LAWLESS
Chapter 5. Mikasa
Eren was laying on his bed, with his sight fixed on the uneven brown surface of the ceiling. It was of soil and solid rock. He wondered how deep the hideout was, how long ago had they built it and if it was built by or for the Ackerman.
He carefully touched his bruised cheek. The ointment hadn't been completely absorbed and his fingertip was left sticky. After applying it, he noted there was not much left and it was about time to buy new medical supplements.
Kenny had assured him that he wasn't a hostage and, according to the letter that he received in his father's own handwriting, Eren was there to be protected by that lanky tobacco smelly criminal.
He decided that it was necessary to start a new conversation with the Ackerman's leader so he could get more information. Eren wanted to know everything, for him to explain who he was being protected from and why, and what was the relationship that Kenny had with his father.
Eren wondered if his father had helped the Ackerman people for longer than he imagined, since the first kidnapping that he, as a child, had been the victim of was aimed at luring Grisha and reaching an agreement of which he knew no details.
He heard a couple of knocks on his bedroom's door and stood up to open it. He thought that he would find Mikasa at the other side but, to his surprise, he saw Levi and also Bernard, with whom he had a fight.
Eren assumed that the short man had dragged Bernard there since he held him by the neck of his shirt. Bernard's head was low and looked swollen.
"I think he needs a doctor," Levi said, as he lifted the bruised guy without any difficulty.
After a groan because Levi shook him, Bernard spoke: "I ne-need a doctor," his voice sounded weak, but Eren could almost hear how Bernard's pride cracked.
The young medic looked at Kenny's nephew, who was at least twenty centimeters shorter than him and Bernard. Levi was a small man, but he overpowered both of them in strength.
Days ago Kenny had already lifted Eren with a bare hand and without any evident effort. Now, Levi had dragged Bernard to his room like it was nothing. Definitely, the Ackermans were stronger than common people and Eren didn't know if it could be because of a difference in their diet, in their workouts or if… they simply were something like super-humans. The last option seemed like a fantasy from the imaginative mind of a child, but even Mikasa had shown her ability and her incredible power the time she cornered him, reduced him and threw him over the bed.
"Ah!" Bernard whined. Eren had helped him to lay down on the bed.
Levi was already gone and had left Bernard in the corridor, leaving Eren to conclude that his room had just been turned into a nursery and the idiot that knocked him out was his very first underground patient.
"Who did this to you?" Eren asked in a neutral tone, even though the answer was obvious.
"It was Levi."
Bernard had two broken fingers on his left hand – the little finger and his ring finger. Besides the black eye, he had a long bruise that went over his stomach and thorax. Eren could almost visualize a shinbone form tattooed in hot red in his skin.
"And you said this was your punishment for hitting me?"
If Kenny was a savage, it wasn't a surprise to realize that Levi was one too.
"Yeah…" Bernard admitted, dodging his look, "and now I really regret doing it, Jaeger. Believe me when I say that I regret it."
Eren just nodded and tried to focus on what he knew to do. After immobilizing the man's broken fingers, applying an ointment and injecting him with a medication to ease the pain, Eren let out a big yawn. He finished his work, gave some health care indications to Bernard and made him leave his room.
"Thanks, Jaeger" the guy said, embarrassed.
It was late and Eren was exhausted. Tomorrow he would try to speak with Kenny to get answers and to negotiate an exit to the surface. Being able to watch the sun again had turned into a priority.
When he woke up and went to breakfast, several of Kenny's men greeted him naturally, except for Bernard, who only did an awkward gesture with his head. Eren responded with a similar gesture but, unlike Bernard, in his serious demeanor a certain serenity could be perceived.
He sat in the farthest corner at one of the long tables of the mess hall. A guy that was like a waiter left him a sandwich, a bowl of oatmeal with warm milk and a glass of juice that Eren drank immediately in a long sip. Everyone present ate the same, in the same big portion. The Ackerman's men never complained about starving, they also laughed a lot about any nonsense. Some of them even looked like decent, normal people to Eren – not criminals - enjoying a friendly meal in a typical restaurant. When some of them started mocking Bernard for his black eye, Levi appeared in the mess hall and the teasing stopped right away.
