Chapter Ten—Titans and Politics
Levi was awoken by a soft tiny hand prying his eyelids open. Normally, his first reaction to such a rude awakening would be violent and swift, but thankfully his peeled open eye immediately spotted the little girl Cecilia who he and Coral had rescued from Shiganshina. The child released his face and beamed proudly at someone behind her, "See? I told you he was awake, Hange! Who sleeps sitting up in a chair?"
Levi could hear Hange in the background struggling to keep it together, "Oh, yes, you're right. Silly me."
Grimacing in irritation, Levi blearily opened both eyes so he could glare at his comrade.
Of course shitty glasses didn't bother to stop the kid…
"Morning, sunshine!" Hange chirped at him, clapping a hand on his stiff shoulders, causing him to grunt in annoyance. "You stay here all night?"
Leaning forward in his chair to stretch while simultaneously shrugging off Hange's hand, Levi looked over to the bed he was sitting next to where Coral was still asleep.
"No...not all night. Has she…?" He trailed off and Hange could see the quiet concern in his eyes as he took in the sight of their injured friend.
Levi was pretty unreadable to most people, but Hange had come to learn that he wasn't nearly as uncaring and cruel as everyone made him out to be. Levi had emotions just like the rest of them. He was just very well trained at keeping them in check. Still, the worry that plagued him was causing lines to appear under his normally placid gray eyes and he was looking even paler than usual lately.
Shaking her head sadly, Hange grabbed the clipboard from the end of Coral's bed. "No...not yet. As for right now though, her vitals are still steady. It's not unusual really for her to be resting this long considering the injury, but still...every day she doesn't wake up..."
Frustration caused Levi's brows to furrow as he looked back to Coral's still form. Something like fear made his gut twist up painfully, and he couldn't help but think about what he'd do if they lost her. It was a strange feeling. He'd watched so many soldiers and friends die before. It was nothing new to him really, yet he found himself constantly reflecting on the way he'd reacted when Coral had passed out in his arms down there in the Underground, blood gushing out of her side entirely too quickly.
To be honest, he'd panicked, which was so out of the normal for him that it had been bothering him ever since. He and Hange had rushed her to the military police guarding the entrance to the Underground, and Levi had actually threatened one of their doctors till they'd agreed to perform surgery right then and there. Thankfully, Hange and Coral were the same blood type otherwise the young woman likely would have died on the table from sheer blood loss. She'd been lucky the shot hadn't penetrated vital organs, but it was still touch and go for a few hours.
Once she was stable, Erwin had arranged a transport for Coral, and they'd brought her back to the new scout headquarters. It had been nearly 5 days now, but she still showed no signs of waking up.
Levi didn't normally sleep much—maybe 3 hours a night if he was lucky, but ever since they'd gotten back it had become utterly impossible for him to fall asleep in his own room. Thankfully, the infirmary was usually very quiet and very clean, so he'd taken to sitting by Coral's bed at night. At least, that's the only explanation he could come up with for his sudden shift in sleeping habits. Frustratingly persistent anxiety had infested him ever since she'd been shot, and it was beyond vexing.
Why the hell was it suddenly so important to him whether this pain in the ass military brat died or not? He wasn't even sure if she considered him a friend. Sure, they'd been through quite a lot together, but they'd almost always been at each other's throats ever since they'd met. He'd thought he'd had her pegged so early on, but she was always surprising him lately with new weird facets of her personality and despite himself he was consistently intrigued by her.
He wanted to know more about her motivations. There weren't many people out there who were okay with living in constant fear of being titan food. He had respect for anyone who joined the Scouts for that very reason, but his interest in Coral's reasoning was different somehow. She'd come from the Underground just like him, but no one had dragged her into their ranks kicking and screaming like they'd done to him. In fact, it had been quite the opposite. Levi could still remember how frustrated she'd been with Erwin and Mike back when they were still preventing her from joining. Coral had fought tooth and nail to be able to fight and even die alongside her comrades outside the walls.
She's far more noble than me in that respect. What an arrogant fool I was to ever be angry with her over Farlan and Isabel's deaths. If anyone is to blame, it's me. If she ever wakes up, I'm going to finally apologize to her for the way I treated her. If she wakes up...
