Chapter Text
Levi
What in the world possessed him to accept the job? Levi massaged his temples, trying to make sense of the mess he had put himself into.
He gave a pained and troubled glance around his soon-to-be new office, with narrowed eyes taking in the filthy interior of the spacious yet dusty room. Yellow paint was peeling off, wooden panels cracking under each step, having seen better days long ago. The plastic foils on the old furniture were nearly invisible beneath thick layers of dust.
Levi hated it, as his stomach was twisting at the sight. He considered making a run for it, pretending like he had never stepped foot in this dreadful room.
He felt like he had stepped into a Silent Hill movie set, as everything clearly fit the description, secretly hoping to see a grown-up, half-nude creepy dude with a pyramid on his head lurking towards him with the big-ass sword.
What? He was a big movie fan.
He could not fathom why the fuck nobody had cleaned this room until this day. Repulsive as hell.
Not even trying to mask his disgust, he picked up foil from one of the chairs and dropped it on the side with so much loath like the damn thing was the main reason for world hunger.
After a brief inspection, he deemed the chair clean enough to plop down onto it.
"This must be some fucking joke," he scowled.
He leaned forward, resting his arm on top of knees. His fingers twisted together in a tense grip, reflecting his frustration as he tried to decide what to do next.
He wasn't sure whether to start cleaning right away or throw grande and let it do the job in a flash. He smirked as images of literal flash blasting in this God-forsaken room vividly formed in his mind; maybe it wouldn't be the worst way to go. Considering that this mess was beyond his capabilities despite his enthusiasm and love for cleaning.
As tempting as it was, he opted for neither. Cursing himself again with yet another typical round of self-loathing and his poor decision-making process. Did he mention he hated filth?
He couldn't believe the chaos he was diving into: a new job, moving to a new, unfamiliar place, Erwin on his case, and dealing with some spoiled brat on the horizon. It looked like a real feast he got himself.
Fucking fantastic - he sulked.
He kept counting all the changes that had happened too suddenly. This filthy room that would rather better serve as a haunted house attraction being a final straw of this questionably fun experience.
One bad decision and everything was spiraling out of control. There was no fucking way he would let it happen; being in control was a must.
So, all he needed to do now was to find a way to craft a new routine, form a solid plan, and execute it flawlessly, as he always did. Everything had to follow his standards - no compromises. Simple. No exceptions.
His irritation just kept growing as he remembered how he ended up here in the first place.
After weeks of begging and persuading, he finally gave in and reluctantly agreed to Erwin's ridiculous request. He didn't have the energy left to fight it anymore and accepted the job. He felt exhausted by the constant phone calls, insinuation, mind games, and guilt-tripping. To make things worse, shitty brows resorted to playing as low as to use his secret weapon - goddamn Hanji, to deliver the final blow.
This unpredictable woman was insane, and her endless blabbering was putting him on edge.
Well, yes, he was on edge anyway most of the time, but she made sure to make it fucking spectacular.
This nutcase was driving him crazy the second she opened her mouth, and once she did, she damn nearly never shut up. He felt like stabbing his ears with a blade to put an end to her constant, eager yapping.
Once she set her mind on something, and clearly Erwin made sure she did, there was no stopping her. She was like this fucking self-fueling machine that thrived on people's reactions and feelings. Hanji claimed it was all for humanity's sake as research was necessary for progress, but with the freaking eerie face she was making more often than not, he did not believe her claims. She was simply batshit crazy case and was getting off on people suffering.
Oh, she did take her sweet time making sure Levi went along with Erwin's request alright. Enjoying every moment of it, fucking terrorist. Thinking about her now again caused his jaw to tighten in pain.
As the weekly tortures progressed, he finally ran short of arguments and, more importantly, patience.
As much as he loathed it, he owed Erwin a favor, so it was only fair to yield and finally pay him back. At least he didn't give up without a fight; he smirked with satisfaction, as it took them at least two solid months for Levi to change his mind.
He let out a sad sigh as the dreadful feeling of surrender dawned on him stronger than he anticipated.
