Twisting the Knife Chp 2: Necessity

“Saskia.”

…

“Oi, Saskia, wake up.” Levi shook her shoulder.

“Ngh…What time is it?” A pair of sleepy green eyes struggled to open, barely able to see any more than a familiar silhouette in the darkness of her bedroom.

“Time to go.”

“Go do paperwork?” she yawned, trying to lift her head from the pillow

“No dumbass, the sun is barely up. There’s no paperwork to do yet.”

“Then I’m going back to sleep.” Her eyes fluttered shut as her head dropped down to the pillow and she rolled over facing the wall. Levi pulled her pillow out from underneath her and hit her over the head with it.

“Get your lazy ass out of bed!” he barked.

She bolted upright, nose wrinkled as always when agitated. “Do you want me to sleep or not?!” she shrieked. “Make up your mind!” She grabbed the pillow, hugging it to her chest and fell back down on the bed, curling up into a ball.

“You’re such a pain in the ass…Get up and get ready. We have to leave now.”

“But you told me to sleep…Can’t disobey a direct order from the Lance Corporal,” she said with a cheeky grin, eyes still shut.

“Do I need to pour cold water on you?” He grabbed a handful of her blanket.

“I wouldn’t do that,” she muttered sing-song, clutching her pillow tighter.

“Tch. I’ll drag you out of that damn bed if I have to.”

“Ill-advised,” she sang again.

“Shut up and get-” He yanked it off and stopped mid-sentence.

“In case you forgot, it’s summer. It’s warm in the summer. I have a low tolerance for high temperatures. That’s why my blanket is thin. That’s also why I’m not wearing pants.” She peaked an eye open and cursed the low lighting, wanting to get a glimpse at the look on his face.

That’s…one way to start the morning… “We’re going to meet with Erwin. He convinced the MP to let us see the Titan brat.” He tried his best not to sound flustered and threw the blanket back on top of her.

She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. “I don’t understand why you sound embarrassed. We’ve lived together for six years now.”

“What’s your point?” he snapped and headed for the door.

She shoved the blanket aside and stretched. “How many times have you walked in on me changing or in the shower? How many times have I walked in on you changing or in the shower?”

“Too many,” he replied and shut her door.

“And the tradition shall continue until we expire.” She hopped out of bed and went to her personal bathroom to shower and prepare for the long day ahead of them.

Levi waited as patiently as possible in her office, pacing back and forth. He stayed up all night in the event that a courier from the Military Police might arrive this early. Currently running on five cups of coffee, he was doing his best to convince himself that he was trembling from the surge of caffeine and not what he (barely) saw in her bedroom. Seeking a distraction, he quickly found one at the very top of her bookshelf in the form of a leather bound journal. The word ‘DIARY’ was scribbled across the spine. “You say diary, I say blackmail,” he smirked and grabbed it. The water started running; he had approximately five minutes to find something juicy.

Hardly to his surprise most of the pages were full of drawings of the twelve constellations and little blurbs and descriptions of each. She even kept a list of names next the sign they were born under.

“Tch. I can’t believe she thinks this stuff is real…If anyone found it she’d get her head cut off. There must be something in here I can use…”

December 15^th, 848

How is it that I can know someone for four years and STILL never know what to get them for their birthday? My best friend at that! I asked Hanji for a suggestion as to what I should get for Levi. Needless to say, as much as I adore her, that wasn’t my brightest idea. She suggested I tie myself up to his bedpost wearing nothing but three bows (guess where) with the word GIFT written across my legs and tell him to ‘open his gift’ when he sees me.

“Blackmail can wait.” He snapped it shut and placed it back atop the shelf seconds before she came out of her bedroom. Her long hair was up and she smelled strongly of vanilla.

“I have half a mind to stall just to piss off the driver.” She straightened out her shirt and slipped into her jacket.

“You’d piss off Erwin in the process by keeping him waiting too.”

“Considering he’s in their company I can’t imagine he would be in a very good mood to begin with,” she snickered.

“We’ll see. Ready?”

“Very,” she replied with a nod.

Saskia fell back asleep along the way and Levi kept kicking her in the shin to keep her awake. By the time they arrived at the courthouse the sun was halfway up and she was sporting ugly bruises on each leg. Two guards escorted them down to the prison cell where Eren Jaeger was being kept. Erwin was sitting before it, his tired eyes fixed on the sleeping adolescent.

“Tch. This place is fucking filthy,” Levi said condescendingly folding his arms over his chest.

Hands behind her back Saskia replied thoughtfully, “Do be mindful of the demographic the facility is meant to cater to. They probably do not feel compelled to maintain high sanitation standards.” Perhaps that is why he chose the Survey Corps over prison, she internally laughed.

“They don’t need to pamper them like princesses but they could at least do something about the repulsive stench. Lazy fucks.”

“Perhaps their superiors do not issue the order? Perhaps they are the lazy ones?” Even while donning her professional persona Saskia had difficulty refraining from taking stabs at the Military Police, especially in their immediate presence. Levi’s company only encouraged her further.

“Has he been like this the entire time?” Levi asked Erwin, leaning against the wall next to him.

“Yes. He collapsed from exhaustion not long after being taken into custody. I would assume it’s like a type of hibernation. From what I was told he has only undergone this transformation twice.”

