Chapter Text
The next morning Levi woke to the smell of bacon.
"Who did you steal that from?" He asked, pushing himself to sit as he stared at the tray waiting for him on the desk. Bacon, eggs, fresh looking bread rolls. He hadn't eaten such a good looking breakfast in a long time.
"I merely called in one of the favours I was owed." Erwin replied, setting the tray across Levi's knees. "There are certain benefits when one spends all their time doing other people's work and I thought you could use something more substantial than your usual rations."
"Thank you." The human replied, stifling a yawn as he reached for his fork. "That was thoughtful of you."
"Of course." The demon replied warmly, dropping down on the edge of the bed as Levi took a bite of his food. The bacon was cooked perfectly, and he let out an appreciative hum.
"Don't you have work to do?" He asked after he had finished his mouthful, mind turning to his own days work He still didn't have any leads, but he was determined to find something.
"I took the liberty of finishing up my days tasks while you were still sleeping." Erwin replied lightly. "There are more important things that require my attention today, and I imagine another set of eyes on your investigation would be useful."
He didn't reply immediately, taking another bite of his bacon instead. He could vaguely remember saying something about missing having his demon around as he'd slipped off to sleep, but he hadn't expected anything to come from that and he hardly deserved the other's attempts at making peace when he'd been such a brat about it all in the first place.
"Thank you." He said again quietly after a moment. "You didn't have to do that for me."
"It was nothing, my Lord." Erwin replied, smiling warmly at him. "I was getting bored cooped up in that office anyway and you do seem to have a habit of finding interesting trouble. I'm intrigued to see what our vandal has to say for themself."
"I looked over the other incident reports yesterday." Levi started after he'd finished eating. "They've left a few of their messages, but the most recent visit was different. Something about it isn't right."
"How so?" Erwin asked curiously, retrieving the plate to set on the desk once the human had set his fork down.
"It just feels anticlimactic." He replied, pulling a face as he got out of bed. "If you've been going to the effort of writing in blood, why break a window? It doesn't make sense."
"Dramatic as it is, blood washes away." Erwin said calmly, turning to retrieve Levi's uniform for him while the human stretched his arms above his head with a yawn. "Breaking a window is an intentional act of destruction."
"Yeah, maybe." The human agreed, frowning lightly as he got dressed. "We'll keep an eye on the place tonight, I'm sure they'll be back soon. We can use today to look around, see if we can find anymore anti religious stuff. Maybe we'll stumble onto something."
"As you wish, Master." The blond hummed in reply, following him out into the hallway. "If nothing else, it's a lovely day to get some fresh air."
"Yeah." Levi replied "It is." As they stepped out into the sunlight they fell into an easy silence, leaving the human to contemplate the demon's words from the night before.
It wasn't even that he didn't believe Erwin, worse than that he wondered if it was just him. That he was broken somehow.
When they made it to the Church, it was satisfying to see that he'd been right. Their vandal hadn't returned in the night.
"Such an interesting thought, isn't it?" The demon commented as they began to circle the building. "That God would waste his time building you this little pen of yours. You humans do truly amuse me sometimes."
"People don't like the idea that they're powerless. They want something bigger to rely on." Levi said bitterly. "Someone to guide them, or something that justifies their suffering."
"It seems they do." Erwin replied, looking down at the human curiously. "Though that displeases you, doesn't it?"
Levi just shrugged, turning his back on the building. "There's no proof that there is a God." He replied flatly. "But even if there is, I don't see why I should care. He's done nothing for me."
Erwin didn't reply and the human didn't want to see the smirk that was probably tugging at the blond's lips, so he didn't look back at the demon as he made his way back onto the street.
They spent the rest of the morning searching the area around the Church, looking for some trace of blood or anything else that might help them pick up a trail. But in the end there was nothing and Levi gave up, turning instead to the nearby shops to see if any of the merchants had seen or heard anything.
No one had, or if they did they didn't give anything away and Levi could feel himself growing irritated as the day stretched on.
If the blond saw anything he didn't comment either. In fact Erwin was unusually quiet as they walked, but the human wasn't about to ask. The silence was easy, didn't leave him questioning himself.
"I'm hungry, let's go back for lunch." He snapped finally. It was sometime after midday and it was becoming clear that they were just wasting their time. He hadn't really expected to find anything by just wandering the streets, but it had felt like a good idea that morning. Better than doing nothing.
"How about we stop in somewhere closer instead?" Erwin suggested lightly. "We passed a lovely looking restaurant a few blocks back."
Levi just shrugged his indifference, but that was enough for the blond to start back the way they had come, leaving the human to trail along after him.
Admittedly the restaurant was nice and he was happy enough to be off his aching feet that he didn't care that the menu was ridiculously expensive.
