Work Text:
As far as Mikasa was concerned, TikTok was a digital playground for mindless dances and ridiculous challenges. It was the kind of place where Sasha and Connie thrived, posting clips of themselves attempting viral trends with zero shame. And that was precisely why Mikasa now found herself trapped in an empty classroom after school, the tinny chorus of Tiramisu Cake looping mercilessly from Sasha’s phone.
“Don’t worry about it,” Sasha said, nudging her with an elbow. Her grin was infectious, though Mikasa remained immune. “The steps are super easy. Just copy me.”
Mikasa crossed her arms. “Sasha, please. This is embarrassing.”
Undeterred, Sasha seized Mikasa’s shoulders and spun her toward the camera, adjusting their spacing with the precision of a director setting up a shot. The phone screen reflected Mikasa’s stiff posture and the faint pink tinge creeping up her neck.
“Okay, listen up!” Sasha struck a pose, one hand on her hip, the other pointing skyward. “Right hand here, left hand up—then shake your hips like this.” She demonstrated with exaggerated enthusiasm, her ponytail bouncing with each movement. “Then you draw two circles—bottom first, then top—spin around, and boom! Back to the first pose.”
Mikasa stood frozen, arms locked at her sides. “Why can’t you drag Connie into this instead?”
“He’s visiting his sister today.” Sasha pouted, clasping her hands beneath her chin. “Besides, I never get to hang out with you anymore! Aren’t we best friends?”
Mikasa exhaled through her nose. Normally, she’d shut this down without hesitation. But lately, between adjusting to life with Eren and drowning in coursework, she’d barely seen anyone outside their shared circle. Guilt prickled at her—Sasha’s wide, hopeful eyes weren’t helping.
“…Fine,” she relented. “Walk me through it again.”
Sasha lit up like a firework. “Right hand on hip, left arm up—shake it! Then circles, spin, pose. Easy, right?”
Mikasa mimicked the motions with the grace of a soldier marching to drill practice. When she turned away from the camera, she instinctively reached for her scarf, wishing she could disappear into the fabric.
The music ended abruptly, and Sasha clapped her hands. “You’re a natural! One more practice round, then we record for real.”
They reset. Sasha bounced on her toes, eyes glued to the screen, while Mikasa focused on mirroring her movements. This time, she managed a slight hip sway—progress, even if it made her want to melt into the floor. By the final beat, they were (mostly) in sync, and Sasha’s laughter bubbled over as the song faded.
“Perfect! Okay, no more rehearsals.” Sasha hit record, her grin widening. “Ready, Mikasa?”
Mikasa clenched her jaw. “Just get it over with.”
She forced herself to move with more energy this time, if only to avoid a fifth take. The steps were simple, but executing them under Sasha’s giddy scrutiny made her skin crawl. When the recording ended with a chime, Sasha immediately snatched up her phone, replaying the video with glee.
“This is gold! You don’t mind if I send it to the group chat, right?”
Mikasa shrugged. “Whatever.”
Sasha’s thumbs flew across the screen, but the way she bit her lip and glanced sideways told Mikasa this wasn’t the end.
“…So,” Sasha began, dragging out the word, “hypothetically… if I posted this on my spam TikTok account—”
“Absolutely not.”
“No one follows it!” Sasha pleaded, pressing her palms together in prayer. “It’ll get, like, three views. Four max.” She dropped her voice to a whisper, chanting, “Please, please, please—”
Mikasa pinched the bridge of her nose. She could already picture Armin’s amused smile, Jean’s teasing smirk, Connie’s howling laughter. But Sasha’s puppy-dog eyes were a weapon of mass destruction.
“…I don’t even have TikTok,” she muttered. “Do whatever you want.”
Sasha shrieked and launched herself at Mikasa, nearly tackling her in a rib-crushing hug. “Mikasa! I knew you loved me!”
Mikasa didn’t return the embrace, but she didn’t pull away either. And if her lips twitched upward for half a second—well, no one needed to know.
“I’m home.”
Mikasa’s voice barely disturbed the quiet as she shrugged off her coat, the familiar weight lifting from her shoulders. She hung it neatly on the hook by the door, fingertips brushing the fabric out of habit. The keys clinked softly as they dropped into the ceramic bowl beside the entryway, its chipped rim a testament to Eren’s habit of tossing them in haphazardly.
The apartment was still. No creak of floorboards, no low hum of the TV, no half-mumbled greeting from the living room. Just the faint hum of the refrigerator and the distant murmur of the city outside.
