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Chapter 12 (Sins of the Past), and Chapter 13 (Call of Silence) are already available for Patrons.
This story, while not one of my most famous ones, is still one of my favorite to write. The Canon will change a lot, and I will try to fix a few things from Canon.
I hope you enjoy this Story.
Three Months Later
Another day, another job from their dear Instructor Shadis. After completing all their training for the day, the cadets were told to do jobs throughout the camp. The jobs went from watching duty in two of the two small towers in the camp, which was the easiest one. The cadets that were assigned to that job didn't really need to do anything besides lazing around all day long, and the instructor couldn't really do much about it, but the same wasn't for the other jobs.
One job was cleaning the common room, cleaning the kitchen, and helping the chefs make new dishes, and the worst job was cleaning the bathrooms. Two girls would clean the girls' bathrooms, and two boys would clean the bathrooms for the boys.
Another job was cleaning the camp, especially during autumn. The ground would be covered with leaves, and the job was to clean all of them, but despite being in Spring, there was still a lot to clean around the camp.
Another job was cleaning the weapons they used to train, from knives, rifles, ODM Gear, and everything else. Eren, in particular, liked to do that job with Armin, and sometimes Jaime helped; they would spend time having small talk, and while Jaime enjoyed these; Eren, unfortunately, couldn't go one day without bringing up the Titans and how he would kill all of them.
While his dream was naive, it was still noble in a way, as long as he didn't die trying to achieve that goal, which would probably happen if Eren didn't get his shit together.
"Eren, while your goal is noble and all, you are forgetting to do one important thing," Jaime suddenly said as they were cleaning their ODM Gear with wet towels and napkins; his words caused both Eren and Armin to stop cleaning and look, Jaime.
"Important! What could be more important than killing the Titans?" Eren questioned, not understanding where Jaime was going with this; the latter sighed before pointing at everything around them.
"To live Eren, if all goes well, all three of us will join the Survey Corps. I have already told you how high the mortality rate is, it's possible you might achieve your dream, but you are not allowing yourself to live too. To feel something else besides anger." Jaime explained his point, but it seemed Eren didn't agree with him. He simply shook his head in disagreement.
"The Titans, they ruined everything. I won't stop until I Kill all the Titans." Eren promised with determination in his voice; while his passion to kill all the Titans was admirable, it was also foolish.
"You think you're the first to want that?" Jaime suddenly questioned, a hint of skepticism lacing his words as he meticulously cleaned his ODM Gear with a crumpled napkin. The napkin, once pristine white, now bore the marks of his tireless efforts as it gradually turned pitch black, the accumulated dirt. Jaime's brows furrowed as he painstakingly removed each stubborn speck of grime.
"What?"
"The Titans has been around for more than a century now, the Survey Corps was founded more than eighty years ago. People have lost loved ones to them for a long while, do you think you are the first to want to kill all the Titans?" Jaime questioned with a sharp voice, looking at Eren, who seemed to be thinking of saying the right words to counter Jaime.
"If all it took for the Titans to die was the desire for vengeance and for them to die, then they would already be gone, Eren." Jaime said, feeling like he was scolding him, something that immediately pissed Eren off.
"What are you trying to say?" Eren shouted with anger towards Jaime, feeling like he was talking to Mikasa for a moment.
Jaime sighed wearily. "I'm saying that you are not the first, and Titans are still out there. Eren, you shouldn't think of your life as something that you can just throw away. You are so fixated on them that you forget one important thing. Life. Live a little." Jaime said what he wanted to say; if Eren didn't want to understand, then it was his fault. His words caused Eren's eyes to widen, while Armin looked at Jaime impressed. '
Jaime escaped his thoughts as he looked to his right. Mikasa was peeling potatoes with him, but she was terrible at it. For someone who had incredible strength, Mikasa had no idea how to cut a simple potato, this amused Jaime to no end, and a burst of hearty laughter involuntarily escaped his lips, causing Mikasa to turn her attention towards him.
"Mikasa, if you keep doing it like that, we will be here forever," Jaime commented, pointing at the tomato she was peeling; Jaime commented, his index finger pointing directly at the stubbornly unpeeled vegetable. Startled out of her internal musings, Mikasa shifted her gaze from the tomato to the potato in her trembling hands. At that moment, she couldn't help but perceive the disarray she had created, realizing her lack of finesse when compared to the seemingly effortless skill displayed by Jaime.
"How then?" Mikasa questioned with genuine intrigue, something that caught Jaime's attention; he grabbed the potato from her hands and showed it as he used the knife to remove the skin. Mikasa seemed to be paying close attention to him.
Slowly and carefully, Jaime removed the skin of the potatoes, the skin falling into a bowl, while placing the peeled potatoes in another bowl. Then, Mikasa grabbed a potato, and Jaime guided her hands carefully to show how it was done. After helping her peel five more potatoes, Mikasa started getting better, and Jaime returned back to his own potatoes.
"You peeled like mom!" Mikasa murmured under her breath, but Jaime heard her.
"Your mother knows how to peel a potato, then; she must be a good cooker," Jaime commented with a smile, but the way Mikasa's face fell, he knew right away he must have said something wrong; he was ready to apologize when Mikasa spoke.
"She used to, not anymore." Mikasa added, her voice cracking, looking away from Jaime, using her red scarf to hide her face.
"I'm sorry, Mikasa." Jaime quickly apologized, not knowing what else to say, as Mikasa shook her head. Soon enough, they both started where they left off, and both tried to ignore the awkward situation.
"How is the training with Eren going?" Jaime questioned out of the blue, wondering if she had made any progress with him, but Mikasa shook her head with disappointment all over her face.
"Not well; he still refuses to let me train him," Mikasa answered with a downcast look. Jaime couldn't help but not like it; he thought of a way to cheer her up, and the only thing he could think of was helping her with her problem with Eren.
"Well, what exactly did you do?" Jaime questioned while they were still peeling their potatoes. He hoped there was a way to crack the mystery that was Eren Yeager.
Mikasa explained how she tried to be a little harsher with Eren in their training, but Eren still refused, saying he didn't need her help, once hearing everything, Jaime couldn't help but shake his head.
"I will be honest, Mikasa. Eren is a moron," Jaime commented right away. His words earned a look from Mikasa, making it clear that she didn't appreciate his comment about Eren.
"Don't look at me like that; you know I'm right; everyone needs help to get stronger, and Eren is refusing help from you because of a wounded ego," Jaime added, not backing away; if Mikasa didn't want to admit the truth, then it was her problem.
"All of us have been weak in the beginning; no one is born strong right away."
"You know what is like to be weak?" Mikasa's voice resonated with a mix of curiosity and empathy as she directed her question towards Jaime. In response, a surge of emotions coursed through Jaime, causing his hands to instinctively tighten their grip around the mundane potato he was holding. The intensity of his grip became so overwhelming that the potato helplessly succumbed to the immense force applied and fractured into countless tiny fragments. The deafening sound of the destroyed potato echoed through the room.
"Not my Hand, Please. I won't do it, Again! Please!"
Jaime shook his head, trying to get rid of the thoughts of the past. It had passed, and he didn't need to keep staying in the past when he had a future in front of him; Jaime felt an excruciatingly annoying pain throbbing on the right side of his head. It seemed as if the pain originated from a specific point and radiated outwards, pulsating with every beat of his heart. Each pulse caused a sharp and intense sensation akin to a knife piercing through his skull. Glancing back at Mikasa, he noticed a slight furrow of concern etched on her face, "Your head hurts?"
