𝐅𝐀𝐖𝐍 • ᵉ ʲᵃᵉᵍᵉʳ

the future

𝚜𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝟽𝚝𝚑

𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐀'𝐒 𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆, feeling amazing. The house was still quiet as we made our way out, the sunlight streaming through the windows of the living room, casting a soft glow on the furniture. Carla had made pancakes—stacked high with syrup dripping down the sides—and we all drank coffee, laughing and talking about everything and nothing. It was simple and perfect, a moment I wanted to freeze in time.

The drive home was chill. The sun was up, but the air conditioner was blasting, making the inside of Eren's Mustang feel like a little bubble of cool air against the warmth of the day. We had the windows down, and as the wind blew through the car, a soft, melancholic tune played on the radio. The song wasn't too sad, but it fit the mood—quiet and reflective, the kind of music you listen to when you're processing everything that just happened. A little bittersweet, but still somehow hopeful.

I leaned back in my seat, eyes half-closed, as I let the music and the hum of the car take over my senses. Eren drove in a comfortable silence, his hand resting casually on the wheel, his fingers tapping to the beat of the song.

"You know, that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," I said after a while, breaking the quiet.

Eren glanced over at me, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "What? Meeting my mom?"

"Yeah," I shrugged, "I thought I was going to be a nervous wreck, but she's really nice. You were right—she's awesome."

He chuckled, his eyes back on the road. "Told you. She's been waiting for you to come around, you know."

"Has she?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. She likes to talk about how I never brought anyone home before... she always says I was a little... too independent. Guess I finally found someone worth introducing."

I smiled softly, feeling my chest tighten at his words. The idea of Eren being this close with his mom, and me somehow becoming part of that, made my heart swell. "Well, I'm glad you trust me enough to bring me around. It means a lot."

Eren's hand shifted, and he reached over, brushing his fingers against mine before intertwining them together. "I trust you with everything, Y/N."

I looked over at him, catching his gaze for a moment. His face was a mix of sincerity and something else—something deeper, like he was thinking about the future, about everything that had led up to this point. There was no hiding the way he felt anymore. I felt it, too.

"Thanks for bringing me here," I said softly, squeezing his hand.

"Anytime," he replied, his voice low and warm. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

The road ahead stretched out, the scenery around us beginning to blur as the city of Shiganshina faded in the rearview mirror. We were heading back to Marley, to the same life we had before, but something had changed. We were different now—closer, maybe, or just more real with each other. Either way, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

As the song shifted, the soft chords of a new track filling the car, Eren glanced at me again, this time his smile more playful. "You know, we've got a lot of catching up to do once we get back. Finals are done. Summer's right around the corner."