Power to Strive

The Torturous Curse of Youth

Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan or this story.

Previously: Erwin decides to have rings like Annie's made for Eren and Ymir. The group is excited to end it on a funny episode.

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Mist rolled through the silent city.

"That day, the young man remembered something," Candy began ominously.

Confusion swept through the room and they tensed automatically at those familiar, sinister words.

"I thought this was a funny episode," Petra said.

"Maybe we were wrong," Ymir said.

Beads of sweat covered Jean's face, eyebrows knitted in an intense expression. Stairs creaked under a pair of feet, the legs seemingly belonging to a woman in a pink skirt.

"The fear of being dominated by them…"

Jean was sketching something intently.

Jean cried out suddenly, grabbing his hair, causing some of them to jump, startled.

"What the hell, man," Connie grumbled.

"What's wrong?" Armin asked worriedly.

A droplet of sweat landed on the drawing. It was a girl's face with dark hair and eyes. Jean's bedroom appeared. Pairs of shoes, books, and scrunched up pieces of paper were strewed across the floor.

"…and the shame of being a prisoner in a cage."

"Why, Candy? I thought I was your favorite!"

"You know it's not that embarrassing—" Christa began.

"Shh!" Sasha grinned, whispering. "It's funny cause he's embarrassed about it!"

"You know, she looked kinda like you," Eren said to Mikasa.

Feeling slightly awkward, Mikasa hid half her face behind her scarf.

"No wonder he developed a crush when he first saw you, you're his type," Hange teased.

"Please stop," Jean begged. He almost said I've already given up on that but that might cause them to start teasing him again.

The woman kept climbing up the stairs.

With a glint in his eyes, Jean's head flew toward his bedroom door as his mother barged in. Hastily he yanked up the blanket to hide himself and his drawing.

"If it was me I'd think you had your hands down your pants," Hange said, making them laugh.

"How many times do I have to tell?" Mrs. Kirstein yelled. "It's lunchtime!"

"Knock before you come in, hag!" Jean screamed in angrily. "Why did you bring that thing up here?"

In her hands was a pan with an omelet. "You wouldn't come down, no matter how many times I called you, so I had to come all the way up here!"