A/N:

Okay first of all this is going to be a long author's note so if you aren't interested, skip ahead. I'm really sorry for the long period since last update. No I'm not abandoning this story, I've just been caught up with exams and my spring sporting season has started so I honestly have zero time to write this. I write these chapters between the times of midnight and 2 in the morning, which screws with my writing ability, but I don't have another choice. Once school is over I will update more frequently and finish this story. If I stick to my planning (which I probably won't because I always add more parts) this story will have 5 more chapters. Once again I'm really sorry for the long wait for the update.

Now for me to praise you guys for being really awesome. Firstly, this story has over 1,300 views which is insane for my first fanfiction. I never expected that many views on a concept that I came up with out of nowhere. So thank you all, you guys are amazing and make me such a happy writer! For the 26 followers of the story, you guys are awesome for sticking through this story, hopefully until the end. And those of you who also favourited it, amazing! Most importantly the reviews, you guys have been amazing with the reviews and I'm so grateful to read them. Reviews are my drive for inspiration, feedback and confidence to continue writing.

Alright now a shout out to two people in specific: The first person is my favourite writer on this website, Euregatto. She read my story; followed it and followed me as an author and even though it just took a click of a button, it really means so much to me. To have the person who initially inspired me to write this story follow it, I'm insanely grateful.

Second shout out goes to Takenokohime. I consider her my first friend on this website. Although I have had short conversations with other authors on this site, she has been the nicest and welcoming to me. She checked out my story and always gives me amazing feedback and praise for my chapters. She is the first person that I have had a continuous conversation with about Attack on Titan and just life in general. It really means a lot to talk to you and you really don't know how much I enjoy it. You are a huge inspiration for me as a writer and an awesome person. You guys should check out her Eren x Annie story, "When I Remember This Life." It is a great story and a new twist on Annie's character in my opinion. Very different from other Eren x Annie fics and a fresh look at their interactions. Shout out to you, you're awesome!

Alright that's enough from me. That was long as shit! I'm sorry. Here's chapter 5!

Chapter 5 – Love-struck, Struck Down

Mikasa lay in bed like every other night, struggling to fall asleep. She always had trouble with sleep and it has been years since she's had a proper night's rest.

I miss the nights where I slept by Eren's side, cuddled together in each other's embrace. I can't sleep in his scarf either because it is too hot in the barracks. I have no part of him to comfort me at night, I am bare, I am cold, and it doesn't feel like home anymore.

Mikasa tossed and turned listening to the sounds of Sasha's obnoxious snoring and the ever so often grumble of her stomach. She kept staring at the clock, one in the morning, only five more hours until early morning training.

Maybe If I try really hard, I could get a few hours of decent sleep.

Mikasa closed her eyes and thought of the times where there was peace, where she was at her happiest. So she went back to the days before the breach of Shiganshina, where she spent the entirety of her days with Eren and Armin. Those were the days, when Eren wasn't constantly angry and Armin was calm and relaxed. The days where the three of them got along, when she and Eren barely fought and there wasn't a care in the world. She reminisced about one particular day when she, Armin and Eren were hanging out under a tree, reading one of Armin's books about the outside world. She sat there silently watching the two boys bicker at each other; she remembers smiling to herself as Eren continuously questioned Armin about the pictures in the book and Armin who was all smiles to answer his questions. We were all so happy, why couldn't we still be like that now, Mikasa frowned.

She recalled Armin's words, 'be patient Eren, the book will explain.' She laughed to herself at Eren's stubbornness.

But at that moment another voice interfered with her thoughts, 'what the fuck is this?!'

Mikasa's eyes shot open, when did that memory happen. Armin never swore and she couldn't comprehend why a memory like this would appear now, in her state of peaceful slumber. Then she heard it, 'I'm going to fucking kill you Eren Yeager!'

Those eight words were enough to make her jump out of bed. She grabbed her scarf, quickly wrapping it around her neck clumsily. She bolted down the hall towards the boys barracks leaving Sasha behind confused.

'I'm going to fucking kill you Eren Yeager!'

'Kill you Eren Yeager!'

'Kill you!'

The words echoed in her mind, forcing small pools of tears to form in her eyes. She raced down the hall, leaving a blur of black and red behind her.

"Not if I can help it!" She yelled out loud.

