Attachment

Author: Cigamina

Fandom: Shingeki no Kyojin

Protagonists: Erwin Smith and Levi are the main focus

Part: 11/?

Warnings: violence, foul language

Rating: will be M

Disclaimer: Characters unfortunately aren't mine, therefore no money-making~ XDDD

Notes: Not too much yet, story starts a few years before the plot in the anime/manga evolves, in year 835.

I started the story way before anything about 'A choice with no regrets' was known, so my backstory differs a lot from the canon one.

Please forgive me for making so many mistakes, English is not my native language and I'm sure you will find plenty of mistakes in there!

Songs I listened to while writing the story:

Daniel Portman – Galvanized

Daniel Portman – Appaloosa

Ed Sheeran & Passenger - No Diggity vs. Thrift Shop (Kygo Remix)

Notes²: I want to thank all people who write me comments and just everybody who reads this story! I really appreciate that and I'm happy about the attention this story is getting! I love you all!

There's a lot more coming up, I'll do my best to update as fast as I can!

Be patient with those two! They still have a veeeeery long way to go! XDDDD

Attachment– Chapter 11

When he awoke the next morning he could hardly fathom why – and waking up was a dreadfully sluggish process. Impressions and emotions came to him one by one and he wasn't able to tell whether they were related or not. He was fatigued. Like he hadn't gotten any sleep at all. Then his head was throbbing. Erwin groaned and squeezed his eyes shut tightly, he really didn't want to open them and even less to have to expose them to sunlight anytime soon. He felt like that would make his head explode. And, which was by far the most pleasant thing: there was a warm body pressed up against him. There was somebody in his arms, he wasn't alone in his bed.

Deciding that it couldn't hurt to stay in bed just a few minutes longer he tightened his hold on the warm body, burying his nose in the inviting neck and hair that smelled of peppermint and apples -

"If you don't let go right now I swear I'll slit your throat," a low voice growled at him and the threat was accompanied by a sharp pain in his shoulder. Erwin cursed and opened his eyes, lifting his head a little to see what was going on – and it took a few seconds for the realization to sink in that there was Levi, in his bed, in his arms, his fist still raised to deliver another blow if it was necessary. And when that realization had sunk in he inhaled sharply, snatched his arms back and scooted backwards as far as he could without crashing to the floor. Staring at him his mind was racing, trying to understand the situation – and how he had ended up in it.

"That took you a while," Levi grumbled and glared at him before he sat up, stretching his limbs out of the position Erwin had forcefully kept him in. He winced softly, narrowing his eyes when his hands came up to rub his shoulders.

"What... how...?", he said, not really addressing anybody but himself. What had he done last night? And why was Levi here, in his bed? Looking down his body he realized that he was wearing pants, and Levi was apparently fully dressed, too, which relieved him a little. But that still didn't explain anything so he tried recalling the previous night's events.

The dark-haired boy glowered at him from narrowed eyes, combing his slim fingers through his thick hair. His lower half was still covered by the blankets they had been sharing and Erwin shivered slightly from their absence, only half clothed as he was.

"What... happened?", he asked, watching the boy closely. He seemed, above everything, to be annoyed. There was no fear in his features, just tiredness and plain annoyance.

The function... Nile and the balcony, then drinking with former comrades. The people rushing in to protest, Ashner having them thrown out. His retreat – Nile. Walking back to their quarters – and there it ended. He did have a few hazy images of Military policemen chasing civilians, shots being fired – but that might just have been a dream, influenced by the Military police's rough way to handle things. He had no idea how he had gotten home – and even less what had happened after that.

Levi narrowed his eyes even more and then shook his head, pushing the blankets off his legs.

"You really don't fucking remember."

Erwin shook his head, trying to wreck his brain but it wouldn't come up with anything. He had a black out, he remembered absolutely nothing after he had left Nile standing there. Raising a hand he rubbed his face, silently cursing Zackley for making him go to this function – and Nile for exposing him to wine. The man knew perfectly well that Erwin couldn't handle it. Which had, Erwin groaned inwardly, probably been the reason for Nile making him drink. Because he very well knew the mood Erwin fell into when being drunk. And that was why he was worried, he knew how he craved contact and touch then – and that was making the fact that he had woken up with Levi in his arms even more alarming. He hadn't done anything to him, right? He couldn't have, that would be a disaster.

"I... remember the function... and then...", he drew a blank after that, nothing of his confusion and worry showing in his voice.

Levi snorted and then leaned forward to get on his hands and knees, starting to leave the bed. He did so putting as much distance between them as possible and Erwin bit the inside of his cheek. He kept out of Erwin's arms reach, that was very obvious.

"You really shouldn't drink if you can't hold your liquor.", the boy said, the sneer more audible in his voice than it was visible on his face. He stretched again, tilting his head left and right and Erwin heard the cracking of the bones in his neck.

He... didn't look upset. He didn't seem like he had been put through something atrocious – but Erwin still didn't know what had happened and he needed to make sure that he hadn't done anything that he would regret.

"I don't, usually... but it's hard to avoid it at such an occasion.", he replied calmly, watching Levi walk over to the wardrobe to get his clothes. Apparently the boy had been downstairs to retrieve their laundry at some point - Levi had also folded the clothes neatly.

When the dark haired boy proceeded towards the bathroom door Erwin spoke up, not knowing what had happened was unbearable and Levi apparently wasn't going to tell him anything without being prompted.

"Did I... do something to you...? You ended up in my bed.", he spoke quietly, hoping Levi knew what he was alluding to.

He paused right in front of the bathroom door and looked at Erwin over his shoulder, giving him a stare from slightly narrowed eyes. "You grabbed me and crushed me with your body and forced me to spend the night in your bed because you wanted somebody warm with you."

Erwin wanted to bury his face in his hands – but instead he just swallowed and addressed Levi again, because his question wasn't entirely answered.

