For the One I Love || Hanji x Female Reader

[Special Chapter: Holidays & Snowfall]

[Author's Note]

Hello everyone! I was going to post this chapter on the 25th but realized that you have waited for so long already, so I decided to post it the moment I finished writing it. For your reference, please take note that the events in this chapter transpired after the 8th chapter: Guessing Game. That's about it for now, I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for your support! Happy holidays and keep safe, everyone!

_

Holidays in the Survey Corps' headquarters was a boisterous affair. Excited chatter filled the air while cadets decorated the hallways and other areas with holiday ornaments. The usually somber atmosphere was replaced with a light and playful one, at least for the time being.

But despite the cheerful look of the place and faces of the cadets, not everyone shared the same sentiments. An example? Captain Levi. Though his face usually looked impassive and devoid of any emotion, right at the moment, he looked absolutely grumpy.

"So," Connie started as he looked at the other cadets' faces before he continued, "who wants to bet as to why Captain Levi looks like he's itching to tear everything down and burn them until nothing's left?"

Sasha, whose expression was best defined as 'sketchy', said, "Maybe it's because his wish to become taller didn't come true."

There was a moment of silence, and then we all laughed uncontrollably, some of us holding on to our stomachs from laughing so loudly. Even Mikasa chuckled lightly, and we couldn't help but notice Eren trying to sneak a glance at her.

Ymir cleared her throat as she smoothly draped an arm around Christa and pulled the blonde closer to her.

"Should we go look for a mistletoe later?" Ymir asked the smaller girl with a knowing smirk on her lips, Christa merely shook her head in response, though her face betrayed her since she was blushing hard.

At this, Sasha and Connie looked at each other, both of them looking suspicious as hell.

"Oi, what are you two thinking?" Jean asked, rubbing his arm lightly as he glanced skeptically at the two, who practically radiated an evil aura about them.

Sasha's eyes twinkled with mischief as she said, "Oh you know, think of it as 'helping' certain people get closer together."

As if that wasn't enough, she glanced at me and winked.

"I'm not liking this at all," I told her with a nervous laugh, having some kind of vague idea as to what their plan was.

Connie was about to say something when Commander Erwin entered the common room, with Captain Levi, Hanji, and Moblit trailing behind him, among others. We all immediately stood up straight and gave our salutes, but he smiled and gestured for us to be at ease.

His eyes scanned the room, and seeing that we were mostly complete, Commander Erwin said, "The headquarters sure feels different, and I thank all of your efforts to make it look like the way it is this time of the year. At the very least, make sure to enjoy the evening, eat and drink to your heart's contents. That would be all, I will be in my office should you need me."

"You won't be joining us?" several cadets asked, and even I had to wonder. Out of all of us in Survey Corps, he was the one who deserved to rest the most.

Commander Erwin smiled softly before he answered, "As much as I'd like to stay, I have a lot of paperwork that requires my attention. But please enjoy the evening, and I bid you goodnight."

He then whispered something to Captain Levi, whose face turned even sourer, if that was possible, before he left the room.

There were a few moments of silence before Hanji cleared their throat and said, "Clearly this shorty over here is a killjoy so I'll say it in his stead - I was informed that our cadets from the 104th training corps would be hosting the evening, am I correct?"