She turned a corner in the hall, bowling right over Marco in the process, who was making a late night trip to the bathroom. She stopped to help the freckled boy up and apologized to him. He decided it would be a good time for small talk, which Mikasa didn't appreciate because it held her up even longer. Eventually she got fed up and apologized one last time to Marco before continuing her sprint down the hall leaving him staring blankly.

Mikasa practically kicked open the door to Eren's room, instantly stopping to take in the scene in front of her. The sight was quite a hilarious one; an unconscious Armin splayed out among the floor, a naked Eren in nothing but his boxers with a look of utter fear stricken across his face and a disheveled Annie in nothing but short short's, her underwear and Eren's large shirt. Both parties had a deep blush upon their cheeks and Annie had a look of sorrow on her face that Mikasa had never seen her carry.

Well it was hilarious unless you were Mikasa Ackerman. Her two closest friends lied on the floor, one unconscious and the other badly beaten and bruised and who other than Annie fucking Leonhart towering over the two.

"You bitch! You're responsible for this!" Any sense of sympathy or respect Mikasa had for Annie quickly dissipated at that moment. She charged Annie's body knocking her down in the process.

Annie didn't mind fighting back. She and Mikasa have had a rivalry ever since the first day of the survey corps. Both of them being in the top of their class and competing for top spot. But Mikasa's protectiveness of Eren was getting on Annie's nerves and now she had an excuse to take action.

Before she knew it Mikasa had grabbed her by the collar and started throwing jabs to her abdomen. Annie yelped in pain but didn't falter. She grabbed Mikasa's shoulders and connected a knee to her stomach. Mikasa keeled over in pain and Annie took advantage of her falter and smashed an elbow down on her upper back. Mikasa fell flat on her stomach; however she had not given up yet. She grabbed Annie's ankles pulling her down to the floor with her. She mounted Annie's petite body and began throwing more jabs towards her abdomen and chest leaving purplish brown bruises scattered across her body. Annie threw her forearms up to protect her face but noticed that none of the punches were heading towards her head.

Eren noticed this as well, although he was internally freaking out at his girlfriend and adopted sister competing in a brawl, he noticed that neither girls weren't aiming for the face. Whether it was out of respect or something else, Eren couldn't figure it out. Either way he was glad they both still had enough control to not severely injure each other.

Eren however felt bad about the next thought that came into his mind, but he did not immediately dismiss it. The image of the two girls wrestling on the floor kind of turned him on. Watching his girlfriend and Mikasa roll around on the floor and grind on each other was actually really sexy. They both took punches like they were nothing, nothing but slight grimaces of pain on their faces. They were both built like machines, machines made of strength and determination.

Who could've known that two girls fist fighting over you could be so hot, Eren thought with a smile.

Snap out of it Eren! You've got to stop them!

The voice inside Eren's head was right. No matter how much Eren wanted to resist from breaking up the two girls, someone was going to get hurt soon and it would be his fault entirely.

So he tried to interfere.

Tried

He grabbed onto Mikasa's shoulders and attempted to pull her off of Annie's body. Mikasa in her fit of rage threw her elbow back and elbowed Eren straight in the nose. Eren fell back grasping his nose and knocked his head against the bedside table in the process. Mikasa coming to the realization of her actions screamed and dropped to her knees to tend to Eren.

"Smooth move," Annie spit.

Annie's mocking comment caused Mikasa to lunge at her again, tackling her to the floor. Mikasa was loading up a punch and was ready to release it right when Shadis came running into the room.

"What's going on in here?!"

30 minutes later

Eren and Armin lay in the beds of the infirmary. Both boys were awake now, but one more than the other. Mikasa was crying over hurting Eren and massaging his hand in hers before he woke. Her actions evoking a death stare from Annie who was watching from the corner of the room.

Armin awoke to an excruciating pain in his head. It was throbbing excessively and he could actually feel his heartbeat in his temple. The next thing Armin noticed was a pair of hands working at his head wounds. He felt a bandage being wrapped around his head by soft gentle, yet muscular hands. He opened his eyes to see a set of glasses and two huge eyes staring straight into his soul. It was none other than Ms. Hange.

"Ms. Hange what's wrong?!" Armin yelled sitting up abruptly being startled by her close proximity. He immediately regretted his decision as his headache came like a tidal wave crashing down on the beach. He grasped at both sides of his head and fell back against the bed taking deep breathes to calm himself.

