MAJOR SPOILER FOR SEASON 4 EPISODE 14!
Cursing
Using they/them pronouns
Enjoy :)
Everyone's faces had a downcast on them. Eren was to the right of you. Mikasa was on your left, and Armin was across from you.
The blood continued trickling onto the table cloth from Eren's hand.
"I just wanna talk. We don't have to use conflict to solve Eldia's problems," Eren finally breaks the silence. You look up, surprised, not expecting Eren, out of all people, to say this after recent events.
"Hange and the others are fine. We're just moving them." Wait, Eren and his lackeys took Hange and the others? Did this happen while we were just sitting here?
More questions churned around in your mind, but you demanded the first thing on your mind. "Where did you take them? And is their safety guaranteed?"
You scan your eyes over his face, searching his features for an answer. Rather, all he graced you with was a side glance before he looked away, ignoring the question at hand.
What a bitch.
"Eren, we're the ones who wanted to talk to you," Armin mentions peering up at him. You gulped, peeking over at Armin to ensure he still wanted to go through with his plan. Talking it out with Eren seemed a good idea and a solid plan five minutes ago, but the Eren that walked through those double doors was most definitely not the Eren you know and love dearly.
"Yeah, uhh...What made you go out and attack Marley all on your own? I don't think Zeke and Yelena talked you into joining them?" Again there was no response to your question, which gave you the impression that he was blatantly ignoring you. You furrow your eyebrows and follow his gaze to see what he is so absorbed with.
His eyes are trained on your left hand, your fourth finger where your engagement ring sits. The afternoon sun hits the (Jewel of your choice) on your finger. The brilliant rays of sunlight caressed the ring, making it dazzle marvelously.
He thought that you would have taken it off by now after he left you and everyone else for Marley, but as he can see, now that theory was false. The look in your eye at him said a different story.
You looked anguished and distressed, and what hurt him to see the most in your enticing (E/C) eyes were...betrayal.
All because of him.
His childhood friends were sharing similar expressions, making his guilt deepen. He knew what he had to do, but it didn't hurt him any less. Eren knew that the three of you were waiting for an answer to your question.
It's best to get it done and over with was Eren's mindset.
"I am free," your eyes widen imperceptibly at his words. What exactly did he mean by that?
"Huh?" Mikasa and Armin both question each other simultaneously.
"The things I do and the choices I make are all decided by my own free will," His eyes haven't left your hand, almost as if reminding himself of something.
"So your actions after meeting Yelena were all you?" You confirm.
"Yes."
"No, you're being manipulated!" Mikasa snaps. Your head turns to her outburst. Eren's teal eyes finally leave your hand as he looks up ever so slightly at her.
Mikasa takes this as a sign to continue what she was saying before. "You wouldn't get kids and innocents involved, even if they were our enemies! I know you care about us more than anyone, especially (Y/N)! Don't you?" Her voice is full of uncertainty, but you agree wholeheartedly with what she said. You hum in approval.
"The reason you saved me in the cabin...." She grabs her scarf with her pointer finger trying to make a point, and stands up. Your eyes broaden. Keep your hands on the table, Mikasa, don't act foolishly now of all places!
"Mikas--" You start to try to reprimand her as she is stepping into dangerous territory.
"The reason you gave me this scarf...is because your kind--"
"I said, keep your hands on the table," Erens voice was austere, with no room for argument. He furrowed his eyebrows, finally, entirely looking up at her.
Her right-hand drops from her scarf as she diegetically sits back down. Eren tilts his chair back so that it is on two legs, threatening to tip him over. "I spoke with Zeke in Leberio, brother to brother. Zeke knows more about the Titans than even Marley does."
"Armin," At the mention of his name Armin's lips part as if he wanted to say something but didn't have the right word for it.
"Aren't you still visiting Annie? Do you think that's your own free will?" What kind of question is that?
"Wh-What?" Armin falters, unsure of where Eren was leading this conversation.
