a/n: i'm gonna try and make chapters longer and more enjoyable for you guys :) I usually go up from 1700 to 2100 words, so I'll see if I can go higher than that
(TW: Implications of yelling)
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"What do you mean you didn't know what you were doing?!" Your father asked you with a dumbfounded expression. His hand hid one side of his face-- He was upset that his daughter, who was supposed to grow up into a mature woman, actually agreed with Eren to murder someone.
You looked up from your hands, but you were shaking. You had been scolded for over an hour. "I-I don't know! I knew I did it, but I don't know what came over me!" You said with tears threatening to break the tension and roll down your cheek.
Grisha sighed as you sat in front of his desk, which was clean with no papers. You didn't pay attention to anything in the basement except for yourself and your father's words.
"It's complicated to explain, b-but please, believe me, father!" You pleaded. "I feel confused with myself! I don't know!"
Grisha gasped, realizing what was happening. This was the first time he had to give you a talking-to about something.
He looked up from his desk at you, whose eyes were filled with fear and hesitation. Your father wasn't one to yell at you.
"Sweetie, I'm... I'm truly sorry." Grisha walked around the desk and crouched down to hug you. You held him back with your shaky hands. "I did not mean to yell at you like that. Please forgive me."
...and you did. Everything was back to normal.
Everybody was on the roof, looking miserable and out of shape. You couldn't get into the HQ to resupply due to the Titans climbing all over the place. At a time like this, you felt hopeless.
Hopeless...
You tripped over the edge of the roof, making you fall onto your arms and knees. Flipping yourself over to sit, you dangled your legs over the edge. Without your brother, who are you? Will people call you 'that girl who lost her twin?' It'll never be 'Jaeger Twins' anymore. It'll just be you. You felt like you lost all sanity, but your exterior remained calm.
You didn't feel like yourself. It was just like that day you and Eren saved Mikasa from those kidnappers. Even until this day, you still didn't know what provoked you to stab that guy in the chest.
Sasha walked up to both you and Armin. "Armin, Y/n! It's time to go!" She said confidently. In the end, she left you two with a sigh of defeat.
Thinking to yourself, you asked a question. 'How are you supposed to avenge Eren if you're sitting here like this?' Eren would kick your ass if he saw you like this. He would tell you to fight(tatakae) instead of sitting here, sulking here on the roof.
You sat up from the rough roof tiles. But then you heard a familiar voice call out to you.
"Armin, Y/n!" Mikasa called out to both of you making you both jump.
She grabbed your wrist gently. "Y/n, are you doing okay?"
Staying you quiet with tears flooding in your eyes, you hid your face away. So she dragged you over to see if Armin's okay. Mikasa Then crouched down to Armin's level, concern filling her eyes.
"Armin, are you okay?" She asked. "You're not hurt, are you?"
Armin stayed quiet, only nodding in response. She got up, turning her head around in different directions in the search for Eren. "Where is Eren?" She asked.
Your voice cracked as you looked at the 'floor.' "Armin... Y/n?" Mikasa muttered in confusion.
Armin looked up at Mikasa finally with flooded eyes of tears. Mikasa stared in his eyes with no shine in them, to your surprise.
"They were-- The Cadets of Squad 34. Thomas Wagner, Nack Tierce, Milieus Zeremski, Mina Carolina, Eren Jaeger!" His voice shook as he looked down at his lap. "These brave five upheld their duties. They died valiantly on the field of battle."
You lost your brother and one of your closest friends.
"I'm so sorry... Mikasa, Y/n..." He apologized with his shoulders shaking. "It should have been me that died, not Eren! I--I couldn't do a thing! I'm worthless.
Mikasa got back on her knees in front of Armin, putting a hand on top of his. "Armin." She spoke. "Calm yourself. We haven't got time for you to get emotional right now."
"Huh?"
"On your feet." Mikasa then pulled Armin up to stand.
She walked down the ridge of the roof, not saying a word. Turning around, she held her blade in the air.
"I'm strong." Mikasa started to speak. "Real strong. None of you come close, you hear me?"
Your face lightened with surprise at her words. "I am a warrior. Know this. I have the power to slay all of the Titans that block our path! Even if I have to do it alone. As far as I'm concerned, I am surrounded by a bunch of unskilled, cowardly worms." She pointed the blade forward in front of her. "You disappoint me. You can just sit here and twiddle your thumbs, and watch how it's done!"
