a kiss that could last an eternity

Hange admires her work: even she is proud. Today is one of these rare calm days among the Survey Corps. A day destined not to worry about who'll die next or how to increase the budget. Just, plain, relax.

The air in the room smells fresh. She runs a finger across the smooth surface of the table, and it returns spotless: Levi'll like it.

Lately, he's been grumpier than usual. She doesn't know what has him in such a bad mood, but she knows how to make him happier: he's a clean freak after all.

So, right now, she's in Levi's room, trying to do something nice before he comes back from the Capital—he, Erwin, and Mike had to be present at an important meeting.

She can already see his pleased expression at her job and grins at the picture in her head. She didn't as much as asked Moblit to help her, thus yes, Levi will feel better at her efforts.

He should be back at any minute now, therefore she starts gathering the cleaning supplies—Levi's cleaning supplies, which she stole some time ago… but anyway.

She kneels on the floor and tries to reach a cleaning cloth that ended in the farthest corner under the bed—after the supplies' box flew out of her hands, scattering everything across space (she fixed it).

There's no use. She lies on her back to the floor and slides under the bed, getting into the darkness of that unique universe.

Why is this bed so low? She thinks. She can't even raise her head because it crashes with the base. And she still can't attain the cloth.

"Who is it?!" asks someone at her feet—the only visible thing at this point, as she has twisted in all possible ways.

"Auch!" she complains when trying to go out.

"Hange? Why are you stuck there?"

"Levi?" Her knees collide with the wood, she can't move. She tries—really does—to slide again out of the tiny airless space, to no avail. "Ahh… yikes! I can't go out."

Hange feels hands in her heels and then she's pushed to the light. She inhales.

"What were you doing there?" Levi asks, arms folded. His scowl is pronounced: he's not happier than before his departure.

"I was just… trying to clean. I know you've been stressed and in a bad mood these days. I thought it'd be something… friendly," Hange says, scratching behind her neck. "Is something bothering you?"

Levi inspects the furniture without loosening his scowl. Maybe the room isn't as immaculate as she believed.

"Where were you on Monday night?" Levi asks, apathetic—his back to her.

"Monday?" Her mind races, trying to place the day but she doesn't even remember what she ate yesterday—did she eat?

Levi turns around with a clenched jaw, stabbing her. "I went to your room and you weren't there. All night." Oh, maybe I was in the lab… "You weren't in the lab, either."

Ah, then it was that Monday night. Heat comes to her face.

"I wasn't, ah? Well, this is uncomfortable to say—I don't know why, precisely, as it's such a natural action, you know? Every human being has primary needs—" She herself interrupts her babbling. Fidgets with her shirt. "I—I was with… Gunther."

Levi hardens. "What? Doing what?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

She's been having sexual encounters from time to time, never sticking to anyone in particular. Whenever the reality of the world overflows her, she tends to enroll in a new project—or talks to Levi. But there are times when her body needs some… release. It's to de-stress herself.

Nothing else.

"Do… Do you love him?"

"What? No! I mean, he's a friend. It's just for relief, you know?"

Levi nods and changes his weight from one leg to the other.

He does get it. The need of relaxing, of losing yourself in a moment, and forget all the pain that chases their tails.

He dislikes it, though.

Why does she go to all these guys? He's been aware of her behavior since years ago; it never bothered him. It does, now. Acid makes his stomach churn when he imagines her with them.

Why can't he give her that kind of… release?

It's not as he's never thought of it. He has; he didn't think she was interested in that kind of action anymore—months and months have gone by without any night getaway. But turns out she is.

Hange's his constant in the pain, in the joy, in life. He longs to be her constant, too—in every possible way. The only one, in some cases—like this one.

Although, he won't say it out loud.

"Anyway, I should get going," Hange says after the tense silence. She wants to leave, as the atmosphere feels somehow charged, heavy with… with what? The increase in temperature is disturbing.

She tiptoes to the door.

"Hange," Levi says, his voice raspy. It sends a thrill through her back.

"Yes?"

"You left your cleaning supplies."

His (stolen) cleaning supplies, yet he isn't aware of that little detail. She comes back. While recovering the box, burning—could she be ill?— a realization stuns her.

"Do you want to fuck me?" She asks all of a sudden, before considering it.

Levi's mouth hangs.

"Oh my god," Hange says, covering her face.

No, I won't be ashamed. What's there to be shameful for?

Sheuncovers it and tilts her chin up. "I mean, you looked like you did. And it's not like I haven't think of that or something, we're both adults, mature people who can relish in certain—"

Levi cuts the distance and kisses her.

His soft lips rub hers and the friction shoots vibrations and fever to her entire body. She tangles her fingers in his hair.

His hand scans her back and stops at the edge of her ass, a flaming anchor.

Their lips brush together. Levi caresses her lower lip jolting sparkles. She opens her mouth and he deepens the kiss, meeting her tongue like starved.

He tastes like tea and something that only belongs to him.

Levi pins her against the wall and she wraps her arms around his neck, clinging to him. His hands slid under her until he catches her buttocks and squeezes them. Presses, moves her against his arousal.

She moans at the sweet pressure in her crotch.

He recedes a little but Hange draws his mouth back. He moves a hand on one breast, lets it out of her clothes. Licks her nipple and she mumbles in pleasure.

Hange traps one of his fingers in her mouth and sucks, pumping it. He moans against her skin and presses harder. He strings a leg between hers, magnifying her pleasure, making her scream and ride it, wild.

