Levi grunted as he brought down the edge of the gun on the unsuspecting guard. The guard let out a noise of surprise, crumpling onto the ground within the next minute. (Y/N) picked up his legs and helped Levi carry him back home, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Levi and realized that they'd probably have to keep the guard imprisoned as long as (Y/N) was impersonating him. Luckily, the guard looked quite similar to (Y/N) and had her features. They looked different, but not that different.
"Do you really trust Hange?" Levi's voice was strained as he carried the weight of the guard.
"Not really, but what other choice do I have?" (Y/N) winced. What the heck were these guards made of?
"What will you do if they end up betraying you?" Levi questioned. "What if they alert the king? Or tell the Sina Guard? Do you have a plan set in place?"
"Always the skeptic, aren't ya, Levi?" (Y/N) shook her head. "But you've got a point, I guess. I'll think of something when the time comes. Don't you trust my ability to think on my feet? I think I've proven my competence to you."
"I trust you," Levi said firmly. "Not Hange. I just don't want you to get hurt."
"I won't," (Y/N) reached out to nudge him. "You trained me well."
Levi's lips curved and if (Y/N) knew any better, she would have said that he was smiling. But she doubted he was, his default emotion was unbothered. "Your skill is all your own, (Y/N). You're a brilliant fighter and an intelligent person. If anyone can carry this out, it's you."
(Y/N) smiled and continued to help Levi drag the guard back to the shack. As the days passed, it began to feel more real. She was going to put an end to this. She was going to get revenge. The thought of seeing Sasha and Connie's murderer made her blood boil and she itched to drag a knife down his chest, torturing him before ending him off. He deserved it. How many others had he killed? It had sounded like he had been boastful about murdering off two others. Whatever the case was, (Y/N) had to uproot the drug dealing. If she couldn't change the social dynamic, if she couldn't change the corruption present in the undercity, the lease she could do was stop some operation that caused the deaths of a couple of people.
--
"Is this sufficient enough?" Levi asked, showing Hange the uniform he had taken off the guard. The man was placed in another room, sedated so that he would sleep and not resist.
"Yes, it's a legitimate uniform for a member of the Sina Guard," Hange nodded. (Y/N) eyed them, still questioning their willingness to participate in this plan. Sure, their reputation was at stake if (Y/N) spread rumors that it was the King that created the drug...but that couldn't be it, right? There had to be something else.
"And if I wear this, I'll blend in?" (Y/N) stated, narrowing her eyes. "No other protocol I should be aware of?"
"We can go to Shiganshina City in the morning, and all you have to say is that during your patrol of the undercity, you found me held captive by some...some weird person who wanted me to spill blueprints or whatever. I'll vouch for you," Hange said.
"Okay..." (Y/N) gnawed on the inside of her cheek, hesitant. It seemed almost too easy. As if Hange were setting her up for a trap. She made a mental note to herself to remind Levi and Mikasa to come with her during this mission. She wasn't stupid enough to go alone.
Levi glanced towards the clock and grabbed the uniform, deciding to head back outside. He probably had some business he needed to finish. (Y/N) looked over at Hange, left alone with them in the room. They looked a mess—their hair ruffled, dried blood on their wrists from where they struggled against the coarse ropes, their glasses dirty and foggy...it made (Y/N) almost feel bad.
"Aren't you going to feed me today?" Hange pressed. "No breakfast, no lunch...I'm ravenous. You can't exactly carry out the plan if I'm dead, now, can you?"
(Y/N) blinked. That was right. She hadn't eaten all day either. Her stomach let out an embarrassing growl and she thought back to the contents that were in the fridge: a mustard bottle, half a carton of orange juice...and moldy bread. She sighed. There was definitely not enough food for a meal. And she was too tired and hungry to go out and get ingredients.
If this were some other normal day, (Y/N) would have headed down to the pub to eat a sandwich or a pretzel. She glanced at Hange. But this was not some normal day. She had a prisoner with her.