She padded across the hardwood, her socked feet whispering against the grain, and dumped her bag onto the coffee table with a quiet thud. The sofa cushions sighed as she collapsed into them, her body melting into the well-worn embrace of fabric that still carried the faintest trace of Eren’s cologne.
With a slow exhale, she gathered her hair back, twisting it into a loose bun at the nape of her neck. A few strands escaped immediately, but she left them be. Her phone screen flickered to life, illuminating her tired face with its glow.
Notifications crowded the top—emails from professors, a calendar alert for an upcoming exam. But beneath the mundane clutter, her pulse gave a quiet skip at the sight of Eren’s name.
Eren: sent a link.
Eren: we should go on a date here!!
Eren: sent a link.
Eren: see its not weird to be the underdressed bf when my gf is all dolled up
Eren: sent a link.
Eren: can we do that?? itll look nice as a lockscreen
Eren: went out for a bit!!! mom asked me to drop smthn off for her. i love you!!!
Her thumb hovered. The timestamps told her the last message was sent over thirty minutes ago—how had she missed it? A pang of guilt nudged her as she typed out a quick reply.
Mikasa: I just got home. Take care while you’re out. I love you too!
Then, curiosity won out. She tapped the first link, only to be met with the Play Store’s cheerful prompt to install TikTok. A soft huff escaped her. Of course. She copied the URL and pasted it into her browser instead, watching as the video loaded in grainy, muted quality.
Eren’s taste in TikToks was, predictably, a mix of earnest and chaotic. A café with heart-shaped lattes. A couple’s outfit reel where the girl wore an elegant dress and the guy lounged beside her in a graphic tee and sweatpants. A sunset silhouette trend for lock screens.
Mikasa replied: I’ll save that to our potential date spots.
Mikasa replied: I still wish you’d dress up a bit more, but I’m happy you try matching with me.
Mikasa replied: We can try that. Just don’t expect it to look as good.
As she responded to each one, warmth curled in her chest. It was so like him—to see something fleeting and think, Mikasa would like this, or We should do this together. Even when he wasn’t here, he left little pieces of himself for her to find.
The sudden rattle of keys in the lock startled her from her thoughts. The door swung open to reveal Eren in his customary uniform of hoodie and sweatpants, his dark hair escaping from what might have once been a bun in a halo of wayward strands. He was slightly flushed, his chest rising and falling with the quickened rhythm of someone who'd taken the stairs two at a time.
"You're home!" he announced unnecessarily, his entire face lighting up at the sight of her as he struggled with his sneakers.
Mikasa rose from the couch, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "I just got here actually. Sorry, I didn't see your message until-"
Eren crossed the distance between them in three quick strides, cutting off her apology with a hug that lifted her slightly off her toes. His lips brushed hers in a quick, familiar greeting before he pulled back, holding up a plastic bag with evident pride.
"Mom's latest culinary experiment," he declared, shaking the container slightly. "She made me promise we'd give her honest feedback."
His nose wrinkled slightly. "Though the way she said 'honest' was kind of threatening."
Mikasa eyed the container with wary curiosity before meeting Eren's gaze.
"Alright, but I'm showering first," she declared, already moving toward their bedroom.
Eren's laughter followed her down the hallway. "No fair! You always take forever in there!"
They managed to safely heat up their dinner without any hiccups after their rush to the bathrooms. Eren animatedly chatted about his day, gesturing wildly about the shenanigans in their office using his spoon.
“Remember that Oluo guy I talked about before?” Eren asked.
“Kind of…?” Mikasa trailed. “Is this the guy that kept biting his tongue in presentations?”
“Yeah, that one! I don’t get his deal. I was gonna submit documents to Levi when he stopped me and went on about how hiring me as an intern was a mistake. Surprised he didn’t bite his tongue through that whole speech.”
Mikasa watched Eren's face. His jaw tightened briefly before relaxing. The old temper still simmered beneath, but his calm response showed how far he'd come.
"How did you handle it?" she asked, keeping her voice even but attentive.
Eren waved his spoon dismissively. "Basically told him, 'If you've got a problem, take it to Levi.' Petra jumped in before it got dramatic. The guy's got a serious Levi complex."
"That's unlike Levi to let it slide," Mikasa mused, resting her chin on her hand.
Eren swallowed his bite with an amused snort. "Oh, he’s sick of Oluo acting like that." He pointed his spoon at her playfully. "But enough work drama - what about your day? Anything interesting?"
Mikasa hummed in response, pausing to gather her thoughts. “Nothing much actually. Just another Thursday if you ask me.”
