Hellfire ? L.A.

The stairwell down to whatever cell I'm being held in for the time being is dimly lit. I have to squint to be able to make out the form of the guard in front of me, and on the occasion that I miss a step with unsure footing the guard behind me jabs the barrel of his shotgun into my shoulder.

My heart rate picks up the deeper and farther down we get. It's reminiscent of the time when I was seventeen and given the choice between death or death. I chose the second option, but it looks like I'm back where I started.

Finally we get to the bottom of the steps and it's a bit lighter. My stomach twists as I recognize exactly where I am, and exactly which cell I'm going to be placed in. The universe has a cruel way with irony and humor, but I don't find it funny at all.

"Lux?"

The deep timber of the voice stops me in my tracks, and the guard behind me jabs his shotgun into my back once more. I look over to the cell on my left, the only other cell in this dark pit, and almost choke.

"E-Erwin?"

He gapes at me for a moment before regaining his composure. I notice his lip is busted and he has a bruise on his cheek.

"Erwin what's going on?"

The guard hits my spine a bit harder than he has been and I stumble forward. "Hey, keep it moving!"

I throw him a glare over my shoulder, and look back at Erwin. Why is he here? How could this have happened? When Erwin doesn't respond, I shuffle forward again, allowing the guards to lead me to the cell next to Erwin's. They shove me into the small concrete prison, and lock the gate behind them. I notice, as I'm watching them leave, a small window in between mine and Erwin's cells with bars stretching vertically in between the concrete to keep us separated.

For a while it's quiet, and all I can hear are the echoing footsteps of the soldiers. But once it's completely and utterly silent, I hear Erwin let out a breath.

"How did you get in here Lux?" His voice is somber, deflated.

I scoff bluntly, "I asked you a similar question first."

"It's not safe to speak when the guards are around. They report what they hear."

I look around the grimy cell. It hasn't changed in almost ten years, still disgusting and filthy. With a sigh, I lean against the wall by the small window and sit down. "Well, they aren't around anymore."

"I've been framed for murder." He spits. "They believe I killed an important merchant and left his body in plain sight for everyone to see. Do they really think so lowly of me that I would be foolish enough to leave the body behind?"

I chuckle through my nose at his dark humor. "Looks like we're in the same boat. Bran escaped, and I had to chase him down."

"So I assume he's dead then?" Erwin's voice has a hint of disappointment in it.

"It was self-defense. He would have choked me to death. It wasn't even my intent, either. I was just trying to get him off of me and-" I exhale a shaky breath remembering the events of only a couple of days earlier. I hadn't voiced it out loud to anyone yet. Had I even told Levi that I killed Bran, or was he able to just assume?

"We all do terrible things to survive, Lux. I'm sure you know that by now, though, don't you?"

I swallow harshly. "They're going to take away my freedom. They say they have witnesses."

"They say they have witnesses for me, too. But that's impossible." Erwin grumbles.

I lean my head back against the wall and close my eyes. My thoughts begin to wander around, and I think of Levi. His shirt feels heavy on my body and it still smells like him despite the fact that I've been wearing it for a few hours. We didn't even get the chance to talk about everything.