Inertia | Eren Jaeger x Reader

Come as you are

Hey guys! Thank you for all the recent love on this story, I really appreciate it. This chapter deals with the death of family members so please be advised! 

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"I'm sorry, Mr. Jaeger. Your parents didn't make it, they were pronounced dead on the scene." 

Eren doesn't like to think about that night, but those words still cut him deep. Even though it's been five years... almost to the day. 

He couldn't push it away anymore. It was so close in his mind, still afloat atop every single collected shard of his life. He had to face it sometime. He never came to terms with his parent's death, he still looks for them in crowded gatherings or thinks his mom will come into his room when his alarm blares out for too long. But he's always been met with cold silence, a blatant reminder that they've been taken from him too soon. And he never wants to acknowledge it. 

Maybe that's why he resorts to drinking and drugs so much, it quells the blaring obviousness that he tries too hard to ignore on a daily basis. But, he couldn't ignore it now. It was so real to him once again. It was the anniversary tomorrow, and it still felt like that chilly December night. 

That stupid fucking night. 

December 5th. 

Eren came home from school late, his basketball practice ran a bit long, and they were caught up in doing conditioning for their big game the next day. He quietly entered his front door, trying his best to be discreet. The familiar warmth of his home surrounded him as he bolted up the staircase. 

"Ah, ah, ah," His Mother tsked from the top of the stairs, crossing her arms, "Where have you been?" 

"Practice," He answered, gesturing to his gym bag that was slung over his shoulder. 

"Hm," She nodded, "You need to let me know about these things, Eren," Eren rolled his eyes at her. 

"Mom, it's not a big deal,"

"You had me worried,"

"It's just a practice-"

"Listen to me when I talk to you," She hissed, "I swear you only pretend to listen in order to talk again," she rubbed her temple. Eren narrowed his eyes but held his tongue, he knew his Mom was stressed, with the whole... secret family and all that business. But not once has she ever taken it out on him. 

"Sorry," He murmured, moving past her and going into his room, slamming the door and shoving his gym bag off his shoulder, trying to keep his mind quiet. Eren was peculiar that way, he always had such a hyperactive mind that the strongest images would assault him every time he closed his eyes, and his mind would whisper small unimportant things to him until he would snap. He knew it was a result of the undiagnosed anxiety he developed over the last few months, but he never wanted to bring it up with his parents. Not now. 

Eren ran himself a hot shower, even though he was sweating from his practice, he was still freezing from the winter weather. He thought it would take his mind off of things, he let the scalding water burn the top of his head and travel down his body in an attempt to relax his tensed muscles. He didn't enjoy it, not when his mind was traveling at about 135 miles per second. 

"Okay," He murmured to himself, "You're a bit stressed right now, but it'll be okay, Mom will be okay, and all of this will be over soon," He said, his voice drowned out from the steaming shower. He soon got out, changing into normal clothes and hanging out in his room for a bit. It was a Thursday, which meant that they would be coming over. He hated Thursdays. He didn't hate them, Dina and Zeke, he just despised what they did to his family.