#source: @nanaba

[snudartchaikovsky]

SMTH ABOUT THE VETS....

U CAN TELL I RLLY LIKE LIGHTING

[levis-poison-is-my-medicine]

Dreams Don't Lie

(The Tea Lovers Pt. 10)

A Levi x reader fanfic

Crossposted from AO3

It all started with a silly dream. How could it get this out of control?

tags: fluff and humor, silly and sweet, tea-obsessed fem!reader with their head in the clouds (word count: 4.1k)

(Part one) / (Levi x reader Masterlist)

"I know your deepest, darkest secret."

You spun around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice which had suddenly spoken behind you. But all you found was a cat lounging in the doorway, looking up at you with a sullenly bored expression.

"Nice try. But I don't have any," you replied, slightly bemused. It was true – there was no point in having secrets when you sucked at keeping them.

The cat's tail twitched impatiently. "Oh, but you do. It is a secret so clandestine, so private, that not even you know about it."

"A secret that I don't know about? And what would that be?" You challenged, your tone skeptical. It didn't even make any sense.

The cat took its sweet time before answering, thoroughly licking its paw as if to savor the moment. Then it locked eyes with you. "There's something you love more than tea."

You gasped, horrified. "Take that back!"

"Why should I? You know it's true." The cat looked thoroughly unimpressed by the accusing finger you had jabbed in its direction. "As a matter of fact, it's been true for a while now."

You frantically shook your head, trying to erase the words from your mind. But they kept replaying, growing louder and louder each time, until they melded together in a deafening choir, all chanting the same few words: "There's something you love more than tea."

With a start, you jolted awake, bathed in cold sweat. A wave of relief washed over you when you realized you were safely tucked in your bed, and it had all been nothing more than a stupid dream. You shook your head again. "How absurd," you mumbled. How absolutely, completely, utterly ridiculous. Tea had been there for you when no one else had. It had gotten you through your darkest hours. How could anything possibly hold a candle to that?

But a little bit of doubt remained, gnawing at you. After all, dreams were the royal road to the unconscious, and all that. Maybe your subconscious was trying to tell you something. But what? That you were secretly a coffee person? You shuddered at the thought. How blasphemous.

It was probably just a dream. Still, you were too shaken to fall back asleep, so you got up to brew yourself a nice, hot cup of tea.

When you came back in, your roommates were already awake, getting dressed and ready for the day.

"How come you're up so early?" Nanaba asked in astonishment. You usually slept right through the early morning hustle and bustle, only getting up at the last possible minute.

"It's nothing. Just a bad dream," you replied offhandedly and settled back down on the lower bunk of the bunk bed you shared with Nifa, cradling the steaming cup of tea in your hands.

"Oh yeah? What was it about?" Nanaba inquired.

You sighed. "I don't really know. It was all pretty confusing."

Nanaba gave a brief nod, sensing you weren't too eager to talk about it. She slipped on her uniform jacket and headed for the door.

Without thinking, you blurted out, "What do you love the most?"

Nanaba stopped with her hand on the door handle. She turned around, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"I–" she began, but Lynne was faster.

"Mike, of course," she snickered.

Nanaba shot her a dirty look, but then begrudgingly conceded, "…You're probably right about that."

"Ha! I know you so well. I may not understand your infatuation with that glorified sniffer dog, but I sure know you."

Nanaba just rolled her eyes at Lynne's playful jab.

"What were you going to say?" You asked Nanaba, still curious.

"Honestly? I don't know. Most likely something different, like my family."

You gave her a puzzled look. "How come?"

Nanaba shrugged. "Sometimes these sort of things can be hard to admit. Other people might even know you better than you know yourself at times."

You turned your cup of tea in your hands, trying to make sense of her answer. "How could someone else know you better than yourself?"

"Well," Nifa chimed in, "sometimes it's easier to see things from a distance. Plus, we tend to lie to ourselves – say the "right" thing instead of the true thing. Like... there's something within us that holds us back from saying what we really feel. Others don't have that barrier."

You nodded thoughtfully, understanding what she meant.

"And what do you love the most?" Lynne asked, a teasing grin on her lips as she dropped down next to you on the bed.

"Tea," you replied without missing a beat.

Lynne snorted out a laugh. "Of course. Why did I even ask?"

But a flicker of doubt remained.

– –

The thought lingered in the back of your mind even during the scout's daily training session. Today, your squad had been assigned to Titan combat training in the woods alongside squad Levi – usually your favorite type of drill. But this time, your mind just wasn't in it.

You halfheartedly slashed at the nape of the wooden Titan dummy in front of you, barely even leaving a mark as you passed it, shooting forward among the trees.

"What the hell was that? That wasn't even a scratch!" Oluo shouted from a nearby tree.

"Huh?“ You hadn't even noticed, too deep in thought to really pay any attention to your surroundings.

"Off your game today?" Petra asked as she zipped past you.

You looked after her with a blank expression, watching as her green cape fluttered after her in the rush of air before it disappeared among the leaves. You couldn't help but wonder: what did Petra love the most? And did she even truly know what it was?

The green canopy blurred around you as you picked up speed, the gas hissing as you pressed down on the trigger. You absentmindedly shot the grappling hooks into another tree, propelling you forward with a jolt.

A Titan dummy sprang into your vision, looming over you like a sudden shadow – too close, and getting closer still. Adrenaline surged through your veins, jerking you away from your daydreams. You twisted to the side to change your trajectory, but it was too late. The hard wood scraped against the side of your body as you veered right. There was a snap, and a sharp, searing pain shot through your shoulder. All strength left your am. You dropped the trigger. Then the world spun out of control.

You were falling, upended, the air screaming in your ears as you barely whipped past a tree. Desperate to regain your balance, you pushed the remaining trigger, releasing the hook you still had control over. In an instant, you were yanked sideways. Branches scratched over your arms and face as you were swept through the underwood.

Then – a sudden lurch. Your downward plunge came to an abrupt stop as the wire of the remaining grappling hook was pulled taut. It made you swing back and forth violently, scraping your skin against the bark of the tree it was attached to, but you were still suspended in the air.

Upside down, swinging like a pendulum. But still.

The muscles in your abdomen strained as you fought to get back into an upright position. But hanging only by one wire, it was impossible.

"Shouldn't have had that dessert earlier," you mumbled to yourself. All that swinging wouldn't have been easy on an empty stomach, let alone one currently doing a headstand. You really needed to come up with a solution, but the blood rushing to your head didn't exactly help.

"Here goes nothing."

You tried to angle your hip upwards into the right direction, then tapped the remaining trigger lightly, sending the second grappling hook shooting toward the nearest trunk. The hook caught, and you were jerked to the side – the swinging finally stopped.

With two wires holding you, you managed to right yourself straightaway.

Now that you had your balance back, it should be easy – you just had to grab the other trigger currently dangling from your left hip, and you'd be back in the game. But as you tried to reach for it, nothing happened. Your left arm refused to obey, hanging limply by your side like a dead weight, useless. You couldn't move it, couldn't grip.

You were stuck.

Without the trigger, there was no way of releasing the left grappling hook. And if you released the right hook again, you'd just go back to swinging back and forth like a giant pocket watch, tethered to a tree for all eternity.

This was embarrassing.

"Um... Help? Is anybody out there?"

No response. You sighed. Screw your dignity. You needed to be out of here by teatime.

With your right hand, you fumbled for one of the signal flares. For training, it was loaded with a purple shell for emergencies. You held it above your head and pulled the trigger, watching the purple plume of smoke erupt into the canopy above.

On second thought, maybe you should go back to swaying between the trees bottom-side-up. If you kept it up long enough, you might pass out, and then you wouldn't have to be awake for the mortifying rescue.

A fully trained soldier. Injured by a titan made from wood. During a routine training session. You would never live it down.

It wasn't long before you heard the familiar high-pitched sound of the wires whizzing through the air, the sharp hiss of the gas indicating someone going at full speed.

You squeezed your eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable laughter and mockery of your pitiable state. But it never came.

Instead, there was a warm hand, expertly palpating your injured arm which still dangled uselessly from your side.

"It's dislocated," someone said flatly. You would recognize that voice anywhere.

"Levi," you exhaled, suddenly full of relief. Everything would be alright now.

You opened your eyes to find his face only inches away from yours, studying it with a frown. He raised his hand as though he was going to touch your face, but stopped short, frozen in mid air. "You're all scratched up." His voice was quiet, almost a whisper, and it sounded strange somehow, too rough around the edges.

"It's nothing," you replied quickly. "Just a few cuts."

"It's not nothing," he said.

There was something in the intensity of his stare that made your face heat up. Or maybe it was still warm from your upside down escapades. You cleared your throat. "Can you help me get away from here? I'm kind of stuck."

Levi slowly lowered his hand, his gaze drifting away. "Press the right trigger." His hand grasped the other one.

"Now?"

"Now."

You pressed down on it, hard, and for a split second, you were falling, but then a strong hand gripped you, sweeping you out of mid-air. Your world turned upside down once again as you were swung over his shoulder. Next thing you knew, you dangled awkwardly over his back, your face brushing against his green cloak.

"Hold on if you can," Levi said firmly. Your fingers closed around the fabric of the cloak, gripping it tightly. Through it, you could feel the straps of his uniform at his upper back, and you held onto them with your good arm, steadying yourself as best as you could.

The air rushed past you as Levi darted through the forest, expertly changing the hand securing your legs every so often to allow him to shoot both hooks.

The uneven weight distribution didn't seem to bother him at all. That was Levi for you.

"You truly are the best," you told him, but it came out muffled from the cloak fluttering into your face every so often. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Levi didn't reply, but you could feel the muscles in his back tensing through the fabric. He had a lot of them.

Your heart was fluttering in your chest and you felt a bit dizzy. It was probably because you were flipped over again. And of course, your upturned brain chose this exact moment to make you think of your dream again.

There's something you love more than tea.

But before you could give it more thought, the wind around you died down, and Levi's feet touched down on the ground with a soft thud.

You had reached the edge of the forest.

Levi started walking, your body still draped over his shoulder, legs dangling over his chest.

"Um, you can let me down now. My legs are fine, I can walk," you said, a little flustered.

"You sure?" He sounded like he was frowning again.

"Yep. I'm positive."

Levi stopped and bent at the knees, carefully easing you down from his shoulder until your feet found solid ground again. You placed your good arm on his shoulder to support yourself against him, shifting to a more upright stance. When you looked up, you realized how close you were to him, your chest pressed to his, your noses almost touching. Somehow, you couldn't meet his gaze, but you didn't move away. You felt his heart beat against yours, rapid and wild.

Maybe it had been strenuous to carry you, after all. He'd made it seem so easy.

"Thank you," you murmured. "For rescuing me. And... " You trailed off. Your hand was still on his shoulder. You squeezed it. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble like that."

"Like I'm not used to it by now," he muttered. "We'll talk about this later. Let's get you treated first."

You nodded, finally meeting his eyes, relieved to find no trace of anger in them. There was something else there, something you couldn't place, but it made your chest overflow with warmth, and you suddenly felt like giving him a hug. So you did. You were so close already, all you had to do was wrap your good arm around him.

You felt the muscles in his back tense under your fingertips. They had to be sore from carrying you. You rubbed them gently until they relaxed into your touch.

"I'm so glad you saved me!" You beamed. There was so much gratitude inside you, you didn't know what to do with it. "Thank you so much, I mean it! And while we're being honest, I was starting to feel a bit scared up there. But when you showed up, I knew everything was gonna be just fine."

"Don't be stupid. You don't know that yet," Levi muttered. "You still have to get your arm examined."

"I know, I know." You gave his back a final pat before you stepped back.

Levi was staring at you with his usual non-expression, his gaze lingering on you even as you started walking to where you'd left the horses.

He was silent the entire way, letting you ramble on about your dreams of becoming a porcelain potter should the threat of the Titans ever be purged from this world.

That silence was abruptly broken the moment you tried to climb on your horse. "No."

You turned around, confused. "No?"

"I'm not letting you ride one-handed."

"Oh come on," you protested. "Have you seen me ride? I could do it free-handed! Besides, Jeanie and I are the best of friends!" You gave the horse's neck a rub.

"This is final," Levi said tersely.

"Fine, if you insist." You took Jeanie's reins. "That's gonna be one hell of a walk."

"We won't walk. You can ride with me."

You shot him a surprised look. "You serious?"

"It's safer that way." His voice was calm, reasonable.

You shrugged. "If you say so."

He made you sit in front of him, your back pressed against his chest, his arms on either side of you. It certainly made you feel safe. But as you calmed down, the pain in your left arm grew stronger, settling into a constant, deep ache that was hard to ignore. The pain sharpened in time with each stride of the horse, making your teeth clench against the waves of discomfort.

Levi seemed to sense your distress. "You're in pain," he noted. It wasn't a question.

"Kinda... getting worse," you gritted out.

You felt his hand on your shoulder, steadying you. "Almost there," he said.

By the time you got back to scout's headquarters, you were ready to have your arm sawed off if that would stop the pain.

Thankfully, the medic had a less drastic plan in mind.

"I'm going to reset your shoulder to get it back into its proper position. It won't be pleasant, but afterwards, it will feel much better."

"Sounds good," you exhaled. "Let's get it over with as quickly as possible."

The medic nodded. "Of course."

She pulled your arm slightly away from your body, her hands firm and steady. The pain spiked, intense enough to make your breath catch. You peered at Levi, who was leaning against the wall of the examination room, his eyes fixed on you. He gave you an almost imperceptible nod, as if to encourage you. You nodded back, silently signaling that you were ready.

With a sudden movement, the medic rotated your arm, making the joint slide back into its socket with an audible pop. A sharp, searing pain shot through your shoulder, making you gasp, but then it faded, leaving behind a sore, tender feeling which was much more bearable.

"You'll need to rest your arm for about two weeks. I'll get you a sling to help keep it immobilized during that time." The medic opened one of the cabinets, perusing its contents for the sling.

Levi pushed himself off the wall and stepped closer. "You alright?"

"Much better," you said with a smile.

He nodded, letting out a soft breath.

The medic returned to help you put on the sling, carefully tying it behind your neck.

"There, all done." She smiled.

"Yay! Just in time for tea."

"There's not gonna be any teatime today." Levi's tone was sharp.

