A/N: This is going to be a blend of the anime and manga, so if you aren't caught up to either, there will be SPOILERS so read at your own risk. I hope you enjoy.
The world continued to turn despite all that occurred. The Scouts arrived back from Wall Maria to Wall Sina afterward, bloodied and broken but wiser. They stayed with the Military Police while the higher-ups figured out what to do next, which meant dealing with those evacuated to Wall Sina. After it was announced the wall had been breached, everyone was evacuated into the Underground beneath Wall Sina. Unfortunately, despite preparations, there were only enough supplies to feed everyone for a week. To avoid an uprising, Wall Maria was declared inhabitable, and everyone was moved back.
The threat, however, was only now being understood. Thanks to Hanji and Connie, there was now a working hypothesis as to how the invasion happened to begin with, not that it was expressly reassuring. Based on their findings in the village, Hanji believed the people were turned into Titans. She is not sure how or why, but she, Erwin, and the others are determined to discover any and all secrets that might reveal. The first step towards answers was to return to where it all began.
Levi stares at the map in front of the table, where one spot is circled several times in red ink. The next target, deep in Titan territory and their best shot at coming up with a plan to counter this new threat, is Eren Jaeger's house. For a while now he's mentioned that his father left him the key to the basement and that inside, he would discover essential secrets regarding the Titans. While no one is looking forward to returning to Wall Maria so soon after all this, it is the next logical step, especially if they want to back up Hanji's claim about how Titans are created.
A shudder crawls across Levi's shoulders and down his spine. Just thinking that all this time he's been killing people instead of monsters unsettles him greatly.
"What do you think, Captain?" asks Erwin from his bed. "Is that an acceptable target?"
"I can't say I'm happy with it, but we don't have much choice," he says flatly, betraying nothing about his conflicted thoughts. "It would probably be best not to involve too many people in this operation, just those who need to know."
Erwin nods. "I agree. I've already decided that you and Hanji will lead this expedition, with you taking command and her as your second. I want you to gather a squad of the finest Scouts and along with Jaeger, head to Wall Maria by the end of the month."
Levi doesn't even try to hide his surprise at the timeline. "That's barely three weeks. Shouldn't we take more time to prepare?"
Erwin looks at him curiously. "I'm surprised, Captain, normally you'd say that it's too much time."
"We've just suffered heavy losses," explains Levi as he points at the map. "Even a small scouting expedition beyond the Walls was given more preparation than this. We're about to send more people to their deaths after many watched their comrades die just days ago, not to mention Eren. He of all the Scouts needs the most time to recover and prepare." He runs a hand through his ink black hair. "I'm sure he blames himself for our losses."
Erwin considers his friend's words carefully. "I see your point. The Scouts, especially those from the 104th, have experienced a great deal in just a few shorts months. That being said, after all that's happened, I can only imagine how eager they are to have a chance at taking down the Titans once and for all." He touches the bandage that covers where a Titan ripped off his arm. "Whatever's in that basement must've been important enough for Dr. Jaeger to hide from even his own family. I'm counting on you and your new squad to find and bring back everything you find there. We'll need all the help we can get if we want even a prayer of winning now."
Levi didn't like how that sounded, but he knew better than to argue. Honestly, he is not even sure why he cares so much about the status of the cadets, but after watching them all come back in various states of injury, something inside him broke. So much war and destruction, so many losses, it is all starting to feel just a bit heavy on his shoulders.
"I'd like to pick my new squad," says Levi as he rolls up the map. They're going to study this until their eyes bleed and they can walk through the town blind.
Erwin nods. "Of course, I expected nothing else. I'm guessing you already have some Scouts in mind?"
Levi nods. "I do, and they're probably the best veterans we have."
"Sasha! Give me back my bread!" shouts Jean as he dives over the table at the red-haired girl with half a roll sticking out of her mouth. She cleverly slides out of the way just in time, and Jean falls feet over head onto the floor in a jumbled heap.
Connie laughs as Sasha stands up and does a victory lap around the table, grabbing a small wheel of cheese and a cup of water in the process. "Why would you even try, Jean?" asks Connie, tears in his eyes as he watches the taller boy recover himself enough to stand. "It was as good as hers the moment you turned your back."
"All I did was look at Armin for less than a second!" argues Jean as he hauls himself back up beside the blonde male in question. "If only she moved that fast when dealing with Titans."
Sasha rolls her eyes as she swallows the roll in almost one bite.
"If Titans were made of bread, I'm sure she'd be faster than Captain Levi," chuckles Armin.
"Now we can't have that," says Levi startling the cadets. They stare up at the platform above them; Hanji gives them a friendly wave while Levi just stares down at them.
They then race to stand and salute the officers. Levi waves dismissively. "At ease cadets, we don't have time for that crap." He looks around at those present: Jean, Armin, Historia, Sasha, and Connie. "Where're Ackerman and Eren?"
