“Where Does it Hurt?”

Dear readers, this chapter was based on a Levihan one-shot Fanfiction I wrote a while ago, which is available in other Fanfiction platforms. If anyone wants to read it, it's in Levi's POV. Have a nice reading! ♥

♦♦♦

Hange didn't talk about the house with Levi anymore, because after all, he was the one who told her about buying it, and she was still too embarrassed to talk about this subject. They remained a little shy with each other for a few days, but eventually, the tense mood between them lightened up. Lara herself helped them with that.

Months have passed and winter came. Lara had to be away for three weeks, because she would join the Winter Training with the 104th Cadet Corps.

Hange and Levi didn't enjoy the absence of their daughter, which only made Hange feel down in the dumps, and at a certain occasion, Levi found her in her bedroom, hugging the stuffed horse that Lara won at that festival.

During the meals, Levi would catch himself looking at the place where Lara used to sit down to eat, hoping that as if by magic, she would appear there beside him.

One night, when Lara was about a week away from returning, Levi was leaving a long meeting he had with his subordinate soldiers.

He was exhausted, but he had promised Hange that he would help her with some matters about her studies of the Titans. Levi only accepted because Hange insisted a lot and, honestly, since they started to live more together, he couldn't say "no" to that woman anymore.

Now, when Hange wanted him to do something she knew he didn't like, she used a ruse that Levi could no longer get away with: Hange would pount her lips, hold her hands together, as if she was saying a prayer. He tried to remain impassive in his facial expression, but his heart melted with this vision.

On his way to the lab, Levi passed by a wall clock and saw that it was already ten o'clock at night. Hange had the habit of staying late at the lab, but was always careful to send Lara to bed on time. However, for Hange being occasionally a little absent-minded with time, Lara herself had already acquired the habit that, when this happened, she would go to bed by herself.

Exceptionally today, Levi and Hange didn't have dinner together, because of his meeting. But, as he passed by the kitchen, he imagined that she might enjoy having a cup of tea with him. After making the tea, he placed the cups and the teapot on a wooden tray.

When he arrived at the lab, Levi held the tray with one hand and knocked on the door with the other.

Complete silence.

At first, Levi didn't find it strange, because sometimes Hange was so focused on her researches, she would forget the world around her.

"Hange, it's me," he said, opening the door.

When Levi entered, he bumped into a scene that, honestly, he wasn't expecting: Hange was crouched on the floor, with her back leaning against the bookcase behind her desk. She was holding her belly and her expression was one of extreme pain.

She didn't even realize that Levi was there.

A feeling of worry took over Levi's heart in such a way that he almost dropped the tray. Quickly, he placed it on the table.

"Hange!" he exclaimed, concerned, "What happened? Are you okay?"

She finally noticed his presence at her side.

"Levi…" she said, her eyes full of tears and her goggles on her forehead. "I didn't see you were here… I thought you wouldn't even come toda–OUCH!!!"

Hange curled up even more, now her head resting on her bent knees. Levi couldn't understand anything, but he felt his heart tighten in his chest.

"When was the last time you ate anything? Didn't you eat something bad?"

"No…" sighed Hange, "I had a snack just now and it was fresh," she closed her eyes intensely, squirming, "the thing is that I'm dying of cramps and my head is exploding!"

Finally, Levi understood. Hange was on her period.

He recalled when Isabel was also on her period and, honestly, he tried to keep some distance from her. Levi never knew how was her mood, because anything he or Furlan would do was a reason for shouting, crying, or a little bit of violence. Each one of these options could change according to the month, or sometimes, everything would come at once.

Levi thanked God that Lara hadn't reached this stage of life yet and secretly wished she would remain a child forever. Now, about Hange's periods, he had never felt the need to talk about it with her, for he could absolutely not imagine himself asking her: "Would you like some pads, Hange?"

But, in all those years of living together, this was the first time that he saw her in this "condition", if he could call it this way.

Seeing her like this, Levi suddenly had a feeling he wasn't expecting: shame.

Not by the fact that he was a man and Hange was talking about her period. They were both adults and Levi knew very well about the physiological issues of the female sex.

The shame he was feeling was that despite living so closely, he never really cared about this "phase" of Hange. In the few seconds that he was there, crouching beside her, many moments came into Levi's mind of when Hange seemed to be in need of some sort of help or at least a support, and he didn't even care about it.

They both tried so hard to take good care of Lara, but now he realized that he himself wasn't taking care of his daughter's mother. After this reflection, Levi decided to do something about it.

"Have you taken any pills for your cramps and headaches, Hange?" he asked, lifting her gently by her shoulders.

"Oh, Levi…" she sighed, standing up with difficulty, "You know how hard it is for me to leave the lab when I'm in the middle of a research."

"Why didn't you ask Moblit for it?" asked Levi, taking her to a nearby chair.

"He had other tasks to do today, so I spent my day all alone…" replied Hange, with a sad voice, but she soon clutched her belly, again. "Lara would have brought me some pills if she were here…"

Levi tried to put his head to work, then, he had an idea.

"Come, Hange," he said, as he lifted her from the chair and walked her towards the door. "That's enough for today. Not even your body can handle it anymore."

"But, Levi…" replied Hange, with a very whining voice.

