They climbed the staircase all the way to the top floor, which was the third floor and was the attic.

Erwin opened a trapdoor above him and climbed up, turning back to Levi to aid him to climb out from the small space.

The attic was Martha's room which used to be filthy and covered in dust. Well, everything used to be covered in dust before Martha was Erwin's maid.

There was a small circular window that provided a small beam of moonlight to light up the room.

Erwin had to crouch slightly since the place was only five feet in height. As for Levi, he had to look at the wooden planks every time as he maneuvered his way to the attic which wasn't fun but he figured that Erwin had to suffer more than he does.

The place was very clean and there wasn't a single dust mite that could torment Levi and he was glad for that.

"This is the attic. It's where Martha sleeps." Erwin explained to Levi.

"But she sleeps at the morning. How can she do that when there's a window-"

His doubts were answered as Erwin pointed at a curtain, folded above the small circular window.

"Oh." Was Levi's response.

Erwin smiled and Levi swore under his breath. He was tired of that man smiling. He looked around to distract himself and saw some decorative picture frames that contained nothing at all.

"Master." A small, cold voice called out. "What brings you here?"

The two men turned their backs to see the little Martha, her eyes still infected with dreams and sleep. She blinked and covered her lips as she yawned and looked at them again. She was still at her bed, tucked under her warm covers.

"Well, good morning, Martha." Erwin greeted the smaller female who was frowning. She had a deeper frown than Levi and her thin lips protruded into a pout.

"Whaddya mean 'morning'?" Martha said as she rose from her bed, opposite from the window. She stood and Levi saw that Martha wasn't crouching since she was smaller than he was and the fact made Levi feel a bubble of happiness inside. "It's night, Master." Martha corrected Erwin. "Get your facts straight."

Erwin chuckled lightly and had a soft blush on his cheeks due to embarrassment. "Whatever you say, young lady." He turned to Levi and introduced him to Martha. "This is Levi Ackerman. He's my new squire."

Martha rubbed her eyes and smiled softly. "Hello, Levi. My name's Martha and pleasure to be your acquaintance." She walked to Levi, stretching and offered a hand to Levi to shake.

Levi shook her hand and replied. "I know you're Martha but sure, nice meeting you."

Martha turned her back and harrumphed. Her silver hair gleamed gently in the dark. "Polite but rude, quite intriguing."

Erwin said his farewells to Martha which confused Levi since they live at the same place and the two men went down.

They were both at the halls, the heels of their leather shoes clacking on the marble floors of Erwin's manor.

"Forgive me about Martha." Erwin began as they neared the staircase. "She's hostile towards most people."

"I can see that."

Erwin stopped walking and looked at Levi, straight to the eyes. "I'm glad your senses are pretty keen," A small smile began playing on his lips and the sight took Levi's breath away and he doesn't know why he felt that way. The feeling that he felt so suddenly bothered him but he was grateful he felt it.

"My previous squires weren't as good as you." Erwin continued and his blue eyes glittered a little as the moonlight peered at the glass windows that occupied the sides of the halls. "I am delighted to have you as my squire." Erwin beamed. "And thank you for being my companion during my mission today, you did well, Levi."

With that, he descended the stairs for he had something to do as what he had said to Levi.

Levi was standing there and looked at the male's back getting farther and farther. He began observing the way he walked and began to admire the man's dignified posture.

Before reaching the last step, Erwin turned back to Levi.

"How silly of me to forget." He chuckled. "Have a good evening, Levi."

Levi blinked. "You too, Erwin."

Erwin smiled again, turned and walked away.

Levi looked at Erwin's back which was fading in the dark. He turned and went back to his room, silence and the gloom of the night occupying his tedious walk to his room. It was pretty close but if he walked alone, it felt like forever.

He turned the circular knob on his door that shined its copper surface as the window allowed the moon to emit its serene light.

He sat at his bed gently and looked at himself at a mirror which was set across his room.

He stood and looked closely at the mirror. He studied himself.

Well, he looked like himself.

The raven hair, the cold and nearly empty eyes he always had, the lips that would never form into a smile were all there. He was still Levi but there was something strange with him.

He noticed his eyes glittered more than it should have. His eyes looked happy and content despite him frowning.

Strange. Levi thought.

Why do they look like that?

The reason was a single name that rang on his mind.

Erwin.

Levi looked at himself again and felt silly for thinking things.

He sighed and changed to his clothes and went to sleep.

The soft moon kissed Levi's face with its pale light and indeed, if someone saw Levi, they would think of him as a cherub, a person more beautiful than Eros.

•••

Erwin was sure that it very was late at night, it could have been already early morning but he was still fixated on his typewriter. He was sitting there for hours, staring at the words he wrote on the blank paper.

Besides the moon light, a candlestick lit his room and gave him sufficient light for him to read the words that were heavily printed by ink.

He had thought about his first love that was very dear to him. She's not living anymore but Erwin still clung to her and despite him smiling too often, he was merely a sad and miserable man.

He longs for that woman that he loved even if he knows she's not there anymore.

He wrote:

I could smell it... The perfume she wears. I assumed it was some fragrance of a certain flower but I am quite unsure of it. She was beautiful, her amber eyes would smile at me even if her lips were not. I can feel her touch as she would hug me when I need it. I can feel the warmth of her embrace and I love it...

But I don't have her beside me now. She's gone.

I can hear the distant notes of a cello being played. I can remember the tunes she used to play on her cello. It was indeed beautiful. She is beautiful.

I can hear her heeled shoes tapping the marble on the floor around my manor. No, she is a ghost but I can hear her distant and light steps. I'd like her to embrace me again.

I loved looking at her lashes as she looks down. I could see the sunlight complimenting her brown lashes. I can hear her voice, saying that she loves me dearly.

When I close my eyes, I can remember those dresses she wore. I can see the different styles she did with her hair but I dare say that her best style that she did was letting her hair down. She wore glasses and I've known to love them. I can hear her laugh which was ladylike. She was polite but her tongue can be offending too.

She was the best...

And what he wrote simply ended there. His eyes were full of tears and clouded his vision. He wiped it all away with his fingers and he sniffed. He could not write more because he knew he would be greatly saddened, he could die.

He took the paper and set it on his desk and stood upon the window sill to gaze upon the barely visible stars, wondering if she was watching the same sky as he was.

Only one name was stuck on his mind, echoing over and over again.

It was:

Hanji.

//okay, why is this so sad? I nearly cried.

// update: idk how to feel about this anymore