Vagues de soleil = Waves of the sun

Late June, 844

The summer solstice. The day known to be the longest in the year. One the Surface-Dwellers– or the Sun-Catchers, as Kuchel liked to call them– held a special festival for.

From what she'd heard, this festival was meant as a celebration, a time for relaxation and reflection.

And for once, she was excited about something. In desperate need of a reprieve, she was looking forward to a day of pure liberty and freedom. And thankfully the noirette was now all healed up, with only the occasional twinge if she stretched or moved the wrong way.

Not that she'd tell Erwin that. Walls knew that if she even did so much as flinch, he'd be on her ass to rest while subsequently scolding her for pushing herself too much, too hard, too fast.

But she was sick of resting, tired of twiddling her thumbs and standing idly by, which was why she'd been training at night right beneath his nose. Now that she was cleared, she no longer had to do that.

Why did he care? Kuchel couldn't fathom an idea on why he seemed so preoccupied about her well-being. Sure she'd been injured, but so had the others.

Was he going to the festival in a couple of weeks as well? Something inside her had her desperately hoping he would, but she didn't understand what it was. What was this almost… giddy feeling she had?

What should she wear? At most, she just had a few worn-in dresses that she wore on her free days, but nothing that was overly spectacular.

Her answer to the question came in the form of a box on her bed the morning of the festival, with a simple note tucked beneath the ribbon encasing it.

Thought you might like something new to wear, thought this might look nice on you. -E

Thought it might look nice on her? What did that mean? And why would he go out of his way to get her something? Again, why did he care?

Oh, she was hopeless. Absolutely, wholly hopeless.

The ribbon looked to be satin, and that was nothing to sneeze at– that sort of material was expensive, so she treated it with care, dainty fingers tugging on the end of one side to set the knot free. The strip of fabric fell away, and allowed her to take the lid off of the box. Eyes softening, she took out the dress, holding it up and feeling tears flood her slate-blue eyes. It was beautiful, yet simple, a sage green bodice piece with a creamy white fabric making up the skirt, the elbow-length sleeves, and the shoulders. It was modest, reaching down to the ankles, and the neckline was more square in shape, with a lace pattern that made her eyes widen in awe. She'd not had a dress with lace like this in what felt like ages. The petite designs reminded her somewhat of the design on a dress that her grandfather had spoiled her with as a child, that she had worn until the seams had loosened and fallen apart.

What had she done to deserve such a gift?

It fit like a glove, and hugged her delicate frame in all of the right places.

Therefore, logically, she folded it back up, set it in the box, and stowed it away in the closet. There was no way she could risk ruining such a darling dress, right? If she got dirt or grime on it, Erwin would be so disappointed…

A knock shook her out of her thoughts, and Kuchel took a deep breath, thoughts buzzing in her mind as she stumbled hurriedly to the door, swinging it open with an excitement she rarely felt.. Her face subtly fell when she came face-to-face with a friendly brunette that she knew and loved dearly. She'd hoped…well she didn't quite want to admit what she'd hoped, so she quickly shook away the faint twinge of disappointment and pasted a maternal smile on her face. "Hange, hello darling, what did you need? I thought we weren't supposed to leave for the festival for another hour."

Hange excitedly entered the room, shutting the door behind her in a flurry and ushering Kuchel to plop down at the seat in front of her little vanity, tossing the box she'd been carrying onto the bed. Practically vibrating with enthusiasm, she grabbed the nearest hairbrush, and grinned at Kuchel through the reflection. "We do leave in an hour, and I thought I'd stop by and help you do your hair. It's a special event, you know, the summer solstice. They say that the longest day of the year is also the day that your heart opens the most~"

Before she could protest, Hange was already at work, fiddling with onyx strands, pulling them in ways that made her wonder if she was just tying her hair into a knot. "W-Well, thank you baby, but what does my heart have to do with anything?"

