Eren kept close on the Corporal's heels the entire way back. Walking the halls took a fair bit longer than flying through them and it gave him plenty of time to process everything that had occurred. Meeting Irwin, getting a job, seeing a familiar face… Eren forced his aching body into a jog until he was side-by-side with the Corporal.

"Hey," he said.

"Keep quiet, brat," was the growled response and Eren nodded, though admittedly he slumped a little bit too. It made sense though, right? They were still so close to Irwin's office. They couldn't talk here. He knew that. He wasn't stupid. Eren picked up his pace, chewing on a dirtied knuckled.

"That's disgusting," Corporal said. He slapped his hand away.

Nothing else was said until they reached the elevator.

The doors closed, Eren watched them fall three floors… and then he broke. He closed the distance between them and grabbed ahold of the Corporal's tunic. He grinned and continued grinning, even when he was shoved away.

"I did it," Eren crowed, stumbling only a little. "I did it! I got that bastard to give me a job so that's it right? Where are my parents? Where's Mikasa? I got the job, now I want to go home. Corporal? Hey!"

He only stared straight ahead. Eren barely got a twitch when he shoved him—hard. Another hit landed against his ribs. After a few more frustrated blows—and screams—Eren came around to the front. He stood toe-to-toe with the Corporal and did his best to emphasize their height difference. He may have been a kid, but he was a tall kid and he could definitely kick this guy's ass if he wanted to and god dammit, why wouldn't he say anything?

"Talk to me," Eren demanded. When that didn't work he glanced worriedly back at the elevator's decreasing numbers. Vibrating, he added a tart, "Please?"

"Are you done then?" the Corporal asked. He raised an eyebrow at Eren, looking every bit the disapproving adult.

"You sound like Irwin when you say that," Eren shot back. He'd barely gotten past "Irwin" before he was doubled over, the Corporal's fist pulling back. Eren choked on the pain exploding around his stomach but before he could collapse completely he felt small—and obviously lethal—hands hauling him back up.

"Don't insult me, shitty brat." The Corporal hissed. "I'm willing to put up with a lot, but being compared to that… beast is not something I tolerate. Got it?" Eren nodded frantically. "Now listen, and listen closely." The Corporal's eyes flicked up. They were almost to the first floor. "You need to be smart to survive this hell hole and alienating your one fucking ally is about as smart as the decisions that landed you here in the first place. I'm not the fuckwit human who got himself stuck in the spirit world, am I?"

Eren shook his head this time. His nose was nearly pressed against the Corporal's collarbone. He felt it when Corporal suddenly let out a sigh and before Eren knew what was happening, a far more comforting hand was pressed against the back of his head, encouraging him to lean in. He flinched.

"C'mon. Relax, brat." The Corporal said. His fingers began hesitantly carding through his hair. "I'm not going to hit you again. Fuck. I didn't mean to hit you in the first place. I just—shit. Just don't compare me to him, okay? Aw no, kid, fucking hell. Don't cry—"

It was pretty ridiculous considering that there wasn't anything to even cry about. Honestly, Eren had been hit way harder by idiots around his village and now, pliant and sniffling against the Corporal's neck, he realized that his stomach barely hurt anymore. It was fine. The Corporal knew what he was about. Talk shit get hit, right? He could take it…

But god if Eren didn't feel like he was breath away from collapsing. A low buzzing still filled his ears and it took him a minute to realize that the Corporal was still talking.

"—you gotta be smart, you hear me? That means not gossiping like a shitty old lady about this cluster-fuck. Ever. Not unless I give the okay. If you do Irwin will be on us faster than flies on shit. Keep a low profile, brat, for fuck's sake."

A low profile? For how long? "

I'm not going home anytime soon, am I?" Eren asked. His lips felt swollen.

The Corporal's fingers tightened for just a second. Then he was pushing Eren away. "No," he answered. "Not likely. Now pull yourself together. I'm not your friend out there, kid, I'm Irwin's dog. You say 'yes, sir' and try not to piss anyone off. It'll be hard, I know, but fuck me if I'm not an optimist." The Corporal hesitated, drawing in on himself just a bit. It was enough of a change to perk Eren up.

"Corporal?"

The elevator began to slow. The Corporal fidgeted. Just a little.

"We okay, brat?" he finally asked.

Were they? Eren ran a hand over his stomach… then extended it. "Yeah," he said, sincerely. "We're fine."

