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At first glance at this odd group of friends, you wouldn't be able to understand why and how they got along in the first place.
Well, that's what Mikasa has experienced for as long as she has known these weirdos. Whenever her other friends would meet this little group, they'd stare with eyes wide and jaws to the ground in disturbance. Chaotic, that's probably the only word they'd use to describe this little group of friends.
"Yo!!!" Sasha slammed the door to Historia's house open, not even bothering to knock. With hair disheveled as ever and a bag in her hand, Sasha proudly held it up.
"Sorry I'm late, but!" A rather devilish smile pulled at the corners of her lips. "Connie! Jean! Look what I got!"
Mikasa peered at the bag for only a mere second before Connie ripped it out Sasha's hand, marvelling at the content inside.
"Jackpot!"
"Well, it's safe to say," Jean sighed. "I'm driving today after all, huh?"
Ymir sighed, slapping her forehead. "Are you guys ever gonna stop smoking? Not that I'm judging, just wondering if you guys will ever experience true happiness."
"Ymir!" Historia gasped. "Of course they will!" And yet, despite her confident statement, a couple unconvinced stares from the rest of the group made her backtrack.
"Well...one day!"
Mikasa and Armin giggled, though Historia's comment earned a few groans from the idiot trio with 2 stoners and 1 sober-yet-might-as-well-be-high dude. Yeah, that's Jean, Connie, and Sasha for you.
"Did you guys remember to tell Eren that you'll be high? You don't want him to suddenly pull you on stage and you're just seeing naked grandmas and multiple flying cats instead of a crowd!" Armin piped up after a laugh.
"We don't need to!" Connie argued, Sasha backing him up shortly. "Eren always knows! You can't let two idiots on the stage anyways!"
Mikasa gave a lopsided smile. That last bit was just a bit too prideful.
"Who knows," Ymir smirked. "Maybe Eren wants revenge for last time."
The group erupted into laughter, remembering the terrible event that occurred just 2 weeks ago. Well, all but Mikasa found it funny.
"Now, Ymir, my dear friend." Jean did his best to cover a laugh as the other 2 idiots started dying of laughter. "Why would he do that?"
"WE KNOW WHY!" Connie took down Sasha with him as they wheezed on the floor.
"Pffft!" Historia couldn't hold back a loud laugh, waving her hands in the air, as if to stop them all from speaking. "Don't bring it up, guys!"
"No, no!" Sasha just barely recovered but gasped out as she attempted to not die again. "It was too fuckin funny! We gotta talk about it again!"
"No, really!" Connie wheezed again, coughing from the intensity. "Who woulda thought that would happen?!"
Mikasa wanted to chop someone's head off. What happened 2 weeks ago wasn't okay at all and was actually pretty detrimental to Eren's well being. And yet here everybody was, laughing again as if it wasn't a big deal.
What happened was quite weird, actually. Everybody was over at Jeans for a party. Connie and Sasha stole Eren’s phone, running away with it and threatening to post an embarrassing tweet to millions of his fans on twitter. Being in a band, absurdity is to be expected, yet the questionable things that those 2 could come up with were overboard. Who even talks about sucking toes through toes?
The two of them ran into Jeans kitchen, and just as Eren caught up to them, they swung a box at his face out of fear. To be fair, Mikasa understood. Eren's scary when he's dead set on something, and he was seriously set on killing those 2.
So, the box slammed right into Eren's face, knocking him out. Well, Mikasa could only cringe that more than that happened. The box was full of tools, much to Sasha and Connie's surprise. (Why the hell does Jean have a box of tools in his kitchen?) And so, when the box hit Eren...it wasn't pretty.
With his mouth foaming a little and a little blood dripping down from his forehead, Eren laid there, out cold. Mikasa and Historia attempted to help him up, though the man wasn't responding in coherent sentences. As he babbled, Ymir laughed like a cow in the back, sliding off the couch and onto the floor as she clutched her stomach. Armin was stuck between dying of laughter and crawling to the two girls and Eren to help him. Jean? The damn guy was throwing up because he laughed so hard.
Just what the hell was funny? Mikasa grit her teeth, grazing a hand over her friend's forehead which now had a massive bruise in the middle of it, the gash looking painful.
Turning back to Sasha and Connie, intending to kill them, Mikasa could only stare unimpressed as the two of them rolled on the ground, struggling to catch their breath and trying to hide their laughter. Sasha desperately climbed to her feet, holding onto the drawer in Jean's kitchen.
Jean gasped mid-throw-up-session. "W-wait!"
And then, boom! The drawer was down. Not only that, but so were Connie and Sasha who had flour all over them, plus drawer doors. The tool box made all the sense in the world after that.
Another laughing fit was only expected, and though Mikasa bit back a laugh, she was still concerned with Eren. They'd face her wrath later.
They never did end up facing it though, because here they were all laughing about it again. Worst part is, the tweet they accidentally sent out while stealing Eren's phone was still circulating.
Well, whatever. At least he was okay afterwards and the only consequence was a scab still left on his forehead 2 weeks later.
"J-Jean!" Armin fought back tears as he wheezed. "I still don't get it! Why did you throw up?!"
"It was too funny!!!" Jean was actually crying, cackling like a hyena even 2 weeks later. He turned to Mikasa. "Right, Mikasa!?"
She gave him her most cold stare. "No."
"My apologies, madam. I'll reflect heavily on my actions."
"BAHAHAHAHA!" Connie smacked Sasha, who fell back and off her chair, pulling Connie and Jean with her.
"JEAN, NOOOO!" The brunette cried.
"HAHAHAHAH!" Connie was basically yodelling. "WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?!"
"Idiots." Ymir muttered.
Before any of the others stopped the 3 from going on and on, a knock could be heard from the door. Historia got up to check it out, making sure her house looked okay for whatever stranger was coming in.
"Historia, my dear," Ymir sighed. "It's probably just Eren, who cares how the house looks?"
Historia smiled, looking through the peephole. "Oh! You're right. Doesn't matter, then!"
Mikasa slapped a hand over Armin's mouth right before he could start laughing.
"Hey, Eren!" Historia greeted as soon as she opened the door, allowing the man inside.
Ah, Mikasa thought. There he is.
This is the first time she's seen him in a little over 2 weeks. The distance they shared now was still unusual to her, reminding her of just how much she always enjoyed spending time with Eren before they graduated.
She met him on a cold day in Autumn, she had sat on the ground in a dirty, abandoned alley. Maybe it'd been hours, maybe it had just been a couple of minutes, perhaps it was even days, but Mikasa couldn't move a muscle from her spot.
Those men came into her house so easily, stabbing her father and slitting her mothers throat right in front of her. Escaping was a hard task, but she had managed to escape through a window and out the small woods that surrounded her secluded house. She knew this place better than those 3 men, she was fast and tiny too, the only thing they had on her was height and skill.
So, she made it out just barely without injuries, the only ones being the small scratches she got from the branches, a rather big one on her cheek. That, and the cuts on her feet from concrete would probably be a big problem soon too. It didn't matter at the moment, she wasn't safe yet.
Mikasa ran and ran until she couldn't anymore, looking back constantly. Just as she saw a suspicious car make a turn, she ran behind the lonesome store that had been in the area longer than she'd been alive. Garbage littered the back, but she had no time to complain as she began to cry, rocking back and forth, praying to the higher power that everything would be okay.
Day time changed to night, and Mikasa found herself still crying. That was, until a brown haired boy with bright green eyes popped out from the corner. She screamed, but that seemed to scare the boy too.
"Why are you screaming?!" His loud voice scared her too, and she shrunk into herself. She was so cold, her pajamas just barely helping her at all. The cuts on her feet hurt like hell, and the cold wasn't helping.
Mikasa stayed quiet, allowing more tears to pour from her eyes as she wished that this boy in front of her wouldn't hurt her.
"Hey." He knelt down to her, trying to take a peek at her face. "What's wrong?"
Again, he only received silence. She felt paralyzed.
"Can I touch your forehead?" Her silence didn't help him at all, but he decided to do it anyway. "You're burning up! And," he gasped. "You have no shoes!"
Finally, she nodded dumbly.
"What if I gave you mine?"
"...No."
"Woah!" He smiled, his teeth showing and eyes shining. "So you do have a voice!"
He looked around the area, scanning for something Mikasa didn't know of. His face suddenly changed again, going back to an unimpressed look. He must be faking disinterest, Mikasa thought.
"The bad guys are gone."
"Eh?"