Saskia walked up to the cell and peered in at the slumbering teenager. “Sleeping the entire time. I was under the impression that the Military Police barred us from seeing him to cover up inhumane torture they were subjecting him to.” She stood in between them. “And now we continue to play the waiting game?”

“Sadly, yes. That’s all we can do for the time being.”

“I stayed up all night just to watch this little shit sleep.” Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. “The day has barely begun and I already hate it.”

“You hate a lot of things. But it could be worse. Hanji could be here,” she pointed out.

“Just the thought of her acting like a frantic lunatic is giving me a headache.”

“Acting?” Saskia giggled quietly as Eren began to stir and then shot up in bed. His vision was a little blurry but there was no mistaking the three outlines and the insignias they bore on their matching uniforms.

After giving him a few seconds to regain his senses Erwin locked eyes with the boy. “Any questions?”

Survey Corps Commander Erwin…and General Saskia…and Lance Corporal Levi? “Um,” Eren began in a shaky voice, “where am I?”

“As you can see, it’s an underground jail cell. The Military Police has regained custody of you. We only recently received permission to speak with you.”

Eren looked around the cell, tugging lightly at the chains around his wrists and examining his body as though searching for something. Erwin held up the object in question. “That key…” he began.

“Yes. It’s yours. You can have it back later. The basement of your house in Shiganshina, Dr. Jaeger’s house, holds the answer to the mystery of the Titans. Is that correct?” Rico Brzenska made mention of the basement and what was possibly beneath the rubble in her report concerning the attack on Trost after trying to learn more about Eren from Mikasa and Armin. The Military Police reluctantly shared the documents with Erwin and allowed him to hold the key temporarily so he could share the information with Levi and Saskia after they arrived.

Eren gave a slow nod. “Yes,” he replied softly, sounding unsure of himself. This was confirmed after he added, “I think so. That’s what my father said.”

“You think so or you have sufficient reason to believe so?” Saskia raised an eyebrow. “There is a difference, one of which could make all the difference. That aside, Dr. Jaeger’s whereabouts have not been confirmed since…845. Curious timing, is it not?” She deferred to Levi.

“You have amnesia and your dad’s missing. Pretty convenient.”

Erwin shot them a warning glance. “Levi, Saskia. We have already reached the conclusion that he has no reason to lie. There’s still so much we don’t know. But right now, we do need to ask what you want to do.” He returned his attention to Eren.

“What I want to do?” He sounded surprised that the subject was open for discussion. He found the answer to that question years ago; there was no need to think on it further.

“To get back to your house we must take back Shiganshina and Wall Maria. The simplest and easiest way to seal the shattered gate would be to use your Titan power. It’s likely that Titans will determine our fate. It’s possible the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan are the same, in principle, as you. Your decision is the key. The key that can save humanity from despair.”

“I…I am?” He clutched at the bedding. Beads of sweat began running down his forehead and cheeks as the gruesome memory of his sole motivation for entering the military played over and over in his mind.

“How overwhelming it must be, knowing the determining factor for whether or not humanity overcomes the Titan threat is on the tip of your tongue.” Saskia leaned forward, her intense gaze meeting his cautious and frustrated one. “Is that a responsibility you can accept? Are you prepared for the burdens and consequences? Or are you too scared?”

“Answer up, you piece of crap.” The thinning of Levi’s patience was beginning to show. “What do you want to do?”

“What can you do?” she pressed further. “If anything at all.”

Eren looked down and began breathing heavily. The pressure to answer and the belittling of his capability was a volatile combination of insulting and infuriating. He raised his head to the three of them, eyes wide with an eager madness and lips trembling to reveal a toothy grin. “I want to join the Survey Corps and slaughter as many Titans as I can!” he exclaimed as if the blades were already in hands.

Levi raised his eyes slightly, expressing interest. “Oh? Not bad.” His tone still lacked emotion but the intrigue was blatant.

Saskia’s brisk demeanor softened and she offered a genuine smile. “I second that,” she said softly. “I approve of the enthusiasm. If we can…comfortably call it that.”

“Erwin. We’ll take responsibility for him,” Levi announced as he approached Eren’s cell. “Convey that to the brass.” The Commander eyed them curiously, not expecting her to take part in what was originally intended to be handled by Levi and his squad, but he showed neither objection nor surprise. Gripping the cell bars, Levi stared the boy down. “It isn’t that I trust him. If he betrays us or loses control, one of us will kill him on the spot.” Eren visibly jumped, gasping loudly.

“I doubt they will have any complaints to voice. None are better suited for the task than Levi and I.”

“We accept your request. You can join the Survey Corps.”

“Congratulations, Cadet Jaeger. Welcome to the family.”

Later That Morning

The primary reason the Survey Corps’ chance to meet with Eren required two days of negotiation was because the Military Police wished to keep him. For what reason, Erwin was never informed. All he was told on the day after reclaiming Trost was that the MP wanted him, but he made it very clear the Survey Corps had intentions of their own though he dare not disclose further. A military tribunal had been called to determine whose hands he would be placed in. Not long after meeting with the boy Erwin ‘happened’ to run into Dot Pixis, who informed him that the tribunal would be overseen by the Commander-in-Chief of the Military, Darius Zackley.

