AN: School's a pain and so is getting sick. Just. Urgh. Long chapter as well, I just wanted to get everything that I had planned down into one so things can start picking up from here ~ I'll be uploading this to tumblr too since I haven't done that yet. Any asks that I get regarding anything important in the story on my tumblr I'll be posting under the tag: Fic: hide and seek - which is what I use to give rough update times and shit too. Feel free to track it ~

Let's get this show on the road.

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Downtown Trost

F.B.I Main Building

18:00, October 2013

Special Agent Levi

...

"So did the kid check out?"

"Yeah, as nothing but annoying as hell," Levi responded. He leafed through the papers in the file one more time. Updated autopsy report on Grimes… the new one for Bourgston… still nothing was connecting. Nothing except for the notes and the items not belonging to the victims. He picked up the file for Bourgston and removed the paper clip at the top to get a small piece of paper. Three words were on it: contacts, note, and shoes.

However he wouldn't be able to actually focus on the damn papers in front of him with Irwin breathing down his neck. He looked up at the agent in front of him who was holding out a coffee cup. The steam that floated into the air above the rim promised the caffeine that he missed out on earlier. "I'm serious, Levi." Irwin chided.

Levi just rolled his eyes. "You think I'm joking? The kid wasn't any help. He knows Fubar, sure, but that's about it. He's a student, he works part-time at that coffee stand, his sister is an instructor at the gym here in town. The only two things that really stood out were him walking around downtown in the middle of a damn downpour back to Shinganshina, and that he takes coffee to our suspect in the mornings."

"That's odd, I don't recall there being a bus that will drive you out to the military base. Not before at least nine." The cup tapped against the top of the desk in front of Levi with Irwin's words. "Does he have a car or something?"

Levi snorted. "His sister drives him. Then she drives to the gym."

"A little much for a college student to afford."

"Exactly," He said. He took a drink of the coffee before finishing. "and then the brat went on to try to get me to tell him how our vic died."

"Curious kid."

"Sketchy as hell kid." He muttered back. "He checks out, but there's something that's just off about him."

"Like?"

Levi sighed in agitation. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. "I don't fucking know. Just something."

"Drug use?"

"No."

"Theft?"

"Maybe. Either way, why would a kid stick around a damn crime scene?"

Irwin pulled a chair up to the other side of Levi's desk. "Curiosity?"

"Pretty morbid curiosity. I mean really. Too many crime shows on TV, maybe he watches them religiously. He's stopping by the station tomorrow at noon for pictures and prints. I'm hoping his sister tags along so we can get hers too. In the pictures we managed to take and the film, she was by him."

Irwin smiled. "You sound like you're getting worn out already."

"This entire case is a nightmare. I don't see why we were called in for it. They could've had the local officers do something."

"I doubt it, Levi. The bureau is hesitant to even let them near the scenes at this point. We lost a lot of evidence with Grimes' death. Maybe even something crucial."

"What, besides missing the giant wall of blood until the end?" Levi snapped. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Each time he tried to focus on this damn case it just caused a migraine. There was still something he was missing between the two cases so far. He just couldn't figure it out.

"Has Hanji given you the updated files yet?"

"Those would be wonderful." he growled. "No she hasn't. I haven't seen her since we got the first set of files. I've only talked to her on the phone; she's the one who told me to be here before the interrogation time. My guess is that she's explaining Fubar's rights to him and shit right now."

Irwin nodded. He rested his elbow on the edge of Levi's desk. It caused one of the papers to crinkle in the corner, making the shorter frown.

"Get your elbow off my desk. You're ruining things."

"Oh, sorry." he picked his elbow up and smoothed the paper out before putting it back on it. Levi glared.

"So what have you been able to connect between the two cases so far?"

That was the question of the night.

Levi shoved Irwin's arm out of the way to grab a notepad under the four folders spread out on one half of his desk. Two were for the victims, the other two were the case files for the victims. Their crimes, their job history, family… everything that could be of use.

The notepad had a bunch of lines connecting things and his lazy cursive in the margin for personal notes. He picked up the paper and turned it so the other could see.

