Well this took longer than expected, but it's almost as long as last chapter, so bonus!
I moved out of my parents, and I live with my sister now, so I have a LOT more time on my hands to write, I'd expect chapters a little faster as of now.
Doozy at the end of this one. Also another lemon slice, and everything promised in last chapter. A wee bit of angst because Hanji is an emotional girl...bleh I dunno why I write that shit...because reasons. But fluffy Levihan because of it so enjoy that.
I was going to mention last chapter because it correlated with the content, but the author's notes were far too long already, so I'll say it here. Did you know that people typically wore no undergarments in the set time of this story? Corsets, perhaps, if one was a rich woman, but for the general public, undergarments were next to unheard of. I didn't know that until I wrote last chapter lol.
Also, now that I have a laptop I can lose the little dot separator thingies XD, enjoy the real separator bars.
"So, how are we going to break this to your siblings?" Eren asked.
They should have been asleep, especially this late at night. But her restlessness - coupled with his contemplation - had them both up at the witching hour. Armin slumbering soundly in his bed across the room.
Mikasa kept shuffling in place, used to sleeping on her stomach, and quite irritated with her newfound lack of ability to do so. It just felt like there was something bulbous under her skin when she lay on her stomach...like she was squishing the baby or something. Yes, it was now more uncomfortable to sleep on her stomach, but she was still quite frustrated with her need to sleep on her back or side as of late. And as such, she often took a couple hours to fall asleep. More so when she could practically feel Eren thinking while he lay beside her.
She had been about to scold him for thinking so loudly when he voiced his question.
"I only thought as far ahead as Levi." she murmured back, her eyes remaining lazily closed as her body tried and failed to find sleep. A smile of amusement managed to find its way onto her lips when he stiffened at the thought of it.
"And?" he prodded, tone underlain with anxiety over the matter.
"Hanji is going to tell him." she shrugged.
"Hanji?" he seemed almost incredulous, "I know it's a big prospect, but pawning it off on her seems a little-"
"I didn't pawn it off on her." Mikasa turned to face him and stifled a giggle. "Silly boy." she leaned up to kiss him, soft and chaste, on his pouty lips. "She offered, and she'd do a much better job than you and I would in any case," she explained.
"How so?" Eren asked, thumb gliding gently over her bottom lip as he listened.
While it hindered her words slightly, she allowed it just out of sheer endearment for the gesture. "I don't know if you've noticed, but they're a little more than friends if you know what I mean."
Eren raised a brow, "Levi...and Hanji?" he said, most undoubtedly unconvinced.
"Oh come on, Eren," Mikasa chuckled, "It doesn't take a genius to notice the sexual tension between them. Also, Hanji told me herself that they've-"
"I don't want to think of Levi doing those things if you can find a way to steer around speaking of it." Eren cringed, gritting his teeth as he made a show of forcing the image from his head. "If you say they're in a relationship I'll believe you." he placated with a soft laugh.
"Well, good." she sighed, "Like I said, it doesn't take a genius to see it," she repeated to cement her point. Snuggling closer to him and tracing his pronounced collarbone with her fingertips.
"Is that a polite way of saying I'm an idiot?" he swiped her loose hair back from her shoulder and then proceeded to caress her shoulder.
"Mhmm." she hummed, smiling when he kissed her forehead. "Not that I mind. I like this idiot."
Eren only chuckled in response, fingers moving down her shoulder, across her collarbone, and starting down her torso when it inevitably happened:
"Can you guys not do anything while I'm in here?"
As if on cue the blonde across the room spoke up. It was quite the norm, they'd tried being quiet while intimate with him present. But it was as if he had an internal clock that let him know every time Eren so much as touched her hip. Or maybe he was just a light sleeper and the talking is what always woke him? Neither truly knew, nonetheless, it was a more than a little annoying. (That's not to say they didn't love him regardless).
"Or at least tell me beforehand, so I can move to the living room." Armin rolled over to give them an apologetic smile.
"But that would kill the mood!" Eren whined, and Armin scoffed as he tossed his pillow at the other boy.
"Eren!" Mikasa chided mirthfully, "Sorry, Armin. We weren't doing anything unseemly, and we won't be-" she turned to give Eren a secret grin, "-tonight, that is." she finished in a whisper.
"Heard that." Armin sing-songed, and was rewarded with a pillow to the head.
"Go to sleep, Armin!"
"Hey," a hand was shaking her out of her content, dreamless slumber. And when she opened her eyes Mikasa stepped back and held her hands out to placate her, "Whoa, sorry." she said nervously.
Hanji realized she was glaring, and - she wagered - likely looked like she was about to murder someone. She rubbed her face as she rolled onto her back, "No, no...I just didn't know it was you." she yawned. "What is it?"
Mikasa sat at the edge of her bed, voice a low whisper, "So, I told Eren last night."
"I could tell. I had to keep Levi out of the hallway, you know." Hanji teased with a sly grin.
Mikasa turned red and covered her mouth, scandalized, "Really?" she squeaked.
Hanji laughed, shaking her head as she sat up, "No, not really, I'm just kidding you." she said.
