Commander Erwin and Squad leader Hanji had come to the dining hall this morning to have breakfast instead of one in their office and the other away with their lab experiments, they'd situated themselves tactically; with a perfect view of the entrance way. It wasn't for breakfast so much, more surveying particular members of the Survey Corps after their late night secret mission.
"Ooooh. There's Eren!" Hanji fidgeted on the bench next to the commander.
"Hanji, are you sure you put the note in his room?" the stoic Erwin mused as he watched the young man sit at the table with his comrades, exchanging good mornings and conversation as he usually did.
Eren Jaeger was easy to read, he either hadn't seen the note, or Hanji failed in her assigned task of dropping the note in Eren's room.
Eren was no different from any other day, happy to see his friends, quick to laugh, and quick to anger when Jean elbowed him in the ribs for eating at the bench with his elbows out. There was no indication that he'd received a secret confession note that would have made any young soldier's day.
"I did, Erwin, I tied it to his equipment. I told you, 'I can't stop thinking about you' isn't something Levi would say." Hanji was bristling with excitement, glasses glinting and mouth practically watering, it didn't look like Erwin's tactic was going very well so far, if Eren's reaction was anything to go by. She knew Levi's would be bad; she'd placed the note in his cravat on purpose. Hanji wanted to initiate their idea instead of the commanders, and if after two weeks of failed notes didn't make Levi and Eren notice each other in a different way, then operation key and teacup would begin.
"Hanji, if I'm to be courting someone on someone else's behalf, I am not going to write 'If I gave a shit, you'd be the first one I'd give it to.' on anything." Erwin drawled over his tea, his watchful eyes still trained on the door.
The spectacled squad leader gave a pout, "But that's the biggest compliment Levi could say to anyone, Eren would have picked up on it and the operation would be complete!"
Erwin sighed, "The plan was for delicacy and subtlety, we have to ease them into it, or we'll just scare them away from each other. Writing 'I'm so clean for you, Captain.' would have been a dead give away for Levi. Eren is the next cleanest in the Corps."
"The next cleanest because of Levi! Erwinnn, it's not a secret to anyone else except each other that they want to bang like bunnies! Just make them kiss already."
"Hanji, two weeks." Erwin intoned, there was no room for any further protest.
No matter, Erwin's strategy wouldn't get off to a good start, Hanji made sure of that. The pair had been dancing around each other for months on end, but they were both oblivious, and Hanji just wanted to smush their faces together to get it over with.
Eren was completely unfazed by the fact that Levi had made him 'out of bounds' for romance or getting to close to other people, not because he thought Eren would waver in his ultimate goal, but purely because Captain Levi was a much more jealous person than he let on, Eren also didn't know that Levi stood around the corner from his basement room at night and made sure he could hear the steady rhythm of sleeping breaths before he himself retired each night.
Hanji cackled uncontrollably when they found out the out of bounds snippet, and even Commander Erwin shared a snicker, that was when the pair began their observations from afar. After months of betting each other on who would make the first move and when, and each losing out every time, they were now taking the matter into their own hands.
Levi, he was blind to the fact that Eren would rather be near killing himself training with Levi and the special ops squad than having any off duty time anyway, blind to how Eren's standards of hygiene were significantly higher than all his comrades, and ignorant to how that pair of green eyes were the first on him whenever he entered the room.
Everyone else in the Legion knew this but the two in question were utterly heedless of the fact.
"Hanji….." Erwin deadpanned when he caught Levi's face as the Captain walked in, his flat expression showing traces of annoyance, and to pick up on that meant he was actually pissed. "What did you do?" he whispered the question.
"Eeep! Nothing." The researcher squeaked.
"Oi." Levi announced to the room, and even though his voice was quiet, the low tone carried and everyone stilled into silence, Eren was already on his feet as soon as the Captain walked in, and was standing while everyone was sitting.
Hanji snickered into their hands as they watched Levi's eyes hone right in on Eren who was staring right back at his Captain.
Erwin just sighed, since he really thought Levi would have had the balls enough to make a move by now. He could guess what was hindering them both, they didn't want to impede on each other's goals in their fight for humanity, and had doomed themselves to bear their burdens alone.
The commander knew the load would be a lot lighter if they just shared it between them. Really though, they both just needed to get laid.
