⟢ PICK THREE DETAILS MAXIMUM! your reader doesn't need to know every piece of furniture. Give them the broken clock on the mantle, the smell of cigarettes embedded in the couch, the water stain on the ceiling shaped like Italy. Their brain will fill in the rest. You're not writing an insurance inventory!!!
⟢ Use the senses people forget. Everyone does sight and sound, but what about: the metallic taste of fear, the way humidity makes your clothes stick, the phantom itch of being watched, that gross feeling when you touch something unexpectedly wet. GET WEIRD WITH IT
⟢ MOTION IN YOUR DESCRIPTIONS!! (Please?) don't just tell me the curtains are blue, tell me they're "shuddering in the AC blast" or "hanging limp like they've given up." Static description is a sleep aid. Make things MOVE
⟢ Your narrator's voice should COLOR everything! A depressed character won't describe the sunset as "beautiful mauve and amber streaking across the sky," they'll think "the sun's dying again, doing its whole performance art thing with the clouds"
⟢ Stop with the mirror descriptions! :( "She looked in the mirror and saw her auburn hair and green eyes" NO. Banned. Forbidden. Find literally any other way. Have another character notice. Show through action. Slip details in naturally. The mirror thing is lazy and we all know it
⟢ Similes and metaphors: COMMIT OR DON'T DO IT! "like" is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. "Her anger was like a storm" is BORING. "Her anger rolled in with the methodical inevitability of a hurricane, and he was standing in a trailer park in Florida" now we're TALKING
Is it okay to request a one shot of jealous Levi towards Zeke and Hange's relationship 👀 even though Levi and Hange are already in a relationship, openly of course, their friends know about them and all that, it's not a secret, but still, jealousy still happens right and maybe a misunderstanding too... especially when Zeke is still trying to try his luck with Hange afsgsk to spice it up more 😆
A long time almost eight months has passed since you sent in this request, Anon—I'm so sorry I'm only getting to this now! 🙈 I feel like I've been jumping from one fic project to another for pretty much all of 2025 (it was a lot of fun, I'm not complaining!) which is why it took me so long to finally tackle your request.
Your idea instantly made me think of a high school setting, because it gives a lot of room for silly, teenage bickering and drama—I hope you'll enjoy this! Also, it's written from Zeke's POV, so get ready for a very annoying Zeke and a very frustrated Levi (and Hange.) xD
The Troublemaker Who Didn't Know When Enough Was Enough
Rating: T (for language)
Word Count: 2 457
High-School AU. Zeke's POV. Humour.
The moment Hange and Levi's relationship was officially announced (though not by their choice, since it was Nanaba who blurted out the news during lunch break, when half of the school was present in the cafeteria), they became a sensation among their friends and classmates. They were the first student couple of ninth grade; of course, they would become the number one topic of the entire year.
Curious eyes constantly followed around the fifteen-year-olds, trying to spot any form of PDA between the two who seemed too incompatible at first glance. Usually, though, those hopes ended in disappointment, because they obviously wouldn't see a shared kiss or even a brush of fingers if Levi was one half of the couple.
Still, the news spread very quickly, and soon even the parallel classes were up to date.
Zeke, who had attempted to ask Hange out several months ago, shot a resentful glance at the two lovebirds currently sitting on the other side of the schoolyard, their heads tucked together. Hange was a chaotic, quirky force, and usually not the kind of person he'd pursue. But against all odds, he'd found himself fascinated (and yes, also a little attracted) by how extraordinarily intelligent she was. Two brilliant minds could achieve great things, like world domination or something along those lines, which didn't sound half bad. After some back-and-forth thinking, he'd managed to work himself up and—for he never backed off a challenge—had asked her out on a date.
The conversation, brief as it had been, ended with him being rejected, which put a big damper on his mood. He was usually the one saying no to a date, and the experience left a deep crack in his honour. As one of the most popular guys in their grade, he wasn't used to that kind of answer.
"I really appreciate you asking," she had said with a warm yet sympathetic smile, pushing up her large glasses with the back of her hand. "But there's already someone I like. Someone else."
