Mikasa Ackerman sighs as she drags her feet through the snow; once upon a time the bitterly cold winter months had been a time of peaceful bliss, a time of happiness, of running and playing in the snow with her family. However, now the winter months dragged and with their fierce cold winds painfully reminded her of times far gone.

She readjusts her red scarf, given to her by Eren and pulls it over her nose breathing in the all too familiar scent and shielding part of her face from the cold wind as she treks through the deep snow that was surely causing problems for the few farms that were still able to grow crops inside Wall Rose. Famine combined with the loss of land had naturally created a food shortage and the harsh winter weather, which despite being expected had still taken agriculture workers by surprise, and damaged what little crops had survived the year. It was indeed a miserable way to end a difficult year of suffering.

Despite all this Mikasa's thoughts were occupied with worry for a certain green eyed boy who had on so many occasions given her a reason to live. Eren was so insistent on proving himself, so determined to avenge his mother, the woman who had raised him and tried to protect not only him but Mikasa as well. He was so full of untameable rage that she often found herself fretting over his wellbeing. She also missed his presence, his warm touch that kept her nightmares at bay; she missed his smile… just as she was missing him now.

And she can never bring herself to tell him how much she misses him. It was impossible for her to confess to him her feelings, to tell him that all she wants is to be by his side forever because he (and Armin) are the only people keeping her alive. She can't bring herself to tell him the truth that deep down inside she's terrified of being without him, terrified of being alone and that she can't lose him because she loves him.

Mikasa rubs her hands together to create warmth before tucking them into the pockets of her jacket. The dark night sky was oddly peaceful and she gazes up at the stars in admiration. The moon casts a ghastly glow providing her with a source of light as she walks across the little wooden bridge that overlooks a lake. She stops for a moment and leans on the railing of the bridge supporting herself on her folded arms, she leans her chin against the palm of her hand looking out at the frozen ice reminiscent of old times.

Before the fall of Wall Maria, she and Eren eagerly welcomed the snow. They would burst outside the Jaeger's little family home at the crack of dawn playing gleefully in the snow, making snow angels and snowmen, having snowball fights (although Eren would always miss and pretend like it was an accident and that he had a poor aim but Mikasa had always known that he missed on purpose so as not to hurt her and their friend Armin in any way possible), they would run around outside all day until Carla dragged them inside with promises of warm tea and blankets and if they were lucky she would add some honey into hot milk before shooing them up to bed knowing that the two of them would repeat the entire cycle early the next morning. Armin, if he was well, would join them on these days fantasising about lands of ice and seas of fire and the three of them would play pretend imagining that they were exploring the outside world.
And every year Eren and Armin's parents would take them to the winter festival and the market place buying them each a present and luxury goods such as oranges, hot chocolate and candy sweets that they could only ever afford once a year. Then they would return home and bundle up by the fireplace crafting little decorations for the house and promising to always be together.

But those times were gone and they were never coming back. Eren's mother was dead, his Father missing and Eren had never been the same since that day, and Armin too had lost his family. Winter was no longer a time of happiness; rather it was a time of loneliness and confinement. Eren would spend his winter days inside the dormitory staring out the window with an empty look in his eyes, mourning and remembering that day. And Mikasa could do nothing to help him…he simply wanted to be alone on days like this.

And so Mikasa often finds herself alone, like now, wandering around outside aimlessly, not quite knowing what she was supposed to do with herself.

