If there's someone who'd forget the very day deemed to be oozing with warmth amidst winter cold, it might be no other than you.

Luckily for you, your boss could remember in your stead—well, no. Erwin specifically gambled that you'd forget, and to amuse himself by winning, he piled you with lots of paperwork the night before. Not fair, he knew, but he never was fair to begin with. He was bored, with nothing amusing to do as his line of work deprived him of appreciating the mundanity of holidays for good.

He got nothing amusing to do and apparently, the number one list on solving that involves you.

With the tick-tock of the clock, bubbling sound of boiling chamomile, and scent of newly baked pie, Erwin was emptily humming in his head; would you forget or would you not? How long would you be spacing out? Would he be given the chance to stare for five solid minutes this time? Would he—

"Commander!" you shrieked from the outside which followed suit with a bang; Erwin just knew it was the sound of your head against the door. Seems like he won, not a minute upon your arrival and you're already in disarray!

But when you opened the door and petals flew alongside your entrance, Erwin had to take back his win.

"I tripped over the flowers at your doorway! I thought your office was a funeral!"

He barely heard you; he was stunned. It never occurred to him that a mixture of you and measly flowers his horse would just step on during a bloody expedition would look so… oh no, has he finally reached that level of "down bad" Hange talks about? How can the Commander be this cliche?

"Why are those in my office?" He knew the answer—it was either his subordinates or admirers, but he didn't think you'd be dumb enough to trip over it.

"I don't know, I was about to ask!" still, you attempted to fix your composure after the unceremonious fall. "The regiment smells so good today and I'm surprised Levi's not the reason why. I almost daydreamed while walking."

You really forgot the occasion which called for his win but he rather felt defeated with the realization of his affection. How strong could you be — to be able to beat him without even knowing? Erwin can only know.

"Have you finished what I asked you to do?"

You frowned, pointed at your eyebags, then handed him heap of documents.

He felt guilty, don't you worry, that's why he's doing as planned. "Good job. Now we have to personally deliver this at the royal palace. Tell me if you're ready to go." He stood up and ushered you to sit as he prepared the meal at the pantry.

"But I just—" you sighed, breathing still ragged from all the running, "I just came here."

Erwin came back with the dessert, "you can space out all day if you want."

"Why?" you shot him a look of doubt, "Are you scheming something?"

Sharp. "The least that I could do for piling you with a day-worth of work, I suppose."

"How long can I rest?"

"As long as you want. I wasn't kidding."

"Heh, I got the best boss." You let out a muffled squeal, "I think I'll apply as a full-time staff member in the regiment once our commission's done."

Erwin just sipped his tea with a cordial smile. He sure as hell would refer you to a much more decent job instead of this one. Not only would you distract him by being too pleasing in the eye, but he also doesn't think he can maintain this professional dynamic any further.

Oh, only if you know.

"Sorry for saying this, Commander, but I feel like I'm being treated to the best trip of my life instead of running errands."

"Then you must have a nice way to look at things. Hange would be whining by now. Continue what you're saying about that bird."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about the bird. I mean, I've never eaten a cake like this. How can this be so good? And this is the first time I've ever been given the opportunity to enter Wall Sina!"

And there could be more opportunities for you if Sina wasn't gatekept to begin with, Erwin decided not to say it though, as he doesn't want to ruin the mood. "The bird," he called your name with a chuckle, "Continue with the bird."

"Okay, so Dudu the bird who learned and sang a new song whose words she did not really know the meaning of," you crooned as if it was a lullaby, "was then caught, killed, and cooked for dinner because in the song, she was actually begging people to kill and cook her! That was it. That was what I read in that book."

"And why do you think you resonate with that bird?"

"Because I'm Dudu, but rather than not knowing the song at all, I think I'd just forget what it means. I'd forget what it means and it would render me to a dinner meal."

Erwin laughed, which kind of surprised you because Erwin never laughs. He chuckles, but never did you hear him laugh.

If you get to space out again, you're certain it's this scene that will play out.

"I'm ranting over my memory issues, Commander. I'm ranting and you're laughing."

He really did take his time, not even bothered if you're offended. After wiping his eyes a little and a last sigh to retain his composure, he said, "All that and yet you still persist in living on your own. You're dead set on being independent when you can rely on people tp address that issue so easily."

"Well, as amusing as this quirk is, I'm not very proud of it. It'll get annoying to the people involved in the long run."

"There are people who'd be willing to take lengths for you, people who'd be so devoted enough to remind what's needed to be reminded."

"Nope, not true."

"It is."

"No."

"Yes, it is."

You're confident to prove a point, "The landlord is too busy with merchants. The headmaster is on the edge of firing me. Moblit is too occupied dealing with Hange. And oh, don't get me started with how Levi would just shout at me if he notices."

Erwin hummed, "Tell me more."

