Chapter Text
You have always been a kind child.
That’s what the whole town says about you, anyways. Always quick to notice and eager to help. Whether it be an elderly citizen braving steps down the street or a kitten lost in the rooftops, you would be there in a hurry with a bounce in your step, brilliant mind already generating a solution. You would handle even the most arduous dilemmas with grace and gratuity, trailing freely around the small town like a butterfly personified.
Making others feel loved is what your mother had always taught you to do. She would spend hours each night, coaxing your young and restless mind to rest. Still, you would still fight your drowsiness with new curiosities. Her eyes would gleam with pride and the most subtle hint of sadness, and her hand would resume its patterns through your hair.
Rest easy, my love, she would murmur. Her voice a honeyed song in the dim candlelight, arms wrapped securely around you. Cradling you gently as though you were still a baby. Sometimes, you would catch her paused in her movements, eyes on you and only you with nothing but the purest loving gaze.
You were your mother’s only baby. You had each other and it was enough.
You lived comfortably near the outskirts of Shiganshina, having moved from a farm area in the years prior. As a seamstress, your mother could afford a stable living for the two of you, though she did her very best to make it comfortable. And when rough times would come, she would always make sure your plate was full first. Even if that meant she would go hungry, seeing her baby eat was all that mattered.
With no other choice, you played ignorant as she snuck extra portions to you. It bruised your heart heavily to see her go hungry, and you were always aware that money was an issue. So, the moment you were allowed outside on your own, you were off to the heart of town, lending a hand to as many people as your small legs could reach.
The townspeople would gush and compliment you to each other and their families. Never before had they seen a doll quite like you, so young yet amiable and lovely. As a result, you often received free lunch and gifts from the friendly people you helped. An extra ear of corn from harvest, a shirt too small for their growing child, some extra pocket change — you took it all with a small bow and smile. And then you were running home in time for dinner, sneaking whatever you earned into the fund for your home.
Your mother was doing her best for you, so you would do your best to ease her burdens as well.
But as you grew older and stronger, her health seemed to decline accordingly. It started with a few coughs, which she instantly disregarded as inhaling dust from cleaning. However, you knew that wasn’t the case. Rent payments were coming up fast, so she had been taking extra orders for the missing amount. All day, every day.
“Don’t worry, love. It’s nothing,” she breathed as you guided her into a chair. “See? I’m all better now.”
She would smile at you, tired but still warm, and yet you still noticed each time how it never truly reached her eyes.
Throughout the next few days into weeks, the coughs kept coming. Each attack grew more frequent and violent than the next. You would hear her pain in the middle of the night, unable to help nor heal.
As you grew increasingly worried for her health, you racked your mind for solutions. You needed a doctor. Treatments required high payment. You were nowhere near old enough to legally be employed and your tip fund could barely cover a fraction of the food fees. Or, conversely, you could learn what was wrong yourself to help her. You would need books, though. Maybe become an apprentice to a doctor instead.
At dawn, you immediately ran into your mother’s room, pressing a firm kiss to her temple. She was still asleep with her brows furrowed, twitching ever so slightly. A sheer glistening layer of sweat covered her features.
You ran the fastest you’ve ever ran down the cobblestone streets into town.
Doctor. Food. Book.
You repeated these words mentally as you scanned the market. Its shops and windows were just beginning to open in greeting to the rising sun. A few store owners spotted you and tried to wave you over, most likely needing an extra hand, but you regretfully ducked your head in apology and continued racing along.
Doctor. Food. Book.
Book?
An aged, leather-bound book flew through the air before awkwardly landing on the ground. It seemed too convenient to be true, and you saw that was the case when you reached the alley from which it was thrown.
A scarred hand grabbed it, flipping through open pages randomly with disregard to its state. Sharp-turned eyes flickered through the pages with obvious disinterest. The boy, most likely in his mid-teens, seemed utterly disgusted with its contents. He then reached in with full intention to rip its pages apart.
