Disclaimer: I obviously don't own AOT, all rights go to Hajime Isayama

His bones were growing old and brittle. His head hurts. His hair had grown gray. His skin was wrinkled and sunken. It had been eating away at him.

Eren Yeager laid on his bed, his term was ready to open death's door for him.

A small hand wrapped around one of his fingers.

"Daddy, are you sleepy?" Came a soft voice. He smiled softly. To think he of all people could find any form of salvation.

"Yes sweetheart, I'm tired."

"Sweetie, why don't you go play with the kids downstairs." Another voice came.

"Yes mommy." The small blonde girl exited the room. Eren let out the cough he was holding when the door closed.

"Damn it Eren." Historia chided, placing a warm wet towel on his forehead.

"I know."

"First Frieda, then Ymir, now you. Why is it that the people I love always leave me?!" Historia's face morphed into a mix of sadness and frustration.

"I'm... sorry." Eren whispered softly. He could see the tears building up in his wife's eyes.

"It's not enough. There has to be a way!" She gritted her teeth. His hand slowly raised itself and cupped her left cheek.

"I'm sorry... remember... what we talked about." He reminded her. They were so foolish. To have a child knowing both his life and his sins will eat away at him. Yet... they didn't regret it. They put themselves up to this. They knew this was coming. Every moment together was treasured in love and unbearable guilt. It was time for him to go. He couldn't break the curse.

"Shit... shit... shit..." Historia cursed repeatedly, clutching at his blanket tightly.

"It was inevitable. They've caught up to me Historia. My sins, the ghosts of the innocents I've slaughtered. I don't deserve to live a long life... not with all the blood on my hands... not with their blood." Eren went into a fit of coughs. Even with all of the Titan powers, all 9 of them residing within his body and soul, he was weak.

"But... I have no regrets. You were the one thing... I couldn't... sacrifice..." He breathed heavily. His hand dropped and he slowly removed the ring on his finger. He opened her palm and placed it there. Historia was silent, tears streaming down her beautiful face.

"Eren I..." She started.

"No... let me speak..." He interrupted, closing her palm. Historia nodded, lightly biting her lip.

"Live your life with pride Historia... take care of our little girl..." His eyes felt so heavy. Her face was slowly disappearing from his view.

"I... love... you..."

"EREN!" Her voice rang, but died off as he finally slept.

Eren Yeager had let the embrace of death take its hold.

He was gone...

Yet he felt himself act as a presence.

He was somewhere.

How?

"Eren! Wake up!" A voice called to him.

Something touched him.

How could he have felt something?

That's impossible.

Something grabbed his shoulder, shaking him.

His eyes slowly opened and he was in a room, a boy with blonde hair and ocean-blue eyes stared at him.

"Huh?" He murmured.

"What do you mean 'huh'?! You slept in! No one woke you up Eren! Mikasa's waiting for us at the dining hall. We're gonna be late for training! Get changed, come on!" Armin said in a hurry.

Wait... Armin?

He didn't get a chance to question anything before the boy in Corps Cadet uniform rushed out of the room.

Eren's jaw dropped in a moment of disbelief.

"What... the... fuck?"