Chapter One

  The airship trembled as it flew over the remnants of Liberio, the chaos and destruction Eren had unleashed still visible below. Inside the dimly lit cabin, the scouts were silent, their expressions taut with disbelief and horror. Blood, dirt, and the smell of gunpowder clung to their uniforms as they processed the events of the raid.

  Mikasa, standing at the far end, couldn’t stop staring at Eren, who sat quietly near the back of the ship, his head lowered, his long brown hair falling in front of his face. His hands, still bruised and bloodied from his transformation, rested protectively around a petite woman who leaned into him, trembling slightly.

  Aurora Jaeger, her platinum-blonde hair cascading in soft waves down her back, looked terrified, her delicate hands clutching Eren's shirt as if it were her only lifeline. She had been silent since he had carried her into the airship, her wide, ice-blue eyes darting nervously around the cabin at the faces of the scouts who stared back at her with confusion and suspicion.

  Levi’s sharp gaze narrowed on Eren from across the room, his voice cutting through the thick tension. "Who is she?" His tone was low, demanding. His eyes didn’t leave Eren for a second.

  Eren didn’t answer immediately. His hold on Aurora tightened ever so slightly, his jaw clenched, as if bracing himself for the inevitable confrontation. Aurora’s grip on his shirt tightened in response, and she buried her face into his shoulder, seeking comfort in his presence.

  Mikasa’s heart twisted painfully at the sight, the familiar pang of jealousy and heartbreak swelling in her chest. The way Aurora clung to Eren, the way he held her—so gently, so protectively—it was a side of him Mikasa had never seen before. Her fists clenched by her sides, but she remained silent, her eyes burning with unspoken questions.

  Levi took a step forward, his impatience growing. "Eren," he barked, "I asked you a question. Who is she, and why the hell did you bring a civilian on board?"

  Finally, Eren lifted his head, his green eyes dark and unreadable, yet simmering with an intensity that made everyone freeze. His voice, when he spoke, was steady, emotionless. "She’s my wife."

  The cabin fell into stunned silence. The word seemed to hang in the air like a bombshell, and every pair of eyes shot toward Aurora, whose face was now hidden against Eren’s chest. Mikasa’s breath caught in her throat, her body going rigid as the realization hit her like a punch to the gut.

  "Wife?" Jean was the first to break the silence, his voice filled with disbelief. "You’re telling me you got married while we were out there risking our lives?!"

  Eren didn’t flinch. His gaze remained fixed on Levi, as if daring anyone to question him further. "Yes. Aurora is my wife. And no one is going to touch her."

  Levi’s eyes darkened, but his voice remained calm, cold. "You expect us to believe that you married some Marleyan in the middle of a mission?"

  Aurora flinched at the sharpness in Levi’s voice. Eren’s hand shifted to her back, rubbing soothing circles against her trembling form, his expression softening only for her. "She’s not a threat," Eren said quietly, his voice firm but laced with an edge of protectiveness. "She’s with me. That’s all you need to know."

  "Not a threat?" Levi’s voice rose slightly, his frustration clear. "Eren, we just went through hell in Liberio, and now you’re telling me you brought a Marleyan civilian—a woman—on board, claiming she’s your wife, and we’re supposed to just accept that without an explanation?"

  Aurora’s heart raced as she felt the hostility in the room rising. She pressed herself closer to Eren, her hands trembling as she gripped his shirt tighter. She had never seen Eren's friends before—these were the people who had fought alongside him, who knew the part of Eren she had only begun to understand. She had always known Eren as the man who loved her, who held her close and spoke softly to her. But here, surrounded by these hardened soldiers, she saw the part of Eren that terrified her—the ruthless warrior, the devil of Paradis.

  Mikasa’s voice finally broke through, soft but filled with pain. "Why didn’t you tell us, Eren?" Her words were fragile, like shattered glass. "Why did you hide this from us?"

  Eren didn’t look at her. He kept his gaze on Levi, his voice unyielding. "Because it wasn’t your business. I don’t owe any of you an explanation."

