Just a random idea that popped into my head :]
I thought, 'What if everyone got separated in the woods?' Then more questions came into my head. What if the girls fled to a cabin in the middle of the forest? What if Eren somehow led the boys there?
So I just went with it, and this happened! The main ships are Eremika, Aruani, and Jeansasha. But there's also one or two more if you squint ;) Enjoy!
"Does that hurt?"
"Like you care."
"I don't."
Annie froze in place, turning back around slowly. She's met with Mikasa's steely gaze, almost as cold as hers. That's what made Mikasa so...so weak. She may think she's unreadable, but in reality for Annie, it was like looking at an open book. There were wrinkles and creases, and battered edges from being so worn. Mikasa may not like her, and damn was the feeling mutual, but she would protect her - even when her protection wasn't called for or welcomed.
She wasn't exactly in the best condition, however. Blood oozed down the side of her face, forehead stained crimson. She walked with a limp, and she was positive at least two ribs were broken. But she was a shifter. She'll heal.
"You can't fight in the state you're in." Mikasa stalked forward and Annie stared her down, despite their height differences. Her eyes flashed briefly in hostility; who does Ackerman think she is?
"To hell, I can't." Annie squared her shoulders and it hurt.
"Guys..."
The two rivals looked up just as Krista tentatively walked into the cabin with firewood in her small arms, Sasha not far behind her. Krista's lip was busted and she had early signs of a black eye, low ponytail messy; Sasha's bangs stuck to her cheeks from sweat, various scratches along her arms and legs.
"Don't you think it would be best if we try to get along for a few hours?" Krista suggested gently, blue eyes glistening. Sasha, now empty-handed, went to retrieve the remaining firewood from Krista to add to the growing flames blazing in the fireplace.
"...She's right..." Mikasa murmured.
"Of course she is," Annie said bitterly, folding her arms across her chest.
"No, she is." Mikasa raised her voice firmly. "We won't make progress if we keep arguing with each other."
She scoffed. "I came back for this?" she said skeptically, fighting a wince; she shouldn't have leaned forward so much.
"You're lucky your head isn't on a stick right now, let alone being prodded like a science experiment."
Damn.
Mikasa spoke up again, this time directing her attention to the other two girls in the room as well. "We'll have to stick together if we're going to get out of here…"
"…And find Eren?" Sasha filled in.
Mikasa nodded mutely, her expression softening. "And find Eren," she echoed.
"And Connie and Ymir?" Krista perked up a little. Ymir had gone missing earlier, and the girls had no idea where she went or where she might be.
"Jean…Armin…"
Armin's name slipped off of Mikasa's tongue, and it was Annie's turn to sober up. The group got separated when the titans attacked, and now she was stuck with these…these fools in the middle of a forest. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
"Fine."
Annie would then leave the room without looking back. She needed privacy. She needed to get clean. And most importantly, she needed to patch herself up so Ackerman could stop bitching her about it.
.
"Whoa! Look at him go!" Connie laughed in excitement, he, Jean, and Armin flying in pursuit through the trees. Eren, in his titan form, stormed through the forest at top speed.
"Where do you think he's leading us?" said Jean.
"Where do you think? He's obviously leading us to where Mikasa is! And where Mikasa is-!"
Armin gasped, picking up his pace.
Please let them be okay...please let them be okay.
.
"M-Mikasa..." Sasha stammered breathlessly as she heard what sounded like thunder in the distance. But she wasn't naive. "Mikasa!" Sasha yelled, scrambling to her feet. "There's a titan coming!"
Mikasa ran outside, Krista just a few steps behind her.
"A titan?"
The rapid, large footsteps came closer, the world around them shaking with each step. A monstrous, psychotic roar shook the girls to their core.
Mikasa's wide eyes darted to the trees, her heart racing. That sound...she knew that roar anywhere. It was...it couldn't be -
"Wait!" Mikasa warned the two before they could draw their weapons. Sasha waited with unease, Krista's eyes wide in fear.
And then -
CRASH.
The rogue titan burst through the trees, falling forward in exhaustion. His landing was teeth-chattering, the girls bracing themselves against the cabin as he came face-first with the earth. Steam emitted from his massive body and the person lying within the nape pushed himself out, leaning back on his knees; eyes closed and back arched.
Mikasa's breath caught in her throat.
"Mikasa!"
Armin's relieved voice was close and no sooner than later did he and the rest of them land on either side of the steaming titan.
"Oh thank God!" Armin slammed into her, nearly knocking her off her feet. Mikasa hugged him back and sighed, glazed eyes glued to the Eren. "I'm so glad you're alright..."
Mikasa nodded, her lips brushing Armin's ear, "She's inside."
And she pulled away, running straight for Eren, leaving a surprised Armin before he bolted for the door.
She wasn't the only one taking off.
Sasha almost knocked Connie down, arms clamping around him tight and burying her face in his neck. Connie gripped her back just as fiercely, cupping the back of her head when she started shaking. "It's okay...it's alright."
Krista caught the strange look that flickered across Jean's face as he watched the exchange before he looked away and huffed, slowly walking towards the cabin. I wonder what that's about.
The two close friends parted, smiling at each other, and Sasha turned to look around for Jean. But he had already disappeared inside.
She slowly followed.
Connie barely took a step forward and he was glomped again, this time with a smaller body and a head of blonde hair. His arms came around Krista gently, smiling sheepishly; the faintest of blushes stained his cheeks.
"It's so good to see you." Krista smiled in his chest.
"It's good to see you too." Wow...
Mikasa fell to her knees, pulling Eren close. His heartbeat thumped against her chest, much to her relief. She found herself smiling for the first time in hours, days even, clutching him to her. He was alive. He was safe. He was breathing.
