"...To Stay by Your Side..." (AOT Alternative Universe)

2. The Hurt in her Eyes

AUTHOR'S POV:

In a hotel room, at a dining table, there sat Gabi with a defeated look while Armin was sitting accross her.

Mikasa was standing next to her with her usual straight face.
.

"Why did you protect me?" Gabi asked with a saddened and distressed expression while she was still looking down.

"Because, I don't have a reason." Mikasa replied, looking down at her.

"I'm the one who killed your comrade." Gabi muttered. "I'm the one who bludgeoned the guard. Falco didn't do it. Kill me, not him."

"We won't kill you." Armin said with closed eyes.

Gabi looked up at him. "But you want to, don't you?"

"I don't want to kill you." Armin said and took a deep breath. "Kill this, kill that... It's all you think about." He opened his eyes. "Just like someone I know."

Just then, Eren walked into the room with an emotionless expression.

Armin and Mikasa turned to him and gasped in surprise.

"Er-" Mikasa said.

Eren raised his bleeding palm, shuting them up.

Gabi started shaking in fear, looking down.
.

Then the three of them sat at the table with all of their hands visible and resting upon the table.

Gabi was sitting in shock and terror while Mikasa was looking down.

Armin was staring nervously ahead, while Eren retained his emotionless expression, looking down.
.

"I just wanted to talk." Eren said, still looking down. "Conflict isn't necessary to solve Paradise's problems. Hange-san and the others are fine. We're just moving them."

"Eren, we're the ones who wanted to talk with you." Mikasa said with a saddened expression. "Back at Marley, that night, you were talking about how tired you have been getting lately but then you suddenly left us to join Zeke and entrusted everything with him."

"And, why did you attack Marley on your own, Eren?" Armin asked. "Is it because Zeke told you to do so?"

Silence fell upon them for some moments.

"I am free." Eren said.

"Huh?" Both Mikasa and Armin said in unison, confused.

"The things I do and choices I make are all decided by my own free will." Eren said.

"So your actions after meeting Yelena were all you?" Armin asked with a surprised face.

"Yes." Eren plainly replied.

"No, you're being manipulated." Mikasa firmly said.

Eren's gaze shifted towards her.

"The Eren I know would never get kids and innocents involved, even if they were enemies." Mikasa firmly said before her expression turned to desperate one. "And I know you care about us... care about me more than anyone." She almost panicked as she stood up. "The reason you saved me in the cabin..." She leaned forward and brought one hand up to her scarf. "The reason you wrapped this scarf around me... that was your kindne-"

"I said, 'keep your hands on the table.'" Eren said, cutting off her speech with a firm and harsh tone.

Mikasa froze, hearing his words as it was the first time he had ever snapped at her.

She slowly sat herself back down as her hands fell to the table with a defeated look.

"I spoke with Zeke in Liberio, brother to brother." Eren said. "Zeke knows more about Titans than even Marley does."