Chapter Text
FREE PROMPT - Assassin's Bullet
Possum's thoughts: DAY 7 LET'S GOOO- I completely rewrote everything about this, aaaand I'm two days late. If you never publish the last piece for the last day of an event that you loved so much, it means it never ended, right? /hj I had to look up Assassin's Bullet for this so I'm not going to only hurt MY OWN but also everyone's feelings lmao sorry not sorry /lh Also please excuse my poor English grammar, it's like 2 am for me and my mind is melting
Tiny context: This is from my OC's pov who has been friends with Sasha since childhood (it's a little more complicated and no they weren't in love or lived close to each other), OC has been in Marley for two years before the Liberio Raid and now he's finally on his way back home.
Currently listening to: Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) (Kate Bush)
Tw // gun violence, cursing, major character death, mentions of guns and blood
BASED ON ATTACK ON TITAN S4 EP8
The forest was quiet, except for the lively birds that chirped their own melodies, making the sunny day a little more tolerable. Whoosh. An arrow hit the target perfectly in the middle, the tip of the wooden stick burying itself deep into the tree’s trunk. A few enthusiastic cheers erupted from behind, a couple meters away from the targeted tree. A duo of a little girl and boy high fived at the victory, they couldn’t have been older than 11 years.
“I told ya I’d hit it!” exclaimed my friend, her shoulder length hair pulled into a loose ponytail. “Hey! I never said I doubted you!” I protested, shaking my head to show I meant what I said. The girl beside me laughed, standing up and walking towards the tree to retreat her singular arrow. This must have been the twentieth time watching her make the same small walk from our bush to the tree. But this time, she stopped and clutched her stomach. “Sasha?” I rose from behind the bush as well, not knowing if she was tricking me or if she was experiencing something unpleasant. “Sasha, are you okay?” I asked again, my steps slow but steady as I approached her. My eyes were on her hands that were still clutching her stomach. But she was fine a moment ago…? But when I noticed the blood forming from seemingly out of nowhere, my heart stopped. I looked around for anyone, a shadow scurrying away or a possible glint of sunshine reflecting from a weapon – but there was nothing. Just me, Sasha, and her wound. Then it all comes rushing back as my friend stares at me now, her eyes wide in shock and mouth open with a silent plea as she collapses…
Thump. Nothing could have prepared me for the events that were unfolding in front of my eyes. Gabi Braun’s eyes burned with pure hatred and her nose was scrunched up in anger, her rifle quickly reloaded and aimed at me. The realisation hit me like a brick, that first bullet could have been meant for me. What have I done? Connie ducked down, calling out for Sasha and holding her face tenderly. On my right, Jean raised his gun, and got ready to shoot but the sudden appearance of a second person and a stray bullet missing him by a few meters threw him off balance. I stayed in my place, shoulders limp and mind racing – they were supposed to stay on the ground! Falco Grice kept his eyes on Gabi, who shook off his hand from her arm. The shock lifted as the other soldiers made their way over to the children and I saw the tiniest flash of fear on their faces. “They are just children!” I called out, my voice trembling as I reached out towards the young Warriors. My concerns went unheard as the group gathered around them, knuckles cracking and harsh words were being thrown around. “You’re gonna pay for this, you little-“ “YOU ALL ARE DEVILS! IF YOU LAY A FINGER ON ME, YOU WILL PAY FOR IT! MARLEY WILL COME FOR YOU AND KILL YOU!” Gabi yelled, her eyes frantically looking at everyone around her. That set off the Eldian soldiers, attacking the two as I stumbled towards them. “Gabi! Falco!” “Someone bring bandages! Sasha, hey! Stay with me!” The whole room was a cage of screams and yelling, cries of pain and violence. When the dust settled, my comrades pulled back from the children and the sight of their bruised and bleeding faces broke my heart. The images of Colt and Reiner flashed across my mind, and I had to shake the thought off, I had to focus on Gabi and Falco first. I pushed my way through the crowd, kneeling in front of them but only Falco looked up at me. “You’re supposed to stay in Liberio! Your family must be worried sick! What were you even thinking?!” I hissed through my teeth, examining the aftermath. “One dead Devil brings me closer to being a good Eldian…Whether the death is yours or your comrade’s…” I heard Gabi weakly say, swatting my hand away from her face. My blood ran cold, not noticing Jean who grabbed the three of us by our arms and lead us into the room next door.
