Enjoy!

"I'm so done with your shit!"

Petra's bellow echoed from halfway down the corridor, rolling off the stone walls of HQ's eastern wing, and reaching the small group stationed in the kitchen, armed with buckets, mops, brooms and dusters for the weekly Levi-regulated clean. Consisting of Eren, Gunther and Eld, the three all looked up from their scrubbing down of the flagstone floor at the noise, followed by the heavy clatter of footfall approaching them at an pace fueled by anger.

"For God's sake," Gunther threw the damp rag in his hand onto the floor with a resounded wet slap as he stood up and went over to the door way, leaning against the door frame and peering out into the corridor. "Petra, what the hell!? We only sent you two to get clean towels!"

A fuming, red-faced Petra appeared next to him, her brow creased in agitation and her eyes ablaze; a folded mass of off-white cotton spun fabric clutched against her chest. She eyed Gunther lividly before turning into the kitchen and slamming the towels onto the table.

"It's him," she spat. "That stupid, twisted, misogynistic, self-absorbed, conceited prick..."

"Come on, Petra dear," Oluo's offhand drawl followed him into the room as he too made an appearance, walking past Gunther and placing a stack of laundry on the table beside Petra. "You're making your misgivings seem like major flaws. Carry on like that and you'll never get married."

"One more word out of you, and I'll slice your balls off!" she countered, squaring up to him and thrusting a finger in his face.

"My, my, you're that interested?"

"You pervert!"

Eld shook his head in disdain, rocking back onto his heels from where he was crouched on the floor as he rinsed the hand brush he was using out in the bucket beside him.

"At it again, as per usual," he said impassively.

"Like an old married couple," Gunther declared, exhaling disapprovingly and returning to pick up the rag he had abandoned, resuming to wipe down the sides of the counters.

Petra turned on them, gaze still smouldering.

"What was that?" she demanded.

"Nothing, nothing at all. You guys just finish your lover's spat, then get some actual damn work done, alright?"

Petra seized a broom resting against the iron-wrought oven, and wielding it like a hammer, swiftly brought the bristles down onto Eld's head with a resounding smack.

"Argh! Fucking hell, we were just messing with you," he cursed, cradling his head in one arm as he turned to glare at his attacker.

"The next person who dares utter a word about my relationship status with anyone gets fed to a titan," she snapped, still brandishing the broom like a sword.

The room fell silent obligingly as everyone turned back to their respective work- Oluo began re-folding the towels and placing them in a cupboard above the boiler, Petra opened the back door in preparation to sweep the floor, and Gunther went to run some more clean water, before Eld spoke once more.

"Speaking of relationships," he began, waving Petra down as she span on her heel, venom lacing her expression. "I've been hearing some pretty interesting rumours about you, Eren,"

Eren looked up from the flagstones he'd been polishing in surprise. He was generally mostly ignored by the rest of the squad- even though they tolerated him, he didn't feel part of the group enough to partake in the merciless teasing, and they respected his choice to remain mostly withdrawn from the group, playing the part of a good little cadet as if he didn't have the power to turn into a fifteen metre beast at will and crush them at any given time. After the spoon incident- even after the revelation of his less than hostile intentions- they may have trusted each other as comrades, but as companions was another matter. Generally speaking, conversation wasn't often made towards or in regards to him in earnest beyond that of giving him an order.

"Rumours?" he repeated incredulously.

"Oh, right!" the ferocity left Petra's face as quickly as it had come. She leant against her broom and placed a hand on the side of her face, eyeing Eren with endearment. "I think I know what you're talking about. I've heard something in the same vein,"

"What? What rumours?" he sat back onto his haunches and looked between his two superiors who both looked on, highly amused.

"Oh, nothing much." Petra turned her back and began sweeping through the back door. "Just that you've been seen alone with a certain comrade of yours on more than one occasion,"

Eren's heart crammed itself into his mouth as Eld guffawed with laughter at his dumbfounded expression.

