Caught Between Worlds (Eren x Reader)

Chapter Four

Two weeks pass.

The following day, after another day of nursing, Reiner picks me up. I walk with him through the streets of the Internment Zone. The cool breeze blows against our faces, carrying in the strong smell of food that grows stronger as we near the plaza. Reiner skims through the shopping list his mother gave us.

Falco suddenly comes running our way, nearly colliding into the both of us. "Sorry." He says, bending over to catch his breath.

"Falco," Reiner starts, looking down at him. "Where are you headed this late?"

Falco looks up at him with a big, excited smile. "I left something at HQ. So I'm running back there to grab it real quick. See you later!" He runs past us. "I'll see you tomorrow, ____!"

"Alright!" I wave back as he does. "He looks so happy." I mention to Reiner as we continue towards the plaza. "It's so nice to see him smile like that."

"Yeah, I haven't seen him so excited like this before. He really likes you. After four years of being away, training with you again must be nice."

I smile at the ground, watching my feet one step after the other. "Yeah, I really am glad you guys are back. It was a long four years..."

The citizens fill the plaza, the dinner rush hour leaving the merchants with their hands full. We wait in line to pick up vegetables, meat, and broth for Mrs. Braun to make her stew for dinner tonight.

"Tomorrow, before you go to work," he starts. "We need to attend a meeting at HQ with the higher ups. We're going to be devising a strategy to infiltrate Paradis."

"Oh..." My adversities begin to flood my mind once more, reminding me that all is still not well. We take a step forward in line, a few seconds of silence passing.

"Does that worry you?"

I nod in response. "Yeah. I'm still scared to grant you the Mark of the Celestite." As I say it, Mr. Kruger's words come back to mind again. The first time he opened his mouth to me and it was to bring me down for being a Celestial. I'm still trying to figure that mysterious man out.

"We still have time."

The conversation ends as we make our way to the front of the line. Reiner carries the bag full of groceries and walks me back to his house where Mrs. Braun cooks for us. The meeting tomorrow morning remains on my mind. The higher ups are the Marleyans who were in charge of issuing the order to retrieve me from Paradis. And among them is that filthy bastard Calvi. If I end up seeing him tomorrow, I don't think I'll be able to restrain myself.

"____, are you going to eat your stew?" Mrs. Braun asks me.

I look down and watch the steam that slowly emits from the meat. The grease in the stew forms small bubbles within the broth. My stomach growls from the sight but I can only really pick through it with my spoon. "I'm sorry." I quietly say to her. "I'm just not feeling that great today."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry to hear that. Reiner, why don't you take her upstairs? I can clean up."

"Sure, Mom." Reiner leads me upstairs and into the bedroom. He waits for me to wash up and change into my nightgown before asking me if I want to talk.

I sit down beside him on the bed and stare at my feet. "Do you trust the higher ups?"

"Well, they're Marleyans and we're Eldians. They rule over us, and we have to follow them whether we trust them or not. That's just how it is."

My hands subconsciously run over my legs. I find myself rubbing them awkwardly before I begin fiddling with my thumbs. Mr. Kruger's words take another round through my mind before settling down in a distant corner. "Am I going to participate in the war?"