Breathless •Eremika (Love. Me. Now. Or. Never.)

XII: Cuts and Kisses

"Uh," Eren lowered his head, "Um," He stepped backwards cumbersomely, trying to flee from Mikasa. He couldn't bear her sorrowful expression.

"Eren," Mikasa whispered, tearful, and drew him into a sympathetic embrace. She could hear the gasp that escaped his lips when she squeezed his waist, securing him to her. Her face was buried in his chest, "Eren, what's bothering you? Tell me." Her warmth gave him a sense of belonging and inexorable care.

"I'm sorry," he slowly placed his hand on the small of her back, unsure if she would pull away, "I'm sorry about everything I said at the cafeteria. I was... I don't know what I was thinking. I hope you don't hold it against me anymore."

"Eren," her voice bubbled out. She could feel a jitter travel up her spine when he was touching her, "since when have I held anything against you for a long time? But... what made you self-harm? You know I don't want you doing that to yourself. Promise me you won't hurt yourself anymore."

He casted her a blank look, "I can't promise you much, because I'm hiding a fair lot from you and I should probably tell you everything now. But hold on, does that mean I'm forgiven for what I did that day...?"

"I'm not talking about the cafeteria issue anymore! Rant everything else out, Eren!" Mikasa raised her voice a little. She didn't want to say that he was totally forgiven for everything he had said, because the truth was that he was not. He was not entirely forgiven yet.

She would've broken away from the embrace by then, yet she did not want to hurt him any further. Besides, her soberness was beginning to ebb away due to the vodka. Damn. She shouldn't have taken that second shot. Would she be able to even decipher what Eren was going to tell her, in her current drunken state?

"Wait, I have one more question," he muttered, "Was it you who saved me that day when I nearly drowned?"

"Yes," she was growing more and more impatient with him, "Eren, just tell me what you want to say already, please, before the vodka takes over."

"Mikasa, please, just kiss me again," he pleaded boldly, "Just like what you did to save me. Save me again, Mikasa, I'm drowning in my own tears."

"Eren, you're really drunk, you don't have a single clue what you're saying right now," she had had enough of his pointless blabber, "I don't want to see you cutting yourself again. You're my best friend. I can't stand it. Please tell me what's wrong so we can figure things out together. Let me in."

"Kiss me and save me again," he murmured ruefully, "I'm not just your 'best friend', Mikasa. I don't want to be your 'best friend' anymore. Save me again now if you love me. It's not that hard. Just do what you did when I was drowning last time."

"No, Eren, not until you inform me what's wrong," she slurred, her cheeks burning. Crap. She blinked wearily, trying to regain her fading soberness. Stupid vodka, she thought, why did I take two shots in a row?

His lips collided with hers as he stroked her hair with his hand. The kisses he was giving her were like flames, igniting in a room full of flammable gas. Mikasa could feel the jolt of ecstasy cruise through her instantly. She returned his kisses with the same hunger and ferocity, her tongue probing his mouth, sliding across his teeth. A tang of the spirits he had been drinking gave her tongue small staccato-tingles.

She had no idea what she was doing at all. He gave a small moan from the back of his throat, relishing the moment. Mikasa's thumb flicked the loops on his belt, unable to resist his passion, biting down on his lower lip to tease him. Was this vodka, or was this really her, or was it both?

"We need," Eren managed through the slits in between their mouths, "a room."

Mikasa, suddenly realising what they were doing in public, peeled her lips off his and sprung apart from him. He started, staring at her, perplexed by her actions. "Ah!" she yelped abruptly, "Eren, why did you do that?" Her vision was blurred due to the alcohol and her speech was not articulate.