Mizuki didn't know what to do. Eren hadn't come out of his corner for hours and they hadn't moved today. He knew they had better start leaving this area but he didn't have the guts to pull Eren out.
After all he was the one at fault.
In hindsight he really shouldn't have yelled like that before he asked about what happened. But Mizuki knew exactly why he did that.
Over the last few days Mizuki had grown an attachment to the younger boy from Yarisha. In his twenty years of living Mizuki had never felt this way about someone.
The need to protect them from any harm at all cost.
And this would have been fine if it was anyone but Eren. Because Eren was his captive from Yarisha. Mizuki had to willingly hand over Eren to his father.
Spending time with Eren, Mizuki discovered so many things about the boy.
Eren was a very picky eater.
He got cold easily.
He hated bugs.
He loved archery.
He liked mumbling to himself when he thought no one could hear.
He hummed a lot of melodies.
He blushed very easily.
He can be very shy but also very grumpy.
Everyday Mizuki would discover a new thing about Eren and it would only make his infatuation grow.
But he knew he couldn't afford to have those feelings because when he would have to let go of Eren which will happen eventually it will only hurt more.
And so, when Mizuki saw the scene earlier his brain jumped at the opportunity to squash any kind of feelings his heart was holding by making him believe Eren was like the rest.
But now he was immensely regretting it.
He made Eren cry.
He seriously wanted to punch himself.
Mizuki glanced at the bread and water he was holding and after taking a deep breath he walked towards where Eren was.
When Eren came in sight Mizuki's heart squeezed. He was holding the blanket over his head as his eyes were closed and soft breaths left his parted lips.
"Eren?" Mizuki whispered. "Are you sleeping?"
Eren shifted but didn't open his eyes and Mizuki sighed.
"Eren, you need to eat." He told him as he sat down next to him.
"Go away." Eren mumbled, despite the small grumble that left his stomach.
"Eren, please." Mizuki pleaded. "Just eat and I'll go away."
Eren finally opened his brimming honey eyes as he took the bag of bread from Mizuki and slowly started taking small bites from it.
Mizuki sighed in relief and softly smiled as he watched Eren eat.
"Why're you staring at me?" Eren muttered, raising his eyes to meet Mizuki's dark ones.
"Cause you're pretty."
Both of their eyes widened and Eren started choking on the piece of bread he had swallowed and Mizuki hurriedly handed him the water bottle as he patted his back.
"W-what?" Eren asked after his coughs died down.
"I-I didn't mean to-I mean I did but like." Mizuki stopped talking as he groaned and buried his face in his hands.
After a moment of awkward silence Mizuki spoke up again, "I'm sorry Eren."
"You already said that."
"No. I'm sorry. I promise you I didn't mean anything of what I said." Mizuki said.
"Then why did you say it?" Eren asked.
"Because I'm a stupid fuck." Mizuki exclaimed and he grinned when he saw Eren crack a smile.
"But you said it with reason." Eren said.
"I didn't have any right to say all of that when I just saw what happened from my point of view." Mizuki said before hesitantly asking, "will you tell me yours?"
"My what?" Eren furrowed his eyebrows.
"Your point of view. Why did you kill him?" Mizuki asked.
"I...I."
Mizuki looked down at Eren with a frown and when Eren tried to look away in shame Mizuki grabbed his face and tilted it up towards him.
"You don't have to tell me. But I would really appreciate an explanation of what happened this morning." Mizuki said softly, running his thumb over Eren's freckles.
"Okay." Eren whispered.
"When I woke up I decided to let you sleep because you always wake up so early. But then I heard a fight going on and I didn't know what to do so I grabbed my bow and went to see what was going on. I wasn't trying to run away! I was just gonna go see before coming to get you if it was serious.
But then I saw that man, he shot your soldier. I don't even think the soldier was putting up a fight at that point because he was already injured. I was going to come get you but the man heard me and he called out to me.
He recognized me and he told me to go with him but I said I couldn't. I told him I was fine on my own but he insisted that I come with him. I didn't understand why because we were instructed to stay dispersed but then I recognized him."
"You knew him?" Mizuki interrupted and Eren nodded his head.
"He...he was a horrible man, Mizuki." Eren shuddered and Mizuki grabbed his shaking hands on his own.
Trigger warning: there's mention of sexual assault. I will put *** when that part ends.
"A year ago there was this woman that came to me. She told me she came to me because she believed I was kinder then the rest and that I could possibly help her. She said that the man had sexually assaulted her. She said he did it to others as well but no one spoke up about it because he was a powerful man in the country.
I told my-the king about it and asked for him to be punished but he refused. He refused! He said that the man was a close friend of his and that no punishment shall be bestowed on him. I was appalled and tried to argue but I was shot down.
I was forced to go to that woman and tell her that there was nothing I could do. That her assaulter was free to walk and do as he pleases. Even with my position in the Royal family there was nothing I could have done. I was useless. The look of betrayal that woman gave me is something I will never forget."
***
"The second I recognized him he realized and he took out his gun, you couldn't see it because you were standing behind him. He said he has been waiting for the chance to kill me for trying to get him punished. I remembered the look the woman gave me and I thought of all the people he had also hurt and before I knew it I had shot my arrow." Eren finished talking and Mizuki stared at him with wide eyes.
"You did the right thing, Eren." Mizuki told him.
"I know." He whispered. "But I don't like it. I don't like killing people."
"I know, but think about what would have happened when the man goes back home. He would probably repeat his sickening actions. You couldn't have helped that woman but you helped so many others from facing the same fate she had." Mizuki said, squeezing his hands in comfort.
"Thank you." Eren whispered with his eyes closed as his shoulders lost his tension.
"Eren." Mizuki said after a moment of them silently holding hands.
"Mhm?"
"Why are your hands untied?" Mizuki asked and Eren's eyes widened in panic as he tried to pull them away from Mizuki's grasp but Mizuki didn't let go.
"You untied them this morning didn't you? You always knew how to do it?" Mizuki asked.
"I..."
"Eren, talk to me." Mizuki told him.
"Yes I knew how to untie myself from the beginning." Eren admitted.
"Why didn't you do it before?" Mizuki asked.
"I didn't do it because I didn't want to run away. You said that I was too precious to kill. I knew then that you wouldn't have killed me and I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to kill anyone and I knew if I stayed with you I'd be protected and I wouldn't have to kill anyone." He explained.
"All this time." Mizuki groaned.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Mizuki said, pulling him closer until his head landed on his chest. "I was the stupid one to think my rope was going to keep you with me."
"But it was you all along." Mizuki chuckled.
"It wasn't me. It was you that made me stay. You were and are my protection Mizuki."
Hello!
Thoughts??
It looks like Mizuki has a bit of a crush.
Also they been hugging twice nowð
-till next time <3