seasonsrpg | [closed] levi, no: vol.1 (bad at communication)

[ Well damn. He can practically see their footprints in the dust. ]

[ He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms, as if trying to create some more distance between them, expression unreadable even as the note is being shoved in his face. ]

You wanted to see me, didn't you?

[ Please explain what's wrong with him letting them know he's returned to that end? Why does everybody have such intense hatred for his nice, thoughtful notes? ]

So you let me know by writing a shitty note and having Eren deliver it? You did that on purpose, didn't you!

[Wave wave, look at the crumpled paper, Levi! Him moving away doesn't do much, because it just means that Hange shoves it at him further, their free hand moving over Levi's shoulder to grip the back of the chair and leaving him little options for escape as Hange looms over him.]

Your other messages were useless too, by the way! You never even told me where you were, or who you were with. What if something happened to you?

He's been doing a good job. I heard more from him about your expedition than I did from you.

[ TOTALLY ON PURPOSE. ]

[ He's also not particularly enjoy being caged in like that. He's not actually trapped, of course, they both know he's the stronger of the two, but it's the sentiment that counts. Hange is actually angry at him and he's not sure if that's ever happened before. Came close a few times, sure, but he usually watched them unload on someone else. That's the part that makes him most uncomfortable, probably. ]

[ Which means that he's getting more unpleasant to deal with as result. Oops. ]

Why, so you can go stick flowers on my corpse a week after the fact?

I at least told you I was taking on a longer guild mission and that I'd be taking Eren with me! I had my reasons for not giving all of the details! But that's more than I got from you!

[The crumped note gets dumped in Levi's lap because Hange doesn't want to see it anymore.]

[Hange is aware that they're getting riled up over something that isn't completely Levi's fault, and that really should reign it in, back off and have an actual conversation about it once the chastising is out of the way, and they almost do let go and give him some space, but then Levi opens his mouth again and says something that just blindsides them because it absolutely strikes a nerve when it comes to the reason why this whole reaction got blown out of proportion.]

It would have taken more than a week! We had no idea where in the world you are! The crows would have picked your corpse apart long before we found it! You were mad at me so you thought you'd worry me to death over the possibility that you're rotting in a ditch somewhere? Is that it? Huh?

[Hange's other hand being note-free means they now get to use it to jab a finger into Levi's chest. Answer the question!]

You had your reasons and I had mine.

[ Would Hange had really been less worried if he said he was going out to bumfuck nowhere with a partner that the guild assigned to him? He doesn't think so, but perhaps he was wrong? He... really had not anticipated this level of worry, actually. Haven't they both been out in much more dangerous expeditions with much worse chances of survival? Hasn't Hange actually died?.. Why would they make this into such a huge deal? ]

[ His eyes follow the crumbled ball of paper landing in his lap, and he lets out a soft "tch". Suddenly, he's feeling sort of bad about what he said, especially when it seems to set Hange off worse than before. He's never exactly been shy of joking about death, to be fair, but them thinking he'd do that to them on purpose is... ]

[ Well, hasn't this gone to shit? He's half tempted to leave, maybe add something else crude, but... he can't leave it like this. He can't let them spiral into thinking they're not important to him again. ]

...no. [ He finally says, frowning, still staring at his note rather than his enraged Commander. He doesn't lift a hand to defend himself, at least yet. They both know he could. ]

We made a promise, right? [ He does finally look up at them, looking vaguely offended, but also something else. Stressed? Probably a decent word for it. ] Do you think I would break it so easily?

[ Is that how little you think of me now, Hange? ]

It isn't only about the mission, we had no idea that you went with someone, since everyone we knew from home is still here!

You know what happens if you don't touch anyone for days, right? Because I looked it up in the research center! After five you'll start to get fevers and joint pain. After seven, you'll turn to stone! Did you know that? Huh?

[Do you see where Hange's going with this? It wasn't only the concern that something could go wrong on whatever expedition he signed up for, but until the texts went through both Hange and Eren thought he went alone, which only means the potential danger doubled.]

[Looming over him like this is beginning to feel uncomfortable with the strain it puts on the spine, so Hange stands up and removes their hand from the chair, but only so they can shove things aside on the table and hop up to take a seat right in front of Levi, arms crossed and bare feet perched upon the edge of his chair either side of his knees, still effectively trapping him in because Hange remains very much in their 'pay attention to only me' mode as they need to continue venting their frustrations.]

