Annie and Mikasa get to know each other.
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Chapter 2
Being in the same class, Mikasa had always tagged along with Eren and Armin during lunchbreak, whether they ate outside or inside. So when Mikasa told them to go on without her, they were surprised. "Where are you going?" Eren asked.
"I'm just going to meet up with Annie, we'll join you outside so save us a spot." She said, taking a different turn than the boys.
"Are you trying to tell me you're dating Annie?" Eren's voice boomed through the corridor, and Mikasa kept walking, looking in front of her. This truly was one hell of a day.
This time she had to wait for Annie, but she didn't mind since it meant there was no one around anymore. The blonde turned the corner, sauntering towards her, hands stuffed in her pockets. "Well what do you know, the love of my life is waiting for me like a loyal dog." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
Mikasa sighed, not wanting to waste her energy on bickering. "Let's just get this day over with."
"Thanks for earlier, by the way." Annie said as they made their way to the doors. "I really could've been suspended if I knocked him to the hospital. I mean, it wouldn't have been the first time. Knocking him to the hospital, that is. I doubt they'll let me get away with self-defense a third time."
Mikasa hummed, pausing in front of the doors. "Should we hold hands?"
"Whatever." Annie grabbed her hand and pulled the door open. "Lead the way."
With Annie's hand in her own, even the short walk to the picnic table near the old oak seemed too long. It didn't help that all her friends stared, nor did the fact that they had no choice but to sit shoulder to shoulder to fit on the bench. Sasha, who sat across from them was the first to speak, "So you two are really going out?"
"Yep." Annie said, taking a sandwich from her bag.
"How's the sex?" Ymir called from the other end of the table, receiving a slap on her arm from Krista.
Annie just glared at her, and Mikasa replied, "We literally started dating this weekend. And mind your own damn business."
"Well, yeah, you don't have to tell anything you don't want to." Connie butted in, "But details, come on."
"Mikasa couldn't resist me anymore and confessed." Annie said quickly, and way too loud to Mikasa's liking.
"Annie!" she received nothing but a smirk in return, and hid her face in her scarf. "You are fucking evil." She muttered. The others laughed, moving on to a different subject. They knew neither of the girls was fond of answering a stream of questions.
xxx
When school finally ended, Annie had joined Mikasa, Armin and Eren on their walk home. Her fingers were intertwined with Mikasa's as they neared the point where they would part ways. "They just had to walk behind us, didn't they?" Annie complained.
"What's so bad about that? Even if they walked in front of us we'd have to hold hands just in case they looked back."
"No you dumbass, I'd actually have to give you a goodbye kiss. Blech." She stuck her tongue out to stress her distaste.
"Oh, fuck. You're right. But a quick one will do, I guess."
"It had better." Annie stopped when they reached the street corner. Eren and Armin had paused their conversation, not used to stopping along the way. "I'll see you tomorrow, babe." She said.
Mikasa quickly pecked her lips before letting go of her hand. "Bye." Annie gave a little wave before she crossed the street, and Mikasa smiled. She could finally stop faking affection, and it felt great.
"It's so weird that you two are a couple now, I never would've thought it was her. I mean, sure I didn't know you like girls, but still, Annie?" Eren said.
"What can I say, we understand each other like no one else does." Mikasa said, continuing her way home.
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That night, Mikasa flopped down on her bed, typing away on her phone to send Annie a message.
Today sucked so bad, having to be around you so much. –Mikasa
Then why are you even texting me? –Annie
Because I have no one else to complain to, duh –Mikasa
In that case, you stink. Literally. Or maybe it's the scarf? –Annie
Very funny. Mom washed it yesterday, but I bet what you smelled was just your nose being too close to your mouth. –Mikasa
Fuck you. –Annie
No thank you, I'll pass on that one. I'll see you tomorrow. Oh shit PE –Mikasa
? What's so bad about PE? I'll just kick your butt like I always do. –Annie
Changing room, other girls, you know, another awkward day –Mikasa
Fuck. Can't we just pretend we're really shy about it since we just started going out? –Annie
I guess… fingers crossed –Mikasa
She set her phone down and looked out the window. Stars twinkled high in the sky, it was about time to go to bed.
xxx
As they had expected, by the time their PE class started the majority of the students in their school had heard that they were dating. It was a rather awkward experience, but after two weeks of fake-dating most people had accepted it. There were still guys who tried to hit on them, but they lessened in number, and facing the two strongest girls in school made them think twice before doing anything more than talk. Their friends had quickly gotten used to it, the two groups starting to melt into one.
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Mikasa had been staring at her phone for ten minutes now, debating on whether or not to text Annie. She had spent most of her day so far helping Carla out, who seemed to enjoy asking her an endless stream of questions about her relationship. As a result, she now desperately wanted to talk with someone without having to tell a single lie, and her only option was Annie. Sighing, she gave in and typed a message.