You looked at him with wide eyes. "What? Why not?" You could really use some tea right now. There was still a dull ache in your shoulder, and now that the initial shock had worn off, you could feel the bruises throbbing on your left side where it had scraped against the wooden Titan.

"You're gonna tell me exactly how this could happen." Levi's arms were crossed as he scrutinized you, his eyes narrowed.

"What happened was…I almost flew straight into a training dummy." You scratched your head sheepishly. "I managed to avoid it at the last minute, but I still scraped it."

"Why?"

"I was distracted."

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Distracted by what?"

"I had this strange dream last night, there was this talking cat, and–"

"It doesn't matter," he cut you off. "You don't get to be distracted. If that had been a real titan, you'd be dead."

You nodded. "I know."

"Even in this scenario, you still could've died. Slamming into a wooden wall at the speeds we're moving? If you hadn't dodged–"

"I know that," you said quickly. "It was stupid. Incredibly stupid. It won't happen again. I promise."

For only a brief second, his gaze met yours, brushing you so softly and lightly, it felt like a caress. Then his face hardened. "I don't know if you can. If things like that happen to you during training, maybe you shouldn't be with us on the next expedition."

You stared at him, shocked. "You don't mean that. I've always been nothing but focused during missions. The reason this happened was because it was just training, so I underestimated the danger. It was a mistake. I admit that. But it won't happen again."

"Tell this to Erwin," Levi said curtly. He turned to leave. "You will submit a report about this. So will I. He'll decide from here on. I trust him to make the right call."

The exchange left you frozen in place, stunned.

Going on expeditions was a scout's purpose. Why would he take that away from you?

You shook your head. There was no way you were going to let that happen. You'd talk to Erwin, of course. But first, you had to clear your head. Levi was right: as a scout, you couldn't afford to be distracted. That stupid, silly dream which, for some reason, just didn't let you go – you had to get it out of your mind. It was why you'd ended up in this mess in the first place, taking up space in your thoughts when you should have been focused.

But how? Just turning it over in your mind had done nothing but make it worse. That was when the conversation from this morning popped into your head.

Sometimes it's easier to see things from a distance. Other people might even know you better than you know yourself at times.

You straightened up. Time to ask your favorite scientist for advice.

– –

You entered the lab. It always had a sort of singed smell about it, like something was burning, and today was no exception. The stains on the wall told you there might have been a minor explosion or two.

"Hey-yo!" Hange greeted you with a massive grin on their face, seemingly unbothered by the mess in their lab. As always, it was contagious, and you felt yourself smiling despite yourself.

"To what do I owe the honor?" They put down the beaker they were holding to give you their full attention. When their gaze landed on your sling, they shot you a questioning look, but quickly you waved it off. Later.

"Hange," you began, then hesitated. You took a deep breath. "Do you… Do you think there's something I love more than tea?"

Hange's grin widened. "Something… Or someone?"

You groaned. "Stop it. I'm serious here!"

"So am I. Dead serious, actually." They laughed heartily. "I genuinely think you might be onto something there."

"What do you mean?" You asked curiously.

"Well," they said in a long, drawn out way. "That's for you to figure out. Though I can certainly help, if that's what you want." There was a spark of mischief in their eyes.

"Yep, I definitely want that," you said eagerly. "That's why I'm here."

"Great!" Hange clapped their hands together and leaned forward excitedly.

"Let me start by asking you this: what have you done in your free time these past few months?"

You mulled it over for a few moments. "I guess I've been drawing a lot. Why?"

"That's a very good question! Why, indeed – why have you been drawing so much?"

You shrugged. "It was a good source of income. I needed the extra money."

"And for what, exactly?"

You tilted your head, unsure what Hange was getting at. "To buy Levi the perfect present for his birthday. You know that."

Hange smiled, satisfied. "Oh, you know I do."

You squinted at them, confusion etched into your features.

"Now answer me this: how have you been spending your beloved teatime recently?" They continued, gleefully unfazed by your puzzlement.

"I've been having tea together with Levi…?"

"Exactly!" Hange exclaimed, excitedly pumping her fist into the air.

"Yaay," you said, grinning at her enthusiasm, though you still didn't quite get it. "And that's interesting because…?"

"Don't worry, it should soon become crystal clear! You see, science is all about gathering knowledge and making observations, which in turn build up the basis of an hypothesis. Before we can call this hypothesis a fact, however, it has to be proven by running experiments. So let's do a little thought experiment, shall we?" Hange rubbed their hands in anticipation. There were burn holes in the sleeves of their lab coat.

"Let's imagine there's a giant fire ravaging our sacred headquarters. Can you do that for me?" You nodded. You could also easily imagine who would be at fault for the fire.

"You and Levi are the last people inside, the rest have already evacuated. Which one do you save – Levi or your treasured tea?"

You scrunched up your nose. "That's easy. Levi doesn't need saving."

"Sorry to say, but in this scenario, he absolutely does. Poor guy is passed out due to all the smoke. So which one will it be? You can only save one."

"That's so unrealistic," you protested.

"Just humor me here."

You threw up your hands in mock surrender. "Fine. I'd save Levi, of course."

A face-splitting grin spread over Hange's features. "There you have your answer. You chose him over your prized tea, didn't you?"

Your eyes widened as the realization sunk in. The thing, no – the person you loved more than tea was...Levi.

You loved Levi.

A/n: Yes, it needed a Freudian cat dream and a near-death-experience, where you were literally only hanging by a thread, to get it through your thick skull that you are head over heels for that man :D (or should I say: head over shoulders? By which I of course mean Levi’s strong shoulders xD OK. I’m going to stop now.) Stay tuned for next chapter if you want to know the consequences of your realization xD

Tag list: @thechaoticarchivist, @mmm-alhaitham, @nironasaran, @leviiheichou, @huffleruffplant, @shutupp1, @iifrui, @shakysif, @ickearmn, @omlyurslvi

Click here for part 11

[axenyan]

Wahoo y'all thought I'm done? I play on E-2 too, and he is my MC for E-2 server with Haru as the home character. Welcome, Natsuki Nanaba~!

Nanaba is a chill™ man who likes to play small games, like the guessing game. One example would be him asking you to choose between his right and or left hand. If you guessed right, he will give you a small present! Because of this, he is quite popular with kids. But he won't entertain just anyone~ 😘

In Jabberwock House, he mainly helps Haru. He is also the one to remind him not to overwork. For some reason, he excels in caring for baby animals, it's like they're his little siblings.

Have some trivia under the cut 💞

Trivia:

He was supposed to be a twst OC, but I switched interests before I finished developing him. His original hair color is blonde.

He likes almost all kinds of games but is more into board and mobile games, meanwhile Kurona likes arcade games. Sometimes they go to the arcade together.

His stigma allows him to shoot high-pressure water beams from any source.

Nicknames: Banana (Taiga), Asagao (Towa), Nanapyon (Rui)

Emoji: 7️⃣

[hanszoe]

i dislike anyone who likes romantic depictions of hansi with men, non-reclaiming feminine depictions of them, or anyone who is otherwise included in the below criticism. do not interact with me without understanding that.

snk contains fundamentally problematic premises, themes and messages. isayama is a citizen of a country that committed terrible war crimes and culturally is not much better today, which is reflected in his own ideals and morals as depicted through his storytelling as well as in corroborative statements made by him about japanese imperialism. i recognize that he is not much more ignorant than the average racial majority in any imperialist country or beneficiary thereof, but i personally believe in individual responsibility and the possibility for a better world which will only be formed through accountability. with that said, it should be clear that i disagree with almost every message of the narrative. i am just here because i am in love with hansi.

on use of my translations: repost is fine as long as you do not edit or claim as your own, especially not to misgender or misspell hansi's name. would prefer to be credited in case someone has a question, but without is also fine.

cause it keeps coming up: i dislike levi and eruri fan centeredness and believe it is inseparable from the reason why hansi was killed. please do not tag me in levi or eruri centric metas, especially not to use hansi as a comparison to their relationship. eruri is subtextually canon, and i believe isayama had a responsibility to address it explicitly the same way he had a responsibility to address hansi's gender identity, but far too often is hansi ignored, sidelined, and regarded as less important by fans, and belittled and discredited by one of the men in the pairing. misogyny and transphobia are not negated by gay identity. i will always defend it, but too little do i see the same extended to femininity and genderqueerness. if levi being nonstraight is canon to you based on author commentary, hansi being genderqueer must also non-negotiably be so. i do not feel prejudice against any eruri fan nor do i dislike the pairing, but if you feel targeted by criticism of cispatriarchy then this blog is probably not for you.

-isayama has requested hansi's english pronouns be they/them ("avoid gendered pronouns") or "at least" he and she with equal frequency. using single gender for them is misgendering them (which kodansha usa and many other "official" sources do). please do not send me asks or tag me in posts misgendering them. -hansi's (smartpass) commentary on their romantic preferences is that "everyone sure likes that kind of topic".

if you're curious about my overall interpretation of parts of the narrative, please read my narrative analysis masterlist.

below are my page translations/commentary: -Hansi's conversation with squad Levi in 52 -Marlene’s comment to Hansi about Keith, its context and elaboration on the meaning of 憧れ -Full translation and commentary on the first 7 pages of 126 and additional commentary on misinterpretations of 大人しく and grammatical nuance of ん(の) in hansi's response -Correction of the mistranslation of Hansi's dialog to Yelena at the beginning of 132 -The last part of Levi's thought soliloquy in 136 and commentary on his use of お前ら

commentary on author commentary: -「役割を担う」 and 「飛び回る」 hansi in a post rumbling world -「疎遠」 hansi's relationship to their family -why these questions? bessatsu 20th anniversary edition q&a -「上位ではなかったですね」 "zoe" -「女性好きなんですかね」 does he like women though?

hansi-related: -name romanization (not my research) -estimated birth and training entry year isayama's comments on their age, as limited by age difference constraints, and final commentary -all pronouns -everything gender related -eye injury

translations -scenes of sheltering from rain volume 6 [originally 7] Nanaba & Hansi Zoe and discrepancies between my translation and the official english translation -qna about hansi from the SnK 15th anniversary edition of Bessatsu Magazine -JR東海 Original Voice Levi&Hansi course and common start and goal points

poetry that reminds me of hansi -october by louise glück -september by jennifer michael hecht -the poem by franz wright -meditations in an emergency by cameron awkward-rich -straw house, straw dog by richard siken

also my character songs how i feel about hansi are foreigner's god by hozier and je te laisserai des mots by patrick watson. foreigner's god for their shameless wonder, loving despite unbelievable suppression, the way our pasts are indelible influences on us, the nameless impression of power of the institution that hurt them in a way irremediable by me, and the pure grief of it transcending language. and je te laisserai des mots for how lonesome that loving ends up being, how it must be left unseen, unfelt in the hidden places, only to be held in quiet moments when you're alone (embrasse-moi can mean anything from "hold me" to "kiss me").

#for hansi

[levi501ackerman]

Steel Heart Chapter 31: Glory of the Gilded

Hange x Reader Chapter Index Masterlist AO3

Megan's Note: Posted: 1/6/35 (like 11:59pm lmao)

Word Count: 8.6k

Even though Sasha and Annie were respectfully doing their jobs, having people bathe you was odd. They inspected, scrubbed, and shaved every inch of your body. Sasha tried to give you a shoulder massage while you laid in the porcelain tub but you were too tense. She said encouraging words to ease discomfort, but you found more comfort in Annie’s silence. Hearing Sasha speak broke the mental barrier that shielded the reality of two strangers scrubbing your body. 

Your dressing room was connected to the bathroom and had french doors that led to the corridor. Two large windows on opposite sides of one wall let in the source of light, and the rest of the walls had storage for clothes, shoes, jewelry, and extravagant accessories. There were several large full-length mirrors along the room. The tallest mirrors you’ve ever seen. Against the wall was a white wood vanity and seat. Sasha gushed over how healthy your hair was while brushing it, and Annie picked a simple velvet emerald green dress. She mentioned it was Her Majesty’s favorite color. 

The dress had long, flared bell sleeves draping to your knees. They flowed behind you while walking, giving you an ethereal softness. You held Rai’s cage and reminded yourself you needed to get her leash and harness from Hange.  

Lady Nanaba filled you in on Her Majesty’s health status. One day, the Queen began throwing up everything she ate. Her Majesty had trouble keeping food down and eventually was too weak. The illness had overtaken her body and she continued to struggle to keep food down. His Majesty tries to spoon-feed her soup, but Her Majesty’s body rejects the food. Her liver began failing a few days ago and Nanaba mentioned how a doctor gave Her Majesty antibiotics. Still, they did not appear to improve her health—only delayed the inevitable. 

The part of the Castle Nanaba led you to had many knights lining the corridor, standing tall and staying alert. At the end of the hall were white french doors with gold knobs and decorative gold molding along the panels. Two knights were standing in front of the door. One had bright red hair and the other knight was older and bald. They inspected you as you approached the door. 

You took deep breaths, trying to calm yourself as the anticipation bottled inside you. Just moments away from meeting your birth parents, who also happen to be The Queen of the Walls and the King. 

The red-haired and bald man placed a fist over their hearts and peered down at you with their intense gaze. 

“Your Highness,” they simultaneously greeted you and you awkwardly returned a smile.

“Good afternoon,” Nanaba addressed the two knights with her light voice. “Your Highness, this is Floch Forester and Keith Shadis, Their Majesties’ number one guards.”

“Nice to meet you,” you said. Floch knocked on the door and the abrupt noise made your heart jolt. It was like you were constantly on edge and any little thing that startled you set you off. You rolled your shoulders and lifted your chin, trying to present good posture like Lady Nanaba. 

“Your Majesty, your daughter is here,” Floch said and then a moment of silence fell. You looked between the two knights in front of the door. You couldn’t identify any noise coming from the other side of the door and the wait planted seeds of doubt.  You pulled Rai’s cage to your chest, seeking comfort, but the metal was cold and hard. 

The gold knob jerked and the door flew open. Your breath hitched at the sight of an older man and with a gold crown on his head. The circular crown had elegant pointed spires shaped like elongated diamonds and ornate swirls encrusted in gold. The crown was shining and it sat on top of transitioning grey hair. 

