Summary: Levi is a short clean freak, this is well known. He even looks a lot younger then he actually is, when not killing or talking shit. Eren wonders just why he is like this but would never ask Levi, for fear of a severe beating. However he gets an answer from the only other person who knows (most of) Levi's past, Commander Erwin. Unexpectedly he finds out when asking why the Captain is such a clean freak. Takes place a few days after the trial and before the others join the scouting legion and delves into Levi's past. [One-shot] [Sad Levi past][Slight ErwinxLevi] Rated T for language.

AH: Hello all! I would like to welcome you to my head cannon to Levi's past as to why he's short, a clean freak and looks rather young for his age (well no official age is given I would amuse he's in his 20's). It's told in the frame of Erwin telling the story to Eren so I've included a brake after and be for the bookends to help understand when something is taking place in the present (with Eren) or the past (Levi's story) I hope you enjoy my story and if you do please leave a review!

"Eren, I want you to clean all the shelves on the top two floors, and if you do a piss poor job again I'll use your corps as a rag!" Eren turned to see that Captain Levi had just walked into the room where he was washing the windows, as ordered to not fifteen minutes ago. "But sir, I've only just finished the windows, I haven't had a chance to do the rest of this room." Eren was sure he was about to be kicked when, to his surprise the Captain just grab a nearby broom and started sweeping. "Just shut up and do as you're told Eren, I'll finish up here and check on you in two hours that should be plenty enough time." Eren just nodded and walked out of the room to head up to his next cleaning assignment when he stopped as the Captain spoke again "and don't just knock the dust to the ground, I've already swept up there." Eren nodded still facing out of the room, he knew Captain Levi was a clean freak and what might happen if he messed up a room the Captain had already cleaned. Eren made his way up to the second most top floor and started peering into room to see which had shelves to clean. After he finished that floor Eren made his way up to the top floor, an hour had passed and as Eren knew the top floor would be living quarters so there would be far more shelves to dust.

Eren had just finished the fifth room when he moved on down the hall to the next one. There was quite a gap between the next room so he figured that it would be a big one. Eren reached out to open the door but it was stuck, twisting the knob more Eren pressed his right shoulder against the wooden door to un-jam it. There was a click and the door flew open causing Eren to fall in but rather than falling to a stone floor, Eren fell into a large body; Commander Erwin. "Sir!" Eren shot back and stood proper to give the Commander a salute, baby blue eyes looking down on him. "Eren, I would suggest knocking on my door next time" his voice monotone as ever. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't know this was your office" Erwin's gaze didn't change but his voice carried an ever so slightly questioning tone "Oh? Then what is it you're doing here then?" Eren shifted a bit as he lowered his arm "Well the Captain is having me do some cleaning up here" now Erwin had a slightly puzzled look on his face "Levi just cleaned up here about two hours ago." A slight smiled pulled at the corner of Erwin's lips, he had a feeling he knew what cleaning Levi would have asked the youth to do. "Ah yes, the Captain said he swept the top floors but he wants me to dust all the shelves…" Erwin now had a full grin on his face "Sir?" Eren asked the commander. "Well I won't make you disobey the Corporal's orders" Erwin stepped aside and held out one arm, letting Eren into the office. Eren nodded and entered, feeling slightly awkward at the situation he was now in. Erwin sat back at his desk as Eren got to work on dusting the many shelves of the Commanders office. "Sir…" Eren spoke up after finishing the second bookshelf "yes Eren?" the Commander replied in his steely voice. "Well I was just wondering if the Captain has always been a clean freak." Eren was looking over his shoulder to see the Commander, he had put down the paper he was reviewing and a moment passed in silence.

