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:
Greek translation and food, in order of appearance:
"Ti skata." - "What shit."
"Parakaló̱ na me syncho̱rí̱ste!" - "Please forgive me!"
Greek olives - oily and brown, not green
dolmathes - stuffed grape leaves – a Greek delicacy made of rice, onions,
lemon juice, dill, parsley and pine nuts, rolled in grape leaves
and baked, sometimes served with avgolemeno (lemony egg sauce -
but also a type of soup).
loukoumathes - a dessert - a small, round, light, airy puff pastry made of fried dough
(similar to an ultra airy donut hole or French beignet) served
drenched in honey, often with diced walnuts and cinnamon
sprinkled on top – so sweet your throat burns.
"ne" - "yes" – often said with a little sideways jerk of the head, that
sometimes confuses foreigners into thinking they are saying "no"
"Ánte gamí̱sou." - "Go fuck yourself." or "Fuck you."
Chapter 25 – Tipping the Balance
A short while later, the thankfully well sprung carriage pulled into a wooded area that effectively concealed them on all sides, which would make their position much harder to spot, if anyone was actively searching for them. Their campfire would be hidden as well, save for whatever betraying wisps of smoke might make it past the upper branches of the forest canopy.
Erwin exited the carriage before Levi, in case he needed a helping hand down and out, though he knew Levi would never ask for one, and would most likely be angry with him for offering it. Erwin inhaled the sweet, cool evening air deeply into his lungs and listened to the peaceful music of the crickets appreciatively. Such simple, small joys, when he'd thought he'd never enjoy anything again.
"Fucking crickets," Levi swore, as he exited the carriage nimbly.
"Do you want me to kill them for you?" Ackerman offered.
Did Ackerman seriously just crack a joke?
"No, that's alright. Those little bastards chirp endlessly all night, just so you're constantly aware they're there, but then they shut right up when you hunt them. We'd have to set the whole forest on fire to…no, Mikasa. We're trying to be discreet, remember? Besides, it's not necessary, and Erwin actually likes the little bastards, the ass."
A moment later Levi's scowl was directed at him. "What the hell's wrong with you? I just called you an ass, to Mikasa, in front of Eren and Armin, and these morons," Levi said, indicating the Garrison soldiers in the camp.
"You just came back from the dead. You'd have to do a lot worse than that for me to…shit. Levi…" Erwin warned, in the same chastising, disapproving way he always did, as he realized Levi would undoubtedly take that as a challenge, which could mean anything from a minor disaster to something catastrophic. With that familiar mild anxiety over his vexing and endearing subordinate replacing the bleak despair of the past week, his world suddenly righted itself again, at least for the moment.
Levi smirked. "That's better. Now then, you with the idiotic grin on your face, what's for dinner?" Levi asked the smiling man who'd come up to O'Donnell.
"Ye' can insult me all ye' want, Captain. It's thanks ta' ye' I just won a month's pay, and at the Lieutenant's grade, not mine," the man said, beaming.
Levi snorted derisively. "Tch. You bet I was still alive?"
"No sir! Well I mean, yes, o' course, but we all knew that. The Lieutenant matched all comers, and not a one o' us thought ye'd not make it back. The bet was as ta how long it would take fer ye' ta return, and where ye'd show up when ye' did. The others thought I was daft, saying that ye'd likely just waltz right into the Capital within a week's time o' the others' return, and thumb yer nose at all those asses in the Military Police who said you were gone fer good, in that high and mighty 'Good riddance ta bad rubbish' tone o' theirs," the man said happily. "It's goin' ta be an honor servin' with ye', sir."
"What the hell do you mean, serving with me?" Levi snapped.
"We all will be," the man said, in surprise.
"What the fu… " Levi's eyes narrowed in speculation and he turned to Erwin. "So that's what Zackly wanted to see you about, in case I was still alive? Is he seriously trying to transfer me out of the Corps and into the Garrison again, after what happened the last time he said I was too damned valuable for morale to risk? No wonder the Titans are kicking our asses if that pompo…"
"Levi..." Erwin cautioned, more forcefully this time, before Levi could say something amongst these strangers that could get him court-martialed.
Pixis held out his hands in a placating gesture to the confused and suddenly flustered looking soldier, and to Erwin and Levi. "No one's suggesting you leave the Corps, Captain Levi. It's actually quite the opposite in fact, though I'd planned to inform Commander Erwin privately, at first, so he could discuss any concerns with me ahead of time, and of course, I expected he'd want to inform his men personally."