The man looked taken aback by your presence. His eyes were wide and sunk into his face. He raised an aged hand against his chest. He wore a black double-breasted uniform with black slacks. Many colorful ribbons indicated the gold medals he had been awarded. His uniform had shiny gold epaulets and buttons. You entranced each other by your pure existence. His lips parted for a moment, daring to speak, but he stepped aside and opened the door wider. 

“C-Come in,” the King stuttered. 

You glanced at Nanaba, who gave you an encouraging nod, and your voice was caught in your throat. It was jarring to feel several strangers' eyes on you, but most of all, the King’s. His mouth gaped open and you could tell you were both harboring awkward pits in your stomach. When he glanced at Rai in her cage, you hoped he didn’t think you were being obnoxious for bringing in—what Levi would say—a wild animal into the room. 

“Thank you,” your voice faltered as the King closed the door behind you. The room was dim due to the curtains being primarily drawn, and there was a small bed. A mound of quilts rose over the shape of a body and another man sat in a chair next to the bed. He wore glasses and had dark brown hair. He stood once noticing you and placed a fist over the area of his brown double-breasted coat where his heart would be.

“Your Highness,” He said in a low voice. Then, a shift in the cocoon of quilts and a weak, strained whisper was heard. 

“Y/N?” The voice strangled out. It was difficult to breathe while the profound moment paralyzed you. “Y/N?”

“Yes?” You whispered.

“Y/N?” The voice called out again and the man with the glasses stepped closer to you and motioned toward the side of the bed. Rai shifted in her cage, causing the metal to rattle. Lying on the bed under thick blankets up to their shoulders was a brittle, skinny older woman. Her cheekbones jutted from her skin and her collarbones protruded through the thin skin. The frail woman was all skin and bones. Her skin was unsettling yellow, and when she opened her heavy eyes, the whites of her eyes were yellow, too. She parted her cracked lips, which accentuated her hollow cheeks. The door shut behind you, causing you to flinch and notice you were alone. “Y/N . . .”

“Hi . . .” You spoke softly as if the sheer volume could harm her. Her dull yellow eyes pierced your face, sweeping over every detail. Your mother’s eyes glossed over, and she struggled to swallow, but after a choking gulp, she was able to muster the energy to speak.

“You have returned . . .” She croaked and tears welled in her eyes. Her words tugged on your heartstrings. “My daughter . . . I dreamed you would return to me.”

“I’m here.” The barrier of uncertainty crumpled at your mother's conscious effort to tether a relationship with you. The Queen was on her deathbed and sympathy poured from your heart, striving to make her last moments as kind.

“Is that bunny yours?” Sweat glistened along her neck and stained her cream pillowcase. 

“Yeah. Her name’s Rai and I can leave her outside if she smells—”

“No . . . Please . . . I always wanted a pet. I want to hold her.”

“Yeah! Yeah! You can hold Rai!” You placed Rai’s cage on the floor and unlatched the cage. You silently plead that Rai would behave and not be difficult in this delicate situation. Rai kicked her back legs as you lifted her onto the bed and your mother brought out her slim, bony arms from underneath the covers. She patted the spot next to her abdomen and you thought her bony hand was going to shatter. 

“Sit.” You gingerly placed yourself next to her and placed Rai beside the both of you. Rai sniffed the quilt, not paying attention to anything else. She flinched while your mother ran a bony hand along her back, then returned to sniffing the quilt. You relaxed more with Rai behaving. “Rai . . .” Your mother clicked her tongue, trying to get Rai’s attention. Rai started climbing on your mother's chest. 

“Rai, no!” You reached for her, only for your mother to lift a hand, halting your advances. Instead, your mother continued petting the rabbit, enjoying the attention. You stared at the floral designs of the quilts, not knowing what to say. The quilt had tiny patterns of blue, pink, and purple flowers. Once your eyes adjusted to the dim room, it was obvious that the room was for hospice care for the royal family. There was barely any other furniture besides the chair and the bed and the room had a simple dark blue color on the walls. On the opposite side of the room was a small door for the dumbwaiter. 

“There are clothing stores for pets . . .” 

“Oh yes, I went to one in Orvud District. I got her a purple crocheted sweater.” You scratched behind Rai’s ears.

“I am glad you have a pet . . . I always wanted one . . .” She stared at Rai and skimmed her dainty, paper-like hands over her tan fur. Her yellow eyes drifted to yours, then lowered, gazing at your body. “Your dress is pretty.”

“Thank you.” On the other side of her was a tray with a bowl of broth and it looked cold, like it was barely touched. It reminded you of what Nanaba said about His Majesty spoon-feeding the Queen. Your heart twinged at the thought of someone loving another so dearly that they would spoon-feed them in their time of illness.

“I’m dying, Y/N . . .” She choked out a sob, not being able to hold back her thoughts. Rai sniffed her chin and your mother held Rai, stroking her affectionately. “I never wanted to send you to Shiganshina . . . but your father insisted. I wanted you to grow up with me. I wanted to teach you so many things.” She rasped and then placed her chilly hand on yours. Her cold, malnourished hands were smaller than yours. Tears streamed down the side of her face, absorbing into the pillowcase. “I know Christa and Ymir raised you as their own, but . . . I wanted to be a good mother.” 

“You are . . .” You said, hoping you were saying the words she wanted to hear. 

“I want to be there tonight when you present yourself to the Court . . .” Her grip tightened around your hand, desperately clinging on to the hope of fleeting moments while hanging on the edge of time. “I accept I will not last long enough to see you marry . . . but I do not want to miss your debut to the Court.”

“Thank you . . .” You stroke your thumb over protruding bones wrapped in flesh, hoping your affectionate gesture soothed her. 

“You are gorgeous, Y/N . . .” She staggered out a breath. “You are healthy . . . I used to be . . . I wish you could have met me while I was young. I was pretty and had more energy . . .”

Her words made it hard to keep eye contact with her. They were thick and heavy, filled with the weight of years drifting and settling. No one stays young forever. But people feel young and time goes on, betraying the youthful soul. One day, your hands are wrinkled, your skin is stained by the sun’s kisses and your face is creased by experience and criticized by the youth. 

“I’m here now . . .” Rai nested on your mother’s chest and the shallow rise and fall worried you. Your mother didn’t stop you or deny keeping Rai on her as you lifted Rai off her chest. If there was any pain or difficulty, she was most likely enduring it—like most women do.

“Can I have a hug . . . ?” The beg was restrained in her tone and sympathy for the dying woman cratered a hole in your heart. She was the woman who gave birth to you and she didn’t want to send you away. You grew up not knowing who she was, and each day, as time passed, she grieved the child she never got to raise. You felt compelled to console her. She was so thin you didn’t want to snap her in half. You set Rai aside and leaned over her gingerly. It was awkward to hug someone lying down. She wrapped her arms around your back and then exhaled heavily—releasing the regret, the tormented thoughts that kept her up at night, and the resentment for the King. With your body against hers, it was the first time she held her baby in years. While holding you in her arms, seeing you again, and knowing you’re healthy and alive, she accepted that this is how it ends. “I love you,” she coughed. 

“I love you,” you replied. The words weighed nothing and guilt seeped into your soul. You couldn’t offer anything else besides your presence and sympathy. Her tears damped your cheeks and you pulled away. Her body was the shell of a once beautiful, powerful, and regal woman. 

“My dearest Y/N . . . I want you to have everything I own. I know it does not erase the resentment you must have, but please forgive me and your father for sending you to Shiganshina. I never wanted it . . .”

“Okay . . .”

“Before you go, please listen to my advice . . .” She mustered all her energy to sit up in bed. Her thin, greying hair was falling out and the quilts fell from her, gathering on her lap. She swam in the grey shirt she wore, and her collarbones greeted you once again. Your mother placed her hands on your arms, seeking your full attention. “Do not succumb to the obedience of men. All men will strip you of your identity.”

Her words pierced you and stayed in your skin like wounds—festering confusing thoughts within you. What did she actually mean? It seemed more like a warning rather than advice. A simple sentence summing up experiences and stories she had lived but didn’t have time to tell but wanted you to know. 

As you were about to open the door, she asked for a small favor. She asked for Annie Leonhart to return to her chambers. It sparked the question of why her over Sasha? The King gave you a polite smile before he and the doctor returned inside the room. He was not as welcoming or paternal, but perhaps it was because he had tunnel vision for his dying wife. 

As Nanaba guided you back to your chambers, you wondered if you’d get a moment with your father. If he was going to have a private moment with you or if he was going to speak to you when you present yourself to the Court tonight. From what Lady Nanaba spoke of it, it was a formal introduction to the highest members of society that happens at the age of sixteen. However, due to growing up in Shiganshina, it was always meant to happen when you returned to Mitras Castle. 

She led you to the familiar corridor where your chambers were. When she opened the french doors, a large silver platter of food was placed on your bed. The pungent odor was something you hadn’t smelled before. You placed Rai down, letting her roam free, and stepped closer to your bed. A pink chunk of meat with a thin orange sauce was on the main plate, with shavings of orange zest, capers, and parsley on top. Another plate had roasted zucchini, carrots, and asparagus. 

“Is this for me?” You asked Nanaba, who gave you a big smile.

“Yes, your Highness. Unfortunately, we are running out of time and so I arranged for a light dinner to be delivered to your room. Once you finish eating, you will have to get ready.” 

“And I’m allowed to eat in my room?” 

“Most meals will be in the dining hall in the living quarters; however, I wanted you to have time to prepare mentally and physically,” Nanaba clasped her hands together. “We’ll have a few things to review, so please enjoy your salmon.” You smiled, feeling a slight sense of freedom. Fairy Godmother Christa and Ymir forbid you to eat in your room. 

“Wow!” You gasped, excited to try a larger piece of salmon compared to the few slices of smoked salmon that were served with your eggs benedict in Orvud District. The silver flatware was gorgeous and shiny. A pretty swirl design encrusted in silver was on the end of the handles. “This looks so good.”

 The salmon was tender and flaky and the sauce had a tarte orange flavor that surprisingly paired well with the savory salmon. The roasted vegetables had a slightly spicy seasoning that complemented the olive oil and the lingering charred taste. Your mouth watered as you shoved the food in your mouth, and your stomach grumbled, satisfied with receiving food after a long, emotionally draining day.

“Oh my, I would have asked for more food if I had known you were starving.” Nanaba was stunned, and you flushed, realizing your manners must have flung themselves off the balcony of your room.  

“Pardon me,” you wiped your lips with the napkin. “Excuse me, I threw up my breakfast this morning.”

“Your Highness, are you feeling ill?”

“No—I’m sorry for my . . . improper behavior. I’m sorry.” You disciplined yourself to eat the rest of the vegetables slowly, even though you were aching for the savory flavors. When Sasha and Annie appeared in your bedroom from the dressing room, you were reminded of your mother’s request. Annie had her arms crossed and she was lifelessly staring at the floor, unlike Sasha, who gave you a friendly smile. “Annie . . . ?”

“Yes, your Highness?” Annie lifted her head to you with her neutral face, waiting for you to speak. 

“My mother—the Queen . . . asked you to return to her chambers. She didn’t say why . . .” Annie nodded respectfully and left without speaking a word. 

When you were done eating, Sasha began a ritual to get you ready. It had more prep than earlier in the day with just simply bathing. She put a moisturizing mask in your hair and massaged your scalp. Tingles spread down your back as Sasha rubbed gentle circles on your head. Sasha was going all out because after she wiped off her hands, she massaged your shoulders and neck intensely. She worked through knots you didn’t realize you had and loosened up muscles, causing you to feel drowsy. You didn’t realize how euphoric it was to get your arms and hands massaged and you nearly fell asleep in your chair. Sasha was pleased you were enjoying her services. 

Even though you didn’t feel like you needed to bathe again, Sasha gave you another full body scrub and washed your hair again. You tried to ignore the idea you were fully naked with someone scrubbing you that wasn’t Hange. Then, you had an idea to close your eyes and substitute Sasha’s touch with Hange. 

You pretended that Hange was scrubbing every crevice of your body, admiring and worshipping you. While cleaning your legs, you pretended Hange was placing delicate kisses against your damp skin.

The vivid daydream was more immersive when Sasha moisturized you while you lounged in a chaise chair in your dressing room. It was upholstered with white leather with a plush tufted design covering the asymmetrical backrest. The four legs and frame were gold, with floral motifs and sophisticated swirls. 

You imagined Hange attentively moisturizing every part of your body and rubbing gentle circles into your muscles, relaxing you. Hange gathered more lotion and spread it along your arms. They traced the contour of your arms carefully, tending to your muscles and enhancing the pleasure. Hange massaged your palms, soothing aching muscles you didn’t know were tight. 

Hange’s warm hands returned to your shoulders and their thumbs got the last of the knots out. With each knot being released, you felt lighter. Hange rubbed away each troubling thought and all the stress of expectations.

You could feel the heat flush over your face when Hange moisturized your thighs. Their hands would circle the general area, teasing you as they moisturized your inner thighs. They denied their touch when they went to your calves. You imagined what it would be like if Hange placed kisses on your lips while moisturizing every inch of your body—praising the shell that encompassed your soul. The thoughts riled you up, and you had to stop thinking of Hange slipping two fingers in you by opening your eyes. Sasha massaged the arches of your feet and you exhaled disappointedly, wishing Hange was with you. 

Sasha braided your hair into a gorgeous updo while it was still damp. Her reason was that the hair would have less frizz while working with it. While she did your hair, Sasha told you how Annie and her got into a small argument over which dress you’d be wearing. Apparently, Annie was very adamant about you wearing green tonight and Sasha wanted to put you in a gorgeous pastel yellow dress. It was odd that Annie consistently tried putting you in green dresses. Only until Sasha mentioned that Annie used to be the Queen’s lady-in-waiting. It clicked entirely when you recalled Annie saying green was your mother’s favorite color, and that must have been why your mother requested that Annie return to her chambers. Ultimately, you picked the green dress.

The silk forest green dress had a fitted bodice that cinched your waist with buttons running down the midline. The square neckline was adorned with delicate green lace along with the short sleeves. The dress draped to the floor and dragged behind you. Sasha said that when you put on heels, the dress wouldn’t pull, and she was right. She picked out green heels with extravagant lace frills and jewels that added a few inches to your height. The stiffness of the dress forced you to have good posture and in the tall mirrors along the room, you couldn’t help but admire yourself. The gorgeous dress was fun and girly, like playing dress up. You thought you looked like the most beautiful version of yourself and thought of what Hange may think when they saw you. You smiled at yourself in the mirror, tilting your head to see which angle looked best.

