The door swung shut with a resounding slam.
Afternoon light filtered through the narrow, arched windows, casting golden rays over the scattered papers on her desk, making it hard to read. She sighed, gazing at the chaotic array of notes and books strewn before her.
She reached into the mess and retrieved a page she had set aside, her fingers deftly plucking it out from the pile, only to find that it was completely blank.
Amelia frowned, picking up the rest of the two quizzes.
The first quiz bore a girl's name, scrawled in a messy, barely legible handwriting. Her eyes skimmed over the doodle of a bird drawn on the center of the paper, its wings outstretched in flight. She examined the second quiz, raising a brow at the boy's more legible handwriting. He had managed to fill in some of the questions, writing gibberish that made little to no sense.
At least he tried. She placed the answer sheets back on the stack of papers, briefly glancing at the blank page once again.
A heavy sigh left her lips.
She gathered the papers and books into her arms before standing up from her seat. With a gentle nudge of her boot, she pushed open the heavy wooden door of the classroom and stepped outside.
The corridor was illuminated by the flickering light of torches mounted on the stone walls, casting a warm, inviting glow. She shuffled the papers in her arms, pausing when swift footsteps approached her.
Someone called out, their voice reverberating through the grand hallway.
"Sensei!"
A young man skidded to a halt before her, slamming his fist against his chest as he stood upright.
Her eyes flickered to the insignia on his breast pocket, below his curled fingers, lingering there for a moment before she looked up at his face with a hint of amusement. The golden light from the torches lit up his face, highlighting the deepening blush slowly spreading across his cheeks. His spine straightened further under her scrutinizing gaze.
"Wallace," Amelia sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'm not your superior. You don't have to salute me."
The boy flushed brightly.
He dropped his salute, arms falling awkwardly to his sides. He looked rather silly, standing there with his training gear strapped around his waist. She recognized him as one of the many scouts she had taught a few times before.
Whenever an instructor would die, subject experts from public institutions would be requested to fill in their places as temporary substitutes. They would meet with bright eyed, young cadets— fresh meat to be sent outside the Walls. Not many of them survived in the first place, but those who did, she tried to remember their names.
"S-sorry," he stammered, looking down at his feet in embarrassment. "It's... a force of habit."
"I'm aware," she smiled wryly, her eyes drifting to the gear hanging from his hips. "I guess you're ready for the upcoming expedition?"
He tensed, his shoulders stiffening. "Y-yes, of course!"
Amelia nodded, adjusting the stack of papers in her arms. He quickly scrambled closer, his arms outstretched. "Let me carry those for you, sensei!"
"It's alright," she swiftly stepped away, curling her arms tighter around the stack. "I can handle it."
He paused, letting his arms fall back down again.
Amelia offered him a curious look. "Any reason you're here and not in your barracks, Wallace?"
His face grew warm again, heat flooding back into his cheeks. He shuffled on his feet, clasping his hands together nervously as he stammered. "W-well, the Captain called for you."
She frowned.
"And I, uh," he wrung his hands together, peeking up at her timidly. "I was wondering if you could take a look at my gear as well?"
She looked at him questionably and he tightened his hands into fists, floundering for a moment.
"Th-the cogs at the side keep squeaking a lot and um," he looked at the floor again, babbling nervously. He looked his age that way, his cheeks flushed and ears pink— not like a young boy about to battle man-eating giants. His voice stammered. "I-I wanted to see you in case I don't make it out alive this ti—"
"Ask the mechanics to look over it for you," she interrupted him.
He sucked in his bottom lip, looking up at her with wide green eyes.
"I'm just a substitute teacher here." She stepped forward, her boots clicking loudly against the stone floor before she shrugged. "I'm not authorized to tend to your gears."
"Oh." His shoulders slumped dejectedly. "…right."
Amelia studied him for a moment, noticing his tousled brown hair and the way he stood nervously under the flickering torch lights. She considered patting his head coaxingly, but her arms were heavy with paper and books. She settled for a reassuring smile.
"Good luck out there, Wallace."
He mumbled a quiet thank you, standing straighter and unconsciously pressing his fist to his chest once more. She snorted, the corners of her eyes wrinkling in amusement as he instantly flushed again, muttering a quick apology.
She turned back to the hallway, briskly trudging down the corridors. Scouts occasionally glanced her way, nodding their heads and smiling in greeting. She dipped her head back curtly, making her way through the brightly lit halls of the headquarters.
