Featured Lyrics:
She'd take the world off my shoulders
If it was ever hard to move
She'd turn the rain to a rainbow
When I was living in the blue
Why then, if she is so perfect
Do I still wish that it was you?
Perfect don't mean that it's working
So what can I do?
When you're out of sight
In my mind
'Cause sometimes I look in her eyes
And that's where I find a glimpse of us
And I try to fall for her touch
But I'm thinking of the way it was
Said I'm fine and said I moved on
I'm only here passing time in her arms
Hoping I'll find a glimpse of us
Tell me he savors your glory
Does he laugh the way I did?
Is this a part of your story?
One that I had never lived
Maybe one day you'll feel lonely
And in his eyes, you'll get a glimpse
Maybe you'll start slipping slowly
And find me again
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Five Years Ago
Eren leaned against the hood of his truck near the passenger side door, trying to make it less than obvious that he was waiting for something - for someone. He felt nervous for the first time in a while as his fidgety hands wriggled in his jeans pocket. His birthday always marked the beginning of spring, the beginning of late sunsets, and the beginning of something new.
As the minutes he waited ticked by, he questioned just what he was doing there, waiting outside the local grocery store. Was this the right thing to do? Was this what he wanted at all? Was this the tangential line that finally made its way back to him?
Before he could ruminate any further on his questions, a bright voice entered his mind with another query, forcing him to answer the question he was asking himself. "What are you doing here?"
Eren looked up from the pebbled gravel he was kicking and caught sight of a familiar blonde bob and hazel green eyes. She had draped a deep green apron over her forearm and Eren could see a beige polo underneath her unzipped hoodie. Although there was a tinge of mischief in her eyes, there was a secret satisfaction hidden deeper. An obvious sign that this was exactly what she was hoping for. He glanced at her name tag before fully looking back at her.
'Hitch - Team Member'
"I'm here to pick you up," Eren said as nonchalantly as possible. It had been nearly a year since he last got a look at her, and he had to admit those adolescent flutters he felt around a girl with her beauty were still there. Those flutters felt childish, maybe that's why he had a child-like curiosity about them. "I still need a hand making those cupcakes."
Hitch snickered and closed the gap between them. There were no subtleties in her eyes, making it very clear to Eren that she was pleased to see him. Her words were laced with irony and there was only a single step left. "I said I remembered where your place was."
"And I said I'm here to pick you up," he retorted, leaning over and opening the passenger side door. Flirting was always fun for him. It came in the form of silly little jokes and insistent pokes, always testing where the boundaries were.
In nearly every aspect of Eren's life, he always knew the future. Days of loneliness made overthinking easy. Months of routine made his bouts of happiness predictable. A lifetime of longing made the void easier to fill. Maybe that's why involving himself in others excited him. It was an easy fill for the void. At least for a short while.
Eren's jaw clenched, watching her blonde hair walk past her and into the passenger seat. The breeze floated her perfume towards his nose, replacing his senses with ideas of her. It seemed so perfect, so easy, so much of what he thought he wanted. Hitch flashed him a smile as she buckled up. Resting his arm on the door frame, the corner of his lips curled up, trying to reflect her expression. He only hoped that she wasn't able to see his expression drop as he walked to the other side.
Present Day
Similar to the cruelness of a persistent hourglass, time ticked onwards as you settled back into your life in Marley. The city never seemed to stop for anything, not even for the tricks of nostalgia, not even for your desire for something else. Time didn't understand that you were stuck, unable to hit the unpause button. It didn't seem to understand that you were completely removed from the present.
The weight of longing you felt was nearly sinful. Nothing felt like enough anymore. Every morning before work, Colt would make you a cup of coffee. He was always first to leave, making the liquid slightly cold by the time you got out of the shower. You never complained, saying that it was easier to drink that way. Now, on the cruel Monday morning of November, it felt equivalent to a glass of ice.
It had been a week of that cycle, of that normalcy. You wondered if your greed was growing larger than you could handle.
