A/N: Here I am again~ I can't sleep so I decided to finish writing this chapter. Oh well, to the reviewers of the previous chap ~ KalosTrainer13, Michu-92, MercySummer, Tennu, MusicDancer, MssCassandra, Chill8, ArthurianDream, snk-sunshine, young earl of phantomhive, hijikata100, RachelDanna, huangangelin, amiery fallago, Diclonious57 and BeautifulOneShots ~ thank you ne! :3
* This is a boring chap. Kinda like a recap of what happened in the canon universe.
** I might as well let all of you, my dear friends, know that this fic is almost at its end. I don't know how many chaps it will have but 20 will be the maximum limit. :D
*** This is unbetaed. Pardon me for any mistakes for I'm a bit drowsy, too. Lol. WARNING! Light spoiler from the most recent manga chapter!
**** Slight Jean x Marco and a little EreMika fluff~ LOL
Disclaimer: I don't own SNK.
See You Later
"Okay class," the literature teacher, Rico Brzenska, began when she entered the room that morning. "Take a half sheet of paper. I'm going to give you a quiz." She smirked when groans and moans erupted from the class. "Quiet! Let's see if all of you really did read the topic I assigned to you yesterday."
It was just a 20-item quiz but still, several students failed. Miss Rico clicked her tongue in disapproval as she began the lesson that day ―Greek mythology. Eren didn't understand why they were studying Greek mythology in literature but who cares? He personally thought it's more interesting than reading some elegantly-worded Shakespeare plays.
"How much was your score, Eren?" Armin asked from beside the brunette.
Eren shrugged as he handed his paper to his blond best friend who immediately made a grab for it. Mikasa, who was sitting on Armin's other side, leaned closer so she could see Eren's score, too. "What? Five out of twenty?" he said in a low voice so that Miss Rico, who was currently writing something on the board, couldn't hear them. Mikasa shook her head at her brother's score. "You know Levi-senpai would get mad if he knew about this, right?"
Eren shivered a bit when he remembered Levi's reaction the moment he saw Eren's math quiz score. The raven-haired senior tutored him the for three hours, scaring the hell out of the brunette with his intimidating glare and cold aura. Thought the older boy didn't hit him or something, the mental strain his glare brought was enough for Eren to make him study harder on math.
It proved to be successful though. For ever since that day, the brunette passed all of his math quizzes and exams.
He was glad and thankful for Levi's harsh tutorial but he didn't want a repeat performance of that.
"Armin," Eren muttered, urgency in his voice as he grabbed his blond best friend's hands and held them tight, making the other boy squeak a bit and Mikasa to raise an eyebrow. "Don't tell Levi-kun about this, please. I'm begging you."
Armin was sweat dropped as he stared at Eren. The brunette's huge turquoise orbs were pleading, making the blond boy sigh in defeat. "I won't tell him anything," he began which made Eren's face lit up. "But if he asks, I would tell him the truth," he finished. He's not good at lying and he didn't want to lie to anyone, especially to someone like Levi. It would just do him no good if he got caught so better stick to the truth. But he couldn't say no to Eren either so he decided to compromise.
Hopefully, all would be fine.
"Deal," Eren said, a huge grin on his face. He and Armin then promptly shut up when Miss Rico turned to glare at them. Mikasa just shook her head at the two boys.
"So titans are pretty popular in this life huh," Jean commented as he flipped the page of a book Marco borrowed from the library. It was a book on Greek mythology. Needless to say, the two of them wanted to know more about the titans that was believed to have existed in this world several years in the past. The boy then frowned when he saw a picture of a titan in the next page. "They look the same with the titans we know but they look more intelligent," he said as he let Marco see the image of the god Cronus.
Marco studied the image thoughtfully. It was the image of a muscular man with a full beard on his face and a cloth wrapped around his lower body. The man was also holding a sickle or a scythe on his left hand. "You're right. They look more intelligent than the titans we know," he said in agreement as he returned the book to Jean. "But looks can be deceiving, remember that."
