As Erwin exited the mass hall, a basket of bread nestled in one hand and a pitcher of water in the other, urgency propelled him forward. His heart raced as he scanned the training grounds, desperately searching for Leona, hoping she hadn't left.
His eyes landed on her, sprawled on her back against the dusty earth. The sight sent a jolt of alarm through him; from this distance, he couldn't tell if she was injured or simply exhausted. Without a second thought, he sprinted toward her, the weight of the basket pressing into his palm with each quickening step.
"Leona!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the barracks. As he drew closer, she suddenly bolted upright, her eyes wide with shock.
"I'm sorry, sir!" She stammered, scrambling to her feet, but her legs betrayed her, trembling beneath her weight. Panic surged in Erwin's chest, and without thinking, he dropped the basket. The bread tumbled out, and the pitcher nearly tipped over, water spilling onto the ground.
"Whoa, easy there!" he said as he rushed to catch her, wrapping his arms around her to steady her before she could fall again. The warmth of her body against his sent a rush of relief mixed with something deeper coursing through him.
Leona slowly lifted her head, her vibrant green eyes locking onto his bright blue ones. Recognition flickered across her face; it was him, the boy she had seen behind the school building over a year ago and this morning during introductions and once again while she was running when she saw all the cadets watching her from afar.
They held each other's stare, a fragile silence hanging in the air. Leona's mouth opened, but no sound came, a weight pressing down on her. Erwin, too, found himself rendered speechless, transfixed by the depth in her eyes. Then, realizing he was still holding her, he quickly stepped back, only for her to wobble and fall back onto the ground.
"Ow," she winced, a fleeting grimace crossing her face. Erwin's heart sank at the sight, guilt washing over him.
"Sorry!" he blurted out, his voice rising in concern as he extended his hand to help her up. She grasped it, her grip shaky yet determined as she pulled herself upright.
"Thank you," she said, her voice quiet but steady, though it trembled, betraying her unease.
As her gaze shifted to the overturned basket, now a chaotic mess of bread and water, confusion and curiosity flickered across her face.
"Were ye trying to bring me food?" she asked, raising her brow in question.
Erwin followed her eyes, realization hitting him like a cold splash of water. "Oh no!" he exclaimed, eyes widening. "I'm really sorry!" He knelt down, hastily collecting the scattered items, relieved that most of the water remained in the pitcher.
"Why'd ye bother?" Leona sighed, settling back onto the ground.
"Huh?" He glanced over, still clutching the basket awkwardly. "Well, I just—" He stumbled over his words, struggling to articulate his intentions.
Taking a breath, he finally said, "You've been running all day. I figured you must be starving and thirsty." He sat down beside her, the dirt beneath them grounding him, the weight of their conversation pressing in.
"I still don't get why," she replied, avoiding his gaze as she pulled her knees close and rested her chin atop them. "You heard the commander; you could get in trouble for this." Worry seeped into her voice.
"Well, it's not like the commander's here to see it, is he?" Erwin attempted to inject some lightness into the moment, though his own heart raced at the thought of the potential consequences. Just the thought of being kicked out surely wasn't what he wanted.
"I guess so..." she conceded, her voice trailing off as she considered his words, the tension easing just a bit.
The moment was abruptly shattered by a loud rumble from her stomach, resonating in the stillness. Instantly, Leona's cheeks flared crimson, embarrassment flooding her face. Erwin couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"Here," he said, reaching for the loaf of bread, offering it to her with a warm smile, hoping to break the ice.
Without hesitation, she snatched the bread from his hands, her fingers brushing against his. The contact sent a thrill through him, surprising and exhilarating all at once.
"Thanks," she mumbled, her eyes flickering with gratitude as she tore off a piece and took a bite.
He then handed her the pitcher, which, though it wasn't as full as before, still held a generous amount of water.
Leona grasped the pitcher tightly, lifting it to her lips and gulping down the cool liquid as if she hadn't tasted water in days, not a single drop left behind. The visible relief on her face filled Erwin with a warm sense of accomplishment.
With a sigh of relief, she leaned back, her shoulders relaxing as she savored the moment. "Your name's Leona, right?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, eager to keep the conversation flowing.
"Aye," she replied, her accent blossoming as she relaxed further. "And yer Erwin," she added, a small smile breaking through her earlier reserve.
"Yeah," he nodded, a hint of a grin dancing on his lips, feeling a connection stirring between them.
"So, did you all have fun?" she asked, her gaze dropping back to the ground, uncertainty creeping into her voice.
Erwin raised an eyebrow, confusion knitting his brow. "Huh?"
"Watching me run," she clarified, her tone sharper now, revealing the edge of frustration that had resurfaced. "Did you lot get the amusement you wanted?"
