Imprisoned (Ereri/Riren AU)

Example

Eren blinked away the memories of last night, and looked silently at the Corporal, waiting for him to speak, or give an order, something. After a couple minutes, Corporal spoke. "You'll be coming with me today brat, we're using you as an example for the others." Eren hesitated a moment before asking, "...example?" Corporal rolled his eyes. " Yes brat, example. You'll be the evidence of what happens when you decide to fight back." Ah, so I was the only one then. he thought. Eren tried unsuccessfully to get to his feet before collapsing at the Coporals feet. he groaned as the burning sensation in his limbs overtook him, and a moment later he felt small but sturdy, unwavering arms lift him off the ground and set him upright. Corporals voice seemed far off, he could barely hear him as he tried to blink dark spots and stars out of his vision. "w-what?" Eren asked, after steadying himself against the wall. His body felt as if it was on fire, but the more he moved the easier it became to ignore it. "I said you'll walk next to me fucking brat. Quit collapsing, you'll slow me down." The Corporal then bent down, and picked up a chain much thinner than the ones connecting his hands or his feet together. Eren was confused, wondering what it was connected to until he felt a sharp tug and almost choked. It was only then that he noticed the thick leather band encircling his neck, just loose enough that he wouldn't choke if the chain remained slack. He stumbled forward, desperate to loosen the suffocating band. Once he was close enough that the Corporal stopped tightening the slack, and he had sufficiently caught his breath, Eren spoke. "What the hell?!" He exclaimed, glaring at the Corporal, though the man didn't so much as turn around.

"I'm not going to waste my time struggling with you brat. This way, you won't have as much fight in you, now shut up and walk behind me like a good dog." Eren sighed as the words escaped the Corporals lips. He had figured as much. After falling behind the Corporal a bit, Eren took a good look at his surroundings. So far they had been walking down a narrow corridor, with doors evenly spaced on each side, and at the end of the hall was a ladder and opening to the deck. Eren could see the sunlight shining through the opening, and sucked in a sharp breath. Corporal led him up, and into the sunlight. As Eren stepped into the bright sunlight, he had to shut his eyes for a moment and adjust to the sudden onslaught. When he felt his eyes adjust, the first thing Eren saw brought tears to his eyes. His two best friends, Armin Arlert and Mikasa Ackerman, were chained together loosely, their hands bound but not their feet. Armin's body was trembling with effort, as he and Mikasa were hoisting the main sail, two of the original crew there with whips to make sure they didn't stop. Eren's vision went red at the sight of his fragile little blond best friend trembling while a man with a whip stood behind him. He ran over to his friends, getting about three quarters of the way there before he felt the leather band encircling his neck tighten, crushing his windpipe and almost making him black out as the edges cut into the tender flesh of his neck where bruises lingered from the night before. As he looked into the furious eyes of Mikasa, and the worried eyes of Armin, he felt himself thrown back to the first time he had met each of them.

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Meeting Armin

Eren was walking down the path leading to the Healer's home one afternoon. His mother had come down with a terrible fever, and he was going to get the herbs to help her. As he got closer to the middle of the village he could hear shouts. At first he ignored it, thinking it was none of his business. However, as he drew closer, he could hear cries of pain. Eren started running towards the sound, wondering what the hell was going on. People weren't allowed to fight in the village. The Chief always said, "Struggling with ourselves will only weaken us once there is a true enemy." As Eren rounded the final bend, he saw a group of young boys, all around 8 or 9. His age. There were three boys that had cornered a smaller kid against a building. As Eren watched, he saw one of the group of boys walk up and slap the smaller one. "Still want to leave the village, you idiot? What do you think is out there anyway?" The bully sneered as the smaller boy sniffled and tried to walk past him. "Leave me alo-" As he spoke, one of the other boys tripped him. Eren watched this exchange, getting angrier and angrier. Once he saw the smaller boy fall to the ground, he had had enough. Eren charged the group of young bullies, and as the leader of the pack turned around, Eren punched him right in the nose. He felt the delicate cartilage crunch under his knuckles, and after he stepped back, the other two moved as if to rush at him, but the leader had already started running, yelling about being attacked. after a moments hesitation, the other two followed. Eren turned around to look at the boy they had been harassing. He was a couple inches shorter than Eren, with blond hair cut so that it resembled a mushroom. Big blue eyes looked up at him as Eren looked. He felt a grin settle on his face and held out his hand. "I'm Eren." The blond boy looked at the hand for a moment before taking it. "I'm Armin." Armin then grinned at Eren and he pulled himself upright. "Thanks Eren." Eren grinned.

"No problem."

Meeting Mikasa

Two years after meeting Armin, Eren was eating breakfast with his mother when his father burst through the door, holding the hand of a little girl with inky black, disheveled looking hair and silver eyes. Eren's father looked at him, "Eren, this is Mikasa. She's just had a very rough day, so I need you to help her find the bathing area and get her some extra clothes, okay?" Eren nodded to his father and stood up, taking Mikasa's hand and leading her to the bathing area. As they walked, Eren noticed her hand was shaking. He looked at her, "Are you cold?" She shook her head, and Eren asked what was wrong. Mikasa squeezed her eyes shut and in a broken whisper, told him, "My parents are gone. Two men killed them. I saw everything." At the last word, Mikasa's voice broke, and she started weeping. "I j-just want t-to die t-too!" She sobbed loudly, before she suddenly felt Eren's hands grip her shoulders tightly. Eren made her look into his eyes, and told her, "Don't you ever think that! How could you be so weak?! Death is all around us, we see it everywhere! Things die, people die, and it's sad, yeah! But you're not dead! You're alive, aren't you? This world is survival of the fittest, and you have to fight for every single breath you take. if you lose, you die. If you don't fight, you won't live, and your parents will be forgotten that much quicker!" Eren drew a deep breath and in a calmer voice, said "Don't let the world break you before you've even lived." Mikasa looked at him, the look in her eyes making it obvious she was fighting herself about something. After a couple minutes, she spoke.

"Okay. I'll live."

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(AN) Okay so here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy what you've read, and feel free to leave your input in the comments! I'd love to know what you guys think, and how I could make this better. There will be some of Levi's story next chapter, so tune in next update! Bye Readers!

~Lolichan, Away!