Chapter Text
“Ah fuck!” The cry and a string of additional curses escaped from the lips of twenty-four year old police officer Eren Jaeger when he stubbed his toe against the leg of his bed.
It was Thursday afternoon and he was packing.
He did not know how long he would be away from home so he had problems deciding what exactly to pack. He was going away on a work trip. He had a job to guard a convict who was willing to testify on a huge organized crime case that had taken about ten years to put together and was now going to trial, finally.
A lot was riding on the testimony of the convict so Eren thought the assignment was going to be a good way to advance his career. If he succeeded that is. The job was not without a risk.
The convict was a notorious one and if Eren managed to keep him alive until the trial was over then Eren could say goodbye to his desk job and hopefully get into the field and catch criminals in action. It was his lifelong dream to be a field officer making a difference rather than writing up reports all day every day.
So for the next few weeks he would need to live in a safe house with a criminal. Eren had read his criminal file. It had not been a pleasant reading at all.
The convict was Levi Ackerman, age thirty-four. He had been accused of several murders. Fourteen to be exact. All the evidence spoke against him but the man could not be convicted on belief alone. He had been convicted for killing one man based on the actual evidence.
That was ten years ago and the man was serving a sentence of a total of eighteen years. But by helping the police investigation his remaining sentence was going to be reduced in half which would leave only four years left on his sentence after the trial.
Levi Ackerman had never confessed to killing all those people. Not even the one he had been convicted of killing.
Eren was a little nervous meeting Ackerman for the first time. The mugshot picture didn’t make him seem very friendly. There was something about his overall look that Eren couldn’t put his finger on but fascinated him to no end. Ackerman had a rather neutral expression on his face as if he did not worry about why he had been arrested. The cold look in his eyes made Eren shiver. He hoped that Ackerman was friendlier in person than in the picture.
Eren finished packing his bag. The safe house would have everything else essential they’d need so he didn’t have to worry about building up too much laundry. Eren was somewhat nervous about the coming assignment. He was guarding a convict who had done horrible things but would be of great help to the society by enabling locking up even more dangerous men.
Eren would be meeting Ackerman in a few hours before they would leave together to the safe house.
Eren put his bags in the trunk of his car and drove to the police station. He took the bags and walked over to the garage area.
“Hey, Mike,” Eren greeted the officer who was in charge of the vehicles inside the garage, making sure they were all there and cleaned in regular intervals or when needed. Mike also made sure the equipment inside the cars was up to date and restocked. “You got the truck ready for me?”
Mike beckoned him to follow. “Yes, she is all packed up and ready to go. I do not envy you though,” Mike commented as they approached the vehicle Eren was going to take out today to pick up Mr. Ackerman.
“Why’s that?”
“I wouldn’t wanna be in the presence of that Ackerman fellow for more than a few minutes.”
Eren opened the passenger side door and put his bags on the seat. “Well, I think this will be exciting. I’m going to meet the most notorious killer our city has seen in a few decades or so.”
“Good luck with that.” Mike shook his head in disbelief.
Eren closed the door of the truck. “I’m only there to protect him from any of the gang members out there trying to take his life before he testifies.”
Mike nodded and bid him farewell as Eren rounded the truck and got on the driver’s seat. Eren knew he had about an hour long drive ahead to the prison. The truck he had was meant for moving prisoners discreetly. The truck would not seem out of the ordinary going to the prison and leaving with someone aboard.
Eren received a confirmation text from one of his colleagues who would be waiting for him on a rendezvous point with a normal car. After Eren had picked up Ackerman he was to rendezvous with that said colleague, switch Ackerman into the car and drive the rest of the way to the safe house. This way they hoped to catch if anyone was following them and potentially lose them. No one would pay any mind to an ordinary looking car.
When he arrived at the prison he parked over to a designated area for pick ups. He would first meet Ackerman for about fifteen minutes or so and then they would leave. Eren greeted the prison guards and was led to a waiting area after a brief check up on his identity. The prison was one of the top most secure facilities that they had in the entire country. They were throughout with their checks but efficient.
