They were outside gathering supplies, Eren picked up the fishing rod and adjusted its hook. While Mikasa made chopper more wood to put it to use later.

They haven't really talked, if at all. Mikasa was having a hard time saying anything, while Eren had no idea how to began a conversation that didn't involve him saying something ordinary. What was this? They both kept wondering, however in Eren's case he could still remember the soft feeling of her hand on his face.

He closed his eyes and made himself retain his focus. He was going to ask what was bothering her today, hopefully.

They walked silently to the lake and found it to be rather magnificent. Mikasa especially was taken in by its beauty, she couldn't help but smile to herself watching the water glisten. While Eren was more concerned with memorizing her face; she rarely smiled and there was no way he wasn't going to burn the image in his memory.

They crouched down next to the lake and continued to stare at the glistening water. Mikasa touched the water and swirled her hand through it, the coldness was refreshing for her hand.

Eren drew the fishing rod back and cast the line, with a soft plop it landed in the middle of the lake. That secured, he placed the rod next to himself and kept his gaze on Mikasa.

She was quiet, her arms wrapped her knees and her sight was fixed on the beauty in front. He was starting to feel anxious about her lack of communication. She was always the one who made her stance clear, thus he had a hard time just looking at her so withdrawn.

"Mikasa, what do you want to eat for dinner?" He cleared his voice.

She shrugged. It appears her mind wasn't there, or at least not interested in being there.

He scratched the back of his head and sighed to himself. In moments like this, he'd remember how he took her devotion to him for granted; no matter what he said or did, she was always by his side. Until he decided to walk on a path she would never agree with.

"Do you hate me?" His voice lost a lot of its confidence. His hearts beats did spring up as he dreaded the possible answer. He deserved a yes, didn't he? Knowing how he had said those words to her, those painful words that pinned his heart.

She looked up rather concerned. "No?" She said adamantly.

He felt relieved, so relieved.

"I'm sorry for saying I hated you. I didn't, I don't, I never can or want to." He declared, bits of his voice rose and fell, as he stumbled to express everything he had been bottling up for a while.

Her face lit up but it again returned back, "I see." She dropped her head a little further on her knees.

"I want to be happy to know, I really do. But I'd be lying if it still didn't hurt." She confessed, holding herself in place to be coherent.

Her words punched his gut. His visibility reclined to his side and clutched the hem of his shirt. It was as if he hoped he could hold the pain in that one place.

"I spend my whole life trying to make sure you were safe. I cared about you so much. Too much, perhaps?" Her lips formed a thin like as she forced the hurtful words out.

"You were my friend, my family, my home. Then you tell me all of this was a lie and it was some genes make me do all this," she nearly cried the words out.

She instinctively had the urge to bury her faces under the scarf, but there wasn't one around her neck. That caused her to further regress in her pain.

He couldn't stand to see her like this, every bit of him ached to wrap his around her and tell her how much she meant to him. But he didn't, he couldn't move and he could feel his vision blur.

"That was a lie, everything you felt were your actual emotions," he muttered and his lips quivered.

She didn't speak after that, he didn't need to hear her words to know how she felt. He rubbed the side of his eye and tried to maintain his composure. She needed him right now, was he just going to let her be further consumed by the pain he caused?

"I said what I did because I wanted you to hate me. I never wanted to hurt you. I had to rip myself in half just to be able to do it."

Wasn't this what she wanted to hear? Since he had said and done those things, she yearned to be told otherwise, to be told how he was simply putting up a facade. But now she realized just the knowledge didn't ease the hurt he caused, the same hurt she kept buried with the rationale of how her emotions were getting in the way of what she needed to do. Yet everything boiled down to her having to do the one thing she could have never. The one choice that would break her. Why her? Why her every time? She lost her family, over and over again. But now it was on her to end it. Tears began to form as she was buried deeper in her thoughts, remembering every bit of cruelty she was thrown into. She just wanted to be close to him, yet everything made sure it wasn't a possibility. She kept losing her loved ones, first Sasha, now-

He gently placed his hand on the side of her head and pushed it to the side and kept his hand there. Their heads were next to each other, as he had moved right next to her. His eyes were closed as he continued to hold their heads together. The action did snap out of her pit of despair and back in the beautiful surrounding, she glanced to her side feeling his closeness.

"I'm sorry for everything, please come back," he whispered next to her ear. It was surprising how soft his voice could, despite the years of screaming being his default.

She knew thinking about everything only overwhelmed her into breaking. She clutched her forehead and lightly sighed, looking up she turned to her side and was mere inches away from his face. The action did cause his face to have streaks of red, as he continued to take in every bit of her image. He'd be lying to himself if he didn't admit how up close she somehow looked prettier.

