Chapter Text
Eren Yeager used to want to be an architect. From the first time he saw the new museum built in Liberio and had a rare chance of seeing it due to the accidental discovery that if he climbed on the roof of his home he could see most of Liberio and the ocean. He marveled and fell in love with the gothic design of the building and always asked Zeke or Pieck for books on architectural design. But he was Eldian. He had no choices in his life that weren't gifted to him. So, he spent most of his days alone, working in the clinic while his brother trained to be a Warrior to bring honor back to their family.
"Eren!" Eren winced from the sudden shout before greeting Reiner with a smile. "We're getting sent on an extended mission. Finally! We're doing something important!"
"All of you?" He asked while busying his hands with fixing the sheets on the patient beds. Reiner scoffed.
"And leave you defenseless?" He teased. "No, only a couple of the Warriors." He cleared his throat with a chuckle. "Look at the armband."
Ah, so that's why Reiner came here. Eren looked and felt his heart drop down to his feet. Where yellow used to be, now red. Reiner received his titan and Zeke probably had as well as everyone else. He forced a smile on his face and tried to look as pleased and happy as he could while knowing that he'll outlive all of his closest friends.
"That's great, Reiner." He threw his arms around Reiner's neck and pulled him into a hug. "I'm so happy for you. Which one did you get?"
Reiner pulled back with a proud smile. "The Armored. For my perseverance." That made an involuntary chuckle escape Eren's chest. "Are you okay? You seem a little, I dunno, off."
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."
Reiner didn't look convinced.
"Tell the truth."
Before he could even think of saying something, Zeke came in with his own red armband, Gabi running in past him, with the newly minted Warriors and Warrior Candidates behind them. Gabi immediately rushed to Eren's open arms.
"Did you hear? Did you hear? Reiner got the armored!" She sounded so happy and excited that he couldn't help but feel happy, too. "Mr. Zeke said we could have a party here!"
"A- A party?" He looked at his brother with a slight frown and furrowed brows. He hasn't had a day off since he was fourteen, but suddenly there's time for a party. Eren felt a migraine coming. Gabi jutted out her bottom lip and blinked her eyes up at him with little tears at the brink of falling down her face. Damn her. "Okay, I suppose I can close the clinic down. Just for a few hours."
"C'mon, Eren." Porco came up and slung his arm across his shoulders. "You need to relax. It's not like you're heading off to battle anytime soon."
Eren's sour mood from before came back. He brushed Porco off and opted to head to kitchen to prepare for the other families coming to the Yeager home. Udo and Falco, being the adorable little angels they are, offered to help.
"My mom taught me how to make cloud bread." Udo boasted, practically vibrating with excitement. "It's really easy, but I need a good assistant."
Eren knelt down to be eye level with the boy and with a big smile: "I would love to be given the opportunity to be your assistant."
The party started an hour or so later, but it was hard to tell with how loud everyone was cheering and shouting the entire time. He mostly stayed in the kitchen with the younger Candidates. The bread Udo made did actually taste very good despite how unfortunately shit the booze paired with it was, but that wasn't Karina's fault. Eldians can't have anything good, not even alcohol.
"Hey." Marcel was suddenly beside him at the sink, his back turned to the party in the living room, and washed off a dirty plate. "You having fun sulking in here?"
He scoffed. "I'm not sulking." It was pretty evident he was though. He hardly talked to anyone that didn't talk to him first and had an almost permanent frown on his face. "Sorry if I'm ruining the celebration. Really, I'm happy for you."
"But?"
"But..." He pursed his lips. "But I have to live with the knowledge that I will outlive my only family left and all of my friends. I will get to grow old and get married and have kids, but you will live to maybe twenty if you're lucky."
Marcel didn't respond. He turned to face Eren with a sullen expression. He should've kept his big mouth shut and just pretended to be happy for him. This is Marcel's one chance to have a better life for his family and here Eren is shitting all over it.
"Eren!" Gabi's shouting shook him out of his thoughts and he managed to laugh at the sight of Reiner lifting her over his shoulders with a triumphant laugh. "Save me! Reiner's being mean!"
