So, are you guys shy or waiting until it's complete before you review? The trouble is, if you wait then you're commenting on the whole story and I don't get as much detail from you on what you liked (or didn't, I suppose) or where you thought it was going. Plus, I hate waiting. This is the third chapter... how about a first review?

Chapter three: Kirstein

Levi had half-hoped it would be his commander, back from a liason with the stationary guard. To instead see Jean Kirstein on the stoop was an inevitable disappointment, but he rallied to the occasion.

"Kirstein."

Jean saluted, but it seemed half-hearted. "I'm sorry to bother you so late, captain."

"You should be. Come in." Levi stepped back so Jean could enter his quarters. Mikasa was gone without a trace; she had even managed to close the window behind her. "Tea?" he offered.

"No, thank you." Jean looked around nervously, fidgeting like a wild horse in a small corral.

"All right. What's the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter..."

"You'd damn well better have a good reason for coming here an hour and a half after curfew, soldier."

"I - I never intended to join the scouts," Jean blurted out.

Levi folded his arms. "Mistake in your paperwork?"

"No, sir. I just... I heard the way Eren and some of the others talked about the outside world, and making progress for humanity, and..."

"And you listened to it, and you fell for it, and now you're having second thoughts. Well, what do you want me to do? Send you back? Tell them... you're too small?" Levi arched an eyebrow, basking proudly in the irony.

Jean exhaled angrily. "You're not going to manipulate me into wanting to stay. I do have my pride, but I've seen how it is in the survey corps. I know my days are numbered and the number's much smaller here. All I wanted was to make a decent wage so I could send something back to my mother, and to stay safe so she wouldn't have to bury me in an early grave. I still want that."

Levi leaned on the chair where his jacket and cravat hung over his boots and studied Jean's frustrated expression. "It's true what they say... no one likes a quitter. Maybe you'll be a little better off with the military police, but they won't respect you. On the other hand, how can I keep you here, knowing it's the last place you want to be? I can't respect you, either."

"I don't understand how you do it," Jean spat. "Do you just not have anyone to leave behind? Is that it?"

"Everyone left me behind. That's why I don't waste time looking back. I'm free to look ahead."

"Everyone? You have no family, no friends...?"

"Everyone I was ever close to is dead."

That gave Jean pause. "Huh." He frowned at Levi. "You know... everyone says there's a reason you're so damn emotionless. I guess maybe it's trauma after all, and not... what they say."

Levi knew what they said - he'd overheard it years ago, when a couple of new recruits hadn't realized he was within hearing: "He wouldn't be like that if he got a good lay now and then. Poor bastard probably can't find anyone his size..." He didn't give a damn what they said behind his back. What mattered was this, the face-to-face. People didn't lie to him... not twice, anyway.

"Maybe it is," he said. "But don't think you have me figured out."

Jean looked like he was ready to snap right back, but he stopped himself. He looked at the floor. "I don't know that I have anything figured out. I just know that I can't... do this anymore."

Levi closed the distance between them. "I'm not sure how I can help you," he said. "But I hate to lose anyone - to the titans or the military police. One's almost as bad as the other."

Jean grunted. "I never had a problem with you personally," he said. "You seem to make sound decisions and you don't look down on people like they think you do... in spite of the stick up your ass." He looked a little nervous at the impertinence, but also showed no signs of being sorry for it.

"I appreciate your attitude," Levi muttered. He put a hand on Jean's shoulder. "If you're sure, you can fill out the transfer papers tomorrow... and I'll sign them for you." It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. It was an insult to the other recruits who could have gone to the Military Police if they'd wanted to. It was a threat to the ones who had gone there - a new recruit they didn't need or want to work with. It couldn't end well.

Jean met his eyes and looked uncertain. "Captain, I..." He looked away and his shoulder under Levi's hand began to feel uncomfortably warm. Hesitantly, he lifted his hand to Levi's arm.

I had my doubts about him, but it looks like he still needs something more from me... Steeling his resolve and praying for stamina, Levi pulled Jean into a tight embrace. He was completely unyielding at first, probably unprepared for the show of affection, but slowly he melted into Levi's arms.

Neither said anything for a minute or two. Once, it seemed like Jean was going to speak but he stopped himself again, choosing instead to renew his grip on his captain.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Levi asked at last, not relaxing his hold.

Jean was breathing harder now. He shook his head - or maybe he was just burrowing into Levi's neck.

