The Boy I Knew

10. Home to You

A/N: I know that the timeline is a bit off, so for clarity, this chapter ends season one and starts the second one. After this chapter, things won't follow the original story verbatim with some major events being altered for the sake of storytelling. Sorry for any confusion!

----

Morning light streamed through cracks in the curtain, illuminating the empty side of the bed where Erwin's body had been. Having left before you woke, he left a letter on his pillow along with a brown box tied with a green ribbon. Part of you wished he had woken you up before he left, but this was far sweeter.

In the box was a pendant in the shape of a sunflower. In the middle, it had a piece of what looked like green glass. It was something that you could hang off of a necklace, or have it made into a bracelet. With how much you use your hands when you work, a bracelet would be too distracting, so you decided on buying a braided rope necklace to hang it from later. An "Oh!" escaped your lips as you remembered what you had originally wanted to do last night.

The "surprise" you had bought for Erwin still laid in the box it came in, a set of lingerie for him to see you in. Hoping he hadn't gotten curious and looked at it, you planned on saving it for when he came back from the expedition. Miche had effectively ruined the mood you had put yourself in. Not wanting to have him plague your mind today, you pushed him out of your thoughts.

Still in bed, you placed the box and pendant on the nightstand beside you. The letter wasn't in an envelope, but rather folded neatly in half. You opened it to find elegant cursive on unlined paper. It wasn't a long letter, but it made your heart sing.

Y/N,

I didn't want to wake you because you look so peaceful when you sleep. I wanted to be sweet in this little letter to you, but we both know why I'm leaving it. I left you the pendant, unsure of what jewelry you liked the most. I know I call you my sunflower and this reminded me of it. Like sunflowers, you continue to shine in my life even while it's raining. As children, I always enjoyed watching you light up when talking about the things you loved and I want the same thing now, as adults. We've been apart for so long that it feels like we're starting over, but with the same emotions we had when we went our separate ways. You make my day brighter just by existing and I plan on making it back to you from this expedition, and every single one after this. I'm sorry for not trusting you before, but I'm still working this whole relationship thing out in my head. I do trust you. Fully. You mean everything to me. I hope you know that.

Erwin

----

The letter he left had been placed in the back of a notebook. One that you planned on giving to him, as a return letter. You intended on filling it up with every single memory you had of the two of you, both as children and the ones you hoped to make as adults. Knowing he wrote the letter because of the risk his job presented, you willed him to return safely.

In doing so, it felt like eternity until you saw his face again. It read that he had found the answers to some of his questions, but opened up more in the process. You heard in passing that it had almost been a failure and due to this, Eren was to be taken into custody. He had been taken by a titan, if not for Levi and Mikasa, he would have been lost. You didn't know if that meant dead or kidnapped.

Erwin was accompanied by Miche, both looking surprised to see you in Stohess. His eyes softened for a moment as he noticed the necklace you now wore. Placing a kiss on his cheek, you noted that he tried to keep his stoic demeanor, but he couldn't keep his cheeks from tinting red.

"What are you doing here?"

"Work, same as you. It seems they tend to class quite a bit, with people getting injured and all." That elicited a chuckle from Miche, who you were trying to ignore.