"Is everything to your liking, Master?" Erwin asked once the human's meal had been brought to him. It smelled delicious and despite himself his stomach growled as he took a bite of the juicy steak on his plate.
"It's fine." He replied with a shrug. "It's a surprise that they're able to source enough meat to operate like this, but I suppose the price is enough to limit the demand. This costs more than I make in a week."
"I'd be happy to cover lunch." Erwin said, offering the human an easy smile. "After all, I invited you here. It would only be proper for me to pay."
Levi rolled his eyes, accepting the glass of water that the demon poured for him with a small nod of thanks. "And you make more than I do." He pointed out flatly.
"That's because I'm simply one hell of a soldier." Erwin replied smugly.
"You're a nuisance." He retorted after he'd finished his mouthful. "And you should order something too, you're supposed to be blending in."
"I don't imagine anyone will get suspicious if they notice me skip lunch." The demon replied calmly, wrinkling his nose at the thought of eating anything the restaurant had to offer. "If I'm asked, I'll simply say that I'm saving my appetite for something far more appealing."
Levi let out an indignant huff, glaring at Erwin as he set down his fork, finding that his appetite had suddenly deserted him.
"I'm sorry." The blond said quickly, inclining his head to the human and he did have the good grace to look sheepish. "I didn't mean to be indelicate about it."
"I think you like reminding me actually." The human replied flatly. "Like you're think I'm going to forget, or maybe you can't decide if you want me to be afraid of you or not. Either way, in not in the mood for it."
The demon's brow furrowed and Levi let out a sigh, stomach twisting with guilt. "This is a waste of time, just like everything else we've done today." He continued flatly, before Erwin could disagree with him. "Go and make yourself useful. I'll pay for my own damn lunch."
"As my Master wishes." The demon replied, bowing his head slightly as he got to his feet. Levi could see the irritation in the blond's eyes, but he offered no complaint as he left the scowling human to flag down a waiter.
After abandoning his lunch, he wound his way down towards the river. Unless he got lucky- and luck never seemed to be on his side -he knew he was just wasting his time. But even wandering aimlessly was better than admitting defeat and heading back to his room.
At least if he was busy he could keep his mind from drifting back to the demon.
If he were honest with himself, he might admit that he was just picking fights with Erwin at this point. But that would have required him to acknowledge things he'd rather avoid thinking about altogether.
"Levi!"
Petra's voice cut through the stream of workers unloading heavy looking crates from a wagon. The redhead weaved through the crowd and she smiled as she threw her arms around his shoulders to pull him into tight hug.
"How are you settling in?" He asked once he'd freed himself from her grip. "If anyone gives you a hard time come and talk to me."
Petra just laughed, but it was a warm sound that made Levi smile.
"Everyone is absolutely lovely." She said. "But if you wanted to put in a good word in for me and get me off patrols I'll love you forever."
"No can do." He replied flatly, shaking his head. "You have to walk the streets for pointless hours like the rest of us, it's an MP rite of passage. But if you keep an ear out for anything off about the Church, I'll owe you one."
"The Church?" She asked frowning lightly. "I'll let you know if I hear anything, what's going on?"
"It's nothing." He replied with a shrug, offering the redhead another slight smile. "Just some vandalism, probably a bunch of bored kids. But I've been asked to put a stop to it, so that's what I'll do."
"I can keep an eye out for you." Petra said warmly. "Or better yet, I could help you out, two sets of eyes are better than one."
"Thanks, but I think I have it under control." Levi replied. "I'm going to hang around the place tonight with Erwin and if everything goes right we'll catch them in the act and that will be that."
"Erwin, huh? What's the story with you and him?" She asked in a teasing tone that made his cheeks warm. "He came across as.. Invested when he reached out to me, like you two were close."
"There's no story." He said quickly. "He's just.. we're just roommates."
"He's cute." Petra replied, laughing again when Levi scoffed at her. "Oh shut up, he is! You're not jealous are you?" She teased. "That's cute."
"Shut up, why would I be jealous?" He asked. "He's not that cute, he's just.. Tall." He wasn't sure which was worse, the fact that Petra thought that Erwin was 'cute', or the fact that it bothered him she did.
"Definitely jealous." She replied, grinning when he shot her a lukewarm glare. "I better get back to work, don't want to look like I'm slacking off, but I'll see you later."
With one last hug she was gone and Levi continued along down the river, finding himself begrudgingly glad that she was there after all.
He spent the rest of the afternoon walking the city, ignoring the dull thrum in his leg as he kept an eye out for anything out of place.
Over the next few hours he managed to put an end to a drunken brawl, reunite a missing child with her mother and help settle a heated dispute over the increase in price of salt. But ultimately it was just another day in the interior.
When the shadows finally began to stretch around him and evening settled in, he made his way back to the Church to wait. Finding a spot tucked away in an alley with a nice view of the stone building.