"And Miche wouldn't even bother. And, uh… who else? I don't have many friends… oh, you! You'd be too—"

Oh.

Your thoughts were cut off and it didn't help with how he raised his eyebrows with a smile. "Hm? I'd be too what?"

No, it would be so haphazard of me to assume what I just assumed. "Why are you smiling, Commander?"

"Before you go home, I can arrange your paperwork so you'd know what's needed for tomorrow."

"You already do that."

"There would be a note on what's urgent and what could wait 'til the next day. The documents would be secured nicely in a folder so you won't have much difficulty browsing it."

"You already do that," and oh, how bad you wish that you were as slow at this as you usually are. Maybe by then you wouldn't have much difficulty walking because of a very flushed face.

"Hm, what more could I offer..." he pondered, "Oh, maybe I can have birds knock around your window during daybreak. That's the usual time you wake up. I'll see to it that they wouldn't sing phrases they don't know about.

The usual time you wake up? How did he even manage to remember such trivial information?

"Well, that one you hadn't done yet."

"Then it's settled."

He might've meant that as a friend, right? Friends do care for you a lot. They could offer their time, although limited. They could—oh no.

He said someone who'd be so devoted to you to do so.

So devoted. So devoted. The Commander rarely uses synonyms for too much unless it really is.

You looked at him, a bit too aghast, but instead of calming down he just riled your fluster by saying, "I could offer so much, don't you think so?"

You chuckled nervously, clinging to the last bits of reluctance, "Well, yeah. Not everyone can do that, I suppose."

"Indeed. In fact, I might be the one most fitted for the job."

There, you stopped in your tracks. He took a few steps before halting too.

"W-what do you mean—" you stuttered; the drumming of your chest irked you. You asked it to stop. You really want to hear his answer very clearly. "What do you mean by that?"

He turned to you—hands on the pocket of his green coat with a cordial smile that's just so endearing to see, something that appears often in your daydreams.

It's a knowing smile, too, as if to subtly confirm your doubts. "What do you think?"

"Stop messing around," you glared but quickly turned away to whisper, "you're giving me false hope on this, Commander."

"Come again?" But he heard that loud and clear. It's evident by how his smile got replaced with surprise.

"Never mind that. Come on and—"

"Repeat what you just said." Oh, man. That resolute voice and his quick steps to close the proximity—he's not gonna let you out until he hears it again. "I didn't hear you clearly."

You didn't answer, and instead averted his gaze. He called your name, not sternly but urging. "Repeat that."

"You're giving me false hope on this. You can't just blabber about someone so devoted only to make me realize that you've been doing just that all along." Too ashamed to admit yet defeated with his urging, you continued, "I mean, I just know the headmaster revealed how I've been holding you with affection for a while now, but it doesn't mean you get to play around that!"

When you raised your head again, resolute to berate him, you realized what you just did.

The commander looked genuinely surprised, as if that was the most shocking thing he had ever heard — just as if he was not hearing the most abhorrent truths and seeing the vilest of realities in his line of work.

"Oh my god, the headmaster didn't tell you?"

What clicked next was a smile, insinuating that he got hold of the situation again, that whatever he was scheming tonight had finally been achieved.

"I mean, I would pay him fortunes for that information." The revelation gave him tremendous courage, too. He slowly reached for your hand, clasped his fingers at yours, and lifted it up until it reached his cheeks, "I wonder why he didn't. The headmaster has a thing with money."

"Wha—wait, what are you doing with my hand?"

He gave it a chaste peck without averting his gaze away. "What do you think I'm doing?" As if he wasn't aware of how his eyes, let alone that very whisper, could deprive you of comprehending such a question. It was his usual knowing look — asking things he already knows and acting out situations he knows how would end.

"Are we—" oh, don't hold back on assuming now. He's establishing it loud and clear. "Are we really supposed to work for an errand today?"

He shrugged, but your hands remained on his cheek nonetheless. "Well, where are the papers?"

The inquiry brought you back in fear.

"We didn't bring them with us! I forgot!" But your confusion became a glare upon realizing, "You said you'll be the one to bring it. I didn't forget, It's not my fault!"

"I never said you're at fault."

"Oh? Okay," you quickly fixed your composure, why am I so nervous about this? "Just for the record because I'm always the one at fault for the things that are forgotten."

"Don't worry, I'll never get angry about it." Erwin guided your hand so it'd be wrapped around his waist. He then cupped your cheek and kissed your forehead. "Unless you forget this moment first thing in the morning."

His gesture worked as a spell to awaken you that this is neither a product of your daydreaming nor a fragment brought by the sweet scent of cakes and tea — no, not this time, not from hereon.

And thus it brought you warmth, the warmest amidst winter cold. And as this day can never slip from your mind again, you hugged him tight and replied, "No, in fact, this is what I'll be dreaming for once I space out again."