Connie and Jean stand around the entrance to the lobby, clearly bored and impatient despite only having waited for about a minute. Mikasa quietly walks up from their side, Eren following closely behind her to join them.

"What's their main serving? Eggs, I'm guessing." Jean sputters, still a bit drowsy and not entirely looking forward to a breakfast served by the hotel.

Connie shrugs, himself a bit drowsy still, "Looks like it, but I don't know."

Eren and Mikasa stop beside them, looking around the lobby at the quarter-filled seating arrangements.

A hotel employee, presumably a waiter from the restaurant going off his approach and his clothing, walks up to the four of them. "Good morning! Seating for four?" the man pauses very briefly, either not really expecting an answer or just assuming he is correct, "Right this way."

"No." Mikasa cuts him off with an even tone, "We are waiting for one more."

"Oh, I see. My mistake." The waiter bows lightly, acknowledging his error, "Would you prefer to wait for your friend, or would you like me to show you a table that will suit your group?"

Connie, Jean, and Mikasa glance around at one another in a muted interrogation. Eren stands, implacably continuing to survey the room – studying the table arrangements, doorways, reddish theming, and occupants.

"We'll take that table," Eren points to an unusual semi-circular table with five chairs on the opposite side of the room from them. Adding a light layer of manners over his request, he tacks on a final, "Please."

The waiter follows his direction, recognizing the table. A pause while he considers whatever order the restaurant seating may have, or some other such guidelines before turning back to Eren and the group, "Very well. Follow me; if you will."

The four step off in the direction the waiter leads them, winding around an empty salad bar for lunch and dinner times before bee-lining for the table. Eren glances backwards as they approach the table, noticing Armin's familiar blond hair and figure walk into the area the group was gathered moments ago. He keeps walking, but partially turns around and raises and arm in the air, waving Armin over. Armin catches Eren's tall figure waving at him from across the dining room. His blonde hair rustles as he acknowledges Eren and begins pacing over to the group.

Mikasa sits first, taking the second chair on the flat side of the semi-circle while Connie and Jean take to the closest seats to the lobby entrance on the crescent side. Eren sweeps himself into the chair beside Mikasa.

The original waiter spreads out drink glasses and fills them with ice water. He pulls an extra menu that was accidentally left on the table at some point and addresses the group just as Armin reaches the final seat, "Your waitress will be Shishan. She will be with you momentarily." The man walks off, disappearing behind an "Employees Only" door nearby.

Connie wastes no time plopping his elbow on the tabletop and lackadaisical skimming over the breakfast menu as he rests his face on his fist. Jean sits a little more upright as he quickly discovers what he wants and drops the laminate back to the table without second thought.

Armin glances around the group quietly studying everyone. "You all don't seem all that enthusiastic for our trip today."

Mikasa hums to herself, barely audible as she muses the options. Eren glances up from the menu at Armin but doesn't say anything before Jean does.

"Eh, you're the lead on this one. Not us." Jean stretches in his chair, leaning back like he would in a school classroom with a mildly interesting subject, "I think we're more just weary from that hike Eren insisted on yesterday."

"Oh, yeah? Or are you saying that just because you got a nice facewash when you tripped and slid down that frozen gulley?" Connie's mood lifts noticeably, finishing with a warm laugh reminiscing at Jean's unusual clumsiness. Armin laughs with Jean, flashing his teeth as he puts down his menu. Connie continues, adding, "Cuz' normally that sounds like something I would do." He chuckles a little harder, "But noo, not this time!"

Eren grins broadly and Mikasa allow a slight smirk as Jean's forehead shades his eyes. He grits his teeth trying to think of a good comeback, but fails to find anything and simply retorts, "Well maybe don't distract me while we're crossing an isthmus, Connie."

Connie snorts at him, continuing to laugh. Eren rips off a piece of his paper napkin and crumples it up, flicking it at Jean.

Jean sneers as he feels the light sting of the paper bounce off his cheek. "Hmm, you didn't fall over? You seem fine to me," Eren teases him with a continued grin.

Mikasa drops the menu from her focus and places it over top of Armin's. Eren and Connie continue to skim over their menus with some disinterest.

Two or three minutes pass in silence.

Connie drops his menu unenthusiastically, "Ehh. Alright."

