22. Levine as Tempo-Captain

A week has passed since Louis finally arrived in the world and the Ackerman couple is on a leave of absence so to put it short, the Special Ops Squad is operating without a leader for a week now.

Levine doesn't seem to like the idea, but he can't do anything about it. And he is sleepless lately which also contributes to his annoyance, but for some reason, he nit being able to sleep at night makes him really excited to go to his special tree and hopes for Historia to come too, which the petite blonde never failed to do so.

"So, how was your day, Levine?" The girl sweetly asked as the grey cat purr into her hand. Levine watches her play with the cat, findibg it quite adorable, but he's not saying that out loud.

"I'd lie if spending it with being Hange's lab-rat is fun," he growled, only making the girl giggled, sending a foreign feeling into the man's gut.

"Well, I bid you goodluck with that," she said and looked up to Levine in which he returned. The girl blushed, smiling cutely which made him feel heat rising up his own face.

"Man, just ask her out already, Levine. It wouldn't hurt to date such a pretty girl," Yami said, smirking slightly at him. Levine sent him a side glare and looking away from the sudden eye contact with the royalty.

"Tch, how can you be such an irritating person? Let alone a queen?" Levine said, making Historia pout and glare at him.

"You're such a mean guy, aren't you, Levine?" She said and sat back down as the cat which was curled up for a moment looked up at her and the girl smiled, "But you're not an evil one."

He looked back down to the girl and saw her smiling, while petting the cat. Watching her looking so innocent makes him wonder if did she really killed her own father? Someone as innocent-looking at her can make such sinful deed too.

Realizing he was staring, he felt his cheeks heating up and jumped down from the tree branch to Historia's side.

"There was this time," he said as he squatted down, infront of Historia as the cat nuzzled into his legs, "I saved a mother and son from human traffickers."

"Really? Then what happened?"

"The traffickers were terrified when they recognized me. The infamous Lone Wolf of the Underground. A person who've put a lot of lives near the breaking point, near death in a place that is hell itself," he said, his face never showing any sign of emotions.

"I showed them that I was to be feared of like they thought. My voice sent shivers to the spines of people in the underground. My eyes strike blades into their souls. My pressence itself makes them treat me like the Grim Reaper itself who never claimed life but toyed with it, which is worst," he said and looked at Historia who doesn't wear a sign of emotions except curiosity.

"What happened to the mither and son?"

"The mother had an episode of his sickness and for some reason, I helped her. I took him to the doctor that her son seen so familiar with and the son said I was a good person," he said and stared into Historia's bright blue eyes, "How about you? Do you really think I'm such person?"

Surprisingly, Historia gave him a smile and took his hand, which shocked the ravenette. The girl pulled it, making Levine jerk forward and gave Historia a chance to kiss his cheeks that really shock the Levine more than anything in his life.

The feeling of Historia's soft lips on his cheeks tingles when she pulled away and the girl smiled sweetly at him. His heart beating fast and cheeks practically on fire.

"You're a great person, Levine? Not all can help someone you don't know. Not all can fight for qhat's right. If you think that you are not a good person, then think about where are you now. I'm sure the squad, Eren, Armin, Mikasa and Levi-heichou and Hazel-san can see that perfectly," Historia said and continued, "I personally thinks you're a good person, Levine."

The sight of Historia smiling sweetly at him with a cute tint of pink on her cheeks is captured into his mind. It was a sight that Levine wants to remember. For the first time in his life, he finally felt something that he never thought of having before. He finally felt the feeling of loving someone.

---

The next day, the Special Ops Squad were called in by Levi to the training grounds which they seemingly own for the day. They formed a straight horizontal line in an attention stance and look straight as Levi walk infront of them in his uniform.

"An expedition will be held in a week and unfortunarmtely, I won't be accompanying you, brats," this didn't surprised them at the least since they are sure to be busy with Louis around.

"But since we have missed the previous expedition already and the casualties were almost one-third of the population of the Scouting Regime, the higher ups and I discussed that there must be a tempo-captain in this squad, replacing me for a while," he said and everyone was tensed to hear that. Normally, the first pick would either be Jean or Armin. Jean has a quality of a leader and Armin got the brains. Both fit to be a leader, that is if Levine haven't joined the squad.

Everyone respects Levine. Not as a senior soldier, but a man with expirience and skills. Even Jean admits it.

"And I picked just the person for the job. Step forward tempo-captain," Levi stopped and turned to the person of his choice, "Cadet Levine Ackerman."

No surprise at that. Levine took one step forward and saluted, earning a nod from Levi. No one have a complain about the choice. They trust their lives to Levine for a while while Levi and Hazel are out of the picture for a while.

"A leader, huh? People seem to trust you more in the surface, Levine. I'm glad," Yami said, smiling as he stood behind Levi. But for Levine, he have this sudden lack of confidence.

"That's alright, Baka Ototo," Levi whispered and put a hand on his shoulder, patting him and giving him a very faint smile, "You're my brother. You're an Ackerman."

"Aniki..." he muttered and he put his right foot behind his left foot and turned his heels around, facing the squad. Showing no sign of emotions.

"He'll be leading you for a while, but Hazel and I will drop by some times to check on you to make sure everything is fine," Levi said and side glance at Levine, "He'll be your superior so treat him one. Captain Ackerman, do whatever you like to them."

"Yes, sir."

---

So, I just found a weird coincidence in my AoT fanfics. The Ackerman brothers, both fell for a short blond girl who have H for their initials. Wow. What a coincidence!

~RSE out