COMRADES • Eren Jaeger

CHAPTER 9: Jealousy

Disclaimer: This chapter was written a long time before Attack on Titan ended. Every dumb joke made here is purely a coincidence with the ending of the manga.

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IN THE DREAMS YOU HAVE AT NIGHT, you become a different person. Whether it was you or somebody else speaking, you did not know — but inside your deep slumber did you peacefully linger in the familiarity of being with a family and a proper home. It's as though an old voice is narrating her life story, you are living in her point of view, and she is speaking directly to your face though you cannot see hers.

As a child, your happiness was simple. It was the embrace of your mother and playing "let's pretend," it's the uplifting story at bedtime and the knowledge that Arya has your life all taken care of. You would walk the main street of Beaurlin, away from Titans, away from corruption, away from a world that would hurt you. And when you would go home, your family would be there, waiting.

You did not remember any of it.

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CHILLS RAN UP AND DOWN all over your perspiring body the moment you woke up. Historia Reiss, your roommate, slept on the twin bed opposite yours. Dazed from what you had seen in your sleep, you watched the rise and fall of her chest for a few moments before sitting up.

It was early dawn and the fresh morning air was pleasantly cold. Even with light out the sun was yet to rise, but you could hear faint chirping coming from the trees outside. Your clammy palms were tingling as you pressed them to your aching head. A strange dream had clouded your peaceful sleep yet again. It was a miracle that you managed to wake up early.

After changing out of your night clothes and slipping on your shoes, you quietly tip-toed through yours and Historia's shared bedroom. It took extra precaution to make the creaking sound on the wooden planks underneath you less disturbing in an effort to not wake up your sleeping friend. You casted one last glance at her peaceful form — knocked out but gorgeous as ever — before stepping out of the bedroom.

Historia is very beautiful, you noticed as you closed the door behind you. I wonder why I've never paid attention to her beauty until now.

"Yo," Jean greeted you as you passed him. "I got guard duty later today. You?"

"House chores," you said miserably. "Levi wants the place clean before Hange comes."

"You? House chores?" Jean hesitated. "Isn't that like, sexist?"

"Levi doesn't base it off gender, you ass. It's about who's the most efficient."

"Well," said Jean, "when you're done, you're welcome to join me. Being cooped up with humans can make a person crazy."

"What'll I look at then?" you asked dubiously. "Birds?"

You walked downstairs to find someone to bother, only to smell a light and fresh aroma. Tea. Levi's favorite drink that he was occassionally kind enough to have the generosity to share two cups with you.

To your surprise, it was not your mentor that was standing bent over a whistling standard metal kettle at the stove, but instead found Eren already up and about with his daily assigned chores. His back was to you as stood by the kitchen sink, stirring a nice hot pot of green tea.

"Good morning," you said as you crept up behind him. "Didn't think you were a tea drinker, Eren."

"I'm not," he muttered. "The captain just assigned me to this."

"Are you taking after Levi?" you joked, taking the cup from his hands. The hot drink burned your tongue as you gulped down the green liquid, but it was gratifying given the chilly environment. "If you're trying to get his approval, then you must know that he already thinks that you're the best at cleaning among all of us."