#and I'm sorry for not updating yet but I've been busy af moving from one country to another one lmao

[kuchenackerman]

LAWLESS

Summary: Despite his youth, Eren Jaeger is one of the best and most popular doctors of the Kingdom. Among those interested on his services is included a recognized criminal clan, which does not hesitate to use the youngest of the Ackerman as bait. Eren never imagined that this "harmless" girl in red dress would get him into so much trouble, turning his world upside down.

A/N: since I deleted my blog back in March, the “read more” of my old posts is not working anymore, so I decided to re-upload chapters 1 and 2 together to make things easier for anyone who’s interested.

Art by Dani ♥ the full version of Lawless’ cover is here and there’s more related fanart here - I still have to reblog everything again, so the tag will collect more beautiful things done by Dani soon. You can also read the rest of the chapters on FF.net or on AO3

Chapter 1. Crimson

Mikasa hit the wall hard. In spite of it, the coldness of the bricks did little against her accumulated body heat. Today's training had been tough since she had to battle against the stockiest and tallest man at Kenny's service.

Will, who was practically a beast of a man, lay face down on the floor. Blood dripping from his broken nose.

"Is he dead?"

The girl shook her head slightly, without even looking at the man approaching the scene. She needed to catch her breath and calm her heart rate. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her forearm while she thought that yeah, she could have killed him. The idiot would have deserved it only for trying to be too clever.

"He should be dead, huh?" murmured the man in an expressionless tone, but Mikasa knew him well enough to perceive his simmering anger.

"The fucking pig". Levi turned Will over easily with a foot, without any care at all, so he could check his face. Mikasa had done a good job wrecking that stupid face, the guy was going to look uglier than before. Usually when a training session ended like this, it was because the practice puppets had said something disgusting to her or tried something they shouldn't have.

Although she knew that some of the guys Kenny sent as human punching bags were precisely chosen so she could learn to defend herself under complicated and stifling circumstances; a thing that she no longer considered necessary. She was completely capable of defending herself, and she was fed up with it. With this attack, she's managed to send the message Kenny was expecting her to give.

Because of Will's size, it took more time than usual for Mikasa to knock him out. Levi had wanted to be present at the training, but she asked him to trust in her abilities, and so he did.

"This is the last one of the week, maybe of the month," said Mikasa as she passed him by, walking toward the exit, "Or definitely the last one".

She was dangerous. She was an Ackerman.

"Oi, brat-"

Don't mess with the Ackerman, Kenny used to repeat with a smirk.

"I want to be alone," she cut him off.

Levi followed her with his eyes for a moment, then squinted back toward the subject at his feet. He let out a snort when he noticed the nauseating state of the floor, spotted with blood and rancid sweat. He could even see a few teeth not far away.

The youngest of the Ackermans walked rapidly through the dark corridor, observing that farther ahead Kenny's office door was slightly ajar. She could perceive the dim light of the room and the smell of burnt tobacco. She also heard his snicker and some banging, the tell-tale sound of Kenny's favorite and ridiculous boots landing on the desk.

Mikasa moved cautiously to try and glimpse what was happening inside the office but before she could get to see anything, Kenny had spotted her.

"Oi! Stop sniffing around and get in!"

She issued a little snort; that old man always made her doubt her stealth ability.

Mikasa glanced down at herself. She was still wearing her training outfit and was extremely sweaty. The bandages that covered her knuckles were stained with someone else's blood. In truth, she wasn't even remotely presentable… and in this moment what she most wanted was to take off her clothes, have a bath and read something. She did not want to socialize.

Nevertheless, she felt too much curiosity to simply decline the invitation. It wasn't often that Kenny had visitors—and she could tell he had one now since the door was left slightly ajar. Kenny only did that when he had company. He said it was for the tranquility of the visitor. Supposedly.

In the interior, Kenny smoked from his pipe with his feet rested on the shabby desk, while in front of him sat a handsome, tall and muscular blond man with his hair combed neatly back. As the girl entered the room, the stranger scrutinized her face with intense blue eyes and, after some seconds, gave her a cordial smile.

