The Black Cat [Ereri/Riren]

Chapter 3

-:-:- Eren's PoV -:-:-

"Arghhh!" I grunted angrily and let my head bang on the desk next to the paper. I have been sitting here for the entire weekend, trying to work out how to colour those stupid beautiful eyes of Levi Ackerman in a way that was at least close to the original ones. My atelier was even more a mess than it was normally. There were crumbled papers all over the floor, my desk was glittering from the silver paint, my cheek had a black smudge on it because I had gotten so frustrated with my failed attempts that I hadn't paid attention to where I was holding my brush.

I lifted my head from the dirty desk and rubbed over my forehead to see silver paint on it. Great, now I also had the silver stuff on my face. Frustrated I stood up and went in the kitchen to wash my hands and make a sandwich for dinner.

When I was sitting at the table, angrily chewing the bread and thinking about what else I could do, Mikasa walked in and stopped in her tracks when she saw me.

"Oh, you finally came out again." She stated and smiled a bit, sitting down opposite of me. "Having trouble with a painting?"

I pushed the empty plate away from me and crossed my arms. "Yes. I bought new silver paint and I am working on something, but I can't figure out how I can achieve a realistic look."

"Well, does it have to be realistic? You also painted abstract things before." She suggested and stood up with the plate in her hand.

"No, I have to do this properly. I can't just back down because it is a bit hard at the moment." I mumbled the last part to the side, but she still heard.

Mikasa came back with a wet cloth and tried rubbing away the silver from my forehead. "Have you asked Marco for help yet?"

I straightened up and looked at her with widened eyes. "Mikasa, you are a genius!" I yelled, jumping up and running to get my phone. Of course I didn't think of calling the only person I knew that was just as good as I was when it came to painting.

I tapped his contact and waited impatiently for his answer. It was Sunday afternoon, what else would he be doing at this time than doing homework? I bet he was happy to get called to my apartment.

"Y-yes?" A breathless Marco answered.

"Sorry, did I make you run for the phone?" I questioned.

"Hmm? Ah, no. You didn't..." He was silent for a moment, breathing in deeply. The freckled boy sure sounded out of breath.

"Marco, are you okay?"

"Hah...Yes."

I looked at the phone with a raised eyebrow for a second. "Are you with Jean right now?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"God damnit it. That's it!" A voice hissed from further away. The sounds were muffled until Jean yelled into the phone. "What is it, Eren?"

"I won't disturb you for long, you can continue soon. Just tell Marco to come over to my house later. If he can move." I added smugly and grinned.

"Fuck off, Jaeger. You are just jealous."

"Tell him, yeah?" I insisted. It's not like they couldn't fuck another time.

"Yes." Jean hissed into the phone and hung up on me.

I chuckled quietly and decided I could clean up the atelier until they came over. And I was pretty sure Marco would bring Jean with him.

Twenty minutes later the room looked better. Not good, but better. I was on my way to the bathroom when the doorbell rang. Guessed I had to leave the paint stains on my face for now.

I rushed to the door and opened it, revealing annoyed horseface and his freckled boyfriend.

"So, Jaeger. What was that important to call us over when we were busy?" Jean asked and walked past me with Marco behind him.

"To be correct, I only called Marco over." I said cockily and smiled, guiding them to the atelier. "But you can stay, of course." The smug undertone in my voice was getting on his nerves, I could see it by how his eye twitched dangerously. "Oh come on, you just got laid. Doesn't this get you in a better mood?"

Marco blushed furiously and Jean hit me over the head. "Shut up."

I showed them into my painting room and showed Jean where he could sit down and wait. Then I walked over to my desk and pulled out my best attempts of Levi's eyes. "Okay, so here's the problem." My hand ran over the dried paintings. "I am trying to make those eyes look really bright and realistic with a lot of emotion in them but also dark and emotionless at the same time and make them also kind of intriguing when you look at them... Do you know what I mean?" I asked and looked up to him. It was the best description I could give of his eyes.

Marco leaned over the desk and thought for a bit. "But they already look really good. I don't think I can help you. The look you want to achieve sounds really hard, why don't you leave them like they are now?"

I tapped on the desk for some seconds and then took one of the papers. "Because I want them to look just like the original."

"I know this person." Jean suddenly said into my ear.

I literally jumped into the air and held my chest where my now beating heart was. "Damnit, Jean. Don't scare me like that!"

"That was for disturbing us earlier." He said and grinned. Then he looked back to the painting in my hands. "Isn't this the black haired shorty that beat up some seniors in his first year?"

"Uhm, yes?" I said with furrowed eyebrows. "Why?"

"How did you get him to model for you?" He asked and took one of the failed attempts.

Grumbling I took the page from him. "I didn't. I drew them by memory. I met him in the hallway when I was late for P.E. last Thursday."

Marco held up his hand. "Then maybe you could draw the eyes like you want them if he models for you. I mean, it is easier to draw something you see in front of you, right?"

I stared at him and then on the papers. "Like I can ask Levi Ackerman to model for me. He would probably kill me if he knew I drew his eyes without his consent." Thinking about it, he already had seen them and I hadn't been hit by him. I shook my head to get the idea out of my head. Even if he would be okay with it, I could never bring up the courage to ask him if he would sit in front of me without moving for two hours.

The freckled boy sighed and put down the paper he had in his hand. "I still don't know how to do it. I think they look quite realistic and are far better than everything I ever painted." He looked over to my last painting of the woods and the silhouette that was done by now. "Just like that. Everything you draw looks amazing, Eren. I don't understand why you ask me. You are the better artist." He admitted smiling.

I scratched the back of my head. "I think you are a good painter, maybe even better than me. And you always come up with brilliant ideas."

Jean protectively put his arm on Marco's waist and pulled him closer. "Yup, my boyfriend is amazing." He emphasized the 'my' and gave me a glare. Marco giggled and kissed his cheek.

"I won't take him away from you, horseface. If you haven't realized it yet, he is not my type except for a really close friend." I said and rolled my eyes.

"But I would understand if you would feel attracted to him. Who wouldn't?" Jean half said half sang and pulled their waists together, looking his boyfriend in the eyes, who blushed even more and hid his face.

"Ugh, I can't handle you two anymore. Get out before you fuck on my floor." I groaned and pushed them towards the door.

Horseface took Marco's hand and guided him to the front door. "You're just jealous." He insisted.

"Nope." I said, popping the P.

Jean put on his shoes as Marco did the same. "Just get a boyfriend and get laid. Maybe that will make you grow up." He said and followed Marco through the doorframe. "Maybe ask Mister Levi Ackerman if he would stay for a bit after he modelled for you. I heard rumours about his skills in bed." He added with a sly smirk and a wink before he shut the door behind him.

And I did not have an explanation for my now crimson red cheeks.