“NO...DON’T —“
A timid voice cried out, voice cracking between sobs. Behind the boy holding the book, two others stood jeering over a third, who was clearly getting bullied. The two boys repeatedly taunt the boy on the ground, laughing and kicking at him with their feet.
You frown, displeased with the fact that no one else in the town would stand up to these bullies.
“Excuse me,” you start, voice cutting through the narrow alleyway.
All four boys pause and notice you — a lone girl — standing in the street. They one with the book, the leader, scoffs and brings his arms to rest at his sides.
“What do you want, pipsqueak.” He steps closer in an attempt to intimidate you.
You glance toward the boy on the ground and tilt your head to gesture toward him.
“Please leave him be and give his book back.”
The three bullies look at you and then each other, bursting into laughter. They’re howling, slapping, almost crying themselves from the apparent absurdity of your request.
“I’m asking nicely,” you continue, making sure to keep your tone consistent. In your young mind, all issues between people could be solved with sufficient communication.
The leader finally catches his breath and turns his gaze back to you, clearly still amused.
‘What are you,” he snorts, “his little girlfriend?”
You purse your lips, feeling the tension. “No, but I don’t like what you’re doing to him.”
“You know what? Fine. Oi,” he gestures to his fellow fiends. “Let’s go.”
They groan, thoroughly unsatisfied with his decision, but ultimately follow him away. The leader makes sure to bump his shoulder into yours before exiting into the street. You pay no mind to him, immediately rushing toward the boy on the ground.
“Hi, I’m [Name].” You introduce yourself to him as you help him lean against the wall. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
He blinks, slowly rubbing his eyes. Looking closer, you notice that his hair isn’t brown but rather blonde scuffed with dirt, and your frown returns as you try to fix it. The boy stiffens under your touch but lets you continue nevertheless.
“I’m Armin,” he finally answers. “How did you make them go away so fast?”
“I asked them nicely.”
Armin’s expression of disbelief was priceless. “What? They never leave because of that. Usually, Mikasa beats them up…” His voice trails off at the end, but you still catch onto it.
“Mikasa sounds like a great friend.”
You pull the sleeve of your shirt over your thumb, gingerly wiping away the dirt on Armin’s face. Now that his eyes are on you, you notice how perfectly blue they are. They’re a little red from his tears, but it just accentuates his irises more. Glistening like the clear sky on a summer day.
Once you’re done, you stand up and also pull Armin to his feet. He runs over to the book on the ground, cradling it in his arms. Nimble fingers trace its spine as he inspects it for damage.
A sudden thought crosses your mind. You need books.
“Hey, Armin,” you say, joining him in the street. “Where did you get that book?”
The blonde boy flinches at your seemingly innocent question, but answers after inspecting your surroundings. “It’s from my parents. They had a dream to explore the world outside the walls.”
Going outside the walls was strictly forbidden for citizens, and only scouts were allowed to do so. You hear about humanoid creatures called titans that roam the land outside, but you’ve never experienced their horrors. On occasion, you see the scouts returning from missions with wagons full of blood and corpses. Your mother ushers you inside with a hand over your eyes, muttering about how you shouldn’t worry about grown-up affairs.
“I didn’t mean to pry,” you quickly add. “My mother is sick and I think it’s serious. We can’t afford a doctor or medicine, so I’m looking for medical books or someone I can apprentice with.”
“Oh, it’s okay. I’m sorry to hear that, but my friend’s father is a doctor. I’m sure he can look after your mother.” Armin’s voice is soft but filled with intention. “I can bring you to him now, if you’re free.”
Delighted, you nod and thank him.
On the way to the doctor’s home, you ask about the world outside the walls. Armin brightens up like the sun, animatedly explaining all of the dream locations he had wished to see for years. Flaming water, land made of ice, fields of sand spread wide. He drones on and on and on, yet you don’t show any signs of disinterest.
It’s always the sweetest people who go through the worst in life, so you’re glad that you were there this time to help him.
