Author's Note: Okay guys, after this chapter there's only one more to the High School Arc, and then we'll be moving to the College Arc! (which is going to introduce Levi, Petra, Hanji and the rest) Thank you all so much for the support both this fanfic and the audiobook has been getting so far!
"Ice skating? It's not even winter", Eren stated, looking at the brochure Rubi handed him. They were in Mikasa's room at the Jaeger house.
Mikasa was resting in bed, wearing her long sleeved white sweater, wearing her red scarf. She was sitting up, her back propped by pillows.
"Who says it has to be winter to ice skate, besides the prices are really fair", Armin pressed, sitting next to Rubi.
"I'd like to go, Eren", Mikasa admitted softly. The cut on her cheek had healed, but it left an obvious scar under her eye.
Eren looked at her. "Do you feel up to it, babe? It's only been a few days since you've healed...", he asked, worriedly.
"I'm positive...I've been dying to get out of the house for weeks", replied Mikasa.
"Then we should all go today!", Rubi grinned, eagerly. "We can rent our ice skates...", Armin started.
"Oh I actually have a pair of my own", Rubi said then. "Oh, you ice skate, Rubi?", Armin asked, curiously.
Rubi bit her lip, going quiet for a few seconds. "Oh...no, I just...have a pair. I can't skate that good though", she admitted.
She ran her hand through her long red hair, looking away. Mikasa blinked worriedly, seeing a strange look in Rubi's eyes.
"We'll go today then, and maybe tonight we'll have that dinner we've been planning, with our parents", Eren suggested.
"I'd like that", Mikasa said, smiling softly.
Since healing, Mikasa had plans to visit the orphanage next week sometime. She was very anxious to.
"Okay, then let's get going!", Rubi said excited. After the group got around to go, they hurried downstairs.
"Oh, Mikasa! Sweetie, are you all right to go out?", Carla was in the kitchen, and she spotted the four teenagers getting ready to leave.
"I'm fine, mom", Mikasa assured Carla, giving her a smile. Carla smiled softly, nodding. "Have fun you guys", she said.
The four hurried out, heading to the bus stop. "The Ice skate rink we're going to also has a small cafe with food", Armin said, as they found seats on the bus.
Mikasa sat by Eren, as she gazed out the window. "Then we could have lunch there!", Eren grinned, excited.
"So...from what I'm gathering none of us have skated before", Armin realized.
"We'll get the hang of it", Rubi assured him, smiling.
Mikasa seemed quiet, as she gazed out the window. "Mikasa? Baby, you okay?", Eren asked, worriedly.
Mikasa nodded. "I'm fine, Eren. It's just nice to see something other than my bedroom", she admitted, smiling softly.
Eren smiled, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Mikasa blushed.
"You really needed a day out, Mika", he said softly. The bus soon arrived at their stop.
When they got inside, they rented their skates and headed to the rink. The ice rink was huge, and there was indeed a cafe close to it.
It had hot chocolate, tea, coffee, Slushies, water, soda, and a whole lunch menu.
Mikasa was helping Eren get his skates on, while Rubi got hers on easily, as if she knew just how to put them on.
"Rubi, how do you do that?! I can't figure these out!", Armin admitted, impressed. "It's really easy, here..", Rubi began helping Armin with his skates.
"Thanks, Mikasa. Okay let me do yours", Eren said. "Eren, I can...", Mikasa began.
"No, Mikasa. You shouldn't be bending, remember what dad said", Eren cut her off, worriedly. Mikasa sighed softly, but she sat down, letting Eren get her skates on.
She looked down softly...just how much longer did she have to use Eren as a crutch? Since returning home from the hospital, Eren's done everything for her.
If she needed to bend for something, he'd get it. If she even needed to stand up, he'd help her up. When Carla wanted to rearrange the living room last week, Eren didn't let Mikasa move any pieces of furniture.
He even helped her down the stairs. Mikasa was grateful...and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying the attention from Eren.
But at the same time...she hated being so useless and helpless. It wasn't what she was used to.
"Okay...just step on, right?", Armin asked nervously. He and Rubi were about to get on the ice. "Yeah, but just be careful...", Rubi stepped on first, not sliding.
Armin went to step on, and he slipped, and then fell. "Armin, you okay?", Rubi asked him.
"Yeah...I expected that", Armin admitted, as he gave her a smile. "Armin, seriously? It can't be that hard!", Eren said, grinning.
"Oh yeah? Why don't you get out here and try?", Armin asked.
"Okay fine, I will!", Eren said back. Eren gently took Mikasa's hands, helping her stand.
