STAR POV

"I saw him walking, he said he'd just make a round of the block and come right back, and that he just wanted to clear his head," Hange said, sitting next to me on the couch.

I had explained what happened to Hange. How Levi had got upset and told me I was insecure and yelled at me, and the visions that prefaced the situation.

I hated being yelled at, because it always made me feel like I was about to get struck. My natural instinct has become to fight back but with Levi all I could ever do was cry if he got upset. I fucking hated myself for it. I know he would never try to actually hurt me but his tone of voice freaked me out.

"Sweetie, that man loves you like crazy. I've never...I've never seen him so soft with anyone. And to think, how many lives have you two lived?."

"Not just us. All of us, Hange. I clearly can only recall the one of me as a child, but I've seen glimpses of others. In my dreams, sometimes I see myself in other settings, hell I think I've even seen myself in the survey corps but like I said they were glimpses. I didn't know what those dreams were...I thought they were non-sense," I explained.

Hange widened their eyes with intense curiosity.

"All of us? Wait, how many lives have we all lived?!"

"I don't know..." I said, shaking my head. "They were just short flashes in my dreams."

Everyone has wild dreams that make no sense. I didn't know Levi at the time I had most of them, and his face amongst others were usually foggy. Now that I was recalling them, I started getting knots in my stomach. Some of those dreams were pure nightmare fuel.

I continued to speak, sighing. "...and I don't know how to explain to him that everyone has insecurities. You know? I'm sure he does. Maybe instead of getting so upset he could just reassure me the negative beliefs I have about myself aren't true...you know just be encouraging," I suggested.

"He's not...good at that. But...since I know him so well...I could try to talk to him. He wants me to stay over tonight to discuss some...training options for you," Hange said, their hand on my back comforting me.

"Training?" I looked up at them with a curious expression.

"Yeah. I'll let him explain. But I agree, he shouldn't yell at you. You're not a soldier. He needs to know when to separate the two."

I nodded in agreement.

The door handle jiggled and in walked a very stoic yet calm Levi.

I looked right at him. I was still mad and not letting him make me feel small. My eyes followed him into the kitchen where he poured himself a glass of water and drank it all at once, silently.

"Levi, how was your walk?" Hange asked.

"Fine," he replied running his fingers through his hair. His eyes looked a little red. Had he been crying? "Star..." he began, clearing his throat. "...I'm... sorry I lost my composure with you. I shouldn't have yelled. But what I said stands. You need to stop being so ins-"

"Now hold on Levi-" Hange interrupted.

"Wait," I cut Hange off. I would tell him myself."-I got this, Hange...thank you..." I took a big breath... "Levi, I know it bothers you that I can be so insecure. But I want you to know everyone has insecurities. It's only human, and even though it's hard for you, the best thing you can do for me is encourage me sometimes. Praise me, because you know I'd do it for you. I'm sorry I'm hard to deal with. But I love you, and I just want you to know that."

Hange's eyes lit up, they looked like a proud mother.

Levi was quiet for a moment, averting his eyes to the empty glass. "...I...I love you as well. And that's-that's... why I'm going to help you get stronger. At least 3 days a week you will wake up 3 hours early to go to the gym with Hange, learn how to fight better, then go for a run with me," he said, his voice a bit assertive. "No buts," he added.

My distracted ass had only been going to the gym 45 minutes once a week, and I HATED cardio, unless it was dancing.

"Fine, I'll do it. But on the weekend and when we're alone and not running I get boyfriend-Levi not Captain-drill-my-ass-Levi."

He turned at looked me with a somewhat horrified look while Hange started snickering. That's when I realized what I said.

"Oh my god Levi, get your head out of the gutter that's NOT what I meant!" I said, a small grin on my lips.

"Wait what?!" His face looked even more horrified now. It went right over his head for a brief moment until the realization hit. "That's not what-" he shook his head. "...god damnit I was looking at you like that because I'm your boyfriend before anything you silly goose." His face was so pale I thought he'd faint.

My heart leaped, I was happy he not only apologized, told me he loved me in front of Hange, and knew he had to separate the sides of himself.

"Levi is waaay too much of a clean freak for that kind of stuff," Hange laughed.

Hmm, yeah I wonder if anal would be a limit for him...either way is fine. It's not like I had done it but I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious.

And of course now my mind was in the gutter.

"Anyway...you need to go to bed. Hange is staying tonight on the couch, we have things to discuss. I'd like to eventually see if there's a way to hone your Magick abilities," he said. "You need to start going to bed earlier during the week, and me and Hange will see to it that you have the best regime."

"Okay. I'll do it. But, you can't be up too late either because I'll have trouble sleeping," I poured, crossing my arms.

"Yeah, yeah brat. You'll throw a fit if I don't read you a bed time story, huh?" he teased.

I blushed.

That was one time! Though...I wouldn't mind it more often...

"So go on, best get to bed now."

"Alright old man I'm going," I teased back, hugging Hange before walking off to go do my nightly routine.

He side glanced at me as I passed him and I swear he was about to smack my ass as I winked at him flirtatiously.

"Keep being a brat, see what happens," he said, a slight smirk on his lips.

Heh...if he thought I was going straight to bed he had one thing coming. I'm sneaky, after all. And being a brat was my favorite power struggle move.