  Aurora could feel the tension rolling off Eren in waves, and her heart ached for him. She knew how much he had been through, how much he had suffered. And now, seeing him face off against the people who had stood by his side for so long, she felt a deep sadness settle in her chest. She wanted to say something, to defend him, but the words wouldn’t come. Her throat felt tight, her mind a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty.

  Levi stepped closer, his eyes narrowing, his posture radiating authority. "You forced our hand, Eren. We followed you into Marley because we didn’t have a choice. You put all of us at risk. And now you’re bringing a civilian into this mess? You better have a damn good reason."

  Eren’s gaze was like steel, unwavering. "I brought her because she’s mine," he said, his voice low, almost possessive. "And I’m not leaving her behind."

  Aurora’s cheeks flushed at his words, a mixture of fear and affection swelling inside her. She leaned into him more, her heart pounding. She didn’t understand everything that was happening, but one thing was clear—Eren was her anchor in this storm, and she would follow him no matter where it led.

  Levi’s jaw clenched, but before he could respond, Mikasa’s soft voice cut through the tension once more. "Eren…" Her eyes were filled with a desperate need for answers, for understanding. "How long has this been going on? How long have you kept this from us?"

  For the first time, Eren’s expression faltered, a flicker of something passing through his eyes. His voice, however, remained steady. "Since before the raid," he admitted quietly. "I met Aurora while I was undercover. We…" His gaze softened as he glanced down at Aurora, her eyes meeting his briefly before she shyly averted them. "We got married before the attack."

  The shock in the room was palpable. Jean cursed under his breath, and Connie’s eyes were wide with disbelief. Sasha, who had been silent this whole time, looked between Eren and Aurora with a mixture of confusion and concern.

  Mikasa’s face went pale. Her hands trembled at her sides, and she swallowed hard, the pain in her chest almost unbearable. She had always been at Eren’s side. Always. And now, here was this woman—this stranger—who had somehow taken that place without her even knowing. The realization was like a knife twisting in her heart.

  Levi’s eyes flicked to Aurora, who was still curled up in Eren’s arms, her small frame barely visible against his larger form. "And you trust her?" he asked, his voice cold. "You trust her enough to risk everything?"

  "I trust her with my life," Eren replied without hesitation. "And that’s all that matters."

  The cabin fell into an uneasy silence, the weight of Eren’s words hanging over them like a storm cloud. Aurora, feeling the weight of so many eyes on her, squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her face further into Eren’s chest. She had never wanted to be part of this world of violence and war, but now, she was bound to it—bound to Eren, the man she had chosen above all else.

  In the quiet, Levi’s gaze lingered on Eren for a long moment before he finally spoke again, his voice low and resigned. "We’ll deal with this when we get back to Paradis."

  Aurora felt Eren’s hand tighten protectively around her as he gave a curt nod. The war wasn’t over yet, but she knew, as long as Eren was by her side, she would face whatever came next—no matter the cost.

  But not everyone was satisfied with Eren’s reply.

  Jean stood up abruptly, his fists clenched as his eyes burned with frustration. His voice cut through the air like a blade.

  “What the hell is this supposed to be?” Jean’s glare was fixed on Eren, his words dripping with disbelief and anger. “We nearly died back there, all because of your insane plan to get the War Hammer Titan's power—and now you show up with her? Claiming she’s your wife?!”

  Eren remained silent, his expression as unreadable as ever, but the air around him seemed to shift, a palpable tension growing in the space between them. Aurora flinched at the harshness of Jean’s voice, her hands instinctively tightening around Eren’s shirt as she tried to make herself smaller.

  Jean wasn’t finished. He took a step closer, his rage boiling over. “While we were out there risking our lives—worried sick about where you’d been—you were off playing house with her?” He gestured sharply toward Aurora, his words laced with bitterness. “We haven’t heard a damn thing from you since you ran off from that forum held by the Subjects of Ymir Protection Group. And then you make yourself a hostage in Liberio, force the scouts to come after you—because without you, there’s no future for Paradis. You forced our hand!”

  Aurora felt her heart pounding in her chest, the hostility in the air almost suffocating. Jean’s piercing gaze turned toward her, and for the first time, she felt the full weight of the scouts' anger, their confusion and disbelief. Jean’s eyes bore into her, and she took an involuntary step back, her grip on Eren tightening.

