Disclaimer: I don't own AoT or any characters
"Where are you off to, dad?" Eren asks as he sees his father, Grisha Yeager, packing a briefcase, preparing to travel by the looks of things. "A patient?"
"Yes, I should be back in a week or so."
There is a brief silence before it's broken by Mikasa. "Eren wants to join the scouts."
"I told you that as a secret, you loud-mouthed idiot!"
A huge argument breaks out between Eren and Carla Yeager that goes on for a few minutes, both stubborn on their opinions. Eren doesn't want to wait around for things to happen to them while Carla doesn't want her son to go on to die pointlessly. As they argue, Grisha gets up to leave the house.
"Darling, wait! Scold the boy for heaven's sake."
Sighing, Grisha has an idea that will help things, he hopes.
"Eren, walk with me for a bit. Let's have a brief talk." He says as he leaves the house, not waiting for a response.
"Uh, okay." Eren says tentatively, not sure how this conversation is going to go. He gets up to follow. Seeing his dad outside waiting for him, he quickly jogs after to catch up. They start walking towards the stables to get his dad's horse for travel.
"Eren...I understand things are difficult as they are. But if you want things to change, if you truly want to be a scout, then you have to grow up, starting now. Stop needlessly antagonizing others and no pointless fighting. I'm going to be gone for a week or so, like I mentioned. You want to prove you are good enough to join the scouts, show some responsibility."
He looked over at Eren, noticing that he has his full attention.
"Do you know what the scouts do? What the scouts are? They do their job for the survival of humanity. They are the strongest of the strong, protecting lives while fighting a seemingly unstoppable foe. All for the survival of our race. You think you can join them? Prove it."
"While I'm gone, someone has to take care of things. That'll be your job. Do what needs to be done. Be the man of the house. Show you have what it takes to make responsible decisions. That's the only way you can be a Scout. Do you think the Scouts will let some kid who is more bark than bite join them?"
"So, if I take care of mom and Mikasa while you are gone, I get to join the scouts?"
"I didn't say that." Grisha chuckles to himself, his son still had a long ways to go. "But it'll be a good start at the least. What you need to prove here is that you have the ability to make responsible decisions. Your decisions as a scout will not just affect yourself, but the lives of everyone. You have to be able to prove you can make the best decisions you can. Your mother isn't going to be happy you raised your voice at her like that back at the house. You want to take a good first step in the right direction? Apologize and take the punishment without complaint. Just because she doesn't always see eye to eye with you doesn't change the fact that she's your mother. She just wants what is best for our family."
They arrived at the stables, their time for talking soon to be over. Grisha kneels down to Eren's level and looks him in the eyes.
"Do you know why Mikasa told us your intent to join the scouts?" Eren stiffened at that, still upset at having been ratted out by her. "Like your mom, she just wants you to be safe. You may not make a huge deal about what you did for Mikasa, but she does. You protected her, and now she wants to protect you. She knows enough about the scouts to know just how dangerous being one is. She sees them leave and come back with a fraction of their numbers just like everyone else. She's a smart girl, and she has your best interests at heart. Do you care for her in the same way? Do you have her best interests at heart? Would you be willing to die for her? Or for your mom? Or for me? Because without that mindset you have no place joining the scouts."
Eren looked visibly upset and what he'd just been told. Thoughts racing in his mind. Did he have her best interests at heart? He insulted her just for trying to help him in her own way. Did being mean to her help in any way?
Grisha got up, ready to leave then stopped short. Memories of his past flashing through his head briefly. I need to make sure the message gets through to him.
"Look, Eren. I understand things may be confusing to you about everything, and it may not all make sense right now. But, if you ever listen to anything I've ever said to you, now is the time to listen."
Eren had a serious look on his face, nodding to his dad.
Grisha continued. "There is no greater pain on this planet than watching someone you love die. All we can do to avoid that pain is protect the ones we love with all we have. Mikasa already knows this. She never wants to go through it again if she can do anything about it so she does what she can with what she has. You should endeavor to do the same."
Eren didn't quite understand, but was absorbing his dad's words as best he could.
Grisha palmed the key to the cellar in his hand for Eren to see having said everything he needed to say. "Head on home, Eren. Be good, and I'll even show you what I've been working on in the cellar when I get back. And don't forget about what we talked about here today."
A look of excited surprise showed on Eren's face. "Really? Okay, I'll do it! Have a safe trip, dad!" Eren says excitedly as he runs home, happier than he'd been in quite some time with the current situation.
He opens the door to see his mom and Mikasa talking at the table. It looks like Mikasa had cried at the comment he made to her.
"Well?" Carla asks.
