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When Levi dreamed he dreamt of his friends. This night was no different. Tonight's dream started on the carriage ride to the Survey Corp base. Their meager possessions were piled on top of the non-descript carriage and they were ushered inside. Levi remembered the light burning his eyes until they reached the gate out of Sina. He remembered looking at his hands for the first time in direct sunlight and was disgusted at the rings of filth baked into his fingers. They better have clean water, he thought. That was where dream and reality split.
In his dream, it was just the three of them left in the carriage, no meddling rookie fidgeting beside him like the underground rats were going to bite. Or that he trusted the situation enough to lightly doze as they made the half day journey. Isabel was curled up against him with her head in his lap also dozing. On the seat across from them Farlan was wide awake. Levi remembered his serious face. It was the one that left creases in his forehead when he tried to figure something out.
"I don't trust him," the Farlan in his dream said.
"You don't have to trust him," Levi said. He passed the time carding his fingers through Isabel's bangs. Something he never took a chance to do in life. Affection was unnecessary and made a person weak. "I'm going to kill him remember?" He and Farlan had had this conversation except not in the carriage. They skipped out of a boring training session to explore the Survey Corp base. Somehow they ended up in one of the storehouses. Farlan cornered him behind a wall of crates. Levi was the one who stopped their kissing trials. Whenever they were alone Farlan would touch him in a way that made Levi think his old friend wouldn't say no to trying again.
"It's more than that," Farlan rebutted. "I think he suspects something." Levi raised an eyebrow. Farlan released a sigh. "I don't have to tell you that he's been watching you." Levi looked out the window. From the moment they took the handcuffs off their wrists Erwin and Mike stayed in spitting distance. The real Farlan wasn't talking about that. The real Farlan talked about how Erwin always managed to be in their vicinity when they were training. There were even a couple times that Levi caught sight of the man during meals. Yea, Levi saw it, but he just thought the big oaf was checking on his investment.
"If he's close then it will be easier to off him," Levi told both the dream and real Farlan.
"I'm just saying be careful," said Farlan. The real world Farlan had been brave back then. Levi remembered him bringing his hand up to brush his thumb along Levi's jaw. The former bandit also remembered what Farlan looked like when he was uncertain. His usually smiling face turned down with a slight frown. Levi remembered the slight creases in Farlan's cheeks. They were like chinks in his armor. In their time together Levi only saw it when they were alone. Farlan's eyes were a pale blue nothing like the deep passionate blue that filled Erwin's.
Suddenly Isabel snorted from Levi's lap. Levi and Farlan looked down at the spunky redhead. She started rubbing her eyes.
"Of course Farlan doesn't trust that guy," she said sitting up. "Big brother has the worst taste in men."
"Oi!" said Levi.
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Farlan. Isabel stretched in her seat.
"Nothing," she said. "This guy just fits big brother's type is all."
"Type? I don't have a type," Levi said as he sat up in his seat to face off with Isabel.
"Really?" Isabel nodded in Farlan's direction. "Tall, blonde, can sell piss water to the king." The carriage rolled to a stop. Seconds later the carriage door opened washing it in sunlight. Levi brought his hand up to his face protecting his already sore eyes. When he brought it down the world was still blindingly bright. The only reprieve was the broad shoulders of Erwin fucking Smith. His cloak billowed around his shoulders swayed by some invisible breeze. A type huh, Levi thought. He turned to glare at his friends but they were gone. When he turned back around; Erwin was still there extending his hand.
"It's time to go Levi," said Erwin.
Kenny woke up on top of Jenna's carriage. All that time underground made him appreciate the openness of the surface so he refused the unfamiliar room offered to him. It's also this fucking place, he thought. Even the air smelled the same as when he was a brat. The former king of the underground reached for his re-filled flask. That obedient servant was kind enough to give Kenny some more liquor along with a warm meal. He scratched his chest before opening the flask and taking a drink. Good liquor burned different than the cheap swill he was used to drinking in the underground. Jenna had him damn near spoiled with the stuff she kept in her mansion. Though he still had one of his men take the first drink from a new bottle before he smuggled it.
Kenny watched the last stars slowly disappear in the violet-blue sky. Used to be a time when he and his siblings would bitch about having to be up this early. Their parents made them get done with morning chores before sending them off to the little country school. Shit, Kenny thought. I don't want to think about this.
"I don't see why we always have to check the farms," Rod Reiss complained. "Why not let the overseer take care of it?"
Kenny rolled on his belly to see the royals step out into the new day. Behind them, Jenna stepped out in a lady's riding dress. The skirt of her dress fell to her knees to meet soft brown leather boots. Her thick chestnut hair was neatly braided in a halo that circled her head. She was putting on her riding glove when her gaze found Kenny's. He cursed. Bitch always seemed to find him. The commander of the Military Police gave him a sweet smile before following the other two down the steps.
"Stop complaining little brother," said Uri. "We have a responsibility to our people to make morning rounds."
"Noble as always, my lord," Jenna said. She gave another curtsy. In their short time together Kenny never saw her well-behaved for so long. Even with the bloated fat man in Sina her mask would slip to reveal the viper within. It made the old assassin wonder just what these men had on her? He didn't have long to think because Jeremy, the helpful servant from yesterday, walked four horses over to the trio.
"Too noble if you ask me," complained Rod. "It's not like they know who we are."
