The Turquoise Cure (Eren X Reader)

Chapter 17: Reclaiming Trost

    With the mission to reclaim Trost underway and the preparations being rushed and ushered into fruition, you weren't sure where you belonged. Should you stay with Eren to make sure that he was safe and fulfilled the mission, or should you join the other soldiers responsible for taking out incoming titans. With your skill, you felt that you would be of the most help with taking down other titans, however, Eren clung to you. As you met up with the team that was assigned to ensure he didn't lash out and fulfilled his duty, his eyes continuously met yours. You wanted to tell him to focus, that what was at stake was so much more important than the two of you. As you thought this, though, in a deep cavern of your heart, you prayed that he wouldn't stop. 

    "I just think that if anything happens, it's best if you're the one to take me out," he said quietly, as the rest of his reconnaissance team was smoothing out the details. After he spoke, despite the quirt volume, everyone's heads turned back to him, and ultimately to you. You cupped his face in your hands, forcing him to look at you pulling him downward to look at you properly. "Eren," you said calmly, "nothing is going to happen, and if anything does, I will come to fix any problems at the drop of a flare." The group stared at you. Who would volunteer to kill titans when they could just be watching their boyfriend transform into a titan and potentially save the day? You, apparently. Why don't I want to be there? Why am I hiding? You brushed your thoughts aside and continued your gaze into Eren's eyes. "Promise that you'll be careful," he asked pleadingly, finally breaking your gaze and looking over the wall. "Pfft- when am I not careful?" you joked, nudging him playfully in the ribs and giving him an evil smirk. He smiled back, answering your confusion about your position for this mission. "Look, everyone," you said loudly, now addressing the rest of the group. "You guys are all professionals, and you have Mikasa. If anything goes wrong beyond what she can fix- which I'm sure it won't-" you said, fake smiling in Eren's direction, "fire a red flare in a horizontal direction." Looking out at the much more experienced and aged faces than yours, you realized that it wasn't your place to command anything. You weren't in charge of this mission, and the fate of it certainly wasn't up to you. "I-I'm sorry for being demanding," you began, now embarrassed, "but I'm cutting my losses here, and I refuse to allow any familiar faces die today." The cutting edge to your stare must have dismissed their perceptions of you being a power-hungry teenager, because they nodded affirmatively and saluted you. "Good luck," you said to them, saluting. "And you," you said as Eren began to walk past you, "don't make me think you're dead ever again, okay?" You realized after speaking how tight your grip on his wrist was. You loosened it, but your palms still burned from the effort. "I'll do my best," he said, walking past his arms limply falling in the space between the two of you. What did I expect? Some beautifully prepared goodbye speech?

    Standing atop the wall, no friends or familiar faces in near sight, you gazed down at the wall's interior below and the constant flow of titans of all shapes and sizes streaming through. Waiting for the mission command, you glanced to the corners of the wall, where large crowds of soldiers were attracting some of the titans. Those that were less apt to peer pressure, however, belonged to you and the other attack soldiers. You didn't bother making nice or having the painstaking introductory speech: as you said to Eren's group, you were cutting your losses. The fewer familiar faces you saw splattered on the ground, the better off you'd be. On your toes, biceps flaring, swords drawn, you awaited the signal to begin the mission. As if answering your thoughts, a green flare was shot from a few yards to your left. You sprang into action, swinging down towards the buildings to attack an 11-meter titan that had been steadily inching closer to where Eren's group was supposed to be for several minutes now. You spun as your wildly swung your blades, leaving its neck barely attached, and you watched as it fell to the ground, smoke and vapor concealing the fallen titan's body. Moving onward, you cleared away 1 other titan until you heard an ear-splitting cry. What the hell is that? You swung yourself up atop a tall building, and overlooked just the sight that you had promised yourself you wouldn't see. Eren was hunched over on the ground, his protecting squad staring at him in humiliation and disgust. "I knew that this would happen!" one of the officers named Rico shouted to Mikasa, who looked stunned, and who now sported a bloody cut on her cheek. "Shut up!" Mikasa yelled to her, now unraveling. "Your job is to protect him- I don't care if he isn't cooperating! Signal (Y/N)!"