These characters are under copyright by Hajime Isayama and/or Kodansha Comics or others. This is a work of fanfiction, for no monetary gain.

A/N:
If you like this story, you might also like my original published work, the four book high fantasy series, Descent of Kings, by Maria Albert, available on Amazon and through the publisher, Dreamspinner.

Chapter 4 – Room at the Inn

Levi's jaw was stiff from gritting his teeth against the pain in the abused muscles of his thigh, as they rode on without any indication they'd be stopping again anytime soon, as they had in the afternoon. He should have realized that a long journey on horseback, even at a placid walk, would be too taxing for him to bear easily, but he wasn't about to betray his weakness to the others.

When they rounded the latest curve in the road, emerging from the groves of trees that had been surrounding them on both sides, Levi was surprised to see a number of buildings on the left at the side of the road, bordered by the ever present stream.

"That's our inn, up ahead, the Blue Boar. We'll eat dinner and spend the night here, eat breakfast here in the morning, and then continue on to the Capital," Erwin announced to Levi's surprise, indicating the impressive and welcoming cluster of buildings.

The largest building was made of grey stone with a sloped, blue tile roof, two stories tall and at least 50 meters long, with a number of windows on the side facing them, on both stories. Across the wide innyard was a long low wooden building, obviously a stable for riding horses, with a second, larger wooden building to the right, a carriage house, one that looked large enough to accommodate at least a half dozen carriages and their teams of horses. To the left of the stable was a squat barn, as evidenced by the size of the doors and the hayloft. There was a smaller wooden structure beside it with a wire fenced area all around it that could only be a henhouse, and two smaller wooden buildings that Levi thought might be an outhouse and hopefully a bathhouse, though he by far preferred showers to baths.

"There's still plenty of time before sunset. Shouldn't we keep riding and stop later?" Springer griped.

Levi had to forcibly restrain himself from tearing into the kid. He was sticky from sweat and coated in dust from the road, in desperate need of a shower, but far more, of relief from the muted agony of his leg. The pain was nothing compared to when he was first injured, it wasn't crippling or debilitating, but it was rapidly on its way to becoming so again.

"No. We won't reach the Capital today, regardless, and we won't find another inn like this within a hundred kilometers. I've stayed here before, on various occasions. It's superlative in every way: large enough for all of us, clean, warm, dry, and bedbug free, with hot and cold running water, indoor toilets, showers and baths, and the food is exceptional," Erwin replied. "The stable is just as fine. Our horses will be safe and well tended and our supplies secure. We're staying here."

Thank fuck. It looked like he wouldn't have to strangle the little shit after all. The accommodations themselves sounded like Paradise. Levi wondered what the two smaller wooden buildings were, considering what Erwin had told them. A toolshed and maybe a smokehouse or a smithy? He didn't fucking care. Erwin had him at the word "shower".

When they rode into the innyard, they were enveloped in an overwhelmingly welcoming aroma of freshly baked bread, and a second beguiling, sweeter scent. They were enthusiastically greeted by two men, by their clothing the head groom and the innkeeper. "Commander Erwin!" the latter said. "It's an honor and a joy to see you again. Are you here for a quick stop, or will you and your men be staying for dinner, and perhaps even for the night?"

"We've come for both dinner and to stay the night. We'll need your six best rooms, if you have that many available," Erwin replied, with a warm smile that made Levi's heart beat faster.

"We do indeed! You've come early enough both for the rooms and so that we have time to prepare some roast capon specially for you. Marjorie has already baked both blackberry and apple pies for dessert. They're cooling in the kitchen. I know you prefer to tend to your own mount, and some of your men might wish to as well, but our groom and stable boys would be more than happy to do so for you, if you'll allow it," the innkeeper offered.

"Thank you, Douglas. Captain Levi, Squad Leader Hange and I will take you up on your kind offer, but the rest of our men will see to their own mounts and the packhorses," Erwin said, to Levi's surprise and relief. He wasn't sure how well he'd be standing, let alone able to…

That tricky bastard. Erwin was doing this for his benefit, so he wouldn't need to groom his horse, which meant he hadn't hidden his pain as well as he'd thought. His first instinct was to balk at being coddled, but he quickly quashed his natural inclination to bitch at the man. Erwin was obviously concerned about him, and by including himself and Hange, was allowing him to save face.

The groom and two stable boys stepped forwards, the groom heading for Erwin, and the smaller of the two stable boys heading for him.

He eyed the boy appraisingly. He couldn't have been more than fourteen years old. There wasn't much in the way of muscle on him, but when pitted against the mass of a willful horse, a man's muscle was a paltry thing regardless. The boy's eyes were bright and intelligent, and there was a hint of mischief in the friendly grin as he looked up at him.