"Oh, lots of things, Miss Kuchel." The noirette's argent eyes sharply observed the uptick of the corners of Hange's delicate lips, as though she were suppressing a grin with the grandeur of Wall Maria. "It means that I think there's someone you want to impress, and today is the day to do it~"

Kuchel felt a prickling heat flare up in the curves of her supple cheeks, and she broke eye contact with Hange through the mirror, biting her cheek as she did so in her usual stubborn manner. "I don't know what you're talking about, Hange." she muttered.

Under any other circumstance, it would have been amusing when the section leader reached around and pulled up the corners of her mouth, but right now Kuchel was the slightest bit flushed and fettered by her forlorn feelings. "Oh, yes you do, Miss Kuchel. But that's okay, I'm sure you'll admit it to yourself in due time."

Damn, she was too slick for her own good. How could she possibly know that Kuchel was stewing in some sentiments that were stupendously star-stricken, all for a man she was sure could never feel the same about her? It was easier for her to forget about him, and she'd protect herself from ever being hurt by another man again. Kuchel owed herself that much, didn't she?

"Well now, Hange, you're one to talk. Don't think I haven't noticed your little crush on my Li-Li." She quickly deflected, always one to draw attention away from herself.

Ah, that really made Hange squirm, really set her on some sort of edge that had her wiggling like a caterpillar in a cocoon. "I do not have a crush on Levi, Miss Kuchel. He's my friend, and I just like spending time with him. It's fun to teach him stuff about the world above ground…"

Oh, that look that she saw on Hange's face, the expression of softness veiled with sentimental sweetness. This young woman was so kind to her son, trying to teach him the intricacies of the great wide world, and Kuchel was oh-so grateful for that. However, the connection seemed obvious, at least on Hange's end. Levi was always hard to read, and stubborn just like his own mother, so it made sense that he was stand-offish, unyielding to any advances or romantic nudges that Hange could have potentially made towards him. It would have been helpful if she knew more about this whole thing, but Kuchel had never had a love life of her own, no experience to draw upon, and therefore her slate was too blank to note anything of importance.

"I'm sure it is, honeypie. And you can show him even more at the festival. You might even have to teach me some stuff, because I've never been to one." Kuchel confessed, watching as Hange finished tying up the black locks that she'd been fiddling with. The updo was similar to her usual one, but the bun seemed more full, somehow. Plus, Hange had left tantalising tendrils to frame her cheeks, drawing attention to her argent-glinted irises. "Oh, this looks very nice. Much nicer than how I usually put it up, dear."

"I'm glad you like it, Miss Kuchel, but we're not done yet."

"We're not?"

"Nope, there's one more thing you need."

Bouncing away, she opened up the box to pull out a small wreath of intricate flowers. Delicate daffodils, dainty daisies, and pretty peonies all woven together in a fragile crown that Hange moved to place right on top of Kuchel's head.

"What's this for?"

"Well, it's all just superstition at this point, but my dad always told me that people used to believe the summer solstice was when evil spirits would appear. So we wear flowers to protect us from them. It's more for fun now, but the legends are always neat to hear, don't ya think?"

She couldn't help but let out a light tinkle of a laugh at the younger brunette's enthusiasm. Something about her was so endearing and made her feel so comfortable. What was it about her that just had her radiating this sweet warmth that could draw in even the coldest and most sheltered of hearts?

She'd noticed the way her son's eye seemed to have strayed and latched itself onto Hange. Somehow she'd managed to worm her way through his outermost barriers and captured his attention in her own peculiar way.

She didn't know what the future held, hell, she didn't even know what the day held, but Walls did she hope that her son could end up happy. Maybe one day she'd be privy and privileged enough to hear the pitter patter of tiny, toddling feet on the floor once again.

But she was getting ahead of herself. There was no way for her to know if anything like that could happen. But it was nice to dream.

"I do, Hange. I really do."

