Deviate | Levi Ackerman x OC

Ch. 3

"You've been adjusting extremely well over the course of your time back here, most notably re-establishing yourself as a confident leader to the Scouts as if you'd never left, helping them to hone their skills while also perfecting your own, and assisting Squad Leader Hange in collecting and delivering valuable data from some of their most recent research." This made them beam from beside me and glanced my way.

"Dare I say," Erwin continued, "you've even aided in keeping them a bit more at bay." Hange's enormous grin fell, and their eyebrows furrowed at this addition. The commander slightly shrugged back at them and offered a small, lighthearted smile to their reaction. They huffed quietly to themselves and shifted in their seat.
"Which brings us to the reason we're all here now."

I perked up again, still unsure where this conversation was headed but trying to disguise it.

"I'm uncertain about your future goals, but I believe it would be very beneficial to advance when opportunities for growth present themselves. And one such opportunity is going to be made available in the coming months. Serving as Hange's second has obviously been a tremendous benefit, but we will be seeing an opening for a new squad leader. After both reviewing and bearing witness to the integral role you've played with us already, I wanted to offer you the opportunity before it was made public."

I saw Hange light up in my peripheral and fought to keep my face professional. "Thank you so much, sir. It is an absolute honor and privilege to even be considered."

They couldn't keep it to themselves anymore. "Stroid!!!," Hange shrieked, "Congratulations! This is fantastic news!!"
"Why do you call her that?" An unamused voice from the other side of them made me jump. Levi had been so quiet and uninvolved since our arrival that I'd almost forgotten he was even there.
"Call her what? Stroid?" They countered like it was obvious, but I'd been wondering this to myself since our first interaction. I've had a few nicknames over the years, but I could wholeheartedly say that one was a first. "Astrid? Asteroid? Tweaked a little bit but still gets the point – her star power – across well."

I'd hardly describe myself that way, but I wanted nothing more than to wrap them in the tightest hug I could muster. I loved them so much already and from what I did know of Hange so far, that thought process and kind of nickname was very "them". Levi, on the other hand, did not find the explanation as endearing – he scoffed to himself and resigned back to his previous state of indifference.

"She hasn't accepted yet, so congratulations may be a bit premature but you're very welcome, Astrid," Erwin acknowledged. "It wouldn't be an immediate change as we have a few months before the start of the new fiscal year and there are some things that will require some restructuring before then, so there is time for you to weigh your options. Should you accept and choose to move forward, you will require some further, more advanced training pertaining to the role."
"Oh, Stroid, this is going to be so much fun!" Hange exclaimed with glee before looking back at Erwin. "And educational, too, of course."
"Actually Hange, I had a different approach in mind myself. As the most recent one to have undergone this process, I thought it would be most beneficial for Levi to be the one to train her on a one-on-one basis."
"What?" The word tumbled out before I could consciously stop it, but I immediately felt a little less bad about the unintended interjection when I heard the same in unison from Levi across the way.
Erwin smiled knowingly and almost... entertained? "We all know and can see that you work exceptionally with Hange, but Levi is the one whose knowledge on this process would be the most current."
Hange's face fell the tiniest bit, but they were still adamant on reassuring me. "It's an incredible opportunity for you, Stroid. I have all the confidence in the world in you and your abilities."

I paused momentarily, pensive as I took in this information. "Sir, what would happen if I elected to remain at my current post?"
Their head snapped to face me so quickly, I almost flinched. I couldn't see past them to get a look at Levi's reaction if he had one. Erwin pulled his eyebrows together slightly but relaxed them before responding. "That is able to be accommodated as well. Your position and responsibilities would remain the same. It is unknown when this kind of opening would be made available again in the future. But if you would prefer to stay as you are, assisting Hange in the lab and helping train soldiers from your existing position, we can proceed as normal as well."
He seemed unoffended and neutral at my inquiry, but that would make only one of the people I shared this space with. I glanced over at Hange who looked visibly annoyed with me at that moment. And from just behind them, I caught the tiniest glimpse of Levi's dull grey eyes glaring at me, too – but there wasn't exactly anything new about that.

"I mean absolutely no disrespect, sir," I followed up rapidly, speaking a little more indirectly to my peers. "I'm just very happy in my current role and responsibilities. Although it's very evident that the benefits of this new one are immeasurable in other ways, too." For someone who was dropped into this scenario with absolutely no context or background knowledge, I was doing about as well as I would expect and, in my usual fashion, rambling entirely too much.
"I understand," Erwin swiftly put a stop to my verbalized internal debate. "We do have time before any decisions need to be made. There is certainly quite a lot to consider. Please, weigh your options carefully and get back to me with your decision by the end of the quarter."
I sighed to myself and offered him an appreciative smile. "Absolutely, sir. Thank you again for your consideration and all of your help."
The commander returned my gesture and dismissed us. Hange stood up from their seat at the same time I did, but Levi remained seated. I wasn't going to ask him why or attempt to change his mind and it didn't appear they wanted to, either. Together we saluted Erwin upon our exit and headed for the door.

Taking a left out of Erwin's office, we continued down a corridor to a destination I did not know. I didn't want to say it – as soon as you acknowledge it is when the opposite comes true – but I found it to be surprisingly calm as we made our way through the headquarters building; as calm as it can be for a world in which you live among titans, that is. For whatever reason, I thought that interaction had been a positive one, but I was curious to see what they thought. "So, I think that went well..."
"You do?! Are you nuts?"
I choked back a chuckle. The absolute irony of that coming from Hange Zoe of all people was almost too much to keep to myself. "Were we in the same meeting just now?"
They shot me an unamused look. "Seriously, Stroid. This is an amazing opportunity for advancement for you! Are you really considering not taking it?"

We crossed the threshold into a deserted dining hall. I hadn't so much as thought about food but I followed Hange's lead back into the kitchen area. After rummaging around, they put some water on the closest burner and turned back to face me. They didn't bother trying to hide their discontent and waited for my response.
"It's not that I don't want to take it, Hanj. I'm just... Thoroughly enjoying where I am and what I'm doing now, that's all," I countered with a slight shrug of my shoulders. I shifted my tone in an effort to lighten the conversation – I didn't like them being upset at me. "Who likes change?"
"WE do! At least in this context, WE want every opportunity we're allotted to succeed."
I stuck out my lip and whimpered in a bit of an exaggerated fashion. "You don't want me around anymore?"
They rolled their eyes at me and sighed, smiling back at me. "Of course, I don't want to lose you, Stroid. You're the best assistant I've ever had! You're reliable, accurate, and you let me be me with minimal protest."
I wrinkled my nose, pulling myself up to sit on a nearby countertop. "I reign you in when necessary."
They shook their head. "Yeah, yeah, something like that. But as someone who loves you, I want to see you excel, see you reach your full potential in whatever this life throws at us – even if that means I have to start sharing."

I nodded and strummed my fingers rhythmically beside me. All things considered, I thought I'd handled this pretty okay so far. I doubt easy Sunday mornings are a thing around here, but for having to jump right into an objectively serious situation, I certainly could've done much worse – and have more times than I could count back home.
Hange had removed the water from the burner and busied themselves preparing cups of tea. I was getting lost in my own thoughts when I heard someone else enter the dining hall. The footsteps continued toward us in the kitchen and I looked up to see our guest.