Eren tilted his head to the side, urging Mikasa to share more. “So nothing interesting happened at all?”
“Oh, Sasha made me do one of those TikTok dance things. It went like tiramisu cake, tiramisu cake ,” Mikasa explained, singing the last part.
Mikasa watched as Eren’s expression lit up at what she said. He haphazardly wiped his lips with the napkin and leaned towards her.
“No way. You? Dancing? Can I see it?” he asked, dramatically pouting.
“No.”
“Please, Mika?”
“No.”
“I’ll ask Sasha then,” he said in a playful bitter tone as he fished out his phone.
She rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Fine. Check the group chat or Sasha's account. I’m not sure what she did with it.”
Mikasa reached for her phone, suddenly curious how their friends had reacted. As she opened the group chat, a flood of unread notifications greeted her. She scrolled up past the sea of messages until she found Sasha's post from earlier that evening - right around the time she'd been walking home.
Eren practically vibrated with anticipation beside her. "Well? What's the verdict?" he asked, trying (and failing) to peek at her screen.
104th Circle of Hell 🔥😈
Hakuna Patata: sent a video.
Hakuna Patata: arent mikasa and i cute???
Walmart Airbender: howd u get her to do a tiktok w u?
Hakuna Patata: oh she loves me <3
Cattle-Farming Goddess: omg ur both so cute!!
Cattle-Farming Goddess: i wanna join in next time
Hakuna Patata: oooh!! ill look for another one we can do
Coconut Bomb: youre telling me mikasa did a tiktok before eren?
Coconut Bomb: sasha’s a miracle worker
Neigh Sayer: i bet money that jaeger actually does those but doesnt post them
Hakuna Patata: how much we talkin, @Neigh Sayer?
Coconut Bomb: oh you guys have no idea AHHAHAHA
Mikasa couldn't suppress a quiet laugh as she read the rapidly updating chat. "Armin's one message away from exposing your secret TikTok habit," she teased, watching Eren's reaction from the corner of her eye.
Eren's fork clattered against his plate. "What? No—" He fumbled for his phone, nearly knocking over his glass. "I checked her main account! There's nothing there!"
"Apparently she used her spam account," Mikasa said, hiding her smile behind her water glass.
Eren's ears burned crimson as he rearranged his already-perfectly-aligned silverware. "Spam accounts are... useless." His voice cracked slightly. "Nobody follows those anyway."
Seeing his flustered state, Mikasa relented. She leaned in, pressing a lingering kiss to his warm cheek before turning her phone toward him. "Here. I saved it."
Eren cradled the device like sacred text, fingers fumbling with the volume button as the familiar Tiramisu Cake melody filled the kitchen. His expression softened as he watched Mikasa's stiff but earnest movements, a proud grin spreading across his face.
“You look so cute here! We should do more of these,” Eren said as he returned her phone. “I have a few dances I can think of.”
“I do one TikTok and suddenly I’m a celebrity,” Mikasa groaned. “Jean’s never gonna let you live that down anyway if he finds out.”
"He's just salty he doesn't have someone to embarrass himself with," Eren countered, ducking just in time to avoid her swat.
He caught her wrist, pulling her into a proper kiss this time as the forgotten video looped on the dinner table beside them.
“Eren!”
Mikasa counted herself lucky that her friends hadn't dragged her into another TikTok ordeal. Historia's pilates invitation had been a welcome alternative—far more her speed. The apartment she shared with Eren barely had room to stretch, let alone exercise properly, so she'd been meaning to scout local gyms anyway.
As their final cool-down pose ended, Mikasa rolled up her mat with quiet satisfaction. A thin sheen of sweat glistened at her temples. To her surprise, the unfamiliar movements had felt good—challenging in a way that made her muscles hum rather than ache. She could see herself returning.
"That was amazing! Thanks for having us, Historia," Sasha chirped, already bouncing into a post-workout stretch.
Historia beamed. "I'm so glad you came! Would you both like to make it a regular thing?"
"Absolutely!" Sasha agreed before Mikasa could open her mouth.
Mikasa nodded. "I'd love to."
"Perfect!" Historia clapped her hands together. "Now, who's up for snacks? There's a vending machine near the lobby."
Sasha shot upright like a rocket. "Say less! Where is it?"
The three women gathered their things, though Sasha abandoned her bag in her haste. Mikasa and Historia settled at a nearby table while their ravenous friend assaulted the vending machine. As Mikasa gulped down cold water, savoring how it cooled her overheated body, she pulled out her phone.
