PART ONE

Chapter Five

Levi began the process of his morning routine that had come to dominate much of his life since joining the Survey Corps. When the sun rose, painting the skies and everything beneath in warmer tones of orange, Levi would be up and tidying his bed. Then, he would head to the training grounds, barren at the early hour, and work out his strength, core, and agility. Like all disciplined and seasoned soldiers, he made sure that he trained until he was satisfied with how far he's pushed himself. Training alone like this in the mornings brought peace and pleasure, and he wondered whether he'd find another soldier who'd share his interest in physical fitness.

Levi paused from his training as the crowd of early birds began to emerge. It was a pain, sometimes a hassle, but it couldn't be helped. He hurdled himself off the bar he was doing crunches on and picked up his leather bota bag of cool clean water, drinking three quarters before splashing the remains on his face.

He took the shorter route to the barracks, hoping he wouldn't come across too many people. Funny how he would fight and risk his life for these soldiers, yet here, as he paced along the cobblestone plaza, he couldn't stand their glances and those nice-and-pleasant morning salutations.

Then again, those delighted stares and smiles made him think of her. And as he thought of how she was doing, he found himself walking towards the halls that led to her private room.

While was Levi subconsciously making his way to her room, Hange was running towards the bathroom, holding her vomit before it could spew all over the polished wooden floor in an embarrassing mess. She puked into the sink, a series of vehement coughing followed afterwards. Groaning, she was about to wash her mouth until the second wave came in.

Levi was outside her door when he heard her fits of coughing. He intended to knock, but after he heard her retching as if she'd down a whole bottle of some cheap whiskey her body couldn't stomach, he took it upon himself to enter. "Hange," he called out as he stepped inside. "Hey, what the hell's going on with you—"

"In a minute!" Hange yelled from the bathroom. She washed her mouth and gargled several times before rushing out the door, giving her visitor a tired yet exaggerated smile. "Good morning, Levi!" she greeted, cheerful as usual. "What brings you here?"

"Geez, you look terrible, Four Eyes. What's with the morning sickness? Did a Titan get you pregnant or something?"

Hange chortled at this. "Silly Levi, Titans don't have reproductive organs! And even if they did, I don't think anyone could handle a meter-long schlong!" She dizzily made her way to her bed. "Besides, I'm not the type who thinks size gets more points. I think performance is key."

Levi raised a brow. "Like you've got any actual experience," he muttered. Just then, he noticed that she was beginning to sweat profusely again, and with a sigh, helped her back on the bed. "Tch, you're burning up again. Did you do anything crazy—" He cut himself short when he spied the cluster of papers and books scattered all over the small round table, and a few more research journals on the dresser next to her. "…What the hell is this? Are you seriously working your ass again?"

Hange furrowed her brows. Her head was spinning like crazy and Levi's scolding wasn't doing her any better. "Yeah, uhm, Levi… you're like at an eleven right now, and I need you to be at a four. This is worse than my second-worst hangover."

Suddenly, a gentle knock on the door startled the two and Hange, in her surprise, pushed Levi off of her and stumbled on the bed with a light crash.

Nifa immediately entered when she heard the noise. "Miss Hange! Are you—!" As soon as she laid eyes on Hange, with her dishevelled hair and awkward, spread-out position on the bed, and Levi, who was looming over her with one knee on the edge of the mattress, Nifa stood there completely mortified. "I… uh… good morning, Miss H-Hange and Sir L-Levi. Erm… I came in to… well, c-check on Miss Hange…"

"Oh, shit. I think we broke her," Hange whispered to Levi.

After regaining some of her composure, Nifa took a bold step forward. "I'm not… I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Levi felt his shoulders slump. This is fucking ridiculous. He recovered himself and approached the terrified girl. "We appreciate that you're doing your duty, soldier." He glimpsed at Hange from his peripheral. "But I'll take over from here. You go and report to Nanaba. As a fresh recruit, you should be out there, honing your skills."

Nifa nodded firmly and gestured a wordless salute. She glanced at Hange over Levi's shoulder and was met with her warm eyes and a small nod as if telling her to listen to him and not to worry about her. With that, she was out the door, wondering where Nanaba would be at this hour of the day.

