Chapter Text
It starts with a kick and a punch.
Annie doesn’t understand how, or why it happens, but she’s come to like Eren. The boy is someone so different from what she is, from what she believes. He is pure resolve, a dreamer, a boy driven by a goal: to free humanity of those monsters lurking outside the walls. To give humanity the chance to survive, to strive. He is determined, moved by the sheer power of his will.
Annie… Annie knows the truth. That humanity is not, in fact, trapped in between walls that hide secrets, that time moved on and that the monsters outside the walls are nothing more than unfortunate souls lost in a curse of endless suffering, entrusted with the mission of keeping trapped what the outside world thinks are the real monsters. The demons. Those with the ability to inherit power beyond comprehension, people that can take control of the titans. To be them.
Annie, unlike Eren, is a chimera. A monster living inside the cage of demons.
She’s never believed it. Any of it. Not the bullshit propaganda sold in her homeland.
Back home, she is nothing more than an overrated pariah. Here, she is just another meat bag training to face her death. Which one is worse is unknown, so she does her best to not care and focus on what she needs to save: herself. To finish what was assigned to her as a warrior. To fulfill her training as a soldier. To go back home.
So she is confused, and honestly disappointed in herself, as she faces wood green eyes straight on as Eren falls on his ass.
“Annie… There is this thing called consideration. You know, something that humans have?”
Well, she isn’t exactly one. She was robbed of it. Yet, she has to play dumb, pretend. And for some reason, she really just wants Eren to do better.
“I throw that back at you. You don’t hold back when you come on to me, so why would I? I’m not as strong as you are, you should be careful while fighting a fragile body like mine.”
“Your jokes are not funny. Why, if you are weaker, I’m the one sitting on my ass?” He manages to stand back up, hands on his hips massaging away the pain.
“It’s the technique I use. It’s different from what they teach here, it is designed to overtake opponents stronger than myself.”
Technically, she is not lying. She’s been taught a way to fight her way out of any situation, a very strong regimen that her body breathes naturally. She was designed to fight, to hurt. She can play the damsel in distress, a coy version of herself, one that is not as strong as she really is. To go unnoticed.
Once again, she questions why she tells him any of this, or why she offers, “It would not hurt for you to learn these moves yourself.”
Eren visibly pales, “It’s alright. I don’t need to, why don’t we take a break?”
“I insist. Let’s go.”
She steps forward, her calf easily slamming against Eren's thigh, and while his body is stunned, she ducks, clasping him by his neck and arm, locking him in the crook of her elbow. It’s easy to sweep his feet from under him, throwing her leg and hip back. They land on the floor, Eren wheezing as all air leaves his lungs. She’ll give it to him that he struggles, trying to free himself from her grasp.
If he was a more solid fighter, he probably could as his body is stronger than it looks.
“Annie, I give up!”
“Give up? No, I need you to learn. How to use your power, and how to talk to girls.”
There is something about Eren that makes Annie speak to him in a way that might teach him something. Even when she has not much to offer. Because his view of life is so painfully skewed that he is going to get himself killed as soon as he takes on his first mission. So she tries to show him how this is all a bunch of crap. How it is unfair and unbalanced. And that if he wants to try and save someone (hopefully, himself), he’ll have to learn how to…
She barely has any time to leap out of the way as Reiner falls from the sky, landing on top of Eren. Both of them grunt in pain, and Reiner is three seconds away from being knocked out cold. Eren is confused as to what is happening, and before any of them can ask any questions, the answer comes walking calmly towards them.
“Eh, Annie.”
Azure eyes find their way to lock onto void grey ones, eyes that stare at her with no remorse. Mikasa’s face is impassive, yet, her body language betrays what she is really feeling. Her fists are tense against her body, and her shoulders are squared up. She is ready to fight.
“Why don’t you teach those moves to me as well?”
Ah, she’s been listening.
Mikasa is someone that Annie can’t figure out. It’s unlikely anyone here knows why she is the perfect soldier, the blood running through her veins blessed with power like those of titans. As Annie, Mikasa is forged for battle.
However, it’s not the Ackerman blood her truest gift. If Eren is devoted to his goal and mission, Mikasa has vowed her life to hers. And that is Eren. The reason behind it is unknown to everybody, Mikasa is the shadow following Eren’s every step, the one that keeps at bay any menace the boy might face.
And that’s what Annie can’t figure out. A girl so gifted who doesn’t live for herself.
Mikasa stands in front of her. Waiting. Stalking.
Is long overdue. From day one, Shadis left them off the hook of his emotional torture. Mikasa’s eyes told a story of pain and loss. And hunger to excel, to be better. To be able to defend the brash boy she has imprinted herself with. Annie and Mikasa master skill after skill thrown upon them, from how to handle their blades to soaring around with the ODM gear. They stood out because for them learning how to use their capabilities meant survival. To Annie, it meant to be a step closer to go back home. To Mikasa, it meant having her chance to protect Eren.
For some reason, that zeroed them both in opposite ends of the spectrum.
They know of each other's existence from the early beginning. Reiner and Bertolt hang around Eren and Armin and by proxy, Mikasa and Annie are pulled into the equation. Between them, taciturn coexistence is the norm. Probably in a silent competition they've been having for almost a year now.
Inevitably, they were bound to clash at some point. Annie getting close to Eren seemed to be the detonator.
“I wonder if I can,” Annie arranges her sleeves as she assumes her stance, fists by the sides of her face, left foot leaning forward, “after all, these moves are designed to be used by humans. I’m curious though, to see if they work to defeat a beast.”
Mikasa might as well be a beast, as she is unparalleled. No one here is or will be as capable as she is. Marley taught her that, the rumor of those perfect troopers that protected the shifters, with inhuman strength and a violent instinct. Outstanding killers. Annie wants to try that, to test the myth with her own hands.
She wonders why. If she was any smarter, Mikasa would be the one person she should stay away from.
People gather around, mumbles running across them. It is expected, as they all know how merciless both of them are in hand-to-hand combat. No trainee has ever won a match against either. Annie can hear people making bets, white noise in the background. Right now, her focus is on the woman before her, who relaxes her posture, arms and legs staggered.
There is a beat of silence, daring who would throw the first attack. Mikasa moves fast, vaulting forward. She shifts the weight of her body, right leg easily extending, aiming for Annie’s ribs. It’s a logical approach, Mikasa is taller than Annie, her range both in arms and legs longer. Annie skids to the side, closing in on the opening Mikasa provides and punches the girl right in the gut. Mikasa turns again and Annie has no time to recoil before she takes a roundhouse straight to her side.