"They're gone." He stood up, holding out a hand for her. With shaky legs, she got up with his support.
"How did you...know?"
"Clearly something is wrong!" He replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "You have no shoes! You're in pajamas! You have blood on you! And, you're crying!"
She stared at him, shocked that he noticed all of that. She didn't think a kid could make use of their surroundings so easily, and she was sure they were the same age. She knew that she probably wouldn't have made that conclusion.
"I can walk you home," he started walking. "Come on."
"No."
"Huh?" He turned back around, tilting his head.
"I…" The tears built up in her eyes again. "Don't...have a home anymore."
The boy's eyes bulged out his head, gasping at her admission.
"What...do I do?" She felt the tears slide down her cheeks again, and just as she was about to start sobbing, a hand touched her cheek.
"Well." The strange kid started. He wiped her tears. "You have to stop crying! That's first!"
Her chin quivered.
"Hey! Stop crying, just live with me!"
And she did stop crying, because the offer of living with him cut her completely off guard. Live with him? A stranger? She just saw her family get murdered. How could she...possibly...find another home?
"Here." He took his red scarf off, wrapping it around her instead. As he looped it around her neck, Mikasa noticed the slight blush on his face. It must be embarrassing to be so close to a girl...
But she ignored that, because the feeling of the scarf sent goosebumps through her body. It felt...warm.
Mikasa cried again, though she couldn't understand why. He'd done something nice, so...why?
"Hey! You're crying again!" He sighed, wiping them away again. She shivered, the warmth of his hand against her cheek contrasted the cold drastically. He stepped back afterwards, content with the care he took for her.
"My name is Eren. What's yours?"
"I'm...Mikasa."
And again, that warm smile split his cheeks as he held out a hand for her once more.
"So, let's live together!"
The situation after that was a messy one, documents of hers had to be altered as the Jaeger family allowed her to live with them, adopting her as quickly as they could. She'd gone through quite a bit of law problems because of the adoption and murder She'd witnessed, but in due time her struggles settled down. Mikasa Ackerman quickly became part of the Jaeger's.
So, as she stared at that boy now 13 years later, she couldn't help but admit that she never expected this boy to choose music as a career path.
He's the lead vocalist of a band called "Memories for the Killers", a name he had come up with along with the help of Mikasa. They had spent about 2 years trying to come up with everything for his band.
And so here he was, a famous singer stopping by to talk to some friends 11 hours before his own damn concert.
Eren walked into Historia’s apartment with a cool air around him, well, Mikasa thought it was cool.
"BAHAHAHAHA, EREN!" Jean the hyena-horse hybrid burst out laughing. "HOW'S YOUR HEAD?!"
The others snickered, for fucks sake, even Historia did. Mikasa could only scowl at them, but not too much. After all, these are her precious friends, and even if they're laughing at Eren, she'd never make them think that she truly dislikes them.
"It's fine, thanks." Eren replied with a far too innocent smile, flopping onto Historia's couch beside Armin as soon as his boots were off. Mikasa smiled, his taste in boots stayed the same all these years. Black, leather, slightly plat formed.
"Uh-oh." Sasha gulped, fighting back a laugh. She had to be high already, because Mikasa just didn't get why she and Connie kept laughing so hard. It's not funny!
….Deep down it's a little funny- but no- it's not.
"I don't have a very good feeling." Connie whispered to Jean and Sasha.
Jean shook his head, running a hand through his mullet. "Yeah, me neither."
Eren just continued to smile innocently, focusing on the rings on his hand.
"So, the man, the myth, the legend." Ymir smiled, slinging an arm over Historia's shoulder as she sat next to her on the smaller couch. "What are you planning for this concert?"
"Got some new songs I'm gonna perform. There's two specifically that are...pretty different." Eren smiled, pushing back a strand of hair from his face. Mikasa could only pray that the redness of her cheeks wasn't there, that the heat was just an imagination. He had no reason to look...like that.
You see, Eren's always been good looking. Mikasa thought so when they were kids, too. Little Eren had short brown hair, straight and thin but not shaggy looking. His bright green eyes were comforting, warm, they showed that he was a fun person.
As Eren grew older, he began to change a little. His style began to change, as did Mikasa's. The funny part is they kind of matched in their style.
Eren had begun to wear more black and white clothing, usually opting for black bottoms and a white shirt with a black design on it. He ended up getting a cartilage and earlobe piercing in high school, which Mikasa had to admit almost made her confess to the guy.
Meanwhile, Mikasa began to dress a little more gothic, more alternative. Long skirts, short skirts, crop tops, oversized shirts, heels, boots, flats, everything began to become more and more black, mixed in with the occasional red or purple. She started to wear her hair in pigtails with multiple clips, large eyeliner and dark lipstick accompanying it. You could say she was the iconic high school emo, and she hadn't exactly grown out of it.
She was a little more tame now, but she still wore the same style she's had since highschool, just now the skirts were shorter as she became more comfortable. Thigh highs had become something she took an interest to as well, and who could forget about the highlights she gets every other month now?
Eren's look had changed to be a little more extreme. He had tattoos, a tongue piercing, and his clothes were more ripped up and occasionally, tight fitting.
Mikasa definitely understood why people mixed them up to be a couple, though she wished it wasn't a mix-up.
With his hair up in a half-bun, Eren had on a casual sleeveless black shirt with baggy black jeans, a chain hanging from then. Her favourite part was his smudged eyeliner and eyeshadow, along with the scratch-like red marks under his eyes. She still remembered teaching him how to do it.
Yeah, this always happened whenever she admired how he looked. She got to see him get to this point, to these times where he's looked better than ever. How could she help remembering just how he's changed?
"Mikasa?"
"Huh?!"
As she finally looked up, she was met with the concerned faces of her friends. Clearly they'd been trying to get her attention for a while, if Ymir's unimpressed face was any clue.
"You good?" Eren raised an eyebrow and Mikasa blushed, embarrassed that she got so caught up in front of everyone.
"Yeah, just a headache!"
"Need me to get you some Tylenol?" Historia offered, but Mikasa just shook her head.
"You know." Eren pursed his lips to the side. Stretching his neck and sighing, he tucked his hands into his pockets and looked back at her with the same concern in his eyes. "If you don't want to go to the concert, it's okay."
"What?!" Her eye's just about popped. "Of course I wanna go!"
"But your head-"
"It's okay!" Mikasa interrupted Eren, shaking her head. "It's okay, it always happens anyways. Just chronic stress, remember?"
"C'mon, Eren!" Armin lightly shoved Eren in the shoulder. "She can handle herself. You know that!"
Ymir laughed. "He's like a dad."
"Hey!"
Mikasa went back into her own little world, imagining just how great MFTK’s concert tonight would be. After all, they’re always on point!
-
Just 10 hours later, Mikasa was standing at the front of the audience seats, waiting for "Memories For The Killers" to start their performance as always.
This specific concert was a long awaited one from Eren's fans, it'd been about 10 months since the last one. What was he doing all that time? Honestly, just taking a break. He'd been performing since age 17, he's 22 now. A break once in a while would be nice, wouldn't it?
She decided on wearing some baggy black pants and a neon green, cropped tank top. As always, her hair was tied up in two pigtails, the green highlights matching her outfit. In all honesty, she just wanted to look good as she had fun tonight.
But the question does wonder around her head...What does Eren think of her looks? Does he care what she wears? At all? Not that she dresses for him, but she would be lying if she said that she hasn't dressed to impress him in the past.
"Do you think Eren's gonna bring Sasha, Jean, and Connie onstage!?" Armin yelled over the crowd and Mikasa just barely heard him.
Would he do that?
…
"Yeah!"
"STOP!!!" Sasha panicked. "HE WOULDN'T!"
"Oh, he so would!" Ymir argued.
Jean just sighed, already regretting even coming here if he was definitely going to be humiliated. "Well, can't be as embarrassing as that one time at Target!"
Connie gasped. "I TOLD YOU, MAN! HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THE GRANDMA WAS DEAD?"
Armin glanced at Mikasa. "What are they talking about!?"
With her most unimpressed stare, she only shrugged. "Still don't know!"
"AHHHH!" Historia jumped all over the place. "It starts in 10 minutes!"
"Excited?!" Ymir smirked, wincing from the cheers of Eren's fans who saw the countdown for the concert drop to 10 minutes.
Then and there, Eren texted Mikasa. Opening her phone, worry built up in her chest. He doesn't usually text so early before his concert, what could be wrong? Did he get hit by a toolbox again? Is he chickening out all of a sudden?