Eren went to where Levi was speaking with Volker, the red haired man with whom he had been training. Both of them cut their conversation when they noted the presence of the young doctor.
Eren greeted Volker with a gesture and then talked to Levi: "Good morning Levi, can I ask you some questions?"
"No."
Eren blinked and Volker smiled as he saw him taken aback.
"But-"
"Are you deaf? I already said no. I'm busy," Levi snapped, "Go finish eating your disgusting looking oatmeal."
Levi continued his conversation with Volker and, since he was being ignored, Eren had no choice but to go back to his spot at the table to finish his breakfast. He frowned. That disgusting looking oatmeal was delicious after all.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Kenny wasn't in his office that morning. Eren sighed. He couldn't find Levi either after his visit to the mess hall at breakfast time. On the other side, he hadn't seen Mikasa since yesterday.
Was she okay?
Bah, but what does it matter? He didn't have to start worrying about these people.
"What are you doing here?"
A pair of dark eyes examined Eren's surprised face, who asked himself if he had been thinking aloud.
"Huh?" he saw that Mikasa was wearing her usual expressionless demeanor, "Ah, I was looking for Kenny."
"Kenny is coming later," the girl said, starting to walk away.
Eren grabbed her by the arm.
"Wait," he asked, letting her go as soon as she stopped.
For a few seconds, Mikasa contemplated the area where the boy's warm hand had been, before looking him in the eyes.
"What?" she asked, dryly.
Are you alright? Eren wanted to ask, but stopped as soon as he perceived her defensive attitude.
"When you see Kenny, can you tell him that I need to have an urgent conversation with him?"
"Sure," she said, bringing one finger to her cheek. "Does it hurt?"
He shook his head.
"Not much anymore," Eren replied, noting how puffy-eyed she was. He couldn't help it but ask: "Are you alright?"
Caught by surprise, Mikasa quickly looked away.
"I'm fine."
Eren nodded, not convinced at all, but he wouldn't ask her anything else about it. He studied the girl's clothes; the loose shirt and the long pants she was wearing, the rolled up towel under the arm and the clean bandage that covered her small hands' knuckles.
"Are you going to train?" Eren asked her.
"Yes."
"Can I look at how you train?"
"No."
Mikasa walked away through the corridor and entered a room, which she locked from the inside.
Eren rolled his eyes.
Damn Ackermans. So blunt, cold and reserved. Well, except for Kenny.
Kenny was a savage lunatic that at least laughed, smiled, tried to be funny and didn't communicate in monosyllables.
"So you wanna see the sunlight again, buy your doctor things and visit a couple of patients in Trost," the Ackerman patriarch summarized, raising up a long and bony finger for each thing he mentioned.
"Yes, I want to visit two patients there. The appointment date is near. If I don't see them, they're going to inform the King and I'll face some problems."
On the back wall there was a poster with a portrait of 'Kenny The Ripper' in his youth. He was smiling even though he was in the middle of a big WANTED and BOUNTY. There was also some sort of collage made of various newspaper cuts that mentioned his name and alias, along with his several crimes. A bit to the right and up on the same wall was a pretty cuckoo clock carved from dark wood, which pendulum swung from one side to the other making a constant ticking noise.
Kenny showed him a wily smile.
"Oh, of course Rod needs to know that you're fulfilling your duty, especially if he himself took charge of paying your Medicine studies in recent years, since your old man's death."
"Yes, sort of." Eren admitted, raising his eyebrows, although it was expected that someone like Kenny would find out such details.
The Ripper brought his pipe to his lips. "You can go out to take a walk and take your time for a full week, as long as you are accompanied by Mikasa."
Eren narrowed his eyes.
"So it will be some kind of probation, huh?"
