Chapter Text
In Eren's defense, she didn't seem to mind him kissing her.
She fell into hm like melted butter, body all soft and pliant between his arms . Her delicate hands caressed the strands of hair that escaped his bun, her touch so gentle it made his knees go weak . A soft sigh escaped her, barely audible against his chest, and she made no move to pull away from his grip, nor did she slap him like he would’ve expected her to. It made him think that maybe—just maybe—his efforts to woo her were about to pay off.
Sure, it took a minute or two for her lips to kiss him back, but he figured she must have been caught off guard by his sudden kiss—that's all. After all, he hadn't even given her a warning, just claimed her mouth in his for a kiss he intended to be sweet but he couldn’t help and fall victim to the intense part of him that wanted to lick her sweet pink mouth open and suck gently on her tongue . Distantly he realized he probably shouldn’t have done this at the garage where the distant hum of machinery was drowned in by their panting for breath .
“Wha...what was that for?” Mikasa asked him, her beautiful eyes focused on him as she exhaled soft breaths from her lips, which he swore he could taste on his tongue, sweet and clean like fresh spring water.
He had half a mind to dive back in and kiss her again. The scent of her shampoo, light and floral, filled his nostrils , making him aroused and desperate for more . She was just so sweet and soft, tasting like sunshine and everything he dreamed of. He never stood a chance.
But he knew he had to tell her, or at least give her a sufficient reply that could calm her down until the end of his shift. He could feel the slight tremor in her hands as they rested on his shoulders. It's not like he could just tell her he'd been pining for her for the entire duration of their roommate situation. So desperately head over heels for her that he'd tried every trick in the book to woo her, to get her to notice him as a potential lover instead of a friend, roommate, or whatever the hell they were. No, that wasn't a conversation to be had at his workplace, on his lunch break under the ever so curious eyes of his colleagues , while he was smelling of sweat and engine oil (tho she didn’t seem to mind ) .It’s bad enough he smudged her cheeks with some of the grease that covered covered him.
So, being the idiot he was, he just replied with the worst thing that came to mind. Probably the worst reply you could ever give someone you wanted to win over.
“Uh… it’s to thank you for bringing me lunch today.” Way to go, Eren, just dig a deeper hole for yourself.
Mikasa seemed even more confused than she already was, and maybe he was imagining it, but he swore her face fell a little. A mix of hurt and disappointment flashed in her eyes for a fraction of a second before she schooled it into her usual neutral expression, letting nothing show.
The air between them suddenly felt colder, heavier.
“Oh.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Yeah,” he said, beating himself up internally, the taste of his stupid words felt bitter on his tongue.
“Okay.” Her eyes weren't looking at him anymore, which made his heart squeeze painfully. She was about to detach herself from his arms, and he felt like crying. He couldn't let her go while he had the sinking feeling in his stomach that he'd upset or hurt her.
His hands moved before his own brain registered the action, and he took hold of her small waist, drawing her into his chest with such force it made her bump her forehead into his pectorals.
“Oof… what is this about, Eren?” she said, rubbing the spot he’d hurt , looking at him with confusion in her eyes, again.
Idiot , Idiot , Idiot ..
“Sorry,” he whispered before gently cupping her face in his hands and kissing her forehead tenderly, letting his thumb brush softly over her brow. He hoped he could make her understand he wasn't only sorry for this minor incident, but also for being an idiot.
“Tonight, when I get back home from work, we can talk about all of this, okay?” he softly whispered while still holding her face. Only letting her go once he felt her slightly nod in response.
“Okay”
“okay” he echoed while nodding too .
He reluctantly let go of her and bent down to pick up the lunch box she brought him as she smoothed down her dress and wiped the smudges of grease from her cheeks .
She looked at him one more time , her sweet mouth turning up into a small smile . It was torture to keep his eyes off from her lips , torture not being able to kiss her again , torture to let her go .
“ Hope you enjoy your lunch “ she said softly , waving before making her way out .
He wanted to chase after her , to take her in his arms again and kiss her . To bury his face in her hair and take his fill of her sweet smell , to run his hands on the small of her back and caress her waist , but he knew it had to wait . So he cleared his throat and made his way towards where his noisy coworkers were probably waiting for him to spill the tea .
