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Eren was doomed.
That’s all Mikasa could ever think of as her husband dropped the house made of biscuit they made last night. She wanted to laugh while looking at Eren who had his jaw on the ground, completely frozen while staring at the mess he made.
“What? You’re just gonna stare at it?” She pursed her lips.
Still in shock, Eren turned his head to her. “You’re… gonna help me, right?”
She crossed her arms, leaning on the wall just beside the window of their kitchen. “Let me think.”
“Mikasa!” he whined.
Finally, her laughs echoed in their kitchen as she walked towards him. She could see him sighing out of relief while picking up the pieces of biscuits that fell from the tray.
“Do you think she’ll come back—”
Eren’s words were cut off. Their eyes widened as they stared at each other when they heard their front door opening. Mikasa put her hands to cover her mouth from laughing when horror reflected Eren’s eyes.
“Ma!”
Silently, she waved her hands towards Eren. She walked away from the crime scene and prepared her smile for her daughter.
“Hello, Sol. Did you have fun?” she greeted.
Her daughter, Sol, a four-year old girl who loved wearing flowy dresses because she felt like a princess. Today, she’s wearing an orange sleeveless dress that reached her feet which had embroidered sunflowers up to her stomach.
“Yes! There’s so many flowers! Too bad I can’t take them home.” She huffed.
Mikasa smiled. “It’s fine. You know it’s what’s best for them, right?”
When Sol nodded, her hands automatically reached for her head to mess with it. Mikasa could already hear her complaints with the way her face wrinkled so she removed her hand.
“Where’s pa?”
Suddenly, she was reminded again of what happened earlier. She almost laughed out loud again, if it weren’t for another loud sound coming from the kitchen. Her eyes reflected Sol, and they came rushing to the kitchen.
There, they found her father coughing flour, and a plate on the floor. She looked at Sol to get a glimpse of her reaction, and it did not fail her. Her daughter’s eyes were almost coming out of her, and her jaw was mimicking Eren earlier—on the floor.
She glanced at where she was looking, and the first to break the silence was her. Mikasa could not stop the laughs that escaped her lips anymore when she saw that the thing her daughter was looking at was the broken house made of biscuit.
“Papa!”
Still laughing, Mikasa found her way out of the kitchen.
“Mikasa!”
She could only care less as she went straight outside of their house. Finally, she calmed down and sat on the wooden bench Eren made when they just got here. A sigh escaped her lips while she was staring at the large field in front of her. The sky was a perfect cerulean that could only make her feel at ease.
Sol was right. There were so many flowers today and all of them were in the bright shades of orange.
Mikasa leaned on the wall, clasping her hands on her thighs. She was quite further from her family, that’s why the only thing she could hear were the chirping birds. She looked ahead, and there’s nothing but fields which were her usual scenery every time she’s here.
She liked it. Being here, because here she could observe what she chose.
However, what she liked the most was hearing the usual banters of Sol and Eren. They’re more beautiful and peaceful to hear than the singing birds, sweetness of the wind, and slaps of the waves. If you told her years ago she would experience this kind of solace? She wouldn’t believe you.
All her life, she was surrounded by knives and swords, fighting for her life—for their lives. That’s why it was hard for her to get used to Eren’s morning coffee, and embrace of the wind when they just got here.
She’s glad she chose this, but…
“Ma! There you are!”
Her head turned to her daughter’s voice. She looked at her, and her brows furrowed but she couldn’t help but smile while looking at her flour-covered cheeks.
“I’m coming,” she muttered.
Before she could stand, another wind blew, making her tighten the scarf on her neck before finally going in.
What she found was Eren, covered in flour also. She shouldn’t be surprised, really.
“Why did you call your mom? I told you I can do this.” Eren’s words were directed to Sol, but his apologetic eyes were on her. She smiled back when a bashful smile greeted her.
“It’s fine. I’m not doing anything.” As if Eren wasn’t asking for her help, and she ignored him completely.
She laughed at the thought.
Just like last night, Mikasa ended up helping the two. Well, just like last night, they said they could handle it, but they ended up playing so Mikasa had to intervene. Today, she was correct when she thought they would just do something like this again.
It’s not like she could get mad at them.
“Here, place these on top of that, while I do this,” she instructed.
