14. So this is what if feels like

Levine woke up in his room feeling dizzy. Right, he only slept for at least four hours. His insomnia got worst by the month and it's a real troublesome. He'll need energy for the day and his eyes only rest for four hours. Maybe next time, it won't get chce to close for a minute anymore.

"Hey, wake up sleepy head. Hazel's gonna scold you again if you come in late again," Yami reminded Levine which made his day worse. Great, first thing he ever heard is Yami's annoying reminders.

"Tch, shut up," he got up and got ready for breakfast. Taking a shower and fixing himself up. He started wearing his favorite hoodie since a week ago since he felt more comfortable with it. Button-up isn't really his style, hoodie is.

After fixing himself up, he walked down the corridor to mess hall and getting to meet up with Eren, Mikasa and Armin on the way.

"Morning, Levine!" Armin greeted with a smile and then stared at Levine with a peculiar look. Levine just replied with an eyebrow raised as if asking, what? Am I a ghost?

"Nice hair," Eren stated, pointing at Levine's hair with a huge grin on his face, which says idiot. Levine on the other hand, ran his hand over his hair before his eyes widened in surprise. He forgot to fix his hair. No wonder they look surprise.

Levine's bangs are flat on his forehead, covering it as some hair sticks out. Talk about a bad hair day.

"You look like a coconut husk," Mikasa said, bluntly making Levine glare. Actually, whenever Mikasa tell him something so bluntly he just can't get mad. But whenever the others say something like that, he would roundhouse kick them right on the face. Mikasa just have this some kind of protective aura around her that Levine considered as anti-roundhouse kick aura.

"Tch, this day did not started well," he muttered and tried brushing his hair with his fingers, untangling each strands carefully and placing them in the right place. Also separating his bangs to their usual fraction.

"Don't worry. Doesn't training always cheers you up?" Asked Mikasa and he clicked his tongue in response. They learned to understand that as 'yes' whenever he does not want to answer a question directly.

"Let's just eat and get along with it."

---

In the mess hall, Levine noticed Hazel is not with Levi or Hange today or with any other people. She's not here in short, but he did not said a word about it. Instead, he turned his attention to the intent conversation the superiors are discussing that even Hange wears a serious face.

"They seem to be having a pretty serious discussion over there," he said and Armin turned to the Superiors' table.

"I wonder why?" as Armin said that, Levi stood up with his plate and cup empty. He left their table and started walking out of the mess hall, but not before passing by his squad's table. He put a hand on Levine's shouldered and whispered something into his ear.

"Let me answer your question and you'll have to answer a dozen from me," he said and left Levine wide eyed. He snapped his head to Levi's retreating form as Yami crossed his arms behind Levine.

"Should I get dress or something? This is a big day for you and Levi afterall," he said to Levine, but he did not say a thing and composed himself. He turned to Erwin as the blonde gave him a small smile.

'Monster...'

----

Levine arrived in front of Levi's office where he know the Corporal is. Behind him is Yami mirroring Levine's blank expression, although deep inside, Levine is pretty anxious.

Taking a deep breath, Levine decided to enter, not bothering to knock. He turned the knob and pushed open the door where he found Levi polishing an antique clay tea cup.

"Tch, knock before entering. You don't learn anything, do you?" Levi said, putting the cup to his eye-length before putting it back into the cabinet, "Cadet Levine Ackerman."

Levine's eyes wandered to Levi's desk where the papers where his personal information is written is place. He wanted to laugh, but that would only make him look crazy and insane so he held it back and focused on Levi.

"You've solved the puzzle," he clicked his tongue and wiggled his fingers and later cracking it. Darn, why be nervous now of all times?

"Not quite," Levi turned to Levine and glared intently at Levine, "Explain in 20 words," he ordered and Levine smirked as if saying, of course.

"You left me to die while Kenny saved me from death. I am your brother, Levi. I am an Ackerman," Yami counted behind Levine and he was impressed. 20 words exactly.