"Good. Then follow my lead."

Instead of taking Eren's hand Corporal grabbed his forearm, dragging him backwards out of the elevator as soon as the doors pulled opened. Well used to this by now Eren just peddled backwards. He was too tired to put up a fight anyway.

They came out into what appeared to be a kitchen area. Countertops laden with ingredients lined the walls and behind them stood spirits of every sort, chopping, stewing, salting, and plating dishes that were then whisked away as quickly as they were made. Sluggishly, Eren wondered if Marco was down here somewhere and if Jean had found him yet. He started peering at every human-ish boy, rejecting almost twenty before he remembered that he hadn't a clue what Marco looked like. Hell, Eren didn't even know if he was a human-looking spirit. Jean might well be dating one of the toads.

"That would work," Eren muttered to himself, scrubbing at his eyes. "He kinda looks like a horse. The horse and the toad. How romantic."

"What are you going on about, brat?"

"Nothing."

"Then shut up." Corporal dragged him further, right into the thick of a growing crowd. They stopped abruptly and Eren plowed into the back of his legs, nearly groaning at the soft cotton against his cheek, better than any pillow. Finally, with them holding still he noticed that more than one spirit was now shooting looks their way. Some regarded Corporal with a combination of respect, envy, and even a little fear, while those close enough to smell Eren plugged their noses and hurried away. He only huffed at them in turn but gave up on passivity when one fishy-looking spirit flapped a fin at him in a gesture that, despite having no fingers, was obviously meant to insult. Eren raised his own hand in retaliation… then dropped it. He was just too tired.

"Soon, kid." Corporal whispered and then his voice rose above all their heads. "Listen up! Yes, that means you too, asshole. You'd best be taking a shit; that's the only reason you should be scowling at me like that. The rest of you: get your heads outta your asses and pipe down. We've got a newbie here." Corporal shook Eren by one shoulder until he felt like a bobble-head. "Scrawny, kinda stupid, but worth more than half of you shits put together. Who wants him?"

Silence. Then, like a wave rising dozens of voices started calling out at once. Most of it wasn't exactly complimentary. One voice stood above the rest though and Eren realized it was purely due to proximity. Another toad waved a cleaver at his back, grunting at him in a hiccupping, gravely voice.

"What am I supposed to do with him?" he said. "Scrawny is right! No guest wants to be eating that."

Corporal drawled that he wasn't suggesting anything of the kind at the same time that Eren fearfully pulled closer. The hand at his shoulder tightened and Eren could feel Corporal's nails digging through his T-shirt. He was pretty sure that anger wasn't directed his way though and that knowledge warmed the cold spots in his stomach left over from his… encounter with Irwin. Eren leaned back until he felt the press of Corporal's sword. Yawning, he settled for tightly crossing his arms.

"See that!" Another called out. "I knew he'd be lazy. He's not coming with me."

"All humans are lazy. Liars too. And they smell."

"Boy, do they ever!"

"I can smell him from here…"

"—not getting near my food I'm telling you that—"

"Honestly, how disgusting—"

"Oi, shut it, you dipshits." Corporal scrubbed the hand not keeping Eren close through his hair. He let out a sign only one person was close enough to hear. "A few hours of eating our food and his smell will go away, alright?—not that any of you are in a position to complain. Fucking hypocrites. Listen, I'm not asking here. He's already got a contract with Irwin signed and dated." That drew a surprised murmur from the crowd. "So who'll it be? Don't worry about work ethic. I've already promised the brat that I'll cut off his legs if he doesn't pull his weight; right at the knees, so quit bitching." Against the fold of Corporal's sleeve Eren hid a smile, remembering their first meeting. He laughed deliriously, even as the crowd grew complacent, their words more considering. "Come on, come on. I have a dump of my own to take you know—"

"I'll take him!"

Everyone turned as something with mussed hair and thick glasses pushed its way through. Eren didn't know whether to keep laughing or stop crying… or maybe just run away all together. His leaden legs wouldn't get him far, but he could try.

"Hi, Hanji." He murmured.