Mikasa sighed in relief...and then whacked her solidly on the shoulder.
"Ow!"
"Don't do that."
"Gee...don't worry, I won't...ow..." Hanji rubbed her shoulder and hissed at the sting, whilst Mikasa showed no remorse for her actions and continued on in her speech.
"Anyway, I wanted to tell you that you can tell Levi any time now. I'll take care of Isabel and Farlan." she said.
Hanji nodded, "Alright." she stretched her arms above her head with a groan of satisfaction. "I'll have to corner him somewhere..." she said to herself, pondering how she could go about this dangerous business.
"Thanks, by the way." Mikasa looked a little ashamed, "You really didn't have to offer, and I am more than a little afraid as to what he might do or say when he hears it."
At that Hanji grinned, "I think I have the solution for that." she murmured to herself.
"What was that?" Mikasa looked up curiously.
"Oh nothing, just talking to myself." Hanji swung her legs over the edge of the bed and smiled reassuringly at the younger girl before she stood to head downstairs.
"Ah...your pants." Mikasa pointed out.
Hanji turned with a gasp and ran to her nightstand with a giggle, "Whoops!" she laughed, pulling her pants on and then proceeding downstairs. She made her way into Levi's room and halted herself when she found his bed to be empty. With a contemplative "Huh." she turned on her heel and checked the bathroom, also disappointingly empty. "Hmm." she hummed louder this time, determined and curious as to where the man might be.
She passed Mikasa, of whom was starting porridge for breakfast, and made her way outside, remembering last-minute to steal someone's boots for her mission. The air was crisp and laced with the scent of pine and snow. She took a moment upon stepping outside to admire the white mountains and slowly-freezing lake. Her breath came out in a frosty cloud, and it made her smile before she remembered her purpose for coming outside.
Luckily for her, the night's fresh snow allowed her to see exactly where her missing Shorty had gone. With a grin, she rubbed her glove-less hands together to warm them before she began her journey. She stepped in each individual footprint and hummed a little nursery ditty to herself, adding in the words at randomized intervals as she hopped from footprint to footprint.
"I didn't know you could sing."
Hanji fell backward onto her butt after losing her balance as a result of his sudden vocal appearance. He was leaning against the door of the barn, having obviously been watching her while she was occupied with following his tracks. "Shit! Cold! Cold!" she exclaimed as the ice seeped into her thin pants, immediately chilling her to the bone.
He scoffed and stepped out from the shelter of the barn to lend her a hand. "Thanks." she murmured as he hoisted her to her feet.
"Are you alright?" he asked as she stumbled into his hold.
She reached back to grope her soaked pants, rubbing her chilled rump and begrudgingly accepting his lead as he walked into the barn. "I was looking for you," she said as she squirmed, most uncomfortable with her predicament.
Levi gestured to the black mare he was currently attending to, and Hanji smiled softly at the rare endearment he tended to show to horses. He stroked her muzzle fondly and even let her lick affectionately at his hand. "The water freezes sometimes, I came out to break it up for them," he explained.
"That's very sweet of you." she cooed, leaning on her arms against the stall and watching him with an appreciative smirk.
He looked up at her and frowned, "Why were you looking for me?"
She rocked back on her heels and exhaled, "Well, I have a question for you. Two actually." she said, waltzing around the gate and closing it behind her, leaving them both secluded inside the stall. The mare snorted and stomped a hoof in protest at the following swift movement. Hanji cornered the slightly shorter man with her hands loudly planted against the wood on either side of his shoulders.
"Is that supposed to be intimidating?" he asked with a raised brow.
"Somewhat," she grinned, leaning down to be at eye-level, "Question one: Why are you avoiding me?" she asked, accentuating her question with soft, yet heaving breath and a pointed glance to his inviting lips. Of which parted as he took in a sharp breath, and it was all she could do not to forget her questions and ravage him on the spot.
He looked slightly panicked, glancing from side to side and avoiding her piercing gaze best he could. She grinned when his resolve began to diminish, "It's no use trying to divert you, is it?" he asked, sighing and bringing a hand up to massage his temple.
"Nope!" she popped the P, and leaned in to kiss him on the nose, to which he wrinkled said appendage and gave her an irritated glare.
He crossed his arms and looked down...down her shirt, that is. He gave a subtle bite of his lip as he briefly appreciated her, and she smiled when he took the initiative to caress her collarbone. A slight shiver overtook her as he glanced up at her, "Because...I feel like every time we take a step, we're moving too fast." he began, returning his gaze to her torso and investigating a prominent freckle on her sternum, "Normal people don't get this far in less than three months of knowing one another, you know."
She mulled that information over in her head with a tentative nod, "I suppose you have a point." she conceded, grabbing at his open collar and tugging him close, "But," she added with a grin, "I don't think we are what classifies as normal, are we?" she kissed him once before moving her lips to his ear and reveling in the shudder he gave. If this thrill was what he experienced when he serviced her those few days back...well, long story short: she could get used to it.