"Miss, my name is Erwin Smith," he introduced himself, standing automatically so he could offer her his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Mikasa..." she started to introduce herself, glancing at Kenny who nodded with a proud smile. The girl shook the man's hand with less strength than she expected. It seemed that she actually was exhausted. "Mikasa Ackerman."

Erwin Smith noted the dirt and blood on her hands but was not fazed in the least.

"Good," Kenny said, "I just wanted you to know this guy. Go take a shower and do your girly stuff. Whatever. Later we'll talk about tomorrow's mission. It includes a cute dress."

The girl openly rolled her eyes and turned around, saying a polite goodbye to Mr. Smith. She could almost imagine what type of mission it would be.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Doctor Jaeger!"

The young man turned around and noticed a little girl running impetuously towards him. She was carrying some flowers in a fist that she gave to him as soon as she reached him with a light blush, "Many thanks for healing my daddy!"

He smiled and caressed the girl's head, bending down to meet her height.

"You and your mother did all the hard work taking care for him for days. It's because of that he healed so quickly after my visit," he clarified, taking the flowers. "But thank you so much for the gift."

The girl nodded. The admiration and gratefulness reflected in her hazel eyes thrilled Eren, who was now more convinced that he'd never give up his volunteer work in the poorest districts of the Kingdom for a large house in royal grounds.

Despite the frequent offers, he wasn't interested in filling his pockets while exclusively taking care of the noble and high born, and he was not interested in living a quiet and sedentary life. His desire was to travel constantly. To live one month here and a week there, treating the people that couldn't afford to pay one of the few available doctors.

As he boarded the ship that would take him to Mitras, Paradis Kingdom's capital, he was able to see part of the house where he lived during a large part of his childhood. Now another family inhabited it, but he still allowed himself to fantasize that one day he'd knock on the door and he would be welcomed by nothing more and nothing less than his aged parents.

He let out a bitter smile and shook his head… visiting Shiganshina made him nostalgic, sentimental.

Noticing the orange tone of the sky, he realized it was almost time to set sail, so he decided to search among the boat - built for around a hundred people - for a particular blond headed passenger.

He found him easily a moment later. Armin was sitting on a chair, absorbed in his reading, while a fat lady was looking at him disapprovingly. She was standing and there were no more available seats; the trip would take more than two hours.

Eren loudly cleared his throat but he couldn't catch his friend's attention.

"Hey, Armin…" he called.

The blond looked up immediately from his thick book, stood, and approached the brown haired boy, waving at him cheerfully. The lady took her chance and seated herself quickly, an action that Armin barely even noticed.

"Eren!" he greeted him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I thought you boarded the morning boat and that you were already at Mitras."

"I needed to visit more patients before leaving, you know," Eren replied. "Besides, having to leave Shiganshina so soon for such a stupid reason annoys me, so I just took my time."

Armin nodded and shrugged. He knew Eren wasn't fond of high society's frivolous parties, which he was bound to attend as a courtesy so they wouldn't think he was ungrateful.

"At least I'll be there as your companion, and I'm bringing my chessboard in case you want a rematch after last night's games." The pieces inside clattered playfully as Armin shook the closed board with enthusiasm.

"Armin," Eren groaned and playfully hit him on the arm.

"Ouch! And what else do you want us to do, dance? I d-don't know how to dance, I'll embarrass myself!"

"Historia taught you less than two months ago. You forgot already?" Eren asked while he nonchalantly sat down on the floor. He was exhausted, "I can't give you lessons from now til the night. What are you going to do if one of those daring girls asks you for a dance? It happened to me the last time and I accepted so I wouldn't offend her… unlike the time before that," he complained.

Armin shuddered a little thinking about the possibility.

"I'll ask Historia to hide me in a room or inside a wardrobe before the dance begins", he replied hastily. "That's what I'll do. Or I'll escape to the gardens."

Eren snorted mockingly and shook his head, giving his friend a lopsided smile.

"Crap, Armin. If I knew that you didn't remember how to dance, then I wouldn't have gotten you into this mess." He stared at the sky for a moment and closed his eyes, thinking that maybe he'll take a nap. He needed it. "I'm sorry mate, I'm too worn out to keep talking."