"It's not O'Leary's fault sir, it's mine," O'Donnell apologized. "I forgot it's called a chain of command for a reason, that each link can be stiff and brittle and self contained, though it interlocks to form an unbreakable whole. We're all more like a cable of command, strands interlaced, interspersed and wound so tightly together, it's hard to see us as anything but the whole."
"An apt analogy, Lieutenant. And it's exactly because of that, the way you all perform so flawlessly together as a single until, that you'll be invaluable to Commander Erwin, Captain Levi and the rest of the Corps.
"I suppose there's no point in trying to explain our plan to you first, at this point, Commander Erwin. But I will, at least, give you a bit of context, so you understand what I proposed to Commander-in-Chief Zackly, and why. The Commander-in-Chief mentioned he wanted to meet with both you and I, to try to determine some way to get more volunteers for the Survey Corps, without either forcing unwilling men from the existing military branches or graduating cadets to join, or compromising the high standard of the Corps by conscripting criminals who should otherwise have been executed, and of course, without costing more money. Fortunately, I'd been considering that exact dilemma for quite some time, and I already had a plan and a strategy in place, something I'd set into motion years ago, enabling me to implement it immediately.
"As you know, Commander, throughout history, the military of each and every nation has always had some sort of elite fighting force associated with it, either serving in a capacity as guards to the rulers of those lands, or as Special Forces, a group of particularly skilled men who, working sometimes individually, but most often together, are able to achieve complex military objectives far beyond the ability of the average soldier of the day: the Sacred Band of Thebes of Ancient Greece, the Praetorian Guard of Ancient Rome, the Knights Templar during the Crusades, the French Imperial Guard, the British Army's Fusiliers and later their Rifle Regiments were all such men.
"In the current world, there are two such groups. Though they would undoubtedly argue the point, our own Military Police is not one of them. You and I both know the many ways in which they fail to qualify for such a high standard. Instead, the Survey Corps you lead is one of the two groups.
"You are aware that the Garrison I command is comprised of just under 30,000 soldiers, however, what purposefully very few people know is that there is a much smaller group contained within that larger force, a Special Forces group of handpicked men and women. These Forces are patterned after the group I first listed, the Sacred Band of Thebes, with some notable similarities and some noteworthy differences.
"The ancient group was comprised of 300 very special men, 150 couples actually, men who were devoted lovers, an older erastês or 'lover' and a younger erômenos or 'beloved'. The thought was that they would fight to the death to protect their lovers, and would never dishonor or shame themselves in front of their lovers by failing to aid their comrades, by showing cowardice in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds or apparently hopeless missions, but would instead face the challenge valiantly, dying nobly, if it was required of them.
"My Special Forces currently consists of 1,000 individuals, 500 couples. This elite group is comprised of ten Squads of 100, each with a Captain as Squad Leader, with two Teams of 50, each with a Lieutenant as Team Leader, some of whom are the lovers of their captains, and others who have lovers who are not commissioned officers. Seven of these Squads are solely male, and the other three are strictly female.
"I initially intended to develop the Forces as a unit of fifteen Squads, a final defense for each of the twelve Districts, with three full Squads to protect the Capital. Sadly, I was able to obtain funding for only 1,000 men, and even so, the plan was not implemented in time. I have spent a number of sleepless nights since wondering whether the very creation of those Forces might not have actually been the impetus for the timing of the Titan attack on Shiganshina. The coincidence seems too great.
"In any case, with the outer ring lost, each of the remaining eight outer Districts are protected by a Squad, with two hundred men protecting the Capital. My original proposition to Commander-in-Chief Zackly was to transfer one full Squad, 100 of my best men from the Capital to your command. However, that has of course changed, in light of your last mission and the significant casualties you sustained," Pixis stated baldly.
Erwin froze in shame, swallowing convulsively to keep from choking. His humiliation earlier in the carriage by Pixis was nothing, compared to this.
But Pixis wasn't done speaking. "100 men, quite simply, is no longer enough. Instead, I am entrusting you with the lives of 200 of the finest men I have ever known, the entire Force that formerly protected the Capital. As you well know, Commander, if we lose the middle ring to the Titans, we'll lose the inner ring, the Capital, to starvation and civil war. Those men belong where they can do the most good, protecting all of humanity. The addition of those men will bring the Corps closer to full strength than it has been in some time.
