Author's Note

Hi!

Is it too late to say "happy new year"? Probably.

I got a bit stuck with this chapter. My academic duties are sucking the life out of me, hence the late update. BUT I've received some wonderful comments and support, which have definitely helped me to get back at it again with this fic! Thank you all!

I hope you enjoy this "comeback"

"I said no."

Levi lifted his eyes off the floor, stopping on his feet. The deep, male voice interrupting his concentration echoed over the walls of the Survey Corps HQ. It was familiar enough to Levi, but he still looked all around, looking for its owner.

But the hallway was empty, and rightfully so: it was too soon for anyone to be there. The early morning sunlight from the arched windows colored the parquet floors and white walls. There was not a single soul in there, but when he wrinkled his eyes towards the end of the corridor, he distinguished three silhouettes, standing in a dark corner where no light reached.

"Come on, Zachary."

"This isn't up for negotiation, Hange."

Levi took a step forward, considering greeting them, but the anger in Zachary's voice forced his instinct to kick in. He instantly leaned his back against the wall, hiding behind a nearby column but sharpening his senses, more attentive than ever. Stretching his neck, he peeked at the trio, trying to figure out who the tall, dark-haired man standing next to Hange was.

Charles?

The outline of his glasses confirmed his suspicion.

"I understand your concerns, but the situation is critical," said Hange.

"Care to explain, Bryant?" Zachary seethed, bending towards Charles. His urgent motion forced Levi into hiding again, and he fixed his gaze in some distant, dusty corner instead.

"With all due respect, Commander, we delivered the reconstruction of Wall Maria in less than a year, but the projects keep coming, more complex than ever. There is so much we can do."

"And how is she supposed to fix that?"

Charles sighed, "We need all the help we can get. She has more experience than our Seniors."

Zachary's voice turned quieter but also tenser. "Then train them better instead of favoring her."

"Well, I can keep assigning her to design pipes and roads, but that's not what we need right now." Charles paused, and Levi allowed himself to breathe out. "Believe me, Commander, I am as enthusiastic about the idea as you are, but I won't sacrifice our progress in the name of pettiness. We should… set our differences aside."

Zachary scoffed, his tone showcasing a bitterness previously unknown to Levi. "Differences? Do I need to remind you of what happened to Campbell? Hm?" Levi expected some sort of clarification, but no one dared to comment. Zachary continued, "No, this isn't a playground fight, Bryant. You should know it. And you…" He cut himself off, letting his menacing footsteps take over. "You should know it better than anyone, Hange."

"Rumours, Zachary. Nothing but rumors," replied Hange, dismissive.

Zachary grunted, "Not when we have evidence"

"I wouldn't count an angry man's words as evidence."

"But he was right about everything else, wasn't he?" he retorted, and a tense silence followed. "I agreed to keep the canary. I agreed to bring her back, but don't mistake my agreement for benevolence, Hange."

"So, what do you propose? To lock her up in an office until she gets fed up and breaks the door?" He could hear Hange's footsteps accompanying the creak of the floor. "If we fail to take action, if we don't meet the outside world's standards, Kiyomi will see that as weakness. They will pack their bags and leave. We can't let that happen."

"Look, Zachary," intervened Charles. "We've been working tirelessly for two years. No one in Stohess can keep up and some are already getting ill. Pushing them even further will only set us back."

Levi gulped. The shame and guilt of listening to that conversation tensed up his muscles, pressing his back against the wall. He could still walk away, pretend he hadn't heard anything. But if there was so much at stake, why was he being left out?

And he realized that his curiosity was stronger than his fear.

He heard Zachary's long, deep breath just before his voice broke through the intimidating silence.

"Who's the lesser evil here? Kiyomi or Sophie? Perhaps we should all reflect on that before making any choice." Even with his gaze still on that corner, Levi could almost sense everyone wavering, whereas he could barely breathe. "Have a nice day."

Footsteps. Levi straightened his back, hoping to merge with the column in case Zachary went in his direction, but the sound faded in the opposite one until it finally disappeared.

