𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗦𝗘𝗧𝗦 | 𝙀. 𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙂𝙀𝙍

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐨𝐧𝐞

After Eren ushered me into my room and watched me as I slipped on a pair of shoes and shoved on a jacket, he grabbed my hand in his again and led us up the stairs. I looked down to see him with his shoes already on.

"Why are your shoes on?" I asked confusedly while walking side by side with him in the dim candle-lit hallways.

"I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd take a look around."

"At night?"

He just shrugs. "Why not?"

Our footsteps echoed in the empty hallways of the new HQ as we traveled further from the basement and closer to outside. We made sure to tiptoe very quietly past Levi's room; I really didn't want to wake him up and make him ten times more grouchy than he already is.

After Eren slings open the wide oak doors, the cold night air hits me like a slap. It was so refreshing as I breathed it all in and tilted my head back, inhaling in deeply, happy to be rid of the stuffy basement air. My eyes peek open and I could just barely make out the stars from behind the tall trees and exterior of the castle.

Eren, taking note of my gaze, pulls me through the courtyard and further away from the HQ building.

"Where are you taking me, Yeager? You know we're not supposed to-" He just shushes me with a soft clench on my hand.

"Relax, L/n." I huff a breath and follow him as we make our way past the stables.

We continue to walk through the tiny forest surrounding HQ for a couple of minutes. It was a good thing Eren brought the lamp because if he didn't I would be tripping over these damned roots way more than I already was; even with the additional light, I was making a fucking fool out of myself by stumbling every few seconds.

This, of course, made Eren laugh at me relentlessly, and the little shit even had the audacity to offer me a piggyback ride, which I declined- not wanting to bruise my pride more than it already was.

"How much longer?" I whine out as I slump into a bowing stance while still walking.

"Don't worry we're almost there-"

"That's what you said five fucking minutes ago!"

"Well, someone's a little cranky today," he says, and I could already tell he was smirking by the change in his tone.

"Shut up, Yeager before I punt you over the fucking walls," I mumble out then groan again in annoyance.

"I'd like to see you try, Y/n," Eren says with a soft chuckle. My cheeks heat up momentarily at his sudden light-hearted chuckle. Damn these stupid teenage hormones.

I tilt my head up in hopes to catch a glimpse of his smile with the dull candlelight from the small lantern- and I do. It's a soft grin, with the lines of his mouth tugging up at the end. I invited the warm feeling that flew through my body at the sight. I was so busy staring at him that I didn't even notice we arrived at our destination when Eren's head tilted towards me.

His grin faltered when he noticed my eyes pinpointed intently on him. I was about to blush, slightly embarrassed to be caught looking at him, but he beats me to it. His head shoots forwards, and I just know he's hoping the darkness from the night will conceal the blush, but it doesn't. I smile at my effect on him.

"We're here," he mutters softly under his breath while nodding at the landscape in front of us.

The view would've been beautiful to look at in the daytime, but right now, under the moonlight, it had a graceful and serene look to it. There were soft-edged hills rolling in the distance and long, thin clouds floated in the sky on the horizon. It was pretty.