Family Ties(Erwin x Levi)

Date/Heartbreak

"Wait, Jean did what?!"

Mikasa's brows lifted and she leaned on her arms as she pressed in closer, over the table, to speak to Sasha. She didn't want the entire lunchroom hearing it. She certainly didn't want Eren or Armin overhearing. Not Armin quite yet, at least. She would tell him another time when she'd properly dissected this information with Sasha, Historia, and Ymir. Ymir seemed to give the best advice in this situation, especially as it concerned her cousin's ex.

Mikasa had, of course, been there for Jean when he and Marco had to break up at the beginning of the summer. He was her friend, after all, and he had struggled after Marco had moved. Their friend group had all spent much more time together; going to the beach, to summer concerts on the town green, and doing movie nights at Sasha or Connie's. Sometimes, too, they'd go over Mikasa's and watch movies on warm summer nights. It had definitely lifted Jean's spirits.

Now it was October of their sophomore year. Homecoming was around the corner, again, as well as the countless Halloween parties and fall festivals that would come to town. And Jean Kirstein had made the choice to ask Mikasa if she'd wanted to go to the Fall Festival with him. Not with their whole friend group, but just with him.

"What did you say?!" Asked Sasha, who'd hurriedly swallowed a piece of her bread in a rush to hear what Mikasa had to relay. "Wait, was he nervous? It is a date, right?"

Mikasa leaned her head against her hand, scratching at her scalp. "I think saying, 'Do you want to go to the Fall Festival with me' infers it's a date."

Sasha's jaw dropped. Ymir smirked and Historia looked utterly enchanted, albeit surprised, with the idea. She looked at Ymir. "Would Marco be okay with it?"

"Marco isn't Jean's keeper. Jean can do what he wants. They're not together." She bit a fry and lifted her chin at Mikasa. "You gonna go?"

"—I said maybe. I'd have to check what I'm doing this weekend. I might have a soccer game," Mikasa replied. Then again, the fairs tended to open later in the day. Her games were always in the morning. She looked over her shoulder then at the others. "You can't tell anyone. Not Armin, not Connie. Not Eren. Especially not Eren."

That caused a groan to be expelled from Ymir's throat. "Alright, listen. You can't keep sneaking around and not living your best life because you're afraid Eren will approve or disapprove. Frankly, Mikasa, you either need to go out with him and end our collective suffering or decide you're not going to work out."

Stunned, Mikasa blinked and stammered. "Wait, what? Go out with—No. No, I'm not—" Her cheeks turned pink, highlighting her scar. "Eren and I are friends. We've known each other since we were babies.."

"Oh, cute. What a storybook cliche." Ymir rolled her eyes and ignored a shove from Historia. She threw her arm around her girlfriend, holding her close. "But do you see my point? You can't make decisions based on what Eren will or won't approve of. I know that he hates Jean for whatever reason." She ignored Mikasa's discomfort. "But you can't turn down a date because he won't like who you date. That's fucked, honestly."

"Yeah, Ymir is right," Sasha added. "I mean, Eren can be cool sometimes but it's a little weird how you try to make him happy and comfortable."

Mikasa frowned and tugged at the scarf around her neck. She crossed her arms on the table and leaned her chin on her wrists. Eren was her best friend. She didn't like how angry he could get. Angry, though, likely wasn't the best word. He was emotional and running on that high at all times. Things at his home were already hard enough; she didn't want him to be unhappy.

But maybe her friends were right; maybe she shouldn't give up this date because Eren wouldn't be happy she was going with Jean. It wasn't a big deal at the end of the day. If it didn't work out, it didn't work out. Why give up that chance? If anything, it would be an afternoon spent with a friend.