Wow, it's been a while since I updated. I hope you guys aren't mad! DX
I've been sick this past two days and I still haven't recovered even now but I just have to update this as soon as possible.
Thank you xxTurtlexx, Kroi Onee-san, Seraphicpapilion, Kuro-KuriKuri, Rinail, Shiina Yuki, MissingLink01, meshi-chan, Nancy Haibara, Guest, AisuRuhi, Batse, Yuki Meister, Iam Titania falls, Anti-Shadow Aigis, ca99oline, KushiNato, alex, Ailin, silentux131, Death Appraiser, Ayexia, inodesuyo, Anaid, guest, GhostlyScarletShip, Chuunibyou Yume, and Dinendir for your reviews! I'm in love with you!
And congratulations to Seraphicpapilion, meshi-chan, Nancy Haibara, Anti-Shadow Aigis, and GhostlyScarletShip! Your answers for the previous quiz were correct! Here, have your cyber infant Eren plushie!
And for guest, thank you for telling me about my story being copied, but don't worry, I already gave my permission to the author for it
Disclaimer: I don't own Shingeki no Kyojin
The school that morning was not particularly crowded, considering it was still very early. However, Eren had to go to school earlier than ever to avoid Mikasa's interrogation about him and Annie. And of course, he dragged Armin with him.
So now the two of them were taking a stroll around the school to kill time.
All seemed normal just before they heard an exploding sound from the laboratory. They quickly sprinted to the said room and opened its door, only to have the smoke escaped the place via the opened door.
"…Anybody here?" Armin asked, searching for any traces of people.
He heard someone coughed repeatedly and he also saw that person opening the windows to let the smoke out. When the smoke was cleared, both Eren and Armin could finally recognize the person. It was Hanji Zoë, the Student Council Secretary who had been awarded the best scientist in the school, exceeding every single science teacher presented.
"You saved my life by opening the door! Are you Eren Jaeger and Armin Arlert?" she chimed with a smile. Both of them nodded stiffly, surprised at how she managed to be so carefree after the commotions.
Hanji quickly leaned in to Eren and tapped her chin thoughtfully as she examined him from head to toe. A slightly perverted smirk danced on her lips and she pulled back, "You're just as Rivaille described, now that I look at you close up. You wear the face of someone who suffers this particular disease called acute sister complex!"
At the mentioning of Rivaille's name, Eren reacted. For some reason something told him that Hanji knew everything about the dinner plan, with her being one of Rivaille's closest friends. There was even a rumor spreading around about them living together.
She definitely knew something.
"Do you know about Rivaille-kaichou's plans tonight, Hanji-senpai?" Eren inquired.
Hanji blinked innocently before nodding, "Of course! I know everything including the fact that Rivaille kept it secret from Mikasa that he wanted to introduce her to his dad and–"
"Wait, what!?" Eren cut in.
Armin was all confused about the conversation, though he understood some part of it since Eren had told him about it when asking for his help last night.
"I'm sorry, Armin. You can go back to the class ahead. I'll be following you soon, 'kay?"
Nervously, Armin nodded before excusing himself.
Once he made sure Armin was nowhere in sight, Eren turned to face Hanji again, demanding an explanation from her for what she had said just now. But the latter was squatting at the corner of the room, opening a what-seemed-to-be a personal one-door fridge full of soft drinks. She threw him a small bottle of soda and Eren frantically tried to catch it, succeeding in the attempt.
"Let's have a chat, then! It's been a while since anyone ever accompany me to talk here. Ah, except Moblit, okay? But he hasn't come to school this early. And sometimes, when he's in a good mood, Rivaille stopped by and we…"
Eren kept listening to Hanji's long ramblings while opening the cap of the soda bottle in his hands. It was surprisingly easy. It seemed the seal was detached beforehand. When he brought the drink to his mouth and gulped it down, however, Hanji's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. She rose from her seat and quickly reached for the bottle but it was too late.
White steam emitted from Eren's body and completely blinded the view.