“His decisions are based on one criterion. Whether it’s good or bad for humanity.”

“I have a great deal of trouble taking the Military Police seriously when their insignia is a unicorn. Are you excited to play house?” Saskia asked Levi with a tiny grin as the guards dragged in the shackled brunet.  

“I’ve had enough practice babysitting you. I can handle a little shit like him.”

“Six years and I’m still unable to tell when the two of you are arguing or holding a ‘normal’ conversation.” If the general public knew the members of the Survey Corps as people, how they conducted themselves when out of the public eye, they would have a radically different opinion of them, for better or for worse.

“I have difficulty telling the difference myself at times.” She sounded amused by her admission.

“Tch. That’s probably because you don’t think before you speak.”

“Why do I feel like I’m the one babysitting?” the Commander groaned quietly as Darius Zackley took his seat.

“Well then, let us begin,” he said, calling the court to order. “Eren Jaeger, yes?” He adjusted his glasses and examined the paperwork in his hand. “You are a soldier sworn to sacrifice your life for the public good. Is that correct?”

“Yes sir.”

Saskia grit her teeth. Sacrifice your life for the public good…You are no use to any greater good if you focus on ‘sacrifice’! You fight to prevent having to make that sacrifice. His answer, his pathetic affirmation, is so miserably apprehensive. He does not want to sacrifice himself. He wants to fight. You will have that chance, Eren. Rest assured. We will see it through.

“What I will decide today is which force will have custody of you. The Military Police? Or the Survey Corps? I ask the Military Police to present their proposal.”

Fists balled and knuckles turning white, she crossed her arms tightly over her chest as if attempting to restrain herself and suppress her bubbling anger. Levi shot her a warning look out of the corner of his eye. Her response was a sharp exhale.

“So we ask him to die for humanity’s sake, leaving behind all the information he can.”

‘Asking’ a clueless child to die for humanity’s sake? There is NOTHING humane about that. You may have been a low ranking officer at the time, but you are no better than your former superiors…Those bastards who co-conspired with Flagan. “After hearing that you truly expect me to remain calm?” she hissed.

“We’ll hear the Survey Corps proposal next.” Darius Zackley turned in his chair to the other side of the courtroom.

“Yes sir,” Erwin began. “I, 13^th Commander of the Survey Corps, Erwin Smith, will present my proposal. We would welcome Eren as an official member of our forces, and use his power to retake Wall Maria. That is all.”

“Hm? That’s all?” the Commander-in-Chief asked surprised.

“Yes sir. With his power we can retake Wall Maria. We believe it is clear what our priorities are.”

“I see. And where do you plan to begin this mission? Pixis, the Trost gate has been completely sealed, correct?”

“Yes, it can never be opened again,” the Garrison Commander confirmed.

“We would like to set out from Karanese, in the east,” Erwin elaborated. “From there we will proceed to Shiganshina. We will determine the route as we go.”

“Wait a minute! Shouldn’t we seal all the wall gates once and for all? The Colossal Titan can only destroy the gates. If we can strengthen them we needn’t endure further attacks!”

“Shut up, merchant dog! With that Titan’s power we can return to Wall Maria!”

“Would you like to tackle them or shall I?” Saskia whispered to Levi. “You look rather bored. Then again, that is not very telling.”

“I believe it’s my turn, if we’re still keeping track,” he whispered back before clearing his throat. “You talk a lot, pig. Where is your proof that the Titans will wait while we seal the gates? The “we” you speak of are only those you wish to protect, your “friends” who help line your pockets. The people who starve because there isn’t enough land to sow don’t even figure into the thoughts of you pigs.”

“We just thought that we could survive by sealing the wall gates-”

“Silence!” Pastor Nick shouted. “Impious traitor! Mere humans altering Wall Rose, walls that were a gift from God?!”

“Noble effort. At least half of the choir stopped singing,” she remarked.

“It baffles me how they can worship a pile of bricks,” he scoffed.

“Would that make the masons comparable to saints?” She fought a snicker.

“Tch. Don’t give them any ideas. They’re full of enough shit as is.”

Zackley called the court back to order and then addressed Eren. “Jaeger, I wish to confirm something. Can you continue to serve as a soldier, using your Titan powers to benefit humanity?”

“Yes, I can!” he declared confidently.

“But the report on Trost’s defense says this…” He held the paper up to eye level and read aloud, “‘Immediately after turning into a Titan, he swung his fist at Mikasa Ackermann.’”

Saskia noticed Levi flinch slightly. She lightly tapped her foot against his and murmured, “Hey now, stay with me.”

October 2^nd, 844, Night

“I didn’t expect to see you up here. Waiting for me?” There was a hint of hopefulness in the General’s voice. She came to the rooftop to hunt down the current Zodiac sign and was surprised to see Levi there.

“Maybe,” was the monotonous response, easily translatable into a ‘yes’.

She sat down next to him and drew her legs to chest, arms locked around them and chin on her knees. “You seem…off.” She cocked her head to the side out of curious concern. “I can think of no other way to articulate it.”