Another Cadet stepped up against her. "Wait, Mikasa. Are you out of your mind? That's crazy!" They said
"You can't be serious! Trying to take them out by yourself?!"
You walked away from Armin's side, along the ridge of the roof. "She isn't." You spoke, making them look at you. Armin's eyes followed you as you walked through the crowd.
One of them looked at you with concern as you stepped up. "Y/n! But your brot-"
Turning your head around at them, you sigh. "You expect me to cry my eyes out over losing my brother?" You questioned them directly, looking straight into the Cadet. "If he were here, he'd be so pissed at this sight in front of me right now."
Turning around, you leaped off the roof and fled towards the HQ. It wasn't long until Cadets started to show up, along with Mikasa who flew right past you.
"Hurry up!" You heard Jean shout at the other Cadets. "Follow Mikasa and Y/n! Avoid fighting if you can! Get to HQ before you run out of gas!"
Connie looked up at the black-haired Cadet, who was soaring through the air. "Woah, Mikasa's a badass! How is she going so fast?" He then looked down at the h/c girl, jumping off the wall of a building to kill a Titan. "Y/n's using the walls to jump off of and kill Titans! Smart one, she is."
Armin noticed that Mikasa was using way too much gas. Her adrenaline was covering her grief, but she soon ran out of gas.
You looked up to see a falling figure through the air. When you realized that was Mikasa, you went back and chased back after her.
"Hey, Y/n!" You hear Connie call out to you, making you turn. "I found 'em! They're over there!"
Following where his finger was pointed, you saw Armin fall on the roof with Mikasa. You flew down to them, landing on your two feet beside Connie.
"Are you two alright?" You asked in haste.
Armin nodded. "Yeah, we're both okay."
"Then we better get out of here." Connie said as he stood up from the roof. He looked up due to the distant stomping approach. "Crap! Two fifteen-meter Titans!"
As you all braced yourselves with your blades in hand Mikasa stepped closer ahead of you. "No, that one's different." She said.
"How?" Armin asked, catching the sight of a Titan skeleton.
You then glanced at the fifteen-meter Titans, specifically the one with long hair. It let out a roar, making the other one roar back at it. The long-haired Titan then proceeded to put his fists in a combat stance.
"Huh?" The four of you said in unison as you all watched.
The other Titan let out a cry as it charged at the other, but was stopped as the other Titan got its head punched off. The head flew far until it crashed into a tall structure. You all tucked away just in case anything flew in your direction.
Once the hand of the other regenerated, it finished off the Titan with a big stomp.
"It just finished it off! He knew exactly where the weak spot was!" Armin said in astonishment.
The Titan started to walk away. "C'mon guys, time to split!" Connie spoke. "Last thing we need is him coming our way!"
"No, wait." You stopped the boy. "He would've noticed us by now. We would've been done at this point."
"It seemed to understand the skill of hand-to-hand combat." Mikasa stated. "What is that thing?"
Connie looked at Mikasa with a cautious expression. "Just chalk it up as another abnormal. Hell, they're always an unpleasant surprise, right?" He glanced down at the roof before looking back up. "Forget about it. Let's get out of here!"
"Wait a minute!" Armin stopped him. "Mikasa's tanks are empty!"
Connie turned around sharply. "Huh? What are we gonna do?!" He panicked. "We can't clear HQ without your help!"
Armin took a step forward and crouched down. "There's only one thing to do!"
Your eyes followed Armin's actions before realizing what he was doing. "I know there isn't very much left in them, but it's better than your empty ones."
Mikasa looked down with a concerned expression for the young boy, watching him connect the gas tanks to Mikasa's gear. "It's our only choice! It'll be a complete waste if I keep them. But--" Armin looked down at the roof tiles with his eyebrows furrowed. "Use this gas more sparingly. Everyone's lives are rising on you.
All Mikasa could think about was how she failed to keep everyone else safe in the charge.
As Armin snapped the final pieces of equipment, you saw Mikasa's down expression. "There, got it! The ODM gear's functional and I restocked your blades. Just..." He pulled out a broken blade that had broken earlier on. "Leave me here with this one, okay? It's just that I would rather this be my end not being eaten alive."
Impetuously, you walked in front of Mikasa where Armin was sitting towards the edge of the roof. Grabbing the blade by the dull side, your fingertips took a very precise grip on it and threw it to the side. You unknowingly threw it at the side of a house, making it stay stuck in the wall. Armin looked in the direction you threw the blade.
