Not Much Longer (AOT)

Flower

Erwin jolted awake at the sound of lightning.

The door to his room was opened, and there stood Athena holding a candle. The light from the raging storm outside illuminated her tear stained cheeks.

Another crack of lighting shook the isolated house.

"Miss?..." Erwin's voice was low and tired. He rubbed his eyes and tried to regain his senses.

"There are men here. They're outside. They keep hitting the door, and they're wearing military uniforms..." She was trying to stay quiet, but could not mask the panic in her voice. Tears rolled down slowly as she spoke. 

Erwin sat for a moment. He was able to keep his calm composure despite feeling his heart and mind starting to race. 'How could they find us already? What do they know? How much do they know?'

'Who told?'

Erwin swiftly got up from the bed and grabbed the candle from Athena's hands. Quietly, he made his way down the stairs to see if it was true. Leaving the candle on the dining room table, Erwin went up beside a window and peered outside.

CRRAAACKK

The lighting illuminated two shadowy figures outside.

 Erwin had hoped it would have been Levi or Hanji who decided to slip away this late into the night. 

To his dismay, it was two military police officers.

He closed his eyes for a moment and thought.

One of the men bashed on the door. "We know you're in there! Open up!!"

Stepping away from the window, Erwin started to gather all of the books and papers scattered about.

Athena watched in confusion.

"Do you have an attic? Or somewhere they won't think to look?" He said while continuing to gather the mountains of work she had accumulated.

Athena spoke with an uneasiness in her voice. "Upstairs...there's a staircase in the closet of my bedroom. There's an attic up there. You have to pull away the back of the closet wall to find it... If you put it back the right way, they'll never even suspect that it's anything but a closet."

Erwin gave a nod. "Act like I don't even exist. Answer the door. Stay calm. We'll get through this..."

"Mr. Smith I don't think I can do this..." She was shaking profusely, and it felt like her heart was in her mouth. 

Erwin set down the stacks of books and grabbed her shoulders. Athena tried her best to catch her breath and compose herself, but she was afraid. 

"Athena..." Erwins voice started. His tone was soft and low. 

She looked up to him as he squeezed her shoulders.

"...I won't let anything happen to you."

Athena pulled on her hands from her sides and placed it on his chest.

"I promise."

She stood for a moment looking into her eyes before giving a slight nod. She wiped away the remnants of her tears and started trying to take long, deep breaths. Erwin slipped away upstairs with the stacks of books and papers.

Erwin slipped away upstairs with the stacks of books and papers. Before she knew it, she heard his footsteps above her.

CRASH

Another shot of lighting from the sky lit up the room. The house was pummeled with the unrelenting rain. Swirling around, the hissing wind pierced into the little courage Athena tried to collect.