sangfroid | eren x reader

twelve

the walk back to camp only took us twenty minutes with the absence of titans, the use of our odm gear coming in useful to cut that into a fraction if we had walked. camp was a makeshift shelter made just outside of Wall Maria, in the once titan roamed land. Levi had calculated we had killed 85% of the titan population, only a few costal areas were left. with this information, the outside region was now deemed safe as long as the marleyans didn't return.

upon our return Levi questioned us on our total of kills that day, causing connie to groan. after Levi had tallied up the results, he called all of the recruits deployed on this mission around the campfire.

"good news, everyone. no new military deaths since the beast titan attack. with the use of the executioner from hell-" he pointed towards the 10 meter tall contraption built originally to kill titans closer to the wall "-and my recruits, over 1000 titans have fallen on this land within the past month. by my calculations, we should have Paradis cleared by next week." the camp erupted in cheers and hoisted their decanters full of wine into the air. Levi returned to his tent where he spent the night, however the units began their nightly celebrations and continued drinking.

"y/n! drink this." connie forced a chalice into my hand full of an unknown clear substance, causing me to deadpan in his direction.

"no, connie. you probably pissed in it." I shoved it back into his hand with force, causing him to stumble backwards slightly, into the back of jean.

"watch it." jeans voice was montane, yet laughed heartily once he noticed the culprit was in fact connie.

"watch your tone!" connie shouted back, slurring his words and pointing a demanding finger towards the much taller jean. the latter looked at me in amusement, causing me to chuckle. since the night at the ball, myself and jean talked things through- confirming it was in fact Erwins orders to get me into the kings hands that day. since then, myself and jean were friends, except I had to learn to tolerate him and his antics.

"you're drunk, come on." I pulled on connies forearm to get him to follow me back to his tent, but he dug his heels into the ground to remain stationary.

"hey, I didn't know you was into me like that. I mean, I definitely wouldn't say no, but I think a lot of people will be mad at me." connie winked in my direction, causing my mouth to ajar in shock. I had to refrain myself from smacking him, however blamed it on his intoxicated state. instead, I used all my power to pull him along with me despite him groaning in protest behind me.

"bed!" I commanded him once reaching his destination, however upon the sight of his billet, he sauntered over to it and immediately fell asleep. I laughed beneath my breath and exited the cloth house, turning the corner and away from the commotion.

"hey, where's eren?" I questioned Armin, who sat beside Mikasa on a solitary log away from the campfire. Armin looked intently into the flames, they danced in his irises and set his ocean ridden eyes on fire. he had recently cut his hair, causing his once baby face to appear much more mature.

"he hasn't returned, yet." Armin smiled once he noticed my presence, taking a seat beside him on the other side of him to Mikasa. she kept her gaze in the far distance.

"yet? he may be in trouble." I frowned, noticing their lack of concern for eren. with my mind recently occupied on killing the titans and freeing myself of the life long burden, I had rarely seen the aforementioned boy. he kept away from mostly everybody, gaining a new sense of solidarity in himself.

"I wouldn't be worried. he's fine." Mikasa shrugged, turning towards me and giving me an assuring look. I decided to brush the idea off.

after a long moment of silence, Armin whispered loud enough fo myself to hear - "its almost as though I can hear the ocean from here." I smiled lovingly at him.

"tomorrow, im taking you to see it." I promised the boy, who looked towards me with wide, awakened eyes.

"really? that soon?" a smile etched onto his face as he realised the extent I would go to in order to keep my promises, that I never took lightly.

"of course. im sure the area will be clear anyways, titans move inland from the sea." I reassured him, his contagious happiness causing my heart to grow warm. however, armins eyes instantly fell along with his expression once he conjured upon something behind me. I turned my head to catch what caused his glower, spotting an unkempt eren forcing his way through the celebrations. from the time that had passed since I last spoke to him, his hair had grown noticeably longer, it now fell forward atop his forehead and brushed against his neck as he walked.

his eyes momentarily met mine, his once stern grimace softening until he peered behind me. Mikasa shifted in her seat, erens face contorted back into the troubled look and he vanished into a tent nearby.