≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫
It was early in the morning and all the important people were sitting in a large hall at a round table to discuss everything.
With important people, you mean Hanji, Levi, Neil, Pixis, Armin, Mikasa, Jean, Connie, you and... Eren.
Oh, and also Queen Historia!
Before the meeting you found out that Gabi and Falco had their own room and that they were fine. You haven't had time to see them yet, but it comforted you to know they were safe.
"Is there already a status report on the damage done by the two titans?"
Neil asked
"Yes, sir. Surprisingly, there was only one dead whose identity has not yet been confirmed as his head was...disfigured. We have some injuries to complain about, apart from that only unimportant buildings were demolished. That's all."
Armin stood up and saluted.
"Good to hear. And what about Zeke?" Pixis enquired.
Levi took a deep breath and spoke up. "We couldn't get Zeke to talk much, but he can't escape. Hanji and I have been interrogating him and we've gathered some information. He was working together with Yelena, some other people, and obviously with the two Titanshifters Pieck Finger and Porco Galliard -and Zeke still want to realize his Euthanasia Plan. That's all. He said he's not cooperating until he can speak to Eren and y/n."
Everyone at the table exchanged concerned looks.
"Eren, y/n, are you willing to speak with him?" Historia asked.
Eren nodded firmly. "We don't have a choice there. I still have so many questions."
"Good."
Historia nodded, looking at you
"And what about you, y/n?"
You took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the situation on your shoulders. "I will do whatever it takes to get information out of Zeke. If that means speaking with him, then I'm willing to do it."
During the meeting you couldn't help but glance at Eren from time to time. You thought about everything he told you yesterday and wondered what he thought about it.
It hurts to see him.
You tried to focus on the meeting, but your mind kept wandering back to Eren. His words had left you feeling conflicted and lost. You didn't know what to think or how to feel about him anymore.
Levi gave you a nod of approval, clearly recognizing the determination in your voice. "We'll do our best to keep you safe, but be careful. We don't know what Zeke is capable of."
"Very well. Eren, y/n and Levi will continue working with Hanji to get information out of Zeke. In the meantime, we'll be increasing security measures and preparing for any potential attacks."
Jean added, crossing his arms
Eren stood up, looking serious
"Now that we've discussed that, let's get to the most important part. Y/n, would you tell us what happened while you were kidnapped?"
You took a deep breath before starting to recount everything that had happened to you.
"Of course..."
You told them about Yelena and how she pretended to be an soldier 'Marie', her killing someone who guarded the gates and then kidnapped you.
"-after several hours, we had an accident and the carriage started to tip over. I took the chance and fled in a forest near Dauper, where I was found by the two Marley cadets Falco and Gabi. They took me to the Blouse family and helped me."
After mentioning Sasha's family, Connie and Jean looked at each for a second.
"And Zeke found you?"
Queen Historia asked quietly
"Almost, yes."
You added
"Gabi and Falco helped me escape, stopping in Trost for a night.
Pixis stood up again, looking at you
"So far the story agrees with the one that the two children had told us.
Then Zeke found you three in a other forest, what happened there?"
You hesitated, remembering the fear and desperation that had filled you the moment you saw Zeke. "Yes, Zeke found us in the forest near Trost.
He was specifically looking for me but found Gabi and Falco first and said he would kill them if I didn't show myself. Of course I came out of hiding because I didn't want him to kill the two children."
Eren listened intently, his expression darkening with each passing moment, his fists clenched in anger.
"I understand."
Queen Historia nodded
"Please continue."
"He..."
You had to think about what he told you. You remembered his words perfectly, and quoted Zeke:
"Normally, Eren and I just need to touch and then you know what happens. It doesn't work that way with you, but Ymir seems to protect you.
As a carrier of royal blood, Ymir can do nothing to harm me, but what if I want to harm you? To protect you, Ymir would do everything, thus fulfilling my wish to make all Eldia sterile."
you finished, your voice shaking slightly
"Those were his words."
Commander Hanji stood up, looking shocked
"Wait wait. You have a connection with Ymir? THE Ymir Fritz?"
"I..."
Thinking about seeing Ymir in the Paths last night, you hesitated to answer her question
"I don't know."