"I like her," Hange remarked with light coughs as Levi closed the door. "I'll probably keep an eye on her—probably could recruit her as a research assistant…"

"Hange, shouldn't you stop thinking about work for a second and get some sleep?" Levi said firmly.

"But I can't help it!" Hange pouted, sitting up and leaning her back against the headboard. "I don't want to feel useless."

"You'll be as useless as a dirty corpse when you don't recover your health. And do you really think you'll be able to use your head as optimally when you're sick?"

Hange pouted. "I'm not—"

Levi furrowed his brows. "Stubborn little—! Stop denying you're sick! That grotesque sound of you hurling in the bathroom was enough of an indication that you need to give your body a break." He leaned against the wall and folded his arms over his chest. "You know, since no one's here to see, I could just knock you out."

"You're kidding, aren't you? You wouldn't now…"

Levi turned his head to her, his glare sending off chilling vibes. "Don't even try to call my bluff."

Hange swallowed the bile that caught in her inflamed, itchy throat. She understood that Levi meant well, but did he have to be so hard on her? Well, in his defence, he may have observed how incredibly defiant and strong-willed she could be. If this was his way of getting her to cooperate, then she regarded him as one who would not give in so easily. That, or the other unlikely possibility that he was merely someone who cared a little too much.

"Fine then. If you want me to go sleep so bad. Fine." She slid herself on the bed until her head rested on the pillow. For about five seconds, she kept her eyes closed—until she felt his unnerving gaze on her again, and she decided to blink one eye open. He remained where he was, leaning against the wall with his head turned towards her, arms crossed, left foot over the right. "So… are you just gonna stand there and watch me like some creep?" she peeved.

"Until I'm certain you're asleep."

"I can't sleep when I see you standing there."

"Then close your fucking eyes."

"Don't you have anything else to do today? Just leave me alone. I promise I'll sleep."

"The less you talk, the faster you'd get to dreamland."

Annoyed, Hange turned on her other side. At least a wooden wall would've been less curmudgeonly, she thought. It was not difficult to find sleep when she took her mind off things, and given that her body begged for rest, she was snoozing lightly soon enough.

Levi stayed for a few more minutes, watching her back slowly rise and fall lightly in a slow rhythm. Self-assured she was asleep and was not going to do any monkey business, he made his way to the bathroom, took out a clean white handkerchief from his pocket, and soaked it in a wooden pail of cold water. Afterwards, he brought the pail with him as he returned to her side. Sitting on the wooden stool, he wrung out the cool piece of cloth, folded it lengthwise, and placed it on Hange's sweaty forehead. His placid countenance only stirred when he heard her murmur suddenly in her sleep.

"Erm… Grand… pa…"

Levi turned his head in her direction. "What?"

"Grandpa… It hurts."

He let out a deep sigh. "Who told you to work when you're sick? Dumbass." He looked at her for a silent moment, watching as her eyebrows narrowed and her breathing slowed down.

"Grandpa…"

"Tch. Why are you even calling for your grandfather? You don't have one anymore." He glanced away and stood up.

As he quietly made his way outside her room, he passed by the round table of papers and found himself pausing in place. He glimpsed at the heap of papers on the table: scribbles of old reports, mathematical formulas, and an outline for her data gathering and analysis.

Levi eyed her sleeping figure one last time. He'd be lying to himself if he wouldn't admit that she was one impressive individual indeed. There was no doubting that this mad woman fell nothing short of a true scientist and Scout—passionate, cerebral, and courageous. It was no wonder Erwin trusted her so much even if they had their disagreements. Like him, her devotion to humanity's cause was on a level of its own.

Hange slowly opened her eyes, free from the throbbing headache that had tormented her. She felt significantly better—her headache and fever subsided—though she knew she would get sick again if she started working. She sat herself up and felt a damp cotton cloth fall off her forehead. Taking the handkerchief, she examined it momentarily, until she heard steady footsteps making their way to her room.

As the sound of footsteps became louder, she quickly slumped herself back in a laying position. In her quick movements, she didn't notice that the handkerchief had fallen to the floor, and before she could reach out to retrieve it, the door suddenly opened. Swiftly, she withdrew her arm, clamped her eyes shut, pulled the covers over her body, and pretended to still be sleeping.

