There's something wrong

Chapter 4|

One week later...

Levi knew it wasn't his business. This was something personal. Private. Levi knew he shouldn't, and couldn't get involved in. It would be dangerous for Hanji if he even dared to intervene. What if Jensen hurt her for trying to get help? What if Jensen got suspicious of Levi trying to talk to her? What if Jensen got genuinely jealous? There were too many dangerous possibilities in this shitty situation. Fuck... How was he supposed to get bubbly, kind Hanji back? How was he supposed to help her climb out of the situation? Was it possible... That Levi might just have to let it go? No. Of course not. He had to help her, but... Then again... This was Hanji he was talking about, after all. Strong, determined, focused, curious, Hanji. His shitty glasses. The shitty glasses he had admired from the moment he joined the Survey Corps. But the woman who had treated him with such fairness and kindness was fading away, slipping out of his grasp.

One awful day that Levi remembered very clearly, exactly a week after the incident with Moblit and Mikasa and Jensen, Erwin had ordered Levi and Hanji to work on a report together from their latest mission. They were sitting next to each other in the Library, on a hot day, in complete silence. The scratching of their pens against the papers echoed throughout the room.
"Hey... Hanji. We should talk."
"Not right now, Levi."
Hanji replied in a mumbling tone, her grip on the pen tightening.
"You've been avoiding me for days. Erwin too. Practically everyone."
"Levi, we've already had this fucking discussion. Remember? 'Hanji, come meet me in my office in the morning.' 'Sure Levi! Whatever could be the matter?' Well whoops, looks like you're here to ask me about my fucking injury. I don't need your help or pity so just fucking drop it!"
Levi glared at her. She had been using more profanity than usual. Sleeping more often. So many signs that something was wrong that he couldn't push away or ignore.
"What the hell is your problem?"
He demanded, standing up.
"You've been acting weird for months! I'm sick of it and your attitude!"
Hanji grit her teeth and stood up as well. Levi took a deep breath. Just... He just had to speak his mind.
"Look. If you're upset with me, then... I'm sorry. I'll try to help or something. But we're comrades and we need to work this out. Just tell me what's wrong-"
"No. You... You wouldn't understand! Nothing is wrong with me and I really do think you need to lay off my business."
"You're my comrade Hanji. I need to know what's wrong so I can help you. Explain so that I can understand."
But Hanji shook her head, backing away from him slowly, like he was a wild animal. Before the tears that were building up in her eyes could escape and roll down her cheeks, she ran out the door, leaving her paperwork behind. When she left, Levi stood up, took a deep breath, and then swiped the papers off of the desk in anger. But his short rage quit didn't stop there. He kicked the entire table over in one strong kick. It fell to the ground with a loud crash as Levi sat back down and put his face in his hands, breathing heavily. He cursed under his breath. So this was what it was like having someone you care about not tell you what's wrong, huh? Well it was damn frustrating. And it didn't stop at that moment. The same conversation with the same ending would happen over and over again. A never ending cycle of complete torture. He just... Wanted to know what was wrong.

As he was in Erwin's office, thinking out loud and explaining his frustration, Erwin finally stopped him from pacing the room frantically.
"Levi. Calm down."
"I can't just calm down, Erwin. Our idiot glasses is in deep shit!"
Erwin sighed. He knew that the bond Levi and Hanji shared was special. The two's personalities evened each other out perfectly. The flaws that they had could be easily fixed by the other. Hanji would get angry, Levi, as level headed as he was could calm her down. Hanji could make Levi talk to her openly. Levi could get Hanji to bathe, and Hanji could get Levi to take a deep breath and think over things when he got stressed in a subtle way, which helped when they were in front of people. A lot. Especially the 104 kids.
"Levi, you still haven't told me exactly what's this 'trouble' that you're talking about."
Levi bit his lip, and growled in frustration. Think, Levi. What would Hanji tell him to do? How would Hanji explain her situation?

"... Glasses is in a situation... Where she could get almost in trouble if anyone were to find out... It's kind of.. Private, and what I saw a week ago was something too personal for me, or anyone else to go galavanting around and telling the whole regiment. And you have the power to stop it, I think, but this is private for her."
Levi explained slowly, almost like a child trying to sound out the words.
"This is personal. Way too personal for us to get into, maybe. But I don't know if Hanji can handle it herself."
Erwin took a moment to think about what Levi had explained to him. He processed it slowly, and finally looked up.
"For now, leave her alone. Act as if you two hadn't been arguing non stop for the past week. Just be there for her and support her. She'll come around eventually. Do what you two always have. Playfully insult her from time to time, make sure to be gentle and try not to touch her harshly, or maybe at all if you can. Bring her lunch every day. That kinda thing. Help her with paperwork if needed."
Erwin explained to him.

Levi thought about it carefully. It seemed like a good idea. Maybe Levi had just been going about the situation the wrong way. He needed to calm down, and try his best to make Hanji feel safe, happy, and comfortable around him again. He needed to try his very best to understand her and her emotions. And not just some half assed, "I get it," but he needed to be genuine. This was for Hanji, which meant Levi could do it. He would do quite a lot for her. And of course, he decided since Levi had put himself on Jensen's radar, he'd need Mikasa and Moblit's help in taking care of Hanji. It was okay. It would all be okay. Levi had faith that Hanji would be back to her smiling self soon. He would do anything to make that hopeful thought a reality. Anything.