Eren stood in the shadows of the market, arms crossed, keeping a close eye on Mikasa as she waited in line a short distance away to order their ice cream. He still found it amusing (though also pretty damn adorable) that it was the first thing she had thought of when he asked her what she wanted to eat. He silently hoped that she would only purchase a single cone, giving him another chance to share something she had been so eager to show him back in Marley.

It was a busy day in the town, to his dismay. Men carried massive beams of wood and pallets of stone, barking out orders to bustling rebuilding crews. Merchants called to passers-by from their makeshift stalls, advertising various goods and services. A steady cloud of dust drifted through the air, kicked up by horses pulling wagons of brick, making it hard to breathe without covering your face. Eren fretted over Mikasa, wondering if he should give her the mask back when she returned to him. He knew she would refuse, though. It kept his face barely recognizable.

He found himself shifting from foot to foot nervously, teeth clenched together. It was incredibly stressful to be out among the people again. His anxiety levels were astronomical. He felt almost jittery and unable to stand still. In his mind, he was sure that someone would seize him from his hiding spot, shaking his shoulders and screaming for a mob to come and show him exactly how they felt about the rumbling and the loss of their friends and loved ones. Maybe they would worship him, call him their savior, thank him for the horrors he had committed to keep Paradis safe.

Either way, he dreaded any recognition of any type.

It was uncharacteristic of him to feel so terrified. The last time he had allowed himself to confront how scared he felt was while speaking with Armin in Paths, and that was the fear of dying and committing genocide.

The fear he felt now stirred the mess in his mind, which escalated his feelings of general unease. His breathing became more shallow. Adrenaline coursed through him. He could sense the panic attack coming on, but he fought to keep it at bay, choosing instead to focus entirely on Mikasa.

Waking up to her this morning had been incredible. Watching her eyes widen when he closed the distance between them had been maddening. Kissing her had been better than he could have ever imagined, and it had felt amazing to allow himself the filthy pleasure… Especially when she had sucked up every bit of his enthusiasm and given it right back.

She had wanted him. The carnal, greedy side of him relished in the fact.

Having her as an anchor from the insanity he found himself faced with was something he did not deserve. The voices in his head would never let him forget it. It was hard not to let himself fall into a delirious state of self-pity, choosing instead to feel grateful. Not everyone got a second chance at love.

"Mikasa!"

Eren almost jumped out of his skin. Pressing his back to the brick wall, he dug his fingers so hard into the grout that he felt his nails splintering. Panic flooded his system. He searched the crowd, manic to find the one who had called Mikasa's name: Jean. The last fucking person he wanted hanging around her right now.

It wasn't long before Eren spotted him. He was almost a head taller than most of the townsfolk, weaving his way through them to get to Mikasa. He wore an expression of pleasant surprise. Eren wanted to punch it clean off his horse-face.

"Jean!" Mikasa replied, waving politely.

"I'm surprised to see you out in town!" Jean laughed, rubbing the back of his neck when he finally reached her. "How are you?"

Eren's blood was boiling at this point. He studied Mikasa, waiting far too eagerly for her response. He wanted her to shoo Jean away, tell him that she was busy with something else. He wanted her to flat out reject his advance, reserving every smile and word for himself.

Of course she wouldn't, though. She was far too kind.

"I've been… okay," she replied, staring at the ground, tucking her bangs behind her ear. "I'm feeling a little better today, which has been nice." She glanced in Eren's direction briefly, blushing, nearly sending him into cardiac arrest.

"I'm glad to hear it," Jean replied, smiling. Shifting from foot to foot, he added, "Y-you look like you're feeling better - I mean… you look really nice."

Eren dropped his head against the wall, teeth grinding. He hadn't missed Jean's quick glance downward, no doubt completely entranced by the damn pants Mikasa had chosen that morning.

The mask he was wearing was beginning to make him feel extremely claustrophobic. So was sitting in this cramped alleyway.

"...Thanks," Mikasa muttered, blush deepening. She wished Jean would walk away now. She could almost feel the death stare coming from the alleyway where Eren was hiding. He had never gotten along with Jean very well, despite their friendship. She was sure he was fuming.

"Are you here to get some ice cream?" Jean persisted, emboldened by the sparse conversation. "I'd be happy to get you one!"

