When I close my eyes… I am at the center of the sun…

The night air was thick with fog and mist hung like moss in a tree. The pounding of horses approaching at a fast rate could be heard in the near distance. The moon shone through the cloudy sky at random intervals, the stars glistening every so often. A quiet sigh left the lips of a small figure, sitting high in a tree, her silhouette casting a slight shadow onto the ground below her. The air felt still and lifeless, just like her soul. She felt dead inside, though her thoughts raced despite her calm demeanor, her mind stretching in numerous directions. She was trying desperately to distract herself. Readjusting her position on the branch that she presently sat upon, she swung her legs back and forth, staring out at the scenery that lay out in front of her. "I cannot be hurt by anything this wicked world has done…" Another sigh escaped her lips as she leaned against the trunk of the tree, feeling the scrape of the bark on the side of her face.

Her blonde locks hung down, her bangs covering her blood-shot crystal blue eyes. Her face felt tight from dried tears. Thoughts of the previous night filled her head once more, despite her every attempt to not make it so. Her eyes stung once more with tears and she turned her face into the rough bark, the wood cutting lightly into her soft skin. The pain was sharp, but it didn't affect her nearly as much as the throbbing ache in her chest. She pressed her hand against her sternum and sniffled, using her other hand to wipe away tears.

Her best friend, her main confidant, had left her behind and she had nobody to turn to. Her one, true friend was gone. "Ymir…" Her voice was shaky and sad, tears threatening even more so with each passing second. Her comrades, who knew her only as Christa Renz, were shocked to find that she was Historia Reiss, a completely different girl than the one they knew before. They didn't know exactly what to think of that little piece of information, some were skeptical, some accepting. But there was one person who seemed pleased, if not surprised, by the news.

"Chri- Historia…?" A young man's voice called out to her, correcting himself mid-call. Glancing down at the ground below, she spotted a young brunette man of average height. She blinked a couple times, the moon peeking out from behind the clouds at just the right moment. His sea-green eyes shined brightly as they searched the leafy branches for the petite blonde. She stared down at him and froze the moment they made eye contact. Her tears stopped flowing and her breathing steadied, a strange calmness washing over her.

Historia grabbed a hold of the branch that she was perched on and slowly climbed down, quietly rustling the branches of the tree in the process. Her heart raced despite her calmness. He was looking for her and that surprised her, but made her heart flutter with stereotypical giddiness. She glanced down and then let out a squeak of uneasiness. She hadn't realized how high she had climbed up until that moment, when she was making her way down. A sudden wave of fear swept over her and she crouched down low on the branch, clinging to the trunk of the tree.

The rustling of the branches and leaves ceased as quickly as they began, causing Eren to snap his attention to the girl's position. His face showed confusion and concern, and his actions showed that he cared. Gripping the nearest branch, he pulled himself up with ease, quickly making his way up to the girl's location. 'Jeez… she's really high up.' His mind was boggling at how far this girl climbed. He began to wonder if she was part cat. His thoughts were soon interrupted by her figure, cowering against the tree, like a frightened puppy. He blinked and reached over, touching her gently with his fingertips. "Don't worry, Historia… I'm here."

His words snapped her out of it, brought her back from the trembling and frightened state she was just in. Turning her head to look at him, her crystal blue eyes caught sight of his sea-green eyes, their gaze locked on one another. She dared not look away for fear that he might just disappear. "Eren... I'm sorry…" Her voice faltered and she began to tremble once more, feeling more emotion than she had felt as Historia in a long time. "You… shouldn't have climbed all the way up here." Her words were solemn and quiet. She continued to hold his gaze and without even realizing it, she reached out to caress his face in her hand.

The young man watched her closely, only to make an unbreakable eye contact with her. He felt a slight blush grow on his cheeks, feeling flushed by the pretty girl's gaze. But his embarrassment was cut short by her wavering voice and terrified demeanor. Worry took over and he leaned forward, clutching her branch for support. "I had to… I couldn't leave you up here," he said quietly, allowing her to caress his cheek. Her hand was cool to the touch, but the way that she held him, it was full of different feelings. "And don't apologize." His words were abrupt and serious. Then, mustering up his strength, he reached over and grabbed her by her waist. "Brace yourself," he said with a straight face before pulling her down to him.

The petite blonde was surprised by his reaction to her touch, finding a certain kind of comfort in it. His next action shocked her, as before she knew it, she was being pulled off her branch onto the one below it. She looked up at Eren and blinked a couple times before crying out, "What are you doing?" Her mouth fell agape and she clung back to the tree, not wanting to fall. "I… I don't want to get down." She looked back at him, her lower lip quivering. She hated the thought of crying in front of him anymore than she had to, but he was pushing her to her limit.

Eren gave her a look of disbelief and grabbed her shoulders. "You have to trust me, Historia." His words rang through her ears and brought her eyes to him, with her nodding quickly in response. With a small smile, he climbed down onto the next branch, taking her hand and leading her down as well. This went on for the next three minutes, for the farther down they went, the larger the branches got and the easier it was for Historia to collect herself. When they got to the bottom branches, Eren sat down, with the girl seated next to him. "That wasn't too horrible… was it?"

She allowed him to lead her back down, taking a chance and putting her trust in him. Staying silent as they climbed down, her anxiety slowly left her, but it wasn't until they came to the bottom branch and she had set herself next to him that she realized her calmness had completely returned. Looking straight into his eyes, a slight smile came onto her face, one of sincerity and gratitude. "Not at all…" She paused and sighed, looking away. Her thoughts were still jumbled, but her heartstrings were being tugged by one phrase that needed to be said. Looking back up at the brunette boy, her crystal blue eyes meeting his sea-green eyes, she blushed lightly and leaned forward, closing in the space between them, kissing him lightly before whispering softly.

"When I look into your eyes… I am at the center of the sun."