Well looked like that two-week schedule fell apart almost immediately but three weeks ain't bad I guess.
Anyway, this chapter was a pain to write, I knew what I was setting myself up for with all the reunions I planned but about halfway through this I realised I have the emotional depth of a teaspoon so this might be a chapter full of misses and wasted opportunities, but I promise we shall get back into normal plot stuff soon and away from my attempts at emoting lol.
Kidnapped.
The word rang through their heads like a bell, deafening all other conscious thoughts. Armin and Mikasa could see Commander Erwin's mouth opening and closing, his lips forming soundless words which could have been a religious hymn for all they knew.
Kidnapped. Eren. Taken. Gone.
How had this happened? Captain Levi was supposed to protect him, Lieutenant Ral and the Commander too. Some of the best in the corp. How had they allowed Eren to be taken from them?
Who could have taken him from them?!
The answer to that question came to them quickly and filled them with a sense of dread. After all, if Reiner hadn't taken him, then there was only one person on this island who could have stolen Eren from right underneath Levi's nose.
An individual whose abilities matched, and in some cases even surpassed Captain Levi's when it came to fighting and killing while wholly lacking the diminutive Captain's morals and loyalties. It was the most dangerous combination imaginable.
They knew he would have to be dealt with eventually, but it was a fight neither of them was eager to repeat, knowing full well he was one of the most deadly foes they had ever faced. They had hoped he could be dealt with at a later date; ideally after the warriors had been killed, and with the full support of the corp behind them. There could be no half measures when dealing with him.
But now that plan was in tatters. Kenny Ackerman had made his move and snatched Eren away. And wherever Kenny acted, Rod Reiss could be found pulling his strings from the shadows.
Apparently he hadn't been cowed as much as they had hoped for by their little visit to him. Historia was right. They should have killed that rat bastard when they had the chance.
At the memory of their wayward ally and her foresightful words, Armin forced himself to calm down, to middling success. Yes, Eren had been taken, but they still had Historia. Admittedly Armin didn't know where she was or if something had happened to her seeing as Reiner must have done something here, but he did know that Ymir would never allow something to happen to Historia without a fight.
He had to believe she was somewhere safe and out of her father's hands because that would buy them time, time to get Eren back before Reiss got desperate and carried out the transfer himself. They'd have to leave Reiner for now, but his time would come soon enough.
Armin's frantic planning came to a screeching halt when he realised Erwin was looking at him expectantly. He must have been asked a question.
"Sorry, sir, could you repeat that?" Armin said weakly, practically feeling the tension radiating off Mikasa which crashed over him like vast ocean swells.
Erwin's expression didn't change as he repeated the question. "I asked what you know about Historia Reiss. I'm told the two of you are friends of hers."
"H-Historia?" Armin choked out, once again struggling to remain calm. How the hell had Erwin figured out Historia's name?!
"You would have known her as Krista Lenz," Erwin 'helpfully' added. "We have reason to believe she's connected to many of today's events."
'Shit, shit, shit!' "I-I don't know what to say, sir." Unsure of how much or how little Erwin knew, Armin decided the best course of action was to play the fool and gave the most vapid answer possible. He knew Erwin would demand more, but it gave him a precious few seconds to think. "Krista has been a good friend for as long as we've known her."
Even as her shock was giving way to anger and frustration, Mikasa quickly caught on to what Armin was doing and bowed her head in a stiff nod, wordless supporting Armin's response to the observant Commander. It was easier to control her turbulent emotions when she wasn't looking him in the eye.
"Yet she never told you who she was," Erwin bluntly countered, ignoring the look Hanji gave him. "Most people would question their friendship in such circumstances. Does her lie mean nothing to you?"
It was clear that Erwin was testing them for some reason, hoping to see what sort of reaction they would give to such a statement. Some people might grow cynical and despondent as those seeds of doubt took root, while others might become defensive and angry. But Armin would not play his game; their friendship with Historia was beyond reproach.
"Everyone has their secrets, sir," Armin answered quietly before his eyes hardened and he held Erwin's gaze. "I'm sure she had her reasons, but we trained with her for years and fought side by side. She's our friend, regardless of her real name."
Maybe he was seeing things, but Armin was sure there was the faintest flash of respect in the Commander's eyes as he broke the silent staring match.
"As you say. Well then, allow me to rephrase the question. Do you have any idea where she might go? Eyewitnesses tell me she fled into the forest with three other recruits; Private Blouse, Springer and Bott, but unlike the other recruits, they haven't returned despite our numerous signals. We can only assume they have left the area, and for Eren's sake, it is imperative that we find Miss Reiss before anyone else."
Armin drew in a breath at the mixed bag of information. Historia, Sasha, Connie and Marco had all survived whatever Reiner had done, which was an immense relief for him. He didn't know what he would do to Reiner if he had hurt or, God forbid, killed one of them, but hunting him down to the ends of the earth would certainly be on the cards.
