Chapter Text
Erwin sips his tea slowly and glances down at his Omega watch. The waitress comes over and smiles demurely at him.
"Still waiting, sir?"
He gives her a tight smile. "Yes, sorry. He should be arriving shortly."
She nods and lingers a bit, eyes wandering down to his deposition notes on the table.
"Do you work close by? I've seen you here a few times during my shift."
"My office is actually downtown," he answers conversationally. "My father-in-law likes to meet here."
"Oh," she says, smile faltering a bit as her eyes wander to his left hand. He had stopped wearing his ring years ago.
Keith makes an entrance at that moment, shucking off his coat and pulling at his scarf as he makes his way towards Erwin.
Erwin stands. "Keith, good to see you."
Keith gives him a small smile and claps him on the arm a few times in greeting. He looked exhausted.
"Sorry I'm late again, seems you're always waiting for me."
"You're a man of importance."
"You'd be surprised at the kinds of things I have to do nowadays," he grunts, taking a seat.
"Tea for you as well, sir?" The waitress puts down a menu in front of him.
"Yes, thank you."
Erwin removes his notepad from the table and loosens his tie.
"How have you been, Erwin?" Shadis asks, looking him over.
"Not bad. Busy," he answers, aware of the somber way the older man looked at him.
Even now, six years after his wife's death, Keith still had a sad manner about him whenever he saw Erwin. Erwin supposes it's because he's a living reminder of the life his daughter could've had. Though blood ties no longer bound them, Keith insisted they continue to meet regularly like any family would. They met at his favorite ramen place from time to time like this. It was an enduring bond they shared, both being widowed.
"Yourself?" Erwin asks, deflecting the conservation away from him.
"Busier than usual."
The waitress comes back to take their order. Keith gets the same bowl of ramen every time.
"How so?" Erwin asks when she leaves, taking another sip of tea.
Shadis leans back a bit, turning his cup absently.
"I'm housing a young man right now. He was on assignment for me for many years and is being reinstated with the police force. He's taking some time off from the field."
Erwin's lips pause against the rim of the cup. He immediately knows Shadis planted him as a mole. His father-in-law was the police commissioner for the prefecture.
Shadis sighs a bit. "This lieutenant was our top recruit out of university. He's... changed shall we say. I thought it'd be nice if he stayed with you for a while."
Erwin keeps his face neutral as he puts down his cup.
"Trust me, I wouldn't be asking you unless I was out of choices. Tell me if it's too much of a burden."
"It's fine," Erwin answers cautiously. "I work long hours, so I'm not home much anyways. What's your reasoning?"
"I'll be away for a few days on business. You're the only one I can trust to keep him in good hands for the time being. You have... a certain way with people.
Besides, it's not healthy for him to see my old face all day long. Once he's cleared to be back in the field, I'll arrange a place for him."
Erwin isn't sure how to take the information. There was more Keith wasn't telling him, but the other man always did things intentionally. He was choosing to house this lieutenant directly and was now seeking someone outside of the force in his absence. That meant no one knew about him yet and Shadis wanted it that way.
"Do you fear an informant is hidden within the police force?"
Shadis suddenly becomes very still and looks at Erwin long and hard. He settles into his seat more, expression softening as he taps the side of the cup.
"I suppose there's a reason the guys down at the precinct call you a killer."
"My apologies, I don't mean to pry. I will do this for you, but would rather know now rather than later what type of measures I need to take."
Keith takes a green business card out of his jacket and slides it to him. "I guess you've already read between the lines. It makes things easier for me. Aside from myself, this person was the lieutenant's only contact for many years."
Erwin doesn't need to read the card to know who it is.
"I've worked with Hange before. I hadn't known her connection to this case."
"She'll tell you what you need to know, Erwin. Expect a call from her soon."
Shadis dies in the line of duty a few days later.
Erwin sees him during the funeral. Out of the sea of officers in formation, he's the only one without a uniform that salutes Shadis. Erwin scans the crowd to see if anyone else has taken notice. A blonde female officer has her head turned towards him.
Erwin notes how he doesn't move for the rest of the eulogy, black hair obscuring his face as he sits bent over with his elbows on his knees.
He drives his brother-in-law and wife Marie back to Shadis's house after the private burial. Their family home would now be passed to Nile's name.
"I'll take care of everything," Erwin assures him as they get out of the car.
