Some Say (Jean Kirstein X Reader)

Chapter Thirty One

Marco holds onto my jacket tightly as we descend to the basement. I haven't been here in years. Not since I first found out I had titan shifting abilities.

My footsteps echo as I come to the bottom floor. I carefully walk forward, looking in each cell for a familiar face. His back is turned to us as I stop in front of the bars.

"Eren," I whisper.

He looks back over his shoulder at me, his eyes are cold and dark. A look I've never seen in them before. They used to be filled with so much determination and passion. It looks like that has died away.

"What do you want? Has Hanji sent you down here?" His voice is laced with bitterness.

I shake my head as I place Marco down on the ground. "I've come to see you. No one has sent me, I came here on my own devices."

He slowly turns, looking between Marco and I. "You've seen me, you can go now."

My heart sinks a little at his comment. So much has changed since that day. What happened while I was gone? If I hadn't been taken, would things be any better?

"That's not how you greet an old friend," I say, quietly.

He moves over to the bars, looking down at me. He has grown so much. I'm no longer looking into the eyes of a sixteen-year-old boy.

"So, you had a son?" He says.

My hand grazes over Marco's head as I look down at him. He stares up at Eren with great interest.

"I did. He's Jean's son." I say. "His name is Marco."

Something flickers in his eyes as I mention the name. "Good thing he looks more like you. He didn't inherit that horse face."

A smile pulls on the corners of my lips. "I miss those days."

"When Jean and I would be at each other's throats?" Eren asks.

"We never had a dull day during training and when we first joined the Survey Corps. I would give anything to be back there."

Eren moves his eyes away from me and looks over towards the dirt-covered mirror in his cell. "If you've come to remember the old days, you're talking to the wrong person."

"Then tell me who I can speak to." I suddenly snap.

This catches him off guard and he jumps a little.

"Tell me who, Eren!" I yell, tears brimming along the edges of my eyes. "Everyone is dead! My, our friends are dead. You were the only friend I had left and now you're pushing me away."

His eyes drop to the floor, Marco grips onto my leg. I wipe away the tears before they have a chance to fall. I take a deep breath in.

"It's getting late, I better get Marco to bed." I turn my back on him, gritting my teeth. "You've changed, Eren."

"I'm not the only one." He says just above a whisper.

I don't bother to say anything else as I walk up the stairs. Marco tugs on my Survey Corps badge.

"Bye, Uncle Eren." He suddenly calls out.

I stop in my tracks and look back down at Eren, who is still staring at the floor. Maybe he didn't hear. I glance back at Marco who has a big smile on his face as he waves down to him.

"Time for bed, baby," I whisper to him as I keep on walking.

Maybe in another life, he could've been Uncle Eren.

Jean, Connie, Armin, and Mikasa are arguing as I walk into the room. All eyes move over to me. There are dark and grim shadows in their eyes. I quietly take a seat beside Jean and he automatically places his arm around my shoulders.