Finally the Commander raised and arm and waved his hand for Eren to take the seat across his desk. Eren was unsure what to think of this as he took a seat, he had only meant to ask a harmless question but now feared he would be lectured for prying into the Captain's life. Sitting down with his arms resting at his sides Eren looked across the desk to the Commander who had his elbows on the desk, his fingers intertwined as he looked over Eren. "What I am about to tell you is a privet matter, it is not to leave this room or be shared with others, is that clear?" Eren was fully taken aback by this but nodded all the same, surely the Captain's cleaning habits can't be this serious… Erwin closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, giving a deep sigh he spoke "Levi's cleanliness comes from his condition" "condition, sir?" Eren was truly shocked now, the Captain seemed perfectly healthy and from what he knew of the man had been a clean freak from before he joined the Scouting Legion six years ago. If he was that sick it should have been killing him by now. "Yes, the one that made him so short and… youthful" Eren was now at a loss for words and just nodded as the Commander went on. "Though life gave him an unfair head start in that department, it only got worse after the plague." With that Erwin began the tale of Levi's life before joining the Scouting Legion…

Levi was always a small child, his impoverished upbringing saw to that but he did have a loving mother who gave him all she could. It just was never enough, she had to raise him on her own so she wasn't able to work and take care of him at time same time. He was left alone in their tiny home for hours at a time well she would find various jobs to make enough coin to feed them. There were times when he was left alone in his crib for a full twelve hours, crying until the door opened and he saw his mom's face. The night jobs would give enough money for her to say with Levi for a day or two without work. By the time Levi was seven had had been sick many times but would do his best to seem fine for his mother, not wanting to worry her. He became too good at hiding his illness and soon his mother had become quite ill. He was fine but she couldn't leave her bed, breathing heavily she told Levi to keep away so that he wouldn't get sick from her. Scared, Levi ran from their house to look for someone to help his mother, asking anyone he saw for help. One man knelt down to Levi's please, with a smile on his face but one that held no kindness behind it. The only other person Levi had ever interacted with was his mom and her smiles were always kind so he didn't know evil kind of smile the man had. "Come this way child and I'll take you to a doctor" the man said standing up, Levi nodded to him and ran to keep up with the man's long strides. Once they were out of the crowded area of the city the man stopped and turned around to make sure the child was still following him. There was that evil smile again, this time it made the little Levi stop in his tracks and take a step back but it was too late. Another man was behind him and scooped Levi up into his arms, Levi shouting to let him go. "Now, now kid behave yourself" the first man said through that evil grin "we don't want to hurt you but we will if you cause trouble." Panic raced through Levi's small body like wild fire as the first man grew closer and the grip over him tightened.

Levi's body grew hot with a rage he had never felt or known in all of his short life, lifting his arms up he sunk his nails into the kidnappers' arms and bit down as hard as he could. The man let go with a yelp of pain as a small bit of blood trickled down many small holes in his skin, furry in his eyes. Levi spared no time in his escape and started running back the way they came but he was so small and the men would soon catch up with him soon. Spotting an open storm drain Levi made a sharp right turn and crawled in, pulling his legs in as a hand tried to reach him. The men were shouting words that Levi had never heard before but knew they were no good as he crawled further in towards the drains next opining. Hours had passed by the time he made it back home, running up to his mother crying as he told her what happened. She was to week to comfort her son, despite how badly she wanted to and it only drained what little energy she had left. Levi sat under his mom's arm as she stroked his mess of black hair and spoke in broken rasps "Levi… I'm so sorry but I won't be around much longer" she would have cried if she had the strength to. "What I tell you now is of the utmost important so listen carefully" Levi nodded his head and she felt him do so under her fingers. "You're going to be on your own now so I want you to be careful of who you trust. This is a cruel word so you have to grow strong to live on. You must live on, promises me this" her voice wavered as she spoke the last words and Levi nodded his head again. Her hand slipped of his head and she whispered "promises" once last time "I will mom! I promises!" but Levi would never know if she heard his words.

