Hellfire • L.A.

Daylight

Despite getting back to the safe house so late at night, I hardly sleep. The sun is coming up by the time my eyelids finally start to droop but the chance to get any sleep is long gone. I lay in the bed in one of the spare rooms and watch the sun peek in through the dusty curtains, when there's a quiet knock on my door.

Begrudgingly I pull the covers off of me and step onto the hardwood floor. "Yeah?"

"Lux, did I wake you?" Hanje's voice comes out from the other side of the door.

"Not at all." I open the door for her so that we can have a face to face conversation, and she smiles brightly at me. It still irks me how someone can be so energetic when the sun has just barely risen over the horizon.

"Are you walking better?" Her head nods towards my leg. I shrug, but still nod.

"I guess so. There's not as much pain."

She sighs. "That's good to hear! And how was your visit with the chief? Anything juicy?"

I scoff and roll my eyes. "Not particularly. Just family things I guess. Why are you here so early anyways?" I narrow my eyes at her jittery frame.

"We're having a meeting in the kitchen in a few minutes. It's pretty important stuff, you should join." She pauses for a moment, and then a sly smirk fills her face. "Levi said that we shouldn't wake you because of all the traveling you've been doing lately, what's got him all mushy? Hmm?"

My shoulders deflate and I frown at her. "Stop overthinking all of that junk Hanje. I'll be there. Let me get cleaned up first, okay?"

Hanje giggles before sighing dreamily and backing away from the door. "Of course Lux."

I shake my head at her retreating form, and she closes the door behind her. I stare at the wood of the door for a moment before putting myself into action. There's a bathroom right down the hall from my room, so I grab my clothes for the day and head towards it.

In the hallway I can hear voices muddled together and speaking in hushed tones. The cadets must be up and in the kitchen already.

It doesn't take me long to get freshened up and out of the bathroom, so within fifteen minutes I'm headed towards the kitchen. As soon as I walk in, Eren's eyes light up and he grins.

"Commander Lux! How was your trip?"

"It went well, Eren." I nod at him and he smiles.

"There's porridge on the stove if you want some, and rolls on the counter next to it." Armin's quiet voice speaks to me for the first time in a while. He sheepishly looks away and back over to Eren. I stifle a laugh.

"Thank you Armin. I'll be sure to grab some soon. Are we missing anyone?" I survey the table. There's the cadets from the 104th sitting around the table, Bran, and Hanje. "I thought my squad was supposed to come with?"

"Erwin said he needed them back at the headquarters for now. He's a little out of order right now, you know..." Hanje looks up at me from her seat at the table. My shoulders deflate at her worn out expression.

With Erwin's newfound immobility, she's been taking on most of his work. I know Erwin feels terrible about it because he's stressed multiple times that he can find a way to get it done, but Hanje insists that she help him in some way.

"If you need help with any of that, just ask me. You know I don't mind. I'm only here because the survey corps needs us to be."

Hanje is about to open her mouth to respond, but she smirks at something behind me. "Levi, nice of you to finally join us. Blew off some steam huh?"