COMRADES • Eren Jaeger

CHAPTER 3: Legion

LEVI REGARDED YOU with animosity when you came into the Survey Corps regiment headquarters in Trost District and tried to explain what had happened. He told you that even if the laws of the land were written to protect Eren from a disturbing fate, even humanity could bend a few words.

He kicked you out and made you look for a squad leader to do clean-up duty with. You begrudgingly walked around Trost with a mask, lifting corpses into wagons and lighting matches to burn them away. You asked why they shouldn't get buried and the answer was disappointing: there isn't enough space.

You were also called to attend Eren's hearing, which was synonymous to being a house mouse getting chucked into a pit of black vipers. The good news was that the Survey Corps were siding with Eren. The bad news was that nobody ever sided with the Survey Corps.

Premier Zackly slid into his seat at the front.

"Regular law cannot apply in these exceptional circumstances. Therefore, this will be a military tribunal," said Zackly. "Ultimate authority has been entrusted to me. Even over your life. Do you have any objections?"

"No, sir," Eren responded.

"We're here to decide which branch of the military will be responsible for your activities. That decision will determine how you are dealt with. The Military Police Brigade, or the Survey Corps."

People called him a monster, an enemy of humanity. They said he ought to be killed, dissected, and disposed of — whichever it was, it didn't matter as long as he was gone. A few bold hands suggested that his existence was the coming of the Savior, the light of hope that humanity could cling to.

"Sir, I ask you to take into account that Eren has saved my life twice before." Mikasa spoke, looking at the chief with a raised hand. "Once in Trost, he defended Y/N L/N from a Titan that was about to devour her. The second within Wall Rose, when he protected me, Y/N, and Armin Arlert from a wrongful cannon blast."

"However," Nile the Military Police man interrupted, "based on reports, we found that Jaeger and L/N may have been involved with each other when they were in the Cadet Corps. Her claims may be due to intimate feelings."

"That is not true!" you exclaimed in disbelief, cheeks heating up in anger and embarrassment. You ignored the looks everyone was giving you. "We were never involved!"

Screams and shouts rang throughout the courtroom, but yours was the only one he could hear. Your desperate expression pained him in a way that he never wanted to feel again. You refuted catty arguments from the Military Police and practically begged Zackly to let him go. The way you defended him, the way you spoke with confidence and resolve like you really believed in him... were you being serious? Did you actually have faith that he was not a monster, and that he could be a savior?

How were you not afraid of him? He nearly killed Mikasa. He might just lose control and kill you next. Just thinking about the possibility sent shivers down his spine.

"He must have been a Titan that took the form of a child to infiltrate humanity!" cried out Pastor Nick. "He seduced Captain Levi's protege in an attempt to get closer to the Military!"

The members of the Church of the Walls murmured in agreement. "In fact, that L/N girl is probably brainwashed as well. How do we know she's human? We must dissect both of them!"

"NO! You're wrong!" Eren shouted as he pulled on the chains behind him. "Maybe I'm a monster, but neither Y/N nor Mikasa have got anything to do with it! You're just using whatever speculation there is for your own selfish reasons!"

"Why you—"

Eren pulled on the chains harder, the metal clanging heavily. "Just shut up and leave everything to me! Don't go for Y/N! Or Mikasa! Or anyone else!"