Trying to gain distance is useless, so Annie launches two jabs and a cross, which Mikasa avoids swooping side to side. She is taking a step back and Annie uses the chance to kick her right in her calf. Mikasa’s legs are going to be problematic, shaking them up as much as possible wouldn’t hurt. Once, twice she manages to land a hit on the same leg, Mikasa skipping backward. She counters, spinning on her heel to her back and jumping, the underside of her boot connecting with Annie’s stomach.
Annie tumbles, trying to regain her balance. Mikasa doesn’t give her time to breathe, as she lunges forward, throwing a right and left hook. Annie dodges by a mere centimeter, and as Mikasa is bent slightly forward, she grasps the back of her neck in between her hands and lifts her knee. The other woman has no time to defend, braving the impact against her ribs. Annie tries again with her other knee, but Mikasa cocks her hips and takes the hit there. Mikasa pushes her by the shoulders, putting some distance in between them.
This time, Annie takes the lead, throwing a high kick aimed at Mikasa's head. Her reflexes kick in, and Mikasa catches Annie’s leg midair. With her instep, she connects against Annie’s calf, sweeping her foot and making Annie fall. People gasp around them as Annie catches herself with her forearms. She waits until the last second as Mikasa pounces over her to spin around on her side, driving her heel against Mikasa’s calves, knocking her down. Mikasa lands with a thud on her back, breaking her fall with her arms.
It’s a matter of seconds as they scramble to get back up, Mikasa throws a right hook as soon as both her feet are staggered again. Annie ducks out of the way, using her position on the outer side to elbow straight to Mikasa’s head. She blocks it with her forearm, and Annie watches the moment Mikasa closes an eye, face scrunching with pain. Annie throws a front kick right on the center of Mikasa’s chest to open some space, which proves to be a mistake as Mikasa uses the moment to fly-kick her on the head. Both her fists shoot up to protect her from impact, but she is fuddled all the same by the hit. The world spins for a moment and Annie blinks fast to clear her vision.
It’s a clash of two wild animals that know they have to bear fangs in order to survive. Annie runs forward, hips jerking back as her leg hooks around Mikasa’s head, her temple receiving the brunt of the hit, dazing her eyes, feet uncoordinated as she tries to keep upright. Annie uses the momentum to blooter her other leg and lashes its full length against Mikasa’s middle. The woman doubles over, grunting, but she lunges once again, a full uppercut connecting against Annie’s jaw.
Mikasa goes for a second punch, but Annie is the one pouncing this time, grasping Mikasa by the middle. As the other woman is taller, trying to grip her from her neck is a dangerous ordeal. She tackles her, using her leg to barrel harder forward, both of them floating for a second before they crash against the ground. Mikasa uses her elbow against Annie’s cheek, cocking her hip to the side to knock Annie over and pin her to the ground.
Annie manages to get back on track, enveloping Mikasa into her guard, pressing her sides with her thighs. Mikasa hisses, she’s taken one too many hits on her ribs for them to be sensitive as Annie squeezes. Mikasa’s legs push forward, her full weight resting over Annie as her forearm rams into Annie’s throat. Annie coughs, her windpipe protesting at the pain. She holds onto the arm trying to choke her, one of her legs swings, entrapping the arm and Mikasa’s neck inside a triangle. Mikasa struggles as she is asphyxiating, and Annie hopes she can hold on enough as she is very winded herself. Mikasa plants her feet on the ground, pushing forward again, Annie bending her back to keep her hips and legs around Mikasa. The posture is uncomfortable and Annie knows Mikasa is attempting to break her grip.
They struggle to maintain the other one in check, but Mikasa has managed to push enough to get Annie’s breathing labored as she bends. Their faces are close, sharing air and eyes locked, both examining the other to find the minimal hint of surrender, but Annie here is at a huge disadvantage not exactly sure how long she can keep this posture up. For some reason it is magnetic, and Annie thinks they exist somewhere she cannot hear anyone around. It’s just them, and the pending question of who would win.
“What is going on here?”
Rough hands jerk Mikasa away from Annie’s legs.
“Are you trainees trying to kill each other? Ackerman, Leonhardt, cut the crap! Back to the barracks both of you before I make you run rounds. You’ll share cleaning duties for a week.”
Shadis stumps his foot right beside Annie, the woman scooting away from the impact. He glares once again, “And all of you, what are you doing wasting time? Back to practice, or you will be going to bed without supper.”
Annie sits up and dusts herself off. People around them are talking in all kinds of voices as they scramble. It couldn't matter any less to Annie. Because Mikasa stands up and glances at her. She is measuring something from Annie and she doesn’t know what it is. Before she can make a remark, Mikasa turns around and starts walking.
“We should get going. I don’t want any more trouble with Shadis.”
She doesn’t wait up for her, doesn’t even talk to her face.
Mikasa Ackerman is a mystery Annie can’t figure out . Not quite yet. She follows after, and she can hear Marco and Jean debating over who won, and Armin trying to call after both of them to ask if they were fine.
The voices behind them are ignored as they head back to their barracks.
--
Setting a foot inside the wooden cabin, Mikasa sighs slightly. Her ribs are protesting with each step she takes. Striding up all the way to her bunk, she removes her jacket, folding and placing it over her bed. Her shirt falls by her sides as she untucks it from her pants. Buttons are softly opened, one by one from the hem of the shirt to her middle. Peeling back the sweaty fabric, she grimaces at the vision of purplish splotches already blooming in her skin.
By the first time Annie’s fist connected with her belly, she knew Annie was to leave a mark.
Mikasa has observed her, time and time again. How she moves, how she acts. There is something about Annie that just forces Mikasa to stare at her. Study her. It might be her approach to everything, brash, indifferent, disdainful. How she seems to follow only the march of her own drum. How even when she is surrounded by people, she seems like she is completely alone.
In her fight style, however, there is the fire she misses in everything else. Not one to hold back, she is not reckless, move after move placed as she perceives openings and counters not a regular trainee would notice. In Mikasa's eyes, Annie is able to slow time and analyze her opponents' weaknesses. That can be only achieved by years of hard training.
Long fingers trace every welt in her abdomen. She really underestimated Annie Leonhardt.
The observation cements her posture regarding her. Mikasa needs to keep her away from Eren. She could seriously harm him and she would not even be sorry about it. Why that strikes her off goes beyond her constant worry to keep him safe. Something about Annie Leonhardt raised distrust.
Light footfalls are the signal that the other girl has arrived at their shared cabin. Even in leather boots, Annie manages to be inconspicuous. Her bunk and Mikasa’s are separated by tree cots to the left, so it's easy to follow her by the tail of her eye.
Annie doesn't seem to mind her, walking straight up to her own bed. Pulling one arm after the other in front of her, she groans as she stretches.
Mikasa is proud of her handy work.
"You know how to fight properly. Should not be a surprise though."