"Duty calls." He pit his glass in the sink before heading over to Gabi. Reiner, ever the softy, loosened his grip on her enough for Eren to easily take her into his arms. "Reiner Braun, you should really treat your adorable cousin better. You're a Warrior now, after all. We can't have people thinking you're bullying children."
"Eren." Reiner looked away with a red face. "You should really stop defending her like that. She's not that cute."
Karina swatted his arm with a light scolding before continuing to talk with the Galliard matriarch. Eren let Gabi down on the ground and ruffled her hair before she rushed off to play with Zofia. He felt so heavy as he watched everyone be so carelessly happy and excited. He needed a smoke. Zeke barely even reacted as Eren came up to him and pulled the pack of smokes out of his jacket pocket before going upstairs. If he ever needed a smoke, he did it on the roof. Technically, he couldn't get in trouble for being out past curfew and it gave him enough height to see the lights in the Marleyan side of Liberio.
"Thought you'd be up here."
Annie. They don't talk for a moment. Eren always liked that about their relationship. There doesn't even need to be words. She was a person of few words and was the only person Eren actually sought her out after his parents, uh, left and then subsequent death of his grandparents. She was the only person who wasn't so suffocating with her comfort.
"Brought you cake."
"Thanks." No utensil though. He took a small piece between two fingers and licked off the leftover icing on his fingers. "I'm going to miss you."
"Personally," She fixed her bangs with a small smirk. "I'm excited to leave your annoying ass. You being down my street cred as a failed Warrior."
He laughed. "You're such an asshole."
She shrugged and let out a little laugh when he punched her arm. "What're gonna do while we're gone?"
"Probably the same shit as usual." He ate another piece of cake with his cigarette between his fingers. "When do you get shipped out?"
"Next week." She faced him with this sad, sunken look. "Take care of my dad. He'll be so lonely without me there."
"I will." He flicked the cigarette away from himself.
She sighed with relief. "Thank you. Anything else to lay on my young heart before we leave?"
"Other than you're such a dick?"
She chuckled, punching him a little harder than she should've, and snatched the rest of the cake away from him.
"Reiner told me he's gonna ask you to marry him."
Eren blinked dumbly. He looked at her for any signs that she may be lying or messing with him, but nothing. He didn't know why Reiner would confide in her of all people considering his friendship with Bertolt and how he looked up to Marcel, but maybe this was his plan all along. He knew Annie would tell Eren regardless of whether Reiner asked her to or not. Either way he wasn't too upset with the outcome.
"Well, thanks for telling me, I guess." Eren began with a small pout. "Do you know when?"
She shrugged. "Are you going to say yes?"
He didn't have an answer, but he knew he probably would. Reiner was nice and safe and kind. Eren would be happy enough with him. There was no reason to say no. At least, Eren knew he cared about the other enough to allow a few kisses or touches here and there.
He returned to the party after Annie. Not quite ready for Marcel to corner him into talking about his feelings again or deal with the excitement and all the questions from the kids. He gave Zeke back his smokes and entered the small circle that the Warriors had made for themselves as they talked. Reiner brushed his arm against his.
"We'll have nothing to worry about with Marcel leading us." Bertolt had a few too many drinks, but he was holding his liquor well with his newfound healing regeneration. "Oh, Eren, are you sure you're going to be okay? We're could be gone for a while."
"You know, I'm not made of glass." Annie sniggered. "I might not know how to shoot a rifle or take down a man twice my size, but I can handle things fine on my own."
"You have to give my little brother a little more credit." Zeke placed a hand on Eren's shoulder with a smile. "He's a Yeager. We're survivors."
Reiner had stayed the night, rising in the morning to Eren clean up the aftermath of the party while Zeke slept upstairs. While the brunet was busy doing the washing up, Reiner slid beside him with an awkward half-smile on his face and a pile of dirty dishes placed delicately in the sink. The blond had moved to grab the cleaned plate from Eren, drying it off, and putting it in the cabinet above him.
It felt so domestic. Something that both Eren and Reiner won't experience for who knows how long with Zeke and Pieck and the Candidates being stationed across the world while Eren's stuck in Liberio.
