Another Story: After Autumn (Attack on Titan AU)

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"I find it ridiculous that in the past life we were all literally fighting for our lives every day—now the only problem I have is getting my students to listen to me!"

"That's because you keep on rambling about useless shit, four-eyes."

"Excuse you! The fundamental principles behind the concept of thermodynamics and its different branches and systems and how they all undergo processes where there is a respective energetic change within the system that is associated with changes in pressure, volume and internal energy are not useless, nor are they shit."

"What the f—just shut up or I'm kicking you out of my shop."

Their banter flew right into Erwin's ear and out of the next. He took a drink out of his beverage, allowing its aroma to waft through his olfactory senses in hopes of drowning out the noise of their conversation, as well as the never-ending misery brought about by his current predicament.

It was smack in the middle of the week, and right after clocking out of work Erwin had received a message from the group chat that Hange had created (on her own whim) that they should hang out at Levi's tea shop to unwind. Levi had replied through a message that unwinding in the middle of a busy week was impractical, but one thing led to another and here they were. The shop had just closed, and their table was the only one left occupied. Levi's two employees who also happened to be his only employees, were wiping the other tables and sweeping the floor after a long day at work.

"Tsk. Mike can't come," Hange huffed as she held her phone and pouted at the screen. "Caught up at work."

"That's what happens when you make sudden plans in the middle of the week," Levi harshly clipped, usual stoic plastered on his face. He was nursing a cup of tea which he'd personally brewed, because according to him, no one else could ever mimic the exclusive way he brewed his tea.

"Don't be so harsh," Hange countered, before she turned to Erwin. "Besides, Erwin needs our help. Didn't Zeke land a job as a teacher in your department?"

Levi snorted. "What shitty luck."

Erwin didn't want to talk about him now especially after a long day at work where he had to unwillingly endure his insufferable presence, but had no choice. He placed his cup down. "Yes. He's the new P.E. teacher."

Levi wrinkled his nose. "P.E.? What's he gonna teach those brats? How to pitch rocks?"

Hange chortled. "You don't think he's gonna teach them to throw any at Erwin, right?"

"In that case, I'll charge him with assault," Erwin said, suppressing a sigh.

For them to be making reference jokes to the battle at Shiganshina was something he least expected for them to do. Perhaps it was their twisted way of coping up with the hell they had went through in the past life. Needless to say, Erwin was glad they were able enough to make laughs out of it now—it just meant their scars from that trauma were slowly healing.

Or maybe not, he wasn't sure.

"So?" Hange prodded. She was sitting to his right and leaned closer. "What's he like at work? Does he trouble you or anything?"

Erwin thought back to the past few days. Ignoring the occasional run-ins he'd had with Zeke in the school corridors, there weren't really any instances where they were forced to interact—which was something Erwin was thankful for. And if he didn't count the rare times where Isanna waited for him in the parking lot, Erwin could even say it was a tolerable experience.

"As a teacher, I've heard he's quite competent," he related. "Other than that, we've never conversed with each other."

Hange leaned in her seat and hummed. She absentmindedly stabbed her ordered leche flan with a fork with a look of disappointment. "And here I thought something interesting happened now that you guys are working in the same department.."