And when the steam subsided, all Hanji could see was an infant in his oversized high school uniform, blinking innocently.
Eren opened his mouth, "Wha–"
"GYAAAH!" Hanji screamed hysterically, both her palms at the sides of her head. But she quickly secured the baby in her arms while muttering, "It's okay, Hanji, this is not your fault, this is completely an accident. You can explain everything slowly and you won't get your ass spanked by Rivaille. Breathe in, breathe out…"
"You sound like a grade-schooler, Hanji-senpai!" Eren commented.
"Wha–Eren, you can talk smoothly? I guess you're the same Eren inside, then? This is making me curious… Sonny's personality changed when he turned into a cub…" Hanji tapped her chin.
"Do something to return me to normal!"
"Worry not. Every curse wears out in the midnight. Isn't Cinderella a wonderful fairy tale?"
"Stop playing around, senpai! I need to spy on Mikasa tonight!" Eren hit his small hands on the table repeatedly and it made Hanji thought of how cute he was as an infant. "That's right! Call Annie here! She needs to know my condition."
"Roger that!" Hanji put her hand over head forehead dutifully before storming out of the room.
Eren sighed. This was not the best turn-of-events.
Chapter 9. Sister Complex
Annie was torn between her debt to Eren for playing a huge role in getting her and Reiner and Bertholdt back together, and the useless senior beside her. She was reminded of her father's words to always choose the best decision.
Eren needed her help and it was her chance to pay him back. But taking a baby to a high-class restaurant for dinner was far too ridiculous of a sight.
And Hanji-senpai was so useless she had no advice other than waiting until midnight since she couldn't help because she had to attend an important science seminar tonight.
Sighing, Annie finally took the obvious decision.
"I'll help you out. I hate to break promises."
Infant Eren's huge green eyes sparkled in happiness and Annie had to narrow her eyes to avoid getting her eyes burned by the blinding scene.
"Thanks, Annie, I owe you one!" he chimed.
"No, you don't. I'm paying you back, that's all."
With Hanji's help, Eren and Annie finally got the permission to leave early. Annie had decided to buy Eren some baby clothes before bringing him to her apartment. The blonde had to receive some awkward stares and whispers from the neighborhood ladies before reaching her apartment but she managed to ignore them.
Eren gaped at how decent Annie's living was.
When she mentioned that she lived alone and had to work to cover for her living expenses, Eren thought that she was really low of money. But her apartment was even bigger than him and Mikasa's.
Eren ran childishly to the couch and jumped onto it while laughing happily.
Annie's lips slightly pursed before her phone suddenly received a call. "Hello? I have an urgent matter and I have to rush home… What? No, don't come. Tell Bertholdt not to worry, too… I'm fine, seriously. You're not my mom! I'm hanging up!" Annie put her phone on the kitchen counter and messaged her temple.
"Was it from Reiner?" Eren asked, his chin resting on the back rest of the couch.
Annie nodded.
Eren gave a smug look.
Annie glared.
That night might be the most embarrassing moment in Annie's life. She had to ride a taxi, got on an elevator, and entered a high-class restaurant while holding a baby. She didn't even want to begin guessing what people were thinking of her.
One of the waitresses at the entrance approached Annie and asked her about the reservation she had made.
"Yes. I reserved a place under the name of Hanji Zoë."
Eren snapped his head up at Annie in surprise. Annie's acquaintance is Hanji-senpai?
He had no idea that they were acquainted at all.
But now that he thought of it. He remembered Annie saying something about her acquaintance being busy today and had canceled the dinner plan. And he had also heard Hanji-senpai mentioning about attending an important science seminar tonight.
And for some reason, the waitress frantically bowed to Annie and allowed her to proceed.
Annie made her way further inside and arrived to the main room. The ceilings were high and the place was covered in white wallpapers.
However, Annie completely blended in. She was wearing a white dress that reached her knee, white boots and white choker. On her golden locks was a daisy hair ornament–she held her hair up the usual style. The only thing about her that didn't fit the situation was the fact that she was holding an infant.