But the tension in the corridor remained, floating like the dust in the air, glittering with the sunrays. Every time Levi tried to break away from his position, an invisible urge pushed him back against the wall, forcing him to listen.

"That went better than expected," said Charles.

"Yeah," snorted Hange. "I can't say I don't understand his concerns, though."

"Mhm, Zachary is a cautious man after all."

"So you think we aren't?"

Levi clenched his jaw when he heard Charles's sigh.

"We already tried going the cautious way, and it hasn't gotten us much further," he said. "Desperate times require desperate measures."

"Right." Footsteps, more creak of wood. Levi knew Hange fidgeted around whenever they mulled over something. "I honestly expected you to be more reluctant about giving her more responsibility, but you don't seem… bothered by her."

"By Lhant?" he scoffed. "She is… problematic, but not unmanageable."

"Huh, I always thought you two couldn't stand each other."

"It's pretty one-sided. As long as she gets the job done, she can hiss at me all she wants." A rustle of fabric accompanied his words. "Although I'm curious about your relationship with her."

"How so?"

Charles clicked his tongue, and that simple noise forced Levi to hold his breath. "You are the one who suggested to bring her back, but you also don't seem to be on very good terms with her."

"Eh, it's complicated," Hange sighed. "She's good at this, right? We can all agree on that."

"Indeed."

No creak, no scoffs, no sounds. But he could tell that Charles expected Hange to elaborate on their answer just as much as Levi did.

"And she's very annoying, but…" Hange growled, "Argh, I don't know. I guess I believe her when she said that she had no other choice. I've also... Well, let's say I respect that she chose to come back and help, whatever the hell that means to her."

"But I have the feeling that that's not the only reason why she's here."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. Gossip, I suppose," he sighed. "In any case, I'll talk to Sophie and make sure that her definition of help aligns with ours before assigning her to the new projects."

Hange let out a breathy chuckle. "Let's see how that goes. I'm pretty sure she would rather eat a screwdriver than do as you say."

"Perhaps, but at least she will listen. Just like Zachary." Charles's voice turned quieter, but not enough to be intelligible. "Oh, on the topic of negotiations, I'm afraid I can't make it to the City this week. Mind if I send Alma instead?"

Hange grunted, "You know, the whole point of this operation is that only you and I managed it."

"I know, but you never seem very eager to go yourself."

"Well, Kiyomi's people are basically following me everywhere. It wouldn't be very safe," they sighed. "Besides, if I have to deal with Asbel again, I will be the one committing murder."

The sound of that name reverberated way louder than Hange's voice. Levi turned on his heels, peeking at the distant pair at the end of the hallway. The incoming sunlight warming half of his face also illuminated that previously shadowed corner. He wrinkled his eyes, hand tightly pressed against the cold column, focusing on getting just a hint of Hange's expression. Only because, as much as he wished, he couldn't get inside their twisted mind.

But as he stretched his neck, Hange bent theirs. Their eyes intersected for less than an instant—or perhaps Levi had imagined it—prompting him to quickly turn around and hide behind the column again. His heart pounded against his chest, with anger and confusion boiling his blood.

Hange's voice broke through the silence. "You know what? We should discuss this over breakfast. It's no good to make decisions on an empty stomach."

"I very much agree."

Footsteps emerged, only to fade towards the opposite end of the corridor.

Levi breathed out, but his eyes were still focused on that now familiar, distant corner. He barely noticed the pain surging in his arms, his fingers clenching the fabric of his uniform's shirt, nails digging into his own flesh.

He had vowed to trust Hange back at the training yard, and he still did. He believed that they were doing the right thing for Paradis, that they would protect Sophie. Yet something from that conversation had left him with a bitter taste in his mouth, and it wasn't from the dust swirling around him.

She might be a pain in the ass, but she is also the best one out there.

Just like you.

Those words from Hange, just before he had agreed to go to Yormgen. Was that everything they were? Powerful assets to negotiate with during desperate times, moving them like pieces on a board, regardless of their wishes or intentions. Always holding onto promises of a freedom they had never tasted.

