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ofoceansandtombsanew · 6 months

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Lost Girl: Chapter 1

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As a child, I loved the stories my father would tell.

They were best told after a long day of work and your hands were raw and the calluses on your feet had calluses. Our tribe had always been hunting people, he saw no reason to stop the traditions of the Nwabu with me. So at 6 I was given a rifle and taught to hunt deer and fowl, waiting hours on end until the opportunity finally struck. Tiring as it was, the stories at the end of the day somehow always made it seem worth it.

I loved the ones that had to do with my mother the most, rare as they were to hear. My memories of her were hazy; at most I remembered the faint sound of her humming as she held me close to her chest. She passed away when I was three, illness claiming her before we moved away deeper into the mountains. At least that's what my father told me. He didn't like talking about her and even as a kid, I felt that if I mentioned her, he would break. So I made it a habit not to talk about her unless he brought her up first.

Otherwise, the stories my father would tell always had to do with the orishaー the gods our people worshipped before they came to the Walls to escape the Titans. A lot of them had been forgotten, lost over the generations as our kind's numbers dwindled. The ones he did remember, my father made sure to tell me about.

Oshun who blessed my mother with boundless beauty.

Erinle who guides us while we hunt.

Oko who we thank for the food the earth provides.

I listened to every word as if honey dripped from my father's lips as he told me tale after tale about beings most of the Walls' inhabitants never even knew about. Instead they worshipped the gods that created the Walls we lived in, Maria, Rose and Sina.

"Then why don't we worship them when we live in the Walls they made?" I asked after learning of the three deities.

"Because they aren't our gods," he answered smoothly, as if he knew that question was coming.

I cocked my head to the side, "we can still be friends with their people even if we don't believe the same thing?"

That question made my father's nostrils flare. "Those people aren't our friends," Ba snapped almost immediately. My heart lurched then, fearful I made my father angry, or worse, disappointed in me. "We stick to our own and interact with the pale ones when we have to."

"... are we supposed to be afraid of them?" I asked quietly when I found my voice.

My father didn't answer my question immediately, dark brown eyes lost in thought as he stared into the flames. "A long, long time ago there were many kinds of people. That changed when the Titans came," Titans. Again, that word. I'd never seen one in all my young years of living, neither had my father. I couldn't even begin to imagine what these monstrous beings were supposed to look like. They were big, larger than the trees that surrounded our home. Still, it was hard to imagine something I'd never seen even if they were supposedly the cause of humanity's decline. "When the Titans came and began eating everyone, many kinds of people went extinct. Other tribes, other types of people besides our own. We're the descendants of the lucky ones who made it, but they couldn't have predicted the problems that came after. The pale ones don't think of us as the same even though we're humans hiding from the Titans like them.

"To them we're slaves for labor. Dirty people. Our men are worked until death in unsavory places and our women..." Ba trailed off. "Our people are dying." My father eyed my hair. For as long as I could remember, he kept it short and as close to cleanly shaven as possible. He said he wanted me to be tough, like a boy. He said it was to protect me from the pale ones. Back then, I just felt that my father wanted a son and he was compensating for it because he got saddled with me instead. " We're the last of our tribe, [First], probably even the last of our kind in these damned Walls. We don't live, we survive."

The quiet of the house felt eerie and it scared me. "I sometimes wonder if they had known this was the fate that waited for us, would they still have believed it was better than being put in the bellies of monsters."

"... Ba?"

My father sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before patting my head. "No more stories tonight, [First]," he whispered solemnly. "It's time for bed now."

"I'll be gone a couple of days, [First]."

"I know, Ba," you curl into a tighter ball, heart beat roaring in your ears. I still can't believe I'm doing this, one half of youー likely the sane halfー murmurs nervously. The other half of you shakes your head. I've already committed to this. I'm doing this! You knew as you lay in her your, ankle throbbing lightly, it is too late to turn back now.

"I really don't feel comfortable leaving you that long on your own," even without seeing him, Ba still sounds doubtful despite your nonchalant reply.

You feel your stomach lurch. Just go already, Ba! This is truly it, you know. You want so badly to just sit up and run, feeling the wind run over your head and not look back over your shoulder at your father who would be undoubtedly furious. Instead, you sit up up slowly before looking at him and blinking as groggily as you can. "Ba, you said we're low on food, I'll be fine here on my own. You really need to go hunting."

