Annie was quite happy hanging out with Ymir and Historia. It felt good to have another Omega around instead of being constantly surrounded by Alphas. Historia wasn't exactly what Annie expected; she thought the girl would be quiet, sweet, and innocent, but she was none of those things. Annie figured that it was probably because Ymir may have rubbed off on Historia, but with each vulgar joke that Historia popped, it became extremely apparent that she was doing all of this on her own. Annie didn't mind it in the slightest. She needed an Omega that would bully all the other Alphas with her. Annie was enjoying herself and everything was going well. That is until she got home.
Mikasa was coming home late so Annie allowed herself to stay out a little later than usual, which shouldn't have been a big deal since she'd still have time to cook dinner and do whatever else she needed to do. However, when she stepped foot into her shared home with Mikasa's family, Mrs. Ackerman stared daggers at Annie. Annie didn't care. It wasn't anything new. She knew the older woman wasn't her biggest fan. Brushing off the woman's glares, Annie pushed past her and went into their kitchen. She heard the older woman follow suit but chose to ignore her. All Annie wanted to focus on was making Mikasa's dinner and hiding in their room afterward.
Sadly, she didn't get all that far into cooking before Mikasa's mother decided to invade her personal space. Annie stopped chopping her vegetables to find Mrs. Ackerman still glaring down at her. This time, Annie returned a glare. She was minding her own business and didn't understand why Mrs. Ackerman was acting this way so suddenly.
"What's your damn issue-"
"What's MY issue? I should ask what yours is! Do you know how late it is?! Where have you been?! Mikasa will be home any second and you don't have dinner ready! You know what? I've been holding my tongue because you've been doing a somewhat DECENT job with taking care of my daughter, but this is too far! This is absolutely unacceptable! Mikasa is doing everything for you and the baby: she's working, going to school, and taking care of you! And what does she get in return? Nothing! All she gets is an Omega coming home late, who doesn't have dinner done and hasn't done any chores!"
Annie bit her tongue and held back from exploding in Mrs. Ackerman's face because she knew it would just make matters worse, but it was getting harder and harder to do so as Mrs. Ackerman continuously attacked her for being "useless."
"Look at you! You're not even trying to defend yourself because you KNOW that you're a terrible Omega! You know that you're the one at fault here and it's terrible! I can't believe that out of all the girls Mikasa has been with, she ended up with you! You can't even do basic tasks!"
That was it. Annie was no longer holding her tongue. She wasn't going to stand there and let the woman belittle her, ESPECIALLY since Annie did all the cooking and cleaning so that Mikasa could focus on working. This woman knew nothing about them and it was so damn irritating.
"I'm not defending myself because I've done nothing wrong! You think you fucking know everything about your daughter and me, but you don't! If you did, then you would've known that she gets home late today and I have more than enough time to finish things! Oh, and YOU'VE been holding your tongue around me? Do you know how IRRITATING you can be with your stupid "Omegas need to do everything for Alphas" bullshit? It's even worse when your dumb ass made Mikasa think it was alright to have that mindset! What kind of mother doesn't teach her child basic living tasks? I had to teach Mikasa how to wash dishes and do her own laundry because your ass would baby the Alpha by doing them for her instead! You're so fucking brainwashed to be a submissive Omega that it's stupid! And you know what? If you want to be a submissive Omega, then here!"
In a fit of rage, Annie grabbed all the food she was cooking with and threw them onto the floor. Everything from chopped vegetables to raw meat was splattered across the kitchen floor. To make things worse, Annie stomped on them, making sure they got it stuck in every crack and crevice of the kitchen floor.
"I am NOT going to be a housewife!" Annie grabbed the pan she was cooking with and threw it.
"I am NOT going to do everything for Mikasa and I am NOT going to stand here while you talk down on me! You know nothing about my relationship with Mikasa, so keep your mouth shut!"
She let out a loud yell and shoved Mrs. Ackerman out of her way, completely done with the entire argument. Annie didn't care what Mrs. Ackerman had to say anymore. She didn't even care if this would cause her to be kicked out again. The Omega was already kicked out once, so what would a second time do to her? In fact, Annie was already marching upstairs to Mikasa's room and packing up all her things. She even packed Mikasa's bag because if she was leaving, then Mikasa was too. There was no way Mrs. Ackerman would come between her and Mikasa. They had already gone through too much to let that woman win.
Mikasa thought the day was going well; she started it off with a quick breakfast from Annie, worked a few hours, then had the delicious lunch that was packed for her. Everything seemed to be normal, so Mikasa didn't give it another thought until she got home, where she saw the destruction of her kitchen and Mrs. Ackerman trying to clean it up. Mikasa opened her mouth to question everything, but she was cut off by Annie running down the stairs carrying bags in her hands with a determined look on her face.
