Eren

Eren turned off the car's engine and looked at the person who was sitting at the passenger's seat. Armin gave him a faint smile. The blond man was wearing jeans and a blue shirt, which was unbuttoned, with a white t-shirt underneath it. Before he got out of the car, he adjusted the glasses on his nose.

"You sure you can do it?" Arlert asked.

"Yup" Eren replied. Yaeger was wearing a black, tight t-shirt with a print and some jeans with holes at the knees. His brown hair was left loose. He smiled, but it was quite a sad smile. "It'll be okay, just... Please, don't tell Mikasa about what happened. I mean, that I knew Mike. She can't know anything yet".

Armin nodded.

They got out of the vehicle and looked around the parking lot. On the other side they saw several black cars parked close to each other. Mikasa had to be here by now.

Grisha didn't agree to let Eren bring the girl here on his own. He has assigned his men to guard her safety. Unofficially, however, the idea was not to give Mikasa even a slightest chance to escape.

Admittedly, Yaeger has generously agreed to let them meet here, at a cafe by the sea to celebrate the birthday of his youngest son. The place was not popular, but it had its own charm. The walls were wooden, and the decor was based on a maritime theme. Nets hung from the ceiling. The shells, the anchors, and also the bottles with ships inside were standing all around.

Mikasa was waiting for them at one of the empty tables. She was wearing a blue striped shirt today and a white capri pants. Whenever she could, she wore pants. Because of Grisha she just hated the dresses for good. A straw hat was lying on the chair next to her.

She greeted the newcomers, then gave Armin a knowing look. When the boy nodded, Mikasa reached for a colorful box that was hidden under the table. Friends immediately gave Eren a gift. The birthday boy opened the box and was excited to see a lot of his favorite sweets, a few comic books and key rings with his favorite characters, a birthday card made by Mikasa and a framed photo. The photo showed the three of them, it had been taken a couple of years ago, before Eren's father got involved in illegal business. Back then they could meet without anyone's supervision. Eren looked at the smiling, still childish faces, wondering how much they had grown up over the years and how much had happened since then.

He thanked his friends, hugging each of them.

A waitress approached them, so they reached out for the menus. Eren was surprised when he heard that Mikasa only asked for water, so when it was his turn, he asked for two coffees and two pieces of a cake. After the waitress left, Mikasa looked at him wearily.

"Eren, I'm not going to help you eat this".

"It's my birthday, you can at least try it. For me" The boy said, smiling at his friend, but it was impossible not to notice that something was off. The corners of the boy's eyes were still a little red. Mikasa frowned at that sight.

"Did something happen?" The girl asked in a whisper.

Grisha's people sat outside, which gave the friends some privacy. Eren could see the Gaillard brothers, Pieck, and two other men who were less important in the hierarchy, all looking at the sea. Only Porco at one point turned his face to Eren and nodded at him.

Maybe they really believed they were here to protect them...

The boy sighed. He got along with all the members of the Titans group on a daily basis, but he should remember that they worked for his father.

Eren leaned towards his two friends and briefed them on the events of last night. He didn't mention the fact that Mike was his friend, of course. Only Armin knew the truth, Mikasa still hadn't been privy to Eren's cooperation with the police.

The girl nodded, then reached out and touched Eren's hand.

"It must have been just awful. Good thing you didn't do it. I can't believe Grisha agreed to this! He always said that he's not killing the cops".

"Really, I don't know what are his plans now" Eren replied, squeezing gently Mikasa's warm hand.

Suddenly a memory flashed before his eyes. He remembered another hand, which he was holding. It was only a dozen or so hours ago. He remembered Levi's gray-blue eyes looking at him and the silence that was surrounding them...

Eren shook his head quickly, trying to go back to the reality.

"Are you okay?" Mikasa asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes!" Eren replied quickly, smiling faintly. He also took off his brown coat and hung it over the back of his chair. "Let's not talk about it today. I want to have a good time, just for once".

Armin suddenly noticed something on Eren's neck that caught his eye.

"Oh, what is that? I haven't seen it before. Did you also get it yesterday?".