"Look at him, you've stunned the poor kid! He's gone bright red," he chuckled. "Seriously, though, Eren- we've been hearing about you and some girl called Mikasa missing meals and skipping out on curfew because you've been 'elsewhere'. Believe me, you're gaining quite the reputation amongst the cadets and those around them. What's that all about?"

Eren hid his face, abashed. A month had passed since the incident between him and Mikasa, and they'd both kept their promise to not mention it to anyone nor show any external signs that they were to be regarded as a couple. They maintained the illusion of their former platonic relationship at all times when in front of others- even Armin- but every so often, as Eren had promised not to let Mikasa down, they would distance themselves from the rest of the cadets for a few brief moments of peace and allow the feelings between them to swell free of the confined, gilded cage of their ribs, and enjoy the precious few minutes of solitude together. He'd promised not to let her feelings go unanswered, so he did his best to make up for the reservations he still held over the concept of them being together. They would kiss, hold each other until darkness fell, make small talk and sometimes just sit in silence, their entwined fingers doing all the talking for them.

"I...I don't know what you're talking about," Eren said, brushing his hair out of his face and beginning to rub at the stone floor with renewed vigour in an attempt to conceal his evident embarrassment.

Petra and Eld exchanged knowing glances.

"Come off it, you're not much of a liar," Eld noted. "You're the colour of a tomato and practically radiating with hormones."

"Eld! Don't humiliate him! Anyway, Eren, do tell- who's this Mikasa?"

"She's-" Eren paused in his work, wavering uncertainly. "She's a childhood friend of mine,"

"Oh, I see. The best friend route," Petra smiled playfully.

"It's not like that! We're not- we're not together or anything. She's just a friend." he insisted. The lie spread bitterly across his tongue. "My- my family adopted her after she lost her parents."

"Christ, Eren, when did you become a stutterer?" Oluo spoke up from the corner of the room as he shut the cupboard door, his remark practically oozing disparaging undertones. "Listen, no one really cares whether you like the girl or not, just try and refrain from making too hasty of a move on her. No one wants Titan Shifter brats underfoot when we already have to deal with you,"

"Yes sir," Eren muttered, hanging his head in shame. His heart was pounding against his chest. A little bit late for that now, he thought. He and Mikasa had certainly jumped the gun when it came to initiating a relationship- instead of sorting through their own emotions first they'd immediately given in to instinct and done the deed without thinking.

"Lay off, Oluo," Petra chided. "If their sex ed was as bad as ours was when we were in the training corps, then there's no worries there. There's street kids in the interior better informed on relationships than the cadets,"

"You seem rather overly interested in the topic,"

"Oh piss off!"

"Will you all keep it down? I could hear you from outside," Gunther had returned and shot Oluo and Petra a disproving look as he placed the full bucket of fresh water on the table. "The captain wants this wing cleaned in an hour and all you're doing is sticking your nose in something that isn't even relevant. That being said," he turned to Eren who had just finished polishing the floor, and instinctively scrambled to his feet in response. "No one gives a damn about your personal feelings but we strongly- strongly advise against you acting upon them. The Survey Corps, or any branch of the military for that matter, is no place to get attached to anyone. Besides, you'll be breaking multiple codes of conduct."

"I promise, there's nothing betwe-"

"I don't care whether the rumours are true or not to be honest, either." Eld spoke solemnly. "But, regardless of our teasing, you really shouldn't be interested in anyone romantically. Gunther's right."

"We're here for reconnaissance and killing titans only, so swallow all lascivious intentions now, greenhorn."

"Wow, nice advice Oluo. How's your repressed love life?"

"Eld-!"

"What's going on in here?"

The group all startled and leapt to attention at the familiar low monotone as its speaker walked into the room.

"Captain Levi!" Eren exclaimed, composing himself and saluting accordingly as the captain entered the kitchen and scowled at its occupants.

"Keep the noise down. It's getting to be noon. If you don't get your asses in gear you'll be scrubbing floors until the sun comes up, and there's a training mission this afternoon." he glowered.

"Yes sir." Petra said, dipping her head in respect. "Was there anything you wanted, Captain?"