And something about Hange's energy had her even more eager to attend the festival…maybe she'd even be able to steal some time with Erwin, just the two of them. It had been a while since she'd been able to be around him aside from the occasional chess matches. The thought of possibly spending more than a few hours with him, of strolling with him throughout the festival, of being able to interact with him in a way that was different than simply Section Leader and subordinate…well it had her feeling giddier than a child with a lollipop.

As strange as that was.

But that still called to question…why did she care?

Maybe he'd be able to show her around, show her what foods he liked, what foods were good. It was her first festival, so she wasn't entirely sure what to expect. It'd be nice to have his perspective.

What would it be like to actually have him take her? As more than just friends? She'd seen some of the other women in the Underground, the ones who weren't harlots, and how they'd gone on dates. Hell, Amelia had been going on what had to have been the equivalent of dates with that man before her disappearance. What would a date with him be like? Where would he take her? What would they do? Would he kiss her again?

And why was she imagining going on a date with Erwin? Her Section Leader? She should have been ashamed of herself, given that he hadn't given her any indication that he saw her as more than a subordinate, a friend.

So why wasn't she?

…

Levi was strolling along the cobbled paths, taking in the sights surrounding him. Who would have thought the Surface Dwellers would put so much time and emphasis into something as silly as a little festival?

Then again…

Erwin had said something about it on the way there, explaining to his mother and himself that the festival was a celebration of the longest day of the year, something called the 'summer solstice'. Supposedly, before the times of the Walls, humans held grand feasts for this holiday, as well as the winter solstice, when the day was the shortest of the year. Erwin even said that there was such a thing as the spring and autumn equinoxes.

Levi was intrigued and surprised by how nice the whole thing was. Tasty smells circulating the air had him feeling ravenous– tart pastries, the hearty scent of freshly baked bread, the fragrant aroma of soups all wafted around him– all of it calling to him. But as he walked past all of the different stalls, one thought was at the forefront of his mind.

The food they had here could have lasted weeks in the Underground.

But he allowed himself to try a few treats, just to see. He didn't care too much for the sweets, but he found himself enjoying the more tart ones, like the ones made of lemons. He'd always enjoyed the fresh, citrusy scent, and he found himself loving the taste of the creamy pie he devoured within seconds.

How embarrassing.

It just reminded him of something his mother had once made, and it had him longing for her cooking and baking back in the Underground, when Furlan and Isabel had been with them.

I miss you two… don't think I don't think about you guys every day…

Oh, how cruel fate was.

Sighing, he continued to stroll, fascinated by the different people roaming about. Couples young and old. Groups of girls standing around, giggling as they sought the attention of some fellows nearby. Those same groups of guys putting on a macho act he'd never understood.

Did women really care for that?

Women. When he thought of women, one particular woman came to mind. A bouncy ponytail and a maniacal glean in her eye, yet he found her fascinating. The more he was around her, the more he felt something…strange stirring within.

It was a bit foreign, a bit disconcerting. So, logically, he simply tried to pretend it didn't exist.

As Levi ambled about the festival, feeling more at ease than he had in a while, he stumbled across a dance floor with lively music playing. Leaning against a brick building, he observed the complicated steps the people followed. The upbeat tune the band played even had him tapping his foot.

He just didn't realise.

"Oi, Levi, instead of tippy-tapping, you should dance!" A familiar voice rang through the chattery air, piercing the veil of other voices like a sharp arrow. He had wandered away from the group for a little while, but he figured that Hange would find him eventually. Damn woman was stuck to him like a burr and couldn't get shaken off worth shit.

"I don't dance, Hange." Levi stated plainly, leaning against a crate that had been set nearby the makeshift dance floor. His eyes were trained on the small band that was playing for the twirling couples, using string instruments and drums to create a steady melody, one that was quite pleasing to the ear. Part of him felt a bit bad, lying to her and all, because technically he did dance, remembering those days fondly as a child when he liked to dance with his mother in the Underground shopping district.