The blond doesn't face her as she speaks, and Mikasa finds that somewhat disrespectful. Before she can utter a word, Annie removes her own jacket and hangs it by the wooden stairs to the top bunk. The hoodie she usually sports sticks to her body, probably as sweaty as Mikasa's shirt. She tugs it off herself, leaving her back bare, just her undergarment visible.
Blushing, Mikasa tries to unglue her eyes off a defined back and toned shoulders, but the faded scars there call her attention.
Where did Annie come from?
"Who taught you how to fight?"
It's a question dancing on Mikasa's mind and she might as well ask it. So far, Annie is either blunt or secretive so she could both tell her or flip her off.
She goes for the latter, "My father."
"Are those scars from his teachings?"
"Yes. Nobody has been able to leave a scar in years."
Annie's pale skin is painted with reds and incipient purples. She can see the underside of her jaw brimming with the imprint of Mikasa's fist. She doesn't particularly appear to be in any pain.
"You pack a pretty mean uppercut, where did you learn how to fight?"
"Life."
In all honesty, Mikasa has always known how to fight. How to get in the middle of a brawl and finish it. Perhaps it was just instinct, the feeling inside her gut whispering what she should do. How to do it. It was something that awakened in her the day she stabbed a man to death.
Seeming uninterested in following that line of conversation, Annie grabs a towel and her bar of soap. They are both bathed in grime. Taking a shower is the next logical step before Shadis comes to them to speak about their punishment.
"You should really stop coddling Eren."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
Mikasa strides forward, leaving a couple of feet in between them, "That's not your problem."
"It's not. But you are accomplishing exactly the opposite of what you want."
"And what is that?"
Annie turns, wrapping her towel around the back of her neck. "To protect him."
Annie's neck cranes up, the woman half a head shorter than Mikasa. Her eyes, however, didn't show any concern regarding the difference in heights. Mikasa can’t help but notice the defined muscles of her shoulders and abdomen, ones ready to attack her if necessary.
"He doesn't need to worry about himself. I'm always going to be there for him." Knitting her eyebrows, the tension in her shoulders rises, "You should stay away from him."
"And why is that?"
"You are dangerous."
A flash crosses cerulean eyes, indiscernible in the reason for Mikasa. Annie jaws' set, "Maybe I am, but out of you and me, I'm the one willing to teach him how to not get himself killed out there."
"We are battling titans, not humans."
"Not all monsters are 10 meters tall, Mikasa. And it's not about how to throw someone over his shoulder. It's about his recklessness. That boy is a fool, he doesn't understand that out there a strong will is not enough to survive."
"It is enough. He'll have me for everything else."
"You can't save him forever."
"Watch me do it."
They lock eyes, challenging one another to back down. Annie exhales hard and shakes her head. She looks down for a moment, noticing how Mikasa's shirt is open. Her eyes linger a moment or two in some marks in her belly that are not fresh nor caused by their fight.
Spinning on her heel, she goes off to the showers. By the threshold of the cabin, she stops, looking over her shoulder.
"If I have to beat your ass each training just to get a couple of minutes of practice with him, I'll do it."
Mikasa is clueless as to who Annie Leonhardt really is. "Why are you so set to train him? Why are you so interested in him?"
Annie ponders her answer for a minute, a slight frown wrinkling her eyebrows. She turns once more and walks away "We've talked for a bit now. He’s a stupid boy, but he is everything I am not. Maybe that’s why I think he should get a chance to survive."
Her back facing Mikasa, she just shrugs, "I'm probably wasting my time anyway. I'm just another idiot in the pack, after all."
--
"Two - one, I win."
Annie's wrists state forward, arms crossed as she uses the lapels of Mikasa's jacket to strangle the woman, provoking her to cough. It's not enough to actually choke Mikasa but sufficient to easily be able to restrain her, effectively pinning her to the ground.
Their grappling halts when Annie weasels her way out of Mikasa's leg triangle, keeping her flat on her back. Today, the victory is Annie's.
It's very late at night, past the time they should be sleeping. Probably around midnight and if they were smart, they would head to bed. Yet, Mikasa still squirms and bucks, trying to knock Annie off. For the Ackerman, it is surprising such a short individual can be this much of a deadweight.
"I- still haven't given up."
"You don't need to, you can't move."
Mikasa frowns and grasps again at Annie’s arm, forcing it to recede out of pure brute strength. "It's not over."
"If you say so."
Annie is not dumb enough to try and overpower Mikasa. She’s seen her easily carry box upon box of heavy supplies with so much as a grunt of effort. Annie might be strong, but not that strong. As she recoils, Mikasa chances gripping the arm she pushed back, legs swiftly wrapping around the limb. Her body rests outstretched against the ground, her hips rising to get the armbar right. Annie hisses as her elbow strains.
“Fuck you, don’t be a sore loser.”
“I told you I hadn’t given up yet.”
“You bitc-”
Sucking in air as much as she can, Annie bends back and throws her legs over her head, rolling. The friction of the leather jacket burns Mikasa's hands yet she doesn’t let go, following Annie by spinning over her shoulders. Intertwining her fingers with the Ackerman’s, Annie levers herself to pull back, seeking to get off the grip. Curse after curse, Annie’s teeth grind as she tugs her body away. Mikasa is surprised Annie can remain yanking, as the other woman is heavy in comparison.
At this rate Annie is going to break her arm and that troubles Mikasa enough for her to release her. However, this leaves Mikasa’s guard wide open. Annie hurls herself to the ground, sitting Mikasa on her lap. She yelps as Annie reels again, Mikasa bracing against her shoulders, but Annie kicks up with the legs in between Mikasa’s and sends her flying.
With a soft thud, she lands by Annie’s head.
Mikasa gasps as she is now facing the nocturn sky, “What was that?”
The landing isn’t that bad for Mikasa as she curved her spine enough to soften her fall. Annie on the contrary groans in pain. “Ah crap, my neck.”
“That’s what you get for trying something like that.”
“It’s supposed to be more swift, but the technique was compromised.”
“Then why use it?”
Annie shakes her head side to side to ease the strain, arms and legs extended as a starfish, “Three-one. I win.”
Mikasa stops for a second, jaw going slack. Annie can’t be that stupid, “Are you kidding me?”
“Noup. I-” The blond points at herself from her spot on the ground, “am a sore loser.”
Mikasa deadpans at her with such intensity that Annie squirms a bit, shutting her eyes to escape from the unamused expression of the other woman. Mikasa’s urge to slap Annie is strong but she refrains from doing so. She just glares.
They’ve been sparring for a while now, several months, actually. Their small encounter after the incident broken up by Shadis led them to beat each other in every hand-to-hand combat training. Shadis did as much as possible to maintain them away. Which brought the simple solution of brawling every night, sometimes even skipping dinner. They fought tooth and nail, senseless.
