A soft light filled the room, your (E/c) eyes sliding open as you were met with a... roof? Your eyes took a moment to adjust to your surroundings as you noticed the roof was in fact one of a building and not a canvas carriage. As your brain began waking up, you could feel your body returning back to life around you. It was then a fresh throb filled your chest. You couldn't even find the energy to wince. You feel too sluggish to really move but that didn't stop you as you haphazardly rolled onto your hurt side by accident. 

(Y/n): Shit!

You barked out, your brain back to full power as the sudden shock woke you up. You forced yourself to roll through the pain, your upper body rolling off the bed it was on with your legs caught in the blankets. 

(Y/n): Christa... Sasha... where...

Your mouth moved before your brain could order it, your body pulling itself into action mode despite the growing pain in your side. As opposed to earlier, the wound felt much more secured and closed, though you could tell as much glancing down at your bandage-wrapped midsection. Your left foot slinked out of the blankets, your right foot kicking yourself free of them as your body contorted and rolled onto the opposite side of your wound, trying to find a way to prop yourself up. You could hear a pair of voices pass the door, mumbling things as you wondered why they weren't more active. Titans were pouring into Trost! Everyone needed to be on the frontlines, even you if need be. Your hand lifted itself and gripped onto the leg of a table. Your other hand gripped the wooden floor and pulled you forward, sliding onto the table leg as you began climbing up. Your left knee acted as a brace as you managed to reach eye level with the table to spy a note and a simple metal-capped cane. A fire burned in your heart at the sight, your hand fumbling forward before gripping the cane and slipping off the table, pulling the note with it. From there it was a simple trick of propping yourself onto the cane and puppeting your body upward. 

(Y/n): Damn it... body work with me here...

You demanded your body to listen as your feet and fingers felt numb, your eyes slinking closed slowly. It felt like you were chained to a sack of wet potatoes, your movements erratic and forced as you reached the door and took a moment. You couldn't hear any voices in the hall so you twisted the handle and threw your weight against the door, the material smacking into the wall as you realized it opened inward. Softly mocking yourself, you pryed the door open and took a few steps into the corridor, your weight being balanced by the cane in your left hand. Your tired (E/c) eyes didn't see anyone in the corridor, taking the moment to move to your right down the hall, You would find something eventually, hopefully one of your friends. 

Your corspe had somehow managed to make it outside, stumbling down some stairs as your side reminded you why you shouldn't be moving. The air was cool, the son haven recently risen as the orange light began turning to yellow. You took a few steps forward and found your bare feet coming into contact with grass. 

(Y/n): Well the hell...

You mumbled quietly to yourself, your eyes scanning for any signs to tell you where you were located.

???: I asked that too when I arrived.

You jumped a bit, startled at the voice. Your face pulled into a wince as you comforted your side with your free hand. You turned to see... her. Erika... you never got to hear her last name but she sat seemingly content as she stared out into the horizon. Those green eyes that had stuck with you during the first hours of Trost shining just as bright now. You took notice of the bench she was seated on and shambled over to her, taking a seat next to her. A quick glance and you could see the damage done to her. Aside from a few bandages here and there, the majority of it was her legs. Both of her legs were heavily bandaged, blood staining through in some places as her right leg was lifted up and placed into a brace to keep it steady.

(Y/n): Do you know where we are?

Erika shook her head softly.

Erika: Somewhere on the otherside of the wall I would assume.  They needed to move the wounded out of Trost so they carted us away, though I was only awak long enough to get a good glimpse of the wall fading away over the horizon.

(Y/n): I see. Why haven't they put us back in yet? don't they need everybody they can for Trost?

Erika: The battle ended from what I've heard.

(Y/n): What? There was a massive hole in the wall. And what about the armoured titan?

Erika stretched softly, resting her chin on her raised knuckles. Her eyes never leaving the horizon.

Erika: I don't know all the details but from what the staff here were saying, Eren Jaeger is a titan. Or he can turn into one at least.

You couldn't help but chuckle at the statement.

(Y/n): So we've both gone insane, eh? This could be on of those institutions I suppose.

Erika: I don't really care for the rumors either but the wall was plugged up by Eren and for the first time ever... humanity won.

(Y/n): We lost so many people though... and we weren't even there for it.

Erika: That doesn't matter. Humanity won. WON. That's never happened before! It shows we can actually do something against those things.

