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Tradition They Say	By : Sasunarufan13 Category: +. to F > Attack on Titan /Shingeki No Kyojin Views: 2611 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Attack on Titan nor profit from it. Hajime Isayama owns it.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Author's note: Managed to finish the chapter on time, yay!
Warnings: Hm, nothing in specific, bar some small time skips
I hope you'll like it!
Chapter 6
When Levi stepped outside his room the next morning, he was surprised to see Eren waiting for him. The boy had been leaning against the opposite wall, but at the sight of the captain appearing in the doorway, he instantly straightened up and saluted him – something he hadn't done in weeks.
"Good morning, Captain," Eren greeted him formally and a hint of nerves flashed through his eyes. "I wanted to ask you something if you don't mind."
"Sure, ask," Levi said slowly, shrugging off the odd feeling of unsettlement at hearing Eren being so formal towards him. That was how they were supposed to be: Eren as his subordinate and him his captain.
"Er, with Zuschauer gone now, would it – be okay if I told my friends the truth?" Eren asked haltingly. "I mean, that you only became my Enquirer to – to keep me safe. Can they know about that now?"
"I don't see why not," Levi answered after a pause. "As long as they keep their mouths shut about it and don't spread it around. Zuschauer might be gone, but that doesn't mean this is something that can be freely talked about. The last thing we need is for word about this to get back to the inner city."
"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!" Eren nodded gratefully before he quickly rushed away, presumably to inform the rest of the brats about the actual truth.
Idly Levi wondered whether Ackerman would try to punch him again for keeping the truth from them. Considering her instability when it concerned Eren, it wouldn't really surprise him.
Closing the door behind him, he took a moment to reflect how odd it had been not to wake up to Eren's presence in the room this morning. He hadn't thought it possible, but somehow during these past few months, he'd grown used to having Eren near him. He'd become adjusted to hearing the boy's soft breathing when he woke up, to the way he dazedly followed Levi into the bathroom and down to the hall before he would fully wake up and they would start on their chores or training of that day.
With Zuschauer no longer trailing – or more accurately stalking – them, though, there was no reason anymore for the two of them to remain so close. The contract still existed, but only in written form – there was no need for Eren to act as a Companion anymore. As long as word didn't spread, they could go back to acting like they always had done and forget this whole Companion mess.
He never thought he'd say this, but it would probably be weird not to have Eren that close to him anymore – at least until he got used to it again.
"Ah, Levi, first morning without your cane, how are you holding up?" Erwin asked when Levi arrived at the first floor.
"Perfectly fine," Levi said crisply. "I warn you, Erwin, if you try to push the cane back in my hands, you won't like where I'll put it next."
"Understood," Erwin smiled, falling into pace with him. "Just making sure you're in perfect health again."
"I've been fine for the last two weeks, but you all decided you knew better than me," Levi snarked, descending the last step.
"Just looking out for you," the blond man chuckled and they entered the breakfast hall where the scent of scrambled eggs and toast curled into their nostrils.
"I don't need anyone to look out for me," Levi muttered, eyeing the hall in distaste. Clearly the group responsible for cleaning yesterday hadn't done their jobs. "Tell me, what's so difficult about keeping this place clean? Haven't I demonstrated enough times how they should accomplish that?"
Even with nearly everybody present at breakfast – Hange and Moblit noticeably missing, but that had happened before when Hange got too caught up in an experiment – there was no disguising the fact that the tables hadn't been cleaned properly nor had the floor been swept; crumbs from last supper still covering the tiles. Filthy animals, the lot of them.
When Levi went to the kitchen to grab his own breakfast, he was aware of the multitude of eyes following him; their gazes almost burning a hole in the back of his head. Ah, Eren must have told them already.
On his way to his table, he briefly glanced at Eren, who seemed wrapped up in a heated discussion with Kirstein; the both of them looking rather red in the face already. Arlert had his hands raised placatingly, which was a sharp contrast to the anxious look plastered on his face.