"I don't understand how the system here works. I had a reservation but I couldn't find a table. They told me to sit wherever I want." Annie said as she wandered around. "This is really embarrassing. If your hypothesis about Mikasa dating someone is just a misunderstanding I'm seriously going to kill you…" she whispered.
"I'm gonna be so relieved if it's all just a misunderstanding…"
Annie narrowed her eyes at Eren, "Are you sure you're not just suffering from sister complex? You made such a big deal out of Mikasa dating someone–"
"Look! That's them!" Eren's small finger pointed at a table near the windows.
Sitting there were Rivaille and Mikasa who seemed to have started eating.
"Find a seat near them!" Eren wailed.
"Easy for you to say, can't you see all the tables are occu–"
"…Annie-chan?"
Annie turned to the source of the voice and her eyes widened at the familiar person. The woman was smiling at her as though she had found her long-lost daughter.
Eren observed the blonde woman. She looked young and beautiful, like a model. And behind her was the well-known class representative, Reiner Braun.
Annie was still gaping, as though trying to find the best word to say.
But before she could say anything, she was welcomed by a tight hug.
"I knew it was you from a glance! It's been a while, darling!" the woman cheered. "How have you been? You've grown up to be such a beauty! Oh God, you should have lived with our family instead, you know? I kept telling Reiner to ask you to live with us but he was too shy!"
"…Mom!" Reiner looked flustered.
Eren was baffled but then he shook it off without saying anything when he saw a small smile made its way to Annie's lips. Just as Reiner had said, it seemed Annie was quite fond of Mrs. Braun.
Meanwhile, Rivaille and Mikasa were almost done consuming the hot pot. Rivaille's chopsticks reached to the last piece of meat in the bowl but Mikasa's eyes sparked as she quickly reached for the meat as well. Both their chopsticks clipped the meat and their eyes met, emitting sparks.
"I set my eyes on this before you did, brat." Rivaille muttered, his eyes dark.
"Be considerate and let me eat this. We both know that you can always order a new one." Mikasa countered calmly.
"Oh? Are you still sulking about your brother dating a girl? Stop being childish, Mikasa, you're a high school student now. Be wise and let go of the goddamned meat."
"I refuse. You let go."
"You're getting on my nerve, Mikasa. Let go."
Fire lit up around the two as they refused to give in. Rivaille could never get used to Mikasa in her bad mood. She did what she could to annoy him in order to please herself.
Back to Annie, Eren had decided for them to sit with the Brauns since it would cease unnecessary suspicions from others, too. As Annie took a sit, her heart was pumping hard, waiting for Mrs. Braun to question her about the infant Eren. Her brain was spinning, trying to find the best thing to say. What could possibly cause a high school girl to eat dinner in a high class restaurant with a baby?
They had sat at the table near Rivaille and Mikasa's under Eren's insistence. And when they had ordered their food, Reiner spoke up,
"Hey, Annie, whose kid is that? Don't tell me it's yours–"
And Reiner received a blow in the face. He could hear the cracking noise from his nose. The feeling was familiar to when Ymir punched him the day before.
"Not very sensitive, are you?"
"But, Annie! Why would you carry around a kid looking like Eren!? That's just so goddamned suspicious!" Reiner slightly shouted, holding his nose.
Afraid of his secret being busted, Eren quickly reached out his hands toward Annie while cooing, "Mamaa…"
Everyone at the table practically froze.
Annie eyed Eren from the corner of her eyes, "What the hell do you think the situation has gotten into…?" she whispered angrily at Eren, her glare piercing deep into him.
"It can't be helped, alright? What if they know about me shrinking into an infant?" Eren defended himself.
"No one in their sane mind would ask "Did you shrink, Eren?", so casually!" Annie gritted her teeth.
Before Eren could give Annie a retort, Mrs. Braun cut in, "Annie-chan, can I hold the baby?" She was extending her arms as though pleading Annie to hand the baby to her. Her eyes sparkled as if she was seeing her own grandson.
Annie gave a look to Eren and the infant nodded understandingly.
