16. For Better Understanding

A new expedition is about to commence in a few hours, but unfortunately, the Special Ops cannot participate.

"Tch, this sucks," Levine muttered as he watch the rest prepare for their departure from the patio of the headquarters together with Eren and Armin.

"Yeah, I know right? It's going to be boring here," Eren said, sighing. Armin's eyebrows knitted together after hearing their conversation.

"That's an ironic thing to say," the blonde said and turned around, followed by the other two, "Anyway, winter is coming. The Survey Corps won't be busy for a few months, but I doubt we'll have a vacation."

"Oh yeah. Levi-heichou ordered us to help with the remaining four months of Hazel-san's pregnancy. I wonder how it will go?" Eren wondered and turned to Levine, "Do you think it's a nephew or a neice?"

"Don't start it, Eren if you don't want your face to meet my fist," Levine threatened. He doesn't like these kinds of conversation. He feels awkward about the topic, considering his relationship with his brother is very complicated.

"Hey, just saying. Jeez. It's been a month since your identity as an Ackerman were revealed, but you're still a tsundere brother towards Levi-heichou," Levine glared at Eren. He's not a tsundere...he's just awkward. Levi on the other hand is doing his best to reach out to Levine, which is kind of weird for Levine. Even Hazel is trying to push him to have a better relationship with her husband.

"You really want to meet this, don't you?" He lifted his fist up to his eye-level as his glare grew even more intense.

"You're lucky you have a brother," Armin muttered under his breath only to be heard by the slightly shorter male.

"Yeah, a brother I don't know for nineteen years." He said with a sarcastic tone and walked ahead of the two other boys. All of the sudden, Yami appeared beside Levine, walking with him along the way.

"Answer me. Are you cranky today because you are not part of the expedition or because your birthday is right around the calendar, but no one knows about it?" The double ganger asked Levine only annoying the latter even more. Yes, his birthday is nearing, but he is not expecting it to be a 'happy birthday'. Never once.

In his seventh birthday, he was beaten up by older and bigger thugs after he was caught stealing their foods. In his twelfth birthday, he did not eat for the whole day and he has to survive a whole month due to the epidemic around his area in the underground and just last year, he had Loose Bowel Movement which extremely angers him. What difference will it do this year?

"I'm going to stick to the first one," Levine whispered as Yami shrugged.

Meanwhile, Levi is in his office doing paperwork's. Oh, paperwork's for the whole day until tomorrow. How delighted. Only if he could skip all this and lay in his clean bed and let his lovely (not so lovely...) wife serve him. Okay, that wish might've sound a little wrong, but who cares. He will do anything to get out of this sh*t.

As his hand wander around his desk, he noticed a piece of parchment under the pile of papers. It's Levine's bio-data. He took a small break on his job and carefully took the parchement. It's been a month since he gazed on this piece of paper, but because of curiosity and anxiety, he only skim the texts.

September 23rd

He remembers that day. That's the day his mother died and the day Levine was born. Levine was born that day...

He looked over to a calendar hanging on his wall and saw it's September 21st already.  Two more days before the big day and all Levi's doing is sitting around with these lazy stacks of papers. If these papers are so important, then why don't they just sign their selves? Levi needs to plan for Levine's birthday if he wants to be closer to his brother.

He quickly stood up and hurried along to his house using his horse and saw Hazel on the couch, eating mangoes. Why mangoes? He has no idea. The blonde wife wondered why her husband is in a hurry all of the sudden.

"Slow down or you'll break something," Hazel said as she carefully peel a green mango, "Why are you in a hurry anyway?"

"Consult the calendar."

"Like there's any occasion coming."

"There is."

"Oh really? Orient me," said Hazel in an unenthusiastic tone as she bit on her juicy green mango without changing her blank and bored expression.

"Levine's birthday is coming up," Levine said making his wife pause on her craving and look at him.

"When?"

"On Saturday," Hazel looked at the calendar and her eyes slightly widened and felt mixed emotions envelop her.

"September 23? That's Titus' birthday," Levi stopped and turned to Hazel who proceed on eating her precious mango.

