Chasing Ghosts [Attack on Titan](Wattys 2014 Winner)

Chapter thirty-four: Qwill

Chapter thirty four

I just stood there staring at the young man before me. He looked so much like I remembered, a cute face and large indigo eyes. He smiled "I didn't think I would ever see you again Alya." Levi beside me just looked up at the tall man with a very confused expression. "Y-Your, Qwill..." I stuttered. Feeling my heart pounding in my chest and my eyes fill with emotion. "I am." He grinned. I just continued to stare for a while "I never thought I'd see you again." The memory of the diaries flooding back into my head, me finding them under my fathers bed and being so upset that I couldn't read them. Without thinking I launched myself at him and hugged him burring my face into his hair and shoulders. He blinked in surprise but accepted my hug. "I'm so glad!" I cried "You have no idea how much those journals ment to me." I rambled "Its been so long, what are you doing here, are you ok? How are you doing?" I sputtered out questions like a waterfall. He laughed and looked at me as I removed my arms. "One question at a time." The ebony haired boy laughed pushing his long wavy hair out of his eyes with a sly smile. Levi was leaning against the fence, eyeing us in silence for a moment. Qwill looked past me at the quiet young man. "Who's this?" He asked me. I looked back at Levi while the wind brushed his equally dark hair to the side his steel gray eyes flickering. He did not try to ruin this for me, I'd told him what Qwill meant to me. He understood and for that, I was grateful.

"A friend." I said simply, his gray eyes collected a little flickering of approval. Levi allowed a small smile to tease the edge of his lips "I'll leave you two to it." He left without another word and vanished inside. My gaze followed him until he left, then I turned back to Qwill. We sat down on a bench nearby. "What brings you to a fancy governor party?" I asked. He leaned against the wall folding his arms. "Well, it's a long story." I shrugged and he continued "After mother became ill we moved up here as you know, my father began work as the kings servant. After about five years of this, I was old enough to move out and get job on my own, I didn't want to become a servant like my father so I considered joining the military. I decided not to, knowing full well I was not qualified to fight titans." He said "So I went to the kings palace to find work, the king actually accepted me as his advisor to my surprise. He said it was because I was attractive, and that my appearance would get him a lot of attention from the ladies." I snorted with surprise, I didn't realize the king was so shallow.

He continued "After that, my father could quit his job because I could provide for the family with what I earned. I lived here in the palace but sent my mother and father most of my money, they moved into a house In the upper town. Mother got better, and they are living there at the moment happy as can be. You know, I used to wonder about you Alya. I'd heard stories about a fiery red-haired captain who would take down a titan with just a simple glare of her silver gray eyes." He joked. I laughed quietly "I guess, I wouldn't really say that but people do tell me I'm a skilled swordsman." He smiled "How did you join the military anyway...?" I sighed quietly and began "Well, after you left father started to get more and more abusive so when I turned sixteen I joined the military. During that time there was a man named Captain Ackerman in the military, he took me in and trained me. He was a very hard-hearted kind of man but e was mentor and I owe him my life, If it hadn't been for his training I wouldn't be here today. I would be dead more than likely." I said quietly folding my hands in my poofy lap. Qwill listened in silence.

I gave him a weak half smile "In some ways, Ackerman was like a father. When I joined the survey corp he vanished. I've been in the military for eleven years, elven years..." I trailed off "I've befriended many, but the only person who knew of Ackerman was Levi. That young man that was with me." I said "He's misunderstood but also an asshole. I consider him my friend..." I found myself speaking fondly of him, perhaps to fondly because Qwill got a strange glare in his eyes. "Just a friend?" he asked his voice cool. I shot my head up at him "That's my concern Qwill, and yes. Just a friend." I said, putting him in his place. He nodded slowly and stood "Right, sorry. We have a lot of catching up to do. Shall we go somewhere more... private?" He asked looking around at the abundance of couples going at each other like a pair of dogs. "These people have no decency" he grumbled quietly. I laughed standing and following him inside the white double doors and down the steps circling around the massive puddle of people in the center of the room and out the main doors. On my way out I spotted Erwin speaking to a group of pretty young ladies in green and pink dresses. I chuckled inwardly, he was clearly enjoying himself. I wondered where Ackerman had gotten off to.

I didn't see him in the massive amount of people the doors open and Qwill swept me outside before I could locate my 'friend'. We stood outside in the moonlight, the streets were silent the only sound was the muffled piano playing from inside the marble palace. We sat down on the large steps leading up to the door. "Do you not have a girlfriend?" I teased. He shook his head "I've had some, but every time they tell me I am to focused on my job and taking care of my family and I pay no attention to them so they leave me." He laughed "I even dated the kings eldest daughter for a time, she left me when she got sick of my constant working."

I chuckled "A hard working man is hard to find in Sina, you'd think they would be all over you." He laughed sweeping his hair back and out of his eyes with a quick motion. "Yeah, how about you? No relationships?" I shook my head "I'm not interested in Love, I'm interested in a better world. For all of us." I said shortly, sparing him my dramatic speech I usually gave. He nodded quietly for a moment. "Surely you have friends, you are a Captain right?" he asked. I nodded "Mhmm. I'm close friends with the commander Erwin, Levi, and a group of young trainees that I have been helping create a squad." I said. He blinked "Ahh... Interesting, You live in headquarters then?" I blinked at his strange question but nodded "Survey Corp headquarters in wall Rose." He smiled "Maybe I'll come for a visit some time." I grinned at him "I'd like that." I felt my heart flutter slightly at his words and my face grow hot. Was this... Love? No, not possible. He was a childhood friend, it was just giddiness at seeing him again. Right...?