date to this wedding?
All he truly wanted to say was:
I know you wouldn’t even think of asking me. But if you ask me, I will say yes in a heartbeat.
Erwin sipped his coffee. With a stupid gloating smile visible above the rim of his cup. His blue eyes bright with something that Levi refused to entertain. Pointedly averting his eyes and not looking at him at all as Erwin spoke up again.
"The finer points of letter opening aside. Come Saturday, will you be bringing a date to this wedding, Hange?"
Levi didn’t even realise he was holding his breath. As if the sound of his respiration would disturb the air around them. That he would miss Hange’s response. The only audio being his steadily thudding pulse. Seeming to build in volume as Levi waited for Hange to say something, anything. But all Levi was met with was a curious look on Hange’s face. Seeming to try to catch his gaze. Her eyes glimmering with something that Levi couldn’t quite put a finger on.
"I uh – ," Hange eyes still fixed on Levi’s profile. He watched as she absently thumbed at the frayed edges of the envelope.
" – hm yeah…I should I suppose?" her eyes flickering away from his as she finished her answer.
Feeling a little empty at the lost of Hange’s eyes on him. He felt the pity party for one kick starting its festivities once again. Thrumming through his veins and ringing in his ears. Its celebrations ramped up to new heights if Levi lets himself be honest about.
Was Hange going with Moblit? Moblit who gazed at her lovingly as she introduced him to Levi. Moblit who gets to be with Hange for nearly everyday of the week. Levi was a loser wasn’t he. Completely missing the opening Erwin seemed to give him. Not building up the nerve to ask her out. Lovely Hange hanging onto the arm of tall Moblit. University housemate turned colleague, turned man who gazes tenderly at her as she talks on.
Levi made a conscious effort to push those thoughts out of his head. Making the mistake of looking at Erwin, he caught the tail end of a look of admonishment mixed in with disappointment that Erwin was aiming at him. Levi couldn’t help but feel like a naughty young child who didn’t heed his father’s advice or do their bidding. It made Levi almost a little pissed at Erwin who seemed to be behaving like he knew something that Levi didn’t. It gave Levi this childish feeling of wanting to smack the morning papers that Erwin still held open in front of him, right into his face. An absolute bonus if it catches the cup of black coffee and dribbles down his chin and on his running shirt.
Beyond relieved when he heard Mike call out to him to help with something in the kitchen, Levi turned so quickly that he almost knocked into Eren who was drying some coffee cups behind him.
Come ye fateful Saturday. The day of the wedding. With Mike seated on the other side of the coffee counter. The big oaf clearly enjoying his respite from work, gleefully bossing Levi around. Nanaba was also perched at the counter seat along with Erwin and Marie. Nanaba engrossed with texting someone on her phone. The exchange seemed extremely urgent with Nanaba not looking up even once to stop Mike from bothering Levi.
They were all dressed to the nines, going to the same wedding and thus were carpooling. A small world indeed with Nanaba and Marie having grown up in the same neighbourhood with the lovely bride Miss Nifa. A piece of information that the bloody blonde devil Erwin conveniently withheld last Wednesday, when he was needling Hange on who she was bringing as a date to this wedding. Hange. Whom the four of them were waiting for. Why did the lot of them decide to set the meet up point at the café was beyond him. Levi really did not need to, nor wish to, nor want to, finally find out who was Hange’s date. To finally find out. Have his assumptions made into reality. While simultaneously having his reality fizzling into flames around him.
Feeling very petty and a little left out, Levi made to drown out whatever Erwin was trying to talk to him about. Turning away from the four of them as he made to move to the back office. To maybe take some calming breaths as he tried not to descend into thoughts of Hange and a certain Moblit as her plus one to the wedding. Levi could only sigh as he internally consoled himself with thoughts of a freshly brewed pot of tea. Fully intending to nurse a cup of the tea against his chest, or maybe against the centre of his belly. Surely that was where his heart had sank down to.
