Pairing: Eren/Mikasa

Setting: Post Series; Very long post series where they're both much older

Rating:K

Words: 1939

Notes: A request from Jason! I had one left back when I asked him, so he got the last one. He asked for them at an old age surrounded by their family ^^ You have no idea how many times I actually almost turned this really sad but I didn't, even if it was really tempting just for the feels. This one is just a happy little piece about their lives together. The title is from a Cole Porter song called "True Love" sung by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly in the movie "High Society".

So On and On It Will Always Be

There were so many people in the field that night. Most of whom Mikasa knew by name and face because most all of them were family. The thought alone made her smile as she over looked the variety of people sitting around tables, eating, talking, just enjoying the warm summer afternoon; most were dancing in front of the band that was playing at the head of the party as the sun set in the background. Everyone looked to be having a good time which is all Mikasa really wanted.

A few little ones ran by her table, laughing in whatever game they were playing. Two of them she didn't recognize, probably kids from town, but the other two she knew; those were her great-grandchildren Mikasa reached over to rub her arm, already feeling the dull ache in her joints hoping it would hold off just a little while longer so she could keep enjoying the night. She couldn't even believe it most of the time; that her own children were grown and then some of their children were grown enough to have their own children.

Mikasa never thought she'd lived to see such a day.

She sighed as she leaned back in her chair, the warm air blowing over her body and soothing out some of the aches. She could see her oldest, Nicolas, who always was a splitting image of his father even at an older age now. He was talking to his son who was now a man himself and who inherited some of his looks from his grandfather. The sight alone made Mikasa smile; even long after they were gone, bits of her and Eren would still be around, passed along down their future generations.

Eren was always less concerned about himself and more that their kids would look like her, that her family would have a lasting presence in the world, that it wasn't forgotten. Nicolas and Carla always had Eren's looks, but Isabelle, sometimes Mikasa felt like she was looking in the mirror when she looked at Iz. It didn't stay just with her either; Isabelle's son who was still a child himself looked more like Levi; something the older Ackerman was always pretty smug about before he passed.

Mikasa cleared her throat, trying to make the sudden lump go away. Most of her friends, her family had lived far longer than any of them ever expected but death is a part of life and one by one, they all had to leave.

"Are you okay, Mama?"

Mikasa looked over to see Riley, her youngest but still a man himself, standing behind her, a hand on her shoulder. "Oh, yes, I'm fine. Just enjoying the sights."

"Okay," he said with a smile. He was more of a mix of them; Mikasa's dark hair but Eren's bright eyes, her warm smile but his strong jaw. "You wanna come with me? I was gonna find Carla."

"Oh, no, that's okay," Mikasa said. "I don't mind waiting here. You go on."

"Okay, if you're sure."

"Always."

Riley smiled at her again before walking off into the crowd to find his oldest sister.

It was a sight to behold indeed. Mikasa's family, which used to just include herself and her parents, then Eren and his parents, and then just Eren and Armin was now all of this; children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When she was a teenager, a solider, she never thought she'd see it but here she was. She lived through it all to have a family larger than she ever dreamed.

The music was still playing along happily, some upbeat number that had everyone dancing and had her foot tapping against the ground. She wasn't sure who the players where, her kids hired them; well, they planned this whole thing to begin with. The wanted a celebration even though Mikasa was fine staying home. She couldn't complain though, this was nice too. There was nothing better than seeing the people she loved enjoying themselves and being happy. She knew there was no greater gift.

"Why're you sitting out here all alone?" The voice was soft though she heard the amusement in his tone, the smile on his lips.

She turned her head to see Eren leaning over her shoulder. He was older of course, much, much older than the first time they met but his eyes, they never changed. They were still as bright and as full of life as they were when he was nine years old. "Waiting for you to finally show up."

"Now that's not my fault. Blame that guy. He took his sweet time walking up here." Eren waved vaguely over to where a white haired man was getting a big hug from Isabelle.

"I will blame Armin for no such thing. You were the one probably taking your time," Mikasa said, reaching over to hit him gently in the chest.

"Well, I suppose I can't deny that." He was grinning though and it was absolutely impossible not to smile when he got like that. "Can I make it up to you?"

"Oh, how do you propose on doing that?"

He held his hand out to her. "May I have this dance?"

