Disclaimer: I don't own Shingeki No Kyojin.

Cover art credit to pixiv ID: 36023629

One shot

Enjoy ~

It was strange.

Mikasa didn't even look at Eren ONCE since the expedition.

She always avoided looking at him, quickly turned her sight away when Eren looked at her.

When Eren started to walk towards her, she made an excuse to leave.

It irritated him.

She still talked to everyone else, everyone but Eren, even Levi.

….

It was dinner. Everybody finished eating and started to leave.

She stood up and opened the door, looked like returning to the girl barrack.

"I must talk to her." – Eren thought, stood up right away and ran after Mikasa.

"Mikasa!"

Eren grabbed Mikasa's arm and yelled.

There were a few people around them, but none of them cared much, since they thought it was normal for Eren and Mikasa to make a scene like that. Maybe Eren was gonna yell at Mikasa again, they were used to this.

Mikasa tried to get her arm out of his hold, but knowing that, he held her tighter.

He looked around, then wanting to debate in private, he pulled Mikasa away from the crowd.

Mikasa involuntarily followed Eren.

He stopped when they reached a quiet place, surrounded by trees, as the only sound they heard was the rushing leaves caused by the wind.

"Eren…." – Mikasa mumbled after they stopped.

"Oh, so you finally decided to talk?" – Eren's voice was irritated as he said.

"I…"

Before Mikasa could find an excuse, Eren pushed Mikasa to a tree. He placed his right arm against it, blocking Mikasa's escaping, so she had to face him.

"Why did you avoid me these days?" – Eren started questioning.

"Eren… let me go." - Mikasa did not answer, instead asking Eren to move away.

"Answer me, or else I won't let you leave." – His voice became more determinate.

"I… didn't avoid you. I just…."

"Just what?"

Then everything became silence. Eren waited for Mikasa's answer, but Mikasa seemed not to find the right words yet.

"I… don't want you to hate me."

The words finally came out. Eren thought he wanted to hear the answer, but now when he heard it, he found himself confused.

"Why? That doesn't make any senses."

"Do you remember our last expedition?"

"Yes. And?"

"And what you said to me?"

Eren suddenly had a flashback. He remembered asking if she saved him again, and yelled at her for being overprotecting or something.

"If I keep being close to you… you will yell at me again… and you'll end up hating me in no time…"

Eren felt guilty right after Mikasa spoke. He always thought she never listened to those words, because before, no matter how much he yelled at her, she still stayed close to him.

But he wouldn't hate her, he thought. He would never hate her. Because she was his family.

Right, family.

Just family...

"Mikasa, I won't hate you. You know that…."

"I don't. I don't know that. You keep pushing me away from you, yell at me for being so close. Now I finally obey and stay away, you still yell at me. What do you want, Eren? What should I do to please you? Make up your mind. "

Mikasa squirmed, trying her best to escape from him.

"Listen to me!"

Eren yelled, making Mikasa stopped her movements, and started to stare at him.

"I only want you to stop being overprotecting. I didn't ask you to stay away from me."

"It's the same. If I stay with you, I will protect you."

"I say I don't need you protection. I can take care of myself."

"And how many times did I save you?"

Mikasa kept her calmness saying that to Eren. Eren felt like she just stabbed right through his heart.

That's right, how many times did Mikasa save him. So many that he couldn't count.

"But still…" – He said.

"Eren… let me go…please." – Mikasa's voice weakened.

"No."

"Eren!"

"I said no. Fucking stop asking me to let go!"

"I will return to your side and continue protecting you tomorrow. Happy? Now let me go!"

"I only asked you stop avoiding me, not protect me."

Their talk now turned to an argument, as both hated losing to each other, and found every reason to make their point more reasonable.

"Eren! You can't protect yourself."

"I can. I have my titan power. I'm not a child anymore, don't treat me like one."

"You are so naive and reckless. How could I not be afraid! You'll end up dying if you're alone!"

"Shut up!"

"I won't!" - She said, then continued listing her thought about him. "You always jump into danger, let your emotions effect your action."

"I say shut up!"

"I won't and you can't make me anyway."

"I can!" - He grabbed her shoulder, so tight that she could feel the pain, but despite it, she decided not to stop.

"No you can't. I'll prove it. You are so dense, so childish, so – "

Before Mikasa could finish her sentence, she found her mouth blocked and not be able to speak any more words.

Her eyes widened as realizing his lips were on hers.

His hands now placed on her cheeks, pulling her closer to him. His fingers digged in her inky soft hair.