Drown out and gradually, the hatred subdued a bit. Partially, as Eren pleaded and grumbled until Mikasa relented and didn’t hover around him in each training. That opened again the opportunity for him to reach Annie and practice. Even if it was sour to admit, Eren sky-rocketed his abilities as soon as he was able to resume his practices with the blond. With newfound confidence, he got himself in more fights than she could count against Jean. That wasn’t particularly something Mikasa appreciated, but now he could hold his own.
The common agreement they currently transited permits some sort of peace treaty. Habits are hard to let go of, and Annie and Mikasa carried on in nightly sessions of fists and blows exchanged. It is a good workout and a great source of stress relief. It’s not a friendly agreement, though, they are both resigned that if they want a real challenge, they just have each other.
Not soft, nor held back. It’s competitive and brash. Everything they can’t be with the other recruits. There is a sort of instinct to mark territory, they both can’t be the alpha dog and even when Annie is not interested in being in the spotlight, and shouldn’t be, the fact Mikasa exists bubbles a strange sentiment of conflict. Mikasa can’t be better than her. Even when she is near perfect. Someone has to show Mikasa her faults and imperfections and Annie once again is an idiot and takes that responsibility into her hands.
Annie thinks, in her case, it's her hunger to outdo a creature of legends. Revenge against one of the reasons she is stuck on this island, running in circles searching for the Coordinate. A way to prove she is worth something. In Mikasa’s case, perhaps it’s the fact that she still doesn’t trust Annie.
Which is a smart thing to do.
Moonless nights are dark and probably it’s for the best. That way Annie can’t see much of Mikasa’s scowl. She really, really doesn’t want to say that this silence is comfortable, yet she prefers this more than the boisterous nonsense in the dining hall each night. The same speed, the same frequency. It’s awkward how much they can understand each other, even when all they do is exchange blows.
“That was unfair.” Mikasa has this sort of flat tone that betrays how pissed she really is.
“You were losing two-one, the outcome was going to be the same.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I actually do.”
Leather boots are not something thought out to be pressed against ribs, that doesn’t seem to be a problem for Mikasa. The heel of her boot slots against her left rib and Annie grunts at the impact. She grabs Mikasa’s ankle to avoid a second round of assault.
“For all your impassiveness, you can be very smug.” Mikasa’s eyebrows knit deeply, lines drawing in her forehead as she stares, “Nobody can predict the future. The outcome was yet to be disclosed.”
“I don’t need to see the future to know.” Crunching up, Annie rests her legs in a butterfly position, using her elbows to press lower and stretch her back as well. Her eyes are set on the grass, even when she knows Mikasa’s are fixed on her, waiting, “You are impulsive.”
The offense striking Mikasa’s features is almost enough to be considered funny. Usually, the woman is an excellent combatant, a very level-headed warrior amidst the action. However, “If you get particularly worked up, you act impulsively. You normally don’t do that. But when you are fighting me, and you are losing, you get sloppy.”
“I don’t get sloppy.”
“Three-one, may I remind you.”
“You were down two-nothing yesterday.”
Annie snorts, “Yeah, I had a bad strike yesterday. But, my point stands.” She finally moves to meet Mikasa’s eyes. It’s wild how they can be both still and stormy. “When you find yourself in a tight spot with something that upsets you, you kind of lose it.”
“I do not.” The deep line of pinkish lips curled down further and further, the collected skin slipping off Mikasa.
“You do. Look at yourself right now,” Annie’s tone is monotonous, stating obvious facts. Mikasa should really be aware of this by now, “you are getting agitated as it is, just cause you lost to me.”
“No.”
“No what?”
“No, I do not lose it. I did not lose to you, you cheated. And you do not upset me.”
Well, that's interesting. Considering they barely talk outside of this arrangement and whatever they say while sparring at night usually ends up in cold conversation, or small talk, she’d beg to differ. “Are you sure about that?”
Mikasa levels her with cold eyes, “Do I look upset to you?”
“Don’t ask dumb ques-”
She’s tackled to the ground, her head lolling a bit at the whiplash. Mikasa shoves her hip to the side of Annie’s torso, gripping into her arm and hugging it against her body. Her right one snakes around Annie’s neck. With all of Mikasa’s weight resting over her chest, Annie can’t move.
Annie bucks her hips, conscious it is fruitless.
“You do not upset me,” she mumbles as her head is close to Annie’s face. “Not so much anymore, at least.”
“So you are starting to like me or something?”
“No. You are just familiar.”
“Huh?”
Mikasa straightens, glancing at her under her nose. “I’m starting to get used to having you around. That’s not common. I don’t mind most people. But we kind of understand each other.”
“That means you trust me?”
“No.” Picking herself up, Mikasa towers at her while crossing her arms. “But maybe that’s why it is better to have you close.”
--
Those rare afternoons they had off, the trainees usually used to rest or spend some time among themselves. Mikasa, for her part, dedicates her time training in the room assigned for physical activity.
Crunches, sit-ups, weights. Everything is measured and calculated to tone her body and have it ready to fight at any given moment. A lot of the cadets don’t have the stamina to use the ODM gear for long or to run the trying routes around the forest. That isn't Mikasa. She needs to be ready, to be perfect. That entails pain and sacrifice.
The space is not really much used, almost all the workout room for herself to move and practice shadow punches and kicks. However, there is someone who is there half of the time with her, completely aside on the other corner of the room.
Contrary to what most people think, Annie works out constantly. She tends to disappear during the afternoons, after lunch, changed into a light, short-sleeved hoodie and some shorts. Jogging, she laps around the fields and into the woods (when nobody is looking).
Not that Mikasa takes the time, but around an hour later, Annie enters the room, partially drenched in sweat. She settles near the far end of the room to stretch. Annie is incredibly flexible, her legs opening wide in straight lines, leaning until her head touches her knees, the tip of her toes over her head against the wall. Bending over, she easily reaches to her knees to hug them. Should not be a surprise, Annie can easily aim kicks to her head even when Mikasa is taller.
Annie shadow-fights an opponent only inhabiting her head, changing to squats, military-style push-ups. Her muscles bulge and tense with slow repetitions. Is gruesome yet the woman never complains and doesn't stop. She rarely uses weights, though the times she does she lifts more of what a person her size should be able to.
Mikasa is curious, again, about what has been Annie's life. Everything else seems to be unimportant to her but when she wields blades while flying in between the woods or when she fights and trains, she is a completely different person. She comes to life.
She's probably staring now as Annie lifts her head after jumping down from doing pull-ups and locks eyes with her.
"Mikasa!"
The trance breaks and Mikasa spins harshly around, finding Krista behind her, a sweet smile on her face. It's unusual to see her here, yet she is dressed in a loose-fitting shirt and tight shorts.
As Mikasa looks at her, Krista fidgets. "Umm, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but… I was wondering if you could help me with something."
