The Rat and the Rookie
Author's notes: So I wrote this because there should be more stuff with these two. I mean surely they have crossed paths at one time or another before Levi joined the Survey Corps. I hope you enjoy it. Please don't hesitate to review or PM me. Thanks again for reading
Levi hated the Military police. He disliked them before but he hated them now. The assholes took away his knives and threw him into a cell. He knew they were looking for him. The underground was coated in secrets and for those who lived there but surface secrets were common topics. He didn't want the bastards to touch his friends so he made it easy to catch him. Levi threw on his cloak and snuck up to the surface. His tattered cloak and less than quality clothes were enough to draw suspicion.
He gave them a hell of a chase before finally surrendering. He knew that anytime you were picked up by the military police you came out bloody so he made sure to leave as many as he could with some blood stains before they took him down. Levi was confident that they wouldn't kill him. No one wanted his boss's rage. For all his faults there were some perks for working for that man.
The bastards threw him into the dungeon and left him there without saying a word. He watched the sun descend through the tiny cell window. Levi released a sigh. He knew what he was getting into when he came to the surface. It would be at least a day before they fed him. And perhaps longer than that until they told him why he was there. He was surprised when the cell door creaked open when the moon was high. Levi kept his eyes closed. There were at least three sets of boots.
"Time to wake up princess," said one of the military policemen. Levi opened his eyes. Two of the soldiers he recognized from the underground. They came down and took protection money from the few decent people who worked on the surface but couldn't afford live there. The other one was a young man that he hadn't seen before.
"Do you know why we picked you up Levi?" said one of the veterans. Levi guessed that this man was the leader by the stripes on his jacket and the way the other two followed behind him.
"Do you ever tell people when you arrest them?"
"Cute," said the leader. He looked over at the youngest of the three men. "Pay attention rookie. We are going to show you how to deal with underground scum." The leader jerked Levi's shaggy hair back. "We picked you up because we need to keep the city streets clean of filth."
"Does that include the underground?" Levi growled. The leader slammed his skull against the wall.
"Now that you mention that cesspool," said the leader. "Your boss keeps forgetting his place in the food chain. Since we already have you, you can deliver the message."
"Tell him yourself," spat Levi.
"Now you see," the leader said kneeling before Levi. "We want to send him a message that he won't forget. I think putting his son out of commission for while will do the trick. What do you think?"
"I'm not his son," growled Levi.
"Close enough," said the leader. "String him up." The other veteran and the rookie took hold of the chains that held Levi. They walked to different sides of the cell. As they walked the chains jerked Levi to his feet. The pulled his body so taut that he formed a cross. It was hard to gain his footing. It was all he could do to balance his weight on the balls of his feet. The three military policemen took of their jackets and hung them on hooks outside the cell.
"You underground scums think that just because the king allows you to breathe that you can do whatever you want." The leader balled his fist. He struck Levi across the face. A spray of blood sparkled in the candlelight. Levi only released a grunt. The leader pulled back for a blow to Levi's stomach. Another grunt.
"Get over here Nile," said the leader. "Show this rat the strength of the military police."
"Yes, squad leader." They pushed the rookie in front. Nile grit his teeth. This small man was almost child-like; if he had reached manhood at all. Piercing gray eyes challenged Nile. It scared him but he couldn't look weak in front of his superiors. Not if he ever planned to move up. Nile drew back his fist and swung toward Levi's gut. Hard muscle found his fist.
"Fuck!" Nile cursed. He protectively covered his injured hand with the other. The veterans laughed.
"Poor rookie," said the other veteran. "You can't hit these bastards with lace gloves." He stepped forward to rip open Levi's threadbare shirt. Nile gasped. More muscles than any one man should have were before him. "Especially not Levi."
"This little bastard is dangerous. He needs to be broken," said the leader.
"Fuck you," said Levi. The squad leader walked over to Levi. He dipped his fingers into the hem of Levi's pants, jerking him forward. The force was enough to pull Levi to his tiptoes.