"Heeeeey. Wow. You really made it, didn't you? Look at my little human boy. I'm so proud!" With little warning—other than Corporal getting out of the way—Hanji scooped Eren up into her arms. She was surprisingly strong, supporting his upper-body completely while his feet dangled a few inches off the ground. Eren thought about pushing her away, but was it really worth it? Besides, Hanji had been working with some kind of dough. Specks of flour were dotted along her neck and there was a yeasty smell still clinging to her hair. Eren nodded in defeat until his head rested against her shoulder. He closed his eyes and imagined that maybe, just maybe, he and Mikasa were waiting at home for their bread to finish. Please, please, maybe.

Instead Hanji dumped Eren back onto his feet. Around them the crowd was dispersing, no doubt relieved and eager to scurry away.

"There you go," Eren heard one girl whisper. "Hanji's crazy about humans! That's perfect then."

Her friend giggled. "They're made for each other… if you get my meaning."

"Oh ew, ew, ewwwwww!"

Hanji ignored them all. Turning Eren so that she could wrap her arms about his shoulders—which really, really wasn't helping—she grinned down at Corporal. He scowled in turn.

"You're a girl, four-eyes," he said.

"Yeah I am." Hanji experimentally poked at a boob. "So?"

"So you can't go taking the brat off to your residence hall."

"Says who? Is there a rule against it? C'mon, Corporal, captain, sir! Who else is going to take this cutie?"

"No one, sir." Eren answered for her. He shrugged. "I don't mind. Really." Sure, it would be a little weird sleeping with a bunch of girls but it wasn't as if he and his mom hadn't slept together before and he'd shared a bed with Mikasa since the day she'd come home. Any bed, even one shared with a toad, sounded absolutely amazing right now.

Corporal opened his mouth, no doubt to argue further, but at that moment a low whistle sounded around them. Eren jumped slightly—it was just like when Irwin had spoken to him in the hall, directly next to his ear. Hanji stiffened and Corporal's face twisted into something awful; something that made Eren look away and convinced him that he hadn't really been scowling before. He was now though. No one else seemed to hear the awful sound though. They just went along with their complex, bustling business.

Corporal turned sharply on his heel. "That's Irwin. You got him?"

Hanji's nodded. "Sure thing, sir."

"Good."

"Wait—"

But without looking back Corporal flew off, his feet once more impossibly skimming the ground. Eren watched him until he was lost to the crowd and when he was gone he furiously squashed the urge to call him back again. That wouldn't be smart of course. Eren understood that now.

"He'll be okay?" he asked instead.

"Corporal? You betcha. His social skills might be, ah, in short supply," Hanji snickered. "But he's as strong as they come. Stronger, probably. C'mon now, I'm more worried about you. Do all you humans get tired so easily?"

Eren yawned in answer as Hanji started trotting them through the kitchens. Everyone continued to move aside as they passed, noses up and turned away. Eren could care less. Each step felt like agony, with the balls of his feet aching and his calves shivering like jelly. Smells of sauces and fish wafted past and in the pit of his stomach Eren felt a churning that might have been hunger. He ignored it. Even if someone had offered him food he wouldn't have taken it, the effort of eating too tiring to contemplate. Eren relied entirely on Hanji to guide them, letting her endless babble rock him soothingly.

"—won't mind it here, we're not a bad bunch, I swear! And I'll help you out. Don't go worrying about that. But seriously though—seriously—whatever you need just ask. We're friends, right? Jean's a big fan of yours now too, not that he'll admit it, and Marco will love you. He loves everyone. And Krista! I definitely have to introduce you two later. She's, oh, about six hundred years older than you? Something like that. You look the same age though, isn't that funny? You humans, always changing. It's fascinating. Hmm… Ymir might take some convincing though. 'Territorial' is a pretty good word—"

Eren nodded endlessly, hearing none of it. That is, until a sharp nail poked his side.

"What?"

"I said, what's your name?" Eren froze but Hanji just scooted him along, smiling just a little too much. "It happens!" She reassured. "But it's weird, huh? We knew each other and everything, met before, blah blah blah. I'm sure you mentioned your name when we met, right? But now? Poof! Right outta my head. Like I said, it happens with some employees, but you gotta admit, it is a little strange. Oh well. I must just be scatter brained I guess."

Hanji was laying it on more than a little thick. She side-eyed him with another smile that was somehow devastated. She knew exactly what Irwin had taken from him, even if she couldn't remember his name herself.

Eren choked. He hadn't even realized it but a part of him had hoped that Hanji would remember his name—somehow. He tried to form the syllabus through pure muscle memory but, just like in Irwin's office, they wouldn't come… and Eren was almost too tired to care.

