SNK (c) Isayama Hajime
A/N: hello! so, I originally was planning to use this as the first one shot in my upcoming snk drabble collection, but it turned out way longer than I thought it would haha... so I figured it should stand on it's own.
For plot purposes I will tell you that Annie, Reiner, Bertholdt, Ymir and Christa have left the military in this story. I'm sorry :( I was going to at least write Ymir and Christa in but I didn't find any place where they'd fit in here. Also, this takes place after Eren is (hopefully!) rescued.
Also please beware of Eren and Jean's dirty mouths!
This expedition might not be so bad, they had said. After all, it was only one to retake a village en route to Shiganshina, so there wouldn't be as many casualties, they had said.
Eren cursed those words with all his might as he shot his hook into a nearby building, narrowly avoiding a fifteen-meter class titan's sweeping hand. The entire village was swarmed with titans, though they had nearly killed all of them now. He tried not to look down at the bodies of his fallen comrades as he glided through the air, shooting his hook into the titan's neck and slicing a portion off with a clean, spinning cut.
"Die, fucker," Eren growled as the now steaming titan fell to the ground. He scaled one of the towers and took refuge on the roof, throwing his dulled blades to the ground. He looked ahead of him – he could see Jean and Connie taking on the last few of them. Deciding that they could handle themselves, Eren sat on the roof and waited for the blue smoke bomb of retreat.
"EREN! WATCH OUT!"
Mikasa?
Eren turned in the direction of her voice, only to come face-to-face with a ten meter class titan smiling down at him.
"H-Huh?!"
He quickly shot his hook into a nearby house and pressed on the gas levers on his blade handle only to be met with an awful screech coming from his gas canister, signaling that he was out of gas, and in some very, very deep shit.
He thought about jumping for it but he knew he was too late. The huge hand was approaching his frozen form fast.
"EREN!"
Eren barely had time to register Mikasa's scream as he was shoved out of harm's way, his face colliding with the brick plating on the roof. He ignored the blood streaming out of his nose and looked back up, his very blood freezing when he saw Mikasa struggling in the grip of the titan's hand.
"NO! MIKASA!"
He rushed forward, his heart pounding with adrenaline as he unsheathed new blades from his gear. He was just about to cut off the fingers when she was lifted higher into the air, just out of Eren's reach. He watched in horror as Mikasa suddenly screamed, her face contorting in pain as the titan squeezed its prey. He grit his teeth in pure, unadulterated anger. Wasn't there something he could to do save her, just as she had saved him countless times before?!
Suddenly, a whirlwind of blood splattered from the titans hand as Mikasa wildly spun through, her blades viciously slicing its flesh. She shot her hook into the tower, spinning around the creature and cleanly cut off a chunk of its neck. Eren exhaled in relief when she landed neatly next to him.
"Fucking hell, are you alright Mikasa?"
"I'm fine," she quickly replied, dismissing his concern with a wave of her hand. "What about you? It didn't touch you, did it?"
He felt a twinge of annoyance at her questions. "No, it didn't. But you looked like you were in a lot of pain up there—"
"Let's go back down. There's still some left," she interrupted, already shooting her cords into lower level buildings.
"I can't. I'm out of gas."
"Hold on to me, then." She grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her neck. Eren watched her intently, catching her slight wince as she wrapped her left arm around his waist.
"Are you sure you're—"
"Yes." Mikasa insisted, lowering them down.
"Mikasa! You get the one on the right; I'll handle the one on the left!" Jean yelled on top of the building opposite her.
"Got it," she shouted back, already shooting her hooks into the titan's flesh. She hesitated slightly when she felt a sharp pain course through her left arm in response, the pain blurring her vision. She shot off the roof onto the titan's arm, but nearly missed the incoming hand trying to grab her, narrowly avoiding it as it grazed her injured arm.
Pain shot through her like a bullet, her eyes practically seeing stars. She fumbled for only a moment; but that moment was all the titan needed to grab her in its hand. It squeezed her tightly, just as the other titan did, and Mikasa found that she couldn't breathe. Even for someone as strong as her, the pain was just too much to bear. Her vision turned black and her body slumped in her captor's hand.