"We're leaving right NOW. I already have your bag packed. Don't ask any questions, you hear me?"
Mikasa glanced at her mother then back to Annie, slowly connecting the dots as to what happened. Mikasa never thought she would see the day when her mother and Annie got into an argument, especially when they were only a few days until Christmas. To avoid any further conflict, Mikasa nodded to Annie's request and immediately left. She was sure her mother glared holes into their backs as they walked away, but Mikasa would deal with that another day.
Mikasa wasn't sure where to go despite Annie saying that they could crash at Ymir's place. She wasn't against it but kept it in mind as their last resort. Mikasa didn't have anything against Ymir, of course; Mikasa's Alpha pride was just getting in the way of accepting help. So for now, staying at a hotel for a few nights would do. It also provided them with guaranteed privacy from everyone else, which was something that Mikasa was always a fan of. Finding a hotel wasn't too hard. There was limited availability because of the holidays, but they eventually came out successful. The hotel they were staying at wasn't too bad. There was a small cooking area with some electronic appliances, a decently sized bathroom, and a Queen-sized bed that would fit the two perfectly. Of course, Mikasa would rather be in her home, but she wouldn't force Annie to stay near her mother so soon.
The two Omegas needed a few days away from each other and Mikasa knew everything would go back to normal soon. She hadn't heard from her father about the current situation, but she knew that he was surely handling everything. Mikasa would probably step out to call him and figure everything out together later. Of course, Mikasa would most likely not be speaking with her mother anytime soon. One reason was that she lacked a backbone when it came to confronting her mother since she was always afraid that she might upset the woman or make her cry. The other reason was that she was afraid of what another argument would mean for her and Annie. What if she did stand up to her mother but it caused them to get kicked out? They already had a child on the way, so homelessness should not be added to that list of worries.
"I didn't get to finish making you dinner, so I'll buy take-out tonight," Annie said as she opened the DoorDash app on her phone.
"No, it's fine. You can use my account. I don't want you spending your own money. Just keep that saved up for yourself." Mikasa replied to her instantly as she handed over her phone.
Annie sighed. She didn't want Mikasa to spend more money, especially when she was already paying for the hotel. However, she knew there was no winning against the Alpha; even if Mikasa only had five dollars to her name, she would give it up to feed Annie in a heartbeat. She chose not to argue and took Mikasa's phone to order food. It was nothing too amazing. Just a large pepperoni pizza for the both of them to share. It was filling, but Annie knew it didn't have the same effect as a home-cooked meal. She made a mental note to go out the next day and buy them a few groceries just to get them by. They didn't really have much space in their mini-fridge anyway.
"Food is ordered… I'm going to call Ymir tomorrow so she can take me to pick up my car. I'll also grab us some groceries so we don't need to eat out again."
"That's fine, just-"
"I know, I know, I'll make sure to use your card for it. I swear you will never let me buy anything on my own."
"Well, I'm working a job in order to support you and our baby. It only makes sense that I'd pay for everything."
That was the answer she expected from Mikasa. Mikasa was acting like every other big Alpha who believed that it was her priority to take care of an Omega. Annie knew Mikasa meant well, but it was getting a little annoying. If Mikasa was acting like this about spending her saved-up money right now, then how would she act after getting a job of her own? Annie didn't want to think about the arguments that would surely happen in the future. Once more, she pushed the issue away to focus on other things.
"See, I expected you to say that, but I don't have the strength to argue with you right now." Annie huffed before laying down on their shared bed, a hand finding its place on her swollen stomach.
Mikasa watched from the corner of her eye and couldn't help a smile from forming on her lips. Every time she saw Annie in such a vulnerable light, it really filled Mikasa's heart. Annie would always hide her emotions by acting as if she was bored and uninterested while she was with friends. However, when Annie allowed herself to let her guard down, it showed that she was truly comfortable around Mikasa.
"What are you staring at, hm?"
The Alpha snapped out of her sappy trance and immediately blushed at being caught. She let out an awkward laugh yet still moved towards Annie to cuddle her. Annie welcomed it without hesitation and even allowed herself to scoot onto Mikasa's lap, which pleased Mikasa immensely. She even laid her head down on Annie's shoulder to take in her scent. A satisfied growl erupted from Mikasa's throat and Annie couldn't help but smirk. The two weren't doing anything explicitly sexual, yet Mikasa was already getting in the mood. It made Annie think Mikasa had some sort of pregnancy kink, but it was probably just the Alpha's pride boasting. It still wouldn't stop the blonde from teasing Mikasa about it.
"You know, we're not going to get very far if you try to fuck me right now. We'll definitely get interrupted when the pizza gets here."
