It Started With Cadet Training (Reader/Levi/Erwin/Hange/Mike)

Perfect

Barely three days later, you stood on the docks, watching as a ship slowly sailed into view. It was agreed when Erwin and Levi met with the Marleyan's that the Eldians would be brought over to your shores. After a year, you still couldn't bring yourself to be prepared for the things to come.

You'd left the house that morning, hugging the Marleyan kids as tightly as you could before leaving, out of fear that it would be the last time you could hold them in your arms.

Your head tilts to the side, slumping against Hange as you watch the ship dock. Their hand finds yours, squeezing gently to ground you into the moment.

"It'll be okay, (Y/N)," they whisper quietly, their wedding ring cold against your skin.

"I hope you're right, Hange," you whisper back as Erwin walks up to greet the people on the ship.

Your job is simple, you're to help lead the carriages towards Shinshaga and the city built outside the walls. Nerves bubbled up in your chest, it was your job to take the families to the city, yet nothing truly prepared you for the group that headed your way, directed by Erwin and Nile.

Small kids raced around their parents, wide eyes staring at the beach and the open landscape as no one tried to stop them from exploring. You could see the tired parents, exhausted from their travels, lugging suitcases and personal belongings with them. A quick order to your squad had them helping to load the carriages and make sure the kids didn't wander off too far.

You're directing people to different carriages and wagons, as the white armbands keep catching your attention. They're in your face, segregating you from the new Eldians. Were you really better than Marley to have them continue wearing them?

As the Eldians settled into the wagons, you stepped up on one of the luggage wagons, cupping your hands around your mouths.

"Welcome to Paradis! I'm so glad you could join us, but I'm afraid our customs are a bit different than other parts of the world. Please remove your armbands and pass them to the members of my squad that are driving your wagons. We have no need for them."

You hold your breath, unsure how the Eldians would take having to remove their armbands. But then you see an older woman take hers off, encouraging the others in her wagon to copy. It's a ripple effect, rushing through the wagons as armbands are removed and handed off. You step down from your wagon and head to the front to mount your horse.

The unease of the Eldians remained for years, unsure of how to trust the Paradis citizens. Yet, you could see each and every one of them flourish into new people, their world views changing and the acceptance of their community and new home slowly showing them that the world didn't have to be cruel.

New cities are built outside the walls as Paradis grows, the walls eventually demolished into rubble, or used to hold houses built high to the top. Without the threat of titans, technology advances immensely, until you find yourself able to stand on one end of the island and talk to someone on the other end.

You never did find the parents of the kids, but, you work hard to raise them like a proper family. With the Eldian's from Marley and other parts of the world, your education system takes leaps in advancements, improving education immensely. You watch as the kids would run home each day to tell Erwin new things they learnt in school, and he'd share in their wonder and amazement, child-like innocence and wonder burning behind his eyes.

Hange eventually manufactures you and Erwin new arms. You remember the day clearly. You'd been playing with Pieck, Ymir, and Historia, letting them braid your hair as they explain the solar system to Erwin.

Mike stepped into the room, knocking on the door as he entered.

"Do you two have a moment?" he asks, a chuckle escaping his lips as he sees the mess your hair has become.