For the One I Love || Hanji x Female Reader

Chapter Twenty-One: Jealousy

Levi couldn't blame Hanji at all - not the way the squad leader grabbed his collar just a few moments ago nor the way they practically talked to him in a manner Hanji never did before, and in front of the Survey Corps members at that. He understood perfectly; even he had been frustrated at himself.

He was a captain, and yet why wasn't he able to figure out where [Y/N] had ended up going? He had searched for the younger cadet during the time they waited at the town center, and he even asked the 104th cadets to stay put in case [Y/N] came back.

But she never did, and so he was forced to make a decision, despite the protests of [Y/N]'s friends, who had even insisted that they stay behind to look for her. He couldn't allow it, however - the decision was tough but they had to follow Erwin's orders, one of which was to get back to headquarters as soon as the expedition's goals were reached.

They had even rescued a young girl who was clearly in dire need of help - her body was covered in bruises, her frame was thin as if she hadn't eaten anything in quite some time, and she was in desperate need of a bath.

And so, Levi had made the decision that they come back to the headquarters, internally promising that he'd come back for [Y/N] as soon as he could. If he was going to break protocol, he might as well do it alone so the other cadets wouldn't get dragged into it as well. After all, he was still to blame for [Y/N] getting lost in the first place.

With a brief sigh and a glance at the clock, he stood up to prepare for his departure - it was time to fulfill the promise he had made.

_

I felt Hanji hesitantly let me go sometime after, though one of their hands remained on mine as their eyes scanned my body possibly to examine the extent of my injuries. I glanced covertly at Hanji as they gently touched my arms and legs to inspect for the wounds where blood had dried up, and I couldn't help but feel heavy-hearted at the sight of them like this. It was so unlike the Hanji I was used to seeing - someone who always had a smile on their face, no matter how difficult things got.

Hanji sighed as they brought their gaze back to my eyes before asking in a low tone, "I brought some medical supplies, food, and water with me, which one do you need most?"

"You," I answered playfully though my laughter sounded choked, and I ended up in a coughing fit immediately after. Right away, I regretted my attempt at making the situation lighter since I saw Hanji's face harden even more.

I heard Hanji say something under their breath as they rummaged through their supplies but I wasn't able to hear it well since it was too low for me to hear. Hanji handed me a small water container and instructed me to take small sips. I nodded obediently and Hanji helped me drink the refreshing liquid, even though I gestured that there wasn't any need to do so.

I wiped off the excess drops of water on my lips with the back of my hand as I handed the container back to Hanji, murmuring my thanks. They placed the container back with their supplies before asking, "Do you think you can ride? With me, of course. I wouldn't let you ride alone regardless if you were injured or not."

Nodding hastily, I did my best to make sure that my voice didn't crack as I answered, "There's nothing I'd want more than to go back to headquarters. I'm sure the others have been worried sick about me."

"Even in that state you still think of others first," Hanji said with a heavy sigh before carefully assisting me to mount their horse, before positioning themselves behind me, so I was securely situated between Hanji's arms. I sat up as stiffly as possible, suddenly feeling embarrassed at our proximity.

From behind, I could feel Hanji's breath on my ear as they softly whispered, "It would be more comfortable for you if you rest on me."

Hanji didn't really give me much of a choice since their hand was already on my shoulder, gently guiding me until I was resting backward against their chest. Their arms tightened around me ever so slightly as they said, "Let's go home, [Y/N]."

_

To say that Levi had difficulty looking for [Y/N] was a great understatement. He was sure that he'd covered the grounds from Dauper to Ragako, and back just to check for any signs of [Y/N]. He had even encountered a few titans which he took down effortlessly. He thought that Erwin's team had already eliminated them, but since the landmass covered a lot of areas and there were only a few of them, he understood.

Just as he began to feel hopeless, hours after his initial search, he saw a green signal flare just up ahead, and he immediately knew that it could only be [Y/N]. Levi rode hard at once, reaching the approximate area where he saw the signal come from in around twenty minutes. Once more, he looked around for any sign of the younger girl as he rode through the streets of Dauper, before finally rounding up a corner and seeing two horses outside one of the houses.

Wondering about who the owner of the second horse was, as if on cue, Hanji came out of the house carrying [Y/N] in their arms, before carefully helping her up into the horse then settling themselves behind her comfortably. The two seemed to be talking about something, and against his better judgment, Levi felt an unwelcome pang of jealousy as he saw Hanji and [Y/N] converse intimately. The squad leader leaned in close, looking as though they were whispering in [Y/N]'s ear, and in response, Levi saw Hanji guide the girl to rest on their chest.

Anyone with eyes would mistake the two of them for lovers.

"I'm glad you're alive, [Y/N]," Levi muttered softly in relief, a rare occurrence for him, as he turned back in the direction of where he came from.

Unexpectedly, Levi suddenly found himself wishing he had gotten to [Y/N] first instead.

_

By the time we arrived back at the headquarters, it was already around seven in the morning. There should already be cadets up and about, but thankfully, none of them happened to be in the area where Hanji and I entered through. Hanji helped me down the horse, though they refused to let me stand - rather, Hanji insisted that they carry me up to their room, where I was to be treated under their care.

"Hanji, I can walk on my own," I tried to convince them since it would be embarrassing if anyone were to see us in this position. My arms were around Hanji's neck as they effortlessly carried me in their arms.

Hanji merely shook their head as they said sternly, "I saw how swollen your ankle is due to the sprain. The walk from here to my room would be torture for you if I put you down, so hold on to me tight instead."

I was about to say something in response but I saw Hanji glancing at something at a distance, and when I turned to look at the source, saw that it was Armin and Jean, who practically ran over to where we were with astonished and relieved looks on their faces.

"[Y/N]! You're alive!" Jean called out in excitement as Armin followed suit, the latter saying worriedly while his eyes scanned over my features, "We thought something bad happened to you," the blonde paused before continuing softly, "You're covered in a lot of bruises, but we're still glad that you made it back."

I flashed them a weak smile as I answered teasingly, "You think I'd get killed that easily?"

The two didn't respond, and it was evident that they really thought I was a goner. I couldn't help but smile genuinely, knowing that I had friends who cared and worried for my well-being. Then as if they only noticed that Hanji was also there, they quickly glanced up at the squad leader carrying me, before asking, "Will you be the one taking care of her, Squad Leader Hanji?"

Hanji nodded in answer before affirming, "That's correct. From now on, I'll be taking full responsibility for [Y/N]'s safety."