She halted before a door.
With a quick glance at the doorknob, Amelia shifted on her feet. Her back pressed against the wooden door, and she nudged the doorknob open with her elbow.
A faint click followed.
Her foot caught on the threshold. She stumbled backwards abruptly, her eyes widening in alarm as her back slammed into the door, throwing it wide open. She tumbled through the doorway, clutching the notes tightly to her chest. Her eyes squeezed shut, bracing for the fall.
Strong hands clamped onto her arms, steadying her in place.
Sky blue eyes cracked open, peeking over her shoulder. She found herself pressed against a sturdy figure as familiar brown eyes gazed back at her, a wide smile tugging those lips. The hands on her arms tightened briefly, long fingers offering a gentle squeeze.
A familiar voice reached her ears, filled with genuine concern.
"You okay there, Amy?"
The steady grip kept her grounded, letting her lean comfortably back on her tipped heels. Amelia cradled the notes closer to her chest, sighing in relief.
"…yes, Hange." She smiled gently. "Thanks for catching me."
Hange's smile widened, her eyes shining with warmth. Amelia blinked as those sturdy hands slid down to her waist, strong arms encircling the mid of her torso easily.
"Oi, Moblit!" Hange called out, grinning. "Give her a hand here, will ya?"
Quick footsteps approached them. A worried face appeared, and Moblit stepped closer, reaching out with outstretched arms to take the books and notes from her. "Let me help you with that."
"It's fine," Amelia shrunk back, pressing more into the firm hold behind her. "Thank you, Moblit. But I can carry it myself—"
Moblit gently took the stack of papers from her arms, offering a kind smile as he steadied it in his grasp. Amelia grasped at empty air in an attempt to snatch it back, her brows furrowing slightly. "Hey—"
Her eyes widened as Hange's arms curled tighter around her waist. She blinked dumbly as Hange effortlessly lifted her feet off the floor, a mischievous grin tugging her lips.
"Gotcha!"
"Hange—"
A soft gasp left her lips when she was swung sideways in the air, her heels barely skimming the office floor. She blinked rapidly as her long skirt billowed out around her shins while Hange laughed, playfully twirling both of them around in a little circle. Amelia clumsily clutched the arms curled around her waist. Her lips tugged into a wide smile before laughter bubbled up from her chest, her eyes falling shut.
"Hange," she laughed, loud and breezy. "Put me down!"
"Y'sure?" Hange grinned teasingly, continuing to pivot on her heel. Her own infectious laughter filled the room. "Looks like you're having fun!"
The arms around her waist easily carried her forward as Hange quickly bounded towards the desk. Amelia caught a glimpse of Moblit smiling at them endearingly from his spot beside the window, his usual worried face relaxed for once.
Amelia squeezed Hange's arms, smiling as she was gently lowered into a chair.
Hange moved to stand beside her, her own smile radiant. Amelia curled her hands in her lap, beaming up at her as Hange perched herself on the edge of the work desk. She casually pushed away notes and books, making space to sit on the tabletop.
She threw an ankle over her knee and grinned toothily. "Now we've turned that frown upside down, right?"
"I wasn't frowning," Amelia snorted, smiling nonetheless.
"Ah, but you were." Hange grinned, leaning back slightly. "She was definitely frowning, wasn't she, Moblit?"
Her assistant neared them, smiling gently as he nodded. "She was a little, Squad Leader."
Amelia rolled her eyes and Hange smirked knowingly, glancing sideways. "You might wanna watch out, Amy. Who knows when you'd start looking like your grumpy bro here."
Amelia's spine snapped straight. Pale blue eyes drifted along the room, catching sight of a back turned their way. The blond man stood facing the long office windows as he stared out at something in the night sky, a sight only he could see.
Amelia leaned against her chair, offering him a brief glance.
"It's always good to see you back at HQ!"
Her gaze promptly turned back to the tall woman before her.
The flickering light of the torches reflected off the glasses perched on Hange's face, a playful glint in her eyes. "Shadis should just employ you here permanently since he keeps on losing so many of our men—"
"Squad Leader Hange!"
"Ehhh?! But it's true!" Hange pouted.
Amelia smiled up at her, folding her hands in her lap. The man near the window remained silent, ignoring them completely.
