In the weeks that followed, Kuro managed to obtain a medical textbook from Hange. He spent his free time poring over the pages and taking notes, trying to focus on the knowledge that would best benefit him in the field. He knew he wasn't the strongest or the fastest or even the smartest amongst his comrades, but he was a fast book learner and was good with his hands.

Still, it wasn't an easy read, and some of the language was quite technical. Amongst all the notes he had taken were lists of words and sections he didn't understand. He knew he wasn't going to be able to learn everything he needed to know on his own, but he tried to figure things out independently as much as he could.

One evening, Kuro headed to Section Commander Hange's office to return the book. He felt like he'd gottten as much out of it as he could, even if he didn't understand the whole thing cover to cover.

Moblit's voice responded to Kuro's knock. "Ah-- come in!" He looked up from the papers he was shuffling through as the door opened.

Kuro walked in and saluted. "Good evening, Vice Captain. I've come to return the book I borrowed from Section Commander Hange."

"Oh!" Moblit stood up too quickly and knocked over a stack of books, having to grab them all in a clumsy armful. "She was looking for you, actually! Earlier today, um--" One of the books he was attempting to hold slid to the floor with a dull thud.

"Let me help you with that," offered Kuro as he bent down to pick up the book, placing it back on the desk.

"Thanks," Moblit gave a sheepish smile as he set the stack back where it belonged. "She'd have my head if I scattered her notes." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. Sticking haphazardly out of the pages of each book were several scraps of paper scribbled and doodled with nearly illegible research.

"You're welcome, sir." Kuro gave him a small smile in return. "I guess I should be careful not to get this mixed up with the rest of her research then," he added, gesturing to the book he'd brought back.

"Ah, no. That goes..." Moblit tilted his head to check the title of the volume Kuro held. "... over here. I'll take it."

Kuro handed over the book, and Moblit moved to a nearby shelf to replace it.

"What were you saying about Section Commander Hange looking for me, sir?" Kuro stood smartly once again with his hands behind his back.

"Right, ah-" Moblit stood from his crouched position and ran a hand through his hair. "She mentioned your name earlier and said something about needing to remember to find you. But that's... all she said." He lifted his shoulders with a crooked smile. "She, ah... doesn't always finish her sentences."

"I've noticed that, sir," added Kuro with a chuckle. His fingers twitched a little, not really sure what to do with his hands other than keep them where they were.

He wondered why she could be looking for him, apart from needing the book back that is. Nothing else came to mind, but this was Section Commander Hange they were talking about. It really could be anything, and that wasn't always the most comforting thought...

"She can be a lot to handle," Moblit mused fondly as he returned to the desk. "Funny how Captain Levi picked her when they're so very different. I suppose they balance each other, though."

Kuro looked confused. He hadn't heard anything about Captain Levi choosing soldiers for anything. "Picked her, sir?"

Moblit looked up. "Yeah." His own brow creased at Kuro's confusion. "Yeah, you know, as his w--" He stopped himself and paled. Had they not told anyone?? Moblit cringed. "Uhh-! Forget I said anything!" he dismissed quickly, fluttering a hand in the air and flitting his eyes over his paperwork. "You'd better go see what she wants."

"Yes, sir," replied Kuro. It was quite obvious that Vice-Captain Moblit had nearly let something slip. Whatever it was, it sounded like something personal. "Where would I find her, sir?"

"Ah, let's see..." Moblit was clearly flustered now, and he scratched the side of his head with the mostly-used eraser end of a pencil. "She's moved recently, so... now she's down this hall and up the stairs... ah, first door on the left."

"Right. Thank you, sir." Kuro saluted before turning to leave. He couldn't help but to wonder if what Vice-Captain Moblit had almost said before was somehow linked to the move...

He reached the door he'd been directed to and knocked. From within, the sound of bootsteps approached, and the handle turned. Then the door opened, and Captain Levi stood there in his civilian clothes.

"What is it, Kuro?" he asked plainly.

"Sec-" he began as he saluted but stopped himself when he saw who as at the door. "Captain." He was sure he'd followed the directions correctly. They weren't that difficult, after all. "I'm looking for Section Commander Hange. Vice-Captain Moblit said she wanted to see me about something."

Keeping one hand on the door, Levi turned his head back a little. "Hange," he called, his voice raised only slightly. He looked up at Kuro and stepped back, opening the door a bit more. "Wipe your feet," he said, gesturing to a mat on the floor." Then he turned and took a few steps into the small apartment.

"Hange!" he called again.

"Be right there!" Hange called from a back room.

Kuro wiped his feet and quickly decided to go over them again. After one encounter with the Captain and muddy boots, there was no way that he ever wanted to repeat that.

A thought crossed Kuro's mind, but he quickly dismissed it as highly unlikely. But Vice-Captain Moblit's words returned to him again... Funny how Captain Levi picked her when they're so very different... Kuro really hadn't expected the Captain to be here, and he hoped wasn't interrupting anything.

The quarters were simple, but nice, with wood floors and white walls. There was a living area to the left with a couch and an armchair and an area rug. Straight ahead was a tiny kitchen, its shelves neat and organized. One shelf in particular contained a row of glass jars, carefully hand-labeled with tags. Their contents appeared to be various kinds of crushed, dried leaves... tea leaves, Kuro guessed. The place as a whole was absolutely spotless.

Levi moved over to a small wooden table in the kitchen area. It appeared as though he had already been working there, as a small tin of a thick, dark substance sat on the tabletop along with a stained cloth. He sat down and took the rag, then reached down to pick up one of his tall, brown boots. Carefully and intricately, he continued rubbing them with the shoe polish. A small white teacup also sat on the table beside him.

Having seen the state of Section Commander Hange's office, it really made no sense for her quarters to be so clean. Although... with Captain Levi here...