"Hanji," he murmured, grasping at her shirt. But he didn't push her away, not even when she took the soft skin of his earlobe between her teeth and nipped gently at it.
"Don't avoid me, Levi." she said, lips brushing against his jawline with the words. His pulse was rapid under the hand she had moved to cup his face. She inhaled deeply, lips barely touching his own as she met his gaze, his dark, shadowy gaze that begged her not to stop. "Please don't avoid me." she breathed, and he was tugging her into the kiss before she had the chance to lean forward.
The pure, raw need that radiated between them was intoxicating, all the more so coming from her Levi. Seeing the supposedly emotionless, grumpy, monotonous man behave so desperately nearly had her knees buckling at the force of her arousal. He was trying to spin them, to take control of the rapidly impending coupling, but she took it upon herself to switch it up. She grasped both of his hands and held them against the wood behind him, biting his lip in retaliation.
He pulled back enough to give her his customary raised eyebrow, and she simply grinned. "You had your fun last time...my turn, remember?" she kissed at his jawline, down his neck, and elicited a grunt from him when she rolled her hips into his.
"Hanji..." he huffed in annoyance, and she grazed her teeth over the base of his neck while her hands led his to her shoulders.
"Just...let me." she placated, kissing him once and waiting for him to hesitantly nod before she took a moment to admire his form, deciding what to do first. It was too cold out in the barn to undress, so she determined to slide her hands under his jacket and shirt. He didn't react much, but she enjoyed fondling his sculpted muscles most thoroughly, chuckling when his skin flinched and rippled under her touch. "Ticklish?" she asked.
He merely exhaled, breath slow and deliberately steady, given away by the slightest tremble of it.
"Mmkay," she murmured, mostly to herself, and slid her hands around his waist and down into his pants, "How's this?" she asked in time with the sudden movement. He jumped at the contact, having not expected it, and she hummed to herself as she indulged herself and squeezed the flesh softly.
"I thought you had two questions." he breathed, voice positively quivering as she lightly rocked her hips into his.
She sighed and lolled her head back in a childish, almost tantrum-like motion, "That question-" she said, "-isn't quite appropriate for these activities. Let me finish first." she used her scandalous grip on his ass to tug him closer, punctuating her words with a fiery kiss.
He scowled as she pulled back to flash him that mischievous grin of hers, "What does that mean?"
"It basically means your little friend won't want attention anymore after I ask that question, and I want to have a chance with him!" she said in exasperation, pulling one hand free and bringing it around to cup him through his trousers.
He jumped at the contact yet again and grabbed her wrist. She frowned at his hesitance, wiggling her fingers against him just enough to make him shuffle back from her touch.
"What?" she prodded.
He gave a slight smile and shook his head as he thumped it against the beam behind him. "I'm just...getting flashbacks." he started to chuckle at his own words, and she stilled as it grew into full-out laughter.
He had the strangest laugh. It was so low in tone, husky, and almost intimidating. In fact, if she thought about it, it was akin to sinister in its tone. But it was also infectious, it made her want to laugh as well. And she did, especially once she realized what he meant by flashbacks.
They both dissolved into raucous laughter, a noise that was heavily unappreciated by their company in the stall. The mare nudged Hanji's back and made her stumble forward, ending their giggle-fit as they scrambled for stability.
"Oh Levi..." she sighed mirthfully, pressing her lips to his nose and smiling softly, "I think that's the first time I've ever heard you laugh." she added in an awed whisper, bringing her other hand up to caress his cheek with her fingers. His skin flushed under her touch, and she kissed him chastely at the sight of it. "And you know I'm not gonna grab it like last time." she said, wriggling her wrist to encourage him to let go.
He looked to the side and puffed out his cheeks as he exhaled, "Well..."
"Oh no...I think I scarred you for life." she murmured to herself with a chuckle.
"Hanji..." he groaned, covering his eyes with his free hand.
"If you're nervous-"
"I'm not nervous." he corrected immediately, and she smirked to show that he wasn't fooling her.
"If you were," she continued, "I'd remind you that I said I'll be gentle." she assured, lightly fingering his waistband and waiting for his approval.
He sighed, shaking his head as he gingerly released her wrist, fingers lingering only just barely before he pulled his hand back and rested it on her shoulder instead. And she took that as her cue to finally begin. Though she was quite hesitant in her own right, her heart racing and her hand shaking as she began to take the same step he had taken with her days before.
She flinched back at the first of him that she felt, but his expression didn't change (yet). He stared right back into her eyes while she explored, and she bit her lip once more before she finally took him in her hand. So different from before, the brief feel she had gotten wasn't quite enough to acquaint herself with this part of him.
She carefully, lightly mapped him out, feeling both highly awkward and highly aroused as she did so. She also took a brief moment to wonder how that was supposed to fit anywhere, and she bit her lip at the thought. He stifled a grunt, and her attention was back on his features as she resumed her groping.
A light stroke of her hand, and she paused when his face contorted, lips parting with his now heaving breath. She smirked as she realized she had found what he liked. And so, grip still gentle - yet firm - she continued the motion that had him slowly panting harder, along with an occasional gasp or groan. She pumped slowly, still growing used to the rhythm he was unwittingly teaching her.