His eyes were void of emotion, not due to apathy but from effort to fight showing any at all. “What would you say if I told you, hypothetically, that I wasn’t always just a thug?”

“There’s a stark difference between theft and survival. To answer the question I would say, hypothetically, if you wish to elaborate I’ll listen. But if not that’s alright.”

“What if, hypothetically, I told you I was a hired hand?”

“You mean whether or not, hypothetically, I would judge you? No, of course not.”

He had noticeable difficulty hiding his surprise at her response. “Hypothetically, what would you say if I told you it wasn’t hypothetical?”

“It sounds as though you have something to get off of your chest.”

Levi looked forward, staring at nothing in particular but gaze unwavering. “I was the ‘protégé’ of a demented fuck who monopolized the assassination business. His name, the name he went by, was Captain Ackermann. Also known as Kenny the Ripper. I don’t remember how I ended up under his thumb. I don’t remember how I left. I blocked it out. But that shitshow with Flagan and the Military Police started to bring it back.”

“It may be coming back to you, but you don’t have to return to it. You’re here now.”

“Tch. Only because I knew Isabel and Farlan wouldn’t last two hours in prison.”

“I meant right now, here on this rooftop. With me. So stay with me, okay?” She nudged him in the arm with her elbow. “Otherwise I’ll become lonely.”

“Tch. You’re so damn clingy.”

“No…You have yet to push me away, is all. That wasn’t meant to be a suggestion of course!”

He turned to her, a faint flicker of emotion in his otherwise empty gray-blue eyes. “You’re quick to worry over nothing.”

Present

“Let’s just get this bullshit over with.”

It didn’t take long for a buzz to stir up again after Mikasa confirmed what was in the report. Her effort to defend him only served to backfire and paranoid accusations of possessing the Titan-shifting ability were being thrown at her, prompting the ever-impulsive Eren to quickly lose his temper.

Saskia bit her lip. Is this really the only option we have? “The confidence he displayed earlier is being twisted into aggression now that they have attacked his sister. If he does not keep his mouth shut we will lose him. Make him look weak, vulnerable, something not to be feared. It will undermine their feeling that killing him is necessitated.”

“Tch. You’re just looking for an excuse to mouth off to the MP, obnoxious little shit.”

“I need not look far. You had best hurry. They are preparing to shoot.”

In a matter of seconds Eren went from losing a tooth to bruised, battered, and bleeding profusely. He was face down on the ground, Levi’s boot atop his head, holding him in place.

“This is my personal philosophy. But I believe pain to be the best way to discipline someone. What you need is to be disciplined by actions, not by words. You’ve fallen low enough that you’re easier to kick around, anyway.”

As Levi continued to pummel Eren, Saskia couldn’t stop thinking about how furious he was going to be while trying to get the blood stains out of his clothes. The amused grin she was sporting was highly misleading, giving the impression that she enjoyed watching the violent beating. Mikasa, who was already enraged by the Lance Corporal’s actions became even more so when she misinterpreted the look on her face as sadistically entertained.

“Wait, Levi!” Nile Dawk shouted.

“What is it?” he asked monotonously, Eren’s head between his foot the pole and was chained to.

“That’s dangerous…What if he gets angry and turns into a Titan?”

Levi kicked him again, then grabbed him by the hair and turned him around so the opposition could see his face. “What are you talking about?” That was Saskia’s cue.

“Only moments ago you were begging for permission to dissect him. During his last transformation that boy killed twenty Titans. That is twenty more than you have seen, and a thousand more than you pray you ever will. If he is in fact dangerous it is not because of his strength, it is because of his intellectual capacities. That is not something Titans possess in caliber. You want custody of him so you can kill and study him. And yet you are afraid to go near him? You would not know where to begin your ‘research’; all you would manage to do is rummage through guts and muscle. But if you are afraid of this child while he has been incapacitated by a few…” She glanced at Eren and the handiwork of her partner, placing great emphasis on her next few words. “Measly ‘blows’ to the head, how can you expect to get that far? Even if his strength was reason enough to consider him a threat the entirety of your branch combined could not even manage to do a fraction of what we can.”

“You little,” Nile snarled. Even if he wasn’t in charge when Saskia challenged the Military Police he witnessed the damage firsthand, constantly being harassed and spat on while patrolling the streets during the time of the investigation and the following trial.

Before any more commotion could be stirred up by either side Erwin quickly raised his hand. “Commander-in-Chief, I have a proposal.”

“What is it?”

“The details of Eren’s Titan power remain uncertain. That makes it very dangerous. Thus, I propose to have Lance Corporal Levi and General Saskia take responsibility for Eren’s control and embark on an expedition outside the walls.”

“With Eren in tow?”

Pixis’ advice echoed in his mind. “Whether Eren can control his Titan power or not and if he is a benefit to the fate of mankind will be determined by the results of the expedition.”

“Control Eren Jaeger? Can you do it Levi, Saskia?”

Well done, you obnoxious little shit. “If you mean can I kill him? Certainly. The only problem is I doubt I can do any less.”

They should know better than to challenge us. “He may possess the ability assume Titan form but he is still a child. I have no difficulty silencing either of those things permanently.”

“Then my decision is made.” The gavel fell.

