A/N: My first time posting a fic here. Hope you like it all~ Shingeki no Kyojin and the characters are not mine. They all belong to Hajime Isayama.
The loss of the humankind's greatest soldier shook the fortress within seconds after the Scouting Legion came back after their recent expedition. No one, not even the higher-ups, had predicted that the guy could even be killed by a measly titan but it seems like they were terribly wrong. Lance Corporal Rivaille is dead.
Among the crowd that had formed around the corporal's grave, a soldier moved with silent footsteps as she drew closer and closer to the front, the crest of the Scouting Legion glinting proudly against her back. Mikasa squeezed her tall frame between two people until she arrived at the very front, coincidentally standing right beside one of Rivaille's most trusted comrade - Hanji Zoe. The researcher was sobbing quietly, much to her surprise. She was known as a loud, enthusiastic soldier so seeing her like this placed a frown on the noirette's lips. How should she approach her? Smile? Frown? Or just simply pat her back? Mikasa stood quietly beside her before facing the white coffin where the corporal's remain is sleeping. But she knew, Hanji knew, all the members of the Scouting Legion knew - there was no body inside. Maybe that's the reason why Hanji was grieving, no, it was the reason. Undoubtedly, the other soldiers felt the same. Looking on each of their faces, her heart twisted uncomfortably inside her chest. Remembering that moment when they found his corpse was enough to trouble the apathetic girl.. no, there was no corpse, just his jacket - the jacket where the crest of freedom is stained by his own blood.
Despite the proud and steady salute the soldiers were giving their superior, it was obvious on their faces that as soon as the burial was done, all of them would break down. No matter how anti-social and grumpy he is, there was one truth the Scouting Legion knew. He was not just a great soldier;
BUT ALSO AN ADMIRABLE PERSON.
One-by-one, the soldiers approached his coffin and gently placed a red and white rose alternately above it. It is that giving these two flowers together signifies unity, unity among the comrades who are ready to sacrifice themselves for the freedom of mankind. Soon enough, it was her turn to give the white flower. People might be wondering why this girl can approach her superior's coffin without emotions written on her face but, how can she even place an expression on her face when she doesn't even know how to feel for the corporal? Placing the flower above his coffin, Mikasa immediately backed away to give a path to Hanji. She was the last one to give the flower, given that Commander Irvin was out for a meeting together with the higher-ups. Suddenly - without warning - Hanji sobbed loudly, her cries echoing at the silent field dedicated only for the soldiers who stood up against titans with much dedication. Her cries, along with the pitiful expression on her face, was enough to send all the soldiers on edge and cried thereafter. Still, Mikasa didn't budge, her facial features unmoving and blank.
The constant protest of the researcher to stop the burial was not enough to halt it, even her comrades had to pull her away from the casket just to continue. Slowly, the soldiers assigned to move his coffin down to the ground started their job. Inch-by-inch, he was moving deeper away from the light and every time they moved him, Mikasa clenches her fist. Regret and sorrow hit her in an instant once he was halfway down. Why? Why is the guilt overflowing her whole body, making her tremble and whimper?
Why is it just now, just now that she felt the need to punch him and wake him up just to send her thanks?
Come to think of it, did she ever thank the corporal for saving her life before when she almost got hit by the female titan for her carelessness? Did she ever apologize to him when he received an injury from that incident, preventing him to fight and protect his soldiers? Did she ever, ever thanked him for being strict? For being dependable? For being trust-worthy? All these thoughts hammered inside her mind, filling every cell of her body with regret. Oh, how she wanted to slap herself on the face right now for being so ignorant. She was so ignorant. It was because of that time when he beat up Eren in the trial that her hatred for him started. But despite her anger, did she ever wonder why he did that? Did she ever try to understand his position? Did she ever tried approaching him, maybe reach out to him and befriend him? He never talked about it but he's a human, too. He has his own problems and monsters lurking inside his mind.
How ignorant and selfish can you be, Mikasa?
The wind blew a bit stronger than usual, her hair now hitting her eyes and cheeks. She couldn't hear anything but the whispers of the wind, telling her how to apologize and thank the corporal for all his good deeds. The coffin hit the bottom of the pit and before it is buried with the dirty soil he hated so much because well, it was dirty; Mikasa stood up straight and placed her fist against her left chest.
One tear flowed down her cheeks.
She opened her mouth to say something, but nobody heard it.
Two tears flowed down her cheeks.
Unfortunately, the wind carried her whisper and as annoying as it can, Mikasa hoped that the wind would carry her one last message to Lance Corporal Rivaille.
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"Mikasa Ackerman, member of the Scouting Legion! To Lance Corporal Rivaille, thank you for everything!"