Stars - Levi Ackerman Modern AU (COMPLETE) [#Wattys2018]

Resolve

"Pick a partner to train with," Erwin ordered. "I'll be working on stuff with almost everyone, but I'll leave Petra and Levi here to oversee how everything goes."

"Mac," Eren smiled, "Wanna be partners?"

I nodded. "Wait, didn't Mikasa ask you?"

Eren pointed to Mikasa and Jean. "Horse-face asked her as soon as the words left Erwin's mouth. I took it as a chance to escape."

Levi cleared his throat to shut all of us up. "Now I don't know about all of your backgrounds, but I'm sure none of you are well suited to be in the Scouts. Going against the TITANs is dangerous, and the means of doing so are highly illegal. If this is okay, and you are prepared to suffer the consequences if you are ever caught, then I guess we can go on. TITANs primarily use knives, but don't let that fool you, they still have guns. Never turn your back on a TITAN. You may not live to tell the tale."

Petra perked up when Levi nudged her, smiling widely. "We will train you today on both hand-to-hand combat and knife fighting. Close range fighting is important when fighting a TITAN, but it is also the option that has the lowest success rate. Now I want all of you to start sparring with these knives."

Levi handed us all knives. A lot of people eyed them, confused.

"These are real knives," Sasha piped.

"Well no shit." Levi rolled his head her way. "Were you expecting plastic ones?"

Sasha nodded.

"Idiot." Levi hit her upside the head. "Life doesn't give you training knives, so neither will we. If you can't fight with the intent to kill, then you are of no use to us."

I tossed the knife between both of my hands, getting a feel for it. Eren gripped his tightly, watching me intently. I quietly laughed.

There's no way that Eren is going to seriously attack me. He's way too overprotective, well, not Mikasa overprotective, but still.

Eren leapt at me and I sidestepped, tossing Eren on his back. He sputtered for air, his face turning red. I stood over him, studying his build.

He's definitely stronger than me and has more endurance, but I don't think he's as fast nor as smart as me. We'll have to see how this plays out.

Eren grabbed at me and I just took a step back. He jumped up and tackled me down to the ground, leaving his knife at his previous spot. Eren followed my line of sight and noticed the knife. He tried to grab me tighter, but I slipped out and kicked his knife further away.

"You're dead." I smiled, pointing my blade at Eren.

"Jaeger." Levi's voice was cold.

"What is it, Professor Snape?" I asked him, helping Eren up and wrapping an arm around him.

"Not you. Eren." Levi motioned to Eren.

"Y-Yes Levi?" Eren asked.

Levi grabbed Petra's hand and led her over, "Train with Petra instead. Maybe then you'll learn some decent form."

Petra's face glowed red until Levi let go of her hand. I looked around to see that Jean was bleeding. He had a cut just above the eye.

"McKenzie," Levi snapped. "You're getting a new partner."

I turned to him. "Why? I could've helped Eren just fine."

Levi got uncomfortably close. "You were holding back on that brat, that's why. You need to give it your all so that we know what we're working with."

I rolled my eyes. "Then pair me up with Mikasa. You want to challenge me, eh? I'll fight that beast."

Levi stepped back, pulling out two knives. "No. You'll be fighting me. That way, I can accurately assess your strengths and weaknesses. Don't hold back. You'll die."

I smiled, hopping in place. I was pumped. An excuse to take down this bastard? You don't have to ask me twice.

Levi was on me in a flash. I leapt back. He definitely wasn't going easy on me. I stared at him. I couldn't tell his build with the button down shirt, but he was shorter than Eren, and faster. Thankfully, I was shorter than him and just a tad bit faster, but I wasn't positive.

Levi and I fought for what felt like forever until I started to feel my energy run out. Levi didn't seem all that different. I had to end it fast. Levi charged and I stayed still, waiting. Levi slowed, but then regained speed. That slight moment of hesitation was all I needed. I dropped to the ground and used my legs to push Levi over me, causing him to topple over. I hopped up and pinned him down. With one swift move, I hit Levi with the butt of my knife.

Levi stared at me, awestruck. He now had a nice blue bruise to replace the one that I dished out Monday. I started laughing. Armin helped me up and I waved to Levi and Petra.

"See you at school."

----

I was running again, this time on my own. The TITAN was on my tail. I didn't have a knife or anything on me yet. Erwin said it was too early. I didn't know what to do.

The sun was starting to set and the TITAN didn't seem to have any plans to retreat. I exhaled slowly and jumped to higher ground, only to be caught before my legs left the ground.

I struggled, pulling with all my might. It stabbed me, sending a pulse of what felt like electricity through my body. The pain was excruciating. It felt like bugs were eating away at my flesh.

I dropped down to the ground, the TITAN on top of me. I closed my eyes and awaited my fate. I blacked out before I felt another blow.

I felt as if I were being lifted when I saw a beautiful blue color. I felt so light. I had to be dreaming. "Am I dead?" I asked myself.

"No, you idiot. You came pretty fucking close though," Levi replied.

I giggled. "Oh no. I thought I was in heaven. I guess I'm in hell."

Levi's grip tightened. "If you weren't in such bad shape, I'd drop you."

"It wouldn't be that far of a fall~" I sang.

Suddenly, I was face to mask with the TITAN that attacked me. It was laying on the floor in agony. I looked to see Levi's knives covered in blood. He handed one to me.

"Kill it."

I stared at Levi. "Are you kidding me right now?"

Levi's gaze hardened. "Oi, do I sound like I'm fucking kidding? I said kill the goddamn bastard, so kill him."

I looked at the knife and then the TITAN. Wasn't that a person under there?

Levi stood me up, bursts of pain spreading across my side. "Do you not have enough backbone to? Maybe Erwin was wrong about you."

I stabbed it in the throat and twisted the blade, hard before removing it. "There. Happy? I killed it. I'm a murderer now."

Levi's eyes met mine. "Why did you kill it."

"Because you told me to."

"If I told you to kill yourself, would you?"

"What the hell is your problem, Levi?"

"I'll ask one more time, why did you kill it."

I held out the knife to Levi. "I killed it so that I wouldn't die. I killed it so that it couldn't kill someone else... I killed it because it was a TITAN."

My legs started to shake and Levi picked me up and put me on his shoulders. "Good. I like your resolve. Tell me where you live so I can take you there."

"O-Okay," I stuttered.