"Got to hand it to you, Yeager, you're a master at playing people," Ymir chortled, shaking her head thoroughly amused. "You've got some balls lying to someone of the inner city."
"It was really risky what you did there, Eren," Lenz said concerned, worrying her lower lip between her teeth.
"Well, he's not called a suicidal bastard for nothing," Kirstein sneered; his eyes flashing and his fork clenched tightly in his fist.
"Shut the fuck up, horse face!" Eren snapped; the flush in his cheeks steadily deepening. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about!"
"They're lively this morning," Erwin commented when Levi took the seat next to him. "I take it young Eren told his friends the truth behind the contract."
"Obviously he did," Levi grunted, taking a large gulp from his piping hot tea. He felt like he was going to need the caffeine in it if he wanted to get through this day.
"Captain?" Ackerman halted in front of the table; her face unreadable and her dark eyes blank as she gazed at the older man.
Slowly lowering his cup on the table, he said, "Yes, Ackerman? What do you want?" A quick glance behind her showed Eren still locked in a heated debate with Kirstein and he questioned silently why she wasn't there trying to break them up like she usually did.
"Eren told me why you decided to pick his contract," she said stiffly, clasping her hands behind her back. She stood ramrod straight, her shoulders tense.
He inclined his head silently, not seeing any need to expand on it. If Eren had told them the whole truth, she knew all there was needed to know.
"I'm here to – apologise for punching you," she continued through gritted teeth, looking like she wanted to be in any other place but here.
"You came to apologise," Levi repeated flatly, hiding his surprise at this unexpected development. She had kept her distance after that time she'd punched him, keeping to glaring at him whenever she looked in his direction. She had certainly not apologised for hitting a superior.
What had changed all of a sudden?
"Yes, I – shouldn't have reacted like that," she went on stiffly, pressing her lips tightly together before exhaling loudly. "You were only doing it to keep Eren safe and I … I apologise. I shouldn't have done that. Thank you for keeping Eren safe."
Leaning back in his chair, he crossed his arms. "You do realise that even if the contract had been real, it was none of your business, right? You're lucky you didn't appear in court. They don't take kindly to soldiers attacking their superiors," he said coolly.
She bared her teeth; her eyes glowing with a fire similar to the one he'd seen in Eren's eyes so often before. "I don't care. I'd kill if that meant keeping Eren safe," she said and while her voice was soft, it held an undercurrent of danger. "I offered you my apology, take it or leave it." With that she whirled around and marched into the kitchen, adjusting her red scarf.
"She's a dangerous person to cross," Erwin mused aloud, spreading butter across his toast. "Even when apologising, she can't help but be insubordinate, hm?"
Levi exhaled slowly, picking up his tea again. "I've heard worse," he muttered. "Can't really fault her either. Loyalty like those three have towards each other is hard to come by these days."
"I don't know," Erwin said pensively. "I'd say you have - "
"YOU SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH, JEAN OR I SHUT IT FOR YOU!" Eren snarled, flying out of his chair and slamming his hands down on the table.
"Oh, did I hit a nerve, Yeager?" Kirstein smirked viciously, rising up as well. "What, you thought he'd actually want to - "
He was abruptly cut off when Eren lunged forwards, grabbed Kirstein around his neck and slammed him down to the floor where he proceeded to beat the shit out of the boy.
"EREN!"
Ackerman came flying out of the kitchen, but Levi was quicker. He jumped over the table and rushed towards the two fighting boys, snatching Eren underneath his armpits and hauling him off the bleeding boy underneath him.
"Eren, calm the fuck down!" Levi barked when Eren still struggled fiercely against his hold, nearly escaping it. At the sound of his voice – or the order – Eren released a shuddering breath and slumped forwards, all the fight suddenly drained out of him.
"Jean, you're okay?" Arlert asked worriedly, bending down next to Kirstein.
