Authors Note: Looking back to chapter 1 of 'What Secret?' It was very poorly written. But this one is better and longer promise. I thought of this one as a one-shot but I still put it as chapter 2 of 'What Secret?' since it continues it. Lots of Hurt/Comfort. Small Eremika moments as well.
For the following 3 days, Eren was still in jail visited by Levi, Hanji, and Mikasa. Most of the time, it was about Eren's secret plan and betrayal. But Mikasa was trying to get closer to Eren since they've been separated for so long, even though it hurt her to keep see him after what happen.
One night, Eren accidently fell off the bed and partially transform into his titan. A loud thunder noise and steam appeared, waking up Levi, Hanji, and some guards. They rushed in the cell to try and stop his escape.
"Dammit… don't me he is trying to escape." Levi stated. Thinking that it was stupid to try since there so deep underground.
"Who knows… he is reckless." Hanji answered.
They approached the cell carefully, not wanting to make much noise so if Eren was still inside to capture him. After the steam cleared they saw Eren side, stuck in his deformed titan body, since the room was small. Trying to detach himself, struggling though.
"Look at that… good old titan shifter Eren trying to escape." Levi said trying to rub in that Erens plan failed.
"What are saying… I wasn't try escape." Eren said annoyed. Still trying to detach himself. "You try sleeping in an uncomfortable bed."
"He's got a point Levi." Hanji said.
"Be quiet four eyes, he deserves it." Levi glared at Eren. He was suspicious about it all.
"I'll be out in a bit." Eren said struggling to be free.
It's been 2 week now since Eren's enjaillement and has been falling off the bed lately. Everyone seemed to be annoyed by the false escapes especially the guards. They needed to check up on him even though there were false. Levi's orders. And today was one of those days.
"This is so getting old." One of two guards wined. Opening the door to the jail cell.
"We can't disobey Levi's orders, plus its our job as guards to watch him, he's caused us enough problems already. We don't need more." The other guard said.
They both approached the metal bars. Steam was all round them, minimizing their vision a bit.
"Yeager, Where are you?" One guard said trying to see through the steam. When they didn't hear a response, the two guards looked at each other and nodded. They both approached the bars.
"Hey where are you!" One said before he was punched in the face knocking him out. "What the…" The other started to speak but was also knocked out quickly.
Eren then came out of the steam, kneeling down to the guards to grab the keys of the lock. "I knew this plan would work." Eren mumbled to himself as he opened the gate.
He quickly and sneakily explored a bit of the prison avoiding the extra guards. Eren was unfamiliar with the place but remembered the turns they took when they first brought him here.
He made it to the outside door and luckily no one was standing near. "Good… no ones here."
Eren then again quickly and quietly moved through the corridors of the base, he saw Jean walking towards him but luckily didn't see him.
Eren then made it to where they store all of the unused 3DM gear. He took a random one and make it to the horse stalls. He untied a horse and added a bag of hay to the saddle covered by a blanket to make it seem that someone was riding it.
He let the horse run loose towards the open gate. Some soldiers near the gate tried to stop horse but failed. Before the horse got away they noticed that someone was riding. They quickly went to tell captain Levi about what they saw.
When they left Eren carefully went outside and ran towards the bushes of the nearby forest, only a few feet away. He kept watched to see if anyone spotted him running. Luckily no one did, not even through the windows of the buildings that faced the forest.
"What!?" Levi said. The soldiers have just finished explaining what they saw. "Yes sir, we saw a person riding off towards the East." Levi then jumped out of his chair and rushed toward Eren's cell. "Levi where you going?" Hanji asked as Levi ran out the door. She followed him afterwards.
When Levi approached the cell and saw the soldiers walking up from there knock out, moaning in pain.
"Wheres Eren!?" Levi demanded as he helped the guards up. "I don't know sir." One guard said.
Levi then exited the cell meeting Hanji who has just arrived. "Hanji call the group." Levi said. "Why? Hanji asked at the moment. "Eren escaped dammit!" He responded.