Nile just nods his head, sunset casting dark shadows over his face. He watches as Nile is pulled into an embrace by a nearby relative. A few others at the house gather to offer their condolences. People all around walk pass them with refreshments and Erwin decides to take his leave. He makes his way to the driver's side of the car and looks up one last time at the home his wife spent her childhood in.
There he was, back to him, an unmoving figure gazing up at the house.
"Lieutenant."
He turns. The lieutenant was younger and shorter than he'd imagined. He had the most piercing eyes, the type of expression one would expect from someone who'd seen too many things.
"Keith asked me before his death to put you up with a place to stay. I'm his lawyer and son-in-law. My name is Erwin Smith."
The lieutenant looks at him for a long moment, deadpanned.
"Not interested."
Erwin steps closer, voice lowering. "I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice in the matter. I received a phone call from Hange yesterday."
His face darkens considerably.
"Here is my address and card. Call me whenever you're ready, lieutenant."
"It's Levi."
"Levi." Erwin watches as his gray eyes scan his address and business card. "I'm sorry for your loss. Keith was a good man."
Levi grimaces slightly. "Right."
He looks at Erwin one last time before turning and walking into the house.
Erwin's phone rings the next day. It's the security downstairs.
"Yes."
"I have a guest here to see you, sir. A Keith Shadis."
Erwin freezes for second at the name. Very clever.
"Thank you. Send him up."
Erwin reads the clock on the wall. Ten past nine. He glances down at Kit, looking up at him with a happy expression.
"Sit."
Kit sits obediently.
"Good. Stay there." He opens the door and leans against the frame, arms crossed.
Levi eventually appears and strides towards him. He's dressed down in black, cold eyes wandering the length of the hallway, scanning each exit, door number, and utility room. His hard gaze eventually settles on Erwin and he stops abruptly in front of him at a safe distance. The lieutenant looked exhausted and on edge. One of his hands held a dark duffel bag, the other his jacket.
He stands aside. "Good to see you've made it. Come in."
Levi doesn't reply. His gray eyes rapidly survey the layout of his foyer as he crouches to unlace his boots.
"Leave your things here for now. Let me get you acquainted."
He locks the door. Levi abandons the bag and silently follows him into the living room.
The large German Shepard is sitting where he left him, ears perked forward.
"A police dog," Levi says distantly.
"Retired, yes. This is Kit."
Erwin had intended to tell him over the phone, but the lieutenant had never called. To his surprise, Levi stalks past him. He holds out an upturned hand for Kit to bury his nose in before cautiously rubbing behind his ears. Kit's tail immediately runs the length of the hardwood floor.
Erwin's lips twist. Good to know the lieutenant didn't have narcotics on him.
"He belongs to my coworker, Mike. His wife is pregnant so I'm helping ease the burden at home." He walks behind the large island into the open kitchen. "Do you want something to drink?"
The refrigerator was mostly empty save for beer. He had been working a case late last night. He definitely was ill-prepared.
"I'm fine."
Levi reaches behind him and pulls out a firearm, still holstered. He places it a little loudly on the white countertop.
"Is this a problem?" he asks darkly.
Erwin uncaps a bottle for Levi regardless and puts it down next to the gun.
"No. I own one as well."
Levi's eyes bore into him as Erwin uncaps one for himself.
"What kind of estate attorney are you? People fucking shoot you on the job?" he asks mockingly.
Erwin smiles wryly, amused. "I'm a prosecutor. I'm helping with the Shadis estate as a favor to my brother-in-law."
Levi narrows his eyes and drops into the stool opposite him. He wipes the mouth of the bottle on his shirt before taking a swig. Kit stays close to him, watching his every move. Erwin notices how Levi's face changes a bit when he looks at the dog. He's glad Mike had entrusted him to the task a few weeks ago. It otherwise eased an already uncomfortable situation.
"Where's your wife?" Levi questions, clearly uninterested. He smooths Kit's head.
Erwin doesn't answer, keeping his face neutral. Levi looks up at him after a moment with piercing eyes.
"She died several years ago."
Levi's expression doesn't change.
"I see."
Erwin takes another swig and sets the beer down, schooling his body language carefully.
"Let me show you where you'll be staying."
Levi doesn't say anything as he shows him the spare bedroom and its adjoined bathroom.
"My office is here and I stay there at the end of the hall. I work late most nights so use anything you'd like freely. The building sends a housekeeper every few days. Use the safe in the closet."
