Blurry eyes blinked, opening wide to expose him to a white ceiling. His stomach rolled and there was a cold sweat on his skin as he woke. Not jolting up like an electric shock went through him. But not calmly either. Honestly, if he ever woke up peacefully at home on a Tuesday morning he wouldn't know what to do. It never had happened before.

Probably never would.

His body stung, like a dozen needles under his skin. His nerves and skin were probably still doing some last-minute mending. He ignored the pain he'd grown ever used to and pulled up his shirt. Scanning the skin of his abdomen. His ribs were indented a bit, but still whole and not fractured like they had been. His skin was clear of any open wounds, but he did have another scar.

There always would be scars, for each 'accident' he had there would be a new scar. A blemish to ensure he'd have the memory of that timeline's death. This particular scar was of the wound the girl had tried to hold in effort to stop the bleeding.

Sighing, he traced the twisted and puckered skin with a finger. He always kept the most painful scars. The pain not only being measured by the blood that wept from them, but rather the tears that added salt to the wound. The damage and havoc they could wreck on his heart, in his head. He was at peace with it however. He had a body full of scars, but at least it didn't hurt anymore. At least, not as bad. His body was almost completely healed anyway. He'd knew something would happen again soon. Getting jumped on his way home one day. Falling off of something, and the cycle of dragging his pained body through the day would repeat until he died again and was revived as if nothing happened.

Waking up to a new morning as if nothing happened.

Getting up, Eren rolled off his mattress and started the day. Taking a shower, changing into untorn clothes, checking to make sure his homework was already complete. It always paid to be caution. He learned to do it in class just in case. After so many times of dying and his homework was left incomplete he adapted to not procrastinating.

Cause god forbid dying ever be more important than homework, right?

Shaking his head, Eren pulled on a jacket over his stiff shoulders, Also tossing his backpack onto his back he grabbed a few Ibuprofen from his pocket. He wasn't really in pain, but he knew that something was bound to happen, might as well have a cushion. He popped three into his mouth and swallowed. No matter what he did he'd still be breathing. Hanging around the physical world. Liver damage wasn't really a worry. It could kill him, but really, what would happen then?

He'd wake up just the same as he was before he died. Breathing, and with only an internal scar.

No one would ever know.

Simply due to the fact that mortals couldn't process the different lines. Couldn't see the multiple realities surrounding them and making up their world. When someone like him, a reaper, died and came back to life. They couldn't tell. Their mind filled in the gaps, making it believe it was a dream, or that if never even happened at all. They couldn't imagine the pain or the anguish. For that, they were lucky.

Eren was just glad he didn't die as frequently as when he was younger, people used to constantly ask him if his family was good to him due to the bruises and scars that were constantly appearing. He'd be dead many times over by the time he could walk if he didn't live through everything.

One half, his mother's side. She told him everything he knew about the world before he had to survive him. His father, didn't really notice anything about it. The scars and bruises that showed up; Grisha always knew that Eren was a reckless, albeit happy kid. Just a kid who got hurt, then got right back up.

Dying, wasn't a big deal, it didn't scare him. But he never sought it out. His life was great, until Carla died. His mother, gone. His anxiety was out of control. When he wasn't actively trying to die he was cautious. Constantly watching, withdrawn, and fearful. No long restless. Probably why he lived more often than not now that he was older. His survival instincts, which had dulled, almost gone from the fact he didn't need or use them, were now fully active. Honed. Nervousness kicking them into overdrive repetitively.

Nothing to live for, living his eternal life for absolutely no reason other than breathing because there was no choice. Which, hasn't really changed after all these seventeen years later. But now, he often changed fates hands. Trading him for someone else.

It gave him something to do at least… seeing the happiness in their eyes for a while was always nice…

Walking out the brown door, he started down the street; toward his school. His anxiety seemed to have loosened it's clingy hold today. Letting him breath a little, bringing forth a positivity he hadn't seen in years. He was grateful for it… and then he heard a familiar screech.

"Shhhit…" And his body was flying under the force of a tall figure dead bolt fly tackling him. Arms smothering him tightly as he felt the concrete against his back. Cold and real.

"Eren! My baby! Are you hurting? How are you scars? My poor little boy, hit by a BLOODY DRUNK DRIVER! ONE THAT PROBABLY ENCOURAGED A FARMYARD ANIMAL TO LICK THEIR BALLBAG DICK HEAD!" Eren ignored the further accusing of animal (penguin) molestation of one of his many killers from Fischer as he relaxed into her death hold.

"FUCKING M25!" Was that the car that hit him? Still, he tried to calm her down, holding her tightly as well. He knew very well that she always got scared when he died. He understood her fears.

She was just like him after all, a different species. A fairy more precisely. But she still was stuck in life. Undying. Now, before there were any misconceptions, Fischer is not, and will never be, society's typical fairy. She had wings and scales. But they weren't always on her. Magic, well of course she had it, bit it wasn't nature based. Eren really had no clue what umbrella it fell under, but it was cool either way. Eren didn't really need to understand it, they were both in the same boat. Trapped in a never ending ocean.

Alone

Scared it would stay that way.

Always watching the people they loved, leaving, dying, all while they were stuck. Can't die, can't pretend they never happened. Nothing to do except watch as their lives were upturned. Withering before their eyes. Along with their will power.

That's why they were close.

Many people thought it was because they were 'outcasts' the bullied gay kid and the outspoken transgendered girl. Or that they grew up together. (It hadn't be childhood that drew them together like magnets). Together forever. Eren and Fischer. It was just natural to them that one wasn't without the other. The bond went so much deeper than others could ever see.

It wasn't something that would ever go away.

Moving a hand to her waist. Fischer had pulled him up and he leaned against he towering height. Walking with her, a small smile stretched acoss his face. Unweighted by depression or anxiety. Real and true. Which was pretty great as the two leaned against each other. Supporting each other.

Good, he felt good.