Moblit met Levi in the hospital main lobby at 8:17. Levi extended his hand to shake but Moblit pulled him into a hug. Stunned, Levi just stood there, rigid. Moblit finally held him out at arms length for a second then let him go. "I'm sorry. I've been so worried. I just needed a hug."

Levi patted his arm awkwardly, "That's OK, man. Anytime."

They had Hange in a regular room which Levi took as a good sign.

Moblit touched him on the arm as he was opening the door. "Don't be shocked."

Levi pushed the door wide open. Whatever it was, he could take it.

Hange was sitting up in the bed.

At first Levi was unsure of what he was seeing. For one, Hange didn't have their glasses and looked weird without them. They squinted at him, clearly not able to see who he was. Both cheeks and their forehead were skinned looking and red. Both of their hands were cocooned up in bandages but the most shocking of all was their hair.

"Your hair!" Levi said.

Hange ran their wrapped hand over their new buzzcut and grinned in his general direction. "Yeah, it got kinda burnt …"

Levi crossed to the bed and gripped their arm tightly. "I'm so sorry, Hans."

Hange seemed completely unaffected. "Hey, no big deal! It was just an explosion. Not my first." They chuckled.

"Jesus Christ! You're a crazy person."

"At least Mobes wasn't in the room!" Hange said cheerfully. "Where's 'Kasa?"

"I left her with Eren," Levi said, flinching, "and I'm not sure that was the best decision."

Hange patted his hand awkwardly with one of their bundled ones. "I'm sure it'll be OK. That kid loves her."

Levi reflected on that. It was true. From the moment he'd met her Eren had been nothing but kind and gentle with Levi's precious daughter. That warmed Levi's heart more than he was willing to admit out loud.

"So what happened?" Levi asked. "I thought you were doing some experiment with moss or some shit."

"Fungi actually," Hange said. "Mobes and I agreed to help a friend and, well, he works with volatile material and …"

"Boom," Levi said.

"Boom."

"Well I'm fucking glad you're OK."

Hange patted his hand again. "You ol' softie. Any more weather?"

"Nah. As you can see it's snowing a bit but nothing extraordinary."

"How's Eren?"

Levi picked at the edge of the sheet on the bed. "He's fine."

"Have you told him how you feel about him?"

"Hans …"

"Pardon my french, but shut the fuck up, Levi. You need to tell that boy."

"You don't know how I feel!"

"Yes I do! It's painfully obvious! Even Moblit sees it. You're crazy about that kid!"

"Tch." Levi stood and crossed to the window. Fat flakes of snow fluttered against the glass like white moths on a light.

"What's up with you? Are you that afraid?"

Levi's hands balled into fists and he stared out into the snowy darkness. Tears threatened and he blinked rapidly, willing them not to fall. "You know he'll leave. Just like my mom. Just like Petra," he whispered. "Just like everyone else."

"Bullshit. That kid loves you and he loves 'Kasa." Hange sighed. "Your mom didn't leave you, Levi. She died. That's not her fault or yours, it just happened. And Petra … Petra, well, she checked out of motherhood which was her right. You chose Mikasa over her—the right choice if you ask me—so in a way you left her." Hange clumsily tried to scratch their nose with a heavily bandaged hand. "As for all those others, Levi, they were just flotsam and jetsam. People who weren't right for you. Eren is the right one."

The tears trailed down Levi's thin face.

Hange inspected their wrapped hands for a moment. "Do you really think it's not true? That he doesn't love you with all of his heart?"

"How would he even know? He's only 21 fucking years old," Levi said.

"At 21 fucking years old you were a full time dad working two jobs to make ends meet. 21 year olds can be surprisingly mature."

Levi scowled at her.

"Answer my question," Hange said. "Do you actually not love him? Do you actually believe that he doesn't love you?"

Levi pushed both hands into his pockets and shrugged, unwilling to say what he really felt. Unwilling to admit it even to himself.

Hange finally sighed at his persistent silence. "It's late," she said. "You should just stay here. Think you can sleep in the recliner? Mobes sleeps on the couch."

Levi nodded. "I gotta call and check on 'Kasa." Levi mumbled. He got out his phone and dialled it. Eren picked up.

"Levi? How's Hange?"

"Pretty crispy but OK. Did your mom get there alright?"

"She got here just fine and ..." There was a scraping noise, the sound of muffled voices, and Levi heard "Mom!" then a female voice came on the line. It was warm and rich and reminded Levi of Eren's.

"Levi! Hello! This is Carla Yeager. What an adorable daughter you have!"

"Thank y—"

"And so smart! I couldn't believe she was only six years old!"

"That's nice of yo—"

"Mom, gimme my phone back!"

"In a minute, dear. Levi, Is your friend alright?"

"Yes, she's fine."

"It's late. Are you coming back tonight?"

"That's one of the reasons I called. I'm going to stay here tonight if that's OK with you both."

"Mom! My phoooone!"

"That's wise. I don't want you driving in the middle of the night in this weather."

Levi paused. This woman, whom he had never met and had never spoken to until this minute, cared about him. Just because her son cared about him. "Will you be OK tomorrow for breakfast and getting her to school? Eren knows the place."

Carla chuckled. "It won't be a problem. I managed to raise this one and he's still in one piece."

That actually made Levi smile a bit and he heard the muffled scraping noise again. "Give me my phone, you crazy mom-woman!"

"Eren?"

"Levi! Sorry about that!"

"It's OK. I actually kinda enjoyed getting mommed."

"Well get used to it because it'll happen regular—" Eren trailed into silence. "Sorry. I forgot myself."

Levi didn't know what to do. He wanted to tell Eren how he felt, wanted to tell Eren that he'd heard him in the night confessing to him, wanted to tell Eren that he already loved his mom and would look forward to having her in his life.

For a moment he was afraid he would cry. Again.

"Anyway," Eren said with mock cheer, "We're fine for tomorrow morning. When are you planning on being here?"

Levi cleared his throat. "I have an eleven o'clock class so I'll be there about ten, I guess. Is that OK?"

"Are you kidding? I'm gonna have to watch my mom to make sure she doesn't kidnap 'Kasa as it is!" Levi heard Carla laugh brightly in the background.

Levi chuckled. "Night, Eren. Tell your mom I said 'goodnight'"

"Goodnight, Levi. Sleep tight."

Levi watched as Moblit carefully made up the couch in the room with a sheet, blanket, and pillow. He marvelled that his best friend didn't think it was odd that their research assistant was sleeping in the same room as them, insisting that he stay in the hospital with them. They couldn't see that Moblit loved them and he wouldn't admit that he did. They'd been together but not together for years.

That sobered Levi. Could he do that with Eren? He couldn't bear to be apart from the guy so they'd still be friends. But could he do it? Be around him every day, patiently—like Moblit—quashing his own feelings?

Back at Levi's apartment, Eren and Carla cleaned the kitchen then stayed up late, Eren drank a few beers and they watched WandaVision together before going to bed. Eren made the couch up for his mom and he went upstairs and slept in Levi's bed. He didn't know if either his mom or Levi would approve but he did it anyway, snuggling into Levi's pillow and inhaling his scent.