Mikasa felt herself begin to fidget uncomfortably. "That's all right, Jean, really. Thank you, though."

Jean smiled again, tipping his hat slightly. "C'mon, Mikasa, I'd seriously be happy to-"

Suddenly, a bout of cheering roared up from behind Jean. Mikasa saw him start, watching as he whirled to see what the commotion was about. The people around them did the same, forming a miniature stampede to see the spectacle. Mikasa found herself being jostled around, but stood her ground, mildly annoyed by the lack of decorum. To her relief, Jean was being swept away by the crowd. She could see him trying to turn back to her. Taking a step back against the tidal wave, she wondered if she should take the chance to disappear.

At that moment, a warm hand slid into hers, lacing their fingers together, pulling her away from the crowd and Jean. She gave in to the pressure instantly, knowing without looking that Eren had a hold on her, tugging her persistently through the people, parting them as a boat parts the sea. Despite the pushback, no one gave him a second glance.

When they stumbled up to the ice cream stand, Eren wordlessly placed a bill down on the table and grabbed the pre-scooped cone directly from the owner's hand. The man, though surprised, plucked up the bill and waved at them with a toothless grin. Mikasa hardly had time to wave in response before she was being hauled behind Eren once again when he broke into a light jog. She followed suit, tightening her grip on his hand, blushing furiously. The smile she had couldn't be held back. She hadn't felt this euphoric in years.

As kids, they would often weave through thick crowds like this in Shiganshina, Mikasa gripping Eren's hand for dear life, eyes wide at the sheer amount of people walking the streets. Eren would glance over his shoulder periodically, grinning mischievously, making sure that she was okay.

She had always felt more suited for the country life, but city living had been made bearable by him.

They ran until they hit a forested area on the outskirts of the town. Eren wove into the thick trunks nimbly, Mikasa in tow, finding a thick tree and throwing his back to it with a thud, hood sliding off in the process. Mikasa stumbled over a root, surprised by his sudden stop, but was caught when he pulled her to him. She crashed into his chest, and he took the opportunity to release her hand and fasten his arm around her waist, holding her dangerously close, panting slightly into her ear.

Just as the night before, their proximity instantly set Eren ablaze with every natural instinct known to man. Mikasa's trembling frame pressed and molded into every crevice of his own, fitting snugly against him as if she were made for it. He could feel her fingers brushing his ribcage beneath his jacket hesitantly, almost as if she were considering hugging him.

He had already pushed his boundaries a little too much today. He knew it. Rather than escalate things further, he pressed his forehead to her hair for a brief second and then stood straight, loosening his hold but keeping his arm around her waist.

"Here you go," he breathed, offering her the ice cream with a crooked grin. "Better eat it fast before it melts."

"Thanks," Mikasa laughed, taking the cone graciously and trying to ignore how closely they were pressed together. "Why did we have to run all the way over here to eat it, though?"

Eren's eyes flashed, considering the idea of murdering Jean in his sleep. Shrugging, he pulled the mask down under his chin and fully released her. "I wanted to be able to talk to you without wearing this." He also decided not to tell her how close he had been to a panic attack among the crowd.

Mikasa's eyes narrowed suspiciously, taking a generous lick of the ice cream. "It has nothing to do with Jean showing up?"

"What if it did?" Eren countered, suddenly leaning down to her level, honest curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "What would that mean to you?"

It was a blunt question, one he knew would make her think. He wanted her to.

Avoiding eye contact, Mikasa's eyebrows furrowed. "I don't know, Eren. Here, try this." She changed the subject smoothly, offering up the ice cream for Eren to taste.

He looked at the cone apprehensively, debating on whether he should oblige her request or continue pestering her about Jean. But she motioned to the ice cream again, holding it towards his hands, excitement obvious in her countenance. There was no way to say no to that face she was making.

It was a cheap trick. Well played… he thought.

Sighing, he straightened up and resigned his argument.

"All right, all right… let's see if it's as good as you say it is," he said, heart fluttering when Mikasa's expression brightened.

"Here!" she quipped, eagerly touching the wafer to his knuckles. "Take it!"

The corner of his mouth twitched. If she was going to play dirty…

Rather than taking just the cone, he wrapped his fingers around hers as well, trapping them beneath his grip. Slowly, deliberately, he raised the ice cream to his mouth, her arm pulled along with it, watching as her eyes widened by the second.

