Cosplay Husband

14. Surprise Visitor

EREN: I didn't want to return home, but my mom expected me to visit for the holidays.

Not only that, but I wanted to know how well she was doing...

But there was something turning in my stomach that told me something was wrong.

I disregarded it at first, until I knocked on the door.

The first person to greet me was someone I didn't expect to appear: Mikasa.

I nearly pissed myself right there. My blood ran cold and my stomach turned.

"M-Mikasa! Hey! H-how are you?" I stammered.

She regarded me with her stony eyes and a lack of a smile. But the smile crept across her face following my words.

"I'm great, Eren," she said in a sickly-sweet tone. "Come on in."

"What are you doing here? I thought you went to Harvard." I said.

"I did, but your parents invited me over for Thanksgiving." Mikasa said. "Besides, someone has to help out with your mother."

I took off my coat and at the sound of the zipper jingling, Mikasa whirled around.

"Maybe that shouldn't be the only thing you take off," she suggested in a low voice. It was the same low voice she used when she took my unmeasurable virginity.

"Ah...Mikasa, I--" I began, but I was cut off by my mother's shuffling footsteps.

She didn't look any better since I left: her skin was translucent and stretched across her bones that had become more visible. There was a dirty scarf around her bald head. She had lost her hair to the chemotherapy two years ago.

"H-hey Mom..." I mumbled. "How are you doing?"

She met my eyes with her honey-colored ones. Her eyes were the only things that seemed at all lively. I realized now that she was fading away quicker.

"Eren..." She said, hurrying her shuffling.

"No, stay over there; I'll come to you." I said, doing so.

I gently wrapped my arms around her frail body.

"How are you, Mom? You shouldn't be walking like this." I murmured.

"Don't tell me how to be, Eren; you know we Jäegers have a history of being hard to kill." She chided me gently. "How's college?"

"It's okay," I admitted. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, Eren." Mom replied. "Mikasa's been calling me and she helped out this morning before you came."

"Oh, really?" That thought worried me. I knew my parents really liked Mikasa, which made it hard to break up with her. When I finally did, my mom had said Mikasa was really the best thing that happened to me.

"You sound like you're getting stronger, Carla." Mikasa said.

"I don't know about that..." She admitted.

"You Jaëgers are hard to kill," Mikasa pointed out.

Mom smiled weakly. "I'm going back to bed; Mikasa is making dinner tonight. Your father will be home in an hour."

I didn't want her to leave, but I didn't want her to get weak. Mom shuffled back to her room.

Mikasa turned to me sharply. "I think it's time we caught up."

I had suggested we go for a walk around the neighborhood, but I felt the further we got from my house the easier it would be for her to kill me and drag my body off somewhere.

"How's Stohess University?" Mikasa asked right away.

"It's okay, I don't have many friends," I said, "but two of them are coming over for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow."

"I see...females?" Mikasa continued.

"Males," I replied.

"Gay or straight?"

"Marco is gay, and Armin is pansexual."

"Attractive?"

"Uhh...I'm straight...?" I replied, but since the kiss I had been wondering if I had meant more by letting Armin kiss me.

"Hm."

"Mikasa, I don't understand why you couldn't just leave my life like any other ex-girlfriend." I explained.

"Why? Because I still love you!" Mikasa said as if it should be obvious.

"Mikasa, I broke up with you for a reason," I continued, "and it wasn't because you were going to Harvard and I was going to Stohess U: it's because you wouldn't leave me the hell alone."

Mikasa put her hand over her chest like she was hurt, and maybe she was but I wasn't too sure.

"But Eren...I love you!" Mikasa cried.

"No, you don't!" I shouted. "If you really loved me, you would leave me alone!"

"Eren, you need me!" Mikasa insisted.

"Mikasa, I did once, but I don't anymore. I'm not your boyfriend, I'm not your child."

"Eren, your mother needs me now. If you're not home, then who will be?"

"Mikasa, my dad exists. And I know he's not always home, but my mom has the neighbors to take care of her. You have to attend Harvard."

"About that, Eren..."

My heart nearly stopped.

"...I'm thinking about dropping out to take care of your mother until she's better."

"Why...?"

"Because she needs someone trustworthy to take care of her."

"Mikasa, you're not the one to do it! You have your own life, so live it! Don't waste your time on someone like me, go live your life!" I cried.

She was taken aback at this. I had never shouted at her before, I'd always been too afraid.

She squared her jaw and refused to meet my eyes. "Right, how silly of me. I got so carried away with you I forgot my dreams..."

Her voice had dropped to a sad tone, but I didn't believe she was actually sad.

"I'll leave and never come back once Thanksgiving break is over." She said.

"Thanks...you were a pretty great girlfriend, but that's all over now." I replied.

She nodded once. "Right; let's get back to your house now."