From Across the Sea (Attack on Titan/OC) [ON HOLD]

Chapter 31

The room they took him to after the trial was small. Eren was sat on the couch and Hanji immediately began to see to his injuries. Commander Erwin sat at the desk on the other side of the empty office, and Squad Leader Mike was leaning against the wall on his left, by the door. Captain Levi had not said a word to him yet, and his Aunt had disappeared before he even had the chance to look for her.

Hanji grabbed a pair of tweezers, a cotton ball, and disinfectant. She began to gently clean him of the blood and dirt on his face, trying to be as gentle as possible but Eren still winced every now and then.

"That was terrible. It hurts, right?" She questioned.

"Yea." Eren rubbed at his jaw, still feeling the sore spot where Captain Levi had first kicked him.

"So how does it hurt?" Hanji began to get excited, and Eren leaned back to put what little distance he could between him and the scientist.

"I'm sorry." Commander Erwin moved to stand as he faced the young boy. "But thanks to that we had you turned over to us. The pain you endured allowed me to play my cards at the right moment." Erwin knelt down to put himself at equal level with the young soldier, holding out his hand. "You have my respect."

Eren looked at his superior officer in shock.

"Eren, I look forward to working with you."

This snapped Eren out of his state of surprise, and he rushed to shake his Commander's hand. "Yes sir! Thank you!" Suddenly the couch cushions bounced and an arm was settled on the back of the framing behind him. Captain Levi crossed one leg over the other and stared at him, albeit looking slightly bored. Eren would come to know that this seemed to be Levi's permanent expression.

"Hey, Eren? Do you resent me?"

"N-No sir." Eren stuttered. "I understand it was necessary."

"That's good."

"But you took it a little far." Hanji chimed in. "He lost a tooth."

"Don't pick that up. It's disgusting." Levi told her.

"Even this is an important sample."

"Eren, it's still better than being dissected by people like Hanji, right?'  

"Hey Eren, can I see the inside of your mouth?" Hanji leaned forward excitedly. Eren looked a little unsettled but opened his mouth all the same. Hanji gasped in shock. "The tooth...it's already grown back."

"How dare you?" A voice screech out in the hallway. Mike pushed himself off the wall, as did Erwin, to peek out of the doorway. Angharad stood with her chest pressed against Nile's as she seethed up at him. "I trusted you! I told you guys my past, or lack thereof, in confidence!"

"And it was important information for today's trial." Nile shot back.

"How is my past worth any semblance of importance to Eren's situation? How could you just betray me like that?" Angharad was almost yelling at this point.