"Did Commander Shadis accept your proposal?" Amelia asked.
A fist slammed into the desk, rattling the pair of teacups and kettle set on the wood. Amelia glanced at the curled fingers, her gaze trailing up the arm to find that it belonged to none other than the Survey Corps' most infamous scientist.
Hange scowled fiercely.
"No, he didn't." She grumbled, roughly thumping the desk again before sighing in clear exasperation. "He says my research is too risky. As if what we're doing isn't getting people killed already!"
Amelia's eyes flickered to the insignia on Hange's uniform, the wings of freedom emblazoned proudly on the fabric.
Hange sighed deeply. "If we just understood them more, we'd have a better chance of beating them."
"I agree," Amelia nodded.
Hazel brown eyes watched her closely when she reached out and gently took the clenched fist into her hand.
"Just keep at it," Amelia hummed, her fingers closing around the rough skin. She patted Hange's hand reassuringly. "He'll crack sooner or later."
Hange's eyes softened, and she slid off the desk, scuttling closer to the chair. Faint amusement flickered across Amelia's face as long arms looped around her neck, tugging her into a tight embrace.
"Wahhhh, Amy!" Hange sniffled dramatically, draping herself over Amelia. She sighed, patting the head of golden locks nestled between her arms. "You're the only one here who understands me, I swear!"
Amelia laughed lightly, grasping at Hange's bony elbows. "Now that's unfair to Moblit, don't you think?"
Moblit sighed, shaking his head with a smile. "I try my best."
"Moblit's always got my back too." Hange grinned lazily.
Amelia rolled her eyes as her face was buried more into the uniform jacket. Sturdy fingers grasped the base of her braid, gently tugging at her blond locks. Amelia lifted her head from around the arms linked around her neck, peeking up into hazel brown eyes that peered from behind round glasses.
"Say, Amy." Hange smiled amiably, eyes shining. "Why don't you come to my lab later and I can show you some of my wo—"
A deep voice reverberated through the room.
"Hange, Moblit."
Moblit stiffened, standing upright. Hange frowned visibly, her arms reluctant as she pushed away from the office chair. All eyes turned to the man standing near the window, his gaze sharp and commanding.
"You're dismissed."
Amelia watched silently as Moblit struck a fist to his chest, offering a formal salute. Hange rolled her eyes as she pushed off the desk. "Guess he's finally done with his brooding session, eh?"
Moblit scrambled behind her, hands pressing into Hange's back and firmly ushering her towards the door.
"We're being asked to leave now, Squad Leader Hange!"
"Aw, come on, Moblit!" Hange whined, helplessly digging her heels into the floor. "Let's just take Amy with us—"
"Maybe later!"
Hange snorted, lifting her hand in a little wave as they neared the door. "Lem'me know if you plan on staying the night here—"
Amelia waved back, her smile lingering when the door clicked shut behind them. She turned back in her seat, glancing at the untouched kettle and cups set on the side of the desk. Boots echoed off the stone flooring, and she looked up calmly, settling back into her chair with a composed demeanor.
Erwin stared at her quietly, standing across the desk. He settled in his office chair, looking too old despite his age, the weight of his duties etched onto his features.
Amelia shrugged off the thought as soon as it came. His work wasn't her concern to begin with.
"Classes went well?" He asked, inching his seat closer as he pushed away the mess of papers and notes Hange had scattered across his desk.
She watched him tidy the clutter, tucking it into the ever-growing stacks of paper that consumed one side of his office. He was never adept at keeping his workplace clean, always prioritizing other tasks over the paperwork that eventually piled up.
He slid a silver tray towards her, lifting the lid off a small dish to reveal a slice of apple pie.
There was a tenseness in his muscles today, though it wasn't as if they met on a daily basis. But sometimes he would find reasons to visit her in between, always with a lousy excuse.
"Was passing by on duty," he would say, his large frame standing within her door frame. Cloth bags would dangle from between his calloused fingers, blue eyes looking at her expectantly. "Accidentally bought too many groceries, so I brought some for you as well."
As if she didn't know her house wasn't on his usual route, as if she didn't know he would forget to buy groceries for himself because he never cooked. He was always a disaster in the kitchen whenever he tried, too absorbed in his work to think about eating or drinking or sleeping.
The dark circles beneath his eyes were proof of that.
