YEAR 851 (one year after the Battle of Trost)
THE SCOUTING LEGION all held their breaths as their horses galloped across the Titan-free land that spread beyond the Walls. For the first time in six long years, the Scouts had finally been given permission to set out on an expedition far beyond Wall Maria. Each and every one of their bright faces had the same expression of wonderous amazement as they surveyed the fresh world around them.
At least, almost everyone.
Eren Jaeger's dark brown hair had grown a good bit in the past few months. He hadn't been bothered enough by the length to trim it short again, so his brunette ends were starting to near the tip of his shoulder blade. It wasn't the only thing that had drastically changed about his appearance.
As he rode on his horse alongside Mikasa and Armin, he glanced around at his fellow soldiers who were also riding in little groups. Even from the distances that had them spread out far from each other in the wide formation, the ecstatic looks on their faces could still be made out. They rode in anticipation of the views that they were yet to see; of the world that was once their small bird cage, now a wide stretch of land ready for their next adventures.
The thick, leafy tropical forests where wild animals and unnamed flora grew on the soil. Bitterly cold, harsh winds that blew in blizzards of icy white snow. Barren ground so terribly dry that the very earth cracked underneath a scorching hot sun. Childish possibilities that were once taboo theories were starting to sound like real environments that awaited them.
It was all true. Everything Armin had dreamed of really did exist.
A red signal flare shot up ahead. The formation paused their ride to regard a stout little Titan who was lying facedown on the ground. Grass and flowers grew in the earthly trail that was dug behind it, telling the Scouts that the beast must have been trying to drag itself towards the Wall for the longest time. Eren got off his horse to place a hand on the side of its large forehead, ignoring Floch and Daphne's vacant protests from behind him.
"This is one of our compatriots," he explained to them. "Someone who had been sent to heaven as a punishment. Let's keep going — we're close."
The red-haired pair exchanged a puzzled look with his strange behavior as Eren mounted his horse and rode off. Floch and Daphne argued about killing the Titan until they settled on getting on their horses and following after the others instead before they could get left behind. Before they knew it, the remaining members of the Survey Corps that had survived the Battle of Wall Maria were halting before the sea.
An endless view of rippling blue waters was spread out before them. Rays of soft sunlight pouring down reflected on the azure expanse, making the water shimmer in a glare so bright that it burned their wide eyes. The coastline stretched out alongside the water, small waves crashing against the golden dunes.
Such a sight had never been seen before. The young Scouts immediately dashed towards the warm sand of the beach, eager for their landlocked skin to kiss the ocean for the first time. They kicked off their leather boots and felt the powdery ground swallow their feet as they waded into the cool water.
Hange was beside themself with glee, sprinting into the shallow waters to feel their feet sink into the wet sand as Levi sternly warned them to be careful from the shore.
Sasha, Connie, and Jean — being the rowdy trio they were — splashed and jumped around, utter amazement and happiness filling their faces as they laughed and shrieked with joy. Jean cupped the water into his hands, took a sip, then yelled about how salty the taste was on his tongue.
Armin and Mikasa stood together against the waves, pure smiles on their faces as they basked in the glorious achievement of their shared childhood dream.
Only Eren stood alone. The cool waters splashed against his bare shins where he had rolled up his white pants to his knees. His turquoise eyes were glued to the distance, and in the clear blue sky he saw a flock of white birds glide above his head.
Oh, how he hated how they could spread their wings and fly off to wherever they pleased. Those feathered little creatures were all free, the very opposite of what his jovial friends thought they were at the moment.
You had mentioned something to him about birds some time ago last year, on that innocent little day in the field. He couldn't remember it well anymore, but he could still recall how your arms were spread out like that of a bird's as you declared that the two of you were going to see everything once you'd reclaim Wall Maria and get rid of the Titans.
You were such naive children back then.
"See, Eren? A lake so big that a merchant could spend his entire life collecting salt and still not get all of it!" Armin said breathlessly, starting to sound emotional. "That's what I said! I was right, wasn't I?"
"Yeah," Eren replied softly. "It's so huge..."
He could distinctly remember a time in the Cadet Corps when he had first told you about the sea. If his memory was correct, it had been after a lunch when you stormed out of the mess hall after getting cross with Jean. Eren had followed you to the nearby lake, telling you that the ocean was going to be much bigger.
Ignorance was both a blessing and a curse.
"Y/N would have liked it here, right, Eren?" Mikasa asked him, wondering why he was so stiff. "She would have been happy to know that we made it here."
"Yeah," Eren murmured. "She would have liked to have seen it with us for the first time."