Commander Hanji's expression softened, sensing your hesitation. "It's okay if you don't know. We'll have to investigate this further to understand what it means. We-"
"But it's true that she protects me."
You interrupted Hanji. This sentence came out like a shot from a pistol
Everyone looked at you confused and shocked. The only ones who knew about the situation with Ymir are Eren and Zeke.
"What do you mean, she protects you?" Queen Historia asked, her expression curious.
You took a deep breath, trying to put your thoughts into words. "I saw her last night... in the Paths. I first thought it was a dream, but i'm sure it was real. She was there, and she seemed to be watching over me. I don't know why, but I felt...safe with her."
Eren looked at you shocked
"You... saw her?"
He knew it wasn't the first time you'd seen her. The one time you jumped in the lake because you saw her jump in, and he saved you.
Meanwhile Levi raised an eyebrow, his eyes fixed on you. "Safe? In the Paths?"
You nodded, your gaze steady. "It's hard to explain. But I felt like Ymir is....like there's something she's hiding from me. She kept calling me Libertas and saying I was special."
Connie looked at you with wide eyes.
"Libertas...What does that mean?" he asked.
You shrugged, feeling bewildered. "I don't know. Maybe it's some sort of code name or something. But it felt like...like she knew me, somehow. Like we had a connection."
You had to think of that strange story Zeke told you. About Ymir and how she had to kill someone to prove her loyalty to the Eldia King.
"Let's get back to what you said - She would protect you. Have you already experienced something like this?"
Pixis was patiently waiting for an answer.
"Yes, Sir."
You told them how you could hear her voice and she hinting you to the forest where Gabi and Falco were. It also couldn't be a coincidence that the carriage fell over immediately after she spoke. Then there was the fact that the wound you had on your forehead after Zeke brought you to this World after the Party suddenly disappeared.
"Wound..."
Mikasa had to think for a second
"You have a wound on your arm that you got after the accident with the carriage!"
You knew immediately what Mikasa was thinking and wanted to see if the wound was still there.
You quickly rolled up your sleeve, revealing the spot where the wound used to be. To your surprise, the wound was no longer there. It had completely healed. Not even a scar.
Everyone stared at you, their expressions awed and curious. It was clear that Ymir had some sort of mysterious power, one that was beyond their understanding.
"Very Interesting..." Commander Hanji said, her voice serious. "We can't underestimate her power, nor can we blindly trust Ymir. But if she's willing to help Y/n, then we should take advantage of that."
"Now the only question is how Zeke should know that..."
The Queen added
"Zeke sometimes has dreams about y/n."
Eren quickly replies
"H-huh?"
Pixis gave Eren an confused look
Glad Eren mentions it. The dreams Eren had about you- he only told you and a few others about that. People like Historia, Pixis and Neil don't know about it yet, but they should.
Eren told them here that he had regular dreams about you. In his dreams you only talked about Eren. It was different with Zeke's dreams, there you only told something about yourself in his dreams.
You had almost forgotten about it since it hadn't been mentioned for a long time.
"Is this... a joke?"
Historia gave Eren a wired look, not believing what he just said
"It's true."
Armin interfered
"I also saw y/n in my dreams."
"HUH?"
Eren looked surprised at his best friend
You had already discussed it with Armin. The blonde hadn't told Eren about it until today.
"I rarely had the dreams about y/n, and she doesn't say anything there... but I've seen her in my dreams too."
Armin showed a serious expression
Everyone in the room was silent for a moment, processing the information that had just been shared.
But what Armin said now is not entirely true. In his dreams you said to him 'Remember who the real enemy is.' but Armin apparently doesn't want Eren to know.
Eren gave Armin a why didn't you tell me about it earlier look.
Finally, Pixis spoke up.
"Well, this is certainly interesting. It seems we have more to learn about the powers of the Titans." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If Zeke, Eren and Armin saw Miss Y/n in their dreams, I guess all titan shifters will. This must have something to do with Y/n 's and Ymir's unknown connection."
Eren, still slightly stunned, could only nod in response. As for you, you felt a bit uneasy knowing that others were having dreams about you. It was a strange feeling, but you couldn't deny the significance of it all.
The conversation continued on for a while longer, with various theories and hypotheses being thrown around.
