~Levi~

"Hanji, what the hell?!" I chased her down the hall. She had quite the head start because it took me sometime to break out of my shock. Then she had the advantage of longer legs, of course. Surprisingly, she didn't respond. Instead she turned into the mess hall. No. When I burst through the door way, I was only able to watch as she threw them in the fire. "HANJI!"

"I know you're mad." She turned with her arms crossed. "Petra will be, too. Erwin might be a bit disappointed. And I know, you can just get more papers. But! I've bought you some time to think about what you're doing. And maybe some reflection time for Petra as well. Also gives me some time to talk some sense into Erwin."

"Hanji..." I had no words. I wanted to strangle her.

"Now, who will tell Petra she needs to reapply?"

"Reapply for what?" Petra's voice came from behind me.

"Petra! Guess what?! I just burned your transfer forms. Tragic really. Oh well." Hanji shrugged and walked out.

"I'm sorry, Petra. She did that because I signed them." I spoke now that I was calm.

"Y-You signed them?" Petra looked at me in shock. Her eyes were wide and I noticed her lip tremble. Wait. Is she upset that I did?

"Yeah. I, uh, I did." Isn't that what you wanted?

"Thank you." She looked at her feet. "I'm sorry you'll have to sign them again. Hopefully Hanji won't burn them again."

"So you're going to reapply?" Of course, she is, idiot.

"Yeah, I guess so." Petra walked backwards out of the room. "Guess I'll go get some new forms." Then she was gone. Please don't. I wanted to call out to her.

~Petra~

I wanted to bang my head against the wall. I am so stupid. Hanji's words had stirred something in me. Something that made me walk all the way here to ask Levi to reject my transfer request forms. Something that wanted to talk to Levi about the night of the fair. Something that made me want to stay. Hanji was right. I didn't know much about Levi, and I wanted to change that. Yet, he didn't even put up a fight. Was it a lost cause?

I stared at the forms in front of me. I hadn't filled them out yet. Should I? I laid my head down. Where was Hanji and her words of wisdom when I needed her? I tapped my fingernails on my legs waiting for the doorbell to ring. Waiting for Hanji to show up at the perfect time like the movies. But no such luck. Screw it, I'm gonna go get her myself. I grabbed my coat and left for Hanji's apartment.

"Hanji!" I beat on her door until she finally opened it.

"I know you're upset, but you'll forgive me when you realize I'm right."

"I was going to ask Levi not to sign the papers." I spat out, ignoring her previous statement.

"Holy shit, come in. Tell me everything." She moved so that I could enter. Her apartment was littered with papers: sketches, formulas, theories, random scribbles, etc. Chemicals and tools covered the counters. "Spill."

"So I thought a lot about what you said,"

"Good, good..."

"I decided that I wanted to get to know him and give him another chance and all that,"

"Great...buuut?"

"But when Levi signed the papers so quickly and admitted he would sign them again, I just deflated. He didn't even try to talk me out of it. Yes, I wouldn't listen the night of the fair, but I was emotional. Why didn't he try again? Does he want to? Does he like me? Or was it just an act?"

"Petra, shut up!" I realized I was rambling and freaking myself out. "He loves you. He just doesn't know how to show it. He also figured you would hate him for eternity if he refused or tried talking you out of it. You are so dense sometimes." Hanji rolled her eyes at me. I didn't blame her.

"Wow..." I let Hanji's words sink in before speaking. "I know I should be overjoyed to hear that, but I need to hear it from him. I'm sorry. I know you have been rooting for us since day one, but I just can't stay. Not unless Levi comes here and tells me that he really loves me." My shoulders drooped. "Which we know he'll never do. Maybe it's selfish and crazy, but this is why I was leaving in the first place. If nothing has changed with him, then nothing can change with me."

~Levi~

Hanji burst into my office screaming. She had made quite the habit of that recently. I was about to yell at her, again, when she began rambling about Petra. I couldn't help it. I loved hearing about her. I missed her so much, and I knew I would miss her even more when she left. Guess I would have to get used to this.

"-she doesn't want to go!" Hanji leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.

"Wait, what?"

"Petra. She's not sure if she actually wants to go. She was disappointed to hear that you were signing the papers!" Hanji nearly jumped over my desk. "Listen to me, Levi! This is important! Also, I'm not supposed to tell you, but if I want nieces and nephews, I gotta."

"What?"

"Petra is basically my sister. So when you two have babies, they will be my nieces and nephews. Duh. But of course, how will that ever happen if I don't smack you two dummies upside the head?!" Hanji looked fed up. "Go talk to her."

"What?! No." I spun my chair around, looking out the window. Just the thought of confessing to Petra make my stomach turn. Images of the fair came back to me. My heart began hurting all over again. No, I couldn't do it. "She's a big girl, she can figure it out herself."

"Levi! You don't understand. She said-"

"Hanji! Stop. If she leaves, she leaves. That's it. We will have to deal with it. If you want her to stay so badly, you beg her to stay." Hanji's voice wobbled as she said,

"Don't you want her to stay?"

"Of course I do...I just don't want her to stay because I ask her to...she'll regret it later."

"But what if she wants you to ask her?"