Welcome Back

3K 99 42
                                    

As I waddled towards the kitchen in HQ, a slight limp in my step, I noticed that a sliver of light peeked through the door's crack. Eren walked by my side with an obvious grin, furthering my suspicion.
"What are you so happy about?" I asked.
Eren's wide grin wavered as I pulled his thoughts down to earth.
"Oh, uh... nothing really. Are you glad to be outta that hospital?"
'Oh, wow. Way to subtly change the topic,' I thought to myself.
I sighed.
"Yeah, lying in that boring room all day was torture."
"I bet," Eren commented.
A few steps forward and many seconds of awkward silence later, I stood in front of the door as Eren stood aside, leaning over and holding the knob tightly with one hand. I looked at the brunette questioningly. The next moment the door burst open with a bang and shouts were sporadically thrown about the room. I glanced around, my mind and heart racing, until I found a familiar face or two.
Levi raised the cup in his hand ever so slightly towards me, a subtle acknowledgment, but it was good enough for me. I gave him a nod and a quick smile before Hanji ran up to me and ushered me further into the room.
"Welcome back! We've all missed seeing your face around here everyday," she spoke as she usually does, with gusto and sincerity.
I couldn't help but smile back with gratitude.
One by one, I was greeted by each attendee with kind words. It felt like my birthday minus the gifts and singing part. I was amazed by the party's legitimacy; there was a small banner with the words "Welcome back!" scribbled on it. If a banner doesn't scream legitimate, then I don't know what does. There also may have been liquor, which some of the  cadets may have gotten into...
Halfway into the party, which was more like a small gathering, Jean became the entertainment. He only had a couple sips of alcohol, but as it turns out, he can't hold his liquor. Everyone watched him with stifled laughs as he flirted with anything that moved. He even bothered to hit on one of his superiors, Hanji, calling her a "sweetheart" to which she quickly replied with a "Hell no." Jean stumbled from girl to girl, and rejection after rejection couldn't even sober him up.
The party died down and eventually only Levi, Eren, Hanji, Jean, and I were left. Levi was leaning against a wall with a cup in his hand, Jean sat at the table in drunken stupor, and the rest of us were huddled and chatting. Hanji did most of the talking, however, and as soon as she mentioned titans, I peeled myself away from the conversation to grab a drink. As I stood stalling by the drinks, I heard shuffling footsteps approach from behind. A moment later, Jean stood next to me with an arm draped around my neck. I rolled my eyes at him.
"Go to your bunk, Jean. You're drunk."
"Only if you come with me," he winked.
I let out an amused chuckle.
"You're quite bold, talking to your superior like that. Well, whatever, just as long as you don't- !"
My warning was cut short as Jean drunkly grabbed my face in both his hands and smashed his lips into mine.
Silence struck the room as everyone watched in terror. Jean's grip was tight, disabling me from pulling away; instead, I used my hands to push and claw at him, shoving him away long enough to escape. Gasping for air, I took a few steps back and glared at my attacker.
"What the hell?!"
"Best kiss I ever had," Jean slurred with a crooked smirk and red cheeks.
"Probably the only kiss you've ever had," I muttered in distaste while vigorously wiping the invisible Jean germs off my lips with my sleeve.
Before I had even realized it, Eren and Levi descended onto the scene, making their way between Jean and me. Hanji was nowhere to be found, so I assumed she had left as soon as she caught sight of Levi's killer glare and apoplectic rage. She could laugh at the beaten up Jean after the fact, but she did not want to get in the middle of it.
Eren and Levi stood facing Jean, anger evident on their faces. Levi's glare was fiercer than ever before as he grabbed Jean by the shirt and pulled him closer so that Jean was face to face with him. As Jean looked death in the eyes, a little, squeaky whimper escaped his throat and it was as if he were miraculously sober again. Levi mumbled something to him in a low growl before literally dragging the wide-eyed Jean to a secluded area to enact his revenge. Jean cried out for help as he was dragged away, but Eren and I ignored his pathetic pleas, mostly because there was no stopping Levi at this point. Surely Jean would show up to training the next day with yellowy, plum-colored bruises and at least one black eye. Once Jean's pleas could no longer be heard, Eren turned to me and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder blade.
"Are you okay," he asked with a sympathetic smile.
"I'm not sure..." I answered dazedly, "I'm still trying to process what just happened..."
Eren chuckled.
"Well, to sum it up, you just got kissed by Horse Face."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's note: Hope you liked this chapter! The Jean kiss bit was inspired by @Zoe_Rae_Hanji 's suggestion from Ch.17. Thank you so much for the comment! When I asked for feedback and ideas, I wasn't kidding. Haha I may really use reader suggestions when I ask for them!
So thanks again @Zoe_Rae_Hanji for responding to my plea for help. X) I took inspiration from your comment, but twisted it to my own ideas as well.

Please feel free to leave a comment!
(I don't really care about votes and whatever; I just like to hear from you all. :)

Next chapter coming soon! (I know, I always say that. I'm sorry! T-T)

Levi x Reader x ErenWhere stories live. Discover now