The moment Eren woke up, he felt a shiver go down his spine. He jumped out of bed, dressed himself haphazardly, and ran through the house, all within minutes of regaining consciousness. His mother, startled, asked about his rush.
“I’ll be back in a bit,” he stated curtly, struggling with his shoes. He bolted out of the house before she could respond.
At the table, a girl with black hair around his age sat next to a middle-aged man reading a newspaper. She swayed absently from side to side, shifting her balance on the chair. Carla puts a warm hand on the girl’s shoulder, squeezing slightly with motherly worry.
“Mikasa, dear, could you please go with Eren and make sure he stays out of trouble?”
The girl simply nodded, exiting much more efficiently than Eren.
Soon enough, she caught up to Eren and the two ran together into the heart of Shiganshina. It’s still early in the morning, but there was already a substantial amount of shops and carts open. Despite the multitude of obstacles, the two weave through effortlessly through the streets.
“I see him,” Eren says, moments later, raising his hands to his mouth. “Hey, Armin!”
You and your new friend go silent upon hearing a call of his name. Two children, both around your age, stop a few steps in front of you.
“Hi Eren, Mikasa,” Armin smiles.
Mikasa waves back. Eren, who you assume is the brown-haired boy, has a quizzical expression on his face.
“Are you bullying Armin?” Eren steps toward you, seeing as you were the only outsider.
“Wait, Eren,” Armin interrupts. “[Name] actually helped me earlier,” his voice drops, “with the bullies.”
Eren’s scowl lessens, but he maintains a casual distance from you. “I woke up with a bad feeling. Guess I was right.”
Meanwhile, Mikasa looks Armin up and down, checking for any injuries. She nods at you, satisfied, when she finds none. You just smile in response.
She truly is a great friend.
“Eren,” Armin calls. Eren hums, gesturing that he’s listening, so Armin continues. “[Name]’s mother is sick, so I offered for her to meet Dr. Jaeger.”
Eren ponders for a moment. “Fine. But only because she helped you today. My dad’s supposed to be on a break from work right now.”
Your smile grows bigger, if that was even possible, and it’s so infectious that Eren almost stops being moody. But instead, he turned away and left in the direction of his house. You and Armin exchanged a look, stifling laughter, and followed suit.
The Jaeger household was located on higher ground than the marketplace, built right along the steps leading up to open fields. It was also a considerable distance from your home, so it made sense that you haven’t seen Eren, Armin, or Mikasa around during the day. Smoke wisps drifted lazily from the open chimney, and a homely aroma greeted the four of you inside.
Immediately upon entering, a beautiful woman started quietly scolding Eren for his recklessness. The man sitting at the table continued reading his morning paper, amused but silent.
That must be Eren’s father, you thought.
“Okay, Ma, I was just worried about Armin,” Eren whined. Bits and pieces of their hushed conversation floated through the air as Armin introduced the household.
“That’s Eren’s mom, Mrs. Carla — ” he waved to the beautiful woman “ — And that’s Dr. Grisha Jaeger, the one I was telling you about.”
At the mention of his title, the man at the table set down his newspaper. His hair was swept back professionally, and a small pair of round-lens glasses sat upon his nose. Even from a distance, you could practically feel the intelligence radiate off of him.
“Hello, I’m Dr. Jaeger, but you can call me Grisha.” He reached for your hand, to which you took with a firm grasp. His eyes widen for a split second when you make contact, but he recovered quickly and laughed. “You are [Name], right?”
You nodded.
“I hear about you frequently from my patients. They’re all very fond of you.”
“I’m happy to hear that, Doctor. I do what I can to help out.” You stated truthfully, though your stomach was beginning to feel queasy with worry. “However, my mother has been sick lately and I’m scared her condition is getting worse. We don’t have the money for treatment and I can’t work, so I don’t know what to do. Armin said that you could help.”
