"Tonight's mission is simple, scout the outlines of the forests for any titans. This is also a good time to start really using your gear", the lieutenant walked around a group of young soldiers.
All only 15 to 16 years of age. Mikasa stood beside Eren, listening closely.
"You'll be teamed in pairs of two each. As soon as you are all paired, report to the stables, grab two horses each and head out immediately", the lieutenant ordered.
"Yes sir", they all said at once. "Today's teams will be...Sasha Braus and Connie Springer, Armin Arlet and Krista, Annie Leonhart and Reiner, Eren Jaeger and Mikasa Ackerman...", the lieutenant said.
Mikasa gave a small smile, it was rare that she and Eren were paired together.
"Whatever, let's just get this over with", Eren growled. Mikasa looked at him softly.
"Eren, this is important to our training...", she started.
"You think I don't know that? I've had it with these preschool missions, it's about time they let us really fight titans", Eren snapped.
Mikasa looked at him, her eyes expressing hurt but Eren ignored it.
Soon everyone went to the stables. Mikasa saddled her black horse, while she watched Eren saddle his.
Mikasa held her scarf over her mouth. Eren had become extremely cold and distant since his mother died. And so lately, their relationship was extremely bad.
She missed that kind boy who rescued her those years ago. It was like he was a different person now.
Ever since joining the scouts, Eren became insanely independent. No..that wasn't true. He had become independent to only one person.
And that was Mikasa. She would see him smile and hang out with Armin, Reiner, Bertolt, and even Annie.
But any time Mikasa came over, Eren left. He didn't want any of the others to see her baby him.
Mikasa looked down, she couldn't help but feel extremely neglected, even hurt.
She then blinked, seeing Eren struggling with the horse's bridle.
"Come on, hold still!", he growled, as the horse neighed, irritated.
"Eren..", Mikasa went over to help.
"It's not on right...", she started, she went to adjust it.
"Mikasa, leave it! I'm not some little kid! I know how to tack a horse!", Eren snapped then, glaring.
"But...", started Mikasa. "I said leave it!", Eren slightly pushed her then. Mikasa looked at him, her eyes hurt.
"Oi Eren, you need your girlfriend to take care of stuff for you?", Connie teased then. Eren glared.
"She's not my girlfriend!", Eren snapped. Mikasa flinched at this, but didn't say anything.
"Chill out, geez", said Connie.
Eren glared back at Mikasa then. Mikasa looked away, and went back to her horse. Perhaps because she was the strongest solider here, Eren forgot she was a girl at times.
And so he treated her more like a guy.
"Let's go", Eren growled as he finally got his horse's bridle right. Mikasa looked away, blinking tears out of her eyes and swallowing the lump in her throat.
Her horse neighed softly, and even nuzzled her, sensing his rider to be upset. Mikasa gently petted the horse's nose, and mounted on, fighting back her feelings.
Eren got on his horse next, and they soon headed out.
The horses cantered against the soaked ground. Mikasa and Eren both pulled their green hoods up, the rainstorm bad.
Soon the pairs separated, taking their own routes.
Eren and Mikasa rode in silence, the rain still pouring bad.
Mikasa looked down softly, when her horse suddenly neighed a bit.
"Whoa, easy boy...", she said. The storm was spooking him, and plus horses could sense human emotions intensely.
Mikasa's upset mood was also stressing the horse out.
"Keep up", Eren said, as he looked ahead. Mikasa slightly pulled the reins on her horse, as he settled for the moment.
They soon made their way up the mountain, and were riding on a narrow cliff edge.
The higher they went up, the closer they got to the lightening.
"Eren...this isn't safe, we're way too high up", Mikasa finally said, worriedly.
"We got no choice! It's part of the route! Quit whining", Eren growled.
Mikasa looked down, as they continued. The stone the horses walked on was extremely slippery, and the rain pounded again both the riders and horses.
The wind was also extremely violent.
Just then, lightening filled the sky up. Mikasa's horse stopped nervously. Mikasa patted the horse's neck, but she also trusted the horse's instincts a lot more right now than hers or Eren's.
Her horse knew it wasn't safe where they were, and he grew more and more hesitate the higher they went up.
"Eren, we can't keep going any higher! We should just go around the mountain!", Mikasa yelled then, having to, the wind becoming too loud and violent.
"Forget it! We'll be out here all night if we go around!", Eren yelled back.
Mikasa glared. "Eren! This is insane! We need to turn back!", she yelled then. Her horse only neighed more, stopping now, urgently.
"Mikasa, knock it off already! I'll say it again! I'm not your brother or your kid! If you want to quit the mission, then go! I'm not fucking stopping you! But you're not going to drag me down!", Eren yelled then. He glared at her.