The next two year was rough on Levi. As much as he wanted to keep his mother he knew she had to be removed from the house if he were to stay there. It had taken him two days to remove her body, some would think that quite a feat for a seven year old to manage but it took him long as he kept losing his will and broke down to cry often. Levi was lucky it was early fall and the ground was still soft, it took three days to dig a grave just shallow enough to fully cover her. There was no food left in the tiny house and Levi was hungrier than he had ever been. There had only been a few coin is his mother's pouch that rested on an up turned crate she used as a night stand. Levi was scared to leave his house again, the memories of the last time still fresh in his mind but he knew he had to. Tying the coin pouch to his tiny waste Levi opened the door and left his home. Levi walked to the market, eyes darting back and forth on high alert for any and all signs of danger as he made his way to the bakery. Reaching up on his toes he opened the door and walked in, there was an old lady behind the counter that Levi walked up to. Levi asked her for a loaf of bread well untying his coin pouch, she smiled at him "what a big boy you are, helping out your mother run errands." Her eye were closed so she didn't see Levi's small body tense up at her smile, he now knew a smile could be deadly. Levi nodded and held out a silver coin and the woman chuckled "a loaf costs three of those coins but I'll give you a deal today." She plucked the coin out of the little boys hand and came round the counter to hand him the bread in a brown paper bag and held the door open for him. Levi just nodded at the woman as he ran back home as fast as he could with his bread and remaining few coins. Looking back over his shoulder as he ran home Levi could see that the old woman was still standing there, watching him take off.

Levi ate half of the loaf right away and had to force himself to save the rest for latter. The coins only lasted him a week and soon he was back to being alone and hungry when there was a knock on his door. Scared of who it could be, Levi climbed up to a window by the door and looked out to see members of the Garrison standing there. Levi knew about the military and remembered his mom's last words to be careful of whom he trusted, figuring that it would be ok to trust the military. So Levi slid off the window ledge and pushed open the door, looking up to see the two men standing before him with grim faces. "Is your mom or dad home?" the soldier standing to the right asked him, looking down at the scared Levi. Levi just shook his head, trying not to cry at the thought of his mother and both soldiers sighed as the one to the left bent down to look Levi in the eye. "How long have you been on your own, kid?" "about two weeks…" Levi was scared as he had no clue what would happen to him now that it was known he was an orphan. The first man walked into Levi's house to look around well the second man spoke to Levi again "you're going to have to come with us kid." "Am…am I in trouble?" the man shook his head "only if you don't come with us, kids can't be on their own so you're going to come with us to an orphanage." Levi nodded and the man stood back up to his full height as the first man returned and whispered something well pointing out a back window. The two men walked in front of Levi as they led the way, passing the home's back field where Levi buried his mother and stopped to say goodbye one last time. The orphanage was hell. Levi had a place to sleep but he also had that back at his house, there it was quiet at least. There was food here but not much, Levi was always hungry but got enough to survive. With sickness and despair all around him Levi knew that he wouldn't be long for this world here. Kids died all the time here and there was endless fighting for shares of food. At first Levi was beat up all the time by the bigger kids but after three weeks he learnt to fight back, after another month he fought well enough to keep him meagre rations and soon was able to take theirs.

Levi stayed at the orphanage until spring was in full bloom and he knew he wouldn't freeze to death in the streets. He snuck out in the dead of night and made his way into the alley behind the dingy orphanage, a small sack slung over his shoulders with some tattered clothing stale bread and the only thing he had of his mothers, the coin pouch. By age nine Levi was becoming quite the pickpocket and fighter, he was unable to return to his home, as it had been torn down to make room for more farm lands so Levi lived on the streets. At age ten Levi joined a small gang of street teens, reluctant to let him join at first but soon let him in when they saw his skills. Another year in the gang and he soon made his way to the top of the food chain in it, half threw his skills and half threw other members dying and getting arrested. As Levi wasn't even a teen yet and small for his size he managed to escape the police when his fellows were caught with him. Eventually he went his own way, tired of being held back by others, and made his way into the next wall, Rose. There was more to steal here the closer in you got the better off its people were, there were also jobs that made use of his skills. By age twelve Levi had a small home paid off with the coin he earned from underworld jobs. Levi rarely ever worked for the same person twice never trusting them to not turn their back on him, though never caught he was becoming well known by the underworld and the police. But the police had more pressing matters to attend to then a phantom thief, a sickness like no other was spreading all around Maria and was seeping its way into Rose. There were fewer jobs in the underworld as many people there were dropping like flies, unsurprising Levi thought. "Those fuckers live and trade in filth" he gave a snort as he stalked his next target, a well-dressed man that seemed to be of some low nobility was in the Trost district checking on the merchants there. Levi simply had to kill the man and he would have enough coin to last him a month. It seemed a local criminal syndicate wanted to break into the protection racket and needed this man out of the way.

