(A/N: This might be a little pre-emptive, since I haven't fully edited the last two works yet, but this might be my favorite one-shot for this week! I had a blast writing it!
I wrote this while listening to a loop of Waltz for the Moon from Final Fantasy VIII while writing this, so if you're someone who likes to listen to music while you read fic, I recommend listening to it for some added fun!)
Levi planted himself on the wall furthest from the ballroom floor and glared at the party around him. The chatter of the people nearby was almost enough to drown out the music. Next to him, a group of fat old men in capes were whispering something about finances and the next head of the Wallist church. Levi sighed and moved away from them, finding a pillar to lean against instead. As expected of a military fundraiser in Wall Sina, everything was an elaborate distraction from the political machine running underneath.
He took a glass of wine from a tray when it was offered to him, hoping that it was more potent than what was stashed in the officer's cabinet back at headquarters. Levi had avoided attending these things for the last few years. However, this year Erwin's reasoning had been that now he was a captain of a squad, he should put in an appearance.
"Our benefactors want to see where their money is going. And they're very curious about you."
Levi could feel eyes on him, and caught glances turning away as soon as he moved. He felt like a sideshow freak. Looking around, Levi spotted Erwin on the other side of the room. He watched him kiss Nile's wife's hand before leading her out to the ballroom floor. Levi decided that once Erwin was done playing things up for the "benefactors," he would tell him that he was never coming to one of these things again.
The wine was dry.
The theme of tonights ball—one of many things that amazed him, that balls in Sina had themes of all things—was "Military Branches." Those attending were "requested"—Levi wasn't sure why they didn't just put "required"—to wear formal clothes in the same color as their emblem. The Military Police had long dark green capes trimmed in silver that touched the floor. The Garrison wore so many braided red ropes over their formal military uniform that it was difficult to see the front of it. Their capes were the same shade of red. The Scouting Legion had to make alterations to their formal uniforms as well; their jackets were now a deep blue, with white braided ropes hanging in an arch from shoulder to pocket. Their capes were short ones that only reached the waist, also white and trimmed in gold.
But all the theme accomplished was to make it clear who held the power in the room. Non-military had been asked to wear the colors that belonged to their family affiliation, but only those related to the Military Police had also been invited to attend. As a result, the giant ballroom was a sea of green and silver.
Levi continued sipping the dry wine. He felt ridiculous. And he was starting to hate the color green.
"I see you're having fun."
Levi only moved his eyes to glance up at Hanji, who'd started leaning next to him against the pillar. Somehow, she was still smiling as she looked around the ballroom.
"I'm not as easily entertained as you are, four eyes," Levi said, swirling the wine glass in his hand. He'd heard someone mention that doing so changed the flavor. Even though it sounded like something they'd pulled out of their ass, Levi hoped it was true.
"These things aren't that bad," Hanji said, leaning in a little closer like she was sharing a secret. "You get out what you put into it. Want something?"
She held out a plate full of ridiculous finger foods and pastries. Levi glanced at them and shook his head, going back to drinking his wine. It was still too dry. Hanji shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said.
Levi surveyed the room again while Hanji inhaled a pastry whole. Somehow there were more groups staring at them than before. "I thought you couldn't stand fake bullshit like this, shitty glasses," he said.
He heard Hanji swallow another piece of food next to him. "I do," she said a moment later. "But sometimes it's fun to beat them at their own game." She paused, and then nudged him with her elbow. "Be nice, that one has connections."
Before Levi could ask who Hanji was talking about, he heard whispering behind him. Levi turned to see three teenage girls standing behind him, wearing floor-length green dresses. Two of the girls giggled behind their matching fans, pushing the third one forward. She blushed, clasping her hands together in front of her and looking at the floor.
"Um… Are you Captain Levi?" she asked.
Fuck, Levi thought. The last thing he wanted was to babysit some noble's daughter. Hanji nudged him again, hard.
"Yes," he said. That was neutral enough.
The girl blushed harder. She hadn't met his gaze yet. "T-Then, um, I was wondering—was wondering if you have a, uh, a d-dance partner yet."
"I don't dance," Levi said, a little harsher than he'd intended to.
Hanji sighed behind him. The girl's head shot up with a shocked expression, her eyes watering. There was still baby fat on her cheeks. She was just a kid. Levi wondered if anyone had ever denied her anything.
"What Levi means is that he doesn't know how to dance," Hanji said. She put a heavy hand on Levi's shoulder and stepped in front of him. "He would embarrass a lady of Sina with his atrocious skills."
Hanji's voice was smooth and compelling, not even close to the familiar tone Levi was used to. He wondered what had happened to her plate of food. Hanji took her hand off Levi's shoulder and stepped closer to the girl, who watched Hanji with open-mouthed awe.
"If it pleases you, my name is Hanji Zoe, a Squad Leader of the Scouting Legion." Hanji bowed to the girl, holding out her hand. "And I would be honored if I could have this dance."
Her blush turning scarlet, the girl nodded, taking Hanji's hand. The whispers around them grew as the two walked towards the ballroom floor, the girl holding onto Hanji's arm as they waited for the next dance to start.
Levi stared after them, feeling dazed. He'd never heard Hanji speak so formally, not even to superior officers. The shitty glasses he was used to was the one who'd dive elbow deep into a Titan's nape and go into explicit detail about how hot the blood was on her skin for hours afterwards. The shitty glasses he knew forgot to bathe when she got too caught up in an experiment. The shitty glasses who was now sailing across the dance floor as if she'd escorted nobles' daughters her entire life was like a stranger to him.