Grisha listened to you intensively, nodding when appropriate. “You’re far too young to have to worry about money, [Name]. I appreciate a fellow helper in the community, and this is the least I can do to thank you for your kindness.”
He rose to his feet, and Carla helped him shrug on his overcoat. Relief flooded your body, and you hugged Armin tightly while whispering thanks to him. You bid goodbyes to the three childhood friends and left to accompany Grisha to your home.
In the next few days, your life went back to normal, more or less. You resumed your daily routine. Grisha diagnosed your mother with pneumonia but complimented you for catching it in its early stages.
“Any later,” he had said, “and it would have been much, much worse for us.”
The morning after your meeting, he came back with a case of medicine in glass containers. They looked far too expensive for you, and you were sure that your mom would protest had she been awake. But the doctor only waved you off, saying everything had taken care of.
You had still felt guilty, like you were taking advantage of his kindness, so you decided to get his family a gift.
After working in a flower shop owned by your mother’s friend for the day, you were allowed to make one bouquet to take home. You brought it straight to the Jaegers’ house, hoping one of the adults would be home.
They were not home.
Eren opened the door, his cerulean eyes widening when he saw you outside.
“Woah,” he gasped, “are those flowers for me?”
“No, Eren.” You denied. “These are a thank-you present for Dr. Jaeger.”
Eren pouted, and you immediately felt bad. You plucked a flower out of the bouquet to hand to him, which happened to be a simple red poppy. He took it happily and helped you prepare a vase for the bouquet.
“Looks nice,” he admitted, admiring the new table decor. “Hey, [Name], I’m sorry for how I acted the other day.”
Your eyes widen, not expecting the apology.
“I forgive you, Eren. I get that you were just worried for Armin.”
“Yeah,” he acknowledged. “Armin is too nice to hit his bullies back. But it’s okay, because me and Mikasa do it for him.”
“Armin only mentioned Mikasa as his savior.”
An irk formed on Eren’s forehead. “Well, we all help each other out. I’m also surprised that you got them to go away by just asking.”
You shrugged. “I can’t win a fistfight against three older boys. I could outrun them, but I needed to help Armin.”
“You really are nice, [Name].”
There was a small break in your conversation, a mutual pass of silence. Eren spoke first, twisting his hands in his lap.
“Me and Mikasa are going to the tree tomorrow for wood. Wanna come?”
“What tree?”
Eren gaped at you. You had never been out of the town before.
“Well, just be here tomorrow after breakfast and we’ll show you.”
He stated it with such confidence and finality that made it hard for you to deny. Vibrant eyes met yours, and you accepted.
Soon, you left Eren’s house hoping to make it home for dinner. On the way out, you met Carla and Grisha who were just coming home. They offered for you to stay, but you politely declined.
For the first time since you were much younger, you had trouble falling asleep due to excitement for the day ahead.
When the sun peeked over the horizon again, you sprung out of bed without a second to spare. You prepared your mother’s medicine carefully, measuring out each dose before bringing it to her with her breakfast. You placed a hand on her forehead, feeling relieved when it didn’t burn your hand like it used to.
Your mother’s eyes blink open, still bleary with sleep. Today is the day that Dr. Jaeger said she could return to working. You set the food and medicine down at her bedside.
“I’m going to play today with the two kids I told you about. You know, Dr. Jaeger’s two children?”
Your mother nods, hand weakly brushing hair from your face. Even in her weakest state, she still looked beautiful.
“Okay, love. Be safe and come home for dinner?”
“Of course.” You hold her hand against your cheek, savoring the contact. Despite your plans with Eren, you don’t want to leave your mother alone. Every day, you left home with the fear that she would be worse when you returned.
“Go have fun, then. Enough worrying about me.”
You put on your shoes and turn to leave.
“Take care of yourself, Mama. I’ll see you later.”
By the time you arrived at Eren’s house, Mikasa was already sitting on the steps outside. She gestured for you to go in, seeing as Eren was still yet to leave.