Ba nods taking heavy steps to her bed. "The hunting is always best when we're together." He says, reaching over to squeeze your left ankle gently. You wince and recoil. Even if your hurt ankle had been planned, it didn't mean it still isn't hurting. The injury in its entirety is superficial but the pain is still vaguely there. Nothing to keep you from walking, but as far as your father knew, your injury made you immobile for the next few days. "You promise me that you remember to stay inside, there's enough food for you to take care of yourself."

"Yes, Ba," you nods. How your excitement hasn't shown yet, you are unsure but thankful. If Ba knew of your plans you doubt you'd ever be left alone again.

"Don't answer the door for anyone if they knock," he continues in a more grave tone.

"I know, Ba," you repeats, exasperation barely hidden in your tone. Why Ba insisted on repeating his many rules you know inside and out already, you don't know. He'll stop with the rules once I prove to him I can take care of myself and there's nothing to be afraid of anymore.

"Hide immediately, don't let anyone see you. And make sure-"

"To always keep the curtains closedー I know, I know!"

Ba's expression is sharp and unrelenting like the earth itself, "I know it seems like a lot, [First], but it's all to protect us. To protect you. Your mother-" Would feel like you're driving her crazy too. You keeps the disagreeable remark to yourself, lest your father abandon his hunting trip altogether to re-educate you about your ancestors. How when the Titans first arrived, your tribe had been among the few to find refuge within the three Walls protecting them from the giant monsters roaming the world. "would agree too. Humans like us," Ba gestures to your matching brown skin. "you don't find many of. We might even be the last ones. There are many who would want to steal those like us away."

You barely stop yourself from rolling your eyes, the story hadn't changed since you were 6. The same one every year, and every year nothing happens. The few times you had ever gone to into town with your father, nothing ever happened. You took the furs and hides you tanned to the city, sold them and then went right back home as always. The rules then are strict as the ones you hear everyday for the house. Stay by Ba's side and don't talk to anyone, not even the kids that always stopped and gawked at the two of them as they walked.

"They only stare because they've never seen people like us," Ba had said when you begged him to let you play while he conducted his business. "They don't care about actually knowing us." You remember going to sleep bitterly that night. Even now you are doubtful of his claims. Ba might be smart but he can't know everything. Maybe they did want to know us, want to know me.

"These rules might seem strict, but it keeps the two of us safe," Ba says yet again. You huffs quietly but otherwise keep your mouth shut. You knew that day there is no point in trying to get your father to change without any sort of proof to get him to. Ba sighs, rubbing his hand across your head. Maybe he knew there is no point in arguing further either. "I'll be going now, remember everything I said. I'll be gone only a couple of days, you have the rifle if anything goes wrong." But nothing should. "The ones that barge in here aren't people, they're predators. Protect yourself if it becomes necessary." With that, Uba stood up and left your room.

It's only when you're sure an hour has past and that your father is most certainly gone did you finally toss off your blankets. Your hands shake in excitement and anxiety. You have only two days days, maybe three at most, to make good on your plan to put as much distance as possible between yourself and your home. Ba would be heading east down the mountains and you know his routine by heart after the many times you had left with him on these expeditions. Ba wouldn't turn you home until you had as many as two deer with a few ducks to spare. The ducks would be plucked raw, feathers washed and used for pillows. The deer would be skinned and most of the meat would be hung to dry. If Ba was really lucky, he might catch a wild hog. Erinle willing, the prey would be bountiful this season before the rain would arrive. Wonderful that would be for your belly, you also knew your chances of leaving would be completely diminished. You have to leave now when Ba's hunting trip is too important for him to skip.

Guilt hummed beneath your skin all-the-while as you rummage through the kitchen for loaves of bread. You won't take more than what you will need. Even with what you takes, there is still plenty of yeast for Uba to make even more bread for himself and he'd have plenty of meat coming back from his trip.

Ba can't keep me hidden here forever. You nod with determination, willing the guilt to leave you. There is nothing to be guilty of when this is for the better for both of their lives. Ba is heading east and you are heading west. There's no opportunity for you to accidentally cross paths. From the map in Ba's study, Leipmold is the closest town from where there home is located. You had traced it over many of time on your own parchment. You had always been indifferent to hunting, but now you appreciate the knowledge. You can hide your own tracks and hunt for your own food, then you would sell any furs you could skin herself in the markets and make money. Only once you are satisfied would you go back home.

