Okay, guys, sorry for the delay in updating! I decided last minute to add something to this chapter, and so I had to reread and edit the chapter like a thousand times. Hopefully it doesn't read too choppy.

Big, big thanks to Gokuu the Carrot, RachelGarfield12, and ivylous for your wonderful reviews! I'm very glad you liked the previous chapter because that was one of my faves, too!

The setting for this chapter is the night of their Choosing Ceremony, immediately after everyone officially joins the Survey Corps. It's a little long, but hopefully it'll be worth the long read.

Enjoy!

Of Angst, Ale and Allies

The moon was a sliver of white in the sky. There would be no moon in the sky the next day.

For today, it was bad enough. Mikasa pulled her cloak closer around herself and suppressed a shiver. Finally, after days of humidity fed by the Titans' steaming corpses, there was a cool breeze tonight. The change was welcome enough, but Mikasa hated the cold.

The murmur of voices still sounded behind her in the mess hall. She tried not to think of the louder babble that had filled the hall merely five days ago. More than half the people dining that evening were dead now.

For perhaps the hundredth time, she wondered what Eren was doing at that moment. She hoped he wasn't chained like before. She hoped they were feeding him well. She hoped that freakish midget of a soldier hadn't hurt him any more.

The trial came to her mind again, and automatically, her fingers clenched into fists. Even now, when she knew it was the best thing to do at the time, even now, she regretted not beating the living daylights out of that soldier, the so-called humanity's strongest, that short bloody Captain-

"Mikasa?"

She turned around, and saw Connie approach her, his short buzzcut gleaming in the light from the mess hall. She simply nodded and turned away again. She was in no mood for conversation.

"Hey, what're you doing here?" He looked around. "Where's Armin?"

Mikasa considered ignoring him. Then she realised Connie was the type of person who would keep pestering her until she responded. So she said, "He had a headache and went to bed early."

"Oh. Phew, I'm tired," he sighed and practically fell onto a crate next to her. "I feel like I haven't slept in days. Cleaning up debris is exhausting."

He talked about it so casually, in such a normal voice that Mikasa turned around to give him a talking-to. Her words died in her throat.

Connie was staring up at the starry sky, his eyes wide and dry, his mouth set in a small scowl. From this angle she could see that he had bags under his eyes. His hands were trembling.

She blinked rapidly, wondering what to say. She had never seen Connie look so forlorn.

The doors of the mess hall swung open and Sasha strode out, carrying a bunch of empty mugs. She sat down on the floor next to Connie and handed them both a mug without saying a word. This was hardly normal for Sasha, but she had been really, really quiet lately. Mikasa took her mug, but before she could ask for an explanation, the doors burst open again and Ymir and Krista walked out, each holding a pitcher.

"Right. We have to do this. None of you are abstaining," Ymir muttered and began to pour. When she handed Mikasa her mug back, she saw it was filled with something frothy.

"Ale?"

"Specially reserved for the Choosing Ceremony, no less."

Mikasa was still staring at the full pitcher in Krista's hands. Ymir noticed and shrugged. "They have plenty to go around. Overstocked, apparently."

No one needed to be told why. Mikasa stared at her mug for a long moment, before taking a tentative sip, to be polite. She found to her surprise that she liked it, despite the bitter taste.

They all drank in silence, until Connie suddenly perked up and let out a shout that made everyone wince. "Jean! Hey, Jean, over here!" He slid off his crate and began to wave madly, but Jean made no sign of having heard him and walked stiffly toward the sleeping quarters.

"Jean…?"

Mikasa placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let him go, Connie."

Connie hesitated for a moment, then sat back down. Silence descended upon them once again, until Ymir tossed back her drink and slammed her mug down next to Sasha. "Okay. This has gotta stop. We need to talk this out."

Krista let out a small sigh. "Ymir-"

"Shut up, babe, I know what I'm doing." She stood up and glared down at all of them. "What we saw, what we did needs discussing. We need to talk it out, let it all out. We've all made a fucking insane choice just now and we've got to get through this together."