"I didn't touch you... did I?", he said, hating that his voice sounded a little hoarse but he couldn't help it, the question was a delicate one. He prayed, to whatever was out there, that Levi's answer would be no.

The dark haired boy looked at him, his hand still on the door handle, and his features softened just a little bit when he shook his head. "Apart from clinging to me, which was pretty damn annoying – you didn't." And that was all he said before entering the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Erwin closed his eyes and fell back to the mattress, taking a deep breath while he felt relief wash through his body and ease his headache a little. He most certainly wasn't ever going to drink again, this might have cost him another few precious years of his life – and he darkly reflected that since knowing Levi he was thinking that rather frequently.

Shivering slightly he pulled the blankets back up and decided to stay in bed for another little while, until Levi would clear the bathroom. Frowning slightly at a stab of pain when he moved his shoulder he looked down and found a dark bruise there – and there were another few, strewn across his torso. He guessed that Levi had inflicted them – he had woken him up with a vicious hit to his shoulder, he had probably delivered more painful blows the night before in attempt to fight Erwin off. He resisted the urge to pull the blankets over his head.

He laid back down and closed his eyes, trying to reconstruct the previous evening. Having not to worry about what things he could have possibly done to Levi anymore he felt calm enough to let his memory come back to him at its own pace, if at all. He doubted that anything interesting had happened during his stumbling back to the garrison, and he knew roughly what had happened here – that was enough. Even though he needed to find out if he had already been in these rooms when he had stripped off most of his clothes – instead of, and that thought was a dreadful one, starting to strip in the middle of the street. He didn't put anything past himself when he was drunk, he could be completely out of control.

He groaned and turned onto his stomach, burying his face in the pillow. Which did smell of peppermint and apples and he groaned again. This last one was one of the days, and Erwin had these really rarely, that could just be erased. Pretending that it had never happened seemed like a great idea. At least nobody of his own people, apart from Levi of course, had witnessed too much of his capers, not even his commander.

He briefly thought about the whole Nile-encounter but refused to go into that too deeply. While he really didn't want to cause the man pain Nile just had to accept that Erwin wouldn't come back to him. While Erwin just wasn't the kind of man that formed romantic relationships his profession didn't allow him too much room for such things either.

But Nile wasn't all that came to his mind when he laid there, letting his thoughts run wild. The protesting people busied his mind to quite an extent because he could still feel the anger boil in him when he thought of the Military Police officer trying to hit that little girl. The way the Military Police was handling this was disastrous, and Erwin could only see the situation get worse from there. If the government didn't change some things, and soon, there would be riots, and things would get really bloody. Titans wouldn't be their only problem, they would have to face dangers from within, as well. And they really didn't need that – the situation was tense and complicated enough as it was.

He thought of his sister briefly and then his thoughts shifted to something else that he couldn't really recall and he might have dosed off for a little while because he jerked awake when he heard a door being opened and closed. He opened his eyes and while the rest of his face was still buried in the pillow he watched Levi walk over to the wardrobe, clad in the military trousers, the white shirt Erwin had given him two days prior, and a dark blue scarf.

The boy threw him a brief glance. "Is the hang-over killing you?"

Erwin frowned a little, unable to place the boy's tone. It wasn't concern that was vibrating in his quiet voice, that was for sure. "I've suffered worse."

Levi looked at him gloomily and then turned towards the wardrobe.

"Damn it."

Erwin shot him a dark look and snorted into the pillow, thinking that he probably deserved the boy's spite.

Taking advantage of the moment he addressed Levi again, refusing to react verbally to the boy's meanness.

"Is my jacket in there? And the harness and all? I can't remember if I took it off here or elsewhere and having taken it off elsewhere would be highly inconvenient." And he didn't have any clue as to how to explain missing uniform parts to his fellow soldiers. He might have several shirts and also a spare jacket but he only had one harness.

Levi paused and then turned around, rolling his eyes at Erwin with his folded clothes still in his hands.

"Yes, they are fucking in there. I hung them up because you would have fallen on your stupid face trying to do that. You were too drunk to even take them off, I did that.", Levi huffed at him, his dark blue eyes narrowing.

Really not having expected that, Erwin stared at the dark haired boy. While the thought of him being too drunk to undress himself was embarrassing, knowing that Levi had been considerate enough to help him was astounding him. He felt that, after all he had heard about the previous night, he owed Levi.

"I'm sorry, Levi, for putting you through this. And thank you, I'll make that up to you somehow."

The boy glared at him and then jerked his head in the wardrobe's direction.

"You better. There are no bags we can use to transport the clothes in."

Erwin stared, with his throbbing head and still befuddled mind unable to follow the rapid change of topic right away. Levi's thin brows furrowed together and he tapped his foot impatiently when Erwin finally understood what the boy was talking about.

"Ah, we have saddlebags to stuff the clothes into. They're in the stables and we can bring them up later."

For some reason Levi crinkled his nose at him and then spun around to put his neatly folded clothes back into the wardrobe, mumbling something like 'fuck stuffing clothes' and some other things that Erwin couldn't quite catch. He shut the wardrobe, slid into his boots and then walked out of the room without another word, leaving Erwin to himself.

He took a deep breath and then successfully persuaded himself to get out of bed, too. The motion caused his head to protest with a sharp wave of pain and he groaned, staggering over to Levi's bedstand to grab the bottle of painkillers. Shaking out two directly he gushed them down with some water, realizing how thirsty he was. Another side-effect of the drinking, and he could have gone without that one, too, when he had to sit on a horse's back for most of the day and there wouldn't be too many possibilities for him to relief himself of the amounts of water he'd be consuming.

Sighing quietly to himself he went over to the wardrobe to get a clean change of clothes and then stepped into the bathroom to make himself look presentable. Which was very much needed, a quick glance into the mirror had him turning away from the sight with a disapproving sound. He looked terrible, besides his hair being disheveled and the stubble on his chin he had dark circles underneath his eyes and they were a little bloodshot, too. He hoped that washing off, a shave and a few cups of strong coffee would restore him back to being halfway decent.

