There were a lot of things Mikasa loved about Eren. She loved his shaggy hair when it was shorter, and loved his edgy, crispy voice when they were younger. She also loved his attitude, one that was despised by so many others because they couldn't stand how feisty and stubborn he was. Growing up with Eren, Mikasa knew it all. She was probably the only one who was patient enough to stick to his side through all these years, besides Armin, who was another incredibly gentle and loyal soul that was chosen to be Eren’s friend.

Personality aside, Eren was actually a pretty likable guy. He was decent looking, to say the least. Mikasa dared to say she found him attractive ever since they were teenagers. He was also a good friend, always keeping promises and going above and beyond to help those in need. He was a dreamer, having wild ambitions and vivid visions of his future, never yielding to failures. He was rebellious and had authority issues, getting into troubles with quite a few teachers and professors in his school days. He was fearless, having once fought a robber with bare hands for a stranger. He was clueless and dense like a rock, probably the least romantic person in the world - yet he came up with the most romantic proposal Mikasa could think of.

“Is that why you said yes Mikasa?” asked Sasha. She was a college friend of theirs, who flew from another state to attend this reunion in their college town. This explained why Mikasa was talking about Eren in the first place.

“Well...” Mikasa couldn’t put her thoughts into words.

“Come on Mikasa, don’t be shy. We all know how close you guys have been since freshman year.”

“No Sasha, they were close even before that.” Connie added, “Weren’t you guys high school sweethearts or something?”

“No, we were not.” Mikasa smiled, “but we were friends since middle school. We sort of grew up together, neighbors and everything.”

“Was that how it started? You guys were neighbors and each other’s first love?”

“Don’t be stupid!” Jean chimed in angrily, “We all know they dated other people. Isn’t that so Armin? You guys all grew up together didn’t you.”

Armin, not used to being the center of attention, shrugged it off. “I don’t know. It’s private. Don’t ask me.”

Mikasa glared at him for a second, then went back to her poker face.

“Well Mikasa, since you guys have been engaged for how long, four months now?”

“Five months.” Connie corrected.

“Right, five months. Aren’t you going to share some juicy details about you guys?” Sasha grinned, looking at Mikasa as if she was suddenly a potato.

“You guys....” Mikasa blushed.

“Tell us the story!” Connie nudged.

“But-”

“Oh God!” Jean exclaimed, “I can’t believe you haven’t told us everything, or better yet, haven’t told us anything. All these years guys, we were classmates for four goddamn years.”

“All right then.” Mikasa sighed, looking clearly flustered. Considering she was usually a very private person, this must have been a real ordeal to go through. “I’ll start from the beginning.”

 

Mikasa moved to Newton when she was in middle school. Her father accepted a job offer in this affluent town, thus forced her to start a new life here at a very awkward age. Mikasa was 13 when she met Eren, who lived down the street in a traditional German house look-alike owned by the Yeagers. The Yeagers were a nice family. They were kind and generous to all their neighbors, and gladly introduced their son, Eren, to befriend Mikasa, knowing she was new. Needless to say, it was beyond awkward to introduce two 13-year-olds on purpose, but fortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Yeager were not the nosey type and just left them be. Friendship grew from that initial meeting, which was rather unexpected because it was never easy for Eren to make friends. In fact, he only had one true friend at the time, Armin Arlert, who lived two blocks away. But there was something about Mikasa that just clicked with Eren, making him not only accept her as a friend, but also embrace her like family.

The trio survived middle school and high school together, then marched on to go to the same college. It was not unusual for kids in Newton to go to college together because they were located next to one of the best college towns in the country. Many would apply to go to the same school, and many would get in. Eren, Mikasa, and Armin started their college adventure at the same place but at different pace. Eren studied English, aiming to become a freelance writer then a novelist. Mikasa studied economics, then dual-degreed with business because she wanted the most job-efficient major. Armin did pre-law, hoping to go to law school one day then be a lawyer. They developed new social circles but remained close friends. They tried new things, all sorts of things, together and separately.

Dating was not one of them. For some reason, no one of the trio was susceptible to the idea of love. They were either too dense, too timid, or too indifferent to tend to it, thus wasting valuable time and youth, probably breaking a few hearts as well. However, Mikasa knew deep down that she was not a rock, that she had ual desires and romantic feelings in her system, just not explicitly shown - until summer of their junior year.

They were all living off-campus at the time, and Eren’s roommate was gone for an internship the entire summer, leaving that bedroom open for three months. Mikasa’s lease ended at a weird time so she naturally subleased Eren’s apartment, occupying the empty room. The two got along pretty well as housemates, considering they grew up together and knew each other’s habits and quirks perfectly. But it was summer and they were 21, plus they were both single as hell and the weather was truly too hot, something unexpected began to brew between them. Mikasa may be inexperienced, but she was not uneducated. She knew what it was and what she wanted, the question was how to get it.

The answer manifested itself one June night. Eren was using the shower when Mikasa really needed to pee, so she banged on the door after a few gentle knocks, pissing Eren off as a result who yelled back and said “Stop banging at the door Mikasa! You don’t have to worry about me drowning when I’m just taking a shower!”

Mikasa knew he was hinting at how she was usually too protective and got defensive about it. She didn’t think she was overly protective, she was just a responsible friend who knew better for someone lacking common sense. Thus she replied: “No Eren, you are showering for too long. I need that bathroom now.”

“Well really?” Eren taunted, “You can share it with me if you want!”