Kenny let out a chuckle. The poor lad had no idea that he has been on probation for half of his short life.
"Actually, Mikasa will be some sort of bodyguard," Kenny spoke with a mocking smile, "the bodyguard girlfriend."
Eren frowned and tried to conceal the shade of pink that, of course, tinted his cheeks thanks to his annoyance and a bit, just a bit, of embarrassment.
"When will this farce end?"
"This farce has just started!" Kenny whined, tasting his pipe, "You're a fucking killjoy."
The boy snorted.
"I don't need to have a bodyguard. I can go alone and come back alone, nothing will happen. I've never had problems while I'm working," affirmed Eren, "What I do need is to know why my dad trusted in you, in you all, to protect me from nonexistent enemies. I'm starting to suspect that you made him write that letter under threat."
Kenny took the pipe out of his mouth. He stood up and walked until reaching a spot near Eren.
"I've used that trick in other cases, yeah," Kenny admitted, giving Eren a bump in the head, "But with your old man it wasn't needed. That letter was thought and written by him, considering that your freedom and even your life could be in danger at any moment. You see, dumb brat."
Eren rubbed his head and stared at Kenny's face, trying to verify that he was being honest. However, his mistrust was stronger.
As he realized that the boy was still doubting, Kenny continued: "Grisha knew a few secrets and lies related to the Reiss, especially stuff concerning that pork King. Things that maybe he decided not to tell you for your own safety, ha!" he sat on the desk in front of Eren, "For example, I guess he never mentioned anything about the whereabouts of Frieda Reiss."
"The whereabouts of Frieda?" Eren asked, confused, "But everybody knows that she's in a cemetery, like all dead people."
Kenny hit the desk with the base of his gripped hand.
"Not like all the dead, you naive brat. Not everyone can afford saving their stinky corpses in a Royal mausoleum, guarded by perfect and expensive marble sculptures, well maintained gardens and all that shit," Kenny teased and then he continued with a know-it-all smile, "Are you confident that Frieda Reiss is dead?"
"Yes," Eren answered after a small pause, "I know that my father did her autopsy after the guards found her body hanging in the Royal Chapel, where she used to go to pray."
"Did you see the body? Did you participate in the autopsy?"
Eren moved in his chair.
"Of course not," he admitted, a bit disturbed. He brought his fingers to his chin, "I couldn't see her in her funeral either. No one could see her body, apart from the guards that found her, Rod and my dad. Anyway, I can assure you that the faces of those dead by hanging are not nice to see… I remember that, out of respect for the Royal Family and the memory of Frieda, they kept the coffin sealed."
"Do you think that Frieda Reiss would have been capable of taking her own life?" Kenny insisted.
An image of a smiling and kind Frieda came to Eren's mind and before he could answer anything, Levi and Mikasa bounced into Kenny's office. Both of them were wearing black clothes and had some sort of dark scarf around their necks, with which they could cover their mouth and nose.
Eren was surprised by their outfits and their lethal appearance. He could note an array of weapons hanging on their leather belts. Mikasa was wearing knives tied to her leg and arm.
"We have some updated information about the itinerary of the goods," informed Levi, ignoring the presence of the young doctor.
"That's it. Our time is up, Eren," Kenny told him, showing him the exit of the office.
On his way out, Eren passed by Mikasa and observed her while she took out a black cotton beanie and undid the bun in which her hair was tied. She didn't make visual contact with him and waited for him to leave to come closer to the desk of her uncle. Levi imitated her.
Kenny glanced at her, smiling.
"Mikasa, I have a new mission for you: to accompany and protect Eren in his trip to Trost, what do you think?"
The girl just nodded and didn't say anything at all. She tried to maintain her stoic manners even though the idea of dealing with that panorama made her feel nervous.
"Kenny," Levi murmured, looking sideways at Mikasa, "Wouldn't it be better that, just for this time, I went with him instead of Mikasa?"
"Of course not," he denied, laughing between his teeth, "If you were Eren, what would you prefer? The company of a pretty girl or of a sour midget?"
