𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝙴𝙹𝙰♡︎

Chapter 18: Aftermath

"You're all cleaned up?" Jean asks, approaching the blonde with near concern in his eyes.

It's only been twenty minutes since they finished everything up. Armin sits on the edge of the bed, wrapped up in a towel and clearly exhausted from the several rounds they did. Nodding, he replies, "yeah, Eren's just finding some ointment now."

"Good, good," he remarks back. "Toys are on the kitchen counter, clean. I'll go get everyone's clothes."

"No, rest," Armin says, stopping him with a gentle gaze.

"I'm not tired."

"You were still bottom though, doesn't your back hurt?" When Jean doesn't respond, he continues, "you should get cleaned up at least."

The man shrugs passively, "nah, this isn't my place."

"Just have a shower," he insists. Despite the tired eyes and voice, Armin is still as obtrusive as ever. "It's down the hall on your left."

Jean sighs in pure reluctance before turning down the hallway. The door he mentioned is wide open, with Eren seemingly standing by the bathroom vanity. On closer inspection, he's sorting through the cabinet below the sink, back arched down to find the desired product. It's quite a funny sight to walk in on, what with him standing in nothing but boxers with a focused look on his face.

He looks up at the sudden sound of footsteps and locks eyes with Jean, breezing through the room.

"Oh... hey," says Eren. The expression he shows him is nothing that the switch has encountered before. Not a competitive grin or vengeful scowl, just a glare that rings... confusion. Awkward, tense confusion.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hit on you in a bathroom... for the third time..." he remarks, voice slow and uneasy. "I just want the shower."

"Yeah, okay, but give me a minute." Eren turns back down, a sigh escaping him. "Can't find the damn ointment."

"I'll wait."

"Mhm."

There's silence between them: a recognisable elephant in the room. As time ticks on, and Eren's movements become more frantic, Jean can't hold himself back.

"I didn't come here to sleep with you," he explains. "What I said back there... was all true."

Eren's knuckles clench, yet he remains silent.

"Ever since the phone-call, I've wanted to end this," Jean gulps between statements. His voice becomes gentle, "I... can't keep lying, Eren."

"Then you should've left."

He allows a sigh to brush past his lips. Jean's legs weaken as he leans back against the rim of the doorway. "I know." The shocked brunette tilts his eyes upwards, staring at him now. He merely repeats it, though. "I know."

Eren finds his surprise dissolving into anger. He leans back, turning away from that wide-open cabinet with a grim expression.

"Just have your shower."

His eyes brighten, "really? Wait, I-"

"Shut up."

And with that, Eren heads out the door, shutting it with a resounding bang. Now, for the first time in hours, Jean has a moment to himself. The silence that floods the room is rewarding, leaving him a certain amount of relief. It's nice to have a break from all of that. He steps past the vanity and slides the navy blue shower curtain over, revealing a plain shower-bath set-up. The small bottles of lotion and hair products bring about the only colour there, bursts of blue, green and red.