"If memories are what shape people, a part of you is Bertholdt now. Within you is an enemy with feelings for another enemy. Armin. Bertholdt has got into your head. You're the one being manipulated by the enemy." "You're being a fucking hypocrite, Eren! If we use using that logic, then you are being manipulated by Grisha!"
"I am not being manipulated by anyone! I have my own free will. Armin does not," Eren seemed to be reassuring himself with the bullshit that he was spewing. Before you could reply with a snarky comment, Mikasa spoke up.
"Eren! What are--?"
"You, too, Mikasa," Erens voice rises. You watch, astonished at Eren, you want to form words, but no words will formulate to tell him to stop.
"Huh?"
"The Ackermans were intentionally designed to protect Eldia's King. Back then, with a life-or-death situation, you heard my order: Fight!" You look between the two of them unknowingly about what he was talking about. Mikasa's full attention was dead set on Eren at this point. "At that moment, your instincts awoke from within you. By mistake, you thought I was the host you had to protect."
"No.." Mikasa breathes, studying her hands.
"No? No, what?"
"It wasn't...a mistake..." She trails off, remembering that day clear as day in her mind.
"It's because it was you, Eren! I became strong because of you!" Her voice is a desperate plea at this point.
"Ackermans with awakened power get sudden headaches. It happens when their old self resists being forced to protect their host. Sounds familiar?" She gasps as sudden memories flood her mind. Her hands clench together, and she looks down, ashamed.
You and Armin stare incredibly at Mikasa.
Her eyes are wide in horror as everything clicks for her. The headaches, why she would never leave Eren's side. Using Carla's promise as an excuse for her unknown power.
For her, it all made sense now.
"No." She attempts to dismiss the thought that Eren was telling the truth. So this was all bullshit, right?
"I'm saying...."
"No, I..."
"Your family was made to forget who they are and live only to protect." You and Armin look over at Mikasa, who has her mouth agape, lost for words. "In other words, slaves."
"Enough, Eren!" Armin yells out. You are at a loss for words, only looking forward.
"Do you know who I hate more than anyone? Those who aren't free. Just like livestock."
Shut. Up.
"Eren, stop!" You call out, looking at him desperately, your (E/C) eyes pleading for him not to continue. You knew he was going to say, all of you did.
He ignores your pleading gaze and continues. "Just seeing you has always pissed me off so much, and now I finally know why. I can't stand the sight of a slave who obeys orders without question. Ever since I was little...Mikasa..."
"I've always hated you."
Mikasa looks up with her eyes watering. A single tear slipped out.
You felt your heart snap in two at the sight of Mikasa crying.
Armin jumps out of his seat and starts climbing over the table, determined to get to Eren.
"Eren! How could you say that to--?" Before Mikasa has the time to process what she is doing, she roughly grabs Armin's wrist from underneath, slamming his face into the table, one hand on his wrist and one on his back, immobilizing him. You gasp; Armin's chair falls back with a thud.
"Mikasa?" You guardedly ask, not wanting to take your hands off the table just yet. Mikasa gasps as she realizes what she did and how she proved Eren's point exactly.
"Your entire life has been dictated by the whims of your Ackermann blood," Her hands instantly retract, taken aback at what she had just done. You feel your hands clench in a fury at Eren's words.
"N-No!" She stutters, the unfamiliar stinging sensation in her eyes again.
"That's all you are," When a tear falls from her eyes and drips on her red scarf, you slam your hands on the table and stand up.
"Eren fucking Jeag--"
"Y/N, all you ever do is follow me around like a lost puppy. You depend on me for everything." His voice rises as he starts to get agitated.
"You never do anything for yourself, and it's pathetic watching you trying to be a "do-gooder." Instead, you depend on everyone else to spoon-feed you. Your useless ass would have died in Trost if I hadn't come to save you again! I have lost fucking count of the number of times other people have come to your rescue. Just because of how incompetent you are! It's no wonder you never got top 10 in the Cadet Corps and that you managed, by the skin of your teeth, to get on Levi's Squad."
