'It's unfair. Never once has he given any consideration to how I feel. I have to take care of him, doesn't he get it?' Mikasa sighed. She's always gone side by side with Eren. Though she has smacked his butt around before and scolded him.

'I should ask Armin...'

-x-

"You want to know how to get Eren to stop complaining about how you bab-...er, care for him," Armin asked, avoiding the words of babying.

Mikasa paused, internally glaring, noting that Armin changed his wording. Though, decided it best to not mention it. "Yes. All I do is try to make sure he's making the right choices, honestly." She groaned.

"Of course! It's just, well, maybe Eren doesn't see it that way. Hmm...," Armin contemplated for a bit before starting again, "I think you should give him some space for a bit. Perhaps that's all he needs to know, that he really needs you around!"

'Though it's more for your sake of realizing that you don't need to be around him as much...,' Armin thought to himself, knowing to never actually say it.

Mikasa's never thought about giving him space. But yet, perhaps space is something she needs to try. Eren seems quite stubborn, so she wasn't too sure about the whole "he'll come crawling back" phrase, but she'd consider to try it anyway.

"Maybe, while you're at it, you could try broadening your horizons!"

"Excuse me," she questioned in annoyance.

"I-I mean, maybe you should try making more friends! Er-, not that I don't want to be friends with you anymore! It's just, well, maybe it would be good for you to be able to talk to more people!"

The brunette inwardly scowled, but nodded anyway.

"Okay, I understand... thanks, Armin. I'll try it."

Armin smiled at her, nervous for his female friend but hopeful.

-x-

Fidgeting; she couldn't stop fidgeting. How could she make new friends; she couldn't! She'd never leave Armin and, especially not, Eren behind. Oh, how badly she wanted to run back to Eren, guard him from any pests and apologize for straying. Yet, she shouldn't and wouldn't.

Eren had approached her about the whole avoiding thing, but she shrugged it off and suggested that he was right about how she needed to stop "babying" him. He looked like he was having an internal struggle, to pride it up and agree or to say that wasn't what he meant. However, she didn't let him answer as she turned to the first person she saw, Jean, and said "Hey, we should go over there for a while," as she grasped his hand with her's.

Perhaps Jean wasn't the right choice for this, seeing as Eren began throwing a hissy fit. "What are you doing with him-... hey! Hey, Mikasa! Look at me when I'm talking to you!" She just kept walking, though, her hand gripping tightly onto Jean's, since she was trying to hold back from going back there and apologizing. She knew she was probably being immature, but it was for Eren's sake. Or, at least she thought it was.

Jean, however, was flipping out. His stomach was doing back flips. 'S-she's holding my hand...! She was talking to me! ajdhfauehk' was all that scrambled his brain. He knew, deep down, that she was only doing this to bother Eren, but he honestly could care less.

"Sorry," she murmured, letting go of Jean's hand once she realized they were far from Eren's sight.

"Uh, it's, uhm, it's fine," Jean stammered.

Mikasa was deep in thought, 'How should I act next time I see him? Maybe I should ask Armin if this was the right choice... ugh, I should've thought this through more...' Although her thoughts were rambles, her face was as calm and collected as always.

Jean, unsure of what to do, had asked Mikasa if she was in a fight with Eren. If they were, this was his chance to get closer to her! Maybe he could even ask her out on a date! Mikasa didn't hear him over her thoughts, so Jean just collected both of her hands into his and, courageously, stuttered, "W-well, maybe... Maybe y-you and I could...uhm... y'know?... Go on a d-date or something?"

"Wha-...What are you doing," she hissed, caught by surprise at the sudden grasp of her hands. She didn't really understand what he just said, since she wasn't paying attention.

"Oh, ah, sorry," he screeched, immediately releasing her hands, turning away as he combed his fingers through his hair.

Jean began laughing awkwardly, as Mikasa tried to recall what he said.

"Oh, I don't really like you."

Jean froze, gulped, and felt his whole body become rigid. It felt like someone stabbed him in the chest.

"You always pick a fight with Eren. You seem immature."

What was that? Thirty more needles stabbing into Jean's heart, did you say?

"Sorry for misleading you."

Mikasa turned on her heels, and walked away. 'I guess we're all immature here, though? But still, he picked fights with Eren. Though, Eren did seem to as well...hm.'

'How cruel!' Mikasa was a stone-hearted woman. Jean felt cripple inside.

She turned back around, thinking about how Armin had suggested to try and make more friends. Maybe that's what she needed. To find someone else to be close to as well. She wouldn't need to ruin the trio, just perhaps expand it having more than those friends.

"I'll try being your friend though, if you want."

Jean shook, turning towards her; honestly, he didn't know what to say. She just stabbed him, mentally, and now she wants to be friends? 'She must have been embarrassed, that must be it! Aaah, beautiful Mikasa wants to be friends with me!'

"Y-yeah, sure!"

"...Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, then. Bye," she paused as she turned away, "Jean."

Author's Notes:

As usual, this consists of a ton of writing as I go. I'm gonna try and continue this story, but I don't know how serious the story's actually gonna be.

Anyway, thanks for reading, I really appreciate it.