Levi let out a weary sigh, while Mikasa blushed slightly and squeezed her lips.
Sour midget. Fucking Kenny and his funny nonsense. The girl gave a look at her annoyed cousin and had to cover her mouth with the fabric that she wore around her neck.
"Mikasa will accompany Eren on his trips and you," he pointed at Levi, "will start supervising his workouts once he's back. We need Jaeger to stop being a damn weakling."
"Whatever," Levi said, elbowing Mikasa, "Oi, what's so funny?"
"The… sour midget thing," she said, shrugging.
Kenny chuckled.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
The first time Mikasa visited Trost was during a mission about a year ago with Levi and some of the men he was in charge of. They had planned a meeting with a merchant to make a deal. His name was Dimo Reeves and he turned out to be a quite cooperative guy, so much that nowadays he informed them about any route or irregularity in the actions of other merchandising transporters with whom the Ackerman had agreements.
Now Mikasa was beside Eren Jaeger, who was checking his notes in an old notebook in the middle of a pleasing cobbled street full of stores.
"The store I have to go to is located a block away," he informed, pointing with a finger to an area that looked discreet and less crowded.
She followed him. Her eyes wandered through every store they passed by. There was everything you could think of; sewing stores, shoe stores, toy stores and appealing female accessories stores. They walked by a small bank – which was closed –, a sad looking hostel and a barber shop, until they stopped in front of an apothecary. Eren entered, greeted the bald manager and then asked for what he needed.
When everything was in order, he went to Mikasa.
"Did you want to take a look in the other stores?" he suddenly asked her, and she nodded, "Fine, let's go."
The girl's eyes glimmered for a brief instant and Eren felt uncomfortable when she grabbed him by the arm.
"What are you doing?" he questioned in a low voice.
"What I've seen other couples doing around here," she replied calmly.
"Oh…"
"I think we should leave what you bought in the hotel before taking a walk," she said with ease.
Eren was carrying two bags of paper full of medical supplies, stuff that could become a nuisance in case they took a long walk until it was time for dinner. They went for about four blocks before they got to the hotel, where they would spend a few nights.
At the reception desk was still the same woman that gave them the keys to the twin single room they reserved.
"Just a while ago one of the rooms that have a double bed got available," she informed them with a warm smile, "it will be a pleasure to change you to that room if you wish."
Eren seemed terrified, and it wasn't for less, but he got more scared when he heard the sudden giggle of Mikasa, who reached the receptionist.
"We would love it," she whispered to the woman in a mischievous way, "but I promised my parents that on this trip, Eren and I would sleep in different rooms, and I'm not even doing that! They would kill me if they found out that besides sleeping with him in the same room, we slept several nights in the same bed."
"Aw, I understand…," the woman nodded in a low voice, showing Mikasa a knowing smile, "I understand you perfectly, young lady. Back in my times my parents would have disowned me. Things have changed over the years, though, but still I have to admit that you are pretty brave."
Mikasa gave her a confident smile.
"I guess," Mikasa said, giving Eren a flirty look. He only hugged his bags as he had no idea what the hell was happening nor what they were exactly talking about, "Love make us reckless and… stupid."
The receptionist laughed heartily and nodded. "I would also become stupid if I had such a handsome boyfriend," she said after a slight sigh, gazing at Eren as if she was contemplating some kind of dreamy landscape.
When they got into the bedroom in the hotel's second floor, in complete silence Eren started to pack away and to put in order what he had bought. He avoided looking at Mikasa's face even though she was so close, staring at every glass pot and little bags with unknown dust inside that he took out from the paper bag and transferred to the medical briefcase.
"I thought you would only leave the stuff here and then we would go out."
Eren didn't respond immediately.
"I prefer to put everything in order," he said, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. The damsel in distress. The adorable in love girl, cheerful and coquette. Mikasa was a good actress, "You could dedicate yourself to the theater, you have talent," his comment sounded more similar to a complaint than to a compliment.
