Mirage

A/N: Cause I've been dying to update. Literally dying. I can't even remember the last time I wrote a chapter for this. But don't worry though, my semester break is in two weeks so this means I'll get to update more often again!

Summary: Humanity's strongest soldier had secrets of his own. So when the woman he thought he loved died, he turns on another for pure companionship and comfort. But a night of mistake has its consequences. Levihan.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: INEVITABLE

It had been too long since Hange last walked along the vast and wide clearing of the Corps' training grounds, and she's going to admit – she missed it. Terribly missed it. The warm breeze fanned her brown hair, sending some wisps of it into the air, the tall shrubs kept prickling at her exposed ankles as she walked, all the while as she pushed on the little stroller the twins were carefully tucked in.

The sky was already a mix of crimson, orange and pink, and the fluffy clouds above hovered ever so gently. Hange's steps came into a halt as she spotted the first few soldiers emerging from the forest. She decided to stop by under the shade of one huge tree, parked the twins' stroller by her side, and then took a peek at her sons. Theo looked slightly disoriented, narrowed eyes squinting further as he glanced back at his smiling mother. Ciel on the other hand, already looked drowsy after that long stroll; his rosebud of a mouth forming a little 'o' as he yawned one after another.

She leaned slightly forward and grinned. "Daddy will be here in a moment, peanuts, we'll wait here for a while, okay?" Hange crooned. She knew Levi wouldn't like the idea of them suddenly showing up at the training grounds, especially at this time; so far she'd been very mindful of Levi's 'rules' but she wanted to make an exception today.

Crossing her arms before her chest, Hange waited, her heart stopping each time a soldier comes out from beneath the woods. They all looked evidently tired, muscles probably strained thanks to their gears, and their confidence already slipping because of their Captain's constant pushing. Or so Hange figured. It was always like that, with Levi overseeing the training.

With her neck craned, Hange's eyes continuously scanned the area but still caught no sight of her husband. The wind was already shifting, becoming colder and colder by the minute. She alternately took side glances at the twins and it wasn't until someone cleared his voice behind her that Hange's full attention was finally piqued. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the ever intimidating Commander Erwin standing just behind her, stance poised and hands tucked against his pockets.

"Here to pick up your husband, I presume?" Erwin smiled, his usual demeanour not even collapsing. He trotted towards the twins' side and leaned down. He reached out and when Ciel's hand closed around his finger, Erwin's blue eyes softened. "They really look just like their father," he muttered under his breath.

Hange released a small chuckle. "I was quite grateful they did. It wouldn't do well if they took after me."

"Not really. Don't be so hard on yourself, Hange." Erwin pushed back the tuft of brown hair on Theo's head before straightening up and moving towards Hange's side.

They stayed in silence for a while, overlooking at the soldiers gathering in the clearing to have some rest before they head back to the Headquarters. Eren and the others were already there, slumped on the ground as they talked. From that distance, Hange could hear Eren complaining about how close he was at taking down one Titan but Jean did it instead. The other soldiers were busy taking inventory in their gears and there were also some tending to their injuries.

Hange sighed. At the sight before her, she suddenly realized how much she missed those little moments of being a soldier – not the wreckless training exactly – but the feeling of being slightly empowered, the feeling she gets at the thought that humanity depends on her. That was what she really missed. It's been almost a year, she hasn't touched her gear; it's probably laid down somewhere at her messy lab, already covered with dust.

And the urge to see a Titan is always gushing through her, she wouldn't ever deny that. She wouldn't be Hange Zoe if she wasn't that crazy Titan-loving scientist everyone deemed her to be.

But things have changed. Subtly. And she knows this.

She let out a sigh again. "Erwin?"

The blond Commander gave her a sideways glance and fixed her on his blue gaze. "Yeah?" he responded.

Hange took a deep breath, crossing her arms tightly before her chest to sum up the composure she feels is already crumbling within her. She returned the stare, brown eyes heated. "When can I go back to work?"

A confused expression settled on Erwin's face, his rather thick eyebrows furrowing at her sudden query. "It's your call, Hange," He lowered his intimidating gaze slightly before turning his head back to the soldiers. "But you just had the twins. You're not yet in very good shape to return to fighting the Titans again. And if you'll ask my personal opinion on this, I deeply suggest that…" he stopped.

Hange's forehead crossed. She arranged her eyeglasses and focused entirely on Erwin's face, searching his eyes. "What?"

"That you quit the Corps," he calmly stated.

Silence.

Her eyes widened; she could swear her heart just skipped a beat. Hange let his words sink, her jaw dropping at what Erwin just declared. Can she really do that? Abandon the duties she pledged her heart into? "Erwin, you know I can't do that," she blurted out, gritting her teeth.

"I'm not telling you this as the Commander of the Survey Corps, but as your friend, Hange. You have children. You have a family. You know that we face hell everyday, that death is inevitable. I don't want to send you to your death knowing that these kids will be here waiting for the parents they never knew are not coming back anymore."

Hearing Erwin saying those words was like taking a bullet, lots of them, a sharp blow to her pride. Since the day she discovered she was pregnant, she had never for a moment stopped thinking about what would happen to their children had she or even her husband died in the hands of the Titans.

Levi's words from before suddenly echoed in her ears.

