More Than a Whole Brigade [Reader x Eren]Ch.20

Reader x Eren Chapter 20

Dear Armin,

Are you sure Eren will be able to go on the expedition? What if something goes wrong? And have you asked Hanji what might be the cause of Eren’s illness?

But about the titan’s murder…I have my suspicions but…I’m not sure if they’re right. I want to believe in my comrades, I really do. I trust my life with them. So how can anyone kill Sawney and Bean? It doesn’t make sense. They’re only helping the titans.

Whose side are they on?

I really hope Marco is found and that this has nothing to do with him. He couldn’t have killed those titans. But even I worry that he did. Why else would he have disappeared? To make sure we don’t find him.

But there’s someone else…she’s trustworthy but even I hate to mention her name as a possible suspect. Annie Leonhardt. She’s been gone for several nights, and I wonder where she goes. She never signs out of the barracks, or signs in. She’s sneaking out somewhere. The last time she did this was when you told me the titans were murdered.

Armin, please alert me if anything goes wrong. And tell Eren to be careful. He made a promise to me a long time ago, and I hope he intended on keeping it.

Sincerely,
__

P.S. Give the attached letter to Eren. He needs to see it.
—
(Two days later)

"Eren Jaeger, are you positive you are able to attend this expedition?"

Said brunet nodded. “Yes sir!”

Erwin looked amused at the boy’s determination. Levi rolled his eyes and cocked an eyebrow.

"Tch. You sure, Eren?" asked the short captain. "You’ve been sick for the past few days; how can you be sure you’re not going to pass out? Or worse, bang your head and turn into a titan?"

Eren nodded firmly despite the queasy feeling in his stomach. He pushed the feeling aside.

Erwin crossed his arms. “Eren, we’re being serious here. If you really feel unwell, then you should-“

"I’m feeling fine," Eren pressed, cutting of Erwin. Levi glowered at him, so he added a small, "Sorry."

Erwin exhaled. “Well then. Lets go.”

Feeling a twinge of triumph, Eren followed the two back to the group of soldiers waiting outside the gate. Townsfolk stood and watched the soldiers in curiosity. Or maybe they were counting how many people were alive now…

Eren shook his thoughts away and patted the side of his horse. The mare tossed its mane with a whiny. Eren placed his foot on the stirrup and swung his other leg over the side o the horse. He took the reins in his hand and exhaled, head pounding for his fast movements. Hanji had looked him over and over, trying to figure out the cause of his sickness. The only thing she came up with was that being in his titan form for too long was what mad him like this, but the last time he changed, he only lasted about a minute. He had told Hanji this, but she only bit her lip, not saying anything.

He felt a presence to the left of him, and he turned to his side, where Mikasa and Armin had pulled up beside him.

"Hey guys," he said. "Aren’t you supposed to be up front?"

"Are you feeling alright, Eren?" Mikasa asked, ignoring his question.

"Yeah," he lied. "I feel fine."

Armin squinted at him before producing a piece of folded paper from his pocket. He held it out to his friend. “Here. It’s from __.”

”__?” Eren repeated, surprised. He thought she wouldn’t have enough time to send a letter to him.

He felt a twinge of betrayal as he took the letter in his hand. She had left him just like that, without giving him any information on what she was doing at the Police Headquarters.

"She told me to tell you to be careful," Armin said. "Said you made a promise to her…"

Eren felt his cheeks heat up a little at Armin’s words. There goes __ babying him again and worrying for him. He unfolded the letter in his hand and squinted at the words, trying to decipher what they said. __’s handwriting was really neat, though.

His eyes widened as he read the letter. Annie? She was a suspect? How could __ have so little faith in her comrades? He continued reading the letter up to the p.s, confused as to where the extra part for him was at.

The extra page was pinned to the back. He pulled it from the clip and unfolded it.

Eren, you little shit. I swear, if you’re on the expedition I will personally make my way to you and kick you in the shin. If you come back dead, I’ll KILL YOU. If you come back hurt, I’LL KILL YOU!! If you come back missing, I’LL KILL YOU!!

Love you

P.S. I’ve been looking through some files, and I thought it wouldn’t be against the rules if I gave you this warning: Stay away from Pastor Nick. I mean it.

P. S. S. Even if you come back fine, I’ll kill you.

Eren raised his eyebrows and stuffed the page into his pocket, giving the letter back to Armin. Mikasa stared at Eren. “What did it say?” she asked him.

"She wrote that if I die, she’ll kill me, but if I come back fine, she’ll kill me," he replied with a grin.

A ghost of a smile flashed across Mikasa’s lips. “Come on, Armin,” she said, turning to her friend. “Let’s get back up front.”

They left, and five minutes later, the expedition was ready to begin. The gates groaned open, dirt flying from the spikes at the bottom. Erwin’s white horse roared and reared back, then ran forward at the tug of his rider.

"Forward!" Erwin cried, signaling the beginning of the 57th expedition.

Everything was set into place, all of the precautions were taken into consideration. But even with everything ready, everyone still felt an unease as they left the walls and ventured past the abandoned towns.

Eren’s mind was buzzing. Anything could happen.

But there was something still on his mind, something that just wouldn’t go away.

Who was Pastor Nick?

—
(One day earlier)

"AAARRRRGGGHHHH," groaned Hitch dramatically, arms hanging over the bed. __ wasn’t anywhere in the room, and it was only Annie and her. The blonde insisted she wanted to talk to her alone, and she even had __ leave the room, saying that she was needed in the records room.

"Why did you have to make her leave? __’s really fun!" Hitch cried. Annie rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, sure. Look, Hitch-"

"Is it a favor?"

