The Unwanted Tybur

Need (End of Season 1)

Zach POV:

I followed behind Fiona as she led me through the streets of Stohess. We had gone quite a ways away from the convoy carrying Eren and Fiona's expression honestly had me a little concerned. "Hey Fio, I think if we walk any farther we'll end up hitting the wall of the district." I said to the redhead, who simply continued walking. Scratching the back of my head I continued. "I mean I'm not against spending time together, but shouldn't you stay close to the other Scouts?"

After a few seconds we entered a grassy clearing and she still kept walking. "Fio? What's going on?" I asked concerned as she stopped about ten feet in front of me in the middle of the clearing.

"Z-Zach?" She shakily began before she then turned around. The wind gently blew past us both, causing her hair to reveal her tear covered face.

"What's wrong?" I immediately asked, all relaxation gone from my demeanor after seeing her tearful face. She didn't answer and just stood there as the tears covering her face continued to flow. This caused me to instantly close the distance between us and bring my hand to her face, wiping away her tears. "Who made you cry?" I asked but she stayed silent. "Please, tell me and I'll make them wish they never met you."

"I-I... We-" She choked out while shifting her gaze downward, only confusing me.

That is until I heard the one sound that could make my blood run cold. In the distance the thunderous roar of titan lightning rang out for all to hear, signaling a transformation. I whipped my head in the direction of the newly transformed shifter as my mind raced with a cacophony of thoughts. 'Who? How? Was that Eren?! Did Reiner get impatient?! Fuck! Why now?!'

However those were all cut off as I felt the familiar thud of something hugging me from behind. "P-please, d-don't go." I could hear Fiona's muffled cry as it finally dawned upon me what was happening.

'We're compromised..... Then that means.' I thought as I then heard the unmistakable grunts of Annie's Female Titan. Instinctively I took a step forward, but quickly felt the resistance of Fiona as she seemed to be pulling me away. I glanced back at her to try and make any excuse, but froze when I heard her crying.

"Please... I-I can't lose anyone else..." She choked out in between sobs. Fiona then finally tearfully looked me in the eye and finished. "Zach, I need you."

Those four words.

Those four simple words.

Broke me.

I felt tears fill my eyes as years and years of emotions flooded back to me. 'She needs me? I...I...' I thought as I remembered the first night of my term as the Warhammer. 'How long... How long has it been since someone truly meant that?'

"Y-you're l-lying!" I yelled out, my stutter returning as I tried to pull away. Fiona however held firm, digging in her heels as tears fell. "T-There's no way you mean t-that! Every bad thing in your life is my fault!"

Fiona firmly pulled me into a hug and choked out. "I don't care about what you did! You probably had a good reason!" I could feel her arms tightening around me as she finished. "I forgive you, so please don't go."

The final bits of the dam that was holding back the torrent of tears broke as I fell to my knees and screamed at the top of my lungs for the first time in years. I let out everything I had repressed since becoming the Warhammer all those years ago. My sadness, rage, anger, frustration, fear, guilt, anything and everything that I had built a mask over.

I could feel the pair of slender arms around me, holding me tightly as I wept. "I'm sorry." I let out in between sobs. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, It's okay." Fiona let out softly as she slowly rubbed my back.