"Eren, come on."
"I'm coming, one minute!"
Armin taps his foot impatiently outside his best friend's room, holding the door open with one hand, the other checking his watch. It's only ten minutes until the first lecture of the year, and Armin hates being late to anything.
"Come on, Yeager," Jean leans against the door frame, peering in. Eren scowls.
"Shut up, Horse-face," he retorts through gritted teeth, rounding up his wallet and keys and slipping his feet into a pair of trainers.
"Eren," Armin prompts, becoming increasingly frustrated.
Eren finally strides over to the door, shrugging on a leather jacket and pushing past Jean and Armin.
"I'm ready guys, come on," he says as if he's been waiting for the other two the entire time.
"I could throttle you, Yeager," Jean comments darkly, following after him.
"Yeah, whatever Kirstein," Eren shoots back. Armin stands in the middle of them and rolls his eyes.
"Cut it out, you two," he tells them tiredly.
Together, the trio leave their flat and take the stairs down, leaving their accommodation block. Out of the large modern black, they enter onto the front of the quay in the middle of the city. From across the misty water, their new university glints at them. It's only a short walk around the quay with several outdated canal boats moored in the rickety docks, and over the bridge to the main building of their university.
It's a new year at the University of Shiganshina, and the first week has already proven to be one of excessive drinking, hangovers, and Jean throwing up in the flower beds of their student accommodation complex on the first night.
Eren and Armin were lucky enough to come to university with all twelve of their friends from sixth form. They were all studying different degrees with the exception of Jean, Eren and Armin who chose History, with Armin doubling in Chemistry.
"What room are we in?" Jean asks Armin who pulls out his phone to find the Welcome Week timetable.
"The main lecture hall in the Titan Building," Armin replies, pocketing his phone again. The warm September breeze skims over the calm waters of the quay and ruffles the hair of the three boys. They join the milling crowd of students all walking to the university in various states of sobriety and alertness.
The Titan Building stands proudly at the heart of their campus; a multi-storied glass building glittering in the autumn sunshine. The boys hurry in and look around, dazed at the size and suddenly disorientated.
"Uh – I think it's there," Jean points to the only door which doesn't have a crowd of chattering students grouped outside. Armin groans audibly.
"See, I told you we'd be late. Now we're going to look stupid walking in!"
"No we're not," Eren says brusquely, striding forwards and pushing the door open. The others follow behind him. They enter a large grey lecture hall with over ten tiered rows of red flip down seats behind long desks. The hall is just over half full, and luckily, they're not late: the professors aren't there yet, everyone is talking and no one notices them enter.
"Where do you want to sit?" Eren mumbles over his shoulder.
"Towards the back?" Jean shoots and Eren nods once before heading up the stairs the side of the auditorium and taking places a few rows away from the back of the room. They look out onto a small stage with a desk, a podium and a large projector and whiteboard.
Armin begins to unpack a notebook and pen and Eren looks at him wildly.
"You brought paper?!" Eren asks incredulously. "To the introductory lecture?"
Jean grins at him from his other side and smugly pulls out a pad of paper and a biro too. Now it's Eren who groans.
"I'll copy up your notes later," he says and Armin just sighs.
The same door that the students had been dribbling through opens again and a group of young teachers enter, headed by a tall blond man with a serious but approachable face. The adults line up on the stage and smile encouragingly towards to the new class.
"Welcome, First Years!" The tall blond addresses them in a booming authoritative voice which still manages to resonate with good humour. "I'm your Head of Programme, Dr Erwin Smith. Now allow me to introduce our other members of faculty; Dr Petra Ral," a young woman with cropped strawberry blonde hair gives a smile and a little wave. "Dr Mike Zacharias," a man taller than Erwin with facial hair and a prominent nose gives a nod of acknowledgement. "And Dr Levi Ackerman." Erwin finishes finally, gesturing to a small man with dark hair who looks exceptionally bored, his arms folded over his chest, dark eyes boring into the back wall behind rectangular black framed glasses.