Mikasa likes Krista. She is soft-spoken and seems to know when Mikasa wants to be left alone. Ymir is easily handled if Krista is around scolding her, and she is always willing to help Sasha when she gets in trouble.
"Sure. What can I do for you?"
"Ummm, I'm not doing so well in hand-to-hand combat. Well, I feel so. You've paired up with me a couple of times and I know you go easy on me. I want to get better, but Ymir is no help."
Ymir usually spends her time teasing Krista, so it's no surprise.
"Of course. But you are not bad, really."
"I want to be more like you. I want to be able to hold my own. I know this doesn’t count for the ranking, yet I don’t want to be the small little girl who can’t defend herself."
The fire and determination in Krista’s eyes is something the Ackerman can appreciate. "Where do you want to start?"
"I want to learn how to throw a punch!" She fists her hands in front of her, beaming, "that way I can get Ymir to behave."
Mikasa smirks softly, "Let's see."
She helps Krista get into a stance she could use and shows her how to place her fingers in a proper fist. The small blond lunges forward, tapping her fists against Mikasa's palms. The hits are strong yet they barely push Mikasa's hands back. They walk in circles, Krista using her hips to thrust forward.
Something burns on Mikasa's nape and she turns to see Annie gazing at them from her push-up position. Mikasa attempts to ignore blue eyes and focus on Krista, who is unaware.
But Annie doesn’t break her stare and it sits wrong with Mikasa.
"Is something the matter, Annie?" Krista stops and glances at the other blond, curious.
Annie just narrows her eyes, frowning. “You are teaching her wrong.”
Mikasa blinks, taken aback. “Excuse me?”
“You are teaching her wrong how to throw a punch." Annie sighs, and strides to them, leisurely.
“I think I know how to punch someone. I’d think you’d know that too.”
They spar a lot, almost every other night, and time and time again Mikasa has connected her fair chair of jabs and crosses. She doesn’t intend to brag, she’ll never do so, but it strikes her as odd that Annie would have a say in her technique.
The blond shrugs, “Yes, you have a mean left hook, I’ll give you that." Probably unconsciously, she strokes her left rib from her still-healing bruise from yesterday's session. "Your technique is fine, your teaching is not.”
“Why not?” A part of her is intrigued by what Annie is saying. The other feels Annie is trying, again, to get under her skin.
Hands on her hips, Annie is posted barely two feet away from the taller woman, “‘Cause you are teaching her to throw a punch like a tall person. That won’t work for Krista.”
Mikasa blinks, “What do you mean?”
“Extend your arm.” Annie grips Mikasa's wrist as she complies, creating a line in between them. Mikasa remains still, waiting to see what Annie is trying to explain, as it doesn’t make sense to her. Annie extends her arm as well, a full hand shorter, “You are taller, your range is logically longer than mine. In combat, that is an advantage for you if I wasn’t aware of it. Krista is shorter than me, her range is even more limited.”
Krista pouts, “Hey!”
“If you want to punch someone like Mikasa," Annie looks at Krista, her frown softening as she cocks her head, "you’ll have to force them to come close to you.”
“How do I do that?”
"Here."
The way Annie modifies Krista's previous stance and the way she directs her attack is calm and patient. Even when she has to repeat herself, she has no issue with it. It's completely different from the way she teaches Eren when Mikasa lets them train without much fuzz. Yet, it's obvious why. Krista is not used to fighting although she is not a weak girl. Annie is conscient about it and treats her accordingly.
Mikasa sits by a wall near them, just contemplating them.
Almost an hour later, Krista is gracefully dodging Annie's strikes and using those openings to lunge at Annie and connect some jabs.
"Oh Goddess! You were right!"
Annie's eyebrow hikes, satisfied with the progress. "Yup. It's a matter of perspective. By now you pack a better punch than Reiner."
Krista snorts, and giggles. "Oh, I don't think I could do something like that."
"Next time we have hand-to-hand training, watch me throw that bag of meat over my shoulder. He’s not a very gifted fighter. He relies on his size and strength.” Her arms resting under her chest, she rolls one shoulder, “Plus Reiner it's not very smart."
Krista laughs a very sweet sound. The banter is easy and that's probably the most they have both spoken to each other in their time as trainees. Mikasa pushes herself from the floor, "I do admit, it's interesting the change of approach."
"As I said, it's a matter of perspective."
"How did you know that?"
Freezing for a moment, Annie avoids eye contact, "My father wasn't very understanding of having a combat limitation. So I had to adapt."
Mikasa wants to ask about that. About why it would be so important for Annie’s father to teach her how to fight. Someone like the blond is not prone to share, though. Neither is she.
"Annie?"
The smaller blonde touches Annie's bicep faintly and Mikasa catches the barely-there widening of Annie's eyes. This is probably the first time someone casually pokes her on the training camp. Annie grunts in acknowledgment.
"Could you, umm, well, show me what that would look like in real combat?"
Annie frowns and Mikasa thinks she is about to refuse. Instead, over her shoulder, she glances up to Mikasa. "You up for a few rounds?"
"Oh! I didn't mean right now.” Alarmed, Krista waves her hands rapidly, “You both probably want to train some more, I don't want to be a bother…"
"Okay."
As Annie and Mikasa round each other, Mikasa just feels a rush of energy coursing through her. Once again, it’s familiar, the effect Annie has over her as she examines her with schooled eyes, awaiting the first twitch of muscle that would give Mikasa away.
"Punches only, that way Krista can learn better."
"Understood."
Opening up, Annie lunges, going for a left cross, which forces Mikasa to dodge to the right. Without much effort, Annie catches her with an uppercut to the jaw.
"That's revenge for the first time." She mutters, as Mikasa throws her infamous left hook, which is blocked by Annie's elbow.
They exchange hit after hit and Mikasa can observe what Annie was talking about. It's when Mikasa has her torso leaned at the moment Annie picks to scurry into her defenses and go for the attack. Some are just too quick for Mikasa to react. Though it is risky as well, almost kamikaze as Mikasa traps her in gut-wrenching strikes when she is not fast enough.
Mikasa jabs directly at Annie’s temple, doubling over as she stumbles. It appears that Annie will topple forward, however she disappears under Mikasa’s guard and presses her body against hers, clasping her bicep around Mikasa's neck. Mounting Mikasa's hip on hers, the Ackerman flies off to land on her back, a victim of one of Annie's signature movements. The blonde alights on her ribs.
Groaning, Mikasa glares at Annie as she cranes her neck to scowl her, “You said punches only!”
Annie sits up, wheezing loudly as Mikasa elbows her hard on her sternum. The heat of her body next to Mikasa is a wild contrast against the hard tiles of wood, “Yeah, but the opening was there, it would be a waste not to take it." Annie hoists herself up, panting, "Have to keep you on your toes.”