Erwin hands him the swipe card for the building, his spare key, and the numbers to his cell and home line.
"Thanks," he grunts shortly.
"You're welcome to settle in. I have a case I need to work on so I'll be in the office. Let me know if you need anything."
Levi nods. He gathers his belongings and disappears into the bedroom.
It's close to midnight when Erwin emerges from the office. Levi's door is firmly shut. He pours a few centimeters of whiskey into a glass in the kitchen and takes a sip, letting the burn course through his insides. The sound of the street below filters into the living room and he looks up.
The balcony door was slightly ajar.
Levi sits on the wall with one leg up, staring down at the city. Erwin takes in his graceful figure against the glow of the lights below. He couldn't help but think there was something very sad and beautiful about him.
Kit lays at his feet and perks up when Erwin joins them. Levi doesn't move as he leans forward on the wall. They stay in comfortable silence, the cold numbing his skin.
"Lieutenant, I filed for an internal investigation of Keith's death a few days ago."
"I'm aware. Hange has me on the case."
"Good. Then you'll understand I'll eventually have to ask you for a deposition."
"That's fine."
Erwin pauses. The lieutenant was more subdued than before. He changes subjects.
"I don't have many visitors, but here's the short list of it." He hands him a paper. "I'll tell anyone who asks that you're a business associate of my brother-in-law's. He works for the central government. No one will question you, as he can't legally discuss his work."
Levi's eyes scan the names and faces, memorizing their ages, occupations, and relation to him. He hands it back to Erwin.
"Got it."
"I leave every morning around seven. When I return depends on the day. I hope you can get some rest tonight." Erwin nods at him and moves to turn.
"Sorry about your wife." He stops in place as Levi meets his gaze evenly. "The old man never mentioned it."
"Don't be," Erwin says quietly, after a moment. He opens the balcony door. "Good night."
"I have the general idea. No specifics."
Erwin stands outside his office building and leans against the railing. He pins his cell phone between his ear and shoulder briefly to put on leather gloves.
"You're intuition's good as always, Erwin," Hange replies.
He'd worked with Hange for many years as a criminal prosecutor, enough to consider her a close colleague of sorts. Her position was unique to the force. She was head of the internal affairs unit, coined the Rat Squad, charged with investigating police misconduct.
"We believe a mole targeted and killed two undercover officers in the field. Levi was pulled before they could discover him. I'm positive now Shadis was being tracked at the precinct and they may have discovered that he was their police contact. I was charged with supportive assistance from my end but never saw them, never knew their names, and wasn't privy to their assignments. We're now working to determine if Shadis's death during the drug sting was police or gang related."
"I want the names of everyone in the precinct and the teams Shadis used during the sting."
"That'll be a lot of people. You have a moment after work? Stop by. Levi's here."
"Is he." Erwin had been wondering about the lieutenant's whereabouts since this morning.
"He's doing desk jobs for me for now. The others only know he was transferred from a different prefecture far up north. I move many people around on a regular basis, so it shouldn't be a cause for suspicion."
"Has anyone approached him?"
Hange laughs a little. "Around here, staying far away from me and anyone I reassign is the best way to keep your job. They'll think I'm investigating him so no one will ask questions."
"Good. I'll continue to cover things on my end."
"We should keep in contact regularly, since you're housing one of ours. It'll be a few weeks before we reestablish his identity and bank accounts. He's undergoing a period of psychological evaluation in the meantime."
"I see. Anything I should be made aware of?"
Erwin hears Hange pause, understanding his meaning. "He's... The lieutenant's depressed. I hope you can overlook his abrasive nature, my understanding is that he wasn't always like this."
"I understand. I'll see you in a few hours."
Erwin collects his keys after passing through the metal detectors. Hange's office was located on the second floor, in a glass enclosure overlooking the rest of the department. Most of the officers had left for the day. The night shift was coming in. He passes Levi sitting at a desk near the stairs, intently reading the documents in his hands.
"Lieutenant," he greets quietly as he climbs.
Levi looks up, surprise quickly replaced by a neutral expression as he nods.
Hange shakes his hand when she sees him and immediately turns to pull up the profiles of every officer. Their names and pictures plaster all three monitors on her screen.
"The trail's run a bit cold. I think they're going to lie low for now. The highest-ranking officer in the division dying is enough to rouse questions."
