Hot & Heavy (Eren x Reader)

Chapter 27 - Twilight of Youth

As the meal continued, Sasha stood up suddenly, saying, "Thank you all for coming, it really means a lot to me that you'd all drive out here for me." Sasha was standing at the head of the table, looking down at her plate and biting her lip nervously. "I'm gonna stay home for the rest of summer...maybe indefinitely so I think this is the last time I'm going to be seeing some of you for a while."

You tried to read her expression as she hid her face. You knew that deep in Sasha's heart, there were so many things that she wanted to do, so many things that she wanted to see, and so many foods she wanted to eat. You noticed that as she finished, she looked over at Connie and gave him a sad smile.

"I'll miss seeing you all every day but I know we're all kinda growing up, moving on," she said, sitting back down. Nicolo sat next to her, gripping her hand underneath the table as they shared a small smile. As everyone continued their meal, you slipped back into the bedroom to grab your camera. It was a moment you didn't want to forget. You asked Sasha and Nicolo to pose for the camera as they fed each other spoonfuls of breakfast. Only three more shots were left on the roll of film.

Although you felt sad, it was a reality that you knew was coming. You were steps away from saying goodbye yourself. You smiled at your friend, trying to sustain the feeling of joy she had given you for most of your life.

Present Day

As you began to sort out which boxes to take downstairs, you heard a knock on your bedroom door.

"Wow, you've really cleaned up the place," Eren said, as he stood at the doorway.

You looked up from your hyper fixation on the boxes and looked at the empty walls and shelves. You probably didn't need to clear the room of your belongings that thoroughly. Once you started to pack, you found yourself in a momentum to neutralize the space as best as possible. Maybe your mom could use it as a spare room or an office.

You stood up, wiping the dust and sweat from your forehead. "Wanna help me carry some things outside? My mom's boyfriend is gonna take what doesn't fit in my car to the moving company today." You were able to fit most of your clothes in suitcases, but there were some small keepsakes you wanted to bring with you.

Eren looked quiet as he dutifully lifted a few boxes off the ground. You picked up your own set and led him to the front lawn where a man with corn-yellow hair and a scraggly mustache waited. In your eyes, he was always a little goofy around his buddies but he made your mom smile in a way you hadn't seen in years.

As you passed off the boxes for him to place in his SUV, you said, "Thanks, Hannes, you didn't have to help me this much."

Hannes smiled, slamming the truck down. "Hey, no worries, kid. I'll make sure the guys send this stuff as safely as possible for you." He turned to Eren and gave him a knowing smile before turning back to you. "Your mom and I want to take you out for dinner on your last night, are you both free?"

You looked at Eren, his eyes stinging from the finality of his words. You felt like you had barely seen him this last month. Between work, cleaning, and saying more goodbyes, you wondered if he was letting himself slip through your fingers before you even got the chance to try and keep him.

Two Weeks Ago

Connie stood at the train station terminal with a large backpack on his shoulders. He looked strong and confident, yet sad. He didn't want a big send-off or a large party to commemorate his travels. He just wanted his close friends to wish him farewell at the station.

"It's not like I'm saving the world," he said with a shrug. "I'm just gonna do some soul searching. I'll probably come back at some point."

You looked at your friend who claimed to be looking for their purpose in life by changing it. Although he was at the beginning of his journey, Connie looked forward with clarity and peace. It seemed like he already discovered who he was.