You took a moment to lift your cane, resting it on your lap as you turned your body toward the female. Her eyes truly glemered now, a smile growing on her face as she turned to you. She really did look beautiful now that you thought about it, even with the bandage on your left cheek.

(Y/n): I'm glad then. But... truthfull I'm still a bit mad at you.

Erika: Eh?! At me?! What did I do?

(Y/n): You and your damn peptalk. I got all cut up and still led this mother and her son to safety. 

Erika: What?

(Y/n): Well after you got swatted away... I thought you died. Like died died. I thought I was the only one left and one of those titans pulled on my wires. It broke free and I landed in a building, cutting up my side real bad.

You gestured to your bandaged torso softly, shifting to make yourself more comfortable.

(Y/n): So... I took what I said to heart, why give up so easily when I can help others so I helped this mother and her son make it to the wall. There I helped out the rearguard, stabbed a titan in the face, you know the usual.

Erika: You killed one?! What was it like?

(Y/n): No no I didn't kill it, I just kinda of... distracted it until Mikasa Ackerman arrived with the rear guard elite.

You both took a moment to sink back, the information sinking in. Erika took a moment to lift her hand and place it against your knee.

Erika: Well... I'm glad I didn't die but I'm also glad you took my advice dumb dumb.

(Y/n): That's the point, I'm mad at you for making me act so cool.

Erika: What you didn't want to act all badass in front of your pals?

(Y/n): I... didn't really. I felt useless, simply trying to hold back from bleeding out on a rooftop. If it wasn't for the others raiding the store room in the HQ for medical supplies... and Lenz... well.

Erika: Hmm...

Erika took a moment as you seemingly started thinking deeply. She took a moment to allow you to do so, shifting her legs to let up on the slight pressure and discomfort that had built up. It felt strange now... in your short time in battle it was like you had found your purpose in life. Your hollow existence of being your father's political pan simply disgusted you, so other than breathing you didn't have anything you wanted or needed. But now you had that purpose. You were going to protect your friends, and make sure they live a fulfilling life. And with Erika's words still in your head, you felt responsible to keep them happy, not just sacrificing yourself for one moment. You planned to stick around for a good long while to make sure they stayed safe. 

Erika: You want to keep them all alive right? Your friends?

(Y/n): What? How d-

Erika: You probably don't remember truthfully... you were already loopy and the painkillers you are on probably white washed your memory. But you were mumbling something about protecting. 

(Y/n): Sounds like me... but yeah I've... it may sound ridiculous but I think I've found my purpose.

Erika hummed to let you know to continue as you paused for her response.

(Y/n): I don't want to be another meaningless death. another tally mark in the war against those fuckers. I want to live a long life filled with its ups and downs and I want my friends to be right there with me. That means I'll will just have to protect them myself. 

Erika: Why does it have to be you though?

(Y/n): Cause somebody else might get it wrong. It has to be me. One misstep, one bad command, anything can happen which is why I need to be there.

Erika took a calculating gaze, looking you up and down before deciding to ask one more thing, to gauge your response.

Erika: And what about the bigger picture? Why protect just your friends when there are so many others?

You took a moment to ponder that.

(Y/n): It's hard to see the bigger picture from behind a pile of corpses. I can do what I can to make sure my friends and anyone else I can help aren't a part of that pile.

Both of you sat in silence for a moment before you felt a soft thump on your back. You turned to Erika to see a smile on her face once again.

Erika: Leave it to multiple near death experience to teach you to stop being such a stick in the mud. Bauer.

(Y/n): Pardon?

Erika: That's my last name. Depending on your answer I wasn't going to tell you but... I liked your answer so there you go.

(Y/n): Erika Bauer?

The girl nodded.

(Y/n): Well... nice to meet you Erika Bauer.

both of you sat in silence for a moment before you heard her clear her throat.

Erika: Well?

(Y/n): Hmm?

Erika: Come on! Tell me your name! You never told me.

(Y/n): Oh I suppose that's true. Well Ms. Bauer, I am the esteemed (Y/n) (L/n)-

Erika: Nice to meet you (Y/n).

The girl offered her hand out to you, cutting you off before you could go into a sarcastic rant. the action causing a chuckle to erupt from your lips as they pulled into a soft grin. Your free hand lifted and took hers and you noted how her smaller hands fit perfectly in yours. They felt so warm in your cold palm.

(Y/n): It's... nice to meet you as well Erika. Truly...