The Story of the Lake, by TheStupidSheep

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I don't own Shingeki no Kyojin. I just wanted to fangirl for a second.


Four years ago, Mikasa saw her family being murderer in front of her. It was a night filled of loved blood and desperate screams, police officers doing a lot of questions that couldn't reach her brain.

She remembers her father falling downstairs, a knife buried in his abdomen. He was smiling, telling her everything was going to be fine. She remembers her mother, trying so hard to reach him and dying in the process, slaughtered without mercy.

Mikasa remembers Eren, his sad smile when three shots hit his chest. She stayed with him, embracing him in a disturbing silence. Eren never let his eyes scape from her face. She felt the wrath growing in her heart like a destructive wave.

She always wondered why they didn't killed her too. She hoped for it when the amount of blood staining the floor showed her there was no hope for her family. She even hated the moment the murderers heard the sirens in the distance. They left without looking at her for a second, taking all the valuable things she ever had: three loved persons that only wanted to make her life happier than it never was before.

A red, red scarf, was the last thing she received from them.

Mikasa promised herself she was not going to let anyone hurt her again. She was sure, she was fulfilling her promise.

Four months passed. White matter covers everything, but that's not impediment for Mikasa to workout, never has been. She runs over the streets, music hitting her ears as loud as possible.

Today, she was going to work in the library again. Mikasa doesn't know if the man has come or not to the place, university didn't let her do her job, a hell of a schedule she had, so she needed to stop for a while. Thank god, the scholarship she obtained long time ago helped her survive. Now, the expectation was, for some reason, very high.

The lake is now a beautiful ice rink, but she still don't like it. As she runs through the sidewalk, she wonders why she hates that lake so much. The town is little, but her dead adoptive family comes from there. When they died, she looked for the things that kept her closer to them. Of course, she went on vacations to the town with her family before. She used to swim and run with Eren at the edge of the lake with Armin, always winning at the end. As she grow up, she started to let Eren win. He hated losing to a girl all the time and she hated making him feel bad, so she stopped doing an effort.

Then, they never came to the town again, and Mikasa thinks that maybe was because of her fault.

Now that she is alone, Mikasa can't resist but hate it.

Such a childish behavior.

Is a simple lake, but she wonders if that is the reason she hates it. She can't blame the mysterious man. The lake is beautiful, encapsulates everybody's eyes with its peaceful waters and colorful trees that surrounds it as shields.

But he is very capable to admire it outside the library.

She keeps running, trying not to portray his handsome face on her mind again. She fails.

Did… did he read the book?


"A short man in the last table, you say?"

"Yes. Has he come these months?"

"Emm, no. Is he handsome?"

"He is like… in his thirties, you know?"

"Mmm… no. What's his name? I can look for him in the records"

"He didn't tell me his name."

"He didn't?"

"No. He never picked up a book."

"Uh, that's weird."

"Yes… it is."


He is there. The same table, the same hour. The book she gave him is not seen, but the tea cup rests on his right hand. His hair is longer now, she notices. Is tied up at the top of his head, the same shaved temples, and it makes him look even more handsome and enigmatic. He is looking at the lake, unaware of the broken girl that spreads innocent curiosity at the other side of the library.

Mikasa searches for more people in the place and she finds no one. They are alone, just as the last time they saw each other.

"You don't have the book I gave you months ago." Is her greeting. She sits at the same chair, watching the veins of his hands… and the great amount of little, almost unseen scars that cover his skin.

"I finished it."

"Did you like it?"

He looks at her, expressionless.

"Why a children's book?"

She doesn't look at his eyes. For the first time in a long time, she feels her cheeks turn red.

"You seem to be a man of war."

At the corner of her eye, she sees a blackish, raised eyebrow.

"What makes you think that?"

She startles, surprised. She makes herself the same question.

How… how did I come to that conclusion?

"Your eyes" Mikasa murmurs even before thinking it, "they reflect danger… and expertise."

He stays quiet, those same eyes going around her face without concealment. He takes a sip of his tea and turns to the window again.

"I liked the book, thank you."

She almost smiles.

"You have to give it back."

He sighs.

"I know."

"Then, when will you…?"

"I want to keep it." He reaches the pocket of his jacket and gets some bills, throwing them carefully on the table. "I like the edition."

When he says that, Mikasa moves away in the chair.

"You've read it before, haven't you?" She doesn't want to sound angry. Even with that, she is perfectly aware of her jealous tone.

He gives her a side smile.

"It's my favorite book."

Mikasa's eyes get bigger. Levi gets closer, puts his elbows on the table and cover his mouth with the tea. She knows, he is smiling.


It's snowing. Mikasa walks with the question going back and forth in her mouth.

"Come on, spit it out."

He yawns, tightening himself against his jacket. His white scarf covers half of his pale face, his sharp nose redden with the cold. The night makes him more handsome and for a stupid second, she wants to touch the soft skin of his cheekbone.

Mikasa frowns, looking at the lake across the street.

The fucking lake.

"Why didn't you come the past months?" She asks, trying to be casual.

When she turns to see him, his eyes are locked on her. For the first time, he doubts, blinking twice and whirling his head. Then, as if nothing happened, he looks at her again.

"I was working."

"Oh."

Yes, he is dangerous.

They reach the corner of the street and stop.

It was nice… to see you.

She wants to say that.

You don't know him. What is wrong with you?

"It was nice to see you."

He says that.

Both look at each other. She is surprised, but he seems to not care.

Thank you.

"It was nice to see you too."

She goes left, he goes straight.

As Mikasa walks home, she discovers.

She wants to see the stranger man again.


Thank you for the reviews, hope you like this one. I'll share a Playlist with you on my Profile!

xx

La que tals.