The hot water did make him feel a little better, he didn't feel as crappy after having washed last night's remainders off his body and out of his hair, and brushing his teeth, shaving and combing his hair back into its usually neat state helped, too. He got dressed and then went back into the bedroom to pull on his leather belts, the boots and his jacket before entering the office.

With his legs crossed and the practicing book situated in his lap, Levi sat on the broad window sill and wrote letters onto the parchment, the bottle of ink next to him. He looked up when Erwin entered and his eyes narrowed a little when Erwin smiled at him, trying to lighten the mood.

"Ready for breakfast?" Judging from the light outside it was still rather early and it occurred to him that none of them could have slept long. Levi had probably fallen asleep after Erwin and he had been awake earlier. The dark circles below his eyes were shadowing his face and he also looked tired – musing darkly that they would probably pass out the moment they had the chance to that night, after having ridden for quite some time, Erwin watched Levi carefully cork the ink and blow onto his parchment for it to dry. Uncurling his body Levi slid from the window sill and carried the book, the quill and the ink back to Erwin's desk before facing him, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"You don't look like a wood gnome anymore."

Erwin sighed and wondered if Levi would ever let him hear the end of this – but probably not. While the whole matter was indeed a little upsetting Erwin realized that it somehow had not alienated Levi from him – no, it was quite the opposite. Even though Levi was annoyed by the whole thing and shamelessly mocking him he was still here, Erwin hadn't driven him away with his drunkenly inappropriate behaviour.

"I did my best," he said, gesturing towards the door. "Let's go."

They went downstairs to get their breakfast, Erwin sticking to bread and coffee because he wasn't sure if his stomach would handle anything else. He had the chatty women give Levi primarily bread and eggs, tea and milk, trusting Levi's stomach to be able to handle that by now. With their main quarters being situated far away from the capital Erwin doubted that he could provide Levi with the wide range of food that he had been able to get here so the boy needed to get used to the more usual nourishment soldiers obtained. Even though the women didn't let them go without a freshly baked pastry each, and they also had to promise to come back before leaving because the women would give them something to take with them on their journey. They were sad to see them go, Erwin could tell.

They sat down at their table, being the only ones in the room. Judging from the lack of plates that the women had to clean Erwin would say that most of the soldiers weren't up yet – he briefly wondered why they were up so early but he seriously hadn't questioned the time this morning when he had woken up to the shocking fact of Levi being in his bed.

The boy was silent and dug in, just like he always did, and drank his milk obediently, too. Erwin got a little lost in his thoughts while he was sipping his coffee, he had given up eating bread after half a slice. His stomach didn't like solid things, it was churning viciously and he felt it was safer to just not agitate it even more.

His thoughts traveled back to the dream he had had, about Military Police soldiers chasing and shooting at the protesting people. Apparently the whole incident had left a rather strong imprint if his subconscious had needed to process it during his sleep. The way these people had been treated had been inhumane – he especially remembered the little girl who had been hit by a Military Police soldier. She had looked so small and fragile in her torn, yellow scarf, and she had been crying. The Military Police would rile people up even more by handling things in such ways – restoring peace, and that was part of their job, too, was done differently.

He briefly wondered how Nile put up with that – the man didn't think of their people as 'dirty waster of space and food' like his commander did but he was still working for his force. He really hoped Nile wouldn't lose his obstinacy and some day would have enough power to change some things within the Military Police. And the Black Rose could as well -

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt when the conversation he had had with Nile suddenly popped up in his head. Staring at the boy he replayed the conversation in his head, recollecting the information Nile had given him. And he came to the conclusion that he had two options: To pretend that he didn't know a thing and just wait to see what would happen, or to confront Levi right away. And as he wasn't a man who could just let things go their merry way he decided to address the topic right away. He still neither judged nor condemned Levi, he just plain wanted to know what was going on.

"What's your deal with the Black Rose, Levi?", he asked, watching the dark haired boy intently. Bringing up the topic so suddenly gave him the advantage of surprise, Levi had most certainly not expected the question and his reaction would most likely be a very genuine one.

The boy's reaction was to lift his head, stare at him and frown. He was silent for a few seconds, as if he expected Irvin to elaborate, and when Irvin didn't his frown deepened. "The what?"

Irvin looked at him, trying to read him – and realized there wasn't too much to be interpreted because the reaction was a very open one. He displayed confusion and maybe a hint of annoyance on his features, if he was flustered or alarmed because he had been caught he didn't show any hint of it.

"The Black Rose. The merchant's guild.", Irvin clarified even though it was probably unnecessary.

Levi stared at him and his frown deepened, he took another sip of his tea. "Never heard of that."

It was Irvin's turn to frown. "Levi, they're the people supplying this district with food and other resources. Most of the available goods were purchased from the Black Rose."

Levi leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes, bringing one knee up to his chest. "Yesterday was practically the first time that I had money in my hands, not counting the few coins that I found on the streets. Do you really think I'd know anything about where the bloody goods that I never bought came from? I fucking don't. And I never cared." He huffed and stared at Irvin, never looking away. "So what kind of stupid question is that? My deal with the Black Rose? There's no damn deal. What the hell makes you think that?"

Irvin watched him, paying close attention to every gesture and every word. Levi's words sounded plausible, he had to admit – and he didn't pick up any nervousness at all. As far as Irvin could tell Levi was blatantly honest, as he always was.

Briefly looking around the room he lowered his voice a little, even though they were alone he wanted to hear if footsteps approached because they were discussing things that weren't destined to reach anybody else's ears.

"Somebody talked to me about you yesterday night," When Levi frowned at him he elaborated. "he brought it up and of course I didn't mention you. I just realized during the conversation that he must be talking about you."