"They were right here," says Armin as he looks around the room for his two closest friends. "Maybe they went for a walk?"
Levi shakes his head in dismay. "Of all the times . . . Alright, I'll get them. You five stay here and don't leave." He jumps down gracefully from the top of the stairs and lands easily. "That's an order."
The five Scouts merely stare at him as he rushes out of the dining hall. Hanji shakes her head.
"I hope Eren isn't doing anything stupid," sighs Jean as he snatches a cracker from Sasha's plate.
Levi is practically grinding his teeth as he searches for Mikasa and Eren. The one time he needs Eren, of course, he's not there. That would be too damn convenient. He hopes neither of them is doing something that might get them killed or injured, the last thing he needs to deal with is paperwork and any possible setbacks for this new assignment.
"Leave me alone!" he hears Eren shout, and he breathes a small sigh. Thank the gods at least he isn't dead.
"You need to eat, Eren!" argues Mikasa and Levi tails the sound to a nearby hallway. He spies the two foster siblings about halfway down it, Eren standing with his fists clenched and Mikasa with her arms crossed tight against her middle.
"I'm fine," he argues, trying to turn tail but Mikasa's hand shoots out and grabs his fist.
"No you're not," she says, trying to sound calm but even Levi can hear the frustration lacing her voice. "If you were, you'd be up to eating with everyone."
Levi considers butting in and getting the two of them back to the dining hall, but he's mildly interested to see where this will go, so he leans against the wall and observes.
"Why does it matter, Mikasa?" asks Eren, sounding dejected and irritated. "I ate earlier; I just want to be left alone. Can you understand that?"
Mikasa lets out a small sigh, and Levi notices the tension around her eyes. "Yes, I can. I just don't want you to get into trouble. You tend to do something irrational when you're like this."
Eren opens his mouth to argue when Levi steps out of his hiding place and clears his throat audibly.
"Ackerman, I need you to report to the dining hall," says Levi calmly, his expression neutral as he begins walking towards them. "I'll keep an eye on Eren for you."
Mikasa eyes him suspiciously. She never trusted him alone with Eren after his display at the tribunal, but she is hardly in a position to disagree. Levi outranks her, and if he wanted, he could quickly pull rank and order her away from Eren. Not that she would obey without a fight. This is just Levi's version of a friendly suggestion.
"I'll be back," she says to Eren's back and then heads for Levi. The two share a firm look before she turns to the dining hall and he comes to a halt beside Eren.
"You don't have to watch me," says Eren sternly. "I'm not going to Shift over something as stupid as an argument with my sister."
"I know," says Levi as he calmly looks out at the green grass and pink flowers in the courtyard. "You're far more responsible than that."
Eren's bottle green eyes widen. Did Levi just compliment me? "Thank you, sir," he says with as much dignity as he can muster.
"Now why are you behaving like a crabby child?" asks Levi, knocking the wind right out of Eren's sails. When he notices how quiet the Shifter is being, he prods his calf with the tip of his boot. "If you don't tell me, I'll just ask your sister, and I'm sure she'll give me some very informative answers."
Eren pales at the thought and decides that telling Levi is better than having him listen to Mikasa's speculations.
"I can't stand it," he whispers as he leans against the stone rail in front of him. "I can't stand the way everyone looks at me." He waits for Levi to say something but when he does not, he continues, "I don't mean like a monster. Everyone now looks at me as if appraising me, trying to find my worth and if it did cost the lives of dozens of soldiers." He shuts his eyes and clenches his fists. "I want to show them that I am worth it, that those people didn't die in vain . . . But I'm useless! I've been kidnapped three times and have been unable to save myself. I can't even win in a fight against a Titan when I am one!"
Silence follows his words and for a moment he is worried that Levi is preparing to strike him down or left, but when he looks to his left he sees Levi staring pensively. The sight unsettles him a little.
"Then you'll need to prove it," says Levi after a few moments, "and not necessarily as a Titan either. You're most vulnerable to attack when you're human, so if you're going to prevent another kidnapping, you're going to need to learn to fight back." He looks down at Eren. "Your record says you were ranked second in hand-to-hand combat, which is nothing short of amazing considering you tend to lose yourself in your temper."
Eren's cheeks turn pink. How can he praise and insult me in the same breath?
"Your problem is you hesitate," continues Levi, noticing the pink but saying nothing about it. "Every time you've come up against an enemy, you lack the conviction to follow through with your attack, unless it's a Titan you know nothing about. When you fought Leonhardt, Braun, and Hoover you hesitated until the last second and then acted. You can't continue that pattern. You need to strike when you can and not a second later. Those people forfeited your friendship and loyalty the second you found out about their betrayal, speculated or not."
"Are you saying you'd have been able to kill Annie or the others without remembering who she was to you?" asks Eren curiously.