Levi paused, hovering at the doorway in thought. "Tea," His eyes swept the room for a few moments, lingering on Eren before looking away.

"Right away, sir," Petra propped her broom up against the counter and opened a cabinet, taking out a tea tray and kettle.

"Have it brought up to my study." Levi ordered before his gaze narrowed at the floor. "Who polished the floor?"

"Eren did, sir."

"Have him do it again."

"Yes sir."

And with that, he left.

Eld chuckled with hapless ardor, standing up and brushing himself down before reaching out and holding the bucket Gunther had brought through towards Eren. "Whatever you do, Eren, don't let the Captain catch wind of your...escapades with Mikasa. Even if they're innocent you'll be roasted alive for irresponsibility,"

"He won't hear anything," Eren said reserveredly, taking the bucket and dropping to the floor once more, rinsing his brush out and beginning the arduous scrub once more. "Because there's nothing to hear. Mikasa and I are just friends. What you've heard are just rumours,"

The Special Operations squad said nothing, only exchanging uneasy glances before they disregarded the situation, returning to work in silence.

...

Eren's squad weren't the only ones over the past month to have questioned him about the evidently changed relationship between him and Mikasa. There had been plenty of questions from fellow recruits; likely the spawning point for the "rumours" Eld had mentioned. His friends were curious why he was suddenly spending so much time with Mikasa, and Mikasa was hounded by the girls on why she kept distancing herself from everyone else. As aforementioned, they had done their very best to make things appear as platonic as possible between them- acting like regular friends as they would have done before. Minimal physical contact. Limited expression of emotion. Their emotions were strictly controlled and hidden beneath the faux exteriors of comrades united by the bitterness of their situations.

Apparently, it wasn't enough to stop the questions and rumours assaulting them both daily. No one dared act upon these suspicions, a factor that Eren could, for once, credit gratefully to his ability as a Titan Shifter. There were few who wanted to get on his "bad side" and confined themselves to whisperig speculation, debating whether or not Mikasa was crazy in showing such an interest and possibly being in a hypothetical relationship with such a potentially dangerous creature.

Armin had watched from day one the proceedings between his two closest friends; and although Eren had never disclosed the full story since he first told him of the intimate encounter, both he and Mikasa were pretty sure he knew what was going on- he was too smart to be as clueless as the rest of their friends. And it was clear he held some reservations about what was going on, but whether he lacked the courage or feared them being caught by speaking up about it, he never said a word, and only looked on with worried eyes.

As for Eren's feelings about their relationship- if you could call it that- he was still riddled with doubt. The memories of the bestial, instinctual foce his body took on whilst his mind sort of shut down on him still nagged at the corner of his mind. Everytime he prompted a kiss or was held in Mikasa's arms, he couldn't stop thinking of that night.

About how much he'd hated it.

He knew, it was abundantly clear to himself the act of sex had completely repulsed him. But at the same time, this wasn't clarity, and acted only as a source of more confusion. Because it wasn't because of Mikasa. He loved her, there was no doubt there. She was beyond special and he cherished her, holding her a place no one else stood in his heart.

But then why did he hate what should have been the ultimate form of commitment when it was with her?

He sighed and stared at the ground. He was sat beneath one of the few trees on the yard, waiting for the cadets to appear. The training regime taking part this afternoon was one he had been told to be a part of- several smaller titans ranging from three to eight metres had been sighted clawing at the ground near the base of the walls. Whilst it wasn't likely they would pose any threat; as digging beneath the walls had proved deeply inefficient to traffickers and criminals in the past trying to smuggle things from between walls, it would put the residents of the nearest village's minds at ease, as well as act as a good, hands-on form of training for the freshly recruited cadets. Levi had relinquished Eren from his duties with the squad early to go and prepare. Eld and Gunther would be joining the recruits as supervisors, along with Mike, Hanji, Moblit, and Section Commander Ness. Levi had put him onto the mission under his special orders in order for Eren to "learn when it's appropriate to engage and not act on impulse like a shitty little brat,"

Eren brought his legs up to his chest and tipped his head back, staring up at the sky rolling with grey clouds, latticed by the bare branches of the tree obscuring his view. He hated feeling so ridiculously conflicted. It was frustrating, and he despised not knowing how he really felt- it made him appear too weak to handle his own emotions, and the defenceless recesses of his mind really pissed him off.

