Mikasa's POV

"Hey Kasa!"

I looked up from my homework to see Eren jogging towards me.

"Wanna go have lunch?"

"What?"

"We haven't hung out since I got here." He grabbed my hand, knocking my pen out of my hand, and shut my book. "Come on, let's go! My treat."

I tried to ignore his hand and instead focus on what he said. "I-its alright, you don't need to treat me, I can pay on my…"

"Nah. Come on, I haven't hung out with you since I came back. I feel guilty. The least I can do is fork out a few dollars for my best friend."

I mask how happy I am at that with more politeness. "I mean, it's only been a few days since you arrive, it's hardly unreasonable for you to be too busy to-"

"A-ba-ba-ba-ba." He covered my mouth with his free hand. " No more arguing. I'm treating you! Let's go!" He dragged me off, not forcefully, towards the door, giving me just enough time to snatch my key and phone off the table. "Where do you want to go, Maccas maybe, or AFC? Or maybe that sub sandwich place?

"Maccas." I knew that place was by far the cheapest between the three.

"Oh?" Krista emerged from her room, carefully balancing several glasses on her hands. "You two are going out?"

"Yep, later Krista."

"Oh? Ok, have fun guys. But remember," she gave him what looked like a normal smile, but silently shone with...competitiveness? From Krista? "We've still got unfinished business."

Eren returned it with a smirk. "How could I forget?"

I slung my jacket over my shoulders, and checked my wallet.

But just before the door closed, he shouted through "You're still wrong though!"

"Am not!"

I furrowed my brows. "Interesting."

"What is?"

"Nothing, Nothing. It's just, it's quite rare to see Krista so…excitable."

Annie's POV

"Annie you ready?" Hitch had her makeup kit in her hand and was busy dabbing powder over her cheeks.

"Yes. Although…" I looked over at my phone, silently cursing when I saw that neither of them had replied. "Are you sure we can't wait for Reiner or Bertholdt?"

"Nah, what is it with you and waiting for them? Come on, let's go!"

Hesitantly, I grabbed my bag and walked out with her.

Armin's POV

"-so after that, I want you to-"

"That's what you called me out here for?" Ymir blinked, looking startled by my outburst. Well, it was an outburst compared to how I normally talked anyway.

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

I couldn't believe this. When Ymir had told me to see her after class, I was expecting something a lot worst. I had wracked my brain on what I could have possibly done to make her angry enough at me to pull me outside class. I had even told Jean where I was going just in case. But she seriously pulled me aside for this?

I took a deep breath, trying to find a way to phrase this better. I considered myself a good tempered person. Too good tempered even. Heck, Sasha accidentally called me a doormat once. But Krista was one of the best friends I had seen Eren make since he got here, and that was most likely true the other way round too. I wasn't going to let Ymir ruin that.

"So basically, you're asking me to steer my best friend away from your best friend, because... you're afraid they'll hook up?"

"Exactly, I don't want that pervert friend of yours corrupting my Krista."

"Not exactly what I said, but isn't that a bit harsh?"

"Zip it blondie, I know what I saw. That Jaeger guy is plotting to steal my Krista I know it. I can see it in his eyes." Her eyes narrowed to mere slits. "They're overcome with carnal desire." They changed, now showing off a tinge of horror. "He's probably already started corrupting her."

What the heck did I just hear?

"She's already avoiding me." Her angry accusations were devolving more into nervous muttering now. "She didn't come to the Palace with us. Its going to-"

The words slipped out. "You can't be that insecure."

Her eyes re-darkened. "What."

I did my best not to flinch, but failed to let a small "eep" escape my throat. Maybe shouldn't have said that. "L-look, Ymir, I don't know how to tell you this, but all your worries are unfounded. Eren and Krista are getting on surprisingly well, that doesn't mean that they are going to abandon you or something. Krista has never shown the slightest romantic interest in any guy. And believe it or not Eren isn't interested in her that way. If you don't trust him or anyone else to be honest at least trust me, they're not going to hook up."

Sides, I'm already trying to get him together with someone else.

Her eyes narrowed, but I could tell what i said made sense to her. "Hm, alright then blondie, but if that Jaeger guy starts making moves on her you better let me know."

I sighed. Guess I couldn't just expect her to drop it immediately, this was good enough. "Of course I will."

"Its me! It's me!"

Ymir's eyes zipped to my pocket. "Is that a kid?"

"Uh, sort of." It was the personal text message sound Eren had had made for me when we were younger and I had never changed.

I unlocked my phone, sliding my finger across the screen.

Eren: Hey Ar, could you help me get tickets for Black Panther? I'm outside with Mika now, but I'm watching it with Krista tomorrow, thanks!

"Who's that?"

I slid the phone into my pocket, keeping my face emotionless. No reason she had to know.

