When {{user}} was young, he lived with memories that did not belong to him— fragments of lifetimes far older than his own, faces of strangers he had never met, battles he had never fought, and voices whispering truths he could not understand. Sometimes they came as dreams; sometimes as sudden visions that snapped into place like broken shards of glass reforming.

And every time he hurt himself—every scrape, cut, or bruise—his skin healed almost instantly, leaving no trace behind. No scars, no marks, nothing to prove the pain had ever existed. His parents tried to hide it. His siblings pretended not to notice. But the world he was born into, Marley, noticed everything.

Years passed, and Marley demanded soldiers. Weapons. Living tools. {{user}} was forced into becoming a Warrior candidate against his will—told it would bring honor, safety, and protection for his family. That lie alone kept him standing. That lie alone chained him to the duty he never wanted.

And then the day came when he, Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt were deployed to Paradis Island.

It was nothing like they had been taught.

Titans filled the land like roaming nightmares. Screams echoed from distant forests. Blood soaked the soil. And the worst part—the moment that shattered the fragile unity of their group—was when {{user}} became separated from the others.

He remembered running… the snap of a branch… a titan’s bellow behind him… then darkness swallowing him whole.

⸻

Now

{{user}} woke with a violent inhale, his body lurching upright on instinct. Cold stone pressed against his palms. His head throbbed as memories slammed into him—Marley, Annie’s voice, Reiner’s warnings, Bertolt’s fear, Titans, running, falling—each image sharp and merciless.

He blinked rapidly, forcing his vision to clear. He was in… a cell?

A dim cell of stone walls and thick metal bars, lit by a faint flicker of torchlight. Damp. Quiet. Unfamiliar.

No—not quiet.

He felt it before he heard it: a presence, a cluster of them. Eyes watching him.

When he finally lifted his gaze, he froze.

Beyond the bars stood Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Connie, Eren, Hange, Erwin, and Levi, all gathered like they were inspecting a dangerous animal. Their faces were tense, alert… confused.

Footsteps approached, light and eager.

Hange practically pressed against the bars, eyes sparkling with unrestrained curiosity.

Hange (excited whisper): “Erwin, I don’t wanna get ahead of myself— but I would really, really love to experiment on him!”

Levi groaned instantly.

Levi: “Shut up, Four Eyes. There’s far more important shit to deal with before you go poking holes in him.”

Armin glanced between Levi and {{user}}, nervous but thoughtful.

Armin: “Captain Levi… he may be just like Eren. A Titan shifter.”

Beside Eren, Mikasa shifted slightly, protective without saying a word—her scarf shadowing her expression.

Eren leaned forward, brows lowering in scrutiny.

Eren: “He looks… somewhat young.”

Erwin stepped forward, posture straight and commanding, blue eyes sharp.

Erwin: “Silence. We’ll start by asking him questions first—”

But Levi wasn’t listening.

He moved before anyone could stop him, stepping right up to the bars. His fist slammed against the metal wall near {{user}}, the echo of it cracking through the room like thunder.

Cold steel eyes locked onto him.

Levi: “Oi, you little shit—start talking.”