Hey guys :)
I'm afraid, this might be my first and last entry for this year's Eremika Week, as I didn't work on any other prompt besides that. I'm a really big fan of The Voice, so I decided to make an AU based on it and make Eren and Mikasa compete against each other in the Battles (even though it's not really a competition ^^)

Enjoy!

His little giggle radiates through the room like a pleasant melody. Those green orbs of his shine like the stars do in the sky, just in a different color. The hairstyle he has been wearing ever since they met has always been the same: never even, yet always fascinating to look at.

"No way! You're my battle partner?"

Eren Jaeger has only just entered this large coaching room, and yet, he already took Mikasa by storm.

Ever since his introduction at her workplace about three months ago, they have been friends. In fact, he's the best friend she could have. The best friend, and the one she'd crushed on for the most so far…

She smiles faintly and begins their little conversation with a whisper. "I thought you didn't like casting shows, Eren?"

"Well," he grins and sits down next to her. "I had nothing else to do in my free time, so…"

"Hey!"

"Ow!"

"You still have me, stupid."

Eren chuckles, and Mikasa would fight a thousand wars only to stop time and keep that big, generous, handsome smile of his for longer. Yet it's only a moment after that the door chimes open and a blonde man races in with a hasty "I'm sorry, you guys. One of the other candidates held me up a little so I had to hurry."

"No problem," Mikasa murmurs and lets her coach, famous singer and songwriter Armin Arlert, sit down in front of to her.

"So, I guess you guys already know each other?"

"Yeah."

"We have the same workplace, so yeah."

"Oh. Great, so you can practise your performance during work," Armin smiles. Rummages through his bag to pull out two sheets of paper.

"So..."

Eren shows a tiny grin as he receives his,

"This is your battle song."

meanwhile Mikasa looks down on hers. And is literally screaming as she reads its title.

"You wanna go practise?"

Mikasa looks up from her laptop. Those galaxy-like orbs of hers look into Eren's eyes, and he is once again struck by how absolutely gorgeous she looks. Even more so with the glasses she wears, for they compliment her eyes, her tiny nose, and her full lips so perfectly .

"Yeah."

Her mouth forms this tiny smile, the one that always manages to remind him why he's so in love with her. Why he wants to go further with her than just being friends.

"Alright. Let's go outside, shall we?"

During their little walk outside in the building's small garden, she already starts humming one of her parts in Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud . Even then, when Mikasa just simply hums, Eren could imagine her as a princess, summoning all the animals just by singing one simple word. Her voice is so angelic, so bright and sweet he can not even think about winning this battle against her.

"Did I ever tell you how much I like your voice?"

Mikasa's cheeks run a bright, adorable red at this. "Uhmmm, no. Well, thanks, Eren. Your voice is awesome aswell."

People have told Eren that very same compliment. That his voice is music to the ears and has lots of soul. At least, that's what Armin and his older brother Zeke told him.

Yet the person who really makes him think that, the person who really makes him happy when complimenting him, is Mikasa.

"Thanks," he says. Pushes open the glass door that leads to their destination, their own little practise room, and lets Mikasa go first in an ever so gentleman-like way.

The fresh autumn air hits them as they're finally outside. Eren breathes that air in and out. When he starts singing his part, he takes a glance over to Mikasa.

And her expression is the best he could ever wish for.

"What's up, man, you doing good?"

Armin gives Eren a handshake before they both sit down in front of each other. A personal talk with the coach is something obligatory before the Battles start.

"Yeah, I'm good, I'm good."

"Yeah? I'm happy to hear that. And what about Mikasa? How'd you like having her as your battle partner!?"

"She's… great," Eren smiles. Even though the word "great" is a terrible, horrendous understatement for her. "Yeah. She's great. A really sweet person with an even sweeter voice. I can understand why you pushed for her. Why are you asking?"

"Because well," the young musical genius replies, "I have seen the way you look at her during practise. You seem to like her very much, Eren."

"Yeah, well…"

"And the way you like her is not just a platonic kind, am I right?"

"No! I-uhm… I…. I….."

Eren can feel how his face turns a bright red at this comment. For how long does Armin know?

"Okay, yes! I'm in love with her. I've been ever since I know her, you know? I think about her, her pretty face and her perfect voice in the morning when I get up, and when I go to sleep at night. But… Please don't tell her, okay!?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. You'll do that for me."

"What? No! I'm not gonna do that. I'm going to end my friendship with her if I do it."

"And if you don't do it, you will keep that love for her inside your heart until it hurts so much you can't take it anymore. In the future, you will live together with someone and have a fake marriage with them until you'd finally realize that confessing to your love interest is always the best decision."

Eren just breathes.

Actually, Armin is right with this. Of course, it's only logical. Mikasa isn't just someone. He has dated a certain amount of women throughout his young life, but never did he feel so much in love than with her. He'll without a doubt regret not telling her.

"Okay," he sighs. "But, how am I gonna tell her?"

He watches the way Armin's expression changes. His azure eyes get more sparkles, and he shows a gentle smile. "Well… Just do the way you find easiest, Eren."

"...You think so?"

"Yes. Like, for example… I only know you for, like, two weeks, but you seem to be pretty direct and honest. So a simple 'I love you' would fit you more rather than beating around the bush."

"But, what if she doesn't like me the same way?"

"Oh," says Armin, flashing a faint, yet mischievous grin.

"Don't worry about that."

Their battle performance has a kind of magic feeling Mikasa has never experienced. It's a good kind, though, one that makes her mountain of nervosity a little smaller. One that makes her, Eren, the coaches, the audience shine like nothing else. And it got even greater when the lights finally dimmed, when Eren catched her hand and smiled: "Hey, don't worry."

He starts singing Verse 1 with that soul-like, beautiful voice of his, and she's already taken in. This moment, this song, this battle is so intense, way too intense for her to not finally ease down from that little moment of anxiety she had just before. She enjoys their performance full-heartedly; how could she not with this song, and with Eren by her side?

What happens after their performance, however, was something she least expected of all.

It is when she feels the happiest on stage when Eren comes closer to her than he already was. He now stands in front of her and moves his hand up to touch her cheek. His thumb caresses her cheek as he leans in closer, and closer, so close until their lips find each other.

Mikasa innerly baffles at how much of himself he can show during such a short, sweet kiss. And she loathes herself for not realizing his feelings until that very moment. For not realizing how much he loves her that way, aswell.

He breaks apart, and then she is the one who closes the space again, smiling for his lips on hers are the best thing she ever felt. For she is thankful to have this opportunity of showing him her feelings right here, for the entire country to see and watch and realize that he's hers .

They break apart once again - forcibly so, since there has to be a winner for this battle. She sees the coaches and audience off their chairs, clapping, shouting and wooing excitedly. Especially Armin, of course. And Eren, flashing a wide, happy grin at her, squeezing the hand of hers he has been holding this entire time.

He keeps holding that same hand, even during the battle winner announcement.