Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Levi was not a morning person.

Most would assume that his difficulties with sleep would make him a fantastic morning person. He was usually awake in the early hours of the morning, when the crickets had stopped their symphonies for the night and the birds were singing scattered melodies. It was strange, really. He rarely had reason to be awake at such times, and other than the occasional nightmare, it seemed that Mister Sandman forgot to bring Levi a dream most nights. When he did sleep, it wasn’t until his body won the battle over his mind with exhaustion, usually during the few silent moments between twilight and dawn.

It was for this reason that when a too-perky medic slugged him on the shoulder, he had to fight every bone in his body against the desire to slam her to the ground.

“Beautiful morning, isn’t it?” she said, a grin plastered across her face.

“Hmph. Would be better if I was still in bed,” Levi replied.

Her face dropped. She spun on her heel and faced the picnic table, throwing her hands on her hips.

“Hey Captain, when are you gonna hire a morning bird for me? It’s hard enough dragging the rest of you lolly-gaggers around most days! Can’t I at least have someone to play with while I try to save the world from your grouchiness?”

Her nose pointed at the blond-haired man seated at the center of the picnic table. He lifted one of his strong eyebrows, meeting the medic’s defiant gaze. She stood firm, skeptical eyes peering  through thick glasses, and bent forward.

“Hange, don’t go scaring the new guy away. It’s clear he’s not a crazy person like you,” a firefighter sat at the left end of the table said through closed eyes, her chin resting on her clasped hands, elbows resting on the old wood.

The medic, Hange, spun her head, a few brunette whisps falling out of place from a bun tied at the bottom of her head, and faced the firefighter. “Eh? Who are you calling crazy, Petra? I remember when you first started- you would run at least five miles before coming in each duty day. You always came in so energized, we were a great morning pep team!”

Petra sighed, keeping her eyes closed. “Guess the fire service took that spunk out of me.”

“That, or you’re just getting old,” said a man lounging in a recliner next to the table.

Petra opened her eyes into narrow slits. “That’s rich coming from you, old man. Remind me, how old were you when I first graduated academy? Thirty? That was ten years ago,” she said with a faint smirk.

“Don’t remind me,” the man groaned.

Petra closed her eyes again, triumphant.

Hange skipped over to Petra and clutched her from behind by the shoulders, shoving her cheek against the grumpy medic’s. 

“Oh how I miss my Morning Girl Petra! We were insane together! If you can even call it that.” Petra shot her a sinister glance, and Hange flinched for a moment, then stood, assuming an authoritative stance. “Besides, I don’t see what’s so crazy about enjoying a fresh morning breeze and waking up with the sun.”

“I don’t mind all the things that come with the morning, I just hate having to wake up early to see them,” the man in the recliner sighed as he leaned back, resting his hands behind his head. He chuckled to himself. “My bed just seems so much more welcoming in the morning these days.”

Hange crossed her arms and slumped into an identical recliner next to Petra, defeated. “You guys are no fun,” she harrumphed.

A bell rang overhead, and the clock on the wall behind the table struck 0700. The man seated at the table shuffled some papers before him and cleared his throat.

“Time for roll call. Everybody here?” he said.

A man appeared as if out of thin air behind Levi, and he repressed a shudder.

Fucking creep he thought.

The man sniffed and slinked onto the bench opposite the Captain.

The blond man nodded, eyeing everyone gathered, then picked up one of his papers.

“Good. Looks like we didn’t have anyone call in sick today, but station eleven is missing a medic, thirteen is missing two of their firefighters, and the Lieutenant at fifteen’s been detailed to headquarters for some meetings until noon. We should prepare for the Medic Unit to be busier this morning to accommodate. We’ll have to postpone our trip to the market for chow, but First Platoon was too busy to throw out leftovers yesterday, so we can subsist until then.”

“How do you expect me to make extra runs knowing I won’t have my fresh hoagies?” Hange whined.

“I’m sure you’ll survive,” the Captain said. “If it gets too busy, Oluo can switch out with you.”

The man in the recliner spluttered. “What? I’ve been on the Medic Unit my past two duty days, remember? I even stayed an extra three hours past Third Platoon’s roll call. Their medic got a flat tire on the way in.”

“What? All that running around wearing you down, old man?” Petra teased.

Oluo opened his mouth to counter, but the Captain held up his hand.

“My apologies, that did slip my mind. Lucky for you, it seems Petra here has just volunteered to swap with Hange instead, if necessary.”

Petra’s eyes widened and her hands dropped to the table. “Really Erwin? I was only kidding. I was up all night studying for my critical care exam!”

“It sounds like someone with your youthful energy will be a much better fit for the Medic Unit today. Oruo is much too fatigued to take on the extra responsibility today. You know, because of how old he is?” the Captain, Erwin, said, a glint in his eye.

A look of satisfaction crossed over Oluo’s face, then was quickly replaced as he pieced together the subtle insult from Erwin.

Petra rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

“That’s settled then,” Erwin said. “Now, some housekeeping. The Fireman’s Ball is in two months, so I hope you’ve begun preparation on your speeches. Mayor Reiss will be in attendance, she said she wanted to present all of you with your medals personally.”

Mike sighed. “What bullshit. All we did was do our jobs and what do we get for it? More work.”

“You were heroes, Mike. It is an honor to be recognized by the mayor herself for your bravery,” Erwin said. Mike rolled his eyes in response.

Erwin placed the paper back on the table and clasped his hands together. “Other than the ball, there isn’t too much else to cover. Except that we have a new firefighter joining us today. I’ll allow him to introduce himself.”

Five sets of eyes fell on Levi, who stood a meter across the table from Erwin.

“My name is Levi Ackerman,” he said without preamble.

Oluo blinked at him, Mike sniffed, and Erwin held his gaze, his icy blue eyes piercing into Levi’s.

Levi met his stare, unmoving. Neither man refused to look away.

The crew sat in silence for what felt like an eternity, but was likely no longer than a few seconds. The others sat holding a collective breath, as if observing prey and predator, waiting for one to show a glint of weakness so the other could pounce.

“Well Levi Ackerman, are you an EMT or paramedic? Hange asked, feigning casualty.

“Firefighter-EMT,” Levi replied, maintaining his gaze with the captain. He suppressed a gulp, instead swallowing his nerves internally. He’d butted heads with people in authority plenty of times, even if doing so put him in danger. The only time he’d ever hesitated or felt any sense of anxiety doing so was when somebody else’s life was at risk. He was all too familiar with rebellion, even in the most trivial ways. It was almost a daily habit of his.

So why did that cold stare make him want to melt into the garage floor? 

Hange jumped out of her seat and wrapped an arm around Levi’s shoulders, the force of it making Levi stumble against his best efforts. 

But her sudden movement caught the attention of the captain mere milliseconds before Levi, and the blond broke his gaze first. A small wave of triumph washed over the smaller man even as he struggled to regain his footing under Hange.

“Well, Firefighter-EMT Levi Ackermann, welcome to Station 21, the best station in the East District!” Hange said, tugging on his shoulders to keep him upright. However, Levi’s body had reflexively moved to right himself, so the added force of Hange’s grip made him stumble again.

Petra relaxed her shoulders, and Oluo let out a yawn. Erwin began shuffling to stand, only Mike remained motionless.

“I’m Petra Ral, Fire-Medic, and oldie over there is Oluo Bozado, also a fire-medic,” the orange-haired girl said with a smile. 

Levi righted himself on his feet and nodded at Petra and Oruo in acknowledgement. Mike slid his legs out from under the table and stepped towards Levi and Hange.

He sniffed. “Where are the doughnuts,” a statement more than a question.

Levi cocked an eyebrow, straining his neck to meet the man’s gaze.

“I beg your pardon?”

Mike bent his face so their eyes were level, inhaling deeply through his nose.

“I don’t smell them on you. Did you leave them in your vehicle, perhaps?”

Next to him, Hange took an involuntary step backwards, but Levi stood his ground.

Yeah, definitely a fucking creep.

“Why would I have doughnuts in my vehicle?” Levi asked, almost spitting the name of the pastry as he spoke.

A firm hand grasped Mike’s shoulder and pulled him away from the shorter man, not without notable struggle.

“Please forgive Lieutenant Mike’s… directness. It is tradition in the fire service for the rookie to bring breakfast for the crew during their probationary period. I believe I reminded you of this fact when we met at graduation last week,” Erwin said. He moved his other hand to Mike’s back and nudged him aside, the brown-haired man staring down Levi for a second too long before allowing Erwin’s hands to push him.

Levi set his jaw as he watched Mike stroll away. “I am well aware of the tradition, Captain,” he said, turning his gaze upward to meet Erwin’s. “However, I recall informing you that I come from Trost Fire. I’m sure my five years of service there elevates me from the title of rookie .” 

Petra stretched and rose to her feet, yawning. “Frankly, I don’t care who brings the doughnuts, as long as I can have my coffee before we get called out.” She covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned again. “I’m gonna go make the first pot, let me know when you start chores so I can hide from everyone.” She trudged toward a door set in the back corner of the garage, scratching behind her head.

Oluo rose from his recliner with a groan and made to follow Petra. He turned his head over his shoulder, directing his attention to Levi.

“You may not be a rookie, but you’re still a probie,” he said. “We’ll give you some slack since it’s your first day, but if I were you, I wouldn’t want to disappoint Mike a second time.” He chuckled and resumed his previous course to the kitchen.

“He’s right,” Captain Erwin said. “I don’t know how things were done at your old department, but we do things by the book here.”

Levi cocked an eyebrow. “And what exactly does that mean, Captain?”

“We like to do things the right way.”

“And you’re saying Trost Fire doesn’t?”

“Again, I don’t know what your old department was-”

“I would pick my next words very carefully if I were you, Captain,” Levi said, stepping forward and infiltrating the taller man’s space.

Erwin met his approach, eyes growing dark. “And I would do the same if I were you, Ackerman. Are you sure you want to make an enemy out of me on day one?” He bent down to Levi’s level and his voice dropped. “You might want to reconsider this attitude of yours. I can make your probationary period a very difficult six months.”

Levi opened his mouth to counter-

“I’m Hange. Hange Zoe, by the way!”

Both men turned and faced the medic. She was sticking out her hand, an edgy smile plastered across her face.

The Captain cleared his throat and straightened. Hange’s hand remained in the air.

“I have some things to attend to in the Watch Office. Hange, why don’t you show Ackermann around the trucks? I’m sure you’ll have plenty to teach him.”

Levi eyed the medic’s hand, regarding it for a second, then spun on his heel and stalked off to the ambulance parked a few meters away.

“Uh- yes, sir!” Hange said. She pulled her empty hand to scratch at the back of her neck, then jogged after Levi.

The pair didn’t get a chance to open the ambulance’s rear compartment doors before the alarms sounded, tones bouncing off the cement floors of the garage.

“ Medic 21, respond to 23 South Main Street, cross-off North Main Street and Third Avenue, for difficulty breathing. ”

Hange sighed. “And it was going to be such a lovely morning,” she said wistfully. She grabbed a hand-held radio from a nearby charging station and tossed it to Levi, smiling.

“Let’s see what you got, probie. I’ll drive!”

Levi pocketed the radio and hopped into the passenger seat, wiping a bead of sweat from his eyebrow.

Hange flipped on the ambulance’s lights and let out a whoop as she turned on the siren.

I really, really hate mornings.

Chapter Text

Levi stood outside the Sina Trauma Center’s EMS room, taking care to wipe each nook and cranny of the stretcher with the peroxide wipes. When he had ensured the cot was cleaned to his liking, he pulled a sheet from the linen shelf and draped it over the padding of the stretcher. He tucked each corner under the mattress, ensuring the crisp lines that ran along the sheet were evenly spaced. Then he secured each of the five seat belts across the stretcher, laying the straps in neat rows. 

“Hey rookie, grabbed you a Coke.”

A bottle flew onto the stretcher, creating a wrinkle in the middle of the white sheet. Levi pressed his lips into a thin line, keeping a curse from slipping out, and grabbed the bottle, untwisting the cap.

“I’m not a rookie,” he said after a gulp of the soda.

Hange glanced up from the Toughbook laptop she was holding, then turned it around to face Levi.

“Sign here with your finger, please,” she said. Levi took another sip of his Coke, then drew a squiggly line resembling his name across the screen.

“Le-Leeem-vee… Asp-kay-mean?” Hange said, squinting at the screen. She smiled and shut the laptop. “It’s a good thing we don’t have to hand-write our reports anymore, or someone might think we’d killed our patients instead of saving them.”

Levi shrugged and screwed the cap back onto his bottle. “You ready?”

Hange tossed the Toughbook onto the stretcher and sighed. “I guess. I’ll drive, I have a quick stop to make before we go back to the station.”

“Fine by me.”

They rolled the stretcher out to the ambulance bay and loaded it back into the squad. Levi tossed Hange the keys, which she caught deftly between her fingers, then hopped into the front of the cab.

“Medic 21 is available,” Hange said into the radio strapped across her chest.

“ That’s clear 21. Nothing pending .”

“Hmm, the way Captain was talking, you’d think there’d be calls stacked on us already,” Hange said with a smile. She put the truck into gear and peeled out of the ambulance bay.

“So, probie, what brings you to Sina Fire?”

Levi shrugged. “A job application, mostly.”

Hange turned her head, regarding him for a moment, then burst into laughter. 

Levi stared back, unamused. “It’s really not that funny,” but Hange continued laughing, clasping a hand on Levi’s shoulder. The truck began to creep into the other lane, and Levi saw headlights flash in front of them.

“Hey, watch where you’re going four-eyes!”

Hange turned her attention back to the road and swerved back into the correct lane, earning a few honks and rude gestures from those in both lanes. Hange kept her eyes forward, unaffected. Levi tightened his seatbelt.

Hange cleared her throat, smiling. “Oh Levi, you may not be as chipper as me in the mornings, but I sure am glad Erwin finally got me a comedian to be my partner! So, what really brings you to Sina Fire?”

“I was serious, a job application.”

Hange shot him a brief sidelong glance as she turned into a parking lot.

“It’s no use trying to be all mysterious, probie, we’ve still got twenty hours left together.” She parked the truck toward the back of the lot, taking up four spaces at a crooked angle. “I’ll crack your secrets eventually, just you wait! Do you want anything from inside?”

Levi had been so focused on gripping onto his seatbelt for dear life that he hadn’t noticed they’d arrived at the market. He loosened his grip and let his hands fall into his lap.

“No, I’ll wait out here,” he said.

“Suit yourself,” Hange said, shrugging. She opened the driver’s side door and hopped out, turning to face Levi.

“Guard this ambulance, with your life. If it comes down to it, give your heart for her, as she has done for many before us.” She pulled into the Sina Fire salute, making a fist over her heart, her expression solemn. Levi eyed her, unblinking. She let her hand fall along with her grave demeanor, smiling. “Just kidding! Your safety comes first and all that. But seriously, the narcotics are in the back. Okay, bye!” The medic shut the door and made for the store, ponytail swishing back and forth as she walked.

Levi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, attempting to repress unwelcome images from his mind.

Heat. So much heat. Is this Hell? Where is that screaming coming from?

He shook his head and the memories faded as quickly as they’d surfaced.

By the time Hange returned, he was seated in the driver’s side and had adjusted the mirrors to his liking. She opened his door with a quizzical look.

“I’m driving. I’d like to make it back to the station alive,” he said before the medic could speak.

She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “Whatever you say, probie.” She closed his door then skipped around to the passenger side, throwing two plastic bags at her feet.

Levi sighed at the mess, then put the truck in gear and pulled out of the parking lot.

“Do you need directions?” Hange asked.

“No, I know my way around,” Levi said as he rounded a corner.

“Hmm, interesting, interesting…” Hange mumbled, brows furrowed. “So you just moved here but already know your way around. I’m guessing… you grew up here? Is that it?”

“What?”

“Or maybe you visit here a lot. Maybe to see family? Or a lover?”

“No. Quit trying to pick me apart like some science experiment.”

Hange crossed her arms over her chest and sulked by the window. 

“We’re gonna be spending a lot of time together, probie, we’re gonna have to get to know each other eventually.” She bolted upright, her face brightening. “I know, why don’t I tell you something about me?”

“That’s not-”

“Let’s see, I grew up just outside of Sina, my favorite color is red, I'm really good at spelling, but I struggle with math. I’ve had to call medical control loads of times just to make sure I wasn’t going to kill my patient because of rounding issues-”

“That’s reassuring.”

Hange continued, barrelling through the interruption. “I have two dogs, Sunny and Bean - never really been much of a cat person. My favorite ice cream flavor is Moose Tracks, you’ll want to keep that in mind when you need to bribe me for something. Oh, and I love Oluo’s hoagies, they’re the best thing we make for lunch here. Also - wait, why are we backing up?”

Levi pressed the remote clipped to the visor and flipped on the ambulance’s primary lights.

“We’re back. Now move your head, four-eyes, I can’t see the mirror,” he said. He lined up the wheels with a yellow line painted on the ground and tapped the gas pedal, inching further into the garage.

Hange looked out the window, as if realizing where she was for the first time.

“Wow, you sure know how to make time fly, probie! Oh, before I forget, I got you something from the market, but I have to show it to you before we go in.”

Levi furrowed his brow and turned his gaze to the driver’s side mirror. When he had straightened out the truck, he turned off the lights and put the ambulance into park, flipping off the battery switch and removing the keys from the ignition in one swift movement.

He had just lifted the handle to open his door when Hange clasped her hands around his other wrist, pulling him back into his seat. The door slammed shut again and when Levi turned to scold the medic, he found her face inches from his, brimming with intensity.

“You forgot your gift,” she said.

“Jesus Christ!” Levi jerked his wrist out of the brunette’s grasp and sat back.

Hange held his gaze for a moment longer, then pulled a pink box from one of the bags between her feet. She lifted the top flap, and an aromatic aroma filled Levi’s senses.

Hange dropped her solemn expression and replaced it with a smile. “I figure since you forgot to bring the doughnuts for roll call, this can make up for it. We can say they were from you,” she said with a wink.

Levi grimaced and regarded the pastries.

“No thanks,” he said, and he all but jumped from the truck.

He plugged the shoreline dangling from the ceiling into the truck, then made his way to the back corner of the garage to the kitchen door. 

Hange burst through the kitchen door moments after Levi, holding the package above her head like a trophy.

“Hey everyone! Levi and I have something special for all of you!”

Petra was standing at the sink, scrubbing at a plate. She glanced up at the duo and smiled.

“You didn’t have to do that, Hange, but thank you,” she said, stacking the plate onto a drying rack on the counter. 

Mike appeared in the doorway that led to the station’s day room. He peered down his nose at the box in Hange’s hands and sniffed.

The chipper medic placed the box on the kitchen table with a flare of ceremony, smiling.

“It was the probie’s idea. He said he felt bad for forgetting them this morning,” she said, clasping a hand around his shoulders.

“Did he, now?” Mike asked, strolling to the table, hands clasped behind his back.

“I didn’t-”

Hange silenced him with an elbow to the ribs.

“Take the fucking favor, probie,” she mumbled through gritted teeth.

Levi rolled his eyes and shoved her away.

Mike lifted the lid of the box with his thumb and forefinger, pinky extended. He surveyed the selection of pastries and picked out a glazed doughnut, bringing it to his nose for a sniff before taking a ginger bite.

“This is… acceptable,” he said, swallowing. Hange glowed beside the raven-haired boy and sat at the table across from Mike, selecting a doughnut covered in powdery white sugar, frosting, and an array of sprinkles. 

“I’ll go wake Oluo. He’s already settled in for his mid-morning old-man nap.” Petra said, toweling off her hands.

As she left, Levi cleared his throat and addressed Lieutenant Mike. “Are there any remaining chores that need done?”

Mike dabbed at his bottom lip with a handkerchief he’d produced from the pocket of his navy tactical pants. “There shouldn’t be, we finished chores while you guys were out.” He took another bite. “But you might want to double-check with the captain, he may have some other tasks for you. He should be in his office, you know where that is?”

“I do, thanks,” he replied, turning to the adjoining hallway.

“Tell ‘im there’th doughnuths, too,” Hange said through a stuffed mouth, sugar and crumbs spilling out and turning her blue Sina Fire t-shirt white.

Levi waved in acknowledgement, not turning his back, and he stepped into the hall.

The manners around this place are disgusting, he thought as he neared the captain’s office. 

The station’s watch office was situated at the end of a dimly lit hallway. On his right, a desk sat under a large window looking into the garage. A digital clock displaying defined red numbers hung on the wall across from where Levi stood. The station’s main door was nestled into the corner, used primarily by visitors. Gray filing cabinets lined the wall to Levi’s left, filled with various documents and medical supplies. The door frame to the captain's office was in the left-hand corner. Tall, wooden built-in cabinets extended from the other side of the opening, leaving enough space for two people to walk side-by-side into the adjoining hallway.

Levi leaned against the wooden cabinets, steeling himself. Captain Erwin sat hunched over his desk, his back to the door. Even under the thick material of his collared blue button-up, Levi could make out each of the man’s rippling shoulder muscles. They twitched under the fabric in quick movements as he scribbled notes on a pad of paper. His golden hair glistened in the cold light of the office, slicked back with effortless precision.

Levi swallowed in an attempt to bury the knot forming in his stomach, his fingers tingling. He crossed his arms to stifle them and closed the distance between the hallway and the office.

The captain either didn’t hear his approach or was too absorbed in his work to notice as he made no acknowledgement of the shorter man’s presence.

Levi cleared his throat. “Are there any chores that still need to be done?”

“No, we cleaned everything while you were out. Thank you, Ackerman,” Erwin said, his focus remaining on the paperwork in front of him.

The knot in Levi’s stomach unfurled into hot anger, the nerves from seconds ago forgotten.

This arrogant shithead can’t even bother to look at me? Does he think he’s too important for an inferior firefighter or something?

Levi stalked across the room with vehement determination and slammed a hand on the notepad, the sound reverberating around the cramped room.

Erwin jolted in his seat, turning to face the defiant firefighter, fury burning behind his cold eyes.

“What do you-”

Levi bent the short distance to meet the Captain’s gaze and threw his other hand under the desk, dangerously close to the captain’s lap.

His gray eyes held Erwin’s, unwavering, as he dragged his finger back towards the space between the Captain’s legs. Erwin clenched his jaw as Levi’s elbow ghosted against the man’s left breast pocket. He paused his hand at the edge of the desk, allowing the heat between them to linger for a second too long, suppressing a smirk.

Levi straightened his back and pulled his hand from under the desk, rubbing his index finger and thumb together, scrutinizing them with a furrowed brow. 

“Tch. Seems you all missed a spot. I bet the whole station is still filthy,” Levi said. He dropped his hand and spun on his heel, heading back to the hallway. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

When he reached the doorframe, he paused, turning his head over his shoulder.

“Oh, and there are doughnuts in the kitchen. If you want any, you might want to grab them now. I suspect they won’t last long with Hange and Mike.”

He turned and left without allowing the Captain time to respond. He at last allowed a smirk to creep across his face, savoring the image of the captain’s dumbfounded expression as he walked away.

Chapter Text

Erwin stared at the empty doorway where the raven-haired man had been moments before, his mouth agape. It felt like several minutes before he was able to collect himself enough to stand and slam the door to his office shut, darkening the cramped space.

He slid back into his chair and sighed, resting his elbows on the desk, supporting his head with his hands. He tried to shut out the memories from that night a week ago, but his attempts were futile.

What have I gotten myself into?

-----

“I still can’t believe you picked the Ackerman kid,” Chief Zackly said, chuckling.

Erwin smiled and lifted his glass to his lips, eyeing the Chief of Sina Fire.

“Me neither. I’ve heard he’s been nothing but insubordinate since day one of Academy,” added the East District Chief, Dot Pixis, his face tinged a light shade of pink.

“I would’ve thought you’d go for someone like Gunther or Nanaba. Both showed excellent practical skill and outstanding written knowledge. They seemed very ambitious and gave nothing but respect to Captain Shadis during training,” said Zackly.

Erwin swirled the amber liquid in his glass, smiling. “Let’s just say I like a good challenge every now and then.”

Pixis snorted. “Well, you’ll certainly get that with Ackerman. Just don’t go pawning him off on me when you get tired of disciplining him.”

“Yes. I see a lot of paperwork about that one in both of our futures,” Zackly said. He finished his drink with a final gulp and slapped his glass back on the table. “Well, I guess the recruits should be ready by now. Let’s get this ceremony started.”

Erwin watched as the fire chief walked toward the podium at the front of the room. All the captains and other high-ranking officials of Sina Fire were gathered in a quaint room at the Sina Civic center, clustered around tables set in neat rows around the room. Two rows of chairs for families and friends of the graduating recruits faced a modest, raised stage. Situated on the left side of the stage was a lectern with a microphone. Behind the lectern was a table with eight helmets placed in two precise rows of four, red and shining.

Zackly reached the lectern and adjusted the microphone to the proper height. He cleared his throat and the low rumble of conversation came to a halt.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Darius Zackly, Chief of Sina Fire. It is with great honor that I welcome you to the graduation of this year’s Sina Fire Academy. Please welcome our West District Chief and Training Center Captain, Keith Shadis.”

Polite applause followed as a bald man with an intense face moved toward the lectern. He readjusted the microphone and shuffled some papers together.

“This year’s class has shown great promise, from their courage in live fire training, to their aptitude in the classroom, I have no doubt that each and every one of them will prove a valuable asset to their respective stations, and to the city of Sina.” 

As more applause erupted, a door in the back corner of the room opened, and the group of recruits marched toward the stage, single-file, dressed in their Class A Sina Fire uniforms.

Shadis spoke as the class moved. “Please give a warm welcome to our Sina Fire Recruit Class. In order, we have: Tomas Wagner, Eld Jinn, Nanaba Anderson, John Henning, Gelgar Miller, Gunther Schultz - Salutatorian, Lynne Azumobito, and Levi Ackerman - Valedictorian.”

As Shadis finished the list of names, Erwin eyed the valedictorian with piqued interest. This was the first time many of the captains would see their new squad members in person. Based on Shadis’s report on Levi’s temperament, strengths, and aptitude, Erwin had expected someone tall with big features. Someone who would tower over people.

Instead, he was shocked to find a man who wouldn’t stand more than a few centimeters short of his own shoulders, even if he stood upright. In fact, he was the shortest one in the class. He was skinny, too. Erwin couldn’t imagine such a petite figure hauling the weight of turn-out gear, oxygen tanks, and long lines of hose, let alone carry somebody on his back on top of it. Black strands of hair framed his angular face, and smoldering, gray eyes looked out into the crowd in front of him.

He glanced at Chief Zackly, who met his gaze with a playful smirk. He had gone to the Training Center and met the class twice throughout the academy. 

There’s no way he’s as big of a handful as they say. I bet they had to special-order turnout gear for him. He’s probably too busy trying to keep up with the others to be truly insubordinate.

The recruits gave the Sina Fire salute, the sound of eight fists pounding against their chests reverberating throughout the room.

“At-ease, recruits. Captains, please present your recruit with their helmet,” Shadis commanded.

Erwin walked to the stage and fell in line with his comrades, each with an emblem of two golden trumpets crossing each other on the lapels of their black Class A uniforms, signaling their rank. 

Erwin took hold of the final helmet sitting on the table, placing it under his left arm, and approached the class valedictorian. He stood in front of the man with raven hair and regarded him, finally able to get a close look.

Levi Ackerman’s eyebrows formed two thin lines across his forehead, giving him a serious expression. Erwin noted a smooth, velvety undercut behind the man’s ears, and guessed that without it, the black hair would be too bushy to fit under the helmet. He raised his gray eyes to meet the Captain’s gaze, a single strand of hair falling away from his face, revealing more soft, pale skin.

He’s so… beautiful.

The thought caught the captain off guard. He blinked and clenched his jaw, gingerly pulling the helmet out from under his arm and resting it on the man’s head. He adjusted the straps around the chin, bending a little at the waist, and met his eyes.

And from that moment, he knew he was doomed. Those eyes, those beautiful, gray eyes bore into his own as if reading every passage of the story of his life. 

“Welcome to Sina Fire, Ackerman,” Erwin said, clasping a strong hand around the firefighter’s shoulder. He stood and saluted the raven-haired boy, who returned the salute, a glint in his eye.

Erwin turned and stepped behind the man and stood at parade-rest.

