"Alright maggots! I'm pairing you up for hand-to-hand combat!" Keith Shadis shouted. He began yelling out names.
"Eren Jaeger and Mikasa Ackerman!"
Mikasa looked surprised. She wasn't expecting them to be paired up by coincidence. Well, she wasn't complaining.
"C'mon, let's get this thing over with," Eren said, uninterested.
"C'mon, Mikasa!" Eren shouted in his fighting stance. "Just don't expect me to be holding back!"
Mikasa took the wooden knife and hesitated. What if she accidently did REAL harm to him…? She was really strong sometimes…
"C'mon! Come at me!" Eren shouted.
"…Can you take the knife first…?" Mikasa asked unsurely.
"What are you talking about!? Come at me already! We'll get in trouble for slacking off!"
"I know but…I don't want to accidently hurt you…" Mikasa said. Eren dropped the fighting stance, his eyes burning with anger.
"Will you cut the crap?! I'm stronger than that! You can't hurt me that easily! I'm not some kid! Now if you're not going to be weak and not do it, I'll ask for a different partner!" Eren snapped.
"I'm sorry Eren, I just-"
"Will you shut up already?! I thought I already told you to stop acting like my mother! I don't need you to! You hear me?! I DON'T NEED YOU! I NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL!"
Mikasa stood there, her heart feeling like it had stopped at that last part. She suddenly felt like her world came crashing down on her.
"Now, I'm going to go ask Keith fo-" Eren stopped talking when he saw the look on Mikasa's face. She looked absolutely crushed.
"M…Mikasa, I-"
"No, I get it…you don't need me…I'll just…go ask for a new partner…" Mikasa interrupted, her head down and her hair blocking the expression on her face.
Mikasa rushed off.
Later that day…
Eren was at dinner, sitting anxiously. Mikasa hadn't shown up for dinner yet.
"Eren? Are you okay?" Armin asked.
"No…I snapped at Mikasa earlier, and I think I might've hurt her on accident…and now she won't show up for dinner…I'm such an idiot! I shouldn't have been so cruel to her!" Eren said, so angry at himself. He felt horrible.
"Eren…you know…if you know why Mikasa's upset…shouldn't you go and apologize?" Armin asked.
"Yeah…I know…but…what if she doesn't forgive me?" Eren asked worriedly.
Armin felt like laughing at Eren for his stupidity.
"Eren…you REALLY think she's not going to thank you? My gosh Eren! Tell me one time when Mikasa hasn't forgiven you. One time," Armin said.
"Well…um…yeah, I guess I see your point. Thanks Armin. I'll go talk to her," Eren said, standing up and rushing off.
Eren rushed into the girl's barracks. He didn't have to worry bout getting in trouble because all the other girl's were at dinner.
Eren found Mikasa on her bed, curled up and sitting with her head in her knees. Eren kneeled down, placing a soft hand on her shoulder.
Mikasa looked up.
"E-Eren?"
Eren noticed how her eyes glimmered with unshed tears. She looked so weak and fragile…
"Mikasa…I'm so sorry…I shouldn't have been so awful to you…I'm such an idiot…" Eren said, angry at himself.
"So…you still need me…?" Mikasa asked quietly. Eren's eyes widened.
"Of course I need you…I've always needed you…" Eren said. Mikasa felt her heart fill with relief.
"Thank goodness…I…I was scared that I was all alone again…" Mikasa said, looking down.
Eren suddenly clasped her hands in his.
"Mikasa…you'll never be alone."
Mikasa smiled a small smile for the first time in a long time.
"…Thank you…"
"Now C'mon," Eren pulled her to her feet. "Dinner will get cold if we don't hurry."