AOT Oneshots

Aftermath ~ Request

requested by TalenBillen712 ^^

"I'm not going to say it again. Piss. Off."

Erwin sighs, exasperated with the new recruit. He hasn't said anything other than variations of that sentence since the incident a week ago. He doesn't blame him - seeing as he watched his best friends die. But his patience is wearing thin all the same.

"Levi, look, I didn't want this. I didn't want your friends to... I never intended to lose new recruits."

"Because that's all they were to you, right? New recruits. Just numbers in a report. Not people. You don't understand."

That's the last straw for the Commander. The audacity of this recruit to tell him he doesn't have experience in tragedy?

"How many times do you think I've seen comrades die? Friends? This is just another day for me."

"Oh, how sad! The rich man with his cushy job has to sit in his office all day and read sad reports!"

"Soldier! Stop this back talk or Ill stop it for you."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"I sure hope you don't enjoy meal privileges."

"I haven't eaten in days."

"Your cot, then."

"Haven't slept, either."

Levi looks at Erwin with defiant eyes, but now he can see the exhaustion and pain behind them. It's taking everything for him to hold himself together right now.

"Even if I wanted to, your other recruits won't let me have any peace. Here's something you don't have experience with. Ever been told you don't deserve life because you can't afford to enjoy it? Ever been told to go die because of where you were born?"

Erwin opens his mouth to answer, but the floodgates are open.

"Do you know what it's like to be born, raised, and trained in filth? To watch your friends get picked off one by one? By starvation, by disease, by other people?

And all you have are these few people. These few friends that hold you together. I can handle grief, but not when I lose my method of coping. They were my method.

So go back to your little office, and write your report on the tragic accident that you'll never regret. I don't need anything from you."

The Commander feels as if his eyes have been opened to a level of vision he'd never experienced, never even considered. One that he will try his best to fix, because he's a commander. That's what he does.

"I will tell the recruits to stop bothering you. Please, eat something and get some sleep. If you agree to do that... I have something for you."

He leaves. Despite himself, Levi's curiosity overtakes him. He reluctantly begins to eat, then starts wolfing down food when he realizes how hungry he was. He's asleep before his head hits the pillow.

He wakes to find two small objects on his bedside table. Patches from Scout uniforms.

He curls himself into a ball and cries until he feels he will die.

He finally collects himself and slides the patches into his drawer.

And so begins his collection. He knows it will grow. He knows he can't prevent it, But he is determined to try.