As Shadis gave a final speech, Erwin’s eyes flicked across the two rows of chairs in front of the stage, searching for black hair, gray eyes, or pale skin, indicating relation to the man in front of him. He made it a point to introduce himself to the family of every firefighter under his command, in case the day should arrive where he would have to inform them that their loved one had perished. He hated the idea of being known only as the man who brought news of death to their families. Maybe it was his own selfish desire to be known as a hero rather than a villain, even though he knew, deep down, that’s who he would always be should that horrible day come to pass. He’d been lucky during his three short years as captain. He hadn’t had to make that horrible house call, though he’d come close a few times - closer than he cared to admit. 

Erwin prided himself in his ability to take calculated risks. He was far more aggressive than his fellow colleagues when it came to taking down fires, and it had paid off without fail. He’d been ambitious since his own academy days, and it had earned him the title of Captain in a mere seven years. He was the youngest captain at Sina Fire, and many of his comrades turned to him for his fresh perspective in times of crisis.

But the man standing in front of him threatened his resolve. He couldn’t explain it, but he had a burning desire to protect him. The idea of sending him into a burning building, threatening to crumble at any second, made his stomach twist into knots.

Shadis passed the lectern back to Chief Zackly, forcing Erwin out of his thoughts.

“Recruits, with the helmets given to you by your commanding officers, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Probationary Firefighters. Do you swear to follow their every order, even if they should order you into Hell, protect the lives of the citizens of Sina, and give the ultimate sacrifice if necessary?”

“Yes, sir!” eight voices said, resounding throughout the hall.

“Then I implore you, give your hearts!”

All eight firefighters saluted and gave a fierce shout. Chills ran down Erwin’s spine.

“Ladies and gentlemen it is with great honor that I introduce you to Sina Fire’s new Firefighters! Please, give them a warm welcome!”

Those sitting in the front rows jumped to their feet, applauding with bright smiles. The officers who hadn’t received new members let out whoops and cheers, abandoning their facade of politeness and civility. Erwin felt his chest swell with pride, the environment bringing back nostalgic memories of his own graduation ceremony seven years ago.

As the commotion settled, the new probationary firefighters hopped off the stage, embracing their loved ones and chattering animatedly. 

“Reminds me of my own graduation,” Chief Pixis said, sighing beside him.

Erwin smiled and grasped his hand giving it a firm shake. “Congratulations on your new firefighter. I’m sure you’ll train him well.”

“Likewise,” Pixis said with a smile, returning the handshake. 

Erwin exchanged pleasantries with the other captains on stage, then scanned the crowd, hoping to see his new firefighter with his family so he could formally introduce himself.

Instead, he found the man leaning against the back wall, a drink in his hands, like he was a mere observer.

Erwin grabbed himself another drink from the bar, then approached the new probationary firefighter, sipping his drink in an attempt to calm his nerves.

“I don’t think we’ve officially met. Captain Erwin Smith,” he said, outstretching his hand.

Levi regarded the hand and blinked, then took it, giving it a half-hearted shake.

“Levi Ackerman, Probationary Firefighter-EMT.”

Sparks rippled from Erwin’s fingertips up his arm, and for once, he was grateful for the slight blush that colored his cheeks every time he drank. He hoped it would be enough to disguise the way the man’s touch brought fire to his features.

He dropped his hand and leaned against the wall beside him, observing the crowd.

“Did your family leave already?” he asked.

Levi took a sip of his drink. “Didn’t come. It’s a bit of a long drive from Trost.”

“Oh.”

They stood in silence for a few minutes, each sipping their drinks, avoiding eye-contact with each other.

After a while, the silence, or, more likely, the liquid courage forced Erwin out of his silence.

“I’ve always hated these silly parties,” he said, sighing. “But, it’s an unfortunate part of the job, even more so as Captain.” Gray eyes glanced up at him, then resumed their dutiful study of the crowd.

Erwin threw back his drink, standing upright. “What do you say we grab some fresh air? I found a good hiding spot during my first year as Captain that should get us away from all this noise for a bit.”

As if they’d heard him, a group of men surrounding Chief Pixis erupted into drunken guffaws of laughter, spilling their drinks all over each other and clapping him on the back.

Levi wrinkled his nose and finished his drink. “I’d take you up on that offer,” he said.

Erwin swallowed, attempting to slow his quickening heart. He took Levi’s hand in his own and snuck out of the hall, dragging the shorter man behind him.

As the door closed behind them, Levi yanked his hand out of the taller man’s grasp.

“I’m not a lost little schoolgirl,” he said.

Erwin turned and faced the raven-haired boy, fighting the desire to melt into the floor in embarrassment. 

He cleared his throat. “Sorry, just didn’t want you to get lost in the crowd,” he said, scratching the back of his neck.

Levi rolled his eyes. “We were right by the door, I think my chances of getting lost were pretty slim.”

“Oh. Right.”

Levi rocked back on his heels and looked side to side. Erwin flushed an even deeper shade of red.

“So… is this your top secret hiding spot, Captain? I must say, I expected more than the hall outside the room,” Levi said.

Erwin smiled, relieved that his boldness hadn’t ruined the mood.

“No, it isn’t. While some of my colleagues may not be the brightest, I fear they would be able to find this spot quite easily,” he said. “This way,” he said, cocking his head to the right.

Levi fell into step behind the Captain as the blond moved through side halls and unmarked doors with the practiced ease of someone who’d walked this path hundreds of times. He checked over his shoulder periodically, ensuring prying eyes weren’t following the pair.

At last, they stumbled across a door that appeared out of place compared to the rest of the Civic Center. Levi tried the handle, and found it locked. He cocked an eyebrow up at Erwin.

The captain smiled and produced a keyring from his left pocket.

“One of the perks of the job,” he said, taking hold of a silver key and placing it in the lock. It took a bit of shimmying, but it turned after a precise flick of the wrist. Erwin pressed the door open, squeaking on its hinges, revealing a spiral wooden staircase.

Levi turned to his captain, impressed.

“Most of the convention center went up in flames, long before my time. This is the only surviving part of the old building. Chief Zackly still had the old Knox Box key. I stole it and made a copy when I was a rookie,” Erwin said. He stepped into the dark room, holding the door. “You won’t tell the Chief, will you?”

Levi raised both hands defensively and followed Erwin into the room.

“I’m a firefighter, not a cop,” he said. “Besides, who would believe a probie making an accusation of theft against his captain?”

Erwin eased the door shut. “I suppose you’ve got a point there,” he said, chuckling.

Faint moonlight trickled into the room, peering through cracks in a hatch above.

“After you,” he said, motioning to the firefighter.

Levi grabbed the handrail and climbed the first few steps then paused, glancing down at Erwin.

“You’re not taking me somewhere to murder me, are you?”

“I assure you that is not on my agenda,” Erwin replied. “I’d be out a full crew. I’d have to wait for the next class to graduate before my station would be fully staffed again.”

Levi shrugged, satisfied, and continued his ascent, Erwin close behind him.

At the top of the steps, Levi stretched out his hand toward the hatch and found, to his dismay, that it was just out of reach.

“Allow me,” Erwin said, outstretching a long arm above Levi’s black hair, nearly invisible in the darkness.

“Showoff,” Levi muttered under his breath.

As Erwin pushed the hatch aside, they emerged onto a square deck encased by a crumbling stone wall, flush with the brick of the main Civic Center structure. 

The duo crawled out of the hatch, wind touching their skin and bringing fresh air into their lungs. Levi rested his elbows atop the stone wall as Erwin closed the hatch behind him. He took a position next to the shorter man and leaned against the wall, their elbows millimeters apart, and looked out at the city.

The deck overlooked the downtown quarter of Sina, city lights ablaze against the moonlight. A few stars peeked through the curtain of light pollution, and a cool breeze rippled across his face. He closed his eyes and sighed, content.

They stood unspeaking for a while, but this silence was comfortable. A siren wailed in the distance, the only sound between the duo being the hustle and bustle of the city and their breath.

Levi broke the silence first. “So are you gonna give me some big speech about protecting the city, and how I have to give my heart and all that?”

Erwin opened his eyes and smiled down at him. “No, nothing like that,” he said. He sighed and turned his back to the city, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “I heard you gave Shadis a run for his money during Academy.”

Levi shrugged, indifferent. “Nothing he didn’t deserve. Just don’t like being spoken to like I’m an idiot and bossed around all day.”

Erwin chuckled. “I fear you’re in the wrong profession then, Ackerman. It seems the fine people of Sina enjoy bossing us around.”

“I don’t care about that. I know patients are a pain in the ass. I meant my colleagues.” He blew a strand of hair out of his face. “Why did you show me this place, anyway?”

Erwin furrowed his brow, considering for a moment. “I guess because you remind me of myself when I had just graduated. I was something of a rebel in my younger years. I didn’t respect the chain of command, I hated the idea of putting blind faith in someone simply because of their rank. I needed them to prove themselves trustworthy to me before I would take orders from them.”

Levi cocked an inquisitive brow at him. “I don’t see what’s so wrong about that.”

“No, I don’t suppose you would. There are still times where I question the chain of command, even as a captain.” Erwin shook his head. “But after I was promoted, I had to let that side of me go, and I did. I followed every order, learned each and every guideline, and carried out all the necessary responsibilities that the job required.” He turned back around, his gaze distant. 

“But this is the one place left, right? Coming up here gives you that freedom from the chain of command. Reminds you that you still have it in you to go against it if necessary” Levi said, his voice quiet.

Erwin widened his eyes and turned his gaze toward him, shocked. It had never occurred to him that his hiding spot was something out of the ordinary until now. But the man next to him had just read him word for word, like his mind was a book laying open on a desk for anyone to peruse. And he’d said it as if he’d known Erwin his whole life, like they hadn’t met just an hour ago.

“I guess I never really thought about it that way,” he muttered.

Levi shrugged. “I get it. We give up a lot of our freedoms for this job; our health, time, even our privacy sometimes.”

A lump caught in Erwin’s throat. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the man beside him. His skin seemed to sparkle in the moonlight, his pupils twinkling with the lights of the city. Another breeze blew strands of black hair across his forehead, and his lips formed a soft line under the small point of his nose.

Levi turned to face him, eyes glancing to Erwin’s parted lips.

“The fuck are you staring at?” Levi asked.

Erwin swallowed. “I just-”

He leaned in, standing on his tiptoes, their noses just out of reach from each other.

“You just, what, Captain?”

Erwin gulped, tearing his gaze away from gray eyes and staring at the pale lips beneath him, a tinge of pink around the corners. He forgot how to form the thoughts in his brain into words.

“You… I mean, you’re just-”

Levi tugged at the collar of the captain’s uniform, silencing him as he covered his mouth with his lips.

Erwin stood shocked for a moment, eyes open wide, but the softness of Levi’s mouth against his sending tingles up his spine. He closed his eyes and parted his lips, resting a hand on the small of Levi’s back.

Emboldened by the lingering effects of the alcohol, Erwin deepened the kiss, flicking his tongue lightly across Levi’s bottom lip. Levi complied, opening his mouth, pressing his tongue against the blond’s. Sweet wetness engulfed his senses, the taste of the small firefighter was intoxicating. A contented groan rumbled at the back of Erwin’s throat, and he pulled the smaller man closer towards him.

The heat rose between them, rising at their lips and settling between their legs. As their lips continued their exploration of each other, Erwin’s pants began to feel tight. He gently pressed a thigh between Levi’s legs, finding a heat similar to his own.

Erwin rocked against the shorter man, testing the waters before allowing himself to dive in. Levi mirrored the motion, and they fell into a slow rhythm, grinding against each other, hands running up and down each other’s sides.

Erwin broke their kiss, breathless, noting a faint flush in Levi’s cheeks. Their gazes held for a moment, questioning their desires wordlessly between them.

Levi palmed the bulge in Erwin’s pants, rubbing gently, and a quiet moan escaped past his lips. Small fingers rested on his belt buckle, and Levi turned his gaze up towards him again, a new fire burning behind gray eyes.

“Can I…?”

“Please.”

He set to work untangling the captain’s buckle. Erwin gripped his biceps as he moved, surprised by the firmness he discovered under the sleeves of the black uniform.

The crisp evening air sent a shock through his spine as Levi pulled him free of his pants and underwear. The cold didn’t last long, warm fingers wrapped around his dick, stroking gently.

Erwin forced the fog in his mind to part, reclaiming control of his hands. He fumbled with the shorter man’s belt, the silver buckle glinting in the moonlight as it was tossed aside.

He grabbed Levi at the base of his dick, pulling his fingers slowly to the tip, applying light pressure.

“ Fuck,” Levi whispered.

They maintained their steady pace, pumping each other in time with their breathing. It didn’t take long before Erwin grew impatient and quickened his pace, biting his lower lip. Levi met his speed, tugging ever so slightly at the tip, spreading a thin layer of precum along Erwin’s shaft.

Controlled breaths turned into desperate panting, light moans escaping the back of their throats.

“Fuck, Captain, I’m close,” Levi groaned.

“Me too.”

Levi’s wrist began moving with erratic rhythm, his breaths coming faster and faster with each thrust against Erwin’s hand. 

“Oh fuck, Captain, I’m gonna come. I’m gonna come, oh fuck .”

Hearing the man moan his title so deliciously sent Erwin over the edge, a slew of curses escaping his lips as he spilled his seed onto the floor below. 

They stood facing each other, panting heavily, as if trying to inhale the other’s breath. As the waves of ecstasy rolled away from him, clarity entered Erwin’s mind for what seemed like the first time that night.

Erwin cleared his throat, removing his hands from Levi and hastily stuffing himself back into his slacks. His fingers fumbled with his belt as the reality of what had just transpired threatened to overwhelm his senses.

He couldn’t believe he’d let himself get so carried away. How much had he sacrificed to earn his rank as a captain at Sina Fire? The days stretched into nights and countless hours of overtime spent studying or looming over paperwork flashed across his mind. All of the extra training, additional competency certifications, and the insurmountable pain he’d endured had been thrown away in an instant and for what? A quick orgasm on a rooftop?

If word of this encounter spread, his reputation of troublesome rookie-turned stoic leader would crumble around him, engulfed in the flames he spent his life fighting against.

No. He would set this right, there was no alternative. 

He straightened his back and forced a neutral expression. “I sincerely apologize, Ackerman, it seems the evening’s festivities have severely clouded my judgment.”

Levi cocked a brow at him, tugging his own belt back around his waist. “Excuse me?”

Erwin peered down his nose, holding his gaze. “As your commanding officer, it was inappropriate of me to take advantage of the situation in this manner. I hope you can forgive my lapse in judgment and continue our professional relationship.”

Levi scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “So that’s all this was to you? A poor judgment call?”

Erwin winced internally, using all of his remaining energy to maintain his cold and passive demeanor. The anger resonating from the man before him hurt his heart more than he cared to admit.

“I trust you understand discretion will be of the utmost importance on this issue,” he said.

“Yeah? And what if I decide to take this issue up the chain of command? 

Erwin swallowed, balling his hands into fists at his sides. “You said yourself that you would have a difficult time finding someone who would believe your word as a probationary firefighter against mine,” he said with all the coolness he could muster.

Levi set his jaw and narrowed his eyes. “I suppose you’re right, Captain .”

He stormed away towards the hatch, careful to avoid the mess beginning to dry on the ground. He threw the door open and started down the ladder, shooting a scathing glare at Erwin, silhouetted against the lights of the city.

“I understand if you want to put in for a transfer to a different station. I can speak with

Chief Zackly on your behalf-”

“Oh fuck your transfer. Shove it up your ass for all I care. I’ll see you next week, Captain Smith.”

He slammed the door shut behind him as he descended to the steps below, rattling the floor beneath Erwin’s feet.

As the silence hung in the air, interrupted only by the noise of the city, Erwin let out a shuddering breath, slumping his shoulders. He turned to face the city, but found the sights too overstimulating, and rested his elbows on the wall, cradling his head in his hands.

What the hell have I just done?

Chapter Text

A knock at his door jolted Erwin back to reality. 

Was I asleep?

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, he scrambled at the papers littered across his desk, then paused, patting his left pants pocket. Sighing, he pulled out his phone and checked the screen. Sure enough, more than an hour had passed since the raven-haired boy had left his office.

Another knock sounded at his door, more insistent.

“Captain, everything alright?”

Erwin ran a hand through his hair then strode to the door and pulled it open.

Mike stood leaning against the frame, an inquisitive expression on his face.

“Ah, Lieutenant, what can I do for you?” Erwin asked.

Mike pushed past him and flopped on the bed in the corner of the office with a groan and rested his back against the wall.

“All is well, I think Petra’s finally woken up for the day,” he ran a hand through his brown locks. “Didn’t know you were so hardcore, Erwin.”

“What do you mean?” Erwin asked, cocking a bushy eyebrow.

Mike rested his hands behind his head and shut his eyes. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I think the kid needs some discipline, but ordering him to deep clean the whole station? That’s brutal.”

Erwin raised both of his eyebrows, shocked. “I didn’t order him to do anything.”

Mike sniffed, smiling. “So you’re telling me the kid just up and decided to get on his hands and knees and scrub the grout in the men’s toilet of his own volition? Yeah, right. You sure we’re talking about the same firefighter?”

Erwin recalled the small finger running under his desk, the memory making his heart quicken for a beat. 

Was he serious about that? I thought he was just being petty.

Erwin moved to investigate, then paused outside the door, turning over his shoulder.

“You’re not just pulling my leg are you?” he asked.

Mike shrugged, eyes still closed. “Not this time. See for yourself.”

Intrigued, Erwin rounded the corner and entered the hall, making way for the restroom.

He didn’t have to walk far before he noticed a distinct difference in the station. The linoleum floors that seemed perpetually covered in a layer of dust squeaked under his boots, the dim light bulb above giving them a glossy finish. He opened one of the closets to his left, expecting to find the usual disarray of cleaning products stored there. Instead, he found products lined in neat rows, organized by their intended use and expiration date. He ran a finger across the top shelf and upon examination found it was clean. 

He closed the closet and opened the one next to it, finding it in a similar state. He turned and opened one of the medical supply closets behind him and sure enough, everything was stacked in neat bins down to the very last bandaid.

He paced down the hall and peeked through the door to the men’s restroom and a feeling of astonishment washed over him.

Levi was crouched on all fours, scrubbing vigorously at the floor with a thick-bristle brush. Next to him lay a bucket filled with soapy water, and a caddy with cleaning products and gloves sat on his other side. He had rolled his sleeves above his elbows, revealing wiry arms, his small veins rolling underneath pale skin. A white rag draped over the back of his head, keeping his dark hair out of his face.

Well I’ll be damned.

Erwin cleared his throat, announcing his presence.

“What are you doing?”

“The fuck does it look like, Blondie?” Levi replied, still scrubbing. He sat back on his heels and dropped the brush into the bucket beside him. He sighed, wiping an arm across his forehead, then rose to his feet, turning to face the captain.

Erwin gawked at the sight before him. A few strands of hair had escaped from the cloth tied behind his ears, sticking to his cheeks. A sheen of sweat glistened above his brow, and if he looked closely, he could see a fire similar to the one he’d seen on graduation night behind the man’s cloudy eyes.

“You don’t have to do all this, we finished chores-”

“Please, this place was filthy. I’m surprised the health inspector hasn’t condemned the station,” Levi said. He gripped the bucket and caddy in both hands and walked past the taller man. “Besides, I don’t mind cleaning.” He opened one of the closets behind Erwin and placed the caddy on the bottom shelf. He shut the door and met the captain’s gaze, cocking a brow. “Is that a problem, Captain?”

Erwin blinked, trying to clear the surprise from his mind. 

“No, not at all,” he said. He gave the firefighter a curt nod. “Good work, Ackerman.”

Levi saluted.

Chapter Text

The days blended together as Levi settled into a routine. As the probie, he was stuck on the Medic Unit with Hange every duty day. They would get toned out shortly after roll-call, run a couple of calls, then stop at the market, where Hange insisted on purchasing doughnuts on his behalf. He let her give him the credit for the pastries, and the rest of the crew played along with the charade. Once they returned, Levi would ask somebody if chores had been done, then deep clean the station regardless of the answer.

Despite his best efforts, the too-perky medic had begun to grow on him, forcing him out of his shell and cracking at his mysterious persona. She’d managed to pry a few facts from him, learning that his favorite color was blue, that he’d spent a portion of his childhood living in Sina then moved to Trost when he was around twelve years old, his favorite ice cream flavor was strawberry, and that he was a cat person.

It had been a full month since Levi’s first day at Station 21, and they were entering the dog days of summer. He sat in the driver’s seat of the ambulance, letting the engine idle so he could keep the A/C blowing against his face.

“ Medic 21, please respond to 901 South Eighth Street for a fall. Engine 21 First Responder has been requested.”

Levi sighed and clicked his seatbelt into place. He pulled the radio from his belt and pressed down the talk button.

“Dispatch, Medic 21 copies, we’re en route.”

He clipped the radio back into place and flipped on the ambulance’s lights, then pulled up to the market’s entrance. He tapped the airhorn a couple times, and a perky medic skipped out the doors moments later.

“Whatta we got?” Hange asked, flinging herself into the passenger seat.

Levi turned on the siren’s wailer and pulled out of the parking lot.

“Fall. It’s a couple blocks from here. Dispatch sent the engine out, too.”

“Hmm, must be serious,” Hange said, pulling the toughbook into her lap.

Levi switched the siren’s pattern to the yelper as he approached a stoplight, tapping the airhorn a couple times as he rode through the intersection.

“Does it say how high the fall was?” he asked, turning the siren back to the wailer.

“No, but it’s a kid. That’s probably why they dispatched the first-response,” Hange replied.

Levi cranked the wheel and turned onto a residential street. As he rounded the corner, the lights of the fire engine flashed in his vision. He killed the siren and pulled to a stop behind them.

“Man, how do they always beat us?” Hange whined.

“They’re not lollygagging around the market for fucking doughnuts,” Levi said, unbuckling his belt.

Hange stuck her tongue out at him, then shut the laptop. “Let’s do this.”

Levi hopped out of the squad and jogged around the front to the side door. He grabbed the neon green and red striped first-in bag off the stretcher and flung it over his shoulder. He slammed the door shut and followed Hange onto the front lawn of a two-story house.

The first thing he noticed was the noise. He couldn’t decide if it sounded more like a Banshee getting fucked in the ass or a small dog being tortured.

Petra waved them down from behind a chain-link fence. Levi’s heart dropped when he discovered the source of the noise.

A little girl, probably no older than eight, was sprawled across the lawn. Braids hung from the sides of her face, which was covered in dust and soot.

A tall woman-he assumed the little girl’s mother-kneeled on the lawn next to the girl, clasping a tiny hand in both of her own, muttering soothing words, pushing blond strands of hair out of the inconsolable child’s face.

“Do you know how long ago she fell?” asked Erwin, squatting on the ground next to the girl.

“I don’t know, couldn’t have been more than five minutes. I swear I was only inside for a second. Then I heard this terrible, loud boom and when I looked outside the window, she was gone.”

Levi turned his gaze upward, taking in the scene and piecing together the story in his mind. A wooden deck about twelve feet high loomed above them. He squinted, scrutinizing the structure. One of the spaces between the vertical posts surrounding the platform appeared bigger than the others, just wide enough that a small child could fall through with a single misplaced step - or another overpowering force.

“Do you still have the box the sparklers came in?” Asked Mike, standing behind the mother, scribbling on a pad of paper.

“Yes, I can go get it - it’s in the garage,” she said, sniffling.

Petra laid a reassuring hand on the mother’s shoulder. “I can go and look for it, you stay here with your daughter.”

Tears streamed from the woman’s eyes and she gave a grateful smile. “Thank you, it should be on the workbench.”

Hange walked around to the girl’s head and crouched down.

“Hey sweetie, what’s your name?”

Her only response was another scream. Levi cringed as it rose in pitch.

“Olivia, honey, try to answer the nice paramedic,” the mother said, but the wailing continued, rivaling the pitch of the ambulance’s siren.

“Maybe if we can soothe some of these burns she’ll be able to calm down a bit,” Erwin said, tucking one of the girl’s golden braids behind her ears.

Levi sank down to the ground, balancing on the balls of his feet, and unzipped the first-in bag. From this level, he was finally able to get a close look at their patient. He found deep red splotches littered across her neck and arms with white blisters forming in the palms of her hands. Scorch marks were scattered in circular patterns on her white t-shirt, obscuring the pink and blue cartoon horses in its center. His heart ached for her. He knew all too well just how painful burns were.

“Ackerman, go get the pediatric backboard from the squad, Oluo and I will work on dressing these burns,” Erwin ordered, digging through the bag.

“I thought they took backboards out of our protocol,” Levi said.

Erwin shot him a glare with hardened, icy blue eyes. 

“She just fell from at least ten feet, she needs to be backboarded,” he said with a scathing undertone.

“Look at those burns. You could do more harm than good by putting her on a board. Plus, you’ll make her pain even worse,” Levi countered.

The girl’s mother looked between the two, her lip quivering.

Mike stepped forward. “Ma’am, if we could go somewhere else, I’ve just gotta get some information from you if that’s alright.”

The woman hesitated, eyeing the firefighters surrounding her daughter, then nodded. She gave her daughter’s hand a squeeze and rose to her feet, following Mike towards the side of the house.

Hange shifted to the girl’s side and held her hand as Erwin handed Oluo some bandages, setting to work dressing the burns on her right shoulder.

“I will not have you questioning my decisions in front of the patient or her mother, who, by the way, is probably just as scared as this little girl is right now. The last thing she needs is for the people she is depending on to help her daughter arguing about protocols. I won’t say this again, go get the backboard .”

Levi shoved another bandage at the Captain’s chest, ignoring the screams rising in volume beside him.

“Fine.”

He stood and stalked off towards the ambulance, balling his fists at his sides. He couldn’t believe the captain’s utter disregard for Sina Fire’s protocols. What, had his head gotten so big that he’d decided to award himself an honorary medical degree and PhD? There was a reason experts put protocols in place. Not to mention the excruciating pain their patient would be subjected to once she was on the board.

He grabbed the pediatric backboard from one of the outside compartments of the squad then slammed the door shut. He spun on his heel and moved back to the yard, forcing himself to take deep breaths.

As he stepped through the gate, his heart dropped for the second time on scene, except this time, he was sure it had fallen right out of his ass. 

Hange, Oluo, and Erwin were dressing the girl’s burns, wrapping different parts of her upper body with bandages. Petra emerged from the garage, an empty box of sparklers in her hand. Mike and the girl’s mother were walking back to the group.

And it was quiet.

Levi jogged to them and dropped to the ground, setting the backboard parallel to the child.

“-we’ll want to start an IV…,” Erwin was saying to Hange.

“Captain,” Levi said.

“... might need to put her on a cannula…”

“Captain,”

“Oh, and we’ll have to make sure we jot down the lot number of those sparklers so we can make a report to-”

“Erwin Smith!”

“ What , Levi?” Erwin shouted, whirling to face him.

“She’s not crying.”

The anger on the Captain’s face lingered a moment, then fell, his face turning pale.

Three sets of eyes fell on the girl’s face. Her lips were blue.

“Shit, we need to move!” Erwin said. He sprung into action, the others hot on his tail. 

In a flurry of movement, Levi and the rest of the crew placed the board against the girl and rolled her on her side. They moved the board under her limp form and rolled her onto it, then set to work securing her arms, legs, and torso.

As they strapped her down, Oluo pushed his thumbs against either side of her jaw and thrust her mouth open. After spending nearly 20 years in the fire service, he’d mastered his poker face. Almost.

His eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets when he looked into the girl’s mouth.

“Black,” he said.

“God dammit,” Erwin cursed. “There’s no time to bring the stretcher over here, we’ll carry her to the squad. Petra, tell Mike to meet us in the back of the ambulance. Hange, you’re driving. Levi, you’ll stick with me and the Lieutenant. Oluo, you do your best to maintain C-spine, then follow us to Children’s Memorial in the engine. We move your count.”

“Sir!” they said in unison.

“Everybody ready?” Oluo asked, locking eyes with everyone. “Okay, one, two, three!”

Oluo, Erwin, Hange, and Levi hoisted the board off the ground, moving as a single unit.

“What’s going on? What’s wrong with my baby?!” the woman cried, chasing after the crew as they crossed the front lawn.

Beside her, Mike sniffed and locked eyes with the captain. A look of realization dawned over his face, and he sprinted toward the ambulance, abandoning the mother.

Petra took his place, wrapping an arm around the woman. “We’re taking her to Children’s Memorial. I promise they’ll take good care of your daughter.”

“My baby! Olivia! Oh, Olivia I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry!” the woman screamed.

Levi put walls up around his mind, blocking the woman’s cries. The adrenaline coursing through his veins and enhancing his senses making her sobs stab at his heart. 