Those questions would all receive a "No" as a response after she opened her phone.
[Eren 🐦]
11:30. Watch me.
Mikasa raised an eyebrow, looking at the time it was now. 9:50 P.M, in an hour and forty minutes he wanted her to pay close attention. But that was the end of the concert?
Without being able to help it, she felt her cheeks heat up. What the hell was this about all of a sudden?
The minutes went down slowly and yet too fast all at the same time, making Mikasa's stomach turn. What did he want her to watch? Well, obviously him, but why? He'd never said something like that before.
The countdown struck 1, and the seconds were being shouted by his fans, even their friend group.
"59!"
"58!"
"57!"
"56!"
And downwards, and Mikasa couldn't help but just try to let go of the text for now. She came here to support him, to have fun! She's not going to let him randomly texting her like that scare her away from fun at his own damn concert.
"15!"
"14!"
"13!"
"12!"
"11!'
Lights started to dim, and the crowd went wild.
"It's starting!" Sasha beamed.
"Sasha, why does your name sound exactly how it looks?!"
"WHAT?!"
Armin sighed, slapping his forehead. "Here we go!"
"5!"
"4!"
"3!"
"2!"
"1!!!!"
The curtains pulled back, revealing 4 of the members of MFTK, the drummer, bassist, lead guitarist, and their rhythm guitarist. Despite the lead singer not making his arrival yet, fans broke out into cheer and screams for the other 4 members they are also so very familiar with.
The lead guitarist started the intro to a song, although Mikasa had never heard of it before. As he went on, she noticed that...she DOES know it. It's just a different rendition!
Eren rose to the stage from underground, earning loud, both low and high pitched screams from the crowd. Mikasa could only awe at what he was wearing.
As always, Eren looked amazing on stage. He wore a sleeveless black shirt again, but this time it had a turtleneck. Multiple chains running from the hips lined his black pants, accompanied with plat formed black boots, but there were studs on them now. A leather jacket sat on half his torso, only one shoulder covered with the fabric. His other arm was revealed, showing off his sleeve of crows flying up to his shoulder.
Loose strands of brown hair fell over his eyes and forehead, the rest tied up in a ponytail half up. Black eyeliner and eyeshadow surrounded his eyes, accentuating the bright green eye colour of his.
Mikasa could honestly understand why the fan girls began to throw their bras on stage.
Eren got into position, waiting for his part to come up, building tension and anticipation in the arena of 20,000 people.
"Everybody!" His deep voice boomed through the concert just as the guitarist was about to finish it up and hand over the spotlight to Eren. "This. Is. MFTK, 10.28!!!"
Those numbers meant something to Eren, though Mikasa had no clue what. But the closer she looked, it seemed that Eren was looking at their friends. Perhaps, it had something to do with a specific memory?
The guitarist finished and just as Eren was supposed to sing, the music stopped entirely.
Everybody held their breath, but then the lead guitar switched up the game.
What was supposed to be Eren singing "Best Years" turned to a more intense instrumental.
"1! 2! 1! 2! 3! GO!"
And the crowd cheered loud as ever, immediately singing along with the song they all knew so well.
"I'm wondering why do all the monsters come out at night?"
"Why do we sleep where we want to hide?"
"Why do I run back to you like I don't mind if you fuck up my life?"
"Why am I a sucker for all your lies?"
"Strung out like laundry on every line."
"Why do I come back to you like I don't mind if you fuck up my life?"
Light's all around flashed wildly, fans jumping around and swinging their banners, lights, and other fan items they bought at the venue . Right from the beginning, this concert started off with a bang and got everybody dancing. Especially Sasha, Connie, and Jean, who fooled around by pretending to serenade each other.
Mikasa couldn't help but notice that the lights in their seating area flashed a little less. A smile tugged at her lips. Eren really is so thoughtful...
He knelt down to his knees for his fans, reaching out a hand and letting them grab onto him. Mikasa had no issue with this though, she'd gotten used to it. Totally. Absolutely. He continued to do this as he rapped his next part.
"I'm addicted to the way you hurt, the way you contradict me."
"I swear everything looks worse at night, I think I'm overthinking."
"I don't care who I might hurt along the way, I'm fuckin' sinking."
"Into every word, I don't care if you're lyin' when I'm drinking."
"So, tell me pretty lies, look me in my face."
"Tell me that you love me, even if it's fake."
"You can lead me on and leave these questions in my sheets, I'm under it, I made my bed and I'm still wonderin'."
If the crowd sang the chorus any louder, Mikasa's ears would surely burst. And yet, she sang along anyways, adding onto the massive headache she'd probably have later.
"I'm wondering why do all the monsters come out at night?"
"Why do we sleep where we want to hide?"
"Why do I run back to you like I don't mind if you fuck up my life?"
"Why am I a sucker for all your lies?"
"Strung out like laundry on every line."
"Why do I come back to you like I don't mind if you fuck up my life?"
Mikasa began to dance too, letting her hair run wild as she joined the mashed up group of whatever their friends had become, singing off-key and at the top of their lungs.
-
9:30 P.M, Eren had performed 7 songs by now, including some of Mikasa's favourites like "Best Years", "Creep", and of course, "A Kiss." Why were they her favourites, you may ask? She helped him come up with the ideas for the songs, giving him the inspiration by taking him to places to motivate certain feelings in him.
That's just always how it is, Mikasa would help him with anything he needed.
By now, everybody in the crowd was already a mess, and drunk and baked people were having both the time of their life and the worst day ever as they threw up and stumbled everywhere. Yup, this is a Memories For The Killers concert, alright. This sort of stuff was accepted by MFTK, so security really didn't mind the grime...well, they did, because they'd be the ones dealing with the aftermath.
Eren appeared on stage again after an outfit change, now wearing his hair down and changing from the black turtle neck to a jacket and dress pants. A pretty standard fit.
Except that there was no dress shirt. In fact, there was no proper shirt. Just a black suit jacket and pants, and dress shoes to math. A black studded belt wrapped around Eren's waist, covering up just the middle and exposing his chest, only the thin mesh fabric underneath.
God, Mikasa could just about pass out.
They all cheered for this outfit change of his, especially Sasha who screamed at the top of her lungs, with Connie supporting Eren too as he yelled amidst the silence once fans quieted down.
"THAT'S OUR SEXY ASS EREN!!!"
Laughter erupted from everybody, Mikasa included, as Eren became a blushing mess, hiding his face behind an arm.
It wasn’t often that Eren would show a shy, soft side of himself to the general public but his friends were always able to bring out the best in him. Mikasa smiled, that’s one of the things she loved about him.
Once he recovered, he sighed into the mic and placed a hand on his hip. "You know, despite your compliment, you deserve no forgiveness."
"NOOOOOO!!!!!" The 2 idiots yelled out desperately, though everybody else either laughed or were confused as hell.
Eren turned to his fans, laughing as he pushed his hair back. "2 weeks ago, I'm sure you saw my weird ass tweet about toes."
"YUP!!!"
"WE DID!!!"
Mikasa bit back a smile. It was just a little funny, okay.
"Well, that wasn't from me, as I said. So, as revenge for that fuck ass tweet, here's the culprits."
If Mikasa could laugh any harder, she would.
On the big screens on the stages, the most embarrassing pictures of Sasha and Connie were displayed. Even Jean.
"HEYYY!!!" Jean shouted over the crowd. "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!! WHY ME?!!"
"Cause I don't like you."
Sasha could only scream and protest the pictures on display, but Connie was already dying of laughter. Jean? Well he was already planning murder. After all, showing pictures of the three of them eating spaghetti in a bathtub was quite the embarrassment.
"Those are the two idiots that tweeted that bullshit." Eren continued, walking around the stage and giggling along. "Plus that horse faced one is guilty by association. You can also thank them for this mark on my forehead."
He stopped abruptly, pointing directly at a camera.
"And if I see one more Vision and Thanos joke, you're all getting blocked!"
Mikasa beamed, laughing without a care in the world as Eren continued to threaten his fans.
By 9:40, the band had finished the first ment and went onto the second part of his concert. This time, it was a darker choice of songs.
Red lights flashed through the arena, an organ playing in the back as a backdrop of Eren, somewhere on top of a dark field, could be seen bowing with his forehead to the ground. The real Eren stood on the stage with his arms spread open, a rather deep voice sounding through the place.
"The intention is clear, I stare, with this left hand, unable to be worded."
