Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“This is the place the report described,” Erwin declares. “Three hours up the mountain and past the stream. Inspect the area thoroughly. One squad in each direction.”

The Corps splits up, checking the environment for tracks or marked trees.

About an hour into their search, Mike makes a surprised noise. “Erwin, something smells.”

The Commander looks at his comrade. “What do you suspect?”

“Not sure. Not titans, but not people either. Shortly northwest from here.”

The Corps members strain their ears, and after a stretch of silence, they notice a ruckus nearby.

“Levi, investigate with your squad,” Erwin instructs. “The other three squads position yourselves to surround the source.”

Levi nods and guides his horse in the direction Mike specified. His team follows close behind.

They scan the area, being careful to watch where they step.

Petra says “Captain, I see a person. Four trees ahead and to the left.”

“A person?” Oluo questions. “What the hell is a person doing way out here?”

The person hears them speaking and flees, scurrying away from the lantern light.

They can hear the other Corps members corralling the person to the center of their circle. There’s the sound of snapping branches and ragged breathing as the stranger tries to find an escape.

Levi takes a cautious step closer. “You there. What are you doing out in the woods this late?”

The person whirls to stare at him in fear, and the first thing Levi notices is that their eyes are glowing. No matter how dark the nights get, he’s never seen or heard of a human’s eyes glowing before.

The person paces, becoming more agitated as the soldiers close in. They suddenly let out a horrendous shriek, far louder than any human voice they’d heard before. It’s shrill and piercing enough that several people cover their ears in alarm. It bounces off the trees and bubbling water not far away and sends dormant birds scattering in a panic.

It subsides a moment later. The soldiers are tense, ready to pursue in case the stranger attempts to get away again.

Nothing happens. The small figure hunching in on themself, scanning their faces again. A look of desperation in their luminescent green eyes.

“Captain! In the trees!” Eld calls out at the same moment the squad leader notices branches breaking behind them.

Levi draws his blade and turns in time to see a pair of much larger figures pounce upon the Survey Corps. They drop from their perches overhead, shouting with guttural, incoherent voices.

He guards his face and leaps backward as the biggest stranger attempts to slash his throat. Levi dodges as the assailant swipes at him, then knocks them a safer distance away with a kick.

His attacker staggers for a moment, eyes wild with the same unnatural glow as the first. He can hear his squad tackling the little one behind him and to his right. The freak surges forward once more, their movements rushed. Their strength surprises Levi. The average person should hardly be a scuffle for him. He avoids the claws aimed at him, distracting the brute until he can corner them against a tree. He gets their hands behind their back and

The Corps restrains all three perpetrators in a matter of minutes.

Levi dusts himself off, looking over. Oluo and Eld have the smallest one pinned to the forest floor. Mike has the second-largest one restrained. They wrestle and thrash in a last-ditch effort to break his hold.

Gunter approaches him, the oil lamp recovered and in hand. He holds the light forward to better illuminate the figures’ faces.

“That small one looks like a child,” Petra notes, staring at the one wailing and struggling beneath Oluo’s knee. “He must be theirs. They’re very upset to be separated.”

“Hmph.” Levi glares at the scene before him.

The two biggest attackers strain and grunt, trying to reach the youngest. One is a tall, bearded man with green eyes, and the other is an amber-eyed woman with long brown hair. A scream rips itself from the woman’s throat, horrid and raspy yet far too loud.

“Erwin, your orders?”

Commander Smith approaches, expression stern. “Have them restrained and send ahead a report of their capture. We’ll be bringing them to Shiganshina.”

The scrappy, disheveled family stirs up a tremendous fuss as they reach the city.

The Military Police stare at what looks like three savages dragged in from the mountains.

Erwin speaks with the town’s head officer, and after a brief discussion, the MPs take the family away. He turns to the Corps. “We’ll return for statements in a day or two. Be prepared to field their questions.”

Levi walks over to stand beside him. “The police didn’t look happy to have dirt on their hands,” he states flatly.

“No, they did not.” Erwin leads them back to their fellow soldiers.

“Captain,” Petra greets, brows furrowed.

“Something the matter?”

“Not quite. Where exactly did those people come from?” she says. “I’ve never seen anyone like them before.”

“They remind me of those folktales,” Eld says offhandedly. “I've heard stories about people that live far from civilization. According to locals, they're big and ugly, with animal eyes and claws and strange old languages. That’s what the townspeople spread rumors of back in the day.”