Mikasa: Just finished pilates with Historia and Sasha. I might stay a bit to chat with them though.
Eren's response came startlingly fast.
Eren: ooooh was it good?
Eren: also u dont need to ask permission
Eren: enjoy!!!!
Eren: ill be here when u get home
Eren: i love you!
A warmth unrelated to exercise spread through Mikasa's chest as she typed her reply.
Mikasa: I love you too! See you.
"Is that Eren?" Historia asked, startling Mikasa from her thoughts.
Mikasa's grip tightened slightly on her phone. "How could you tell?"
Historia grinned as she pulled out her own phone. "Please. He's the only one who makes you smile like that."
She waved her device apologetically. "Mind if I check something? Need to recharge myself."
"Of course," Mikasa said just as Sasha returned, arms overflowing with enough snacks to feed a small platoon.
"Mission accomplished!" Sasha declared through a mouthful of chips, dumping her haul on the table with a dramatic flourish. "Eat up, ladies!"
They settled into easy conversation, punctuated by comfortable silences as they occasionally checked their phones to recharge their social energy. Mikasa was quietly nibbling on a biscuit when Sasha suddenly gasped, nearly dropping her snack.
"Guys! Look at this!"
Mikasa and Historia turned in unison to see Sasha brandishing her phone like a trophy. On screen, two girls in workout clothes performed an intricate dance to an upbeat, vaguely familiar pop song . Mikasa's eyes tracked their movements - the quick footwork, synchronized arm waves - and immediately recognized this was several levels above the "Tiramisu Cake" routine.
"Oh that's perfect! We should totally learn this," Historia declared the moment the video ended.
Mikasa felt her stomach drop.
"Right?!" Sasha vibrated with excitement. "Think we can film here?"
Historia was already standing. "They have open studios. I'll check!" She hurried off before anyone could respond.
Sasha immediately turned puppy-dog eyes on Mikasa. "You're in, right?"
"I never agreed to that," Mikasa deadpanned.
"But you killed it last time!" Sasha whined, draping herself dramatically across the table. "Would you really deny your best friend the gift of shared memories?"
Mikasa fixed her with an unimpressed stare. "...Fine. One dance."
Sasha's victory cheer was interrupted by Historia's return. "Got us a studio down the hall! Let's go!"
Mikasa's lips parted in silent surprise while Sasha voiced what they were both thinking: "How'd you get it so fast?"
Historia winked. "Perks of being the owner's daughter. Now come on!" She grabbed their hands, pulling them up with surprising strength for someone so petite.
The studio’s mirrored walls caught their reflections as Historia pulled up the dance tutorial on her tablet. Sasha shoved the last of her snacks into her bag and yanked her ponytail tighter, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Mikasa hovered awkwardly between them, unsure where to place her hands.
"Should we mirror the moves or follow the video exactly?" Historia asked, tapping the screen.
Sasha tapped her chin. "Let’s stick to the original. Mikasa’s still a baby deer learning to walk when it comes to TikTok."
Mikasa shot her a glare, but Sasha just grinned.
Historia positioned them with military precision—Sasha on the left, Mikasa center, herself on the right. As the music started, they threw themselves into the choreography with varying degrees of grace: Historia’s fluid motions, Sasha’s overenthusiastic jumps, and Mikasa’s stiff-but-determined attempts. When Mikasa moved the wrong way and nearly collided with Historia, their laughter echoed off the studio walls.
Despite herself, Mikasa felt warmth bloom in her chest. This—the ridiculous arm waves, the exaggerated pouts, the way Sasha kept shouting "YAS QUEEN" off-beat—was the kind of unselfconscious joy she rarely allowed herself.
"Okay, we’ve got this!" Sasha declared after their fifth run-through. She propped her phone against a water bottle. "Recording in three… two…"
"Positions!" Historia commanded, striking a pose.
The opening synth line pulsed through the room:
I’m feeling lonely… Oh I wish I’d find a lover that could hold me…
Mikasa focused on the camera’s tiny screen, matching Historia’s hip sway. Her movements were sharper, less fluid than her friends’, but she hit each beat.
Now I’m crying in my room… So skeptical of love… But still I want it more, more, more…
They synchronized perfectly on the dramatic pout-to-smile transition, Mikasa’s cheeks burning with suppressed laughter.
I gave a second chance to Cupid!
Sasha’s "archer" pose went wildly off-center, making Historia snort mid-move. The final lines had them moving wildly, Mikasa’s hair whipping Sasha in the face as the song ended.
"Perfect!" Sasha yelled, immediately diving for the tablet. Historia followed, already trimming the video with practiced swipes.
