Surrender Your Heart (Erwin Smith X Reader)

2-Old Losses, New Riches

Ewin's POV, 10 years ago

This has been a hard expedition. Since we lost Wall Maria and I have become Commander everything has just got harder. My mind has gone completely blank for the last few hours. There is just too much I still have to process but I am completely overwhelmed.

I put my hands inside my pocket to find the touch of a patch. It is my bestfriend's, Bruno Von Brandt. We joined together the Survey Corps some years ago and since then we have been inseparable.

Terrible and tragic images start flying through my mind. I just can't handle this. There is too much blood. I don't believe this has happened. The first thing I have to do as soon as I get inside the walls is to tell his parents. How am I going to do that? He was their only son. He had such a bright future.

...

I am thinking about the best words to tell his parents when I see something that catches my attention. As soon as we reach Wall Rose, I see a girl standing outside. How could a girl be outside the wall?

"I'll take care of it." I  get closer to her. She stares at me nervously and asks:

"Sir...umm...Can I get inside?"

"Sure, but, how did you get out of here on your own? This is dangerous, you are lucky you found us..."

"I...I don't know...I just want to get inside" her voice trembles.

"It's okay, just..." I help her get over my horse and we start walking towards the gate inside "What's your name?"

"(Y/N)."

"Okay, (Y/N)" I repeat "I'm going to take you home. Do you know your way home?" she shakes her head and I see her eyes get red and blurry. Then I understand. She doesn't have to speak for me to know. There is nowhere she can go. Shit. Orphans don't usually end up well. Especially, girls her age.

"I'm sorry. Look: I need to go take care of something. Do you want to come and then we will figure out what I can do for you?" I try to sound as nice and as empathic as I could.

"Sure, thanks sir" She answered. We start heading at the Von Brandt's house, inside Wall Sina. Today is not my lucky day at all.

...

I reach Bruno's parents' house and knock at the door. A middle-aged woman opens. First, her eyes are curious, then joyful, and then worried.

"Erwin..." she hugs me "It's nice to see you. W-where is Bruno?" I can't bear this. I put my hand inside my pocket and take out the patch.

"I'm sorry, Liesl. He fought bravely."I tell her while handing her the patch, my voice about to break. I feel a lump in my throat as she starts to cry. Her husband suddenly appears, and she hugs him sobbing desperately. I can't look. Tears start streaming down my face. I cannot hold them anymore. And now I don't care if I am seen crying.

Bruno's parents hug me too. We are all broken. This is so painful. He was their only son, they had seen him grow up and now he is gone forever. The Survey Corps has taken his son away from them.

After some minutes the sobbing goes down, and I wipe the tears from my cheeks while I look at (Y/N)'s direction. She is taking care of my horse and she looks at us silently.

"Um, I'm sorry, but I have a very important thing to do. We found this girl lost outside the walls and I need to find her a home. I don't want her to end up in bad hands, you know?"

"Wait...a girl? Lost? Bring her here" Liesl tells me and I make some signal for (Y/N) to come. She comes shyly towards us. She looks at the sonless parents.

"I am so sorry for your loss" she says. Liesl tries to smile politely.

"What is your name young lady, and how old are you?" Liesl asks.

"I'm (Y/N), I think I am 13..."

"(Y/N)" Hans, the father says "how did you end up in here?" she takes a while before she answers.

"I have lost some people too, and home is no longer a place where I can go."

She starts crying silently while apologizing. No one dares to ask her anything else about where she comes from or what is her family name.

"Are you alone?" Liesl asks.

"I have been for a while, but I am okay. I will be okay" the girl answers.

"You don't look like you're okay. You know, we are alone too, and I think that we can help out each other with our respective losses, what do you think?" Hans says, kneeling and crouching to talk to her.

"I think that we can never substitute losses, that is stupid and pointless, but that doesn't mean we cannot ever get riches again."

That answer surprises us all. It was so painfully true: we will never see Bruno again. But yet, it was so hopeful: we could carry on.

"Erwin, we can handle this. Go on and take a rest."

And, as easy as that, (Y/N) started to be a part of our lives.

Since then, the Von Brandts treated her like a daughter and they taught her to be a lady of their status. They soon felt vitality again. Of course, the pain of Bruno's death never went away, but they found a new hope. And (Y/N) too.

I sometimes went to visit them, and they all looked so happy and peaceful. They made me a part of their happiness and it was always a nice way to disconnect from work.

Everything had just gone right for everyone.

But it is when things are the calmest when storms hit the hardest.

...

Present Day (Hans's POV)

I was quietly reading a book in the living-room with my wife while we were both having a cup of tea.

Everything was so peaceful.

We heard footsteps getting close. We saw (Y/N) getting inside the living-room quite nervous. She sat at a chair in front of us.

"(Y/N), is everything alright?"

She breathed with her eyes closed. She suddenly opened her eyes and clenched her fists.

"Mom, Dad. I want to join the Survey Corps."

The storm had begun 

AN: hey guys! In this chapter I wanted to explain how you ended up finding Erwin and your new family. Little by little, you will discover all the amazing things about (Y/N), she is truly amazing :) I hope you like this and I will update ASAP. How will (Y/N)'s parents react? See you soon <3