Dream ꕥ Eren J.

┏°⌜ 024: Keep moving forward

When you arrived at the edge of the forest, some soldiers with horses, carriages and weapons were already waiting there.
From afar you could already recognize a certain person who was standing there,
Floch.

When Erens Titan stopped right in front of the edge of the forest, Floch welcomed you two with open arms with his kind of disgusting grin.
"There you are Eren, I see that you found her!"
He pronounced the word 'her' with disgust.

God, what is his problem?

Eren knelt down and held his hand whereupon you stood on the ground.
You just sat there and didn't dare to move. Every soldier, including Floch, looked at you strangely at some point.

But why?
Did you do something wrong?
What do they want from you?

Floch came closer to you and then stood on Eren's hand so that he was now standing directly in front of you.

Floch blankly: "Stand up."

"H-huh?"
You looked at him with big eyes, you were too afraid to move.

He just let out an annoyed sigh.
"Ugh, are you deaf?"
Floch took your wrist and pulled you up with force, his grip was tight so that it hurt and you had to groan loudly in fear and pain. This guy was obviously angry and pissed off.

You almost lost your balance when he abruptly got you on your feet, but Floch pulled you close so his mouth was against your left ear.
"I SAID STAN-"

"Don't touch her like that."
As soon as these words were heard behind you, Floch stopped in the middle of his sentence and his grip on your wrist loosened.
You turned your head around to see no one other than Eren and how his head and upper body peeked out of the titan's neck.

Fleshstrips were still connected to his face, a lot of steam came out from the back of the neck, where he came out.
His hair, which Eren usually pinned up in a messy bun, was now loose and flew around due to the steam.
The Titanshifter gave Floch a sharp look while he pulled his arms out of the titan and tore off the fleshstrips from his face.

Floch let out an annoyed sigh and finally let go of you completely.
"Yeah yeah, okaaay."

Asshole.

While Eren freed himself from the Titan's neck your heart was beating fast and it was difficult for you to breathe.
What will happen now? And what do they want from you?
When his body was completely free, the brown-haired climbed down the huge body. However, you couldn't see much of it as steam blocks your view.

The steam was thickening and you couldn't even see Floch even though he was right next to you.

You started to cough, the steam was getting really warm.
But of course, as soon as the Titanshifter leaves the body of the titan, the body vaporizes.
It's fascinating and creepy at the same time....

You looked around but couldn't see much. It was so damn warm.

You held your hand in front of your mouth because you had to cough several times and you couldn't open your eyes completely because of the warm steam.
Normally you would just walk away, but are you even allowed to move at all? Floch and the other soldiers are still close to you and might injure you if you make a wrong move.

"Er-"

Before you could finish pronouncing Jeagers name suddenly out of nowhere a hand grabbed your wrist and pulled your body in their direction. You bumped against a person who wraps their arms around your body. It all happened so fast, you didn't dare to say anything or to do something against it. At first you thought it was Floch who might want to yell at you again. However, you quickly noticed who was hugging you.

"E-Eren wha-"

"Shhhh"
His soft 'shhhh' kinda made you nervous.
Your head leaned against his chest so that you could hear his heartbeat. Erens body temperature was very warm, but he wasn't sweating. What is he up to? What is going on?

Your posture was very tense, but his heartbeat somehow calmed you down.
He leaned his chin on your head. One arm hugged you, the other caress your back. That gave you goosebumps.

For a moment it felt like the world was quiet. All the questions and fears in your head were silent, this moment was indescribable.

You were neither afraid nor nervous.

His warmth, his smell, his heartbeat, his touch.

But as quickly as the moment happened, it also ended.

When he took a step back you could now see his face. Those green eyes and those red stripes under his eyes. Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, reality hit you again.

His face was half covered by his hair,

but you could tell his gaze was blank.

You, on the other hand, were confused.
Who is that in front of you? Your enemy or your friend?

Zeke's words played in your head again:
I don't know what Eren's goals are and what he currently knows about you, but please promise me that you will be safe, Survive!

You know Erens intentions in the anime/manga are good. He only ultimately wants to protect the people he loves,
but now?

Zeke now knows that Eren did not intend to go through with his euthanasia plan. Zeke knows that Eren has manipulated their Father ,Grisha , and he knows what Eren is capable of.

Ultimately it means that Eren must resort to other means to protect the island. But how far will he go? How involved are you in this?

'Every day since I came to this institution I've wondered; just how it came to be this way... For me and my comrades... Our minds and bodies are exhausted.
Our freedom has been taken away. Even our very identities... If everyone knew they'd turn out like this... I don't think they would agree to ever set foot on the battlefield. But we all have something within that is pushing us, to take that plunge head-first into hell. For most people... That something... Is not their own will. They're forced into it by their environment or the expectations of others; it was never their own choice. But when we choose to immerse ourselves in that same hell willingly... We can see something beyond it... It might even be hope. Or in the end just a hell of another making. You'll never know. If you're not the one who's continuing to take that path... Unless you keep moving forward.'
This is what Eren said to Falco in Marley.

'Keep moving forward'
That's exactly what Eren does. He will do anything to achieve his goal. No matter what, no matter how.
And that's exactly what scares you.

That's what makes him so dangerous.
You no longer know what is right or wrong. You can totally understand why Eren wants to protect paradise, but at what cost...

Kill all enemies - or in other words the entire world?

'It's true... I once thought of everyone on the other side of the ocean as my enemy. Then... I crossed it. I slept under the same roof as my enemies. And I ate the same food as them. Reiner... I'm the same as you. Sure, there were people who pissed me off. But there are good people too. Past the ocean... Inside the Walls... We are all the same. But all of you... You were taught that everyone inside the Walls was different from you. That they were demons. That they were devils that threatened you Eldians who lived on the Continent along with the rest of the World. You were ignorant children. And all of that was beaten into you by ignorant adults. You were just a child. What could you have done to fight back against that? Your environment. Your history. Right, Reiner? All this time... It was painful for you, wasn't it? I think now... I finally understand that.'

That's what Eren said to Reiner while Willy Tybur was giving his speech
- declaring war on Paradis.

'I was right. I am the same as you.
I think maybe we were born this way.
I'll just keep moving forward
'Till I killed my enemies.'