"Get in the damn car now, Mikasa."

"Levi wasn't kidding. Mikasa knew it; but she wasn't willing to give in.

Just as she didn't expected her brother would find her walking through one of the Shiganshina streets while driving his police patrol, just before she arrived at the train station to return to Trost.

"Ah! Levi, let go, you're hurting me!" she yelled. Mikasa had always been strong, but Levi was stronger, so she couldn't get away from him easily.

"I said get in the damn car," he roared, his voice raspy. She clenched her jaw, looking at him fiercely.

"Fine!" the girl exclaimed, frowning. Levi released her when she came down from the sidewalk, still looking at her severely, while Mikasa's eyes remained fixed on his, full of fury.

When his sister got into the car, Levi picked up the small wheeled suitcase she was carrying and put it in the trunk.

A minute later, the captain started his vehicle, knowing Mikasa wouldn't speak the first.

"So you came to Shiganshina and you weren't going to say a single word to me?" he claimed while driving. She looked out the window, arms folded and frowning as much as she could.

There was silence. Levi waited a few seconds.

"I'll miss the train to Trost, so let me get outta here ..."

"I don't give a shit if you miss the train; you won't go anywhere. Now, answer me what I asked." More silence. Levi sighed; It had always been difficult to talk to Mikasa. "I want you to know that the longer you take to answer me, the longer it will take you to go to Trost, so speak, or you won't leave Shiganshina today, Mikasa."

"Tch." she murmured, without looking at him. "I wasn't going to say anything, just as you didn't ask me before taking Kenny to our home."

"Good Lord, give me patience." Levi sighed, clenching teeth. "Mikasa, I don't have to explain my actions to you."

"No, you don't have to, and neither do I. I've got to go now." Mikasa bent to open the passenger seat door; but Levi guessed her intentions and was faster than her, holding her arm tightly.

"You're not going anywhere, rude brat!" Levi shouted, quite pissed, locking the doors before stopping the car. "Behave as the adult and reasonable person you are supposed to be, and understand once and for all nothing is as you think it is!" Levi was obviously annoyed. She was looking at him now, somewhat dazed. It had been a long, long time since the last time her older brother yelled at her like that. "The world is not only black and white, Mikasa. There are also grays, and you must mature and understand that."

He released her. She massaged her wrist to relief the pain. Neither of them said anything for a minute; Levi snorted and hit the steering wheel.

"Family is family." he continued a while later, trying to calm himself down. "Whether you want it or not, Kenny is our uncle; he made mistakes and he paid for them, but now he's an old man who can't stand on his own and needs us, can you understand that?"

"What I can understand is that we've never been family to him, otherwise, he wouldn't have done what he did. I don't care if he made mistakes and if he already paid them or not. I want him miles away from me. He may be your uncle, but he's not mine."

"Sure. Let's do a DNA test and see if he is or not. What do you think Dad would have done with him, despite his mistakes? Think, Mikasa: do you think Samuel Ackerman would have left his brother homeless?"

Mikasa looked out the window again, while Levi awaited for her response.

"No. But Kenny didn't mind leaving us with nothing." she answered in a cold voice tone. Her older brother sighed again.

"And do you think I forgot it? But I can't spend the rest of my life thinking about that, Mikasa."

Silence settled over them. Mikasa crossed her arms again.

"Great." she murmured sarcastically. Levi turned off the car engine.

"If you have something to say, say it now. Don't keep it for yourself; It's time to spit it out."

Mikasa sighed, but still didn't look at him.

"It's unbelievable. Nasty unbelievable that the best cop in Shiganshina is so naive and has let his uncle trick him; his criminal uncle who just got out of jail."

Levi put his fist to his lips and clenched his jaw. He had to cool himself down or Mikasa was going to freak him out.

"Fine. I won't try to explain a single fucking thing to you because it's useless. I think you should learn a couple of lessons before you understand that the world doesn't revolve around you, Mikasa. I'll tell you this way: Kenny stays with us, period." Levi took a breath before talking again. "I give you a couple of tips, brat: learn that not everything is how you want it to be, and learn to trust other people's decisions, no matter how absurd they may seem. If you don't have a better solution to offer, it's better to keep silent. Is it clear?"