I know you would do everything not to break it, but I had no idea how many days you were gone or if you were with anyone, you get why I was upset, right! Apparently the phones don't always work outside of the city but I didn't know that, so we thought something was wrong! What if you were a rock somewhere? What if you got injured and were bleeding out somewhere? Telling me you can't even scrub floors still didn't help, by the way!

[The accusations just keep on coming until needs to stop and actually take a couple breaths, after which they just... let out a prolonged, heavy sigh. This whole thing is a mess, huh?]

Edited 2023-06-27 11:14 (UTC)

[ He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, scowling at the table. That is, in fact, something he almost overlooked, and may have handled differently if he had remembered the stupid touch condition earlier, but there's no point thinking about that now. ]

...I didn't think it was that fast. [ Oops. Inspires confidence, doesn't it? ] I wasn't alone, though. I talk to other people, too, you know.

[ He almost sounds a little offended about them thinking otherwise, even though he has spent pretty much his entire life proving that he did not, in fact, talk to other people in any noteworthy amount. ]

[ He grimaces slightly, pressing his legs closer together so that he can hopefully avoid touching Hange's dusty feet. They should clip their toenails soon, actually. They just keep unloading and he's... not even sure if he's supposed to say anything to all that. Maybe it's fine if he just lets them vent? ]

Getting caught up on what-ifs isn't like you. [ He finally grumbles. It's sounding kind of like that time they lost pastor Nick, and lost their nerve for a moment, thinking about how things could go wrong instead of making a decision to lead them forward despite it. What if he'd gotten eaten by a titan? That could also happen during any mission he went on, but they never acted like this over it. Granted, in those cases, they knew exactly where he was, so maybe that was the problem? ] I came back, so it doesn't matter.

[ He leans forward a little, reaching around Hange, almost if intending to pull them down or something, but instead he just retrieves a brown paper bag from behind them. ]

[ And slowly places it in their lap, as if it's his solution to everything. ]

[ (There's a peach in it.) ]

Well it is, and now you know! [Maybe Hange could have mentioned such an important fact at an earlier time, but hadn't because they did not envision a time when either of them would be alone with no contact for an entire week. They left Levi in the city, sure, but he did have other people around to fulfill that need.]

[Or maybe Hange also didn't mention it because they did not want to tread too close to a conversation about how they had been researching it because they were absolutely thinking about testing it out on purpose, before backtracking on it after the whole 'promising not to die' pact the two of them made, it would have been in poor taste.]

Talk to who? I asked Gabi and Historia, Eren asked Jean and Mikasa if they'd seen you and they hadn't.

[Can you fault them for assuming he was alone if not with any of those six? It's not as though he regularly has other people over at the apartment to hang out. Hell, Levi and Eren barely hang out and they live together...]

[And while it is true that normally Hange wouldn't sweat it over something so trivial, because they have enough faith in Levi's skills, this is hardly a 'normal' situation when in a foreign world, and recovering from injuries.]

Well that's what happens when you leave me with nothing! I had nothing better to do than overthink it! And just so you know, Eren can be even more pessimistic than you when he wants to be.

[He was worried about you too, Levi.]

[Finally Hange shuts up for a minute to stare at the paper bag in their lap, before glaring back at Levi.]

...

[Staring back at the bag....]

...

[Opening the bag....]

...

[Closing the bag...]

Don't go thinking that a peach is going to solve everything.

[But Hange really does like peaches, and Levi's little silent offering was sort of cute in a way. No, they're supposed to be pissed! dammit!]

[Opening the bag to retrieve the peach..]

[ It's true, they have been pretty much attached at the hip ever since Hange showed up, haven't they?.. They just had to go and ruin it by going on some distant mission without Levi. :/ ]

What, do you want names and addresses of everyone I ever spoke to?

[ Folding his arms as if Hange is the one being unreasonable here!! (To be fair, it's only, like, two people so far so it's not like it would take long to procure that information at the moment...) ]

[ He does sigh when they mention having nothing to do but overthink it, because that's not at all how he envisioned it. He hadn't wanted them to worry at all, just to be miffed by his absence just like he was, but now... ugh. ]

I thought you'd keep yourself busy with the department store.