It was just after lunchtime when Levi returned, carrying a wooden tray with some medicine, black tea, and a bowl of rice porridge. He had gone to the Stohess District to gather some supplies, and when he had wandered into his favourite tea shop, he decided to buy Hange some Earl Grey—considering that she seems like the type who'd enjoy the richer taste and aroma. The porridge, on the other hand, was the much simpler dish of rice, scallions, and ginger that he had prepared in the kitchens on his own.

Levi placed the tray on a chair before neatly collecting her books and papers on the small round table, setting those aside. Only when he was satisfied with the layout did he carefully moved the tray of food and tea on the table. "Hey, Four Eyes," he started, sitting on the usual stool. "Still sleeping?"

Hange responded with a weak groan, trying to sneak a peek at him.

"Get up. It's time to eat."

She furrowed her brows, pitifully shaking her head side to side.

"Tch. You need to eat before taking your medicine."

"Later… I'll eat later," she croaked.

Levi clicked his tongue and sighed. "Fine. I've got an assignment with Erwin and some new recruits somewhere in town. You'll manage on your own, right?"

Hange opened her eyes and looked at him, a frail little lamb. "Yes… you can go."

Levi glanced at her one last time before standing from his seat and leaving. Hange waited until she heard him shut the door, and with half-opened eyes, checked to see if she was alone in the room. When she was certain that she was, she leapt off the bed and made her way to the table where he left the meal.

Almost instantly, Hange noticed that in place of the usual meal of bread and chicken soup, he prepared some tea and porridge. Not that she was going to complain—she was famished. She dug in the bowl of porridge first, stuffing spoonful after spoonful into her mouth, and slurping the rest without a single care of the mess she's making. Then, without even delay, she took a sip of the warm dark tea, enlivened by its bold flavour. She knew it was Earl Grey, but there was some citrusy twist to it she could not point a finger on.

Like the porridge, she chugged the tea as if she were in a drinking contest and, being the klutz that she is, accidentally spilt some of it on her shirt and on the table. "Shit!" She looked around the room, searching for anything she could use to clean up the spill. Then, she remembered the piece of cloth on the floor—which Levi had, fortunately, did not notice—and used that to wipe the tea and herself.

She finished the meal in no more than four minutes, lazily spreading herself on the seat. Bringing a hand to her forehead, she wondered where her fever had gone, and what made the gloomy despicable man suddenly take it upon himself to check up on her. "Maybe he ate something bad," she told herself.

Just then, the familiar sound of steady footsteps came again, and like the first time, she panicked, falling off balance and knocking the piled papers and books on the floor in a bloody mess. Damn it! Didn't he say he was heading out?! she thought as she began crawling all over the place and picking up the scattered papers. She knew she was out of time, and in mere seconds, ultimately decided to throw the papers under the table, run to the bed, and hide under the sheets.

Levi quietly entered the room, considering that Hange might still be sound asleep, but as he laid his dark eyes on the table where he had placed the tray of tea and food, he was met with an utmost hideous display. Bits and pieces of the rice porridge could be found on the edges of the tray and on the table, tea was dripping to the floor, and—the most hideous of all—his stained handkerchief was on the ground alongside a disarray of papers.

Levi bent his knees and reclaimed his handkerchief; the dark tint of the Earl Grey stained the white colour and the strong smell stuck to it like glue. Now, this was going to be hell to clean—but it's not like he was the one to endure it. He approached the mess maker and gave a dense kick to the edge of her bed. "Hey! Shitty Glasses, get up."

Hange groaned loudly, melodramatically almost. "Oh, Levi…? Since when did you arrive? I didn't notice you come in. How was the assignment?" she asked, still trying to sound feeble and tired.

"Mike took over," he blankly answered, folding his arms. "I think you're feeling better now, Four Eyes, so you should try and get up."

Hange pushed herself up before falling feebly on the bed again. "Oh, I'm too dizzy to get up. I'm still so sick… Ohh… I'm sorry, but could you tell the commander I still need a few more days?" she said, feigning fits of loud coughing.

"Don't give me that crap," Levi uttered firmly.

