Please leave a review! I also want to note that any O used in this chapter aren't being used as scene breakers as they normally are. I'm using them to break tension within the chapter.


Chapter Four: A Cave of Two Lovers


The river raged as if nothing happened at all. The forest went silent. Wind whistled in the treetops. Mikasa and Eren breached the surface of the water, breaking the stillness. Eren held tightly to the back on Mikasa's shirt and swam to the shore. Both coughed, taking in each breath. They climbed out of the river, soaking to the bone. Mikasa pushed her soggy hair from her eyes. She smacked the back of Eren's head.

"Ow, what was that for?" Eren rubbed the back of his head.

"What for? You could of gotten us killed you idiot!" Mikasa shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Shh! They might still be nearby. It's best if they think were dead," Eren glanced back to see if any of them were coming. Mikasa glared at Eren. Did he even stop to think about what would of happened if they fell over the waterfall that was a few feet from the cliff? Mikasa glanced down. She noticed a tear in Eren's shirt, his hoodie lost to the river. What is that? Mikasa noticed something black under his shirt.

"Eren, what is-"

"Are you okay?" Eren turned back to looked a Mikasa.

"Yea," Mikasa sad with a tired breath," but what do we do now?"

Eren stood," We should find a place to rest."

"Do you even know where we are Eren?" Mikasa stood up, frustration in her voice.

"Yea," Eren said," I can't explain it, but this area is familiar to me." Dark, thunderous clouds started growling above them. And in a flash, it was pouring rain. Mikasa and Eren ran into the trees for shelter. "There," Eren pointed to the mouth of a cave. It's entrance flashed into view every time lightning struck. They dove into the mouth. "As if we weren't wet before," Eren pushed his soaked hair from his eyes.

Mikasa sat down, she stared at the raging storm," What now?"

Eren stretched his arms," Lets wait out the storm. Huh, is something wrong Mikasa?"

"No," Mikasa lied to herself," I'm just tired." She covered her stomach so Eren wouldn't hear it growl. Mikasa stood up and walked farther into the cave. "What is that sound?"

Eren walked up next to her. He listened," That sounds like-" Suddenly thousands of bats exploded from deeper inside the cave, blinding both Mikasa and Eren. Mikasa covered her face. She tired to escape the horde, but she found herself off balance.

"Ahhh!" She screamed as she began to fall.

"Mikasa!" Eren reached forward and grabbed her wrist. But gravity grew dominate and pulled them both down. They landed with a thud. The horde of bats finally escaped into the rain. Eren immediately stood up," Mikasa, are you okay?"

"Mmmm...I think so," she responded. Mikasa stood. Lightning exploded outside the cave, exposing a terrible situation. "Oh no," Mikasa and Eren had fallen into a "one way" part of the cave. "Eren," Mikasa tired to hold back tears," we're trapped."

O

Thunder and lightning continued exploding in the storming sky, but it barely gave Mikasa and Eren any light. The edge they had fallen over was to steep and high for them to climb up. Eren attempted a climb, but he failed. "This is wonderful," he said with a bit of sarcasm.

"If we can't climb back up then how are we going to get out?" Mikasa asked, "I don't have my 3DMG gear. And the only light is the lightning outside."

"This is a cave," Eren took Mikasa by her hand and began to feel for something on the walls," if we move through it we might find another way out."

"Might?" Mikasa didn't feel so hopeful.

Eren continued to feel around until he found an opening," Make sure you keep your hands on my shoulder. I'll feel our way around."

"We're going to get lost Eren."

"We won't, trust me," Eren said," going through a cave system is the only time I could get away from those people. You can learn a lot in three years."

"They've bothered you that much?" Mikasa felt conserned," why do they want to overthrow the government?"

"I dunno," Eren said," but the reason must be really serious for them to be so persistant. I'm surprized that they haven't gone after you or Armin."

"W-Why would they go after me or Armin?"

"Well," Eren began," Luna did make you her personal bodyguard after she took the thrown right? Besides, you and Armin are as close to her as friends as I am."

"But your her hero," Mikasa reminded," me and Armin are just friends."

"Luna told me one time that she considers her friends as family members," Eren told her.

"She does?" Mikasa never knew that.

"Yea," Eren said," so really, these guys have multiple ways to get her guard down."

Mikasa began to worry. What if they don't get back in time? Luna assassinated, Mikasa thought, I'm her bodyguard. That's not going to happen! Suddenly the dark cavern was illuminated. Mikasa and Eren looked up at the ceiling. It glowed a neon green color. "What? What are those things?"

"There Glow Worms," Eren explained.

"Glow Worms?"

"Yea," Eren said," Luna showed some to me ten years ago."

