I love you

Ayano opened her eyes fully and looked at the man in front of her. His eyes where still glowing in red. But he had now let go of her completely, with hands that where shaking by the power it took for him to try and regain his control.
Her body was shaking as well, but in fear. When he let her go and backed away, she rested her head towards the wall, almost falling to a sitting position, not able to move. She was in shock.
After a few minutes, Levi seemed to get a grip on himself. She could see that his eyes got their normal colour back. Once he calmed down, he turned his eyes back to her. They where as terrified as hers must be.

He had almost done it! He had almost killed her! If not her voice would have reached him…
Levi didn't even want to think about it. Just the thought made him sick.
He looked at her small, trembling body on the floor. Her eyes. They told him how scared she was, scared of him. He couldn't blame her. After all he was as well. How could he have been so stupid to let his emotions get the better of him like that. It was so unlike him.
A sudden feeling of suffocation washed over him. He had to get away, and fast. He could not stay. But where would he go? And wasn't it better to stay? If she would tell everyone, they would surely hunt him down and kill him. That might be for the best. Yes, he had to stay and take what was coming. He deserved that after all. He had almost killed her. There was no excuse for that.
He knew what had to be done.

He slowly walked towards the drawer, picked out the silver dagger he always had close by and gently threw it towards Ayano, who still hadn't gotten up, but instead was trying to wrap a peace of fabric around her finger. Probably to stop the smell from triggering him.
When she heard the thud of the dagger she looked up at it in surprise, and then looked at Levi.
"Do it. Don't be scared. I won't fight back at all. Before you tell the rest of the scouts, I would rather end by your hands if anyone. I am so sorry. This should never had happened. I wish I could be the one you first thought me to be"
She opened her mouth in surprised, looking at him once again with big, scared eyes.
"W...what? I...I"
When she didn't seem to do anything, Levi walked up to the dagger and picked it up. He then crouched down beside her, and placed it in her hands, with the edge turned towards his hart.

When she seemed to almost drop the dagger, he took her hands and held them steady in place.
"Come on, just do it. No one would hold it against you after all. I'm just a monster and an idiot. I couldn't even save them. If I had stayed by their side I could have..." He turned his head down, still holding Ayano's hand, forcing her to point the dagger towards his heart.
Her fear suddenly faded a little. When she looked at him at that moment, he was just Levi. The one she had come to know and admire.
She opened her hand to that the dagger fell back down to the floor. When the man looked at it in surprise, she placed a hand under his chin, forcing him to look up at her. She could see his eyes glossy of repressed tears. She didn't even knew vampires could cry, or feel. That was beyond what they learned. And last time she checked, monsters did not try to hold back their feelings like this.

It all became clear to her why he had kept himself so distant. It was not because he didn't like her, but because he was afraid. Afraid to hurt her and others. That's why he had not turned her down completely when she confessed her feelings.
She suddenly embraced him, burying her face against his chest, letting her tears fall.
"How could I ever do something like that idiot!"
She didn't care if his shirt would get all wet because of her tears. She just needed to make sure she could feel safe around him again. She just needed him to allow her to stay by his side like this for a moment.
Levi hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, answering to the hug. He couldn't understand how she could hug him now, after knowing his secret that he had tried to keep hidden to the best of his abilities.
"But I am a vampire. Your mission is to kill creatures like me. That's what you've been trained for. Don't be an idiot and just do it! Or else It might end up badly one day. And then you'll regret letting me live. I was even forcing you to point that dagger at me. It won't get much more easier to kill someone than that"
She looked up at his stern eyes, scared about his determination to die by her hand.
"It's cruel! Forcing me to kill the one I love" She held him even closer, as if she was afraid he would disappear if she let go for even a second.
"Love? Don't be naive now. How could you love me after knowing this? I could so easily kill you" She looked up at him with her tear drenched face.
"If you wanted to kill me you would have done so by now. You came back to your senses for my sake. A true monster wouldn't do that"
"I couldn't even save my squad"
"That is not your fault! You can't predict the future. There was no way you could know that things would end like that. Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't prevent. I know that it's not easy, but they wouldn't want you to blame yourself for sure! And you did save Eren didn't you? Doesn't that count for anything?" He looked down again, but nodded.
"I'm glad he is fine. At least thanks to that I can die with no regrets"
She looked at him. Now it was her turn to have the stern eyes.
"I won't kill you Levi!" She shouted.
"And why not? I'm not even meant to be here anyway! I'm practically a corpse walking! I have already killed countless people because of what I am, and I can never promise that it won't happen again. One wrong move is all it takes" She sighed and cupped his face.
"Would you shut up this time? I said I won't kill you, and I won't tell anyone. That's because I trust and love you. Please, don't take my feelings for stupidity captain"
She leaned in and kissed him gently. His eyes widened.

He tried to get away, but after a few seconds he could do nothing more but to relax in her kiss. He couldn't help it. Her fingers gently burying themselves in his hair, her soft lips, her intoxicating smell. It was all too much for him to resist any more. So he answered to her kiss against better judgement.
He could tell how her heart was raising. Surely his would have too, if it would have worked.

Hange closed the captains door with a sigh and a small smile playing on her lips, taking away the dagger she had been holding in her hands, ready to rush inside if needed.
"Glad I didn't have to interfere, for now" She whispered as she left the place.
It had been a hard time for all of them. And they still didn't know who that female titan could be. She would have to do some more research. Maybe one in their group had betrayed them to that female titan? It was something she couldn't rule out.
But for now, she needed some sleep. Before she could get that though, she needed to look up the wounded, and make sure they would survive the night.
She was sure Eren would be fine. Mikasa refused to leave his side, so he was in good hands. All he needed was some sleep. He would probably be totally fine once the sun got up.

When she got to the hospital part, Hange could still see Mikasa sitting on the chair beside Eren where she left her. The girl had fallen asleep, but it didn't look comfortable.
Hange smiled and took a blanket and covered Mikasa in it. The younger girl didn't move at all, but stayed asleep.
Hange gave up a small yawn before doing her last check up for the night. When she was done, she lightened a fire in the fireplace to keep the people warm.