Levi watched as the man moved from one store to the next, high above on a rooftop perch, knives drawn close to his body. Unbeknownst to Levi there were others further along the rooftops. As the man turned into an alley Levi made his move, running across two buildings and swooping down with knives bare. The man's throat was slit before he knew what happened and he fell to his knees as he bleed out in a few short moments. Levi turned his head up as there was a sudden metallic sound and cables were being planted into the brick walls on either side of the alley. "Shit" Levi's face turned cold as he saw five men in military uniforms descend upon him, all with a green horses head with a horn on their backs and shoulders. "Military Police all the way out here? Never thought I'd see the day" Levi said with a cold mocking tone. The man that stood in front of Levi spat at him "well he have to guard those of importance even when they come out to shit holes like this." Levi sneered at the man "well you've done a job that matches your reputation for laziness… Or one that matches up with your reputation for looking the other way for coin." Levi knew he hit the nail on the head with that remark when he saw the look on the man's face "so what's next then?" The man smirked as he drew out a long blade "we bring in the one responsible so we don't look bad." Levi took a quick look around and was thankful that only the one had their trademark blades, assuming that only their captain was allowed to be armed among civilians. So Levi had his target, take out this bastard and the rest would fall with no problem. The man charged at Levi and he ducked down as the man thrust his blade forward to kill, Levi used his small knives to slash at the back of the man's knees causing him to fall. As the others moved in to grab Levi he sprang up and sunk his knives into the back of the fallen man's head as a boot landed on his back and his head was pulled back. A fist sunk into his face and Levi felt a tooth come out, spitting it out he was glad to see it was the last baby tooth and Levi smirked as he bashed his head back into the person holding him down. The hand let go and Levi sprang up "thanks for knocking that last tooth out, it was getting annoying" Levi smirked as he ducked back down over the man who was now on top of him and sprang up with all his force into a powerful head-butt.

The Fight lasted twenty minutes before Levi fell the last officer, though he took quite the beating himself. There was heavy footsteps approaching the alley and Levi jumped up trashcans and windows to make his way back to the rooftops and. He saw a large man in military uniform, with blue rather than green on his patches running up the heap of bodies, most still moving and groaning in pain. The man looked up and saw that Levi had just made it to the roof tops, Levi looked down and saw blue eyes wide with shock. Levi sneered at the man before taking off and after putting some distance, jumped back down to street level and out of Trost and into Maria. Levi had to lie low for a while. He had been doubled crossed by the syndicate and swore revenge on every last one of the fuckers. Too tired from his fight and injuries to realise he was in Maria, where the plague was spreading fast Levi found a darkened alley to curl up in and get some sleep. "Fuck" Levi had been out for a few days and by then all ports into Rose and its districts' were restricted. Levi saw the notice posted, dated two days ago "Happy fucking Birthday to me" now thirteen he was stuck in Maria where people were dyeing and falling apart all over the fucking place. People who died right away were the lucky ones, most would feel their bodies' burn as limbs festered and fell off. A month had past and Levi was still healthy, back to being a mere pickpocket though there were few who wondered the streets and those who did have nothing to give but sickness. Word was spreading that there was a doctor who was working on a cure in the Shiganshina District and even Levi wished him gods speed. After his second moth in wall Maria Levi was starting to feel unwell, he was uncomfortably hot but he just brushed that off as he made his way to Shiganshina with nowhere else to go. Levi was used to being sick from his youth so he made his face as impassive as ever and snuck into Shiganshina in hopes that the rumored doctor had made progress on his cure.