But there was something compelling about the way she took the lead with such confidence, turning and dipping her partner with a smile on her face.
Levi walked away from the pillar, abandoning the wine glass on the first table he found, and headed closer to the ballroom floor. He pushed his way through the crowd, finding a spot close enough that the dresses with wider skirts touched the toes of his boots as the dancers flew past. Levi wasn't sure why he was so frustrated, but maybe seeing Hanji dance up close would push away those feelings.
It didn't. The smile on the face of the noble's daughter when Hanji pulled her closer for the slow part of the dance sent a pang through his system that Levi didn't recognize. He tried to focus on something else—Erwin was still dancing with Nile's wife—but his eyes kept going back to Hanji. Was everyone else staring at her in the same way? He couldn't be the only one watching the stretch of her shoulders or noticing the light but firm hand she used to guide the girl around the dance floor—
Levi regretted abandoning the wine.
And then it was over. The music stopped as the musicians changed their sheet music, and the partners bowed to each other while the onlookers clapped. Levi noticed the last part too late and got in three short claps before the applause died down. He was too busy watching Hanji and the girl.
Hanji bowed and the girl curtseyed, but before the girl could straighten, a gray old man with a Military Police cape walked out from the crowd and grabbed her by the shoulder. He gave Hanji a stiff bow and dragged the girl off the ballroom floor, but not before she turned around to give Hanji a smile and a wave. Hanji put a hand to her chest and dipped her head in response. Levi couldn't see her face.
She stood on the floor for another moment, and a stupid idea formed in Levi's head. Breaking the invisible line between spectators and dancers, Levi walked across the floor straight to Hanji. She did a double take when she saw him, blinking with surprise.
"Levi?"
Mimicking Hanji's earlier movements, he bowed and held out his hand. "May I have this dance?" Levi cheeks were burning—most likely an aftereffect of that stupid wine.
He heard a snort and lifted his head. Hanji had a hand over her mouth, but Levi could see from her wide eyes that she was trying not to laugh. "Dammit, shitty glasses, I'm serious," he said.
"But you don't know how to waltz," Hanji said behind her hands, her voice shaking with held-back giggles.
"Then show me how," Levi said, holding out his hand again.
Hanji took a deep breath, closing her eyes as her shoulders rose. Then let it out, her hands and shoulders falling at the same speed. She opened her eyes with a smile and took his hand. "Then, I'm happy to accept your offer," she said
"Don't talk like that, four-eyes," Levi said, coming out of the bow. "It doesn't sound like you."
"What does sound like me?" Hanji asked.
"Something stupid about Titans, probably."
Hanji snorted again. "Probably?"
The next round of music began to play, and Levi remembered that he had no idea what he was doing. Hanji grabbed his wrists and turned him towards her. "This goes here, and this one here," she said, putting one of his hands on her shoulder and holding the other outstretched in her own. "I'll lead."
"Fine," Levi said. "When do we switch?"
Hanji grinned at him. "I was taught that the taller person always leads."
Levi frowned at her, but the couples around them had started to move and they were in danger of being left behind. Hanji pulled him closer. "Just follow me, and you'll do fine," she whispered in his ear.
He stumbled on the first step and all the way through the first movement, Hanji almost dragging him across the floor. "Wow, I have never seen you this uncoordinated," Hanji said.
Levi grunted in reply. He hadn't expected dancing to be this hard. Putting your foot in a specific place while following the beat of the music sounded like nothing when compared to cutting down Titans. However, the opposite was true for Levi.
"I sucked at first too," Hanji said, ducking under a passing couple's arm. They were off-beat. "Took me a while to stop stepping on people's toes."
"I don't need your pity, four eyes," Levi said.
Hanji laughed. "It's not pity. You just need some practice," she said.
Hanji turned them around and picked up the pace to catch up, Levi almost crashing into her chest. "Who taught you how to dance anyway?" he asked, annoyed, when they slowed down.
Hanji laughed. "My parents thought I might need to know it someday. I thought that they were crazy, but it turns out that they were right."
Levi stumbled again, Hanji catching him before he fell into a different couple. "Too bad I can't keep up," Levi said.
Hanji shrugged. "I'd much rather dance with you than interrogate some noble's kid," she said.
"Interrogate?" Levi asked.
"Remember what I said about beating them at their own game?" Hanji continued.
"Do I want to know where this is going?" Levi asked.
Hanji dipped her head closer to him. "That girl you turned down is from one of the three richest families in Sina," she said. "The family head teases his backing every year but never goes through with it. He probably wasn't too happy about her dancing and talking to a Scout. She had some interesting things to say about her father's recent investment choices." Hanji pulled back, smirking.
"You come to the balls for blackmail," Levi said, understanding.
"Research needs money too," Hanji said, the smirk turning into a grin. Her hand tightened around his. "Watch out for this turn here, I don't want you to crash into someone—"
The steps became easier. Levi found the rhythm, and even though he couldn't glide across the floor like Hanji did, he could keep up with her now. She started murmuring the beat in his ear, an extra level of the music guiding him along.
"One two three, one two three, one two three, and turn—"
The rest of the ballroom started to fade away. There was no more sea of green, no quick glances and overheard whispers. There was only the music, Hanji's dark blue jacket, her hand on his waist. It felt like they could dance there forever.
"Getting the hang of it?" Hanji asked.
"It's not too bad," Levi said.
Maybe he didn't need to talk to Erwin about letting him off the hook for these things after all.