Mikasa's eyes widened, they might as well have popped out of her head. He… He was singing in Japanese! It's just like when she taught him!
She knew Eren could speak the language, but singing in it? She never thought that...he'd do that.
Despite this being a rather quiet song so far, fans couldn't hold themselves back from throwing random items like bras and condoms on the stage as they lost their minds at Eren's ability to speak Japanese. As far as Mikasa knew, he'd never told the public about it.
"Every time I bleed, there lies the reason to live."
"And I discover words being so vivid and bright."
A rather distorted sound came through the music and sent shivers down Mikasa's spine. Eren grabbed onto the mic for the chorus, knitting his eyebrows together as his hair fell over his face.
"Even loved ones scatter like petals from flowers in my hand!
“So even if I engraved the meaning that I lived in my hand, it will only be known as flowers of vanity!"
"The final…"
Just then, Eren screamed into the mic, prolonging the yell into an awful choking noise at the end, all the while leaning back in a way which seemed pretty uncomfortable. It’s as if he were liquid.
Mikasa could only stare in awe as her childhood best friend transformed into a real star there on the stage, resembling some of her favourite J-rock groups.
She couldn't help but smile, bopping her head with Historia, Ymir, And Sasha looking at her like they knew something. She chose to ignore it. Looking at something at a concert was hard as hell anyways.
Gasps filled the arena as somehow, unbeknownst to them, Eren's abdomen started bleeding. It was clearly fake blood, but the red liquid looked convincing enough as it poured onto the stage floor, more blood pouring around him from the ceiling.
Fans shouted, both excitement and terror filling their voices as they watched their favourite singer rub the blood over his chest, flicking his wrist at the end.
Mikasa was sure that if this was an anime, her nose would be bleeding. Eren's hand, covered in rings and blood, reached to his neck, sliding up to his face and rubbing the blood over his mouth.
It's not like Mikasa had a kink for blood, no, but if it was Eren...She might as well have one.
"One by one it multiplies ... Why be a sad bait?"
"Deep within the hell of my heart ... I can't go back."
"A self-torture loser, not being able to see tomorrow."
"Suicide is the proof of life."
Though this song was definitely darker than anything the band had done before, Mikasa couldn't help but be happy anyways. This new Eren...he was so interesting.
If this was his new look and style, Mikasa wished he'd keep it forever.
-
by 10:30, Eren had performed 4 songs off his upcoming album, plus a lot of his previous darker sounding songs.
Many people in the crowd seemed to be crying, for whatever reason. Mikasa really couldn't understand random people crying for celebrities like that.
And then she thought about it…
And thought some more...
And then it hit her then...The man she's in love with is a celebrity.
Mikasa couldn't help but slap her forehead. So much for a normal life, this wasn't cliche of her at all.
Well, that's fine. Because she's known him so long, she knows her love isn't because of the band.
Because in an hour...She'd be watching Eren, she'd be waiting till then.
-
It finally reached 11:30, the end of the concert. Just one last song and it'd be over for tonight, but Eren would be back for 5 more days in other states next week.
This was a great concert, Mikasa thought. Truly, Eren gave it his absolute all today. Just one last bit…
And for that last bit, Eren finally appeared on stage in his last outfit of the day.
"WOOOOOO!!!!" Armin cheered, the 3 idiots behind him catcalling Eren.
Ymir smirked as Historia squealed to her, embarrassed or something. Well, it didn't matter too much to Mikasa.
Because there stood Eren, rising up to the stage once more in what seemed like the most expensive outfit Mikasa's ever seen him in.
A dark red, velvet suit fit his body perfectly, highlighting him in the best way. Dress shoes matched again, but that wasn't the impressive part. There was no shirt...No mesh...Nothing.
His abs were on display, and god were his abs crafted well. Mikasa herself owned a 6 pack, but Eren's 8 pack never failed to impress her.
God, she could still remember when she was stronger than him.
A silver chain with a cross fell over his chest, a black choker complimenting it from above. Black cross earrings could be seen on the big screen, as well as his makeup which was done even more extreme than before. A smokey eye with dark eyebrows and glitter in corners of his eyes, as well as on his cheek bones. Dark brown hair strands fell over his eyes carefully, the majority of it tied up in a ponytail.
But that wasn't all, oh no. Chains hung from his waist, as well as his fingers where he wore 4 rings on a hand. Finally, the look finished off with a garter belt around his thigh.
This was it...Eren wanted Mikasa to see him like this and watch him perform.
MFTK's guitarist and drummer started once again, and immediately the arena was full of "Oooooo's" because of the sensuality of the new song. Mikasa gulped. What the hell was Eren planning?
And maybe she was crazy, but even with the lights dimmed and Eren facing towards all the fans, Mikasa could see his eyes shift to their friend gro- no, to her. She couldn't miss those green eyes of his, they were definitely on her.
"I'm finding ways to articulate the feeling I'm goin' through."
Another new song...and his voice...it was so raspy, so slow, sweet but also rough. Getting tired of this voice was an occurrence that would never come.
Eren looked away from Mikasa, looking at the crowd for the rest of the song, singing passionately into the mic as he slowly danced along to the song.
"I just can't say I don't love you. 'Cause I love you, yeah."
"It's hard for me to communicate the thoughts that I hold."
"But tonight I'm gon' let you know!"
"Let me tell the truth."
"Baby, let me tell the truth!"
The music pace switched up and so did Mikasa's heart as he neared her seat.
"You know what I'm thinkin', see it in your eyes!"
"You hate that you want me, hate it when you cry!"
"You're scared to be lonely, 'specially in the night!"
"I'm scared that I'll miss you, happens every time!"
She'd never heard his voice go so high up before, and she wished she could hear him sing this song forever.
Armin nudged her, winking.
"What?"
"Nothing!"
Eren brought the stand with him, keeping his mic on there as he rocked his body. The arena got quite hot, and Mikasa had no doubt that it wasn't just her who felt like that.
"I don't want this feelin', I can't afford love!"
"I try to find reason to pull us apart!"
"It ain't workin! Cause you're perfect! And I know that you're worth it! I can't walk away, oh!"
And there it was, the eye contact. Those eyes of his seemingly stared into her soul as he narrowed them, hair falling over them slightly as he shook his head, attempting to move them out of place.
If Mikasa could, she would get on stage and confess right now.
"Even though we're going through it, and it makes you feel alone, just know that I would die for you!"
"Baby I would die for you, yeah."
She must've looked like a deer caught in headlights, because when she turned to her friends they all gave her a knowing look, even Jean though he looked a bit annoyed with Eren. This time, it was Historia who nudged her, winking and giggling.
This...what the hell is…
"The distance and the time between us, it'll never change my mind, 'cause baby, I would die for you!"
"Baby I would die for you, yeah."
Mikasa could barely feel her hands, her back crawling with goosebumps and creating a distraction from everything else.
This...is this…?
Before anything could happen though, Eren moved back to the middle of the stage, continuing on.
"I'm finding ways to manipulate the feelin' you're goin' through."
"But baby girl, I'm not blamin' you."
"Just don't blame me too, yeah."
"'Cause I can't take this pain forever, and you won't find no one that's better!"
'Cause I'm right for you, babe. I think I'm right for you, babe!"
Mikasa hoped he'd move back to her, but she was wrong. Instead, Eren moved to the opposite end of the venue, probably serenading another girl now.
She tried not to sigh, or show her disappointment for that matter. Ymir gave her a shove, catching her attention.
"Personally, I think you could do better."
She raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
But the darker girl only sighed. "Nothing."
Mikasa didn't understand what was up with their friend's today, but she could tell that something was up. Do better? The winking? What the hell was this all about, anyways?
A deeper part of her thought that maybe...Eren was telling her something. And yet...It couldn't be. Their feelings were one sided, it's not like Eren's ever shown any type of romantic feeling for her, ever.
But...that text made her doubt it. Maybe she was right. Maybe this is...what she thinks it is.
"You know what I'm thinkin', see it in your eyes!"
"You hate that you want me, hate it when you cry!"
"It ain't workin! Cause you're perfect! And I know that you're worth it! I can't walk away, oh!"
'Eren.' Mikasa narrowed her eyes, thinking internally about these lyrics. 'Just who...is this song about?'
"Even though we're going through it, and it makes you feel alone, just know that I would die for you!"
"Baby I would die for you, yeah."
"The distance and the time between us, it'll never change my mind, 'cause baby, I would die for you!"