"Look, Eren," Armin continued excitedly. "On the other side of the Walls—"
"Is the ocean," Eren finished, still gazing at the view beyond. "And beyond that ocean lies freedom. That's what I always believed... but I was wrong."
Mikasa and Armin stared at him.
"On the other side of the ocean are our enemies," said Eren, looking over his shoulder. "This is all exactly how it looked in my old man's memories."
"Eren—"
"She's on the other side of the ocean," he said quietly, turning back to the ranging vista. "It's not going to be very long before she comes back to us... I've been waiting for so long."
"She? Who–Who are you talking about, Eren?"
He did not reply. A gentle breeze drifted past, causing his dark long tresses to sweep across his face. Eren pointed a slender finger at the false horizon, as if his eyes could make out what lay in the line where the sky met the sea.
"If we kill our enemies on the other side, will we finally be free?"
-
YEAR 850 (two months after the Battle of Shiganshina)
Your keen eyes were fixated on the rolling hills and mountainside outside the window. Lush trees covered the landscape with a flourish of warm colors. Daisy yellow, sunset orange, and apple red swirled together as the wind ruffled the leaves. You could barely hear the soft squeal of the machinery propelling you across the new continent as you were engrossed in the alphabet translating book Zeke had lent to you — the sunlight pouring in through the window of the train car was just the right lighting for reading.
You were wearing the factory-made clothes that Marley had issued you — a white button-up shirt with long sleeves, a thick rose pink blazer with a matching skirt that reached below your knees, and comfortable black flats that fit your feet. A small leather suitcase containing the rest of your garments rested at your side.
Pieck Finger laid down on the plushy red seat across you. It was the kind of conjoined seat that meant to be for two, but there were only four people in the train car, leaving lots of free space to remove your shoes and kick back as the train chugged on towards the town of Liberio.
"Y/N, have you ever tried eating doughnuts?"
You looked up from your book to face Zeke, whose back was to you as he played cards with Reiner at another table. The latter boy looked up at the mention of your name and blinked as though still disbelieving that you were there.
"What's a doughnut?" you asked. "Is that a plant?"
"No, it's a pastry made of dough," Pieck cut in, amused by the innocent expression on your face. "What on earth makes you think it's a plant?"
"Well, he said it was a nut!" you argued.
"No, no, it's not a nut at all," Zeke chuckled. "It's just a funny compound name. Although I do think that some recipes have nuts in their ingredients. Why, are you allergic to nuts?"
"I don't think I have any allergies," you said, closing your book. "So I think I can try this doughnut thing you're talking about."
"Excellent, I bet you'll love it with that sweet tooth of yours," said Zeke. "You'll adore it even more than you do those muffins you tried yesterday."
"You've all got some silly names for your sweets," you said. "Muffins. Doughnuts. Why can't you just say bread and call it a day?"
"Because calling it bread would be very boring," Pieck answered, entertained by the conversation. "Didn't you have stuff like this in Paradis?"
"No, there wasn't very much sugar to go around," said Reiner. "There was a really bad food shortage going on."
A food shortage that had been worsened by Reiner.
You noticed that Reiner's jaw had slackened, like he did not want to recall anything that existed on that island. He was nice enough to you so far, but he avoided you as much as possible for reasons you didn't understand. One moment he seemed okay, the next he was breaking down. You concluded that he was mentally unstable after his mission to retrieve you on Paradis.
Pieck gave you a smile, which you returned. "We Eldians don't have a lot of sweets in Liberio either, but you're our motherland's special guest. I expect they'll cater to whatever kind of dish you wish to eat. We've got some variety, you know."
Out of everybody you had met so far, you decided that you liked Pieck the most. With her tired, kindhearted eyes and warm, sweet smile, it was hard to not want to trust her benevolent nature as she did her best to make you feel welcome in your "new home." Although it did quite shock you when you found her crawling around in the hallways on all fours, until she explained to you that it was just the after-effects of being in the Cart Titan form for so long.
You hummed quietly and opened your book again to continue reading the alphabetic translations of the Paradis-to-Marley language. It was easy enough to understand quickly, so you had no problem reading Marleyan in no time. Now left with nothing else to do, you pushed the book away from you on the table and rested your head against the window to gaze at the world outside.
Zeke had already filled you in with everything you needed to know, from the history of the Great Titan War to the situation of Marley against Eldians, who were also known as the Subjects of Ymir. When he explained to you why you were suddenly in Marley with no recollection of your past, the situation of your family had greatly baffled you.
A sneaking suspicion that the Marleyans weren't telling you everything you wanted to hear lurked in the back of your mind, but you decided to be quiet and stick around anyway to see what you could find out.
