Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). I write this for your enjoyment only (and mine too) I hope you like it! This is the 6th installment in my SnK/AoT 'Devotion' saga but it is the short version for those who prefer not to read smut. For those who do, you can find that version in the 'M' rated archives of the same name as this chapter. Either way, enjoy and please review!

The Risk You Take

There was a tomb-like silence at Military Police Headquarters as Eren quickly made his way down the empty hallways to the main entrance which also happened to be the only exit he could find out of what he hoped would only be his temporary prison. Before he left his room, the youth noticed that Corporal Rivialle left the key to the entrance in the same box as the straight razor he brought him as a gift earlier that evening. As the ones responsible for Eren for the duration of his confinement, the corporal and professor were allowed possession of the keys to MP Headquarters so long as they used them only to keep him in check but for tonight, both of his superiors were willing to look the other way while he secretly left to see his foster sister whom he got to spend only a brief time with earlier that day. Since he was confined for the second time after his battle with Annie, Eren barely got to spend any time alone with Mikasa and was determined not to let the chance his superiors gave him go to waste.

When he was finally outside, the youth turned around to lock the front door and make sure he wasn't being watched or followed before making his way down the street to the inn where Mikasa told him she would be staying with the others until his fate was determined by Hanji and Levi's superiors. As he looked around, Eren saw for the first time, the damage that he and Annie had done to the city less than a week ago and shuddered; he had not really noticed it before because he was so focused on stopping the blonde girl before she completely destroyed the city. It was fortunate that the majority of the destruction appeared limited to the Stohess district of Wall Sina but still looked like it would take months, if not years, to restore to its former condition. For now, the citizens, along with the help of the Military Police and Survey Corps, had barely managed to make the area somewhat livable again for the survivors. Aside from MP Headquarters, there were few other buildings that escaped Annie's rampage unscathed. Eren himself remembered trying to avoid damaging his surroundings in his clash with her as best as he could but it was virtually impossible for him not to contribute to the destruction and he knew he was just as responsible as Annie was, regardless of his intentions.

Trying not to think of his damaged surroundings too much, Eren quickly went to the front door of the inn, opened it, and went inside. As soon as she heard the door open, the front desk clerk looked up from the book she was reading. It was fortunate that the ordinary citizens of Wall Sina did not know how titan-shifter Eren Jaeger looked in his human form; otherwise, he would have caused quite a ruckus appearing in public. Upon seeing Eren, the young woman simply smiled and said "Good evening, sir. What can I do for you?"

Making a gentlemanly bow before the clerk, Eren answered "I am here to see a friend of mine. Her name is Mikasa Ackerman; can you tell me which room she is in?"

"Ackerman? Ah, yes, that Asian girl from the Survey Corps! She is in room 202 on the second floor. Shall I call and let her know you are here?"

Under other circumstances, Eren would have said yes but knew that asking the front desk clerk to call for Mikasa would require giving out his name to her and he thought it was best not to reveal his identity even if the citizens of Wall Sina did not know or recognize him as the titan-shifter that practically leveled their city.

"It's ok, Miss, please don't trouble yourself. I prefer to tell her myself if that's all right with you."

"Of course, sir. Like I said: room 202, second floor."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome; have a good evening, sir."

"You too, Miss."

SSSSSS

Mikasa was started when she heard a soft knock at her door. It was about eight o' clock and she was sure that Armin and Jean must have retired for the evening by now so she wondered who could be coming to visit her at this hour. The only people she could think of who might were Professor Hanji or Corporal Rivialle but they wouldn't see her at this hour unless something bad happened, more specifically, to Eren. Worried that it was indeed Hanji or Levi bearing bad news, Mikasa quickly got up and opened the door and found her eyes widening in surprise when she saw not the professor or corporal, but the object of her worry and concern standing right before her out of uniform and dressed more casually in a white dress shirt and brown slacks.

"Eren? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at MP Headquarters resting?"

Eren shook his head "I've been asleep for almost a week straight, Mikasa. Don't you think that's enough rest for now?"

Realizing the silliness of her question, Mikasa gave a small chuckle. "Yes, of course, how silly of me. Please come in" she said as she stepped aside and allowed her foster brother to enter her room. As soon as Eren was inside, Mikasa asked "How did you know I was here? And more importantly, how were you able to leave MP Headquarters since you're still virtually a prisoner there? I thought you weren't even allowed to leave the building, let alone come all the way here to see me."

"Technically, I'm not. The professor and corporal are actually doing me a favor by looking the other way while I came here to see you."

Mikasa could not help but smile when she realized the favor their superiors were doing them by risking their jobs to allow her and Eren to see one another like this. She already thought of Hanji as a friend and older sister and even warmed up to Levi a bit after he saved Eren's life not once, but at least twice.