Eren looked down and saw his pendant with wings, a gift from Levi. Well, not only from Levi, but also from the rest of the team... Eren felt a slight flush on his cheeks. He completely forgot to take it off...

"It's... Yes... It was a little unexpected, but yes" He replied, looking knowingly at Armin. The boy widened his eyes and nodded almost imperceptibly. He must have figured out that Eren meant the detectives, not his family. Mikasa didn't notice anything, however.

The waitress came back with their order. Armin took a sip of his coffee and smiled. Eren pushed one of the two cups he got towards Mikasa, as well as a plate of cake.

"Enjoy! Please, do it for me" The boy said, looking at his friend pleadingly. "It's really good, you'll like it. I want to have a little walk later, I don't want you to pass out again...".

"What? You passed out?" Armin put his coffee on the table and widened his eyes. There was a creamy foam on his upper lip, making him look like he had a white mustache.

"It was some time ago, I'm fine now..." Mikasa sighed and rolled her eyes. "But okay, I'll do it for you".

Saying this, the girl reached for a teaspoon and used it to taste a piece of cheesecake Eren had ordered.

"Are you happy?".

"Almost, you have to eat a whole piece".

"Eren!".

"It's his birthday, he's the boss today" Armin shrugged and smiled at his friend. He went back to sipping his coffee.

"Technically, his birthday was yesterday..." Mikasa muttered, then took another bite of cake.

"Let's not be so detailed. You have to take care of yourself. I don't want that suspicious guy hanging around you again...".

"What suspicious guy?" Armin wanted to know.

"You mean doctor Kirschtein?" Mikasa raised her eyebrows in surprise. "He's not suspicious at all!".

"Well, I don't know. I wouldn't trust him" Eren muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Why? He helped me a lot that one time" The girl took another bite of the cake. "He seems very caring and kind".

"Maybe because of the fact that he agreed to work with Grisha in the first place?" Eren asked, narrowing his eyes.

"How do you know he agreed?" Mikasa looked at her friend. "Maybe Grisha made him to?".

"Why are you defending him?" Yaeger wanted to know, looking back at the girl. "Do you like him or what?".

"What? I'm not defending him at all…" Mikasa's cheeks turned pink, just like Eren's face a moment ago when they mentioned his pendant. "It's just that he seems to be really great".

"He's older than you, watch out for him" The boy muttered. Immediately, he felt like a hypocrite.

"Come on, he's still young, he has just graduated his studies. Besides, it doesn't matter, I just meant that he is one of the few Grisha employees I am not afraid to hang out with. Are you surprised that I appreciate it?".

"Mikasa's right. Not all of them are bad" Armin added, setting the empty glass aside. He wiped his creamy mustache. "Some of them chose this job because they didn't have a choice".

"You mean someone specific?" Eren asked, reaching for his own coffee and taking a sip.

This time it was Armin who was the one whose face flushed.

"Noo... I just... I mean, I spoke to Annie a while ago, she told me a bit about herself. Sometimes Grisha sends her to me, alternating with Kruger… The Owl is creepy, but Annie seems fine".

"How much fine are we talking about here?" Eren quired, wiggling his eyebrows in a pugnacious manner. Armin blushed even more.

"That's not what I mean! Can we change the subject?" Armin asked, reaching for a chocolate cupcake and stuffing it in his mouth.

Eren looked at the Mikasa's plate. It was empty. The girl was just finishing her coffee. She put the empty glass back on the table. Seeing the surprised faces of her friends, she looked at them, not understanding what was going on.

"I think someone's appetite is back" Eren stated with a smile.

About an hour later, Eren carried a gift from his friends to his car. When he returned, they went straight onto the sandy beach. It was really hot. The sun was shining from above, but the refreshing breeze coming from the sea provided some relief during the heat. All three of them took off their shoes to feel the warm sand under their feet. They moved slowly side by side. They wanted to walk for a while and feel the sea breeze on their faces.

This moment would be much more beautiful if not for a few motionless silhouettes guarding them from the distance.