While at it, she was focused on placing biscuit after biscuit. She was almost on her last piece when she heard giggles in front of her. She looked up, finding Sol on top of the counter while Eren was holding biscuit pieces behind her. Her fist clenched as a smile escaped her when Eren kept on putting flour on Sol’s chubby cheeks, that’s why she also kept giggling trying to get back at him.
Mikasa was finished with her pieces when she decided to just lean on the sink and watch the two play with the ingredients.
“You know what, your hair’s getting in the way,” Eren murmured.
She watched as he gathered her brown curly hair in one place. She was chuckling while Eren kept on blowing on Sol’s nape causing their daughter to laugh out of nowhere.
“You really won’t finish anything at this rate,” she commented, still smiling.
Eren simply laughed, and finally finished Sol’s ponytail. Finally, the two became serious and started putting the biscuits together properly. Their hands are almost in sync every step, and she could see them finishing it. That's why she started cleaning up the mess on the floor.
Albeit the seriousness, Mikasa couldn’t really trust Eren to be serious all the way, especially with Sol.
Sol…
Before, the two of them knew each other’s enough to be finally at peace. They wanted to live a simple life, waking up at each other’s faces, sleeping before each other’s voices. But Sol came.
In fact, Sol wasn’t really theirs. She was barely two when they got her from the dying soldier they couldn’t save. They could still see her resemblance to the person, especially her brown eyes and curly hair. She was a beautiful comrade, and Mikasa knew Sol would end up like her.
Brave and beautiful.
Her eyes remained on the two as they continued playing, but at least finally finishing something while at it. She couldn’t help but remember how afraid Eren was when they kept her with them. He was afraid he would drop her, or squeeze her, or she would be scared by him, but as time went by—she became as though a father’s girl.
And Eren was warm more than he ever was.
Mikasa also, was afraid she wouldn’t give her enough nurture a real mother could give. She was afraid she lived through much violence that she would incorporate those to Sol, but fortunately, Eren was with her along the way and so was she to him.
Everyday they were at peace was all collective effort, and Sol might not realize it yet, but she’s the greatest factor of the happiness in this house.
“Hurry up, you two. I’d have to cook something,” she reminded them when they were getting distracted again.
“Why do we have so much food today, ma?” Sol asked, eyes remained on the biscuit.
Eren looked at her, and there it was again. The foreboding aura he would emit every time this thing would be mentioned. And she understood it very well. Mikasa, too, was anxious at the thought of seeing them again.
However, she caught his eyes and smiled reassuringly.
“We have someone who loves food later, Sol,” she simply said, smiling at the memory.
“Really?” Her round eyes turned to her. “More than Sol?”
It was Eren who answered, laughing, “yes. More than Sol.” He chuckled again, as if remembering something.
“Do you think they will be complete later?” Eren started, stirring something on the pot.
Mikasa shrugged. “I hope so,” she answered.
Silence ensued between the two of them, they finally finished what they’re doing earlier that’s why Sol’s outside again. Mikasa absentmindedly lifted her arms, stretching it after hours of cooking since morning. A gasp escaped her lips when she felt hands hold her arms.
She looked at Eren who only smiled at her. Mikasa only sighed in resignation when he turned her around, her back on the sink.
“What do you think will happen later?” she murmured on his chest.
“Captain Levi will probably punch me still,” he jested.
Mikasa could feel his chuckles on her head, making her copy him. She nodded, “I can hear Armin from here,” she added.
Eren tightened his grip on her waist, burying his cheeks on her head as he slowly swayed the both of them in the tune of silence. “I’m nervous.”
She hummed. “I am, too.”
They started sharing their worries together, and Mikasa couldn’t really ask for more. She had always been wishing to read what Eren was thinking, hoping she would find out why he was always leaving them—but now, she didn’t have to wish for it because Eren had become vocal. And she knew he wouldn’t… wouldn’t leave now.
“Ma!”
Sol’s scream woke them up from their tranquility. She removed herself away from Eren and turned off the fire. Thankfully, it was finished. She turned around, and caught Eren waiting for her before both of them left the kitchen.
“There are people outside.”
She inhaled a huge amount of breath, only to hear Eren doing the same. She found Eren’s hand and intertwined it with her.
Finally, they’re here.