Levi started the car again. His sister wasn't going to look at him.

"I hope your confidence in him is worth it." she muttered. Levi could barely hear her; Then he snorted.

"I don't trust him. But I have no choice. Don't take me for a fool, Mikasa; You know I'm not."

"Well, it doesn't look like it." the girl mumbled.

"What did you say?" Levi's voice became harsh and threatening again. Mikasa cleared her throat.

"I said: take me to the station. I'm two minutes from missing the train."

Levi frowned and snorted.

"I don't give a shit." He said, changing his way on the road. Mikasa noticed and leaned forward, watching the road in front of them with a gesture of unpleasant surprise.

"Levi! I'm going to miss the train!"

"And I said I don't give a shit." he replied, with this bitch resting face Mikasa hated, because it meant that she had to do what he said without the right to refuse.

"Where are you taking me to?" she demanded. He increased the speed but didn't say a word. "Levi! Where are you taking me to?!"

"Hanji wants to see you, that's for sure. Isabel and Farlan are visiting at home, and they'll be happy to see you too, no doubt. You'll also talk to Kenny ..."

"What the fuck ...? No! I won't do that!" she exclaimed, pissed, almost jumping from her seat. His older brother nodded.

"You know why you will, Mikasa? Not because Kenny deserves it, but because I'm going to teach you how to stop being a spoiled brat and let you know there are times when you have to swallow your damn pride."

"But ... Levi! No ... You know what? You're not Dad or Mom! Don't pretend to be like them and stop giving me orders!" the girl grumbled, clenching her fists until her nails were buried in her hands, making her bleed. But she wouldn't notice until a while later.

"I'm not Dad or Mom, but I raised you when they passed away. So close that shitty mouth and don't open it again the rest of the way." the captain made that face Mikasa hated again. She stared at him for a few seconds, flushed with anger. That death glare would have worked with anyone else, but not with Levi; He knew her well, and she knew him. Mikasa knew there was nothing that would make him give in.

And Levi knew that his younger sister would have burned half the world in that instant if she could.

There was nothing more to say.

Well, at least she wouldn't have to go back to Trost by train. Levi was going to pay her the plane ticket after everything that had happened.

"Eren! You're here!"

Faye's little voice was the first thing Eren heard when he opened the Jaeger's house front door. The boy dropped his suitcases when he saw her running towards him, lifting her up in his arms, while the child hugged him tightly. Eren felt an overwhelming heat in the pit of his stomach, the comforting warmth of returning home and seeing his family safe. It was the first time he felt something like that, and tears hit his eyes, but he didn't let them out.

He had had angsty nightmares after hearing about Mikasa's past, and he thought they wouldn't stop until he saw his parents and his sister again.

"Yeah yeah. Here I am, Smurfette." he replied, taking her down.

"Did you bring me something from Shiganshina? Please, say you did." Faye said, jumping on her feet. Eren wrinkled his face.

"Hey, let me in, ok? Rude brat. If you don't leave me alone, I won't give you shit ... Mom." Eren was interrupted to see Carla join them in the lobby. She smiled at her son, while the housekeeper took the boy's suitcases to his room. Eren stayed silent, unable to move from his place, recreating some scaring images in his head; then he felt a strange stinging in his eyes and a huge desire to hug her.

And he did, to Carla's surprise, who hugged him back. Her son had grown a lot, she knew it; but it wasn't until he hold her tight that she knew how much he had shot up. Eren was taller now than she was, but when she looked into his eyes, she knew that he was still that boy she had given birth to almost twenty years ago. She stroked his face standing on her tiptoes so she could kiss his cheek.

Eren hold his tears to smile at her with the same sweetness as when he was a child. No one could deny that this boy was the spitting image of his mother.

"And what's this? First you call me mom and then you hug me ... Well, I think today's gonna be a weird day," the woman scoffed, her hand in her mouth to hold her laugh. Eren rolled his eyes, because of Carla's gesture and because Faye was pulling his pants to force him to give her his gift. However, he couldn't stop smiling.

"Geez, is that I can't even do this one day because everyone freaks their shit out?"

