Because We’re Family (Kenny-Levi-Erwin centred fic) chapter 19.
A fic where SNK is rewritten from the start. Kenny steps up as a parent for Levi. Many years later, Erwin accidentally crosses paths with Kenny, the one ghost of his past, and blackmails him and Levi into joining the Survey Corps. Because of his relationship with the Reiss, Kenny has vital information about humanity, and he makes his own deductions that will change everything for the story. All canon arcs will be rewritten, until the time to fight the outside world comes. Main pair is eventual Eruri (huge enemies to lovers). Tumblr is a pain with external links and tags, so here’s the link if you want to read: https://tinyurl.com/8ubcy6bh
They could hear the soldiers working, even from up here. Without an upcoming expedition to train for, the soldiers had to focus on more menial work. Today, a section of the barracks commuted from the gates to the mess hall. The shipments of food for the next three months had arrived, and it was hefty work to unload everything from the multiple wagons.
Kenny watched them aloofly from the window.
They will all die, he thought. It could be in a year, five years, or perhaps not in their lifetime. But their children could be killed, or their children’s children, and so on. Many generations may pass before that day comes, but it was a fact they would die.
This world will crumble, Uri and Frieda had said. And the First King corroborated it.
The Subjects of Ymir. They had to pay for whatever sins the Eldians of the past committed. The outside world will pay whatever violence they ever inflicted ten times in turn.
His sombre eyes did not waver as the voices in the room grew increasingly louder. Despite being right next to them, he couldn’t make out what Erwin and the others were saying. A disagreement, perhaps. Either way, his mind was not in it. He couldn’t focus and, frankly, unless directly addressed, he didn’t care.
He brought his fist to his lips, eyes still focused on the soldiers that carried dozens upon dozens of crates with flour bags.
A hand touched his shoulder. It took him one, two, three seconds to react. He looked back to find Flagon, who seemed a bit too grim. There was also a certain gentleness in his eyes. He’d sure mellowed down to him in the last three months, Kenny recognised. “You can move ahead, pack your things and do what you want until midday. We’ll finish up here.”
Kenny briefly glanced at the working soldiers one last time and left the room without a word. The silence with which he left lingered in the air. The remaining men were reluctant to break it.
“I think we’re ready,” Erwin said later as he took a final glance at the documents.
“Then we’d best move on now,” added Lutz with urgency. “Kit and Soren need us, and we have a regiment to save. Commander, is there anything else?”
“No, that will be all. Make haste. I’ll stay here, as we still need a backup plan,” Shadis said. “I already have a meeting set with a financial and legal advisor. Like Dorian said, we must be prepared for the possibility you won’t get this done in time.”
The soldiers all seemed to agree, but a loud sigh brought their attention to Dorian.
He reluctantly placed his file on the table. “Commander, I’m… sorry, but I can’t do this.”
Their brows rose.
“I didn’t sign up for this. I didn’t sign up to deceive a fellow soldier by using his child, regardless of who that soldier used to be. And we don’t even know what he might do to get the information, since the stakes are so high for him. People may get hurt, and I can’t be a part of that. I have a few days off accumulated and I request to use them in the following days.”
Erwin and his friends could only be astonished by this. By the looks of it, so was Shadis.
“Section Commander,” Erwin intervened, “I apologise for my impudence as I do not intend to question your authority, but we could use your help for this. It’s for the greater good of the regiment.”
Flagon and Lutz silently agreed. Having their Section Commander would make them feel a lot safer. He’d always taken care of them, after all.
“I stand by my words and have no further comment to add,” Dorian replied.
Erwin didn’t seem to like this.
“And no further comment is required,” Shadis spoke after a brief silence. “Take your time off, Anja will take your place in the headquarters for now. This is a good time for anyone hesitating to back down from this.”
From the rest, the only one who seemed unsure was Flagon. His brows were furrowed, and his lips were tight. He was clearly very tempted to back down.
He slowly moved to place his folder on the table, but gave his friends a final glimpse. He watched Mike, the calculated Erwin, and the frowning Lutz. From them all, it was Lutz with his pitiful eyepatch that affected him most.
He couldn’t bear to leave his best friend.
He stopped and held the folder to his chest. Erwin let out a silent breath of relief.
Dorian waited no further and, visibly disappointed with not only Flagon but also the rest, left the room.
“Very well,” said Shadis. “You may leave now. Get ready, wait for Kenny and go. Keep me updated and, above all, stay safe.”
“Sir,” they saluted.
They individually went to their rooms to pack their belongings. Essentials, their documents and a gun each from the armoury. When they were near the gates to await their carriage, they perked up cautiously when Kenny and Dorian crossed paths from afar.
“Are you not ready to leave yet?” Kenny asked, luggage in hand. “I was told the carriage would arrive at noon. I didn’t take ya to be tardy.”
“I will not be partaking in the mission.”
“… Because?” asked Kenny when silence lingered. He wondered about the frown on Dorian’s face.
“I…” Dorian’s eyes moved down. “I, uh…”
What he was struggling to say didn’t seem to be easy, Kenny noticed. Like it weighed on him.
“I… I, I…”
“Well, don’t pop a vein, will ya?” Kenny jested, although his face was perfectly serious. “See ya, then.”
Dorian watched him saunter away, and he surprised himself when he reflexively called Kenny’s name. Kenny turned to look at him, waiting.
Don’t go. We’re lying to you. We’re lying.
Dorian wanted to say it, he was struggling not to, and Erwin could tell. Should he intervene?
“Be careful,” is what Dorian managed to say.
Kenny said nothing, his gaze simply lingered on Dorian a few more seconds, and then he left. He did appreciate the concern, however. Dorian had always been kind to him and Levi.