Eren groaned, feeling as if all the energy that he had was drained from him completely. He came to gradually, realization dawning on him; he was back to normal again, leaning against a firm but soft, curvy body. He blinked slowly, eyelids dead weight and unable to cooperate. Dried lips parted, and her name rolled off his tongue in a throaty rasp.
"Mi...Mika...sa..."
"I'm here..." she murmured back, cupping the back of his head; her fingers got lost in the brunette's locks. "I'm here."
.
"You're not even gonna say hi?"
Jean snorted, staring angrily into the fire. "Oh, so you care now?"
Sasha pressed her lips together. He was jealous. Never really good at hiding it either. She stalked over to where he stood and grabbed his face, leaning up and kissing him full on the mouth. Jean stiffened from shock, but soon got over that, his arms leaving his sides to snake around her waist instead.
Her lips mumble against his, "I do."
.
Annie finished wrapping the last of the gauze around her ribcage, stare emotionless at the floor. In the midst of her self-treatment, she had heard the titan outside and even paused for a moment; that roar was familiar. Terrifyingly so.
But she had made no move to go outside. If she was needed, she would go.
However, when the door suddenly burst wide open, she shot to her feet and whirled around, eyes widening. She knew who would be there when she turned around.
Armin's eyes shined with unbridled joy and solace, pushing the door closed behind him. He didn't even give her time to react, reaching her in three long strides. Armin pulled the girl he loved close, encasing her in his warmth.
Annie winced, "Armin..."
Remembering that she was injured, he immediately pulled away; his arms remained loosely around her. "I'm sorry, I..." He leaned his forehead against hers, gazing into her eyes. "I was so worried about you. How are you feeling? Are you hurt badly? Do you need anything or-?"
"Armin."
He blushed a little, lips pulling up. "Sorry..."
She felt herself smile. It was barely there, but he noticed it, and she closed the remaining space between their faces. He was still smiling when their lips met.
Armin peppered her face in slow, soft, meaningful kisses. He took his time, savoring each and every one, never leaving a spot untouched; she leaned into his touch, her face softening. Annie will never understand how he could...have feelings for someone like her.
She will never understand how she let him in.
.
Connie and Jean walked into the cabin with dejected looks on their faces sometime later, shaking their head in negative.
"No sign of Bertolt or Ymir."
Krista's face fell. "Oh...I hope that wherever they are, they're together," she said worriedly.
The group exchanged glances. Eren grunted, staring into the fire. Mikasa sat next to him, holding onto his arm. Their friends and allies soon branched off into conversations of their own; leave it to Connie and Sasha to keep the tone light. Eren was soon lost in his own thoughts.
Two down...doesn't matter, he thought darkly. We have to keep moving, with or without them. Nothing will get in my way. Any titan that I see will be sent straight to hell on sight!
His gaze flickered up from the fire just in time to see Mikasa and Armin look at each other.
Mikasa...Armin...I'll be damned if anything happens to you again. I won't let anything happen to you. We'll have a life outside those damned walls. We'll see the ocean. Freedom...
"Eren..."
He grunted in reply. He felt her hands leave his arm, but his hand took its place instead. The same hand that killed numerous titans was just as soft as any other hand. His tensed form relaxed, inhaling deeply through parted lips.
Eren stood up, catching the attention of every person in the room. "We leave first thing tomorrow morning. Take turns keeping watch."
Connie nodded, and the rest mimicked him. Eren then left the room, walking down the darkening hallway. And of course, he was followed.
"Eren-"
Mikasa gasped as Eren suddenly turned around and grabbed her, shoving her against the wall. Before she could protest or question him, his lips silenced hers. Cheeks bright red and burning in the darkness, she gathered a hold of herself - as well as a handful of his hair - and kissed him back. The anger and agitation in his kisses melted into concerned, passionate ones instead, and he left her breathless.
"You can't. Protect me. From everything, Mikasa," he whispered firmly, their breaths mingling from the close proximity. "How many times do I have to tell you? - What if I want to protect you, huh?"
Her lower lip quivered, leaning her forehead against his and closing her eyes.
"I don't need to be protected," she whispered back feebly, slender fingers sliding down from his cheekbones to his jawline.
"Damn it, Mikasa." He squeezed her hips, shaking his head; their noses rubbed together. "You don't get it, do you?" She brushed her trembling lips against his, arms slipping around his neck, subconsciously leaning on her tiptoes; she had to lean up to be at eye-level with him now. He sighed through his nose heavily, hands parallel to each other on the small of her back, pressing her flush against him. She was so damn stubborn when it came to him. But so was he.
Her shirt rode up a little, and he slipped his warm hands under, making her shudder. The pads of his fingers explored her skin there before stopping at the same resting place underneath. The wrinkles in his forehead from frowning smoothed out, allowing himself to be something rare - gentle.
"I made a promise to Carla," she opened her eyes, their gazes locking in the dark; her fingers threaded through his hair with tenderness. "And I intend to keep it...until my heart stops beating."
Eren closed his eyes, holding her tighter. She's shown countless times how far she would go to keep her word. It annoyed him tremendously, but at the same time, he's been doing the same for her and Armin for as long as he remembered. "Promises get you killed."
"So does being reckless," she mumbled.
This time he smirked, chucking mischievously. "What's life without a little risk?"
"Eren..."
The shifter pulled away, releasing all of her but her hand, drawing her further into the impending shadows. It would be the first time in a long time that either of them didn't sleep alone. They shared the small bed, arms and legs wrapped around each other as much as their lithe bodies would allow. The only sounds emitting from that room were even breaths, and the whisper of their lips moving in synchronization.
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