Diving Deep (requests closed)

Mikasa x Male!Reader - Don't Give Up

I watched as she raced ahead of me, a faint smile on her face as she glanced back for a moment, checking to see how close I was behind her as we ran through the forest surrounding us. I could feel my own smile grow as I increased my pace to begin trying to reduce the previously growing distance between the two of us.

This time I knew I could catch up to her. I'd been planning and training for weeks just for today, secreting away to the woods while the others went to hang out with each other or went to bed early. I had to win the race this time. I'd promised myself, it would happen today or I would give up on the feelings I had for her.

After all, Mikasa deserved someone who could at least keep up with her in life. Someone who wouldn't hold her back.

----

She could hear him behind her, slowly catching up as (y/n) pushed himself harder, running faster as his breathing grew heavier with each passing mile. Finally, she saw the distant sight of the familiar clearing opening up ahead of her, marking the end of the race they'd been running with each other every weekend, for months now.

Putting on a final burst of speed, Mikasa could feel her lungs burning from the long run, having had to work harder than ever to keep ahead of him. Just before she burst past the last of the trees, she felt the tips of his fingers brush against her back, the shock running through her.

He'd never gotten so close to her before, never managed to touch her before the race was through, not once. He must have been training hard for the entire week, not for multiple weeks, to get this close to beating her.

Turning around after finally coming to a stop in the middle of the small, hidden field of flowers, she turned around and looked with wide eyes at the young man who was panting, hands on knees near the edge of the treeline.

----

Damn it! Trying to catch my breath, all I could do was stand there with my hands on my knees as I closed my eyes. I could feel my heart begin to ache at the thought of giving up on the person I had quietly loved for so long, watching as she grew more beautiful in my eyes with every passing day.

I realized that Mikasa could have won the race so much sooner if she hadn't been holding back, running a bit slower so that she wouldn't get too far ahead of me. I'd been holding her back, I always held her back, because I couldn't stand to let her go.

My thoughts came to a halt when I felt something soft on my cheek. The longer I stood there with my eyes closed, the more I felt my heart begin to race for a different reason than the race. And the more I began to think, maybe I didn't have to give her up after all.

----

Mikasa stood there, her lips pressing gently against (y/n)'s cheek as she began running her fingers through his hair, not caring that it was damp with sweat from the long run. Finally pulling back a little, she tilted her head, resting her forehead against his as she closed her dark eyes.

Smiling softly, she thought about what she'd heard him mumbling to himself in the stalls a few weeks back. Slowly, she opened her eyes and met (y/n)'s wide eyed gaze.

"That was the closest you've come to beating me, (y/n). I'm sure you'll do it next time, so don't give up yet. After all, I'm still waiting for your confession when you win."

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It took three more weeks, but I never thought of giving up again. After all, how could I when I saw those dark eyes looking so happy each time I got closer to winning the race?

The soft, encouraging kisses didn't hurt either.

At first this was just an Eren x Mikasa oneshot that was requested by Allen-senpai for my shipping book (which I am taking requests for ALL kinds of ships in) 'The Ship Sails Itself', but I thought it was worth sharing in this book too. So I altered a few things and changed up a couple lines to make it into an x Male!Reader oneshot. I'm not sure how many readers I have that will enjoy this, but even if just one person likes it, then it was worth posting here! So thanks for reading!!