This Time

Chapter Two

She closed the door, her lungs began to burn. Her eyes screwed shut and she leaned against the door, falling back until she hit the ground.

A sob was able to find its way out of her mouth. Yet tears haven't stained her face, she wouldn't allow herself to cry.  Her throat was dry, as tears finally escaped, she allowed herself to drown again.

She didn't know how long she stayed in that position on the floor, but her phone read that it was almost noon. There were several missed calls and texts from both Eren and Armin.

Sometimes Mikasa would wish that they would fuck off and leave herself to wallow in self-pity. She sent both of them a text saying she was ok. But her skin began to feel too tight, she wandered up into the bathroom to try and calm herself.

The water was scalding her skin, but it felt nice, she began to somewhat feel better. After scrubbing her body she heard a knock at her bedroom door.

Who the fuck is here, without warning she heard the person enter her room, her music was still blaring and she couldn't hear what they were saying.

Warping a towel around herself, she unlocked the bathroom door and was met face to face with Eren.

"What the fuck....get the hell out...I need to get dressed," Mikasa was royally pissed.

Eren just stood there his eyes moving up and down Mikasa's from. Being irritated enough she shoved him.

"Eren, I need to get dressed," she said moving past him.

"Oh...um...sorry..I'll wait for you downstairs," his face was almost as red as the scarf that hung on her nightstand.

After a few moments, but what felt like forever, Eren went downstairs. This allowed her to finally get dressed. She threw on a pair of sweat pants and a large hoody.

She huffed as she made her way down the stairs. Why had Eren even bothered coming, she believed he was busy.

She met him sitting on the love seat in front of the t.v. scrolling through his phone.

"Do you mind telling me why you are here?" she asked in a monotone voice, trying to hint that she wanted to be alone.

"Uh...well Armin said, I should come to check up on you," he was looked up from his phone.

"You didn't have to leave Historia, Eren I thought you were busy, you sure seemed like it this morning," came her curt response.

She should have tried to hide it better, but shit had hit that fan. She was always somewhat jealous, she didn't like sharing Eren and Armin, they were the only two people that she really had.

"She had to come home and help her father with something, she left as soon as you did, maybe if you hadn't rushed out of there, like a deer caught in headlights," he had a smirk etched on his lips.

Mikasa rolled her eyes, "I did the same, as I would want if you ever caught me in the same position, it's called being respectful of privacy." she glared at him, "something you clearly don't know."

She moved to sit next to him on the couch and flipped the tv to some random channel.

"Mikasa don't be so ridiculous, you being within a relationship," he was now teasing her, "you would actually have to talk to people," he smirked.

She hit him with a pillow, "You dick, I do too talk to people, maybe if you'd pay attention to your friends and not just school and sports, you would notice it."    

"Give me a list of people who you have talked to, it can't include Armin, or me," he was trying to hide the sudden guilt that overcame him.

"I can easily do that, you see...I talk to," she was in deep thought, " Sasha, Connie, Jean, Annie, sometimes Bert....see I talk to others," she hit him again with the pillow.

"Jean doesn't count, he only wants to get in your pants Mikasa," he was looking down at his phone again.

"So what.... what if I let him, who would you be to judge me," she wondered why his mood had changed.

"I wouldn't judge you, it just doesn't seem like you," he didn't want to look up from his phone, afraid to meet her glare.

"What's that even supposed to mean?" she tried to pull his phone away, she wanted a real answer.

But once she put her hand on the phone there was a knock at the door. Peeking out the window she saw cop cars.

"I'll be right back," she sighed walking to the door.

"Excuse me, ma'am, you Mrs. Ackerman's daughter correct..." she noticed her fidgeting.

" I'm sorry to inform you of this, but she was found unresponsive,  she passed from a car crash, and died on impact," Mikasa felt her world crumble once again.

Eren came up behind Mikasa, "Is everything o.." he stopped once she looked up at him, and tears were flowing.

Mikasa told the officer to thank her for informing her, she will talk with them once she had some time, the door closed and she fell.

The world shook around her as sobs escaped from her lips, she began to ball her hands feeling the crescent-shaped marks forming.

Eren had sat down beside her, she was now leaning on him.
Mikasa hated this, she hated everything, why did she get the short end of the stick.

Eren moved closer and brought her into a hug, he felt her tears soak his shirt, he was sure, his own tears had started to fall. He hated seeing her like this, it made the guilt of just everything so much worse.

He began to rub circles on her back, " Hey, why don't you come to stay with me for a while, you don't have to grieve alone," his words came out in a breathy whisper.

He kissed the top of her head. And continued rubbing her back.

"I don't really want to leave you alone right now ok," he still didn't hear an answerback, until he felt her head nod.

"Let's go get you a small bag, and you take all the time you need," he held her face and then moved to help her off the floor.

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It was almost noon once they got done packing, Mikasa had two breakdowns since then.

He helped her move her things into the guest room, which was across the hall from his. His concise wouldn't allow him to leave her. He didn't want her to break, too him right now she was glass, and one wrong move could break her completely.

Eren would have to call his parents and inform them of the situation, he was sure his mom would try to come home as soon as she could.

He was right, after he was done calling his mom, she had booked the next flight home.

He had let Mikasa alone in the room, giving her some time to adjust. He had time to reflect and think about the conversation they had earlier.

He hadn't meant to get so caught up in school, but it was the only way to please his father. He didn't mean to leave them behind, it hurt him just and much it hurt them. He should've been a better friend, and now he felt awful about, Historia.

The relationship should've ended months ago, but she was kinda like an escape for him. But that didn't matter, he needed to step up and try to be a better person not only for himself but for those who have to deal with him.

He walked up the stairs and knocked on the door, "Hey Mikasa, I'm going to come in," there was no answer.

He opened the door to see, her passed out her face was all puffy and pink, she must have cried again. He sat down on the bed beside her, he lifted the blanket and covered her. He didn't know why he did it but then he kissed each of her eyes then her forehead, he just wanted to remind her he was here.

Friends do that don't they?