When Sasha introduced you to makeup, it was a fun and relaxing process. Each brush skimming against your face was soothing. It tickled you delightfully. The mascara was weird because you wanted to rub your eyes, which Sasha advised you not to do as best as you could. The darkness of your eyelashes enhanced the shape of your eyes and the warm color on your cheeks gave you a healthy glow. Playing with make-up and wearing beautiful dresses was like a wonderland of fun—so many colors and fabrics to express yourself and for Hange to gush over you. Everything was adorable. Being a Princess might not be so bad . . .

Sasha’s infectious excitement spread to you when she opened a small velvet box holding a choker that made you flush with its opulent beauty. It was a choker with four strands of lustrous pearls and an oval emerald gemstone in a silver settling as the centerpiece. You gazed at the sheen of the jewelry in the mirror while Sasha clasped it to your neck. She mentioned how the gold of your locket clashed with the silver setting, but you refused to take it off. The layered pearls sat high on the neck, accentuating your collarbone and encouraging you to have the best posture. It was so elegant and gorgeous. The last of the accessories were matching silk green gloves and feathers in your hair. You couldn’t wait to hear Hange's compliments about your appearance.

Lady Nanaba gushed over how darling you looked and it pleased you knowing Hange would think the same. You fantasized about Hange saying the most romantic things and finding you the most alluring creature in the world. You thought of Hange secretly pulling you away from everyone and ravishing you without the fear of getting caught. 

With Lady Nanaba holding your arm and Sasha trailing behind you, Nanaba guided you around the castle. She spoke about many rules and things you should do at social events. It was overwhelming to hear one rule after another, after another, after another. 

“This is your debut to the court and we have been expecting your arrival for weeks. Stand up straight, smile, be polite, do not walk and drink at the same time, visit everyone, listen to them intently, answer their questions—”

“Will Prince Marco Bodt be here tonight?”

“Do not interrupt.”

“ . . . Sorry . . .”

“You will listen to people speak and do not interrupt them. As for Prince Marco . . . no, but I am sure his parents have heard of your arrival and he will travel to the castle.” Nanaba said. “One important thing to know: lower ranks can not initiate a conversation with those that are higher. You must be the one to strike up the conversation since you are the second highest in the court, beneath Their Majesties. Everyone will want to socialize with you.” 

Nanaba led you and Sasha into a small blue room furnished with plush lounge chairs and more crown molding. The single window revealed how much the day went by due to the dull sunset. The sun was behind the horizon and the last fleeting dim rays of light were disappearing. 

Annie instantly stood at the sight of you and lowered her head respectfully. Several knights stood against the wall in the small room filled with candles and torches. Lady Nanaba excused herself and told you to stay put before closing two french doors behind herself. The silence enhanced the sound of your heart, and you thought it might burst from your dress. You pondered all the rules Nanaba told you and practiced the ways to sound proper and formal in your head. It was daunting to think this moment would be an introduction to the court. 

Hange is going to be there.

The thought alone comforted you. It was simple. Present yourself well because Hange would be watching. Make Hange proud.

“I look beautiful, right?” You asked Sasha, who immediately nodded.

“Yes, your Highness, you look gorgeous.” Annie didn’t say anything and something twinged in your chest. You hoped you didn’t sound greedy for compliments. 

“I just am nervous . . . I haven’t worn anything like this before,” you compensated, hoping you sound modest. “I’m very grateful you chose green, Annie. Thank you.”

“Thank you for your appreciation, your Highness,” Annie spoke like it was an automated answer.  

“So you were my mother’s lady-in-waiting? You must have been close to her, right? What was she like?” Annie didn’t say anything for a moment. She stared ahead, and her heavy-lidded eyes made her appear disinterested in the conversation as if you were disturbing the quiet peace. Sasha was waiting for Annie’s answer as well. She looked confused, wondering if Annie was going to answer. Perhaps being the Queen’s lady-in-waiting was exhausting, and maybe Annie didn’t like your mother. You looked down at your hands, fidgeting with the tips of the silk gloves.

“Kind,” Annie said.  

“Your Highness, they are ready for you,” Nanaba said while bursting into the room. Nanaba led you through the french doors and down a hall. Muffled music played, and you could hear people chatting in the distance. It sounded like a large crowd. “When you walk through those doors, you will walk down a large staircase. His Majesty will be at the bottom and present you to the court. Normally it is the Queen who presents. However, due to Her Majesty’s health, your father will. Smile, look around the room and curtsy. Then have fun, socialize, and dance if you wish to. Remember, do not drink and walk! I will enter in about five minutes, so you can enter alone.” You were frozen to the floor where you stood. Everyone’s eyes were going to fall on you. Lively music was playing behind the door and your hands shook. You clasped them, trying to comfort yourself and you exhaled deeply. 

Hange is watching.

“Okay . . .” You nodded to Nanaba. When she opened the door, you expected to see many people staring back at you, but the first thing you noticed was the chandelier. Hanging from the ceiling was a gold ornate chandelier with many candles. Several more chandeliers were hanging, holding up lit candles as well. The warm candlelight lit most of the room, and in front of you was a gold railing that acted like a small balcony over the room. The music filled your ears and the cheering from below bounced off the walls. The room was large and you could see the tops of the tall windows lining the wall. On the side of the balcony, there were two sets of stairs 

Hange is waiting.

Your heels clicked against the tile. You rolled your shoulders back and lifted your chin, hoping your posture would please everyone—especially Hange. You drifted your steps to the left and once you reached the top. You noticed a large group of people dancing to the music in the middle of the room. Many colors belonging to the women’s dresses were sporadically moving about the room, twirling along with the music. Knights were along the walls; the sheen of their armor reflected the golden light. On the far end of the room were two chairs surrounded by dozens of knights. The right was empty, but the left had a lady in a large green dress. From what you could see, it was your mother slumped in the chair. Her head was knocked to the side. The dying woman was drained of energy, and her only source was to see you again.

You placed a hand on the railing and descended down the steps. You ensured your foot was fully on the step, lined with a dark red carpet, before putting your full weight on it. It was jarring that hundreds of people were in the room. You could already feel their eyes on you. You looked through the crowd for a familiar tall brunette, but Hange was nowhere in sight. Perhaps you were too far, or the sea of people blinded you? 

You heard a gasp when you stepped on the landing where the bottom of the right and left stairs met. Then, several people turned toward you. They lifted their gaze to you on the landing and your chest started to heave. A man was at the bottom of the last set of stairs with a gold crown on top of his head.

The king turned over his shoulder, and the face of the man who barely spoke a few words to you parted his lips at the sight of you. The moving crowd of people dancing stopped and the music cut off, leaving heavy silence in the room. The wide eyes of the court stared at you in awe. Your eyes darted around the room, looking for Hange.

Hange is somewhere. 

You put on your best smile and continued descending the steps. The King had a smile on his face, with crow's feet around his saggy eyes. He held out his hand, seemingly more friendly than earlier and you lifted a shaky hand toward him. Faint whispers scattered in the room, and you could hear some women sympathetically awed at the sight of your nerves. Once you arrived at the bottom of the stairs, your father held your hand. He gently swiped a thumb over your hand and the comforting gesture warmed your heart.

“On behalf of Her Royal Majesty . . .” His voice easily echoed off the walls, dominating the court's silence. “I would like to present my darling daughter returning from Shiganshina—” The entire room shifted and lowered themselves onto one knee. Even the guards along the wall and the string quartet kneeled before you. They placed their right fist over their heart and lowered their head. “—Her Royal Highness . . . The heir to the throne, Princess Y/N!” Everyone in the room stayed on their knees. The pregnant silence made you furrow your eyebrows, gazing at everyone in the crowd. You glanced at the King from the corner of your eye and noticed him eyeing the length of the room, pleased at how everyone was kneeling. The silence felt a little too long as if he had forgotten what he would say next. Then, with a commanding voice, he simply demanded, “Stand.” 

It clicked then and there as everyone stood from their kneeling positions why everyone could figure out you didn’t grow up in the castle. When officials saluted you in the districts, you never released them from their salute. You never told them to ‘stand.’

To your right, you noticed a man relying on a black cane to leverage himself up. The movement was very familiar. He wore black pants and a white shirt with frills of fabric wrapping around the neck. He had a black dress coat with a formal extended tail in the back. His skin was healthier than it was long ago, and his blonde hair was cleaned and combed. You gasped at the dashing man who caught your eye. 

“Excuse me . . . your Majesty—um, I’m allowed to socialize now?” You asked, and the King nodded. The small quartet started playing an upbeat melody once again. 

“Please, enjoy your night. But be sure to return to me soon. The Commander of the Royal King’s Guard will present your number one guard.” Your eyebrows raised at his words. He dropped your hand, and you thought he would hug you for a moment, but he didn’t. The King drifted away toward a group of women. 

You could feel eyes on you as you walked straight to Sir Miche Zacharius. He gave you a smile that complemented his handsome face and your heart swelled. Your eyes brimmed with tears. There were several women around him who he was speaking to earlier.

“Sir Zacharius?” Your voice cracked and you plunged yourself against him. You wrapped your arms against his waist. A few gasps were heard, and you were suddenly reminded of the proper way to act. You pulled away from him, flushing and couldn’t hide your worried face. You quickly curtsied with your hands against your chest, hiding your heart from the crowd. “Please forgive me, Sir Zacharius. I’m excited to see you with two legs.”

Miche threw his head back and laughed with his deep voice. 

“Thank you, your Highness.” He said charmingly, and you heard faint giggles from the girls near you. “I’m glad to see you safely returned to Mitras Castle.”

“Please tell me, how is your knee? Are you healing well?” You were practically leaning into him, not wanting to miss a single word and the women around him listened intently as well.

“The antibiotics helped stop the infection from spreading and day by day, my knee healed.” Before you was a charming man, contrasting from the last time you saw him, lying in a bed, slicked with sweat and had dull yellow skin. 

“I was so worried you were going to lose a part of your leg because I did the stitching wrong.” You gently grabbed the hand that wasn’t using the cane. You sincerely held his hand with both of yours, bringing it close to your heart. “Please forgive me for giving you an infection.”

“Princess, forgive yourself. You did what you had to do to help me. Because of your bravery and leaving the cottage, you got me antibiotics and luckily found Captain Levi Ackerman.” Miche’s deep, hypnotizing voice praised you. “Because of your actions, I have both of my legs.” You flushed brightly and blinked back tears of gratitude. 

“May I hug you?” Your eyes twinkled and Miche gave you a sympathetic smile. He opened his arms and you hugged him tightly. You saved him just as much as he saved you. You recalled the memory of his sweaty, lethargic body lying on the bed and you wished you had a way to take his pain away. If you didn’t go against his rule of leaving the cottage and running into Captain Levi—even though he would have found you eventually—and bargained for antibiotics for your brother, then Miche might not have gotten the antibiotics in time. Miche, having both legs was a consequence of your actions. 

Beside you, a woman cleared her voice, and you pulled away to see Lady Nanaba. She briskly leaned in, whispering in your ear so only you could hear her.

“Your Highness, you must speak to more people than only Commander Miche. It seems that the ladies next to you have not been addressed,” Nanaba said and motioned to a few pretty girls with patient smiles.

“Good evening . . .” You said and they curtsied politely, delighted to be greeted by you. You returned a polite curtsy as they greeted you. Miche suddenly had rosy cheeks and stood straighter than before Nanaba arrived. “Uh, Miche, maybe we could see each other again? I would like to speak to you again.” You thought of his ruby sword. 

“Of c-course, your Highness.” He lowered his head respectfully, but his eyes stayed on Lady Nanaba. “Lady Nanaba.”

“Miche,” Lady Nanaba brushed him off and pulled you away from him. You furrowed your eyebrows and glanced at Nanaba. She had a smile plastered on her face and you suspected it was a cover-up for whatever reason she was short with Miche. She brought you a beautiful girl with dark hair. She was standing with a familiar guy with brown hair—Eren. “Your Highness, I would like to introduce Lady Mikasa Ackerman to you.”

“Good evening Lady Mikasa, and Eren.” He was freshly shaven and wore classy dress robes, which made him quite handsome. His arm was around Mikasa’s waist, and you beamed. “Are you Eren’s wife? Or are you related to Levi Ackerman?”

“Not yet,” Eren said and Mikasa had a delightful sparkle in her big doe eyes. “But I plan on marrying her and she’s distantly related.” You reached for her hand and held it softly in both of yours.

“I’m so happy to meet you, Mikasa! It’s nice to meet Eren's loved one. He helped escort me to Mitras Castle.”

“I am pleased to meet you as well, your Highness.” Her voice was soft and delicate.

“I would like to get to know you more sometime.” You said meaning every word. You thought of the possibility of making friends with people who were acquainted with the knights due to them possibly being lonely as well. 

“I would love that, your Highness.” 

The string quartet and the large crowd dominated the volume, making the conversations feel private. You tried to ignore the whispers of people fondly admiring you, but it was hard sometimes when they were right next to you. The adrenaline flooding your system caused you to forget most of the interactions. All you could remember were the polite greetings and the same few questions people would ask, such as how much you were looking forward to your marriage with Prince Marco and what it was like growing up in Shiganshina. Most of the court members seemed not to acknowledge the Marleyan Cult as if ignoring its existence or rather not caring about something that didn’t affect them. 

Lady Nanaba was a great meditator during conversations with strangers. She would often turn the conversation onto fashion or what the person was wearing, giving you an opportunity to compliment the women’s extravagant dresses. She also had no problem suddenly pulling you away from people. Having her by your side was a lifeline.

In the crowd, two women caught your eye. A short blonde woman with big bright eyes and a taller woman with dark hair and freckles. They were politely staring at you, and the tall woman gave you a little wave. You gasped and Nanaba jerked their head to you. She couldn’t stop you from running to the two women like a child running outside. Tears flooded your eyes and your heart pounded in your chest. The wave of emotions was overwhelming as you ran to the two guardians who were alive after all this time. 

You sprang onto them like a kid tackling their sibling, and it caused them to totter back. You wrapped your arms around them, pulling them tight and as close to your heart as possible.

“Oh please . . .” You sobbed. “Oh please, thank you!” You cried to no one in particular but perhaps a higher entity that made it possible for the two women who raised you to be alive.