"Baby I would die for you, yeah."
And there he was again, on the move from the left of the venue to the middle. No- he was-
He went back to their side, the right of the stage. And on one knee, a hand on his heart, Eren sang with his eyes closed, but Mikasa couldn't help but notice just how close he was...to her.
"I would die for you, I would lie for you."
"Keep it real with you, I would kill for you, my baby…"
"I'm just sayin', yeah."
"I would die for you, I would lie for you."
"Keep it real with you, I would kill for you, my baby."
And that's when he got up, finally moving to the middle, leaving Mikasa confused and overwhelmed.
'There's...no way…'
The thought was forgotten though, because Eren had just hit a note that Mikasa's never heard, the entire arena hadn't ever heard such a high note from their lead singer either. Screams and cheers sounded through the concert, everybody losing their shit at the new Eren.
"I would die for you! Baby I would die for you!"
"The distance and the time between us, It'll never change my mind, 'cause baby, I would die for you!"
"Baby, I would die for you!"
And as the lights dimmed, Eren let out one last, "Thank you so much!" To the crowd before the platform which he used to rise onto the stage, lowered underneath again, him waving all the while to his fans and friends. With that, the curtains closed.
-
Every post concert night, if Eren was in state, their gang would go out for dinner. Well, "dinner" wasn't fancy like you would think. Really, it was usually McDonalds or something. Today, they sat at Burger King and like always, the night started off with making fun of somebody.
"Erennnnn." Sasha mocked, resting her head on her hand as she attempted to not knock the fuck out. "Who was that last song about?"
Eren smirked. "Mind your business, Sasha."
Everybody coo'd except for Mikasa and Jean, who could only stare unimpressed. For different reasons, too.
"Never mind that song," Ymir interjected. "What about all that emo shit you sang?"
"Yeah!" Armin laughed at the 'emo shit.' "The 2nd part of the concert was so dark!"
Before Eren could even answer, the 3 idiots went into their usual hyena howling.
"Guy's, stop! He's bracken!" Sasha choked on her fries as soon as Connie yelled it out, slamming the table with a hand. Mikasa could only sigh. They could get so rowdy, good thing Eren's in a disguise, wearing his usual clothes but with a sweater and mask to cover his head.
"HE'S LIKE, HE'S LIKE," Jean loudly laughed. "WAKING UP IN THE MORNING, THINKING OF SO MANY THINGS, I JUST WISH THINGS COULD GET BETTER!"
Surprisingly even Eren laughed, and their gang of friends continued to joke and yell about the dark lyrics and style Eren's band now inhabited.
But something entirely different was on Mikasa's mind. Tonight, despite being so fun and memorable, was still confusing and messy all up in her head.
So, she excused herself and made way to the washroom despite her friends concerned faces.
Against a cold wall, Mikasa stood there, leaning her back against it, ignoring how low her body temperature had gotten in the past hour and how the freezing stone wall wasn't helping her case at all.
Those lyrics...That eye contact...The text message…Just what…was that about?
It's not like she didn't understand the type of person Eren is. God, of course she knew. She lived with him for 10 years, of course she would know. And yet...she had never been sure of his feelings for her.
It's not like Eren's ever actually had a girlfriend, so who could those lyrics be about besides her? Unless...there's a girl she doesn't know about.
Throughout the concert Eren performed many songs, most of them being some sort of woman he's super infatuated with. The ones that especially caught her attention were the Japanese one, which she learned he named "The Final" and his last song, "Die For You."
She taught him for years how to speak, and eventually Eren actually caught on. From then, he'd only speak the language around her.
But "Die For You"... Mikasa could only be reminded of the cold night they met.
After Eren had turned the corner of the store and she followed him, a car stopped abruptly, screeching and all. Like a huge weight she'd been holding for too long, Mikasa's heart dropped. "That's…"
Eren could only raise an eyebrow at her. "Who is that?"
And there came the tears again, salty water dripping onto the red scarf. With a quivering lip and a panic rising in her chest, Mikasa could only whisper one word.
"Them."
3 men stepped out of the car, approaching the two kids like they were on a mission. And really, they probably were. The one thing Mikasa couldn't understand is...why?
But it seems that while she questioned their motive, Eren couldn't care less. He stepped up to them with the first look of anger Mikasa would see from him, his fists up like he was going to fight. She could only drop to her knees, shaking all over at the sight of their faces.
"Beat it, kid!" One of them yelled. "Do you wanna die, too?!"
"You better listen well." The fat one piped up. "Boss doesn't like it when kids are involved. We already got one, we have no need for you."
And so, before Eren could do anything, the 3rd man grabbed him and carried him away, the boy kicking and screaming for him to get off him the entire time. Apparently the man had enough because he threw Eren to the ground, kicking him in the gut and legs over and over. A couple of times, he even got kicked straight in the face.
"E...Eren?" Mikasa could barely see at this point. First her family, now a boy that just helped her….They were all dying.
Why was she...sitting there...watching him get...beat up? Why was she always just watching?
"Sorry, little girl." The buff man in front of her, seemingly the leader of the three, sighed as he aimed his gun at her, making her gasp louder than ever before. Was he...really gonna do it?
"You saw too much, sorry it has to be like this. Say g-"
"NOOOOO!!!!"
Mikasa whipped her head around to see that Eren had somehow been able to tackle the man that had been attacking him to the ground, grabbing his gun, and then-
3 shots.
3 bullets went into the man's chest, his leg, and then his stomach. Very quickly, the criminal fell to his knees and onto his face, Eren still on his knees and staring at the body before him.
Mikasa screamed, horrified at the boy who was so easily able to commit murder. What the fuck...
The leader in front of her cursed, but didn't make a move as neither he or his other companion could even process what just happened.
A kid just...murdered a man…
But it seems that it only mattered for a moment because a gun was pointed at her once more, aiming right at the head.
"THAT'S IT!"
"STOPPPPPP!"
And again, willing and ready to protect a girl he just met, Eren stood in front of Mikasa with his arms spread, ready to get hurt. Did he even know it? Did he know that he would die if he got shot?
"Ere-"
"DON'T TOUCH HER!!!"
"EREN GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THERE!!!"
Mikasa's head snapped to the direction of the new voice and found a man with long hair and glasses running towards them. He pulled out a gun from his belt, pointing it at the 2 men that were left from the entire ordeal.
"Leave my kid the fuck alone-"
"He got our guy!"
"SHUT THE HELL UP!!! GET THE HELL AWAY!!!" The man, Eren's father, fired 3 warning shots at the men's feet and before they could retaliate, police sirens sounded through the barely occupied area. Someone had heard them, then.
As the men drove off in their car and police arrived at the scene, other police cars chasing after the runaways, Mikasa felt herself relax only a small fraction. Eren...just...killed someone...and stood in front of a gun...
Eren's father knelt in front of him, grabbing him by the shoulders and yelling.
"EREN!!! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!"
Eren, not angered at all and more...shaken up than anything, only shrugged and mumbled, Mikasa just barely hearing what he had to say. "You told me to help women when they're in trouble. So…"
Mikasa couldn't understand. Such a simple reason, such a big price he'd pay if a bullet had gone through him.
His father sighed, pulling his son in for a hug and just about crying before he made eye contact with Mikasa.
"Eren? Who is this?"
The boy moved away from the hug, moving towards Mikasa and lending her a hand, which she took despite the fear she still felt. This boy...was dangerous...but he was kind...
When Eren turned to look at her, Mikasa could only gasp at the mess his face had become. The kicks he received caused his lip to swell, blood dripping slowly. A bruised cheek, an open gash on his nose, that was the result of protecting her.
"Her name is Mikasa. I saw her behind the store."
Eren’s father seemed to flinch at the name, lowering his head. A quick recovery was made however when he realized what he had been told.
"Why did you go behind the store?!"
"I usually do that when you're not looking."
"God, Eren, I need to teach you more about safety."
His father sighed, turning towards Mikasa instead. "Come on, we gotta explain ourse-" He stopped. He just stopped, staring at the mess he saw from the corner of his eye.
"Eren?" He gulped.
"Yeah?"
"Did you…" A dry cough cleared his throat. "That guy...over there?"
Eren cocked his head to the side. "Yeah?"
"Did you...do that."
"...Yes."
"...Why?"
"They were hurting us."
"...I see."
The legal work after that was a hassle for more than just Mikasa. Both her and Eren had to receive therapy, and she was surprisingly allowed to live with them despite the incident. This was because her family actually knew the Jaeger's, Grisha Jaeger was a doctor they went to regularly and had actually entrusted Grisha as her god father.