Jaime almost gasped; how could she have guessed that? The headache was something he had every time he was overwhelmed; it mostly happened when he remembered the day everything changed. "It's nothing," Jaime said dismissively with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes; Mikasa didn't look convinced but didn't try to ask more questions.
"I know what is like to be weak, and I'm still weak." Jaime answered after the pain went away a little, Mikasa arched an eyebrow.
"Weak! but you are one of the best cadets." Mikasa reminded him, knowing that from all the male cadets in the Training Corps, Reiner and Jaime were amongst the best.
"Maybe, but I need to get much stronger, and with the strength I have right now. I will die out there before I can achieve anything. No, the strength I need to win is much more than this." Jaime answered with passion in his words. Mikasa looked at him; at that moment, Jaime reminded her of Eren. The way he spoke of his dreams and ambitions.
"You want to explore the outside world, you are like Armin," Mikasa commented.
"Not just that, I want to explore every part, leave no place unexplored. I want to see the entire world. That's my dream." Jaime answered with genuine passion in every word, his purple eyes almost glittering; Mikasa smiled hearing his words; she thought his dream was a good one.
"I think I have to fix it for you. I mean, your problem with Eren," Jaime suddenly added; his words quickly earned her attention, her ears almost perking up.
"How?"
"I think Eren doesn't like that despite all the training, he's still far away from your level. That's why he refuses your help, but I think the next time you try to help, don't give it all, but don't let him realize that you are not giving it all. I think you should make him believe he's slowly reaching your level and gradually train him. Eventually, he will get better, and you won't have to hold back anymore; one day, he will get as good as you." Jaime explained; his words seemed to have been registered by Mikasa, who had a small smile on her face.
Eventually, Jaime and Mikasa started cutting the peeled potatoes, but again, Mikasa wasn't as fast and as good as him, so he decided to help her.
"Place your finger near the part where you want to cut, make sure to not cut your own finger, and move your finger away every time you cut." Jaime, with a kind smile on his face, confidently said and demonstrated the proper technique of cutting potatoes into slim pieces. As he skillfully wielded the knife, his expertise and patience were evident. After completing the task, Jaime gently handed the knife to Mikasa, who appeared genuinely grateful for his effort to teach her this invaluable culinary skill. Although some may perceive this act as trivial, Mikasa's appreciation clearly conveyed her deep desire to excel in the art of cooking.
"Thank you, Jaime. Who taught you how to cook?" Mikasa questioned, genuinely curious as they were cutting potatoes, Mikasa never thought she could find so much enjoyment in something as simple as cutting potatoes.
"Well, if I remember correctly, my mentor's words to me were, 'If you can't feed yourself, then you are welcome to starve,' " Jaime answered while mimicking what his mentor said, trying to make his voice sound deeper too, but Mikasa didn't look pleased.
"Your mentor doesn't sound like a good man, how old were you?" Mikasa asked right away, not licking that Jaime wasn't taking it as seriously as he should, but Jaime simply smiled, all memories with his mentor were memories he remembered fondly, at least they were much better than before he came into his life.
"Nine years old, Mikasa, but my mentor taught me everything I know. He might have been harsh sometimes, but I-I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him." Jaime answered, his voice getting quieter by the end. He didn't know why, but he felt comfortable talking with Mikasa; he felt as if there was some strange connection, and he couldn't help but notice just how similar her eye color was to his mentor's.
Mikasa didn't seem like she agreed with his words, the way he justified his mentor, but if the man was really important to Jaime, then Mikasa wouldn't try to say something to object to what Jaime said.
Silence fell over them once again as they kept cutting potatoes, Mikasa didn't mind the silence, but Jaime couldn't help but remember something his mentor told him two years ago, what he described sounded very similar to what Mikasa could do, despite her size, Mikasa was able to lift things three times her size, Jaime had seen only his mentor being able to lift things much heavier than him without breaking a sweat, and with Mikasa being close, he thought it would be a good opportunity to ask.
"Mikasa, can I ask you something, if you don't mind?" Jaime suddenly asked, looking at Mikasa, who stopped cutting potatoes and looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
"Have you ever had a moment in your life where you felt a burst of energy, and suddenly you knew exactly what to do?" Jaime asked with a hushed voice. His words caused Mikasa's eyes to widen.
Fight, Fight, Fight.
Mikasa remembered Eren's words when the third guy was trying to kill him; her hands instinctively went to her scarf; she remembered the feeling; all the fear and weakness had disappeared all of a sudden; she no longer felt fear; she no longer was weak.
Mikasa looked back at Jaime; she wondered how he knew; had someone told him? Was that something that happened to other people? Did it happen to him?
"How do-" "What are you two doing?" Jaime and Mikasa turned to face whoever spoke, but Jaime immediately recognized that voice.
"Oii, Jean-boy, good to see you," Jaime said with a teasing smirk on his face, his eyes full of mischief. Jean couldn't help but groan audibly as he reluctantly stepped inside, mentally preparing himself to fire back an insult. But as soon as his eyes landed on Mikasa, who stood beside Jaime, any retort he was about to utter instantly vanished from his mind. His mouth hung open in stunned silence, a mixture of surprise and admiration evident on his face. The sight of Mikasa had completely caught him off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless.
With a mischievous grin spreading across his face, Jaime playfully called out to Jean using his nickname, "Oi, Jean-boy, you there?" Feeling a sense of amusement welling up inside him, he couldn't help but derive endless entertainment from witnessing the usually confident cadet being rendered speechless. Meanwhile, Mikasa observed the interaction with a perplexed expression, unable to comprehend why Jean remained motionless as if he were a tree or why Jaime's laughter filled the air.
"I'm- Mikasa, how are you doing?" Jean stammered, desperately trying to gather his thoughts and compose himself. With a nervous smile, he reached up to scratch the back of his head, his cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red. Despite his flustered state, Mikasa continued to gaze at him with a perplexed expression, raising an eyebrow in an unconcealed display of confusion.
"I'm fine, you alright?" Mikasa asked, seeing how Jean's face had turned red like a tomato.
"Fine, Fine," Jean answered quickly, trying to muster the strength to look at Mikasa. "So, do you like the Weather?" Jean asked with a stutter; Mikasa looked even more confused as if she didn't expect that question.
"Smooth, Jean-boy. Real Smooth." Jaime teased with a wide grin; Jean glared at him before telling him to keep quiet.
"Weather is good, but why are you here, Jean?" Mikasa asked; her words made Jean's face drop as if all the hope he had in his life suddenly disappeared.
"It's my turn in the kitchen now, me and Marco," Jean explained. Mikasa nodded in understanding, placing the knife and the peeled potato on the table.
"Thank you, Jaime." Mikasa said with a smile as she walked out of the kitchen.
"Whenever you need, Mikasa," Jaime said, feeling good to be able to help people; the moment she walked out of the kitchen, Jean looked at Jaime strangely before he started leaning his face closer to Jaime, causing Jaime to walk backward, away from him.
"Jean, we are good friends, but I'm not going to kiss you." Jaime said with a deadpan look while trying to keep his distance from Jean, who glared at him for misunderstanding him.
"I thought you had something with Annie?" Jean asked almost accusingly; his eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. His words caused his cheeks to burn as his mind went to Annie. His heart raced frantically as he struggled to find the right words to respond, his gaze averted from Jean's piercing stare. However, a mischievous smirk played at the corner of Jean's lips, adding to Jaime's unease.
"I-I have no idea what you are talking about!" Jaime stammered, the words tumbling out of his mouth in a desperate attempt to divert the conversation. His mind raced, searching for an escape route from this awkward situation. But before he had a chance to gather himself, Jean unexpectedly wrapped his arm around Jaime's shoulder, pulling him into a comforting side hug.
"You know, as your friend, I can tell her about your feelings if you can't; what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you," Jean teased, with a wide grin, looking like a vampire.
"What feelings?" Jaime quickly objected while trying to escape his clutches.
"Oh, don't be a pussy. But don't worry, you have Jean here. I will tell her how much you love-" "Shut Up, Jean!" Jaime exclaimed before he escaped his clutches and ran out of the stupid kitchen while hearing Jean laughing like a madman.
Soon Jaime found himself in the same spot he and Annie trained together, his heartbeat slowly going back to normal; he remembered what Jean told him, and he couldn't help but know that he was right.
"She would probably kick my ass," Jaime murmured under his breath before finding a good place to sit in a trunk; once he sat down, he pulled out his small notebook and started drawing what came to his mind. Once done, Jaime looked at the drawing, and he couldn't help but smile, her blue eyes were always beautiful to look at, even if sometimes they were cold.
I'm so screwed, Jaime thought, feeling the need to smash his head against a tree.
One Week Later
"Alright, maggots. I have the pleasure to inform all of you that today you will do the hardest mission that you worthless asses will have to complete; failing to complete this mission means you will spend your life in the fields, eating worms and drinking piss." Shadis shouted to the crowd of cadets, his words were intimidating to many, but Jaime simply rolled his eyes, waiting for their dear instructor to continue.
"You will be split into groups with seven members each. You will be placed far away from one another. Your mission is to survive for a week; your ODM Gear are the only weapons you will have; I will decide the leader and the one who will record everything for that specific group." Shadis explained further before he started reading out names.
Jaime was standing beside Jean, Marco, Reiner, Ymir, and a few of his friends as they heard the names.
"Group Wolf: Annie Leonhart, Jaime, Mikasa Ackerman, Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Hoover, Marco Bott, and Ymir. The leader is Jaime, and the one to record is Marco Bott." Shadis shouted, Jaime earned a friendly slap from Reiner from behind.
"Now I have no reason to worry about anything. We are safe in your hands, Jaime. We have just to be careful not to step on you," Reiner teased with a chuckle as Shadis was reading more names; Jaime rolled his eyes.
"And you are big enough to be used as a shield, Reiner. Even a bear wouldn't dare to attack us." Jaime japed, earning a burst of laughter from Reiner.
"The bears are no match; look at these muscles; they are not just for show." Reiner boasted while pointing at his broad shoulders and muscles; Annie rolled her eyes at their antics.
Soon Shadis called out Eren's team, the good news was that both Eren and Armin were in the same team, the bad news was that Jean was also in the team which was a recipe for a disaster, and Krista not being in his team didn't sit well with Ymir and Jaime.
"Eren, when this mission is over, if I find that Krista is hurt in any way and is your fault. I will kick your ass." Ymir warned Eren, who didn't seem to be paying attention to her, while Krista was trying to break any tension between them.
Later
"We will come back within a week," the man informed them, his voice echoing through the dense forest as they all jumped from the worn-out wagon that had carried them for miles. "Use the flare if you need emergency help."
With a swift nod, the man released a piercing whistle that cut through the dense atmosphere. Suddenly, the horses, tethered to the wagon, responded immediately. Kicking up dust and dirt, they gracefully trotted away, the wagon gradually disappearing into the foliage. The small group stood there, their eyes fixed on the diminishing vehicle.
Once it was out of their earshot, Jaime cleared his throat loud enough to grab everyone's attention. "Alright, we haven't come here for sightseeing; we need to find all we need. We need wood, water, and food. Reiner, since you are the muscle, you will cut down wood and bring it back here; as for water, that is the most important one. We need to find a river; they make more noise, and it's easier to find them, but if we don't find that, we extract water from the trees all around us." Jaime informed everyone, but the last part confused them.
"Extract water from the trees? What are you talking about midget?" Ymir asked, not understanding how someone could ever extract water from trees.
Ignoring the insult, Jaime pointed at a random tree. "Every plant and tree needs water to grow; they have water in them. Otherwise, they would die. To extract water, we need a knife," Jaime calmly explained the technique as he confidently retrieved the trusty bowie knife from its customary resting place on his belt. With determined steps, he approached a conveniently located tree chosen for its sturdy trunk. Placing himself in close proximity to the towering structure, he positioned the knife's gleaming tip against the bark and exerted just the right amount of force, barely piercing the surface. Eagerly, he leaned closer, his right ear almost touching the rough texture of the tree trunk. Suddenly, a faint sound, one reminiscent of water gently trickling, reached his attentive ears. Satisfied with the result, Jaime carefully withdrew the knife from the tree, its surface glistening with sap. As he had anticipated, a steady stream of water began to escape through the minuscule orifice he had artfully created.
"Wow," Ymir exclaimed, her surprise evident as she cast a dubious gaze towards the water source. "But are you sure that the water is safe to drink?" She awaited Jaime's response with anticipation, but Jaime remained silent momentarily. Jaime swiftly broke a sturdy branch into a small, cylindrical shape. With the aid of his knife, he masterfully sculpted the branch, transforming it into a makeshift spile. Purposefully, he positioned the spile within the hole, commencing a slow and steady trickle of water. Ymir observed as each droplet gracefully plummeted into a capacious container thoughtfully placed beside the tree by Jaime.
"Well, we need to warn it to a boiling point first before consuming it to make sure it has no bacteria or anything bad that can make us sick. Second, we need to find a lake, but if we don't, this will help us. Now, we will leave it here. Annie, Mikasa, you two find us a river and try to hunt any animal you might find." Jaime instructed; Annie simply nodded nonchalantly, while Mikasa looked annoyed that she was told to work with Annie.
"Me, Bertholdt, and Marco will hunt something big to eat. Try not to get lost, though." Jaime finished, and soon, everyone started doing their jobs as instructed.
Jaime used his knowledge from his time in the underground city to find animal tracks; the tracks were easy to find; in the underground city, he had hunted for even the smallest food scraps for himself and Arthur. Soon, they found a boar who was busy eating grass, but the boar was quite big.
"Okay, keep it quiet," Jaime spoke with a hushed tone, hiding behind trees watching the boar; Marco and Bertholdt also found a tree to hide behind.
"What should we do, Jaime?" Marco asked with a hushed voice, looking at the boar with uncertainty.
"Bertholdt, what should we do?" Jaime asked instead of answering Marco's question, turning to face the tall boy who was taken aback, quickly looking at Jaime with confusion.
"But you are the leader; you make the decisions," Bertholdt quickly said, not wanting to be forced into a situation where he needed to make decisions all by himself; he liked it much more when someone else told him what to do it was much easier.
"You're right, but we are a team; every leader needs advice every once in a while; now, I'm asking You," Jaime turned Bertholdt's head to look at the boar. "What should we do?" Jaime added.
Bertholdt closed and opened his mouth several times, trying to think of something, trying to think of a way out of this. "J-Jaime, I'm not good with this, if I try, I will just mess up."
"Hey, don't sell yourself short; you are more than you think; tell me what you think, then we will decide what we should do." Jaime encouraged with a smile, and the same for Marco; Bertholdt looked conflicted, swallowing hard, his eyes flickered at the boar before looking at Jaime.
Later
"Mister Boar, up here!" Jaime shouted down at the boar, his voice echoing through the forest. Intrigued boar raised its head to lock eyes with Jaime, its snout twitching with curiosity. Knowing the boar's fondness for flowers, Jaime picked a colorful assortment and held them tightly in his arms.
Jaime swiftly maneuvered himself off the tree branch, gracefully descending towards the forest floor. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he wasted no time activating his ODM Gear. The mechanical straps on his suit propelled him forward, propelling him effortlessly through the dense foliage.
However, his escape was short-lived as the boar lunged forward with surprising agility. Determined to catch up with Jaime, the boar thundered ahead, its hooves pounding against the earth, sending small clouds of dust swirling into the air.
Jaime glanced over his shoulder to assess the distance between them, his heart racing with a mix of adrenaline and exhilaration. Fueled by its unwavering determination, the boar gained ground, hot on Jaime's heels. The chase went on as the forest became a blur of green, branches, and leaves whipping past them in a flurry of motion.
"Marco, now!"
In the heat of the moment, Bertholdt urgently called out to Marco. Reacting swiftly, Marco responded without hesitation, plunging downward with impressive agility using his ODM Gear. With each calculated swing of his blades, he aimed skillfully at the boar's legs, expertly slashing through the sinewy muscles from behind. Unable to withstand the sudden onslaught, the boar writhed in agony as it collapsed onto the unforgiving terrain below.
Seizing the opportunity, Bertholdt leaped into action, following Marco's lead by swiftly descending with his own ODM Gear. As he descended with remarkable speed, he extended his blade forward, poised to strike with deadly precision. In one fluid motion, his blade sliced effortlessly through the boar's neck, leaving a clean incision akin to a knife gliding through softened butter. The force of the strike sent crimson waves splashing through the air.
The boar succumbed rapidly to its grievous injury, dying quickly due to the loss of blood.
Bertholdt's exhilaration soared as he inhaled deep breaths, astonished that his plan had successfully come to fruition. Despite the overwhelming rush of triumph, a small fraction of disbelief lingered within him. With curious anticipation, he fixated his eyes on the boar's motionless form. The crimson rivulets from the boar's neck wound continued to seep and stain the verdant grass.
"Bertholdt, good job, perhaps you should become the leader. I wouldn't mind an early retirement." Jaime japed as he jumped down to him, earning a chuckle from Bertholdt, quickly followed by Marco.
"Good Job, Bertholdt." Marco congratulated; Bertholdt couldn't help but feel good that he was being praised by his fellow cadets, a blush of embarrassment forming on his cheeks.
"It was nothing."
Soon, Marco came up with a way to carry the boar back to the camp, saying he and his father used to hunt when he was a toddler, and his father always used that method to carry the animal back to the house.
As they were walking back, Jaime was pulling the prey, Marco was busy writing their progress in the notebook, and Bertholdt was simply following them along without saying anything.
"Jaime, for how long do you think we can use this meat?" Marco eventually asked, with a finger up his chin; he seemed deep in thought.
"Well, normally we would have only two hours until the meat starts getting spoiled, but I can brine the rest, and save it for later. This boar will be more than enough for the whole week," Jaime explained as he kept pulling the dead boar; Marco looked surprised that Jaime knew how to brim meat, while Bertholdt looked at Jaime with an apologetic look.
"Hey, Jaime. I-I'm sorry."
Jaime stopped pulling and turned his head to face Bertholdt with confusion. "About what?"
"When you were fighting with Annie. I called you a 'Devil' and kicked you. I'm sorry, you are not a devil." Bertholdt apologized sincerely; Jaime couldn't help but arch an eyebrow.
"Don't worry about it, men. Friends insult friends all the time." Jaime quickly said dismissively with a smile, patting Bertholdt on the back, who seemed relieved to hear that Jaime didn't hold any grudge against him.
Jaime couldn't help but find his choice of word strange, from all the curses out there, calling someone a 'devil' wasn't something Jaime had ever heard someone use, and Jaime remembered how angry Ymir was when Bertholdt had used that word, Jaime wondered if there was something he was missing, but quickly dropped it as they finally arrived at the camp.
"Well, look what we found!" Marco shouted loud enough for everyone in the camp to hear them before pointing at the dead boar that Jaime dropped in the camp; the sight of the boar caught many by surprise, especially Ymir, who let out a whistle; she seemed impressed.
"Who knew a midget like you could catch something like this," Ymir teased as she took a closer look at the boar.
"Not me, all praises go to our big boy over here, isn't that right, Bertholdt?" Jaime quickly said while giving Bertholdt a side hug; while Jaime was grinning like a moron, Bertholdt blushed once again in embarrassment; being in the center of attention always brought him great embarrassment.
"Bertholdt, y-you did this, wow," Reiner said, visibly surprised, but his face quickly changed into one of pride; Jaime walked away from Bertholdt and looked at what Reiner had brought them. He had brought enough wood for two nights at least.
"Encounter any bears, Reiner?"
"Unfortunately, no, but don't worry, if I do, I will beat it with my bare hands." Reiner boasted, once again pointing at his fists; Annie shook her head, not understanding what was wrong with him.
Jaime swiftly reached out and snatched a handful of sturdy branches from the surrounding forest. He skillfully snapped them into smaller, more manageable pieces, their crisp snaps echoing through the tranquil woods. As each fragment fell into place, he meticulously crafted what appeared to be a diminutive tent-like structure, ingeniously composed entirely of these broken branches. Jaime carefully arranged a pile of dry leaves and twigs in the center, his hands trembling with anticipation. Just as he was about to ignite the makeshift campfire, a soft voice broke the silence, causing him to look up in surprise.
"Let me help you."
Standing beside him was Annie. A grateful smile curved across Jaime's face, uttering the heartfelt words, "Thank you, Annie."
Soon, Jaime, with Annie's assistance, effortlessly started a crackling fire, an endeavor that surprisingly didn't consume much time at all. Once the flames danced merrily and provided much-needed warmth, Jaime turned to Annie and curiously inquired, "Who taught you how to start a fire?" His hands now reveling in the cozy heat radiating from the flames.
"My father, one time he and I were away from home, and he taught me how to start a fire," Annie answered, with a melancholy smile, as she warmed her hands against the fire.
"Your father did an excellent job then," Jaime praised. His words caused Annie to smile in agreement, something people didn't see often, and took Reiner and Bertholdt by surprise.
Jaime couldn't help but notice how much better she looked as fire illuminated her face, her smile.
Eventually, Jaime started cutting into the massive boar. As he meticulously carved the beast's succulent meat, Jaime's voice resonated with authority as he directed Mikasa to place the containers of water they had diligently gathered from a nearby stream adjacent to the crackling fire. Mikasa swiftly obeyed, ensuring the water was positioned close enough to the flames to facilitate boiling. Meanwhile, Annie joined Jaime by his side, offering her assistance in expertly dissecting the boar into manageable portions.
As they did their job, Jaime started telling her about the one time he and a member of his mentor's team had needed to finish a small job in a hotel, which ended with the other guy trying to impress a girl, which went horribly.
"What happened next?"
"He tried to demonstrate that he was mainly by eating something spicy, and ended up eating a pepper that is the spiciest you can find inside the walls. He jumped into the pool to cool himself." Jaime japed, and Annie chuckled in amusement.
"What happened with the girl?"
"Well, I was only eleven, so my 'genius' idea was to tell her that he loves swimming," Jaime answered, feeling embarrassed, but Annie's giggle that followed was something he loved hearing; their interaction didn't go unnoticed by Ymir who had a big stupid grin on her face, one could already tell she was thinking of ways to tease Jaime later.
Soon, Jaime skillfully prepared the delectable dish, utilizing whatever fresh vegetables he stumbled upon. He meticulously selected each vegetable to enhance the flavors, resulting in a culinary masterpiece. Although it required an extensive search for ingredients, the end result was undoubtedly worth it. The delectable aroma wafted through the air, enticing everyone's taste buds. A symphony of satisfied sighs and contented smiles filled the room as the dish was served. Surprisingly, it was Jaime himself who indulged in the mouthwatering creation the most, surpassing even the voracious appetite of Mikasa.
"Jeez, I really don't understand where all that food is going." Ymir japed while everyone was looking at Jaime, who rolled his eyes but kept eating.
"I'm a growing boy, ugly freckles. In no time, all of you will look up to me," Jaime said proudly while raising his hand upwards as if to point out how tall he would be, even taller than Bertholdt, his words earning chuckles amongst his group.
"Mikasa, can you stop doing that?" Ymir suddenly shouted, and this made Jaime stop eating. Instead, he looked at both Mikasa and Ymir in confusion.
"What?"
"You keep looking at the distance every few minutes. What is it? You are missing your boyfriend." Ymir teased with a wide grin, but Mikasa didn't seem to appreciate the joke, her face turning red with rage, or maybe she was flustered. Jaime wasn't sure; he knew she was always very strange whenever Eren was brought up, but from the way, Mikasa's hands turned to fists and the way she glared at Ymir.
"Ugly freckles, stop teasing Mikasa and Mikasa; we are not here to fight each other." Jaime quickly intervened; to everyone, he spoke like a true leader, his voice firm and commanding.
"Do you think we will be in first place?" Marco asked as he kept writing in his notebook, his eyes looking over the hem of his notebook.
"Well, Eren's team have Armin, don't they," Reiner asked, looking mainly at Jaime.
"Usually, I would agree with you, Reiner, but there's one big flaw," Jaime interjected; his words made everyone look at him, especially Mikasa, who leaned her face forward slightly.
"That is?"
"Eren and Jean are on the same team," Jaime answered simply as if the answer was obvious; this made everyone quickly understand that Jaime was right.
"Yeh, the midget is not wrong, I don't think Armin can handle them arguing like an old married couple."
"I bet all my money that they are arguing right now." Jaime added, with Ymir giggling in agreement.
"How do you know that?" Mikasa asked.
Far Away
"That was my piece of the meat. You barely did shit to catch it!" Eren shouted right at Jean, who seemed ready to punch Eren in the teeth.
"Will you ever shut the fuck up!" Jean shouted back at Eren, grabbing him by the tunic while poor Armin was trying to calm the waters between them.
Jaime
"Just a feeling," Jaime answered as he took a bite of bread, followed by meat.
Soon, they all were done eating their meal. Thirst quenched, they sat contentedly, their faces glowing in the warm firelight as the night settled upon them. Conversations flowed freely as laughter and lively discussions filled the air. The crackling bonfire not only provided warmth and light but also acted as a focal point.
Reiner was easily the loudest and telling tales. Jaime was sitting beside Annie, but he was busy drawing in his small notebook, something Annie noticed. She wasn't interested in whatever Reiner was saying, her attention going away from Reiner and instead to Jaime, who didn't seem to have noticed that Annie was watching him draw.
Annie didn't know why, but the way Jaime drew the lines with such precision and finesse, the way his pencil effortlessly slid through the paper, leaving behind a trail of artistry, was undeniably mesmerizing. The smoothness of his strokes captivated her.
As Annie continued to observe Jaime, her curiosity deepened. As he effortlessly captured the essence of their camp. Each person sitting beside one another was portrayed with such accuracy and detail. Annie couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth as she gazed at the rendering.
But then, with a subtle shift in Jaime's focus, Annie suddenly found herself becoming the center of his attention. His pencil seemed to dance across the paper, delicately etching her features as he strived to capture every nuance. Annie was taken aback by the level of effort and concentration Jaime dedicated to drawing her.
Though Annie couldn't quite understand why, a delightful amusement started to bubble up within her. It wasn't just the fact that Jaime was drawing her; it was the way he was doing it. Even though it was a simple drawing, he was determined to portray her in the best possible.
"You're really good at it," Annie commented. Startled by her unexpected remark, Jaime's head jerked in her direction, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. As he turned his head, his gaze met Annie's, and only then did she realize how intimately close their faces were positioned. The proximity caused a rush of warmth to flood Jaime's cheeks, tingeing them with a faint hue of crimson. However, at that moment, he quickly regained his composure and recalled the exact words spoken by Annie.
"T-Thank you, Annie. Drawing is one my favorite things to do." Jaime said, flustered, finding the strength to look at her face instead of looking away.
"Do you have more drawings?" Jaime nodded with a smile as he flipped through the pages, showing more and more drawings, but as Annie saw more and more drawings, she quickly noticed something.
She was drawn in many of them, usually in her fighting pose, there was even a drawing of her kicking Reiner's ass for opening his big mouth. Annie's face turned slightly pink, and Jaime showed her his latest drawing that he had made after cutting potatoes with Mikasa. The drawing was her simply sitting by the river, with the sun illuminating her face, a beautiful smile on her face.
Annie was certain she wasn't as beautiful as Jaime portrayed her in his drawings, but she would be a liar if she said that she didn't like his drawings; they were all beautiful, and the way he smiled at her made her heart beat faster, and she didn't know why.
"W-Why did you draw me so often?" Annie asked, stuttering slightly, and for the first time, she didn't sound as strong and cold as she did. To Jaime, her voice was soft and warm.
Jaime's face turned even redder, but he knew the reason why. "I-I like drawing you," Jaime answered with a slight stutter; Annie looked at him, completely taken aback, her own face turning red; she felt like her face was on fire.
"W-why me?"
"Jaime!"
Their attention turned towards Reiner, who called out his name loud enough for both of them to remember that the rest were also there, and they weren't alone.
"What are you two doing, Jaime?" Reiner asked; Jaime quickly closed the notebook before looking at Reiner.
"Nothing. Just talking about which military branch we would join," Jaime answered, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
Reiner simply shrugged his shoulders, but as he looked at Annie, he noticed the death glare Annie was sending him; she often glared at him, but not that kind of glare that made him shudder and gulp from fear.
Jaime sat there, listening to Reiner talking about more nonsense, when he heard movement; his purple eyes quickly looked at the trees around them; due to his life being spent in the darkness surrounding the Underground City, Jaime quickly noticed movements, and they weren't animals.
Sensing a growing sense of unease, Jaime swiftly raised his index finger to his lips, signaling Reiner to silence his words. In a hushed yet discernible whisper, "We are not alone." The urgency in his voice prompted an instinctive reaction among the others gathered around the campfire, causing their attention to shift and their hearts to race. With a swift motion, Jaime's hands instinctively found their way to the handle of his bowie knife, nestled securely on his back. However, it was Marco who hastily rose to his feet in a momentary lapse of judgment, his hand instinctively reaching for his concealed blade, only to be interrupted by an unexpected voice piercing through the night, shattering the tense atmosphere.
"Don't move, or we will shoot!" Jaime's heart raced as adrenaline coursed through his veins. The urgency in the voice behind the threat sent a clear message of danger. Reacting swiftly to the command, he instinctively raised his hands in surrender. As his palms faced the sky, three figures emerged from the dense forest, each wielding muskets with a firm grip. Their steady aim indicated their intention to enforce their warning. The others nearby also followed suit, raising their hands in complete submission, mirroring Jaime's surrender.
"Don't move, and no one will have to die. We will take your ODM Gear." The commanding voice echoed through the air, causing Jaime to maintain a stoic expression. Among the group, two of them stood out, their thin frames indicating their lack of experience. As they struggled to hold the muskets, the quivering of their arms revealed their unfamiliarity with such weapons. Taking them by surprise would be easier. However, amidst these novices stood the imposing figure of the third individual, a gigantic man towering close to two meters in height. His physique surpassed even that of Reiner, conveying years of practice in this line of work etched onto his face.
As they started removing their ODM Gear, Jaime started unbuttoning his when the muscular one spoke. "You! I know you!" The man claimed Jaime looked at him but couldn't remember ever seeing him, but from the way the man snarled, Jaime knew the man recognized him somehow.
"You! You are Kenny's brat!" The man growled as he started menacingly approaching Jaime; Jaime's right hand slowly started moving towards the knife's handle.
Just my Luck, Kenny. I blame you for this, Jaime thought, as his face still looked neutral, not reacting in any way.
"Kenny? Never heard of him. Who is he?" Jaime asked, trying to keep him talking, his voice emotionless as the man approached him, looming over him like a tall tree; at this moment, Jaime didn't like that he was so short.
"Yeh, you are indeed the brat, you have the same purple eyes. He sliced the throats of hundreds from the military police, including my brother."
Shit, Jaime cursed; Jaime found himself instinctively reaching for the handle of his knife. But before he could even fully grasp it, the man viciously lashed out, landing a brutal punch square on Jaime's face, causing him to crumple to the unforgiving ground. A searing, almost unbearable pain radiated through his body, but Jaime resolutely chose to ignore it, refusing to let it distract him from his struggle for survival.
Summoning every ounce of strength and courage within him, Jaime valiantly attempted to fight back against his assailant. However, it quickly became apparent that his adversary possessed an overwhelming superiority in terms of sheer physical power. With an astonishing display of dominance, the man effortlessly seized both of Jaime's hands using just one of his own, rendering the desperate attempts futile.
Jaime steadfastly continued his frantic struggle, resorting to any means possible to free himself from the man's iron grip. Even as the oxygen supply to his lungs steadily diminished under the tightening hold, Jaime persisted in his efforts, desperately kicking and squirming in a desperate escape bid. Yet, with an imposing physique and unwavering determination, the man used his massive body as an immobilizing force, effectively keeping Jaime pinned to the ground.
"Jaime!!" He heard Ymir shout with fear and concern, but the gun was pointed at her head.
The man, his grin stretched across his face, savored the sight of Jaime's futile attempts to break free from his powerful grip. With each strained gasp for air, Jaime's desperation grew, amplifying the intensity of the struggle. Drawing closer, the man pressed his face against Jaime's, relishing the perverse satisfaction of witnessing Jaime's fight for survival. Leaning in, he whispered chillingly, "These girls must be your friends. I will have a lot of fun with them," In a sickening display of lust, the man's tongue slithered across his lips, leaving an unsettling impression of his deranged desires.
Annie! Jaime tried desperately to fight back, but the man was too strong; he was too weak; he was always weak. He kept fighting, trying to find any way to get the upper hand, as things started darker. Will I die here? No!!! I Can't...
"Jaime! Fight, Don't Give Up!" He heard Annie's voice as if he spoke right to his ear. The words echoed in his head repeatedly like a bell; suddenly, he felt like an electric shock went through his entire body from head to toe. His eyes widened, and he effortlessly overpowered the feeble grasp restraining him. Liberating himself from the desperate clutches of his assailant, a victorious surge of liberation rushed through his veins. The man, overwhelmed by excruciating agony, his mouth agape, emitted an agonizing scream that pierced through the air. Meanwhile, Jaime's hand seemed to possess a will of its own as it instinctively reached out and tightly grasped the hilt of his trusty knife. Without hesitation, he vigorously thrust the weapon into the man's vulnerable neck, delivering a merciless blow that punctured the flesh so deeply that the knife's menacing tip emerged triumphantly on the opposite side.
Jaime felt the warm blood cascading down his face. Nevertheless, as if possessed by an unstoppable force, his limbs propelled him forward. With an almost supernatural strength, he forcibly hurled the lifeless body away from him, casting it aside as if it were mere garbage. Rising to his feet with astonishing agility, he sprang up faster than he had ever thought possible, his movements far surpassing any previous physical prowess. In a matter of seconds, his eyes spotted the filth still aiming his gun at Ymir. Swiftly and with unwavering precision, Jaime swiftly launched his knife towards him. The blade flew through the air with uncanny precision, finding its mark with a sickening thud as it embedded itself in the man's skull.
As the chaotic scene unfolded, filled with an overwhelming sense of dread, the third individual couldn't control himself and let out a piercing scream that echoed through the air. At that moment, Jaime, fueled by an adrenaline rush like never before, could feel each heartbeat pounding vigorously within his chest, resonating loudly in his ears. His instincts took over as he swiftly propelled himself towards the source of danger, his legs propelling him forward with astonishing speed. In a desperate attempt to defend himself, the man tried to ready his musket, aiming it at Jaime, but with uncanny reflexes, Jaime skillfully maneuvered his body, forcefully pushing the barrel of the gun skyward. With an unwavering determination, Jaime delivered a powerful kick directly to the man's chest, successfully disorienting him. Simultaneously, in a seamless motion, he swiftly seized control of the musket, effectively snatching it away from the man's now defenseless hands.
The man, overwhelmed by agonizing pain surging through his body, let out a guttural moan that reverberated in the still air. Despite the intense discomfort, his instinct to rise urged him forward. However, the piercing sight that met his eyes abruptly halted his attempt at standing. There stood Jaime, steadily aiming the musket with unwavering precision, its cold metal pressed against his temples. The man found himself fixated on Jaime's piercing purple eyes, which seemed to radiate an otherworldly glow, like the eyes of a vengeful demon, as fear coursed through his veins. He trembled under the weight of Jaime's stern gaze as the ruthless inquiry, "Where are the others?"
Jaime's voice appeared stronger and firmer than ever before as he pointed the musket right at his head.
"Huh?!"
"The Others! I know you guys work in two groups. Where is the other group?" Jaime demanded while pressing the tip of the musket right at the man's forehead hard enough for him to feel pain. Jaime felt his blood boil; he knew people like him; they were the same that had captured and made him work like a slave. They all were filth.
"Not here. We found a team like yours nearby. The other group is after them." The man shouted, his entire body trembling from fear, his face as pale as snow.
"Krista!!"
"Eren!"
The words came from Jaime, Ymir, and Mikasa; the latter looked ready to run for it.
"No, don't. If you rush like that, they are dead. Do you want Eren to die? No matter what you do, don't rush towards them." Jaime ordered with a much higher voice than usual. Mikasa wanted to ignore him, but the thought of losing Eren made her stop dead in her tracks.
"Please, let me live. I swear I didn't-" Boom!
Jaime kneeled down and checked the one place in his body, and he was right. It was a small pouch full of bullets. He turned to face the others as he reloaded the gun. It could hold only one bullet at a time, but it was better than nothing.