Some memories flooded his mind, the recollection of staring up at his darling mother as he stood on her feet to dance. Some vagrants were making noise with cans and wooden planks, from what he remembered, and the way his mother grinned as they spun around was one of the happiest memories he had.

Even when we were dirt poor… she always had a smile on her face, just for me.

"Levi?"

Blinking out of his temporary daydream, the noiret's gaze flickered back to Hange, who had her head tilted as though she were a petite pondering puppy dog. "Are you okay?"

Clearing his throat, Levi stood up straight, crossing his arms over his strong chest. "Fine. Was just thinking about something."

With a flicker of mischief and playfulness behind her spectacles, Hange grabbed Levi's hand, tugging him towards the dance floor before he could even register what in the Walls she was doing. "O-Oi, let me-"

"Hush, come on now. You need to learn to loosen up and have fun, or is that perhaps a foreign concept to you?"

Scoffing, he stood facing her, that pang of irritation under his skin again at how much taller she was than him. Absolute bullshit…

The prickle of annoyance grew hot in his face when he realised that Hange had positioned them into a waltzing stance, which he only recognised from seeing couples in the Underground do it in taverns. He'd done a semi-waltz with his mother, but it was loose and nothing like this. His hand rested upon her trim waist, the other clasping hers, and her free hand was planted right on his shoulder. It was likely strange to onlookers, as he was most definitely shorter than her– noticeably so.

Before he could say a damn word, the music picked up, causing Hange to start moving her feet. It caught him off guard, but not for long, gritting his teeth and taking the lead with what little he remembered about dancing in the first place. Levi's skills were dubious at best, but that wasn't going to stop him from proving to Shitty Glasses that yes, he did know how to have fun.

Sure, his definition of fun was cleaning the house, polishing silverware, and washing clothes, aside from his new hobby of perusing tea shops, but it was fun to him.

The music was enjoyable, that was for sure, and something about the closeness had his heart fluttering in his chest, making him clear his throat at the unfamiliarity. Even with the laughing of people, with the smell of beer, the heat of the summer sun, all he could comprehend was Hange. It was as though time slowed around him, allowing him a better look at her face.

Her glasses fit her facial structure quite nicely, and somehow highlighted the caramelly brown that reminded him of woodsy whiskey. The setting sunlight almost made her radiant, indescribably so, and it caused his heart to clench a bit further. What in the world was this feeling, this effervescent, ephemeral warmth that Hange emitted, and made Levi feel like nothing else in the moment mattered?

Her lips were moving, though it was anyone's guess as to what she said as they spun around with one another. Levi didn't even need to think, doing what felt right as his mouth grew dry, head buzzing with strange thoughts and belly bubbling with funny feelings.

There was a lull in the music, and that was when he heard her loud and clear, asking a question that put a slight scowl on his face.

"You look uncomfortable. Does it bother you that I'm taller than you or something?"

Scoffing, he continued to move with her, trying to take the lead away as best as he could while their feet moved in harmony. "Why would it bother me, Hange?"

The brunette shrugged, and gave a weary sigh. "I don't know. Sorry, it was a stupid question. I figured it might make you a bit annoyed, but I needed to ask for my own sanity."

It was quiet between them until the music stopped, since the band was taking a break while the sun dipped below the horizon for the night. Levi let go of her, quick now to reach up and flick her in the forehead. "Idiot. Don't apologise for things like that. You didn't do anything wrong, okay?"

Hange seemed to have lost her thoughts after being flicked like an aggravating little school girl, but she recovered quickly, following after Levi as he strode along to take in more of the sights of the festival. Most of the younger women he'd seen hanging around had started to head home, while older men were the majority demographic that remained, drinking cheap beer and singing old folk songs with their mugs held high, spilling over their arms and onto their clothes. Each of them that Levi saw looked like a working man, sweat and dirt stained long ago into the fabrics that they wore. Work up here was so much different than down below. Instead of toiling in a dim, cramped cave, you could choose to farm, or raise animals, or any number of things.