It’s not like she had ever met him before, but it seemed that she was supposed to find out about him…at some point.
So, after a year of problems everything was settled but their trauma stuck.
Mikasa could only sigh at the memory, disappointed with the circumstances from which they met. Just how...have they even managed to live so long after that night?
Die for you...Eren means it, right? This had to be for her, right? If there was anyone else he'd be like this with, especially a woman, she was sure she'd cry.
"Mikasa?"
She snapped out of her thoughts, looking up and seeing Historia stood there with her eyebrows knit, Sasha and Ymir behind her.
"Are you okay?"
She could only nod, though she knew it probably wasn't convincing. She was just so, so confused and it hurt so much when she didn't know the answer.
"A headache?" Ymir shifted her weight onto one foot, waiting for an answer from Mikasa.
"Ye-"
"Don't lie." Ymir sighed, making Mikasa blush. They could tell so easily…
"For the record," Sasha piped up. With a smile, she slung an arm around Mikasa and dragged her away from the washroom. "Everyone thinks you're taking a huge dookie."
Mikasa gasped. "I'm not-"
"We know, we know!" Historia laughed. "You're just…"
"Sulking."
"Ymir!"
Once out the washroom, the girls came back to find that the boys had engaged in a rather interesting activity. For whatever reason, they were seeing if Eren could lift up Connie, Jean, and Armin at the same time, all on his shoulders. Short answer? He could. But only for a second. They all came crashing as soon as the girls stepped out.
"What are you idiots doing?!" Ymir wheezed.
"Nothing." All 4 of the dumbasses replied as if they weren't on the floor in a heap.
"Whatever!" Sasha stumbled to Eren with Mikasa still under her arm. "Mikasa's freezing!"
"Huh?" Eren got up, prying himself away from Jean's death grip on his leg. "I knew you shouldn't have worn a tank top in this weather. You didn't even bring a jacket?"
Mikasa shook her head.
"Listen, Eren." Ymir stepped up, placing a hand on his shoulder. "A girl's willing to get cold if she looks good."
Armin stepped up too, pushing Eren's back, causing the singer to stumble. "What'd you do tha-"
...
A short stare down between the two later, Eren took off his zip up sweater.
"Here."
Immediately, Mikasa felt his body warmth from the sweater transfer to her, making her practically melt. If that was the warmth of his sweater, she seriously wanted to be in the warmth of his arms. She'd been there before, but it's not like it was for long or initiated by him. Just happened after a messy school fight he got in.
She brushed her bangs away, looking off to the side. "Thanks…"
"Oh! Oh!" Historia whirled around, pushing Eren and Mikasa out the door. "Mikasa has a headache so she was in the washroom for a while! Take her home, Eren!"
Mikasa's heart dropped to her butt. "Wait-"
"Good idea!" Sasha punched the air. "Plus now that your disguise is weakened, you should get a move on it and quickly go home!"
"Yup." Ymir nodded. "You guys always hang out after a concert anyways, go take her home and go to bed, moron."
If Mikasa could be anymore embarrassed she was sure she would be dead. Eren on the other hand seemed fine before the boys spoke up.
It was Armin first, who smiled innocently (or devilishly, depending how you see it.) and pushed them further out the door. "Yeah, Eren! You're rich too, just let Mikasa keep this one!"
Connie bit back a laugh. "You could serenade her again!"
And that was when Eren lost his cool, blushing madly and walking out, only calling for Mikasa to tag along.
"And don't hurt her!" Jean threatened, to which Mikasa could only respond with. "He's not, be quiet."
"Many apologies, I'll think about the consequences of my actions."
The last thing Mikasa heard before she walked to Eren's car was Sasha and Connie yelling at Jean to be quiet and never speak again. Of course, she also heard the Hyena laughter.
-
Mikasa sat in the passenger seat next to Eren, who took the driver's seat like he always did. Surprisingly to both of them and all their friends, Eren was the first to get a license. For some reason Mikasa still couldn't figure out, driving scared the absolute hell out of her.
What Ymir said was true, Eren would always sleep over at Mikasa's after a concert. Why? He loved her couch apparently, it's supposedly comfortable and refreshing to rest on after a concert.
So, Eren started up the car after they buckled in and drove out of the parking lot and towards her apartment.
Silence filled the car, just as it always did whenever they first got to a ride, not because it was awkward, but because it was comfortable.
Well, that changed today because Mikasa definitely felt awkward as hell after whatever the fuck that was back in Burger King. Seriously, could their friends be anymore embarrassing? She sunk into her seat, hugging the sweater close to her.
Eren, on the other hand, couldn't shrink into anything as he drove, so instead he opted to turn the radio on.
A small laugh left her as she heard the song, covering her mouth with a hand. "They're playing your song! They knew you'd be driving, then."
Eren laughed too, throwing his head back. "I'm getting serenaded by my own self."
The song playing was one of MFTK's singles, "Dirty Little Secret." It reminded Mikasa that Eren hasn't exactly been with NO girl in the past, he just hasn't had an actual girlfriend...from what she knew.
As if reading her mind, Eren laughed as he took a left.
"This song I wrote because of this chick I met at a party, she insisted we hung out."
Mikasa felt her throat close up, but Eren only continued.
"I ended up losing my virginity to her, did I tell you?"
She shook her head, silent and planning murder. Where did that girl live?
"Well, doesn't really matter." Another left. "Worst sex anyone could ever have, I think."
Eren laughed again, unaware of how shitty Mikasa felt. She knew and she understood, she was completely and entirely aware that Eren didn't belong to her, he can have sex with whoever he wants to. Yet she couldn't help the jealousy or the pain that she felt just knowing Eren's been with someone.
"That's why I wrote this." He turned to her. "No way I could tell anyone how bad it was!"
"That's when I was like 16, though…”
Mikasa was quite jealous, if she was honest.
Because really, at the age of 22, she still hasn't had sex with anybody. It's not like she didn't want to, it's just that she attaches feelings to intimate stuff like that. In fact, her first kiss has yet to come, too.
Many, many guys and girls attempted to get with her but Mikasa would only reject them each time, telling them there's someone she has on her mind.
That "someone" was going around having sex with and kissing other people, though.
An uncomfortable silence fell over them as Mikasa still hadn't responded to him. Well, can you blame her?
Eventually, Eren changed the song to one that he knew could change the mood.
What a douche, she thought. Why's he so sweet but aggravating?
"Oh, this is so our night!" Mikasa couldn't help but smile at the way Eren said "our”, despite her drowning in her previous puddle of jealousy.
"Chelsea" by The Summer Set would probably be a song Eren and Mikasa could sing to any day, and today was no exception.
Eren sang the first few lyrics, getting lost in his own world.
"Let's take this back 2005, drinks are pouring, girls so fine! So many dimes got dollar signs, and there she goes! Right on the spot, got a taste so sweet! I swear this beat will make you wanna drop!"
Mikasa joined, singing the next lyrics with him with a slight smile, the tension from earlier disappearing a little.
This was the thing with Eren. He was somebody who could make her a nervous mess, but he was also the same person who could take it all away and help her let go and have fun.
It's because they understood each other more than anybody else could. Even if Armin was their closest friend, he didn’t share what the two of them did.
Going to high school together was a pretty crazy occurrence. Eren, ever the angry child, got into school fights over and over, winning some, losing some. One of them had actually been with Jean, but they recovered from that time.
There had been a couple with some blood involved, usually not from Eren though. That's what was dangerous about him, he didn't care to go too far if he had a reason.
It's not like he'd attempt to kill somebody again, not for no reason, at least. Mikasa had been terrified of him that day she met him, but somehow, just somehow, she ended up living with him and saw his best parts.
Eren on that cold day hadn't actually succeeded in murdering the guy. Mikasa found out later that he had lived, the bullet hadn't pierced him in the lung nor heart, the aftermath she wasn’t ever made aware of.
When they had told that story to Armin for the first time, the boy couldn't believe them and didn't actually understand that they weren't lying to him till somewhere in 6th grade. The same happened with the friends they met along the way. Sasha, Connie, and Jean were horrified once they learned it actually happened after a few google searches, as well as Ymir and Historia who couldn't help but be shocked.
That's why they were the ones to understand each other the best. They were there, they witnessed it, they engaged in it.
Mikasa was there when both her and Eren had to be monitored and counseled by multiple therapists and social workers.