To make a long story short, as Erwin explained on the phone, the rich and spoiled brat constantly caused problems around the school without regard for rules and responsibilities.
He came from the Jaegers family, known for their wealth and superior social standing.
The Jaegers were heirs to the founders of the prestigious Ymir Boarding Academics in Shingashina. This impressive institution consisted of the two main buildings spread over campus: the High School, Rose, and the College, Sina, along with several residential dormitories in the surrounding area. They were among the best in the country.
Problems began about a year ago when parents admitted young Jaeger to Rose High School. A kid ripped from his private educational arrangement found himself in the middle of a system he did not understand, nor was he deemed willing to grasp and follow.
Slowly, things started to get out of control. Brat continued to cause issues for months, as the situation grew increasingly alarming, leading to the rapid spread of rumors and gossip; because of this, school function was disrupted and eventually called into question the school's once exemplary reputation. They needed to find a solution as quickly as possible.
The boy was wild, arrogant, and full of himself. Convinced that with the backing of his parents, he was untouchable. He did not recognize any authority nor follow any counsel. Many people attempted to reason with him. Hanji was one of them, working there as a therapist and pedagogue. Apparently, her methods failed too; the psycho was not as good as she thought, Levi admitted with pleasant satisfaction. But she did manage to break Levi's resolve; the man clicked his teeth at the realization.
The boy was too far gone to listen to anybody or obey any rules. Parents didn't want to pull him off the school grounds. They were afraid it would stir gossip even more and would lead to quite the opposite effect. As a result, the problem was entrusted to Erwin, who, as a Headmaster, was compelled to find a working solution before the damage was irreversible.
Here comes Levi, a teacher with a military background.
According to Erwin, nobody else was better equipped for the job.
Levi had roughly only 3 years of teaching experience, yet he gained valuable experience from his previous profession. It was likely not the teaching methods Erwin had in mind when he recruited him. His skills in interrogations, problem-solving, adapting quickly under pressure, and achieving mission objectives were what the man had in mind.
How convenient, he thought, moving position for better comfort.
He let himself fall behind, his back resting on a solid wooden headrest. As the chair's back wasn't designed for his height, its angle was causing pain in his spine. He groaned in annoyance, wishing fate had spared him at least a few more inches. His nearly 160cm was not impressing anybody, though his rich personality definitely made up for that.
Yep, sarcasm undoubtedly claiming the most significant chunk of it.
Before becoming a teacher, Levi's life was quite the opposite of what it is now. As a member of the secret army branch Recon Corps, his past was dark and violent. It was filled with blood and death, leaving him with far too many scars on both his mind and body.
The final push to leave the Army came from his last mission. That tragic day cost him the lives of his entire squad, something he could never forgive himself for. Levi was their Captain; he was the one responsible for them. Even though Erwin was their Commander, it was Levi who led them that day, and it was his decision that ultimately led to their death.
They honed their skills for fucking years; all of them were perfect soldiers. So why was he the only one who survived? Officially, nobody ever blamed him, but he did; he wished he had made a different decision that day. Maybe they would still be alive, and everything would be different now.
He hated how memories of their wrecked faces and twisted bodies kept flooding his mind against his will. He thought he had buried them a long time ago for good.
Ultimately, he was free after ten long years of service. Honorably discharged as a highly decorated Captain. While he earned various awards during his service, he departed loaded with burdens. Anger, guilt, and shame shadowed him like heavy clouds each day. Traumatic memories kept tormenting him, making his life continued struggle.
Unexpected help came in the form of nobody else but Hanji.
As it pains him to admit, on very rare occasions, her methods proved useful.
Prior to working in the school, she was a Squad Leader in the Science and Development division. She, Erwin, and Levi all bonded through years and many sacrifices, so it did not come as a surprise; she turned in her resignation, following both men outside of military service.
Having diagnosed Levi with PTSD, Hanji treated him with a combination of medications and psychotherapy, but it was something else that brought unexpected results.
He decided to pursue teaching as part of his therapy and Hanji's wild and unexpected suggestion. Until today, he has no idea how she managed to convince him.