"Welcome to Marley, Y/N. Our military made it a mission to rescue you from the three-walled civilization that resides in the island of Paradis, and it was successful. Let me explain to you why you are here: your grandmother, Arya L/N, was a resident of Marley before her father took her away to live in Paradis with the Eldians. However, your family had been shunned by King Fritz and killed by the order of the royal family. Your whole village was massacred, and you were the sole survivor."
"A mass murder?" you were horrified. "The Eldians murdered my entire family?"
"Yes. It isn't a surprise, considering their bloody history," replied Zeke. "They might have gotten you too if your mother hadn't hidden you away in time. It's lucky that we have you now or else they might have gotten to you too."
Based on the information they had given you so far, the Warrior Unit and the Marleyans were your brave heroes that had rescued you from the clutches of the demons on Paradis Island. You were grateful to them, but also hesitant.
The Marleyans claimed that you were not their captive, but you had a gut feeling that if you ever attempted to walk out of there, they would send someone to go after you and drag you back to their military. After seeing how Marley society acted like so far, you wouldn't be surprised if they didn't hesitate to use brute force on you.
Of course, that was all just your speculation. You couldn't be sure yet, because so far they had shown you nothing but kindness.
Zeke flipped open his pocket watch and checked the time. "Excellent. We'll be pulling into Liberio station in no time."
"Do I get to see the rest of my family?" you asked aloud. "Are there still L/N people living in Marley?"
Reiner frowned as he set down a spade on the deck of cards beside him. "I'm afraid the information I told you back then was outdated. You are an L/N, and they are higher up the societal placement than the rest of us, but you are the last remaining member of your bloodline."
Oh. You shrugged and resumed looking outside the window, trying to hide your disappointment. So you were still an orphaned girl. It was lonely being without a family — you felt as though there was something lacking inside your heart. You scoured your memories for the remembrance of family, of someone who might have once held love in their heart for you, but you came up with nothing.
"Y/N, you'll live in the Liberio internment zone under the care of the military, but you won't need to follow the rules the rest of the Eldians are required to," said Zeke. "You're just like us — an honorary Marleyan. You'll be given special privileges."
You nervously adjusted the red armband that was fastened around your left forearm.
"Am I going to serve in the military?" you asked. "Because I don't think I would have a problem with that."
"No," he replied. "You don't have to do anything at all."
You were confused. "Why? I thought I'd have to do something to repay Marley."
Zeke thought over his answer before replying. "Because you're not required to."
"That's such a terrible answer, Zeke," Pieck scolded before turning to you. "Like I said earlier, you're a special guest of Marley, so you shouldn't worry about a thing. The most important thing you can do right now is to stay alive."
"Okay?" Your tone was questioning, and it was obvious that you were still puzzled over the hospitability of Marley. If they regarded the Eldians as devils and saw the people from Paradis as their enemies, why were they suddenly being friendly to you? Surely, the only reasonable explanation for this was that they wanted something from you — you were smart enough to deduce that.
Pieck, sensing your uneasiness, went out of her way to reassure you. "Don't worry, Y/N. Trust me, Marley just wants the best for you. You'll understand why we're all doing this sooner or later. Just keep your mind at bay for now."
You weren't fully convinced, but you nodded anyway to appease her. Pieck saw right through you though, and gave you a weary smile that showed that she was at least sympathetic for your lack of knowledge in this new world that awaited you. Zeke and Reiner went back to playing cards, and you continued to gaze outside the window.
Eventually, the rolling hills and widespread of trees disappeared from view to be replaced by the signs of civilization. Chimney tops where wisps of grey smoke and quaint houses that were occupied by little families came into view. You were exhilarated by the feeling of riding the fast-moving steam train, never having experienced something quite like it before. It made you feel dizzy but you kept your eyes open.
Soon, the train slowly came to a stop on its tracks, and your curiosity perked up as the screeching wheels rolled into a railway station. The remnants of the train's steam poured onto the platform, encasing the near-empty area with puffy white tufts. Reiner and Zeke stood up to collect their things while Pieck had to gently shake your shoulder to pry you off the window. You apologized profusely and stood up to go with her as the Warriors exited the train, bringing your suitcase with you.
"Y/N, welcome to Liberio," said Pieck as she guided you to the platform. "Isn't this place wonderful?"
"It sure is something," you replied, glancing around at the Marleyan soldiers who were standing around and watching you through their peripheral vision. "This is your hometown, isn't it?"
"We're finally home," Reiner murmured, looking just as amazed as you were as he surveyed the station around you. "I'm home after all these years. It's been so long since I've last been here."