“That was really terrible,” Hanji groaned as though she were the one who had been beaten. Saskia, kneeling next to her, handed her a bottle of antiseptic and she squirted a few drops on a cotton ball, then dabbed Eren’s wounds. “It hurts, right?”

“A little,” he admitted.

“So how does it hurt?” she inquired excitedly.

“Hanji, calm down,” Saskia scolded. “Even if he does take part in some of your experiments, do not confuse him for being an experiment.

“I’m sorry,” Erwin said sincerely as he approached Eren. “But thanks to that we had you turned over to us.”

“Yes sir.”

“The pain you endured allowed me to play my cards at the right moment.” He squatted down in front of him and held out his hand. “You have my respect. Eren, I look forward to working with you,” he smiled.

“Yes sir! Thank you!” He eagerly shook Erwin’s hand.

Levi ungracefully dropped down on the couch next to Eren, an arm slung over the back almost around his shoulders. “Oi, Eren.”

“Yes sir?” he stuttered nervously.

“Do you resent me?” Levi wasn’t the least bit concerned about what Eren thought of him but he needed to be sure that Eren understood why he assaulted him during the trial.

“No. I understand it was an act you had to put on.”

“That’s good. If you’re going to get pissed off at anyone, get pissed off at Saskia. It was her idea,” he added. She said nothing, only wrinkled her nose.

“But you took it a little too far,” Hanji chided. “You lost a tooth.” She unfolded a white rag in her hand, the tooth nestled in the wrapped cloth. “See?”

“Don’t pick that up, it’s disgusting,” Levi spat, looking away.

“Even this is an important sample.”

“Eren. It’s still better than getting dissected by people like her, right?”

“I’m not like them. I wouldn’t kill him,” Hanji said, as if that made all the difference. “Hey, Eren. Let me see inside your mouth!” She leaned closely towards his face, invading his personal space. Slowly he opened his mouth for her to examine and her eyes widened in shock and awe, a heavy gasp escaping her lips. “The tooth…It’s already grown back,” she murmured in disbelief.

“It has?” Saskia, in her excitement, almost pushed Hanji over onto the floor so she could take a peak. “What did I tell you? A few measly blows. I would not have suggested it if I was not certain you could tolerate it.” Her smiled was reminiscent of a proud parent, confusing him further. That morning she had berated him, she had engineered the plan to beat him up, and now she was showing interest in his Titan abilities and slight affection towards him. “Yes, I admit, it was my idea. But if it makes you feel any better there is a reason I asked Levi to carry it out. Physically speaking, he is weaker than I am.” She shot Levi a smug smirk. “I had only your best interest in mind.”

“Oh, I see. Well, then, thank you General.”

“Tch. Moron…” He kicked her in the shoulder.

He is really enjoying kicking me today. “I also grant you permission to eat Levi, should you lose control of yourself.”

“I order you to eat Saskia first, should you lose control of yourself.”

“Aren’t they adorable?” Hanji fawned.

Outside the Walls

“The former Survey Corps Headquarters. It’s nothing more than a renovated old castle. While it definitely looks impressive it’s so far from the Wall and all rivers that it’s completely useless to the Survey Corps. The story goes back to the ambitious early days when the Corps was formed. Who would’ve thought we’d end up using it again to serve as your hideout?”

Levi’s special operations squad and Saskia were going to use the old facility to house and study Eren until recruitment time came, after which they would relocate back to the Survey Corps headquarters. ‘Study Eren’ meant that Hanji would insert herself into the operation irrespective of a direct order being issued or not and she was expected to arrive sometime that evening.

“Don’t get cocky new blood.”

“Wh-what?”

“I don’t know the deal about this crap with you being a Titan, but we can’t have Levi Heichou babysit-”

During most of the ride out to the castle Eren was heckled by one of Levi’s elite, Auruo. By now everyone had learned to tolerate and ignore his arrogance but Eren, being a greenhorn, was completely at his mercy. That is, until Auruo once again engaged in another one of his terrible habits- biting through his tongue mid-rant.

“That’s what you get for talking while riding your horse.” After they arrived Petra scolded him while tending to her horse in front of the castle.

“The first moments leave the most important impression. The newbie was scared shitless.”

“I think he was just stunned silent by how lame you are.”

“Still, it’s all going according to plan.”

“Man, you never used to talk like that. If, by chance, you’re trying to imitate Levi Heichou you should really stop it. You two are nothing alike, but still…”

“Do you want to chain me down Petra?” he smirked. “You still have a ways to go to be fitting for my wife.”

“If only you’d bled to death from biting your tongue. You keep on boasting about how many Titans you’ve killed too.”

“So what? I’ve boasted about you guys too.”

“You’re pathetic!”

After dismounting and securing her horse Saskia approached Levi and quickly pulled him aside. “How are you feeling?”

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I was…caught off guard, that’s all.”

“If you say so. Should that change…Well, you know. In the mean time we need to take the necessary preliminary steps to making this place a suitable housing facility.” Her tone was hushed but very serious.

“It’s covered in weeds.”

“It looks terrible.”

“Inside, a sea of dust is probably awaiting us.”

Guenther and Erd, who were talking amongst themselves about the condition of the castle, triggered Levi’s cat-like sense of hearing as soon as they dropped the word ‘dust’. He twitched in disgust making Saskia giggle.