The moment before them all only lasted a split second before the Captain tore his eyes away from his charge and looked blankly at everyone in the dining hall, "If anyone of you shits come into my quarters and touches my things again, you'll be cleaning 'til your hands are down to your filthy fucking bones." As abruptly as it began, it ended, leaving pale looking new recruits and curious looking veterans, including the 104th. No one was stupid enough to touch Levi's stuff.
"Eren." The Captain beckoned the titan shifter with his name only, and the 19 year old was there in an instant, conversing with his superior about the agenda for the day's 3DMG formations training.
"You put the note in his cravat, didn't you?" Erwin caught on instantly, his eyes on the pair as he spoke quietly with his match-making counterpart.
"You never told me where to put the note." Hanji feigned innocence nonetheless.
"Two weeks I said. And then we can commence 'operation key and teacup' like you wanted."
The squad leader bit back a squeal, "Ohoho, doesn't it sound so cool, Erwin?! Operation key and teacup, they won't know what's hit them!"
"You act as if my plan wont work, Hanji." The commander challenged.
"You know me," the squad leader pressed fist to chest in mock salute, "I just like to have back up plans! Oh, say Erwin! Can I have Eren for the day?" Hanji bubbled as a new idea came to their head.
"What for?" his eyes were still locked on the pair, and he smiled fondly as he watched Levi ruffle Eren's hair. It'd been a long time since Levi got close enough to anyone to do that.
"Just give me permission before they go and you'll see, quick!" came the answering hiss.
Erwin, always curious about whatever Hanji planned, simply nodded in affirmation.
The squad leader shot up from their bench next to the commander, "Erennnnn! You're mine for the day!" they announced, genuinely excited, and with the genuine intent of pissing Levi off, the reward was a scowl as the pair walked over.
"Ah… I am meant to be doing maneuvers with the special ops squad to-"
"He's mine for the day, you abhorrent." Levi cut in with a drawl, so obviously possessive to everyone but Eren.
Hanji's chest puffed out in triumph, "Na uh, Erwin said I could have him."
"Erwin?" Levi turned to his superior now, a sculpted brow quirked in a none to pleased to have his plans skewed question.
Eren just stood where he was, he had to do whatever Erwin said ultimately, Levi was still going to be with Eren anyway, since he always oversaw titan shifting experiments.
The blonde gave a smirk, he could see Hanji's reasoning for the request now, winding Levi up really was amusing. He decided to play along with the squad leaders fun.
"Mm." He confirmed with the tone, "It's time to start really seeing how far Eren can take it with his titan form." He chose his words carefully, insinuating seriousness with his voice, "What was it you said, Hanji? Partial transformation?" but as he looked at Levi - who growled in his throat - his cobalt eyes twinkled his entertainment.
Eren visibly paled, Hanji downright squealed in glee - hands also clapping in delight, and Levi slammed his hands down on the bench, the sound issuing another dose of silence to the dining hall.
"No."
Oh, this was too good. The fact Levi was rejecting an order from Erwin told the depth of Levi's feelings. The commander almost laughed.
"C-captain, it's fine. I'll do better than last time. I'm sure." Eren stammered, he was a confident young man, but their last partial transformation experiment nearly a year ago ended in near disaster, and a comatose Eren, his anxiety was well warranted.
"Seeee, Levi! It's fine." Hanji shimmered with excitement despite the grey air matching the Captain's eyes surrounding him, the fact Erwin played along and then made the only suggestion that would have Levi blatantly ignoring Erwin's wishes was a stroke of genius that even they couldn't come up with.
But the shortest among them was ignoring the squad leader and the commander now, looking at Eren instead with none of the ire he'd previously been directing to the pair.
"Eren, are you sure?" came the monotone question.
Hanji squeaked, because this was Levi, and Levi never asked if anything was alright with anyone, poor grumpy pants didn't realize the depths he'd fallen too. Another idea for the day was already forming with the developments Erwin initiated; waiting two weeks would be okay, after all,
And then there was Eren; as dutiful as ever, willing to please everyone and never one to back down from any sort of challenge, he gave the embodiment of a soldier's salute - fitting for someone labeled as humanity's last hope - and said, "Yes sir!"
Only then was Levi satisfied enough to give a brisk nod in acceptance.
