Partners Against Crime

7

Hanji nodded and sat down. She rested her head on her arms on the table. Several minutes later, Levi brought the food and tea over. The pair ate in silence.

"Before we leave, I'd like to re-bandage you eye," Levi said.

"Oh...o-okay," Hanji replied.

Levi set a hand on hers.

"It's all right Zoe," he said.

"To me, you are still the best and most talented."

Hanji smiled.

"Thanks Levi," she said.

Levi tended to her eye injury and then the pair got ready to leave.

----------

Levi walked into the police station. Hanji hesitantly followed him in. She kept her head down as they headed towards their shared office. There were a few whispers as they walked.

"What the hell happened to her?" someone said.

"Isn't that the eye where she had an eyepatch on earlier?" another said.

"Did it get reinjured?"

"Who cares, not like she's much use anyway," a third said.

"You heard how she got it right? A reckless error on her part! Got several officers killed."

Before the cadet knew what happened, Levi had him pinned to the wall.

"You want to rethink what you just said?" Levi hissed.

"SHE is 100% better than you will ever be. SHE is doing her best to help catch a murderer while you sit on your ass doing nothing. You say anything disrespectful to or about Hanji, I will personally kick your ass out of this station."

"Easy Levi, it's okay," Hanji said.

"I can handle some harsh words..."

Levi released the cadet.

"I'm watching you shithead," he hissed.

"Come on Hanj, let's get to work."

Levi gently took her hand and walked to their office. Hanji blushed a little and followed him along. Once in Levi's office, the pair got to work. Several hours passed and they really hadn't gotten very far with anything. The case once again, seemed to hit a wall. Hanji grumbled and rubbed her bandaged eye.

"Idiot! Don't rub your bad eye," Levi scolded.

"S-sorry..." Hanji muttered.

Levi's expression softened hearing the tone in her voice.

"It's bothering you, isn't it?" he asked.

Hanji nodded.

"It stings a bit..." she said.

Levi got up and pulled out his first aid kit. He sat on the desk in front of Hanji.

"Let me take a look," Levi said.

He clipped her hair back and removed the bandages. Hanji sat still as Levi carefully looked over her eye.

"It bled a little more, most likely from the rubbing, and it does look aggravated," Levi said.

"I hate this stupid eye," Hanji mumbled.

"Don't say that," Levi replied as he got a damp cloth and began to clean up the blood.

"Why? It's stupid, useless and makes me look even uglier," Hanji said.

"It does nothing but haunt and torment me..."

"Hanji." Levi snapped.

"I will not sit here and listen to you berate yourself. You are not ugly, you're the smartest person I know and you are worth so much more than words can even describe."

Hanji looked at him. Levi stopped his work for a moment and looked at her, his fingers lingering by her dulled eye.

"Please, don't say such terrible things about yourself Zoe," Levi said.

"I appreciate you as you are, you are perfect, eye scar and all."

Hanji blushed a little. Levi started to tend to her eye again.

"Thank you Levi," Hanji said.

"Thank you as well," Levi replied.

"For what?" Hanji asked.

"For coming back into my life when I needed someone the most, this case...has been very hard on me even though I don't admit it," Levi replied.

"You brought some light back into my life, so thank you for being my friend and helping me."

"I'm always happy to help out and you're one of my closest friends as well," Hanji said.

"You're one of the very few who've stuck around."

Levi finished bandaging her eye.

"Well someone's gotta take care of you and your easily distracted mind," Levi said.

"Levi!" Hanji replied.

"You know I'm right!" Levi said.

Hanji laughed lightly. Levi smiled a tiny bit, he enjoyed hearing her laugh. He would do anything to protect her and make her smile.