Before Levi could take another step towards the back, a loud chime echoes through the café. Hange bursting through the café entrance. Almost like she was spontaneously conjured or summoned by Levi’s thoughts centring around her and her likely plus one to the wedding.
Levi’s head instinctively turns towards Hange who was bent over trying to catch her breath. Evidently having ran to the café, all the way from her apartment. Flustered and seeming to be clutching something tightly in her hands.
Falling into his well-established habit of watching her as she made her way to the counter. Levi watched on as she approached Nanaba. On any other occasion, Levi always found himself captivated by Hange. Without fail. But today.
Today, Levi was for lack of a better word. Stupefied. More stupefied than he usually was. If that was even possible. He was sure he was staring unblinkingly at Hange. Mouth was a given to be gaping too. If he happened to be drooling, Levi would think it justified.
He's seen Hange in all sorts of outfits. Casual t-shirts or tank tops with jeans or shorts. Her park run attire. Dresses and skirts. Her corporate office-y ones. And even what suspiciously looked like her pyjamas on some days. Levi noting her to be attractive in all of them, especially the times she dons something yellow.
It's always the damn yellow that gets him.
Hange looking gorgeous in all shades or drabs that she throws on, but the darn yellow consumes him. The colour seeming to play off her smooth tanned skin perfectly. Whether it was a tank top, one of those oversized shirts she seems partial to, a loose flannel, or one of those office button downs. Or this dress that she stood in right now.
The morning light filtering in from the front door and glass panel windows. Behind her. Casting her in a warm glow. The light reaching its fingertips all around Hange. Everything else a shadow around her.
"Now, don’t be drooling all over my morning papers." Erwin intoned. But Levi couldn’t care less if Erwin was dancing naked in front of him right now. Or placing his filthy shoes up on the countertop. Levi couldn’t tear his gaze away from Hange.
Hange in a frothy floaty lacy looking thing. The bodice fitted close to her chest and waist, but skirt flowing to hang loose down to her ankles. Like the cotton candy she all but shoved into his face the last time they were at the farmer’s market. Like the spun sugar Furlan drapes over the fancy tiny desserts he makes for special occasions.
Diaphanous.
He was sure that was the word for the dress and the way the material flowed over her body and down her legs. His primary school English teacher would definitely be proud of him right now. The drilling of adjectives to boost a child’s vocabulary, clearly having paid off at this crucial moment.
What would the skirts feel like between his fingers. Would the delicate thin straps on her shoulder feel as fine or would it snap like finely spun sugar once he runs a finger along it?
"Nana! Oh. My. God. I tried. But it just won’t stick!" Her voice frantic and bordering on panic. Shaking the shoes she held tightly in her hands in Nanaba’s face.
"I’m hoping that the glue you were mentioning does work. Because Oh God, we have under an hour to be there for the ceremony."
Levi coming to from his unhinged thoughts and daydream. His eyes only then registering that a few straps had come apart on both of the heels.
"Levi, I do recall that you keep a supply of super glue in the back office?" Nanaba with a seemingly innocent look on her face, lips upturned in a satisfied smile. Levi knew that she had caught him admiring Hange in that lovely yellow dress. But words or any thoughts of self-preservation eluded him so Levi could only nod in response.
"Great, this works out perfectly. Knew I could count on you, Levi." Nanaba throws a wink at him. "See I told you Hans, if you would have just come to the café earlier."
Almost like she was only noticing Levi’s presence at Nanaba’s words. Hange turned to look at him. A new emotion seeming to wash over her face. Looking a little like nervousness, replacing the flustered look from earlier. Only to be taken over by a startled expression as Nanaba physically shoved her to behind the coffee counter and towards Levi.
"I’ll let you two get to it then. Don’t worry Hans, we’ve already told Nifa and Moblit that we’ll probably reach a little past 9.30am. Moblit said not to worry about it as the ceremony really only starts at 10am. His parents apparently insisted on some pre-ceremony photo taking of Nifa and him." If Levi had any mental capacity leftover from hyper fixating on Hange, he would think that Nanaba has perfected the very same sh*t-eating grin of Mike’s. The only remaining slot in his brain latching onto the gold nugget that Nanaba literally threw at him.
