"Hmph…"
Annie lowered her guard, fixing me with an icy glare.
I simply lowered my wooden blade, nodded politely — the briefest, stiffest gesture — and turned to leave, emotionless as ever.
"Just from watching on the side… you saw through my attacks?" Annie asked. She was remembering how I'd observed her spar with Eren and Reiner earlier, assuming that was when I'd cracked her technique.
But it wasn't just that.
Most of what I saw came from those strange flickers — the mysterious afterimages that revealed her next movements.
"Just luck," I replied calmly.
Then I added, "And… I never thanked you for last time. So — thank you."
I remembered clearly: she had blocked my escape that day because she'd noticed my weakness, stopping me before I could get into trouble. She'd intended to carry me to the infirmary herself.
Even Annie's cold expression softened for a fraction of a second.
Meanwhile, behind us, Mikasa had been staring the whole time.
A cold anger, sharp and wordless, simmered in her eyes. She didn't seem to fully understand it herself — only that watching Annie close to me ignited something unpleasant.
Her expression turned visibly dark as she marched toward me, grabbed my hand without warning, and pulled me along.
"Is training over…?"
I blinked, confused, but followed as she marched us away. When Instructor Keith wasn't looking, we slipped out early — ten minutes ahead of schedule.
We skipped class. Mikasa Ackerman skipped class.
That alone said everything about her mood.
--------
Evening. Mess hall.
For some reason, Eren had barely touched his food. He looked irritated — no, glaring — at something.
Following his line of sight, I found the culprit: Jean, bragging loudly to his buddies.
I sat on Mikasa's right, watching her quietly eat spoonful after spoonful of stew.
Except… something was off.
"Mikasa… why do you keep adding porridge to my bowl?"
I stared at the second — no, third — refill she'd pushed toward me.
"You haven't eaten enough. I won't let you go hungry," Mikasa said flatly, in a tone that demanded no disagreement.
The way she said it made my temples throb.
Since when did Mikasa start applying her 'Eren rules' to me too?
"Enough, Mikasa — aren't you still eating? And I'm already full."
I blocked her spoon with my own.
She froze, staring intensely at the two spoons touching.
Then, without a word…
She put the spoon — my spoon — into her mouth.
I choked on my stew.
Before I could question her, Jean's obnoxious voice grew louder:
"…joining the Military Police is all about living safely and comfortably, right?"
"Comfortable?" Eren snapped. "This WAS the interior five years ago."
And that was true. Before the fall of Wall Maria, Wall Rose had been considered safe territory.
"What's your point, Eren?" Jean retorted.
The tension rose instantly.
"Jean, even if you never make it to the interior, your brain already lives there," Eren shot back.
A sharp insult — and Reiner, Bertholdt, and several others snorted with laughter.
Jean's face darkened. "You little—"
"I don't get why we're training to fight Titans if everyone just wants to run away from them." Eren continued, voice rising. Earlier, he'd been brooding over his talk with Annie.
Jean scoffed. "Say what you want, but maintaining this system for my sake alone is good enough."
That was it — Eren exploded.
"You bastard!"
He shot to his feet.
"Shut up! That's reality!" Jean stood up too, sputtering in anger.
"Eren, don't," Armin urged.
"Enough."
Mikasa stood, grabbed Eren's arm, and held him firmly. Her touch instantly grounded him.
Eren sighed, deflating.
But to Jean, THIS looked like a taunt.
"Are you kidding me!? YOU LITTLE—" Jean grabbed Eren's collar.
"Let go! You're going to tear my shirt, you idiot!" Eren barked.
"Who cares?! I'm sick of you! Everyone likes you — why?!"
"…What are you even talking about?!" Eren snapped — then paused.
Something dawned on him.
He stared at Jean… and saw an old version of himself — childish, loud, directionless.
Eren clenched his teeth hard…
and used the SAME throw Annie had used on him earlier.
Jean flipped through the air and crashed onto the floor, limbs splayed.
"OW— WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Jean yelled, clutching his back.
Eren looked down at him, eyes serious — almost pitying.
"That's a technique I learned while you were wasting time complaining. Letting your emotions dictate your life — and calling that reality? How can someone like you call himself a soldier?"
I watched silently. Mikasa sat back down beside me.
Apparently Eren wasn't the only one who'd learned from Annie today.
A quiet click sounded — someone recording or snapping something.
But the commotion drowned it out.
The night carried on, chaotic, frustrating, loud…
…but somehow, strangely warm.
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