Mike unloaded the stretcher from the ambulance, setting its wheels on the ground. The crew lifted the girl onto the cot and pushed it back into the squad.

Blood rushed in Levi’s ears as he scrambled into the rear compartment followed by Mike. Erwin slammed the rear doors shut and appeared at the side door a moment later, closing it behind him and flinging himself into the airway seat.

“Speed or stability, Captain?” Hange asked from the driver’s seat.

“Give me stability until I can drop a tube in her, then just get us there as quickly as possible,” he replied. He cranked the heat all the way up, and warm air blasted Levi’s face.

Hange whooped and put the truck in drive, the siren wailing in Levi’s ears a second later.

Mike got to work on setting up an IV, seated in the bench across the aisle from Levi. Erwin rifled through a cabinet on his left and pulled out the intubation kit, ripping the seal from the bag’s handles.

Levi pulled his shears out of one of his pockets and cut the girl’s shirt, separating the pink and blue ponies with a vertical line. He ripped the fabric away to expose her chest and stomach, and he had to fight a wave of vertigo from taking over his senses. 

The skin on her chest was covered in thick, white blisters, similar to the ones on her hands. The few places that weren’t already oozing with pus were almost black, the smell of charred flesh wafting from her body.

Levi shook his head, letting adrenaline and his training take over. He dug through a drawer at his right and pulled out five packs of EKG leads, ripping them apart without decorum and sticking them to the girl’s chest. 

As he attached the final wire to the monitor, Mike pulled a rubber tourniquet from the child’s arm free, securing the first IV with tape.

“Shit,” Erwin said from the airway seat. He tossed a tube aside and dug through the intubation kit, pulling out a smaller tool.

Levi glanced at the monitor and placed two fingers on the inside of the patient’s wrist.

“Pulse is fading, Captain, and her oxygen is at 60 percent and dropping,” Levi warned.

“I’m working on it,” he replied, eyebrows furrowed in concentration, breathing through his mouth. “God dammit, I can hardly get any fucking visual of the chords. There’s too much soot.”

“Do you want me to give her Epi?” Mike asked.

“Not until I’ve got this tube in, we’ll lose her airway completely if we give it too soon,” he said. He dropped the stylet into her mouth and leaned forward.

“Ten minutes out, boys!” Hange called from up front.

“Already? Fuck. Ackerman, call in report to Children’s. Trauma alert,” Erwin said, pulling the stylet from the girl’s mouth.

Levi grabbed one of the handlebars that lined the ceiling and pulled himself up to reach a radio sitting on a small shelf above his head. He set his right knee on the seat, bracing himself as the squad rocked back and forth.

He turned the dial on the radio and set it to the Memorial Children’s frequency, then unhooked the mouthpiece and clicked the talk button.

“Memorial Children’s, do you copy?” he said.

He was greeted with a second of static, then a female voice replied.

“ This is Memorial Children’s, we copy. Please identify your unit. ”

He held down the talk button again. “This is Sina Fire Medic 21, we’re coming in hot with a female, about eight years old. Supposedly, a sparkler exploded in her hand and she fell about one story from a deck onto grass. She’s got 36 to 45 percent visible burns on the upper body, we lost her airway in the field, working on intubation now, and we’ve got an IV in the right AC. We’re gonna go ahead and recommend a trauma alert, our ETA is nine minutes.”

Static. “ Medic 21 we need a set of vitals before we can call a trauma alert. ”

Levi rolled his eyes, not bothering to glance at the monitor.

“Yeah, her blood pressure is shit over dead, pulse is horrible, don’t get me started on her oxygen levels. Oh and temperature is probably hot as fuck.”

Static. “ Medic 21 I need a quantitative set of vitals. ”

“Sounds like you need to open your goddamn ears. Call the trauma alert or you’ll have a dead kid and a lawsuit on your hands. Medic 21 over and out.”

Levi slammed the mouthpiece back onto its hook and turned the volume down. He sat back against the bench seat and eyed the monitor, blood rushing in his ears.

“Captain, we’re losing her,” he said.

“I just need a couple more seconds,” Erwin replied, sweat dripping from his brow.

“Oxygen is in the forties and she’s bradying down. Thirties.”

“Almost got it… there!” he said, making one final adjustment. He attached an Ambu bag to the tube and gave it a light squeeze, focusing his attention to her chest.

Her chest rose a few centimeters. Mike grabbed a stethoscope and looped it around his ears. He pressed the drum to her chest, wrinkles forming between his brows.

He pulled away and nodded at Erwin. “It’s good.”

Erwin smiled and the tension in the air dissipated. He knocked twice on the wall separating the cab from the back, and Levi had to grip the mesh hanging from the ceiling next to him to keep him from flying into the back doors. Hange let out an excited laugh, stepping on the gas and swerving between cars.

Levi looked at the monitor, and as the child’s vitals climbed upward, his heart swelled with pride.

“Nice job, Captain,” he said, unable to hide the genuine admiration in his voice.

Erwin met his gaze and nodded, creases forming around his eyes.

“We’re not out of the woods yet. Mike, go ahead and administer that epi, I still don’t like her heart rate.”

“On it.” 

The crew continued to work, each action driven with purpose, but there was a calmer air in the squad. Despite the constant twisting and turning, sudden stops, and increased speed, their movements lacked the frenzy from before. Instead of working on each task separately, their interventions molded together, all working toward a cohesive goal.

Mike taped down another IV, then tossed the stethoscope across the aisle to Levi.

“Give her a listen, probie. It’s pretty neat,” he said.

Levi grimaced at the earpieces. He wiped them on his shirt before placing them in his ears, then leaned forward, setting the drum on the patient’s chest.

It was like he’d teleported into a wind tunnel, a breeze sounding through his ears in time with each squeeze of the Ambu bag. He moved the drum across the patient’s chest and closed his eyes. Hot air from the vents above blew in his face, and if he concentrated, he could almost imagine he was back in Trost, sitting on a hill as a warm breeze fluttered through the grass.

He opened his eyes and sat upright, removing the stethoscope from his ears. He turned to Erwin in awe, admiring the calculated timing of each squeeze as he breathed life back into the little girl laying before him.

And suddenly, he knew from the bottom of his heart that he trusted this man with his life. He’d developed a similar bond with many of his coworkers before. Watching somebody literally save lives in front of you over and over again made it difficult not to feel any sort of trust. He’d begun to feel that way with Hange over the past few weeks, and his respect for Mike had heightened as well.

But something about the way Erwin had stared death in the eye with such courage, such determination, made Levi’s heart soar. He knew he could give this man every part of himself, down to the last piece of his very soul, and he would keep him safe. He knew it the same way he knew the sun rose in the east every day, the correct method for performing CPR, and even the same way he knew Hange’s favorite ice cream flavor. It was an undeniable fact, one that would never be proven wrong.

He would give his heart to him.

As they pulled into Children’s Memorial, his brain dumped another dose of adrenaline into his body, albeit, a smaller one.

They wheeled the stretcher through the sliding doors into the Trauma Bay. A nurse with long dark hair pulled into a braid down her back met them at the bedside.

“What shit show did you bring me this time, Erwin,” she said as she pulled on a pair of gloves.

Erwin moved to her side of the bed and gripped the sheet under the board.

“You know you love the messes I bring in for you, Marie,” he replied. The crew hefted the patient onto the hospital bed, using the sheet to pull her over.

Levi made quick work of unhooking cords and lines from the little girl. Emergency Room staff began shuffling around him, hooking her up to their own monitors and other devices. Once he was sure she was completely disconnected, he pulled the stretcher away from the bed, wheeling it out of the way.

As he began his cot cleaning ritual, a perky medic with four-eyes slugged him in the shoulder, bouncing in her shoes.

“That was pretty exciting, eh probie?” Hange asked, smiling.

Levi rubbed his shoulder, feigning offense.

“I don’t think I’d call a slow-roasted child ‘exciting,’” he said, resuming his cleaning.

“Ah, you know what I mean. Plus, I would argue it was more of an instant-roast. But it’s not every day we get to actually use our skills. Here, I’ll help you with that,” she said, reaching for the wipes.

Levi smacked her hand away, glaring. “No thanks, four-eyes. I’ve seen your cleaning skills, and they’re shit.”

“So mean,” Hange whined, sticking out her lower lip. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and smiled. “Want anything from the EMS room?”

“Something with a lot of caffeine.”

The medic snapped and pointed finger guns at him. “You got it.”

A few minutes later, Erwin and Mike met the pair in the ambulance bay. The engine sat idling in the staff parking lot across the way, Oluo at the wheel and Petra sitting shotgun.

Erwin paced back and forth behind the ambulance, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Mike leaned against the building crouched on the ground resting his arms on his knees. Hange rocked to and fro on her heels with her hands clasped behind her back, and Levi stood leaning against the back doors of the ambulance with his ankles crossed, biting his fingernails.

After an excruciating twenty minutes or so, the sliding doors parted, and the nurse with the braid approached Erwin with her hands on her hips.

“The worst of it’s not over yet, but her labs look okay and her scans are reassuring all things considered. She’ll probably spend a few days in the PICU, but as long as nothing too crazy happens, she should be okay, thanks to you.”

The crew let out a collective sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Marie, but you should really thank Ackerman,” Erwin said, cocking his head towards the firefighter. “If it hadn’t been for him, we would’ve bandaged her to death. We were so caught up dressing her wounds that we forgot the basics.”

The nurse, Marie, shifted her gaze to Levi, honey brown eyes widening.

“Don’t think I’ve met you yet. You new?”

“Levi’s my new partner,” Hange answered for him, looping an arm around his shoulders. “He may be a probie, but he’s no rookie. He knows his stuff.”

Marie nodded, a smile ghosting across her lips. “Well, welcome to Sina, Ackerman. I’m Marie. You’ll probably be busy if you’re stuck at 21’s with this guy,” she said, jerking her thumb at Erwin. “Only comes to visit if he’s got something wild.”

“You know I don’t like wasting your time with the small stuff,” Erwin said, teasing.

Nurse and captain locked eyes with equally playful expressions, as if a joke were being shared between them that no one else was allowed to hear.

Marie sighed. “Well, I guess I should get back. Those boo-boo’s aren’t going to fix themselves.” She patted the captain’s bicep. “It was good to see you, Erwin.”

“Likewise.”

“Nice to meet you, Levi,” she said with a wave.

Levi nodded in acknowledgement as she walked back through the sliding doors.

Erwin turned to face the rest of the crew. “Good work everybody. Lunch is on me when we get back.”

“Oh fuck yeah!” Hange said, pumping a fist in the air. “Last one back is a rotten egg! I’ll drive.”

Levi gripped her by the wrist before she could dart away. “I don’t think so, four-eyes, I’m still dizzy from the ride here. Hand over the keys.”

Hange stuck out her bottom lip again, pouting, then tossed him the keys. “I never get to have any fun around here.”

Chapter Text

Erwin sat at the picnic table in the garage cradling a cup of coffee between his hands.

His crew members were all in their usual roll-call positions, all struggling to keep their eyes open, except for Hange, of course. He perused the day’s announcements listed in front of him and smiled to himself as the perky medic continued her morning antics without regard for the death glares she received from Levi and Petra.

The 0700 bell sounded throughout the garage and he took a sip from his mug.

“Everybody here?” he asked, more as a way to grab their attention than to take attendance. “Okay, let’s get started. There was only one call-off in our district, 13’s medic is sick, but they have someone from third platoon coming in early to cover for him. In terms of housekeeping, I want to remind you again that the Fireman’s Ball is in two weeks, I hope your speeches are coming along well.”

Petra yawned and stretched her arms above her head. “You know we’re all just gonna put off that stupid speech ‘til the last minute, right, Captain?”

“Hey, some of us like to be prepared,” Oluo interjected.

“Yeah? Let’s hear the opening line of your speech, Old Man,” Petra said.

Oluo paused, then sunk into the recliner and crossed his arms, mumbling to himself.

“I do not care when they are completed as long as they are well-written,” Erwin said. “As far as assignments for today, Hange, you’re on the Medic Unit, but I’m going to steal your partner for the day and give you Petra.”

Hange’s face brightened. She gripped Petra by the shoulders with a playful shake.

“Ah, Petra, it’ll be just like the good old days! Except now you can take the ALS runs, too! My little baby EMT Petra is all grown up and is a big, smart paramedic now,” Hange said, smiling.

“Hey, what did we say about personal space before 10 o’clock?” Petra said.

Hange released her shoulders, still smiling.

Erwin noticed a look of surprise flash across Levi’s face before settling back into its neutral expression.

“Great, now the stretcher’s going to be disgusting when I go back to the Medic,” Levi sighed. “Unless four-eyes wrecks the ambulance, first.”

“I’ll drive, don’t worry, Ackerman,” Petra said with a smirk.

Levi nodded at the red-haired medic, satisfied.

“What? I’m a great driver! You mean to tell me you don’t have the most fun when I’m the one in the driver’s seat?”

“No,” everybody said in unison.

Hange slumped into a recliner and crossed her arms. “I can’t believe you’re taking Levi from me, Captain. I was just about to figure out his favorite music today.”

“Thank you for your flexibility, Petra,” Erwin said, nodding to the medic. “And Hange, don’t forget Ackerman is a firefighter as well as an EMT. He needs time on the engine with us during probation.”

“I guess,” Hange grumbled.

“Also, your turn-out gear arrived yesterday, Ackerman. I’d like you to make sure it fits properly and you feel comfortable working in it,” Erwin said.

Hange perked up in her seat, her sour mood forgotten, and clapped her hands. “Ooooh, a fashion show! I can pull the ambulance out and make a little runway for you to strut your stuff.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “I’m good, thanks.”

Alarms sounded throughout the garage, and everyone leaned forward, straining their ears.

“ Medic 21 respond to 307 Vine street for an allergic reaction.”

“And so it begins,” Petra sighed. She grabbed Erwin’s mug from him and downed the remainder of his coffee, then thrust it back into his hand and stood.

“Don’t do the fashion show without us!” Hange said as she turned toward the ambulance. Petra snatched the keys out of her hand and hopped into the driver’s side. The shorelines fell from their plugs as she turned over the engine. Hange jumped into the passenger seat as the garage door opened, and they pulled away with flashing lights.

As the garage door closed and the siren faded into the distance, Mike emerged from the kitchen and sat at the end of the table, a half-eaten doughnut in his hand.

Oluo rose from his seat. “There’s doughnuts already?”

“Yup, they’re in the kitchen,” Mike said, taking another bite.

Erwin looked at the raven-haired firefighter and cocked a brow.

“We’ve never had breakfast ready this early in the day before,” he said.

Levi shrugged and turned his head to the side. “It’s nothing. Just had trouble sleeping this morning is all.”

Erwin grinned, sharing a look with Oluo and Mike.

“Well, I’m going to go make another pot of coffee, seeing as my cup was compromised,” Erwin said, standing. “You all know where to find me if you need anything.”

-----

Levi pushed a strand of hair from his face and rose to his feet. He wasn’t used to having this much time in the morning for cleaning, and he’d worked up a sweat dusting and scrubbing around the station.

How the hell do the other platoons manage to make such a mess in the two days I’m not here?

He grabbed the kitchen-cleaning spray from the middle shelf and a fresh rag and placed them in his caddy. With his free time, he planned on tackling the grease stains at the back of the fridge. They had been creeping into his subconscious at every meal they shared at the station, leaving a rotten taste in his mouth after lunch and dinner.

When he walked through the door into the kitchen, he froze midstep. Erwin was at the sink rinsing his coffee mug. His Sina Fire windbreaker lay discarded on the dining table next to the box of doughnuts. Levi couldn’t help but admire the captain’s thick forearms, the defined muscles flexing slightly as he scrubbed. He stole a glance further down his back, noting how closely his navy button-up hugged his torso. He wondered what he would look like beneath the uniform, his mind conjuring images of Erwin’s abdominal and pectoral muscles. How soft his skin would feel beneath his fingertips.

“Anything I can do for you, Ackerman?” Erwin asked, placing his mug on the drying rack.

Levi blinked, forcing the fantasy out of his mind, and set the caddy on the table. He picked up the jacket and tossed it at the tall man.

“You can start by keeping your filthy coat off of the place where we eat,” he replied.

Erwin caught the jacket and smiled. “My apologies.” 

Levi shot a glance to his left as the captain moved to hang his coat from one of the hooks by the door. When he was satisfied that the table was clean again, he picked up the caddy and set it on the counter next to the fridge.

“Thank you for bringing the doughnuts, by the way. I know Mike especially appreciates having something to look forward to in the mornings,” Erwin said.

Levi crouched and opened the fridge, wrinkling his nose at the smell of forgotten leftovers.

“Don’t know what the big deal is, we have doughnuts every morning,” he said, pulling a plate wrapped in tinfoil off the top shelf.

“Nonetheless, it’s appreciated,” Erwin said. The captain meandered over to the sink and set his hands on the edge of the counter and leaned forward, bracing his weight against his arms.

Levi eyed the outline of his body from the corner of his vision as he finished clearing the top shelf. He stood and scraped leftovers from a serving platter into the garbage can next to the fridge. Once the loose remains had been cleared, he reached in front of Erwin and placed the platter in the sink.

Without a word, Erwin turned on the faucet and rolled up his sleeves. He grabbed a sponge and dish soap and began scrubbing.

“You don’t have to do that, I was planning on washing the dishes after I’m done wiping down these shelves,” Levi said, scraping another dish over the garbage bin.

Erwin continued scrubbing, ignoring him.

“Captain, I’m serious, I can handle this. I’m sure you have more important-”

Erwin held up a hand, silencing the firefighter, and set the platter on the drying rack.

“Please, I insist,” he said, taking the next dish from Levi’s hands.

Levi regarded him for a moment, then shrugged and resumed the task at hand.

They maintained a steady pace for a few minutes, with Levi scraping and the captain washing. They worked without exchanging any words, but the silence was comfortable. The weariness that usually loomed over the pair when they were alone seemed like something from a lifetime ago, despite having only settled during their last shift.

Erwin placed the last dish on the rack and shut off the tap. He bent down and grabbed a clean towel from beneath the sink and flung it over his shoulder, pushing his hands against his knees as he stood.

The fridge finally cleared, Levi sprayed the top shelf with the kitchen cleaning solution, blue droplets scattering across the clear surface.

Erwin turned and leaned back against the sink, toweling the serving platter.

“I never did thank you for what you did last shift,” he said, breaking the silence.

Levi paused mid-wipe and stole another glance at the captain from the side of his vision.

“It was nothing, anyone else would’ve done the same,” he said, using a bit of extra force on a brown smudge in the back corner.

“But no one else did. Who knows how long it would’ve been before we noticed she’d lost her airway? I hate to think about the harm we could’ve done if-”

Erwin stopped himself, clenching his jaw. Levi sat back on his heels and turned his gaze up to the captain. He stood frozen in place, pale eyes staring at something only he could see.

The blond shook his head and set the dish aside. “Anyway, you saved that little girl’s life. Thank you.”

“Sure,” Levi replied. 

The firefighter continued wiping the shelves in the fridge, but the captain remained standing beside him, arms crossed over his chest. Once he was satisfied with his work, Levi replaced the salvageable items from the floor beside him, then stood and closed the door. He tossed the dirty rag into his cleaning caddy and gripped it by the handle, intending to return it to the closet in the hall. However, the troubled look on the captain’s face gave him pause, his bushy brows furrowed together, forming a crease between them. He had the same faraway look in his eyes, and Levi’s heart lurched in his chest, aching for the man in front of him.

He set the caddy on the other side of the sink and leaned back against the counter, mirroring Erwin’s stance.

“Don’t beat yourself up about it, we all make mistakes sometimes,” he said.

“This wasn’t just any mistake. I could’ve killed her. I would’ve had to face her mother and tell her that her daughter had died on my watch. All because I was so wrapped up in my own frustrations,” Erwin countered.

Levi sighed and set his palms on the counter, looking at the ceiling. “You’re only human. That’s why we work in teams - to catch each other’s blunders.”

Erwin pushed a short burst of air out of his nose, a smile ghosting across his lips. “I guess you’re right about that.” He sighed and tucked his chin to his chest. His blond lashes fluttered as he turned his attention to the polished floor.

Despite the remnants of anger that lingered from their night on the balcony, Levi wanted nothing more than to wrap a reassuring arm around Erwin’s broad shoulders. It was unsettling seeing the captain so torn up. He never would have imagined the cold, calculating man before him had real feelings under his stoic demeanor. His usually hardened features were softer, the angle of his jaw more relaxed, his sharp eyes turned warm despite their icy hue. 

Erwin uncrossed his arms and gripped the counter. Levi’s heart skipped in his chest, the space between their hands so small a faint twitch of his pinkie would close the gap between them.

“The burden of saving that child’s life never should have fallen on your shoulders, Ackerman,” Erwin said. “She was my responsibility, but I let myself get distracted. You were right about the backboard, but I was angry about the fact that one of my subordinates had called me out on my mistake. I let that anger cloud my judgment.”

The pair remained still for a moment, only the muffled chatter from the television in the day room cutting into their silence.

Finally, Levi spoke. “It’s a newer protocol. I only remembered it because we’d gone over it in recruit class.” He chewed his lip, attempting to steady his breathing. “And… I guess I haven’t been the easiest person to work with.”

Erwin turned his head, studying the shorter man.

“That may be true, but I’m just not sure how to go about disciplining you about that. I owe you more grace than other probationary firefighters deserve given our… history,” he said. His voice grew quiet. “I do appreciate your discretion about that, more than words or actions allow me to portray.”

Levi shrugged, hoping his expression showed more indifference than he felt. “It’s fine. It’ll take more than a shitty rooftop handjob to make me hate you.”

Erwin cocked a brow. “I have reason to believe it was a little better than ‘shitty,’” he said.

Levi rolled his eyes and stood, turning to face the captain. “Whatever, I’m over it. Let’s just forget it ever happened and move on.”

Erwin gave a half-hearted smile. “Would I be pushing my luck by asking that we at least remain friends?”

Levi folded his arms over his chest. “That depends. Is your definition of friends as annoying as Hange’s?”

The captain chuckled, standing upright. “No, I would hope not. She can be quite a handful, but she means well.” He clasped a hand on Levi’s shoulder and gave it a light squeeze, holding his gaze. “It’s a pleasure to have you at station 21, Ackerman. I look forward to seeing you reach your full potential.”

“Thank you.”

Erwin nodded, then walked toward the hall, turning over his shoulder in the doorway.

“We’ll have you try on your turn-out gear when Hange and Petra return. I don’t want to face her wrath if she finds out we did our fashion show without her.”

Levi snorted and lifted the caddy from the counter.

“There aren’t enough firefighters in all of Sina that could put out that fire,” he said.

Chapter Text

“Come on out, Levi! We wanna see our new hunky firefighter!”

“I did not agree to an audience!” Levi shouted from behind the closed blinds of the Watch Office window.

“Hey, I’m stuck with your partner on the Medic for two weeks because of you, the least you can do in return is strut your stuff!” Petra called.

“Huh? I thought you loved working on the Medic with me, Petra,” Hange said.

Petra ignored her. “Hurry up before we get toned out again, probie!”

“Fashion show, fashion show, fashion show!” Hange began chanting.

To his dismay, the voices of Oluo, Mike, and Petra joined the chant, rising in volume.

Maybe I can slip out the main door… no they’ll see me if the bay doors are still open. If I can make it through the kitchen to the back door, I can jump the fence in the parking lot and hide in the forest until nightfall. What if-

The door to the garage squeaked on its hinges and a single blue eye peered through the crack.

“Do you want me to tell them to go away?” Erwin asked.

Levi grabbed his helmet from the desk and shoved it on his head. “No, I’ll never hear the end of it from four-eyes if I don’t do this,” he grumbled.

“Wait.” Erwin slipped through the small space in the door, letting it shut behind him. He placed his hands on either side of the fireman’s helmet, fingers moving with delicate ease, as if they belonged to a ballerina instead of a hardened fire captain.

His helmet shifted, ruffling against the fabric of the hood that covered his inky hair. Levi’s heart fluttered in his chest, and he stole a glance at the captain’s lips, pursed in concentration. 

Erwin met his gaze and time seemed to stand still. Levi was sure his heartbeat could be heard throughout the whole station. He wasn’t certain, but he thought the look in Erwin’s eyes resembled the one he’d shared the night of his graduation. The captain had to bend at the waist to reach his eye level, much to Levi’s irritation. If either man leaned forward on their feet, it would take less than a second to close the space between them. 

“There.” Erwin smiled, then rose back to his full height, placing his hands on his hips. He looked up and down, studying his work. Levi felt a spark flash from head to toe in sync with the captain’s gaze, and he was half tempted to run into the garage and douse himself with one of the hoses from the engine.

The captain propped a booted foot in the door. “Ready?”

Levi sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”

Erwin’s grin widened, forming wrinkles around his eyes. “I’ll announce you.”

Before Levi could protest, the captain stepped out the door with a dramatic flick of the wrist, leaving just enough space for the firefighter to follow.

“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Sina Fire’s very own, Probationary Firefighter-EMT Levi Ackerman!”

Cheers and whoops greeted Levi as he shuffled out the door into the garage. Mike whistled through his teeth and Hange gave an ecstatic, whoop, jumping and pumping a fist in the air.

“Levi comes to our lovely audience from Station 21, sporting heat-protectant gear from head to toe. Sina Fire’s line of turn-out gear comes with exceptional fire-resistance, and the reflective striping is sure to catch anybody’s eye, even in the smokiest of structures,” Erwin continued from the door.

Despite his best efforts to remain annoyed, the joy radiating from the crew in front of him was infectious. He picked up his feet, allowing the smallest bit of pep to enter his step, and placed a gloved hand on his hip. The crew responded with another wave of whoops and whistles.

“Hit it, Ackerman!”

“That’s my hunky partner!”

“Strut your stuff, probie!”

Erwin continued his monologue. “In this fine uniform, you will find no shortage of pockets, deep enough to keep all of your favorite fire suppression tools with you on-the-go. Each pocket is lined with our patented slice-resistant stitching, so you’ll never have to worry about cutting a hole in our fashionable fire armor.”

Levi stuffed his hands in the pockets of his pants, striking a pose with his feet shoulder-width apart. 

“We love deep pockets!” Petra yelled, giggling.

“Our gear is engineered for efficiency. We here at Sina Fire know that buttons can be complicated for some of our… less coordinated firemen-”

“The cap’s talking about you, old man,” Mike said, elbowing Oluo.

“Is that how you show respect for your elders?” Oluo replied. “I’ll have you know-”

“-so each uniform is designed with easy-to-handle zippers and clips, allowing you to be ready as quickly as possible,” Erwin interrupted. He moved to the center of the garage, speaking as he walked. “Next time you need to put out a fire, choose Sina FD’s fashion line, and do it in style!”

Applause and cheers exploded from the crew. Erwin stepped past the firefighter, joining the crew, smiling as he clapped.

The commotion simmered down, and Levi breathed a sigh of relief, glad his humiliation had come to an end.

“Do a twirl, Levi!” Hange demanded.

Levi scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I gave you your fashion show, I am not going to twirl like a damn fairy, too.”

His opposition was met with whines and groans from the crew.

“Aww come on, Levi,” Petra cried.

“Please, please, please?” Hange begged.

“We want to see the full look,” Oluo added.

Levi turned to the captain and raised his brows.

Erwin shrugged, cocking his head to the crew. “Give ‘em a twirl, Ackerman.”

Levi set his jaw. Given their newfound friendship, he was expecting the captain to have his back and put an end to this nonsense.

“Is that an order, Captain ?” Levi asked.

Childlike “ooh’s” and giggles rose from the crew. They turned to the taller man, waiting expectantly.

Erwin rubbed his finger and thumb on his chin, contemplating. “Yes.”

The crew muttered words of encouragement, clapping politely and nodding in agreement.

“Fine.”

Levi glared at the blond man towering over the crew, letting the remaining anger held against him flow through his veins, hoping it would shoot through the air and settle over his handsome, stupid face.

He stuck a hand in the air, arranging his fingers in a dainty position, then placed his other hand on top of his helmet with an equally dainty form, holding it in place. He pressed his weight into his right foot and launched to the side, spinning on the toes of his left foot.

He used Erwin’s head as a spot, blond locks shining under the sunlight pouring into the garage, rivaling its golden rays. He whipped his head around at the last second of his turn and focused his gaze back on the captain’s hair.

The crew applauded and cheered as Levi completed his spin, balancing his weight on both feet once again. He kept his hand on his helmet and bowed, inspecting his black boots for a beat before rising.

“Again!” Hange demanded.

