Day 7: Plot from My Favourite Movie
One minute she was on a yacht, enjoying the endless fiesta of the Carnival taking place that night. She and her class had been granted to trip to the Caribbean for a project that consisted of renovating a school for the community.
Her roommates, Ymir, Annie, and Sasha had all persuaded her to join them on the boat, even though she knew it to be a bad idea.
So, they boarded the boat, music, alcohol and tension in the air boomed from the giant yacht and she couldn't help the anxiety bubbling in her throat.
"Annie, I don't think-"
"Loosen up, Ackerman. This is going to be fun."
Not convinced, but too stubborn to turn back, Mikasa stepped onto the deck and couldn't help but admire the colors, scents, and flashing lights happening all around her.
So, there she was, settling at a bar inside the second deck. Teens scattered around, wasted, high or both.
Sighing she placed her head on her hand, stirring her Cosmo around.
Why did she agree to come? They had work to do in the morning, and most of the students were attending the party, and were most likely going to regret it when they wake with a hangover that could take out a football team.
"You don't look joyful." Mikasa turned, saw Eren Jaeger, the loner in their class. And school, if she was being honest.
"No, not really my thing…" she said, continuing to stir her drink.
"And yet you're here…I wonder."
Mikasa rolled her eyes. "Why are you talking to me? You never talk to me."
"That's because you're Prom Queen. Perfect grades, perfect hair. That's all you need these days to be popular," Eren added, requesting Vodka on ice from the bartender.
"Prom Queen- How dare you. I am not popular, and I don't have perfect hair. I am just ordinary."
Eren nodded. "Okay, whatever you say."
Sirens wailing, she stood up immediately.
Water police circled around the yacht, shining their lights, and instructing the boat to halt.
People panicked and started to dump and throw things off the boat or trying to hide.
Mikasa started to break through the crowd to locate her friends. Instead, she found herself body-chucked, and she fell headfirst into the ocean.
Choking on salty water, she surfaced just in time to hear Eren call her name and jump in after her.
"What are you doing?" Mikasa asked, as he caught her in his arms.
"Um, helping you? Look, there's a dingy." Paddling over to the little boat roped to the back of the yacht, he heaved himself on board. "Come on." When she hesitated, Eren sighed. "You would rather drown?"
The water was becoming wavy and rough, and it was also very cold, so she swam over to Eren, grabbed his outstretched hand.
He hauled her on board and immediately she started to cough up seawater.
She turned around, and her eyes widened.
"What the hell are you doing!?" she asked as Eren untied the ropes anchoring them to the yacht.
The yacht started to move away and Mikasa panicked.
"How are we going to follow it?"
Eren moved a tarp from the back of the boat and cursed.
"No motor."
"No motor? How are we gonna-"
"I can't afford a run-in with the cops! My dad will kill me!"
Thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed across the sky. The waves started to roll, to rock, and Eren braced for balance.
"Looks like we don't need your dad for that!"
The longer they stood in the harsh water, the farther away the yacht got.
When the storm really started blasting in, the yacht was gone, and Mikasa and Eren were stranded in the middle of the ocean in nothing but a rowboat.
"Look out!" Eren yelled over the washing wind. He pointed to a giant wave about to collapse on them.
All Mikasa felt was cold, and she blacked out.
Her whole body ached when she rose from her sleep.
She was cold, in pain, and…
She opened her eyes and sat up. Her eyes met with the sea, and nothing but the sea. She slowly turned around and dread washed over her.
She was on an island. A big island and she couldn't see the boat they came in on or crashed in on.
Taking in her surroundings, she gasped when she saw Eren face-first in the sand.
"Eren! Oh, my God! Eren!"
She hurried over shaking him and turned him over. She placed her head to his chest and heard the faint pumping of his heart and let out a sigh of relief.
"Eren, wake up." He stirred and blinked out the glare of the sun.
"Mikasa? What happened?" He sat up and rubbed the sand out of his hair.
"Well, take a look around and guess," Mikasa said, brushing herself off and standing up.
Eren did, and he cursed.
"Where the hell are we?" he asked.
"I don't know. There's no telling how far we drifted. Not to mention that storm was harsh, and very aggressive, so we could've been sent anywhere."
"We're still in the Caribbean, the water itself tells me that. The weather as well, and also the ocean would've sent us to the nearest land, and obviously this is it. All we have to do is call someone to come and get us," Eren said, taking out his phone, only to have it drip saltwater. "Well shit."
Mikasa took out her phone from her bag. It was sitting in a plastic baggie and Eren raised his eyebrows, peeked into her bag.
"Why is everything in baggies?"
"It keeps things from getting messy. It's not weird," she said when Eren smirked. "Because my phone is working perfectly fine. Except that I have no service. We need to get to higher ground."
