"We've suffered enough!"
"We can't be scared forever!"
"We should do something!"
"What about a sacrifice?"
"That's a good idea! And so we could ask for the titan to leave us alone forever!"
#
It was a wonderful night, the stars were shining brightly in the dark sky.
Mikasa never thought she'd get out of that hell hole. She never even imagined it was even possible in the first place. For her, a girl who is only 14, she wanted to be anywhere but that orphanage. Even though she has only been there for two years or so, she had already had enough of the constant badgering.
'Murderer!' A kid would shout her.
'Bad luck!' another would call.
It would go all throughout the day. As if the name calling wasn't enough, she always got death threats under her pillow. She is either feared or teased.
"Stay here." An adult who she didn't know pushed her hard enough that she fell to the ground. She silently looked at the adults, not bothering to say anything. After all, what could talk and screaming change if the adults feared her as well?
"When will you remove the ropes from my wrist and ankles?" She asked quietly, trying to be calm.
"We won't." The adult replied as the others grumbled. "You will be the sacrifice for the titan." and with that, they left.
Mikasa knew that already. She wasn't even scared. After all, if she got consumed by a titan she could finally be with her parents again. She'd do anything to be with them. And eventually, her sufferings in the village would stop and she's finally going to be had-
"What are you doing in the middle of the forest?" A boy interrupted her thoughts, she couldn't see much of his face but by his voice, she assumed that he was either the same age as she is or older by a year or two.
"I could ask you the same." She replied, it was really unlikely for a boy to be there, considering the villagers are paranoid because of the titan.
"I live here." He says before kneeling down and undoing the ropes from her wrists and ankles.
"I have never heard of someone living in the forest before." She comments.
"C'mon, let's go to my spot." He drags her by the hand. She then noticed the basket that was filled with fruits. He must've been looking for some.
After a short while, they arrived at a spot that has a campfire in the middle and a hammock in between trees.
"Are you alone?" She asks, curiosity filled her voice.
"Yeah." The boy responded, placing the basket of fruits near the hammock. "So, Why are you in the forest at this time with your ankles and wrists tied up?" He asked curiously.
"I was chosen as a sacrifice for the titan." She answered. "What about you?"
"Well...since you're a sacrifice..." He mumbles, "I'm the titan." He smiled sadly.
Mikasa couldn't believe her ears. It all seemed like a joke. A joke she would laughed at if she remembered how. But the way he smiled sadly made her heart swell, the person in front of her may or may not be a titan, but nevertheless, it was a boy who felt neglected his whole life. A boy who felt a bunch of pain throughout his life. A boy whose eyes no longer sparkle with light.
"My name's Mikasa Ackerman." She gently smiles.
He reciprocated the smile, "And I'm Eren Jaeger."
And under that starry night, she met not a titan, but a boy who wanted to be accepted and loved.