In the Underground, it had felt like most people were either criminals or victims. Jobs didn't seem to matter when you either got robbed or killed for going about your life. Sure was a nice way to let your soul wither away into a shrivelled, ashen pile of nothing.

"Hange?"

She'd been lagging behind him somewhat, giving him space, but she couldn't help chancing the occasional glance at him. Something about the sunset sent a weird glow around him, made him look a little younger, hiding the shadows beneath his eyes. What kept him up at night? Did he have trouble sleeping? But the way he turned his head a little when he called to her gave her a better view of his face, and her gaze immediately dropped to his lips. Hange admired the fullness of them, the shape of them, and wondered what it would be like to…shaking aside the appalling thought, she forced herself to focus, especially considering he'd just called back to her.

What would he think if he knew just where her thoughts had started to stray?

She quickened her pace so that she was now ambling alongside him, fighting back the rouge that was rising to her cheeks. "Yeah?"

"What's your favourite part of this festival?"

The sounds of the celebrating people around them drowned out any silence while Hange thought of an answer to his question. As they strolled, he took in the sight of how the lanterns hung up around the area cast a soft glow upon her, as though she were the real star of the night, the real Sun that blessed the Earth with the solstice.

"Hm, I like a lot of things." She began, stumbling to a halt to pick up a Rose she saw buried in the dirt. Someone must have dropped it, and no one should pass up a nice silver Rose.

It did make Levi wonder, though– what were the coins worth up here, really? He'd only ventured beyond the base a few times thus far, and had neglected to buy much of anything. If Hange was stopping to snatch up a Rose, then either the Scouts didn't make enough money to sustain themselves, or things up here were just as expensive as in the Underground.

Part of him had a feeling that it was the former, not the latter.

"They usually have a little booth somewhere with inventions, and when I was younger that was the only thing I ever wanted to see. My mom and dad had to drag me away kicking and crying because I wanted to keep talking to the people who made the stuff." She chuckled, a soft smile playing on her pink-tinted lips as they continued on their way. "The things they made weren't groundbreaking or anything, things like a metal reel on a fishing rod, or stronger twine with double the tensile strength. I think the coolest thing that I saw was a self-lighting oil lamp, but then it kind of went off in the guy's face and singed off his eyebrows. I think I smelled burned hair for days."

He couldn't help but crack the most miniscule smile when she laughed at her own story, and oh Walls, Hange wasn't going to let him live it down. As soon as the corners of his lips twitched, she noticed in an instant, snatching up some of his cheek and pinching it playfully with ODM-calloused fingers. "Oh lookie, I finally got Li-Li to crack a smile!"

With a tinge of annoyance, Levi swatted her hand away, scoffing under his breath about keeping her mitts to herself. "Oi, okay, fine. Yeah, I thought it was a little funny."

He couldn't stop her from hooking her arm around his shoulders, sneaking another pinch to his cheek as they strolled. "Glad you can admit it. You should smile more, you look nice."

You look nice.

Oh, if it had still been daylight hours, she'd have seen the faintest prickle of red at the tops of his ears, the apples of his cheeks. Before he could even get so much as a word in, Levi found himself being dragged over to a little crowd near a stage. Fucking hell, these Sun-Catchers were something else, he swore. He had two perfectly working legs, yet she still decided to just pull him along as if he were deadweight.

"Look, there's a play, Levi! Let's find a spot to sit and watch!"

"Four-Eyes, I don't want to-"

"Come on, don't gimme that. I think you're just trying to be stubborn now."

There was really no arguing with her, was there?

Therefore, they got comfortable in a couple seats in the front row, in the centre of the audience, and Levi felt quite out of place. He'd never seen such a thing in the Underground– the common area near the market down there was far too small for such a spectacle, not to mention the fact that there was no money nor interest for a production of any sort. Hange called it a "play", and the closest he thought he'd ever seen was when he was but a little boy, and he'd made up an entire story for his stuffed-bunny to go on adventure.

