CHAPTER XIV
"I'm glad everything worked out this morning" she said to the freckled woman next to her while preparing a vegetable soup.
"It did, but that doesn't mean it was easy" Petra commented, somewhat worried. She kept searching for spoons and two glasses "Captain Levi's bet was a bit risky. And the only people who probably knew about it were Hange and Commander Erwin, so you can imagine how frightened everyone was inside that room"
Minutes before, Elia had listened attentively to the story. She knew the trial was going to take place that morning, but she'd kept herself so busy lately that she often lost track of time.
She considered locking herself in that house to just cry but then she thought about her family; they'd have been very disappointed if she did. And there was also another person she didn't want to let down.
"It's a little difficult to picture the situation" she confessed to her friend, stirring distractingly the contents inside the saucepan "Were you scared?"
"Don't get me wrong. I trust them completely, but the rest of the militia isn't the same and they're always against Commander Erwin's methods. But I'm pretty sure the three foresaw the kid would endure the beating without snapping" the redhead stated as soon as she returned from lighting the candlesticks near the dining table "He even lost a back tooth with one single kick".
Elia remembered well her sister's words about him; the man was unimaginably strong and very dangerous, but she knew he was no menace. Not to his friends, allies, or innocents. Unconsciously, she put her hand on her lips, unable to tell what was harder to believe; whether it really happened or the fact that almost two days had passed since it did.
The heat and palpitating sensation of his mouth claiming hers was still too fresh. And despite he'd been demanding, she realized he was also very capable of being gentle; she knew it the second she felt his fingertips on the skin of her chin. Reason why it was a bit hard to imagine him that way, which didn't mean she doubted he could do such thing. He was a soldier, humanity's strongest soldier, and she understood way too perfectly their intentions behind that demonstration of control over the lad. Had he not been brutal, it wouldn't have been convincing.
"Elia, were you listening?" her friend was right next to her and pointing at the soup, boiling and ready "What happened to your mouth?" she asked, tilting her head, quite lost.
"Of course, I was" she answered, apparently calmed, although she turned to get the plates and also tried to hide her sudden blushing "My mouth is fine. I was just wondering if Eren had his gum stitched or something. He probably lost a lot of blood"
"Oh, I see" Petra nodded, accepting her answer, which wasn't a total lie; she did hope he was fine "Well, his first interaction with the Captain surely hurt but…" as they walked to the dining room, Petra hesitated for a second before sharing the information. However, she was positive about Elia not speaking about it. The woman was the kind of person who kept quiet instinctively "When he was introduced to us this afternoon, we were all very surprised to see him fully recovered. Like, one hundred percent healed" Petra's tone was filled with disbelief.
When they sat, Elia seemed confused at first but then she comprehended her words and nodded several times, assimilating it. Given his power, it made sense.
"He heals just like a regular titan" she murmured, thoughtful.
"Exactly. Even his molar was back" the redhead confirmed and grabbed her spoon, but the soup still needed to cool down a little "And that gives us the idea that, no matter the damage he receives, he'll regenerate. Unless his neck is compromised... If he works the same way, of course".
"That's impressive yet at the same time horrifying" Elia gave her opinion "Corroborated or not, this means the poor guy will be able to resist all sorts of things and even so, not die. It's macabre".
"I didn't see it that way, but I think you're right" the redhead mumbled, feeling some empathy towards her new comrade "Convenient for us and everything, it's quite a heavy burden on somebody that young" she said, deep in thought and deciding she'd be friendly with him. The guys weren't as intimidating as her boss, but they were still not easy to approach.
"Well, at least he'll be surrounded by good people" Elia stated and urged her to try the food with a soft smile, to lighten the mood.
"Thank you for the food!" Petra tried the food and pretended to weep, startling her. But then she bowed her head in her direction and continued dining.
"It's just soup, girl" the healer said, smiling for the first time for fun. All thanks to her friend's exaggerated expressions.
"Hey, it's good soup, okay?" the soldier contradicted "Besides, we'll be relocated to who knows where tomorrow, so let me enjoy the last satisfactory meal that I'll have in quite a while" she emphasized, taking another spoonful of soup to her mouth, and savoring it.
"If I knew you'd come, I'd have prepared something better" Elia was thankful for such sincere effusiveness, and even more for her company.