"Come on Eren! It's over here!" Six-year-old Luna climbed over rocks and ran down the dark path.

"Hold on," Eren called out," slow down!" He tried to keep up but Luna's little feet were to fast. "Were going to get lo-whoa!" In front of him was an underground river. The place glowed a strange color he'd never seen before. Eren looked up," What are those?"

"I call them Glow Worms," Luna giggled," Ain't they pretty?"

"Uh, yea," Eren could barely speak," This whole things is under Sina?"

"Yep!" Luna smiled, then put a finger to her lips," Don't tell anyone."

"Okay," Eren chuckled," It's our little secret."

Eren loved that fond memory. Even though they were still under the threat of titans at the time, Eren was willing to admit that he felt really happy whenever he spent time with Luna. Among the shine of the Glow Worms Eren saw something bright. Was Mikasa always wearing a-

"Mikasa, is that...a ring?" Eren turned and looked at her square in the face," Are you-"

"No," Mikasa covered the ring," I'm engaged. Not...married." She couldn't face the hurt look on Eren's face.

"T-To who?" he asked.

Mikasa didn't want to say. Even after the fall of the titans, Eren and Jean were at each others throats. But, after the incident...

"Hey, your not wearing the scarf I gave you," Eren wondered why he never noticed these things before," you always wear it."

"I know," Mikasa tried to look for words to say," but...well, like you said, that whole thing with the gun did effect me pretty hard. And, he said it wasn't healthy for me to cling to the past. So I put it up."

"He?" Eren asked," Who's he?"

Mikasa didn't want to say, she avoided eye contact," Jean."

"Jean?" Eren almost sounded mad," Is he the one your marrying? Yo-You don't even like him in that way!"

"I know," Mikasa tried to explain," but, he helped me a lot after we thought you died. And, he's been really sweet. I-It would of been mean to say no."

"You could of said that you were ready to get married!"

Mikasa was taken a back by the outburst. Suddenly, she felt angry," Well, if you didn't almost die he probably wouldn't of ask!"

"How is this my fault!?" Eren shouted back," I didn't ask to get shot! If anything it's these guys fault, there the ones who want me dead!"

"Oh course you'd say that."

"What does that mean!?" Eren clutched his fist.

"Your always quick to blame someone else!" Mikasa screamed," like when you blamed Annie for all the soldiers that died during the fifty-seventh Expedition. It was their job."

"To die!?" Eren's face was red now. Mikasa tried to hide it, but she was terrified. Never has she seen Eren so mad. She stared at him dead on. And then, as fast as it came, her anger was gone. Tear weld up in her eyes. She dropped the ground, hands covering her face, tears falling.

"Mikasa?" Eren dropped down next to her," Why are you crying?"

"It's so hard," she said in between sobs.

"What is?" Eren placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I...I don't get it," Mikasa looked at him," why is life so hard?"

"I-I don't know what you mean Mikasa."

Mikasa wiped some tears away," When you were pronounced dead I had flashbacks of when my parent's were killed. And...when your mom was eaten. I didn't understand why I kept losing my family." She looked away and wiped away some more tears," It was stupid of me to think I'd be happy with Jean."

"Don't say that," Eren squeezed her shoulder," your not stupid. Look, I'm sorry I got so mad. You know how Jean and me are."

Mikasa nodded," Besides, everyone kept saying that I should. They thought it might help me move on."

Eren sighed," It was probably best if you didn't find me." He looked away.

"What?" Mikasa put her hand on his cheek, making Eren look at her," I found you for a reason."

"What reason would that be?" Ereb tried to fight the tears that threatened to fall.

Mikasa removed her hand from his cheek," Reason? Well, I don't-" Her thought was cut off when Eren suddenly leaned in and kissed her. Mikasa's cheeks turned red. When the shock wore off she closed her eyes. She's been waiting for that kiss for so long. She didn't want it to end. Being alone with Eren. The warm glow of the Glow Worms. The soft breeze...the breeze-th-the breeze! Mikasa pushed Eren away when she realized that she was feeling a breeze.

"What's wrong?" Eren asked.

"It's a breeze," Mikasa almost sounded joyful," I-I can feel a breeze. Eren, it's a way out!" Both of them jumped up and followed the soft breeze. And before long they were out. Soft grass touched the bottom of their shoes. Tears of joy ran down Mikasa's face. " Oh thank God we're out!"

"But it's not over," Eren walked up beside her," He pointed towards a town a mile away," Can you see it?"

Mikasa wiped the tears away and squinted her eyes. She couldn't believe what she saw. One of the tallest buildings in that town had some strange symbol on it. Mikasa remembered seeing that symbol on the jackets of the men that chased them into the river. "Out of the fire and right into the frying pan."