It was intoxicating in an entirely new way, watching how her efforts affected him. Every noise that managed to escape him and every shuddering huff of breath he took had her on the edge of her figurative seat, waiting to see what he might do next. A stuttering gasp preceded his forehead pressing insistently against her shoulder, and she frowned at not being able to see his alluring face anymore. Though she did enjoy his warm breath against her skin...
She jumped when he spoke, so enthralled with her work she was.
"Faster." he huffed, his grip on her shoulders tightening when she paused to shuffle into a more comfortable posture. But she swiftly, and tentatively, heeded his request. His head thumped against the wood behind them, and she watched with eyes wide in curiosity as he finally moaned for her. It was a sight to behold, really. Her Levi, standing there all flustered, alternating between panting and biting back his pleasured noises, lashes fluttering against his flushed cheeks and mouth agape as he gasped for air.
Another moan, oh God...she could listen to that every day for the rest of her life. It was positively beautiful. In fact, in her own humble opinion, hearing that sound from him was nearly as euphoric as being the recipient of such treatment.
He began to erratically thrust his hips into her touch when she increased her pace yet again. She observed in fascination as he screwed his eyes tightly shut, choking on his breath and body spasming. She swallowed his final moan in a fierce, sloppy kiss when he seized up in her grip. And she gradually slowed her ministrations as he climaxed, drawing out his peak for as long as she dared before she removed her hand from his trousers. She brushed her fingers along his hip, caressing his back soothingly as she pulled back to admire her handiwork.
His eyes blinked open, shoulders heaving with his breath as he recovered, and drifting into the contented high of his aftermath. She kissed him again, briefly, sweeping back the strands of hair that had plastered themselves onto his sweaty forehead. She pulled back once more, and then she grinned in pride, "I wonder if I enjoyed that even more than you did." she said.
He scoffed, shook his head, and smiled, "Possibly." he shrugged and pulled her closer so he could take a moment to kiss her neck, softly and lazily. "I might regret not letting you do this sooner." he admitted, sighing when she threaded her fingers through his hair.
"Good." she punctuated that word by tapping his nose with a finger.
He hummed contently and leaned back against the wood of the barn, hands laced together behind her neck, "So...what was the second question?" he prodded after a moment of thought.
She bit her lip and chuckled, "Well," she drawled, and then procrastinated by kissing him on the forehead, and he frowned as she move to kiss his cheek, nose, nibbled on his upper lip...
"What are you doing?" he murmured before she was muffling him with a firm, dizzying kiss to the lips.
She didn't give him long to recover before she dropped the question upon him, "I wanted to know: what's it like being an uncle?"
He was still a little out of it, reeling from both his climax and the kiss and he stared at her blankly while he processed what she had just said. She smothered a laugh behind her hand as she watched confusion flash across his features. "What?"
"I'll let you figure it out, Short-stack. I'm off to change these pants and get breakfast." she waved as she stepped away. And a brief glance to the stain on the crotch of his pants had her smirking (yet again) with pride, "You might want to do the same." she grinned.
He was still busy realizing what she meant by her question, and with a sharp gasp, he looked up at her, mouth agape (and not quite in the enticing way it was only moments before). "What?!" he exclaimed, wild-eyed and absolutely flabbergasted as she cackled and moved to run out of the barn.
"Bye!"
"HANJI! Get your ass back here!"
"Of all the irresponsible, stupid...gah!"
Isabel was pacing back and forth, hands on her hips and glare directed at the two shamed teens on the couch. Farlan didn't seem all too surprised by the confession, and he simply sat with his arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed with worry over his wife as she continued to pace.
Isabel covered her eyes and stopped, sighing deeply before she turned to her younger sibling and approached her. "Mikasa, I hope you know that I myself don't really care that you're pregnant." she said, kneeling before her and grasping her pale, cold hand, squeezing it as she rested her forehead against her knees. "I'm just surprised, and I worry about what others might think of you. I don't want you two to go through ridicule for your actions."
"It's not as if every other teen isn't fucking someone as well, Isabel." Farlan interjected.
Isabel rounded on him with a glare, "That may be true, but illegitimacy is another matter entirely, Farlan." she said.
Farlan shrugged, "Just saying, hun."
"We didn't mean for it...to happen that is." Mikasa interjected before Isabel could begin her impending lecture towards her husband.
Isabel thumped her forehead against her younger sister's legs and sighed, "I know, dearie. I know." she said, looking up at her, "And I didn't mean to imply that you had done this on purpose." she pat Mikasa on the knee as she spoke. "I just wish you had been more responsible, kept track of yourself or something."
Mikasa ducked her head and blushed, "I know."
Isabel turned to Eren, who shrank back in his seat under her intimidating gaze, "And you, boy," she stood, hands fisted at her hips, "I do hope you intend to take her as your wife. Most preferably before she shows."
Eren gulped and nodded, "Y-yes...I do intend to." he said, "If she wants me to..." he glanced sideways at Mikasa and calmed considerably at the sight of her loving smile and nod.