Kirstein sat up slowly, holding his hand against his nose. It didn't do much to stop the blood from pouring out, streaming down his chin and splattering down on his shirt.
"Get him cleaned up and bring him to my office afterwards," Levi snapped and snatched Eren's arm before the latter could even think of sneaking away. Narrowing his eyes dangerously, he hissed, "You are coming with me now!"
Eren gulped and his eyes briefly flickered towards the kitchen, avoiding Ackerman's accusing gaze, before he nodded resigned and followed Levi out of the hall.
At least the idiot wasn't that stupid to think he could outrun Levi.
Levi let Eren stew in silence in his office while they waited for Kirstein to join them. The boy refused to look at him, keeping his eyes lowered to the floor the entire time. At least here he seemed to be ashamed of his actions, which he rightfully should be.
He didn't know what the deal between the two boys was, but he couldn't have them rowing like that again. The last thing they needed after Zuschauer had finally fucked off, was for fights like this one to get back to the inner city. The Military Police would just love any excuse that would allow them to get their paws on Eren.
The implication that Levi couldn't keep Eren under his thumb would be enough to have the higher ups taking the shifter right out of the Survey Corps and handing him over to the Military Police.
He looked up when the door opened and Kirstein shuffled inside, scowling at the floor. There was still some dried blood smeared around his nose but he'd changed his shirt so that he didn't look like a stabbing victim anymore. He fell down heavily in the other chair, balling his fists.
"Mind telling me why you decided fighting was necessary? Or can't you digest your fucking breakfast without beating the shit out of each other?" Levi demanded harshly, crossing his arms and leaning against the edge of his desk.
"It wasn't anything special; just an argument that got out of hand," Eren muttered; his green grey eyes still fixated on the floor.
Kirstein pressed his lips tightly together but didn't refute it.
"An argument that got out of hand," Levi repeated flatly and the brat's shoulders hunched. "Just a stupid argument that made you want to choke Kirstein?"
"Nothing new there," Kirstein muttered mulishly.
Eren whipped his head around, baring his teeth. "Maybe if you weren't so stupid, I wouldn't feel the need to choke you," he sneered.
"How about you shut the hell up, Yeager, before I - "
"Do I need to remind you that you're still in my presence?" Levi asked coolly and that shut both boys up quickly. Looking from one boy to the other, he clucked his tongue. "So that's the story you're sticking to? An argument?"
"Yes, sir," Eren muttered and Kirstein nodded, though it looked like it pained him to agree with the other one.
"I can't have you starting a brawl just like that," Levi said annoyed, walking back around his desk. "This castle might only host our group, but that doesn't mean word can't get out either way. To make sure you're both going to remember how you actually need to behave as a soldier, you, Kirstein, will be mucking out the stables on your own and you, Yeager, will be responsible for cleaning the cellar and the last two floors all on your own. If I see anyone helping you out – and don't worry, I will know – you'll wish they hadn't. Am I clear?"
"Crystal, Captain," Eren mumbled, looking properly chastised.
Kirstein looked ready to protest, but one warning look and he closed his mouth with a snap, his scowl deepening.
"Yeager, you can start on the basement now; Kirstein, the stables. Dismissed." He watched them trudge out of his office and was pretty certain their argument started anew in the corridor. There were no sounds of an actual fight, though, so he just rolled his eyes and sat down, rubbing his forehead.
Beating him to a pulp just because of a stupid argument, huh? Yeah, pull the other one.
"I've always known you were secretly a softie," Hange's annoying voice piped up.
Closing his eyes for a moment, Levi reminded himself again that killing one of their own, their resident scientist, wouldn't end well for them in the long run. Even if it was so, so fucking tempting to throw her from one of the fucking towers …
"You don't have any experiments to conduct or Moblit or even Erwin to bother?" he asked annoyed, placing his pen down. As long as she was here, he wouldn't get any work done, he knew.
