Eren Yeager had never cared much for concepts like "peace" and "tranquility". Anyone who has known him for about more than 5 seconds would call him headstrong, ambitious, determined or downright suicidal at worst. The events of the past few months since the titans broke through Wall Rose and besieged Trost have been extremely trying for the willful young man, forcing him to step up to the role expected of him as "humanity's hope".
The writing was on the wall that determination alone would not win this war, and so Eren Yeager had swiftly purged himself of his worst bullheaded impulses, strove to discipline himself in mind and body and, well, learn to calm the fuck down for once. However, if there was a single person on this earth that gave him some measure of peace, it would be Mikasa Ackerman.
They brought out the best in one another. Mikasa was integral to cooling Eren's own fiery soul, helping him to think clearly and to ground him whenever he is at risk of succumbing to his rash nature. Just the same, Eren's will and determination served as a pillar of strength for Mikasa, who was painfully shy and risked falling into passivity without Eren's presence to inspire her. They both fought together and trusted one another implicitly.
After the mission where they both nearly got themselves eaten by titans and Mikasa made the extent of her feelings known after being severely wounded, they had only grown closer. Eren had to admit that from the moment they returned to safety, he had grown as overprotective of Mikasa as she had been towards him. He had appointed himself her personal caretaker, butler, chef, physiotherapist and most recently since the previous night, body-pillow.
Eren came to as he always had with routine discipline at the crack of dawn. However, unlike most days where he awoke to the surroundings of a military barracks or his barren room at the Survey Corps safe-house, the first thing he saw that morning was a far more pleasant sight. Yes, he woke up to find Mikasa Ackerman snuggled into his chest sleeping rather soundly and his own arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him in a protective grip.
And what a sight it was.
He had never been one to laze around in bed, it was in his nature and his job of a soldier to keep himself perpetually busy, be it in mundane chores, grueling training or most recently, titanizing experiments. However as he was now, Eren simply could not find the willpower to move from his very restful position. He was warmed by Mikasa melting into his grasp and pressing herself as close to him humanly possible, with only a thin layer of night clothes acting as a barrier. He was lulled into a calm by the adorable, cat-like mewling noises Mikasa always had a habit of making in her sleep. With the light of the sun shining through the window he could even make out a soft smile of contentment on her face, mere inches away from his own.
Somehow, he always knew they would be back to their old habits of sharing the bed at night. The two of them would always find their way back to each other no matter the catastrophe. But it was different now, they would no longer just 2 kids finding innocent comfort in sharing the same bed anymore. They were older now and more "aware" of the opposite sex despite their inexperience. The two of them ought to have been more distant for propriety's sake, yet now it seemed that they gravitated together like never before.
The two of them whispered their innermost wishes, made promises to always be there to take care of each other and fell asleep together in each other's arms. They were closer than they ever were as of last night, yet still Eren found himself wanting more out of his relationship with Mikasa.
That self-admitted revelation gave him pause, as the only way the two of them could be even closer at this point would be… well…
He stopped that train of thought as best he could.
He instead opted to just simply continue holding her and to savour the moment for as long as it would last. Still, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt eat at him for his own perceived laziness. Wasn't humanity's hopes riding on him and the mastery of his titan powers? What would the thousands of dead Corpsmen think about their ultimate weapon cuddling up with a girl while mankind's future was in jeopardy?
Despite the treacherous doubtful whispers at the back of his mind, Eren couldn't find it in his heart to give a fuck. He wanted to stay with Mikasa so that's what he'll damn well do. Besides, he took Mikasa into his home long before he was ever humanity's hope or whatever ridiculous title the populace felt like giving him this week.
She just wants to stay by his side.
Eren doesn't want to leave her side either.
His thoughts were interrupted by an adorable yawn and feelings of slight movement from where Mikasa lay. She slowly opened her still half-asleep eyes blinking the drowsiness out of them and craned her neck up towards his face, gazing up at him in slight confusion. Did she think she was still dreaming or something?
"Mhm, Ereh..?"
"Yeah, I'm here." She gives a soft, sleepy smile at his response and snuggles deeper into his torso. Cute.
"Did you sleep well, Mikasa?" he couldn't help but ask.
"I did. I haven't felt this well-rested in a long time," she admits, her smile widening just a bit. Eren couldn't help but smile himself knowing Mikasa felt the same as he did. He couldn't remember the last time he slept so soundly.
