He didn't give her away, and after two more weeks, he stopped going back to Stohess altogether.

No one would be looking for a missing dog for that long. And besides that, Dog had been all but abandoned when he'd found her.

No, he hadn't bothered looking into any of the towns surrounding Stohess or the animal adoption clinics inside Wall Rose. And over the next several months, Levi began to not be able to stand the thought of anyone else taking care of his Dog. Who else knew about her exact walking schedule or how she begged for treats? How could anyone else be familiar with the way she snuggled up by his feet while he slept in his chair at night, protectively watching over him for what little time he slept? When would anyone else regularly bath her, making sure to carefully clear out the dirt that always caked between her paws?

It was better, he reasoned, that she stay with him.

So she did.

Hanji was terrible at keeping his secret, and the entire Scouting Legion found out about Dog before Levi's ribs had even healed enough for him to walk without wincing. The rumors it had caused were bad, but the absolute invasion of privacy that followed was a nightmare.

His own subordinates couldn't seem to keep their noses out of his room when they'd heard. He remembered shooing his entire squad out the door one afternoon, none too kindly, and feeling rather like a gloomy teenager afterwards.

It didn't help that anytime a visitor came by to see him Dog excitedly wagged her tail and began to pant. Especially Hanji. Dog loved Hanji.

"You know," Hanji had mentioned one day as they sat together in his room, playing with Dog and watching her run in circles. "You could have just not kept her a secret. That's half the reason you're getting so much attention now."

"I know." He had sighed, admiring the dark stripes of Dog's clean, shiny fur as it ruffled. She was getting so big! She already stood past the height of his knee and was continuing to grow. Her narrow nose and face became more graceful by the day. Her eyes stayed that same clear crystal blue.

She was quite lovely, for a dog.

And she was his, a fact he often forgot, despite how she began trailing behind him everywhere he went around HQ. Each morning, Dog could be found, seated resolutely between Levi's feet as he ate breakfast in the mess hall, or at his side while he instructed training exercises, or even while he tended to his and his squad's horses in the evening. Dog was practically his shadow.

Mike had been the second one to get to know her after Hanji. The large man dwarfed the poor thing when he'd approached her for the first time, and she had cowered in fear.

"Come here Dog!" He'd held out his hand enthusiastically.

Levi had observed without saying anything.

Dog covered her face with her tail, ducking behind Levi's legs. Mike's huge smile wavered, he crouched down, keeping his hand outstretched. "She doesn't like me much, does she."

"Just try again." Levi had sighed.

"Hey Dog," He said, his voice higher than Levi had ever heard it before. "Come here girl. Come on!"

Dog lowered her tail, peering between Levi's boots. She ducked her head out, daring to take a few steps towards Mike's large hands. He wagged his fingers at her, encouraging her. Finally, they made contact.

Mike's resulting grin had split from ear to ear. "She's a good dog!" He exclaimed, running his hands across her head and back. He ruffled her fur, and she nuzzled into his pets.

Levi had almost smiled.

"Looks like she likes you well enough."

Mike glanced up at him standing there, still grinning. "Ma and Pa raised dogs back home. I grew up around pups like her."

He had started playing with Dog's paws, grabbing them and then jerking his hand away before she could nip at him. Levi continued to watch them wrestle.

"Where did you get here from? She's an expensive breed." He had asked.

"Found her in Stohess." Levi responded, taking a seat. "She was a sorry mess, left in an alley to die. I can't find the owner."

"You found her?" Mike had asked, eyebrows shooting up. Dog yelped at him, wagging her tail playfully.

Levi nodded.

"That's surprising…she's such a lovely husky. I don't know why anyone would leave her like that."

And Levi hadn't known either. He had asked Mike if he knew anyone that Dog might belong to, but Mike had just shook his head and laughed. He wasn't going to help Levi get rid of such a beautiful dog.

Which just annoyed Levi more.

Erwin had certainly noticed Dog as well. It wasn't two days after she'd started coming out with him and he had called Levi into his office and closed the door behind him.

Levi had frowned at his commander, watching him pace behind his desk and take a seat. "What did you need Erwin?"

Erwin had considered him from behind interlocked fingers."You have a dog?" He finally asked.

Levi fought the urge to roll his eyes. The other man would certainly not appreciate it. "I do." He'd replied stiffly. "Not that it's yours or anyone else's damn business."

Erwin had let out a laugh. "Levi, I don't care if you have a dog. Hell, it's probably good for you!"

Levi had glared at him.

"But regardless," The Commander continued, "I was thinking of a new approach to tracking titans outside the walls."

Now that was interesting. Levi flicked an eyebrow up.

"How trained is she? Would you be interested in bringing her on our next expedition?" Erwin had asked.

"You want to start bringing dogs on expeditions?" Levi responded incredulously. "You must have finally lost it."

He laughed again. "Well, yes and no. Your dog provides a unique opportunity to see if dogs could be of any use against our foes. They have a heightened sense of smell, and I think they could detect titans long before we see them. We would simply have you bring her along with us and see if she can pick out scents. And I hear she follows you everywhere anyways."

Well he wasn't wrong.

"She does, but it's dangerous out there." Levi reasoned. "She would get in the way. Our procedures and routines are too tight."

"Are you saying you don't think she could be an asset?"

"No, I'm saying she's not a Scout."

Erwin examined his fingers. "Interesting."

He let the silence hang in the air. Levi had watched him, waiting.

Erwin finally moved his hands to his desk, smiling up at Levi. "Thank you for coming by. That will be all."

That very night a knock had sounded on Levi's door, soft rapping against the wood. Levi had frowned, people didn't typically visit him at this hour. Opening the door, he'd found Erwin, hands hidden behind his back.

Dog had padded curiously to the door, tail upward.

Erwin smiled down on her. "I see why you're so fond. She's quite lovely." He looked back to Levi. "May I come in?"

"You're already basically in." Levi rolled his eyes.

Erwin had just smiled again, strolling into the room, turning so his hands were still behind him.

"What have you got there?" Levi nodded his head towards Erwin's hands.

"A small gift, nothing special." He'd replied.

"Oh?" Levi eyed the man suspiciously.

"Not for you." Erwin laughed. "Though it might not fit your friend after all."

He brought his hands in front of him, revealing a green Scouting Legion cape. It looked new, and Levi cocked his head at it.

"Consider this your dog's official welcome into the Scouting Legion." The Commander offered the cape towards Levi who accepted it. "I'll expect her to join us on the next expedition?" And with a final smile, Erwin turned and left the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Levi just kept looking at the cape.

And that was how Dog ended up on the next expedition with the Scouting Legion. And the one after that. And the one after that.

Dog, the newest member of the Scouting Legion.

She soon became a fixture for the Scouts, a sign of hope and good luck.

Because, if Levi and Dog were at the head of the pack, everything would be just a little bit better.