Attack On Titan: Goodbyes

The sun blazed over the hill, drenching the earth in its scorching heat. His breaths came fast and ragged, sweat trickling down his face as his hands plunged into the cool stream. "Ugh... Fuck..." Eren muttered, frustration lacing his voice as the water splashed around him.

His gaze flickered to the girl sitting a short distance away, her long hair swaying lightly in the breeze. She cradled two boys in her arms while another nestled comfortably in her lap, his tiny hands idly toying with the hem of her long shirt.

"Mama fat," the little girl mumbled, poking at her round belly with a curious expression. Mikasa chuckled, brushing a hand over her daughter's hair.

"Ereh... I think this much is enough," she called out, her fingers resting on the basket already brimming with fish.

But Eren shook his head, his breathing still heavy. "Four more," he insisted, determination etched into every fiber of his being.

She smiled, her eyes never leaving him, watching the way he stubbornly refused to stop. Her hands absentmindedly rested on the twins, who had taken to drooling all over her clothes, their chubby fingers grasping at the fabric.

"Catch," Eren said suddenly, hurling two more fish toward her. But she didn't even need to move—the fish landed neatly in the basket, joining their flopping homies.

"Ahh, Ereh~chan, you're amazing..."

Before Eren could even register what was happening, Mikasa was already pressing against him, her hands splayed over his chest, eyes gleaming with playful mischief. The heat from the sun had nothing on the warmth in her gaze.

Eren stiffened, caught off guard. What the hell just happened? One moment he was tossing fish, and the next, his wife was looking up at him with that teasing expression, her lips curving into a soft, knowing smile.

"You really know how to impress me, don't you... Ereh?" she purred.

He blinked, still lost in confusion. Meanwhile, a tiny pair of feet pitter-pattered toward them.

"Mama and Papa are flirting..." Erika announced, her little voice filled with amusement.

Eren exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "No, no, honey... Say Mama is flirting."

With that, he scooped Mikasa up effortlessly, ignoring her startled gasp as he carried her out of the stream. Water droplets glistened against her skin, catching the sunlight, but he set her down beside the twins with an ease that made it clear he was used to her antics.

His fingers ruffled through the boys' dark locks, their giggles bubbling up as they clung to his soaked shirt, their tiny hands fisting the fabric.

"Papa, me too!" Erika piped up, her small arms outstretched as she eagerly climbed onto his lap, squeezing into whatever space was left.

Then, with a dramatic voice, Mikasa mirrored Erika's movement, slipping onto his lap with a smirk. "Daddy, me too..."

Eren stilled. His eye twitched.

"The fuck am I, some kind of couch?"

Mikasa only giggled, resting her head against his shoulder as if she hadn't just treated him like prime seating. Erika nestled against his chest, her tiny hands patting his collarbone, while the twins latched onto his sides, pulling his shirt down, clinging to him like baby koalas.

Eren groaned, leaning back on his hands as he stared up at the scorching sky, defeated. "At this rate, I might as well just accept my fate..."

Mikasa hummed, her fingers absentmindedly tracing circles against his damp shirt. "You already did the moment you married me, Ereh~chan..."

"Don't 'Ereh~chan' me right now," he muttered, but his arms instinctively tightened around them.

The stream beside them gurgled softly, the air thick with the scent of earth and fresh water. Sunlight filtered through the trees, painting dappled patterns on their skin. The basket of fish sat nearby, forgotten for the moment as the warmth of their small family surrounded him.

Erika yawned against his chest. "Papa's warm..."

"Of course I am," Eren mumbled, shifting slightly to keep her comfortable. "I'm being crushed under five people."

Mikasa snickered, tilting her chin up to press a feather-light kiss against his jaw. "Want me to get off?"

"...No." His reply was almost instantaneous, a bit too honest.

She smiled, her fingers brushing his cheek. "I love you, darling." And he smiled shyly before she pulled him into a slow, lingering kiss. It wasn't deep or urgent—just a soft, reassuring press of lips that spoke of comfort, of home.

The twins watched, wide-eyed, before looking at each other.

Mikasa pulled away just as Eren exhaled through his nose, amused yet exasperated. "Mika. We should move now or else we won't reach home by sundown. And you little gremlins need a bath first."

"Yes sir!" Mikasa declared, smirking.

Eren narrowed his eyes. "Good!"

She stood, dusting off her skirt, her smirk deepening. "For some odd reason you look extremely cute, I won't go easy on you tonight."

He deadpanned. "The kids are watching."

Mikasa only laughed, leaning down to steal one more quick kiss before walking off.

"Ummmm.... But I just can't resist Ereh."

Eren turned his gaze toward the twins and Erika, who were all grinning at him.

"The heck are you looking at minions..."

The day passed in its usual rhythm—cooking, chores, and a quick trip to town that Eren made alone while Mikasa stayed home with the children.

By the time he returned, the moon hung high, draping the hill in soft silver light. The wooden door creaked open, revealing a tired Eren, his half-sleeved shirt slightly wrinkled, his black trousers dusted with dirt from the road. He set the now-empty fish basket aside before stepping to the washbasin, splashing cool water over his face, letting exhaustion ebb away.

With a slow breath, he walked to the bedroom. His gaze softened at the sight of the twins, fast asleep, their tiny bodies curled up against each other. But when he turned toward the bed, he found Mikasa and Erika sitting upright, arms crossed, both wearing identical pouts.

Eren blinked. "Erika... sweetie, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Erika peeked at Mikasa, then her lips wobbled before she dramatically burst into tears.

"Papa... Mama bad!" she wailed, lifting her tiny arms toward him, her voice rising with each breath. Tears welled up in her wide, watery eyes, glistening in the dim light.

Mikasa's mouth dropped open, eyes widened with shock and betrayal.

Eren smirked, barely holding back a chuckle as he sat beside Erika on the bed, scooping her into his arms. "Oh? What did Mama do?"

"Papa... Mama tries stealing Papa from me!" Erika's tiny voice rang out, her arms tightly clutching Eren's shirt as she glared at Mikasa with all the intensity her little body could muster. Her words, though innocent, dripped with accusation and a pout that seemed too serious for her age.

Eren blinked in confusion, utterly thrown off by the sudden outburst. Before he could even process what was happening, Mikasa had already lunged forward, practically throwing herself onto him in a wild burst of frustration.

"Ereh!" Mikasa's voice cracked with a mix of disbelief and desperation, her eyes wide with exasperation. She clutched his arm, her fingers digging into his skin as her face flushed. "Your child is so toxic! She... She..." Her voice faltered, and she buried her face into his shoulder, her breath hitching as she fought to keep herself together.

Eren's hand instinctively pressed to his forehead, his mind whirling as he tried to make sense of the scene unfolding in front of him. Mikasa was practically shaking, her emotions spilling over as tears welled up in her eyes.

He let out a frustrated sigh, feeling utterly helpless as he looked from Mikasa to Erika, who now seemed to be equally upset, her small face scrunched in the same mix of frustration and confusion.

"What the actual fuck?" Eren muttered, his tone a mix of exhaustion and bewilderment. He was caught between his wife and child, both of them vying for his attention in a way that left him feeling like the most confused man on earth. Mikasa's grip on him tightened, as though she needed him to make everything right, while Erika's little hands tugged at his shirt, demanding his focus.