Eren hadn't been diagnosed with anything, because there didn't seem to be anything really wrong with him, but Eren did have a lot of anger issues. Mikasa on the other hand, was diagnosed with PTSD.
It's not like Eren yelled at people for no reason, though, and it's not like he was constantly looking for a fight. It's just that growing up in a big city also meant growing up around big dumbasses that tested him every way they went.
Most of the time, Mikasa held him back, and he would give up when she'd ask him to calm down. But, there were also times when it was her or Armin getting hurt and Eren would snap, not stopping for whoever tried to hold him back.
That's the type of reputation Eren had built for himself. An angry, reckless, hotheaded fighter who was also easy to make fun of. But that's not what Mikasa thought.
No, because in front of her, she saw the best. She saw the Eren that would help her with everything, insisting that he can take care of whatever she struggled with. She saw the Eren that would take her outside and play with her when she'd be upset.
She saw the Eren that protected his friends, not the boy with anger issues that other's saw. She saw the Eren that would bend over backwards for the people he cares for.
She saw the Eren that risked his life for her the first time they met, when they were only children.
And Eren cried. Eren cried a lot.
Eren cried when he was happy.
Eren cried when he was scared.
Eren cried when he was sad.
The Eren that put up a front and threw his fists at other boys in school was not the same Eren that Mikasa saw when he would cry at home after that, frustrated with himself for getting so angry.
The Eren who shot a guy 3 times was also the Eren that Mikasa saw break down in a washroom, looking at his hands in disgust. He had told her he didn't regret it, but that he also couldn't believe that he did that so easily.
And car rides like these were always reminders of that.
Eren may be seen as a raging singer by the public, but in Mikasa's eyes he was the most gentle and soft man she'd ever met.
Eren wasn't a killer or a threat, Eren was a man who would do anything for the people that he bonded with.
-
After their...somewhat awkward yet fun drive to Mikasa's place, she opened the door to her apartment and let Eren in as always.
But still...she was only wondering what the hell tonight was all about, all of it. She'd probably ask later...maybe...probably not.
Mikasa took her shoes off after Eren did, moving to the kitchen. "Eren, you go rest and I'll get you something to eat."
He flopped onto the couch, arms resting on the back of it. "It's okay, but thanks."
"Huh?"
"I just wanna...sit."
Mikasa walked back, confused and a little disoriented despite this being her house. He always did this to her, making her this nervous these days.
"Oh, alright. Anything you want me to do?"
Eren sighed, spreading his legs and letting his head fall back, revealing his neck and allowing it to be highlighted by the TV Mikasa left on.
God, was he trying to kill her?
"It's your house, Mikasa." Eren rasped out. "You don't need to do anything for me, remember? We don't even live in the same place anymore."
That reminder stung like a knife piercing through her stomach, letting her know that Eren was no longer so close to her reach as he was before. They'd been living separately for 3 years now, but still she held onto what was once before and acted as she was in his house before they moved out.
"I-I know. I just thought you'd like something...I used to cook for you all the time."
Eren looked back at her, pursing his lips and sighing.
"Yeah, sorry about that."
"I didn't mind!" Mikasa shook her head. Eren was always apologizing for shit like this. "Besides, I wanted to!"
"Even so…" Eren leaned his cheek on his hand, propping his elbow on the armrest. "You put up with me too much. I'm a man, I should've been the one doing housework for you and mom."
There he was, Mikasa sighed. A woman shouldn't do this, shouldn't do that, but not in the annoying, misogynistic way like many other men would go on about. No, Eren believed in her being a woman capable of handling herself but refused to let her do any work if he could help her. 'Men shouldn't laze around doing nothing!' was always his reason.
Not that he wouldn't let her do things, of course he would! He's just like this, a man who refuses to put a woman through trouble if he could help it. He'd been like this since birth, only ever troubling his mother, ironically.
However, it was also when he started talking about these things to Mikasa that she knew something was up.
"You really need rest, huh?"
Eren untied his hair, shaking it out and beginning to swoop it back into a ponytail again.
"What makes you say so?"
"You're grumpy."
"Huh?!"
He stopped, letting his hair fall over his shoulders and face, looking at Mikasa as if she betrayed him. With eyebrows knit together, he waited for a response from Mikasa, who could only sigh.
"You start to whine when you're grumpy."
"No way!"
"Yup. There it is."
Mikasa walked to the kitchen again, pouring two cups of water for the both of them and walking back, handing him one.
"You're whining."
"I'm not!"
How was Eren saying this and not hearing how it sounded? She could only fight back a smile at how childish he was around her. He might try to act cool around their friends and the first time they met but this celebrity wasn't as hard and tough as he'd like to portray. Actually, he's a bit of a baby.
"There's something bothering you. What is it?" She sat on the couch opposite to him.
Eren finally tied his hair up, whining all the while. "There's nothing bothering me!"
"Mhm. What happened?"
He sighed, dropping his hands to his lap and leaning back against the pillows. "Nothing."
"Ere-"
"Really...It's nothing."
She could only uncertainly shrug and turn back to her cup, taking a slow sip. Her persistence usually pulled through with him but it seems that today it wasn't going to be her victory. Whatever he was hiding, Mikasa was almost 100 percent sure it had to do about something from his concert.
"Mikasa?"
"Yeah?"
She turned to him, and Eren was looking away and at her framed photo of them and Armin as children on swings.
"Come sit here…"
Mikasa blinked. Then blinked again.
"Huh?"
"Next to me."
"Oh…" She got up, slowly walking over to the couch, confused yet curious. "Okay."
Once seated, Mikasa felt a little too aware of everything in the house. The tap wasn't turned off properly and she could hear the droplets hit the empty sink. Her throat dried up a little, her hands clammy. She hated whenever silence fell over the two of them, but that's exactly what happened as they awkwardly sat next to each other.
Could Eren be anymore weird today?
Mikasa cleared her throat. "Do you...want your sweater back?"
"Keep it." Eren shook his head. Then, he turned to her, crossing his legs. She followed suit, reminding herself of their childhood together when they'd tell each other stories from school or shopping trips like this.
He smiled, and it was that special childlike smile he saves for his closest friends.
"So, what did you think?"
"Hm?"
Eren shifted uncomfortably, looking off to the side again and if the TV could help at all, Mikasa was sure he was blushing, which made her feel even more nervous than before. Because genuinely, what the hell was happening today?
"About my concert…" He narrowed his eyes at her, cautiously shifting his gaze from her and the couch. "About...11:30."
Mikasa gulped, looking away from Eren too. "Y-you were great as always!"
"...You think?"
"Of course!"
"Really?"
"W-what? Why are you so...unsure?" She tilted her head and gave him a frown. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Eren contrasted her expression with a grin. "Just like it when you're the one that tells me."
She couldn’t help but hide her face, turning to the side. Seriously...why is he like this today? He's...a lot sweeter than usual. And weirder.
"...Why?"
Eren shrugged, leaning his head against the couch against, letting his cheek get squashed by the pillow.
"I...value your opinion."
More than anything, Mikasa wished she could say something intelligent to that. In reality, all she wanted to do was stare until she figured out why he was being like this today. Why he was saying all these things, why he wanted her to watch him.
She took too long to figure out what to say because Eren had started again.
"Mikasa…"
She shrunk into herself. "Yeah?"
With a face as red as a tomato and fidgeting hands, Eren quietly asked his next question which would make Mikasa's eyes widen to a size she didn't think they could be.
"Can I lay on your lap? Like...when we were kids?"
He was serious? He wants to lay on her lap? But...those god damn lyrics, that serenade...All of this has to mean something. It has to...right? Now that he's asking this?
She nodded anyway, sitting down more upright, allowing Eren to rest his head on her lap. The rest of his body spread out on the couch, his hands resting near her thighs. Mikasa's throat dried even more as she pressed her fingers against Eren's temples, rubbing in circles and pushing his baby hairs back. This is always how she used to do it, and she also knew this was the quickest way Eren could calm down.
As she did so, she couldn't help but turn his face towards her, running her fingers across the scab on his forehead. God, it was still upsetting to remember when he got injured even if it isn't that big. She guessed she would always baby him a little. How could she not when he constantly acted like a kid?
"Does it hurt?" Mikasa let his head go back to her lap, her hands tracing his baby hairs again. Thank god Eren took a shower at Armin's place right before they went out with their friends, because she wasn't in the mood to touch sweaty hair.
"Not anymore." He mumbled, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Besides, I got my revenge today. Damn bastards."