"I never got to congratulate you, Reiner." Eren sniffed, scrubbing at a particularly tough stain made by Mrs. Galliard's casserole. "Really congratulate you, I mean. I'm happy for you and your family. I know how much becoming a Warrior meant to you."
"I- Thank you." Reiner's hand was hesitant and strangely delicate as he reached over to hold Eren's cheek, pointing his face away from the dirty dishes and instead focus on the new Armored Titan. "Um, I need to ask you something. It's, it's important. Um...."
"I know." Eren's own hand covered Reiner's. "Annie told me. But don't worry. I'm patient."
He spared a kiss to Reiner's cheek as he heard the stairs creak under the weight and pulled away to start breakfast. Zeke yawned, loud and long, to emphasize how he somehow knew that Reiner and Eren were having an intimate moment that he had just interrupted. No matter how old that man is he will never fail to try to embarrass and ruin his little brother's life. He accepted the freshly made cup of coffee from Eren with a grateful smile.
It was quiet as Eren made breakfast and Reiner continued to maneuver around him, putting away cleaned and dried dishes into the cupboards with a familiarity that could only come with his near constant presence at the Yeager household. The place was near to how it was before the impromptu party and Eren allowed himself to relax and sat with his brother and Reiner at the dinner table.
"I find it odd how they're sending us out to fight so close to your deployment to Paradis." Zeke was speaking to Reiner, but he kept his eyes on the fruity pastry Eren had made. "I find it reckless. If all of our trained Warriors are away, who will protect Liberio from the Mid-East?"
Reiner answered with a shrug. "I'm sure you and Pieck are capable. And the Candidates aren't exactly useless."
Eren rolled his eyes, pinching a piece of his pastry off, and lightly kicked Zeke from under the table. "This is not good breakfast conversation. How about you ask Reiner about what he wants for dinner when he comes back?"
"O-Oh, I hadn't thought that far ahead." Reiner chuckled. "Um, maybe a roast. That would be nice."
"A roast?" Eren passed a glance at Zeke and shrugged. "All right, sounds good. Your homecoming dinner can be a roast at our place, so don't take too long."
*
Eren stayed busy the entire day the Warriors left for Paradis. He couldn't will himself to say goodbye to them at the pier and could barely even look at Reiner in passing without crying. He was more useful cleaning up the clinic and completely rearranging the kitchen and bathroom in a way he liked since Zeke was going to be gone for a month and couldn't have any say in the matter. It was nearing late afternoon when Porco and Colt came in, Colt apologizing on Porco's behalf for not knocking.
"Oh, don't worry." Eren wipes his hands off on his pants before putting a kettle on for his guests. "I wasn't that busy anyway."
"Really?" Porco looked around at the utter mess that was his kitchen. Pots and pans were on the floor with food and dinnerware on the counters while he cleaned out the cabinets. "You've got a warped definition of busy then."
"Well, I run the clinic by myself." He remarked with his back against the counter. "The last time I was busy I had to take someone's arm off."
Colt whistled. "Yeah, that'll do it." He thanked Eren as he passed a cup of tea over. "If you ever need any help, you can always ask us. It beats cleaning the headquarters when we don't have any assignments and I could always bring Falco by. He loves those little tea cookies you have." He frowned. "Sometimes I think he loves you more than me."
"I doubt that's true." He swatted at Porco's kicked up feet to get him to act somewhat civilized and sat beside him. "You're his older brother. He only likes me because I give him sweets." He paused as he took a delicate sip of his way too hot tea. "Actually, I might need help for the check ups on the Volunteer Army on Thursday. It'll be nice to have some Warriors to back me up."
"Warrior Candidates." Porco corrected bitterly. "But sure. I'm free."
"You can count on me." Colt saluted with a dorky smile.
Eren was thankful to have such devoted friends. The promise to bring Falco by was cashed in early as the young Warrior Candidates piled into Eren's home later that afternoon, after their classes. Porco and Colt were kind enough to help him finish up his kitchen before he got too out of hand. Falco stayed back to carefully take off his shoes to not track any dirt into the house. It was cuter than it had any right to be.
