A/N: Since Levi doesn't have an official surname yet, I'll use Rivaille for now. Kinda sucks, but hey, I can't think of any other surname fitting him.


"I dreamed of you today."

Levi averted his gaze from the television for a brief moment, eyes landing on the tousle-haired woman before him. It wasn't rare for her to confess things to him – it was a bit of a blessing and more of a curse most of the time, since the woman doesn't know how to shut up sometimes.

"Was I handsome and dashing?" He turned back to the television, but his ears were focused on what she had to say.

"No," Zoe chuckled, one hand lifting up to rub her still sleep-glazed eyes. She hated waking up early. "You weren't. You looked terrible... You and I died."

The buzz of words and reports of some new found disease and political disputes filled the air, all but white noise to Levi's ears. Surprisingly, he didn't have a nice rebuttal to that statement.

"You were Lance Corporal, in my dream. You wore a brown jacket embroidered with half-black, half-white wings and you donned a green cloak and you carried two blades and killed off giants that ate people."

A scoff. "What T.V. show were you watching last night?"

"I studied my ass of last night," Rolling her eyes, the brunette threw a piece of cereal at him, hitting Levi on the shoulder with it before the grain fell to the kitchen counter. "It was a sad dream though. And really brutal. A lot of people died. I felt really hopeless, like it was the end of the world. I remember crying while you were picked up by a giant."

Levi took the remote and pressed the power switch, turning off the machine so that there was nothing more but silence and the patter of rain filling the air. He hated listening to the weather reports. They were always so shitty. Besides, Zoe's tale of them dying is much more interesting to listen to, even with the peculiarity of it all. "And then, what happened?"

Grinning, Zoe swirled the cereal around her bowl, drowning them further in milk. Stories, no matter how graphic, were always welcome in her book. "The giant bit off your legs, one by one, as if its showing me that its all over, that I couldn't save you – at least that's how it felt like, because I had this thing on that enabled me to go jumping from one place to another, like a machine of some sort. And I was coming for you – it knew that I was trying to save you. I was shouting your name, and I was crying, and I remember feeling angry, so, so angry at that giant. And then it placed your body in it's mouth and I called you again, but I was still too far away to rescue you. You looked at me, and then – "

You said I love you.

"Then what?" Impatient, Levi leaned closer, almost knocking his mug of still steaming coffee off the counter table.

I told you I loved you too.

"You were eaten. I was picked up by a giant and I got eaten too. Then, I woke up." Feeling suddenly awkward, Zoe lifted her spoon up and dumped a few loads of soggy cereal into her mouth. Levi didn't have to know about those love confessions. After all, it was just a dream; she loved him like a brother and not as a lover.

"That was anti-climatic," Sighing, the man fell back to his seat, slightly disappointed. "I could have said something like 'close your eyes' or something like those fancy shit people say in the movies."

"You're not the romantic type I'm afraid." But in her mind, his voice echoes on and on – I love you, I love you, I love you – and then suddenly Zoe felt like crying again, like how she cried in her dreams. It was an empty, ugly feeling, the type of emotion that punches you so hard on the gut that all air gets knocked out of your lungs and you can't breathe, and you find yourself desperate, miserable, and immobilized. Why is this emotion so familiar?

"Don't think about it," He is as quick as always, familiar to the patterns of her thinking. Zoe smiled, before swallowing the sweet mushy goodness in her mouth. Its a bit creepy, how he predicts her every move. Or is she just that predictable?

Slowly, she took another spoonful of soaked cereal, milk dripping off the metal utensil as she lifted it up. "You were a soldier in my dream. You are a soldier in this life." Breathing deeply, she brought the spoon to her lips, devouring the food without chewing it. "Perhaps in this universe, I don't have to watch you die."

That came out grimmer than she intended it to. Now, it just looked like she was guilt-tripping him. Not that she disapproved of him for enlisting to the army, but there were other jobs out there. Less dangerous. Less deadly.

"I'll come home." His voice was surprisingly mellow, for a lack of a better term. The brunette had to look back at him for this odd reply – usually Levi was the kind of person who disliked emotional conversations. Pushing his chair back, the short man walked over to her side of the table, with her still sitting on the chair. Zoe wanted to joke about how this was one of the rare times she had to look up to him rather than he to her, but found it inappropriate to make a statement like that when she has gotten him so serious. Besides, Levi hated jokes about his height.

"Come home alive," She replied, cracking a small smile at her best friend. Unexpectedly, she found herself standing up as well, arms lifting to wrap around Levi's shoulders. Soon broad hands found their place on her back, touch warm and comforting.

"When I get back, do I have to call you 'Doctor Hange'?"