"What's his name?" Mrs. Braun asked happily.
"Ere–I mean, Eric!" Annie sweated at how she almost blown their cover.
"Eric? What a lovely name. Who named him?"
"His father, I guess…" Since Annie never heard from Eren who named him, she answered randomly.
"You guess?"
"No, I mean… Yes, his father named him."
Mrs. Braun gave her a reassuring nod and went to play with Eren.
Beside Annie, Reiner leaned in and whispered in her ear, "That kid seriously looks like Eren! Can you explain the situation or something? Cause I think I'm having a weird idea of it…"
"I'll explain everything when it's all over, okay? Now is not the time…" Annie whispered back in a very serious tone.
When Annie turned back to face Mrs. Braun, she saw the woman doing upsy-daisy to Eren. Nothing was wrong with the sight. But Annie noticed that Eren had stiffened. And then she noticed that Mikasa was looking their way.
Annie spontaneously widened her eyes and rose from her seat.
"Mom, can I have Ere–Eric back?"
"Why?"
Annie's eyes turned to focus on Mikasa, who seemed to have stood up from her seat and was approaching their table. Realizing that it was all too late, Annie stopped trying to get Eren back and went to face Mikasa.
"Fancy meeting here, Annie…" Mikasa was the first one to speak.
"Is that so?" Annie tried her best to sound indifferent.
"That baby…" Mikasa said while looking at the infant Eren who was hiding his face in Mrs. Braun's shoulder. "…looks suspiciously identical to Eren…" she finished in a low voice, her obsidian orbs narrowing dangerously. Even Annie could feel her legs slightly trembling at it.
"What are you trying to say?" Annie managed to keep her cool.
"Who is that baby?" Mikasa asked in a chilling voice.
I'm sorry Eren but I can't keep this going anymore, Annie mentally said while calmly closing her eyes. She inhaled and then opened her mouth, "That baby is Er–"
"…Mamaa!"
Both Annie and Mikasa practically froze at the voice.
Infant Eren was waving his arms in attempt to reach for Annie and he was wearing a face that said he didn't want Mikasa to know anything about this. Annie gave him a troubled look, trying to tell him that there was no point in expanding the misunderstanding any longer.
Just when the two of them were talking without words, Mikasa was already lifting a knife from a random table. When Annie noticed, she jerked away in reflex.
"Oi, calm yourself, Mikasa. You know what's going to happen if you make a scene here."
Mikasa turned around.
It was Rivaille, who had left their table to stop Mikasa from whatever stupid thing she was going to do. He knew more than everyone how she would lose her cool whenever her foster brother was related. There's no doubt Mikasa could even start rampaging or even killing the poor Annie Leonhardt on the spot.
"I couldn't care less! This girl–" she pointed at Annie with the knife "–had made a clone of Eren! This could only mean she's really fond of him! I'll never forgive her!"
The second she finished her sentence, Reiner choked, Rivaille lifted a brow, and Annie went "Huh?"
Annie spoke up after a moment of silence, "…Mikasa, what are you–"
"You're making a fool out of yourself, Mikasa. You're supposed to say that they had done that and a baby was born as a result…" Rivaille said with a straight face, as though what he just said was the most obvious thing in the world.
You're not helping at all, mister! Annie froze.
"Done what?" Mikasa asked.
"You seriously didn't know? I'm talking about sex here. Look, you just made me utter a rude word."
"What's that?"
"Ask your biology teacher or Hanji. On second thought, ask Hanji. She's going to have you understand it in an hour."
"I'll do that."
"Good."
Annie was grateful that Mikasa was successfully distracted by that talk just now. But soon she would have to face Mikasa's rage again. She looked at Reiner and his mom who seemed to be very curious of the issue. Fortunately, not everyone in the restaurant paid attention to them, if not, Annie couldn't even start imagining how embarrassing of a situation she had put herself in.
