Just want to get a few things out before you start reading okay?

1) I do not own anything in this story except for Ryder

2) The cover art for this story is from Kagalin on Deviant Art there are some amazing fanart there, so I do suggest heading over!

3) This goes cannon with the anime at the start, but where it ends off from Season 1 is where I start with what happened in the Manga! I couldn't wait until next year for Season 2 so I binge read everything the manga has to offer! So if you're cool with that then proceed!

4) I've already written 72 pages for this story because I've been writing it for two years and have been taking my time, so if you want more then PLEASE TELL ME! I really need you to tell me if you like it and if you want to continue reading it. I've sent it to a few of my best friends and they all really enjoy it (and they're too brutally honest, so I trust their opinion), so I hope you do as well!

Now...off we go!

"So much for you keeping your promise." My head turned slightly, so I could look Levi in the eye. He gave me his blank stare as always. I sighed and turned my head back, so I could stare up at the ceiling.

"I'm still here, aren't I? So I didn't break my promise." I retorted. I could hear Levi cross his arms over his chest as he swung his leg over his other.

"Barely though. You're lucky I showed up when I did."

"Ya ya, just another thing for me to be grateful for because of you, right?" I knew Levi rolled his eyes at my comment.

"What were you thinking anyways? You never let your guard down." My mind raced back to seeing one of my closest friends being eaten by a Titan. That gave the second Titan enough time to sneak up behind me while I froze due to my overwhelming shock.

"Nothing." I looked out the window. I couldn't tell Levi because I knew he wouldn't understand. He wasn't the same guy that I grew up with anymore. He would just tell me that I froze for a useless reason and that I should've fought instead of standing there like a waste of space.

"I know why." My head snapped in his direction.

"Then why the hell did you ask me?" I yelled at him. Levi looked passed me and out the window. I could hear the sound of the local towns folk chatting on the ground while we were stuck in this room, well more like me…I was stuck in this room.

"I wanted to see if you'd tell me." I grunted and turned my head away from him.

"That's a stupid reason." It was silent for a few seconds, but it was the most comfortable silence I had been in for a while. Ever since Levi and I joined the Survey Corps we never got this kind of alone time anymore. "Thank you." I could feel Levi's eyes bare into the side of my head from my words.

"For what?" He asked.

"For saving me. You didn't break your promise either." I said before I turned my head to look at him. This time he didn't look at me with bored eyes. Instead, I received soft eyes.

"I don't break my promises." He said softly. I reached out for his hand, so he immediately lifted his, so it was easier for me to reach.

"I know that. Thank you." After a few more seconds of us just looking into each other's eyes Levi patted the top of my head with his other hand. He moved some hair off of my face.

"Go to sleep. You need to rest. I can't keep coming to save your useless ass." I rolled my eyes.

"Says the cry baby." He didn't say anything. Instead, he let me slip into a peaceful sleep, but I heard one last thing before my dreams took over me,

"Used to be. The used to be cry baby."

A moan escaped my lips before my eyes fluttered open. My vision was blurry for only a few seconds before I could see properly again. I looked to my right and saw Petra sitting there instead of Levi.

"You're awake!" She said excitedly.

"Yup." I responded.

"How're you feeling?" She asked me.

"Better. I think I can sit up now." I said and before she could reject my idea I began to sit up. It wasn't as painful as I thought it would be, but I was stiff.

"You should stay lying down." She told me. I smiled at her.

"Nope. I want to sit up. I would go for a walk if I could, but I'm pretty sure you'll tie me to this bed." I laughed.

"I wouldn't get the chance because Captain Levi would probably kill me." I raised my eyebrow at her statement.

"What?"

"He gave me strict orders to look after you while he left to run a few errands with Erwin. So if I let you out of my sight I'm pretty sure he'll kill me." I rolled my eyes at his over-protective behaviour.

"He was never the easiest to get along with." I sighed.

"Has he always been this uptight?" She asked me. A small smile appeared on my face as I recalled our childhood. I looked out the window and was reminded of a certain day.

"Try and catch me Levi!" I yelled as I ran down the street. I could hear Levi running after me as I swerved through the people.

"Come back here Ryder!" He yelled at me as he chased after me. I only laughed and continued to run away from him until I heard him yell for me. "Wait!" I turned around and saw him turn into an alleyway.

"Levi!" I yelled before I turned into the alleyway and saw Levi standing in front of a black haired boy, whom had his fist raised. The boy behind him was a light brown haired boy who was crying.

"Leave him alone you peanut brain." Levi stated to the guy in front of him.

"Don't get involved in someone else's business."

"I can do whatever I please, but don't make me have to take you down myself." He said. I walked towards him, but the guy growled before he launched himself at Levi, but Levi was too fast for him. Levi punched him in his lower stomach and the guy bent over with pain. "Ryder, take this kid away." Levi instructed me. I silently went towards the boy and kneeled down.