"No buts, four-eyes," he said, giving a little smile as he held her around her waist, "I'll take you to your bedroom and give you some pills."

Hange made some inaudible sound and, despite being taller than Levi, because of her being bent over from the pain, she rested her head against his chest.

The corridors were empty and practically all soldiers must have already been deep asleep.

Despite the situation, Levi was feeling good at that moment, maybe because he felt he was being useful to Hange. His heart was pleased for being there, giving her care and support.

From Hange's body language, despite her pain, she also seemed to be feeling quite comfortable. At one point, in the silence of the corridors, she gave a big sigh, which didn't feel like of pain, but of satisfaction, and nestled her head between Levi's neck and shoulder.

This made his heart grow bigger, feeling a surge of happiness, as if he enjoyed that she had snuggled against him, asking him to take care and protect her.

Arriving at Hange's bedroom, they instinctively looked at Lara's empty bed and looked at each other with a sad smile. Hange pouted her lips once more at him.

"There," said Levi, as he sat Hange down on her bed, "while you put on your pajamas, I'll go to the infirmary to get some pills for your cramps and headache."

Hange mumbled something Levi couldn't understand and when he tried to walk away to leave the room, he noticed that she was holding his hand.

"Don't be so long, okay?"

He gave Hange a little smile, gently letting go of her hand.

"Levi?"

"Yes?"

"Please, ask the nurse to give you the blue pill for the cramps. It is very effective."

"Sure."

Levi left, closing the bedroom door. He went to the infirmary and got everything Hange needed, including a hot water bag that the nurse recommended, so that Hange could place it where she was feeling the cramps.

Back in the bedroom, Levi met Hange already in her pajamas and under the blankets. The room was dark, with only a lamp burning beside her bed.

"I can't stay in bright rooms when I'm with this kind of headache," said Hange, as Levi closed the door and walked towards her.

He handed her the hot water bag and filled a cup of water. After taking the pills, Hange finally sighed in relief.

"What now?" thought Levi, "Is that it? She'll sleep and wake up better tomorrow?"

"Would you mind making me company until I fall asleep?" asked Hange, "Take that chair and bring it here."

Levi didn't think twice and placed the desk chair next to her bed, facing Hange. He rested his left hand on top of the pillow and said in a low tone:

"Do you want me to do anything else?"

Hange chuckled and replied she didn't. She closed her eyes, also resting her hand on the pillow, next to her face. Slowly, she moved it, until that, gently, she placed it on top of Levi's hand.

In a total instinctively way, Levi interlocked his fingers with Hange's and began to caress her hand. She returned the affection, smiling, still with her eyes closed. Levi observed her face. "She's so pretty", he thought. He analyzed the curvature of her nose, her pointed chin, her rather messy hair, and most of all, her lips.

Then, Hange made a small expression of pain.

"What a boring headache… I hope the pills work soon…"

"Where does it hurt, Hange?"

"Right here," she pointed to the middle of her forehead, "it always hurts in here when I'm on my period."

Seeing Hange in that situation, the feeling of care grew inside Levi's chest and he slowly leaned down and placed a long, soft kiss on her forehead.

"Better?" asked Levi.

"Yes… But now it's also hurting in here," Hange pointed to the tip of her nose.

Immediately, Levi realized what she was doing and chuckled. Kindly, he kissed the tip of her nose as well.

But now, Levi himself pointed to Hange's right cheek and asked:

"What about here? Does it hurt?"

"So much, I can't stand it!" she replied, pretending an expression of pain.

Then, Levi kissed her right cheek. He went on asking if any other parts of her face were hurting and, as she confirmed, he would give her a kiss. Until he got on her chin and finally, right on the corner of her mouth.

With their faces very close, Levi looked right into Hange's eyes, pointing to her mouth.

"What about here, four-eyes? Does it hurt?" he asked, softly.

"It's the place where it hurts the most…" Hange placed her free hand on Levi's face, while the other was still with fingers interlocked with his.

In the same way, Levi also held her face, and both closed their eyes and touched their lips.

The kiss they had was different from the others, because it was deep, passionate and of course, wonderful. Moving their heads slowly, they clasped their hands tighter and tighter, as the intensity of their breaths increased.

After a long time - that even they couldn't say for how long - they pulled their heads away, gave a peck on their lips, and Levi noticed that Hange was smiling.

"Gosh… If in all of my periods I'm treated this way, I'll be really, really happy!" said Hange, stretching with joy.

Levi gave a small smile, still a little shy from what had just happened.

"I'll let you rest," he said, giving her a last kiss on her forehead and standing up to leave the room.

"Levi, before you go, get Lara's stuffed horse for me, please."

He handed her the toy and Hange snuggled herself under the blankets, hugging the horsey tightly. In a thought that only lasted a second, Levi felt slightly envious of that stuffed horse.

He blew out the lamp and walked towards the door, with the moonlight coming in a little through the window.

"Levi?"

He turned his head, only able to see a bit of the shine in Hange's eyes.

"Thank you very much for taking care of me today…"

"Not at all… Good night, Hange. I hope you feel better tomorrow."

He saw her smile and snuggle herself a little more. After a few bad nights of sleep due to his chronic insomnia, on that night, Levi slept like a baby.