"Shadis said their location was five kilometers away towards the north. We will find them, take the two other guns." Jaime ordered; Annie nodded, as did Mikasa, both grabbing their weapons, while Jaime grabbed his bowie knife back from the dead body.
"Jaime, are you alright?"
"We need to save the others. That's our priority."
Krista
In the midst of their abduction, Krista's senses were keenly attuned to the sensation of the tightly secured ropes constricting her delicate wrists, making her acutely aware of her limited mobility. Despite the palpable discomfort, she remained surprisingly composed, refusing to expend her energy in a futile struggle against their captors. As the rough wagon trudged along the uneven terrain, each small bump along the road jolted the wagon. Nevertheless, Krista maintained her unwavering resolve, while Eren, on the other hand, vigorously fought against his constraints, desperately yearning to break free.
"Stop, or I will shoot you," the man warned before using the back of his musket to hit Eren. In the end, Eren fell on the wooden plates with his face.
"Eren!" Krista shouted in concern, trying to get to him. Eren glared furiously at the man who assaulted him; his glare was murderous, and he looked like he wanted nothing more than to kill him.
Krista screamed as the man's hand went around her throat. She tried to struggle, but the man grasped her throat tightly with a wide, disgusting grin on his face, his other hand touching her in other very uncomfortable places.
"Do not Touch her, you piece of Shit!" Eren roared, his green eyes almost glittering as he tried desperately to free himself; while the man chuckled mockingly, Krista felt his disgusting breath against the back of her neck.
"We will have fun together, girl." The man claimed Krista tried to desperately free her hands, to get away from him, but the ropes around her wrists were too tight, and she was too weak.
Why am I always so weak? Krista asked herself as she opened her mouth wide and released an agonized scream into the air. However, her scream was abruptly halted as the man's hand swiftly attempted to stifle her voice. Yet, with an instinctive, Krista swiftly sank her teeth into the man's index finger, utilizing every ounce of strength she possessed. The taste of metallic blood flooded her mouth, and the man screamed in pain. Suddenly, her jaw closed tightly around the finger, and a disgusting object made its way into her mouth, catching her off guard. Primal reflexes took over, compelling her to forcefully expel the undesirable substance, spitting it out with disgust. Meanwhile, the man, grappling with the excruciating pain, continued his relentless stream of screams.
Krista looked at what she had spit out in confusion. Why is a finger there? Krista found herself asking, but suddenly, the entire wagon shook abruptly as if it was hit by something. Krista felt herself being rolled around the wagon, and her eyes opened to find the man glaring at her, his hand bleeding heavily.
"You Bitch, I will-" Boom.
Krista heard multiple gunshots outside the wagon; she tried to understand what was happening outside, but the man grasped a gun, his face turning paler as more gunshots were heard outside.
"Krista, free my hand," Eren whispered to her; Krista quickly turned her attention towards his tightened hands, and she quickly rolled herself around, using her fingers to free the rope around his wrist.
"How is he so fast? Where the hell-" Krista heard someone shouting outside; Krista almost untied Eren's hands when the man grasped her by the neck, lifting her up in the air like she was a doll as Eren screamed at him with rage.
"Let her go, you monster!!" Eren screamed in rage, but the man tightened his grip around Krista's delicate neck, and he jumped out of the wagon while pointing a pistol at Krista's head.
"Come out right now, or I will blow her head off." The man screamed. Krista opened her eyes to see Jaime landing right in front of them. Krista smiled at him in relief; when she noticed all the blood on his clothes and hands, Krista quickly noticed the four corpses lying on the ground around him.
"Do you want to get out of this?" Jaime suddenly asked, his voice sounding casual, something Krista noticed; she couldn't help but notice that his eyes appeared colder and different in a way.
"What?" The man shouted, pointing the gun at Jaime.
"That gun can hold only one bullet before it needs reloading. If you shoot me, then my friends will kill you, but if you let Krista go, then you can go. We won't tell anyone that you were here, and you will escape prison." Jaime negotiated as he raised his hands in the air, almost like he was surrendering.
"No one will know?" The man shouted, pointing the gun at Jaime, as the man's grip around Krista loosened up a bit.
"No one. We will tell the military police that those were the only ones here. You know how lazy they are. They can't find their own ass in the dark," Jaime spoke casually, almost sounding like he was speaking to a friend; his words actually earned a chuckle from the man, whose grip around Krista loosened up even more.
"Very well, but you will come with me just in case." The man agreed, but the moment his gun was aimed at neither Krista nor Jaime, Krista heard fast movement from behind coming from the wagon, the sound of a knife piercing flesh; before hearing the sound of someone choking, Krista looked up to see a knife on the man's neck, blood dripping out of his throat, his grip on the gun and Krista completely loosened up, Krista landed on the ground, as the man fell on the ground beside her, chocking on his own blood.
Krista looked behind and saw Eren, whose hands were free now, glaring down at the dying man. "Die, you filth," Eren spoke with disgust before looking at Krista with concern, his face changing in an instant, now looking like an innocent kid. "Are you alright?"
"Krista!"
"Eren!"
Feeling a rush of emotions, Krista quickly turned around in surprise as Jaime wrapped his arms tightly around her, expressing his immense happiness at seeing her again. Ymir swiftly joined his warm embrace. "I'm so happy to see you." Both Ymir and Jaime said, feeling relieved.
Overwhelmed with joy, both Jaime and Ymir sighed with relief, their words filled with genuine affection. Feeling the warmth and love surrounding her, Krista cherished the hug, reciprocating the gesture by wrapping her arms around them just as quickly. Her head found a comfortable resting place on Jaime's shoulder.
After embracing each other tightly for a full minute, they reluctantly released one another. Immediately filled with worry and a genuine concern for Krista's well-being, Ymir promptly inquired, "Are you hurt?" Her tone laced with genuine worry, Ymir took immediate action and hurriedly checked on Krista, attentively examining her face. Without delay, her sharp eyes honed in on a small cut adorning Krista's forehead. However, Ymir's insightful intuition assured her that this wound was only superficial and would effortlessly heal in due time.
Mikasa and Armin checked on Eren, but they quickly noticed that he was alright and had no wounds on him. The others joined them, Jaime's team and Armin's team.
"Jaime, you alright?" Jean asked, concerned, as he and Marco approached him. Jaime didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked at the dead bodies.
"I'm-I'm fine. Krista and Eren are safe; that's all that matters." Jaime answered dismissively, his expression unreadable. Jean didn't seem convinced that Jaime was all right, but he decided not to ask more questions until they rested.
"How did you find us?" Krista finally managed to ask; Jaime was using a napkin to clean the blood from his face.
Ymir explained to her how Jaime and Sasha were able to follow the tracks, how Armin and Jean came up with a plan to use rocks nearby to slow down the wagons, and then use the flare guns they had to cause confusion, giving opportunity to Jaime, and Mikasa, to kill the enemy using their ODM Gear.
Once Krista heard everything, she gasped and looked at Jaime, who had a look of guilt, and looked at one of the bodies, perhaps someone he had killed; Krista quickly ran up to him and hugged him.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Jaime." Krista apologized, knowing he was forced to kill to save her; Jaime simply kissed her forehead tenderly, his purple eyes once again showing kindness and affection for her.
"I would have done everything to protect my friends, Krista. It's who am I." Jaime said with softness in his voice; Krista still felt guilty; she wished she wasn't forced to do something like that as they pulled away from one another.