"Taking it back to the start of Grimes' deal? Nothing. Completely different murder style. It's like our killer was testing out methods. The cut was completely hidden like it wasn't even there, and the injuries our vic sustained could prove that the body was unconscious when a blunt object was used to make the rest of the marks. You know that thing where your bones and shit can sustain a good amount of damage, but your brain locks that power away? That. That's why the shoulder breakage didn't break through and neither did the ribs."

He pointed at the next bullet point that was written on the notepad. "Second is the method itself. Strung up between two poles would take a good amount of time to get right. It's not possible in the half hour that they had to do this. Our killer wouldn't be able to single handedly move a body, place it, do all of this shit to it and then leave with the ground untouched before everyone got there."

"A second person." Irwin commented. "Or more."

"We have that, and the blood which dried way too fast for it to be a half hour deal. Someone let the killer there earlier to set that up. Either that, or our killer is one of the people who has complete access to the training base at any damn time they want. If it had only been a half hour since we got there, then how would that work? Blood would have been running still. It wouldn't be dry in the slightest."

There was the sound of a blank page being ripped out of the notepad and a click of a pen. Next came scratching while the blond started creating a new list. "So we're assuming that there are at least ties to someone there helping, then."

"Unless you have an explanation for the security tapes going AWOL too."

Irwin shook his head and continued writing. Levi took his own paper back and ran through the points again.

He tapped his finger against the third one down the list. "The blood that was dried also belonged to Bourgston, so there's another backing factor. Ground smoothness too. It was like there wasn't anything wrong with it, right? That nothing had been touched? If I remember right they use rakes to smooth the grounds out every morning, so that morning runners don't step in indents and hurt themselves. It's the guard's job."

"That puts Fubar as a big suspect."

Levi nodded. More pen scratches against the paper.

"What about the paint brush?"

Levi shook his head this time with another sigh. "Not sure. That's still unclear. Getting prints ran on it. The department here is lazy and didn't get their heads out of their asses long enough to do it earlier. I'll have the results by the end of the interrogation."

"Bracelet?"

"Has to be someone who knew Mira," he concluded. He laced his fingers together and leaned his forehead against his hands. "She's a teacher, so that's nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps the killer broke into their house to take it, or even her husband could have left it somewhere. He was a forgetful man, it seems."

He took a drink of the coffee before continuing. "Which leads into Bourgston's scene. Different part of town, completely different killing method. Not strung up, which isn't a surprise. The body was posed this time on the ground. Nothing ritualistic… just posed."

Irwin leafed through the papers on the desk for the rough copy of Bourgston's autopsy report. He cleared his throat and read off, "Autopsy shows a small case of petechial hemorrhaging. Nothing that would be extremely noticeable unless you're actually looking for it. Cause of death is still unknown."

Levi groaned. Of course it was still unknown.

"When I talked to the medical team at the scene they assumed it was a heart attack. The gashes on Bourgston's back were done when he was awake, or so they guess, and the asphyxiation was due to him screaming during the process. The pain caused him to go into shock which then lead to a heart attack. It wasn't a nice death, but it'd explain a lot about his case."

Levi hummed in agreement and wrote the word 'heart attack' on his own paper. "Alright. Nothing else has been identified yet. The main thing I need done now is the note."

"What language was it this time?"

"Swedish, and Ral was supposed to be getting the translation done. This time our killer left it on a piece of paper in pen. Ten bucks says that it's our dead rapist's handwriting." He sighed again. The more he thought about the cases the more he wondered what they were going up against. Who they were going up against. Normal agents never usually dealt with a crime like this. Not unless they were really unfortunate.

Well, lucky for him then, he frowned.

He needed something besides the notes and the blood to work with. He needed something to work with before the next guy on the list became the next victim.

Irwin clicked the end of the pen and sat it back down on the desk. He ran a hand down his face and looked at Levi's paper. Then at the other officer himself.

"Shoe?"

Levi shook his head. "Forensics still hasn't done that yet either. I swear to god this bureau's wing for this shit sucks. They don't know how to do their job at all. Give them time to get their damn job done and they just fuck around instead of doing it."