While she was looking at their table, she noticed that Eren was no longer in Mrs. Braun's arm. She started looking around and found him walking slowly toward Mikasa, who was still talking with Rivaille. She saw him pulling the edge of Mikasa's knee-length skirt slowly and Mikasa's attention shifted to him.
"Mikasa!" he said childishly. He still didn't want Mikasa to know everything.
Mikasa squatted and tilted her head at him, "How did you know my name?" she asked.
Eren beamed and stretched out his hands to her, asking for her.
She didn't seem to understand, for she only looked at him, puzzled.
"He's asking for you to hold him." Annie told the black-haired girl. Mikasa looked at Annie and she nodded at the supposedly genius girl.
A tinge of blush lingered on her cheeks as Mikasa put her hands at Eren's sides and lift him up, being all nervous because this was the first time she had hold a baby. He hugged her face and laughed. A smile unconsciously formed on her lips.
"You can take him home."
"I can?" Mikasa look at Annie, wide-eyed.
Annie nodded.
"But–"
"He wants to go with you. Besides, he's not mine."
Mikasa looked at Eren again and he smiled at her. She nodded to herself, convincing herself that the baby was the one who wanted it. She was just being nice by granting him his wish.
Turning to Rivaille, Mikasa excused herself, "I will be leaving for now, kaichou."
As she walked away, Rivaille saw the baby smirking at him in victory. Rivaille's brows furrowed when he saw the baby stuck out his tongue at him as though referring to him as a loser. Then it struck him. Hanji had done an experiment like this once. He tested it on Sonny, her pet wolf, which was kept at his old house. That time, Sonny shrank and turned back into a cub.
His expression turned dark as he muttered one name, "Hanji…" he cracked his knuckled as he made his way out of the place.
That girl would have her ass spanked endlessly tonight.
Annie sighed in relief at how the problem was over. She went back to sit at the Brauns' table.
"What was that, Annie? That Mikasa was goddamned frightening just now." Reiner said.
"Just some misunderstandings. Don't worry."
Not long later, their orders came and they began eating while chatting. Mostly, Annie was just answering Mrs. Braun's questions about how she was doing this past six years. But for her, it was a very warming and long-awaited reunion.
Rivaille opened the door to his apartment with a slam. He quickly went to the living room but could only find Irvin there, watching a variety show alone. He went to the bathroom but found no one. He searched all over the place but couldn't find Hanji anywhere.
His last resort–was her room.
On the door of her room, there was a plank with "Do not disturb" words on it.
He smirked. She always put that sign whenever she was trying to prevent him from entering her room. And in this case, the reason was clear. It was because she messed up and made someone drink one of her weird experimental drugs again.
First, he slowly knocked the door.
An answer came from inside, "Is that you, Rivaille? You're home early. I'm sorry but I'm feeling unwell so I can't come out for, like, forever. Cough, cough…"
"Open the goddamned door or I swear I'll tell the people in the house to get rid of Sonny and Bean for good. Chicacchironi and Albert, too."
In merely several milliseconds, the door was opened urgently.
"How could you do such heartless thi–"
"Good, you opened the door…"
Realizing her recklessness, Hanji gave a smile and bowed before trying to close the door again, but Rivaille used his foot to prevent it from closing.
"Excuse me, Rivaille-san, but your foot is troubling my closing the door, so… can you, like, do me a favor and–" she pulled the handle harder "–get the hell out of here, I'm begging you!" she shouted.
At the living room, Irvin shook his head and smiled understandingly. This was not a rare occasion.
When Mikasa entered the house, she noticed that the lights were still off.
"Eren's not home yet. Where is he…?" Mikasa sounded sad.
She went to the bedroom and placed baby Eren on top of the bed before falling on her knees. Eren was slightly shocked at Mikasa's sudden action. She rested her head on the edge of the bed. Her breaths were slightly heavy. Eren used his small hand to check on her temperature and she was a bit too warm for his taste.
Mikasa held his small hand and smiled, "Don't worry, I'm just feeling a little unwell…" she ressured him. "You know what? Whenever Eren's not here, I feel sick I can die. I haven't seen him at all today. We had a fight this morning and I haven't seen him ever since… I wonder if he's still mad…" she muttered.
