AN: This is something a bit different, considering it's not AruAni! (Yet?)

I don't know whether or not I am going to continue this one; the idea is tempting, though...I'll think about it!

"Eren!" Mikasa called out as she ran to the training grounds; she was running a little late, because she had stopped to talk to Sasha about something that had recently happened to her.

Turning around, Eren looked at Mikasa expectantly. "What's up?" he asked, casually stretching out his tired limbs in preparation for the long day of training that lay ahead of him.

"Train with me today. I want to see how much stronger you've gotten." she said as more of a command than a request. In all honesty, the reason why she wanted to train with him today was because she missed him; he had been spending a lot of his time with Annie lately, and Mikasa couldn't help but to feel like she was being replaced. She couldn't stand to lose her family again; not like this. She only hoped that she wasn't too late to get to him.

Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, Eren shook his head and gave his friend an apologetic look. "Sorry Mikasa," he started, looking over to where an impatient looking Annie stood. "I promised Annie that I'd train with her today. You know how she is if you break a promise…" he smiled a little at her and attempted to walk away.

"Eren." Mikasa said once again, firm resolve in her voice. She wasn't going to let him get away that easily.

Sighing, Eren relaxed his posture and turned to face Mikasa once more. "Mikasa, I really should be going. I promise that we can train together some other time."

The feeling that arose within Mikasa at Eren's words was foreign to her, yet it felt so familiar that she could cry. "Liar." she stated, an angry frown forming on her face. "You say that all the time, Eren…you have yet to keep your promise."

"Mikasa, please…"

"Are you avoiding me?"

"Why would I be avoiding you?"

"Because of her."

"Why would I be avoiding you because of Annie? That makes no sense!"

'Can't you see she's trying to tear us apart?' Mikasa wanted to say - no scream - as the words circulated in her mind.

"I-I just don't trust her, okay?" she said, deciding to word her thoughts differently, hoping that Eren would get what she was saying.

The look of anger on Eren's face, though, told her that he completely misinterpreted what she had been trying to say.

"No. It's not okay." he said, his breathing becoming more eratic; Mikasa could tell he was close to blowing up on her.

"Eren, please calm down." she said, placing a hand on his shoulder, hoping that - like so many times before - her touch would bring him to his senses.

What happened next, though, was something that no one would have expected in a million years.

With an angry cry of sorts, Eren pushed Mikasa back with a force he only used on those he didn't like. "Didn't I tell you I have to go?" he yelled, eyes brimming over with anger as Mikasa fell to the ground with a surprised gasp.

"You say you don't trust her, but what you're really saying is that you don't trust me, Mikasa! Your best fucking friend!"

Looking up at Eren, fear in her eyes, Mikasa tried to control her emotions as she tried to reason with him. "Eren I-"

"No! Just shut up and go away! I don't want to talk to you right now…just-

Just go."

With that being said, Eren gave Mikasa one last look; a look mixed with sadness, anger, apology and something else that Mikasa couldn't quite put her finger on - mostly because her eyes were brimming over with tears - as he walked away from her.

The world seemed to freeze over as she stood up from her spot on the ground and brushed herself off.

Giving her a sympathetic look, Sasha walked over to her friend, hoping to offer her some support. "Mikasa are you o-"

"I'm fine!" Mikasa hissed through gritted teeth, grabbing her friend's arm and pulling her over to another part of the training grounds.

"Let's just train." she said, readying herself.

"O-okay…if you say so." Sasha replied, getting into her fighting stance, deciding to not further question the girl about what had happened. She was sure that Mikasa was already under enough pressure, what with all the hushed whispering going on around her.

Training that day went by slowly, and Mikasa found herself half-assing something she felt so passionately for. A sinking feeling in her stomach and chest, she prepared to leave the grounds for the day and catch some shut eye. She didn't intend on eating with the others tonight; not with all the talk about what had happened earlier on in the day still circulating.

Just as she was about to say goodbye to Sasha, she heard a familiar voice calling out to Annie from behind her.

"Annie!" Armin called out excitedly, running towards the girl with a smile.

Turning around to face him, Annie gave him an uninterested look. "What is it, Arlert?"

"I-I just wanted to say that you did amazing today!" he complimented her, the smile on his face ever growing.

Tilting her head to the side, Annie frowned a little and shrugged. "I only wish I could say the same to you." she deadpanned as she turned around, not paying any mind to the way Armin's face drooped at her words.

As soon as that encounter was over with, a light clicked within Mikasa's head.

So, Armin liked Annie?

She could use this information to her advantage.

Knowing what she had to do from this day forward if she wanted to keep Eren close to her, Mikasa put her usual neutral expression back on her face, and made her way back to the barracks. She had a lot of planning to do if she wanted to succeed in making the lion fall for the lamb.

Thank you for reading!

Please leave comments telling me what I can do better for next time :)