“damn Eren where’d you find her ? “ one of them said clapping him on his back while the others whistled
“ she’s HOT , way outta your league dude “
Eren just scowled , shoving his hands away .
“ fuck off “ he grumbled before setting down at the far corner of the garage to eat his lunch .
When he was away from any curious eyes he discretely took out a small crumbled piece of paper from his overalls pocket and scribbled on it .His stomach twisting around the lunch he no longer felt hungry for as he wrote .
Step 10: kiss her when she brings you lunch.
Fucking genius, Eren. Real smooth.
He shoved the paper back into his pocket with a groan, leaning his head against the cool metal of the locker behind him. Thinking back to when this all started , six months ago ..
STEP 01 : Save her from her landlord.
The shrill sound of his phone ripped through the apartment, making him groan into his pillow. Who the hell was calling this early on a friday ?
It rang again. Persistent.
He cracked an eye open, checking the screen. 7:30 a.m. — Mom.
“Shit.”
He would have hung up and turned around to continue sleeping, but he had the sinking feeling in his stomach that he might’ve forgotten something he had to wake up early for.
Groaning, he sat up in bed and rubbed a hand over his face to wipe off the residue of sleep from his eyes before he accepted the call.
“Eren, where are you? Why didn’t you pick up when I called the first time?” his mom said , making him a flinch a little at how loud she was.
“Good morning to you too, Ma,” he grumbled , voice hoarse from sleep .
“There’s no time for good morning! You should be on your way to pick up Mikasa, and by the sound of your voice, I know you would’ve slept until noon” his mom chidded.
Oh shit, shit, shit.
“Fuck…” he muttered, hoping she didn’t pick up on it. He had totally forgotten that she had asked him to pick up someone who apparently was in dire need of housing for the next few weeks.
“Language, young man!” Oh shit, she heard. ” I can’t believe you Eren! I gave my word to her mom ,and I told you multiple times she’s a dear friend of mine “ Judging by the tone in her voice, he knew she wouldn’t let him live this down if he failed to please.
“Mom,” he whined as he sat up in his bed. God, he hated being lectured by his mom. “Don’t worry, I didn’t forget. I was just tired from working late last night, but it’s still early and her apartment complex isn’t that far from here” he tried to reason.
“You always work so hard, Eren, and I am proud of you, my baby.” Her voice went soft for a minute, and he felt his cheeks flush at the praise—still a momma’s boy at heart. “But I need you to be quick and pick her up. Poor girl doesn't know anyone around the city yet, and it’s raining bullets.”
At the mention of the weather, his mood soured again. It was still early October but the weather was cold and gray , and he hated driving in the rain. He hoped this Mikasa girl, or whatever, would be grateful that he was going out of his way like this, but at the same time, he felt slightly uneasy at the thought of a stranger getting drenched in this heavy rain while waiting for him; his mom did raise him to be a gentleman, after all.
“Don’t worry, Ma, I’ll be quick,” he said as he made quick work of putting on his gray sweats and a warm sweater to go with it. He felt internal satisfaction knowing he’d showered last night before going to bed, or else he’d risk smothering this girl with the smell of engine oil so early in the morning.
“Okay, honey, drive safe and make sure to be nice to her, okay?”
“Yes, Mom, don’t worry,” he grumbled.
“Love you, sweetie, be careful,” she said as she blew kisses into the phone. God, he loved his mom.
“Love you too, Ma, bye.” He hung up and took his keys from the bedside drawer, making his way out to his car.
Hope she won’t be a pain in my ass.
He never wanted a roommate , never thought he needed one and never ever had one before .
The time he’d spent living under his parents roof wasn’t the best , he always felt a need for privacy and freedom to do as he pleases in his own space and the idea that he needs to get used to having a new person in his own house , didn’t sit well with him .However his mom had threatened to not talk to him for a year had he not accepted to let this girl - who apparently is a second daughter to his mother - live with him , and he couldn’t let that happen so he reluctantly agreed to it .
I hope she isn’t messy or weird ..
Upon his arrival he’d noticed how old and shabby the building looked , no doubt two seconds away from falling apart . His mom had said that it apparently got infested with bed bugs and it’s no surprise to him at all , it looked like the kind of place that hasn’t been cleaned in ages . He couldn’t even fathom why would anyone choose to rent here , the college dorms in Shiganshina University were surely a better option.