"Ah, E-Eren, that's where I already…" she started to stammer, trying to warn him of where she had previously taken a lick.

"I know," he stated, smirking. Holding eye contact, he placed his lips against the ice cream, mouth parted, tongue extending to taste where hers had been a mere moment before. He repeated the motion a few more times, savoring the chocolate flavor, imagining that he could taste her somewhere among it as well. He exaggerated his tongue movement, wickedly satisfied when Mikasa watched it. He saw her swallow nervously, dumbstruck. Her mouth opened slightly, fingers twitching beneath his.

He was starting to get too excited. Stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, he loosened his grip and let go, smiling. "Pretty good," he agreed, wiping his mouth with his thumb. "I'm sorry I never shared the one you got in Marley. I always felt bad about that."

"Don't worry about it," Mikasa replied, voice airy and distant. "I know you weren't feeling the best at that time."

Eren observed her carefully, watching as the blush slowly drained away. Her eyes focused again, and she seemed to remember herself a bit. She took a small step back, returning to her ice cream.

He grinned to himself when she discreetly turned the cone to get to the spot he had eaten from.

"If anything," she continued, "I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you in Marley, Eren. I should have known that you were struggling."

Eren was quick to cut in. "It's alright. Don't worry about that. I never wanted you guys to know."

He was glad that Mikasa had had no idea of what had been going on in his mind at that moment in time. It was nothing good, nothing wholesome. It was just a bucket of madness and agony, memories of past and future tangled in a bloody, messy web of terror and suffering.

"Let's talk about that more on our way to the cabin. Is that all right?" Eren asked, leaning back against the tree again, trying to ignore the swell of anxiety in his chest. "We still need to do a few things. I need new clothes, we need to pack up some food, and we need to see about possibly getting a couple of horses… It's a long way from here."

Mikasa nodded eagerly, already halfway through her ice cream. "The Scouts have a lot of extra horses right now. I'll just let Armin know that I'm going on a trip and need a pack horse in addition to mine. He won't argue with that." Nibbling on the edge of the wafer cone, she pondered for a moment. "We'll have to go through the market again to gather some food and water… We won't need too much, will we?"

"No. If we're on horseback, it should only take us a couple of days to get there, then a couple more to get back. If we need to buy more food, we can stop at one of the villages along the way to grab more supplies. We'll need to rest the horses, too."

Mikasa felt a warm flutter in her chest, distracted by the way he spoke. Eren sounded so similar to the way he was before the rumbling. His tone rose and fell in such a familiar pattern, so much better than the emotionless, monotone voice he had adopted while leading the Jaegerists. He sounded like her Eren again.

He fell silent and cocked his head to the side, almost as if he could tell she was daydreaming about him, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "What are you thinking about?"

She felt the warmth spread through her face. "Nothing."

"Tell me." He inched forward.

Mikasa tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous tic that she had developed over the years. "It's just… really nice to hear you sound so much like yourself. The time we spoke before the rumbling was not like you."

Eren retreated, nodding in agreement. "Yeah. It wasn't me. I'm sorry, Mikasa."

She shook her head hastily, grabbing a hold of his jacket sleeve. "Don't. I know. We'll talk about it more later, okay?"

The green of his eyes seemed unusually bright under the thick canopy of leaves. They almost glittered. "Sounds good," he replied simply, reaching forward softly to brush her cheek with the back of his hand. "Should we go get me a new outfit?"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Mikasa took a deep breath, exhaling slowly and deliberately. Steeling her nerves, she raised her hand, rapping her knuckles against the solid wood door that led to Armin's office, walking in without waiting for a response.

Armin sat at his desk, pouring over a vast array of detailed paperwork. After the war ended, he was always busy. He was always working. His head rose when she walked in, breaking out into a huge smile when he saw her.

"Mikasa!" he called out, pleasantly surprised. He stood from his chair, sliding the paperwork to the side and dropping his pen on top. "I'm really glad you're here." Circling the wide desk, he met her in the middle of the room and pulled her into an earnest hug before she could speak.

"I really wanted to apologize for yesterday. I know what I said was out of line. I wasn't trying to upset you. I just worry about you." His words were quick. He was probably worried that she would interrupt him again.

Instead, she hugged him back, pulling him tight. "It's okay. I'm the one who should be apologizing. Thank you for always trying to help me, especially after I've been so elusive and rude."