Wanna hang out? –Mikasa
Why? –Annie
Because mom has been asking me so many questions about us, I just need to be around someone I don't have to lie to. –Mikasa
Fine. Meet me at the park. –Annie
Feeling relieved, Mikasa put on her shoes and headed outside.
xxx
She sat on a bench in the park, wondering how long it would take Annie to get there, it had already been ten minutes. Suddenly the bench creaked when someone flopped down on it from seemingly nowhere. Mikasa looked to her right to see Annie take off her hood. "Where on earth did you come from?" The blonde pointed with her thumb over her shoulder, and Mikasa curiously looked behind them. Some bushes, a tree, and behind that a fence and a house. Instead of asking about her odd way of entrance, she noted the color on Annie's hands and asked, "Were you painting?"
"Something like that." A silence fell between them and Annie sighed. "Did you really call me out here to do nothing?"
"I said I just needed to be around someone I don't have to lie to. If you want to go somewhere or do whatever, just lead the way."
"Okay." Annie got up and smirked at Mikasa. "I'll lead the way, but don't expect me to come back for you when you can't keep up with me anymore." Mikasa stood up, thinking Annie's comment was nothing but a bad joke, until she started climbing the tree. Annie crept further over a branch, and jumped onto the fence from there. Mikasa followed her, wondering why Annie couldn't just walk like normal people. Annie jumped from the fence, catching herself on a brick ridge just below the roof of the house, and pulled herself up.
Mikasa took a deep breath as she prepared herself for what would be the hardest workout she had had in a long time. If she hadn't maintained her strength the way she did, she never would've been able to follow Annie as she made her way across houses and streets. After ten minutes they exchanged the city for a small forest. Annie slowed down to a walk over a thin but frequently used path, and looked over her shoulder. "You actually managed to keep up with me. I must say, that's quite impressive."
"It'd be pretty bad if I couldn't even impress my girlfriend." Mikasa joked. She knew where Annie had lead her. Years ago, a company had made plans to expand here, but had faced bankruptcy while building. As far as she knew, they only finished the parking lot, existing out of three floors, along with a partially build office block.
"I guess that means you'll be able to impress me one more time?" Annie said, starting to jog again as the forest cleared for one of the buildings. Mikasa followed her as she scaled a wall and climbed in through a window.
"And this is where the fun really happens." Annie said, spreading her arms to show the room when Mikasa entered.
Music played from a radio placed on the floor, empty and broken beer bottles were scattered across muddy footprints. Graffiti covered the walls, an open backpack with spray bottles laid against one of the walls, the scent of weed and alcohol hanging heavily in the air.
Before Mikasa could do more than taking in her new surroundings, Reiner came around the corner and joined them. "Annie, you're back. Oh, hey Mikasa."
"Hi…" she said hesitantly, not sure what to make of the place Annie had brought her to. She knew Annie and her friends were what some would refer to as the 'bad kids', but finding out they entered abandoned buildings to do illegal things was not something she expected. Reiner picked up a bottle of black spray-paint and took a draft of what was probably not a regular cigarette. Mikasa glanced at Annie, who was watching her with crossed arms.
"So, what do you think? Pretty cool, huh?" Annie said when Reiner left around the corner again.
"Uh… I guess?" Mikasa answered hesitantly. "But isn't this illegal?"
"Pssh, if we're not gonna paint this block, someone else will. In fact, that's happening anyway, so it doesn't really matter."
"And I assume you don't drink or smoke either?" Mikasa crossed her arms, her tone carrying light sarcasm.
"Actually I don't." Mikasa raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Wow, you don't believe me? You, the one person I'd never lie to?"
"As if you don't lie to me."
Now it was Annie's turn to raise her eyebrows. She walked towards Mikasa and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I lie to the whole world, but not to you, babe. And yet you find it hard to believe that I can find good reasons not to get addicted? Do you really think I'm so lost that I don't have other ways to blow off steam? That I can only follow my friends in their choices?"
Mikasa remained silent for a moment, letting her gaze drop to the floor. "You bringing me here and calling this place 'pretty cool' might have made me jump to conclusions." She admitted.
Annie smiled and shook her head. "And here I thought I made you jump enough on the way here, but no." Mikasa chuckled and Annie went to lean against the windowsill. "You're not entirely wrong though. I used to drink and smoke a few years back, even if it wasn't as much as the boys. But then I discovered parkour and the two just didn't mix well, so I chose the one that was the most fun."
Mikasa nodded, coming to stand next to her. "Anything else you haven't told me yet?"
"I love you." Mikasa's smile dropped and she stared at Annie as if she had just turned into a crocodile. "Not!" Annie burst out laughing. "Oh my god! You should've seen you face. Hilarious!"
"Oh, ha ha. And then you dare say I was the one who confessed first. Bitch."
"Can't help it that I'm so damn hot." Annie winked at her and walked towards the bag at the opposite wall, giving an extra sway to her hips as she did so. She picked up a couple of spray cans and turned back to Mikasa. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to continue where I left off when you so rudely interrupted me."
