Inside the walls, in shiganshina. Up on a hill under a tree laid a boy, only ten or eleven years old. Two other children were walking up to him. The other boy walked up to the sleeping one.
"Really eren? Come on, we don't want to keep Carla- I mean mom waiting." He said in a monotone voice as the girl shook eren's shoulder.
Eren opened his eyes and looked at them sleepily.
"Mikasa.... did your hair get longer? And when did you cut yours (Y/n)?" He asked them.
"What are you talking about eren? Everything alright?" Mikasa asked.
"N-No. Don't worry. It just feels like I had a really long dream."
".........Stop dreaming around and better help us." (Y/n) said after a long pause and lightly chopped erens head.
"Ow...." He rubbed his head. "Do you always have to do this?"
"Yes."
"Huh? Why are you crying Eren?" Mikasa asked, as she noticed tears the tears on him.
While eren was arguing with mikasa, (Y/n) turned away and was staring at the walls.
"(Y/n)?" Eren asked, as the two stared at (Y/n).
"Hm? Oh it's nothing. Let's head back." He said, tightening the straps on his bagpack with the wood on it, before walking.
"Ah! Wait up!" Eren yelled and together with mikasa ran to him. Mikasa, who was inbetween the two, grabbed their hands, which eren was emberassed about and (Y/n) gained an awkward smile on his face, but didn't shake her off.
"You've been really quiet today, more than usual. What's the matter?" Eren asked.
"......Nothing. Just....remembering some stuff."
"And what excactly?"
"Multiple things..... Like...... the time you saved mikasa and me from the kidnappers." He said and felt mikasa's grip on his hand tighten.
"Oh..... But don't worry! You both have me and my parents to look after you!" Eren tried to cheer us up. Mikasa smiled to that and even (Y/n) gained a small smile to that.
He looked up in the sky and thought back to when they all met back then.
*Flashback*
(Y/n)'s pov.:
'Shit.' Was the only thing I thought, as I now was inside a dark cabin out in the woods.
I was trying to look for food, when out of nowhere some people kidnapped me. Now bound, I was sitting in the darkness. In front of me sat one of the kidnappers, while the others were gone.
The door suddenly opened and two of the kidnappers walked in, dragging a kid with them. They threw the kid besides me before sitting down and talking to each other. I didn't care what they were talking about, instead I was looking at the other kid and was certainly suprised. There, right in front of me, sat mikasa. She had a look devoid of any life in her eyes. We didn't talk to each other, not that we were allowed to anyway by our kidnappers, so we just sat there in silence.
A few hours later....
I looked over to mikasa who was still looking at nothing and with the same look as before, but her body was shivering. It was really cold here in the cabin and I was freezing myself. I carefully crawled my way other to her. I then took her by her shoulders, before holding her close to me, so we both wouldn't freeze as much. She slowly turned towards me and stared at me with her empty eyes.
"....." I didn't know what to say at first. After all, given what the kidnappers talked about, she had just lost her family and our situation wasn't the best either to cheer her up. So I quietly said the first thing that came to my mind. "It's alright to cry. I am here if you need a shoulder to cry on." I simply said with a small smile, while petting her head.
She at first just looked at me, but tears slowly build up in her eyes and the lifeless eyes gained a bit of color back to them. She buried her head in my chest and and hugged me, while silently crying. I just continued to stroke her hair. Even after she was done, she didn't let go of me.
One of the three kidnappers noticed us.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" He yelled at us angrily.
"....It's cold in here. You didn't give us anything and we're just trying to stay warm." I said, while glaring at him.
"Don't get cocky with me!" He slapped me once. When he tried to do that again, a hand grabbed him, stopping him. Looking over I saw Mikasa looking at him with a death stare.
"Grr! Let go of me!"
"Just let it be. Don't hurt the merchandise." another kidnapper said.
"Hmpf!" He jerked his hand away. "I get that, but why the other brat?"
"Just saw him strolling the streets on his own. Thought a few extra coins wouldn't hurt."
"Urgh. Have you at least made sure you weren't seen?"
"Yes, yes. Don't worry."