He didn't hear the door to the offices open, nor did he hear the humming until it was right by his desk. Another stack of folders crashed in between he and Irwin, spreading and sending everything that was nice and orderly straight to hell.

Just wonderful. He could take a damn guess at who this was.

"Not entirely agent," Hanji retorted. "They haven't had enough time to get everything processed. We're split up between the two cases considering they're so close together. We can't just drop everything on Grimes to figure out what's with Bourgston. It doesn't work that way!"

"It better work that way soon." he snapped back. Hanji ignored him and pulled up a chair. She tapped the folder with a green 'x' on the corner before practically forcing the damn thing into his hand.

"For you and Irwin.. Bertholdt Fubar is in the interrogation wing getting his rights read to him. That baby is his file - career background, schooling, home life notes, etcetera. You'll be using it when you talk to him. I did for a while but, man, that kid is quiet. Like really quiet."

"Suspicious at all?" He asked. She just shook her head.

"Not really. Then again I'm not an investigator. I just look at what you bring me." She grinned.

"Petra's almost done with the note, and my guys are nearly done with analyzing everything you've brought back from the scenes."

Levi moved his coffee away from the glasses wearing menace and took a drink. After that it was gone, barely making any noise when he set it down, compared to Hanji's laughter as she waved to someone leaving.

He practically growled. "Is anyone reviewing the footage and pictures we've brought back?"

"I'll do that," Irwin this time. He smiled and continued after Levi raised a brow. "You talk to Fubar and I'll look over everything. I believe the only open field agents for that, if not one of us, is a normal officer. I've been to each scene. I can take care of it."

"Don't forget to write notes for each one," Levi replied. He rubbed at his eyes. Fuck he was tired and they weren't even close to leaving for the night yet-

He grabbed the three files: the two crime scenes and Fubar's. This wouldn't take too long. He'd get the kid to break quickly. Then he'd be home free from the office.

"Come get me if you figure out anything important," he sighed, pushing the chair in. Fifteen minutes tops. Maybe twenty. That's all.

The last thing he heard before stepping out into the hall that ran straight through to the interrogation room, was the damn woman's shriek of, "Don't make him cry too much!"

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A few minutes later he was checking the equipment for the room, making sure that everything was running smoothly. Petra came in with the note results - which he told himself to read after the damn interrogation - and stayed to keep an eye on everything. The cameras were running good, audio was working. She just needed to keep an eye on it and make sure nothing fucked up and missed something. From this side of the mirror, he could see their guy; he was sweating and looking around the room. Tall and lanky, he looked nervous. Extremely nervous. With a nod to Petra and a thumbs up in response, he left the room to go in through the door next to it.

He stepped into the room wordlessly. His footsteps sounded way too loud in this place, and it didn't help that Fubar already knew his rights. That gave the kid time to think of things to say and cover shit up with if need be.

That didn't really matter, it seemed. The kid was still sweating his ass off, looking fidgety already.

Levi slapped the files down on his side of the table and sat across from the trainee. He crossed his legs, glaring at the other. "Bertholdt Fubar. Age 20. Military trainee, almost done with it too, it seems."

The kid stayed quiet. His shifting died down and the seat stopped creaking. "I already told the other officer. I didn't do anything-"

"You know how many times I hear that when I walk into this room?" Levi interrupted. He leaned onto the table, crossing his arms. "Let's talk about how much shit you're in right now. Deep shit."

Bertholdt sighed. His shoulders hunched forwards and he stared off at the wall. Anxious, Levi noted. He was completely anxious.

"Alright. First thing's first," Levi opened the file on top of the stack. "How long have you been here today? It's a pretty shit place, you're probably tired of it."

Bertholdt moved his eyes from the wall to look at the agent before frowning. "Since this morning. I got to the base late and was greeted with the local police."

"Did you have any time to go into the base?"

The kid sighed. "Barely. I put my stuff away into the lockers and then went outside."

"That's it?"

"Trainee's don't use the main entrance if they leave. There's a back gate by the barracks and that's where I came in at. You can check my card time too."

Levi perked up at that. "Card time," he echoed.

"Yeah. Each time you go through any of the gates it records your name, card number, and the time you come in."