Isabel gave a curt nod of her own, "Good, now, as for-"
*BANG!*
All persons present jolted and turned to the door as Hanji stumbled in, cackling and tripping over boots too big for her as she made for the stairs. Levi was heard hollering after her, and then seen trudging through the snow past the window and around the back of the house shortly after.
"What was that about?" Isabel asked, shrugging at her own question seconds later, "Anyway, as I was saying," she continued, "I'd like to go into town and explain this development to your father, Eren."
"I can do it myself." Eren said, though he wouldn't mind terribly having someone else tell his father for him.
"Nonsense, I want to hear his opinion on the matter and be there to mediate." Isabel said with finality.
"Alright." Eren conceded easily, honestly relieved that he wouldn't be revealing this alone.
"We just went into town a week ago." Farlan pointed out.
"Yes, we did, and we are running out of flour again. I also want Hanji to come with us, she needs to get out of the house." Isabel said, "Speaking of Hanji, I'm going to go see just what shenanigans she has pulled on Levi." she turned on her heel and headed up the staircase, calling back as she left: "Go eat your breakfast, and wake Armin! He's sleeping in too late."
Hanji had just pulled on some new pants and was preparing to head downstairs when Isabel knocked at her door. "Hanji? May I come in?"
"Of course." Hanji opened the door with a smile and gestured for her redheaded friend to enter, sitting down unceremoniously on the bed with her. Isabel looked around the room and hummed, and Hanji studied her for a moment before she spoke, "You have something to ask me. Yes?" she prodded.
Isabel nodded, "Yes, I do." she shifted in place, "I was curious...how are you and my brother getting along?"
Hanji thought briefly back to the morning's activities and the same genre of activity the near-week prior. She blushed heavily and cleared her throat, rubbing the back of her neck as she formulated an appropriate answer. "He...I...we...we're doing well, actually." she hid a small grin as the memory of Levi's face whilst in the throes of passion invaded her mind's eye.
Isabel raised her brow, "You are?" she asked, suspicious of Hanji's flushed skin and shy demeanor. "Really?"
"Very." Hanji turned her head further so that Isabel couldn't see her expression.
"Hanji," Isabel said, voice laced with an accusation, "What's going on between you two?"
Hanji grimaced, "Well...should I start from the beginning?" she asked, finally turning to face her.
Isabel took in the younger woman's features. She was blushing red as a tomato, and her demeanor suggested guilt. "If you feel you should, then yes." she prompted her to begin and propped her chin upon her hand.
Hanji ran a hand across her face, "Well I don't feel I should." she chuckled, "When it comes to Levi and me, we are...kind of, just a little...intimate?" she said, her anxious cringe notable in her voice as she awaited Isabel's reaction.
The woman in question blinked, a plethora of emotions were evident in her jade eyes as she contemplated the information she had just received. Isabel pursed her lips, glancing down, and then back up, "Is this your idea of a joke? Because if it is...then it's...actually pretty funny." she said.
Hanji quirked a brow, "No. I'm dead serious, Isabel." she held her hands up with a nervous chuckle, "It's most definitely not a joke."
Isabel nodded, "So, you're fucking my brother." she bit her lip, a slight smile breaking across her features.
"NO!" Hanji exclaimed, "I mean, I said we were intimate. I never said we were...were fucking." she clarified.
Isabel stilled, "Intimate...but not fucking." she said to herself, blinking again, "Why ever not?"
Hanji broke into a hesitant laugh, "You're not upset?"
Isabel laughed harder, "Why would I be? This is the best news I've heard since you joined our little family, Hanji." she said, pausing in her laughter to furrow her brow, "So why aren't you fucking yet?" she prodded.
"Isabel!" Hanji exclaimed in exasperation.
"What?! I want to know!"
"We aren't because we aren't. If we move too fast we might regret it...Levi agrees with me on that point." Hanji explained.
Isabel shook her head and exhaled, "Let me give you a piece of advice-" she placed her hand upon the younger woman's, "-the longer you wait, when you both want it, the more likely you'll regret that in itself." she said, "Heaven knows I wish I had given in sooner than I had with Farlan." she rocked back in her seat with a sigh.
Hanji blushed and crossed her arms, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." she said with a huff of embarrassment.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to embarrass you, dearie." Isabel soothed, "I'm just excited for you, and my brother." she continued on, "You have no idea how long we've been trying to get him together with a woman. He's turned away Farlan's offer of a whore more than once...I started to believe he might be into men for a time." she added with a raucous guffaw.
Hanji laughed along, rubbing her neck with a grimace at the thought. Not that she had anything against it, but the image in her head made her irrationally jealous of the imaginary male her mind had conjured up with Levi. Her Levi...
'That sounds a little possessive.' she scolded herself inwardly, 'It is possessive.' she admitted with a slight shrug at her own thoughts.
"Regardless, I'm glad you told me." Isabel sighed to herself. "Now...I wanted to ask, will you come to town with us tomorrow?"