"This place seems unhabited, so we should make it up to that cliff face easily," Eren said pointing to a giant cliff face on the west side of the island.
"All the way up there?" Mikasa looked down at her sandals.
"Do you wanna wear my shoes? I can handle it with bare feet," Eren said, about to slip them off.
"No, no, it's okay. I'll survive."
"Let's hope, because I have a feeling that's exactly what we are going to do."
The forest on the island was filled with tropical fruit, plants and animals.
Mikasa spotted some parrots, a sloth, and even some monkeys.
When the 2 teens walked through a vineyard of massive trees, something dropped onto Mikasa's head. She let out a scream, making Eren whip around, flip-knife in his hand. Before he started to laugh.
"You made a friend."
Mikasa tried to move her head, and the something dropped to her shoulder.
"A spider monkey." The monkey started to sniff her face, and put his hands all over her, curious.
"It's attracted to your perfect hair products."
"I don't use products, you dolt. It's just interested. Come on, little guy, back in the tree you go."
She picked it up and placed it on the trunk of the tree and turned to walk away, before the monkey leaped and landed on her back.
"Hey! No, I am not a monkey-"
"Could've fooled me."
Mikasa glared at Eren. "Go back to your friends."
The monkey didn't budge. It wrapped its little arms around Mikasa neck and buried its face in her hair.
"It could be covered in diseases," Mikasa said, desperately turning to Eren. "Get it off me."
"Awe, I don't wanna. He looks so comfy."
Mikasa gave a grunt of frustration. "Fine, but the minute we find a way out of here, you're getting off."
Mikasa stomped past Eren, heading toward the cliff face and Eren couldn't help the small laugh as he followed her.
Throughout the whole walk, the monkey didn't move from Mikasa's back.
He turned around ever so often to glance at Eren and make a sound of joy.
He's rubbing it in, Eren thought. He thinks I'll get riled up because he clinging to Mikasa. As if…
"Are you being nice, Eren?" Mikasa asked, turning around.
"Me? I thought you didn't want that monkey attached to you?" Eren asked.
"Well, he's starting to grow on me. And he's leading me to the cliff."
"He is not."
"He is, he points for me."
"Oh, give me a break…" Eren muttered.
They continued to stroll and climb through the thick tropical forest surrounding them. Wildflowers from pink to deep blue all basked in the sunlight.
It was a good hour or so before they finally reached the cliff face, and Mikasa gave a huff of relief.
"We're here. And it doesn't look like any land is nearby for miles. We're…We're completely stranded." She took out her phone, fiddled with it, grunted in frustration. "No signal. No signal anywhere."
Sensing her stress, the monkey moved to look at her face. It licked her nose and Mikasa smiled.
"It's all right, Rogue. I'm all right. Just upset."
"You named a tiny monkey Rogue?" Eren asked with his arms crossed.
"Yes. What's wrong with it?" Mikasa demanded stroking her hand down Rogue's back.
"Nothing. Nothing. Just that Rogue makes me think of a savage beast or monster or something…"
"I think it suits him. Enough about the monkey, what the hell are we going to do?"
Eren stared over the horizon and shrugged. "I have no idea."
"We can't stay here…on this island. We have to find something or…we have to-"
"Mikasa, look around. There's nothing we can do. The only thing we can do, is wait until someone finds us."
"That could take days. I have to keep my 4.0 GPA if I want a future!"
"4.0 GPA? That's the only thing you are concerned about?" he demanded turning back to the forest and heading in.
"Well, I miss my family, of course, but this is something that will affect me forever."
"Of course, but I wouldn't think about that now. I have a feeling we are going to need a shelter, and possibly some food…" Eren said looking up to the trees. "Luckily this is a tropical island, or we would be SOL for actual eating food. Everything in the forests back home are poisonous."
Mikasa didn't answer, just simply walked behind him passing Rogue a berry once in a while from bushes she passed.
Every once in a while, he would throw a berry away after sniffing it, showing it inedible.
When Eren glanced back, saw Rogue stuff a giant red berry in his mouth, he frowned.
"Why are you giving all the food to the damn monkey? We should be collecting for ourselves!" Eren said, turning to face her.
"Rogue is telling us which are poisonous, and which aren't, so we know which ones to harvest. I'm not stupid," she said scowling at him.
Eren shook his head and continued the trek.
Reaching the beach once again, Eren went over to the shoreline, and observed the ocean around it.
"Boat is nowhere to be seen, but this managed to wash ashore with us." He picked up a gun and Mikasa stepped back. "Don't worry, it's a flare gun. We use it to send helicopters and planes an emergency message that we need rescuing. It'll help." He gave it to her. "Put it in your safety purse. So, we don't lose it, and so the monkey doesn't eat it."
Mikasa rolled her eyes but shoved it in her bag on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Rogue, he's just a meanie. You will guard it for us." She took Rogue from her shoulders and carefully placed him in her bag.