The young doctor saw how the girl shrugged.
"If I acted out of pleasure, maybe I would do it," she replied, expressionless, "Can we go outside already? Tomorrow we'll barely have time to stroll."
"Yes, everything is in order," Eren said, closing the briefcase he would use the next day to visit his patients.
Little by little that afternoon he had been getting accustomed to Mikasa going around with him almost hanging from his arm, or holding his hand as if it was nothing when she dragged him inside a store that caught her attention. Confused, at several moments Eren wasn't capable of distinguishing if these attitudes were her own or if she was just immersed in her affectionate girlfriend role, because the Mikasa he knew underground was so different.
Cold, but at the same time warm. Cheerful and serious. Sweet and bitter. Distant and close. Rude and gentle…
How was Mikasa, in reality?
In the store they spent more time was one of imitation jewelry and female accessories, but Mikasa didn't seem interested in necklaces, neither in trinkets or rings. What really caught her attention was the small section dedicated to hair ornaments.
Eren watched her trying different ornaments in front of a little mirror and thought she showed a preference for those with floral motifs. She tried a lot of ornaments but, finally, she took none.
"I thought that at least you would buy one. One of the millions you tried," said Eren as they left the store, rubbing his eyes.
"I was expecting for you to buy me one as a gift," she replied, nonchalantly grabbing him by the arm.
"Huh? Why would I have to give you one of those things?"
Mikasa rolled her eyes.
"Because we are supposed to be a couple, and that's what boyfriends do for their girlfriends," she said in a low voice.
"You just said it yourself," Eren replied to her in a whisper between his teeth, "we're supposed to be a couple."
The younger of the Ackerman let out a dramatic sigh. "Seriously, you're the worst boyfriend," she whined, feigning sadness.
It was Eren's turn to roll his eyes. "You're an opportunist."
They were already a few meters away from the jewelry store when they heard someone yelling behind them.
"Stop! Stop there, thieves!" bawled the store clerk, who was reaching them by running as fast as he could with his short legs, "Police! Call the police! Help, police!"
Mikasa's eyes widened. She grabbed Eren by the hand and started running, but other store clerks and bewildered clients surrounded them like a human wall.
Eren glanced at the people and then stared at her companion, confused.
"What the hell? Did you steal from him…?" he questioned, frowning slowly.
She didn't answer. She seemed to be weighing the situation. Her hands were closed in a tight fist. Mikasa was preparing herself to fight, but just as quickly she relaxed her stance and released the tension that she had put into her fists.
With her eyes fixed on the store clerk that was close to them, Mikasa took out one of the ornaments she was hiding behind her ear, under her black hair, then she took out a pair of ornaments that she had put inside her dirndl apron's strip.
The store clerk received the junk jewelry. His face was sweaty and red of fury.
"This doesn't fix anything. You're going to jail along with your accomplice," he warned them both, "We're so done of thefts here. We're honest people!"
The bustle attracted more curious people, who muttered to each other. Eren could hear some mentioning his last name, but not much more, because his blood was boiling and his head was pounding.
"Perfect. Well done," he said to Mikasa in her ear, at the same time that he brushed a hand through his hair and then crossed his arms, exasperated.
Mikasa had almost completely recovered her stoic demeanor when she sharply took Eren by the collar of his shirt and brought her face close to his.
"Remember that my name is Margot Protz," she said, in a tone on the edge of the threat. She then put her head against his chest and started sobbing out of a sudden. Eren looked around him and, despite his indignation, he knew there was nothing to do but to play along and hug her.
Eren embraced her without delicacy. The only thing he wanted was to get away from her in these moments, but he was boiling in rage and he expressed it through the tightness of his arms around her narrow female body. He didn't hear her complaining because of that.
A pair of police men that prowled the area arrived promptly. Already calmer, the store clerk explained to them what happened and pointed to the couple guilty of the theft.