"It's just weird," Jean said as he continued to scan the next pages where images of other titans and Greek gods and goddesses where found. After class, the two of them went to the student council office. Being volunteers, they were allowed to stay there when they wanted to relax or study in peace. "But these titans and gods and goddesses were said to be the origin of the Greek civilization."
"And according to you, the titans in our previous life were originally humans," Marco added. "They're way too different."
Jean nodded while closing the book. "Different or not, at least we don't have titans in this life," he said then he looked at the freckled boy who was also staring at him from across the room. "And I'm glad you're here, Marco."
Marco smiled then he leaned towards Jean and pinched both of his cheeks. "I'm also glad, Jean," he chuckled when the other boy blushed.
"Wow, horse face is blushing!" A familiar voice suddenly yelled, making the two boys pull away from each other. They looked up and Jean blushed even more when they saw Eren standing at the doorway with a mischievous look on his face.
"Shut up, fool," Jean snapped back as he tried his best to tone down his blush. He didn't dare look at either Eren and Marco whom he knew were laughing at him now.
"Haha! I should've took a picture of that," Eren said as he entered the room and sat down beside Marco who smiled at him. "Levi-kun hadn't been here yet?" he asked as he looked around the huge room that was void of people besides the three of them.
"No, we didn't see your Levi-kun, Jaeger," Jean replied sarcastically then he let out a smug smirk when Eren blushed this time.
"Fuck you, Kirschtein," Eren muttered which made Jean laugh. He was about to say something harsh again when his turquoise orbs caught something. "Oh? You're also reading this book?" he asked as he got the Greek mythology book that was now lying open atop the coffee table. "Armin and Mikasa borrowed a book on Greek mythology, too."
"Eren, have you heard about the story of the titans?" Marco asked as he watch Eren open the book to the page where Cronus' image was located.
"Huh? The ones in Greek mythology?" Eren asked back instead of answering. Why the hell's everybody talking about the Greeks and the titans today? "Of course I know. Miss Brzenska fucking gave us a lecture about them this morning."
Instead of getting offended at Eren's use of foul language, Marco just smiled. "No, not those titans. The other group of titans," he said. Jean looked at him in confusion and worry but he just smiled at his best friend, silently reassuring him that everything will be fine.
Eren lifted a brow in confusion at Marco's reply. There were other titans than the ones they were studying? I hope Miss Brzenska wouldn't include them, too. I have enough of titans already, he mentally complained as he remembered his dream. "So there's another group? I thought Armin said there's only one group of them and it's from the Greeks," he said while motioning to the book he was holding.
Jean snorted at that. Eren's really the stupidest person he's ever met, in his own opinion. "Oi, fool! Don't be ignorant! It's the titans from your freaking dreams!" he yelled, realizing too late what he just blurted out.
"Eh?! My dreams were real?!" Eren exclaimed with wide turquoise orbs. Beside him, Marco was wide-eyed in surprise as well. "What the hell do you mean, Jean?" the brunette demanded in a serious tone. What was Jean talking about? That those humongous monsters he'd been dreaming really existed? "Explain it!" he yelled as he grabbed the other boy by the collar, yanking him close.
He needed clarifications and damn if Jean didn't explain it now.
Marco, seeing the fury and confusion in Eren's eyes, decided to intervene. It wouldn't do good for any of them if things would suddenly escalate to a physical fight. "Eren, let go of Jean," he said which made the brunette turn his furious turquoise orbs on him making him sigh. "We'll explain it to you, okay? But not here. Let's go to my house."
Eren immediately let go of Jean who glared at the brunette muttering about a 'fucking fool' but the brunette just ignored him, his attention totally on Marco. "Lead the way then," he told Marco who nodded. Eren then followed the two boys out of the student council office as he texted Mikasa that he'd be hanging out with Marco and Jean and he'd be home late. He seriously wouldn't go home until things were clarified. Finally, he mused as he got in the backseat of Jean's car. I'll have the answers I've long been searching for.