“Oh, [Name]!” Carla rushed over, showering you in kisses. “How are you and your mother?”
“We’re doing great, Ms. Carla,” you responded, face smushed in her hands.
“Thats always amazing to hear,” she smiled. “EREN! Your friends are waiting!”
“Okay, Mom, I’m coming!”
Eren’s voice came from upstairs, muffled by the distance. After a second of hearing no movement, Carla yelled up again.
“[NAME] IS WAITING FOR YOU!”
Then you hear stomps get louder as Eren descends the stairs. He lands, slightly winded, face flushed from the movement.
“What took you so long?” Carla scolded, fixing Eren’s lopsided shirt.
“Sorry, Ma. I was finding something to wear.”
Carla gained a knowing look in her eyes, and lightly pushed Eren toward you once she was satisfied. The two of you then joined Mikasa outside.
Eren led the three of you out of the town, stone pathways replaced by dirt and nature. You had never explored this part of Shiganshina in all your years of living here, and it was truly a sight to see. Wildflowers and meadows stretched far over valleys and ridges alike. Atop the largest hill, an ancient tree stood tall.
Without a warning, Eren took off running, Mikasa close behind. Both of them leaving you, bewildered at their actions. Eren turns back and yells at you.
“Come on, [Name]!”
And then you were running, as fast as your legs can carry you. Laughing all the while, as this was the most free you have ever felt. You sprinted, enjoying the rush of wind through your hair and the grass swaying below you. Mikasa seemed to slow as you passed her, and then you were running neck and neck with Eren toward the tree.
He seemed surprised to see you right there with him, and his competitiveness kicked in. You both slammed a palm on the trunk simultaneously and collapsed into its roots, having run a distance too great for your young bodies.
“Who won?” Eren wheezed, leaning back to catch his breath.
“It’s a tie,” Mikasa decided.
Eren groaned and covered his face. You couldn’t stop the stupid grin growing on yours.
“You had a big head start too,” Mikasa teased, lightly kicking a fallen Eren.
You laied there for a long time, leaning against the tree. From its position over the land, you could see all of Shiganshina and the walls surrounding it. The quiet air drifted through the leaves, speaking to the birds in a language you could not understand.
This is truly peaceful, you thought. Sleep welcomed you into its lazy arms as the sound of the world faded around you.
Beside you, Eren was in the same position. Tired and lazy and ready to sleep, except he had a job to do.
“We have to get firewood, Eren.” Mikasa poked. “Your mom said so, remember?”
Eren only groaned, seeing you already sleeping soundly. Mikasa sighed and left, though not before raising a long glance at you and Eren.
Triumphant at last, he settled comfortably into the nook in the tree roots. Eren was on the verge of drifting off himself when a light weight hits his shoulder. It was your head, leaning forward in your sleep. Too tired to move you, Eren stayed still.
Under the same tree, both of you entered a deep, deep sleep.
When Mikasa returned, hours later, to see you and Eren still sleeping, her annoyance was justified. But upon closer inspection, both of your cheeks were damp with tears. You were gripping onto Eren’s hand and he was holding you just as tightly, mouths agape and moving in silent conversation.
Both of you woke up simultaneously.
“Huh, [Name]…” Eren saw you first, as your hands were still holding his.
“Eren…” Your voice trailed off when you saw him. “You’re crying, Eren.”
“You are, too.”
You reached up to swipe at your eyes, surprised when you feel tears. Mikasa looked at the two of you with concern, though Eren interpreted it differently.
“Don’t you dare tell anyone I was crying. Both of you,” he added.
Under the afternoon sun, the three of you made your way back down to town. It was about time to get home anyways, seeing as you had been at the tree for most of the day. There was a small and awkward interaction with Hannes, a soldier who was fond of your new friends. His booze-filled mind was confused to see a new face. Eren had introduced you, though Hannes would probably forget by the time he sobered up.