"This is delicious, Elia" Petra reiterated as she put little bits of bread inside the same and then looked at her "Now, tell me about your day".
"I went to the Hospital this morning, to submit my papers to get the certification as a nurse" she explained to her friend "After that I walked around looking for a part-time job".
The big smile on Petra's face made her blush a little.
"That's great!" she was so enthusiastic about it. It was a relief that Elia had decided to do that rather than falling apart "What did they say at the Hospital? Did you find a job?
"Since they're always in need for personnel, and I have previous experience, I was told that I'd take a test to determine my knowledge in the field. This consist of a written and a practical part. And the results will determine where they'll integrate me" she explained and finished her own food before answering the other question "About work, I'm still looking. But I trust I'll get something soon enough".
The victims and damaged infrastructures weren't the only consequences that Trost suffered. The district's economy had suffered considerable losses and so, many people decided to move inside Wall Rose's territory. Even some habitants from the city outside the gate were leaving, although that was due to the fear of a new attack.
It was no surprise that the government wasn't doing anything to help the situation, except for the one occasion they donated some food… if anyone could call moldy bread such thing. Elia considered it a humiliation towards the people; it was a fortune that the merchant's guild hadn't given up.
"I see. And when will you take this evaluation?" the redhead asked, and Elia noticed she hadn't touched her plate in a while, realizing it was because she'd finished minutes before.
The healer knew her friend's stomach too well not to remember she was probably still hungry. Reason why she stood up and grabbed her empty dish.
"Can I get you some more soup?" The least she could do was showing great hospitality to her old friend. Besides, she was going to have a cup of tea either way.
"Yes, please!" Petra accepted, with a big an eager smile. And right then, Elia recalled the little version of herself, around twenty years ago and doing the exact same expression.
It was so comforting to be able to have moments like this with her. Especially when Petra's vibes and genuine gentleness was so contagious, and it really made her feel better. Even hopeful.
Two nights before, that man had done something similar, except his energy and soothing actions provided a completely different type of consolation to her heart. One she was no indifferent to, but she wasn't ready to go deeper about it yet. Elia sighed and then shook her head, trying to let it go for now and go back to her friend's side.
As soon as she glanced at her, she knew she was looking forward to her second ration.
"Go on, answer my question now" the soldier continued to eat. But since she got no immediate response, she looked up and raised an eyebrow at her expression "Um, about the evaluation..." she offered and slightly laughed, amused at her confusion.
"Right!" Elia nodded several times, leaving her drink on the table "They said I'd have two weeks to prepare myself, but I assured them I could do it sooner" she shrugged. It wasn't overconfidence from her part; she just knew she didn't need that because she'd worked in the field for years "Therefore, I'll do it tomorrow at noon".
"It makes sense" her friend conceded, remembering how much Elia already knew about healing when she was only thirteen "I'm sure you'll do great" she winked at her.
"I hope so" Elia mumbled, really hoping to approve in order to work with people.
"You just need to trust your knowledge, woman" Petra recommended while finishing her soup and decided to discreetly try finding out more about her story with Captain Levi "Now tell me, what happened after we left you at the cemetery".
Elia was startled by her question, so much so that she briefly choked on her drink.
"What do you mean?" according to her mother, it was always better to ask rather than assume things.
She doubted Petra would know anything about the Captain's last visit, even less about what happened between the two of them. Unless she somehow saw him carrying her there or something. She had no way of knowing.
"I was worried to leave you there on your own, but I figured you wanted some time alone to say goodbye to your sister. Only that tall guy stayed, and we had no right to ask him to go with us" Petra explained, and hid her reaction to Elia's sudden nervousness, seconds ago "I imagined he'd stayed to talk to you or at least accompany you home. He looked really bad, and hesitant on what to do".
"I couldn't say" the healer replied earnestly, relieved to see this was going in a different direction "Garrett didn't talk to me after he approached to my sister nor say goodbye. But yeah, it's true he was devastated; he probably never thought she'd be gone this soon".
"I kinda feel a bit sorry for him" the redhead said, remembering how affected he'd been "However, given our line of work, he should know how likely is for us to perish" Elia's expression darkened a little "By the way, he came along with Gunther and the doctor that night. That's how he found out about it. He wept for quite a while" she began to explain but her friend's sad smile said it was ok.