"Mikasa!" Sasha screeched as she watched her body fall limp. Thinking fast, she shot off her hooks into the titan's wretched face, exploding towards it with alarming speed. She gutted her blades into its eyes and slashed outwards, thoroughly blinding her foe as it reeled back in pain, releasing Mikasa from its grip.
Sasha pushed herself off its face and dove down, grabbing Mikasa by her collar and tossed her onto a nearby roof. She quickly doubled back to face the titan but found no need to, as Connie had just finished it off. With a sigh of relief, she lowered herself to where Mikasa lay and went to check her heartbeat, not even sparing Connie a glance when he landed beside them.
"Hey, what's wrong with her?!" he asked anxiously.
Sasha shushed him as she pressed her ear against Mikasa's chest, a small smile forming on her lips as she heard the steady thump-thump of her heartbeat. She was alive, at least.
"I don't know, but she's alive. Here, help me take her down to the ground," she replied as she wrapped one arm around her neck, Connie doing the same with the other.
"We're in some deep shit if she's badly injured," Connie grumbled, laying Mikasa down carefully when they reached the ground.
"Oi, Sasha, Connie! What happened?!" came Jean's frantic voice. She looked up to find Eren and Armin running behind him, their faces painted a ghostly white.
"I'm not sure," she admitted dejectedly when they reached her. "She was fighting just like always when she tripped on a titan's arm, and when it grabbed her, she just fainted."
"Do you think it broke anything?" Armin asked.
"I don't know, but she doesn't look too good. This is bad, guys."
Eren stiffened beside them, suddenly remembering when she screamed agonizingly out in pain when she was caught in the titan's grasp that was intended for him, the slight wince when she wrapped her arm around him. He quickly rolled up the sleeves of her jacket and shirt on her left arm, grimacing when he saw the ugly bruises blossoming on her skin. He rolled up the sleeves of the other arm and compared the two—the left was definitely swollen.
"Shit," he cursed under his breath. Her arm was broken, and there was sure to be more injuries than just that.
"Broken?" Connie asked.
"Looks like it."
"It was broken and she still kept fighting?!" Sasha gasped.
"Hey, Eren… how did you know it was her arm?" Jean asked, suspicion laced in his voice. "You know what happened, don't you?"
Eren grit his teeth. "That titan was trying to grab me. I ran out of gas, so I couldn't do anything… I was going to jump when she shoved me out of the way and got caught. She looked like she was in a lot of pain and I tried to help, but she cut her way out eventually. I-I tried to ask her if anything was wrong but she shrugged me off… I should've stopped her then," he grit out, his fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white.
"So why didn't you?! This is all your fault!" Jean shouted at him, his expression deadly as he glowered at Eren.
"Shut the fuck up! You think I don't know that?!" Eren yelled back, his suppressed anger surging forth like a raging river, wild and untamed.
"Damn it, Eren, you fucking idiot! I'll beat the s—"
"Alright, that's enough!" Sasha interrupted, meandering her way between them. "You can fight all you want later, but right now we need to get her on the carts! The retreat signal was just fired, so let's go."
Eren moved to pick her up, but Jean shoved a hand in front of him. "I'll do it."
"Why, you—"
"Eren, let him do it." Armin intervened, putting his hand on Eren's shoulder. Eren muttered curses under his breath and grudgingly followed Jean back to their horses, glaring holes into his back the entire way.
The remaining members of the 104th squad huddled in the hall outside the infirmary, waiting to hear the news of Mikasa's condition. Sasha paced back and forth hurriedly, mumbling under her breath while Connie told her repeatedly to sit down and shut up. Jean was glowering in the corner, indiscreetly casting dirty looks at Eren while the latter leaned against the wall next to Armin, a pensive look on his face. Armin kept giving him worried glances as he tried to soothe Sasha's anxious pacing.
Suddenly, the door creaked open and the Scouting Legion's resident doctor stepped out, capturing everyone's attention.
Sasha immediately ran up to him and bombarded him with questions. "Is she okay?! She'll be okay, right?! It wasn't that serious, right?! Oh my god, please tell me it wasn't that serious, she's my really good friend—"
"Sasha, calm down," Armin insisted, prying her hands off the doctor's jacket. "Sorry, doctor, she's been really worried. How's Mikasa?"
