The Red Scarf

“Who hears me, who understands me, becomes mine, a possession for all time.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

A girl with short hair walked around the Scouting Legion Stables. She was furious that she wasn’t allowed to see Eren. Every day, she and Aremin watched Eren stay behind Levi and his special squad.

Whenever she tried to get close, her instructor would tell her it wasn’t a good idea to go near Commander Levi. She would grit her teeth and then walk off with her face half covered with her scarf.

‘Eren, I just want to see you once. Just once!  Is that hard to ask?’

Mikasa gave a sigh and looked at the horse she will be riding for the 57^th Expedition a month from now. It was almost her birthday too but she didn’t care. She only wanted Eren to be safe. She wanted to be at his side.

She touched the horse’s mane and gave him a pat as someone came up behind him. She turned around and hoped it was Eren but she only saw her childhood friend, Armin.

“Hi, Armin,” said Mikasa as she fed her horse.

“Mikasa, are you missing Eren again? He’s here. I mean, he’s nearby. You don’t have to worry that much.”

“I know. I just want to talk to him. It’s just hard because that squad keeps watching over him like hawks.”

“Well, I came here to give you something.”

“What is it?” asked Mikasa.

“Just give me the red scarf for a moment.”

Mikasa hesitated for a moment but since she trusted Armin like Eren. She gave a sigh and took off her scarf. She handed the scarf to Armin as Armin walked away with it.

“Where are you going with my scarf!?!” said Mikasa.

“Just wait. I’ll be back. I promise to give it back,” said Armin as he went inside with her scarf.

 Mikasa watched him disappear inside as she looked at her horse. That scarf held a sentimental value because it was the scarf that Eren gave to her. It was his gratitude after she was accepted into his family as their foster daughter. She was never seen without her scarf.

****

Mikasa waited for Armin to come out and waited but he never came out. She started to get worried as she walked into the building that he went in. When she opened the door, confetti shot out from the sides and there stood Eren with her scarf. She didn’t understand what was going on as she stood still.

“Eren? How did you find a way-”

“I asked Commander Levi if I can meet you since it’s your birthday.”

“My birthday isn’t important. You don’t have to celebrate it.”

“It is to me. We’ve been friends for a while now. At least once, we should stop talking about Titans and enjoy this,” said Eren.

He placed the scarf around Mikasa’s neck and smiled at her. Mikasa covered half of her face with her scarf and saw that it was patched. She hid a smile while she had the scarf around her face and looked at Eren who was talking to Armin.

“Mikasa, come on,” said Armin as he gestured her.

Eren looked at Mikasa and smiled. Mikasa nodded and walked toward her group of friends. She was glad to have at least one day to celebrate her birthday with Eren as they celebrated all night long until her birthday past.