“You have the gall to mock me?”

“Unlike you I don’t clean obsessively for the sake of cleaning obsessively. I like to keep my work place tidy is all. That said…that is indeed a severe problem.”

The special ops overheard Levi and Saskia and internally groaned in agony, waiting for the ridiculous command.

“We must sort it out immediately,” he agreed.

Bit-by-bit they tackled the interior and exterior of the windows, the exterior of the building itself, the weeds in the pavement, and of course the aptly described ‘sea of dust’. Eren had been assisting with the upper floors while Levi and Petra were on the lower and middle levels. Saskia supervised the exterior, her stealth nearly scaring those outside half to death when she would drop out of nowhere to harass them to work harder. Every now and then she could be heard barking “Scrub until you bleed if you must! And clean up the blood too!” at those under her supervision.

Eren slowly entered the room Levi began working on. “I’m done cleaning the upper floors. Where will I get to sleep in the building, sir?”

“Your room is in the basement.”

“The basement again, sir?”

“Of course. You’re not in complete control of yourself yet. If you turned into a Titan in your sleep and you’re already underground we can restrain you right away. That was one of the conditions we agreed upon for us to get custody of you. It’s a rule we must follow.” He paused. “I’ll take a look around the rooms. You do this room, Eren.”

“Yes, sir.”

Not long after he left a smiling Petra, broom in hand, stepped into the entryway. “You’ve got quite a despairing look on your face Eren.”

He spun around. “I do?” Despite the floor being made of stone he didn’t hear her approach, momentarily lost in thought.

“I’ll be calling you Eren. Levi Heichou does the same. Here, his word is law.”

“Right…I don’t mind that, but did I really have a despairing look on my face?”

“It’s not surprising at all. He doesn’t come across as the perfect, invulnerable hero people think he is, does he? The true Levi is surprisingly short, irritable, violent, and hard to approach.”

“That’s not it. I was surprised by how obediently he accepts orders from the higher-ups.”

“Did you think that, as strong as he is, he wouldn’t care about rank or chain of command?”

“Yes,” he admitted. “I expected him not to acquiesce to anyone’s words.”

“I don’t know the details myself, but I heard he was like that originally. Before joining the Survey Corps, he was a famous thug in the capitol’s underground.”

“But then, why?”

“I don’t know what happened,” she shrugged. “He was taken in to the Survey Corps under Erwin’s hands. Saskia knows the story better than any of us. His Squad Leader tried to have him kicked out. But when she found out Saskia stepped forward and somehow…he changed. She’s a little strange and can be harsh, but she’s a reliable leader who cares a great deal about every soldier in the Survey Corps. They may bicker but they have a strong mutual respect for each other.” Petra paused and shifted uncomfortably. Her smile returned and she continued. “I guess it’s safe to say that her word is temporarily law since they’re both in charge of this particular operation as per Erwin’s command.”

“The Commander? He recruited Levi? I thought for sure he would’ve been the one to work with him. They seem close as well.”

Petra bit her lip. “They are but Saskia and Levi are closer. Or very close in a different kind of way.” From outside the open window they could hear Saskia scolding Guenther for all the spots he missed and the streaks left behind from washing the large window. “And they have some strange things in common.”

“Oi, Eren!” Levi poked his head into the room. Petra quickly returned to sweeping.

“Yes, sir?” he asked nervously.

“It’s no good. Redo it all from scratch.”

Saskia dropped down using her gear and sat on the edge of the open window. “Not you too,” she said shaking her head. “At least you have the ever responsible Petra to help you out, while here I am stuck with the moron brigade.” She shot Petra a smile but it wasn’t reciprocated.

“Hey! I heard that!” Auruo barked down at her.

“Good, you were supposed to!” she yelled before leaping back up off the balcony edge. “And get that God damned blood off the God damned window or I will lock you in with Hanji’s live test subjects!”

“What was I thinking? Trapping myself in here with that maniac…Eren, get moving!”

“Y-yes sir!”

Levi watched him run off and then turned to Petra. “Why did you tell him? Neither of our life stories are his business.”

“Hm?” She jumped. “Oh, you overheard.”

“I don’t enjoy knowing that I’m the center of gossip amongst the civilians. I’m not going to deal with it here.”

“Right. Sorry Heichou.”

Evening

After Hanji arrived to ‘check on her favorite Work Husband and Work Wife’ and gain their permission to gain Eren’s assistance in her upcoming experiments, said pair had departed to the room they were sharing for the duration of their mission. Seeing as it was the first night there was minimal work to do.

“I know you try not to pay attention to her so you probably haven’t noticed, but Petra wouldn’t stop glaring at me today. Please tell me you set the record straight when she pulled you aside after dinner.” Saskia was reclining in her bed rereading the checklist of objectives Erwin had generated for them. She folded it into a paper airplane and threw it halfway across the room to Levi, sitting at the desk in between their beds.

“No, she was whining because you and I are sharing a room. She thought it would be ‘more appropriate’ if the women were sharing a room. Ironic, since she wishes she was in your place right now. I think she’s under the impression we’re having an X-rated slumber party.” He smoothed out the paper airplane, gray-blue eyes quickly running down the document.