"Fucking four eyes should have known it's gonna blow in my face this way or another, " he gritted his teeth.
In the beginning, it was working fine. Attending university and achieving a degree seemed simple and even enjoyable for the most part. He was a smart man with a sharp mind, so falling into a new routine was not much of a challenge.
Attending lectures, studying, passing tests, and having a regular schedule was all a welcomed change of pace and routine he managed just fine.
The next part proved trickier. Dealing with actual kids was a completely different story. Levi did not like children, teenagers, or people in general.
Still, he managed quite fine with his teaching career. At least that's what he liked to think, as he took notice of how his student's grades were gradually improving.
And kids, as much as they admired him, feared him alike.
Couldn't tell for sure, but developing stuttering issues around him was an indicator he could not ignore..
A loud knock pulled him from deep thoughts.
"Come in."
"Levi, I was hoping I might find you here."
A tall, masculine, blond man said while letting himself into the room with a slow stride. His fresh and neat clothes spread a pleasant piney scent as he passed him by.
"Well, wouldn't it be thanks to you? You stubborn prick. Not that you gave me much of a choice," he snarled, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
With a gentle smile, a strong-looking man positioned himself right in front of Levi. Leaning his back on the wall, he crossed his arms in front.
Levi noticed that his brown leather jacket was decorated with a small wing emblem, which looked spot-on, like the symbol of their military branch.
His posture was still very athletic, shoulders broad as his jacket was straining hard to wrap them. He hasn't changed much, Levi thought. Through slightly lifted eyelids, he scanned his silhouette, and though he tried to be discreet about it, it didn't go unnoticed by the other man and earned him a slight, almost unnoticeable smirk.
Somehow, it irked Levi more than he expected, but he decided not to dwell on it. He already had enough reasons to be pissed and angry. To his dissatisfaction, Erwin looked as good as ever with his immaculate and collected appearance.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, pressing fingers further up his forehead and through his silky, long, black fringe.
"You know I wouldn't have asked you if I was not already in a very tight spot. "Erwin spoke calmly, eyes unmoving.
"His parents, you see… They are really pressuring me on this matter."
His fingers ran over his neatly combed hair without any urgency.
"He is their only son and heir to the fortune. Expectations await him, yet he acts like a wild, rabid animal. He skips classes, fails tests, breaks most of the school regulations, and gets in trouble constantly, not to mention he is very successful in dragging down other students. The list goes on. His misbehaving cannot continue, "he finished with an exasperated sigh.
"I need to make sure that you understand, but this matter holds the highest priority right now, especially when other promising students are getting involved."
Levi kept listening with a passive expression. He assumed the kid's parents must have been on Erwin's ass for some time already; that's why the other man was so desperate to bring him in.
Maybe it's good he took the job? He wondered. Despite an overall calm presence, Erwin was spreading some nervous vibes, which was unlike him. For fuck sake, it's just a school and just a kid. How serious could it be?
That's why he had not expected much of a challenge with this brat.
Fucking hell, when he enrolled in Recon Corps, probably around brat's age, he was killing men he never even met before. Men who, for all he knew, could be innocent have families and children. Yet Levi mercilessly gutted them like pigs. He frowned at the thought. This whole situation was bringing him back to the past more than necessary.
Times are different now, he reminded himself. He knew better than to indulge in depressing memories as nothing good ever came from it.
Even after hearing the entire lecture, he was not impressed with the task.
The Prospect of inclusively babysitting some kid was not thrilling, but maybe kicking some sense and discipline into him would sweeten the deal. Not that he was a sadist who found pleasure in inflicting pain.
Yet, when unknowingly he smirked slightly, it made him question the latter.
"His parents expect improvement in school performance, commitment, and general behavior. If the school Founders' sole heir fails in every educational field, the whole Academy's good reputation will be undermined. It is already happening. "
He kept going.
"Ilse is already putting great effort into damage control after his last stunt as we speak… "
It seemed like there was more he wanted to add to this matter, but to Levi's dissatisfaction, he changed the topic.
