While We're Alive (Eren x reader)

01- Chance Encounters

"Mikasa.....hey." The boy said as he woke up from his nap under a tree. "We should get back." Mikasa said as she watched the boy slowly wake up from his daze. "Where are we exactly?" He asked as he adjusted to finally waking up. "Try asking me again when you're awake." The raven-haired girl responded.

"No I'm up- I just....I feel like I had the longest dream." The young boy said as he began to sit up and place his hand on his head. "What was it about? I don't remember...."

Mikasa walked away to pick up her basket filled with firewood. As she turned back around to face the boy she let out a small gasp. "Eren, have you been crying?" She asked.

The boy, now known as Eren, could feel the remains of dried up tears on his cheek.

"Do you have the money your mom gave us to buy bread?" Mikasa asked, handing a second basket full of wood to Eren. Instinctively, his hands fell to his sides where he could feel a small bag full of coins tied around his hip. "Yeah, I have it right here." He said as they made their way back to the gates.

"Do me a favor, don't let anyone know I was crying." Eren asked as he and Mikasa made their way back to their home, the two of them each carrying baskets of wood. "I won't. Still though, crying for no reason? You might want to have your dad examine you." Mikasa said, a hint of concern in her voice.

"Right, cuz crying is usually a medical thing." He snapped back, his voice filled with sarcasm. "Is somebody messing with ya-?" A drunken soldier said as he approached the two kids. "Hey Mr. Hannes." Eren said. "-or did you just get on Mikasa's bad side." The drunken soldier teased.

"No, what are you even talking about? Ugh.... you reek of liquor." Eren said defensively. Just then, a group of drunken soldiers began to laugh at the scene unfolding at the gates.

"Of course." Eren said, clearly a scene he was far too familiar with seeing from the soldiers. "You kids care to join us?" Hannes asked. "Aren't you....on watch?" The boy asked curiously. "We're on gate duty today. We get hungry and thirsty hanging out here all day." Hannes said. Hearing how little the soldiers cared about their jobs angered the young boy. "HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO FIGHT IF YOU'RE SO LOOSE ON YOUR FEET."

Hannes was clearly surprised by this answer. "Now why on Earth would I need to fight?" He asked. This only made Eren more angry. "WHY DO YOU THINK? ISN'T IT OBVIOUS? I'M TALKING ABOUT IF THEY BROKE DOWN THE WALL AND INVADED THE TOWN!" He shouted, his teal eyes filled with anger. The entire area suddenly went quiet.

"Eren, please, use your inside voice." Hannes pleaded in an attempt to get teal-eyed boy to calm down. "The doc's kid has some fire in him." Another drunken soldier said now making his way over to the group. "Listen, the only thing they've done to the wall in the last hundred years is scratch at it, but if they get it in their big heads to do something else we'll be more than ready for them." The soldier replied.

"A FEELING? WHAT HAVE ANY OF YOU ACTUALLY DONE TO BE READY FOR THEM? DAD SAYS YOU GOTTA STAY SHARP." Eren shouted back at the guard, now more annoyed than before. "Yeah good old Dr. Jaeger, I'm not gonna second guess this town's benefactor. But y'know, when you become a soldier you get your chance to see em' hanging around outside the wall while you're on wall defense duty or whatever, and I just can't imagine them even putting a dent in these walls." Hannes said.

"Wait a minute....sounds to me like you don't even think they're all that dangerous." Eren said finally calming down. "Eh" Hannes replied. Eren let out a gasp at how unconcerned the soldier was. "Oh great, then at least have the decency to stop calling yourselves a Garrison. People might get the wrong idea." Hannes just laughed at the kid. "Good point. Look at it this way, if a Garrisons doing what people think it outta, we're up a creek. Personally, I take a lot of stock in being called a free-loader. Means things are good, it's how I measure peace of mind."