The 36th Scouting Expedition, it was a tad different than previous expeditions. Most Scouts set out to attempt setting up forward bases that ended in failure, or reduce the Titans numbers, slowly but surely. The later seemed fruitless, the Titans appeared infinite, but there was always hope one day, the nightmare would come to an end.
This Expedition was a little more clear cut. To set out, and find the impact zone of the fallen star, as it had been named.
It had been just under a month since Ilse Langnar had returned, one week since she'd given her answer, a firm and resolute affirmation to leading the Scouts to the impact site. She had reunited with her parents, and the tearful reunion almost made her waver, to quit the Scouts right then and there.
But how could she? How could she sleep soundly, knowing her inaction could lead to more Scouts dying? They would be fumbling in the dark, going on her word alone. Ilse had certainly kept detailed notes, but errors could happen, she could have been off in her estimates of her journey. The difference between her personally leading them, compared to them working off a map alone, could mean more Scouts running out of time and falling victim to Titans.
When Ilse had told her parents, they had cried. They despaired, begging their little girl not to go. But when she had explained her reasons, of wanting to prevent her comrades dying, and to help humanity, her parents, they had eventually relented. Still, they would use every moment that had with their daughter to let her know how much she was loved. Going over the good times, like when a little Ilse who'd just learned to read attempted to read her mother's book collection. And when she discovered her mother's secret books, with symbols and words that no one could read, Ilse had made a game of finding patterns and making sense, uncovering stories only she and her family would know!
Ilse and her parents would then travel to eat out. They had even sprung for a fancy pastry from a shop just shy of Wall Sina! It wasn't said aloud, but if this was goodbye… Ilse didn't dwell on it. She had promised herself she'd leave with no regrets, and she meant to keep that promise. As she left her parents home late in the evening to turn in for the night, she would be escorted by Dita, all smiles with his bandanna covering his bald spot.
The two had certainly spent these weeks together making good on their free time. Riding horses together free of duty, of fear, leaping over fences off the trails and racing through the woods, they could almost forget. As they retired to Dita's cabin, taking comfort in each other's arms. They would cherish every moment they could get.
Ilse had given her answer with a week left on her two week leave, so Erwin had had plenty of time to adjust his plans. He had been prepared for Ilse to simply show him on a map where the impact was, after working it out from her notes. Now, on top of that, she would lead them herself. To prepare, Erwin had called upon the best of the Scouts. Levi and his squad, Mike, Nanaba, Dita, and others, they would be key to establishing a perimeter so the Scouts could have as much time as possible to locate and inspect the site. It certainly was a mission with risk, but when had that not been the case for the Scouts?
It did help that by all accounts, this Expedition was more clear cut than prior ones. Go out a relatively short distance, inspect an area, then return. No base building, no day long missions, no fruitless extermination campaign. Moral was high, many were leaving with a good feeling about the day. It wasn't optimism, not really, but it was as close as one could get.
Erwin rode his horse to the front, awaiting the all clear before the gates would open. To his left, Ilse, clutched her reins and looked determined. His right, Mike. The Commander could hear the Scouts behind him, could hear Hange's enthusiasm and Levi's annoyance. Turning his horse to the side, it was time for a reminder of what everyone was fighting for.
"My soldiers!" bellowed Erwin, his voice reaching out all the way to the back of the mass congregation. "Our mission is simple! We are to ride out, locate the fallen star, and return before the day is ended! Be quick, efficient, and work together! If all goes well, the Titans won't even know we're out there!"
A war cry of acknowledgment rang out, and died down just as the all clear was given. The gates were lifted, and all 200 scouts rode out.
Fortune favoured the Scouts that day. Their battle formation had only run into four Mindless in the first hour, none of them Abnormals. Ilse and the Commander had been able to determine the initial direction they would take, and thus wasted no time at the start of the journey. As they rode on, the survivor of the 34th got to work identifying landmarks in her head, trying to piece together how close or off course they were. As it turned out, she only had to do some real navigating for the last leg of the journey.
With a few minor course corrections, Ilse soon was able to notice more and more familiar sights. Soon, she had a firm idea in mind of where the impact sight was.
"Over there!" She called out to Erwin. "I recognize those trees! Follow along the outside, and we should be able to see some toppled over! In there is where the star landed!"
"Are you sure?" Mike asked over the thundering hooves of their horses.