"It's a shame that Bertholt and Annie aren't here," Zeke commented, ignoring the way Reiner winced as though he had been given a heavy blow to the face. You wondered why he had reacted like that, but you decided it was best to not pry as it wasn't your business. The names Zeke had mentioned repeated in your head, however, making your eyes slightly widen.
Annie.
Why did that name sound familiar?
-
THE WARRIORS LED YOU to the front of the iron gates of the town of Liberio, where a crowd of people that had been anxiously awaiting your arrival were situated. When the Marley guards pushed the silver gates open, there was a moment where the people on the other side and the Warriors all looked at each other. Then, a loud cry was heard through the crowd as a young girl with brown hair dashed towards Reiner and jumped into his arms to hug him tightly.
"Gabi!" Reiner exclaimed, looking shocked with her sudden appearance. A smile slowly spread across his face as he hugged the young girl, whose name you guessed was Gabi, back tightly. You noticed that she was wearing a yellow armband with a white star, in contrast to the your red armbands.
Pieck walked off towards a sickly-looking old man, who was looking pleased to see her as she greeted him with a hug. "Father!" you heard her say joyfully, and you knew at once that the person was her dad. How heartwarming, you thought.
"The Warriors are back!" you heard the Eldian people murmur excitedly. "The Armored Titan has returned to Liberio!"
A group of young children, who were all wearing the same yellow armbands as Gabi, pointed and whispered in awe as all eyes were on the Warriors. You wondered what those armbands of theirs signified. Multiple people were rushing up to the heroes of Liberio, excited to have been able to witness their return. You awkwardly stood to the side, suitcase in hand, not knowing what to do since you didn't know anyone there other than the Warriors.
You focused your attention to the gates that were closing behind you, to the barrier that separated the internment zone from the rest of Marley. Pieck had told you that you were free to come and go from the gates as you pleased since you were an honorary Marleyan, but still had to return to Liberio so the Warriors and the military could keep an eye on you.
What unsettled you was how tall the walls were. They were clearly erected to keep the Eldians locked inside, and for some reason they made you feel sick as though they brought back horrible memories, which was a little bit ironic since you couldn't remember anything at all.
A broad young man with a strawberry blond undercut and hazel eyes approached the other three, who had regrouped back together. With a watchful eye, you observed as he spoke to them, eventually turning to Reiner with a pained look on his face. "Marcel didn't make it?" you heard him ask, for Zeke to reply with "We at least have Jaws with us now. They're going to give it to you soon."
"Someone should tell Mr. Hoover that Bertholt didn't make it either," Pieck added gloomily. "That poor man. He's so terribly sick, and I'm afraid this might be the thing that'll kill him."
"We'll tell him that Bertholt made an honorable sacrifice for our motherland," Zeke said consolingly, ignoring the fact that it had been him who made the decision to leave Bertholt behind to die in Paradis. "It'll at least be good on his shoulders for him to know that his son died a hero."
A black-haired, middle-aged man swiftly pushed to the front, disregarding the angry protests the people he had knocked aside as his worried eyes scanned the crowd. He was searching for someone who wasn't there, and the man eventually walked up to the Warriors, who had been watching him with pity in their eyes.
"Mr. Leonhart," Zeke greeted, holding his right palm up in a salute. "It's a pleasure to see you after so long."
"Where is she?" demanded the man whose name was Mr. Leonhart, grabbing Zeke's collar. "Where's my daughter?"
"Sir, I'm afraid she isn't here," said Zeke gently, prying Mr. Leonhart's fingers off. "I'm very sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Annie had been kidnapped by those on the island. She's still somewhere in Paradis, left behind."
"But–But she must alive, isn't she?" Leonhart cried out. "She promised me herself before she left for the mission on Paradis! Annie promised me that she would come back soon no matter what!"
"Annie?" you suddenly blurted, making Mr. Leonhart and the other Warriors turn to look at you standing a few feet away from them. "Annie Leonhart is my best friend!"
Zeke, Pieck, and Reiner all looked stunned with your sudden declaration. Even the little girl, Gabi, who was still clinging to Reiner, looked your way. You went wide-eyed, shocked that those words had suddenly slipped from your mouth without you thinking them through, because you didn't even know who this Annie Leonhart girl was. The name had simply popped into your head.
"I mean," you stammered. "Sorry, it's just that you keep mentioning her name — Annie's name — and it sounds so familiar to me —"
"Did you know Annie? Were you on Paradis with her?" Mr. Leonhart let go of Zeke and rushed to you, grabbing your forearms. "Is she alive? I see you've got the red armband on too, have you got Titan powers of your own as well?"