The roll of Mikasa's eyes threatens to leave pupils stuck to the back of her skull. Groaning, she sits up, rubbing the back of her head.
"You are lucky you didn't draw blood."
"Nah, I held you on the way down."
If Mikasa didn't know any better, she could swear Annie was smirking. Grabbing onto the hand offered to her, she gets herself on her feet.
"That was so cool!" Krista seems as cheery as ever.
Wiping her forehead with the back of her hand, Annie turns to Krista, "Keep on practicing and you'll get there."
Annie sits by the edge of the wooden floor, flexing her arms, relaxing her muscles. She inhales deeply, gaining her breath again. Her torso is half-turned, eyes on the two women who sit behind her. Krista babbles at how much she is going to train to beat Ymir up. Mikasa sports an easy smile, amused by Krista's joyful self. A part of Mikasa wishes she could be like that.
"Ask for some training with me or Mikasa. We'll help you to practice." At the call of her name, Mikasa perks up. Annie's lips describe a flat line, yet her eyes are shining. It’s always this, the moment she gets to use her fists and legs to fight when she can teach how to do it, the moment Annie becomes even more of an enigma to Mikasa.
"Would you?" Krista appears as a doe, caught by a stranger at how big her eyes are.
"Of course." Mikasa can't refuse Annie's words, even less when Krista beams.
The blond stands up, crouching closer to them by Mikasa's side. It’s odd how Annie settles without much issue and goes into a conversation with Krista as if they always spent time together. Mikasa sits back, supporting her weight in her arms, perceiving Annie’s body heat again. At some point, Annie glances at her and before she can’t catch herself Mikasa gazes at her with wandering eyes. There is a stir inside her, incomprehensible, as she focuses her attention on Annie’s features.
To her surprise, Annie’s brows shot up just an instant prior to her own eyes going darker, seeking for something on Mikasa’s.
--
She has to strip the articles of clothing, storing them near the wooden box she hid in one of the trees a couple of miles away from the Training Camp. The hat, the dress, the glasses, the bag. Every article of clothing she’s stolen in her incursions to the walls. Kicking the box close, she slips into her hoodie and zips her pants. Her fist meets the tree as many times as it takes for her knuckles to start to bleed.
This was a very, very close call. And Annie hates it. She can’t run into Kenny Ackerman again because she might be as good as dead. Which is a huge problem when she is the only one infiltrating the inside of the walls. The information she has gathered is not enough, not really. The fact that Krista is not really who she says she is, that she is being monitored by the Church of Walls should buy Reiner, Bertolt and her some pardon as they had accomplished next to nothing on their mission.
Her back meets the ground as she lets herself fall into the ground. She is exhausted. Not only is she carrying on her own the whole mission as Reiner and Bertolt play buddies with the boys on the training camp, but she also has to keep up appearances during the day, doing her best on the ODM gear practices and classes. Her breaking point is coming close and she might end up killing her fellow warriors if she were to snap.
Everything is just a huge ball of shit.
Why can’t she just go home? Why did she have to endure this? What did she do to deserve any of this?
If she could choose what she’d like to do with her life, she’ll go for a hermit kind of living, in a cabin near the woods. Alone and with no obligations. She just wants to be able to do nothing, to live without any worries. This life is so utterly meaningless, so filled with crap she doesn’t know why on Earth she should give a fuck. Nobody gives a fuck about her. Nobody.
Well, maybe her father. And still, she’s sure there has to be a better affection model than being proud of a girl that left the man crippled.
It’s the middle of the night and in a couple of hours, she has to be up and about to start her day with cooking duty. While Reiner and Bertolt relax and sleep, she is the only one trying to accomplish anything. And the reason for it is starting to get real blurry on her mind.
Against her better judgment, she is starting to want what Reiner and Bertolt have. Krista was nice enough when they were training, the girl so full of life and happiness and Annie wants a girl like that to remain that way. To know that someone out there can see life with some sort of positivity. Eren and Armin are both a pain in her ass, as they try time and time again to befriend her. Armin is one to approach her to speak, a rather intelligent boy. Eren clings to her, searching for her approval for some unknown reason.
And then… it’s her. Mikasa is the one constant in her life right now that allows Annie to keep it together. Meeting her every night to spar and blow steam helps her tame her moodiness. It’s sad that she is actually starting to spend her day wishing it to be nighttime to sneak out and have a moment alone with the woman.
That’s so, so very dangerous, as she should not stay close to her. Mikasa is sharp, and any slip is going to set her off. She describes their relationship as familiar, and that unsettles Annie. She can’t get acquainted with Mikasa. She really, really can’t.
Yet the only thought in her mind right now is going back and waking Mikasa up, prodding her to beat the shit out of Annie, as that’s what she deserves.
--
"Come on." Annie sends her leg flying, aiming for Mikasa's chest, only to have the movement stopped by a back kick.
Annie’s been pissed for a while, and Mikasa is not sure why. It's been a couple of days since their last sparring session, Annie excusing herself under the premise that she had sprained something and needed rest. However, deep at night, Mikasa could hear the woman shuffling in bed, gathering her boots and padding her way out of the cabin.
It is suspicious, why is she lying to Mikasa. What is personal in their lives is not necessarily something they share with others. However, in between them reading among the lines is becoming something of each day.
By now, they are very in tune with how to interpret body language, facial expressions. A bad day for Mikasa is often dissipated with lounging on the grass after a long, daring session of combat. Annie's sour mood can be managed if Mikasa offers a small round of being a punching bag, allowing the other to hit and kick hard.
Annie is starting to have too much power over her. It’s a distraction to Mikasa as she finds herself being drawn to the other woman. No longer do they act like complete strangers during the day, at least exchanging a quick word every now and then. Most of the others are surprised and worried about it, a ticking bomb ready to explode according to them.
Krista reassures everyone that they actually get along. Eren seems to agree because usually, Mikasa beats him up if he is misbehaving, so if she is beating Annie up it has to mean something. Armin's eyes are observant as ever, and Mikasa doesn't want to imagine what he is thinking.
Right here, right now, Annie is unleashing a lot of anger for what it seems. Interestingly enough, she is lacking her usual cold demeanor, making her form sloppy.
"What's up with you?"
“Nothing, it’s not your business.”
Mikasa is getting irked and honestly why she is some sort of worried it’s beyond her.
The blows, then, start to respond to some other need in between them, a need Mikasa can't quite pinpoint. She grasps Annie's arm, spinning around and using her hip to throw the blond over her shoulder. She lands with a muffled thud into the ground and Mikasa falls with her, gracefully placing both knees against Annie's sides, straddling her.