Annie heard a disgruntled noise from her Alpha and she couldn't stop a laugh from escaping. She knew Mikasa was pent up from working long hours. Annie would give her the release she desired, but it would come later. They still had food to eat as well as a situation that needed discussion. But first, Annie purposely pressed her ass into Mikasa's crotch, just to tease her a bit.
"N-Ngh." Mikasa let out a groan as she felt friction against her cock. "W-Well, you're not stopping, so what does that say about you, h-huh?"
"You're right. I should stop."
At that moment, Annie put her plan into motion and separated herself from Mikasa's lap, leaving a noticeable bulge at the front of Mikasa's tight-looking work pants. It brought a sinister smile to her face and she even winked at Mikasa before standing up.
"Oh, that was just cruel, damn it."
"Maybe, but you're still going to listen to me and do as I say."
Mikasa didn't reply after that because she knew Annie was right. Whatever the woman said would go, even if it caused her sexual frustration.
Everything seemed to go fine. They ate all of their pizza, with Annie eating the majority of the pie. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until the pizza arrived, which was when it hit her that she hadn't eaten that much in the day. Did she even eat anything? That wasn't good, considering she had a baby growing inside of her. However, she was sure that the eight pieces of pizza she ate made up for the rest of the day. All in all, Annie saw this as a successful dinner. The issues only came up when Mikasa began to be handsy with her.
Mikasa slipped her hands up Annie's shirt and cupped her breasts, moving her mouth straight to the Omega's neck. Mikasa sucked and nipped the flesh there as she fondled her lover. Annie enjoyed the feeling, she really did, but they still hadn't spoken about what happened with Mikasa's mother. Annie pushed Mikasa's face away from her neck and tried to get through to the stubborn Alpha.
"Mikasa-" Annie tried to get out, but Mikasa continued to grope her breasts, her teasing fingertips pinching the woman's nipples.
"Mika-" Mikasa bit into the woman's neck and began to slide her hand downward, causing Annie to snap.
"Mikasa! Stop!" Mikasa immediately stopped and looked into Annie's angry, crystal blue eyes.
"What happened? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry..."
Annie shoved Mikasa away and made sure to put distance between them, not wanting to take any chances with a horny Alpha. She took in a deep breath and tried to compose herself, her cheeks a bright red from Mikasa's actions.
"Nothing, just..." She cleared her throat. "I told you that we need to speak about what happened, okay? I just want to make sure you know what's going on and make plans if need be."
Mikasa didn't want to hear about what was happening, especially since it involved her mother being the root of the problem. It also wasn't like she was entirely confused about the situation. She knew there was some sort of fight. She knew her mother was a ticking time bomb that had issues with keeping her words private. She just didn't want to know WHAT her mother had told Annie.
"Fine, I'm all ears, Annie. What went down today while I was at work?"
Annie took a deep breath and began to retell the tale of events.
"It was like any normal day, but instead of staying home all day, I decided to go Christmas shopping with Ymir. We took a while, but I wasn't concerned because you worked late. I still would've had enough time to make you dinner and even clean up. But when I came home and got ready to cook, your mother went off on a tangent. She called me a useless Omega because I didn't have dinner done for you right away and that I should basically be your fucking servant. I couldn't hold my tongue. I hated being spoken to like that so I lashed out as well. I threw all the food on the floor and basically said to clean it up since she likes to be a submissive Omega so bad. Now, I'm more than willing to go back and live with your family again, but under one condition. You need to tell your mother to treat me with proper respect and to stay out of our relationship. It's none of her business if you want to pick up some of the chores here and there to help me out. You and I are having this baby. She's not. You hear me?"
It was exactly what Mikasa expected. She KNEW it was because her mother said something. She was upset with her mother. The woman really didn't have a say in what they did in their relationship. Who cared if she wanted to help Annie out with housework here and there? Mikasa didn't! Mikasa didn't even care if dinner was done if she got home! There was literally no reason for her mother to be acting that way… However, Mikasa couldn't find herself to be entirely angry at her. Her mother didn't know any better since she was just an old-fashioned Omega that believed in her ideals. Mikasa wasn't going to excuse her mother's words towards Annie, though. That was entirely unacceptable. But, to try and lessen Annie's anger towards her mother, she tried to help her understand where Mrs. Ackerman was coming from.
"I'm sorry that my mother started an argument like that with you. She had no reason to. I don't want you to hate my mother, though, Annie. She and my father are the reason why we could even support our child comfortably in the first place. Just… maybe try and understand her point of view? Don't get me wrong, I am in no way siding with her. She shouldn't have done what she did to you. But come on, Annie. You already knew how she was when you moved in. There's no compromising with her. Once she's already made up her mind, she won't budge. It's sort of like how you're dead set on not being a housewife. Well, she's dead set on being one instead. I'm sure she won't bother you anymore after she cools down a bit, but I don't think I'll be able to confront her about this and have her listen. She'll probably just brush it off and call me a silly little Alpha."