"I am already a doctor, Levi."

"You're an intern."

"Shut up." She laughs and pulls away, swatting at him, and he evades, naturally. "Go get your shit and get out, soldier."

"Yes, ma'am," He mocks a salute and turns his heel, heading for his bag. Its almost time for his departure. Soon a jeep would fetch him and ship him off to battle, like all the other soldiers in the city of Shiganshina. And sooner still there will be war, and worse death, inescapable as it is. Hange remembers her dreams again, and she could only hope Fate is kinder in this world.


"Aren't you excited?"

"I will be if you would shut up."

Mike snorted at this, and plunged his hand into one of his pockets, fishing out a rather crumpled picture of a blonde woman donning a white dress that made her look like a goddess. He admired it for a while, running his thumb across the woman's face, his lips twitching into a fond smile.

"I'm gonna ask her to marry me when we come home," He says softly, eyes still affixed at the lady's face. "I even bought a ring back in Trost." Tucking away his treasured picture, he produced the said item from his pockets and held it up for his friend to see. It was a simple ring, yet the stone on it called for much attention.

Levi responded with raised eyebrows. "Don't tell me you fucking bought that ring in the middle of the war, Mike."

The blond responded with an amused grin, to which the shorter of the two replied with a soft groan. "Diamonds were really cheap at that time, you know. It was worth it."

"Yes, I heard they were. I would have bought one for my wife as well, but ah, never mind that."

Surprised eyes were met with blue, calm ones – Erwin Smith wasn't known for being nosy, but he was known for being stealthy.

"Sergeant, sir," In unison, both Privates stood up in their seats and saluted, with Mike, as tall as he is, almost slamming his head against the overhead compartment in all of his urgency.

"At ease, soldiers. We're still in a carrier plane but we're not heading towards a battlefield. No need to be so formal." This was probably one of those rare times where they have seen the Sergeant smile so familiarly – or were they just so used to seeing him serious? "So, Zakarius. Who's the lucky girl?"

Retracting his hand, Mike let a small smile out, gaze returning to the ring in his other hand. "My girlfriend of 7 years, sir. I'll be asking her once we land."

"Not wasting even a single minute, huh," Erwin patted his junior's shoulder, smile still on his lips, expression warm. He had led these men to war, and survived with them – they are his blood, his brothers. Knowing one of them would be soon stepping into a church with a girl in tow is a proud moment. "I'll kick you out of the Army if I don't get an invitation, got that?"

Mike laughed, nodding right after Erwin finished talking. "You'll be the first one to receive it, sir, I'll make sure of it."

"And what about Private Rivaille? Did you buy a ring for the woman waiting for you back home, too?"

"No sir, I didn't."

Levi was abrupt, but Mike chose to lengthen his answer for him.

"There's no ring, but there's a woman," The taller of the two blonds sent the black haired man a sideways glance, all teasing and prying. "Why don't you tell us something about your lady doctor, Rivaille?"

"She's an intern, and she's my friend," Levi sent a fleeting glare at Mike, merely making the other chuckle.

"A friend... Ah, so the plot thickens," Erwin nodded, gaze falling on his co-blond, as if they shared a common secret Levi didn't know. If only the blond wasn't his superior, Levi would have punched the Sergeant by now. "I shall await further developments, then. Well now, good day to the both of you, and enjoy your vacations."

"Sure will, sir," Mike's snickers were cut short because of the sudden jab on his stomach, courtesy of his now very cranky co-Private.

"You don't know when to shut up, do you?" Sighing sharply, Levi fell back to his seat, mood souring altogether. He was never known to be the happy type, anyway.

The taller of the two tucked the precious gem back into his pocket, whilst taking his seat. His smile formed into a grin because he had been successful on pissing Levi off before their vacation. They weren't gonna see each other in a month, after all, and he was gonna miss teasing the short soldier.

"You're right, I don't."


Clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick click –

"Doctor Hange."

Clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick clickclickclickclickclick –

"Doctor Hange!"

Clickclickclickclickclickclick –

"Hey, Zoe!"

"I can't take anymore patients, I'm sorry!" Dropping her penlight on the floor, Hange stood up from her seat, hands up, gesturing refusal. The receiving end of her words met her with a chuckle, before dropping the records on the chair beside her.

"You can't say that, silly." Petra rolled her eyes and bent down to pick Zoe's penlight before slipping it in the other's lab coat pocket. "Where were you? The ER is filling up! There has been an accident on Oakwood road. Some truck carrying metal pipes and a bus crashed into each other. A man even got impaled by a pipe, can you believe that? Auruo got in on that, the lucky bastard," Sighing, the ginger flipped open one record file, eyes scanning the whole thing. "He's there assisting Doctor Pixis in OR 5 while I'm here, writing admitting orders because I was 'too slow in raising my hand'. God, I hate Nile Dawk."

