For You | Eren x Reader

Chapter 15- Stranger:

He took his seat across from me, pretending like everything was normal. I glanced up quickly to confirm that it was him— it was— but there was something... different.

I hid my face behind my pot and observed him more closely. Eren now had... an earring. A silver dangling chain with some sort of charm. A knife? A cross? A pin? I couldn't tell from this distance. And he was wearing an actual outfit, for once.

On a normal day, Eren would be seen in loose gray sweatpants, a thin white T-shirt, old converse, and whatever flimsy jacket he had on hand— normally that navy blue one he wore constantly. (The one that I had accidentally stained.)

Today, however, he was dressed in baggy blue cuffed jeans, white socks, a tucked in white T-shirt, black Air Force 1's, and, well, the same flimsy jacket as always— but that could be ignored. Although similar to his old look, there was something more refined about it. It seemed like he put in minimal effort today. And, most notably, his hood was down.

I didn't mind the change much; I thought that it was physical proof of Eren's improving mental health, but something about it bugged me. It was mostly the earring, I think, and the strange new way he carried himself.

He took a sip from the Coke he had brought with him. I still didn't acknowledge him. It was so quiet between us that when Eren put the can back down, I could hear the soda sizzling. It was funny: I had been waiting desperately for the past two weeks for Eren to come back, and now that he was here, I had nothing to say. The Eren that came back wasn't the same person that I had said goodbye to. Did I say goodbye to that Eren forever?

I shook my head. There was no way. Eren was still wearing his old jacket. There must have been some reason he had held onto that.

"(Y/N)," Eren leaned over the table to me. "Hi," he smiled slightly.

I raised an eyebrow unsurely. Is he trying to be seductive?

"Uh... hi, Eren," I replied hesitantly.

He tapped his fingers on his Coke can, as if waiting for something.

"Oh! Your ring!" I shook my head and pulled the thing out of my pocket. "Sorry, that's probably why you got my attention in the first place," I said awkwardly, sliding it over to him.

Eren raised an eyebrow, but took the ring. "That's not why I—" he started.

"— Oh! You need the notes, too?" I cut him off, pulling out my binder. "Here. You can keep them!" I shoved the book in his hands and checked the clock: forty minutes left until class was over.

Forty minutes?! I can't handle forty minutes with this kid! I thought in anguish. What the hell am I going to do now?

I wasn't sure why, but my pace had completely changed. All of a sudden, I wanted nothing to do with him.

Eren frowned, but accepted my notebook anyway. "So," he continued to make conversation, despite my blatant attempts to stop it. "How have you been?"

How have I been?! I thought angrily. Is he stupid or something?! How does he think I've been?! He ended up being gone for two whole weeks without saying anything! I've been terrible! And now, seeing him like this, I'm doing even worse!!

I tried to relax and speak evenly. Eren had no idea what crazy and unreasonable thoughts had been going through my head for the past two weeks.

"I'm good," I said shortly.

"Oh." Eren seemed surprised by my unwillingness to talk. "I'm glad—"

"Yeah, Eren, I'm sorry," I started, cutting him off. "I need to talk to Reiner, we're working on a project together," I lied. "Bye."

I stood up from my table and sat down next to the open seat by the blond boy, thankful, for once, that Reiner would talk forever if I let him. I spent the next forty minutes listening to him ramble about God knows what until we were dismissed.

I stayed sitting in the empty stool while everyone streamed out of the classroom, waiting for Eren to leave so I could pick up the backpack I had left at my table and go, but he seemed to be waiting for me, too.

Damn it.

Not caring that I looked like a fool, I sprinted over to my backpack, threw it over my shoulder, and hopped out the door before Eren was able to reach his hand out to stop me. As I bounded out of the room, I could hear him faintly call my name.

Maybe another time, Eren. I just can't do it today.

"Woah, what's up with Eren?" Connie asked at lunch, chewing on a sandwich.

"He's back?" Jean leaned to the side to get a better view of the dark-haired boy, who was sitting alone in the corner of the cafeteria.

At least that hadn't changed, I thought guiltily.

"Yep," I chimed in. "A week late, I might add."

"He's got a piercing now, huh?" Sasha observed. "And he's actually wearing decent clothing. What happened to that kid?"

"I've been wondering the same thing," I said sourly, crossing my arms.

"Didn't you see him in ceramics, (Y/N)?" Jean asked.

"Yeah, but we didn't talk."
"You didn't?!" Jean asked in dismay. "After all this time you spent waiting?!"

I rolled my eyes, "I don't know. We just... I didn't have anything to say to him."

Jean gave Sasha and Connie a look.

"Hey!" I scolded. "Stop it, Jean. You guys don't know anything!"

"You're right," Connie agreed. "So, maybe you should tell us."

"No thanks," I scowled.

Sasha yawned loudly, "Okay, then. Well, as long as Eren's happy, I don't care what he does."

"I don't know, Sasha," Jean mused. "Something seems fishy..."

"How could you even say that?" Sasha picked up her sandwich and started eating again. "You've only seen him for two seconds!"

Jean shrugged. "If (Y/N) doesn't trust him, neither do I."

"Thanks for your support," I replied apathetically.

"Anything for you, my love," Jean teased testily.

"I'll kill you," I threatened.

"I know," Jean replied. "That's the reward."