However, the 'mixed' part of the bag came in the form of another name, or to be precise, the lack of a name. 'Where the hell is Ymir?' Armin wondered, the rogue shifter noticeably absent in Historia's 'escort'.Was it possible Ymir had simply been missed running alongside the others?
Somehow Armin doubted that. Ymir didn't exactly blend into the background at the best of times, what with her being the tallest girl in the 104th and having a personality which was the antithesis of subtle. For now, though, Armin could only hope she hadn't gone and done something mind-numbingly stupid again, like joining Reiner.
Pushing that unsettling possibility aside, Armin set about 'answering' Erwin's question, making a show of chewing his lip. "Are there any settlements nearby?" He asked as if coming to some sudden epiphany.
"Several," Erwin answered with a nod, quickly listing off a handful of settlements, all of which Armin ignored until Ragako was mentioned. If Connie was with Historia and they needed a place to hide, where else would he lead them but home?
Opening his mouth to answer, Armin was beaten to the punch by Mikasa. "They'll be there," She cut in with a clipped voice, not bothering to hide her disappointment at the two men who had failed to protect Eren. "At Ragako."
"Are you sure?" Erwin questioned, unfazed by Mikasa's curt tone.
"Yes." Was the firm reply, "That's Connie's village."
Commander Erwin silently contemplated this for a moment, mulling over the possibility, before wording his approval, perhaps to the surprise of Hanji and Levi who hadn't expected him to take a recruit at her word. "Very well, once the arrangements for the wounded have been made, we'll head to Ragako first. Dismissed."
"Sir." Armin and Mikasa echoed quickly, both turning away as Erwin resumed his discussion with his two senior officers. No longer under the Commander's scrutiny, Armin grabbed Mikasa's sleeve and started to guide her back toward the horses. Heading to Ragako might be Erwin's plan, but that didn't mean it was his.
The Commander can retrieve Historia, but they were going to get Eren back.
"Armin…" Mikasa spoke up softly, realising where she was being led and for what purpose. When he didn't respond, Mikasa dug her heels in, both figuratively and literally bringing her closest friend to an abrupt halt. "Armin, stop. We can't."
Unable to overcome Mikasa's stubborn strength, Armin turned to face her, gawking. "What?" He hissed, refusing to believe his ears.
"We can't," Mikasa repeated slowly, her free hand coming up to fiddle with her scarf. "Believe me, Armin, I want to, but we can't."
"How can you say that?! You all but shouted in Erwin's face a few minutes ago and nearly-" Armin cut himself off, and shook his head. Now wasn't the time. "We can." He insisted, bluntly. "We know where he is. If we go now, we'll be there before Reiss has time to prepare."
"And then what?" Mikasa fired back, "We haven't had time to prepare. We don't even have our gear, and even if we did or we used our..." She made a tiny gesture with her free hand. "There will still be dozens of MPs waiting there, remember? And him as well." Mikasa exhaled mournfully, hating the words that were leaving her mouth. "We can't do this alone."
"So, what? We do nothing?!" Even as a quiet whisper, Armin's voice was thick with disbelief. He couldn't believe that Mikasa of all people was fighting him on this.
"No," Mikasa ground out, her eyes narrowing in frustration. "I'm saying we should wait. We'll go to Ragako with Erwin and find Historia. She can tell him about the chapel, and then we all go and get Eren back. That way we'll at least have the numbers."
"And what if Erwin doesn't go for it? What if he orders us all back to HQ instead? You heard him there; he suspects Historia is involved in this. What if he doesn't believe her?"
"Armin you're being irrational. He believed her last time."
"Irrational?! How am I being irrat-"
"Because you're acting like me!" Mikasa snapped, yanking her hand away from the scarf.
A heavy silence hung between them as the rest of Armin's defiant cry died in his throat. His stomach clenched into a tight knot as the painful yet undeniable truth in her words slammed into him.
Mikasa's chest rose and fell as she took several deep breaths, allowing herself to calm down. When she spoke again, her voice was pained and weary. "You're acting like I used to. Wanting to drop everything and blindly rush after Eren, no matter the cost. We can't do that anymore, Armin. We promised we wouldn't."
It was a promise they had made both to themselves and to Historia. They had sworn to her face after Trost that Paradise had to come first, knowing full well that the fate of every man, woman and child rested on their shoulders. Getting themselves and possibly even Eren killed in some half baked rescue mission and losing the Titans they held would doom their island and its people.
They had to be smarter than last time. They had to be better.
And Mikasa knew that Armin knew that. Hell, everything they had achieved so far had been done with that intention in mind. Which only made Armin's impatience all the more strange.
"This isn't like you, Armin. What's this really about?"