"Need to wait an hour for the result of my most recent experiment," she answered cheerfully, entering the room without waiting for a welcome and dropped down on a chair. "Moblit is keeping an eye on it and Erwin is doing paperwork."
"I am doing paperwork," he pointed out coolly, narrowing his eyes.
She waved her hand. "Yeah, but you didn't lock your door."
"And that was my mistake," he muttered darkly, making a mental note to keep his door locked from now on.
"So." She clapped her hands and leant forwards. "You, a softie. I knew it." Her eyes glinted rather maniacally behind her large glasses.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, leaning back in his chair in case she decided it was an opportune moment to grab him.
"Of course you don't," she snorted. "I'm talking about the fact that you became something you despise all to save our little Eren from the big, bad men."
"You know fully well what they would have done to him, Hange," he snapped. "Would you have allowed that to happen?"
"If we're talking about Eren, no. Someone else? I probably wouldn't have cared," she replied honestly and shrugged.
That was a rather cold answer, but he hadn't expected anything else from her. She might come across as cheerful and friendly, treating everyone as her friend, but when it came down to it, there were only a couple of people she actually cared about. Levi had become one of those people for some reason and it seemed Eren had been added to that small list as well.
"Then I don't understand the need for this conversation."
She cocked her head to the right, patting her index finger against her chin. "You don't? Hm, well, I just thought it was interesting how devoted you were to your pretend role."
He glared at her. "Again what's your point?" he asked through gritted teeth. "I had to be convincing in order to get Zuschauer off our backs, didn't I?"
"True, I'm just surprised you managed to be that convincing," she hummed; a strange gleam in her eyes. "You had a lot of us fooled with your 'pretence'."
"Then I did my job well. Fuck off now if you don't have anything useful to say."
For a moment she studied him intensely before a knowing smile bloomed across her face and rapped her hands against her thighs. "Ah, you're going to play it like that. I see."
"Who's playing like what, you weirdo?"
She tutted her lips before jumping up and striding towards the door. Before she left, she said, "Just so you know, it's thanks to Eren that Zuschauer left."
"What are you talking about?" He frowned. Hadn't Eren said that Zuschauer had decided she'd seen enough? How was the kid involved in her leaving?
"Let's just say that Eren was … less than happy when he heard how you'd got hurt," Hange snickered, gripping the doorknob. "I guess he thought Zuschauer had overstayed her welcome after that. They got into a row when you were out of it and she decided it would be prudent – and safer – if she left before you woke up."
"What the hell did that idiot do?" Levi hissed, shooting up. Fuck, that idiot couldn't have been so stupid as to antagonise Zuschauer, right? He'd thought they were finally left alone, but what if Zuschauer had complained to her boss and they would send someone else all because Eren had to be a fucking moron?
"Calm down," she drawled. "She's gone for good; she's not going to blab her mouth about what Eren told her, trust me."
"You know, that doesn't actually set me at ease. What did he tell her?" He eyed her warily, wondering why Erwin hadn't informed him about a confrontation between Eren and Zuschauer. Something that could jeopardise their entire team was something he'd like to be in the know of!
"Hm, he just made it quite clear that it would be better for her to leave after everything that had happened," she replied and sounded greatly amused as if she was enjoying reliving the memory.
There was something about the way she looked at him, though, that set him on edge. "Where are you going with this?" he asked suspiciously.
"Not really anywhere. Just that both you and Eren would make some pretty good actors," she answered vaguely before practically skipping out of the room, letting the door swing shut behind her.
He stood there staring at the closed door for a moment, questioning silently just what the fuck had just happened. He'd never claimed to completely understand Hange, but usually she made a lot more sense than she had done now.
Had the fumes of her experiments got to her head?
"Fuck it, I don't have time for this shit," he grumbled and sat back down. If Hange wanted to be weird, fine, but he wasn't going to allow her to distract him.
He picked up his pen again, intend on reading the last part of the page so that he could sign it, and paused.
Right, before signing it he was going to lock the door first. Just in case Hange decided she hadn't bothered him enough yet.