"Ms. Coral's gonna be okay, right?" asked Cecilia, looking back and forth between Hange and Levi, blatant anxiety twisting up her soft features.
Hange ruffled the child's hair affectionately before replacing the clipboard at the end of the bed. "Coral's one of the toughest soldiers I know, kiddo. If anyone can pull through this, it's her."
Cecilia broke out into a relieved grin and placed her tiny hand over Coral's which was resting on top of the white infirmary sheet. Levi examined the small child. He hadn't really seen her or her baby sister since he'd dropped them off at the nursery a few weeks back. The girl looked thinner than the last time he'd seen her, which bothered him greatly.
"Hey, kid," Levi said quietly and she turned her big round eyes to look up at him, "They feeding you well in that nursery?"
Cecilia shuffled her feet uncertainly, clearly torn on her answer. "Well, Mrs. Ann brings food everyday, but she says that food is getting really...scared? I think that's what she called it. I never knew food could be scared though."
"Scarce, hon. It basically means they're just running low." Hange corrected the little girl, a slight frown marring both hers and Levi's features.
Cecilia nodded, but Levi could tell she still didn't quite fully understand. He wouldn't expect her to. Before the fall of Wall Maria times had been tough, but no one had ever really been starving. Living up top wasn't like being raised in the Underground. Things were about to get much harder on everyone now though. Children included...
Standing rather abruptly, Levi cracked his neck side to side and gestured for the little girl to follow him. "Come on, brat. Let's go get some breakfast."
"Good idea," Hange said in delight, falling into step beside him, and Levi couldn't help the slight groan that escaped his lips. He liked the crazy scientist well enough, but sometimes her enthusiasm was downright tiresome. Especially when it was still so early in the morning.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mike leaning against a far wall, staring out the window with a grim expression on his face. Satisfied that Coral wouldn't be alone, he thought back to Coral's grandfather and what he'd said about the military police. They couldn't afford to let their guard down anymore. Life with Coral around was only becoming more and more complicated as of late.
Levi was surprised out of his thoughts when he felt a little hand grab his right hand rather forcefully. He looked down in shock, eyes widening perceptibly at Cecilia who had snagged his hand and was gleefully hurrying along between him and Hange, a goofy little grin on her face as they made their way out of the infirmary. He wanted to break free of her grubby little grasp, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do it. She was entirely too cute and happy for him to upset her by being his normal rude self.
Levi could feel Hange's shit eating grin without even looking at her. He purposely avoiding making eye contact with the woman as he directed his eyes back in front of him.
Hange was far from the worst of it though...
As soon as they entered the mess hall, Levi could feel the stares of nearly every soldier there. One table of cadets in particular had started giggling and pointing at the little girl hanging off of Levi's arm, and he'd shot them such an evil death glare they'd all looked away simultaneously, attention suddenly very focused on their food.
Once they reached the line, Levi pulled Cecilia off of him and pushed her ahead of him in the line, placing a tray down in front of her. He grabbed one plate and started making it for her. Not feeling particularly hungry, he grabbed himself a piece of buttered bread and left the rest to his young ward. He made sure she had a good helping of eggs, toast, and even a slice of bacon. Meat was becoming harder and harder to come by lately, and the hungry gleam in Cecilia's eyes when she saw the bacon amused him greatly.
Picking up the little girl's tray, he found her a spot at the end of a mostly empty table. Hange sat down across from Cecilia while Levi went back to the kitchen to brew himself a fresh cup of tea. He munched absentmindedly on his bread as he boiled a kettle and dug through the pantry for the special black tea leaves he'd deliberately hidden for himself.
When he returned to the table with his tea, he was pleased to see the child had already nearly eaten half her plate. Sitting down next to Cecilia, Levi proceeded to drink his tea, hand clutching it from the rim like he usually did.
Cecilia looked at him peculiarly, eyeing the awkward set of his hand. "Mr. Levi, why do you hold your tea like that?"
He glanced down at her, suddenly remembering a time not long ago when Coral had badgered him about the very same subject. "Force of habit…" he replied quietly, deciding he may as well be honest with the goofy little kid. "A long time ago, I was about to enjoy a cup of tea when the handle snapped off and spilled all over me. I've held cups like this ever since."
