Defy Gravity | The Sequel | Eren x OC

Chapter 50: Without You (Eren's POV)

Without you,

The ground thaws

The rain falls

The grass grows

'Without You' from Rent: The Musical

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It's a moment he'll relive every waking hour of every waking day for the rest of his life...

It's the night of April 26th, 2024, when Eren hears the panicked voice of his brother tell him over the phone that his beloved Rose, missing for a month, has just jumped off a balcony and plummeted into the sea and certain death. Eren barely hears these words through the speaker, he barely feels the way his heart seems to shatter when suddenly he hears her... he hears her scream out his name in a panic as if she's just manifested...

His heart beats in his ears and he can hardly believe his eyes when he turns to see his Rose burst through his backdoor, dressed in her wedding gown, soaked to the bone, and with a look of fear in her eyes. He drops his phone in a daze and blinks, he stands still, he can't process what he was seeing. He almost turns away from her, frightened he's losing his mind but then Rose's face lights up and she bursts into happy tears as she scurries down the steps to run to him.

Eren doesn't spare a second thought, he bolts and runs to her too; forgets Zeke's words for the nonsense they were. The two lovers crash into each other, embracing and bursting into sobs and whispering words of love to one another. Eren sniffles and holds her tight as he feels her reassuring weight in his arms. Zeke didn't know what he was talking about; Rose isn't dead, she's right here in Eren's arms, right where she belongs...

In his arms, right where she belongs... until she coughs up a puddle of water and her knees give out under her as she slips down and sends them both to the dry grass under their feet...

Eren's eyes flutter quietly as the sun rises high and envelops him in a warmth, he'd sooner not take... the birds chirp and the animals let out mating calls as the leaves on the trees sway from the warm breeze...

"Wake up Eren... wake up and go on..."

His green eyes burst open and he lets out a soft cry, his mind racing as he quickly sits up. His chest heaves heavy as he quickly backs himself against the bark of the tree and he realizes he's been asleep under this tree for hours. It takes him a full minute to remember why he's here and he slowly turns to look at the fresh mount of dirt next to him that he spent hours digging... and under that dirt lies his unborn child and his beloved. His one and only. The woman who went through hell to come home and die in his arms.

He'd do anything, give anything to join them. He doesn't want to live, he doesn't want to thrive. He just wants to come back to this tree and pass on, go find Rose and Lily in the paths and be a family again. He'd do it now, grab the pistol in his pocket and put it in his mouth... but he made a promise to Rose... he promised her he'd live. As much as he wished he hadn't, he can't dishonor her dying wish. He can't break the last promise he made to his beloved.

It's later that evening, and a small one-bedroom apartment in Shiganshina is quiet and still when there's a sudden knock on the door. It's weak and faltering and a young raven-haired woman with wide grey eyes steps out of her bedroom as she tentatively walks up to answer her door. She opens it to find her ex-boyfriend Eren Jaeger standing in complete stunned shock, his green eyes wide and tear-filled as he holds his black cat in his arms.

She looks at Eren in shock, having not seen him for over a month and she goes to make a peep before she takes in the crumbled look on his face as he looks at her mournfully.