Mikasa looked up at Ymir speculatively. She had never seen her this… sociable. Ymir, of course, noticed that, too. "Yeah, I know what you're thinking - 'why does this bitch care, when she never has before'? I'll tell you why, it's because we're all sailing in the same fucking boat right now, and I could do with some support." She glared at them as though daring them to laugh or disagree. None of them did. "Tell me, really, haven't you guys had enough of letting everything fester inside you and just moping your days away? 'Cos I am fucking tired of it."

Krista sniffed and turned to them. "Ymir is right, you guys. We're all going to be in the Survey Corps together and we need to get through this together, too."

Connie and Sasha exchanged glances and nodded sombrely. Then, as one, all of them turned to Mikasa. She suddenly felt like an interloper. "I should go to bed-"

"Sit your fine ass down, Mikasa," Ymir snapped. "And drink with us."

"Yeah, Mikasa."

"Yes, please stay!"

She wanted to leave so badly. She couldn't bear her friends' naiveté when she had been aware of the world's cruelty for years now. She couldn't make the effort to be a shoulder for them to cry on. It would be wrong. Their grief did not need -no, did not deserve her apathy.

"Please!"

On the other hand, the fuss she would have to create in order to leave would also be bad. And just as insensitive to their current grieving state. Unwilling, she nodded.

Ymir sighed. "Refills?"

They all handed her their mugs.

As she passed them their mugs back, Ymir said, "We should be drinking to something."

Connie let out a hollow chuckle. "Like what?"

"The Survey Corps?" Sasha said timidly. Her voice was so low Mikasa could barely hear it.

"Hah! To the Survey Corps it is, then!" They raised their glasses and took a sip. Mikasa's ale suddenly tasted more bitter than before.

Krista, who was staring at a fixed point on the floor, piped up, "I think we should drink to… what happened."

Sasha looked appalled. Connie's face was a frozen mask. Ymir rubbed her chin and muttered, "That's an idea. Okay, then." She slapped her thigh. "I want each of us to tell us the worst thing they saw. And we'll drink to it."

Mikasa flashed her steely gaze at them. "The 'worst'?"

Ymir shrugged.

"You want us to rank the things we saw?" Mikasa asked in a tight voice. Ymir's sneer melted.

Krista came to the rescue. "N -no! Just maybe… the first thing you think of. When you remember the battle of Trost, what is the first thing that comes to mind?"

She glanced nervously at each of them when none of them contradicted her. "Okay, I'll… I'll go first."

She took a deep breath. "Whenever I think of that day, I remember this building we ran past. This was when Eren was trying to move the rock…" She drew up her knees and hugged them. "I don't know what it was about the building, but I knew as soon as I saw that it was an orphanage." Mikasa's grip tightened on her mug. "I've spent my life in enough orphanages to know. It was empty, and I couldn't see any b-blood or anything, but the building was damaged…" She swallowed hard and finally looked up at them all. "Like I said, I've lived in orphanages. I know for a fact that children tend to be neglected. Children like us -them, I mean."

They were so quiet they could hear the chink of cutlery from inside the mess hall. "I know Trost had an evacuation plan in place, but I don't know for sure that they made it out in time." Tears slipped down her cheeks. "Everytime I think of what happened, I imagine what it would have been like if I was three years younger, if I was in that orphanage."

In the silence that followed, Ymir slipped her arm around Krista's shoulder and pulled her into a half-embrace. She raised her mug and said quietly, "To the children. The living and the dead."

They all raised their mugs. "The children," Mikasa murmured.

They all took long draughts, Ymir the longest of them all. "Alright," she stated, wiping her mouth with the arm around Krista's neck. "My turn."

She took a deep breath. "My moment's a lot more selfish, I'm afraid. Shouldn't surprise you, huh, being the bitch that I am." Krista looked up into her freckled face. "Ymir," she said gently.