Mikasa struggled to balance on the skates, and she suddenly gripped Eren tightly...afraid she might fall.
"Mikasa, hey...you okay?", Eren asked worriedly. Mikasa was always very athletic, so he's never seen her like this before.
"Y-Yeah...I'm fine Eren, sorry...", Mikasa replied. She looked down. What was wrong with her? Why was she so shaky? And why was she so scared of falling?
Eren's eyes softened. "Easy, take it slow baby...it's okay. You're just nervous..", Eren gently held onto her, helping her towards the ice.
Rubi then began to skate, and not only did she not slide and fall, but she skated flawlessly. She glided gracefully on the ice, making sharp turns, and even quick spins.
Eren, Mikasa and Armin starred, in shock and awe. Rubi had her long red hair tied up in a ponytail, as she spun rapidly, for several feet, and then actually did a jump in the air.
She then landed, and even did a split. She pushed her bangs back, as she caught her breath, and looked over at her friends.
Eren's jaw was dropped, while Armin starred wide eyed. Mikasa also looked shocked.
"What the hell..?!", Eren gawked. "Rubi, you're amazing!", Mikasa cried. Armin got up, as he struggled to slide towards her.
He then fell again. "Ow...", he muttered. Rubi skated towards him. She offered her hand. "Here, let me teach you...", she said.
Armin blushed, as he took her hand. Rubi helped Armin up, as they held hands.
"Just watch my feet...", she guided him.
"Why didn't you tell us you were such an expert at this...?", he asked, amazed.
"Just follow the pace of my feet...", Rubi continued to guide him, not answering his question at all.
Mikasa blinked, noticing this. "Look's like our Armin is finally getting somewhere with a girl", Eren whispered, grinning.
Mikasa smiled softly. "It's been obvious from the start...", she admitted. Eren gently helped Mikasa onto the ice.
As Mikasa stepped on she instantly clung to Eren...why? Why was she so scared? "Easy, easy baby...you okay? We can get off if you want...", Eren asked her worriedly. He kept a secure hold on her.
Mikasa clung to him tighter, trembling. "I...I don't know what's wrong with me, Eren...", she admitted, looking frustrated with herself.
"Mika, you just suffered a grave injury...you're naturally scared to get hurt again. Your body's in a fragile state", Eren explained softly.
"How much longer am I going to be like this...?", Mikasa asked, hating it. "You need time baby...but don't worry, you'll be back to your old self soon...", Eren assured her.
He gently stroked her hair, and kissed her forehead.
After helping Armin for a while, even Mikasa slowly got the hang of it. Eren kept falling, but Mikasa was able to slowly skate across the ice, and even was able to spin a few times.
"Mikasa, you're doing awesome!", Eren grinned, impressed. Mikasa blushed. "Great job, Miki! You're picking it up beautifully", Rubi smiled.
"I'm not as good as you Rubi", Mikasa smiled.
"Yeah but Rubi's a good teacher so-whoa!", Armin slipped again, causing both him and Rubi to fall onto the ice.
Armin landed on top of Rubi. Rubi opened her eyes, and she instantly turned red. Armin looked into her eyes, just as red.
Mikasa watched with Eren. Eren grinned. "Wow Armin, I knew you two liked each other but no need to hit third base already", he teased then.
Armin and Rubi both jumped, turning even redder.
"Eren!", Mikasa hissed. "Uh...uh..sorry!", Armin quickly got off Rubi. Rubi stood up, still very red in the face.
"It's fine...", she said, looking away.
When they finished on the ice, they were removing their skates. Rubi easily removed hers, as Mikasa approached her.
"You know, Armin really likes you", she said. Rubi blushed, looking away.
"And you like him...", Mikasa continued. "No! We don't...it's nothing like that!", Rubi yelled, very flushed.
Mikasa frowned. "Who are you kidding, Rubi?", she asked, folding her arms. Rubi blushed more, looking down.
"Listen, I'm happy for you both...I just wish one of you would say something already", Mikasa admitted, as she sat next to Rubi.
"I really care about Armin...but...I just...I'm afraid to get hurt...what if he doesn't like me...", Rubi explained sadly.
"Are you kidding? Rubi, Armin loves you...I've known him for years", Mikasa said.
Rubi blushed, looking down. Mikasa's eyes softened then.
"So...why didn't you tell us you could skate so well...?", she asked. Rubi froze, she then looked away. She finished getting her shoes back on, and stood up.
"We better go meet Eren and Armin in the cafe...", she said quickly. Mikasa blinked, confused. Why did Rubi keep brushing the topic off?