"You're shitting me," Levi said flatly, staring at the older man in disbelief.
Outside thunder rolled before being followed closely by a crack of lightning; a fitting atmosphere for this conversation if he was feeling particularly theatrical.
"I'm afraid not," Erwin said lightly, but the way his thick eyebrows were furrowed proved that he was bothered by it too. "They'll be arriving in two days if the weather allows it."
"How long are they staying?" Levi demanded, nails digging into the leather arms of the chair.
"A week. Long enough to exchange new ways of training." Blue eyes deepened. "A week isn't long, but Levi - "
"It's long enough for word to get back if they think something isn't right," Levi grunted in acknowledgement, clenching his jaw.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. He'd thought they were finally in the clear, but of course life never was that kind to him. Two months after Zuschauer had left, a group of six soldiers from the Military Police would be stopping by at their base to exchange information about the land around them and share new ways of training. That on its own wasn't so out of the ordinary; it had happened before that the Survey Corps had to house soldiers of other branches for a while to exchange training methods and such.
The main problem now however … "That guy will be joining them?" he asked abruptly, leaning forwards.
Erwin nodded. "Yes, his name was listed in the letter they sent me. It would be foolish of us to assume that only Zuschauer and her superiors know who has Eren's contract. So for the time being - "
"We need to go back to those roles," the dark haired man finished sourly, crossing his arms. "I really don't like this, Erwin."
"I'm not particularly ecstatic about this either," the older man retorted dryly. "I would refuse them if I could, but doing so would raise suspicion and that's the last thing we need."
"Guess I'll go inform Eren that it's time to put the sleeping bag in my room again," Levi muttered darkly, receiving a wry smile in return.
"You do that. Don't worry about the rest; I'll tell them what will happen and that they need to act accordingly."
Rising from his chair, a derisive snort escaped Levi. "Good luck with that. Might be easier to just throw them all in the dungeon tied up and with their mouths taped shut for the whole week; we can tell them they all got eaten by titans. Maybe that will make them leave faster."
"Play nice, Levi." Erwin lifted one of his bushy eyebrows.
His smile showed more teeth than socially allowed. "I always do."
He left in search of Eren, who he suspected was somewhere downstairs on a break. Training had just finished when Erwin called him inside for a meeting, so chances were that the kid had gone inside the castle with his friends once the storm had rolled in.
To be quite frank he wasn't looking forward to having to inform Eren that he needed to take up the role as Companion again. Since Eren had ceased sleeping in his bedroom, some sort of wall had been erected between them. Granted, as Eren's superior there was a certain sense of distance required between them, but even before this whole mess with the contract had started, there hadn't been this wall separating them.
It was as if Eren had completely shut down, for a lack of proper wording. He remained polite towards Levi, did his chores without complaining and executed those well, but … He seemed to have shut himself off from Levi, pushing him out further than ever before. Even when he'd been forced to kick the shit out of Eren at his trial, the boy had been more open to him than he was now.
If he acted like that towards the others too, the captain could have chalked it up to a teenager's moodiness, but he didn't. He laughed with his best friends, teased Blouse and Springer, and started one argument after the other with Kirstein – those two idiots would probably even argue whether the sky was blue if it came down to that.
The point was that the distance between Levi and the boy had increased a lot – far more than he had intended it to. He could only imagine just how awkward things would be between the two of them in two days' time, when the group of the Military Police arrived and they had to play their roles again.
It was beyond aggravating having Eren treat him so distantly for reasons he couldn't even name himself.
He spotted Eren when he was just leaving the dining hall, an apple in his hand, telling Arlert something. For a couple of seconds Levi was a bit thrown off at Ackerman's absence until he remembered she'd been put in charge of preparing dinner tonight. She must have gone to the kitchen already.
"Eren, I need to talk to you," he called out before the brunette could disappear into the left corridor.