"I figured something like that had happened" Elia said and then analyzed Petra's words "Knowing Garret, he probably regrets wasting so many years away from her. Afraid to face the situation and find out if she still had feelings for him, which I doubt. Ilva changed when he left".
"Have you forgiven him?" the soldier asked, considering the crazy possibility of a love triangle and how her boss would take that. She had no idea which kind of man he'd be, and that was both interesting and terrifying.
"The only person to forgive him is himself, Petra. I cannot judge him for the choices he made; I have no idea if I'd have done the same" the healer explained and drank what was left of her tea "But I'm sorry for him too, because even with all that, he really missed my sister. He wasn't even wearing his uniform, and I'm sure that was to not offend her".
"You're right" the redhead nodded slowly, several times. But then chose to address the subject more directly "What about Captain Levi?"
Fortunately, at that moment she hadn't been drinking anything. And only her eyes betrayed her for a second before composing herself and manage to look as stoic as possible. For some unexplainable reason, she didn't want to talk about what was happening or not happening with him. She needed time before that.
"What about him?" Elia asked, calm on the outside but trying to control her thoughts on the inside, or she'd blush again.
"Did he go to the cemetery?" Petra asked, suspecting that something strange was happening there. Elia kept quiet, but she was sure she saw her a little nervous when she mentioned him "We didn't see him anywhere that day. I thought he was going to attend".
"He did" Even if she wasn't going to share anything related to how he kissed her, it wasn't right to lie about that part "He arrived when everyone had already left. He said he couldn't make it before, but he walked me back home because it was late and already dark. And then, he left.
Narrowing her gaze, Petra looked at her intently, trying to see anything but she could tell that Elia wasn't sharing much on the subject, deliberately. She breathed out, resigned.
"Well, at least that didn't happen while your former friend was still around" the freckled woman remarked.
"I doubt he'd have lost his temper like last time, Petra" Elia said, knowing she made herself clear last time. Hopefully, he understood he wasn't going to get anywhere with another outburst "Garrett may be a little impulsive sometimes, but he's a good person".
"You may be right, but with the Military Police is always best to watch your back and be careful, woman" the soldier pointed out. She was going to say with a jealous man but restrained from it at the realization that Elia wasn't going to drop anything concerning her boss.
"Don't worry about that" she said with conviction "I'm aware his division isn't quite respectable, but he's not like that. His decision to join them wasn't just to run away, but also to provide a better life to his parents".
"Alright, girl. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt" Petra conceded, and then smiled grateful "Thank you for the lovely dinner, my friend. And no, don't say it's nothing. That's offensive for someone like me, with cooking skills very similar to my father's, okey?" she stated as soon as she saw Elia was going to say that. And then made a face.
The healer only laughed at her expression and nodded obediently, reassuring she wouldn't say anything like it.
My culinary skills are non-existent… Suddenly, she heard his voice and the echo of something he'd said once. During that one morning when he'd been sitting exactly where Petra was now.
Elia stood up abruptly and headed towards her kitchen as she carried the empty cup of tea with her. She had to; otherwise, her friend would have noticed the unexpected and undeniable blush of her face.
It wasn't one of the most demanding jobs she ever had, but at least the payment wasn't so bad, considering the small number of customers. And despite the place was in the city outside Trost, right at the other side of the gate, her home was only twelve minutes away from it.
The only slightly awkward thing about it was the boy whom she had to work with during the evenings, who happened to be Mr. Lee's son.
Mr. Lee was the owner of the shop. A nice but strict man in his sixties, who asked her to run his store and teach his oldest son about the trade. The boy was still sixteen and he'd no idea about the business, and especially how to talk to people because he was very shy. His father had tried before but since he was usually travelling to get special merchandise, and wasn't too patient, his progress was unsuccessful. And so, she was there to try a new kind of training.
Elia had been working there for almost two weeks since her family's funeral, and although some days were emotionally difficult, she was very glad about her decision to immerse herself in her studies, and this job as a complement. All thanks to a person at the Hospital.
Griselda Green. The nurse she met when Ilva was still hospitalized, and who also had visited their home two days before her sister's passing.
Since Elia had exceeded both, the written and practical test, she'd been transferred to trainees' level and this woman was now her direct mentor at the hospital, where she was currently working under supervision. And she'd been the connection to Mr. Lee, who needed someone with previous experience on managing a store.
