A Reason to Live||Eren x Reader

⋆Chapter Three⋆Determination and Appreciation⋆

You could hear whispers going around about him, but chose to simply ignore them as you turned back to your meal. Looking up when you feel a tap on your shoulder, an all too familiar voice ringing through your ears, "Hey, [Nickname]~!" 

"Sasha..." You mentally groan but say nothing as you scoot over, bumping hips with Marco on accident, but he doesn't seem to pay any mind as he's trying to talk to Jean, whilst you look over at the brunette. "Are you going to eat that?!" Your eyebrow twitches, but when you turn your head to tell her no, you see her expression and instantly stop.

Giving a huff as you push what was left of your meal over to her, "Here..." She grins, face lighting up and you can almost say she had a resemblance to a puppy. "Hey, [First Name], I don't think you ever told us." Connie suddenly speaks up, as it was then that you caught they had been talking about something while you were mentally contemplating whether to give your food to Sasha or not.

"Told you what?"

"Where you came from." You instantly tense, swallowing a lump in your throat that instantly forms, you force a smile as you rub the back of your neck, as you'd decided to keep it to yourself. "I-It's not important." You answer, Sasha simply shrugs as she goes back to stuffing her face with your food.

Your face falls again the moment the attention turns away from you and merely fall silent, subconsciously reaching out to grab your food but stop as nothing but the table comes in contact with your hand and mentally groan as you remembered you'd just given it to Sasha. 

Once the bell sounds, you're moving to stand, noticing the dark brunette had disappeared from your table and left you an empty tray to dispose of. You don't fail to notice as she instead takes Eren's place next to Mikasa as she is blabbing about something that the male obviously didn't care for listening to.

As you left the mess hall, you couldn't help but to question yourself at your last thought, the wish for Eren to somehow pass the test tomorrow. Why?

The night has passed in a flurry, as well as the morning, as next thing you knew... you were being prepared to lift, right in front of everyone as it was the final aptitude test. Most of the cadets had passed with flying colors, you just hoped you could do the same. Staring at Shadis as you're strapped in, as he delivered the question he asked a select few. "[First Name] [Last Name], are you prepared for this?" 

"Yessir!" You answered, finding your voice despite your antsy attitude, that you might not be able to do this. "Begin!" Tomas began to twist the lever as you were slowly lifted into the air, giving a very noticeable twitch at first as you nearly fell, but mentally cheered as you managed to keep your balance. You were stuck up there for at least 15 seconds, twitching every couple seconds, but were relieved as it was announced that you passed.

Soon enough, it was announced for Eren to go, he had broken into a sweat, but he had that determined glint to his eyes as he was strapped to the belt, answering that he was ready almost immediately by a simple word. "Sir!"

"Begin!"

Why were you so anxious for this? The moment he had started to go up into the air, you broke out into your own sweat. The moment his feet left the ground, he noticeably tensed but managed to keep his balance this time, despite the wobbling of his stature. Almost everyone seemed surprised as he had kept his balance, arms spread as he gazed out with a hard expression.

Cheers broke out through the area, but it was short-lived as he suddenly began to lean back and then forth a few times. Your own eyes widened as your gaze landed on his belt, it didn't look right. Gasps broke throughout the area as he once again hit the ground. He seemed almost desperate as Shadis began to approach him, "No, wait... I-I ca-can... still-" "Let him down."

He looked panicked, as he was dropped, falling to his knees, but his eyes widened as your voice cut throughout the area, looking up, your instructor's own gaze turning to you. "Sir!" You called, "Cadet [Last Name]-!" He starts, but you cut him off, "His belt, it's broken, sir!" He seems almost surprised. You had a keen eye. Another trait pointed out to you by [Brother Name]. 

Shadis' gaze hardens, before he turns toward Tomas. "Wagner, switch belts with Jaeger!" He calls, in which the blonde instantly gives a nod, "S-Sir!" He calls back, tensing, but he approaches the male. 

Once Eren is lifted in the air, he manages to keep his balance this time, while surprised gazes turn to both you and the male being hoisted up as the instructor confirms what you had pointed out. "You had defective equipment, we managed to realize this thanks to [Last Name]." He calls out, in which Eren looks shocked, his gaze turning to you a split second.

Shadis holds out the bell, as a piece is misplaced to emphasize his next statement. "The metal fixtures on your belt were damaged. Though... this is the first I've heard of faulty fixtures." He holds it tighter, "It seems there would be a need to start checking them during maintenance." 

You look around to see even more shocked expressions, and you know why. He managed to stay upright even with faulty equipment... Wow. "Th-then what about my aptitude evaluation?" Eren's voice cuts through the area as his gaze goes back to Shadis, who answers after a couple seconds. "I see no issues."

His voice slightly raises with his next statement, "Devote yourself to training!" At that, Eren seems momentarily surprised but he holds his fists in the air in triumph as he's suddenly grinning and as he's lowering his fists, his grin widens as he stares right at Mikasa a few moments, before his gaze turns to you just a few seconds as he remembers why he was able to pass, being just one word... You.

You had pointed out the flaw that everyone else failed to notice and he was able to pass thanks to that.

It isn't long before the sound of hoofsteps and wires echo throughout the area, the first time you're all out actually zooming through the trees and you can't help but grin at the feel of the wind through your [Hair Color] strands as they fly behind you, catching a pair of turquoise orbs -- as you'd finally decided on the actual color -- on you, only beaming, in such a good mood in this particular movement, watching in awe as you do a flip before shooting forward, the male moving to mock your movements with ease.

He suddenly saw you in a new light, even in just these few days -- but you had been through something, he knew that much... He thought, just maybe, you knew what it was like.

Thank you, [First Name], now I can really be on my way to becoming a soldier.

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Sorry for the extra long chapter! A total of 2060 words, including this author's note!

But also, to clear some things up, this is not an x Marco or x Jean, but I have a scene planned out for later involving Marco, and Jean is just there because him and Marco grow kind of close ^^ I had the reader/you notice the faulty belt, because I thought it could put Eren in your debt somehow and just be cute overall, honestly.