"N–No, I don't–I don't know, I was just saying things—" you stuttered, uncomfortable with the sudden attention that was on you from Mr. Leonhart, the Warriors, and a few Eldians nosily watching the scene. "I'm sorry, sir, I can't remember very well who Annie Leonhart is—"
"Mr. Leonhart, please get your hands off her," Zeke said calmly, placing a hand on the man's back. "She's suffering from a brain injury that's caused her to lose her memories, so don't expect that she'll be able to recall Annie Leonhart. As far as we're concerned, Annie is being held captive by the Eldians on the island."
"Poor Annie!" Mr. Leonhart whispered, clutching the spot over his heart. "My poor girl, she's all the way on the other side of the sea, surrounded by those fiends. She's a hero, of course, but I know that she will come back one day!"
"Mr. Leonhart, if you could be so kind as to let me go," you pleaded awkwardly, glancing at Pieck for help. "Please."
"My goodness! Forgive me, young lady," Mr. Leonhart uttered, letting go of your arms and hanging his head low. "I'm very sorry for my behavior. I just can't believe Annie didn't return... those damned island devils! May the Lord curse every single one of them!"
Once he was finished with his vigorous rant, Mr. Leonhart walked off to god-knew-where, mumbling to himself and continuing to curse the Subjects of Ymir that resided on the island. He angrily shook off the condolences and kind words the other Eldian citizens were giving him as he passed by, the people knowing that his daughter, Annie, did not return from her mission.
His rashness shook you to the core since it was your first encounter with a non-Warrior Eldian in the internment zone, but you chose to forgive his bad manners. After all, if he had just lost his only daughter, it was no surprise that he was extremely upset.
"That poor man," you murmured, watching as Mr. Leonhart disappeared from view. "This Annie girl, whoever she is — she's still on that island? Is she alive?"
"We don't know, but we believe that the Eldians there are keeping her captive far away," Reiner replied, looking back at you as he held the hand of that little girl. "Our situation on that island a month ago made it impossible to rescue her, so we don't know if she's dead or alive. Hopefully the latter."
"Well, Annie Leonhart is quite clever, and especially powerful since she has the power of the Female Titan," Pieck added. "But according to what Reiner heard, the Eldians in Paradise have been torturing her to try and get information. Probably about Marley."
You were reminded of what Zeke told you, how the royal family of Paradis Island had ordered for the murders of your family in cold blood. The idea that such ruffians existed in the world made you feel deeply disturbed, and extremely sympathetic for Mr. Leonhart and his daughter.
"From what I understand, the people in Paradis sound like monsters," you said, dismayed. "Those Eldians are barbaric! I can't imagine how I managed to live there until now, it must have been absolute hell. Maybe that's why I lost my memories after you rescued me."
"You're safe here, Y/N," said Pieck firmly, reaching a hand from her crutch to pat you on the shoulder. "You don't have to be afraid of anyone trying to kill you here in Marley. The military, us Warriors included, will do everything we can to make you feel as welcome as possible."
You felt glad, relieved even, that you at least had a friend in this new world. Pieck was such a friendly person, and you wanted to allow her to make you feel safe. However, there was still a nagging feeling at the back of your mind. A part of you felt incomplete but you assumed it was just something to do with your amnesia.
"Pieck is right, Y/N, there's nothing for you to be afraid of here," Zeke continued, smoothening out the sleeves on your coat. "Although I do apologize on Mr. Leonhart's behalf. He's very distressed over the loss of Annie. By the way, how were you able to remember her?"
"I won't hold it against Mr. Leonhart, I'm sure he's going through a tough time right now," you said quickly, involuntarily withdrawing your arm from Zeke. "I don't actually know how I know her name, it just sort of popped up in my mind when you mentioned it. You said I remembered her — were Annie and I friends?"
He took a step back, noticing how nervous you looked with the close proximity. "Well, according to Reiner, you and her were close friends when you were in Paradis. So yes, you did know each other. It's a pity that she isn't here with you right now because she might have enjoyed showing you around."
"Oh," your heart dropped when you heard his words. "Poor Annie."
So, the Eldians on Paradis had ruthlessly murdered your entire family and were currently torturing the close friend whose face you had forgotten. They sounded absolutely despicable.
"It can't be helped, so don't feel guilty for things out of your control," said Zeke. He slightly raised his eyebrows. "It seems as though your memories are still in there somewhere. You just need something to trigger them."
"I feel like I might not even like what I'd remember," you said. "It sounds like my life was hell on that island."