“We missed you too,” Fairy Godmother Ymir cooed in your ear and you could feel one of their hands rub your back soothingly. 

“You are so beautiful, Y/N.” Fairy Godmother Christa said and you held them tight, not wanting to lose them again. A few people pleasantly awed at your reunion with your fairy godmothers. They whispered amongst themselves, realizing Christa and Ymir had been assigned to raise you in Shiganshina. 

“I thought you didn’t make it, " you whispered. They held you, assuring you of their love and presence. Ymir placed a warm hand on the nape of your neck, holding you dearly. 

“We arrived here several weeks ago,” Christa said and you pulled away, wanting to look at their faces. The sight of them healthy and with tears of joy welling in both of their eyes made you pull them closer again. 

“We must catch up. I want to hear what has happened. Why not have tea in one of the gardens soon?” Ymir suggested and you nodded. 

“Yes, please. Let’s catch up as soon as we can.” You wiped off tears and Christa swiped a thumb along your eye. She was always looking out for you and wanting you to be presentable, even if you fought against her at the time as a kid. You lifted your dress and pointed your foot, showing off the green heels. “Are you happy I’m wearing shoes?” The comment caught Christa off guard and she burst into laughter. The people formally dressed around her smiled at her joy, though they did not understand the context. 

“Good, I’m done fighting with you.” She said through laughter. You recalled the memories of Christa and you as a young child screaming at each other. You didn’t want to wear shoes to the market, and Christa was forcing you to, which led to you throwing tantrums. 

“When we meet for tea, I’ll bring my pet rabbit! Her name is Rai and I think you’d like her! She’s so cute!”

“Where did you get a pet rabbit?” Ymir asked.

“Well, Commander Dame Hange caught her for me.” Ymir’s eyes trailed down, passing the opulent pearls around your neck and settled on the golden swan locket. 

“That’s sweet of Hange Zoe to do that.” Christa tilted her head and Ymir’s eyes didn’t leave the golden swan locket. 

Christa’s eyes were caught on something beside you, and she curtsied respectfully. Then, Ymir noticed and lowered herself as well. You looked over your shoulder, noticing the King approaching you. His velvet red cape draped behind him. You thought he would ask for a moment to speak with you, but he addressed Fairy Godmother Christa and Ymir. 

“Ladies,” he said and you smiled, waiting for him to start a conversation with you. 

“Your Majesty,” Christa and Ymir said simultaneously. 

“Y/N, come with me,” the King offered his arm, and you smiled, gladly taking it. It felt nice he was holding you, and you hoped it would become a private moment to get to know one another. 

“Ymir, Christa, and I will have tea in one of the gardens. Would you like to join us?” He guided you toward the two chairs at the end of the room. 

“I can not, unfortunately. I will be busy.” Members of the court stepped aside, presenting an aisle to walk down. 

“We haven’t said when we will, so maybe we can do it when you have time?”

“We’ll discuss that later,” He clipped and your eyes dropped to the floor submissively. “Right now, the Commander of the Royal King’s Guard will present you with a knight who will be your number one guard.” 

“Yes, sir.”

As you drew closer to the raised platform where two gilded chairs with red velvet upholstery covered the back and the chair seat, your mother’s health state was apparent. 

In the candlelight lighting the entire room, her face was nonexistent of pink hues. The low neckline of the green dress revealed bones peeking through her thin yellow skin. She was holding herself up by the armrest, looking exhausted, but a small smile formed, enhancing her skin and stretching over her jutted cheekbones. Without saying or doing anything else, you could feel her contentment of seeing your debut on the court.

You gaped your mouth when Erwin, Hange, and Levi lined themselves on the side of the platform. Hange was here all along. Your heart skipped a beat, looking at their uniform. 

Hange had their hair tied back and they wore a dark green double-breasted coat. They had gold epaulets on their shoulders with frills dangling, making them look broader. A white sash laid across their bodice, and the insignia of the royal family was on their chest next to the insignia of white and blue wings, symbolizing the Royal King’s Guard. The amethyst jewel steel sword hung on their hip, glimmering at you. The white pants accentuated Hange’s long legs, followed by knee-high brown boots. Levi was wearing the same thing, but you didn’t care. Erwin had a dark blue uniform with silver accents like the ones you saw in the oil paintings earlier. Only the Commander of the Royal King’s Guard wore dark blue. 

The King dropped your arm when he reached the bottom of the platform, urging you to stay. You stood tall, feeling Hange’s eye on you and you stole a glance at them. They were smiling and your heart fluttered. The green complemented their brown hair and their professional, imposing stance was alluring. You couldn’t wait for the next moment alone with them. 

The string quartet stopped playing when they noticed the King standing at the top of the raised platform, waiting for the court’s silence. The socializing and gossiping simmered into nothing and directed their eyes and ears to the King.

“I hope you all had a fine evening,” His voice echoed. “Now that the Princess has returned, on behalf of the Queen, I would like to present the Commander of the Royal King’s Guard, Erwin Smith.” The room clapped delightedly as Erwin flashed a charming smile and stepped up the platform's stairs.

Under your dress and hidden from everyone else, your right leg bounced in anticipation of wondering who would be your number one guard. It was already disappointing that Hange wasn’t going to be your guard, and it seemed like Eren and Miche weren’t going to be because they were in the crowd. Maybe Levi ended up swaying Erwin into assigning Hange to be your guard—you doubted it. Erwin stepped beside the king and politely nodded to the hundreds of clapping people. You clasped your trembling hands in front of you, trying to stifle your nerves in front of the crowd. 

Then Erwin offered his hand, beckoning you to come forward. You lifted the silk fabric of your skirt, carefully walking up the steps to stand next to your father. The room’s silence weighed on you and you clasped your hands together again. 

Then, a knight in shiny steel armor emerged from the side of the room. He had blonde hair and you recognized his scrawny body from earlier in the day. The crowd clapped as the blonde man passed Levi and Hange, heading for the platform's base. Their ecstatic applause filled the room, cheering for the knight to be appointed as your number one guard. 

You masked the empty hole where you thought Hange belonged. Even though Levi and Hange told you Hange wouldn’t be your number on guard, you still had hope in the back of your mind. But with the blonde knight approaching the base of the stairs, the hope deflated into nothing. 

The blonde knight drew his sword and kneeled. The tip dug into the tile, and the knight clasped his hands around the hilt while bowing his head. The room fell silent, eager to hear what Commander Erwin Smith would say next. 

“Your Highness,” He spoke and Erwin didn’t announce his words to the room, but only to you. “I would like to present my apprentice, Armin Arlert, as your number one guard.” You expected Armin to move or to speak, but he didn’t move a muscle from his kneeling position. Then you felt a nudge on your back and the King leaned into your ear.

“Go ask for his vows,” His breath was hot in your ear, which caused you to lean away. “When he’s done and tap his shoulders with the blade of his sword.” The King nudged you and you hesitantly stepped forward. You didn’t practice this ceremony and it was harrowing how the entire room had their eyes on you and the knight. The court would witness the rare and momentous occasion of a knight being bound to a royal family member—a tradition that only occurs once in a generation and will not be seen again until you birth an heir.

Hange is watching.

You exhaled, releasing the tension from your shoulders. You painted a smile you hoped Hange would find attractive while standing up straighter. You peered down at the blonde knight, Armin Arlert, from the top of the steps. 

“Tell me your vows, Sir Arlert. " The words pleased you because they sounded perfectly mature, regal, and commanding. The blonde knight lifted his head, and his feathered fringe framed his vibrant blue eyes. He gently grabbed your right hand and kissed the green silk glove. 

“Your Highness,” Armin’s voice was soft and submissive. “I pledge my undying loyalty to you, forever and always—” His words took you back. You blinked and for a moment, it wasn’t Armin kneeling before you, but Hange. Hange held your hand and their doe eye gazed from below you, worshipping you and giving you their life. “Through hardship and harm, I vow to serve, protect, and advise.” The words fell from their lips and Hange’s voice was hypnotic, luring you further into the depths. “My body is your shield and my soul is the sword. I dedicate my heart to you, your Highness. Do you accept?” Hange lowered their head and relieved the tile of the sword’s tip. They held the sword horizontally and extended their arms, offering their sword to you. 

The light beaming off the steel caught your eye and grounded you. Your breath hitched upon the reality before you. The sword Armin Arlert offered you had decorative patterns along the handle. The ornate patterns were encrusted in the steel and embedded in the hilt were tiny citrine jewels. You held your breath, struck by the gift that easily fell into your hands.

Without acting out of the ordinary, you gripped the jeweled sword. With one hand, you tapped the blade on both of Armin’s shoulders. The crowd clapped and cheered as the King declared the official proclamation of Sir Armin Artlert’s new role. 

But you could only focus on one thing: Armin Arlert was not only your number one guard, but you discovered the final jeweled knight. Either from luck or because of divine intervention, the citrine sword was in your possession . . .

next chapter: Chapter 32 After All This Time

chapter index masterlist

[fanmoose12]

my personal HC is that Hange as an actor is a cube of sugar like Emilia Clarke.

omg, i'm sure of it!!! hange the actor is definitely the most adorable of the cast, they love chatting up with fans on various events or twitter, listening to their theories and what not

and! hange definitely is that kind of actor who constantly posts pics of other cast members in behind the screen moments. jean, holding a cup of coffee and doing a peace sign. eren, as he sits in the chair with the makeup team all over him. mikasa hugging connie. sasha with her sandwich dangling out of her mouth. armin, reading the script lines. zeke, as he's preparing for another prank on levi (that would undoubtedly blackfire spectacularly). erwin, moblit, mike and nanaba all nursing a hungover after a night of fun.

of course, hange posts levi's pics most often, and it's always a source of delight for all the fans. there are so many of them, all showing levi from different sides. for example, the one hange got after levi received his first gift from a fan, and he shows just a small smile. the photo of levi washing the fake blood after his fight with zeke. or where he hangs off the supporting ropes. or the one of him and erwin, as they play table tennis. or the one, when he, disheveled and annoyed, runs after terrified out of his mind zeke. the fandom's absolute favorite is of course of him after he fell asleep on the set (hange signed it up with 'his snores are louder than the rumbling'), and it had the whole internet on fire for several weeks straight.

the other popular one is of levi working out, but he all but begged hange to delete it immediately after posting, because it received way too much comments (most of which made him awkward and embarrassed)

during their last day on set, hange posts two pics - one of them in a group hug with all the cast, and another one - that they post later in the evening - is of them with just levi, with a caption 'a man i dedicated my heart to'. it had fans speculating for months at end, but hange uncharasteristically refused to explain it, until half a year later, they post another picture - that one is of two people (that the fans quickly recognise) holding hands and staring at the sunset

[mikesmatcha]

Heey Matcha!! Hope your doing fine~

About the character prompt you rebloged (https://www.tumblr.com/mikesmatcha/727315260850290688/send-me-a-character-and-ill-do-this?source=share) can I suggest one? Mike, of course. 🩷🩷🩷 see ya~

Hi Leela! I'm a little under the weather (colds) but I'm doing better in other aspect skssksk. I miss your presence aaaah

Anyway, I'll copy over what I said in another post... also I might have some crossover ships from a recently joined fandom 😳 (I've been getting into JJK as if my activity isn't showing it enough lmao)

Mike

Sexuality Headcanon: Erwin Smith Gender Headcanon: Cis male A ship I have with said character: MIKEERU, and maybe MikeNanami / MikeNanamiEru 😏 A BROTP I have with said character: RivaMike, MikeHan, Mike/Nanaba, Mike/Gelgar (+MikeNanami 😏) A random headcanon: The flowers in the Commander's office? Those were all his gifts, and Erwin is spoiled rotten with the freshest flowers. General Opinion over said character: My king, love of our lives, lasted too shortly. Isayama knew that the AOT universe cannot handle his BDE. (Just like my other king in the other fandom)

[aotwitter]

[incorrect-aotquotes]

Erwin: Hange where have you been?

Hange: no, no, now that I've been fired I have a few things to say before I go

Erwin: Hange you've not-

Hange: No. I talk you listen

Hange: [to Mike] Hey tall guy, you're breath smells like my feet

Hange: [to Nanaba] And you quiet one? I find your taste in jewellery to be gaudy

Hange: [to Levi] and you pretty one? You want me? you. can. never. have. me

Erwin: Hange, before you go any further-

Hange: You! Mr, Sina. With your perfect hair and your winning smile I- I'll get back to you

Hange: I'm ashamed to think I ever called any of you my friends

Erwin: Hange, you were never fired

Hange: Hm? One more time?

Erwin: You were never fired!

Hange: I guess we all know what were going to be talking about at lunch

Everyone: ...

Hange: ...me

Hange: You can have me now Levi

Levi: Tsch

[stardust948]

Levi: “For the last time, ‘your’ and ‘you’re’ are different! ‘your’ is possessive, and ‘you’re’ is a contraction of ‘you are’.”

Hanji: “My fire.”

Miche: “The one desire.”

Nanaba: “Believe when I say.”

All three of them: “I WANT IT THAT WAY.”

Levi: “Erwin! They’re doing it again!”

Erwin, ready to sing:

[psyche-in-the-window]

*after Levihan 1st date*

Erwin: Did you guys kiss?

Hange: No. He [Levi] didn’t give me the signal.

Erwin: What, is he gonna bat his eyes at you in morse code?

Erwin, batting his eyes slowly: H-a-n-g-e… k-i-s-s... m-e. No! You just kiss him!

Hange: Not if you don’t get the signal!

Erwin, spontaneously kissing Mike: Did Mike give me the signal?

Mike: NO!

Mike, to Nanaba: I didn’t, I swear.

[attack-on-incorrect-quotes]

Hanji: Wait, how do you know that Mike is good in bed?

Erwin: We share a wall. Either he's amazing or Nanaba likes to agree with him a lot.

