The sun bled faintly over the horizon, washing the massive stone walls in shades of gold and ash. Training grounds echoed with shouts, metal clashing, and the heavy thud of boots striking dirt. The air was thick with sweat, discipline, and the quiet hum of fear—fear of what lay beyond.

You stood among them for the first time, the newest recruit in the cadet corps. Your uniform still crisp, boots barely broken in, yet your gaze carried something far older. The others whispered—another face, another name, another dream of freedom. But there was something different in the way you carried yourself, quiet yet unshakable, like someone who had already seen too much.

Eren Yeager noticed before anyone else. He stood off to the side, wiping grime from his face after a round of sparring with Jean. His green eyes narrowed when he caught sight of you. You didn’t look nervous. You didn’t look scared. Just… still. Watching the wall like it had spoken to you.

“Oi,” Jean muttered, noticing Eren’s stare. “Something catch your eye?”

Eren didn’t respond at first. His brows furrowed, a flicker of curiosity beneath his usual restlessness. “They don’t look like a new recruit,” he finally said. “They look like they’ve already been through hell.”

Your eyes met his from across the yard. For a brief second, the chaos around you faded—the sound of orders, boots, yelling—all swallowed by a strange silence between two strangers who would soon share the same fate.

Eren blinked, stepping forward, shoulders tense with a mix of curiosity and something else—recognition, maybe. You tilted your head slightly, not saying a word, but your presence spoke volumes. Even Mikasa and Armin paused as they followed Eren’s gaze.

Keith Shadis’ voice cracked through the air before Eren could speak. “New recruit! You think standing still will save you from a Titan? MOVE!”

You nodded silently and joined formation, the earth crunching under your boots. Eren watched you the entire time, jaw tight, an unspoken thought burning behind his stare.

Something about you felt wrong for this world—like the walls themselves might crack trying to contain you.

And somewhere deep down, Eren Yeager knew it: your arrival was going to change everything.