If someone were to ask Eren how living on the farmlands in an isolated area like the Ackerman did felt like, Eren would probably crack a lot of farm jokes or troll the hell out of that person.

However, if it was Armin who asked her that, she'd give an honest reply.

It was quiet.

Living on the farmlands, that is.

She was used to the buzzing noise of activity around her, the sound of people. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine it. The sound of people walking around, of carefree children playing in town and carts being pushed around. Whereas here, living on the farmlands, it was quiet. She could occasionally hear the birds chirping or even the sound of murmured conversations inside the house, but overall it was quiet.

Eren wasn't sure if she enjoyed the quietness or not.

Even the smell was different.

"W-what are you doing?"

Eren opened her eyes, absently noting that even the scenery looked different compared to Shiganshina, and she saw Mikasa looking down at her in a curious manner. Almost like a child that wasn't used to other people.

Oh wait.

Mikasa wasn't used to other people.

Eren cracked a smile and while Mikasa was sufficiently distracted while trying to return the smile, Eren struck. She grabbed Mikasa's wrist and gently pulled her down on the ground next to her.

The brunette's smile grew at the startled yelp that escaped the Ackerman.

"E-Eren?"

Eren glanced at Mikasa. "So what am I doing?"

Mikasa frowned in obvious confusion, but Eren merely gave her a teasing look before looking back up at the sky. It was odd to Eren. The stars looked the same as back in her old life, but the sky seemed different wherever she went. Whether it be in Shinganshina or here on the farmlands, somehow the sky always seemed different. Sometimes it made her miss her old life.

If she hadn't died, she'd have graduated college and saved up enough money to go on a cruise around the world or something. Maybe even enough money to spend a year surfing and working on her art.

However, she was being too nostalgic. Nostalgia made things seem better than they were and it made her sometimes completely forget how boring and depressing her previous life was. Nostalgia was a dirty liar.

Yet somehow nostalgia still made her wonder how things could have been. Would she have settled for a normal career like becoming an art teacher or go for a career that satisfied her thrill seeker ways like becoming a firefighter.

"You're looking at the stars?"

Eren blinked out of her 'what if' thoughts and looked at the pure confusion littered on Mikasa's face.

It was adorable.

Eren couldn't help but laugh.

Mikasa's cheeks reddened, though Eren couldn't see it due to how dark it was.

"If y-you're not looking at the stars...then what are you doing?" Mikasa mumbled.

Eren shivered, having not really expected Mikasa's words to release some hot breath on her. Though she should have expected it considering she had pulled the girl down close enough to her that she wouldn't be able to even twitch without the girl noticing.

"Stargazing."

"Isn't that the same?"

"In a way, stargazing can mean looking at the stars," Eren admitted. "But, it can also mean daydreaming."

"Do you do that a lot?"

"Mmm?"

"Daydream. Do you do it a lot?"

"It depends. I only do it when it's quiet. What about you?"

"I do it a lot."

Eren looked back at Mikasa and how the girl was looking at the stars. She felt curious. "What do you daydream about?"

"A lot of things. Sometimes, I daydream about owning a cat. I daydream about what it would feel like to live in a town like you. Would it be lively? Does the food taste different? Would I like it there?"

"I think it depends."

Mikasa looked at her. "Depends on what?"

"In your daydreams, do you have friends?"

"I don't daydream about having friends...not anymore at least. I have you."

Eren felt something warm up inside her. Damn it. Why was she constantly befriending innocent naive people like Armin and Mikasa? They kept sprouting the most cheesy things ever and they actually meant it.

Gah!

It was a good thing she already decided that Mikasa would be hers.

It had only been three days, but Eren was sure she was getting there already.

Without much thought, Eren grabbed Mikasa's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She averted her gaze back to the sky, wondering how much more she had to wait before Mikasa's parents would get killed.

Before Mikasa would be utterly hers, like Armin almost was.

"Mikasa, did you know that the stars have a story of their own?"

"They do?"

Eren nodded and using her free hand she started pointing out some constellations for Mikasa who seemed to be hanging on to each and every word she spoke.


.o0o.o0o.


It's not like Eren hated them.

Mikasa's parents, that is.

In fact, Eren quite liked the couple. They were nice and seemed like good people. The problem wasn't them.

"Thank you," Mrs Ackerman smiled down at her as the brunette handed her a shirt to hang up to dry.

The problem was that Eren had already disconnected from them the moment she was selfish enough to decide that she wasn't going to prevent their deaths. What was the point of befriending and getting attached if she wasn't going to help them?

"No problem m'am," Eren cheerfully replied.

A part of her wondered how the Ackerman couple would feel if they knew of Eren's selfish thoughts. If they knew that behind the same cheerful smile, lay a self-centered girl that would let them die and constantly risk their daughter's lives in the future.

Well, at least Eren was self-aware enough for them.

"I'm not talking about the clothes, Eren," Mrs Ackerman giggled.

Eren raised an eyebrow. "Eh?"

Instead of answering, Mrs Ackerman looked away.

Eren followed her gaze and wasn't too surprised to see that it was Mikasa. Mikasa was checking up on the plants, blissfully unaware of the world around her. It was both endearing and aggravating to Eren. Though, the brunette simply blamed her own cynicism for the annoyance.

"If everyone out there was as kind as you, there wouldn't be a need for us to keep Mikasa isolated out here."

"I'm not really kind," Eren awkwardly denied. "Besides, despite how shitty humans can be...I think Mikasa's strong enough for it."

As if on cue, Mikasa stumbled and accidentally pricked her finger.

"Is she?"

"Well, maybe not right now, but..."

Mrs Ackerman chuckled. "Mikasa wouldn't survive out there."

Eren shook her head, but bit her tongue. No need to get into a senseless argument. What Mrs Ackerman didn't seem to get was that it wasn't about whether or not Mikasa could survive the cruelty of the world they lived in, it was about the fact that she had to be strong enough eventually.

"You'll look out for her though, right?"

"Huh?"

"You're Mikasa's only friend," Mrs Ackerman said with an apologetic smile. "So, I'm asking you to look out for her whenever you're around. I'm sorry if I'm sounding demanding, but I just have a feeling you'll be coming by more often."

Eren felt a smile tugging on her lips.

She could feel some hint of irony in Mrs Ackerman's words somewhere.

"Mikasa's my friend, auntie. I always look out for my friends."

Mrs Ackerman beamed and ruffled her hair.