"So? Food?" Hange prodded, leaning forward. Their glasses slid down their nose, as it often did when they leaned forward. (Y/N) walked over to them, placing a finger on the bridge of their glasses and sliding it up. Hange looked at her expectantly.
"We're going to go on a field trip," (Y/N) declared, eyes falling on the pair of handcuffs that hung on the wall. She grabbed it with one hand, clicking one cuff around Hange's wrist. Before they could protest, she clicked the other one on her own. Hange stared at her with curious eyes as she cut through the rope that previously bound their wrists.
"Where are we going?" Hange was tugged to their feet by (Y/N).
"We're going to go eat. I thought you were hungry, yes?" (Y/N) said slowly. "Or should I just tie you to a chair again—"
"No! Let's go! To eat food," Hange nodded eagerly. "I was just surprised that you untied me. What if I betray you now?"
"That's what the handcuffs are for, cupcake," (Y/N) raised her wrist, exasperated. "How are you going to betray me when you're literally attached to me? I should warn you that after Levi, I'm the strongest fighter down here. You won't stand a chance against me."
"Oh. I thought you were stronger than Levi," Hange blinked.
(Y/N) paused. Hange thought she had been the strongest fighter in the undercity? That made her stupidly happy for some reason. "I will be. One day. Now come, let's go eat. Just keep your hood over your face at all times."
--
"What is this place?" Hange asked quietly as (Y/N) tugged them through a crowd of people. The second they left the shack, Hange had been commenting on and admiring every single thing they saw. It had been a week since they'd been able to see or feel the outside air so everything was apparently fascinating.
The alleys were packed with people getting their drinks and food, chugging down whatever it was that they brought. The air hung heavy with the smell of...charred meat? Someone was barbequing? (Y/N) salivated at the thought of barbeque. Maybe she'd splurge tonight and buy something she wouldn't normally buy. The last raid had been successful, allowing her and Levi to eat more comfortably than before. Except for the fact that the two of them sucked at cooking.
"Dinner," (Y/N) pointed to the stall that was selling stews. In the end, she couldn't find the barbeque. "Would you prefer shrimp or crawfish?"
Hange eyed the bubbling pot of liquid with wary eyes. "That's dinner? I thought...the bread that you normally give me seems more appetizing than whatever that is."
"It's all we got," (Y/N) huffed. She held up two fingers, ordering two bowls of shrimp stew. Was it anything like the delectable cuisines served on the topside? No, of course not. It was made of cheap ingredients and random spices that no one had ever known of. But the people of the undercity couldn't complain. Food was food, no matter how gruesome it looked.
"Thanks," (Y/N) shoved a few bills towards the booth keeper, grabbing her bowl by both hands and chugging back the contents.
Hange watched her for a few minutes before reluctantly picking up their own bowl. The chain of the handcuffs clinked as they brought it to their lips. (Y/N) smiled, amused, as she watched Hange force back the contents.
"Is this where you eat often?" Hange motioned towards all the booths and random kegs. "In the middle of the street?"
"It's not a street, it's an alley. Food alley to be specific. It's where we get our meals. Since a lot of us can't cook," (Y/N) explained.
"I see," Hange nodded. They peered at (Y/N) closely, their eyes tracing the features of her face. "Have you ever wished you lived in Shiganshina city?"
"What kind of question is that?" (Y/N) barked out a laugh. "Of course, I have. Every child in the undercity has once dreamt of making it out of here. But that dream quickly fades. No one leaves the slums."
"It's unfair," Hange said quietly, motioning towards the area around them. "All of this is unfair. I know it may sound like I'm the King's advocate, but that's not the case. I'm not a huge fan of him, never was."
"Oh? The king's precious little scientist doesn't care for him? How sad," (Y/N) mocked, taking a swing from the drink that she ordered.
"Tell me about Sasha," Hange said softly, so softly that it was hard to hear them over the lively buzz of the nearby conversation. "How was she like?"