"Hmmm..." Cecilia mused, gulping down a mouthful of eggs. "Sounds like you're always preparing for the worst. That's a smart way to live, I guess."
Surprise caused him to blink rapidly at the perceptive child, and Hange chuckled across from him. "Sounds like she'd already got you figured out, short stuff."
Levi shot her a silencing look over his cup before looking back to the child who was currently taking small bites out of her toast. Cecilia grabbed the glass of milk he'd gotten for her and slurped on it loudly. He grimaced and made a disapproving "tch" at her.
"Don't slurp your drink, kid."
Cecilia glanced up at him and tried to do as he instructed, tilting the cup further back so she could gulp it easier, both hands struggling to hold it steady. Milk streamed down on either side of her face, and Levi grunted in irritation. Whipping out his handkerchief, he forcefully wiped her face clean.
"Drink it, brat. Don't wear it."
He returned his attention to his cup of tea, and noticed that Hange was watching him with barely contained mirth.
"Don't say shit, four eyes." He dared the scientist, tearing another chunk out of his bread with his teeth in an almost threatening manner.
Next to him, Cecilia gasped. "You have a potty mouth, Mr. Levi!"
Hange looked at the small child and grinned widely, "He's also a fan of poop jokes!"
The child immediately dissolved into a fit of giggles at the word "poop," and Levi struggled to keep a grin from twitching at the corner of his lips.
They were all quiet for a moment, silently eating their food in peace when a sudden thought struck Levi. Turning his bored gray eyes to Cecilia, he placed his tea down on its saucer and reclined slightly. "Cecilia, has anyone at the nursery said where you and Adelaide will be staying permanently yet?"
Cecilia's big blue eyes looked unsure as she stared off into space, "Mrs. Ann told us that eventually we'd either get a foster home or we'd be sent to an orphanage." She let out a sniffle suddenly at her next thought. "She told me that they might not be able to keep me and Adelaide together though…"
She turned abruptly to look up at Levi, sudden hope rushing across her face. "But Ms. Coral said she wouldn't let that happen! She said she was going to find us a place to live together where we could be safe since she promised Mama she would take care of us." The girl's eyes got a little glassy when she mentioned her mother, but she didn't cry. Levi couldn't help but admire the child's courage.
"Hmm..." he brought his tea cup to his lips, quietly sipping as thoughts churned through his head. Maybe there was a way to make it up to Coral after all...
"This is all you have?" The dark-haired man asked Officer Millie Strauss, one thin eyebrow arched in barely concealed frustration.
Millie had to resist the urge to gulp. She'd heard plenty of stories about "Humanity's Strongest" over the past year, but the man in front of her was frankly not what she'd expected at all. His stature had baffled her at first, but she'd quickly realized that what he lacked in height he made up for in sheer intimidation. She never thought she'd see the day when a man nearly a foot shorter than her would make her quake in her boots.
He'd walked so confidently into the records office that morning, freshly buffed and shined boots coming to a stop directly in front of her as she'd busied herself sorting through the massive pile of invoices on her desk. He'd startled her out of her thoughts with a condescending sniff as he looked around at the rather unorganized mess she was currently trying to sort out. Ever since the refugees had started flooding in, her workload had only increased and it clearly showed.
"Is this place always such a pathetic mess?"
Slightly taken aback at his rude entrance, she'd pushed herself out of her chair, fully intent on giving him a verbal lashing when she'd noticed the patch on his jacket. He was a corporal of the scout regiment, which not only meant he outranked her but also that he wasn't any one to be fucked with. No one in the military police liked to admit it, but they all knew that the Survey Corps were tough motherfuckers. After all, anyone who chose to regularly fight titans wasn't a regular soldier. Even if they were on the puny side.
Saluting her superior, Millie had stuttered out her name and given the man an appraising look. "What might I help you with, Lance Corporal…?" She allowed the sentence to dangle, hoping he'd take the hint.