"This is the first time I've done something like this," Mikasa had said with a weak voice while the freckled policeman handcuffed her carefully. The guy seemed affected by the crying girl, "I don't know what happened to me."
"We'll have to check your records to verify that," the policeman explained to her with a small comforting smile, "If what you say is true, you should not be more than one week in a cell."
"A week!?" Eren almost yelled as he overheard the conversation.
"Don't yell, idiot," the other policeman said, who was roughly handcuffing Eren.
"Who do you think you're calling an idiot, you horse-faced asshole?"
"Eren, please," Mikasa muttered with her teary eyes.
Shit, she could look like a saint.
Despite the offense, the police officer let Eren go and contemplated Mikasa with widened eyes. He just noticed her, her face. Her impressive beauty.
"Wh-what's your name?" the guy asked with rosy cheeks.
Mikasa dried her tears softly and showed him a little smile. Eren raised an eyebrow.
"My name's Margot," she replied.
"Margot…" the policeman repeated, as if he was relishing her name.
"Hey, Jean," the freckled policeman cleared his throat so his partner could came back to his senses, "We have to take them to the police station."
"Oh, yeah. Sure. Of course."
They made Eren and Mikasa get into a carriage and closed it from outside so they could not escape. Eren pulled away from the girl and leaned his head against the glass, letting out a snort. His breath fogged the glass.
"Eren…"
"This is absurd. Ridiculous," he snapped, turning around enraged, "Why the fuck did you steal that crap? These are damn gimcracks and your family have enough money, or more than enough. You could have paid for them and you could have saved us this experience, but no, now we're going to have to spent at least a week in a fucking cell, wasting our time, and everything because of your fault. Everything because you can't avoid being what you are!"
"I'm sorry," she said. Her hurt look descended to the metal rings she had on her wrists.
"Oh, you're sorry?" asked Eren, clenching his jaw. "Are you really sorry or is this just another of your many performances?"
"I'm not acting," a lump was beginning to form in her throat.
"And how could I know it? I don't even know how you really are."
Mikasa held his angry stare for a while, during which her dark eyes became more unfathomable, more cold, the same as her pale demeanor.
"You're right. You couldn't know it," she agreed, monotonous.
It had started to grow dark when they reached the police station. The officers identified themselves as Jean Kirschtein and Marco Bott when they entered.
Eren and Mikasa were briefly interrogated. Another officer asked for their identifications and wrote some notes in a thick book. He informed them that they would have to stay between twenty four and forty eight hours so they could check their records in the main office. After that, 'Margot' would have to stay at least a week imprisoned, while Eren would be released after three nights. Only that, because Kirschtein seemed to have forgotten that Eren had offended him by calling him a 'horse-faced asshole', otherwise the policeman would have presented charges for a lack of respect for authority.
They took out their handcuffs as they were placed in their cell. The place was cold and smelt like humidity.
Mikasa sat on the stone floor, in a corner beside the bars, and sighed.
What would Kenny and Levi say? An Ackerman could not allow being captured like that. This was a failure, a mess and a dishonor. After this, they wouldn't trust in her to be in charge of anything. This was an easy mission and still she ruined it. What an embarrassment.
She lied when she said to the freckled policeman that this was the first time she stole something. She had done it many times before, since she was a kid, she had always gotten away with it until now.
Everything because you can't avoid being what you are!
Eren's words resounded in her head and it was true. She had to admit it, even though truth hurt, she knew perfectly what he meant, and she was aware of the disregard Eren had for her and her family. They were criminals.
I don't even know how you really are.
Mikasa held her knees over the fabric of her dress. She had ruined everything. The day had gone perfectly with Eren until she couldn't resist the damn impulse of getting stuff without paying for them.
She pressed her legs. How was she going to get out of there?
She had to get out. To get Eren out of that place as soon as possible and before Kenny and Levi were forced to intercede… That if they got to find out about this in one or two days. As it were, they would end up finding out anyway.
