Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
↱"The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart."↲
-Robert Green Ingersoll.
✺
four hours later
"WELL THIS IS BORING," Katerina grunted, landing gracefully on the roof of a building that overlooked the inner gate. She looked down to see several dozen civilians that were still frantically trying to escape, clutching all their possessions as if it was tying them to reality.
The rear guard's job had been easy so far, no man-eating Titans insight. Katerina felt hope fluttering in her chest because the only reasonable conclusion is that the vanguard was successful, and that's the only thing that stopped her and Mikasa from making a break south.
She could picture Eren in the middle of a war scream, Armin in tow, leaving smoking Titans behind them. The thought them victorious and proud made her smile, but the remembrance of what they were fighting fought against that.
"Boring?" Mikasa snorted, landing next to her. "Welcome to your new life, then."
"It might be boring but it's safe," Katerina responded, slinging an arm around Mikasa's shoulder.
Mikasa, who usually felt at ease around the young woman, flinched slightly at her touch.
Katerina noticed this and wrinkled her nose at her. "What is it, bug? Do I smell?"
"Kat," Mikasa started, twiddling her thumbs and looking at the street below. "I don't think you'll be happy with the MPs."
Katerina raised her eyebrows and chuckled. "Beats getting eaten."
Mikasa stepped away from her as she pulled the hood of her cloak down.
"I'm serious, Kat." Mikasa fiddled with the tattered edge of her scarf as she talked. It was a nervous habit Katerina had noticed years ago. "You're better than that."
"Mikasa-"
"No, hear me out," she said, grabbing Katerina's arm. "Things are different now. The old Katerina is gone, but you're a soldier now and you're actually prepared to fight back. Don't you want to? Don't you want to do it for your family?"
Katerina was shocked. Out of the three of them, she never expected Mikasa to be the one to try and change her mind. Sadly, she had a point. Katerina had been weak and vulnerable when they first came, but now she was a pillar of strength- or so she made it seem. The walls she had built to keep her emotions in made her better, more reckless, and confident.