Zeke never would've guessed that the person she'd been talking about back then was the short guy.
He shook his head with a sigh and took a bite of his half-eaten apple, biting down with a little too much force. How could short guy be taken before him? He couldn't fathom a reason other than Levi being undeservedly lucky, and his mood soured even further.
During PE lessons, Zeke made sure to deliberately pass the volleyball so badly that Levi had no chance of catching it, finding great comfort in the way the other's face darkened as time went on. It seemed there was at least something he could do that made him feel better.
Fortunately, he shared only a few subjects with Levi and Hange, and during the ones he did, he tried to stay out of their way as best as possible. He barely glanced at them when one of the students announced that the "couple" was arriving, and therefore avoided any unnecessary interactions—which wasn't too difficult; they weren't even friends.
Still, the urge to somehow make his presence felt, to make everyone, and in particular the couple, aware that he still existed, never ceased. Partly because of his hurt ego, partly because he didn't want to accept a no, he found himself trying to come up with ways to unnerve Levi and flirt with Hange once more. If he couldn't have her, he'd at least try to wreak as much havoc as he could.
"So you're with the short guy now, huh?" Zeke asked Hange one day after school, jogging up to her after spotting her on her way to the bus stop, completely alone.
"What?" Her brows furrowed as she tried to make sense of Zeke's question. Then it seemed to click, and her eyes lit up, irritatingly so. "Ohh, yes. We've been seeing each other for a while now."
"But technically, you're not a couple yet?" Zeke probed, hope rising in his chest, restoring his usual confidence. Of course, you could never be sure of the information that reached you after passing through fifty teenage mouths; rumors always tended to exaggerate.
"I mean… maybe? I'm not sure, we haven't really talked about it yet," Hange said, dodging the question. "Why does it matter to you, though?"
"Because I asked you out and you said no, and I'd like to ask you again, hoping that this time, you'll say yes." Zeke put as much force into his words as he could and reached out to grab Hange by the wrist, forcing her to stand still.
"I'm sorry, Zeke, but I'm serious about being with Levi," she said, tilting her head in an almost compassionate manner. It made Zeke bristle at once. "We're not dating just for the sake of it. We're serious about each other."
"What do you see in that guy? I really don't get it," Zeke mumbled, shaking his head, still trying to cope with the second rejection he'd just received.
"He's the kindest person you could ever imagine," Hange said without hesitation, and her gaze took on that dreamy look again, causing Zeke to scowl. "He's patient, funny, and—"
"Pah, funny. I'm having a hard time believing that," Zeke remarked, expecting Hange to roll her eyes or throw an insult his way, which would've been an appropriate response to his jab. Hange's attention, however, was already on the person currently making their way towards them: Levi.
He was wearing a dark grey hoodie underneath his denim jacket, his hands buried deep in its pockets, and he was glaring at them as he approached—or, to be precise, at the hand still resting on Hange's arm. Noticing the displeasure the gesture caused in her kind-of-boyfriend, Hange quickly freed her wrist from Zeke's grip and used that same hand to wave at the newcomer.
"Levi, hi!" she said, gently bumping her shoulder against his in a gesture of welcome. "We were just talking about you."
"You were?" Levi said, glancing at Zeke with no little suspicion. "Why?"
"Just because," Hange replied with a shrug, looping her arm through Levi's. It seemed she wanted to make it particularly clear that she belonged to him and that Zeke had no chance. Yikes. "I just mentioned to our blonde friend that we're going to the amusement park this weekend. As a date. He said it sounded like a fun idea, didn't you, Zeke?" The smile she gave him in return was clearly forced. So his earlier quip had struck a nerve indeed.
The hostility towards Zeke's presence was obvious in Levi's eyes as they waited for him to answer Hange's question. "Not really, but I hope you have fun." The words stuck to his tongue as he forced them out, as always happened with big, fat lies. "Let's hope you're tall enough to be allowed on the rides; otherwise, you'll have to stick to the children's carousels." Without waiting for an answer, Zeke turned on his heels and darted off, ignoring the hissed protests from behind.
