A/N: I do not own Attack on Titan, all respective rights go to Hajime Isayama.
I wanted to read a story with Titan!Levi for a while but could find none, so I decided to write one myself. Knowing myself, I don´t know if I will actually finish this or update regularly because I have a real lot of work at school, but I will try my best, reviews encourage me to continue.
My writing style is quite drawn out so don´t be surprised if shit doesn´t hit the fan right off the bat in the first chapter.
Some of the seemingly random pieces of information in this fic actually come from official trivia, so you may or may not spot them based on your trivia knowledge. I will also be making shit up. There probably will be manga spoilers.
Now that I got the important stuff out of the way, let´s move on onto the more important stuff, the story!
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"I want Ackerman."
Erwin nodded to Levi´s request. They were trying to put together his new squad. The former one being wiped was a great loss to the Survey Corps, one that would be very hard to fill in again.
"If there´s someone who would save Eren´s ass when I´m not around, then it´s her. And she´s the top of her class and an invaluable asset in her own right. And I wouldn´t want to see what she´d do if she wouldn´t be put together with Eren."
Erwin smiled. When it came to raw ability, given enough time, Mikasa Ackerman could probably be on par with Levi. He noted Mikasa´s name on a piece of paper.
"Who else?"
Levi considered his options. He liked working with Hange, but her focus was on the titan research, which was extremely important to the future of the Survey Corps so she was better left undisturbed. He looked through the list of new recruits. There were some veterans in the Survey Corps, but the best of the best died in the last expedition and it was better to start with some fresh meat that could be trained and molded.
"Add the Kirstein guy. He´s an independent thinker and despite acting like he only protects his own ass, he actually cares about others too. And he´s good with the gear. And I need someone to keep Eren on his toes." Levi chuckled.
Erwin nodded again and wroted Jean´s name under Mikasa´s. He was a good choice.
"Also thinking about Braun. Don´t really know him that much, but going by what Shardis said, he´s strong, reliable and works well in a team. He´s not much of a talker and follows orders but he can think for himself." Levi stopped for a moment, scanning through the reports. "Not Hoover though, that dimwit wouldn´t make an independent decision if his life depended on it."
He looked through the rest of the assessments. There wasn´t really anyone else who met his requirements of both being a capable fighter and had a high degree of independence, because he wasn´t planning on babysitting a bunch of new recruits.
"If I can deliver my own opinion on the matter," Erwin interrupted, "I´d also like to suggest Armin Arlert."
Erwin paused for a while, searching for reaction in Levi´s face. "He may not be physically strong, but his observation and deductive skills are unmatched. He has great potential. And, given the right amount of field training, he could be the Survey Corps Commander in the future."
Seeing how Levi turned to him with his eyebrows raised, he continued. "No, really, I see a bit of myself in him from when I was his age. And he has a very close relationship with Eren and Ackerman."
Levi sighed. "Fine, but if he hinders the group, you´re taking him back."
Erwin suppressed a smile and wrote Armin Arlert under the short list of names. Together with Eren, there were now six of them.
"If you´re done with me then I´ll be heading home."
"Sure. Make sure to see your new squad tomorrow before we depart tomorrow evening."
"Yeah. Bye."
Receiving only nod as an answer as Erwin was already going through his formation plans, lost in a world of strategy and tactics. Levi closed the door and headed out. He wanted to take a shower before he would spend god knows how much time on a mission without any chance for a good wash.
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Erwin eyed the formation plans, mulling over them for the last time today. He was certain he distributed everyone to the positions they were most suited for, now all he had to do was to make sure he was well rested for when they would depart for the 58th Expedition Beyond the Walls tomorrow evening.
It had been a new idea to travel during night when the titans didn´t have the sunlight to sustain their movement. It would make movement harder for them too, but he figured that if they moved at trot speed, they could cover a lot of distance before the first rays of sun begun waking the titans up, arriving near a previously established base in one of the forests scattered between walls Maria and Rose.
His eyes drifted to the briefcase lying next to the table. Inside the briefcase, there was a syringe with the titan serum that could save one life, but also give great responsibility to the individual it would be used at. He decided that he would only use it after a careful consideration.
Content with his plans so far, he sit back into his chair, the paperwork ominously waiting for him in the drawer of his table. He patiently begun to fill out information about supplies and soldiers. This would be a long night...