"You've already informally met one of the Squad Leaders, the man who has been acting as our driver. This is Captain Stavros Stephanos, the Squad Leader of the Olympians, which is composed entirely of those of Greek descent. Of course, if you know your Greek mythology, you'll remember it was the Olympian gods who defeated the original Titans. I'd introduce you to the Captain's lover, Lieutenant Andreas Theorides, but he and the other 48 men of his Team are the ones watching our backs. The Captain's other Lieutenant, Nikolaos Konstantinos, is back at the base with the 49 men he leads, gathering the kits, gear and spare horses for themselves and their squadmates, as well as for Squad Nachtwolven.
Captain Hans Grunwald is the Squad Leader of the Nachtwolven, or Night Wolves. His lover, Lieutenant Johann Morgenstern, is with him and his Team and half of the second Team, scouting our forward position. The other half of the Team, one quarter of the Squad, is here, led by Lieutenant Kenneth O'Donnell, whom you've already met. We don't normally split the Teams, and particularly try never to separate the couples, but in this case, I felt it advisable."
Erwin couldn't believe Pixis was speaking so openly of these men being lovers. Arlert had turned red the moment the word first left the Commander's mouth, his face progressively darkening as he spoke, the color ranging from crimson to deep berry. Ackerman had seemed intrigued, particularly when the Commander noted that three of the Squads, nearly one third of the Special Forces, were female. Yeager looked lost and confused, as if his entire world view had just skewed. Erwin wasn't sure whether it was the open acknowledgement that these men were lovers that had Eren so upset, or because the Corps was about to be overwhelmed by a force of 200 strangers unexpectedly joining their ranks.
Erwin knew exactly how all three felt. He had felt his face flush as well; although the idea of openly having a relationship with his own Captain had been an intriguing and appealing one, it had also confused the hell out him. He was also being forced to accept 200 men into his command whom he had no knowledge of, and was expected to trust them with the lives of his men. With Levi's life, when he'd only miraculously just gotten him back.
"I know it's a lot to ask, that you likely feel I've forced you into an untenable position, by presenting you with this fait accompli, but as the saying goes, 'desperate times call for desperate measures.' And you need the men, Commander. Like it or not, you'd need them if they were half as skilled as they are, and as I said, they're damned fine men. You may, of course, test them in whatever ways you feel is appropriate, to verify that claim. But for now, I suggest you sit and eat and with them, speak with them, get to know them.
"And I forgot to mention something, and it's important: they are in no way a threat to your existing command structure. You are still the Commander of the Corps. Captain Levi is still your second-in-command. Squad Leader Zacharius, whom I understand is expected to recover fully, is your third, Squad Leader Miller your fourth, and Squad Leader Hange your fifth. If you decide to split the 200 men into four Teams of 50 under those existing Squad Leaders, that is your prerogative, although I wouldn't recommend it. You could instead rank them sixth and seventh in your chain of command, or cable of command, if you will.
"Alternatively, you and Captain Levi could each oversee a Squad. If you choose to do so, I'd strongly recommend Captain Levi be the one in charge of Stephanos' Squad, the Olympians, as he is rather uniquely qualified to integrate with them. Much as it pains me to part with what amounts to nearly all the last of my fellow countrymen, the male ones in the military, at any rate, that qualification is exactly the reason I selected them for this, back when they were to be the only 100 chosen.
"But we can discuss the finer points later. I can see it's time I stop jabbering. Chow time, everyone," Pixis abruptly concluded, to Erwin's relief. His head was reeling.
Erwin kept silent, as the men around him unpacked the enormous mass of gourmet dishes the Officer's Mess had prepared for the fictitious officers' picnic. The numerous delicacies held absolutely no appeal for him. Meat, normally a rarity these days, was in abundance, as was fresh fruit. Someone's orangery had even been raided for this meal, as well as any number of greenhouses. Survey Corps rations were above standard fare, but he hadn't had the opportunity to eat like this since the last time he'd dined in the Capital.
Yeager, Arlert and even Ackerman were gaping in wide-eyed awe at the bounty around them. "Um, excuse me? What is that? And what are those?" Armin asked one of the Garrison men politely and shyly.
"Ti skata. You don't want to eat that, Armin. The ones that stink and look like turds are Greek olives. The wrapped vomit is stuffed grape leaves," Levi scoffed, speaking to Arlert, but looking right at Captain Stephanos with his habitual expression of aloof disdain.
Shit. Leave it to Levi to challenge the top soldier in Pixis' pet army. Erwin fought the desperate urge to rush to Levi's protection. Normally he wouldn't be concerned: he had yet to meet the man that could defeat Levi one-on-one in hand to hand combat, mostly because Levi fought so damned dirty, but also because most people fought with their hands, while Levi preferred using his feet. It should be illegal, the way that man could move his body. He could kick a significantly taller man in the head while standing right in front of him, killing him with a single blow before you could blink. But Levi couldn't fight with his feet now, and the man he was insulting was considerably bigger, both taller and more muscular, and even more alarming, he looked like he might be just as quick and wiry.