"Levi Ackerman..." he'd responded, sounding almost bored and not bothering to salute her in return. Instead, his eyes roamed the records office, lingering for a moment on her overburdened desk. "I need a list of whatever properties are up for sale in Trost currently."
Hearing the name of the infamous titan killer, Millie had visibly paled, mouth hanging slightly as she stared at the soldier who everyone claimed made hacking up titans look like it was easy. Although his height was a shock, she had to admit that the quiet confidence the man exuded was exactly what she'd imagined when she'd heard the rumors. His stance and demeanor practically screamed "fuck with me and I'll snap you in half", and she suddenly found herself becoming more and more nervous in his presence.
Levi's eyes narrowed angrily when he'd noticed her obviously shocked expression, and she'd had to resist the urge to step backwards when he barked at her in irritation. "Well? Do you always just gape at people like a blithering idiot, or are you actually going to give me what I came in here for?"
"A-apologies, sir! One moment please!" Scuffling away from the glowering soldier, she'd disappeared into the backroom and reappeared with a single sheet of paper.
After reading over it and asking whether it was all she had, Millie visibly flinched at the obvious agitation in his voice.
"I-I'm sorry, Lance Corporal, but ever since the refugees have showed up, properties have been rapidly disappearing. We updated that list last week, but if anything it's probably even smaller now. Space being so limited and all..." Millie trailed off pathetically, hoping he wouldn't yell at her again.
"Hmmph," groused Levi before he looked back to the MP, "Can I take this?" He asked, flicking the paper with his other hand and she'd vigorously nodded her head in affirmation.
"Of course, sir. We always keep back ups."
Grunting out a terse thanks, Levi left the records office, stormy eyes reading over the list as he came to a stop outside the door. It was an exceedingly short list. There were maybe a dozen properties on it and most of them appeared to be commercial. This was going to be harder than he thought.
Sighing in growing frustration, Levi folded the paper and shoved it into his jacket before setting off for Erwin's office in a huff. He strode quickly into headquarters, a chilly gust of air causing his forest green cloak to snap against him. Levi lifted his nose to the air and sniffed slightly, senses informing him that a cold front was rolling in. Winter was rapidly approaching, and Levi found himself wondering once again just how difficult this upcoming season would end up being on humanity.
Judging by the growing civil unrest, food shortages, and the already broken spirit of refugees who'd lost everything to the titans, it was going to be a very rough year indeed. Murder and crime rates had already started climbing rapidly with the arrival of the refugees. Desperation was causing people to lash out and do things they normally wouldn't, which didn't help the opinions of the citizens of Trost regarding their new southern neighbors. People within Wall Rose found themselves turning their noses up at the growing number of homeless on their streets, while said refugees struggled to make new lives for themselves in whatever space they could. Settlements had been started within the walls, and most of the hapless survivors were being forced to work farmland in a halfhearted effort to grow enough food for the struggling population.
Levi frowned at the thought of the settlements. He knew that if Cecilia and Adelaide didn't find a home soon their options were going to become worse and worse. If it wasn't a foster home, then it would be a packed orphanage, and if not an orphanage then they'd be sent to the settlements. He knew that Coral's heart was in the right place, but—being a soldier—there was no way she'd be able to personally look after the children. Especially Adelaide who would likely be in need of a wet nurse for another few months at the least. His list of "Pains in the Ass" seemed to be rapidly growing once more. Coral, Erwin, Hange, Adelaide, Cecilia…
Isabel...Farlan...
He sighed in annoyance with himself.
What is it with me? Do I just attract needy brats somehow?
Rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, Levi used his other hand to knock on Erwin's office door. Upon hearing Erwin's gruff call beckoning him to enter, Levi pushed the door open to see his Commander standing in front of a window on the far wall, cup of coffee in hand as he watched cadets train in the yard.
"Ah. Levi. Good. I was going to send for you shortly," intoned the blonde, setting his cup down on the desk behind him.
"Oh?" Asked Levi inquisitively, leaning against a book shelf not far from the man.
"Yes. I wanted to tell you first. We've received word from the capitol. They want us to begin redeploying troops so that we can set up our supply lines once again. Our first expedition is set for a week from now."
