Loki let Erwin lead her out of town to a meadow with green grass and trees. It looked like it would be a good place to roll around and get dirty and make grass angels. She wasn't too keen on the reason he was dragging her out there though. For months, he'd been trying to teach her to read, but Loki didn't want to. If she learned to read then Erwin and daddy wouldn't read to her anymore. Then she wouldn't get to snuggle with daddy during bedtime stories, and Erwin wouldn't let her cuddle up close so she could see all the pictures while he read to her in that exasperated tone she loved so much. She wasn't stupid. She knew a bad deal when she saw one. Besides, why would she need to learn to read if she was going to live with Erwin forever? After all, they were obviously going to get married. Duh.

"Erwin! I don't wanna read! Can't we just play?" Loki whined as she tried to dig her feet into the moist dirt.

"Come on, Loki. It'll be fun," Erwin said as he dragged her over to a tree. It looked like it would be fun to climb, but no. They couldn't do that because Loki had to read. Erwin sat and opened his book and patted the space next to him.

Loki crossed her arms over her chest and huffed as she sat beside him, making sure to get close enough that she could see the pictures and stay warm.

"Can you read the title?" he asked.

"I only know one word."

"Which one is that?"

"And."

"That's it? Can't you sound it out?"

Loki huffed and rolled her eyes. She was already tired of this. "Brr...uhh...th...er. Brother and...sssisss...tur. Sister?"

"Good. I'll read most of it, but you have to read whatever the sister says."

Loki nodded, already enraptured at the fact that the story was about a brother and sister like her and Erwin. She pointed at the picture of a tawny animal with big ears, four legs and white spots all along its back. It was so pretty. "What's that?" she asked, reaching over him to point at it.

"That's a baby deer. It's called a fawn. It actually has-"

"Okay, okay, start the story."

Erwin whacked her hand away and opened the book. The first picture was of a boy and girl standing outside in a forest. "Little brother took his little sister by the hand and said, 'Since our mother died we have been miserable. Our stepmother beats us and whenever we come near her she kicks us. Hard leftover crusts of bread are our food. Come, let us run away together.' They walked the whole day over meadows, fields, and stones. And when it rained the little sister said..."

Loki was too busy staring at a squirrel that was digging around to her left. She wondered what that would taste like.

"Loki...your turn."

"Oar...hare…ts…are…cr…ying...to...get her."

"It's 'our hearts are crying together!'"

"Keep going."

Erwin sighed. "In the evening they came to a large forest, and they were so tired that they climbed into a hollow tree and fell asleep. The next day when they awoke the sun was already high in the sky. The brother said, 'Sister, I am thirsty. If I knew of a little spring I would get a drink. I think I hear one.' The brother got up and took his sister by the hand to try to find the spring.

"Now the wicked stepmother was a Titan, and she noticed the two children had gone away, and secretly crept after them, and she bewitched all the springs in the woods."

Loki gasped, but then she realized something. "Hey, wait a second! You said titans can't talk! And they're not girls either. How did she get into the Walls?"

"Loki, it's a story. It's just a story to scare kids into not wanting to go outside the walls."

"Oh…why?"

"Because…" He looked around before inching in close. "Because they want to control us."

Well, Loki had just lost interest. She wanted to finish the story and get home before daddy finished the stew so she could help cut vegetables and sneak a few as a snack. "Story now."

"They found a spring, glistening as it ran over the stones. The brother was about to drink from it, but his sister heard how its rushing sound said, 'Whoever drinks from me will become a bear.'

"Then the sister cried out... "

"Brother...do not…dr…eyenk…frohm…that spreyeng...or...I can't say that part."

"That's: 'Brother, do not drink from that spring or you'll become a wild animal and eat me," he corrected. "The brother did not drink, although he was thirsty, but said, 'I will wait for the next spring.'

"When they came to the next spring the sister heard it say 'Whoever drinks from me will become a wolf.' And the sister stopped him.

"The brother did not drink, and said, 'I will wait until we come to the next spring, but then I must drink, say what you will, for I am very thirsty.'

"When they came to the third spring the sister heard how its rushing sound said, 'Whoever drinks from me will become a deer.' The sister said..."

"Oh, my turn. 'Brother, do not...or you will…be cohme a...deer...and… leave…me."

"Good job, you're doing better. But the brother had already knelt down by the spring, leaned over, and drunk from the water. As soon as the first drops touched his lips he lay there in the form of a young deer. Now the sister cried over her poor brother, and the deer cried also, sitting sadly next to her.

"Finally the girl said..."

"Erwin! We'll never finish if I have to read all the sister parts! You said I did good! Can't you finish it? Please."

"Fine, fine, I'll finish. 'Be quiet, my sweet little deer. I will never, never leave you.'"

"Awww," Loki cooed as she touched the picture. "Erwin, I'll never leave you."

Erwin blushed but continued reading. "S-She took off her golden necklace and put it around the deer's neck. Then she found some vines and wove them into a soft cord. This she tied to the little animal and led it onward, walking deeper and deeper into the woods. After they had walked a long, long way they finally came to a little house. The girl looked in, and because it was empty, she thought, 'We can stay here.'