Levi's brows furrowed and he stilled on his chair, sitting perfectly straight. "And how did you realize that?", he asked, his voice as hushed as Irvin's had become.

"He said the criminal they were searching for killed four people at once a couple of nights ago. It wasn't that hard to figure out." Levi's lips were pressed into a thin line and his brows still furrowed while he silently waited for Irvin to reach his conclusion. "He also said that the criminal had killed more people before that, they realized it was the same person because of the weapon he used." Levi's lips tightened even more at that. "And the last seven victims were members of the Black Rose, that's why they got the impression that the criminal had a problem with them."

"Which is bullshit.", the boy said, his voice calm. Dark blue eyes were looking at him, unwavering. "I killed people when they wanted to kill me first. I defend myself, you saw it." He paused, seemed to think for a couple of seconds, and then continued. "I honestly don't know what this is about and don't know anything about the Black Rose."

Irvin just listened to him, his own gaze bare of all emotions. He didn't really know what to make of it, but he was inclined to believe Levi. As far as he knew Levi had been nothing but honest with him so far.

"So you didn't go after them, they attacked you? And you also didn't know the people you killed were connected?"

Levi shook his head, taking another sip of his tea. "No.", he said, frustration mixing into his voice. "I defend myself, I'm not some blood thirsty lunatic."

Irvin looked at him for another little while, their eyes locked. Levi didn't blink even once.

And Irvin made a decision right there and then, because he trusted his instincts – they yet had to fail him, after all.

"Okay.", he simply said and took a sip of his coffee, grimacing slightly because the beverage had turned lukewarm.

Levi stared at him, arching a brow at him. "Okay?"

Pouring some more black coffee from the pot into his mug he nodded, taking another sip and finding the temperature more acceptable. "Yes, okay."

The dark haired boy stared some more, his head slowly tilting to the right. "Just... okay?"

Irvin smiled. "Yes, just okay."

Levi snorted, shaking his head at him. "You are the weirdest soldier of them all.", he said, frowning.

While he probably couldn't argue with that he still tilted his head to the side, looking questioningly at his companion. "And why is that?"

Levi shot him a piercing look. "Because you believe me. Just like that."

Irvin raised his eyebrows and took a sip of his coffee. "Do I have a reason not to?"

Levi stared at him and snorted again, leaning his elbow on his knee. "Probably like a million reasons. A fellow soldier makes you think that I could have ulterior motives or whatever it is you're thinking. Why on earth would you choose to believe ME?"

Irvin smiled and set his mug down on the table, keeping his hands curled around it to warm his hands. "You're a fellow soldier, too. And you're still here, you didn't take off the moment I confronted you. You're still here, willing to join my force. I just have no reason for not believing you. If you say you don't have a problem with the Black Rose, then you don't."

Levi blinked and his face contorted into a grimace, he snorted again.

„You're just plain weird. You'll end up getting stabbed in your sleep because you're so trusting."

Irvin laughed, feeling relieved that this conversation had processed well. "Let's hope a titan gets me first, shall we?", he mused, growing serious quickly after. Another thought crossed his mind and he was curious to bounce it off Levi to see what the boy thought of it. "I was thinking..." He ignored Levi's quiet "Oh no."and continued. "As it's very improbable that this all is a coincidence I think we have to consider them having a problem with you."

Levi frowned at that and Irvin understood the gesture, he was in the dark about the Black Rose's motives as well as Levi. "And I wouldn't rule out the contingency of yesterday's pursuer being part of the Black Rose, either." That had Levi stunned for a moment, but considering all facts Irvin thought his conclusion reasonably probable. If they really were after Levi for some reason Irvin found it safe to assume that yesterday's attack had been executed by them as well.

"But why? I never had anything to do with them, I didn't even know they fucking existed.", Levi muttered, rubbing on a little stain on his mug. Irvin just shrugged, taking another sip of his coffee.

"I honestly don't know, Levi, but I'd say the problem will eradicate itself this afternoon." With them leaving the Black Rose's sales area, and as he was sure that they wouldn't expect Levi to leave with the scouting legion the boy would be off the radar.

The dark haired boy nodded to that and lowered his gaze at the table, apparently getting lost in his own thoughts, when Irvin gestured at his half filled mug.

"Drink your tea, it'll get cold." If it wasn't already, but Levi picked up his mug and drank obediently – he probably didn't care about his beverage's temperature at all, content as he was with everything he got. He was holding the cup in that peculiar way again, Irvin noticed, admiring Levi for the skill of not pouring tea all over his fingers as he drank.

They sipped their beverages in silence for a couple of minutes, both of them lost in their own thoughts, when Levi spoke up again, his voice and features back to their normal neutrality.

"I need to pick up the clothes at the seamstress's." He looked at Irvin and they both knew why he brought it up. Irvin returned his look, quietly considering their options, and verbally announced his decision to Levi.

"I'll go with you.", he said, A thin eyebrow was arched at him in question and he smiled, finishing his second cup of coffee.

"They lost you yesterday and I doubt they'll search for you in the busy streets, it's not where they'd expect you. That's not why I want to accompany you. But I do owe Vera an apology, I think. She'd take it amiss if I didn't stop by personally."

Levi's lips curled into a sardonic smile and after discussing a serious topic Irvin was almost glad to see it. "I think she already does, 'insolent brat'."

He snorted and served himself to another half of a cup of coffee. "Even more important for me to stop by." Even though he didn't think that Vera was seriously angry at him he wouldn't risk it – he'd rather not incense the energetic woman.

They finished in silence and returned their used dishes to the kitchen before heading for the main gates. Soldiers slowly trickled down into the common room and Irvin greeted them while Levi was silent at his side, his face impassive.

