Memories ~ Attack on Titan

Chapter eighteen

We were told to put on gloves and face coverings, then we were all sent out into town to recover the injured and help name the dead. Jean looked over at me and his eyes widened for a moment before returning to their normal state. We started walking towards each other until we finally met, I looked up at him, my heart aching. My high was gone and every emotion my mind suppressed hit me all at once. "Jean I-" my voice cracked, but he didn't let me finish, he wrapped his arms around my waste and pulled me close, Burying his face in my neck. I hugged him instantly, squeezing like my life depended on it. After a few minutes he pulled away, "Common, we have work to do." He said and began to walk away, I jogged to catch up with him. I caught up to Jean and held onto his arm. The pure exhaustion visible on my features. He looked down at me, I could see the blush on his cheeks. We started walking. It reeked of death, dead bodies littered the streets. Jean stoped walking, and pulled his arm away from me. I looked to where his eyes went and my heart stoped. I felt acid rise in my stomach and chills cover my body. The world around me blurred. No. No no. He promised.
But my suspicion was confirmed when Jean's voice cracked, "is-is that..Marco.." I leaned against the wall and vomited. Jean was shaking, he looked like he wanted to puke as well. All the color drained from my body as I walked back over to him, but when I looked at his body I fell to my knees. I held my hand over my mouth. I felt like my beard had dropped to the pit of my stomach and like any moment I'd throw up all my guts.
Marco. How could I let this happen to you? You deserved to live more than any of us.
A nurse approached us, "do you have a name for this one? It'd be helpful to know."
Jean was shaking, "I was wondering where he was, but he's- he's not- Marco. What happened." The nurse continued, "I need his name, we don't have time for this. Please son. It's been 2 days."
Jean was silent.
"He was a member of the 104th cadet corps, captain of squad 19. Marco Bodt"
A silent tear ran down my face at the mention of his full name.
The nurse left us. I felt two arms around me. Jean, held me and cried. More tears rolled down my cheeks but I didn't make a sound. My voice felt like it had been ripped from my body.

———normal pov———

Eren woke up in a cell. On other side of that bars were 2 men, Captain Levi, and commander Erwin.
"Any questions?" Erwin asked.
Eren was in shock, he wanted to meet caption Levi and commander Erwin but these weren't the circumstances he had in mind. Eren stuttered, "I- I uh- where am I?"
Erwin was sarcastic, "it's obvious, let's just call it a dungeon. You're currently in the custody of the Military police. We were granted permission to see you just now."
Erwin held up a key attached to a string.
"How'd you get that!" Eren said in a panicked voice.
"Off of you. You'll get it back don't worry. Let's talk about home. The good doctors cellar in Shiganshina. Pretty big secret there right?"
Eren was taken back by the commanders words, "I think so. That's what dad said anyway."
Levi scoffed, "must suck having your dad and your memory MIA at the same time. Unless that's just a cover story for you." This was the famous Levi Ackerman, now he understood why Rin seemed to have a strange anxiety about him. Erwin glared at his friend, "Enough Levi. We've been over this, I've already told you he has no reasons to lie. So how about you shed a little light on things for us by telling us your intentions Eren."
Eren's eyes widened, "what do you mean?"

Levi looked at Eren unamused, "huh, well played. Alright then, I'll take responsibility for you. Tell the higher ups about this, not that I implicitly trust him of course. It's more of a matter of my trusting myself to deal with him. I'll kill him if it comes to that no matter how much my kid protests. It should be fine, my record more the speaks for itself. So, good news Jaeger, you're now officially a member of the scouts."

——Rin pov——-
I sat in the dinning hall with Jean, Reiner, Annie and Bertolt. We sat in silence, it was awkward. I couldn't eat, my stomach felt absent from my body. Reiner took notice of this, "Rin, you should eat." I didn't respond, I just dropped my spook. His eyes didn't leave me, "I'm serious, don't make me force feed you,"he threatened. Jean looked over at Reiner with annoyance, "leave her alone, I made sure she ate breakfast. I can take care of her just fine." Riner seemed taken back but then smirked, "so you two, I was waiting for you to make it official. Congrats, you're a lucky guy Jean," He teased. Finally I took a huff of air, I know he was trying to lighten the mood but it was pissing me off, "cut it out. No one is having care of me but me." And as soon as I said that the doors opened, "cadets Mikasa Ackerman, Rin Ackerman and Armin Arlert. Hop to!" He announced. I stood up from the table and left without a word, glad for the distraction.
The walk was silent. None of us spoke. The Air in the hall was think and tense.

——-normal pov——
Eren sat in his cell, hoping that the commander would be back soon. He was starting to lose track of time.
Then the doors swung open and a woman stuck her face in the metal bars. A lady with a brown ponytail and glasses, she smiled and spoke to Eren happily, "so then you must be Eren, are you well? How are things? I'm so sorry you've had to wait so long. But here's your chance to finally get out. One thing, you'll have to wear these for me, okay?" She unlocking Eren's cell, holding up a pair of hand cuffs. Another guy approached, he was extremely tall with blond hair. He did speak, he just stood there.
The three of them them walked down a long hall when the woman spoke again, "my name is Zoe Hange, I'm a section commander for the scouts. And this is a fellow commander in the scouts, Miche Zacharius." She said motioning to the tall man, the man began to sniff Eren. Hange laughed, "oh don't mind him. He makes a habit of giving new people a good sniff And tends to laugh through his nose a bit. I don't think he intends to be derisive tho. Quirks aside, he is a talented commander." Eren remembered these two, "yea, you know my friend." Eren said quietly. Hange heard it and perked up, "oh Rin talks about us then? How sweet."
Eren's eyes widened and then narrowed back to their normal shape. "Yea," He said, with a small smile, remembering his friend.
Hange took note of this, "Levi mentioned that Rin was the one holding you when you came out of your Titan body. You're not dating her are you?" Eren choked at her words, "what? No way! She's just a friend," He protested. Miche laughed at the flustered boy standing next to him. Hange sighed before raising her voice again, "well poo! Sorry to cut this short Eren but we're here now! I'm sure it's fine, it's probably better if I don't explain anything."
Two guards grabbed Eren and forced him into a court room before having the doors shut behind him. He was forced to his knees and chained to a pole on the ground so he was unable to move his hands. He glared around the court room, he saw Erwin and Levi. He was even more confused when Rin, Armin and Mikasa.
The doors opened and closed and an older man sat down, "okay, shall we begin now?"