The Turquoise Cure (Eren X Reader)

Chapter 53: For You

    You gently propped the flowers up against Sasha's grave. They were pink and red with large yellow centers, the kinds she'd always point out whenever you saw them growing by the training yard. Your overlarge green coat trailed down and touched the tips of the dewy grass as you lightly stroked the top of the fresh grave. Her name had just been etched into the stone, the shavings on it still jagged and new. You sniffed abruptly as a hot tear trailed down your cheek. 

    Hearing the sniffling and sobbing behind you, however, you removed yourself from the grave, the overwhelming number of flowers leaving behind their sweet scent. As you walked away, you saw Niccolo. You tried to avoid him, to get away before he could see you, but you were too slow. "Hey, (Y/N)," Niccolo sniffed, his arms full of flowers and baked goods. "Hey," you said, extending a hand to his shoulder. He sighed, then erupted into tears all over again, dropping the flowers in his haste to wipe away the salty trails running down his cheeks. You stooped down to help him pick them back up. "I'm so sorry," you whispered, the petals of one of the red and pink flowers disintegrating under your touch. Niccolo offered you a sweet smile and nodded, then accepted the flowers with a quiet 'thank you' and made his way to Sasha's grave to mourn. 

    You tried to tune out the sounds of crying and sadness that pounded throughout the cemetery. The sky couldn't even hide its remorse as it turned a dingy gray, the clouds threatening to spill overhead. Passing by Connie, Jean, Mikasa, and Sasha's parents, who were talking to Levi, you made your way towards a tree that hid along the outskirts of the cemetery. Desperate for the quiet and solitude, you made your way to the stump, leaning against it, where you rested your head in your knees, the events of the past few days dizzying. 

    After you had gotten off the air ship, you had made your way to the shower, where you had scraped off the many layers of blood that coated your body. It was then that you had found the bullet still lodged in your arm from Gabi. One trip to the infirmary later and many stitches later, you were back at the base of the airship, asking Hange what there was to do now. "Well," Hange had responded, "I wasn't going to tell you, but you deserve to know that Eren's been imprisoned for the time being for his actions in Marley, and Levi's getting ready to leave with Zeke to an undisclosed location." You nodded, inhaling slightly. "Do you want to see him- Eren, I mean?" Hange asked cautiously. You thought for a moment, then exhaled. "I don't think so," you said, warily leaning upward to meet Hange's eyes. "You know-" Hange began, then stopped, "your eyes do look much more- I don't know- normal than they usually do." Hange stared at your eyes for a moment longer before you looked away. "Actually," you said, stretching out your fingers, "I think I will go see Eren." 

    The coldness of the dungeon enveloped itself around you like a piece of wet fabric. You inhaled the stale smell that the place contained- it hadn't been used in forever now. These past few years hadn't warranted Eren being detained, so what changed? As you reached the last cell, you stopped. You ran a fingertip along the cold bars that caged Eren inside. He was shirtless, his face clean-shaven, and his body wet, clearly having just taken a shower. He was looking in the mirror, carefully analyzing himself in a way that you had never seen him do before. He wasn't usually one for worrying too much about appearance. He hardly even seemed to notice your presence now. 

    "Eren," you said, removing your finger from the bar and placing your arms across your chest. Don't let him think that he's gotten the better of you. "I was wondering when you'd come," he said after turning to see your figure on the outside of his cell, "I figured it would take way longer than this." "I have questions," you said, your eyes impassive. "Oh," he said. His voice didn't even sound like his own; he seemed almost robotic. He slowly walked over to face you, his form towering over you even as he wore no shoes. You refused to waver, puffing out your chest as you stared into his eyes, which were looking more like those that you'd had for the past several years than yours did currently. "So, my eyes," you said, beginning the conversation. "It's gonna take some explaining," Eren said slowly, his eyes softening just the tiniest bit, "you might want to sit down." "I'll stand," you said, your heart breaking just the smallest fraction. "Baby," he said, his exterior changing altogether. He extended one of his hands through the bars and stroked your face, the gentleness of his touch almost unworldly as compared to the violence he had been exhibiting.