At first saying yes seemed like a good idea, but waiting outside Grisha Jäger's house while Isabel, Farlan, Mikasa, and Eren all spoke with the man in question, wasn't quite what she had in mind. Hanji sighed and tugged grass from the dirt, tossing the blades in her boredom. It was her decision though, to wait outside. She honestly would rather not be involved in such personal family matters anymore than she had. While her role was small and...wonderfully pleasant, it was still a little stressful.
Despite Mikasa's belief, the man took the news well, his only qualm was that she had sprung it on him the way she had. A way of which he refused to admit to Farlan's inquiry. He simply glared at Eren while the situation was explained in it's entirety to him, and then he gave a hum, turning on his heel and heading off to his room. In the morning he had told Mikasa the same as Isabel, that he didn't really care, and that as long as she and Eren kept whatever messes were made clean he would support them.
"Typical Levi." Hanji chuckled to herself, brushing her windswept hair back from her forehead and looking about the village. Children and people in general weren't out today, apparently - according to Isabel - it was a church day, and most were home enjoying Sunday dinners. The village itself wasn't all that far from their cabin, perhaps a couple hours. It was nestled down the mountain in a wide, farm-laden valley. It was nice, less windy than up in the mountains and the snow hadn't quite reached it yet. The day was overcast and calm, a soft breeze rather than the cold winds she was growing used to.
Hanji turned in place to consider the house, and after a moment hauled herself to her feet and decided she would take a stroll down the street and give the town a thorough once-over. The only thing that made it large was the spacing of the buildings, beside that, it was a rather small place, deserving of the title of Village. She walked south from the Jäger's and past the schoolhouse, down the dirt path from the higher elevation of land to the lower, and past the smithy.
She clasped her hands behind her back and hummed as she strolled, not quite aware of any destination just yet. She simply perused, window-shopping at the general store, and stopping to watch the farrier shoe a horse at the stable. He took the time to tell his stranger of an observer the process, and she listened in interest. She left when he had finished, making her way past the storehouses and the inn at the far end of the town, and then turning back to walk up the opposite side of the street.
She passed a bar, or a brothel, not that she could tell, as it was not at all busy, in any sense. She took the time to shrug her shoulders and assume the men who usually gambled, drank, or whored in that building took a day off for God just as any other man. And then she continued on without a second thought, making her way back up the hill and passing the few cabins that were built there, and back to the Jäger's, all just in time to find Farlan and Isabel on the porch, sitting and talking casually to one another.
"Where did you go?" Isabel asked as Hanji sat herself down on the grass again.
"I had a walk." Hanji said with a sigh of contentment.
"Was it a nice one?" Isabel offered her the mug of ale she was nursing.
Hanji waved it away and nodded, "It was. It's a nice day in general...and I don't need a horse in order to walk ten feet in the damned snow down here." she added with a chuckle.
Farlan held up his mug with a nod of begrudged agreement. "Aye, the snow gets rather deep up by our cabin." he said, "This time of year is nothing, though. Wait for the latter of the season, gets even worse."
"Lovely." Hanji groaned, with no shortage of sarcasm in her tone as she rubbed her forehead in a show of exasperation. She sat up straight and took a deep breath of the clear air, glancing at Isabel, "Did it go well?"
Isabel shrugged, "Could have been worse, could have been better. Grisha is upset with Eren. Not quite upset enough to yell, mind you...but then again he's never yelled has he?" she asked to Farlan, who gave a shrug of his own. "He was a begrudged, of that have no doubt, but those two have his blessing." she said.
Hanji nodded, "And what of Eren's mother?"
Farlan frowned, and Isabel shook her head, "I'd like to hear her opinion. But the woman has been dead for some time." she explained, "Damn shame too, I hear she was a wonderful woman."
Hanji nodded, cringing at the reminder of her own mother's early death. "I see." she murmured.
"In any case, Grisha has offered to have us stay for dinner. We'll eat and be headed back to the cabin before sunset if we can." Isabel said as she stood, heading inside without another word.
"You alright there, Hanji?" Farlan inquired as he stood.
Hanji gave a slight start and nodded, "Yes, I'm just a little tired." she said with a sheepish smile.
"Come on then." Farlan gestured for her to follow as he went inside, and she did.
Hanji sat down on her bed and exhaled long and low. She had...a fairly good time at the Jäger's, but she had a strange sense of depression as the night had wore on. Likely caused when she had been reminded of her mother. She curled her hands into fists, partially out of anger, and partially out of sorrow. Anger for her father, for never being one. Sorrow over the death she never truly got over. She couldn't bring herself to get over it, no matter the fact that she had gone so long without thinking of either of them.
She must have been poor company, fiddling with her utensil and staring at the wall. Whatever conversations were had were faded in her ears, as she wasn't paying attention. Grisha didn't seem to mind her quietness. He came across as a quite gentle man, soft-spoken and eyes kind. She had smiled as warmly as she might, thanking him when he confirmed her arm to be fully healed and muscles well recovered.