Rogue immediately settled in and peeked his head over the side of the bag to observe his surroundings.
"Hey, it's a purse monkey," Eren commented. Mikasa didn't want to, but she cracked a smile.
Eren, noticing this, laughed. "Listen, Prom Queen, we're gonna have to get along from here on in, because despite your opinion on it, we're going to be stuck here at least a couple days," he explained.
"I kind of figured that. I mean it's a small community, does this place even have an airport?"
"Of course, it has an airport. That's how we got in, remember?"
"Yes, but I mean for rescue planes. Do you think it's often that teenagers go out to sea and end up stranded on an island with no visual land? Or way off?"
Eren took a minute. "I guess not. But I'm sure they would have guessed it to happen at some point."
"I guess…" Mikasa patted Rogue on the head. "We might as well start building a shelter. If we're going to be here a while, might as well do so comfortably."
"That goes without saying, come on, we'll find some vines and shit in the forest." Eren started leaving the beach to head into the forest. Mikasa hastily followed.
Eren hauled two large planks of bark from a rotten tree farther in back to the beach. He found a nice space between two palm trees to set them against.
Doing so, he punch a little hole on either side, and tied vine through them and around the trunk of the tree.
Mikasa appeared, with Rogue on her shoulder, with four planks of wood.
"How…" Eren trailed off.
She pitted them against the trunk and wiped her hands together.
"How did you lift those?" Eren asked observing the planks.
Mikasa shrugged. "I can handle them. We better get settled pretty quick, the sun's going down."
True to her words, the sky turned a pale pink and deep orange as it set over the water.
"Yeah. Let's grab some giant fern to give it an extra layer."
They worked until the sun was nothing but an illusion. They both sat underneath their homemade shelter, saying nothing, but listening to the sound of the sea and the land.
"Do you think we will ever get off this island?" Mikasa asked.
Eren shrugged. "I don't know. We can only hope and wait."
Mikasa, accepting, sighed. "I want my bed, and my cat. And some coffee."
"Complaining won't solve a thing."
Mikasa rolled her eyes. "Then talk about something. Anything."
"Did you ever think this could happen?" he asked.
"Never. I'm usually not the adventurous type. But my friends managed to convince me to come to the party. But I also wasn't expecting you, of all people, to jump in after me, and not only untie the rope from the yacht, but also, a massive storm hit. So I guess I shouldn't be complaining."
"No, you shouldn't. There's no way anyone would've seen you in the water. You would have been stranded and probably dead."
"I could've crawled onto the dingy and let the yacht pull me to shore!"
"And get questioned by the police? Ruin your GPA, and your record? That's not the Prom Queen I know."
Mikasa only glared, and said nothing, cause on a deeper level, he was right. Better to be a victim of her own mistakes, then arrested for a horrible choice.
The sun sank beneath the surface of the water well before Eren and Mikasa even considered sleep, but when it came to it, Mikasa shifted forward when she felt Eren's hot breath on her back.
"Do you need to lay so close?" she asked.
"It's cold. This is called survival."
Mikasa rolled her eyes, and couldn't help but shudder, because again, he was right. So she laid there, listening to Eren's breathing from behind her. After what seemed like seconds, she heard his breathing even out and become softer.
Mikasa turned around in her spot and faced Eren. He was a few inches from her face, and she found herself staring.
In the moonlight, he looked so peaceful and dreamy. His eyebrows rest naturally and his mouth was open a little, as he was breathing in through his nose and out his mouth. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair, mentally told herself to not.
There could've been worse people to be stuck on an island with. Eren seemed to know what he was doing, and she had to admit the benefit.
There may be worse people, but she certainly didn't picture being stuck on an island with Eren of all people.
Eren has been around since the beginning of high school, but she never got to know him much. Sure in class if they are needing to talk, or work together they would converse, but she didn't know him personally. He was always alone, so she assumed even if she wanted to become friends with him, it might not have happened. It always made her sad to see him alone all the time. In class, during lunch, on field trips. She couldn't imagine her high school life without her friends.
But he could, and did, because he barely uttered a word to anyone.
But that was what appealed to her so much. The mystery behind those sad, emerald eyes, the cries behind that sweet mouth. She wanted to know what made him tick, what made him laugh, what made him cry, how he loved, who he loved.
Her friends always made fun of her for being so interested in him and who he was, but he couldn't help it. He piqued her.
"You're so creepy."
Mikasa looked up quickly, felt her heart leap. Eren's orbs of green observed her thinking face with amusement.
"I'm not creepy." She curled her lips.
"Well, staring at someone and smiling is creepy," Eren said, shifting onto his back.
"I was not staring! I just zoned out in thought, I guess. Just go back to sleep." She turned onto her own back, and let out a huff of exhausted frustration.
Shuddering again, she crossed her arms over her chest. She heard Eren's head shift, and felt his gaze burning through her.
"Now who's staring?" she asked, looking at him.
He shrugged. "Sorry, but you look cold."
She shook her head. "I'm fine."
Eren gave a tiny smile. "My mother always says that when a woman says she's fine, she's not actually fine. You're cold, so come here."
Mikasa whipped toward him when he sat up to move closer. "What are you doing?"
"I told you, survival. I'm not going to cope a feel if that's what you're thinking, even if the view is very appealing."
She narrowed her eyes, blushing, but let him wrap his arms around her. She turned to face away from him, with his chest pressed firmly to her back, and his arms around her waist.
Her heart was beating so fast, she couldn't even try and fall asleep. It's like she could feel every inch, curve and crevice of his muscled chest and abdomen. His skin was hard, warm and spooned her perfectly.
She couldn't let this distract her. She needed her energy for tomorrow. If they were to get off this island, they needed to be alive first.
The next morning, Eren woke up alone. He rubbed at his eyes and sat up, albeit lazily. He took a glance around for the blackette.
Not finding her, he stood up and looked down to the beach. Spotting her, he started to jog over.
"Morning! What's got you up and about so early?" he called as he jumped over the sand dune to land beside her.
"Someone has to try and save us." She placed a stick onto the ground. Standing up she brushed off her hands to admire her handiwork. She had laid out sticks to spell "S.O.S" as big as she could make it.
Eren stepped beside her to also admire.
"You think it will work?" he asked.
"It's better than nothing. I'm going for a swim."
Without hesitation, she tugged off her shirt to admire her pathetic excuse for a bathing suit.
Her top was plain black, but barely covered the majority of her breasts. Unbuttoning her shorts, she let them fall to reveal her black bikini covering half of her bottom.
Tossing her clothing aside, she headed into the water, dived into the surf of aquamarine, and Eren didn't take his eyes off her.
She surfaced, flicking her dark hair back down her back. She had a smile on her face as the bright morning sun casted bright beams throughout the beach.
She looked absolutely beautiful with the diamond drops glistening on her skin, her dark hair dripping with saltwater.
Eren simply stood there, unsure of what to do. On one hand he could stay on the beach watching this glorious creature splash around in the currents, or, much more appealing, he could strip down and join her. The former would be smarter, but his primal male instincts always won.
He dropped his jeans and dived in after her.
He tackled her into the water, her laughing as she made impact.
They started to wrestle, both trying to get the other down for the count. When Mikasa managed to escape Eren's grasp, he chased and grabbed her hips, wiggling his fingers over her wet skin, causing her to cry out in laughter as he tickled her.
Her legs gave out and she fell against him, giving him more access to her body. Mikasa was thrashing, splashing, and laughing as Eren continued to assault her with tickles.
Finally giving her time to breathe, Eren stopped and helped keep her above the water.
"Who'd have known you for the ticklish type?" Eren wondered running his hands through his wet hair.
She turned around and beamed at him. "I don't know. No one has ever done that before?"
"Not even as a kid?"
"Nope. I was raised by lawyers and a military brother."
Eren frowned. "Well, I guess that would make sense then."
Mikasa sighed as she caught her breath. When she noticed the change in him, she smiled lightly. "Why don't we take Rogue and head into the forest. Might as well start collecting food." She started to head back to the shelter, and Eren watched her go. Could not help admiring the natural sway of her walk.
Letting out a shaky breath, Eren shook his head. "Now's not the time, Jaeger. Keep it in your pants for once." And with that, he followed his brain, and went to help Mikasa find food.
"You would think with all these damn trees some kind of fruit would grow on them." Eren whipped a branch at a fern to cut it. "We can't survive off of just berries."
Mikasa passed a blue berry to Rogue, who threw it away. "Well, take what we can get and don't complain. This is a big island, I'm sure we'll find something."
With that said, Rogue suddenly leaped off of Mikasa's shoulder and started to bound into the woods.
"Rogue! Wait!"
"Guess he wanted to be back with his family," Eren shrugged. "A shame, really."
Without a word, Mikasa hurried after him, leaving a speechless Eren. "It's a monkey, for Christ's sake, it doesn't care about humans!" he called as he ran in after her.
When he found her, he paused to catch his breath. "Jesus, you're faster than you look."
"Look."
Obliging, Eren glanced up to where she was pointing and almost gasped. Bananas, mangoes, apricots, and many other fruits adorned his sight, and he could not help but let out a dramatic sniff.
"It's…so beautiful."
"Shut up and help me harvest."
Rogue climbed trees to grab the riper, less-accessible fruit to bring down to Mikasa. Both teens filled their bags with a variety of fruits and smiled in satisfaction.
"This should do it. A couple of days with this and we can harvest again," Eren explained hoisting the bag over his shoulder.
"Agreed. Let us get back." Rogue leapt back onto Mikasa's shoulder, and she led the way back to the beach.
Days bled into weeks for Mikasa and Eren as they survived on a tropical island off the coast of the Caribbean. Both managed to stay alive and sane, but they could barely contain the everlasting desire they felt for each other.
Mikasa struggled as Eren tried to show off and carry multiple branches at once. When he looked at her with those lonely, green orbs. Whenever she ran his hands through his hair, she struggled not to nibble at her lip to distract her from her racing heart and rabid breaths. He was a boy to behold, but Mikasa was not doing so hot with the holding back.
Eren struggled everyday not to trace his fingers down the curve of Mikasa's hips. He wants to gaze forever into her misty eyes. He stares at those pretty lips all day when she is not looking, and he always needs to breathe deep every now and again to calm himself.
They did not know what happened. They tried desperately to convince themselves that because of their dire situation, it was natural to feel these emotions, to want to feel something other than hopelessness. The only people they had were each other. It was natural to grow close, to treasure and protect someone who is experiencing the same dreaded situation as you. That was all it was. Hopefully.
Another day had passed. Two weeks since they had crashed onto the island, and no sign of anyone rescuing them, and no sign of anything getting easier.
"Out of matches," Mikasa announced, placing the empty packet into her bag. Eren was holding a stick and gazing out at the water, he did not acknowledge her. "What are you looking at?" she asked, standing up.
He stared for another moment, before he sighed, and turned away. "Nothing." He started to flick the stick across the sand, and Mikasa could not help but follow his gaze.
"No one would be coming out at this hour," she said. "Dark's too dangerous."
When Eren let out a gasp, Mikasa hurried toward him and let out a yelp. Eren had moved a piece of driftwood, and a human skull peeked out of the golden sand.
Covering her mouth, Mikasa stumbled back in shock. "Jesus!" she cried. "How long do you think he waited out here!?" she demanded, making Eren turn to her. "How long do you think he hoped someone would rescue him!?" Eren dropped the stick and moved toward her, grabbing her shoulders.
"Listen Mikasa. We are not like him. This guy could have been a smuggler, or a fisherman, or anyone. Someone will come. Okay?" He gripped her chin, and she nodded. "Someone will come." He repeated it and gathered her into a hug.
Letting out a breath of relief, Mikasa held on tight. He smelled of salt and forest, an odd, but attractive combination.
She leaned back to look at him, his eyes. They were shadowed with sleep, hard work, and…something else.
"What is it?" she murmured when he continued to observe her.
"Nothing. Just…" He trailed off, gazed into her eyes, and waited. For what? she wondered. Was he waiting for her to make the first move? Was there a move meaning to be made?
She would never had made the first move on the boy. She was always much too nervous of their reaction. But, considering the circumstances, she found that she has been more reckless and adventurous lately.
She slowly leaned in, and she completely closed the gap when she saw Eren's lips curve into a pleased smile.
Their lips met, and sparks flew. It was like everything inside her heightened and lit up. All she heard was her own heartbeat and the rhythm of Eren's shaken breathing.
She embraced the trembles they caused for each other, let their hunger take.
All this stress, all this worry, could have been soothed had they touched lips earlier. They gulped each other down like fresh air, like a lifeline. How could someone feel so strongly about someone so new?
Mikasa accepted. She accepted the emotions Eren presented her through his lips. His sadness, his anger, his passion, his lust. Everything. She reveled in it. She savored every taste of this boy, every feeling he brought to life.
Before they both knew it, they were laying down onto the fern bed they had created as a bed. Embracing the feeling of her body finally beneath his, Eren ravaged her. Her neck, her collarbone, her mouth. It was like Eren was determined to light every cell and nerve in her body on fire.
Moving to her breasts, they cupped perfectly in his hands. Firm and full he took them, and she cried his name. She arched her back at the sensation, at the pleasure. Biting, nipping, licking, all of it, he used to treat her right.
She smelled of saltwater and sweat, and the was fine with Eren. He grazed his lips down her stomach, smiled to himself when her stomach quivered under his mouth. Dragging her bikini and shorts down her legs, his lips followed, leaving a trail of sizzling fire in his wake.
She trembled beneath him, consumed in enjoyment and anticipation. She wanted to feel his skin, his hair, his love. His hunger.
He started to swirl and taste, and Mikasa sobbed out a sound of joy. He ate her until she was a drooling, crying mess, begging to be put out of her misery.
Taking her for the flight, he held on until her body did one last lurch, before collapsing in a heap.
As she breathed heavily, Eren placed a kiss on her womanhood, and did the same to her lips.
Before she had a chance to even utter a sound, Eren plunged into her, releasing a grunt from him and a moan from her.