"Come with me. We'll get you cleaned up." He looked up at me and I saw the cut on his lip and the dirt on his face. He nodded his head. I helped him up to his feet, but I felt something grab onto my ankle. I squeaked in surprise.

"Don't touch her!" Levi yelled as he slammed his foot on the guy's hand. I looked at his face, but he just showed his bored expression when he was dealing with bullies. "Ryder, go."

"But-"

"Now." I knew not to argue to him, so I just brought the boy out of the alleyway, so I could tend to his lip and his dirt-covered face.

"Kind of. When we were kids he showed more of his heart back then, but he doesn't as much now. I guess it's probably because of the job, right? We don't exactly live safe lives or promising ones, for that matter. But he's a good guy…even if he has a funny and stupid way of showing it."

"You're lucky that you got to see that side of him." I looked over at Petra. "I know everyone wonders what he's thinking and how he feels, but it's never a mystery to you, is it?" She asked.

"No it's a mystery to me too sometimes. He doesn't know what I'm thinking all the time and I don't know what he's thinking all the time. He's a little scarier now than he was back then, but he still has his quirks about him."

"Has he always been a neat freak?" I looked at her for a second before bursting out into laughter.

"He's been a neat freak for as long as I can remember and he's the funniest when you mess up his room." I continued to laugh at all the memories of me messing up his room and how he would begin to yell and stomp his foot, but I always found it so funny and entertaining.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" I stopped laughing when I heard Levi's voice. Petra turned in her seat as I looked passed her to see him standing against the doorframe.

"Can't a girl have a little laugh around here without being penalized by her boss?" I retorted.

"Not when your boss was the one who saved you. Now rest up you piece of crap." He said to me before he disappeared from the doorframe. I sighed.

"You wouldn't think we were even friends with the way we talk to each other." I said under my breath, but Petra heard me and responded,

"I think you're one of the few people he actually cares about. He doesn't even leave this room if he doesn't have to." I shook my head.

"He cares about everyone equally. I'm not special in anyway." I said to her. "Levi and I have always had each others backs, so I guess it's almost second nature to us. But I'm nothing special to him. Nothing special at all."

So that's Eren Jeager. He's just a kid. My back was straight as I stood beside Levi. I had my hands behind my back and I watched as the judge made his way into the room. He placed his brown jacket onto the desk and took his seat. This was where the fate of a child was going to be decided. Eren looked around eagerly and all you could see in his eyes was fear.

It was true that it was nearly impossible to hide Eren's existence from the towns folk. I was only discharged a few days ago, but I had heard about Eren. None of the Survey Corps told me about him until I asked about the boy who could transform into a Titan.

As the Survey Corps and the Military Police were both gathered in the room to make their cases for Eren I stood back and listened. The Military Police began and I could sense that Levi was getting bored with them already. I looked at him through the corner of my eye and, even though his face still held his bored expression, I could tell that his patience for the Military Police was running low.

When it was Erwin's turn he made his short two sentenced proposal and finished. I could hear the mumbles of the people in the room, wondering why the proposal was so short. To the Survey Corps it was a straight-to-the-point proposal and that's exactly what this court needed. Erwin continued with his explanation of our proposal. However, merchants began to spit out their opinions on the situation.

"Shouldn't we seal all the wall gates once and for all? The Colossal Titan can only destroy the gates! If we can't strengthen them, we needn't endure further attacks."

"Shut up, merchant dog! With that Titan's power, we can return to Wall Maria!"

"We can no longer indulge your delusions of grandeur!"

"You talk a lot, pig." I looked and in the corner of my eye Levi has spoken. I could tell he was fed up with the merchants constant bickering. "Where is your proof that the Titans will wait while we seal the gates? The 'we' you speak of are only those you wish to protect, your 'friends' who help line your pockets. The people who starve because there isn't enough land to sow don't even figure into the thoughts of you pigs."

"We just thought that we could survive by sealing the wall gates –" The priest in the room cut off the merchants sentence.

"Silence! Impious traitor! Mere humans altering Wall Rose, walls that were a gift from God? Can you truly see those walls, God's work far beyond human capabilities, and not understand? Humanity is not fit to lay a single finger on those walls!"

"But the wall must be fixed, so humanity can have enough food to eat and we can retake the land that was once ours!"

"Heresy!"

"I'll have you be quiet, priest!"

"What?" A sudden banging sound coming from the judge silenced the two imbeciles that were arguing. Once order was placed once again we proceeded with figuring out if Eren would continue to serve humanity. It was when the Military Police began to point the finger towards Mikasa Ackerman. However, it was Eren's outburst that surprised me. As he leaned forward on his knees he raised his voice towards the Military Police.

"Wait! I may be a monster, but she has nothing to do with it! Nothing at all!"

"We can't trust that!"

"It's true!"

"If you're covering for her, it means she's one of you!"

