He couldn't believe he had been stuck with her for this mission, this two-man mission. Did he really have to spend all day listening to her babble on and on about titans this titans that. He really didn't understand her obsession with the damn things, they were horrible filthy monsters that killed her comrades right before her eyes. He knew it got to her, every single person that died out there left an impact on Hanji and Levi could see that.
He had seen her once, and only once when let her guard down, let that friendly and excited nature crumble. He hadn't meant to see her like that. He had just walked in on her when she was in her room, already yelling about her dirty jacket left on one of the chairs. When he opened the door, she looked sad, no, sad wasn't the right for it, she looked miserable, like all the happiness was gone from her life. Hanji looked at him where he stood, still holding her jacket and wiped her eyes quickly.
"Oh Levi, my jacket, I'm sorry I left it there I know what a big clean freak you are!" she said playfully getting up from her bed. It was amazing she had been crying a moment ago, now with her tone he was starting to doubt what he had in fact seem.
She held out her hand for the jacket but he just stared at her. She turned her head to the side looking at him curiously.
"You all right Levi?" she asked, looking worried.
"Are you?" he said looking back at her. She looked taken aback, as if there couldn't possibly be anything wrong.
"Of course not! I'm as fine as ever!" she said taking her jacket and patting his head. He didn't asked her about it again, Hanji was so open about so many things, why not this? Why couldn't she be open about the things that upset her, like she was with everything else? She seemed so miserable and alone and anyone who knew her wouldn't have a clue what was going on behind closed doors. He for sure didn't and doubted he ever would have if he hadn't walked in on her.
He looked at her now, she was smiling so wide as they went through the woods together. He wondered now if it's all just an act, that she never really is this happy. No. No one could ever fake being such a crazy, ecstatic maniac all the time.
His thoughts were interrupted when they saw two titans approaching them. "Here they come!" she yelled back at him with a laugh. He had always found the stupid things troublesome but she enjoyed seeing them every time. This originally was his mission alone but a few days ago he had hurt his hand fighting and after hearing about that Hanji insisted she come along just in case. Of course she was excited for anything involving the damn things. The two titans were taken down easily, this really was just going to be another boring and troublesome operation.
"Wow Levi, look how many are coming! We must have attracted a lot of attention!" she said sounding a lot less concerned than one would think she should sound. But she was right, there were a good amount of titans coming their way. He could count 10. This could end very badly since they were right in the way of where him and Hanji needed to get to, they were going to have to make the decision to rather fight them or retreat.
"Hanji, do you want to go for it?" he asked almost certain he knew the answer.
"Sure! I do have humanity's strongest with me after all." She said with a grin.
With that they both went at the group of titans straight on, it would be hard but they could take them. They had about four of them down when Levi suddenly felt a horrible pain in his arm, right where the bandage had wrapped his injuries. Damn it not now, if his arm started acting up he could risk both his safety and Hanji's, but he had to stop, the pain was horrible, what was wrong with his arm?! He couldn't leave Hanji out there all by herself with six titans, she was much too reckless to begin with. Why the hell is he just sitting there?
"Hanji!" he yelled. "Hanji, we need to leave, my arm is acting up, we can finish this mission another time. Right now it's idiotic to stay and risk it."
"Awwww just when we were getting to the good part!" she said as she landed on the tree branch Levi was standing on. She walked over to him and touched his arm softly.
"What do you think is the matter?" she asked
"How should I know, damn shitty glasses," he said mumbling the last part. He was angry they had to stop the operation because of him. He hated being seen as weak even when he knew Hanji wouldn't judge him for it. She held on to his arm softly looking at it then back up at him. She looked worried.
"Don't look at me like that I'm fine I just think- ," he started. For a split second he saw the fear in her eyes and the next second he felt himself being pushed off the tree. He caught himself just in time swinging across to another tree. What was that all about?
"Hanji what the hell was that for!?" he yelled looking at the tree they had been on moments before, but she wasn't there.
