Archive of Our Own

"Levi," came a voice. He turned around and saw Christa looking up at him from behind a desk. "Can you draw me a pony?"

"But if I draw it for you, how will you learn to draw one yourself?"

"But my ones aren't pretty, just look." She held up a piece of paper to reveal a poorly drawn animal.

Well, she's right about that, he thought, but of course, he couldn't say that out loud.

"If you practice enough," said Connie, who sat next to her. "then you'll be just as good as Levi! Right, Levi?" They both looked up at Levi.

"Yes," Levi spoke. "Practice is all it takes." Christa smiled wide, then Levi opened up the window. "Sasha, it's not good to eat sand, and Eren and Jean, break it up already, arguing won't solve a thing." The five children playing in the sand all suddenly had their eyes on the 22-year old.

"My sandcastle is still better," Jean told Eren.

"No it's not!"

"Eren," came Mikasas voice. "Levi told you to stop."

"But I don't like Levi!"

The feeling is mutual, kid.

"He's not that bad, you just have to follow the rules."

"But my sandcastle is better! Jean is wrong!"

"Tch, neither is good," Levi commented quietly, then sat down between Christa, who did her best on drawing a pony, and Connie, who had drawn two dinosaurs.

He honestly felt like this job was all about lying. If he were to speak the truth when around children, he would most likely lose his job. But on the other hand, that wouldn't matter right now, cause this was his last day here. No more crying babies, diaper changes and shit jobs. Sometimes he really regretted getting this job in the first place - it was the opposite of what he wanted to work with. Levi, who was all clean and serious and - well, inpatient - working with children. Children are probably the messiest human beings there is, not to mention how much they scream and argue and refuse to listen. No, this was definitely not a job for Levi.

Connie looked up at him, smiling.

"We're drawing them for you," he said, referring to the drawings. "Because you're not gonna be here anymore, and we don't want you to forget us. They will help you remember!"

"Yeah," Christa continued. "Every time you look at the drawings, you'll think about us!"

As if I don't have whole stack of those children's drawings at home. Yes, that was true, he actually kept most of the drawings he had received - some of them were fun to look at.

He didn't have to respond, cause the two were so busy drawing they barely had time to talk. On a positive note, at least they tried to do something nice for him. Christa and Connie were good children. And Armin too.

Levi looked back out. Mikasa was currently trying to pull Eren away from what looked like wrestling. Eren and Jean seemed to be trying to push each other over. Luckily, Isabel and Farlan were nearby, and they made the little boys stop. Levi could just barely hear what was being said.

"Both your sandcastles look great," Farlan said. "I think you're both winners!"

"But that's no fun!" Jean protested, angrily shifting his gaze between Eren and Isabel.

Levi sighed for himself and rolled his eyes.

After today, I'm done looking after these brats.

That's what Levi thought, but he had no idea what faith had in store for him.

No idea at all.

*****

12 Years Later

"This is Dot Pixis calling from St. Sina Highschool, is this Levi speaking?" Levi had seen this coming for a while. He knew some of the teachers working at that school, and they had told him that a position in the library soon would open up.

"Yes?" When he came to think of it, it would most likely be better paid than his current job at the bar. Libraries are quiet too, and students are known to keep their distance. Levi was also quite tired of his current job, and could use some changes. Maybe this was for the better.

Levi had already made his mind up before he got the offer.

"I wanna offer you a job in our school library."