Hey guys, sorry for the wait! In case you missed it, I updated the older chapters a bit. If you've been around since the start I suggest you at least read the new version of chapter 10, if you haven't already. Now, please enjoy!
Chapter 11
Annie sat next to Mikasa, feeling awkward since this was the first time she joined her friends at their table. And they sure were noisy for a Saturday morning.
Trying to listen to their conversations while slapping Sasha's hand away when it came to close to her food, was quite tiring.
She sighed as she brought her coffee to her mouth, and felt Mikasa taking her other hand below the surface of the table. She squeezed lightly before letting go, shooting a quick glance around the table.
Half an hour after they finished breakfast they all gathered at the lake. Shadis glared at the teens until they quieted down before speaking.
"Today will be a bit more adventurous. In groups of six you will build a raft to carry you across the lake. Once you get there, pull your raft up shore, we don't want them floating around for no reason.. There will be several boxes waiting for you. Chose one, it will contain your lunch and information about your next task.
"Hanji and Petra will be there as well, in case you have any questions. Levi and I will stay here to help out building rafts, as well as mister Jeremy." He gestured to a short man with brown hair, who nodded to the group. "He is an expert on building rafts, but you should try to figure it out without his help. But for your own safety, let him check your work before you float away. Now, get to work."
"Yay, a group of six." Annie muttered sarcastically.
"Oh, come on, it'll be fun." Mikasa said and dragged her along.
They were joined by Eren, Armin, Sasha and Connie. The materials lay to the side, logs, empty barrels and rope.
Armin muttered under his breath, trying to figure out which construction would be best. After he decided he told the others to tie some logs together, enough so they could all sit on it. Then ad barrels below each end so it could carry them.
Jeremy past their raft of as "That should work out nicely." And handed them some oars.
"This isn't enough for all of us, who's going to row?" Eren asked.
The oars were snatched out of his hands and Sasha jumped on the raft. "Lunch, here I come!"
"Sasha! Wait!" The others quickly followed, and they sped off as fast as the raft would let them.
The lake was large. Very large. Especially to a hungry Sasha. She had used up most of her energy by the time they were halfway. She handed her oar to Armin and slumped against him.
"What time is it?"
"Eleven." She groaned and closed her eyes.
"I thought this would happen." Connie said. "I took a chocolate bar with me." Before he even reached his pocket, Sasha was unwrapping the paper.
"Thank you, Connie!" she exclaimed and pecked him on his cheek.
His hand went up to the place where she kissed him and he blushed as he watched her eat.
"Sure, let us row while you two get all lovey-dovey." Eren commented.
"Hey!" Connie turned around to scowl at him. "Just because you're too chicken to ask Mikasa out doesn't give you the right to be a dick!"
"What?!" Eren shouted, his back towards his adoptive sister.
"Don't be ridiculous, we're family." Mikasa said.
"Not by blood." Connie retorted.
"But he is by heart. My sweet troublemaker of a brother." She patted him on the head.
"Mikasa!" he waved her hand away.
The others laughed and turned their attention back to the front. Gathering courage in the fact that no one was looking Annie leaned to Mikasa.
"Don't worry, you can pat my head all you want when we get back to our cabin."
"I'm sure I'll do more than just that." She smiled.
Annie blushed and shifted her gaze to the water. "Thanks for getting my imagination to go crazy." She mumbled.
At long last they reached land, and Sasha ran dramatically to the boxes. "Finally!" she shouted. While the rest of the group dragged the raft to the grass, Hanji walked up to Sasha.
"No more than one box for your whole group. I'm watching you."
After they filled their bellies they opened the package that was also concluded in the box.
There was a letter, a pencil, a compass and a map of the property.
"Our souvenir shop has reported several missing items. Figurines of a bear and a wolf, a decorated wooden box and a rainbow flag. If you go east from here you will find some rocks with faces painted on them, there you will find a clue to which direction you need to go next. After that you will need to cross a bridge and continue north. Once the path comes to an end your treasure should be in sight."
Armin opened the map and placed the compass next to it.
"There are a few rocks shown on the map in that direction. Let's go."
After a twenty minute walk through the forest they found the rocks, and started searching the ground for clues.
"I'm not finding anything guys." Eren sighed after a few minutes.
"Yeah, me neither." Armin said.
Sasha leaped onto the rocks. "Maybe we just need to change our point of view."
"Good idea!" Connie said and joined her.