"Shouldn't we be… getting up now?" Mikasa questions, although she made no move to rise herself.
That stoic and responsible act she was pulling was fooling nobody. After the Yeagers took her in, the two of them would usually elect to sleep in and bury themselves closer under the covers preferring the warmth of each other over the chill of Shiganshina's morning air, at least until Eren's mother inevitably barged in to lecture Eren (and only Eren) about his laziness.
"We probably should, but to be honest I wanna stay with you like this for a bit longer," he admits to no small amount of embarrassment. Mikasa gives a small squeak at his confession and is seemingly lost for words.
"What… what if the others find us like this?"
Eren couldn't care less about what they'd think of his relationship with Mikasa if he tried. He had already made his mind up about remaining close to her and was fully prepared to use his status as their greatest weapon to secure preferential treatment. Still, he doubted anyone would give a damn about the two of them being so intimate with one another outside of using it as ammunition for a round of teasing.
Well, maybe Jean would, but he can't go a single day without bitching and complaining about trivial bullshit.
Besides, a secret, hidden part of him wouldn't mind the other corpsmen discovering the two of them in that state. It wanted them all to know that Mikasa was closest to him and him alone, that the two of them belonged only to each other.
"I don't think there are any rules against two members of the Survey Corps being together."
"B-Being together?"
"T-together in bed, I mean!" Good save, Eren.
"R-right." God, were the two of them always this awkward?
Eren could swear he heard a tinge of disappointment in Mikasa's reply. Did she want the two of them to be more than just "family", as she so often described their relationship? In all honesty, the more he thought about the prospect, the more it appealed to him.
Before Eren could ponder his possibilities for romance further, he was interrupted by the unmistakable of clumsy, plodding footsteps and indecipherable murmurs coming from outside Mikasa's room.
Looks like the others corpsmen were finally waking up. Judging from the infernal racket that could wake the dead, Connie and Sasha were definitely up and about. Eren and Mikasa sighed in unison both knowing they couldn't stall any longer and would have to leave the tranquil confines of their room to deal with the chaotic mess that is the 104th Cadet Corps.
With no small of reluctance, the two of them tore themselves out of the tangle of limbs they were in and rose to meet the challenges of the day. As Eren stood up, internally debating the best way to sneak back to his room for a change of clothes, Mikasa's soft, gentle voice grabbed his attention
"Uhm, Eren?"
"Yeah, Mikasa?"
"Would you, er, mind turning away for a little? I need to change." Mikasa's words drew a triggered a wave of nostalgia. Even as two orphans stuck in the most deplorable of conditions she would always shyly ask Eren to turn away and wait for her to change. He would always of course comply, he wasn't some creep after all.
But things have changed since then, that last night they spent together showed all too clearly Eren just how beautiful Mikasa had become. It was impossible for him not to notice given how tightly they were pressed together.
She had always been very cute, but she was that and something else entirely now. Her lips have only gotten fuller with age and her body more firm and athletic from the years of strenuous military training. However, Eren had already long since realized her most gorgeous attribute were those large onyx eyes of hers. When they shone with affection and care after he wrapped his scarf around her and promising her a new home, he knew he was spellbound.
Geez, was he some sort of pervert now? He was acting like all those boys in the 104th used to at nights, shamelessly lusting after the "goddess", Krista and hoping to score her for a girlfriend. The thought disgusted Eren, so he turned his head further away and quickly purged himself of such untoward thoughts.
Eren found himself suddenly extremely interested in the
"Hey Mikasa, you done changing?"
"Um, almost. Could you hand me your scarf, it's on the bedside table?" lifting his head upwards and scanning his eyes across the room, sure enough on the nightstand was Mikasa's trademark red scarf. She had the strange habit of still calling it Eren's scarf, as though he hadn't already gave it to her as a gift. He told her countless times that it's hers now and it looks much better on her than it ever did on himself.
Reaching out to grasp Mikasa's treasured cloth left on the counter, Eren recalled a certain vow he made to Mikasa regarding said scarf a few days ago.
Now and forever, as much as you want.
He knew exactly what he needed to do. It was too perfect to resist. After all he made a promise, didn't he?
Advancing forward with as much grace as he could muster, Eren quietly and methodically unfurled the muffler to its full length and began to drape the fabric around Mikasa's exposed neck. A soft gasp and a blush from the girl in question told Eren just how much she approved of Eren keeping the passionate promise he once made in the heat of the moment.