He wanted to know more about this and other antics in detail. Even so, he assumed that the opportunity to learn about it would present itself shortly.
"We have tried many different approaches, each to no avail. If anything, it provokes him even more. I would not be surprised if he took pleasure in all the commotion he is causing. He knows we cannot remove him from the school premises, as his parents want him to graduate from Rose so he can advance to Sina College. "
Levi sighed, his hand resting on the plain armrest, his fingers tapping repeatedly on the smooth surface, creating an empty, repeatable sound.
"So when do I have the pleasure to meet the young prince ? "he asked sarcastically, looking at his nails with mild interest.
Why not? He agreed to take the job but had not promised to be happy about it. Especially the way he felt Erwin and Hanji both coerced him in the whole process.
"Tomorrow, it would be wise to join his classes and observe and see firsthand the complexity of the problem. I suggest being cautious; he may not take it positively if he senses we've assigned someone again to handle his situation. It would be best to keep your distance initially and avoid engaging with him right away." He paused.
"From Monday, I presume you could start teaching his class. Of course, your primary focus should be on Jeager. Naturally teaching comes as a necessity as we are trying to minimize any further gossip. I believe it would be in everybody's best interest if, to everybody's knowledge, you were simply seen as a new professor."
He fell silent for a moment, brows furrowing on his focused face. He looked like he was searching for proper words to formulate thoughts.
"I fully trust your judgment, and I will support the approach you will choose to take regardless. "
He hesitated for a moment, then lifted his arm to knead and rub a patch of tensed skin on his neck. It seemed like just talking about the kid made the bigger man tense with stress.
"We need results Levi, his parents are desperate to say it lightly. Classic approaches haven't worked, so I trust you will find an effective way... I am here if you need me, but again, I want to underline that you are not restricted in your approach and have my full support in every matter."
Somehow, it felt like the last sentence had little dubious meaning, but he decided not to call him on that. Not yet, at least. There were unfinished things between him and his former commander, but he didn't have the energy to complicate the situation further at this point.
He wanted to focus on cleaning this damn dirty office and of course, knock some sense into the kid, other things could wait.
As the dark-haired man hadn't made any more comments about the information provided, Erwin surveyed the room surrounding them, and as if he could read Levi's mind, he apologized for not preparing his office on time.
Levi shot him a death glare. Unfortunately, he did not achieve the desired effect; after years, Erwin knew when things were getting serious and when Levi was just… Well, being grumpy.
.
"Right on fucking time. This room is disgusting," he spatted.
Yes, polite vocabulary was not necessarily his forte, especially around Erwin.
"I'm surprised not seeing any swines walking around in this filth; I cannot understand what possessed you to provide this pig house as my office."
Erwin's deep chuckle resonated throughout the room.
"Oh my. Levi, Of course, You have my apologies for the inconvenience; believe me, this was the best I could provide for now with such short notice. Part of the east building is under renovation, so we are currently short of empty rooms. However, funds have been established to redecorate this office as you desire. I won't spare any effort to make you comfortable, Levi. I'll send someone to consult with you on all the details. I assure you, I will provide you with whatever you need."
The information decreased the scowl on Levi's face but failed to remove it entirely. He was a patient man, but when it came to cleanliness, it turned out to be rather challenging.
He was about to get up from his chair when Erwin's hand rested on his shoulder.
Not expecting any physical contact from the other man, Levi flinched.
"I am really grateful you have finally agreed to help me out." he paused, giving a slight squeeze to his shoulder.
His hand was large and heavy, bringing back unwelcomed feelings he would rather forget, yet he didn't dare to move. Erwin's presence still was influencing him more than he dared to admit, something he did not expect after all this time.
"I strongly believe if anybody can provide real results at this point, it's only you."
Statement reached Levi's ears at the same time as Erwin made his way towards the exit, leaving him with an uneasy feeling. Moments later, a small click of the closed door made him realize he was left alone again. Why did he have this uncomfortable and nagging impression that this job could be more than he signed up for?