Attack On Titan: Dreams

"Tired?" he whispered softly into her hair, his voice low and comforting as she rested on his lap.

"Um... a lot," she murmured, leaning against him as if his warmth could erase the weariness in her bones.

The air around them carried a weight of nostalgia, a bittersweet quiet that filled the space beneath the sprawling tree. Eren reclined against the trunk, its rough bark grounding him, while Mikasa nestled closer, her head pressing gently against his shoulder. His long hair, barely brushing his shoulders, swayed slightly in the wind as his gaze remained fixed on the endless horizon before them.

"Ereh..." she whispered, her voice carrying a tender vulnerability, her chin tilting upward so her lips brushed softly against his cheek. "Let's stay like this for a while?"

"Kay," he replied, his arms tightening around her as he adjusted her more comfortably on his lap.

The wind swept across them, its brisk chill kissing their skin, yet neither seemed to care. Instead, it was a reminder of the fleeting nature of moments like these, of how precious they were.

"How's Rin?" Eren asked, his hand slipping through her ponytail, his fingers grazing the silken strands with a gentle rhythm.

"Mostly sweet and caring, like me," she said with a playful chuckle, "but rarely stubborn and overprotective, like you."

He huffed in protest, his lips quirking into a crooked smile. "Hey... c'mon, that's not fair."

Her laughter, light and melodic, danced between them as she teased him. But his smile softened, his eyes tracing her features—so beautiful, so radiant despite the cold. She had become a beacon of everything he loved, everything worth dying for.

Without hesitation, he leaned in, his lips capturing hers. The frost on her lips melted against the heat of his, their kiss deep and magnetic. Her lips were impossibly soft, intoxicatingly perfect, moving with his in seamless harmony.

The world fell silent as their kiss deepened, leaving nothing but the quiet beating of their hearts and the rustling of the wind through the leaves.

Eren pulled away, just enough to see her face. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, threatening to spill over at any moment. Her lips trembled slightly as she breathed his name in a shaky whisper.

"Ereh..."

Their foreheads met, and she cradled his face in her hands, her touch so tender it felt like it might shatter him. Her thumbs brushed lightly over his cheeks as her voice cracked under the weight of her emotions.

"Was asking to be with you too much?"

For a moment, he just looked at her, his emerald eyes filled with a quiet pain that mirrored her own. Then, he smiled—a small, almost apologetic smile that held all the words he couldn't bring himself to say. His hand found its way to hers, covering it gently as he leaned into her touch.

"No," he murmured softly, his voice steady but laced with something deeper, something fragile. "It was never too much."

His smile lingered, but his eyes carried the weight of every promise he had ever wanted to keep, every dream they had shared.

"It's just that you fell in love with an idiot," he murmured, his voice carrying a soft, teasing edge, "and somehow made him fall for you."

Her nose twitched as a faint laugh escaped her amidst her tears. Gently, he brushed the stray droplets from her cheeks with his sleeve before leaning in to playfully nip the tip of her red, cold nose. "What are you trying to do? Kill me all over again with that beautiful face of yours?"

Mikasa shook her head, her tears beginning to subside as a shy, tender smile replaced her sorrow. Her hands cupped his face, her touch warm and steady despite her trembling fingers. She leaned in, her lips meeting his in a delicate, heartfelt kiss—a gesture that carried every emotion she couldn't put into words.

The kiss lingered, soft yet unyielding, as if she was trying to assure him of something only she could truly feel.

Mikasa pulled back slightly, her hands still cradling his face. Her teary eyes softened, the faintest smile tugging at her lips.

"You're not just an idiot, Eren," she murmured. "You're my idiot. Come here you."

She pulled him till his head rested on her chest. And she threaded her hand through his soft, silky hair. "You always did have terrible taste," he teased, his tone light yet carrying an undercurrent of affection.

Mikasa laughed softly, her head dipping as her chin pressed against head. Her laughter was like music, a sound he wished he could keep hearing for the rest of his life. "Um-hm."

He protested pulling away. "Hey, you just gonna agree with it?"

Her eyes met his, and for a moment, everything felt still and she smiled as he pouted.

She kissed him again, softer this time, her lips lingering as if trying to memorize the feel of his. When she pulled away, her hands slid down to his chest, resting over the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

His arms tightened around her, his forehead leaning against hers as he smiled. "You're the biggest idiot I've ever met, Mikasa Yeager."

But then her eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she saw was Rin, sitting close and staring at her with a shy smile. "Eh?" she murmured, her voice still heavy with sleep. Rin's eyes widened as if he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't, and he quickly looked away, his cheeks flushing.

"Rin? What are you...?" she started, sitting up. His hands scrambled behind him, trying to hide something.

"Rinnnn," she said, narrowing her eyes playfully as she scooted closer, wrapping her arms around him from behind. "What are you hiding?"

"Ah! Mama, it's nothing!" he protested, his voice high-pitched and nervous.

But she was relentless, tickling his small tummy until he burst into laughter, his defenses crumbling under her playful assault. As he squirmed, a small book fell from his hands onto the bed—a sketchbook, its cover slightly worn, with a pencil tucked inside.

Her eyes softened as she picked it up, flipping through the pages. "Were you drawing Mama again?" she asked with a gentle smile, glancing down at him. Rin nodded, his head low, his tiny hands nervously fidgeting with each other.

Her gaze landed on one drawing he was currently drawing, and she paused. It was of her—smiling while sleeping, holding a pillow tightly against her chest. Her eyes in the sketch were teary, with her wide smile carrying a joy that felt raw and tender.

She stared at it for a long moment, a lump forming in her throat. "Rin," she whispered, her voice filled with love and quiet awe. "You really see Mama like this?"

He nodded, still looking at the floor, his cheeks red. "You're always like this for me. The most beautiful girl to me. And Papa told me to love Mama as much as I could." he mumbled, barely above a whisper.

Her heart swelled, and she leaned down, kissing the top of his head. "Um-hm what did he say," she said softly, holding him close.

Rin looked at her, his cheeks still tinged with embarrassment as he fumbled with his words recalling his dream. "A... A mother is a son's first true love," he stammered, his voice barely audible as he struggled to meet her gaze. He swallowed hard, glancing down at his small hands. "A... A son is a mother's last... true love."

Mikasa's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and tenderness washing over her face. She leaned closer, sensing there was more he wanted to say.

Rin hesitated, the words heavy in his chest. He finally blurted out, "So... so my son, love her and always cherish her, because she's so vulnerable, and so fragile, and just so cute and beautiful that she deserves all the love this world has to offer..." His voice wavered, a mix of pride and longing.

He finally looked up, his wide, innocent eyes locking with hers. "Take care of her for Dad."

The room fell silent, save for the faint rustle of the curtains swaying in the breeze. Mikasa's heart ached at the weight of those words, at the depth of love her son was trying to express. She reached out, cradling his face in her hands, her cracked voice barely above a whisper as tears pooled in her eyes.

"Oh, Rin," she said, pulling him into a warm embrace, her lips pressing against hair temple. "Thank you for loving Mama this much. Even till this very day Mama mourns over Papa. Forgive me for that."

Rin hugged her back, burying his face into her shoulder, his small arms tightening around her. "Um... It's alright, Mama can keep crying and loving Papa, I'll always be here by Mama's side to console her." he said quietly, his voice muffled but steady.