A/N: I spent so long writing this out. Please comment and vote 😭 

Special thanks to @LalaWashington315 for the fanart!

The air in the room was quiet and tense, almost suffocating. You were distraught, so many thoughts running through your head as you tried to make sense of what just happened.

You said nothing as you walked past Eren, you made sure to keep your distance in case he tried anything. You inhaled deeply, finding the strength to finally look him in the eyes. The anger was boiling, but you had to keep your cool. 

"Why?" you asked. You genuinely wanted to know. He had no reason to insult and push them away like that. 

After everything you all have been through. After you all have stuck by him till now? Why? Why would he do this?

There must be a reason...there has to be a reason!

"Why are you doing all of this?" You tried to choke back a sob. 

"..." Eren could only stare at you with the same emotionless expression. 

"....He's not serious...(¬_¬)"

 He's clearly hiding something. Of course he doesn't want to tell you. Then what was the point of being here?

"If you're not going to talk, then why even keep me here?" you asked. You noticed the blood dripping from his ear. You grimaced. You were in the heat of the moment and forgot you actually shot a bullet at him. 

"If you want an apology out of me for shooting you, fat chance, you're not getting one. I don't care if you're my friend or not. You were hurting Mikasa and Armin. After everything we've done for you, that was how you were going to treat them. Yeah, I wasn't going to sit by and let you do that. But because you are my friend, because I still care about you. You're alive because I allow it."

"...you're a joke." he finally says. You were almost physically taken aback by this.

"...what?" you asked. 

"You're making it out like I'm such a Monster, but you're not different from me. Monster of Marley." your expression darkened when he said that.

You were immune to people calling you that but hearing that from him just touched a nerve.

"What did you just call me?" you asked with an edge in your voice.

"Why did you decide to become a chronicler? Writing about your life and how you gave up everything to fight alongside your people will make you look like a saint? Some kind of hero? It's pathetic. You're fooling yourself to even think that writing down our history will make you any less guilty about your past." he continued.

"You're not a hero. You're a coward who couldn't face her own demons, hiding behind a pen and paper. It took you almost six years to come clean about everything. Why? Because you couldn't live with the burden of your sins and decided to fake your identity to redeem yourself? You're no better than me." he grimaced at you as you continued to stare at him in horror, his words cutting you deep.

"Do you honestly think the people will care about your book, that it will change anything? The world will always see us as devils. History will just repeat itself even if we win. And then what will happen? Your efforts will be meaningless." his face leaned closer.

"Do us all a favor and face reality. Writing about our lives won't make you a saint. You're still the same person who lied and deceived everyone for years, what makes you think the world would believe anything from a liar? Your book won't change the world's view on us. The world doesn't care about your truth, Y/N. They'll never see you as anything other than monsters. You're delusional."

"...!" 

Your words were caught in your throat as you let out a shaky breath. It took everything in your power to hold back a sob and keep your stare on him as if his words didn't affect you. But damn, was it almost impossible.

After seeing you had nothing else to say, he turned away from you.

"Like you said before. You're letting me live now because you allow it? I'll give you the chance to walk out on your own without having you forcefully removed. Leave, now. We're done here."

That's it? That's all he wanted to talk to you about? Look you in the eye and degrade you? Take all the insults you were called in your past and say them right to your face, making sure you heard every. single. one. 

"..." 

"Y/n?" (Eren: Why do I hear boss music?)

No. You weren't going to leave. Not after what he just said. You weren't going to give him that satisfaction.

"...you don't know anything." you mumbled.

"Eh?" Eren asked as he turned to face you. 

*SMACK*

You marched angrily towards Eren, finally having enough. When he turned around to face you, you swung at him. Your fist connects with his jaw. He staggered back a bit, more from the force of the hit. From that hit alone, you were restraining yourself.

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"

Eren expected this to happen thought. His face remained unfazed when you hit him, but deep down he was hurting at the sight of staring into your furious yet hurt eyes.

 Hot tears spilled from your eyes, your first red and slightly bruised from the hit. You were shaking, not out of fear, but in rage.

"You arrogant prick," You spat, your voice shaking with fury. 

"You can call me out on all the things I've done in the past. You can remind me of my sins and everything I hate about myself. But you don't ever look me in the eyes and judge my actions like you know me. When you don't know a damn thing!"

Eren's eyes narrowed, but you weren't done. You pressed on, your voice rising with every word. 

"You're right about one thing, Eren. My efforts might be meaningless. My book might not change anything. I can't control how the world will view us in the future. But that doesn't make my actions worthless!" Your chest heaved with emotion. 

"You thought I became a chronicler just to paint myself as some kind of saint!? You're a fool to even think that! I made it clear that I had my own demons and admitted that I've done terrible things. But this book isn't about me." you continued. 

"If it was anything about me, I tried so hard to talk to all of you! Even after Historia got pregnant, after you walked out on us in Marley, when you landed up in jail. When everything was going on, I wanted to make you guys included because this book is about you!" 

"I was sent to Paradis Island to get rid of these so-called devils. But once I reached the walls, the first people to ever show me kindness as a child, other than my own sister, were devils on Paradis Island. They're long gone now, but I still remember them. Wrote down everything I could about them. Because they were real people! We're real people!" you looked down, tears were clouding your vision.

"I talked to everyone, I asked you all those questions as a way to show the world that we aren't monsters or devils. We are real people with real stories. What our ancestors done in the past was not right, but it shouldn't be a reflection of who we are!"

Eren's expression hardened, but he surprisingly remained silent. You swiftly wiped your tears, you let out a shaky laugh as you recounted all the things your friends and peers have told you.

