Moving On

"Can you stop doing that?"

"What?" she asks innocently.

"Stop staring at me like I'm gonna explode or something."

Hange turns away slightly, trying to hide the small smile playing on her lips.

"Would that truly happen then if I keep staring?"

"Who the fuck knows."

It stays silent for a while.

And Levi lets out a suffering sigh, already feeling a headache coming up. "Tell me what's on your mind this time, the sooner we can get it over with."

She turns back, eying him for a moment. He doesn't look at her.

"I overheard the kids talking." She rearranges some of the documents before her on the desk.

"Yeah, and?" Levi had a feeling he wasn't really going to like where this was going.

"You smiled."

He groans inwardly, closing his eyes for a moment.

From all the stuff she had to choose from, that was the one fucking thing she had to latch on to? That was the one thing she had to overhear?

Fucking fantastic.

So he just shrugs and remains silent, keeping his face blank, suddenly very interested in the documents on the desk before him.

Again it's silent for a while.

"So."

He dares to take a glance at her. "So what?"

"You feel better then."

Her eyes soften, and he quickly looks away again. Damn shitty glasses. She had noticed. Of course, she had. Who was he kidding?

He doesn't answer her.

"I'm glad."

"Huh?"

She smiles, leaning back a little in her chair, brushing a hand through her hair. "I was a bit concerned, you know. But I'm glad you've found your balance again."

Once more, a silence stretches out between them.

"They were pretty surprised, you know. That you even—"

Levi cuts her off before she can say anything else. "Ok, I know, I was there, alright? Can we now please continue with these boring-ass documents instead of wasting our time and talking about useless shit?"

And to his immense relief, they continue with their work.

However, he couldn't help feeling the spark of warmth inside his chest.

His young squad had done well.

"Thanks, all of you."

I absolutely love that moment in chapter 69. That smile is so precious.

The kids were so adorable too; Historia got her payback, and unknowingly, they cheered up their captain and gave him the last push to move on from what had happened with Kenny.

Anyway, this idea came to me and didn't want to let me go. Hope you liked it :)

All the mistakes are mine.