“I don’t think we should press our luck here, Hange,” Erwin said before Levi could protest. He looked at the firefighter, a glint in his eye. “Thank you, Ackerman. You are dismissed.”

Levi spun on his heel and stalked back to the Watch Office, hoping the captain hadn’t caught sight of the pink tinge in his cheeks.

-------

Erwin tugged his department-issued gray t-shirt over his head, SINA F.D. written in bold, navy letters across the back. He set his tactical pants, boots, and button-up by the desk, arranged in the pattern he’d configured that would allow him to change into the gear at the drop of a hat in case they got toned out. 

He stepped into the garage, circling his arms to get the blood flowing to them. The clock by the back door read 15:03. He tried to get at least an hour-long workout during his duty days, alternating between different routines as recommended by the fire department’s physical therapist.

The station’s workout equipment was set up by the wall at the other end of the garage, across from the Watch Office. The engine hid the equipment from view, but the sound of weights clinking and machines whirring told him his crew had started their own routines.

He found Mike and Oluo at their usual stations, the lieutenant huffing and puffing at the rowing machine and the other seated at the smith machine, stretching before a leg workout. 

He was surprised to find the treadmill in use, a short man jogging at a steady pace with black hair plastered against his forehead.

“I thought you liked to do your runs outside,” Erwin said.

“And get struck by lightning? No thanks,” Levi huffed.

A flash followed by a clap of thunder supported the firefighter’s statement, steel beams rattling in the ceiling above. 

“Ah, I forgot they were calling for storms this afternoon. Good call, Ackerman,” Erwin said.

Levi nodded, then turned his attention forward, increasing his pace.

Erwin let his gaze linger on the man for a moment, his lithe form resembling a gazelle prancing across a sandy desert. His calves were well defined, flexing and straining as he moved. Above the knee, his navy workout shorts crept a few centimeters upwards with each step, revealing firm quads and hamstrings hiding under his pale skin. 

Another clap of thunder forced Erwin out of his trance. He blinked and shook his head, then sat on the bench about a meter and a half away from the treadmill, adjusting the height and angle to his needs.

He pulled a few pairs of dumbbells from a rack leaning against the wall and set them next to the bench. He stretched the muscles in his upper arms and shoulders, inhaling deeply.

When his arms began to feel loose, he sat on the bench and selected one of the lighter pairs of weights. Each member of Sina Fire received a personalized workout regiment from their physical trainer. Erwin’s program consisted of mostly lower-body and flexibility training, as those were his weakest areas. Today, however, he was glad his plan called for shoulder, bicep, and tricep conditioning, which would help maintain and improve his already superior upper-body strength.

He increased the weight with each set as he progressed through his routine. Before long, the fabric around his neck and under his arms turned a darker shade of gray, stained with sweat.

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end while he rested after a particularly intense set. He turned to his left, and caught gray eyes laying on him a millisecond before they flicked forward.

Was he just watching me?

Erwin wasn’t sure if it was the haze of exertion or the dim lighting in the garage. He was usually self-conscious about people watching him work out, but the idea of Levi stealing glances as he lifted made blood rush to his fingertips, prickling with excitement. 

He grabbed the lightest set of dumbbells and replaced them on the rack. He stood in front of it with his hands on his hips, pretending to contemplate over which weight to pick next. 

Out of the corner of his vision, Levi slowed to a walk on the treadmill, resting his hands on his head. Erwin selected the heaviest weights on the rack, lifting them with ease, and walked back to the bench. He placed the weights on the ground, then bent forward to readjust the bench’s height.

His hair fell into his face, covering his eyes. He peered through his fair strands at the firefighter panting on the treadmill.

Gray eyes met his gaze once again, although this time, they didn’t shift away until Erwin stood upright and pushed his hair out of his face.

Erwin repressed a smirk, an idea forming in his mind.

“Ackerman, can you spot me when you’re done there?”

“Sure.”

The treadmill slowed to a stop, and Levi hopped off, pulling a towel off the handrail and wiping his face. 

Erwin picked up the dumbbells and lay flat on the bench, resting the weights on his chest, hoping they would keep his heart from bursting out of it.

Levi appeared at his side with his hands on his hips, his breath steadying.

“I’m ready whenever you are, blondie,” he said.

Erwin cocked a brow. “Blondie? Where’d you get that name from?’

“Where the hell do you think? Your hair’s blond, in case you hadn’t noticed,” the firefighter replied.

“What if I was color-blind? Then I wouldn’t know what color my hair is. I could be really offended right now,” Erwin countered.

Levi sighed. “Are you gonna start lifting or were you just planning on running your mouth?” 

His face appeared in his vision, looming over him. A flash of lightning illuminated his features, making his dark eyes sparkle against his ghostly pale face.

Erwin cleared his throat. “Right. I’m just going until failure, if you want to count reps for me, that’d be great.”

“Whatever, just hurry up so I can stretch.”

The raven-haired boy disappeared from view, but Erwin could feel his presence beside him, heat pulsing from the man’s form.

Erwin set his arms into position, then pushed the dumbbells above his head.

“One.”

He lowered the weights to his chest, then pushed them upwards again.

“Two.”

His heart was beginning to race.

“Three.”

He panted, unable to keep breathing through his nose.

“Four.”

A vein protruded above his brow, throbbing.

“Five.”

He rested the weights against his chest for a beat longer.

“Six.”

His arms shook as he raised them to the ceiling.

“Seven.”

A bead of sweat dripped from his brow, he blinked it away.

“Eight.”

Erwin felt his arms turn to jelly, burning hot beneath his skin. With a twinge of satisfaction, he noticed he had correctly estimated the height to adjust the bench, leaving Levi’s groin at face level. Any of the other men in the room would have been tall enough that their knees or lower thigh would be next to him.

“You done, blondie?”

Erwin pushed through the fire in his arms, grunting as his muscles strained to push the dumbbells upward. They locked up just before he could straighten his elbows, his biceps and forearms shaking. With a final push, his elbows straightened on either side. He dropped the weights to the floor with a grunt, chest rising and falling in exacerbation.

“Nine.” Levi’s face appeared in his vision again. “Need a hand?” he asked, extending his arm.

Erwin clasped the hand offered to him and yanked himself upward, impressed by the sturdiness Levi’s small form offered. He brought the bottom of his shirt to his face, wiping his forehead on the cotton.

“Thanks,” he panted.

“Yeah, now help me stretch.”

Erwin looked up and swallowed, trying to steady his breathing. He let his gaze linger on the space between the firefighter’s legs, noticing a slight bulge, barely disguised by the dark fabric surrounding it.

Levi plopped himself onto the floor and extended his legs in front of him, reaching for his gray and white running shoes. He wrapped his fingers around both heels and turned his head up to the captain, a single strand of dark hair falling into his face.

“What do you need me to do?” Erwin asked.

“Just push on my back until you feel some resistance, but go slow,” Levi instructed.

Erwin kneeled on the ground behind him, allowing his knees to brush against his subordinate’s ass before shuffling a few centimeters backward.

He placed his hand on the center of Levi’s back, fingers extended, and gave a gentle push. He didn’t feel any pushback until Levi’s forehead met his knees.

“Stop. Right there…that’s perfect,” he sighed.

Without warning or permission, Erwin’s groin twitched. 

If his face wasn’t already red from his workout, he was sure everyone at the station would have noticed him turn bright red. He was grateful for the nature of the stretch, as he was sure Levi wouldn’t be able to see how hot and bothered he made him with his face buried in his knees. 

Electricity ran from each point of contact on the man’s back from his fingertips up his arm and back down his spine, sending a shudder through him. He disguised it as another shuffle backward, hoping the added space between them would calm the arousal growing in his pants.

But the wiry, strong, man below him kept sighing so contentedly, tiny moans escaping him as the seconds ticked by. Erwin clenched his jaw, trying to focus on anything else in the garage: the rain pattering on the ceiling, the bright red engine, the cold cement beneath him.

His efforts were in vain, so he tried making conversation.

“I’m impressed, Ackerman,” he said, hoping another clap of thunder hid the shakiness in his voice. “Most men are not quite this flexible.”

Levi straightened his back and sat upright, turning to face the captain, whose hand remained on his back. 

“Well captain, I am not like most men,” he said. He tucked his knees under him and jumped to his feet, Erwin’s hand fell. “Need me to help you up again?”

“No,” Erwin squeaked. He cursed himself as he stood, tugging the bottom of his t-shirt over his waistband.

“I’m not done yet. Just do the same thing,” Levi said.

To both his horror and his delight, the shorter man bent forward, ass in the air, his legs spread a little more than shoulder width apart. He reached for his left leg and gripped his ankle, pressing his nose to his knee.

Erwin gulped and stepped forward. He did his best to keep his attention on the firefighter’s back, pressing gently as he had before. He had to curve his spine to prevent his groin from making contact with the roundness before him. Levi sighed, and despite his best efforts, his dick twitched again, seemingly intent on touching the shorter man’s ass.

Levi switched sides, and Erwin chewed the insides of his cheeks, making them bleed.

Finally, the firefighter stood. Erwin removed his hand from his back and tugged at his shirt again.

“Thank you, captain,” Levi said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Right. Excuse me.”

Erwin pushed past him, hands clenched into fists at his sides, fingernails digging into his palms. The clock on the wall read 15:38.

After his workouts, the captain normally liked to take hot showers to soothe his aching muscles. He used the time to reflect on the day, running through calls and forming a tentative schedule for the remaining activities and tasks that needed done.

Today, he had a cold shower.

Chapter Text

That evening, Levi sat at the desk in the Watch Office, sipping tea from a blue thermos, one leg crossed over the other. He drummed his fingers on the desk, letting his mind wander as he formed a mental to-do list.

The captain was in the adjoining office, hunched over his desk, writing reports and signing documents, holding his chin with the palm of his left hand.

Levi sighed, bored. He spun the chair on its axle, making two complete rotations before he slowed to a stop.

The storms had let up around dinner-time, and the sun poked through the lingering clouds along the western horizon. For whatever reason, the fine citizens of Sina decided to have a frustrating lack of emergencies, opting to remain in the safety of their homes instead of going out and getting into accidents or partaking in illicit activities.

He forced a puff of air out of his mouth, making his lips buzz for a half-second, blowing a few strands of hair from his face.

He pushed his feet against the floor, rolling himself into view of the captain’s office.

“Hey, Blondie, is it always this quiet on the engine?”

Erwin slapped his pen on the desk, spinning to face him.

“Now why would you go and say that word, Ackerman?”

“What? Quiet?”

“Shh! They’ll hear you!” Erwin said with a hushed tone.

“Who?”

“I don’t know… the EMS gods, maybe?”

Levi rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me you believe all that superstitious bullshit.”

“You sure you’ve worked EMS before, probie?”

Levi scoffed, crossing his arms. “I think my skills and recruit class rank prove I have.”

Erwin squinted at him, the angry look in his eyes contradicting the close-lipped smile on his lips.

“It’s still risky to say those types of words.”

“Really? Show me the evidence the proves saying words like quiet, or slow on shift correlate with a higher run volume.”

Tones sounded throughout the station, and the printer on the Watch Office desk whirred to life.

“Medic 21, Engine 21, Ladder 11, East District Chief, respond to Vine Street, Bravo cross-off, Forest Avenue Delta for entrapment.”

Levi and Erwin leaped from their chairs, sprinting out the door into the garage. Oluo and Mike emerged from the kitchen door, Petra and Hange hot on their tail.

“Last one on scene is a rotten egg!” Hange called.

Levi stepped into his boots, his turn-out pant legs tucked into each sole and tugged the suspenders over his shoulders. Both sets of garage doors began their ascent. Halfway up, the engine-side door came to an abrupt halt. 

“Ha! See you on scene, losers!” Petra yelled from the passenger side of the ambulance, high-fiving Hange.

Levi hopped into the engine as the Medic pulled away, siren blaring. Mike clicked the garage remote twice, and the door began to descend, then stopped, and rose again.

“We should really look into revoking Hange’s remote privileges,” the Lieutenant said, buckling his seatbelt.

“Agreed,” Erwin replied, tugging on his gloves.

The engine rolled out of the station, siren roaring as the garage doors closed behind them.

“Do we know what kind of entrapment it is, Captain?” Oluo said, leaning forward in the seat next to Levi.

“Watch that SUV… clear right,” Erwin directed from the passenger seat as the Lieutenant slammed on the engine’s air horn. He craned his neck to face Oluo behind him. “Not sure yet, I sent a message to Chief Pixis. Sounds like it might be a highrise.”

“Isn’t Vine Street by the park?” Levi asked, straining his voice to be heard over the wailing of the engine.

“Your side!” Mike announced, smirking. He whipped the truck to the left, and if Levi hadn’t been wearing his seatbelt, he would’ve been thrown into Oluo’s lap.

“Shit Mike!” Erwin exclaimed, gripping his seatbelt. “And I think you’re right, Ackerman, maybe there’s - hey, where we going?”

Mike cranked the wheel, hopping a curve as he rounded onto a side street.

“Gotta beat the girls. We’ll never hear the end of it if Hange beats us,” he replied.

They swerved around another corner and Mike wound down the siren, its pitch falling until the engine came to a halt.

The Lieutenant had barely put the truck in park before the four of them were on the ground, boots splashing on the pavement.

Station 11’s ladder apparatus was parked with its headlights facing the engine about 50 meters away. Chief Pixis stepped out of the East District’s chaser car, parked between two Sina Police Department vehicles, their blue lights blazing around them as the police directed traffic.

Medic 21 rolled to a stop beside the engine and a perky medic hopped out of the driver’s seat. 

“How did you beat us?!” she shouted in bewilderment.

“Superior skill!” Mike called back over his shoulder.

As the crew formed a half-circle in the space between the engine and ladder, Levi took a moment to size up the scene.

A police officer knelt in front of a blonde-haired girl with red-stained cheeks on the sidewalk to his left. Tall oak trees lined the path on the other side, water dripping from their wide leaves. To his right, an officer sporting a bright high-visualization vest directed traffic away from the scene, speaking into a radio strapped across his chest at periodic intervals. Station 11’s ladder crew huddled around the Chief, axes and chainsaws in hand.

“Well everyone, I must say in all my years as a firefighter, this is a first,” Pixis said, turning to the crews surrounding him. He shook Erwin’s hand, smiling.

“I thought this only happened in kid’s shows,” said a burly firefighter from Station 11. Under his helmet, Levi recognized the man as his old classmate, Gunther.

“What’s going on, boss?” Oluo asked.

The chief pointed into the canopy above the sidewalk, shielding his eyes from the sun with his other hand. “You see that orange ball of fluff on that branch right there? That is our patient: Mister Mittens.”

Levi squinted up at the branch. Sure enough, a speck of orange sat huddled in the middle of a thin branch. It was so high up that even Erwin had to cran his neck to see it.

“Ladies, you are dismissed. I doubt Mister Mittens will be requiring your services,” Erwin instructed.

“No way, I gotta see this,” Petra replied.

“I want to pet the kitty!” Hange added.

The captain nodded. “Suit yourself. Where do you want us, Chief?”

The Chief looked between the ladder truck and the tree and stuck his hands on his hips.

“We’ll have to clear some of those branches to reach the little guy. I’ll have two of my men on climbing and clearing duty while my Lieutenant directs the ladder. If you want to help clear any fallen debris from the road and sidewalk, that would be most helpful.”

“Sir,” Erwin said, saluting.

Pixis gave him a nod, then turned to address his own crew.

Station 21’s firemen walked over to the tree, huddled around its trunk.

“All right, I’ll have Mike patrolling around the tree to watch for any falling stray branches. The rest of us will be on clean-up duty. Keep your helmets on, I don’t want any of you getting a head-injury for this,” Erwin said.

“Ladder’s rising!” Pixis announced.

They set to work, hoisting large branches over their shoulders and dropping them into piles on the grassy side of the sidewalk, chainsaws whirring overhead. Sweat formed on Levi’s brow, and the shirt under his jacket stuck to his back. They used their own axes to chop up larger branches into pieces, scattering them around the park grounds. Everyone’s boots turned from black to brown, caked with mud, and as Levi continued to slosh around in the grass, his pants dampened below the knee.

The sun baked down on the crew relentlessly. Hange and Petra handed out bottles of water and stood on the pavement shouting words of encouragement.

“You know you two could give us a hand instead of being obnoxious,” Levi grumbled, sipping from his bottle.

Hange knocked on her head twice, then shook her head. “No helmets, probie. Wouldn’t want to hurt our pretty heads.”

“Plus we like watching you guys do all the work for once,” Petra added.

Levi rolled his eyes. “Not like there’s much in that head of yours that needs protecting.”

Hange responded with a choice finger gesture.

Erwin lopped another branch onto the ground with a grunt, then turned and surveyed the scene, hands on his hips.

Levi and Oluo were hauling a long branch toward the grass, sharing its weight on both of their shoulders. Mike gathered loose twigs and clumps of leaves within a small radius surrounding the tree, glancing upward with each step.

The two firemen on the ladder descended a few meters as Erwin returned to the scene. The Chief was murmuring into a radio as he supervised his crew from the pavement, his free hand scratching at the back of his head.

“Smith, come here a second,” he said, turning.

Erwin approached the chief and saluted. Ever since he’d been promoted to Captain, Pixis insisted that he drop the formality, claiming it was unnecessary since they shared equal amounts of responsibility. Still, Erwin saluted his former mentor, it felt strange to address him as an equal. It would be like calling a school teacher by their first name.

“Oh drop that nonsense, Erwin,” he said, smiling.

Erwin returned the grin, dropping his arm to his side. “Sorry, force of habit. What do you need from me?”

Pixis sighed, rubbing a hand on his forehead. “My men were able to clear a path to Mister Muffin-”

“Mittens,” Erwin corrected.

“Right, yes, Mister Mittens. Well, apparently Mister Mittens plans on making his home in this tree.”

Erwin cocked a brow, amused. “Really? How do you recon?”

“Apparently, he has curled up quite nicely behind a rather nasty bundle of branches. My men can’t get a good enough angle with their tools to clear the way without risk of cutting away Mister Muffle’s new bed. There’s a bit of space to reach beneath them, but my men are too tall to be able to safely lean over enough to grab him.” He shook his head. “We could readjust the ladder’s position, but we could dislodge a loose twig, and who knows how the little furball will react to all that commotion?”

Erwin nodded, a crease forming between his brow. “It seems we are in quite the predicament.”

“It certainly would appear that way,” Pixis replied. “I’m all out of ideas, but you always seem to have a trick up your sleeve. What do you think?”

Erwin chewed at his cheeks, racking his brain.

An idea started to form in his mind.

“You said your men are too tall to reach under the thicket, right?”

Pixis nodded.

“How much would they need to shrink to get a better angle?”

The Chief shot him an inquisitive glance, then spoke into his radio, turning to face the firemen on the ladder.

The men turned, helmets catching a flash of sunlight.

“ A little less than a quarter meter, give or take ,” said a crackling voice.

Perfect.

“Have your men come back down, Chief. I’ll be right back.”

Pixis smirked, a knowing expression lightening his features.

Erwin scanned the park, and his eyes caught flecks of black hair poking out from under a red helmet.

“Ackerman! Over here!” he called.

The firefighter trudged through the grass, picking his feet up to knee-height with each step. 

“What is it?” he asked.

One of the Chief’s men, Erwin recognized as the recruit class’s salutatorian, Gunther, appeared next to them, his axe caked in dirt, dulling the silver sheen of the blade.

Erwin turned, addressing the taller probationary firefighter.

“Schultz, show us how much you’d need to squat to reach under those branches,” the captain ordered.

“Sir?” he said, cocking his head to the side.

“Humor me, just give it your best guess.”

Gunther handed his ax to the Chief, then planted his feet shoulder-width apart. He tilted his chin to the sky, squinting, then sunk into a squat.

“Right about here, I’d say,” he said.

Erwin glanced between the probies, then nodded.

A look of realization washed over the smaller man’s face.

“What are you-”

“Ackerman, it seems you’ll be getting some high-rise rescue experience today.”

Pixis chuckled. “Clever as always, Erwin.”

“Our victim, Mister Mittens, is too close for Pixis’s men to be able to grab hold of, they’d have to lean over the side rails of the ladder’s platform at a precarious angle,” Erwin began.

“Wait a minute-” Levi interjected, a dangerous tone lacing his voice.

“In order to rescue him, we’ll need you,”

“Watch it-”

“Because-”

“Captain-”

“you’re so-”

“ Erwin -”

“short…”

Levi set his jaw, and the confidence Erwin had felt in his idea faded, frightened away by the glare piercing into his skin. He swallowed, meeting his gaze. If looks could kill, he was sure he’d be dead. The raven-haired man below him seemed to be using all of his energy to stop his captain’s heart with the fire behind his eyes. In fact, he was sure the man would stop his heart then force everyone on scene to resuscitate him just so he could stop it again.

Footsteps interrupted their stand-off.

The blond-haired girl had approached the group, her face red as she sniveled and wiped her nose on her sleeve.

“Are you gonna save my kitty, Mister Firefighter?” she asked, turning her round blue eyes up at Levi.

He held her gaze a moment, then glared back up at the captain.

“You’re lucky there’s an audience,” he growled. Erwin scanned the park and sure 

enough, a small crowd had gathered around one of the smaller piles of branches closest to the oak tree. 

Levi crouched down to the child’s level. “What’s your kitty’s name?” he asked, his tone 

remaining neutral.

She sniffed. “Mister Mittens.”

Levi nodded. “Okay, does Mister Mittens like being pet?”

“Yeah, he ‘specially likes when I scratch behind his ears,” she replied, a hint of a smile creeping onto her face.

The firefighter rose to his feet

“I’ll get the damn cat,” he said. He turned toward the ladder truck and lowered his voice. “But if you even think about advertising the role I played in your little rescue plan, you’ll wish for a c-diff infection, because I will shove my foot so far up your ass, you’ll be so constipated that you’ll have to call in the Heavy Rescue squad, then need to shit into a bag for the rest of your life.” He glanced at the chief and his classmate. “That goes for you, too, I don’t care how much you outrank me. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” they replied in unison, utilizing the formality as a subconscious protective mechanism.

Pixis chuckled as the scrawny firefighter made his way to the apparatus.

“You’ve certainly got your hands full with that one,” he said.

“That’s quite the understatement,” Erwin said, shaking his head. “But his skill and work ethic are exceptional. I can see how he earned his rank in recruit class.”

As Levi made his way up the ladder, the crowd thickened around them. The police officers had to focus their attention on keeping the curious onlookers at bay, setting up a perimeter around the scene to protect the civilians from any excess falling debris.

“Elizabeth? Elizabeth? There you are!” 

A woman with light blonde hair and striking blue eyes pushed through the crowd, her short stature allowing her to squeeze through the cramped spaces between bodies. The police officers lining the sidewalk stepped to the side, creating a path for her approach.

Erwin recognized the woman’s voice before he saw her, and saluted along with Chief Pixis and Gunther.

Historia Reiss, mayor of Sina, scooped her child into her arms, clinging so tight her knuckles turned white.

“Where on Earth have you been? I was worried sick,” she said, burying her face into her child’s matching blonde locks.

“Mommy, the grumpy firefighter is going to save Mister Mittens, look!” Elizabeth said, pointing.

The mayor followed her daughter’s finger with a glassy gaze, and she seemed to take in the scene for the first time since her arrival, staring at the engines and debris littered around them.

She planted a kiss in her daughter’s hair and lowered her to the ground, keeping a firm grip on her hand.

“At-ease, gentlemen,” she ordered, glancing between the chief and captain. “I apologize for the trouble. The nanny was supposed to meet me at City Hall, but she must have got stuck in the rain.”

“Yes, it was quite a fearsome storm we had this afternoon,” Pixis said.

“We were looking for Mister Mittens, he got scared of the thunder and ran away,” the little girl said, clinging to her mother’s shirtsleeve. She sniffed, fresh tears streaming down her face. “I heard Mister Mittens crying in the tree, I thought Emma was with me. I got really scared, so I called 911 like you said.”

Historia bent down and cradled her daughter’s head in her hands, wiping her tears with her thumbs. “It’s okay sweetie, you did the right thing. I’m glad you’re safe, but you can’t run off like that, you had me and Emma worried sick!”

Erwin cleared his throat. “I have one of my men rescuing Mister Mittens as we speak, Mayor Reiss.”

Historia rose and looked up, her face paling. “That’s awful high up, isn’t it? Are you sure all of this is necessary? I’m sure that cat would come down eventually.”

“Ackerman was first in his class this year, I have complete faith in his rescue abilities,” Erwin replied.

The mayor nodded, clutching a hand to her neck. “I don’t know how you do it, I’d be too afraid of falling to climb all that way.”

“I wanna see, Mommy! Lift me!” Elizabeth demanded.

The color returned to the mayor’s face, and she smiled down at her daughter. “I don’t think I’m tall enough for you to get a good look. Plus you’re getting a little too big for me to lift anymore.”

“Oh I’m sure Sina’s tallest fire captain here would be able to give you a splendid view!” Pixis offered, a grin plastered across his face.

The little girl jumped in place and looked up at her mother. “Oh please, momma, can I?”

“Well… if it’s okay with the captain,” she said.

Erwin smiled and crouched to the child’s level. “It would be an honor to serve Sina’s finest young lady.” He saluted, prompting a shy giggle from the mayor’s daughter. She climbed onto his back, and he hoisted her onto his shoulders and stood, wrapping his hands around the mismatched socks on her ankles. 

The seconds ticked by at an agonizingly slow pace. A buzz ran through the onlookers, and the members of Sina Fire leaned forward on their toes in anticipation. 

A flash of light appeared at the top of the ladder and a hush fell over the scene. Erwin squinted, trying to catch a glimpse of orange fur. Elizabeth’s legs tensed under his grip, his helmet shifted upward as she clung to him for balance.

“He’s got Mister Mittens!” Elizabeth announced.

A cheer rose from the crowd, and sure enough, Levi held a bright orange ball of fluff tucked to his chest. Whoops and whistles erupted from the firefighters of Station 11 and Station 21, and Erwin beamed with pride.

The captain sunk to the ground, allowing the mayor’s daughter to crawl off his shoulders. Her foot missed his face by mere centimeters as she sprinted toward the firefighter, unable to contain her excitement.

“You saved him! You saved him! Thank you mister firefighter!” she squealed.

Levi crouched to her level and placed the cat in the girl’s arms, giving him a final scratch behind the ears before he stood.

The mayor and her daughter stepped to the side, cooing and whispering half-hearted reprimands to their furry friend.

Erwin smiled down at the probationary firefighter, clumps of orange fur clung to his jacket. 

“Good work, Ackerman. You’ve made Sina Fire proud today,” he said.

Levi rolled his eyes. “Wasn’t gonna leave a helpless cat up there.”

Historia reappeared with Mister Mittens, his head resting on his paws in a mesh carrier. Erwin spotted two white paws under the cat’s pink nose.

“Thank you so much, you have no idea how much this means to me and my daughter,” the mayor said, smiling. “What was your name again?”

“Ackerman. Levi Ackerman, Probationary Firefighter-EMT.”

Chapter Text

Levi wasn’t much of a party person.

It wasn’t that he hated fun or anything, but he preferred small gatherings where he didn’t have to shout to be heard and there were fewer risks of somebody stepping on his toes or barfing all over him. 

His original plan had been to skip the Fireman’s Ball altogether, but Erwin had pulled him aside on the duty day after his feline rescue and informed him that the mayor’s daughter wished to give him an award on Mister Mittens’s behalf. The captain insisted it would be good press for the department, especially since some of Sina Fire’s biggest donors would be in attendance. After much persuasion, Levi had conceded on the condition that he wouldn’t have to give a speech.

For the second time in a few short months, the raven-haired firefighter found himself at the Sina Civic Center. His fellow crew members had opted to give a collective speech at the award ceremony - most likely because they hadn’t written their own. Levi stood on stage beside them while the mayor pinned medals to their uniforms, signifying their heroism in a fire he still hadn’t pieced together. The mayor’s daughter had pinned a silver emblem in the shape of a paw-print to his lapel. He felt out of place standing next to his colleagues as they accepted their well-earned recognition. At his side, however, Erwin had shared a smile with him as the applause came to a crescendo, and his nerves settled somewhere far away.

After the ceremony, he sat at a table toward the back of the room, stirring his drink with a straw as he observed the festivities. Hange, Petra, and Oluo were on the dance floor, spinning and laughing with each other in time to the booming music. Mike stood at the bar chatting with a firefighter Levi didn’t recognize. On the other side of the room, Erwin sat huddled in conversation with Pixis, empty glasses surrounding the District Chief’s place at their table.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, smiling despite himself as Oluo spun Petra under his arm, eliciting giggles from the red-haired fire-medic as her perky partner clapped her hands together. 

