Pairing: Eren/Mikasa
Setting: After the experiments in Chapter 52
Rating: K
Words:1896
Notes: This was kinda inspired when Ashley pondered about Hanji and Mikasa's relationship, so I decided to have them having a little conversation to see how I think it would play out.
May 9th – In Your Arms
Mikasa placed the damp rag on Eren's forehead, her fingers brushing by his flushed cheek. Dammit Hanji. She pushed it too far again; this was the third day he was still passed out without so much of a fluttering of his eyes. Eren let out a small groan as his body squirmed; his face twisted, causing Mikasa to reach back up to press her hand against the cold rag and he seemed to relax again at least.
He was burning up, the fever over his body never seeming to want to break. Mikasa would know, she was the only one who stayed with him all three days. She was only forced to leave once by Levi for training but Hanji quickly came back to get her when Eren seemed to be in some kind of unconscious distress. Mikasa supposed she should go easy on Hanji since she was the one who told Levi to just let Mikasa be by Eren's side until he woke up, but they also wouldn't be in this situation if Hanji just listened to her in the first place.
Mikasa continued to hold her hand against his forehead, his steady breath on her wrist. Eren always looked so young when he was asleep; his features relaxed and his eyes not full of his usual anger and stress. She felt a smile pull at her lips as she reached her other hand onto his cheek. He was still warm but she hoped the cool water was at least helping.
"Knock knock."
Mikasa pulled her hand away quickly as her head snapped up to see Hanji standing in the doorway, holding a new bucket of water.
"How's he doing?" She came over to the chair Mikasa had abandoned for the bed, and placed the bucket by her feet.
"The same," Mikasa said.
Hanji sat down, leaning against her elbows against her legs. She seemed to be looking over Eren but Mikasa wasn't sure if it was because she wanted to see his well-being or because she wanted to check up on some kind of experiment. "He's something else," she said, surprising Mikasa as Hanji looked over to her. "But you've always known that haven't you."
"I don't know what you mean." She really didn't but that didn't stop the heat that rose to her cheeks.
"Well, I just mean all that power he has, all that strength. A lot of it untamed that's true, but he's used it for the good of humanity from the very beginning. So far he's the only one we know of who made that choice."
Mikasa reached up to take the cloth off Eren and dunk it in the water Hanji placed by her feet. She wrung out the excess water and placed it back on his forehead trying to get that fever out. "That's Eren for you. I don't even think he ever considered the other option." She took the dry rag in her lap and wipe off some of the sweat on his face; she felt Hanji's eyes on her.
"Even though he completely failed controlling himself that first time and nearly sent himself and others to their death." Hanji gestured to her own cheek, mimicking Mikasa's scar.
Mikasa nearly threw the rag down on her lap. "That wasn't his fault." She paused for a moment, reigning in the sudden flare of anger and defense that shot through her. "He's learned to control it since then."
Hanji nodded, a smile on her lips. "He's lucky to have you, you know."
There was that heat in her cheeks again. She looked back down to Eren who wasn't as restless as he was the past few days. "I don't know if he'd see it that way."
"Does he know it was because of you they didn't leave him to die as a mindless titan? That you risked your life to protect him after he attacked you? That when everyone saw a monster you still saw Eren?"
Mikasa couldn't even bring herself to look at Hanji. "How'd you know that."
"Well, the actual details we got before the trial so we knew exactly what happened. The last one I knew just by the way you look at him."
If Hanji's objective was to thoroughly embarrass her, it was working; Mikasa didn't even realize she was grabbing at Eren's blanket till she looked down.
"Though," Hanji leaned back in her chair. "There was something I did want to ask you. Eren's been different since he was kidnapped. Did something happen?"
"You mean aside from being kidnapped by his friends who he just found out were traitors and then having a nearly failed rescue attempt were many people died?"
Hanji didn't seem deterred by Mikasa's sarcasm. "That's the thing. That was no doubt traumatic for him and by the way he was after what happened to Levi's squad, the way he is acting is that part that's odd. He's so calm; he takes everything in stride and goes along with everything. That's not the Eren Jaeger I met."
Mikasa shrugged. She saw the change in Eren; the gentler way about him, the more level headedness he carried now, the way he didn't bark at her, how he didn't push her away anymore. Her breath caught in her throat at the thought of the way he looked at her on the wall when she was hurt.
"So, I meant something aside from the traumatic events." Hanji's eyes were still one her, barely even blinking let alone looking away.
