Teaspoons and Promises (Deleted Scenes I: Erwin x Levi)

Prologue

[A long, long time ago, somewhere underground]

Levi

The wind flies through my hair as I whip past building after shoddy building in the Underground, my stolen ODM gear at the sides of my hips propelling me forward.

"Hey Levi, look sharp. We're getting tailed." My comrade calls back to me.

I whip my head around and see a flash of emerald flapping against the wind. There are now people following close behind us, the wings of Freedom patch emblazoned on their shoulders.

The Scouts.

We bank a sharp right, the novices being fooled. But the pack of three that wear the capes see it coming and adjust their paths accordingly.

I've never personally dealt with the Scouts, but I've heard enough stories. They are highly skilled with their gear due to many years of training. I aim my gear at the dead end in front of us, grappling to the wall and using the force to hurl myself backwards, flying straight past the green capes, my comrades close behind.

I briefly glimpsed the edged sapphire eyes of the one leading the charge. There was something about them. He wasn't surprised, or even particularly enraged. He almost looked...amused?

I realize they're gaining on us. They must think they were so clever to have cornered us like this, but little do they know we have them right where we want them. We've been recruited for a job that apparently starts right now.

Losing them by splitting up seems to be the best option, so I propel myself forward, as my two comrades split off in the opposite directions. I catapult and spiral into one of the buildings, kicking off the concrete walls and straight through to the passageways I know so well and out the other side through a second story window.

What I don't foresee is the hooded Scout that greets me on the other side, taking a sharp blade to my left ODM wire. I recover quickly, continuing forward and leaving him behind.

A crash sounds from the tunnel above me and I barely have time to react before another Scout is barrelling into me from above. The impact sends us both crashing into crates and debris on the dirt walk underneath us. I slide across the flat rock and push off the ground, tumbling backward into a standing position, the Scout close behind and charging me, ready to fight.

If they want to fight on the ground, then so be it. I was the reigning champ down here once upon a time. My knife's taken many victims, and will do just fine against his two swords.

The blade is in my back pocket, which I stealthily grab and flip around to face him. Metal clangs against metal as we swipe at each other. I've gotten the upper hand on him with the element of surprise and I easily rob him of one of his longer blades first, sending it soaring into the air behind him.

He seems hesitant after that to charge me again, taking a defensive position. I take the opportunity to flip my blade so that the hilt is at the top of my fingers and the blade faces out.

I move to swing at him again, but another one of them comes rushing down from above. I have no time to react before his blades meet my knife, blocking me from the other Cadet.

It is the one with the blue eyes.

Fuck.

His cape billows around him and I see he's got fair hair underneath his hood, and a good foot and a half on me.

I push his blades away and back up but he charges after me still, determination on his face. He spins around, swinging his blade wide in my direction, but I am prepared this time, I flip backwards and into the air, his blade missing me by inches.

When I land he's still charging at me, and one of his hands manages to have grabbed my wrist, just as my right hand has encircled his. We are at a stalemate. If you can even call it that.

We stand there for what feels like forever, trying to force the other into submission. I glare into his eyes. They are a sharp, icy blue, glaring right back into mine. Neither of us makes a move.

"Stop. Look around you." He says through gritted teeth. His voice is deep and authoritative, like it is expected that you obey it.

I look behind me at the sound of voices. My comrades have been captured by his cronies. Shit. I turn back to him and I know it's over.

His long fingers grip my wrist above my head, so I loosen my grip on my knife, letting it drop to the ground in silent surrender. He slowly removes his hand from my wrist and I do the same to his, us both taking a step back from each other.

I examine him fully. His stature, laced with authority, the line of his jaw and his cheekbones. Those eyes. He is obviously the one calling the shots for the Scouts. And he is simultaneously the most beautiful and infuriating person I have ever met.