"I see…" she began "But is it safe? If the MPs discover that you're not in your room, who knows what trouble you might find yourself in…"

Eren smiled and took her hand in his own before raising them to his lips. "It's all right; they've all returned home for the evening and won't be back until Monday since they don't work weekends; the professor and corporal are willing to cover for us so long as we don't make ourselves too conspicuous. I, for one, would like to go out for some fresh air since I've been confined to my room for so long; would you care to join me?"

Mikasa raised an eyebrow, curious as to why her foster brother was being unusually cheerful after everything that happened but she supposed he was happy just being given the chance to leave his confinement to see her and have some time outside even if he was allowed to do so only in secret. As Eren stepped closer into the light, Mikasa noticed that there was something different about him and it wasn't just the pleasant scent of what she thought was his cologne; his skin looked more radiant then she remembered and as if trying to sate her curiosity, Mikasa raised a hand to Eren's face, gently brushing his cheek with the back of her fingers, and was pleasantly surprised to find it as soft and smooth as a baby's bottom. Did he just do what she thought he did before coming here?

"Mikasa, do you find something amusing about my appearance?"

The girl was snapped out of her thoughts by the sudden question to find Eren looking at her curiously. In her startling discovery, she had failed to notice that she was actually smiling.

"Oh, I was just admiring your skin… and your scent. What did you do? And what is that cologne you're wearing?"

"Well, it wasn't what I did but what the corporal did for me before telling me to see you; I totally wasn't expecting it. And I'm not actually wearing cologne but some that happens to smell like it…" he answered shyly.

Eren didn't give specifics but it wasn't too hard for Mikasa to guess what Levi had done for him but decided to tease her foster brother a little, if only for her own amusement.

"I see… so you didn't get all pretty just for me?"

Eren blushed. "N-no, I didn't mean it like that!"

Mikasa gave a soft laugh, Eren may not be a little boy anymore, but he was just as sensitive now as he was when they were children.

"Of course" she answered "I was just teasing. Anyway, give me a minute to change first and we can get out of here, ok?"

"Yes, go ahead and take your time. I'll be right here."

SSSSSS

After Mikasa had changed into a casual white dress, black-heeled shoes, and made sure her maroon scarf was wrapped securely around her neck, she allowed Eren to lead her out of the inn and into the Stohess District, or at least what was left of it. Being third-class citizens, both Eren and Mikasa had lived most of their lives in the Shiganshina District at Wall Maria and briefly at Wall Rose when their home fell before joining the military. Wall Sina was where the wealthiest, first-class citizens lived and they never thought they would ever see it, let alone walk the streets of the once-opulent city. How ironic it was that it hardly looks any better than Wall Maria now, especially after the destruction caused by Eren and Annie. The only difference was that it was still safe enough for humans to inhabit without the threat of a titan invasion, at least for the moment. And while the Military Police and Survey Corps clearly distrusted each other, they were forced to work together to protect the citizens from the possible danger of another titan attack as well as helping them rebuild their city and their lives.

But for now, the young couple chose not to worry about that and instead focus on enjoying their time together, even if there weren't many nice places left intact that they could go. But they were grateful that there were enough street lights set back up so they see their way around. As Eren and Mikasa walked up a bridge overlooking a small made-made lake, arm in arm, Mikasa decided to break the silence.

"This is just like old times, remember? When we were kids, we used to enjoy taking walks like this until the sun came down and your mother would call us back home for dinner. It's only been a few years but after everything that's happened, I feel like it was a lifetime ago."

"I feel that way too" Eren began softly. "Of course, this is the first time I've taken a stroll with you at night since my parents would never let us out alone after dark. It is like old times but at the same time, it feels different being out so late like this. We've been outside many times at night since we became soldiers but we were always so busy with our duties to really enjoy the moon and the stars, see?"

As he asked Mikasa this, Eren pointed up at the sky and Mikasa followed suit. The full moon was shining brightly and the stars glittered in the heavens with not a cloud in sight to obstruct their view. Nights like this were quite rare, the last time they saw one was the night they made camp before returning to the walls after the disastrous 57th expedition. It was on that night as he was being cared for by Mikasa that Eren realized something very important: to show appreciation for those who were dear to him for he never knew if they would still be there tomorrow. And he learned it the hard way, the first time when he lost his mother and again when he lost his comrades in Levi's special ops squad. Even though the corporal did not fault him for their loss and assured Eren that it was their duty to protect him, not the other way around, the youth still bore the deaths of Petra and the others on his conscience. It was also on that night that Levi admitted regret at never telling his first lieutenant how he truly felt about her until it was too late and implored Eren not to make the same mistake with Mikasa that he did with Petra.

"It's beautiful…" Mikasa exclaimed "Thank you for bringing me out here. I thought we would never find a moment's peace again. Especially now that people know who and what you are, they're never going to leave you alone, Eren…"

Upon hearing this, Eren frowned. This was another reason why he needed to see Mikasa alone and away from the earshot of the others and was grateful that their superiors gave him the chance to do so tonight for he may not get another one later.