He wanted to be enough for Mikasa. He really wanted to reciprocate her feelings. But in his current state? He didn't know if he physically could. All he could do for now, was hold her every chance he got and pray the missing piece would fall into place.

The resounding noise of footsteps upon stone made Eren look across the courtyard to see Eld and Gunther, joined by Hanji who waved excitedly over at him. All three were shadowed by horses standing behind them, and as Eren stood up and hurried over, he saw Eld held an extra set of reins belonging to a fourth horse.

"It's time to leave. We'll be meeting up with the other cadets at the gate," Eld explained, placing the reins in Eren's hand before turning and swinging himself up onto his own horse.

Eren followed suite, resolving to put Mikasa out of his mind as he settled himself onto the horse's back, allowing the three older soldiers to depart before he urged his horse forward and cantered behind them, maintaining his distance.

It took a little over half an hour to reach the gate from where they would be departing, whereupon their arrival, Eren immediately spotted Armin and Mikasa distanced a little way off from the main group of recruits jostling in nervous anticipation as they waited for the gates to open and the mission to commence. They were both dismounted and standing next to their respective horses, neither of them particularly engaged and merely focusing ahead on the prospect of leaving the walls. Whilst Mikasa looked composed, as per usual; Armin definitely had a paleness to his face, but the concern didn't look to be etched too deeply. After surviving Trost, the 104th Survey Corps recruits were some of the best their class had to offer, even those who didn't make the top ten. Armin, despite his lack of capability where physical attritubes reigned, was more than likely to make it through the mission.

Eren rode up to the both of them, stopping his horse short only a few feet away. "Hey guys," he greeted.

"Eren!" A joyous expression immediately brightened Mikasa's face, opening her mouth to speak before she stopped short, glancing at the group of fellow soldiers mere metres away and instead smiled apprehensively, her grip on the horse's reins visibly tightening.

Eren smiled gently back at her before turning to Armin with concern. "You look like death, Armin,"

"I'm fine," Armin said, pressing his lips together. "We've done it once before, we can do it again. I'm sure of it."

"You'll be fine. You've got Eren and I to protect you." Mikasa reassured, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Besides, these are all under ten metres. We can handle these, no problem,"

"Don't get cocky," Gunther remarked from behind them as he rode past. He nodded towards Armin and Mikasa before gesturing at their horses. "You two, get back on the horses. We're leaving in the next minute."

"Yes, sir!" They saluted with this proclamation and watched as Gunther joined Eld at the head of the formation with Eld, as Hanji and Moblit split up to take the sides and Mike moved in just behind them to take up the rear guard; effectively encasing the rookies in a protective circle of veterans who could take charge if things got ugly.

Eren lined his horse up so he was facing forwards with the rest of the formation, the silence falling in the group like a shroud as the bell above the gate tolled once, signifying the gate's opening. It was an ominous, chilling boom that echoed. For some people, it had been their funeral bell. The rumble of the stone barrier echoed as it was lifted and both the people and horses in the small crowd shifted anxiously.

Armin hurriedly mounted his steed, adjusting the positions of his Maneveur gear accordingly and preparing for their departure. Mikasa did likewise; placing her foot in the stirrup and swinging her other leg up and over the saddle to get into a comfortable position. Not a second had she bestrided, she lurched forward out of nowhere as if struck from behind.

"Mikasa-!" Eren cried as she steadied herself against the neck of the horse, which bridled at the sudden contact. The steady clatter of hooves beginning to depart was passing through the group as one by one, the rows departed. "Mikasa, what's wrong? What happened?"

"I'm fine, Eren," she waved him down, pressing a palm to her forehead. "Just got on the horse too quickly- there was a sudden rush of blood to my head, that's all."

"Are you sure-"

"Eren, I'm fine."