Armin released her, keeping a firm grip on her shoulders, holding her at arm's length. "How did that sleeping tonic work last night?" he asked, searching her face. "It was Annie who suggested it. I wasn't sure if it would help, but… I figured anything was better than nothing."

"It worked really well," Mikasa reassured him, smiling. "It's the best I've slept in a long time."

She could almost feel the relief exuding from his countenance, and she swore he seemed to relax a little bit, tension leaving his shoulders. "I'm so glad," he sighed, dropping his arms back to his sides. Examining her expression, he seemed happy by what he saw. "You look like you're feeling better today."

"I really am. Tell Annie thank you."

"I will. Come sit."

They walked back to the chairs, sitting across the desk from one another. Mikasa sat at the edge of her seat, setting her elbows on the sturdy wooden surface. She wanted to get straight to the point. Being separated from Eren for any amount of time was almost to the point of being excruciating, and he hadn't even been back for 24 hours yet. She worried that he would vanish.

"Armin," she started, looking him straight in the eye, "I want to take a week off for a trip."

He didn't even bat an eye. "Granted."

The room fell silent. Mikasa stared at Armin in shock, surprised that he didn't even ask for details. A week was a lot to ask for with all of the rebuilding efforts and political tensions that were going on around them.

"...Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly, furrowing her brows.

"Absolutely." Armin was resolute, blue eyes serious. "Mikasa, I would love nothing more than for you to have some time off. In fact, I've been hoping that you would come ask. I've been watching you work yourself to death for weeks while not eating or sleeping. Please, take the time. Go somewhere private. Recover. Take care of yourself."

Mikasa couldn't help the tears that stung her eyes. "Armin…"

He smiled at her, leaning back in his chair. "Pick up whatever supplies you need from the Scout storehouse. Take however many horses you think will be necessary. I'll have Annie help you get packed up. Also-" he pulled a drawer open, rifling through it and bringing out a small cloth baggy. "Here's some money for if you need anything while you're out."

"I can't take that," Mikasa argued, pushing it away. "I've got money."

"Take it." Armin stated, leaving no room for bickering. "Mikasa. Not only are you my best friend, but with Levi out of commission for the time being, you are my strongest soldier. I need you at your best. Titans are gone, but people aren't, and everything is unstable right now." Sighing, he dropped his head into his hands. His stress was palpable. "I'm sure the Jaegerists aren't going to agree with me being Commander for long. I betrayed Floch, and they believe that I'm the one who killed Eren." He lifted his head, meeting her eyes. "Sometimes I wish that Hange had chosen someone else…"

Mikasa reached forward instantly, grabbing hold of Armin's wrists. "Hange knew that you were the right choice," she affirmed, voice gentle. "You are exactly what we need, Armin." She pushed her forehead against his, overwhelmingly grateful for him and all he stood for. "Thank you for everything. You've always been the best of us."

He seemed surprised by her genuine words, but said nothing. They sat for a moment, supporting one another in silence. After a while, he sat back up, shoulders straight. In the dimly lit office, Mikasa thought that he very much resembled Erwin.

"Thank you, Mikasa. I'll have Annie meet you at the storehouse in about 30 minutes. Please be safe."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Eren was splayed out on Mikasa's bed, staring intensely at the ceiling. His leg bounced impatiently. He toyed absent-mindedly with the sleeve of his new jacket, lost in thought.

He was not prepared for the sheer power of the emotions he would feel when he returned from the hands of death. He had thought for sure that he could be calm, collected, and rational. What he hadn't planned for was the shattered state of his mind, which prevented him from being any of those things. Not only that, but Mikasa did something to his brain… Even her presence drugged him to the point of irrationality. With no war or other distractions in the way, there was one thing and one thing only that he wanted - her. Entirely.

He needed to hug her. He yearned to kiss her. Simply looking into her eyes awakened the burning desire to see her writhing beneath him, dragged to obliviating pleasure by his movements, his kisses, and his ceaseless worship of her perfect body. But his want went far beyond the physical, too… He wanted to court her. Marry her. Build a home and have a family with her.

But who knew if the time he had would allow for such frivolous desires.

