A Promise (An Attack on Titan Fanfic: Erwin Smith)

Feelings

"Keep that jaw of yours open and a fly will come in."

Isanna's attention was called when Adalaide closed her mouth for her, only realizing then that she had been staring with a slackened jaw at the man sitting across her. 

Who wouldn't stare at him? Erwin's hair was literally not in its usual slicked look, the strands of blond sticking out in random directions. If his gelled hair made him look like a classy noble gentleman, his messy hair made him look like one of those underground street ruffians. Still handsome, of course. 

Isanna had wanted to eat in the same table as Erwin's squad this time because of the incident that had happened yesterday with the new trainee, but imagine the girl's surprise when she was met with a messy-haired Erwin first thing in the morning. 

"I know he's so hot that you want him to push you up against a wall, but you should finish your breakfast before we're late for our morning training," Adalaide whispered near Isanna's ear, causing the latter to erupt into a blushing mess. 

With furrowed eyebrows, Isanna glared at the redhead and whispered back with gritted teeth, warily trying to keep her volume minimum. "Would you shut up? Erwin's right across the table, he'll hear you."

"So what? Let him." Adalaide leaned back and looked at Erwin. "Hey Er -"

"You didn't gel your hair today?" Isanna quickly interjected, breaking out into a cold sweat of nervousness as she slapped a hand over Adalaide's mouth and shoved her face away. 

Erwin was about to place the spoonful of rice into his mouth when Isanna asked him a question. He lowered his hand while his other hand reached out to roll a few of his strands between his index and thumb. "I ran out. I was thinking of buying one in town later."

Isanna nodded meaningfully before she side-glanced at Adalaide and shut her up with a hard look. The redhead merely shrugged and continued on with her food. 

Mentally sighing, Isanna returned her attention to her breakfast and began eating while occasionally scanning around the mess hall. That Baldrick was nowhere in her line of sight, which improved her mood. But there were ogling eyes from the girls as they gazed admiringly at Erwin's rough, bad boy look. Isanna redirected her eyes back at the blond across her and observed how his hair strands would sway from time to time whenever his head moved. Those long eyelashes attached to his eyelids nodding up and down whenever he blinked, and the way his jaws would move whenever he chewed on the food inside his mouth, accompanied by his adam's apple bobbing up and down when he swallowed. The scene was like in a slow-mo, and Isanna was able to catch a full glimpse up close at his handsome features. 

Isanna confirmed she was going nuts. Since when was she this observant of him? 

I'm a total creep, Isanna lowered her eyes. 

Erwin lifted his gaze and saw how the jet-black haired girl in front of him was staring intently at the food in her hands, to the point that she was almost glaring. He wondered what kind of serious offense did a cup of rice do to her for her to wear such a face. He realized Isanna had been acting strangely ever since yesterday when she visited their cabin room and tried to think what could be bothering his best friend. She was perfectly fine during dinner yesterday, and Erwin was pretty sure he hadn't done anything to upset her. He was about to ask what was bothering her when his eyes landed on something. 

Isanna froze when she felt a hand touch her hair. She lifted her gaze and saw Erwin stretching his hand across the table, tugging something away from her hair. Her breath hitched at the back of her throat. 

"You had some rice," he said as he showed her the small white grain between his thumb and index finger. 

Isanna wordlessly stared at him for a few seconds, unable to muster a reply, until someone cleared their throat.