Levi nods without hesitation. "If anything, those memories would've served to fuel my anger and my resolve to wipe her out. They seemed to only serve as a source of conflict for you."
"I know," sighs Eren, rubbing the back of his neck. He's already been through this discussion time and time again with himself and his friends. "It was only when I thought about their actions as Titans that I could fight them. If they stayed human, I would've found it nearly impossible."
"I'm pleased to see you're aware of your faults," says Levi, at least sounding satisfied. "I'm going to have you start training to hone both your human and Titan fighting skills. You lack both, which makes you an unbalanced fighter. Does that sound reasonable?"
"Yes, sir," says Eren immediately. He would be a fool to disagree.
"Good," says Levi, putting a hand on Eren's shoulder and squeezing for a fraction of a second before letting go. "Now hurry up, I've got an announcement to make, and it's because of you going AWOL that I haven't yet."
Eren chuckles as he and Levi start walking. He tries not to notice how much the spot where Levi touched him burns while Levi pretends that the radiating warmth in his hand is not the result of touching Eren.
When they arrive, they find two tables flipped over on either side of the room with three people behind each one and Hanji in the middle, looking harried and concerned. Eren and Levi watch as Jean stands up and throws a handful of shelled walnuts at the other table, Mikasa leaps out from behind and knocks the nuts down with a sweep of a broom and Connie stands up to throw his ammunition—frozen grapes—at the others. Sasha jumps up from behind the table and promptly catches each one in her mouth before Historia comes up and throws pieces of bread and Armin throws peaches.
"What the hell is going on here?!" rages Levi, his grey eyes snap with an angry fire so intense that even Eren backs away from him, despite not being the one at fault.
Everyone in the room stops where they are, even Sasha stops chewing the grapes. All eyes are on the incredibly angry captain, and all have a sense of dread creep into their hearts.
"Hanji, answer me," says Levi, looking directly at the Titan obsessed officer.
Hanji pales as she tries to collect herself and her thoughts. "You see, Captain, the cadets, were just—"
"Slacking off," finishes Levi sternly as his eyes drift to each cadet in turn. "I'm not even gone twenty minutes, and you dissolve into madness." He takes a deep breath and uses that moment to steady himself. "This behavior is very unbecoming for members of Squad Levi, and I don't want to walk in on a scene like this in the future."
In the quiet that follows, a pin could be heard dropping on the other side of the room.
Eren's eyes shine with excitement. "You mean . . . we're now members of Squad Levi?!"
Levi tries not to smirk or even crack a faint smile, a task he finds almost impossible in the face of Eren's delight. "Yes, you are. I've chosen the seven of you to become members of my squad. This means you are the best of the best, veteran Titan killers, and experienced soldiers. There aren't any soldiers half as skilled as the seven of you."
"B-But," says Armin as he stands up, looking a little afraid to be speaking directly to Levi. Most of their interactions have been indirect or with Erwin present, "what makes you so sure of that? There have to be better soldiers than us." His eyes dart to Mikasa and Jean.
Levi's do the same before he points at Armin. "No one in the last five years has demonstrated your tactical brilliance." He points at Sasha, who gulps down her mouthful. "Your speed and intuition are second to none." He looks at Connie. "No one can move on the ODM as fast as you." He looks at Jean. "And no one can maneuver on the ODM gear like you, nor do they have your level-headedness." He looks at Historia, who shrinks back slightly. "You are a poet with a set of blades, clean and deep cuts every time and you've never failed to strike."
His eyes go to Mikasa who glares back at him. "I don't even have to tell you why I picked you, Ackerman, considering your kill count could rival even mine and Erwin's." He then looks at Eren who calmly meets his gaze, something he finds strangely reassuring. "And you, despite the halting progress of your training, I've never met a person so determined before and who can rally people behind a cause like you."
Eren's chest puffs out slightly with pride at the unabashed praise. It's incredibly rare for Levi to say anything positive to another individual and he's said something to Eren twice already. Twice!
Levi then looks back at the room. "Those are just a few of the reasons why I selected you for my squad. Disappoint me, and I won't hesitate to remove you, exceed my expectations, and I won't hesitate to promote you. Together, we will be the force that stops the Titans in their tracks. The Walls will not fall again, and we will be the ones guarding them. Nothing will get in our way, and no one can stop us!"
Slowly his words make their way through the room, and in moments, the cadets are cheering, clapping and crying as the reality of their situation hits them. Being picked to Squad Levi is a tremendous honor and tells the rest of humanity about their status as soldiers, but it also means they are the ones most likely to die and will always carry the weight of humanity's survival on their soldiers.
Levi looks out at his new squad with refrained fondness, he can't get too carried away with his compliments, but he needed to bolster their flailing morale and instill some confidence in them. His gaze slides to Eren, who is beaming at Armin and Mikasa. Eren, more than anyone else, needs to know that someone believes in him and by the power of the gods, Levi will do his best to ensure he never doubts himself again.