Chapter Text
Mikasa fiddles with her tie and adjusts her blazer again. She was nervous- which was inherently fine for the situation, public speaking wasn’t the number of fear in the world for no reason, it was just...aggravating that this was her job. She was going to be inaugurated as school captain in a matter of minutes. She exceeded the academic expectations ten fold… but she could never get over this one fear.
“Tch brat, stop fussing around with your uniform- you look fine.”
Mikasa rolls her eyes at the midget slouched against the wall backstage.
“Don’t lecture me.” She huffs “The only reason why your here is so you can pine after Miss Hange.”
“I am not pinning after Four eyes.”
“Funny that it almost seems like for the last seventeen years you’ve been using me as an excuse to see her.”
“I was merely educating my favourite cousin.” He plasters a fake smile on his face “and look how that’s paid off for you! Now little baby Mikasa is all grown up and school captain at her esteemed high school.”
“How very charitable of you.”
She glances back over at Hange who is animatedly talking to a tall blonde man, she watches in delight as Levi’s face twists into one of disgust as he fidgets with his hands in his pockets.
“Please just ask her out already.” She sighs
Levi turns pink “I am not dating that messy untidy grotesque freak.”
“That's a lot of synonyms for messy for someone who looks pretty sharp.”
Hange was wearing a colourful sundress, ears looped with geometric shapes and hair embroided with daisies.
They were gifts from Levi, and though she did wish to punch him in the face, and Shed never wish to plague anyone with the midget- Mikasa did believe they were cute together.
Idiots, but cute.
She smiles at the thought- in his futile attempt to court her Levi would take her to Hange book shop every week, he’d spoil her with gifts- that were presented by herself. Hange would always hug and thank her, and Levi would smile from his cup of tea- that was until Mikasa had spoiled that her secret admirer was in fact her older cousin the tea addict, and not an endearing young girl. Embarrassed that she knew of his affections, Levi began to spend less time at the bookshop. Mikasa, however, retained a friendship with her avidly reading and studying there every afternoon she could spare.
Levi was still, whether he was aware of it or not, hopelessly in love with her, and despite his measly attempts at wooing her before, she seemed to have a pique of interest in him- determined to bring him into conversation every time they talked.
They were truly utterly, embarrassingly, made for each other and it was days like these, where her near thirty year old cousin wistfully started from the stage curtains that she wished she could smack their heads together like a couple of barbie dolls and make them kiss.
Just as she’s considering the repercussions of her pushing him off of stage a man with a headset taps them on the shoulder with a pen.
“We’ll be starting in a few minutes- do you know where the other boy is?”
She shakes her head. “No sir, I believe Eren makes it his personal mission to be late to every single possible thing.”
The man sighs, shaking his head and clicks his pen on a clipboard. “Let’s hope by some miracle he makes it.”
And as if they’ve manifested him by mere conversation he appears breathless and slightly sweaty, tie mangled around his unbuttoned collar and jacket sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He was supposed to be representing the school- and yet she’d never seen him show up on time once or give two hoots about his appearance.
“Eren jaeger at your service .” He gives a shaky bow and she rolls her eyes.
“Finally Mr Jaeger!” The man rakes back sweaty hair “please fix your appearance we are on in two minutes?”
Eren laughs and tightens his tie and extends a hand towards her.
“So you must be the Mikasa Ackerman, I’ve heard all about you from my friends.”
“Your reputation precedes you too, I am not one to judge by appearances but do you really think you're equipped for leading this school?”
“Ouch, they weren’t wrong when they said you were blunt.” He pushes down his collar and sleeves. “I learnt from a very young age to not question authority.”
A lady smacks him with a purse from behind.
“I’d love to hear you say that when you complain about the dishes.” The lady’s scowl turns into a smile. “Carla Jaeger, I've heard nothing but wonderful things about your achievements dear- I’m sorry you have the misfortune of working with my son.”
“It’s no trouble at all ma’am, I’ve dealt with plenty of delinquent teenage boys,” she glares at Levi
“Oi watch your mouth brat.”
The man with the clipboard lifts his head. “Ah, on stage, on stage!” He pushes Eren and Mikasa into the limelight and they are greeted by the deadpan expressions of the student body and the million dollar smile of the principal.
“Ladies and gentlemen please welcome your captains for this year.”
There is a round of applause from around the room and she can feel the anxiety stir inside of her.
“Now perhaps a word from our academic prodigy-“ the man pushes the microphone towards her- spiking her heart rate.
Eren snatches the microphone much to her relief.
“My name is Eren Jaeger and this is Mikasa Ackerman, as your co-captains for this year we look forward to representing you and your interests to the best of our abilities.” He flashes an epic grin and nudges her to smile too.
***
“Thanks.” They are sitting in a boardroom, eren spinning around in his chair as she types away at her laptop.
“For what?” He scrunches up a piece of paper and throws it into the bin “KOBE!”
Mikasa rolls her eyes, how is she gonna deal with this idiot for the rest of the year?
“For talking instead of me.”
“Oh that? No problem?” He spins towards her leaning across to watch her work placing his feet on the table. “I think you just need to take it easy- relax a little- that’s all.”
She pushes his feet off the table and shuts the laptop.
“Relax? We’re in our final year of high school, we have futures to think about, you need to start being more focused on school work and not on yourself.”
“Relax.” He relents
“Focus.”
“Relax.”
“Focus.”
“Re- you know what? how about we make a pact, I'll participate in some more ‘focused activities’ of yours and you loosen up and have a little fun with me.”
“Oh yeah?” She snorts. “And what does this fun entail?”
“You come and play volleyball with me?”
“Just you?”
“No, for a tournament.”
“What makes you think I’m so great at volleyball?”
“I’ve seen your reflexes, we could use someone like you for a Liberio- and even if you weren’t it’s about having fun not winning.”
“You’re telling me that it’s ‘fun’ losing?”
“No- it’s just as much fun as studying.”
The door slams open to reveal a slightly flustered armin clutching three small binders like his life depended on it.
“Oh looks like somebody ran into Annie Leonhardt.” He whispers and she elbows him in the stomach
“Sorry guys for being late!” He sets the folders down on the table. “I got caught up doing...stuff.”
“If by ‘doing stuff’ he means kissing Annie.” Eren snickers
“What did you say eren?” Armin asks innocently
“Nothing.” He smiles waving his hand and Mikasa rolls her eyes
“It’s no problem that you were late, armin, we were just talking about responsibilities as captains.”
“A truce actually.” Eren adds
“Truce?”
“Yeah and since you're here you can be our witness.” He rubs his hands together mischievously “By this handshake this seals the deal that I, Eren Jaeger will try to be more focused and you, Mikasa Ackerman will try to have fun- which the other will instruct each other to do.”
He spits and holds out his hand.
Mikasa raises an eyebrow at him “That’s severely unhygienic of you.”
“Eh- it’s not like I don’t wash my hands.” He gestures for her hand and she spits into it and shakes it. Sealing the covenant between the two.
“Dettol?” Armin says passing Mikasa and sanitiser “I know how gross Erens spit can be.”
“That’s bold words for someone exchanging tongue a few moments ago.” Eren whispers and Mikasa stomps his foot. He lets out a boyish squeal.
“You are my new favourite- Armin was it?”
He nods politely as she hands it back.
“Armin arlert, student council treasurer and unfortunately Erens best friend .” He tucks the sanitiser into his jacket and opens up a binder “Now where should we begin?”