It was still rather early in the morning so Irvin didn't expect the streets to be crowded – but his expectations proved wrong when they stepped out into the streets. Little stands everywhere and people busily walking between them, looking at goods and handing money to the sellers, could only mean one thing: It was market day. Irvin groaned, instantly wishing that he had sent Levi to get his clothes on his own. While the throbbing of his head had subsided during breakfast it was back now, provoked by the noise level around him. But he resigned himself over to his fate and started walking, knowing they didn't have to walk very far.

"Let's get this over with.", he said, looking over at Levi – who seemed to be as uninspired about the mass of people as Irvin was. His face was set into a tight scowl and he was tense, his gaze constantly darting around to be able to keep track of everything that happened around them; Irvin also noticed that Levi kept close to him and avoided coming near other people. He disliked crowds, Irvin had already noticed the previous day after the choir's practice when the boy had lead him into the network of narrow streets instead of using the crowded main street. And considering his encounter with the unknown pursuer it was understandable that Levi was on guard.

They had made it through the worst crowd when Irvin stopped at a little stand and bought a bouquet of fresh flowers, thanking the girl selling them when she handed the white flowers to him. Next to him Levi arched an eyebrow at him and eyed the flowers sceptically. "You really think a bunch of flowers'll help?"

Irvin smiled at the boy and sniffed the flowers while they walked on. "I yet have to meet the woman that can't be appeased with flowers."

They reached Vera's shop a few minutes later and entered, the bells chiming. Hearing the owner calling "Good morning to you, I'll be right with you!" from the back of the shop he couldn't help but think that it was all comfortably familiar. When not serving customers in the front Vera was mostly in the back on her sewing machines, producing the clothes her clients ordered.

Expecting the red haired woman to appear in the doorway to her little chamber Irvin turned into its direction and only a few seconds later Vera did enter the shop, just needing a second to recognize her customers. Her face broke into a smile and she greeted Levi cheerfully and told him that it was good to see him - and then her hands went to her hips immediately and her eyes narrowed when her gaze shifted to Irvin.

"Nooo Irvin, don't you even think for one second that some flowers are enough to be forgiven.", she said, walking brusquely towards them. He heard Levi snicker softly next to him and he almost took a step back in the face of Vera's intensity – but then the woman stopped in front of him and scooped the flowers out of his arms to sniff them, and she closed her eyes. "But they are beautiful, damn you for knowing that tulips are my favorite."

It was his time to throw Levi a triumphant look, which was answered by one of Levi's extremely bored expressions, and then he placed his palms on Vera's forearms to kiss her cheek. "Just as beautiful as you, Vera." The phrase, and he had to admit that it was indeed a rather lame one but he felt inapt to come up with something more creative, earned him stares from both Vera and Levi, but while the boy's was borderline disgusted Vera's was a surprised one. She tittered and then swatted at Irvin's hand, taking a step back with a playfully reproving smile. "Irvin, you stop that right away." She turned around and went back to her little chamber, probably searching for a vase, her voice sounding a little muffled. "Even though old women like me love hearing such things from charming young men like you you can't just make my wrath melt away."

Irvin laughed at that and watched Vera when she came back to the front, she had found a bright yellow vase that she put the red flowers into. Setting the vase on a little side table she arranged the flowers until she was happy with the way they looked and when she turned back to Irvin and Levi she was smiling.

"You're not even that much older, Vera." Irvin said and chuckled when the redhead gave him an indignant huff. "I'm old enough to be your mother, Irvin."

He waved her off and chuckled."Believe me, you wouldn't want that. I'm a dreadful son."

Vera paused. The sudden shift of atmosphere was almost tangible in the air when her smile dimmed down to a careful frown; and it took him a second to understand. Certainly he should have expected it - but in his still slightly dishevelled state of mind he hadn't really thought that far. Which was probably terrible and he felt guilty immediately but he refused to let the feeling affect him. He was about to wave the whole thing off with a smile when the redhaired woman raised her hand and smacked him on the back of his head with a reproachful stare. She also opened her mouth to say something and he was very sure she would have if a strangled but definitely pained sound hadn't cut her off. A wave of pain shot through his head, making him groan again and he raised a hand to rub his forhead, which didn't have any effect at all but it was the most natural reflex to touch the hurting part of the body.

Vera stared at him, then she grabbed his chin and made him look at her, turning his head to the left and to the right, and let him go with a frown.

"You drank. Didn't you?" She turned to Levi, who was watching the whole scene with a carefully guarded expression, and pointed at Irvin. "He did, didn't he?"

The dark-haired boy threw a glance at Irvin, who was doing his best to signal the boy to keep his mouth shut, and then turned his attention back to Vera. "He did. He was shit faced drunk."

Irvin groaned and Vera stared at Levi, throwing a dark glance at Irvin and then looked back over at the boy, concern suddenly mixing into her expresion. "He didn't do anything to you, right?" She turned back to Irvin. "You didn't, did you?"And back to Levi. "I know how he gets when he's drunk, if you don't want to end up in his bed you better stay far away from him."

Irvin stared at her, and Levi stared at them both, alternating between staring darkly at Irvin and way less darkly at Vera. Irvin wanted to smack him when a little, barely perceivable, but definitely dark smile contorted his lips. "I did end up in his bed."

He knew that Vera would have hit him on the back of his head again if he hadn't taken a step back just in case, and he was very sure that the smile on the little bastard's face only grew a little wider.

"Irvin Smith! You have no shame! It's bad enough you do that to women twice your age, but this is..." She trailed off, apparently realising what she had just said, and her naturally pale cheeks flushed a little. Levi had obviously understood what she had just said, too, the look he was switching back and forth between them told Erwin as much.

Vera turned towards Levi abruptly, huffing. "You need to be careful with this one, very careful." And she really reached out and yanked his ear.

Levi threw him a look like Erwin was something disgusting and at the same time very pathetic before shifting his stormy eyes back to Vera. "I know. Can I get the clothes?" He obviously wanted to get out of this shop as soon as possible.

