Remember

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Lily's POV:

"I dont get it daddy, why cant i help too?"

My father just ruffled my brother's hair by the time i stopped peeling wild spring onion on the table with Mikasa, our mother quietly laughing from where she was further on in the kitchen. It was a better reaction then earlier this afternoon when Mikasa let slip that Eren wanted to join the scout regiment when he was older.

"You'll get your chance to know when you're older Lily, now behave yourselves for your mother until Im back and ill show the two of you what's in my basement when i get back."

He shot the four of us a watered down smile before he hurried to the front door and slammed it on his way out, my brother crying a whoop of joy and pumping his fist into the air.

"Alright! I cant wait!"

If only we'd knew just how wrong things were about to become, none of us would have taken that morning for granted.

*

A loud pounding snapped me from my dreams and I rolled from the bed before my eyes were even fully opened, today was one of the rare days we got to do whatever we wanted so i was planning on sleeping in that whole time; I rubbed at my eyes with the back of my hand and groaned before pulling the damned door open.

"Cant you see that im trying to sleep?"

"Christ- could you put some clothes on?"

"Yeah yeah.."

A massive yawn overcame me while i turned my back to the door, Reiner's blond yellow hair all but burned into my retinas; i heard him shut the door but i chose to ignore him and instead flopped down onto the edge of my bed.

"It's just a night shirt Reiner, you've seen women before."

"Its just- as much as i wanna complain about your bare everything flopping out, I wanted to ask what your plans were for the day."

"I was going to sleep-"

I raised my arms up into the air before i sat up and tugged my knees into my chest so i could rest my chin atop everything.

"Sorry.. you're hardly alone so i though now would be alright to ask something..."

His cheeks flushed a delicate pink and he kept avoiding my gaze until i gave up and yanked one of my large pillows over my lap to cover most of the skin.

"Out with it before it gives you a brain tumor would you? I just cleaned these floors yesterday."

Reiner finally looked at me and sat down on the edge of my bed furthest away from me before he put his face in his hands and blew roughly into the air.

"Would you be up to having lunch with me today?"

"What, as a date or something?"

It took several minutes of silence before it clicked in my brain, why he would bother approaching me in my quarters alone, or why it would be when normal people are asleep; i giggled a little and he just lifted his face with his mouth agape.

"...whats so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing, sorry- its just the look on your face is all."

I inhaled until i was positive my lungs were about to burst before i braved the awkwardness and leaned myself into the warmth of his right shoulder, my left arm lazily holding my pillow to my body while the right one traced all the visible veins and scars on his skin.

"You know that i dont date. . hell, with my brother being in the trouble he's in, i never really gave it much thought."

Eren had gotten shipped off with Captain Levi a few days ago and a few of us were ordered to stay back behind the walls to avoid suspicion, Reiner was one of the few who bothered to volunteer to stay close to my quarters to keep me safe.

"But...i guess i wouldnt mind giving it a shot with you, it's not like you're a vicious titan or something yeah?"

Reiner froze but i paid it no mind and pat him on the head before vaulting gracefully over his lap and landing on the balls of my feet on the fluffed out carpet.

"If you freaked out that much over what i sleep in, you might want to leave while i get dressed."

*

"Do you think that we'll be alright?"

My brother pat me on the arm before he tore off a hunk of stale bread and divided it out between Armin, Mikasa, and myself, giving himself the smallest piece from the tiny loaf.

"As long as we stick together im sure we'll be fine, i still wish we could've saved our mom though..."

I looked at my splintered and bruised fingers holding the bread and sniffed while the tears threatened to overspill my eyes again, our mother's screams still echoed through my brain like i could still hear her...

"We're just kids, we did everything we could to try and get her out. ."

"If you say so. ."

A tall man with his face hidden behind a hood shoved past me and mumbled a deep throated apology before he hid himself behind a stone pillar some distance away from us; i couldnt help but notice a familiar looking lock of brown hair and a small key swinging into view before he was gone. . .

But everyone had keys right?..

*

"Here."

Reiner pulled a chair out from the table for me and went around to sit in a different one, waiting to scoot himself to the table until i was rested comfortably; he had dressed in a fancy looking white shirt and dress pants for the occasion but i stuck with a simple white dress and flats.

"You look beautiful Lily, white suits you so well."

"Thank you, and thanks for asking me to eat. This is such a nice change of pace compared to-"

I shrugged my shoulders and waved a hand in the air between us before he smiled and hoisted a small brown basket onto the table between us.