"Petra, is it 7 A.M? Its already seven, right? My shift is ove – fuck, its already fifteen minutes past seven!" Hange looked at her own watch, brown eyes burning into the hands, both ticking and not. "I'm already late!"

"What? Late for what?"

"Levi! He's coming home! His plane lands at 7 and I fucking forgot, I cannot believe this!" Throwing her hands in the air, Zoe groaned in mixed frustration and self-hate, before bolting toward their locker room, the stethoscope around her neck dropping midway in her sprint.

"Zoe, you dropped your – oh wait don't leave yet! Did you finish writing down your –"

"Yeah, I finished, hours ago!" Then came a great swinging of a door, her voice soon fading out as the door closed.


He didn't know what to expect when they landed.

All of his fellow men were visibly ecstatic, visibly overjoyed. For a year they have fought the war against the rebels, and there was no greater reward than being able to come home to your loved ones alive, bearing the news of victory and peace.

Every single one of them had families. Mothers and fathers, wives and lovers. Children were definitely added into the welcoming party, since half of their platoon were fathers and mothers, too. But Levi was different; he always stood out, with his short stature and unpleasant demeanor. He had no living mother and father, nor a wife or a lover. What he had was a friend.

A friend who may never come.

Most of his co-soldiers were flocking out of the airport, all smiles and laughs, because they are truly home, now. Sergeant Smith too was already walking away with his five year-old son and his lovely wife, both clinging to him and in happy tears. Mike had already dropped the will-you-marry-me bomb and got the affirmative answer, and is now currently passionately french-kissing his girlfriend, Nanaba.

Levi felt happy for the man, but chose to look away, so that the blond wouldn't catch him staring. He was a little afraid too that he'll notice him there, standing beside a stone pillar like a loser without a person to welcome him home, like everybody else.

Zoe might have completely forgotten, he thinks, as he dragged his belongings and started heading for the exit. Typical of her. He wonders constantly how she even managed to enter medical school in her state of mind. "Yeah, she definitely forgot," He says to himself silently, his throat all dry and his chest beginning to constrict in an ugly manner.

Or she might have just forgotten about me altogether.

"Levi!"

The voice is so familiar, so distinct, that he wouldn't have needed to turn around to know who it was. Zoe stood there, panting hard, brown hair wild and unkempt. Her glasses were askew, her green scrub suit top leaning over to one side to reveal a part of the Star Trek T-shirt she's wearing underneath. Levi felt like punching himself, or punching someone else, because he could not believe she was there. The pathetic thoughts torturing him earlier vanished like soap bubbles in the air as she started walking toward him, face scrunched up, mind torn between the need to smile and the need to cry.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, oh, Levi –" Soon she's running; and he too, toward her, even if he very much would not prefer to do so. He didn't want to look like a kicked puppy who had been offered comfort. When they're close enough to each other, Zoe threw her arms around him quite literally, with no grace, no poise, whatsoever. Levi felt the gunshot wound on his side hurt upon the added weight on his body, but he didn't mind, opting to return her embrace even tighter.

She grew thinner. He could feel her ribs poking about his skin as he hugged her. Was she eating right? Was she sleeping enough? He was about to comment about it but Zoe's laugh cut him off.

"What?" He pulled away slightly, a bit annoyed.

"Nothing," She answered with another chuckle, before tilting her head so that she could give him a kiss.

The world stopped spinning after that. Her lips weren't moist but they were soft against his. He could smell the mint in her mouth, feel the draft of her breath as she distanced herself from him, their kiss not lasting even a second. Affection had just started blooming in his chest – why did she have to pull away? Levi would have questioned her about that, but Zoe put her lips against his cheeks, his cheekbones, his nose, his forehead, and a lot more places until he forgot what he should be angry about.

"Welcome home," After a few more seconds of hugging, she loosened her arms around him, a smile still adorning her face as she looked at him.

"You're still in your scrub suit," He commented evasively, rather than saying something clever about her spit covering his face and neck.

"Yeah, well, I was late!" Zoe chuckled, pulling away completely. The absence of her warmth felt weird. She should have kept holding on to him like how Nanaba did to Mike. "Come on, soldier, let's go home." Her hand shot out to take his luggage, but Levi beat her to it. She chuckled again, and walked with him, side by side.

"I changed residencies, by the way. I got two cats after you left," Hange narrated once they were in a taxi and had muttered the directions. "Don't worry, I cleaned up! I also trained Sonny and Bean how to, you know, poo in a litter box and all that jazz, so you don't have to worry about cat shit lying all over the floor."