"Parakaló̱ na me syncho̱rí̱ste!" Armin yammered in a rush, moving to Levi's side, his face flushed.
What the hell? Was that Greek? Arlert knows Greek?
"Tch. Why are you apologizing, Armin? He's the one serving you shit," Levi scoffed.
The Greek Captain smiled, as evilly as Levi at his worst. "You do not like dolmathes? You would prefer I serve you some shrimp instead, perhaps?" he asked innocently, scanning Levi from his petite toes to his head, all 160 cm of him.
Shit. Someone's going to die. To hell with not intervening.
"Or maybe you wish to arouse my blood, because you instead wish for me to eat those loukoumathes it smells like you have waiting in your pants for me, ne?" the Captain asked pointedly, his gaze travelling back down slowly, like a caress, and hovering at Levi's groin.
What the HELL? Erwin hadn't even realized he'd moved, ready to rip the man's balls off if he so much as thought about touching Levi's, until he found his wrist was trapped in an iron grip, and when he tried to twist free, he belatedly realized it was Pixis who held him, that there was a clear message in his eyes for Erwin not to intervene.
"Tch. You wish. You're talking to the wrong Squad member, if you want honey covered balls to suck. Trust me, it wasn't my idea. And speaking of Mikasa, don't flirt with Armin or Eren like that, unless you mean it, because she'll cut yours off and make you eat them."
The man's eyebrows rose in appreciation, and he scanned Mikasa just as carefully. "So I have heard. She would make a wonderful Medusan or Nightwitch, I think. Not a Banshee. She does not strike me as a screamer. Although sometimes it is the quiet ones that yell the loudest, ne?" he teased, his eyes not going to Ackerman in amused speculation, but to Arlert.
Shit. Now Levi looked deadly, and so did Yeager and Ackerman. Pixis promptly let go of Erwin's arm, as the two of them began to step between the two Captains, simultaneously speaking their respective given names warningly, as the rest of the men around them, who had been watching the interaction in mild amusement, abruptly stilled.
To Erwin's frustration, Arlert darted between him and the Greek Captain.
"Ánte gamí̱sou. No one else is interested," Arlert snarled, looking as deadly as a growling puppy.
The Greek Captain laughed heartily. "He looks like a little Cocker Spaniel, but he is really a Pitbull in disguise, ne? Parakaló̱ na me syncho̱rí̱ste, Armin Arlert, Captain Levi, Mikasa Ackerman and Eren Yeager, and you as well, Commander Erwin. I ask that you please forgive me, as I forgive you, Scout Arlert, for speaking so disrespectfully to a superior officer, even though I deserved it.
"There is reputation, and then there is truth. There are many things said about Captain Levi, about all of the Survey Corps, less than a tenth of which can possibly be true. I needed to see for myself the bond between you and your men, even knowing what it would take to survive as the five of you have. I did not mean most of what I said. Andreas would castrate me himself, were I to be serious, and I would deserve it. You were testing me also, Captain Levi, to see whether I would quietly take insult or give back as good as I got, ne?"
"No, I'm just an ass, and for some reason, that bothers people with little dicks. So obviously, Theorides is a lucky man. There, are you happy now, Erwin? I said he has a big dick. I'm playing nice with the new kids. So Stephanos, there must be some chicken or bread or something edible in all those bushels and baskets. Feed me," Levi demanded.
Erwin had to fight to keep from grabbing Levi's shoulder and yanking him away from the Greek Captain. He didn't want Levi anywhere near the man's cock, and the thought that Levi might actually have been sizing up the man that way had him seeing red, even as all around him the relaxed atmosphere from before returned, once it was clear the situation had been defused, instead of escalating.
Erwin forced himself to outwardly calm down and then to mingle, and pretended to eat, but he was too wound up, and he didn't want to risk humiliating himself in front of his new men. Levi, who seldom mixed well with others, seemed surprisingly comfortable amongst these new men, and Yeager, Arlert and even Ackerman interacted remarkably well, after the initial tension. Perhaps it was because there was no chance any of these men would ever see them as anything other than comrades. They already had lovers. Male lovers. All 200 of the new men.
He wondered how Springer and some of the others might react to that. Kirstein, Braun and Hoover obviously wouldn't have any issues. If anything, he'd need to make sure Ymir and Lenz didn't opt to join one of the three female Special Forces Garrison Squads, once they learned about them.