The others looked up at them expectantly. The brunette looked down and smiled.
"One hand isn't much for all the faces on this rock, but it's enough for us. That way!" She pointed forwards and jumped off.
Connie looked down and saw a pointing hand drawn on the surface of the rock. "Yeah, let's go!" he said and jumped off after her.
A long walk later they came across a river, it wasn't very wide, but still big enough to need a bridge to cross it. Due to the lack of clear marks on the map they had to search for a while before they found it.
"North until the path comes to an end…" Armin said, remembering the instructions. "They say that but there isn't really a path in that direction."
"They probably scattered some leaves to make our search harder. You know, since we are the most awesome group there is." Eren said. He walked of, the others shrugged and followed.
Five minutes later they came to a stop, they stood at the edge of a rock, the forest floor beginning anew at least two meters below them, the sound of a waterfall in the distance.
"So I suppose this is the end of our path, but where is our treasure?" Armin said while checking the map one last time.
"There!" Connie said, pointing to a spot in a tree a few meters away from them.
"Leave it to me." Sasha said and leaped off the rock, grabbing on to the tree and climbing up. The flag was wrapped around a branch, and stained in green and brown it was clear it had spent a lot of time in the forest. She found the box stuck between two branches, the figurines inside it.
Sasha placed the box in the middle of the flag and wrapped the fabric securely around it so she would only need one hand to hold it.
Carefully she climbed closer to the rock where the others stood. She jumped and landed messily amidst them.
"All right, let's go back and enjoy the rest of the day by doing nothing."
When they arrived at their starting point they weren't the first. Reiner saw Sasha carrying the rainbow flag, holding it behind her back with her arms spread.
"Hey Braus, I didn't know you were gay!" he said.
"Oh, didn't you know? I've had a crush on Mikasa ever since she kicked your ass that day in our first year." She joked and put an arm around Mikasa's shoulder.
Annie's death stare went unnoticed by the laughing teens, and after they handed their items to Jeremy, Shadis said they were free the rest of the day.
Sasha and Connie stayed outside to hang out with Reiner, the others went back to their cabin.
Annie flopped down on the bed, tired from walking all day. Mikasa sat on the edge of her own bed and eyed her girlfriend silently, until a smile spread across her face.
"Annie." She said in a playful voice.
The blonde lifted her head, warily at her tone. "What?"
"Remember that bet you made?" she continued.
"Uh, yes." Annie said, now sitting up.
Mikasa beckoned her with her finger, and the blonde hesitantly made her way to the other bed. She was just about to sit down as Mikasa shook her head and patted her lap, that playful smile still on her lips. Annie's heartbeat sped up as she looked into her girlfriends dark eyes.
"Kiss me." Mikasa said while wrapping her arms around Annie's waist.
The blonde placed a slow kiss on her lips, and all her thoughts melted away when their tongues met. She didn't even notice when the taller girl lowered her to the bed.
Mikasa pulled back, just enough to separate their lips. Annie looked up at her with foggy eyes.
"Now, tell me, how exactly did you fall for me?" Mikasa whispered.
Annie had to blink a few times before answering. "How? You're just so damn perfect, that's how."
Mikasa chuckled and gave her a kiss. "Define perfect."
"Um… you are strong, I've never met anyone who's been able to compete with me before. You learn so fast, and everything you do you do with grace, beauty. You make everything look so easy, it makes you seem unreachable." Annie smiled. "But when you are new at something and fail, you blush in the cutest way. And you're always there for me, sometimes knowing even better than myself what I need. And you're so beautiful. I get lost in your eyes, and every time you smile, my heart skips a beat." She stroked Mikasa's cheek, slightly embarrassed by how much she'd said.
"I love you, Annie." They kissed again, longer this time. As they broke apart they rolled onto their side.
"And what about you, what made you fall for me?" Annie asked.
Mikasa smiled shyly before answering. "Actually, I always found you attractive. Sure, we butt heads a lot, but something about you just caught my interest. And when I was over at your place the first time, I recognized so much of myself in you. Caring for you just came naturally. Every day with you was so much fun, and next thing I knew I was always thinking of you. I just feel like I belong with you. And I'm so, so happy you feel the same. I love you so much."
"I love you too, Mikasa."
I felt like I made Sasha too much about food in the first part, I hope I made up for it. Also, if any of you think I should change the rating, please let me know! I hope it was worth the wait, and I'll try to finish the next chapter sooner.