Levi being a proud Mama Hen for precious baby Armin haha, enjoy :)
"Alright cadets fall in!" Shadis shouted and the cadets who had been milling around fell into line in front of him. "Attention!" Under his steely gaze they all snapped to attention. "In case of another Titan attack we need to make sure that you are all fit, in shape and up to the challenge of taking down a Titan at a minutes notice."
Levi looked down at the small group of cadets they had taken on since Trost – the ones that were left alive – and thought how lacking in capability some of them looked. Obviously they had to be because they had passed their basic training, Shadis himself had signed them off as capable so they had to be at least decent soldiers. Realistically he could count the number of cadets that he thought were capable enough to stand on their own merit on one hand and one of them was cheating because he could turn into a giant raging ball of death.
"Today you will be put through your paces in a test of physical stamina and if you fail you will be put through your paces again until you can prove that you are good enough to take on a Titan single handedly." Shadis said. "You will be pitted against each other in a track race and those who place in the top five will have proven their worth as a soldier of our regiment."
This is pointless, Levi thought. There was no point in exhausting the cadets now just in case there was a sudden attack. If Trost and Shinganshina were anything to go by it could just suddenly happen... which was the point of the exercise but it felt to Levi as if it defeated the object. Again there were only a few of them who could actually hold their own.
"You know it will be interesting to see how each of them place now that they have faced Titans for themselves a few times," Erwin said to Levi as Shadis continued shouting at the cadets. Levi looked over at him, his usual disinterested expression on his face.
"Really?" he asked. "You actually think that this is going to prove anything?"
"It will at least prove how ready they are to jump into action at a given moment," Erwin stated.
"If you say so," Levi shrugged. "I don't actually know if any of them have been keeping up with the training they went through with Shadis. They've gotten lazy."
"I know one at least who hasn't," Erwin said fixing Levi with a knowing smile. Levi rolled his eyes and looked over at Armin in the crowd.
"He's the exception to the rule."
"He certainly has come a long way," Erwin said, "but there were a large number of people in his class who were significantly better than him during their basic training."
"What are you trying to say?" Levi asked.
"All I am saying is not to expect him to place first," Erwin replied.
"Don't underestimate him," Levi stated. "He's stronger than you think." He had to admit that he had made the same mistake when he had started training Armin almost eight months ago. He had underestimated just how determined he was to become the soldier that stood before Levi in a crowd that, most of them, wouldn't live to see their thirtieth birthday.
"That may be so but do you really think that he is faster than Ackerman or Yeager?" Erwin asked.
"Yeager most definitely," Levi replied. "The brat relies too heavily on his abilities to get him through a fight so I doubt he had done anything to improve himself since Stohess that isn't focused on being able to transform into a Titan."
"And Ackerman?"
"She's good but she's got no drive," Levi said. "She only pays attention to what Yeager is doing and, for some reason, wants to protect him. That is her sole purpose in life. Without that she has nothing and that's why she's not actually as good as you all seem to think she is. Arlert at least has drive."
"That may be true but it takes more than determination to be a soldier," Erwin said.
"Are you saying that I haven't trained him well enough?" Levi asked, there was a definite edge to his voice a fierce pride rising up inside him. If Erwin insulted Armin's abilities it was basically insulting Levi's – he was the one who had trained him after all. If Armin didn't at least place in the top three then he would never hear the end of it, certain that Erwin would class it as time wasted.
"I'm saying nothing of the sort," Erwin said smirking. "No need to get so defensive, I am merely saying that I don't believe he can outmatch those who were so far ahead of him."
"It sure as shit sounds like you're saying that I didn't train him well enough," Levi muttered darkly.
"Well, I never thought I'd see the day when you would get this defensive over a cadet," Erwin chuckled. Levi just glared at him in response. "Ackerman was still the top of their class when they graduated from the 104th. I know Arlert has come a long way but do you really believe that your little protégé can outrun her?"
"Yes."
