Pairing: Eren/Mikasa

Setting: Modern Day AU when they are in college

Words: 2080

Rating: K+

April 3rd – I Love You

"Hey, Ma!" Eren called out right when he opened the door to his house. He pulled his keys from the door and walked inside the large, but seemingly empty house. "Mom?"

Mikasa followed behind, her backpack slung over her shoulder and her gym bag in her hand.

He shut the door once she was inside, the sound of it echoing in the hallway. "I figure my dad isn't home, I'm sure he's working but my mom's car is here so I'm not sure where she could be."

"In the garden?" Mikasa asked, dropping her gym bag for a moment to stretch her arms over her head. It was nice not to be in his car anymore; granted, two hours wasn't thatlong of a ride from their campus to back home but it was still a while to be cramped in a car.

"Maybe, and before you say it, I did tell her we were coming to visit this weekend," he said, walking backwards to the kitchen where there were two glass doors that lead to the garden.

Mikasa rolled her eyes but she couldn't resist the smile on her face. "Did you tell her what time we were coming?"

"I think I see her in the garden," he said quickly turning away. "The guest room should be all set for you!" The way Eren quickly hurried out the door told Mikasa all she needed to know in that regard. They might have been older now, but some things never changed.

She headed up the familiar staircase and walked up the hallway she played hide and seek in countless times as a kid. The guest room was the second room on the left; it hadn't changed either. She put her bags on the bed but didn't linger too long; after all, she never spent much time in there even to sleep. Carla knew that, of course, but Mikasa thought Carla kindly ignored it when she'd wake up in the morning to find Mikasa asleep where Eren and Armin had fallen asleep.

Mikasa closed the door behind her and walked the even more familiar path to the room across the hall, the room she knew much better. Eren's room hadn't changed at all again; save for that Carla kept it much cleaner than Eren ever did now that he was away at college most of the year. Mikasa spent almost her whole life playing at the Jaeger's that sometimes it felt more like coming home here than it did going to her own home; that wasn't even an option this weekend since her parents were on vacation.

She walked across the room marveling at the fact there weren't clothes laying around the floor, though she was pretty sure that would change by the time they left on Sunday. There were a few new picture frames on the desk that Carla must have put up to fill up the black space where Eren used to keep his laptop. There was one of Eren and his parents when he was little, and then a more recent one at their high school graduation. There were a few of Eren with Mikasa and Armin but one caught her eye more than the others. She reached to pick up the picture with the black frame; it must have been a rare day when Armin wasn't with them because the picture was just her and Eren.

They had to be no more than fifteen years old at the time and obviously had no idea Carla was taking a picture. Mikasa vaguely remembered that it was a snow day; Armin was there but he was helping his grandpa shovel the driveway so he left for a little bit. The picture was Mikasa laying across the couch, a few blankets piled over her and her head on Eren's lap. She must have been talking to him or something because he had a smile on his face as he watched her; just looking at the picture had a smile pulling at her lips. At that point Mikasa already had her ridiculous crush on her best friend, and here she was six years later with the same ridiculous crush on the same boy.

"What're you looking at?"

Eren's sudden voice nearly made Mikasa dropping the picture she was holding. "Your mom put out some pictures," she shrugged, trying to put the frame down with her now shaky hand, and so Eren wouldn't see the picture she had been staring at.

"It figures." Eren rolled his eyes but he was still smiling so he seemed to be in fine spirits. "I did find her, she was in the garden. She said she'd make us lunch if we were hungry."

"Okay," Mikasa nodded, walking to follow Eren out the door, and closing it behind her.

It really was ridiculous honestly; who had a crush on the same guy since you were a kid? Mikasa asked herself that almost every day all through high school. She had hoped once they went to college that she would find guys who had similar interests to her and that she'd finally be able to move on from the guy who only ever saw her as just his childhood friend. Plenty of guys had asked her out even within freshman year, plenty of nice attractive guys but Mikasa found herself turning them all down and spending her time in Eren and Armin's dorm room more often than not. In fact, her roommate, Sasha, constantly teased that she was gonna forget what Mikasa looked like.

Mikasa had just given into the fact that she was hopeless.

"There you are, sweetheart," Carla's voice called from the kitchen when Mikasa and Eren stepped onto the first floor of the house. Mikasa didn't even have a chance to get further since Carla already had her in a hug; Mikasa didn't mind.

"Hi, Aunt Carla," she said giving the woman she had known for years and years a hug back.

"Are you hungry?"

"For your food, always."

Carla made some kinda happy and flattered noise as she let Mikasa go.

"Good one!" Eren called from the living room to where he had sat down on the couch. "Now she'll make us something real good."