It's was a good thing that Eren had already explained to everyone in this room who Ymir is and her known history from the manga. That made it easier for you earlier.
The rest of the meeting was also spent discussing strategies and plans to deal with the current situation, and the group eventually disbanded to carry out their assigned tasks. As you left the hall with Mikasa, the gravity of the situation sank in further.
"You know, y/n..." Mikasa said softly, "This changes everything. We have to be more careful with our actions from now on. Who knows what other strange powers the Titans possess?"
You nodded, feeling a sense of apprehension wash over you. "I know. It's such an unsettling thought."
Mikasa placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. "But we have to stay strong. We have to keep fighting, no matter what."
You took a deep breath, feeling a surge of determination. "You're right. We can't let fear control us."
You were happy that Mikasa was trying to keep you in a good mood. In general, you felt very comfortable and safe with her.
She probably noticed that you acted differently. She thinks it's probably because of the meeting, but it's more because of the Eren thing. However, you didn't want to talk about it just yet because you wanted to clear your head first.
"Can I maybe see Gabi and Falco now?"
You asked quietly
"Hm? Not sure if we are allowed to do that, but we can try."
She nodded
As you two made your way to the room where Gabi and Falco were being held, you couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt. After all, they were just kids caught up in someone else's war.
As you approached the guards, Mikasa explained that you wanted to see Gabi and Falco. The guards looked hesitant, but finally allowed you to enter the room.
Gabi and Falco were sitting together on a bed, looking up as you and Mikasa entered.
"Y/n!" Gabi said tentatively. "Thank god!"
You hugged them both tightly. "Nice to see you two again!"
"Yea, We're... okay, I guess." Falco said softly. "It's just been a lot to take in."
You nodded sympathetically. "I can only imagine. But everythingis going to be fine, okay?"
Gabi looked at you with a mix of suspicion and hope. "I hope so..."
"I know you two are scared, but you can trust us."
As you spoke, you felt a sense of conviction fill you. This was what you were fighting for - not just for your own survival, but for the safety and well-being of everyone involved in this war.
"You mean trusting Eren Jaeger?"
She gave you a sharp look
"That's never going to happen..."
You let out a quit sigh. "I understand how you feel. But please trust that we are trying to find a way to resolve this peacefully, without anyone else getting hurt. These people here are not devils and they have a plan that- "
"Yeah, you already told us about this plan." Falco added
"It's just... it sounds-"
"-too good to be true." Gabi finished.
"And it's hard to believe it's even possible. I mean, bringing every Eldia in a other world. It just sounds crazy."
You nodded. "I know it's hard to believe, but please just trust that we're doing everything we can to make it happen. And in the meantime, we'll do our best to make sure you both stay safe."
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫
After you had lunch with Mikasa and Floch, your two bodyguards, they brought you back to your room.
"Please take a rest and stay here. We will come back if there is something."
Mikasa opened the door to your room for you
"Thank you." you replied with a small smile. "See you guys later."
As you entered your room, you let out a sigh of relief. It was good to have a moment of peace, even if it was just for a little while. You sat down on your bed and closed your eyes, trying to clear your mind.
But no matter how hard you tried, your thoughts kept returning to Eren. You couldn't believe that he was capable of doing something like this- playing with your feelings. But at the same time, you knew how passionate he was about protecting his loved ones. Perhaps he saw this as the only way to ensure your safety.
You know how Eren is, he pushes away the people he cares about because he doesn't want them to suffer at his hands.
He did the same with Mikasa and Armin in the manga, for example, when he said he hated Mikasa since he was a kid.
But you didn't want him to push everyone away. You didn't want him to regret things. You didn't want him to suffer alone.
You shook your head, trying to push those thoughts away.
You have to focus and ignore that kindergarten inside you.
But... it was easier said that done.
Should you talk to him again?
Should you...
No, that's stupid. Eren is stubborn.
If you would talk to him it would be like talking to a wall.
'I love you, Y/n. You mean everything to me.'
'Just know that I love you, and that nothing will ever change that.'
Jeez...
You opened your eyes again and sighed loudly again. You knew that you couldn't afford to let your emotions get the best of you. You had a mission to complete, and your personal feelings had to take a backseat to that.
