Attack on Titan: Aftermath

Flashback

That face. Those freckles. The hair. His voice. Suddenly, I was brought back to that sickening moment. One that broke me forever.

"Why!? Why!? Why!? Why do this!? ... Why? What are you in such a hurry for!? We haven't... even... tried to talk this through."

His body being crushed under the weight of a Titan's jaws. Marco...

War really is a terrible thing. We've been able to stay at peace for so long... I always knew people in the world would want me dead no matter what due to my actions but I never knew... it could bite me in the ass as much as this moment.

"Who are you?" I asked anyway. It didn't even register to me that the king had just been killed. All my brain could process was a moment from so long ago.

"My name, Reiner Braun, is Luka Bodt. I feel like you knew my older brother quite well, Marco. I'd say you're about to see him again, but he's not in the circle in hell you're about to rot in." He held up his gun. It felt like time froze.

I was going to die.

My heart was racing. I'd fought for my life for so long and was finally given a new purpose with Frieda. While her father was gone, her mother was still going to be there for her. I'd be missed, but not for long. Who knows, the history books could write Marco's brother off as a hero.

I was brought back to the moment when I begged Eren for death. On my knees, pathetic, begging him to understand my situation and understand my guilt so he'd put me out of my misery. I was so ready then. However, it's been years. Am I ready to die now?

No.

"No!" A voice screamed. The headhunter let his guard down for only a slight second at this voice. In any other circumstance, he'd been trained to shoot on sight without hesitation. However, the voice sounded all too familiar.

Jean ran up to him, but before he shoved him, he pulled the trigger.

*BANG*