8. You Can't Hear My Heart Beat


Eren turned around just in time to see Mikasa fall. Her gear had been acting a bit rusty during training and Sasha had insisted that she get it changed for a spare one but Mikasa had waved her away, too focused on her training to care.

"Mikasa!" Eren yelled and his shout was echoed four other times by Connie, Sasha, Jean and Armin.

Mikasa's gear had jammed up in mid flight and she hadn't been able to shoot her grapple hooks into the next tree. Unable to swerve in time, she had crashed hard against a branch with a sickening thud,crumpling towards the ground at alarming speed. Determined to halt her fall, Eren shot downwards at maddening speed, arm outstretched to catch hold of Mikasa's arm. Time seemed to slow down as Eren's brows furrowed together in concentration. The forest was a green blur around him. Mikasa's eyes were closed as the wind whipped her short, black hair around her face.

Come on! Eren growled internally the tips of his fingers brushed against Mikasa's limp arm. Almost there…

However, before he could even blink, a shape blurred past him at lightening speed, catching Mikasa and breaking her fall. Eren landed hard on the ground and bent his knees to absorb the impact, glancing around wildly to gain an insight as to what had happened.

"Too slow, Jaeger."

"Huh?!" Eren glanced up and saw that on a tree branch right above him, Mikasa's unconscious form was cradled safely in Captain Levi's arms. He hopped down from the branch and landed beside Eren while the rest of the squad joined them.

"Is she okay?" Armin whispered, his bright blue eyes swimming with concern.

"Mikasa? Mikasa!" Jean patted her face buts he didn't open her eyes.

"Move aside, horse face!" Eren roughly shoved Jean out of his way to get to Mikasa, ignoring the look Connie and Sasha exchanged.

"Brats, calm down!" Levi's sharp, authoritative voice cut through the commotion, silencing them all. "She's knocked out cold due to the blow on her head from the crash. Quit yammering like a bunch of piglets." He turned to Eren, beckoning him forward with a tilt of head. "Jaeger,"

"Sir!"

To his surprise, Levi deposited Mikasa into his arms as soon as he stepped forward. His knees buckled under the unexpected weight for a moment, earning a snicker from Jean. He tightened his grip around Mikasa's unconscious form and steadied himself quickly, his turquoise eyes wide from surprise.

"Be a good brother or whatever the fuck you are and take her back to her room." Levi ordered him, seemingly oblivious to the blush that was slowly beginning to creep onto Eren's face.

"Y-Yes sir!" Eren responded in a daze, shifting his weight from one foot to another.

"Eren, should I come with you?" Armin asked him but one glance from Levi had him running back to his position.

Eren glanced down at Mikasa in his arms with awe. She seemed so vulnerable, so unprotected at the moment. Her face was a different kind of blank, her features smoothed out and free from the hold of a carefully composed mask of stoicism. It almost appeared as if she was sleeping with her head nestled against Eren's chest. Eren felt a thrill run through his spine at the prospect of him getting to protect and look after Mikasa for once instead of the other way round. That's all he had ever wanted to do since the moment he had met Mikasa; to act as her savior. However, each time, Mikasa had ended up being his protector and that really ticked him off. It wasn't supposed to be that way. He should be the one looking after her and not the other way round.

Eren hadn't realized it previously but Mikasa smelled really…nice. He couldn't find another way to describe it. It was a pleasant, slightly floral fragrance which reminded him of their old days and their ruined home back in Shiganshina.

"Oi Eren, quit gawking at her and take her back to her room already, you little shit!" Levi yelled from behind him, making him jump.

For a moment, he was really glad that Mikasa was unconscious because this way, she had no idea as to how red his cheeks were or how fast his heart was thrumming in his chest.