Mikasa hung back, gulping water. Her face was flushed, her muscles pleasantly tired in a way pilates never achieved. Who knew dancing TikToks could be more exhausting than an actual workout?
"Mikasa, get over here!" Historia waved her over. "You look adorable when you mess up the waves!"
Sasha nodded vigorously. "Your pout at the ‘crying in my room’ part is iconic. "
Mikasa rolled her eyes but joined them, secretly pleased. The video played back their chaos—three friends, one ridiculous dance, and the kind of memory that lingered like summer sunlight.
"I'm definitely keeping this take," Historia declared, already tapping through filters with the speed of a social media pro. "But let's get one more for my feed! Just one?"
Sasha pumped her fists. "TikTok round two! Mikasa, you in?"
Mikasa rolled her shoulders in a half-shrug, but the corner of her mouth twitched upward. "Might as well."
They reset their positions with exaggerated seriousness - backs straight, chins lifted like professional dancers. When the music started this time, they attacked the choreography with renewed energy. Sasha added extra hip shakes, Historia nailed the timing perfectly, and Mikasa even loosened up enough to add a small shimmy.
The final pose left them breathless and grinning. Historia clutched her tablet like she'd won the lottery.
"This is SO going viral! Okay, maybe not viral, but our friends will lose it!" She immediately started typing a caption. "I'll send you both the videos tonight."
Sasha threw an arm around Mikasa's shoulders. "Who knew our resident badass had moves like that? We're making you a TikTok star whether you like it or not."
Mikasa swatted at her, but didn't pull away. "One dance at a time, Braus."
"Ugh, you're no fun," Sasha pouted, releasing Mikasa with an exaggerated sigh as she gathered her scattered belongings.
Mikasa pulled out her phone, her thumbs hovering over the screen for a moment before typing. A small, private smile tugged at her lips as she imagined Eren's reaction to hearing about their impromptu dance session.
Mikasa: Heading home now. Can't wait to see you.
The message was simple, but the warmth in her chest wasn't. After the unexpected joy of the afternoon, the thought of returning to their shared apartment - to him - made her steps feel lighter already.
Mikasa melted into Eren's embrace, her muscles sighing in relief after the day's unexpected workout. The TV's glow painted their living room in soft blues, but her heavy eyelids barely registered the show. She burrowed deeper into the blanket, nestling against his chest.
"Tired already?" Eren murmured, brushing his lips against her cheek. "It's barely 9. Since when does exercise wipe you out?"
A yawn escaped her as she turned to face him. "Pilates was fine. Fun, actually." She blinked slowly, gathering her thoughts. "But then Sasha and Historia made me learn some TikTok dance. Didn't expect it to be so exhausting."
"Another TikTok? And you didn't show me?" Eren gasped dramatically, clutching imaginary pearls.
Mikasa rolled her eyes but reached for her phone.
"You're ridiculous." Her fingers danced across the screen until Historia's messages appeared. "Ah, she sent them."
The first video played - their polished final take. Eren's arm tightened around her as he watched Mikasa in the center, moving with surprising rhythm despite her earlier complaints. When it ended, he grinned.
"Should I get your autograph now?" he teased, nuzzling her hair.
"My what?"
"Autograph!" Eren repeated louder. "Before you get too famous and forget about me."
Mikasa swatted his chest, but Eren retaliated with a barrage of kisses to her cheek until she flushed pink.
"Stop! There's another video," she protested weakly, making no real effort to escape.
"You did two dances?"
"Bloopers," she clarified, playing the second clip.
This version was messier but brighter - Mikasa's rare, unguarded laughter ringing out as she missed a step, Sasha's exaggerated recovery, Historia's snort mid-motion. Eren's chuckle vibrated through her where they touched.
"I like this one better," he admitted, already replaying it. "Send it to me?"
Mikasa narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
"Can't I want to see my girlfriend looking happy?" He tapped the screen gently. "Look at you here - actually enjoying yourself for once."
Her mock glare melted into a soft smile. "I'll send them tomorrow. Right now, we cuddle."
They settled deeper into each other's arms, the steady rhythm of Eren's heartbeat against her back lulling Mikasa toward sleep. The blanket cocooned them in shared warmth, the TV now just background static to their quiet contentment.
Just as her eyelids grew too heavy to keep open, she felt Eren shift beneath her.
"Mm? Eren?" she murmured, blinking up at him.
"Shh," he whispered, already sliding one arm beneath her knees, the other supporting her back as he lifted her effortlessly. The blanket stayed wrapped around her like a protective shell.