"That's not enough, you deserve punishment," she said in a very playful manner. If it wasn't for the lighthearted nature, he'd have thrown himself in another dose of anxiety.

"What do you have in mind. . .?" He carefully asked, feeling a little scared but trying his best to not show it.

A smirk played on her lips, she was trying to not let everything drown her. She stood up, brushed her long skirt and pulled him up, he was confused throughout the process but couldn't help but thinking about their hands clasped together. With a single sweeping motion, she picked him up from the knees, enabling him to be basically sitting on her shoulder. An act very reminiscent of how she used to stop him from getting beaten.

He was confused but couldn't help the fluster. She walked into the lake, lend her skirt began to get wet and she dropped him in the water.

"Your punishment," she announced soundlessly clapping her hands together and walked back.

Eren's shirt had gotten damp and it was sticking to his body, along with his hair falling over his face. His hands were positioned to hold him in place as he was entirely laying in the water with his legs stretched out wide. He dragged his wet hand through it and pushed them back, while droplets falling on his face. He wanted to laugh, a good laugh of feeling good. But a part of him wanted to play a little too, as an idea formed in his head and he was so going to do it.

"Ouch!" He yelled and clutched his hand next to his shirt and tried to look like he was in pain.

She immediately looked up, "Ereh?"

"Think my wrist is in pain," he whined in the most dramatic way possible.

She had her doubts because she was careful, besides her rationale she instantly found herself wading the water again and stand over him. She support her hands on her knees and looked down at him, she couldn't help but admit how different he looked all wet.

"Show me," she instructed and he held out his wrist.

her eyes brows arched as she took hold of his hand. "I don't see the probl- "

He took a strong hold of her hand and pulled her towards him.

Mikasa fell forward and found herself against his chest, she planted her hands on his shoulders to retrain her balance. She gathered her knees together and the ends of her skirt floated with the water, with that entire waist down she was soaked. Her eyes trailed the faded pink skirt to his leg to the right, and then she looked up at him. To no ones surprise, his vibrant green eyes were staring at her.

Both knew how close their faces were, especially the instigator of the situation who had gone rather flustered. He was glad her hand wasn't situated on his heart, else she'd have felt the chaotic beating. he didn't even try to hide the fact how intently he was staring at her lips; while his thoughts wandered to their possible softness and how they'd feel against his. From there he searched her grey tint eyes, looking for comfort he had longed for so long. He could feel the warmth radiating off her body, as every bit of her figure came into focus. She wasn't tiny and was built with firm muscles in the right place, which he found himself adoring. Just desiring preposition of how if she was on him he'd be able to feel the weight of it. Every thread of mind caused the fluster of his face to grow, while he held back his hands to enclose the space between them.

She was confused, very confused. Yet despite the sudden whirlwind of emotions, she couldn't help but be looked in his gaze. There was something that she hadn't seen before, the sense of longing and how utterly it was fixated on her. His expressions, to just the closeness between them, she ended up feeling confronted by her own version of desires. But unlike him, she wasn't well equipped to handle them in the moment.

She closed her eyes, bits of red appeared on her face compelling her to look down. "What are you doing, Ereh?" She managed, but her voice deterred in places.

Truly, what was he doing? He hadn't exactly thought about what he was going to do after pulling her down. Or perhaps, more accurately, how much he wanted to do but couldn't bring himself to. That was likely the better option, she seemed confused and he wasn't sure if she'd allow it given how she saw him as 'family'. It was almost humorous how he didn't pick up on the change in their atmosphere.

Instantly, his head fell back and he glanced up at the sky. The embarrassment roared as loud as his beating heart.

"Just, um-" he scratched the back of his head. "I thought it was funny, you know, lighten the mood and everything."

She further composed herself and sat up straight, putting good enough distance between them. He didn't like it, while she looked to her side and placed her fist against her chest.

The silence continued to fill between them with unspoken words and fizzling thoughts. Eren couldn't take it and he stood up, splashing enough water to make her hold up her hands.

"Let's finish catching fish, it's going to be sunset soon." He offered her his hand, looking to his side while his other hand nervously scratched the back of his head.

She hesitated for a moment given how that went last time but took it and they walked back to the dry land.

Authors note: While writing this I kinda realized the last thing Mikasa said to him was that he's family xD So, he should not know she too wants him romantically, and she herself should have to come to terms with wanting him romantically cuz she always chalked everything up to 'family'. While he wants her romantically and knows, but he can't do anything/ anything more cuz he's concerned about how she'd feel. Ahhh, just like that we have soooo much pining hehehehe. Also, I am sorry that I haven't let them kiss yet! I have a little plan for it and wanted it to be a lot grander .