Pairings: Eren/Mikasa, Levi/Hanji, & Armin/Annie, Shingeki no Kyojin

Summary: The whole town seems to be invited to a party hosted by a visiting wealthy man, which thrills Annie, Mikasa, Sasha, and Mina the daughters of a local middle class man and his wife. Yet as the night proceeds it's Annie who enjoys herself at meeting the kind Mr. Arlert where Mikasa has the misfortune of being at the other end of Mr. Jaeger's snide remarks, not leaving her with anything but distaste for the man.

Rating: K+

Notes: This is for the anon who requested a Pride and Prejudice au! It's the first of a ten part story that will span over the classic story of learning that first impressions aren't always what they seem. I was gonna do just a one shot but I really wanted to show that growth from hating each other to awkward blurtings of emotions to falling in love with someone. I did cut out a few characters and story lines to make it more condensed and focus mainly on Eren and Mikasa and how they grow and learn. This first chapter is a little short since it's technically just the prologue to set up family relations and first meetings. I hope you enjoy it all as much as I did writing it! Also it's super strange writing them like this cause it feels so out of character, but like Elizabeth learns more about Darcy and the things he's been through, Mikasa will learn the same about Eren (and that he's actually a big awkward dork lol). The title is named from a song of the same title from Final Fantasy VIII.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." –Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 1

Prologue

It wasn't the party that Mikasa loved. She could do without the music, the dancing, the socializing, and be perfectly fine at home reading a book by the fireplace. What she loved to see was the look in her sisters' faces, and how happy being invited to parties where they got to dress up and enjoy themselves for the night made them. The smiles and the "pleased to meet you"s were worth it to Mikasa when her family was having a good time.

From her spot on the side of one of the biggest ballrooms she had ever seen in Shiganshina she could see Sasha and Mina the easiest. They were both chatting up a few of the male guests which was no surprise. Mina was batting her eyes and laughing at every single thing the men said; no really, every single thing. Mikasa wondered if Mina would ever get the notion that sometimes too much was way too much. Sasha was standing opposite the youngest of the girls and paying well enough attention. Sasha knew how to smooze the men, but she was far better at inching towards the food table to smooze there instead.

Mikasa chuckled to herself, glancing back around the nearly full room. Her aunt and uncle were the next easiest to find which was mainly because Levi looked like he wanted to be anywhere else including probably getting teeth pulled, while Hanji looked like she was in absolute bliss watching all the people dancing in front of her. She could dream but Mikasa doubted Hanji would ever get Levi on the dance floor.

There was one more Mikasa wanted to find until she moved from her spot though her sister of the same age was always easy to find. Beautiful blonde haired and blue eyed Annie was the dead giveaway that none of them were actually related. While Mikasa, Sasha, and Mina might be able to get away saying they were Levi and Hanji's biological kids, Annie was always the one who tipped people off and in all the best ways. She was fair and beautiful; on more than one occasion Mikasa wished she was as pretty as Annie was. It worked for them though. Annie, while she would never admit it, wanted to find someone who loved her and thought she was the most beautiful thing in the world where Mikasa found herself making excuses if someone paid her too much attention.

Which is why she didn't mind staying at home as opposed to being at a party.

"I should've assumed you would've been standing all alone in the corner," Annie said, stepping in next to Mikasa.

Well, she guessed that's why she couldn't find Annie on the dance floor anywhere. "I'm not in the corner, thank you. This is a side wall."

Annie rolled her eyes but there was a telltale smile on her lips. Annie didn't smile like that often and Mikasa knew exactly what it meant.

"Who is he?" she asked, leaning in closer to Annie.

The blonde cleared her throat but she couldn't hide the red tint to her cheeks. "Who says there's a he?"

"A she?"

Annie elbowed Mikasa in a most unlady like manner that made her laugh. "There's no one."

"Please, Annie, I've known you since we were kids. Just save the act and tell me who it is."

Annie, of course, would never be so direct. She instead flickered her gaze away from Mikasa, who instantly followed it. Annie was looking across the room, more specifically at two men; a blonde man with such crystal blue eyes they rivaled Annie's; his blond hair pulled back into a ponytail and a brunette man whose broad shoulders, crossed arms, and disinterested gaze made him look intimidating if not for his eyes that shone beautifully. The blond man was chatting on happily about something, a sweet and kind look to his face where as his comrade seemed to just grunt in response, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

"I take it it's the cute blonde and not the one who looks like he has a very uncomfortable stick up his ass."

"Mikasa," Annie said, glancing back over. "He probably just hates parties as much as someone else I know."

"At least I know how to fake having a good time for the sake of the people who love going." Mikasa paused for a moment. "I was right wasn't I?"

Annie cleared her throat again. "He seemed like a very nice gentleman."

"So you spoke with him already?"