Levi nodded, expression remaining neutral though inwardly he wanted to scream. He'd known this was the next logical step as much as it irked him. For years now the scouts had painstakingly built supply depots leading out into the titan country beyond Wall Maria. Now that the wall was compromised, it was like they were starting from scratch. The only upside being that using their ODM gear would be significantly easier to use in territory where structures were already built.
Seeing the dark expression on Levi's face, Erwin sighed before taking a seat behind his desk. "I suppose we should just be grateful that the titans never advanced any further, but I cannot help but mirror your sentiments on the matter as well. It almost feels like every expedition up until this point has been a complete waste. Attaining funding for the Survey Corps is only going to get more difficult..."
Upon saying the last sentence, Erwin's eyes grew noticeably more tired, and Levi couldn't help but feel sorry for his leader. He knew firsthand how difficult it was to convince the fat pigs in the Interior that their efforts outside the walls were worthwhile. Despite the breach in Maria, they would still no doubt find ways to dig their heels in and insult the efforts of the Survey Corps. On top of all that, being the commander of the Scouts was quite frankly a thankless task that usually resulted in more criticism than it did praise.
It was midst these dreary thoughts that Erwin abruptly called out Levi's name, ripping him out of his inner monologue. "I almost forgot the whole reason I was planning on calling you in the first place, Levi. Here..."
Without another word, Erwin placed a small wooden box on the desk and pushed it towards Levi who looked at the box like it might explode at any moment.
"What's this, Eyebrows?" Asked the dark-haired soldier, glaring at the box suspiciously before making his way towards it slowly.
Erwin chuckled lightly, obviously amused by the ex-thug's natural paranoia. "Just open it, Levi. I'd hope by now you'd know that you can trust me."
"I do trust you," responded Levi flatly, opening the box with one swift flick. His eyes narrowed even more as he looked up at Erwin, a questioning look causing his brow to furrow. "Really?"
"Don't get so excited…Captain," Erwin drew the last word out, amusement twinkling in his blue orbs.
Sighing, Levi took the box and placed it in his jacket next to the folded up paper from earlier. "It just hardly seems appropriate given the circumstances..."
Erwin's face turned hard suddenly as he spoke with true confidence, "Our situation has never been ideal, Levi, but you've repeatedly proven your dedication to the Scouts and—most importantly—to humanity. Despite the tough facade you wear, this past year has proven to me that you are a loyal soldier capable of amazing feats. It would be utter foolishness on my part to not fully utilize your abilities as an officer in this company. I trust you will wear the badge with pride and bring honor to our regiment. Along with the title, I expect you realize you'll need to gather a squad of your own. I'll leave that entirely in your capable hands."
Carefully examining his new captain's face, Erwin struggled to understand why the soldier looked so...disappointed? No. Sad? It was hard to place. Even as convinced as he was of the ex-criminal's dedication, he was still very aware of the fact that he had a lot to learn about the man.
"What's bothering you, Levi? Do you not want the promotion?"
Sighing heavily, Levi shook his head lightly, dark locks swishing against his scalp. "It's not that...I appreciate your faith in me. I just don't feel particularly deserving of it at the moment."
Visions of a red-headed woman crumpling in his arms as he watched helplessly kept flashing in front of his eyes, and suddenly Erwin could see the answer as plain as day.
"Ah…" said the statuesque commander quietly, realization causing him to suddenly feel guilty for not inquiring after Mike's niece earlier.
Erwin would have been lying if he'd said he wasn't surprised by Levi's reaction to Coral's injuries. After all, they hadn't exactly been friendly towards one another since they'd both joined the scouts, but clearly there was more to their relationship than that. Perhaps it was because they both came from the Underground, or perhaps it was because of the way she was injured while Levi was present, but the woman's stint in the infirmary had visibly distressed his strongest soldier to a noticeable degree. Erwin had walked past the infirmary a number of times since Coral had been transported to headquarters, and it hadn't been uncommon for him to spot Levi passed out in a chair next to her bed.
"How is she?" Questioned the commander, disliking the fact that he'd been so busy he'd failed to visit Coral again since they'd transported her from the military police's hands.
He watched intently as Levi crossed his arms and stared deliberately past him out the window, worry creasing his brow. "Still asleep last time I was there..."
