Chapter Text
There is nothing that can be considered fun, that should be considered fun, with the knowledge that humanity rests on your back, and 99% of your past and future colleagues are or will end up dead. With pressure like that on you, on top of being humanity’s so-called best soldier, it’s hard to find peaceful moments to enjoy without thoughts of “What’s left to do?” or “Who’s left to save?”
(Levi isn’t the captain of their squad, which means he doesn’t have the burden of treating children as pawns and friends as rooks. Instead, he can view them all as what they are, human; Painfully, disgustingly, mortally, human.)
Nonetheless, there is something Levi can admit is relaxing about (for once) being allowed a moment for him to think to himself where he has nothing to do. He would have thought the ever-corrupting trails of boredom would have crept in through the door in place of the screaming children with too many questions on their lips and too much hope in their hearts. Alas, there is nothing of the sort, yet just as Levi is about to drift off, there is a light series of taps on the door, playing a familiar pattern that makes Levi groan.
The door opens to not only reveal Erwin but also the other pain in his ass, Hange. The look on their face matches the same look they usually wear, and it is not a few seconds before they push past Levi and enter the room uninvited. Levi scoffs and holds the door wider for Erwin who enters with a politer nod.
Hange wastes no time in lounging across the bed, feet kicking like a little girl about to spill secrets. Erwin takes his seat at the edge of it, far enough from falling to not be uncomfortable but close enough to Hange’s long ass legs to not be comfortable. Levi chooses to lean against the wall for the small chance that there’s some Titans that might unexpectedly need dealing with. He doesn’t need all three of the most experienced members off their guard, especially with Eren and half of their group already away at some other mission.
“Leviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!” Hange complains, stretching her fingers with mock offense in her voice. “Don’t stand there so serious, Erwin and I have something to sayyyyyyyyy!”
Levi raises an eyebrow at Erwin, who shrugs in response with a knowing smile on his face. It matches the one from long ago, back when they were all just bumbling teenagers who thought they would die before ever reaching 20. Erwin had been smart and mischievous, never one to turn away Hanje’s antics as long as it wouldn’t harm anyone, and Levi had always been the annoyed victim of the two. The memory loosens something in him, and he relaxes against the wall, shoulders dropping and a leg crossed.
“Hange if this is another one of your titan fuck-ups--”
An annoyed Hange cuts him off.
“No no, this isn’t about the titans and, my experiments aren’t fuck-ups”
“You’re right, compared to you even the titans can’t be called fuck-ups.”
Erwin covers his mouth with his hand, but it’s no use; All 3 of them hear the small laugh that escapes him. Levi wonders how long it’s been since he’s heard that.
“Hange was going to say--”
“It’s officially been 10 years since we defeated our first titan!” Hangi exclaims for him, brushing off Levi’s comment.
Levi bristles, realizing Hange’s right. The battle is still fresh in his mind, despite a decade’s passing. Hange had jumped in first, but with their little experience it was no surprise they had quickly gotten injured and had to retreat to the top of a building where they had instead shot out instructions to the other two instead. Erwin had pretended to be the main attacker, listening to Hange’s comments about hitting the Titan’s eyes or wrapping around its neck to make it more focused on just Erwin. Levi had been the backhand fighter, disabling its legs while it was distracted and eventually going in for the kill.
He pushes himself off the wall and joins the duo on the bed. Hanji sits up to make room for him.
There is a comfort they all find in eachother, and despite it having been a while since they got to sit and pretend like this, it still feels like nothing has changed.
They talk and bicker like before, when Hange didn’t need an eyepatch and Erwin didn’t have to deal with the hundreds dead at his instructions and Levi didn’t feel the constant pulse of adrenaline 24/7.
“I bet I could beat you in a staring contest.” Hange mumbles, hours into their conversation, hand reaching up to cover their yawn. Levi glances outside, noticing the darkened sky and knows he needs to soon end the impromptu eye-of-the-hurricane moment they’ve all settled in.
“I bet I could beat you at anything four eyes”
Erwin glances between the two of them before leaning back and settling into something close to his commander's voice.
“Okay, but whoever loses has to do something the winner says.”
“Deal. If I lose, you and Hange leave and go do some fucking work.”
Hange pouts at this, but puts their hand out for a handshake, a deal, regardless. Levi scoffs. He doesn’t plan on losing a small competition like this.
The staring contest starts, both contestants half-glaring at eachother with memories of the millions of times they had done this before coursing through their heads.
Hange smirks and blows onto his eyes, causing him to blink. A cheap trick, but he had still lost and wasn’t about to go back on his promise. Muttering a few curses under his breath he looks at who he lost to.
“What do you want?”
He crosses his hands as he watches as Hange and Erwin shuffle a bit farther away from him to ‘discuss’. It’s barely a minute before the two shuffle back to him; Erwin wearing the closest to a shit eating grin he could get while Hange holds a cheekier smile than usual on their face.
“Mmm Levi you lost the bet so the punishment is….”
Erwin taps Hange on their shoulder, a signal for something, Levi was sure, but for what he didn’t know. Hange’s mouth closed and their hand scratched their head. Erwin sighed as Hange thinks.
“Okay before that.. Eren is your least favorite cadet..right?”
Levi could argue that Eren was actually his favorite, considering he didn't know any of the other kids and didn't plan to learn about them. However, he knew they'd take advantage of this, so he played along with a nod of his head trying to figure out how that shitty kid came into it.
“Okay! Well, it’s settled.”
“You have to be nice to him for a week.”