Mikasa immediately felt the shift in Anne's pheromones and knew that she said ALL the wrong things.
"See her point of view?! Mikasa, I'm not looking to understand why your mother is like this. I don't care! All I want is some respect from the woman, especially since I'll be giving birth to your child and their grandchild! It's completely ridiculous that you won't confront your mother about this! What are you afraid of? That she's going to kick us out? If that's the price to pay for respect, then so fucking be it! I've already been kicked out once! I can go through it again! You need to grow a damn backbone, Mikasa! How do you let your mother decide what you do when you work a job and have a baby on the way?!"
"Okay, I get it! Annie, I-" Mikasa took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm going to have my father speak with her first. If that doesn't fix anything, then I'll go in there and confront her personally. And yes, Annie, I am afraid that we might get kicked out! We barely have enough money for our child! If we get kicked out now, then we won't be able to buy our child things later on. It'll all go to paying rent and trying to survive! Come on, Annie. Work smarter, not harder! If dealing with my mother rewards us with having a roof over our head, then so be it. I'm thinking about the future of our child first, and you should as well. There's no time for personal issues to mess things up for us."
"Ugh, whatever. I don't want to hear anything from you again!" Annie snapped back and sat rather far away from Mikasa.
There was no doubt that Annie was angry and disappointed. She didn't understand why it was so hard for Mikasa to stand up for her for once. Mikasa's reason for refusing to do it wasn't even a valid one, had either; she was letting her mother get away with everything just because her mother didn't know any better? It was unbelievable that Mikasa also had the audacity to say, "I'm thinking about the future of our child first," as if she was with them since day one! Mikasa didn't even try to be there for Annie until she found out about her pregnancy! Annie internally groaned at that last thought, stopping it from going any further because she knew it would sprout into something more. She took a deep breath and got herself ready for bed, all the while ignoring Mikasa's advances of trying to talk it out more. Annie didn't understand why Mikasa kept trying since she already told the woman she wasn't listening anymore. Mikasa of all people should have known that Annie kept her word when it came to things like these. Annie continued to ignore her and even went to bed with her back towards the Alpha, even swatting the woman away once she felt Mikasa trying to hold her like usual. Hopefully, that would get the fact that Mikasa needed to speak with her mother through her thick Alpha skull.
Mikasa dislikes being ignored, even more so when Annie is the one doing it. The blonde wouldn't look at or answer Mikasa; Annie wouldn't even face her as she slept! It was so irritating, but Mikasa could stand her own ground as well. She wasn't going to argue with her mother and potentially cause even more problems. The Alpha couldn't understand why her mother and lover couldn't just ignore each other and not fight. Either way, Mikasa was hoping her mother had already cooled down at this point. She texted her father to address the issue and he said that he would do his best to get through. Mikasa wasn't that worried about the situation, considering her mother always ended up listening to him. The Alpha just hoped that her father didn't end up siding with his wife, or else she was out of luck. That was a big what-if, though, and Mikasa was sure that he wouldn't side with her. For now, all she had to do was wait for her father's update on the situation at hand.
She continued with her usual daily routine after Annie showed no signs of acknowledging her existence. It sucked to not get her usual good morning kiss and coffee that Annie would make for her, but Mikasa would survive. She proceeded to get ready for work, thankful that Annie packed her multiple pairs of work clothes. Mikasa got dressed, and before leaving, she went over to a slumbering Annie and pressed a kiss to her forehead. They might have been arguing, but Mikasa made sure that Annie knew that she still cared, even if she was passed out. With that, Mikasa left the room and continued onward with her workday.
Annie woke up several hours later, having been up earlier in the day for when Mikasa left but pretended to sleep. Mikasa hadn't woken her up or anything; her body was just used to the routine of getting up so early. Mikasa wouldn't know it, but Annie did feel the goodbye kiss she gave her before leaving for work. It made Annie's heart warm, but she was still angry with the Alpha. She wasn't going to let her get away with that show of affection. Annie knew her worth and she would not let Mrs. Ackerman win their argument.
Despite being angry at Mikasa, Annie was still going to pick up some groceries and prepare dinner later on. She decided to not bug Ymir for a ride; Annie had already bugged her enough, she didn't want the Alpha to be annoyed with her, and she didn't want to intrude on any extra time that Ymir could be spending with Historia. Annie wasn't entirely sure what those two were doing relationship-wise. According to Historia, they made up and there was some type of romance growing? Maybe they were just hooking up again, but Annie doubted that because of their rocky past. However, she wouldn't put it past Ymir to try and have sex with her. Historia seemed to be very headstrong, though, so she wouldn't be cracking for Ymir anytime soon.
