Chapter 2: Monsters are real
Eren pulls his hoody up again as a cold wind appears out of nowhere. Since his time on the street he feels like he will never be really warm again. As if the cold of the street had taken away his ability to keep his body temperature on a normal lever. Or it´s just him. The sun shines into the small room Eren calls his studio. He is very thankful for Hanji to offer him this room and the job. Even when talking to people isn't his strongest point but teaching children and teenagers art is fun. Especially when they see him as one of them and with 17, still underage he really is one of them.
His father had thrown him out after Eren confesses that he likes a boy. He crashed by this boy (not his boyfriend) but it didn't work out and in the end Eren had nowhere to go. It followed six hard and cold month he often thought of returning home and beg his father to let him back in. But he didn't. Eren had never a good relationship with the man, probably because he was never at home or because they don't share any interest. His father wanted a son that loves soccer or rugby or anything else that isn't art. His mother supported him but after her death it got worse. It wasn't helping that Eren has strange dreams and that he was drawing them on paper for teachers to see. They would call at home and send him to the school consular; it didn't change a thing except that his father was even more disappointed in him.
On a very cold an rainy day in November Hanji found him or better saw him breaking into the youth centre. He was freezing and didn't know what kind of building it was, just that it was empty at night. She didn't call the cops. She made him a tea, offered him a blanket and after a good night sleep she showed him a small room he could have in exchange for helping out around the house.
She found out about his talent and interest very quickly and told him he could teach the children in exchange for art supplies. So Eren painted with the children, showed them how much fun it was. He helped out with small fixing jobs, helps out in the kitchen and with cleaning. For that he has this room, food and his art. He doesn't need more.
Erens inspiration are his dreams. Hanji asked once how he came up with his motives and Eren told her the truth. About the titans in his dreams, but he kept one thing secret. There are paintings with an angel with a white and a dark blue wing. He is everywhere in his dreams. Whoever it is, Eren feels save with the angel around him. He has a how collection with pictures of the angel but he never showed them to anyone. Only the pictures of the titans.
As Hanji offered to give them into a gallery for him to get famous, he wasn't a fan of the idea. She thinks that if his art finds people who are interested, he might be able to earn his own money or get a scholarship for the collage or anything. The truth is Eren isn't ready to do any of this. He likes his new home in the youth centre. There are people that aren't out to get him. Hurt him for who he is. He can live his life. There is no conflict when he is here, still he let himself be convinced to show off his paintings in a small gallery who has every week a different young artist on display, but he didn't let her give them his name. Eren fears that his father would be able to find him like that. He prefers his life how it is now.