Witnessing Eren freezing like a statue and staring at him wide-eyed would have been funny if he'd still been acting normally. He wasn't, though, and this particular reaction towards Levi had the older man clenching his jaw, further increasing his irritation at whatever had crawled up Yeager's arse these past couple of months.
"Er, yes, sir," Eren said uncertainly, lowering his apple and drawing closer.
Noticing Arlert hovering behind him, clearly not knowing whether he should leave or not, Levi decided to make the decision easier for him. "Alone," he added.
Arlert and Eren exchanged a peculiar look before the blond quirked a weak smile and muttered, "I'll be in my room."
Eren nodded, watching his friend scurry upstairs. Then he took an audible deep breath and said, "You want to speak to me, Captain?"
"Yes, but not here. Follow me."
Their footsteps echoed through the corridor as they made their way to the room furthest down the hallway. Nobody was around and the room in question barely used, which suited Levi just fine. Sure, the others would hear about this soon from Erwin, but that didn't mean he wanted to have this conversation in the hallway.
"If it's about my manoeuvre," Eren started nervously as soon as the door closed behind them, "I was just trying to - "
"I didn't call you in here to talk about your manoeuvres," Levi cut him off before adding absently, "Although that one in particular was rather stupid and you'd probably be eaten by a titan if you tried to pull that one off in the field. For future reference: don't try that one anymore. Your body isn't built for it."
"Understood, sir," Eren muttered and flinched slightly. He clasped his hands behind his back and bowed his head slightly. "If you don't want to discuss that, Captain, what do you want to talk about then?"
The dark haired man decided not to beat around the bush. Leaning against the wall, crossing his arms, he replied, "In two days' time, a group of the Military Police will arrive and stay here for a week to exchange information about the area and any new training methods we've come up with."
"All right," Eren said slowly, obviously confused as to what that had to do with him.
Taking a deep breath, Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, agitation flaring up once more, and went on, "This group includes the man who initially wanted to have your contract. It is likely that he hasn't forgotten about that."
"Oh." Eren stilled, his eyes widening with the realisation. He crossed his arms tightly around him but he couldn't entirely supress the shiver making his form tremble.
"Look, nothing's going to happen to you, okay? You've got my word," Levi stated firmly, needing the younger man to believe this. He received a halting nod in return and figured that was the best he was going to get now. A tad sourly he continued, "With them staying for a week, however, this means that the – it means that we have to take up our roles as Enquirer and Companion again. Just until they're gone. If we don't, the guy might get suspicious. I know this isn't ideal, but - "
"I understand!" Eren cut him off hastily, loosening the grip he had on himself. "You'll be my Enquirer and I'll be your Companion again. Does this mean I have to, er, sleep in your room again, sir?"
A bit befuddled at how rather calmly Eren seemed to be taking this news, the dark haired man nodded slowly. "Yes, just to be on the safe side. You can dig up one of the sleeping bags again."
"That's fine, sir," Eren reassured him and then worried his lower lip between his teeth. "Eh, can I be honest about this to Armin and Mikasa?"
"Sure, Erwin will be informing everyone about the visit tonight anyway. The others will have their own part to play as well."
"Right, makes sense," Eren muttered, rocking back and forth on his heels. "I'll – I'm going to tell them now then, if that's okay with you?"
"Be my guest," Levi drawled and watched how Eren darted out of the room.
He'd expected some sort of protest or at the very least some stammering, but Eren seemed to have taken the news rather well. He probably had realised the gravity of this situation if the Military Police would find out about their little scam.
They wouldn't find out, though, because he and Eren were going to play their role again just like they had had with Zuschauer. If they could fool someone who was trained to spot deception, they could definitely fool some Military Police.
It wouldn't be the first time Levi would come out on top in a battle between him and the Military Police anyway.
AN2: I know not much has happened in this chapter, but this one was needed to set up the events of next chapter - which I think you'll like :D
Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
I hope to see you all back in the next chapter!
Cuddles
Melissa
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Tradition They Say