In the short two months he’d been at Sina Fire, he’d grown fond of the crew at Station 21. He tested new pastry recipes on his days off, bringing his creations for breakfast in lieu of doughnuts on his duty days. It warmed his heart to find his tupperware empty at the end of each shift, and he kept a mental note of each member’s favorite recipes. For instance, Oluo claimed he preferred the protein egg-bites, stating they were better for his cholesterol levels. But on the days Levi brought something sweet, the old man seemed to have more crumbs than usual littered across his chest and at the corners of his mouth, turned down in a slight frown during his midmorning nap in the dayroom. Petra favored his blueberry scones, taking two at a time while she sipped her coffee. Mike and Hange weren’t picky, often devouring the whole container before ten o’clock. The captain had remained a mystery up until his most recent duty day. Erwin limited himself to only one of Levi’s treats in the mornings, leaving the majority of the food for the rest of the crew. But during the daily chores, it brought the probationary firefighter great satisfaction to throw away two napkins instead of just one while cleaning the captain’s office, each containing a crumpled muffin wrapper.

The crew returned his warm feelings, now greeting him with a smile instead of an apprehensive look each morning. They must have been inspired by his vigor for cleaning, as they began offering to help with chores as soon as roll-call was finished. While Levi knew their work would be subpar to his standards, he accepted the help anyway, enjoying their company during a usually solitary part of his day.

Hange threw herself into a chair next to him, interrupting his thoughts.

“Why aren’t you out there, probie?” she asked, chest heaving with exasperation.

Levi wrinkled his nose and brought his drink to his lips. “Not much of a dancer. Plus I don’t want to get all gross and sweaty.”

Hange wiped her forehead with her palm, then brought it to her face, squinting.

Before he could react, a wet hand slid across his cheek, smearing sweat and grime in its path.

He swatted at the hand, spilling his drink over the front of his uniform in the process. Hange burst into a fit of laughter.

“Seriously four-eyes? This is my only set of class A’s,” Levi grumbled. He grabbed a napkin and patted at the dark stain growing on his shirt, but the damage had been done. He scowled and turned to reprimand the perky medic, but upon seeing his expression, she doubled over, clutching her stomach as her body shook with another fit of giggles.

His anger dissipated, watching his first partner at Sina Fire in such a joyous state tugged the corners of his mouth upward in a half-smile.

Hange sat upright and removed her glasses, wiping a tear with the sleeve of her uniform as she regained her composure.

“Well, now your uniform’s dirty, and I’ve kindly donated my own sweat to your face. Might as well come and dance with us,” she said.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “And get even more disgusting? No, thank you.”

Hange stuck out her lower lip, pouting. “Aww come on, probie, we all wanna see your moves!” She wrapped her fingers around his arm and tugged him to his feet.

“Hey! I never agreed to this!” Levi protested as the medic dragged him to the dance floor.

“Look who I found!” Hange announced, ignoring his objections.

Oluo and Petra cheered and wrapped their arms around either shoulder.

Despite the music pounding in his ears and the sweaty forms of his comrades pressed against his sides, Levi smiled.

Erwin chuckled and took another sip of his drink. He’d forgotten what it was like to sit and have a casual conversation with his former mentor, Chief Pixis. Ever since his promotion, their discussions revolved around fire suppression, paperwork, or staffing issues. It had been a long time since the pair had gotten an opportunity to just sit and reminisce.

The chief slammed his glass onto the table, and the wrinkles around his eyes deepened as a nostalgic expression crossed his face. 

“You really were quite the troublemaker, Smith. If someone had told me that we’d be sharing a drink at a ceremony held in your honor, I would’ve given them a psych assessment!” he said, leaning back in his chair.

The captain smiled as fond memories flashed across his mind. “You and me both.”

“Look at us, a couple of old cronies recalling the good old days,” Pixis sighed. “Let’s focus on the present before we become too ancient. Is Ackerman giving you any more trouble?”

Erwin turned to face the dance floor. His heart leaped in his chest with something akin to pride as he watched his crew spinning the probationary firefighter between them. 

“No, he’s fitting in quite nicely,” he said, keeping his gaze on the man’s lithe form. He moved with the grace of an Arabian horse, his feet moving in time with the music as if he’d choreographed a routine before arriving at the ball.

Pixis nodded. “You have a way of bringing out the good in people.”

Erwin turned back to Pixis. “I learned that skill from one of the best,” he said, tipping his glass to the chief.

Pixis rubbed his chin for a moment. “That’s true, the way you turned out is evidence of that.”

Erwin brought his drink to his lips, turning his attention back to the dance floor. The pair sat in silence for a few minutes, observing as their fellow firefighters moved with a light air around each other. 

“Think he’d be a good captain someday?” Pixis asked.

Erwin blinked. “I hadn’t really thought about it but… he does exceptionally well under pressure. He’s very decisive, and while he doesn’t show it in the most obvious ways, he seems to care about his comrades.” He shot the chief a grin. “Why? Thinking of replacing me?”

“Well someone’s got to once you become chief of the department,” he replied matter-of-factly.

Erwin gaped at his mentor, stunned.

Pixis leaned forward and lowered his voice. “You didn’t hear this from me, but the chief’s planning on retiring early. Just found out he’s gonna be a grandfather, wants to spend time with his family and all that.”

Erwin furrowed his brow. “I would think you’d be more qualified for such a promotion, sir.”

“Bah! I’m too old to be making any more career moves,” Pixis replied. He leaned back, resting his hands behind his head. “Besides, it’s about time Sina Fire had a youngster as their leader. We need your fresh perspective.”

Erwin blinked, unable to form a cohesive train of thought. Sure, he’d always dreamed of becoming Sina Fire’s Director and Chief, but he assumed that dream wouldn’t take place for at least another ten years, when he’d gained as much experience as someone like Pixis or Oluo. There were still days where he felt like a rookie fresh out of the academy. 

The raven-haired firefighter under his command would pose another issue. Try as he might, he couldn’t deny the burning feelings he’d developed for the man, no matter how hard he tried to suppress them. 

He cleared his throat. “Of course I’m honored that anyone would consider me for such a position, but I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet.”

Pixis smirked. “It’s not like you to doubt if you’re ready for damn near anything, Erwin. Either you’re growing up, or the fire service has dulled your spark.”

The captain eyed the drink cradled in his hands. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you always dive in headfirst, then consider the consequences only after you’ve succeeded - which you usually do. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you ask for permission in your entire career.” He grabbed the glass from Erwin’s hands and downed his drink in one gulp. “We need someone with your initiative. Maybe then the city will finally be forced to give us better funding.” He wiped his mouth and stood. “I’m going to get another drink. Want anything?”

Erwin shook his head, catching a glimpse of his crew from the corner of his eye. “I’ll pass on this round, I think I’m being summoned by my colleagues.”

A hand clasped onto his shoulder, and Erwin found the face of his longtime friend looming over him, brown hair plastered to his forehead.

“We require your presence on the dance floor, sir,” Mike said with mock formality.

Erwin smiled and rose to his feet. “I would hate to disappoint the best platoon at Sina Fire.” 

Petra and Hange caught sight of the pair as they made their way through throngs of firefighters. Elated grins spread across their faces. They waved invisible lasso’s above their heads and tossed them at the captain and his lieutenant, pulling them closer to the group.

Erwin bumped into Hange, throwing a bit of his weight into her as he pretended to stumble.

“Whoa there, Hange, better be careful with that thing,” he said, grinning.

The medic shoved him back with a playful smile, her brown eyes full of glee. She balled her fists and struck a pose, flexing her arms. “You know these ol’ guns have minds of their own.”

Erwin glanced around. “Where’s the probie?”

“Trying to teach an old dog new tricks,” she replied, pointing towards the center of the dancefloor.

He turned and scanned the crowd, following Hange’s direction. A flash of gray poked through the heads of moving people. A notably shorter frock of black hair bobbed next to it, moving with a markedly more refined rhythm than the old man’s.

“I’ve gotta see this,” he said. He pushed through the swarm of bodies, his height allowing him to find a path to the pair with ease.

“No, your other left,” the younger firefighter said, pointing at the older man’s foot.

Oluo scrunched his brows, stumbling over himself in an awkward turn. “Like this?”

Levi rolled his eyes. “You’re hopeless, oldie.”

“Wait, let me see you do it again,” Oluo said, frowning.

“What are you trying to do?” Erwin interjected.

Levi met his gaze, and even in the dim lighting, Erwin noted the firefighters' cheeks flush a darker shade of red. A bead of sweat was forming above one of his thin brows. 

He cocked his head to Oluo. “I’m trying to teach this old fart some new moves, but he keeps tripping over his feet,” Levi replied.

“Maybe you’re just a bad teacher,” Oluo argued.

“Here, show me,” Erwin said.

The shorter man raised a brow. “Didn’t take you for a dancer, Captain.”

“I’m a fast learner. If you can’t teach me, then Oluo’s assessment of your teaching abilities will be proven accurate,” he reasoned.

Levi rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Alright, but let’s make this a bit more interesting. If I can teach you by the time this song is over, the old man has to buy our next round of drinks. If I fail, I’ll buy.”

Erwin stuck out a hand, and the firefighter took it. “It’s a deal.”

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Oluo interjected.

They ignored him. “Show me what you’re trying to do.”

Levi jumped into a wide stance, then jumped and crossed his legs. He spun on his heels, uncrossing his feet with a pivot, then pulled one of his boots to the side of his knee, completing a full rotation on one foot. His hair whipped around his head as he spun, inky strands forming a halo around his head for half a second.

“See I can do that first bit just fine,” Oluo said, scratching his chin.

“Your definition of fine is pretty abysmal, oldie.”

“Do it again, but slower,” Erwin said.

Levi jumped into the first stance and paused. Erwin mirrored the movement, his determination to learn something new smothering any sense of embarrassment.

“Okay, now you’ll want to use the momentum of the next jump to drive your turn,” Levi instructed. He demonstrated the next steps, pausing to balance on his heels as he observed his pupils.

“So it’s this, then a jump,” Erwin muttered to himself. His left knee caught against the right, preventing a full rotation.

“No, your other leg should be in front,” Levi corrected.

“This is all so confusing,” Oluo mumbled.

Erwin applied the fix and completed the turn. He wasn’t able to balance on his heels like Levi, so he stood with his feet apart flat on the ground.

“Good. Then this next bit is more like one move. Push off on your other foot and spin.”

Erwin followed his new instructor’s directions and spun, but he used too much force going into the turn. His heart raced in his chest and the world swirled around him as he stumbled. His muscles contracted and he squeezed his eyes shut involuntarily, preparing for the painful impact of the hard floor below. 

Instead, wiry arms wrapped around his torso, lifting him back to his full height with surprising strength.

Erwin opened his eyes, stunned to find the small form of the probationary firefighter bearing the weight of his upper body as his feet found sturdy ground. He held his gaze, gray eyes piercing into his own, sending another wave of electricity through his body.

Levi stepped back, his hands lingering at the captain’s side. They stood motionless for a moment, each of them at a loss for words.

The shorter man cleared his throat. “I don’t remember adding a fall at the end of the turn.”

Erwin’s hands were still wrapped around the firefighter’s wiry arms, his knuckles white. He loosened his grip but kept them in place, staring intently at the floor in an attempt to steady his breathing.

“Hey, you good, Blondie?”

Erwin shook his head and dropped his arms to his sides, clasping his hands behind his back, wringing his fingers to shake the lingering sparks out of them. He nodded and forced what he hoped looked like a casual smile. “Yeah, good catch, Ackerman.”

“Anytime.”

The music changed, and to his horror, a slow song started to play over the speakers. The pair whirled around, looking for an escape among the hoard of couples slow-dancing around them. Even standing a full head above the crowd, Erwin was at a loss for a way back to the sidelines. 

He regarded the man below him. His jaw was set in an expression of annoyance, but the faint light gave his skin an almost luminescent glow, and he wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol messing with his vision, but he could’ve sworn that Levi’s face sparkled.

A lump formed in his throat. He felt like a middle-schooler at their first dance, trying to work up the courage to ask his crush from math class to join him while hoping his voice wouldn’t squeak in that embarrassing, prepubescent way. Why was he so jittery? He’d asked plenty of people to dance in his lifetime, relying on his charisma and conventionally attractive looks to carry him over his nerves.

What was it about this man that made him want to shrink into the wall, but shine in the spotlight at the same time?

Don’t think about the consequences, just do it.

He extended his hand, palm facing upward in invitation. 

Levi stared at his fingers, unmoving. “What are you doing?”

“I believe I am asking you to share this dance with me,” Erwin replied, hoping he showed more confidence than he felt.

Levi glanced around the room, then looked back up at the captain. “Won’t two men dancing together look weird?”

Erwin cocked a brow. “I wouldn’t think so. We are in the twenty-first century after all.”

“Yeah, and we also happen to be at a ball surrounded by firefighters who would call anything more than a handshake too gay.”

Erwin shrugged, his hand still extended. “That may be so, but I don’t think anyone’s paying much attention to us at the moment.”

Levi bit his bottom lip, bouncing back on his heels as he scanned the crowd again. 

This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have overstepped. I’ve made him so uncomfortable. Why did I-

“Alright, Blondie, I’ll dance with you.”

Before he could register the words he’d spoken, a soft palm settled against his own. Erwin placed his free hand on Levi’s shoulder, keeping his arm stiff to maintain a respectful distance between them.

“What is this, vacation bible school?” Levi asked. He grabbed the captain’s hand from his shoulder and guided it to his waist, pulling himself close. He reached up and placed his other hand at the base of Erwin’s neck, shaking dark strands of hair out of his face and turning his gaze up to the captain.

Erwin swallowed, hoping the firefighter didn’t notice how shaky he was or how sweaty his hands felt. Then he locked eyes with the man below him, and in an instant, his nerves melted away.

They settled into a rhythm, swaying in time with the music. They stared at each other without exchanging a single word. Erwin searched Levi’s gray eyes, committing every detail to memory. The dilated pupils, fluttering eyelashes long enough to brush his cheeks when he blinked, the curvature of his jawline, his pink lips, slightly parted.

Erwin would’ve been content to stay in this moment for the rest of time. Even if he had to stand alone at the end of eternity and watch the world go up in flames, the memory of gazing into this man’s soul would bring him peace.

There was so much he yearned to say to the man dancing with him. His feelings raced around in his head, enamored by Levi’s beauty.

He swallowed again and settled on a more professional statement. “I’m glad you joined Sina Fire, Ackerman.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, not like I had much of a choice.” He focused his gaze on the floor. “I guess I’m glad, too,” he mumbled.

Too soon, the slow song came to an end and was replaced by an upbeat tune. Couples broke apart around them, and the glow surrounding the pair fell with Erwin’s hands as he dropped them to his sides.

Panic rose in Erwin’s chest. He’d worked so hard to earn back the probationary firefighter’s respect after their initial encounter, and he had grown to cherish their budding friendship, too. 

The crowd on the floor had thinned, and he spotted a path to the back doors.

He cleared his throat. “Thank you for the dance, Ackerman. Excuse me.”

He pushed past the shorter man, trying to ignore the way Levi’s incredulous expression stabbed at his heart.

Levi stood in the middle of the dancefloor, dumbfounded.

Before he could make sense of the situation, a perky medic slugged him in the shoulder.

“You’re such a liar, Levi Ackerman!” she said, grinning.

He raised his brows. “What?”

Hange spun, giggling. “You said you weren’t a dancer, but Petra and I saw your moves! Oluo tried showing us your fancy spin, but he doesn’t do it justice.”

Mike, Oluo, and Petra appeared behind her, holding six champagne flutes between them. The lieutenant offered one of the glasses to Levi, and he accepted it gratefully.

“Where’d the cap go?” Mike asked.

Levi brought the glass to his lips and shrugged. “Don’t know, he just stormed out of here like a bat out of hell.”

Petra frowned. “Aw man, I hope he comes back soon. We were gonna give a toast.”

“Nothing too fancy, just something to celebrate the awards and all that,” Oluo added.

Levi turned to the back doors. “I think I have an idea of where he went. I’ll be right back”

Hange cocked an inquisitive brow at him. He ignored her expression and shoved his glass into her free hand, then stalked to the exits.

It took him a little while to find the old stairway. He took two wrong turns and had to double back, and at one point he ended up outside on the opposite end of the building. 

When he finally stumbled upon the old door, his heart thumped against his ribs. He pushed on the handle and to his relief, found that the captain had neglected to lock it behind him. 

He stepped into the darkened room and a cool breeze brushed across his face. As he guided the door shut behind him, he looked up and saw the hatch at the top of the staircase open.

Anticipation rose in his chest as he ascended the metal steps. At the top, he wiped his hands on his pants before climbing the ladder through the hatch. 

As Levi crawled onto the old roof’s platform, memories came rushing back to him, and he had to force down a wave of vertigo with a shuddering breath. 

Erwin stood silhouetted against the city skyline. He was leaning on his elbows propped on the platform’s gray stone wall. He didn’t seem to notice the firefighter’s presence.

As Levi approached the captain, he made a conscious effort to ensure his steps were heavy enough to create sound to avoid startling him.

Despite his efforts, the captain jumped when the shorter man appeared next to him, blinking away a faraway look in his eye.

“The crew’s looking for you,” Levi said without preamble.

Erwin nodded and turned back to face the city, the wind blowing a single strand of blond hair free from its slicked-back style. A slight crease appeared between the captain’s dark brows, their dark and intense shape forming a stark contrast with the man’s pale skin. He admired the way they framed his otherwise soft face, their brown hue making his bright blue eyes sparkle like a sheet of ice hovering over a swirling ocean.

He leaned forward against the wall, brushing the left side of his body against the captain. He told himself he wanted the proximity for warmth from the summer breeze carrying the first chills of fall. Erwin didn’t move away from him, nor did he utter any protest.

More than anything, Levi ached to rest his head against the captain’s firm shoulder and stare in silence together at the city below them. It didn’t feel like the awkward silence shared between new acquaintances searching for a topic of conversation to fill the air. Instead, it held the comfort of longtime friends who knew everything about each other, the need for sharing new information a thing of the past.

Erwin’s form shifted as he let out a long sigh.

“Do you ever look back at your life and wonder how all of it led to where you’ve landed at one specific moment?” he asked.

Levi turned his gaze up to the captain and raised his brows. “What do you mean?”

“Like… Do you think about random choices you made that, at the time, seemed inconsequential, but if you’d chosen differently, you might be on a completely different path?”

Levi shrugged, the sleeve of his uniform rustling against Erwin’s. “I don’t know, depends on the person, I guess.”

The captain peeled his gaze away from the city and peered down at him, sending a wave of heat through his body.

“You’ve never questioned your decision to pursue this career?”

He shrugged again. “Not really. I’ve always known that I wanted to be a firefighter. Do you?”

A flicker of light glinted across the new medal pinned to the captain’s uniform, just above the breast pocket. Levi fixated on its silver sheen, studying the engraving of the fire department’s slogan.

Give your heart.

He turned his attention back up to the captain. His expression softened, the apprehension from before had faded, replaced with a look of content.

“All the time,” Erwin answered, his voice barely above a whisper, the wind blowing around them threatening to steal his words away before they could reach Levi’s ears. 

The captain closed his eyes and leaned towards the shorter man. Levi pressed a hand to Erwin’s chest and stepped back, turning his gaze to his boots.

“Wait.”

Erwin paused, his eyelids fluttering back open.

Levi gulped, his mind scrambled to find the words he wanted to say. “Don’t… don’t do this unless you mean it this time.”

  “Oh, Levi,” soft fingers brushed against his cheek and settled under his chin, tilting his face upward as their foreheads pressed together. “I would make the same choices all over again if it led to meeting you.”

Their lips met, and Levi’s heart soared. He was sure that if Erwin’s lips hadn’t been there, it would’ve jumped up through his throat and spilled out of his mouth. Every inch of his body felt like it was on fire, but instead of burning him up, it wrapped him in a soothing glow, like a fuzzy blanket on a cold winter’s day. 

This kiss didn’t feel like the one they’d previously shared on this same rooftop. It lacked the trivial frenzy from a couple months ago. If he didn’t know any better, Levi would’ve thought he was kissing someone else entirely. The Erwin kissing him now was softer, his movements intentional, the complete opposite of the hollow captain from a few months before..

Levi wrapped his arms around Erwin’s sturdy torso, pulling him closer as he deepened the kiss. Erwin moved his hand from his chin, settling on his shoulder while he placed his other hand on the small of his back, holding him like he was a delicate flower.

After what seemed both like eons and mere milliseconds, their lips parted. They stood holding one another, foreheads pressed together as they breathed in each other as if for the first time.

Levi cleared his throat. “We should probably get back, the crew is waiting for us.”

Erwin hummed in response, pressing another kiss on his lips before pulling away. He stood upright and ran his hands down Levi’s arms, holding each hand, smiling down at him.

“What are you grinning like a god-damned schoolgirl about, Blondie?”

Erwin chuckled and ran his thumbs across the shorter man’s knuckles. “Just glad another risky choice paid off is all.” He glanced down at his boots, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. “I guess this is the part where I ask you out on a date?”

Levi’s heart quickened in his chest. There was something endearing about the way the usually decisive, tactful captain suggested the idea, like he was presenting a business deal rather than making a romantic request.

“I guess this is the part where I accept.”

Erwin’s face brightened and he beamed down at him. Levi turned his head to the side in an attempt to hide the blush forming across his cheeks.

The captain squeezed his hands. “I’m glad. Thank you, Levi. Let’s head back.”

He let the taller man lead the way to the hatch, hiding the newfound skip in his step.

Chapter Text

Erwin couldn’t recall a time when he’d been so happy and filled with dread.

After his conversation with Pixis, he did some investigation of his own. Most city fire departments had a rumor mill that churned out information the second it was revealed, and Sina Fire was no different. While they excelled at dousing flames within the city, gossip spread faster than a wildfire throughout the department.

After the Ball, Erwin called in a few favors with colleagues spread throughout both the East and West Districts. They had all responded within the next few days, and their information confirmed what Chief Pixis had told him: the Director and Chief of Sina Fire was stepping down. 

That information hadn’t surprised him, the Chief had long surpassed the state-sanctioned 25 years of service to become eligible for retirement. However, like most firemen, the chief had made it known that he was far from ready to step down simply because the state said he could. 

What did surprise him was the fact that most of the department considered himself and West District Chief Shadis as the top contenders for the position. He’d assumed Pixis’s suggestion had been driven by his own bias, given their friendly relationship - and the liquor in his system. Erwin was both honored and a little embarrassed about his acclaimed reputation. Sure, he’d gotten lucky a few times at various structure fires, and his position as captain had more or less fallen into his lap, but he didn’t think it made him particularly qualified to be considered for any further promotion, especially a promotion to Director and Chief.

On his next duty day, a flagged email sat at the top of his inbox with an official statement from the Chief announcing his retirement. He would be stepping down at the end of the year, at which point, the new Chief would be sworn in. 

Erwin knew he should be excited about the prospect of another promotion, but now there was a new matter he would have to address.

Levi.

They hadn’t had a chance to go on their first real date yet, but their platoon schedule aligned with their union-ordered extended day off for a golden weekend - time off that fell on both a Saturday and Sunday. They had made plans for Saturday afternoon to go on a picnic at a park just outside of the city limits. 

The days between the Fireman’s Ball and his next duty day had dragged on with an agonizing lack of excitement. Erwin wasn’t big on texting, he preferred talking to people face-to-face, where inflections and connotations were less likely to be misconstrued. It seemed Levi had similar feelings, as his messages were far and few between. During the next couple days, butterflies fluttered in his stomach every time his phone went off, and he found himself hoping to find a message from the probationary firefighter every time he checked the screen. They would sink in disappointment if a different name popped up, but when it read Ackerman - FF-EMT , it was as if the whole animal kingdom came to life within him.

Erwin ran a hand through his hair and sighed. An expense report sat incomplete in front of him at his desk. His mind was too jumbled to make sense of the numbers pulled up on the inventory ledger on his computer, let alone calculate net costs or compare the data.

After completing the daily chores, the crew had opened the bay doors and pulled up some chairs to sit in the sun. While the first day of autumn had yet to arrive, the blazing heat of the summer sun had been dulled by a cold front from the north, bringing a crisp breeze that rustled the leaves that were starting to think about giving up their green pigment.

How was he supposed to sit under the artificial light of an old desk-lamp and finish paperwork when his crew were outside enjoying themselves? Especially with the knowledge that Levi would be sitting with them. He could picture his soft skin soaking in the warmth and the shine of his fine, black hair which would almost certainly accentuate his pink lips, their taste still fresh in his mind.

A knock on his door jolted him out of his daydreams, and he jumped in his seat.

“Oh, sorry, Captain.”

He turned and found Hange stood in the doorway scratching at the back of her neck with a bashful smile.

Erwin relaxed his muscles as he spun around in his chair, facing the medic.

“It’s all good, you just spooked me is all. Did you need something, Hange?”

She dropped her arm and took a step forward, glancing over his shoulder at the abandoned inventory list. “Nothing too crazy. We were just telling the probie about some of the funniest things patients have said to us, and we couldn’t remember what that kid from the detention center had called you.”

Erwin chuckled. “Ah yes, I believe he said something along the lines of, ‘I don’t gotta answer to your goofy-lookin’ ass,’ is that it?”

Hange’s face brightened. “Yes! That’s the word he used - goofy!” She strode over to his desk, pressing her palms to its wooden surface and leaned forward, inspecting the monthly report forms. “Whatcha got here?”

Erwin sighed and turned back around. “Just the expense report, I put it off to the last minute again this month, and now I’m kicking myself,” he said.

“Ah, I see your paramedic school study techniques have transferred over to your fancy captain duties,” Hange noted, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

“What can I say? Old habits die hard, I guess,” Erwin replied, smiling. 

He had met most of his closest friends within the department during his first year in the Fire Academy, back when he was brand new to the service and still wet behind the ears. It wasn’t until he was promoted to Lieutenant and therefore obligated to advance his medical education and earn his paramedic license when he’d been introduced to Hange. 

The chipper brunette had plopped down in the seat next to him on the first day of class and started talking animatedly about how she had grown bored of basic interfacility transfers and that she was going to make a real difference after becoming a Sina Fire paramedic. Erwin couldn’t recall if she’d even told him her name before she began rambling about her life goals - although Hange always insisted she had. When he’d finally been able to get a word in during the one-sided conversation and mention that he worked at Sina Fire, her eyes had nearly popped out of her head. She vowed to make sure he passed the national certification exam on the first try in exchange for a position at the fire department. He tried to explain to her that he had no influence in the hiring process, but she would hear none of it, and they’d been friends ever since.

Hange waved a hand in front of his face, pulling him back from his thoughts. “You can do paperwork any time, but it would be a shame to miss out on such a beautiful day. Why don’t you take a break?”

Erwin chewed his cheek, staring at the ledger on his computer screen. He really needed to get this report done by the end of his shift, but the prospect of sitting in the sun and enjoying the day with his old friends - and getting a chance to spend more time with Levi - seemed too promising to pass up.

He pushed back his chair and stood. “I guess when you put it that way, I’d be a fool not to accept.” Hange practically squealed with delight, skipping out of his office ahead of him.

He shook his head and smiled as he followed the perky medic out to the bay.

Not like I’d be able to get much work done anyway he reasoned.

The midday sun’s rays baked the pavement outside the garage, providing waves of heat that overpowered the chill of the wind. Oluo, Mike, and Petra sat in lawn chairs arranged in a semi-circle facing the road. Someone had pulled the engine out of the garage, and it sat parked in the driveway next to the crew. 

“Look what I found!” Hange announced.

The trio turned in their chairs, and when they noticed the captain, they greeted him with friendly smiles.

“We were just starting to wonder if you’d ever come out of your cave,” Petra said, rising to her feet. “Here, Captain, you can have my chair, I’ll go see if I can’t round up another.”

“That’s really not necessary, Petra,” Erwin replied.

She pushed past him with a pat on the shoulder. “I’ve been sitting for too long, anyway. I’ll be right back.”

Erwin nodded to her in acknowledgement. As he rounded the half-circle to take the offered seat, Oluo clapped his hands to his knees and stood with a groan.

“I’m gonna grab another cup of coffee, anybody want anything while I’m up?” he said.

“I’ve got a secret stash of cold coke’s from the hospital, I’ll come with you,” Mike replied.

