𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑳𝑨𝑺𝑻 𝑩𝑨𝑻𝑻𝑳𝑬 ⇢ 𝘙𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘹𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

captain

Your first memories had taken place at the Survey Corporation Barracks.

Your first steps were across the floor of your fathers office; your very first word was 'scout'.

For the first few years of your life, the Survey Corps Barracks was all you knew. And sometimes, that was all Erwin Smith knew, too. Following the death of your mother, you and your father were left alone: and with no one else to care for you, you were forced to stay with him in the barracks of the Army.

Being back there was aberrant. You weren't quite sure how comfortable you felt as you sat opposed to your father in his Private Office.

"So, the Battle of Trost." Erwin was perched on his mahogany desk, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the smooth-wood with a stern expression, "Talk me through it. In detail, please."

"Lay off the kid," Levi chimed in, obviously noticing the discomfort on your expression as you recollected the memories of the mission, "At least give her chance to settle before you interrogate her."

Similarly to Hange Zoë, Captain Levi had been a prominent figure in your life from a young age.

You'd met Captain Levi when you were barely five years old, just weeks after he had been forced into becoming a Scout. He obviously had a distaste for you at first, vocally loathing the fact that Erwin would let a reckless child roam around the Barracks on her own, but you liked to think that he'd warmed to you over time.

Whenever you would inevitably get yourself into trouble with other soldiers due to your heedless behaviour, Levi was always the one who protected you. There were countless times in your youth when he'd protectively scold you for putting yourself in harms way - despite claiming to Hange and Erwin that 'he couldn't care less of what happened to you'.

Your trouble became his trouble.

"You ran out of fuel?" Your father cocked his thick brow whilst leaning back into the desk, "Really, Y/N?"

His disappointment was unfathomable.

Levi's piercing, silver eyes shot a swift glare at Erwin before he parted his lips to speak: "What happened after?"

"You weren't in any danger, were you?" Moblit added.

"I fell behind the rest of my Squad and that was when my gear malfunctioned." Your face immediately formed a cringe, followed by Erwin sternly saying your name as they awaited for you to carry on, "And then soon after that an Abnormal appeared and began to chase m-"

"Y/N Smith." Erwin's jaw clenched as Hange leaned closer, curious as to what was going to happen next.

"But I was okay. Someone saved me just in time."

Levi stepped forward from the window perch, pressing his crumpled hand against the Commanders desk. His thin, ebony eyebrows had arched together, forming a wrinkle on his forehead.

"You got lucky. That's nothing to be proud of," His cold voice murmured as Erwin nodded in agreement, both of their expressions seeming more perplexed than before: "You could've gotten yourself killed out there." 

"But I'm not dead, am I?" A smile spurred against your lips as you outstretched your arm, pinching your skin to prove a point, "See? I'm perfectly well."