"It's okay, don't worry," Armin replied. "I'll stay by your side and read, and I'll make sure that nobody steps on you while they pass by."

"Mmh… mhh…"

Armin knew that Eren would not wake up even if someone did unintentionally step on him. He always slept soundly since he decided to take the place and responsibilities of his father. The poor boy worked so hard that he could sleep anywhere like a baby.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Wearing tuxedos, both young men arrived in time to present their invitations to the guards, and then to the butlers posted at the entrance hall, who requested they put on masks before going in.

The Reiss's white palace was undeniably magnificent, large and beautiful. In the interior of the ballroom, the vivid colors of the ladies' dresses gave a brilliant contrast to the white marbled floor and pastel toned roses, all part of the elegant decor.

There was food, drinks and flower arrangements on each of the long tables that surrounded the ballroom. Meanwhile, the orchestra performed refined and serene melodies in a kind of domed stage, making the ambience pleasant, despite the noise the conversation of the guests produced.

Armin was captivated and offended at the same time by the opulence, even though it was not the first time he assisted his friend at one of these parties. Eren was talking with a noble men who'd recognized him when they entered and begun talking about things that Eren wasn't remotely interested in.

Meanwhile, Armin decided to walk around in case he found Historia. He hoped to ask her to help him avoid the embarrassment of the dance when the time comes. She would understand.

"I knew that Doctor Jaeger was invited, but I haven't seen him"

Armin heard the voice of a girl, so he stopped his search out of curiosity.

Eren was extremely popular among girls, but he never seemed to be aware of that. He was dedicated to only do his job.

"I haven't seen him either, what a pity," sighed another girl, "He must be looking so handsome, especially today."

"Yes! But with these masks, it's difficult to recognize anyone…"

"True, but at the same time everything is more fun and mysterious, isn't it?"

"Yes, I guess," said the girl that first mentioned Eren, "I wish the doctor asked me to dance with him tonight."

He chuckled to himself. Poor girls; Eren couldn't be less interested in dancing and spending his time with people in a romantic sense.

"Ugh, Historia Reiss is so fortunate. There are a lot of rumors about her and him, like they're going to marry some day or that they're already a couple."

Armin almost spat his drink and, to his bad luck, he caught the attention of the girls. He coughed dramatically for a few seconds, pretending to be sick, so the girls moved away so as not to catch the flu, or whatever that stranger had.

Beside him, a pale girl dressed in a red gown and mask offered him a serviette. She wore her black hair combed into a high bun.

"Oh, t-thanks!"

She gave him a small, pretty smile, framed with crimson lips.

"I saw you arrive with Doctor Jaeger, but I lost sight of him a few moments ago," she commented point-blankly to him. "Everything was the fault of an old moneybag who decided it was a good idea to offer me money in exchange for a kiss."

Armin raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

She nodded, looking at him directly with her dark and deep eyes through the rabbets of her mask. Even if he couldn't see much of her face, she had to be a very, very beautiful girl. Armin couldn't help but to look at her cleavage unconsciously.

"Do you have any idea of where doctor Jaeger is?" she asked smoothly. "I'm dying to meet him…"

Armin looked up immediately and scouted for Eren in the crowd. He could see him talking with Historia near a thick marble pillar.

"He's there, with Historia Reiss, see?" Armin replied, pointing in their direction. "I don't know if it would be appropriate to interrupt them. After all, she's a princess and - Hey!"

The mysterious girl in the showy, red dress left him speaking alone. When she was about to reach the place where Eren and Historia were, Armin saw her trip. Several of the attendees that were near exclaimed upon seeing her fall and some men rushed to help her but Eren reached her first.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Mikasa let out a small cry of pain before hearing Eren Jaeger ask her if she was okay. He helped her to stand up carefully, while Historia Reiss gave him indications to help the poor girl to seat near there and to verify that everything was fine.

"Eren, please accompany and examine her," the heir of the Reiss family directed. "I'll be back in a few minutes, my father wants me to meet some people… Miss, I hope you're alright!" she said to Mikasa before leaving with an apologetic look.

"Are you alright? Does anything hurt?" Eren asked her while he took off the stupid mask.