Hange raised her brows and leaned forward. “Huh? How come you never told me about this secret stash?”

Mike sniffed. “Wouldn’t be much of a secret if I gave away my hiding place, especially with your big blabbermouth,” he replied. “The whole department would know where I keep my buried treasure before the end of the day.”

Hange held up a crude gesture at the lieutenant. “Just for that, you owe me two cokes!”

Mike shrugged. “Fair enough. Anything for you, Erwin?”

“I’m good for now, thank you.”

The duo wandered into the garage behind Petra.

Hange slumped in her chair, stretching her legs in front of her. “I go to all the trouble of wrangling you out here just for everyone to leave,” she said, pulling her phone from her pocket.

Erwin chuckled. “Comes with the job, I guess. Most guys don’t like to talk shop when the captain’s around.” He scanned the driveway, now displaying three abandoned lawn chairs. “Where’s the probie?” he asked, hoping the question seemed casual.

Hange pointed her thumb at the engine. “Over there. Mentioned something about the interior being a disaster.”

Fondness grew in Erwin’s heart. While he still had much to learn about the firefighter, his obsession with cleanliness was one of his favorite characteristics about him. Sure, it was a good trait to have while on probation, but Levi’s tidying habits seemed to translate to other aspects of his life as well. He was somebody who paid attention to detail, and he took special care to ensure things were done the correct way the first time. But what he admired most was the way he did it with an almost ambivalent attitude, like it was something he never thought twice about. He wasn’t trying to be proactive or go above and beyond just because he was on probation or to impress anyone, it was just who he was.

“I’ll go see if he needs any help,” Erwin said, rising.

“Have fun, I’ll be here soaking up the sun,” Hange replied, staring at her phone.

All four doors to the interior of the engine were left open, so as Erwin approached, he took a moment to enjoy the view of the firefighter bent at the waist, scrubbing at a smudge on the rear passenger seat. Tactical uniform pants weren’t the most flattering look on most people, but for some reason, the way the navy fabric hugged the curve of Levi’s ass made a wave of heat roll through the captain’s body and settle in his stomach. 

Erwin bit his lip, eyeing the shorter man with shameless fervor, then gripped a vertical metal bar next to the door and hoisted himself up onto the first step.

He let his eyes linger on Levi’s form for an extra second before making his presence known. “Need help with anything?”

The firefighter’s focus remained on the seat, a crease forming between his brow. “Uh, yeah, I’m almost done in here if you could get a bucket of soapy water, I’m planning on washing the exterior next,” he replied. He bent his knees into a squat and squinted at the stain on the seat, glancing in Erwin’s direction before returning to his work. He paused, a look of realization settling over his face as he turned his attention back up at the captain.

“Oh, sorry, Captain, I didn’t realize it was you,” he said, his face reddening.

Erwin smiled. “Don’t worry about it. Are you particular about which soap you use?”

Levi returned to scrubbing. “No, just Dawn is fine.”

“Really? Dish soap?”

Levi shrugged. “If it’s good enough for the ducks, it’s good enough for the trucks.”

Erwin chuckled. “Alright, one soapy bucket coming right up,” he said.

He returned to the engine a few minutes later, mop bucket in tow with two wooden broom handles sticking out. Levi had closed the doors and was rinsing the front windshield with a garden hose attached to the exterior side of the garage. When he spotted the captain, he released the pressure on the hose’s trigger and set it on the ground.

“Thanks,” he said, grabbing a soft-bristled broom from the bucket.

“Sure.”

The pair set to work scrubbing the exterior of the engine, old grime running down in brown streaks onto the pavement below. Despite the mild weather, a bead of sweat dripped down Erwin’s back with the effort of repeated lifting and scrubbing.

They settled into a routine without any discussion. Erwin would mop the top portions of the truck, his long arms and height allowing him the leverage to apply enough pressure to scrub away any particularly stubborn specs of dirt and grime, and Levi would follow, dunking his broom in the bucket between them and bending to brush at the lower surfaces. Then he would rinse away the brown streaks of water with the hose he dragged behind him.

When they’d reached the back end of the truck, Erwin emptied the bucket and refilled it with clean soapy water. As he made his way back to the engine, the shorter firefighter was standing on his tip-toes, holding his broom at the end of its handle in an attempt to reach the top of the engine.

“You can wipe that smirk off your face, Blondie,” Levi said as tossed his broom into the bucket. 

“I don’t know what you’re referring to, Ackerman,” Erwin countered, his amused smile growing wider.

The shorter man rolled his eyes and pressed down on the hose’s trigger, spraying cool droplets across the engine’s shining red surface.

“You missed a spot,” Erwin said, unable to hide a devilish grin.

Levi squinted and brought his free hand to his face, shading his eyes against the sun’s glittering rays. “Where? I can’t see anything.”

Erwin reached over the shorter man with his broom, scrubbing at one of the upper emergency lights. “Right about here… guess you’d have to be closer to it to notice.”

Levi turned his head and shot a glare up at the captain looming over him, but he said nothing.

Satisfied with the reaction, Erwin brought the broom down to the bucket and wheeled it to the other side of the engine’s rear.

“Hey, Captain?”

“Yes, Ackerman?”

“You don’t have your phone or radio on you, do you?”

Erwin set the broom down in the bucket, then patted at his pants, frowning.

“No, must have left them in the office,” he said.

“Good.”

A blast of cold water rained over his head, drenching his hair and shoulders, clouding his sight.

He shook his head, spraying droplets onto the pavement and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand, blinking to clear his vision. 

Levi stood still, hose dripping in his hand.

“Whoops.”

Erwin studied the firefighter. Though his expression had remained neutral, there was a mischievous glint in his cloudy eyes, sparkling in the sunlight.

I guess I deserved that.

“All good… but maybe I should take over rinsing duties,” he said.

Levi shrugged and tossed the hose at the captain. “Fine by me. I’m gonna start polishing the brass.”

He spun on his heel and stalked into the garage. Erwin placed the hose on the ground, well within his reach so he could defend himself in the event of another attack, and resumed his scrubbing. He had moved on to the other side of the engine when Levi returned, carrying a caddy filled with microfiber towels and a bottle of polish.

The firefighter climbed the engine’s rear ladder and settled on the roof. Hange had either been inspired or simply grown bored, and she pulled the ambulance out of the garage and parked it on the pavement beside the engine. Erwin shared the mop bucket with her as she set to work cleaning her unit.

“Did you see any glass cleaner in the garage?” Erwin called up to the firefighter on top of the engine.

“Yeah, there’s some in a blue spray bottle next to the towels,” Levi replied.

The captain wheeled the mop bucket over to Hange, who accepted it gratefully as she dunked her broom in for another rinse. Petra had returned and was in the passenger seat, wiping off the dashboard.

Erwin grabbed the cleaning solution and slung a few fresh rags over his shoulder on his way back to the driveway. He gripped the silver handles of the engine’s rear ladder, holding himself up as he set to work buffing the upper emergency lights.

“Hey, watch where you put your grubby man-hands, Blondie. I just finished that side,” Levi said. He was sitting cross-legged above the passenger side emergency light, wiping excess polish off the railing with a fresh rag.

Erwin raised a brow. “Man-hands? Don’t you have those too?”

“Yes, but mine are actually clean. Yours are probably still covered in bucket water.”

“Well, yeah, but that was soapy water, and I rinsed them off with the hose.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “Just try not to touch the brass for a few more minutes, the polish needs to set before you get your fingerprints all over it.”

“Oh, you mean these finger prints?” Erwin asked. He gripped the railing with his free hand, dragging it across the handlebar, leaving a trail of smudges in its path.

Levi locked his eyes with the captain, shooting daggers at him with his gaze. 

“You asshole, now I have to wait until the polish sets on that side, too. I specifically wiped down that side first so I could hold onto the ladder to get down,” he leaned forward and wiped at the trail of fingerprints and smudges.

Erwin smirked. “So if I’m understanding you correctly, you’re stuck up here for the foreseeable future?”

“Yes,” Levi said, inspecting his work. A look of understanding dawned on his face, and he turned to the captain. “Wait, no, I-”

Erwin held up a hand. “No need to worry, I don’t have any sinister plans,” yet.

The firefighter squinted at him, suspicious. Erwin forced his face into a neutral expression, hoping the raven-haired man wouldn’t be able to see past it to the gears starting to spin in his head.

Erwin hopped off the ladder and wandered around the apparatus. The probie had been diligent in his cleaning, and if he didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought it was a brand new engine. The front windshield and mirrors were still littered with droplets of water, so he turned to get a fresh set of towels to dry them off.

He froze mid-step, an idea forming in his mind.

“Hey, Ackerman, I’m going to wipe down the mirrors up front!” he announced.

“Go for it.”

Erwin paced toward the ladder at the back of the engine and pulled himself up, grabbing the rags he’d abandoned on its roof.

Levi shot a suspicious glance at the captain. “What are you doing?”

Erwin turned to him with mock confusion. “I just told you, I’m going to dry off the front mirrors.”

“Not with those dirty old rags, you’re not.”

“Oh? And why is that, probie?”

Levi scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. “Because there are clean towels in the garage. These ones are covered in filth.”

“Hmm,” Erwin replied. He rubbed his finger and thumb across his chin with an exaggerated movement. “That’s a good idea, but I don’t particularly feel like walking all that way back into the garage when there are perfectly fine towels right here.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s like, twenty steps.”

“True, but why waste all that energy?” A smirk creeped across Erwin’s face and as he reached for the dirty, slightly damp rags, Levi’s face paled with dread.

“You. Wouldn’t. Dare.”

“Wouldn’t I?”

The firefighter lunged for the rags, but Erwin was too quick, snatching them from his grasp and leaping off the ladder in one swift movement.

“You’re making a big mistake, Captain!” Levi called after him. Erwin jogged to the front of the engine, looking over his shoulder as the shorter firefighter picked his way across the roof, hunched over to lower his center of gravity.

“I think I’ll start with the Captain’s side mirror!” he shouted. “It’s important for it to be as clear as possible so I can direct the driver properly, don’t you think?”

An exasperated groan sounded from the top of the engine. “Come on, let’s be rational about this! You’re only making more work for yourself!”

Erwin paused, pretending to consider the argument, then shook his head. “If it turns out bad, it can just be cleaned again. Oh, but I do have so much paperwork to do, so I’ll have to have the probie fix it for me.”

“Why you little-”

“Who are you calling ‘little,’ Ackerman?”

A streak of navy flashed in the corner of his vision, and to his horror, the small man leaped from the roof of the apparatus, moving with the confidence of an eagle, the sun illuminating his athletic frame midair. When he landed, he tucked into a roll on the patch of grass next to the driveway, climbing to his feet and dashing in the opposite direction of the captain.

He was headed straight for the hose.

Shit!

Erwin tossed the dirty rags aside and sprinted after the firefighter, hoping his long legs would make up for the smaller man’s head start, but it was no use. Levi reached the hose first, laying abandoned on the pavement, and yanked it off the ground, pointing it directly at the Captain’s chest.

“Wait wait wait!” he pleaded, throwing his hands out in front of him.

“Oh, now you want me to show mercy?”

Erwin racked his brain, panting. “If you deploy the hose from there, you could get water all over the brass. Think of all those water spots that you won’t have time to wipe away before they get dry and crusty and ruin all your hard work.”

“If you recall, my aim with a hose is very accurate, Captain,” Levi replied, his voice dangerously low.

Erwin furrowed his brows. “What…? Oh…”

“Yeah, so if you want to prevent any more water-based casualties, you may want to heed my demands.” Levi took a step forward, then another. “You will apologize for even thinking about dirtying this apparatus…” he was two meters away now. One and a half. “... and you will buff the windows with the proper equipment until they shine.”

Erwin eyed the hose in the firefighter’s hand, still pointed unwavering at his chest. 

Just a little bit closer…

“And if I refuse?” he asked, trying to buy himself more time.

Levi cocked a brow. “I think we both know what happens then.” There was less than a footstep between them, the hose hovered a mere five centimeters from the captain’s breastbone.

Erwin inhaled through his nose, steadying himself. His next step would have to be precise, there was no room for error. Even one fumbled movement would spell disaster for him.

He swept his left arm under the shorter man’s armpit, locking him in the crook of his elbow. With his other hand, he grabbed Levi’s wrist, tugging his arm across his body, and pried the hose from the shorter man’s grasp while he was distracted. The hose secured, he spun the man toward the engine, releasing him from his hold.

Levi whirled around, shocked, and eyed the hose now pointed at him.

“Give up, Ackerman. I have the high ground now.”

The firefighter tilted his head to the side, meeting the captain’s gaze with an incredulous look. “Did you just quote Star Wars at me?”

Erwin shrugged. “It’s a classic. Plus Obi-Wan was a fantastic fighter. You should really-”

The wind was knocked out of his chest. Levi’s small frame launched into his stomach and threw him onto the soft earth beneath him, the grass still damp from the engine’s bath.

The hose lay beside him in the dirt, but before he could grab it, the shorter firefighter tossed it out of his reach. He straddled himself over the captain’s thighs, using his deceptively small arms to lock Erwin’s wrists to his sides.

He leaned forward, hovering above the captain’s lips. “Give up yet, Blondie?”

Erwin met his eyes, then settled his gaze on the man’s lips, one corner turned up in a triumphant smirk. 

“I’m not much of a quitter.”

He pulled his head off the ground and captured Levi’s lips with his own, savoring the taste of the raven-haired man above him. Levi pressed his tongue against the captain’s lower lip, and he opened his mouth, accepting it ravenously. He took the moment to explore his subordinate’s lips, enjoying the sweetness that was still unfamiliar to him. 

The sweet taste he was more accustomed to, however, was that of victory.

The kiss had taken the smaller man by surprise, and he loosened his grip on Erwin’s wrists just long enough for him to break free of their grasp. The captain reached up and grabbed the man by the waist, using the strength of his upper body to push Levi to the ground next to him, and rolled on top of him, pinning his hands above his head.

“Hey! I call foul play!” Levi protested. He wriggled around beneath him, but Erwin held him in place, flexing his thighs against the smaller man’s sides.

Erwin smirked. “All’s fair in love and war.” He leaned down, letting his mouth hover less than a centimeter away from the raven’s ear, and dropped his voice into a whisper. “Maybe you shouldn’t have let your guard down so easily, Levi.” 

The captain caught his earlobe between his lips and gave it a gentle tug, eliciting a shudder from the man below him. 

“Tch. Now you’re quoting Shakespeare at me? You’re such a nerd,” Levi said, pulling his head to the side.

“It was actually the poet John Lyly who first coined the phrase,” Erwin corrected.

“You just made my point for me.”

Erwin chuckled. “True, but it doesn’t seem like you’re complaining.” To emphasize his statement, he bucked his hips forward, rubbing against the firefighter’s hardening arousal with his own.

Levi hooked his leg around the small of the captain’s back and pushed himself against his sturdy frame. Erwin placed another kiss on the man’s mouth, stifling the moan rising in his throat.

To his dismay, the smaller man had managed to push him back onto the ground. It had happened in the blink of an eye: one moment, he was seated on top of Levi, trapping him on the ground, but the next, the warmth of his body was ripped out from under him and he was staring up at the clouds in the sky.

He turned to the side, his eyes widening in fear. The probationary firefighter was sprinting towards the hose.

Erwin hopped to his feet and scanned the scene, searching desperately for a new plan of attack.

His attention landed on the exterior of the garage directly behind Levi, and a lightbulb went off in his head. Victory was still within reach.

He darted towards the shorter man, closing the distance between them with the speed of a wolf on the hunt. Levi dipped to the ground and scooped up the hose, turning to point it at the captain.

His look of triumph was replaced with confusion as the captain sprinted past him. Erwin didn’t look back, if his plan was going to work, speed would be of utmost importance. 

Droplets of water rained down on him just as he reached the hose’s tap. He twisted it to the left, cutting off its water supply, and charged into the garage, heading for the kitchen.

He burst through the door and found Mike and Oluo standing at the sink in casual conversation.

He tossed a pale from a pile in the corner at the dumbfounded lieutenant. 

“Form a bucket brigade, I need as much cold water as you can get!”

Mike looked at him like he was trying to understand a foreign language. “Sir?”

“That’s an order, Lieutenant!”

The pair fumbled with the tap, filling the bucket halfway. Mike thrust the pale into the captain’s arms, trading him for an empty bucket and handing it back to Oluo at the sink.

Erwin didn’t waste any time. He pushed through the kitchen door back into the garage, cradling the pale under his arm, the water sloshing side to side with each step.

Levi was racing back to the hose, having returned its water supply. He locked eyes with the captain, then, noticing the bucket in his arms, his face paled.

He took off towards the front of the engine. Erwin tossed the water from his bucket in his direction, but the raven-haired man was too fast, and it missed him by a few footsteps.

“Shit!” Erwin whirled around, sprinting to meet Mike in the garage for a fresh bucket.

“Hange! Ral! Stop whatever you’re doing and get the probie!” he yelled over his shoulder.

He didn’t have time to see if they’d understood the order, he swapped his empty pale with the lieutenant, his concerned expression turning into a conspiratory smile.

“I thought probies didn’t get bucketed for a couple more months,” he said.

“Not anymore. Let it be known that Levi Ackerman has declared war upon Company 21!”

Mike grinned, then spun back to the kitchen.

Petra met him at the garage doors, panting.

“Where is he?” Erwin demanded.

She pointed to the street. “Hange’s trying to corner him by the sidewalk.”

He thrust the bucket into her hands. “Go help Hange, but be careful. The probie has the hose and should be considered armed and dangerous.”

She nodded, saluting with her free hand. “Sir!”

Mike met the captain at the doors and supplied him with another bucket, nostrils flaring. Erwin nodded in appreciation at the Lieutenant, then returned to the chase.

The girls had managed to herd Levi back to the driveway. Petra blocked the sidewalk while Hange patrolled the grassy perimeter. The probie sprinted back and forth along the engine to his left, and Erwin cut him off just before he reached the back end of the truck. Levi screeched to a halt, then scampered back towards the sidewalk.

The trio closed in on the frantic firefighter, approaching him slowly, like one would approach an injured animal.

“Give up yet, Ackerman?” Erwin asked. Mike appeared at his side, brandishing a bucket of his own.

Levi shouted defiantly, chest heaving with exasperation as he stood his ground. 

“Come now, let’s be reasonable, right? You’re completely surrounded, and I believe my Lieutenant has cut off your ammunition.”

The firefighter pressed down on the hose’s trigger, allowing a slow trickle to escape its mouth, draining the remaining water from the line.

Levi scoffed and tossed his weapon to the ground. His eyes darted between the crew.

“There’s nowhere to run, probie. Surrender now or feel the wrath of Station 21,” Erwin said.

“Never.”

The small man darted towards the engine, yanking the rear passenger open and climbing into the compartment.

“After him!” Erwin shouted.

Captain, Lieutenant, and two paramedics bolted to the other side of the engine. As he rounded the corner, the taste of sweet victory began to slip through his fingers as the rear driver’s side door opened, black hair shining in the sun as Levi hopped out of the engine.

The short man stole a look back at the captain, escape within reach.

From above, a bucket-load of water splashed onto the haughty firefighter, soaking him head to toe.

Oluo stood hunched over on the engine’s roof, an empty bucket tilted upside down in his hands.

“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you should always complete your circle of safety when exiting the rig,” he said with a wink.

Whoops and cheers erupted around him, Petra and Mike dumped their own pales on the already drenched firefighter, who stood frozen in both shock and the cold. Oluo climbed down from the engine and ruffled the probie’s hair, water dripping onto his shoulders and falling to the pavement around him.

Erwin dunked his bucket over the firefighter’s head, water gushing down the man’s shirt and pants, then settling in his boots. 

Mike patted him on the back. “Alright, cap!”

“We sure showed you, huh probie?”

“Hope you brought extra socks!”

Levi looked up at the captain, smirking.

“Well played,” he said.

The crew joined him in a chorus of laughter. Hange shook him by the shoulders, sending a few droplets onto their uniforms.

“Alright, alright, I think the probie’s had enough,” Erwin said, smiling. “I think I should probably go get cleaned up, wouldn’t want to show up to someone’s worst day covered in dirt.”

Mike picked a leaf off the captain’s back and sniffed. “I’ll say. With the way you smell, they’d probably throw you in the fire, too.”

“Thank you, Mike,” Erwin said, clapping his friend behind the back. The crew scattered into different directions, returning to their pre-water-war duties. Levi turned to close the engine’s door.

Erwin gripped him by the wrist and leaned close to his ear.

“Showers. Ten minutes. Don’t be followed.”

He picked up his bucket and returned to the station without looking back.

Chapter Text

“Showers. Ten minutes. Don’t be followed.”

Oh.

Oh.

Levi gaped at the captain as he walked through the garage, pushing through the door into the watch office without so much as a glance over his shoulder.

He gulped, a buzz rising in his chest. He glanced around the driveway, ensuring the rest of the crew had been too far to overhear the captain’s invitation. Satisfied, he wandered back into the garage and shuffled some of the cleaning supplies around on a shelf, checking the clock on the far end of the wall at random intervals. The seconds seemed to tick by slower and slower every time he looked. 

How could he be expected to wait ten whole minutes before meeting with the captain? If it weren’t for the freezing water dripping like a wet mop from every inch of his uniform, he was certain his body would betray him, alerting the whole crew to what awaited him in the showers.

Plus, he was really fucking cold.

His boots squelched with every footstep, spraying flecks of water around each of his footprints outlined on the cement. He’d have to take them off before entering the station to avoid tracking in any mud, but even then, the water dripping from his clothes and hair would lead any nosy traveler along his path to the captain, like a candy trail to a gingerbread house.

Oluo approached him with two mugs of coffee in hand, steam swirling above the dark liquid.

“Here ya go, kid. Figure you could use something to warm you back up.”

Levi accepted the mug gratefully, forcing his teeth to quit chattering long enough to take a sip. He wasn’t a big fan of coffee, its bitterness lacked the subtlety of something like a black tea. As a matter of principle, he disliked anything that required an exorbitant amount of alteration to be good enough to choke down, but he was too cold to care about the ethics of hot beverages at the moment. 

He sighed contentedly as the black liquid swam down his throat and settled in his belly, providing a small respite for the chill in his core.

“Thank you, Oluo.”

The old man tipped his mug at him and smiled. “In all my years in the service, I’ve never seen anything that a good cuppa joe can’t fix.”

“Not even a stopped heart?” Petra interjected, appearing behind Levi.

Oluo shrugged. “Caffeine’s a good stimulant, could probably start a ticker back up.”

Petra giggled, the phantom images of crow’s feet forming around her eyes. “I guess you’re right. And they do give caffeine to premature babies to stimulate their breathing.” She turned Levi with starched white towels in either hand. “Snagged a couple of these from the rig for ya, probie.”

The firefighter moved to take the towels, but she snatched them away at the last second, a mischievous glint in the paramedic’s eye.

“I hope you’ll remember my kindness should any more water-based warfare break out at Company 21. I can be a great ally, or I can be your worst enemy,” she said.

Levi smirked and slammed his fist against his chest in a salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

Convinced, Petra handed her spoils of war to him, draping one of the towels over his shoulders with the decorum of a courtier placing a cloak on a king.

Levi cradled his mug between his hands, holding it close to his chest for warmth. Petra and Oluo started discussing the possible implications for coffee administration in the pre-hospital setting, how to measure doses, or which brand of creamer would be used for dilution purposes.

Amusing as their discussion was, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

One of the many benefits of being known as a quiet person was the ability to slip away from a conversation unnoticed. Levi utilized this skill often, and having mastered the art of the silent departure throughout his life, he broke away from the two fire-medics with ease.

He stopped at the far corner of the garage by the industrial-sized washer and dryer and slipped out of his boots. Gray water sloshed onto the cement, and he had to tip his left boot upside down to shake out the remaining moisture. He wrinkled his nose and tossed them in the dryer, setting it to a low-heat tumble and throwing his now-damp towels in a soiled linen basket.

He picked his way across the garage to the kitchen and set his mug by the sink. He turned to leave, then thought otherwise and dumped the mug’s contents down the drain. He didn’t want to appear ungrateful for Oluo’s act of kindness, but he couldn’t choke down another drop of the mug’s bitter contents. 

He leaned on the edge of the kitchen table and tugged his shirt over his head, slinging it over his shoulder as he bent down to remove his socks. His clothes were still sopping wet, and the cool air against his bare back made his skin prickle with goosebumps. He wandered back to the sink and pulled a plastic grocery bag from the station’s unofficially assigned larger plastic bag of grocery bags to store his wet clothes, then padded across the hall to the locker room.

Steam hovered in the air from the adjoining bathroom, and Levi welcomed it with a deep sigh. He opened his locker and hung his bag of soiled clothes on its hook, then removed his belt and draped it over the locker door. Next, he sat on a bench and tugged off his pants, then stood and stuffed them with the rest of his saturated clothing. He wasn’t surprised to find that even his underwear had been soaked through, and he peeled the fabric down his legs, stepping out of his boxers and throwing them in the bag. Finally, he grabbed one of the towels he’d brought from home off the locker’s top shelf and wrapped it around his waist.

An unexpected wave of shyness rolled through him as he stepped into the bathroom. How was he supposed to go about this? Was he too early? A single towel hung on one of the hooks between the station’s only two shower stalls, its deep burgundy hue matching the one he’d seen the captain pull from the dryer many times after his afternoon workout.

“Uh, Captain?”

Erwin poked his head out from behind the shower curtain on the left, his blond hair a shade darker stuck to his forehead. He smiled, then cocked his head at the shower stall to the right. “Turn that one on.”

“Sir?”

“It’ll look suspicious if someone walks in and sees two towels but only one shower in use.”

“Right.” Levi pulled the other shower’s curtain aside and turned the handle to the right, sending a spray of water into the empty stall.

He stood outside the showers and bit his lip, averting the captain’s gaze as he felt heat rise in his cheeks despite the chill that lingered on his skin.

“Levi?”

 He met Erwin’s icy blue eyes, the usual frigidity of his gaze replaced by a comforting warmth.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I don’t want to pressure you into doing anything you’re not comfortable with.”

Somehow, the captain’s offering of an out gave Levi the confidence to push forward. He unwrapped his towel from his waist and placed it on the hook next to Erwin’s, then stepped into the occupied shower.

Hot water rained onto his skin, the sudden change in temperature making him feel like he was on fire. He hugged his arms to his chest.

The blond cupped a hand under Levi’s chin and tilted his face upward.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just still kinda cold.”

Erwin smiled and leaned forward. “Well then let’s get you warmed up.”

Their lips met with fiery passion, sending heat throughout Levi’s body and melting away the remaining chill from his core.

He set his hands on the captain’s waist and pulled him close, pressing his warming skin against the taller man’s torso. Erwin raked a hand through Levi’s hair, settling his palm behind his head, pushing their mouths firmly together as he deepened the kiss.

Levi parted his lips, allowing the captain’s hot tongue to pass through to flick against his own. Maybe all the steam was getting to his head, but Erwin’s kiss had a sense of magic to it, like he was casting him under a spell that sent electricity from Levi’s head down to his toes, making his head feel fuzzy.

Before long, Levi’s body caught up with his brain, the heat across his skin trickling to his abdomen and settling between his legs. He rocked his hips forward, his groin aching with a desire that he discovered matched the captain’s.

“Wait,” Erwin sighed, breaking their kiss.

Levi peered up through his lashes, meeting the taller man’s gaze.

“What?”

“I just…” Erwin licked his lips, his blue eyes darting up and down, studying the man before him. “I… you’re just so…”

Levi’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, feeling self-conscious under Erwin’s scrutinizing eyes. “Spit it out, Blondie.”

“You’re so beautiful, Levi.”

He blinked, the compliment taking him by surprise.

For the first time since entering the shower, Levi took a moment to admire Erwin’s naked form. The muscles in his shoulders were outlined in sharp detail, like they had been plucked out of an anatomy textbook. Light brown hair stuck to his chest, darkening in an artistic gradient as it passed from between his pink nipples hiding beneath. The hair thinned and lightened as it settled over his abdomen, the core muscles rippling under soft skin. A thin trail of dark hair ran from under his belly-button and thickened as it encircled the captain’s growing erection.

Levi pressed the top of his head to Erwin’s chest, swallowing as he stared down at his groin, seeing it fully exposed for the first time.

“God, look at you,” he whispered, unable to hide the wonder from his voice.

“See what you do to me?” Erwin said. He reached under Levi’s chin and tilted his face upward again, placing another soft kiss on his lips before breaking away, staring into Levi’s eyes with round, dilated pupils. “My desire for you knows no limits.”