Erwin let out a deep sigh, wearily dragging a hand over his jaw. "It wasn't your fault, Levi. You know that, right?"
Levi snorted. "I know it's not my fault. If anything, it was the brat's fault for vaulting towards a bunch of armed men with nothing but a knife like a goddamn idiot. Still..." A sudden wave of distress was evident on Levi's face as he thought back to their visit to Smokey's home. "Her grandfather...the man saved my life."
Erwin grunted contemplatively, thinking over the story both Hange and Levi had reported to him earlier. Was that why Levi was being so attentive to Coral? Guilt?
"Smokey...or rather, David Preston, wasn't it? Such a strange turn of events. You said the man claimed Coral was part of a special bloodline, didn't you?"
Levi nodded, "Yes..." He shifted slightly, confusion causing his eyes to twitch back towards Erwin's. "It was strange how he talked about the Preston family…what he described reminded me of something Kenny told me as a kid."
"Oh?" Erwin was visibly interested, thick blond eyebrows lifting as they studied his friend's face intently. Levi had mentioned before how he'd been raised by the notorious villain. All in all, it was kind of unsurprising considering Levi's demeanor and skill set.
The Captain nodded again before deciding to plop down in a seat in front of Erwin's desk, crossing one of his legs over his other knee. "Her grandfather made it sound like Coral's family is similar to the Ackermans...different...but similar..."
Curiosity barely concealed, Erwin leaned back in his chair as he studied Levi. "You think Coral is like you and Kenny in this regard? What would that mean?"
Levi grunted, "I don't know. When she wakes up I intend on asking her more about it. If what the old man said was true, then Coral likely had a moment where her power was released...just like Kenny and I."
Intertwining his fingers, Erwin considered this deeply before continuing. "Have you thought to speak with Mike about this? Perhaps he knows more about the subject. He is her family after all."
"It's not a bad idea, I suppose. Although from what I gathered, the Zacharius family was in the dark about the Prestons and their past. Otherwise, I imagine the MPs would have made a point of hunting them down as well. I guess it's still worth talking to Mike about..." Levi sighed, considering the tall eccentric squad leader who had once pinned him to the street in the Underground. There was no doubting Coral's uncle was a powerful and capable man, but just how much did he really know about the girl's past? Surely he would have revealed more to Coral if he'd actually known anything.
Seeing the stressed expression on Levi's face, Erwin decided the change the subject. "What was it you were wanting to ask me earlier, Levi?"
Blinking rapidly, the captain suddenly recalled the whole reason he'd stomped into Erwin's office in the first place. "Right. I wanted to ask your opinion on something."
Erwin struggled to conceal his surprise. "Is that so?"
Levi shrugged, "Well, this could also work out in our favor depending on how we do it. Do you remember the two little girls Coral and I rescued from Shiganshina?"
Erwin nodded, patiently waiting for further explanation.
"Coral and I both promised their mother that we would make sure the girls were safe. As it stands currently though, we'll both be hard pressed to find a suitable home for them. Conditions in the city being what they are, housing is limited and thus so are our options. That being said, Cecilia and Adelaide aren't the only orphans who are going to need a permanent residence. Dozens of children have been spilling into Trost ever since Maria fell. As heartless as those pig fuckers in the Capitol are, I doubt even they could manage to come up with a convincing argument against building a new orphanage in the city for the refugee children the city is being forced to accommodate. If we were able to lobby them into allocating funds for such a project, we may even be able to convince them that it's a suitable recruitment platform for the Survey Corps. Eventually, once the brats are old enough, they could choose to enlist. Turn it into a kind of early training operation. You think you could swing those brass balls of yours in the Interior and get the higher ups to agree?"
Of all the things Erwin had been expecting from Levi, this idea was most definitely situated somewhere in the realm of nonexistence. He may have even blinked stupidly at the man for a few seconds before his mouth had dropped open slightly, a mixture of confusion and incredulousness warring on his handsome face.
Levi became noticeably more uncomfortable the longer his commander stared at him until finally he looked away, fighting to keep a blush off his face. "It's just an idea. I got a list of properties from the local records office this morning. Most of the shit that's left up for sale is all commercial. Made me think it might be more feasible to just start a whole new orphanage for all these homeless brats."
