Crossing the lines between us || aot x reader

Midnight Kiss

The basement was lit solely by a strip of LED lights that wrapped around the walls of the space. At the centre of the space laid two couches and some discarded lawn chairs, in the far corner a small bar was set up with its own pair of matching stools. Everyone was there already, Zeke, Eren, Reiner, Pieck, Porco, Bertolt and Annie. You hadn't seen most of them since High School, it felt strange to be face to face with them again. You felt a little out of place, as the rest of the group was dressed in casual wear, while you on the other hand were clad in a skirt and sheer blouse.

Pieck was the first to notice you enter, "you actually came," she exclaimed pulling herself up from Porco's lap, "you know when Zeke told me he invited you I wasn't sure if you'd actually show, anyways, sit down, we were just about to play ride the bus."

The only empty spot was between the two Yeager's, both had seemingly very different reactions to your choosing to sit between them on the couch. While Zeke was warm to your approach, Eren had tensed up the moment you made contact with the couch cushion. Reiner handed you a can of Smirnoff raspberry, and the game began.

Reiner played as dealer, the game itself was simple. Each player was given 4 cards face down, then asked a series of questions per card each time a wrong answer was given the player had to drink.

First card : red or black. Drink.

Second card : higher or lower. Drink.

Third card : in between or outside. Drink.

Fourth card : pick a suit. Drink.

From there Reiner laid out a pyramid of cards on the floor, he flipped each card one by one and each player frantically tried to match their cards to those of the pyramid. Whoever was left with the most cards on their person would have to ride the bus. As everyone one in the group succesfully matched up their cards, like fate, you were the only with cards left in your hand.

"Shit," you muttered.

"Guess you're riding the bus tonight Y/N," Reiner laughed as he collected the deck from the floor, shuffling them in his hands. "Someone get her a new drink."

Annie quickly stood up making her blonde hair bounce, "I'll make her something," she winked, "something strong."

The only way to get off the proverbial bus would be if you successfully answered the prior series of four questions without getting any of them wrong and without going through the whole deck. Each wrong answer meant you'd have to take a drink and the questions would restart from the begining.

You answered wrong each time, and as the deck of cards dwindled down you knew you were doomed. It didn't even matter when Reiner flipped the last card, you had already lost by that point. It was a game of luck and you never seemed to have any.

"And now you chug," Annie handed you over her concoction.

You brought the cup to your lips, and as the group chanted for you to chug the drink you drank it down in one go. You were officially tipsy.

The game continued on for a few more rounds. Bertolt was next to ride, then Porco and followed by Zeke. By the fifth round you could barely pay attention as all the alcohol had made its way to your head. Your cheeks felt numb and your toes tingled, but the night was still young. By the time the game had fizzled out it was an hour till midnight.

You felt out of place as the group began to chat amongst each other. You felt uncomfortable, or maybe it was all the drinks in your system, your eyes wandered the room as you dazed in and out from paying attention to the various conversations around you.

You were brought back to reality as Zeke wrapped his arm around both yours and Eren's shoulders, squeezing the three of you all close together. Your head nestled in to the crook of Zeke's shoulder, meanwhile Eren's hand had accidentally found itself gripped to your bare knee.

"Can you believe these two live together?" Zeke threw his head back in laughter, "the way they act around each other you'd think otherwise."

You let out nervous laugh, realizing the conversation was now directed towards you. Eren didn't move his hand.

"Well, considering Eren punched Y/N's friend," Reiner babbled away drunkenly, Eren's hand now sat higher up your thigh, his fingers wrapped around your inner thigh. "I don't think they'd be very comfortable around each other."

As the conversation drifted off on another tangent, Eren's hand stayed put. Reiner said something about wanting to grow out a beard, you weren't sure you couldn't seem to pay attention to the conversation.

Maybe he just hadn't noticed, you thought. That was till you feel him thumb casually stroke at your upper thigh. You turned to look at him, a mischievous grin on his face. Nope, he totally noticed.

Suddenly, Pieck jumped up from her seat, "its almost midnight, fuck, outside now, I want to do fireworks."

Eren ran up the stairs with the rest of the crew. You stayed seated stunned at how quickly your thigh felt cold without his touch.

10...

"You coming?" Zeke asked you, a quizical look on his face holding out his hand for you to take.

9...

You held his hand as you walked up the stairs and out to the backyard.

8...

"Shit, you're gonna freeze out here like that," Zeke slid off his flannel and placed it over your shoulders.

"Oh, thanks," you smiled at him, "but, won't you be cold now?"

He shook his head, lighting himself a cigarette, "I'm never cold."

7...

Eren's stood off from the side, his eyes directed to the night sky, with his hands shoved deep in his pants pockets as he rocked back and forth on his heels. You could see Porco and Pieck further off in the distance, scrambling to set up the fireworks display before midnight struck.

6...

"Couldn't they have set this up earlier in the day?" Annie grumbled turning towards you and Zeke, "give me a drag."

5...

Annie slipped the cigarette out from Zeke's lips and brought it to her own, before running off to Bertolt and Reiner.

4...

"Give that back," Zeke chased after her.

3...

You were now alone standing beside Eren.

2...

His hand gently caressed your face as the two of you leaned in.

1...

Fireworks crackled in the sky, breaking you from whatever spell you were under.

You stepped back from his reach. His hand now grasping at air as if he were holding on to a ghost. You turned you face up towards the sky, tugging Zeke's flannel around you tightly as the winter chill shook you.

"Happy New Year, Eren," you spoke.

"Happy New Year, Y/N," he replied softly.

"Wow," your eyes watched as the bright colours popped and fizzed in the sky, "its beautiful."

"It really is," he stared at you with a soft expression on his face.

Your lips were never destined to make contact that night.

The next morning you woke in your room, a ragging headach blurred your vision as you checked the notifications on your cell phone.

Sasha : happy new YEAR !!! let me know when you're back up

Jean : Happy New Year Y/N

But it was the last text that surprised you.

Eren : I'm driving back up tomorrow, be ready by noon.