"Positive! I've been going over my notes with Dita, we measured how many hours on horse vs on foot it would take, and we've passed that time. And I've recognized more and more of the area, this is definitely the spot!" Ilse confirmed.
"Then we ride in. Mike, take Levi and his team to scout out the trees, make sure there are no Mindless! Nanaba, signal the permitter to set up camp!" Erwin called out.
Calls of "Yes sir!", signal flares launched into the air, and soon the sounds of ODM gear broke out. Erwin, Ilse, and Hange waited for Levi on the outskirts of the forest. It wasn't long before he returned, landing in front of them.
"All's clear, no Mindless set up shop here."
"But?" Erwin intoned, he could see his most trusted combatant had more to say.
Levi looked behind him, back into the forest. "Solider Langnar wasn't kidding, it's a mess in there. You'll have to leave the horses outside, the grounds torn up and fallen tree's are everywhere. And the crater…"
"You saw it?! Is it just as big as estimated! What's the star look like?!" Hange couldn't contain themselves, they were just a hairs breath away from racing on in.
"Cool it Four Eyes, and see for yourself."
"Then that is what we will do. Mike, you and your squad will stay here with the horses, warn us if any Titans approach. The rest of you, with me." Erwin ordered. With that, he jetted off with his ODM gear, sailing through the trees.
And soon, he laid his eyes upon quite a sight.
Ilse hand's been far off in her estimate of the crater. It was just ever so slightly larger than a fifteen meter across, and just about near that in depth. In the middle of cracked earth, toppled trees, and whatever vegetation hadn't been scorched, it was certainly hard to miss if you were looking for it. As it hadn't decimated the entire forest, it still would have been hidden and been a bit of a search to locate. Ilse coming along had most certainly helped.
"Fascinating." Hange was already hard at work, observing the crater from their bird eye's view in the trees. "Just from observing the destruction before us, I can already tell the force of the impact was devastating."
"Figured that out yourself did you? I could have told you that." Levi rolled his eyes.
"Oh no, that's just me getting the obvious out of the way! I've got more interesting observations to make!" Hange laughed.
"Such as?" Erwin inquired.
"Well, I'm hardly an expert, but taking into account what caused this was an object that fell from the sky, or at least streaked across it, I'm hazarding a guess that the object that landed was smaller than a Titan." Hange began. "If say, the legendary Armoured or Colossal had landed, I can say the entire forest would have swept away, going by size and impact. But here, the destruction only goes so far." Then, Hange got a gleam in their eyes. "But what I'm really wanting to see, is that down there." With that, they descended, Moblit fast behind them to prevent his commander from risking their life needlessly.
Landing on the edge and sliding down, Hange raced over to a particular spot in the crater.
"Just what is this?" Reaching down, they gently poked at what appeared to be… black sand? It was course and rough, and filtered through their fingers like the grainy substance. Almost looked like gunpowder. And yet, the feeling of it… Hange couldn't put their finger on it, but it didn't feel… natural. They hadn't felt anything like this before.
"Oye, Glasses, what's that you got there?" Levi intoned, walking up behind them.
"Not sure, but the area is covered in it. See?" Gesturing, it was indeed true, this black sand was spread out around the crater.
"You think it was from what landed here?"
"Definitely! But looking at the crater size and what I'm seeing right now, I can confidently say this wasn't the sum total. This here," holding up a handful of the black sand, "This is the leftovers." Hange estimated, brimming with giddiness.
"…You're saying what made this stuff, it didn't just explode in a puff of ash and settle down here. It got up and walked away?" Levi deduced.
"Correct!"
An approaching Erwin evidently heard the whole conversation, as he paused to ponder. Something that could impact with the ground hard enough to make such a crater, and it was able to survive that impact. Looks like he had more questions than answers. And yet, somehow he was feeling pleased about this news.
It was Moblit who made the next discovery. "Section Commander! Over there!"
All eyes turned to him, then to where he was pointing. Sticking out of the ground, an unusual object embedded in the side of the crater. Hange rushed over and began to prod at it, a few experimental pokes, then determining it was safe, began to attempt to pry it out of it's resting place. It wasn't so easy, and Moblit chipped in by digging around it til it was loose enough Hange could claim their prize!
"Oh, now this is a find!" Hange exclaimed, holding the object between their hands.
