Above All || Eren Jeager || Eren X Reader Modern AU

10 - bench

Your POV

It's painful to drag your feet to Hange's office with the worst hangover you've ever experienced. And it's not just because of the headache from the bottle of whiskey you downed last night, but also the embarrassment from your behaviour with a certain boy whose name starts with Eren and ends with Jeager. Take a wild guess.

And mixed with embarrassment is doubt: did all of that really happen? You must be picturing it, right? Eren carrying you? "Noelle!!!" Hange snaps her fingers inches away from your face. "Earth to Noe? Are you even listening?"

"Yes, I am," you answer, your voice stern.

"What did I just say?"

You blink twice before answering. "Earth to Noe?"

Hange sighs. "You've got an offer to star in an advertisement for Galliard. It's a pretty easy script, but they're going to be generous with their pay."

"How much are we talking?"

"300 bucks."

You gasp. For an hour worth of shooting, 300 bucks is a lot. "Why?"

"Oh, uh," she fiddles with the sheets in her grasp. "Nudity." She watches your face go still as a lifeless bird and breaks into laughter. "I'm kidding! Why would there be nudity in a TV commercial? Anyway, I don't know. It's a big company. We don't question, we just accept."

She's got a point. You're supposed to take advantage of the fact that they're paying hefty amounts instead of questioning their decision. "And, uh, AOT? Have you heard from them?"

Hange doesn't answer, and she begins filing papers so you figure she hasn't heard you. She tends to be spontaneous a lot, moving from one thing to another with zero reasons and zero explanations. You repeat yourself but to no avail, so you snap your fingers near her face now and she finally meets your eyes. "Damn, what got you all worked up?"

"Hange, I asked about AOT--"

Her hands slam down onto the table. "I think you should totally start doing pilates. I recently joined these classes and--"

"Hange are you okay?"

"Yes! Absolutely! Pilates!"

"Then why aren't you answering my question?"

"Oh," she puts her hands together, playing with her thumbs. A sigh leaves her mouth. "Um. Right. You didn't get the part."

You would've sucked it up, telling yourself that it was a long shot anyway. But your heart sinks because you know your auditions went well. For some dumb reason, you're just as shocked as you would've been if you got the part.

You decide to take a walk because you could use some movement to refresh your mind, but you're still thinking over the role you lost. To Petra Rall. Makes sense-- Petra is so much more talented than you are. And reliable. You think she's gonna be one of the producers, too. Man, whatever. You're bummed but you'll be okay. Maybe this role was just not for you. But Hange was so sure, though...

Ugh.

You roll your eyes as if to roll your thoughts away with it, and in that process a fancy cafe named Benevolia catches your eye. Without further thinking, you walk in. The ambience and the pleasant fragrance of the place fills your senses, making you take a deep breath to inhale the smell of the air conditioning. You don't spot Eren, probably because it's a work-day. He must be at the shop. Walking up to the woman at the register, you ask for instructions. "How do I enroll for a job?"

She looks up at you, a little startled as she jumps in her seat. "Like... in general?"

"No," you can't help the snigger you let go. "No, here. I want to work here."