Mikasa's POV
The days that followed were nothing short of agonizing. Eren's silence grew louder than any words he could have spoken, his cold indifference cutting through me like a blade.
He avoided me at every turn, refusing even a fleeting glance in my direction. It was as though I had become invisible to him. Every single day felt like a cruel nightmare, one from which I could never wake.
Recently, he had moved to the district of Odel with Hange, Levi, and Petra, a change necessitated by Levi forming a new squad. Armin and I followed reluctantly, but not for Eren—it was Petra's kindness that convinced us. And yet, even now, the wall between us felt impenetrable.
The journey to Odel was long and arduous. The cart rattled on through the uneven streets of Wall Rose, its wheels grinding over cobblestones.
The air was heavy with silence, save for the occasional murmur of the Scouts guarding us, their presence a precaution against the unrest brewing among the commoners.
Eren sat directly across from me, his emerald eyes fixed on something beyond the cart, as if the world inside it didn't exist.
Armin was beside him, watching me carefully, while Petra and Hange sat by my side. Levi, always the stoic figure, discussed furniture arrangements with Eren, their voices low and distant.
I couldn't help but stare at him. My gaze clung to him, desperate for even a fleeting acknowledgment, but his cold detachment was unyielding.
The toll this had taken on me was evident in my reflection: my hair hung in unkempt strands, dark shadows clung under my eyes, and my skin had grown pale and lifeless. I looked as broken as I felt, the pain of his indifference cutting deeper than the grief I had felt when I once believed him dead.
His silence was sharper than any blade, more suffocating than the walls that caged us.
I sat there, unraveling, until my resolve finally snapped. My lips parted hesitantly, my voice barely a whisper, "Eren…"
He didn't respond. His head didn't so much as turn in my direction, but I knew he had heard me. The tears I had fought to hold back spilled over, streaking hot down my cheeks. A thousand questions burned in my chest, but I couldn't bring myself to ask a single one.
"Mikasa… What's wrong?" Petra's gentle voice broke through the storm of my thoughts, drawing the attention of everyone in the cart.
I turned to her, wiping at my tears with trembling hands. My heart clenched as I nodded weakly, my voice faltering. "It's… it's nothing."
But it wasn't nothing. It was everything.
I was so tired—of this emptiness, of this silence, of trying to hold myself together when all I wanted was for him to come back to me.
My arms instinctively wrapped around Petra, and I buried my face into her shoulder, sobbing quietly as her hand moved soothingly along my back.
Hange joined in, whispering reassurances, her voice a faint echo against the chaos of my thoughts.
Levi's gaze flicked to Eren, sharp and scrutinizing, but Eren didn't flinch. His expression remained a mask of cold indifference, his eyes as distant as ever.
The cart rolled on, carrying us to Odel, but the weight in my chest remained rooted, heavier than ever.
But before I could react, both Hange and Petra turned on Eren, their tones sharp and unrelenting, like older siblings scolding a wayward brother. Their voices overlapped, frustration boiling over as they demanded answers.
"Eren, what the hell, this isn't like you?!" Hange's voice echoed through the cart, a mix of exasperation and concern. Petra, usually calm and nurturing, seemed no less upset as she crossed her arms, her expression a mirror of disbelief.
Yet Eren didn't respond. He just kept his gaze down, his eyes heavy with a weariness that seemed to go deeper than the moment.
"Oi, you two. Shut it. I'll talk to him," Levi's calm but commanding tone sliced through the commotion like a blade. Both Hange and Petra reluctantly quieted, though their dissatisfaction lingered in their expressions.
Then Levi turned to me. His cold blue eyes settled on mine, unreadable but deliberate.
"I'm signing you two out of the Scouts Regiment in a couple of days."
The words felt like a stone dropped into my chest, each syllable weighing heavier than the last. My heart sank further, but I bit back my sobs, burying my face into Petra's shoulder as if her presence alone could stop me from breaking completely.
Eren... why... he used to be here for me—always.
Levi continued, his tone even but with a finality that left no room for argument. "The reason the two of you are coming back with us is to pack your things and join the MPs. I've already talked to Nyle Dock about it."
The finality in his voice was inevitable leaving no room for any protests.
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The castle in Odel District became a blur of routine as the days passed. Eren threw himself into his duties as vice commander, avoiding me and Armin at every opportunity.
I tried to keep busy with packing, but my heart wasn't in it. The ache of being pushed away consumed me, and no matter how much I tried, I couldn't shake the lingering question: Why?
Why would he push me away? Even after everything I had told him—everything we had been through together—how could he act like this?
I was an idiot... Who thought he had feelings for me... It was my fault... For confessing my feelings that day... It's all my fault that everything has changed between us... He never liked me... He was just being kind and caring showing his affection towards me just like he used to... And I got the wrong idea.
The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over my room as Petra and Hange entered. The soft light illuminated Petra's kind smile and the exhaustion on Hange's face.
"Hey, Mikasa. How are you doing." Petra said gently, her voice like a balm against my frayed nerves.
I tried to return her smile, but the effort felt hollow. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around me, I let go of everything I'd been holding back, clutching her as if she were the only thing keeping me from falling apart entirely.
"I... I know how you feel," Petra whispered, her hand brushing through my hair. "The way you're feeling right now—it's unbearable, isn't it? I know this emptiness... How suffocating it feels."
Hange, less delicate, clicked her tongue. "Mikasa, come on. You can't keep this bottled up. We won't understand unless you tell us what happened between you two."
Petra nodded, her voice soft but insistent. "Mikasa, please. I've never seen Eren like this before. He's different this time. What happened?"
I hesitated, my fingers trembling as I clutched the fabric of Petra's shirt. Finally, I began to speak, my voice barely above a whisper.
I told them everything—how I had been injured, how Eren had fought like a man possessed, the kiss we shared, and his final words to me: to forget everything and move on.
When I finished, there was a moment of stunned silence.
"WHAT?!" Hange's voice rang out, making me flinch. "You and Eren... kissed?"
I wiped at my face, my cheeks burning with embarrassment, and nodded. Petra looked equally shocked, her face red as she grabbed my shoulders.
"So... you confessed to him?"
I nodded again, unable to meet her eyes.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, to my surprise, they both smiled. Petra pulled me into another hug, her arms warm and reassuring, while Hange patted my back with surprising gentleness.
"Don't worry, Mikasa," Hange said with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Leave the rest to us. We'll handle it from here."
They left the room without another word, leaving me sitting there, my emotions a swirling mess of hope and despair.