His kiss was intense, so strong, as if he wanted to savour her. Mikasa found herself lost at words, not knowing if she should respond to his kiss, or push him away. In the end, she just stood still, letting him kiss her.

After a while, he finally pulled out.

"What was that for…" – Mikasa breathed heavily.

"I told you I will make you shut up, didn't I?" – Eren said.

"Only to make me shut up? Nothing...more?" - She looked at him, with an expression he had never seen before.

"...nothing more." - He said, but he felt wrong, it was not how he actually felt.

"I hate you! I hate you!"

Eren was surprised at Mikasa's reaction. She hit his chest continuously with her trembling hands.

"Hey Mikasa- "

"I hate you Eren!"

Mikasa yelled, pushing Eren away and burst out.

Eren watched her leaving, then punched the tree, his head looked down.

"Damn it!"

…..

Mikasa continued avoiding Eren after that.

She didn't look at him once, at least not when he looked at her.

Armin tried to help them out, but it didn't work.

And they were like that until the next expedition.

…..

"Get ready, we're about to leave."

The commander said, as everyone started to settle with their horses.

Eren's horse suddenly acted strange, refused to move.

"Did you feed it, brat?" – Levi asked.

Eren remembered that after his incident with Mikasa, he forgot to do many things, because in his mind, the image of her bursting out was still there, which made him unable to focus on anything else.

"I think I forgot." – Eren said.

"Then get it some fucking food. Hurry up, we don't have much time."

"Yes sir."

To Levi's surprise, Eren sounded so calm. Usually he would freak out, apologized non-stop and ran to fix the problem as fast as possible.

"Shitty brat, how did you even forget to do such simple thing." – Levi talked in annoyance, and somewhat curiousity.

….

Eren ran back to find some food bucket.

He found Mikasa at the horse stable. She seemed like also finding horse food.

"Why did she also forget to feed her horse? That is so not like her. Could it be..." - Eren thought.

"Mikasa!"

He called out for her.

She turned to look at him, then quickly dodged away, and walked faster to leave.

He grabbed her arm again.

"Talk to me, Mikasa!"

"I… don't have anything to talk about."

"About the other day…"

"…what?"

"I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry. I acted on instinct."

"I understand, now we must leave or that midget will complain."

"Please Mikasa, listen to me. I only wanted to ask… something has been on my mind recently..."

"Then hurry please…"

"Why you want to protect me that much?"

Mikasa widened her eyes, looking at him.

"You want to know?" – Mikasa asked.

"Yes. I want to know." – Eren looked at her. Like the only thing he wanted in this world now was what gonna come out from her mouth.

"Eren, I…"

"Jaeger, Ackerman! We're leaving. Hurry!"

A shout come from the door of the stable.

It was a loud shout, so Eren didn't get to hear what Mikasa said.

"Mikasa, can you say it again, I couldn't hear it. The shout from that guy…"

Eren asked Mikasa to say it again.

But instead of obeying him, she looked at his face.

"Eren, let's leave." – Mikasa picked up the food bucket and started to leave.

"Mikasa, wait!"

Eren also picked up a food bucket and ran after her, but she left before he could catch up.

….

Everyone held their breath, getting themselves ready.

The gate was finally fully opened, as the legion started to get their horses to move.

Mikasa's horse passed Eren.

Their sight met.

"Be careful." – Mikasa said.

"I know."

Mikasa suddenly pushed her scarf up to cover her face a little bit.

"Eren…. Earlier…"

Eren widened his eyes looking at her.

"I know… you're not that bad at reading lips." – Mikasa mumbled.

Eren looked her. He could tell she was blushing. He wanted to ask her more, but knowing that, she quickly dodged the subject.

"Don't die."

Mikasa said and started to move ahead, since her position was in front of Levi's squad.

As she left, Eren felt his cheek hottened.

Yes, he couldn't hear what she said, but the words weren't that hard to read.

And her lips were so beautiful, he found himself reading it without any trouble.

"I love you."

The image attached to his mind, he put his hand up to cover his red face.

"Stop looking at your girlfriend and focus on the mission." – Levi looked at Eren and said.

"Girlfriend? No Heichou, you got it wrong." – Eren blushed responding to Levi.

Levi raised his horse saddle up, started to move ahead and said.

"Like I give a shit."

OK, so that's it.

I planned to continue "Fate", but then decided to move on to a new AU. That AU will be a long one, so please support me.

Review please ~