"Even if it ends up worthless, I at least got something out of it. I was able to learn everything about all of you. Talking to you all, sharing with you moments that I should have done years ago if I wasn't such a coward." your voice dropped to a whisper.

"Do you know how much time I have left, Eren? Within a year or so if nothing changes, I'll be dead. I learned to accept that. It's going to be hard, but what else can I do? So, I'm making the most of it." you gazed up at him with determined eyes.

"My life here was special. One of the best years. So, you're right, Eren. My efforts might as well be worthless, seeing how I'll likely be dead before I can finish my book. But unlike you, I'm making every second count and spending as much time as I have left with all of you."

Eren's eyes became dark and unreadable, but you still met his gaze head-on. 

 "I might not be no better than you. But if my memory serves me right, Ymir's curse will catch up with you too. You want to act like a selfish asshole and cut everyone off, so be it. Die alone if that's what you really want." 

Those words hit Eren like a physical blow, his face contorted in rage. Without warning, he grabbed you by the collar, yanking you closer. You let out a surprised gasp.

He snaps at you, his voice laced with anger and desperation. "You think you know me, huh?" his grip tightened on your collar. "Say that again! Say those words to my face again!"

You met his gaze without flinching, your eyes widened as a familiar sensation waved through you. You sensed a storm of emotions raging within Eren. You felt his fear, his uncertainty, buried beneath layers or resolve and determination.

"You're afraid," you state quietly, your words cutting through his defenses. His widened eyes looking back into your somber ones. "Afraid of something you're about to do."

His grip falters, his facade cracking under your piercing gaze. "Shut up," he mutters, his voice almost hoarse.

 "You don't understand anything!" he yelled at you. 

You would have scoffed at that comment if your heart wasn't racing from fear. Eren tried his best to keep his composure, but the fear in your eyes was making it hard.

Dammit! Those eyes. The way they stared at him with deep worry and concern, enough to make him vulnerable to spill out everything. How do you do that? Make it almost so easy for anyone to tell you anything!?

In a sudden, unexpected move, you reached out and pulled him into a hug. The gesture was filled with both desperation and solace. Eren was rigid at first, wanting to push you away. But he remained still, his body tense. Slowly, your embrace seemed to seep into him, softening the hardness in his stance.

He missed this. He missed when you used to hug him like this.

The both of you stood there, locked in a silent and intense hug. Your breathing was uneven, the fear of the uncertain future heavy in your chest. You could feel Eren's body slightly trembling, a reflection of the emotional tempest inside him. 

"This fear, this is too much. What are you planning to do?" you asked softly, your voice muffled against his shoulder. "Is this why you're pushing us away?"

Eren pulled away slightly, just enough to look you in the eyes. His own were conflicted, a storm of unresolved emotions swirling behind them. He didn't respond, instead only pulled away from your grip. His actions only concerned you more.

The silence that followed was thick with unspoken fears and unshed tears. Your heart pounded in your chest, a mixture of anxiety and you felt a slight bit of hope. You gave him a moment of vulnerability, but it was clear he wasn't going to say anything to you regarding what you just sensed.

Eren's expression hardened, his face a mask of determination once again. "You don't need to know," he finally said, his voice a mere shadow of its previous intensity. "You don't need that burden."

Your heart sank at his words. That didn't answer anything at all! The fear you felt within him was too much to ignore. You couldn't shake the feeling that the future was looking dark and inevitable. 

"She was right," he said quietly. "You deserve to be the holder of your titan."

You blinked in surprise, your breath caught in your throat a bit. "What?"

Eren didn't say more but he didn't need to. Tears welled in your eyes as you knew who he meant. Emma, your sister. He really did talk to her. 

You were overwhelmed by the sudden validation. Your mother constantly told you that you were never meant to be the next holder of the Root Titan. 

"If it wasn't for Emma being sick or the death of your brother, it wouldn't have been you. I honestly don't know what my brother and Emma see in you. You're nothing but a weak coward." 

Since then, you spent almost your entire life feeling unworthy. Always second to any of your siblings. You definitely needed to hear that. 

"Y/n...I want you to promise me." Eren said, you began to tense up as his words sounded serious. 

"Promise me...that no matter what happens, you stay good to the very end. And if you wish to protect and save this world, you'll do whatever you can to make some sort of change happen. Even it means fighting me."

"Promise me that you'll never change." he added. Although his eyes didn't say it, he was pleading for you to answer. 

You nodded, your voice barely above a whisper. "I promise." 

"You are your own person, Y/n. Make the right choices that will benefit you, not for anyone else."

"...Why does this sound like a goodbye? And what does he mean by fighting him? Oh god...Eren. What are you about to do?" you thought. 

"Why are you making this out like we're going to be enemies?" Your question was rhetorical. You really didn't want the answer to that. Eren's silence gave you an answer. 

"Wow...so I guess we really have become enemies at this point..."

With enough being said, Eren walked away from you. But he stopped for a moment to say something else. 

"I wasn't mocking you when I said this before. I'm letting you leave on your own. Tell the men outside that I ordered them to escort calmly to your holding cell. Just act like you're not a threat and they'll cooperate." he said. 

You closed your eyes, inhaling deeply as you tried to remain calm. But your heart was still racing from the impending fear. 

"I'm sorry things had to come this way. I really wished you haven't changed. I'm worried about you, Eren. We are all. I wished you've could at least tell me what's going on. But you have your reasons, I just have to respect them." you at least wanted to say some final words to him. 

"Take care of yourself, Eren." you walked out of the room, leaving him alone in his thoughts.