A Kiss with a Fist

Chapter One

                                                                                                    A Kiss with a Fist

                                                                            Chapter One

“Lotte Rosing, sir!” The girl yelled, standing taller. It had been two years since the Titan attack, and much to her dismay, Lotte couldn’t say she had grown much taller. “From the Trost District!” She could feel nervous eyes flitting to her, quick to look away in hopes they wouldn’t be singled out, next. Lotte couldn’t say she blamed them. She was kind of shaking. “I’m here to aid in humanity’s fight!”

The man sneered, flicking her in the forehead. “You and every other bastard here. I’d predict you’d make a nice snack for a Titan before eating someone actually built so be a soldier.” He didn’t yell so loudly at Lotte as he had the others before her. But, he did have to lean over. She would have been lying if she didn’t say she was relieved when he moved onto the next kid.

Lotte ignored the stinging of her forehead, doing her best to keep the salute. The man had begun to mock some kid for wanting to join the Military Police. And, although his intentions were far different from Aide’s, she couldn’t help but to wonder if her brother had been mocked, as well. Or, if he even confessed where he had intended on ending up, like the two kids further down the line. She hadn’t of caught their names, and although the second had been a bit more admirable in his answer, she still thought their intentions were nothing short of lazy.

She didn’t remember much from that day, two years ago. She had remembered running around with a broken baby bird. Lotte remembered the panic in the streets as people filled the streets; crying and screaming. She remembered not being able to find her brother.

He was fine, now, Aide. He was. Aside from the fact that he was missing a leg. Or half, really—bitten off from the knee down. Lotte would never forget the look on his face when he returned; he was pale, paler than usual. And, his usual blond head had been soaked in blood, whether it was his or not, she didn’t know. But, he had kept muttering things like ‘they’re dead. All of them. Gone.’

Lotte did often think about the little blue bird she took in. Aide was saved by a man, someone quite popular in the Recon Corps. She didn’t know his name, though, and she never got to meet him. Her mother had. And, she often told the heroic tale of him, too. How he had been supporting Aide’s weight across his shoulders, having somehow found the time to bandage his leg in the midst of the rescue. Eline was very fond of that man, she was.

And, in the three months that Aide has refused to leave his room, let alone his bed, Lotte had been there with him. She never did leave his side. And, together, they had nursed the bird back to health.

Aide and Lotte had been close; closer than either had been with Nadia, the third sibling. And, more often than not, would exclude their sister. They had always been the type that would stay up late, long after their mother had yelled for them to sleep, and tell each other stories. Sometimes they were made up, or true. And, the game had always been to guess whether they had been lying or not.

And, on one of these nights, Aide was having particular trouble with his leg, biting back tears as he remembered the monsters. He would often get nightmares of them, Lotte noticed. Whether he be sleeping, or not. She did the best she could, Lotte. But, sometimes it wasn’t enough, and all she could do was listen.

Aide once told her that humanity was like the bird, the one with the broken wing. And, outside of the walls were their predators—the one’s waiting for the weak to prey on. The wing had been their weakness. Aide had said, however, that as humans, they didn’t have someone to pick them up and protect them until they were better. And, without the cages, the walls, they had nothing.

“A boiled potato!” The girl yelled, making Lotte jump. She hadn’t of meant to space out like she did, something she had had trouble with for awhile, now. “The kitchen had a fresh batch; I couldn’t resist!”

“Did you steal it? Why? Why would you chose to eat it, now?” His voice was eerily quiet—scarier than when he was screaming.

“They were in the kitchen, and I decided to eat one before they got cold.”

“I still don’t understand—why?”

“Are you asking me why people eat potatoes?” Everyone’s eyes were on them as the girl, who Lotte later found out was called Sasha, offered the man half of the potato. But, from where Lotte was standing, it looked more of a fourth. If even that.

Five hours later, Sasha was still running laps.

*

It was only the first day, and there had already been people to go home. Back to manual labor, and back to being cowards. Lotte couldn’t say she blamed them, however. Some people simply weren’t equipped for this lifestyle. And, as much as she understood that, she didn’t want to be one of those people.