Groaning, he flipped over, burying his face into Mikasa's pillow, inhaling her scent deeply. In addition to the emotional frustration he was feeling, the sexual tension between them had him ridiculously wound up. Even the simple act of lying on his stomach was almost too stimulating, sending the blood rushing straight to that area.

He still remembered the first time he touched himself while thinking of her. He was young and naive, knowing only that for some reason, he got excited when he thought of what might be under her dress, and touching himself while thinking of that felt good. That all changed when he suddenly orgasmed during one of those moments. It had never happened before, and he didn't know what to do. He had been so concerned that he ran to his father, woefully embarrassed and worried about what could have happened. Then, after learning from his father about the difference between boys and girls and what the purpose of his penis actually was, he had instantly stopped, disgusted with himself and determined to respect Mikasa, even in the privacy of his mind. However, he still struggled sometimes, finding it almost impossible to resist the desire when he looked at her. But he was stubborn, willing himself not to get hard when she was around. He had grown an admirable amount of self-control by the time they had become cadets.

Sharing a dorm with all of the other boys had shown him just how disgusting they were. He had endured several conversations between the young men of his group, sitting in the corner bunk, exasperated by the amount of times he had heard them bragging about where they had stuck their dicks. It was like watching roosters puff their feathers at each other. He tried not to participate most of the time, but had to be held back from beating Jean black and blue when he made a joke about how much he would like to stick his in Mikasa.

Nobody dared speak a single word about her after they saw how livid it had made Eren.

For the months he was alone in Marley, he had finally given in to his filthy desires. He had thought of Mikasa often, imagining what he would find if he were ever given the chance to pursue her, a mere dream that he never thought would come to fruition. He was bound to die, so why the fuck should he not dream a little?

But he would hate himself in the clarity afterwards, angry that he would ever disrespect her with such actions, ashamed of himself and the loss of self-control he had built since childhood. He would swear to himself not to do it again. But he was always drawn back, especially after Zeke confirmed his suspicions of Mikasa's affections for him. Once that came to light, it made it so much easier to give in to his desires knowing that she may feel the same way.

If he had given her the chance, been more forward rather than leaving it up to her, he knew she would have loved him unconditionally, and that was enough to drive him even further into madness.

Now, in her room, lying on her bed, inhaling her scent, it was next to impossible to control himself. As of the night before, there was unshakable proof that Mikasa not only cared heavily for him, but wanted him physically, too.

"Fuck," he hissed, gritting his teeth. The blood coursed through him, painful and hot.

How long had Mikasa said she would take? Twenty minutes? And it had already been fifteen… He pressed his hips into the mattress, shuddering at the light stimulation. Maybe if he were quick, he would be able to cum… it would definitely calm him down, make him less insufferable to be around for Mikasa…

He rocked against the mattress again, biting onto the pillowcase. It would be easy. It wouldn't take long… He had been in a state of near constant arousal for hours.

He flipped over again, hesitantly reaching for the buttons on his pants. He hadn't been this hard in years. It was driving him fucking insane. To top it off, his entire groin ached from being interrupted by Annie the night before.

Finally committing to it, he grasped his pants, fiddling hastily with the buttons. His heart began to pound rapidly, pumping adrenaline through his body, causing his fingers to feel shaky in anticipation.

He was busy working with the last button when the doorknob rattled and began to turn. Swearing under his breath, he sat up faster than he had ever done so in his life, tugging his shirt down over his crotch without having time to do the buttons back up.

Mikasa walked through the door right as he dropped his arms between his legs, feigning boredom and shielding his raging hard-on from sight. Trying not to look at her skin-tight pants for the millionth time that day, he smiled at her warmly, hoping he did not appear too disheveled.. "How did it go?"

She observed him for a moment with that cool Ackerman gaze, closing the door behind her. "Why is your face all red?"

Shit. He clenched his fists, fighting to regain some sort of control over himself, begging his body to calm down. "It's just warm in here," he lied, avoiding eye contact.

Mikasa's face showed concern instantly. "It's not warm in here, Eren. Are you feeling okay?" She hurried to his side, sitting next to him and placing a hand on his forehead.

Shit shit shit shit shit shit… Her touch sent him reeling. The heat in his body only intensified. "I'm fine, Mikasa," he insisted, leaning away from her hand, muscles in his neck straining.

"Eren, you're really warm," she persisted, placing a hand on his leg, much too close to his dick for comfort. She didn't even appear to notice. She was so damn innocent.

