A Promise (An Attack on Titan Fanfic: Erwin Smith)

A Brave Soldier's Last Stand

Some hours before...

The same day Erwin led the capture of the female titan, Mike took the 104th recruits to their designated cottage that was secluded in the far southern region of Wall Rose.

Currently, the fresh recruits were unequipped and were gathered inside the cottage as per Mike's orders, while him and the rest of his squad were keeping a high alert outside.

"Mike," Nanaba called out to the blond as she took a glimpse down at the cottage where the unarmed teens were. She along with Mike and another comrade stood at the top of a nearby bricked tower, keeping a lookout. "Do you really think.. that among those children, there is Annie Leonhart's accomplice?"

Mike was merely staring at the distance whilst leaning against the hard brick, eyes mindlessly trailing on the terrene of the barren landscape of grass, trees and distant mountains all coming together to paint a tranquil color of greenery. The skies were a constant calming hue of blue as always, and the morning breeze was enough to render anyone into a mood of laziness; but he knew that he shouldn't cave into the temptation and take a nap, because Erwin had given him this important task of keeping a close surveillance over the 104th squad.

"I'm not sure," he replied to Nanaba, eyes still facing the wide scenery, "but that is a possibility we cannot ignore."

Mike ran a hand down his hair, ruffling his blond locks as the calm silence settled above. Ever since they had unmounted their horses in this remote area, he couldn't help but let his trail of thoughts wander over towards the plan to capture the female titan in Stohess, and whether Erwin and Isanna were successful.

He hoped they were okay.

Now that he thought about it, the three of them had come a long way. Erwin, Isanna, and himself; relationships in the Survey Corps, whether romantic or platonic, often never lasted long because of the high risks—but somehow, they managed to last over fifteen years together. And when you think about it, fifteen years is a long time.

His mind briefly ran over the amount of time he had spent the last long years of his life, fighting side by side with his comrades through thick and thin, until his thoughts stopped at the image of Isanna.

Ah, her.

Everybody in the Survey Corps knew she was taken. Unofficially, but still off-limits.

That didn't stop him from falling for her, though.

But despite his evident defeat, Mike never felt disheartened. After all, he was the one who'd been there beside those two since the beginning. He'd been watching them for a long, long time, and there was one thing he understood while watching his two closest companions.

He understood that even if the world was to crumble down, even if the heavens were to fall apart, the ground to split up, the walls to break down and the biggest fight to happen between them, those two will never part from each other; like it was carved into their hands, etched by destiny itself, that despite all the odds, they were never letting go.

Loyalty was the best word he would use to describe Erwin and Isanna.

Mike understood all that by watching them from the sidelines.

So if someone were to ask him if he ever regretted falling for Isanna, knowing full well she was meant to be with someone else, his answer was always going to be a clear no.

Mike closed his eyes and for a few short seconds, basked in the quietude of the morning air, the chirping of birds as they flew by above the tower, the small conversations coming from the soldiers down below, the rustling of the leaves, and his steady breathing.