You can't let your feelings for Eren distract you.
With that thought in mind, you settled back onto your bed, feeling a sense of purpose fill you. You couldn't control what Eren did or how he felt, but you could control your own actions. And that was what you were going to do - keep moving forward, no matter what.
*knock knock*
Someone knocked on the door suddenly.
Are Mikasa and Floch already back?
You stood up and opened the door.
"Hello..."
You couldn't hide your surprise as you saw Eren standing outside your door. It was as if he knew you were thinking about him.
"Eren... what do you want?" you asked cautiously.
"I needed to see you." he said simply, his eyes boring into yours.
You hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say.
"O...okay." you said finally, stepping back and gesturing for him to come in. "But please be brief."
As he stepped inside, you couldn't help but notice how different he looked. His eyes were dark and hollow, and there was a tense set to his jaw that you had never seen before.
You sat down on your bed, facing him.
"I needed to talk to you." he said again, his voice low and urgent. "Armin said that he also dreams about you. I remember he told me that he wanted to talk to you privately about something, did he say something to you? I mean, him also having dreams about you?"
Oh... he came here to talk about that.
Well, it would be stupid to lie that you knew about Armin's dreams. Eren knew that Armin wanted to talk to you privately about something. If you said no now, Eren would become suspicious. He is not stupid.
You took a deep breath before speaking. "Yes, Armin did mention something to me about having dreams about me. But he said he rarely had these dreams and nothing happened."
"..."
Eren gave you a sharp look
"Why did you two hide that from me?"
Remember who the real enemy is.
That's what the y/n in Armins dreams said.
What if the y/n really meant Eren with that? In any case, you agreed with Armin you two wouldn't tell Eren anything about it in particular. At least, not until you knew more about it.
"Because nothing important happened in his dreams about me." you explained. "But we understand that it's important to let you know now. Sorry..."
Eren sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "But why does it feel like there is more to this? Are you sure that's all there is?"
You hesitated, unsure of how to answer. You didn't want to lie to him, but you also didn't want to make things worse.
"Yes. We don't know what these dreams mean or if they're significant in any way. It's possible that they're just random dreams." you said carefully.
Eren didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the matter any further. Instead, he seemed to retreat into his own thoughts, his eyes flickering with a mix of emotions.
"Just promise me you'll tell me if anything else comes up." he finally said.
"Remember, we promised to always be honest with each other."
You nodded "Of course. We're all in this together."
You felt bad for half-lying to him, but it's for the best.
You just couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. You knew that there was more to the situation than what you had told him. But for now, you were just trying to mitigate any potential conflicts and keep everyone calm.
You need talk to Armin about it later, to see if he had any insights or ideas about what these dreams could mean. Maybe together, you could figure out a way to approach Eren and talk to him about it more openly.
You just had to navigate this delicate situation with caution and care.
Eren looked deeply into your eyes, analyzing you.
"W... What's wrong?" you asked, a slight tremor in your voice.
"I just have this feeling that you're not telling me everything." Eren said, his eyebrows furrowed.
You swallowed nervously, trying to keep your composure. "I've told you everything that I knew. But if there's anything else that comes up, I'll let you know, okay?"
You made a mental note to definitely talk to Armin as soon as possible and figure out a way to approach Eren about this together. You didn't want to betray his trust, but you also couldn't keep lying to him.
"..."
Eren let out a loud sigh.
"Fine."
The brunette slowly walked to the door, but stopped while his hand was on the door handle
"Y/n."
"Hm?"
You looked at him with uneasiness
"Stop letting your feelings disturb you. This situation is serious and I want feelings out of the game. Understood?"
He turned his head to look at you, his expression serious and stern. Despite the harsh tone of his voice, there was a faint hint of concern in his eyes.
But his words made you angry.
"Excuse me?"
Erens stern expression softened slightly as he saw your reaction. "I don't mean to be harsh, Y/n, but this is a matter of life and death. We can't afford to let our emotions get the best of us. We need to make rational and logical decisions to ensure the survival of-"
"I understand that-" you said, your voice still tinged with anger. "But you can't just tell me to suppress my feelings like they don't matter. We're all going through a lot right now, and it's okay to feel overwhelmed and confused. Especially after what you told me yesterday..."