"Looks like there's a lot more things we have in common, dear."

---

After eavesdropping on the conversation of the couple while in Levi's office, the whole Special Ops all decided to plan too. Even though they don't know if little Mr. Grumpy will like it.

"His birthday is tomorrow and he said no words to us!" Sasha said puffing her cheeks in annoyance. Mikasa turned to her and sighed.

"Levine's not a talkative person like you," she said earning a pout from the brunette girl.

"So, Levi-heichou is planning something for him, huh? What do you think it is?" Connie asked as Eren trap his chin between his thumb and forefinger acting like he is thinking.

"It's hard to point out, but we should also plan something for him," Eren said and Jean huffed.

"Ha! Count me out of this. I don't like the guy anyway," Jean said, earning a glare from Eren and Mikasa.

"You'll help whether you like it or not!" The two said at the same time as Mikasa drag Jean with them to Levi's office.

---

It's the day of the return of the Brigade from their expedition and also the day for the Special Ops' plan for Levine's big day. They hope that this will be a day to remember.

"This is certainly a day to remember," Levine mutters as he scowl at his reflection. His eyebugs are starting to form under his eyes and he is turning a lot paler from the lack of sleep. Heck, he only slept for five hours. He stayed six hours thinking of how damn his life is. Another thing to hate about this day is his hair. It's untamed. After taking a shower, Levine tried fixing it up, but it will only go wild and stick out here and there. Boy, talk about bad hair day.

"Sad birthday is here again," Yami said as he also try to tame a set of untame hair on his head, but so far, he is not as annoyed as Levine is.

"Like something ever change," Levine growled and left his room with a nasty glare on his face. Normally, people would just think of it as his normal expression, but unfortunately, they think it's something more than that, considering how scary he looks with those eyebugs.

"I wouldn't say that. Lev---"

"Not a word, Yami," Levine cut him off as he walk towards the mess hall, seeing everyone looking down. They arrived this dawn and nearly half of them died and some are lost. What did he say? Worst day ever.

"Tch, I lost my appetite," said the ravenette before leaving the mess hall to go to the stables and go check on Zorro. Once the albino stallion saw him, it stopped eating its breakfast and neighed, greeting its master. Levine felt a little better when Zorro greeted him in a jolly way so he decided to take him on a walk around the forest.

"Let's take a little fresh air, big guy," that sounds very friendly coming from Levine, but Zorro is the only one who gets this pleasure. Even Yami is being treated rudely by Levine.

"Where do you think you're going?" Eren asked behind Levine as he strap the saddle to Zorro.

"None of your business," Levine said, looking away and leading Zorro out of the stables. Once he was out, he caressed the stallion's mane and patted it before climbing on its back.

"Actually...it is. Levi-heichou said to keep an eye on you," Armin said, walking towards them. Levine glared as his eyes twitch.

"Now, talk about being a sweet brother," Yami said and by his tone, even Levine couldn't know if he's sarcastic or really talking his mind out.

Is he treating me like a kid? Levine thought, annoyance overwhelming him. He hates that. Levi, or his brother rather, is being way too weird and way too trying hard to be a 'brother'. After leaving him for 19 long years, he'll be a brother to him now of all times? When he's independent and does not require some help from him? Heck, he has a wife and a kid to worry more about.

"I'm not a f*cking brat to chaperone," Levine said and whipped the straps to make Zorro run as he maneuver him around. Zorro run and run for miles away from the headquarters while Levine's hood covers his head.

Moments later, Levine's keen ears heard more than four hooves galloping behind him and Zorro. Clicking his tongue, he whipped the straps and the white stallion ran faster while Levine maneuver him around the plains, hoping to lose his pursuers which surely are Eren or Armin.

'They are such drags,' Levine decided that this will not do good. He saw a forest upcoming and the most risky idea came into his mind.

Zorro ran faster on Levine's command. He crouched lower and patted the horse, "Okay, Zorro. Let's see how good of a partner you are."