Resisting the urge to smile stupidly at his new captain, Erwin settled on a pleased smirk. "That's awfully altruistic of you, Levi. This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you and Coral are both orphans yourself, would it?"
Levi gave the man a biting glare, "You want to help me with this or not, Eyebrows?"
Deciding it was best not to push the short-tempered man any further, Erwin nodded sagely. "I'll be sure to bring it up in our next budget meeting. It's not a horrible idea in the least. We're always in need of new soldiers, and there's no arguing it would greatly benefit those refugee children."
Levi grunted. He knew he could always count on Erwin's opportunistic nature. He didn't relish the fact that the man was so quick to accept the idea of using children for future soldiers, but it would work out beneficially for everyone in the long run. In the meantime, he would make sure the girls would remain safe in the nursery until they figured out a more permanent solution.
"Thanks, Erwin," said Levi, standing to head for the door. He stopped just short of it though when another thought occurred to him. "Oh...and there's something else...and it's important..."
The blonde-haired commander quirked an eyebrow, interest piqued yet again.
"Ever meet a man named Harold Tamer?" asked Levi, glancing back over his shoulder.
Erwin nodded, "Yes. He's one of the MPs who works very closely with the king. I've met him once or twice before. Why do you ask?"
Hatred sparked in Levi's deep gray eyes and his mouth became a deep set frown. "He's the piece of shit who had Coral's family murdered. He had it done unofficially by leaving her father and grandfather outside the walls, and then he injured her mother so badly she died trying to escape him in the Underground."
Erwin's face darkened as he considered Levi's words. "I've always know the brigade employed some underhanded tactics, but to learn they're capable of such depravity is disturbing to say the least. I'll have to take this into consideration. Leave it to me, Levi..." He lifted his gaze to meet the stony-eyed man, "I'll do my best to gather more information on Tamer. After all, I can't have anyone threatening my soldiers. It seems unlikely that he hasn't already learned of Coral's continued existence. Unfortunately, his position will make him a formidable opponent. We'll have to approach the situation carefully."
"Do whatever you have to. Just know that Coral's life as well as ours may be in danger as long as that man is still alive...especially since her reputation has been growing..."
Erwin gave a curt nod, "I'll double guard duty around the infirmary, and I'll also be sure to speak to Mike about this. He should be made aware as well. If what Preston told you about Tamer is true then anyone with knowledge of his crimes is a potential threat to him."
Levi let out a heavy sigh, suddenly looking exhausted. "As if the goddamn titans weren't enough of an issue. Now we've got enemies among ourselves as well. This shit is getting old."
The commander ran a weary hand through his hair before taking another gulp of his now rapidly cooling coffee with a grimace before setting it back down with a weak clank. "No...it's always been like this..." he whispered quietly to himself, causing Levi to raise his eyebrows in surprise.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Shaking his head like he was trying to brush off a memory, Erwin put his cup down and dismissed his subordinate with an absentminded wave of his hand. "Don't mind me. Take the rest of the day off, Levi. I need you well-rested. I want you to begin considering who you want for your squad as quickly as possible. As I said earlier, we leave for our next expedition in a week, and I expect you to be ready."
Frowning slightly at the commander's cryptic words, Levi turned to give him a salute before leaving Erwin's office obediently, still silently mulling over the man's strange statement.
What the hell did he mean by that?
Not for the first time, Levi found himself wondering just how much Erwin really knew. Regardless, he'd dedicated himself to the man's orders and it simply wouldn't do to start questioning him now. When it came down to it, Levi would follow him into battle no matter what, and he'd kill whoever the hell he had to kill. The time for regrets had long since passed.
Pushing his morbid thought process to the back of his mind, Levi stomped off towards the mess hall, focusing instead on the idea of a warm cup of tea.
Fuck Titans and fuck politics. If anyone wants to kill me they'd best do it after I get my damn tea...
++No one stands between Levi and his tea! No one!
ANYway, thanks again to all who've been keeping up with me and reviewing so faithfully! I love you all!
-Saber