"Over the next few years, we will work together to get you the best degree possible, and we are here for whatever problems you might face along the way. If I'm correct, after lunch, you'll all be having another introductory lecture with Dr Ackerman. Levi; would you like to say a few words?"
Dr Ackerman looks simply affronted at the use of his name in front of the students and shoots Erwin a looks which says wait until later, Eyebrows.
"Yeah yeah, welcome to the new year, new university and everything," Levi says in monotone. "Work hard and try not to piss too many people off."
Erwin looks unperturbed by Levi's sullen speech and smiles cheerily. "Thank you, Dr Ackerman." He says, and moves on with the lecture.
Finally, it's over and they all begin to file out. The boys pull out their phones outside the lecture hall and check the group chat named Beyond the Wall.
JEAN: where you all at; want to meet for lunch?
YMIR: sure thing, Horse-face
EREN: hahahahahahaa
JEAN: shut your face
CHRISTA: stop aggravating each other
SASHA: FOOD
ARMIN: me, Eren and Jean are in the Titan building. See you all here in ten mins.
BERTL: see you in a bit; me and Reiner are just waiting for Annie
MIKASA: count me in.
MARCO: and me!
CONNIE: see you soon!
"Right let's grab a table big enough for all of us then," Armin leads them over to a white picnic bench and Jean pulls another one over to make one long table for all 12 of them.
The boys get their lunch from one of the stalls and sit down before being hailed by Bertholdt, Reiner and Annie.
"Hey guys!" Reiner cheers, swaggering in with his grey t-shirt straining over his broad rugby players frame. The three of them sit at the bench. "How was your lecture?"
"It was good," Armin says and Eren and Jean nod in agreement, their mouths already full of food. "But I'm really looking forward to my Chemistry lecture tomorrow: I hear Dr Hange Zoë is a real character."
Annie frowns. "Isn't she the one who also dabbles in Zoology and blew up a lab last year?"
"Yeah!" Armin says seeming unfazed. "Sounds great, huh?"
"Sure," Annie replied dryly. "If you have a death wish."
"And how was your Psychology lecture, sunshine?" Jean teases. Annie flicks water from her glass at him.
Mikasa glides into the lunch room, making the head of every male she passes turn to look at her. She barely even notices as she sits beside Annie. "Eren, you gotten into trouble yet?"
"Hello to you, too," Eren mutters as the others laugh. "And not yet; but the day is still young."
Mikasa rolls her eyes just as Ymir and Christa join them. Reiner flushes a little as Christa sits opposite him.
"Here are the medics," Jean comments at the two girls. Ymir grins.
"Yeah; this one's going to be my little nurse, aren't you?" Ymir ruffles Christa's hair playfully, with Ymir studying Biomedical Science.
"God, I'm starving," comes a voice from behind them.
"Hi, Sasha," everyone choruses tiredly without even needing to turn around.
Sasha and Connie take the final seats with Marco close behind.
"Hey Connie; how's Geography? Done any colouring in yet?" Eren teases.
"Geography is a well respected subject, Yeager," Connie replies gruffly.
"No it isn't," Jean grins. Connie ignores both of them. "Physics is a real degree though; how was your introductory lecture, Marco?"
The freckled boy smiles. "It was fine. Dr Pixis is a bit eccentric but he's a smart guy."
"I've read his books," Bertl pipes up from the other end of the table.
Ymir rolls her eyes. "Of course you've read his books, Bertl; you study English Literature."
The group begins to eat and the conversation stays at their usual level of teasing and outrageous remarks. They're easily the loudest people in the hall but despite a few students looking over at the overzealous group of first years, the friends are too engulfed in their own bubble to even notice.
"Eren, Jean; we'd better go," Armin checks his watch for the millionth time that day. "It's Dr Ackerman and I really don't want to be late for him."
Mikasa looks up. "Eren, please stay out of trouble on your first day."
"Don't worry, Mikasa; I'll keep him out of trouble," Jean says casually, as always, sucking up her.
