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Lightning flashed through the sky.
The boom of thunderclaps reverberated for miles around.
Rain hammered against the mountainside.
It was supposed to be a normal training exercise, that’s what commander Shadis said.
“Just some basic survival training. It’ll be easy. Just make your way up the mountain, and down to the base camp on the other side”
But suddenly, this freak storm came out of nowhere, battering the cadets with rain, sleet, and wicked winds.
Many of the cadets were able to rush their way down the mountain, making it to the base camp safely. However, one of the teams, consisting of Annie, Bertolt, Marcel and Eren, were unable to make it down the mountain before the paths became too dangerous to traverse, resulting in Bertolt and Annie being injured. As a result, they had to hide away from the storm in a cave. A furious shower of water flowed down like a waterfall at the cave entrance, slowly filling the cave with water.
Annie spoke up first, “Marcel, Eren, we need a plan, we can’t remain here.”
She gazed at them expectantly, as if they held all the answers.
“She’s right,” Bertolt added, “Eren may be fine underwater, but I can’t imagine the rest of us will fare well. We have no idea how well our titan regeneration can handle drowning, what if it can’t keep up, what if we die here, what if- “
“BERT!” Eren exclaimed, exasperated, “Calm down. We’ll be fine, I have a plan.”
The others glanced at him sceptically, unsure as to whether a plan made by Eren is one they should follow. Their princess may be quite smart, and none of them would ever doubt his ability to adapt and make plans on the go, but he was often extremely reckless, with a bad habit of disregarding his own safety.
Noticing their looks, Eren pouted, “Hey! Don’t look at me like that! I have great ideas!”
Marcel rubs the back of his head sheepishly, “Uh, Princess? No, you don’t…”
“Screw you.” As he said this, Eren approached the entrance of the cave, only to be grabbed by Marcel and Bertolt, looking at him as if he’s lost his mind, which all things considered, he probably has.
“What the actual fuck do you think you’re doing?!”
“I’m going for help, duh.”
“Are you crazy?! You can’t go out in weather like this, it’s beyond stupid! We can’t even see the path anymore!”
“I don’t need to see the path Marcy, I can fly.”
“That’s even worse! That wind will tear you apart!”
“Well I don’t see you coming up with anything, so might as well give this a shot.”
“Absolutely not! You’re ridiculous!”
"What other choice do we have? We stay here and die, or you let me get help"
"You want me to send you out there on a death mission? For what? So you can look like the hero?"
"No, to save our friends. Iys the only logical choice we have."
"Nope. Absolutely not. I will not allow you to do this"
Bertolt and Annie watched on as the two bickered, intently aware of the rising water within the cave. They glance at each other.
“Marcel. Eren.” Annie interjected, “We need to do something soon, or we’re all screwed.”
Seeing the two listening, Bertolt spoke up, “Annie’s right guys, we need to find a way to get out of here, now.”
Eren levelled the three with an annoyed look, “There isn’t one Bert, the walls are too wet for us to climb up to the entrance, and there’s not enough room to transform. I’m the only one that could make it.”
Marcel turned to him, irate, and growled, “There’s no way in hell I’m letting you out there.”
“You don’t really have a choice Marcy.”
And with that, Eren called on the power of the seabird titan, shifting his arms into beautiful wings, white feathers sparkling, hair a shimmering sea green and ocean blue. Ice blue eyes glance back, and with a flap, he was off.
Eren’s POV
I take to the sky, wings spread, going higher, higher. I need to get to base camp and find Reiner, the armoured titan can get the others out of there. As I fly, I feel the rain and sleet slamming into me from every angle, I feel the wind yanking at my feathers. It hurts. I feel my muscles burning but I push on, fighting through the pain.
Eventually, through the mist and rain, I spy the camp and dive. The ground rushes towards me as I fall, lower, lower. As I near the ground, I spread my wings, pulling myself out of my dive. I feel my bones creaking under the pressure, feathers ripped right off as I land.
As I reach the camp, I rush to find Reiner and drag him over to a corner.
