Chasing Ghosts [Attack on Titan](Wattys 2014 Winner)

Chapter twenty nine- The start of something beautiful

Chapter twenty nine

I went off to the infirmary, the nurse showed me to a little chair and pulled my shirt back up with her cold hands. The woman looked at the cut and let out a little peep of surprise “When did this happen Corporal…?” She asked. I looked at her out of the corner of my eyes “It was a training mishap.” I said. She nodded and took out some cleaning materials from her collection of tools and cleaned out the puffy wound. I felt her tugging at something and I whimpered in pain as the skin was ripped slightly. “That is a massive splinter…” She said quietly. I didn't want to look back and see it, I felt her wrap the bandages around my waist and wound. She lowered my shirt and I stood “Thank you.” I said quietly. She nodded “Be careful out there ma'am.” I nodded and left. Eld and Gunther were chatting pleasantly now, I pretending not to notice it.

I returned inside, the sun was up higher now so people began to awake. Petra was down in the messhall, sitting with Oluo and Levi. Levi looked extremely tired. He had black bags under his eyes and he was falling asleep in his food. I went over to them standing across from the table “You look like you slept on a nail.” I said to him, he looked up at me under droopy eyes. He shifted slightly “I did, I couldn't get to sleep.” He grumbled. Petra smiled softly  “You should rest.” She said touching his hand with her much smaller one. I blinked slightly at them, smiling. Could this be, the budding of something beautiful…? I said nothing and turned to go “You can rest if you like Ackerman, today is mostly chores anyway.” He said nothing but I heard him shifting his hand away from Petras. Darn, a girlfriend would be a good thing for him. I went up the steps to find Erwin, he must have still been sleeping.

I went to the commanders room and opened it slowly, he was sure as hell still asleep. Erwins blond hair was messy and tousled his eyes closed as his soft breath filled the room. The curtains were firmly shut, and the room was shaded in a color of dark purple from the fabric of the cover over the windows. I snuck into the room as quietly as I could, going to his side. I looked down at the commander, he seemed so innocent while he was sleeping. I knelt down to look into his face, hoping to the heavens he didn't wake up. This would be hard to explain, I gazed into the commanders face. I'd known this man for eleven years, he was as close as I would get to a brother. I heard a soft creaking outside the door. I looked up and a flash of brown vanished from the door that I'd left open just a smidge.

I went to the curtains and flung them open the sunlight flashed onto Erwins face and he groaned shifting trying not to wake up. I threw open the windows and the bird song filled the stuffy room. “Get up lump, you've slept in enough.” I said. He grumbled quietly putting one of the fluffy white pillows over his head. I pulled it off and smacked him with it, the commander yelped in surprise batting me away with his hand. I laughed “C'mon, if you don’t get up I'll have to get in!” I teased. Grinning, I'd always enjoyed myself around him. I'd known him for as long as I could remember being in the Corp, so I could tease him without feeling awkward.

He frowned at me under the white fabric of the pillow and suddenly grabbed my wrist yanking me onto the covers of the bed I flopped over the side of him he smirked at me. “Not so powerful now are we?” He grinned. I frowned at him, grabbing at his face. “No, but your awake aren’t you?” He sighed and flopped backward. “You win.” I scrambled off of him and stood up.  He grumbled rolling out of the bed and I left him to change. As I opened the door, I came face to face with Petra. She was staring at me, her eyes wide in surprise. “P-Petra?” I asked, only about an inch away from her face. She shook her head “I'm sorry! I wasn't spying, you and the commander seem very close though…” She awkwardly trailed off. “Levi came up here, and I wanted to see if he needed anything. I heard the laughing, and well…” She trailed off again. I chuckled passing her. “Erwin is like a brother to me Petra, don’t think there is anything between us.” I scolded her. She opened her mouth but closed it, thinking better of it. I chuckled “You should go check on him.” She nodded gratefully dipping her head to me then racing off towards the boys room.

 I went down the steps towards the main hall; I went to the sitting room and pulled out a book from the shelves. Eld and Gunter could be seen easily from where I sat. I opened the book and stared at the page, sometimes when I was distracted with other things my mind wouldn't focus and I would just be reading the same paragraph over and over. It was one of those days, I kept reading the same sentence over and over while I thought about what Petra had said, me and the commander? Hah, right. As much as I had faith in my ability’s as a warrior, in the relationship section of life.

I scored only a two. Most guys couldn't handle my fire-hot personality and my ‘I don’t take shit from anyone’ attitude. Tamaki seemed to handle it, I wondered if I would start something with him… No, I wouldn't. He was a nice guy, but he was an idiot. I wasn't in the market for a relationship anyway, I just wanted to focus on killing titans and protecting my ‘family’ Perhaps in the future. When I was to old, or getting to old to fight. I would start a family with someone, I imagined with Qwill. If he was still out there, he would be my number one choice. After all, I owed most of my sanity to him. If I hadn't been able to read those books, I don’t know what I would have done. I rested my head against the back of the couch and closed my eyes. “Qwill…” I whispered drifting off.