And most importantly, what game were they playing?

"Ah, Captain!"

Levi tilted his chin, easing the grip on himself. Pixis stood close to the corner he had been so fixated in, wearing the green corporate coat and with a flask in his hand.

The Commander approached him with slow steps, a subtle smile drawing on his lips. Levi straightened his back, but he was unable to move with the same easiness.

"What are you doing here so early?" Pixis asked, just before standing right in front of him.

Levi rolled his shoulders. "I like to finish my paperwork before training."

"Hm, wise choice. I also had some pending matters around here, but I'm afraid half of my subordinates have a horrible migraine and postponed our meeting."

"It's been a couple of tough weeks."

"Yes, definitely," he sighed. "Actually, I have some spare time until my next appointment. Would you mind joining me for a chess game? It's been a while since our last match."

Levi wavered. He wasn't done with his paperwork, but shifting his focus always helped him find clarity in his thoughts.

"Sure."

He had been in that tiny room several times. Once a week for the past two years, playing chess against Pixis, polishing his technique, learning from his own mistakes. It was a satisfactory feeling of progress and improvement, one he no longer found in sand sacks and push-ups.

The frayed blue curtains couldn't contain all the incoming sunlight, swallowing the tiny, cream-colored room. The rays reflected on the polished black and white ceramic chess pieces, highlighting their outline. They were all lined up on the board, waiting for their master's command, always prepared for battle.

Pixis moved a white pawn. Levi had come to notice that Pixis was a creature of habit. His strategies and openings were all similar, yet perfectly tweaked for every situation. Easy to underestimate, hard to recover from their effectiveness.

Levi wavered in his seat, the old chair creaking as a result. He generally didn't notice how uncomfortable it was, but that day, for some reason, he couldn't ignore the stiffness in his body.

He responded to Pixis's play, and both a verbal and silent conversation began.

"How have you been?" said the Commander, moving another piece.

"Busy. There's been a lot going on around here."

"Indeed. War is never kind, is it?"

Levi gulped, "No, it's not."

They exchanged a few more pieces, the subtle clink of their base against the board echoing over the room.

"So, Lhant is staying with you, hm? How is she doing?"

Levi frowned, both at the board and his words, but his eyes stayed on the game. "She's been busy too."

"Understandable," he sighed. "Please, do give her my regards the next time you see her."

Levi tilted his chin. "I think you should give them yourself." Pixis crossed his arms, frowning. Levi continued, "I think… she could use a friendly chat."

"Friendly, huh?" Pixis chuckled. "Does she consider me as such?"

Levi moved another piece. "Don't you?"

Pixis cocked an eyebrow. Levi stared at him decisively, patiently waiting for his next action.

He exchanged his knight with one of Levi's pawns and sighed, "I don't. But, truth be told, she never was a friend. "

Levi knew that he wasn't supposed to flinch at that play—Sophie had taught him that much. And yet, Pixis's words hurt him more than the loss of his piece.

He cleared his throat. "But she told me that you were the one who stopped her trial. That you offered her some sort of deal."

"And how does that make her my friend, exactly? Especially after seeing how my act of kindness, let's say, turned out for her."

Levi meditated his answer, carefully studying the board before replying. "You helped her when she needed it. That's… kindness." He paused, responding to his offense with a safer move. "You couldn't have known what would happen afterward."

"So, you think that Smith recruiting you back in the Underground was also an act of kindness? Do you also think that he couldn't have known what would happen to you? Or your… friends?" Pixis clicked his tongue, playfully rotating his bishop before sliding it across the board. He took another of Levi's pieces, but he was too focused on Pixis's words to notice it. "Hm, that life he offered you wasn't one of glory and cheering crowds. But I suppose I'm not saying anything you don't know already."

Levi grunted, moving his pawn with a sharpness almost matching the one of his voice. "Yeah, shit happens. Your point?"