He filled her, completed her, and she almost melted into the sand when he started to move, started to ride.
They rode with their foreheads pressed together, their sweat twining and breaths colliding.
Everything was disappearing. Her worries, her sadness, her hope. Every thought left her until only pleasure and Eren remained. She opened her eyes and found his green ones staring right back. They locked eyes until their end started to approach.
Too overwhelmed for words, Mikasa's eyes squeezed shut as her build started to burn, started to spread. Her desperation rang clear as Eren moved faster, until they cried out for each other in turn, before the brunette slumped on top of her.
The only sounds heard were their labored, rapid breaths and accelerated heartbeats. Mikasa let out a little laugh, which made Eren shift up to look at her.
"Why are you crying?" he wondered when he finally saw her face.
"I'm not. I mean, they are not bad tears. It's just…" Swiping at her eyes, she looked at him proper. "It's almost like, for a while, everything disappeared. And all I could think was, what everyone would think." Eren started to finger her hair, and she turned to him so she could lay on his chest. "This just makes me miss my life more…"
"Yeah…but you were…amazing."
Mikasa smiled. "Thank you. You were, too."
"We'll get through this, you and I, and this just makes us stronger. Something else to fight for."
Mikasa gazed into his eyes for a while. They were so beautiful. So green they glowed.
They didn't speak much after that, just simply laid in each other's embrace until they both drifted away.
The morning came quickly, and that was fine with them. They would much rather feel useful then hopeless. Both didn't say it to the other, but the paranoia from being stranded has started to affect them. Regardless of the little fun they have, they still didn't want this to be the rest of their lives. They had dreams, wishes, a reason to live, and it wasn't to survive on a tropical island.
As the two teens gathered aloe from the pond deep in the forest, they froze when they heard the rumble of propellers.
"Is that…" Eren looked up to the sky, then down to the girl.
"Helicopter!"
They both charged through the forest. Leaves stirring, branches snapping, and spirits lifting. They barreled through the wood, desperate to reach the beach to find the flare gun.
Sprinting down the beach, Mikasa reached the shelter first, and started to dig into her bag, and move leaves to locate the flare gun.
It was nowhere to be found. Eren watched as the helicopter passed over them and out of sight.
"What the hell happened?" Eren demanded, trudging over to Mikasa, who was still searching. "Why didn't you fire it?"
"I would've if I could find it. It's gone!" she said, sitting up. She hurled her hairbrush at one of the trunks of the palm trees in frustration.
"Hey. Calm down. It's not the-"
"It is the end of the world, Eren! It is the end of the world!" she repeated. "It's the end of my world, because my world is thousands of miles away and I can't reach it!" She gestured dramatically at the horizon, and turned to the sky. "I want to go home!"
Eren walked over and took her shoulders firmly. "Mikasa! Relax…" He waited until she sighed out a breath and leaned her head against his chest before continuing. "I know you are scared, and worried, and homesick. I am, too. But the only way we will pull through this is if we don't lose our heads and throw around hairbrushes." Mikasa cracked a smile. "We just need to keep fighting. Someone will come again."
"But it's been more than 2 weeks and that's the first anything we've seen," Mikasa retorted.
"Well, I guess you'll have to bare with me a little longer," Eren explained. "Now come on. A swim will do you good."
A swim did do her good. What did her even better, was Eren…literally.
Breathing heavily, Eren moved from on top of Mikasa and beside her. "We're going to be pros if we keep this up," Eren said, clearing his throat.
"Yeah, I'm also going to be sore," Mikasa added.
"That just says that the sex is good."
"Yes, hello, Eren Jaeger? This is your ego talking," Mikasa joked.
Eren gave her a look of exasperation. "Wow, way to kill a guy."
"I was kidding. Yes, it was very good. But it would be better if it was in a bedroom on a bed, instead of a sandy beach. I'm tired of all the thorough cleansing I need to do every day."
"I find it quite charming. And it also gives me a sense of pride and satisfaction," Eren explained.
"At my expense, no less. First time?" she asked. Eren shook his head.
"I'm not-"
"Come on, just tell me."
"Ah…Charlotte Fields. She was a junior and I was a new student, I thought she could teach me some stuff," Eren said.
"Was it good?"
"Whole five minutes were a blast," Eren said. Mikasa let out a laugh and couldn't help but smile brightly at him. "What about you?"
"Uh…" Mikasa looked anywhere but at Eren, and he raised his eyebrows.
"You can't do that. I answered, now you have to. No point in getting shy about it. Was it a jerk? Were you drunk? Was it-"
"It was you."
Eren paused and looked at her, before sitting up completely. "What?" he demanded. Mikasa shrugged. "Wow. Wow!" he repeated.
"Is that a bad wow?" Mikasa asked, worry etched on her features.
"No! No. It's just…" He traced a finger down her jawline. "Wow."