Even Annie couldn't hide the smile on her lips when she looked back to Mikasa. "He asked me to dance."

"Already?" Mikasa didn't remember seeing Annie dancing with anyone but there were quite a few people here. It's possible Mikasa just didn't see them.

She nodded. "Yes, he's visiting from Sina. They'll be staying in town for a while. Armin, his, um name, is Armin Arlert."

"He must be bored out of his mind if he's stuck in Shiganshina from Sina."

"Mikasa," Annie said.

"Maybe that's why his friend looks like he'd rather be anywhere but here."

"Armin said they've known each other since they were children."

"Oh, did Armin say what the weather was supposed to be like tomorrow then?" Mikasa teased. Annie never talked about boys like this; whoever this Armin was must've made an impression on her.

Annie did laugh that time. "Will you knock it off? Oh, God." She quickly looked back to Mikasa, turning her back completely to where she had been looking. "They're coming over here. Did you make a face at them?"

"Who do you think I am? Sasha?"

Annie looked downright panicked even though she for one, was always calm and collected, and for two, she already talked and danced with the guy once tonight.

"Relax," Mikasa said. "Just smile and talk to him. Clearly he liked what he saw if he's coming back over here."

"Miss Leonhart," Mr. Arlert said with a warm smile stopping right in front of them.

"Mr. Arlert," she responded with a small nod.

"Is this one of your sisters you were telling me about?" He gave a smile but Mikasa could tell the poor guy was as nervous as Annie was. These two were clearly made for each other.

"Yes, this is my sister closest in age, Mikasa Ackerman."

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Ackerman," Armin said giving a small bow.

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Arlert," Mikasa said giving the appropriate curtsey in response. She'd never hear the end of it from Hanji if Mikasa didn't.

"This is my friend and travelling companion for this trip, Eren Jaeger." Armin gestured to the tan skinned man standing next to him.

Eren merely nodded in response still looking as disinterested as ever. Well, he was still a rather attractive man; Mikasa didn't think she had ever seen anyone with such eyes, it was almost like looking into the ocean.

"Um, Miss Leonhart." Armin's voice made Mikasa look back over to the man who now had a red tint to his cheeks matching Annie's; Mikasa resisted rolling her eyes. "Mind if I have another dance?"

"Not all all," Annie answered, slipping her hand into his open one.

"Eren, why don't you ask Miss Ackerman for a dance if she isn't already spoken for?" Armin gave his friend a smile before looking back to Annie, leading her off into the dance floor.

Mikasa had to smile after them. She couldn't remember the last time she saw Annie so openly happy. While Mikasa didn't exactly believe in love at first sight, if someone made her sister happy, then who was she to say anything about it?

Eren cleared his throat, getting Mikasa's attention again. "Excuse the forwardness of my friend, but I have no intention of staying in this God forsaken town more than I absolutely have to. While you're tolerable, I'm not thrilled at the prospect of sharing a dance with one of the locals. I'll pass."

She knew she must've stared at him for a moment in disbelief. Sure, he looked like he wasn't the world's most friendly guy but she certainly didn't expect such an insult. Hanji would've told her to shrug it off, dear, walk away, he isn't worth it; where Levi would've told Mikasa to deck the ass in the face. Her eyes narrowed at Eren, irritating swirling in her veins. Regardless of what her parents would've done, like hell she was letting him talk to her like that.

"No need to explain yourself, Mr. Jaeger. I can guarantee you there is nothing I'd rather do less than share the dance floor with your ego. I fear as though there would be no room for me in the room if I were to even try. Good night." She turned to find her other sisters without so much as a polite gesture, and frankly he was lucky she didn't give him an impolite gesture.

Who the hell did he think he was? If that's the way he felt fine, she'd be happy to never see someone like him step foot in here again.

Mikasa looked around to find Sasha or Mina, someone who would make her laugh and not want to get kicked out of the party for assaulting another person, no matter who he was. Mikasa couldn't find her younger siblings anywhere but she did see Annie still dancing with Armin.

She was laughing over something he must've told her, a wide smile on her lips. Annie was rarely like this in public let alone with someone who was a stranger. Armin must've really won her over.

Mikasa felt guilt sink to the bottom of her stomach. She wanted Annie to be happy, to always smile like that, to see her blue eyes light up but at the same time Mikasa never wanted to spend another moment in Eren Jaeger's presence. The feeling only got stronger when she looked across the room and saw him still watching her, his jaw clenched and eyes almost narrowed.

She held her head high and promptly turned on her heel, walking right out the door knowing Levi was probably waiting in the carriage by now. She didn't want to even be at this party anymore, not with someone like him judging her for the place she lived, for the life she led. What did he even know? Some rich boy who never had to work a day in his life for his money. He knew nothing.

Mikasa knew without a doubt she never wanted to see Eren Jaeger again.