At night, you would come home from work to find Colt sitting on the living room couch. He would be reading or watching television, and he would always stand up in greeting as you came through the door. Without giving him so much as a glance, you would walk past him and lay in bed. It felt terrible to brush past the despondent and defeated look he gave you. Still, it felt even worse to flirt with the idea of getting closure.
After a week of that cycle, you heard the gentle sound of Colt opening the bedroom door. "Y/N...can we talk?"
As an immediate instinct, you pulled the hem of the blanket closer to your chest. Although you had heard his voice, it was the first time in a while your mind registered anything he said.
As you remained hidden on your side, your eyes darted downwards to the floor. You could feel the weight of him as he sat at the foot of the bed you shared.
The state of your relationship was completely in the air. He knew very well where your mind was at, and that wasn't in the tiny apartment you shared. You wondered why he hadn't left you yet.
"If you're not ready to talk yet, that's okay..." Colt whispered as if he was keeping secrets from the photos on the walls. They were photos of the two of you together, smiling and laughing and loving together. His whispers were kept quiet in hopes those people of the past wouldn't hear.
The late autumn sky was already turning to darkness by the late afternoon. You were thankful it made those photos harder to see.
"I'll be here when you're ready." You could feel the relief of his weight off the mattress. Colt lingered in the passageway between the bedroom and the living room, blocking off the light that tried to trickle inside. "I'll always love you, so I'll be here, okay?"
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Four Years Ago
For as long as Eren had known, he spent most of his mornings cooking a simple meal of hot oatmeal and an even simpler cup of hot tea. Two bowls, two mugs. It wasn't much of a hassle to clean it up. That wasn't the issue. The hard part was that last half hour before he was supposed to leave. It was always a battle of whether or not his mother would return to bed to rest or if she was experiencing an upswing in energy. The uncertainty worried him. Would she be okay all day on her own? What if she falls? What if she doesn't wake up?
Those worries seemed to go away a year ago.
Every morning, there would be a growing familiarity at the door. A hazel-eyed smile that always wanted to help, a neatly styled blonde hair-do that was slightly wavy and just long enough to be tucked behind one of her ears. There was always one strand that was never quite long enough. It would often fall from its position and to the front of her face.
Eren debated for a long time if these frequent visits would be okay, especially during that first day he brought her back to his home.
"It's no problem," she said, jumping straight to his mother's side. "I'd be more than happy to help."
"Are you sure it won't interfere with your work?" Eren asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Watching someone new dote on his mother felt strange, almost like he was looking for a specific image. Almost as if the sight in front of him was still not good enough.
A year later full of, "Hey ma, Hitch is here again." and that strange feeling went away, eventually being replaced by that growing familiarity.
Soon, his two bowls and two mugs turned into three. The extra dishes weren't a problem, thanks to the extra set of hands.
During a particular morning, Eren opened the door with the expectation that the same face would be there. When he didn't see it, he felt his chest tighten and his brows furrow. In an instant, he was looking past the doormat and to the street. He didn't want to admit that he was confused, or that he was upset. He didn't even want to admit that he was disappointed.
Before any of that could settle in, he began to turn and close the door. The tightness in his chest turned to knots and the furrow on his brow expanded to his nose.
And even before any of that could settle in further, he heard the clear voice call out, "Ah, sorry I was late! I'm here now!" She came running up with a grocery bag full of goodies in each hand. The rustling sound of the plastic was just as welcome.
Eren felt his body welcome Hitch's presence without hesitation. He fully turned, no longer able to hide the relief he felt around her. "Thank goodness, you know my mom was worried," he sighed, slightly laughing to himself. His cheeks began to heat up, making the racing in his heart vividly obvious to her. He could only hope that he did a minimal job of hiding his fib.
Hitch smirked and gave his shoulder a gentle push. "You were waiting for me, weren't you?"
Embarrassment was no longer an emotion he felt around her. It had been a year of daily visits, there wasn't much he could hide from her anymore. He looked down at her affectionately, seeing the strand of hair that was still too stubborn to stay put. There was no telling how long ago it was that he felt this way. He didn't want her to float away so easily, he wanted her to stay.