"Thank you, Jean," Mikasa replies with a gentle smile.
Eren rolls his eyes. "Yeah, thanks, Horse-face; didn't realise I needed you to babysit me."
"Come on," Armin begs and they all stand. "Later, guys."
"Bye!" The table calls after them as they retreat back into the main lecture hall, taking the seats they were in only an hour ago.
They're early and watch everyone as they file in. Suddenly, the door at the bottom left of the small stage is suddenly flung open and the chatter in the room dies suddenly.
"Right, listen up, brats," their professor struts into the room, a leather satchel slung over one shoulder, and a flask in the other hand. He dumps both on his desk and throws himself in the chair, kicking back. Day one, and Dr Ackerman already looks done with the academic year.
Levi's glasses frame dark eyes, looking sunken from sleep deprivation, and he wears a simple pale blue shirt and slate grey suit trousers. Only eight months before the summer, Levi thinks wearily to himself, looking around the lecture hall at the fresh, expectant faces staring back at him.
"I'm your professor, Dr Ackerman. You may address me as that, and only that. Some of the other professors like you to call them by their first names, but I do not. I shall answer to 'Dr Ackerman', and nothing else unless you wish you have your life made hell from now until you graduate." Levi reels off, completely deadpan. The room rumbles a little, unsure as to whether Levi is being serious, or just has an exceptionally dark and dry sense of humour.
"Wow, this guy sounds like a ray of sunshine," Eren murmurs to Armin who shushes him.
Levi's head immediately snaps in the direction of the pair, his dark eyes boring into Eren's skull.
"You, in the back," Levi barks. Everyone panics and looks around. But Eren flushes red as his stomach drops when he meets Levi's stare straight on. "Yeah; you with the red ears and stupid haircut. Stand up."
Armin groans and slouches in his seat as Eren stands, all eyes in the deathly silent room swivelling around to fixate on him.
"Care to repeat what you just said?" Levi stands and walks over to the front row, staring up at the tiered seats to where Eren stands, wishing the ground would swallow him up. Beside him, Jean sniggers, his hands hiding his face. Eren is doing everything in his power not to pummel him.
"Not especially." Eren says shortly. Everyone holds their breath. Jean gives a strangled noise of supressed laughter.
Levi raises an eyebrow. "Oh please; share with the group."
Eren gulps. "I said that you were a ray of sunshine." Eren manages, his cheeks burning. A few people in the room give titters of nervous laughter, but the general atmosphere is tense, wondering how Levi will choose to react.
"Have you been taking notes?" Levi snaps. Eren's stomach drops.
"No." He mumbles to the floor.
"Speak up, brat."
Eren raises his head. "No."
"And why not?"
"Because I didn't bring anything with me," Eren says, agonisingly embarrassed. Jean is shaking with laughter.
"Tsk." Levi makes a dismissive noise of annoyance and turns away sitting back at his desk. Eren hovers, still standing for a moment. After a few seconds of Levi launching into another monotone rant about the module he will be teaching, Eren slowly makes to sit down.
"Ah-ah," Levi clicks his fingers at him. "I didn't say you could sit down."
Levi continues with his talk and Eren's fists are balled at his sides as he bristles with silent fury. Eren finds that being ignored is more humiliating than if Levi had completely torn into him in front of a room of new peers: the fact that Levi doesn't seem to think Eren worth the effort is more aggravating to him.
"Thanks for the constant entertainment, Yeager," Jean hisses, wiping tears off laughter from his face. "You truly are a fucking idiot."
"Shut up, Horse-face, or I'll –"
"Will both of you please shut up," Armin begs in a strained whisper, seemingly at the end of his tether. Jean and Eren decide to keep quiet as not to cause Armin a nervous breakdown on their first proper day.
Levi makes Eren stand for the rest of the lecture until he dismisses them all. "Please don't tell Mikasa about this," Eren pleads to Armin.
"Oh he wont," Jean pipes up. "But I will."