"Umm, Miss?" the lad interrupted her thoughts while she was working on the inventory for the week ahead.
She'd just noticed they were running short on flour, oil, and some seeds, among other things. And Elia had been so focused on writing down the names of those seeds that Thomas had to wave his arm in front of her face to be noticed.
"I'm sorry but I believe someone's looking for you" he said and looked down, probably embarrassed.
"Tom. I told you before that you can call me by my name" the healer repeated to him as she finished the list and left them on the counter. There was an encouraging smile on her face while his was apologetic.
Elia looked over the young man's shoulder to see what this was about but there was no one inside the store at that moment.
"The man walked outside" he clarified when he saw her searching for that person "He said he'd wait until your shift was over".
"Did he say his name or anything?" despite she knew how to defend herself, it was better to stay alert and also avoid a dangerous situation if this person was a stranger or a customer who turned out to be a jerk.
"He didn't say his name" Tom scratched his head, trying to remember something "But he seemed to know you. It was a tall blond guy with a beard, he was a bit broad too" if he considered him tall it meant taller than him, who was only sixteen but already ten centimeters taller than her.
"Green eyes?" she asked, guessing who it was. Tom nodding affirmatively only corroborate her suspicion "That must be Garrett".
"He..." her partner mumbled, quite reluctant but his curiosity was bigger "Is he your boyfriend?"
"At this moment of my life there's just a lot to deal with, and a boyfriend isn't my priority, Tom" she replied with a wistful smile.
Elia realized the boy had a particular interest in her. Not a crush or anything similar; it was more like a sibling's kind of bond. And an understandable one, given he'd been an only child and she knew how lonely that was for some people.
Besides, he usually asked for her help whenever certain customer showed up at the store, like this one girl he'd been unable to talk to because he was too shy and got all anxious about it.
"You'd make a nice couple" the boy made the comment more to himself than anything, but she still heard. After that, he turned to her again "Should I tell him to wait or leave?"
"You can tell him that if he wants, he may wait a couple minutes. I need to have the inventory ready for your father before I leave today" she explained. There was no need to say anything about his first comment.
Thomas nodded, headed outside the store, and came back a couple seconds later to finish his own duties.
Elia on the other hand, wondered how he found her there because she hadn't seen him since Ilva's funeral. No matter... she thought and shrugged, focus on her own part, as diligent as ever. She didn't want to disappoint Mr. Lee nor the person who recommended her to him.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Tom" she bid farewell to the lad while grabbing her jacket and bag.
"Until tomorrow, Miss" he replied, and then smiled nervously at her grin and little laughter. It was so rare to meet someone these young addressing her like that way, but at the same time she thought it was cute and spoke very highly of the teenager.
Once outside, the healer adjusted her the cap of her jacket to cover her ears from the cold breeze and looked around, but no one was there so she assumed the man had left. It was right then that she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"I was about to touch your shoulder, but since it's dark and there aren't many people around here, I preferred not to take the risk" His tone was friendly and amused "You may look fragile, but I remember well you hit pretty hard".
She smiled softly, glad to hear him but also filled with nostalgia to think about every lesson Ilva had given to her, and the sporadic training sessions they had alongside him. But she didn't want to get off on the wrong foot, so she turned and smirked at him.
"You may not deserve it, but I can never be too careful about watching my back" she offered before greeting him "How are you, Garrett?"
"Hello, Miss Elia" he said, holding out his hand in peace.
"Don't know if you've been informed about it, but you're twenty-four, you know?" she reminded him and shook his hand with a friendly smile as she looked straight in his eyes "We've known each other for way too long for you to keep calling me Miss".
Her words and gesture raised a smile from him, and the tension on his shoulders disappeared.
"Some habits are not that easy to change" he said and winked at her this time "But I'll try to remember, Elia".
"See?" she pointed out "It's not that terrible".
"Were you going home?" he asked, probably certain of her answer considering how dark it was getting.
They were having a normal conversation, exactly the way two old friends would do. It didn't feel uncomfortable, but the contrary, and Garrett was behaving in a civilized way, just like he usually did; there was no sign of the hostile and unreasonable man from weeks ago, and that made her joyous because she'd also missed him.