"…It's a rock." Levi intoned.
"Please, don't confuse this!", Hange gushed over their discovery, "With that." They made an effort to bop their knuckles on Levi's forehead, who simply dogged out of the way with a glare. "Look at it, feel it! This isn't rock. This is metal! And I've only had it in my hands and before my eyes for less than ten minutes, and already I can say, this isn't a natural ore deposit. This was mad made!"
That gathered everyone around her, Erwin, Levi, Moblit, and Ilse all staring as Hange overturned it in their hand, presenting it from all angles. From what they could see, it was coloured black, but a streak of white went across it. The edges were jagged, and a silver metallic shine could be seen, clearly where it had been broken off.
"Perhaps… perhaps it's fragments from some kind of weapon? Launched across the sky, and broken off on impact? Maybe it exploded?" Pondered Ilse.
"I'm not so sure about that. If it had been part of a projectile, surely there'd be more lying around." Erwin observed the area around them, indeed, it was clear of similar giant fragments. Only this black sand.
"Maybe if you squeeze it hard enough it'll turn to sand." Levi only half seriously stated. This was outside his field, but may as well speak his mind and let the smarter egg heads work off if that's a bad guess or not.
"Maybe." ('Huh, what do you know. Not completely without merit.' Levi thought.) "Anything is possible at this point, I would need to properly observe and test this. But I also wanted to point to this." At the very edge, scorched but still eligible, were tiny white markings, symbols. "Don't these look like these could be letters? Assembled to make a word, or several?"
"You think someone wrote something on whatever this was?" Erwin asked.
"A note to return to sender?" Levi wondered.
"Whose to say? But if these are indeed words, if this indeed man made, then I think it's important we ask the question: did this come from inside, or beyond the Walls?"
Silence. Very tense, and all too quite silence.
It didn't last long.
Erwin gave a wave of his arm. "I want everything that looks important gathered up. This sand, that fragment, and any else you find. We've been here too long, the Titans are surely converging on this spot. Hange, you have one hour. Ilse." Erwin turned to the Scout's Survivor as a chorus of affirmations rang out and people got to work. "Any chance you could aid Hange in the study of this fragment?"
"Me sir?" Ilse asked, a little confused by the request.
"I was hoping based on your calligraphy and note taking you could write detailed notes of the study process. And if possible, work on deciphering the text on the fragment, if possible."
Ilse was a linguist, it was a dead art within the Walls but her parents had several books in languages that were from long dead races. Languages Ilse had managed to translate 100% by the time she'd entered the Scouts.
It didn't mean it'd be entirely possible, hell, the symbols might not even be words. But if there was some merit to it…
"Of course sir! I'll do my best to be of value to the research efforts!" Ilse saluted. Erwin nodded, then set off to aid in the recovery efforts.
Around them, Scouts were scooping up the sand into bags and samples vials, the black fragment tucked away safely in Moblit's carry on bag. Ilse left to let Mike know of the situation and arriving departure.
As everyone was bustling about, it was Levi who stopped to look at a spot in the side of the crater.
"Levi? Have you found something?" Erwin asked.
"Not sure. It's just… something about this spot. It doesn't feel right." Levi approached, and ran his hand over it. It was rock, just ordinary rock, cracked and broken in places, nothing unusual. And yet, Levi couldn't help but feel something was off, like the rocks weren't right?
"…Nothing, forget it." With that, he got back to work, sailing on high to see how the permitter was going, and if any were flares being fired. Thankfully, looks like they still weren't in trouble yet.
Soon, the Scouts departed, returning home in what would be considered a successful mission. It wasn't the perfect win some had hoped for (a weapon sent from the gods or an actual god to fight the Titans, that had been a favourite), but with no losses incurred, and Hange brimming with excitement, it was still a win.
Behind them, deep underground, Adam Smasher remained undisturbed.
The months went on by, but that night was still being talked about. As it turns out, quite a few of the 104th Cadet Corp had spotted the meteorite (as Armin had called it), despite it appearing in the middle of the night. Some had been up to relieve themselves, others had been up chatting, two in particular had been waiting for a third to show up, and another pair had been whispering sweet nothings in the others ears while gazing at the stars.
Sasha herself had supplied her hometown's legend that if two people saw the same shooting star together, those two were destined to be lovers!… which immediately raised some questions.