At one point, Eren stepped closer to the waves and dipped his feet in water. Armin and Mikasa followed him. Yaeger smirked suddenly, then began to splash water all over on his friends. Armin laughed, Mikasa squealed softly and tried to escape. Eren caught her, however, and spun her around. The girl laughed out loud, trying to free herself from Eren's embrace. She was still holding the straw hat in one hand. The waves were getting bigger and higher. Eren finally let Mikasa go, then tucked his long hair back.

Mikasa and Armin sat on the shore and watched the foaming waves. Mikasa rolled her pants up. They were slightly wet at the ends of the legs. Armin was holding a small white shell in his hands. A gentle breeze was blowing their hair. Eren was standing in front of them, watching his friends and feeling peaceful.

"Thanks for being here with me" He said, then looked back at the sea. He stared at the horizon, enjoying this amazing view. The sea was touching the blue sky, and it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. Several white clouds hovered over the horizon. Suddenly a seagull screeched somewhere above them. The bird flapped its wings over their heads, then soared upward and flew away. Eren watched the bird in silence. Suddenly he thought that he also would like to be that free... Unconsciously, he reached for his pendant.

After a moment Eren reached out and pointed at the horizon.

"There, on the other side... Do you think we could be free?" The boy asked, squinting his eyes slightly from the brightness that seemed to surround him from all sides. The sun's rays reflected from the surface of the sea, making the waves sparkling with extraordinary brightness.

Armin and Mikasa were silent, slightly widening their eyes and staring at their friend.

The wind blew their hair, whispering a reply to their ears.

Levi

He hoped he never visit this place again.

However, life as usual had its own plan.

Levi was standing on the gravel. There were paved paths leading to the various corners of the cemetery. He saw branches of lean birch trees that grew out of the green grass. He saw a couple of pigeons flying up to the sky. He also saw a colored butterfly that passed him and sit on a gray, cold stone. Though it was a place full of death, there was also a life here.

Levi reached out and put his hand on Erwin's shoulder. The man was standing silently beside him. Hanji had just laid flowers on Mike's grave, then got up and hid her hands in the pockets of her black coat.

Zacharius's family left this place a moment ago. The detectives offered their condolences, but preferred to wait until they were alone to pay Mike their own tribute.

Hanji stood next to Erwin and took him by the arm. They were standing there in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"If he was here now, he would ask us why we have such gloomy faces" Hanji finally said. Erwin twitched slightly and looked at her. Levi lifted the corner of his mouth.

"He hated writing reports" Ackerman added, tucking his hands into his coat pockets. "He always did what he could to find someone to do it for him".

"He was always able to guess what I ate for breakfast" Hanji continued. "He also knew when someone in the office started sleeping with each other, just because of the smell. No romance at work could hide from him".

"He was mocking my sketches" Erwin finally spoke, squinting slightly and allowing himself to small a little. "He always said that I'm a great strategist, but a hopeless artist".

"He liked to ruffle my hair. And he was always making fun of my height" Levi replied, taking his hands out of his pockets and crossing his arms over his chest. He sighed, then added: "Maybe that's why he and Eren got along so well".

"He was a beloved giant... And he had the coolest mustache I've ever seen in my life" Hanji pulled a pack of cigarettes from her pocket. She handed one to each of the men. Finally, she reached for a lighter and lit her cigarette. "Man, I don't know how he could smoke them".

"He wanted to quit smoking next month" Erwin confessed, using the lighter and inhaling the smoke. He coughed softly, then handed the lighter to Levi. "I told him recently that I don't like when his kisses taste like the cigarettes".

"He was a great friend" Hanji added, and her confident voice broke a little. "I'll miss you, Mike".

"Me too" added Erwin.

Levi handed Hanji the lighter, then put his lips to the tip of the cigarette. He took a quiet drag, then released the smoke.

"Me too" He whispered, staring at the silver letters engraved on the stone.

He thought that he would do anything to never visit this place again. Not like that.

They returned to the car, Levi sat at the driver's seat. They didn't talk much on the way. They only consulted about meeting with Shadis tomorrow. They agreed on what to propose to the commander and that Mike's death had to be avenged as quickly as possible. They had to hit Grisha, where it would hurt him the most.

They had to make every effort to ensure that the man's fall would begin as soon as possible.