While Eren was in the process of dressing Mikasa in their scarf, he couldn't miss the way her charcoal grey eyes grew wide and glassy. It was the same look in her eyes as that day. Everytime Eren witnessed it he couldn't help but want to wrap her up in not only that scarf but the tightest and most loving hug he could manage.
Feigning stoicism, Eren continued to wreathe her in gentle loops of the fabric with as much gentleness as he could possibly muster. After the final loop (with far more tenderness than when he was a dumb kid), he smoothed out the muffler as if to brush off imaginary dirt and took a slight step back to admire his handiwork.
"There. Much better, right?" The contentedness and satisfaction plainly visible on Mikasa's face answered that question for him. The flustered girl was smiling softly, burying her face into the security of her muffler in a vain attempt to calm herself.
By helping Mikasa dress even if only in a small way, Eren couldn't help but be reminded of his mom and dad and their nauseating romantic displays towards each morning. Every morning before his dad went to work, Carla Yeager would every day, without fail, see her husband off with a goodbye kiss and fiddling with his clothes as only a wife could so he "looks presentable."
And now you're acting like a housewife yourself. Get a goddamn hold of yourself, Eren.
He really does try his best to remain as stoic as possible, say a quick goodbye and leave the room before making a further fool of himself but the combined sight of Mikasa gazing almost longingly at him as well the memories of his mom's romanticism emptied his mind and forced his body to go on autopilot
In a moment of pure Eren Yeager impulse he shifted closer to Mikasa, cradled e and lifted his head to press a chaste kiss to Mikasa's forehead. The moment he pulled away, Eren's train of thought conveniently returns and he soon realizes the intimacy of his action much to his own embarrassment. They both simply stared at each other in hesitant silence, both with furiously blushing cheeks. The two of them seemed to have a competition for who can stammer and put their put in their mouth the best.
"I, uh, probably should've asked your permission first…" Eren tried to cobble together an appropriate response. "Sorry if I, er, made you uncomfortable or something." He doesn't actually apologize for the kiss, mostly because he doesn't regret it and partially because he wants to do it more, if Mikasa didn't mind, of course.
"N-no, it's fine," she mumbles. She pauses for a moment to gather her confidence before continuing. "I wouldn't mind if… you did it more often." Eren was far from opposed to that idea, but he quickly decided that he had to make a quick getaway to spare his sanity and to perhaps ponder Mikasa's potential for reading his mind.
"I'll, uh, see you tonight then." Real smooth there. "Make sure you take it easy, okay? Remember you ought to still be resting up." he answers, purposefully ignoring that he himself should be recovering from Hange's experimentations. With that reminder Eren made a hasty exit, salvaging what remained of his dignity and leaving a blushing Mikasa in his wake.
Closing the door behind him, Eren buried his face in his palm and groaned. Mikasa was living rent free in his head and a treacherous part of his mind welcomed it.
Much to his relief, Eren managed to go about the rest of the day with minimal issue. The rest of the 104th were thankfully oblivious to Mikasa and his new sleeping arrangements and scarcely acknowledged the growing intimacy between the two teens. Of course, had any of them been more observant they would've easily been able to notice the moments of shared eye-contact and subtle touches made when they believed no one else was looking.
That night, Eren found himself sneaking his way to Mikasa's room once more, barely knocking twice before the door swung upon widely to reveal an expectant and smiling Ackerman girl, already dressed in her nightgown and ready for bed. Somehow she had anticipated that he would return to her that night, despite Eren mentioning nothing of the sort (out of embarrassment).
They quickly fell back to old habits, swiftly diving under the sheets of their bed and wrapping themselves in each other's arms with surprising ease despite their awkwardness. Just like when they were younger, the two had ended up babbling to each other about any topic that struck their fancy, though as usual Eren did most of the talking, taking great delight in drawing out Mikasa's rare giggles with his poor jokes and impressions at the rest of the 104th and especially Captain Levi's expense.
Falling asleep next to her was the easiest it has ever been. It was little surprise the two of them would choose to sleep together the next night, and the next night, and the night after that…
Eren's own room had been rendered obsolete and useless as now it seemed he had decided on permanently settling into Mikasa's room five days prior. He had even taken the liberty of moving his very few possessions into her room, citing that his spartan-decorated room would be better served holding Captain Hange's very extensive experimentation notes as his reason.
