Just a short one today, hope you all enjoy :)

The next time Armin turned up for a training session Levi was already there ready and waiting for him. Since he had proved that the training he had been undergoing at the track test had been worth it each session had felt both easier and harder at the same time. Levi had been pushing him harder, because he knew that he could do it, but he didn't find it as difficult as he used to. His muscles had adapted and he had become much stronger, his stamina had improved and he was sure that if he had been thrown out into the field then he would definitely have been able to hold his own.

"Good morning Captain," he said as he reached him.

"Morning," Levi replied. "So are you ready for training this morning?"

"As always Sir," Armin said beaming. A small smile tugged the corner of Levi's lips at Armin's enthusiasm. It never ceased to amaze him just how pleased and excited Armin was every single morning even when he knew that he was going to be put through his paces and was probably going to ache later on that day.

"This morning I've got something different I'd like you to do," Levi said.

"Yes Sir."

"This morning you and I are going to spar," he continued as if Armin hadn't spoken. "If you can beat me then there will be nothing more I can teach you."

"So my training will be over?" Armin asked. There was a flash of disappointment on his face as that realisation sunk in. Of course there was going to be an end to it – Levi couldn't exactly train him forever and eventually he was going to have to put all the theory into practice out on the field in an actual fight.

"If you'd like to look at it that way," Levi replied. "If you manage to beat me then you will have completed your training and be ready to take on Titans outside the walls."

"Okay," Armin said nodding.

"So get yourself ready and we'll get started when you are."

Armin nodded and removed his jacket. He knew he should really keep it on as he would have to be able to fight with in on out in the field but he had sparred enough times in full uniform to know that he could. His heart was pounding. He had never once managed to beat Levi when they sparred but if he managed to now then he would really have achieved something. Not that he really wanted his training to be over but knowing that there was nothing more Levi could teach him was a strangely nice thought; it meant that they were equals in terms of skills.

"Are you ready?" Levi asked as Armin stood in front of him and raised his arms to guard himself.

"Yes," Armin replied keeping his eyes fixed on Levi. The guy was fast and unpredictable and Armin knew that he had to be on the alert if he wanted to have any hope of winning.

"Then let's go," Levi said.

Armin waited, ready and alert, but it was still a surprise when Levi's fist seemed to appear out of nowhere right next to his shoulder. His reactions were quick enough and he managed to block him before sending a punch of his own Levi's way. He blocked the blow before Armin could land it and began a counter strike. Armin had been studying Levi's movements during their sparring sessions for so long now that he had almost anticipated it.

When it seemed as if Levi was distracted with his upper body Armin sent a kick his way, swiping his legs out from under him. He felt rather proud of that – he had never once managed to get Levi on the floor before – but Levi was on his feet before he had time to savour his victory. A few more punches were thrown his way but he was able to anticipate them and block them before they could land. This isn't too bad, I can do this.

Armin looked over at Levi and he seemed completely unperturbed by the fact that Armin was clearly beating him. His face was completely neutral, leaving Armin guessing what was going on inside his head but that was nothing new. Throughout all the time that they had spent together Armin had never once been able to guess what was going on inside Levi's head so the best that he could do in a sparring match was anticipate his movements.

He sent another kick Levi's way, this time from the other side, and swiped his legs out from under him so that he was on the ground. This time he waisted no time letting him get to his feet again and was on him, trying to pin him so that he could claim victory. Before he could, though, Levi managed to flip their positions so that he was now on top of Armin. Armin struggled, seeing his chance at victory slip through his fingers but Levi had him pinned and there was no way for him to get out of it. With a sinking heart he finally stopped moving and submitted.

Levi got to his feet and Armin sat up, hanging his head. He couldn't believe he had come so far and still managed to fail. He could feel tears pricking the corners of his eyes but he blinked them away, gritting his teeth and willing himself to hold it together. A hand appeared in front of his face and he looked up at Levi.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," Armin replied. He took Levi's hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, feeling too limp to do it on his own.

"Why the long face?" Levi asked once he was standing.

"I'm sorry," Armin said sighing. "I just thought that I would be good enough to show you that I'm ready to go out there on my own and I've completed my training but I messed up."

Levi studied him for a moment; taking in the hurt in Armin's eyes and how beaten down he looked because he thought he had failed. All the kid had ever wanted was to prove to himself and everyone else that he was ready to take on the horrors of the outside world. It was commendable, especially his determination and drive to actually make a difference.

"You didn't mess up," he said.

"But I lost," Armin said. "My training clearly isn't over, if that had been someone who was trying to kill me rather than you then I would be dead."

"And if it had been someone trying to kill you, you would have been acting on instinct as well as all the strategiesing you were doing," Levi told him. "I could see the cogs working in your head while we were fighting. The only thing I'll say is you may have spent a little too much time in your head in that fight. Your technique was good and you've developed your own style since we began your training so that would be my only criticism and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. When it comes to actually using this outside the training ground a lot of what will get you through will be instinct and adrenaline."

"I suppose so," Armin nodded. That made him feel slightly better. He had never thought that he might be holding back a little because he was so focused on trying to beat Levi's technique. "But it still means that my training isn't over, right? You said that if I beat you then you would have nothing left to teach me and my training was over."

"I didn't say your training would be over," Levi stated.

"What?"

"You can finish a training course, you can finish basic training, but actually training and making yourself better and stronger is never over," he said. "There is nothing left that I can teach you but that doesn't mean you're as good as you're ever going to be. You need to figure the rest out for yourself as you go along."

"So I didn't fail?" Armin asked, his voice brightening.

Levi chuckled softly, it still amused him after all this time that Armin still doubted his abilities as much as he did. The kid was good enough to even stand a chance against him and that was something even soldiers like Erwin couldn't boast.

"You didn't fail," he replied. "You missed the point of what I was trying to teach you with this one but you didn't fail."

"Then forgive me Sir but can you tell me the point?" Armin asked.

"It's not about your training being over," Levi replied. "It's always about becoming better. People tell me I'm the strongest man in the world and I will keep working hard enough to own that title because there is always someone who will be nipping at your heels trying to surpass you and you, I think, could very well do that one day."

"Surpass you Sir?"

"Possibly," Levi said. "Or you can make your own name for yourself on your own merit. Choice is yours."

"Then I chose to make my own way," Amrin said saluting him. "I won't live in anyone's shadow Sir."

"Good," Levi smiled. The kid really was full of surprises and, whether he thought it himself or not, he was going to go far. "And you don't have to keep calling me Sir."

"I don't?"

"I think you've earned the right to call me Levi, don't you?"

Armin's entire face was lit up by his smile.