The Omega gave the idea a bit more thought until she soon grew bored, coming to the realization that it didn't really matter in the end. If the two were happy and not causing any issues, then it was fine. With that, Annie pushed the two out of her head and planned out her day. She decided to take an Uber ride back to Mikasa's house, pick up her car, then do a grocery run. It wasn't all that interesting, but Annie couldn't wait to go out and do something regardless. She wasted no time getting in the shower and preparing herself for the day. Everything seemed to be going fine until she took one step out of her hotel room door and heard her phone ding.
Message From: Dad
Hey, kid, I know it's been a while, but I wanted to know how you're doing. I've been looking back on what happened and I would like to speak with you about it, but only if you're okay with that. I know that I don't deserve any of your time, but I'd like to properly apologize for how I reacted. I also thought that we could go Christmas shopping together for the baby if you did decide to keep the child. Again, you don't have to reply to me at all or even acknowledge this message. I would greatly appreciate it, though.
Annie froze and felt her soul leave her body at that moment. Out of everything that was happening, the last thing she wanted to deal with was her father. It had been months since she had a falling out with him, so why did he want to rekindle their relationship now? Was he in the holiday spirit, or some shit? Was he contacting her because someone chewed him out for being a shit dad? It didn't make any sense; how did he go from breaking her nose to wanting to take her on a shopping spree? In all honesty, the whole situation sounded like some sort of setup. How did she know if it was safe to meet with him again? What if she was walking into another trap that would end up hurting her in the end?
Annie decided to hold off on replying to the message. Maybe she would speak with Mikasa about it later. That was if Annie was done with her silent treatment towards the Alpha. Maybe she would lighten up on it but still be just a little angry with Mikasa. Their relationship would not progress or become normal again until Mikasa confronted her mother about the issue at hand. If she wouldn't, then Annie wasn't sure if she would stay with Mikasa, even though they were not technically together in the first place. Whatever weird romantic or sexual relationship they currently had would be put on pause and Annie would physically separate herself from Mikasa. However, she still had some faith in Mikasa and hoped that the situation would blow over in the coming days.
Since Mikasa didn't work directly with her father anymore, she did not have any opportunities to speak with him. Usually, he would have her come work on certain projects with him, but lately, Mikasa was sent out on her own because she worked more hours. Her father rarely replied via text message as well, so Mikasa was entirely in the dark about the situation she was in. Half of her wanted to go home and speak with her father, but the other side wanted to return to Annie. Mikasa's lack of better judgment took her back home to her parents. She didn't plan to speak with her mother but would find her dad and discuss things with him. The young Alpha parked her car and proceeded to enter, taking a quick moment to turn off her phone to ensure that there were no interruptions.
Mikasa tossed her phone to the side as well, not wanting to feel tempted to text Annie. Once all that was done, Mikasa made her way inside and searched for the only sensible person that she could speak to. She passed by her mother who was sitting in the living room and sensed her mother's disdain for Mikasa's ignorance. Mikasa knew it wasn't the time to converse with her, and thankfully, her father was in his usual workshop shed in the backyard. She entered silently and locked the door behind them, just so her mother would not be able to get in.
"Dad."
Mr. Ackerman lifted his head from the plans he was looking at and smiled when he saw Mikasa.
"Hey! There you are. Your mother said there was a fight between her and your lady. I didn't expect to see you back here so soon. Did Annie calm down already? Your mother is almost over it, so I'm sure you can come back soon."
"Um… No, she's still angry and wants me to talk to Mom about it. You don't sound all that worried about this at all. Aren't you upset that Annie and Mom fought?"
"Hmm? Not really. Your mother always gets herself into arguments like these, but she'll eventually get over it. They're Omegas, Mikasa. They get angry about something one day, and the next, they've forgotten about what happened. They just like to be mad because they don't have anything else to do while they're home. I'm sure your mother will forgive Annie before Christmas time comes around. Then, you two will be able to come back. If Annie is still angry, then just tell her that your mother isn't going to say anything and that if she does say something, I'll handle it. There's no need for you to speak with your mother either, so don't worry about that at all."
Maybe Mikasa shouldn't take what her father was saying as the best advice, but he was the elder who had been married to an Omega for years. So, Mikasa just nodded along and decided to go with whatever he said. It didn't sound all that bad, considering she didn't have to speak with her mother.
"Well, if you say so. I'm not so sure if Annie will be alright with coming back, but I'll just tell her what you said. I'll probably wait until Christmas Eve before coming back, just so we have time for Annie to compose herself. I won't bring up the issue again with her. If she tries to, then I'll just change the subject or something."