"So you saw them watching?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice.
"Of course. You were there too," she pointed out, a knowing look in her eyes, her gaze piercing through his confusion.
"Yeah, but—"
"Yeah, I hope my suffering was worth your enjoyment," she interrupted, her voice thick with hurt. He could see she was genuinely bothered, and rightfully so.
"Listen, unlike everyone else, I thought you'd do fine, and you did," Erwin said earnestly, trying somewhat to make her feel better.
"Aye, right," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, but he caught every word. She sat back up, pulling her knees closer, resting her chin on them, and looking away, vulnerability in her eyes.
He sensed her disbelief and wanted to ask her more about the whole situation, to delve deeper into her feelings. Unlike in the morning, when she had worn a mask of determination, she now seemed simply sad, her eyes reflecting a deep well of sorrow. As he glanced at her again, he realized she had closed her eyes, exhaustion finally catching up with her.
Rising from the ground, he brushed the dirt from his clothes. Leaving the basket and pitcher behind for the moment, he gently lifted Leona into his arms, cradling her carefully as he walked toward the girls' barracks. He imagined the commander's reaction to finding Leona passed out on the training grounds; she would certainly catch a cold if she slept out here all night.
It was long past curfew, but at that moment, he didn't care. He had already broken rules by helping her in the first place. As he carried her, he pondered why he had bothered. It wasn't as though he was trying to perform some noble act.
He had a dream, a vision he longed to turn into reality, and he was willing to do anything and everything to make it happen. Yet, he understood that something like this could jeopardize it all. Still, he found himself moving forward unsure as to why.
There was something about the look in her eyes, a depth that caught his attention and held it captive. He wasn't sure what it was, but it felt familiar, like a reflection of his own struggles.
...
Reaching the girl's barracks, he was cautious as he ascended the steps to the entrance, glancing around to ensure none of the watchful guards were nearby.
He approached the sturdy wooden door. He couldn't go inside, and being seen here, especially this late at night, was out of the question. Reluctantly, he left Leona by the door, hoping whoever answered would notice her right away. After gently laying her down and resting her head against the cool wood of the dorm, he quickly rapped his knuckles against the door, the sound echoing in the stillness of the knocked at least three times before hurrying away, slipping out of sight from the girls' barracks. A minute or two later, one of the girls opened the door.
"Hello?" she said, looking both ways. She had brown hair that cascaded around her shoulders and striking golden eyes. Turning to her right, she noticed Leona asleep against the wall.
"Oh no!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with concern as she called out, "Hey, Amy!"
"What is it now, Pixie?" Amy sighed, striding quickly to the door. But when her eyes fell upon Leona, her expression shifted.
"Tch..." she clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Just leave her," she said, crossing her arms defiantly.
"But Amy," she said worriedly, "what if she gets sick?"
"That's my problem, how?" Amy shot back. "It's what the ginger gets. You heard what the commander said—no one's allowed to help her while she's carrying out her punishment."
"But I'm sure that ended a while ago," Pixie insisted, her brow furrowed with worry.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's not our problem," Amy replied dismissively.
"Please, Amy..." Pixie pleaded, her voice trembling slightly.
"Good grief," Amy grumbled, her patience wearing thin. "Well, what are you doing? Help bring her inside!" she snapped at Pixie.
"Alright, alright," Pixie relented, her determination igniting as she lifted Leona up and the two of them carried her inside the barracks.
"Tomorrow morning if we get in trouble for bringing her inside i'll seriously feed you to the titans" Amy snapped at Pixie.
Erwin kept his distance, hidden enough so he wouldn't be seen, but close enough to know that Leona was finally taken inside. With a sense of relief, he made his way over to the boys' barracks. By the time he arrived, it seemed most of the cadets had already showered, chosen their beds, and drifted off to sleep.
He moved quietly through the room, a lingering sense of exhaustion weighing on him. After washing up from the day's events, he began his search for an open bunk. It was the first night, and since he had been with Leona, he hadn't had the chance to pick where he would sleep.
"Hey, Erwin!" a voice called out in a hushed whisper.
Erwin turned to see Nile, who was pointing upward, suggesting that the top bunk was vacant.
He let out a grateful sigh. "I'm surprised you're still awake, Nile," he replied, is shoulders relaxed a bit.
"Yeah, so how'd it go?" Nile asked.
"How did what go?" Erwin responded, starting to climb the ladder to the top bunk.
"You better hope nobody saw you two, or else you could get in trouble," Nile warned.
Erwin's eyes widened slightly as he realized what Nile was implying. "I'm sure it's fine," he said, settling onto the bed.
"Let's hope so," Nile replied.