Isabel was raving the whole trip back to the cabin about how she would be teaching her archery, and Hanji agreed with soft chuckles and a nod. Upon arriving home she had headed upstairs claiming tiredness, and she was tired. She fell back against the bed and hummed, rubbing her forehead.
"Everybody has bad days." she mumbled to herself, lifting her hand to inspect her fingers. There was a light rap at the door, and she groaned as she propped herself up on her elbows. "Who is it?" she called to the door, feeling far too lazy and emotional to go open it herself. The door opened and she raised a brow at Levi's incredulous expression. "What?"
He stepped in and shrugged, "No hello?" he asked with a calculating tilt of his head.
She gave a slight smirk, closing her eyes and falling back with a grunt, "Miss me that much?"
She jolted in place when he straddled her, knees on either side of her torso. She looked up at him and raised her brow yet again, shrinking back when he leaned in. "A little." he said, and she grinned. He was about to kiss her, and she was highly anticipating it, but he paused and studied her instead. "What's wrong, Hanji?"
She frowned and turned her head away, wondering if she were truly so opaque that he could see through her so easily. "It's nothing, I'm just tired."
He sat up, and she grunted at his full weight on her abdomen, "I thought you were the one telling me not to 'feed you that bullshit'." he said.
She looked at him and furrowed her brow in frustration, "Damn you." she sighed.
"Damn you." he leaned in and kissed her briefly, "Now tell me."
"And if I said no?" Hanji asked.
"Then I'd persuade you." he said.
"How?"
"Hanji..." he groaned, grasping either of her hands and leaning in again. He gave her the most pathetic attempt at a pout, and it was almost enough to make her cave. "Please tell me."
She let her smile fall at that, and she looked to the side again, blinking as her eyes began to sting. "I'm just...I just need to..." she rasped.
"Hanji?" Levi climbed off of her and pulled her by her arms to a sit. "What are you doing?" he seemed quite unaware of how to handle her sudden change in emotion, evident in the way he knelt in front of her, hands held uncertainly in the air while he watched her face.
"I'm fine, it's just...my cycle, it's due soon." she sniffled the excuse and wiped at her eyes, and he grabbed her wrists again...gently.
"This isn't like your cycle, Hanji." Levi scolded, "You're genuinely upset."
"What makes you think you can tell the difference?" she asked, almost snapping at him, but not quite. He took his turn to frown, and she bit her lip as she mentally reprimanded herself for that response.
He sighed and looked down at her hands, held in his own, "Because I like to think I know you." he said.
She shook her head and scoffed, the action sounding like a strangled sob, "That's not fair." she said with a mirthless smile.
"And what is?" he asked.
She couldn't answer, so she simply hung her head, "Levi..."
"I suppose everyone has their secrets...as much as I wish you would tell me yours..." he trailed off, and then sighed, "If you don't want to tell me now-" he said, running his thumb over the backs of her knuckles, "-then at least tell me later. Please."
She gulped and nodded, "Thank you." she murmured.
"I'm not good at comfort." he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the palm, looking up at her with those steely eyes she loved so much, especially when they were so uncharacteristically warm like they were now. "But I don't like seeing you upset."
She nodded again, wiping at her eye with her free hand, and accepting his handkerchief with a scoff and a slight, hiccuping laugh. "I'm not upset anymore." she assured, discreetly blowing her nose.
"Then stop crying." he pulled her into a hug and she choked on her breath in an attempt to follow his request.
"I am." she breathed, nuzzling her nose against his shoulder.
"You aren't." he pressed a kiss to her neck.
"I am." she smiled.
"Aren't." he kissed her jaw.
"Am." she giggled.
"Are not." he pulled back to look her in the eye.
"A-mmm..." she smiled into the kiss, her words giving way to a soft hum of approval. Her compulsion to tell him the truth was abated, and she was glad of it, for now at least. She knew she would tell him eventually...or not, depending on how fate decided to play its cards.
"Oh wow! Go Levi!"
The exclamation had them jumping apart, more out of fright then anything else. Isabel clapped in the doorway, a smug smirk on her face for having caught them snogging like they were. "I'd tell you to get a room, but since you're already in the room, just close the damn door next time." she said with a teasing lilt to her voice.
"Fuck off, Isabel." Levi stood and scowled, "You don't see me telling you and Farlan off."
"Actually you do, Levi." Isabel inspected her fingers and pursed her lips, "And besides, I wasn't telling you off. I'm actually quite enjoying this new development." she said as she grabbed the door handle, "Don't let me interrupt." she grinned as she left.
Levi groaned and covered his face, "Damned woman." he sighed.
Hanji giggled softly, standing and walking over to her nightstand to sift through the drawer. She wiped the crusting remnants of her tears away and tugged her shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor.
"What are you doing now?" Levi asked.
"Dressing for bed." she replied, pulling out a looser bed-shirt, though strong arms were wrapped around her waist before she could put it on. "What are you doing?" she smiled softly.
He kissed the bare skin between her shoulder-blades and she shivered, "Nothing." he said in answer.