Vera nodded and then went to fetch the clothes she had made for Levi, and Levi ignored every of Erwin's attempts to get the boy's attention by intently inspecting his fingernails. Which where impeccably clean, Erwin could tell.

She wasn't gone for long and when she reappeared from her little chamber she was carrying a stack of neatly folded clothes in her hands. Which she handed over to Levi, pointing at a little fitting room. "Feel free to try everything on, Levi. I hope they fit you just as well as the first ones you got."

The dark haired boy took the clothes from her and shook his head. "It'll be fine."

Vera smiled and cocked her head a little to the side. "I'll have you know that I made them a little bigger. Yound boys tend to grow into all directions during their military training so I thought they might last you longer."

Oh he probably would grow. He'd certainly grow some muscles, maybe even gain another inch in height.

Levi nodded and frowned at her. "Do you have something I can put this in?"

She nodded and went off to get him something, returning with a cotton bag for Levi. The boy put his new belongings into it carefully and then slung the bag over his shoulder, obviously very ready to leave the shop.

Erwin turned to the red haired woman and smiled at her, even though she was still eyeing him rather darkly. "Thank you very much for doing this in so little time, Vera. I knew I could count on you."

Vera shot him another dark look before her face lit up, she sighed theatrically. "You're welcome Erwin. Although you'll probably always be an insufferably insolent brat.", she said, shrugging and giving him a little grin.

"I know you like that.", Erwin retorted, winking at her and then taking a big step back when she attempted to smack his head yet again.

"Ohhh you get out of my shop!", Vera cried and shooing Erwin towards the front door. Turning to Levi she smiled at him, reaching out to ruffle the boys hair, and it was kind of satisfying to see the boy's face contort into a grimace. "It was so nice seeing you again Levi. Take care! You too, Erwin.", she added as if it was an afterthought, but she came over to him and hugged him nonetheless. Erwin hugged her back and patted her shoulder before letting go, smiling at her again.

"We'll try." That was all he could really say to her because he couldnt promise her any more. "Goodbye Vera."

Her smile faltered and she grabbed the handle of her front door as if she needed it to steady herself. Each time Erwin parted with somebody it could have been the last time – a thought that Erwin had been living with for years. It always seemed so much harder for the other person so cope with that fact, though.

"Goodbye..."

He smiled at her encouragingly and raised a hand in farewell before he turned around and left the shop. Levi didn't need long to fall in step beside him, and he also didn't need long to start talking.

"Being around you is bad. And I'm getting way too much information about things I've never wanted to think about."

Erwin smiled sheepishly and looked over at him. "I don't think I'm the culprit for the latter. But I'm sorry that you had to witness that."

The snort Levi exhaled made his smile only grow wider. "I'm really sorry about that too, believe me. Gross." He paused in his tirade and seemed to think for a second. "And how could you possibly be a bad son? You sound like the poster boy of a son to me."

He felt the muscles in his face freeze and the corners of his mouth dropped considerably. What a perceptive boy Levi was.

"I'm really not."

"Oh yeah? Selflessly out there risking his life fighting titans to protect humanity from being eaten? That sounds pretty good to me. Dumb but good."

"I got my mother killed."

The silence that followed his words was a welcomed one as he really wasn't going to go into the subject any further. All he heard from Levi was a non-committal grunt but the boy was clever enough to not comment on the matter any further.

A thought crossing his mind he took the next turn to the right and walked down another sunfilled but less busy street.

"Erwin, are you still drunk? The garrison is that way.", Levi said, pointing in the direction of their destination, but Erwin shook his head when he looked back at him over his shoulder.

"I thought we could pick up a harness for you while we're here. The supplier is close by." He wanted to make Levi try using the 3D-maneuver gear within the next few days, just to see if his suspicion that the boy would be a natural at it was proven true, and if they didn't get him a gear now he'd probably first get it at the training camp. Of course they had spare leather straps and parts of the gear at the head quarters but he could as well get Levi his own gear while they were still in town.

"How convenient.", Levi muttered when he fell back in step with him and Erwin just retorted a cheerful "Isn't it?"

They made their way down the street and Levi looked around them, inspecting their surroundings. "We're going to the Military police headquarter...?" Erwin could derive from his voice that he wasn't happy about his observation and Erwin looked over to him. "No, it's a seperate place. But it's close to the head quarter, yes."They boy frowned a little but kept on walking and Erwin lead him into another street that crossed the one they had been walking on. He understood the boy's reservations for getting anywhere close to the Military police, especially now that they were sure about their searching for Levi. But he didn't think that this was risky, because they had no idea what they were actually looking for – Levi just didn't look like somebody who had killed probably a dozen people.

The task of getting a harness for Levi was a rather easy one. Erwin just had to tell them his name and what they needed the harness for and he was immediately supplied with one. Of course they received some odd staring which Erwin ignored professionally – people bearing the wings of freedom on their backs mostly received odd staring. Or awed or frightened staring. He was used to being stared at. Levi was a different matter, though. The boy wasn't used to the morbid attention so he did some staring of his own, mostly annoyed staring.

"Do I have something on my face?", he muttered at a female military police soldier who had been eyeing them with interest, causing her to turn away and mind her own business. Erwin tried to bite back a grin, watching Levi put the harness onto his slender body. He did it in front of a mirror to make it easier for him, slowly figuring out where to put which leather strap. He had fastened the belts around his legs and thighs, put on the leather loincloth, and was just closing the clasp of the belt that circled his hip when his narrow eyes looked up at Erwin through the mirror.

"Just how long do you need for this every morning?"

