The usually quiet town of Shigashina was bustling with activity. People were gossiping in the streets as military officials walked by.

"Did you hear-"

"That Jaeger boy-"

"I'm so excited for him!"

"How much money do you think we'll get off of these officials?"

"An award, you say?"

"He deserves it. Taking down the most Titans, even exterminating the last one!"

Mikasa walked past, holding her head up proudly as the people by her turned their heads and watched her. She wore her Survey Corps uniform, freshly washed and carried a paper bag full of loaves of bread, mushrooms, berries, a sealed jar of honey and a small tin of sugar, as well as some beef. She grinned, breaking out of her customary stoic expression. Today was a truly beautiful day.

Children ran past, laughing. Mikasa broke into a jog, aware of how much time she was wasting. He was out talking with Erwin about his speech and she wanted to surprise him.

She first stopped at the graveyard, kneeling down at a small marble grave. She smiled as she put flowers on the grave and cleaned off the name.

Levi Ackermann

"Thank you… for protecting Eren for me." She saluted the grave and walked to the house.

Immediately, she knew something was wrong. She could hear someone retching. She dropped the bag on the table and ran to his room.

Eren was on the floor, shrouded in smoke. The smoke was emanating from the multitude of cuts on his arms. A couple of thin, green leaves were next to him as he threw up violently.

Mikasa immediately recognized the leaves as oleander. "EREN!" She brought him to an upright position.

"Mikasa… Please…" Eren opened his eyes weakly.

"What?"

"Let me die…" Eren closed his eyes again.

Mikasa shook him until he opened his eyes again. "WHAT?"

Eren cringed as tears formed in his eyes. "I - I need to die."

Mikasa looked at him in disbelief. "You can't! What about everyone who's given up their lives for you?"

Eren was shaking his head. "Not me. They gave up their lives to defeat the Titans. And now... So am I…"

"What do you mean? All the Titans are gone!" Mikasa's calm composure was disappearing.

Eren shook his head. "Do you remember the promise I made when Mom died?"

Mikasa's face flooded with a horrible understanding. "Kill all the Titans… Eren, don't you dare-"

Faster than Mikasa could react, Eren plunged the blade he had stolen from Mikasa's sheath into his stomach. He screamed a blood curdling scream, but removed it and kept stabbing.

"I have… To kill… All… The… Titans!"

Mikasa yanked the blade from his hands but it was already too late.

Eren's dead form leaned on Mikasa's shoulder, soaking her once white uniform with his blood and vomit.

Mikasa's sobs first came out soft, but grew in volume, panicked and afraid.

~A couple hours later~

Shigashina was hastily changed from a celebration to a mourning. The remaining members of the 104th Trainee Squad walked next to the coffin. Armin looked like he was about to cry, holding his hand to his mouth. Silent tears dripped down Sasha's face as she walked behind Armin. On the other side of the coffin, in the front, Jean looked distraught, and tried to cover it up badly with an uninterested face. Hanji walked along, behind Jean. taking off her glasses every so often to wipe the tears.

Mikasa walked in the front, looking hollow. She had been given a new uniform to replace the one that was soaked with Eren's death. A shiny medal hung from her lapel, recognizing her as "Humanity's Greatest Soldier," the honour for the person who killed the most Titans.

The award that should've went to Eren.