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Cries of a Broken Heart…
Falco struggled to stay in the air as the shockwave from Armin’s explosion hit him with wave after wave of turbulence.
With that and the load on his back he finally managed to get enough control to start bringing them down to the scorched earth.
The group dismounted the Titan as he slumped forward. Falco barely had enough time to catch a breath as he irrupted from the nap of the Jaw Titan’s neck when Gabi tackled him around his neck.
“You were so amazing!” Gabi cheered, squeezing her best friend tightly, and before he could even respond she gave him a firm kiss on the cheek, stopping his already exhausted braincells in their tracks. “I’m so proud of you!” She grinned.
Mikasa, Annie, Jean, Pieck, Connie, and Levi looked around at the destruction and the statue like Colossal Titans standing aimlessly. The heroes grabbed their weapons as a towering figure began approaching them through the smoke, but relaxed when it was revealed to be the Armored Titan carrying something in his hands. the injured giant managed to place the weakened Armin down before he too collapsed, and Reiner appeared from its neck. “Can’t even do a sacrifice right…” Reiner sighed as he leaned back against the neck of his Titan.
Despite his self-hatred, he couldn’t help but smile at what he was front row of witnessing. Armin was still dazed from his use of the Colossal’s ultimate attack when Annie embraced him in a tight embrace. Reiner smiled happily for his friend and former Warrior teammate as she pulled back, touching Armin’s face with her hand lovingly as she looked him over for injury.
“I’m ok, Annie…” Armin replied to Annie’s unasked question. She looked him in the eyes for a moment, before closing the distance with a soft and loving kiss.
“At least one of us found happiness…” Reiner breathed.
“Is that really it?” Connie asked, “I figured Eren would be harder to kill…”
He yelped when Jean elbowed him hard, and he glanced around to see Levi, Jean and Pieck glaring at him, before glancing at Mikasa who was still glancing at the pillar of smoke and broken bones that once was Eren’s Founding Titan.
Mikasa absentmindedly reached for her scarf but clinched her fist when she remembered she didn’t have it. She looked up when she heard Pieck gasp, and her eyes widened as the others readied their weapons. One more figure stumbled out of the smoke.
Eren Yeager finally appeared. He was gravely wounded, bleeding profusely, and looked as if he could barely walk. He gave no mind to any of the others. His dazed eyes were focused only on Mikasa. And to her shock in his bloodied hands gripped a scarf. “Eren?” She had no idea how he got her scarf. And honestly, it was the least of her thoughts at the moment.
“Me…Kasa…” Eren breathed back, stumbling toward her.
She dashed toward him and met him halfway. “Eren?” She breathed, and her eyes widened as he weakly wrapped the scarf around her neck and draped it over her face, exactly as he did when they were little. “Eren…”
“I’ll… wrap it around you… as many times as… you want…” Eren breathed as his eyes glassed over even more, “From now on… I’ll always … wrap it for… you…” His voice ended up barely above a whisper as he collapsed forward into her arms.
“Eren!” Mikasa yelled as she went to her knees holding him upright.
“We’re… finally free…” Eren whispered against her shoulder. “Mikasa…” He began going limp against her, “I’m so tired… let’s go home…” He sighed and grew still.
“Eren?” Mikasa asked, shaking him a little. “Eren!” She slid down his body and pressed her ear to his chest, as she did four years ago. And like before her lips trembled and eyes filled with tears, but the difference between then and now, is instead of a strong beat all she heard was silence.
She raised up and cradled Eren’s head to her chest and released all the pain she had pushed down since he rejected her and walked away into loud, heart wrenching cries.
The combined Warriors and Scouts stood silently. Pieck buried her face in Jean’s chest unable to watch, and he silently wrapped his arms around her. Annie in turn, embraced Armin, who was struggling as hard as Mikasa. Clinging to him as he silently cried into the nap of her neck. Gabi stared in shock, not long ego she would have been overjoyed at seeing Yeager dead. But seeing it before her now. She didn’t know how she was feeling. It was all overwhelming till she felt a hand grip hers. She looked to see Falco crying too. It was only then she noticed the wetness on her own cheeks. Connie simply collapsed on his knees and covered his face with his hands, softly breathing Sasha’s name.
“Damn…” Levi cursed, glancing around at the saddened faces.
It was over. Peace had come. Victory was won.
And yet there was no celebrating.
There was no joyous cheers and exclamations.
Freedom for the survivors of the Rumbling was rang in only by…
The cries of a broken heart.