"Enough to make a wager on it?" Erwin asked with an eyebrow raised in challenge.
"Sure," Levi shrugged, "why not?" If Armin did managed to beat Mikasa, which Levi was almost certain that he could, then he would have the satisfaction of being able to rub Erwin's face in it. Winning some of his money in the process would also be incredibly fucking satisfying.
"Ready, set, go!" Shadis shouted before firing a starting pistol into the air. As the sound rang out the cadets began to run. Their objective was to do five laps of the large training ground and at the end of the final lap one of them would be declared the winner. Levi kept an eye on Armin, his bright blond hair making him much easier to spot in the sea of dark brown and black. He seemed as if he was lagging behind. Good, no point wasting all your energy when you're just out of the gate, save some for the end.
Erwin could say what he wanted, Levi knew that Armin was going to beat Mikasa. While he still didn't have the raw power that some of the others did he had speed, he had stamina and he had determination. Something Levi had noticed since he had first started training him: if Armin wanted to do something then he was going to do it. It made him formidable, regardless of whether other people saw it or not.
It didn't matter that some of the others, like Eren and Mikasa, had already stretched out quite far in front of him he would catch up the them. Eventually they would tire and because it didn't look as if they were being smart with their energy conservation then there was every chance that they would tire quickly and drop out.
"It seems as if you may have spoken prematurely when you assured me that Arlert would be able to beat Ackerman," Erwin said. "She's much too far out in front for him to be able to catch up to her now."
"You're still underestimating him," Levi said not taking his eyes off the field. Armin was still in the larger section in the middle, far enough in front of the stragglers but not out in front enough to be considered one of the elite. Come on Arlert, I know you can do this.
"All I'm saying is it appears that you are going to own me quite a bit of money by the end of this," Erwin said and Levi didn't have to look at him to know that he was smirking, that bastard was going to start gloating even though he hadn't won yet. "I think I'll..."
"Well that I didn't expect to see..." Shadis said, suddenly appearing at Erwin's shoulder and cutting him off.
"What?" Erwin asked.
"Look at Arlert," Shadis nodded over to the cadets and Erwin turned to see Armin edging out from the group in the middle to catch up with the likes of Eren and Jean. They were on their third lap now and he was tapping into the energy he hadn't wasted with a eager start. "Who'd have thought the daffodil had it in him."
"Quite," Erwin said and there was a definite edge to his voice. Levi felt him stiffen next to him and knew that he was going to be pissed at the amount of money he had bet against Armin's victory.
"I told you you were underestimating him," was all Levi said.
He watched, his eyes fixed on Armin as he closed the distance between himself and Eren. From everything Armin had told him about their arguments and how tense the passed couple of months had been between them, Levi knew Eren was not going to like that. If he did lose to Armin it would be a good thing; for one Levi would get to win Erwin's money and for another it might give the lazy brat the boot up the arse he needed to shape up.
"Kirshtein's down!" Shadis exclaimed. Sure enough, Jean seemed to had lost his footing and fallen face first to the floor. With expert timing and grace Armin jumped, clearing Jean and continuing round the track. Eren wasn't so lucky and landed in a heap on top of him. "Yeager's down too. He's going to be pissed."
Neither Levi or Erwin replied, both were too busy with their eyes trained on the track. The cadets were on their final lap now and Armin had closed the distance between himself and Mikasa even more, he had edged out Reiner and Bertolt and was now running neck and neck with her. If he had been smart and strategised as Levi knew he would have done he would still have a reserve of energy for a last burst. Erwin was going to eat his words and it was going to be so fucking satisfying. Through his calm and disinterested demeanour no one would ever have know that Levi's heart was pounding in his ears as he willed Armin to close the last of the distance and win.
"Well I never thought I'd see the day when Arlert and Ackerman were running neck and neck in a race," Shadis said.
"He's come a hell of a long way since basic training," Levi stated.