The man cast a appalled glance at Sasha before answering. "Well, she's got a broken arm and a couple broken ribs, too. She'll live, but she'll probably be out of commission for a while."
"But she'll be able to return after, right? She can still fight, right?" Connie nervously asked.
"If all goes well with her healing and rehabilitation, then yes, she'll be able to return to duty. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I have to report to Commander Irvin." He nodded at each of them, and left.
"Hear that? She'll be fine," Armin said with a smile, "Now let's go see her."
They all shuffled into the room after Armin. Eren tried to follow suit but was roughly pulled aside immediately by Jean, whose glare was so deadly Eren found himself a little nervous looking at him.
"What's with you?" Eren hissed quietly, trying not to let their voices reach Mikasa.
"You know exactly what, you asshole. This is all your fault," Jean seethed.
"Shut up! I fucking know!"
"Why did you let it happen, Eren? Why?"
"You think I had any control over it?" Eren spat, his anger quickly rising. "I told you, she came out of nowhere and shoved me out of the way. I didn't ask for her to do this! She's always sticking her nose where it doesn't belong!"
Jean recoiled slightly, appalled by Eren's bitterness. "She saved your life, you fucking idiot, and this is how you respond? She doesn't deserve this, you know. Why she's so attached to you, I'll never know."
"I don't know either, okay? She's always been this way, saving me over and over again. I told you, I have no control over it. It's just the way she is."
"No, I don't think so… there's something more to it. She's more than the overprotective friend, Eren."
"Shut up! You don't know anything about her! I know her better than anyone else!" Eren roughly whispered.
"But do you really? Do you really know her, Eren?" Jean asked, a solemn look placed on his previously livid features.
Eren opened his mouth to retort, but quickly stopped himself when he realized he had nothing to say back. He hated to admit it, but there was truth in Jean's words; he really didn't know much about her. He used to, when they were kids with not a care in the world. They would talk well into the night, sharing their dreams and thoughts with each other as they got to know one another. But now, could he still say that he knew her just as well as he did back then? He was certain she still fussed over him, smothering him with care in the way Mikasa always did, but he wasn't sure about anything else. They never really got to talk much during their trainee days and even now as members of the Scouting Legion. And, whenever they did get a chance to talk, they just bickered over him. He realized with a cold feeling in his gut that he hadn't bothered to really inquire about her since they were children.
Satisfied, Jean left Eren where he was and opened the door to Mikasa's room. "Think about it, Eren. Just take the time to use your tiny brain and think."
His mind brought him back to when he encountered her the night before the expedition.
"Eren."
Eren looked behind him, finding Mikasa walking up to him. "What?"
"During this expedition, stay close to me."
"What? Why? We're in separate squads!"
"Well then come find me when we reach the town."
Eren merely scoffed. "What for?"
"So I can keep an eye on you. I don't want your recklessness to get you into trouble, but if it does, I'll be there to help you." Mikasa reasoned.
"This again? Are you serious? You don't know me, Mikasa! I can take care of myself, there's no need for you to risk yourself to come looking for me. So stop babying me," Eren growled.
"I can protect you and myself just fine, so just let me help you."
Eren practically felt something explode in his mind. "Shut up! You just like saving me for your own sick satisfaction, don't you?! You love knowing you're so much stronger than me!"
Mikasa was taken aback at his outburst. "What are you talking about? I don't think—"
"No, you do Mikasa and it's so fucking annoying! There's no need for you to assert your superiority over me—you've made that pretty fucking clear in the past."
"Eren, don't be silly—"
"Fuck off," Eren spat and stormed off, Mikasa watching his retreating back with stinging eyes.
Snapping out of his reverie, Eren shoved past Jean into Mikasa's room. She was listening to Sasha's animated story when she spotted him, her facing slightly lighting up. "Eren!"
"Mikasa." He replied evenly.
The previously light atmosphere dampened with a thick tension almost immediately. Connie looked back and forth between the two before clearing his throat awkwardly.
"Hey, Sasha, did you hear that? I think that was the dinner bell."
Sasha whirled around instantly. "Seriously?! Sorry, Mikasa, we've gotta go! Feel better! I'll sneak you some bread and bring it to you later, okay?"