“Fuck,” Levi whispered. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against the blond’s, tracing his fingers around the outline of Erwin’s abdomen.

The captain pulled his lips away from Levi’s mouth, quickly replacing them across his jaw, planting a line of kisses from his chin up to his ear, nipping at the lobe and giving it a gentle tug. Meanwhile, his hands moved downward, one taking hold of the curve of Levi’s ass, the other trailing down his side, following the line of his hip bone to the center of his legs.

Erwin paused his ministrations. “If you want me to stop at any point, let me know,” he whispered, his breath hot against Levi’s ear.

“Oh, fuck, please don’t,” he breathed. The tension in his dick was towing the line between pleasure and discomfort. Levi needed him. Now.

The captain hummed with pleasure, leaning down and smiling against his subordinate’s neck, leaving another path of kisses down to the crest of his collar bone. He wrapped his large fingers around the base of Levi’s dick, pulling upward with frustrating delicacy. 

Levi thrust into the captain’s hand, seeking more intensity to satisfy the lust growing for the taller man. Erwin chuckled darkly against his breastbone, suckling at the skin with his teeth as he rubbed his thumb across the slit of the smaller man’s dick.

The combined sensations forced a moan from Levi’s lips. Erwin covered them with his own, smothering the sound.

“Not so loud,” he said, pressing their noses together and locking his eyes in a hungry stare. He pumped Levi with a slow, deliberate pace, pulling a bead of precum from the tip.

“Shit… it’s- hard not to, ungh - when you do that,” he panted.

Erwin smirked and ran his free hand through the firefighter’s inky hair, twirling one of the locks between his fingers. 

The captain paused his actions, rubbing his thumb back and forth along the fuzz of Levi’s undercut.

“Do you shave your hair yourself?” the blond asked, the lustful undertone of his voice replaced with a more inquisitive nature.

“What?” Levi asked, taken aback. “Uh, yeah, I do.”

Erwin hummed, studying the shorter man like an objective analyst would a new data set. “It’s a very even cut.”

“Tch, seriously? My dick is quite literally in your hand and you want to talk about my hairstyle choices?”

“My apologies,” Erwin chuckled. He gave a light tug to the long strands draping over the nape of his neck, forcing the firefighter to meet his eyes. Levi tried to maintain an annoyed expression, but his efforts were in vain, the soft look on the captain’s hardened features setting his heart aflutter.

Erwin bent forward and kissed the exposed underside of Levi’s jaw. He let out a contented sigh, leaning into the captain’s mouth, fumbling blindly against his pelvis before wrapping his fingers around his erection. He ran his hand down the shaft, his fingers separating from his thumb around its girth, then cupped one of his testicles with a mischievous pull, a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth as the captain strengthened his grip around Levi’s tip.

“ Fuck , Levi,” he sighed, resting his forehead in the crook of his neck. He quickened his pace around the firefighter’s length in appreciation.

Levi buried his face in the captain’s shoulder and mirrored his speed, pumping him harder with each stroke, listening for the blond’s gasps and moans to guide his hand.

“Mmfh, I need you closer,” Erwin muttered against his neck.

“We’re already- ah- pretty damn close, Captain,” Levi panted.

The taller man raised his head to Levi’s lips, kissing him briefly before slowing his pace.

Levi opened his mouth to protest, but stopped when the captain removed his subordinate’s hand from his dick, interlocking their fingers.

“Here, I have an idea,” Erwin said. He took a step backwards, leaning against the porcelain wall of the shower, then dropped his free hand to Levi’s hip, turning him to face the water raining down on them from the showerhead. Warm droplets splattered against his face, and the captain hugged him against his chest, pulling him back so the water was spraying the supple skin around his stomach and trickling down his legs.

Erwin wrapped a protective arm around Levi’s waist, steadying the smaller man’s weight against him, assuming a widened stance for balance. Levi craned his neck upward and reached an arm around his captain’s neck, bringing him down for another kiss.

“Close enough for you now, Blondie?” he teased when their lips parted.

Erwin hummed, smiling. “It’ll do.” He unlocked his fingers from the shorter man’s grip, trailing his hand down his stomach, teasing the space around his groin.

Levi pushed back against the captain’s dick centered between his distal vertebrae and resting in the middle of his ass. “This isn’t fair. I can’t do a whole lot of anything for you at this angle.”

The blond let out a light chuckle, moving his lips to the shorter man’s ear. 

“Seeing you like this does more for me than you could possibly imagine,” he whispered, his hot breath against his neck sending a shiver down his spine, conflicting with the warmth of the steam hovering in the air and the captain’s form embracing him. He returned his hand to his subordinate’s dick, pumping him with newfound fervor.

“ Fuck , Captain,” Levi moaned, grinding against the taller man. He straightened his elbow and moved his hand from the taller man’s neck up to his head, gripping onto blond locks in pleasure. He wrapped his other hand around the outside of Erwin’s thigh, leveraging himself so he could grind against the taller man’s hardness with wanton disregard.

The captain matched his subordinate’s rhythm, thrusting against his ass, accentuating every movement with a breathless moan. Ecstasy rose higher in Levi’s brain with each sound that escaped Erwin’s lips, the pleasure building in his cock as the blond handled him with masterful precision.

Before long, the heat in his abdomen rose to a boil, threatening to spill over at any second.

“Cap- Captain, I’m close,” he warned.

“I want you to say my name,” the captain murmured.

The shorter man turned his face to the blond’s gaze and smirked.

“Yeah? Is that an order, sir ?” 

The taller man tightened his grip around him. “Yes.” He emphasized the request with a firm thrust against his backside.

Levi wanted to make a snarky comment about pulling rank, but the ravenous look in the captain’s eyes, the pressure of the taller man’s hardened cock against his ass and his relentless grip on his dick with each stroke combined with the steam rising in the shower stall overwhelmed any conscious thought.

“Go ahead and come for me, Levi,” the captain purred.

The fire in his abdomen rose to a crescendo, sending ripples of euphoria throughout the firefighter’s body.

“Oh, God, Erwinnn ,” he groaned. His orgasm wracked through his core, his legs shaking as the captain pulled white streaks of come from his dick, spilling down the drain on the tiled floor beneath his feet.

As the final pulses of Levi’s climax faded, the pair slowed to a halt, catching their breath. He pulled the captain into a breathy kiss, his movements sloppy in his blissful haze.

Erwin loosened his grip around his waist as Levi regained control of his muscles, running his fingers along his sides. 

Levi broke off the kiss and brought his hand down to the captain’s forearm, circling his thumb across one of the pronounced veins.

“Hey, did you…?”

“Uh, no, not quite.” Erwin stared at the floor. “Hey, what are you-”

That simply wouldn’t do for Levi. He spun around and kneeled on the tiles of the shower’s floor, taking the captain’s hard length in one hand and holding one of his powerful thighs in the other to steady himself.

He looked up at the man, savoring his surprised expression.

“The fuck does it look like, Blondie? I’m gonna finish the job.” He paused and raised his brows. “If that’s okay with you?”

Erwin’s cheeks reddened. “Well, yes, but - oh fuck. ”

Levi gripped the base of his dick and swept his tongue from the shaft up to his tip, maintaining his gaze with the captain. “But what, Erwin?” he asked, lacing his voice with feigned innocence.

“I just - ah, ” he bit his lip. “I can’t imagine that’s comfortable for your knees.”

Levi lapped at a bead of precome from his slit, earning him another moan. “I don’t care. Plus it seems like I won’t need to be down here too long,” he said with a smirk. He wrapped his lips around the tip and gave a light suck, pulling away with a quiet pop before stroking his shaft. “I want you to feel good, too.”

“God, Levi, you have no idea…” Erwin sighed.

“I can stop if you want,” Levi said.

“No! No, um…” Erwin bit his lip again, his eyes glazing over with desire.

Levi held the captain’s dick around the tip, suckling at the base and circling his thumb over the slit. “I’m going to need you to use your words, Captain,” he said, pulling away. “Tell me what you want.”

Erwin’s Adam's apple bobbed in his throat. “Fuck, Levi, I want you to suck on me until I come.”

“Good boy,” Levi praised. 

He took Erwin into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the tip while he stroked the base of his cock with a steady rhythm. He experimented with different speeds and pressures, following the delicious moans and curses escaping the captain’s lips to regulate his pace. A large hand wove its way through the hair at the top of his head, his grip tightening in sync with each of the taller man’s noises. 

Erwin gave a shy push into his mouth. Levi lifted his eyes, locking them with the captain’s and tightening his grasp on the taller man’s thigh, signaling to him that it was okay to continue. He bobbed his head up and down with each of the captain’s thrusts, sucking down the salty taste of his impending orgasm.

“I’m not gonna last much longer,” the blond warned. “Where should I…?”

Levi pulled his lips away from his dick, pumping him with both hands in its place. “In my mouth.”

Erwin’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

He closed his lips around his cock, coating it with spit before pulling away again to continue working at the captain with his hands. “Yes. I want to know how you taste.” 

“ Fuck , Levi.”

He took Erwin back into his mouth and stared up at him, allowing saliva to escape from the corners of his mouth.

The captain’s face scrunched in pleasure, thick brows raised on his forehead, his mouth hanging slightly agape.

“Levi, I'm coming. I’m coming, I’m coming… fuck! ”

Fingers curled around wet strands of his hair, pulling hard at his scalp. The captain’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he rolled his hips forward, each thrust sending more of his seed into the back of Levi’s throat, coating his tongue and dripping from the corners of his mouth to the beige tiles under his knees.

The firefighter pulled away from the captain’s leaking cock and cupped a hand under his chin, spitting his seed into his palm. He coated the mixture of saliva and semen around the man’s dick, slowly stroking at him through the final waves of his climax.

Levi rose to his feet, the indentations of the shower tiles forming a lopsided grid-pattern across his knees. To his surprise, the captain cupped his face in his hands and pressed their lips together. He rested his hands on his waist, hugging the taller man close to his chest.

Their lips parted, and Erwin pressed their foreheads together, eyes closed as they stood under the steady stream of water from the showerhead, their breaths mirroring each other.

A giggle rose in Erwin’s throat, the grin across his face widening. His laughter was infectious, and Levi let out a tiny chuckle of his own.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” Erwin said.

“Me too,” he replied. “Was it good?”

“God, yes. More than good, Levi. It was great.” He cleared his throat, pulling his head away and staring at the floor. “We should probably…”

“Yeah, yeah I know,” Levi mumbled. The water was starting to cool now, the chill in his bones threatening to creep back with every passing second.

Erwin placed one more kiss over his lips, then let his hands fall to Levi’s, lingering over his fingers before releasing him.

“I’ll head out first. Didn’t give you much of a chance to actually get cleaned up, did I?” Erwin said.

“No, I guess not.” Levi frowned. “I forgot to grab my soap.”

Erwin reached over his shoulder to a shelf built into the corner of the stall, producing a small bottle of store-brand body wash. “Here, you can use mine.”

Levi raised a brow. “Won’t it be suspicious if I come out smelling like you?”

Erwin shrugged. “You can just say you forgot to bring yours.”

Levi doubted anyone would believe that he would forget such a thing, but he didn’t see any other choice. Plus the idea of having the smell of Erwin on his skin for the rest of the day made his stomach flutter with joy.

“Alright. You better get outta here before I freeze my ass off,” Levi conceded.

Erwin kissed his forehead, forcing a blush to rise in his cheeks, then stepped out of the shower, pulling his towel from the hook and wrapping it around his waist.

“You can leave the soap in my locker,” he said. He pulled the shower curtain back and looked over his shoulder, lowering his voice. “There’s some peppermint gum in the inner pocket of my duffel bag you may want to take…”

Levi rolled his eyes. “Obviously I was planning on brushing my teeth.” He stared at his feet, his ears growing hot. “Thanks.”

“Of course.”

Erwin pulled the curtain closed, leaving him standing under the water inhaling the scent of his soap and grinning ear to ear.

Chapter Text

Erwin sat huddled in his office, staring down the month’s expense reports with newfound vigor.

The afternoon had turned out to be a busy one for the citizens of Sina within Station 21’s district. A few medical calls and a lift assist had kept him from his desk until half past eight o’ clock, leaving the crew to grumble over a late dinner of cold hamburgers. Erwin had excused himself from the meal much to the irritation of his rumbling stomach, informing his crew that he’d fallen behind on administrative duties he had to catch up on before they got called out again. The ravenous firefighters and Hange had given half-hearted grunts in between bites, too busy stuffing their faces to care about the captain’s absence.

What he hadn’t told the crew was all he had left to do was sign the inventory list. With a few years of serving Sina F.D. as a captain under his belt, he’d established an efficient routine for completing busywork, and it rarely took him more than an hour or two to organize his required documentation and submit it each month. Even with his procrastination habits, he knew his methods were reliable enough to ensure the work got done.

He wasn’t so sure about his ability to keep his eyes off Levi.

The first tones had dropped shortly after their encounter in the showers, so the captain and his subordinate hadn’t shared more than a few words with each other, and the words they did exchange were strictly professional in nature. Erwin did his best to slow the racing of his heart when the shorter man was around, but the duties of the job often required close quarters, and he couldn’t seem to make his head stop buzzing every time the raven-haired man laid eyes on him.

A knock at his door pulled him from his thoughts.

“I snagged the last burger for you,” Mike said.

A plate with a dismal hamburger and a bag of potato chips appeared on the desk next to him, and Erwin smiled up at the lieutenant gratefully.

“Thanks, but I’m not really hungry,” he said.

“Don’t lie to me, I can hear your stomach growling from the damn bay,” Mike replied. He flopped over onto the office’s bed and crossed his arms. “Plus I went to a lot of trouble to get you that sandwich. Do you know what it’s like trying to pry the last bit of food out of the hands of a hungry Hange?”

Erwin chuckled. “I’d imagine it’s not unlike taking meat from a pack of wolves.”

Mike clicked his tongue and pointed a finger at the captain. “Bingo. Eat up.”

Erwin picked up the burger and tipped it in the brunet’s direction. “Yes, sir.”

They sat in a comfortable silence while Erwin scarfed down his dinner. He hadn’t realized just how hungry he really was until the first bite, and while most people would consider the meal rather depressing, to him, it was the best tasting burger in the whole world.

After the sandwich had settled in his belly, he emptied the bag of chips onto his plate and nudged it across his desk, setting it within arm’s reach of the lieutenant. Mike accepted his nonverbal invitation, absently picking at the crisps as he stared at the wall behind Erwin’s head, his gaze faraway.

“So what happened?” he asked once the plate had been cleared.

Erwin aspirated on the last crumb of his dinner. A fit of spluttering coughs took over him, and he had to punch his fist against his chest a few times to dislodge the debris from his windpipe.

“What?” he rasped.

“You know what,” Mike said, his concerned expression relaxing as his friend regained control of his breathing.

Erwin took a sip of water and cleared his throat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Psh, there you go lying to me again,” the lieutenant said. He blew a strand of hair out of his face. “We ran our asses off all afternoon and evening, Hange’s been whining like a damn kid, and Oluo’s already snoring louder than a grizzly in the lounge.” 

“And?”

Mike set his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, squinting. “And I want to know what, despite all that bullshit, has got you in such a damn good mood.”

Erwin blinked at his friend, stunned. He knew he wouldn’t be able to keep his activities with Levi a secret for long, but he hadn’t expected the lieutenant to catch wind of his feelings towards the firefighter in such a short time. Hell, he had only accepted his own feelings a week ago at the Fireman’s Ball.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

Mike tapped his chin. “No, no, I think you do.” He rose to his feet and circled the captain with deliberate laziness that made the hair on the back of Erwin’s neck stand on end. “Could it be… the chance for a promotion?”

“Yes, yes that’s it,” Erwin answered, seizing the opportunity to sway his best friend’s train of thought.

Mike paused at the other side of his desk. “No, I don’t think it is, you answered that too quickly.”

Erwin cursed himself and bit the inside of his cheek. He scanned the room, hoping to find some inspiration in his office that would explain a good mood.

Mike bent down to the captain’s eye level and sniffed. “Hmm, it’s not a what that’s got you in a good mood, is it? It’s a who .”

“Geez, will you knock it off, Mike?” a bead of sweat formed over a bushy brow.

The lieutenant smiled, showcasing a bottom row of crooked teeth. “Ahh, so you’ve got a special someone.”

Erwin shoved at the man’s shoulder and leaned back in his chair. “No! Will you quit acting like we’re in middle school?”

Mike was relentless. “How’d you meet? Tinder? Grindr?” He glanced up and down at the captain. “You finally get laid?”

“Quit fucking around, dude.”

“Ah, but it seems the one who’s been fucking around here is you, Erwin.”

He rolled his eyes and stood, stepping back to put more distance between them in hopes it would keep the annoyingly observant man before him from hearing the pounding of his heart in his chest. “It wasn’t just fucking around,” he said.

Mike smirked. “So I was right, there is somebody.”

Shit.

“So how did you meet? Online? Or did you meet the old-fashioned way?”

Erwin balled his hands into fists at his sides. “That’s not-”

“This isn’t just a little fling for you, is it?” Mike continued. “No… you’re in too good of a mood for this to be a one-time thing. Now that I think of it, I haven’t seen you in such high spirits since you and Marie-”

“Don’t.”

Mike widened his eyes, the ghost of a lightbulb appearing over his head. “Oh, you like like somebody, don’t you?”

Erwin turned to the side, unable to hide his reddening face. “What are you, a twelve-year-old girl?”

Mike clapped his hands together. “I knew it! Ha! The old Erwin ‘love-isn’t-written-in-the-stars-for-me’ Smith has a crush!” He fell into the captain’s office chair, crossing his legs and leaning forward on his elbows. “So? Who’s the lucky lady?”

Erwin sighed and leaned back against the bed, crossing his arms. “It’s not a lady.”

“Hmm, so it is a guy this time,” Mike was more than familiar with his best friend’s romantic affairs - regardless of gender. In fact, he’d been the first person Erwin had felt comfortable opening up to about that aspect of himself.

“Who is it?” he asked.

Erwin scoffed. “Is nothing sacred anymore? I’m not telling you.”

“Is it someone I know?”

Erwin clenched his jaw. “No.”

“Liar. Does he work for the fire department? Or maybe you’re switching it up and going for an officer of the law this time?”

“Mike-”

“I could see you going for somebody like Officer Dennis… or maybe that Nile guy?”

“Captain?”

Erwin and the lieutenant turned to face the door. Station 21’s shortest firefighter stood in the frame, a packet bound with two paper clips in hand.

Mike sniffed. “The captain will be right with you, probie. We’re in a meeting.”

“A meeting that has just finished. Thank you, Lieutenant, you may take your leave,” Erwin added.

Mike glared up at him, and Erwin chewed his cheek until it bled, trying to keep his expression neutral.

Levi glanced between his commanding officers for a moment, waiting for the lieutenant to get up from the chair. 

Finally, Mike relented. He sighed and rose to his feet. “I guess I better go make sure Hange and Petra saved some dessert for me.” He strode toward the door, pausing in the doorframe and leaning down next to the probationary firefighter’s ear. “I hope you don’t need information from this guy, his lips are tighter than an 80 year-old nun,” he muttered.

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Erwin said through gritted teeth.

He brushed past Levi and turned before rounding the corner to the hallway. “This conversation isn’t over, Erwin!”

Erwin opened his mouth to object, but Mike disappeared into the hall before the words could reach his lips.

Erwin sighed and shook his head. “Le- I mean, what can I- er, can I do you, Ackerman?” he spluttered, cringing as the words fumbled out of his mouth.

“Um, I think you already did,” Levi said as he stepped into the office. “Sir.”

“That’s not-” his ears burned with embarrassment as he flushed an even darker shade of red. He cleared his throat and stood to his full height. “What can I do for you?”

The firefighter placed his stack of papers in the captain’s hands. “I have my mid-probationary exam for you. Just need your signature before you send it up the chain of command.”

“Right.” Erwin flipped through the packet as he lowered himself into his chair. “Wow, these scores are impressive, Ackerman.”

“Yeah, not the only thing about me that’s above average, am I right?”

Erwin gaped up at the firefighter, now stood next to his desk.

“That was a joke, Captain.”

“Oh.”

The raven-haired man lifted a dainty finger and mimed a tapping motion three times in midair. “This thing on?” he said, leaning towards the empty space as if speaking into a microphone. He looked to the captain for approval, but Erwin was too discombobulated to say anything. Levi sighed and crossed his arms. “Hey, Blondie, you ever heard of comedy?”

Erwin blinked and shook his head. “Right, sorry. Yes. I mean-” He cleared his throat and turned back to the stack of papers in his hand. “I’ll get this sent to Headquarters first thing next shift.”

“Thanks.”

Erwin stuffed the packet into a folder and set it aside. Levi stood next to him rocking back and forth on his heels with his hands clasped behind his back. The captain knew he should at least be making an attempt at polite conversation with the shorter man, but all of the usual topics of discussion seemed insufficient.

“So I guess I’ll just…”

Erwin cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah-yes. You’re excused, Ackerman.”

The firefighter pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded, spinning on his heel to leave.

Before the raven-haired man reached the doorway, a thought occurred to the captain.

“Hey, Levi?”

“Yes, Captain?” he asked, turning.

“While your test scores and um, other things about you are superior, I would argue that you fall below average in a few categories, don’t you agree?” he asked, leaning back in his chair. “Although I guess from your perspective, a lot of things are above average for you.”

Now it was the shorter man’s turn to be at a loss for words. He stared back at the captain, one thin eyebrow raised above the other.

Erwin leaned forward and spoke into the invisible microphone Levi had left suspended in the air. “Testing, testing, one, two.” He rose to his feet and began an exaggerated pantomime of adjusting the mic stand. “Sorry folks, last guy left the stand too low, let me just-” 

He continued in his struggles, pretending to unwind a clutch on the stand, then tugged vertically. He forced his hands to a sudden stop, as if they were stuck, fighting against an unyielding obstacle, straining the muscles in his upper arms and shoulders.

He glanced at Levi, and his brain caught up with his actions. The firefighter stood with his arms crossed leaning against the doorframe, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Erwin’s ears grew hot, like he was on a real stage with a spotlight pointed directly at him, blinding his view of the audience. Even with a single person in the crowd, his hands turned sweaty with stage fright.

“Sorry, I was just-”

“No, go on, Captain, let’s see what you’ve got,” Levi said, tossing a strand of hair out of his face, revealing a smile in his eyes.

Erwin rose back to his full height and pulled the microphone free from its stand, adopting a casual gait across center stage.

“How we doing out there tonight folks?” he began. He rested his free hand above his brow, as if shielding his vision from a blazing light above. He scanned his imaginary audience, then rested his gaze on Levi, emboldened by the amusement growing in the man’s expression. 

He removed his hand from his brow and pointed at the shorter man. “You there! Yes, the handsome man up front, do you want to see a magic trick?”

Levi turned over his shoulder as if he expected someone else to appear behind him, then turned back to the captain and raised his brows. “Me? Uh, sure.”

“I bet I can tell you where you got your boots.”

The shorter man turned his attention to the ground, lifting a booted foot to his ankle, inspecting the heel. “Uh, the logo’s worn off this pair, so good luck.”

Erwin smiled. “No matter, I know where you got them.” He paused, allowing the anticipation to rise in his audience, then stepped forward, gesturing to the firefighter’s worn tactical boots. “You’ve got them on your feet.”

Levi turned his gaze back up to the captain with an inquisitive expression. He opened his mouth to say something, then realization dawned over him. He rolled his eyes and slowly clapped his hands together.

“Well done, Captain,” he said.

“Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all night,” Erwin replied, closing the distance between them. He scanned the watch office and pricked his ears, listening for approaching footsteps. When none greeted him, he leaned forward, stealing a chaste kiss from his one-man audience.

Levi grunted in surprise, then pressed his hand to the taller man’s chest, pulling their lips apart. Erwin would’ve been disappointed if not for the man’s noticeable hesitation, letting his lips linger against his own before stepping back.

“Are you on watch tonight?” the captain asked.

Levi sighed. “Yeah, I told Petra I’d take her shift since she’s been on the medic unit.”

“That was nice of you,” Erwin said.

The firefighter shrugged. “It’s nothing… plus the watch office is right next to yours, so…”

The shorter man turned his head aside, his pale skin struggling to hide the pink tinge rising in his cheeks. He cracked his knuckles, rocking back and forth on his heels.

Erwin chuckled. “And the prospect of spending more time with your captain had no influence in this act of kindness, correct?”

“You said it, not me,” Levi mumbled. 

Erwin rested a hand on the doorframe above him, smiling down at the firefighter.

“Why don’t you keep watch in here tonight? It’s supposed to get pretty cold, and the watch office never seems to hold onto any heat these first few weeks of autumn,” he offered.

“Yeah? And just where do you propose I sit, Blondie?”

Erwin turned his head over his shoulder. “You could take the bed, I’ve got some paperwork to finish up.”

Levi turned and glanced at the watch office desk, the rolling chair’s fabric cracked open, the padding spilling out from one of the gashes, then settled his gaze on the intact mattress pushed into the corner of the captain’s office.

“Alright, Blondie, I’ll get in your bed,” the firefighter conceded. He pushed past the taller man and stepped into the room, kicking his boots off his feet before hopping onto the mattress.

Erwin smiled and walked back to his desk. “You can get some sleep if you’d like, it was a busy day.”

Levi scoffed. “I’m not gonna fall asleep.”

The firefighter was asleep within the hour.

Levi opened his eyes, squinting as they adjusted to the darkened room. His cat, Midnight lay curled in a ball at his feet. She peeked at him through orange slits, their hue the only hint to her location as her black fur blended in with the night.

Levi relaxed against his pillow, closing his eyes. A breeze fluttered against his eyelashes through his cracked bedroom window, the faint scent of smoke lingering in its path.

Levi’s eyes flew open. Smoke?

Not again.

He threw back his duvet, littered with different dinosaur species, and stepped into his slippers. His heart thudded in his chest as he ran to the window. He dragged the chair out from under his desk and crawled onto it, using it as a makeshift step stool to reach the window.

The bedroom, Levi. She’s in the bedroom!

He poked his head under his white curtains, billowing in the breeze. The moon was full, illuminating the residential street where he called home as a little boy. He’d had a growth spurt within the past few months, so now, if he stood on his tippy-toes, he could raise his gray eyes above the windowsill.

He reached for the frame, straining one arm above his head, his fingers extended as he tried to find his grip so he could shut the window.

Even with his newfound height, documented by a thin, dark line next to his door, the window was just out of his reach. Maybe his mom could come close it for him.

Come on, kid, call for help!

Levi hopped down from his desk and padded over to the door. The clock on his nightstand flashed in a row of four green zeroes. He wondered if his mother had gone to bed yet.

He cracked open his door, rubbing his eyes against the light.

“Mommy? Can you come fix the window?”

He yawned as his eyes adjusted to the flickering light in the hall, painting the wooden panels of the walls a faint orange.

That was strange. Maybe a lightbulb was about to go out.

Hurry up, kid, before it’s too late!

A bead of sweat appeared above one of his tiny brows as he shuffled to his parents bedroom.

When he reached the door, he froze.

Thin tendrils of black smoke rose from the crack under the door, illuminated by a flashing yellow light.

Levi gulped, raising a shaking hand to the doorknob.

Don’t-

“Ouch!” he pulled his hand away, suckling on the fingers in an attempt to ease the burning pain.

Something wasn’t right.

He wrapped the sleeve of his Superman pajamas around his hand and turned the handle again.

Heat blasted against his face, sending him stumbling backwards against the wall opposite the door. He fell to the floor in a fit of hacking coughs as he struggled to fill his lungs with air.

Levi peered through his eyelashes, tears blurring his vision as they streamed down his face.

His mother lay in her bed, engulfed in flames.

The smell of burning flesh combated with the overwhelming smoke hovering in the air. Levi struggled to his feet, smoke burning the back of his throat, each cough bringing a metallic taste to his mouth.

“Mommy!” He tried to scream, but the smoke was too much. Instead, it came out in a hoarse cry, muffled by the crackling of flames as they licked the wooden frame of his mother’s bed.

This can’t be happening, this isn’t happening. Why was his mom just laying there? Why wasn’t she moving?

From behind the wall of flame, his mother turned her head, what little skin left on her face charred from white to black.

“This is your fault, Levi,” she croaked.

“No…” he winced.

“Yes, my child, I must atone for your sins. Come join me in the fires of Hell so that you may rise to salvation!”

His mother’s last words rose to a scream as the fire rose higher and higher around her, the red flames turning blue in a twisted dance around her face, mocking him.