Levi decided to be nice and warn the kid what to expect, so he didn't end up with a broken foot. "Don't let his looks fool you. This one can be a little bastard when you least expect it. He might try to step on your foot or squash you against the stall wall, and then look at you like it was an accident. Don't take his reins unless you're sure you can handle him."

The boy's grin widened, and he produced an apple out of his loose shirt and tossed it into the air. "That's what apples are for," he said with a laugh, as Achilles watched the apple while trying to feign disinterest. "What's this beauty's name?" he asked, while both Erwin and Hange dismounted.

"Achilles, I assume because of that thumb shaped white patch of hair on the fetlock of his right hind leg, but probably also because the arrogant little shit thinks he's indestructible. He'll try to start trouble with the other horses as well as with you. You need to put him in a stall between these two," Levi said, indicating Armin's mount, Patroclus and Erwin's horse, Heracles. "He's been known to kick open his stall door when he's not next to Patroclus, and this monster Heracles here is too full of himself to be annoyed by any of Achilles' bullshit, but most of the other horses would want to bite him, and the feeling would be more than mutual," Levi warned, still astride the mischievous beast.

"Don't you worry none, Captain Levi, sir. I've got a trick or two of me own, more'n apples," the boy assured him with a confident and possibly flirtatious wink, as he held out his hand for the reins.

Little shits know how to deal with other little shits, Levi thought wryly, as he handed him the reins and then dismounted.

He cursed as pain lanced through his right thigh and his leg buckled, surprised and relieved when familiar, warm, strong hands kept him from falling on his ass in the dirt. Erwin.

A moment later, Hange had freed his crutches from his saddle, as well as his cane. She held the former out to him, retaining the latter. He accepted the crutches silently, with a scowl.

"Why don't we go inside and get situated," Erwin suggested smoothly, fortunately not stupid enough to ask him if he was alright.

"Of course," Douglas said, taking his cue from Erwin and leading the way.

Levi could feel the brats' concerned stares and Springer's gloating one on his back but he ignored them, as he wordlessly headed for the inn door on his crutches, clenching his jaw against the pain.

"If the Captain's in need of a doctor, one of the lads can ride and fetch him," the innkeeper offered to Erwin not quite quietly enough for him not to hear.

"No, it's an older injury. A hot soak and some of your wonderful wife's liniment will do the trick," Erwin assured him.

"Certainly! It will be a while before dinner, and of course you'll all want to wash up and rest before then too. Or perhaps wash the dust of the road from your mouths with a drink or two, if your men have a mind to?" he qualified, apparently realizing that just because Erwin didn't normally drink didn't mean his men wouldn't.

"You won't have to hide the good stuff, either, like you do when the MPs come by. I'm buying: the rooms, the meals and the drinks, so we're not depleting our tax funding any for nonessential indulgences," Erwin said with a conspiratorial smile.

The innkeeper had the grace to blush before laughing heartily. "Now, now, Commander, don't say that too loudly! We wouldn't want the MPs to think I play favorites or to get wind of what's in my wine cellar."

If the man hadn't been portly, balding, and half again Erwin's age, Levi might have actually been a little jealous at the easygoing, obvious camaraderie between the two men. They spoke as if they were old friends.

Likewise, when the man's wife appeared, squealed in delight and enveloped Erwin in a hug, pulling him into her ample bosom, Levi might have been put out, had she not been so matronly, and the hug a maternal one. "It's so good to see you! We heard such terrible rumors, this time, but we knew better than to believe half of what we heard. Though truth be told, we almost sent Bertram to Karanese. Charlotte's due any day now though, and… listen to me, nattering on, when this sweet young man is in need of a chair."

Levi blinked. Sweet young man? Surely she couldn't mean… But then she spun toward him with remarkable speed and grace, for one so large. "You must be Captain Levi! No wonder Charlotte used to gush about you so, before she met her man Bertram. You're nearly as handsome as my Douglas!" the rotund woman gushed. For a horrified moment Levi was afraid she might hug him as well, but either the crutches or his demeanor saved him.

"And I'm sorry, but I don't know your name, dear," she said, turning to Hange.

"Hange, ma'am," she said with a grin.

"Hange. What an interesting name. We're so glad to meet you," the woman said with apparent sincerity, obviously having no clue whom she was welcoming into her inn.

