𝐰𝐞'𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 ; 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐢 𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧

Reason four ; III

You couldn't remember a single thing about your last conversation with any of them. Or at least, all apart from Erwin. The last time you had seen Erwin you were arguing: practically screaming at him with tears streaming down your face as you begged to not have to leave. It had haunted you since you'd found out about his death..

the last time he saw you: you were yelling at him. Crying because of him. Screaming at him.

You shivered, feeling a sudden verge of sickness impale your stomach as you glanced up at Hange: their sad expression matched yours.

You swallowed, about to open your lips to break the silence before they did it for you.

"You've been wondering about my eye.. haven't you?"

Your eyes widened, pressing your lips tightly together as they tilted their head.

They exhaled through their nose, "I can tell.. I keep catching your eyes staring at my eye-patch. Since the first night you got here, actually."

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, what did I say about apologising?" The gentleness of their laughter as they spoke out you at a sense of ease, "How long have we known each other?" They asked rhetorically, "You don't have to be afraid to ask if you have a question, Y/N."

You nodded, beginning to collect your thoughts.

"How did it happen?" You asked after yearning for an answer for an entire month, "And.. when?"

"Couple months after you left, the same battle that Erwin-.." They cringed slightly, refusing to say it out loud as they subtly skipped the end of the sentence.

You leant forward, beginning to get a sick taste in your mouth as their eyes stayed locked with yours; you placed your and on top of theirs, watching their face ease. You traced your thumb in circular motions against the soft skin of their hand.

Hange's eye slowly fluttered shut, letting out a slow breath, "I.. didn't think I would make it out alive of that battle." They whispered with a slight rasp in their voice, "I was lucky to loose my eye.. when my fate could've been so much worse. Like.. Moblit's."

Hange removed their hand from under yours, to place their palms above their eyes, blocking out the golden light. They breathed out again, even slower this time, as you began to hear the story of your friends passing.

"There was an explosion.. a large one. Astronomical, even."

"Oh, Hange-.."

"Moblit pushed me just in time to save my life, and got himself killed in an instant."

Your eyes widened, beginning to sting. You placed your hand on top for your lips to gasp.

Hange shook their head, crossing their arms over their chest: "The impact of the explosion caused my goggles to shatter, which left me permanently blind in my eye." They gestured upwards towards their black eyepatch,  "The last thing I saw with this eye was.. his face."

"I'm so sorry, Hange."

"It's.. okay." Hange smiled, "I wasn't alone, after all. I still had Levi with me."

You nodded, "I'm glad you still had each other."

They glanced at the dancing couples for a few moments as they placed their hand flat on the table, opposed to yours with your fingertips barely touching: "I'm-.." Hange hesitated, "I'm sorry about what happened.. between you and Levi."

You shrugged your shoulders, embarrassed that they knew that he had broken up with you: "Did you know why.. at least? That's the part I never understood."

"I'm sure he had his reasons," Hange shrugged back at you, "Although if you ask me, anyone would be an idiot to break up with you."

You smiled, letting out a lazy chuckle.

You carried on, "I'd like to be friends with him at least."

"I think if you give him time, he'll come around to it." Their lips eased into a faint smile, "Levi likes doing things at his own pace - you got along before, you'll find away to get along again."

You nodded, feeling slightly better about the situation after talking things through with Hange.

"Who needs Levi anyway?" You grinned with confidence.

"Thats the attitude!"

You grinned widely, displaying all teeth as another giggle fell easily from your tongue. Hange chuckled softly back in response, their head tilting to the side as strands of auburn hair fell above their bronze goggles.

You felt their fingertips press against your fingertips as they pushed their hand slightly closer to yours.

Your eyelids flinched slightly at their touch, feeling as they gently slipped their fingers in between yours. You glanced up, realising that a hazy pink was beginning to spread across their cheeks; 'they're.. blushing. Again.' You thought to yourself, feeling your heart begin to pick up pace once more.

With confidence, you allowed your fingertips to entwine with theirs, feeling their plan against yours. Their amber eyes widened, inhaling a short gasp through their hooked nose as if bewitched by your touch.

They swallowed, beginning to smile wider and brighter than before.

"I-.." Their lips parted to speak, their sharp jawline clenched, "I feel-.."

You tilted your head to the side as more crimson-blush stained their face, "You feel what?"

"I feel-.." Hange began to stammer, before slowly retracting their hand - they used their palm to cover their face with embarrassment, obviously realising how flustered they had appeared, "I feel like.. it's getting late. And we should probably start heading back."

You nodded as they stood from their seat, beginning to swiftly leave the pub as you followed after.

Despite the cold of the night, your face felt warm and hot; you folded your arms across your chest, unsure on what you were feeling towards your oldest friend. The only way you knew how to describe it was...

Your brows formed a cringe at your own thoughts, realising that Hange was walking abnormally far ahead.

You shook your head adamantly to shake away your thoughts about your best friend, before quickening your pace to catch up with them, replaying the same phrase over-and-over again in your mind.

'I don't have a crush on Hange. I can't...

Can I?'

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫:

𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐈 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮: 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.

- 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐢