[A memory, as kind and warm as any home. Eren can feel it overtaking him; that means it'll be on display for Aubrey and Mikasa too. He almost can't bring himself to care.
[He wants to see it. He wants to be there.
["I have to get stronger." Eren Jaeger has tears in his eyes. His breathing is erratic. He's never been prone to panic attacks, and yet, here they are. His hands are tightly gripping Reiner Braun's wrists; Reiner is gently gripping Eren's shoulders.
["You will, Eren. You're doing fine."
["I can't just do fine, I have to...to..." He struggles for words. He still feels like he can't breathe. Reiner's strong hands squeeze at his shoulders, then massage with pressure. It makes Eren close his eyes, head falling forward like it's heavy. Pressing his face into Reiner's chest, the older boy wraps his arms around him.
["I get it." Reiner's voice is gentle. "The pressure is insane. Especially for you." Eren starts to speak, but Reiner kisses the top of his head, and he dissolves.
[His voice is choked with emotion. "I can't just leave it to someone else. I can't. If I can't hack it - if I can't be a Scout, then--" He cuts himself off with a shudder, a would-be-but-not-quite sob. When he speaks again, it's a whimper of words. "My mom...Reiner, I can't - I-I have to."
["I know." It's such a warm voice; deep, strong, grounding. In Eren's memory, he takes a breath; back in the present, his body echoes it perfectly. A slow inhale, a slower exhale.
["If anyone can do it, Eren, it's you." Reiner leans away, tucking a finger under Eren's chin to raise his head. They stare at each other. Admiration flows from Eren - love, pure love. Like the person sitting in front of him is everything all at once. "You're gonna save humanity, huh?" Reiner kisses the tip of his nose. "I know you can."
[A moment of silence. The visual part of the memory ends; their voices are left behind. Eren's, whispering, "Do you really love me?"
2/3 gee what's taking pan so long I wonder what he's writing
[He wants to see it. He wants to be there.
["I have to get stronger." Eren Jaeger has tears in his eyes. His breathing is erratic. He's never been prone to panic attacks, and yet, here they are. His hands are tightly gripping Reiner Braun's wrists; Reiner is gently gripping Eren's shoulders.
["You will, Eren. You're doing fine."
["I can't just do fine, I have to...to..." He struggles for words. He still feels like he can't breathe. Reiner's strong hands squeeze at his shoulders, then massage with pressure. It makes Eren close his eyes, head falling forward like it's heavy. Pressing his face into Reiner's chest, the older boy wraps his arms around him.
["I get it." Reiner's voice is gentle. "The pressure is insane. Especially for you." Eren starts to speak, but Reiner kisses the top of his head, and he dissolves.
[His voice is choked with emotion. "I can't just leave it to someone else. I can't. If I can't hack it - if I can't be a Scout, then--" He cuts himself off with a shudder, a would-be-but-not-quite sob. When he speaks again, it's a whimper of words. "My mom...Reiner, I can't - I-I have to."
["I know." It's such a warm voice; deep, strong, grounding. In Eren's memory, he takes a breath; back in the present, his body echoes it perfectly. A slow inhale, a slower exhale.
["If anyone can do it, Eren, it's you." Reiner leans away, tucking a finger under Eren's chin to raise his head. They stare at each other. Admiration flows from Eren - love, pure love. Like the person sitting in front of him is everything all at once. "You're gonna save humanity, huh?" Reiner kisses the tip of his nose. "I know you can."
[A moment of silence. The visual part of the memory ends; their voices are left behind. Eren's, whispering, "Do you really love me?"
[Reiner's, whispering back, "Yeah. I do."]