Hange stopped coughing and looked him in the eye.

"Now go clean the mess you made before I get really pissed."

"Aww, but I really am—" Hange cut herself short when he turned his head and looked at her, his body tense and his stare sending a threatening message. When he didn't say another word, she begrudgingly got off the bed and wobbled across to the dirty round table.

As she started to pick up the papers and tidy those on the table, Levi dropped his white handkerchief next to her right hand. "And I want this laundered and pressed."

Hange gave him a look of disbelief. "Whaaaaat?"

"About your punishment, Hange: the commander decided that I call the shots on what to do with you since he and Erwin have got their hands full." Levi almost made a small smirk show. "Don't worry, I won't let you rot in a dirty cell in the dungeons. Instead, you'll be a proactive model soldier who'd initiate the first phase of the intensive cleaning week program."

Now Hange was certain her migraine had returned. "WHAT?! But I'll be too busy with other things! You can't stop me from doing what I've got to—"

"That's why it's only going to take a minimum of forty hours in the week. You still get to manage your schedule, so be grateful for that. Oh, and don't get any ideas of skipping or lying about your hours on your record. I'll be watching you like a hawk."

Hange sighed woefully, knowing that she had no other choice. Cleaning wasn't so bad, after all. She could still think about her plans while dusting the furniture or mopping the floor. But I swear—when I become Section Commander I'm going to make him my Titan capturing machine like how he'd use me like a mop! she swore to herself.

As she cleaned the mess on the table in silence, she noticed the stained handkerchief and stole a glimpse at Levi, who was fixing the cuffs of his military jacket behind her. She felt her chest tighten. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be here right now, alive, recovering while pretending she was still sick and arranging the bowl of porridge and cup of tea. "Levi…" Hange began, and she held up the small, empty porcelain cup. "…this might seem like nothing, but I noticed you brought me rice porridge and Earl Grey instead of the usual bread and chicken soup." Levi raised a brow, and she chuckled lowly. "I mean, it's not really a question—just a tiny observation."

"Rice porridge and tea is what's best for sick people," he explained suddenly.

"Huh? How do you know that?" she asked.

"Someone… told me."

"Who?" When Levi didn't answer, Hange resumed, placing a finger underneath her chin. "Hm, to be honest, I kind of regarded you as the kind of guy who doesn't take advice from just anyone. So, to accept advice from someone just like that—whether you've tested it yourself or not—means that someone could be important."

"Tch. You're overthinking this, Four Eyes."

"…by the way, you make really good tea! Seems like someone taught you well. Was it your parents?" Hange asked, ignoring his attempt to digress. Now this struck a nerve in Levi that neither of them had seen coming. A sharp silence pierced through the air as he averted his gaze from her. She pursed her lips, recognizing she might've stepped beyond the line. "Oh, um, sorry…" Hange whispered.

Levi exhaled a shaky breath he didn't realize he's been holding. "I want every nook of this room clean. Got it? Then report to me tomorrow at dawn." He stood there for a few more minutes, either wondering whether he had anything more to say or whether Hange was going to talk again.

When she nodded without another word, he finally left the room.

"Rice porridge and tea is what's best for sick people."

"Huh? How do you know that?"

"Someone… told me."

…

c. Year 222.

"Sweetheart, if you want to get better then you have to eat all of it."

"But mama, there'll be none left for you!"

A dark-haired woman with silver-blue eyes and an ashen face caressed the cheek of her six-year-old son, smiling warmly at his generous gesture. "I've already eaten, so don't worry about me. You're the sick one, so listen to mama, and be a good boy." Her voice was smooth and mellifluous.

The little boy sitting on the low wooden chair gazed into his mother's eyes once more before nodding his head and putting a spoonful of the scrumptious sticky rice into his mouth. "It's really good, mama!" he declared with a tiny grin.

"Yes, that's why you should gobble it all up. Porridge and tea will help you regain your strength, so eat well and be strong, okay?"

"Yes, mama."

Kuchel Ackerman, the boy's mother, smiled. "That's my Levi."

