The first light of dawn shined down on the grounds of the Survey Corps HQ, a tint of orange appearing in the horizon, blending into the dark hues of blue and purple.
On a small hill overlooking the castle sat a young woman, hugging her knees close to her chest, staring out blankly into the sky.
The soft crunching of grass could be heard, and they steadily grew louder, signaling someone’s approach. Glancing over her shoulder, she was shocked to see who it was, but kept a straight face even when he sat down on the grass beside her.
“How did you know I was here?” She asked quietly.
“I wanted to give you a surprise, but you weren’t in your room. So I guessed you would be here.” He paused, before adding as an afterthought, “You always come here when you need to think, or when you want some time alone.”
Always so observant, Erwin…
She hummed out in response, letting a comfortable silence wash over them as they sat beneath the leaves of a large maple tree.
He was right, as usual. Out of everyone in the Survey Corps, he was the one who understood her best, seeing as she was a veteran herself, under his leadership since he was a freshly promoted Squad Leader. For years they had worked together as a team, a perfect duo, with her staying by his side assisting him with his duties as Commander.
She shouldn’t be in such a melancholy mood on such a special day, but she couldn’t help it. Years of fighting titans made her somewhat accustomed to losing comrades and dealing with their demise, but the recent expedition struck her really hard.
The expedition had been going smoothly, until a horde of titans attacked them, causing a lot of lives to be lost. Amongst those fallen soldiers, a particular young soldier whom [Name] had taken a particular liking to unfortunately fell prey to the titans as well.
This soldier reminded [Name] so much of herself when she was younger. Bursting with enthusiasm and huge ambitions to change the world for the better, ignorant to the harsh world outside. Oh, how she wanted to save that innocence. But alas, the titans were relentless and put out the soldier’s light, before this light was even able to shine.
Warmth surrounding her hands brought her out of her thoughts, and she looked over to the handsome man who had shifted forward so he could face her. “E-Erwin?”
His subtle shows of affection always made her cheeks turn rosy, and she never knew what to think of the relationship between them. Erwin always treated her with respect, like a true gentleman. And everyday, she found herself falling more and more for the man.
“I’m just warming up your hands for you,” he smiled at her, gently rubbing her hands with his larger, calloused ones.
“You know,” he mused, “I always thought of dawn as a new beginning.”
Looking out at the changing colors of the sky, he continued, “Everyday, we, as Survey Corps go through so much hardships. Every expedition, we lose so many of our men, our comrades, and our friends. And the only way for us to keep going… is to treat every single day as a fresh start. A brand new beginning.”
She gripped his fingers tightly, and he turned his attention back to her, their shared gaze worth more than a thousand words.
The chirping of birds brought their wordless conversation to an end, and they both laughed lightheartedly as the flock flew out into the sky from the tree above them.
“It’s beautiful…” [Name] whispered.
Before them, radiant rays of orange, pink and yellow slowly started to overpower the previously dark colors of the night sky; the golden Sun gradually rising above the horizon. Warmth started to fill the air, as the brilliant rays of light shined down upon the earth, reflecting onto the tiny dewdrops on the lush patches of grass.
“It is,” Erwin agreed, “but nothing could ever compare to the beautiful woman before me.”
Chuckling at the wide-eyed look he received, he moved closer to her, wrapping a muscled arm around her shoulder. “Surely you must have sensed my feelings for you after so many years, so why do you still seem so shocked?”
“I don’t know…” She mumbled, “Besides, you’re Commander Erwin Smith.”
Relaxing into his embrace, she leaned her head onto his broad shoulders.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with my eyebrows right?” He joked, to which he received a playful slap on the chest.
“And just because I’m the Commander doesn’t mean anything. I’m still just a man who needs someone by his side. And that particular person just so happens to be you.”
Gently, he brought one of her hands up to his lips, kissing it softly. “Happy birthday, love.”
Twisting her body slightly so she could look up at him with a bright smile gracing her face, she told him, “Thank you, Erwin. I’m so glad I get to spend my birthday with you.”
Placing a chaste kiss on her lips, he leaned his forehead against hers. With sincerity lacing his deep voice, he said, “I plan to spend every single day with you, for many, many years to come.”
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Attack on Titan x Reader [Oneshots]
FanfictionA collection of Attack on Titan oneshots I've written~ Enjoy!