It was a very good excuse, if anything.
And if Mikasa was bothered by Eren's swift migration into her own supposedly private quarters, then she certainly was excellent at hiding it. The Ackerman had seemingly been revitalized both physically and mentally ever since Eren "moved in". There was a new lightness in her eyes and spring in her step as though she were a typical civilian girl without a care in the world and not a battle-hardened supersoldier. Needless to say, Eren was extremely pleased with her new sunnier disposition.
CQC Training and titan shifter experiments made up the bulk of Eren's activities for the rest of the week and he was immensely grateful for it for once. The familiar burn of hard exercise and the stress of mastering his titan powers had stymied the intrusive Mikasa-related thoughts that seemed to linger at the back of his mind for a time.
These new feelings were unexplored ground for Eren, and he had hoped that some time spent in relative solitude with only Captains Levi and Hange
Eren knew being around around the chaotic members of the 104th would do precious little in helping process his thoughts, as much as he thought of them as his closest friends. Just the same, as much as he loves Mikasa, being around her would only serve to intensify the same emotions he felt the previous night and the following morning. They had ended spent their entire breakfast eating together in silence, lifting their eyes from their meal to look at each other, only for them to snap back down to their plates when they inevitably made eye contact.
Eren, for the first time in his life, wished he had an older brother to seek guidance from.
Captain Hange, despite her eccentrics, had always been an intelligent and understanding mentor figure to Eren. If anyone could give him advice, it would be her. After his experiments with Hange and the two of them convened to discuss their findings for the day back at the safehouse, Eren had decided to swallow his pride and confess to her his growing feelings towards Mikasa and what they mean.
A mad gleam quickly sparked in the scientist's eyes at Eren's admission, the very same look Captain Hange got when she learnt a new breakthrough of information on the titans or formulated a brand new hypothesis. She had swiftly yanked Eren towards her and pulled him into a headlock, as if she was his big sister instead of a military superior.
"My precious little titan has finally grown up!" Was she crying?
After prying herself from the madwoman's grasp and calm, Eren then proceeded to start rambling near nonsensically about the effect Mikasa was having on his thoughts and what should be done about it. It was an odd role reversal considering that it was Captain Hange the one always rambling to HIM, usually about something bit of titan trivia.
At the end of Eren's tirade Captain Hange grew quiet and comtemplative. Scratching her chin for a moment she responded, summarizing what she believed Eren's dilemma was.
"So, you developed romantic feelings for Mikasa and you're worried about it getting in the way of your duty to the Corps?
"Who said my feelings were rom-" before Eren could protest further he was interrupted by Hange raising her hands in placation and shutting him up with an armor-piercing question.
"Then what is Mikasa to you, Eren?"
What was Mikasa to him?
She was far more than just a childhood friend. Armin and the rest of the 104th were his precious comrades and he cared for each and every one of them (even Reiner, Bertolt and Annie still) yet what he felt for Mikasa went far deeper than just "care". They certainly weren't just "family" either and just the idea of her being considered his sister pissed him off almost as much as those titans beyond the walls. More than just friends and definitely not like a sister...
"She's... my home, she's the one person I want to return to, for as long as I can." Damn it all, he really did like her, didn't he?
Captain Hange, rather than further press him on his feelings, was seemingly satisfied with that answer continued undaunted with her original point.
"I don't envy you, Eren. You have a terrible responsibility on your shoulders and life in the Survey Corps was no bed of roses to begin with. I've long lost track of all the comrades I've had to bury along the way and far too many of them died with regrets and unfulfilled desires in their hearts." Captain Hange's eyes grew dull and stony, no doubt living through the deaths of her fellow soldiers all over again. "If you have the opportunity to save yourself from just one of those regrets if the worst should happen, I think you should take it. It's true that the future of humanity inside the walls rests on your titan powers, but you also have a responsibility to seek out your own happiness and find as much beauty as you can even in the worst of circumstances."
"Don't turn yourself into a slave, Eren. If you want to be with Mikasa then it's as simple as telling her how you feel." Hange concluded.
"It's… that simple?" Eren was baffled.
"Yep! So no more teenage angst, 'kay?" What Hange said definitely made sense to Eren, but something didn't add up.
"Captain Hange?"
"What is it, Eren?"
"If it's that easy, then how come you haven't told Captain Levi that you were in love with him yet?"