Mikasa knew Eren could be very childish and a brat sometimes, and didn’t think he meant what she thought. But she grew so hot at the idea that she almost froze on the spot. On one hand she felt guilty about what she thought of, on the other hand she had to admit she had seen Eren shirtless and liked what she saw. After a few contemplating seconds she said: “You can have it Eren, I’m not gonna share a bathroom with a guy.”

It was at this split moment Eren opened the door and stood behind it in a towel, mists coming from behind and around him, making him look softer than usual. His silhouette blended in the bathroom light with a gentle glow. “Now what do you want?”

Mikasa merely looked at him and turned red from head to toe. She opened but no words came out, then she ran back to her room like her life depended on it. After taking a few deep breaths she sank to the floor behind her door, shaking uncontrollably from a strange sense of excitement and shame. She was wet.

 

Later that night she knocked on Eren’s door and quietly entered. Eren was already laying on his bed, stretched out and relaxed, wearing only a T-shirt. He saw Mikasa and raised an eyebrow: “What are you doing in my room?”

“Nothing. I guess I gotta...check on you.”

“Check on me?” Eren sneered, “I'm doing fine thanks.”

It was at this moment Mikasa got so irritated but so . She wanted Eren to shut up for a second and listen for once. She’d been his friend for eight years and she wanted something from him right now that only he could give.

Therefore she did something she’d never do again in her whole life. She lifted up her night dress and threw it over her head, exposing her entire body with nothing but her underwear. She stood there eyes shut, breathing heavily. It felt like her heart was pounding a mile a second and her blood was boiling. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked at Eren, saw the shock and awe on his face.

“Mi..Mikasa, you…what are you doing?”

Mikasa didn’t answer. She merely walked over to Eren, climbed onto his bed and crawled over to him, laying side by side face down, eyeing him from his pillow. She didn’t even know why or how she did these without rehearsing or anyone teaching her. Later in their lives she would hear Eren tell her how seductive she was that night, but at that moment she was only a who did it all on instinct.

Next to her Eren’s breath quickened. He looked at her dumbstruck, but helplessly aroused.

“Are… are you sure Mikasa?”

“Yes.” she nodded.

“If at any moment you want me to stop, just say it OK?”

“OK.”

Shakily, Eren reached out a hand to touch her shoulder and pulled her closer. From his reaction Mikasa was sure he was as much a as she was, and they should have done this when they were 16 rather than 21. But there they were, embracing each other and exchanging loving looks. This moment was never late.

After a few quick, brief kisses on the lips, Eren moved down to touch her s. Mikasa yelped at the sensation and jerked her body in response. She felt Eren’s fingers and tongue play with her sensitive areas, and couldn’t help squirming and . Needy, breathy whimpers came out of , and from there she lost it, keeping her eyes shut and mind closed, feeling only Eren’s touch.

“Mikasa?” Eren called her name.

“Hm?”

“I feel so weird right now.

Mikasa’s eyes sprang open. She looked at Eren anxiously, not knowing what she did wrong.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just now we are getting closer than ever, and I’ve known you since we were kids.”

She sighed in relief and held his hand. “Yes, we are.”

He did go down on her that night and when they were done it was near 3am. Eren pulled his blanket over Mikasa and wished her goodnight. Mikasa laid next to him, eyes fixed on the ceiling. She could see the lamp, the posters, the blinds and their shadows on the walls, crooked at slant angles. She felt her heart got crooked as well and got up to sleep in her own room. Before she passed out she couldn’t help entertain the idea that maybe she liked Eren. Maybe she’d been liking him since middle school, and she didn’t realize that until now.

But no, things didn’t go as smoothly as people would imagine. They were friends with benefits briefly but really didn’t start dating until they were 25. After graduation Eren moved to the West Coast to pursue his career, while Mikasa stayed on the East Coast climbing corporate ladders. Armin stayed local as well, since the law school he got in was conveniently located in their college town, which was also one of the best in the country.

Eren moved back to their city three years after graduation, thus the trio reunited. They had all matured and been battered in different ways, having had their own shares of romantic experiences. And just like that, as if a light bulb lit up in Eren’s head, he asked Mikasa out.

“Aww, that’s adorable!I love that story!” cooed Sasha, looking extremely amused.

Mikasa laughed. Of course she didn’t share the whole story, especially not the ty parts. In fact she was as brief as she could, only telling them that they grew up together and reunited after graduation. Still people digged this idea, especially the girls. There was just something so appealing about reunions that she could just get away from it without sharing much detail.

“Yeah that is a ing love story.” Said Cony, “Too bad Eren’s not here to hear it himself. Where is he again? Doing some weird work?”

“He’s at a writer’s conference in Atlanta.” Answered Mikasa, unwavering at Cony’s tease.

“That bastard, should have cherished what he’s got.” grumbled Jean. Everyone here knew that he had a crush on Mikasa ever since their orientation days. “Better treat his fiancee with courtesy. He’s lucky as hell to marry Mikasa one day.”

“Speaking of that Mikasa, when are you guys getting married?” Asked Sasha.

“Yeah that’s right! I was just about to ask, have you picked out a dress yet? Any idea where you wanna do your reception? My aunt knows a wedding planner that’s really good. She planned my cousin’s wedding last year.” Said Mina.

Mikasa smiled at her and shook her head. She then looked at every single one of them before speaking solemnly: “Sorry guys, there will be no weddings.” She paused as to gain some composure, “Eren has called off the engagement.”

 

TBC