She waved cheerily at the bedridden girl before ushering everyone out of the room, oblivious to Jean's glare as she did so.
"I'm coming for you later, Eren!" he yelled before Sasha closed the door.
Thick silence followed immediately. Eren only glanced at her bandaged skin before freezing up and averting his eyes, his mouth shut with guilt.
Mikasa was the one to finally break it. "Well, are you okay at least?"
"I'm fine," Eren curtly replied.
More silence.
Mikasa sighed. "Eren, this is all my fault, so don't worry about it."
He didn't reply, his hair covering his eyes as he looked down at his feet.
She pursed her lips. "Are you still mad at me from before? Look, I just worry about you… you're the only family I have left."
Still no reply.
Mikasa was getting frustrated. "Eren, are you even listening to me—"
She cut herself short because she saw it.
She saw the slight shake of his shoulders, the clenching and unclenching of his fists, the almost unnoticeable dripping of water onto his boots and she realizes he is crying.
"Eren… why are you crying?" she asked softly.
He jolted a bit and furiously rubbed at his eyes. "I-I don't know what you're talking about." He took his hands away and looked at her, and she felt her breath rush out of her at the pure regret she saw in his eyes.
He shuffled over and sat on the edge of the bed before taking her in his arms gently, like she was a fragile doll that could break at any moment.
"Eren," she choked out, her own eyes feeling wet as she wrapped her good arm around him.
"I'm so fucking sorry, Mikasa," he confessed with a shaky voice. "I hate that you got hurt because of me, I hate that you put yourself in danger because of me… I thought you were fucking gone for a second, just like—like my mom."
"I'm sorry about accusing you of all that shit," he continued, " I thought I knew you so well, but I guess I really don't."
Mikasa pushed him away gently, a small, sad smile on her lips. "Well, why don't you get to know me then?"
Eren chuckled slightly despite himself. "Alright. Well… do you still like flowers?"
She fondly remembered a younger Eren and herself running through meadows of flowers and the like in Shiganshina. "Yeah. Do you remember my favorite?"
He scratched the back of his head as he tried to remember. "Uh…tulips?"
She shook her head. "No, it's gardenias."
He cursed lightly under his breath. "Oh. Well, what's your favorite color?" he asked awkwardly.
She almost giggled at his horrible attempt at asking good questions. "Green."
"Really? I thought it was red. Why green?"
She blushed slightly and looked away from his bright, questioning eyes. "Next question," she squeaked.
They went back and forth like that for a while, with Eren asking and Mikasa answering. They got so immersed in their own little world that they hardly noticed the curfew bell ringing, signaling to Eren that it was time to go.
"Go back, Eren. We can talk tomorrow," Mikasa insisted.
He hesitated for a moment before nodding. "One last question, though."
"Okay."
"Do you regret coming to live with my family?"
She almost shouted at him for even suggesting such a thing, but she held her tongue. She thought back to the time where she still lived with her parents, her days consisting of learning embroidery and her clan's history from her mother, and going out to tend to the animals with her father. She was happy then, yes, but she knew something was missing. Her mind then takes her to the time where she was always with Eren, running through the hills and meadows of Shiganshina, collecting firewood and laying among the flowers afterwards, watching the clouds together. She remembers playing tag with him and Armin, and beating up the idiots that dared to mess with her blonde friend. She remembers the way their faces would light up as they discussed the outside world, the way they would pore themselves into the books Armin secretly borrowed from his parents' library. She remembers the happiness she felt when Eren would slip his hand into hers, bidding Armin goodbye to go back home, to their home.
"Not at all," she answered firmly, a warm smile on her face. "It was the best year of my life."
A small, rare smile spread on his lips as he took her bandaged hand in his. "It was the best year of mine, too."
A/N(2): gardenias symbolize a secret love, or a sweet, joyful love. hehe
/sobs I can't seem to write any real romance between these two besides hand holding OTL;; I don't know why, it's just so hard for me. I'll try to include sexy times in my next drabble
also does anyone else like armin/annie? I'm falling in love with this ship and I really, really want to write something for them, so I'm hoping some of you reading my stuff like them too :)