Kuro had heard how the Captain had cried out her name when she'd got injured and how he'd held her hand as she was being stitched up.

Captain Levi picked her...

It couldn't be in a more... personal way... could it?

"Kuro!" Hange's voice greeted him brightly as she came out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. "Good, you're here! I've been meaning to talk to you!" She was in civilian clothes as well- a creamy button-up shirt with reddish brown pants. Gesturing to the couch and moving toward it herself, she asked eagerly, "So, what brings you here?" She flopped down onto the cushions and bent her legs up, draping one elbow over the back of the couch.

"Good evening, Section Commander." He saluted once again before moving over to sit down. "Actually, I went to return the book you lent me and Vice-Captain Moblit said you'd been looking for me. He sent me over here."

"Oohh, I see!" Hange rested the side of her head atop her curled fingers. She was wearing thin-rimmed spectacles rather than the goggles she always wore with her uniform. "Mind sharing what use you've made of the book? A fellow scientific mind is hard to come by!"

"Well, I've read through it several times, and I've been making notes along the way." Kuro scratched the back of his head as he spoke. "I even looked through the section on stitches and tried a few out on a scrap of cloth I've had lying about."

Hange was thoroughly intrigued and began asking Kuro question after question about what he'd learned. The eagerness with which she listened to his responses bordered on the intimidating.

Partway through, Levi stood up, his chair scraping against the floorboards. He walked over to the shelf and reached for one of the glass jars.

Hange looked over. "Are you making more tea?"

"I am," Levi answered, pulling the cover off the top of the jar. "Would you like a cup?"

"Please and thank you!" Hange chirped. Then she turned to Kuro. "Do you want some tea?" Without waiting for a response, she addressed Levi again. "More tea, please, Captain!" Her tone was playful, and the title she used for him came across as more of a term of endearment than an acknowledgment of his rank.

"...alright then." Levi opened a cupboard and took down two more teacups. He had to stand on his toes to do so.

"Thank you, Captain." Kuro said politely with a small smile. These were peculiar circumstances that he'd found himself in.

A few minutes later, Levi set a tea service tray down on the coffee table. It wasn't anything fancy, but the dishes were polished and well-cared for.

As the Captain set down the tray, something caught Kuro's eye... Levi wore a simple gold band on his left ring finger. ..

"Thank you, Levi!" Hange smiled. She leaned forward and reached for the teapot, and... Kuro saw that she wore a gold band too.

"Thank you, Captain," Kuro said politely, trying not to stare at the rings and tried to focus on what Hange was saying. So, they were married. Suddenly, everything made a lot more sense.

Hange continued talking excitedly as Levi poured the tea, her words bubbling over and tripping over one another in her enthusiasm. But she did a good job at having it all make sense somehow. She thunked one of the teacups down in front of Kuro without even stopping her monologue.

Levi stood up to return to the table, his hand subtly but affectionately moving against Hange's hair as he walked by her.

Kuro was genuinely interested in what she had to say. He only wished he'd brought his notebook with him to take notes.

"...which brings me to the reason I was looking for you today," Hange said finally, lifting her teacup to her lips. "The Scouts could really use a trained Medic."

Levi looked up from his polishing at her comment. He couldn't agree more.

"A Medic?" Kuro repeated, blinking as he did so. She'd wanted to see him on a more serious matter than he had first thought. In truth, he knew it could have been anything but he really hadn't expected this. "I don't think I'm even close to ready for something like that, Section Commander. I've only read one book."

Hange's eyebrows went up as she took another sip of her tea. "Well... you seem to have a knack for it." The teacup clicked against the saucer, and she tipped her head. "What would you say to undergoing some training? With an actual doctor, of course."

"I'm... not sure..." Kuro rubbed the back of his neck. In truth, he didn't feel like he could take on such a responsibility. He'd never had any sort of formal education... all he knew how to do was sew.

Levi was looking at Kuro. "Then may I ask what your intentions were with the book you borrowed?" he asked.

Kuro turned to look at Captain Levi. "It was to look at proper stitches, sir... before- before I got slightly carried away with reading it..."

"Because it interested you!" Hange put in. "You enjoyed learning about it all, didn't you?" Without waiting for an answer, the Captain's wife continued. "Genuine interest is hard to come by, and I believe it's part of what would make you an excellent Medic, Kuro."

Kuro really did find it all very interesting... She had gotten that part right. Not to mention that he did want to do something that would be useful...

He sighed, still a little apprehensive. "If you think I'd do a good job, then... I could give it a go."

"Really??!" Hange nearly squealed, bringing both fists up by her face. "That's fantastic! I'll talk to Erwin first thing tomorrow."

"I think that's a wise decision," the Captain spoke from his place at the table, not looking up from his task. "Just know what you're getting into. This would be in addition to your current responsibilities, not in place of. You're still a soldier."

"I understand, Captain, and I'll work hard to make sure that I can do both." Kuro realised this was going to take a significant amount of discipline to keep up with both his medical training and his duties as a soldier. Still, if this was his way of making a difference, he'd work hard to make sure he could do the best job he possibly could.

Levi nodded, this time pausing his hands to look Kuro in the eyes. "As I've said before... I've seen your dedication. I have no doubt you can do this if you set your mind to it. We need a medic... badly."

"Then it's settled!" Hange decided, leaning forward to set her teacup down. She clasped her hands together and bounced a little as she sat upright again, grinning at Kuro like an excited child.

Kuro gave her a wobbily, unsure smile back. Every cautionary fibre of his being was telling him how ill-prepared he was for taking on such a crucial role. However, there was something else inside him... something deep within his beating chest. Excitement? Maybe that wasn't the right word... but it was on the right track.