"Rubi, I understand...I hid my talent for years too...because I didn't think I could measure up to my mom...", Mikasa spoke softly.
Rubi stopped walking, listening, her back turned to Mikasa.
"But...its because of Eren, Armin and you that I am using my talent for good things now. You're amazing at ice skating Rubi, I bet you could be a star player in Physical Ed for winter, and maybe even enter contests...", Mikasa continued.
Rubi froze, her heart sunk, as she felt fear rising inside her...even a panic attack.
"Drop it, Mikasa", Rubi suddenly growled, clenching her fists, shaking. Mikasa froze, her eyes widening.
"Rubi...", Mikasa said worriedly. "Just...drop it. Please Miki...", Rubi pleaded, fighting back tears.
Mikasa didn't say anything, a worried look in her eyes.
At lunch, Mikasa was pretty quiet. Eren picked up on this, seeing her expression. Armin was continuing to babble about how amazing Rubi is. She mostly nodded her head, drinking her soda.
Mikasa sipped her blue slushy, quiet. Eren gently took her hand. "Mikasa, you okay?", he asked worriedly.
Mikasa shook her head at him. She then got out her phone.
"Not now, Eren...not in front of Rubi. I'll tell you later"
She sent this text to him. Eren checked his phone, he blinked worried. But he nodded, understanding.
That evening, the families arrived at the restaurant.
"Well this is typical", Carla chuckled. Only she, Flora and Armin's grandfather could make it. Grisha and Rubi's father were too busy with work.
"Your husband couldn't get off work either?", Flora asked. She was a kind woman, and looked a lot like Rubi, except her hair was shorter.
"Afraid not", Carla replied. "Well look at me! I got all the ladies to myself tonight!", Armin's grandfather joked then.
"Oh my god...", Armin facepalmed, embarrassed. Carla and Flora both laughed, knowing the kind old man was just joking.
When they all sat at the table, Eren was drooling over the dessert menu. "Mikasa, it's really sweet of you to pay for us all like this", Armin's grandfather stated.
"It's really no problem at all", Mikasa assured him. "Mikasa, how are you feeling? Is your injury better?", Flora asked then, concerned.
"Yes, its healed", Mikasa replied. She then glanced at Rubi. Rubi had been quiet most of the night, seeming off.
Mikasa's eyes expressed worry, and Flora caught this. Flora leaned over a bit.
"Mikasa...I know you guys went ice skating today...", she started, her voice low.
Eren, Armin, Carla, and Armin's grandfather were distracted, talking.
Mikasa nodded softly. "She's so good at it...but when I asked...", Mikasa began. Flora looked down. "Rubi won't be home tomorrow morning...stop by around 9 AM...and I'll explain", she said then, softly.
Mikasa blinked, but she nodded. "Okay...", she said quietly.
The rest of the evening went really well. The families had their food, and Carla and Flora got into deep conversation about daughters, while Mikasa scolded Eren for trying to skip dinner to get to dessert.
Rubi was mostly quiet, although she gave a small smile towards Armin or Mikasa from time to time.
By the next morning, Mikasa was up, getting dressed. She wrapped her red scarf around her neck.
Eren groaned, tiredly, still in bed. "Mikasa...? It's Sunday...", he said, half asleep.
"I need to go out for a bit, I'll be home later...Eren, you really should get up yourself. It's almost 9", Mikasa stated.
"Too tired...", Eren grumbled. "That's what you get for stuffing your face last night", Mikasa frowned.
Eren groaned, not saying anything. Mikasa's eyes softened. She sat on the edge of his bed, and kissed his forehead.
"I'll be back later", she smiled.
Mikasa soon hurried out, and headed to Rubi's house.
She knocked on the front door, and within seconds, Flora answered. "Mikasa, come in dear", Flora said kindly.
Mikasa entered the home. "I made some tea, please make yourself at home sweetie..", Flora said. Mikasa sat on the couch, as Flora sat on the chair.
"So...you saw her ice skate", Flora started. "Yeah...she's amazing. But when I asked about it...she almost...had a breakdown", Mikasa admitted worriedly.
Flora sighed softly.
"Did Rubi ever tell you why we moved here?", she asked softly. Mikasa shook her head. "No", she replied.
"Back at Rubi's old school...she was the top of her grade. Star student, always getting straight A's. And she had an amazing talent for playing the piano, and ice skating. At first...it was all okay. Students admired her, loved her...she got love letters from both genders in fact...", Flora confessed.
Mikasa listened.