Mama had watched him act it out with pure, innocent delight. Oh, how he missed times like that.

"How often does this sort of thing happen?" He whispered, tone hushed as the rest of the patrons shimmied their way into surrounding chairs. It didn't exactly embarrass him that he was from the Underground, but he figured not knowing what happened at one of these performances would turn some heads.

Best to keep his voice down, he figured.

"Um, kind of depends. They happen a lot at festivals like this, but otherwise I'd say they'd only happen in Mitras, where they're rich enough to have people whose job it is to put on this sort of display." Crossing one leg over the other, Hange leaned back in her chair, adjusting her glasses as someone walked up onto the stage.

It was a thin woman, fine brown hair that went to the small of her back in a straight curtain. Her face was striking, a look that would have left the average person wondering if she was starving herself to death. Levi was far too used to that look back below the surface, so it didn't phase him as much.

What did make him uneasy was that goddamn look in her eyes. Something in the depths of the grey had him shifting in his seat.

"Welcome one and all to the telling of the mighty tale of Humanity's saving grace, the ancient god Solaret! I hope that you learn something new, and that you find true peace with the knowledge we bring you. Enjoy~"

He wished that he'd noticed the wording in that moment, to save himself from future grief. Ignorance was really bliss.

It started simple enough. Some individuals danced onto the stage, led by another woman, who had fiery ginger hair and dark brown eyes. Levi could have sworn that they were deep enough to be black. She took centre stage, and threw her hands into the air. "Ladies and gentlemen, today is the famed summer solstice, and I'm sure you've all had your fun, with the drinking and feasting as the broiling Sun was setting on the longest day of the year. Flower crowns, lovers sneaking kisses during dances... It's all very nice, but you have the true reason to celebrate all wrong!"

That made Levi raise a brow, but he was nevertheless intrigued by the way her face contorted into one of annoyance, how she dramatically tossed her arms around her own frame, as if she were trying to squeeze the soul out of herself.

"You blasphemers make up silly superstitions and tall tales, saying that the longest day of the year is when your heart becomes the most open to love, or that evil spirits haunt those who fail to wear flower crowns. It's all wrong, and I'll prove it to you!"

Even Hange seemed to be confused, since her brow was furrowed quite a bit, with her dark eyes trained on the woman before them. Levi had caught it out of the corner of his eye, and it was then that he realised that this wasn't a normal occurrence.

If he'd been more observant, he'd have recognised that these people on stage were dressed in deep orange robes, with crests sewn into the breast that depicted half of the Moon and half of the Sun.

"There was a man, thousands of years ago, before the times of the Titans and the wiles of the Walls, hair wicked black like the night that was eternal upon Earth! He sought a way to bring us freedom from the darkness, and thus he went on a quest to find the Goddess of the Moon, Lunaris!"

The motions that the woman and the other actors made nearly had Levi getting dizzy. They spun around with robes billowing hypnotically, feet gliding across the stage as they made strange gestures, with their palms raised to the sky and fingers twiddling in the air.

"He begged her to do something with her heavenly powers to bring the humans light, so that they may grow crops and find their way throughout the world. Lunaris accepted his request, on the condition that he be her eternal partner, and that he give her a child!"

That was when all of the performers, except the ginger woman, collapsed to their knees, praying with hands clasped feverishly. The crowd was dead silent, and if someone dropped a pin, you could have heard it a kilometre away.

"It was him, Solaret, that gave his mortal life to convince Lunaris to give us the Sun! Humans thrived with the warmth of the celestial being, and with the birth of their daughter, Stellarim, thousands of stars appeared in the sky at night, to help guide the way of lost travellers."