Almost.

"Shifter," he whispered eventually.

"Shifter, huh? That's… nice."

"No it's not."

Hanji didn't press the issue.

It hardly mattered. He'd be leaving soon enough that that no one would need to know his name.

Right?

Before he knew it they were in a large, multi-windowed room that was located who only knew where in this labyrinth. Consumed with manic energy Hanji threw open a cupboard and began pulling out uniforms, letting the stacks on the bottom hazardously tumble out. The whole time she kept talking. Eren was suddenly, unquestionably sure that she talked in her sleep as well.

She sucked on her lower lip. "Human, human. You don't make this easy do you? You're such a tiny thing. None of this is going to fit you…"

Without the momentum of walking gone standing just seemed too much. Slowly Eren sunk down until he was sitting on his heels, arms clasped around his knees and forehead buried between them.

"I don't feel so good," he admitted to the floor.

"Oh, poor thing." Briefly there were fingers in his hair and for one horrible moment Eren thought he was going to cry—again. But he knew that if he started now, with his eyes already stinging from lack of sleep, he'd never ever stop. He'd cry and cry until his tears filled up the entire room, until all the mats scattered around his feet were floating in his own salt ocean. He'd be like Alice, stupid, lucky Alice whose family was right above her head, just a dream away. Eren pinched his knees until they burned. His story wasn't a dream though and unlike Alice he hadn't been a stupid kid chasing rabbits down hole. He'd told his family they shouldn't eat there. He'd told them and they didn't listen! It wasn't fair and if Eren had been able to feel anything other than exhaustion he might have been angry too.

"Here we are." Hanji's voice was softer now. She gently unfurled him. "I found one that's munchkin-sized in the back." She proudly held up the shirt, pant, and apron combo.

"Have you read the Wizard of Oz?" Eren slurred. He tugged his grass-stained t-shirt over his head.

"Wizard? Irwin's the only wizard in these parts, Eren. Besides… well, never mind. Here, step into these. Now is Oz a human city? You've got so many of them I can't keep track."

Eren fumbled with the pant's drawstring. Hanji set his hands aside. "No. It's a story. Dad used to tell it to me..."

"Ah." It was clear from Hanji's tone she had little idea what to make of that.

"You said 'munchkin.'" Eren accused.

"Silly, munchkins work in the supply rooms. We're just lucky one of their uniforms got mixed in with our load."

"…Oh." Eren followed Hanji into an adjacent room, this one already stuffed with sleeping occupants. Coordination gone, he couldn't exactly tiptoe amongst the girls so Hanji just scooped him up. Within seconds Eren was settled on a free mat in the far corner, a blanket drawn up to his chin. It was a dark blue color and the wool rippled when Hanji tugged at it. Eren shut his eyes.

"You know Alice?" he asked, picturing droplets behind his eyelids. They fell steadily like rain. Or maybe tears.

"No, human." Hanji's voice came from far away. "Sleep now, kiddo. Go on."

Eren opened his mouth—don't call me kiddo—but all that came out was a sigh. He followed the expelled air and rolled to his side, curling into a protective ball. There, warm beneath his blanket and Hanji's hands, Eren slept.

If the meadow they'd stumbled across on moving day had been beautiful, it was nothing compared to this. Flowers—in rows so tall and dense they resembled a forest far more than they did a garden. The smell was heady but not overpowering, the temperature warm but not humid. Eren saw petals in every shade of beauty imaginable, a variety so great that even his mom would have difficulty naming them all.

His mom. Where was she?

As if summoning her Eren felt another hand in his, tugging him along. They were moving, the flowers brushing against them as they passed with gentleness attributable to old friends. Eren looked down, expecting to see his mother's clean-cut nails, but the fingers were shorter, bearing a different kind of grace. They were small and warm—but not Mikasa's—unquestionably a man's—but not his father's. Eren flexed his fingers and felt callouses brushing his skin.

"Who are you?" he asked. His voice was lost among the flowers.

Eren looked up, his head weighted, and this time there was a body for him to see. It was indeed a man. Tinnier than him, but with muscles roping up along his arms. He had black hair that contrasted with the pastels around them and two swords strapped formidably to his waist. Straining his ears Eren could just make out the rhythmic clank as the knocked against his legs, but mostly his mind was filled with the rustle of flowers.