"Does the military have money to serve pies now?" Amelia feigned surprise, looking faintly amused. "Good to see our tax money is going to the right places."
"I bought this with my own paycheck," he answered, leaning back in his seat. His watchful eyes were set on her, and she found it increasingly difficult to decipher his gaze today.
"And the tea?" She snorted, reaching for the kettle.
She poured herself a cup before instinctively placing it before him instead. Her hands tensed as she caught herself slipping back into the old habit. Back at home — once their home — she always poured first for their father, then him and lastly herself. Because what good was a daughter if she did not care for family? But she had promised herself she would prioritize her needs more now.
Amelia glanced up, expecting a wry smile from him.
His gaze was fixed on the table instead, a slight furrow set between his brows.
Her fingers reached for the pot of sugar, and she absently missed the full jar of honey in her kitchen. A glass of lukewarm milk mixed with a teaspoon of honey had always been her favorite drink, more soothing than tea. But the day was winding down, so a little tea and pie wouldn't hurt.
The Survey Corps had been calling her more frequently, their numbers dwindling and their need for instructors growing. The new recruits were often young and illiterate, many from rural villages where education was a luxury. Their writing was atrocious and paper was too precious to waste on practice.
Instead, they would have to use the slabs of rocks outside, or the blackboards in the classrooms. Chalk scraped against the dark surface, and she would feel like she was teaching children, not soldiers when their eyes would shine brightly once they were able to write their names correctly.
Except for a few of Erwin's close comrades, most of them didn't know she was related to their Captain.
"It's the Captain's sister," they'd murmur, scrutinizing her face in an attempt to connect their features. She had grown a little accustomed to some of them— Hange, Mike, Nanaba and Moblit— these were the people who would occasionally stand behind Erwin when he'd appear at her door, standing there awkwardly with groceries or clothes in his arms. If he trusted them enough to bring them to her home, they deserved her respect.
"That's from the Corps," Erwin answered honestly.
She blinked, realizing he was responding to her earlier question.
He shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "We lost sixty percent of our men in the recent expedition. So I suppose we have some funds left to spend on tea now."
His deduction sounded morbid. She didn't want to dwell on it, focusing on stirring sugar into her tea.
She briefly wondered that whenever she'd be requested as a temporary instructor someone would sprint into his office, throwing the captain's door open and yelling that she was here at the headquarters, ready to fill in the role of a teacher that was now left in Titan vomit outside the Walls.
It was rare for him to call her like this, inviting her to his office and offering her tea and pie— because he had always known about her sweet tooth. That was always a disadvantage siblings had over others, they knew too much about their brothers and sisters.
Erwin was always consumed by his work, the lines on his face deepening with each passing day, his eyes growing harder. She supposed it was inevitable, considering the horrors he faced beyond the Walls— watching his men die, fleeing from grinning monsters.
But usually there was a softness in him whenever they were alone. His posture would relax, his shoulders sagging slightly, an exhausted smile tugging his lips. In those moments, she quietly wondered if this was the same little boy who once clung to her hand, lying in their father's bed with his eyes drowsy and skin feverish.
Time had changed so much.
"You really invited me here to eat pie?" She muttered, scooping up a piece and closing her lips around it. It had grown a little stale, waiting out in the open for too long.
"The new recruits," his voice was calm, but she felt the pinpricks of his gaze on her. "How were they?"
She dug into the pie again, shrugging her shoulders. "You mean the ones from the underground?"
He nodded, searching her face. She casually lifted another piece to her mouth, chewing slowly before she swallowed.
"Well, they're literate." She commented airily. "So that's less work for me, I guess."
Erwin stared at her, and she arched a brow, keeping calm under the pressure of his gaze. He held her stare as he reached into his pocket and pressed his fist onto the table, his fingers curled tightly around something.
Amelia stared, perplexed.
His fingers unfurled slowly. She paused, her eyes rounding when the pocket watch glinted brightly under the flickering lights of the office, lying in his large hand.
She moved instinctively, reaching for the timepiece. His fingers clasped around it again and she was on her feet, leaning over the table with a swiping hand. The table jostled, the crockery atop it rattling noisily when her knees abruptly knocked into the wood.
Erwin pressed back into the leather of his seat, setting her with a questioning stare.
Realization dawned on her slowly. Amelia halted, faintly aware of how she stood leaning over the table, one arm outstretched towards the watch held out of her reach.