"Clearly," Shadis said. "Who'd have thought the kid had it in him." Levi gave Erwin a smug smirk before he turned back to the track to see Armin finally edging out Mikasa.
Ever from where he was standing at almost the other side of the training ground Levi could see her shock as Armin passed her. She seemed to falter but continued running, although from her slightly sluggish movements it was clear that she was getting tired while Armin still seemed to have energy to spare.
Shadis made his way down to the edge of the track to call out the winner as they passed him but there was no doubt in Levi's mind that it was going to be Armin. He had pushed ahead too far to lose it now. Mikasa seemed to be making a valiant effort to try and claw back her lead but Armin wasn't having any of it. He managed to keep out in front of her right until he reached Shadis and was declared the winner.
"I believe," Levi said not even bothering to disguise the smug satisfaction in his voice as the rest of the cadets slowly began to finish the race, "that you owe me some money."
"Well done," Erwin said. His voice was level but Levi knew that he was irritated. Not because he had been called out for still underestimating Armin, not even because he had been proved wrong. Mostly it was because he had been proved wrong by Levi and lost money in the process. "It seems as if your gamble on him paid off."
"Since when have you ever known me to be wrong about someone's abilities when they try as hard as he does?" Levi asked.
"This is true." Erwin looked down at Armin where he was receiving congratulations on his victory from the vast majority of his peers. "His improvement speaks volumes for both your skills and his."
"Still grooming him to be the next you?" Levi asked, knowing exactly where Erwin's thought process was going.
"Now more so than ever."
Later that afternoon, once the others had left him alone, Levi found Armin still on the training ground working through his routine of stretching out his muscles. He chuckled to himself. Even after proving everybody wrong about his abilities Armin would rather spend some time alone finishing making sure that he was ready to go again the next day before going off to celebrate with the others.
"Good afternoon Captain," Armin said, snapping to attention as soon as he saw Levi approaching.
"Afternoon," Levi said. "At ease." Armin dropped his stance. "You did incredibly well out there today."
"Thank you Sir," Armin said, his entire face lighting up and a huge smile spreading across his face.
"You remembered your training and you didn't run headlong into it without thinking like some of the rest of them," Levi said. "That shows you have the skill and determination to face whatever challenges come your way now."
"Thank you Sir," Armin said again. "And thank you for taking the time and effort to train me. I know you didn't have to and I know it was an inconvenience to you but I really am truly grateful to you."
"If it was that much of an inconvenience then I wouldn't have done it," Levi stated. "I pushed you as hard as I did because I knew that you could do it and you have proved today that you can. I'm incredibly proud of how far you've come." Armin's grin nearly split his face in two. His eyes were shining and he looked as if he could barely contain his excitement. Levi even allowed himself to smile at that.
"Thank you Sir," Armin said a little breathlessly as he visibly tried to stop himself from throwing his arms around Levi's neck and hugging him. It was unlikely to land him with a beating but he was glad that he didn't.
"I'll let you get back to your stretching," Levi said. "I just wanted to tell you that. You did good out there today kid."
"Thank you Captain, I couldn't have done it without you," Armin said.
Levi turned and was about to leave when a sudden thought crossed his mind. After the excitement of the race had calmed down Erwin had presented him with two pouches of money that totalled to his winnings. He pulled one of them out of the inside of his jacket and turned to face Armin again.
"Here catch," he said throwing it to him.
"What's this?" Armin asked as he caught the pouch expertly.
"Half the winnings from a little bet I had going with Erwin today," Levi stated. "It's rightfully yours as you did most of the work."
"You bet on me to win?" Armin asked.
"Of course I did," Levi replied. "I was hardly going to bet against you."
"Thank you Sir." Armin's eyes were sparkling with pride at Levi's words.
"Take some time off to celebrate," Levi told him. "You've earned it."
"Yes Sir," Armin nodded, feeling his chest swell with pride. He could not have been happier if he had been handed a medal of honour and, in a way, he felt as if he had.