"What about the fur? Don't they shed a lot?" Furrowed eyebrows were his reply to her stories. Zoe turned to look at him blankly, before leaning forward to peck him on the cheek. For a second there, Levi thought she was going to kiss him there again.

She looked at him seriously, and said, "I missed that clean-freak side of yours."

Rolling his eyes, Levi brought his hand up to push Hange's face away. "Shut up."

After that there were stories; more of them. She told him about her shift earlier; about the man who apparently had a pole stuck in him; about Nile Dawk, their asshole of a resident; and about how she almost ran out of the hospital with her lab coat still on. It was enough to last them until they arrived at their destination, and Levi was thankful for that, since he didn't want to share his stories in a place so public.

"Are you hungry? God, I'm really hungry; I haven't eaten since last night! We can eat at the diner across the street – the food is really good there, and the bread is simply fantastic. Or if you don't want to, that's okay, I can heat up some left-overs in the fridge."

Her ramblings are lost in his ears as he surveyed the interior of her new apartment. Off-white are her walls, just like the hospitals she works in, yet the brightness of it all is diminished by the many bookshelves and paintings and frames hung all over. If Zoe was orderly, it was with books – they were alphabetized and probably categorized too, by the looks of it.

A play area for her cats that have yet to make an appearance is at a corner next to the balcony, the toys all gathered in one basket, with a scratch post standing beside it. The living area doesn't have much furniture, just a flat screen T.V. and a couch, and heaps and heaps of pillows of different sizes and shapes scattered among a fury, zebra-pattered carpet. A low, Japanese lacquered wooden table is smacked in between the T.V. and the couch, offering a change among the modernity of the surroundings. Game consoles were there, perhaps another added to the collection since he left, and beside them is a small shelf filled with games, both old and new.

All of her curtains are translucent green, the color soft and pleasing, studded with a pattern of three-leaved clovers. Where the light touched there was a spray of gentle green light, bathing the entire place with a sort of odd coziness. Levi's eyes traveled to the kitchen where Zoe, who was now devouring a slice of cold pizza, stood. Looking at the state of her kitchen, she probably never tried to cook once he had gone, but nevertheless she appeared to have not thrown out the various cooking utensils they purchased together.

"Or do you want to take a shower first? Or a bath? I could prepare it for you," She took another bite from her pizza, then another, until she had eaten it all. "Now that I think about it, this will be the first time I can see you naked in a long time! Did you get ripped? Hey, let me see!"

"Zoe, can you not –" He sighed mentally at her childishness and was about to walk away, but her hands are already upon his shirt, tugging and pulling. Persistent as she is, Levi had no chance of winning. However, upon lifting his shirt up to his abdomen, the brunette stopped, eyes wide at the white patch of gauze at his side.

Levi never thought he'd see her so hurt.

Gently, she touched the material covering his stitches, as if determining the extent of his injury. "It's just a bullet wound," He muttered, not used to the gloomy expression on her face.

"Just a bullet wound? What if that bullet landed here instead?" Hange lifted her gaze right before putting her index finger on his chest, where his heart was supposed to be. "Or here?" She lifted her hand and poked his temple. "I could be staring at a different version of you, now."

"The bullet still landed on my side, and I lived." Reaching for her glasses, the soldier pulled it off of her, rendering her a bit visually impaired. Levi thought about kissing her now, tongue and all, before telling her how much he missed her and how much he hated her for being late, but the little voice inside his head disagreed.

What if she pulls away, what if she hates you for it, what if she doesn't love you back–

"I came back home alive," He murmured, placing a kiss on her forehead instead of her lips. "Like I promised."

Zoe let out a soft sigh as she wrapped her arms around him again. "Yeah, you did."

Fate is kinder, today.


A/N: Okay so just to make things clear, imma explain the part where Petra is complaining about Nile Dawk.

In the hospital, a group of interns are guided around by a resident (a doctor who had completed the 3-year training program called 'residency' after graduation from med school) and often another attending physician (usually this doctor's specialty depends on what the situation calls e.g: if there needs to be a surgery then the attending physician will be a surgeon etc., but this doesn't apply always).

Here Petra and Hange are interns (they are in the first year of residency) and the resident in their team is Nile Dawk. Pixis is the attending physician.

OR – operating room

So yeah. Hey, I kind of made a fluffy Levihan chapter, isn't that surprising? Huehuehue. I'm proud.

Also the title for this chapter means something, so yep. I don't own that idea and it belongs to its creators, but I just want really badly to put them into that situation because its so perfect ok.

I hope you enjoyed reading! /o/

Till the next chapter, then.