"Hello Mr. Yeager." He greeted, eyes big as he noticed the three drinking tea. "Do you have any cookies?"
"Sure I do. Gimme a sec." They were certainly somewhere in the pantry. "A-ha, found you."
He kept the cookies in an aluminum tin that once held his father's spectacles and small mementos of his and Zeke's mothers until he couldn't stand to look at them anymore. He knelt down as he opened the tin and let each child pick a few. Gabi munched happily on the floor with Zofia who was wrapping her's in a small terrycloth for later. Resourceful.
"Thank you, Mr. Yeager." Falco sat near Colt at the table and ate with a pleased smile. It pained his heart to know eventually that cute little boy will be sent to fight in battles he has no place in.
"Hey, why do you call Eren, 'Mr. Yeager', but you don't call me, 'Mr. Galliard'?" Leave it to Porco to get upset over that.
"O-Oh, Ms. Pieck said it's impolite to disrespect someone who could save your life one day." Eren stifled a laugh very poorly behind his hand. Porco looked between Falco and Eren with red cheeks and a gaping mouth that Udo took as an invitation for a cookie to be shoved into his mouth.
"You.... Don't think.... I could save your life someday?" He spoke between chewing. "I'll be fighting alongside you in battle, you know! Eren just stays here all day! That's hardly fair!"
"But he's a doctor." Falco looked close to tears at the prospect of getting in trouble with Porco. "He's known for saving people."
"Falco, you don't need to defend yourself when it's something as asinine as this." Eren slid the tin over to the end of the table where Falco and Colt were. "Take some for home. I'm sure your parents would love them."
"Thank you, Mr. Yeager." His smile was like looking directly into the sun. He felt better now than he did this morning.
"Oh, Reiner wanted me to give this to you." Gabi held out an envelope folded in uneven halves. Probably her doing. Eren thanked her and ripped one end of the envelope out and a ring fell out with a letter that he pulled out after.
"Fuck."
"Language." Colt scolded, but he was just as wide-eyed.
The letter was exactly what he thought after he saw the ring. Reiner wanted to propose that morning, but since Eren didn't show up he used his dutiful cousin as a messenger.
"W-What is it, Mr. Yeager?" Eren swallowed a lump in his throat and folded the letter back up. With a soft sigh, he slipped the ring on.
"I'm to be a Braun when Reiner comes back."
*
Outside of the emptiness of the house when Zeke is gone, Eren actually enjoyed the alone time. He could sit on the couch without pants on or have dessert before dinner. He could play music on the record player Zeke had brought from a shop in the newly acquired land he helped conquer. But it was near deafening now. As he read and reread Reiner's letter over and over again. He can't exactly explain why he accepted it. Maybe it was his last act of kindness to a man who might die on that island and never actually know if Eren said yes, but seeing the excitement in Gabi's face and how she literally bounced around the room at the prospect of Eren being related to her soon made him more comfortable in his choice.
He twisted the ring around his finger as he reread the letter for what felt like the millionth time that day. Reiner even signed it: 'Always yours' in big swoopy letters. Maybe that's the real reason. Reiner could be kind. When he loved, it was with his whole heart and everything in him. He showed it with Gabi and his awful mother and even the Marleyans who treated them like dirt. He sighed, folding the letter and tucking it away safely into a drawer full of stationary, and made a cup of tea for himself.
That bastard. He should've asked him in person when he could. At the party or any of the days before his deployment. It was just cowardly to make Eren wait like this. He was certain. He made up his mind. When Reiner came home, Eren was going to punch him straight in the face.
In the morning, he made his way down to the cemetery. His parents and grandparents were buried together along with Zeke's mom. All safe and together. He had bouquets for each grave. The florist always complained when Eren came in every month. Ordering different flowers for five dead, or mostly dead, people who won't even recognize your efforts was exhausting, but no one else would tend to their graves.