"You know, since this is my first rodeo, I think there is far too much for me to learn…" Mikasa eyes darkened, and Eren grinned.
"You're right." And he launched himself back on top of her and captured her lips.
The next morning came quickly. And the two teens were awoken by the harsh gusts of wind.
Shivering, Mikasa opened her eyes, saw she had drifted away from Eren during the night. Frustrated, she shoved closer to him, placed her head on his chest to try and attempt at more sleep. She softly smiled when she felt Eren's arms wrap around her, pull her closer.
"What a way to wake up, huh?" he murmured, bracing against another strong wash of wind.
"Yeah, but the part when I wake up beside you is fine," Mikasa muttered right back. Eren's chest hitched when he laughed.
"Couldn't agree more there, but we should probably-"
A echoed growl came from the forest, and had both teens shooting upright.
"What the hell was that?" Eren asked no one in particular. Hearing it again, Eren lifted himself up. "I'm going to find it and stop it."
He barreled into the forest without another word.
"Eren!" Mikasa called, still in the shelter. She looked at the sky, the wind, the sea, and decided sleep could wait. "Eren!" she called again as she followed his lead into the forest.
She raced through the bramble, brushing away vines, swatting away branches, and leaping over logs. She reached a tiny clearing, saw Eren standing in the middle of it, looking, listening.
"Are you sure there is something here? It doesn't seem-"
A black panther shot out of the bushes and landed in the clearing, snarling. It was standing exactly between Eren and Mikasa, turned toward the former.
Eren could only step back, staring horrified at the monstrous beast currently sneaking toward him, sneering and gnashing it's teeth.
"Eren-"
The panther bolted, and Eren started to run. Mikasa could only cry as the panther leaped after him, determined for a tasty breakfast.
Mikasa couldn't help it, she chased after them.
She could barely keep the panther in eyesight it was moving so fast, but that only meant that Eren was moving faster, and he couldn't stop. Not if he wanted to live.
She pushed harder, rotating her legs as fast as she could move them, desperately calling Eren's name.
"Whoa!" Finally catching up, she reached a halt when she saw Eren disappear behind a fallen tree he had failed to jump over. He turned around just in time to see the panther spring, and head straight for him.
Mikasa scream could've alerted the entire world where they were.
She was so frightened she didn't move at first. She waited, wondering if she'd see Eren's head pop up, or the panther's ready to gobble her up, too.
She took one step forward. "Eren?" she tried.
A hand grabbed onto the trunk of the fallen tree, and Eren got up covered in blood, holding his pocketknife. He stared down at the panther's dead body with a passive expression. He then looked at the knife, then to Mikasa who was watching him with absolute desperation.
Mikasa rinsed Eren's back while they floated in the inlet on the island. They showered under the waterfall, Mikasa holding Eren and working to get the blood off. They didn't talk, didn't interact, just simply soaked there under the falling water and in the pool of jewels.
"I killed a freaking panther…" Eren said as Mikasa fixed the position of the fern leaves on their shelter. "I killed-"
"Yes, Eren, you already said that. And I won't get tired of saying that I'm glad you did. That was one hell of an opportunity," Mikasa explained, referring to the pouncing panther. "Only way to defeat one is to back them into a corner. Stand your ground. When it pounced, it didn't have anywhere else to go, it was completely exposed to you, leaving the perfect chance to deliver the killing blow. I just wish it wasn't imprinted into my brain." She settled down again next to him. "You're strong."
Eren just nodded. "Thanks. But I don't plan on doing that again."
"I'm with you there. Maybe you should try and get some sleep. I'll take Rogue and do some hunting and harvesting. Rogue likes to have midnight snacks," Mikasa explained starting toward the forest. "Where is he anyway?" she asked glancing around the beach for the black monkey.
"Maybe he finally got my hint," Eren suggested. "That you're off the market."
Mikasa rolled her eyes. "Har-har. Yeah, I'm sure a monkey is capable of having a crush on a human."
"Lighten up, Prom Queen."
"Me? Why don't you go and just- "?
There it was again. Propellers. Propellers from a helicopter.
"Eren-"
"Get the flare gun!" he snapped out, sprinting onto the beach. Mikasa grabbed the gun from her bag and met back up with him.
They both started to yell, to wave the copter down.
"Hey! Down here!"
The copter started to slow, to descend and Mikasa could have cried.
"Don't worry, kiddos!" The intercom from the copter blared out. "We see you! You're safe now!"
The ride back to the mainland was rough. Once they were off the chopper, medics were all around them, asking questions, doing exams, reassuring them. But the only thing they both wanted was their family's and their own beds.
Security pushed the crowd back, led the two teens into the airport on the island and talked them through the flight plans, and the arrangements for their parents to meet them on the other side.