"But...soon, she began to get made fun of for being so smart. For being a know it all. The bullying was mild at first, and she was able to ignore it. But slowly...it got worse", Flora said.
"How much worse...", asked Mikasa worriedly.
"Every time Rubi would ice skate, sure people cheered her on. But at the end of the day, she still heard students taunting her, and saying how she thinks she's so much better than them. When that wasn't the case...", Flora continued.
"It got worse when the teachers overly praised her, in front of these bullies...and even expected Rubi to do more and more. She pushed herself to be amazing in school, but in the end the bullying got worse...Rubi could never be happy with her achievements like she should have been...because the bullies just made her feel...awful" Flora looked down.
"I...had no idea...", Mikasa looked down, she was horrified but unsurprised. The world was a cruel place after all...
"The final straw for us...was the scar they gave Rubi on her back", Flora said then. Mikasa looked at her.
"Scar?", she asked.
Flora nodded, grimly. Mikasa looked down, both worried but also frustrated. Why...why has Rubi kept this bottled up inside her?
They were supposed to be best friends...
The next day arrived, and Mikasa had ran ahead of Eren and Armin, and caught up with Rubi at the school gate.
Rubi was walking to school by herself, deep in thought. "Rubi!", Mikasa called. Rubi blinked.
"Miki...", she forced a smile. "Hey...sorry about snapping at you yesterday...I don't know what got into me", Rubi forced a fake smile. But Mikasa could see right through that mask.
"Rubi...come with me", Mikasa took her hand then, pulling her, the girls running to a private area, behind the school.
"Miki, what is it?", asked Rubi, still forcing that fake smile.
"Rubi...show me your back", Mikasa said then. Rubi blinked, and she even froze. "W-What...why would you want to see my back, Miki?", she asked nervously.
"Please Rubi...", Mikasa insisted. She had to see it for herself. Rubi hesitated. "Look, I really don't...", she started.
Mikasa didn't give her a chance to say no, she then gently took Rubi's shoulders, turning her around, lifting the back of her shirt.
"Mikasa! Stop!", cried Rubi, and then Mikasa saw it. Her heart sunk, her eyes widening.
On Rubi's back, was a scar...it was letters. Carved into her skin. The letters read "Smartass"
"Oh Rubi...", Mikasa gasped, horrified. Rubi had stopped struggling at this point, tears sparkling in her eyes.
"You talked to my mom...didn't you", Rubi said, her voice quiet.
"Of course I did! Rubi...why? Why didn't you tell me this? You've been living with this on your shoulders...you could have talked to me! I would have been there for you!", Mikasa cried.
Rubi pulled her shirt down, looking at Mikasa.
"I...didn't want to burden you", she confessed.
Mikasa looked at her friend, in shock. She then gently took Rubi's shoulders. "Rubi, you wouldn't have burdened me! Aside from Eren and Armin...you're my only real friend...I...see you as a sister if I'm honest...", Mikasa confessed.
Rubi looked at her. "Miki...I feel the same way. When you were hit by that truck...by that bastard...I...I thought I was going to lose you...", Rubi admitted, tears in her eyes.
"I just...was worried to tell you. Or Armin...I didn't want to lose my friends...and its why I can't say how I really feel to Armin..who would want...this?!", sobbed Rubi, gesturing to her back.
"Hey..", Mikasa gently took Rubi's hands then. "Listen to me, Rubi. The world...is a cruel place. But it's also...beautiful. I don't care what scars you have...you'll always be my best friend. I love you Rubi, you're like the sister I never had...or...could have had...", Mikasa looked down then, a bit grimly.
"Miki...", Rubi said worriedly, tears still in her eyes, knowing she was thinking of her parents.
"And Armin loves you Rubi, I've known him for years, and never have I see Armin like this. He's crazy about you...trust me, Armin is a sweet guy. He doesn't care about scars. I mean...seriously, this is a guy who carried his futon around until he was 15", Mikasa gave a small smile.
Rubi chuckled tearfully at this.
The girls locked eyes, as realization sunk in. "Miki...", Rubi then hugged Mikasa. Mikasa hugged her back, as Rubi cried softly.
"From now on...no more keeping secrets from each other. Eren, Armin and I are your friends Rubi. You're my sister as far as I see it, and you and Armin...really share something special. Don't ever hesitate to talk to any of us if you need too", Mikasa told her softly.
Rubi nodded, wiping her eyes, smiling. "Thank you, Miki...", she said. From this point on, Mikasa and Rubi had become closer than ever.
And Rubi decided...she was going to tell Armin how she felt.