Clearing

Chapter 10

True to her word, Mikasa had woken me up early the next morning to prepare me for the day. I had protested repeatedly, but she had ended up dragging me up by my hair and forcing me towards the communal showers. I had heard her waiting impatiently as I washed, and she had hauled me along the corridor the moment I had wrapped my towel under my shoulders, seating me at the end of her bed once we reached our room.

She had pulled open her drawer and found a few cosmetics, swiping them across my lips, cheeks and eyelids before moving on to style my hair.

"The key here is to make you look good, but not like you're trying." Mikasa went on. I hadn't realized she would get so worked up about this; it reminded me of the way Armin rambled about his seashells. "We don't want him to know you like him."

"I don't like him." I frowned.

"Sure you don't. That's why you went down on him." Mikasa rolled her eyes at me before patting the top of my head and announcing that I was finished. I cringed.

She turned around as I changed into my uniform, going quiet for the first time in what felt like hours. I had never heard her talk for this long before, and I had started to get a little concerned that she had been replaced by a clone or something.

When I was finished, she looked me up and down, before deciding to tighten the harness on my waist further.

"What are you doing?" I asked her, slapping her hands away.

"Seduction is all about the curves." Mikasa wiggled her eyebrows. I sighed.

"No, it isn't. Plus, I don't want to seduce him." I said, returning the harness to its usual fit. "We hooked up a couple of times. It was fun, and I might do it again, but if I do it'll be my choice, not yours."

Mikasa huffed.

"Fine." She jerked her head towards the door. "It's time for breakfast. Let's go."

We walked quietly to the hall, and I could sense that she was upset with me. I felt a little guilty; I had been too harsh, and she had only been trying to help. We went to get our food, then sat down at the table with Eren and Armin.

"You look more alive today." Eren said as I sat. I stuck my middle finger up at him and he laughed.

"I think you look pretty." Armin smiled at me. I grinned back and patted his head.

"Thank you!" I turned to tear at the bread in front of me. "What new obsession have you picked up today?"

"Oh! Oh, I think you'll like this one." Armin opened a book that I hadn't realized he was holding. "It's about bees."

"I thought you already had a bee phase?" I frowned.

"Yeah, but that was honey bees specifically. It's bumblebees now." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

My mouth stretched into a smile.

"Go on then. Amaze me with your bee facts."

"Ok, so, did you know that there are hundreds of types of bumblebee?" Armin flicked to a page detailing the numbers. "Most people think there are only one."

I frowned, leaning towards the text. At least bees were less creepy than moths?

As Armin talked, the rest of the table started to fill. Jean sat down last, and I could barely contain my laugh as I saw the scarf wrapped around his neck.

Sasha reached across the table and poked at the fabric.

"Jean, it's the middle of summer." She stated. "Why are you wearing a scarf?"