The candlelight washed over their light skinned countenances. It made it look like they were washed over the sunset but alas, it was midnight.

"Let's talk about something else other than, you know." Levi offered to his Knight, Erwin.

Erwin let loose of a light chuckle that made Levi feel better. "Of course, any subject of conversation will do." He put down the astrolabe on his cheap, wooden desk. "Anything for you." He added.

Really? Anything? Levi asked himself. Even if what I'd ask from you is a sin?

He was lost in his thoughts, the heels of his feet pressed against the rung of wooden chair. He felt like his thoughts were not valid for after all, he was not right. He never was, according to society. According to the Church. According to man.

If Severino, no, Sasha did that, then I can as well. His voice of reason sang in his mind as he looked down to the ground, seeing trails of ants form flat looking mountains. No, I can't. I'm asking for something immoral. If what Sasha did was a sin, what I want would send me straight to hell.

His own thoughts hurt him more than his enemies did. Maybe his uncle was right. He is his worst enemy.

"Levi?"

He looked up as he heard Erwin's soft voice calling to him. "Yes?"

Erwin reached out to him and touched his cheek with his hand. He ran a finger to Levi's cheek, allowing it to cascade like water down to Levi's chin. It was as if Erwin mimicked a tear.

Levi's heart skipped a beat, his eyes wide. He felt unusually giddy. He loved the feeling but he hated it as well for Erwin is a man and so is he. The Church said that "No man shall lie with another man as he does with a woman". He does not remember the exact words but all he can deduce is that his love for Erwin is a sin punishable by eternal hell.

"You seem to be in deep thought, Levi." Erwin whispered, his hand cupping Levi's right cheek. "What is it that is bothering you? Is it your wound? Was it Severino's secret?" He continued to ask questions to Levi.

The blonde haired man was awfully close and it was pushing Levi to the brink of tears, happiness, and, or hysteria.

Levi bit his inner lip, a final attempt to hold back the words he really yearns to say.

"Yes, it's the wound." He managed to say. He placed his hand over Erwin's and slowly put it away. "I am just worried about the chances of it getting infected."

It was a lie but the price of a lie is lesser than to lie beside a man.

"Alright," Erwin smiled faintly.

Levi nodded and rose from his chair. He took it by the legs and placed it to its original placement. "I shall take my leave now. I need to get ready for tomorrow."

Erwin nodded. "Please regain your energy and enjoy your slumber."

His choice of words changed from familiar to poetic which made an invisible barrier between them. When Levi hears Erwin talk to him casually, it feels like they are close, even intimate but hearing Erwin talk like an orator feels like he's sitting at the back of the house and Erwin's on the proscenium.

He left the tent.

•••

Fucking hell. Annie thought as she stealthily removed the tightly wrapped bandage around her chest. She was careful not to make any sound for she was in a tent full of boys. She exhaled in relief as the bandages came undone and her breasts dangled freely, feeling the fresh air around them.

She knew that taking off the bandages was a bad idea but she could not stand another suffocating and sweaty night of sleep. All she has to do is to wake herself up the earliest and wrap her chest again. Easy.

She narrowed her eyes in distaste as she looked down to see Reiner and Bertholt, just sprawled out on the ground, sleeping. She knew sleeping in between her comrades would be the safest thing to do in this setting. She can't trust anyone in this place for she was indeed stuck in the island of demons.

•••

Uri was constantly worried for his niece, Historia for she was acting hysterical ever since that night. No one really knew what happened to her and when someone asks her about what happened, she'd only turn to her side and started retching.

It was a disaster. He was torn between the pressures of warfare and the stresses of family. He tried to be patient with Historia but her erratic behavior was starting to annoy him.

Uri is known to be very peaceful but Historia has became more than a handful. She would run to the halls, screaming "Help me!" until her vocal chords broke. He had to keep it under control and secret so he decided to restrain her using a strait jacket.

It wasn't really the best method but it lessened the casualties she could have caused if she was not controlled.

Now, his eyes were glued to the horizon. He enjoyed the soothing blue of the sky. On a table covered by a lace mantle, a porcelain tea cup with a matching saucer rested. It was filled with aromatic chamomile tea and Uri happily poured cream into it and stirred it when a thought occurred to him.

Was this the bargain? He thought, suspicious about how it could be related to Historia's behavior. Perhaps.

That was when he realized that everything he did to Historia was wrong. The choice to eradicate his family was a choice he can never undo.

•••

Stohess is the name of the city that Mikasa lives in now. The day was as perfect as romantics would envision it to be and the city was bustling with lighthearted energy and indulgence. Stohess has a dense population of epicureans and the city was known for its lavish lifestyle and love for any art. It was the center of culture for the Eldian Empire.

Mikasa was wearing a black dress that had collars that reached up to the bottom of her chin. She had frills on her dress in several spaces and she had a brooch of a Chinese rose pinned to her left breast. Her arm was carrying a basket with checkered cloth covering over its opening.

She was walking about in the market, bustling around and avoiding people in order to keep the peace. It was a Tuesday and people were eager to get their chores that had something to do with the market over with.

She passed by a bakery, curiously looking at the pastries that had sugar spread on top of them. They looked very appetizing and Mikasa wanted some but decided against it because she only has limited money.

She is employed at a local saloon where she serves the liquor and thankfully, she was not a whore anymore but she earns less. This made the thought of her being a whore again cross her mind and it sends her into endless thought and tears that would last for days or even weeks.

With bread, cheese, and wine in her basket, she heads home and as more steps she took away from the market, the quite it was. The quite was peaceful like the stillness of the lake at early dawn.

She walked, the two inch heels of her shoes clacking against the cobblestones, following the bear of her own walking pace.

She lives on the east side of Stohess where the sun kisses them first thing in the morning. She has a small flat where she spends every day, alone.

She was doing well ever since she killed that creature inside her. She had always thought that killing was somewhat terrifying but killing that creature growing inside her was one of the best decisions that she has ever made.

She made a step to the stone staircase that led to the second floor of the building when she heard a horse whinny and heard a loud thud.

She turned quite too abrutly that she felt her neck ache. Her eyes were met with a gruesome picture that can be seen in the battlefield. It was a horse, standing beside a young lady who fell to the ground. She seemed mortally wounded.

By instinct, Mikasa raced to aid the stranger. She knelt beside the lady with brown hair, seeing that her consciousness was fading.

"Madam." Mikasa spoke softly and nudged the stranger's arm. "Madam, please wake up."

No answer.

Taking the matter into her own hands, she struggled to sling the stranger's arm over her shoulder. After a few tries, she managed to stand up and with all she could, she climbed the stairs.