The blonde tries to resist, her hips jerking and bucking in an attempt to have Mikasa lose her balance. But the woman rides the effort easily. Mikasa's hands look to reach for Annie's wrists and they pin them to the ground, blocking their movement.
Something inside Mikasa growls at the idea that she is this close to having Annie yield and acknowledging she is overpowered by her. A raw exigency she feels in her chest at her awful attitude. They struggle and Annie pulls, bending her elbows the same way she does when rowing, pulling ropes on the training gym, and Mikasa is forced to bend over in response.
They are face to face now, and Mikasa can feel the flare of Annie's breathing, the heat of her skin, the anger in her eyes. It proves to be a mistake as she is so close that Annie's pale lips are on her range of sight, tunnel focusing on them.
It's too much.
Confusion has overtaken Mikasa's critical thinking, and every interaction regarding them is heavy and dense. The shift in their connection is uncomfortable, yet addictive. Their sparring doesn't need that much touching, their arguments do not require that much attack. They push and shove each other but can't let go.
At least, Mikasa can't.
It's not the first time she thinks about it, she can’t lie to herself. Something shifted from the moment she started to wish she could comprehend Annie. To figure her out. Each time they grapple, being so close, observing each change of emotions in her eyes… She’s been thinking too much about her.
It's late, she is tired and she is very stupid. Mikasa is surgical and resourceful. Also known to act impulsively under her own commotion as the blond has pointed out one too many times. She hates Annie for it when her body decides for her, and she slants even more. With anyone else, this would be enough to take them by surprise, allowing her to do whatever she wanted.
Not with Annie. She is not the type of soldier you can sneak upon. If you manage to come close it’s because she wants you to. That’s the mistake all the other cadets make the first time they fight her. The same mistake over and over again. The one Annie herself taught Mikasa to avoid.
That’s why Mikasa’s logical mind, the one that’s not possessed by a primal urge to make Annie submit to her, scrambles for an answer as to why Annie lets her lean in. Mikasa’s intention is written all over her face, as embarrassing as it is, and Annie could very easily sucker-punch her and knock her out of her hips.
Instead, Annie's eyes widen, and her lips part in a different kind of grimace. Blue flashes under the moon just an instant before callous hands surge up, finding hold of Mikasa’s cheeks. The grip is rough, and unrestrained the blonde yanks her head down, crashing their lips.
The angle is awkward, the pull on Mikasa’s back deeply uncomfortable as she is hunched over the other woman. She is holding herself by the strength of every muscle on her core not to collapse over Annie, who keeps on pulling intently. There is little care about the strain on her back though. Not while Annie leaves her no way out of her grasp, threatening to devour her whole. Mikasa’s arms finally brace her, bracketing Annie’s head, letting the weight of her body rest over the blonde.
This is not exactly a kiss, it’s replacing fists and kicks with bites and swollen lips. It’s violent, and it clouds Mikasa’s mind. They fumble, trying to get as close as they physically can.
Mikasa keeps her eyes shut, the sensory overload extreme. Every fiber of her body is set ablaze, scorching everywhere Annie touches. Electric chills run up and down her spine as calloused hands run over taut fabric and solid muscle. Every cell of her pulsing with an unknown ache, one she can’t understand as her thoughts are null because the woman underneath her sucks and nibbles soft flesh.
If they were sparring, this position would mean Mikasa had the upper hand, Annie basically pinned to the floor. In this battle, however, Mikasa is losing, and real fast. She has no control over what’s happening as her hands are clumsy, not knowing what to do. She never does not know what to do. Her hands try to roam the other’s body, suddenly feeling empty when they are not traveling the soft curves of Annie. They want to be everywhere but in their haste, they can’t grasp anything.
Annie changes the grip on her, right hand coming up her neck. Fingers slipping into her hair, tugging, blunt nails scratch the skin of her back with her other hand. How Annie managed to untuck her dress shirt without Mikasa noticing baffles her, however, a particularly deep graze erases the question from her mind, a grunt leaving her lips. She pulls away, and Annie growls, a protest forming in her scowl.
Nails dig deeper into her skin and Mikasa stops thinking, a hand coming to cup the side of Annie’s face, pressing as well to the side of her neck. Annie sucks air through her teeth, aware she is in jeopardy. She is under control of Mikasa, as the woman lowers herself again and with force crushes her lips against Annie’s.
--
Annie is, officially, fucked.
She’s managed to push through to the ODM gear practice, her movements not precise but at least the cuts in the targets are deep and her maneuvering is acceptable. That’s what she gets when she spends about an hour sleeping before having to wake up. The rest of the time she was drowning in Mikasa’s lips.
It is bad. Very bad.
Her mind is not with her the whole day, memories of sensations buzzing through her. She’s trained her whole life, she’s become a titan, has crushed cities under her foot and even then she’s never felt more alive than while kissing Mikasa Ackerman. To the point she has caught herself wanting to claim those lips with hers again.
She's never been interested in such things, those desires controlling others who sneak from their bunks at night, searching for experiences probably normal people of their age want. In all her years, she’s never known love or affection, but this is not it. It’s entirely different. Everything about Mikasa is starting to strike her as inescapable.
“Annie.”
Reiner’s heavy hand meets her shoulder during lunch, when she is tucked away, avoiding everybody. Avoiding her. She’s managed to scurry around and not face her and she plans to keep it up. For the next couple of years, maybe. However, this big blockhead is giving away her position.
“What do you want?”
“We need to talk. By the end of the week, as you’ve been out recently and we can’t raise suspicion. You know where to meet us.”
She growls as the only response to the man. When will she ever get a break? He goes, conscious that if he bothers her further he’ll end up with his ass over his head. And he is right. The chatter of the room is white noise as she drinks from her mug. Her day can’t get any worse.
Her gaze lifts up, and to her disgrace, she’s zeroed by gray eyes that freeze her in place.
Mikasa is in front of an empty plate and a rambunctious Eren. Yet her eyes are only fixed onto Annie. As if there was nobody else in the room. She is enthralled and Reiner flies out of her head, the moment Mikasa stands up and excuses herself from her friends. Being an idiot is Annie’s specialty, so she picks up her plate and mug and pushes them aside, and follows after Mikasa.
The fact that she is around the dining hall and looking over her shoulder is indication enough that she was waiting for her. Without a word, she walks away and Annie trails behind her. At this time of day, the barracks are always empty as the cadets can’t leave training, the bunks empty and the walls submerged in silence.
They remain in their spots, a few steps away from each other. Annie fights the hitch of her breathing as Mikasa turns around. “That was a mistake.”
“Yes.”
“It can’t happen again.”
“No.”
One more time, Annie questions if she is really as smart as she’s been told she is because the next thing she knows she is pushing Mikasa into one of the bunks, her mouth attacking responsive lips. Mikasa locks her arms around her waist, not allowing her to bolt. She doesn’t need to, however, as Annie’s tongue finds Mikasa’s, savoring everything she has to give.