With that, an endless chain of back-and-forth digs started between the two teenage boys, who had a very hard time coexisting peacefully without getting at each other.
It began with harmless barbs and petty annoyances, mostly during PE lessons. Zeke knew exactly how to get under Levi's skin, and Levi did his best to ignore the blonde teen, quietly piling up anger inside him until it eventually broke free and he hurled a row of expletives Zeke's way. Those exchanges usually ended with both teens having to sit out a round of volleyball or soccer on the bench—to calm their nerves and make amends, so the teacher said.
Whenever Levi was in Hange's company, Zeke loved to butt in, pushing himself into their space and deliberately shifting closer to Hange until he could casually throw an arm around her shoulders. Hange always tried to laugh it off and shrug his arm away, but Levi seemed far less pleased. If looks could kill, Zeke would have died a hundred times over.
Usually, Levi did his best to pull Hange away from Zeke by tugging at her arm (an unusually obvious display of affection, but necessary in such a dire situation) to create more space between them. Other times—when Zeke was in a good mood and particularly insistent, stealing French fries from her basket and tugging at her ponytail—Levi placed himself between them, which usually ended in a verbal fight that had bystanders cheering and snickering. Very rarely, a teacher had to intervene, shaking their head at the teenagers' behavior.
A few weeks later, however, the boys' back-and-forth reached its peak.
Summer break was almost around the corner, drawing most of the students outside during lunch break. Zeke's two favourite victims were sitting on one of the benches in the schoolyard, sharing a plate of pasta, the tray balanced on Levi's knees. Their initial shyness about being a couple—or whatever they were; Zeke still wasn't sure what label to put on their relationship—had vanished. They were openly sharing food, holding hands, and had even been spotted kissing behind the sports hall a few times (Zeke had seen it once, unfortunately).
"Do I get some of your food as well?" he asked with a grin, crouching down in front of them, his hand already moving towards the tray.
"No, you don't. That's disgusting," Levi hissed, swatting Zeke's hand away.
"Would you be so kind as to leave us in peace, Zeke?" Hange asked, rolling her eyes. "We're trying to eat without being bothered." She looked unusually upset about his presence that particular day, and Zeke assumed he had just interrupted an important conversation. But that only spurred him on even more.
"Is the couple having a heart-to-heart talk? Are you declaring your love to each other?" Zeke chuckled, standing up again. The frogs in the nearby pond were ribbiting loudly, adding an almost comical twist to their conversation. "Oh, don't tell me you're breaking up already."
"We're not breaking up!" Hange said, gesturing wildly with her hands. "Can you just leave? Please? You've been very annoying for god knows how many weeks now."
That's exactly what I wanted, Zeke thought, dodging the kick she added to emphasise her words. "Alright, alright, I'll let you munch your food in cosy togetherness. It really is true—people who are in a relationship are no fun anymore." He pretended to step away but then turned around again. In the slyest tone he could muster, he added with a wink, "If you ever grow tired of short guy's company, though… you know where to find me."
Hassling Levi and getting on Hange's nerves was one thing. Openly flirting with his girlfriend, however, seemed to ignite Levi's rage on a completely new level. The tray with food was forcefully slammed onto the bench, and a few seconds later, he was up and approaching Zeke so quickly that the latter felt his heart rate spike all of a sudden.
"Can't you just fucking leave us in peace?" Levi growled, his clenched fists bumping against Zeke's chest, causing him to draw back a little.
"Not while you're around me," Zeke shot back, trying to block Levi's punches with his hands. They were strong enough to hurt, but not enough to do any real damage—though he had definitely underestimated the force that lay in the short guy. "I don't think you're the right one for her. You're only going to pull her down."
"Oh, and you think you're the better choice?" Levi's punches grew stronger with every second, and Zeke drew back even more, stepping onto the grassy area right behind him. He managed to grab one of Levi's fists and push him backward, making him stumble.
"I know I'm the better choice. You're just a weird guy who got lucky. You don't deserve her."
"You son of a bitch!"