"Now that's how you do it, kid. I knew that I taught you right. Before you know it, everything will be back to normal. Omegas aren't like us. They won't throw a punch and get it over with. They have to spend days dwelling over things the other person said and start saying things back to continue the drama. If you remove them from the drama and have them calm down on their own, everything blows over. I'm going to head back inside with your mother now. I'm assuming you came straight to me and ignored her, so she might be in a bad mood now. You should hurry back home to Annie as well. I don't know where you guys are staying, but I personally wouldn't feel comfortable leaving my pregnant Omega somewhere alone for too long."
Mikasa listened to her father's last bit of advice and began heading back to Annie, deciding to walk out the side gate to avoid seeing her mother inside the house. She really hoped that what her father said would happen, because she didn't want to be in deeper shit than she already was.
Annie was on edge the entire day all because of that one message from her father. She hadn't spoken to anyone about it, not even Ymir. She was even still on the fence about deciding if she should tell Mikasa or not. Her father hadn't sent any additional messages, thankfully, but she feared that he would. It affected her greatly; she even had trouble trying to pay attention to the food she was making. Thankfully, it wasn't a big deal. She was making a ramen shrimp stir fry with the shrimp already cooked, so she didn't have to pay close attention. Her worried state only heightened upon hearing the hotel room open, but it subsided when Mikasa walked inside.
Considering she was still upset with the younger Alpha, Annie had half a mind to continue with her silent treatment. But also considering she was worried about what to do about the message from her father, Annie would need to break the silent treatment in order to speak. So, to show Mikasa that she wasn't giving it to her anymore, even though she was still upset, Annie made an announcement in a stern tone.
"Dinner should be done soon."
"Oh, thank you. I'm going to shower first then I'll join you for dinner afterward," Mikasa stated before disappearing into their restroom.
Annie let out a sigh that she didn't know she was holding in and moved over to microwave the instant rice she bought. She wasn't a fan of all the cheap, preserved food they were eating, but there was only so much you could make in a hotel, especially since they only offered one cooking skillet and a tiny fridge. Still, Annie made do with what she had and finished their dinner for the night, making a mental note to pack Mikasa some sandwiches for lunch for the next day since they had food now.
Grabbing some paper plates, Annie topped each one with rice and her sad excuse for stir fry. At least it tasted somewhat decent. She placed some chopsticks onto Mikasa's plate, knowing that those were her preferred utensils as she got a plastic fork for herself. Annie glanced at the chopsticks, wondering if she wanted to give it a try, but decided against it. She didn't feel like making a fool of herself, especially since she wasn't in the adventurous mood anyway.
Finally, Mikasa emerged from the bathroom in her usual lounge attire. She walked over to where Annie was standing and took a plate of food, raising a brow at the chopsticks that were on her plate.
"You bought me a pair of chopsticks? You know that I can use the plastic forks and spoons just fine, right?"
"Yeah, I know, but you usually prefer chopsticks, especially when we're at home and when you don't want to clean any utensils. I just got them for you because I thought you'd feel a bit more comfortable and at home," Annie said as she picked up her own plate and sat on their bed.
"Well then, thank you. I appreciate the effort, Annie… But I feel at home regardless of whether I have chopsticks or not. You're with me, so I'm always at home."
Annie felt her cheeks immediately heat up at Mikasa's sweet-talking but didn't reply. This stupid Alpha always made it so hard to stay angry at her ass. Annie wasn't going to let up, though. Maybe after another day, Annie MIGHT return to being lovey with Mikasa. For now, though, she just rolled her eyes in reply to Mikasa's comment and started eating.
Silence filled the room and Mikasa turned on the TV to try and get rid of it. Annie paid no attention to it, choosing instead to think of a way to bring her father's message up. Annie was afraid of how Mikasa would react to something like this. She didn't want the Alpha to get angry and threaten to beat her father again, especially since Annie hadn't gone through and handled her father's situation like she said she would. It felt almost taboo to bring up her father, considering the past controversy around him. From there, she just went ahead and decided to come out with it.
"My father texted me today… I didn't reply to him yet because I didn't really know what to say. I haven't spoken with anyone about it and thought it would be better to discuss it with you instead."
Annie picked up her phone and unlocked it to show Mikasa the message her father had sent. Mikasa set her food aside immediately and took Annie's phone to read the message. Her eyes were moving back and forth quickly, skimming through the message a few times to get a good understanding of it. She stayed quiet the entire time but eventually came up with an answer.
"No. I don't want you going to see him. I'm glad you didn't reply to him because I wouldn't have wanted you to. The audacity he must have to expect you to accept his apology after he broke your nose and kicked you out. You don't need him. You have me and we have our little family. Screw him," Mikasa said with a slight growl behind each word.