Levi drove Hanji to her home first, then steered the car towards Erwin's apartment. As he parked the car and looked at Smith, the man looked back at him.

"Levi ... I wanted to apologize for my behavior a few days ago. That evening when... You know".

Ackerman's eyes widened. So Erwin remembered that?

"I really don't know what got into me. I felt terrible then. And I shoudn't drink that much... I'm sorry that I kissed you. I shouldn't have done that".

"It's okay, really" Levi said, looking at his friend. "People do even stupider things in such situations. Are you sure you feel better?".

"Yes. Thanks" Erwin confessed, nodding, though Levi didn't quite believe his words. Smith's face was sad and gray. Nevertheless, Levi hoped that, like him, he had an increased motivation to work. "I'm not the only one who misses him. How are you feeling?".

"Me? I'm fine, as always. It'll be even better when we'll be back at our case".

"Eren hasn't contacted you?" Erwin wanted to know.

Hearing the young Yaeger's name, Levi suddenly remembered their last meeting, when he was talking to Eren alone. That time, when Eren was holding his hand… Levi felt a strange awkwardness at this thought, which immediately irritated him. He didn't know why it bothered him. Still, nothing had happened between the two of them... yet.

Levi had to get this thought out of his head. He also had to try to avoid being alone with Eren. He should now focus on work.

"No. Since he visited me that night, when you stayed with me, he didn't contact me. But he waits for our signal. He wants us to get Xavier first".

Erwin nodded. Levi studied Smith's face for a moment. He couldn't help but ask another question.

"Won't you ask me if I still trust him? After what happened?".

Smith looked at his shorter friend. His bright blue eyes were calm.

"I don't need to. I trust him, and I know he tried to do everything to prevent it. From what you said, losing Mike was also painful for him. He's a sensitive young man, we need him. Besides, if something was wrong, if you had any doubts, I'm sure you would have told me already".

Erwin unbuckled his seat belt, then smiled at Levi, very softly. But the pain was still present on his face.

"See you tomorrow, Levi. Rest a little".

Smith got out of the car. Levi watched after the man for a moment, then started the engine and moved towards his home.

Mikasa

She swung and hit the punching bag one last time. Then she put her hands on her lap and tried to calm her racing heart. She was breathing fast.

The training room was empty, so she had been eager to spend her time here lately. Since the last meeting with Eren and Armin, she had also tried to eat more than usual, which gave her a little more strength. She could finally resume the workouts that Grisha used to organize for her and Eren.

Mikasa took the boxing gloves off her hands and put them back in their place. She wiped her sweaty forehead with a towel, then went to shower. She washed away all the exhaustion and tried not to think about anything. It was difficult, however, given the circumstances.

Grisha was a strict guardian from the beginning. He demanded much more of her than of Zeke or Eren. She always felt that Grisha didn't consider her as a part of the family. He treated her more like an accessory, a trophy he has won and which he wanted to train properly. She had to admit, however, that thanks to his efforts, she knew about things that girls of her age usually did not know: the survival, the patience, and hand-to-hand combat. She never had the opportunity to try out the self-defense tactics, but... all in due time.

The world's greatest irony would be if she gets the chance to use these techniques on the man who has raised her...

Mikasa turned off the water and got out of the shower. She changed into the brown button-up dress she had to wear that day. Then she left the training room, going to that part of the house, which contained the living room and kitchen.

She was surprised when, behind the ajar door of Grisha's office, she saw people gathered at the table. Grisha was sitting in the center of the assembly. Several people looked like they barely survived some shootout. The name "Tybur" reached to her ears. She turned and headed for the stairs. Kruger suddenly passed by her. His head was wrapped in a bandage. He didn't say anything when he saw her, which was typical of him. Annie was right behind him.

Seeing Mikasa's surprised look, she stopped for a moment.

"What happened?" The girl asked, coming closer to the blonde.

"Apparently someone is seeking revenge for a man Grisha got rid of some time ago" She explained in a bored voice. "You know, just Yaegers things".

Annie shrugged, then followed Kruger's lead to the cabinet. Mikasa retreated into the corridor. She didn't feel like participating in any meeting, and since Grisha hadn't called her there, she might have just sneaked out ...