Reiner's eyes darted from you, to Zeke, back to you again. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and you wondered what was going through his brain as he looked at you with uneasiness. It seemed to have become more prominent with your recent words. The little girl, Gabi, was also looking at you with wide eyes, but her young face was so innocent that you didn't know what to make of it.
"Reiner," she whined, tugging on his coattail. "Auntie Karina badly wants to see you. They're going to hold a feast to celebrate your return."
"Of course, Gabi," said Reiner, ruffling the toothy-smiled girl's head. "My God, you've gotten so big in the past few years... Zeke, Pieck, Y/N, I'll be joining my family now. See you later."
After you bade him goodbye, Gabi excitedly dragged Reiner by the hand to wherever their family members were waiting for him. You chuckled at the sight of the large boy being pulled away by such a tiny little girl. They passed by Mr. Finger, who had been patiently waiting for his daughter by the side. He suddenly began to violently cough, and Pieck frowned with concern.
She turned to you, waving goodbye as she put on a smile. "Zeke, Y/N, I'll be on my way home with my dear father. I'll see you two later."
"Bye, Pieck!" You waved your hand, then stopped because you became aware of how silly you must have looked. Once again, she had left you alone with Zeke, and you shifted your feet in embarrassment of his presence though you didn't know why. He noticed your discomfort and clapped friendly hands on your shoulders to steer you through the crowd.
"Let me introduce you to my grandparents, Y/N," he said. "General Calvi said that my family was to take you in for the meantime because my dad is a doctor and I'm the captain of the Warrior Unit. They say it's a huge honor to the Jaeger family to be able to house the L/N girl with them, and someone needs to be responsible for you."
"Zeke, I don't want to be a burden to you or your family," you whispered anxiously, but you were secretly relieved inside that you weren't being sent to live with a bunch of strangers. "I might just end up bothering you all."
"Nonsense, my grandpa is a doctor, he's trained to take care of people," he replied. "And he and my grandmother would be more than happy to have you around, especially since the authorities gave them a big honor after what happened with my parents. It's a pretty long story, so you don't need to hear it."
Surely enough, an elderly couple had been waiting for the two of you outside the dispersing crowd of Eldians. As you neared them, they looked at Zeke with bright smiles on their faces. The man whom you assumed was Zeke's grandfather took off his grey cap as Zeke merrily greeted them. "Grandma! Grandpa!"
"Zeke, my boy!" breathed out Mrs. Jaeger, walking up to him and hugging her grandson tightly. "You're finally home."
Zeke hugged her back, and once again you found yourself idly standing by the side as you watched him reunite with his grandparents. Despite being left out, you couldn't help but smile to yourself — it was certainly a lovely scene, especially after you heard that Zeke's recent mission on Paradis had lasted a few long months. He let go of his grandma and pulled you in front of them, ignoring the hasty protests flying from your mouth.
"Grandma, Grandpa, please meet the famous Y/N L/N," he said, motioning to you. "She'll be living with us here in Marley, as per General Calvi's orders."
"I'm so glad to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger," you greeted shyly, shaking each of their frail hands in turn. "Thank you so much for letting me stay with you for the meantime. I hope I won't be a heavy burden to you for barging in so suddenly."
"Nonsense! We're so pleased to have you around," Dr. Jaeger insisted. "The Marley authorities, especially General Calvi — entrusting us with the care of the L/N girl — how amazing! Our home is your home, Y/N. Come on, now, you both must be exhausted from the train ride on your way here."
The streets of Marley were even more baffling that you thought. The Eldians walked around with their white armbands strapped around their left forearms, and you couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious of how little you knew. The norm in their society were funny contraptions you had never even known existed, like lumps of iron that had four wheels and carried people from place to place.
Zeke had told you that they were called "cars," which reminded you of horse-drawn carriages. You had about a million questions about them and a lot of other things — how did they run? how did humans invent them? — but you decided that it would be better to keep your mouth shut before the Marleyans began to see you as some sort of female yokel.
The Jaeger residence was a humble abode, but a homey place nevertheless. Inside the little building that housed the family was a tiny kitchen and a small dining room table with four wooden chairs. There was a small living room with a bookshelf and a coffee table, where you guessed Zeke spent his days reading.
Another doorway led to their clinic — Zeke's grandfather was once a private doctor who now served in Liberio's local hospital. At present, nobody worked in their small infirmary, but it was still full of medical supplies and records.
"Perhaps you'd be interested in learning the art of medicine from my grandpa," Zeke said as he showed you around the house. "You could become a well-respected doctor around here. Inherit the Jaeger clinic."
