EREN: Without Armin, my life had no meaning.
I dragged myself between classes and work for three weeks, losing my reason to keep a glimmer of hope that Armin would make it.
He was in stable condition, but even despite that he could be in an endless sleep forever. He'd grow thinner and weaker from lack of food, weaning away until he was nothing.
And to top that, it hurt to know Mikasa was still running amok, Armin's stone-cold slaughterer was free and living comfortably.
"Eren, calm down man," Connie's voice cut through my delusion, and I snapped out of my daydream.
"Sorry, was I growling again?" I asked. I had somehow gotten into a habit of expressing anger subconsciously.
"Do you really think this is gonna work?" I asked.
"What, your plan to catch Mikasa? Yeah, I think so..." He didn't sound sure. "Armin's gonna be okay."
"Mm." I wasn't so sure.
Isabel and Farlan visited Armin a couple days after he had been attacked.
Isabel's hand was gently clasped around Armin's stone-cold one, and Farlan just stood in the corner scratching his head.
"Who would do such a thing?" Farlan muttered over and over.
"My ex-girlfriend Mikasa," I gritted my teeth, "she's been stalking me ever since I dumped her months ago. She just won't let go of me."
"She got away with it?" Isabel asked.
"Unfortunately," I agreed.
"How do we take her down?" She asked coldly.
"I...I have a plan, but I'm not sure if it'll work."
"What is it?" Farlan seemed to snap out of his trance.
My body was shaking, but I managed to tell them.
My hands trembled and I fidgeted as I waited in the coffee shop for Mikasa to arrive.
The bell jingled and she entered with an icy gaze. She met eyes with me, and cold daggers pierced my skin.
"Eren," she said, suddenly melting and taking up a seat across from me.
"Mikasa, hey..." I wiped my hands on my pants, but I stopped since I knew she probably understood my nervous gesture.
She responded in a way that acknowledged my movement, "Don't be nervous, Eren, I'm not after you; I've taken care of what needed to disappear."
"I know..." I mumbled, "I'm going to miss him..."
"Miss him?" She questioned.
"Armin Arlert is dead because of you. You're going to be charged with homicide." I stated.
The coffee shop fell silent.
"But...all that doesn't matter. I've been thinking since he died...all of that, he, was just a phase. I thought I would be happy with him, but I realized I'm not. Leaving you was a mistake, a mistake I'm willing to correct. I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner. Please, take me back..."
Mikasa squinted at me. "I don't believe it. He's not dead, is he?"
"Yes, he is. Look, I have a picture of him in the casket right here." I flipped through my camera roll, finding the picture. She snatched my phone from me, squinting again. Her gray eyes flickered.
"I see...so he is dead." She eased back, sliding my phone back to me across the table. "But I don't believe you still want me back."
"What can I do to prove I want you back?" I asked.
She pursed her lips, thinking. "Marry me."
I choked, but I played it out as coughing. "W-why of course I would...when?"
"In two years' time, we'll meet at the St. Sina church to get married." She decided.
"W-why not now? I mean, I can hardly wait to be married to you."
I received a text at that moment, from Connie, reading, "What the hell man? This isn't part of the plan!"
I couldn't answer to it since Mikasa would see me plotting right in front of her, so I just swiped the notification away.
"Eren, I want to have a big wedding," she said, stroking my hand. Whenever she wanted something from me, she would lightly stroke my hand, sending shivers throughout me.
"We can still have a big wedding, but I want it to be made legal now. Till death do us part, right? What if I died in two years? Stohess University is in the middle of shady part of the city, overrun with thugs. There's a huge gang here, you know, the Titans? I at least want to be your legal husband before I meet an untimely death." I explained.
She stayed silent for a moment, tapping her fingers on my hand. "If you buy me a ring, I'll consider it. It was nice talking to you, Eren. I'm glad I finally have you back after all this."
With that, Mikasa took her bag, popped open her umbrella, and left the shop.
I sighed. There was a hand on my shoulder, and I met eyes with Connie.
"You're gonna regret this," he shook his head.
"I'll do anything if she gets thrown in prison for this. At least we're closer." I stated. "Hey Farlan, nice work on that dummy. I can't believe she bought it."
He turned around from the bar, a latte foam mustache above his lip. He licked it off. "Glad I could help you."
"And Connie? Excellent photoshop skills." I high-fived him. "But it's not time to celebrate yet. Do you at least have her confession on tape?"
Connie held up his phone, playing back the voice recording: "I've taken care of what needed to disappear".
"This is going great, guys. Now, I need to find a ring and a minister. Got any ideas?"
"My aunt Lola has a really nice wedding ring from her third husband. The asshole left her after he found out she was a dude." Marco piped up from his seat across from Jean.
"And my dad is a minister." Jean agreed.
"Perfect." I grinned. Everything was falling into place so nicely, it almost seemed too good to be true.