"True," said Uri. "They may not know the truth about our family but we still own the deed to their farms." They mounted their horses ready to set out on their rounds. Jeremy also mounted his horse. Kenny saw that Jeremy's horse carried what appeared to be a basket of some sort. No doubt full of food and drinks and whatever else the rich fucks needed for a happy day out. The former king of the underground rolled onto his back. Let them have their day. He wanted to go back to sleep anyway. Kenny took another drink from his flask and closed his eyes
Kenny's dream led him home. Back then he and his siblings would run through fields of crops during the harvest. Back to the smell of his mother's cooking, his father's switch and two annoying younger siblings who tagged around him like Kenny was going to do tricks. They would spend long days bringing in the crops with the other farmers. At the end of harvest, his mother would prepare a large meal for their family. His grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins from Maria knew where would come and they would enjoy a meal together. That was before the shit went down.
He was about eight then; old enough to use the plow and tend the animals by himself. His momma called him her little man. Kenny remembered that year the family wasn't gathering for harvest. The last of the Ackermans spread word that the king was on the hunt again. That meant anyone not complying with the king's rules needed to seek cover.
Child Kenny heard the adults talk about the king but didn't think anything of it. He didn't know why the king was always after his family. The little Ackerman didn't realize what his parents gave up for their peaceful life. Whenever he asked his parents about the king they would frown and change the subject. Much to his mother's dismay, that was also the year Kenny took an interest in his father's knife collection. His mother gave him a sound beating then argued with his father.
"I thought you were going to get rid of them," he remembered his mother yelling.
"I'm going to protect my family," spat his father. "And the boy is old enough to learn."
"You are going to get us killed!" his mother yelled.
"Well, maybe I'm tired of hiding," said his father before walking off. Kenny remembered hearing his mother cry for the first time. A few days later his father gave Kenny his first knife. It was a plain blade with a wooden handle. The moment it was in his palm it felt right. It was something Kenny couldn't explain. He kept that knife with him everywhere. During breaks as they brought down crops his father would teach him how to fight. It really made Kenny feel like a man.
His Ma made a small harvest meal. That year the only person brave enough to come to their family farm was his grandfather. The old man always brought them sweets from the city. Kenny was too old for that. He had a knife! So he gave his sweets to his little sister and brother. Kenny was even allowed to stay up with the adults when his siblings were put to bed. The three room house was small and cozy. The walls were so thin that if the three kids were quiet they could hear the adults talking. Sitting in the main room was a lot better, he thought. Kenny made sure to sit as still as possible in case the adults decided to change their minds.
Ma opened a bottle of wine for the adults while Pa dealt cards. Usually their family would be rowdy by then telling jokes and cutting up. Pa and Grandpa took sips of their wine while Ma finished her sewing. For his first night as an adult Kenny was disappointed.
"Hey boy, show Grandpa your knife," his Pa said once they made it through the first bottle of wine. Kenny hopped to his feet and pulled the blade out of his pocket with pride. His Ma dropped her sewing. Pa ignored her so Kenny did too. "Show your Grandpa what we practiced."
Kenny did the moves he practiced in the fields with his father. With every swipe he swelled with pride.
"Kenny go to bed," his Ma said calmly. The eight-year-old knew that voice. That was the same voice she used before she told him to get a switch off the tree.
Somehow in the middle of the night Levi turned away from the large man heater. That didn't keep Erwin from keeping a firm arm around his waist swallowing him in warmth. When Levi woke he gripped his knife under the pillow as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with his other hand. Behind him, a wall of man curled around him. He felt Erwin's warm breath against his scalp. A nosy big ass foot slipped between his ankles. He lightly kicked away the foot away.
"Hey," Levi whispered. He patted the arm at his waist. It only pulled him even closer to the blonde followed by lips brushing the side of his face. "Oi," Levi repeated. "I'm getting up." He sat up on his elbow with the intention of leaving when the arm tightened around his waist once more. "Hey Erwin, let me go."
"Why?" The deep voice was raspy from sleep. "It's barely morning." Levi looked out the windows. It was true that the sun barely lightened the sky. I can't let anyone find me here, he thought.
"I want to get up," Levi repeated. A hint of fine stubble scratched his neck. "Let me go before I break your arm." The thick arm rose off his waist allowing the former thief to put his feet on the floor. He changed back into his clothes quickly. The rest of the partiers were sure to be asleep. If he hurried no one would know he spent the night with Erwin.
"Levi," Erwin called from the bed. Levi looked up to see the man still stretched out, elbow propping his head in his hand. "Thank you for last night."
"Yea, best night of your life," he muttered before leaving the room.
He walked down the hallway to John's room. The big oaf was exactly as he left him: snoring beneath the blankets fully clothed. Levi stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He debated about going back to sleep. It was still early in the morning after all. His dorm mate started to stir from his side of the room.
"Mornin'," John mumbled. The hung over soldier turned on his side to face Levi. Levi grunted. "So, did something...," John waved his hand back and forth between them. "Did something happen between us?" The former thug brought his hand behind his head using it as a pillow.
"Go back to sleep, you drunk," Levi said. "That shit will only happen in your dreams."
Thank so much for reading. If you have any ideas, head canons, or just want to chat please don't hesitate to hit me up. blog/umikouno