Without much thought, Eren reached out his hand and tucked the strand of hair behind her ear. He felt heat shoot up his fingers, up his arm, and straight to his heart. He made no effort to hide the way he was feeling at that moment. "I'm glad you're here."
Present Day
You cowered in the doorway to your bedroom, hoping to see Colt sitting on the couch, reading the newspaper. There was a strange tinge of disappointment when that hope was fulfilled. You were so quiet that he hadn't yet heard the sounds of your tip-toeing. You were glad the floorboards cooperated with you, at least in that regard.
As precise as clockwork, Colt looked up from his newspaper, the way he always did nearly every fifteen minutes. His hopes to see you were often unfulfilled but this time, his hopes were met with that despondent look in your eyes.
It had only been a few hours since he last came into the bedroom, but the way you squinted at the dimmed kitchen light suggested that you had been bedridden for days.
He didn't stand immediately, not in the same way he used to every time you entered a room. Instead, he calmly folded his newspaper and placed it on the coffee that separated you two.
"Colt..." you quietly whined, your words sounded more like a cry. Shuffling around the coffee table and onto the couch, you wrapped your arms around his neck. Your nerves were finally woken up at the sudden contact, feeling your arms melt around him. He felt as stiff as a board, tilting his head back and away from you.
Despite that, he snaked his arms up and around your waist, pulling you closer to him.
"Y/N, glad to see you're up," was all he whispered.
You were pathetically speechless, letting yourself be comforted by his scent. It smelt of freshly washed blankets, hot pots of coffee, and warmth during a cold winter night. It had been five years of an uphill climb, of him pulling you back on your feet. You knew of his many flaws, and he knew double the amount of yours. Anyone could see how lovely he was, Anyone could see how foolish you had been acting this past week.
You took in a deep breath and sighed deeply, pressing even deeper onto his body before lifting yourself. You sat down on your knees, perpendicular to Colt. He had his arm propped up on the backrest of the couch, his other arm was still reaching out to you. Colt's fingertips rested on the back of your hand, trying to coax you to open up. They penetrated just an inch under the sleeve of your sweater, hiding his gentle strokes from your vision.
You avoided his eyes for a while longer. Despite your best efforts, you were met with smiling pictures of the two of you. Holiday dinners at his family's home, camping trips in the summertime, graduation days and celebrations. They were all you could see, no matter how much your memory betrayed you. It seemed like your mind had conveniently forgotten the past five years you spent with Colt. It seemed this precious and shared space made it easy for you to remember.
"I'm sorry..." you practically breathed, keeping your head down like a guilty dog. "I'm so, so sorry." You repeated it like a mantra, unable to cry about it any longer.
You repeated your apology in the same way you did when you were much younger. When it was the first few moments of falling in love with Colt, you apologized for having lingering feelings for someone else. You wanted him to comfort you, to tell you that it was going to be okay. In return, you would keep him grounded, keep him sober.
Instead, he kept his patience to himself and told you plainly, "I know...I know you are."
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Three Years Ago
"So...are you ever going to ask this girl out on a real date?"
Eren felt a gentle jab in the side of his ribs as he reached into the oven. Thanks to his mother's uphill swing of health, their living room was once again the host of another book club party. He was another year older with another excuse for his mom to throw a big celebration. He rolled his eyes, used to the teasing at this point. He thought he had made it very clear how he felt.
"No, Mom, it's nothing like that." He avoided his mom's gaze and carried the hot casserole dish over to the kitchen table where the other's contributions lay. He placed it between the assortments of Tupperware salads and desserts served in foil pans.
She chuckled and shook her head, wheeling herself next to him. "You seem to spend a lot of time with her. Maybe more than with-"
"No, Mom," Eren said curtly. "It's nothing like that." He sighed and turned his head to face the living room. Hitch sat on the couch, surrounded by his mother's friends, the Aunties he grew up with. They had kept up their deal for the past few years. She would come over in the mornings to help take care of his mother, and he...wouldn't do much in return if he was being completely honest. "If anything, she's the one spending a lot of time with me. Not the other way around."
