Chapter 3: Acceptance
A/N: I know that lots more people are reading my stories now, which I've been really happy about! But I fell I've been letting you down by not uploading more frequently. So I promise to keep on a strict schedule and always deliver. I appreciate the understanding and as always, stay awesome!
"Mikasa...Why did you let us die!?"
"Didn't we do enough? Wasn't our money and love worth enough to you!?" Mikasa couldn't believe her ears. Or her eyes. In front of her, stood her two parents she'd seen die in front of her. But they weren't like how she wished her memories show, and were instead looking like the way she'd last seen them. They wore the same clothes from that night, and still bore the horrific damage from the revolvers burning lead. Her fathers suit showing a hole the size of a finger, and a stream of blood flowing down onto the ground. While Akane, the women who'd raised Mikasa her entire life oozed blood and brain matter from a crater in her skull.
"Mommy...Daddy...I couldn't have done anything..."
"You tell yourself that, but deep down you know It's not true." Herrick cruelly spat out, no emotion whatsoever In his voice. "You cost us our lives, and you will pay for it in blood!" As he screamed this, the walls began to seep blood and fill the whole alley. It rose to her ankles, then her knees, then her waist all the way to her neck. She didn't know how to swim, her parents had never taken the time to teach her. All she could do was drown, and hear her fathers screaming voice. "Mikasa! Mikasa!"
"Mikasa Wake up!" As if to an alarm, Mikasa wakes up. Her whole body covered in a coat of sweat. Eren was standing next to her, his green eyes again full of worry. It had been two weeks since the funeral, and since then sleep hadn't been very good. It was either dreamless, or plagued with nightmares. Dreamless was good, but the nightmares were terrible. It would always be the same; her parents calling out, the blame spewing out their mouths, until she drowned in the blood and woke up.
After she realised it wasn't real, and just her dream again, she clung onto Eren for dear life, and cried softly into his arm. They would spend several mornings lay like that, from a few minutes to almost an hour. Eren didn't mind in the slightest, knowing how much Mikasa needs him now more than ever. Luckily, that morning's crying only lasted about three minutes, which for her counted as improvement. Soon after, they walked downstairs to have breakfast. Eren could smell the sizzling bacon, hear the eggs frying and practically taste the pork sausages. But he didn't run like usual, or even go at a fast pace. He walked slowly, calmly. Helping Mikasa every step of the way, straight to the dining room.
"Hey kiddo, you feeling better?" The butler Hannes asked, for once without red spots of drunkenness plastering his face but the look of a sober old man. It was a foreign look to Eren and Mikasa, but she didn't even notice the change. The girl bore a nonchalant look half the time, the only other look was a look of pure sadness and grief. "I made your favourite; an omelette in butter with orange juice and two pieces of golden toast."
"Thank you." Mikasa quietly said, low enough for most to miss. The fact she was starting to talk again mattered a great deal. It meant things were becoming normal, or at least more normal than two weeks prior. No-one else saw that more than Eren and Hannes. They'd known her for a long time, and she meant a lot to them both.
"I need to hand in some paper work at the office today, I'll only be an hour though so don't worry." The butler had brought up over breakfast, after what had felt like an eternity of silence. "Eren, look after Mikasa while I'm out. If anyone comes to the door, just ignore them."
"Don't worry, we'll be careful." Eren says, unusually calm. Since seeing Mikasa in the alley several weeks ago, Eren's arrogance and irritability had almost disappeared. Much to the amazement of almost everyone he knew, with the exception of his parents. They knew his change was for Mikasa, not for himself. Deep down, they knew he was still the same boy. But they couldn't be prouder of him.
After Hannes left, the two walked into the front room and sat down. They didn't play any games, or watch TV, or even talk. They just sat down, Mikasa lying silently in Eren's arms. Together, the couple looked out the window and saw the clouds go by, Listening to the sounds of each other breathe softly. For hours they just sat there in the days sun, occasionally grabbing a bite to eat from the kitchen. Only to return and be wrapped in each others embrace. It was like this almost every day, to the point Hannes didn't intrude when he'd gotten back from Ackermann enterprises.
The company remained in a state of flux, half wanting to hold the company control until Mikasa became of age to run its affairs, and the other half clawing to get the company's power and influence away from Ackermann. Permanently. Luckily, Herrick stated clearly In his will that the company belonged to Mikasa and no-one else. This kept the power-hungry takeovers from happening, and kept a future open for Akane's little girl.
