Freefall | Eren x OC

Chapter 68: The Dream and the Reality

You all gather around the backstage doors of the music hall a little while later, throngs of fans still crowding the path between the venue and the hotel. The crowd surges and flashes from cameras and phones start going off as Levi takes off in a run to get through the fans as fast as humanly possible. Jean and Mikasa hold each other tightly as they walk quickly through the crowd. Connie, Floch, and Reiner all exit and laugh as they're touched and screamed at by fans. Knowing he's the main attraction, Eren smiles at you and offers the crook of his arm, and you sigh as you wrap both arms around it.

"Are you ready babe?" he says softly, and you nod with uncertainty. 

He throws the backstage door open and you two are met with deafening high-pitched screams of fans as you make your way down the iron grate steps and into the crowd. A few security guards try to hold the fans back but they're too many and they swell against you and Eren as you try and make your way back to the hotel just a few yards from you. You're banged into just as Eren laughs as fangirls literally throw themselves on him. You try and keep a hard grip around his arm as you move him forward, but his arm slips from yours as he's handed pens to sign autographs. A female fan screams and moves in to kiss him on the cheek, knocking you away from him as she does.

"Eren!" you call out, but he can't hear you as he and his guards are bombarded by fans. He poses for selfies, grins as he's kissed on the cheek some more and handed everything in the world to sign as he slowly walks to the hotel. You're pushed and shoved in the mad rush as you slowly become a part of the crowd and you groan in pain as a sudden wave of sickness overwhelms you as you're jostled violently.

Suddenly you hear a boom erupt in your ear, a boom louder than any scream and you feel your ears begin to ring from the noise. The ringing gets louder and only stops momentarily as a boom after boom breaks through the sound barrier. You begin heaving and croaking as the wave of fans rushes and shoves past you and screams at the top of their lungs. You feel like you're about to vomit and groan in pain as the booms keep louder. You shake and start sobbing, holding your hands to your ears. You're feeling too overwhelmed by the noises in your head, the pains in your stomach, and the violent shoving of people around you. Suddenly a hand reaches out and pulls you forward. You see a flash of Levi's face as he pulls you through the crowd and helps you get through the hotel doors.

You breathe shallow breaths as you get through them, and Levi helps you straighten out. 

"Just breathe, it's okay now," he says calmly as you try to bring your breathing down. 

The sounds in your head suddenly dissipate and your sense of panic subsides somewhat as you stand in the lobby, the rest of your gang chatting over in the hotel bar. Levi looks at you and sees the fear in your eyes.

"Are you okay Rose?" he asks gently, and you nod, though you feel anything but. 

"Eren..." you murmur anxiously and look out the window, but you can't see him over the wave of fans.

"Forget Eren," Levi says firmly, "he's got guards protecting him. But you look sick, and your blouse has been ripped."

You squeamishly look down at it, and realize it's in tatters, revealing your black bra underneath. "Fuck..." you whisper as Levi quickly pulls his jacket off to cover you, but you politely refuse it. "It's okay Levi, I'll go upstairs and change now," you whimper. You turn to walk to the elevator before turning back to Levi. 

"Go ahead and celebrate without me, I'm tired and going to bed."

"Okay... do you want me to send Eren up?" You shake your head. 

"No, I could use some alone time right now, please just wish everyone a good night for me." Levi nods and you step into the elevator and head up to the 14th floor.