All day Eren did partial shifts, a ribcage, an arm, legs, another ribcage, and another arm. Each shift took more and more out of him, and Eren found himself becoming aware of Levi more and more, because he was getting closer the more weary Eren became.
He knew it was because Levi needed to be there in an instant if anything went wrong, but he couldn't help thinking of the note in the basement room this morning, and the wistful possibilities that went with it. He was getting exhausted, and fast, to be thinking about these sort of things in the Captain's company.
Partial shifting terrified him, every time he felt trapped, as if he couldn't break away to become just a human again. The last time he panicked, he'd wiped out a building and some horses with it. He grew more nervous with each new try, and only just held the panic at bay each time it was harder to tear his human limbs connected to the monstrous parts of his titan.
Partial shifting was like staring his demon right in the face, when he was a whole titan, he couldn't see himself, there was no mirror big enough to contain his 15meter class reflection.
Like this though, he could see it all, the power to destroy and mutilate not only titans, but humans as well, like he'd done before.
To make matters worse, Commander Erwin accompanied them to the training fields today, and it wasn't Hanji directing experiments, but him.
And he was pushing Eren a lot harder than Hanji ever had, demanding more, and of course Eren could only grit his teeth and give it his all.
He was getting tired, and Levi was getting closer.
The Captains hands lingered every time he helped Eren pull himself free, assessing damage Eren guessed, but with the touches that were hotter than his feverish skin; the idea of the note became larger in his mind. Levi would have access to high quality paper like what the note was written on, too. Maybe. Or maybe he really was just getting tired.
The sun was sinking and the commander asked for one more, only one more, but he knew it would take everything he had left. Eren did it anyway, and as he blacked out attached to a rib cage and a poorly formed arm, he was stopped from topping forward by the heat of a solid body catching him from behind, he was sure he heard Levi whisper something in his ear, good job, Eren.
Maybe. It wouldn't hurt to think the note was from him anyway.
As mad as Levi was, he'd completely zoned out to the nut case pair behind him, he'd give them both what for later. Right now, all he could focus on was the heavy weight in his arms, surprisingly heavy. Since when had Eren become this built, this solid?
Ah, since he'd grown up into an attractive green eyed piece of shit that liked to steal moments of Levi's morning stretch thoughts.
Having said person out cold in his arms probably wasn't going to help that situation, but he could never let Eren fall. Not after he'd pushed himself this far with partial shifting without freaking out like last time.
The not-brat did a good job, and before he even realized it; he was whispering those thoughts into Eren's ear. And fuck, he mustn't have been fully out, because after he whispered those words there was a ghost of a smile on Eren's disgustingly adorable face, and he seemed to curl into Levi almost instinctively. That couldn't be a coincidence. Levi didn't believe in coincidences. Not paired with the note in his quarters this morning, put in a place where only Eren fucking Jaeger would be brave enough to dare venture.
The note could be from Eren, maybe.
"Oooooh, so cuuuute! Look at them Erwinnn!" Hanji's mental screech snapped Levi's head up, to find a self-satisfied smirk on Erwin's face, and Hanji was beaming like an absolute dolt.
Levi knew what that smirk meant, the smirk of a sly man whose plans had come off without a hitch.
"Erwin, what the actual fuck?" Levi spat, he still had Eren in his arms as Hanji checked him over. "You did this on purpose."
"Oh? I don't know what you're talking about Levi, poor Eren there just passed out and needed someone to catch him. Of course it would be you." Those cobalt eyes fucking mocked him.
"What are you trying to say?" Levi questioned, suspicious.
The commander offered his palms in innocence, a poor fucking attempt at it since Erwin was anything but, "Nothing at all, Levi. Shouldn't you be tending to your charge, mm?"
Levi cursed under his breath, those two were definitely up to something, but he could feel the fever Eren was about to suffer from heating up the pair of them, his skin getting clammier, and more pallid by the second.
"Whatever, I don't know what you two are playing at, but don't include Eren in your fucking games." Levi drawled as he picked Eren up and made his way to their horses, he missed the high five the pair shared as he left in haste to get Eren back to headquarters.
Dust swirled around the hoofs of the Captain's horse as he left, Hanji and Erwin watched the retreating figure.
"You see what I did there, Hanji?" Erwin quizzed, pleased with himself.
The researcher nodded, "Well played, Commander."