"That's the point, Capitan. It's not as simple as shit happens ." Pixis crossed his legs and bent closer to the board, wrinkling his eyes. "Erwin knew both sides of the coin when he asked you to join the Survey Corps, and so did I when I struck the deal with the Police."

Levi tried to read any subtle expression on Pixis's face, but he was just as static as the pieces on the board.

He didn't have it in him to remain so composed. "So, what you are saying is that you knew she would be surrounded by snobbish assholes making her miserable."

Pixis lifted his gaze, but the calmness around him remained.

"Yes, I did," he sighed, bending his neck to the side. "But I firmly believed in her intelligence and talent. I trusted that she would carve her way into a successful life and not a death sentence." Levi couldn't help but scoff at his words. Pixis's tone turned more serious, probably for the first time during that game. "She wasn't the first Underground genius noticed by the higher-ups, but the Military is protective about its organization and technology. Most kids like her got sent back down there without a hand or a tongue. Others had… worse fates. At least I gave her that chance to survive. However small, she had it. What else would you have done, Captain?"

Pixis scoffed and moved his rook. Even if Levi tried to unclench his jaw, shift his attention to the game, the scenario Pixis had presented him wasn't too far-fetched.

And he realized that he would've done the same thing he had.

"Did anyone tell her, at least?" he gulped. "Did she know… what she was getting herself into?"

"Did you?" His eyes briefly intersected with Levi's, only for them to focus on the board again. "In any case, I don't think it would've made any difference. You know how stubborn she is." He stroked his mustache, but that wasn't enough to conceal his smirk. "A stubborn, troublesome girl she was, yes."

"Then why her? Why not… the others?"

That was the first time that any of his words had managed to make the Commander uncomfortable. His skin turned even paler, making the wrinkles in his forehead and the darkness under his eyes more noticeable.

"I knew her mother," replied Pixis with a hoarse voice, straightening his back. "I didn't interact much with her, but she… looked like someone without much choice, despite her background."

Levi twitched in his seat. His blood turned cold, breaking his voice. "Despite her background?"

"Well, of course," snorted Pixis. Levi let his lips fall ajar, a gesture that Pixis didn't fail to notice. "Cheria was part of some wealthy family from the North. Didn't Sophie tell you?"

Levi gulped, "No."

"Oh."

Silence took over the room. It was Levi's turn, but his muscles were too tense to act. Neither of them dared to look at the board, let alone move a piece.

Pixis took a deep breath, widening his eyes before filling that quiet emptiness with his voice. "Well, no one investigated Cheria when she joined the Military or when we found Sophie's basement either. It was Commander Zoe who traced her lineage after finding the blueprints. Luckily, they are way more exhaustive researchers than the Police."

Levi's chest tightened, and his heartbeat pounded against his head instead. His conversation with Sophie back in the Underground, so clearly engraved in his mind, was now turning into a haze, and he didn't need to look at that chessboard to know that some pieces were missing.

"Yes, they are," mumbled Levi, mindlessly moving a pawn. His eyes switched back and forth between the piece and Pixis's attentive expression, and he realized the reason behind his actions. "Is that why you gave Sophie that… chance? Because Cheria didn't have any?"

"It's one way to put it, yes."

Pixis swayed his head, but the rhythmic motion suddenly stopped. Levi wrinkled his eyes, waiting for his clarification, any clue of his intentions. Pixis lowered his gaze to the board, parting his mouth, and Levi straightened his back, his heartbeat quivering with every passing second.

Pixis let out a snort. "Uh oh, Captain. It seems like you are a bit out of practice."

"Hm?"

Pixis tilted his chin, a smirk of satisfaction drawing on his lips as he slid his knight across the board. "Check."

Levi looked down, almost forgetting that there was another game at play. It was a check indeed, and the arrangement was oddly familiar.

His eyes switched back and forth between the pieces, his mind computing all the different outcomes from all the different moves. It was a variation of the same pin he had used against Pixis in their last game together, just before he had gone to Yormgen.

Only this time, sacrificing the Queen wouldn't guarantee his victory.