Levi shoved his hands against Zeke's shoulders, momentarily forcing the air from the blonde's lungs. Zeke lost his balance and staggered backward, clutching Levi's arms for support. A moment later, Levi's hands were on his shoulders again, gripping painfully, and Zeke let out a groan, trying to wriggle free. They continued to push and pull at each other's arms and shoulders, their grips tight as iron, trying to kick their opponent to the ground, all the while hurling insults that grew worse with every second.
In the heat of the moment, neither of them noticed how close they had gotten to the pond, which lay along the edge of the grassy patch, next to the wall. All of a sudden, the ground beneath Zeke's foot gave way, and he slipped backwards, falling straight into the murky water with a loud splash. Due to his firm hold, Levi followed suit, landing roughly on top of the blonde, who was gasping for air and desperately trying to sit up.
Lots of students rushed over, some laughing, others shamelessly holding their phone cameras on the two, who were still processing what had just happened in the blink of an eye. As if that weren't enough, a frog was sitting right on top of Zeke's head, letting out a loud croak and drawing the attention of even more students.
A teacher hurried by, her voice agitated as she asked if they were hurt, relieved when they both shook their heads, now deeply embarrassed. The window of the principal's office opened as helping hands pulled Levi out of the pond first. The principal glanced at the commotion with a surprisingly indifferent expression and shrugged his shoulders before closing the window again.
Zeke, disgusted by the frog still sitting on his head and unwilling to touch it under any circumstances, leaned back until his head was half-submerged in the soapy water again. He waite until the frog jumped off and onto a nearby rock, its eyes twinkling in an almost mocking way.
It was at that moment that he decided he had had enough. He had done all he could and wasn't going to put his reputation on the line for someone who was clearly not into him. (Hange had hugged Levi the moment he was back on solid ground, not caring about getting her own clothes wet, and with such a look of worry and love in her eyes that it was unmistakable she truly cared for him and him alone.)
Big brains were great and everything, but he needed to get into college first, and he couldn't afford to have a video of himself circulating on social media, ruining his image before anything good could come of him.
He would find someone else to dominate the world with.
Let me start by saying that I haven't read Levihan fics in so long, so this list may be short but it's the ones I do remember the most. This is a list of the fics I consider are truly good and of MY taste.
Now, you will see a lot of repeating authors on this list because honestly, IN MY OPINION, they are THAT good. Take the time to check their profile, because you will find fine gems there. not counting that they are my favorite moots
I know we have bookmarks on AO3 but why not a post of my favorite Levihan fics. I will categorize them in one-shots and multi chapter. And if I start reading again, I'll add it here. Enjoy!
One-Shots
Paint & Progress by @littlelasagne
Levi hates holiday celebrations in the office, especially secret Valentine's. But when he draws the name of a close friend, he realises he can use it as an opportunity to get her attention. Flicking between Levi's present day dilemmas and important moments from Hange's past, Levi puts together the best secret Valentine's gift he can think of.
2. Happy by @littlelasagne
Doctor Hange Zoe has always struggled with their boyfriend's inability to express himself. When a brain injury causes him to lose the ability to talk, they wonder if he'll ever be able to tell them how he really feels.
3. yellow. by @ariadneamare
In another life, they found each other again. This reality, the next, and a thousand more he would keep coming back home for she was his mosaic of good memories. a modern au based on the song Yellow by Coldplay.
4. misdiagnosis by @someonestolemyshoes
Hange has just finished her third glass of wine when she is struck by an abrupt realisation. It hits her suddenly and without prompt, and with such startling clarity that she can’t hope to keep it to herself for longer than the single second it took for the thought to fully form. Of course it's not IBS. Hange (finally) comes to some conclusions about her relationship with Levi.
5. Terrible Things by @someonestolemyshoes
6. Sycamores by @djmarinizelablog
Levi and Hange finally get to live their dream of staying in the woods, but are they really content with it?
7. Over a Dead Body by @tundrainafrica
Hange and Levi become close, Levi learns about Hange's past and years later, soon after her death, Hange's past catches up to Levi.
