Chapter 20

Recruit Him

"Hey, Levi!"

"What." Levi snapped.

"When I meet you again, I will be hugging you."

"Huh?" The corners of Levi's lips turned down, "No."

"Objection objected." Hange said as she grinned widely.

"The fucking objection of objection is objected."

"What?" Hange exclaimed loudly, "Is there even such thing as that?"

"There is," Levi scoffed, "You just heard me creating it earlier."

"But that's no fair!" she complained, "I really want to hug Levi! Even after 5 years being together, you've never given me a hug!"

"But you kept on hugging me anyways, despite the numbers of times I've hit you. And the average of your one day hugs is a damnable 7 hugs."

"Oh! You even counted that! How caring you are!" Levi attempted to hit her in the throat, which Hange skillfully dodged as she gushed with a huge, dreamy smile, "So then, I'll just glomp on you when I meet you again!"

"That is," Levi grounded out, "If we meet again. And I doubt a criminal in underground would meet with a Survey Corps member."

"Oh, don't worry! We'll meet! I'm sure of it!" Hange assured, but it only made him feel worse, "Until then, keep that cravat! I'll also use this goggle!"

With that, Hange runs away, a hand waving behind her in a goodbye.

Levi opened his eyes and blinked. He was dreaming about that day, the last day the both of them met.

He sighed in annoyance as he prepared himself for his next mission.

Was he dreaming about that day again because of the uniform the blond man of yesterday wore? The military uniform with the Survey Corps emblem printed proudly on the chest? The Wings of Freedom?

"I want to join the Survey Corps, not for something as mundane as glory and wealth. I want to satisfy my curiosity."

Was it because the Wings of Freedom reminded him of her initial goals? He was sure that she was still training in the military, since it has only been one and a little bit more than a half year since they separated after all. He smirked in victory.

Hange is still in the training grounds learning how to fight like a sitting duck while he is already one of the best in the underground city. He is so going to rub it to her face if they meet.

If they actually meet.

Though Levi was sure that that will be close to impossible.

He was just preparing for the reappearance of Hange, that's all.

He tucked the cravat neatly to his neck, elegant gold embroidery showing proudly, some twisting with each other to form the initials 'L' on one corner and 'H.Z.' on the other corner. Despite after being one and a half year in constant use, it was still pristine white, not yellowed by time and use.

Then he put on the 3DMG both he and Hange stole back when they were younger. They had forgotten to return it back to the Garrisons after Hange successfully modified it, so Hange kept those 3DMGs to herself and kept on modifying it to her taste. One of the two 3DMGs was adjusted to his liking, and until now, that is the 3DMG he used in the underworld.

What about the other 3DMG?

He didn't know of the fate of it, and he didn't care.

He tested the working condition of the 3DMG and was satisfied with it, so he went out of the room he rented and shoots away for his next mission, never realizing that, in the shadows, a certain man was sniffing his way.

(QwQ)

"Hange. You are going on a recruitment mission."

"Huh?"

"I've found an individual in the underground city who is able to use 3DMGs better than most of the soldiers, so I have Mike trailing him now. And…"

But before Erwin could continue any further, Hange interrupted him, "Oh! I can just guess who he is! And you want to recruit him for the Survey Corps?" Hange asked, face as bright as, maybe even brighter than the sun, "I'll tag along with you! I'll just go back to my room and take something, so wait for a moment, okay?"

And Hange skipped away, muttering something along the lines of hugging and kissing someone to kingdom come and something about bribing said person with one of her babies.

He wondered what she was talking about, but ignored his curiosity in preference of calling the other skilled member of the Survey Corps to accompany him.

When she returned, she had Moblit, who was behind her, carry a bag for her. He obeyed and slung the bag to his shoulders, despite not knowing what was inside.

What's more confusing was that Hange was trying to warn the members, him included, of weird things as they ride a carriage to the underground city entrance.

"Firstly, since Erwin said that we are sneaking into his room and wait for his return, you need to remember to clean your shoes. He won't be happy if the guests are dirtying his house, no? And he is a first class dirt and dust detector, even better than Mike's nose."

Are they going to a recruitment mission or a tea party? Erwin wondered. Her screws in her brain are even more… loose than it usually is.

Then she talked to herself, "No, in fact, he would be beyond furious, and I can already imagine him angry," then she shuddered and loudly said, "Just make sure you didn't leave any dirt in his room, okay?"

Naturally, as everyone in the group was used to Hange's rants, they tuned her voice out.

"Secondly, don't touch him; he won't like to be touched even when you are shining clean…"

And so Hange continued her tirades of rants and warnings as the carriages runs.

(U3U)

Levi returned to his room through the window. But just as he slid the window open, he noticed something.

There was dirt on the floor.

Someone had sneaked in to his room.

His eyebrow twitched.

He kept his face as blank as possible as he entered his room and slid the window close, though inside he was boiling with rage to whoever dared to place dirt in his room. Whoever sneaked inside, Levi was sure to beat them up to the point that they would rather meet their beloved ones who are no longer in this world.

He was very sure of it.