Mikasa once again sighs, slipping down against the railing and seating herself in the snow. She felt incredibly lost, lost and alone as a fresh wave of snow begins to fall covering her trail of footprints.
"…Mikasa?" A boyish slightly rough from the cold voice asks into the night. "Is that…you?" Mikasa gasps in surprise.
"Eren?"
"My god Mikasa, what the hell are you doing out here?" Eren demands as he comes into sight, his hair is tousled from the snow, his cheeks and nose slightly red from the cold. He stares her over, her trembling form, admired the way the snow seemed to glitter in her hair, and took notice of the wetness in her eyes.
"I… I'm." She starts, and then she shakes her head. "I don't know…"
"Well, don't just sit there." He exclaims. "You'll freeze to death out here Mikasa! What are you thinking?" He scolds, she flinches slightly and his expression softens.
"I'm… sorry."
"Don't be sorry." He whispers lowering himself and kneeling besides her. "I'm just… It's freezing out here… how long have you been out here?"
"I'm not sure." She whispers and then she looks into his eyes. "But Eren… what are you doing out here? I thought you were inside the dormitory…"
He shrugs looking away from her flushed face.
"I… I guess I was." He sighs tiredly and to Mikasa's surprise a blush begins to paint his cheeks (perhaps he was just flushed from the cold?) "I was feeling… lonely." Eren swallows. "And I was worried about you!"
Mikasa feels the tips of her ears and cheeks turning ever so slightly red.
"You…were worried about me?"
"Of course!" Eren says fiercely. "You've been wandering around outside like a lost animal… and then… what with it being so cold…Have you been crying?" The young boy trails of… viridian eyes glued to the ground unable to look at her. Mikasa shrugs and places a hand on the ground as she tries to push herself up. Eren seeing that she was struggling to do so offers her a hand.
"Here." He says confidently, taking her hand in his own and pulling her up with him.
"Thanks." She says quietly, blushing as his thumb gently strokes a circular pattern into her palm. "Eren?"
"You didn't answer my question." He says gently, his eyes bright with emotion. She looks down at their intertwined hands and startles slightly as he gently touches her cheek wiping away tears.
"Why are you crying Mikasa?" He asks. "Please… tell me." He begs.

She shivers slightly as the cold bites into her neck running down her spine and numbing her fingers and toes. Eren slips of his jacket, shuddering at the sudden cold, and wraps it around her shoulders.
"We should probably go inside." He says. "I don't want you to catch pneumonia."
"Eren…" She whispers. "Thank you."
"For what?" He asks with a tilt of his head.
"For caring…"
"I'll always care Mikasa. I always have cared and I always will." He says firmly as he tugs her hand. "Come on, let's get you warmed up."
"Okay." She says as she takes a shaky step forward before stumbling slightly and almost falling. Eren cries out catching her in his arms and steadying her.
"Careful Mikasa!" He insists. "Damn it you're practically frozen." The young man wraps his arm around her waist pulling her against him. "Why didn't you go back inside?"
"Eren…" she trails of, simply grateful for his hold on her otherwise she would have surely fallen…or frozen to death.
And so the two of them begin walking back to the dormitories, with Eren's arm wrapped securely around her waist and her head leaning against his shoulder as she breathes in his warmth and the familiarity of his hold.
"You know… you still haven't answered my question." He states softly.
"You'll think I'm silly…" she whispers her cheeks pink and flushed.
"Of course I won't!" He exclaims, Mikasa sighs slightly as she unknowingly plays with his shirt.
"I just…I miss you." She says quietly, Eren stops walking and she bites her lip worriedly. "Forget it Eren, I shouldn't have said anything." She says as she squirms her way out of his hold and begins to walk forward.
"No, Mikasa. Wait." He says catching her wrist and pulling her back to him, she looks up into his amazingly bright eyes breath catching in her throat… and then his arms are around her pulling her in close and holding her soothingly.
"I miss you too you know…" He whispers lips brushing and tickling her ear, she sighs relieved and wraps her arms around his neck, Eren nuzzles against it warm breath teasing her skin.
"Eren?" She asks.
"Mmh?"
"What…are…?" She stops and swallows, Eren had never acted like this to her before, never held her like he needed her before, like he'd never let her go…and she didn't want him too. He moves away from her neck to study her face and laughs as a snowflake lands on her porcelain white nose. Mikasa giggles as he brushes it of gently and blushes as he hesitantly leans forward and presses a small kiss to her nose.
"You're freezing." He comments as his cheeks flush red. "And the snow is getting heavy…"
She nods feeling elated and slightly giddy.
"We should head inside." He says as she lowered her arms from around his neck.
"Yeah… Armin is probably worried." She points out, Eren grins at her as he takes her hand in his.
"And you're cold."
"And I'm cold…" She admits smiling as they walk through the snow together.

And once again the dark haired girl looks up to the sky as Eren tugs her forward and smiles gratefully, the world really was a beautiful place and perhaps, this winter wasn't going to be so lonely after all…