Another month passed before Levi found, or rather was found by the doctor who was making round in the slum Levi was in. The doctor put a hand to Levi's forehead and pulled it back as it nearly burnt his own hand "how long have you been ill?" Levi gave a bark of a laugh "all my fucking life, but I've been hot for two months now" Levi saw the doctors eyes widen in shock. "If you come with me to my clinic I think we can help each other" Levi thought that maybe the doctor had gone mad from being around so much sickness, how could he be of any help to the doctor. Levi just nodded and managed to get up on his own as the doctor led the way to his clinic "I'm doctor Yeager" Levi nodded, not offering his own name. The next thing Levi knew was he had woken up in a small room with lots of medical books on the shelves around him. He still felt ungodly tired but at least he wasn't burning up anymore. Levi got to his feel and nearly fell over as they gave out underneath him, throwing his arms back he fell into the bed rather than onto the floor. The door to his room opened as a result of the commotion he was making "I see you're finally up" Doctor Yeager said as he walked into the room. He looked far more warn then Levi had seen him before passing out "How long was I out?" Levi's voice was week and his throat was unbearably dry, he took the glass of water the Doctor held out and drinks slowly. Only when he was finished did the doctor speak up again "six months" Levi's eyes went wider then they had in over seven years and he swallowed hard on nothing, seeing why the Doctor waited until he was no longer drinking to answer. Levi tried to speak but was in too much of a shock to say anything so his eyes fixed on the man standing beside him. Doctor Yeager took a seat in the empty chair next to Levi's bed and began to tell him what he missed well asleep and of his amazing, to the Doctor anyway, recovery.

Doctor Yeager was shocked to find out Levi had lasted with the plague for so long with only a fever as very few people live for more than two week and even fewer can last over a month. When he got Levi to his clinic he took blood samples from Levi and found that Levi had an amazing immune system, after having fought off so many other illnesses and with Levi's blood samples he was able to make a first pass at a cure two months after Levi slipped into his comma. Another month and he perfected it for the masses and started handing out treatments. Levi nodded at all this and thought it odd that he was actually able to help the Doctor. Doctor Yeager's face turned sour as he told Levi the next part "however many people died before I had the final cure and some will be forever scarred from being cured in later stages of the plague." Levi had an odd sensation in his stomach, one he forgot he could have "but you helped out a lot of people, where it not for you even more would have died." Levi felt bad for Doctor Yeager being so down. Yeager turned up to look at Levi "listen, there something else I need to tell you…" "Levi" Levi felt it would be ok for this mane to know his name. "Levi, I tried the first cure on you" Levi just nodded, not sure of the implications as Doctor Yeager took a deep breath and continued. "You see, somehow when the first cure was injected into your blood stream it caused a reaction I've never seen before. We in the medical field call it the Hayflick limit" grate, Levi thought to himself as his eye twitched in uncomprehending. Doctor Yeager gave a small cough "well you see… Our bodies are made up of these thing called chromosomes and DNA that make each person unique" Levi gave a nod. Though he had never gone to school he had a basic understanding of what the Doctor was saying but most of it passed over his head. Levi waited until he was done with all the medical mumbo-jumbo and got to the point that Levi hoped would be in plain English. Finally his attention snapped back as Doctor Yeager did indeed get to the point "… which brings me to the outcome" Levi gave the Doctor his full attention as he spoke "you won't continue to age." For the second time that day Levi's eyes were as wide as they had been.

Levi spent another month at Yeager's clinic before he had enough strength to return home and spent much of that time reflecting on how his life would change as a result of his body never changing. Doctor Yeager told Levi that despite being unconscious for half a year he had retained excellent muscle mass during his first walk around the clinic. "I was just wondering but how old are you Levi?" Levi scowled but not at Yeager but at the fact he would forever be a fucking teenager "I just turned thirteen when they sealed up Rose." That was almost ten months ago now and soon Rose would be open for travel again. "Oh, I actually thought you were eleven or twelve but it seems you're on the small side for your age." Fucking Doctor was an idiot for how smart the man was, Levi thought to himself. "Well lucky me, I can look like a prepubescent brat till my dyeing days" Levi scoffed with as much mirth as he could muster, which to say was none. Yeager shook his head "now we don't know if this effect will be permanent, it could ware off after some years." Yeager gave Levi a sly smirk as he spoke again "and not to worry, you'll finish going through puberty though there won't be any growth spurts." Levi's look might have killed the man "I hope you have a son as I may just kill you for that remark" Yeager laughed and nodded that he did indeed have a son. Finally doctor Yeager declared Levi well enough to go home and fervently refused any offers of payment as Levi was the key to curing the plague. Levi hopped on a cart heading for Trost and hoped his apartment was still there for him when he returned. Levi was given a medical book by Doctor Yeager and asked that he returned to the clinic one a year for a checkup.

