Under My Skin || Eren Yeager

chapter 2 - Start

You felt as though you had been staring at the back of the door and counting your breaths for at least three hours in silence, knowing that Sasha stood behind you waiting for someone to say something, but in reality it had only been something like 30 seconds before Sasha broke the silence.

"You have to do it," she said with a voice that was equal parts chipper and restrained, as though she was trying to remain cheery despite feelings that leant towards the opposite emotion.

You turned around slowly, your face lost all colour and your eyes in a wide state of shock, "I can't," you managed to say.

Sasha shook whatever she was feeling off her shoulders and took a few steps forward with a smile tacked to her lips, "You have to," she repeated, her tone soft and encouraging, "This could be amazing for you."

Your shoulders shrugged absently, "This was your thing, not mine."

"I don't need to be reminded of that," Sasha laughed, her soft candour making your shoulders instinctively relax.

You were never particularly good with this sort of thing, once in high school when someone asked you to the prom instead of your best friend at the time, it had been nothing short of painful, and had served as an avid reminder to you that even friends can turn into cruel and vapid people if given the right motivation.

"I don't...," you struggled to form the words that were floating around your head until you took a deep breath and settled your thumping heart, "I won't take this opportunity away from you, this is your thing, this is what you do."

Sasha stepped closer until her hand could rest on your shoulder. "I was here, I saw what happened and I know this wasn't anything you did, apart from catch his eye for whatever reason."

"I'm not a journalist," you added, though it didn't need to be said given you both were very aware of that fact.

Sasha pondered for a moment before something occurred to her that hadn't before, "Maybe that's why he chose you," she wondered aloud.

"What do you mean?" you asked as your brow pinched inwards.

"Maybe it's not about questions and answers," Sasha surmised as she coiled a section of hair around her finger while she considered her own words, "maybe it's about a story."

Before you could offer the next rebuttal you had stored up in your head about just what a terrible idea this was, Reiner burst through the door, slumping against it to close it as he struggled to breathe.

"I..ran..journos," he panted as the man in a nicely pressed grey suit bent himself in half in an effort to catch his breath. When he was certain he could make full sentences again, Reiner stood up and unbuttoned his blazer as he rolled his neck.

"I didn't want them to follow me here, apologies for bursting through the door like that," he continued, still slightly winded. "Ms L/N, Ms Braus," he smiled, tipping an imaginary hat, "I just need to know where you're staying and I'll arrange a car to pick you up tomorrow Ms L/N, Eren has also agreed to pay any of your hotel expenses for the duration of the interview."

You weren't really paying much attention to what Reiner was saying as a sudden thought popped into your mind and before he could open his mouth to continue, you interrupted, "Can you call Mr Yeager on your phone?" you asked, pointing towards the black phone he was juggling idly from one hand to the other.
Reiner looked down at his phone and nodded slowly.

"Okay, I need you to call him," you quipped before adding a dulcet, "please."

Reiner found himself wanting to do what you were telling him despite the fact he didn't know you at all. But before he could dissect his sudden chivalry, he'd already dialled Eren's number and walked towards an empty corner of the room with the phone pressed against his ear.