For a moment, Mikasa felt a slight unease when she was directly confronted with his large, worried, emerald eyes.

"No… the truth is that I don't feel fine," she murmured, bringing a hand to her head. "I think I need a bit of fresh air. I'm feeling dizzy."

"Okay, I'll help you to the terrace. Can you walk properly?"

The girl moaned when she put her right foot on the floor, so Eren held her by the waist and helped her to move. Since the night was cold, the terrace was empty when they arrived.

"Come, let's sit here for a moment," he said while he helped her onto a stone bench. "Please, let me check your ankle." Eren crouched down and carefully took one of her heeled shoes off. His delicate brush made Mikasa blush and she involuntarily dodged a new touch. "Does it hurt here?"

"A bit," she lied, averting her gaze.

"It could be a mild sprain," he pointed out, and in that instant he noticed that the girl's shoulders were bared.

Mikasa watched as Eren took off his jacket and gently placed it around her shoulders.

"You said you have dizziness, did you drink much?"

"Nothing at all."

"Any possibility of being pregnant?"

"What? No!" she almost yelled.

Eren blinked in surprise. "It's okay, I was just asking. It seemed like you passed out, and because of that you lost your balance and fell."

Eren remembered that when he was talking with Historia, she told him that there was an elegant girl dressed in a red gown coming to where they were, so he followed the blonde's gaze but, in that same moment, the girl in the red dress tumbled over just before them.

"I certainly didn't feel well. There's a lot of people and noise inside, and that's a bit suffocating to me," said the young lady aside him. She took off the crimson mask, "But I feel better already. Thanks," she smiled at him slightly.

The boy nodded slowly, contemplating her delicate features and how the darkness of her eyes stood out in contrast with the snowy tone of her skin. Weirdly, it seemed to him that it wasn't the first time that he saw her. He wasn't sure if he had seen her at another of those parties or in another place.

Maybe in the streets.

Maybe a long time ago.

Eren couldn't remember when, nor where, he just knew that those features weren't common and were difficult to forget. He was about to ask her if they'd met before, but then realized that he'd forgotten to ask her something.

"Oh! By the way, what's your name? I'm Eren. Eren Jaeger."

The mysterious girl let out a little bitter smile. It lasted only a moment and was almost imperceptible, but he managed to see it.

"I know perfectly well who you are, Eren Jaeger," she snapped coldly, in a different tone compared to the one she'd used since the beginning. Her face was now stoic, "My name is Mikasa," she informed, somewhat reluctantly.

"… Mikasa?" even though in this instant he wasn't able to think straight, he had the faint thought of recognizing that name.

But then a penetrating sickly-sweet smell filled nostrils. Mikasa moved closer and embraced him, leaning her head on one of his shoulders. The action surprised Eren, making him open his mouth slightly to take a deep breath of adulterated air that only confused him further.

"I'm sorry, Eren," he heard Mikasa whisper in his ear. She covered his nose and mouth with a handkerchief, soaked with a substance that he realized was the source of the smell.

As soon as he lost consciousness, Mikasa did a quick whistle after which a man of short stature came out of hiding behind some bushes.

"Finally," he complained sourly while approaching her.

She simply squinted her eyes, took off her shoes and hastened to follow him.

Levi carried Eren on one shoulder as if he weighed nothing.

Chapter 2. Abduction

After waiting for the two guards that patrolled the area to move far enough away, Mikasa and Levi hurried until they reached an elegant carriage parked near a zone of lush vegetation.

Several meters ahead, the access' sentinels were trying to politely reason with three provocative women. They stubbornly insisted that they were invited to the party, although they lacked an invitation that could prove it and they weren't even wearing appropriate wardrobe for the occasion.

The coachman raised an eyebrow when he noted that Levi was carrying someone who didn't offer any resistance.

"Is that one dead? Injured?" the coachman whispered with some concern and glanced at the guards, who were distracted with the prostitutes that he himself brought to the Palace.

"Shut up and make these horses move their asses," said Levi seating at his side, after he deposited Eren Jaeger inside the carriage. Mikasa was boarding it at that moment.

Levi was dressed similarly to the man who held the reins of the horses.