A few hours earlier, Kuchel had awoken to the sniffling sound of her child as he slept beside her. His tiny body was curled like a scared puppy, and he was sweating heavily from his temples. Terrified, she hurried to the small clinic where she was almost instantly met with a perverse refusal—the structural stigma against prostitutes dominated—and thus, she had no other choice but to turn to her brother for help. She had returned to their home just before lunch, carrying a package of medicine and rice porridge. Levi had asked where she had gone, and she opted to give him the honest answer that she had gone out to look for his food and medicine.

"I wish I could've added some ginger or scallions to make it taste better. I'm sorry, sweetheart…" she mumbled, watching Levi devour the porridge until the last grain, holding the wooden bowl with both hands.

Levi shook his head. "It's good as it is, mama. Thank you." Kuchel pinched his cheek and gave it a sweet kiss. "But where did you find porridge, mama? Wasn't it expensive?"

"Oh, someone helped mama out. Don't you worry about it at all."

"But didn't the people throw stones and garbage at you again?"

Kuchel felt her heart skip a beat. "No," she answered, shaking her head and trying to sound reassuring. "No one did, sweetie. I was fine." She carried him and gently cradled him on her lap. "Levi…" she began, her voice as tender as her eyes. "I know that… most times, people can be vicious and cruel, and every slight of time we have is filled with misfortune. We never chose to be born in this kind of life—a life that is very, very hard. But believe me when I tell you that there will always be good people and little blessings around the corner."

Kuchel looked into her son's vivid blue-grey eyes and suddenly felt her knees grow weak. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart tightened within her chest. Someone like her was never meant to be a mother. She was never meant to nurture someone else, bring them into this world where death—being the easiest option for escape—was a constant on everyone's mind.

But she kept him.

She kept him, and raised him, and loved him with all the love her heart could muster. And she believed he loved her too, for he brought her the kind of hope she needed to live through this distinctive kind of hell.

"I want you to have hope, Levi. We know that I can't be with you forever, and there are many more hurts that may come along the way. But never give up. Promise me, you will never live a life of regret and hate. You will live a long and happy life under the sunshine and the blue sky, away from this place."

"…Mama, why are you crying?" Levi asked softly, his brows furrowing with concern.

"Huh?" Kuchel was astonished to find that tears suddenly began streaming from her eyes, and she immediately wiped her cheeks with a sleeve. "Oh! I'm not crying, baby. S-Sorry… um, it's nothing—maybe allergies."

Levi nodded silently. He may not fully fathom why his mother was crying although he understood what she meant when she said that life was not always so evil and cruel. He knew this because of her. Because she existed. She existed, and she loved him, and she cared for him.

"How high is the sky, mama?" he asked, unsure if he intended to digress or not.

"Oh, it goes on forever, sweetheart," Kuchel said, cleaning his face with a cold cloth. "Like mama's love for you."

Levi winced at the cool sensation from the cloth, though he seemed to tolerate it. His mother's touch was gentle. "I love you, mama…" he whispered, embracing her neck.

"I love you too, Levi. Never forget that."

…

Levi stared at the blurry figure of the crescent moon. Not a lot of stars were out tonight, and the evening sky was clouded, much like his mind. Of all the times, why did he have to remember his mother?

It never occurred to him that something as mundane as rice porridge and tea could take him back to those days. He had been too young to understand what his mother had told him, but now, after the years of sacrifice and pain he's endured, Kuchel's words were all too clear. He had made a promise to her, one that he earnestly intended to keep.

Two days before the infamous killer called Kenny the Ripper had found them—two days before his mother's death—he had tried to treat her with rice porridge and black tea just as she did. He had stolen the ingredients from travelling merchants and was surprised to see how easily he could overwhelm their numbers. That was the first moment Levi felt a surge of power rush within his veins, but in that happenstance, all he could think of was getting back to his mother and wishing with all his might that she was all right. When he had arrived home, he found her lying in bed facing the ceiling, her eyes closed and her lips curved in a small smile.

She looked peaceful… and beautiful…

"Mama, time to get up. I have your tea and porridge. Eat so you can get well and be strong…"

Kuchel didn't move nor did she even pretend to notice his arrival. Levi quickly approached her and shook her arms, but to no avail. He could sense the panic rise within him, and he hurried to bring the bowl of porridge over to her side, paying no attention to the bits that spilt to the floor.