"No, I'll just freak out if you don't shave that pathetic mustache and beard you're trying to grow. And cut that hair, please, Eren. If you love your mother a bit, cut your hair and watch that language." Carla pleaded, one hand on her chest and the other one on her son's face. Faye giggled.

"Mama is right, Eren. You look like a hobo." the girl said. Eren twisted his mouth.

"Ok. So I won't give you shit because of that rudeness. I told you." he replied, looking at her with haughtiness from above. Faye pouted.

"Mom! Tell him not to be mean!" she sobbed. Eren snorted, picking her up again, while Carla crossed her arms.

"Eren, what happened to you in Shiganshina? Are you coming from a wedding or some kind of spiritual retreat? What has happened to my son?"

Eren didn't answer immediately, but kissed her sister on the cheek and her mother on the forehead. Carla was surprised, but also amazed.

"Nothing. It's just that …" The boy paused, looking at his mother with a child-like tenderness that melted Carla's heart. "I love you, mom."

Carla's eyes couldn't help it but be flooded with tears. Eren kissed her again, though not as insistently as before. Actually, he felt a little strange, but he liked being able to tell his mother that he loved her; It was necessary and she deserved it.

The door opened and they saw Grisha getting in, shaking the collar of his shirt.

"God, how hot it is out there." He said. Faye came down from her brother's arms as fast as she could to get her father.

"Daddy! Eren came back, and he brought me a gift from Shiganshina but he doesn't want to give it to me." the little girl announced, now in the doctor's arms.

"Oh did he? Well, I guess you've done something that bothered him." he replied, entering the lobby. "How are you, Eren? Did you do well on your trip?"

Eren looked at Carla, bewildered. He blinked several times and parted his mouth, as if he didn't know what to answer.

It had been a while since the last time Grisha Jaeger asked his son how he was, or something related to his life. So Eren's heart skipped a beat. Carla prodded him to make him react.

"Er ... Well, yeah. Historia sent you greetings, by the way. And ... to you too, mom."

"Yeah, good. Thank you." the doctor said, approaching his wife to kiss her. "I'll be in the workroom. I have some documents to check on."

Grisha got Faye down to go upstairs. Eren was still confused, unable to move from his place. His mother rubbed his back fondly.

"I think it'd be nice to try to make peace with your father too. He's in a good mood lately."

Eren stammered before speaking.

"Um ... You think I can talk about ... You know. About the bakery school with him?" he asked, shyly. Carla nodded.

"Try it. It's never too late to do so."

Carla's words had reminded him of what Mikasa had told him that weekend at the beach house. Maybe this time he could manage to make his father understand at last.

"Hey, what about my gift?" Faye sobbed, pouting again. Eren ruffled her hair before walking to the stairs.

"Go to my room and look for it in my suitcase. Let's see if this way you'll stop bothering me, midget."

"Would you really let me in?" Faye asked excitedly. Eren snorted.

"Yes. But don't touch anything else, or I'll find out if you've done it."

"Yay!" Faye jumped up and down happily, while her mother laughed as she watched her children go upstairs to the second floor. Eren felt somewhat fidgety, even fearful. But nothing could go wrong, not this time, when his father seemed willing to talk to his son like never before.

Then he knocked the workroom door, though a bit reluctantly. But his father answered. He couldn't back down anymore.

"Get in." Grisha said. Eren opened the door, poking his head in.

"Dad..." Eren cleared his throat. "Dad ... Can we talk?"

Grisha raised an eyebrow, looking over the papers in his hand. Then he nodded.

"Sure. Come in and sit down."

Eren did as he was told. An awkward silence settled over them for a couple of seconds, until Grisha left the paper on the desk and took off his glasses.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" the father asked, still looking at him, making him feel a bit overwhelmed.

How much time had passed since the last time he and Grisha spoke without arguing?

"Damnit..." the boy murmured. "It's true that I've been a brat and ... God, this is hard though." he muttered again. "Dad ... I just want you to let me show you that I can do it; I won't be a good doctor because that's not what I like. But if you let me study at the bakery school, I swear I'll be the best ..."

Grisha snorted, massaging the bridge of his nose as if he had just heard the most disappointing thing in his life. That was enough to stop Eren's speech, who knew right away that it was useless to knock that door and enter that place.