Few minutes later, Levi, Hanji, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Connie, and the rest where in the meeting. "What's going on?" Connie asked. "What's this meeting for." Armin also asked.
Levi glared at all of them. "Eren has escaped!"
"What do you mean he has escaped?" Jean asked. "He escaped!" Levi said. "He was seen riding a horse toward the East a few minutes ago, we need to track him down." Levi slammed his fist onto the table.
"This is something new, Eren wouldn't try to do something like this… or would he." Armin thought to himself. "Alright we need to make a plan." Armin finally spoke up. "He couldn't have gone very far this is ruff terrain." Armin said as he pointed on the map on the table.
"We'll split up in 3 groups and try to find him." Levi said as he started to explained the plan. "Alright everyone knows there positions." "Yes sir." Every said. "Now gear up!"
Mikasa was quiet through the whole thing she was worried about Eren. "Why would he do this? This isn't like him" Mikasa thought to herself.
Eventually Armin snapped her out of her thoughts, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Hey I know you're worried, I am too, we both know him well, he must have something going on." Mikasa just nodded.
"Come on let's get geared up." They left the meeting room and went to the storage room.
Everyone else was already there getting dressed in their own gear. But Mikasa noticed that her gear was missing. "Has anyone seen my gear?" She said out loud to everyone. Everyone nodded, no one saw her gear.
"Eren must have taken it." Levi stated. "He probably didn't know who it belong to." Hanji said then.
"Then what am I supposed to do then." Mikasa asked. She knew she couldn't just go with out her gear, they could get ambushed by titans and she would be defenseless.
"Stay here and wait for us… and keep an eye out to see if he comes back." Levi finally said. Mikasa agreed without putting much of an argument. "Alright."
The 3 three groups then left to their own direction on their horses. Mikasa then went back inside towards her room on the second floor of the building. She sat down, looking out the window holding her scarf close, tears starting to show on her eyes. "What has happened to him?... he has changed." Mikasa continue to think to herself.
Meanwhile Eren was against the wall of the building facing the forest. He saw Levi and the others leaving. He frowned a bit. He knew that mostly everybody will be looking for him. He then turned and walked towards the forest lost in thought not trying to run or hide.
Mikasa was still lost in thought when she caught a glimpse of something moving out the window, it looked human like. When she focused her vision a bit, she noticed that it was Eren entering the forest.
Shocked that he didn't leave, she got up quickly and went outside to follow him. She carefully entered the forest as well not trying to make much noise. After awhile of walking through the forest, she started to hear moaning and sobs of something in pain.
She hid behind a tree quietly and peeked around the tree to see what it was. Mikasa was in disbelief that it was Eren punching a tree with his fist bleeding out. He was trembling… tears falling off his face… talking to himself out loud. She hasn't seen Eren like this in a long time or ever in her life this broken before. She listen carefully to what Eren was saying, starting to feel herself tremble in fear and worry.
"Why did it have to be this way?!... (Punch) Why did Sasha needed to die?! (Punch) She didn't deserve to suffer! (Punch) Why do I need to make everyone suffer?!... (Punch) Why?!... (Punch) Hasn't everyone already been through enough already?!... (Punch) Why do I make everyone around me suffer!... (Punch) My friends, my family… all… suffer… (Punch) And I can't help them!... (Punch) Especially Mikasa!… (Punch)
"Me… he can't help me… what does he mean? Was it about the kiss?" Mikasa thought to herself.
"She's always been there for me… (Punch) and I push her away... (Punch) hurt her… (Punch) worry her… (Punch) and she's still with me… (Punch) And I will STILL continue to HURT HER!" Eren screamed, punching the tree so hard that he managed to displace his left arm bone with a loud crack. Mikasa flinched at the sound.
Eren fell to knees crying, wincing in pain from his arm. "And... I doubt she still wants to be with me, not right after what I did to Sasha." Eren said shakily. He began to cry again, clutching his stomach. He let out a loud scream afterwards.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Eren then slammed his bloody fist to ground, ignoring his pain. "I just want to die!"
