Chapter Text
“How many times have I told you?” Levi mutters under his breath, sighing as he pokes at his food. The restaurant remains empty, but to Levi even the small number of guests feels like an overcrowding. He wasn’t so comfortable in public places and Hanji and Erwin knew that. He was certain that was the very reason they force him into social situations. Levi sighs again and looks up at the expectant Hanji.
“About a gajillion times, but I’m serious Levi,” Hanji begins, and Levi knows this tone. She’ll convince him, and Levi will hate himself for being so easily thrown by the bespectacled piece of shit. “The AI systems are beyond belief.” She gushes, her fists coming up to press her cheeks in her excitement. Levi rolls his eyes and he looks to her left to the blonde giant of a man who seems to be enjoying the scene far too much. Levi flips him off half-heartedly and rolls his eyes as the man answers with a chuckle.
“You should listen to her, Levi. She’s right. I’ve had mine for a couple weeks now and I don’t know what I’d do without him. He does everything: sorts out junk mail; helps out at work; reminds me of dates and alarms and- Levi, it’s the best purchase you will make.” Erwin nods, his arms crossed over his chest and nods. He had always given off the authoritarian vibe, like he should be the commander of some large army. Levi sits back, defeated this time. He pushes his plate forward and drinks more from his glass of water.
“If I get this, will you both stop pissing me off about it?” He quirks an eyebrow, sitting forward again and watching each of them as they raise three middle fingers as a scouts honour. Levi scowled but nodded anyway. He looked away from them as they excitedly grinned at each other. As much as Levi didn’t act it, he was grateful he had Hanji and Erwin.
Levi was not the easiest of people to get along with, he was crass and abrupt and unsympathetic with his choice of words. He could appear harsh and rude, but Levi mostly just wanted to be alone and relax in a situation that made him feel calm and not so closed in like a lot of social situations do. In truth, he adored Hanji and Erwin more than he thought was necessary to admit to either of them. For as bat-shit psychotic as Hanji was, she was also incredibly intelligent and perfect for consoling Levi when he really needed it. Erwin was more of a leader and a strategist; he was helpful if Levi ever needed help at work, not that he always could of course. They helped him more than they knew, even if they did piss him off a lot.
“I’ll get one after we’re done here, okay? Geez. What it takes to get you fuckers off my back.” Levi grumbles. Erwin and Hanji exchanged victory glances and Levi didn’t miss the chance to flip them both off.
Erwin, Hanji and Levi went their separate ways after dinner and in the pounding rain Levi made his way to the nearest Tech store sheltered beneath an umbrella that Hanji had bought him for his ‘Birthmas’ present. She had thought she was being incredibly clever with her novelty umbrella that had ‘Merde, il pleut’ written on the side of it, which roughly translates from French as ‘Shit, it’s raining’. Hanji had always found his French heritage to be absurdly humorous. He used the gift anyhow as it was practical and kept him dry,
He found the Tech store and was glad of the reprieve from the weather. Not that Levi didn’t enjoy the rain, he supposed it was his favourite weather, as long as he wasn’t in it of course, usually. The feeling of a rainstorm battering against your cheeks was numbing enough for Levi to enjoy it.
The store was brightly lit and was sore on the eyes. It was pure and white and reminded Levi of hospitals. Everything was sparkling white and hurt his eyes. He made his way towards the stacks of CDs with the letters ‘AI’ written on the front in block capitals. He stared at the box for a long time before making his way up to the cashier. A bright young woman with bright eyes and an equally bright smile, she greeted him as any cashier did and he answered in kind. He forced what he thought would appear as an easy smile and nodded his goodbye when he left.
With the CD pressed against his chest he opened his umbrella just before he left the building. He still had a while to walk back to his apartment, but there was no wind so the rain was bearable for now. Levi lived in the middle of a large city, stifling for an introvert such as himself but he oddly enjoyed the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Levi felt that villages and the countryside were far too personal. It seemed as though the more people were around you the less they cared about individuals and the opposite was true of the reverse situation. If there weren’t many people around suddenly everyone was infatuated with everyone’s life and even the thought of it had Levi hunching closer to himself in his coat.
The streets were busy, even at the late hour Levi was returning home at. The rain and the nightlights made the cobbled roads of the inner city reflective and the light stretched far in front of them on the ground. The sight calmed Levi greatly and he lengthened his gait in his calm. No one paid him any attention and he never paid them any attention, it was the perfect non-spoken agreement. The fact that he didn’t know many people meant that he could return home without further interruptions and finally set up this damn AI that Hanji and Erwin had been hounding him to get for weeks. Every chance they had they would tell him how amazing it was, Hanji was always harping on about how revolutionary the technology was and Erwin kept reminding him how useful his own AI was. Levi huffed and a cloud of his own breath puffed in front of him.