About a few days later, Mikasa had another nightmare. She woke up again, once again covered in fear and sweat. Though this time, It was midnight instead of morning. That was the first time she'd woken up In the night, and the first time she'd woken without Eren. To make matters worse, that night's dream was her worse. She'd seen the alley, the shooting. All was normal, by her nightmare's standards. But this time, the man fired a third shot. And It pierced Eren's chest. She screamed, and screamed, and screamed. Until she'd woken up.
As soon as she could see straight, Mikasa ran straight to Eren's room. Without a word she'd jumped onto Eren lay fast asleep in bed, and cried her eyes out into the duvet. She lay there with him, until eventually she felt arms wrap around her in an embrace. Eren had woken to Mikasa's sobs, and realised what he needed to do. The morning after, Mikasa had cried herself to sleep. And rather than wake Hannes up, Eren had just slept next to her. Still holding them together.
It went on for about five years, of Mikasa slowly improving after her ordeal. The nightmares lessened, her crying calmer. She didn't so much need Eren anymore, but still cared for him. Without him, she would've collapsed inside. All the medical exams in the world couldn't help her, only time and patience. And of course, Eren.
But over the previous year, things had changed.
One night, he and Mikasa were watching Tom and Jerry in the front room. Eren kept rolling on the floor laughing, and at one point he'd ended up dropping his ice cream, all over his face and messy hair! He looked ridiculous, but it made Mikasa burst out laughing as well! Eren hadn't seen her laugh like that in years, so he couldn't help but smile a cheesy grin. Mikasa smiled at him, his hair all yellow and white (His ice cream flavour was vanilla), and felt happier in that moment than in the last four years of her life. It made her remember, how much he cared about making her happy.
Then she did something neither of them expected. She cupped Eren's face, looked deeply in his eyes, and kissed him. Eren's eyes widen, but he didn't pull away. Mikasa's crush hadn't faded since they were kids, and them being happy together reminded her about their times together. Luckily, Eren felt just the same. They just sat there, lips intertwined for what felt like an eternity. The two of them, together at last. After so many years of silence, now Mikasa and Eren could finally succumb to love.
But after about five minutes, Hannes came in saying he needed Eren to come with him. He didn't have his usual happy smile on his face, which the kids both noticed. Though Hannes couldn't tell they'd just kids. Eren's cheeks were red, but Hannes figured the ice cream on his head caused it. And Mikasa pulled her scarf up so Hannes couldn't see her cheeks.
Eren and Hannes left, Mikasa decided to stay behind. She'd grown able to part with Eren, being more independent overtime. Her mind was still spinning over the kiss, not believing her memories to be true. After It, she hoped that Eren and her could be together. They were only 14 years old, but they were old enough to be together. And no matter her age, she would still love him.
But when Hannes got back, Eren wasn't with him. He pulled up on the gravel driveway, parking the Ferrari outside and walked up to the porch. When Mikasa saw him, the look in his eyes said everything. A terrible thing had happened, she could see it in his eyes.
"Mikasa... We need to talk." Hannes says, sounding quite depressed.
"What's wrong?" Mikasa said, curious to say the least.
"It's... About Eren." He said, making Mikasa's eyes widen. If something had happened to Eren, she couldn't live with herself. "His mom was grocery shopping, standing in the queue for the register..." He paused, swallowing a lump taking up half his throat. "When a man tried to mug an old lady. She ran to help, and put up a big fight against him. But then: he pushed her away-" He stopped halfway through his sentence, and started crying. Mikasa's eyes widened, she recognised the look on his face, and realises how his sentence ends. "And pulled the trigger!"
He burst into tears, crying streams into his hands while Mikasa started to sprout a few tears. She knew Eren would be devastated, as she knew more than anyone how death treats you."Hannes?" Mikasa says, getting the old butler to ease his crying. "What about Eren? Is he okay?"
"Eren's... Eren's feeling pretty bad, when he heard the commissioner say what happened, the kid ran straight into the interrogation room and started beating the crap out of him!" Mikasa almost smiled through her tears, but simply couldn't. "So Eren's dad decided he should come live with him."
"What? But his dad lives in Germany!"
"I know Mikasa, I'm sorry but Eren's going away. And he may not come back." At those words, It became Mikasa's turn to cry. She cried long, and hard, into Hannes' shoulder all night long. She didn't feel happy anymore, and felt she never would be again.