Levi stood up, his index finger swiftly striking the black King, making it fall. The clink of its ceramic against the board resounded over the room, louder than his rumbling thoughts.

"You surrender?" said Pixis, but Levi's furrowed eyes were still on that fallen King, and how it gently rolled towards the middle of the board.

"I'm not in the mood for games."

Levi stepped out of the room. That trap and consequent surrender still lingered on his mind, but not with as much strength as every word said.

He closed the door behind him slowly, muffling his exit, but the quiet screech of the hinges reverberated in the hallway.

His eyes were fixed on a crack on the parquet floor, but as he heard the click of the door's lock, he noticed a taller presence right beside him, leaning against the wall. He had expected the corridor to remain empty, but that sudden appearance wasn't enough to startle him. The horrific smell emanating from it was all the assurance he needed to know they meant no harm.

"Good morning, Hange," he said, tilting his chin but switching his attention from the floor below to the wall in front.

"Good morning, Levi!" they cheered with a clear falsity in their voice. Levi took a step forward, but Hange swiftly positioned themselves in front, forcing him to see their menacing smile and greasy bangs. "You know, it's kind of rude to listen to private conversations."

Levi rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Then why are you holding private conversations in the middle of the hallway?"

"Because we wanted to cajole Zachary and our way to breakfast!" Hange grunted, and their smile disappeared as they shook their arms. "Ugh! You are the only freak who would come this early to the HQ."

"Well, excuse me for doing my job."

Without waiting for a reply, Levi stepped aside and placed one foot over the other, even though he wasn't sure of where he was going.

He stopped once he noticed Hange's hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," they whispered. Levi turned around, clenching his jaw. Hange's eyes switched back and forth between him and the distant end of the hallway. "I don't know how much you heard, but…"

"But?"

"If there's anything you want to ask, I'll do my best to answer." Their tone softened with every word, enough to ease some of Levi's tension. "I don't want to keep any secrets from you, but you have to understand that the situation is… delicate. I'm not acting all evasive without a reason."

"And what reason is that?"

Finally, Hange's eyes settled on him. "You know that already."

The sunlight highlighted their brown irises, and a shiver traveled down his spine when he noticed all the filth covering their glasses, dust particles swirling around them. Still, he shook his head, focusing on their words instead.

"Look, I don't give a shit about Zachary, or Charles, or Kiyomi, or whoever is in charge of this filthy place. But." He took a step towards Hange, not with menace but to strengthen their closeness. "Keep Sophie out of those games."

"She has zero contact with Kiyomi, and we intend to keep it that way. And as long as she does her job like she's asked to, Zachary and Charles will also leave her alone."

"Good," gulped Levi, straightening his back. "Which brings me to my next issue."

Hange sighed, "Alright."

His lungs seemed to fail, but he tried to maintain some composure, some way to convince himself that Hange played with and not against him.

"Asbel" The name left Levi's mouth with such bitterness, he wished he could spit it out. "Why the hell are you still dealing with him?"

"Oh, I see," they scoffed, only to take a deep breath. "It's just a little agreement, nothing you should worry about."

"Nothing I should worry about? Are you out of your mind?" Even if he tried not to, his voice became louder, but not enough to startle Hange's impassiveness. Levi leaned closer again, lowering his voice but making sure his message remained clear. "You didn't see what I saw in that cell. He hates Sophie. He wants her dead. If he finds out she's here—assuming he hasn't already—he's going to come for her."

"Wow, you clearly don't know what an angry ex looks like, do you?" replied Hange, bending their neck to the side. "Trust me, he doesn't know she's here, and frankly, I don't think he even cares." Levi grunted at their words and pushed his hair back, trying to ease his frustration. Hange stepped forward and continued, "With Kiyomi all over us, we tightened the security of the Industrial City. There's only a handful of people allowed to go there, and only Charles and I have clearance to talk to him."

"But why would you?"

"It's complicated."

Levi scoffed at their words, looking over his shoulder just because he couldn't bear with the sight of Hange.