"My brother's---"

"--dead? I didn't died that day. I had a hard time breathing, that's what Kenny told me when I was four," Levine explained, reminiscing the past where he was being raised by a man named, Kenny.

"I nearly died when you left me, but Kenny found out I was still alive and starving. He raised me, but separated the two of us. For six years, he became my guardian and taught me how to survive on my own before leaving me. The a few years before he left you, too," he glared at Levi, but then smirked, "Come to think of it, I think I saw you once in the underground."

"You're the kid with the knife," Levi said ahead of Levine as they reminisce that certain time in the underground.

---

Levi rendezvoused with Farlan and the rest of the gang in a place in the underground city. They just finished stealing from the market place and ended up in an isolated place underground and he was the first one in it.

Until, he heard sounds of clanking metal. He followed the sound and ended up in a dark building. The clanking grew louder and louder until Levi caught sight of a child with mid-back length black hair, holding a pair of knives.

He has scratches all over his arms and some scars on his lower legs and bare feet. His clothes are baggy and torn off like as if it was stolen from an old man and he god scratched by a cat.

"Tch, not fast enough to get away from the pursuers," said the boy who is surprisingly unaffected by the fresh cuts on his arms. In fact, his face is completely blank.

Levi tried to get a closer look on the boy to see his face without making a noise, but luck isn't on his side today.

"Levi! Where are you?" Farlan called as the boy turned to Levi and widened his eyes. Levi didn't get a chance to take a closer look on his face as the boy suddenly ran away leaving one knife behind.

---

"So, you were like around five back then?" Levi asked making Levine's eyes twitch in annoyance.

"I was nine!" Levine corrected. He knows he's short and small for his age, but mistaking a nine-year-old for a five-year-old is out of the question. Levi is either joking or he seriously has a bad age estimating skills, "and I bet people thought you were a brat back then, huh?"

"Tch, shut up. Who are you to talk?" Levi retorted getting equally annoyed. He figured it out. Why even though Levine irritates him so much, he still feels comfortable and familiar with him. It's because of having to share the same blood. However, this is just way too uncomfortable and awkwards to talk about.

"So when will you tell the others that you are an Ackerman?" Now that is the question Levi is comfortable to ask. On the other hand, Levine was put in a hotseat.

"When exactly, huh?" Yami asked, testing Levine. He forgot that this nuisance is around. He's harder to get rid off lately and it's a bomber.

"I never exactly planned to tell them since the Ackerman family history is not very good. I was okay just being Cadet Levine, the surnameless sass shit of the Survey Corps," Levine said and took a look at his hands, "And because of this weird ability I have, the remaining Ackerman might be a target of experimentation."

No wonder Hange was asking Levi to accompany her on her experiments for the past few weeks.

*Speaking of ability, you seriously don't know where that came from? I'm sure it's not from mom's side."

"Can you please stop with the family familiarity talk? I only know Kenny and that's it, okay?" Levine glared as Levi clicked his tongue. Jeez, is this what it feels like to have an older brother who ruins everything for the little brother? Like acting all smarts ad stuff with things?

"So what? Not my fault Kenny separated us," Levi retorted.

"Tch, well not my fault you thought I was dead, is it?" Before Levi could answer him again, the door swung open in a loud bang.

"Oh! Just hug already!" Hange shouted. Behind her are Hazel and the whole squad, staring at them wide eyed.

"I don't do hugs," they said in unison making Connie and Sasha laugh.

"Are you sure you're not twins?" Eren asked and Mikasa stared at Levine. Maybe because she never thought that Levine is another Ackerman.

"No," again in unison. Is this what it really feels like to have a brother? Having people compare you with one another and see whose better? Well, damn for the both of them.

----

Ohhhhh!! Yeah, I know you guys had seen that coming. I was actually debating whether to make Levine and Levi cousins where Levine is Kenny's son, but I stick with the original plan. Hope ya all like it! I suck, though!

~RSE out