Eren pushed open the rusted iron gate. It squealed in protest and Eren didn't bother to shut it behind him as he clenched his fists, trying to overcome the need to scream and yell and kick things and cause a scene. He tugged his jacket closer around him, not because of the chilly breeze, in fact, he'd always rather preferred cold wheater to the heat of summer, he pulled the material closer around him because he felt as though it would stop him from falling apart where he stood. Eren took a deep breath, a small cloud collecting in front of his face, he took the first step forward and forced himself to keep moving.
He traveled silently through the headstones and monuments. He didn't want to think about the dead bodies buried beneath the soil. He didn't want to imagine their decrepit figures hauling themselves from the earth in pursuit of him. As it turns out, what he wanted was irrelevant.
Eren continued moving to the back of the cemetery. The back of the cemetery was lined with towering trees, casting a somber shadow over the headstones. That's where the new graves were. That's where Eren was headed. His boots crunched against the dead leaves that blanketed the ground. They rumbled against Erens ear drums like the thunder from that night. A flash of screams and water falling from the sky stabbed at his mind and he quickly shoved it away. He didn't want to think about that, but once more, what he wanted was irrelevant.
He walked along the row, reading the headstones silently.
Karin Turner, Loving Sister, 1959-2016.
Elliot Pines, 1931-2016, Beloved Freind and Husband.
In Memory of, Carson Thomas, 1960-2016.
Stacy Philips, Loving Mother, 1969-2017.
In Loving Memory of, Mar...
Eren froze. He found what he'd been looking for. A dark marble headstone, the words engraved in golden writing, several bundles of flowers all various stages of wilting sitting at the base.
In Loving Memory of, Marco Bodt, 1997-2017.
He felt his fist clench at his side, once more holding in his anger and unsteady emotions. Getting mad didn't bring back the dead. He'd learned that when his mother had died.
"Hi...Marco..." Eren looked around him solemnly, at the ominousness trees, the two birds watching him silently, but nothing could change the past. This much he knew. "Uh...fuck, I don't know what to say. You've probably already heard it all anyway since everyone else has already came and been and...and I hid like a coward."
Eren sighed, dragging a hand through his short scrappy hair, his commanding officer could deal with his growing hair once he returned from leave.
"I don't even know what I was hiding from. What happened was an accident and if that stupid horse face could show up...God, I'm so stupid." Eren tilted his head back and sighed once more, before sitting on the ground before the headstone. "You'd think I'd be better at this. I've spoken to my mum like this for years, but here I am acting like a total and utter moron."
Eren sat in silence shredding a brown leaf into several pieces calmly until calmly wasn't an accurate word any longer. He grabbed another leaf tearing it apart quickly. Then he scooped up a handful throwing them down giving a loud frustrated growl. He jumped to his feet, aggressively kicking up the leaves and twigs, stomping his feet hopelessly. He kicked at a large rock and hissed loudly, the pain only fueling his anger.
"Damnit!" He screamed, continuing to kick mercilessly at the fallen foliage, throwing his arms about wildly, shucking off his jacket in annoyance when it slipped down past his shoulders. Tears pricked in the corners of his eyes and he prayed they wouldn't begin to fall down his cheeks.
He was mad at himself for acting like a child. He was mad at Marco for dying. He was mad at the world for being so twisted and messed up.
"Oi, kid." A voice suddenly spoke out, Eren spinning on this new person. "Sorry for interrupting your little tantrum, but funeral going to starting just over there in half an hour. If you wouldn't mind keeping it down, that would be great."
Eren gaped at the short man before him, sporting a black undercut a condescending glare.
"Uh, yeah...sorry. I'll be quiet." Eren nodded apologetically, an embarrassed blush slightly coloring his face.
There was something familiar about the short man. It wasn't as if he'd met him before, it was more like something about the way he stood.
"Thanks, brat." The man turned to leave, his tone dismissive.
Erens head snapped over in his direction.
"Wait!"
The man turned back to him slowly, an eyebrow arched in an irritated manner.
"Yes?"
"Are you, by any chance...in the military?" Eren asked, softly.
The mans face gained a look of slight surprise.
"I was in the military." He frowned. "How did you know?"
"Oh, uh. You just kinda reminded me a little bit of a soldier." Eren answered lamely.
"Whats your name kid?"
The question surprised Eren. This man seemed like he wouldn't care if Eren had suddenly started having a heart attack let alone what his name was.
"Eren Jaeger."
"Well, Eren Jaeger, you know many soldiers?" The man looked at him expectantly.
"Um, yeah. I'm a cadet myself, so I know a few." Eren gave a weak smile.
"Marines?"
"Army." Eren corrected.
"Hmm. Could have fooled me with the way your mouth is always hanging open like a fish." Eren opened and closed his mouth hopelessly, not sure how to respond. "Visiting a friend?"
The man gestured to the headstone.
"Yeah...It was long overdue." Eren glanced at the marble stone and then back to the man. "So, uh, whats your name?"
"Levi Ackerman."
"You said you used to be in the army right?"
"Oh? And here I thought you were too stupid to remember words. I'm impressed."
"Whats your problem? I haven't done shit to you!" Eren growled, finally finding his voice.