Zeke never went. He was adamant that putting flowers on empty graves were ridiculous and a waste of money. The only time he didn't complain was when Eren brought up their grandparents, who were laid to rest in the same plot as their parents. Eren knew to respect the dead, even if they might just be mindless pure titans on an island. It was the same respect he paid old houses and the old bones that reside there. It's the spirit of the act.
"Well, young Mr. Yeager." Eren almost had a heart attack at the calling of his name. He didn't recognize the voice, but he recognized the man. Commander Theo Magath stared at him like Eren was some sort of rat stuck in a glue trap and this man marveled at how he struggled in the trap. "I heard you're quite the doctor."
"As good as I am able." He dusted his hands off as he stood and tried to be as small as he could in front of such a powerful man. "What do you need from me, sir?"
"We need a medic for the Non-Marleyan Army." He picked at his fingernails with a disinterest. "Marleyan doctors are too good and Eldians can't be trusted. We had thought that the Non-Marleyan medics could keep up with the Volunteer Army and the Non-Marleyan, but we had overestimated their ability."
Eren bit back a mean comment.
"You seem to be a middle ground." He meant that as a compliment so Eren nodded with a polite smile. "Your brother would go on and on about your steady hands and quick work and resolve. Here are your permission papers." He took them and carefully folded them into his pocket. "I expect you on Base early tomorrow."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." He looked Eren up and down once more before walking away.
Eren felt his body tense up as he fished the papers out of his pocket in the hope of understanding exactly what kind of job he was handed. He'll be almost permanently stationed at Base for most of the morning and afternoon. That made more sense now. Eren is useful for Eldians and is good at his job, so with Zeke gone and no one to vouch for him to stay in the safety of his clinic, Marley has full reign to do whatever it wanted with him. He wanted to tear the papers up into pieces, but he resigned himself and folded them back into his pocket. He wished his family farewell and left to open the clinic.
"There you are." Mr. Leonhart was sitting rather uncomfortably on the stoop of Eren's home. He had his hands clutching tightly to his cane with a deep frown and had bags under his eyes. "Annie said I should come see you for a check up and that you make good tea."
"Ah, well, I was about to put the kettle on anyways." Eren held the door open for Mr. Leonhart, taking care to observe how well he can walk on his leg now, and went to the kitchen for tea. Mr. Leonhart, instead of going into the clinic, followed him into the kitchen and sat at the table with a huff. "How are you doing without Annie?"
"How are you without your brother?" Eren chuckled.
"Touché." He twisted the ring anxiously again and sat across from Mr. Leonhart as the water boiled.
"Who's the lucky man or woman?"
Eren sighed. "Reiner. He asked before they left."
Mr. Leonhart nodded and fell silent. Like father, like daughter. It was another minute before the kettle whistled and Eren was glad to do something. He pulled out two mugs and, without thinking, the tin of cookies.
"Braun is lucky to have someone as kind as you." The compliment made Eren's lips twitch up into a smile. He sighed into the tea with a content look. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome." Eren took a small sip. "How have you been sleeping?"
"Not well." He chuckled to himself. "Annie would make the cutest little 'whoosh' sounds when she slept. Dreaming of training, I suppose. It's so quiet without her home. I thought I would be used to it with how often she was gone fighting in those wars."
"I know what you mean." He was so used to hearing Zeke clamoring around early in the morning or singing obnoxiously loud in the shower and it was so eery without him there to make noise. The house was still and quiet without Zeke. "It's strange being alone."
Mr. Leonhart nodded solemnly. "Do you love the Braun boy?"
Eren's face surely is pink from the sudden question. "I- I'm sorry, but why do you care?"
He downed the tea with a soft laugh. "I suppose I'm just trying to project Annie onto you. Apologies, Doctor."
"I like him." Eren spoke into his mug. "He's nice to me and never tried to act like I'm less than him or anything, but I don't know if I love him. I thought when you're in love, sparks fly and you feel like you're floating and I don't get that with him or anyone else for that matter."
"Love is also comfort, Doctor." The words tasted odd on Eren's tongue. Comfort? He thought love was all this magic. At least, that what his father said when he met Dina and Carla and what his grandparents showed him every day until they died. "I loved my wife because she was comforting. I felt safe with her and she felt safe with me and I felt more love for the woman when she gave me my little girl."