“I shouldn’t have to tolerate that on the job, Levi. Or at all, for that matter. And it’s not fair to her.” She rose and went to the open window, arms resting on the sill as she admired the night sky. “Continue to draw it out and she’ll remain optimistic.”

“I’ll get to it when I get to it.” His tone made it very clear it was low on his priority list. “Shut the window before you make yourself sick.”

“Then it’ll become unbearably hot,” she grumbled. “You know how easily bothered I am by such temperatures. Or have you forgotten what happened this morning?”

I don’t think that’s possible. “Saskia, this is an old ass building. It’s drafty as hell.”

“Hell isn’t drafty. It’s my understanding that it’s full of fire.”

“Shut the damn window. I’d rather deal with you hot and bothered than sick.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, dropping his shoulders. “That could’ve been worded differently.”

“No wonder Petra is envious.” She pressed the back of her fist to her mouth to stifle her laughter when he shot her a murderous glare.

“Shut. The. Window.”

“And you accuse me of not thinking before I speak.” She closed the shutters but not before noticing gray storm clouds rolling in. Her eyes widened and she quickly locked them tight. Levi, noticing her sudden tension, watched her curiously as she sat on the edge of her bed.

“What the hell is your problem?” He laid out all the reports and paperwork they brought with them on the desk and began reviewing.

“Gray clouds,” she said quietly. Since childhood Saskia was inexplicably terrified of thunderstorms. The only time her fear never bested her was during expeditions, as demonstrated the night Isabel and Farlan died.

“Tch. It’s just water. What are you, five?”

“Easy for you to say. They don’t terrify you.” She pulled the ribbon out of her hair, letting her dark tresses cascade down like a waterfall in the midnight hour. “I’ll be back. Hope you’re thirsty.”

“Panic Tea?”

“You know we both need it.” She had adopted his monotonous tone.

He hung his head as she shut the door. “It’s not an uncommon name, it’s not an uncommon name,” he repeated, trying to distract himself with the papers in front of him. But the letters ran together like melting wax and he couldn’t process a single word. Had the walls not been made of stone he would have punched them.

When she returned there was an unspoken agreement that they both needed a break from the work they had yet to start. They sat on their beds drinking in silence, though Saskia spent more time glancing at the closed window trying to brace herself for the impending storm than she did drinking.

“Staring at the window won’t make it go away.”

“Obsessing over the memories won’t change the past,” she countered pointedly.

“…you wonder what the rest of the corps would think if they heard me complain about Petra and see you tackle me into a couch. I wonder what they would think if they saw us like this.”

“It doesn’t matter. We agreed to bear this cross of reluctant heroism together when you became Lance Corporal.” She ran her finger along the edge of the teacup.

December 19^th, 846

“I was right,” Saskia practically sang as Levi trudged into her office to escape the holiday cheer. “Shardis put in his resignation for the beginning of 847 and, as I predicted, named Erwin his successor! That means there will be a vacancy for a squad leader.”

“No,” he sharply refused, laying down on her couch and stared at the ceiling.

“…I already suggested you be promoted...”

“You what?!”

“Before you bite my head off just…Well, come here. Take a look at these.”

Levi rolled his eyes and grabbed the paperwork she handed him, reading carefully. “…this is a resignation letter with your signature.” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“No, no, no. Not a resignation. I will step down as second-in-command when Erwin becomes Commander, leaving that position open as well. I suggested you become our Lance Corporal. We haven’t had a proper one in years. I’m the second-in-command because of favoritism. They invented a rank for me! I don’t want that. You, however? You could do it. I want you to do it.”

“Tch. If you’re no longer second-in-command this place would fall to shit, but there are only so many others qualified for the position.”

“You arrogant prick,” she said affectionately. “I’m still amazed by the improvements you’ve made since you came here, though I think it’s safe to say you had little to improve to begin with. Except your people skills.”

“Fuck people.”

“Which is clearly a lost cause,” she chuckled.

“Before I sign anything I have one question.”

“What’s that?”

“Though you’re stepping down as second-in-command we aren’t losing General Saskia in the process, are we?”

“No, General Saskia isn’t going anywhere. It’ll merely be a change in responsibilities.”

“Good. I’d have to beat you senseless if you said otherwise.”

“Funny, as I plan on doing the very same should you decline.” She went to her cabinet and pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses. “And this means we’ll be able to continue working together, spend even more time around each other. Working, but still, time spent together is still time spent together.”

“It also means being in the public eye.”

“That’s one of the unfortunate and annoying aspects of this job. You become a face, an icon. But I did warn you that would happen.” She sat on the corner of her desk and handed him a glass. He was hesitant to sign the documents confirming his promotion. “If that’s what humanity needs from me then so be it. I can’t control the thoughts, actions, and feelings of others. I can’t decide what I am to others. If I could then I wouldn’t be General Saskia Messmann. Even if it’s an artifice, a construct, you’re going to be a household name. And every time they speak of you, say your name, that name will be reference to all you do and all you’ve done. That’s what we do. Remind people that someone is fighting for them, for us all. They’ll never know who we truly are but…would you want them to? Or would you rather be an icon instead?”