Once in Trost Levi moved through the street with all eyes on him as he had come from Maria and the people of Trost also suffered in small numbers from the plague. Levi now noticed the filth all around the town and wondered how they managed to keep the plague at bay, till he saw the charred remains of several buildings as he made his way to the other side of wall Rose. Levi was glad to see his home still stood and was unoccupied though now covered in dust. This would never have bothered him before but now that being sick had changed his body, he never wanted to be ill again. So Levi made his way to the loose floor board where a stash of gold coins laid untouched for nearly a year and filled his mother's pouch. Once content on his stash Levi made his way to a general store to purchase a large amount of cleaning products. His first night back home was not as restful as it should have been. Bad memories of his sick and dying mother filled his dreams and he woke up wondering why he was spared but couldn't have saved her. His mind filled with what he read in the medical book the Doctor had given him about infections and diseases, of how infections left unclean would rot away limbs and living in filth caused so many diseases. Soon Levi's home was spotless, the old sheets and clothing were burnt and he robed his personal stash in replacing them and investing in a shower head, as baths were to disgusting to him now. Returning to the underworld was quite troublesome but that was the only place his skills were of enough use to earn the coins he needed to live. The first thing he did was go to the syndicate that had tried to double cross him and get his coins, plus interest for late payment. The syndicate had suffered grate losses from the plague and gave Levi his coin to keep from being whipped out. Levi was gone from the underworld for a year and his status of phantom thief seemed to fade in that time. Now fourteen Levi spent the next two years earning back his reputation and was quite unhappy that they were using the same wanted posters from when he was twelve.

Those two years were rather uneventful, he did stop by Doctor Yeager's clinic. Yeager always remarked in amazement how strong Levi was for his size and would get a fist hand demonstration when Levi would effortlessly kick away a heavy wooden desk. Levi no longer killed as those jobs were too messy for his taste now and Levi invest in a gun for when he couldn't avoid killing, so he can at least do so from a safe distance. The underworld hadn't recovered from the plague, in fact things only got worse for those who survived it as the military Police were now on high alert for once in their lazy life to try and wipe out whoever was left. Levi soon found that his small stance did have its uses he was fast and agile, he may not have had the fancy equipment that the Garrison and on occasion MP used but he was able to scale a building or make a quick escape in little time. So it was a shock to Levi when he found himself cornered and at the receiving end of a brutal beating one day in his seventeenth year. There were two men holding each arm back and one on each leg, a mistake on their part as Levi was able to free his left leg. Smashing the heel of his boot, a knife popped out at the toe end and Levi gelded the man in front of him. This gave his attackers a pause and Levi jumped on the opportunity and leaped over the curled up man and ran as fast as he could. Levi must have been having an off day as when he was looking over his shoulder to see how far behind his pursuers were he ran right into a rather soft wall… Levi looked up and saw a monster of a man in front of him with steal blue eyes that looked down at him. Levi was in such shock of the man that he paused for a moment that allowed the man to take hold of him, gripping his arm and turning his torso around to see the pursuers stopping at the sight before them. "Co… Corporal Smith!" fuck Levi thought to himself, I let myself get trapped. "May I ask why you are attempting to murder this youth?" The MP's before the two looked ready to piss themselves when they saw the murder that was in Levi's eyes at being called a youth. "That's no youth sir, that's the thug Levi! He's been wanted for the murder of nobleman Gale Quartet for four years!"