"How did you-!? I mean, well, I-I, er…" fumbling for an appropriate answer and attempting to hide her furiously blushing face, Hange opted for the classic strategy of deflection.
"Well, you know, this and that are completely different, different c-circumstances and all that, haha…"
"I see." He really didn't. It was so obvious the two captains had a thing for each other, at least to Eren.
Wait, is that how everyone else sees his relationship with Mikasa?
"A-Anyways, Eren, I, uh, have to get these notes sorted out and I'm sure you have a lot to think about, so off you go!" unceremoniously pushing Eren out of her laboratory and shooing him away like he was some kind of stray animal.
Despite being all but thrown out of Hange's study, his mind was far clearer than before their conversation. Somehow, the mere act of admitting that he cared for Mikasa in a romantic light lifted a burden off his mind.
Captain Hange's words also gave him newfound determination to pursue a relationship with Mikasa and to at least make his feelings known. Eren recalled the young couple in the 104th Training Corps that lost their lives in the battle of Trost, Franz and Hannah. The full extent of their relationship but it was unknown to Eren, but it was all too obvious they were both madly in love. The possibility that the two of them may have died without realizing their mutual affections deeply disturbed Eren.
His thoughts then turned to girl that was once known to the 104th as Krista, now called "Historia" and her relationship with the mysterious Ymir. The two of them clearly meant the world to one another and were inseparable for as long as he could remember knowing them. Around Ymir, Historia seemed to always be herself, never hiding behind her inauthentic, false "Krista" persona and likewise when Historia was near, the normally blunt and standoffish Ymir was always jovial and content.
In Ymir's absence, Historia was more of a ghost than a person and lost the willpower to maintain her persona as a "goddess". He remembered her heartbreak, how she broke into hysterics when the realization that she may never see Ymir again dawned on her. Eren could not blame her, he would react much the same if something terrible were to happen to Mikasa.
Ymir and Historia both were on the verge of fully realizing their feelings for one another, but circumstances pushed them apart. He could not allow the same tragic fate to befall Mikasa and himself, the two of them being lost to each other before Eren could even get the chance to reveal his feelings to her. Just as Captain Hange said, it was his responsibility to live a life with as little regrets as possible.
Eren ended up seriously regretting not coming up with a plan of action before barging his way into their (formerly Mikasa's) room that very evening. In his haste to make his emotions known Eren had apparently forgot that he also wished to do so dignity intact. Eren had found her rather relaxed and seemingly engrossed in one of Armin's book. Just his luck.
Slightly startled at the sudden intrusion, Mikasa's head immediately turned to the door and her eyes shifted immediately towards the nervous Yeager boy.
"E-Ereh? Did you need something?" For some reason she immediately snapped the book shut, attempting to tuck it away as if embarrassed to be caught reading it. Unfortunately, Eren lacked tact.
"No, I just wanted to talk to you for a bit," he replied, attempting to be as nonchalant as possible. "You were reading something. Did I interrupt you?" She looked even more embarrassed now. What was in that book?
"It's… just a book Armin said I would like, I'm not sure you'd be interested…" That was simply untrue. Any book that could have such an effect on the stoic Mikasa Ackerman was already of great interest to Eren.
Moving a bit closer to the Asian girl, Eren gave her as reassuring a smile as he possibly could. "Come on, Mikasa! You looked like you really like it, what's the harm in telling me?"
To seal the deal, Eren made sure to give a theatrical pout, as though appalled and heartbroken that Mikasa didn't trust him with knowledge of her interests. The effect it had on her was instantaneous, as after a few moments of flustered hesitation, she relented.
"It's… a romance story, between a poor soldier and a princess that he rescued from evil men." Mikasa paused for a moment, something clearly occupying her thoughts. "You don't have to pretend to be interested, I know you don't care about that sort of stuff, Eren…"
Eren Yeager knew an opportunity when he saw one, and there was no better chance. Now or never.
"Who says I'm not interested in romance?" Unsurprisingly, Mikasa looked skeptical.
"You don't need to lie."
Taking the opportunity to move that bit closer to the Ackerman, close enough to make out the hints of deep blue in her charcoal eyes, Eren finally made his move. "You're right, I used to not care about that sort of stuff, but I've recently had a sort of… change of heart."
"Huh?" came Mikasa Ackerman's articulate response.