A frown marred Erwin's face. "You told me you sold it."
…did I? Her fingers curled back into her palm as she slowly sank into her seat. The memory of what she had told him was hazy. Remembering the specifics of her lies was never her strong suit.
"Huh," she murmured, her eyes drifting to the delicate teacups between them. "Are you really sure it's mine?"
Erwin nodded firmly, his gaze focused solely on her face. "It has his initials carved on it."
She watched the steam curling above the porcelain cups. The moment in the classroom crept back in her mind, papers muddled across her desk, and those cold, steely eyes staring at her with barely concealed disdain.
"Just 'cause we're from the Underground," his sharp voice had gritted through clenched teeth, "doesn't mean that we're illiterate."
Her mind easily reeled back to a skinny little boy standing in the middle of a bustling market. Ragged clothes loosely clung to his thin frame, a deep scowl darkening his young face as he glowered at her, breadcrumbs sticking stubbornly to the corners of his lips.
She broke out of her stupor the moment she felt those blue eyes dissecting her with that quiet, penetrating gaze.
Amelia tore her eyes away from him, focusing instead on the teacups. The delicate porcelain seemed fragile, much like the lies she had built her life around.
"Pretty sure I sold it," she said, her shoulders rising in a reluctant shrug as she leaned back into her chair. "We needed the money back then, didn't we?"
Erwin's gaze was frigid.
"Do you think," she hummed, reaching for the teacup before her. Her fingers traced along the delicate top of the porcelain before grasping the rim with her fingertips, allowing it to remain on the saucer. The corner of her lip curled into a mischievous smile. "If I pick it up like this, it'll burn my fingers?"
Those blue eyes finally shifted away from her, watching intently as she clutched the top of the cup set between them.
"I'm not sure," he muttered, his voice low and measured.
He was humoring her now, aware of her tendency to stray from serious topics with trivial distractions.
Erwin mimicked her, fingertips pressing along the rim of the cup, his grip claw-like as his brows creased slightly. "You might spill it on yourself."
Amelia hummed in agreement, warmth spreading to the pads of her fingers until the heat felt unbearable. She eventually hooked a finger through the porcelain handle and palmed the side of the cup, lifting it to her mouth. She gently blew at the rising steam, her eyes half closed in contemplation.
Her ankles crossed under the desk as she closed her eyes, sipping the hot beverage. She cradled the cup between her hands as Erwin sighed deeply, raising his own cup as well.
She glanced at the bundles of quizzes positioned above her notes. Moblit had neatly stacked them, placing them at the corner of the desk, away from the tea. She glanced at the blank paper once more, her thoughts slipping back to towering book racks and the feel of a frantic, beating heart under her palm.
Amelia lifted the cup to her lips, hiding a smile when Erwin placed the pocket watch on the table and gently pushed it towards her.
The news spread quickly: the Survey Corps expedition returns! Eighty percent of the scouts were killed, higher casualties due to an unexpected downpour that turned the mission into a disaster.
It took a day or two for them to reach within Wall Rose, but words of their fate traveled faster. Crowds gathered in the streets, some jeering at the soldiers for wasting tax money, others desperately scanning the faces of the returning party for signs of their loved ones.
Amelia first heard the commotion in the staff room—the clatter of horse hooves, the jeering of the crowd, and the occasional gut-wrenching sobs that echoed through the stone corridors. She tried to focus on the text before her, graded notes and pages stacked neatly to her left.
The noise outside felt impossible to ignore.
The staff room was usually empty except for her. Most of the instructors in the military were Scouts themselves, with their own offices or barracks to test and grade papers. She sat alone, a book open before her, when she heard the sounds of the returning expedition below.
She frowned, reading the same sentence again and again.
The words seemingly blurred together, her mind too preoccupied with the scene outside as the retreating party reached for the headquarters' gates.
"Has it really been two weeks?" she mumbled, setting the quill aside.
Amelia folded her arms under her chest and leaned back in her chair, gazing up at the ceiling. Her fingers dug into her forearms as she chewed her bottom lip, her brows furrowing further.
Don't do it, she warned herself, her frown deepening. Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't—
The chair screeched loudly as she stood up with a jerk and rushed to the window. Her palms flattened against the cool glass, but she hesitated, letting her hands settle onto the wooden frame instead. She peered down the window, watching the specks of green near the gates. The crowd of civilians had dwindled slightly, and she could make out the grim faces of most of the soldiers.