"What—" (Y/N) sputtered, startled by the sudden mention of her long dead sister. She felt a stab of the usual despair, yearning for the familiar brunette to be present in the moment. "Why are you asking me this?
"Please just tell me," Hange said quietly. "Was she like you? Strong, brash, and incredibly determined? So determined to the point she might be stupid?"
(Y/N) frowned, unsure if Hange just insulted or complimented her. "Well, uh, Sasha was...she was a burst of energy. If she had come with us right now, she would have inhaled these bowls of stew and would have probably ordered three more."
(Y/N) let out a sad laugh, reminiscing about the times she came here at midnight with Sasha. The girl had taken 'midnight snack' to a whole different level. "But food wasn't the only thing she was passionate about. Sasha was an excellent shot. Her aim was always perfect. She scared me sometimes, because of her accuracy. But her laugh was so sweet, and it would change the mood of the entire room. Once, she had accidentally broken Levi's blade. He made her run laps the entire night as a punishment."
Hange smiled sympathetically, placing a hand on (Y/N)'s forearm. She wasn't sure why Hange had brought up Sasha, but (Y/N) couldn't stop thinking of her or Connie.
"Connie was brilliant when it came to mechanics. He and Sasha were our comedy duo. The two of them were unstoppable when it came to jokes. And Jean...Jean isn't dead, but he just stopped hanging around after Connie and Sasha's deaths. We were all a family once, and now we're...nothing. And when we were kids, Sasha and I would always sneak out and try to find a place where we could stare up at the stars. She wanted to make it out of here," (Y/N)'s voice broke at the last syllable, and she tore her gaze away from Hange. "We all wanted to make it out of here."
Hange let out a slow breath, squeezing (Y/N)'s forearm reassuringly. (Y/N) had never thought that she would be sitting on a stool in food alley, being comforted by the king's royal scientist. The situation was almost hysterical. How had they even gotten to this point of the conversation?
"I haven't exactly been truthful to you, (Y/N). I...I lied to you," Hange looked up towards the sky. It was cloudy and muddled, not a single star shining. It was a shame. The night sky was always a spectacular sight.
"About what?" (Y/N) tensed, her grip tightening around the wooden glass. Levi was right, she should never have trusted Hange. Her eyes darted around her. Were there guards around, ready to kill (Y/N) and take back Hange? Was this entire thing a trap? Had Hange tried to distract her by making her tell tales about her dead family? Now, that was low. Incredibly low.
"I don't just want to help you to keep my name from being tainted," Hange admitted. Their jaw clenched, their grip tightening around the table in front of them. "I know what it feels like. To lose family."
(Y/N) turned to Hange, unsure of where they were going with this. She stayed silent, allowing them to continue.
"I used to have someone I was close to. He was more of an assistant to me than a brother," Hange smiled fondly. "Even before I was the royal scientist, he would always assist me in my experiments, even if it meant he would end up being the lab rat. I hadn't realized at the time how important I thought him, how important he was to me...but then he died. And that was when I realized that no amount of fame or money will replace him. I wasted my time, chasing material things, when I could have been happy instead."
(Y/N)'s eyes widened. "Oh—"
Hange turned to her, their eyes full of sorrow but their lips upturned. "No need to feel sorry, dear. We all have our own stuff, don't we? I just want you to know that I know. I know what the pain feels like, I know what regret feels like to. I know what it feels like to crave revenge. The anguish in your eyes is clear as day. I couldn't get revenge. But I'll help you get yours."
(Y/N) was silent, unable to think up of a sentence that would be appropriate to say in the given circumstance. Finally she spoke, her voice quieter than usual. "Thank you for sharing that with me. I know you don't want to be here, but your assistance is going towards a good cause."
Hange smiled, one that caused the corners of their eyes to crinkle, one that caused a hidden dimple to pop out near their chin. "I know. You may not be one of the good guys...but you're not a bad guy either."