[hanszoe]

from december 2012

Bakku (sorry no idea how anyone writes this guy's name. it's isym's editor) posted on Twitter that he thinks Nanaba is a woman, but [are they] a woman? I only saw [them] as a man... or rather I thought they were a man without any room for questioning. [I thought] normally [they] were a man without feeling any doubt about [their] gender. I thought "finally, a handsome guy" With that I think I'll keep calling them a man in my head

isym replies:

I think it's fine however without categorizing what a character's gender is to the extent of individual blood types so I think it's fine for gender to be decided respectively based on reading Like how about the opinion that Armin is a girl

i guess characters are unfinished pictures, and though there is a finished one that could be created, isayama does not like publicly filling in the gender part, even if to a character they are a full picture so their gender must obviously exist, and despite isym's public waffling he obviously has an idea of his characters' sex and gender identities in his head, which was later confirmed here about nanaba (and about armin, if his sex even needed confirmation, isayama said at shingeki homecoming in nov 2014 "[He's] male! I'm sorry. [To have] said something confusing/misleading/ambiguous")

also what he means by extent of blood type is im assuming just how much blood type is analyzed to personality traits

this blog comment should have also been after his annoyance with female hansi for anime production material. so i guess it's more like "i want to defend this ambiguousness", annoyed that an official source is gendering them, but isayama humans usually are not ambiguously gendered lol, and this becomes a circular issue with you. how about the idea that mikasa and historia are men. maybe there are things that make mikasa and historia women. likewise maybe there are things that make nanaba and hansi's gender more ambiguous. maybe you have a responsibility to address that ambiguity the same way you would other characters' cisgender identities.

anyway seems hansi was the only character to whom the bizarre gender phobic antics of isayama actually mattered in the end, since there are no similar comments surrounding nanaba's depiction as female from him or armin's as male (get real)

[dreahmdere]

I agree that people like characters like Marco who died early because their own version of those characters is what they really became attached to, but I don't think that's bad if they could just admit that what they love is the crowd sourced fanon version. But I also think it's weird to call these characters npcs. None of them are "player characters" it's an anime and a manga and, well, a lot of the characters you complained about are actually playable in the games. Calling background and/or minor characters npcs is weird.

By “npc” I mean characters who only appear for 1-2 episode in a non-(insert character) specific one. Say, Nifa, we don’t know anything about her, Frieda only appear in flashbacks, but saying she’s npc is not the best way to describe her (Frieda), but Nifa is a very minor bg character that makes me comfortable enough to call her npc. And I used npc to not overstate the word “bg” too much, but this out of the way, I never said it’s bad to prefer fanon version, but I don’t like it when people say their hc is better than the canon just because it’s not going the way they want it to be. Say, Sasha’s death and Gabi, I’m in shock when I know people still hating on Gabi and even hating her stans. Yes hc can be better than the canon, but you need to analyze the canon with no bias even if it doesn’t follow your narrative. Because in this case it can come off as arrogance and just hating the author + the way they want to write their series.

Furthermore, my point from that post is that, users who usually say this needs to understand that not all characters in the picture can be given an arc or backstory, some of them goes out of the way to call Isayama “sexist” because he killed off Nanaba. Can you make headcanons of her? Of course! If you scroll down you’ll see a post dedicated for the bg characters in aot, there I make headcanons based on the lines and actions of Frieda and Nanaba. But claiming Isayama done them dirty or it’s better than the arcs of the canon characters, it’s downrating the author’s writing.

[bluesylveon2]

The Little Mermaid

Summary:  Hange Zoe, princess of Eldia, is even more curious about the outside world after meeting Levi Ackerman.

Disclaimer: The Little Mermaid is an American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Pictures.  Attack on Titan is a manga/anime series written by Hajime Isayama and published by Kondasha. 

A/N:

For context: anyone with royal blood can control the trident. Btw I cant write fight scenes so let’s assume that Kenny and Mikasa attempted to help Erwin, Nanaba, and Rico.

And we are at the end!!! Thank you to everyone for reading. I hope that yall enjoy the final chapter!!!

Huge shoutout to @peculiarvelociraptor for beta reading!

Link to Masterlist: Here

Chapter 6:

They say that the happiest day in a woman’s life is her wedding day.

Pieck was not one of them. She was not happy. In fact, she was furious at Zeke. If Pieck were to be honest, she would rather go back to when the Princess first visited so she could be a prawn again. To her, it was more ideal than this. 

She gracefully walked down the aisle towards her fiance with a fake smile on her face. Her eyes scanned the crowd. On one side was the King, who had a proud smile on his face, Mikasa, who was glaring at Pieck since they met (not that Pieck blamed her), and finally Mike, Levi’s personal guard and close friend. On the other side was Zeke. He blended in with the humans with the crisp black tux he wore, but Pieck knew what he was really thinking. She was nothing more than a chess piece in his plan.

She stopped walking when she made it up to the altar and took Levi's hand. Then things got boring when the priest began to speak. 

"We are all gathered here today to celebrate the marriage between Prince Levi Ackerman and Lady Pieck Galliard."

Pieck frowned at the last name. It might be a hilarious joke to Zeke but not to her. Was it too late to stab Zeke or could she stop the wedding to do it now? 

She took the time to briefly glance over at her husband-to-be. Who knew what the man was thinking behind his robotic stare and stance?

Poor guy. Pieck thought pitifully. She briefly glanced over at the setting sun over the ocean. Any normal person would stop to appreciate the beautiful scenery but not Pieck. She knew that what would occur would be anything but beautiful. 

"And now I will recite something to bless this union"

"Can we just get straight to the kiss?" Levi interrupted with a slightly irritated voice. 

Pieck wanted to roll her eyes as Levi’s uncle howled with laughter from behind them. 

"Of course, your Majesty." The priest said with a chuckle. "Do you-"

Caw

A bird called out. The priest briefly stopped before continuing. 

“As I was saying-”

CAW CAW

Multiple birds called out and it sounded closer this time. 

“What is that?!” A woman yells and everyone turns to the source. Everyone turned to see a massive black blob coming closer as each second passed. Zeke, in the crowd, squints to get a closer look.

“Birds?” He muttered unaware of Eren’s plan. 

“We attack when we get close to the boat! Do not attack the drunk uncle, the stoic prince, and the pretty princess!” Eren yelled to his team before diving down. 

“ATTACK!” Eren yelled and hit the nearest human, which happened to be Zeke. 

“Get off of me you stupid bird!" Zeke yelled as he attempted to grab Eren. 

In the midst of the chaos, Pieck grabbed the shell necklace out of her neck and threw it on the ground. She immediately jumped overboard as a glowing gold orb began to float in the air.

Ahh ah ahhhh. ah ahh ahhhhh.

Hange's voice floated in the air until it found its owner. Hange beamed with excitement for finally regaining her voice. Meanwhile, Levi was free from the spell and his eyes returned to normal. 

"What happened?" Levi groaned and rubbed his head. He looked around his surroundings when he noticed a bright orb floating towards Hange. 

"Hange?" Levi asked and walked closer to Hange. 

"Levi, it’s me." She replied breathlessly, a huge grin illuminated her face. 

Levi's mind went blank, but he knew what he needed to do next. 

Hange. He repeated and ran towards Hange to hug her. "You're here. You're actually here." He said lovingly, unaware of Mikasa and Mike smiling in the background.

"What the heck is going on?" Kenny thought aloud. 

"Levi." Hange’s face became serious. Her eyes briefly glanced at the setting sun. "I need you to kiss me right now." 

Levi looked at her with confusion . "Why?"

"Goddammit, Levi just do it. I'll explain everything later."

Levi smirked. "You don't have to tell me twice."  He replied and leaned up to kiss Hange. 

"No!" Zeke yelled, interrupting the couple. He raised his arm towards them, summoning some water to separate Levi from Hange and throwing him into the sea. 

"Levi!" Hange yelled as she tried to catch him but it was too late. She screamed as Zeke tackled her to the ground. 

"It's too late, Princess." Zeke laughed as he held the struggling Hange. "You're coming back with me." 

"No," Hange said with a strained voice. She felt fear the longer Zeke held her and Levi stayed in the water.

"Not so fast." A new voice joined in. Hange gasped with happiness and relief. 

"Well, well. I didn't know that you invited the whole family." Zeke said mockingly, briefly glancing at the King. He still continued to hold Hange. 

"Let go of my sister,” Erwin demanded with a stern face. Hange noticed the tight grip he had on his gold trident and she felt her eyes water. On a normal day, Hange would stop to hug her brother and apologize for everything, but there was no time for that now. They had a bigger problem on their hands. 

“You and what army?” Zeke’s eyes flickered to behind Erwin where the empty sea lay. “You’re alone.”

“I don’t think so.” a female voice interrupted and Hange almost squealed with joy. Hange had no idea what happened next. One minute, she was being carried off into the sea by her sister.

“Lynne!” Hange exclaimed after they went up for air. Lynne smiled. “Hey, Hange. It has been a while.”

“Don’t forget about us!” Ilse and Petra called out from behind. Hange swam over and immediately pulled the three in for a hug.

“I have missed you all so much. How did you find me? Where are the others?”

Ilse spoke first. “Armin told us what’s going on. Nanaba and Rico are helping Erwin out.” Zeke screamed as if on cue. They watched as Nanaba briefly held the trident up and pointed it to the sky. It began to turn dark and the sisters felt the rain splash on their skin. “As you can see,” she added as Nanaba threw the trident back to Erwin. 

Hange searched around with panic in her eyes. “Where’s Nifa?” 

“Right here.” She called out. Hange noticed that Nifa was not alone. Her sister was carrying a dark but familiar figure. “Guess who I found swimming alone in the ocean,” Nifa chuckled. 

“Levi!” Hange called out and swam towards the duo. “How did you survive?” She asked as she checked him for any injuries. 

“Mermaids.” He said with a dazed look. “They really exist…” 

Nifa giggled. “You would not believe his reaction when he saw I saved him earlier. The human thought that he actually died.” 

Hange wanted to laugh along with her, but they were on a tight schedule. The rain clouds might be covering the sky, but Hange knew that time was ticking before the sun went down. She did the best thing she could think of to snap Levi out of his daze.

She slapped him.

Hard.

“Ow!” Levi yelled while holding onto his injured cheek. “What was that for, Hange?”

Hange rolled her eyes. “I need you to still kiss me before the sun sets.”

Levi blushed red. “R-right.” He stammered and pulled Hange close, both of them treading the water to stay afloat. Meanwhile, Hange’s sisters swam off a bit to give them some privacy. Levi closed his eyes and leaned close. Their lips had just grazed each other before they were interrupted by Hange being pulled down by Reiner and Bertolt. A bright light began to glow underwater.  

“What the?” Levi started.

“No!” Hange’s sisters screamed with horror but it was too late. Hange was gone and the sun had already set. 

Zeke laughed maniacally from above. "It is too late! You are all too late!” Zeke’s body was surrounded by a mist that grew bigger and bigger. The mist dispelled to reveal Zeke’s true octopus form. He jumped off the boat to the ocean with Erwin following from behind. One of his tentacles knocked the side of the boat, causing some of the people to fall into the water, and the boat began to sink. 

Levi began to scream, but no voice came out. It was his birthday all over again, except he was going to lose everyone he loved. 

"Don't worry, human." A mature voice called from behind him. Levi turned around to see a tall mermaid with a blonde undercut, and a short mermaid with short platinum blonde hair. "My sisters and I will take care of the humans.” Nanaba nodded to her sisters to go help but noticed when Rico didn't move. “You need to get to Hange. There is a possibility that Erwin will need your help" 

"How would I do that? I can't swim that far without drowning."

"I think I can help you out there." A new voice joined in and Rico frowned. 

(Levi began to wonder if someone new was going to join in)

He turned to the newcomer. "Who are you?" He asked with confusion. 

Pieck rolled her eyes. She ignored Levi and turned to Nanaba. "You guys can go ahead and I'll handle the Prince."

"Funny to see you again after so long. Why should we trust you, Pieck Finger? I know that you work for Zeke." Rico spoke up with narrowed eyes. 

Pieck sighed. "Used to. I quit a few minutes ago when I snuck into his lair to steal this seaweed." She held up said item for everyone to see and turned to Levi. “This is a special seaweed enchanted by Zeke. This will help you breathe underwater for three hours.” 

Levi reached out to grab the item but was stopped when Rico intervened by pulling out a hidden knife and holding it against Pieck’s neck.

“Rico!” Nanaba lectured but Rico chose to not listen. 

“Why should we trust you? That could be poisoned.” 

Pieck sighed. “You could question that for as long as you want, but right now, the humans and your sister are in trouble.” She pointed towards the sinking ship and to the ocean for emphasis. “But now is not the time to argue. You are going to need my help though. Out of us four, I know Zeke the most.”

Rico studied her for a minute before pulling away and pocketing her knife. “Fine but I will not hesitate to slit your throat if something happens to my family or the human.”

“Fine by me,” Pieck replied. Nanaba grabbed Rico’s hand and dragged her away, leaving Pieck and Levi alone. She turned to Levi while holding out the seaweed. 

“You are going to need this.”

---

Levi was amazed by Hange’s world. He was surrounded by many colorful fish and corals. He wished that he could stop to admire the view, but he was on a time limit now. 

“Zeke’s lair is up ahead,” Pieck said and Levi looked to see where she was referring to. It was not actually hard to figure out where it was because it was surrounded by dust and light beams, indicating a fight occurring. 

“We are going to have to be sneaky about going in. There is a bottle of stonefish venom that will be enough to kill Zeke." She held out the bottle for him to see. "We just have to figure out how to put it in his bottle first,” she finished and handed Levi the bottle. 

“So he has to ingest it?” Levi asked with a hint of surprise that he could talk underwater.

Pieck nodded. “Bingo.” 

It was quiet between the two, but there was an unspoken (and awkward) tension lingering, Levi decided then it was time to address the elephant in the room.

“Why are you helping us? Hange’s sister mentioned that you used to work for Zeke. Why did you switch sides?”

Pieck sighed before answering. “I was like Hange a few years ago, a woman in love. His name was Porco. We were childhood friends, but we wanted to change that. We both went to Zeke to make our wishes come true. It worked for the most part, but we did not meet our condition . Zeke changed us into polyps, but he is a sadistic guy….” She hesitated to keep going.

“Where is Porco now?” Levi carefully asked.

“Gone. That’s all you need to know. Zeke kept me alive to be a puppet. I would rather have stayed as a polyp or joined Pock instead, but I know that he would find a way to throw me back and tell me to live my life.”

The two continued swimming until they stopped at a boulder near the lair. Levi noticed Pieck’s frown as they observed when was the best time to move in. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Something's not right. It is too quiet.”