She writhed on the bed, thrashing in the fire, her screams rising to shrieks of laughter, her voice gritting against his ears.

Ackerman?

Levi choked on another scream, sobbing as he stood glued to the floor.

Ackerman!

Why wouldn’t his legs work? Why couldn’t he move? Why couldn’t he save her?

“Levi!”

Levi jolted awake, panic swelling in his chest.

“Wha…? Where?”

“It’s okay, it was just a dream.”

He blinked, chest heaving with each breath as he took in his surroundings.

A firm hand was clasped around his shoulder. His work shirt clung to his sides, cold sweat pasting his hair to his forehead. Erwin loomed over him, a look of concern tugged at his face.

“I…” Levi cradled his head in his hands, his mother’s screams echoing in his mind.

“Hey, hey, you’re safe,” Erwin whispered. He ran a reassuring hand across the firefighter’s back.

Levi swatted his hand away and jumped from the bed. “Sorry, didn’t mean to- I-” he cleared his throat. “Did we get a run or something?”

The captain stood by the bed, thick eyebrows raised with worry. “No, I just-”

“I should go,” he said. He stepped into his boots, struggling with the laces as his hands shook, refusing to stay still.

“Ackerman.”

“Stupid fucking laces. Who designed these fucking things anyway?” He guided himself to the floor, his legs felt like jelly.

“Levi.”

He glanced up at the captain, the distraction making his fingers freeze, the knot coming undone on his left foot.

“God dammit,” he muttered. He flattened his feet to the linoleum floor, bending his knees. He wrapped his arms around his shins and tucked his chin to his chest, squeezing his eyes shut.

A shadow darkened the light behind his eyelids with the sound of joints creaking and boots squeaking against the glossy floor.

“Levi, it was a nightmare, that’s all. You’re safe now, I promise.” The captain placed a gentle hand under his chin, tilting it upward as Levi opened his eyes, meeting Erwin’s soft blue gaze.

The firefighter sniffed, surprised as a single tear ran down his cheek. He took a shuddering breath, steadying his heart pounding against his ribs.

“It was- I was- there… I’m-”

“Shh, it’s okay, you don’t have to say anything,” Erwin whispered. He wrapped an arm around the smaller man’s frame, pulling him into an embrace. He moved his other hand from Levi’s chin and rested the firefighter’s head against his shoulder, running his thumb in tiny circles in his inky locks.

They sat huddled on the floor for a few minutes as Levi caught his breath, sleep’s grasp on his brain loosening until the fiery images faded to black.

He breathed in the taller man’s scent, a mix of the soap from the afternoon and a natural husk that fought off the lingering tendrils of smoke in his mind. Erwin’s shoulder and chest muscles pressed firm against his cheek, creating a protective shield from all threats, inside and out.

“Um, Levi?”

“Yeah?”

“Is it okay if I let go? My knees are killing me.”

“Right, yes, of course.”

Erwin’s joints cracked as he rose to his feet. He extended a hand down to the firefighter, who took it gratefully.

“I was planning on getting some sleep,” the captain said.

“Oh.”

Levi chewed his cheek and glanced at the bed. It was only a twin mattress, not a whole lot of room for two men to fit without being close to each other.

“Levi?”

He turned his gaze back up to the captain. A few strands of golden hair had fallen out of place, making his hardened features soft against the dim light of the desk lamp.

“You can stay… if you want to,” he said.

He nodded, his words abandoning him.

Erwin gave his hand a gentle squeeze before letting it go. Levi pulled his boots off as the captain eased the door to his office shut, leaving a sliver open to the station in case he was needed.

“What if somebody sees?” the firefighter asked, curling up by the wall on the far side of the bed.

Erwin paced over to the bed, removing his own boots before laying next to the firefighter, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Levi didn’t resist.

“I’ll just say you had a nightmare. Most of us get them, comes with the job, I guess,” the captain replied. “Mike used to get them pretty often, so we’d share a mattress to keep the bad dreams away every once in a while… and I’ve seen Hange curled up under Oluo or Petra now and then, but neither would admit it at roll call the next day.”

Levi pressed his ear to the captain’s chest, listening to the drum of his heart as he lay an arm across his stomach, holding to him like he was the last piece of driftwood in a raging sea, keeping him afloat as the waves threatened to drag him under the water’s surface.

“Okay,” he whispered.

Erwin pressed a gentle kiss into the firefighter’s hair. Levi tried his best to stay awake, savoring the feeling of the captain’s warmth around him. Despite his efforts, his eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter Text

Erwin jolted awake to a knock at his door.

He glanced around the room in the confused haze of an interrupted dream. Levi’s small form lay curled up under his arm, the heat from his body helping keep the morning chill at bay.

The office door creaked on its hinges, and Mike’s face appeared behind the shadows of the first touches of morning light.

“Six-thirty wake-up call, Captain,” his brown eyes hovered over the bed in the corner. He spotted the probationary firefighter next to the captain and tilted his head.

“Nightmare,” Erwin whispered.

Mike nodded, the lieutenant was all too familiar with the brain’s power to manifest the horrors of the day into sometimes endless scenes of violence during sleep. “We’re in the kitchen whenever you’re ready.”

Erwin smiled at his friend before he disappeared from view.

He sighed and gave the firefighter in his arms a gentle nudge.

Levi’s eyes fluttered open, squinting against the dim light, and Erwin’s heart swelled in his chest. He longed to lay in bed with the shorter man and share a lazy morning, rising only when his mind and body had been rested from the trials of the previous day. What would it be like to wake up next to the man in his arms every morning?

The thought took him by surprise, but he wrote it off as nothing more than the typical delirium of sleep-deprivation. 

“What time is it?” Levi asked, removing himself from the captain’s arms to sit upright.

“Half past six,” Erwin replied, yawning. “Crew’s in the kitchen.”

Levi nodded, stretching his hands above his head, the bones in his neck cracking as he rolled his shoulders. He turned to face the captain, his eyes narrowed behind his disheveled dark fringe. 

Erwin had seen his subordinate in almost every state, from his sweaty post-workout flush to his most fancy getup, not a single hair out of place, his Class A uniform’s creases accentuating every curve and muscle on his body. 

But of all of the firefighter’s looks, he liked this one the best. The stubble budding on his chin, his shirt so wrinkled it had come untucked from his belt, the single cowlick sticking out at the back of his head. To Erwin, it was like looking at a Renaissance painting depicting the beauty of a prince.

“The fuck you staring at, Blondie?”

Erwin smiled and shook his head. “Nothing, just still waking up is all.”

“Well can you move your big old legs out of the way at least? I gotta put my boots on.”

The captain chuckled and tossed his legs over the edge of the mattress, creating a path for the firefighter to climb down.

“We still on for Saturday?” he asked.

Levi hopped on one foot as he struggled to tie the laces of the boot on the other. “Yeah, Glenwood Park at one o’clock, right?”

Erwin nodded, smiling as the shorter man struggled with the opposite boot. 

“I’ll keep an eye on the weather and text you if anything changes,” he said. The events of the previous night came rushing back to him. “Do you want to talk about…?”

Levi planted a haphazardly tied boot to the ground and combed his fingers through his hair. “Nope. See you Saturday.”

He slid through the office door without giving the captain a chance to object.

__________

Levi glanced at his phone for the third time within a minute.

12:47

He’d spent the better part of his Saturday morning standing in front of the mirror hung over his closet door. On most of his days off, he wouldn’t so much as spare a second glance at his outfit, ensuring the fabric aligned with his body and any creases or buttons fell in a symmetrical gradient.

Today, however, he’d stood in front of the mirror for at least an hour. He changed his outfit three times, alternating between a variety of sweaters and shades of blue-jeans. He settled on a maroon cable-knit crewneck and black jeans, accentuated with a chestnut-colored braided belt with red undertones and a silver buckle.

He stood under the shade of an oak tree, the sun poking through the leaves scattering spots of light that wavered in the grass around him. Lingering drops of water from a morning storm clung to a few blades, making the ground sparkle as the wind ruffled through the leaves overhead.

Levi pulled out his phone again and scrolled through his messages. He and the captain had agreed to meet under the park’s tallest tree, which stood at the intersection of two hiking trails by the south entrance. One of the trails led to a wooded area where various walking and bike paths wove through the forest. The other led to a flat meadow with wildflowers speckled throughout the grass. A playground with two squeaky swings, a metal slide, and a jungle gym sat on a small hump in the center of the clearing with a few wooden benches encircled around the perimeter.

“Hey, Levi!”

He turned his attention from his screen and found the captain’s sturdy form walking towards him with a cooler in hand. It took Levi a second to recognize the man approaching him - he’d only ever seen Erwin in one of his Sina Fire uniforms. Today, he wore a red flannel over a gray t-shirt tucked into a pair of denim jeans. He couldn’t tell if he was just hungry, but seeing the captain dressed in casual-wear reminded him of the supermodels in department store ads and made his mouth water.

Levi swallowed and pocketed his phone. “About time you showed up, Blondie.”

Erwin glanced at his watch. “It’s 12:58, so technically, I’m still early,” he said. The captain scanned the park for onlookers, then wrapped his free hand around Levi’s waist and bent down for a kiss. Sparks shot up the shorter man’s spine as their lips met, like he was a burnt out string of lights that lit up again when Erwin’s lips closed the circuit.

“You look nice,” the taller man said as he pulled their lips apart.

Levi rolled his eyes. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Blondie.” He shuffled his feet and stared at the ground, heat rising in his cheeks. “You do, too,” he grumbled.

Erwin chuckled and wrapped his free hand around Levi’s, interlacing their fingers. “Why don’t we go find a place to sit and eat? You hungry?”

“Starving.”

The pair walked hand-in-hand towards a wooden shelter with two picnic tables settled under its roof, letting go of each other as they neared the prying eyes of families near the playground. Levi’s hand felt empty without the captain’s warm fingers in his grasp, like he was an incomplete puzzle and Erwin’s presence was the last missing piece.

They settled across each other at the end of one of the picnic tables and distributed their meal. Erwin had offered to bring sandwiches with homemade bread in exchange for Levi’s blueberry muffins. 

They ate without exchanging any words for a few minutes. Levi averted the captain’s blue gaze, forcing himself to slow down as he chewed his food.

What the hell is wrong with me? I sucked off this man in the shower a few days ago and now I can’t even look in his general direction?

Erwin cleared his throat and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “So, uh… you do anything fun during your last couple days off?”

Levi swallowed another bite of his sandwich and shook his head. “Not really, just cleaning and catching up on sleep mostly… How about you?”

“Uh, pretty much the same.”

“Cool.”

Erwin finished the last of his sandwich and peeled back the wrapper of a muffin. Levi took a sip of his water, choosing a spot on the table and staring at it like a guard on watch duty.

After taking a few bites of his muffin, the taller man’s shoulders shook. Levi removed his attention from the spot on the table. The captain cradled his head with his free hand, chuckling to himself as if the muffin had told him a hilarious joke.

“What’s so funny, Blondie?”

Erwin shook his head and sighed. “It’s ridiculous isn’t it?”

Levi raised an inquisitive brow.

“I’ve known you in almost every sense of the word…” The captain smiled to himself then held the man’s gray eyes with his own, his irises glistening with humor in the early afternoon sun. “... but when it comes to the basics, I haven’t got a clue.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I know how you respond in the most critical situations, I have an idea of what your daily routine looks like, and I bet I could pretty accurately picture what you would look like underneath those pants you’re wearing.”

“ Erwin ,” Levi hissed, his cheeks reddening.

The taller man chuckled and placed his elbows on the table, folding his hands together and resting his chin on his fingers. “That being said, we know the most intimate details about each other, but I haven’t got a clue on how to ask you about the trivial things.”

Levi stared back at the captain, enamored by the fond expression painted on his features, considering the dilemma Erwin had presented. Of course, he knew the captain was an excellent leader, able to face daunting challenges others would otherwise run from, but he also kept a tender, sentimental side of himself hidden beneath the surface. He felt like he had known Erwin his whole life yet he had no clue who he was.

“Well, what do you wanna know?” he asked.

Erwin turned his head over his shoulder, studying the playground equipment. Two sets of parents sat side by side chatting on a long bench next to the slide as five children chased each other, voices trilling with laughter in the fantasy-land of their game of pretend.

“Do you want kids?” Erwin asked, tilting his head toward the playground.

“I wouldn’t say that’s a trivial question, Blondie,” Levi replied.

Erwin turned back to face the shorter man, a faint smile across his lips. “No, I suppose it isn’t. Still, do you?”

“Want kids? No, I don’t,” Levi replied, folding his arms across his chest.

Erwin raised his brows. “Really? But you’re so good with them. I mean… I don’t know, you seem to have a calming effect with children, like it comes naturally or something.”

Levi shrugged. “I just talk to them like they’re normal people. Kids are curious, if you sugarcoat stuff their little minds will wander. Their imaginations might conjure up something worse than reality, so I show them the truth.”

Erwin blinked at him, the corners of his mouth turned downward in a slight frown. “You don’t think maybe you should sugarcoat anything for their sake? To protect them?”

“Protect them from what? The truth?” Levi blew a strand of hair from his face. “They’ll learn the truth eventually, might as well tell them sooner rather than later. Otherwise I’ll just be remembered as the lying asshole from the worst day of their life.”

The captain hummed. “Does it really matter if they remember you as the good guy or not?”

Now it was Levi’s turn to be at a loss for words. What did he mean? Of course it mattered. He would’ve given anything to have even one person to look back on with respect the day his mother died, but how could he make Sina Fire’s up and coming superhero, Erwin Smith, understand the need for desperate hope?

He shook his head and set his arms back on the table. “What, are you late, or something? It’s not like kids could happen unexpectedly for us.”

Erwin’s cheeks flushed and he turned his gaze to the table, twirling a stray leaf between his fingers. “No, I guess not.”

Levi’s heart sank. The most handsome man he’d ever laid eyes on was sitting across from him on one of his few days off trying his best to get to know more about him, and he’d been a complete asshole. He reached across the table and settled a hand on top of the one Erwin was using to fidget with the leaf, stilling the taller man’s movements.

“Hey, I’m sorry, that was rude,” he said. He gulped, swallowing his ego. “It’s uh… It’s been a while since I’ve been on a real date, my schmoozing skills are a bit rusty.”

Erwin let go of the leaf in his fingers, sending it fluttering away in the breeze. He placed his other hand on top of Levi’s, shielding his wrists from the wind. “It’s okay. Admittedly, it’s been quite some time since I’ve cared enough for someone to try to impress them… not doing so hot, am I?”

“Yeah, well, you’re doing better than I am,” he replied, chuckling. The captain’s words clicked in his mind, and he turned his attention from their hands to his eyes.

“What?” Erwin asked. 

“You care about me?”

The taller man squeezed his hands. “I guess I do,” he said with a smile. “Is that a problem, Ackerman?”

The tips of Levi’s ears burned, and he turned his attention back to their hands. “No.” He took a shuddering breath. “I guess… I guess I care about you, too.”

Erwin leaned forward, hovering above their joined hands. “I’m glad,” he whispered, then placed a soft kiss between the shorter man’s thin brows.

Before Levi could process the man’s actions, Erwin returned to his original position. He was beaming at him from across the table, and if he were the sun instead of a regular person, Levi would’ve lost his sight by looking directly at him.

“Whaddya say we go for a walk?” Erwin suggested.

Levi glanced to the playground behind the captain. The joyous laughter from the children was growing in frequency, the volume heightened as their voices were carried on the wind. It wasn’t that he disliked the sound of kids having fun, but their noise was incessant, and he would prefer to spend his time with Erwin in a more peaceful environment, where his ears wouldn’t have to compete with any other voices except for the captain’s.

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” he said.

The pair tidied up the remains of their meal and made for one of the nature trails, stopping at Erwin’s truck in the parking lot to drop off their picnic supplies. 

As they neared the treeline, the taller man’s knuckles brushed against his own. Levi stole a glance over his shoulder, ensuring they remained unobserved, and accepted the captain’s hand, interlacing their fingers together.

Leaves crunched beneath their feet with each step as they hiked through the forest. A mix of reds, yellows, and browns painted the canopy above their heads, interspersed with the last specs of summer greens as the trees clung to life before succumbing to the winter freeze. An array of ferns and wildflowers crept alongside the walking trail. A bumble bee danced between the white petals of the flora to Levi’s right, settling atop one of the blooms.

Beneath the shade of the trees, a chill rose in Levi’s core. He huddled next to the man at his side in an unconscious pursuit for warmth. The heat radiating from Erwin’s body encased him like a forcefield against the autumn chill.

The burbling of a brook greeted them as they rounded a corner in the path. A short wooden bridge overlooked a dip in the landscape, falling in a gradual slope perpendicular to the trail feeding into a stream flowing lazily across gray stones and fallen limbs.

A man and woman walking hand-in-hand smiled at them as they approached from the opposite side of the bridge.

“The path is a bit slippery from here, but the view is so worth it,” the woman said, her brown eyes glinting with a childlike sense of adventure.

“Yeah, watch your step by the rocks,” the man added, smiling.

Erwin nodded at the pair appreciatively. “Noted, thank you.”

Levi leaned against the railing as the couple passed, facing the falling valley. He closed his eyes and inhaled slowly through his nose, absorbing the sounds and scents of the surrounding ecosystem.

The wooden boards creaked beneath him as Erwin moved to his side, resting his forearms on the railing, releasing the smaller man’s hand but maintaining contact by keeping their elbows pressed together. Levi sighed and rested his head against the taller man’s arm, content.

“You doing okay?” Erwin asked.

Levi hummed and opened his eyes. “Yeah, just wanted to take a moment to enjoy the view.”

Erwin smiled. “It is lovely out here, isn’t it?”

Levi nodded against his arm, his hair rustling against the captain’s flannel sleeve.

They stood without exchanging words for a few minutes. Birds chirped and sang in the branches above, chattering excitedly among themselves as if they were elementary school kids before a big field trip. The brook running under the bridge splashed against moss-covered rocks, carrying red and brown leaves on its surface. A rabbit bounced through the reeds along the bank of the stream, its white cotton-tail quivering between leaps.

Levi followed the rabbit’s trail, squinting as it disappeared behind a pair of short trees a meter from the path on the other side of the bridge. There was a flattened patch of grass leading beyond the trees that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.

“Where do you think that leads?” he asked, pointing at the hidden path.

Erwin followed the direction of his finger with his eyes, brows raised halfway in curiosity.

“No idea…” he smirked down at the shorter man with a hint of mischievous glee. “Wanna find out?”

Levi had spent his life roaming the hiking trails of various parks and nature preserves. He knew straying off the beaten path was unwise, as most places had limited, if any information about the terrain. Many people met their demise falling from unmarked cliffs, drowning in hidden bodies of water, or became stranded while awaiting rescue.

But something about Erwin made him forget his hesitations. Maybe it was just his experience working under his leadership, or the fact that the captain had a pristine record with the fire department, but Levi trusted the man before him to keep him safe. In fact, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would be protected from harm while by Erwin’s side.

“Let’s do it,” he said. “But if we find a looking glass or a white rabbit, we should get out of there before we go mad.”

Erwin chuckled and took Levi’s hand. “I’ll be sure to steer clear of any signs of Wonderland and red queens.”

The duo crossed the bridge and followed the trail to the small trees. Erwin had to hunch forward to fit under the branches, picking his steps with careful consideration, testing the ground hidden beneath the grass before placing down his full weight.

They followed the unmarked trail for a few meters before a thicket of low-hanging branches blocked their passage. Erwin brushed them aside and stood back, allowing Levi to see what lay beyond.

Sunlight blinded him for a moment. He blinked to clear his vision, then Levi’s jaw dropped as his eyes adjusted to the light.

A meadow surrounded by looming omnipotent trees lay before them, sending colorful leaves fluttering from their branches as they were laid to rest among the wildflowers, their bright red and orange hues juxtaposing with their newfound home’s palette of pastels. Baby blue clumps of bulbs lived in harmony next to flowers with large, pink petals. Dandelions in varying stages of life accentuated the small white petals of yarrow and the greenery of the native prairie grasses. The noise of the city was drowned out by the anthems of wildlife, accompanied by the wind’s rolling baseline.

Erwin stood next to him awestruck. “Did you know about this place?” he whispered.

Levi shook his head, feeling too shy to speak, his voice would seem like a soloist out of place in the meadow’s tune.

He discovered red dots along the bushes on the other side of the clearing, and his stage fright dissipated.

“Look,” he said, dragging the taller man behind him. As they neared the bushes, a wave of nostalgia overtook him.

Levi plucked a shiny berry from its stem, inspecting the shape and size of the leaves.

“What is it?” Erwin asked.

“Wild strawberries…” Levi replied, turning the fruit in his fingers. “My mother and I used to forage for these in the woods behind our house every summer. I didn’t think they grew this far north, though.”

Erwin raised a brow. “Are you sure that’s what they are?”

Levi shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”

Before the taller man could stop him, he popped the fruit into his mouth. A burst of tart sweetness landed on his taste buds, and he couldn’t help but smile as he chewed, fond memories accompanying the taste.

“Levi! What if that was poisonous!” Erwin warned.

He looked up at the captain and rolled his eyes. “Then you’d have to carry me back.” He held another berry up to Erwin’s lips. “Here, you try.”

Erwin eyed him, leaning forward and removing the fruit from its stem with a tentative bite. His eyes widened as he chewed, a smile plastered across his face.

“Oh my God, that’s delicious,” he said.

“Good, because they have a less flavorful lookalike called mock strawberries. Those are fatal to humans if eaten.”

Erwin spluttered, his brows raised in concern.

“Kidding,” Levi soothed, popping another berry in his mouth. “They’re perfectly safe, just not as good.”

The blond relaxed his features and faced the bushes. “How about we take some and sit under a tree for a while?”

Levi smiled. “I’d like that.”

They each gathered a handful of berries, ensuring they left enough on the branches so they could bloom again. With their hands full, they settled beneath an oak tree, its ancient limbs shielding them from the blinding sun.

A thought occurred to Levi as they munched on their afternoon snack.

“I uh, forgot to ask… Do you want kids?”

Erwin sighed, his gaze distant. “I’ve thought about it.”

Levi nudged him when he didn’t elaborate. “And…?”

The captain cleared his throat and stared intently at the grass. “You uh… do you remember that nurse from the children’s hospital? The one who took over for the sparkler kid?”

He squinted, trying to bring the memory from that day to the front of his mind. “I think so. The one with dark hair? What was her name again?”

“Marie,” Erwin replied. “We um… we used to date, and we toyed with the idea of having kids.”

“Oh.” Levi focused his gaze on his knees. He wasn’t surprised by the information, it was pretty common for medics and emergency room staff to date, oftentimes trading lovers among different groups. He bit into another strawberry.

Erwin squinted against the sunlight, staring out into the meadow. “We were engaged.”

Levi aspirated on the berry’s juice, sending a wave of spasms down his windpipe. He choked on a few coughs, pounding his empty fist against his chest.

“Wh-you, what?” he rasped.

Erwin gave him a few pats on his back, helping him dislodge the remaining junk blocking his airway. 

When Levi’s splutters finally died down, the blond continued: “It was a long time ago now, but we were planning on having kids, a house with a white picket fence, a dog… you know, the whole nine yards.”

“How long ago was that, exactly?” Levi inquired.

“Uh, let’s see…” he said, staring into the distance with a furrowed brow. “We called off the engagement around the same time I was promoted to Captain… I guess it’s been five years, give or take.”

Levi nodded. “And there aren’t any lingering feelings…?”

“No, no we’re past all of that now,” he said. He wrapped his free hand around the shorter man’s shoulder, pulling him close. “There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“I’m glad,” Levi replied. He tilted his chin upwards and placed a firm kiss on Erwin’s soft lips, melting away the remaining insecurities in his heart.

Levi noted a faint blush on the captain’s cheeks as their lips parted. He rested his hand on Erwin’s thigh, tracing light circles with his thumb.

“Sorry, I guess bringing up past relationships isn’t really the best move for a first date, huh?” Erwin said.

“Yeah, well, we haven’t exactly done any of this in the correct order,” Levi reasoned.

The taller man blew a sharp breath from his nose, the corner of his lip tugged upwards. “I suppose that’s true.”

They sat holding each other for a moment, listening to the calls of nature around them. They fed each other the last of their strawberries, tossing the stems into the grass and gazing at the clouds rolling overhead.

“You said you used to gather strawberries with your mother, is she back in Trost?” Erwin asked.

Levi bit his lip, considering his next words for a minute. Erwin waited patiently for his reply. He figured the information would have to come out at some point, so he decided to rip off the bandaid.

“No,” he sighed. “My mother is dead.”

“Oh, Levi, I’m so sorry.”

He winced internally. He hated the pitious tone people adopted when he divulged about his past. He knew it came from a place of kindness, but it was embarrassing. The way people talked to him like he was a fragile ornament balancing on a tree, skirting around him to keep him from falling and shattering made him feel powerless. 

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” he said.

“No, Levi, I-”

“Let’s talk about you,” he said. “Is your family here?”

Erwin opened his mouth to push the issue, but seemed to think better of it. “Um, yes. I was raised here in Sina with my father and mother.” He chewed his cheek, considering his next words. “Well, I guess she’s technically my step-mother… my real mother died giving birth to me.”

For the second time that day, Levi felt like a total asshole. “Oh… I’m sorry.”

Erwin shook his head, the corners of his mouth turned down in a small frown. “It’s fine, I never knew her. My dad met my step-mother when I was pretty young, so to me, she’s always just seemed like my mom.” He smiled at a memory hidden behind his eyes. “Though it did make genetics projects in school a little difficult. She doesn’t look like my birth mother in the slightest.”

“Yeah? How so?”

Erwin leaned back on his hands, removing his arm from around Levi’s shoulder. “Well… what would you say if I told you that I was raised Jewish?”

Levi gaped at him with a raised brow. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“Uh, I don’t know, the blond hair and blue eyes doesn’t really give it away,” Levi said.

“Yeah, that’s what most people say,” Erwin replied. “My father went through a bit of a spiritual crisis after my mom died. He visited a bunch of different churches, trying out various denominations of Christianity, but none of them really stuck, I guess. Then one day, he decided to switch things up and went to a Synagogue across town.”

“And that’s when he converted?”

“Uh, no, actually. Well, I guess technically speaking, he did convert, but only so he would be allowed to marry my mother.” Erwin smiled to himself. “He likes to say that he doesn’t need to find God anymore, because the heavenly beauty of my mother saved him… or something to that effect.”

“Huh,” Levi said. He lay his head on the grass, wrapping his hands behind his neck. “So… your winter holiday of choice is Hanukkah, I’m guessing?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good, because my birthday is on Christmas Day.”

Erwin shot up and turned his neck to face the raven-haired man laying in the grass beside him. “Really?” he asked, his voice tinged with excitement.

Levi rolled his eyes. “Yes, Blondie, really. Why would I make that up?” He rolled onto his side, propping his chin on his fist. “Aren’t you supposed to have access to that sort of information anyway? You know, since you’re a captain?”

Erwin blinked, his cheeks flushing a deeper shade of pink. “I guess, but I don’t really pay much attention to that stuff.” He lay on his side, mirroring the firefighter, a grin lightening his features. “Does this mean you’ll celebrate Hanukkah with me?”

Levi hadn’t celebrated any winter holiday since the death of his parents, but the stupid grin on Erwin’s face was too sweet for him to say so.

“Sure, Blondie, whatever makes you happy.”

“Good.”

They locked their lips together, sending a spark through Levi’s head that settled in his heart, making it race in his chest.

They lay side-by-side in the meadow kissing one another with newfound fervor. Erwin’s lips were light as a feather against his own. The sweet taste from the wild strawberries lingered in his mouth, making him hungry for more of the captain.

Erwin rolled on top of the firefighter, holding his waist in his firm grip at either side. Levi parted his lips, allowing the taller man’s tongue to graze against his own, licking at the remaining taste of fruit in his mouth. He wrapped his hands around the captain’s neck, pulling him closer.

A drop fell on Levi’s cheek.

Is he crying right now? What a sap.

He pushed the thought aside, Erwin’s lips were too sweet to ignore.

He felt another drop, this one on his forehead.

With a struggle, he pushed the taller man’s mouth away and stared up at his face.

“You crying or something, Blondie?”

“No, I thought that was you.”

Levi looked past the man above him. At some point during their conversation, the sun had disappeared behind a cloud. With Erwin on top of him, he hadn’t noticed that the single cloud had become a stone gray wall.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and as if waiting for its cue, drops of rain splattered around them. First in short bursts, then all at once.