"You'll regret sleeping on the couch," he explained, carrying her toward their bedroom.
In her drowsy state, Mikasa nuzzled against his shoulder. "My phone..."
Eren pressed a lingering kiss to her lips, softer than his usual playful pecks. "I've got you," he murmured against her mouth. "Just sleep."
As he lowered her onto their bed, Mikasa barely registered him tucking the blanket more securely around her before consciousness slipped away completely.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains as Mikasa stirred awake, blinking against the golden glow. She turned to find Eren already absorbed in his phone, the familiar rhythmic beats of TikTok videos playing at low volume.
"Already doomscrolling this early?" she murmured, voice still thick with sleep as she nestled closer.
Eren grinned and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "Morning, sleepyhead. You were out cold last night. Get some good rest?"
Mikasa stretched slightly, considering. "Fell asleep too fast to dream, I think."
"Perfect timing then - we've got zero plans today." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Wanna sleep in some more?"
She propped herself up on one elbow, giving him a pointed look at the phone still in his hands. "Hard to sleep with you already on TikTok."
Eren's pout was almost comically exaggerated. "Mikaaa, I'm just researching!" He tilted the screen toward her. "Trying to find an easy couple's dance even my two left feet can handle."
Mikasa raised an eyebrow. "Who said I agreed to this?"
"You will," he said with absolute confidence, scrolling again. "Once you see how adorably bad I am at it."
Mikasa sighed, the corner of her mouth twitching. She reached for her phone on the nightstand. "Fine. Send them to me first so I can veto anything too embarrassing."
"Deal!"
And send them he did.
Over the following days, Eren bombarded her with potential dance videos. Their messages became an endless stream of links until Mikasa finally intervened.
"Make a Discord channel," she insisted. "Before I drown in TikToks."
Now, sitting in the pilates studio lobby during Eren's weekend away, Mikasa scrolled through their #tiktok-dances channel. Each click-and-paste ritual tested her patience as error messages mocked her efforts. Her frown deepened with every failed video.
Historia glanced up from her smoothie. "You look like you're trying to hack the Pentagon. What's wrong?"
"These won't play properly," Mikasa grumbled, shaking her phone as if that might help. "Keeps redirecting me to download the app."
Sasha nearly spat out her drink. "Wait—you're watching them in your browser?"
"Yeah?" Mikasa blinked. "How else?"
The lobby echoed with Historia's dramatic gasp and Sasha's coughing fit.
"You mean," Historia said slowly, "this whole time... you never installed TikTok?"
Sasha wheezed between coughs. "I assumed you used Eren's account!"
Mikasa shrugged. "Didn't want to add more hours to my screen time, I guess. Most of the videos would play just fine."
Historia's face twisted in mock anguish. "You've been living like a caveman! Just download it already—you'll save hours of your life."
Sasha's grin turned wicked as she leaned across the table. "Ohhh, think of alllll the extra cuddle time you're missing out on~" she sing-songed, wiggling her eyebrows.
A flush crept up Mikasa's neck as she gripped her phone tighter. "That's—you—" The words tangled in her throat as her thumb hovered precariously over the install button.
Historia smirked, adding fuel to the fire. "Eren's gonna be so proud when he sees that little 'Installing...' notification."
"I hate you both," Mikasa muttered, even as her finger finally tapped the screen.
The progress bar filled with agonizing slowness, as if mocking her surrender. While that continued, she minimized the app to shoot Eren an update.
Mikasa: I have good news for you.
Mikasa: Sasha and Historia convinced me to download TikTok.
Sasha whooped, throwing her arms up. "Victory! Our little Mikasa finally joins the 21st century!"
Mikasa buried her burning face in her hands as her friends' laughter echoed through the lobby. Somewhere, she swore she could hear Eren cheering too.
The moment she stepped through their apartment door, Mikasa knew Eren had been celebrating. His grin stretched from ear to ear as he practically vibrated with excitement throughout their peaceful dinner - or as peaceful as it could be with his constant TikTok chatter.
Now, freshly showered and charging her phone, Mikasa went through her nightly skincare routine with practiced motions. She'd just set down her moisturizer when strong arms encircled her waist from behind. Eren's damp hair dripped onto her shoulder as his familiar citrus shampoo scent enveloped her. She leaned back into his embrace, her hands covering his.
Their quiet moment shattered with a cold water droplet hitting her cheek.
"Your hair's still wet," she chided, nudging him away gently. The pout she heard in his voice was almost visible.