"Armin, you silly muffin… No sudden movements," Hange stated caressing his head again.

"You took a very nasty 'fall'," she emphasized the word fall as she gestured air quotes around it.

"Now if you try to sit up again," Hange said slowly tapping Armin's forehead with her index finger causing pain to coarse through his head.

"Ms. Hange that h-!"

"I have the right to sedate you!" Hange interrupted with a smirk on her face causing Armin to pause mid-sentence.

Ms. Hange was a very strange veteran of the scouting legion. She had studied medicine, but she also had a passion for experimenting on Titans. The survey corps had heard stories about the various experiments that she performed on Titans. She was a very eccentric and flat out mad scientist.

Eren began to laugh at Armin, only to be called out by Hange.

"And you young man!" Hange said turning around to face Eren pointing at him, silencing his laugh immediately.

"The gash on your head is twice as bad as Armin's and you have a mild concussion," she stalked over to his bed leaning over him like she had done to Armin moments ago. She ran a finger down the gash on his head eliciting a grunt from Eren.

"Hmm, however it looks like your gash has almost healed," she said as she examined the cut on the back of Eren's head that was already scabbing within the immediate hour.

"This is very interesting…" she said with a voice laced with excitement.

"Does this mean I get to leave now," Eren said very unenthusiastically.

Hange just gave Eren the most creepy and maniacal smile she could give before replying with, "No, what it means is it's time for some experimenting!" She exclaimed clapping her hands. She started reaching for Eren motioning to grab him like a toddler in a high chair. That's when Mikasa stepped in.

"I'm sorry Ms. Hange, but unfortunately I can't let you do that," Mikasa stated patronizingly standing in between the two parties such as a bodyguard would. Annie just scoffed mockingly from the corner where she leaned causing Mikasa to send a glare in her direction.

"Ms. Hange you are an expert in Titan experiments, not human experiments. I'm sorry but I can't put Eren in that kind of danger."

"Mikasa, I can look after myself," Eren growled from behind her causing her to spin around and face him.

Mikasa's glare intended for Hange and Annie quickly faded to pleading eyes. All she wanted from Eren right now was an explanation, an explanation for all of this. Why he was in his boxers and Annie was in his shirt. Why Armin was unconscious. What the reasoning for all this shit was. She just wanted an explanation. She was about ready to boil over, her stress level was rising and she couldn't take much more. So she cracked, cracked like a morning egg.

"Eren just tell me what's going on?! Just explain to me what is happening?! I can't take it anymore!" She pleaded grabbing him by the collar and shaking.

"Alright! Alright! Mikasa calm down! You are giving me a massive headache," he told her wincing from the pain.

"Oof, it looks like you've got enough on your plate Eren, never mind me, I'm out!" Hange exclaimed before giving both boys a wave and walking towards the door.

Right before she exited she turned around and told Armin, "You stay in bed." Armin replied with a shy nod, "And you," she said pointing at Eren, "Good luck," she laughed leaving the room.

"Ms. Hange! No comeback! I'll take the testing over this!" He yelled.

"Eren…" Mikasa growled.

Eren just replied with a nervous laugh, "Well you see…" Eren paused unsure of what to tell Mikasa without it being extremely uncomfortable. There was silence for a few seconds until Armin spoke up.

"Just let me do it Eren, we will graduate before you finish at this rate," Armin said impatiently.

Eren gave Armin a challenging look before he nodded to tell him to go ahead. Armin looked really nervous and a bead of sweat was dripping down his head.

"A-Annie is it okay if you leave for this…?"

Annie just replied with a scoff, "If you think I'm leaving her in the same room with Eren alone, you'd be very mistaken, Arlert."

She was obviously referring to Mikasa who looked about ready to pounce on the short blonde girl any second now.

"Alright, alright, calm down everyone," Armin exclaimed nervously.

Once the atmosphere calmed, Armin let out a long sigh before clearing his throat to explain the situation.

"Earlier today, sometime mid-afternoon I came to Eren's room to discuss something with him…" He stopped to take a few breaths and collect himself, but Mikasa was getting impatient.

"Spit it out Armin!"

"I-I came to Eren's room to tell him that I've had a crush on Annie for a few weeks now and I think she's really pretty and amazingly talented and awesome," he confessed really quickly refusing to meet Annie's eyes.