"She found leaves and moss to make a soft bed for the deer. Every morning she went out and gathered roots, berries, and nuts for herself, and brought tender grass for the little deer, who ate out of her hand, and was contented and played with her. In the evening, when the sister was tired, she laid her head on the deer's back for a pillow, and fell asleep. For some time it was like this. Then it happened that the king held a great hunt in these woods. The blasts of the horns, the barking of the dogs, and the merry shouts of the huntsmen sounded through the trees. The little deer heard this and wanted ever so much to see them.

"'Oh,' he said to his sister. 'Let me go and join the hunt. I cannot resist.' He begged so long that she finally agreed."

"Wait! It talks?! Deers can't talk!"

"It's just a story, Loki."

"But-"

"Do you want me to finish?"

Loki huffed and scowled. "Yes."

"'But,' she said she to him. 'Come back to me in the evening. I must lock the door to keep the huntsmen out. To let me know that it's you, knock and say, 'My little sister, let me in.'

"Then the young deer left. He felt so good and was so happy to be in the open air. The king saw the beautiful animal and started after him, but they could not catch him. When it was dark he ran to the little house, knocked, and said, 'My little sister, let me in.'

"She opened the door for him, and he jumped inside and rested on his soft bed. The next day the hunt began anew, and when the little deer again heard the hunting horn, he could not resist, but said, 'Sister, open the door for me. I must be off.'

"His sister opened the door for him, saying, 'But this evening you must be here again and say the password.'

"When the king saw the young deer with his golden collar,they all chased him, but he was too fast. As evening fell, the huntsmen surrounded him, and one of them wounded him, causing him to limp. Slowly, he ran away. A huntsman crept after him to the little house and heard how he called out, and saw that someone opened the door for him, and then immediately shut it. The huntsman took notice then went to the king and told him what he had seen.

"Then the king said, 'Tomorrow we will continue with our hunt.'

"The little sister was terribly frightened when she saw that her young deer was wounded. She washed the blood off him, applied herbs, and said, 'Go to bed, my sweet deer, so that you will get well again.'

"But the wound was so slight that the next morning the deer no longer felt it. And when he again heard the merry sound of the hunt outside, he said, 'I cannot resist it. I must be there. They'll never get me.'

"Crying, the sister said, 'This time they will kill you, and I will be alone, forsaken by the whole world. I will not let you out.'

"'Then I will die here from grief.'

"Then the sister could not help herself, and with a heavy heart she unlocked the door. The deer vigorously and joyfully bounded off into the woods. When the king saw him he said to his huntsmen, 'Chase after him, but take care that no one does him harm.'

"As soon as the sun had set the king said to the huntsman, 'Now come and show me the little house in the woods.' When he came to the door he knocked and called out, 'Dear little sister, let me in.'

"The door opened, and the king walked in, and there stood a girl who was more beautiful than any girl he had ever seen. The girl was frightened when she saw that it was not her deer, but a man wearing a golden crown. However, the king looked kindly at her, reached out his hand to her, and said, 'Will you go with me to my castle and be my wife?'

"'Oh, yes,' answered the girl. 'But the little deer must go with me. I cannot leave him.'"

"Wait, wait, wait," Loki snapped. "She just said yes. Just like that? That's stupid."

"Loki, quiet. The king said, 'He shall stay with you as long as you live.' Just then he came bounding in, and the sister again tied him to the cord of rushes. She herself took hold of it and walked out of the little house with him.

"The king lifted the beautiful girl onto his horse and took her to his castle within the innermost wall, where their wedding was held. She was now the queen, and they lived happily for a long time. The deer was cared for and cherished, and ran about in the castle garden.

"Now the wicked stepmother heard that they were happy and well off, envy and hatred filled her heart, leaving her no peace. Her only thoughts were how she could bring about their downfall. Her own Titan daughter, who was ugly as night and had only one eye, complained to her, saying, 'I am the one who should have become queen.'

"'Just be quiet,' answered the old woman, then comforted her by saying, 'When the time comes I shall be at hand.'

"As time went by the queen brought a handsome little boy into the world. It happened at a time when the king was out hunting. Then the Titan took the form of the chambermaid, went into the room where the queen was lying and said to her, 'Come, your bath is ready. It will do you good and give you fresh strength. Hurry, before it gets cold.'

"The Titan daughter was also nearby. They carried the queen into the bathroom and put her into the tub. Then they locked the door shut and ran away. Now they had made a fire of such hellish heat in the bathroom that the beautiful young queen suffocated. When this was done the Titan took her daughter, put a nightcap on her head, and laid her in the queen's bed. Furthermore, she gave her the form and appearance of the queen, but she could not replace the missing eye. So the king would not notice, Titan daughter was to lie on the side where she had no eye.

"In the evening when the king came home and heard that he had a son he was delighted. He was about to go to his wife's bed to see how she was, when the Titan quickly called out, 'You must leave the curtains closed. The queen is not yet permitted to look into the light, and she must have rest.'