Mikasa snorted, stood up and leaned her face against and between the cold bars waiting to see a policeman, hoping for it to be that Jean guy. She suspected that she could use everything they taught her about female arts with him, so she could achieve an early release, if it was possible.
After minutes waiting for a round of surveillance, an officer entered the corridor and started walking close. He carried a gas lamp. When he stopped by her cell, Mikasa could see it was the freckled one, Marco.
The girl held his glance and he offered her a little smile.
"Is everything alright?" he asked out of courtesy, and Mikasa shook her head, "is there something I could help?"
Mikasa's eyes got watery.
"I've never been in a place like this," she said, afflicted, "I want to go back home."
Marco nodded.
"I understand and I'm sorry, but we can't release you so soon. We have to respect the law."
"Can you at least release Eren?" tears ran through her pale cheeks, "He's innocent and tomorrow he has to visit patients, urgently. Please, it's important. There are lives in danger."
The man took a look at the shadowed figure of Eren, who was seated in the darkest and furthest corner of the cell with his head back and leaning over the bricks, as if he was sleeping.
"I'll see what we can do about that," Marco said, in a calm voice, "Don't worry, this is nothing serious. It will be a short detention."
"Thank you so much," Mikasa said, resting her face between the bars.
Once Marco left, the girl focused on the murmurs of various masculine voices, until a feminine voice caught her attention. It sounded familiar.
She heard the metal squeak of an opening door and saw the light of the lamps. Dry steps came to her cell and in front of her stood a young blonde and short officer, whose blue and icy gaze could make anyone nervous.
Mikasa and the blonde exchanged cold stares.
"This is Margot Protz," said the police woman, in an indifferent tone, and then she pointed at the guy at the end of the cell raising the gas lamp to illuminate the back of the place, "and that one is Eren Jaeger, the doctor."
"That's right, Officer Leonhardt," Marco confirmed.
The shadow of a smile crossed Mikasa's lips.
"Fine, I'll make them answer some questions. You can go back to your desk, Bott."
"As you order, officer."
The blonde waited for the man to leave the detention zone before coming closer to Mikasa.
"You're lucky, Margot," she said with apathy, "Your bail has been paid and you're getting out of here in less than an hour."
So it was. Eren and Mikasa were inside the private office of Annie Leonhardt, the chief of the police station in Trost.
Eren was tired and still upset, but now he was also confused.
"Sorry, officer, but who paid our bail?" he asked. There was no way Kenny could have found out about the imprisonment in such short notice.
Annie exchanged looks with Mikasa and then focused her glacial glance on Eren.
"I paid it," she answered him, as if it wasn't the big thing.
"What?" Eren raised an eyebrow, thinking it was a joke.
"I owe you one, Annie," thanked Mikasa, without even trying to hide her relief.
Annie shrugged and Eren's eyes went from one girl to the other. They knew each other.
"You owe me the bail, Margot."
"Fine."
"And a kick in the ass, for the inconvenience."
"Sure, as if you could."
"Hey, what the hell?" Eren interrupted, trying to claim Mikasa's gaze so she would give him answers, "Does she work for you? Have you bought an officer?"
Annie snorted.
"Jaeger, you speak too loud. Let us alone for a while," she requested, weary, "I'll give you your girlfriend back soon."
Eren stood abruptly. He raised and dropped his hands, displeased.
"It was a sovereign stupidity for you to get caught," Annie said as she took a box of donuts down from her desk and offered one to Mikasa.
"I know, but a lot of people blocked our way and I couldn't hit one of your pawns in front of all those witnesses," Mikasa managed to say, chewing the edge of a donut. It had a nice taste, "doing that would have raised a lot of suspicions."
"Poor timing and a bad place to steal gimcracks, Ackerman," Annie gave a quick look at the closed door of her office before informing Mikasa in a whisper: "Reiss imprisoned Julia Auttenberg already, as expected."
Mikasa nodded with some regret. The woman that had given her the invitation to the Reiss' ball was aware of the consequences of her actions when she got caught. "We knew that woman would do anything to pay off her debt with Kenny."
