Not Much Longer (AOT)

Not Again

From outside, Erwin  heard a loud thud.

At first he didn't think anything of it. He just finished getting the books together to bring inside. As he made his way inside he called out to Athena. 

He received no answer.

"Miss?..." He called out again, but this time he was louder.

Her house could not have had walls thick enough to mute the sound of his voice. Reluctantly he began to pace around the house, trying to find where she had gone off to.

He made his way up the stairs and was greeted with a set of doors. The sound of running water bubbled from the door into Erwins ears. 

"Miss are you alright?"

No answer.

Slowly approaching the room where the sound of rushing water was coming from, it began to get louder. 

"I know she can hear me, why isn't she answering?"  Erwin thought as he put his hand on the knob.  

He was becoming annoyed again. "I don't have the much time miss." 

As he slowly opened the door, he revealed her passed out on the bathroom floor. The once white porcelain sink was stained with her failed attempt to clean herself up. The blood finally stopped dripping out of her nose, but a streak of red still cling onto her cheek.

She went unconscious at the sight of her own blood

Erwin leaned into the sink a thought for a moment. He knew he was going to have to get her up one way or another. Normally he would just leave her alone and wait for her to come to her sense. He could act like nothing happened. However, he did not have all day. He had to get back to base, and waiting for her to come to might take hours.

The sound of water continued to fill his ears. His hand slowly made its way its way to shut it off. Suddenly he was hit with an idea.

He had decided what to do.

Picking her off of the floor, he turned and sat her in the bath tub, and turned on the water.

Athena's body jolted awake. The water in her eyes felt like ice. She grabbed at the shower curtain in a desperate attempt to escape the frigid cold water. The curtain rod, instead of helping, snapped and smashed right into Erwin. As it went down, it sliced a small cut into his cheek. 

Erwin grabbed the right side of his face in a knee jerk reaction to the sudden pain. He pulled his hand back to see a small amount of blood stained his fingers.

Athena eventually was able to find the knobs and turn off the water. Though her limbs were stiff she wiped the water from her eyes.

Silence seemed to fill the room.

"Miss?" 

She slowly turned her head to find Erwin standing outside of the tub. 

The gash in his cheek caught her eye.

Erwin then watched as her eyes rolled back and her head hit against the tub.

She went unconscious.

Again.

A few hours later Athena woke up, and found herself in her own back yard. 

Confused, she turned to find Erwin underneath of one of the trees.

"Mr. Smith? Are you alright? What's going on? " She called to him.

He awoke with a jolt. He had fallen asleep under the tree while waiting for her to finally become conscious again. While waiting fo her to become conscious again, he figure he must have fallen asleep. 

"Did you bring me out here?" Athena questioned. 

Erwin pulled himself as he spoke. "I found you...um... unconscious."

Athena cocked her head to the side as she started to squeeze water out of her hair. "Then why is my hair all wet?"

His voice turned cold. "Can we just get to why I'm here?"

———————————

For the rest of the day, Erwin sat on her front porch. Athena stayed inside and started looking into the material he had brought her. Books on human history, books on the titans and their history, but most importantly, translation books.

Every once in a while he would get up and walk around the house. Athena watched him from inside. She couldn't understand why he seemed so happy just... walking around.

Hours passed as Athena read the library he had brought.

Soon after, the sun began to set, and Athena finished one of the many books. With the closing of the cover, she turned to see Erwin standing in the yard. His face turned to the sky and the sun washing over him.

He looked peaceful to say the least. But most importantly, he looked calm... 

He seemed at peace.

She got up from her table and joined him outside.

"You don't get much quiet where you come from do you?" she asked, walking up to him.

He did not move or open his eyes. His face was still turned up to the sky, basking in the sunlight. "I don't get much quiet...ever."

She turned her face up and closed her eyes to join him. "I don't get much company, so I get a lot of quietness."

Erwin smirked at her comment.

"Her voice is just so soft and kind..."

Erwin was puzzled by this lonesome woman living in the mountains by herself. As he thought more about her, he started to feel bad for practically trying to drown her in her own tub. 

He opened his eyes and locked a gaze with her as he spoke. His face shifted from one of peace, to one of guilt. "I apologize for my actions earlier."

She open her eyes and faced him. "For trying to wake me up by way of waterboarding?"

"I'm just... I'm sorry," he repeated.

She nodded her head slightly and smiled as she spoke. "I accept your apology."

Erwin studied her face again as they stood outside in the dying sunlight...

Her hair had dried and no longer clung to her face. It was unbrushed and messy, and her eyes were puffy from all of the reading she had just done. And her eyes...

Erwin offered a smile, and Athena returned one. She laughed and something in Erwin lit up. But as soon as he felt that spark, he quickly crushed it.

"I can't..."

His face turned sour, and he broke his gaze with her. Pushing passed her, Erwin quickly made his way to his horse. She was surprised by his sudden change in presence and followed after him. His movements were so quick that she couldn't catch up.

"How long is it going to take for you to learn what I've brought to you?" He said stalking over to his horse.

She was struggling to keep up with his long strides. "I don't know, maybe a week or so?"

"I want you to be done in the next two days."

"Excuse me? Two days? I'm sorry sir, but when do you expect me to eat? When do you expect me to sleep? I can't read and learn everything in that time span, it takes time for the mind to retain things and-"

He mounted his horse as him voice shot out the cold words "Figure it out."

"But I'll barely have enough time to breathe! You gave me enough books that would last me a month! You can't expect me to-"

"Figure. It. Out." he growled.

She stopped in her tracks. His tone surprised her and caused her stomach to sink.

With that, his horse turned and took off down the path.

All that ran through his mind on the way home was, "I can't do this myself again..."