8. Like a Phoenix by @djmarinizelablog
Hange Zoe is a model in the world of fashion. She loves the paparazzi, adores her career as well as her penchant for talking, sometimes to others, often to herself. Meanwhile, Levi—well, he thinks she’s something else, and they’re both in for a treat.
9. Play It By the Ear by @tundrainafrica
Hange's a violinist. Levi's a pianist. And they're separated by a glass door.
10. stellar by @smallblip
It’s a dog eat dog industry, with the promise of sweat-proof eyeliner, copious amounts of hard boiled eggs, and a shot at fame/infamy. Levi is stellar and Hanji wonders where she fits in.
11. friday, i'm in love by @fanmoose12
Light fluffy high-school everyone needs.
12. She Would Never Know by @lady-eny
Even though Hange loves him, there's already someone in Levi's heart. Someone who isn't, and will never, be her.
13. All Hands in the Dark by @djmarinizelablog
To all those who moan and matter, and to anyone who has ever doubted themself.
14. What Happens on Wall Rose... by Neighborhood_Nori
Levi and Hange decide to have a little fun on top of Wall Rose. Well, Hange decides, and Levi just wants to give her anything she desires.
15. Rager Teenager by @smallblip
Hange is a full time Astrophysicist in college, part time Astrologer (Tarot and all). Levi thinks Hange is the best thing since sliced bread, Hange IS the best thing since sliced bread, Erwin is a philosophical jock, Nanaba makes big lasagna, Mike is a cool dude who watches romcoms with his gal pals, and Petra is occasional team mom.
Multi-Chapter Fics
Beginning, Middle & Overture by @littlelasagne
Zoë Hange and Levi Ackerman were inseparable as kids, until Levi was ripped out of her life and moved away. Twenty years on, the two of them are polar opposites. She’s all messy hair and mad scientist, and he’s clean cut and tight-laced. Maybe their time together came to a graceful end already, or maybe it’s the beginning of something brand new.
Lovebug by @tundrainafrica
Levi is the developer of the Love Alarm App and Hange is married to Zeke.
A Tale of Two Slaves by @tundrainafrica
Levi remembers everything from their past life. Hange doesn't.
Free-Falling by @djmarinizelablog
Skydiver and tea shop owner Levi Ackerman meets the town’s resident mad scientist and tries to convince himself he's not falling for her.
Out of Nowhere by @dontatmethanks
City raised, workaholic Levi Ackerman’s car breaks down in the middle of nowhere during his travels. Zoe Hange, a farm raised local lends him a helping hand. Frustrated and tired, he has no choice but to accept and quickly gets sucked into the chaotic country life that is the Hange family.
Somewhere We Only Know by @someonestolemyshoes
Not to lay blame, but Levi is strongly of the opinion that had his mother never forced him into his robe and his sandals and out the front door on the eve of the One-Night Bridge, he might never have run into his classmates by the lake, and he might never have had to deal with What Happened to Armin.
Ghost of You by Jarchetype
When Levi asked Hange to devote her heart, she never anticipated it would be this difficult. In the chaotic wake of the rumbling, Levi sacrifices himself in place of Hange, leaving her to deal with the ramifications of his decision. As she endeavors to keep moving forward, Hange stumbles upon her greatest apparition yet--Levi, astonishingly alive and lacking any memory of her, or his life with the scouts whatsoever. Will Hange be able to come to terms with her past? Will she be able to help Levi do the same?
Of Swords and Sparrows by @dontatmethanks
After the death of the king, and his father, Hange is faced with the consequences. Marrying Levi, Hizuru’s queen, and their greatest ally. Amounting political pressures are also put on Paradis, bringing them to the brink of war. All of this while the ambitiously steadfast king and the queen who keeps her cards close to her chest try to make things work.
catch me if you can by @fanmoose12
The Ackerman duo. Just the mention of this name filled Hange with so many feelings. Mostly, when she reread the files of their cases over and over, until her eyes watered, she felt pricking annoyance. Sometimes, when she stared at the dead bodies of those scarce unfortunates who stumbled upon their crimes, she was filled with hatred and a pushing need for revenge. Hange couldn't deny, however, there were times when she marveled at the impudence of their crimes. And, when she was investigating the Ackerman's cases and saw just how meticulously planned they all were, she couldn't help but feel something close to fascination. No one knew who they were. No one had seen their faces, no one knew their true names. Almost everyone knew of their crimes. Hange was determined to unravel every last one of their secrets. She will put an end to their crimes and then she will get the elusive Ackermans behind bars.