Eren was rubbing his hands together as he waited for the meeting. He had heard so much about Ackerman and read his file at least a dozen times. Ackerman had been apprehended on-site, littered with bodies. He was caught holding a bloody knife in his hand and residues of gunpowder was found on his hands in later tests.
They could not link Ackerman to any other but one death for certain but there was no one else to take the blame. He was not officially charged for all of the killings since it could not be proved. So Ackerman was serving a sentence for killing one individual but the media has been merciless. Understandably Eren was a little bit nervous about spending time with an alleged mass murderer even if he liked to think that he wasn’t.
Levi Ackerman was a legend. The court case was the case of a century as they tried to convict the man for slaughtering so many people but failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Ackerman had done it. It was clear that Ackerman had been there and was linked to the killings but how, was left in the dark.
“Officer Jaeger, you’re up,” one of the guards that had escorted him earlier called out.
Eren took a deep breath before he entered the meeting room. Ackerman was already seated, arms and legs both cuffed. He was wearing a worn grey prison uniform. He was sitting leaning back, legs spread far apart. His stance was relaxed. Normally a prisoner would be released from their handcuffs in a room like this but that was not the case for Ackerman. That fact didn’t seem to bother the convict one bit as he took a good look at Eren.
Ackerman had a presence to him that commanded to look at him. Trying not to be too obvious with his staring, Eren averted his gaze when he introduced himself, “Mr. Ackerman, I’m officer Eren Jaeger. I’ll be accompanying you to the safe house.” Eren sat opposite the man who was silently watching him like a predator praying on an innocent game.
Ackerman’s eyes locked onto him and made Eren feel as if Ackerman was seeing right through him. The energy in the air was almost tangible.
Eren couldn’t help but swallow hard. He felt hot under his collar suddenly. He tried not to let it show but he got the impression that Ackerman noticed judging by the very subtle change in his eyes.
“So they send me someone like you to babysit me.” Ackerman let his eyes travel on Eren’s features, taking in his appearance. There was no open hostility in his gaze. “Are you any good?”
“Excuse me?”
“Doing this…” Ackerman motioned abstractly with his fingers, “guarding thing?”
“Are you asking me if I am willing to put my life on the line to save your ass?” Eren didn’t mince his words.
The smirk that spread on Ackerman’s face spoke more than words could. “I like you,” he said, leaving the topic at that.
Eren cleared his throat. “We need to go over a few things before we leave.” He wanted to keep this as brief as possible. They could talk a lot more in the safe house.
“Naturally,” Ackerman commented.
“You’ll be having an ankle sensor put on you shortly. When you have it on you cannot leave the safe house without alerting half of the police force of this city. I’ll be with you twenty-four-seven, keeping sure that no one gets to you. We’ll be in the house for as long as it takes. That could be from a few weeks to a month. Once it is your turn to testify I’ll take you to court and you’ll get your end of the deal once you have testified.”
Silence settled around them like a piece of fabric. Eren felt like he had rambled on and made a fool of himself. In the back of his mind he knew that was not true. Ackerman’s gaze made him nervous. Eren didn’t say anything, though, expecting some sort of acknowledgement from Ackerman. When he didn’t get it he asked, “Do you understand what I just told you?”
A lazy smirk grazed Ackerman’s face. “Yes, sir.”
Eren rose up and invited a guard into the room to help him with putting the ankle sensor on Ackerman.
The man was released from his leg chains and the sensor put in place in a matter of minutes.
“Is it too tight?” Eren asked, making sure he wouldn’t cut the blood flow in Ackerman’s leg.
Ackerman shook his foot slightly, testing if the sensor was loose. “No. It’s good, darling. Take me away,” he said and licked his lips giving Eren a once over.
Eren was not an idiot. He cleared his throat and regretted it immediately. Ackerman was flirting with him and he had just given him a signal that he noticed it. “Let’s go,” Eren said tightly and led the way out of the room. Ackerman walked behind Eren while being guided by a guard holding his arm.
