Redemption Song | Levi & Eren

Chapter 7: Vincent (Starry Starry Night)

      Levi sat behind the wheel, gripping it gently, while his right foot rested on the accelerator and his other prepared to use the clutch or brake. He wasn't alone in a car, a occurrence he was less than pleased about.

The ginger rookie was already better company than Jean. She kept her head straight, didn't fidget or mutter and most importantly, didn't bother him with frustrating questions. Levi still would have opted to remain alone.

He heard her swallow a lump in her throat near noiselessly and sighed knowing the relaxing sounds of the engine roaring through the streets was about to be interrupted.

"How long have you been on the force?" she asked, facing him politely.

Jean must have told her how much he hated personal questions or maybe God had it out for him.

"Nine years," he answered swiftly without surplus information.

An uncomfortable quiet echoed throughout the car, striking Levi with a familiar sense of déjà vu. He enjoyed silence when he controlled it. Silence around others was usually followed by shifting eyes and fiddling fingers.

Out of fear the deafening tension would continue until Petra's stomach created a disgusting gurgle, Levi spoke.

"How do you feel about your last PTO?" his eyes remained on the road.

She flinched in surprise. "Umm. Well...he was good, yeah..."

"Good thing you're training to be a cop and not to lie to them. I guess we'll have to work on that." Levi commented on her lack of lying skills before remembering it was his job to perfect all her skills.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Petra responded, sweat starting to form.

"Yeah, you do." he argued. "I've been a training officer for all of five minutes and there are no hidden cameras. You can speak your mind, Ral."

His assurance evidently stunned her. Levi's peripheral vision let him see her wide eyes without the need to turn his head. Levi stayed muted to let her process. All the while he pieced together what he already knew.

Erwin suspected her previous PTO had purposefully given himself a severe injury to run off with his pension before retirement. She wasn't used to being called out but she was apprehensive about revealing information regarding him.

"He was...strict. He'd do these surprise tests like scaring me while I was driving. I had to apologise to a family after I nearly ran them over whilst he watched in the car. He berated me for not knowing something-which is understandable!" she accidentally shouted after disrespecting her previous training officer. "I always made sure never to make the same mistake again.

"Good to hear." he acknowledged. "Still sounds like a bastard though."

She snickered and poorly attempted to cover it up by pretending to cough. She changed the subject. "You said you've just started being a training officer. Does that make me your first recruit?"

"I've ridden with rookies and amateurs but only for a day. I don't think they liked me."

She hid the smile creeping up her lips. "So I'll be sticking around the longest?"

"That's up to you to decide." he returned with a harsh reality, withdrawing the humour from the vehicle. "I don't know who you are nor do I want to so I won't ask you why you became a cop but rather what you want to accomplish."

She paused to contemplate her response. "If I may, sir, what is the difference between the two?"

"One tells me why you're here and the other tells me why you want to stay. It's not just my 'all of a sudden new' job to teach you daily but to prepare you to survive without a superior in the future also." Levi slowed down. He turned the wheel, entering a new street. It resembled the last one.