"But-"

"Cadets, forward!" Mike bellowed from behind them, and, startled, the three of them urged their horses forward, breaking into a canter to catch up to the rest of the group as they left the safety of the walls and broke out from flagstone and pebble into the softer terrain of grass and dried soil.

"Stick to the wall," Mike's voice rose up again. "Follow the rest of the group around. A scout will go and see how far we have to go to reach the titans." And with that, Eld broke away from the group and galloped off towards open land away from the wall, pulling ahead of the group.

Eren could hear the blood rushing in his ears, feeling it drumming in his fingertips and his heart pound in his chest. There was no way to describe the exhiliration of a mission- even a minor one such as this, with the area mostly cleared of titans that posed a stronger threat than the ones they were seeking. He vowed to himself to make today's mission more successful than the last- he wouldn't blindly leap into battle without assessing the situation first; he wouldn't let Mikasa have to jump in his place to save him. After all, her collar bone was only just healed and was only supposed to be strained tentatively. He didn't want a repeat of last time. He'd hurt her enough since then.

As this thought crossed his mind he surreptiously glanced over at Mikasa who was riding several feet away. His stomach instantly twisted when he saw her bent low over her horse, face pale and grim, set in a hard line that made it clear she was in pain. Her eyes kept sliding in and out of focus; her horse occasionally veering off-course several times before she straightened it out.

"Mikasa! What's wrong with you?!" Eren yelled, pulling the thoroughbred towards hers so he was riding directly by her side.

"It's nothing Eren," she insisted. The greek cloak emblazoned with the Wings of Freedom snapped in the wind as it billowed out behind her, making her appear far more small and vulnerable than she was. Her voice came out breathless and haggard. "I'm...fine...I promise. Just focus on the mission."

"Mikasa-"

A shot rang out from across the otherwise empty plain.

"Eren!" Armin's cry came from infront of them. "We've got our first titan!"

Cursing, Eren looked forward to see Eld rejoining the group from a short distance off, the dusty red trail of his signal flare still streaking through the sky. A few moments later, as they rounded the corner of the wall, they saw it.

It was about five metres tall, and just like the reports said, it was crouched by the wall, pawing at the ground like a dog, its fingers raking through the soil and leaving six-inch wide gashes in the ground. As the group approached it looked up, its enormous face leering at them in what could only be described as how a titan expresses delight. Slowly, it got to its feet, taking one, two steps before breaking into a faster stride, heading straight for them, about a hundred metres away.

From the head of the group, Gunther raised his blade into the air to signal to the division. "Split into six squads of seven people! Squad leader Mike is going to take a group and take on this one! The rest of you, follow your respective leader!"

Slowly, they broke down into smaller factions, with Jean, Krista, Connie and Ymir falling back to join the trio at the back of it all. The rest of the group scattered, led by the supervisors in several different directions to locate and kill the other few titans the report had listed.

"Alright, you're all with me," Mike stated, diverting his horse so they looped around the titan approaching them. It stumbled, reaching out clumsily as they sped past and rounded on it once more. "I'll leave killing the damn thing up to you; show me what the 104th is capable of. If things get hairy I'll step in."

"Yes sir!" They chorused, splitting off into several different directions to surround the titan.

Eren rode besides Mikasa, still looking on worriedly. He had no idea what was going on but Mikasa was in a bad way, reagardless. Whatever was happening wasn't good and he couldn't let her fight a titan in this condition. As he turned to express this to her, and maybe ask Mike if Mikasa would be allowed to retreat, a rush of air whipped past his face, followed by a blur of green and white and the clatter of engaged 3DMG, leaving him facing an empty horse.

"Mikasa!" he bellowed, looking across to the wall where she had grappled to, and was hanging from, blades drawn as she observed the titan stagger about, first after Connie, then Krista, and after they both launched away turned to the dark haired girl hanging mere feet above his reach on the wall. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"What does it look like?!" she roared in response, not even looking away from the advancing creature. She was ghostly white and beads of sweat were shining on the side of her face. There was a distinctive tremble to her as she tried to focus on the titan.

Something was seriously wrong.