Annie quirked an eyebrow, not very surprised. “Yes.”

Hitch rolled onto her back on the bed, face turned serious. “You’re going out again?” she asked, tone hushed.

Annie brushed her bangs to the side, nodding slightly.

Hitch exhaled. “What is it that you do in the city that makes me need to change your records?”

Annie knew she couldn’t lie to Hitch, not because she trusted her or anything like that, but she knew the small brunette would know she was lying through her teeth. But if she told the truth, she knew she would have to do something she would regret.

"It’s my…father," Annie replied, throwing her a glance that said she wasn’t going to say anything else. "Look, I know you’ve done this before, but you’re the only one who can sneak into the records room and change my file."

"I know, I know, because they do regular checks to make sure you signed out before you left, and if you didn’t sign out, then you’ll be taken into questioning." Hitch stared at the blonde girl standing across from her and squinted. "Why not sneak out? I can keep a secret. I’ve been keeping your secrets."

Annie narrowed her eyes, not because she was annoyed, but because she knew Hitch had a point. “It’s too complicated,” she answered bluntly.

Far too complicated.

"Hitch," Annie urged, getting impatient.

"Okay, fine, I’ll do it," Hitch agreed, shifting on the bed. "If its that important, I’ll do it now."

"Do it now," Annie said, then added because she felt it needed to be heard, "Thanks."

Hitch gave her a small smile. “It’s what friends do, right?”

Annie only gave her a small nod as she followed her out of the room, snatching the small silver band behind the candle on her nightstand, hidden from sight.

She couldn’t fail this time. The consequences were too great.

—
(Present time)

You searched Hitch’s face, eyebrow raised. “Where’s Annie? I haven’t seen her all day. She wasn’t here yesterday either.”

"Oh! I forgot to tell you. She asked to leave for a while, saying something happened back home with her dad," Hitch replied haphazardly, eyes downcast as they read the newspaper between her fingers.

You exhaled, settling into your bed. First Annie told you you were needed in the records room, only to find that there was nothing to do there. Then you came back to find your bedroom empty, Hitch and Annie gone.

"Okay," you said. "Okay."

It was not okay.

—

Eren’s breath quickened when he witnessed the first red plume of smoke rising into the blue sky. He was unsure of where it was coming from, for the vast open plains gave him little to no landmarks to identify.

Auruo only growled and told him to stop gawking and look forward.

Reluctant, Eren obeyed.

—

Far off, Armin was on high alert, blue eyes darting back and forth along the landscape, the sound of the horse’s steady run and the crows bursting from a lone tree filled his ears. He gasped, eyes widening and whirling around to glance behind him, realizing when the crows flew higher into the air that he was going into paranoia.

He had to calm himself. He took in a deep breath, then exhaled from his nose.

Panicking wasn’t going to do anything to help his part. Suddenly, thundering footsteps could be heard, resounding throughout the empty plains. It was an aberrant, heading straight for him. He shot a black flare into the air as another bursted far off. Armin glanced to the side, and from afar, he watched Sys and Ness take down an aberrant. The massive humanoid creature fell to the ground from the cut to its heel, and the final strike was made before it could lift itself up.

He sighed in relief, then turned away from the scene. They knew the titan was there even before him.

He thought everything would be alright, until he heard more footsteps, only it came from much father away. He glanced over his shoulder to see Ness and Sys prepare themselves for another attack. His blue eyes gazed out into the horizon, where a running figure-a titan-was heading straight for them.

Another? he thought, incredulous.

And it was fast.

The titan picked up speed, and his eyes widened, realizing that it wasn’t a titan, it couldn’t be, it was so much more. He took his reins in his hand and urged the horse faster, eyes never leaving the horrifying scene before him. Sys flew into the air, attaching his hooks onto the titan’s skinless flesh. With a roar, he drew he blades back and rushed forward, until suddenly, the titan shifted, and he crashed into its shoulder, its blonde hair flying.

He was dead, that was for sure. Armin gasped as the titan grabbed Ness’s wire and threw him to the ground, killing him instantly with a sickening crack. It crashed its foot into the ground, drawing itself to a stop. From afar, Armin watched, horrified.

That wasn’t a titan.

It’s steel blue eyes met his, eyes he knew so well yet he could not pin point where he saw them from. This titan resembled what was described as the colossal titan: skinless. It’s muscles rippled in the bright light, shoulder length blonde hair cascading in ruffled clumps around its indifferent face. It’s physique was that of a female. All titans resembled males! Why did this one look female?

It wasn’t a titan!

Snapping out of his trance, he realized the situation he was in and turned around, heart pounding against his chest to the rhythm of the titan’s thundering footsteps behind him.

That isn’t a titan! It’s intelligent; someone’s inside of it. But who? Why?

He looked to the horse beside him. The titan was getting closer, oh so close. Making a quick decision, he let go of the horse’s reins, letting it run freely, only to be launched into the air by the titan’s foot.

No!

Armin looked above him as a shadow settled over him. The bright red muscles of a foot blocked most of his view, and with great despair, he realized the titan was about to step on him.

What does it want…? No, what do they… What do they want?

Everything seemed to slow down when he caught the titan’s gaze, and the foot came crashing down.

—

You woke with a start from your nap. Your (h/c) hair was sprawled all over your face, some of it in your mouth. You spit it out, then blinked.

Hitch sat across the room, staring at you with wide eyes.

"Mother fucking shit," you muttered. "I’m pretty sure someone just died right now."

"What?" Hitch asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Whatever you said, it’s probably nothing."

You shrugged, then went back to sleep.