A shortish woman with dirty blonde hair of roughly their same age range walks up and stops beside the table, wearing the same attire as the first employee. "Hello, I am Shishan. I'll be your waitress this morning. Can I start you off with any beverages?" she plainly launches into the typical play.

The group turns to make eye contact with the woman. Eren speaks first, "Yes, orange juice please," looking her in the eye as she mentally notes his order, then drops his head back to the menu. Shishan pauses briefly as she catches Eren's eye, almost missing his order before composing herself and continuing around the table.

Armin and Mikasa pass, preferring water. Jean seconds Eren's interest in OJ. Connie asks for a dark roast coffee with some milk and sweetener. Before anyone can push for main orders the woman chirps in acknowledgement then disappears through the same "Employees Only" door.

The guys look at Eren, the only one undecided. "Well? What is it?" Jean prods him. Mikasa remains static, sitting up straight and proper.

Armin barely notices her right bicep rotate, but pays it no mind. Eren's eyes open suddenly and sweep over the table towards Armin before catching himself.

He chokes a bit as he pulls his water glass away from his lips and sets it on the table with a thud. Stuttering a bit, he tries to cover himself, "Ah, no. I'm good. Ready whenever."

Connie and Jean turn to look at one another with a mild frown, but not holding any suspicions.

Shishan returns a few moments later with a small platter holding their drinks, readily distributing the orders to the handful who ordered. She sets Connie's coffee, milk additive, and sugar down on a small saucer beside him. She slaps the tray to her side crisply, "Good? All ready to order now?" She asks, looking around the table seeing all the menus set aside.

She collects their orders quietly, jotting them down on a small notepad as she stands beside and behind Jean and Connie. Eren grimaces strangely again just before Shishan's ordering walks around to his turn.

Armin and Jean frown at Eren, bothered by his rather marginal manners today. Eren tries to ignore them and orders a very light meal, essentially a side dish. As Shishan pauses to scribble down his order, Mikasa speaks up in another even, matter-of-fact tone, "You should eat, Eren"

Eren squints at her, his head turning towards her very slightly. A growing rumble builds from his throat, but chokes it back before anyone else hears.

Mikasa remains straight and proper – appearing to ignore Eren's strange behavior and overlooking any of the looks Armin and Jean give Eren.

Shishan ruffles her brow as she turns to Mikasa. Mikasa perks up slightly, looking up from a level gaze to meet the waitress's eyes; requesting a fairly sizeable egg dish before Shishan moves on to Armin. Another moment passes as she writes down the final order then quickly excuses herself.

Armin leans back in his chair comfortably, catching Eren rocking his head back and forth as if stretching. He completes the motion and leans forward on the table, clearing his throat before mildly turning towards Armin, "Armin, you said the ferry leaves in an hour, right?"

Armin nods, "Yup. And it will take about twenty minutes to walk down to the dock."

Eren nods with an excessive exaggeration, "Okay. Cool." He pauses a moment, then continues, "So we should probably eat fairly quickly, then."

Mikasa interjects suddenly, "We'll need to return to our room before we leave, in that case." Jean waves a hand in acknowledgement. Connie tests the temperature of his coffee, drawing a deep breath of its inviting odor.

Armin notices her right bicep flex again, seemingly rotating inconspicuously.

Connie moans unconcernedly, his head sweeping up and around the room's large ceiling, "Ahh, whatever gets us there."

Eren tips himself forward again, wiping a hand over his brow quickly and stealing a sideways glance at Mikasa. Armin's attention centers on the pair as he notices Eren's left arm rotate similarly to Mikasa's.

He quickly connects the dots.

Armin stoops over the table – a slow facepalm covering his face, suppressing a resigned groan, and a mild, humorous snort.

Mikasa continues to ignore virtually any external inputs to her senses, sitting up almost straight and prim, albeit now somewhat more against the backrest of the chair than before. Eren's fingers slip between her legs in a noiseless retaliation.

Her first audible breath flows over the table. Jean and Connie pay it no mind. Armin turns his head away, more towards the two absentminded guys beside him in a desire to be separate from the subtle squall.

Eren scrapes a fingernail over her crotch, catching the rumples of her pants. Her upper lip trembles almost imperceptibly. Now on the offense, Eren presses his attack. His fingers roughly scrape against the fabric between her legs just as he nods his head towards Connie, "You've really taken to coffee since we've gotten off the island." Eren prompts Connie, "How's that cup?"

