Pairing: Erwin/Levi
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An expedition beyond the walls is mounted, and Erwin checks himself before looking at Ardis. Rumour has it that it's the current commander's last expedition, but it's more rumour than truth so Erwin doesn't put too much stock into it. Rumours like that have been going around since the first mission he went on and will be going on well after this one.
"Something's not right," Ardis says. She's seated on the bed, head lying on her paws, and Erwin pauses in tightening one of his buckles to look at her. He trusts her intuition more than anything.
"Street rats don't just become members of the scouting legion," she mutters. Erwin shakes his head with a small smile and returns to suiting up. Ardis hasn't stopped moaning about his loose-handed offer to the so-called street rat.
"It's his dæmon," she adds, stretching and moving off of the bed. "It's a crazed, wild thing. How do you expect them to sit through training and be able to separate? It's not a walk in the park."
Erwin places a large hand on Ardis' head and strokes her gently.
"They can already separate well enough. It's a tough process, but they have potential." He pauses. "A lot of slum dwellers do. It's why I'm trying to petition to run programmes to reach out to them. We need to build numbers up, after all."
Ardis looks away. They both know what Erwin really means. So many people die, and morale can only run so far. Stock needs to be maintained, and they need more people to fill the spaces. Not as many subjects were enlisting, and the slum people could be the boost the corps need.
"Still. I don't like his dæmon." Ardis walks out of the door, a step ahead of Erwin, and through the corridors of their base until they reach the stable yard.
Their teams are already assembled. Erwin greets his with a smile, standing beside his long-time friend as the others continue their conversation.
"There's a strange smell in the air," Mike comments, and Erwin looks at him for a moment. His attention soon turns to watch Mike's dæmon greet Ardis. His dæmon is a hulking bear, a surprisingly quiet creature whose sense of smell rivals her human counterpart's.
"Something's going to happen today," Mike finishes, and Erwin stifles a rare laugh. It's not like Mike to state the obvious.
"We're going to fight titans – of course something's going to happen," Erwin replies, and Ardis looks at him tongue lolling as she pants in excitement. Erwin's smile fades, though, and he turns narrowed eyes out to where they'll be heading. He hopes Mike is wrong.
Around them, people begin to move to get their horses out. It's time for them to leave, and Erwin looks at Ardis. She isn't capable of joining them this time – she has in the past, but it is more common for her to stay behind – and he strokes behind her ear before she bows her head.
"You too, Burcu," Mike says, his dæmon butting her head against his chest. She then takes a few steps back, joining Ardis with her head hung low. None of the dæmons liked being left behind, but it was better than being separated beyond the wall.
They ride out with their cloaks fluttering in the breeze and their heads held high. The commander calls for Erwin, and he lets his horse trot on to join him, sitting heavier when he's at the front of the formation.
"There have been rumours," the commander says, not even bothering to turn his head to look at Erwin. "And for once they're true."
Erwin feels nothing, simply continues looking onwards, ignoring his commander's dæmon. It's a small, dark bird with stout legs and a beady stare. He's never learnt its name and knows he never will now.
"This will be my last mission. The king's called for me to resign." The bird dips its head for a moment, the only sign of the commander's annoyance. The horses begin to stir under their seats, and Erwin steadies his horse gently, adjusting his weight and lowering his hands. They still have a while to go before they're out for the gallop, and he doesn't need his horse exhausting itself.
"I've recommended you to take control after me. It's still up to the brass to decide but… I don't see why they should have any problems." The commander turns and fixes Erwin with a stare, and Erwin nods, moving his arm into a perfect salute. This man has led them through many missions, and the thanks he gets is non existent.
The mission is a disaster. Groups split, and Erwin narrows his eyes, trying to see who needs the most help. It's unclear, and he curses, letting his reins out a little so his horse can stretch its neck. He can feel Ardis' unrest in the pit of his stomach, and he presses his gelding onwards, knowing the commander will pull the mission soon enough. There is nothing they can do out here anymore, and their casualties are too great. There are too many titans, far too many for them to handle.
In the end, it's Erwin who gives the order to retreat. The image of a little bird screaming before vanishing into golden dust is still burning behind his eyes, and Erwin wonders if this was what Ardis and Mike had meant when they said something was going to happen. He shouts loud and the order passes round, Erwin standing in his stirrups, darting between trees and titans while he tries to get as many of his soldiers back home as he can.
He heads the formation, driving them back to the safety of the wall. The soldiers have already started to address him as commander, and Erwin rides through the streets with a grim set to his jaw, trying to focus on getting the men and women he has left to medical care and to true safety. He sets his gaze forward, ignoring the mutterings of the people, and vows that his first job will be to talk to each and every soldier who overhears what the people say.
They fight a war with the titans and humanity alike. Sometimes it's too much for some people.
Out of the corner of his eye, Erwin thinks he sees a skinny black cat dark into the shadows, but then his horse dips its head as someone grabs its bridle, and Erwin dismounts, letting Mike take his horse and their soldiers home. The man who has come to get him is a politician of some sort, a stern faced man with a cold gleam in his eyes. This is one of the men who will decide whether to entrust the scouting legion to Erwin or not, and all thoughts of black cats and their counterpart humans are wiped from his mind.
