Angst pancakes for all you readers! Enjoy!

Eren's POV

I don't know what happened in that split second, just knowing seething anger and only wanting to protect my loved ones. I was shouting at those pigs who would dare try to sacrifice Mikasa and Armin. All because they were afraid.

If I was strong enough, why not take their burden and help humanity? Just so long as they would leave the ones I loved alone, I would make any sacrifice.

I heard someone cock a gun, a yell of "Levi, what are you doing?", a bang and then dead silence.

My eyes were closed, and they opened to a harsh sight. There's Captain Levi, on his knees with one hand over his stomach. His eyes are glazed over, and when he falls, I see red blood. His breathing is struggling, his eyes closing and opening to look at me. He's in pain, and I'm chained up and unable to help him.

A memory races forward, seeming to take up only a split second as heavy silence is all around me.

I run up to where the horses have stopped, checking behind me to make sure I lost Mikasa.

And there's… there's Captain Levi, humanity's strongest, dismounting his horse and re-adjusting his cape. He looks even cooler up close, with a pensive frown and wise eyes. It's amazing!

"Captain Levi?" I ask with wide eyes, and he turns towards me in surprise.

"Go away, brat."

I scowl slightly, walking up. "I don't like jerks. Don't be one."

By now all the soldiers are looking at me, some in a state of shock at what I just said. Erwin, or Eyebrow Soldier, or whatever, looks somewhat scared.

Captain Levi's lips twitch up slightly, just a tiny bit and I feel a little bit better. He walks forward, kneeling down and looking me in the eyes. "I've seen you before. Do you want to join the Survey Corps one day?"

I nod firmly. "I'm gonna help save humanity, no matter what I gotta do! We all need to be free!"

He places one hand on my head, patting it before standing up again. "Eren, right?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Your sister yelling at you from over there."

I wince, seeing Mikasa running towards me. I quickly turn my attention back to Levi. "It was an honor to meet you, sir!" I quickly make a clumsy salute like they do. Some of the soldiers chuckle.

"Well, Eren, I'll see you in the Survey Corps. Don't chicken out anddisappoint me. Got it, brat?"

"Yes, Captain Levi!"

Levi's gaze meets mine, and his lips make that very slight smile again. "Keep your promise, damn brat."

I nod, swallowing a lump in my throat. "Sir, yes.. sir…"

He gives me a real smile then. "Be humanity's hope, Eren."

And I watch as the greatest soldier in the entire Survey Corps dies early to save my life.

This was hard to write... surprisingly, I'm not crying. I'm a soulless monster.