He’d made his way towards the parking lot, trying to spot her but of course he had forgotten to ask his mom for a description of her or something to recognize her by.
Great , now I have to look for her too. He’d thought while rolling his eyes.
He was about to take out his keys and get out of his car but a light knock on his window made him stop in his tracks. Who the fuck ??
Scowling he was ready to piss off whoever this was but the words died on his tongue as soon as he caught sight of her .
Pink cardigan and gray orbs.
Short jet black hair framed her small face , some strands of it were wet from the rain and stuck to her forehead . Her eyes staring at him with the most alluring shade of gray with blue hues , shining like a beautiful full moon . Her bottom lip slightly jutted out , shiny and pink.
She was wearing a soft creme turtleneck beneath her cardigan and it did nothing but frame the delicate curve of her neck . A large, brown leather tote bag slung over one shoulder while one dainty hand held an umbrella over her head as she hunched slightly to his window’s level.
She was no doubt the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen.
Perhaps he’d died on the road and an angel came to collect his soul because certainly only angels could possess such beauty .
He must’ve been staring at her a bit too hard because her face that was sat in a neutral line , swiftly had turned into a confused one. One of her eyebrows rising as she motioned for him to open the window .
Recovering from his haze , he quickly rolled it down . Hoping that the cold air would take some of the heat off his cheeks and neck.
“yes , can I help you ?” his voice came out a bit rougher than he meant for it to be , and he cursed himself internally seeing that she flinched a bit .
“um , are you Eren ?” she softly asked , a bit unsure .
“ aah yes and you are ?” he replied to her unable to hide his confusion . He’s so sure he never met her before , or else he would’ve certainly remembered her .
“I’m Mikasa “ she said plainly . And it struck him right then and there , that this heavenly creature is about to become his new roommate . She’d come with him to his apartment , settle down in his house , sleep in the room next to his and shower in the same bathroom as him. Oh God , he didn’t know wether to cry from joy or faint from anxiousness.
Clearing his throat a bit , he’d asked “ how did you find me ?”
“ your mom had sent me a picture of your car so I could recognize you “ she’d said a bit shyly.
He would send her a picture of his car a thousand lifetimes over if it meant she would come and find him wherever he was.
He scratched his head.“Sorry, didn’t think to ask for one of you. Figured it’d be weird. My bad.”he’d said sheepishly .
“it’s okay “.She met his eyes, gaze steady, and he felt a weird kind of nervous under it. .
gosh this is a bit awkward ,he’d thought.
“ so …..uh. Are you ready to go ? “ he’d asked , clearing his throat . Hoping to cut thru the tension in the air .
“No”
“No ?” he’d blinked .
Great. Great start.
“there’s an issue”
“which is ?”
She hesitated . Then sighing , she brushed a wet strand of hair behind her ear and finally said , “My landlord doesn’t want me to leave the apartment unless I pay him double the initial price “.
“And why is that ? “ he could feel the irritation starting to rise in his chest , he wasn’t a very patient person by nature but he needed to calm down before scaring her .
“Said since he was the one who called the exterminators, I should… return the favor.” Her voice was still calm, but he caught the frustration under it.
Eren’s grip tightened around the steering wheel. His chest burned. He forced his voice to stay steady.
“That’s… bullshit. That’s illegal, actually. He can’t do that.”
She shrugged like it wasn’t the first time someone pulled this kind of crap on her. And maybe it wasn’t — which made him even more pissed off.
He abruptly got out of his car , startling her and himself , he didn’t know why he had the sudden urge to protect her and keep her safe but he didn’t want to dwell on it either .He was determined to handle whatever the fuck this situation was and get her out of this shitty neighborhood.
Standing outside with her , he’d noticed that she was taller than average but also lithe and thin which made her look smaller next to his broad frame , she had to crane her neck a bit to look at him and something about that made him shiver .
It’s crazy ,he’d met her 5 mins ago and yet he wanted to do everything in his will to protect her . Something about her tugged at his heartstrings like no one did before . His mom would probably be happy to know this .