Well that was new information.

"How often do you leave the base in the morning? I assumed you guys were supposed to stay in the damn place. It's like a prison, isn't it?"

"No. Not entirely." Bertholdt shifted again. He shrugged. "We're allowed to leave whenever, just not for extended periods of time."

"But you'd still have enough time to bring a body in."

He jumped. "What?"

There we go. Levi tilted his chin higher. He stood up, spreading his hands on the table. "Well think about it. You have access out of the grounds, our victim was found early. You showed up late."

"That's not-"

"Do you have access to the security tapes?"

Bertholdt paused. "Yeah, but-"

"What about the supply shed?"

"Yes-"

"How long do you have access to everything?"

"All day-"

Levi pushed himself out of the seat to stand. He folded his hands behind his back, pacing slowly around the table. Fubar seemed to be closer to breaking. That's what he wanted.

"You're digging yourself into a deeper hole."

"Can I even say anything?" Bertholdt snapped. He seemed startled by his outburst when Levi looked at him.

Closer…

"Why? Are you telling me that there was someone else there when you arrived? The body obviously wasn't. Either that or you're covering for someone, because there's no chance in hell that you strolled to your damn post with a fucking body strung up in the middle of the place." He slammed his hands back on the table, hissing. "So tell me, Fubar. Tell me what the hell you saw before we sign you up as an accomplice to the murder. Maybe even the killer depending on my mood."

He watched their suspect press his lips into a thin line. The door opened and Irwin stepped into the room. The sweating mess didn't seem to notice, however. He was too damn interested in staring at the table.

"The table won't do anything to help you." Levi barked.

Finally he got a slump of the shoulders and a quiet sigh. "I didn't see anything. I went out to go grab some food. A couple of the guys wanted fast food, and the mess hall doesn't open until eight. I got my guard partner's keys and was sent off to get the food while he covered for me. I come back through the rear gate and head up to the barracks to deliver it to everyone.

"By the time I start heading towards the front to take my post, there's cop cars. The local police showed up, asked for my name, and grabbed me. Someone told them I was late and hadn't reported yet. I don't know why, but it wasn't me."

Irwin crossed the room at that point. He took the seat across from Bertholdt, smiling. It was one of those ass-reaming smiles; it plainly said that their suspect was going to be in trouble. He may not have been there for the full interrogation, but he knew something that'd get them the answers they wanted.

Fubar, in other words, was fucked. Royally fucked.

"Bertholdt, correct?" He started. He kept the formal and pristine officer front up. Levi leaned against the wall behind him, waiting. "I hope you'll forgive me ahead of time. My interrogation skills aren't up to par. It's been a while."

The kid just nodded. He stopped fidgeting. Must've been the blond's smile and lack of aggression.

Irwin opened the file he brought in. He took out a list of what looked like names. Some of them were highlighted, and he turned it around to show their suspect. His eyes widened upon looking at them.

"What is-"

"It's a list of all the morning watches and night watches. The highlighted ones are all people you have your watches with, along with those who can verify that you left the grounds. Your card checked out. However, there's a small detail that's missing."

Levi watched the kid sift through the paper, muttering out the names to himself. One of them near the middle of the page made him stop, though. Levi frowned. What was it?

"Why is Annie's name a different color?"

...Oh?

Irwin shifted forward to point to another piece of paper he put out. "She's the only one we couldn't find. She left around the same time as you did. Different exit, though. Her card doesn't show her ever returning."

He looked up at both of the agents at that. He looked pale.

Levi was the one to question him this time. He stayed against the brick wall, tilting his head up. Just enough to look down at the blanched face seated away from him. "So about just 'putting your shit in your locker then heading outside'. Clear up your facts. Too many different things. Who's car did you take to get food, when did you get back, etcetera."

Bertholdt scratched at a spot on the table. At least the weight of the situation seemed to finally hit him. "Do you know where she is?"

"If you tell us everything with your facts straight then I'll tell you. Information exchange. We'll also get you out of here." Irwin said. He shut the file and fixed his attention on the pile of sweat in front of them.