From Eren’s outbursts to the drunk soldiers’ apathy, you quickly gathered that Eren did not like the soldiers, especially how they slacked off on duty. They still entertain Eren’s anger, though, seeing no harm in their ways.
“Wait…Don’t tell me he wants to join the Scout Regiment?” One of the soldiers cackled.
“Eren,” Hannes suddenly grows serioud. “I’d forget about the Scout Regiment if I were you.”
“What? You think the Scout Regiment is a joke too?” Eren challenged.
Suddenly, shouts from across town announced the return of the scouts. Eren dragged you and Mikasa to see his heroes, only to see that the vast majority was dead or missing. Wagons upon wagons of bloody sheets trailed behind the somber expressions of surviving scouts. Most families awaiting returners were heartbroken at the utter failure of a mission.
Angered by a rude comment about the scouts, Eren was quick to attack. Thankfully, Mikasa was able to dispel the situation before it got worse. You apologized to them on his behalf, but made sure to remind them to not say harmful things. Eren also spilled the firewood during his episode, so you and Mikasa helped him clean up before heading to his home.
“Have you changed your mind about joining the Scout Regiment?” Mikasa asked.
Eren did not answer her, but all of you felt the weight of his decision in the tense silence.
You split the rest of the firewood and accepted Eren’s invitation to stay over for a bit.
“We’re home,” Eren called, once you all arrive.
“Welcome back. Oh, hi, [Name]! Good to see you again.” Carla smiled at you, and you shyly nod back.
Grisha excused himself to go check up on your mother. You thanked him again, and had him tell her you’ll be back for dinner soon. He told Eren about a basement and a key when he got back, and you would be lying if you said you weren’t interested as well.
“Eren says he wants to join the Scout Regiment.” Mikasa suddenly blurted. Both Carla’s and Eren’s eyes widened in shock and betral respectively.
“Mikasa! I told you not to say anything!”
Eren knew he was in for a long lecture, and he was right. You and Mikasa sat quietly as Carla frets over her only son, worried about his safety as a soldier outside the walls.
“Joining the Scout Regiment is a stupid idea!” she insisted, pacing around the room.
“Stupid? People who don't mind living like livestock are the stupid ones, if you ask me!”
Eren stormed outside, eager to leave the argument. Carla put down her pan and sighed, before resting her hands on the shoulders of you and Mikasa. She relayed the responsibility of looking after him to you, a mother’s last attempt at protecting her son.
You and Mikasa found Eren outside, getting ready to fight Armin’s bullies. However, before you could interfere, they fled at the mere sight of Mikasa. You rushed to check on Armin, but he was thankfully unhurt.
“What happened, Armin?” You hated seeing your first friend look so downcast.
Armin sighed. “I said that humanity should go out into the world someday. And they hit me and called me a heretic.”
“Damn it!” Eren cursed, “Why does everyone act like you're crazy if you want to go outside?”
“Because staying within the walls has brought peace for a hundred years. They're afraid that if many of us venture out, we'll risk letting them in. So the royal government declared any interest in the outside world taboo.” Armin looked down, unable to meet your gazes.
“That's our lives we're risking, so it's our business!”
Armin looked totally defeated by Eren’s relentless argument. You reached out to him, laying a steady hand on his shoulder. Squeezing the slightest bit with silent reassurance.
I’m here for you.
Your focus drifted away from the group as they discussed Carla’s reaction to Eren’s dream, instead roaming free around the town. Your eyes drifted in the northwest direction where your mother is resting and waiting for you to come home. She should be well enough to start taking commissions again, and you would have more free time for yourself and your new friends.
But suddenly, a loud explosion rang through the air. Shiganshina seemed to pause in time, and your heart stopped when you noticed it, too.
Beyond the top of the fifty-meter wall, a molten red skull peeked into the city. It was unlike anything you had ever seen before: an enlarged human with no skin. For the first time in your life, you felt truly insignificant with horror.