"That's why you came here for, Eren?" Grisha asked. Eren said nothing. "All right. Then I'll say for the last and thousandth time what I have said for a long time: you won't dishonor our name, Eren. You've had enough with all this time you've been wasting without doing something useful."

"Because you haven't allowed me to do so! I could do something useful if you let me do the things I'm good at!"

"Eren, this conversation will be useless until you accept that you must obey my orders. If that was all you had to say, you can leave. I have things to do." Grisha warned him, ruthlessly, igniting Eren's rage.

"What fucking century do you think you live in? Why am I supposed to obey all that crap?"

"Because I say it!" Grisha hit the desk, making the blow to be heard on the first floor. "Because you'll do what I say as long as you live in this house, understood? Because you must pay the consequences of your actions."

"Which acts? What are you talking about?" Eren exclaimed, his voice hoarse. There was silence. Eren's brows arched in a raw and painful realization. "Are you ... Are you still blaming me for what happened to Grandpa?"

Grisha didn't answer this time either. Eren felt how his inner self broke into a thousand pieces. His father didn't need to talk; his silence was just an evidence of what he had thought for years.

"Fuck. And I thought I had a father. But it's okay, you won't have to regret that anymore; You won't see my fucking face ever again."

Eren kicked the desk before leaving. When Grisha wanted to complain about it, he was already out, while Carla waited for him at the end of the corridor.

"Eren, what happened- Eren!"

Eren ignored her. He strode to his bedroom, pulling out another suitcase; He opened his closet, taking out all the clothes he could, his sister watching him, open-mouthed.

"Eren, where are you going?" Faye asked him. He didn't answer. Carla entered the room right away, widening her eyes full of fear when she saw him put the clothes in the suitcases.

"Eren, what are you doing? What happened to you guys in there?"

"... I'm getting out of here, and don't try to stop me, Carla." the boy replied a while later. His mother could see through his broken voice and she approached him, but Eren pulled away roughly.

"Eren, listen to me: I'll talk to your father. I'll do whatever it takes to fix things up, no matter what happened, but for heaven's sake, leave those suitcases there and stop this madness."

Once again, there was no response. Enraged, Eren finished his packing and walked to the door.

"No matter what you do, that won't change the fact that I'm not that man's son. So don't try, because it's pointless."

"Eren!" Faye and Carla shouted at the same time. They watched him walk away and go down the stairs that led to the lobby. But he didn't stop.

"Eren, please. Think it better." Carla insisted. Anguish was almost palpable in the woman's voice.

"Goodbye, Faye. Be good, ok?" The boy said, waving his sister's hair. Faye held his hand with tears in her eyes, but he let go. "Bye, Mom. I'll call you later."

"Eren ..." Carla said for the last time, knowing that she couldn't stop him. Eren never stopped, that wasn't his style.

"Eren, don't go ..." Faye pleaded with broken voice. But he didn't listen.

A while later, they saw their BMW passing through that huge gate of the Jaeger residence.

Carla would have a heated argument with her husband, while Faye was going to wish Mikasa was there that day.

Eren wouldn't stop crying that day, and no one would see him, because he didn't want to be seen. He must think now where he was going to spend the night that very day.

Armin finished his milkshake and looked at his phone. It was 3 pm that Sunday and the heat was almost unbearable, so he wanted to stay a little longer under the sunshade at the café where he was.

He would have liked Eren to call him, but that wasn't going to happen; A couple of days ago he had gone to the Jaeger's to talk to him, but he only met Carla telling him that Eren left and she didn't know where she was. Reiner didn't know, not Bertholdt, let alone Annie.

Goddamnit, if Annie was responsible for anything that could happened to Eren, he was going to kill her.

He was worried, for his best friend, and also about a certain issue that didn't let him sleep in peace.

"Armin?"

A familiar voice made him look up. The black-haired girl was covering the sunlight that hit a corner of the table.

"Mikasa? Hey, I didn't expect to see you here ..." he said, smiling at her. She took off the sunglasses she was wearing.

"Can I sit here?"