“What a bunch of hogwash,” Oluo sneers, nose in the air. “Only children would believe in something so ridiculous.”

“Not that your disbelief matters, how would you explain what we caught in the woods in the mountains, then?” Petra asks, exasperated. "I'm not going to assume we caught a fairytale creature, but rumors start for a reason."

“It’s not so ridiculous to believe there are still people living off the land,” Eld agrees. “I'm sure they wouldn’t be happy to have a small army romping around in their home, which would explain last night.”

Oluo scoffs. “You can’t honestly believe there are, what, magic savages in the mountains? Please. Those are the ramblings of people with nothing more important to occupy their time.”

“Nobody said magic,” Petra replies, already tired of Oluo’s grandiloquence. “And I don’t suppose the three of them think of themselves savages any more than you consider yourself a fool.”

Oluo scowls, but Gunter interrupts with, “Enough out of you two. We’re heading out.”

Eld, Petra, and Oluo fall in line. Levi leads them out of the city.

They pass through the marketplace. A young boy with blond hair and an old man finish paying for some bread and move aside to let them through.

Chapter Text

Erwin stands beside Mike, watching Hanji coo and fawn over their new study subjects.

“Hello there!” Hanji greets the youngest captive. “I want to get to know you better. How are you feeling? Don’t you want to sit on a bench instead of being in that corner?”

The boy stares back at her, his shoulders tense with wariness. He shrinks against his father, pressing his face to the man’s chest. The father breathes raggedly, his glowing eyes fixed upon her.

Hanji frowns. “No? Alright then. You’re awfully shy.”

The mother scrutinizes Hanji, not trusting her yet but luckily not feeling hostile. She grumbles through the metal bar wedged between her sharp teeth, held in place by straps.

Levi looks at the court document in his hands.

'On the thirtieth of March, the Survey Corps captured three unidentified persons in the southern mountains of Wall Maria. The captives - a man, woman, and young boy - show traits and behaviors that bring their humanity into question.

The individuals display strength and agility beyond what is natural for a human. Additionally, they exhibit grotesque proportions and abnormally sharp teeth and nails. They seem to have resided within the forest their entire lives. It is currently not possible to question them. Although they show intelligence, they are either unwilling or unable to communicate verbally. The origins of these three persons are unclear.

The Military Police and the Survey Corps stated their intentions toward the captives. The Military Police proposed the dissection of the three captives, followed by execution. It is their belief that these measures will prevent civil unrest. The Survey Corps requested that Squad Captain Levi hold responsibility for the captives. In the event they pose a significant danger to others, Levi must neutralize the threat.

Commander-in-Chief Darius Zackly has granted custody to the Survey Corps for research purposes. Squad Captain Levi has claimed full responsibility for the three captives. Captain Levi or at least one member of his squad must supervise them at all times.'

The young boy tugs at his shackles, making an odd sound. “Aagh.”

Levi pauses in his reading again, looking over at the forest child. This is the first attempt at communication he’s made since his family’s capture.

Hanji perks up. “Oh! Are you trying to say something?” She asks, leaning down to look at the boy a bit closer. “What is it? Come on, you can do it!”

“Squad Leader, please don’t get so close,” Moblit warns her. “Remember what happened to that officer last night.”

Levi remembers spotting an MP with a bandaged hand and a very disgruntled expression. From what he heard, the forest woman nearly bit two of his fingers off when the Police tried to take her boy away. She’s been muzzled like an animal ever since.

“It wasn’t the boy that bit someone!” Hanji protests and gestures to the child. “This one hasn’t been violent, he’s just a kid! Just look at how small he is, how can you be afraid of that little face?”

Moblit peers at the child, mouth pulled into a concerned line.

The child stares back, his huge green eyes almost glowing with the sun at this angle. His mouth - crusted with what looks like dried blood - pulls taut, as if he were trying not to make noise. Perhaps he hopes staying quiet enough will make her lose interest in him.

“Hanji,” Erwin says, “you should give him some space. We don’t want to distress his parents.”

“He sounded like he was trying to speak! He’s been so shy all this time, I need to listen well,” Hanji gushes, crouching down in front of the child. “Go on, then! Try again! Let’s hear it.”

The boy’s nose wrinkles and he squirms in place. He turns away from Hanji, the chains attached to his wrist and ankles rattling from his movement.