Connie finishes a swig, tasting the dark roast before adding his preferred milk and sugar. "Hmm.. Pretty good actually." He pinches the sugar packet, pouring some of it into the black liquid, "Still like to tone down the bitterness, though."

Eren's fingers complete another pass, quickly sinking his whole hand between her thighs and grating four of his finger nails up her crevice. Mikasa audibly moans, but remains even enough from the others' perspectives to just appear as if she was thinking out loud. Still, they give her a momentary, puzzled look. His fingers trace back down her thighs.

Her arm twitches, trying to catch his hand before he asserts another stroke. She looks at him from the corner of her eye. Eren meets her sideways gaze, letting a faint grin crease over his face as he completely faces her. Connie coughs unexpectedly.

Eren and Mikasa both snap to him, openly embarrassed. But Connie merely looks down at his coffee with a disgusted look, "Ah! This milk is bad!" He sets down the coffee with a clatter and waves an arm in the air as he notices their waitress by the empty salad bar. She turns and begins walking over.

Eren and Mikasa glance at each other momentarily, collectively sighing as the waitress approaches.

"Something I can help you with, Sir?" she comes to a smart stop beside the table.

Connie points at his coffee, "Yeah. I'm going to need a fresh cup and a different milk. This is spoiled.. or something." he ruffles his nose as he indicates the milk additive she had given him.

Shishan apologies and removes the cups from the table, setting off towards the kitchen.

Connie leans back in his chair with his arms over top of his head, sighing at the disappointing break in his coffee. His head shifts around as he finds a comfortable position for his arms. "Mikasa, why're you so stuffy this morning?"

Eren leans over the table some, resting his exposed elbow on the table and looking at the woman beside him expectantly. His left, hidden eyebrow raising with a juicy ironic intrigue while doing his best to suppress a grin. He tries to run his hand back up her valley, but her hand holds him steady.

He uses his fingers instead.

Mikasa resists the temptation to look back at him, instead meeting Connie's bored gaze, "Eh. Still just a bit drowsy." She pauses heavily, "And distracted."

Connie "Hmms" without second thought, slumping into his chair even more as he waits for his food. Eren waits another breath before retreating, himself slumping back in his chair nonchalantly as his hand struggles against Mikasa's increasingly iron grip. He tugs on his hand, giving up.

For now.

A few minutes pass in relative silence, just a few short exchanges between Armin and Jean regarding something about a historical site near their destination – Eren, Mikasa, and Connie aren't really paying attention, albeit Eren and Mikasa for very different reasons.

The "Employees Only" door opens briskly, Shishan backing out as she holds a pair of trays with their orders.

She carefully stoops up to the table and sets down Jean's plate first, quickly followed by Eren's. She sneaks a sly glance at him as she skirts his plate in front of him. Her dirty blonde hair furls outward as she turns and walks around the table to give Armin and Connie their food. Then curtly places Mikasa's plate. She stands up straight, glancing over the five heads as she takes a breath, "Anything else I can do for you?"

Armin looks up at hear graciously, "No, I think we're okay. Thank you," he finishes warmly.

Shishan nods briskly, then hesitates for a second before walking away. Armin glances up at Eren, briefly studying him to see if he noticed Shishan's behavior at all.

Eren, either oblivious or completely ignoring it, takes to his morsels of food. As do the rest of them, eating in a relative silence only broken by the occasional clinking of silverware and other patrons' conversations.

Eren, nearly finished well ahead of everyone else because of his smaller helping, allows his left hand to slip below the tabletop again. Mikasa immediately notices his movement, but does nothing to stop him as she is in the middle of cutting the remaining half of her omelet. His fingers creep over her leg, slowly and deliberately like a stalking spider.

He sighs loudly as he finishes his food, slumping back into his chair again while his fingers crawl over her leg. Mikasa slips a forkful of egg into her mouth and chews slowly, feeling his fingers dip into the warm area between her legs again. She breathes deeply, her fingers turning white on the silverware in her hands.

Armin notices her tense suddenly and fails to suppress a glance at Eren as a result. He sees his arm shift under the table. Armin frowns at Eren from the corner of his eye, though he remains oblivious to Armin's vain eye daggers.