Ba would be mad that you took off on your own, but you hope that with enough coin, his parental wrath could be assuaged.

I'll sell rabbit fur! There should be plenty hopping around. You stuff your blanket into your knapsack. Nothing'll change if I just do what he tells me all the time. Ba never talks about the day you'd be a grown up and forced to live on your own. You doubt he has even imagined a future like that, but you do. One day, you would live in town. You'd make friends with the city folk, unafraid and without hesitation. You wouldn't have to shave your head and you would be able to wear whatever clothes you desired. You've never been allowed to wear dresses. Ba said the pale-skinned humans would sell you off to do the unthinkable if they knew you were a girl, whatever that meant.

If Ma was still alive that she'd have let me wear dresses the color of the sky at dawn and let my hair grow as much as I want. A prickle of anger surges through you before you shake it away. You don't have to be upset anymore when you can grow your hair out in the city and buy whatever clothes you wants. Then when Ba realizes he has nothing to worry about, he will let you do as she pleases.

With that, you sling your rifle over your shoulder and packs the few bullets Uba had spared in your knapsack. In its place, you leaves a note.

Ba, I've gone to Eppelbog. I know you think that I'm just a kid, but I'm 10 years old. I'm going to sell our furs there and come back with money. Just wait here for me, okay? Eppelbog was south from their home according to Ba's map and nowhere near Leipmold. If Ba decides to track you down in his worry, his heading there first would give you plenty of time to get to Leipmold before he realizes that he's been duped.

Heaving a deep breath, you open the door.

Ba is gonna be gone for at least 3 days if I'm lucky. You relish the sound of the grass crunching beneath your feet and hope Ba didn't suddenly realize he had forgotten something. If he did, your journey would end before it truly had a chance to start. There's another mountain path I can take between here and Leipmold and I can get to it by tomorrow morning. Traveling through the mountain chains will be your best chance at throwing off Uba if he decided to track you when he realized you were gone.

You had two and a half loaves of bread, around five bullets and a wineskin full of the freshwater you could spare without taking too much from your father. This should be able to last until I get to Leipmold. Any rabbits you caught could be cooked completely, saving half the meat for the next day to stretch it out, something you and Ba would do plenty of times with your food. I'll be there before I know it, you purse your lips. On the map it didn't look that far away. I might even get there by tomorrow night!

Yet Leipmold doesn't come tomorrow night, nor does it come the night after next.

All that comes is disappointment, hunger and the fear that Ba's map wasn't a true representation of the distance between cities.

Your stomach growls but you refuse to stop and eat when the food you have needs to be saved. It's really bad about that goose. You had seen one yesterday, but by the time your rifle was ready, it had flown beyond the opening of the trees and the hunger pangs kept you up most of the night. Today will be different, you swear. You will catch something. The path you've been walking surely will end soon enough and you'd finally be close to your journey's end. The prey will be bountiful as well. Maybe there you will even find some berries or mushrooms to eat as there had been none to find so far on your trail.

Maybe I should have grabbed some of the meat they still had before Ba's hunting trip, after all. Ba would be coming back with plenty of food for himself, he wouldn't have notice the leftover venison missing.

With a sigh, you put her traced map back in your bag and stand on her feet, wincing at the aching sensation. Soon you'll be at the base of the mountain, you remind herself. There will be less undergrowth hiding food and there'll be berries and mushrooms that aren't poisonous. It'll definitely be easier finding rabbit burrows without all the shrubs. The path east that you and Ba took for hunting always seemed clear and kept in comparison to this wild path. Maybe Ba had been clearing it himself to make it easier to hunt. Mohammed at least wishes there would be a snake slithering along bushes, it tastes pretty nice all things considered.

Your stomach rumbles again. No more thinking about food, you groan.

It's then that you smell apples and you stop in your tracks.

As the smell continues to waft through the air, you lick your cracked lips. Apples were a rare treat back home. Ba had planted a few seeds on your land but your trees seldom had a good harvest making you treasure them whenever you could manage to grow a good few. I just wanna see where it's coming from. Suddenly your aching feet are easier to ignore, mouth watering the closer and closer you get to the source of the smell.

