Different Kind of Love

Chapter 10 - Knock at the door

"Mikasa! Get the door!" Eren shouted as he layed on the couch, watching TV.

"You get it, you're downstairs!" Mikasa replied from upstairs in her room.

"Fine!" Eren walked casually to the door. Whoever it was they really wanted to get in, they were banging on the door repeatedly. Eren opened the door. Police? "Hello? Can I help you?"

There were two officers who both looked at Eren, at each other and then back to Eren again before one of them replied. "Eren? Eren Jeager?"

"Yeah?"

"Turn around, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of Jean Kirschstein." Eren stood staring at the two for a minute until he sighed and turned, putting his hands behind his back, letting them be handcuffed.

"Eren? What's going on?" Mikasa's asked as she strolled down the stairs, her eyes widened as she realised. "What? Why are you taking him?"

"Excuse us ma'am, he's being arrested on attempted murder."

"What?! Eren! Tell them they're wrong!"

"I'm sorry Mikasa," Eren replied with a calm voice "but they aren't wrong, I nearly killed Jean. I guess you can come and see me in jail." Mikasa couldn't do anything but stare as Eren was dragged off into the police car waiting outside.

- 7 days later -

Eren's family and friends flooded into the courtroom, finding the jury to be already seated, whispering to each other, already negotiating the evidence. Everyone was nervous, especially Mikasa who hadn't said anything to anyone all morning, not even Grisha, who had been released from custody for the trial.

A door in the corner of the room opened with a creak and everyone went silent, a police officer entered the room, followed by a judge cloaked in a black 'dress', some would call it. "All rise." The police officer spoke. Everyone stood. "The presence of the flag of our county, the emblem of our constitution, remember the principles for which they stand. Department 3 the superior court is now in session, the honourable Nile Dok is the judge residing. Please be seated, come to order."

"Welcome." The judge sat and reviewed the stack of paper on his desk. "Today we will be reviewing the case of attempted murder. Eren Yeager being the accused and Jean Kirschtein being the victim. If the two would like to enter the courtroom." The policeman nodded to another policeman at the other side of the room, giving him permission to open a door next to him. The two opened their own doors, revealing Eren behind one, and Jean behind the other. He had recovered slightly from 'the attack', everyone was calling it, though he still had scars and yellowish bruising covering his face. "Bring them in." The two were slowly escorted to their seats. Mikasa watched Eren's face as he made his was to his chair, he was still in his emotionless state, not as tense as before but he still wasn't his normal self. "Eren Yeager, you have been accused of attempted murder, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty." Eren raised his head to look the judge directly in the eye. "I did originally intend to kill him, but I guess I just had a change of heart."

"I see, and why did you change your mind?"

Eren shrugged. "He didn't deserve to die."

"I didn't deserve to die!?" Jean perked up, his face scrunched up into an outraged expression. "What the f..."

"Mr Kirschtein." Jean was cut off by the judge. "Let Mr Yeager speak."

"Yes, your honour."

"Please, continue Mr Yeager."

Eren cleared his throat. "I have reasons for my actions."

"Well would you care to clarify?"

"I would, your honour. As you already may know, my father was involved in some top secret activity which resulted in 3 people's deaths. It is pretty obvious that this was distressing to me and my adoptive sister, Mikasa, who has already..." Eren stopped abruptly, as he turned his head towards Mikasa. His face had changed from that of a murderer to that of a child, friendly. Mikasa looked around to find everyone staring at her, no-one knew about her past. She turned her gaze back to Eren who mouthed the words, "can I?". Mikasa just nodded to give permission.

"What about your sister?"

"When she was younger, we were at a small shop, me, her, her mother and her father. I went to get some sweets [candy if you're American] and I left Mikasa with her mother and father. I grabbed some sweets when I heard some screams and shouting from the other side of the shop, so I ran towards it. When I got there I saw Mikasa's dad dead on the floor with 3 men stood above his body barking commands to Mikasa and her mother, something about being the 'last ones'. Mikasa's mother shouted for Mikasa to run but she couldn't do anything except watch as her mother ran at the men with a pair of scissors, only to be axed down by one of them. I ran in and killed two of the men, only to be caught be the third, he grabbed my throat and strangled me, I tried to move but he had me in a strong hold. I shouted for Mikasa who was frozen with fear, I shouted her over and over and over. Still nothing. Then I said something that made he click. She grabbed a knife and stabbed the man in the back."

"You went through all that? As children?" The judge gave both Mikasa and Eren a sympathetic gaze.

"She lost a family that day, that's why we took her in." Eren stared at the floor, the memories flooding back to him. Mikasa just stared, her eyes filling with tears, everybody else just sat, gob-smacked. "Anyway, back to my point. The news distressed us both, and the 'victim', mr Kirschtein here, took advantage of the situation. He made me break up with my girlfr... Ex, ex-girlfriend. That hurt. He needed to be dealt with. He went too far."

"So you attacked him?"

"No, i was only paying him back."

"Ok. Mr Kirschtein, let us have your view."

Jean paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I disagree with Eren, he would always call me out for a fight whenever he had the chance, he would always attack me. I just did this to get my own back. I'm the innocent one here."

"Objection, your honour!" A voice came from the public booth, where Mikasa and Eren's friends sat. It's was Sasha.

"Yes miss...?" The judge replied.

"Braus, Sasha Braus, your honour."

"You may speak."

"Thank you, your honour. I have known Jean for almost all my life, and everyone here can vouch for this when I say that Jean is a bully, to put it nicely. He has always had it out for Eren and he is the one who seeks out Eren for a fight, Eren only acts in self-defence."

"Hmm." The judge stares at Eren, then Jean, then towards the public booth. "Thank you all for your contribution, if the jury would like to decide the sentence." He looks towards the jury's bench. They all nod and exit the courtroom to discuss the evidence, leaving the room in silence, building a tension that could kill.

Minutes pass until a door opened and the jury flooded back into their chairs. "Have the jury made a decision?"

"We have, your honour." One man stand up from the jury. "We find the defendant... Not guilty." There is a sigh of relief and a slight cheer from Eren's friends. Mikasa catches sight of Eren, he was...smiling. Was he only being serious because he thought he was going to jail? Nevertheless, Eren was free, he wasn't going to jail. He was free.