Despondent Beauty [Ereri/Riren Fanfic] [COMPLETED]

Chapter XIII

AN: POV switch to Levi.

I questioned Eren about what he said but he wouldn't tell me, so here we are in his room with nothing to talk about. I was using my knife to look at the marking on my chest, trying to make sense of how it appeared there on its own but I couldn't piece any conclusive evidence together. I noticed that every now and then my feet would ache, but it wasn't too bad for me I guess. However, I could tell that something was worrying Eren so I decided to break the silence and ask.

" Are you okay? You seem like something's bothering you."

" I don't know... There's something that I want to tell you but I don't know how you'll react, or worse, if you'll turn your back on me..."

" Why would I do that? How about this, I'll listen to everything you have to say and once you're done I'll think about it and give you my response calmly."

" That's just it! I don't want you to hate me for what I have to say, but I don't know how else I can get this off my chest."

" Just tell me, I won't do anything, and I won't hate you." I walked over to Eren and sat next to him, rubbing circles on his back to console him a bit.

" Alright... You know my teacher, the one I told you about when we first met?"

" Who taught you English?"

" Yes, well, that woman was your mother. I knew when you showed me the photograph you have, but I didn't know how to tell you because I didn't know how you'd feel about it."

" My mother taught you my language and was your mother's friend? I never thought-"

" You never thought she could pull it off, right? Well, she couldn't have pulled it off if she were a normal human being."

I felt my eyes go wide from what Eren had just said. My mother not being human was the craziest thing I've ever heard, but I wouldn't know. She died when I was born, but Eren knew her before that. I have to believe him, I have to since he knew her before her death. I kept quiet and listened to what he had to say, as I promised.

" You'll probably think I'm talking nonsense but I'm not making this stuff up. I knew her too, she was like another mother to me. She had the same marking you do on her arm and she had the most beautiful brown and gold wings I had ever seen. She would always give me a ride on her back, and we'd soar in the sky like we ruled the heavens. But as I spent more time with her the more I noticed that she was hiding something. I asked my mother about it and then she told me that my father had done something to her."

" ! What did he do?!"

Eren paused and I watched as he held his hands together tightly, he was afraid. I slowly and gently placed my hand atop of his to reassure him that I wouldn't hate him. I just needed to know is all, to see who is really in the wrong here.

" He said that what your mother had was a nothing good for our people, so he tried to dispose of her himself. My mother tried to protect her but my father refused to have her in the way, so he locked her in her den." I saw that Eren was shaking, just by telling the story his mother told him was frightening him but he's soldiering on. " Your mother fought back, but she had to leave since the air wasn't suitable for her. Which was all the more reason for me to believe that she was human. That's pretty much it. So?"

I thought about it with conflicting emotions, but no matter how much I try, I can't believe what he told me. Something had to be wrong, there had to be. Eren's mother has been eyeing me since I first met her, so I have my suspicions about her. All of a sudden, something popped into my head and I spoke to Eren.

" Eren, how old are you?"

" Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

" Because I have a reason to believe that your mother lied to you about my mother. So, how old?"

" What?! You dare assume the Chieftainess would lie to her people, more-so her own son?!" Eren was clearly offended by my statement but my gut has never proven me wrong. He must've thought about it before answering my question, " I'm seventeen. I was born on the twenty-fourth day of the Bruma season. In your terms, it would be winter."

" Twenty-fourth of December... I thought so. I was born the same day, so your mother was lying. My mother, Kuchel, she died giving birth to me. So the woman who taught you English wasn't her, but someone else. Might've been my aunt, but I'm not sure, I'd have to ask my cousin. But I can't go back there now, not with the mess over there."

I sighed and laid on my back, my hands behind my head, and thought about the intention of Eren's mother lying to him like that. Maybe the reason was deeper than we thought, but I can't be sure. I've never been this confused about my unknown mother, and I doubt my uncle will tell me if I ask politely. I have to deal with so much that I almost forget that Eren is there next to me wanting to help. I sit up and look into the brunette's captivating emerald green eyes.

" Don't worry about it. Instead, we should try and figure out what we're going to eat."

" You humans sure do need a lot."

" Yes we do, but most of the time we try to do things we like to do with the person we enjoy doing it with. So I'll tell you this," I grabbed his hands in mine and told what I wanted to say to him. " The day we met, I never felt more alive and more at home than I did back there. So I'll ask one favor from you, don't look sad and wear your gleaming smile with pride. I'm sure your father would want the best for you, so start with that."

Eren kept his eyes on me, trying to hold back his tears, and then lunged at me. He held me in his arms with a strong hold, and all the while I could feel him shaking. I returned the embrace and without thinking I said something I thought I couldn't.

" Σ 'αγαπώ, Άγιος. (" I love you, Eren.")"

His shaking ceased and he held me tighter. I never realized that I'd fall for him within a few days, but even so, he means the world to me.

" Hey Levi? Did you ever notice that you haven't been wearing your mask?"

" .... What...."

AN: Here's chapter thirteen, and I ended it with a joke of sorts. When I re-read the chapter before this one I was like wait, Kuchel couldn't have been Eren's teacher since I made it so that him and Levi were born on the same day. So I made this chapter to try and clear things up (Ｔ＿Ｔ). I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next one!!!

¥•~To Be Continued~•¥