𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑒 {𝐻𝑎𝑛𝑗𝑖 𝑍𝑜𝑒 𝑥 𝐹𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟}

17. Broken masks

"𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚟𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎"- Joe Abercrombie

<Hanji's POV>

"You don't know what you're saying, you're probably just tired" Eren calmly argues. I wonder what it is they're arguing about. It seems to be a pretty tense discussion from the looks of it.

I turn to look at the four of them and something is definitely wrong. Y/N is a lot more defensive than usual. You can see it in her subtle change in her stance. And a scowl on her face to match. Her attention is fixed on Eren as well.

Typically when Y/N gets like this it's because she perceives an immediate threat to Eren, But what could be a threat to us at the top of the walls? What is she seeing that I'm not. And what the hell are the four of them talking about? I slowly make my way closer to them just close enough to hear them.

"If you really were the armored titan what would be your endgame?" Eren asks. He says it as if it were a joke but Y/N is taking this very seriously, as we all should. An accusation like that, what's more, confusing an admission like that. It could start an uproar so why now? why here? what's changed? Y/N approaches closer to Eren standing at his side.

"Hey, Reiner! I'm curious as well. Let me ask you, if you were the armored titan do you really think I would let you leave here alive? And if you are as delusional as that. Then death becomes you" Y/N points her blade in Reiner's direction.

Now that their conversation has caught everyone's attention everyone's frozen. Scared to make the first move. In comparison to the four of them, we're all frozen pawns on the board waiting for a significant piece to make their move.

Y/N slowly approaches closer Reneir and Bertodlt with her blade in hand. Everything in me wants to scream for her to stop, but if I distract her that could mean game over for her and everyone on this wall if this isn't a joke gone too far. I have to trust she can do what she has to.

"You're right, I must have really lost it this time," Renier says. The look on both the accused soldier's faces is nothing but complete fear. But if they are who they say they are what reason do they have to be afraid. Them simply taking titan form could plaster us on the wall like birds who flew blind.

"Come on, this joke is on its last leg," Eren says as he turns his back to them. Y/N knows better than to do that herself. She won't be taking her eyes off them. Not until the unthinkable happens.

Everyone has gone quiet, the sound of the flag snapping and falling to the far ground rings through thin air. The tension has grown so thick you could slice through it. The four of them, each at attention waiting for the ball to drop.

Eren thinks that this is a joke, or maybe he's just in deniable about the reality. But either way we were fooled again.

"You're right, I've been here too long. Three years of this madness. We were children what the hell did we know about anything. Why did I let myself fall this far. Who cares, it is what it is. No choice but to face the music" Steam noticeably starts to erupt from the wound on Reneir arm. Horror fills all of our faces as we watch yet another secret crumble to dust.

"No road left but the one that leads to the end," Reiner shouts.

"Reiner? Right now? Here?!" Bertolt argues.

"Yes, we settle this, here and now" Reiner shouts. Before they can make another move, Y/n and Mikasa make theirs.

"Mikasa now!" Y/N shouts as she and Mikasa each take a slash at the two fallen soldiers. One target for the both of them.