𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖋𝖚𝖑

Epilogue

"And that's the story of how my parents fell in love,"

The lavender and marigold skies frolicked with small doves and even smaller fireflies. A warm evening breeze embraced everything on the short hill, making the grass and flowers dance wildly to her melody.

Erika felt calm.

Erika felt safe.

Albert... felt disgusted.

"They told you all of that?! In such great detail?!"

She scoffed at his cute outbursts.

"They didn't go into much detail at certain parts, they said I'll understand when I'm older, yet they also said I deserved to know their story, and since it's my thirteenth birthday, it was one of my birthday presents. You know how much I like stories."

"Yea but..." Albert sat up from his lying position and rolled onto his side to stare at the girl lying next to him, staring at the sunset.

Her hair was fanned out around her, the long, glossy black strands covering over the grass on which she laid. Her eyes were half-lidded, showing how relaxed she was at that moment. Her pale skin practically bathes in the retreating sunlight. Her petite figure reclined with calmness.

Albert huffed and turned his head away when the wind started picking up the hem of her dress.

"Uhm, wasn't it awkward to be told that?"

Erika finally dragged her eyes over to the boy. Ever since he hit his fifteenth birthday, he's shot up in height and maturity. He was looking more like a young man now. He was always neatly kept, his clothes never knowing what dirt or a crease is. His hair was always neatly combed, complimenting his handsome face. She couldn't help but ogle him secretly, especially now that his shoulders are broader and his voice is growing deeper.

She felt a small flush rise to her cheeks.

"Well, yes it was at first. But my mother quickly told me off about it,"

Albert gives a small smile.

"Ah, of course, the beautiful and wise Mikasa Ackerman always knows what to do," he said dreamily. Erika huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Hey, that's my mother, perv!"

"Sigh, no need to rub in the fact that you were nurtured and cared for by the Mikasa Ackerman, I'd do just about anything to be in your shoes," he continued with a faraway look in his eyes. She narrowed hers.

"Well, you're about to taste said shoes if you don't shut the hell up!"

Sure, he'd always had a crush on her mother, but recently she didn't like how it made her feel when he talked about her. Before she just found it annoying but now... she couldn't place the emotion.

"Fine, sorry boss," he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "So how exactly did that discussion go?"

Erika turned her head back to the sky, a few glimmering stars decided to make their way onto the sky.

"Well, basically..."

______________

Erika was traumatized.