Ymir withdrew her arm and chuckled shakily. "A Titan nearly bit me in half. Damned stupid, reckless mistake." Krista clapped her hands to her mouth. Connie's jaw dropped and Sasha slopped some ale over herself by mistake. Only Mikasa remained impassive, and only Mikasa could see how dead Ymir's eyes were at that moment. It was as though she was looking into a mirror: dead eyes were painfully familiar to Mikasa.

"A Garrison soldier distracted it. I don't even know who he was, I didn't even see his face, just the roses on his jacket." Ymir took a swig of her drink. "It got him. He didn't even have to help, it was so pointless." When no one said anything for a long time, she muttered, "That's it. I remember his stupid jacket every time-"

This time, Krista pulled her into a hug. Mikasa raised her drink. "To the Garrison."

"The Garrison," they mumbled and drank. Ymir kept drinking until she emptied the mug.

As she poured herself another drink, Connie spoke up. "My turn, I guess." He ran a hand over his nearly-bald head. "I just remember this thing I saw… it's pretty gross." When no one stopped him, he continued, "This was when we were leading that Rogue Titan -er, Eren, I guess." He scratched his head again. "When Mikasa, Armin and I were trying to reach the Supply Depot. I just happened to see it." He paused. "One of the Titans that Mikasa took down, I saw its… foot. The sole of its foot, actually. I saw a jacket…" Sasha gagged and put her drink down forcefully. Mikasa, on the other hand, suddenly saw the appeal in downing her drink.

Connie was clenching the edge of the crate he sat on so hard, his knuckles were white. "It wasn't roses, it was crossed swords."

Ymir raised her drink so high and so fast some of it spilled over. Her voice was louder. "To the 104th."

Sasha and Krista were crying. "The 104th."

Then Sasha began speaking before anyone else could. "Mine isn't from the battle, it's… after." She sniffed. "The day after. I found Franz and Hanna."

"Oh my god." Krista breathed. Ymir, who was in the midst of refilling everyone's mugs (they were now on the second pitcher), paused.

"Franz was…" Sasha made a swiping motion across her abdomen and Mikasa felt sick. No further explanation was needed. "And Hanna. I think -I think she killed herself."

The silence that followed was the most potent yet. Then Ymir muttered, "What."

"She had a stab wound, and there was a blade and she was right next to him and I didn't…" Sasha broke down completely and buried her face in her hands.

Mikasa remembered Franz and Hanna from their training days, how they had always been together almost from the very beginning, she remembered Franz hugging Hanna before they were sent out to die, she remembered his calm voice telling her, "I'll protect you…"

"To our comrades," her friends murmured, and Mikasa joined in belatedly.

Franz and Hanna, the annoying married couple, together even in death, just like her parents-

"Mikasa?"

She was startled into awareness. Krista looked apologetic. "It's your turn."

Mikasa looked into her mug, where only a few dregs of her drink were left. "The thing I remember first and foremost," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully, "is something you were all there for." She paused, wondering if she'd dare make the admission, if her friends would judge her for it. As if they sensed her hesitation, they all somehow seemed encouraging, even Ymir.

She took a deep breath and plunged in. "When I think of the battle of Trost, I always think of Armin first. On the rooftop, when he announced the death of his squad."

Mikasa felt compelled to justify herself, because hers was hardly as terrible as the others' and Eren did end up being alive… but then Ymir surprised her by nodding. "That was horrible." Krista nodded, too. "I think that was the first time it really hit us. Just how bad the situation was."

An overwhelming urge to cry overcame Mikasa. They were right, it was horrible, and she never wanted to see Armin like that or hear him speak like that again, never wanted to feel that all-consuming numbness…

Krista raised her mug. "To the 34th squad."

Mikasa was touched she remembered the squad number. "The 34th," they all mumbled, except for Ymir, who fairly shouted the words. They all finished their drinks, which wasn't much for Mikasa since her mug was nearly empty.

Ymir suppressed a burp and snatched up the second pitcher, which was already half-empty. "Now, my sad little warts, I have a proposal to make as to our next step. We spoke of our worst memories. Now I want you all to share one hopeful or courageous action from the battle. Anything. Something that, well, gave you hope."