License to Science (And Kill) by quintessentially_me
When International criminal organization, TITAN, successfully steals an arsenal of missiles along with their encrypted launch codes, Code Blue is initiated. It up to Agent Levi Ackerman, a spy in a class of his own, and Research scientist Hanji Zoe, the premiere authority on the organization, to halt a global catastrophe in its tracks.
the devil you know by @fanmoose12
Can you still miss a person, if everything you knew about them was a lie?
The Experiment by KakashiSensei
After a public brawl between them, Commander Erwin confines Captain Levi and Zoë Hange to barracks. When the Survey Corps next heads out, they are left behind as a punishment. Soon bored out of her mind, Hange turns her scientific curiosity towards the most interesting specimen within her reach: Levi. When his past reaches out to him to claim him back, she joins him on a dangerous journey. Do budding feelings have a chance in the most desolate of places?
Partners by @fanmoose12
When Petra was promoted to a detective and partnered up with legendary Levi Ackerman, she felt like the happiest person in the world. But, as she soon found out, detective Ackerman she used to admire so much was actually a far cry from the ideal policeman Petra thought he was. He was rude, harsh and easily annoyed. And, in addition, he still hadn’t moved on from the death of his previous partner - detective Hange Zoe.
Accidental Heiress by 2melon2
Levi and hange accidentally get married.
Real Love by @lady-eny
Hange Zoe is in love with Zeke Yeager, a humble soldier. But to save her family, she's forced to marry one Levi Ackerman, entering into a marriage she despises. Will Hange be able to find real love even in a situation where hate prevails?
High Wire by @dontatmethanks
While on the run from the authorities, Levi Ackerman is forced to hide out in a carnival where, after an awkward encounter with an eccentric trapeze artist, he meets her fellow employees and their sleazy boss who then gives him an offer he pretty much can’t refuse.
Reverberation by alteirkay
Allowance by eggs_and_toast
Hanji sees a tango performance and becomes smitten with a short, mean-looking dance instructor.
ARMIN CHOSE TO TELL HIS TRUTH AND THAT MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Towards the end of Attack on Titan Season 4, the long-awaited ships, AruAni, EreMika, and LeviHan—each faced a similar emotional crossroads, though at different points in the story. These moments revolved around a single question: would they finally confront and acknowledge the feelings they had kept buried for so long? Each pair had previously deflected their emotions for different reasons.
1. AruAni - Annie was crystallized and unreachable for much of the series,
2. EreMika - Eren was consumed by his drive to kill all the titans and later for the search of freedom.
3. LeviHan - Both Levi and Hange consistently chose duty over personal connection, prioritizing the sacrifices of their comrades above all else.
This narrative parallel added emotional depth to the finale, highlighting the human cost of war, duty, and unspoken truths.
If these characters were able to deflect their feelings for the past 3 seasons, then what changed? It’s simple, in Season 4 the stakes were higher and survival is not definite more than ever. (Even compared during the titans were their only enemies). Heck, even Levi was nerfed so no one’s safe during S04.
Hence the characters’ vulnerabilties were shown.
So back to the confrontations of feelings.
Let’s start with EreMika.
When Eren asked Mikasa "What am I to you? Mikasa hesitated, then she went on to say "You are family." in a sense it was true, but it was not her only truth, Eren was more than a family, additionally, that's not the answer that would make Eren stay, but of course Mikasa was not aware on the extent of Eren’s future plans.
As for Levi, when he was asked by Hange "Shall we live here, just the two of us?" Levi chose to answered with "If we keep running and hiding...what will that get us?" and when he saw the carriage Hange was fixing, continued with, "I know you...you're not able to stay out of action."
