fy and also i: this is loosely based in the same world as simmer down though it's so far ahead of where the plot is now that it's almost not worth mentioning.
as always: if you have a prompt you'd like to see written, you can 100% send it to my tumblr, hyperphonic
The first time Mikasa realizes she loves him is a snowy day in January where the sun catches golden on the edges of cold, fluttering flakes. Eren strides beside her across campus, hands tucked tight int he cloistered warmth of his pockets, and nose slightly pink with the raw cold around them. It's mundane, a moment that may otherwise have slipped past her like water under a bridge, but between the cold and the crystalline snow falling around them this one is magic. Dark eyes crinkle at the corners, and Mikasa inhales tentatively as her chest expands with joy and a warm static she'd come to realize must be love. Eren chances a glance at her over the rim of his grey cowl, and though she can't see his mouth, Mikasa knows his grin by the wrinkle of his nose.
"You look cold," he teases, bumping their shoulders between strides.
"I'm not so bad," Mikasa replies, raising her chin out of the comfort of her coat to speak. Eren laughs, and shoots her a disbelieving grin as the dark girl quickly ducked her nose and mouth back into the down.
One calloused hand emerged from his pocket to curl around her own, "somehow I don't quite believe you." Mikasa gave a sheepish grin, and tightened her chilly fingers around his own.
"Well, I mean," she laughed, cheeks going pink as he tugged her close enough to fit both their hands inside his pocket. "I wasn't going to die or anything."
Eren bobbed his head, "to be fair, I don't think 14 is really cold enough to kill anyone in the amount of time it takes to get from the sciences building to the parking lot."
They both laughed, breath hanging in the air around them and adding to the slightly magic sense of it all. Mikasa wondered if they'd be like this forever, bright and happy, cold hands hidden together in pockets and kisses stolen between classes. The idea of their small little slice of happiness not lasting forever was unbearably painful to the dark girl, digging in between her ribs like some rusty old blade. But the alternative was to have never had such magic at all, and that was simply not something Mikasa was willing to consider.
She'd rather risk losing everything than to never have had it at all.
As if reading her mind Eren pulled to a stop, the suddenness of it almost enough to pull Mikasa's hand from his pocket. "Hey," the brunet's voice was soft, so much so that barely any breath escaped to dance on the cold air when he spoke. Mikasa let him tug her closer still, sunlight spilling across his face and setting his eyes ablaze.
"Hey," she almost whispered back, ribs pulling apart with the force of her love beating against them. She could feel the heavy little phrase sitting on her tongue, begging to be released into their world of falling snow and blinding sun. If she said it he would know, know why her eyes went soft every time he kissed her goodnight at the door, know why her fingers were so quick to close around his own (even when she'd hated such a gesture in relationships past). She'd be out in the open, fully exposed and vulnerable under his eyes.
Still caught in her debate, Mikasa all but missed the slow descent of Eren's lips until they were upon her, warm from the cowl and gentle in their kiss. His hand twined with hers gave a squeeze, and the dark girl felt her heart race well past it's usual cadence as Eren's other hand threaded lightly through her hair.
"I love you," he breathed as they pulled apart, breath rushing out all around her.
Mikasa's grin was blinding, only to fall as he dropped her hand and pulled away, apologizing into the knit of his cowl. "Shit, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
"Why?" Mikasa demanded, small hands racing to grab broad shoulders and spin him back towards her. "Eren, you don't have to apologize." Her lips found the edge of his jaw in a soft little kiss. "You don't ever have to apologize for loving me."
The man in her arms looked about ready to melt, green eyes soft as they studied her face. "You're sure?"
She only grinned and rolled up onto her tip toes to better wrap bundled arms around his neck. "Positive." Eren's grin was even brighter than the sun around them, and Mikasa wondered for a second how she had gone so long without it in her life.
"I love you," she offered simply, smiling only for a second before his lips were on hers again, bold this time in their joy. His arms were tight around her waist, anchoring her there in their small little world of cold air and warm hearts as they kissed, heedless of the other students passing idly around them. He was rooted so deep inside of her, woven in between her ribs and the beat of her heart that even Mikasa, private, stoic, Mikasa, didn't care who saw them, didn't mind the external manifestation of their love (her heart thrilled even as she thought the word) being witnessed.
It was all so surreal.
"D'you want coffee?" Eren asked when they finally pulled apart, cheeks pink and breath short. It was such a mundane, easy question she couldn't help but grin and press her lips to his chin.
"That sounds great," she breathed, reluctantly allowing him to pull away until only their hands were connected again. Eren resumed their easy walk to his car, bare hands swinging between them, kept warm by the mix of adrenaline and joy.
Mikasa had never liked January and it's bitter cold. But maybe, she thought as they walked together through the frosted birches, if she got to stay warm beside Eren, she could learn to enjoy it. Plus now, she knew, the cold air and golden light would always bring her back to this day and his words.
And that was more than enough reason for her to come to terms with the winter.