Levi looked at her confused. “What do you mean? That bearded bastard and the King are being the loud ones right now.” He added while pointing to the struggle occurring. 

“Yes, but someone is missing.” 

“Well, well, well. It seems like Pieck finally decided to visit.” Pieck cursed under her breath and Levi glanced at Pieck with confusion. 

“Reiner. Bertolt.” Pieck said curtly and turned to greet the newcomers. 

“I always knew something was up with you.” Reiner started as he and Bertolt circled around the two. “First, you steal from Zeke, then you bring the human along. What’s next?” Reiner said with a shrug. 

“We are going to split up on my signal,” Pieck whispered, quietly enough for Levi to hear while maintaining eye contact with Reiner and Bertolt. The two started getting closer and closer with every second. 

“Where would we go? We don’t have any weapons and the only person with a weapon is fighting the octopus bastard.” 

Pieck’s lips curled up slightly in a smirk. “Trust me. Just go in the opposite direction.” 

“Okay.”

“Do you have any last words?" Reiner asked after he and Bertolt cornered them. 

“Yeah, I do. Run!” Pieck yelled and ran to her left. Levi nodded and swam to the right. 

“I got the human, you get Pieck.” Bertolt directed to Reiner before they split up. 

He realized that he was at a major disadvantage right now. He did not have a tail like Pieck, so he was not as fast as her, and he was not familiar with the sea. The only options were to swim around and eventually get lost, or somehow lose Bertoldt in the chaos. 

“Over here!” A merman with a green tail waved Levi over. 

Levi hesitantly made his way over to the merman, unsure if he should trust him or not. 

"I'm one of Hange’s friends, Moblit," Moblit stated as he beckoned Levi over. He immediately grabbed Levi when he was within arm's reach and swam away as fast as he could. "I saw Hange get taken away, but what are you doing here?" 

"That other mermaid, Pieck, helped me."

Mobil's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "I see." He then continued to drag Levi around until they were near an old shipwreck. "This is the best place to lose Bertolt. Trust me." He said and stopped in front of the ship. 

Levi looked at Moblit with confusion. "Aren't we going to hide?"

Moblit shook his head. "No. Trust me on this."

The duo watched as Bertolt's figure came closer. That was when Moblit started yelling.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to get us killed?" Levi hissed and Moblit chuckled. 

"Hopefully not."

Levi raised an eyebrow just as Bertolt prepared to attack. He was ready for the pain and closed his eyes. 

Until nothing happened.

"What the?" Levi opened his eyes to see Bertolt being chased by two big great white sharks.  Moblit sighed out of relief.

"C’mon." Moblit urged as he pulled Levi's arm. "We don't want to be shark bait."

There was not a trace of Bertolt left after that. 

---

"Hand over my sister or else," Erwin demanded as he held up his glowing trident, ready to attack.

"Or else what?" Zeke asked as he swam towards Hange. Hange, who was tied down and gagged, could only let out muffled screams. "Your sister was the one who signed the contract. She agreed to the terms and conditions, and as you can see, she did not follow through."

Zeke used one tentacle to grab Hange’s chin and bring her close to him. His hand began to glow an eerie green color. "I think that she will love it here. She will be away from her uptight brother and who knows? She could even be my wife." Zeke added with a smirk.

"You bastard!" Erwin screamed and let out a warning shot near Zeke.

"Look at you being so pathetic. What a king you are." He said and pointed another glowing tentacle out to Erwin. 

"Now die."

Unknowingly to the both of them, another person decided to join in. 

Pieck threw Reiner's body in front of Erwin, and it was too late for Zeke to stop it. Reiner turned into a pile of dust.

"No!" Zeke screamed out in agony before turning his anger out to Pieck. "I'm going to kill you!"

He began to lunge at her but was stopped by Erwin firing a shot at his chest. Zeke began to cough up some blood. 

"Your business is with me, not her." He said and stood protectively in front of Pieck. "Now hand over my sister."

"You want your sister?" Zeke scoffed as he wiped out the blood on his lips. "Then give me the trident in exchange. It's a fair trade."

"No!" Levi yelled out. He and Moblit had finally caught up with everyone else. 

"The human?!" Erwin and Zeke said at the same time. 

"Your Majesty, Hange is worth more than the trident. You should not trade it for her."

Zeke rolled his eyes. "I knew that I should have killed you earlier. You stupid humans going on and on about worth."

Erwin turned to Levi with a stern look. "That is true but Zeke is persistent. I could risk  Hange getting hurt if I don't do it." He then turned to Zeke. "Fine. I will do it." He said and held the trident out for Zeke. 

Zeke greedily grabbed it and began to laugh victoriously. "Yes! It is mine! All mine!"

The binds that held Hange disappear into dust. "Erwin! What did you do?" She asked her brother who stood there stoically. She had expected an answer, not for him to throw a small vial into Zeke’s mouth. 

Zeke stopped laughing to take out the vial but was stopped by Pieck jumping at him from behind. She covered his nose and mouth, effectively causing Zeke to swallow it. Zeke started to cough and he dropped the trident in the midst of it. 

"What? What did you do to me?" Zeke asked and Erwin smirked. 

"The trident only works for people with royal blood. Something that you don't have."

Zeke’s eyes turned red and his body began to pale. He started thrashing around until there was no life left in him. 

“We did it.” Erwin said breathlessly. He swam towards Zeke’s body and towards his sister to free her. 

“Erwin, you’re okay.” Hange hugged her brother and began to cry. “I was so scared.” 

“Shhhh,” Erwin said and rubbed Hange’s back. “You’re okay, Everyone is okay.” 

“Not everyone,” Pieck spoke up and the siblings looked at her with confusion. She pointed at the entrance of the lair where the polyps whined with agony. “Those things there are actually merpeople. You should do the honors, you Highness.” She addressed Erwin. 

Erwin let go of Hange and picked up his trident. A bright light appeared at the end and a golden beam hit the polyps. One by one, they began to turn into regular merpeople. 

“Moblit, help these people get back to Eldia. I’m sure it has been a while since they got to stretch their tails.” 

Moblit nodded and led everyone out of the cave, finally free from their imprisonment. 

“Woww,” Levi said with awe before getting engulfed in a hug by Hange. 

“I missed you, Shorty.”

Levi rolled his eyes and hugged Hange back anyway. “Tch. I missed you too.” 

Meanwhile, Erwin and Pieck smiled at the couple. 

“So what will you do? Are you planning on going back to Eldia too?” Erwin asked Pieck. 

Pieck shook her head. “I don’t. I know some people do not like me being around given my history.”

“You could always stay at the castle. My sisters and I will make sure that you are safe.”

Pieck raised an eyebrow. “Is this your way to make me stay and then eventually become your queen?” She asked with a teasing tone. 

Erwin blushed red. “N-no! I was just trying to help you. None of that other stuff.”

“I’m kidding.” Pieck giggled. “But I am serious about staying.” She eyed the couple and saw herself with Porco. What could have been had it not been for Zeke. “Someone told me to live my life and I am going to follow that.”  

—- 

Hange watched Levi from her rock. The supposed seaweed Levi consumed had finally run out of time, and being in the ocean pressure for a long time had caught up to him. She smiled sadly as Mikasa, Kenny, and Mike ran up to him and cried with relief. Little did she know of another pair of eyes watching her.

“She really loves the humans now, does she?” Erwin said to Armin. 

Armin smiled from atop of Erwin’s shoulder. He started reminiscing of the memories in the human world. “Yeah, she does. Her eyes lit up like the first sunrise of a day or a shining pearl.”

Erwin sighed and looked at his sister with sad eyes. Hange is not a child anymore. She will always be his little sister, but she is old enough to make her own decisions. “I’m really going to miss her.”

“Yeah, I-” Armin stopped and looked at Erwin with shock. “What do you mean?”

“It is time to let her go.” Erwin dragged his trident across the water. The water glowed a light blue and headed towards Hange’s direction. 

Hange was too focused to see it until she noticed the blue light around her. She recognized that magic anywhere and she shed a tear. 

“Thank you, Erwin.” She whispered before being enveloped by the light. 

---

“Levi!” Mikasa exclaimed before enveloping her brother into a suffocating hug. “You’re okay.”

Levi felt the tears in his eyes and returned the hug. He noticed a few more figures heading his way. 

“Kenny? Mike? Is that the castle staff too?”

Mikasa chuckled and pulled away from her brother. “You had the whole castle worried about you.”

“I thought you died!” Kenny exclaimed after he caught up with the duo. “Do you know how worried I was? I didn’t want to lose you after losing Kuchel.”

Levi realized someone was missing after Kenny’s statement. He turned to Mikasa with hopeful eyes. “Is Hange here?”

Mikasa looked away with downdraught eyes. Even Kenny avoided Levi’s stare because of how awkward the situation was. 

Luckily for them, Mike was there. “We haven’t seen you here since the attack. It was like she disappeared.”

“Oh.’ Levi said dejectedly. 

“Don’t be so down now. Her kingdom is probably not too far. Besides, what are the chances of her magically showing up right now anyway?”

“Highly unlikely,” Levi replied with a depressed tone. There was his one chance to finally be with someone he wanted and now she was gone without a trace. 

Meanwhile, the rest of the castle staff noticed a bright light in the ocean. They saw the figure of a familiar woman heading their way and they gasped with awe. 

“Oh.“ One of the maids, Ymir, started.

“My.” Another maid, Sasha, said with her jaw open from shock. 

“Gosh.” A third maid, Hitch, finished. 

A third maid, Historia, started to jump with glee and ran to the royal family. “Your Highness! Your Highness! I see Lady Hange heading this way!”

“Where?” Levi jumped up but stumbled a bit due to his imbalance. 

“Whoa be careful kiddo. I don't think she is going anywhere.” Kenny joked while Mikasa and Mike laughed. 

Normally, Levi would tell them to shut up, but he did not care. He needed to see Hange. And that’s what he did, a man in love, ran across the beach to meet his woman. Levi ignored the cheers coming from his family and the castle staff because his eyes were only focused on Hange. To him, she looked stunning in her sparkly sea blue dress. Like a goddess rising from the sea. 

Who knew that the stories his mom would tell him before would actually be true? That there was an underwater kingdom filled with merfolk. Levi didn’t. Yet, he knew that there will be a day when he will get down on one knee and propose to one of the kingdom’s princesses. It was funny how life worked that way.

Levi stopped when the ocean water hit his calves so he could pick up Hange and twirl her. She smelled like saltwater and her laugh was like music to his ears. Levi pulled her close so their foreheads touched. 

“Welcome home.” He whispered and Hange smiled the radiant smile Levi loved. 

He finally kissed her.

©: This is where I insert all rights reserved stuff. This story belongs to me. Do not modify or republish.

The condition Pieck referred to was being pregnant buuutttt Zeke never let that happen 😭

That's the end! I hope that you all enjoyed it. See you at the next story! The focus is nicosasha in a beauty and the beast au!

Be on the lookout for another chapter added lol. You will see ;)

[ack3rlady]

The Universe Had His Back - Chapter 7

Summer

Chapters: Six | Seven

Master List

Warnings: Fluff, Fluff and more Fluff

Word Count: ~2.74k

Inspiration: Don't Go - Exo

A/N: And with this chapter, I conclude this series. Thank you for all the love you all gave my baby project!

Tags: @sooibian, @queenofcurse, @red-n-tall, @badbitxhbuckybarnes , @sweet-assh0le

‘Why am I nervous? We've done much more than just kiss. For fucks sake! I'm the mother of his child.’

You took a few deep breaths to calm yourself down before pushing the cart from behind your truck towards the large glass doors of the café. You had offered to take today’s batch of bread and pastries to Levi’s to snag a chance to see him, much to Mikasa’s annoyance.

“Oi, brat! You’re late.”, Levi remarked without looking up from his laptop when the bell above the door rang with your entrance, expecting her to have finally arrived.

“Levi, I’m so sorry! I made an impromptu decision to come here instead of Mikasa and -”, you emerged from behind the lofty stack of boxes.

Your hair was up in a messy bun, you were panting from hauling the weight and the resultant perspiration made you glow. Your continual rambling about why you were late, instantly gave him a feeling of Déjà vu, hurling him eight years back in time to the morning when he first laid his eyes on you.  Mirroring that day, he couldn’t focus on anything you were saying, gawking at you with unblinking eyes given how stupefied he was by the sight before his eyes and the sound of your voice.

“Levi? Are you listening?”, you waved your hand in front of his face, disrupting the mental movie playing in his head.

“Huh? Oh, y-yeah. Hi.” he shook his head vigorously and blinked a few times to bring himself back to the present.

Both a blushing mess, you stood by the entrance to the cafe, smiling at each other like two smitten high-schoolers.

“Are you finally back together?”, a shriek from the opposite end of the seating area made your ears ring.

The cacophony was loud enough that Erwin’s head immediately peaked out of his office; his face riddled with confusion. Both your necks snapped towards the source - Hange was running in your direction with the brightest grin on their face. Every head in the room was turned towards you. Eren and other new members of staff at the café, Armin, Jean, Sasha and Connie were slack jawed with their gaping eyes fixed on you after being subjected to this abrupt and unnecessary announcement. One look from Levi sent them scrambling back to work.

“Fucking four-eyes.” he mumbled as they came closer.

“I knew it! You lovebirds couldn’t stay apart for long!”, they squealed with joy enveloping you both in an spontaneous group hug, not giving Levi an opportunity to flinch away.

“Shhh! Calm down, Hange! We’re not back together. Yet.”, you tugged on their hands trying to free yourself from their clasp.

Levi's eyes met and stayed on yours when you uttered the last word, the way his heart fluttered at the sound of it clearly reflecting on his face.

Yet.

“But you were together last night. You have both put in way too much effort in your appearances today. And the color on Short-stack's cheeks can be spotted from Mars! What am I missing here?”, they observed, unaware of the heat rising within their two friends thinking about their final moments together at the Ackerman home yesterday.

Always the perceptive one, Hange. They weren’t entirely wrong. You did spend forty minutes in your closet hunting for the one floral lemon-yellow dress that Levi loved seeing you in; piling on deodorant while simultaneously cursing the hot summer. You picked your reflection in the mirror apart for way too long, fiddling with the necklace he bought you ages ago while rehearsing what you would say to him.