"No!" Eren yelled at the top of his lungs and slammed his chains on the back of the metal rod that kept him in place. The sudden clash of sounds silenced the Military Police side. "I mean…you're wrong. But you're simply coming up with theories that fit whatever it suits you to think. "

"What did you say?"

"Besides, all of you people…you've never even seen a Titan! What are you so afraid of?" I watched as Eren's eye filled with determination. I raised my head slightly as his speech intrigued me. "What is the point if those with the means and power do not fight? If you're afraid to fight for survival, then help me! You…cowards! Just shut up! And bet everything you have on me!"

"Weapons ready!" Crap. But as soon as they pointed a gun at Eren's face I realized that Levi had already left from his spot by my side and towards Eren. He raised his foot kicked him on the side of his head. He kneed Eren's stomach. Levi grabbed a chunk of his hair and pulled him forward, so he could knee his face. Eren kneeled forward and tried to breathe, but Levi stepped on top of his head. With Eren's face slammed into the floor Levi spoke,

"This is a personal opinion, but I believe pain to be the best way to train someone. What you need is to be trained like a dog, not a man. It's easier to kick you while you're kneeling too." Levi kicked his head one more time and stomped on the top of his head three more times. His shoe collided with the side of his face two more times. He grabbed his hair again and made him sit up straight before he took his leathered covered foot and slammed it up against his face.

"Wait, Levi…" With his foot still up against Eren's, Levi looked over at the Military Police.

"What is it?" He lowered his foot and faced the head of the Military Police.

"That's dangerous. What if he gets angry and turns into a Titan?" Eren looked up at Levi and growled under his breath, but Levi looked at him and kicked his face again.

"What are you saying?" He leaned down and grabbed Eren's hair and pulled him up. "Aren't you going to dissect him? When he turned into a Titan last time, he killed twenty other Titans before collapsing. If he is an enemy, his intelligence makes him a more formable foe. Still no match for me, of course. But what will you do? Anyone persecuting him should also consider that fact. Do you really think you can kill him?"

"Sir, I have a proposal." Erwin raised his hand.

"What is it?"

"The details of Eren's Titan power remains uncertain. Making it dangerous. Thus, I propose to have Captain Levi take responsibility for Eren's control, and embark on an expedition outside the walls."

"With Eren in tow?"

"Yes, sir. Based on the expeditions results, I'd like you to judge whether Eren can control his Titan power and whether he is boon or bane to humanity."

"Control Eren Jeager…can you do it, Levi?"

"I'm certain I can kill him. The only problem is I doubt I can do any less."

"Then my decision is made." And the judge slammed his hand on the wood to signal his decision.

"That was really terrible." Hanji said as she continued to look at Eren's wounds. I stood up against the wall opposite of the couch with my arms crossed against my chest. "It hurts, right?"

"I would be worried if it didn't hurt after how hard Levi kicked his face in." I commented.

"It hurts…a little." Eren said as he placed the white cloth up against his red cheek.

"So, how does it hurt?" Hanji asked him. A sigh escaped my lips.

"What a question to ask." I said to myself.

"I'm sorry. But thanks to that, we have you turned over to us." Erwin said as he approached Eren. He kneeled down in front of him.

"Yes, sir."

"The pain you endured allowed me to play my cards at the right moment. You have my respect." Erwin gave Eren his hand to shake. "Eren, I look forward to working with you." Eren look flustered as he reached out to shake Erwin's hand.

"Of course, thank you, sir." Levi walked over to the couch and dropped his body weight onto it beside Eren. His arm leaned across the top of the couch as he crossed his legs. Levi turned his head, so he could look at him.

"Hey Eren."

"Yes, sir?"

"Do you resent me?"

"N-no. I understand why it was necessary."

"That's good."

"But you took it a little far. You lost a tooth." Hanji piped in.

"So what if he's lost a tooth. It's not like he lost an ear." I said.

"But still, it's his tooth that he lost." Hanji said. I shrugged my shoulders. Hanji opened up the cloth that she had in her hand and showed Eren his missing tooth.

"Don't pick that up, it's creepy." Levi said.

"Seriously? Did you seriously have to pick that up?" I questioned her actions.

"Even this is an important sample." Hanji said.

"It's still better than getting dissected by people like Hanji, right, Eren?" Levi asked.

"I'm not like them, I wouldn't kill him." She said.

"She's right about that. She doesn't kill her test subjects." I said and Eren gave me this weary look.

"Hey, Eren let me see inside your mouth."

"And you can't even say please?" I questioned. Eren reluctantly opened up his mouth for Hanji and she looked inside. She made a slight gasping sound and all eyes turned towards her.

"What is it?" I asked.

"The tooth, it's already grown back."

"Wait, what?"

I know it's a little hard to figure out if you like it or not, but I'll be posting up weekly, so let's just see if you do okay? Always give everything a chance! :D