"Of course." Armin answered without delay, pointing to the chair next to him. Mikasa took a seat and put a milkshake on the table. "How are you? I didn't see you since we left Shiganshina a week ago."

"Hmm." she mumbled, taking a sip of her drink. "A little busy with the summer camp classes, you know. Armin ... Are you okay?"

Mikasa had thought twice before asking that question. She didn't like to meddle in other people's business at all, but Armin was a different thing; besides, it was the first time she saw him so downcast. Definitely that was not the Armin she was used to know.

He raised his gaze from the floor and smiled at her.

"You're quite sharp-eyed. People usually don't notice my mood swings."

Mikasa's cheeks turned quickly into a blushing mess, ashamed, her fingers reaching into her mouth.

"Um ... I ... I'm sorry. It's just that ..." she stammered. Armin giggled.

"Hey, it's fine. No need to apologize, seriously. But no, you're right. I'm worried."

"I'm ... It's because of Eren, right?" she asked shyly. Armin nodded.

"He's been missing for a week and nobody has seen him."

"I know. Mrs. Jaeger is worried too. She says that he has called, but he doesn't want to tell her where he is now."

The blond boy sighed with grief.

"He won't say shit. I know it. If I find him, it'll be only by chance."

"But ... you're his best friend. Why wouldn't he tell you where he went?"

"Because he's the biggest douchebag on earth. Because he's mad at me and I don't know why the fuck."

Mikasa frowned.

"Mad at you? Since when?"

"Since Historia and Ymir's wedding. I don't know ... He's a jerk. Sometimes I want to kill him, Mikasa; I don't know how I've been able to deal with Eren for so long."

Armin looked frustrated. She pouted sadly, because she really wished she could help him.

"And what about his other friends? Have you asked them?"

"All of them. And there's no sign of that bastard. I don't even want to imagine how Carla is, or Faye."

Mikasa's mouth twisted, while Armin straightened his ponytail.

"Faye cries every day, and Mrs. Jaeger ... Well, the only reason she doesn't call the police is because she knows he's okay."

He sighed, his fist on his lips. She seemed to have forgotten about her milkshake.

"It was Grisha's fault ..." Armin commented.

"Yes. I know."

They both fell silent. This wasn't an uncomfortable one, though, but rather heavy because of sadness. Mikasa hated to admit it, but deep inside she was also worried.

Suddenly, her eyes opened wide in realisation.

"Armin." she said. He looked away from his phone, which he always carried in hand, in case Eren texted or called him.

"Hmm?"

"What about his brother?"

"Who? Zeke?"

"Yes. Him. Do you have his phone number?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, if he's not with you, his best friend, nor with the others, or with ..." Mikasa swallowed as if it had been the bitterest thing. "His girlfriend, I think he can't be with anyone else but him."

Armin raised his eyebrows.

"You're right. Why didn't I think of it before? Well, it's not that Eren and Zeke are the closest brothers on earth's surface, but you're right. Eren must have come to him. I'll call him right away." Armin dialed Zeke's number, but nobody answered; then he called at the bar, in case someone was there, but he didn't get an answer either. He shook his head looking at Mikasa. "No. Nobody answers. I think I'll go in a little while. But if Eren is with Zeke, Carla won't be pleased."

It took her a while to speak again.

"I think she cares more about having him back than knowing where he is."

"Yeah. You're also right about that."

There was silence again. Mikasa was surprised to see Armin as the quiet one this time; however, she wanted to wait for him to speak again. She wasn't good at words, let alone forcing a conversation. But with Armin it was different; that boy was one of those people with whom a talk simply arose. She never had to look for it.

"Mikasa." He called her this time. She looked up.

"Yes?"

Armin took a while. He looked insecure, even sweaty; Mikasa sensed well that he was not at his best.

"This may seem stupid, even ridiculous, but ... Do you think it's good to tell someone how important is to you, even if you have no chance with that person?"

Damnit. So that was the big deal. Armin was in love.

Mikasa stuttered a bit before saying something. She'd never really thought about something like that before.

"Eh ... Um ... I guess it's better to spit things out before drowning in them ... You'll never know if land bears fruit unless you water it."

"Do you think ... that's a good idea?"