Carla began, "Hitch talks about you a lot when you leave."
Eren began rearranging the various dishes on the kitchen table.
"She told me about your relationship in high school."
A little bit to the left here, a little bit to the right there.
"How you kept her at a distance."
Maybe that casserole needed a bit more time in the oven.
"Or how you never gave her a real chance because of-"
With a slam on the countertop, Eren called out to the guests. "Alright, everyone! Dinner is ready, help yourselves." He quickly got to work, filling up a plate for his mother.
As he reached out for the serving spoon for the casserole, his hand bumped into another. Quickly jolting back, he began to apologize before even looking up, "Oh, no you go first."
Hitch smirked and served herself a healthy scoop. "Here's hoping this version is better than last time." She held out the handle for him to grab.
Eren let out a laugh, recalling yesterday evening when he allowed her to try his first try at replicating his mother's recipe. 'I guess she is around a lot...' He had been getting so used to her presence, that he barely noticed the weight of that realization.
Hitch continued to move down the line until she eventually filled her plate and sat down with the Aunties. Eren could hear their teasing, they were much in the same vein as his mother. However, her responses were calmer, and more collected, as if she was more confident in this ill-defined relationship they had.
He delivered the filled plate to his mother and before Eren got too far away, she pulled on his sleeve. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you a big cake like I usually would."
"Oh Ma, don't worry about it. I'm just glad we could host something like this again."
Carla glanced over to the table again. "I know for sure a freshly baked apple pie was baked. I hope that'll do."
"That's perfect. I still love apple pie."
Present Day
A month had passed and feeble attempts to keep your lives together persisted. You had no idea how stubborn you could be, how hard it was to let go of a comfortable life. As far as you were aware, Colt was still your partner although he had practically moved out of your apartment and back to his family home.
It would be just for a little while, just enough time to cool off and hopefully spend some time thinking, a lot of thinking. He still had a toothbrush in the same cup as yours, his laundry was kept unfolded at the foot of the bed, and his special coffee creamer had weeks to expire.
You began wiping down the countertops in preparation for a small get-together for Porco's belated birthday. Before leaving for the wedding, Colt had promised his best friend that the two of you would host a half-housewarming party, half-birthday celebration. His parents were still strict with him and his juvenile habits since graduating from university and moving back to his childhood home. Maybe a month ago, it was much easier to make the offer. Following through was now going to be the unexpected hard part.
You didn't realize just how little time it had been, you had only moved in with Colt a few months ago. Now, the days you didn't see him felt like weeks.
There was a sudden click of the door unlocking and you jumped up in shock. You had gotten used to being the only one at your apartment, you nearly forgot that it was somebody else's home as well.
You had yet to tell your friends about whether or not you were still together. If anything, that conversation was yet to be had between the two of you.
"Oh, hi...welcome back," you greeted softly as you lowered your arms, still holding onto either end of the dish rag.
Colt smiled gently, his hair was sticking upwards in a sleepy mess. He wore a simple Marly U hoodie and sweatpants, it reminded you of late nights studying and cozy movie nights. "Um, hi Y/N. Sorry, I should have said that I was on the way over.
The air felt suddenly cold as he walked past you, placing a cake in the refrigerator.
"Don't be silly, it's also your place after all." Although you had seen him on occasion, it had been since that tearful night that you were truly alone with him. "How've you been?" you asked, crossing an arm in front of you, latching onto the opposite elbow.
"I've been doing alright...I suppose," he simply responded, leaning an arm on the counter.
Half-expecting him to ask you the question in return, you rubbed your arm uncomfortably. He always used to come at you with an empty bucket, of endless curiosity and wonder. Now, your chest felt heavy and shallow. There was nothing else he seemed to need or want of you. You were empty, and he was done scraping the rusting ottom.
This unfamiliarity that stood in the kitchen with you terrified you. Everything you knew about him had you attached and everything that you knew about yourself these last five years was because of him. Your favourite shows, your least-favourite gas station, the scent of candles and coffee, the taste of darkened cocktails. Now, that other half of yourself had been removed, you found yourself empty, again.