His mother snorts a warning, looking irritated. She's quieter behind the muzzle, but her expression shows her displeasure easily enough.

Her son grunts and shuffles his feet against the floor, shifting his weight in discomfort. “Rghh…”

“Hey, Four-Eyes,” Levi says. “Don’t go scaring them with your creepy face. This case is a shitshow as it is, I don’t need the woman trying to mutilate someone again.”

Hanji pouts at him. “I’m not being creepy, I just have a healthy supply of curiosity. You should be a little more excited.”

Levi blinks slowly at her, unimpressed. “If he pisses his pants from all your staring or his mother kills you for pestering them, I’m not dealing with the mess.”

Hanji laughs. “I’m no ghost, Levi! I won’t terrify him that badly. Plus, they’re still handcuffed. …Oh,” she says, pausing. “Now that you mentioned it, do you think they have to use the bathroom yet? They can’t tell us with words, after all.”

“Levi, bring them to the toilets once you’re done here.” Erwin looks over to the squad leader.

“I will.” Levi clicks his tongue, disgusted. “The three of them need a bath as soon as possible, too. They smell like shit and they’re caked with dirt and blood.”

Mike huffs through his nose from his position at the window. He’s been as quiet as ever, but reluctant to stand much closer.

Erwin hums a vague agreeing sound. “Have Petra and a pair of female Scouts handle the mother,” Erwin directs, his tone formal and even. “They do need to be clean, but I’m certain no woman wants strange men to wash her.”

‘I will.” Levi looks at the trio of captives in their corner. He meets the mother’s gold eyes for a moment, unfazed by the intensity of her gaze. He turns away and continues examining the family.

The father seems to be the quietest of the three, protective of his family but reticent all the same. He’s spent the past several minutes watching them for any threatening body language. His son presses against the man once more, and he shifts to lean closer to his son.

“So, Levi, these three will be your responsibility starting today. I’ve never seen you so thrilled,” Hanji quips.

Levi looks at her out of the corner of his eye. “I don’t trust them not to lash out. What I do trust is that I can handle whatever danger they might be capable of.” He purses his lips. “I’d rather not have to kill them, especially since one is only a brat, but the parents are in survival mode all the time. We can’t be sure what they’ll do at the sign of a threat. ”

“I understand,” Erwin says. “In the best case, the need will never arise, but we can never be too cautious. They’re human, but until we know what they’re capable of, we need to approach them like a loaded rifle.”

Levi inspects the grain of the wooden floors then looks firmly up at Erwin. “I hope I never end up having to kill a kid, but if it comes down to it, I will stop them if they get out of control.”

Erwin nods. “I’d expect no less. ”

Levi crosses his legs and sits back on the bench. “The wild beast we already have was bad enough before we brought them in.”

Hanji blinks. “What wild beast?”

“You.” Levi gives her ankle a light kick.

Hanji laughs again. “They’re not wild beasts, they’re the find of the century! Just think about it! They’ve been around for this long without a single person finding out until now, yet we have not one but three to study! And on top of that, a man, a woman, and a child! Could you ask for better fortune?”

“Good fortune or not, don’t act crazy and get yourself killed. If you’re a maniac having grown up within civilization, they can only be worse.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll be careful enough.” She grins, eyes wide and shiny. “Just think of what we could learn from them! Titans are big and difficult to capture, but these are humans! What if they can learn to speak and read and write? Maybe someday they could communicate intelligently! What kinds of things could they tell us about themselves? Were they born that way, or did their inhuman abilities and traits develop as they age? Do you think it’s possible to-?”

Levi neatly stacks his papers and stands up. “I’m taking them to the bathrooms.”

“Alright then,” Hanji says cheerfully, undeterred. “While you do that, I’ll start thinking of names for them. We can’t just call them ‘the boy’ and ‘the woman’ and ‘the father’ all the time.”

Chapter Text

Hey guys. I really don't like adding an author's note like a new chapter but I just want to apologize quickly for disappearing for 4 months. I'm definitely not abandoning this already, I'm just really awful with getting and staying motivated during the winter. I want to come back to this and finally have a 3rd chapter so badly but I just haven't felt quite satisfied by it so far and I keep procrastinating.

I'll do my best to find some way to finish or rewrite Chapter 3 and finally get it out to you guys, but I don't want to make any promises on how long it'll take. If there are specific things you want to see/you think Chapter 3 should have, feel free to comment and I'll take it into consideration. I'll keep fighting my seasonally-affected brain and working on something to get back to you with.