"How's the leg?" The older man chuckled at Eren's topic change.
"Do you do this with all your patients?" He closed his eyes and mindlessly rubbed his leg that was twisted in a bad way earlier that year. He would have lost it had it not been for Annie. She carried him the whole way here; however, when Eren asked how it happened, she clammed up and kept quiet for the rest of the visit. "Treat them to tea and cookies before you ask them about their gimp legs."
"Your gimp leg seems to be getting better." He sipped. "You can walk well enough and I assume you've been taking the painkillers I gave you."
"With water and plenty of vitamin C like you instructed." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "She was insistent that I do as you say. Honestly, that girl, I could've sworn she was in love with you with how she regards you."
"Not to sound out of turn, but I never thought she even liked guys all that much." Mr. Leonhart laughed at that. Annie always had said that he had a dirty laugh, loud and infectious.
"You'd be right." He chewed for a moment before swallowing. "But there's never anything wrong with a doctor in the family."
A silence fell over them. He sipped his tea and would wait. Mr. Leonhart's leg is fine. Annie was clever. She knew how lonely they both would be and forced them to talk, just sit and drink tea. For a moment, Eren wondered if they were okay on that island. Only able to be their true selves with each other and forced to hide and lay in wait for whatever they're looking for. They must be the real lonely ones.
"You remind me of her, you know." Eren furrowed his brows, but waited for Mr. Leonhart to finish on his own. "Your mother. I remember her when we were younger, you're a lot like her. More than your father, at least. You look just like her, too."
Eren didn't remember much about his mother. Just that she died soon after he was born and only knew what she looked like because of what little pictures there were of her. Mr. Leonhart's compliment was genuine enough that Eren felt himself smile.
"Thank you." He sniffed. "That's nice of you to say."
"It's true." He stood, leaning on his cane with a grunt. "And you have her kindness. That is a rare thing to come by these days."
Then he left to let Eren stew for a little while.
Eren never really saw himself as kind. He helped people who needed helping and tried to not be a general asshole, but he never thought he was nice or kind. Not like Annie in her silence and quiet understanding, or Zeke with his no special occasion gifts and treats he would bring back from the various places Marley colonized. He would just do his job.
"Mr. Yeager!"
Shit, right.
He forgot that Falco and the other Candidates had their check-ups today. Eren really wished they would do it in the Marleyan hospital so they could get lollipops after the endless vaccines, but this was the only Eldian 'hospital' in Liberio. Zofia was already sitting on one of the beds kicking her feet with boredom as her mother fussed with her hair. Gabi excitedly waved at Eren while her parents held her at bay.
"Hello, kids." He greeted with a smile as he put his stethoscope on. "Ready, Zofia?"
She nodded proudly and squared her shoulders to sit up straighter. It was really cute how seriously all the kids took these check ups. They were usually all very healthy outside of a cold or stomach bug, but then they would still insist they were fine enough to go headfirst into battle. When he finished with the check ups, the Braun family was the last to leave. Karina hanging back with a tight smile. It didn't reach her eyes.
"I'm sorry if I'm keeping you." Eren shook his head, washing his hands so he could do something besides look at her. "Gabi told me about Reiner's proposal."
"He didn't talk to you about it?"
He didn't mean to sound so bitter. It just came out that way. He had never liked Karina. Not since she spread rumors about what happened to his family and forcing her son to become a Warrior Candidate in the hopes of elevating her status. The sole reason he's treated with any respect is that he's the only Eldian doctor in the district that can treat anyone essentially for free with how lenient he is with payment.
"He only asked for my parent's rings." She shook her head with a more natural smile. "I should've known what he was doing." She paused. "You know, he has been in love with you for I don't know how long. I just want you to know, that your acceptance means a lot to him. Even though I know he's not here, I'm sure he knows. He has room in his heart for only you, Eren."
He took a deep breath. He thanked her and she left, taking Gabi with her, and Eren felt like crying or laughing or both. Damn Reiner for making him feel guilty for accepting his proposal. That douchebag better hurry up and get back.