Still, they got closer to him and continued, "I know that's not what you want to hear right now, but please, trust me on this one. I enjoy dealing with that asshole just as much as you would, but… Fuck!" He heard how Hange slammed their hand against the wall, and that gesture was enough for him to turn towards them again. They hung their head, chest rising and falling with shallow breathing as they mumbled, "We need him."

"Why? What could he possibly offer to this island after all the shit he's done?"

Despite the frustration in his voice, it didn't match Hange's fierce gaze as they tiled their chin.

"The same thing as Sophie." With their words, Levi breathed out, but his heart skipped a beat. Hange straightened their back, softening their expression as they approached him. "Levi, please. I know this may not make any sense to you now, but I still need you to keep this between us."

He was just about to disagree, lightly shaking his head, but that would be betraying his trust in Hange. Just as he had told Sophie, Hange chose the battles, and he fought them. That was his purpose, what he had done since he had felt the warm sunlight on his skin, the fresh air of the outside world. There was no battle he wouldn't fight to protect that feeling and those around him. There was no other choice.

"I need to know that Sophie will be alright," he mumbled, just before clearing his throat. He widened his eyes, hoping Hange would see through them. "I need your word that she will be okay."

"He won't get close to her. I can promise you that."

"Fine," he breathed out, and Hange bowed their head. Levi was about to turn around, head to the training court to clear the uneasiness in his body and mind, when something beyond his control stopped him. "One last thing."

"More?" Hange rolled their eyes. "What is it?"

Levi bit the inside of his mouth, containing that urge, but his voice still managed to escape it. "Pixis said that you researched Sophie's mother when… the Reiss files were discovered."

Hange frowned. "Uh, yeah. I looked into Cheria. Why?"

"What did you find out?"

"Hm? Not much, really. The Oswells are low-end aristocrats, so they don't reside in Mitras. They have their estate in some mountains in Orvud, I think." Their eyes began to wander around the room, their face gesturing like every time they recalled some intricate information from their old, dusty books. "They don't involve themselves in politics and were one of the few noble families that didn't have any direct ties with Reiss. So yeah, I couldn't find any juicy documents relevant to Sophie's investigation."

"Do you even know why Cheria joined the Corps?"

"Beats me." Hange shrugged, but to Levi's surprise, they continued, "When I consulted our expert in Aristocrat Drama, Darius Zachary, he said that the Northern Families are so nuts that no one takes them seriously anyway. Maybe Cheria thought the Survey Corps was a summer camp or something." Hange shifted their weight to their right leg, and their eyes furrowed again. "Why are you so interested in your in-laws all of a sudden?"

"It's complicated."

Hange swayed their head. "Alright. Well, I believe my file on Cheria isn't classified. You can take a look if you want."

That urge again. He could have that information in the palm of his hand, with just Hange's office door separating him from it. But it was Sophie who didn't want to know more, and despite his instincts, her wishes deserved the same respect as Hange's.

"No, no. It's fine," he whispered, lowering his gaze. "Thank you, Hange."

Hange put their hand on his shoulder again, giving him the ease he needed. He tilted his head, and they tenderly smiled at him.

"These are tough times, Levi, but it won't be like this forever." They slid their hand away from him, taking a deep breath. "Once we figure a way out of this, there will be no Zeke, no Kiyomi, no Asbel, no nothing."

He wished he could believe them. He wished there was a light at the end of the hallway with all the answers he needed, all the information locked away from him. It was Sophie who had confided him with her secret. She had asked him to keep it as such when, in reality, it was no longer a secret. And it was Hange who had asked him to follow through with their own mysteries, but he hadn't expected them to get so close to his heart.

His trust and duty were no longer the powerful guides they used to be. His moves were now limited, and he couldn't tell on which square he stood.

The only option he had was to play along or get played.

"Yeah," he whispered. "Yeah, I hope so."

Author's Note

FYI from now on, chapters will be published on a monthly basis, probably towards the mid-end of each month because ugh, life.

Thank you for reading! As always, I love hearing your thoughts.