"Indeed, I was" she checked how late it was in her father's pocket watch "You're welcome to accompany me for a while if you want. I'm freezing here already" she complaint and took a scarf out of her bag to cover her neck.
He smiled once again and walked beside her. They advanced in no hurry while exchanging the usual kind of information people used to do whenever they've lost contact.
"By the way, how did you find the shop where I work?" she wanted to know.
"It's hard to believe, but it was a mere coincidence" Garret explained. They'd just reached the gates connecting Wall Rose to Trost district "I had the day off, so I decided to visit Mom for a couple hours. But when I was on my way there, I saw you across the street, and then you entered that place.
"What if I was just getting something from the store?" Despite not doubting his story, she wanted to know. The only other person who knew about her job was Griselda, and he had no way to know who she was.
"Well, after I saw you coming in, I figured it myself. The way that boy was greeting you is not how you'd say hello to a customer" he remarked.
"You didn't stay the entire afternoon outside, did you?" she asked, somewhat horrified "You could have come in and say hi".
"As I said, I was on my way to Mom's" he assured her "But I decided to stop by before reaching our facility. And the kid at the store told me you were still inside, so I waited".
"His name is Thomas" she emphasized "It's some sort of pupil of mine. Fortunately, very committed. I'm surprised he spoke to you; he's very timid" she mumbled "But maybe he's only shy around women".
"That makes more sense" her friend agreed, but then he asked what he really wanted to know. Especially now that they were close to her place "So what have you been doing lately? I came see you the other day, but no one answered".
"Well, you already know I'm working at Mr. Lee's shop, for a while at least and only during the afternoons. Aside from that, I spend most of my time at the hospital" she explained with enthusiasm.
"Are you sick?" Garrett asked, oblivious to her excitement.
"No" she stated and then looked to her side, at the few lights visible in the sky. Her expression was serene, but her eyes were full of determination and some hope "I'm studying to get my certification as a nurse".
"Really?" she stared back at him and noticed he was truly happy for her "That's great news, Elia!"
The healer smiled, grateful at his sincere words. Forgetting about their last conversation and the conflict in it; she was happy for this instance with a friend she thought lost. She even imagined her sister would have been content to see him and everything, despite her initial hurt; Ilva never showed anger towards him, unlike her. But she comprehended now that it was because the girl knew why he walked away.
"I'm an intern at the moment" she clarified at his approving smile "Just assisting my superiors and working sometimes under supervision".
"Wow, you're going fast" she could tell he was impressed "I have an acquaintance inside Sina's medical area, but it took her at least two years to do that after finishing her studies".
"I submitted the documents about my experience as a healer and a herbalist, and they decided to evaluate my skills" she was explaining without that many details and shrugged.
"You've been working in the field for years, so it's reasonable. However, why are you only doing it now?" he obviously had no clue about her old responsibilities at her parent's business and was curious to know.
"Because now I can, and also because I want to be able to help more actively to the people here, and most of all, to support those who fight for them" Elia said in all earnestness and overlooked his opinion about them. But she wasn't going to apologize or anything.
She noticed how he suddenly stopped, and so she turned to look at him. He clearly didn't like her answer, but he just stood there, completely silent for some time and it seemed like he was deciding what to say. Probably afraid to screw things up again.
"Garrett?" she pressed because she was freezing outside.
"I'm glad you're doing what you really want with your life, Elia" he said respectfully, and managed to keep his real thoughts for himself "I'm sorry but I must get up before dawn and I need to do some stuff before bedtime, so I'd better get going".
"Take care, Garrett" Elia gave him a kind smile "Give my regards to Mrs. Holt next time you see her".
"I will, but I won't tell her about your workplace, or she'll show up at the store way too frequently" he warned her, and he looked a bit more relaxed than a few seconds ago "I'll see you around, Elia" he said, already walking away.
The woman turned to continue her way, appreciating how matured he'd been and how civilized he behaved this time. She knew people didn't change that fast, but this was probably something triggered by her sister's death and how it affected him. Because he undeniably loved Ilva, in the same way that she had loved him: as a little brother.
It's good to know you're learning, Garrett, Elia said on the inside, happy about the idea of rebuilding the bond between them. She hoped so at least.
I know, I missed him here too but I promise, best is yet to come.
Thanks for the comments I've received; they're really heart-warming and motivating.
Namárië