"Who are you?" Eren asked again. He received no answer. The man did not turn.

Eren followed him anyway.

It was some time, a time of nothing but flowers and footfalls, before Eren realized that they were picking up the pace. From a walk, to a trot, to a full out jog. Their arms were no longer bent and brushing but extended until Eren felt his shoulder straining to keep up. Still the hand urged him on. The flowers did too. Instead of swaying peacefully now, an unseen wind had entered to beat at their stems. They tangled amongst each other and battered Eren's face. He tried to call out—who are you, stop, please—but when he did another flower brushed his cheek. This time Eren came away wet.

Wet. He lifted his other hand and felt the moisture seeping away. Dew? No. Too much, too much. The flowers were growing closer and each time they touched him Eren felt cold, wet remains. The man pulled him through an underpass of ivy—running now, outright sprinting—and as they entered a shower fell on them both. Eren flung the water from his eyes… then wished that he still couldn't see.

The flowers were melting. Their stems ran into the earth and their petals scattered droplets like seeds. The ground around them was sloshing now. Eren felt his sneakers fill; then the water touched his bear legs, working its way up his calves. Gasping, he reached forward to clasp the man's arm with his other hand. Eren didn't care if his fingernails cut, he needed the man to turn and notice him. He needed help. He needed, needed something because otherwise he was going to—

Drown.

On the next step Eren plunged into water that went infinitely over his head. A sea. He scrambled to keep hold of the man's hand but it was already gone. Wrenched away. The only thing that kept Eren from screaming was the knowledge that, if he did, gallons of the water would pour into his stomach and flood his lungs. All he could do was stare upwards at the fading sunlight, shaking as he was dragged deeper and deeper below. On his left a few of the flowers floated past, their petals bloated.

Then—a breach. Something tore through that patch of sunlight, now no bigger than a quarter. Eren knew it could only be the man. The one he'd been following. Trusting. His face was in shadow but his arms pushed through the water, blindingly white against the sea's blue tones. Eren reached up desperately, instinctually. After all, this felt familiar. He thought about reaching with his right hand as well as his left, but wasn't it already holding something? Something important. He kept a tight hold on a girl's wrist while his other hand fought against the waves. Reaching. Keep reaching.

Then the man was there. But he wasn't a man. Eren couldn't see, his eyes burned with salt and his body was numb with cold. Something was there though, and it looked like he was mouthing something. His name. What was his name? He couldn't remember, and the man couldn't be saying it because he wasn't a man and he didn't have a mouth like a man did. Eren heard it though, rippling through his mind like the sea between his ears. But he couldn't grasp at it and, god, he didn't care because this something was here right when Eren needed it—the girl needed it too (was she okay? Please let her be okay)— it was reaching for him. Them. Eren reached back with everything he had and when his fingers finally connected he felt the touch of scales—

Then he awoke.

With a watery gasp Eren shot up, clutching his left hand. Had he been dreaming? Someone had just touched him. Hadn't they?

"Corporal?" He asked, but no one was there.

Well, that wasn't entirely true.

Eren scrubbed the grit from his eyes and blearily looked around. He was in a room with maybe twenty other people, spirits, and all of them sound asleep. Sitting up completely a blue blanket puddled in his lap. Eren couldn't remember anyone putting him to bed; he could barely remember coming up here at all. It must have been Hanji… and sure enough she was dead to the world on the mat by his feet, her hair tickling his bare foot.

"Maaaaah I don' want nuts on tha'…" Hanji grumbled into her pillow, then smacked her lips.

Eren smiled. "You really do talk in your sleep. Jeez."

Trying to move his legs out of the way as quietly as possible, Eren winced when a jarring sound came from his left. He blinked, staring at the wrinkled paper now stuck to his hand. It had been tucked against his side, far underneath the blanket. Out of sight but sure to catch his attention.

Eren unfolded it to find a note, written in a hand he recognized as the Corporal's. He didn't know how, he'd never seen him write anything of course, but it suited his personality: a slanting text that spoke of confidence if not formal education. Eren's smile remained fixed and only grew as he read the message.

Meet me at the bridge. I'll take you to your family.

"You were here," he whispered, and then gasped. Eren set into motion, tripping and hopping in turns. His family! Mom, Dad, Mikasa. They were safe and he was going to see them, just like the Corporal had promised.

Hardly breathing Eren tore from his bed. There wasn't a single moment to lose.