Eren's voice lowered. "You know, it was a pleasurable time in Liberio being away from you and your aggravating voice and personality. It made me seriously question why in God's name would I EVER have proposed to you in the first place!" He breathes heavily, trying to regain air in his lungs as he looks down at you.
You hang your head low, and you feel your heart shatter at these words. Then, keeping the tears from slipping out of your eyes, you let out sad laughter.
"Yeah, why did you? You had more than one chance to break it off--Armin!" You shout as he punches Eren straight in the side of the face. The table falls in what seems like slow motion. Gabi quickly stands up. Eren falls on his back with a THUD. Armin lets out a yell as he raises his fist for another punch.
Eren swiftly moves to the side when Armin swings at the air. Eren uppercuts Armin's jaw, and his head flys back at the impact. He grabs Armin's collar and swings him into the wine shelf, causing the glass and the wine to break around him. Plates from the rack above fall down on top-of Armin's poor body. The wooden doors slam open as two Jeagerists, rifles in hand, point their guns forward.
"Jaeger!" They both yell.
"I'm all right," Eren calmly states.
Armin, using the shelf, tries to stand up. "Hey, Armin. You and I have never fought before, have we?" Armin wipes the blood from the corner of his lip, his other hand using the shelf as support.
Armin reels back for a punch, just as Eren doges to the side. "Do you know why?" Eren punches Armin again. Then again, from the left side. Eren repeatedly punches Armin in the face.
"Because it's not even close to a fair fight!" He cries.
Tears are freely streaming down Mikasa's face. "Stop.." Her voice comes out as a mear whisper.
Eren knees Armin in the stomach, making him crumple to the ground.
This is my chance. You run in front of Armin, arms out wide. "Eren, Stop!" You yell. Eren's fist rises back as he punches you straight in the jaw. A strangled cry leaves your lips as the sheer force of the punch knocks you backward on your ass, staring up at your lover.
Eren scrutinizes you. Unrecognizable emotions flood his face.
He looks at his hand and then back at you. Your delicate face, which he loves to no end, is bruised and slightly bloody. Your entrancing (E/C) eyes, which he always got lost in, were dark and haunted.
To think he did this to you, he didn't. No, he couldn't believe that he could injure you.
His fist had moved on its own, yeah. That's what happened. He wouldn't have hurt you in anger or malice, yeah. That's what Eren convinced himself-of.
"Eren...Ow...What the..." You trailed off, rubbing your cheek.
"Eren...You hurt them. How could you hurt (Y/N) and Armin...? You promised yourself that you would never hurt (Y/N)...Please stop this..." Mikasa whispers in disarray. Eren's mind is still whirring, still trying to process what had just occurred, but he shakes his head. He didn't have the time to ponder over such things at that moment.
"As I said, If you guys tell us where Zeke is, there's no need for us to fight." He tries to keep his voice devoid of emotion. Mikasa slowly walks over to both of you. You look over at Armin, not sure what to do. She falls to her knees. Her hand cupped your face, looking at the injury closer.
"Come along and behave. Take them."
"Yes, sir!" The guards reply stiffly.
"Also, the kid who killed Sasha, too," Gabi stiffens up as Eren addresses her. You and Mikasa grab under Armin's armpits in an attempt to lift the bloodied and bruised boy up.
"Is that it? Is that all you came to say?" Armin speaks up as Eren turns away.
"That you wanted freedom so that you could hurt Mikasa and Y/N?" Erens head turns around at this.
"Tell me: Who's the slave that bows to a bastard again?" Eren grits his teeth. To everyone else, he looked mad at this. But, in your eyes, you could see the pain on his face, how tired he looked, and how his eyes watered ever so slightly.
"Who are you calling a slave? Let's go."
"Where?" Mikasa whispers.
"To where it all started--Shiganshina."
---------------------------->
"As you know, after Premier Zachary was killed. The situation within the walls became unstable. However, this doesn't concern you, cadets. Which is why the 109th Cadet Corps will be training to defend Shiganshina from a Titan attack!" Commandant Shadis finishes looking down the rows of Cadets. The silence is deafening.