In a motherly-like impulse, Mikasa held Armin's hand warmly, looking at him the same way. Armin, in turn, was honored to have found someone like her as a friend. Mikasa didn't talk too much, but her eyes said everything; and at that moment, that kindness in her eyes while looking at him was all he needed.

"Armin."

Her voice sounded deep, almost like a scolding. Some time later, Armin would laugh at that.

"Yes?"

"It's always better to try."

He smiled.

"Yes." He said, looking straight ahead. His eyes noticed a glow on the road, coming from a car he already knew. "Fuck! It's him!" he exclaimed, standing up. Mikasa arched an eyebrow. "It's Eren!"

Eren looked at him from his BMW, and also to Mikasa. He had a frown and a death glare. Two seconds later, the car started walking, and Armin couldn't reach him.

"Shit!" he huffed, back to the table. "What's wrong with that motherf...? I have to go after him. Mikasa, thanks for everything, ok? I think we have to come and talk more often." He said, with a smile. She nodded and watched him walk away to get into his Ford, hoping he could catch an angry and stubborn Eren. Mikasa remembered her milkshake was starting to heat up and took another sip, trying to guess why Eren was mad at Armin.

But she wouldn't think that Eren only felt jealous of his best friend for a reason.

Recently, Armin was too close to her.

.

Mikasa was right: Eren was with Zeke. But where the hell this girl who was always right came from? Well, Armin was amazed, but that didn't fix things up between him and Eren. Granted, Eren didn't even want to talk to him; He had to ask Zeke about everything and only then he know his best friend was living with his brother. Eren started working at his bar to save enough money and move from Zeke's. At least now Armin would be able to tell Carla where her son was, though that would just increase Eren's rage even more. After all that, he still had something to solve. This seemed to be the most hectic summer of his life.

.

Annie and him hadn't been at the breakwater for a long time. Armin set their date there, since he wanted to avoid any misunderstanding. She looked impatient, and Armin, a bit fidgety.

"He must have made that decision long ago." Annie continued. Armin shook his head.

"It has taken Eren as long as it has taken you to tell him that you will no longer be with him."

"This is different, Armin ..."

"No! It isn't. You know it isn't, Annie. What happens between Eren and his father is something he can't actually avoid; What happens to you is something that you could avoid before it was late. Better stay quiet about it."

"I'll do it. I'll tell him everything, but this isn't the right moment ..."

"Don't look for excuses. It's better to tell him now, and not when he thinks everything is fine again."

Both of them fell silent. Annie looked at the ground, while Armin threw bits of biscuit to the gulls in the water.

"Armin, why are you doing this?"

"What?"

"Eren is your best friend, but you keep covering me up ... You should have told him everything already."

Armin sighed, trying to keep the patience he was about to lose.

"Don't ask me that. You wouldn't like to know the answer."

Annie looked at him, pissed.

"That's absurd."

"No. It isn't. And please don't ask again."

"Of course it is, Armin. Tell me. I wanna know why you've been silent until now, if I've been in your hands all this damn time. There must be a strong reason for you to cover me up as you have done so far and I have the right to know it."

Armin moved his leg nervously.

"No."

"Tell me, Armin." the girl insisted, watching him throw the last crumb of biscuit into the water.

"No."

They paused. Annie snorted.

"Tell me right now."

Armin clenched his fists. He grabbed her face and kissed her as effusively as he could.

It hurt, it was burning him inside, but at his eighteen, that was the best thing he had done in a long time.

Yes. At last he felt free. Although all that freedom could be somewhat hurtful.

"Here. This is the reason. Are you happy now? Because I'm not, Annie." He said before leaving, leaving her speechless, motionless and astonished.

As stunned as he was by not believing what he had just done.

Why had he waited so long?

Sorry for being late. The last weeks I suffered from what they call writer's block, despite having all the scenes in my head; I just didn't know how to write them. Besides, the translation took me a little bit more than expected so here you are, finally. In the next chapter we'll see what Annie does. And don't despair over the lack of interaction between Eren and Mikasa; Remember that their relationship is moving slowly, but surely. Thanks for waiting, and enjoy your reading.

Leave your reviews;) See you next chapter!