"You're up. No clue know how you do it, Eren. You really ought to teach us your tricks someday."
He awoke in a tent far larger than his, with a simple table nearby and his blonde friend seated on a stool beside him, some important-looking documents in hand. He initially ignored his friend's question however, as the fingers entwined around his own took most of his attention. Beside him, still fast asleep, laid his protector. Naturally, she had to hold fast to his hand before nodding off; well, not that he minded it one bit.
"Yeah, glad to see you too. Do what, Armin?" he matched his friend's voice, speaking softly as to not rouse his Mikasa.
"The impossible. You'll probably get mad at me for this, but I thought her gone as soon as Jean came alone. She wouldn't hesitate to lay down her life for any of us, and you especially."
"Well, I'm not mad. I can't really blame you; I couldn't begin to tell you how it fucking felt when I thought she... But you want to know how I did it. When I set out, I didn't think my mission impossible. I was going to get her back; there was just no other alternative. Typical Mikasa, she was the one who found me instead. Does the saving even when she's the one who needs it. Always loved and hated her for that."
"Connie said something along those lines earlier. Care to share what happened?"
"Got knocked out cold when I fell flat on my face in the Attack Titan. When I woke up cold and wet from the downpour, there she was by my side. She dragged my ass, on a broken leg, by the nearest tree just to get some shelter from the rain. Then from there, we made our way back. I don't have words too for how I felt when I—when she, found me. You see, Armin, she found me, and took me home."
"I suppose some things never change. She'll always have a knack for saving your ass. And how's your guardian now?"
"Still out cold, obviously. I just hope her injuries aren't as bad as I think. I didn't like the angle I found her leg in. And that cut on her shoulder... Why can't I just use these damn Titan powers to help her?"
"Have you forgotten? You have, several times in the past. On top of that, your other form helped you cover ground much faster and more practically than on horseback. So quit berating yourself. You've done all you could, and I know she's more than grateful for everything."
"I know that Armin, but... it's just that I hate seeing her like this. She isn't supposed to get hurt, and I'll lose my shit if she pulls that self-sacrificing crap one more time."
"Well," the blond stood up, replacing the book in a small shelf beside him, "we now both know that you're aiming for the moon Eren. Ours is a profession that's more generous with scars than anything else. She'd sacrifice herself for you or anyone else in this squad if there was no other choice, and I would too, Eren. You can't save her from saving you. Just be by her side."
Without him noticing, his grip on her hand subconsciously tightened, "I still don't like it, but I get where you're coming from. You going somewhere?"
"I'll be helping the others set up Titan dummies not far from here. Got some new recruits to train tomorrow."
"What? You sure you'll still be needing those dummies? Maybe the Titans will be ever so kind as to show up in the middle of training and swallow somebody."
"The sentries posted will make sure that won't happen, and we can't protect them from our reality for long anyway. So take it easy, Eren. We'll talk later, after you get some more rest."
"I'll see you later, too."
Without looking at her, he knew that the girl had awakened as soon as Armin left. His other hand reached for the warm cheek that belied her pale, icy pallor.
"How are you? Be honest with me."
She leaned into his calloused hand, and gave him a wan smile, "I'm fine, Eren. And when was I ever not honest with you?"
"Right now. That damned pride of yours prevents me from taking proper care of you. Do you need pain relievers? Can I get you anything?"
"Eren, there's really nothing to worry about. I can take this. And I only ask that stay with me for a while. Please?"
The Titan shifter ceded, lying on his side and nuzzling his guardian's uninjured shoulder, A languid arm snaked around her waist, gingerly pulling her closer. Childhood memories from long ago were suddenly fresh in his mind—he missed embracing her, and generally being the one to make her feel safe.
"You didn't get one thing quite right."
"And what would that be, Mika?"
"That I don't let you take care of me. You've been doing just that, for the past couple of days in fact. And of course I appreciate all that."
He let out an audible sigh, "Alright, fine. Just, enough of the acting tough and... telling me you're fine when there's something that I should attend to. Can we agree on that, at least?"
"If that's what you want, okay. I'm alright with that too."
"Good. Still a bit exhausted, so is it okay if I nap for a bit? And I also sleep easier when you're around. Yeah, that's it. I, uh... miss drifting off next to you."
"Well, if you put it that way. I suppose I'm used to it by now; you nodding off before you could kiss me goodni—"
His mouth silenced hers, tongue frozen still mid-sentence until another moved it once more. This new development startled her, and thrilled her as well. The sensation of probing another's mouth felt alien, but she had no qualms as it belonged to the boy she loved anyway. The thought of sharing a new experience with him was beyond wonderful on its own, but actually feeling it was another matter altogether. Time seemed to stop, and the ever so brief present they shared felt everlasting.
She regretted how her current injuries severely limited her wordless communication with him.
"Did someone say kiss?" said the Titan shifter as she felt him smile, though both their eyes were lidded.