She has names outlined in red to show those involved in the sting.
"This includes operation and remote support teams."
Erwin hovers behind her to study each one. He points to three officers.
"I want you to look into these individuals."
Hange gives him a strange look. "Can I ask why?"
"Just a feeling."
"All right." They exchange a few files of the information Erwin had requested, and he signs a confidentiality agreement.
"Call Levi's extension in a few minutes. Tell him I'll wait for him outside."
Hange smiles at him. "See you, Erwin. We'll talk soon."
"Have you eaten?" Erwin asks when Levi walks out of the precinct, adjusting his collar to the cold.
"No."
"Join me then. I meant to pick up a few groceries today, but didn't get around to it. I'll be freed up a little more tomorrow."
"It's fine. Just give me a list of what you want done. I don't intend to freeload."
Erwin smiles a bit. "I didn't think you were."
Levi silently follows Erwin into a casual noodle shop at the street corner. He sits moodily into a seat as the owner stops Erwin in the aisle to chat with him. Eventually, new customers divert the woman's attention back to the entrance.
"Erwin."
He turns at the familiar voice. "Marie."
She kisses both his cheeks in greeting, telling her coworkers to go ahead. They eye Erwin with interest.
"We can't thank you enough you for everything you've done, Nile especially. He isn't taking things well as you can expect."
Erwin frowns. "I'll call him later."
"He's working late tonight. First day back. Tomorrow will be better."
He nods. She looks down.
"I haven't had a chance to really comprehend what's happened. We saw his dad too before he left for work. Had a normal dinner and everything.
Out of the corner of his eye, Erwin notices how Levi remains very still in his chair. Marie hadn't know about him staying in the Shadis household. Erwin was suddenly glad the owner had kept him standing.
"Give it time. How are you holding up with the pregnancy?" he asks, distracting her.
Her face brightens a bit. "Fine. Hungry all the time and gaining weight," she laughs.
Marie knocks her fist lightly against his side.
"I don't understand how you can be this in shape with all the alcohol and shit you put in your body."
"Genetics."
"What an ass."
Marie sometimes flirted with him like this, though never in front of Nile. They'd been friends for a long time.
"You seeing anyone?" she asks casually. "My friends keep asking about you. Want me to set you up with one of them?"
He gives her a pointed look. "Marie."
"I know, I know. You're just such a good catch. I worry about you sometimes, you know."
She pats his cheek lightly before retrieving her purse from the table.
"Will you be okay walking home alone?" he asks.
She rolls her eyes. "I'm pregnant, not crippled. I'll see you later. Call Nile tomorrow, okay?"
"All right."
Erwin waits until it's clear she's left before taking a seat, settling heavily into the chair.
"Sorry," he tells Levi, "This is the first time I've seen her here."
The other man doesn't reply, keeping his eyes downcast. They eat in silence for most of the evening.
Levi removes his cell phone from his pocket and thumbs to a screen. He puts it on the table and slides it upside down towards Erwin.
"My number."
Erwin takes out his own and copies it into his contacts. He dials the number briefly and disconnects when Levi's phone vibrates.
"Thank you."
"It's easier in the future if I leave the situation so you don't have to explain," he says, referring to Marie.
Erwin nods and looks around at the cafeteria-style eatery. "It isn't unusual to sit at this shop with strangers, but yes, I agree."
He watches Levi drink his tea with his back against the wall, sitting sideways in the chair to face the exit. The lieutenant was always on high alert, as if ready to run or fight at any second. Erwin is struck with a tinge of pity as he considers how Levi couldn't live his life normally, with leisure or freedom of choice, as he did. It had probably been this way for years. Had Keith not pulled him out, Levi would probably not be sitting here with him. Worse yet, if his father-in-law had been killed before the extraction, he would've left Levi permanently trapped, most likely to die.
Not a single person anywhere would've known that he'd been a police officer. There would be no acknowledgement of his hardship or sacrifice, no mourners saluting him at a funeral, not even a gravestone.
"It must be lonely."
Levi looks up at him, stare removed of its usual coldness. It was at that moment Erwin wanted to give Levi an ordinary life. He wanted Levi to stop running and be still with him.
"You get used to it," he says emotionlessly, taking another sip.
The feeling doesn't leave him as he walks alone back to the apartment. Levi stays several meters behind him this time instead of next to him for his own safety.