A Second Chance (Marco x Fem Reader)

Chapter 54

You were met with cheers louder than you've ever heard before once you returned to Trost. The word about your arrival had spread like wildfire and the Trost population was in a state of bliss, the town decorated and prepped with celebratory banners, scout emblems and festival stands.

As you stood atop the wall with the eleven other survivors, clutching your newly recovered belongings in your arms while taking in the scene before you, you couldn't help but feel sad.

This was a huge victory for humanity, however it didn't happen without sacrifices and loss; and you lost so many. The others looked to be thinking along the same lines as you, none of them even as much as smirked.

This was a day to celebrate the titans defeat, yes, but also a day to mourn your fallen comrades.

~

You were woken up by a horrific scream. Hurriedly, in a clumsily manner, you yanked yourself up from the ground where you and Armin were napping, turning to face Eren's cell.

"Who... am I? What is this place?!", he said freaked out in his bed. Armin joined you by your side.

'He doesn't remember what is going on? He's been here for days already'

"Eren, relax! You're in the stockades. You and Mikasa are serving time for insubordination, remember?"

You had been visiting Eren and Mikasa daily, sometimes winding up falling asleep while sitting on the ground resting your back against the stone wall dividing the two cells. The both of them very much understood why they were confined, and there had been no incidents or outbursts of any kind while they were there... until now.

"Were you having a nightmare, Eren?", Mikasa asked him worked up, peeking out her head as far as she could through the bars so she could catch a glimpse of him as he walked up to you and Armin. Her hair was an absolute mess seeing she just woke up, but having been her roommate for four years it was a familiar sight to you.

"Yeah... I was...", he didn't finish the sentence, his voice sounded very off; confused and deflated.

"You just said 'who am I?'...", you started saying, hoping he would elaborate on what he meant, but he just seemed to become even more confused by that.

"Huh?"

"You did... Are you crying, Eren?", Mikasa asked him carefully. You turned to look at him, and sure enough, tears were glistening at the brim of his eyes, ready to fall any second. He stared down at the floor, seeming beyond baffled. Eventually he slouched alongside the bars until he reached the other end of it, slumping down to the ground with a thud facing away from you while leaning his back against it.

"I feel like I just woke up from the longest dream ever", he grabbed a slight hold of his hair while leaning his forehead against the palm of his hand. "No... not a dream... Memories. Just now I was connected to my dad's memories. That titan... It was you... Dina...". He seemed despaired by this information he had obtained; by the words coming out of his mouth, but they told you nothing.

...

Eventually, Armin had joined Eren in his cell, writing down the information as Eren told him about the memories and what it meant. You had gotten a hold of a basin of water and soap, as well as a brush, joining Mikasa in he cell to help her freshen up. The only instruction you and Armin had received was to not let them out, therefore permitting you to enter if you found it necessary.

Mikasa had cleaned herself, you currently brushing through her hair gently as you listened to what Eren told Armin.

"-People who inherit a titan power lives for 13  years before perishing. The owl called it 'The Curse of Ymir'. The founder Ymir lived that long after her power awakened, so it's only appropriate we live that long, too". You almost dropped the brush, your hands shaking the slightest bit as you processed what that meant.