He stared at the wall, eyes hard. His jaw was clenched so tightly that he was sure his teeth would break. "Mikasa," he gritted, "please. I'm okay. I'm just… trying to hold myself back right now is all." His hands balled into fists.

Her face scrunched in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Eren barked out a short laugh, genuinely amused. "Do you want me to be honest?"

He saw her nod in his peripheral vision.

He sighed deeply, fighting tooth and nail with his raging hormones. Turning, he looked down his nose at her, a crooked smirk on his face. She wanted honesty? Fine. She would get it.

"Mikasa, if you don't give me a little bit of space to calm myself down, I will lay you down right here and fuck the shit out of you."

There was a hot second of charged silence between them. Mikasa, shock written all over her face, turned a ridiculous shade of crimson, the color spreading from her hairline to her jawline. She hastily removed her hand from his leg, snatching it back as if burned, scooting away from him clumsily.

"I'm so sorry," she squeaked, obviously embarrassed. "I didn't realize that's what you meant."

Eren observed her, beguiled and embarrassed. "Does that scare you?" he questioned, worried that he had been far too forward.

She looked at the floor, face now the same shade as her scarf. "Yes," she whispered, fingers twiddling around themselves, "but… it also makes me feel something else. Something that I can't really describe."

His curiosity instantly piqued. "How would you try to describe it?" he pressed.

She fidgeted nervously, biting her lip. "I would say that it's kind of like excitement. Like I'm looking forward to something. I get this weird feeling in my stomach." She pressed her palms to her abdomen. "It's intense and makes me feel like… like I want something that I shouldn't…?."

"Did you feel that way last night?" Eren murmured. He was still working on calming himself down, finding little success, but he had managed to corral the sexual desires for the moment.

She nodded.

Leaning back on his hands, he sighed. "Mikasa, I know I've said it already, but I'm not ever going to make you do something you're not ready for. I'm really sorry for being way too blunt. I'm just trying to figure myself out right now. I keep flipping between two sides of my brain… one side wants to be slow, careful, and considerate. The other side says 'fuck the rules' and makes me want to throw boundaries out the window. To top it off, my head is so messed up… I don't have the Founder any more, but I can't control these feelings of anxiety and panic and fear. I'm in constant fight or fight and I can't snap out of it sometimes. I think it makes me do things that I normally wouldn't do, or say things that come off as too straightforward."

Mikasa nodded, watching him intently.

"For so long," he continued, "I did what was best for everyone but myself. I had to push you guys away. I had to do terrible, unspeakable things, all because I thought it was for the good of my people. It's made me selfish, I think… But the old side of me, the one that never touched Historia's hand, that side is more rational and calm. That's the side of me that I had to smother in order to murder eighty percent of the world."

His eyes glazed over. "I hear their screams, Mikasa. Every second of every day since the medal ceremony. They don't leave me. They haunt me, tell me I'm nothing, scream my sins into my head. Even now, they're telling me that you could never still care about me, that you could never want to be around me again."

"That's not true!" Mikasa interrupted, hand pressed to her chest in earnest.

Eren smiled at her, eyes distant. "I know, Mikasa. It's just like you said last night. I need to work on myself. I have issues and a lot of things I want to fix." Sitting forward, he stared into her eyes. "I want you to know that I'm grateful to have you with me. It helps more than you know."

These honest words were sending Mikasa's heart running. It was so unlike the old him, but so fitting to the way he was now. Hesitantly, she extended her arm and cupped Eren's face in her palm. He leaned into it, closing his eyes, every crease of worry disappearing from his face.

"I'll always be here," she affirmed gently. "I'm really sorry, Eren, but Annie is meeting me at the stables soon. We need to go. Armin gave me leave and said to stock up at headquarters, so we won't actually need to go buy anything. We can just head out as soon as Annie and I get the horses packed up." Her hand dropped, fingers leaving traces of burning warmth along his skin. "Will you please keep telling me about all of this when we get on the road? I don't want to stop talking, but…"

"Yeah," he nodded, standing up next to her, "of course. I plan on trying to tell you everything on this trip." In his true-to-Eren style, he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, leaning his weight onto one foot. "Do you think you're ready to hear it all? I'll need you to help me through it."

"I'm ready," she stated, irrefutable. "Let's go, Eren."