They all exchanged stunned glances and the mood imperceptibly shifted. Mikasa could see where this was going, and she approved, though she didn't say it out loud. "Krista, my love, you go first," Ymir drawled as she emptied the contents of the pitcher into their five mugs.

Krista started. "Oh! For me, um, the most hopeful moment was when Eren plugged that hole in the wall." Sasha and Connie nodded vigorously, and Ymir cackled. "Ah, Krista, Krista," she wagged her finger at her. "You stole Mikasa's moment!"

Mikasa directed a glare at the freckled girl, who laughed. "Ooh. If looks could kill!"

She was strongly tempted to tell her off, but saw that Ymir was swaying slightly next to Krista. She's drunk, Mikasa realised.

"To Eren!" Ymir crowed and they all repeated after her, though much more sedately.

"Mikasa," Krista said anxiously, "Eren plugging the hole brought courage to all of us. I hope you don't mind I-"

"Of course not," Mikasa interrupted her. "I understand." She truly did. Eren, her family, had now become humanity's last, brightest hope. She didn't know yet if that made her happy or sad.

"Well, then, how about I tell you which self-serving moment made me want to sing with fucking joy?" Ymir managed to enunciate.

Connie snickered. "Go for it, Ymir."

"I'll tell you. Fucking judge me if you want. But I swear, the moment Krista and I made it over the wall was the best fucking thing that happened to me that day. Fuck, the relief."

Connie nodded vigorously. "Nah, we get you. Best moment of the day had to be when we got to safety." He turned to each of them. "Right? Right?"

Sasha managed to smile. "Yes."

Krista had a watery smile on her face too. "To safety." Ymir slipped an arm around her again. "And to luck!"

Mikasa, who couldn't relate, but understood, raised her glass. "To safety and to luck."

"Connie my man, you're up!"

Connie didn't even pause to think. "Oh, for me it has to be the moment I first saw Captain Levi in action!" He whistled. "Did you see him move? Fuck, that dude is insane, man."

Sasha actually giggled. "I know! He's so amazing, isn't he, Mikasa?"

Mikasa grit her teeth. "His skills are like nothing I've ever seen before," she admitted. She was fair, if nothing else.

"To Captain Levi!" Ymir yelled, and Connie whooped loudly. Mikasa simply raised her glass without saying anything, but luckily no one noticed.

"Sash! You're next!" Connie was bouncing up and down in his seat. It looked like Ymir wasn't the only drunk one amongst them.

Sasha seemed to have decided on her moment, too. "Well, honestly… for me, the most courageous and hopeful thing I saw was… Mikasa."

Mikasa nearly slopped some of her ale over the edge of her mug. "What?" Heat crept up her cheeks.

"When you took down that Titan in the Supply Depot for me, that was… amazing. I could've died there."

Connie managed to look serious. "Yeah, that was pretty close. And even when you, Armin and I were making our way to the Supply Depot… you did damn good, Mikasa."

Ymir grinned. "Doesn't surprise me. Our girl's got skills."

Mikasa could only bury her face in her scarf to hide her blush. She was perfectly aware of her own strengths, but this… awe bothered her. It wasn't right, not on her friends' (even Ymir's) faces .

"To Mikasa!" Her friends cheered, and she didn't know where to look.

"Aw, look, she's actually modest!"

"Ymir, lay off her." Krista scolded her.

"Aww, don't be jealous, babe. Sure, Mikasa's pretty but I've only got eyes for you... "

"Ymir!"

Ymir simply responded by smacking a loud, wet kiss on Krista's golden head.

"Alright, Ymir's getting indecent. I'm out." Connie tried to get up to leave their circle, but Ymir caught his arm with her claw-like fingers.

"Indecent? What we've got is pure, and don't you diss on it, you bald fuck. Besides, it's Mikasa's turn."