"Hanji!" he yelled, he could hear the worry in his voice. What the hell just happened? He remembered how scared she looked, something had been behind him and then she had pushed him off the tree. Was it a titan? No, it had to be. But where was she and why wasn't she answering his call? A horrible scream cut through his thoughts. He wished and hoped that wasn't Hanji but he knew all too well that that's the only person it could be. This can't be happening, she wasn't even suppose be coming on this mission. He went as fast as he could in the direction of her screams when he finally got to a clearing and saw her. Half of her body was already inside the titan's mouth, the only thing keeping her body from being crushed was her sword, which she had jammed in between her torso and the thing's teeth. He had to get there, Levi went as fast as he could but even that didn't seem quick enough. He had to get to her, protect her, save her, he could have her die right before his eyes like so many before. Not her, anyone but her. Levi was halfway to her when the titan bit down on her sword suddenly breaking the thing, shattering it. The titan was biting down on her now, he thought she was going to die, die right in front of him while he stood there defenseless and useless, he though she was going to be bite in half, but just when he thought there was no hope she thrusted the remaining part of her sword, that being only the handle and a sharp but short piece of the blade into the thing's eye. The titan screamed out in agony paying no mind to eating Hanji any longer. With that she took the opportunity to jump out of the titan's mouth. Levi thought she was all right that she hadn't been hurt but then he realized just how hurt she was. She was falling and falling and falling and didn't show any sign that she was going to use her maneuver gear. Was she knocked out? He didn't have time to think, he quickly ran and then shot his lines into the tree behind her. He caught her in mid air and landed in the tree placing her down on the branch close to the trunk.
"Hanji, come on Hanji wake up!" he said shaking her shoulder. She moaned slightly but didn't open her eyes. He hated to leave her but he had to kill that titan before the others started to come as well. Then they never would get out of here. He swooped back down and killed the thing easily, it was already half blind and Levi could feel himself being fueled by anger to kill it. He went back to Hanji right away not dwelling on the dead monster, he hoped somehow that she was awake, that maybe she wasn't too hurt. But against his wishes she lay in the same place he had left her and her eyes were still closed.
"Hanji! What are you doing we have to get out of here!" he said. He took her into his arms trying to shake her awake, but to no avail. Finally he decided on it and smacked her right in the face. Hard. With that she was started and opened her eyes weakly, holding her cheek.
"Levi…" she said. Her voice was weak. Her body was weak too.
"Come on, you can get up," he said propping her up. As her torso began to bend she grabbed her side and spit up some blood, she shouted out from the pain. Shit. He started to look at where the titan had her in its teeth. Her outer body seemed fine considering what had happened but the bite must have hurt her internally. Now she was spitting up blood.
"Can you get up?" he asked.
She touched his shoulder softly and answered weakly, "I cant." She looked defeated. "Now you have to go back and save yourself."
"Wha— Hanji I can't just," he started, he couldn't just leave her here, she was a soldier for the sake of humanity, and she, she, he couldn't just abandon her. He wouldn't allow another person die if he can save them. That's what comrades do for each other. That's what a person does for the people they care about, or even love.
"Levi please," she said touching his check softly. He looked down at her, looked into her eyes and realized how beautiful she was. How beautiful she was to him. Why hadn't he realized that until now? Maybe he had always realized it and just never wanted to fact the fact. He must have.
"Levi," she said smiling up at him "le…v.." then her hand suddenly became limp and fell to her side. The hand that had once clutched her side tightly was calm.
"Hanji! Come on now, you need to wake up! We need to go!" he said panicked. What was he going to do? He kept shaking her and shaking her but she didn't show any signs of waking up. He pulled her up to his chest and keep shaking her, he didn't know why he kept doing it he just felt that some how it would make her wake up and be all right. What a stupid thing for him to think. He ran his fingers through her hair fisting it tightly, pulling her closer to his chest. Then he realized where he was, he didn't have time for these things. He picked her up and blasted into the trees headed away from the titans nearby. The way back was long and horrible, even after being bounced around in his arms Hanji didn't show any sign of waking up. He stopped once to check her breathing, which she was still doing but very weakly. When he finally made it back he was exhausted, he checked on her and froze, maybe he checked wrong, but her breathing. He put his ear to her mouth and heard nothing. Nothing. No. he stared at her for a second feeling completely defenseless, then he remember something he read once or hear once what was it?
With that he put her head back and tuck a deep breathe. Would this even really work, and could he really do it right when he had never done it before. He didn't care, anything to bring her back. When their lips connected, he didn't even have time to think about how warm and soft hers were. He took another breath, still nothing, and again and again and again. He though it was futile, over, when suddenly when he was about to met her lips again she coughed, bending to her side.
"Levi.." she said looking up at him.
"You damn fool, I thought you had I died" he replied back coldly. Trying to hide his concern, she was alive but barely. She smiled at him and grabbed his collar, taking him into a warm hug. He was hesitant at first, he had never returned her affection, but then he grabbed her waist holding her as close as he could. He had almost lost her, did it take almost that possibility for him to realize just how much he cared for her? When she pulled away she smiled so widely and pulled him closer connecting their lips once more, now he realized how nice they really felt. He dug his fingers in her hair and for once in his life he felt like everything was going to be all right.