"Wait, so if two siblings had seen it together…" Eren pondered aloud.
"Eh?! Well, no, that wouldn't count-" Sasha stammered, already regretting sharing what she thought was a sweet sentiment.
"What about a parent and child? Geez Potato Girl, you're into some messed up stuff." Jean supplied, laughing.
"EWWWW! Jean!" Sasha cried in disgust.
"Idiots." Annie scoffed, as she sat down next to Armin with her bowel of breakfast. He offered her a mug of water which she gratefully accepted.
"Still, it sounds like a nice story." Armin remarked. "I mean, if you don't try and make it into incest or worse. That's in real poor taste." He could only grimace as Jean continued to ruin Sasha's moment, deciding to include animals, food, and Titans in the definition of "star-gazers."
"Oh? So do you believe it's true, two people seeing the star are destined to be together?" Annie remarked. She definitely didn't, and she doubted a brainy guy like Armin would.
"Well, I don't really believe in fate or destiny. But it is a bit of a funny coincidence we both managed to see it together. Not that I think we're destined or anything, don't worry." Armin supplied, as inoffensive as could be.
"Oh ho, so you two also got a peek, huh?" Annie rolled her eyes as one of the more annoying people she'd come to know sat down before her. Ymir, just Ymir. Wasn't unusual to lack a last name, word had it humanities strongest was simply Levi, and lots of folks were in similar straits, mostly the downtrodden.
But that wasn't Ymir's stand out feature. It was that the brunette bean pole utterly delighted in being a button pusher. She would always tow the line in pissing Annie off, just edging towards an ass kicking but always reigning her teasing in before it got to that. Ymir was a bit of an imp with everyone, save one obvious exception, but she just seemed to make Annie her biggest target for mischief.
(As Ymir would confess one day, the blonde was just the perfect target. Eren? Too dumb. Jean? Too easy. Mikasa? Too hard. Armin? Too clever, unless he was a prop to tease Annie. Connie and Sasha? Like picking on a puppy, too dumb to get it and honestly made her feel bad. And Reiner Ymir didn't have the patience to be clever, just spill water on him or spike his food whenever he made googly eyes at her Krista!)
(Oh, and Bertolt was there too she guessed. Seriously, she recalled Thomas and Mina more than him (no disrespect to Thomas or Mina, Ymir missed them))
"Now what would you two be doing in the middle of the night together to catch a glimpse of destinies sign of your eternal love?" Ymir grinned. "Oh my, Armin, did you put the moves on her, or did she pounce on you and claim your virginity right then and there? I knew it, that quiet cold as ice attitude, underneath was burning passion just waiting for the right guy to unleash it upon!"
With every word, Annie's scowl deepened. The brunette was across the table so she'd probably be able to avoid Annie's spoon if she tried to stab the freckled bitch's eye with it, but it couldn't hurt to try.
"Ymir! It wasn't anything like that, we just bumped into each other and chatted a little when it came down!" Armin attempted to explain, but Ymir waved him off.
"Oh no, no need to explain it to me! I fully support you two! After all, us couples of destiny have to stick together!" Ymir grinned impishly, before turning her head to gaze at her diminutive blue eyed blonde, currently maneuvering to their table, Ymir sighing a very genuine sigh of love.
"It's fate, it's destiny, it's as good as a wedding vow! Reiner can suck it, Krista and I are as good as hitched!" Ymir proclaimed.
Krista clearly heard that, as she ducked her head in embarrassment, wishing she could raise her tray to cover her face, but alas that would spill her breakfast.
"Ymiiiiiiiir!" She whined, hurrying over to sit down and bury her head into Ymir's arm with a headbutt.
"Ah my beautiful Krista, don't be embarrassed! The heavens themselves gave us their blessing. You wouldn't want to argue with the gods, would you?" Ymir laughed.
"That's not the issue! You shouldn't tease others over their love lives, they might want privacy after all." Krista fumed. She then turned to Armin and Annie with a angelic smile. "I do want you two to know I'm very happy for you. I was rooting for you for a while now. You make a wonderful couple."
A wooden spoon dropped to the floor.
Oddly enough, it wasn't Armin's.
"Eh? Ah, ah Krista, Annie and I… we're not… we're not dating." Armin explained, a little embarrassed.
"Huh? Really? But you two… I thought… you two are always together." Krista tried to understand.