"We've got to help her," Armin galloped up to join Eren, pulling at his horse's reins to bring it to a halt alongside his.

"Right," Eren drew his blades without hesitance, sizing up the wall before him and squeezing the triggers, preparing himself as the hooks shot out and the gas began to release, allowing himelf to be pulled out of the saddle and towards the wall, just as the titan was reaching Mikasa-

"MIKA-"

Quick as a flash, Mikasa darted away, leaving the titan blundering helplessly into the bare stone wall. She shot a new line, twisting around, crossing her blades and attached the hooks to the titan's neck. With a quick, well executed thrust forwards she spun at the last moment, and with a spray of blood the titan fell, crumpling against the wall as if made of paper.

Mikasa stepped off the carcass of the titan, checking her blades before replacing them in the sheaths attached to her legs, appearing nonchalant.

Armin was the first to reach her with her horse in tow of his, and Eren was about to grapple over and join them- before a rumble sounded and a heavy thud shook the ground.

"Oh shit," Jean audibly said from horseback, looking off around the corner of the jutting-out wall bordering Karanese District.

Eren whipped around, only to have his blood run cold at the sight at the sight of a fifteen metre titan round the corner, one hand resting against the wall, its twisted expression looking as if were apologising for interuppting the group. It contrasted horribly with its murderous intentions.

"There wasn't supposed to be any titan exceeding ten metres around here," Mike cursed, pausing to sniff the air. "This is the only titan in a two hundred metre radius!" he thundered to the makeshift squad who were eyeing the beast in fear from the ground, circling its feet in wide loops to avoid contact with it. "If you can take this down in a team, you'll all have passed the assignment!"

"Right," Eren bit his lip as Connie, Krista and Ymir all engaged the 3DMG and grappled halfway up the wall to join him.

"OK, what the hell do we do?" Connie urged desperately. "Fighting these things from roof tops in Trost was one thing, but we're on level ground! This isn't the same playing field!"

"Well observed," Ymir grunted.

"Where're the others?"

They all looked down to see Armin suddenly dismount from his horse and hurriedly rush over to Mikasa- who had fallen to her knees and was clutching her head, clearly in evident pain.

"Oh no, what's wrong with her?!" Krista lamented, her voice wavering as Eren grit his teeth, exchanging a glance between his friends on the ground and the titan nearing them, its devious smirk unchanging as it sighted its next meal. He couldn't get a good shot at the titan's nape here- he wasn't high enough to grapple onto the creature and cut away its neck, and he had nowhere to go other than down.

Unless...

He looked down at the back of his hand, hesitant, before raising it to his mouth.

"JAEGER!"

He jolted in shock, nearly dropping his blades at Mike's vicious call. The Squad Leader was glaring at him from some distance off.

"You're forbidden from turning into a titan without Levi's supervision! You can beat that thing with humanity's methods, now do it!"

"Wait, what about Jean, what's he doing?!" Connie's voice grew high and plaintive.

Jean was rushing towards Armin and Mikasa, the titan hot on his trail- every few seconds he glanced back at it in fear before facing forward again.

"ARMIN!" He barked. "What the hell's up with Mikasa?!"

"I don't know!" Armin cried in response. He was attempting to pull her up from where she had fallen. Although one leg was out from underneath her, Mikasa didn't look capable of standing by herself. Her breath came in heavy, ragged gasps, and she was swaying uncontrollably now, the pain thudding in her skull getting to be too much to bear. Armin looked down at her, then up at the titan in fear. "I don't think she can fight!"

Eren released himself from the wall, leaping down about twenty feet before using his gear to safely cushion his landing as he sprinted over to his friends.

"Shit, Mikasa, please be alright," he begged as he reached them, taking Mikasa's shoulders in his hands. Her dark eyes looked haunted and riddled with pain. "Mikasa, we need to get you on top of the wall- or back to Karanese- you can't stay out here-"

Mikasa grit her teeth and with every ounce of her strength, pushed herself upwards, forcing herself to stand up straight, leaning against Eren. "Don't...be...ridiculous..." she panted, her steely gaze fixing upon the titan approaching them. She went to withdraw her blades before Eren stopped her.