Mikasa followed her to the adjacent room, which was a lot larger than the one they came from. Berthold sat slumped against a wall, below a painting of a green unicorn, with a couple of empty bottles next to him, while Reiner was spraying dicks over another painting a bit further. Annie muttered under her breath when she saw it, headed over to a different wall, and continued on what appeared to be a wolf howling to the moon. "That's beautiful." Mikasa commented.
"Oh, thanks. I made all the ones with animals in them, at least on this floor."
Mikasa looked around. "Even that phoenix? Wow. You're really good at this."
xxx
Mikasa returned home in time for dinner, where she earned a suspicious look from Grisha. "Mikasa, why do you smell like weed?"
She tensed for a moment and sniffed her clothes. He was right, the smell did cling to her. "Reiner was smoking it."
"Reiner smokes pot?" Eren asked surprised.
"Who is this Reiner and why were you hanging out with him?" Grisha asked, as always worried about the well-being of his children.
"He's one of Annie's friends. And before you ask, no, Annie doesn't smoke."
"I sure hope so. I don't want you hanging out with that kind of people, let alone date them." Mikasa rolled her eyes, it was not like it would matter even if Annie did smoke, they weren't really dating.
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A few weeks passed and a boy several years younger than her approached Mikasa the moment she arrived at school. "Mikasa?" he asked, voice slightly shaking with nerves. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" Mikasa looked at him, waiting for him to say more. "Um… maybe somewhere privet?" Mikasa sighed and nodded, following him to an empty classroom. She and Annie had been faking it for over a month now, and she had really hoped that would keep all the confessions away by now. But it seemed like this boy, this child, wanted to do so anyway. "Um…" he started, "Annie was late to meet with you yesterday, right?" he asked.
"Yeah." Mikasa shifted her weight on her hips, suddenly not so sure that she knew where this was going anymore. It was true that Annie had been late, but she hadn't given an explanation, so it couldn't have been important.
"Well, um… I don't want to upset you or anything, but…" his eyes darted nervously to her crossed arms, "I just thought you had the right to know this…"
"Know what? Get to the point."
"I saw Annie kiss with an upperclassman." He squeezed his eyes shut, as if he was afraid she'd hit him for delivering such news.
"Is that all you wanted to tell me?" Mikasa asked after a pause.
"You're not angry?" he asked confused, hesitantly opening his eyes.
Right, she had to play the caring girlfriend. "It wouldn't be the first time some dude is stupid enough to try and kiss her. I bet she broke a few of his bones as payback."
"What? No! Um… I mean… she was the one who started it… I'm sorry."
Mikasa narrowed her eyes. If Annie had really found someone she liked she'd have no problem telling Mikasa to fuck off and deal with her admirers on her own. Was the boy lying? Regardless, she'd have to play along for now. "I'll have a chat with her later, thanks for telling me." She gave the boy a pat on the shoulder and left the classroom. Now all she had to do was wait for Annie to arrive on the first break to find out how much of what he said was true.
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She found the blonde sipping from a can of coke at the place they always met up. "Annie, we need to talk. Outside."
"What?" She gave Mikasa a confused look. "But it's cold out."
"Then there won't be anyone to listen in. Let's go." Annie picked up her bag with a sigh and followed Mikasa outside, where they sat down on one of the benches, no one would be able to listen in on them without them noticing. "Some kid came to me this morning, telling me you were late last night because you were making out with some dude."
"Why are you telling me? It's obvious that's a lie, right?"
"My first thought was that you'd have broken some bones, but then he said you started it. I doubt you'd keep this thing with me going if you liked someone, but here's the thing. The kid looked really scared that I'd hit him. It just seems strange for someone to tell me such a lie if they're afraid to get beaten."
"Hm. That is kinda weird. But if you must know, I was late because some first year kept trying to talk with me, even though she clearly didn't know what to say."
"That's odd. You'd almost think they planned it." Mikasa said, tapping her chin in thought.
"Yeah." Annie straightened her back. "That actually makes a lot of sense. But I doubt those kids came up with the idea."
"Do you think someone is trying to break us up?"
"It's possible. I mean, we both are quite popular." Annie said, standing up. "Not that it's going to work, you can't break what doesn't exist."
"Well, I just figured I'd ask. You know, in case you found someone you liked but hadn't come around to tell me yet." Mikasa stood up as well, starting to make her way back to the school building.
"Wait." Annie said, making her pause and look around. "Just in case something like this happens again, I- I actually am a lesbian, so you know it's a lie if anyone tells you I'm hooking up with a dude." Annie stared at a patch of grass between them.
Mikasa fully turned to her, stepping closer. "Annie, is this the first time you've told this?" With how she acted, it almost had to be. Annie nodded. "But, you're so casual about it when you tell people about us."
Annie shrugged. "I just figured I could always tell we were faking it if anyone gave me shit for being with a girl. It makes coming out feel less scary, less real, like I can just hop back in the closet if things become too much."
Mikasa surprised her by pulling her into a hug. "Don't worry, I've got your back. I won't let anyone hurt you because of who you like."
Annie pulled her closer. "Thanks."
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