JAEGER WAR (an anime + Avatar fanfiction)

Episode 6 - Disappointing Reality

'I've brought some tea.'

Sumiyoshi reached his house's porch with a wooden plate on his hands. On the porch's stairs there was a lonely figure, silently holding the man's baby.

'Look how soundly he's sleeping,' Sumiyoshi muttered, pleased. 'I really must apologize. Making our guest babysit like this...'

He had eyes as red as his hair, and he wore a green and black kimono jacket. The man sat down and took the baby, staring at the young boy who was sitting there, dressed on samurai clothes and with his long, black hair tied on a bun.

'No need to apologize,' the boy answered. 'It's a lot of hard work, giving birth and raising a child.'

They both stayed silent for a few seconds, then the young man took the teacup with a nod of gratitude. 'I'll be leaving after I've had this. It wouldn't be right to keep eating for free here.'

'Don't say that!' Sumiyoshi exclaimed. 'You saved our lives! If it weren't for you, my child wouldn't have been born.'

The young man didn't answer, just sipped from the teacup, and that was all needed to be said.

'I understand,' Sumiyoshi sighed. 'Then, the least I can do is to pass down your name to the next generations. Let them know about Eren Jaeger.'

'That's not necessary. I shouldn't even be here.'

'But... if you have no heirs, who will remember? I'm just a mere charcoal seller. Someday, someone will-'

'Sumiyoshi,' the young man interrupted. 'Those who have mastered their skill all arrive at the same place. Even if the times change or the place itself changes, they end up at the same place.'

Sumiyoshi was quiet, his eyes glittering with surprise. Such a young man, but with so much pain on his voice...

'You seem to think I'm special... But I'm not.' The young man stood up. 'I cannot protect anything that's important to me, because every time I try to do so I end up hurting the people I love.'

Sumiyoshi stood up too, not knowing what to say.

'I can only do one thing now,' the young man whispered. 'To keep moving forward.'

He looked so... sad. So very, very sad.

Please, don't say that.

His face started to fade.

I beg you. Don't talk about yourself like that.

Then, darkness took over him.

It's so sad...

Tanjiro Kamado finally opened his eyes.

He didn't know how long he had been sleeping. It all was just too messy...

The battle at the Entertainment District. The blood. The pain.

'Was it just a dream?' he muttered, the face of that Eren still on his mind.

A jar full of flowers was fallen on the ground, broken into pieces. On the doorframe, standing like a statue, was Kanao Tsuyuri, her mouth wide in shock.

'Where... am I?' Tanjiro whispered.

Kanao snapped out of her trance and on an impulse, rushed to Tanjiro's bed and hugged him. 'Tanjiro! You're awake! Are you okay? You've been on a coma for two months since that battle!'

The boy grunted and Kanao realized she was hurting him. The girl stepped back and stared at him, her eyes glittering with relief. 'I'm so glad you woke up. We thought maybe-'