If Only For A Little While

Promise

Eren

"Look Eren! It says here that there are places in the Ocean so deep the sunlight can't even reach it!" Armin's face glowed excitedly as he pointed to a page in his book.

"That's great Armin," I answered, only partially listening as I drew the soft contours of his face.

He looked up from his book frowning. "Eren you're not listening to me are you?"

"Hey, you have your passions and I have mine," I retorted gesturing to my drawing. Armin and I lay on our stomachs on my bedroom floor, a book about Marine Biology and Ocean study lay open on the floor in front of my friend and my notebook in front of me. I always loved drawing Armin, his eyes were the most beautiful shade of blue and the ridges of his face were gentle.

"I guess that makes sense." He sighed flipping a page in his book.

"What makes sense?" A soft voice asked from behind me making me jump.

"Dammit Mikasa don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry to scare you," she muttered sitting beside me. She looked over my drawing but didn't comment, she simply tugged her red scarf over her face.

"I wasn't scared! This is my room! I was just-"

An abrupt crash cut off what I had been about to say. "What was that?" Armin cried as we all scrambled to our feet.

"I don't know, let's go see." I said, bolting out of my bedroom and running towards the sound of the noise, Mikasa and Armin both on my tail. Our bare feet padded against the oak floor.

"Mom?" I yelled rounding the corner of our hallway to see her. Her body was pressed against our front door, keeping whoever was on the other side out.

"Mom who is it? What's happening?"

"They're here! Eren! Take Mikasa and run!" She screamed, "Hurry!"

I stumbled over to her, gripping the sleeve of her shirt and tugging on her arm. "You- you're coming with us mom, I'll run if you run too! Mikasa help me!" She nodded and grabbed Mom's other arm.

"Why can't you just listen to what I say for once!" She cried yanking her arm away from me and using it to brace the door shut, "Please just listen to me one last time!"

"No... No!"

The sound of shattering glass chimed loudly as a figure crashed through a window towards the back of the house. Shards of glass sprayed the floor bellow the window frame like drops of rain. "Carla?!"

"Hannes!" My mother gasped, "Please get the children out of here!"

Hannes smirked and walked over to the window beside the front door, "C'mon Carla I can take him, give me some credit will you-" His words caught in his throat as he pulled back the window's curtain revealing not one, but three men. I didn't get a good look at them before I was swooped over Hannes shoulder along with Mikasa. Armin had already climbed out of the window Hannes had entered from and was no doubt heading for his own home.

"Put me down!" I screamed, "We can't leave her!" I watched as we abandoned her. I saw the door crash down on her as a tall man and a muscular man broke it down. Behind them stood another man. His smile is the only thing I remember about him. I remember the way he griped my mothers head in his hands before snapping her neck. I didn't see what happened next though because Hannes had hoisted us out.

And we ran.

~~~~

"Eren, are you listening to me?"

I snapped back into reality. Away from my memories and back into the bustling cafeteria. My plate sat untouched in front of me.

"What?" I asked, dazed.

Armin sighed, shaking his head and turning back to his lunch. "You never change."

I frowned looked across the lunch table at Jean, who was trying fruitlessly to flirt with Mikasa, who's gaze was fixated on me. "Eren," she finally said, "What- what were you thinking about? Just now?"

She knew me all too well. "Nothing," I muttered, "Don't worry about it."

She nodded silently, tugging the end of her scarf -a nervous habit she'd recently developed- and turned her attention to Jean who was thrilled to be noticed by her. Beside him sat Marco who continuously attempted to join in to their conversation, but was repeatedly ignored. Poor guy, if only Jean could see past his nose. With his stupid horse face he'd be lucky to even have a great guy like Marco.

It was at that moment that an elbow plowed into my side, "Hey!" I jumped to my feet, turning to face the culprit.

"Heh, sorry Eren," Conny snickered nervously, "Me and Sasha were just arm wrestling." He gestured behind him to the brown haired girl eating an entire family-sized bag of potato chips.

"Watch it!" I yelled leaning towards him snatching the front of his shirt into a fist. Armin jumped up at the same time as Mikasa, putting his hand on my shoulder just as she rounded the table to stand in front of me.

"Control yourself Eren." She commanded, ripping Conny out of my grasp.

"Don't tell me what to do!" I shouted, "You're not my mom! You're not even my real sister so just shut the fuck up!"

"Eren..." She looked like I'd slapped her. In a way what I'd said was worse than anything else I could have done, but I didn't regret it. She was just too over-bearing sometimes. I knew she meant well but...

I turned and bolted. "Wait Eren!" Armin called out to me. I didn't want to see him though. Or her. Or anyone.

I ran towards the school's old auditorium, it'd been abandoned after they built the new one so it was the perfect place to be alone.

It was easier to remember when I was alone. the promise I'd made to myself 5 years ago.

I'd find those men who took my mother.

And kill them all.

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Woohoo, it's been a week since my last update, sorry about that.

Keep reading an be sure to comment :)

-KarinParker