"It's just that I would not want him to... stain the upholstery," the coachman insisted, anxious.

"Don't fuck with me, your upholstery is already disgusting," Levi glanced at him reproachfully and then turned around. "Mikasa, I left you a change of clothes in there."

The aforementioned just nodded, forgetting for a moment that Levi couldn't see her from the outside.

"Okay," she answered, absorbed while she stroked the silky red cloth that covered her legs.

Mikasa liked the dress a lot. She felt so, so feminine wearing it. She loved the entire outfit, it was beautiful. The dark shoes, the red dress and her intricate high hairstyle.

She almost felt like a lady. Almost, because of lady she had nothing, even with that outfit she could only pretend to be one. Besides, she could never get used to wearing high heels. She had only been wearing them for a short while and already her feet were becoming resentful.

"Have a good night, gentlemen!" she heard the coachman say merrily, probably to the sentinels. She didn't hear Levi say anything, as expected.

Mikasa tried to take a look at the unconscious boy in front of her, who she laid down on the wide seat. It was difficult to visualize details in midst of a darkness to which her sight wasn't adjusted yet. Anyway, it was evident that the irregular movement of the carriage made Eren's head bounce rhythmically on the worn padding, so Mikasa knelt beside him and put a little pillow under his head.

It was then when she realized that he was just wearing a white shirt and a black tie, since she still had his black jacket on her shoulders. When she removed the garment, she was invaded by a fetching and musky scent. Instinctively, Mikasa brought the fabric to her nose and inhaled softly to perceive a citric vestige, at the same time that she closed her eyes. The fragrance transported her to the past, to the times in which the sensation of security, tranquility and naïve happiness were a constant in her life… When she still lived with her parents.

The carriage took a leap and the shaking pulled her out of her little lethargy. She quickly covered Eren with the jacket and verified that he was still asleep. She paid special attention to his measured breathing. Everything seemed to be all right.

The girl caressed for a last time the lustrous fabric that clung to her waist - it loosened under her hips and its length didn't get to cover her ankles.

After a listless sigh she proceeded to unbutton her back, not without some difficulty.

"Fucking buttons" she murmured to herself, since the last pair to unbutton was giving her problems.

The front side of the dress had fallen and it no longer exerted any pressure on her naked torso, so she just turned the dress to finish undoing everything. She didn't want to unintentionally damage it. Thankfully, her sight had adjusted to the dim light and she managed to smoothly solve the problem.

Suddenly she realized the boy was moving, so she immediately covered herself with her arms and glanced at him, distressed, because he seemed to have his eyelids half open. She approached him, ready to punch him and knock him out, but Eren didn't even try to dodge the fist that remained just a few centimeters from his nose. To Mikasa's relief he was still unconscious, as it should be. She grabbed his jacket and covered his whole face anyways, just in case.

Maybe Eren Jaeger was that kind of weird person that slept with their eyes open.

Meanwhile, the girl finished removing the dress and quickly put on a shirt, sweater and black pants.

They arrived late-night to an area of small houses located near the border of Orvud, a district to the north of Mitras. The full moon lit the dusty entrance of the structure, next to which a man with a wrinkled face was sitting wrapped in a blanket. When he saw Mikasa get out of the carriage, he showed her a smile that was missing some teeth.

"Good night, missy," he saluted her with a nod of his head.

"Good night, Arnie," she answered with some kindness. "Have you had supper?"

"Yeah, a jug of wine and a delicious chicken!"

"Good," she smiled slightly at him and her stomach rumbled at the mention of food. She had not had time to eat at the Reiss' party, let alone drink anything. She was famished.

Inside the small house, she proceeded to give a series of rhythmic knocks on a part of the wall that happened to be a camouflaged door between two furnishings and behind a small table, on which there was a plate with chicken bones and a clay jug.

The door opened with a squeak and from the other side they were received by the ever serious Tom, a bald man with a black moustache and beard. Since Levi was carrying Eren, Mikasa allowed him to go in first. She went down the deteriorating steps and followed him through the poorly illuminated tunnel - with soil floor and rock walls - until they ran into an iron door already opened and flanked by two men as silent as the first one.