Ardis meets with them on the way there, and Erwin can feel the growl in his own throat that she wants to unleash at the politician's wolverine dæmon. She won't though.
They leave hours later with a new title and new responsibilities. Erwin knows that he has to shape up if he's to command the scouting legion effectively, and his mind starts whirling with plans. He has no more time to track down black cats and traverse the city for beer.
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"The commander died out there," someone says, turning away and spitting on the floor. "Good riddance. Wasting tax payer's money, that lot. We don't need titan killers! We're safe!"
Levi rolls his eyes and starts walking off. Kiva is quick to follow, darting into the shadows to snap at a mouse. She misses, but returns to Levi with a spring in her step all the same.
"He was at the head of the column, you know," she says jovially as she jumps onto Levi's shoulder. "One of the fuckers from the capitol took him off."
Levi knows what she is hinting, and he places a hand over her mouth. He doesn't care, not really, and yet he cannot deny what he'd felt when he'd seen Erwin fronting the scouting legion.
They hadn't even meant to be in that part of town when the legion had returned. Levi had received a tip off about a wealthy family moving, and had started to move through the town to stake the place out. He'd been passing through when the bells had sounded and come face to face with the scouting legion.
The legion had looked utterly defeated. Not surprising now Levi knows that they lost their commander in the field and the words that are offered when the corps return, but only one of them had looked straight ahead. Erwin fronted them proudly, head up and back straight. He became a beacon for them, and Levi was moved by it, though he can't explain why.
"He's the kind of man you'd follow," Kiva whispers in his ear, the traitorous creature. Levi swats at her, and she jump from his shoulder with a laugh. They've arrived at their home, and Levi enters with a grimace.
"I fucking hate this place," he says to himself, sitting on the bed. He's been thinking a lot the past few days, thoughts focusing on Erwin Smith and what he's suggested.
He wants to join the scouting legion. After seeing Erwin and his men (because there is no way the king can let a man like Erwin free of his position – Erwin is born to lead the scouting legion), Levi knows he has so much to offer, so much potential and so much of himself to give. He doesn't have a hero complex or any notion that he's going to single-handedly save humanity, but if he can stand by Erwin's side and prove that he can do anything, the poor boy from the shitty slums, then he's gained something humanity never had.
He'll be free.
Despite her earlier comments, Kiva seems agitated as they walk towards the stately building. Levi has been informed that this is where he will find the newly instated 13th commander of the scouting legion. He walks into the building with his shoulders squared and his dæmon on his shoulders, eyes narrowed. He has plans to talk to only one man in this building, and he dares anyone to try to stop him.
"I wondered when you would come," Erwin says as Levi strides into the room. His dæmon is in front of his desk, standing up with fur bristled. She's uncomfortable and so is Kiva, but she's not stupid enough to hurt his dæmon.
"Congratulations on your promotion," Levi says. His voice is monotonous, and Erwin raises an eyebrow ever so slightly, leaning back in his chair and abandoning the papers before him.
"I'm joining the scouting legion," Levi says. He doesn't see the point of beating around the bush and sets his weight more onto one leg. Erwin doesn't look surprised. He simply nods and pulls a sheet of paper out from a stack on his desk, as if he'd known Levi would walk in exactly as he has.
"Ardis, let our guest take a seat," Erwin says, and she moves. Her fur has settled, and there's less anger and more curiosity in her eyes now.
"I need you to fill this out," Erwin says, but pauses before he hands it over. "If you can, that is." His dæmon twitches at the lack of tact, something that Kiva copies.
"Not all slum people are illiterate," Levi mumbles, frowning. He's always had difficulty keeping up with writing, but his reading skills are fine, and his handwriting is legible. He completes the form the best he can, unable to fill in where he lives – as if the slums have proper names people from the outside can use to locate places – and contact details.
"I didn't mean to offend," Erwin says, voice soft as he takes the paper back. The room is silent for a moment, and Levi fights the urge to tense up. He runs his hands through Kiva's fur instead, twisting short strands around his fingers.
"Would you like to live with me?" Erwin says, and Levi's eyes widen in shock. Kiva sits upright, and her back arches.
"Excuse me?" Levi retorts, shooting a look to the dog. She seems relaxed, lying down at the side of the desk with her eyes looking at them lazily.
"Would you like to live with me?" Erwin repeats, though it's hardly a question. Levi knows that Erwin knows the answer, and Levi smiles slightly, tilting his head back. He's always been a perfectionist, and Levi knows that Erwin is one of the best in the scouting legion. If he can learn from him then he will begin his path to being free and with a decent roof over his head.
He cannot see any reason to say no, and Kiva agrees, though she's not too fond of the idea of sharing her space with the dog.
"I'll clean the room while I wait for you," Levi says, wrinkling his nose as he looks around properly. It's not too bad, but dust covers most surfaces save the desk, and the floor could use a good scrub.
Erwin just smiles and shares a look with his dæmon, as if they've discovered a missing piece of a puzzle.
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