Enjoy Mates!

The 104th Trainee Squad had their hand-to-hand combat test today. Eren had been training even more viciously than he normally does, and Annie has taught him a couple of new moves.

They were given ten minutes to warm up before the test. Eren was training with Annie again.

"Alright, come at me with everything you have." Said Annie, readying herself into her signature pose.

"Here I come!" yelled Eren in reply.

He opened with a swift jab, but Annie shifted her body and dodged it. Then, she retaliated with a jab of her own. Eren caught her fist and almost stumbled, for her size she was surprisingly strong. He pulled her in, but she twisted and kicked the back of his knee. Eren fell but he did not let go of her hand, Annie ended up landing on top of him.

"Ah-sorry." Eren apologized. He noticed Mikasa to the right, glaring daggers at Annie. Eren wondered; was she jealous?

"No way, Mikasa wouldn't ever feel that way." Eren thought and slightly shook his head.

Annie also noticed Mikasa and sadistically took her time getting off of Eren, in return she received more glaring from Mikasa, until she turned her head away.

"You managed to get me to the ground, but you didn't lay a scratch on me."

"But I'm getting better. Sooner or later, I might beat you, so watch out." Eren grinned.

Annie couldn't help but smile. She wondered why this boy was the only person who could make her break out into a grin. Maybe she found his childish personality amusing, or maybe it was something else.

Her thought was interrupted by Shadis' voice, "Alright, the hand-to-hand combat test will be administered now! Get your lazy asses over here!"

The trainees quickly shuffled around Shadis. "I will be scoring using a point system; the more direct strikes you land, the more points you receive. If you win, you will stay in the field and battle another opponent until you are beaten. First up, Connie Springer and Jean Kirchstein!"

Connie and Jean made their way out of the crowd and got into position.

"Ready to get pummeled, pipsqueak?" Jean said, with his usual smirk.

"In your dreams, JEEEEN!" Connie was always delighted when he mispronounced Jean's name, much to his annoyance.

"Someone better teach you how to speak!" Jean lunged into an uppercut.

Connie was small, but he was fast. He dodged and caught Jean's arm, then he twisted it.

Jean yelped in pain. Then thrust his body into Connie's, leaving them both wrestling on the ground. Connie rolled away from under him and threw a kick. Jean caught his leg and threw him hard onto the ground.

"Ahh! I yield, I yield." Connie yelled in defeat. Jean stood over him and smirked triumphantly.

"Next, Eren Jaeger!"

"Hell, YEAH!" Eren yelled, he couldn't wait to bring a beating down on Jean.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself. I'll enjoy pummeling you." Jean's smirk widened.

"I'm gonna wipe that smirk off of your face, horse-face."

Jean hated it when he called him that, how did he resemble a horse in any way? "Why you little!" Jean moved first, and threw out a powerful roundhouse kick.

Eren lunged into it, caught his leg, and pulled him in. Then he kicked his shin which made Jean topple over, he noticed Annie smiling faintly at the sight of the kick. He silently thanked her for teaching him that move. He was about to kick again, but Jean rolled out of his way. Jean attempted to stand, but he fell back down, clutching his leg.

"What the hell, man?" Jean said in a pained voice, before slowly getting back up.

Eren jabbed at Jean's stomach, but he blocked it and returned with a jab of his own. Eren shifted around his fist and kicked the back of his knees. As Jean was falling backwards, Eren elbowed him and confirmed his victory.

"I-I yield." Jean said with a deep scowl. He brushed himself off and marched back into the crowd.

"Next, Mikasa Ackerman!" Shadis commanded.

Mumbling could be heard from the crowd. Eren and Mikasa stared at each other for a moment before Mikasa turned to Shadis and asked, "Can I please test with someone else, sir?"

Eren couldn't help but feel angry. She didn't want to hurt him, which made him furious of how confident she was that she was going to win, Eren knew it too though. It stilled angered him because she was treating him as a weakling, she was still protecting him, even though he was supposed to be the one protecting her. He would never tell her that though, she wouldn't ever leave him alone if he told her that.

Shadis silenced the mumbling, "Be quiet! Ackerman, you can't choose which Titans you want to fight in the battlefield! Now, go before I make you!"

Mikasa slowly exited the crowd and made her way to Eren. She stared at him with pity in her eyes.

"There she goes again, looking at me like I'm a lost puppy," Eren thought.

"Now get into your stances!" commanded Shadis.

Eren shifted into his fighting position, which resembled Annie's. Mikasa's stance was hardly even a stance; she just put her left foot and right arm forward.

Eren made the first move. He leaned in with a punch, which Mikasa dodged with ease. He noticed this, and turned his punch into a back-fist and swung backwards. Mikasa ducked out of the way. There was nothing wrong with Eren's fighting style, it was just that Mikasa was superior to him in every way.

Out of nowhere, Mikasa hooked Eren's chest down with her left arm, and used her foot to make him trip backwards. He hit the ground and Mikasa held him down.

