Violets (Mikannie)

11 - Redemption

Fun fact about German surnames that I learned while researching for this story: generally the wife would take the husband's surname, but if the wife had a bigger farm, then the husband would take the wife's surname.

Also, I've published a book of oneshots, in case anyone is interested. Requests are open for that.
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"Look, I'm so sorry, I should have knocked," Armin said. This was maybe the third or fourth time he had apologised for interrupting Mikasa and Annie's kiss, and while Mikasa was still mildly bitter, she had more or less forgiven him. She couldn't speak for Annie, though.

"Just tell us what you had to," Mikasa said.

"Right, yeah." Armin was hugging his laptop to his chest. He walked over to the couch and sat down, unfolding the laptop. His browser was open to YouTube, where he had a video up. He pulled the slider back to the beginning.

"Why are you subscribed to Dane Shawson?" Mikasa asked, looking over his shoulder. Armin frowned at her.

"He makes good content, you're just picky," he said. "But that's beside the point. Look at the title."

Mikasa did. Annie would have as well, but she knew shit all about YouTube and didn't know where she was meant to be looking.

At the bottom of the video, in clickbait all-caps, was the title CREEPY TRUE REINCARNATION STORIES.

Mikasa looked to Armin. Is this serious? She mouthed.

"It gets better." He looked at Annie. "Just, watch."

He hit play.

"Hey what's up you guys, yes welcome back. Now today I'm going to share some stories of people who believed they have been reincarnated."

Mikasa could absolutely not stand Dane Shawson. Something about his attitude, or the way he whispered everything he said got on her nerves. Thankfully, Armin skipped ahead, about halfway into the video. He moved it so that the girls could see the screen.

"So, this next one is a little bit graphic, and kind of sad," Dane said.

"Back in 1018, there was this teenager named Reiner Braun, and for the first fifteen or so years of his life he was... Totally regular. He had good grades in all his classes, a healthy social life, everything was good at home. But one day, something must have happened, because he just changed. He would just break down for no apparent reason, and he spoke about some things that were kind of disturbing. He seemed to be guilty about something, something bad. And one day, he came home, and he seemed excited. He was going on about healing, or something, and - this is where it gets really tragic - he self-mutilated in front of his mother.

"Awful, I know. Reiner is still alive to this day, he's actually getting some psychiatric help, but I know what you're thinking: Dane, this doesn't have anything to do with reincarnation! Well, I'm getting to that part, because it's the creepiest bit of all, and, really sad too...

"So we've already talked about this in my TERRIFYING REAL HUMAN EXPERIMENTS video, but-"

Armin paused the video, closed the lid on the laptop and placed it on the coffee table. He turned to the girls with a big smile on his face.

Annie was frozen (metaphorically) in shock. She was gazing at the ground, unable to process what she had just heard.

"That's not a coincidence, is it? Just someone with the same name?" Mikasa asked in the background.

"He showed the picture, Mikasa!" Armin said. "That's Reiner. One hundred percent. You know what this means? It means we aren't the only ones who remembered."

"Are you happy?"

Annie looked up at Mikasa. "Pardon?"

"I asked if you were happy. That your friend is back," Mikasa repeated.

"I guess," she breathed. They're alive.

Subconsciously, Annie's hand made its way into Mikasa's.

The doorbell buzzed, and Armin stood up. "I'll get it," he said.

"Would you like to pick up where we left off?" Mikasa asked when Armin left the room. Annie smiled.

"What do you think the answer is?"

Mikasa smiled back, and pulled Annie back into a kiss. Her fingers on one hand made their way through the blonde hair, the other hand tracing shapes on Annie's back.

And then came a sentence, said loudly as to alert the girls, that chilled Mikasa's bones.

"Hey, Eren, good to see you!"

Mikasa dropped the kiss again, eyes wide.

"He can't know you're here," she hissed. She looked around the room, then pulled Annie up. "Come on, we need to hide you."

The girls ran into the laundry, looking around for somewhere to hide Annie. Mikasa opened the cupboard under the sink. Annie narrowed her eyes at her. Mikasa threw her hands up as if to say, "well what ideas do you have?"

Annie walked over to the window and opened it. Mikasa stopped her by holding her arm.

"Don't go too far," she whispered. Annie nodded, and hoisted herself out of the window, tumbling into the garden.

"I'm fine," she said. Mikasa ran back into the lounge room.

Eren stood with Armin by the door into the lounge. He was shocked when he saw Mikasa come in.

"What are you doing here?" Eren asked.

"What are you doing here?" Mikasa asked in response.

"I asked first."

Mikasa didn't expect her deflect to be deflected. "I... Um..."

"We were going to check on her again."

Both cousins looked to Armin, who had a (false, he was clearly bluffing) look of embarrassment on his face. He quickly shot Mikasa a 'go with it' look.

"Really?" Eren asked. "That's all you ever do, Mika! You need to-"

"You didn't answer my question," Mikasa interrupted. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't a guy visit his boyfriend in peace?"

Eren instantly regretted saying that out loud. "That's not what I meant," he said quickly.

Mikasa's worries about Eren finding out about Annie were temporarily forgotten. "I knew it," she said with a smile that reached from ear to ear. "I knew it!"

"Okay, fine. I like Armin. Are you happy now?"

"About time you admitted it," Armin said. He had a smug smile on his face.

Eren frowned, but Mikasa could see the happy glint in his eyes.

"That... That isn't why I'm here, though," Eren said. The lighthearted tone in the room had disappeared. If it had been a movie, the fun humour song would have stopped and been replaced with a more chilling soundtrack.

"I was sent here," he continued. "I'm not allowed to know who or why, but somebody's looking for the two of you."

"Damien," Armin whispered. "I knew he was looking for Mikasa, but me too? Why-"

His eyes went wide as he figured out which event both he and Mikasa were connected to. His eyes met hers.

"Wait, you knew?" Eren asked.

"There's something we need to tell you too," Armin said. Mikasa remained silent.

What is he doing? We agreed not to tell him! Did he change his mind?

"But first, tell us everything you know about what's going on."