Disgusting…

The kid took a deep breath. "We had the night off. We all did. A couple of guys from my squad - Reiner, Thomas, Mina, Annie, Millius - we just sat around. Most of us slept. We usually don't get off days, so when we do it's a change in pace. We just play cards. That's really the only thing we can do there. There's not much.

"So we were playing poker. Reiner threw his keys into the mix. I threw in a trip to get food before the mess hall opened. I lost, borrowed Reiner's car, and went out the back way to get everything. There's a 24 hour diner right when you get into town, so I went there. There's a back road that you can take by the barracks' gate, along with a parking lot.

"I came back and was running late. They messed up a few orders so I had to sit for a while. I asked Reiner to take part of my shift this morning since I was on duty with him, and got back. I dropped the food off with everyone, dropped my bag off in my room, then headed out to do my job.

"There's a path that goes from the barracks straight to the guard stations. I was walking along that when I noticed the police cars. That's nothing unusual; usually officer Brzenska stops by to check in with our instructor once a week and to see if anyone's dropped, injured… things like that. So I kept on walking. I didn't know that everyone had been ushered into the mess hall when the body was found. Walking around resulted in them throwing handcuffs on me and shoving me into the car and bringing me here without a second doubt."

Levi payed attention to everything that was said, running it back through his mind. Nothing seemed out of place. This time, it seemed like a solid script. He'd have to check which officer brought him in and talk to them, along with finding out where this Annie chick went. Just what they needed; another damn brat running around fucking things up.

Irwin looked over his shoulder. It was a silent question of 'anything to add?'. Levi shook his head. No, he had enough to think about and figure out at this point. He had the note to compare to the last one and updated autopsy files to pour over. It'd be a late night, and he really didn't want to spend longer than necessary in this shitty room with a perspiring kid who couldn't get his facts straight.

No… not yet. There was something he was forgetting.

"What about a kid named Eren Jaeger?" Levi threw out. Bertholdt jumped at that.

"Eren?"

"Did I stutter?"

"N-no. He's a friend… did he do something wrong?"

Levi frowned. What was with everyone asking that question?

He just continued. "He said he brings you coffee in the morning and you bring him lunch. Is that true?"

"Only on certain days."

"Was today one of those days?"

The kid had to think for a second. "Yeah, it was. Why?"

"Don't worry about it." He retorted. Well, at least that part of the story checked out too then. Sketchy as hell kid was starting to become less sketchy. Barely.

"Anything else, agent?" the folder flipped open again on the table as Irwin started putting the list of names in it.

"I'm finished." this hadn't helped them at all. Not really. They had another person to hunt down, at least.

The other nodded and stood up from the table. "Then you're free to go. I'll have one of our officers drive you back to the base. However, I do expect your full cooperation for the rest of this investigation. You will be placed under watch for a while. Just precautions," Irwin smiled. "Thank you Mr. Fubar."

Bertholdt seemed completely relieved and rushed to the door. When he opened it Petra was behind it holding keys. She'd be the one to take him home. She waved at the two still in the room before the door completely shut, leaving Levi with Irwin.

"I hope you didn't completely destroy him," Irwin chuckled. He gathered up the files in one hand and gave them to Levi.

"He was easier to get shit out of then the Jaeger kid, that's for sure. At least he didn't give me a fucking migraine."

Irwin's chuckle turned into a full laugh. He flipped the switch outside to turn the lights off when they left. He tapped the top two files he gave to Levi with this finger. "Updated reports along with your note translation. I didn't get too far into reviewing the pictures we took, but I started making a map of everything on the bulletin board between our desks. For now head home. The offices are locked, and it's been a long day."

The glare he gave Irwin earned him a sigh in return.

"You have to be here early anyways before Eren comes by. That means go home, read these if you must, but sleep."

He opened his mouth to protest but Irwin stared at him. "Levi."

It was a battle he knew he'd lose if he tried. Might as well give this one up. Fine.

He tucked the files under his arm with an irritated sigh, and nodded a goodbye to the other. He fished for his keys out of his pocket, heading out the main doors and towards the parking lot. He had a lot to review before tomorrow.