"Okay, explain," Eren said when they got into Marco's house. He sat on the single couch, across from Jean who was sprawled on the huge couch.
"I'll get us something to drink," Marco said as he went to the kitchen. "Soda alright for you guys?" When the two boys nodded, he left.
Eren and Jean were silent for a moment with the former staring intently at the latter who was fiddling with his phone. After a full minute of silence, Jean pocketed the gadget and turned to Eren. "What do you want to know?" he asked.
"Everything," was Eren's immediate reply, his eyes too serious as of the moment.
Jean sighed as he ran a hand on his undercut. "It's a very long story, Jaeger," he began but he was cut off by the brunette.
"Try me,"
"Fuck," Jean cursed under his breath then he leaned back into the couch while loosening the tie of his school uniform. Might as well get comfortable. "Why don't you ask me questions and then I'll try my best to answer them," he suggested. "That would make everything easier for the both of us."
Eren nodded, seemingly placated by the idea. "Did you mean it when you said that my nightmares were real? That those titans were real?" When Jean nodded in confirmation, he asked again, "There are no titans now so did it happen in our past life?"
"Yes," Jean replied as he watched Marco come back to the living room with a tray filled with three cans of soda, three empty glasses and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. "There were no countries on that life and humanity's population was reduced to less than a half when man-eating giants, titans as we called them, ruled the world. The survivors built walls and live within it to be protected from the titans. But after a hundred years, the faux peace was destroyed when deviant types of titans appeared and destroyed the outermost wall thus giving access to all titans to enter the wall. A massacre then ensued."
"The town I live, Shiganshina, was one of those badly damaged," Eren supplied, surprising Jean and Marco. The brunette let out a sad, bitter smile when he noticed their expressions. "It was in my nightmare. I even saw my mom get eaten by a titan," he added while clenching his fists. "Mikasa and I barely managed to escape along with Armin."
"Yeah, I remember you telling us that when we were in middle school," Jean said with a nod while Marco still looked surprised at the extent of Eren's memory. "What else do you remember, Jaeger?"
Eren fidgeted uncomfortably at that. "I joined the military. Did you two join, too?" he asked then he raised an eyebrow when Jean looked away while Marco smiled awkwardly.
"Yeah," Jean replied after a moment, still not looking at either Eren and Marco. "You, Me, Marco, Mikasa and Armin. We entered the military at the same time. When we graduated, the titans attacked once more and another part of the wall was destroyed. It was like history repeated itself five years after that. We, the new recruits, were forced to fight the titans for the first time before we could even choose what group to join..." he trailed off, looking unsure how to proceed after that, piquing Eren's interest even more.
"And then...?" the brunette prompted.
"And then I died during that attack," Marco calmly said as if he was just talking about what happened on his favorite anime and not on the real life. "Obviously, I didn't know what happened after that," he added, deliberately ignoring Eren's shocked and Jean's grave expressions.
"Y-You..." Eren stammered, quite not believing what he just heard. "Were you killed by titans?"
Marco shrugged at that. "I don't know. I didn't know what happened to me back then. It was pretty unclear to me," he honestly replied. "But it doesn't matter now. I've been given a new life and I'm not going to dwell in the past anymore," he added with a smile.
"Anything else you remember, Jaeger?" Jean asked, wanting nothing more than to stop them from discussing Marco's death and divert it to another topic.
Eren, getting the hint, nodded. "I could transform into a titan," he said to which Jean nodded.
"According to you, your father injected something in you which you suspected to be the reason why you could shift into a titan. The three divisions of the military debated what to do with you, for they were scared of the unknown. It was the first time they've encountered a human that could shift into a titan. In the end you were placed in the Scouting Legion under Rivaille-heichou's command and protection."
"Rivaille-heichou?" Eren repeated which made Jean and Marco froze. Oh crap. They were carried away again. They weren't supposed to tell Eren about Levi. Not yet. "So he did exist. And he's the corporal?"