The Alpha gave Annie her phone back and returned to eating, not wanting to continue their conversation. Annie was fine with that since she could sense Mikasa already getting angry. She didn't want to get her pent up even more. The Omega grabbed her phone and tossed it aside, not needing it anymore.
"You're right. That's what I was thinking as well. I just wanted to get your input on the situation…"
"Well, you have my input now. I don't want you seeing or speaking with that man." Mikasa took a deep breath and sighed. "Sorry if I sound angry, but I just don't want to give him the chance to hurt you. Can we move onto something else now?"
"Yes, we can. I'm sorry about dragging it out more than I should've." Annie let out a sigh and took a few more bites until she was full. She wiped her mouth clean and tossed her plate in silence.
Annie didn't know what else to say. She didn't want to try and start a conversation, either. She was still upset with Mikasa. That much hadn't changed at all. She just needed to talk things out because it was important. Annie decided to end all their interactions there for the night.
On Christmas Eve, Mikasa had just gotten off of work and was heading back to the hotel room. She and Annie hadn't spoken about it, but Mikasa was already planning to check out of their room and head back home. Mikasa was sure that Annie wouldn't object to leaving, since she could sense that the woman wasn't enjoying the hotel anymore either. However, Mikasa wasn't so sure if Annie herself wanted to go back home. As her father said, she had been avoiding any conversation about her mother's situation and it felt like everything was working. Time would only tell what Annie's reaction would be with going home.
To try and make the transition smoother, Mikasa stopped by a nearby store and bought some flowers. She wasn't sure if they would help or not, but it wouldn't hurt to try. Annie wasn't really a flowers-type of girl but might appreciate the effort. Luckily, Annie wasn't that angry with her anymore… well, Mikasa hoped she wasn't.
When she got back to the hotel, Mikasa approached the situation slowly. The aroma of the night's dinner filled her nose as she walked in. Mikasa had to give props to Annie for her cooking while they were staying there. The woman was working with scarce supplies and limited equipment, yet she was still able to make such delicious dishes every night. That was another reason why Mikasa bought Annie a bouquet of flowers; they were just a little appreciative token of Mikasa's heart. She set the flowers aside for the moment since Mikasa wanted to eat dinner first, relax with Annie, then bring up the fact that they were leaving.
"Hey," Mikasa announced to Annie before pressing a quick kiss to the Omega's cheek, purposely avoiding her lips. Even though their relationship was better, there was still some tension in the air.
"Hey. We need to go shopping again either tomorrow or tonight if you're up for it. I wanted to make you something other than sandwiches for lunch, but the thing is we have nothing but ingredients for sandwiches. If you're fine with still eating them, then that's fine, but we still need to stock up on groceries again. I know you eat bigger portions than me, but Jesus Christ, Mikasa, you eat so damn much."
Mikasa found herself laughing at Annie's statement because she did not tell a single lie. Mikasa did eat a lot, even if she didn't necessarily like what she ate, so she didn't take offense to what Annie said.
"It's just the Alpha genes. They crave sustenance. I don't mind eating sandwiches for lunch, by the way, but we can speak about it after we have dinner," she said while picking up her plate of food. Annie nodded and joined Mikasa in grabbing her own plate as well. As usual, they ate in comfortable silence, only shooting out small comments here and there as they enjoyed their food. Then, Annie finally asked about the bouquet that Mikasa had brought in.
"Are those flowers for me, or are they for another Omega that you got pregnant?"
"As if I'd ever get another Omega pregnant. I can barely handle one pregnancy. Also, I'm not interested in any other Omega unless it's you, of course. Anyway, since you nicely asked who they were for, yes, they're for you. I wanted you to know that I appreciate all the work you've been doing. I know it's hard to continue living in a hotel room, but you're doing your best and I appreciate it." Mikasa set aside her empty plate as she retrieved Annie's flowers.
She walked back slowly with them in hand as she continued speaking. "They're also like an announcement present. It's Christmas Eve, which isn't special in and of itself, but the other thing that I have is. We're going home today. I already let the front desk know that we'd be gone by tomorrow morning. They told us to take our time leaving, but I think that we should get out of here as soon as possible, especially since we've been cooped up in this single room for the past few days."
"Oh? We're going home? This is the first I'm hearing of it. Why are we leaving all of a sudden? Did you finally speak to your mother about how she treated me? If so, then I have to say, I might just suck your dick as a reward."
Mikasa internally cringed when Annie asked if she spoke about the situation with her mother. Mostly because, no, she didn't speak with her mother. In fact, she took her father's advice and avoided her entirely. She really didn't know what to reply with; if Mikasa said no outright, then another fight would just sprout. However, if she avoided the question, then maybe it would work in her favor.