"Yeah, training. We just work well together, I need combat practice and Annie's the best, she can teach me like a master."
"But she always sits next to you during the writing parts of our training. Remember that time when you were tutoring Sasha and Annie came up to you two?"
"She needed help with the last chapter on the history of the Walls, that was all." Armin explained.
"But did she need to plant herself between you and Sasha?" Krista rebutted.
"That's-"
"What about all the times you hang around outside of practice?" Ymir grinned, loving this development. Her darling Krista, always making life better. "Chatting it up so often, practicing ODM techniques together, and all those gifts you give her to cheer her up…."
"Those are just!- I'd do the same for anyone here who needed a boost in morale!" Armin tried to explain logically.
"Yeah, but you DON'T." Ymir stated.
"I- I- I just-" Armin continued to try and explain himself, but for once, he was unable to talk.
Ymir pressed on. "Look, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. It's sweet our resident loner came out of her shell and you were the guy to do it. Compared to the start of the year, this is a vast improvement! Just let me know where you two get up to mischief in the woods, I don't want to taint my good times with your good times. A mutual agreement not to step in each other's puddles." Ymir extended a hand, the most evil looking smirk in her face as she took in Armin's rapidly reddening face.
"We don't-!"
A sudden press of wood against wood startled the whole dining hall, as Annie stood up, shoving the bench she and Armin were sitting on back.
"Better head to bathroom while you can. Wouldn't want breakfast to come back at a embarrassing time." Annie said, her eyes closed and face blank, exhaling through her nose calmly. Calmly.
"Don't tell me the Ice Queen has a weak stomach. What, wishing the uniforms didn't come with white pants?" Ymir just couldn't help herself.
"I'm sure you'll be, when I'm done beating the crap out of you in sparring."
Ymir only laughed and applauded. As far as Annie comebacks go, that was one of the better ones. She restrained herself to light snickers with Krista beating her tiny fists on Ymir's noggin, and Armin going after Annie.
Annie didn't quite stomp out, but she was walking slightly faster than normal.
'What was that about? Why did I act like that?' Annie questioned. Of course she knew why. It was because Ymir and Krista had just reminded Annie how close she had gotten here. Not in a romantic sense, not at all, but close all the same.
When they had first starting getting to know each other, Armin hesitantly but kindly approaching her, she had been indifferent, but professional. Well, no, at first she had been aloof, maybe even mean at first, she wasn't looking to make friends. But then she was professional, after Reiner took her aside and told her to "lighten up a bit," in the interest of keeping their cover secure. So reluctantly, she worked with others, worked with Armin. Work together as Cadets, that was it. At first.
Maybe she had come to take comfort in Armin as he was a familiar constant, she knew what to expect and it wasn't too annoying. Maybe she found talking with him pleasant overtime. Maybe she had tried to do him a small favour by trying to spare his kind attitude by reminding him of the reality of being a soldier, through words and a harsher sparring session.
Six months in the Cadet Corp, the fifth sparring session since the beginning of training
"Tag out!" Eren called, having been laid out again for the fourth time in only two minutes. He was improving, this time he'd held out for thirty seconds straight!
"Careful Eren, you can't keep charging in like that, Annie can see your attacks a mile away." Armin rushed over to help up his friend, offering him a canteen of water.
"Oh yeah? Then have you figured out how the trick to beating her yet?" Eren inquired, a tad pouty but also hopeful. He chanced a peek at Annie, who had the audacity to stretch her arms over her head and yawn, the bitch!
"Uh, no. Short of everyone ganging up on her at once, I don't think Annie can be beaten."
"If your done "strategizing," can we get this over with? I have better things to do today and I'd like to get to them." Annie intoned. It was true, there was a particular shady spot she was eyeing for a nap til lunch.
"Ah! Coming!" Armin shuffled over to get into a fighting position.
He was taken down instantly. In fact Annie thought he had intentionally taken a dive at first, with how fast he'd hit the ground. Seeing him laid out like that, so weak, a feeling went through her. Almost like… irritation.
Before Armin knew what was happening, he was flipped over on his stomach by a push from Annie's boot, then a weight settled on his back, with a hand pressing down on the left side of his head, pushing the right into the dirt.
"A-Annie, what are you…"
"Why are you still here?"
"Eh?"