Sorry again!

Chapter Text

Hanji finds Levi in front of the captives’ cell. “Hey! Ugh, I can’t believe I didn’t get here earlier. Things to attend to first.”

Levi grunts. “They were a pain in the ass to get into those cuffs.”

“I’ve been waiting to have a chat with our new friends.” Hanji peers through the bars with a smile. “Aren’t they just wonderful?”

“They’re not going to understand you,” Levi reminds her. “Or say anything comprehensible.”

“Should we only speak to others when we want an answer?” Hanji replies. “Besides, if you speak to someone gently, they can feel that you mean them no harm.”

Levi glances into the cell.

The forest people are chained to their respective beds along the far wall. The man is watching them, bushy eyebrows furrowed. His partner lets out a muffled snarl behind the metal bar in her mouth.

“...Right. I assume that will be productive.”

“The father isn’t very cooperative, and the mother has her muzzle, but the boy is curious. He might answer me sometimes.”

“Sometimes.”

Hanji laughs. “Sometimes. He’s a fussy one, but I’m optimistic.”

“Kid tried to fight somebody when we brought them down here. Gave a cadet a nasty bruise.”

“Did he?” Hanji asks. She sounds a bit too excited by the information. “That’s news to me.”

“I didn’t think he’d behave himself in the first place. Just look at him.”

The young boy sits on the bed between his parents, trying to bite his shackles off.

“Eh, that’s not a surprise to anybody.” Hanji smiles, her voice low and soft. “It must be scary, being so young in such an unfamiliar place. I’d react the same way. …well, without breaking my jaw.” She turns toward the cell. “They’re not titans, but I’ve always liked the wild types. They have so much personality.”

The savage’s sharp teeth make an awful screeching noise against the metal. Combined with his growls of displeasure, Levi’s starting to lose his patience. He whistles sharply. “Hey. Stop that.”

The boy stares at him. After a few seconds, he continues his chewing.

“Stop.”

The child makes a disgruntled noise through his nose, glaring at Levi.

Hanji steps closer and crouches to look at him. “Wow, you have such pretty eyes! I’ve never seen anything like them! They’re just like a jewel.” She tilts her head to the side, admiring the boy’s bright green irises. “It’s like they’re glowing.”

The child looks a bit nervous. He lets go of the cuff and barks at the two soldiers.

“Oh?” Hanji tilts her head. “There’s that sound again. You’re such a talkative kid. Nobody fed you yet, did they?”

Levi clicks his tongue. “We arranged to have food prepared some time ago. Should be down soon.”

His gaze flickers toward the two adults inside the cell. Despite his large stature, the male captive is easier to forget about because of how quiet he is.

He’s the biggest threat physically, but his partner holds Levi’s focus a bit more. She’s volatile and territorial, but more concerned with her child’s well-being than her own. She already tried to eat someone’s fingers last night and almost succeeded. Levi makes sure to keep a close eye on her.

When the meals arrive, Hanji leans over to inspect them. “Stew, bread, water, and a potato. Good. We have to feed them well,” she insists, “to make sure they won’t think we’re withholding their only sustenance.”

“I’m more than aware,” Levi replies. He takes it upon himself to hand them to the captives. Oluo tries to protest, but Levi gives him a stern glance that quiets him down.

He approaches the youngest first, stopping at exactly arm’s reach.

The boy sniffs the air and his pointed ears twitch. He gapes at the food with visible impatience.

When Levi tries to offer the plate, the woman yanks against her chains. An awful sound erupts from her throat, surprising everyone. Her eyes shine with anger. Underneath it, Levi can make out a hint of fear.

“Whoa,” Hanji says. “She didn’t like that.”

Ignoring her commentary, Levi shifts the tray to one hand. He meets the mother’s eyes and takes a spoonful of stew. He bites the corner off the loaf of bread, then scrapes out a bite of the baked potato. Picking up the cup, he holds the mother’s gaze as he takes a small sip of water.

The woman squints at him suspiciously. Levi sets the cup back down and waits a few minutes, never looking away. When Levi offers the plate to her son again, she watches without a sound.

The boy perks up and wrenches the tray from Levi’s hands. He spills food and water all over himself as he eats.

Levi heaves a deep sigh. “Damn brat. He's wasting half of it.”

Hanji lets out a delighted laugh. “Well, we certainly know he was hungry.”