"You can't fight like this!" he exclaimed, appalled.

"Eren...how can I...protect you...if I can't fight?"

"You don't have to protect me!" Eren yelled. "For fuck's sake, I'm trying to help you!"

"Then cut the tendons in its legs,"

"...what?"

"Cut its tendons," and with one last wobble, she launched herself into the sky once more, rocketing away from Eren's grasp and back onto the wall, preparing to launch herself off the flat surface at the titan who was only metres away from them now.

"What are you waiting for? You heard her! Cut its ankles!" Jean shouted from his horse.

"She's going to hurt herse-"

"FINE, I'll do it!"

And with that, Jean vaulted from his horse, withdrawing his blades in the split second it took for him to shoot a line at the ground paralell from the back of the titan's feet, before he jumped forwards and sped towards it, successfully managing to slice once of its ankles in a smatter of steaming blood spraying both him and the ground.

Connie saw his window of opportunity, leaping from the wall himself, and utilising his remarkable speed to avoid the titan's outstretched hand, looping around its extended arm and spinning around its leg to finally carve out a chunk of flesh in the other ankle before both he and Jean quickly shot themselves out of there.

The creature stumbled, and Mikasa took her chance.

She launched herself from the wall, intending to shoot her line at the titan's now exposed back so she could sever its nape one final time in one swift movement.

Pale, sweaty, shaking uncontrollably, dizzy, weak, nauseated, and borderline hallucinating, she squeezed the triggers of her blades and the burst of energy pulled her from the wall, the spray of gas propelling her forwards...

And at that moment, her eyes rolled into the back on her head.

The line missed.

The grappling hooks grabbed at thin air before tensing and snapping back into place on her gear. Only those on the ground saw Mikasa's limp body be thrown forwards as she lost conciousness, and then begin to drop like a stone.

"MIKASA!"

Eren hurled himself into the air, the adrenaline in his veins pushing him upwards as he grappled to the wall, adjusting the angle of his hooks with his blades before firing off once again to jump forwards and seize hold of the plummeting girl mid-air, her solid weight lifeless in his arms as he grabbed her, allowing them both to fall several feet before guiding them both to the ground using his gear again.

"Take her," he said urgently to Armin, lying the unconcious body of his best friend in his lap. He was dimly aware of the thudding of Mike's horse approaching, as he turned to the titan once more and shot a direct line up to it, attaching his hooks to its hip and firing himself off the ground with a bestial cry, slicing its side to pieces in a bloody spray of scarlet flesh.

Ymir detached herself from the wall, zooming towards the fifteen metre which was now limping and severely crooked to one side. With a sneer, she grappled to its shoulder and severed its nape.

The huge body crashed to the ground like a sack full of rocks, beginning to steam and decompose like the one before it was doing up against the wall.

Breathless, the team all fell to the ground, recalling horses and sheathing blades.

Eren dropped his dulled blades onto the grass and bolted over to Armin, who was crouched on the grass next to Mikasa's still body with Mike, who had a hand pressed against her forehead. Even in her unconcious state, she still bore an expression of intense pain, her brow creased, and her mouth downturned, soft pink lips slightly parted.

"I- I don't know what happened to her," Armin said tearfully. His usual dainty features were pinched in terror. "She just lost conciousness and- and- she's still breathing but completely unresponsive-"

Mike stood up and took a step back as Eren fell to the ground by Mikasa's side, gathering her up in his arms and clasping her still frame to his.

"Springer, was it?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Fire off a green flare. Kirschtein!"

"Sir?"

"Fire a red, we're ending this mission." Mike instructed. "Get your horses- we're returning to the gate. Fire those signals and let's leave." He paused and took a moment to smell the wind. "They can smell blood. They'll upon us if we wait for the other squads to finish and regroup. Let's go."

Jean and Connie both fired off their respective flares, as Eren crouched in the grass, shaking, holding Mikasa's body to his, crying into her hair.

Oh Mikasa...what have I done to you?

...