Attack on Titan: A Blacksmith's Tale

Chapter 52: Lament of the Rogue

A dismal day awaited the ones who still slept at the early hour. Thick clouds covered the blue sky and the sun, its rays only showing up in small pockets throughout the country. Thunder rumbled above as large drops of rain fell towards the ground. Many would welcome the refreshing water, while others would complain about the mud the rain would cause as well as the flooding that would create obstacles throughout the day. As always, the normal reaction for humans.

The immature part of Eren wanted the weather to be a good enough reason to call off the training he was in store for, but it was a fool's hope. Very soon, he would have to go out there and face the person who caused him so much suffering. He really didn't want to deal with her for as long as he could help it. An idea formulated in his brain to keep himself distracted from the inevitable encounter. He went down to the mess hall and received two helpings of beans and soup, placing them all on a tray. Carefully balancing the food, he carried it to the infirmary where he knew a certain girl would appreciate it.

As he approached her door, he heard grunting noises coming from the other side. His eyebrows raised as he knocked. "Mikasa, are you okay?"

"Come in, Eren," she replied, making those same sounds.

Eren heaved a sigh as he pushed down on the handle with his elbow, entering the room. What he saw nearly made him drop the entire tray. "Seriously?"

Mikasa was on the floor clad in her workout clothes. A white top that left her midsection completely exposed and purple shorts that were form-fitting. She was performing intense crunches with her hands behind her head. Every time she performed a sit-up, she let out a grunt from the bruises on her rib cage. Her eyes darted to Eren briefly as she continued her exercises. "I'm fine. The injuries are healing."

Eren placed the food on the table and approached her with a glower. "You didn't hit your head on the door. Your ribs were crushed by a Titan. Knock it off, Mikasa." He grabbed her by the arm, halting her movements.

She froze, staring up at the Shifter. "Eren..."

"I brought you some food. You need to eat," he told her.

She pursed her lips briefly before standing up, wincing from the injuries. "You didn't have to do that."

"It was the least I could do," Eren replied. "Portions are a bit smaller. Food's getting more expensive these days."

"It's fine." Mikasa took a bit of the beans. Her face started contorting from the awful taste, but she forced herself to swallow it. It was either this or starve.

"Mikasa, don't you have something else to wear that isn't... that?" Eren asked awkwardly.

She gave him a confused look. "What's wrong with it?"

"It's a bit... um..." All of a sudden, facing Annie today didn't seem like a bad idea anymore. "It exposes your body a bit much," he said lamely.

"Eren, this outfit lets me maneuver more than the soldier's uniform," Mikasa explained. "It shows me how my body looks in case there are problems with it. It's supposed to be more exposed."

It shows everyone else how your body looks, too. Eren shook his head in annoyance. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

"Eren, what's wrong?" Mikasa asked, concerned for his well-being like she always was.

Eren bit his lip, but he still went through with telling her. "Today's the day I'm supposed to train with Annie."

Immediately, her gray eyes darkened considerably. "I'm coming with you."

"No." He didn't even hesitate on that response. "It has to be only me."

"Eren, you've seen what she's capable of," she pointed out. "You're not safe around her."