The tiny room is cramped; in there awaits Mikasa, Armin, Captain Levi, Eren and…Zeke? “Mr. Zeke? Did they capture you too?” Gabi asks before I do, in utter disbelief as we stare at the War Chief steaming in front of us. “What are you two doing here?” Zeke shoots back his own question and Jean explains everything while I rack my mind, thinking of the past years and if Zeke ever mentioned working with the Scouts. However, I can’t think of any clue that can fit the scenario. “I don’t think Sasha will survive…” admits Jean in a low voice, his eyes cast on the floor. I open my mouth to argue but Mikasa and Armin are already out the door in a hurry to get to Sasha before her time runs out. I don’t remember when Hange entered the room, but they haven’t addressed me yet. Before I can start a conversation, to ask about this plan that happened behind my back I feel a strong punch land near my stomach. I groan and fall to the floor in pain, knowing exactly who this came from. Years have gone by and his only ‘love language’ is violence still, because Captain Levi doesn't know any better. Or that maybe he is genuinely pissed at me. Two years away from the island, wearing the uniform of the enemy, defending the enemy… He forces me to meet his eyes, raising my chin with the tip of his boot. “I thought I punched you enough times to withstand it already.” his voice is cold, and I bite back a chuckle. “I can never be well prepared when it comes to you, Captain.” I wheeze out in pain and from the awkward angle of my position. He eyes me for a second before turning his attention to the Yeager brothers and Hange who are discussing the plan they just executed with more or less success. I cough a few times, sitting up on the floor and busying myself with wiping the blood from Gabi’s nose. She squirms, but I hold her firm enough to clear away most of the dried blood. “Stop moving, Braun I’m trying to help.” I state with a hint of seriousness in my voice and the little cousin glares at me. “Get your hands off of me, filthy Eldian!” she barks out and I pull my hands back immediately, my gaze shifting over to the younger Grice brother. I gesture at his mouth where a small trail of blood can be seen but he shakes his head at me.
The metal door behind us opens with a creak and creepy slowness. I fear the worst as Connie steps into view, tears streaming down his face. The conversation comes to a halt, every pair of eyes fixated on the soldier. “Sasha…She died.” announces Connie and the pain is too much to even describe. His hands are stained with Sasha’s blood, trembling and his tall figure seems to shrink as I tear up at the news. “No…” I whisper, but my tears are quick to fall. I quietly sob, but it gets worse when I catch a glimpse of Mikasa and Armin hovering over the body of my childhood best friend, now dead, on the floor. “Connie, what were her last words?” Eren asks, the tension in the room rising with every word that falls from his mouth. “Meat…” answers Connie in a bittersweet tone and he was ready to turn away but the noise from Eren made him stop in his tracks. It could have been mistaken for a chuckle, or maybe it was a muffled sob – I couldn’t figure it out myself. “You dragged us into this, you lead her straight into her death.” claims Jean, his eyes teary but he stands tall, face emotionless except for his trembling lips. “And you too, if you don’t linger around maybe this wouldn’t have happened!” he spits at me, his words hitting me harder than anything before. “Don’t you fucking dare, Kirstein don’t. you. dare blame me.” I seethe, standing up from the floor to face him. “Tell this to Connie, not me.” and with that he leaves. I look back at Hange and Levi, looking a sign of compassion or support but there was none. Please tell me he doesn’t mean it, please Hange tell me he’s just angry and sad. I didn’t kill Sasha, you know I didn’t! Please…
The rest of the trip home is quiet, a few sniffs and muffled conversations can be heard but besides that? The once loud belly of the blimp was eerily silent. Not even Floch, who started the early celebration, utters a thing. Gabi and Falco are huddled together in the corner, I now sit next to Captain Levi, but it doesn't help me shake the feeling of the calm before the storm.
Possum plus: Thank you so much to the people who made Warriors Week possible this year, I'll be looking forward to this event next near too!! I want to thank my friend, Malachai who I bugged most of the time with my ideas and drafts for the prompts (lowkey became my beta reader) and for their endless support!! I also want to thank the dear readers who stumbled upon this humble creation of mine, I hope you all found the content you were looking for!! (Let it be a simple headcanon, any sort of interaction between characters etc.)
SEE YA IN 2023!