"Why'd you...?" You could hear him question as you looked where the blade went.
Crouching down, you put a hand on top of his in a reassuring manner. "Armin." You called to him, making him turn his head to face your glaring eyes. He could see a pinch of Eren in you right at this moment.
"We're not leaving you behind. I'm not leaving you behind." You said with confidence.
To Armin, it felt like time slowed for at least more than a minute. All he could do was stare at your e/c eyes as if he was in a trance by your desire to get back at the Titans instead of the grief of losing Eren. He assumed that it was both since the way you were acting was a bit off from your usual personality.
Mikasa and Connie watched as you practically dragged Armin back on his feet.
"But... Titans are everywhere!" He complained back. "You can't jump and carry me on your back at--"
You got closer to him, grabbing his wrist. "Come on, we've gotta move."
Pulling him as you run, you followed behind Mikasa and Connie as they ran. Your grip on Armin's wrist wasn't too hard, but it was enough to force him to run along.
He pulled away all so suddenly, halting you from running. "No!" He shouted as he broke out, catching you off guard. "Hold on! I've got an idea."
"What is it, then?" Connie asked.
Armin looked at all of you individually before speaking up again. "Only the three of you are able to pull this off, so it's really your choice." He stated, looking determined. "This may sound crazy, but I think he might be useful."
Realizing Armin was referring to the Titan, you were all awestruck by the idea. "Whoa, you mean the Titan?" Connie questioned as if Armin was a psycho.
"He only attacks his own kind." Armin explained, making you instantly know where he was going. "He seems to have no interest in us. What if we can somehow steer him to HQ and let him loose on the other Titans?"
So far, it sounded like a genius idea to you.
"Look, we know he's taken at least one out already. We can use him as a weapon!"
Connie sweated a little, questioning Armin's judgment on the situation. "You have got to be kidding! How the hell you think we're supposed to steer that thing?"
Armin looked back at the Titan, who looked up in the sky. "Well, something tells me he's fighting on instinct. I'm almost sure if you take down the pair he's tangling with now, he'll go look for others. That'd lead him straight to HQ. We're not steering him so much luring him"
Your face was struck with amazement. "That's actually... a great idea."
He looked at you with a smile of determination. "I think it'll work. I really do."
"Think?" Connie snapped. "You're asking us to risk our necks on a stupid gut feeling?"
"If I'm right about this, we can put the siege on headquarters in one fell swoop!" Armin explained.
"It's worth a shot." Mikasa said, making you relieved that she would agree but Connie turned his head sharply.
"Huh? Seriously?!" Connie reacted as he looked at her with wide eyes.
But in the end, Connie gave in so suddenly.
"Y/n and Mikasa both seem liable to kill Titans." Connie stated, looking at the two of you. "I'll carry Armin to HQ while you two kill the Titans in the way"
You and Mikasa nodded before leaving. running to the edge of the roof and jumping.
After killing many Titans, the strange Titan had nowhere else to go but the HQ, so he charged towards it. All of you followed along as you watched him punch two Titans away from a hole in the HQ.
Mikasa and you aimed towards unbroken windows, flying through and breaking the glass. When you looked up from the floor, you saw a few Cadets, including Jean.
Jean walked over to Mikasa, shock written all over his face. "You-- I-- Am I dreaming this, or what?" He said to himself.
You looked over to Connie and Armin, watching as Connie patted Armin's back brutally. "You're a certified genius!" He said with a grin. "From now on, far as I'm concerned, your word is law!"
Rolling your eyes to yourself, you stood up as you brushed the dirt and dust off of your thighs. "Check it out!" You hear Connie shout. "We found a Titan that's got some beef with his own kind! The best part is that he couldn't care less about us! This thing's our ticket outta here!"
"You mean like fighting fire with fire?" You hear one of the Cadets question.
Jean looked at Connie as if he was crazy. "Do you hear yourself? A Titan's not gonna help us!" He argued. "You're out of your mind if you think this can work--"
"It is working." Mikasa cut his sentence off. "For whatever reason, he's rampaging against them. Stand back and let him do it. Trust me. You'll see."
Armin had conducted a plan to get rid of the 8 Titans in the supply room. The 8 who were most skilled with their blades were assigned to kill the Titans, including you.
As you watched from above, you kept your eyes on the nape of your assigned Titan. The Titans got closer and closer to the lift, where everyone else was aiming to shoot the eyes out. You can hear the small stutters of fear from your fellow Cadets.