[ Usually they barely noticed anyone else when hard at work! And his note wasn't "nothing", damn it! ]

[ ... ]

[ He stares back at them, despite the glare, perfectly still. ]

[ It's working. The peach is working. He's so good at this. ]

...

Oh, you're volunteering to write me a report? Go ahead.

[It isn't a serious request, at least Hange doesn't consider it to be one, but if he actually complied they won't stop it either.]

[Hange retrieves the peach, still staring Levi down as they decide to take a slow bite from the fruit instead of responding.]

[...]

[Truth be told, while the department store is exciting enough, it's not quite the same when you don't have someone to drag along for the ride or send a dozen pictures to. And they had been more or less joined at the hip while living in the world, so perhaps the double whammy of not having Levi here plus not even knowing where he was or if he was safe ended up expediting those feelings of concern and how everything is slightly less fun.]

[...]

[Huh. Had Levi felt the same way? Is that why he's being so difficult? Hange hadn't thought about it too hard before they left, thinking that maybe he would enjoy the peace and quiet of an empty apartment for a few days..]

[Hange takes another bite of the peach, waiting until they've chewed it up and swallowed it before speaking (in a normal tone, this time!) again.]

So where did you go, anyway? What mission was so important that you couldn't wait until we were back?

[ There's a little pause, because he absolutely can not tell whether they're ordering him or pulling his leg. He's not about to do paperwork because of a misunderstanding, though, so he is going to clarify; ]

...Are you serious?

[ More staring as the peach is slowly devoured. ]

...I could. I didn't want to.

[ Because yes, Hange is right on the money about him feeling the same way. And so he wanted to get some petty revenge by giving it right back to them, except it seems he miscalculated. He never intended for it to blow up like that; he would never use death as a threat or a joke, not at them, not when they both know all too well what it means. ]

[ But anyway, he can answer the question. ]

Spring segment. They had an easy looking job with a big-ass payment.

[ And being the little greedy gremlin that he is, of course he went for it. Hange can probably figure this out from remembering which was the best rewarded mission on the board this month... ]

[That glare is held a little longer because if they wanted to they could make it an order...]

[..But Hange honestly isn't that mean even though they're pissed off, at least not to Levi. It doesn't feel satisfying to give him extra work to prove a point here.]

...No, it's not an order.

[It barely takes two seconds for Hange to work out which mission he is referring to. It is the very same one they took with Eren after all, something that seemed ridiculously easy yet paid so well, you had to be an idiot to pass it up in favor of something with more work!]

[At the realization Hange's head slumps forward with a heavy sigh. So he ended up taking the mission anyway, meaning all of the worrying over possibilities and the tension afterwards had become a moot point.]

Of course you did. Of course it was that one.

[For a moment Hange's head just hangs there before their it suddenly snaps up once more, the peach in their hand unfortunately dripping juice as it goes ignored for now..]

That's the mission I took with Eren! Of course you took the one I didn't want you to go on! Why did it have to be that one! You could have seriously injured your knee again..

[ Levi looks a little taken aback at first, as if he's genuinely confused why they're so upset by a simple mission -- and then the dots finally connect themselves. Oh. Oh, that was the one they barely told him anything about. ]

[ He doesn't think it necessarily warrants the amount of worry it apparently caused, but nonetheless, it had not been his intention to go against Hange's wishes explicitly. They never said he couldn't go on missions, after all, they just hid whatever they were doing that time from him. But still. ]

[ He didn't know. ]

[ His fingers twitch slightly as he watches the peach juice dribble on his table. It's going to be sticky. ]

...you could have just told me.

[ It would have cleared things up. Assured him that it was worry and not misguided pity or distrust dictating their actions. Hell, they could have ordered him to stay if they wanted to, and he would have listened. He also probably would have bitched a lot, but he would have stayed put if they told him to. ]

[ He gives up with a sigh and pulls out a napkin to wipe up the peach juice, looking at the table rather than Hange's face again. ]

I'm fine with the leg frame. [ They were there with him when he first got it from the Research Center. Orthotic? Orthese? Whatever the hell they called it-- ] Besides, I didn't put weights on it.