Mikasa looked at him, hurt as the violent wind blew her hood down, her short jet black hair breezing hard with the wind.
Her horse's mane was also caught in the strong breeze.
Eren continued glaring at her.
"Eren...", Mikasa started.
BOOM
In a flash of bright lightening, that lit up the entire sky, a violently loud thunder clap hit, and at the same time a strike of lightening crashed down right between them.
Mikasa's horse neighed violently now, terrified, standing up on his hind legs.
It happened in a split second, the horse slipped from the wet stone, and suddenly fell off the edge, with Mikasa.
Eren watched, at first frozen in complete shock and horror. All his anger vanished in that instant. His eyes were full of panic, as he turned white as a ghost.
"MIKASA!", Eren snapped out of it then, as he leaped off his horse, and ran over to the edge. His own horse got spooked as well, and galloped off.
It had to be at least a 45 feet drop, and below was rough terrain of rock and a thick forest.
"MIKASA!", Eren screamed her name, as it echoed. He glared then, as he slid down the hill area of the cliff, knowing he had to get to her as fast as possible.
As he made his way down, Eren's heart sunk and he even felt physically sick. What if she didn't survive the fall...?
Down the cliff, in the deep woods, Mikasa lay on her stomach, unconscious.
The rain completely soaked her, her body covered in cuts, bruises and leaves from the fall.
She suddenly stirred, groaning lowly in pain. Her legs felt like they had been crushed.
She struggled to look, lifting her upper body up with her hands.
Mikasa grunted painfully, struggling. She finally was able to look, and her heart sunk.
Her horse was dead, the fall had killed him. Most likely he broke his back or neck. But his body was now crushing her legs, having landed on them.
Mikasa blinked tears out of her eyes, as she struggled to get her legs free, but as soon as she tried to move them, she cried out.
They were without a doubt both broken. Mikasa gritted her teeth in pain, closing her eyes tightly as she tried again.
But bullets of pain shot up her legs like nothing she ever felt before.
"MIKASA!", Eren's voice was suddenly heard. Mikasa looked up shakily, seeing him running over.
"Eren...", she said weakly, shocked he came back for her.
"Mikasa...! Oh God...!", Eren stopped, his eyes wide in horror at the sight.
Mikasa didn't say anything. Eren knelt down to her.
"Are you hurt...?", he asked fearfully.
"My legs are broken...", replied Mikasa simply, like it wasn't a big deal. But her face showed agony.
"Shit...okay hold still", Eren pushed the horse's body off her legs, he struggled, but managed to just get the horse off of her.
Mikasa suddenly winced, and clutched her legs, hissing in pain. They felt like they were on fire.
She gritted her teeth tightly, closing her eyes.
"Easy, don't try and move them...", Eren said worriedly. He noticed how soaked her hair was.
"Crap...here", Eren quickly pulled her hood up.
"We got to get somewhere dry...", he said urgently, looking around. He then saw a cave, just about 10 feet away.
"There...", he said pointing.
Mikasa looked. "Okay...", she then, to Eren's horror and disbelief, tried getting up on her own.
"MIKASA! Are you nuts?! Let me carry you!", Eren said, shocked. Mikasa leaned against a tree, trying to pull herself up.
But only stronger bullets of pain shot through her legs. She grimaced.
"Y-You'll never be able to carry me...I'm heavier than you...", she said simply, shaking.
"Yes I will! Quit babying me like that!", Eren snapped, frustrated. Mikasa flinched then, and for the first moment, Eren saw the hurt look in her eyes.
Eren's glare softened. "I'm sorry Eren...", Mikasa cried then, tears suddenly falling from her eyes.
Eren's heart sunk, and he even started to panic.
'She...she's crying?!' he thought in shock. He had never seen Mikasa cry, not over something like this.
Suddenly, Eren felt guilt hit him hard. He even felt physically sick from how bad he felt.
He looked down grimly, and then carefully knelt down beside her.
"Get on", he said, his tone very soft.
"What...?", Mikasa said tearfully. "Climb on my back...hurry. Titans might come", Eren repeated, his tone soft.
Mikasa hesitated, but the pain in her legs made her give in. She painfully climbed on, as Eren lifted her up then.
He struggled a bit, she was very heavy. Her muscle was all too real. But Eren growled, sucking it up.
She needed him.
Mikasa wrapped her arms tightly around Eren's neck, like a child gripping onto its mother.
Eren didn't say anything, and they finally made it inside the cave, out of the storm.
He gently set Mikasa down. She leaned against the cave wall, breathing heavily in pain.
Eren knelt down beside her worriedly, as he pulled a small first aid kit out of his bag.
"Hold still, I need to see just how bad they are", he said worriedly. Mikasa nodded shakily.
Eren undid her gear, and slid her pants up.
