Wings : Attack on Titan x Reader Scenarios / Imagines ▼

[That Day :: Erwin]

Much to your expectations, the meeting was off to a rather rocky start, considering the fact that there were only three people in the large meeting room and one, as you were quite suspicious of, was most likely drunk. It didn't exactly help that the spacious air allowed perfect echoing, especially if one had a loud voice - which, undoubtedly, your higher-ups did, preeminently if they are tipsy. It wasn't as formal as you been expecting. This wasn't particularly unpleasant, considering the fact that you'd never quite enjoyed lengthy speeches or the like, but did have its disadvantages.

Like, for example, you really had no place to say anything.

Reassigning people, reading over new cadet's papers, examining the records of the next soon-to-be top ten...that was something for leaders to do, not subordinates. And sure, there were breaks every now and then when the two men would go off on one odd orbiter or the next (primarily prompted by Pixis), but perhaps in that sense you were even less qualified to state your speculations. It was a talk between two friends with an unnecessary 'plus one' invitation that had been imprudently squandered on you. You had stories, sure, but not ones that would suffice the scant, stale air in front of you.

Instead, you sat back against your chair, folded your hands in your lap, and kept your eyes positioned upon the ornate table between your trio. Never once had you appreciated the fine detailing of expensive equipage as effectively as you did then - the intricate, inundating swirls seamlessly flowing into and out of one another with no clear beginning or end. This managed to keep you occupied for a fair portion of time.

At least, it did, until someone's statement caught your attention. "Ah, yes - [y/n] has been a wonderful addition to the Garrison. Even if she doesn't always follow orders." It ended with rather boisterous laughter from your boss, which caused your head to jerk up. Pixis appeared to be midway through a drunken chuckle attack, and Erwin, to your amusement, sat like a young child who didn't get the jokes being told between adults.

Regardless, that last part wasn't inherently true. Yes, you'd stop him from drinking beyond his limit (which was surprisingly high, you'd learned), but that was about all the cases you were aware of.

Erwin noticed your rather abrupt attention. "This all may seem incredibly boring to you," he began, taking note of your expression, "but it's necessary for everything to function properly."

You simply nodded. Of course you were aware of it - half the time you were the one taking the full bulk of the paperwork, although whether it was because you didn't find late-night intoxicated Pixis capable enough of finishing it accordingly or because you preferred to see him happy rather than drowning beneath a sea of stationary and ink, you weren't quite sure. Nevertheless you'd grown quite familiar with all the precautions, and it was only then that you noticed the small stack of papers sitting amidst the center of the table.

"Come on then, [y/n], surely you've got something to say?" Think of the devil - of course it was Pixis who'd prompt your involvement.

For a moment you were back in school and the teacher was calling on you, demanding an answer to a question that you didn't understand, putting you on the spot in front of everyone else who were, of course, all silently judging you. Except this time it was your leader, and the only two people to hear your response were some of the few people who could have legitimate control over your life depending on what you chose to say. "Well, I -"

And it was then that your luck had an unexpected swing. A sudden knocking upon the wide wooden doors provided the perfect excuse, which you snatched up immediately. "Here, I've got it," you pardoned yourself from the table.

The short walk provided you with enough time to gather your thoughts, and you had begun to feel once more like your usual self as you were in the process of turning the polished brass knob.