Connie didn't seem fazed by Ymir's language. "Oh right!" He said cheerfully leaned back on his crate. "Go, Mikasa!"

Mikasa frowned. She honestly didn't know what to say -so many of the moments she remembered from that day were tinged with the horror. She wondered how her friends seemed to cast their grief off so easily. Did they not feel as deeply as she felt? Or perhaps she simply didn't know how to let go, how to move past things.

If Armin were here, he'd know what to say. Both to her, and to her friends.

And suddenly, she knew what to say.

"Since we're already drinking to particular people," Mikasa began carefully, "I would like to drink to Armin. He was brave and smart and saved my life multiple times that day."

Again, none of them mocked her or laughed at her for her choice. They simply raised their glasses, each of them smiling in their own characteristic manner, and said, "To Armin."

Ymir drained her glass and slammed it down. "Well. You guys feel better now?"

Everyone nodded and she clapped her hands together. "Mission fucking accomplished. My work here is done. Come on, Krista." She stood up, and then tottered dangerously.

Krista was next to her in a flash. "You most certainly are done! Come on, off to bed."

Clearly their little get-together was over. They all got to their feet as well -and Connie sat down immediately.

"Wow." He muttered. "How are you guys dealing with the spinning?"

Sasha rolled her eyes and pulled him to his feet again. Immediately, his eyes rolled upwards and he began to to fall. Luckily, Mikasa caught him under one shoulder while Sasha held the other. Together, they set off toward the sleeping quarters.

Krista glanced at them over her shoulder and giggled. "Can you believe these lightweights?" Ymir mumbled something incoherent which they all ignored.

"Are you sure you don't want help with Ymir?" Sasha called out.

"No, I'm used to this," Krista said calmly. She did not seem even slightly affected by all the alcohol she had imbibed. And with only a semi-functional Ymir to deal with, she quickly outstripped them.

Mikasa turned to Sasha. "Are you used to alcohol as well?"

Sasha laughed. "Honestly, yes. We used to drink back at home. We brewed our own fruit wines and liquors, you know. Did wonders in winter, when the alcohol warmed you against the cold." She grunted and adjusted Connie's weight. "We never drank enough to get drunk, of course. Father would've whipped our skins off our back. No, I guess I just drank enough to build up some resistance over the years."

"I see."

"What about you, Mikasa? You seem fine, too."

She did feel fine. The alcohol had somehow made her feel light, made it easier for her to breathe, somehow. But other than that, she was as lucid and in control as ever.

"I don't know. That was my first time."

"Really?" Sasha looked impressed. "You're a natural."

Mikasa didn't know what to say to that, so they walked for sometime in silence. Until-

"Mikasa?"

She stopped abruptly and turned around at the very familiar voice. A tall man rapidly approached them from the shadows.

"Mr. Hannes," she said, relaxing her taut muscles.

"It is you." Mr. Hannes was smiling, but he frowned when he saw Connie limp between the two of them. "Is he alright?"

"Oh, he just had a drop too much to drink," Sasha tittered nervously. Mikasa was amused at Sasha's nervousness -Mr. Hannes was clearly a higher ranked military official, but to her he was always the young, drunk, foolhardy soldier from Shiganshina.

Mr. Hannes' brow cleared. "Oh, heh. First time, eh. Poor kid."

"Yes," Mikasa said, suddenly at a loss for words, highly aware of Sasha's presence.

Sasha seemed to get the mood, though. She said quickly, "Well, I think I can manage from here, Mikasa. I'll get him to bed safe and sound."

Mikasa was relieved but didn't show it. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, yeah. I've carried sacks of potatoes heavier than him, no problem."

"Okay, then. Good night."

"See you in the morning!"

Mikasa nodded at Sasha's awkward wave and watched her drag Connie away gracelessly.

Mr. Hannes waited until Sasha was out of earshot. "Was it your first time drinking too?"

Mikasa nodded and was surprised when he laughed.

"Of course you can handle your drink! I wouldn't expect anything else from you, Mikasa."

