COMRADES • Eren Jaeger

CHAPTER 38: Ends

A CIGARETTE MET YOUR LIPS while you waited for the airship to touch down land.

The Survey Corps didn't dare to celebrate any longer for the rest of the trip back. They sat in silence, murmuring quietly to one another as the members of Squad Levi hunched defeatedly against the metal walls, lost in their grief as Sasha lay dead before them. There would have to be talks of a hero's burial ritual soon. Out of the eight Scouts that had died during their mission in Liberio, only one would get a proper funeral.

You leaned back on your seat beside Eren as you blankly stared into space. An uncomfortable gagging feeling prodded and poked at your scratchy throat, like a vile beg for you to vomit bile from the depths of your empty stomach. Maybe it was air sickness, maybe it was discomfort. No tears weren't coming, as the grief was yet to hit you. But you knew very well that it was only a matter of time till you would shatter like a glass doll and fully break apart.

By then, Zeke's arms had finished growing. His legs were soon to follow. Eren had healed much faster, as it was naturally a part of his Attack Titan powers to regenerate body parts quicker than the other Titan shifters. Yet, neither of them seemed to struggle. They were both satisfied with the successful outcome in Liberio although Eren was not as joyous-looking as his older brother was. Accepting their fates was a small price to pay — a price that you were indebted to as well.

When Levi returned to the command room with Hange and Onyankopon, Zeke fished a small box out of his coat pocket as well as a lighter. From the box, he took out a cigarette and lit it. You wrinkled your nose at the scent.

"You'd think that you'd know better than to smoke a death stick at this moment," you said.

"Ah, Y/N—your incessant worrying might be the reason that pretty face of yours gets wrinkles," he replied as he blew sweet smoke into the cool air. "What's Levi gonna do? Throw me off the airship?"

"He might. I know for a fact that he's dying to."

"Well, judging by the look on your face," said Zeke, peering at you through his foggy glasses, "I think I could deduce that you'd really like to do the same."

"Apparently you're not as tactless as I thought you were."

Zeke ignored your bad temper and only chuckled as he took in another puff. Eren's eyes dully darted between the two of you, not used to seeing you be so snarky by bantering with his brother. Upon seeing his sibling's interest, Zeke offered Eren a cigarette. Eren didn't say anything and only blandly (rudely) stared back at him through emotionless eyes.

"Tough crowd," Zeke shrugged. "You, Lieutenant?"

Before you could reply with something insulting and malcontent, you heard someone in the main cabin loudly announce that the airship was going to land in Paradis Island soon to slight cheers. You thought about what was coming for you. Jail time, isolation, and humiliation, most likely. The reproach died on your lips and instead you shrugged nonchalantly and said, "Sure."

For a moment, an expression of surprise overtook Zeke's steaming face as he and Eren glanced at you. Then it broke out into a wide grin that you dearly wished to cleanly wipe off with a sharp slap to the skin.

"What?" you demanded.

"I knew you weren't a prude," he laughed, and you glared at him with dislike for suggesting your austerity. You had been something of a prude in Liberio, but only because it was beneficial to your plans. Otherwise, you wouldn't have cared much at all. Even if it was frowned upon in Paradis, the word of the law was no longer your concern.

"Just give me the smoke," you said exasperatedly.

Zeke shrugged and cocked his head to his pocket, waving his still-steaming arms to signify that you had to be the one to take it as he arms were untied and unavailable. You leaned over Eren's lap to fish the cigarette box and a lighter out of his coat pocket and settled back in your seat.