In the Shadows of the Past | Levi Ackerman

8

As we entered the mess hall, I made a beeline for the food, my mind preoccupied with various thoughts. Lost in my own world, I walked until I felt a sudden yank from behind, strong enough to almost throw me off balance. With a glare, I turned to see Hange, her smile wide and mischievous.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked, her tone playful yet insistent.

"To go sit and eat?" I replied, feigning ignorance.

"You silly!" she laughed, grabbing my arm and dragging me towards a table where all the high-ranked officers were seated.

I took a seat next to Erwin, opposite Levi, while Hange settled in beside Levi and Miche next to her. Despite their lively conversation, I remained aloof, keeping my emotions in check behind a stoic facade. Levi's intense gaze bore into me, his unusual grip on his tea cup not escaping my notice.

"Ella, why is your file so empty?" Hange's question cut through the air, breaking the silence. I shrugged nonchalantly, taking a bite from my bread.

"Because I stole them and burned them," I replied casually, unfazed by her curiosity.

"What wall are you from?" Miche chimed in, joining the conversation for the first time.

"Wall Maria," I answered without hesitation, willing to share information as long as it wasn't too personal.

"What district?" he pressed further.

"Shiganshina," I replied, my voice trailing off as memories of home flooded my mind, particularly thoughts of Eren.

Looking down at my plate, thoughts of Eren who turned nine brought a faint smile to my lips. But before I could dwell on the fleeting moment of happiness, a nudge from the side jolted me back to reality. My smile vanished as I glanced up to see Erwin beside me.

"Pardon?" I said, raising a brow inquisitively.

"I asked you something," he reiterated, his tone gentle yet probing.

I hummed in acknowledgment, silently indicating that I was listening.

"Do you have siblings?" he inquired, a simple question that caught me off guard. For a moment, I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. But considering Eren's safety, I opted for the safest answer.

"No," I replied, a lie hanging heavy in the air. I met Erwin's gaze, his eyes blue like the ocean I had only read about in books. The thought of the vast expanse beyond the walls ignited a longing within me, a desire to escape the confines of my reality.

Turning my attention back to my food, I raised my spoon to take a bite when Erwin posed another question, one I had been avoiding for years, a question that pierced through the armor I had built around myself.

"What about parents?" he asked, his words freezing me in place. Panic surged through me, but I couldn't afford to show weakness, not now. With a calculated effort, I summoned all the courage and strength I could muster.

"Dead," I replied coldly, my voice devoid of emotion. But beneath the surface, the pain of losing my mother still lingered, a wound that refused to heal. As for my stepfather, he was nothing but a monster in human guise, and my biological father had abandoned us, leaving behind broken promises and shattered dreams.

Before they could delve further into my personal history, I swiftly changed the topic. Memories I preferred to bury resurfaced, and I had no desire to revisit them.

"When is the next expedition?" I interjected, setting my bread aside, appetite lost in the wake of the conversation.

"In 12 days," Erwin replied, his tone matter-of-fact.