  Jean’s voice lowered, dangerously close. “Who even are you? What gives you the right to—”

  Before Jean could finish, Eren moved. In an instant, he stood up, the sharp sound of his boots hitting the metal floor cutting through the tension. His hand shot out, pushing Aurora protectively behind him, his body shielding her from Jean’s advancing form. The movement was quick, precise, and filled with an intensity that made everyone in the airship freeze.

  Eren's green eyes, usually cold and distant, were now burning with a fierce, unrelenting fire. He stared Jean down, his expression dark, his jaw tight. The air seemed to hum with danger as he spoke, his voice low and filled with barely contained anger.

  “If you want to be mad at me, Jean—fine. But don’t think for a second I’ll let you or anyone try to intimidate my wife.”

  Jean’s eyes widened slightly, taken aback by the sheer force of Eren’s words, but his anger didn’t waver. He stepped forward again, refusing to back down, his hands trembling with rage. “Your wife? Eren, we nearly died out there because of you! We lost comrades, people we cared about, and you’re telling me that while we were out there fighting, you were getting married?!”

  Eren’s body tensed, his hands flexing at his sides as if ready for a fight. “I did what had to be done,” he said through gritted teeth. “And I’ll keep doing it. I don’t owe you an explanation.”

  Jean’s frustration erupted, his voice growing louder. “That’s bullshit, Eren! We followed you—because we believed in you! We thought you had a plan, that we were doing this for the future of all of us. But now it feels like this is just for you! For whatever the hell you think is right!” He gestured sharply toward Aurora again, his voice filled with disbelief. “And now you bring her into this mess? What’s next, Eren? Huh? You think we’re just going to follow you blindly while you drag us into whatever twisted game you’re playing?”

  Aurora’s breath hitched as Jean’s harsh words cut through the air. She could feel the tension rising, the raw emotion in the room building like a storm about to break. Her eyes flicked to Eren, who stood rigid in front of her, his broad back shielding her from Jean’s gaze. She could feel the heat radiating off him, the barely controlled fury simmering beneath the surface.

  Eren took a step forward, his eyes locked on Jean. His voice, when he spoke again, was dangerously calm. “I didn’t drag you into anything, Jean. You made your choice to follow me. If you have a problem with that, take it up with me. But leave her out of it.”

  Jean’s lips curled into a snarl, his fists trembling at his sides. “You think we’re just going to stand here and accept this? After everything we’ve been through? After everything you’ve done?”

  Eren’s gaze darkened, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “You don’t have to accept it. But you’re not going to touch her.”

  The air in the cabin was suffocating, the tension thick and oppressive. Mikasa, who had been standing silently in the background, finally stepped forward, her expression a mix of hurt and confusion. “Eren… we deserve answers. You owe us that much.”

  Eren’s eyes flicked to Mikasa for the briefest moment, but the hardened expression on his face didn’t soften. His attention returned to Jean, his stance unyielding. “You’ll get your answers when the time comes,” he said coldly. “But right now, we’re going back to Paradis. That’s all that matters.”

  Jean looked like he wanted to say more, his anger still burning brightly, but Connie stepped forward and placed a hand on Jean’s shoulder, a silent plea for him to back down. Jean hesitated, his eyes flicking between Eren and Aurora, before he finally let out a frustrated growl and turned away, storming to the other side of the cabin.

  The tension in the room remained, thick and heavy, but no one dared speak again. Eren stood protectively in front of Aurora, his body still tense, his gaze never leaving Jean’s retreating form.

  Aurora, who had been silent the entire time, finally looked up at Eren, her heart still racing from the confrontation. She reached out, her hand trembling slightly, and placed it gently on his arm. “Eren…” she whispered softly, her voice filled with concern.

  Eren’s posture softened ever so slightly at her touch. He turned to her, his expression still hard, but his eyes softened when they met hers. Without a word, he took her hand in his, holding it tightly as if grounding himself in her presence.

  The airship continued its journey back to Paradis, the weight of the unspoken words and unresolved tensions hanging heavy in the air. But in that moment, Aurora knew one thing for certain—no matter what came next, Eren would protect her, even if it meant standing against the people he had once called his friends.