“Tch. If those are my only options then I repeat, fuck people. They don’t need to know who I am to know I’m risking my ass to save theirs.”

“Exactly. They just need to know you exist.”

“I’m not signing this unless you make a promise right here, right now. Even though you’re stepping down, no more of this ‘returning to sidelines’ bullshit. We’ll keep doing what we’ve been doing. I’m not doing anything without you.”

“You don’t need me.”

“That’s not for you to decide,” he argued. “Countless times I’ve found myself questioning your sanity but not once have I questioned your dedication. I refuse to work alongside another unless it’s temporary or they’re under my command. But I also refuse to work without my partner.” He glanced up at her. “So are you with me, or were you all talk?”

“Commiserating together over a shared disdain for mass public adoration and working side-by-side to slaughter Titans until I collapse? I don’t know…” Signature smile gracing her lips she added, “But I’m with you. Always.”

He signed the document and raised his glass. “A toast, to reluctant heroism.” With a snicker she bumped her glass against his.

“To reluctant heroism.”

“And keeping this shitty building spotless.”

“Scrub until you bleed.” She emptied half her glass. “To Flagan being dishonorably discharged.”

Clink!

“And executed,” he added.

Clink!

“I’ll drink to that. And to us. Inseparable and unstoppable.”

Clink!

Present

“There’s no rain or thunder right now…” She finished her cup. “Work. We should work. But only if you’re-”

“I’m fine,” he lied.

They read and reread Rico Brzenksa’s report of the Trost attack a few times before tackling the map detailing their itinerary starting at Karanese.

“What did Erwin tell you about the extramural?” he asked as he traced his finger along a potential route.

“No more than you were already told. Why not take this route instead?” She pointed to a different spot.

“The geography is ill-suited for the use of 3D gear.”

“Any location outside of the walls is ill-suited for gear,” she pointed out. “But the open space would make it easier for the formation to maintain itself, and leave plenty of room available should a Titan threat force it to separate.”

“But open space only lasts for so long.”

“Right, it does lead towards a straight. That would certainly throw off the formation.”

Both took their hands off of the map and rested them on the table as they examined further, Levi accidentally placing his atop hers, causing her to jump. They fell quiet but the awkward silence was quickly killed by Levi’s complaint about being ‘contaminated’ after touching her.

“We’ve done enough work for tonight I think. And if I’m going to be of any use here I need to get a good night’s rest. For once. Shall we call it here?” Her face had reddened slightly but the change in hue was hardly visible by candlelight.

“Yes, we can do more in the morning.” He actively avoided looking at her, though doing so only served as a reminder that there was something to avoid in the first place.

It was much cooler in the old building so there was no need to ditch any layers of clothing, much to Levi’s relief. The two awkwardly bid each other goodnight and quickly fell asleep. Four hours later Saskia’s peaceful slumber was abruptly interrupted by a boisterous clap of thunder.

When she heard it her eyes shot open and she was breathing heavily, sweaty palms gripping the bedding tightly. She tried to panic in silence so as not to wake Levi, jaw clenched as she flinched at every booming echo. As she tried to steady her loud breathing the thought of having to relax made her all the more tense. Swallowed up by her anxiety, she didn’t hear footsteps approaching her bed nor did she feel any movement on her mattress. What she did feel was an arm slip beneath her and pull her against a warm body.

“L-l-evi?” She blinked in surprise looked over her shoulder. “What are you doing?”

“Shut up and go to sleep,” he mumbled into the pillow, eyes closing as he spoke. He put his other arm over her.

“I’m trying,” she whispered shakily. “I hate thunderstorms…” She gripped the sheets tightly.

“I know.” He put his hand over hers and pulled it to her chest, fighting his way between her fingers to undo the tight fist they had reflexively balled into. “Breathe. You’re fine.”

“I’m going to keep you awake if you stay with me.”

“Then I’ll stay awake until you fall asleep, if that’s what it comes to.”

She squeezed his fingers tightly. “Why are you doing this?” she asked confused.

“You have enough trouble getting your dumb ass to bed as is. And who always has to scold you for working yourself to the brink of exhaustion? Me. For once in your life you drag your ass to bed at a reasonable hour and this shit stirs up. It’s the least I can do. So stop panicking over nothing and sleep. By the time you awaken, it’ll be long gone.”

“I’m ridiculous. I run around slicing Titan faces off, but I can’t handle a thunderstorm…So many look up to me, rely on me, but what good am I if I’m afraid of…water?”

“Idiot. Your fears don’t make you useless. Giving in to them does. But you’re right, you’re ridiculous.”

Despite the sound of heavy rain pelting against the closed window and the crashes of thunder she managed a small smile. “Thank you Levi.”

“You better not be sick. And if you start drooling-”

“How about you shut up and go to sleep too, hm? We have a lot of work to do tomorrow…seeing as we accomplished nothing tonight.” Eyelids heavy, she snuggled into the pillow and bid him goodnight once again. By the time he returned the sentiment she was already asleep.

For once Levi’s nightmares of his life in the underground, before Isabel and Farlan, worked to his advantage; had they not kept him awake he would have been forced to spend another night alone. Instead he had a normal, pleasant dream for the first time in over a few months.

“You don’t need me.”

“That’s not for you to decide.”