"I'm sorry for yelling earlier about becoming a scout. I had a good talk about it with dad, and while I'm not giving up on it. I can't just sit around doing nothing while others fight our battles for us. But... I won't be as obnoxious about it, either. I'm going to prove I am good enough to join them, then you don't have to be angry because I'll be good enough to join them for sure! And that starts with being more responsible around the house. I know you aren't happy I yelled at you earlier, so whatever punishment you want to give me I'll take it without issue. I really am sorry, mom."
Carla couldn't believe the change she was seeing in her son from such a short amount of time. Whatever Grisha had said to him clearly had an impact. How could she be upset after this?
"Well, I was going to ground you for a week, but seeing how good you are being about the situation now, it'll only be for the rest of today. Go on up to your room. I'll call you down for dinner later.
Eren opened his mouth to say something, then thought back to what his dad had just said to him. Be responsible. Make good decisions. That's what being a scout is all about.
"Yes mom, I'll be upstairs if you need me then."
Mikasa and Carla were both shocked at Eren's intense change in behavior. "Mikasa," Carla says as Eren is going upstais. "I'll be heading over to the market to pick up some things. Could you clean the dishes while I'm gone?"
"Yes." Mikasa replies simply.
"Good, see you when I get back."
Mikasa watches as Carla leaves and looks at the stairs. Moving swiftly, she goes upstairs and knocks on Eren's door. "Eren? I'm sorry about-" but Eren cuts her off before she can continue.
"Stop, you didn't do anything wrong. I was the one that made you cry. I'm the one who should be sorry for saying something so mean just for you looking out for me. So here I am telling you, Mikasa, that I'm very sorry for saying that comment to you. I hope you can forgive me."
Mikasa just stood there for a moment, not expecting this to be the way this conversation would go.
"Thanks" she mutters quietly. Heading back downstairs to do her chores.
Carla casually strolls through the streets, her thoughts rumbling. Joining the scouts? I understand the desire to see the outside world, but the scouts? That's suicide. I have to get him off this idea before he gets too many ideas in his head.
"Carla Yeager, it's been quite some time since we've bumped into each other. How is young Eren? It's been a couple days since he's been over with Mikasa."
Carla looks up in surprise, not expecting anyone to call her name. It's Armin's grandfather.
"Eren's doing just fine, Mr. Arlert. He got in a bit of trouble today, but I'm sure he'll tell Armin all about it tomorrow when he's no longer grounded. Would you believe that he"
"Wants to join the scouts? I've spent enough time around the boy to see the desire to go beyond the walls in his eyes. Armin has the same ideas going through his head as well. They are quite alike in that regard I'm afraid."
"And you're just okay with that? Letting Armin go off to die like his parents?"
"All I can do is raise him to the best of my ability. His decisions and desires are his own beyond that. I love Armin and would do anything for him, but I'm not so foolish as to try to control him. Like his parents, it would break my heart if I had to go through the same thing with him, but I won't stop him if that's genuinely the choice wants to make. It's funny how incidentally wise they are. They both desire change and want to do whatever they can to spark that change. The only way things change is if people are willing to make change happen after all."
And with that a large explosion could be heard and the earth seemed to quake for a moment. Carla was already looking in that direction froze in fear as she could see the head of a titan overlooking the city.
"How... how could this be? Those walls are 50 meters high." And another explosion sounded as the titan kicked in the gate.
Carla gasped, "The kids!"
Carla ran off in one direction, while Armin's grandpa ran off in another to go find Armin as well.
Eren sat up from where he lay in bed having heard a large explosion, unsure if he should get up and check.
You are the man of the house until dad gets back. It's your job to protect mom and Mikasa. Be responsible. As a scout, your decisions don't just affect yourself.
Eren runs down stairs and sees Mikasa had just stepped away from the dishes and was by the already opened door to step outside and see the commotion when another large explosion could be heard. Eren looks out the window in shock as he sees all the debris flying all over the place and time seemed to stop for him as his eye notices one large piece in particular.
That is going to hit the house. He doesn't understand how he simply knows it will, but his brain clicked it all into place.
They were going to get crushed inside the house. He looks over at Mikasa, sitting down getting some shoes on to go outside still, unaware of the danger they are currently in.
"Run Mikasa!" As Eren starts running towards the door. She gets up slowly, too slowly, confusion etched in her face by Eren's sudden outburst and seeing him running as fast as he can.
Deep down, his gut knows they have only a matter of seconds before the house gets crushed. He's going to make it, but Mikasa isn't moving fast enough to get out in time.
Do you have Mikasa's best interests at heart?
Would you be willing to die for her?
Yes.
He changes direction and heads straight for Mikasa, and he shoves her as hard as he can out the door and keeps running. Hoping beyond hope that he would also get away.
He didn't.
Hey, so I've just started watching AoT. I'm through with season 2, and I just had this idea pop into my head and decided I'd write this and see if I enjoyed it enough to write more. We'll see how it goes. Not much of a writer so we'll see what happens. I did enjoy writing this so the goal is to continue, but this is not a super huge priority of mine or anything.