Nifa and Moblit. They were all attending the joyous matrimonial union. Of Nifa and Moblit. Moblit who was most definitely not Hange’s date to the wedding. When he was clearly getting married to this Miss Nifa.
Levi moved towards the back office. Almost mechanically. Hange following close behind him. Her footsteps soft but quick, behind him.
Quietly pulling up a chair for Hange to settle down into. Levi then walked over to the storage shelves to retrieve a tube of super glue. The reason for the supply was the incorrigible butterfingers Eren and Jean who seemed to be always breaking items in the café. Levi was almost thankful for the two idiots, at least for this moment.
Hange lowered herself onto the chair, scooting around to settle comfortably onto it. Rearranging her skirts around her so it wouldn't drag on the office floor. As the skirts were neatly tucked around and under her legs, Levi catches a glimpse of her toes. Exposed to him as she’d chosen to wear her usual Birkenstock sandals in her haste to reach the café.
Levi just holding on to whatever self-control he has left (he really had none around Hange). Trying not to openly stare at her toenails that were painted in what looked to be a shade of brown.
"Ah, you’ve noticed that I’ve got some nail polish on," Hange wiggles her toes and fingers in his direction. "Marie did them for me last night. We had a girls sleepover at my place with Nanaba too, to get all primped and prepped for the wedding today. So, I found it odd that Erwin wasn’t picking us up directly from my apartment and told us to meet him here at the café instead. I got held back on leaving with them as my only pair of heels chose to give up on life today."
Feeling mildly apologetic that he was only half listening to what Hange was saying. His eyes caught on her toes.
f*cking colour haunts him. Noting that the painted polish seemed almost reddish with hints of yellow when it catches on the daylight shining in through the office window. And just great, how now he had the new urge to tell her the colour was pretty and did Marie know that it matches Hange's eyes? And painted them this colour so that her top and bottom would be a perfect pair. To fantasizing about fondling her toes. What it would feel like if he took one of her foot in his hand, running his fingers lightly over her painted toes.
Recalling how just the other day, his sister, Mikasa, was telling him about the benefits of therapy to overcome or resolve obsessions. How therapy can help one understand how such fixation or obsessions come about. He should f*cking revisit this topic again with Mikasa later today. He's a little sh*t that deserves to be kicked in the head by Hange. And maybe even dragged out of the back office by Furlan too. Gladly succumbing to a concussion if the last thing he sees would be her prettily painted toenails.
Levi gave himself a pinch on his upper arm to pull himself from his lecherous thoughts before coming to fully face Hange. He bent down on his right knee, in front of her.
"Four-eyes, hand them over now before you guys really end up being late for the wedding ceremony," Brows raised, and hand extended expectantly.
"Well, this is some weird Cinderella moment." Hange joked as she handed the heels to Levi. Levi only hummed and quietly and quickly got to work, gluing down the straps and occasionally asking her to help press down on some areas to make sure it dried down properly while he started to work on her other pair.
Hange took to quietly watch Levi. Folding her legs up with her feet coming to rest flat on the edge of the chair, chin resting on her knees.
Noting the silence, Levi paused what he was doing and looked at Hange, "Are you holding in a fart because you’ve been pretty quiet and have a constipated look about you." Hange came back to herself, letting out a loud laugh.
"No, I actually already took a sh*t the first thing this morning." Levi was glad for the return of the banter between them. The silence of the room surrounding them. Levi felt almost nervous to be in such close proximity with Hange. No one else around to bother them.
What happened next had an almost dreamlike quality to it. Like it was inspired from the figments of Levi’s wildest imaginations.
Hange had quickly leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek and leaned back immediately. A skittish look about her almost as if she’d done it on impulse and was not sure what to do with herself as she waited for him to react. And Levi being the ever eloquent man around Hange, defying the speed of light as he blurted out a loud, “Thank you”, almost instantaneously.
