COMRADES • Eren Jaeger

EXTRA CHAPTER: Allies

Chapter 28.5

Your breath smelled like alcohol.

It reminded you that you were older now. Practically an adult, even if you weren't that much older yet.

It was getting harder and harder to catch Eren in a truly calm and happy moment, and you made the most out of each time, grateful that he seemed to be at his best when you and him were alone. You loved the beach, loved being around him, loved the pretense of the both of you living a "normal" life.

Eren stepped from the shadows, stealing your breath and the heat from your skin. Suddenly your defenses were just paper, paper soaked by the rapidly falling salty drops. Before you could draw in the air your body needed, your legs took off and melted into his form. You could feel his firm torso and the heart that beat within. His hands folded around your back, drawing you in.

"I'm not supposed to tell you," Eren said.

"It's fine. I want to hear this from someone who was my comrade," you said. "Someone I trust."

"You... trust me? Present tense?"

You nodded. "Yeah. I do."

Eren exhaled.

"I changed, didn't I?" you asked. "I changed and it hurts for you..."

"It shouldn't matter," he said. "Everyone changes when they get older, don't they?"

You opened and closed your mouth, unsure if you wanted to say more. In the end, you chose to speak because you thought you'd die a living death if you didn't.

"Eren," you said softly. "I remember that day in the field."

"You remember," he repeated.

"I'd have to be dead to forget that," you said. "Maybe not even then. I chickened out when you held my hand, then I called you—" a slight smile lifted your lips, "—my comrade. Because it was my job to protect you. Is that true?"

"Yeah," he said, brushing the hair away from your face. "That's what you and I do. We protect each other and keep each other safe. We do that because we're a team."

"A team," you echoed. Then you smiled a little. "I like that."

"Me too," Eren replied honestly. "I like protecting you. Even if you don't need it."

"In the field, there were so many flowers among the grass," you recalled. "We were laying down... Then you gave me those flowers as a gift."

Eren nodded. "Yeah."

"Forget-me-nots. To promise you that I'd never forget," you said. Your heart clenched like it was squeezed in a fist. "I broke my promise. I forgot you. But you never forgot me."

"It's okay," he replied softly.

Your heads knocked together, lips brushing against each other lightly. Suddenly, Eren jerked back.

"I can't kiss you," he stated. Sadness flooded your eyes, and Eren almost panicked. "No—you're drunk."

"I'm not," you sniffed. "Is it because you don't like me?"

Eren's eyes widened. "It's not that! No—of course I like you. I like you very much."

"Then why don't you want to kiss me?"

"Because I want to kiss you when you're sober," he replied. "When you're in the right state of mind."

Your body shook, thinking about the missed time you would never make back, crying to release the tension of these long months. You felt ashamed that Eren saw you like this, but you also knew that he would understand. After all, it was usually him who came crying to you first. That was back then, when you were younger.