this is the end. [snk]

A/n: Hello and welcome to the first fan fiction of my blog! ^0^ The reason I chose to publish it here and not elsewhere [apart from my Tumblr and my FB] is because it's a part character development, part head-canon story that doesn't involve any relationships. 

Eren [Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin] angst fanfic

Heavily inspired by this headcanon

A/N: The authoress did a lovely job but I wondered what would happen if the story was from third person point of view in which Eren is the last human left in the world. Because I am cruel like that~  

Recommended song track while reading: Never let me go by Florence + the machine

The cold sapphire waves crashed against the foot of the cliff, soft white foam dissolving into the water. The morning sun's rays shone weakly over the horizon, a gentle orange-red that filtered over the glinting sea. Eren stood at the top of the cliff, his eyes downcast. The sparse foliage was littered around his boots and the loose soil gently dipped beneath his weight. Here he was, at the place that inspired him and his friends to become part of the scouting legion, to continue the dream that Titans could, perhaps, be defeated. That perhaps... perhaps humanity could be saved, that they could, just maybe, survive, like humanity always seemed to do.

A few strands of his hair fluttered lamely in the cool wind, and as he stood there, looking over the vast, grand ocean, he couldn't help but realise just how alive he was. He could feel, starkly, the smooth touch of tan leather against his skin, hear the thumps of his heart in his ribcage from exertion, taste the salty air that drifted over him...

He couldn't help but remember, either.

Disjointed memories, of Mikasa, of Armin, of Rivaille. Fighting. Falling. Dying. He could still see it now - the flash of a vermillion, woollen scarf as it whipped through the air, the sound of metal clashing against harsh titan skin, sometimes sinking into the flesh with a soft hiss. The heavy, metallic smell of thick blood splurting over the thirsty ground, that drank up the blood of those who fell and many who had fallen before them. He could see the nonchalant, but slightly sad, brown eyes, imploring him to go, and he believed she could save them all. He put too much trust in others, he could tell...

He wished he had the calculating, rational mind of a tactician, like Armin's, to realise exactly what to do and when to fight. When he had run back, terrified to lose another loved one, it was too late. It was always too late. And then Armin was distracted, wasn't he, into saving silly old him? Those usually terrified blue eyes were suddenly so calm and accepting, and it terrified him. Was that death? To completely and utterly feel nothing? To fade into the cool darkness of non-existence?

He could remember the forming of words by now lifeless lips, to run. And he was eight all over again, frozen into place, watching his mother being devoured by a titan. He could do nothing. He was useless.

"Run, you gutless lizard." Humanity's strongest warrior, always being his delightful self. Yet the corporal's words had struck a sensitive nerve in Eren, and he stumbled away, hoping beyond hope it was the right thing to do.

It wasn't.

And like the others - Rivaille fell. He may have been the strongest human, but in the end, he was still a mere mortal.

All disjointed memories, tugging at Eren's sleeve. He couldn't carry on, remembering that he had effectively let all he cared about die. Again! He couldn't protect anyone after all -

And even now, those disgusting, deformed vermin could be heard, lumbering after him. There was one behind him approaching now, interested in the stillness of Eren's posture. If he could do one thing to undermine those bloody titans, just one thing, then he was going to do it now. He wasn't going to let himself be titan food...

Eren took several steps forward, and without hesistating, he threw himself over.

For a few last, precious minutes, he could pretend that he was flying through the air, the same naive Eren of all those years ago. The boy who wanted to be a scout to save humanity. The boy who dreamt of seeing the outside world. The boy who had living loved ones, who was always smiling, who was dependable and had so much hope.

We finally got to see the ocean, eh, Mikasa? Armin?

And then the darkness claimed him too.