It doesn't take long for a small cottage to be seen through the trees. The back door wide open and from where you stand, you can see an open window with a pie sitting in the sill.

Who on earth leaves a perfectly good pie unattended?

Your stomach growls something fierce and you grabs it. I should just go. Hungry as she rea, you will be cursed if you steal from someone.

But no one is even here, the hungry part of you argues. If the pie is that important, the window and door would be both be shut and you wouldn't have smelled the pie to begin with. You lick her lips again but they somehow feel even drier. You look like a fox stuck in a trap, starving, with its own paw starting to look delicious after days of not eating. When your stomach rumbles again, your resolve solidifies. The gods might be upset you stole a pie, but your mother would be more upset if her daughter joins her in the heavens because you starved to death. You drop your bag and rifle behind a bush and stumble out of the brush, your pant leg catching on a few brambles.

You'd eat as much as you can before running away, that will hold you off the rest of the day if you ate half. Maybe you can fold the tin over afterwards and carry it back to your bag to eat the second half tomorrow. Two days worth of food, your mouth waters at the thought. This meal could be two days worth of food!

You rush up the few porch steps leading into the house, weary of the creaking of your boots on the floorboard as you search for the kitchen. It's a boon that the cottage isn't too big, you passed by two rooms in the hall that eventually led to the kitchen and dining room area. The last door, you assume is the front door. Even better is if the family is in front doing something else, distracted for long enough for you to leave without much of a trace. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, but sorry will likely mean nothing to the family you are stealing from. If I come back home this way after Leipmold, I'll pay them back for the pie. I'll bring them a basket of apples so they can make another one!

You stand on a conveniently placed stool beside the counter and grab the pie with ease, reaching for a spoon in the sink that looked like it had been rinsed off recently and, guilt and all, digs right in.

It's on your third spoonful that you hear a soft gasp and freeze. Don't look, they aren't there if I don't look. Still, even at 10 you know that isn't how the world works. You spin around quickly, neck nearly cracking in the process as you see the girl standing behind you with her mouth agape. She's pretty, you think without trying. The girl's hair is long and black with dark eyes that almost matches. She also sees that the pie her mother probably worked on is now ruined.

You ignore how your hands burn when you pick up the pie tin and make a mad dash to the backdoor.

At that, the girl finally breaks out of her stupor. "W-wait!" She cries, storming after you. "Stop, you pie thief!"

"Mikasa?" The voice of a woman approaches closer and you feel like crying. "What's going on?! Are you alright?!"

"Some boy is stealing our pie, Mom!"

When the steps leading to the back door came into view, you prepare yourself to jump over them. You'll just have to hide under a shrub until they give up their search outright before you can grab her rifle and knapsack. That was the plan at least before a third person arrives, a tall man with blond hair appears. The way he's holding his arms out wide to prevent your exit that makes you skid to a halt in surprise before stumbling forward clumsily and crashing on the floorboard. You wince as your chin hits the floorboard and your teeth clash together.

"Oh no!" The young girl's disappointment is palpable. The pie tin had landed upside down in a sticky mess. "Mom, your pie..."

You groan and clasps your jaw. You struggles to sit yourself back up, your vision is cloudy from the hot tears welling in your eyes. "Ow ow..." You garble, it didn't feel like anything is broken but that didn't make it hurt any less. You sniff harshly, trying to blink your eyes into being dry. You don't want to cry in front of these people. Not when you know it's your fault you ended up like this.

The gods really have cursed you for stealing the pie.

Anxiously, Mikasa peers through the crack of the door.

Her mother and father had told her to stay in the kitchen after they had caught the boy trying to steal their pie, but she is still worried. Mikasa feels disappointment and anger swirling in her equally as she looks at the boy, brown hand clutching his chin. Sunny days seldom result in her having ample time with her parents and yet her mother made that seldom into definite that morning when she asked Mikasa to help her bake. It was her first experience baking and to see it stolen so callously and then spilled onto the floor dampered her spirit.

Now she watches in private, wondering what her parents will do next.

Your eyes suddenly catch gray and Mikasa ducks with a flinch to avoid the boy noticing her.

Why'd you hide? Mikasa scolds herself. He's the stranger here, you don't have to hide! Despite her self-scolding, Mikasa doesn't feel brave enough to look up again, fearing she'd be spotted again instantly. She places a small hand over her chest, hoping it will calm her heartbeat.