The titan’s head shifted slightly, and then it a reverberating boom echoed throughout the whole land. As rubble flew through the air, you heard broken screams from neighbors in the market where people were getting crushed.
“It broke it...” Armin’s voice trailed off, impossibly small. “A hole in the wall.”
A louder commotion could be heard from the sector closest to the breach. A man suddenly turned the corner toward you, crying out. He was delirious, half-dragging himself on the walls to move.
“They’re coming inside! The titans are getting inside!”
Red alarms were blaring inside your head, panic bubbling wildly. Logically, you should run now, since there was no way to escape once the titans entered.
“My house is over here…” Eren gasped. “My mom!”
He took off sprinting to his house without a second to spare, Mikasa following close behind him. Armin seemed to be frozen in fear, wide-eyed and trembling in place. You looked around again at the chaos and shake your head.
“I’m sorry, Armin.”
Before he could answer, you turned and ran down the other street with your heart caught in your throat. You had to dodge and weave through the crowd since you were going the wrong way, which was toward the titans. You were shoved aside and plowed through, yet still hastened to the northwest. To your home, where your mother was. Where Grisha was. You ran faster.
Titans were entering the town faster than you had expected, already splitting up to find prey. Grotesque and messy, they devoured humans like preprogrammed puppets. You really didn’t want to be eaten, but you had to get home. You wasted enough time going against the current in the streets, and now you just had to make it around the corner, almost there —
A huge titan plunged its arm directly into the roof of your home, grabbing your bedridden mother with practiced precision. It crouched there, leaning against the pear tree you grew up climbing for support, as it slowly brought her up to its mouth. It saw you, its next meal, and bared its teeth in a snarling grin.
And you were forced to watch, frozen in place with fear, as your beloved mother violently convulsed within the titan’s grasp. It tightened, if that was even possible, and you couldn’t look away from the crimson blood that sprayed through the air. Her eyes met yours from inside the titan’s opened jaws, and her mouth moved in an attempt to speak one last time.
Then the titan’s heavy jaw clamped shut, and your mother — your whole world — was no more.
She died in horrible pain, yet her eyes spoke of nothing but worry. Not for herself, but for you.
You couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak, couldn’t even cry. The only thought you had was a frantic plea that this day was all a bad dream. You felt the vibrations from the titan’s footsteps, louder and more violent as it reached for you.
You would let it take you, you decided. You just wanted to be home, and home was in your mother’s embrace.
However, it seemed that fate had other plans for you.
A rough tug to your arm brought you flying backward. You land awkwardly on the shoulder of another, bent in half and facing your broken home. A pair of arms wrap securely around your legs and then you are moving away from the walls. Away from the monster that took everything from you.
Fully numb and weak, you allowed yourself to be saved.
A while later, you noticed the person who was carrying you was slowing down.
“Hey,” you called out, “I can run by myself now, and we can switch if you're tired.”
“And you promise to run and not give up?” A frustrated female voice responded. You could hear that her breathing was getting harder, and she seemed to be exhausted from carrying your weight this far.
“Yes, I promise.”
She set you down carefully, and, seeing as you were a safe distance from the titans, took a moment to stretch and breathe. Her platinum hair reached her shoulders, and her eyes were a piercing blue, brilliant but colder than Armin’s.
Armin.
Eren and Mikasa had left him, and then you had too. Left the most defenseless boy to fend for himself in the titan apocalypse. Your stomach churned, though there was nothing you could do but hope he survived.
"Alright, let’s move.”
Your new companion harbored a cold exterior, but you noticed how she would check on you occasionally to make sure you were still there and running. Each time she looked, she would seem more surprised that you were keeping up with her pace.
You were confused about her intentions at first, but now, you realized that she had been trying to get the two of you to the river that flowed into Trost. She was smart; a second titan had broken through Wall Maria through Shiganshina, so the whole outer territory would soon fill with Titans. You wouldn’t be safe until you got into the next layer, which would only be accessible through the river.