Levine and the stallion ran into the forest in high speed and made a few sharp turns, avoiding every obstacles like trees and large rocks on the path. His plan worked and lost their pursuers. A slight smirk appeared on his face and saw the end of the tree path that lits the place.

Dashing towards the light, Levine wanted to get this chase over with. As he was about to go for the exit, a black silhouette of a majestic stallion and its rider jumped in front of the two of them, leading for their sudden stop.

Zorro neighed and jumped in shock almost making Levine fall off, but he controlled the momentum while calming down the horse.

"Tch, heel, boy!"

Is this horse even a boy or a girl? Levine does not know until now.

"And what the f*cking sh*t is your damn problem, huh?! I don't need a damn chaperone so just tell that two-faced half-a**ed Captain to keep his stupid a** off my---"

"Off your what?" Levine widened his eyes and tried adjusting to the light. Once he did, there he saw Levi riding his horse on his casual clothes and looking down on Levine. Not just that, he also noticed the bouquet of white lilies with him, "Two-face and half-a**. That would cost 80 laps around the headquarters if we are in our uniforms right now."

"Tch, are you being soft, Levi? Oh please don't. Because I don't want a biased captain," Levine said glaring and let Zorro walk pass Levi and his horse, "Make it a hundred if you must."

Levi stared at him, but did not say anything yet. Levine's meter is getting higher and he might blow if he continue on being silent like this. Levi turned his horse around the same direction as where Levine is facing and he finally broke his silence.

"Today's Kuchel's death anniversary," Levi said catching Levine's attention. The name sounds familiar and in a minute, Levine finally remembered where he encountered that name. Kenny usually blurted it out back then so it sounds familiar and also, it says in Levi's biodata that Kuchel is...

"Mom...?" Levine whispered to himself and Yami appeared, riding behind him in the horse.

"Kuchel Ackerman, your deceased mother. Hmm, I thought Levi would say mom instead of saying her name," he shrugged his shoulder and continued, "Well, I guess because you keep on complaining about calling Levi, brother and calling Kenny your Uncle, Levi assumed that you don't want calling Kuchel Ackerman, mom either."

"Tch," Levine looked away and lowered his hood, "So what?" He remembered someone's death, but not the miracle of his life? How disappointing, isn't it?

"Tch, don't assume that I am here to look after you because my real agenda is to visit Kuchel's grave," Levi left to the direction of the wide plains. Zorro naighed and moved its head, as if giving Levine a weird nudge. He sighed in frustration and rolled his eyes then decided to follow Levi.

"Giddy up, boy!"

A few second later, Levine is now right behind Levi. Man, Zorro is a fast horse. Noticing Levine's presence behind him, Levi took a side glance and galloped even faster. Feeling like it's sign of competition, Levine took the bait and they commenced a horserace.

Both of them have high caliber stallions. Levi's long time partner in expeditions that survived countless of times already vs Levine's trusty stead that is an expert in sharp turns. Who wins? Well, it's a neck and neck race where neither one of them have the intention to give up.

Four beautifully carved cobblestone came in sight and the two of them decided that's going to be their finish line. The two did not falter even just for a second and give it all they have to get there first. Who shall be the winner?

...

It's Levi!

Levine loss was caused by his horse's fatigue. Because of the running earlier, Zorro might be too tired to maintain its speed so it lag behind Levi. Levi pulled the harness for breaks and his stallion stopped and walked over to Levine.

"Not bad, soldier," Levi complimented, but all he get as a respond is a click of his brother's tongue. Levine looked away only to see a cobblestone under a shady tree, "The tree grew bigger than I remembered."

"What do you mean? What is this place actually?" Levine asked and took a glimpse on one of the carved cobblestones seeing a name on it. After taking a look at it, the stones under the tree is not the most peculiar thing about it now, "Kuchel Ackerman..."

"It's her grave I built," Levi said, jumping down his horse, "Levine..." Levine turned to Levi as he said these words, "Meet mom."

---

I'm really excited about this chapter so it became a little longer than the other chapters. I really want to make the two brothers closer and it's really fun to do to it since their personalities are quite...diverse.

~RSE out