Mikasa's POV

"Exactly! So then of course I had to pay for it, I already got it! Oh, hang on, my order's here." Eren grabbed his surprisingly long receipt and ran to the counter, while I picked at my fish and chips. I still had no idea how, but Eren had somehow managed to talk me into eating at some Western eatery, and had somehow managed to stop me from running out the store when I saw how none of their prices had less than two numbers.

"I'm back!" He's carrying a tray that's so loaded with food he can't even grip it properly.

"That's a lot." I stared at the tray's contents, the food on it was easily enough for three people.

"Yeah, skipped breakfast this morning. I can finish this. Probably. Maybe you can take a pie"

"So this is a one time thing?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh thank goodness, we do not need another Sasha."

"Aw, why?" He unwrapped his burger and took a large bite. "Shee sheems nioce."

"Do you know how much money she owes me? It's bad enough she eats more than the rest of us combined, she could at least pay for all of it by herself."

"Ohhhhhhhh. Still, that's kinda sad to be so addicted food yet so strapped for cash." He pulled a few cheese fries from from the basket, not caring how the sauce dripped on the table, before enthusiastically picking up his wrap.

"Careful, you'll spill."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes mother."

"Speaking of which, you still went for Coach Hannes?"

"Yep." He paused, the French fries in his hand hovering halfway from his mouth. "You… aren't mad right?"

He looked genuinely worried, so I force down the nagging doubts I had. "Look, I don't mind you going for that club, just… just don't… take care of yourself alright?"

"Don't take care of myself?"

"You know what I mean!"

"Will do madam!" He saluted cheekily, his teeth and fingertips still stained with sauce, and I'm shocked how cute he looks in that pose.

He sucked the sauce off his fingers and snatched up his taco. "So, I heard you're having a tournament soon?"

"Uh," I take a moment for my brain to catch up with the sudden change in subject, "Yes, next week in fact, we're going to be running against our rivals from Shiketsubutsu High."

"Aw cool! It's Monday right?" He opened his phone to check the date, before flipping over to his Messages and locking it. "I'm free that day, I'll be there."

We fell into easy idle chatter, but I don't miss the way his eyes keep flickering over to his phone.

After he looked over for the fifth time in ten minutes, I gave up. "What's wrong?"

"Oh… its… its nothing. Just…" He quickly refreshed his email app before locking his phone again. "Well, I'm just expecting a…"

"It's about your project isn't it?"

He looked more surprised than I expected. "How did you know?"

I sighed, smiling. "I'm not deaf you know, I could hear you muttering to yourself last night."

"Oh." He flushed. "Yeah sorry, Annie was supposed to send it to me like an hour ago, and I need them to finish up. Eh, worst comes to worst I'll just pull an all-nighter."

"Go look for her."

He looked surprised. "What?"

"I know she's out with Hitch in town today, they're going for the sale at the Pearl Mall, go look for her."

He blinked. "Are you sure? I mean, I feel bad pulling you all the way out here and sacrificing our day out just for that blonde bi-"

"It's fine, I can give up a day or so. Its for your grades after all."

"Awww, thanks Mika! I'll make it up to you!" He quickly tossed a ten dollar bill on the table and left, before twirling around and tossing a few more on the table before sprinting away.

I sighed, packing up his food to go and "It's fine, I'm used to it."

Annie's POV

I clenched my jaw. Hitch was babbling something about shoes and some kind of discount, waving about the three or four bags she had, but I wasn't listening.

We pass by an alley. I don't miss the two people hiding in the shadowy corner.

Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. This was exactly why I didn't want to go alone. If anything happened, I would stay behind to deal with it while whoever else I was with brought Hitch to safety. That was the damn plan.

A bottle clinked against the wall. I tightened my grip on my pocket knife.

"Leonhardt!" I jolted in shock, twirling around to see who had called me.

Jaeger?

"There you are! You little blonde bitch…" He muttered that last part under his breath, not softly enough, but before I can beat the shit out of him for it he walked right up to my face and stared me in the eyes.

"Look, I know you dislike me, and truthfully I'm not a big fan of you either. But the least you could do is send me the damn materials." He jabbed his finger harder in my general direction. "It's your grades too you know, and truthfully I don't want to fail just because you can't be bothered to send me instructions."

I inhaled.

And exhaled.

Inhaled.

And exhaled.

"You're right."

I would've laughed at his expression if every nerve in my body wasn't screaming at me to grab both of them and run or at least speedwalk away. "Oh, I-I am?"

I was still twitching, both from my desire to run and my desire to choke the life out of him, but I forced myself to calm down and walk normally, casually waving them forward. "I'll pass you them myself. Come on."

I trotted away, hearing them follow after me, trying to ignore the people I could see ducking back into the alleyways.