Kenny did Julia a big favor helping her to get rid of her husband, with whom she had endured years of physical and psychological abuse.
"Reiner was the one in charge of recording her testimony," Annie made a slight grimace of displeasure when she mentioned the name of the Stohess officer, "he confirmed the woman testified according to what was planned."
"Kenny will be satisfied," Mikasa nodded.
Annie and Mikasa didn't even say goodbye when the last one left the office.
Outside, Eren was waiting for her, leaning on a wall with his arms crossed. His hair, messy, and an intense gaze that was a blend of reproach, annoyance and curiosity.
"Shall we go?" Eren asked, disguising an order.
The girl brought a hand unwittingly to her chest, where her heartbeat intensified out of nothing. Her breathing changed too. She shook her head and took a deep breath.
"Yes," she said, as she followed Eren.
This time around she didn't dare to get close to him. She didn't feel free to grab his arm and by no means to hold his hand to hurry up.
It was night already and the temperature had dropped. They walked side by side, respecting their distance. Mikasa embraced herself, keeping her gaze on the floor. Eren had his hands inside his pockets and was immersed in thoughts.
"I need a beer," Eren announced, clearing his throat. He felt his mouth dry, "I know there's a canteen around here."
Without counting the waitresses, Mikasa was the only woman inside the small canteen. Its foul air was a disgusting mix of alcohol, male stench and tobacco.
A waitress helped them find a table for two in the center of the room. Mikasa noted that the young woman was claiming more attention from Eren, but he didn't realize a thing. Still, she felt a hint of annoyance, wasn't that girl aware that he was with someone?
She sat down and rested her head in one hand, doing what she could to ignore the cheeky flirtations of the waitress. She heard Eren asking for a pint of beer for him and half of that, for her.
"I want a liter," the youngest of the Ackerman corrected him.
Eren blinked and Mikasa crossed her arms. The cheerful and provocative waitress took note of their orders, dedicating a last smile to Eren as she moved away, hips waving.
"A liter?" Eren questioned her, without even noticing the waitress' butt, "You're going to get drunk."
"At most I'll have to go to the toilet in a while," said Mikasa, squinting her eyes at the girl that was retrieving their beers.
"If you say so…" Eren shrugged, hoping he didn't have to carry her back to the hotel. Those beers contained a high degree of alcohol. "Does the smoke bother you?"
"No."
They got their beers, Mikasa drank almost half of hers in a big sip and licked the white foam that remained from her upper lip. A group of men at the adjacent table studied her with interest and laughed about a private joke only they heard.
Eren frowned when he noticed the guys pointing at him and laughing. Of course, they realized that Mikasa was drinking a liter of beer while he was drinking half of that. They were making fun of him, questioning his manhood.
The boy snorted and drank his half liter with moderation, but almost spat the last sip as he heard his companion asking for another liter. The crazy one had already finished the one she asked for when they arrived.
"Hey, look at me," Eren asked.
"What? Do you think I'm drunk already?"
He noted that she spoke normally. She was the same inexpressive Mikasa.
It couldn't be.
Soon each of them had a liter of beer, and she rolled her eyes at his evident desire to compete.
"Eren," she called him, "I warn you: the only one who's going to end up drunk is you."
"Pffft!" the young doctor gave her a sly smirk, "What do you want to bet?"
Mikasa's cheeks lighted up as if they were on fire, and something bounced inside her belly. She'd never seen him grinning in that way before.
A/N: it's been 84 years… I know and I'm sorry. I wasn't dead nor partying but just complicated with 'real life' things, and writing and then translating was so tiring.
I hope you've enjoyed this new chapter and the eremika moments.
Guys, I would love to know what you think about the chapter, remember that reviews are greatly appreciated! Last chapter's reviews particularly made me so happy, I swear! and I read all the fic's reviews from time to time :')
Cheers for everyone and thank you so much for still reading this fic and for supporting me despite the long wait~
The best wishes for the New Year to come!
