Save Me | levihan

Chapter 22: Mrs. Zoe

Hanji has never seen Levi freak out from nerves before. He was almost always calm and collected, but not today.

He was taken aback by Hanji's sudden question. Meeting someone's mom was a big deal. Levi was freaking out. What if she didn't like him? What if she didn't think he deserved to be with her daughter? What if-

Hanji could see the anxiety on his face. "You don't have to! She just mentioned that she wanted to meet you." Hanji shrugged. "It's really no big deal."

"Yes it is." Levi admitted. He knew Hanji adored her mom. "I'd love to meet her." He said with a smile.

Hanji smiled widely at his words. "Yay! I'll tell her we'll go see her tomorrow!" Hanji ran off to go call her mom. Levi gulped.

For the last hour Hanji has been watching Levi stress clean. He had his mask on and was running around the house vacuuming, dusting, and doing whatever else it was. Hanji didn't understand. When she was stressed she'd eat. Not that she was complaining, a man that cleans is totally husband material.

When Levi was finally finished he sighed in relief. That felt good.

"Wow the house is sparkling!" Hanji commented dramatically. "What a good house wife you are."

Levi glared and threw his duster at her.

~ Time skip ~

Levi let out a breath. He didn't understand why he felt so nervous, he's been in much more stressful situations than this.

Hanji noticed Levi's silence the whole ride there. She instinctively put her hand on his thigh. It's just my mom is what she wanted to say but she held her tongue. She knew that wouldn't ease his anxiety. "She's gonna love you Levi." She reassured.

He nodded. "I don't know why I'm so nervous. Maybe it's just been a while since I've had to try and impress someone."

Hanji laughed, "You don't need to impress her! Just be yourself, you had me when you yelled at me at six o'clock that one morning." She recalled the first time she met him.

Levi pulled into the driveway. The two walked up to the door and Hanji knocked excitedly. Levi stood next to her, all of the sudden feeling really short.

"Mom!" Hanji cheered as a tall woman opened the door. She had glasses and short messy hair that looked a lot like Hanji's. She had a huge grin on her face that almost instantly put Levi at ease. She looked warm, just like Hanji.

Hanji and her mom hugged for a while before they pulled apart. "This is Levi, my boyfriend!"

Hanji's mom looked at Levi and smiled.

"Levi Ackerman." He stuck out his hand for her to shake. Her mom just looked at his hand and laughed.

"Oh come on now darling, no need to act so professional." She pulled Levi into a hug. "You must be something special for Hanji to fall for you." She laughed, "Or maybe you're special since you've met her and you're still here!"

"MOM" Hanji yelled as she marched into the house. "Sawney, Beane!"

"Who's Sawney and Beane?" Levi asked as he followed the Zoe's into the house.

Hanji turned around with two large cats in her arms. "Levi, meet Sawney and Beane!"

Levi made a face. Cats shed a lot of hair. Before he could react, Hanji shoved them into his arms and ran away.

"H-hanji!" Levi yelled after the giggling girl. "Take your shoes off before running around!"

Hanji's mom smiled at them. He seemed perfect for Hanji.

They spent the rest of the evening hanging out and helping Hanji's mom prepare dinner.

"So Levi, do you have any family in town?"

Hanji looked at Levi, she wasn't sure how he'd respond.

Levi shook his head and tried to push the cat away from his leg gently. They really seemed to like him.

"What about your mom?" Her mom asked him, trying to find out more about him.

"She passed away when I was young." He explained.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry..." She apologized.

"It's okay." He added, "She was lovely." He smiled gently.

Hanji loved when Levi talked about his mom. She could see how deeply he loved her by the way he spoke about her.

"What about your father?"

Levi shook his head again. "Never knew him." He worried these facts were making him look like he came from a bad place. But he did and he learned to not be ashamed of it. He worked hard to get where he is now.

Mrs. Zoe just nodded and looked at Hanji. "So I hear you are a Captain, right?"

Levi nodded. "I joined the scouts when I was in my early 20s. I became a captain six years later. I've been there for nearly ten years."

"That's impressive! You must love the people there."

Levi looked down and smiled. "The cadets are little shits, but they're good soldiers." He looked at Hanji, "and the Research and Development team is full of bright people. I'm sure Hanji told you about the presentation."

Hanji giggled and her mom smiled. "I'm so glad Hanji found this job. She seems so happy."

They continued their idle conversation for the rest of dinner.

"We'll visit again!" Hanji hugged her mom. Her mom smiled at her before turning to Levi.

She wrapped him in a hug. "You be good to her." She whispered in his ear. She pulled away and Levi nodded. "She is everything to me." He said honestly. His mom smiled warmly, "I wish you two nothing but the best."

Levi heard meowing coming from the door. "Goodbye Sawney and Beane." He felt Hanji's hand wrap around his arm and pull him back to the car.

"Weeeellllllll" Hanji poked his arm as he drove them back. Levi held in a smile. "Hah!" Hanji yelled. "I knew you'd love them."

"Them as in your mom and the cats?" He asked trying to remain stoic.

"Obviously." Hanji rolled her eyes playfully.