*
The Base wasn't much. At least, it wasn't to Eren, but he hadn't been on many Marleyan bases. His guide was a woman in a Marleyan uniform who had a scar over her upper lip and muscles bigger than Reiner's.
"This is the medic's tent. You will report here every morning, understand?" He nodded and she left him with a little flick of her hand.
He sighed and walked through the tent. He could've cried at the sight of these people. Many had what looked to be clear infection in their poorly bandaged wounds or too sick to even talk. He immediately went to work, rolling up his shirt sleeves and tying a handkerchief around his mouth and nose before he approached a young woman. Her blonde hair was greasy and covered in filth and had a nasty wound that stretched across her ribs that could've been an artillery strike or something from a jagged knife.
"Don't worry." He charmed as he put on latex gloves. "I'll get you feeling better in no time."
"Kind words from an Eldian." There was no bite in her tone. She looked at him warily despite how she seemed on the brink of complete collapse.
"Well, we're both people, right?" He prepped her for stitches, disinfecting the wound with a saline solution. Now cleaned, Eren could easily see the start of infection. He tutted and took an alcohol swab to her side, trying to be gentle. "There's not much difference between you and I. Eldian or not, Marley hates us either way."
She chuckled. "Maybe you're right. You can call me Yelena."
"Eren." He smiled and pinched her skin together for stitches. She winced when the needle pierced her skin, but otherwise she didn't make a sound. He was actually impressed. "It only feels worse than it is."
"Is that supposed to be comforting?" She hissed through clenched teeth.
"If it helps, then sure." He looped a knot at the end of the stitch and reached for gauze. He pressed it to her wound and used bandages to wrap around her no doubt broken ribs. "I can give you antibiotics against the infection, but we're restricted from giving you painkillers. I'm sorry."
She waved her hand dismissively, running her hands through her hair. "Didn't expect proper stitches. Thank you. Really. You should help Onyankopon next. I'm scared he might have a brain injury."
"I am fine, Yelena!" He shouted across the tent. He did have bandages wrapped thick around his head as well as his arm in a sling. "She acts like I'm brain damaged! Ha!"
"Do you know you're shouting?" Eren asked as he approached the man. He blinked in response. "Okay, do you know where you are? Or what your name is?"
"I'm in Liberio and my name is Onyankopon!" He answered triumphantly. It made Eren chuckle. "I have had this terrible headache, but it's nothing a soldier like me can't ignore!"
Out of his bag, Eren pulled out a small bottle of headache relievers, some he used himself so technically not a problem, and held out two for Onyankopon as well as a bottle of water.
"Here. Take these and let me look at your head." The man complied with a nod, downing the water as if he were dying of thirst. His wound itself wasn't bad. It looked more like a bullet graze, but it could be infected after you get past all the congealed blood. Fucking Marley. "I'm going to give you some antibiotics. It comes in a shot so it might hurt a little."
"If it comes from such a pretty face, I can't mind!" Another charmer. He shook his head with a grin and cleaned the wound and bandaged it quickly so he could move on to the others. "Did you choose to work here?"
"Oh, no, it was offered to me." The man beside Onyankopon had minor burns on his arms and chest. "I run a clinic in the internment zone."
"You seen a little young to be running a clinic." Yelena, who was up and definitely shouldn't be, was sitting on the edge of Onyankopon's bed. "Something happen?"
"I'd rather not talk about it." Yelena nodded and dropped the subject and instead began talking about tonight's dinner and how she wanted nothing more than her mother's stroganoff again. "What's stroganoff?"
Her eyes widened. "Oh, it's delicious! It's sautéed beef in a sauce with smetana. I haven't had any since I left home."
"I can try to bring you some next time I come if you'd like." She cocked her head with narrowed eyes. She looked at him as if he was playing some game with her, like bringing a meal that reminded her of home was an interrogation tactic. "Maybe you could give me a recipe."
"That's nice of you, but it wouldn't be the same." She seemed so reserved and shut off now. Eren wondered what he said to change that. Was it his tone of voice? "I'm feeling tired. Thanks for patching me up, Doctor."