"Maybe," you said, distracted by all the modern machinery you were seeing. One item particularly interested you — two tubes connected to earpieces were conjoined with a disk-shaped resonator that Zeke told you put against your heart.
"I can hear my heartbeat so clearly!" you exclaimed, fascinated. "This is amazing!"
"It's called a stethoscope," Zeke explained. "It's much more effective than taking a pulse."
A small hallway led to three bedrooms, one of which was meant to be occupied by you. The living space was limited, but you didn't mind as you were mostly grateful that you had a place to sleep in. The soft bed was tiny but comfortable, pushed to the corner and sided with a small bedside table. You put your suitcase inside the empty wardrobe and opened the curtains to let the light inside.
"This room belonged to my aunt when she was a little girl," said Zeke, sitting on a chair by the desk as he watched you move about the room. "Her name was Faye Jaeger."
"Was?" you questioned. "Why're you speaking about her in the past tense?"
"Aunt Faye passed away when she was a young girl," he said indifferently. "I think it's the first time in a while since someone's occupied her bedroom."
"Oh my — I'm so sorry," you apologized, cheeks heating up in shame. "I shouldn't have said that."
"No worries, it's not your fault," Zeke said, diverted by your sheepish nature. "You shouldn't feel bad about it."
An awkward silence ensued as you pretended to look outside the window at the street beyond you. You decided that you had to say something before Zeke could start thinking that you were an ill-mannered human being.
"Wha–What about your room?" you asked. "Did it belong to your father?"
Zeke shrugged as he took out a baseball from his pocket and stared at it. "I don't consider him to be my father anymore."
"Why do—never mind. Sorry. It's not my place to ask," you muttered, embarrassed again. You were starting to feel fed up with yourself for constantly making yourself look dumb in front of Zeke.
"It's quite alright," he replied, amused. You wondered if seeing you so flustered was some form of cruel entertainment to him.
"I–I really must thank you," you babbled, looking down at your skirt as you picked at the hem of your coat. "You and everyone else I've met have all been nothing but kind to me. Thank you for y'know, giving me all this stuff—" you motioned to your clothes and your suitcase. "—and for taking care of me."
"It was nothing," Zeke said, waving it off. You shook your head.
"Nonsense. You all went through the trouble of retrieving me from that evil island," you said quietly. "So I'm forever in your debt for saving me from the devils of Paradis."
Zeke studied you, eyes calm but unreadable as if not quite sure what to make of you yet. The thought that your outburst with Mr. Leonhart might have had a factor to play in his uncertainty, and you realized that he was just as wary of you as you were of him. No matter how friendly you acted towards each other, there was still an invisible barrier between the two of you.
It annoyed you, but you knew it would be unfair if you led him to trust you while you were still holding out from an arm's length too. At the very least, you understood why he acted like that. Perhaps he thought you might have been faking your memory loss.
You could not trust these people yet. Even Pieck.
"Forgive me, I've forgotten that you haven't tried those Marley doughnuts I've been going on about earlier," Zeke finally said, standing up to leave the room. He towered over you, and you resisted the urge to squeak out in fear.
"I'll be the judge whether they're as good as you say or not," you said with a watery smile.
-
"JUST COME HOME, WILL YOU?" asked Eren flatly as he sat beside your gravestone, brown paper bag sitting on his lap. "It's getting pretty lonely without you here."
He placed a fresh new bouquet of Myosotis flowers above the newly-turned earth where the Scouts had buried a box of little knick-knacks in memory of you. They believed that if they put a few gifts inside there, you'd be able to take it to the afterlife with you. Parting gifts.
A flower crown of pink and red carnations weaved by Mikasa. A thick old book of stories from Armin so you'd have something to read in your free time. Fancy cutlery from Sasha in case you were feasting on some good heaven food.
Detailed charcoal portraits of you drawn by Jean — he was brushing up on his skills so that he'd never forget what you looked like. A letter from Connie telling you that you were an amazing friend and that he would miss you. Medals of valor from Historia. Hange buried you with your lieutenant badges and pins that ensured your honorifics' respect even after death.
Levi simply gave you a bag of his favorite tea, the expensive kind that was provided by the Reeves Company. As your legal guardian, all your belongings were technically now his property. He decided to leave your things untouched in your bedroom, but he still cleaned the place religiously and made your bed every morning like you were going to sleep in it again one day.
As you had wished, Eren spent a lot of time napping in your bed. The poor boy felt exhausted twenty-four seven, and there was nothing more comforting to him than curling up in your sheets and breathing in your scent as he closed his eyes.