Like she'd ever say no. With a smile pulling at her lips she placed her hand in his and he carefully helped her to her feet. The music slowed down as Eren walked her closer to where the band was, where the others slowed their dancing as well. When he felt they were close enough he turned to face her, wrapping both his arms around her waist as he started to sway back and forth in time with the music playing. She reached her hands up around his neck and followed his lead.

It wasn't much of dancing because neither of them had ever been that great at that particular social event but he was here with her, and that was really all she wanted. She loved her family, but it would be nothing without Eren.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked. "When you were sitting there alone."

"Oh, you know, the usual," she shrugged. "That I can't believe we lived to see this."

"It's strange isn't. It feels like life was never different than it is from now, but it used to be so different."

"We were just children back then. It didn't seem like it at the time, but we were babies."

"We were," he said thoughtfully. "But we survived, we survived that and a lot more."

Mikasa leaned forward to rest her head against his shoulder. Isabelle was still talking to Armin on the other side of the dance area, her long black hair flowing down her back, young face smiling up at the man she knew her whole life. "Hey," Mikasa said, nudging him so he'd look over. "You remember when I looked like that?"

"Mikasa," he snorted, looking back over to her. "You still look like that."

She pushed back to look him in the eye. "We've been married for fifty years, Eren. You don't have to suck up to me anymore."

"I'm not," he said, though he was laughing. "Same beautiful black hair." Eren reached his hands up her back to tug on it lightly for his point. "Same dark eyes, warm expressions, same heart, same woman."

"Just with gray hairs and an aching body now."

"In my eyes you still look like you're sixteen again."

"Liar," she said with a laugh.

Eren leaned his face in a little closer to hers, that typical smile on his lips, the one that never changed from the day she met him. "Are you telling me that you don't see look at me like we were kids?"

Well, it was true; that was his eyes though. No matter how old he got he still had that boyish charm he always did, he still had that energy, that passion. She looked back to meet those eyes she loved so much and for a moment everyone else seemed to just fade away. The laughter turned distance, the music light in her ears.

Eren looked so young, as young as they were when they left the military years and years ago. She could see the happiness in his face, the excitement at the prospect of living a new life, a free one but she could also see the scars that cut deep; the ones that no matter how fast his body healed would never leave him. She could see him in his old uniform, the tan faded and the straps over his body worn out but his hands still held her tight, held her close.

Mikasa felt lighter, like years and years had been taken off of her, like she was a kid again herself. The world around them was so brighter, brighter than it should be at night. A smile pulled at her lips as she watched Eren, swaying back and forth to the distant music. The look in his eyes told her he was looking at her the same, like all those years past weren't so past. She understood what he meant; that he always saw her the same, because she saw him the same. He was the same reckless, passionate boy he always had been, and she was the same strong, adoring girl she had always been. Some things time could never change.

He leaned in to kiss her and she melted all over again. Time could never change that; not now, not ever. When Eren pulled away they were back where they were just moments before, the lantern illuminated field surrounding them, the many voices coming back to them; their friends, their kids, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

"Would you ever go back and change anything?" he asked, his eyes still watching her.

Mikasa shook her head. She didn't even really have to think about it. "Not one bit." Maybe it was cruel. All the lives she could've saved should she have known what she knew now, but the way their life was led them to this, to this moment right here, and that she would never want to change. She only ever wanted to see Eren happy, to see him smiling. Mikasa would do everything she could to make sure that happened time and time again.

Her legs gave out a little, old injuries acting up but Eren was there to hold her up against him just like he always had. Her head leaned against his shoulder again and her eyes fluttered shut. "I'd go back and do it all over again with you."

He chuckled, hand moving to hold her back, keeping her steady against him. "Me too."

They lived through hell, and then had a piece of heaven for so many years. She didn't know what would come next, what it would be like when their time came, many years after they thought it would. She didn't know if this was it, nothing to come but being laid to rest next to the one person she loved for so long or if there was another life to come, one without war and one without suffering where she'd get to see her friends again, where she'd get to be with Eren again. Regardless of what was to come, she knew it would be okay. She led a good life here. They led a good life here.

Whatever was next was a new adventure; one she knew would be okay if Eren was still by her side and she knew he always would be. He promised after all and Eren never broke a promise to her.