[ Luckily for him, he's so strong that the double weight on one leg really just felt like one would feel for a normal person, but he figures he doesn't have to elaborate. Hange knows him and his limits well enough. He thinks he didn't suffer any further damages this time, at least. ]

I thought it would be fine if I just told you I was taking Eren somewhere. They explained the location beforehand and how it would be necessary to weigh ourselves down, and it sounded like too much trouble for someone who already needs extra support on one of those legs..

[Levi is right though, they should have simply told him the truth rather than attempt to avoid it. But it had come from a place of misguided worry and empathy, not wanting to hurt his feelings (so much for that) and not wanting to say no when he inevitably asked to go.]

Even without weights it must have put extra strain on it, right? I didn't tell you because it sounded too risky, and I didn't want to be forced to lie and say that I didn't want you to go with us!

[Because it would have been false, of course Hange would always want Levi to go. Yes, they could have simply ordered him to stay put, but it wouldn't have felt good either. Hange has no qualms about giving orders when it comes to scout business, but using that superiority at a personal level to force Levi into doing something just didn't sit right.]

You can see why I was worried though, right! You told me yourself that you still can't get on the floor to scrub! What if something happened and you couldn't walk on it, and we were days out of the city?

...

[ The truth is... there was some extra strain. He was fine, he thinks, but it's not like his leg had been making any progress since the first month or two anyway. The brace is mitigation, not a treatment. So does it really matter that much whether he's careful?.. He'd probably need something like that for the rest of his life, anyway. ]

[ He's a little upset by the thought, but he's also aware he got off easy there. He could have lost the leg entirely. From what Gabi told him, he was in much worse shape back home, too, and there was no getting better at all, not with the level of technology and medicine available to them. All they could do was mitigate it too, with whatever means they could. Coming to Ellipsa was fucking lucky on that front, too. ]

You could have just told me the truth. That you want me to go but you're worried I'll hurt myself. And then I would've told you to eat shit.

[ It's as much of a realistic portrayal of events as it is an attempt to lighten the mood. But it would have ended up much the same way, wouldn't it? Hell, maybe the mission would have been easier on him with both Hange and Eren there, at least mentally. Not being turned into a statue was an... unfun endeavor, considering he lowkey hates his quest partner despite acknowledging they make a decent team. ]

[ He sighs. ]

But it didn't.

[ That's what matters, right? ]

[ #noregrets #yolo #lookonlyforward ]

[ He does get it, though. Hell, he had gotten all twisted in knots over them going to the beach earlier that month. Not to acknowledge their worry would have been hypocritical at best. And he never intended for them to suffer like that. It was supposed to be a petty spat, a comeback they could both bitch and later laugh about, not... whatever this was. ]

...Sorry for worrying you.

[Hange had been worried, perhaps more than necessary, but they accept the apology with no resistance. They had also been in the wrong, after all, perhaps more-so seeing as their decision to not say anything and fuck off into the wilderness is what caused this whole episode to begin with.]

I was worried, but it wasn't all your fault. I didn't know that sometimes the phones won't work when you're far away..

[So even this technology has its flaws too, huh? They don't use pen and paper letters any more, there is no need to, but perhaps they should be keeping something like that around as a backup just in case?]

[The peach gets set down, the uneaten side now resting on the table as Hange uses both hands to quickly grab one of Levi's, slightly sticky fingers wrapping around his own.]

I'm sorry I didn't tell you, even though I was trying to spare your feelings. Don't worry, I won't do it again! If something similar happens I'll just tell you, and then I'll bitch when you ignore it anyway.

[It will be opposite day, like all the times Levi bitches when Hange immediately does something he says not to do. Though they feel this was slightly more serious than, say, picking up lobsters on the beach.]

Next time they offer up a long mission outside of the city, let's just go together, yes?