Levi shakes his head and retrieves the other two trays of food. He brings the mother a plate first while she’s still somewhat agreeable. She gives him a suspicious glance, but clumsily takes the plate from him.

When Levi approaches the father, he’s quick to notice the way he observes his partner and child while they eat. The man turns to look at Levi, but his earlier wariness and hostility seem to have lessened. None of them know how to balance the tray, but he makes no aggressive movements as he tries to accept the food.

When Levi locks the cell door and stands at Hanji’s side again, her eyes have that distinctive focused glaze. “Did you notice it?” She asks.

“Yeah.” Levi crosses his arms, watching the captives tear into their meal.

“Captain?” Petra asks. His squad has been especially quiet today, choosing to observe.

Levi turns to the others. “He’s not the one we have to worry most about.”

Eld stands a bit straighter. “Your reasoning, sir?”

Levi jerks his head toward the cell. “He hasn’t attacked without someone provoking him first. Stay alert at all times, but avoid giving him any reason to hurt you. The mother is the most dangerous one. She’s not afraid to attack, and she has a child to protect. Keep your guard up, but no sudden movements, no aggressive behavior. And tread lightly around the boy. You scare him, you make them mad, but especially her. These three are under government custody. I don’t need to remind you to choose your actions carefully.”

“Of course, Captain,” his squad responds. They’re still visibly wary of the captives, but their leader’s orders take priority.

“Let’s try not to stress them out too much. We don’t want them to hate us already,” Hanji quips. She turns to face Levi. “Now we have a scale of risk. That’ll guide us on how to handle and interact with them, to keep them all calm. And what you did when you brought their meals was an especially crucial example! They recognized that you were showing them that their food was safe! This means we can communicate with them through demonstration-“

“Hanji,” Levi interrupts.

“Yes?”

“Save it for now. We still have work to do.”

Hanji nods and puts her hands on her hips. “I’ll be sure to make note of this and start planning experiments to see how well they can understand us. For now, we need to get back to setting up the new headquarters.”

Levi hums, wrinkling his nose when he sees the child picking food off himself, trying to eat every last crumb. “We’ll be up in a minute. Go talk Erwin’s ear off while I finish up.”

"Will do. We’ve got quite the week ahead of us." Hanji smiles and gives them a proper goodbye before walking up the steps.

Levi waits until the three captives have run out of food before he goes into the cell again to retrieve the trays.

The young boy seems a bit happier now. His ears wiggle from time to time. The long, rock-hard claws on his fingers clack and echo within the cell whenever he fidgets.

When Levi sticks out a hand for the tray, the boy leans forward to sniff at it. Levi waits several seconds, allowing him to indulge his curiosity. He shakes his hand and mutters, “Give them to me.”

The kid peers at him, baffled. When Levi points to the discarded tray, bowl, and cup, the boy tilts his head. Instead of handing them over, he tries to fit the bowl over his head like a hat.

"Ugh. Of course, you can't stay clean for one day."

Chapter Text

Levi hears grumbling and the jangling of chains as he reaches the foot of the stairs. 

Hanji is hunched over a journal on the floor, a page of notes already started. There are dirty plates and bowls inside the cell, and a tray next to her as well. He can only guess how long she’s been at it.

“Sit up. You’re shrinking.”

“Hey again.” Hanji smiles tiredly over her shoulder.

“We do have a chair, you know.” He nudges it with his boot.

“Don’t worry, my glasses work fine.” Hanji glances at him from the cold, dusty floor. “I think they prefer it if I sit like this. When I first came down, they behaved the same as usual, watching me like a hawk. I got tired of the chair and sat down here, and after long enough, they seemed more… comfortable, in a way.”

Levi steps closer, giving the captives a long look.

Over the past week of visits, the woman has become slightly less hostile. She’s settled for growling at the two Scouts when they approach, rather than trying to lunge at them. The same can’t be said for most other Corps members, but it’s progress either way.

The man is mostly silent, as always. His hulking figure fills the corner of the space.

At first, the Corps managed to fit three beds into the cell, but they were ruined quickly enough that they already needed to be replaced. Levi had gathered a few old, frayed bedrolls and set them out earlier in the week. Easier to get rid of if they get filthy again. The captives seemed frustrated by the change in their environment, but thankfully they’ve settled back down by now.

