A Little Bit Human (Erwin x OC)

11: Trust

All Scout groups were told to assemble at their new headquarters, another castle this time in Wall Rose, just north of the Trost district. Erwin wanted to assemble all of the Scouts to give them an announcement. An order from the top. Lillian assumed this is the controversial thing Erwin needed her support on.

As they entered the castle gates Lillian noticed it was smaller than the last one they had been in. She searched for Levi though the sea of Scouts flooding into their new headquarters. He was on top of his tall mustang, riding straight to her.

"I thought you were dead." Lillian said to him.

"I heard you went to the capitol, wasn't sure if Erwin was going to throw you back down there."

"Funny you say that, Mike and I thought the same thing." Lillian and Levi got off their horses and put them away.

"You look tired Lily, were you too busy flirting with the new commander?"

"Flirting?" Lillian felt like she was about to vomit. "I barely talk to him."

"You and him were spending weeks together, I wasn't sure." Levi had a small smile on his face. That's when Lillian realized he was joking.

"Don't tease me like that!" She punched his arm. "I almost threw up when you said that."

"You got so defensive it almost makes me think that it is true."

"Whatever." Lillian flipped her hair into her brother's face. "Whoops sorry."

"What's this announcement about anyway?" Levi asked as the two walked to the meeting room where all the section commanders and captains would meet. Lillian was a bit confused as to why they had to be there. Mike was also surprisingly there.

"What are you doing here?" Lillian asked him as she sat down between him and Levi.

"I got my own squad, I'm Section Commander Mike now."

"Congrats." Levi said dryly.

"Do you get paid more?" Lillian asked in a whisper.

"I do."

Erwin walked in and took his seat at the head of the table. He now wore a bolo tie around his neck, signifying his status as a commander. The rest of his clothes were still the same. Same jacket, same collared shirt, same everything. Just the tie.

"I'm sure you're all curious as to why I've gathered you here like this. I first want to go over what all went on in everybody's squads during these past few weeks we've all been separated. Then I have an announcement I need to make to all of you."

Lillian leaned back in her chair and stared at the wooden table, looking at a knot in the wood. Instead of listening to every captain and section commander say their piece Lillian stared at the knot and nodded every so often. She had been so busy these past few weeks she hadn't let what happened sink in completely. She would never go back to their old base. It was probably overrun by titans. All the things she had taken from the Underground were still there, along with Furlan's and Isabel's things. Now she had nothing left.

Her hands moved to her pockets, and dug around until she felt the familiar cloth touch her fingers. She gripped the object in her hand, careful not to hold it too tightly out of fear of it cutting her. A green blood-soaked cloth wrapped around a chunk of metal from an ODM blade. Lillian didn't know why she kept it, or why she always carried it on her. Maybe it was because the first time someone besides her friends or family had shown her an ounce of kindness.

"Lillian." Erwin's voice called out to her. She snapped her head up from the table and looked at him, taking her hands out of her pockets.

"Sorry." She pushed some of the bangs from her face.