"Hmm." she hummed, pulling her new shirt on when he pulled away, and making to slip under her blanket for the night. "No goodnight?" she asked as she tugged her snow-wet pants down, along with her boots.
In response he simply nudged her by the small of her back and slipped beneath the covers with her. "I think you could use the company tonight." he said in explanation when she raised a brow.
She nodded, shuffling closer to him and pressing her forehead to his collarbone, "Yeah." she sighed, "I think I could use some too." It was silent long enough for her to start to fall asleep, though he spoke just before she truly did.
"Hey."
She hummed in response, too tired to properly formulate words.
"You had a sword with you when we found you, you know how to use it?" he asked.
"For the most part." she mumbled.
"I'll teach you the rest, then." he said.
"Mmkay."
She thought she felt him kiss her forehead before she truly fell asleep.
"Hips go back like this!" Isabel corrected for the fourth, (or was it fifth?) time.
Hanji shifted her body again, and Isabel sighed, "What did I do wrong this time?" Hanji asked as she slumped.
"Go easy on her, Isabel." Farlan said as he walked by, "You took a month to master the stance." he pointed out.
Isabel huffed, "Yeah, yeah." she waved him away and returned her attention to Hanji, "We'll practice more after lunch."
"When do I get to shoot an arrow?" Hanji asked as she followed her begrudged teacher.
"No arrows. Not until I know you won't kill someone with them." Isabel said with a warning glance to her pupil.
"Alright." Hanji shrugged. She hadn't thought learning archery would be as difficult as it was, they had been practicing the stance and proper way to hold the bow for a couple hours now. "We actually have to do your reading after lunch. We skipped the past few days." she said with a smirk.
Isabel stopped just short of the door and groaned, "Right...sure...great." she said as she entered the house.
Hanji entered close behind her with a chuckle and stepped out of her boots and coat, hanging the coat upon the peg and placing the boots by the fireplace to dry. "It's not so bad." she said as she accepted their prepared lunch of smoked venison and buttered bread from Armin. The boy had taken over cooking after Mikasa woke up with nausea for the third time since they came back from town.
"You only say that cause you know how to read." Isabel grumbled as she ate.
"You know how to read, you're just perfecting it is all." Hanji said.
Isabel shrugged and mumbled something unintelligible under her breath.
"Stop grumbling and eat, you." Farlan ruffled the redhead's hair and moved to sit on the couch with a book.
Isabel rolled her eyes and glanced at Hanji, who smiled in amusement. Levi entered the house at that moment, having been gone since the day before on business Hanji wasn't quite sure of.
"Levi!" Isabel sprang from her seat and jumped him, as per the norm, and the man looked at Hanji in exasperation. "How'd it go?" the redhead asked.
Levi moved to sit on the couch across from Farlan and rested his elbow on the arm of it. "Lord Smith gave me the deed this time around." he held up a rolled parchment, and all faces in the room (beside Hanji, and of course Levi) lit up with bright smiles.
'Smith?'
Hanji paled at the name, she remembered it well, the man was a good friend of her father's. Or at least he had been. She hadn't seen him in years, but her worst nightmare had actually come to pass: she knew the Lord in this particular province.
"I don't know if you are interested," Levi was still speaking, "But he asked whether we would be attending this year's festival."
"Of course we are!" Isabel exclaimed, "I even made a dress beforehand. Why? Will he be present?" she prodded.
"Apparently so." Levi shrugged.
"That's good, I enjoy his visits." Farlan said, "I would like to see him again."
"I'll go tell Mikasa." Armin grinned, running down the hall.
Hanji gulped when Levi looked her way, and she chewed the inside of her cheek in hopes that he couldn't hear her heartbeat from where she sat.
"And what about you, Hanji?" Isabel had followed Levi's gaze, "The festival is in a couple weeks. Wanna go? It's so fun! There's music and food and dance..." she added at Hanji's obvious hesitance.
Hanji stiffened, "Well...I...uh...I don't have anything to wear..."
"Two weeks is more than enough time to procure a dress, Hanji." Isabel chuckled, "Come along, I'll show you my dresses from past years, maybe I can lengthen one of the old ones for you. Your waist is about the same as mine, but you're so damn tall!" the woman said as she tugged Hanji from the table and up the stairs.
Hanji offered Isabel a meek smile, and then frowned as soon as the woman's face was turned. This was not good. This was awful! She was going to be thrust into reacquainting herself with someone who knew her since she was a little girl. Everything was going to fall apart. And she was absolutely done for.
'Oh God! What am I going to tell them?' she wondered to herself, thinking of each, individual lie she had told to garner their trust. Just how fake was her persona now? Her name was false, her history as well. The only truths she had were the feelings she possessed towards her new family, and towards Levi. What was she going to do?
'And...'she sighed inwardly, "..what am I going to tell Levi?'
A.N.
So who guessed the Lord of that province would be Erwin? Hmm? Anyone?
And yes, this means the reveal will be soon, probably next chapter, if it gets as long as this one did.
Hanji is a steaming cauldron of panic right now.
Also, I gotta say: MMMM I love writing Levihan sin...MMM MMM MMM! So yummy!