"I'm sorry about your pie," the boy's voice is barely audible from where Mikasa crouches. "I shouldn't have tried to steal it. I don't have any apples to give back right now. Please don't be mad."

"Where is your family?" Mother doesn't sound angry, so much as she sounds concerned. Like when she thought Mikasa had gone too far into the forest to play. She is always worrying about something, Mikasa's mother believes it is justifiable, however. In the forest they lived, there are wild animals and too many trees for Mikasa to get lost in. "What's a child as young as yourself doing alone in these mountains?" Her voice was gentle.

"Ba went to Eppelbog." The boy answers after a few seconds. "He wanted me to go to the Leipmold to sell furs."

"'Ba'?" Mother repeats, sounding as confused as Mikasa is. She never heard that word before. "Is that your father?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Father sounds surprised, "your father decided to send you on your own to Leipmold? That's at least two weeks away from here on foot! How old are you?"

"10," a year older than Mikasa's 9 and he looks so different from her and her parents. The boy taller than her and his eyes were a bright [color] with skin that is the color of Ms. Penny's feathers, their oldest hen who died the previous winter. Mikasa feels her courage return enough to attempt her peeking once again. She's never seen anyone with skin that dark before.

"10?" Mother brings a hand to her mouth in disbelief. "Who sends their 10 year old to sell furs that far away?"

Father glances at Mother with a reproachful look, "that isn't too young an age for some families to have their boys work, Shiori."

"13 is one thing," Mother argues, crossing her arms adamantly. "10 is another, Mikasa's only 9! He needs to be home with his mother, Abelard."

"Don't have one," the boy shakes his head nervously. "Ma's gone, been gone since I was three. It's just me and Ba now."

Mikasa eyes widened with a shudder of horror. His mother is gone? She looks at her own parents, unable to imagine a reality in which either of them weren't with her everyday. No longer seeing her mother's embroidery or welcoming her father home after he was gone for a few hours of hunting, bringing back something that would make her heart jump as she tried suppressing the vague feeling of fear witnessing it.

"Is this your first time going to Leipmold on your own?" Father asks the boy who then nods in agreement. "Your father was irresponsible to send you on your way without enough food to last you an entire trip. You're going on foot the entire way?"

"I was supposed to catch rabbits on the way, I thought I could eat them on the way." The boy explains before wincing briefly. He rubs his chin again tenderly, the fall from earlier clearly taking a large toll on him. "There weren't a lot of rabbits though. I thought Leipmold was closer on the map my dad had in his study."

At that, Mother and Father both exchange a look that Mikasa didn't understand. Neither did the boy it seems as his expression is one of worry as he looks between the two of them. "Please don't tell him about the pie, he'll be mad," he begs.

"We'll keep the pie to ourselves if you answer some more of our questions," Father reassurs him with a smile. "When is your dad going to return home?"

"A few weeks," The boy's answer is slightly muffled. "He has a lot to sell."

"And you're absolutely sure he'll come no sooner than that?"

The boy nods again.

"What's your name?"

The boy hesitates at that, looking elsewhere. Mikasa is prepared to duck again if he's going to look in her direction again. "It's alright, dear." Mother's voice is soothing as she speaks and Mikasa can see she is smiling softly. "You can trust us."

"... [First]," the boy said after another moment passed. "[First] [Last]."

"[First]." Mikasa's mother repeats, copying the syllables slowly. "That's a lovely name, did your mother pick it?"

"Ba did."

"Well at least your father had good sense to pick a decent name." Mother murmurs to herself. Mikasa wonders if her upset towards the boy's father would last until she met him. Mikasa has never even been to Shiganshina, south of their home in the mountains which is an intimidating enough thought. Traveling alone in the mountains seems even scarier. She wonders if that's why the boy ended up eating their pie. "How about this, instead of going to Leipmold, you work here for us for a few weeks while your father is in Eppelbog and we pay you for it? Then you can leave for home from here and we won't even have to mention the pie."

[First] blinks and pulls away from his hand in his surprise. "Really?"

Mother and Father nod in unison. "It would be a lot safer for you to do this instead, I think your father would understand," Father beams with his hands on his hips.

