Attack on Titan Series

Tangled Leashes

Summary:

Nanaba did not expect to find herself ensnared by the leashes of twelve different dogs, all walked by the same person who also happened to be entangled.

Notes:

Modern day AU featuring Mike Zacharius and Nanaba from Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan). Mike is pronouced "Mee-kay" instead of the english nickname "Mike", and Jean is French spelling and thus pronoucned "John".

Because this is an AU, Hanji will be called by her first name; Zoe.

Mikenana with mentions of levihan

At 8:30 in the morning Nanaba had been awake for four and a half hours trying to complete an essay due that afternoon. Being a mature age student, Nanaba would normally pace herself with her assignments but the sudden increase of assignments was too much for her usual schedule to work, and so she had burnt herself out over the last few days.

Her roommate Zoe seemed to be in the same boat, Nanaba noticed. Zoe had dark bags under her eyes, a thermos of steaming hot coffee permanently glued to her hand, and she smelt like she hadn't showered for a few days.

Zoe was dating too. Nanaba hardly saw her on the weekends. Zoe's phone would ring and Nanaba would answer it for her as the aforementioned woman was too engrossed in her robotics assignments to pay any mind to the outside world, and sure enough Zoe's boyfriend Levi would be on the other end. At first Nanaba didn't like Levi with his extensive criminal history, but Zoe claims he's staying on the good side of the law, and judging from the fact that Zoe and Levi had been dating for over a year he was going to stay that way, so Nanaba grew to accept him as a friend.

"Grumpy-Short-Ass is on the phone for you, Zoe." Nanaba would day, handing the phone over to a still-not-listening-Zoe.

That was how it was for Nanaba. She now found herself hitting her 2,500 word limit and slumping in her chair at 6:45 am. Saving the document she grabbed her USB and ran to the campus library just in time for it to open at 7:00 and printed her paper. Tucking it in her bag she stretched and sighed, and decided to treat herself to a walk around the park in order to destress.

Nanaba spent an hour aimlessly wandering around the enormous park, watching the ducks and petting a few dogs that would approach her. At 8:29 her phone buzzed. She reached into her pocket to pull it out and read the text. It was from Zoe:

"At last, I am once again

free from the cruel grasp

that is college assignments.

Drinks on me tonight.

Erwin and Levi are coming.

Bring a date ;)"

Nanaba scoffed and began to text back when she tripped over a small corgi with a red collar. With a yelp both from her and the dog she fell forward into the arms of a tall man. Suddenly one dog became twelve madly yipping dogs running in every direction they could, twisting and knotting their leashes. Grunts of annoyance and slight pain came from the man Nanaba was currently strapped to thanks to the aid of the dog leashes. Nanaba did not expect to find herself ensnared by the leashes of twelve different dogs, all walked by the same person who also happened to be as equally, if not more, entangled.

Once the dogs had settled down Nanaba looked up into the man's face. The man was easily 6' 5" with blonde hair that reached his ears and covered his eyes, with an equally blonde beard and moustache. He seemed to be sniffing, either from annoyance or from a cold Nanaba could not tell.

"Oh hell, I'm so sorry." Nanaba began to say as she tried to disentangle herself, which sent two of the twelve dogs into a barking frenzy at each other.

"Hey!" The man yelled, his voice surprisingly deep, "Eren! Jean! Knock it off!" The two dogs in question quietened down.

Once Nanaba had finally been set free of the leashes she cleared her throat. "I'm Nanaba. It only seems fair that I introduce myself since I was extremely close to you just now."

"Mike Zacharius." He said, holding out his hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

Nanaba shook his hand. They stood awkwardly for a moment, Nanaba counted the dogs and confirmed that there was indeed twelve. Each was a different breed, and each had a different coloured leash attached to a carabiner. Six dogs to a carabiner, one in each of Mike's hands. Nanaba pointed to the dogs, "So. All these yours?"

Mike laughed, "No, no. I'm a dog walker. These twelve are my regular customers. A lively bunch I must say, but Eren and Jean-" he motioned to a chocolate Labrador and a Danish Pointer, "don't like each other much. That's why I try to keep them on either side of me."

Nanaba nodded in interest. Her phone suddenly buzzed again. It was Zoe.

"If you don't bring a

date I'll set you up

with Erwin."

Nanaba quickly texted back.

"No."

Zoe's response was quick:

"I'm just joking Nana,

calm down."

Nanaba looked up and saw the Mike had gotten his own phone out. "Hey, why don't I get your number and we'll keep in touch." He said. Nanaba smiled and exchanged numbers with Mike. After another couple of minutes of meaningless chatter the dogs became impatient and Mike had to say a quick good-bye before he was pulled away.

Nanaba sent him a text as soon as he was out of sight:

"My friends and I

are going to Rodder's

Bar tonight.

Care to join?"

She put her phone in her pocket, checked the time: 9:18, and took off at a steady jog back to the uni campus to hand in her paper early. She forgot about her text until she was getting ready for the night out, Zoe in the lounge room after finally having a shower eating a bowl of chocolate laden ice cream as she watched Hannibal intensely. Nanaba could hear her making comments under her breath.

"Don't eat too much, Zoe! You'll end up first to crash tonight otherwise!" Nanaba called out.

"Ha!" Came Zoe's reply. "The first to crash is alway Auoro, the poor boy can hardly hold his liquor let alone stay awake after eleven!"

Nanaba smiled, suddenly her phone buzzed. Lunging across the bed for it she checked the screen:

"Rodder's Bar.

See you there.

- Mike"

Nanaba put her phone in her pocket just as Zoe came in into the room, "So. We ready?"

"Sure thing."

"And you still don't seem to have a date."

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." Nanaba replied quickly.

Sure enough when they reached Rodder's and met up with Levi and Erwin, Mike approached Nanaba and she introduced him to the group.