Chapter 2

As they left the walls, Hanji wasn't her usually uppity self. For once, she wasn't excited about seeing titans. She just wanted Levi to notice her outside of the bedroom. But enough of that foolishness, she needed to focus or else get killed. But it was too late. She had been caught up in her thoughts longer than she realised and the hand of a 15-meter came crashing down next to her, startling her. She quickly got herself straightened on her horse, pulling it the opposite way of the titan and shot up a flare to alert the others. The titan stomped heavily behind her, trying to keep up. Her horse tripping on a hole in the ground and she came crashing down on the shaking ground. Before she could open her eyes, she felt titan fingers wrap around her, lifting her into the air. She didn't open her eyes. She didn't have to. She could struggle, try to escape from the titans tight grip, but she knew it'd do no good. It's been said when you're about to die, your life flashes before you. But all she could think about was him. As long as she knew, her research was her life. But at the moment of her reckoning, the one person who changed it all came to mind. She took a deep breath and held it as she felt the musty, hot exhalation of the titan on her skin. And suddenly, she was falling. Her eyes shot open to see the titan falling with her, its life taken by the hands of Levi, to her surprise. She landed on her back, knocking the breath out of her and he landed in front of her.
"What is wrong with you?!" he demanded. "How stupid can you be? Pathetic. And you wonder why I don't love you." He walked away and mounted himself back on his horse, leaving her there trying to catch her breath from the blow of the hard ground and from his words. He imediately regretted his words.
It hit her as if she jumped from a cliff into a partially frozen lake. Free falling into the ice, pain and coldness instantly, then as it stabbed into her, it engulfed her. That's exactly what it was like. She got back on her horse and continued with the survery.

When they got back, Levi's words were still on Hanji's mind. She was obsessing over them, more than she obsessed over titans. Hanji retired to her room, curling up tightly in her bed after removing most of her clothes.
"I thought that after our time together, I'd at least mean something to him.."
Her emotions engulfed her as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Levi couldn't stop obsessing over his words either. Admittedly, he was furious when he said them and knew even then that he didn't mean them. So what did he mean?

Suddenly, there was a knock on Hanji's door. "Shit," she thought as she wiped the tears from her cheeks, as if that erased all the emotion that was pooring out of her eyes. She cleared her throat as she stood up and regained her composure. "C-coming," she managed to choke out. As she opened the door, her heart stopped and dropped into her stomach. Cut down from the strings it was hanging on and stabbed repeatedly. "Oh.. Levi.. come in," she moved aside so he could come through the doorway.
His face wore nothing but sorrow as he refused to look at her, walking into her room. He took a seat at the foot of her bed.
"Hanji-"
"Save it. Don't you think you've done enough?" She couldn't tell if she was angry or hurt. But she didn't want to hear anymore from him. Only more heartache could come from it.
"No, Hanji, listen.. please.. I'm sorry," those rare words left him lips with all the sincerity he could muster in hopes that she believed him. She sat down next to him, trying to look at his face, but his head was down.
"What.." she said in disbelief.
"Are you really going to make me say it again? I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said, I was just angry with you."
"What? What were you angry with me for? I didn't do anything!" She argued back.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me. Other than nearly getting yourself killed? And you didn't even try to fight back. Why did you give up? What's gotten into you?"
She looked down apologetically, her anger subsiding and the tears work their way back up.
"I didn't see the point.. I figured I should just accept what was happening.. My research was going nowhere and.. you.." she stopped herself before she said something even more foolish.
Levi grabbed her by her arms, making her face him.
"What is the matter with you?! That is no reason to give up! You're not being yourself. The Hanji I know would never quit fighting that easily!" She shook his hands off her and swallowed her tears. It felt as if she were inhaling cold air that frostbit her chest. Why was he doing this? Just earlier he was telling her he didn't love her and now.. She couldn't think. Normally she could easily put it all together, but my mind was so scrambled with all these thoughts, she couldn't focus.
"Why do you care..?" she asked him quietly, part of her hoping he didn't hear. He paused for a moment in thought before moving closer to her. Gently, he lifted her chin with his hand so that her lips were level with his and after another moment of thought, he pressed them together. Softly at first, but then more passionately as he softly pushed her back onto the bed and moved over her. Kissing her bottom lip, he then pulled back slightly.
"That's why I care.."
"I-I don't understand, Levi."
With a groan, he threw himself to the side of her, laying on his back. Rubbing his face for a moment, he sighed. "Dammit four-eyes." he said with an annoyed tone.
"No, no! I'm sorry, just," she sat up next to him and grabbed his hands, holding them in hers, looking at him with hopeful eyes. "Please.."
He glaced over at her and sighed again before sitting up. "Are you really going to make me say this?"
Hanji smirked at him before giving him the saddest eyes she could. "Heichou, pretty pleeeease?"
"Tch," Levi sat quietly for a moment before flicking her on the nose. "Owww!" she covered her nose with her hands, letting go of his. "What was that for?!"
"For making me admit that I love you." And at the exact moment, she threw her arms around him, knocking him over. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" She squealed loudly, obviously back to her usual self.
She kissed his lips over and over excitedly.
"I"
Kiss.
"Love"
Kiss.
"You!"
Kiss.
He gently pushed her off him, fighting the smile that was trying to spread across his face.
"Knock it off, shitty glasses. Don't think this changes anything."