Chapter Text
At twelve, Eren was an inch or so taller,. His chest was slightly broader, hands bigger, bangs shaggier. Mostly, though his eyes were hardened with a look of battle-hardened determination that was so similar to the Eren he knew, it was unnerving.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, looking surprised at how long his legs were. His feet almost touched the floor before he blinked, looking p.
"Levi?" his voice was a bit gravelly, and it stopped Levi for a brief moment.
"Where are we?"
"What's the last thing you remember?" Levi asked carefully, making sure to tread carefully. He'd gotten used to Eren needing to be reminded of things after remembering things at night, but he still didn't want to say anything to alarm the boy.
"I... uhh..." Eren scrubbed his sleeve across bleary eyes. "I'd just passed my 3DMG assessment..."
"At basic?" Levi blinked slightly, surprised. "How old are you?"
"Twelve."
Had the boy really started military training at twelve? Levi hadn't been expecting the boy to begin recalling training until he was at least fourteen, but admittedly, he'd never gone through basic to become a soldier.
"You know how to use 3DMG?"
"Well... yeah. I mean, I passed the assessment, so..." Eren rubbed the back of his neck, shrugging. He perked up suddenly, as though he was remembering something. "Hey- this is the military, right? So... we get double rations?"
Levi nodded slowly. Eren grinned, looking relieved.
Eren stood, stretching slightly and smiling at Levi. "You getting up or what?" he asked, giving his Captain a good-natured smile. Eren still remembered Levi as his caretaker, overall. Levi was pretty certain Eren wouldn't remember him until he was fifteen.
Levi nodded, getting out of bed and pulling on a fresh shirt, lacing up his boots. Eren fidgeted by the door impatiently, but waited for Levi before he was striding down the stone hallways towards the staircase.
Levi noticed, with some trepidation, that he didn't have to walk slowly- Eren could keep up with his strides, now. Levi felt his throat tighten at the memory of the little six year old, talking his ear off and moving around behind him, laughing and flashing that smile he'd had.
As soon as they reached the dining hall, Eren paused, surveying the faces of the soldiers there critically, before he grinned.
"Hey Mikasa. How's it going, Armin?"
Just like that, he was walking over to the table where the 104th was sitting, taking his customary seat between the two and grabbing a bowl of grub.
Levi was absolutely at a loss for a moment, before he strode over to his usual table, minus Eren, and took his seat. He felt naked- he was suddenly awkwardly idle during the breakfast, with no little face to wipe food off of, and no grubby hands to wipe clean.
Eren laughed from where he sat with his friends- he was still significantly smaller than them, by at least a foot, but what bugged Levi was that the boy he;d spent the past week raising had abandoned him- for his friends, no less.
He was used to having the boy by his side, and without him, he felt irritated and... hollow, almost. It was disconcerting and annoying that his mood could be effected so much by one brat. He seized his tea cup in a rather aggressive manor, taking a long pull of the black liquid and glaring over the rim of the cup at the 104th.
While his table mates certainly noticed his uncharacteristic demeanor, they wisely chose not to comment on it. Eren's growing up had had an effect of everyone- but nobody as much as Levi. Still, they all chose to ignore it, knowing that as Eren changed, so would his relationship with Levi.
Still- they all valued their lives, so they made no remarks.
Levi simply aggressively drank his tea, watching Eren like a hawk the entire time.
Still, when the clock struck eight and breakfast hour was over, Levi distinctly frowned when Eren got up to follow his comrades.
He rose for a moment, about to go after the boy, before he hesitated for a split second. He let the boy go.
His office was too damn quiet. Levi grit his teeth and scrawled his name angrily on the piece of paper work, upset. Suddenly the room felt so empty- he was missing something he'd never even thought he'd wanted.
He let out a harsh breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration. sighing. Yes, it was nerve racking, but he decided to let Eren outside. He was only doing chores with his fellow soldiers, after all, it wasn't as though he was in any danger or anything.
He looked out the window to see a small form heading to the stables, a mass of bridles in hand, heading towards the stables.
It wasn't exactly like he was in any danger. He drew the line when he saw the boy fairly running after his comrades at training hour, fairly dragging 3DMG behind him.
"Eren!" Levi sighed, running down the steps. He grabbed the boy by the collar, pulling him inside the castle.
"Hey!" Eren looked upset, flailing slightly.
"What on earth do you think you're doing!?" Levi demanded.
"I'm going to train with the others!"
"In 3DMG!? Absolutely not! You haven't been trained!".
"What are you taking about? I've been trained-"
"You know how to sit in a training harness! That's hardly the same thing!" he'd released his hold on Eren's collar, but he looked incredibly frazzled.
Levi realized he was quickly letting his emotions and overbearing emotions regarding Eren's care get the best of him. He was making a scene.
"Head upstairs to our room." he muttered quietly.
"No."
Levi whirled. "Excuse me?"
"I said no!" Eren glowered, fists clenched at his sides, arms rigid, glaring up at Levi, chin jutting out.
"Eren!"
"I don't have to listen to you!"
Levi was left speechless for a split second. In all this time, Eren had never blatantly disobeyed him before, and it left Levi at a loss.
"Eren- upstairs, to the room- now." Levi growled, snapping his arm up to point. Eren growled, looking as though he were about to defy Levi yet again, before he relented, turning and stomping upstairs. The slamming of a door, a loud bang echoing, a reflection of the chaos and disagreement boiling within.
Levi sighed, pinching the bridge fo his nose, and he let out a harsh sigh, struggling to tame the whirlwind of emotions fighting for dominance within him.
Who knew caring for a pre-teen would be so hard?