"I got a message from my father saying that my mother wasn't angry anymore and that it was fine for us to come back. It all happened kind of recently, so that's why I haven't mentioned anything." Mikasa thought that she dodged the question perfectly and hoped Annie didn't question it. It wasn't a complete lie since her father did text her recently about her mother. But when she saw Annie's eyebrow raise, all her hopes of recovering from the situation were destroyed instantly.
"I mean, that's great and all that your mother isn't angry anymore, but have YOU specifically spoken to her about what I wanted you to do? That I want your mother to treat me with respect and stay out of our relationship?"
Mikasa glanced to the side, avoiding eye contact with the woman. She didn't have to look at Annie to know that she was disappointed and/or angry at her. She took a deep breath and thought over what to do or say. With a sigh, Mikasa began to speak once more.
"Listen, Annie. I can't speak to my mother, I really don't know what she's capable of and I don't want us to end up in a worse predicament. My father said that my mother is over it, so she's not going to cause any more trouble right now. If she does, then just ignore her. She just says things and then she'll get over it. That's what my father says, anyway. I'm sure everything will be alright if we trust him. We don't even necessarily have to spend Christmas with them if you don't want to. We'll just stay in my room and ignore them. Come on, Annie. I've been working hard and trying to keep you well taken care of. I can't continue to do that if we're stuck living in a hotel, so… We have to go back home so I can take care of you to the fullest without worry."
Annie closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, hating that Mikasa couldn't fucking defend her just this once. She was done. Annie was not going to allow Mikasa's mother to continue to mistreat her. The Omega didn't care if it was because Mikasa wanted to be able to take care of her. If that was the case then she could just take care of herself. She didn't need Mikasa or her stupid parents. Annie took in a deep breath and got up, going straight to where her things were stored.
"Mikasa, we're done. I'm not going to live with you in a place where I'm going to be disrespected just because I don't want to be a stay-at-home wife. We're not even technically together either, so why would I put the effort in to deal with your mother? And now I know for sure that we won't be together if you can't even speak to your mother for me." She sighed and began to take her things out.
"Annie, come on. You can't do this to me. We have a child on the way-"
"I know we do, Mikasa. I'm not telling you that you're not allowed to be there for your child. Like we said before, no matter what happens to us relationship-wise, I'm never going to keep you from your child. If you want, you can still come with me to doctor's appointments and anything that involves the baby." Annie shoved all her things into the duffel bag she had first brought with her.
Mikasa was at a loss for words. She didn't want Annie to leave her. They were doing so well together and now it was all crumbling down before her eyes. She didn't want to just be there for the baby; Mikasa wanted to do that AND be with Annie romantically. She wanted the two of them to be together and raise their child together, just them as a little family. But Annie didn't want that and Mikasa didn't understand why she couldn't just ignore her mother. If Annie could do that then they would be able to be happy and not have any issues at all. Why couldn't she do that?! Mikasa didn't voice any of her aggravation, having some sense not to open her mouth. The situation was bad enough already. She didn't need to make it worse with her angry and accusing comments.
"Fine. At least allow me to drive you wherever you're going. I want to make sure you're safe and sound and able to check up on you often."
"Mikasa, stop. I can handle driving myself where I need to go. Also, you can check up on me after a few days or weeks. I want some time to myself so I can reflect on everything that happened. Having you popping in every other second might do more harm than good. If you're really concerned, then I'll send daily reports. Other than that, I don't want you near me at all. At least not now. I'll see you later, Mikasa."
Annie was glad she picked up her car from Mikasa's house prior to this incident. It made leaving much easier. She knew Mikasa just wanted to make sure Annie was safe, but she knew it was better to travel alone. Although, her wanting to travel alone wasn't the only reason why she didn't let Mikasa drive her. The main reason was that she didn't even know where the hell she was going, to begin with. She could go to Ymir's, but it was a bit too late and she didn't know if she was out with Historia or something. So Annie ruled her out. The second was Reiner, but Annie already knew that he was spending time with family. There was Bert… She didn't want to see him right now. Honestly, she contemplated sleeping in her car again even though it was Christmas Eve. With each passing moment, though, it started to look like that's what Annie was going to do until she got a message.
Message From: Dad
Merry Christmas, kid. I hope you're having a great night. I hope you're safe and doing alright.
She stared down at her phone and gulped, not knowing if she wanted to actually consider going to see her father. He didn't necessarily say that she was allowed to come back home. Her father just wanted to talk about what had happened, which could just mean that he wanted to apologize, not that he was welcoming her back to his house with open arms. She let out a groan and laid her head against the steering wheel, not knowing what to do. Annie knew she had to take a chance and wait to see the outcome. With a sigh, Annie unlocked her phone and started a call. After a few rings, someone answered.
"Hey, Dad. Can I come home?"