Chasing Stars {Ereri/Riren}

17. Mikasa

The house was always uncomfortably quiet during daytime. Same as night, when the howling trees's lullabies gave me nightmares, so it didn't have much of a difference, to me. I turned away from the large window I'd been staring out of almost dreamily, to my regular customer. The trees whispered songs of encouragement for my art.

Mike Zacharius wrinkled his nose at the work. He turned to me. "This is great, Mr. Yëager. I'll purchase it at your price, but I expect more out of you. The next time you decide to have a year-long vacation from work, look forward to losing a valued customer." Mike hefted the canvas into a bag before handing me a check I pocketed.

I was surprised at his words. Usually he would grunt, pay, and leave, maybe sniff, but cutting right to the chase. Not often would Mike give critique tips, so I felt somewhat grateful. Still, frustration filled me, and I clenched my fists. Year-long vacation from work, Mike had blurted coolly. Work.

When was the last time I referred to my technical job as "work"? It wasn't forced, and I enjoyed the pride of finishing, when I wasn't having a mindblock. When you enjoy doing your job, it's never a job, is what my father used to say when I asked if he hated working his job so much.

Respect finally trickled into my thoughts. The last time I'd sold art at all, I was still living in Indiana. Over a year ago. Good thing Mike happened to conveniently live in between Missouri and Indiana, in Illinois, I pondered placidly. He was patient enough to transition as I transitioned, so I should have more gratitude for his piece of mind. And so I did.

I glanced out the window again and jumped. A figure stiffly watched me from outside, waving slowly. A red scarf rustled lazily in the faint wind.

The person pointed in the direction of the front door. I opened it hurriedly and beckoned my sister inside. "Mikasa," I cried, hugging her for a second before realizing what I was doing and stepped back. I rubbed my neck awkwardly. "Uh, what are you doing here? Your case, in Indianapolis-"

"The IPD let me off. I have today gone. Came to see you." Mikasa excelled in college, majoring in law enforcement, and quickly got accepted into the Indiana Police Department. Almost the exact thing would have happened to Levi eventually- because he'd graduated from college with a law enforcement degree also- had he still been alive...

"I was just heading down to a local bar, The Titanic," I mumbled. "I'm meeting up with friends. Care to join?"

"Obviously. I didn't drive seven hours to not see my brother." She rolled her eyes and grinned. I didn't return the gesture.

"I'm telling them about Levi." Her smiled disappeared almost instantly. She narrowed her eyes.

"Eren," Mikasa whispered, "why?"

I adverted my eyes. "I wonder the same thing..."

~~~

My hand held the door open for Mikasa. She nodded once, and then we strolled inside. Today, Petra seated herself at the bar once again. Hanji scrubbed a rag furiously inside a glass cup, pouting childishly. "Couldn't get off today, hun," she grumbled at me as I took a seat beside the amber woman. When Mikasa sat on my other side, Hanji raised an eyebrow. "Oi, whatta looker!" she exclaimed.

I flushed. "Hanji, Petra, this is my sister, Mikasa Ackerman."

Petra gleamed. "You're so pretty, Mikasa." Mikasa looked away.

I winked at Petra. "Where were we?"

Hanji jerked forward until her manic eyes were inches away from mine. She dropped the glass with a clatter, a crazy gleam lighting glares over her goggles. "You and Levi just made out, yes!"

Mikasa slammed her palms on the bar like I'd personally offended her. "You told them that?!"

I jumped away from Hanji's heavy breathing, turning redder. "N-no, I didn't. I just-"

Petra burst out laughing. "Just continue the story, Yëager."