Complications Throughout Generations

Chapter 163

Eren's POV:

I knew Jean was coming over to talk to Armin so I thought I'd be somewhat sneaky and go downstairs to the kitchen which is close to Hange's room. Of course Levi joined me as well. But when we were close enough, we didn't hear Jean's voice. Not only that, but the door was wide open.

"Where's Jean?" I peeked my head in only to find that he wasn't even there. "Did he even come?"

"He did." Armin sighed.

"And?"

"Bathroom." Mikasa said. Wait, why the hell is she in here?

"I can already tell this is your fault." Levi said.

"Shut up." She clearly wasn't happy.

"Why don't, you, shut the fuck up for once. Like holy shit, you weren't this annoying back then, I can tell you that much."

They continued to argue back and forth so I just fled the scene and knocked on the bathroom door.

"Jean, it's me." I said softly. I heard the door unlock and I opened it slowly which revealed Jean on the ground with his head on his knees. "What happened?" He stayed silent. "Don't wanna talk about it?" He just shook his head faintly. "Do you need me to get you anything?" He shook his head again. "Do you want me to shut up?" Then he nodded. I closed the door and sat next to him in silence. I don't want him to be alone when he's in this state.

"Why am I such an asshole?" He finally whispered.

"You're 16 years old; you're just young, you're not an asshole."

"But look at Armin. He literally said he's heartbroken."

"You both learned your lesson. Don't fuck your friends."

"What about us?"

"That was different. You knew I was in love with Levi and you were upset over Mikasa. There was a different motive."

Jean leaned his head back against the wall and kept his eyes closed.

"I can't believe I always wanted attention from all the girls back then and now here I am. No girls and have now ruined my relationships with two guys. Doesn't matter what team I'm fighting for, I'm still losing."

"You'll find someone, Jean. But I think for now, you should focus on yourself."

"That's no fun," he whined.

"Fine. Then focus on one person this time."

"Yeah, I've learned my lesson with that one."

I stood up and held my hand out for him to grab. Once he took it and got up, we hugged and patted each other on the back. The bro hug.

"I'd say just go home. I'll talk to them. It'll be fine, okay?"

"You just gonna yell at 'em?" He smiled.

"Nah, haven't raised my voice at them since...yeah."

"If memories play a major role into shaping us into the people we are, then part of you has become Bertolt. Within you is an enemy who has feelings for another enemy. Understand? Bertolt has gotten into your head. You're the one being manipulated by the enemy." Armin froze.

Mikasa was ready to protect him. "Hey! Why would you-"

"You're being controlled too. The Ackerman clan was designed to be perfect for protecting Eldia's king. Your Ackerman instincts were dormant. Until in that life or death situation, you heard me order you to fight. The strength and the certainty you felt in that moment were awakened because your blood mistook me for the host you were made to protect."

"It can't be."

"It can't? Why not?"

"It wasn't a mistake." Her voice was quiet and shaky. She was holding in the tears. But she perked her head back up. "It's because it was you, it had to be you. You're why I became strong. How could that be a mistake?"

"As an Ackerman with awakened powers, you're apparently supposed to get headaches pretty frequently. The research said that this is a side effect of the Ackerman's true self trying to resist being forced to protect their hosts. Sound familiar?"

"You're wrong."

"What I'm saying is, you belong to a clan created to protect and obey at the cost of losing their true selves. In other words, slaves."

"Stop! Leave her alone!" It was Armin's turn to get protective.

"You wanna know what I hate more than anything else in this world? Anyone who isn't free. They're no better than cattle."

"Eren!" Armin was pleading for me to stop.

I had my eyes set back to Mikasa. "The mere sight of you has always made me so damn angry and now I finally know why. I just couldn't stand to look at a slave with no mind of her own. Who always followed orders without question. Believe me when I say this, Mikasa. Ever since I was a kid, I've hated you." The air from her lungs nearly sucked themselves out completely as she looked at me with tears. I showed no emotion.

"Eren! How could you say that to her?" Armin screamed and crawled on the table to throw a punch but Mikasa blocked it and pinned him down. "Mikasa?" They were both shocked by her actions.

"See? Everything you've done in your life has been dictated by your Ackerman blood." Mikasa backed away from Armin in fear of herself. She continued to cry and stutter nonsense. "That blood is all you really are."

Armin finally had the opportunity to throw a punch and he took it, knocking me off my chair. I blocked his next blow and hit his jaw, immediately making his mouth bleed. Then I had taken him by his collar and threw him into the wine bottles.

"Jaeger!" Two Jaegerist's with guns came to my rescue.

"I don't need help." Armin lifted himself up as blood dripped from his nose. "Hey, Armin. The two of us have actually never fought before, have we." Armin threw another punch which I dodged. "You know why that is?" But then returned the favor by actually hitting him. Over. And over. And over. "It's because it would never be a fair fight!" I screamed and kneed him in the stomach. Armin fell to the ground unable to move. I was shocked I was out of breath.

"Please," Mikasa emotionally whispered, "just stop." I glared at her.

"Like I said at the start, conflict isn't necessary." I stared at Armin lying still as Mikasa kneeled next to him. "At least not if you tell us where Zeke is. So just come along quietly. Take em'." I said to the armed Jaegerists. They nodded. "And bring the kid who killed Sasha too."

Mikasa was able to lift Armin up. "So that's it? That's all you came here to say? Is this the freedom you wanted? The freedom to hurt Mikasa?" Armin choked out. "You're a slave too and your master is a worthless bastard."

"Who you calling a slave?" I grit through my teeth. "Let's go."

Never again.

I'll never do that to them ever again.