It was almost a shout of gratitude. Like Hange had just given him another tin of his favourite tea. Blithering fool that he was.
Eyes sliding shut as he pressed a hand into his eyes. This was definitely God’s punishment for his open ogling of Hange in this lovely dress and her lovely painted toes. Not forgetting how he’d definitely catalogued and filed away the image of her fresh out of the shower in nothing else but an oversized t-shirt.
Through closed eyes and a hand pressed firmly on his eyelids, Levi heard Hange’s loud cackle, with barely contained amusem*nt and glee.
Levi felt his face and ears heating up. Opening his eyes and mouth, fully intending to explain his response but only surfacing with more stroke-inducing words, "Could you do that again I don't think I caught it the first time."
Hange cackles settles into giggles as she leans down again, to give him a proper kiss on his lips.
The kiss was soft. Tentative at first which was unlike the Hange that Levi knows and was used to. When her lips touched Levi's though, Levi's entire being lit up. He returned the soft kiss. Pecking lightly. Separating slightly to check if she was ok. Her beautiful eyes half closed and looking back at Levi. Eyelashes lightly brushing his cheeks.
Levi's arm moved on its own accord, coming up so that his hand could brush her hair away from her eyes and to slip her glasses off. It's a crime really to have those eyes obstructed. Noticing with satisfaction that her eyes widened slightly, and she was a little dazed. And finally, he was looking right into those eyes without any lenses or frames in the way.
His other hand coming round the back of her neck, to tug her a little more forward. Hange letting out a little huff of surprise giving Levi the opportunity to slip his tongue inside her mouth. The only thing Levi being aware of before his eyes fluttered close, were the soft kissing sounds, the breathing, his pulse thundering, Hange's hands coming up to thread through his hair. The clatter of plates, cups and chairs scraping in the cafe space melting into the background. A feeling of contentment washing over Levi. He didn’t think he could do this just once in his life. To only have this one kiss with Hange. How had he gone for nearly a year without kissing Hange was beyond him.
When they finally separated, Hange’s cheeks were flushed, eyes glazed over, her bottom lip caught between her teeth in an almost shy and coy expression. Levi couldn’t help but smile a little as he swiped to clean the edges of her smudged lipstick. Transfixed by the smudged colours.
"I’ve wanted to kiss you since you first walked into the café."
Hange just looked on, still a little dazed which only made Levi feel ridiculously proud of himself. A smirk threatening to break free.
"I like you, Hange. A lot. Even when I don’t try to. You have no idea how f*cking relieved I was to find out that Moblit wasn’t your date to the wedding and that he was getting married to Nifa. Never wanted to punch a man so badly just because he was smiling at you."
"Oh Levi…Moblit’s just a really close friend."
It somehow felt even better to hear this from her. Despite the fact that he was already assured that the man wasn’t her date.
"– I actually wanted to ask if you would be interested to come to the wedding with me," Her bottom lip caught between her teeth again as she picked at her gathered skirts. "But Erwin was there and I wanted to ask you in private. And then you got pulled away by Mike and I couldn’t find an opening to approach you again."
Levi felt deeply ashamed of himself when Hange uttered those words. Internally wincing at how cowardly he’d been. To salvage whatever of his pride then when this woman in front of him was trying to gather the courage to ask him to be her date. He didn’t deserve her.
"I’m an idiot Hange. I’m so sorry that I’ve been an emotionally constipated jerk since that Sunday at the farmer’s market. This isn’t some spur of the moment thing for me just because of Moblit. I’ve been thinking about and wanting to take you out on a date for probably the entire length of time that we’ve known each other.” All those times he’d practiced in the mirror fantasizing about this moment, coming to naught. The words batting its way straight out of his mouth. "That is…is that…if that’s something you would like too? It will really make me happy if you do…but I’m not saying this to guilt you into saying yes just because it would make me happy… just that… I’d really like to… "
"– Oh hell, I’m…OK, I totally wanted this to go way differently than how it is and how I just. This, this was just not how I intended to do it…" Levi ran a hand over his face and up into his hair ruffling it in frustration.