"Yeah, that's actually what I came here to talk to about, actually." Once more, Mikasa Ackerman was in shock. "I came to realize that maybe all this time I was just waiting for the right girl to show me what I've been missing out on…"
"Of course, it took me far too long to figure it out, and I nearly died countless times before I finally understood how I truly felt."
Eren Yeager had never once flirted a day in his life, but he hoped that even Mikasa could pick up on the obvious implication. To leave no room for doubt, Eren went on the offense, taking hold of Mikasa's hands that were by that point fidgeting madly in nerves and anticipation. Gentling caressing them, Eren continued his amateur attempt at conveying his feelings.
"Thing is, there's only one girl in the world I like enough to want any of that… stuff with. Do you have any idea who that girl might be, Mikasa?" Eren felt a little bad about putting her on the spot like that, but he had to admit that a flustered Mikasa was a beautiful Mikasa.
"Huh? Uh, I-I, er, is it possibly…"
"I always wondered why I hated the idea of you treating me like a little brother or calling me family, but now I know. On that day we almost died to that Smiling Titan, I think I finally realized it." Her hands had his in a death grip, he could swear he could feel his bones breaking due to her supernatural strength. Tears were gathering in her ebon eyes for reasons Eren could not ascertain, but he could not stop, not when he got so far.
"I always thought that killing all the titans was the one thing that could ever truly satisfy me in my life, but when I met you everything slowly began to change for the better. I began the cherish the small, precious moments I spent with you far more than, well, anything else I could remember. The best moments of my life were always when you were right by my side, and I hate that it took me so damn long to figure it out." The words just kept spilling out, fiercely emotional in the way that only Eren Yeager could be. "You thanked me back there on that field for teaching you how to live, but you taught me something just as valuable. You taught me how to love, Mikasa."
Just keep moving forward, Eren.
"Ever since we were kids, Mikasa, I've always loved you."
The room was dead silent. The only sounds made were soft sniffles from Mikasa who was openly crying. It wasn't exactly hard to miss given that her glassy, doe eyes were staring up at him in what he seriously hoped what elation.
"I, uh, know that this is a pretty terrible confession. I-I mean, you deserve so much better like a date with flowers and a picnic and all sorts of beautiful things like that, but I just had to tell you as soon as I possibly could." His mom must be screeching bloody murder at him from heaven for not being a proper gentleman and taking Mikasa out on a lovely date with presents before confessing his feelings properly. Instead he waltzed into her room without a care in the world and casually told her he loved her like it was the fucking weather or something. He really was an idiot, no wonder Mikasa was speechless.
"If you don't feel the same way, it's oka-" and the rest of the sentence was interrupted before he could finish as Eren had felt the full force of humanity's 2nd strongest soldier and prodigy of the 104th Training Corps tackle him to the floor as though he had been run over by a carriage rather than a 15 year old girl.
Said 15 year old girl in question was currently wrapping him in the most bone-breaking hug Eren had ever received (and he had received quite a few from Mikasa) and attempting to bury herself into his body.
That had to be a good sign, right?
Mikasa mumbled something that Eren couldn't hear from her cozy spot inside Eren's arms, although he could make out the word "dear" which gave him some more hope. Realizing that he couldn't hear her due to being muffled by Eren's chest, Mikasa took the initiative to turn her head up towards him and give her reply.
"How could I not feel the same way, Eren? You're my beloved, my most dear."
Now it was Mikasa's turn to get tackled, although unlike before she seemed to expect it from the impetuous Yeager. The teenagers acted in harmony, closing the already minimal gap between the two and meeting lips together in their first kiss. It was a chaste and innocent thing, barely more than a press of their lips to each other. It didn't matter, they had plenty of time to practice.
Eventually pulling back for air, the two of them couldn't help but lay together in silence for a short time, with their shared smiles saying all that needed to be said. Of course, the ever impatient Eren soon grew tired of the inactivity and advanced forth yet again pressing as many kisses to Mikasa's forehead, her cheeks, her hands and most importantly of all, her lips.
Eren could say without a doubt that all the suffering he had endured up until now was worth it if only for this moment. His mind was filled with possibilities of the future. It was filled with plans of taking Mikasa out on serene and beautiful dates where it would only be just the two of them, alone and uninterrupted. It was filled with thoughts of taking back his freedom and building a true home with the one who was most important to him in a world without walls or titans. It was filled with the determination to continue moving forward, for his own sake and hers.
It was freedom.