By the looks of it, he did too. He looked oh-so handsome today. Granted, he always did. But today was different. He wore your favorite navy-blue button-down shirt with slate grey slacks, sleeves folded to reveal his toned fore arms, and the top two buttons left open to aid with the sweltering heat; or was it because he knew that it made you weak in the knees when he wore his shirts that way? And his cheeks and ears were definitely a brighter shade of pink than the raspberry compote on the cheesecake you brought.

He stood pinching the bridge of his nose, his breathing starting to speed up. You figured it was his attempt at suppressing the strong urge to smack the grin right off Hange’s face.

“Hange, I promise, I’ll give you all the details later. But for now, Levi and I have things to discuss.”, you pulled him away before he could act on his impulse.

Taking a seat at the table by the large bay window, kissed by the morning sun, you watched the city slowly rise awake with your cheek resting on the palm of your hand. Levi, who was walking back from the kitchen with a cup of tea for himself and a caramel latte for you, stopped in his tracks to mentally frame this image. It was as if you were a different person than who he met over the last two days.

There were no signs of the anxious but adoring mother from yesterday nor the bewildered, pained ex-wife from the day before; you were the same clumsy, moody, garrulous, as well as kind, selfless and mesmerizing woman he fell madly in love with when you walked in through the doors of this very place eight years ago. How could one person flood his heart with a barrage of different emotions this way?

You acknowledged him with a soft ‘hi’ accompanied by a smile when he sat down on the chair opposite to you, nervous about the forthcoming conversation. You stole occasional glances at each other while sipping your beverages, hesitating to be the one to say the first word.

“Do you hate me?”, he asked out of the blue, his gaze locked on his cup.

“No! Why would you think that?”

“Uh- you obviously had a chance to think about what I said to you after going home last night. Why would you possibly want to still see me?”

“Well, I’m here, aren't I? I want to work on us if you’re willing to try as well, Levi. I want to see where this takes us.”, you smiled, placing your hand on his.

"Me too."

.

.

Four months later

The day of Suki and Furlan's wedding was finally here. The venue was set, guests had arrived and you were busy helping the bride get ready for her special day, having spent all morning with her, Isabel and the other bridesmaids in the bridal suite, chatting away in excitement and anticipation for the day ahead.

“Honestly speaking, Suki, I’d have a hard time keeping my hands off you if I were Furlan”, you teased while draping the veil into her hair, causing her to bury her face into her palms.

“You’re one to talk! Levi has been looking for reasons to see you all morning. I had to turn him away thrice already. I'm pretty sure he is going to murder me after the wedding is over.”, Isabel shot back with a smirk.

The last four months had been nothing short of a whirlwind. After that morning at the cafe, having breakfast with Levi turned into a routine. He brought Luna along on most days, and the three of you spent time chatting and admiring the toddler’s antics over tea and scones while sitting at your usual table by the bay window. Sometimes you’d have her accompany you to the patisserie to give Levi a much-deserved break.

Everyone there was enamored with the little firecracker. Her Uncle Miche had always been her favorite because the gentle giant ferried her around the large kitchen on his shoulders. Bertholdt and Reiner would happily comply to all the orders their mini boss belted out. Annie, although a little awkward around her, listened intently to her endless stories; Mikasa secretly pampered her with numerous treats even after several warnings from you, and Nanaba would fuss over her all the time and try to keep the little one all to herself, earning protests from the others.

The evenings varied between taking Luna to the park or the pier, or just spending time indoors at your place or his. You even celebrated her fourth birthday two weeks ago. All your friends and family, along with some little friends the birthday girl had made at the park were invited. You spent a beautiful evening in the backyard of your house around a bonfire, with a delectable meal and wonderful company.

Levi especially made sure you knew that you were being wooed by taking you out on date nights every now-and-then to the finest of restaurants, walks on the beach, to the drive-in theater a few miles outside your town, or star gazing from your favorite spot up the nearby hill. You both were working through your differences and had barely had any disagreements during the time spent together. Things were slowly falling in place; in fact, this newly re-built relationship with him felt much stronger than ever before.

The flashback ended when the wedding planner knocked on the door indicating it was time for the ceremony to begin. You, Isabel, and the other bridesmaids ushered Suki to her designated spot, making sure her dress, hair, make up and flowers looked perfect.

.

.

Standing at the altar by Furlan’s side as his best man, Levi was relieved that he would finally be seeing you soon after being apart all morning. Lately, the two of you spent most of your time together; and this sudden separation had him feeling restless.

On cue, the two harpists seated on either side of the rows began to play heavenly tune of ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perry, a prompt for the bride’s party to start making their way towards the altar. He watched patiently as bridesmaids accompanied by groomsmen walked down the aisle, waiting for you to finally appear. He almost forgot to breathe when your form eventually entered the nave, walking a short distance behind Isabel and one of Furlan’s friends.

You wore the emerald gown from your encounter with him at the store four months ago, and looked a million times more beautiful this morning. Your usually open hair was tied into an elegant loose braid with some curly strands framing your face. The sun rays falling on your silhouette from the towering stained-glass windows of the church made you look like an angel descending solely upon him. He finally began breathing again when you smiled at him and mouthed “breathe”, after taking your position at the altar.

Levi only peeled his eyes away from you when Luna’s giggles reverberated off the stone walls as she waddled down the aisle, scattering petals of baby pink roses, about the same shade has her chubby cheeks, on the ivory carpet. You wiped a stray tear rolling down your face as you both proudly watched her play the part of a flower girl with utmost perfection. Upon making it to the end, she ran to you and buried her face in your gown, suddenly feeling shy from the cheers and applause she received from the smitten guests.

You instantly scooped her up and held her close, letting her nuzzle into the crook of your neck, cooing sweet words of encouragement into her ears. Levi was so taken by this divine scene before him that he failed to notice the bride's much awaited walk down the aisle; surprised to directly find Suki standing at the altar, facing Furlan with her lips curved into the widest smile before his attention found you and Luna again.

He lost track of how long he was marveling at his two perfect girls for, until he felt an elbow harshly crash into his ribs, knocking the wind out of his lungs.

“Is this revenge for your wedding?”, Furlan frowned.

Levi blankly stared at him, having no clue what he was talking about

“Ring, Levi!”, the fuming groom growled.

Oh, right. He pursed his lips in embarrassment melting under the scrutiny of the baffled guests while he handed over the ring that was in the safety of his blazer’s pocket. His eyes darted towards an alarmed Suki and silently apologized to her. Then his gaze moved back to you, an impish smirk on your face as you stared back at him, knowing exactly what was going on in his mind.

Fuck! Furlan was not going to let this go for a long time.

Luna had lost interest in the festivities midway through the nuptials and had fallen asleep in your arms. After the ceremony, when everyone began to make their way outside the chapel, Levi swiftly moved over to walk beside you and offered to carry the snoozing toddler. You groaned after her weight left your body, stretching your sore shoulders and aching back .

“Stop that. You have no idea how hard it is to control myself from jumping your bones, especially when you look this gorgeous.”, Levi whispered in your ear, snaking an arm around your waist.

You glanced around awkwardly making sure his words did not fall on any prying ears and gave him a quick smack on the shoulder, trying to suppress the heat creeping up your neck.

.

.

Time skip – Evening

The wedding reception was underway. You sat at a table sipping lemonade, watching the newlyweds grooving to the beats of music being played by DJ Zeke. Levi swapped his usual glass of Macallan for a cup of ginger lemon tea; His reason being that his throat was sore from carrying out best man duties. But you knew he was just being supportive of your goal to stay off alcohol.

Erwin and Hange sat by the bar, socializing with Furlan’s Boss, Mr. Pyxis while Luna was busy playing duck-duck-goose with some new toddler friends she made at the venue. Levi needed to be physically restrained from ambushing Isabel who he had discovered slow dancing with the same groomsman that walked alongside her at the ceremony. Miche and Nanaba were spotted in a rare public embrace, dancing leisurely to the slow music; and your army of helpers consisting of Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Sasha, Connie, Reiner, Bertholdt and Annie took the lead on setting up tables as yours and Levi’s patisserie and café were the official caterers for the evening.

The choice of DJ Zeke's next track brought a sparkle to your eyes. Your smile spread from ear to ear when ‘Fly me to the Moon' by Frank Sinatra emanated from the speakers. You sang along and began swaying cheerfully in your seat to the melody.

“Remember, Levi? This was the song we had our first dance to at our wedding.” you reminisced; a nostalgic smile spread across your face.

“How can I forget?”, he asked.

His eyes were unfocused, lost in memories of his own. He remembered how ethereal you looked in your white wedding dress. How your diamond jewelry shimmered under the spotlight, how you whispered honeyed words into his ears when he felt exceptionally uncomfortable dancing in public, how warm your hands felt wrapped around his body, how your breath tickled his neck. He’d give anything just to go back and relive that moment.

You gaze was still lost among people enjoying themselves on the dance floor when a stretched-out hand entered your line of vision. Your eyes followed it to land on Levi’s face. A quirk in your eyebrows wordlessly asked him what this action meant.

“Let's dance.”, he said.

“You, Levi Ackerman, are willingly asking me to dance? Did someone spike your tea?” You smirked, earning an eye roll from him.

“Oi, brat! Let’s go before I change my mind.”

“Only if you ask nicely.”

“May I have this dance with you, my love?”

You accepted and the pair of you headed towards the dance floor. He gently pulled you close to him and firmly held on to your hand. His other hand wrapped firmly around your waist and you rested yours on his shoulder. You both moved to the slow rhythm in perfect harmony, as you drowned in those gorgeous blue-grey eyes. It felt like the world around you had dissolved and it was just the two of you and the music.

“You look nice today. I see you bought the same gray suit you hated with a fiery passion.”, you teased.

“How could I not after you said you liked it?”

You looked over his shoulder to Suki and Furlan flashing you a wide grin from across the dance floor. And so did Hange, Miche and Nanaba from over that the bar. Erwin gently raised his drink in your direction. The heat from the from the sudden metaphorical spot light you stood under was cooled by the kiss Levi planted on your cheek.

“Did I tell you how lucky I feel to have you?”, he whispered into your ear as while brushing strands of hair off your face.

“I could stand to hear it more often.”, You hid your blush by resting your forehead on his shoulder, feeling too shy to keep his gaze.

“It's true. You’re the most beautiful woman is this room tonight, scratch that, you’ll be the most beautiful woman anywhere, any day; and I get the honor of calling you mine.” he cooed, drawing gentle circles on your back with his fingers.

“You’re awfully talkative today!”, you lifted your head again to reveal a contagious coy smile spread across your lips.

“Don’t be stupid. I’ve always been talkative.”,

“Come with me.”, he moved you off his chest and tugged at your hand.

“Where?”, you asked in utter confusion, and a bit of annoyance at the wonderful moment being ruined, just to receive silence in response.

Levi quickly glanced over to find Luna munching on garlic bread sticks with Erwin and Hange, as he guided you away from the venue and towards the lake nearby. The ripples in the water gleamed under the moonlight, resembling liquid silver. Warm yellow light from the lamps on either side of a wooden dock dimly illuminated the path that led to a gorgeous gazebo that stood at the end, its ceiling sprinkled with fairy lights that defined the intricate floral carvings in the wood. You stood in the center of the structure and slowly spun around, marveling at the work of whose ever brilliant hands built it.

“Levi, this is stunning!”, you said gazing in all directions, running your fingers over the sophisticated engravings.

“Yes, it is.”, Levi agreed, his eyes not on the architecture, but instead on the human embodiment of radiant sunny day that stood by his side.

Not remotely expecting anything to outshine the sight before you, your vision was captured by an extravagant display of red, green, and gold against the dark blanket of the night’s sky. You jumped when the sound of the first soaring explosion caught you off guard. An arm slid across your waist and a kiss was placed on your temple. You were enamored by the shattering sparks of the fireworks, eliciting frequent oohs and aahs, until a voice snapped you out of your reverie.

“Marry me.”

It took you a few seconds to fully register what you just heard. But when you did, overwhelming feelings of joy rendered you speechless; fingers absentmindedly running over the carved railing of the gazebo, stunned orbs darting between the brilliant sky and the love of your life.

This time Levi had to remind you to breathe.

Your eyes and lips both turned into wide Os, and you slapped your hands to cover your gaping mouth when he slowly lowered himself to kneel before you, opening a little black box containing the same gorgeous ruby ring from all those years ago, which he sneaked out of your nightstand during one of his visits.

“I know that you said you wanted to take this slow. But the last four months with you have been the most precious of my life, where I got a glimpse of what having a perfect family would be like. I learnt the hard way, what I lost when I lost you and you gave me a second chance at finding happiness when you decided to come back. I promise to love and protect you every single day for the rest of my life, and even after. You complete me, love, and you complete our family. So, will you do me the honor of being Mrs. Ackerman, again?”

“Levi...”, your trembling voice was barely audible.

“Yes.”, you breathed, letting the floodgates finally open when he slid the ring on your finger.

He got back on his feet and engulfed you into the tightest embrace as you wept joyous tears into his shoulders.

“I love you so much!”

“I love you too!”, moving to look into your eyes, he cupped your face with warm hands.

And finally, his lips found yours.

It felt... like home;

Like laying in a cozy bed after a long day of work, like the warm chocolate sauce on a cold scoop of ice-cream, like wearing a fuzzy sweater on a crisp autumn evening, like walking barefoot on the beach at sunset, like taking a cool shower on a blazing summer afternoon, like everything you ever needed.

After being torn apart from the one person who made your life perfect, you were finally back in the soothing confines of his strong arms, resting against his able chest, ready to fall apart; all while the fireworks in the sky mirrored the fireworks in your hearts.

“Mama! Papa!”

You were awoken from this surreal euphoria by the most beautiful squeal you had ever heard. Both your heads turned towards the source of it – a tiny figure running towards you with all her might while all your near and dear ones including the newlyweds watched from a distance, cheering merrily.

“They knew?”, you gasped, sobbing and sniffling from the joyous tears.

“Yeah, pretty much everyone but you knew.”

Luna flew into Levi’s open arms when he bent down to receive her. The three of you merged into one blob of a positively smothering family hug, only pulling away to pepper each other with more kisses. Levi held his two girls close. His sun and moon were now back together in the sky of his life. He looked into Luna’s crescent shaped eyes and whispered,

“Moon beam, Mama’s coming home.”