Pairing: Eren/Mikasa

Setting: Post Series; In an incredibly happy world where everyone lived and was still in the military

Words: 2184

Rating: K+

Notes: Anon requested a story where the whole 104th being still in the military post series. I'm really not great at writing stories where everyone is present so I did my best to at least mention everyone even if I didn't have them actually in the room. It was fun to write cause despite my not so happy headcanons for how the series will end I do like seeing them all happy together :3. The title is from "Home" by Philip Phillips.

Just Know You're Not Alone

Eren knew he had to wake up, he knew he had to get ready, get dressed, and get to work before he was late but his bed was so warm. Maybe just a few more minutes wouldn't be so bad…

"Eren, I hate to tell you but you can't stay in bed all day."

"Maybe I can," he murmured rolling onto his back. He felt two hands pressed up against his chest before the blanket was suddenly pulled off of him, the cool air of the bedroom making him shiver. He cracked an eye open though he very well knew who the culprit was.

Mikasa was already walking away, fully dressed in her uniform which didn't surprise Eren at all. He had no idea how she managed to get up and be ready before he could even get one leg outta bed.

"Hey," he called after her, his voice still tick with sleep. "That isn't the nicest way to wake someone up you know."

She stopped before she left the room and turned around, taking a slow walk back to their bed. She leaned over him, pressing her lips against his in a kiss that made Eren nearly sigh. "Good morning," she murmured against him.

He grinned against her, reaching his hands up with every intention of pulling her back down with him but one well timed hit against his stomach made him second guess his choice.

"Now, please, get up or we'll be late." She was smiling at him as she straightened herself up to actually leave the room this time. He knew she wasn't' mad; just punctual.

With a groan, Eren pushed himself outta bed. He ran a hand through his hair as he slowly made his way to the bathroom to get ready. He still thought the work day shouldn't even start till the sun came up. It never took him too long to get ready since he knew Mikasa liked to get down to base early to be able to eat breakfast with Armin.

"Did you sleep okay?" Eren asked when he walked into the living room of their small apartment, fingers still buckling up his upper harness.

She was nodding when he looked up at her, and he didn't miss the way she was trying to cover a yawn. "Don't look so surprised," Mikasa rolled her eyes. "Just because I can get up early doesn't mean I like to."

"There's still time to go back to bed and play hooky today." Eren started to pull on his boots since Mikasa was already standing by the door.

"You know Levi'd march straight here and kill the both of us, right?"

That was probably true. "Ah, it was a nice thought until then."

Mikasa tried to hold back a laugh but it didn't work. She handed Eren his long jacket, that matched the one she was already wearing, for him to shrug on while she opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Eren followed, buttoning up his jacket while Mikasa locked their door and started down the hallway of their building.

He sighed when he dropped his hands to his sides, making the familiar walk down the stairs and out into the brisk morning air; granted, he wasn't sure if he counted before the sun rose morning. He knew he shouldn't complain. He'd take early mornings and working all day as opposed to not knowing if he or the people he loved were gonna make it out alive that day. Eren reached over to grab a hold of Mikasa's hand, lacing his fingers with hers. He'd wake up every morning if it meant she was still by his side.

"I take it Armin has the schedule for the day?" Eren asked, trying to bite back a yawn as the path left the residential area and moved onto the actual base.

"I didn't get one last night so I'm sure he does," Mikasa said, leaning against Eren a bit as she walked.

"New recruits today?"

"I believe so. We need them if the Commander is gonna go through with sending out the double the missions as we do now."

"Which means more work for us."

"But." Mikasa nudged him with her shoulder. "Less work for us in the long run if there're more people to go on missions."

"Nice try, Mikasa, but we're senior officers." He leaned in to press a kiss to her temple. "There'll always be more work for us."

The mess hall was just a little bit further away, Eren saw it past a few other buildings. There was some whistle blowing in the distance and he wondered which poor sucker was forced to get up to do the early training the recruits still in basic. He hoped it was Connie; that was always amusing to watch.

It was starting to get a bit lighter out, telling Eren the sun was coming up somewhere but that only meant he was about to have to get his own group of recruits to handle for the day. It was typically the same group, but it differed depending on what he was scheduled to take care of that day. Eren reached for the mess hall doors and held it open so Mikasa could step in.

The large room was pretty empty since the actual recruits on the base wouldn't be eating this early; it was basically just other officers and workers getting some coffee and food before they had to work. Armin was already waving at them from his spot at one of the tables.

"Good morning," he smiled as Eren and Mikasa took the seats across from him.

"How you and Mikasa manage to be alive this early in the morning astounds me," Eren yawned.

"You just got used to being lazy when we had our year off," Armin said, pushing a cup of coffee towards Eren, as well as a muffin and a piece of toast and jam for Mikasa. Eren really wasn't sure how Armin functioned this early.

"Yeah, yeah," Eren rolled his eyes, taking a bite of his muffin. It was probably true.

"What's on the schedule for today?" Mikasa asked, munching at her own food.

Armin looked down at the familiar schedule in front of him. "Let's see. I'm in the research department for the whole day which isn't too much of a surprise but I do have to teach a class in the department as well. Eren, you're with the new, new recruits today and the introduction ceremony."

Eren nearly choked on his muffin. "Seriously? Levi knows I suck at that. Why me?"

