Why did you leave me!
"Mika-"
Eren-
"Mikasa-"
Eren please-
"Would you at least open the window" A familiar voice finally reached her.
Armin
She threw off her covers, moving to the window, and staring at him. As silently as she could, she opened her own window. Shuddering from the blast of cold night breeze.
"Hey you…" his whisper so gentle. For her.
Her chest sang at the sight of him. He entered in a hoodie and a pair of shorts, his eyes locked solely on her as he took her hand and led them both to sit on her bed. Golden locks framed his face, and in his hand, he held a familiar rolled parchment. She shivered from the cold as she approached him and took a seat beside him.
Without a word, he reached to his left, grabbing a large, oversized blanket. Without a word, he dragged her closer to him, tossing the blanket over both of them, as the warmth of his legs touched the frigidness of hers, and sent shivers racing through them. He brought her even closer, closer still until their bodies were pressed against each other, as her body siphoned off his warmth and her nostrils drew in his scent. There was that particular scent he had with him, the scent of the thing idly resting in between his index and middle finger.
"Im not gonna ask a stupid question as 'how are you?'. But you know you can talk to me right Mika?"
"I know…" She did. She truly did.
She watched him put the object into his mouth. With a drag, smoke exhaled through his nostrils, and she felt him relax, softly. Without a word, he gestured the object to her, slowly.
"It will help..."
"What is it?" She asked curiously. She liked hearing him talk. He knew so much about everything and was so passionate about learning more.
"This is cannabis, a plant from Hizuru. You're probably familiar with tobacco, which is commonly grown in Wall Sina. Tobacco contains nicotine, a highly addictive substance, and the pleasure gained from each cigarette is minimal compared to the risk of cancer it poses. The main psychoactive compound in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Compared to nicotine, THC has a lower risk of dependence and addiction. Most importantly, it will help you relax."
She got the gist of it. "So, cigarettes are bad, and cannabis is better," she summarized, taking a puff. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she basked in his presence.
"He'll be back you know…"
"...you're ruining this" she deadpans at him.
"Meh…" he shrugged.
"…you're an ass" She said snuggling up to his side, feeling content and grateful.
"Shush, I'll tell you an old story"
He took a long, deep drag, holding the smoke in his lungs before exhaling slowly. Her gaze sharpened, the haze of relaxation settling over. "It's called The Cave of Two Lovers…"
She leaned in. she loved his voice. Soo soothing. Soo calming.
"They met on top of the mountain that divided their two villages ..."
She took a slow drag, warmth spreading through her limbs as Armin's voice droned on. The words swirled in her mind, twisting, morphing. Shadows flickered at the edges of her vision.
A breeze brushed her skin—impossible. The room blurred, colors melting together. Suddenly, she wasn't just hearing the story.
She was inside it.
Two figures, a man dressed in red and a woman in blue, meet atop the mountain. They take each other's hands, though they swiftly let go
" The villages were enemies, so they could not be together ... but their love was strong and they found a way."
Two hills appear; on the closer one is the man, while the woman kneels on the one farther away. Though their faces cannot be seen in detail, it is obvious that they long for the other.
"The two lovers learned bend earth from a spirit, a Badgermole; they became the first earthbenders. They built elaborate tunnels, so they could meet secretly."
She can somehow invision mixture of a badger and a mole, a burrowing giant with fur as dark as the caves it calls home, as well as that of the young couple beginning to create the labyrinth.
"They built elaborate tunnels, so they could meet secretly."
The pattern of a labyrinth appears.
"Anyone who tried to follow them would be lost forever in the labyrinth."
The couple kisses.
"But, one day, the man didn't come. he'd died in the war between the two villages."
she opened her eyes at that. Taking another drag. She needed to relax. She looked up—and suddenly, she wasn't just listening anymore. She was there.
Arrows flying at her. She saw a woman weeping by a grave.
"Devastated, the woman unleashed a terrible display of her earthbending power - she could have destroyed them all ..."
She saw her anger, her rage, immense earthbending power. All masking a sorrow so consuming.
"-but, instead, she declared the war over. Both villages helped her build a new city where they would live together in peace. The woman's name was Oma and the man's name was Shu. The great city was named Omashu as a monument to their love." He took a last big drag, looked at her, and said, "Love is brightest in the dark."
Silence followed. He waited for a response, but none came.
Frowning, he leaned in slightly—only to find her head tilted to the side, breaths slow and steady. As the soft rise and fall of her chest confirmed it, he let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head.
"Im sorry this is a terrible bluff Mikasa," he said rolling his eyes at her attempt to act asleep, exhaling the last of the smoke before settling in beside her.
"Shush..."