"I was waiting for you to blow." The corner of Levis mouth twitched in satisfaction.
"Say what?" Eren anger suddenly deflated.
"As it turns out, I've heard about you Cadet Eren Jaeger. You joined the year I left and you'd be surprised how news of one angry cadet can rise through the ranks."
Eren paled slightly, suddenly thinking of every stupid thing he'd did in his first year.
"Oh, god. I swear everything you heard was all Horse Faces fault." Eren spat.
"What the fuck is a Horse Face?"
"He's this jerk in my unit. He looks like a horse and he's about as smart as one too." Eren grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.
"So, setting the whole training ground on fire at two in the morning was, this Horse faces fault?"
"One; it wasn't the whole training ground, just like, some of it. Two; it was like eleven at night. And three;...it was an accident..."Eren spluttered, slight blushing once more.
"Mmhmm." Levi hummed, clearly not convinced.
"It's the truth!"
"Calm your ass, kid. You're making enough noise to wake the dead, which isn't a good idea in the middle of a cemetery." Levi rolled his eyes.
"Whatever." Eren sighed, trying not to think about his thoughts as he entered the cemetery.
"LEVI!~" A distant voice suddenly called.
When Levi didn't move from his spot, Eren piped up.
"Um, I think someone is calling for you?"
"Shut up." Levi growled, his voiced colored in annoyance.
"LEVI DEAREST!~ I know your in here!~"
"What was that you said about waking the dead?" Eren asked, amused by Levis irritated expression.
"I said shut up brat." Levi hissed.
"I bet Levis hiding behind one of the headstones! I mean, he's short enough!" The voiced laughed loudly as it grew closer.
"Fucking shitty glasses." Levi raised a hand to massage the bridge of his nose.
"Hanji." A new voice sighed. "It's a cemetery, you can't just yell like that."
"It's not like the occupants are gonna mind, Erwin!"
"Friends of yours?" Eren let free a small laugh.
"Keep going and you die." Levi sent Eren a venomous glare.
Eren covered his mouth, his eyes glittering with amusement.
"Ah! There you are my lovely little midget!~" A brunet woman appeared, standing several meters away, accompanied by a tall blonde man with, ah, interestingly sized eyebrows.
Levis brow twitched irritably, his dark glare turning on the two newcomers. The woman dived forwards, enveloping Levi in a suffocating embrace.
"Get the fuck off me Hanji!" Levi placed his hand over her face, attempting to shove her away but her arms around his shoulders held fast.
"Come on, now Levi." Hanji scolded. "This a cemetery, show some respect."
The tall man sighed, letting his face drop into his palm.
"I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer." Levi gave the woman a dead pan stare.
Eren chuckled under his breath, drawing the tall mans attention.
"Hello, I don't believe we've ever met before." He strode forwards and offered Eren his hand and a welcoming smile. "I'm Erwin Smith."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Eren Jaeger." Eren accepting his hand, finding it surprisingly soft.
Erwins clear blue eyes glowed with some sort of recognition for a moment, before disappearing.
"Are you a friend of Levis perhaps?" Erwin gave Eren a kind smile.
"Of course, only Levi could make friends in a cemetery!" Hanji laughed manically.
"Go jump in a lake Shitty Glasses." Levi growled, finally pushing her away. "I just met the kid five minutes ago. Turns out he's the cadet brat that almost shot Major Shadis."
"That was a total accident and not my fault!" Erens face flushed dark red.
Hanji threw her head back with a disturbing laugh, dashing forward, grabbing Erens hand and shaking it excitedly.
"I'm Hanji Zoe, Levis BFF~" Her eyes started him, unblinking through her glasses. "We heard all about you through the grave vine. Man kid, you got into some wild stuff! I never thought I'd actually met the infamous Jaeger Bomb."
"I was called that without my approval and it's not like I did any of those things on purpose." Eren glared at the ground, the tips of his ears burning red.
"It's not like your completely innocent Hanji." Erwin crossed his large arms over his chest. "I remember more than a handful of your mishaps."
"But I didn't ever my training Sergeant a concussion!"
"That was so seriously overestimated, it was just a little bump!" Eren quickly defended himself once more.
"Whatever you say brat." Levi rolled his eyes, glancing down at his watch. "Erwin we should probably head over now, everyone going to start showing up soon."
"Of course. It was a pleasure to met the legendary Jaeger Bomb." Erwin titled his head in farewell.
"Same to you." Eren said with a defeated sigh.
"Bye bye now, Jaeger Bomb~ Try not to set anything on fire!" Hanji waved to Eren with a giddy smile.
"I think I'm gonna set myself on fire." Eren mumbled under his breath.
Erwin and Hanji began moving back through the headstones. Levi rubbed his temples and turned to Eren.
"Goodbye, Eren." Levi gave him an expressionless look, before turning his back to Eren. "Try not to blame yourself for something you did, or didn't do. I won't help anyone."
"Bye." Eren stared after the short mans retreating back, watching it move away until he was completely out of sight. Erens lips stretched into a smile. "I already knew blaming myself would change nothing, but thanks."
Eren turned back the headstone of his fallen comrade, scooping up his jacket from the ground, brushing leaves off it. "Well...that was interesting wasn't Marco?"