He enjoyed the nipping bite that winter always brought with it, enjoyed how it pinched at his colourless cheeks and poured a bright pink into his skin. He enjoyed the feeling of sitting in his apartment eating hot soup while rain and wind battered and moaned just outside. Levi was entirely sure that he could survive in a world where it was winter all the time.
Levi eventually entered his apartment building and took the elevator up to his floor. His apartment block was on the very end corner of the building and meant that instead of the floor to ceiling windows being on just one side of his apartment, he had them on two. The city line was gorgeous at night and he did a lot of thinking for his work at night because the lights of the city calmed his mind and inspired him. He stepped out into his floor and opened his door, locking it behind him. Levi places his umbrella in the umbrella rack and takes off his coat, still holding the CD box.
Levi soon settles in front of his computer, a cup of black tea nestled in his palm. He places the disk at the opening of the disk drive and the disk slides free from his fingers. Moments later an installation screen appears, and he begins the set up. The initial downloading does not take long, but it’s long enough that Levi finishes his tea and continues to clutch his mug in hope of draining any remaining warmth into his fingertips. Once the download settles and he gives essential information a deep rich voice leaves his computer.
“Mr. Levi Ackerman, welcome to the world’s first Artificially Intelligent Operating System. We’d like to ask you a few questions.” Levi quirks an eyebrow but sits back in his chair, the mug still rested in his palm.
“Sure, go ahead.” Levi answers, his own voice low and rough in comparison. The screen on his computer had not changed from the glaringly red background with the white strand of DNA twirling on screen so he assumed there was no where he was supposed to be looking directly.
“Are you social or anti-social?” The same rich voice returns and Levi sits up again, elbows rested against the desk as he ponders the question. There’s only one real answer to it, and he doesn’t know why he mulls it over at all.
“I haven’t been social since I was a kid.” His voice remains impassive as he answers the voice. He had seen too much, experienced too much since then.
“How would you describe your relationship with your mother?” Levi’s jaw clenches and a deep frown appears on his face, along with a deep furrow between Levi’s brows. He’s not so sure this was a good idea after all. Levi almost goes to switch the computer off and try and get a refund, but he knows that he’ll never live it down if he does. He entertains the system and rubs at his temples, attempting to relieve a headache threatening to appear.
“She’s dead, so I guess it could be better.” Levi deadpans. He waits a few seconds and decides to move away from the computer to kick off his shoes and socks that had gotten damp during the rain. He scowls at the wet pieces of clothing and as he’s putting them in the washing, the voice returns.
“Would you like your AI to be male or female?” This was a question Levi hadn’t expected, but probably should have. He mused over the possibilities for a long time but just shrugged to himself and gave the first answer that came to his mind.
“Male.”
“Thank you. Please wait as your Operating System is initiated.” What? That bespectacled piece of shit didn’t say anything about changing Operating Systems. The one he had was just fine! Levi frowns again while the background begins to change. The DNA strand began to move faster until it became a solid white circle in the middle of his screen. Levi quirked an eyebrow again and waited.
“Hello?” This time the voice wasn’t so deep, but wasn’t high either. It was rough but full of youth. Levi didn’t quite smile, but his frown relaxed and he gave a slight huff of approval. The voice wasn’t displeasing to listen to at all.
“Hey, kid. I suppose you’re my AI.” Levi said, his voice the same monotone he always used. He stood from his computer and went to check his other appliances. Hanji had informed him that the AI could jump from piece to piece easily enough. Mainly his phone and his computer but he had a tablet that the AI would use as well, Hanji had informed him.
“I’m not a kid you know, according to my programming I’m twenty three, or at least...I have the voice of a twenty three year old...” The voice trails off and Levi has to stifle a laugh. He thought AI’s were supposed to be well, you know, intelligent.
“Does the voice of a twenty three year old sound different than the voice of a twenty four year old?” Levi’s voice takes on a mocking tone and he could almost see the miffed expression of a featureless face.
“Hey, don’t question me! I’m just telling you what my programming says!” Levi heard the huff and imagined someone crossing their arms over their chest in an indignant manner. He had to stifle another laugh before he shook his head, feeling completely absurd.
“You got a name, kid?” he asked, curiosity edging his tone.
“Yeah. I’m Eren.”