Trust Me

Chapter Two

"Will you join the Scouting Legion?"
Levi was sitting in the mess hall, blinking a few times as he glanced at Erwin who was looking at him.
"Will you, Levi?"
"What?" He asked, glancing at his tea.
"Will you look over these formations?"
Levi felt like banging his head off the table. He had probably been caught staring as he was lost in thought. "Yes, of course, commander." He mused calmly, standing and grabbing the file from him, downing the rest of the tea and leaving the hall to return to his quarters and look over the plans. He couldn't help but think about how vivid Erwin's voice had been just then.
"I'll join."
He pushed a hand through his hair, sitting at his desk. He could see himself, standing in front of a desk much like this one after a short exhibition, arms folded, looking a little younger, but no less unimpressed.
"Levi, you do know the meaning of teamwork, yes?" Erwin looked up from where he sat at the desk at the clearly angered new recruit.
"Don't act like I'm stupid."
"Then why do you never follow the plan we have devised for the squads?" Erwin questioned, his elbows on the desk, his face furrowed in a frown.
"Because they are ridiculous," he argued. "You can't expect titans to behave the same all the time. That's foolish. No wonder all your recruits get killed."
"You will show some respect!" Erwin yelled. Levi was pushing his buttons too far. They had just allowed all three of the Undergrounds into the corps, but they all seemed to follow Levi's directions, rather than the Survey Corps. It was infuriating. He stood, hands on the desk. Levi gave a huff of annoyance as if Erwin was wasting his time.
"No wonder all your recruits get killed, sir." He replied sarcastically.
Erwin shook his head, taking a breath to refrain from just snapping on the other.
"Levi. This team needs to have mutual trust in each other. If you can't follow that, everyone will die. We need to know that you and your friends are reliable."
Levi had huffed and left, attempting to keep his cool around Erwin. But the next mission hadn't turned out as he had hoped. When he knew Isabel and Farlan were dead, it had struck something within him. He hadn't thought he would be attached, but losing his two only friends was just about all he could take. He wanted to kill Erwin for suggesting this. For bringing them up here. For putting them all in danger.
"I'm sorry, Levi." That was what he had said. Just an apology. As if those lives were no different than any other. He wanted to watch him suffer. "You can turn back now, go back underground and never have to think about this again." Erwin had continued. "Or you can trust the Survey Corps. Become part of the team and prevent the titans from running us all to extinction. You don't have to let their deaths be in vain."
Levi glared at him, slowly letting go of the knife and moving over reluctantly. Teamwork required trust.
Levi took a shallow breath, looking around his office as he leaned back, glancing at the new formation plans. He signed where he needed, making adjustments to make the squads a little more flexible for the chance of danger.
Standing, he headed down the hallway to Erwin's office, knocking and entering. He looked over at the blond, setting the files on his desk, off to the side. Erwin glanced up at him, giving him a friendly expression, an almost smile.
"The only thing we're allowed to do... is to believe that we won't regret the choice we made."
He didn't regret joining the Corps. Not now that he was part of the team.