"Probably because everyone knows who you are." Armin arched an eyebrow. "And because it gets the new recruits excited if you're there."

Eren grumbled into his cup of coffee while Mikasa gave him a sympathy pat on the back; her laughter kinda took away the effect though. It's not that Eren hated being in front of people, he trained plenty of recruits every single day; he just didn't find himself that personable to be able to greet all these wide eyed newbies. Well, better him than Levi who would probably send all the kids running with one look.

"I wouldn't look so amused, Mikasa," Armin said. "You're with him."

She blinked at him. "Then whose doing the physical training if they're taking me and Eren away all day?"

Armin skimmed down the list. "It looks like…Annie and Reiner are taking over hand to hand combat, Sasha is doing weapon training like usual, Jean and Bertholdt have 3D Gear training and Connie is with the last new recruit batch that's still in basic."

Eren was right this morning then. He'd have to make an excuse to go see that one; giving Connie a hard time was too easy.

"Well, it's not a bad line up," Mikasa said. "Just why're we getting stuck in the ceremonies all day?"

Armin shrugged. "Did you do something to piss Levi off recently?"

"Don't look at me like that," Eren snorted, biting into as muffin and feeling both sets of eyes on them. "Didn't you just say I was important for moral or some shit."

"I'm kidding," Armin laughed, sipping on his own coffee. "Levi probably wants you there for the same reasons, Mikasa. While they'll probably recognize Eren the most, it's not like you aren't impressive. These are people we want to stay here in the Legion, Levi probably just wants to bring out all the big guns to do that."

"Does that mean we have to show all of them around base?" Eren practically had to bite back a groan at the thought.

"And their families."

Eren really did groan this time; families asked too many questions and Eren had a hard time keeping his patience. Well, now that he thought about it, that's probably why Levi stuck Mikasa with him to make sure he behaved and stayed relaxed.

"Maybe it won't be so bad," Mikasa shrugged. "After all, we do need the recruits."

"It honestly makes sense it's you two," Armin said, though the smile on his lips said his next thought wasn't gonna be quite as innocent. "After all, might as well show them the Scouting Legion's prettiest to get the recruits of both genders to stay."

"That's not true, buddy." Eren gestured his hand that was holding the muffin towards Armin. "They would've brought your blond hair and blue eyed beautiful self if that was true."

Armin snorted and rolled his eyes. "I'm not quite as exciting as you two are."

"Hey guys!" Sasha was another person Eren never understood how she was so perky in the morning. She must load up on coffee or something. "Didja hear?" She was practically bouncing so Eren thought his assumption was accurate.

"That Mikasa and I got roped into being the newbie's babysitters today?" Eren grunted.

"Well, yeah, but that's because you two are enough to impress them all, well, just try not to open your mouth too much, Eren, but that's not the news I mean."

Mikasa put her hand on Eren's shoulder to stop him from biting back at Sasha. "What news is it then?"

Sasha looked like she was about to burst. "Historia is coming to the ceremony too!"

"Wow," Armin whistled. "Hanji must really want these kids to stay. Just how many recruits are coming?"

Sasha looked like she was calculating numbers in her head. "Well, there's a few groups coming today but all together I think she said…a hundred? Maybe more?"

Eren choked on his coffee again. "She what!?"

"Hanji really isn't joking around about these new recruits," Mikasa said, rubbing Eren's back as he coughed.

"That's because we need them." As if on cue, the Commander herself was standing behind Sasha, grinning widely. "I take it you two know what you have planned for the day so come on we have some briefing meetings to go over while we wait for Historia, and I'm sure Ymir will be with her as well, to arrive." Hanji rubbed her hands together. "Let's go!"

Eren was beginning to think he was the only damn person on this base who wasn't a morning person. He pushed himself to his feet while Armin mouthed an "I'm sorry" but the jerk didn't look too sorry. Mikasa took Eren's side again as they followed Hanji to the door, Sasha waving eagerly after them.

Hanji draped both her arms around Eren and Mikasa's shoulders as she walked them outside. "Please don't be mad I picked you two, I know you both hate doing it but you're the best faces for the job. We need these recruits."

"I've already given my life to the Scouting Legion, why not give my sanity too," Eren rolled his eyes.

"That's my boy," Hanji laughed, squeezing his shoulder. "What about you, Mikasa, are you okay with it?"

Mikasa looked over to Eren, a smile on her lips. "Well, it could be worse."

"And that's my girl!" Hanji gave them both another squeeze before letting them go. "I'll try to keep this as painless as possible."

Eren bumped into Mikasa's side reaching an arm around her waist as Hanji walked a little faster to get to whatever meeting room they were going to in the main building. "What'd you mean it could be worse?"

She leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked. "At least I get to be with you all day today."

Eren couldn't help the way his heart melted a bit; Mikasa always had that effect on him. "And I get to spend the day calling out newbies who think it's okay to drool over you."

"Eren," she laughed. "I'm pretty sure that's gonna be against Hanji's rules today."

"I don't care. It'll be worth the yelling afterwards to see the look on those kid's faces."

Mikasa was laughing again, and even after all these years it was still like music to his ears.

The sun was almost completely up in the sky overhead, making it finally morning in Eren's eyes. Okay, maybe it wouldn't be that bad today