But it didn't matter because Annie wasn't looking at him either. She was staring off into space with her eyes wide. She had heard every word of Armin's confession, but refused to acknowledge any of it. That was until she heard Eren's scoff and mocking laugh.

"I like how you left out the part where you came into my room again and attacked me in the middle of the night!" Eren yelled at him breaking the silence.

"Oh you mean when I walked in on you and Annie screwing around with each other, right after I told you about my feelings for her!" Armin yelled back.

"She's my fucking girlfriend! I can do whatever the fuck I want with her. I don't need your permission!"

"Well a little heads up that you two were dating would've been nice!"

"Why should I have to tell you? Annie and I have a happy relationship. Why should I risk jeopardizing it by blabbing to you?!"

"Well maybe because I told you I have FEELINGS for her! Then I walk in on you two fucking! What a nice surprise!"

"Well maybe you should've knocked then!"

"I'm sorry, I was going to knock before I heard grunting and moaning coming from behind the door!"

'Oh Eren harder! Harder!

Oh Annie you like it like that!'"

Armin imitated Annie and Eren's voices.

"You little piece of shit!" Eren began rising from the bed ready to knock Armin on his ass. "I was going to tell you about Annie and I before Mikasa came barging in to the room!" Eren pointed at Mikasa, but didn't look in her direction.

"Oh yeah! Blame everything on Mikasa! It's all her fault right?!" Armin yelled ready to defend himself from Eren's onslaught. Both boys were toe to toe now, their noses almost touching as they screamed in each other's red faces.

"She probably had no idea about this relationship either! Now did you Mikasa?!" Armin accidentally yelled at her in his fit of rage, now facing her awaiting a response. But all he saw was Mikasa with a blank stare upon her face and her mouth agape. He could see pools of tears welled up in her eyes and she looked awfully pale.

"M-Mikasa?"

'When I walked in on you and Annie screwing.'

'She's my fucking girlfriend; I can do whatever I want with her!'

'Annie and I have a happy relationship!'

'Oh Eren harder! Harder!'

'Oh Annie, you like it like that!'

'Mikasa?!'

Mikasa was overwhelmed by the boys' words. She couldn't take one more minute of it. No matter how hard she tried to contain them, tears began to fall. She wanted to cry, no she wanted to ball. The news of Eren and Annie's relationship had crushed her heart into a million pieces. Eren was talking about Annie the time he confessed his love to her and listed off all of her amazing qualities. How could she be so stupid, to think Eren would've been talking about her, to think that Eren, the love of her life, her saviour, her hero since the day he saved her, actually felt the same way about her that she had felt about him forever. Eren had literally taken her heart, caressed it, kissed it, cared for it and then threw it on the ground.

She registered her name but didn't care; there was nothing she could say right now. Even if she wanted to say something, she wouldn't be able to speak as her lip quivered uncontrollably and the lump in her throat constricted her from saying anything. The only response Mikasa could conjure up was a sob that slipped from her lips. The tears that were trickling out of her eyes were now pouring down her face.

"Mikasa!"

There it was again, her name spoken by none other than the lover boy himself. Now he acknowledged her, now he spoke to her. Now she was a relevant part of his life. All she ever wanted was him, but he kept insisting on pushing her away. He never wanted her by his side; ever since he saved her all she has ever been was a burden. Mikasa's heart shattered at the thought of losing Eren forever, but it was happening and she could do nothing to stop it.

She barely recognized Armin's figure approaching her until he rested a hand on her shoulder. She saw his lips moving but she couldn't hear a word. She was usually comforted by his touch but right now it made the bile in her stomach rise. She batted his hand away before another sob escaped her lips.

She couldn't take one more second of this ache and turned around running out the door. Eren attempted to chase after her, but Annie placed her hand on his chest holding him back. She just shook her head and told him to let her be, he needed to rest.

Eren sat down defeated and frustrated, he didn't understand why Mikasa was so upset, but something in his heart had told him to chase after her. Something told him to stop her and discuss the issue but just like always he was useless. He was never there for Mikasa when she needed him. She didn't deserve him, no one did.

A/N: Okay I know Hange is not a doctor or isn't in the story at this point of time. I just really love her character and I felt like she fit in perfectly with this scene. She was pretty much comic relief. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review! I'm a review whore!