Caught Between Worlds (Eren x Reader)

Chapter One

The vicious rumbling of death finally eases. The man keeps a tight grip around my waist, his other arm supporting the underside of my legs. His feet hit the ground, skidding along dirt. A black stallion waits near the forest area outside of Shiganshina. Flashes of Alphanz and Mara's death assault my mind once more, causing my state of mind to grow worse.

The man lifts me up onto his stallion. Looking down through the blur of tears, my swollen eyes meet a familiar pair of icy cold ones. Despite the harsh expression he holds on his face, his gestures are gentle and sincere. He sits down on the saddle behind me and urges his horse onward.

The ride is long and exhausting. The long ride through the forest feels like an eternity. Heavy dark clouds swallow up the sky, portraying the destroyed lives of the citizens of Shiganshina. By the time we reach civilization again, darkness has completely engulfed the world. The night is hot and humid, causing sweat to trickle down our backs.

Levi slides off of his horse. He helps me down afterwards. No words are said as he walks me out of the stabling area and into a small, empty courtyard. The small city outside of it is silent, the hours of the night so late that everyone is asleep. Inside, we step into a small corridor. Down a couple hallways, I'm led inside of a small bedroom.

"You can rest here." He tells me. He speaks softly, in almost a whisper. Dark eyebags cover the underside of his eyes. Looking at him, it seems he hasn't slept for over a day. The Survey Corps returned from their mission just this past noon. Now they must turn back and face the breach.

He leaves and returns with bandages. He works in silence, wiping the blood off of my forehead and wrapping it up tightly. He leaves soon after, leaving me for the night.

Left alone, my eyes fall onto the small single bed. Sleep does not come. The horrors of today haunt me. Lying in the darkness is excruciatingly disconcerting. Every bump or sound coming from within the building speeds up the rate of my heart. Closing my eyes, it feels like I'm there again, experiencing it all over again. The smell of blood and corpses remains ingrained in my senses.

Streaks of sunlight peak through the white curtains of the bedroom window. Dawn eventually breaks. The night passes at such a slow rate.

A knock on the door nearly gives me a heart attack. Levi stands before the door. Behind him are Hange and Erwin. All three enter the room, troubled expressions on their faces. I pull myself into a sitting position. My head still throbs from my fall and all of the crying.

"I'm glad to see you're alright." Erwin speaks softly to me. A couple of seconds of awkward silence pass. How does one greet someone who's been through what I have? What do they say? The questions are clearly written on all three of their faces. Nonetheless, Erwin continues. "I know the last thing you want is to be questioned at a time like this. Unfortunately, the fall of Shiganshina is not the only problem. It has been reported to us by one of the surviving Garrison members that Mr. Murae was murdered."

I gently nod in silence. Taking a deep breath in, I try to ease the pressure on my chest. The mention of him causes the horrendous scene to play out again before my eyes. The edges of my fingers gently brush the side of my cheek. I can feel the blood from his neck hit my face. "He was..." I swallow the rising block in my throat. "And Mara fell victim to a titan." I clench my fists tightly against my thighs. "Alphanz and I were attacked by human traffickers. They seemed to know I was a Celestial." The tears become overwhelming. They burn my eyes while they blur my vision. Breathing in sharply, I keep them from falling down my cheeks. "I killed every last one of them." My words come out as a whisper, the burden of his death too heavy to bear.

"On your own?" Erwin asks. His bushy brows rise, a look of astonishment written on his face.

"Yes..." A deeper frown distorts my forehead as the scene plays out before my eyes again. The man with dark eyes appears in my memories. "Wait..." A heavy sigh escapes my lips as I realise I missed one. "Their leader...He was able to get away."