A bright light caused Erwin's eyes to flutter open. He looked around dazed and confused. Where was he? He wondered. The sounds of birds singing drifted in through an open window and the lacy curtains flapped in the wind. He sat up turning his attention to the person sleeping in the chair beside the bed.
A wash of relief flooded over him as he recognised Y/n's beautiful features. Her eyelids closed and her eyelashes delicatley resting on her cheeks. He sighed gently. The relief once again calming his mind of any worry he might have felt before.
Slowly he turned his body and swung his legs over the edge of the bed allowing his feet to touch the cold wooden floor. As he attempted to stand the floor creaked beneath him and Y/n's eyes sprung open.
"Sorry, I didnt mean to wake you" He felt bad. He did.
"Erwin, you're awake!" Y/n exclaimed happily springing up with excitement she moved to hug him but stopped appearing to remember she should treat him gently. "You should be careful. You've only just woken up." Concern flooded her voice with every word.
"I'll be just fine. Besides sitting at my desk wont do me any harm. Would you mind getting my shoes for me?" Erwin groaned his body feeling heavy with every movement.
"I dont think thats a good idea Erwin."
Y/n replied "At least get checked out by the doctors first? Please?"
"I need to get back to work, my love. Theres no rest for the wicked." He chuckled picking up his own shoes and sitting back down on the bed pulling them onto his feet.
"But you are not wicked. MY love..." Y/n replied feigning indignance. Seeming to have resigned to Erwin's stubborness she knelt down and tied his laces for him. "You are kind and sweet and soft..." She murmured.
Erwin smiled brushing his hand over her cheek happy to be back and close to her again. As she stood up from tying his laces Erwin stood too pulling her into him tightly. "I never want to lose sight of you again. It was torture out there not knowing if you were safe or not."
Y/n sighed happily before being released from the hug. Slipping her hand into his as they left the room and headed to Erwin's office.
The layout of the building was not at all how Erwin remembered. There were stairs where stairs never were and doors that used to enter into long hallways now opened into harsh brick walls.
He had heard news during the fight that the survey corps buildings had been heavily damaged. So he brushed off this strange uncanny valley feeling and put it down to the headquarters being remodelled due to the fires.
"It's just through here. I really hope I got it back the way you liked it." Y/n said opening a large glazed pine door.
Erwin entered his office and looked around. It was perfect. He wasnt sure how y/n had remembered such detail to advise those that had put it back together but she had managed it. Before he had chance to fully admire it, two familiar faces appeared in the doorway.
"Glad to see you awake commander. Good to have you back!" Hange exclaimed.
"Back to work already, Old man?" Levi taunted in his usual manner.
"I'm glad to see you two appear to be in good shape too although please Hange no need for formailities. After all, I'm simply writing up some paperwork for my resignation."
"Resignation? You didnt say anything about resignation, Erwin." Y/n was shocked.
"Yeah! You cant resign now! We've just made so many discoveries!" Hange exclaimed in outrage.
"Has the Old Man not given the corps enough for saints sake?" Levi silenced the other two. "Let him retire. The corps wont end just because hes not here."
"Levi is exactly right. That battlefield helped me to realise that I've given my life to the survey corps. But now I think its time to have my life back again. To spend the rest of my days with the woman I love and doing things that normal people do without the fear of one of us dying everytime we go out on missions." Erwin had day dreamed about it often. But now he'd made up his mind.
"I'm not unhappy about this I'm just suprised is all..." Y/n said sitting down in a chair and picking up a book that was sitting on the table next to it and setting it on her lap. "I suppose it would be nice to settle down somewhere. A nice little home with a small garden where we can grow flowers. A bench we can sit on and watch the world go by in peace."
"My thoughts exactly." Erwin sat down at his desk.
"But the survey corps needs a commander! And theres no-one better for it than you, sir." Hange still seemed outraged by the thought that Erwin would simply leave them on a whim.
"Oh you'd be surprised of the observations I've been making over the years. I knew I couldn't do this forever." Erwin opened a desk drawer and pulled out a black leather bound notebook which he flipped through before opening to a page full of notes. "Hange Zöe. One of my longest friends. There is no-one more capable than you to take my position. Please, accept it." Erwin turned his notebook to face her where the double spread listed out numerous strengths that Hange would have as commander.
"Me!?" Hange was almsot stunned to silence. "No... No i cant! I have no idea how to be commander."
"I'm sure Levi can keep you in check. Besides it might do the cadets some good to have an energetic presence at the head of the corps." Erwin smiled. "Please Hange. I'm asking you this as a friend. Trust me on this."
"This is a lot to take in..." Hange quickly left the room. Levi nodded to Erwin and followed swiftly behind her.
Erwin began to write out his resignation letter and y/n opened her book continuing to read.
Something hinted to Erwin that it wasnt y/n's usual romance novel reading material. Perhaps it was the books large size or the fact that she seemed to have no idea what she was really reading. He'd have to ask her about it later.