Perennial Rose | {Levi x OC} | Shingeki no Kyojin |

Chapter 48: Candlelight

However, there is something in his eyes that is making me rather uneasy: a cold bitterness tucked in the blue of his irises.

I decide that it is just my imagination.

"I must say," Hanji chimes rather loudly over the subdued chatter, "You dealt with the challenge pretty well..."

She inches closer to my face and whispers eerily into my ear.

"...Mama Renata."

While Hanji becomes completely immersed in a spell of her own deafening, hysterical laughter, I wilt back into my chair, using every muscle in my face to stop my cheeks from flushing red.

"Hanji," Erwin calls as he arrives at his rightful spot.

She continues to laugh while clenching her stomach.

"Oi, Four-eyes."

Erwin gets terrifyingly impatient. "Hanji."

She removes her glasses and wipes her tears with a single finger. "Okay, okay. I'll stop."

"Let us begin right away," Erwin proclaims.

I place my notes flat on the table surface.

"This will be a brief meeting in reflection of our recent expedition."

The fear and anticipation that had been expressed from the faces of the people situated at this table are gradually relieved, as they now acknowledge the minimal amount of work required for this gathering.

"Due to unfortunate circumstances," he begins, "we had failed to execute our objective on that day."

"That is why I would like to propose that, from now on, we will do everything in our ability to make the progress that we seek during these dire times."

The fear returns to their faces.

I pull at the button of my shirt nervously.

Hanji raises her hand. "Commander Erwin, I have a proposal."

He pauses respectfully, thus allowing her to speak.

"To my current knowledge, the route that we had taken at that time had not been utilized before. It was our first time taking it."

Erwin nods. "Correct."

"Then it's simple: let's not take that route next time."

He closes his eyes for a few short seconds, then opens them again: a subtle gesture to tell her that this is not the appropriate time to interrupt with such an obvious statement. "We have already concurred on that fact," he explains.

"I just wanted to make that clear for everyone."

Levi sneers, "Would you shut up?"

Hanji folds her arms and finally chooses to listen.

"We will map out the route for our next expedition at another time."

"Today," he says with greater emphasis, in order to pull everyone's attention away from the person sitting next to me, "I wish to declare that our efforts for reconnaissance are to be reformed, for they are currently lacking."

"From now on, we will embark on an expedition every month."

"If," he adds, "our supplies are sufficient for our needs."

I twist the button on my shirt.

A team leader whom I have yet to identify questions, "But what will that achieve, Commander?"