Some clouds parted in the dimming night sky, allowing the moonlight to drizzle down onto the stage. The woman looked as though she'd been overtaken with an ecstasy that Levi couldn't even fathom, and she laughed maniacally. "They say that soon, the reincarnation of Solaret and Lunaris will have their daughter once again, and when she is born, the stars will fall from the sky. They'll send us pathetic humans out in a blaze of glory, and send us to an eternally warm heaven!"

It was at that moment that the crazy woman finally made eye-contact with Levi, poor Levi, who was sitting front and centre. Without hesitation, she jumped down and stalked her way to him, unafraid to pull him up out of his seat. It had Levi jerking back, but somehow that made her grip tighten impossibly harder. "You. Up on the stage, so we can see you in the light."

What the fuck. What the fuck is going on. What should I do?

Well, I guess the worst thing I could do is make a scene. Just go with it.

He let this woman drag him onto the stage for everyone to see, and a performer held an oil lamp hanging upon a long stick above their heads, allowing her and the audience a better look at him. Her eyes grew wide with tears of what appeared to be joy, and she took his hands in hers. "Look at you! You're the spitting image of our magnificent Solaret! We're soon to be saved!"

"Listen…" Levi began, trying to keep his voice down as he retracted his pale hands. "I'm not some god or something. I'm a guy in the military-"

"Yes! The Survey Corps! Look at this, my dear audience!" Before Levi could continue, she snatched him up by the arm, spinning him so that his back faced the crowd. "He bears wings! Wings that represent our freedom from this miserable life, where we fear Titans! You're going to bring us all to eternal glory and peace!"

Anger was beginning to broil in his blood, but not in the same way that it did when someone was threatening him, or someone hurt a loved one. This was more embarrassing, more frustrating out of sheer stupidity and stubbornness. This cunt wouldn't even listen to him talk!

"You're crazy. I'm out of here, lady."

He didn't waste any time hopping down, reaching forward to grab Hange right out of her chair. She struggled to get her footing that way, but eventually she gained some control to rush off with him. It felt like a whirlwind, and he could feel the countless eyes in the crowd burning into his back, especially when the woman on stage shouted, "And he's with a woman! She must be his Lunaris! The end times are coming, I swear it! You all must prepare for-"

He didn't hear the rest, and frankly, he didn't want to. Levi felt like every pore in him was leaking with agitation, like he wanted to sock that woman in the face for all of that nonsense. Levi didn't even hear Hange talking to him through the rumbling rage that garbled his senses, not until they ended up back where they'd danced quite a bit earlier in the evening. He'd even sat himself upon a bench, staring at the makeshift dance floor in the middle of the grassy field, thrown together with flat, thin slats of wood.

"Levi, Levi come on, please talk to me, will you?"

"Why the fuck did you take me to a play full of cultists?"

Hange huffed, standing in front of him and crossing her arms over her chest. "Levi, I didn't do it on purpose. How the hell was I supposed to know that they were gonna do that? It's not like there was a sign or something!"

Okay, she had a point.

It took him a long time to respond, rubbing his face wearily with his cold hands as the adrenaline began to dissipate within him. "Sorry, that was just… a lot."

With a heavy exhale, he sensed Hange stumble away for a moment, the heels of her boots clicking against the wood as she grabbed something off of a table. He only saw it out of the corner of his eye, but it didn't take long for him to find out just what it was that she had taken.

When he lifted his head, Hange held out a wreath of loose blooms, placing it over his head and allowing it to fall to his shoulders. Peonies, roses, and tulips graced his collarbone, standing out against the brown of the Scout jacket. "Here… I was going to get you one, but I think the stalls are closed now. This should keep those evil spirits away, regardless of what that bitch says."

It was a bit jarring, but he didn't quite know why. His hand came up to one of the blossoms, brushing his fingertip against the soft petal of a rose. "...Thank you, Hange. That's nice of you. M'sorry I yelled."