Erwin joined him shortly after the sun had fully set. Slinking out of the shadows to loom over him.
"Don't start." Levi warned when the blond opened his mouth and the demon just laughed dropping down onto the ground beside him.
"I can see your day has improved." Erwin said lightly, ignoring the halfhearted glare the human shot him. "I do wonder how you manage to maintain these moods of yours, it all looks quite exhausting if you ask me."
"I'm managing just fine." Levi replied, but it was a lie. Not that it mattered. Not really. At the very least he couldn't expect a demon to understand when he couldn't even begin to explain what exactly it was that he was feeling.
"I've found myself wondering if you're mad at me for killing your uncle." Erwin said after a moment. "It was an unfortunate necessity, but he was your last remaining family. It can't be easy."
"I'm not angry at you." He replied and it might have been true. "I don't want to talk about that, I don't need you pretending you understand the first thing about family. Or what it is to lose one."
"You say that with such certainty." The blond replied mildly. "Despite whatever experience you think I lack on the matter, I know it's something that's important to you."
"I told you I don't want to talk about it." Levi repeated firmly. "Let's just wait and see if anyone shows up, if we keep talking we'll just scare them off."
"Is that an order?" the demon asked, but the human just ignored him.
"Is it the nature of our agreement?" Erwin tried again after a while. "Have you become unhappy with the terms of our contract? Or perhaps the way that I am conducting myself?"
"What? No!" Levi snapped back, letting out a heavy sigh as he stared out at the empty street. "I should be afraid of you." He explained finally. "I'm not, but I should be."
"I see." The demon replied. "I am an exceptionally dangerous predator, it would make perfect sense for you to be scared of me. Though it might surprise you to learn, that I would be incredibly disappointed if that were the case."
"Why would you care?" Levi asked. "It wouldn't have made a difference, I would have still needed you. I still do."
"I suppose it shouldn't matter much either way." Erwin replied thoughtfully. "But like I've said before, I enjoy your company and I would hate for that to be ruined by something as human as fear."
"I am human." Levi reminded him bitterly, freezing when the blond dropped an arm around his shoulders to draw him close.
"I haven't forgotten." Erwin promised him gently. "Though it does feel like you've made some kind of commitment to assume the worst of me lately."
"No." Levi replied quietly. He didn't know what to make of the affectionate gesture, but he didn't pull away. Erwin was warm, and the wind was cold. "You're not the problem, I am." He continued after a moment. "It's just easier to get mad at you than it is to change something that's out of my control."
Erwin didn't reply immediately, tightening his grip on the human ever so slightly as he stared out at the shadows. "You've never struck me as someone who prefers to take the easiest path." He said after a long while, glancing down at Levi.
"I guess I'm learning to pick my battles." He replied, shrugging a shoulder as he met Erwin's eyes and this time the demon's smile didn't annoy him. It was one of the nice ones.
"That would be some miracle indeed." Erwin said softly. "It's okay if you need to be angry at me, you'll need that anger. I don't imagine that things going to get any easier for you, your world isn't particularly kind to ambitious people."
"The world isn't particularly kind to anyone." Levi replied flatly. "But that's fine, I don't expect it to be. I don't need it to be."
"What do you need?" The demon asked curiously and Levi shook his head, dropping the blond's gaze to stare out at the street instead.
"I need to know why." He replied bitterly. "I want justice, but I'm starting to see that there's no such thing and failing that revenge suits me just fine."
"And what if there wasn't a reason?" Erwin asked. "No bigger picture or evil agenda, will revenge really change anything?"
"A demon wouldn't understand." The human said flatly. "But I'm going to make sense of why they chose my family, why they chose me. And then I'm going to kill them."
"A reason to justify your suffering." Erwin replied, nodding lightly. "It intrigues me that you show so much contempt towards the pious, you're not so different to them yourself. Though contempt does seem to be something of a default setting for you."
"Shut up." Levi retorted, jabbing the blond in the ribs with his elbow. "I'm nothing like them, I'm not sitting around waiting for God to solve all of my problems for me."
"No." The demon said thoughtfully. "Though I do find myself wondering just what you will decide to rely on before the end."
"That's easy." The human replied firmly. "I can rely on myself. Everyone else wants something from me, which is fine. It's how the world works and I get it, I'm not stupid enough to expect anything more than that."
Erwin didn't reply and as the night dragged on Levi wondered if it had just been another waste of time. He had just about fallen asleep when he felt gentle fingers brush through his hair and he stifled a yawn, letting himself enjoy the way the blond's fingers felt as they dragged through his hair while he waited for the sun to call the futile stakeout to an end.
He didn't even begin to know what the demon was playing at, wasn't naive enough to think that he really cared about him. But in the dark alley, as he drifted between sleep and wakefulness, it was nice to just pretend it could be true.
If only for just a moment.