Lotte had eaten with a girl that night. Neither of them talked much, listening more to a kid named Eren rave on about titans. It was only their first night here, and this boy had already been declaring his desire to join the Recon Corps.

Lotte couldn’t help but to wonder how long it’d be before he got eaten. She didn’t much mind his ramblings, however. It gave her some form of entertainment.

“Hey.” The girl next to her leaned over a bit. “You’re Lotte, right?” Lotte smiled, drawing her attention away from the group of excited boys and false accusations of the Colossal Titan.

“Yeah,” she leaned her head into her hand. “And, you? What’s your name?”

“Nisa Berk.” The girl wasn’t much to look at. Her hair was flat, falling just past her shoulders. But, her smile was nice, Lotte supposed. And her eyes. They were the kind of blue that never really grabbed your attention, almost a grey. But, when in the right lighting, they almost seemed to shine. “I don’t know how you managed to look so calm when that man was yelling in your face—god, what was his name? Anyways, I ‘bout pissed my pants.”

Lotte’s laugh wasn’t forced, and for the first time that day, she almost felt relaxed. “Trust me, I was terrified.” She was hesitant to tell the girl that she had been so nervous that she had been sure she was going to puke. Thankfully, she never got the chance.

Eren had started spouting things about obliterating all of the Titans, drawing Nisa’s attention away from her.  “He’s cute, huh? A little crazy, but cute.”

Lotte shrugged, watching in amusement as the kid on the other side of their table called him out. Lotte had almost been sure they were going to fight.

“And that?” Lotte asked. “Who’s he?”

“His name’s Jean Kirschistein, I’m sure. Said he wanted to join the Military Police—take an easy life.”

“Not very admirable.” Lotte stared at the boy, just as everyone else had been. He didn’t deny his desire to take it easy. And, anyone who said they didn’t want the same was a liar. He was just more open about it. Honest.

“He’s from Trost, y’know. He comes from your district.”

“Is that so?” Lotte drunk in his features, from the belt around his shirt to his different colored hair. “He looks funny.”

*

Lotte’s hair was short, now. She didn’t much care for it to be long, anymore. It was too much hassle. Now all she had to do was tuck it behind her ear. It was a lot cooler, too.

She had been busy attending to her cuticles when Nisa crawled up on the bed with her. Everyone else had been busy getting ready for bed—for whatever the next day held. It was going to be hard, they knew. But those who were left were ready. And, if they couldn’t….well, it didn’t much matter to Lotte.

“I was thinking…” Nisa hummed. “You said you wanted to join the Garrison, right?”

Lotte nodded, cleaning under her nails, now. “And? What division do you want to join?”

Nisa laughed. “The Recon Corps would be a noble choice, wouldn’t it?” She paused. “Jean was right, y’know. I think most of us came in hopes of joining the Military Police. The lost of us are a bunch of cowards.”

“You’re agreeing with the funny looking kid?” Lotte’s attention was completely on the strange girl, now. She hadn’t of came here to make friends; she was used to not having really any. But, Nisa Berk intrigued her. Or, perhaps, it had merely been the mention of Jean Kirschistein.

“No, no. But you have to agree that he made a pretty valid point.”

“And?”

“Well, he’s honest. And, like he said, not everyone’s like Eren. We’re not ready to throw our life away, you know? So, I was wondering about you. Why do you want to join the Garrison?”

Lotte had stopped messing with her nails, then. She was an easy person, and her reasoning never reached far under the surface. She wasn’t shallow. Just not…deep.

“I want to protect our cage until we can heal. Just until we can leave without having to live in fear. That’s all.”

!~*~*~*~*~!

Accidentally gets sick. Accidentally missed picture day. Accidentally stresses about all the work I’m missing as I miss another day of school.
I meant to upload this two days ago but I’m sick, as stated, and have been busy investing my time into Fable III. Tell me if there’s any mistakes/something you don’t understand! I’m a bit foggy from medication and headaches, so I’m sorry.