"I just-" A pause; long and poignant. Then a long, shuddering exhale. "Do you ever wonder if it was something we did? That we weren't there enough for himor we were too overbearing? Was it us?" Armin knuckled his eye, annoyed at the mild dampness he found. "Everything we did was for him, but it was never enough. Something always happened."
With that, everything clicked into place for Mikasa. This wasn't just about Eren being kidnapped as she initially thought, but about their Eren. Their Eren and the ever-burning question of why? Why did he do it? Why did he run away? Why did he drag them into a battle that got Sasha killed?
Why did he say the things he did?
Mikasa wanted to blame people like Floch, Yelena and Zeke for what happened, to hold them responsible for turning Eren into something he wasn't. She wanted to blame the throngs of different memories warring inside Eren's head for corrupting him. She wanted to blame those things because it was easy and painless, and it allowed her to turn the hurt and anger she felt outwards instead of letting it consume her.
But, try as she might, there was always that lingering doubt in the back of her mind.
"What am I to you?"
Could they have done something differently?
Blinking away the vision Mikasa reached out, cupping Armin's chin and lifting his face. She could see it clearly in his brilliant blue eyes, that same uncertainty. He was worried they were walking down that same path, and it wasn't entirely unfounded. Trost had still happened, the Special Operations Squad had nearly been wiped out, Eren had still been kidnapped, and once again Reiner had escaped.
"All the time." She gave him a soft, understanding smile, absently tracing the line of his jaw with her thumb. "But what happened, happened. We can't change that."
They could both appreciate the irony of that statement, considering their current circumstances but the truth was that their old lives were gone and with it their Eren and his haunting words. They might never know the real reason behind what he said and why, but perhaps it was better that way.
Sometimes a hard truth can cut too deep.
"But that doesn't mean it will happen again. Whatever the reason was, even if it was us, waiting an hour or two now so we can rescue Eren properly isn't going to cause it. This time we know what to look for now, and if we see the signs, we can stop it, okay? We won't lose him this time."
With a sigh, Armin placed his hand on top of hers, gently pulling it from his face and holding it between them, fingers intertwined. He could feel the iron in her grip beneath the deceptively pliable skin. It was a source of comfort for Armin, knowing that even when he was being a weak fool, Mikasa was still strong, both physically and mentally. Far stronger than he.
It was just one of the many things he lo- admired about her.
"Since when did you become the smart one?" Armin asked, half-jokingly. It had been many years since Mikasa had done something rash, but this sudden reversal of their old habits had caught him by surprise.
Mikasa shrugged, her expression unchanged except for a teasing glint in her eyes. "I guess you finally rubbed off on me. Only took half a lifetime."
Despite everything, Armin cracked a weak smile at Mikasa's signature dry humour and was about to fire back some equally sardonic retort when a new voice spoke up. A voice they hadn't heard in years.
"What's this I hear about rubbing?" The man who had been as much as a family to them as the Yeagers had been asked loudly. "I hope I don't have to give anyone 'The Talk'?"
Hannes grinned as he walked up to them, green cape lightly fluttering behind him. He looked exactly like they remembered him; A head of short blond hair cut neatly around his face, which highlighted his thin pointed eyebrows and pencil moustache that followed the upward curve of his pale lips. An affectionate pair of bright golden eyes were locked on them and shone in the afternoon sun.
His presence felt like a mirage in the desert, a trick that was too good to be true and would soon vanish before their eyes. But as Hannes continued to stride towards them, they found this particular mirage did not fade away. This was entirely real, and it stole their breath away.
Hannes came to a stop in front of them, his tall stature allowing him to tower over their still-growing bodies with a warm smile. In his hands were two standard-issue ration bars, which were quickly forced into their arms. "Here, you two look hungry."
Both of them continued to stare at the man who was basically an uncle to them, slack-jawed and bewildered, barely aware of the bars of food they had been given.
"You two alright? You look like you've seen a ghost." Hannes quipped at the stunned silence, the smile on his face wavering somewhat at the two gawking faces peering back at him. "I'm not that old yet."
"Hannes." Mikasa managed to croak out, bombarded with the memories of the last time she had seen the man in the flesh, and what had happened to him. She desperately wanted to reach out and touch him, just to confirm he was really there.
"Yep, that's my name…" Awkwardly rubbing the back of his head, Hannes let out a dry laugh which quickly petered out when neither Armin nor Mikasa reacted. "Ah…" he said softly, sadly. "I'm guessing Commander Erwin has told you about Eren then?"
When he received two stiff, reluctant nods in reply, Hannes sighed and mumbled something under his breath. "Ahh to hell with it."
Quick as a flash, his large hands shot out and landed on their shoulders. Both stiffened at the unexpected touch, a by-product of a lifetime of military service, but quickly relaxed when Hannes pulled them against his chest in a bone-crushing hug.