Levi rubbed Jean's back, slipping his hands under his subordinate's jacket and massaging the tight muscles between his shoulder blades. "We all have doubts somewhere along the line," he said quietly. "All we can do is make the best decision we know how to make and then stick by it."

"Yes, sir," Jean answered, his voice muffled by Levi's collar. He kissed Levi's neck and then seemed to freeze, as if he thought the action might get him killed.

To reassure him, Levi pulled one hand out from under Jean's Jacket and stroked the short hair at the back of his neck. "It's all right, soldier."

He could feel Jean's hot breaths against his skin where he felt unusually exposed without his cravat. He hadn't tucked his shirt in, and one of Jean's hands had begun gathering it up.

"Captain, do you... you can have me. If you want me."

They were full of surprises, these recruits. Levi had to fight not to sigh. He was tired. "Have you ever slept with another man?" he asked.

"No, sir."

"We won't go all the way, then. Bolt the door."

Jean hurried to carry out the order while Levi began taking off his shirt... again.

Might as well just stay naked at this rate, he thought to himself. The lamp was still low, but he turned it lower still. Without the painstakingly slow introduction Eren had had, Jean might feel even more awkward... though he seemed to be shedding his clothes without too much hesitation.

It seemed like arousal was going to be a difficult goal at this point, but Levi determined to do his best. When Jean returned to him in just his shorts, Levi put his arms around him again and kissed his jaw. "Before we go any further, I want to make sure you understand... I'm not in love with you. But please don't think that this is meaningless to me."

"I... I understand, sir."

He did seem to understand, oddly enough. And though this was new territory to him, Jean didn't back down at all, even going so far as to take initiative a few times, rather than letting Levi determine everything.

Levi wasn't sure how he felt about it when Jean pushed him back and settled on top of him. It hadn't been forceful; he could have stopped it if he'd really wanted to. It didn't seem worth making a fuss over. Still, it was enough to prompt the captain to dig his hand into Jean's hair, stopping the series of kisses his subordinate was placing on his collarbone. He pushed himself up and attacked Jean's mouth, exploring the curve of his lips and then the inside of his mouth as well. He found the submission he wanted and backed off, guiding Jean's face back to his chest.

In spite of his immeasurable self-control, Levi couldn't help the hitch in his breath when Jean's kisses brushed over his nipple. Jean was surprisingly observant; he came back to the spot at once, gently drawing more involuntary sounds from Levi.

Finally, the arousal was coming back. That's what I needed... Levi reached down to pull the younger man's shorts away and pressed his erection into Jean's.

Jean's head snapped up and he gasped. His eyes narrowed, blinking rapidly at the new sensation.

Levi stroked his face and continued down his neck. "A little more," he whispered. "That's it, Jean." His hand kept their cocks together as they thrust harder. In spite of being on the bottom, he was definitely in charge now, setting the pace and not relenting until he felt the hot spray on his abdomen.

Jean had come first, but Levi wasn't far behind. I made it. For the third damn time in one night. It's been a long time since I had this much activity... It took longer to collect his breathing this time. Things were definitely taking their toll. Of course, it didn't help that Jean was still lying on top of him.

"I'll have your papers ready by tomorrow afternoon," Levi said when he could trust his voice to hold steady again. "I'll be sorry to see you go."

He didn't answer at first. Then, "I... I don't think I'll be going, sir."

"No? What happened to not letting me manipulate you?"

"Is it still manipulation if I know that you manipulated me?"

"Yes."

"Well, then... I guess I've changed my mind. There's no need to manipulate me, because I've decided to stay anyway."

The corner of Levi's mouth curved up. It had been a long, tiring night, but a completely successful one. "In that case, you ought to get back to the barracks. I can't have one of my soldiers disregarding curfew."

"Yes, sir." Jean sat up, stretched and began looking around for his clothes.

Levi handed him a handkerchief. "Here, clean yourself up before you go. You can keep that. I have more." Although, I'm going to have to order a case of them at this rate.

Jean left a few minutes later, well after midnight. Levi turned up his lamp to check over his bed clothes. They looked all right, but knowing how much sweat had probably been absorbed by those sheets in the course of the night, he couldn't stand it. He had to change them. He wanted to take a bath as well, but he was just too tired. He finally crawled into bed in a clean pair of shorts.

Three in one night... and I got all their names right. His perfect record was intact. In spite of his usual difficulty sleeping, he managed to doze off by one.

It seemed like hardly any time at all before something woke him...

What can it possibly be now?! Stay tuned for chapter four, which will probably be the last. Yes, there will be a conclusion to all this nonsense.