Smith looked down at Levi who was looking up at him, murder still pouring out of his eyes for being called a youth. Levi saw the man's eyes go wide for a moment and then return to steal as he addressed the MP's before then. "As I recall there was quite a lot of… issues surrounding his murder, how his personal guard was able to respond so quickly after the fact but not fast enough to stop it." Levi then realised that two of the men before him where from that fight and, if possible his murderous rage intensified. The two from that day stepped forward and one spat at Levi's foot before speaking "You're not a commander yet Smith so don't go thinking you can interfere in MP matters, you scouting nut job!" The MP had intended to get a laugh out of his fellows with that last line but found they were all shaking in their boots as the large man took a step forward, lifting Levi with ease and putting him back to the ground once in their new spot. Levi looked up and saw the man had quite his own scary face "I'm starting to remember that day, I was there after all but in such a blind panic to help my fellow soldiers that I seem to have forgotten some major details and today had jogged my memory." The MP from that fight had backed off and clenched his fist before speaking up again "he's still wanted for a shit load of thefts!" a satisfied grin on the MP's face. "Indeed and all within Rose which is out of your district" Smith's face was unchanging but Levi swore he saw the ends of the man's lips perk up "this is a matter for the Garrison." Levi would blame letting what happened next on the blood loss from that fight as Smith let go of Levi's arm and picked him up, carrying him under his arms after removing Levi's boots. The MP's were just as dumbfounded as Levi was as the large man carried him away.

Levi began to struggle against the large man but the arm around him only tightened as Smith told Levi not to worry and not to struggle. Levi was useless like this, for all his skills and notoriety he was being carried away like a toddler by the massive man. Smith greeted an old bald man in Garrison uniform as they approached Trost's prison "Hello Pixis! Fancy seeing the commander on guard duty" Smith said in a friendly tone to the old man who just laughed in return. "I was just checking on my men on guard duty but never mind that, what brings the scouting legions soon to be commander here." Fucking dandy, Levi thought to himself as he realised the company he was in. Even if he could keep fighting it would be a death sentence to take on these two men. "Just saving this kid's life" Levi shot Smith a look over his shoulder that screamed murder "it seems the MP's caught him trying to steal or something and handled it as they always do when it's an easy target." Levi thought about cutting this man down to his size before letting him bleed to a slow death. Pixis just sighed with a shake of his head and then took a swig from his hip flask "I think one night in jail, along with the punishment he's already received should be enough for his crimes." Pixis laughed "see something in the boy, do ya?" it seemed the formalities were over as Smith had his poker face on once more, causing Pixis to return the look.

"Well then I'll let you see to him, my men respect the scouting legion and will follow your orders" with that Pixis walked off. Levi was so confused by what just happened that he gave a start when he felt they were on the move again. The men inside did indeed follow Smiths orders for a privet cell for Levi and gave Smith the key so that he could talk to Levi in privet. Smith dropped Levi on the dingy cell bed and walked out, locking the cell behind him and pulled up a chair. Levi was so confused by what just happened over the past two hours that it took getting dumped into a dirty bed to snap him back to his senses. Levi looked around the cell and saw a basin of water and a bar of soap sitting at the corner of the cell and quickly jumped off the bed and started washing the blood and dirt off. Once he was clean he tore his shirt off, dunking it into the water and rubbing the soap into it so lost into his cleaning that he didn't even realise he was being watched. "Quite the clean freak, eh?" today was not a good day for Levi and he already had so much rage for this ungodly tall man. "If I had been clean growing up then maybe I wouldn't have become such a freak" Smith was taken aback by how deep the voice was for how young he looked. "Old man, how young do you think I am?" Smith did not expect that question but gave his honest answer "I'd say about thirteen tops." Levi gave a mad laugh that unsettled Smith as he saw those murderous eyes clearly for the first time. "Well if we're going by looks you're on the nose but we're going by years' shit head." Levi got an odd satisfaction at the confused look on the man's face "I'm seventeen." Smith composed himself rather quickly and leaned forward on his lap "so then it really was you I saw four years ago, I thought I had gone mad when I saw the exact same person today." "Welcome to my daily life for the past four years" Levi intoned under his breath, no quiet for Smith to hear. "So what's next for me then, going to take the credit for capturing me?" Levi was glaring at Smith