"Why?" Annie repeated. "You can't fight, but that's not required for fighting Titans. But you aren't cut out to be a solider, you know that. You'd be the first to die in a straight up fight with one of them. So why don't you use that big brain of yours and leave before you die a pointless death? Realize that happy attitude won't mean squat when reality sets in."
She stopped pressing down, but she still kept Armin's head pinned, he could vaguely make her out through the corner of his eye if he tried hard enough.
"…Because I have to try." When Annie didn't say anything, he continued. "Eren and Mikasa, they're the ones who are solider material, they'll be graduating no problem, top ten for sure. And then they're joining the Scouts, risking their lives against the Titans. And I, I can't just let them do that alone. I can't let them do all the work while I just sit back and do nothing!"
Armin swallowed, his mouth going dry. "…I have to help, in whatever way I can. I have to go with them, we made a promise together. If I can help in any way, if we can all go together, that I could know I helped just a little, isn't that enough?"
Annie stared down at him, thoughts going through her head. In truth, it would be more helpful to the mission if Armin quit, even better if Eren and Mikasa went with him, less problems to deal with in the future. But looking at him, so earnest. He really wasn't going to stop, was he?
Annie sighed. 'I guess I would miss his chats.'
Feeling Annie getting up off of him, Armin starting to pick himself up, sitting on his legs as he dusted himself off. When he looked up, he was surprised to see Annie holding out a hand to help him up.
"You're going to need help if you don't want to be a burden."
"I uh, I didn't say I'd be a burden…" Armin grimaced, accepting the hand.
"It was implied. The first thing, you'll want to position yourself better." Annie got behind Armin, and using her arms and legs, adjusted Armin's body into a fighting stance. "We'll also need to get you a better understanding of the basics, you forget the fundamentals when combat starts…"
As Eren watched his best friend getting personal instruction from Annie, he was feeling oddly left out. "Hey, what about me?!" He scrambled over, sulky his area of expertise, I.e violence, was being stolen from him.
It had been enough that she'd abandoned trying to bring Armin down for his own good, which lead to them continuing to have pleasant chats together. Chats Annie would find herself looking forward to. Chats, and general time spent together, that had Annie feeling good about herself.
From a Paradis Devil.
That was the problem. For all that she enjoyed it, Annie was a monster destined to lay waste to this Island, and everyone on it. Including Armin. Sweet, kind Armin who Annie was calling a friend in her mind. She had been selfish, had let herself get close and feel good with Armin, even if it was just as friends. And she had almost let herself forget how terrible an idea that was.
"Annie, please wait!" Ah, of course he'd follow. He was too good not too.
Annie did stop, but she didn't turn around. Still working on cooling down.
"Ah, haaaaaah." Armin panted. She must have gone farther than she realized. "Ah… where, where are you going?"
"Bathroom. Didn't you hear me?"
Armin managed to laugh at that. She liked hearing him laugh. Laughing at something she did purposely, another selfish gift she'd indulged in.
"I just, I wanted to apologize. For Ymir and for… for not doing better at getting her to stop."
Annie did turn now, looking at Armin who had just caught his breath and was standing up.
Signing, Annie replied. "It's no big deal. I just… I guess I just got triggered a little. It wasn't even what the freckled moron was saying, not really."
"Well, I still want to say sorry. And that I hope you won't let it get to you. I really like our time together, on and off the training grounds. It's fun to hang with you."
Annie raised an eyebrow at that. "Armin, that is probably the first time anyone has told me I'm fun."
"Did they also fail to tell you your funny too?" Armin grinned.
'Oh, he really is dangerous.' Annie thought, as her chest did a little flip that happened more and more around Armin. She didn't know what the feeling was, nor was she sure if she liked it or not.
Try as she might, Annie couldn't find it in herself to cut Armin out of her life. She had at least two more years before she'd have to go back to being a monster. Didn't she deserve at least one comfort, one bit of happiness, before that happened?
Annie offered a small smile, which seemed to make Armin's brighter. "It's still early, but I know today is an indoor class. Maybe we could wait there, and talk for a bit?"
"Oh, really? You sure you want me to basically teach a private class?"
Annie shrugged, putting her hands in her pockets and heading there already. "I enjoy hearing you talk about things your passionate about. Or maybe I'm using you to build up a tolerance to the instructors."
"Wow, three for three, you really missed your calling in comedy!" Armin snorted, running a bit to walk beside her.
