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

Unwind

The rest of the expedition had went by surprisingly smoothly compared to past ventures. With the help of the new formation, the Scouts did not yield heavy casualties aside from their rear ranks; and they managed to reach the supply point and set up bases using the materials they had brought. 

When the remainder of the Survey Corps retreated back to Wall Maria from their 23rd expedition, there was a noticeable higher amount of survivors compared to previous scouting missions. Needless to say, it came as a shock for both the citizens and other military branches. 

By the time dinner came, the mess hall was sparingly filled with soldiers who were eating their meals while the injured were in the medical bay and were being tended to by their doctors. 

Isanna entered the hall, her eyes immediately zeroing on a certain lone undercut raven who was by himself in one of the empty picnic tables. She worriedly frowned, feeling rather apologetic for his loss, before she took a tray, filled it with her dinner and walked over to the man's table. 

His back was facing her so Isanna balanced her tray with a hand as she casually slapped Levi on the back, before seating herself beside him and ignored the light glare from him. 

"What do you want?" 

"What? Can't I eat with my comrade?" Isanna shrugged her shoulders as she fixed her attention on her meal and began eating. After all, Levi had just completed his first expedition and lost.. his only friends. She was lucky she still had Erwin and Mike to comfort her the day after her own first expedition, but Levi had no one to lean on. This was the least she could do for him. 

Levi clicked his tongue and returned his attention to his food, a comfortable silence tricking in their table following their brief conversation. 

The quietude of their table was only shattered when Hanji came barreling towards them with her usual shriek. 

"Isa! Hey - " she stopped herself when her eyes landed on Levi, "oh, Levi! Good to see you came back alive!"

The brunette cheerily grinned as she pulled the seat in front of Levi and sat down, bringing her tray of food with her. There was a flowery aura surrounding the woman, so bright and friendly that was so contrasting to the otherwise gloomy mess hall. 

"So noisy," Levi grumbled with a scowl at the girl in front of him. 

Unfazed, Hanji let out a hearty laugh. She had somehow got herself acquainted with the grumpy man during the night of their rest back at the expedition, so she was unbothered at his reaction. "So how was your first expedition?" 

Isanna, who had just opted to ignore the talkative girl because she had gotten used to it, finally flickered her eyes over to her after the question. "Hanji, captured any titans yet?"

Her inquiry automatically caused a switch in Hanji's mind, the brunette looking at Isanna as she began to ramble about her titan encounters during the expedition like she was relaying a fun experience in a carnival. 

Isanna glanced at Levi in the corner of her eye and saw the man return his attention on his meal quietly. She never shared Hanji's enthusiasm concerning titan nature, but the girl figured having Levi recount his first expedition wasn't good for his wellbeing. But.. she had to admit that the man was pretty good in masking his feelings. If he was on the verge of a breakdown, even Isanna couldn't tell.

A few minutes after (Hanji was still rambling on and on and on, with both Levi and Isanna ignoring her), Mike had come over and joined their table, asking where Erwin was and if he had dinner. 

"He's with Commander Shadis," Isanna replied after swallowing the food in her mouth, "they still need to report to the higher-ups." She made a mental reminder to bring some food with her later to Erwin's office. Gods forbid, the man was going to meet an early death not because of titans but because of starvation.