Erwin chuckled and too a step towards him, reaching for the rest of the harness that was dangling down from his middle. "You get a lot faster at it, don't worry." Levi arched an eyebrow at him when he held up the upper part of the harness up for him but then complied, letting Erwin help him into the netting of leather belts. "Just wait until you'll have put it on every morning for a few months.", he told him, reaching around him to fasten the clasp on his chest. "You'll be able to put the harness on in your sleep." Erwin placed his hands on the boy's shoulders for a moment before he took a step back, studying Levi closely. He reached out and adjusted a belt or another, tugging here and there, but could fully approve of its fit. The harness was snug in the places it was supposed to be and offered Levi a little room where he would need it.

"Looks very good. This harness is part of your life insurance, it's essential that it fits impeccably."

Levi fingered the leather straps in some places, turned on the balls of his feet to be able to look at his backside in the mirror before gazing up at Erwin. "I didn't expect it to be this light. I barely feel it, apart from the constriction."

He smiled at that and tilted his head to the side a little. "The 3D-maneuver gear is very light, too, you'll be surprised. It's held in just a few places, It's actually quite eimpressive." He wasn't wearing his weapon on him, since he wasn't allowed to use it within the city's boundaries anyway, but he could show Levi the few places where the weapon would be attached to the harness.

Levi nodded and turned again, looking at himself in the mirror for another few seconds, and Erwin couldn't help but feel a little proud.

"Can we leave now?", the dark haired boy asked him, pulling his dark blue scarf a little tighter around his neck. Erwin nodded at him, thinking that Levi would have to think of something else to keep his throat warm when he started his training. The scarf would simply be too dangerous.

Levi pulled his boots back on and Erwin thanked the soldiers who had been helpful to them before they left the place, Levi trailing after him before catching up.

"Damn I can't wait to get out of this city.", Levi muttered when they were out in the street again. "I would be glad to never see another stupid unicorn in my life."

Erwin felt a genuine laugh erupt from his mouth when he heard the term 'unicorn' and he grinned at Levi. "That's very unlikely, I'm afraid. But we'll only see them occasionally." He could very well do without the unicorns, too, but it wasn't his place to say so. They protected the king and his family after all – but that thought didn't come without a sour aftertaste.

Levi grumbled a little and Erwin lead him into a network of narrow streets. "Let's take a shortcut here." The street would lead them almost directly back to their garrison.

They had made it halfway down the street when Erwin suddenly heard agitated voices that were not too far away. He stopped and frowned, trying hard to locate where the voices were coming from.

"I fucking didn't sign up for this! Why do we have to take care of this garbage?"

"He's right, what the fuck is this?"

"Because it's been an order. From up high, so shut the fuck up, damnit!"

Erwin turned and then carefully made his way down a little path bettween two houses that was just broad enough to fit him. "Honestly, can you never just go where you're supposed-" Erwin, who had just reached the end of the little path, slashed at the air and silenced Levi successfully before the men who had been talking to each other noticed them. Erwin stared, not needing very long to put two and two together – and what he saw made his blood boil.

They were at the bank of the navigable river, at the shabby and abandoned part of the docks. The men had made a pile – a pile of human bodies, had put dry wood in between them to be able to set them on fire easily. The bodies were still, stiff, limp, depending on how long the indivudual person had been dead, their clothes blood-soaked. Erwin had seen piles of human bodies, after one of their missions had failed, after an epidemic that had carried off hunderds of people – the sight didn't shock him. But this was neither, neither the necessary burning of infected people nor that of half manductated, mutilated soldiers.

He could see the yellow scarf. Amongst the dead people were children, and one of them, a little girl with blood streaked, blond hair, had her yellow, torn scarf still around her neck. Her eyes were wide open and stared at the sky, unable to ever see it again.

Those were the people from last night. The people who had intruded the party last night – and the military police and well taken care of them. Probably shooting them on the spot and hunting those who had fled until they had had them all. On a superiors command. He didn't need to guess twice who had given the order.

Erwan wanted to be sick.

He heard Levi inhale sharply next to him when one of them lit a match while another poured some kind of liquid onto their stake, probably a fire accelerant. The military police soldier threw the match into the pile and the bodies burst into flames immediately, making the soldiers take a few steps back.

Erwin grabbed Levi's wrist and turned around on his heels, stalking the path back to the narrow road where they had entered it. The stench of burning human flesh filled the air immediately and although he was used to it this time it really made him feel nauseous. The fury he was feeling thrummed in his stomach, coiling tight, and his jaw was clenched so hard that his teeth hurt.

"What the fuck was that? There were children in that pile! And let go of my arm."

Erwin obeyed but didn't slow down, he needed to get away from there before he did something really stupid. He couldn't help these people anymore – it crossed his mind that, when he had tried to remember the previous night in the morning, he had remembered a few hazy images of military policemen chasing civillians – it obviously hadn't been a dream. He had witnessed it but had been too drunk to do something about it. And even if he hadn't been, could he have done anything to save them? Probably not much – the thought made his fury burn even more.

"That," he spat, "was the fucking military police thinking they can arbitrarily handle things that are not theirs to handle." They had no right, absolutely none, to just shoot people because they were hungry and desperate. Even though they had intruded in a noble's house, that was no reason.

"By shooting children? What's that about, I don't understand.", Levi muttered, having to lenthen his steps to be able to keep up with Erwin's stride. He slowed down a little when he noticed.

"These people protested at the party I attended yesterday – now they're all dead. Apparently that's the new course of action." The last words sounded more like an insult than anything else.

"These fuckers.", Levi hissed, not at all surprised – he had hated the military police anyway. "Can't you report that?"

Erwin snorted when they walked down their shortcut, almost at the garrison already. "To who? The order came 'from up high', it was probably their commander who gave it himself. After the fit he threw yesterday."

"They're just all rotten though and though. Fuck them." Levi said and even though Erwin couldn't entirely agree with him he felt just as furious as Levi seemed to be. His number one favourite right now was putting a bullet right between Jarvis Ashners's eyes – just to let him experience his own procedure.

It was really time that they got out of this city.