  …

  Levi’s sharp eyes didn’t miss a single detail of what had just happened. From the moment Jean stepped too close to Aurora, to the instant Eren’s entire demeanor shifted—protective, fierce, almost primal. It wasn’t something Levi had seen in Eren before, at least not like this. He’d seen Eren angry, desperate, and vengeful, but this was different. This wasn’t about Eren’s usual righteous fury or his deep-seated thirst for freedom.

  No, this was something else entirely.

  Eren's intense reaction toward Jean told Levi more than words ever could. This woman—Aurora—wasn’t just another chess piece on Eren's board. Eren had a habit of manipulating people, using them to further his own goals. But the way Eren shielded Aurora, the possessiveness in his stance, the way he pushed her behind him with such certainty, it was clear that she wasn’t just some pawn.

  Levi’s eyes narrowed, his mind working quickly through the implications. Eren genuinely cared about her. He could tell by the tension in Eren’s shoulders, the way his body seemed to coil protectively around Aurora like a steel trap ready to snap shut at any moment. It wasn’t just protection. Eren was acting as if the world might collapse around them, and he would still be there to defend her. That kind of reaction only came from something deeper.

  Love.

  Levi’s lips thinned slightly. In love? Since when? Eren had left them all behind seven months ago, disappearing from the summit of the Subjects of Ymir Protection Group without a word. Since then, he’d been in Marley, undercover and unreachable. No one knew where Eren had gone or what he had been doing during those months. But now, seeing this strange, innocent-looking girl clinging to him as if he were her lifeline…Levi couldn’t help but wonder.

  How the hell did they fall in love? It was almost impossible to comprehend. Eren had always been focused—obsessed, really—with the future of Paradis, with freeing their people. Love had never factored into the equation before. He wasn’t the kind of person to be distracted by such things. Yet here he was, practically snarling at Jean for even daring to get too close to her.

  Levi’s eyes flicked to Aurora. She looked fragile, almost too soft for someone who had just witnessed the absolute carnage in Liberio. Her delicate hands clutched Eren’s shirt, her body trembling slightly from the confrontation, and yet she stayed with him. She had seen Eren at his worst—unleashing pure, merciless brutality on the people of Marley, transforming into the Attack Titan and slaughtering everyone in his path. And yet, she stood here, still holding onto him.

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  Levi couldn’t help but wonder… What kind of woman is she?

  It was one thing to stand by a soldier. It was another to stand by a man who had just transformed into a literal monster, tearing down buildings and crushing his enemies without a second thought. Eren had used the Jaw Titan like a tool, cracking open the War Hammer Titan’s crystal in the most savage way possible, all to gain its power. It was horrifying, the level of violence, the coldness in Eren’s eyes as he carried out his plan. And Aurora had watched it all.

  How much did she really know about Eren? Did she understand that Eren was a man consumed by a greater purpose, willing to destroy anything in his path?

  Levi’s eyes never left Eren. He needed to know. He needed to understand what was really going on here.

  Levi finally broke the silence, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “Eren.”

  Eren glanced at him, his expression still hard, but Levi didn’t miss the way his hand stayed wrapped protectively around Aurora’s. “What is this?” Levi’s voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. “You went off the grid for months, forced us into this mission, and now you show up with… her?”

  Eren didn’t answer immediately, his jaw tightening as he seemed to weigh his words. “She’s my wife, Levi. I told you that.”

  Levi’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, you mentioned that. What I want to know is why. Why now? How did this happen? You’ve been gone for seven months. We didn’t hear a word from you, and now suddenly, you’ve got a wife?” His gaze shifted briefly to Aurora, then back to Eren. “What kind of woman marries someone like you after what you just did in Liberio?”

  Aurora flinched at the harshness in Levi’s voice, but Eren remained calm, his voice low and steady. “She knows who I am. She knows everything.”

  Levi’s brow furrowed slightly. “Does she? Does she really know the full extent of what you’ve become, Eren? The lengths you’ll go to?”

  Eren’s gaze was unwavering, his tone firm. “She does.”