The middle-aged woman turned back to Erwin. "I'm so glad those rumors about you and the Captain proved false. But Commander Erwin please, I know I shouldn't ask, and I certainly don't want to upset you, and I'm more than a little afraid to hear, but I'm so used to seeing the two of you together, and when I was peering out the window and didn't see him beside you, I just… please tell me, is Mikey alright?" The woman's voice was warbling, and she suddenly looked as if she was about to burst into tears.

Mikey? That big oaf Zacharius is 'Mikey' to her?

Erwin smiled reassuringly at her. "Mike's fine, Marjorie. He was injured, saving three of our younger Scouts, but he's already almost fully recovered," Erwin lied, so sincerely that Levi would have believed Zacharius wasn't still bedridden, if he hadn't known better.

"Oh, thank the Good Lord!" the woman said, crossing herself openly, to Levi's surprise. Very few people dared to openly show such religious fervor, except for the Wallists.

"Now Marjorie, you've fluttered about the Commander enough. We've a passel of hungry Scouts to feed. I promised the Commander we'd roast him up some capons. You have Bertram fetch you four of our plumpest birds, while I situate the Commander and his men," the innkeeper gently scolded.

"Tch. Thirty years and it's 'off to the kitchen with you Marjorie'. Honestly, if you weren't such a fine catch, save for your poor manners, I'd throw you back and try for another," the woman said, shaking her head in mock dismay, her eyes, which had been all but brimming with tears a few moments ago twinkling now in merriment.

The man smiled lovingly at his wife and then warmly at them. "Now then, let me get you your keys." He went into a back room and moments later emerged with six brass keys, each with a small wooden charm hanging from it, worn smooth with age, depicting a different animal: horse, cow, pig, dog, cat and turkey.

Erwin accepted them all, then kept the horse key and handed the others to Hange. "You can distribute the rest of these, while Levi and I get settled. The rooms are sized in accordance with the animals on the keychains, which match the pictures painted on the room doors."

Levi added smoothly, "Pair Armin and Jean, Sasha and Mikasa, Eren and Connie, Anders and Bauer, and then you get a room by yourself." By splitting them up that way, it would make it easier for Sasha and Eren to swap roommates, so everyone was a couple, save for Anders and Bauer, unless there was something he didn't yet know about the relationship between those two men.

Erwin didn't argue the rooming arrangements. He turned to the innkeeper. "Douglas, if someone could bring up our saddlebags, I'd appreciate it."

"Of course! You get settled, and we'll bring them up in a jiffy, along with some of Marjorie's liniment. Can I bring you some tea and cookies, to refresh you, before dinner?" he offered.

"No thank you. But I think the Captain and I might be dining in our room tonight," Erwin added unexpectedly. He turned to Hange. "Hange, if we make an early night of it, keep an eye on everyone and make sure they don't indulge too heavily before dinner. We don't want any hangovers tomorrow. Let them know I'm buying, though. They all deserve a little treat, after what we've been through."

"Don't worry. I'll see they don't overindulge, and I'll keep them out of trouble," Hange assured him.

Tch. Asking Hange to keep anyone out of trouble was like sending him to guard a jewelry shop, back in the day.

Erwin reclaimed his cane from Hange and then he and Erwin headed for the stairs. Levi scowled at the number and steepness of the steps and then began making his laborious way up them, frustrated by his own lack of speed and dexterity. It was completely ridiculous how impaired he'd become from a simple horse ride. "You did say they have hot showers, right?" Levi grumbled.

"That's why I'm paying the bill instead of billing a lesser inn to the Corps. Trust me, it's worth every coin," Erwin soothed, fortunately for his health not offering to assist him. "This inn is over a hundred years old. All the rooms have piped hot and cold water, with private showers, baths and toilets, like our base, and from the geography, using the same water supply. The rooms are immaculately clean, spacious and well furnished, and the food is phenomenal, equal to anything you might eat in the Capital. We all deserve to be well fed and well rested." Then he leaned into Levi's ear, and Erwin's hot breath sent a shiver of desire through him, even before Erwin whispered, "And well fucked."

Levi fought the urge to grab Erwin by the collar and drag him to their room. Tch. As if he could. In reality, Erwin would need to carry him to it bridal style, and that thought, which should have been revolting and humiliating, was so ridiculously appealing it convinced him he was half out of his mind with pain and fatigue. Fuck going down or up those stairs again until morning. Erwin's ridiculous statement about eating dinner in their room suddenly made perfect sense, vermin be damned. He scowled again, hiding a shudder at the thought. "You said clean, and mentioned there aren't bedbugs, but no rats or mice either, right?" he challenged.