"Now there's going to be news people, medics there as well, friends, family, observers, everyone is going to be on the other end just waiting to catch a glimpse of you two. So, rest while you can on the plane. You have a long ride ahead of you."
They were settled into First Class, the pilot insisted, and ordered waters to start. Lord knows they'd seen enough of it, but never drank it.
While they waited for their beverages, the pilot came on the intercom and started giving directions and instructions to the passengers.
As he instructed the usage of the oxygen masks, Eren turned to Mikasa.
"What are the chances we die in a plane crash after all this?"
"Eren!"
"What? Come on, it's never too soon with what we just survived! Besides, we'll be dealing with weeping parents before long, might as well make the most of the time alone that we have."
"I guess. But that was too far. Last thing I want is to start picturing how you'll land in the freezing ocean instead of being a snack for a giant feline," Mikasa explained, plugging in her phone. That was going to be something to get used to again.
3 months since their disappearance, Annie thought as she waited by the security doors. 3 months without Mikasa to butt heads with, and Eren to make fun of. What was the point if those two weren't around to make things interesting? Annie missed Mikasa's delicate voice, her familiar face, and her stubborn attitude. She missed Eren's brooding, and temper tantrums, and those intimidating green eyes.
"What are the chances of only Mikasa coming back?" Ymir asked.
"Ymir!" Sasha scolded as she hastily wiped at tears streaming down her cheeks.
"What? Odds are Mikasa probably killed him."
"Or slept with him," Annie put in.
Considering, Ymir grinned. "Annie's got it. They probably shagged like bunnies while out there all alone for 3 months. I wouldn't be surprised if Mikasa's legs-"
"There they are!" a bystander shouted pointing to the doors.
True to his words, the two familiar figures appeared, and the security doors slid open.
Immediately cameras started to flash, questions started to string, and Mikasa and Eren had barely walked into the airport lobby.
"Mikasa! Are you still going to attend Princeton?"
"Eren! What was it like out there!?"
"Can we get an interview?!"
"Hey! Over here!"
"Mikasa!"
"Eren!"
"Look this way!"
Annie's eyes narrowed. She looked at the two bombarded teens and couldn't help but revel in the fact that she WAS right. Mikasa was clinging to Eren's arm as they tried to make their way through the crowd toward their family's, who were doing so also.
Once they did, Mikasa practically fell into her mother's arms, who sobbed and clung to her daughter tightly.
Eren's mother was hugging him at first, and then started to give him an earful about how reckless he was and how she would've killed him if he died. An odd response, but a sentiment Annie could get behind.
The three girls finally got their turn with the blackette as she walked over, teary eyed, arms wide ready for their embrace. They didn't disappoint.
Sasha flew into her outstretched arms, Ymir gathered her from behind. And Annie grabbed Mikasa's head held it against her shoulder.
Surrounded on all sides, Mikasa simmered in the love her friends gave. She missed them. So much.
"I'm sorry, girls. I didn't mean to go a wall."
"Well, the only explanation we got was that you were abducted by aliens," Ymir said.
"Our situation wasn't as creative, but it certainly felt that way," Mikasa explained.
Putting a hand on her shoulder, Mikasa's mother beamed at the three girls. "They visited every day. For updates, comfort, conversation. I don't know what I would've done without these girls. Thank you so much, you three."
Accepting her thanks, the three girls nodded, and then Eren walked up with his family and friends.
"Guess you two weren't too bored," said Eren's large friend, Reiner Braun. "Eren's looking like a pepperoni pizza with all those marks on his neck." Reiner pointed at his neck, and Eren batted his hands away.
"I can't believe I even considered missing you," Eren growled out lifting his collar to cover his exposed marks. Mikasa flushed, but more out of satisfaction.
"I was going for Hawaiian, but pepperoni is definitely more accurate," Mikasa joked, had Eren whipping to her, gobsmacked.
"We're home for 10 minutes and all of a sudden I'm the broody maniac again?"
"Eren, don't be so dramatic," a woman, his mother Mikasa assumed, scolded. "You two are overwhelmed and probably exhausted, what do you say we take you home?" she asked.
More than happy for the suggestion, Mikasa shouldered her bag, which she would never part with, considering what it did for them on the island.
Eren and Mikasa walked hand in hand through the parking lot toward their cars.
Glancing at Mikasa, Eren frowned.
"You don't look joyful, missing Rogue?" he asked.
Mikasa smiled softly. "Yeah, but I'm joyous, just thinking…" Eren nodded. "And don't tell me again that I don't look joyous, cause apparently that pick-up line of yours is a jinx waiting to happen again."
"Pick-up line? You are telling me it worked right off the bat?"
"You were trying to MAKE it work?"
Shoving Mikasa a little, Eren laughed, and hurried away when Mikasa gave chase.
"The panther is going to catch me!"
And, boy, did she ever…