"That's also what I wanted to talk to you about, Mikasa…"

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

Eren gently took Mikasa's hand in his own and raised them to his cheek, causing her to blush at the softness of his skin.

"I know this may sound selfish of me to ask…but I want you to leave the military and live a normal life. Please don't involve yourself with the Survey Corps any further…or me…"

The girl stared at her foster brother, shocked that he would even suggest such a thing. "W-what do you mean? How can you ask me to do such a thing after what we've been through together all these years?"

"That's exactly why!" Eren answered fiercely "Don't you see, every minute you stay with me and the Survey Corps, you are in danger, and I don't mean just from the titans! Do you remember how that man accused you at the trial? If you continue to associate yourself with me, your reputation will be tarnished and you will be feared and shunned just as I am! Do you want to die or live out the rest of your life as an outcast? I no longer have a choice, but you still do!"

Mikasa shook her head as she took her hand away and looked him straight in the eyes. "Eren, do you think I would even be standing here having this conversation with you right now if I cared about that? I would have left you long ago and so would Armin and the others! We all joined the Survey Corps of our own free will knowing the risks, just as you did! I've been in and fought my way out of danger many times and you know it so why would you ask me to leave now of all times?"

"Mikasa…it's because…because…" Eren hesitated to answer but Mikasa already knew what he was thinking. It wasn't because he was starting to lost faith in her or her abilities, but because he didn't want her to share Petra's fate; Levi's special ops squad was considered to be the best of the best and yet they still fell easily to Annie in her titan form who killed them all before they even had a chance to scream. They both knew Mikasa was able to assist in Annie's defeat because she had already been greatly weakened by Eren before she attempted to escape the walls. If they came up against other titan-shifters as cunning as her in the future, Mikasa could very well be killed just as Levi's squad were and even the corporal himself might not be able to save her in time.

Taking Eren's hands in her own, Mikasa gently brought them to her lips and kissed them. "It's all right, Eren. You don't have to say it; I already know what you're thinking, I knew it from the moment you suggest I left the military…and you. But I must refuse. We all have to die sometime; it's only a matter of when, where, and how. And when it is our time, there is nothing we can do to avoid it and I'm sure you must know this as well. I could easily die living inside the walls as an ordinary civilian as I could as a soldier fighting the titans outside. You've seen this before many times, don't you remember? Was your mother in the military? Or the people of Wall Maria and Sina who perished in the titan attacks? If I'm going to die either way, I'd rather die fighting, wouldn't you?"

Eren stared at Mikasa as he heard her practically echo the words Levi spoke to him about dying when it was their time. Either she overheard the conversation between him and the corporal that night or she somehow developed the ability to read minds. "Then there's nothing I can say that will convince you, is there, Mikasa? You're willing to take that risk? And suffer the consequences of associating with me?"

The girl smiled. "It wouldn't be the first time…"

Eren managed a sad smile and acknowledged defeat. "Very well… I understand. It's getting late, Mikasa, you should head back to your room and I should be getting back to MP headquarters."

Mikasa frowned. "You're going back there? I thought you said the MPs won't be back until Monday since they don't work weekends."

"They don't. But I'm sure Professor Hanji will be needing to make another progress report on my recovery to submit to Commander Smith early tomorrow."

"True…but doesn't it get a bit lonely being there all by yourself? You can stay with me and go back tomorrow morning before the professor arrives."

"Well I don't know…"

Mikasa sighed at her foster brother's reluctance. If he truly preferred to spend the night alone in his prison then she was obligated to respect his wishes. "I understand. I will be heading back now. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

And with that, Mikasa turned and headed back to the inn, leaving Eren to stand alone on the bridge looking after her. After his foster sister was out of sight, the youth prepared to go the opposite direction back to MP headquarters but for some reason, he hesitated as if he wasn't sure that was the right thing to do. He was sorry that Mikasa didn't take his suggestion to leave the Survey Corps and live a normal life very well, but couldn't say that he was surprised. For as long as he could remember, his foster sister had always be stubborn and unyielding when she had her mind set on something, especially if that something, or someone was himself. As he took one last look in the direction he had intended to take earlier, Levi's words came back to him.

In this world, there are many like me who have killed their emotions as a result of the tragedies in their lives and it is a weakness, not a strength. And because of my weakness, Petra died thinking I didn't love her. Don't make the same mistake, Eren. That is the best advice I can give you…

Once he realized the true meaning of the corporal's words, Eren finally knew the path he must take. Turning around, the youth ran back to the inn where he knew Mikasa would be waiting for him…

A/N: Ok, this is the short version of my new one-shot. Anyone interested in reading the version with smut can check out my story with the same name 'The Risk You Take' under the 'M' rated section of the archives ;) For those who prefer not to read smut, I hope you enjoyed my short version of this one-shot! See you next chapter! ;)