Hanji speaks once more. “They noticed you coming from further away than I expected. I can usually hear the others, but you’ve got that habit of sneaking up on people. I didn’t realize it was you they were reacting to at first. They seem to have incredibly sharp hearing.”

“I don’t ‘sneak up on’ anyone. I just don’t stomp around like a horse the way some of you do.” Levi claims the empty chair, crossing his legs. “Let me see that.”

Hanji hands him the journal and busies herself with talking to the captives again.

‘April 6 

Initial Observations:

I’ve just arrived at the holding cell. The boy was the first to react when he heard me. Perhaps he was awake the whole night. The smallest captive always seems very restless and full of energy. He responded well to being offered food, and he seems more vocal than before. I believe I can find a way to communicate with him soon.

Communication Test #5. Prompts - Hanji, food, eat, drink.

Mother - Not too much progress. She reacts to me, but never mimics my prompts, only making sounds of impatience or displeasure. She seems frustrated now, so I’ll try again later.

Father - Zero progress. It’s unclear whether he is unwilling or unable to repeat my prompts. He’s watching me, but won’t copy any of my gestures or sounds. I must admit, I can hardly tell what he’s feeling. His resting expression looks rather angry.

Boy - Slight success. I’m happy to say that our youngest captive has taken an interest in my experiment. He gets confused easily, but he attempts to follow along where his parents didn’t. I’ll continue this trial at lunchtime when I have more food on hand.’

“What tests have you been doing today?”

Hanji glances up at him. “Ah, right. That reminds me, I ran out of food a bit ago. I already told someone, so there should be more coming soon enough.” She stands and stretches her arms over her head, joints popping.

The father looks up. He glances at the two Scouts, more alert for some reason. Between the captives’ strange body language and the man’s permanent scowl, it’s nearly impossible to know what’s on his mind.

“Hm.” Hanji tilts her head. “Did he recognize something I said?”

“Probably just reacting to your crunchy ass joints.” Levi glances around the cell, nose wrinkled. “What a mess. At the very least, they can’t get as filthy as before. I can still remember the smell.”

Hanji stands near the bars, gazing at the captives. “I’ve still got to give you all names. I’m sorry it’s taking so long. I want to find some that feel ‘right.’”

The older captives stare back at her wordlessly. Their son is busy fussing by himself.

Levi tucks the bookmark back into place and shuts the journal, placing it aside. “I’m still not fully in favor of this naming ritual.”

Hanji gives him a half-smile. “Like I said before, using them for our benefit without even calling them by name is cruel. We should respect them at least a bit, wouldn’t you say?”

“I don’t quite disagree. Regardless, this is different from your Titan projects. Someone hesitates to kill a captive they helped name and spent time with, who looks and feels too much like a ‘person,’ they die, and the captive is still out of control. One slip-up and we’re deemed unfit to contain them, and they’ll be on the chopping block by sunrise.” Levi huffs, then murmurs, “It’s bad enough with a kid in the mix.”

Hanji scratches beneath their spectacles, humming. “I understand that. Believe me, the last thing I want is anyone else harmed, much less dead, thanks to this situation. I have some names in mind, but your squad is responsible for them before anyone else. If you don’t want the risk, I’ll scrap everything.”

A strange noise disrupts their conversation.

The youngest captive seems frustrated. He paces as far as his chains allow, grumbling quietly. After a few more minutes, he sits on the floor and makes a reedy, miserable noise. 

His father makes a low groaning sound in response. 

“Oh! That’s the first I’ve heard from ‘Dad’ all day.” Hanji grabs her journal and scribbles a quick note on this exchange. Then she frowns, checking her pocket watch. “Hm. The boy might need a bathroom break. It’s been a while.”

Levi clicks his tongue. “Okay. I’ll take him.”

Hanji pulls out her keys to the cell. When the captives get restless, she says, “Easy now. We’re just going for a walk. We’ll bring him right back.”

Levi waits at the entryway, glancing between the two parents. Something about their body language makes the hair on his arms rise. “Careful,” he mutters.

“Of course,” she replies, casual as ever, but he can tell she’s wary as well.

The mother looks nervous, her face furrowed. She jerks forward when Hanji opens the gate, letting out a snarl. The boy whines again, shifting on the cold stones. 

Hanji gestures for Levi to wait, then slowly enters the cell. She keeps her hands visible as she approaches the boy. She crouches a few feet away, crooning, “It’s okay, we’re just going upstairs for a bit. Come on, you’ve done this before, don’t worry.”