Her gaze flitted instantly to the blonds first, and her grip on the windowsill loosened when she finally saw him. Blood stained his cape, the crimson shockingly vivid against the green of his uniform as he sat steadfast on his horse, trailing behind Shadis at a weary pace.
A soft breath tugged past her lips, relief filling her lungs.
She let her gaze linger on him for a heartbeat longer, taking in the weariness etched into his features, before she forced herself to survey the rest of the group.
Her eyes spotted a familiar figure with goggles perched atop her head, streaks of blood and dirt marring her uniform. She idly leaned against the window, watching Hange engage in a serious conversation with Moblit as he looked ahead forlornly.
Blue eyes continued to sweep over the weary scouts, and eventually she found herself searching for someone completely different this time. She bit the inside of her cheek once she realized that the short figure she sought for was nowhere to be seen. Neither was the girl with bright auburn hair, nor the tall blond boy.
A dull pang of disappointment throbbed in her chest, but she quickly brushed it off with a resigned shrug.
Not many survived their first expeditions anyway.
Someone in the crowd raised their arm in the air, waving frantically. Amelia blinked once, watching with growing horror as Hange grinned, waving up at her enthusiastically. Heat crept up the back of her neck when the head of blond locks craned back as well, blue eyes snapping upwards in faint surprise, meeting her widening gaze—
Amelia swiftly ripped away from the window.
Shit. She smacked a hand over her forehead, dragging her palm down her warm face as she squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment. He saw me.
.
.
.
.
.
The expedition was to report directly to the higher ups upon their return. She didn't have to worry about Erwin showing up in the staff room, or rather he wouldn't come at all, too engrossed in paperwork for once. She had to visit Shadis' office soon to collect her paycheck because they would undoubtedly have to rehire her once they finished burying the bodies lost in the battle to save humanity.
She had ventured outside the staff room when she heard the stable boys outside the corridors. They babbled excitedly, tugging on the reins of distraught horses handed to them by the retreating party.
"He killed twenty Titans, ya hear! Twenty!" One of them gushed, eyes wide in awe. "All by himself!"
The other squealed back enthusiastically. "He's from the underground too, I heard!"
Her pace slowed to a halt, and she glanced outside the open corridors, watching the young boys trudge ahead with awestruck eyes, their faces smudged with dirt.
The horses followed after them, impatient.
She shifted over to the curb of the cobblestone and waved her hand, beckoning them closer. The two stopped, staring at her with wide eyes before one of them nudged the other roughly. They exchanged skeptical glances and cautiously made their way to her.
Amelia offered a warm smile.
"Hello there," she watched as they stood hesitantly below the elevated corridor, dressed in dirty rags that stunk of dirt and manure. To think she saw kids their age almost daily, better off than they were. The two of them belonged in a classroom, not tending to military horses in this sweltering heat. "Can you tell me who you're talking about?"
The boys eyed her warily, noting the absence of a military uniform on her. One of them narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on the horse's reins.
"What's it to ya, lady?"
She smiled, tipping her head to the side. Her hand dug around in her pocket briefly and she tugged out a gold coin, lifting it into the air. The boys stilled, their eyes widening when the gold glinted in the sunlight.
Amelia stood on the stone corridors, listening intently as the young boys chattered off about the new soldier— how he had killed more than twenty Titans, ignored orders, lost his comrades, and collapsed when the party entered through Wall Maria. They spoke of him in great awe, deeming him as perhaps the strongest soldier as of yet.
Once they finished talking, they looked at her hand expectantly.
She held the coin out to them. The two stared at her, a look of faint disbelief settling on their faces because they half expected her to flick the coin their way instead. Few people wanted to touch their dirty, ragged bodies.
Amelia smiled kindly as one of them gingerly plucked the gold coin from between her fingers.
She cocked her head to the side. "Do you both go to school?"
"…nah," one of them shrugged. The other nodded in agreement. "Don't got any money for that."
Her eyes softened. "I see."
The horses neighed loudly from behind them, growing impatient. One of the boys patted the horse' neck and she clasped her hands behind her back.
"The soldier," she said, "what's his name?"
The boys exchanged hesitant glances. One scratched at the grime on his vest and the other grimaced, clearly reluctant to share more.
