Love At the End of the World

Before the Fall

Rain falls in buckets as we ride into Titan Country. The rain makes it hard to see but we push through, with determination etched on our faces. We ride on, braving the deluge, our horse's hooves splashing through puddles as we navigate the slick terrain of Titan Country.
"For our fallen comrades, press on!" Commander Keith shouts. His words echo in the roar of the storm, sweeping away any trace of doubt. We tighten our grips on the reins of our horses, the rain stinging our faces. Each droplet is a symbol of our resolve, a reminder of the sacrifices we make for the cause we believe in. Together, we forge ahead, our hearts pounding in unison with the drumming of the rain.

     Erwin is riding beside me on his horse, and we look at each other with determination. We are the last hope, the final line of defense in this war against the Titans.
"Make the formation!" the commander orders. We waste no time, swiftly arranging ourselves into a tight wedge formation, ready to charge forward. "Squad one, switch to ODM gear!" I grip the handles of my ODM gear and pull down, the blades extending from my calf guards with a metallic click.
A gargantuan ten-meter Titan is creeping ahead of us, its hulking figure illuminated by the flickering lightning.

Its glowing eyes fixate on our squad as if sensing our impending attack. A loud growl rips from its throat, and an ear-splitting roar erupts from its monstrous jaws. The deafening roar sends a shiver down my spine, but I steel myself against the fear, reminding myself of our objective. Our objective: eliminate the Titan threatening humanity's survival. It was getting too close to the Wall, and our job is to exterminate it. My fellow soldiers and I shoot our grappling into a nearby tree. I swing towards the monster with my blades ready to swing, and I make a deep cut in the nape of its neck. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the Titan swings its arms and it swats me out of the air. I feel the gust of the wind whistle past my ears and then pain sears through my head as I hit my head on the side of a tree.

"Amelia!" Erwin calls for me. I am slipping in and out of consciousness, but I do feel him catch me before I hit the ground, and then everything goes black. All I hear is screaming from my comrades and roaring from the Titans.

"Get Brenner out of here! We don't need another person dying today," I hear Commander Keith say. What happened?

All I hear is the clopping of hooves on the stone ground and audible gasps from the citizens of Shinganshina. My eyes flutter open and I see that I'm in a cart with the other wounded. I realize that Erwin is in the cart with me. He is holding me in his arms, stroking my hair. "Hey," he smiles at me. "Hi," I smile back and sit up in his arms. "Be careful," he helps me sit up. "What happened?" I wince, the pain in my head is pounding. "After you fell, Braun got eaten. Keith told us to fall back so we didn't lose any more comrades," he said with a grim face. Crying echoed in the distance, and I saw Keith delivering the news to Braun's mother, giving her what was left of him; his severed arm. Her reaction was heartbreaking, a mother shouldn't have to bury her child, no matter how old they are.

"I can't imagine the agony she must be feeling," I say, holding my head. I noticed it was wrapped in bandages. "Neither can I, " Erwin agreed. "Seeing families losing their loved ones is one of the things that makes me want to keep fighting," I tell him. He smiles at me, "I admire you, Amelia. You're one of the few who want to keep going instead of giving up," he holds my hand, and I lace my fingers with his. "Thank you, I admire you too," my heart was flying with gratitude and affection for Erwin.

I along with the other wounded Scouts were taken to the infirmary to be treated, and Erwin didn't leave my side for one minute. He stayed by my side, offering words of encouragement and support as the medical team worked to remove the bandages from my head. The pain was excruciating and it got worse as I got stitches on where I cracked my head open from my fall. But through it all, Erwin never let go of my hand, his grip providing me with a sense of comfort and strength. As the last stitch is put in place, I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the depth of Erwin's care for me.

I am so exhausted that I fall asleep on the infirmary bed, my body finally succumbing to the fatigue and pain.

When I wake up, I see Erwin sitting in a wooden chair beside me, gently holding my hand. I look at his weary face, the dull light reflecting the concern in his eyes. I see the sleepless nights etched in the lines on his forehead, a testament to his unwavering presence by my side.

"Hey, fancy meeting you here," I attempt to make a joke to lighten the mood with a smile. My voice sounds raspy from being unconscious for hours.

Erwin's tired eyes crinkle into a small smile as he squeezes my hand gently. "Always finding a way to make me smile, even in the most dire situation," he whispers, his voice filled with both exhaustion and relief. His words warm my heart, and I marvel at the strength and resilience he possesses.

I chuckle, "Are you doing okay?" Erwin nods, "Yes, now that I know you're not going to die on me." His careful words and the concern in his voice tell me just how much he cares about me. I can feel the weight of his words settling on my shoulders, reminding me not only of the bond we share but also of the precarious nature of our situation. We are both acutely aware of the dangers that loom ahead, threatening to tear apart everything we have ever known.

"You're sweet," I smile weakly. We both sit in silence, finding shelter in each other's presence. Erwin sighs, "It's funny how we take moments like alone time for granted because we're always out in Titan Country, fighting." I nod in agreement, a mixture of gratitude and nostalgia washing over me. In those fleeting moments of tranquility, I couldn't help but reflect on how much our lives had changed since we first joined the Survey Corps. We had gone from wide-eyed recruits, filled with hopeful dreams of glory and honor, to battle-hardened soldiers, scarred both physically and emotionally by the cruelty of the Titans. Amidst all the pain and chaos, we both felt a flicker of hope that burned within us, a flame that refused to be extinguished.

I look at my friend with gratitude and I sit up to give him a hug. Erwin's strong arms embrace me and he holds me close. I savor every ounce of that moment in his arms. I feel a sense of serenity wash over me, temporarily shielding me from the trauma we both dealt with earlier that day.

Flashback...

I am eighteen years old and in the Cadet Corps. The commandant is working us to the bone in the extensive combat training. Thankfully, I pass the balance test for the ODM gear. Later that day, we practice using the gear and practice slashing the giant practice dummies. As I strap on the ODM gear, I feel a mix of nerves and excitement coursing through me. I tighten the straps, making sure the gear is secure. Ready to go, I join the rest of my squad in the woods, where a series of tall Titan dummies are set up for us to practice our combat.

There among the Cadets, I see a handsome man who must have been five or six years older than me. He's about six feet tall, and he is muscular; he has blond hair and blue eyes. The man is focusing intently on the instruction we are being given, and I look away shyly. Little do I know that he is now looking at me with a pleasant smile on his face. I feel a flicker of unexpected warmth as our gazes briefly connect. As the training progresses, I can't help but steal glances in his direction, hoping to catch his eye again.

However, the handsome man seems to be completely immersed in his training, displaying impressive skill and dedication. His dedication inspires me to bring my focus back to training. I shoot my grappling hook in the Titan dummy's back and I do a spin in the air before slashing the nape of its neck, causing the dummy to fall. I end my attack with a backflip and I gracefully land on my feet. My comrades are applauding me and the commandant pats me on the back, "Well done, Brenner. Take notes from her, Cadets!"

The handsome man approaches me, "That was amazing, you will be a good soldier," he pats my shoulder. "Thanks, you're quite the skilled fighter yourself." I smile, trying to hide the excitement that he's talking to me. "Thank you, I'm Erwin Smith," he extends his hand for me to shake. "Nice to meet you, I'm Amelia Brenner," I shake his hand. Ever since that moment, we have stayed friends, but I want to be more than friends. Although we have to focus on the fight against the Titans, I still want Erwin to know how I feel about him. I don't want to be without him.