"No rodents. Trust me, Marjorie's standards of cleanliness are nearly equal to your own," Erwin claimed, as they finally reached the top of the stairs. Erwin turned left and Levi began heading slowly and stiffly down the corridor, even with his crutches, his weak and aching leg having exhausted him.

Levi could see the concern in Erwin's eyes. "No, I'm not heading back to base, and yes, I'll be fit for the mission. I still have most of another day before we start, and it will be two to four days after that before we should have any opponents to face. I just need to work the kinks out, that's all. I've just gotten soft, lounging around on base."

The look Erwin gave him as he unlocked the room conveyed every word his lips didn't say, at the latter statement, which he'd purposefully thrown out there, to deflect some of Erwin's obvious true concern and doubt about the rest.

"Damn it, Erwin, I fucking admit I'm not at my fighting peak right now, but I'm still better than anyone else here, including you, with the possible exception of Mikasa, so don't look at me like that. There's no way in hell I'm letting you and the brats do this without me." He'd lost Isabel and Furlan to the Titans because he hadn't been there to save them. No way in hell was he letting Erwin go up against those monsters without him. He didn't break his gaze until Erwin nodded.

Erwin waved him into the room first, and Levi looked around skeptically from the doorway, doubting the room could be anywhere near his standards of cleanliness, in spite of Erwin's assurances. It was certainly big. And well furnished, with a huge bed covered by a thick, intricately made quilt, a writing desk and chair, bureau, and pair of armchairs to either side of a low table in front of a river rock fireplace, with three lamp tables, each with a lamp, none of which were currently lit. And a dismayingly large window, letting in the still bright light of the sun. Levi glared at it. As much as he normally loved having an escape route, he despised windows in his bedroom. Anyone could sneak in while they slept.

He swung over on his crutches and looked out onto the innyard, and at the outer walls along both sides of the window. He sighed. The rough stonework was ideal for climbing. It would be ridiculously easy to shimmy up, under the cover of night. The only thing stopping anyone would be the wide expanse of ground increasing the chance of being seen, and the knowledge that Scouts were in the rooms above.

He turned back to face the room. The room truly looked perfect, other than the window, clean and neat, no dust anywhere to be seen, at least upon cursory inspection, the lamp glass and brass gleaming, and not a speck of ash in the fireplace.

0 0 0

"I'm sorry. All the rooms have windows," Erwin apologized, seeing Levi's scowl at it. "If it makes you uncomfortable, we can move the bureau to block it, at least part way, but I highly doubt anyone is going to climb in from the innyard, especially after seeing Scouts are using these rooms. Not many people are that suicidal."

"It's fine," Levi grumbled, switching his crutches for his cane, after unfastening and removing his sheathes and gas canisters. Then he hobbled over to the table and sat on one of the thickly upholstered reading chairs and began removing the straps of his harness.

Erwin bit his tongue to keep from offering to assist him. Levi was at his prickliest when injured, when anyone seemed to even remotely doubt his ability to fend for himself.

"Don't just stand there like an ass watching me struggle, help me with my damned straps, so I can soak my fucking leg," Levi snarled.

Or not. Erwin was across the room kneeling in front of him in moments. "Sorry." He carefully removed the straps and laid them on the floor beside the chair for the time being and then pulled off his boots.

"Tch. If you ever tire of playing soldier, you could make someone a halfway decent valet," Levi scoffed.

Erwin's jaw clenched and he glared up at Levi, the "playing soldier" barb cutting a little too deep, memories of more than one scathing argument with his father coming to the fore. But the spike of anger was instantly snuffed out by the pain in Levi's stormy grey eyes, something far beyond physical.

"Levi?" Erwin asked, knowing he'd likely not learn the cause.

"It's nothing. Not important."

Erwin was disappointed but not surprised that this time Levi had behaved exactly as expected.

"I'm sorry I'm being such an ass," Levi apologized unexpectedly, as he heaved himself up on his cane.

Erwin rose and embraced him. "It was a long ride, after a hellish morning, and a miserable week, and I know you're in pain. I'm not taking it personally. I just wish there was something more I could do to help than massage you," he said sincerely.

"Tch. You're a lot more than a freaking masseuse, Erwin," Levi asserted, wrapping himself around Erwin and pulling him down for a kiss.

Erwin enthusiastically responded, but kept it far shorter than he would have liked, knowing Levi was still hurting. "Come on. Let's get you into the shower and then the tub," Erwin urged, forestalling the inevitable scowl of protest for breaking the kiss prematurely.

"Alright," Levi agreed, turning for the bathroom, yet a further indication he was truly suffering.

Erwin fought the urge to carry him, allowing him to limp his own way, but ready to catch him if his leg gave out again.

