Work Text:
The only thing she registers is the splish and splash of the water surrounding her.
It's warm, welcoming, engulfing their entire being and inviting them to fall back and straight into its embrace. When was the last time they'd allowed themselves to be at ease like this? It was hard to remember, the weight of exhaustion they'd been ignoring for days on end finally catching up with them.
Hange doesn't let themselves give into the temptation, blinking dumbly into awareness, a small hum leaving the back of their throat at the feel of fingers raking through her scalp.
Most people would've panicked at the realization they'd woken up in an unfamiliar position. It was the natural response, the reasonable kind any normal person would make in a situation like this. The Section Commander would've done the same thing had this not been a routine already established long ago.
And really? They had no reason to panic, not when the last thing that came to mind was the abrupt hit that had rendered them unconscious.
They already knew what happened, what was going on, who was there.
There was truly no reason to be afraid.
"Was knocking me out really necessary, shorty?"
Even without her glasses, she'd recognize that figure anywhere, no matter how blurry it appeared to be. They felt his hands still for a brief moment– unsure of whatever look passed through his eyes then –before the sound of a light huff blessed her ears and he finally graced her with words.
"You're awake." That would be his simple retort, pulling away from the wooden tub she laid in only to gently place the very pair of specs he'd taken off right atop the bridge of their nose. Steely blue met reddish amber, and a small smile finally graced the lips of the tired scientist, finally able to see the face of her one and only midget.
"You're not answering my question, y'know?"
It wasn't too surprising that they'd been left in their undergarments, Levi had never been the type to strip them down fully for these impromptu bath sessions. It was ironic, really, for he'd already seen them in various states of undress before in the past— unable to escape such a thing when Hange was never known to be the 'shy' type.
Shameless, many would call her, but she'd argue she was just brave. What was there to fear about the human body, anyways?
"It is when not even Moblit can't coerce you into taking a bath, four-eyes." A fair argument she couldn't immediately refute, leaning further into the soapy waters with a small pout.
Okay, maybe he had a point there. They did reject any and all of Moblit's attempt to step away from their work.
"I was busy, you know how it is." The words feel practiced, like a script she'd memorized from similar incidents in the past. "I would've taken my bath eventually."
Again, the two are staring each other down silently. Skepticism shines bright in his gaze and Hange cannot blame him for it. They don't exactly have a good track record to back their words up. His disbelief is expected, really.
What she doesn't expect is his next line of words.
"It's not just the baths you've been avoiding, though."
And, as always, his words cut exactly where it needs to. Many would not expect Humanity's Strongest to be as proficient with words as he is with the blade, but many of those people fail to understand the man beyond the weapon he's proven himself to be. Had Hange been a lesser person, perhaps even she'd be surprised at this turn of events.
Hange is not a lesser person, though.
Hange cannot find it in themselves to be surprised that Levi had caught on to her recent pattern of behavior.
Of course he had.
When has anything ever gone past his watchful eyes?
"When was your last meal, Hange?" A palm swipes over their forehead, pulling the soaked locks of hair sticking to their skin up, his free hand cupping a handful of water to pour over her head. He repeats the action, giving her time to answer, time to decide what she wants to say.
She's always ran on being able to control what she gives, what she reveals to others. It's an unexpected trait to expect from someone as open as Hange presents herself to be to the public eye. Not many people ever actually realize those insane, unhinged tangents she goes on and on over have become strategic over the years. It's made to attract attention, to get people hooked on the dreams, the insanity she represents. It is exactly how she'd garnered such a loyal squad of people, one's just as dedicated as she is to finding the truth behind these beasts that kept them caged.
Levi would naturally blame all of this on Erwin's influence, too. The man would frequently come up to her, inquire for ideas, make her mind work as he brought idea upon idea onto her platter and she, without hesitation, took the bait greedily. Perhaps Hange would never compare to the person Erwin was– they had their own little quirks that made them uniquely themselves –but they were certainly as close as anyone could be to him whether people wanted to admit it or not.
It was almost eerie, in a sense.
Those two were almost like two sides of the same coin.
"When was the last time you slept?" He added on, aware of the way her gaze had flickered away from him, shoulders hunching in what he read as shame. She couldn't remember, could she?
Should he even be surprised?
"You haven't been taking care of yourself."
It isn't a question anymore, their silence alone had confirmed all he needed to know.
All he wanted to know was why.
Perhaps, Hange wanted to know why, too.
"You know how it is." Finally, they murmur out.
It wouldn't do them any good keeping things away from Levi. It wouldn't do them any good keeping this to themselves, either. He'd find out one way or another.
Whether she wanted that or not was not a question she felt like pondering over right now.
"You know how it is, Levi."
It was that infuriating, deep-rooted exhaustion that haunted their every waking moment. One that called for them to work, work and work until their body gave out. A guilt that gnawed at their chest, whispering words known to no one else but her.
'You're not doing enough', it'd say. 'You're wasting time sitting idly,' another would whisper. Regardless, they never left her be, a constant reminder of what could be done if they just put enough effort into it. There was no time to stop, to pause, to think, to breathe, to eat— there wasn't time for any of it.
The longer Hange lazed around the more people they'd lose.
The longer Hange sat around doing nothing the more people would die knowing nothing.
Hange knew all of this, they truly did. It was a reality they'd come face-to-face with time and time again. No one would wait around for them, titans certainly wouldn't. They'd just keep taking, taking and taking—
And in response, all she could do to combat it was work.
Work, just keep working.
Work, because it was the only thing that drives out the silent barracks after a grueling expedition.
Work, for as long as you are still breathing, you must serve.
Work, for it is all you can do, it is the only think you can do.
Work, because it's all you've ever known to do.
Hange hadn't been lying, at the very least. Levi truly didn't need any more words from the brunette.
They were right, after all.
"I do."
He did know how it was.
Reaching out, he rubs circles by the back of her neck, taking in the dim flame before him. She'd always been bright, enough so to catch the eye of everyone around them, an ember that refused to die out no matter how much you tried to. A candle that could only continue to eat itself up till there was nothing left but a wisp of fire, fighting to stay lit; fighting to keep going.
A fire so self-contained there was only one person it could burn.
If only they'd let him carry that torch, too.
Just one word, one word— and he would.
Anything to keep them from flying away too far, from going somewhere he couldn't reach.
Anything to keep them here.
A resolve hardens in him then, tilting her head up gently with a small tug to her locks. "For tonight, let me take care of it."
There is only so much he can allow himself to witness before it breaks him, before he begins to plead.
"For tonight, just leave it to me, Hange."
Please.
For one, terrifying moment he fears rejection. He fears that this is the one time in their years of camaraderie that he oversteps the small, invisible line drawn between them. The pull that's drawn them oh-so close tugging tighter, urging him to do the things he's refrained from wanting; the things he told himself could never be in their line of work.
In the end, that fear becomes unfounded.
"Okay."
The words are spoken softly, quiet in ways Hange never let themselves be.
It's different, but not unwelcome. Nothing about Hange is.
"Just for tonight."
Just for tonight, they'd allow him a touch of their flame.