Disclaimer: I own nothing but this pathetic excuse for a fanfic. Nothing that happened here is true. Duh. It's a fanfic. Enjoy!

Eren's P.O.V.

Oh how the wind delicately kisses my face! I can smell the salty water from here. Beneath my feet is what they call sand. I look up, and the striking view of the vast body of water takes me aback.

I have finally found the ocean.

The ocean. The sea.

I ran towards the water until the liquid reaches my ankles. I bent down to dip a finger and taste the water, just to comfirm that this is the ocean because everything seems like a dream right now. My tongue tastes salt and my eyes can't help but widen.

"Mikasa!" I turn around and yell. "We've found it!"

I find myself grinning so wide. Mikasa grins too. I move away from the water and head towards her direction. "I can't believe we're finally here!"

Mikasa sighs. "I'm really glad you're happy," she tells me.

I take her forearm and tug it several times, feeling like a kid again. It has been terribly long since I've felt true happiness - I forgot how overwhelming it is. I am finally living the dream, I think. Humanity has finally won over the titans! We are finally free!

We walked, ran, played around the shore like children until all of our energy drained out from our systems. I don't think I have ever smiled like this before. As the sun begins to set, Mikasa and I settle for a perfect spot to watch the scene.

I feel Mikasa rest her head on my shoulder. I let her and I wrap my arms around her. We stayed like that for a long time. She tells me she's happy, I assure her I am too.

I am happy, finally.

After long moments of comfortable silence, I feel a tear roll down my cheek.

And I know I am unhappy again.

I don't want to spoil my sister's mood so I fight back the tears. I don't want to see her frown again, so I keep quiet. I want her to be happy, so I keep my thoughts to myself.

But she is not naïve, so she knows what is in my mind with just one glance. She hugs me, and I hug her back. I let the tears out now. And I hear her sob quietly on my shoulder.

We stay like that for a while, without any needs of exchanging words. Because I know that we are thinking about the same thing; repeating that same line in our minds over and over.

The line that never fails to haunt me.

If only Armin were still here with us.