"FIRE!" Marco shouted before you watched the flashes in front of you from the shotguns.
You instantly ran across the iron platforms above with your head ducked. As you jumped, you put all of your arm strength in the air, getting ready to strike. Your blades soon cut through the flesh of the nape, making blood fly out.
"How are you guys?" You hear Mikasa check-in.
Backing away from the Titan as it fell, you nodded. "I got 'em." You replied.
As you watched the other Titans fall, you noticed two still standing. It looked like Sasha and Connie missed their target before they could regenerate.
"Uh- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...-" Sasha muttered with a feared tone.
You quickly looked behind you, rushing over to where you could climb up. Annie also climbed up before you, so you would both take each one out. When you got up on the iron platform, you used your immense amount of agility to move your body quickly, making sure you don't trip and fall.
"I said I was sorry!" You hear Sasha shout, along with a large thud from the Titan falling.
Now was the time.
Jumping off the platform, you swiftly cut the nape of the Titan that was going to hurt Sasha. Annie took care of the one that was in front of Connie.
As you jumped off with your eyes looking around, your attention was taken by a tug. "Y/n!! You saved my life!!" She thanked you on her knees.
"Oh." You said, looking down at her. "Are you okay Sasha? You're not hurt, are you?"
She nodded with tears streaming out of her eyes. "Because of you, I am!"
Mikasa walked over to you, feeling proud of your actions. "You did a great job, Y/n." She said with a smile.
"Eh... Thanks, Mikasa." You said with flattery as you helped Sasha up from the floor. "Alright, get up Sasha! You're making my shirt crooked."
All the Cadets cheered as they restocked their blades and gas. Everyone left, but Armin and you couldn't find Mikasa. That was until you both saw her standing on top of the roof, so you both flew up next to her.
"Mikasa! We need to make it to the other side of the wall." You said before you stopped when you noticed what she was looking at.
The Titan was getting eaten while it laid on a broken building. "Cannibalism..?" You hear Armin's voice behind you.
You looked at the sight in disbelief. "Can't he regenerate like how an ordinary Titan would?" You question aloud to yourself.
"This may sound stupid," Mikasa spoke, "but I was hoping he'd be the key for us. That he'd help mankind break the cycle. Turn the tide just long enough to give us a little ray of hope."
"She's right." You hear a deep voice say behind you, making you look behind to see Reiner. "He's too valuable to just let die. There's too much we can learn from him. I think it's perfectly clear our priority should be to get the scavengers off him. He's no good to us picked apart."
Another voice jumped in, one that you knew who always started shit. "Are you out of your mind?" Jean argued with him. "We've got a path out of this nightmare and you wanna stay?"
"Think about it." Annie replied. "Having an Abnormal as an ally would be an incredible advantage, right? A cannon's got nothing on a Titan who likes to rip apart his own kind."
You smiled, knowing that Annie also agreed to try and keep the Abnormal alive.
"You-- Do you hear yourself?" Jean questioned Annie's judgment immediately. "He's not like a new friend!"
You heard a thud, making you look over at the Titan. "Oh no." Armin said, eyes following a certain Titan. "It's the Titan that ate Thomas!"
The Abnormal started to walk, despite the Titans still latched onto him. As he stomped over, he let out a roar as his jaw bite down between the neck and shoulder, lifting the Titan in the air. His ribs cracked as he looked over his shoulder with his eyes. He threw the Titan over, smashing a smaller Titan.
All you could do was watch.
After a while, it fell. You watched the steam rise from the corpse silently with shock on your face.
But something was hidden in the nape. Someone was.
It was... Eren?
You felt your mind that was once purged with rage then fade into a sense of relief. There were no words to describe how you felt right now, like as if the other half of you came back to life.
"Brother...?" You muttered to yourself as you felt tears flooding in your lashes.
After getting a good glimpse of your brother's face, you took a step forward before completely running off the roof and out onto the street. Mikasa seemed to be processing what she was seeing.
As you ran, your breath was getting faster. "Brother!!"
When your body collided with his, you suddenly felt the relief of not losing another loved one. You instinctively checked his heartbeat, putting two fingers on his neck to check his pulse.
Feeling his heartbeat made your mind break down, even more tears falling from your eyes. You didn't even realize you were crying out loud. All you cared about was your brother at the moment, alive and well.
Mikasa was first to approach; behind her was Armin and the others.