"Lance Corporal Rivaille, the second-in-command of the Scouting Legion," Jean muttered in defeat. There's no turning back now. "He was the one assigned to train you and keep you under control. He was also under orders to kill you if you get berserk."
"Why him? Why wasn't it the Commander?"
"Lance Corporal Rivaille was dubbed as Humanity's Strongest Soldier," Marco, who knew a fair amount of information about the corporal, replied. "He could kill any titan with the blink of an eye."
"He even incapacitated one deviant titan who tried to kidnap you once," Jean added, remembering that time when Levi fought with Annie in her titan form. He wasn't there to see the fight firsthand but it was Mikasa who told them how the corporal managed to save Eren from Annie single-handedly.
"Oh," Eren looked thoughtful for a moment, his turquoise orbs glazing when he remembered a part of his dream. "Rivaille-heichou and I were lovers," he stated more than questioned, turquoise orbs still glazed over. "And he was the one who killed me when I went berserk."
"You're right about that," Jean confirmed then he looked at Eren straight in the eye. "You didn't tell us that you remember that much. You stayed silent about Rivaille-heichou." His voice didn't hold any tone of accusation in it but it made Eren look away guiltily.
"I wasn't sure if what I was dreaming was real or not anymore and the fact that mom threatened to take me to a shrink was scary so I kept that from everybody," the brunette said. Marco patted his back gently while Jean looked away in guilt this time.
The boy sighed. "I know I didn't believe you at first. I thought it was just all made up by your imagination. It wasn't until I met Marco again that I remembered the past. I'm so ―"
"Whoa, hold it there!" Eren exclaimed, making Jean to look at him in confusion. "Don't apologize! It's going to be freaking weird if you apologize to me, horse face."
Marco laughed at that while Jean growled. "Fool," he muttered though he was silently thankful that the tension between the three of them was cut off. Glad for the short break, he got a can of soda and drank from the can directly, only to spit out the contents at Eren's next question.
"But where's Rivaille-heichou now? I mean, is he even here in this life?"
Jean wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his uniform then he looked at Marco for help but the freckled boy just went on innocently munching a chocolate chip cookie and glanced at Jean as if telling him 'you're on your own'. "Shit," he cursed under his breath as he thought of ways on how to answer Eren.
"Rivaille-heichou is here in this life, Eren," Marco said which made Eren and Jean to look at him. The former with a surprised look while the latter had a questioning one. "You even know him but I'm sorry, we cannot tell you who he is. His name changed so you might not recognize him easily but if you really love him, you'll eventually know it's him, right? After all, it isn't through the eyes that one could only see but through the heart as well." The freckled boy smiled at Eren gently. "It wouldn't be right to force the memory on you. You have to remember him yourself or else everything would be meaningless."
Eren was silent for a moment as he pondered over Marco's words. The boy got a point but it was frustrating for him to not know who Rivaille-heichou is especially when apparently, they've already met each other in this life. I wonder if he remembered me, he mused, suddenly feeling a pang in his chest at the thought of Rivaille not remembering him. It's irrelevant as of now. I need to remember him first before I worry if he remembers me or not.
"Okay," he relented. "But tell me, is he a student of Legion High, too?"
"Apparently, he is," Marco replied. "It'll be easy to find him because you know where he is."
Yeah, if only Legion High doesn't have thousands of students, Eren grumbled in his mind. Turquoise orbs widened once more when he realized something, making Jean and Marco to stare at him in confusion. "So that's why I fainted several days ago! The logo of Legion High's the same to the Scouting Legion's emblem, the Wings of Freedom! It triggered something in my mind and caused me the headache thus I fainted," he said, looking ecstatic at his realization.
Marco smiled at him while Jean snorted as he got one chocolate chip cookie. "Congratulations for the awesome deduction, Sherlock Holmes."
Eren threw a cushion at Jean which the latter easily avoided. The brunette grunted in annoyance while the other boy was laughing. "Damn you, Kirschtein. I'm being serious here."
