𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗻

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟎𝟕

VII. HARMFUL RAIN OF UNCERTAINTIES.

« Hurry up Mikasa, otherwise we'll be late for practice, » Armin said benevolently when he saw the distant face his friend, who still sitting at her table in the dining hall, was making. The blonde knew that meant she was lost in thought, and he didn't want to push her too much.

It was the day after the particular exchange between the two Ackermans, and the younger one was now concerned about it. She kept wondering what it all meant.

Had he only responded to an animal urge? Had he taken advantage of Mikasa's weakness, or did he actually love her?

And her, what did that mean for her? Did she love him or had she been lost in the idea of ​​being loved, wanted? Did she love him more than Armin... than Eren?

Mikasa didn't know the feeling that germinated in her when she thought of the Corporal, and it frightened her. It wasn't the same as when she was with her brother or some other friend. Still, it wasn't a negative feeling, all her rage and hatred towards the « shorty, » as she had once called him, was gone.

It was a feeling that asked her to see him more often, to talk to him, to have more physical contact. It was a powerful feeling that couldn't be tamed, just like her hatred whenever Eren had been kidnapped. It was a scary feeling, that she couldn't ignore, though.

« Mikasa, are you okay? » Her blonde friend called out to her again, bringing Mikasa out of her torpor.

« I'm fine Armin, » she replied as she stood up.

Training was the personification of her newfound fear; that of being in duet with that man without being able to act freely because of the others' gazes.

« Everything will be alright. Everything will be fine Mikasa. It's fine, don't worry. » Despite this thought circling in her mind, she couldn't help but panic.

She couldn't stop the memories of the previous night from coming to warm her up, from coming to disturb her. She found herself wanting it to happen again, yet, in another way, she dreaded it happening again.

« If you need any help or just to talk, I'm here, » Armin murmured suddenly, walking beside her. He could read in his friend's eyes that several things were going through her mind. He also knew, however, that forcing her to speak would only push her away.

« Armin, you really don't have to worry about me, » she replied, armed with a tender gaze.

The man nodded slowly, abandoning his futile attempt to get his best friend to speak. After all, they were now where the training would take place.

Mikasa moved towards the opposite of her friend, under his perplexed glance. She walked with her head lower than usual, as if avoiding the short man's gaze, who had been watching her ever since she was visible to him. When she finally stood next to the trainer, the latter looked at the group facing him.

« Ackerman is now a high-ranking officer, so you'll have to listen to her orders, and she's going to help me train you, got it? » Levi had said those words seriously, looking mainly at Eren and Floch, whom he suspected to be the least docile in the face of this change. Yet neither showed any signs of disturbance, especially the brunette who was equipped with his bored gaze acquired by kissing the Queen's hand.

Armin beamed, genuinely happy. The blond was proud of the woman standing straight in front of him, a neutral gaze for all to see.

« We will work on endurance, survival skills and speed. You can choose to move on foot or with your equipment to try and escape us. Weapons are not allowed, » Mikasa enunciated, still a neutral look poking out on her face. « This exercise will last until we catch everyone, or after two hours. You have the right to go into the forest and the flat land around it, without going beyond the areas already marked out. Be smart and use the terrain to your advantage. You have two minutes to hide ahead of us. With that, mouve out! » Mikasa had been told, that very morning, by Hanji, to take the initiative of command to get used to it. And unsurprisingly, this role came naturally to her.