Always and Forever.

Chapter Sixteen: We're Going On a Trip!

"He's late." Jean grumbles, his toes tapping and arms crossed as he leans against the outside of the silvery minibus. He, and the rest of the gang who are inside the minibus already, are waiting outside the Yeager residence. "Connie, hit the horn."

"Okayyyyy." Connie lifts his arm high like a wind-up attack in a fighting game, but just as he is about to release the devastating blow, Christa catches his arm.

"It's 6:30! We can't."

"Would be funny though," Ymir adds. The gang have been waiting outside Eren's place for some time now. The original idea was to picl him and Mikasa up first and then do the rounds to everyone else. Instead, they've done a full loop and still find themselves waiting.
"If he takes any longer—" rapid pitter patter of footsteps interrupt Jean."Sorry I'm late, guys. I, uh, got caught up in something," Eren says announcing himself. He takes off the red scarf around his neck and heads into his garage, fumbling his keys slightly under the watchful stare of Jean. He emerges shortly later with a small suitcase and a large camping rucksack. "So? Ready to go?"
"Are you?" Jean cocks his brow.
"Where've ya been?" Ymir pops her head out of the window. "Practising fishing?" She laughs.
"I couldn't sleep so I went for a run," Eren laughs back.
"That excited, huh."
"Sure," Eren scratches the back of his neck. "Anyway," Eren shifts his attention back to Jean. "You driving or do you want me to take the wheel?"
"Given you've just said you haven't slept and what happened the last time you were behind the wheel, I think I'll drive," Jean replies. He sits down in the drivers seat and Eren steps onto the minibus to the sound of sarcastic cheers from his friends. He takes it on the chin and sits down in the free seat next to Mikasa and behind Armin and Annie.
"Glad you could join us, Mr Yeager," Armin says turning to face him.
"Yeah, we were getting worried you wouldn't come."
"Mikasa was worried." Annie corrects, her attention still focused on her book leaving her unaware of Mikasa's blank stare.
"Anyway, you look really tired," Armin says. "You sleeping well?"
"You know, there are more hurtful ways to say I'm ugly." Eren chuckles.
"He has a point. Are you feeling okay? You've been yawning a lot in class and we haven't seen you around much." Mikasa presses the back of her hand against Eren's forehead and it does feel it's somewhat higher than it should be.
Eren leans his head away from her hand. "Mikasa, I was just messing around." A soft fabric falls on Eren's head covering his face entirely and draping down to near his knees. He pulls it off his head and looks around to see Christa walking back to her seat.
"We heard you talking and figured you could use some shut eye," Christa says.
"Especially, 'cause ain't no one sleeping when we get there. Bags in cabin and then straight back out," Ymir adds.
Eren stretches the blanket across his lap and Mikasa's. His feet remain uncovered but the shorter Mikasa doesn't have that issue. "Whoa, they gave it to you so you should use all of it," Mikasa says.
"Nah, I'm sure they don't mind and besides I'm not even that tired." Eren wiggles to get into a much more comfortable position.
                     Cut forward and everyone is asleep including Mr 'I'm not even tired'. The only people still awake are the obvious ones. Jean the driver and his two co-pilots. "I spy with my little eye something beginning with L," Sasha says. Boredom dressed all over her face with a sprinkle of sleepiness.
"Light...again." Connie replies also bored.
"Actually, it's loser. 'Cause that is what you are." Sasha punches Connie's arm and he gives her a dig back. And this carries on, the intensity of the punches escalating like a game of dead arm. Actually, I guess you could say that was exactly what is happening.
"Hey, HEY! Cut that out. I'm driving here."
"We're boreeeed," his co-pilots say in unison.
"Well play something less nudgy, or read each other a story. Heck, go to sleep if you want.""Kinda hungry too," they say.
"Aren't you always," Jean grips the wheel tighter but relaxes it with a sigh. "There's a service station coming up soon. We can get you and everyone else some food." Jean adjusts his rear view mirror. Not to look at the road but at the sleeping Mikasa resting her head on the sleeping Eren's shoulder. His head gently propped on hers. Sasha and Connie's faces both light up at the thought of food. They can already smell it in all its delicious detail and so they start listing all the things the cant wait to get their hands on.
"We can get some sandwiches, maybe even some burgers if they have any and for drinks we can get—"
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Eren launches forward screaming throwing Mikasa's head off his shoulder and waking up everyone else around him. His forehead flooded with sweat as his eyes dart around in a panic.
"Hey, are you okay?" Mikasa asks. Eren's eyes fall on her and his breathing slows down. He catches his breath, familiarises himself with his surroundings once again and slowly takes it all in. "You had us all scared there for a second." Eren looks around the room and notices everyone bar Jean, who's eyes are on the road, looking at him.
"We're coming up to a service station soon so we're gonna stop there so we can stretch our legs and get some food," Jean announces taking the attention off Eren.
                    They don't spend long at the service station. Just enough for everyone to get a short walk, Connie and Sasha to get everyone some food and for Jean to get himself a coffee. Once all that is done, they hit the road once again. It seems sleep was the main item on the menu and one that everyone indulges in except for Jean and Eren this time. Jean drives while Eren stares blankly out of the window. "Aren't you tired, Yeager?"
"No, you?"
"Nah. I made sure to get plenty of sleep before and this coffee should see me through," Jean replies. An awkward silence fills the air between them. It brews for a couple of minutes before Jean gives in. "Did you...did you have a nightmare before?"
"I guess you could call it that."
                    The rest of the trip is filled by silence. Just the ambient noise of the road. The sun has fully risen now, brightening the lush green scenery the gang now find themselves in. They flood in and out of the wooden cabin that will be there home while on this trip putting away their bags and some have changed into more freeing clothes. Shorts and tank tops, that sort of thing. Eren and Ymir make sure to also have all the fishing gear they bought. Hats included. "And that's the last one," Jean says. He closes all the doors on the minibus and locks it up. They won't be needing that again for a while.
"Holiday time!" Sasha yells running down the forest path. The rest follow her walking past trees, bushes and singing birds until they reach a large opening with a lake that runs through it. The perfect place for them to set up and have some fun. They lay down some blankets, get the food basket set, take off their shoes and give in to the nature around them. Eren and Ymir head straight to the river.
"Did you figure out how to do this then?" Ymir asks.
"Lets see."
Fishing is a patient game. Or rather it requires patience. And probably also helps if you don't have people around you running interference. Connie sneaks up behind Eren, slowly, and trying his best not to give his position away by laughing. Problem is, he does just that. Eren hears a chuckle from behind him, and as he turns, Connie lunges for his shorts and tries to pull them down. Eren kicks away his grip, pulls his pants that only dropped just below his waist back up, and chases Connie. He is a lot faster than the prankster and once he gets his hands on him, he lifts him up and takes him towards the river. "Any last words?"
"Uhhhhhh—" Eren tosses him into the river causing a big splash that catches Ymir as collateral damage. Eren laughs, Ymir laughs and eventually Connie too. And soon they all join in.
"Yo Yeager, how's your touch?" Jean asks before smashing a soccer ball towards him. Eren, using the inside of his foot cushions the ball into the air before trapping it onto the top of his foot.
"Not bad am I right?" He replies smugly before returning the ball to Jean. They form a circle, Jean, Eren, Reiner, Berthold and the soggy Connie, and play a game of one bounce. The rest watch on or go about their own thing as the day goes on, just them in the forest. Alone.