Amelia smiled again and reached into the pocket of her long skirt, rifling through the fabric to tug out another coin—
"Wait!" One of them blurted. She paused as he shuffled closer slightly, his eyes wide and curious. "You're a teacher 'ere, ain't ya? I heard some of 'em talking about you in the stables."
She nodded.
"Can ya," he wet his lips, glancing around nervously. "Teach us how 'ta read some time?"
The boy beside him clutched his arm, eyes wide with concern.
"Simon, don't—"
"I-I wanna know how 'ta read my own name!" Simon snapped, his voice desperate as he tugged incessantly on the reins in his hand. The horse neighed in displeasure. "I wanna know how 'ta write it too, dammit!"
A hand fell atop his head and the boy stiffened, blinking dumbly. Soft fingers brushed through his greasy, stiff locks and Amelia smiled warmly, carding her fingers through his tousled hair.
"I'll talk to the Commander about it," she promised.
Simon chewed his bottom lip. His friend moved closer, both of them standing barefooted in the damp grass as they peered up at her curiously.
They told her the soldier's name and she awarded them with a gold coin.
She found him in the infirmary.
This time the expedition had returned with no wounded, only the dead. The corpses were either left behind in the dirt outside the Walls or heaped together in the limited carts that had made it back inside. The room was eerily quiet, devoid of the usual groans and cries of injured soldiers.
She approached the lone bed and peeked down at the man lying there, her long braid slipping past her shoulders.
He looked like any other human, resting there against a mattress, his face turned upwards towards the ceiling. His small frame was fairly noticeable, his feet not quite reaching the foot of the bed.
Is it really him? She wondered, but it was him, of course. Short statured, gruff looking, his snarky voice curving around her ears from the confines of the classroom with his two friends looking at his back in sheer confusion. To think someone like him had slaughtered so many Titans— perhaps the stories were an exaggeration.
Amelia considered his slumbering form closely. There were no signs of a fatal wound, only his hands were wrapped in thick bandages. Spots of dried blood were visible on his palms, standing out against the stark white gauze.
Faces rarely stuck with her.
Life in this world was too fleeting, especially for those in the Corps. But she was fully aware that she often acted recklessly out of boredom, pestering into places where she didn't belong. At the end of the day, she deemed a little thrill as simply harmless.
A blurry memory surfaced in her mind; a boy sitting across from her in the town library, his posture rigid as he watched her cautiously, his eyes alert. His rough fingers rested over his boot, where she suspected the hidden knife was. She had leaned forward on the table between them, her eyes flickering with mischief and her smile widening because a little fun wouldn't hurt anyone—
A hand clasped her from behind, jerking her backwards.
Amelia stumbled momentarily, blinking down at the old woman tightly holding her elbow.
"Don't get close to him," the nurse grimaced, shooting the unconscious man a wary look. "He's dangerous."
"…dangerous?" She echoed back, and the old woman nodded hurriedly.
"Didn't you hear? He killed more than twenty Titans all on his own!" The nurse dragged her away from the bed. "Only a monster could do something like that!"
"I doubt there's any truth to that," Amelia said nonchalantly, shrugging off the nurse's hand.
The nurse looked up at her, her brows creasing slightly when Amelia calmly held out her hand, leveling her finger with the nurse's gaze.
"I actually came here to be treated for this," she said as the older woman went a little cross eyed, staring at the bead of blood oozing out from the tip of her finger. "It's a paper cut."
"P-paper cut?! That looks too thick to be a measly paper cut!"
The nurse tugged at her elbow, leading her towards a cluttered shelf lined with glass bottles and assorted medical supplies. Amelia stood there patiently, watching with keen interest as the old woman muttered worriedly under her breath, grabbing a wad of cotton to wipe at the sliced skin.
"I need to disinfect it just in case—"
"If he's that dangerous," Amelia glanced back at the bed, "then why's he lying here unconscious?"
"Captain Erwin said he lost consciousness when they entered through Maria's gates," the nurse mumbled, dabbing cotton over the bloodied finger. "He was burning up with quite a high fever. The captain mentioned he was out in the rain for too long."
Amelia arched a brow. "The captain briefed you specifically on him?"
The nurse nodded grimly.
Amelia mulled over the information, wondering if Erwin always had the time to stop by in the infirmary and guide the medics on how to treat the wounded. He was a workaholic through and through, rarely sparing time for personal interventions.