"The mountains are no place for a child to be traveling on their own," Mother continues sounding resolute. "We'll have no problems letting you stay here in exchange for help with the chores around here. And you'll have to get along with our daughter, of course," Mikasa bites her lip and had to stop herself just barely from shuffling her feet. "She can be a bit shy, so you'll have to be patient with her."

"I- um-"

When Mother claps her hands together, Mikasa knows there will be no arguments further on the subject. When Mother makes up her mind, it can't be swayed by outside forces. "You can call us Abelgard and Shiori. Please make yourself home, [First]."

Father's eyes glance at the door and Mikasa takes a few steps back, but it's too late. "We know you're there already, Mikasa," he says with a knowing smile on his face. Mikasa groans quietly at the failure of her hiding place as she slowly opens the door, the creaking sounding ten times louder than normal. "There you are. Say 'hello' to [First], he'll be staying with us for a little while to make up for the pie, okay?"

Mikasa hides behind her mother to avoid looking their guest in the eye. "Hi," she grumbles quietly, hoping that would suffice.

"[First] will stay in your room while he's here, okay, and you can sleep with Mom and Dad, alright?"

"Mmhmm."

"Um," [First] pipes up after all his silence.

"Yes?" Father turns his attention back to their guest who would now be staying in Mikasa's room with her favorite dolls and the perfect view of the flower patch she had planted that was finally starting to sprout.

"I'm not a boy," [First] coughs as light coincidentally peeked through the curtains to shine on her head from the window. "Ba just shaves it off all the time."

Mikasa looks from behind Mother to stare at the girl curiously in her dirty shirt and pants and shaved head. It isn't long before she is hissing from the light pain of a pinch. "Ow!"

"It's rude to stare, Mikasa," Mother warns but her voice isn't harsh. "Remember? We're supposed to be polite when someone is in our house."

I know that already! Mikasa's eyes stare at the floor embarrassed to be scolded in front of someone so publicly. "Sorry," she murmurs instead.

"We should get you some fresh clothes so you can have those washed," Mother looks back at [First] as if there were no interruptions. "Do you like wearing dresses, dear?"

[First] shrugs. "I've never worn one. Ba said I couldn't."

"We can set out some clothes for you to pick between after you have a bath. Dear, you should get some water and heat it up over the fire for her in the mean time." Mother's attitude had shifted completely and Mikasa feels her embarrassment fade away as she watches in awe of how her mother seems to command the room. Father gave her a playful salute before leaving to do exactly as she asked. Mikasa can only hope that one day she would be just like her. Someone everyone could respect. "Mikasa, you should show [First] to your room and maybe you can even give her a tour afterwards. Do you think you can do that?"

Mikasa nods, not wanting to disappoint her. "I can do it!" She beams when Mother gives her a proud smile. "You're my favorite little helper, Mikasa!" Mother tells her often, it makes Mikasa warm to be.

"[First], where are your belongings?" Mother asks without missing a beat.

The girl points out of the window. "I left 'em under a bush."

"Alright, then you should get those before anything else," with a hint of finality, Mother claps her hands together to signal she is done for now. "Go on now," she places a hand on Mohammed's back and gives her a few pats to encourage the girl to stand. "It shouldn't take but twenty or so minutes for your bath to be ready and the warm water should help with any soreness. Then you can relax for the day before you can help with chores tomorrow."

She stands but the disbelief on [First]'s face is clear to see. She waits a moment, possibly pondering if she should say what's on her mind before ultimately deciding to gather her things without a word. I wonder if we can be friends, Mikasa stares at her back. It's not easy thinking one can be become friends with a pie thief, but if they will be living together Mikasa is sure she'll have to try her best to be polite at most. She will be just as long as no more pies would be lost to acts of thievery.

When the girl is finally out of an earshot, Mikasa asks, "Why would her dad cut her hair off, Mom?"

Mother only sighs, placing a warm hand atop her head gently. "I don't know, dear. And you shouldn't ask unless she tells you she might be very sensitive about it. Her father might not be a good person, letting her on her own like this. So we need to be kind until we're able to get home safely, alright? Can you do that for us?"

Mikasa doesn't understand completely, but she nods anyway. "I can."

Mother smiles brightly, "that's my girl."

