A Picture Paints A Thousand Words

Suffer

(Eren's P.O.V)  

        I lay on Armin's bed, staring up at the ceiling. Armin sat on his desk chair backwards, holding onto the back of it. Mikasa sat on the floor, fiddling with her red scarf.

      "Come on, Eren! That isn't like you!" Armin protested. I had denied his request to investigate a castle in France over school break. School was ending in a few days, and Armin was hoping we could all go together for a new article in our magazine.

         Why would I travel when we could investigate right here in Britain?

        "I've already said no." He sighed, looking over at Mikasa for help. She simply shook her head at him.

        "See, even Mikasa thinks it's fine." I said.

        "She's just agreeing because you're siblings!" This seemed to make Mikasa upset and flustered.

        "This isn't because we're siblings! I-It's, i-it's...simply by choice! If you want disagreement, then f-fine! Armin's right. It's not like you at all. You're usually quick to jump right into a supernatural place like this." The words spilled from her mouth, and she looked down in frustration.

    My adoptive sister was not usually quick to anger, but she was protective and most of the time agreed with me. It wasn't like her to get flustered though... Maybe I wasn't being very observant...

        I suppose Armin was right. It wasn't like me. Something about the castle just felt wrong...

       "I'm sorry, I really am. I just don't feel up to it." I concluded. Armin gave me a disappointed look.

       "I'll see you tomorrow. Come on Mikasa." I said, grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder.

       I put my camera back around my neck. I waved at Armin, and he gave me a half-hearted wave in return, looking still looking at me disappointedly. Mikasa and I left his house and went back home.

-•-

        Falling against my own bed, I glanced at the clock. 2:58 A.M. Why am I still awake? I thought. Oh, right. If I slept, I would have another dream. Another dream of him. Levi... Why was I seeing him? Was he just another figment of my imagination? Was he something more? I sighed, turning and staring out of the window. I could feel my eyes closing, and I couldn't resist the temptation to sleep. I was tired, and I couldn't deny that.

        Maybe if I closed my eyes for just a minute...

        "Oi, brat."

        My eyes snapped open, and I found myself standing in a blank space. I looked in every direction, but the voice I heard had no source.

        It was familiar in a way...

        Deciding to test my theory, I asked: "Who's there?"

        Something materialized in front of me. Actually, someone.

        There he was, regal as can be. It was Levi, the man who had appeared in dream after dream after dream. I was surprised. I felt like I was seeing him face to face. Who knows? Maybe I was.

        "So it was you...I recognized your voice." I said. He looked at me with a blank expression.

        "You need to go with your friend." he says simply. I'm shocked. How does he know about Armin's plan? He's not real, he's just something I imagined.