Burdens(Erehisu)

Chapter 8

After making a full circle around the farm greeting people, Historia and Eren stopped at the fence of the royal farmhouse backyard. Both leaning their folded arms on a single wood of the fence, they watched the scouts scurried around the farm, trying to complete their duties. Well, at least Mikasa, Jean, and Armin were doing their duties. The other two--Connie and Sasha--were goofing off.

Hearing a chuckle, Eren glanced to the side to see Historia was watching Connie and Sasha with amusement. As Eren stared back at the group, he noticed that Mikasa was walking towards them--with great speed, in fact. Knowing the Ackerman's annoying protective nature, Eren held up his right arm and tried to wave her off. The Ackerman slowed down upon seeing the wave, then reluctantly, turned herself around and regrouped with Armin and Jean. Seeing the wave from Eren, Armin waved back, shouting:

"Eren...Historia!"

Eren was about to shout back before he was interrupted by Historia's shout:

"Armin, we'll be there in a minute!"

"C'mon!" Historia then said to Eren enthusiastically.

"Well, you're in a good mood again." Eren teased while pacing beside her.

"That's because I am! But I want to see the children first."

===

The blonde and the brunette stopped at the royal farmhouse's front entrance upon seeing a lone figure dressed in men's vintage mopping the wooden floor with a wet towel. Eren, never seen this man, gazed into the tired grey eyes of his. He showed nothing but pain, regret, tiredness, and loss of will. A man that's only living for being a slave.

"Who are you?" Eren asked while gazing at him.

The pale-colored skin figure stood up, towering over both Eren and Historia, avoiding Eren's eyes, and said in a low, coward voice:

"I just work here."

Eren then watched Historia, whose face had lost all the enthusiasm she had displayed earlier; she walked across the dead silent room, ignoring the man, and disappeared in the back. Eren glanced at the tall figure, gave a small head nod, then proceeded across the room heading toward the direction where Historia went. Stepping into the doorless entryway, Eren came to face the stone-built stove--its surface was covered with black burn marks--that was a few feet away from the entryway. To the right of the stove sits the cabinets and a sink. To the left sits the small size counter that was against the wall with a rhombus-shaped window overhead.

Historia, leaning her back against the wooden door frame, stared out to the open field. Then, Eren methodically leaned his left shoulder onto a wall diagonally across from Historia, arms crossed, and watched her. Knowing Eren's presence, Historia gazed to the side of him--not looking at him--and said:

"He's one of the boys from my childhood that bothered me every day on the farm," this time looking at Eren. "When I came back to the farm after I was crowned, he insisted on allowing him to work here."

Expecting Eren to question, but that never came. He simply looked at her intently.

"He said he wanted to repay the guilt that he felt over the years."

===

Standing by the exit, Eren watched the blonde sitting under the elegant green tree as she played and read books with the kids--who tuned in and out regularly. Feeling the sudden thirst from the long day of excursion, he looked around the tiny kitchen for water. His eyes then traced along the counter before settling on a cylinder-shaped steel kettle pot. Lifting the kettle by the arc hand bar with his right hand to feel the weight, he reached out with his left hand to grab two giant cups by its lips, settled it evenly on the flat surface countertop, and elegantly poured the cold water into the cups one at the time.

Sitting under the tree, the blonde explained away the book's history and context to the kids. But then she stopped once the kids' attention turned to the brunette walking towards them, holding two giant cups by each hand. The kids watched Eren with great curiosity.

"Here," Eren said while holding out his left hand, eyes jumping from one small figure to the next.

Once Historia took the cup from his hand, he sat adjacent to her, legs crossed, and said to himself:

"So, these are the kids, huh?" looking at each one of them.

A bit of sadness has crept into his green eyes at the recognition of how much these kids have grown.

"How many of you still recognize me from the time when I had regular short hair?"

As he had expected, a long, dead, painful silence followed. Eren was about to dismiss the question before a dark blond hair boy called out:

"You're Eren. The man that possesses one of the titan powers."

The kid had dark brown but reflective eyes, long eyebrows, and two missing upper front teeth. Eren gazed at him before fully recognizing the kid.

He was with the patch of kids that came from the underground to the edge of the walls.

Smiling, Eren leaned his body forward and asked:

"What's your name?"

"Matteo."

Eren nodded. Matteo was watching Eren with great admiration. Eren, however, ignored it and tried to begin a conversation. But it was quickly cut off by Matteo.

"I've been helping out the farm, doing some physical training that's required to join the training regiment, and eventually, the Survey Corps. I've been studying the history of the titans, Eldians, and its former empire's atrocities that were committed and how those people are now on the move to eliminate us. But, we are innocent. So, one day, I want to join you to fight for the survival of this Island!"

Seeing the same passion emitted from the young one's eyes, the guilt killed Eren from the inside. Just like Eren, who was an ignorant, petulant, dumbass kid that wanted to venture outside the walls knowing nothing of the cruel world they were in. Eren looked away from the enthusiastic kid and said in a low, agony voice:

"Enjoy your life. You don't need to worry about these 'adult' things." Then, shifting his apathetic green eyes to meet the passionate dark brown eyes of Matteo's, and continued, "Because....I will end this vicious cycle.....Permanently." 

This fanfic reached over 1k reads?! All I can say is Thank You for all the support! It's really encouraging to me! I hope for more to come!