Chapter Text
How.....how am I seeing this? How am I seeing anything at all?
Eren sat up, taking in the surroundings that was the Coordinate. A deep sinking feeling began to take hold of him, because this place, his ability to be there, it should have been severed. Ended. And yet....
Rising to his feet, he looked around, looking for anyone or anything that could explain this. Off in the distance, a figure stood. Eren couldn't tell if it was looking towards him or not, so he began to make his way to it. It was lean, and lanky. Adorned in some form of military uniform. Soon the image clicked in Eren's mind. It was Eren Kruger, the one who held the powers of the Attack Titan before his father. Why was he here?
Kruger looked towards the approaching Eren, a small nod directed to him. "Yeager".
"K-Kruger. How-"
"It's not important"
"What? You're insane to say that! You need to explain this, tell me!"
Kruger seemed to remain quiet, turning his attention back upward. Eren found himself near shaking with stress and frustration. "Kruger, why am I here?! Why is any of this here?! Tell me! Are the powers of the Founder still in effect?! All that I did, was that for nothing, was that just a waste?! TELL ME!"
Kruger still stood silent, at least for a moment. Finally he stopped ignoring Eren, removing his hat and turning.
"The powers of the Founder are fading. Worry not"
Now Eren's anger converted to utter confusion, brow deeply furrowing. "So...what is this?"
"Recompense"
"Don't you think I've given enough to this? What could I possibly have to-"
"You misunderstand. This is recompense for you"
Eren closed the distance between them. "What exactly are you saying to me?"
Kruger looked upward briefly, looking back to Eren to respond. "I'm saying, you've served your role in this. It's time you are given your due"
The sound of sand crunching caught Eren's attention. Ymir Fritz was approaching, and took a spot next to Kruger.
"You're being placed back"
"Back?"
"To the living"
Eren was stunned. They're....giving me back life? How?
"Why?"
Kruger looked to Ymir. It seemed they were conferring silently with one another. Ymir gave her attention again to Eren.
"I saw her leaving. Your destiny, her destiny, our destiny, she had to play her part at a great cost. One she's having to live with for the rest of her life. It should not be this way"
Mikasa. She's talking about Mikasa. Eren felt himself almost overcome with immense joy at the notion of reuniting with her, but he maintained himself.
"How could I possibly ever live in that world again? 80% of humanity. That is who I killed through all of this. There'll never be a time where that can be forgiven. I would treasure being able to be with her again, but it's just too unconscionable for humanity to live amongst it's truest villain"
"But Eren Yeager died. The world knows this to be true" Kruger spoke.
Back to confusion was Eren, looking to Kruger as if he was stating the painfully obvious. "Yes. I am aware"
"Eren Yeager perished. How can humanity live amongst someone they know to be dead?"
Eren rubbed his head, the confusion, the frustration, the feeling of longing to see Mikasa, it was all pounding through his mind, constipating his ability to settle on what to think or to feel.
"Eren Yeager died, but he can live again. Finished with this mission. You've completed it. Devoid of the powers of the Founder. You can live freely, and quietly. And Mikasa Ackerman can live there too, just as she's always wished for. A life built just for you"
It clicked finally. They were offering the dream. Eren thought of the dream. The alternate path he wished he took. That quiet cabin, where they could just exist together in his final years. How he desperately wished that was the choice he made instead. The sense of regret and sorrow, it began to cause him to tear up.
"My life was nothing but fighting for a sense of freedom. Freedom from the walls, freedom from....this. I have never seemed to be able to not see myself as a slave to powers beyond myself. I destroyed so much to force some sense of a peace that human nature just can never sustain"
Ymir seemed to nod a little in agreement. "This is a miserable feeling to have. But we are inherently born to be enslaved to life, and to time. It burdens us with pain, with fear, with helplessness, and eventually we are burdened with death, both in having to rue it and then to experience it ourselves. But even if seemingly far between, it gives us joys, and triumphs. Moments, people, that enter our lives and make that time handed to us meaningful and joyous. You were just a boy. 19 years is not a life lived. Live not to try and change what is likely inevitable. I urge you, please. Live again. Unburdened"
"How could I possibly deserve that?"
"To an extent, I suppose you don't. But she does"
She really, really did. All of this pain, and misery, and suffering, none of it was what Mikasa deserved to live through.
Kruger looked upward again. "The Founder is close to fading. You can remain in death if you so choose. But if you do wish to go back, decide now"
Eren thought hard about Ymir's words and knew what he would do. Looking between Kruger and Ymir, he smiled. "Thank you"
Ymir returned the smile, and soon Eren's vision turned a bright white.
He found himself once again opening his eyes. This time, he saw a bright blue sky. He heard the wind blowing softly through the trees. He sat up. A wide field adorned with a forest and mountains to the distance. It looked so familiar. Was this where that cabin was? Where was it?
A life built just for you
A small smile grew on Eren's face. He looked back up towards the sky. Thank you.