  Aurora’s voice, soft and hesitant, broke through the conversation for the first time. “I know… I know who Eren is,” she said quietly, her eyes flicking nervously between Levi and Eren. “I know what he’s done… but I also know why he’s doing it.”

  Levi’s eyes shifted to Aurora, his sharp gaze assessing her. There was something about the way she spoke, the tremble in her voice that indicated fear, but not fear of Eren. It was fear of the situation, fear of the unknown. Yet, despite that, she was still standing by his side.

  “How much do you really know?” Levi pressed, his voice cold and calculating.

  Aurora swallowed, glancing up at Eren for reassurance before answering. “I know he’s fighting for Paradis. I know he’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect his people… to protect me.”

  Levi’s jaw clenched slightly at her words. Protect her? That wasn’t the Eren he knew. Eren had always been focused on the bigger picture, on freeing their people from the shackles of oppression. But this… this was different. This was personal.

  Eren’s voice, quiet but filled with conviction, broke through Levi’s thoughts. “She’s with me, Captain. That’s all you need to understand. I’ll protect her, no matter what.”

  Levi studied Eren’s face for a long moment, searching for any cracks in his resolve. But there were none. Eren was deadly serious, and that was what unsettled Levi the most. This wasn’t a boy anymore. This was a man who had seen the world for what it truly was—ugly, brutal, and unforgiving. And yet, in the midst of all that darkness, he had found something worth protecting.

  Levi’s eyes flicked back to Aurora. He still didn’t trust her, not fully. But if Eren was willing to go this far for her, there had to be more to the story than they were seeing.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing, Eren,” Levi said quietly, his voice laced with a hint of warning. “Because if she’s with you, then she’s in this for the long haul. And there’s no turning back now.”

  Eren’s gaze was steady, his grip on Aurora never loosening. “I know.”

  Levi gave a small nod, his expression unreadable, before turning his attention back to the rest of the room. The tension still hung thick in the air, but for now, it seemed, the matter was settled.

  Aurora pressed closer to Eren, feeling the weight of everything that had just happened. She knew the road ahead would be difficult—filled with danger, uncertainty, and pain. But as long as she was with Eren, she would face whatever came next.

  And Eren, with his fierce determination and unwavering resolve, would do the same.

  But in the corner of the airship…something else was unraveling.

  Mikasa stood in the corner of the airship, her entire body trembling as the weight of everything crashed down on her like an avalanche. Her heart felt like it had been ripped out of her chest, shredded by the scene unfolding before her. The woman—Aurora—was nestled against Eren, her hands clinging to him as if he were her entire world. Eren sat there, calm, protective, and completely unfazed by the chaos surrounding him.

  Wife.

  That single word echoed in Mikasa’s mind, over and over, like a hammer pounding against her skull. It didn’t make sense. None of it made sense.

  Months. Months. Eren had disappeared without a trace. No word, no clue as to whether he was alive or dead. Every day, every night, Mikasa had been consumed by the gnawing worry that something terrible had happened to him. She had barely slept, barely eaten, her mind constantly replaying worst-case scenarios. Was he hurt? Was he captured? Was he... gone?

  And then, out of nowhere, they received his letters. Eren’s cold, calculated plan to raid Liberio, dragging them all into a nightmare. She had followed him, like she always did, because what else could she do? Eren was everything to her. Everything. He was the reason she fought, the reason she survived. Even when he pushed her away, even when he said those horrible things to her—things that had shattered her soul—she couldn’t stop caring about him.

  But now?

  Now Eren was sitting there, with this woman beside him. This stranger. His wife.

  Mikasa felt like she was going to throw up. Her stomach churned violently, and her hands clenched so tightly into fists that her knuckles turned white. She felt like the ground beneath her was crumbling, like her entire world had just collapsed in on itself.

  How? How had this happened? When had this happened? They had been worried sick about Eren, risking everything to save him, and he had been—what? Falling in love? Getting married?

  Her chest tightened, the air around her suddenly feeling suffocating. She tried to breathe, but it felt like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Eren and Aurora, the sight of them together making her vision blur with unshed tears.

  “Mikasa…” Armin’s soft voice broke through her spiraling thoughts, and she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Breathe. Just… breathe.”