"I don't want to go through that again," you managed to warble out. Colt looked at you in confusion, still unmoving from his place. "I don't want to lose my other half...again."
"Again?" was all Colt responded.
"I don't want to lose the person I love, again...last time...I...fucked up...I...never got to make things right before..." Your words couldn't keep up with the storm that ran through your mind. Mistakes, regrets, worries, they all unfurled themselves like a plague that had only just been uncovered. "Do you know what that's like, Colt? To know that the one you love is slipping away?"
It was only when the sound of the refrigerator door closing shut that you realized how loud your voice was. It was also only when you felt Colt's arms around you, squeezing you, nearly suffocating you, that you realized how empty your panicked breaths were. And it was only when you heard his response that you realized how much you had taken him for granted.
"I know exactly what that's like."
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Two Years Ago
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting," Eren chuckled as he shifted the gears of his truck into drive and pulled out of the driveway.
Hitch threw her head back and rolled her eyes playfully. "I mean, you've kept me waiting a few years for this. What's a couple more minutes?"
Eren sheepishly grinned, keeping his eyes strictly on the road. "You know it's hard for me to leave the house."
"Yes, but your mother has been doing so much better these days, you deserve a break. Hell, I deserve a break!" Hitch unbuckled her seatbelt and shimmied closer to Eren, pressing the left side of her thigh against his as he drove. She stretched the lap belt across her before tilting her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad we could finally go on that date you promised me. Where are we going anyways?"
Eren had to admit that figuring out a date spot would be difficult. One would think that after all this time, there would be a single speck of Shiganshina that didn't spark a memory. He kept silent for a while and kept driving. "I'll be honest, I'm not sure."
"That's okay, we can figure out something together." Hitch nuzzled in a little closer. "I just enjoy spending time with you."
Eren smirked, feeling flattered by her words. He didn't believe that there was much to him, not so much that would keep Hitch waiting all this time. He was constantly tired, always unavailable, basically a shell. Somehow Hitch saw all that and made herself at home in his presence. She always appeared with such bright energy, flexible enough to help out, basically a sweet and perfect filling to Eren's life.
"You know," she began, reaching to the center console in front of her. "We should at least play some music. You even have a tape sticking out-"
"No!" Eren called out suddenly. Hitch snapped her hand back in shock and looked at him. He said softer this time, "No...sorry. I, um, the speakers are blown out. I still haven't gotten them fixed."
Hitch's eyebrow raised as she shrugged and leaned back against him. Eren could feel that his muscles had stiffened from the outburst and did a conscious effort to relax them for her. "You said that last time, you know. It's been years and you haven't been listening to any music since the speakers broke?" Eren nodded and did his best to keep focus on the road. "That's dedication, I guess."
Eren felt a sudden wave of guilt wash over him. Running away wasn't something that he was known for doing, but somehow in that tiny moving box on the road, he found himself running. "I'm sorry for ditching you at the Winter Ball," he apologized, not looking at her reaction.
"Oh...uh...it's okay, it's been years since then. Besides, we're together now, right? That's what matters?"
Eren huffed and bit the skin on the inside of his lip. He turned a corner, exposing the sun from behind the buildings. His eyes began to squint. "I just can't help but wonder if it would have made things different."
Hitch took notice of the tension he carried up from his shoulders to his eyelids and began reaching for the sun visor above Eren's head. "You know you can lower that so the sun isn't-"
"Ah! No, no...it's okay, we'll turn here. Besides, the visor doesn't really reach my eyes." Eren reached up a hand and pressed upwards, keeping the visor up and hiding whatever was sandwiched between. "By the way, I'm also really sorry about how I ended things...I bet it was pretty sudden."
"Um, no, it's fine, Eren, really. That stuff is all in the past." Hitch sat up to take a fuller look at him. "You're acting kinda strange."
