shadows of paradis [various!attack on titan x reader] [mafia!au]

(15) To the Boy Who Sought Freedom

1/5

[Y/N] found herself in the backseat of a car, the familiar scent of her parents' favorite cologne and perfume filling the air. They were driving on a winding, forested road under a moonless sky. Her father was behind the wheel, his eyes focused on the road, while her mother hummed softly to the radio. Her younger self felt an overwhelming sense of safety.

Suddenly, the tranquility shattered. Headlights from an oncoming vehicle blinded them. Her father swerved desperately, but it was too late. The car spun out of control, and everything turned into a chaotic blur of screeching tires, breaking glass, and her mother's terrified scream. The vehicle crashed into a tree, the force of the impact shaking the young girl to her core.

Her parents' lifeless bodies were twisted in unnatural positions, their eyes vacant and unseeing. Blood trickled down her father's forehead, mixing with the shattered glass that littered the seats.

But this time, something was different. As [Y/N] tried to reach out to her parents, another figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the carnage with an almost casual stride. Kenny Ackermann loomed over her parents' bodies. His presence was an intrusion, a horrifying aberration in an already gruesome environment.

Kenny's smirk was predatory. He reached down, gripping the girl's face with a brutal hand, forcing her to look at the carnage. His voice was a sinister whisper, laced with malice. "See what happens when you defy the order, little girl? This is your fate."

[Y/N] struggled, but his grip tightened, and then he slapped her hard across the face. Pain radiated through her cheek, a searing reminder of her helplessness. The sound of the slap echoed in her ears, mixing with the distant wail of sirens that never seemed to come closer.

Suddenly, everything went black.

She jolted awake, her heart pounding against her ribcage as if trying to escape. She was drenched in sweat, her breathing ragged and uneven. The room was dark, but the remnants of the nightmare clung to her like a suffocating shroud.

''It's not real,'' she said between raggy breaths. ''That's not how it happened. It's not real. It's not real.'' she kept saying it over and over like a mantra, hoping that it would calm her down.

She sat up, her body trembling. The pain in her cheek felt all too real, a ghostly remnant of Kenny's brutal slap. Her hand instinctively rose to touch her face, the skin tender and sore. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision as the trauma of the nightmare refused to dissipate.

Her parents died in a car crash but she was 20 years old when it happened. And fortunately... she wasn't in the car. The memory of their deaths was a heavy weight she carried, but she reminded herself that she hadn't been there to witness it. The details were different. The nightmare was an illusion, a twisted distortion of her real trauma.

[M/N] and [F/N] [L/N] were well-known figures in their respective fields. Her mother, a renowned actress, had captivated audiences worldwide with her stunning performances and undeniable charm. Her father, a celebrated author, had penned numerous bestsellers, his words weaving intricate tales that left readers spellbound. Together, they were a power couple, their love story an inspiration to many. Despite their fame, [Y/N]'s parents had been fiercely protective of her. They had kept her out of the spotlight, wanting her to have a normal childhood away from the prying eyes of the media. They had always emphasized the importance of privacy, shielding her from the invasive scrutiny that came with their celebrity status.

The news of their death had shaken everyone. The media frenzy was immediate, headlines blaring the tragic news across every platform. Paparazzi swarmed, eager to capture the sorrow of a broken family. Fans and colleagues mourned publicly, tributes pouring in from all corners of the world. It was as if the entire world had stopped to grieve the loss of two good people.