A Devoted Heart (Attack on Titan // LeviHan) - Part 2

Break A Leg

They spent the entire night and the next two days searching for important documents in Hanji's parental home. Busybody Moblit, who came to check on Hanji and found them drinking tea in awkward silence, organized a sizable group of Survey Corps members to help with Erwin's permission.

Levi napped twice, sitting down on one of the backstairs where it was quiet, his head resting against the wall. He didn't dream, which was always a blessing. Maybe because someone put a soft blanket over him both times? Quite foolishly, he hoped it was Hanji, however unlikely that was.

He couldn't stop his eyes from seeking her out whenever she was near but she was completely wrapped up in organizing the search, viewing every single book and document the soldiers brought to the library, then sorting them into messy piles with Moblit's help.

She didn't seem embarrassed or angry about what had happened in the closet, Levi soon concluded. Likely because it didn't matter to her - her life clearly didn't revolve around thinking endlessly about how to get rid of a torturous attraction. He on the other hand was both deeply embarrassed because he had lost his composure and loathing himself because he still couldn't master his impulses.

While searching the house with the others, Levi successfully resisted the urge to clean for an entire day. But when he came across a sizable broom standing at the ready in a dark corner on the second day there was no stopping him anymore. Generally, cleaning helped him get his mind off things. Things such as Hanji standing in front of him in a cramped cupboard, overwhelming his senses. Or possible documents hidden in this house identifying him as a traitor. He couldn't get over feeling increasingly anxious. The longer the search continued, the more afraid he got that they were about to find the confirmation he dreaded. Ackerman slave. Traitor with no choice. An abomination.

He swept the entrance hall and then the main stairs up all the way and down again, earning himself mildly amused looks from the fellow soldiers. Shame Eren and his friends had already left for Trost, Levi thought, glaring up at the cobwebs out of his reach, they had become quite proficient at cleaning under his guidance.

"You'll miss the upcoming mission if you try to clean the entire house," stopping next to him, Theodor Treibel followed Levi's gaze upwards to the ceiling.

Levi was so used to getting snide remarks about his cleaning habits that he barely listened.

"Give this to me," abruptly, Theodor Treibel took the broom from Levi's hands. What the... ? Treibel turned it around and swiped away cobwebs with it, casually showing off his height. Asshole.

"Better," he remarked, appreciating his handiwork. "You'll need help with the rest."

"Don't bother," Levi said gruffly. He was in no mood to spend his time cleaning, which he enjoyed, with Teddybear Treibel hovering near, which he definitely wouldn't enjoy. He and Treibel had established a I-won't-bother-you-if-you-don't-bother-me relationship over the years, not once talking about what had happened in the Underground, which was more than fine with Levi. The less he had to think about it the better and the less he saw of Treibel the better too because seeing him always made him remember going down the stairs with Hanji for the first time - and that opened floodgates of memories he tried to avoid as a general rule.

"I need to talk to you though," Theodor sounded as desperate as he sounded sullen.

This had to be about Annika, Levi guessed, watching Theodor busy himself with opening cupboards to locate more cleaning utensils. Erwin had made Theodor her squad leader in the previous year, likely Erwin's way to dish out some punishment for the part Treibel had played in the Underground uprising. As expected, Treibel and Annika had been at each other's throats constantly, much to the amusement of the rest of the Survey Corps. Quite a sizable group suspected they were banging each other because that much adverse chemistry simply needed that kind of outlet. But rumors had it that Annika had not only kept quiet about her transfer to the MP but had also left without saying goodbye.