"If not for your daddy you would be," said the leader. He brought his face close to Levi's. The two locked eyes.
"You stink," said Levi.
The three military policemen took turns beating the underground thug. They beat him until the young man fell unconscious. The two veterans patted themselves on the back. Nile looked down at his bruised fists then to the unconscious man before him. He knew joining the military police meant making some sacrifices. He wasn't a child he knew that he would have to dirty his hands. But somewhere inside him he didn't feel right beating this man-child.
"Should we clean him up sir?" Niles asked. "I mean, we don't want him to die right?" The veterans looked at him blankly as if they hadn't thought about Levi dying.
"We leave it to you rookie."
"Yes squad leader," said Niles. The two men walked away discussing what they would have for breakfast.
Once he was sure his superiors had gone Nile gathered a bucket full of water and some clean clothes. He even found a few bandages for the heavier wounds. When he came back to the cell the young man started to stir.
"Are you awake?" Niles asked. He placed his supplies on the ground before Levi.
"Fu…ck you," mumbled Levi. Niles bit his tongue. He dipped his cloth into the water and started to wash the blood from Levi's face. The bound man kept his eyes closed. Nile marveled at how pale the young man was. Nile reminded himself that pale skin was the mark of those that lived underground. He washed the cloth in the bucket. "Come to play with the rat? Pervert." Levi's voice was smoldering. Nile wrung out the rag and continued to wash the blood away from Levi's arms.
"You should be thankful that I am helping a criminal like you," said Nile. Levi tsked.
"Says the man who beat the shit out of me," scoffed Levi. "Aren't you a kind one." Nile quietly continued cleaning off the blood. The bucket would be dark red by the time Nile was finished. He was putting on the bandages before Levi spoke again.
"Oi rookie," said Levi. His voice a little stronger. "You should get out of the military police."
"Says a criminal," replied Nile. Levi scoffed.
"I'll put it this way," Levi looked up at him from the chains. "In all the times I've been drug down here no one cared if I died." Nile paused.
"Don't take my kindness for weakness, rat," said Nile. He finished bandaging Levi's wounds. Nile unlatched the chains on the walls. Levi dropped to his knees. It took shear will to push his body against the wall. Nile connected the chains around Levi's wrists. "Don't doubt me. You'll see; not only do I belong in the military police but I will run this place one day." Nile checked the chains before rising to his feet. He locked the cell behind him.
"Well here's a tip rookie," said Levi. His small frame made him look like a ragdoll in the large cell. "Don't share your kindness with every rat you meet. You'll get bitten." Nile picked up his jacket from the hook.
A month later
Nile was preparing for bed when the fire alarmed sounded. He threw on his jacket and ran outside. He stepped out of the barracks to see the officer housing a blaze. People ran out screaming. Where was the fire brigade? he thought.
"Shoots fired! Shoots fired!" someone yelled. Nile ran back inside the barracks. He looked out the window. The screaming officers were picked off like rats as they fled the burning building. Many were dressed for bed. Something like this was unheard of. Only a handful of officers thought to grab a gun as they ran out of the burning building. Even less got a shot fired before they were gunned down. What the hell is going on?
"Hey Rookie," a low voice said behind him. Nile whipped around to see only shadows.
"Who's there?"
A small figure broke away from the shadows into his line of sight. The figure was clad in black making him look like a moving shadow. The small figure pulled down his mask.
"Levi."
"Only an idiot would go out there now," said Levi. "If you want to live you need to go back to your bunk until sunrise. "
"Thank…thank you," Nile said softly. Levi pulled up his mask before returning to the shadows.
The newspaper would report that 100 military policemen were killed in a freak fire. There would be no mention of the officers who were gunned down or the giant red K painted on the main entrance to the base. When Nile stepped out of the barracks that morning he couldn't believe his eyes. Scattered around the compound his superiors and a few foolish rookies lie slaughtered. Most were either shot or burned with a few exceptions.