  Mikasa blinked, her wide, hollow eyes turning to Armin, who was looking at her with a mixture of concern and disbelief. He was doing his best to console her, but even he couldn’t hide his shock at the situation. His face was pale, his lips pressed into a thin line as he tried to process everything that had just happened.

  Armin's gaze flickered toward Eren and Aurora, his brow furrowed in confusion. “I… I don’t understand it either,” he admitted, his voice shaky. “I don’t know what Eren was thinking. But we’ll get answers. We’ll figure it out. Just—try to stay calm.”

  But Mikasa couldn’t calm down. How could she? Eren—the boy she had loved her entire life, the boy who had been her reason for fighting, her reason for living—had just declared that he was married. To someone else.

  Her breath hitched, and she turned away, unable to look at them anymore. Her vision swam, and her heart pounded so loudly in her ears that it drowned out everything else.

  How long had Eren been with this woman? How long had he known her? They hadn’t heard from him in months, and in that time, he had somehow fallen in love, gotten married, and kept it all a secret.

  Why hadn’t he told them?

  The thought stabbed at her like a knife. Why hadn’t he told her? Mikasa had always been by Eren’s side, no matter what. She had protected him, fought for him, even when he didn’t ask for it. She had always been there. And yet… Eren had never looked at her the way he was looking at Aurora now.

  Mikasa felt her heart break all over again.

  Armin’s voice was soft, but it carried a weight of understanding. “Mikasa… I know this is hard, but we need to stay focused. We don’t know what’s going on with Eren right now. But we’ll find out. We’ll talk to him.”

  Mikasa nodded numbly, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of betrayal, the overwhelming sense of loss that was consuming her. Eren had always been distant, but this… this was something else. He had built a wall between them, and now, standing on the other side of that wall was Aurora.

  Armin gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, his own expression still clouded with confusion. “He’s still our friend, Mikasa. We’ll figure this out. Don’t lose hope.”

  But the truth was, Mikasa had lost hope. Because no matter how much she tried to deny it, the sight of Eren sitting there with Aurora, holding her close, protecting her with such intensity… It was clear.

  Eren had already moved on.

  And Mikasa didn’t know if she could ever recover from that.

  …

  Aurora’s heart ached as her ice-blue eyes drifted toward the corner of the airship, where Mikasa stood, pale and trembling, her face etched with a mixture of devastation and disbelief. The emotions were raw, painfully clear, and Aurora could see the subtle tremor in Mikasa’s hands as she tried to hold herself together. Armin stood next to her, speaking softly, though his expression mirrored the confusion and shock that had gripped the entire airship.

  Aurora’s fingers unconsciously tightened around Eren’s arm, but her thoughts wandered to the stories he had told her about Mikasa and Armin—the two people who had been by his side for most of his life. He had spoken of them with a strange fondness, though his tone had grown colder over time. He had told her how, after she disappeared all those years ago, he hadn’t had any friends. She had been his first companion, his first confidant.

  But then came Armin, the soft-spoken boy who shared Eren’s dreams of the world beyond the walls. And then, not long after that, there was Mikasa, the girl Eren had saved from a horrific fate.

  Aurora remembered the way Eren’s voice had darkened when he spoke of that day, of the rage he felt when he discovered that Mikasa had been kidnapped by human traffickers. He had been just a boy, barely nine years old, and yet he had killed two men with his own hands to protect her. Eren had described how Mikasa had been frozen in fear, unable to defend herself, until he told her to fight. His words had given her the strength to kill the third man and save herself. It was a memory that had clearly stayed with Eren, and it had defined his relationship with Mikasa ever since.

  But as Aurora looked at Mikasa now, the pain radiating from her in waves, Aurora couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. Was this woman in love with Eren? From what Aurora could see, Mikasa’s feelings went far beyond friendship. Her reaction wasn’t that of someone seeing a friend in a new relationship—it was far more personal, more intimate.

  Mikasa’s eyes weren’t just filled with confusion and shock. They were filled with betrayal.

  Aurora’s chest tightened as she realized what she was seeing. Mikasa wasn’t acting like someone who saw Eren as a brother or a childhood friend. She was acting like she had lost something, something precious and irreplaceable. Like she had lost Eren himself.