As she passed the living room, she suddenly stopped. She spotted a familiar figure packing medical equipment into a bag. Mikasa hesitated, then moved toward the man.

Jean closed his bag with a zipper, then wanted to put it over his shoulder. He raised his eyebrows slightly as he saw Mikasa coming towards him.

"Hi" The girl greeted, stopping in front of the doctor.

"Hi" Jean replied, looking at her, still a little surprised. After a while he smiled. "Can I help you?".

"Not this time, fortunately. I noticed you, so I wanted to come over to say hi and thank you again for your help… I also wanted to apologize for Eren's reaction, sometimes he can be overprotective".

Jean laughed softly. Mikasa had to admit that this sound was very pleasant to hear.

"No problem, really. Well, under this circumstances, I guess it's good to have someone who cares about you. Even if he's a little overprotective".

Their stares met, and Mikasa saw everything that remained unspoken in the man's eyes. So he must have guessed what situation she was in. And it was very possible that he also was here not entirely voluntarily. Did he owe Grisha some money? Or was Grisha threatening him? Maybe it was his family that was in danger?

His wife? His kids?

"You're right. Despite this, he is really loved on a daily basis" Mikasa confessed, pushing away these strange thoughts. Jean didn't say anything to that, so the girl added after a while: "I saw that something bad happened. That's why you came?".

"Yeah. Zeke took me here again without any earlier notice" Jean sighed under his breath, then tossed the bag over his shoulder. "Well, I can't help it. I'm glad it's over for today".

"Oh, that's a pity. I wanted to offer you some tea" Mikasa confessed, lifting the corner of her mouth. Jean widened his eyes slightly. For some reason, she liked all the reactions she caused in this man. The way he was looking at her, the way he was smiling...

Jean didn't have time to answer, because Zeke entered the room.

When he saw Jean and Mikasa talking to each other, he frowned slightly.

"Hey, woman. Grisha wants to see you" He muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. Then he looked at the doctor with a bored look. "And doc, you can go now. Annie will drive you".

Kirschtein looked at Zeke, with the same bored expression on his face.

"Great" Jean replied. Before he left, he looked at Mikasa.

"Maybe next time" He said to her and gave her a warm smile. "Keep taking care of yourself. You look much better".

Kirschtein walked towards the door, passed Zeke, and left the room.

The girl wondered if she could take these words as a compliment or merely as a medical opinion.

Zeke finally looked at Mikasa.

"Are you coming or not?" He growled quietly. The girl smoothed the fabric of her dress, and then began to walk forward confidently. She passed Zeke and headed towards the office. The man followed her, she heard his footsteps behind her.

For some time now, she had felt Zeke hated her even more than usual.

Once they arrived in the room, Mikasa looked at Grisha. The man nodded at her and gestured to take a seat next to him. The girl sat down on the empty chair. She could see Zeke standing in the back, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

"As you've probably heard, Tybur's sons somehow linked us to the murder of their father. Of course, they don't even have a single of proof, but they are stubborn" Grisha said softly, looking into her eyes. Mikasa tried to stay calm. She had learned to hold back the shudder of fear that always passed through her body whenever this man looked at her. "In the next few days it may get rough. I will have to meet with someone. I will take some people and Eren with me. When I'm gone, you will be making decisions here. Do you understand?".

Mikasa tightened her hands on the fabric of the dress and bit her lip. Why was Grisha doing this? Was this some kind of a test? Or did he want to scare her? Maybe he wanted to be sure that her hands will be as dirty as his so that she won't be able to seek help from the police. At this point, she could be considered his accomplice.

Either way, no matter what the man's plan was, she had to go along with it.

She nodded, hoping her gaze was as hard and intense as Grisha's eyes.

"Yes. I understand" She replied in a firm, strong voice.

She couldn't help but noticed that Zeke twitched nervously. The man clenched his fists. The spider tattooed on his left arm moved with the way the man's muscles tightened.

If Zeke's eyes could kill, she would probably fell dead right here… But she was still alive. And she knew that she would do anything to keep it that way.