𝙿𝚞𝚣𝚣𝚕𝚎𝚜

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟿

As you stormed off, Eren only stood frozen in place. He remained in the center of the main room, glowering down at the beer can he had crushed in his grip. Mikasa, Connie, and Sasha sat in reverse on the couch with their chests pressed into the back cushions. They sat silently, fingernails digging into the fabric and eyes darting from one another as they tried to determine if that had really just happened.

Jean had witnessed the entire ordeal from the hallway. He was now marching into the living room in full force. "You maniac! What was the hell was that?"

Eren briefly let his eyes flicker to Jean before returning his gaze to the floor.

Mikasa pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is my fault." Everyone's attention turned to her, and she clarified, "I told her to talk to Jean. She's obviously been upset for days, and you guys were just letting it happen."

"It's not your fault, Mikasa," Jean said. "Eren is the one who freaked the fuck out."

Jean took the next minute to explain what went down in the kitchen. He was scornful as he reenacted the scene and, despite the timing, he didn't forgo the chance to give his very best Eren impression.

When Jean wrapped up the story, his voice was somehow even more heated than before. Every word he spat was like a dagger tossed in Eren's direction.

"All she cared about was everyone staying friends. She didn't want any more fighting – even between us," Jean said. He shook his head and gave a mirthless chuckle before adding, "Clearly, her heart's too big for her own good if she cares about your friendships this much."

Eren still didn't say anything. It only pissed Jean off more. Eren had a whole lot to say just a few minutes ago. Where was this Eren when he actually needed to keep his mouth shut?

At this point, Jean was wholeheartedly laughing. It was proud and spiteful, and it shattered the unbecoming silence. "See, Sasha? Looks like I was right, after all." Though Jean intended to speak to Sasha, he really wanted Eren to hear it. His eyes were glued to Eren when he said, "So I guess no one's truly safe from that temper of yours, eh?"

The statement made Eren's heart pump faster in his chest. It wasn't out of anger, or rage, or anything of the sort now. It was dread.

It was going just as predicted. Everyone, even Eren himself, knew he would screw up in one way or another. And there he was, in the middle of the room like he stole the spotlight, proving to everyone that he really was the asshole they had made him out to be.

Eren breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth. He repeated the patterned breaths, again and again. He was excruciatingly aware of his pounding heart, the hot feeling that radiated throughout his legs, and the sharpness of the metal can against his palm. He focused on the sensations rather than voices panicking and swarming around him.

One of the voices was Sasha's. She was like a tea kettle that had blown its lid – just as loud as one, too. She tried her very best to keep her wavering voice strong. "Is this really about Jean? You need to go fucking apologize, Eren!" Sasha pushed herself higher in her seat, almost tipping over the edge of the couch while she pointed at Eren. "You can't go around treating her like that and think I'll look the other way – that any of us will!"

Connie barged in next. "Yeah! Like, what the fuck, dude? This is gonna be the trip from hell if you keep this up."

Sasha and Connie continued to bash and berate Eren (not that it wasn't deserved). Honestly, you should have seen it – maybe it would have been a bit cathartic. Their intoxicated minds knew no bounds, and they conjured up just about any insult they could sling at Eren. While entirely ill-fitting for the moment, Connie even managed to make himself laugh a few times.