Levi desires her, now.

They move to the bed and lie. Levi puts his weight on her. Hange exposes her neck and he kisses it, moving and pressing his hips against hers unhinged, pleasure flooding in waves. Levi savors her mouth, claiming. He feels Hange's nipples tighten.

He ambushes her and stops on top of her, taking off their shirts. He spends a moment looking down, eating her with his eyes, wandering every spot of her skin. There're faint freckles throughout her belly, and he loves them so much. Wishes to kiss every single one.

Hange runs her hands over his chest. There live grungy scars from every color and shape. She touches them and wants to make them go with her tongue.

Hange freezes in motion, shocked.

"Maybe this is not a good idea!" she exclaims. "As I said, is not that I haven't thought of this. I have. Very much so. But we're friends. Best friends, all-in. Things could change. Get awkward. Complicated. And I don't want to—"

He covers her mouth, amused.

"Four-eyes. Do you want this?"

Her fingers travel along his abomen, making his hair go up, delighting in the feel of their bare skins in contact.

She nods.

"Then stop worrying."

An unzipping sound and he quits his pants. She does too.

Hange stays there, completely wet, naked, and exposed, legs wide open in front of the most important man of her life, who eyes her ravenous.

She's been with many men and it always, always goes straight to the point. There aren't charged looks, tender caresses. Only fast, frenzied, hastening to finish and get the release. Violent, even. Now Levi's kisses give her flutters.

Hange can't decide if it's good or bad for their future selves, or how she'll be able to come back from this. Will she regret it?

Levi licks a certain sensitive spot in her neck that makes her fingers curl.

She doesn't care about the consequences.

Hange needs him inside of her. "Fuck me, now!" she demands.

He goes down and rubs her clit. She moans and flinches. He licks her clit and sucks it, his tongue moving in circles, sucking, kissing. Eyes up to meet her gaze. She squirms. He puts a finger inside of her and fucks her with it. She loses it with a scream.

He comes up again, gasping, and joins their mouths. She's desperate to be filled by him, shakes her hips against him, arches her body.

"Please," she says.

He accommodates at her entrance and sinks into her with a deep stroke. They moan at the joining and look at each other, lips parted.

"Shit…" Levi sputters.

She locks her feet below his hips to drive him further in, and he moves deeply inside of her.

He's flustered, dilated pupils, breathing heavily. She loves the view and kisses his nose. He moans and the sound sends shivers through her all. He's always so quiet, she didn't think he could be loud and that just turns her more on.

He starts moving, getting a pace, pounding against a spot that makes her want to scream. She looks at him as physical euphoria comes with every movement. His breath is at her ear and he's panting, almost indiscernible sounds coming out from him, making her hotter, increasing the pleasure.

"Levi…" she moans and it drives him mad.

He pierces her with his pelvis, shagging her without a pause.

Levi finds her delicious. Being inside of her is better than he thought. He thrusts and smells her. Kisses the soft skin in her breasts and she screams.

Hange stops him and moves up, sitting on top of him. Rolls her hips against him, riding him fast, face-up, loud as she's always, triggering a rush of bliss through him. He takes her hips, helping her, caressing her skin.

He wants her to stay with him. Not to go and share this with any other, but to come back to him every single time.

He desires her in every possible way, as much as he can.

Levi takes her off and puts her on her back, curbs her with his body. She wraps her legs around his waist and he slides deep. Levi penetrates her, frantic, trying to convey the magnitude of his wish in every ambush.

Stay. Don't go with the others. Choose me. I can be better.

He entwines their fingers and fits the other hand between them, stroking her clit with every push, pleasure spilling through the veins.

"Harder," Hange says.

His thrusts become faster, more desperate. Her nails dig in his back. Hange moans loudly, following his lack of control as he crushes at her without a pause, vigorous, hot.

It's a kind of intensity she's never seen on him.

She comes with his tongue pressed on hers, falling apart in oblivion.

He pushes hard one last time, trembling from the orgasm, looking at stars behind his eyelids. He fires kisses along her jaw, then digs his head into her neck.

Their sweaty bodies don't split as they catch their breath.

Levi collapses at his side, breaking them. He doesn't want to be clingy, to look needed, even when he craves for her. She, too, turns to her side. They're face-to-face, naked.

"Wow," she says, eyes studying him.

"Yes."

"Will we repeat this?"

"You want to?"

"I'm not sure. I don't think returning to the previous routine could be… satisfying."

He holds her close and kisses her nose, her cheeks, her forehead, as if afraid of her backing away.

"Levi, you're more cloying than expected."

He scowls and moves from her.

"Oh no! I like it," she says and snuggles into him, one leg over his.

He's overjoyed stroking her hair when he opens his eyes, alarmed.

"You meant, repeat this, in exclusivity?"

"What do you mean, you don't want me sharing this fantastic experience with everyone in Headquarters?"

He stiffens, a freezing blaze removing his chest.

"Only if you want to."

She cradles his face with a warm smile and he leans into the contact.

"I think… I like this. So, we could try for some time? See how things work? Just the two of us. We can always end this part of our relationship at any minute," she says. He detects reluctance in the last sentence.

He touches her lips with his finger, lost in them.

"You're valuable to me, Levi. I don't want to lose you," she adds.

"You won't."

She sighs. "Deal, then."

Hange doesn't know he'll never want to let her go.

Levi brings her closer and kisses her, a kiss that could last an eternity.