Summary:

Eren Jaeger is burdened by his past life - the same reckless tendencies, the haunting memories, and the loneliness from seeming to be the only one reincarnated. Therefore, he reckons such things are irrelevant in his current life as a member of the notorious crime syndicate, the Titans, but fire ignites when he meets a yakuza boss harboring a familiar pair of silver eyes.
Soon Eren finds out that history doesn't repeat itself but it often rhymes.

Notes:

Please hit me with any constructive criticism - whether it's a minor or major, shout and be loud! Now enjoy!

Prologue: Keep Me in Mind

Being at war against monsters capable of unfathomable destruction made any average person tremble with terror. Even the toughest of soldiers would sweat at night, ridden with nightmares of comrades and themselves being eaten alive by the horrific titans.

Eren Jaeger was no exception. Though sometimes, other nightmares would plague his night.

The brunette tossed and turned. Armin, watch out! A groan escaped unconscious lips, bloody images of his best friend's broken, crushed body flooding his mind. Mikasa, run away! Tears pricked the corners of closed eyes, crumbling at the sight of his precious sister, pale and limp; her body split at the torso. Levi...No, please, Levi! It was of no use. The only remains were a few splatters of blood. The dam that held his sanity broke. The anguish that flooded his chest wasn't solely placed by seeing the gruesome deaths of his beloved people, the screams that spilled from his lips was from seeing how he had crushed Armin, how he had ripped Mikasa in half. It was him that devoured Levi, not leaving even a trace of his lover behind. It was on these nights that he dreamt that he was the monster.

Spine-chilling screams continued to echo throughout Eren's cell. Imprisoned in his sleep, he pleaded for it to stop. He begged for his precious people to be saved from him. From him, the monster.

He was just a monster. He was a monster-

"EREN!"

Eren silenced mid-scream. Wide, frantic eyes darted around, the familiarity of his cell slowly calming his nerves. Cold fingers dug painfully into his shoulder, the sensation snapping Eren out of his stupor. There, Levi was, sitting on his bed to the side, shaking the brunette by his shoulders with desperation.

"Eren!" Levi called out to him, his usually stoic composure was contorted with concern, "It's just a nightmare, brat, snap out of it!"

Unfortunately, he could not shake away the ghosts of his nightmare. At every blink, lifeless bodies reeled behind his eyelids.

"L-Levi," his voice broke, he grasped at his forearms in a feeble attempt to stop his body shaking, "Armin, M-Mikasa...and you. I killed all of you."

Levi scoffed, gently wrapping his arms around the brunette, "Keep dreaming, brat. You're ten years too early to even speak of defeating me."

"You...you'd die of old age by then, old man," Eren chuckled shakily, leaning in towards Levi's embraced, but they stiffened at Eren's next words.

"Levi, you'll kill me, right?" Eren kept his face hidden against the raven's shoulder, his hands still shaking ever so slightly. "Before I can hurt anyone, please kill me before that."

Silence ensued, thick and heavy. It was almost as if the world was holding its breath. Giving in, Eren looked up to face the captain. Levi returned Eren's gaze with an intense stare, undecipherable emotions swirled in the silver depths. Suddenly, Levi cupped Eren's face, pressing his forehead to the other.

"You're not a monster, Eren. You'd never harm any of us," he reassured but the raven knew that would not satisfy Eren, "But I promise you...if it comes to that. I will kill you."

Eren managed a bittersweet smile, relieved. Levi was a formidable soldier, Eren could trust him to keep that promise, nonetheless, the statement sent piercing needles into his chest. Before he could linger on the feeling, he felt lips press against his forehead.

"Don't let it come to that, okay brat? That's an order," Levi murmured, gripping the brunette in his arms tighter, "Armin, Mikasa, and all of your friends need you...I need you. You've become my reason for living."

Eren bit his lip, tears pricking the corners of his eyes. If only they lived in another world - one where titans didn't exist, where it was peaceful, where they could enjoy their time together and not worry about who would die next.

"I love you, Levi."

The arms that surrounded him tensed before they pulled Eren closer to the raven as he responded, voice barely audible. "I love you too, Eren. Never fucking forget that."

And he didn't. Eren never forgot, not in this life - and the next.

And unfortunately, his nightmares continued. Only this time, Levi wasn't there to wake him up from them.