A while later, the two of you reached the boats. The blonde girl pushed her way through the crowd with ease, keeping a firm grasp on your elbow at the same time. You both pressed against the railings, checking the boats for anyone you knew. More and more people crowded around you, desperate to get onto a vessel.
“Hey,” Blonde Girl said. “I need you to jump with me. We need to get on this boat,” she pointed to the one currently docked, “but I doubt the people here are going to let us on.”
She’s right, you realized. There’s too many people crowded on the dock and not nearly enough boats for everyone. With the titans fast approaching, the river was the last chance at survival. Some people even jumped into the water for a chance to swim to safety.
So you decide to trust her, the girl who risked her own life to save yours, and climbed over the guard railings. Once the boat rowed past you, you leapt as hard as you could into it. While also trying hard not to think about the fall if you missed.
And by some miracle, you make it, landing hard on the deck. Blonde Girl helps you back up as you look back at the dock, now recognizing the same neighbors and townspeople you spent your whole life helping.
So it hurt infinitely more when the titans arrived. You turned away, unable to bear their screams after you had already seen the horrors firsthand. The gate to the Wall Maria shut harshly behind you, and you realized, heart sinking further, that you would never truly be home again.
After a night of travel, the boat got docked again within the safety of Wall Rose. Military police got onboard to usher everyone off, conducting a strict head count for refugees. You and the blonde girl stayed close as you entered the refugee camps, though she seemed restless, always looking around. When you asked about it, her answer was vague.
“I’m searching for my comr— friends. They should be around here.”
It was toward sundown, when meals were announced, when her eyes lit up.
“Wait right here,” she had told you, before slipping into the crowd. Your stomach threatened to caved in with hunger, but you decided to trust in this mysterious girl.
Sure enough, she returned with two tall boys who both seemed to be a few years older than you. Their eyes spoke of a similar pain, so you immediately knew they had lost someone dear recently as well. One of the boys, the one with cropped blonde hair, opened his jacket to reveal four whole loaves of bread. It must have been difficult to steal that much from the rations, given the insane number of refugees, so you were incredibly thankful.
As the four of you dug into the stale bread, you were too busy eating to notice the man approaching behind you.
“Hey, little girl.” His hot breath hit your ear, and you instinctively flinched away. “You don’t need all of this food — hey!”
Blond Girl held his wrist firmly enough to bruise, pulling him away from you.
“Leave,” she ordered. The creep, seeing as it was just another ‘little girl,’ paid no heed to her warning.
A second later, he hit the floor, hard. It took Blonde Boy’s hand on Blonde Girl to deescalate the situation. Blonde Girl looked at the scum on the floor with distaste and walked away. You and the two boys followed, now trying to find a good spot to settle for the night.
Brunette Boy stole extra blankets from a soldier while the two Blondes set up a makeshift camp with practiced excellence. You all got settled for the night, but you couldn't bring yourself to sleep. So, you decided that you don’t want silence.
“I’m [Name],” you said quietly. “Thank you for saving me earlier.”
Blonde Girl responded, voice a monotone like usual. “No problem. I’m Annie.”
“Reiner.”
“I’m Bertholdt.”
It was too dark for you to see who spoke, but from the sleeping arrangement and the voice’s location, you figured that Reiner was Blonde Boy and Bertholdt was Brunette Boy.
When the stress of the day finally caught up to you, you allowed yourself to relax and sunk into the floor. For the first time since your mother’s death, you cried.
Long after your sniffles had evened out into sleep, Reiner spoke out.
“Are we sure this is a good idea? Keeping her around? We can’t afford any more mistakes, especially after Mar—“
“Yes.” Annie cut him off. “She’s from Shiganshina and her mom just died in front of her. Runs well, physically capable. We’ll enter the military once she’s old enough, since she can cover our alibis.”
“Who died and made you boss, Annie?” Reiner snarled.
“Marcel did, actually. Shut up and let me sleep.”