Carla rolled her eyes as she moved back to the kitchen, but her smile was still as bright as ever. "You bet I'll make her the good stuff. What do you want, Eren, instant mac and cheese or soup in a can?"

"Mom," Eren rolled his eyes turning back to look at her.

"Where's Armin? I thought he was coming back too."

"He has a project that's due on Monday," Mikasa answered, following Eren into the living room. "He sends his love though."

Carla hummed happily in response as she started to pull out some food from the fridge.

Mikasa sat down on the couch, kicking her feet up on the cushion to face Eren. "Do you have any homework to work on this weekend?"

"Mikasa, please," he groaned, rolling his head back against the couch cushion dramatically. "It's Friday, let's not speak of homework until Sunday afternoon."

"Remind me again how you do well in class?"

"It's a gift."

"Armin helps you doesn't he."

"Yeah, I'd be dead without him."

Mikasa laughed as she leaned back against the armrest. These were her favorite times; she loved Armin, he was her other best friend but she loved Eren, in a very different way. She loved the times she got to have him to herself and Mikasa was always surprised how much she actually did get him to herself. Eren dated a few girls in high school but it was never more than just a few dates and that was it; he hadn't met anyone in college, well, at least that Mikasa knew of. She honestly didn't know why, though she wasn't going to question it; Eren was gorgeous, and funny, and kind, any girl would be lucky to have him. She wished she was that lucky.

"What's wrong?"

Mikasa's head snapped up not realizing she had drifted back to her thoughts. "Nothing," she gave him a small smile but he didn't look too convinced. "I'm just tired, we woke up pretty early."

"I believe that was your idea."

She reached over to swat at his shoulder but he caught her hand instead; that never happened.

He must've noticed how her eyes got wide because he got that smug look on his face Mikasa saw countless times. "Oh yeah, you were a little slow there weren't you."

Mikasa decided not to say was wasn't intentionally trying to hit him because then he wouldn't be able to catch her. "Oh yes, the black belt is a little slow."

"I put some food in the oven," Carla called from the kitchen. "I'm going out to the garden again so just call me when the timer goes off."

"Okay, Mom," Eren called back though he was still watching Mikasa.

She couldn't quite read the look that was in his eyes but it turned out she didn't have time to. Eren completely caught her off guard by lunging at her, his hands grabbing her sides. "Eren!" she gasped, trying desperately to ignore the heat that filled her chest at his touch.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't." He was grinning madly down out her, wiggling his fingers lightly to send her into a fit of laughter.

"Eren!" she cried again in-between laughter.

"Nope, not a good enough reason."

She gasped her laughter, her hands reaching out to grab a hold of his arms. "Okay, okay!"

Eren paused, looking down at her with those bright eyes she knew so well, his shaggy brown hair falling slightly in his face. "Well?" his voice was a little breathless, his smile still wide. He really was gorgeous.

It was out of her mouth before she even had a chance. "Because I love you."

There was a silence that settled between them as the gravity of her words not only hit her but judging by the way his eyes widened a bit, him as well. Mikasa's heart was racing in her chest as her mind tried and tried to find something to take those words back. "I uhh…I mean I do…I just…" she sputtered, panic rising in her. She tried to smile up at him but every part of her just wanted to cry. She promised herself she'd never tell him, that their friendship was worth so much more than her stupid feelings and she just blew all that up. She tried to think of something to make it better, to get him to stop looking at her like that but nothing would come.

She was about to just give up and leave but Eren's hold wasn't allowing it; he was still grasping onto her waist. Mikasa looked down at her hands that were still on his arms in complete shame; this was a disaster. Why wouldn't he just let her go so she could avoid him for the rest of the weekend? She felt him shift over her slightly causing her eyes to instantly look back up. She expected a lot of things from him, one of them was not his lips suddenly against hers.

Mikasa gasped aloud when she felt him kiss her, her eyes wide. It didn't seem to bother him too much though because he didn't pull away. Against her better judgment, Mikasa found herself melting into him; her eyes fluttered shut as she kissed him back. His kiss was careful but still confident at the same time and she couldn't resist a sigh that fell against his mouth.

His hands reached up from her waist to cup her face, keeping her close to him before he broke their kiss slightly, their noses nearly brushing against each other.

"What was that for," Mikasa breathed, feeling like she was unable to catch her breath.

"Easy," he murmured. "I love you too."

It was Mikasa who reached up for his face this time, pulling him back to her. She wasn't exactly sure what this was going to change, or how it was going to change things but Mikasa didn't care anymore. All she knew was she told him the truth (even if it was an accident). She really did love him but she also was loving how he kissed her, the way his body was pressed up against hers.

They'd worry about the oven timer later.