Mikasa hesitated, but it was clear Hanji was being unrelenting; she wasn't about to let this go. "When we got Eren back, we, well, me and him, fell to the ground with no way of getting out." Mikasa stared at her fingers; it wasn't like she wanted to go into the details of how she thought they were gonna die so she tried to tell him how she felt, that she tried to kiss him. She felt the heat rising to her face just thinking about it.
"Eren couldn't shift and I was hurt." She struggled trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach when she thought of the things he said to her, the promises he made. "So he saved us and carried me out. That's all else that would have happened."
Hanji was quiet for a moment but Mikasa could see that smile pulling at her lips before she made a noise of understanding.
"What?"
Hanji shook her head. "It just makes sense now."
"What does?" Mikasa was pretty sure she hadn't said anything of importance, juts how her and Eren managed out alive.
"Eren's sudden behavior chance. It took something happening to you, something seemingly life threatening to you that made him realize that life, I'm assuming your life in particular, is not guaranteed no matter how strong you are. Again, I'm just assuming, but I think it was enough to make Eren see the error in his behavior." Hanji didn't hold back her grin now. "I'd say he realized he almost lost someone very important to him."
Mikasa thought her face was on fire. "I doubt that," she managed to say between her heart pounding in her ears at Hanji's words. "I'm nothing special to him."
"That's not true." She pushed herself up from her chair. "And I'd say he was the last person who realized it. It's getting late. I'll see you in the morning provided he wakes up. If not I'll be hiding in case you decide to take it out on me." Hanji gave her a small wave and that all knowing smile before heading out the door, closing it behind her.
Mikasa breathed a shaky breath of relief at finally being alone again. She looked down at Eren who seemed to be doing okay, even looking a little less flushed. She took the rag off his head and went to dunk it in the water before placing it back on his forehead.
Why did Hanji have to keep going on like that? Eren was just growing up; it had nothing to do with her. She saw the change the moment it happened, the moment he stepped in front of her blocking her from the titan. She saw how mature his face and expressions had grown, how tall he had gotten, his broad shoulders, his strong stance. Mikasa reached out to touch his face lightly. "Not that angry little boy anymore, huh?" she murmured gently.
Eren's eyes fluttered open causing Mikasa to quickly retract her hand. He let out a groan, reaching his hand to his head as he tried to sit up.
"Hey, just relax, okay?" Mikasa leaned forward to carefully push him back down, trying to bite back her smile at seeing his bright eyes again. Eren still looked out of it, trying to glance around the room to figure out where he was until his eyes landed on her, like he just realized she was in the room.
"Mikasa." His voice was thick, heavy, and she could tell his was still only half conscious.
"You've been sick for a few days," she reached up to take the rag off his forehead and place her palm up to his skin. "Your fever still hasn't broken so try and go back to sleep, alright?"
He nodded, his eyes dropping shut again. Mikasa wasn't sure if he understood what she was saying but he was coming out of it and that was all that mattered.
"Goodnight, Eren." She placed the cool rag on his head again before pushing herself up to her feet. He'd be okay overnight not that he had woken up at least. Her hand was on the doorknob when she heard her name. Mikasa turned to look at him; he was trying to say something but she couldn't understand. "Is something wrong?" she asked walking back to his bedside.
"Mikasa," he said again, a little more strongly but his face still looked flushed.
"Yes?"
"Stay please."
Her breath hitched in her throat at his words. Eren was drowsy, he probably didn't even know what he was saying, but how could she ever say no to him. "Okay," she nodded, sitting back down on the bed.
Eren moved over, slowly, but leaving enough room for her.
"Eren?" she questioned but he gestured weakly for her to come over. Mikasa hesitated, but she carefully crawled over until she was laying on her side next to him. It really wasn't too unusual; she'd slept by his side countless times but normally she was the one who came to him, not the other way around.
He didn't say anything for a moment, his half lidded eyes watching her, but he reached out and pulled her in. His body was hot, much hotter than normal but it was uncomfortable. Eren's arms were surprisingly firm around her, his head pressed against her neck. She carefully reached around him, her head falling onto his. His breathing seemed steady, his eyes already closed; Mikasa thought he fell asleep again.
"Thank you." His words were so quiet, she almost didn't hear him.
"For what?" she asked, but he didn't answer. She looked down before she saw the peaceful look of sleep on his face. Mikasa settled down against him, her own eyes closing.
For a moment, she let herself believe Hanji might've been right.