The child gazes up at her, looking as if he might cry. She slowly reaches a hand out, and he doesn't move a muscle, not even to blink.

When she gets too close, something changes. The boy growls at her, lip curled and brows furrowed. His huge green eyes seem brighter than ever, and the longer Levi stares, the more sure he is that something isn’t right. They’re glowing, the light visible against his bronze skin.

“Hanji,” he hisses, short and sharp.

Hanji slowly backs away, but continues her crooning. “Poor thing. Why are we bitey and fussy? I’ll leave you alone, there’s no need to be that way. I’m sorry.” She looks concerned, lips pressed into a thin line.

The boy follows her, straining against the chains with a snarl. He barely looks like the same person, his sharp teeth bared and deep wrinkles between his brows. He rises to his feet, the ridges of his bones prominent under his skin, and he seems larger somehow. The metal cuffs dig into his wrists, sure to leave an unbearable bruise tomorrow.

Hanji slips out and locks the gate behind herself, giving Levi a pinched glance.

The child continues to snarl, red welts forming along his gangly limbs. He doesn't calm down until Hanji and Levi have been silent for several minutes. His growling fades into another miserable whimper, and he curls up on the cell floor, his forehead pressed to his knees.

“...That could have gone better.”

“You don't say.” Levi gazes through the metal bars. This is the first time the child has acted that way, but he doubts it was random. It wasn't simply aggression, either.

He remembers something Hanji mentioned earlier and checks the time. “When was it that you called for their meals to be brought down?”

Hanji’s concern becomes a glare that could ignite a furnace. “I give that bunch one task, even tell them they must be on time, and they can't even do that? I'll be back.” She stomps up the stairs, and a cadet arrives soon after to keep watch with Levi.

The captives move closer to investigate, then grunt and clamor in displeasure.

The cadet seems loath to speak, but he asks, “How is the… ‘research’ going, Captain?”

Levi looks at him. His sour mood must be obvious, because he doesn't even have to respond before the cadet apologizes. “We just had a homicidal tantrum because lunch wasn't served.”

The cadet’s expression becomes alarmed, then irritated, gazing at the captives. They seem about ready to crawl on the ceiling. “...The newbies in the kitchen scrubbed down and went off to do chores a while ago.”

“Just wait until Hanji’s done with them.” Levi crosses his arms, leaning against the cold wall.

The cadet scoffs, shaking his head. “Damn kids.”

The child stares at them from the corner. He makes a grumbling sound, almost like a cat, chewing his claws.

Levi grimaces. He doesn’t want to think about how unhygienic that is, but he ignores it as best he can. It’s only when he notices the kid practically gnawing his nails off that he whistles at him. “Stop that.”

The boy pauses, startled, but continues when Levi doesn't say anything else.

Levi grits his teeth. A little louder this time, he says, “Stop.”

The child growls this time, baring his teeth at Levi. His eyes have that eerie gleam to them once more.

The captain scowls. He walks toward the cell, picking up the long stick kept nearby. Usually it's used to push or drag items across the floor when the captives are getting too agitated to approach. He reaches forward enough to prod the boy’s shoulder, repeating, “Stop.”

The boy stares at the pole, irritated. He tries to pull it from Levi’s hands.

He keeps control of the stick, but Levi immediately thinks that no child should be this strong. It takes genuine effort to take it from him, and even the cadet behind him seems alarmed as he tries to help.

When they finally wrench the pole away from him, the boy seems to deflate under Levi’s glare. He curls into himself again, head down, and this time the only grumbling is from his stomach.

“Um… what exactly was that?” The cadet murmurs, sounding nervous. “I… I almost thought you were kidding, but you're not exactly the type… what is that kid?”

Levi doesn't respond, watching the captives closely.

The mother barks softly at her son, and the boy makes a soft, pained sound in response. They can't reach each other, but they try anyway, and the son looks so sad when their efforts are useless once again.

There’s not much time to dwell on it, because a minute later Hanji is storming down the stairs, terrified recruits in tow. They’re shaking almost too hard to hold their trays of food, and Hanji nearly snatches them away to set out on the floor.

“Here you go, sweetheart,” she croons, her tone sickly-sweet and gentle as she pushes a tray toward the boy. “I'm so sorry to make you wait. You must be starving. Poor thing.”

