Marco had never talked much about his family when he was alive. After he died, we found out why.
The day after Marco's passing, Armin got a call from a blocked number.
"H-hello?" He rasped, voice raw from the sobbing.
"Yes, hello! Is this Armin Arlert?" replied an inappropriately chipper voice on the other line.
"Uh, yeah?"
"Great! This is the Bodt estate calling. We understand that Marco has recently passed. Sadly, Mr. and Mrs. Bodt are out of the country for the summer, however, they would like to extend their deepest condolences in this troubling time. You can expect a wire transfer later this afternoon for any funeral-related charges you may incur. That is all. Goodbye, Mr. Arlert." Click.
Armin's stunned silence and the bits we could overhear told the story. It felt like the ghost of the truck that killed Marco was coming back to hit us too, but this time only our hearts felt the impact. Beside me, I could see Eren's jaw clench as he hit the wall with his fist, defeated.
"So they really just don't give a fuck…," he whispered, though it was what all of us were thinking.
Finally, after a long stillness, I said, "Good thing we're his family, too. He has people to celebrate his life, even if his parents are heartless. Not everyone has that."
Armin glared at me. What to me was comforting advice and perspective, evidently was not the same to him. "Jean, he's dead. He was killed. Let's not try to spin this into something positive right now."
I nodded. I knew that Marco should be alive right now. I knew that. And it burned my insides to think about how I'd never see my best friend smile again. Or hear his voice again. I felt my face flush a deep red as tears rolled down my cheeks, almost beyond my awareness. It was so unfair. Life, death, family, all of it. Before I knew it, my legs were taking me out of the room where Marco had been suspended, half alive, for the past four months. Out of the hospital that we had once hoped would save our friend. They wouldn't stop until I was deep in the woods behind the hospital.
The trees grew taller around me. Immensely, unnaturally tall. They grew and grew until I was so small I couldn't be sure if I still existed. I heard a distant scream from somewhere in the woods. But then I noticed that my mouth was open, and when I put my hands over my mouth I could feel that I was the one screaming. I suppose I just couldn't hear it over the ringing in my ears growing louder, louder, louder. As it did, the world got smaller, smaller, smaller. Until it was only dark, only black. Faintly, I felt something warm and wet on my face.
The next thing I remember, I opened my eyes to Eren leaning over me. His cheeks were wet with tears, but I couldn't tell why. The world was so loud. And my head felt full to bursting. Behind Eren's head, I could see it had gotten dark. I wondered what day it was.
"Jean? Jean? Can we you hear me?" Eren gasped when he realized I was awake. Each word felt like an icepick wedging my skull open. I reached a hand up to my forehead to feel something cold and sticky. When I looked at my hand again, I could see the dark shiny blood on my fingers. I groaned.
"Eren, honey, not so loud. Head hurts." I managed.
I heard his breath hitch. I wondered how long he'd been here before I woke up but would have to ask him about it later. For now, I could only lie still as his tears streamed from his cheeks onto mine, washing away the grime I was sure had accumulated there. I was reminded, as if for the first time, how beautiful he was. Even though by now we had been together for over a year, even though my best friend was dead, even though I was dazed and confused in the quickly darkening woods, I smiled softly. I reached my hand, my clean hand, up to cup Eren's salty cheek. His skin was so warm as I ran my thumb across it, briefly drying a small section of his face before new tears wet it again.
"I love you," I said, though I couldn't be sure if it was out loud or in my mind.
"Jean, I was so scared," he whispered back. I felt his arm snake around my back, his other hand supporting my head as he lifted me into an embrace. His body was racked with sobs, and my skull ached with the sound. Still, I couldn't keep the smile from my lips as he held me close.