"He'll be alright, he always is. He'll keep fighting until the two of you arrive to pull his arse outta the fire, just like old times." Hannes said in a soft whisper, "Although, I hope you two weren't planning on doing something stupid. You should trust your Commander; I'm sure he has a plan."
Held tight against Hannes's chest, Armin and Mikasa shared a look. Hers was pointed and questioning, while his' was bashful and subdued. Even Hannes had guessed one of them might do something foolish, but he probably suspected it to be Mikasa which only made Armin feel worse. 'I'm such an idiot.'
"We do trust him." Armin said quietly, his answer partially muffled by Hannes's jacket. He didn't look away from Mikasa as he said it. 'I trust you.'
That answer seemed to satisfy Hannes who released them from the hug but kept his hands on their shoulders and gave them a reassuring squeeze. "I wish the four of us could be here now, but I'm glad I got to see the two of you. It's been too long."
That it had been. For Hannes, it had been nearly three years since he had last seen the kids he thought of as his niece and nephews, having waved them off when they signed up and left for bootcamp, but for Armin and Mikasa it had been closer to eight years. Eight long and painful years.
"I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your graduation ceremony, but as you could imagine, Pixis has us working overtime since the attack. But hey, first and second place! I knew you had it in you." Hannes's tone became lighter and more jovial as he spoke, catching up after years of separation, and before long Armin and Mikasa found themselves smiling along with him.
It was almost enough for them to overlook the missing member of their strange little family.
Almost.
The newest member of the 17th Southern Engineering Squad, Mina Caroline, had been watching her Captain embracing her old classmates out of the corner of her eye as she repacked the supply bags. Hannes had often spoken to her about the trio from Shiganshina, and how he knew them all from before the fall, but seeing that bond with her own eyes had brought a smile to her face. At least some good had come from this day.
She wasn't sure what Commander Erwin had said to her Captain during his report, but when they were finished, Hannes seemed exhausted and despondent, and no one knew why as he refused to speak to them. Then, almost an hour later, she had seen a second group of scouts arriving, with Armin and Mikasa included in their number. Mina had held her breath as the best and brightest of the 104th stormed up to their Commander, and seemed to engage him in some heated exchange, before walking away several minutes later looking as downcast as Hannes had.
It didn't take a genius to figure out the link. Something must have happened to Eren. Something bad.
Stuffing some of the supplies in the bag with a little more force than necessary, Mina started to chew her lip. It was something she did when her thoughts drifted toward the boy she had a crush on.
Back in bootcamp, before her friends had either deserted or been killed, they had often teased her about it, claiming Eren wouldn't notice a girl even if she stood in front of him in only her birthday suit. Maybe they were right, but Mina continued to carry a torch for the angry brunette, frequently enthralled by the way he spoke from the heart during his many impassioned tirades.
Of course, it had never gone anywhere during their training years, and there was little chance of that changing now. They were in completely different divisions, and quite frankly, Mina doubted Eren really knew she existed. But despite all that, she still cared about him, even with the whole 'turning into a Titan' thing, so Mina prayed to any deity that might listen to keep him safe from whatever had happened.
Mina only realised how long she was ruminating on missed opportunities when she turned back to continue watching her Captain and was surprised to see only Armin still standing on his own. Checking around, Mina quickly spotted Hannes and Mikasa walking over toward some of the wounded who were being loaded onto the wagons, clearly intending to assist.
Of course, it made sense that Hannes had asked Mikasa to help them. After all, on top of her being one of the more developed girls in the 104th, and a close friend to both Armin and Eren, and being one the best soldiers in the entire military, Mikasa also possessed seemingly limitless strength, and could easily pick up and move a fully grown man on her own with no visible effort.
Not that Mina was jealous, of course, she just thought it was a bit unfair.
'Leave something for the rest of us, why don't you…'
Biting down the emotion that was not jealousy, the newest member of the 17th engineering squad put down the bag she had been packing and started walking over to the lone blond scout. There was another reason she had been watching the small group that wasn't just mere curiosity or vain hope of seeing Eren, a reason which had been weighing on her soul since Trost. And now, nearly a month after that awful day, the opportunity she had been waiting for had finally arrived.
She had spent days, weeks even, thinking about this moment and planning out exactly what she would say to Armin if they ever met again, but now, as she approached him, Mina could scarcely remember a thing.
'This is a bad idea. I'm going to screw this up.' Her stride wavered, and Mina wondered if it was too late to turn around. Maybe she could write a letter instead, that way she could say her piece without messing it up and embarrassing herself in front of him.
'No. Don't be a craven, Mina. You already embarrassed yourself in front of him, remember? When he saved your life? The least you can do is thank him in person.' Mina chided herself, forcing her legs to keep moving forward.
