Hellfire • L.A.

The stars

Just like every night before, I found myself wandering the halls of this old castle, except tonight I didn't go straight to the kitchen.

The fight between Levi and I had resulted in some hurt pride on my part. I have this thing about being weak or showing weakness, and getting taken down so easily definitely hit me. That being said, I wanted to avoid speaking to Levi unless it was absolutely necessary.

It seems like since I've met him that's all I've done: avoid him. He's really not that bad of a guy if you catch him at the right times. He was still a rude bastard other times, though, and I feel like if he said anything slightly harsh to me I would throw him against a wall without hesitation. How Erwin and Perry expect me to work with him blows my mind.

The man obviously cares for no one except himself. His little comment about not caring that people put their hope in him didn't quite settle with me. How could someone who is so celebrated and skilled be so cold? What exactly could a decorated soldier have to be so upset about? The man has everything. He's gotten to love above ground, and he's been given nothing but respect.

My feet were carrying me to somewhere unknown. Moonlight was casting shadows onto the old stone floor through tall, gaping windows. I stopped by one of them so I could look outside for a moment. The best part of not being stuck in a sewer anymore was getting to see the night sky.

I poke my head outside real quick to see the ground below, and then I hoist myself up to sit in the ledge with one leg still hanging on the inside.

It's clear out and stars delicately dot the sky. The moon isn't full, it's crescent shaped. As I look up into the obsidian sky, my mind wanders off to my old comrade.

Her name was Margery Samuel, and she was the captain of our squad before me. Everything she did I did too. She treated me like a younger sister and I looked up to her like she was a goddess. In my book, there wasn't anything she could do wrong.

She died risking her life when the titans broke through and invaded Wall Maria. She sacrificed her life for me. That was two weeks ago. So much has changed in simply two weeks.

My mind wanders off as I stare up at the sky. Margery was young and beautiful, and a selfless soldier. In her last moments she told me to run. She told me to run and never look back.

"One of us needs to survive these ten years kid, and it's gotta be you."

"You're going to fall."

A cold voice shakes me from my thoughts and I literally jolt up. If it hadn't been for someone's hand grabbing my arm I probably would have lost my balance and fell.

"Looks like she almost did! You alright, Captain Lux?"

My eyes break away from the stars and I look back inside. Hanje and Levi are both standing in front of the window where I'm sitting. I notice the hand is Levi's and as soon as my eyes land on it he lets go, throwing it out of his grasp like it's burned his skin.

I watch him for a brief second before I look to Hanje and nod slowly. "Yeah, I'm good. I was just admiring how nice it is out here."

Hanje nods excitedly. "Yes! It's so lovely out here when it's clear. We should go on a night ride together some time." Her glasses shine in the moonlight.

Levi looks at the crazed scientist with boredom, and glances down to the papers she has in her hands. "Don't you have work to do, shitty glasses?"

Hanje frowns and her shoulders fall when she looks down at the papers. "Yeah, I suppose." She sighs, and looks back up at me with a sad smile. "Well, we'll catch up and talk about that ride later, okay?"