"You hear me?!" He hollers at one of the Cadets in the front row.
"Y-Yes, sir!" He stutters.
One cadet in the back row leans over to his buddy. "Why do we care how to cut a Titan's nape?" Commandant Shadis continues to yell at the poor boy.
"Not like they'll attack again. Our enemies are people now." Another one whispers.
"My old man thinks we should be training with firearms and form an Eldian army."
"The times have changed, yet Commander Shadis is still stuck in the past." A fourth one whispers.
"Eldia's only hope is for the Jeargerists to seize full control." An almost bald, silver glasses, and blue-eyed cadet announce.
"Surma, he can hear you!" The brunette cadet urgently whispers, sweat dripping off his forehead.
"Isn't that what everyone's thinking?" Surma conveys to the group of people. Everyone's heads turn around.
"Everyone wants Eren Jaeger to lead Eldia. We need a leader capable of making tough decisions." Commandant Shadis rises from his current position. He looks down sorrowfully. The doors to the yard burst wide open, and five Jeargerists enter the space, with Hange leading them, their hands tied behind their back as they lead the Jeagerists forward.
"What-?! Hange?!" The commandant questions and exclaims. He turned his attention away from the cadets.
"Long time no see, Commandant. Just so you know, this branch is under new management. We Jaegerists are the ones in charge now," Floch states walking beside Hange, the other Jeargerists standing next to them, their five rifles pointed straight at Commandant Shadis. "From now on, you take orders from us."
"The Jaergerists..." Surma mutters, his mouth hanging open.
"Looks like you finally figured it out, Floch. Unless you point guns at people, nobody cares what your little gang of asswipes says, and that's a fact." Floch shoots the stone right next to Commandant Shadis's right foot. He looks down at where he almost got shot and back up at Floch.
"Floch!" Hange exclaims, turning to Floch.
"I missed. I thought shooting his foot might speed things up," Floch lowers his rifle slightly.
"Speed what up?"
Floch walks past Shad. To the front of the lined-up cadets. "No, it has nothing to do with you. We have little need for hard-headed geezers like you."
"From now on, this is your time, cadets! We Jaergists have sworn to give our hearts to save Eldia from this crisis! Not for the sake of an obsolete military, but for the people of this island! By obeying the military's archaic mindset, you're allowing us to be trampled by enemies from outside! Therefore, I ask you: Who are you?! Someone who wants to live alongside our leader, Eren Jaeger?! Or someone who will die alongside Keith Shadis and his antiquated ways?!"
One, then two, and three more cadets make their way in front of everyone, Surma standing in front. They salute, and all repeat. "For the sake of Eldia's future, we give our hearts!"
"Good! Now show me your resolve!" Floch jerks his head behind him, indicating Commandant Shadis.
"Beat Commandant Shadis till he can't stand anymore," Sweat drops on their faces at this request from Floch.
"Huh?" Floch, using his right hand, hits Commandant Shadis's chest.
"He represents the old ways that must be driven out! Now, do it! Those who can't go to prison," Floch commands. The cadets turn to each other, looking around.
"That's enough, Floch! This is ridiculous!" Hange says. The soldier next to them grabs their shoulder, pulling them back slightly.
"Hange!" Commandant Shadis puts his hand out, stopping them from saying any more.
"No matter how many these tots there are, they're no match for me!" The cadets shake slightly and make a fist.
(Time skip)
The cadets' fists are bloody. Commandant Shadis lies on the ground, with blood splattered on the stone from his head, dark purple bruises littering his face, and bald head.
"Well done. We're delighted to welcome you all. Now, could you guide us to where Zeke's being held?" Floch starts walking away from the scene. He stops, releasing Hange is not following him back inside.
"Commander Hange," He states. They are looking at the sad scene in front of them.
"Hey, let's go."
-------------------------->
You, the Braus family, Armin, Jean, Connie, and Mikasa stand there. The quiet is suffocating the musky space around you.
The recent events peg your mind like a disease. The same thoughts repeat in your mind.
'What happened to you, Eren?'
(3129 Words)