"You little –"
"Guys." Armin cuts in and the two of them stop. They make their way down the stairs, and Levi doesn't so much as look at Eren as he leaves the hall. Eren breathes a sigh of relief at not being yelled at by the short, scary man.
They stand outside the hall and Eren pulls up his timetable on his phone. The block for this time reads: Personal tutor meeting. TB0201. No name on it.
"I've got a meeting with my personal tutor now," Eren sighs heavily checking his watch and seeing that he has a few minutes to find the room. "So I'll see you guys back at the flat later."
"Fine," Jean says. "We're pre-drinking in our flat tonight so me and Armin will pick up some drink on our way home."
"Cheers, Horse-face."
Armin pulls Jean away before the two of them can start a full on brawl in the middle of campus. "Bye, Eren!"
Eren smirks at the look of irritation on Jean's face. Eren will never tire of winding Jean up; it truly is his favourite pastime.
Eren works out that the room is on the second floor of the Titan Building and he climbs up the suspended staircases in the middle of the room, leading up the balconied floors above. Down a small corridor is the first room on the second floor and it's empty. Eren peers inside at the small cluster of chairs and projection screen before pushing open the door, flicking on the light and taking a seat.
Eren slouches in the chair, gnawing at his fingernails, his knee bobbing up and down in anxiety as he awaits the appearance of his personal tutor.
The door opens and there stands Dr Ackerman. Eren doesn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Levi gives a sigh. "Well, well, well," he says, crossing the room and taking a seat behind the desk. "Eren Yeager, right? The ballsy kid in the back row in the introductory lecture?"
"The pleasure is all mine," Eren mutters.
"Yeager," Levi begins, dangerously calm as he leans forward on his elbows, linking his hands together and resting them on his chin. "Do you know what I do with shitty brats like you?"
Eren scowls. "Make their lives hell?" He says petulantly through gritted teeth.
Levi gives a derisive snort. "No," he says smoothly, dropping his hands, folding his arms and sitting back in the chair. "I do nothing."
"Pardon?"
"If kids don't want to learn from me, then I don't want to teach them," Levi says simply, observing Eren's reaction carefully. The teenager shifts uncomfortably at the tension in the atmosphere. "So this is my message to you; if you don't want to be here, Yeager, then you can go. I don't care what happens. I will not lose sleep over the possibility of you fucking up your education and ending up in a shitty dead end job for the rest of your life. And why?" Levi sits up straight again. "Because I'll know that you had this opportunity handed to you on a silver platter, and that you chose to throw it away. Life is all about choices, Yeager."
Eren doesn't say anything for a moment.
"So what are you saying?" Eren asks uncertainly.
Levi rolls his eyes. "I'm saying put up or shut up before I kick you out of my classes."
"You can't do that," Eren doesn't sound sure.
Levi gives another derisive laugh through his nose. "Watch me."
"I'd like a new personal tutor," Eren says suddenly.
"I like your fire, kid. And with some discipline, I'm sure you and I could get along famously. But you carry on with that attitude, and you and I will have some problems."
Eren gulps. "You said my hair was stupid." He says sullenly.
"And you said that I was a ray of sunshine," Levi retorts curtly, sipping at his flask, regarding Eren over the rim.
"So … can I have a new tutor?"
"No."
Eren bites his tongue, not wanting to be thrown out of his university on his first day. Mikasa would be furious and Jean would be thrilled. Neither of those things were appealing to Eren.
"So what's it to be, kid?" Levi prompts. "You gonna behave, or are we going to have to fall out?"
"I'll put up and shut up." Eren mutters reluctantly.
Levi nods once. "Good. Now get out; we're done here."
Slightly stunned, Eren stands and in a daze, leaves the room. Wow, what an ass. Eren thinks to himself, annoyed by the professor. Just my luck to be landed with him as my personal tutor for the next three years.
Eren slopes over to the flat and braces himself for the inevitable onslaught from Mikasa and gloating from Jean.
"Hey guys," Eren steps into the kitchen to find all his friends taking up every available seat and space. "You'll never guess who my personal tutor is."