She didn't know what to say to that. He grinned at her. "So? Did you like it?"

"The alcohol?" She shrugged. "It wasn't too bad."

"Natural-born drinker, you are!" He laughed again. Then, watching Sasha's diminishing back, he said, not unkindly, "Looks like you've made friends, then."

Mikasa smiled slightly. "Looks like it."

Mr. Hannes ruffled her head lightly. "Good. That's good for you, Mikasa."

Her cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink. Somehow, inexplicably, she felt like she had made Mr. Hannes proud by just making new friends.

"So where's our little scholar?"

"In the barracks."

"I figured. Come on, let's draw him out."

Mikasa fell into step easily with Mr. Hannes and she was suddenly struck by how quickly time had passed. She remembered having to walk faster, almost run, to keep up with Mr. Hannes.

"How have you been?" Mr. Hannes asked her at one point.

Mikasa hitched up her scarf. "Okay, I think."

"Mm. It's been a hell of a week."

"Yes."

"You… you hear from Eren?" He asked her carefully.

"No." She clutched her scarf tightly. "He only left today."

"I heard."

They spoke nothing else until they reached the barracks. A few people looked askance at Mikasa when she entered the boys' quarters, but no one questioned her, not with Mr. Hannes at her side. They found Armin poring over his notes from Training camp. He jumped to his feet at the sight of them and rushed to Mr. Hannes with an almost normal smile on his face.

Highly aware of the curious glances from the other boys in the dorm, they went back outside to talk. Both Mikasa and Armin were clearly morose, and quiet as a result, after recent events. Mr. Hannes immediately set about to try and draw them out of their shells. He asked after their wellbeing and started to make his characteristic lame jokes.

It worked, and soon, the three of them were sniggering madly at his stupid statements. Even Mikasa's poker face broke, helped no doubt by the alcohol she had recently imbibed.

"All packed?" Mr. Hannes asked Armin as they quietened and sat down on the steps of the building.

Armin shrugged. "I guess. There isn't a lot to pack anyway."

"True." Mr. Hannes sighed and leaned back on a stair. "So. Survey Corps, eh?"

Both Mikasa and Armin nodded.

"I'd tell you to not follow Eren blindly but…"

"It's too late now," Mikasa deadpanned.

Armin shook his head. "We're not following him blindly, Mr. Hannes. This is our own choice as much as his."

Mr. Hannes sighed. "It didn't seem like he was given a choice anyway."

Armin and Mikasa exchanged glances. "You were at the trial?"

Mr. Hannes nodded. "It was the most leverage I could pull, being a man of my humble standing." He chuckled humorlessly. "They didn't let me see him in holding, though."

"They didn't let us either," Armin admitted.

He looked surprised. "So you two haven't seen him since-"

"No," Mikasa sighed, burying her face in her scarf again. God, she missed Eren.

"Did the Commander speak to you?"

"Commander Erwin Smith?" Armin perked up. "No. Did he speak to you?"

Mr. Hannes nodded uncomfortably. "Yes. Wanted to talk about Eren."

"What did he want?" Mikasa snapped.

Mr. Hannes raised his hands defensively. "Whoa, easy there, Mikasa. He just wanted to know about Eren's childhood."

"And he couldn't ask us that?" She fumed. She trusted the Commander of the Survey Corps as little as she did the midget Captain.

"Mikasa, he would've wanted to know how Eren could have got the Titan power," Armin said gently. "We were children, we wouldn't have known."

"But Eren already told them about Uncle Grisha-"

There was a sudden pause.

"Grisha did that to Eren?" Mr. Hannes asked, eyes widening.

Armin said slowly, "Eren remembers very little, but he remembers Dr. Jaeger injecting him with something."

"Bloody hell." Mr. Hannes looked stunned. "I would never have thought…"

"None of us did. Least of all Eren."

Mr. Hannes still looked shocked. Both Mikasa and Armin waited for him to say something but the silence stretched on.

"...Mr. Hannes ?"