'We are at war, Hange. And you and I… We're both soldiers. Even if the whole pregnancy turned out fine, the world that the child will be living in is not a desirable place. Countless lives are lost in every mission that we go to. And believe me when I say that I still fear that the walls will someday be breached and those creatures will come to get us. I do not fear for myself. But I fear for the people.''

Hange smiled bitterly. "But Erwin, I want to continue fighting. I have sworn to protect and defend humanity at all costs, and now that I have the twins, I am more eager to fight. I have a more profound reason to make this world a place where we can live freely, without fear. I want to do this for them. I've been on this journey for God knows how long and I'm not about to stop now, no way."

She could feel Erwin's reluctance at first, but a smile later crept up on his face. "Great speech," Hange nudged him with her shoulder but he remained unfazed by the action. "But I understand. As what I've said, it's your call. I have no right to get in the way of your decision."

"Thank you, Erwin," She simply replied, and Erwin lightly tapped her on her shoulder before he turned his back to leave. Erwin had been nothing but considerate when it comes to her, always acting like a brother in place of the one she had at home. And she will forever be grateful for that.

Minutes passed in silence. And from a mere distance, she finally caught sight of Levi. The man had an undefined look on his face as he trotted towards where she and the twins were positioned. Behind him, the 104th soldiers were in line following his tracks, grinning as they marched.

"Hey," Hange said when he reached them, a light smile on her face.

Levi immediately went to the twins' side, leaned down their stroller and gave both of them a kiss on their head before turning to greet his wife. "And what in God's name are you doing here, Shitty Glasses?" he asked, his face displaying the usual scowl… and something more.

"Because….. I missed you all day," she pouted. "So much," Levi turned beet red and Hange had to stifle a laugh at his reaction. "Levi?"

"Tch," he avoided her gaze. "Don't say things like that when we're out."

"What, you're actually afraid that someone would see and hear how much we love each-"

"Shut the fuck up," he countered.

Hange just laughed. She looked over Levi's shoulder and saw Eren and the others walking towards them. Eren and Armin beamed, then went to the twins' side and fawned all over the two. The rest just stood back and watched, slightly intimidated by the sudden look that Levi threw their way.

"Ms. Hange, can I hold him?" Eren pleaded, pointing at Ciel.

Levi immediately pinched in. "No,"

Hange nudged her husband on his side. "Yeah, sure," She carefully picked Theo up and gently shoved him against Eren's arms. He made an awkward cradle.

"Goddammit, Jaeger! Be careful with the head!"

With one pillow tucked behind her back and a book on her hands, Hange lazily laid on the bed, while Levi paced around their room with a bawling Ciel tucked gently against his arms. The child had been crying non-stop and nothing Levi ever did was enough to put him to sleep. Meanwhile, Theo was now on his small cot and had long been asleep, knocked down right after he was fed by his mother.

"He's not hungry, his diaper's freshly changed. I don't fucking know what this brat wants," Levi mumbled to no one in particular. He continued rocking Ciel in his arms but to no avail.

"Why don't you ask him what we wants," Hange idly replied, flipping the page of her book.

"You're not helping,"

"Well, at least I tried," she muttered under her breath.

Levi clicked his tongue, now thinking of his one last resort. It was the most effective way he knew to make either of the kids fall asleep, but hell, he didn't want to do it when Hange is there. She'll tease the ever loving crap out of him, he's sure. But he had no other choice; he looked at Ciel and he saw that his son's face was already flushed red as he bawled and wailed furiously.

Sighing, he slowly inched towards the window, away from Hange's earshot, and started humming the twins' favorite lullaby. It was proven effective again as Ciel's cries became just small mewlings and sniffles, and it wasn't long before he buried his face against his father's chest, already snoring.

Levi gently tucked him on his cot beside his brother before turning to his wife, who was now grinning at him, her book now laid on the bedside table. "Don't fucking mention it," he snapped.

"I haven't said anything yet," She replied sheepishly.

He bit his lip, then hastily moved towards the bed. He flipped the blankets and laid on his side of the bed, facing his wife. Her hair was in complete disarray, glasses now gone, and he reached out to trail his finger against her nose, then went on to caress her cheek.

"Levi?" she whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I asked Erwin when I could start working again,"

"What did he say?" he stopped caressing her cheek for a second, then continued.

"He said I could go back whenever I please, but there's more."

"What?"

"He suggested for me to quit the Corps, because of our children. But I don't want to do it," She sighed. "We haven't really talked about this, right?"

Levi nodded.

"I told him I don't want to. That I want to keep fighting, that I'll be a soldier for as long as humanity needs me." She blinked twice. "Is that bad?"

"No, not at all." He shook his head.

"So you wouldn't want me to quit?"

Levi fixed her on his gaze. "Hange, I know you know what's best for you. I trust you. If this is what you want, to continue fighting and risking your life, I wouldn't stop you. This is what you signed up for, after all."

The room was enveloped in darkness, but Levi could see the smile on her face.

"Besides… I don't want to be one of those helpless damsels just waiting for my husband to get back after every mission, I want to be out there to watch your ass." she chuckled.

"Valid explanation," Levi pointed.

"And I'm not afraid to die… We were always meant to die, right?"

"Yeah, I think so,"

Hange moved further, seeking his warmth. Levi wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her even closer. "I love you though. I love you so much," she mumbled.

Levi closed his eyes. "I know, I know," he tucked her head under his chin. "I love you too,"

A/N: This was short but I hope you liked it. I'll be back for more!