“stay here, I’ll go talk to him “ he said with a stormy look behind his eyes .
“No”
That made him pause. He glanced over his shoulder, catching the stubborn lift of her chin. Her hair was sticking to her cheeks, umbrella forgotten, those gray-blue eyes steady on him.
“I want to be there.”
Something in her voice made his stomach turn. He didn’t know what it was, but it set his teeth on edge.
“…Fine.”he’d grumbled .
They stepped into the lobby together, and sure enough there he was. The smug landlord leaning by the mailboxes like he had nothing better to do.
The guy’s beady little eyes flicked from Eren to Mikasa, and his mouth curled. “Oh, so you brought your boyfriend to fight your battles now?”
Eren’s fists clenched at his sides.
Before he could say anything, Mikasa spoke “He’s not my boyfriend. And you’re not allowed to withhold my deposit because you hired exterminators for your own building. That’s a violation of landlord-tenant law under Paradise Civil Code Section 408.” Her voice calm and cold .
The guy blinked, thrown for a second.“What the hell do you know about—” he all but sneered at her , making Eren want to punch him in the face .
Breath In and Breath Out .
“I’m a law student,” Mikasa cut in, voice steady. “And if you don’t return my deposit right now, I’ll file a complaint for unlawful eviction threats, harassment, and failure to maintain habitable conditions. And trust me, your wiring alone would get this place shut down.”
Eren didn’t say a word. Just watched her, something tight and hot like admiration filled his chest . The way she handled herself made him even more smitten with her than he already was . She probably never needed his help but from the looks the fucker gave her , he was happy to be at her side right now .
The landlord’s face turned an ugly red. “Listen, sweetheart-”
Eren stepped in before he could even finish that sentence , not liking the way his eyes racked over her. His voice low and dangerous. “Call her that again, and I swear to god-”
Mikasa’s hand ghosted near Eren’s wrist. Not to stop him, just… to steady him. He looked at her, scowling , and somehow the quiet determination in her eyes made him unclench his fist .She motioned for him to say calm with her eyes before she took a breath.
“And since you’re already so fond of breaking the law,” she continued, her tone sharper now, “should I mention how you tried to corner me in the stairwell last week? Because I’m pretty sure the police would love to hear about that too.”
The man paled.
Eren’s jaw tightened so hard it ached. “You did what ?” His voice dropped a full octave, pure venom.
The guy looked like he wanted to vanish into the floor.“I— it’s not like that—”
“Give her the deposit” Eren growled. “Now.” Having heard enough of his shit , if he looked at him more he might just murder him . He hated sketchy scumbags like him .
The landlord fumbled around behind the desk, pulling out an envelope and practically throwing it at Mikasa like it burned his hand.
“Now get out of my building.”
“Gladly,” Eren spat, turning on his heel and grabbing Mikasa’s wrist.
“Come on,” he muttered, tugging her after him and back out into the rain. His touch gentle on her soft skin .
She followed without a word, their shoes slapping wetly against the pavement.
When they reached the car, Eren stopped, turning to face her.
She was shivering now, thin cardigan clinging to her arms, damp hair plastered to her skin , the ends of her long wool skirt soaked from the rain.
Without thinking, he yanked open the glove compartment, pulled out the red knitted scarf his mom made him, and wrapped it around her neck.
Mikasa blinked up at him, surprised.
“You’ll get sick,” he muttered, his fingers brushing the ends of the scarf as he tucked it beneath her chin.
Their eyes met, and for a second the rain, the shitty building, the freezing cold — none of it mattered as he grazed at her eyes . Round and beautiful ,shinning like he hung the moon for her . And he probably would if she asked .
“Let’s get you home,” he said quietly.Not wanting her to notice the pink of his cheeks .
She nodded, tightening her grip on the envelope.
“I’ll come back for your stuff later,” Eren added as he opened the car door for her. “You’re not setting foot in there again.”
“Okay.” Her voice was softest he’d heard her today.
And for the first time since this whole thing started, Eren’s chest eased just a little. He darted a glance at her and saw her looking out the window, her face tucked in his scarf , her cheeks tinted with a beautiful pink blush as her beautiful lashes framed her cheeks . His heart gave a surprising tug .
Maybe this whole arrangement wasn’t so bad after all …