His fingers creep all the way into the crease between her legs.

Eren gestures at a painting hung on the wall behind Jean and Connie, "Jean, is that artwork of the 798 Hizuru flash-point in Shigamitsu?"

Jean furrows his brow at Eren, then hesitantly turns around part way and glances at the wall Eren gestured at. Connie follows Jean with a spade of curiosity.

Eren buries his hand between Mikasa's legs with an adamant energy. He grips her thigh and jostles his hand back and forth fervently as Connie and Jean look away. Mikasa presses her wrists to the table to steady herself.

"Eren," She quietly interrupts him, a growing awareness of her discomfort with the situation. She focuses on trying not to blush, however difficult.

Jean turns back, "I'm not sure. Kind of looks like their infrastructure and military equipment though. But how would I know?" Eren rapidly eases off, merely keeping his hand between her legs as he looks to respond.

"I know you said you have been studying the military history of some of these new nations we've been learning about, especially as we explore them," Eren begins explaining. "I was curious if you happen to know."

Jean muses out loud, "Eh. Well, most of what I have read about Hizuru so far has primarily been the differences between their military strategy compared to others, especially Marley. Maybe better to just say the difference between titan and non-titan augmented warfare, actually." He waves his fork in the air and resumes eating, "That stuff mostly."

Mikasa feels his fingers flare. His fingers resume a steady pace, itching back and forth over the seam in her pants with the subtleness of a cat looking for food from its owner.

"Have you re-" Eren continues the conversation, but is quickly cut off.

"Babe…"

Everyone at the table pauses suddenly, casting an eye at Mikasa's unusual choice of public words. Armin's previously mild furrow deepens to an open frown.

Eren looks at her, trying to mirror the somewhat unusual attention the rest of the table gives her while keeping a smooth tone, "Hm?"

The clinking of silverware returns to the table with some hesitation, but their attention remains partially focused on the interaction between the pair. Jean eyes Eren suspiciously, but says nothing.

Mikasa says nothing more, simply drooping her head slightly and looking directly at him – her eyes flaring carefully. She catches his attention fully, a silent exchange between them occurring rapidly. He withdraws his hand placably and takes a swig from the remaining OJ in his glass.

"Okay," he begins to stand, looking down as he counts out some cash and drops enough to pay for a little more than three of their meals. "I need to stop by the front counter anyhow," he pulls out the room key and drops it on the table beside Mikasa, "I'll meet you in the room afterward…" he tries to choose his words carefully but finds himself largely walking into the blind and his brain just reaches out for the first thing it finds comfortable enough… or something, "Beautiful."

Eren walks away without pause. Ehh… smooth Eren.. real smooth. He brushes his lip absently as he rounds the corner of the salad bar and leaves the restaurant.

Mikasa tips her head towards her plate, occupying herself with her food while using her bangs to cover her face.

Armin stares at Eren as he walks away, then silently observes Mikasa for several seconds before finishing off his plate.

Jean drops his fork, disinterested in the remaining food as he stretches a lanky leg out from the side of the table and groans.

Shishan strides up to the table, noticing Eren's absence well before reaching the group. "Are you all set? Should I bring the tab for you?" she pauses briefly as most of the group refocuses on her, "Separate or together?"

Armin answers first, "Together." His hands tuck away under the table briefly and pull out the remaining money necessary to pay for their meals. He hands the cash to Mikasa, finishing his thought, "This should cover it." Mikasa neatly spreads the bills in her fingers without looking at the waitress before dropping them overtop of the money Eren left previously.

Shishan fingers the cash and leaves wordlessly.

Connie finishes the replaced coffee and tips it back onto the saucer, "Welp, I'm ready whenever."

Armin nods, "Me too."

Mikasa drops her fork despite a few more bites remaining on her plate, "Likewise." Armin looks at her intently, studying her with his familiarity of mind interested in her clearly ruffled disposition.

Jean stands, waving a hand over his shoulder, "I need to hit my room again first as well. I'll meet you guys out front in fifteen."

Connie stands too, following Jean. "I saw a coffee shop across the street earlier; I'll be out front later too. If not you'll know where I'll be."