"A-ha-ha...strange? Sorry, I'm just...I'm trying to remember where this restaurant is...that uh..." Eren began to feel his skin sweating. He reached down to roll the window, letting in the cool air breeze through the truck. Hitch's hair was short enough that it didn't bother her as much.
Eren's hair was tied back in a sloppy bun at the nape of his neck. He had never grown the desire to cut it, leaving it in the back of his head to grow and grow. There were a few pieces that were loose and whipping into Eren's face.
"You should really cut your hair, you know. When was the last time you even had it down, it's always tied up!" Hitch reached up and ran her fingers through his dark loose strands. She brushed his hair, getting herself as close as she possibly could whilst he drove.
He couldn't have an outburst now or a quick avoidance of her actions. He sat there and allowed her to touch his hair. Eren didn't have a reason for not cutting his hair, or for keeping his visor shut, or for not playing any music...not one that he wanted to say out loud at least.
Eren sighed, "I'm sorry..."
"I've already forgiven you for everything you apologized for," Hitch laughed and returned her head onto his shoulder.
Eren swallowed, and thought to himself, 'I want to keep these memories for myself a little while longer.'
Present Day
You felt the tickle of peppered kisses on your neck, coaxing you to wake up. You felt suddenly cold, feeling your bare skin against the freshly washed sheets. Shivering, you snuggled into the closest source of heat under those same covers: another bare body that enveloped you with a new eagerness. Your legs didn't take long to intertwine themselves, pulling him closer and closer.
"Morning, Y/N~" a groggy morning voice cooed. Those peppered kisses worked their way from your neck to your cheeks, to your forehead.
You paused and looked up at him. Somehow he still loved you, somehow things seemed to be changing. "Good morning, Colt." You reached up and closed the gap between your lips, moaning slightly, still feeling the afterglow of the evening before. You felt a slight pressure between your legs again. "Is that just morning wood or are you excited to see me," you teased, reaching a hand down between you.
You didn't realize just how much you were starved of his touch. He was never the one to skimp on sharing every bit of skin with you, even when you weren't in the heat of the moment.
"Ah-Y/N, I-" Colt's words were cut off as your hand began to busy itself. The sun was bright and shining into your shared bedroom, hiding no evidence on his face that he was thoroughly enjoying your thank-you gift for the night before. When it seemed like he could hold himself no further, his hand jolted down, pulling your hand off of him.
"Is something wrong?" you said, cocooning yourself in the sheets. Your cheeks began to heat up, as you fought the urge to crawl back to him. "Did I do something wrong?"
Colt sat up, lifting his knees to rest his elbows on. His back was completely exposed to you, and lines of red traced down his back. You left just as much evidence on him as he did on you. He rubbed his eyes frustratingly and sighed with a heavy scowl. "No, it's not like that. We should talk, seriously."
"Did we make a mistake?"
Whipping his head back at you, Colt shook his head with gentle exasperation. "I...I don't think so? Y/N, yesterday was the first time I saw you in a month...the first time I had been sober this whole month. And what we did, I missed it so much. I missed you so much."
You could only nod, understanding that there were still so many things left unsaid and hidden between you two.
He continued, "Do you think this could even work anymore? Us?"
There was no clearer answer besides, "I don't know..." that came out of your lips. It was the most direct you've been with him.
Colt nodded and pulled on the clothes that were scattered on the floor as a path into the room. When he was fully dressed, he began to fold the laundry at the foot of the bed, already looking around the room to see what he would need to pack.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
One Year Ago
"Jean! Mikasa! It's so good to see you, ah I missed you guys," Eren wrapped an arm around his two friends as they walked into the restaurant. There was a round table set for six in the quiet corner. Eren sat back down in his seat, gesturing for Jean to take the chair next to him. Mikasa settled as well, placing herself between Jean and Sasha who had Nicolo on her other side.
"We've missed you guys too, it's been so long since all of us have been together!" Jean said loudly, already pouring glasses of the wine that was set out for everyone.
Without wasting any more time, Mikasa stood up and grabbed Jean's hand. "Before we get too deep into the evening. I want to thank you again for coming out tonight. And, we have a very special announcement." There was a pregnant pause of anticipation before Mikasa and Jean raised their left hands at the same time. "We're getting married!"