Once they reached the truck, Ackerman was put into the back of it where he’d be sitting alone for the trip completely unable to see where he was being taken. Eren was left alone with him as he bid goodbye to the guard once Ackerman was securely locked inside the car. Eren was not worried.
He would be alone with Ackerman only for thirty minutes tops before he’d reach the rendezvous and then maybe an hour before reaching the safe house. A few more officers would be waiting by the safe house before they would make sure that everything was in order and the solitude could begin.
As Eren sat down behind the wheel he let out a breath he hadn’t realised he had been holding.
He had only one thing in his mind as he started the drive towards the rendezvous point.
Levi Ackerman in the flesh was nothing but stunning.
“Hey, Jean,” Eren said as soon as he jumped out of the truck. Jean was leaning against his black car, smoking a cigarette, looking as carefree as he possibly could.
“About time, Jaeger,” Jean commented, snuffing the cigarette out under his foot.
“I’m not even late so don’t complain,” Eren protested as he took his own bags from the truck and took them over to Jean.
“Yeah yeah, I’m just bored. So, are you excited?” Jean asked, opening the trunk of the normal car.
“Yeah sure,” Eren answered nonchalantly, shrugging.
Jean eyed him for a few seconds before saying. “As you can see there’s some supplies here for you two. If you need anything, just send me a message and I’ll bring the stuff you need. I’ll be visiting once a week so make sure you don’t starve yourselves.”
Eren nodded. “Alright. I guess it is time to move him to the car.”
Jean walked with him to the back of the truck. Eren gave Jean a look before he opened the door. Jean stood a few feet away from him just in case Ackerman tried something. To Eren’s surprise the man simply sat there calmly and didn’t move until Eren told him to.
Moving him to the car was almost too easy. Eren closed the door behind the prisoner and exchanged car keys with Jean. “Drive safe,” he said to Jean.
“You too. I think Armin might be at the house waiting for you. Not sure,” Jean said before walking over to the truck.
Eren didn’t say anything as he sat on the driver’s seat. Ackerman was secured in the back, his hands cuffed to the handlebar above the window. Eren almost started listening to the radio on their way to the house but he decided against it. He needed to be alert in case something happened.
Needless to say, the car trip was tense. Eren kept glancing at his passenger every once in a while and nothing changed, the man kept staring out of the passenger side window silently.
As soon as Eren curved to the drive way of the safe house he saw Armin walking out of the house and waving at him as a hello. Eren smiled and waved back as he stepped out of the car. “We’re here!”
Armin reached him and soon enough he was followed by none other than Commander Smith, Eren’s boss.
“Sir, Ackerman is here as ordered,” Eren saluted his boss and the blond man nodded.
“Good. Armin has finished making sure everything is in order. I’ll help you move him in,” Erwin said.
With Erwin, Eren escorted the man into the house while Armin took the bags and supplies from the trunk.
“As you know Mr. Ackerman, it is futile for you to try and run. We’ll be able to track you wherever you go,” Erwin said to the convict.
“Got it, Eyebrows,” Ackerman answered, rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had been just a moment ago.
“And if you harm Officer Jaeger in any way your deal is off,” Erwin warned the black haired man.
“Understood,” Ackerman said curtly, giving a small nod as acknowledgement.
“I’ll leave things to you, Officer Jaeger,” Erwin said with a much friendlier tone as he turned to address Eren. “Call me anytime you need.”
“Thank you, sir,” Eren saluted Erwin and the blond man left.
Armin was about to leave too. “If you get bored you can call me too,” he said with a wink, knowing that Eren would need someone to talk to once in a while. Their conversations would be more chitchat than actual work related stuff.
Eren shook his head in amusement. “Sure, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Armin waved him goodbye and closed the front door behind them.
The house was silent. Eren was now alone with a convicted killer whose piercing grey eyes made Eren’s heart skip a beat.