THIRTEEN • Eren Jaeger

CHAPTER 6: Loop Three, II

Catching himself, Eren said, "Did I scare you earlier?"

"You worry me."

"Why?"

You shook your head. "You're capable of so many things. And I don't want you to be hurt. You're so willing to be hurt so that other people won't feel the pain. I don't like it."

Eren lightly kissed you on the lips. You tried to push him away, saying that your friends were right there, but he insisted, "Just one more."

"Eren, you didn't even ask me..." you flushed, water splashing as you wriggled away. "You didn't even ask me to be your girlfriend."

Eren let go of you.

His expression was hard to read. That scared you. Eren was never hard to read as a teen, but now he was.

He dipped down a bit, so only his head was above water. He said, "You're wondering why I didn't ask."

"It's not very polite."

"You stick around me even though you know I'm capable of bad things. You don't hate me or treat me like a monster for being a Titan. You had the same vision as me. I thought... I don't know... I thought that meant we had something."

You almost said, "We do," but you weren't really sure.

Eren observed your hesitancy, the discomfort in your face, the way it seemed as though you were hiding something from him. The lines of your face drew everything you wanted to say, but couldn't.

"[Name]... I'm yours."

Your brain short-circuited. A multitude of memories raced through your mind and suddenly you weren't sure which one came from which life. Eren was your friend. You used to have a crush on him. He was something like your lover now. It terrified you to feel something so fragile, so real because it could get ripped away at any moment.

"But you're holding back from me and I don't know why," Eren said softly, pulling your face close. "To be honest, it hurts me. I've always wanted your everything and I don't want you to think that I can't be trusted."

You blinked languidly. You knew you shouldn't be dating Eren anyway. This wasn't your original Eren. But if this wasn't your Eren, then what did that make you? Maybe you could afford to love this one. But what if it was him?

Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Your heart began to beat like you'd just swam laps. It was incomprehensible if it was fear or something else.

Suddenly Eren splashed water on your face. You yelped and tilted your head away before he pulled you back.

"Listen, no matter what happens, I'll always be yours. As a friend. Or more than friends. Doesn't matter. If I get to keep you, that's all I want."

You finally smiled. Something you could relate to.

"Me too," you replied. You kissed the corner of his mouth, liking the way he tried to kiss you back and pouted when you didn't kiss his lips. "I'm not going anywhere unless it's with you."

From a distance, your classmates sent glances and suggestive winks, half-expecting you and Eren to start making out in front of everyone. You huffed at them and turned back to Eren, who was watching you with a smile on his face.

"You're so cute," he said, pulling you in for a real kiss. You heard your classmates cat-calling again, but your brain was too busy melting in its body as your lips responded to his.

As the 104th made their way back to the barracks, you relished in Eren on your skin, on your hands, in your mouth. Part of you found pleasure in luxurious indifference for the grave future, but when you tried to imagine a future with Eren in it, your mind went blank.