Eren could only look at her. So she's feeling that guilty…
Mikasa buried her face in the bed, "What if he ran away and won't return forever? Then I might as well kill myself tomorrow…" Her voice was muffled but it was clear enough for Eren to grasp.
In reflex, Eren hit her head, hard.
Mikasa brought her head up to face the infant, looking puzzled.
Eren's brows knitted.
For some reasons, Mikasa smiled. "Right. I shouldn't talk like this in front of a child. Then… want to listen to my story about Eren?" her eyes slightly sparkled when she mentioned Eren's name.
But infant Eren shook his head.
"Eh? What do you want to talk about, then?"
Mikasa observed as the infant's small index finger pointed at her. His expression was cute but demanding. "Me?" Mikasa asked.
He nodded quickly.
"About me? Hmm… I can't think of a thing to say…" she murmured under her breath.
What's wrong with this girl? She can't even talk about herself? Eren mentally rolled his eyes.
"I know. I'll tell you something I keep secret from Eren, then."
…A secret from me? Eren tilted his head. Don't tell me it's about her dating Rivaille-kaichou!?
Mikasa crawled up to the bed and sat beside Eren while looking at him. "I'm actually working part-time as a model."
Eren's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.
"I didn't want Eren to know because he once told me that he doesn't like girls who work as a model since they look like whores, exposing their skin like that." Mikasa continued. "I won't deny that. Maybe I'm the same as those whores. I did everything for the money. I even overworked myself. But one day, if I'm no longer here, I want Eren to have a decent life. I saved that money for him to use for his life…"
Eren was quiet.
"You know, little guy? Eren has a big dream. He said that he would change this world someday. And I'm going to support him until he can reach it, using everything I have."
Eren widened his eyes, both taken aback and touched.
As Mikasa continued talking about her job, Eren finally learned that she wasn't actually dating Rivaille, instead, he was like a manager to her. He obediently listened to her as she told him many of her experiences when he wasn't there beside her. All of a sudden, he noticed that he hadn't been that attentive to her as she was to him.
All she was thinking about was his well-being, nothing else. Despite not being a blood-related sister, Mikasa's care for him was genuine and sincere.
And as Mikasa continued to talk, Eren didn't notice that the clock had reached midnight.
When he had realized it, however, it was already far too late. His body was burning and he could feel his own clothes shrinking and was restricting his body with force. He could hardly notice Mikasa's change of expression from calmness to shock. Before he knew it, the clothes that had been covering his body were no more.
And he was back to normal.
"Shit!" was the first thing coming out of his mouth.
Mikasa was only staring at him with her mouth agape. She was a very calm and collected person, yes, but this was way beyond her. The baby from several seconds earlier was now Eren.
"…E, Eren…?" she muttered, still staring at him.
Eren quickly covered his crotch in reflex, "What are you doing!? Cover your eyes or something!" he shouted.
At that, Mikasa's eyes widened in realization, "Oh… Oh!" then she turned around and covered her eyes.
Eren quickly ran to the bathroom after taking some clothes with him.
That night, Eren slept at the living room. Both he and Mikasa were too embarrassed to face each other now. With Mikasa exposing her secrets to the person she was keeping it from and Eren being seen stark naked in front of Mikasa.
And that night, none of the two managed to sleep a wink.
-TO BE CONTINUED-
Anyway, have you guys watched Shingeki no Kyojin: School Life on youtube? I checked it out under the recommendation of meshi-chan and I didn't regret it one bit! I love the song used in that video! The title is Kawaranai Mono by Oku Hanako and after I did some research, I discovered that it was a song from a popular Japanese film, Toki o Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time)
Because of the song, I decided to add some angst to this story near the end, but don't worry, this story will have a happy ending ;)
And for today's quiz… Hmm… It's not going to be a quiz today, I'll just ask you a question :3
"What are your favorite pairings in Shingeki no Kyojin?" Tell me all of them, okay?
See you next time~