He looks at me, confused, “Eren? Where are the others?”
“I’ll explain on the way, come on!”
I drag him outside, manifesting my wings. Hooking my legs around him, I take to the sky once more. As we fly, I explain the situation to him, and as he prepares to transform, I drop him with a promise to meet him back at camp.
I turn back, ready to fly back to camp, but as I do, I get trapped in an air pocket. I feel my bones crack, feathers flying around as they’re torn off my wings. I see the ground rushing towards me, and then, nothing.
Marcel’s POV
I pace back and forth in our room, waiting. I am furious.
Thanks to Reiner, we made it back to camp safely, but we couldn’t find Eren. Once the storm subsided, a search part went out and found his storm-battered body.
I pace back and forth, waiting for Eren to get back from the infirmary. I am livid.
I hear the door open and turn. Eren stares at me, looking sheepish, but I don’t care as I level him with a death glare.
“Marcy, I – “
“Shut up.”
“Marcy – “
“Of all the reckless, idiotic things! I told you not to fly in that wind, I warned you. But did you listen to me? NO! instead, you go off on your own and do the dumbest, stupidest thing possible!”
“It worked didn’t it!? What do you gotta nag me for?”
“Because you almost died you fucking idiot! You cracked your head open!”
“But I didn’t!”
"That's not the point. What you did was stupid and reckless. You could have died. You almost died. Dont you understand the severity of that?"
"Stop nagging me. I did what I did. It was the best option. I couldn't see you doing anything better."
"You didn't give me a chance!"
"If I did listen to you, we'd be dead by now. Just because you failed us, doesn't mean you get to take it out on me."
That was the final straw, and without thinking I shoved him, screaming in his face,
“That doesn’t make it okay, your mind is just screwed from becoming a murderous monster!”
I still, eyes widening in shock, instantly regretting what I’d just said. I see the hurt in Eren’s eyes and my heart shatters,
“Eren I – “
“Don’t. Just. Don’t.”
And with that, he turns around and leaves, never looking back.
Third person’s POV
A week passes, Eren and Marcel haven’t spoken since their argument. At this point, the whole cadet corps was feeling the tension in the air, the warriors especially.
A clear sky, a moonlit night. Eren is out walking when he feels someone coming up behind him. He glances back, and seeing Marcel, turns to leave.
“Eren, wait! Please listen!”
“What do you want?”
Marcel walks up to Eren, wrapping him in a hug,
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
Pulling himself free, Eren looks up and raises an eyebrow.
Looking away, Marcel speaks up again, “I didn’t mean what I said, and I never should’ve said it to you. You’re not a monster, not to me.”
Eren glances at him and sighs.
“Marcel. I was…hurt…by what you said, I’ll admit. But I’m not upset that you said it, not really. I’m upset because it’s true.”
“Eren, please. I know that I was being a total dick to you, and I said a lot of things that I regret but – “
“It’s not about you – “
“Then what is it?”
“It’s me!” Eren exclaims, looking away, sinking to the ground.
“What do you mean, you?” Marcel, confused, sits next to him.
“You’ve known me for years Marcy. I’ve always been quick to anger, always been violent, never had an issue with killing people who deserve it, but this…this is different.”
Tilting his head to gaze at Marcel, Eren continues,
“Until you said it, I never realized just how much I’d changed, how much this power, this curse, has changed me. Taking the spider and feline didn’t help. I’ve changed so much, and I never noticed.”
He gets back up, “I’m scared Marcy. Scared of myself, scared of what I could become.”
Just as Eren turned to leave, Marcel grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around. As their lips met, Marcel pressed Eren closer to him, desperate to convey all his feelings in a single kiss.
“Eren I – “
“Marcy. It’s okay. I get it.”
Brown eyes meet green. Eren stands there grinning, pearly whites shining, teal eyes glimmering like jewels in the moonlight.
As he stares, Marcel can’t help but think to himself, “I’m so screwed.”
And yet, he can’t bring himself to care.