For their first-ever date, they stumbled onto the agreement that on Sunday they would go to a well-known ice cream shop located downtown. Eren loved trying out new places and Mikasa loved ice cream. So it worked out perfectly as Eren had been wanting to explore more of the downtown area and Mikasa had been craving something sweet for a while now. The ice cream parlor was fairly small, but they had a wide array of ice cream flavors each one more enticing than the last. There were so many choices!
Eren placed a hand on his chin and mused over his decision...Mikasa gazed at him from the corner of her eye adoring the overly serious face he had on right now.
Finally coming to a decision Eren nodded his head before turning to Mikasa.
"What flavor do you want Mikey?"
A warmth spread throughout her body as a strange tingle ran up the course of her spine. Reeling in her happiness she was careful to keep her stoic face intact…As soon as her nerves settled down she replies in a cool tone.
"I'll just have whatever you get." She responded. She wasn't really picky. Ice cream was ice cream after all.
"We both can't choose the same flavor!" He whined.
She tilted her head ever so slightly in confusion.
"Why not?
"Come on! They have so many flavors here. If we both get the same one we would be missing out!" He retorted.
"Ah...well just chose something else for me." She replied easily.
He pouted and she let a smile slip. Her smiles were so rare, rarer than diamonds and were as bright as the twinkling stars on a clear midnight sky. A strange sort of bubbly feeling rose up from his chest and he couldn't help but smile back, pout long gone.
"Fine, but no complaining!" He groaned with a dramatic eye roll and a small smile.
"Never."
Eren ended up choosing the roasted strawberries and buttermilk flavor for Mikasa and he himself had opted for the chocolate chili flavor. They walked down the buzzing streets hand in hand happily enjoying their ice creams. Eren's emerald eyes caught sight of some ice cream splotches on Mikasa's right cheek. Mikasa had opted to not wear her favorite red scarf on the account that it was midsummer and it was crazy hot out today. He snickered.
"What is it…?" She asked curiously slightly tilting her head to the right her jet black hair swaying with her motion.
It was cute...An idea came to mind. A devious idea. With a sly smirk, Eren leaned in and cheekily licked the ice cream of her cheek. It tasted pretty good.
Red bloomed on Mikasa's face, her eyes widening in complete shock. A smug smile appeared on Eren's face as he leaned forward again getting dangerously close and with a teasing tone he asked:
"Are you...blushing?" He could barely contain his snickers.
"What, no." She replied quickly turning her head so he couldn't see the rose on her cheeks.
But it was a moot point. He had already seen it and he was in a teasing mood today.
"Did I get the ever stoic, hardcore, total badass Mikasa to blush?" He faked a gasp leaning into Mikasa's personal space.
"No...It's just... the cold." Was her sorry excuse for the flush in her cheeks. Her ice cream started to melt and whether that was because of the heat radiating off her cheeks or because of the sun she didn't know.
"It's like a gillian degrees, you'll have to try harder than that Mika." He replied with a snort before finally, finally moving away from her personal bubble.
"It was..you caught me off guard is all…." She mumbled wanting nothing more than to hide behind her nonexistent scarf.
"You look adorable when you're caught off guard."
Mikasa let out a pathetic squeak of a reply and Eren burst out laughing at the sound.
Mikasa found joy in working out. When accumulated sweat falls off her chin and her muscles start to ache and groan she feels accomplished. She always pushes herself to go further, to do better, to improve. Becoming faster, stronger, better. To say her workout routine was brutal and demanding would be an understatement and she wouldn't have it any other way. It helped her clear her head.
She took great care of her body and always made sure to eat healthy, to go to bed at a specific time and wake up at a specific time. She had long ago become a regular at her local gym and whenever she came in she was always greeted warmly by other regulars. Sometimes they would even share secrets and work out tips amongst each other.
But, it wasn't until recently that she realized her workout routines and habits took time away from her schedule. Time she could be spending with Eren. So she cut back on it, just a little to make sure she was devoting enough of her time and attention to Eren. She didn't want him to feel neglected and so she took it upon herself to make her schedule work around his. A part of her, the logical part, advised in talking with Eren so they could work their schedules around each other instead of taking all the burden herself. But another part, a louder part shuddered at the thought of doing that. Instead, offering its own two cents on the matter.
"That would be selfish of you to do. Why should Eren have to accommodate for you? Isn't that unfair? He already has so many other things to worry about like cram school, his part-time job, and getting scholarships for college. He might get annoyed, you know how temperamental he is.
He'll think your selfish. He'll think your annoying. He'll throw you away if you aren't useful.
It would be better if you just work your schedule around his so he doesn't have to worry about it. That would be useful and a good showcase of your devotion."
It was a rather convincing argument. Mikasa thought. She didn't want to burden her Eren after all. So just for this week, she cleared her schedule completely, just in case Eren wants to go on a date or anything... You could ask him out on a date yourself instead of waiting… a voice said...She paid it no heed and when Eren later that day asked if she wanted to go have dinner with him Friday she was glad she had paid attention to that loud voice instead of the logical one.
Eren vaguely remembers his mother saying that despite knowing his father for years now, there are still many things she doesn't know about him. He didn't understand it at the time but as he converses with Mikasa in this warmly lit Italian restaurant he thinks he gets it.