Unfortunately their plan of just getting their stuff and be out of Hermiha within half an hour didn't seem to be operable – when they returned to the main street and walked the last few meters back to the garrison they both stopped dead in their tracks.

At the main entrance stood Dallis Zackley, and he was accompanied by no one less than Jarvis Ashner. Apart from about a dozen military policemen standing guard. Nile Dawk was among them. One of them glanced in their direction and then pointed at them, making the other soldiers' heads turn. Erwin heard Levi inahle sharply, could feel the tension building up in the boy, rapidly, and he felt his insides go cold.

Dallis Zackley started walking over to them, briskly, and Erwin raised a hand to grab Levi's shoulder.

"Do you trust me?", he asked the dark haired boy, his voice vibrating with so much more than anger now, vibrating so much that he sounded strong, composed.

He wouldn't stop him. If Levi wanted to run he would let him, he would understand. He might even have a chance, suble and fast as he was. He had evidentially outrun a shooter before – but Erwin thought his chances better if he remained with him. It was just a feeling, and he didn't know how yet, but he had a feeling that Levi would survive this day. If he had managed to gain the boy's trust.

The shoulder under his hand was tense, and the soldier were coming nearer, he was running out of time. The civillians around them had stopped, staring, whispering to each other, and Levi seemed to think rapidly, his muscles to tense that Erwin thought he might snap any second – when the body nodded. Curtly, but he did.

Erwin closed his eyes and squeezed his shoulder before letting go, stepping in front of the boy.

"Good. Let me save your life today, Levi."

The snort behind him was barely perceivable, but it was there – a proof that Levi knew what he was alluding to.

Erwin raised his hands in the face of a dozen rifles pointed at them, staring at them calmly. He could clearly make out Nile, his face tense and his eyes narrowed, and he could only assume how betrayed the gruff man must have felt.

"I'm sorry, Erwin, but when I heard about the killings here in Hermiha and what their investigation has brought to light I couldn't keep this to myself.", Dallis Zackley told him lowly, he was the first one to reach them. Erwin just nodded, not paying his commander too much attention. "I understand, I'm sure you acted with the best of intentions." His voice was neutral, it was obligatory that he treaded lightly wherever he set his feet from now on.

"Corporal Erwin Smith, we must ask you to accompany us to the headquarters. We have a few questions.", one of the soldier's said, probably one of their higher generals, while the others started to make a circle around them. They seemed on edge, the rifle of one of the soldier's shook slightly in his hands. Another one approached them cautiously with a pair of shackles. Erwin just shook his head.

"Those won't be needed. We're not putting up any resistance. Lead the way, we'll accompany you."

"With all due respect, corporal, that's ludicrous." Jarvis Ashner spoke up for the first time and Erwin looked at him levelly, having a hard time hiding the spite that he felt for this pathetic man. "That boy is accused of multiple murder, there's no way he'll be lead into our headquarters without shackles." At least he wasn't drunkenly sputtering obloquies today. Maybe the slightest bit of common sense had returned to the probably most incapable military police commander that the three walls had ever seen.

"Very well. Then I'll wear shackles, too." He stretched out his hands expectantly, arching his eyebrows at the soldier with the shackles. "Come on, don't be shy. I won't bite you.", he urged the man on and the latter flushed, very cautiously approaching Erwin. "If one of my soldiers is being detained I'll be detained, too. I'm his corporal and therefore responsible for him."

"Erwin, that's-"

"Dallis, let him. If he wants to make a fool out of himself.", Ashner interrupted the scouting legion's commander, glaring at Erwin, and Erwin returned the look coolly.

"I gladly will."

The military police commander growled and gave his soldier a sign to finally put the shackles onto Erwin's wrist. Then he turned towards Levi, even more hesitantly, and the dark haired boy looked up at Erwin. His stormy eyes were boring into Erwin's own, searching for something, and apparently he found it because when Erwin nodded at him, the boy huffed and held out his arms so the soldier could put shackles around his wrists, too.

"About time, let's go."

They started moving, the commanders lead their little procession. Erwin and Levi walked next to each other, surrounded by the other military policemen, and Erwin was sure that he could feel Nile's piercing stare on his back.

Levi looked up at him and Erwin met his gaze, smiling at the dark haired boy encouragingly. Levi just narrowed his eyes.

"If you get me killed here without me seeing a single titan, I swear to... whatever is out there, I'll return to hunt you forever."

Erwin actually had the audacity to laugh at that. He felt his common sense taking over, his rationality that had kept him sane and probably alive during these past years flooding through him and calming him. In his head he was already toying with strategies, calculating strategies, pondering what to say and what to conceal.

"It would be a real shame if you didn't make it to the titans."

The boy snorted and then looked straight ahead. "You better make it happen."

The corners of his mouth curled into a little smile, the trust this boy put in him was endearing – he would try his best not to disappoint him.

Notes:

OMFG

Nobody will understand just how happy I am that this chapter is finally done... TAT

I had a very long phase of writer's block... the chapter was almost done (well, in the end I had to add another 8 pages or so, but STILL the majority had already been written months ago. 8DDDD) I was just... busily doing everything but write. I changed my main profession, took up a third job and my free time is reduced to an absolute minimum now. But I might move to America next year so... I need money. XD And the rest of my free time was dedicated to horseback riding and my darling girlfriend, of course.

I let you guys wait for almost a year, and for that I'm really, really sorry. I love you for sticking with me, though, and your comments and 'I believe in Cigamina' badges were really giving me the necessary strenght and inspiration to continue. :333 THANK YOU!

I won't make any prognosis for the next chapter but it's going to be a really interesting one – so I hope I'll get it out soon. Can't wait to write it actually. 3

Poor Levi for fighting with his harness... but I had to insert that because I know his pain. I've cosplayed SnK and I made that harness, along with everything else – and it's a real pain. XDDD

So, I'll leave you guys for another while, but be sure that I won't give up on this story. :3