The vase that had contained the flowers Eren had given you was still sitting on your desk. Levi threw them out a long time ago after they wilted, but he kept the dead petals pressed into a picture frame in remembrance of you.
Forget-me-not flowers.
Flowers that symbolized true love. Luck in battle. Protection from evil. Remembrance of the deceased. Hope that the giver's lover would never forget their romance. The message behind those innocent little blooms ran much deeper than intended.
Eren would never forget the way your worried frown molded into a beautifully joyful smile as your eyes zeroed in on his shy face holding out the bouquet. The way you threw your arms around him and held him like there was nothing else in the world that made you feel as happy as being protected and cared for by Eren. Like he was your hero.
The thought train reminded Eren of another memory from that day, and he fumbled for the brown bag on his lap, unfolding the top and pulling out two loaves of brioche bread.
He set down one loaf on top of the grassy spot where the earth had been dug and put it down as if to give it to you. He found himself mindlessly munching on the second loaf, the sweet mixture of cream cheese and sugar lingering on his taste buds.
"Well, you weren't wrong when you claimed these tasted really good though," he chuckled, turning the bread around in his hands. "I still can't afford it for you, sadly. But that elderly lady handling the bread stand gave it to me for free."
I'm still going to shove it down your throat one of these days, he imagined you saying in a snarky, teasing voice. I'm telling you, Eren, this stuff is worth it.
"I know," he sighed. "Like I said, I'll buy you as much sugar as you want..."
He leaned against the large headstone and read up the inscription that had been written on the glossy white marble surface:
Lt. Y/N L/N
graduate of the 104th Cadet Corps, member of Squad Levi,
leader of Squad Y/N, and
a cherished friend
The Fallen Angel
never forget
"You know, love, I bet that if you were here right now, you'd be laughing over this," he murmured. "Everyone cried really hard at your funeral except for Levi and I, which is funny since everyone is telling us we were the most important men in your life. I don't know if he's used to grief already or if he's just gone numb. I think the others cried an ocean. Have you seen the ocean yet? I bet you must have crossed it by now."
The bright afternoon sun was shining above him among blue skies. Puffy white clouds rolled over the trees in the graveyard full of tombstones and vacant lots. It was a beautiful day, perfect for strolling outside and basking in the warm light. How teasing of the world to make the environment so ideal during such a depressing mourning period.
"They made me speak at your funeral, by the way," added Eren, crossing his legs over the grass. "I had trouble writing an eulogy for you, so Armin helped me out. I ended up going off-script and saying my own shit though because I thought it would be wrong if I just read off the speech. Otherwise it would have been Armin's words for you. Not mine."
A cool fall breeze passed by, and Eren closed his eyes as he inhaled the fresh air mixed with the scent of newly-cut grass. The cementery grounds were well-tended to, especially since there was a huge portion of empty graves for the fallen. Eren opened his eyes and glanced around at the other markings near yours.
Petra, Oluo, Eld, and Gunther were not very far away from you. He could still remember how you both cried in the rain when they held the memorial services for the deaths of the original Squad Levi. Nanaba and Gelgar, who had died in Castle Utgard. Nifa, who had been shot by Kenny. The heroes of the Battle of Shiganshina, including Nick and Hilda, were buried.
The weight of their deaths all rested on Eren's shoulders, and there he was sitting with the knowledge of the fate of mankind. So many fallen comrades that had died for their victory. It was saddening to know that they passed in order to light the candle for humanity that was Eren, yet there he was planning to extinguish it.
No. It wasn't a lost cause. The flame they started would light the Eldians' way to freedom. The flame that was going to burn down the rest of the world.
"We'll make it worth it," he tried to say to you, though it sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "Those kids you played with sent us letters saying that they were going to enlist in the military and join the Survey Corps in your honor. In fact, a lot of kids are interested in joining the Scouts thanks to you. You're a martyr to the next generation. Isn't it crazy, sweetheart?"
No reply from the headstone. The chalky dust from the cut marble flew from the top surface and on Eren's dark green military coat as he leaned against it. He imagined that your head was resting on his lap, smiling up at him lovingly as he stroked your hair. He didn't know whether to smile because it sounded like such a good daydream or to frown because it wasn't real.
It was kind of sad to be talking to an empty grave.
Eren had to be patient. If his vision of the future was correct, it was going to be one long year before he could see you again.
Perhaps if you were there, the heavy burden weighing on his shoulders might have felt less heavy. Then he felt guilty for selfishly wanting to share such a burden with you. More than anything, he just wanted you back and for you to tell him that everything was going to be okay.
"Please come home already," he whispered to the headstone, voice cracking. "I need you."