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Downtown Trost

F.B.I. Main Building

11:57, October 2013

Special Agent Levi

...

He was late. He was running so damn late.

Staying up was a bad idea. He really should've fucking realized that before pouring over the autopsy reports and crime scene notes. Nothing new stood out. There wasn't anything really leading anywhere, which pissed him off to no extent. There had to be something they were missing. An analysis was still being run on the shoe and the contacts. He wouldn't be able to use that information until after dealing with the damn kid today.

Levi sighed. He'd go over the pictures and shit today. Maybe Irwin already finished with that and added everything up to the map. There would colored string all over the place, but it'd give them a general idea of what to expect from the next murder. Vantage points always were connected in one way or another; the viewpoint of the body, where it was placed in relation to the area surrounding it. It was like a puzzle, really, when the murders got this precise. It was like their killer was trying to throw them off and bring them in at the same time.

He walked through the front door into the building's main lobby right as the clock chimed noon. Another sigh. Just perfect, he wouldn't have any time to do anything before the kid got there. He was about to head down the hall to the offices when he nearly ran into Irwin.

"You're late." He commented. Levi glared up at him and sneered.

"Long night."

"I told you to get sleep."

"You're not in charge of me." He snapped back. He watched the shoulders in front of him slump with a sigh.

"I'll ignore that comment. I called Eren this morning a few hours ago when I got here. He's waiting in the lobby now. Petra is there too; she'll be taking his sister for the same thing."

"Wait. His sister came too?"

"Of course." Irwin smiled. "I asked him to bring her. He was more than happy to."

Of course he was, Levi frowned. Well, on a somewhat brightside, that meant less work for him.

"How long has he been here?"

The other officer looked at the clock on the wall. "About half an hour now. Not too long. We wanted to leave him with you; everyone else is working on finding more information on our cases. Bossard did take both of their pictures, though. You only have to work on his fingerprints."

That made sense. Well, at least they weren't sitting around on their asses doing absolutely nothing. He gave a silent goodbye to the other before walking around him and through the first door on the left. The Records room was kept right behind the main desk in the lobby, and that's where he needed to make the one stop. He had to dig through piles of reports and papers - no doubt thanks to those shitty glasses, he thought - to find what he was looking for. He tore off two pages of the small pad. There was room for ten sets of prints, same with a spot to write the person's name. He dug around for ink and two new folders. They'd need those too.

As soon as he stepped back into the lobby and walked to the visitors section, he saw the kid talking to Ral. He laughed at something, and the girl beside him just shook her head. Sister, huh? They didn't even look related.

It was insane how quick Eren's attention went from Petra to Levi when he walked up. He got a wider grin and a sheepish wave. Levi just scoffed.

"Here," he muttered. He handed Petra one of the papers and folders, along with one of the ink pads.

"Thanks," she smiled. "I completely forgot about these. Anyways, Mikasa? If you would come with me please?"

'Mikasa' stood up and grabbed Eren's shoulder. She didn't say anything, just walked past them both and followed Petra down the hall towards her office.

Eren was pulling at the armrest of the chair, tugging on a string. Levi nearly kicked him. "Oi, leave the damn chair alone and come on. I want to get this over and done with."

He watched the kid jump up, smoothing down the cloth on the chair's arm. "Sorry. Lead the way."

He really didn't want to be dealing with this again today. He had to reach out and pull on the kid's arm - physically pull - to get him to walk the way he wanted and to stop apologizing.

So damn annoying.

Levi was thankful that the offices were on the main floor, or at least his was. That meant he only had to put up with Eren's shit for an hour tops. Then he'd be free to focus on what was really important.

There were only a handful of actual desks in this room. Hanji, Irwin's, his own, and Pixis', whenever he showed up. Taking up the entire center of the room was a bulletin board that you could flip over on it's stand for a whiteboard. The whiteboard had pictures taped to it; ones of the squads together in training and just around the place. A few had family pictures, too; Erd had him and his sister and mother… Petra had one with her father… Auruo had one with his entire family. The table in front of the actual board served as where they ate lunch most of the time too. It was the same table that Levi made Eren sit at.

