#mikaanie

Bertholdt was indeed very nice, but difficult to hold a conversation with. Mikasa attempted to ask the typical getting-to-know-you questions, but Bertholdt reacted with surprise and apparent shyness. Instead, they didn’t talk, which was perfectly fine with Mikasa.

“Don’t worry,” Eren said. “He’s better when Reiner’s around.”

True enough, when Reiner came home around 11 PM, Bertholdt brightened up and relaxed. They watched music videos together, and Bertholdt soon brought out a steaming pot of chicken soup, placing it directly on the coffee table with no protection.

“Enjoy!” announced Bertholdt. “It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and all organic.”

Eren poured Mikasa a bowl, which did indeed smell delicious and comforting, and also…

“Oh, I should have said!” said Bertholdt. “That has weed in it. Like, a large amount.”

“This smells so good, but I don’t think I can,” said Mikasa, putting the bowl down. “I get drug tested at work.”

“Bertholdt does too,” Reiner chimed in. “He’ll get fired if he doesn’t have enough marijuana in his system.”

“Pretty much,” said Bertholdt, laughing. “It’s in the Jimmy’s mission statement.”

Mikasa knew Jimmy’s, a sandwich shop tucked into an alleyway off a busy street downtown. The sandwiches were actually very good, but she never felt comfortable lingering in the alley.

“That’s right, Mikasa,” said Eren. “We know a Jimmy’s man now. Start thinking of what you want to order.”

“We really made it, huh?” Reiner reflected, letting out a satisfied sigh and propping his feet up on an orphaned end table with only two-and-a-half legs. “Got the Jimmy’s connect. Might as well retire.”

“Hey, hey,” said Bertholdt, blushing. “Guys…”

“Jimmy’s is great,” Mikasa affirmed, settling back to play spectator to friendly banter.

Although the house was clearly unsafe and unclean, and she could never approve of it as an environment for Eren, Mikasa had to admit the guys were very nice and welcoming. After nearly a week of staying with them, she could see that Reiner and Bertholdt were clearly supportive of one another, maybe even too supportive.

Although she still did not understand how Reiner, the ambitious young businessman she’d met a year ago, came to be here. He worked in transportation logistics for an importer, down by the port, and spent a good deal of time networking on the side. His oft-reiterated dream was to transition into a sector with high growth, and eventually start his own company. Mikasa thought he must have the financial resources and connections to live somewhere...well, better.

“Mikasa,” said Reiner, slinging a friendly hand over her shoulder to give her a hearty pat. “It’s been good to see you again. Remind me, how long do we have the pleasure for?”

“Just another two weeks,” Mikasa said, giving Eren a regretful glance. “I’m using my annual leave to see Eren before his school year starts.” And to make sure it starts, she thought.

“Then back to, what, fighting wildfires?” asked Reiner.

“Wow!” exclaimed Bertholdt.

“Cleaning up after them,” said Mikasa lightly and vaguely, hoping to avoid taking the topic further. The gruesome details didn’t bother her, but she tried to avoid sharing them with normal people.

“So you, like, evacuate the bodies?” asked Bertholdt.

Mikasa was caught off guard for a moment by his unabashed interest, her eyes widening, but recovered quickly. “Yes. For wildfires, we have a separate team of firefighters. My team goes in after the fire is cleared. We flag down paramedics for anyone that is still alive, and we also try to get a mortality count.”

“That’s cool,” said Reiner. “You ever get caught in a surprise fire situation?”

“Yes,” said Mikasa. Memories of what should have been panic came to her, panic that was tamped down by years of training and transformed into cold, lightning-quick analysis. The sudden heat flaring up out of nowhere, making her skin crackle. Running so fast and so urgently, it felt like she was standing still while the world rotated beneath her.

“How’d you get into that job?” asked Bertholdt. “I’m thinking of leaving Jimmy’s.” Reiner and Eren shared a pointed look, which Mikasa inferred to mean that Bertholdt had been thinking of leaving Jimmy’s for a long time.

“You can do it a lot of ways, but I served in the military,” Mikasa answered. Reiner reacted to that information, his gaze on her sharpening, but Mikasa could not quite identify why. Maybe he had been in the military, too; it would make sense with his build and self-presentation. Mikasa was about to ask more, when -

“Hey,” said Annie, appearing in the entryway between the kitchen and the living room. Unlike Eren’s other two housemates, Mikasa had not gotten to know Annie at all, only catching glimpses of the blonde woman coming and going. Annie spent a lot of time either out of the house, or alone in her room; since her room was attached to the back door, it was impossible to tell which.

“Annie!” said Bertholdt happily.

“To what do we owe the pleasure?” asked Reiner, then commenting to Mikasa, “Annie’s like Santa: she shows up once a year, eats our food, and leaves.”

“Bullshit,” Annie retorted, sitting on the second couch, catty-corner to Mikasa. She gestured to the half-empty six-pack on the table. “Is the beer for sharing?”

“Uh, Annie,” said Eren nervously, handing her a bottle. “This is Mikasa, my girlfriend. I mentioned she’s staying for a couple of weeks.”

“Oh,” said Annie, her gaze falling on Mikasa for the first time, uninterested. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” said Mikasa, not meaning it.

“So, fellas,” said Annie. The room went quiet when she spoke, just as all eyes had turned to her when she made her entrance. Annie seemed to be the kind of person who commanded charisma without doing anything in particular, perhaps even more so when she was unfriendly. Annie grabbed the remote. “What’ll it be tonight? Soccer replays? Music videos? Movie reviews?”

Annie’s eyes fell on Mikasa again. “Mikasa, right? You’re the guest. What do you want?” It should have been welcoming, even polite, but instead, Annie’s words felt like a challenge.