"Ereh! Five more! I believe in you!" Mikasa cheered, perched comfortably on top of him as he strained to complete his pushups.
"Damn it, Mikasa, you've gotten so damn heavy…" he muttered through gritted teeth, sweat dripping down his face.
She pouted, crossing her arms with exaggerated indignation. "Ereh! That's mean!"
He sighed in frustration, managing the last pushup before collapsing onto the ground, his body spent and drenched in sweat. Regret flooded him. Why did I ever think this was a good idea?
"Ereh! Look here! Don't you dare turn your back on me!" she protested, nudging him.
Reluctantly, he rolled over to face her, his gaze tired but unyielding. She stared back at him with those expectant eyes that always seemed to get him into trouble.
"Ah, Ereh-chan! You have such a muscular body," she exclaimed, grinning as her fingers gave his chest a playful squeeze.
He groaned, closing his eyes for a moment, but before he could respond, her hands were already wandering lower, trailing down to his abs.
He knew that move all too well.
Her fingers slid further down with clear intent, but before she could go any further, his hand shot out, firmly gripping her wrist.
"Mika... We just did that... and I... I want to rest for a while... I'm tired." Eren whispered, his voice heavy with exhaustion.
Mikasa looked at him, an amused smile tugging at her lips as she studied his worn-out expression. "Kay..." she replied softly, surprising him with her lack of persistence.
Without another word, she headed toward the bedroom, gently cradling Erika in her arms. Humming a quiet tune, she placed their daughter in her crib before moving to the kitchen.
"Ereh! I'll cook something while you sleep!" Mikasa called out from the kitchen, her tone light and cheerful.
Eren blinked in the direction of her voice, momentarily stunned. Her reaction was nothing like what he expected. Usually, she'd push him a little, tease him, or at least insist on doing it with him. But today, her easygoing demeanor left him taken aback.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair, and made his way to the bedroom. The moment his body hit the mattress, it was as though the weight of the entire week collapsed onto him.
Fatigue washed over him in an instant, and his vision dimmed. Darkness enveloped him, and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
—————————————
Eren's POV
"Uh..." My eyes partially open, my head spinning, a disoriented mess. Everything feels off. My vision is blurry, and I struggle to focus. It's dark—wait, did I sleep through the entire day? That strange, heavy feeling of an afternoon nap that lingers too long gnaws at me.
I sit up slowly, glancing to my side to find the bed empty. My gaze drifts to the cradle, where Erika sleeps soundly, her tiny chest rising and falling in peaceful rhythm. A small smile tugs at my lips; at least she's at peace.
The room is swallowed in darkness, save for faint shadows cast by the moonless night. I reach out to pull the curtains, but pause—it's already midnight. Guess exhaustion knocked me out completely.
The horizon outside is nothing but an empty void, no stars, no moon—just blackness stretching endlessly. The faint bleating of our sheep drifts in from nearby, grounding me in the silence.
Rubbing my eyes, I glance back at the bed. "Mika, where is she?" A strange emptiness settles in my chest. Normally, I'd wake up to find her either sprawled on top of me or nestled against my side.
But tonight? She's nowhere to be found, and for some reason, I hate it more than waking up after such afternoon naps, I have no idea of what day or what time it is and I hate it.
Dragging myself off the bed, I shuffle toward the kitchen, my bare feet brushing against the cold wooden floor. My throat feels parched, and my head is heavy. But as I approach the kitchen, I freeze.
There she is, sitting in the dark. The dim light barely outlines her form, but I hear it—the soft, muffled sounds of her sobbing. Her shoulders tremble, hands covering her face as if trying to hold herself together.
My heart tightens. It's been months—months since I last saw her cry. What's wrong?
I take hurried steps toward her, and she looks up at me, startled. Her eyes are red and glistening, tears streaking down her cheeks. Her hands shake as she instinctively tries to wipe them away.
"Mika?" I whisper, my voice soft, filled with concern. I reach out, brushing her tear-stricken face with my hand, but she flinches, turning her head away as if ashamed.
She hastily wipes at her cheeks, her voice unsteady. "Ah... sorry. I didn't wake you, did I?"
But I barely hear her words. All I can focus on is her, the pain etched in her features, and the tears she can't seem to hide.
Her voice trembles with pain as she stares at the floor, her shoulders shaking with the weight of it all. I gently pull her into my arms, her head resting against my abdomen as her sobs become uncontrollable, soaking my shirt with her tears.
And somehow, despite everything, I find myself smiling through it, my thoughts scattered, unable to find the right words to console her. But deep down, I already know why she's been struggling all day.
"Two years left, huh?" I whisper, barely able to hear my own voice over the sound of her crying. The moment the words escape my lips, her cries grow louder, her arms tightening around my back, fingers digging into my shirt, as if trying to hold on to something—anything—before it slips away.
I didn't mean to say that, but somehow, it slipped out.
She cries and cries, and I run my hands through her hair, trying to soothe her, but nothing seems to make it better. "Ereh... Ereh..." She murmurs my name, over and over, and even though I've corrected her countless times, she insists on calling me that. It's funny, and somehow, it makes me happy in a way I can't describe.
"Take me with you..." Her voice is barely a whisper, but it shatters something deep within me.
"Idiot..." I chuckle softly, brushing her hair back from her face. "I'm here... I'll be by your side for a while. And weren't you the one who said we shouldn't talk about how much time I've got left?"
But as soon as the words leave my mouth, I regret them. Her sobs intensify, her body trembling in my arms, and my heart aches with every sound she makes.
"B-But I... I don't want that... I want to live with Eren forever..."
Her words break me in ways I can't explain. It's not the first time she's said it, but this time, it feels different. This time, it feels like a promise she can't bear to let go of, and the weight of it presses down on me like nothing else.
Without thinking, my body moves on its own. I'm kneeling in front of her, cupping her soft, tear-streaked cheeks in my hands. Her lips meet mine in a kiss, warm and tender, and I lose myself in it—hypnotized by the simple act of holding her close, of feeling her against me.
When I pull away, I look into her eyes. It's dark, and I can barely make out her features, but even in this dim light, I see her. And even in that moment, she's the most breathtaking thing I've ever laid eyes on.
"I'm glad," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. "That day I ran away with you... And I don't regret anything, Mika. Even if it means waking up with you on those lively summer mornings, or sleeping with you on those cold dark winter nights, or racing you to the top of the hill, or just holding hands on the porch... I wouldn't regret anything. And I won't forget any of it, not in hundred lifetimes. And even if I only have two years left... know that I'll always live in your heart."
She just stares at me with those blurry charcoal-blue eyes that I adore so much, and I can see the faintest glimmer of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
It makes my heart ache in the best way. I lean in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, and she closes her eyes, a small breath escaping her lips.
"Come with me... I'll tell you a story..."