A/N: Written for Eren Week on Tumblr. As always, reviews are always appreciated and keep the Muse from eating me alive.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot idea and the cover photo. SnK and the characters belong to Hajime Isayama, much to my displeasure- after all, who wouldn't want the rights, am I right? Heh

Eren Week - Day 3 - Mother

He'd thought it wasn't real at first, just a figment of his imagination. It was a logical assumption consider he was back home for the first time in years and in the Titan form he'd just gotten used to properly controlling.

But no, what he saw was real. Standing there, amidst the rubble of his once-home was her. Brown hair and dress being ruffled by a wind that remained mysteriously around her and only her. Those chestnut colored eyes stared directly at him and seemed to glow ethereally with the warmth only a mother could conjure.

"Eren."

Her mouth barely moved but the words somehow managed to reach the Titan's ears and it was enough to bring the young man to his knees and Eren leaned forward, his huge hands slamming down and causing the ground around to shudder harshly. That voice, he realized, he hadn't even remembered what it sounded like, and now it was the only thing he could hear- the only thing he wanted to hear. In the back of his mind Eren registered the others' cries for him to get up, demanding what was wrong, but he didn't care to reply. The only thing he wanted to keep his attention on was his mother.

With his face now only several feet from her, Eren could see that it wasn't just her eyes that glowed, but her entire body. And she was completely clean. There wasn't a speck of dirt on her like there had been when last he saw her, which made her stand out more than anything. Her dress was the brightest yellow Eren thought he'd ever seen it before and the white of her apron matched perfectly with the snow colored wings fluttering softly at her sides.

It was enough to bring tears to the Shifter's eyes. Eren had known he'd started to forget what his mother looked like, but it wasn't until then that he realized just how distorted and colorless his image of her had become over the years.

"Eren, don't cry, it's okay." His mother brought her hands up, as if wanting to cup his face like she had when he was young, and Eren unconsciously leaned forward until he felt her soft skin brushing softly over the tip of his nose. The fact that he could feel her made his tears fall all the harder, causing his mother to shush him gently. "Oh, sweetie, no, don't cry."

Eren couldn't understand how she could be worrying about the fact that he was crying when she was dead. He hadn't been strong enough to save her and she was dead because of it, and she was trying to comfort him? She'd missed out on so much because of him, and she still didn't want to see him sad.

"I'm~ s-souwry." It was the first time he'd ever spoken in his form and Eren didn't even think on how he'd done it, because all he wanted to do now was let the woman in front of him know. He wanted her to know he was sorry for all the times he yelled at her. Sorry for not listening to her. Sorry for never saying he loved her. Sorry for not being able to help- just sorry!

"No, no, Eren, don't be sorry, you did nothing wrong." Eren went to shake his head but found he couldn't go against the seemingly light grip she had on him. "Hey, you listen to me." Her voice was suddenly the hard commanding tone he remembered so well and Eren swallowed hard and waited to hear what she had to say.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You've done so much for humanity, and you've stayed so strong, and you've protected your friends. I couldn't have asked for more, and Eren…" Her mouth pulled into a soft smile and she looked directly into his eyes, "I am so proud of you."

Eren bit back a sob and nodded. He still wasn't sure how she could feel so about him when he'd just as much bad in his life as he had good, but he didn't question her. If there was one trait he'd inherited from his mother, it was stubbornness. If she said something, he'd best believe it lest he get smacked.

Through his tears Eren could see his mother's glow diminish slowly and he made a questioning sound that had he chuckling sadly. "Oh sweetie, I wish I could stay with you, but I must leave now."

Eren wanted to scream and tell her she couldn't leave because he wasn't ready for her to go. Their time together hadn't been long enough and he didn't want to forget her again. But Eren knew no matter how long they got to be together he would never be ready for her to go- it would never be enough.

But the teen wasn't going to let his mother go without at least telling her what he'd regretted not telling her for so long. Even if it came out warped because of his mouth, Eren didn't care; he just needed her to know.

"L-u-ouve yew."

The woman smiled lovingly and gave Eren's skin an affectionate brush as she faded further into the air. Even though she was gone within seconds, the Titan Shifter didn't miss the whispered words meant only for him. And even if he forgot what his mother's face looked like in the coming years, he knew he would never forgot her last words.

"I love you too."