"Hmm?" Mr. Hannes jumped violently, as though he had forgotten he was with them.

"Are you alright?"

He looked at Mikasa and Armin's concerned faces. Then he sighed. "No. I don't think any of us will be, for a while." He gazed across the barracks' courtyard, the buzz of soldiers milling about greatly reduced from before. "I thought the world had turned into hell five years ago but now it only seems like the beginning…"

He shook his head and stood up. "Well. Let's not dwell on it. I just came to see you two before you left for the Survey Corps headquarters in the morning." He smiled down at them. "Also wanted to say I'm proud of both of you. When you see him, tell Eren I'm proud of him, too."

Mikasa felt on the verge of tears again. Armin looked just as overwhelmed. "Thank you, Mr. Hannes."

Mr. Hannes smiled warmly at them. "Keep each other safe. And stay alive." With which final words he turned away and trotted down the stairs.

"You too!" Armin yelled after him. Mr. Hannes waved at them without turning. They watched him disappear into the darkness in silence.

"I wish Eren had got to speak to him," Armin sighed.

"Mm," she agreed.

Armin squirmed. "Mikasa… Are you scared?"

She looked at him, surprised. "What?"

"Tomorrow, we'll be going to the Survey Corps headquarters. We'll be facing Titans again. There's no turning back." He looked away. "Doesn't that scare you?"

She pondered for a moment. "No. I'll get to be with Eren. That's all that matters."

"Of course." Armin sighed. "I'm scared," he admitted, looking ashamed.

"That's alright," Mikasa said gently. "Almost everyone else is."

He hugged his knees. "You and Eren aren't like everyone else."

Mikasa blinked. Did he still doubt himself, after everything he'd done in the battle of Trost?

Armin had done so much that day. He had swept her out of the way of Eren's fight with one of the Titans. He had come up with the plan to lure Eren to the Supply Depot. He had come up with the plan at the Supply Depot. He had convinced the Garrison to not kill Eren. He had come up with the plan to plug the hole. He had brought Eren out of his stupor in his Titan form.

How did he not see how much he'd accomplished? As much as Eren, if not more… It suddenly occurred to her that both her boys had grown so much and been so strong on that day. Her own physical strength was nothing, nothing compared to them.

"Do you know we just drank to you?"

His head shot up, startled. "What?"

She told him about their drinking session.

Armin shook his head, but she was glad to see a small smile. "That's not… I didn't do anything more than all the others…"

"Yes. Nor did I." Mikasa remembered something Connie said. "Nevertheless," she said with something close to a grin, "you did damn good."

Armin laughed lightly. "You should get drunk more often."

"I'm not drunk," she snapped.

"Sure." He stood up, and before she could see it coming, ruffled her hair. "Go to bed, Mikasa." He beamed at her, the same sunny smile he had once given her when she had rescued his book from his bullies. "Good night."

"Good night, Armin."

The night was still cold, the sky still moonless. Trost still burned in the afterglow of their battle, and death still lurked around every corner. Mina Carolina and Hanna's beds were still empty.

But she was fine. She had Eren's warm scarf, Mr. Hannes and Armin's warm smile, her friends' warm support. She had the alcohol warming her blood.

She was fine.

A/N: First things first, Mikasa really isn't drunk. I like to think she's like Levi in that aspect - they just don't get drunk. That doesn't mean she can't feel the (mild) effects of alcohol at least!

I struggle so much to write conversations that involve more than two people... *sigh* I hope the entire drinking sesh flows well and it doesn't sound too monotonous and formulaic.

Hannes was the person I added last minute, I suddenly realised I really wanted Mikasa to interact with him as well, since he is also an important part of their lives. And his segment was added so belatedly, I hope his character came out well enough and his dynamic with Mikasa felt fairly established.

I love Ymir. She swears, she a total lightweight, and she gay af. I frickin' adore her.

Last but not the least, I suck at namling things. :/ Hopefully the chapter title isn't too bad.

Let me know how you feel about this chapter, and thanks again for the appreciation so far!