When Levi was nicknamed Humanity's Strongest, he hadn't been in the regiment for very long.

"Well, well, well!" a cadet plopped a tray across from Levi, who meticulously ate his lunch in silence. "If it isn't the Titan Slayer! Humanity's Bitchiest! Bones, Thug, and Kickass! Or…hmmm, wait a minute, I think I had another one" –

But Levi was already sliding off the bench, carrying his tray to the garbage without a glance. He wasn't Humanity's Saint. Clucking his tongue (that kid's mouth was still going off) he flipped his middle finger in the air as he walked out.

When Levi began his cleaning phases, his fellow cadets weren't exactly sure how to react. The handkerchief being the cherry on top.

"How can anyone…live in such…shit…"

The squad leader was on his hands and knees, grumbling to himself, arm swirling furiously as he scrubbed the scuffed floors.

"Shit…just absolutely…disgusting shit" –

"Ha!" a girl (where the hell did she materialize from?) laughed, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk. "And they say I'm weird!"

"That's because you are."

When Levi was promoted to lance corporal, he still didn't know everyone's name. Like it mattered much. They were all going to die eventually.

"Look. I'm going to need you to" –

"You still don't know my name, do you?"

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. She was like a disease. Whoever she was. Disappearing and reappearing when he least expected it. And he always expected anything. "I didn't come here to make friends. You're not liste" –

"It's" –

"Don't know. Don't care."

When Levi was given his own office, he thought it was a mistake.

"It's nothing too large," Erwin said (of course he knew his name), gesturing his hands. "But you'll be able to work on your reports and fill out the paper work in peace."

Levi stood by the door, face blank, but heart racing. He never had his own space before. The room was coated with a light layer of dust, the wooden dark floors looked to be older than him, and there was a spider crack on the one and only tinted window, but it was something. It was his something.

"Doubt it."

Erwin's frown lasted only briefly until it was quickly replaced by a knowing grin. "Ah. You mean Ms. Zoe Hanji."

He blinked. "Who?"

"Your friend. Aren't you two" –

"Hey, hey, heyyy, what's this!"

That voice. Levi inwardly groaned.

Followed by trampling steps and heavy breathing, she emerged next Levi, roughly brushing his shoulder with her hasty arrival. Hair on the fritz and glasses askew, the woman's mouth dropped open (damn, did she not brush her teeth?) in awe as she shoved Levi aside. He glared.

"Wow, you're moving on up, huh, Lee?"

Erwin raised an eyebrow, amused at the nickname, as she wandered in. Spinning around slowly, she stretched her arms, nose pointed to the ceiling, and blew a low whistle.

"You're acting like an idiot." The lance corporal didn't care that his boss was merely a few feet away. It needed to be said.

"Huh?" She looked at him, large doe-eyes searching his like a curious animal. Normally, Levi would start walking away at this moment but something caught him off guard. He shrugged it off. Whatever it was about her stupid face right now shouldn't make a differ –

She clapped her hands. "My new lab is just down the hall so I won't be too far away either! I'll need someone to run things by anyway. I already have a few hypotheses and my test trials won't be starting until a few days, but, I was thinking that if, you know, I could try extracting…"

When Levi first met Hanji, he wasn't exactly sure what he got himself into.