"We're... in the Commander's tent. Someone might walk in on—"
And there he went again, cutting her off from whatever she was about to say next. He was getting bolder, the impulsive propensity bleeding into their relationship, and she loved every ounce of it. He was audacious in a way that was unmistakably Eren, the boy who surged forward without second thought and had no idea when to quit. Yet, even as he projected a show of strength in their liplock, so did he convey an act of surrender. If it were possible to be unrelenting and gentle at the same time, Mikasa thought he fit that perfectly. She was a rose whose petals he took care not to ruffle, and a wild horse that he had to break.
It did not take long before the boy fell asleep in the girl's arms, undoubtedly still winded from the rigors of last night. After all, he practically carried her the whole night. Though she had a slim physique, well-developed muscles added to her heft. In another time and place, she would have worried how her sculpted body may have made her less effeminate in the eyes of Eren, how her wanting womanliness may avert the gaze she secretly yearned from him since their trainee days.
With the reality they faced however, she could not afford to be second-rate in her mission to protect him. And so she trained to be the best, her enhanced genes augmenting her every step unbeknownst to her. Even as she laid beside him contemplating, the Ackerman genes borne of Titan research were working to heal her injuries at an alarmingly fast rate. She could not care less about being worth a hundred soldiers; she just had someone to look after.
But all the training, bloodshed, and massive loss of life did not kill the child in her. She softly sang him a tune, an old lullaby she learned from her Mother. Even as Eren cried on the nights after he lost his home and mother, Mikasa refrained from singing him the lullaby, fearing the pain it would bring and opting to embrace the distressed boy instead. Now, there was no pain as music seeped from her lips, the words still very much familiar to her heart even after many years of hiatus.
She was home.
(-)
The following day
The last thing he wanted was for them to get cocky.
"You two got something to celebrate? Let me bring the hooch for you then."
Two of the soldier-trainees under Levi's watch were doing reasonably well until they committed a fatal mistake. After the blond-haired boy took out three Titan dummies and another with black hair took out two, they descended to the forest floor. Then the bloody idiots slapped one another's backs.
In an instant, the flash of smug satisfaction left their eyes and they saluted the Captain.
The blonde, who seemed to be the older of the two, spoke up first, "My apologies, Sir. That was our first action in days and we just got carried away."
The other rookies watched from the treetops, as if fearful of going anywhere near the displeased Captain. The mysterious aura he projected more than made up for his unimpressive height, and not one of them doubted that this was indeed Humanity's Strongest in the flesh.
"What's your name?"
"Edward, Sir."
"And you?" said the Captain, jabbing a finger at the other nincompoop.
"Connor, Sir. Captain, it won't happen again. I swear, from now on—"
"You'll say your name when asked, and nothing else. Is that clear?" cut Levi, who was still surprisingly calm.
"Yes, Sir!"
"Now listen, Edward and Connor. Until you two decided to act like blasted idiots, you were both doing fine. Gotta admit it, you both know your way around ODMs. But, you don't need telling that checking the area for other Titans is mandatory right? Even if there aren't any hostiles in sight for the time being? For example, Connor, take a good look behind you and look up a little bit."
The youth with jet black hair did as he was told, and his jaw dropped not long afterwards.
"What—how did that get there? I swore I took them all out."
Partially hidden by vines and secured behind a large tree, one Titan dummy remained. While not completely missable, the inattentive eye would have glossed over it, as was in the case of Connor.
"You two expect to be conquering victors when you can't even see for shit? Unwise."
The younger man pleaded with Levi, "Captain, I'm sorry. That dummy was closer to my position. I should've taken it out. Accountability falls on me."
"First off, damn straight. You alone are responsible for nearby Titans you see ahead of your squad. Screw that up, and you'll have blood on your hands. Second, as far as we're concerned, there aren't any dummies here, so think and train like lives depend on it."
He raised his voice just a little louder to reach the treetops, the impressive volume belying his childlike height, "I catch any of you treating these sessions like playtime, getting bitten in half will be the least of your worries. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Sir," shouted the anxious recruits, now very much reluctant to do anything stupid.
"As it should be. Now head back to camp. The Commander's scheduled to teach you rookies on group strategies and attack formations. Back to your mounts, all of you. Dismissed."
The two offenders before him saluted once more, then hastily went out of his sight. After several hours of ODM training, their countenance betrayed an aura of fatigue and silent fulfillment at the same time. He knew these kids were tired, but they also seemed content with having accomplished something meaningful today. The ones on the treetops descended quietly, and all left the training grounds on horseback, leaving the Captain alone with his thoughts. And the sound of birds chirping somewhere above.
These new recruits were well aware of the pressure on them as the next generation of Survey Corps soldiers. What they did not know was the pressure on the Captain himself as well. In Levi's hands rested the quality of soldiers that would champion those within the walls. From these dedicated young men and women had to come brilliant strategists, charismatic leaders, soldiers worth a hundred others, and fighters who would one day be called "Humanity's Strongest." The title couldn't be his alone forever, he thought grimly.
He was broken from his reverie by approaching hoofbeats.
"Good day, Captain," said Armin as he dismounted, "You ordered to see me?"
"Yes. We received an important letter today from none other than your old comrade, and who now happens to be our queen. For now, what I'm about to tell you remains with me, Hangi, and you."
"Understood Sir. What is it about?"
"Well Arlert, what do you say to leading the first Survey Corps mission beyond your precious ocean?"