"I should have started using this damned cane a week ago," Levi complained.

"No, you should have stayed on the crutches the way you did. You allowed yourself to heal more quickly and more fully, and you'll ultimately be back up to speed faster because of it," Erwin argued mildly. Levi wasn't used to being injured and Erwin completely empathized with him. The various symptoms of his own concussion had been healing with maddening slowness.

Erwin was relieved to see Levi was actually impressed with the bathroom, even the shower and tub passing his intense scrutiny. "I'll have Marjorie launder both our uniforms tonight," Erwin offered. "She'll hang them in the kitchen or by the fireplace in her and Douglas's room, so they'll be dry by morning. It will mean one less day wearing a dirty uniform. And trust me, it will be clean to your standards," he added, seeing Levi open his mouth in protest.

0 0 0

Levi scowled and then nodded, and began stripping, not bothering to carefully fold his shirt, as he otherwise would have. "I noticed you're on a first name basis with the innkeeper and his wife," Levi fished.

"I've stayed here a few times," Erwin responded casually.

"Tch, fine. Keep your secrets," Levi grumbled, tossing his pants at Erwin's face. Erwin, of course, snatched them out of the air before they hit him.

"Next time I'll throw a boot," Levi threatened reflexively.

"No you won't. You might give me a black eye, and spoil your view," Erwin said smugly.

"Tch." He didn't even try to deny Erwin's claim. Erwin knew full well how handsome he was, and the preternaturally mesmerizing effect of his cerulean eyes.

Levi was thankful there was a separate shower and tub, likely so the husband could shower while the wife bathed. He smirked. Erwin had admitted more than once to enjoying soaking in the tub, which of course, made him the wife. Tonight Levi would be using both, but that was OK. Like he'd told Erwin in his office, he enjoyed being both top and bottom, with a lover he trusted.

Levi sniffed both the thick washcloth and cake of soap the inn provided cautiously. The former smelled freshly laundered, and the latter pleasantly spicy. He washed carefully, predominantly balancing on his left leg, to minimize the agony of his right thigh. Damned spiked pit. The Titan traps has undoubtedly saved the lives of the surviving members of the Corps on their last mission, but they'd nearly cost him his own. He glared at the distorted starburst shaped fresh scars on both the front and back of his thigh, tracing them with his finger, and then he smiled fondly. Mikasa had done a damned fine job. She's saved his leg and his life, they all had: her, Armin and Eren. The three brats were his friends because of that wound. It made his pain now infinitely easier to bear.

He soaped his hair, reveling in the heated water. Erwin was right. A hot bath just might help. It was his only option. He wasn't about to take any painkillers for his leg, not even something Mikasa brewed. He was in unfamiliar territory and needed to stay alert, no matter what side of the Walls they were currently on.

He exited the shower, careful not to slip, hesitating at the edge of the raised tub.

"I could…" Erwin began offering, obviously feeling suicidal again.

"Fuck off," Levi snarled, lifting his leg up and over defiantly and then cursing as his abused thigh muscle spasmed and he pitched forward, throwing out his hands to catch himself, even as he was caught.

"Let me bear your weight. You just swing your left leg in, and then I'll sit you down, and you can punish me for it later," Erwin urged.

Levi complied wordlessly, the concern in Erwin's tone, complete absence of mockery or teasing, and acknowledgment he'd overstepped his bounds keeping him from immediately retaliating.

"Lean back and relax. I'll fill the tub for you, and then massage your leg while it's soaking, to work out the cramps," Erwin ordered. He turned on the water, testing the temperature and then increasing it gradually. Then he disappeared for a moment and reappeared with two jars Levi recognized.

"What the fuck did you bring those for?" Levi asked in surprise, staring at the jars he'd last seen in Erwin's bathroom on base: Erwin's powdered bath soap and his bath oil. Both were ridiculously expensive, purchased in the Capital.

"Because I knew we'd be stopping here, and unlike you, I like to take baths, especially after a long ride. And between the horses and you, I knew I'd be doing a lot of riding," Erwin said suggestively, as he opened the first jar and added a generous quantity of the soap, which frothed into a delicate spice scented foam almost immediately.

"Tch. You like knowing I'm going to smell like you, that everyone we see will instantly know you're mine," Levi said knowingly.

"Actually I was thinking that they would know you were mine, but the corollary is certainly true," Erwin admitted, as he added some of the oil. "I'm going to take my shower, while you bathe, and then massage you, after you've had a chance to soak."

Levi nodded, sitting back in the tub, allowing the tension to drain from him, as the pain lessened, as he watched Erwin begin stripping for his shower.