"On a date, like right now?" Hange asks.
And Levi could only laugh, elated that Hange never seems phased by his blunt and weird words. Especially faced with his verbal diarrhoea right now.
"Would really love to, to be honest, you in this gorgeous dress but no, like next weekend. And did I already tell you that you look lovely today?" Hange grinned so widely at that.
"A date date or like a friends date?"
"Hange!" Levi breathes out almost exasperated.
"We’ve gone out together Levi! We spend every single Sunday together. So, I’m going to ask this. It’s always good to start anything off on clear footing. Any ambiguity or potential roadblocks clarified right at the start." Her middle and ring finger moving on auto pilot to push up her non-present glasses. Frowning a little as she belatedly realised too. The action attracting Levi's eyes though. Following the movements and settling on her shining eyes.
"Did Marie know to match the shade of your nail polish to your eyes?" Levi all but blurted out the words. Any worry about self-consciousness leaving Levi as he’s decided to just surrender to this f*cking possessed side of him. Full on white paint with a red rubber nose. He’ll embrace it. Clownery and all.
"No… I don’t think so?" Hange replied amused but unsure as well. "Answer the question, Levi."
"Yes, unequivocally. This is a date date. And a standing order to more date dates."
"Sooo, will this date, will it include your constant stream of charming words as well? And also potentially a pot of tea as we once again go over the intricacies of stain removals on clothing items. Not forgetting a lecture on the only correct way and system to hang one’s laundry to dry?" She teased.
"Tch, I highly doubt that you’d follow my instructions even if it came well labelled with CliffsNotes. I’ll do it instead. Just so you don’t walk around in public with the stains from your lunch last week all over your tops, and your stretched out shirt collars."
"Then it’s a yes from me Mr Ackerman. Yes to everything. It was always the frown for me. My favourite grumpy man." Hange playfully pokes a finger in the little furrow between his brows. A shy smile on her lips.
Levi would be damned if he ever admitted that her answer made him think of a yes to a lifetime together and not just to their first date. Hange in front of him full of smiles, and happy crinkling eyes. As he finds himself entranced by how Hange inches forward to place a gentle kiss between his brows. Laughing at whatever expression Levi must be making now.
"I’ve wanted to kiss your intense frown since I first walked into the café and saw you behind that counter." As she traces a finger on the space between his brows and trails down to the corner of his lips. Ghosting over his nose and his lips, in its journey down.
"And yes, a kiss does indeed smoothen out the little furrow and turns that frown upside down." Hange grins as she plants another kiss to the corner of Levi’s upturned lips.
After a few more stolen kisses, Hange regretfully pulls herself away from Levi to leave with the rest of the wedding attendees. With shoes perfectly repaired and a promise of a first date and many more.
Levi doesn’t emerge from the back office immediately. Giving himself a few minutes to fully take in this unexpected but truly joyous turn of his Saturday.
As he made his way back to the counter, he spotted Mikasa and Isabel who were seated at the same seats vacated by Nanaba and Mike. Engaged in conversation with Eren, only turning to look at Levi as he walked closer towards them.
Mikasa’s face blanched, taking on an even paler shade than her natural skintone. Squinting as she stared harder at Levi’s face. "Levi?...Are you wea- is tha- is that lipstick on your..." Mikasa waving her hand around her face. Gesturing over her cheeks, lips, and chin. Isabel looking on with a quizzical look on her face.
Furlan appearing at the same moment as he handed trays of pastries to Eren, "Gotta say mate, that colour doesn't work on you." A satisfied smirk playing on his lips.
Levi tensed and turned to catch his reflection in the polished stainless steel panel of the coffee machine. Catching sight of Hange's lipstick, all over his lips and cheek. Well, at the very least, not on his neck or shirt collar.
Frowning at Furlan, Levi turned back towards the office to get himself cleaned up. Pausing to press an index finger to the space between his brows. A whisper of Hange’s own finger still lingering on the same spot.
Levi was sure he was smiling stupidly to himself.