She leaned in a whispered so faintly that only Eren could hear, "Please yield, Eren. If you don't, Shadis will make me hurt you. I don't want to do that. Please, yield." He could notice the pleading in her voice.

Eren struggled with all his might, but she was too strong. "Dammit," he thought, "It's always been like this. She's so much better than me in every way, no matter how hard I try. There is no way I can protect her, she'll always be the one protecting me. I'm weak, and she's strong. That's how it will always be."

"I yield." Eren said, with anger in his tone. "Now get off me." Mikasa got up with a hurt expression, but he didn't care.

"Next up, Joeseph Wilmer!"

When they were eating dinner that night, Mikasa noticed he was purposely not looking at her. "I'm sorry, Eren." She apologized.

"Why the fuck are you apologizing?" Eren yelled out loud. Everyone in the entire room turned their heads to the pair.

"Hey Eren, let's not make a scene, why don't we talk about something else." Armin tried to calm him down and change the subject, but Eren didn't notice. He was still glaring at Mikasa.

"You beat me, so don't apologize. You beat me, like you always fucking do."

"I'm sorry, Eren. It's just that-"

"I said stop apologizing! Stop treating me like some hurt baby! Mind your own goddamn business, bitch!" Eren stormed out the dining hall.

"Oooh." Ymir exclaimed.

"Hey! Get back here, Jaeger! Get back here and apologize to Mikasa!" Jean yelled, but Eren was already out of sound's reach.

Mikasa felt like her heart was just stabbed. She was used to Eren snapping at her when she was nagging him. But, this time was different. When he usually snapped, it was because he was annoyed. This time, Mikasa could feel the hate in his voice. All of a sudden she felt alone and cold again, like she was nine years ago before Eren saved her from the human traffickers. It took all of her willpower to stop the tears from seeping out of her eyes. Using all her effort, she managed to create and expressionless face.

Armin, however, was not fooled. He could see he hurt in her eyes. "Mikasa-"

"It's alright." She said before heading out the door.

As soon the dining hall was out of reach, she started crying and running. She couldn't run back to the dormitory and risk people seeing her crying. Instead, she headed toward the woods. She sat against at tree and continued sobbing hopelessly. She reached for her scarf, but all she felt was air and the skin of her neck.

"Oh, no," she thought, "It must have dropped." She began sprinting, desperately searching for that maroon scarf that gave her warmth in the coldest places. She began to cry and had to stop running so she wouldn't choke on her sobs.

"It's so cold, so cold. I'm all alone again." Suddenly, she felt something incredibly warm being wrapped around her neck. She recognized the soft, warm fabric, and looked down. It was her scarf! She suddenly turned around and saw Eren tying the scarf around her. She saw that his bright, emerald eyes were filled with remorse and sorry.

"I'm so sorry Mikasa. I didn't mean what I said back then, I lost control. I was just frustrated with myself because I was so weak." He spoke softly.

Mikasa didn't say anything. This was the first time Eren was openly discussing his emotions with her, and she was going to listen to every bit.

"It made be angry because… well, because I'm the one who's supposed to protect you." Eren held the two ends of the scarf in his hands.

Mikasa waited a moment before replying. "You did protect me. You protected me when I was alone and cold. You gave me a family, and this scarf, which protects me every day." She gently put her hand on his.

They could feel each others warm breaths, and suddenly realized how close their faces were together. Their cheeks both flushed red, but Mikasa didn't stop holding his hand and Eren didn't stop holding the scarf.

They both continued to stare at each other. In this time, Eren noticed how beautiful Mikasa was. He always knew Mikasa was beautiful, but he never actually took the time to acknowledge her beauty. Her dark eyes were like bottomless pools of ink, and her long eyelashes and high cheekbones only added to her appeal. Her raven-black hair illuminated in the moonlight and emanated a glow. Eren stopped at her lips; they were pink, soft, and luscious. He wondered what they would feel like on his. His eyelids dropped half-way in desire.

Mikasa noticed this and her cheeks blushed more. "Does he, want me?" Mikasa thought to herself as she examined his face. She too, noticed Eren's appeal. His soft brown locks were bunched together from the wind. His tan skin reflected the moonlight which glanced off of his firm, narrow, jaw-line. Mikasa stared into his bright, emerald eyes, which were usually filled with determination.

This time, she saw something else in his eyes; was it,lust? Mikasa's eyelids couldn't help but drop in desire as she leaned into him. His lips met hers and their eyes fluttered shut. Their inexperience showed at first when they didn't move, but soon their lips started shifting with each other. Eren's tongue made its way into her mouth, and she released a muffled moan. At that moment, Mikasa realized; that she would never be alone as long as Eren is with her. She won't have to worry about being cold and lonely ever again, because he's here for her.

They slowly parted lips and Eren spoke softly, "We should head back." He was about to turn around until Mikasa grabbed his wrist, "We have a few more minutes." Eren grinned as he met her lips once more.