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Chapter 10- Raw

She had always been tall for her age, something Mikasa had resented as she grew into a young lady. Her alpha status already made her into an imposing figure and her height didn't help her attain a "girly" image either. Her preteen years had been awkward and unbecoming as she struggled with her femininity. She felt at a loss being taller and stronger than most boys.

She grew over the years and stood at a solid 5'8, something that only inspired confidence in her now. She no longer feared towering over people and rarely did her height pose her an issue anymore. In fact, as she stared down the glaring man in front of her, she reveled in the knowledge that she was some inches taller than him. Her usual black attire was accented with her trademark red scarf and a simple, thin, gold chain on her neck. She knew her stance was antagonizing the other alpha, which was rare in her case- she usually worked to maintain the peace.

She took a deep breath, shook the malicious intention she felt in the pit of her stomach, and extended her hand to the man.

"Mikasa Ackerman," she introduced herself, "I believe you've been dating my brother."

He was taken aback. He had been ready to throttle her had she been an aggressive alpha and he had felt some danger radiating from her. He knew that sense well. Here she was though, playing at courtesies. He looked at her hand in disdain. Behind him, another hand shot out and clasped onto Mikasa's. He felt the weight of the other man on his back.

"Erwin Smith," he smiled graciously and looked down at his partner, the pleasant expression twisting for a second before quickly transforming. "I apologize for Levi, meeting new people isn't exactly his forte."

Mikasa retracted her hand, "Well, he really should work on that."

"I agree," the blond replied. "May I ask you to join us for a cup of coffee, Ms. Ackerman?"

"No, I don't plan on staying much longer," she grimaced, "I came to tell you that whatever it is you're planning, whatever awful intention that you may harbor toward my brother, I will make your life hell. I know that's saying a lot for our first meeting but I'm exceptionally wary of two grown men, alphas, who take an interest in someone younger and who lacks any inexperience. I can't make you stay away from Eren but you should take what I've said into consideration if you actually do care even slightly for him. Don't toy with my brother." She bared her teeth at the smaller one but when she glanced at Erwin her instincts ran wild. His friendly demeanor had dropped, and his annoyance began to show.

"Thank you for those thought provoking words, Mikasa. However unnecessary they are, we know they came from a good place. If you'll excuse us," he held Levi by the shoulders and guided him around Mikasa. Levi bored holes into the side of Mikasa's head and she met his angry gaze and scoffed, turning and leaving. The air outside was a relief to the stifling shop. Eren was lucky she didn't hurt his new boyfriends even though she very badly wanted to do so. She walked to the side of the lot where her bike was parked. She put on her helmet and the revving of the cycle served to fuel the bitter fury inside her, nestled in her chest.

Eren was going to scold her but she had needed to see for herself who he was messing around with and she was glad she had. She didn't trust them and she sure as hell didn't want them around her brother.

When she finally arrived home, she heard Eren's yells through the front door. She sighed, this is gonna be a rough night.

He was angry. No, far beyond that at this point.

"WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS TAKING HER SIDE?" he screamed at his father. The blood in his head was so hot. He couldn't stop sweating, felt it run down the nape of his neck.

Apparently, in the time Mikasa had been gone Eren had decided to incite full on war with their father.

"Eren! Calm down, I understand you're angry with me but there's no need to take it out on Grisha," Mikasa tried to reason with him. Eren looked at her sourly and marched out of the living room, slamming the door to his room and locking it. How dare she? What gave her the right to come in and start giving him orders?

He was so pissed. He always hated Mikasa's protective side. Hated the inferior feeling it left him with and how it gnawed at him. Why can't she trust my choices?

He exhaled and buried his face in a pillow, slowly lulling himself to sleep. When he awoke, his head hurt slightly as if he had been crying but he knew he hadn't, at least not that he remembered. A knock on his door quickly reminded him of the recent events and he glowered.

"Eren."

"Go away."

"Please, don't be like this, open the door."

"No, go away."

"Eren."

He sighed and walked to the door, unlocking it and returning to his bed. He wrapped his sheets around himself and watched Mikasa as she walked in and sat at the foot of his bed.

"Dad told me you went off on him because Erwin texted you about our conversation and you wanted to come after me and he stopped you."

"He's always siding with you and you know it. This had nothing to do with you and yet you still go off and stick your nose in my business. I don't do that to you, Mikasa," he said, spitefully.

"Eren, I know to you I seem like a meddling big sister and you just want to get rid of me but you have to understand that you always do things so recklessly and that's frightening to me. Can you really fault me for wanting to make sure that the guys you're seeing aren't serial killers or something?" she spat back.

They held each other's gaze and came to a silent truce.

"Whatever," he said, smiling ruefully at her.

"There you go, you big baby," she ruffled his hair. "Eren, seriously though, you have to try to be nicer to Grisha. You can't blow up on him like that. It isn't healthy."

"You're treating him much better than he deserves! Why can't you see that? Are you just planning on ignoring how he left us?" he ranted and continued, "He left after our mother died; he didn't even try to stick around. I have so much pent up inside me, Mikasa. I can't keep acting like this is all fine. Were you not just as hurt as I was when he just left like that? If we don't tell him then he'll never know. We can keep acting like everything's all fucking dandy but then what? We'll wait around until the next time he leaves us? I need him to know, if there's any part of him that actually cares for us then I need him to. I don't wanna be like this anymore."

Mikasa looked pained, eyes blank as she reflected on his words. She hesitated before replying, "I haven't forgotten that he left, Eren. These past few years haven't been the easiest that's true but I've learned and grown enough to understand that there are some things people just can't deal with." She paused and looked at him, "Take me for example, I need my family more than anything. I lost one already and I don't want to lose another and if that means forgiving Grisha then so be it. People get hurt and when they do they need time to heal and if they aren't allowed that then they never really let themselves move on. You have to give him a chance, Eren, he's our father."

"So do we ever get a chance then? To not hurt like this anymore? Or do we have to keep it all in because apparently I'm a bad person for wanting so badly not to feel so hollow and abandoned all the time." Eren let out softly, his eyes downcast. "Levi and Erwin make me happy and it's exciting and I feel like you're trying to take that from me and that isn't fair because you don't know what it's like. You and Armin are so happy together, how could you possibly?

They sat there. Eren's final words still tingling on his lips and tongue. His mouth scrunched up in annoyance with himself. He always had to say the most harmful things. He felt a cool hand touch his left cheek and raise his face. He looked up at his sister and Mikasa pulled him in for a hug. "Oh, Eren, I'm sorry."

He burrowed his face into Mikasa's shoulder and held her tightly.