There was an excited scream followed by a tearful hug from the other side of the table. Eren nearly yelled, jumping up from his seat and grabbing Jean by the head to wrap an arm around his neck.
When the raucous finally settled down Jean proudly asked both Eren and Sasha, "We want you two to be our best man and maid of honour. You have been our best friends for the longest time, you've stuck around and somehow remained some of the most important people in our lives."
There was no second of hesitation as Eren began to cry himself and Sasha took big breaths to keep her cool. "Yes, of course we will be!" The table cheered, just in time for the waiter to come around for orders.
The conversation was quick to change subjects as the group of friends were eager to catch up.
"Man," Jean said, passing his menu to the waiter, "It's been so long since we'll all be together. We've just been so busy."
Mikasa turned to Sasha and Nicolo, "Especially you two! Dauper, hey? A new restaurant and inn?"
Sasha sighed and took big gulps of the red alcohol. "Ha...it's been busy, yeah, but we're happy! I've known the family that has run that building since I was a kid. I'm glad they finally retired!"
"-And sold us the property," Nicolo chimed in. "It's perfect, still close enough to the farm...while we still get our privacy."
"It's about time the rest of the world eats your cooking, man," Eren said, reaching around the person who sat on his direct opposite side to tap Nicolo on the shoulder.
Nicolo shot him a grateful gaze before his eyes landed on the person in the sixth seat.
"Congrats, you two. Eren told me that you make the best Marlean food he's ever had...not that he's had a chance to eat much of it anyways," she said, trying to laugh off the slightly soured air from her comment. "I...was there for a bit before I dropped out of uni."
Nicolo's side eye didn't straight out until Sasha pulled his face away. She spoke across from her boyfriend, "Thank you, Hitch...um it's nice to see you again...it's unexpected."
"She's been helping me with my mom and stuff. While I'm at work...and yeah..." Eren said in a pathetic attempt at mediating the situation.
Jean perked up, "How's your mom been these days?
Eren looked over at Hitch and smiled. It was one of gratitude and heaviness. "She's been doing better than ever."
Present Day
There was an even longer period of strange transition in the following days since officially breaking up with Colt. It didn't feel as momentous or as dramatic as the road it took to get there. Maybe it was because you both had a sick feeling that this was where you were going to end up. He was slowly moving his things back to his parent's place and thus you kept seeing him on short, awkward spurts.
You figured you could find a roommate or move or...something. There weren't many other places you could go.
You were sorting through the mail, making piles of "his" and "mine" on the kitchen counter. There was a small envelope at the bottom that was simply addressed to you with a return address that was much too familiar.
Before you even opened the envelope, the door opened with Colt holding an empty plastic tote that was meant to be filled with more of his things. He found you in the kitchen, staring at the mail.
"Hey," he said, not looking at you right away. "These are mine right..." His voice trailed off, seeing the tears falling straight from your eyes. Your head hung so low that they didn't have a chance to run down your cheeks.
"Maybe you should ask Porco if he wants to move in," you croaked. "I'm...I'm not coming back here anymore. I'm going home, and I'm staying."
Your mind repeated the letter like a hallucination. The image of her smiling face, illustrations of lavender and daisies littered the page, the text that stated so plainly the news you hoped would never come, "In loving memory, the Jaeger family invites you to commemorate the life and passing of Carla Jaeger on December X, 200X."
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Author's Note:
Hello, sweet lovelies. I am here again with another update, one that was particularly hard to write. I think of this story nearly everyday, and I have thought about this moment from day one. Sometimes the chapters I have the clearest idea for are the hardest to write.
I want to say thank you for all the new readers that are voting and commenting on my story. You truly motivate me and remind me of the joy I have while writing this. I see each and every one of you and thank you!
I hope you can forgive me for taking so long, and I hope you will enjoy the update. I will be back with more, I promise. <3
rip carla,
she always made sure that they knew she loved them.
- zel