All For You

Chapter 1

All For You

...

It was rare for the Scout Regiment to have a break, especially these days. Between running recon missions outside Wall Rose, constantly changing headquarter locations, and so much more, it often felt like there was hardly time to breathe. Today was no exception.

From dawn till dusk, they spent the day packing, hauling, and unloading over and over and over again. The Survey Corps' numbers were dangerously low and so every hand was needed for the task. Everyone, including higher command, had to assist in transporting the brand-new supplies to their temporary HQ. In just a couple of days, they'd pack everything up again and go to their permanent location, or so everyone said.

Mikasa didn't pay much attention to that part.

Everyone grumbled about it in the small moments their superiors weren't listening. After all, even though they were elite titan-killers now, the recruits always had the brunt of the work. She didn't mind, though. It was better than going outside the wall. Everyone would stay safe another day. Eren would stay safe another day...

Even rarer than the time off itself was that Eren was here and Levi was not. They had an invisible chain wrapped around his neck and it was nigh unheard of for him to be out of one of the senior soldier's sight. Mikasa guessed today would be one of the very few exceptions.

It was someone's birthday, one of her friends among the new recruits. She couldn't remember who at the moment.

After begging and convincing, their captain agreed to give them the evening off as long as they completed their tasks of transporting their assigned goods. It was not something Mikasa ever suspected Levi would agree to, but he seemed to be in a better mood than usual today. So, they planned a party. Personally, she didn't care for parties, but Eren wanted to go, so she went too.

Sasha managed to get her hands on some sweet bread during the day for the occasion. Everyone was excited and, in between tasks, they chattered about the games they would play the moment their time freed up. Spirits were high, and so everyone put in the extra effort to get everything done as fast as they could.

It seemed their enthusiasm may have been a bit too much. They were supposed to be celebrating right now, but the room was silent. Everyone worked so hard and so fast that they exhausted themselves in the process. By the time they got into this room, everyone slumped over in the couches to 'catch their breath before the fun'. That must have been an hour ago.

She didn't need her eyes open to know that everyone had fallen asleep. Most surprisingly, even she did.

Mikasa was ready to call it quits and go to her bed she set up earlier, but there was something about this room that made her want to stay. She was so comfortable right now. So warm.

In her half-asleep daze, she sighed contently. Her memory failed to come up with a time since joining the scouts that she slept so peacefully. She felt so calm and relaxed that she toyed with the idea of staying right here until she woke up in the morning. What was it that was making her feel so at ease? This place? This couch? Her hazy mind couldn't decide which.

Then, she heard something; possibly what woke her up in the first place.

It was the unmistakable sound of a heartbeat. Slow and steady, yet strong.

Her eyes fluttered open, half-lidded. She didn't quite catch on to where she was for a moment. Her torso rose and fell lightly as the sound of breathing mixed with the heartbeats. So warm. So warm that it almost lulled her back to sleep. Without a doubt, if she fell back asleep right now, it may go down as one of the best nights of sleep she ever had. The only thing that kept her from letting go and drifting back into her dreams was a scent she could recognize anywhere in this world.