Mikasa couldn't bear seeing Eren suffer like this anymore, even though it did scarred her very much about Sasha death, but Eren was still her first love interest and friend/family. She then rushed towards Eren side, kneeling down as well, hugging him closely. "Eren… is alright." Mikasa said trying to reassure him. She started to feel herself starting to cry as well. "Eren I will always be here… with you, always."
Eren choked back a sob. "I'm sorry Mikasa… I'm so sorry!" Eren said then, hugging Mikasa back.
Mikasa kept Eren closed as he went through his emotional break down. It felt weird to her, usually it was Eren who helped her through these things. After some good full minutes of grieving, Eren stopped trembling and looked at Mikasa, breaking up the hug.
Eren took a shaky breath, wiping off the tears from his face. "Sorry that I wet your scarf." He said shakily.
"It's alright, it's fine. It was yours before." Mikasa assured him. Happy to see that he got a bit his composure again.
Eren then whispered, facing the ground, avoiding eye contact. Tears started to show in his eyes again. "I'm sorry Mikasa I… I failed you, I betrayed you! You were the one who always stood by side and now… I broke you even more."
"I'm not asking for your forgiveness or kindness. You can punch me!, kick me!, scream at me!, leave me!,... do whatever you want! I don't care!… you have the right to let your rage out on me." Eren quiet down.
Mikasa was traumatized at what she was hearing. She couldn't do anything what he was asking her to do. All she could do is watch him cry in front of her, waiting for her to do something to him.
"Eren… tell me the full truth. What's this plan you spoke of. No more secrets." Mikasa said demanding.
"That's the problem Mikasa, I can't!"
"Why then! Why is it that you can't share your plans anymore. You used to tell me and Armin everything."
"You won't agree with me this time, no one will agree with me. I will be thought as a threat to humanity. I know you well Mikasa, and you wouldn't want that to happen."
Mikasa couldn't take anymore of this conversation, the tension in her was about to explode. She let out a scream as well.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!" She couldn't handle it anymore that she lifts Eren's chin up, looking into his eyes in total disbelief. Eren closed his eyes waiting for her to do her worst. What happened next surprised him.
She leaned in, there lips getting closer and closer to each other until they finally meet. The kiss was tender and sweet, exactly what Mikasa wanted to do. To show that even though this world is cruel, it is also beautiful.
Mikasa kept kissing him until they parted to breath. Eren's mind seemed to be completely shut down by the turn of events, no true emotion was shown on his face. The look of total shock, confusion, stress, madness, anxiety, despair, and a bit of joy seemed to be mixed together on his face.
Mikasa blushed hard, realizing that what she just did. The feelings she had hidden from him were suddenly released unexpectedly. In the last few days, she was just so filled with anger, lost, and despair. That this wasn't the time or the place to be thinking or doing this kind of thing.
She then turned her attention to Eren again who was still looked shut down in shock. After a few moments, Eren then turned to face her. "Thank you." Is all he managed to say quietly. A small smile appeared then on his face.
A few minutes of peace and quiet between them, staring into each other's eyes. The fight that has happened just now seemed to be temporarily forgotten, which was a bit awkward for both of them. Mikasa then turned to worry seeing Eren's injury.
"Eren… your arm." Mikasa pointed out.
"It's ok Mikasa, it's just a scratch." Eren answered. Getting a little giggle from Mikasa.
"Ya right… we'll need to clean it." Mikasa finally answered.
"Really it's ok, I've learned a lot from the years I've been in Marley, which I was going to show you eventually."
Eren then lift his arm up; instantly he began to heal completely. Mikasa was bit surprise by this new power of his. He usually took long for him to heal.
"Wow, so you learned to control your healing ability." Mikasa said.
"Yea, I had many injuries as I fought in the battles of Marley. I lost a leg so it would have been bad if my leg started to grow back. By the way that reminds me; Why are you here? Shouldn't you be out looking for me?"