[ The phone thing was news to him, too. But this is exactly why he doesn't trust modern technology! Letters are clearly superior! ]

[ Levi follows the peach with his eyes, somewhat glad that it wasn't set the juicy side down though he'll probably need to clean the table anyway -- but before he can extrapolate what this means for his immediate future, it's already too late. ]

[ He flinches slightly, grimacing as he feels the stickiness against his hand. It makes him want to throw them out the window and peel his skin off up to the elbow immediately, but Hange looks so earnest in their apology that he endures it, not pulling his hand out of their grip against the entirety of his instincts yelling at him. It's not that much worse than holding someone's bloody hand, right... ]

[ It's fine. He was going to shower anyway. It's fine. ]

[ ~~Why does this look and sound like some kind of a proposal...~~ ]

...I'd like that.

[ He says simply, expression lightening somewhat, though there's still a little bit of strain and barely disguised bristling at the moist, sticky peach hand. ]

We did say we'd go out to explore again.

[ Just another promise to keep, then. ]

[~~it's a promise to go adventuring again, that's way better than a proposal~~]

Yes, we did! It will be fun, and we'll even be making money on the side. Let's be sure to check next month's mission board, right Levi?

[Future plans set in motion, Hange lets out a sigh that seems to let all the tension evaporate from their shoulders, a soft smile brewing as they finally release Levi's hand in order to grab the peach once again and take another bite.]

[Oh, now that they're in a better mood-]

Thanks for the peach, by the way! Want some?

[Hange's hand extends to hold it out at face level. If he wants some...]

[ ~~IT REALLY IS~~ ]

Sure.

[ He's absolutely more excited about it than he sounds, promise! ]

[ Levi shakes his hand off a little (in vain, because the stickiness clings to him like a glove), his cheek twitching slightly as there's a peach being shoved in his face, and he leans away from it with a hint of a grimace. Gross. ]

...No.

[ He's still just sort of holding his dirtied hand awkwardly in the air, not wanting to touch anything else and pass the stickiness onto it. He'll just... try to use his feet to scoot his chair backwards a little, so hopefully he can release himself from the dusty feet prison and actually get up. ]

I'm going to shower.

[ Which could be a cue for Hange to leave, but he also isn't exactly going to be upset if they decide to stick around, because, well. He could probably use some sleep after over a week of pretty much not doing it. ]

[More peach for Hange then! After giving a little shrug they go back to munching on the fruit quite contently.]

Okay.

[Hange at least picks their feet up from the chair, letting them hover there as Levi now has room to move the chair away and go do his thing. He didn't mention anything about kicking Hange out, so they decide to just... stay there.. happily eating the fruit as he goes to shower. They'll even was their hands once done!]

[ Will they also clean the table and floor where the fruit juice inevitably dripped? That is the question. Levi does map the exact spot that will need to be sprayed and wiped in his mind, though, so he can just return to it later. ]

[ He grabs some clean clothes from his room and retreats to the shower, which as usual takes him somewhere between three and five minutes before he's sticking his head out the door grumpily. His hair looks damp. ]

Got any fresh bandages?

[ He'd gotten pretty good at washing up without getting them wet, but he hadn't gone to the medical center after returning and after the whole Hange onslaught he doesn't want to keep the old ones on for any longer than necessary. ]

[They did in fact wipe down the table where the peach was sitting! They know Levi all too well after all! The one spot on the floor got missed, however.]

[Hange happens to be exiting the kitchen as Levi's head pokes out. Bandages? That can only mean one thing...]

You're injured? Where?

[My guy did you sit through that whole conversation just now and neglect to mention that you actually did hurt yourself??]

[ Awww. Even after being so mad at him. ]

[ Also, if he had hurt himself, that's totally how it would have went, so he can't even blame them for it. But also: Hange, pls. ]

[ He dead-stares at them for a moment and uses his wrapped-up hand to point at the adhesive patch over his eye. It's probably starting to fray a little bit, even if of course it still looks pretty clean because of course it does. ]

Still the same place. They usually change it when I go in for "physical therapy", but I missed it.

[ Since he was out on a mission. Which also counts as physical therapy, right? ]

[ Really, he'd been told it was already safe to remove it a couple weeks back, but something just held him back. There was still some plausible deniability while he was wrapped up. Maybe he'd get better. (He knows he won't. He got as well as he was going to at this point.) Taking it all off meant embracing his new reality, just like he already partially had with his leg, and with everything going on he just hadn't felt quite... ready for it. ]

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AND WE MOVE ONTO EYEPATCH ARC IG

IG!!

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