As they passed the entry, to their left it was possible to hear some hysterical laughter, banging on tables and an out of tune man singing with extreme emotion.

Both Levi and Mikasa rolled their eyes and turned in the opposite direction, to a short corridor, in which they soon reached a thick metal and dark wood door.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Eren slowly opened his eyes.

Stunned, he realized that he was sitting on a chair with armrests, to which his wrists were tied. His ankles were tied to the forelegs of the chair.

What…?

No, he wasn't even dreaming.

But, what the hell? He thought, irritated.

He tried to look around. It was a small room, with a bed stuck to the left wall, while the opposite wall was less than a meter away from him. He turned his head and at his back he could notice that on a bedside table there was a candle, barely illuminating the place.

In front of him there wasn't much he could see, since his own body blocked what little light there was, but the entrance to the room should have been in that direction. It was a windowless room, narrow and long, and there was at least two more meters of it onward.

This shit again, Eren frowned and felt how the rage overpowered him.

An abduction.

"Another damn time!" he complained, clenching his teeth while he stirred on the chair trying to loosen the ropes.

"We hope this is the last time"

Eren stilled immediately upon hearing the soft feminine voice, without putting much attention to the spoken words. He had thought he was alone.

His surprise didn't last long though, because the annoyance of being in his present situation came back. Realizing that it was the voice of that girl infuriated him even more.

"Mikasa," he pronounced her name in a tone tinged of rage. "What the fuck do you think you're doing? What kind of game is this?"

She had deceived him. She had taken advantage of his goodwill and concern. She had taken him for an idiot.

The girl didn't answer so Eren insisted, making a poor attempt to control his anger.

"Where am I?" demanded the boy. "What do you want from me?"

From one moment to another - and to his bewilderment - Mikasa was standing just in front of him, sudden like the attack of a viper. Eren would have fallen back from the shock if he wasn't tied to a chair.

Mikasa stood without saying or doing anything other than staring at him, expressionless. The only thing that moved was the orange dancing flame reflected in her dark eyes. Her pale and perfect face, now without makeup, almost seemed like an alabaster modeled statue. The ebony hair surpassed her shoulders by several centimeters.

"You're in the Ackerman's residency" she informed him, monotonous.

Eren's eyes went wide and felt his heartbeat suddenly altered.

He recalled the smile and the teasing tone of Kenny Ackerman, the tall and skinny man about whom he had heard tales during his childhood - Kenny the Ripper. The strong and ruthless assassin that nearly three decades ago had blood stained the streets of the wealthy and safest neighborhoods of the Kingdom.

It seemed to Eren that he could smell the tobacco stink that characterized Kenny, so he closed his eyes and pressed his eyelids together hard for a while, reliving the deep terror he felt as a child upon learning the identity of his kidnapper.

"But… but my father is dead. The dead can't make deals," he murmured, half opening his lost eyes.

Mikasa was gone, camouflaged again in the shadows of the room.

"We know that," she stated, feeling a sadness that she tried not to show on her voice, even though Eren could barely hear her.

Doctor Grisha Jaeger had been the first person she met apart from her parents, and he had always been very kind to her. On one occasion, he told her that he had a son that was about her same age, and that his name was Eren.

The last time the doctor had visited her home, he had promised her that he would bring his son with him in his next visit, so they could know each other. So they could be friends.

It never happened.

"What does Kenny Ackerman want from me?" Eren asked, jaded.

He was sidelong glancing towards the shadows, frowning.

"For you to work with us," Mikasa replied simply.

"Ha! Come on…" the green eyed boy scoffed, "You can have me abducted any time you want, even torture me or kill me. Whatever, I refuse to collaborate with a group of murderers, with a pack of beasts disguised as humans."

Eren heard the squeak of rusty hinges and then a thud of wood against wood. Mikasa had left the room, but he didn't hear her locking the door or running a latch.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Mikasa found Levi in the kitchen. He was drinking tea in silence near a counter.

"What are you doing here?" Levi asked her after taking a long sip.

"I just came to look for something for him to eat and drink."

"Tch, that's not how things work."

The man looked at the girl as she poured water into a glass and put a large piece of bread next to a slice of cheese on a plate.