"But Mikaaa," he whined, shaking his head like a dog and spraying more droplets, "I'm just excited to finally get you properly set up!"
"You're acting like I just graduated, not downloaded an app," she deadpanned, watching as he towel-dried his hair with exaggerated motions. The domesticity of the scene - Eren in his worn sleep shirt, the way his damp hair stuck up in every direction - sent warmth through her chest.
"For you, this might as well be a graduation!" He flopped onto the bed beside her. "You seriously suffered through browser TikTok all this time? The app's set up, right?"
Mikasa wordlessly unlocked her phone and opened the newly installed app, immediately greeted by a cacophony of generic dance trends. Her nose wrinkled as she scrolled past three nearly identical videos in a row.
"Is everyone on here a dancer?" she muttered.
Eren scooted closer, pulling up his own feed - a curated mix of gaming clips, travel vlogs, and yes, the occasional couple's trend. "You need to train your algorithm first. Here, make an account."
As she filled out her profile under Eren's watchful gaze, a notification popped up instantly:
@eren_jaeger started following you.
She turned to raise an eyebrow at his smug expression. "That fast?"
"Obviously." He puffed out his chest. "I've been waiting months for this honor." His fingers danced across his screen. "Okay, algorithm lesson time - basically, the more you interact with certain videos..."
Mikasa half-listened as he explained the platform's workings, more focused on the way his eyes lit up when talking about something he enjoyed. When he demonstrated by scrolling through his personalized feed, she noted how perfectly it mirrored his interests - right down to the embarrassingly high number of videos he'd clearly saved to send her.
"And that's how the magic works," he finished with a flourish before noticing her expression. "What?"
"It just... tracks everything?" She frowned. "That's unsettling."
Eren waved a hand. "You get used to it. Here-" He reached for her phone. "Let's find that duet trend I sent yesterday. Then we can-"
Mikasa yanked the device away with surprising speed. "Absolutely not."
Mikasa celebrated the end of finals week by burrowing deeper into the nest of blankets, the morning sunlight barely penetrating her sleep-fogged consciousness. The mattress dipped as Eren shifted beside her, his fingers tracing lazy patterns along her cheekbone.
"Morning, Mika," he murmured, his voice still rough with sleep.
She grunted in response, blindly patting the nightstand until her fingers closed around her phone. The bright screen assaulted her bleary eyes - 9:23 AM. With a dramatic groan, she collapsed against Eren's chest like a puppet with cut strings.
"Five more minutes," she mumbled into his shirt.
Eren chuckled, the vibration rumbling against her cheek. "You've had five more minutes six times already." He held up his phone. "Look what I found."
Mikasa squinted at the screen . An anime clip played above footage of a couple mirroring the characters' movements - simple hand gestures and playful dodges that even her sleep-addled brain could process.
"It's cute," she admitted, rubbing her eyes.
"Right?" Eren's entire face lit up. "No fancy footwork, just..." He demonstrated with exaggerated hand waves, nearly smacking her in the process. "Perfect for us!"
When she didn't immediately agree, he deployed his secret weapon - the full-force puppy dog eyes, bottom lip jutting out comically far.
"Pleeease, Mika? Just one take?"
Mikasa sighed through her nose, but the corner of her mouth betrayed her.
"Breakfast first," she conceded, poking his pouting lip. "Then we'll see."
Eren whooped, already scrambling out of bed.
"Pancakes incoming! The good kind with the chocolate chips!"
As he bounded toward the kitchen, Mikasa allowed herself a small, fond smile against the pillows.
After devouring Eren's chocolate chip pancakes (he'd added extra chips, clearly playing dirty), they set up their filming space with the efficiency of a movie crew. Eren fussed with his phone stand like a cinematographer, angling it repeatedly until Mikasa nudged him aside to adjust it herself.
"Think we're finally in frame," she said, stepping back to examine their reflection on the monitor where the anime clip was frozen. The characters' playful energy seemed to mock their real-life clumsiness.
Eren wheeled his chair back with dramatic flair, locking the wheels with a decisive click. "Okay, let's run through it first. No pressure."
The pressure came immediately. What looked simple on screen became a tangled mess of limbs in practice. Mikasa scowled at her uncooperative fingers during the counting sequence.
"It's like my hands forgot how to count," she grumbled.
Eren rewound the clip obsessively, his own fingers fumbling in imitation. "Slow motion," he declared, demonstrating at half-speed like a buffering video.
Mikasa mirrored him, her movements gradually smoothing out through repetition. When she finally nailed the sequence, Eren whooped loud enough to startle the neighbors.
