Sunrise ~ An Eremika Story

Chapter 6

Eren and Mikasa both helped prepare baked potatoes that night, but they forgot how many people they had to cook for. 

"A hundred and forty." 

"A hundred and forty!" Eren repeated in a shocked tone.

The main chef nodded, and then disappeared back to her tasks. The lady was already annoyed with them, so she wasn't going to be any help. 

"How was training with Annie?" Mikasa asked. "Uh, good I guess?" Eren responded. 

He was weirded out by a causal question coming from her, he wondered if the question was supposed to come across passive aggressive. 

"Good." 

"Good?" Eren repeated, was she seriously making small talk with me? 

"I think so...? Was it not?" "No it was good." Eren answered. 

Now they were both wildly confused, so they just continued their task. 

"How about I'm in charge of seasoning and butter, while the only thing you have to do is bake the potatoes?" Mikasa suggested, taking out a few raw potatoes from a woven sack. 

"Uh... sure." Eren mumbled, picking one up. 

"Mikasa?" 

"Hm?" 

"How do you bake a potato?" Eren asked, looking down at the potato clueless.

 Mikasa stared at him in shock for a moment, but then bursted into a fit of giggles. 

"It's not that funny..." he mumbled. "I know I'm sorry I'm sorry... Have you never cooked before?" she asked. 

He shook his head, but couldn't help but slightly smile at her laughter. 

"And I'm supposed to cook with you for a month?" she asked mockingly. He raised an eyebrow that signaled her to drop it. 

"Okay well... You just put the potato in the oven, and well... bake it." she explained. She demonstrated how to do it, and he picked up quickly.

 "Got it?" 

"Yeah." he said, taking the steaming potatoes out of the oven.

When they were finished, they joined the other cadets to eat the meal they just prepared. Mikasa sat next to Sasha, and Eren sat across from her with Armin. A few more people came to join them at their table, and Connie brought over the plate of baked potatoes. 

"I made these." Eren boasted to Armin, as he pointed to the steaming hot potatoes. He raised his finger up to Mikasa, "So did Mikasa." he added. 

Armin raised an eyebrow, "So you too made up?" he inquired. Mikasa looked down to hide the blush forming on her face. The way Armin said the words 'made up' made it sound like they were together, and the other members of the table caught onto that as well. 

"I mean I guess." Eren mumbled. Mikasa looked up and nodded, "Yeah." 

Armin gave Eren a look, "And did you say sorry Eren?" Eren shrugged, but could tell that Armin got Mikasa's hopes up. 

"Sorry Mikasa, I shouldn't of thrown food at you." Eren muttered. Mikasa nodded, "Yeah, I'm sorry too." 

"But get ready, I'm gonna beat you in sparring soon." Eren stated with a smirk. 

"If you say so." she joked. 

"You're flirting's interrupting my dinner!" Sasha whined. Mikasa elbowed her, "Remember who's making you that dinner!" she exclaimed as the other laughed. 

"Hey guys... Mikasa." Jean greeted them as he walked up to the table. He gave Mikasa a small side smile, and then turned his attention back to the group. 

"Hey- Oh! I have your shirt." Mikasa said, handing Jean "his" neatly folded shirt. 

"Oh, thank you!" Jean beamed, taking it from her carefully. 

Eren cleared his throat, "Nice shirt you got there, Jean." he grumbled. Jean shot him a nasty look, but brought his attention back to Mikasa. 

"You want to come with me while I put it away? Get some air?" he asked, slowly gaining more confidence in himself the more he talked to her. She thought it would be rude to decline, so she nodded. 

While she followed him out of the cafeteria, she caught a quick glimpse of Eren's agitated expression. 'What's his problem?' she wondered. 

Jean didn't exactly prepare what he was going to say to Mikasa on their stroll, so the first few seconds were silent. 

"So... hey? What branch are you planning on joining?" Jean asked, repeating the first thing that came to mind. 

"The military police." 

Jean's eyes widened, "Really? So am I!" 

Mikasa simply smiled and nodded, unsure on what else to add to that. 

"Maybe we'll work together, then I'd be able to see you everyday." Jean told her. She hummed in agreement, "That would be nice." she added. 

"Really?" he asked in disbelief. She tilted her head slightly, "Yeah, wouldn't it be?" 

Jean instantly nodded, "Yeah! Yeah it would be nice seeing you everyday, I'm just surprised you feel the same." he stammered. 

Mikasa chuckled nervously, Did she say something to throw him off? When did she say that exactly? Wait... What? 

"Think Mikasa, in just a few years we'll be sipping on fine wine and living worry-free." Jean said, day dreaming of his new life. 

Mikasa began second guessing herself, why doesn't that appeal to me? It's a life that any normal person would wish for, but why doesn't it sound right to me? 

Jean noticed her lost her train of thought, and frowned. 

"Doesn't that sound nice?" 

"Oh uh. Right! It does sound nice." Mikasa stammered. She didn't believe a single word of it, so she could only hope Jean did. 

Jean bought the act and smiled, "I'm relieved you think that. Wouldn't want a beauty like you risking her life would I?" he joked. She didn't find it funny, but chuckled along anyway. 

Why doesn't this feel right? 

They found themselves standing in front of the boys cabin, and the drowned out chatter from the cafeteria had faded away. 

"Mikasa?" 

"Hm?" she hummed. 

"I'd like to talk to you more, if that's alright. Especially since we'll be living similar lives soon enough." Jean explained. 

She grinned softly and nodded, "I'd like that."