A/N: Sorry this update took a while. I've been busy with a thing called social life and studying... I was honestly shocked with the amount of follows and favorites I got for this fic though I can't say the same for the amount of reviews. You see, I need reviews to know what you guys think of the story… Be more vocal please! And for those who did review, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Well, here's the next chapter. Read and review, ok?
Disclaimer: I do not own SNK or any of the characters.
Chapter 2
"Mikasa, are you alright?" Eren asked as he eyed his adoptive sister. She sat across from him at one of the dining tables for dinner with the rest of the Scouting Legion members but not once has she lifted the food on the plate to her lips. He could tell that there was something bothering her since she was spaced out the entire time.
"Oh, I'm fine." She avoided his gaze and he knew she was lying. She was never good at lying to him.
"Oh, I know that look! How long has this been going on?" Sasha elbowed Mikasa's arm and the black haired female's body stiffened. A flash of panic was shown on the oriental maiden's face before she lifted the red scarf from her neck to cover her face. Its' warmth calmed her down a little but not enough to relax her entirely.
"What do you mean, Sasha?" Eren inquired with a raised eyebrow. Mikasa wasn't one who would panic so instantaneously after all.
"Isn't it obvious? That's the look of a person with relationship problems." Sasha grinned as Mikasa's body relaxed and she breathed a sigh of relief. She picked up a piece of her bread and stuffed it into the brunette's mouth to keep her from sputtering anymore nonsense.
"Don't listen to her. I'm just tired. I'll go and rest now. Please don't go to bed late, Eren."
"I'm not a little kid anymore!" Eren said to Mikasa who was already halfway across the dining hall. He let out a small sigh and hunched his back a little to hide from the stares he got from soldiers in the hall.
"I don't think I am wrong. Her expression of worry; how she spaces out; and also the loss of appetite all points to relationship troubles you know... Not to mention, all the rumors going around." Sasha had swallowed the rest of the bread and was now looking at Mikasa's untouched plate of food with drool coming out the side of her mouth.
"What rumors?"
"Oh, I don't think I should say…" She started gobbling the food in front of her with an unbelievable pace as if worried Mikasa would come back for it.
"Not even for an extra loaf of bread?" Eren grabbed the bread off his plate and waved it around in front of the brunette who stopped eating for a few seconds before making a grab for the bread. He was familiar with how she thinks and took away the bread in the nick of time.
"Fine, I'll tell you." She stared longingly at the food in his hand and when he offered it to her, she made a grab for it again with success.
"Now, spill. Tell me everything you know."
"I don't really know much either but since we sleep in the same barracks(1), I sometimes see her unable to sleep at night. She never had problems like that before. She would also get up early to go to bathroom before anyone else is even awake." Sasha paused to swallow her food before she continued. "I think she might be having relationship problems."
"Relationship problems? As in, romantic relationship problems? Are you sure we're talking about the same Mikasa here?" Eren gave her a quizzical look.
"It's just my opinion anyway. Or you could call it a woman's intuition. But then again, it might be better to ask Armin about it. I see them talking in hushed voices a lot…"
The rest of the words which Sasha mumbled were pretty much inaudible through her full mouth. Eren couldn't really be bothered by it anymore. From all the information he just traded a loaf of bread for; one thing for certain is that he needed to speak to Armin about Mikasa's sudden change in behavior. He just couldn't really grasp the concept that Mikasa would rather go to Armin with her problems, whatever they are, rather than to him. This has never happened before.
Was it due to the fact that there was a 'boyfriend' who is now in the picture and Mikasa was afraid that he wouldn't accept the guy? If there was an existence of this 'boyfriend', Eren was sure that he would be someone who was in the Scouting Legion because everyone hardly has time to mingle with people from outside the legion due to the training they all have to go through. Instinctively, Eren's eyes darted around the dining hall. He was trying to identify this mysterious man who has done something which Eren never thought was possible: get Mikasa to fall in love with him.
"Could it be Berthold? Well, probably not. Reiner might fit the picture but they don't really talk much… Not unless I don't know about it…" He thought to himself as he eyed the guys he had mentioned. He frowned when his gaze landed on Jean.
"Oh please, let it not be him! I would rather it be Connie than him!"
"What are you staring at, Eren?" Jean glared at him.
"Nothing which concerns you, Jean." Eren replied with a glare of his own before standing up to leave. That was when the doors to the dining hall opened and a revealed Lance Corporal Levi. He had his usual glare as he pan from left to right of the dining hall until his gaze stopped on Eren.
"Do you know where Ackerman is?" Levi asked a surprised looking Eren after he reached the green eyed male, who gave the usual salute to the smaller man in front of him.
"She said that she was tired and has retired for the night, sir." Without another word, the Lance Corporal turned around and left swiftly. As Eren relaxed himself from the stance, he could hear Sasha bursting into a fit of laughter behind him.
"What are you laughing about?"
"I just thought that it would be funny if it turns out that the Lance Corporal was Mikasa's boyfriend or something." She struggled to say through her laughter.
"That would be… somewhat… impossible, Sasha." Eren replied with a deadpanned expression before leaving the brunette who was still laughing.
After Eren had left the dining hall, he figured that he would take a walk around for some fresh air before going back to the male barracks and retiring for the night. He took a right turn to the path which leads to the female barracks and that was when he heard the sound of 2 people talking. He hid behind a tree which was nearby and saw that the 2 which were speaking were none other than Mikasa and the Lance Corporal.
Even though Eren couldn't hear what they were both talking about, it was obvious that Mikasa was looking distress regarding something. Eren had decided to walk away since it was rude to eavesdrop but immediately aborted his actions when he heard fast footsteps approaching him and it would be bad if either of them caught him spying on them. More footsteps seem to approach him and it sounded louder until eventually the owners of the feet started speaking again.
"Ackerman, you listen here. You're with me now and that's how it is going to be from now on." Levi said in a firm tone.
"Then when will I be able to see Eren?" She replied.
"You'll see him when you see him. You are not allowed to go to him and tell him about this and about us! Now go back to your barracks before you do something stupid." There was a long pause and somehow Eren knew that Mikasa was ready to try and outrun the Lance Corporal right then and there.
"Ackerman, this is an order."
"Yes, sir." Mikasa huffed in a mocking tone before turning back towards the barracks, leaving the Lance Corporal at her wake.
"I swear to God…" Levi started before taking a deep breath and walking off at the opposite direction.
"Sasha, what you said about Mikasa and the Lance Corporal is impossible… isn't it?" Eren asked himself as he watched the 2 in question briskly walking off towards their own destination.
End of Chapter 2
Regarding the barracks, honestly, I was stumped. The manga or anime has never truly mentioned their sleeping arrangements, right? And, correct me if I am wrong, but soldiers, except higher ranking officers, has to sleep in the barracks right? Sorry, but I don't really know much regarding military stuff…
I tried to fix my writing a little based on what the user kaoya had suggested (I AM HONESTLY GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR THIS BTW! I know I suck at my tenses…). So I guess that's it for now. I hope you liked it and tell me what you think.