"It doesn't matter," she said.

When Mikasa returned to the room she found that Eren had diagonally fallen with the chair on the edge of the bed. He glared at her furiously from his ridiculous position and she struggled to contain the laughter. His fury in this context didn't daunt anyone but it was rather funny.

The poor boy must have been shaking in the chair like crazy trying to release himself during the time she left him alone.

"Are you hungry?" Mikasa passed him by and put the things she brought on the bedside table.

"No," Eren groaned "I don't want anything from you."

Ignoring his anger, Mikasa moved behind him and returned the chair to its normal position without major effort. Seconds after she started to untie his hands and feet in complete silence. As soon as Eren was released, he ran towards the door, but Mikasa promptly took him by his wrist, put a hand on his back and slammed him against the wall.

"Don't try anything stupid," she warned, as she bent his arm behind his back.

"And what… do you want me… to do?" Eren questioned with some difficulty, since he has his stomach and his chest pressed against the wall, plus half of his face. That girl was strong. "Do you want me… to stay seated… and chill?"

"Yeah," she said, releasing him.

Eren turned around rubbing his cheek as he glanced at her warily.

"I know I didn't had the chance to go further that door," he admitted out of humor, leaning himself on the wall as he crossed his arms.

"Good."

Eren just wanted to try complicating things a bit, to show her that he wouldn't surrender so easily. Whatever. So he leaped on the girl, but she dodged him with ease.

All of a sudden, Eren's feet had left the ground and - from one moment to another - he had fell on the bed. He sat on the mattress immediately and gazed at Mikasa, dumbfounded.

She was far faster and far stronger than him.

"Good night," Mikasa said as she nonchalantly settled a strand of hair behind her ear.

She was a weird and certainly conceited girl.

This time, Eren heard her lock the door from the outside. He brought his hands to his head, exasperated, then pressed a pillow to his face so he could suffocate a yell full of anger and desperation.

He didn't know when he fell asleep, but he was woken up by the annoying smell of tobacco. A bit disoriented, Eren pinched his nose and sat up on the bed.

"Nice shirt and tie," Kenny said, sitting on the same chair Eren had been tied up in the night before. Behind him, the door was open and an orange light streamed in from the hallway. "So much time living under the wing of the Reiss people has given you a taste for refinement, huh?"

Eren frowned without saying a word. Kenny had more wrinkles on his face now, but he was wearing almost the same outfit he wore the first time he met him, including his stupid boots and his black hat.

"I see Mikasa treated you well," the Ripper said, noticing the untouched water and bread. A teasing tone was palpable on his voice, "You can't rely too much on teenagers."

The leader of the Ackerman took out a curved knife from inside his jacket and nonchalant started to play in a skillful way with it. The light flashed on the edge of the blade.

"So?" he said to the young man, "Don't you have any questions to ask?"

"No. You all can go to Hell," Eren blurted with a defiant look.

Kenny laughed out loud for a while, until he stood up and took Eren by the collar of his shirt, dragging him off the bed.

Kenny held him up with one hand. The boy struggled.

"You're gonna live and cooperate with us, whether you want to or not."

He dropped Eren to the ground when he realized that he could barely breathe. As Eren coughed, Kenny threw him a small yellowing envelope that fell on his lap.

"He asked me to protect you, among other stuff," Kenny informed. "Obviously, in exchange I want you to treat my men whenever they're injured or when they fall ill… And I want you to give me some information," he added the last sentence with a lopsided smile.

"Him?" Eren questioned, confused. He took the envelope with his free hand while rubbing his throat with the other one.

Who the hell was he talking about? And to protect him from what or whom? Because, if there was anyone you needed protection from, it was from Kenny and his criminal association.

"Read the damn letter. I'll come back later."

Eren approached the light of a new candle on the bedside table, which someone must have changed while he was sleeping. He carefully extracted a piece of folded paper from the inside of the envelope, and his eyes widened as he recognized the calligraphy of his father.

N/A: Thank you so much for reading! If you like it, please reblog and/or leave some feedback on FF.net or on AO3, where you can read more chapters of Lawless. Comments/Reviews are highly appreciated :’) - feedback in general is the best thing!