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

14 - friends and bullies

Eren's POV

"Eren, I love you, but you're stupid," Armin tells me, placing Toby's food on the floor. I groan, my forehead meeting my knees brought to my chest. I'm seated on the floor, my back to his couch and Armin sighs as he sits his butt down next to me. "Why couldn't you just ask her later what happened at the meeting?"

"I know."

"And Floch? Seriously?"

"I know. But no one else would've done this for me, Floch was my only option." I couldn't go myself; I suck at tailing people. This one time, I tried to stalk Mikasa disguised as an old Hawaiian man when she went on a date with this sketchy looking guy she met at some bar, and she caught me just 11 minutes in. Apparently my beard was falling off and the flower garland barely covered the tattoo on my neck.

Armin sighs again, softly shaking his head. "And now she's probably confused. Maybe even mad, and rightfully so."

"I know," I mumble, feeling disheartened. I've been too concerned about sussy Zeke and his tactics that the worry overtook common sense. I don't know what I thought he would do to her. All I knew was that the dots connected and I couldn't let him do sketchy shit to Speedy. But then again, I don't why I expected him to do anything unprofessional in the first place. Zeke might be a dick, but Speedy is more than talented enough to bag that role.

Armin smacks his lips. "Eren, this isn't how you go about improving your relationship with a girl you clearly like."

"I don't-" I huff, meeting eyes with Armin as I feel my ears turning warmer. "I don't like her!"

"You know you can't lie to me," Armin quips, his eyes droopy from exhaustion. He's been extra busy these days but he's still here, listening to my shitshow.

"And I'm not trying to! Speedy and I are barely friends. We're just... acquaintances. Neighbours. And I don't like her, at least not in a romantic sense. What would even make you think, let alone say that? I mean, I know you and Mikasa ship--"

"Eren, calm down. Your rambling only supports my statement."

I lay back against the couch, my lips pouted as I place my palms on either side of my cheeks, trying to tone down the heat that rushed to it. "Okay, I don't like her like that but... she is someone I don't want to lose, I guess. Arminnnn, What am I supposed to do now? How do I explain myself?"

Armin yawns before answering. "Well, that's up to you, if you want to come clear with her and tell her the truth or not. And as far as I know her, she seems trustworthy. She's a nice girl."

"I know," I agree with a sigh, lowering my head down to rest my chin on my connected knees. "And before I could deal with this fuckery, the craziest thing happened. This classy dude named Onyankopon walked into my shop, asking if I'm Eren Jeager, the stylist and owner of Jeager Garments. Yeah, and he offered me a whooping forty grand to work for this movie, and guess what? It's fucking Journey to Shiganshina!"

His eyes widen, expressing his excitement. "Well, what's the bother with the second story? Congratulations!"

"Zeke is the director for that movie, Armin!"

"And?" he asks, his eyebrows furrowed.

"And... I feel like he had something to do with this job. The chances of people knowing me in this industry are very slim, and I feel like Zeke was the one who suggested me. I don't know how I feel about that, my first success being thanks to my asshole of a half-brother."

Armin's shoulders slouch, probably from how tired he is of me. "Eren, it doesn't matter. You're skilled and a hard-worker, and you deserve it. This is a chance for the world to find that out, and Zeke's not going to gain anything from this, you are."