She liked Armin, even before she owed him her life. Sure he could be distant sometimes, but he was still kind, helpful and most of all, smart. He had helped her with one of those godawful theoretical exams when no one else could, happily sitting with her in the mess hall through dinner explaining all the different numbers and sums that Mina just couldn't get her head around. And, as she had witnessed first hand, he was also a frighteningly good soldier, so far beyond her that it wasn't even funny. Only Mikasa had killed more Titans in that battle.
But as it had done with almost every aspect of her life, Trost had also forced Mina to reevaluate her perceptions of the blue-eyed blond, especially after he revealed another side of himself that Mina never knew existed. A cold, emotionless side which had intimidated her more than Instructor Shadis had when he screamed in her face on the first day of training.
The way Armin had just switched from the kindly boy who helped her study to a cold and ruthless soldier in the blink of an eye was something Mina would never forget. The way he cut apart Titans and yelled out orders like it was second nature and his reaction to seeing Eren dropped into a Titan's mouth. A single gasp was all he had given at the sight of his best friend being eaten, before Armin had just looked away and started issued them new orders, seemingly accepting what had happened and moving on in less than a heartbeat.
Sure, Eren had survived thanks to his… condition, but there was no way Armin could have known that at the time, right? To accept a loss like that so quickly and easily just didn't sit right with her.
Admittedly, Mina was aware of her own hypocrisy in that regard, seeing as her only reaction to seeing the boy she fancied being swallowed whole was to silently cower in fear on a rooftop, covered in blood, vomit and worse after Armin's miraculous rescue. Eren had barely registered to Mina at that moment, as only the desire to survive and get the hell out of that nightmarish city was on her mind then.
As Mina had discovered, when you're in your first life or death situation, relationships with others take a backseat to survival.
'Come on, be brave.' Mina told herself as she drew closer to her saviour. Armin was still Armin, regardless of what happened at Trost. He was a friend, and she shouldn't be frightened of him.
Coming to a stop a couple of feet behind Armin's unturned back, Mina was surprised he hadn't heard her coming. He must have been rooted deep in thought as his fingers idly toying with the hem of his sleeve. Whatever Commander Erwin had said to him must have put him on edge.
"Armin?" Mina cautiously called his name, resisting the urge to fidget as she took the first step in her long-overdue thank you.
With a start, Armin twisted round to face her, his eyes growing wide at the sight of her signature pigtails. "Mina?" Armin blinked owlishly, his look of surprise changing to a tight smile. Mina suppressed a wince at the obviously forced grin. If her suspicions about something happening to Eren was correct then now probably wasn't the best time to do this.
Oh well, it was far too late to back out now.
"It's good to see you again. Hannes mentioned you joined his squad." Armin continued on, unaware of her inner debate.
Taking a breath, Mina opened her mouth and answered.
"Y-Yes!" The high pitch, breathless squeak erupted from her lips as her mind went blank at the worst possible moment.
'Argh! Seriously?! What the hell was that!'
Kicking herself at the idiotic response, Mina willed herself to remain calm and tried again. "I mean, it's good to see you too, Armin. And yes, Captain Hannes asked me to join his squad during the trials." In a tone of voice recognisable her own, Mina gave an awkward smile. Both at her own terrible opening, and the memory of her appointment to the 17th.
Despite the dark malaise that still hung heavy around the Trost and its Garrison, Mina had been privately ecstatic when Captain Hannes had approached her after the trials and offered her a place in his squad. Ever since their early graduation, a part of her had been terrified that she'd never make it as a soldier and would never get the chance to redeem herself after what happened. So to become one of the first in the new Garrison intake to be squaded up was something Mina was immensely proud of.
"He's a good man, talks about you a lot. The 'brains of the operation' he calls you."
Armin's eyes seemed to light up at that, and for a brief moment, his smile looked a little less fake. "Yeah... he is. I missed him." He said quietly, with a weirdly sombre note in his voice.
Picking up on this, Mina braced herself as she gingerly asked the question that had been burning in her head. "Is- is everything alright, Armin? You seem..."
Mina couldn't think of the right word. Sad, maybe? Dispirited? Angry? Possibly a mix of all three? Then, like a match being struck, she found the right word.
"Tired." Mina half blurted out. "You seem tired." Tired in mind and body. But then again, wasn't all the 104th like that nowadays?
It looked like she hit the nail on the head, as Armin ran a hand through his windswept hair and let out a humourless snort. "You could say that. It's been a long day."
The fact it was only mid-afternoon wasn't lost on Mina, and it was a sentiment she agreed with wholeheartedly. Seeing the notorious Armoured Titan for the first time, being charged by it, and then witnessing it try to breach the wall all in less than an hour had been enough shit for one day.
What was lost on her, however, was the fact Armin had succinctly avoided the real question.