The boy pounces as soon as it’s within reach. He practically snarls as he tears through his bread and potatoes, even picking the crumbs from the ground. The scouts learned their lesson with the soup last time, but there's a bowl of boiled vegetable chunks with their meal this time. The boy practically swallows them whole.

Hanji hides it well with the recruits watching, but Levi knows from her clenched jaw and tight smile that she's near tears. She pushes food toward the mother and father as well, apologizing in that same doting tone.

The parents have a little more restraint than their son, but they barely hesitate to scarf their lunches down. The mother doesn't even bother acting suspicious this time, too eager to eat.

Hanji sends the recruits away. They trip over themselves to head back upstairs. She glances at the cadet covering her as well, and he swallows, walking away without a word.

Once they're alone, Hanji sits down, taking her glasses off to rub her eyes. She heaves a sigh so deep that the captives pause to look at her.

Levi gazes at the stick propped against the wall. He gives her a moment to breathe, knowing she’ll speak up once she's ready.

Hanji looks between the captives and Levi and back. Her face looks so exhausted, and she sounds that way too as she says, “This could have undone all of our progress until today. One late meal. Such a stupid mistake.”

Levi grunts. He remembers the feeling - huddled in a corner, nowhere to go and nobody to care how loudly his stomach grumbled. It can only be worse in the captives’ minds since they can't understand anything the scouts say.

Hanji straightens in her seat, watching the subjects scrounge for every last bit of their meal. Her eyes settle on the boy. There's an unspeakable guilt in her expression.

Levi crosses his arms, leaning back against the wall. “...You decided on names for them already.” It isn't a question.

Hanji nods. “You don't have to use them. You're right about getting too attached to them. I have my traditions, but… it feels especially wrong to leave them without anything. They're… people. That's a child.”

Levi closes his eyes, breathing slowly through his nose. “What did you pick?”

Hanji glances at him, but he doesn't react, so she turns back to the cell. “I did a lot of thinking, reading random old books, asking around for names.” She points to each of them, starting with the father. “This one is Grisha. At least in my mind. This one is Carla. And this is Eren.”

Levi raises a brow. “Very particular names.”

Hanji smiles at the boy, who tilts his head. His long oily hair hangs over his shoulder, obscuring his pointed ears. He huffs and pushes the empty tray away. 

Hanji pulls the plates back and removes them from the cell, doing the same with the parents when they’re all done.

As she sits back down, Levi says, “You're sure about those names?”

Hanji nods. “I have to admit, I've gotten attached already.”

Levi huffs. “You should know that that kid tried to steal that push-pole while you were gone.”

“He did?” Hanji blinks owlishly at him. “How did he do that?”

“He was trying to eat all his nails off so I poked him with the stick. He was confused and worried at first, then he tried to yank it away from me. That kid could pull an arm out of place if we let him.”

He looks over the captives as Hange furiously updates her notes. The boy - …Eren - is calmer now, but he won't stop staring at them. His eyes aren't gleaming anymore. He huffs, mimicking Levi’s noise a moment ago.

Hanji smiles big and wide. She says, sadly, “I just hope nothing like this happens again. It's taken me weeks already. One big mistake and we’re back to square one.”

Levi nods.

Eren nods as well.

Hanji writes down something that looks like, ‘quick to copy others.’

Levi stares at the kid through the bars. Even with him being quiet right now, something just feels… off about these three, in a way he can't explain. They're obviously not just some people who happened to live in the woods. “...Any idea how old he is?”

Hanji looks at Eren, humming pensively. “I've been thinking about that as well. It's hard to say, but I think he could be… eight?”

“He's too big. Gotta be older.”

“I don't think so. He doesn't act much older than that. Besides, there are children who are just that big despite being young.”

Levi gazes at Eren for a while, waiting for something. Whatever it is, Eren doesn't give it to him, curling up in his corner. He lies down as if to sleep, staring at the wall.

Levi shakes his head. “I don't know. Keep thinking about it.”

“I don't think he can be any older than maybe... ten? No way to be sure.” Hanji shuts her journal, tucking it aside in her jacket.

Levi checks the time. They should be changing shifts any minute now. He waits for Hanji to say her goodbyes, then nods at the captives. The boy nods back at him, but Levi is sure he doesn't know what that means or why he's doing it.

Another pair of cadets appears to take their place. He and Hanji finally part ways, and Levi is left alone with his thoughts. Within ten years ago... They were found close enough to that village to travel on foot...

...Levi makes a quick stop to look for some documents before getting back to his usual work.