"Mama, please… get up and eat…" he took a spoonful, raised her head gently, brought the spoon to the corner of her lips. The soup trickled down her jaw.

Levi's eyes were wider now and he couldn't stop his lips from trembling nor his heart from palpitating. "Mama, you've got… you've got to eat. Please help me make you better…" He tried feeding her the porridge. Again, and again. He gently shook her, but she never woke up. He held on her hand, finding her skin ice cold to the touch.

His greatest fear presented itself, but he wasn't ready to accept it. He wasn't ready to say goodbye. He wasn't ready to let her go. With the unbearable weight that made its way from his head down to his shoulders, to his chest, then to his hands, he lost his grip on the spoon, letting it fall to the ground.

The sickness—one which he had only heard from her fellow worker—had pilfered the last of his mother's life. It was a sickness that many women in the brothel she had worked in suffered from, and it was a known certainty that when one catches it, they would only have a few weeks—or months if they're lucky—to live.

Kuchel, his mother, was no exception.

Levi downed the remains of his black Ceylon. He was only nine years old back then—and back then, he felt as if his heart had died with her. When he couldn't save her, he had blamed himself, but like Hange with her grandfather, he came to realize as he got older that the situation was beyond his control and that he would honour his mother's death by growing stronger. Since then, he was reminded of his promise to her and had kept his head above the water.

The moment his mind caught a preview of Hange, he remembered the rainy day he had rescued her. Finding her in the clutches of that four-meter Titan had roused a power within him—as if he was determined to ensure her survival. It was a peculiar feeling—pleasant yet still surprising—seeing her breathe; perhaps he had been surrounded by death far too often. Her survival meant that he could still help people as well as continue to bring them hope, and in turn, serve his purpose.

Levi let out a sigh as he picked himself up and headed back to the barracks. He was going to see her again tomorrow and albeit he wasn't too keen on her stock of complaints or Titan-obsessed rambling, he was genuinely looking forward to seeing her warm, glowing smile.

"Put your back into it, Four Eyes. I could still see specks of mold and dust even from here."

"Oh, put a sock in it, Levi! Or go find someone else to chastise!" Hange exclaimed quite loudly, earning her some glimpses from the recruits and cadets walking about the plaza and going about their morning duties. "I'm dusting as well as I can."

"I'm keeping an eye on you, so I can chastise you whenever I want and however I want."

"That's counterproductive, you know. It'll only slow me down—"

The grand doors of the commander's office opened and from it emerged two gargantuan men with their confident grins and bold eyes. Hange stood straight, saluting with her duster in hand. Levi eyed the weirdo with a flash of annoyance, acknowledging Commander Sadies and Erwin's presence with his signature frown instead.

"Keep working on the improvements to your formation, Erwin. We'll see better days thanks to you," Sadies said to Erwin before turning to Levi and his little slave-for-a-week with a hint of amusement. "At ease, Zoë. It's good to see that you're doing much better."

"It would seem that way, sir… only if it weren't for this… treacherous leech."

Levi looked at her over his shoulder. "Hey, keep dusting, Shitty Glasses. No one told you to stop."

"Yes… sir." Hange stuck her tongue at him when he turned around. While Commander Sadies played a blind eye at her childish gesture, Erwin almost snorted a laugh.

"Levi, it seems that the pilot to your program is showing promising results," Sadies noted. "Who would have thought that an intensive cleaning activity could promote camaraderie between our recruits and the cadets, as well as improve their spirits. If everything goes well, we'll be sure to add this to the schedule of our soldiers."

"Thank you. That's good to hear, sir," Levi said, sincere.

"Right, I have a meeting with the premier and the garrison officers in a while. Good to see everyone working hard," Sadies commended. "Especially you, Levi. Again, good job with the program and with keeping an eye on Zoë here. It takes a man of special character to get along even with the most overbearing of comrades. Continue to strengthen your bond." Sadies turned away before he could even see the way Hange and Levi reacted to his advice.

"Overbearing?!" Hange proclaimed. "Did he just—!" She looked at Erwin. "Am I overbearing?! If there's anyone overbearing it's Mister Triple M here, making me work my ass off just after I've recovered."