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Levi was just getting out of shower. In the more recent years, he came to view it more as a necessity rather than enjoyment, so he rarely showered more than three minutes, unless there was simply too much filth after a long and strenuous mission.
Tonight, he didn´t even get to shower in warm water, the cold current surprising him, but he only hissed a silent curse in annoyance and stepped into the freezing water. He hoped to work out the kinks in his muscles after today´s workout, but he was denied even this little pleasure. Dismissing the whole issue, he quickly scrubbed himself clean with a bar of soup, washed the soapsuds away and stepped out, the cool air raising goosebumps on his damp skin, but he payed no attention to that as he dried out his short hair with a clean towel.
His eyes caught their reflection in the bathroom mirror and for a while he stared at them while squeezing excess water out of his hair, the familiar dull blue orbs and gray bags under his eyes staring back with neutral expression. The sight was so familiar after all the years that he payed no heed, brushed his teeth with the towel wrapped around his waist, the half-lidded eyes returning the stare the whole time.
Finishing the evening routine, he went back into his chambers and dressed into a fresh uniform he prepared on his bed beforehand.
Freshly dressed and clean, he stopped for a moment, pondering his options. Despite the late hour, he didn´t feel like going to sleep, but then again, he rarely did. He eyed the room for a while and then his steps turned towards the door, leaving his apartment and locking the door. He walked down few flights of stairs and finally out of the whole building, the fresh night air greeting him.
He walked without direction through Stohess, the eastern district around Wall Sina. It was where the higher ups gave him his apartment and he didn´t complain, it was far better than his small flat in the Underground City that he shared with other people.
During his walk, he saw many destroyed houses, buzzing with activity of workers during the day but deserted now, as all the workers went home already. This was the result of the final smackdown that Eren in his titan form had with the Female Titan. The casualties were very high, the damage was extensive and the repair works were only beginning.
He was lost in thought, mindlessly walking around just for the possibility for mindlessness it allowed him. He could relax without fearing for his life and life of those around him. He liked moments like these, when he didn´t have to care.
In addition to his own footsteps and their echo resounding from the walls around, he could hear another set. He couldn´t tell from which direction they were coming, and he didn´t pay it much thought, and he wasn´t taken aback when he saw another figure emerged at the other end of the street.
Levi was minding his own business, after all, there wasn´t any law prohibiting citizens from leaving their homes after sunset, it was just unusual. Maybe someone couldn´t sleep, like him.
The two were almost passing each other when light illuminated the stranger´s face.
No-one had eyebrows like that.
Smirking, Levi nodded in acknowledgment of Erwin´s presence, wishing him good night and continued in his original track. They were off duty now and no formalities were required, not like Levi usually upheld any formalities. Erwin was probably on his way home after he finished what he was working on when Levi was leaving. He always put so much effort into his work, more than any of the men he knew.
Finishing his nightly round, he found himself in front of his apartment doors again, his mind pleasantly devoid of nagging thoughts. He entered his flat, hanged his keys at the hook and put the kettle on.
He usually just fell asleep at the table doing work or reading some random stuff. Not that he was a workaholic or loved reading that much, but it was boring enough to coax him into sleeping. He didn´t sleep much anyway, only two to three hours a day and there wasn´t much to do if everywhere was dark and no-one was awake. He didn´t view sleep as something important.
He was just standing in his kitchen, thinking of nothing particular, until the whistling of the kettle hadn´t alerted him that the water was boiling. He pulled out his favorite collection of black tea leaves. High positions in military had their perks, and being among the first to get to scarce merchandise was one of them.
He poured the boiling water in his cup and inhaled the scent of the tea, watching strands of colour rise from the leaves, mixing with the water.
Putting the kettle down, he took his cup and begun slowly sipping his tea, careful not to burn his tongue. He wasn´t in a hurry. There wasn´t anything he needed to do so late in the night.
When he was done with the tea, he went back into his bedroom. He considered sleeping at the table again, but for tonight, he chose the bed. He won´t be getting such luxury in the upcoming nights.
He changed into his nightclothes and lay down, the pleasant exhaustion after his walk and the warm weight of the tea in his stomach slowly lulling him into sleep.
He fell asleep with Isabel´s and Farlan´s faces before his eyes.