Yes, this was fine.
This was not fine, Mikasa had decided, stirring her breakfast in it's bowl. Hearing how she had missed out on seeing the shooting star with Eren had really upset her. At first, she'd thought nothing of it. If it didn't involve her, Eren, or Armin, then she didn't care. But then she heard people talking. Talking how this shooting star meant those who saw it together were destined to be together. Like that. With the hand holding and kissing and sharing a bed and being more close than siblings were.
Mikasa sighed.
She was always grateful to Grisha and Carla for taking her in, giving her a home, a family. She treasured them, as she did her birth parents. And she treasured Eren.
But she didn't treasure him as a brother. And she wanted him to see her not as a sister, but a-
"Thinking about Eren?"
Mikasa startled, and actually had an embarrassed look cross her face! While she wasn't nearly as stoic as Annie, she did have a similar reputation for being cool and collected. So it was quite the feat to cause her to slip like that.
Looking up, she saw Reiner, looking down at her with a kindly smile, like a big brother would have.
"Sorry to startle you, but you looked a little down. Mind if I sit?"
Mikasa nodded, gesturing to the seat across from her. Reiner was easily one of the more likeable Cadets, he was always there to be an ear to listen, a shoulder to support, a voice to give comfort. And if he was talking to her right now, Mikasa must clearly be upset. 'Guess I could use a friend to cheer me up.'
Mikasa sighed, and looked at Reiner. "I apologize if my current state was upsetting."
"Oh no, it wasn't bothering anyone, don't worry. You weren't releasing an evil aura or anything." Reiner waved her off. "I just wanted to ask if you'd like to talk?"
"Not… not really. It's nothing, really, I'll get over it soon."
"Alright then." Good on Reiner, knowing when not to pry.
Specially when he knows Mikasa will give in and tell him soon anyway. In a lot of ways, she wears her emotions on her sleeve.
"It's just…" Bingo. "This shooting star. I guess I'm a little upset I missed an opportunity, if that makes sense?"
"Kinda. You heard Sasha's story?"
"Yeah, it sounded… nice. Like it could be that simple. That it was set in stone, and I wouldn't have to worry about anything, like driving him away, or making him hate me, or screwing up on a d- on a date." Mikasa finished, a little embarrassed she was confessing all this to Reiner of all people. Good a guy as he was, Mikasa hadn't even shared this with Armin.
'Wow, guess I needed to get this off her chest…'
"Just to clarify, but do know I know exactly who you're talking about, the him is Eren?"
Mikasa tugged her scarf, and nodded.
"That does sound nice. I'm no expert, but I sort of get where your coming from? You don't want to risk what you have with Eren now, but you care about him in a different way than he cares about you, yeah? And you'd like him to feel the same. And it'd be nice to have that without the risk.
Hit the nail on the head there, Reiner did.
"Sorry Mikasa, but I don't think you can wait for some sky rock to tell you it'll work out, you should go for it. I think it's all on you." Reiner offered a comforting hand on hers, trying to convey his sincerity. "I'll just say this. Try to take that first step. It's a risk, but the rewards outweigh them. And I don't think Eren will hate you if you try. Believe me, he won't!" Reiner chuckled.
It was words Mikasa had told herself a dozen times before, and it hardly changed her convictions or lack of them. But, even if it wouldn't make her suddenly leap up and proclaim her love for Eren right then and there in a way even he'd understand…
It was nice just to get it out.
"Thanks Reiner." Mikasa smiled, grateful to have a friend. "Do you follow similar advice?"
"What, me? C'mon Mikasa, you know I don't have anyone like that."
"Really? The way I see you always there to help Krista with her ODM gear training…"
"TH- THAT'S DIFFERENT!" Reiner sputtered, clearly thrown off guard!
"It's okay, just take that first step." Mikasa smirked. "The rewards outweigh the risks, right?"
"Wow, see if I ever try and give you life advice ever again." Reiner replied, feeling betrayed, though he was chuckling.
The two comrades in training resumed their breakfast and exited the dining room together. A few light hearted teasing moments passed between them as they went to the lecture building, Mikasa asking if Reiner would change his tune if he had seen the shooting star with Krista.
Reiner chuckled, it didn't really matter as he hadn't seen it, he'd been in the privy.
It was true. The Soldier Reiner had not seen it.