Save Me (Levi x OC)

Chapter 11

The awkward silence I'd been trying so hard to avoid finally settled on us as I averted my eyes from Captain Levi's face, my cheeks feeling hotter than usual. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him cover his face with his left hand and look at the floor, and several minutes passed in silence, with me too embarrassed to say anything and him too lost in thought to speak up. Why is this happening? It's not like he actually did something to make me blush, so why do I feel like this? I need to control myself.

I took a deep breath, trying my best to compose myself and bring me back to the typical, expressionless state. It took me several seconds, but I'd managed to take back my emotions, my face now  blank slate, and I decided to finally bring up the topic of the meeting. 

"So abo-"

"Let's tal-"

Captain Levi and I both stared at each other, both surprised that we started talking at the same time, and both unwilling to talk again in favor of giving the other a chance to speak their mind. The quiet dragged on again until I finally gave Levi a small nod, signifying that he should be the one to speak. After all, he was the superior officer, and I had to let him take control of the situation. 

"Right. So about the new members of the squad," he started, his gaze locked on the stacks upon stacks of papers and reports spread out on his desk. "Did you have any ideas for who would be of the best fit?"

"Oh! Yes, of course," I rambled, glad to finally be on a topic that I understood. "I was thinking, if it were alright with Hange, we could split her squad in half and take half of her members, and then add new recruits to both. That way both squads would have experienced soldiers, and newer ones."

"Hm," Levi tapped his lips softly with his pointer finger, his eyes drifting from his desk to meet mine. "Not a bad idea, but that would mean we'd have to convince Hange to part with half of her squad, and I'd rather not have to go through that."

I nodded in understanding. Hange was hard enough to deal with, and I couldn't imagine how she'd react if asked to leave behind half of her squad. "Then maybe we could take one soldier from four other squads? That would help make sure that no one squad suffers too much loss, and in return for the one soldier that we recruit, we could add a new scout to the squads."

"That also wouldn't work. We need the soldiers to trust one another. We can't just take different soldiers from different squads, put them all together, and expect them to get along. It would be best if these soldiers all had experience fighting with one another."

Realization struck me as I suddenly understood what he was implying. "You can't be serious. They're brand new! They have barely any experience!"

"But they trust each other, and Eren trusts them, too. Is it not the goal of our squad to protect Eren at all costs?"

"It is, but you can't expect new recruits to be able to do that!" I argued back, even though I knew it was pointless. When Captain Levi decided something, nothing could get him to change his mind.

"Their close bond and trust in one another will help them be more keen on keeping Eren safe. They have both skills and talent; I see no better option."

"You're really going to go from being the captain of the strongest squad to being the babysitter of a bunch of new recruits," I groaned out, trying my best to restrain myself from smacking my forehead in defeat. "But yes, that makes sense. Which recruits will we be taking?"

Levi nodded slightly, happy to receive my approval on his plan. "Definitely that girl Mikasa, the one with the short black hair."

I dipped my head in agreement. She was still young, but she fought like a demon; she may even surpass Captain Levi with time. "And maybe that Amin boy? He seems to be very close to Eren, and he's got the brains," I added on, eager to at least take part in choosing the new squad members.

"Yes, that goes without saying." He paused for a moment, trying to remember who the other recruits were. "What about those two, Reiner and Bertholdt?"

"I don't trust them," I said, shaking my head. "There's just something about them - I can't put my finger on it, but I don't think it's best to have them working so closely with Eren. It's almost as if they're acting. They're too perfect at what they do."

"Fine," Levi sighed. "I trust your judgement, but that doesn't excuse the fact that they're capable soldiers. They still have to be assigned to a squad."

"How about we see which squads received the most damage from the expedition, and assign them to those squads?" I offered, searching my mind for a solution. "We'd have to discuss it with the other squad leaders first, but I'm sure they'd be glad for two outstanding soldiers."

"That would work. That just leaves five more recruits, if I remember correctly. I'd like to have them on our squad because they, too, have shown exceptional dedication to protecting Eren, but if need be, they can be spared to other squads."

"Jean, Sasha, Connie, Ymir, and that Christa girl, right?" I racked my brain, trying to make sure that I hadn't forgotten anyone accidentally. "Jean shows a lot of potential, both in his physical abilities and with his wits. I'd like to add him to our squad, if that's alright with you."

"Of course. And the others?" Levi's hands were intertwined with one another as he rested his chin on his fingers. 

"They should be sent out to the squads that need them most. For now, adding Mikasa, Armin and Jean should be enough for our squad. The rest still need to train a little more before they can join the squad."

Captain Levi slowly nodded, his eyes flashing through the room as though he was solving equations that only he could see. A few moments passed in silence, and I toyed nervously with the leather straps of my uniform. Did I say something wrong?  Does he not agree with me?  A million questions raced through my mind as I realized that this was my first task as his second in command, and this would be his first impression of me doing my job. I couldn't afford to disappoint him, especially not when it regarded something as important as choosing a new squad. 

After what felt like forever, Levi finally looked up, his eyes meeting mine. "That should work. You, me, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and Jean. It's not the old squad, but it's the best we can do right now."

I sighed in relief. I passed this first test. I can do this. I can be Captain Levi's second in command.  "Should I get started with the paperwork?" I asked, a smile on my face, except this time, it wasn't forced.

"No, that's alright," Captain Levi replied. "I'll take care of the paperwork for this. You should tell the soldiers about this. They'll take the news better from you than from me, anyway."

My mouth parted slightly in surprise. Did he just call himself out on being too intimidating for his own good? He definitely did. "O- of course, I'll get to that right away!" I pushed the chair back, wincing as it scraped along the wooden floor, an ear-piercing screech ringing through the room that made the captain let out a soft tch. I stood up faster than I should've, the pain from my thigh making me grimace, but I ignored it as I approached the door, my fingers already on the door handle. Huh, I feel like I've been in this position before. What was the term for that, déjà vu or something?  I pulled the door open, shaking my head. I need to focus. I have soldiers to recruit. I was already halfway out the door when Levi's voice called me back. 

"Alex," he said, and I could've sworn I saw a small smile on his face. "Thank you. Again."