The brunette analyzed you for a second "I'm sorry. You're right. It's important to acknowledge our emotions and work through them - but we can't let them control us. We need to find a balance between our feelings and our duty as soldiers."
"I am not a Soldier. I am just a normal Person who was torn away from her world into this one. I'm human and I have feelings that you shouldn't just play with."
Your eyebrows furrowed in frustration as you spoke, still feeling the anger bubbling inside you.
Jaeger let out a sigh, looking at you with a hint of guilt. "Do you really think i wanted that? Do you think i planned it that way? I never wanted to hurt you, but-"
"No, don't give me this shit."
You came a step closer to him
"First you say you love me, only to tell me a few hours later to forget you."
"Y/n... I"
"NO EREN. I knew from the start that your years were numbered. Why, Eren, why are you pushing me away?"
A tear ran down your cheek
"...It's not the first time you've done that, for example when you drugged me so I wouldn't notice a meeting and just sent me back to my world without talking to me.
Every time i think i know you and could trust you, you hurt me..."
Eren looked at you with a pained expression, realizing the true extent of the damage he had caused. "I'm sorry, Y/n. I know that I've hurt you before, and I never meant to. It's just...this situation... it's so complex and difficult. And I don't want you to get hurt because of me."
You let out a humorless laugh, wiping away the tears from your eyes. "You can't protect me from everything, Eren. I'm strong enough to handle whatever comes our way. But stop playing with my feelings-"
"I GET IT!"
He yelled, his eyes intensely looking at you
"See? If you had never met me you wouldn't be in this situation. But if I push people away, it's wrong too."
You looked at him, feeling the weight of his words.
"What... do you exactly mean with that?"
"It not my fault that you feel in love with me, but it's my fault having these feelings for you. I never should have told you how I feel, or even show you any affection- if I knew it would cause you so much pain..."
You realized that deep down, you still loved him, despite the hurt and confusion he had caused. "I don't regret falling in love with you... it's just-"
"But I do."
He quietly added.
You felt your heart sink as you heard his words. "What... do you mean...? How could you regret-"
"I regret everything." He interrupted, his eyes filling up with tears. "I regret how I've treated you, how I've hurt you. I regret falling in love with you."
You were speechless and couldn't believe what you were hearing.
You made your hands into fists, sadness and anger brew up in you
"Speaking of not getting our feelings involved in this... then explain to me your decision to destroy the rest of the world just to save this island-"
"Y/n... You are walking on very thin ice there..."
He looked at you with a sharp look, his eyes furrowed and his voice low
"If that decision you made wasn't personal then you would have gone through with the euthanasia plan with Zeke. Because in general, that would have been the better decision for all of mankind, since fewer innocent people, animals or landscapes had to die. Don't yo-"
"SHUT UP Y/N!"
Eren walked to you, grabbing your shoulder tightly and looking at you furiously
You gasped, feeling the sudden intensity of his grip. "Eren, let go!"
"YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT FEELS LIKE GROWING UP IN THIS HELL!"
Jaeger yelled, his grip on your shoulder is getting tighter, hurting you
"YOU grew up in a world without titans, didn't have to watch someone get eaten in front of you! EVERYTHING was shoved up YOUR ASS while we were fighting to survive!"
You winced in pain as he tightened his grip even more. "EREN, please, you're hurting me!"
He finally released his grip on you, taking a step back, looking at you with anger and breathing heavily.
You rubbed your sore shoulder, feeling a mix of anger and sadness.
Stepping back, you realized how harsh your words sounded. "I... I'm sorry..."
Eren looked at you, his expression still filled with anger
"..."
You felt like screaming, crying, anything to release the devastating pain inside you. But you knew that Eren was right. You had to put aside your personal feelings and focus on the task at hand, no matter how painful it was.
After breathing in heavily, he turned around again, opening the door
"We are going to pay Zeke a Visit in an hour."
His voice sounded cold.
With that, the brunette loudly closed the door,
leaving you alone with your thoughts.
You stood there for a moment, staring blankly at the closed door. The pain in your shoulder was throbbing, a physical reminder of the rift between you and Eren.
Another tear ran down your cheek.
"I wanna go home... David, I wish you where here right now..."