Mikasa was like a geode, strong and hardy with a boring stone surface hiding a glimmering treasure that was massively more interesting once you broke through that stony exterior. Now that he thought about it they hardly really talked much. Mikasa was a woman of few words and he preferred action over talking. They had conversations and even joked around several times before but this is the first real in-depth conversation they've had in a while. He was discovering so many new things about her that he didn't want to stop talking. He wanted to deepen their understanding of each other. He wanted to know everything there was to know about her.
Then the topic of careers came about when he casually mentioned wanting to enlist in the Army instead of heading out to college.
"I think you would make a great personal trainer." He casually commented in between forkfuls of pasta.
"You think?" She asked the slight flush of her cheeks indicating embarrassment.
It was cute. All of her micro-expressions were cute.
"Well as long as you don't make them do your workout regimen. Seriously Mika, I think you have to be part-demigod or something. Even Reiner has trouble keeping up with you!"
"Pfft... Reiner's muscles are all show no substance." She said flatly her eyes glittering as the edge of her lips twitched upwards into a smirk for a semi-second.
He really did appreciate her more nuanced expressions.
"Strength isn't just about the muscles it's also about your CNS and brain function." She continued tapping her temple for emphasize.
"Omg...I'm totally telling Reiner you called him stupid!" He said cheekily stifling a laugh.
"Not what I said, but I don't disagree." Was her smooth reply.
Eren snorted in response.
After a few seconds Mikasa spoke up again.
"...Actually, I was thinking of becoming a physical therapist...maybe one that specifically works with kids.."
Eren blinked at the revelation.
"Really? Why?" He asked curiously. It was the first time Mikasa ever brought up the fact that she wanted to be a PT.
She twirled the straw around her sweet tea causing the ice cubes to clink together. She was thinking. Searching for the right words.
"This world is vicious...one can't afford to be weak...If you want to survive you have to be strong...I want to help the weak. I want to help make them stronger so they can have a chance in this cruel world..."
A fond smile finds its way onto Eren's face.
"I think that's a wonderful goal. You would be a great PT."
Her heart fluttered and she pulled at her scarf slightly as a small smile tugged at her lips.
"You saying that..means a lot to me...thank you…"
Eren could be childish sometimes and that was okay it was part of his charm...But, sometimes she felt less like a girlfriend and more like a mother. Having to wake Eren up for his afternoon cram school and make his lunch definitely boarded the line between girlfriend and mom.
"Eren…"
She knocked on his door before walking into his dark bedroom noting the number of scattered articles of clothing on the floor… She left out a sigh of defeat as she bent down to pick them up and put them in the laundry.
When she came back she saw Eren was currently splayed out on his bed, blanket kicked to the ground and his shirt coyly riding up his stomach showing off his tanned skin. It was weird to see him so quiet...and so vulnerable...He was drooling. Mikasa bit back a giggle raising a fist to bite down on as she held in her amusement. He was so cute. Without much thought, she pulled out her phone and took a quick picture. This was definitely going to be her new lock screen.
She nudged him gently. He stirred but remained asleep turning over on his side quietly mumbling under his breath.
"Eren.." She cooed leaning closer as she kept shaking his shoulder.
He grunted and slurred his words.
"Mmmh?"
"It's time to get up."
"I'm hibernating right now go away!" He replied swatting her hand off his shoulder.
"Eren...You are not an animal and it's not winter...get up..."
Her voice was rising in volume from the gentle whisper she used early. It was a warning. A warning Eren promptly ignored.
Standing up Mikasa went to the window and swiftly drew the curtains allowing the blinding sun to fill the room.
"Hey! Close the goddamn curtains!" He yelled as he covered his face with his arms to avoid the rays of the sun.
"Eren. You need to get up."
"NO! I'm not getting out of bed!" He whined huddling closer to the side of his bed furthest from the sun.
Mikasa sighed before making her way back to Eren's bed
"Alright."
"W-wow...Hey, put me down!" Eren exclaimed his face tinting pink as Mikasa picked him up bridal style.
"Nope."
"Mikasa..!" He pouted.
She placed her forehead on his intently looking into his vibrant green eyes.
"Don't worry, I'm never gonna let you down…"
His eyes widened in realization before narrowing down to a piercing glare.
"...don't…"
"Don't what?"
"Just don't."
He signed before tentatively placing his head on her shoulder hiding his face in the crook of her neck.
"Thank you for waking me up...I appreciate it, I know I can be a handful in the morning…"
"It's the afternoon."
"Oh, shut up…" He groaned drowsily...
A few seconds of silence befell them before his body went limp...
"Ah..he's asleep again…"
'Oh well,' she thought as she carried him downstairs and placed him on the couch of the living room before making her way to the kitchen. Hopefully, the smell of food would wake him up and lure him in.
.
.
.
He really was like an animal...like a cat..or maybe a really lazy dog..?
Mikasa spent the rest of the afternoon trying to figure out what kind of animal Eren was akin to.
Author Secrets:
When Mikasa said "I'm never gonna let you down" she was unaware that she was rickrolling Eren so she was really confused when he said don't.