  Aurora swallowed hard, her eyes flicking between Mikasa and Eren. She had known, deep down, that the bond between Eren and his friends ran deep. But she hadn’t expected this. She hadn’t expected Mikasa to look at Eren as if she were about to break into pieces right in front of them.

  “Eren…” Aurora’s voice was soft, hesitant. She wasn’t sure if she should even bring it up, but the weight of Mikasa’s reaction gnawed at her. She leaned in closer to him, her voice low enough so only he could hear. “Is that… Mikasa?”

  Eren’s eyes flickered to the corner of the airship, landing on Mikasa for a brief second before turning away. His expression remained as cold and distant as ever, but Aurora could see a flicker of something—regret, perhaps—cross his face. “Yeah. That’s her.”

  Aurora hesitated, her mind racing. “She looks… devastated,” she murmured, feeling an uneasy knot twist in her stomach. “Does she… care about you more than just as a friend?”

  Eren didn’t answer right away. He sighed quietly, his gaze fixed on the floor. “She’s always cared about me,” he said, his voice low, almost tired. “But it’s not like that. Not for me.”

  Aurora’s heart sank as she listened to his words. It wasn’t a full answer, and she wasn’t sure if Eren even understood the depth of Mikasa’s feelings. But Aurora could see it clearly now—Mikasa loved Eren. Not just as a childhood friend or a protector, but as something much more. It was in the way Mikasa was staring at him, her wide, hollow eyes filled with unspoken pain.

  And here Aurora was, Eren’s wife, sitting next to him as he held her protectively in front of the people who had followed him into hell and back. Mikasa’s devastation made sense now, and it filled Aurora with a strange guilt she hadn’t anticipated. Mikasa must have thought she would always be at Eren’s side, protecting him, fighting for him. And now, she had to witness someone else—the woman Eren had chosen to marry—take that place.

  Aurora’s hand gently rested on Eren’s arm, her voice even quieter now, almost a whisper. “Eren… does she know about us? About me?”

  Eren’s jaw tightened again, his green eyes hardening once more. “She does now.”

  The coldness in his tone made Aurora flinch slightly, but she didn’t press further. She knew Eren well enough to understand that when he spoke like this, when he shut himself off emotionally, there was no getting through to him. But the reality of the situation weighed heavily on her. Mikasa’s feelings for Eren were painfully obvious now, and Aurora didn’t know what that would mean for the future—for them.

  She didn’t want to be the source of anyone’s heartbreak, least of all Mikasa’s. But what could she do? She loved Eren. She had chosen him, despite everything, and he had chosen her. They were bound together now, by vows spoken beneath the stars and promises made in the darkest of times.

  But in doing so, Aurora realized, they had left others behind. And the fallout was only just beginning.

  Aurora’s eyes lingered on Mikasa for a moment longer before she looked away, leaning into Eren’s side, seeking comfort in his presence. She had made her choice, and no matter what, she would stand by him. But as the tension in the airship thickened, and the pain in Mikasa’s eyes grew more evident, Aurora couldn’t help but wonder if their love had come at too high a cost.

  Because it was clear to her now—Mikasa didn’t just see Eren as a friend. She had been acting like she had lost her lover.

  Eren sat still, his body tense as the airship hummed with the strained silence that had settled over everyone. His eyes shifted toward Mikasa in the corner, her face pale and her expression shattered. The sight tugged at something deep inside him, something that had once been a constant between them. He could see how distraught she was, her shoulders trembling with the weight of her emotions, and it wasn’t hard to understand why.

  But Eren had made his choice.

  And his choice was Aurora.

  He felt her presence beside him, her small hand still clinging to his jacket as if he were her anchor. He gently squeezed her hand, reassuring her without words. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about Mikasa—how could he not, after everything they had been through? But things had changed. He had changed. And Aurora was the one thing in this cruel world that had reawakened a part of him he thought had been buried long ago.

  Eren’s thoughts drifted back to the day he thought he’d lost her forever. He was only a child back then, but the impact of Aurora’s disappearance had been profound. One day, she was there in Shiganshina—his first friend, his first crush—and then suddenly, she was gone. No explanations. No goodbyes. Just gone.