"Can you do me a favor, please?"
The nurse blinked, staring at the bronze coin held before her. Amelia smiled, shifting on her feet and the chain of the pocket watch clinked softly against her hip. "If you can get one of the stable boys to fetch some apples from the market?"
For some reason, he hadn't grown much over the years. She didn't consider herself as someone who would dwell on reminiscing about thieves tailing her in the market, but she was sure his growth spurt hadn't been much kind to him. He sat before her on the infirmary bed, bandaged hands curled into tight fists in his lap. A faraway look had settled in his eyes, his breathing slow and steady and she still thought that his reputation of slicing so many Titan necks was merely a rumor.
Those steely eyes warily glanced her way, catching the glimmer of the pocket watch hanging from her hip.
He arched a brow, quietly questioning her about it, and his words immediately cemented all of her suspicions in that single moment.
The hint of a smile touched her lips.
It really is you.
Boredom was dangerous for her in a way that she'd walk into places where she didn't belong. Her life was easy as it was, books and notes and the occasional feel of motor oil dripping from her fingers at times— a little thrill that she barely ever let herself indulge in. He was frowning now, talking about leaving the Corps and looking at her incredulously when she informed him that there was no way out of here.
In this cruel world, one could never really be free.
Maybe that was why Erwin had omitted such a grim detail, not wanting to dampen the spirit of those about to face the horror beyond the Walls— the monsters that left nothing but splintered bones and pools of blood in their wake.
Fortunately the door of the infirmary swung open, Erwin stepping in with his demanding aura and easily halting her racing thoughts.
She traipsed out the room soon enough, gently closing the door behind her before she leaned against the solid, dark wood. Her hand unconsciously rubbed her wrist, her fingertips tracing the fading impressions left by a calloused hand.
Amelia shifted slightly, refraining from pressing against the door and eavesdropping on the conversation inside. She could only deduce that the presence of Erwin checking on a new recruit hinted at something of greater importance.
Curiosity always had a way of ensnaring her.
"What're you doing here?"
She pushed away from the door, her gaze settling on the man before her.
Shadis stared down at her with bloodshot eyes. He looked exhausted, shadows etched deeply under his eyes.
"Commander," she smiled politely, smoothing her hands over the folds of her long, flowy skirt. "How was the expedition?"
His brows scrunched together, a deep frown gracing his features. He glanced at her hands, noticing the thin bandage wrapped around her finger before he grimaced and stepped towards the door. "I heard Erwin was visiting the infirmary."
"He left just a moment ago," she lied smoothly, her smile unwavering as she pushed away from the door and approached him.
Shadis' brows furrowed further. He wearily pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "We have a meeting in an hour."
"Check his office," Amelia suggested, stepping beside him. "I'm quite sure he went there."
He nodded, briskly turning towards the hallway and striding forward. He glanced at her when she fell in step beside him, the hem of her skirt brushing along her ankles.
"I wanted to discuss something with you as well, Commander Shadis." She said.
Shadis spared her a tired glance. "I'll sign your paycheck once the meeting is over."
"It's not about the paycheck," she admitted and he looked straight ahead, his muscles tense. He seemed to be dreading the upcoming briefing with the military police. "Then pray tell, what's it about, Miss Smith?"
"I wanted to extend my contract this time."
His bloodshot eyes flickered over to her questionably. She smiled, pressing a hand to her chest. "I'm often called after an expedition, so I can save you the trouble of going through all that paperwork again."
Shadis frowned.
"Unfortunately we likely won't have enough to pay for an extension of the contract," he sighed heavily, "funding would be difficult to collect this time."
"Oh, that's alright." She smiled, her hand curling around the pocket watch at her hip. Her thumb traced along the intricate indentation across the smooth casing. "Consider it as charity to the Corps on my part."
He looked increasingly miffed by her presence, growing frustrated by the absence of the captain. She knew Erwin would handle him later, he had never liked Shadis much.
"How kind of you," he gritted out, quickening his pace. "Now if you excuse me, I have to find that stubborn headed brother of yours—"
"Actually," she interrupted, staying close despite the heavy frown on his face.
"I wanted to talk to you about some of the boys working in the stables as well."
A\N: fun fact; Amelia is around 5'8'' tall!
thank you for reading~! ️