Through Heaven's Eyes

Chapter 2 - A Sealed Promise.

The air was thick with the stench of sweat and fear, mingling with the distant cries of the injured. After the attack on Wall Maria, the survivors had retreated within the walls of Rose, seeking refuge from the horror that still loomed just beyond their borders. But safety brought with it a new threat—hunger. The food stores were limited, and with so many mouths to feed, desperation began to simmer beneath the surface of their temporary haven. 

Eren, Mikasa, and Ivana stood quietly in the midst of the throng, watching as two grown men fought over what was likely a trivial disagreement. The tension in the air was thick, fueled by empty stomachs and shattered spirits. Eren instinctively pulled Ivana closer, as if to shield her from the ugliness unfolding before them.

"How did it come to this?" Eren muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked around at the people who had once been his neighbours, now reduced to animals fighting over crumbs. The world he had known was gone, replaced by this brutal, unforgiving reality. Before they could dwell further on the scene before them, a faint voice called out to them. "Hey, guys!" 

They turned to see Armin hurrying toward them, his arms cradling something close to his chest. As he drew nearer, they saw what he held—four individual pieces of  bread, barely enough to sustain them. "Here," Armin said, his voice was low as he handed out the bread. "My grandfather managed to get a little extra by telling the soldiers he had kids to feed."

Mikasa took the bread with a grateful smile. "That was kind of him," she said. Eren nodded and  handed a piece to Ivana. As Eren took his piece of bread, his gaze shifted to a Garrison soldier standing a few feet away. The man's face was twisted in irritation, his eyes narrowed as he watched the children with a disdainful sneer. 

"What's his problem?" Eren muttered, his brows knitting together in a frown as the soldier turned and walked away, his heavy boots clapping against the stone floor. 

Armin leaned in close, his voice barely audible. "Ignore him. There's a food shortage, and the poor guy's probably hungry too. We should try to make this bread last. It might be all we get for a while." Eren nodded, though his anger simmered just beneath the surface. As they turned to leave, they heard a muttered comment from one of the guards. 

"A shame to waste food on these animals. If the titans had gotten through the wall, they could've taken a few more of them with them, if you ask me."

The words sent a surge of anger through Eren. His fists clenched at his sides, and before anyone could stop him, he strode up to the guard and kicked him hard in the leg. The guard yelped in pain, then whirled around, shoving Eren to the ground. "What do you think you're doing, brat?" he snarled. The kids watched in horror as they began to stomp the kid. 

Eren struggled to his feet, glaring up at the man with defiance burning in his eyes. "You have no idea what it's like!" he shouted, his voice trembling with rage. "You haven't seen what they do to people!" For a moment, the guard was taken aback, the boy's raw emotion catching him off guard. But before the situation could escalate, Armin stepped in, placing himself between Eren and the guard.

"I'm sorry," Armin said quickly, bowing his head. "He didn't mean it. He's just hungry and irritable...Please, let's not make this worse." 

The guard stared at Amrin for a moment before speaking with a dismissive grunt, "You should know—it's because of us that you're not starving to death right now. A little gratitude wouldn't hurt," he spat and turned on his heel, walking away, leaving the kids to their own devices. 

Eren scoffed, "I refuse to show them gratitude...damn it!" He spat and stood on his feet. Ivana looked up at the guard, the shield of the garrison regiment printed at the back of his jacket. Her eyes lowered to the ground, a since of sorrow washing over her as they all began to walk to a more secluded area, away from the prying eyes and judgmental stares. Eren paced back and forth, his emotions in turmoil as the others stood still.