"Ah, don't worry about it, Short-Stack. Honestly, that was pretty crazy. I've never even heard of the things they're talking about." She shrugged, plopping down next to him. The world around them was quiet now, no other festival-goers around to interrupt their discussion, nor any crazy cultists to push Levi over the edge.

It was just them and the stars now.

They didn't speak for some time, but eventually, Hange tried to make small talk, but frankly, he couldn't really pay much attention to anything but her. It had felt like this all day, felt like every moment he had been with her, the light illuminated her from the inside out. It made it worse that her hip was pressed right up to his, even though there was plenty of room on the bench for them to have personal space.

Did she want to be closer to him?

Whatever he'd been about to say in response died on his lips the moment his gaze landed on her once more. She looked so lovely in the dim luminance of the night sky, the stars twinkling down to cast their gentle glow around her. His heart fluttered when she turned her head to look at him, delicate lips parted as if she'd been about to say something too.

It was at that moment that he realised how close their faces were, too. He could even feel her gentle breaths fluttering across his face.

It felt like the silence dragged on for an eternity between them, neither saying a single word, nothing in their minds to utter. Was it just him or was she leaning closer? There was a gentle question in her eyes, one he didn't know how to read, nor did he know how to answer. But why was he leaning closer? What was happening? Why did he suddenly feel a mixture of nerves and excitement?

Was she about to–

But his thoughts were cut off the moment her lips landed on his, and nothing else registered as the rest of the world fell away, leaving only him and Hange. Her lips were warm, sweet like the honey-covered nuts she'd munched on earlier, yet so savoury that he didn't want to pull away.

It all felt unnatural, but so right at the same time, and it had him fighting his inner feelings, the ones that told him to run and hide. No, he couldn't, and he'd be damned if he didn't do what he wanted, which was to reach up and gently cup her cheek, his fingertips brushing some hair back behind her ear.

She was so beautiful, and he wondered if this was even happening.

The brunette was the first to pull away, leaving them both wide-eyed and breathless, lips parted ever-so-slightly, and Walls, Levi wanted to dive in again, to experience more of what he had just gotten a delectable taste of.

"Section Leader Hange, Cadet Levi!"

The booming voice of Miche had him jolting up, but trying to keep his composure at the same time. The noiret didn't want to seem overwhelmed, didn't want to seem like he'd just experienced his first kiss. If he thought the cultists were embarrassing, then others finding out he'd never been with anyone would have been far worse, in his opinion.

"Oi, Miche, what is it?" He mumbled, folding his arms and digging the heel of his boot into the ground. Fuck, did Miche see them?

"We should probably start heading back to the hotel. By the way, Section Leader Erwin and Cadet Kuchel won't be joining us. They went back to base."

Levi let his arms fall to his sides, trying to process the blonde's words. "Back to base? Why? We just got here, and the base is a night's ride away. Did something happen?"
"Um, probably best for you to ask your mom when you get back, Levi. She's okay though, I think."

Why was he always the last to know everything?

Hello hello!

I didn't die, lmao. School has just been really kicking my ass. I'm about to graduate in about a month, and there's so much to do, so little time! I got that new car, and I also bought myself a new PC and phone, as a present from me to me, kinda. Also, I forgot to tell you guys I didn't get that scholarship to Luxembourg :/ Oh well, other opportunities await, I'm sure.

I just wanted to say that I'm really glad I have you lovely people to support me. This story means a lot to me, and I have no plans of stopping, even if my updates have gotten slower as time has gone on. I appreciate every one of you, and all of your comments. They really help me keep going with this, and I hope that you love the things I've done with the story, the things I've created, the characters I've made for the plot. Thank you.

So, yeah! Hange and Levi, huh? I wonder what happened, and why Erwin and Kuchel left early? Beats me!

Song Award is another kind of vague one, so I'll give you guys the song that I've been listening to a lot lately, which is the cover of Vogel im Kafig by the Grissini Project. Beautiful 3