Eren walked home feeling like gelatin. He smelled sterile and was too used to the putrid smell of blood and infection. He wanted nothing more than a cup of tea and a bath and then straight to bed for another day of that shit. But when he opened the door, Porco was waiting for him. His feet kicked up on the coffee table reading some romance novel. The lights were on and Eren should've noticed he was there.
He sat on the couch beside him with a yawn. "What are you doing here?"
"Waiting for you." Was his answer, as if it were obvious. Hell, it was. No one else lived there. "How was work?"
"Draining." He kicked off his boots with a sigh and laid his head on Porco's lap. "How were the kids?"
"Gabi wouldn't stop talking about wedding plans." Porco sounded more bitter than usual. Surely it couldn't be jealousy. "She wants to officiate."
"Can't wait to see what happens when she realizes she can't." Porco chuckled and rested a hand in Eren's hair, lightly scratching at his scalp. It was oddly intimate, but very welcome after the long day he's had. "Thanks for breaking in."
"Not breaking in if the door is unlocked."
"Mm, not really, but okay." Eren found himself yawning. "Sorry. Really tired."
"I can go if you want."
"No, no, this is nice."
Porco's movements stilled, a moment passed between them as if he was thinking about something, before he continued. Eren found himself wondering what kind of decision Porco made in those few seconds.
Eren woke up to the smell of coffee and a blanket draped lazily over him. Porco must've stayed over. He was always an early riser, even when they were kids, but Porco was always up before anyone else. Running laps or working out, Eren could always count on him to be out and full of energy. He cracked his back as he stood and made his way to the kitchen.
"Good morning, Pock." The other man winced and turned to Eren with a red face.
"You know how much I hate being called that." He held out a cup of hot coffee anyway. Eren thanked him with a smile and sat at the table. "Didn't know you had eggs."
"Zeke got some before he left. No training today?"
"No, they have the kids running drills again, so me and Colt are free."
Eren nodded and silently drank his coffee. Porco cleared his throat, but didn't speak. He could tell that there was something Porco needed to say and he was nothing if not patient.
"So, any wedding plans?"
Eren chuckled. "Why? Wanna be my best man?"
"I just don't want you to rush into something you don't know if you even want." Eren quirked a brow and pursed his lips. "I mean, it's Reiner. You barely looked twice at him. Suddenly, you're his bride-to-be just because he's going to die in thirteen years."
"It's not like that."
"Then what is it like?" He turned to face Eren with a fury behind his eyes. Normally, Eren would get up in his face just as much with as much fire, but it was early and he had a long day the day before and just wasn't feeling it. "It seems to be just pity to me."
"Don't act like this."
"You didn't deny it."
Eren sighed through his nose. "Porco, please. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
"I'm sorry, I just don't want to see someone I care about be stuck in an unhappy marriage just because you feel bad." Porco raised his voice and moved to turn the stove off in the realization that they probably weren't going to eat any time soon. "It's not fair to anyone."
"Do I really get a choice in the matter?" Porco's eyes shot up to Eren. "If you were me, what would you do? I'm not a Warrior. I'm not a soldier. I'm not anyone. What kind of person am I to say no?"
Porco closed his eyes for a moment. In another moment, he looked like he might've said something meaningful. But he just sighed and sat down.
"You deserve better than Reiner."
Ah. Now it made sense. Eren let out a relieved sigh. "For fuck's sake, Porco. Seriously? Reiner worships the ground I walk on. He's been in love with me since we were four. Just because he's not the top of your class or a master sharpshooter doesn't mean I'm undeserving of him."
"Whatever." Porco spoke with a huff of air that could be mistaken for a chuckle.
"Regardless," He took a deep breath. "I'm really relieved. I thought you were really mad at me."
Porco nodded and stayed quiet for a long minute. Eren thought that would be the end of the conversation and they would go back to normal, but then Porco stood with a determined look on his face.
"I'll be back for dinner, 'kay?"
Eren nodded. And set out to take a well-deserved bath after all this.