Far Away

You never know how much you appreciate someone until they're gone. It was the same for Eren when Mikasa left his side. He had finally gotten what he wanted. A chance to prove to his adopted sister that he was capable of making his own choices. After blowing up at her in front of everyone, Mikasa was practically non-existant. But at the same time he couldn't help the itching feeling by his side when he looked and noticed that she wasn't there.

Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he could see her sitting at the corner desk in the front row of the classroom. The two of them used to sit side by side in near the door so that he could run out as quickly as possible to beat the horde, but she moved her seat his request. There were now approximately four people inbetween them, and his new neighbor was Armin. Armin gave him a sunny smile but even he could see the distant expression in Eren's eyes. Turning his head to look at Mikasa, the other girl didn't turn to meet their gaze instead gazing out of the window or answering a question when Shadis called on her.

"Why don't you talk to her," Armin muttered. "I think this has gone on for long enough. You obviously miss her."

Eren bristled at this. There was no way that he'd admit that. He wasn't in the wrong at all. Mikasa was constantly breathing down his neck. She was always next to him, wouldn't allow him to do anything. Constantly embarrassing him and making him seem weak. She didn't trust him, she was so overprotective. So why was she so distant now? Looking away stubbornly, he bit his lip and seethed in silence unaware of the grey eyes that found their way to the back of his head.

On the walk home, Mikasa was leading the way. Not stopping to walk next to him and match his pace or even ask him how his day was. She was silent and solid, but even if she was only a few steps ahead of him, she felt so far away. His heart tightened in his chest as he tried to catch up to her only for her to seem even farther ahead. By the time they reached their front door, Eren was out of breath and Mikasa simply opened the door and stepped inside. But what broke his heart was that she hadn't even glanced back to see if he was alright before shutting the door behind her.

Eren stood outside with slightly widened eyes clutching the strap of his bookbag as he opened the door to his mother greeting him. Mikasa's footsteps echoed upstairs and each one matched his slowly dropping heartbeat.

Mikasa?

It was the same thing the next day. Armin talked animatedly to the two of them alternating between one and the other. Mikasa had always been the silent one out of their group but this was almost baffling. She didn't react at all, simply staring and walking. The only indication that she was alive and not a zombie would be as she blinked once or twice through the conversation and gave him subtle grunts in acknowledgement. Soon she split away from them to go talk to Shadis and left Eren and Armin behind. Armin turned on Eren as quickly as her red scarf vanished from their vision.

"You didn't bother to apologize yet?! Mikasa is upset and what're you going to do about it!?"

"She's upset? I should be the one upset! I just asked her to give me a little space and she's been avoiding me and giving me the silent treatment! All I wanted was just to have a little room to do me!"

"Oh yeah? Eren, Mikasa is overbearing and maybe even a bit of a protective mother hen! But who is the person that helped bail you out of the fights you got into? Who breaks her back to make sure that you get up in the morning and stay out of the teacher's radar? Who helps you remember everything that you forget and believes in you more than anyone else?!"

Eren's lips formed a thin line and he couldn't believe that he was beginning to shake. Memories of Mikasa flooded his mind. The expressions that she wore when he lashed out at her. Claiming that she didn't trust him, yelling at her for not giving him his space. But he never caught the sadness in her eyes, the darkening of those grey irises and the reluctant hand that reached out to his turned back before halting and falling to her side.

"And if you don't fix this, Mikasa is going to just get farther and farther away."

That evening, the Jaeger family sat down at dinner and shared their stories of the day. Even then - Mikasa was deathly quiet. Carla didn't try to get her to talk and Grisha was content with the silence that followed their little family squabble. But Eren was discontent with it all.

"Hey!"

Everyone's eyes found their way to the young man that stood up abruptly. He was shaking somewhat feeling all of the emotions in his chest churn about wanting to come out abruptly.

"Cut it out, okay?"

Mikasa stared at him impassively before standing and taking her bowls with her, heading to the kitchen. Eren's hand shot out to grab her arm halting her in her movements. Though he knew that she was the stronger one inbetween them, that didn't stop him from holding onto her.

"Mikasa."

"I'm not leaving your side."

Carla smiled a little and Grisha returned to eating his meal.

"I won't ever be far away from you, Eren."

And suddenly, Mikasa didn't feel so far away anymore.