As he did, Mikasa released a small moan of pain.
"Sorry...easy", Eren soothed, he then got a good look. And what he saw made his heart sunk.
Mikasa's legs looked like they had been crushed. Her right ankle was dislocated in a gruesome way, and they were both completely caped in black bruising.
"This is bad...you need a doctor...", Eren had nothing in his kit for an injury this severe.
"It will take hours to walk back on foot...", Mikasa said weakly.
Eren looked at her worriedly, he then cringed.
"Mikasa, I'm so sorry...it's because of me you're hurt this badly...", he growled.
Mikasa was silent for the longest minute, as more lightening struck outside.
"I'm sorry Eren...", she suddenly said. Eren looked at her, confused.
"I'm so sorry...if I had been strong enough...your mother would still be here!", Mikasa suddenly cried.
Eren gawked at her, his heart sunk.
"W-What...?! Mikasa what are you talking about?!", he asked, completely in shock.
"Ever since she died, you've become so distant. I know you're still hurting about it, but you never let me comfort you...I wouldn't be at all shocked if you blamed me, I deserve it...", Mikasa cried.
Eren's eyes only grew wider, as he starred at Mikasa in utter disbelief.
"You told me to lift it up...you begged me too. I tried...I really tried!", Mikasa sobbed then.
Eren's heart fell to the pit of his stomach, and for a moment he felt like he might throw up.
Disgusted with himself. The girl he swore all those years ago to keep safe, now sat here physically, emotionally and mentally broken.
Why? Why was he always pushing her away? And treating her like crap?
And now...she thought that he blamed her.
"Mikasa...what have I done to you...", Eren said shakily then. He glared, furious with himself.
He then suddenly did something unexpected.
He pulled Mikasa close to him in a secure embrace, being careful with her fractured legs.
Mikasa's tearful eyes grew wide in disbelief and surprise at his sudden move.
"Eren...", she said softly.
"Don't say another word...", Eren growled shakily.
"Mikasa...I'm so sorry...I've done nothing but treat you horrible all this time...I've hurt you. And actually made you believe it was your fault my mother is gone...", Eren said shakily.
Mikasa gasped then, realizing he was crying.
"Eren...", she cried worriedly.
Eren only pulled her closer, stroking her hair. He then gently let go of her, to gaze into her eyes.
"Mikasa...listen to me. It is NOT your fault! I can't even apologize enough for ever making you think that!", Eren said firmly.
Mikasa looked at him, her face tear stained.
"It was not, and never will be your fault. I promise, I'm never going to treat you like that again", Eren said shakily.
"Eren...", Mikasa said, her eyes filling with heavy relief.
"As soon as we rest a little, I'm carrying you back, and getting your legs fixed. I promise I'll never push you away again", Eren said.
Mikasa looked at him, she then looked down blinking tears out of her eyes.
She then suddenly did something unexpected. She pulled Eren close, and without warning, kissed him.
Eren's eyes grew wide in shock, not expecting that move. But he slowly relaxed. Her lips tasted so sweet, her pink lipstick had a cherry flavor to it.
He closed his eyes, returning the kiss.
"Eren...I love you. You need to know this...in case we don't make it back", Mikasa panted, as they gently broke the kiss.
They could very easily be eaten by a titan at any time. They were completely vulnerable. Mikasa's legs were crushed, she didn't have her gear on, and Eren had to carry her so he couldn't fight titans.
"Mikasa...we ARE going to make it back. Don't ever talk like that. I love you...I'm not going to let anything else happen to you, even if it costs me my own life", Eren said.
Mikasa's eyes lit up at his words then.
"Eren...you...", she started. Eren blushed slightly, nodding.
"I never saw you as a friend or a sister to be honest...I just didn't know how to say it", he admitted, still blushing.
Mikasa smiled weakly, so happy to know this.
After resting for a few hours, the storm finally died down. Eren carried Mikasa on his back outside the cave.
Mikasa glanced over sadly then, at her horse.
Eren looked over as well. "I'm sorry Mikasa...this was all my fault...I know how much you cared about him", Eren said grimly.
"It's not your fault Eren...", Mikasa assured sadly.
Eren balanced himself, as he started walking then. Mikasa kept a tight grip around his neck. She kept wincing off and on, as well as groaning in pain from her legs.
"Easy, I know...hang in there Mikasa", Eren soothed, worriedly. Mikasa gave a small nod, grimacing in pain.
After an extremely long way, they both eventually saw the gate in sight. Eren breathed a sigh of relief, wanting Mikasa to be treated as soon as possible.
"Almost there now Mika...", he then blinked, seeing she had passed out. Most likely from the pain.
Eren looked at her worriedly, he then continued forward, as the sun rose and the gates opened for them.