"The king went away, not knowing a false queen was lying in her bed. At midnight when everyone was asleep, the nurse who was sitting in the nursery by the cradle, and who was the only one still awake, saw the door open and the true queen walk in. She took the child from the cradle, laid him on her arm, and fed him. Then she fluffed his pillow, laid him back down, and covered him with his little quilt. And she did not forget the deer, but went to the corner where he was lying and stroked his back. Then she went back out through the door without saying a word. In this manner she came many nights, never speaking a word. The nurse saw her every time, but she did not dare to tell anyone. After some time had passed, the queen began to speak, saying, 'How is my child? How is my deer? I shall come two more times, then never again.'

"The nurse did not answer her, but when the queen had disappeared, she went to the king and told him everything.

"The king said, 'Good heaven, what is this? Tomorrow night I will keep watch by the child.'

"That evening he went into the nursery, and at midnight the queen appeared and said, 'How is my child? How is my deer? I shall come one more time, then never again.' She fed the child and then disappeared," Erwin paused. "Loki, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I-It's sad. She died and…can't be with her brother."

"What about the king?"

"Fuck him."

"Hey, language. The king did not dare speak to her, but on the following night he kept watch again. Once again she said, 'How is my child? How is my deer? I come this one time, then never again.'

"Now the king could not restrain himself. He jumped towards her, saying, 'You can only be my dear wife.'

"She answered, 'Yes,' and in that moment, she came back to life, fresh, vibrant, and healthy.

"She told the king about the crime that the Titan and her daughter committed against her. The king ordered both to be brought before the court, and a judgment was pronounced against them. They were led into the woods where they were killed by the knights by chopping their necks off. And they burned to ashes. As soon as it came to pass, the deer was transformed, and he received his human form again. And the sister and the brother lived happily together until they died."

Loki sniffled, whipped her eyes and smiled and hugged Erwin. "You're my deer, and I'm going to kick the king's ass if he tries to take you away."

"Loki, language. You remember what happened last time dad heard you saying that stuff."

Oh, Loki remembered. She couldn't sit down for a few days after the spankings she got for cussing while arguing with Erwin.

"Erwin, you're my deer. Am I your deer?"

"Uhm, sure."

"Will you keep me safe from the Titans?"

"Of course I will."

Loki grinned and started running back to town. "Come on, deer. I wanna sneak some veggies before dinner."


A mop of ruddy brown hair, ruffled in disarray, peeked out from underneath thick covers tangled about splayed limbs. An arm stretched outwards, joining a small foot in the search for a cool spot on the bed. Shoulders rose in a hitched breath from under the blankets, and the little girl abruptly turned onto her side, tangling the sheets further. Her eyebrows scrunched together, and a grimace tugged at her mouth, making her upper lip curl. The lightest dusting of freckles peppered the bridge of her nose and cheeks, nearly invisible were it not for the pale hue of her skin. Gold eyes danced beneath closed lids in a frenzy, and a muffled noise of distress escaped the girl's throat.

She tossed again, face burying itself in the sheets, far from where her pillows and doll rested. Fingers clenched around the blankets briefly before her legs kicked them entirely off the edge of the mattress. She shuddered, limbs jerking unconsciously as she was pulled further into the darkness of her nightmare. Then she gasped, sitting upright in her bed, eyes darting about wildly. Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs, shoulders rising and falling in panicked breaths as she fought against the last dregs of terror that remained. Loki shuddered, scrambling out of the large bed and onto the floor.

There was a tiny knock at the door, and that's all the warning Loki gave before she dashed into the room, nearly tripping over a pile of Erwin's clothes, and flopped onto the bed like a dying fish and scuttled under the blankets. Erwin was asleep. She wasted no time pressing herself against him. The movement was enough to wake Erwin from his slumber, and he groaned something incoherent before actually coming to. Loki pulled back only for a short time to let Erwin turn around and wrap his arms around her. Erwin gave a content sigh, rubbing Loki's back and letting their legs intertwine.

Loki was scared of a lot of things, but she'd never admit it. She would only let Erwin, and sometimes daddy see her fear. One of the things she was afraid of was titans, especially after that story Erwin read earlier in the day. After the nightmare she just had, she didn't want to sleep alone. Then again, she always had nightmares when she slept alone. Maybe she could talk Erwin into letting her sleep with him every night.

"What is it this time?" Erwin asked tiredly, still rubbing small circles into Loki's back.

Loki didn't respond at first. "Nightmare." Loki mumbled, nuzzling her head into the nape of Erwin's neck.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Loki let out the tiniest whimper and shook her head.

"Alright. Go back to sleep."

Loki shut her eyes and only burrowed further into her brother's chest, partially scared that the dream was real and he was being eaten by titans while she was forced to watch. When she did fall asleep though, she didn't dream. She slept soundly knowing Erwin was okay.


The story I used was a slightly edited version of "Brother and Sister" by the Grimm brothers