-Counting Stars- An AoT/SnK FanFic

Zachary and the intro to the expedition. 18

I opened my eye to the sound of buzzing in my ear. I craned my neck to see I was lying in bed with blowing curtains because the window was open. Breeze blew at my hot face, making me cool and relax . I realised the I had a bandage round my back, wrist, leg, waist, foot and a cast with plasters on my cheek, forehead and arm.

I groaned to feel my forehead, as I seemed to have awoken with a migraine. What happened??

"Hey." A boy around my age sat next to me. He had strawberry blonde hair and diamond eyes like mine - he wore the same type of outfit as Armin and wore a necklace similar to father's. It couldn't be... "I'm Zachary. In not sure if father told you about me but I'm your older twin."

I looked at him and smiled weakly. "Yeah. I was told. I'm-"

"Eliza." Zachary nodded and smiled. "Father told me everything about you and mother while I grew up in the house with him before he became the captain of the scouts. Now we're living here he never has been the same - and doesn't have much time for me." He frowned.

"Hey," I said "You don't need to worry. I'm here - and I hope to see you everyday." I smiled.

He smiled back. "To you too. Oh! That reminds me - I have some news that I am needy to pass on." He took out a scroll of paper. "Eliza smith has been recruited for the Special Operations Squad. She will join them in their expedition, and will begin training as soon as she has recovered. Sincerely, Levi.' Wow! Well done!"

My face lit up. "I'm so glad all that hard work has payed off. Now I can rest in peace." I said,laying back onto the cushions.

"Oh, here." Zachary said, passing me a cup of tea. "I was told by .... Eren! That's the name! That you have it with two sugars, one teaspoonful of milk at just the right temperature."

"Thanks." I said, smiling. I sipped a bit. "Mmmm that's delicious. Gonna wait for it to cool down though." I said, placing it on the table beside me.

"Hey, Eliza? Can I ask you a question?" Zachary asked, looking unsure.

"Course. What is it?" I replied, sitting up.

"What was it like in Wall Maria with a foster family?"

I flinched a bit and looked at the window.

"If you're okay answering. I don't want to be pushy or anything it's just-"

"I got by." I said, making Zachary taken aback. "People say that Wall Maria is a horrid place, filled with rubbish and thieves. But...that's not correct. It was a beautiful place, with icy ponds and taken care of flowers in everyone's gardens and fields, the morning dew dripping from the grass every morning and all types of trees; blossom, cherry, apricot and strawberry. People picked their fruit from the branches and place them in their baskets, selling them at the market that was filled with different items. There was clothes from Mrs Turnip, who's an old lady that treated me like her grandchild, and Mr Sahk, who sold cucumber and lettuce and juicy red tomatoes. There was farms over the meadows, growing our veg and fruit. There was a baker across the road that made the most delicious bread, a dentist and a small hospital." Then I smiled. "I used to look out the window in the morning to be awoken by the singing robins who perched on the large blossom tree that arched over our house. There was children playing all the time, screaming and shouting followed by laughter and smiling." Tears filled the corner of my eyes as my smile turned into a frown. "But that soon changed when everything became rubble and most of the population died."