"Anyway," Armin powered onwards, shifting his weight to his other foot. "Don't take this the wrong way, but did you want something, Mina? I'm guessing you didn't come here just to check on me. B-but it's not a problem if you did, I'm just curious." Armin added quickly.
"Oh! Yeah..." Knowing the moment had come, Mina took a steadying breath. "I, err, I wanted to talk about Trost."
"Ah." The semi-forced smile on Armin's face faltered, and his lips pressed together into a tight line. "I try not to think about it too much."
'Ah, crap. Another great start, Mina.' Flustered, Mina quickly started to ramble trying and failing not to trip over her words. "Yes- I mean, me too. But I've been meaning to talk to you for a while. I wanted to- No, I needed to thank you for what you did."
Whatever response Mina was anticipating, Armin giving her a strange look, and repeating her words as if she had spoken in some made-up language was not one of them.
"Thank me? I don't- I don't understand."
Mina frowned, anxiously tugging one of her pigtails. "What do you mean you don't understand? Armin, you saved my life. I'd be dead if it wasn't for you. Why wouldn't I thank you?"
Armin's lips parted as if he was about to say something but then decided against it, closing his mouth and chewing on his lower lip. It was a small gesture, but Mina couldn't help but notice how timid it made him look, a polar opposite to the Armin she had seen in Trost.
"It shouldn't have happened in the first place. I was in charge and led you all into danger when Eren got hurt." Gravely, Armin shook his head. "None of you should have even been in that situation."
'No, we shouldn't have been in Trost. Us cadets shouldn't have had to go through that. No one should.' Mina agreement, but wouldn't be deterred. Armin might think he was responsible for what happened, but that wasn't remotely true. It was that horrible Colossal monster that broke the gate.
That... thing was to blame, not Armin.
"Lots of things shouldn't happen, Armin, but they do anyway. What matters is what we do, and you did the best you could. I mean it, Armin, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't even be here, and neither would Thomas or Milieus. Even Hannah has asked about you when I visit her. We all owe you our lives."
And she truly meant that. As much as his cold, emotionless orders for Thomas and herself to take Milieus and flee after seeing Eren being eaten had unnerved her, the two of them had gotten Milieus to the field hospital just in time. The medics had to amputate and cauterise his mangled arm at the shoulder, but he had survived and was on the mend. One of the surgeons had even told them after the operation that another minute or two and it would have been too late to save him.
Hannah was still in the hospital and would likely be there for a while. Not from any physical injuries but a 'wounded mind' as the doctor had described it. She still didn't talk much when Mina came to visit, and mentioning Franz was a big no-no, but over the last month she had managed to piece together a rough idea of what had happened after she had quit the city. Armin had saved Hannah from the streets, then he, Mikasa and, oddly enough, Jean had led the rest of the 104th on some insane mission to retake the armoury, which allowed them all to resupply and retreat.
Of the tens of dozens of recruits who survived Trost, Mina reckoned well over half owed their lives to one of those three in one way or another. They all owed Eren a debt as well, but she supposed that debt was held collectively by Humanity. Walls know what would have happened if Eren hadn't been able to block the outer gate.
"Really? I thought she'd... How are they?" Armin asked guardedly, as if unsure what to say or think. It nearly made Mina roll her eyes. How could someone so smart be so silly?
Did he really believe that no one would want to thank him for what he did?
"Yes, really. Hannah doesn't blame you for what happened. And they're doing better, slowly but surely. We all are." Mina answered honestly, "If you get time, I'm sure they would appreciate a visit. And… I reckon it would do you some good as well." She added shyly before a small grin broke across her face. "Be careful if you do though, Thomas won't stop going on about the drinks he owes you. Keeps promising to take you on a tavern crawl the next time you're in Trost, and I don't think he'll take 'no' for an answer."
Once again, Armin's face seemed to light up, and Mina was taken aback at just how emotive his boyish face could be when he wasn't guarding his expressions like a watchdog. She wondered if this was the Armin that Eren and Mikasa got to see on a day to day basis. "I'll keep that in mind." He said with a low chuckle, and Mina felt relief wash over her. This was how she'd wanted the conversation to go, and it looked like they were back on the right path.
Unfortunately through, Mina would never get to take advantage of this as they were interrupted by a harsh masculine voice, which broke through the relaxed atmosphere like a bucket of freezing water being upended on their heads.
"Arlert!" The voice called, and Armin immediately snapped to attention at it, an action Mina quickly replicated when she saw Captain Levi stomping towards them with a dour look. His hard expression reminded Mina, perhaps belatedly, that they probably both had orders they should be fulfilling instead of just standing around talking.
As Humanity's strongest reached them, he regarded them both cooly, his dark grey eyes scanning back and forth between them, like an apex predator hunting for a sign of weakness. Mina felt that unyielding gaze like a physical weight on her shoulders, which press her down into the dirt and causing the very act of breathing normally to become a challenge.