He had cut his hair short and scrounged up some more in-descript clothing as he made his way to Shiganshina. Finding it took him what he felt was a month. Part of him wasn't even certain it was the same city he knew, it had developed so much. And for all he knew, this may have even been a wasted effort, Mikasa could have gone elsewhere. He truly hoped she had come here, regardless.
"Excuse me, sir"
Eren turned, an older man having lightly bumped into him.
"My apologies sir"
The man seemed to look deeply at him. Eren felt a little unnerved. Does he know me?
"You remind me of an angry boy I remember who used to live around here"
"I'm afraid not, first time I've ever been to this place" Eren replied quickly.
"Ah, okay. Larice Duncan, pleased to meet you" he said, extending his hand.
Eren remembered him now, once of the many storeowners scolding him, Mikasa and Armin running through the streets. He hadn't seen him since the first appearance of the Colossal Titan. But for all intents and purposes, Eren Yeager died. So he had to think up a name.
"Kruger. Marco Kruger"
"Mr. Kruger, pleasure to meet you". The pair shook hands, and soon Larice began shuffling away.
"Sorry, Mr. Duncan?"
Larice turned around.
"This might be a weird question, but what year is this?"
Larice did seem a bit weirded out. "You really must've come a long way"
Eren lightly shrugged.
"858"
Four years since Eren thought, trying not to look too jarred. He thanked Larice, and soon the old storeowner disappeared into the crowds. There was something nostalgic about seeing him again. The days of just wanting to explore beyond the walls. He looked around. Seeing no walls at all was a jarring sight. So many new houses and buildings. Didn't seem too long ago it was...
A woman walked by in front of him and he froze solid. Long raven hair done up into a ponytail. A long pink cardigan adorned with a red scarf. Mikasa. Right in front of him, walking away into the town. Should he follow her? Just run up to her? He let her disappear from view, and he found himself a place to sit, fighting to not have a panic attack. Soon he felt plagued with questions.
What if she's moved on? What if she did listen to him and forgot about him? Would she hate to see him? Perhaps this was an awful idea.
Eren took time to collect himself, but still felt overwhelmed by the busyness around him. He needed to escape for a few minutes at least. Where to though?
And then he remembered it.
Out of all the change to the land, that tree still seemed so familiar. Alot greener and lively, albeit. Eren climbed the hill, the tree coming more into focus. It was such a peaceful place. His, and eventually Mikasa and Armin's, little place to run to and enjoy all to themselves.
He noticed a little stone as he got closer. Was this someone's grave? He got right in front of it and read.
Here forever rest peacefully, my most beloved, my dear. 854
He grew solemn. It's mine. Mikasa buried what was left of him here. He knelt down, just gazing at it. All Mikasa ever wanted, all she ever needed, was just to be with him. But he was always running out of reach, always towards some great fight. She could never seem to get close to her dream, and then he died. And left her to be alone for four years.
Bastard he cursed at himself. Bastard.
"E-excuse me?"
He froze again. That soft voice, her voice, echoed from behind him. He didn't know what to do. He still didn't know what to say, how to say it. There was no time to plan now.
"Sir?"
Perhaps he could just run like mad and obscure his face. You're no stranger to running from her Yeager he thought bitterly to himself.
"Please sir. This grave....they were dearly special to me. And I've come to mourn quietly if I could"
He rose to his feet, deciding to finally pipe up.
"Mourn one of the worst people to ever exist?"
Not even looking at her, he could feel he triggered a fiery rage. He felt his shoulder be roughly grabbed.
"How dare-" she growled, whirling Eren round, but releasing him and stumbling backwards and falling to the ground. Her eyes shot wide, hands flying up to her mouth. Eren looked down at her. He knew that this would be the reaction, but it was still a hard sight to see. Mikasa in tears....he hated it.
He slowly walked over, crouching in front of her. "You okay? Did you hurt yourself?"
Mikasa sat silent, still completely and utterly stunned. He reached out to her and lightly touched her hand. She in turned seized it, feeling every inch of it, as if to verify definitively he was there. Eren then helped her up, both never breaking eye contact. Eventually, she moved up close, and placed her head against his chest.
Checking for a heartbeat.
She stayed like that for a moment. When she looked back to him, he knew she got her verification, and he knew what was next. Her eyes flooded, her arms wrapping around him as she latched onto him and positively wailed. Eren wrapped his own arms around her to return the embrace, and soon he could not stop himself from joining in crying. They stood like this for such a long time, letting out all the sorrow and the pain they harbored.
"I...killed you" she said ever so quietly between her sobs.
"You had to" he whispered.
"I buried you under this tree. I lost you"
He tightened his hug. "I'm here, Mikasa. Somehow, someway, I am right here".
She unlatched herself to look deeply into his eyes, before she kissed him. And he kissed her right back.
"I love you, Mikasa. I'm sorry I never said it before. I love you".
She returned to hugging him. "I love you too Eren".
A return to a silent embrace, the two lost loves taking in every solid moment of this reunion.
”You remember the cabin?” he soon whispered. She nodded against his shoulder.
”Is that still something you’d want?”
Another nod in the affirmative.
”Then let’s go make it real”.