please me ; eren yeager x oc

prologue

The sunlight streamed through the window, casting long shadows across the sterile, white walls of the hospital room. The low hum of machines filled the air, their steady beeping the only sound breaking the silence. Emma lay in her bed, eyes fluttering open slowly, her vision hazy and unfocused. A dull, throbbing pain radiated from her forehead, and each beat sent shockwaves through her skull. She barely moved, too disoriented to even turn her head as the memories of the crash flickered through her mind like a broken film reel.

"Emma?" The voice was soft, cautious, yet filled with relief. Eren stood at her bedside, his eyes rimmed with dark circles, as if sleep had been a distant memory since the crash. His expression was one of intense concern, but as he looked down at her, a flicker of relief softened his otherwise tense face.

"Eren?" Her voice was hoarse, barely a whisper, as she struggled to sit up, grimacing at the pain in her head. The world around her felt surreal, the stark white of the room too bright, too clean. She raised a hand to her head, feeling the thick bandages that wrapped around it, and the reality of everything crashed down on her again.

"Hey, take it easy." Eren gently placed a hand on her shoulder, guiding her back down onto the pillows. "You're still recovering." His voice was steady, but she could see the worry etched in his eyes.

"What...what happened? Is everyone...?" Her words trailed off, the memories hazy and disjointed. All she could recall was the screeching tires, Sasha's screams, and the horrifying crunch of metal on metal.

"They're alright," Eren said softly, but his eyes drifted toward the window, the muscles in his jaw tensing as he took a deep breath. "Mostly." He hesitated, glancing back at her with a forced smile. "It was a bad accident, Emma. You...you were hit the hardest."

Emma's heart sank, the weight of his words pressing down on her like a physical force. "Sasha?" she whispered, her voice cracking.

Eren looked away, rubbing the back of his neck, his fingers trembling slightly. "Sasha's here, too. She...well, her legs aren't completely healed. They said she's got a long road of physical therapy ahead, but she's strong. She'll get through it."

The room fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the sounds of the machines. Emma closed her eyes, swallowing back the wave of nausea and guilt that threatened to overwhelm her. "I...can't believe this happened."

A gentle knock sounded on the door, and Mikasa slipped inside, her face drawn and pale. She wore a simple gray hoodie over a pair of black sweatpants, the hood pulled up, casting shadows across her face. She looked different, quieter than usual, like she was carrying a weight she couldn't share. "Hey, Emma," she said, her voice soft. "Good to see you awake."

Emma forced a weak smile, but the tears pricked her eyes as she took in the sight of her friend. Mikasa's hands were bandaged, and her cheek bore a faint bruise, evidence of the crash that had thrown their lives into chaos.

"Hey, Mikasa," Emma whispered, her voice trembling. "How...how are you holding up?"

Mikasa gave a small shrug, her eyes dark and somber. "Doing alright. We're all a bit banged up." She cast a glance over her shoulder, nodding toward Connie and Armin, who stood in the hallway, talking quietly. Connie was leaning heavily on crutches, his leg in a brace, while Armin had a sling on his left arm. They both looked weary, like they hadn't slept in days.

Sasha's voice suddenly drifted into the room, weak and tired but unmistakably her. "Is that Emma? Let me in, I'm fine!"

"Wait!" Jean's voice followed, firm but gentle. He soon appeared in the doorway, holding onto Sasha, who was gripping her walker tightly, her face pale as she tried to put on a brave smile. She wore a hospital gown under a worn-out hoodie Jean had likely lent her, and the effort it took just to walk was visible in the strain on her face.

"Sasha, you don't have to be here," Mikasa said, rushing to her side to help steady her. "You should be resting."

Sasha shook her head, determination flashing in her eyes. "If Emma's awake, I want to be here. She...she needs us." Her voice cracked slightly, but she swallowed, straightening up. "Besides, I'm done lying around. It's boring as hell."

Emma felt a surge of guilt as she looked at Sasha, her legs visibly unsteady even with the walker. "Sasha, you don't have to do this...you should be resting."

"Like I said, boring as hell," Sasha replied with a shaky smile, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she looked at Emma. "But you...you look like crap."

Emma let out a faint laugh, though it hurt her head. "Right back at you, Sasha." She looked down, unable to meet her friend's gaze. "I'm so sorry...for all of this. If I'd been more careful—"

"Don't." Eren's voice was firm, his eyes intense as he looked at her. "This wasn't your fault, Emma. None of it was."

A silence settled over the room, heavy with unspoken fears and regrets. The group exchanged glances, each of them carrying their own scars, both visible and hidden. They'd been through so much together, but this was different—this was trauma that wouldn't fade with time or laughter.

Finally, Armin spoke up, his voice barely above a whisper. "The doctors said it's going to be a while before any of us are fully back to normal. Sasha...she might not dance the same way again. And Connie...he's going to need therapy for his leg."

The reality of Armin's words hit hard. Their lives, their dreams, had been thrown into chaos. Sasha's dance, Connie's football...everything they'd worked for was hanging in the balance.

"So...what now?" Jean asked, breaking the silence. His usual sarcasm was absent, replaced by a somberness none of them were used to seeing.

"We recover," Mikasa said quietly, her voice steady despite the tears shining in her eyes. "Together. We don't have to face this alone."

Eren nodded, his jaw clenched as he looked around the room. "She's right. We've made it this far together. We're not giving up now."

Emma met his gaze, a spark of determination igniting within her despite the pain. "We're not going to let this beat us," she said softly, but there was a fierceness in her voice that surprised even herself.

Sasha reached out, her fingers trembling as she took Emma's hand. "No matter what happens...we're all here for each other. Right?"

The group exchanged solemn nods, their eyes filled with a shared determination that went beyond words. They were broken, scarred, but they were still here, still together.

As the evening sunlight cast a warm glow across the room, it felt like the beginning of something new—a season of healing, of facing their fears, and of holding onto each other through the darkest moments.

But this time, they knew they would face whatever came next together.