"Haaah~. Anyway. I'm going back to my room. Wake me up if anything happens."
With that only two kidnappers were left.
As it became sunset, the kidnappers roped our wrists and feet and put cloth into our mouths, so we wouldn't be able to yell and escape, once they went to bed. Sitting on the table and eating something, a sudden knock came from the door.
"What the-" one of the kidnappers said
"Excuse me." a brown haired boy opened the door slightly.
The other kidnapper angrily stomped over to him. "You goddamn brat! What are you doing here?!"
"I just....I just got lost in the forest.....Then I saw your hut...." The boy explained, scared of the man.
Exchanging glances, both kidnapper nodded at each other. The kidnapper in front of the boy kneeled down to his height and smiled at him.
"That won't do. Kids shouldn't be walking alone in the forest. There are scary wolfs out there." He patted the boys head. "Don't worry. We'll take good care of-" He suddenly went quiet. The boy then spoke up again.
"Thanks, mister. I get it...." He swatted of the mans hand from his head "So die already, you worthless shitrag!" and ripped out the knife from the mans throat.
"Hey!!" The other kidnapper quickly jumped out his seat and grabbed his axe. The boy closed the door again.
"Stop, you damn brat!" he ran to the door and opened it, only to gasp in pain, as the boy ran at him and pierced his stomach with a makeshift spear. The man laid on his back, as the boy stabbed him with his knife multiple times while cursing at him. After he was finished he walked over to us and began to free us.
"It's gonna be okay now. Don't worry. You're mikasa, right? I'm Eren. I'm the son of Doctor Yeager. I'm pretty sure you've met my dad before. We came to visit you so that the two of us could meet. But then...." He looked down sad, before beginning to free me. "And....who are you?" He asked a bit confused.
"Pfuh! Someone who was in the wrong place at the worst time...... I'm (Y/n)." I said after spitting out the cloth in my mouth, once eren had opened the knot.
"There were three of them." Mikasa suddenly said and right at that moment, the last kidnapper walked in.
We were frozen for a moment, but eren quickly snapped out of it and wanted to grab the knife. But the kidnapper kicked him away. "Did you do this?" He asked, as he walked over to eren. He lifted him up and began to strangle eren. "Did you kill them?! Was it you?! I'll kill you! I'm gonna fucking butcher you!"
As eren struggled, he looked over to us. "Fight! You must fight! If you win, you live. If you lose, you die." he said to us.
"What the hell were you thinking, brat?!"
"If you don't fight, you can't win!"
"Shut the fuck up, you braaaAAHHH!" He suddenly let go of eren. Why? Because I sprinted over to him and kicked him in the nuts with all the power I could muster. But given how I was a child and haven't eaten for days, the pain wasn't enough. He angrily grabbed me instead and began to strangle me.
"Gaaah!" I struggled against his grip. Eren was still on the ground, still gasping for air.
"I- I can't do it." Mikasa now held a knife in her shaking hands, as tears rolled down her eyes.
"Mika...sa! You.... can do it! I...... believe in you!!" With great struggle I yelled out to her.
A few seconds later and her tears stopped, as well as her shaking. Looking at her, she appeared ablolutely calm. Only two thoughts kept repeating in her mind. "Fight! Fight!" and "I believe in you!"
"HAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The handle on her knife, as well as the wooden tyles under her broke, as she jumped right at him and rammed the knife into his heart from the back.
The man fell down, dead. Released from the grip I gasped for air.
Mikasa emotionlessly stared down at her bloody hands, before looking over to me. She walked up to me. I just regained my bearings, when two bloody hands held my face. Looking up, I saw Mikasa looking at me with a smile while blushing. Blood was running down her face, as she spoke up. "Don't worry. From now on I'll always protect you. I'll keep you save." She let go of my face and hugged me. "After all.... you believe in me, even when I myself didn't. (Y/n)~~." She snuggled her head into my chest.
I was stunned at that and just stood there for a few seconds, before awkwardly hugging her back.
After she was done, she began to help eren as well. Of course not the same way as me, but she hugged him as well.
