Once In A While

Chapter 26: The World

It was freezing outside, our boots stomping on the snow that had been gathered upon the ground. I could see my breath create a foggy cloud before me, and I clutched on my scarf a bit tighter.

"It's so cold outside." Jean complained.

"Just endure it a little longer, we should be changing shifts in a bit." Marco said, reassuring Jean it would be okay.

"I haven't seen this much snow ever since that one training session we had in the Cadet Corp." I reminisced, burying my hands deep into my coat's pockets.

But before either one of them managed to say anything, I felt something cold come in contact with my bare face, wincing as the ice temperature traveled down my body.

"You've seen it now!" Jean burst out laughing, as he previously threw a snowball at me.

"What was that for, you idiot!" I yelled.

"Way to treat your girlfriend, Jean." Marco rolled his eyes, smacking Jean's head.

"You're so stupid sometimes." I sighed, soon laughing as well.

When I looked up to meet their gazes though, I was greeted with that same vivid, horrifying image I thought I had left in Trost forever ago; Marco's eyes were no longer shining under the pale moonlight, and his face was distorted, death written all over it.

After that, everything went black for a moment or two. I could make out a faint light in the distance, but other than that, there was nothingness.

"(Y/n)? Wake up, you're going to be late." I heard a familiar voice, Marco's, calling out to me.

But when I did open my eyes, there was no one at the foot of my bed, and Mikasa and Sasha were fast asleep on their beds respectively.

----

A few hours passed and I looked at the clock on the wall opposite of me- it was almost eight am, I had somehow slept in- today was the day before our trip to Marley, but we had prepared everything beforehand so there wasn't much to do- I figured that's why the girls allowed me to sleep in, not waking me up when they left.

I heard a faint knock on the door, and I told whoever it was to come in, not bothering to get up from my bed.

"Good morning princess." Jean said in a mocking manner, entering the room.

"Really now, princess?" I rolled my eyes at him.

"You did manage to sleep in for quite a few hours, thought it fitted you." He reasoned.

"What's the reason behind your visit, Mr. Commanding Officer?" I sarcastically said, as he came closer to my bed.

"Do I really need a valid reason to see my girlfriend?" He asked, fluttering his eyes at me.

I raised an eyebrow at him- an indication for him to go on.

"I made something for you." He said, sitting down next to me after I made some space.

I looked at him in curiosity as he revealed a frame- in it, a very detailed, almost like a real picture -photographs, as we came to know they were called- sketch of the three of us when we were younger; Jean, Marco and I.

I was standing in the middle, a smile plastered on my face. Marco was on the right, smiling softly, eyes almost sparkling, and those freckles of his- it was as if not one of them was missing. Then there was Jean on the left, a half-smile formed on his lips, his eyes fixed on the side, looking at me and Marco. It was heartwarming, but also gut wrenching; there wouldn't be another moment like this one. We had been separated for good, maybe too soon, but the damage was permanent and death couldn't be undone.