Neither of them acknowledge the pair leaving, everyone assuming the same game plan for the day. Armin looks at Mikasa, now more relaxed but still clearly preoccupied. But he is unsure if he should say something.

Armin waits for the waitress to return with their change – he is unsure why Mikasa remains for the time being. Their silence continues.

Armin shifts around, not wholly comfortable remining quiet about his suspicions, even if some of it is based off of the privacy shared between the couple. "What's wrong?"

His question catches Mikasa off-guard. She looks up at him with an unexpected, "Hmm?" then breaks eye contact just as suddenly. "Oh… uh.."

Armin leans in, trying to increase the privacy of the conversation. He pushes his dishes aside, leaning on the table heavily as he ponders how to continue his approach. But very few coherent thoughts come to his mind that he feels he could say comfortably. His mind skips over several options, dismissing each for many of the same reasons of confidentiality or simply poor wording.

Shishan reappears, placing a single bill and a few coins on the table. She turns and stalks away in a single motion, "Good day."

Armin furrows his brow again, this time following Shishan's back as she walks off. She walks through the employee door again and vanishes from sight. Mikasa hands the money to Armin.

"Is it that waitress?" Armin starts, readily catching Mikasa's attention even though she wouldn't readily admit it. "I noticed she seems to have a thing for Eren. I doubt you missed it."

Mikasa stares at him somewhat blankly, but he knows her too well to be dissuaded by an opinion that her face contains no information. Armin snorts in response. "Do you think Eren even noticed?" Armin clears his throat roughly as he prepares his words ahead of time, "Ahe.. mm… while he was in the middle of…" Armin tries not to say it directly, instead dipping his head towards her just as Mikasa used her bangs to cover her face, completing his thought, "Y'know."

Mikasa blushes fiercely, more fully recognizing the extent to which Armin was completely aware of their mischievousness. Her head tips forward to hide behind her bangs again, but recognizes how fruitless the attempt would be with Armin and quickly catches herself. She doesn't say anything.

Armin nods in the direction of the hallway to their room, "Go talk with him about it." He follows up his suggestion with a reassuring smile.

Mikasa remains still for a moment, looking back at Armin before standing up steadily. A gentle smile broaching her face, "Thanks, Armin." He nods briefly in acknowledgement, preceding her departure.

Armin waits a minute as he finishes contemplating breakfast, finishing off his water before standing and leaving the restaurant.

Mikasa turns the corner into the long hallway toward their room. She sees Eren leaning against their doorframe far down the hall, looking her direction. She keeps her pace steady as she closes the distance.

Her hand pulls out the key and smoothly slips it into the keyhole without speaking. Eren looks down at her with a soft, considerate gaze. She opens the door and he follows her into the room.

The moment the door shuts behind them, Mikasa spins around to face Eren. But instead finds herself wordless, her hands up in a confused offense-defense argumentative position. Eren grabs her hands gently, pausing until they both feel their warmth. Slowly, he pulls her into him.

"I'm sorry," Eren admits to her earnestly.

Mikasa pouts, more at herself than at him, "No. It was me, I started it." Her head droops again, hiding behind her bangs, "I don't know what I was thinking."

Eren breaks a hand from their embrace, running his fingers under her jaw and tenderly lifts her head. "Don't be," He tries a reassuring smile, but finds it lacking.

Mikasa parts their hands and rubs her head, stepping away from him without saying anything more. Eren lets his hands drop to his sides with some palpable disappointment. Sensing her needing a bit of time he glances behind him, double checking the location of the divan before pacing backwards and dropping himself between two of its seat cushions. He stretches his arm over its backrest and raises a leg to rest on the other while he watches Mikasa finish pacing after a minute or so.

She stops a little more than an arms length away from him. "That woman… our waitress."

Eren ruffles his eyebrows, pulling the fragments of his memory of her back into mind. "Yeah?" he filters in the topic, "What about her?"

Mikasa finds herself unsure how to phrase the rest of her turmoil, partially because of the unclear storm rolling around in her head, partially because it just feels so obvious.

Eren catches onto the pieces quickly enough, though. "Oh," he exhales deeply, almost chuckling out loud. "Mikasa, since when do I care?"

