The walk through Shiganshina was quiet.
Neither Mikasa nor Eren knew what to say. There was nothing left to say. After last night he had only greeted her the next morning at breakfast and left as soon as he could.
Now that they were walking next to each other, avoiding the nosy eyes from strangers and barely familiar faces they only occasionally looked at each other, as if to confirm that they were okay.
On every corner there were people talking about the upcoming war.
Mothers who thought about how to feed their children, men crying over the sons they would lose to the army.
Mikasa's face hardened the longer they walked through the city, listening to the chatter that never seemed to cease no matter the topic or the time.
The sun burned down on them and soon enough Eren felt sweat running down his neck, wetting his hair.
They passed fewer houses by the second until they were met with the first trees of the forest in front of them. The forest itself served as a source for meat and water. Chopping down the forest as a simple villager was prohibited but the only option left without gathering enough or no firewood at all was freezing to death in the frigid nights of winter.
And suddenly rules weren't that important anymore.
The deeper they went into the forest the darker it got even with the sun high in the sky. The crowns of the trees kept the light away; just enough to grant the earth life, not enough to warm the siblings.
"Dieser Wald ist unheimlich. [This forest is creepy.]", Eren murmured.
His sister sent him a sharp look.
"Stop that, Eren. You know you can't talk german here."
He rolled his eyes, tossing his hair around his shoulders.
"Was könnte hier bitte passieren, Mikasa? [What could possibly happen here, Mikasa?]"
"You could be heard.", she hissed and her eyes searched their surroundings for any spies or whatever. "The soldiers who came here can't be that far away."
"It's risky for us to be here anyway. What's the big deal?"
"Protecting your secret isn't something you have to do only for yourself, Eren.", she said with a stern tone she reserved for moments when he really fucked up. She glanced at him, an apologetic glimmer in her eyes.
She knew how much he hated not being able to openly talk in his mother-tongue.
He didn't answer the silent plea in her words and continued walking, watching out for roots and trunks crossing their way. Some bunnies jumped around to their left and to their right they discovered a brown, small dear, eating in peace and quiet.
Mikasa still looked tense and Eren sighed in defeat.
"Fine. I'm sorry. I will try not to in the future. I still don't know why you can understand it but not speak it."
"Someday I will tell you about my time before I came to you and your mother, Eren. Big promise.", she consoled him with the motherly voice she used way too often around her brother.
When they finally reached the perfect place to start their work the afternoon had begun and it got even colder. Noticing that his sister was shivering Eren took off the scarf around his neck and gave it to her.
She thanked him and tied it around her throat, hiding the alabaster skin underneath.
"We should get started. No need to stay any longer than necessary.", Eren said.
YOU ARE READING
Coming for your heart
Fanfiction|| Book 1 || Eren Yaeger had to flee from his home when he was only six years old. With his mother and his adopted sister he tries to forget anything related to the King and the secrets they left behind. Many years later war comes for Eldia and Er...