The two exceptions were Nile's squad leader and the other veteran who were there the night of Levi's beating. Both were stabbed at least twenty times and left to bleed out by the main gate. Nile felt dizzy. He fell to his knees and threw up in the closest bush. Was this what it meant to mess with the underground? To mess with Levi? No one paid Nile any attention. He was just another rookie who couldn't stomach the smell of death.
Years later
Nile kept his nose to the grind and turned a blind eye to the underground when he could. He worked his way up the ladder while raising a family. He had all but forgotten his rookie days until an old friend walked into his office.
"Erwin what brings you this far away from the outer walls?" Nile said from his desk. Even though he was only a squad leader he had more space than his peers.
"It is good to see you as well old friend," said the tall blonde. They hadn't spoken in a while so Nile was surprised when the squad leader wrote to him. They walked off base to a local restaurant. The two men sat at the bar. Nile ordered a beer.
"The supreme commander gave me permission go ahead into the underground. Your squad is over that area if I am not mistaken," said Erwin. "I just need your men to pull back for a few hours." He took a drink of water.
"That's easy enough," said Nile. What did he care? Neither his squad nor any of the military police made patrols underground after the fire. "What are you looking for anyway?" Erwin flashed Nile one of his dazzling smiles.
"New recruits."
Almost a month later word spread about the Survey Corps taking criminals from the underground. The military policemen made jokes about how this was the only way the Survey Corps would get new recruits and how they were doing the military police a favor by killing off the scum outside the wall. It was several months after that once the Survey Corps came back that Nile found out just who Erwin brought to the surface.
After every mission Commander Shardis had to present a report about their findings to the royals. Erwin typically accompanied the commander when they presented their findings to the king. It was a public event held at the courthouse though only a handful of people ever attended the events anymore. Nile decided he would be there to see if Erwin brought the thug turned government dog with him.
There he was standing beside Erwin like a young pup beside his master was Levi. So many years had passed since he last saw the man but he still could pass for a teenager. It made Nile question just how old was Levi back then when his superiors picked him up. The Survey Corps' uniform made him look more polished with a type of grace that Nile hadn't seen that night. The young man stood there with a bored expression on his face. Nile waited for them outside the courtroom once the debriefing was over.
"Oh Nile," said Erwin. The tall blond man easily walked over to his old friend. "Let me introduce you to Levi." The smaller man stepped forward. The moment that he locked eyes with Nile, Nile was frozen where he stood. He could have jumped out of his skin if he body would let him. "Don't be shy Levi," said Erwin.
"I'm not shy," said Levi.
"Captain Erwin, a word please," one of the politicians called from the courthouse doors.
"Excuse me," said Erwin. "Wait for me here Levi." Captain Erwin gave a warning glare to his subordinate before walking away. Levi tsked.
"Hello Levi." Nile finally found the courage to speak.
"Hello rookie," said Levi. "It looks like you have done well for yourself."
"The same could be said for you," said Nile. "Though I have something to ask you…How did Erwin get you up here? Are you suicidal like the others?"
Levi shrugged. He looked off into the distance. "He showed me something worth protecting." His gaze fell on Erwin who stood in the doorway. Erwin still spoke with the politician. Nile looked at the small thug as if for the first time. What could Erwin have possibly shown Levi that would make him turn his back on everything? Though if he thought about it, that was Erwin's way. Erwin Smith always had a way of charming people into doing almost anything he wanted.
"Levi?" Nile asked. The hoodlum turned soldier turned his gaze back to Nile. Nile had to admit that he looked better in the Survey Corps' uniform than in the tattered rags from so many years ago.
"What do you want?"
"Thank you for saving me." said Nile. Levi looked up at him for a moment before looking away.
"You helped me back then too," said Levi. "Don't look at me like that. It's ugly." Then disregarding his commanding officer's order Levi walked over to where captain Erwin stood.