In the end, all Mina could think to do was stand perfectly still, and pray the scout Captain would just ignore her. And, mercifully, after what felt like an eternity, Captain Levi just clicked his tongue and looked at Armin with a scowl.
"We're leaving. Say goodbye to your friend and get moving." Then, without another word, the Captain stormed past them towards the tied up survey corp horses, mumbling something Mina couldn't catch under his breath.
Feeling her lungs gradually unlocking as the Captain walked away, Mina let out a nervous shuddering breath. "Is… is he always like that?" She whispered, not daring to speak any louder in case the terrifying Captain overheard.
The corners of Armin's mouth twitched. "That was him being nice." He said with a shrug.
"Oh…" Mina stole another peep at the legendary Captain as he commanded a few more scouts to get a move on. 'Well, I suppose you don't become the most deadly soldier in history by being warm and cuddly. Still, I'm glad Captain Hannes isn't anything like that.'
Clearing his throat with a low cough, Armin caught Mina's attention and gave her a thankful smile. A real one this time. "I should go before you have to see what the Captain is normally like. But thank you, Mina, truly. Stay safe, and look after Hannes for me, would you? He's always getting in trouble."
There was an odd sense of finality in that statement, almost as if Armin didn't foresee them meeting any time soon, if at all. It was a grim possibility that Mina had to recognise; the survey corp wasn't known for the long life expectancy of its troops after all, yet it didn't mean she had to like it or accept it. So, perhaps in a moment of brilliant inspiration or total insanity, Mina made a decision.
If they weren't going to meet again, then she wanted to make sure her thank you was more than mere words.
Leaning forward, Mina turned her head and pressed her lips against Armin's cheek, catching the scout completely off-guard. The kiss barely lasted half a second, but it was still the first time she had kissed a boy, so Mina quickly stepped back with a deep crimson blush spreading all over her face.
"You're a hero, Armin, never forget that." She told the stunned boy, as her courage finally failed her. Twisting on the balls of her feet, Mina beat a hasty retreat, all but running back to the supply wagon before Armin could muster a coherent response.
'Gods I hope Mikasa didn't see that.' Mina thought, already seeing some of her squadmates looking at her with raised eyes. 'I doubt anyone could save me then.'
Moving wounded comrades from the ground to the cart was not the most traditional catch-up activity, but it gave Mikasa the chance to spend time with Hannes while Armin took a minute to clear his head.
More time to catch up and just talk. Talk about the old days (very old days for Mikasa), her time in bootcamp (She'd given a short, sanitised version of events seeing how they had spent most of their time in bootcamp planning and preparing to deal with the shifters), and what Hannes had been up to and how his wife was. Shockingly almost everything he said about the latter subjects was new information to Mikasa since they never got the time to truly talk last time. It was a sobering experience but also quite heartening.
Between the two of them and two other members of Hannes's squad, they had all the wounded loaded up and ready to be shipped back the Trost field hospital for proper treatment. Mikasa knew she should feel at least some satisfaction at this, but all she could think about was how her time with Hannes was coming to an end. She didn't know how to say goodbye to him. She didn't know if she could.
Today had been perhaps the single most emotionally draining experience since their return to the past. Since they had dealt with Bertholdt as the moon had started its slow descent, in one day Mikasa had watched Armin re-inherited the Colossal and its curse, believed (incorrectly) they had been sussed out by Erwin, found out that Eren had been kidnapped by Rod and Kenny, discovered that Reiner had slipped through their fingers, realised Historia's identity had been partially unveiled, had a brief and semi-heated argument with Armin and, to top it all off, she had reunited with that man who gave his life trying to save Eren and herself from the smiling Titan, who just so happened to be the first Mrs Yeager; Zeke's mother and Aunty Carla's killer.
All of that would be enough to break a lesser person, but as strong as she was, even Mikasa had limits.
Fortunately for Mikasa emotional bulwark, Levi's shouted commands to get moving arrived soon after and Hannes offered to walk with her to the horses, which she happily accepted as it allowed her to push back that dreaded goodbye just a few more minutes.
As they walked, side by side with Hannes occasionally barking out an order to one of his squad, Mikasa spotted Armin also making his way towards the assembled horses rubbing his cheek with a bewildered look on his face.
Something about that put her on edge. Had someone hit him? Surely not, for who would dare do such a thing with her within shouting distance? Who wanted to taste the dirt that badly? Mikasa silently resolved to ask Armin about it later.
Unfortunately, however, she had not been as subtle as she'd hope, as Hannes had noticed and followed her distracted gaze. "So," He drawled, with a playful smirk, "Anything you wanna tell me? You looked pretty close earlier with all that touching and 'rubbing' if I heard right?"
Cursing her luck, Mikasa swivelled her head back and fixed her grey eyes firmly ahead. "No. We were just talking."