He had to get up and grab a pen off of his desk, then write out Eren's name on the top of the folder, neatly. He also had to get up to grab the small bottle of rubbing alcohol from the room's first aid kit and a paper towel.

"You spelled my name right."

Levi looked up at him quickly, then back down to write Eren's name on the paper for his prints. Of course he got it right. He had to go through the kid's school papers and make sure he wasn't a damn liar. His name had been practically burned into his mind.

He just grunted in return and took the cap off of the rubbing alcohol. He folded the paper towel up and covered the bottle's neck with it, tipping it. When he could feel the liquid sink through and onto his own fingers, he tilted the bottle back up and capped it.

He grabbed Eren's right hand and stretched it towards where he could reach, cleaning off each finger. Any dirt would be removed, along with anything that would fuck up taking the print. He set the towel off to the side and flipped the ink pad open when he was done. He started with Eren's pinky, rolling it in the black before doing the same on the paper. The print was neat, and Levi felt himself slowly start to relax.

"How come there aren't any pictures of you up there?"

Or he had started to relax.

"Do you have to ask pointless questions?"

Eren sighed. "It seemed too quiet."

"The quiet is nice." he retorted. He rolled Eren's thumb last and pressed it against the paper. One hand done. "Next hand."

Eren switched them out, putting his left in the same spot. Levi did the same thing again with the rubbing alcohol.

"They're from before I joined." Levi answered. "I don't see the point in putting anything up there. That's what my desk is for."

"When did you join?"

"A few years ago."

Eren fell quiet after that. Just long enough for Levi to finish with his pointer finger and move onto his thumb.

"Why did you join?"

Fuck, Levi frowned. He'd slipped, covering the entire side of Eren's thumb in the ink. That was not a question he was expecting. Or one he wanted to answer.

"Personal reasons." he growled. He had to reclean Eren's thumb and try again. He didn't fuck up this time, except the ink didn't stick in a spot, and there was a faint impression of one side of his thumb.

It'll work, he concluded. He waited until the prints were dry before sticking them in the folder, pushing himself roughly away from the table. He dropped the folder onto Irwin's desk, and crossed the room to the sink.

"Come wash your hands and get the ink off. If you touch anything or get it on anything-"

"You'll kick my ass." Eren finished for him. "Yeah, I know."

As soon as Eren was done, Levi shoved the kid's shoulder, walking him out of the offices and back towards the lobby. Petra wasn't out there, but his sister was. She was sitting in the same chair, staring up at the clock. When her brother stepped into the room her head turned, and she stood up. Her hand tugged on the end of her scarf, then pulled the top part of it above her mouth.

Eren grinned at that.

He turned around to face Levi, scratching the side of his cheek.

"Sorry for all the trouble." he started. "And sorry for being difficult during this entire thing."

"Whatever. Just don't do it again."

Eren shook his head. "Actually, I was wondering if I'd be able to talk to you again? There's been a couple of break-ins around the apartments where I live, and I was wondering if there was anything you could do. I don't know what's been stolen, but you never know. The person doing it could be connected to what you guys are doing, right?"

What's he playing at? Levi frowned. "You want me to come investigate a minor robbery?"

Eren's eyes hardened. "I'm afraid for my sister and myself. Please? One last thing?"

Levi rolled his eyes. If it meant that he'd leave him alone then he could deal with another hour or so with the kid. "Fine."

"Really?" The kid blinked. He seemed surprised. The surprise turned back into a smile and he laughed. "That's great! I'm pretty swarmed with classes until friday. Would that work? If you can't make it, you can always send another officer."

"I'll see what I can do." He returned.

"Great. Next time you stop by the store and want coffee it's on me. It's the least I can do." Eren finished. He nodded, said a goodbye, then turned with his sister and walked out of the place. From the door, Levi could see his sister pulling out the keys for her car.

Finally.

Finally they were gone and he could focus on what needed to get done. He had the rest of the day to figure out as much as he could to get a clue for their next victim before it was too late. The first stop for him was going to be Hanji's lab then. The shoe analysis should be done by now.

Sure enough, halfway there he got a text.

Head down to the lab when you're done. We've found something.