Mikasa couldn't agree more on the bastard part, even though she loved those guys to death. "Heh."
So, she continued to trace patterns on his temples, placing with his hair however she could with it tied up. After about 5 minutes, she finally noticed how quiet it was, how little noise Eren was making.
"Eren, are you tired?"
He yawned. "Extremely"
"Do you…" She'd be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed that he'd probably be getting off her lap soon. "Want to sleep?"
"Soon."
And then, 5 minutes later that "soon" came as Eren got off her lap slowly, leaning his weight onto one arm as his head still hung low, his eyes hidden from her.
"Mikasa."
She tilted her head. "What's wrong?"
"I…"
Concern was all she could feel as Eren still didn't look up, he only continued to stare at the couch. She could hear his breath hitch a couple of times, him opening his mouth over and over as if to say something. And he was so, so close, just inches away from her.
Taking in their closeness only lasted a second though, because Eren was shaking now.
"Eren?!" Mikasa gasped. "Are you okay?” No response. “Do you have a fever? Let me che-"
And she didn't even notice him moving at first but Eren had dropped his head on her shoulder, only his forehead touching her.
Internally, Mikasa panicked at this sudden contact.
"Eren? Seriously, what's wrong? You’ve been weird all day."
Eren's shoulders shook, though Mikasa couldn't figure out why. Was he sick? Did he do a line of coke that she didn't know of? Did some terrible mental image just emerge in his head again, like in the past?
But, Eren just kept his head there, and the slight shake in his shoulders didn't calm.
"It's embarrassing." He mumbled.
"Huh?"
"I'm...I feel collected on stage, even when thousands of people are cheering for me. I don't feel overwhelmed when they show their admiration for me, though it doesn't go unnoticed….but…"
Mikasa lifted his head off her, holding him by his shoulders, scanning him for anything that might be making him act like this right now.
"Eren, are you okay?"
He didn't respond to her question, only grabbing her hands from his shoulders and holding them to his chest. Her breath hitched.
Eren's eyes held the utmost love and admiration Mikasa had ever seen him express, a nervous frown tugging at his lips despite it.
"It's embarrassing that I'm cool and collected out there, but when it's just you...I...I can't stay calm."
She shook her head, not believing what she was hearing. "What?"
And that's when Eren let her hands go and instead cupped her face, eye's glassy and shaking.
"Mikasa…I-I’m in love with you."
"Ere-"
She didn't know how long she'd been waiting for this, truly she couldn't even guess, but finally, she got what she craved for all so long.
His soft lips met her own.
'It's like an explosion.' That was the only thought Mikasa had as Eren kissed her, lowering her onto her back.
And as he continued, Mikasa closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around Eren's neck, pulling him in closer and closer. And oh, it was so, so warm with him on top of her, holding her so snug to himself.
Eren finally pulled back, his big hands still caressing her face, tears welling in his eyes. He shook his head, laughing lightly.
"I've been holding back for so long."
And that was it. That was when Mikasa finally started crying that night.
"Mika!" He gasped. God, Eren was already calling her by a new name. She cried harder, silently sobbing as she attempted to cover her mouth. Eren wouldn't allow it, though, and pulled her hand back.
"Hey, hey." He wiped those tears of hers but Mikasa didn't know if he knew just what kind of effect that action would have on her, because she was reminded of when they met, the day she fell in love with him.
The song he sang for her today, all the little comments he's ever made of her, just everything came back. She was right...everything was for her.
"Don't cry, please, Mikasa." Eren pecked her cheek, still wiping away the tears and brushing back her hair.
"You…" Mikasa hiccuped, squeezing out the tears that just wouldn't stop. "Should've done this sooner."
Eren, this bastard, he could only smirk even though he had his own pools in his eyes. "Right?"
Warm, familiar hands continued to wipe away at her face, an occasional kiss placed on her cheek or forehead. After finally calming down, Mikasa placed her own hands on Eren's face, pushing back the loose strands of hair on his forehead.
"Eren…"
He smiled, leaning into her touch sweetly. "Hm?"
This time, Mikasa initiated the kiss. She pulled him down, prolonging the kiss more and more as Eren responded, holding her waist carefully, like she'd break otherwise.
He bit her lip, making her gasp. She didn't even really know what she was doing, but Eren seemed to understand. His tongue met hers, and she hummed into the kiss.
Maybe that set him off, because abruptly and totally unexpected to Mikasa, Eren got up and pulled her up with him, bringing himself to his feet but letting her stay seated. Then, he carefully picked her up, one hand around the waist and another around her thigh. Mikasa now pressed firmly against his chest, wrapping her legs and arms around him.
Without breaking their kiss, he continued to explore her mouth with his tongue, pulling back for air every couple of seconds.
Eren brought them to Mikasa's bedroom, gently lowering her onto the bed and climbing on top of her, letting his body sit snug against her.
When she pulled back, tears filled the brim of her black eyes, threatening to fall any second. But no, crying wasn't an option. Not anymore, because despite being this intimate with him for the first time, being in a bed in such a position with him, Mikasa couldn't help but shiver with excitement at the situation.
With a gentle smile, she traced Eren's cheeks with her thumbs, examining every feature she knew so well.
The next words to come out of her mouth were only a whisper.
"I love you."
And Eren, cheeks rosy and eye's glossy, pulled Mikasa in again, but instead of a long passionate kiss, he pecked her lips over and over, making her laugh and push him away.
If he was going to always be like this then she was already excited to get to experience this new side of Eren.
He smiled. "How am I supposed to resist you when you say that?"
"Ere-"
He took her right hand, placing a gentle kiss on the knuckles.
"I, really, truly, love you too." Eren probably wouldn't admit it, but a tear fell from his eye and onto the pillow next to Mikasa.
Apparently Mikasa had one more tear to shed, and she did just that. "I'm glad…"
Eren pulled her in again, letting Mikasa bury her face in his neck as he sighed in content. And as for herself? She couldn't help but notice his heart was racing like never before. This night wasn’t only weird for her, then.
Breathing in his scent, Mikasa could identify some sort of coconut cream, a strong scent of roses and black plum, and a hint of citrus. His scent only changed with the coconut cream, Mikasa smiled to herself as she could still remember Eren's unique scent. It’d been a long time since he held her, after all. The last time was in high school.
What seemed like an hour later but was probably just 10 minutes, Mikasa spoke up again.
"So...you came here to confess?"
"No."
"Huh?" Her head snapped away from his neck, surprised that this wasn't the entire point.
"I didn't plan it. Well, I did at first. But I sorta chickened out...but then the guys insisted I do it and the girls seemed to be pushing me too so…"
"And then it just...poured out." Eren ran a hand over his face, cringing at just how he confessed. That wasn't what Mikasa was concerned about, though.
"The girl's knew?"
Eren laughed. "I didn't tell them, but I'm a hundred percent sure."
"And they didn't even tell me." She could only pout, causing Eren to poke her inflated cheek.
"It's okay, no one told me about you either."
For some reason, that made her smile. Everything came naturally to them, then.
She remembered a small detail she wondered about from before, though.
"What does 10.28 mean?"
Eren beamed, pulling her into an embrace again, letting her head rest right under his chin. It's like he couldn’t get enough, constantly touching her and holding her.
"It's when we met."
Tonight was full of surprises, apparently. He named a concert after the day he met...He was truly, truly unbelievable.
"Eren…"
Before she could kiss him again, she brought up a topic that she knew Eren wouldn't like, so she held onto him extra tight to prevent herself from falling off the bed once Eren flipped out from embarrassment.
"So earlier, this is why you were grumpy?"
"I WASN'T GRUMPY!"
-
Waking up the next day, Mikasa was greeted with the gorgeous sight of Eren, hair out and about, laying shirtless in her bed. A tattooed arm rested protectively on her waist.
Around the bed were scattered clothes, hair accessories, and Mikasa's bedroom items that had fallen over in the process of their undressing. She blushed, remembering the feeling of Eren last night, remembering just how gently he treated her, and all the sweet nothings.
Last night couldn’t have been any more perfect than it was.
The memories of last night would surely dance in her life for as long as she lived, and the firsts she experienced would multiply and expand.
Truly, lasting with him was all she wished for.
Here's to a new chapter in life, she smiled. She'll give Eren the best years, and she knew she would receive nothing short of that, either.
Happy and content, Mikasa couldn't help but give him a secret kiss on the nose.
Now...What do they tell their friends?