*Timeskip*
We now stood outside, wrapped in blankets. The Military Police was inspecting the scene and while that was happening eren was getting scolded by his father. Mikasa stood at my side, while grabbing my shirt. After he was done, he turned to us.
"Mikasa. Do you remember me? We met a few times when you were younger." He said.
"Dr. Yeager, which way......should I go to return home?......It's cold." Her grip on my shirt tightened. "There's nowhere...... for me to go home to."
Eren walked over to us, unwrapping his scarf. He then wrapped it around mikasa's neck.
"You can have this." He sadly smiled at her. "It's warm, right?"
She stared down at it and grabbed it with one hand. She lightly smiled.
"Mikasa, why don't you live with us? You've been through a lot. You need plenty of rest." He then turned to me. "What about you?"
"I...don't have a home. I'm an orphan." I looked down sadly.
"Oh.... Then you can come live with us as well. Eren will probably be happy about a brother as well. Would you like that?"
"....Yes. I would be happy to." I looked up to them with tears under my eyes.
*Flashback end*
After that we were accepted in the yeager household. One year later and we got used to this new daily life.
"(Y/n)" Mikasa slightly nudged me, still holding my hand.
"Hm" I got out of my thoughts and realized how eren was now a few feet away from us, arguing with hannes.
"Heh! Finally back on earth or is your head still in the skies?" Hannes asked when he noticed me starring.
"......You're drunk again. You stink. Did you piss yourself? Take a bath." I siad with a deadpan look and monotone voice.
"Ouch..." He awkwardly smiled with sweat running down his face.
"Hahahaha! Haven't you realized it's pointless to emberass him? He'll just insult you back, hahahaha!" One of the drunk garrison soldiers said.
"Come on. We can't let carla- I mean mom, wait." I said and we continued on our way.
After a few minutes of walking, mikasa spoke up again.
"Eren. You should let that Scout Regiment thing go." she said.
"You too?! Why does everyone think they're a joke? Come on (Y/n), tell her how awesome they are." Eren said to me.
"I-"
*Ding dong* *Ding dong*
A big bell rang out, signalling that the scouts are back.
"They're back! Come on! I want to see them up close!" Eren yelled and ran ahead.
"Ah! Wait eren!" Mikasa ran after him.
"....*Sigh*" I sighed and followed them.
Once we arrived, a crowd had already formed. The scouts were on their horses and slowly riding through the streets, the look on their faces reflecting the horrors they witnessed outside. Behind them they were transporting the wounded and the dead. Erens excitement died down once he saw that.
"Sure taken a hit, haven't they?" a citizen asked.
"Yeah. Rest of them have been eaten. That what happens when pride takes you out the walls." another said.
"Moses? Moses?" A elderly woman walked up to the scouts. Everyone watched as the woman broke down in tears and cried, once she was handed her sons remains. She asked the commander of the scouts if her sons sacrifice has helped humanity?
But the commander broke down himself. Explaining how everything they did was for nothing. How her son died because of him. That he died for nothing. After that, they left the scene and the crowd began to chatter.
"Oh, sure. Nothing like seeing our hard earned taxes go toward keeping these bastards fat and happy on human gristle. Ouch!" The man who was talking was hit with a stick from behind. He angrily looked behind, but spotted noone. Mikasa and I have already dragged eren away.
"Alright, I get it! Stop it already!" Eren said, before mikasa suddenly slammed him agains a wall.
"Ouch! Hey! All the firewood!" Eren complained.
"So. Are you still determined to become a scout?" She asked.
"Come on mikasa. That's enough for now." I patted her shoulder, before walking over to eren and helped him pick up the sticks. "And Eren" I began. He looked over to me. "I know I can't change your mind about your decision, but you have to realize that you will put your life in danger. That is an unchangeable fact. That's why I ask, if you're ready to risk your life? To know that mom and dad will sit back at home while you're out there, worrying if you will ever come back safe or if you will be brought back to them, wrapped in a cloth with only your arm being the only thing left of you, like that man?" I asked in a serious tone while starring at him.
"....I-" he was suddenly handed the remaining stick.
"You don't have to answer me. I just want you to keep what I said in the back of your hollow head." I flicked his head.