"Again from the top!" he demanded, already resetting the video.
Their practice devolved into giggles as they bumped elbows and mistimed turns, the failures becoming part of the fun. By the time they hit record, their cheeks ached from smiling.
Hirari hirari… mekuri mekuru…
Mikasa's fingers danced through the counting sequence flawlessly now, her earlier frustration replaced by triumph. She caught Eren's proud grin on the monitor and nearly missed her cue.
Sutoorii sutoorii… kido airaku sewashii…
The second half flowed naturally, their bodies moving in sync as Mikasa ducked behind Eren, their laughter bubbling up between lyrics. When her hands finally covered his eyes in the finale, they both froze like kids playing statue.
The ending beep released them into celebration. Eren jumped up so fast his chair rolled away, while Mikasa collapsed into her own seat, breathless with laughter.
The playback showed every imperfection - the slight hesitation before the second half, Eren's overenthusiastic head bob, Mikasa's hair whipping into frame. But what shone through was their unrestrained joy, radiating brighter than any technical flaw.
"Mom's gonna lose her mind over this," Eren said, already tapping through his contacts with one hand while the other squeezed Mikasa's shoulder.
Mikasa nodded, already forwarding it to Historia with the caption: Your fault . Then, after a moment's hesitation, she hit post on her own TikTok - her first public upload. Eren's gasp was almost as satisfying as finally nailing that damn finger count.
Their group chat all but exploded after that.
104th Circle of Hell 🔥😈
Cattle-Farming Goddess: EVERYONE MOVE
Cattle-Farming Goddess: MY OTP JUST DID THE WOTAKOI DANCE
Cattle-Farming Goddess: sent a link.
Hakuna Patata: i raised her!!!!
Hakuna Patata: look how far youve grown from tiramisu cake 🥹
Walmart Airbender: mikasa please give me ur autograph before u blow up 🙏
Coconut Bomb: @Neigh Sayer pay up
Neigh Sayer: GODDAMMIT
Neigh Sayer: @Suicidal Bastard i thought youd go for the snowman one!!
Coconut Bomb: told you it was too hard
Suicidal Bastard: find sum1 to do it w u then @Neigh sayer
Suicidal Bastard: not my problem
Eren's eyes sparkled with mischief as he rocked back on his chair.
"Wanna do another one?" He wiggled his eyebrows like a cartoon villain. "I found this super easy couple's prank trend where we could—"
Mikasa leveled him with the flattest stare she could muster. "I've created a monster."
"Oh c'mon!" Eren abandoned his chair entirely to flop dramatically across her lap. "You're a natural! And look how happy you were in the video!"
He poked her cheek where dimples still lingered from their earlier laughter.
Mikasa tried to maintain her stern expression, but the corner of her mouth betrayed her.
"One more," she conceded, holding up a single finger. "Then I'm revoking your TikTok privileges for the day."
Eren shot upright so fast he nearly headbutted her chin.
"Deal!" He scrambled for his phone like a kid on Christmas morning. "Okay okay, this one's perfect—we pretend to argue then—"
Mikasa groaned but didn't move from her seat. Some battles, she'd learned, weren't worth fighting—especially when they ended with Eren's arms around her waist, spinning her into frame with that ridiculous, irresistible grin.
Mikasa prided herself on maintaining self-control with TikTok. While Sasha and Connie scrolled like their lives depended on it, she limited herself to practical content: workout tutorials, the occasional makeup tutorial, and yes, the endless stream of couple videos Eren bombarded her feed with. She didn't mind those.
But nothing could have prepared her for... this.
"Tung tung tung sahur!" blared from her phone as a picture of a log holding a baseball bat appeared on the screen.
She blinked. The next video auto-played:
"Ballerina cappuccina..." sang a distorted voice over seizure-inducing flashing colors.
"Eren." Mikasa's voice carried the same tone she used when finding him asleep on the couch with pizza sauce on his shirt. "Explain."
Eren peeked over her shoulder and recoiled like she'd uncovered his secret anime fanfiction.
"No! Mika, swipe away! That's the cursed side of TikTok!" He made frantic swiping motions in the air. "Once that algorithm gets you, that’s all you’ll see!"
Mikasa raised an eyebrow as another abomination played:
"Tralalero tralala... Tripi tropi..."
Eren actually grabbed her wrist to force-swipe the video away.
"I'm saving your soul," he declared solemnly. "Some doors should never be opened."
Mikasa stared at her now-innocent feed displaying a normal calisthenics video. "I don’t think I want to know what that was.”