The pencil glided smoothly along the white thin paper, his skillful hand drawing quick little black strokes almost instinctively.
Erwin had been talking about the next expedition for the last forty minutes, but he had lost his focus halfway through. His mind trailed off freely, drowning him in a golden floaty daydream as he pretended to listen.
He looked over to his left side through the corner of his eye, right to where Hanji was sitting. Their hair was kept untamed and messy, hurriedly tied up in a half ponytail. The afternoon sunrays softened their concentrated expression as they wrote something down on their notebook, slightly biting on their bottom lip, furrowed brows framing their rounded glasses.Â
âIs everything alright, Levi?â, they asked, curious, suddenly noticing the weight of his gaze upon them. Their eyes were now focused on him, expectant. âWhat are you doing?â
He huffed, nervous, quickly hiding his own notebook away.
âNone of your damn businessâ, he whispered, voice low so that nobody else would hear.
Hanji let out a shy chuckle, covering their mouth with one of their hands.
âYou were drawing, right?â, they guessed, their gaze widening with sheer amusement. Levi dismissed them with a heavy grunt, unwilling to admit it out loud. âI didnât know you could draw!â
âI didnât say I was drawing.â, he lied. Hanji, however, wasnât buying any of it.
âCâmon!â, they poked at him, playful, kicking him from under the table. âCan I see?â
Levi took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure.
âNo.â, he hissed. Hanji rolled their eyes at him and tried to turn their attention back to Erwin, who was now listing the soldiers that were next going on the battlefield.
âSo meanâŚâ, they complaint, teasingly; black ink scribbling the white canvas of the paper. A knowing smirk escaped past their lips, and Levi couldnât help but stare, completely dumfounded at the sight.
It was over. Over for good. He couldnât hide from the obvious anymore, couldnât pretend not to see it.
He looked once more at the messily finished doodle on the corner of the page laying flat in front of him, his heart aching with realization.
The meeting had ended twenty minutes later than expected. Everyone getting up from their seats in silent hurry, desperate to relegate themselves to their rooms or grab a bite by the mess hall.
Levi shut his notebook close, grabbing it firmly between steady fingers. Hanji was following after him, fumbling clumsily towards the door.
âArenât you gonna show me what you drew?â, they insisted, jogging in a desperate attempt to catch up to him.
He didnât even turn back to look at them.
âWill you ever take no for an answer?â, he complaint.
Hanji laughed, brightly and loud.
âNo.â, they assumed, smiling. Levi couldnât do much else but scoff in response.
âYouâre a pain in the ass, did you know?â, he protested, opening the door. Hanji fastened their pace, walking to him quick enough to exit the room before he did.
And quick enough to make him drop his notebook to the floor, too.
âShit, Levi, Iâm so sorry!â, they apologized, bending on their knees to gather the fallen papers, scattered all over. He did the same, hands working swiftly to recover what was his, what no one else was ever supposed to see.
âItâs fine, shitty glasses.â, he stuttered, nervous. His pulse raising and crashing against his ribcage in furious anticipation, towering him with anxiety.
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