"Annie, Mikasa, are you two alright?" Jaime asked, concerned; both nodded their heads right away. Marco then used their last ammo for their flare gun to shoot a red flare in the sky, letting the others know they needed urgent help.
"Jaime!" Krista shouted his name as he started walking away from the others.
"I need to be alone." Jaime answered, not looking at her as he kept walking away.
Jaime
' "Who is there?" Jaime asked as he ran and slammed the door open, his tiny hands holding a knife bigger than his hand; his eyes saw someone he didn't recognize; he seemed even younger than him, his tiny hands around the bread Jaime had stolen from the kitchen, he had saved it for himself.
"That bread is mine!" Jaime watched as his eyes turned red, tears streaming down his face, and his tiny body started trembling as if he was freezing.
"Please, don't cut my hand!" The boy begged, the bread falling from his hands; Jaime looked at him in confusion.
"Why would I cut your hand?"
"Gier, he said he would cut my hand if he caught me stealing," the boy said with more tears streaming down his face, his voice cracking. Jaime lowered his knife down and looked at the boy from up close; his ribs were quite visible, and the oversized coat he was wearing had many cuts, but Jaime knew he was starving.
Like me, Jaime thought, before grasping the bread he had saved that fell to the ground; using his knife, he cut it into two pieces before handing it to the boy, who looked at him with confusion, his stomach growling from hunger.
"You won't cut my hand?" He asked with a tiny voice. Jaime figured he was maybe three years old.
"No. Now eat," Jaime said; the moment those words left his mouth, the boy grasped half of the bread and started eating it way too fast.
"Slow down, you might chock on the bread," Jaime told him strictly; the boy listened to him and started eating much slower; his face brightened up as if he had just tasted the most delicious thing in the world. Jaime gave him a glass of water to help it down.
As they ate in silence, Jaime remembered that he had completely forgotten to ask. "What's your name?"
The boy swallowed the piece of bread he had been chewing on before answering. "I don't really have one, but those that used to take care of me called me Arthur." The kid answered with a smile.
"Arthur, well, my name is Jaime. You can stay here until tomorrow if you want." Jaime said with a friendly smile; his words made Arthur's small face brighten up like a star. '
Jaime sat on a trunk. He let out a heavy sigh, his hands gripping his own head. Jaime could still taste the blood in his mouth, the way their bodies exploded in blood, the way his sword cut through their flesh. Blood. Why do I always have blood in my hands? Jaime asked himself. Their screams echoed in his mind.
Jaime remembered the feeling of slicing through their flesh; back then, he hadn't thought of anything. He had been angry with them; they had taken Krista, and he would never allow them to just walk away freely; people like them had made him work like he was nothing.
It was for the best. They would have killed more people, they would have kidnapped more people, they would have destroyed more lives, Jaime thought, repeating the words in his head over and over again.
Jaime suddenly heard faint footsteps from behind approaching; he quickly turned around, ready to aim his knife at whoever, only to see Annie walking towards him.
"It's just me," Annie said. Jaime's tense shoulders eased as he lowered himself onto the sturdy trunk, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. With a soft exhale, he allowed his gaze to wander toward the serene lake before him, its calm waters shimmering under the gentle caress of moonlight, creating a breathtaking reflection that captivated his attention.
Annie sat beside Jaime on the old trunk in silence, their shoulders occasionally touching as they gazed out at the lake in front of them. The air was filled with the sweet scent of wildflowers and the distant chirping of birds. Time seemed to stand still as they sat there, relishing in the comfort of each other's presence. The soft rustling of leaves and the occasional scurrying of small animals provided a harmonious soundtrack.
"You alright, Jaime?" Annie finally broke the silence between them.
"I just wanted to protect all of you, Krista, you, everyone. That's all I could think of. I would have never allowed them to ever harm any of you." Jaime said as he looked at his hands. He had cleaned the blood from his hands, but he felt as if there was still blood on them.
Annie listened to every word he said and placed her hand on his shoulder, something she had never done before. Ever before. "You did the right thing; there's no point in beating yourself up for what has already happened." Annie encouraged. Jaime seemed to agree, but the sound of slicing flesh reminded him too much of what he had done that night many years ago.
"Maybe, You're right." Jaime said, not sure himself, as a chuckle escaped his lips. "You know, when the guy started chocking me. All I could think of were you, Krista, Ymir and everyone else. I thought I would die, but you saved me." Jaime said, finally looking right at Annie's blue eyes, his own purple eyes showing affection.
"What?" Annie asked, her eyes widened.
"You might not believe me, but-" "I believe you." Annie cut him off.
"You might be a moron, short, with terrible humor, having terrible ideas, risking your life unnecessarily. But I believe you." Annie said, trying to keep her neutral look on her face.
Jaime looked at her surprised, but the smile he gave her was a genuine one. "This means a lot to me coming from you. When the man attacked me, you told me to keep fighting, and I felt as if my entire body was electrocuted. At that moment, I broke his wrist by freeing my hands. I wasn't afraid anymore; from that point, I felt like I knew exactly what I had to do." Jaime explained before looking at Annie once again.
"So, Thank you, Annie. You saved my life; you are one of the most wonderful people I have ever met."
Annie looked away from him, her eyes busy looking at the nearby lake. "You think so?"
"I don't need to think, all I need to do is use my eyes, and I see a wonderful person," Jaime said wholeheartedly, hoping Annie would look at him, but instead, she kept looking away.
"You really a moron sometimes," Annie said instead.
"Wow, you hurt my feelings, Annie. I thought we had something special." Jaime japed while touching his heart as if it hurt; Annie hit him with her elbow playfully before standing up.
"I think the instructor will be here soon. Don't be late." Annie spoke strictly, looking at Jaime, before she started walking away.
"Whatever you say, boss."
"I heard that!" Annie shouted as she kept walking away, but as she did, she couldn't keep herself from smiling in amusement.
Jaime heard her walking away. He couldn't stop the constant smile on his face and didn't want to, his head lifted, looking at the beautiful lake.
'Have you forgotten?'
Jaime's entire body suddenly froze. He felt his skin crawling, his headache returning, his head felt like it was pulsating, and every beat felt like someone hitting his head with a hammer.
Jaime's purple eyes slowly looked to his left. He was standing right there, almost naturally; he looked normal, but his missing hand, blood still dripping from it, Jaime wanted to tell himself, to shout at himself.
"You Are Not Real!"
Jaime wanted to scream, but any word died in his throat. A sudden chill went through his entire body as Arthur's eyes looked back at him, his skin as pale as snow.
'Have you forgotten what you did to me?'
'I Saved you that day,' Arthur's voice reached Jaime, tears behind his eyes, as he gripped his head from the pain. Arthur raised his decaying arm with no hand left, blood still dripping out of the stump. 'But you didn't save me. You stood there watching as I Died and did nothing to save me. You Deserve No Happiness,' Arthur screamed.
Jaime fell to his knees on the ground, breathing heavily, his heart beating in his ears like a bell; all he could hear were his bro's words, cursing him. "I'm Sorry! I'm Sorry. I didn't mean for any of this Happen!!" Jaime said over and over as he sobbed, his forehead touching the grass. He didn't know how long he had laid there, but he felt cold until someone shook his shoulder.
"Jaime!"
"Mikasa!!"
Jaime Ackerman has finally awakened his power, and the three years in the Training Corps are near the end. Let me know in the Comments what you think about the Chapter.