--
It’s odd to find Reiner and Bertolt up so late at night, both men walking side by side while whispering among them. They are headed to their barracks, not really mindful of who’s around them. Mikasa doesn't want to give herself away to avoid questions, so she hides against one of the outside walls of the barracks, inconspicuous.
She doesn’t want to be put in the position to explain herself, as she usually never acts against the rules. Recently, though, she’s been breaking a lot of them. Annie once again is not in her bunk and Mikasa can’t shake the feeling she is up to something. The ambivalence regarding whatever they are doing troubles her. Were the circumstances different she’ll be onto her case as her gut tells her she should. In the position she is in right now, her approach lines up with gathering information while observing and trying to join dots in her head. Because right now, she is utterly biased.
Sparing is now the preamble of then clashing bodily one against the other while kissing fervently. The magnetism joins them even when they try not to, and Mikasa is showing weakness by giving in. Still, the lingering idea of Annie carrying some sort of burden has her stalking her.
A few minutes pass and Annie strides from the same direction Bertolt and Reiner came from. They are friends, kind of, so it’s not weird to find them sometimes sitting together or sharing conversation. But Annie mainly keeps to herself when people don’t attempt to approach her. Her friends, Armin, Eren, Krista and herself are the exceptions. Why would they gather so late at night?
“Your cover is shit.”
Annie has always been too perceptive of her surroundings, so perhaps being astounded to be found out is silly. “I wasn’t hiding.”
“Sure.”
Her scowl is dislodged and the amount of ire seething through her eyes would scare a lesser man. Mikasa is not one of those. “I was looking for you.”
“What for?” Annie growls in warning, her fists resting by her sides.
“You were out of bed.”
“And what’s that to you? You don’t complain when we do so.”
Mikasa lunges, punching Annie square in the face. She’s had it with this side of her and if she’s not going to answer, might as well show her distaste the only way she knows.
Annie’s palm grazes the side of her face, cupping the affected area. Her eyes narrow and striding forward, she throws an elbow to Mikasa’s neck. Mikasa catches it with her hand, twisting the limb back and smacking her knee against Annie’s ribs.
From her position, Annie grabs Mikasa’s waist and tackles her, slamming her into the wooden surface behind them. A fist flying to her face again is Annie this time who catches the hand and wrapping the joint with her palm, she bends Mikasa’s wrist into a lock.
The wrist lock has Mikasa’s arm pulsing under Annie’s fingers, and she hisses as her muscles jolt in response. Annie uses her other arm to press her against the wall, her forearm thrusted across her chest. Blue should not be able to light on fire, as ice is supposed to remain gelid. Annie’s eyes, however, are ablaze with an intensity Mikasa has seen over and over again recently.
It dries her mouth and has her heart ramming against her ribcage. Annie let’s go of her wrist, fisting the fabric of the white shirt, closing off the collar tight against her neck. It tugs uncomfortably, yet Mikasa is somewhat relieved she didn’t grab her scarf.
Breathing altogether seems unimportant when Annie’s lips are over hers. Their teeth clatter a couple of times, the desperation not subsiding in any of the encounters they've shared recently. Mikasa tries to turn them over, to be the one restraining Annie against the wall. But Annie wedges her against the wood again, her arm holding her down. She pulls down at the same time she is rocking forward, effectively keeping Mikasa trapped with her mouth.
Heat bubbles inside the Ackerman, and her hands itch. The only place they find solace is over Annie’s waist, moving the fabric of her hoodie up so her nails can scratch the pale flesh there. The blond grunts into her lips, biting hard on Mikasa's lower lip. Her tongue pushes forward, invading Mikasa’s mouth, and she can’t help the noncommittal noise escaping her throat.
She won’t lose this easily, she can’t succumb to Annie again. Sinking her nails into skin, she attempts to shove Annie. However, a toned thigh slots itself in between hers and the sensation is so alien she jerks against it.
“What are you-” her voice is hoarse, words leaving in a string of wind. If she thought her brain got fuzzy whenever she was kissing Annie, this was… incapacitating. Completely incapacitating.
“Shut up.”
Annie’s command roams through her and her hips twitch in response. The blond groans and rolls her hips back.
Her only instinct right now is to cram herself against Annie, lips not content enough with touching just lips. Nudging Annie’s head to the side, Mikasa licks Annie’s neck as the woman is startled. The taste of skin is tangy, and everything her senses ached to experiment right now. Another thought invades her and she just peels more of Annie’s neck and pushes her chin to the side further. This impulse of biting the newly uncovered flesh is strong, and she concedes. A sharp intake of air is enough confirmation for her to understand this is the correct approach.
She forgot Annie’s always been full of revenge. Hands that were pinning her down roam down, touching places nobody has ever touched before. She lingers and kneads her chest to then hold her by her hips and buck her hips into her. Her brain is useless, yet it gets worse the moment her breath hitches as Annie’s hands slip into her pants.
Annie pulls away from Mikasa’s mouth, whispering over her lips, “Tap out, tell me to stop.”
This is just another competition between them. Another fight for dominance. With all the might she can gather, she steadies her voice as much as possible, “No.”
This is probably going too far, farther than it should. But Mikasa is… not relenting now. Not when her mind is so numb and her body is turning into jello. She is set on fire and she wants to be consumed whole.
She gave up whatever ministrations she was delivering to Annie’s neck because she can’t keep up. The only thing she can do right now is to inhale hard and chew on her lips to avoid any noise. Looping her arms around Annie’s shoulders is what holds her upright, as her knees buckle.
“They’ll hear you.”
The audacity of this woman. Yet she is right, she buries her head into Annie’s shoulder, as a shy moan is scarcely drowned against the fabric of the uniform jacket. As snow under the sun, she melts, and as Annie sinks in Mikasa can’t hold it any longer. A deep groan is the only thing she is aware of, and the fact that she’s collapsed completely into Annie’s arms. Annie maintains her hand in place, kind of at a loss as to what to do next.
Mikasa really doesn’t know either and she doesn’t care. The absolute rapture her body is soaking in has deep storm clouds running inside her head.
Annie retrieves her hand out, and bracing her, Mikasa is lowered into the ground. Mikasa feels drowsy and her heart is beating faster than it ever has. She registers the other woman crouching next to her, still embracing her useless body.
“Are you ok?”
Nodding, she pushes off, meeting her face, only seeing Annie through her eyelashes as her eyes are hooded. There is hunger still lingering on azure eyes, sharing space with a hint of confusion and a kind of uneasiness she's never observed in Annie. She peels away from their tangled limbs, and rising to her feet she glances at Mikasa once more before walking away, leaving the other woman struggling to return to her body and compose herself.