Erwin raised a brow. "Triple M?"

"Mean manipulative midget… or munchkin. Whichever's more preferable."

"The commander is right for calling you out, but he may be misreading things when he mentioned we had a bond," Levi said to Erwin, ignoring her ridiculous attempt at an insult.

"I don't disagree with Commander Sadies," Erwin intervened.

Levi tilted his head to him. "And who asked you?"

"You and Hange did seem to get closer these few days. It's not a mere opinion of mine since everyone seemed to notice it as well. Of course, this shouldn't be taken negatively, Levi. Soldiers should always get along, and if not, they should at least try to."

"Well said, Erwin." The deep voice of the newcomer prompted everyone to crane their necks to their entrance. Mike and Nanaba just arrived from training, and like Erwin and Sadies, they appeared quite jovial this morning. "Out on the battlefield, you only have your comrades to rely on when the going gets tough," Mike added.

"I think Hange could very well relate to that," Nanaba quipped, earning her a subtle glare from the bespectacled woman.

"Great. Now I'm getting swarmed by Titans," Levi declared, feeling as if he's shrunk ten folds over.

Hange suddenly stirred. "Huh! Where?!"

Erwin, Mike, and Nanaba let out chuckles. "Oh, Hange. You're so smart, but sometimes, I just… I couldn't," Nanaba remarked.

"Actually… Mike, Nanaba, I was telling Levi how I've observed that he and Hange seemed to be friendlier with one another these days. Would you care to validate?" Erwin said, bringing the subject back.

"I could vouch for that," Nanaba quickly said, wiping the sweat on her temple with a towelette. "A recruit I assigned to look after Hange told me that Levi came by to visit and said that he'd take care of her instead." She glanced at the short man with a smile. "By the way, that was really kind of you. Nifa needed the time for training. Though I do hope you'd go easier on her—poor thing looked a bit traumatized when she came to me."

Levi and Hange knew exactly why that was, though they made a silent consensus not to divulge. "Tch. The recruits are supposed to be training right from the start, not playing nurse with the wounded," Levi responded.

Nanaba blinked. "Well, I'll take that as a 'you're welcome'."

"Hange smells different when she's around Levi too," Mike abruptly interjected. When he was met with everyone's flabbergasted and bewildered expressions, he expounded. "I just noticed this recently. I'm still not sure what it means and whether it's a good or bad thing, but I thought it could add some merit to Erwin's observation."

"If she smells more disgusting than she already is then it's definitely a bad thing," Levi commented.

Hange raised a hand, like a child in the classroom. "Uh, excuse me, but why the sudden interest in our personal lives? I mean, you're talking about Levi and I when we're literally standing right here."

"They have no idea of what privacy is, Four Eyes. Much like yourself."

"Me? Huh, that's funny because last I checked I'm not the one who knows and talks about other people's lives and shit."

"I think we've delayed long enough," Erwin intervened. "Why don't we all head to the mess hall and get our breakfast?"

"But I've got to ask my boss for permission first—who is also my perpetrator," Hange said, glancing to Levi with a sarcastic ear-to-ear smile.

"Your… what?" Nanaba muttered, unsure of what to make of this.

"He's got her cleaning his nooks and crannies," Mike quipped.

"Nooks and—?! Are you serious?!" Hange shot Mike a frown, pointing the duster accusingly at him. She turned to Nanaba. "If you must know, Levi's taken it upon himself to make me his personal cleaning slave and now he's got me dusting the whole damn castle just after I got better!"

"Breakfast sounds good," Levi uttered suddenly, hoping to get things moving. Hange's started her rambling and there might not be any other force to stop her if he doesn't say anything now. What's more, standing in the middle with this group of lunatics for five minutes was already starting to make him go nuts that he'd rather be with a group of Titans instead. Levi craned his head to their oh-so-fearless leader. "Start walking, Erwin. The shine of your blonde head against the sun is hurting my eyes."

Hange grinned. "Hehe, the future is bright for the Scouts under Commander Erwin Smith." As the group of friends paced towards the direction of the mess halls, chatting freely and merrily with one another under the blissful morning sunshine, she managed to forget how she was still holding on to that damned duster.

…