"Hey! My head isn't hollow!"
I stared at him in pure shock. "Really?" I asked him genuinely.
"OI!"
"Hehe." I slightly smiled.
*Timeskip*
We all sat on the table. Carla was currently washing the plates.
"So, uhm, Eren's thinking about joining the scouts." Mikasa suddenly said.
Carla was furious, of course. "*Gasp* Get that ridiculous thought out of your head, young man. No son of mine is going to be fodder! Do I make myself clear?"
"Stop yelling at me!"
"Don't you dare-"
"It's a nightmare, eren." Grisha suddenly said. He turned towards them. "The outside. You really have no idea."
"Y-Yeah, I get it, okay? But it's gotta be better than this life! I'm not stupid, I know it's ugly out there. I know that death is around every corner. But- We can't just give up on it. Cause otherwise this nightmare will never end!" Eren yelled.
"....I see." Grisha stood up. "Excuse me. I'll be late for the ferry."
"Darling, wait! Scold the boy, for heavens sake!" Carla said.
"Scold him? Dear, please. Think this through. Mere words won't hold back the boys curiousity." He turned towards eren. "Eren. Behave while I'm gone and I'll let you in on what I've been doing in the cellar. Agreed?" He asked.
"Yes sir, you got it!" Eren said excited.
"(Y/n)." He finally turned to me. "Keep an eye out for eren and mikasa. Make sure they stay safe."
"I'll try my best." I saluted slightly.
We watched, as Dr. Yeager walked away from the house. Carla then turned to eren again.
"I meant what I said."
"What?"
"The whole Idea is just irresponsible."
"Huh? Irresponsible? So what? It's more grown up to settle for living in fear behind some stupid wall your whole pointless life?!" He angrily ran away.
"Eren!" She yelled after him, but got ignored. With a sigh, she turned towards us. "Could you both go after him? I swear, the boy needs to be protected from himself. Promise me whatever happens I can count on you both to have his back!" We both nodded.
"Mikasa." I suddenly said. "How about you look for Eren? I think carla-" "EHEM!" I heard from the side. "I mean- Mom needs some help here."
"Oh, that's not necessery (Y/-"
"Please! I'm still gratefull that you and Dr. Yeager adopted me that day. I just think that I haven't repayed you enough."
Carla wanted to refuse, but after a few seconds changed her mind.
"*Sigh* Alright. Mikasa, can you handle eren?"
Mikasa simply nodded. She quickly hugged me and then ran after eren.
"Tell Armin I said hi, if you should meet him!" I yelled after her.
"Now then. Let's head inside. After all, you were the one who wanted to help me."
"Yes, yes. On my way." I followed her inside.
*Timeskip*
I was currently washing the dishes and Carla was repairing some clothes with her sewing kit.
"How come you wanted to help me today of all days." She asked curiously.
"Eh. I just felt like it. I thought back to before, how I was one the streets since I could think, never knowing my parents or where I came from. How I was looking for food in trashbins or even had to steal it to surivive, . Which is why I'm so happy to be here."
"(Y/n)....." She had small tears in her eyes. "Well you never have to worry. We're here for you n-"
*BOOOM!*
The sound of an thunderbolt, together with the slight shaking of the ground rang through the whole house, coming from outside.
"Huh? What was th-"
*Clang*
"Carla. Let's go outside."
"(Y/n)?" she looked over to me. I let the dishes fall out of my hand. I didn't move from my spot, as I was shacking.
"Can we please go outside? Right now?" I asked again
"(Y/n), what's going on with y-"
"MOM! PLEASE!! Let's go outside!" I turned towards her. Eyes wide open, teeth clenched together and with my lips trembling.
"A-alright." I quickly grabbed her hand and literally dragged her outside. Once there, I looked over to the wall and spotted....him.
And right at the exact time, the collossal titan kicked open the gate. Debris was flying around, people were screaming or dying. One giant piece of the wall flew towards our home.
Moms eyes widened. She grabbed me and ran away from our home. Right after that, the giant rock fell onto our house. The shockwave flung us a few meters away, as I blacked out.
To be continued.....