  His parents didn’t know what had happened. The neighbors had no answers. It was as if Aurora and her family had vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a hollow ache in Eren’s chest. He had searched for her, in the way a child would, hoping he would run into her on the streets of Shiganshina or catch a glimpse of her familiar figure at the market. But days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. And eventually, even his hope began to fade.

  But he never forgot her.

  Aurora had been his only friend back then. He had no one else, and her sudden disappearance had left a void in his life. He never told Armin or Mikasa about her. Not because he didn’t trust them, but because Aurora’s memory felt too personal, too sacred. He held onto it tightly, as if speaking her name aloud would somehow make the memory slip away.

  Throughout the years, he thought about her often, wondering where she had gone. What had happened to her? Was she safe? Was she happy? Was she even alive? He imagined what she would look like now. Would they still be friends? Or… something more?

  It was a thought that had haunted him, especially on the lonelier nights, when the weight of his burdens pressed down on him. Aurora had been the first light in his life, the first person who had made him feel seen. And then she was gone.

  And then, as if fate had a cruel sense of humor, he saw her again. In Marley of all places.

  Eren had been deep undercover, the rage and determination fueling him as he prepared for the attack on Liberio. His mind had been focused on the mission, on the destruction he was about to unleash, when he heard the faint sound of someone singing. A voice that, though older, still carried the same softness he remembered. It had stopped him in his tracks.

  He thought he was hallucinating at first, that the exhaustion and stress of his mission had finally gotten to him. But when he followed the sound, he saw her. Sitting beneath a tree, her platinum-blonde hair glowing in the fading light, her voice carrying softly through the air.

  He had thought he was seeing a ghost.

  His heart had nearly stopped in his chest, his body frozen as he stared at her. But he recognized her immediately. He’d know those eyes anywhere. The same icy-blue eyes that had once looked at him with such warmth, such kindness.

  Aurora.

  She hadn’t changed, not really. She was older, yes, her features more refined, more delicate. But she was still her. And in that moment, the years fell away, and Eren was once again that little boy, desperate to reach out to her, to make sure she was real.

  It took everything in him not to break down right then and there. He had spent so many years thinking she was gone—dead, even. The fact that she was alive, right in front of him, nearly brought him to tears.

  Aurora had been afraid at first, not recognizing him immediately. But when their eyes met, and she saw the boy she had once known in the man standing before her, something shifted. It was like the world had stopped turning for a brief moment, and they were just two people, reconnecting after years of separation.

  It had all come flooding back then—the memories, the feelings he had buried, the quiet hope that had stayed with him through all the pain. Eren had thought he’d lost her forever. But now she was here, with him, and he wasn’t going to let her go.

  He glanced down at Aurora, who still leaned against him, her soft presence grounding him in a way nothing else could. He had chosen her. He had chosen to protect her, to keep her by his side, no matter what came next.

  Eren’s gaze shifted back to Mikasa, who was still staring at him with those broken eyes, and he felt a pang of guilt twist in his chest. He knew what she was feeling—he could see it written all over her face. But he couldn’t undo what had already been done.

  He had made his choice.

  Aurora was his, and no one—not even Mikasa—could change that.

  His voice, low and steady, cut through the tension in the airship. “Mikasa.”

  Mikasa blinked, as if pulled from a trance. Her wide eyes met his, and for a moment, she looked like she was about to say something—anything. But the words never came.

  Eren’s expression remained calm, though there was a faint sadness behind his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly, though he wasn’t sure if he was apologizing for what had happened, or for something much deeper. Something he couldn’t give her.

  Mikasa’s lips trembled, and Armin’s hand on her shoulder tightened, as if trying to steady her. But Eren could see the devastation in her eyes, the realization that no matter what she had hoped for, no matter what she had believed… he had chosen someone else.

  Eren didn’t look away. He couldn’t. Because in that moment, he had to make sure she understood.

  “I made my choice,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “And it’s Aurora.”

  The silence that followed was deafening, and Eren could feel the weight of it pressing down on all of them. But he didn’t regret his decision.

  He never would.