He did not reject her proposal but he reminded her who she really is, and he supports her decision and she does not need to explain herself to him. Together, they chose to keep fighting rather than run. It was a clear, rational choice, but it wasn’t Levi’s only truth.
The Ackerman parallels.
Mikasa and Levi who both hesitated to tell the truth when they were confronted by it.
Because of that, Eren and Hange's decision were shaped by the answers they received from Mikasa and Levi. Those questions were crucial in Eren and Hange’s next decisions (spoiler alert, they both sadly died)
But when Armin was faced with the same situation, He chose to say his truth.
When he was confronted by it, he didn’t hesitate to tell Annie the truth. Shy, yes—but not hesitant. He didn’t think of their fallen comrades. He didn’t stop to wonder if it was selfish to speak of feelings, even as the world was being destroyed by The Rumbling. He didn’t believe that him and Annie coming to terms with how they felt would hinder their mission.
He continued to fight even if Annie chose to stay behind. Armin chose to say his truth because he does not want to have any regrets. No matter what happens with the battle with Eren, at least he was able to tell his truth. And it was worth it, because of Annie’s reaction to his confession, he got his answer. Annie did reciprocate his feelings.
Annie's next decision, even is not solely based on Armin's answer, but it was influenced by it. Annie’s decision to stay behind was now final and she has no doubts about it now. She does not want to fight anymore and she doesn't want to see any of the alliance get hurt, specially Armin so it finalized her decision not to fight anymore. (Yes she decided to fight again, but that was because the discovered Falco's ability to fly and Armin was taken.)
Imagine what would happen if Armin deflected the question or he had other thoughts than just saying his truth.
For Armin, choosing the truth is not selfish, even if Annie said that it does not feel right to talk about their feelings while The Rumbling was happening but it did not stop him.
For Levi and Mikasa, they both missed the chance. And those missed chances will then lead to them loosing the people they deeply care about.
I wonder, even if the chances of living their dreams of having a peaceful life with the people they love were slim, even futile—what might have happened if Mikasa and Levi had chosen to speak the truth? Would it save Eren and Hange? Or were they always meant to lose them, no matter what they said?
I'd like to talk about something I've always found fascinating between Levi and Hange and it's how Levi sometimes "forgets" Eren is his subordinate in favour of Hange. What I mean by forgetting is how he allows Hange to discipline Eren as if Hange was Eren's superior when Levi is Eren's direct superior. One of the reasons Levi beats Eren in court is so the Survey Corps can acquire Eren under their ranks, for which Levi personally says he will take responsibility for him as his superior (see in chapter 18, What Should I Do Now?). Meaning that Levi is Eren's direct superior. And yet, there are a few times when he doesn't act like it and I find that both funny and fascinating.
The first time we see this leniency from Levi when Hange is involved is in chapter 20, Special Operations Squad, where now Eren is fully part of Levi's squad and Hange goes to see Levi to ask him if Eren is busy the next day since they'd like Eren to assist them in their Titan experiments (classic Hange). Levi's answer is simply "Cleaning the yard" for which Hange automatically assumes it's settled, Eren will spend the day with them and Levi is surprisingly fine with it.
I find this situation overturn quite hilarious especially since Hange personally came to Levi to ask him about Eren since Eren is under him, not under them, and then Hange just made plans for Eren as if he were always under them when it's not the case. We can also not really say there is a difference between Hange's position as squad leader and Levi's position as captain. Hange got that rank traditionally through promotions while Levi's exceptional strength already made him perfect to have his own squad, but at the end of the day, one doesn't outweigh the other, so Hange should've never been able to take over the situation like that and yet Levi let them. This is honestly one of my favourite interactions between them because it shows how much Hange understands Levi's weird way of talking. How "cleaning the yard" means Eren is pretty much free, so Hange just imposed themself to take him instead. And even if Hange technically says they are here to ask for Levi's permission, they didn't really ask for it because they took that decision for Levi anyway and the funniest part is that Levi had no objections to this sudden change of Eren's plans.