"Riiight." She could practically hear Hannes's smirk widening as he said this. "Remind me to tell you about how I met Larina one day."
Mikasa tugged up her scarf at the mention of Hannes wife and did not reply. However, the colouring on her ears was all the answer Hannes needed.
"Well, either way, I'm happy for you. He's a good kid. You both are." He patted her shoulder, warmly.
They continued the rest of the brisk walk in amicable silence until they reached Uma. Hannes offered to help her up, but being in her younger body hadn't stopped Mikasa from being about to mount up independently before, and wouldn't fail her now. With a quick jump and a swing of the leg, she was up and settled into the saddle.
A knot of sorrow formed in her belly as she turned to face Hannes. There would be no more last minutes delays, this was it, and Hannes knew it too.
"I suppose this is goodbye." There was a certain sadness in Hannes's voice as he lighted patting Uma's neck. All around them the rest of Hanji's squad started mounting up, preparing to join the Commander and Captain Levi on the journey to Ragako.
"For now." Mikasa replied firmly, swallowing down the sadness she felt. She had lost Hannes once and wasn't going to lose him again. They would meet again, and that time Eren would be with them.
"For now." Hannes agreed with a smile. Walls how she'd missed that easy-going smile.
"Oh, before I forget." Pulling up his sleeve Hannes revealed a strange bracelet that Mikasa had never seen before and gently removed it from his wrist.
It was an odd-looking thing, little more than two pieces of string, dyed red and black, twisted around each other in a helical pattern. The spacing of the alternating colours was not consistent at all, with large portions of the band dominated by one colour, before switching to a thin sliver of the other. Parts of the strings were worn and frayed, thinning down to the point where a sharp tug would snap it with ease.
Clearly, it was not the work of a professional and not something that would be sold in a market, which raised the question of who made it and why Hannes had it.
Hannes held the intertwined string in his hand for a second, tracing one of the frayed curls with a finger as he stared down at it with a distant look in his eye. Mikasa was about to ask if he was alright when he looked up and extended his hand, and the ornament it was holding, towards her.
"Take this," he said, "for when you find him."
Placing the old bracelet in her palm, Hannes treated it like the most precious thing in the world, carefully curled her fingers around it to ensure she had a solid grip. He must have seen the questioning look in her eye at his odd behaviour.
"There was a time when Eren was a normal kid, you know? Before he became as stubborn as a mule and long before he met you and Armin." That faraway look returned to his eye. "He must have been 4 or 5 when he gave this to me. It was his Saint Sina's day gift to his 'Uncle Hannes' and was so proud of it. Carla told me later that he had spent all night making it. I've worn it ever since."
Hannes patted her now tightly clenched hand. "I doubt he'd even remember it, but I want you to hold onto it until you find him. I know it's a poor substitute, but at least I can be there in spirit."
Mikasa stared dumbly at her hand and the bracelet within. The weight of the intertwined strings seemed to grow exponentially as she finally understood what Hannes had given her, and why he had treated it like it was made of gold.
"I- I-" Mikasa struggled to get the words out. In her hand was a piece of Eren's past that was a total mystery to her. It was difficult to imagine what Eren must have been like before that night, and before even meeting Armin, and she could scarcely envision a time when Eren had been a young, carefree child who made bracelets for family friends. But there the evidence was, burning against her palm.
Mikasa's eyes widened as a stray thought entered her head. This bracelet was like her scarf or Armin's dream of the ocean, that mark Eren left on those closest to him, knowingly or not. And Hannes had entrusted it to her.
Had he been wearing this when he…
"I will. I'll make sure Eren gets it." Mikasa declared, surprising herself at how determined her voice was. Since she was in her civies rather than full uniform, Mikasa didn't trust any of her pockets since they couldn't be buttoned down like on her combat jacket. So instead she slipped the bracelet on her own wrist for safekeeping, ensuring that nothing short of losing the hand would prevent its delivery.
"I know you will, kiddo. You've never let me down before." Hannes stepped back, the look in his eye now gone and the smile back in place. "Now, go and get our boy back before he manages to free himself through sheer bloodymindedness. You know he could."
Mikasa smiled. That was the Eren they knew.
"Once we've got him back, we'll come and visit you. All three of us. I promise."
"I'll see you later then, Mikasa."
"See you later, Hannes."
"Local Garrison girl found dead with 28 stab wounds in the back. MPs rule as suicide."
That was the AM kiss you lot wanted right? (Jk, jk. Don't worry, this fic would have unnecessary relationship drama as I dislike that as a reader normally, but I thought Mina's actions were fitting here)
A little bit of bad news though, the next chapter might take a bit more time than usual. I'm thoroughly burnt out from work but fortunately I've got a holiday coming up which I will be using to wind down which may involve me not doing much writing. But I will endeavour not to keep you waiting too long