Mikasa chuckled a bit. "Someone took my gear" She responded.
"Oh, so that one was yours, I just look a random one, no wonder it was small and had a feminine shape." They both giggled a bit.
They both then made eye contact again. It's been a long time and lots of stuff has happen between them that they never had a moment alone to talk to one another, even though there relationship was a bit off. In that moment, it was just them two… alone, in silence.
After a few more minutes, Eren finally decided to break the silence. "We better head back." He said standing up. He didn't want to break the temporary peaceful moment between them but he knew he and Mikasa would be in serious trouble if they don't come back soon.
"It's almost dawn, Levi and the others should be getting back by now." Lending a hand to Mikasa to stand.
Mikasa blushed a bit by his act of kindness after she kissed him and the fight they just had. She took his hand and lifted herself up. At the moment she wanted to talk about the situation more but Eren was starting to walk towards the base already.
She rushed towards Eren side again until he stopped in front of a tree. He got down at the trunk and took out Mikasa's gear from behind. "Here." Eren said handing Mikasa's gear back.
"Thanks." Mikasa responded.
As they walked back to base, Mikasa would occasionally glance over at Eren, he didn't seem affected by her kiss. "How can he be so calm? Not right after I kissed him. Why did I even kiss him? Should I done what he wanted me do, leave him? No! Should I be mad? I should be... but there something new in him, something. Like he is prepared, he did say he had a plan, that he would share out eventually. But when… please Eren stop going down the path you are in." She kept thinking to herself. Eren seems to notice her sudden glaces and space outs.
"You ok?" Eren simply asked. His question startled her. "Yea sure." Mikasa said breathlessly. She couldn't stop thinking there mini fight. "Could he have not felt anything? Maybe I'm just over reacting. Yea, this was way to suddle thats all. Too much stuff has happened between us all. I should ask him dead on, no hesitations!"
Before she can ask though, the eventually they made it back at the end of the forest as the sun was starting to set. It didn't seem that Levi and the others were back yet.
"Hold on, we can't be seen walking together or else they suspect something." Eren said quickly before the got onto eyesight. He saw a vine at was hanging over them.
He quickly cut it and handed it over to Mikasa. "Tie my hands." It's all that Eren says.
Mikasa understood his plan. She was going to take Eren as a 'prisoner' so she will have an excuse for taking so long to return and coming back with Eren. She would to talk to him another time now. "Dammit! Bad timing." She said frustrated.
As they entered through the gates, Eren in front of Mikasa, some soldiers near rushed towards them. "Mikasa where have you been!" One soldier asked. "Get away from him!" Another added.
Mikasa placed her hand on Eren's shoulder. "I found him out in the forest, it took me time to find him and capture him." It's all that Mikasa said.
As the guards took Eren away to the anti-titan cell again, he glanced back towards Mikasa, he smiled at her, saying thanks in way. Meanwhile, Mikasa was sent to waiting in the meeting hall for Levi and others to return, it didn't take long.
All of the troops then entered the gate. "Tsc- We couldn't find him." Levi said as he dismounted from his horse. "But we found the horse." Hanji added cheerfully.
"Captain!..." The same soldier that took Eren said then. "We captured Eren!"
"What?!" Levi asked then.
"Mikasa found and captured Eren out in the forest. Eren's already in the cell and Mikasa is at the meeting hall."
Levi first rushed to see Eren while Armin went to see Mikasa at the meeting hall.
Mikasa kept thinking while looking out the window. "What should I do? Dam Eren, Why? Why can't things be back they were? What plan do you have? (Sigh) Everything is all complicated now." Mikasa complained.
Armin then walked in breaking her thought process. They chatted about Eren's problems and what might happen next.
Authors Note: It's very hard to end something when you don't have enough information. It's very hard for me to write what Mikasa might be thinking currently in the manga -chapter 105- since everything is tense. So the thoughts I wrote might be bad. Some details here might not be in 'The Great Titan War II' because I wrote that one first before this one so things might be off.
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