Caught Between Worlds (Eren x Reader)

Chapter One

Another day of work begins.

I help Zeke make breakfast in a small kitchen within the barracks. While he toasts the bread, I focus on cooking the eggs. The steam hits my face, the smell so welcoming. I notice the new amount of weight I am gaining eating the food here. It seems in Paradis, I didn't have much to eat.

Peeking over at Zeke, I continuously fall victim to his lustful stares. As subtle as he is, nothing ever goes unnoticed by me. And to make matters worse, he could end up being the one to bear the Mark. He's just like the other Warriors who eye me the same way. Colt and Porco can't even look me in the eyes without growing nervous. And then they just stare when my back is turned.

"So, tell me more about the Warrior Unit." I request from Zeke, desperate to shift the attention away from me. "Every single one of you possesses a titan's ability, right?"

"No, not all of us. Porco, Pieck, and I are considered elites. We possess the titans and because of that, we have the honour of wearing red armbands. Someone like Colt, who possesses a yellow one like the trainees do, is next in line to inherit a titan. And our little trainees are fighting for that same position. To become a titan shifter, the top trainee is turned into a titan and they eat a fellow shifter. Doing that gives them the ability to transform into the titan the previous shifter could turn into."

I cringe at his words. "That sounds horrible."

"Yeah, well, it's the way it has to be. One day I'll be eaten so my titan can be passed onto the next shifter. Colt will be my successor. I only have five more years left to live until the Curse of Ymir kills me."

I fall silent, feeling uncomfortable bringing up the Mark of the Celestite around him. He says nothing else which makes me wonder if he's thinking about it as well. I begin to go to war with my negative thoughts, desperately trying to keep them from polluting my mind with doubt and fear. But I just can't help but think about the outcome of the Mark.

Zeke walks me into the cold, misty morning. Fog travels along the silent pathways of the HQ. We pass by a few police officers who patrol the area. We make our way around to the back of the HQ where several buildings surround a sandy terrain. The young trainees are already going at each other at this early hour. They spar within the mist, stirring up dust around them. Colt and Pieck supervise them from the small porch of one of the buildings.

My shift immediately begins as Falco is thrown to the ground by Gabi. I take him inside my office and begin treating his new cuts and bruises. As I finish, he mumbles a "thank you." He holds an extremely dreadful expression on his face. His head hangs low and he continues to avoid eye contact with me. Seeing such a look on his face is so disheartening.

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" I ask him. I tilt my head to the side to get a better look into his eyes. He observes my smile and loosens his expression. "What's troubling you?"

Rubbing his arm, he breathes in before speaking. "Well...Gabi is so strong. I put myself through so much training and I still can't seem to overcome my weakness. I wish I was more like my brother. I feel like I'm disgracing him and my family."

I sit down next to him while he expresses his frustrations to me. "Don't fret so much." I tell him. "You're doing well. Not many make it this far. You made it into the top four out of all the other chosen trainees, right? You are not disgracing your family."

He awkwardly scratches the side of his cheek and looks away uncomfortably. "Yeah, I suppose you're right." A soft sigh comes from him and his deep frown eases up. "Thanks. It's nice to have someone rooting for me."

Footsteps stomp down the hall outside the door. Yelling and laughter comes along with it. The other trainees suddenly enter the room. As they see me, they all fall silent and freeze, like they're seeing a ghost.