This also reminds me of another scene from chapter 53, Smoke Signal, where now the Survey Corps are into hiding as they're being hunted by the Military Police and they take that opportunity to do Titan experiments with Eren. Eren is clearly too exhausted to keep transforming and Mikasa disobeys orders again, rushing to Eren's aid. And Levi then asks Hange whether they should punish Mikasa for this insubordination.
I find it interesting Levi says "we" here when Mikasa is again in his squad only, meaning Levi is her direct superior, not Hange, and we cannot claim Hange started adopting Levi's new squad like in later chapters since their own squad wasn't yet killed by Kenny. And again, Hange naturally takes that decision for him by saying they shouldn't punish her. It's honestly hilarious how much Hange can do as they please with Levi's own subordinates and Levi is totally fine with that. No objections, he just agrees. It's not like Hange is Levi's superior either so he necessarily needs to obey their orders. He just goes along with whatever Hange is saying. I find these moments hilarious that he needs to ask Hange when he has no reason to ask Hange since the 104th are under his direct supervision and yet here he is, just asking Hange how he should deal with his own squad. For a "scary" captain like Levi, truly there is someone who doesn't find him "scary" at all.
All of this is surprisingly consistent with what happens in this smartpass story, The Library That's Covered in Dust. Many people have already talked about how Levi comes to Hange's rescue and saves them from books falling over them or that he makes a comment about how their shirt is wet and therefore "seen-through". And an honourable mention to Hange's "you're kind" that makes Levi all flustered fanfiction style. But what I'd like to add about this story is the reason Levi explains to Hange for seeing them, and his reason is to ask Hange permission about Eren roaming the castle and to ask them if Eren can get out of the basement. This is hilarious in a way because it's actually Hange who needs to ask permission to him about Eren since Eren was put under Levi's responsibility as literally seen in chapter 20. And besides, the order to put Eren in the basement doesn't come from Hange: it comes from Zackly when he was put in charge of Eren's military trial as a condition for the Survey Corps to have Eren as Levi states here in chapter 20:
So Hange also has no true say in this matter either, and yet they take that decision for him again, saying that Eren can be given permission to roam around since the castle should be safe enough if he ever Titan shifts. And at this point, if Levi truly wanted an official opinion, he could've gone to Erwin since he is the Survey Corps commander, not Hange who is of equal rank to Levi. So this is a very peculiar reason Levi makes to go see Hange, to say the least. Yes, smartpass stories are not technically canon, and maybe there are small inconsistencies, so manga will always prevail over smartpass stories, but it is definitely interesting, to see what reason Levi chose to see Hange in that story. It might be that he wants a second opinion and that's why he asks Hange, but technically speaking, he doesn't really need their opinion since Eren answers to him. This dynamic between them is definitely interesting and questionable then.
I found two plausible interpretations for this behaviour:
1. Levi isn’t confident enough in being a superior as he was put rather quickly by Erwin as captain of a squad, so he asks advice to the closest squad leader he works with, which is Hange in his case. Personally, I don't think that's the case since Levi is already seen as the "leader" with Furlan and Isabel in the Underground and we see Levi take leadership pretty easily especially later on after Hange dies and the Alliance relies on him, but it is an interpretation one could make.
2. Levi just really likes Hange’s company (I have nothing else to say about that). So yet another argument to disprove the "Levi hates Hange" argument. If he hates Hange so much, then why does Levi keep asking Hange for advice about his own squad? Why is he fine with everything Hange says in regard to his own squad that he has complete authority over, I'll repeat? Well, let's say Levi has a very original way to show he "hates" Hange, for sure.
Someone was asking me earlier in the year whether I have headcanons about Levi and Hange and actually I do have one: Levi makes up excuses to see Hange especially in the smartpass story. I think he could've come up with a better reason to see Hange and this is something I think of often. I'm probably the only person questioning this about Levi and Hange in the fandom lol, but I just find it very odd. It's another reason why I find Levi and Hange so compelling. They just have these weird dynamics going on that you can easily miss if you're not particularly a fan of either of them. But I am, so this is a post for whoever is as obsessed with them as I am.