You fidget uncomfortably in your dress. I thought dresses were going to be comfortable. They at least looked comfortable from how you saw other girls running in them in Eppelbog the few times you visited. Perhaps comfortability is subjective, though. At least, that is how you feel as your legs feel bare without the sensation of fabric hugging them on all sides closely. Maybe Ba knew they were uncomfortable and that's why they were forbidden. It's a pretty dress you can acknowledge. It is one of the daughter of the house's dresses. It reminds you of the sun with its warm yellow coloring, but it's nothing like how you had imagined wearing dresses. You spin around in the full body mirror, watching as the skirt flutters in the reflection.

Dresses aren't for me, I don't think. But your clothes wouldn't be ready to wear for another few hours after they finish drying.

"Um..." You almost jumps when she finally notices another face looking back at her in the mirror's reflection. "Mom asked me to give you a tour around our home right now."

Mikasa, Mr. Ackerman had said her name was. "Oh, um, hi," you turn around to face the girl properly. You hadn't expected your attempt at theft to turn into this, but it's a lot better than you getting in trouble and going to jail over it. It isn't quite Leipmold, but it still falls in the line of your original plans. You get to interact with different kinds of humans and you make money. Ba wouldn't be mad at that, at least not by much. Then his strict rules would fall by the way side and you would be free to live her life as she desired. You could make friends.

It's just not exactly promising that your first prospective friend is one you tried to steal a pie from. I'll make it work. "You're Mikasa, right?"

The black-haired girl nods, "and you're [First]."

An awkward silence passes between the two of them before you speak up again. Even if the start was the rough, you aren't letting a new friendship fall through your fingers. "Thank you for letting me wear your dress, Ba never let me wear them before. It's very pretty." Uncomfortable but pretty nonetheless.

Mikasa cracks a small smile at that.

"I'm ready for your tour now," you gesture to the door.

Mikasa leads the way with her flats tapping nicely against the wooden floors, your own footsteps in your boots sounding heavier. But you still your their way outside while there is still plenty of sun gracing the cottage. You sighs in relief. The air smells sweeter now that you don't stink among shrubs anymore. The Ackerman home is a nice home even if there isn't much on the land beyond a garden, a shed and a chicken coop. "This is Eunice, Bonnie, Claudette, and Dana, our hens." Mikasa's voice is light with a small smile gracing her face as she points at the birds. "We don't eat them because they lay eggs for us."

"I like Claudette the most," you point at the black hen's speckled-with-white feathers.

Mikasa shakes her head almost immediately. "Eunice is the prettiest," she gestures at the burgundy hen with gusto.

"Claudette."

"Eunice."

"Claudette."

It is a battle with no end before Mikasa's tour takes them away from the coop and to a garden area. "Eunice," you think you had heard under the girl's breath but your belly grumbles when she spots the blackberry bushes.

You coughs do cover the noise, "did Mrs. Ackerman plant everything?"

Mikasa shakes her head and kneels beside a small patch of dirt with buds separating from the main garden. "These are the flowers I planted," the girl says proudly, the sun beaming down on her. You kneel beside her as best you can without getting dirt on your borrowed outfit. "Mom let me do it all by myself and she said they'll finally be flowers in a couple of months!" You know she won't be there long enough for that but you smile anyway.

"Can you eat them?"

Mikasa looks aghast at the very thought, "of course not!"

"You can eat some flowers though," you points out. Like the lavender that grows near her home. Ba sometimes had you collect flowers like chamomile for tea he would brew when it was especially cold.

"These flowers are for being pretty," Mikasa looks at her buds again proudly. "Mom said we can make flower crowns with them and press them too and that I'll be able to keep them forever that way." She stands up, dusting what few specks of dirt that managed to get on the bottom of her dress. "The rest here are vegetables and fruits Mom grows." You try not to look too excited when you stop in front of blackberry bush but it seems Mikasa already has similar ideas. The young girl plucked a berry right off the bush, holding it for you to take. "The berries are ripe enough to pick right now." I'm really happy I tried to steal that pie! "You can try it, if you want."

You take the berry all too eagerly, relishing the sweet taste on your tongue. "Can I have another?" You asks but Mikasa is already picking more, munching on a berry of her own as she places two on your palm. Yes, you will enjoy living with the Ackermans very much.

#look she's writing #snk x reader #aot x reader #mikasa ackerman x reader #mikasa x reader #mikasa ackerman #mr and mrs ackerman

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