Mikasa's mind races over the past years faster than she can keep up with: brief snippets of conversation and the bits of time he spent with Historia and any other women she can think of over the years. Especially those while he was cold and distant to her and the rest of the group…

He catches up with her thoughts too slowly, but tries to act decisively the best way he knows how – Instinctively.

Eren's upper lip and nose crinkle, fighting with the overwhelming desire to lay down the law with the familiarity of their tempered violence. But despite the conditioned response, he fully recognizes the obstacle as one that cannot be physically battled until one or the other remains standing. He breathes deeply, his face hardening as he consolidates his raw determination and the emotional fury he innately wants to unleash on her in order to right perceived wrongs... or simple misunderstandings.

"I love you."

It almost just bursts from his lips.

It… does just burst from his lips.

His intense glare at the innocent carpet flicks off as he snaps his attention to her face, taming his look to a resolved stare as their eyes meet.

Mikasa feels her heart flip around unexpectedly as the words sprout from his throat. She stands over him, something akin to stunned. Her breathing pauses.

But… I've known this. … Why am I so… 'ehhh', now?

Her figure softens slightly from a firm, entrenched stiffness.

Eren breathes, his eyes closing for a moment as he mediates himself. His figure too… relaxes.

An uncertain moment passes between them. He breathes deeply again, noticing she fails to do so.

Eren tightens his resolve again.

"Hey," he leans forward pertinaciously, "Hey, come here." His fingers whip around the air, motioning her towards him.

She hesitates, looking at him with some distance.

Eren closes the distance hastily, catching a loop on her jeans and firmly pulling her towards him. His arm sweep under her legs, the other snagging around her waist before he hefts her from the floor.

She allows him to act as he does, though herself unsure of where he is going with it.

He squeezes his arms together, pulling her over his lap with her legs bunched towards her chest. His hands connect on the opposite side of her and he looks at her with the familiar, determined intensity she knows well of him.

"This-" he squeezes her in his arms, "is mine." He lapses his grip, then reaffirms it as he nuzzles his head against hers, "You're mine." Mikasa blushes slightly, but the rush in her head still lingers. His arm steadily releases her legs, letting her rest them on the ground as she will. He keeps his head to hers for a long moment, hoping the moment sinks into her mind more deeply than he sees it on her face. Eren's free hand rises up to her face again, gingerly pressuring his thumb to her cheek and his palm over her jaw until their faces line up squarely.

His oceanic eyes pierce her attention brightly, exuding his ever-present willpower as he seeks the sparking behind her slate eyes. His hand falls away from her face, but not before conscientiously drawing a finger over her forehead, precisely standardizing the trident of her forward hair.

Her smiles at her warmly, a hand rubbing up her back.

Mikasa takes a deep breath, her eyes closing as she ruminates.

Drop the rope…

She exhales a long gust of air before her eyes flash open and a genial smile warms her face.

"I love you, too."

Eren smiles back, much more widely this time – breaking into an outright grin as his eyes dance back and forth between hers. His hand stops and presses against her back as he leans in and kisses her.

Mikasa returns the pressure, her lips interlocking with his in a warm glow. Her hand coaxes up to his face, brushing over his cheek and over his ear and hair. The kiss deepens as she feels the warm, enticing tide rise inside her once again.

Eren holds the kiss for several more breaths, then breaks away. His eyes skim up the wall to the clock, then out the window. "We should get going, they'll probably be waiting for us again."

Mikasa bottles up the ticklesome desire, breathing as she stands, "Yeah, you're right." Eren follows her to his feet.

She grabs a bag they've already prepared and throws it over her shoulder as she makes for the door. Eren lingers behind a moment, a fresh grin suiting his lingering as he eyes her up and down with the similar ticklish feeling confined by time and circumstance.

The door hinges open with a long, creaking yaw and Mikasa steps forward to go through the doorway.

A vaguely muffled clap rumbles through the empty hallway; Eren giving her a firm, hearty spanking before they leave the privacy of the room. Mikasa walks out into the hallway, turning her shoulders back towards him as she entertains the creeping buzz in her chest for a few more moments while their eyes meet in the hallway.

"And you are beautiful," Eren reaffirms his previous utterance with a heartfelt grin.

A sly smirk streaks across the pair of faces.

Endnote: Eh, misfires happen sometimes. Besides, it wouldn't be AoT without some angst/dysfunction now would it…