The Hunter

Chapter 13

"Well done flowers!" Eren grinned as Mikasa and Armin joined him, leaning up against one of the stone walls of the drinking hall, with mugs of watery ale in their hands and huge grins on their faces (well on Armin's face really but Eren could tell Mikasa was grinning on the inside).

"Thanks," said Mikasa as Armin sighed amusedly at Eren's nickname for them.

"You should have been up there too you know," Armin stated as several of the other graduates joined them; some coming to sit on the nearby benches.

"Yeah, I can't believe the suicidal idiot didn't get in the top ten after slacking off for two and a half years," snarked Jean as he slouched on the bench with a tray of stew. Marco sent him a warning look as he took a place next to him.

"They should have put you in when you started trying properly though, you're really good," Marco added with a sigh, ignoring Jean's mild glare.

"It's fine, I don't mind," smiled Eren, ignoring the horsefaced irritant as he focused on Marco.

"Can't believe you thought the Royal guard was compulsory for so long. You're such a moron," laughed Ymir.

"Ymir! Be nice!" Christa chided with such a puppyish expression that it sent Ymir into a fit of giggles and sweet adulations.

Eren stared at them both as they then smiled and started whispering to each other, scratching at his nose irritably, before turning back to Armin and Mikasa.

They both seemed to be glaring at something Jean was saying.

"-t that good really. Just threw in a few flips and acts a bit strong and everyone thinks he's the bees knees. The instructors definitely didn't think so,"

"He can do much more than a few flips!" Sasha snapped, yanking Jean's food tray away from him. "You never saw him training at night,"

"...Eren, what's this?" Mikasa asked in a quiet voice, her head slowly turning to fix Eren and Sasha a long look.

"Oops," murmured Sasha, throwing Eren a guilty smile.

Eren glared at her resignedly before sighing and coming clean.

"Sasha was teaching me how to use bow and arrow and I helped her with few moves and hunting,"

"How longs this been going on?"

Eren and Sasha looked at each other as Mikasa's voice sucked in the very warmth from the air.

"Not long," they spoke in unison.

"Hmm..."

"So you both know how to use a bow and arrow now?" Armin asked interestedly.

"Sasha's still better than me," smiled Eren, gratefully latching onto the small change of topic.

"Only 'cause I've been using it since I was five. You've got good at it like crazy fast, especially as you've only been practicing on and off for two-" Sasha cut herself off, looking at Mikasa with wide eyes "-months! Two months!"

"...Hmm..."

Eren decided at this point to try and shut Sasha up, passing her his food so she'd be distracted by inhaling the brown slop instead of talking.

"So what are you going to do now Eren?" asked Thomas curiously.

"He's going to the scouts, 'Suicidal idiot' remember?" Snarked Jean.

Eren scowled at the horseman but nodded to Thomas anyway; as did Armin and Mikasa much to everyone's surprise.

"You two are really going to turn your backs on the MP for the scouts?" Asked Thomas, turning to look at Mikasa and Armin incredulously.