"Fool,"
"Stop making fun of Eren, Jean," Marco reprimanded as he stood up. He then turned to Eren who was beaming at him and chuckled. "You can stay for dinner, Eren. That way, if you have any more questions, we can answer it." When Eren nodded in agreement, the freckled boy then went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Jean cleared his throat when Marco was out of earshot, making Eren to look at him suspiciously. "You'll recognize Rivaille-heichou easily, Jaeger. If you just open your eyes wide enough to look at your surroundings, you'll find him."
So I was right from the start. Rivaille's just near me, Eren mused as he walked home that night. Jean was staying the night at Marco's so he was walking home alone. He refused the two boys' offer to take him home so he could think about the things that the two revealed to him a few hours before.
"Brat, how dare you forget about me."
"Rivaille just looks like you, Levi-kun!"
"If it's meant for you to remember, you'll remember."
Eren blinked several times at the sudden flashbacks. Could Levi-kun be Rivaille-heichou? he mused as he unconsciously rubbed his temple when he felt a small throb in his head. "I shouldn't overthink or I'll end up fainting again," he told himself as he entered the gate leading to the apartment he and Mikasa shared.
He found the raven-haired girl asleep on the couch in the living room with the television still open which made him smile softly. He guessed she was waiting for him to come home and eventually fell asleep. After taking off his bag and setting it down the floor then turning off the television, he slowly lifted Mikasa in his arms and went upstairs as quietly as possible so as not to wake her up.
But unfortunately, he wasn't as quiet as he thought he was for she stirred in his arms after a few seconds. "Eren...?" she mumbled, eyes opening a bit but closing once more.
"Yeah, it's me. Go back to sleep, I'll bring you to your room," he said. Mikasa nodded at that then she instantly fell back asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. He chuckled as he entered her room with a little difficulty (but still managed not to drop her on the floor) and tucked her onto the bed. He then planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, Mikasa," he murmured then he turned off the lights and left the room, heading to his own.
With a loud, tired sigh, Eren dropped himself on his bed, not bothering to take his uniform, even his shoes, off. He suddenly felt drained, mentally and physically, with what he learned today. Having nightmares and actually knowing that they were real were totally different things. Though he knew that part of him was certain about his past life, he still couldn't believe all of those things Jean and Marco told him.
Especially with the issue of Rivaille. Who was he in their new life? Are they already friends or he just mere acquaintances? Or does he even remember him at all? So many questions yet the answers he got only opened more questions.
Wincing when he felt the headache getting stronger, he turned on his stomach and buried his face on the pillow. It seemed like he only gets headaches whenever he tries to remember things about Rivaille. It seemed like his mind was resisting to unlock his memories of the man. "Damn it, Rivaille. I want to remember you," he hissed, his voice muffle by the pillow.
After a few minutes of lying still on the bed, Eren got up into a sitting position and pulled out his phone from his pants pocket. Unlocking it, he saw that he had four messages and five missed calls from Levi, making his heart beat a little bit too fast. Not bothering to read the messages, he dialed the older boy's number.
It took only one ring before Levi answered his phone. "Brat, good to know you're still alive," the raven said before Eren could speak. "You didn't come to the office this afternoon and you haven't been answering my texts and calls. Where were you, Eren?" At his question, Levi's voice softened a bit, letting Eren realize that the other was worried about him.
"I went with Jean and Marco to Marco's house this afternoon but that's not the reason why I called," the brunette said. "Levi, I have to ask you something. I'm serious about this so please answer me honestly, okay?"
"Tch," Levi grunted on the opposite line. "Fine, fire away, brat."
Eren cleared his throat before speaking again. Is he really serious about this? What if Levi isn't Rivaille? What if he didn't remember him? What will happen?
But what if Levi was Rivaille and he does remember? What then?
"Levi..." he breathed out, voice dropping in a whisper. "...are you Rivaille-heichou?"
* Answer it, Levi! Grrr... I'm almost finished with this fic. Things are slowy falling into place. Thoughts anyone? :D
~koichii