Overprotective: AOT/KNB Crossover [Reader x Eren]

Chapter 35: The Jaeger Home

~from Eren's POV~
I was grateful that Himuro was carrying (y/n). I don't think I'd be able to handle it.
We walked through the door, and I went ahead a bit into the kitchen. "Mom? Hey, Mom?"
"Hello, Eren," she said, smiling at me kindly, and then she saw (y/n). "EREN YOU IDIOT SON OF MINE DID YOU GET A GIRL PREGNANT?!"
"MOM? WHAT?!"
Smack.
*** (a few minutes later)
My cheek still burned from where she slapped me, but now she was happily talking to Himuro as though she'd never snapped.
"Sorry," I apologized to Himuro. "My mom's a little..." She glared at me, and I swallowed quickly, forcing a smile. "Like I said. She wanted a daughter."
She huffed slightly. "That's not true. I love you just the way you are." Her gaze darkened. "But if you ever hurt a girl or get her pregnant without marrying her first-"
"OK MOM I GET IT!" I said, throwing up my hands defensively and moving out of her arm range for my own safety.
"Be quiet or you'll wake up (y/n)," Himuro said, flicking his eyes up at mine before going back to (y/n)'s peaceful face.
"Sorry," I whispered before turning to my mom. "Hey, Mom? Can I talk to you for a sec?"
She nodded, tilting her head curiously, and followed me into the next room. "Well, Eren? What is it?"
"It's just...(y/n) is a friend of mine from school, and she has some family problems going on right now, so I was wondering if she could stay here for a while?"
"Who's the boy she came with?" my mom asked.
"That's Himuro, her step brother. He looks after her as much as he can." I hesitated before deciding to tell my mom what I knew of her situation. "From what (y/n) and Himuro have told me, (y/n)'s parents divorced when she was young, and she was separated from her brother to live with her dad. Her dad has another lover, though - that's Himuro's mom - only she doesn't want (y/n) to stay at her house."
My mom nodded, taking in everything with serious eyes. "And what of her father?"
I hesitated. "I'm not really sure of that, but Himuro implied that (y/n) doesn't want to live with him."
"And her biological mother and brother? What of them?" she asked, sympathy in her eyes and the soft lines of her face.
"Her mom died not too long ago, but her brother is still alive. He's actually living in this city still, and he goes to our high school. (Y/n) was staying with him recently, but...something happened, and it's best for her to find a temporary place to stay. So..." I exhaled slowly. "So is it okay for (y/n) to stay here for a bit?"
My mom nodded, her eyes warm and soft. "Of course, honey. That was never even a question. It's just..."
"What, Mom?" I asked, afraid that she was going to change her mind.
She smiled gently. "It's just that I'm happy you brought home a girl like her."
Without realizing it, a smile lined my lips. "Yeah," I instinctively agreed before blinked quickly. "Wait a second! (Y/n) isn't- we aren't- I'm not her-"
My mom winked and me and stood up. "Yet," she added playfully, leaving me speechless. "What, you thought that your mother wouldn't be able to tell?"
A light blush scattered across my face. "W-what d-do you mean?" I stuttered, but she was already walking back into the kitchen. Grumbling to myself, I followed afterward.
"I'll show you to her room," she was saying to Himuro, who stood up, (y/n) still in his arms, and my mom led him to Mikasa's room. "She'll have to share...and it's a bit small...but I can have Eren bring in a mattress, and-"
"Thank you, Mrs. Jaeger," Himuro said as he laid (y/n) down on the bed, turning to give my mom a kind smile. "This is more than enough. We're grateful for your hospitality."
My mom smiled back at him. "Nice to see that you've made some friends with manners, Eren," she said, raising her eyebrows at me.
"Yeah," I said quietly, watching Himuro carefully tuck (y/n) in and kiss her forehead. "He's a good guy," I added softly so Himuro couldn't hear me.
***
Himuro gently closed the door to the room Mikasa would now be sharing with (y/n) and turned to my mom. "Mrs. Jaeger, there's something else you need to know about (y/n)."

~from Himuro's POV~
Mrs. Jaeger nodded and looked at her son. "Okay, Eren. Shoo for a bit."
He rolled his eyes but left to take a short walk, leaving you alone with Eren's mom.
I took a seat at the kitchen table, and she remained standing beside one of the chairs.
"So? What is it?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to her left.
"Mrs. Jaeger, (y/n) has a medical condition that you should be aware of," I began, clenching my jaw. I didn't want to tell her, but if something happened while (y/n) was staying here and I wasn't around... "(Y/n) is in the later stages of AIDS," I said without sugarcoating anything.
Mrs. Jaeger's eyes widened. "Is she..."
I looked down at the table, twining my fingers together. "She's okay right now, but the doctor says that it will only get worse from here. Treatment can only prolong her life, not fix the problem."
"How long has she had it?" Mrs. Jaeger asked, one hand resting loosely on her opposite elbow.
I sighed. "Only a year, and yet her conditioned has already worsened this much."
She frowned. "Only a year? How did she contract it?" She put her hand over her mouth. "Was she...with someone?"
I frowned and shook my head, my neck tense. "Not exactly. Last year, (y/n) was...raped...by a carrier of AIDS," I said, still unable to quite get past the horrific word.
Mrs. Jaeger was silent, but she sat down in the chair in lieu of standing.
"I take her to her regular appointments, but I just wanted you to know so that if you..." I swallowed. "If (y/n) shows any symptoms, I would like you to immediately get in contact with me." I quickly wrote out my cell phone number on a small sheet of paper and handed it over to her.
She accepted it with a slight shaking hand and was silent for a long moment. Then, "Eren. Does he- does he know?"
"He knows that she was raped," I began slowly, "but about the AIDS? No." I shook my head, hesitating. "And I would be grateful if you didn't let him know."

~from Mrs. Jaegar's POV~
Tears slid down my face at Himuro's request. In my mind, I saw Eren bringing Himuro and (y/n) into the house, and how whenever he thought no one was looking, his gaze went to her unconscious form, and his face softened out a bit.
I'm scared that Eren will fall in love with (y/n), and she'll die too young for her years and break his heart. As a mother, it's my duty to look out for my son, isn't it? Isn't it?
But part of me knew that even if Eren knew that (y/n) only had a week left to live, he'd love her anyway. That was just the kind of boy I'd raised.
I clenched my hands together so tightly that my skin turned white, and with my eyes closed, tears still lining my cheeks, I whispered, "All right. I'll keep (y/n)'s secret safe."
Inside, my heart broke - for myself, a helpless mother; for Himuro, a struggling brother; for Eren, a blind and ignorant boy, and for (y/n), for the weights she bore on her shoulders every day.
I made up my mind to give that child all the love and affection she deserved. No, more.
That's what I'll do, I promised myself, and when I opened my eyes, I could see that Himuro understood, and he smiled sadly.