"No, I want you to join the Scouting Legion." Today was right up there for most confusing days in Levi's life "sorry but it looks like you have gone man." Smith grinned to Levi "I saw what you're capable of that night, and counting today as an off day I assume you've only gotten more skilled." Levi felt like he could use another six month nap after today "well I guess I don't have many options. My only qualm is the last thing I promised my mom before she died is that I'd live on and the Scouts don't have the best track record of that." Smith smirked "there has never been a scout with your skill, I bet in terms of Scouting years you'll outlive me and I have a thirteen year head start." Levi gave a rate smirk "and what should I call you, apparently soon to be commander?" Smith's eyes shone for a moment "our current commander is still two years from retirement so you can call me Erwin, I assume I can call you Levi?"

"That was the year before Maria fell" Erwin told Eren as he stood up to stretch his legs after sitting still for so long. "He spent a year in training and was rather defiant until I became commander after the fall, that was his first mission and where he picked up the title of humanities strongest." Eren sat in shock at the story of Levi "I was able to get him to tell me most of his history over the years and I filled in the blanks wherever I could so I'm sorry for the missing parts." Eren shook his head "I don't understand sir, why tell me all of this?" "Why indeed?" Eren turned to look at Levi in the doorway so fast that he fell back with the chair, smacking his head against the thankfully carpeted floor. Eren looked up and saw Levi walk up to Erwin with that never ending glare in his eyes. "Because we know all we can about this boy's past and plan to learn everything about him till the day he dies for our cause, he deserves to know the same of us." "Eren get back to dusting, you have fifteen minutes to finish the floor, without the rest of this room." Eren moved with speed he didn't know he possessed to get off of the floor and out of the room. Levi picked up the knocked over seat and sat down in it calling for Erwin to take his own seat. "I take it your upset with me" Erwin said coyly, to use to Levi's death glares for them to have any effect on him. "I didn't tell you my life story so you could go telling it to anyone who asks about me!" Levi was indeed pissed at Erwin and was already thinking up way to punish Eren for hearing his story. Erwin sight "Levi… I'm sorry, I truly am but there was something about the way it was asked out of the blue that caught me off guard." Levi tiched "trying to pass the blame are you?" "No, so try not to punish Eren to hard." Levi was still fuming at such a violation, trying to calm himself as he looked over Erwin's impassive face. Levi hated the man for many reasons most could consider silly, were it not for the pain Levi would inflict on them for voicing. The thing Levi hated most was watching Erwin age over the past six years, as if Erwin could read his fucking mind he spoke up. "You know… I think you have aged a bit yourself." Levi's face relaxed a bit at such a stupid comment "Oh, I think it's just lines from frowning all the time."

Lampshadeing!

Levi: I didn't tell you my life story so you could go telling it to the whole fucking world!

Erwin: I only told it to those who actually made it to the end this fanfic.

Levi: Wha?!

After the story;

Erwin: Now come hear you!

Levi: Oh no you fucking don't!

Erwin then picks up a thrashing Levi and tucks him under his right arm, smiling.

Levi: When's the last time you applied some fucking deodorant?!

On to my end AN's: I never took any bio classes so I don't know much about Hayflick limit and Telomere's so forgive me if I don goofed. I thought this would only be 4-5k words but honestly I could of made this longer but wanted to keep it a one-shot. I move some years along quickly, again to keep it a one shot but also because this is Erwin's story of Levi so I'm sure he doesn't know every day of Levi's life

Hedcannon ages

Levi: seven when orphaned, 13 when struck with the plague, 17 when recruited, 6 years in the SL to the start of the story making Levi 23. Became known as humanities strongest solider after the fall of Maria

Erwin: 28 when recruiting Levi, 34 at the start of the story, became commander after wall Maria fell, a year sooner then he should have as the last commander died then.

Cover image is used with permition from it's Creator lryndatalryna from DA