He's staring directly at you." Connie spoke, hushed voice close to your ear as his breath fanned over your cheek. Your eyes darted around the room, finally finding the narrow grey ones Connie had been referring to, aimed at you with a killer glare. Once making eye contact, he'd slowly looked away, scowl over his face as he'd watched Erwin speak hands gesturing as his friends had listened closely.
"Let me talk to him." Connie stood, but had been stopped by your hand reaching outward, fingers wrapping around his wrist.
"Please, don't. Plus, it's his place - don't get us kicked out of the party." You'd begged him with your gaze, a small shake of the head. "Just ignore him, I'm fine." The persuasion had his figure relaxing, giving in and sitting back down on the battered three seater. Sasha threw an arm around him, sitting widely on the other side of him with drink in hand.
"We should play a game!" Sasha shouted in order for rest of the group to hear, Jean moving his chair closer, Eren, Mikasa and Armin leaning in.
"How 'bout truth or dare?" Sasha had ended with a smile, the other members of the group instead groaning. "What?" Her question was lost in the chatter once more as those surrounding had lost interest. Connie had laughed at his friend, an eager girl who'd had a heart bigger than a brain - or perhaps, it had been her stomach.
"Why does Ackerman keep staring?" Jean's voice had pulled you from your focus on Connie and Sasha as he'd had his elbows to thighs, leaning forward.
"He thinks I had something to do with Petra cheating." You spoke as you'd swirled the drink around in the red solo cup, sighing before bringing it to lips. As you drank, you watched Jeans eyebrow furrow, thinking for a moment. He'd tried to connect the dots in his head, but couldn't. Once satisfied with the amount of liquor in your throat, you pulled the cup from your mouth and held it back down upon your lap, liquid now sufficiently lessened.
"I was friends with Petra, back in freshman year. New to college, new to Germany as a whole - she was the student ambassador assigned to me. Brought me along to some parties, before I met you guys." As you'd explained, you'd looked through the corner of your vision to check what Levi had been doing. He'd stopped obsessing over your every movement, instead complaining to Hange, her arms wrapped around him as she'd laughed. He'd looked miserable as ever.
"There was a party, it was in February that year - she got off with Eld in seven minutes in heaven. I opened the door and saw them, but didn't tell Levi. He found out a few weeks after and blames me for not telling him sooner." Your explanation had ended with a long exhale of breath you hadn't realised you'd held, another twist of the plastic cup.
"But that's ridiculous-" Jean began, but you raised a hand.
"He's right. I should've told him." Defeated tone, you slumped back against the cushions.
"Seven minutes in heaven!" The shout of Pieck had brought you from the racing in your mind, an uncomfortable shift in the seat at the ill-timing of the announcement. An innate reaction of your sight meeting with Levi's had made matters worse, his hardened gaze looking back at you. Hange and Erwin had stood, smiling wide and preparing to move forward, while he'd remained seated. Fingers wrapped around your shoulders as you were pulled upward, suddenly aware of Sasha and Connie's excited expressions as they'd dragged you toward the circle forming on the other side of the room.
"N-no, guys." The protests from your lips had been ignored as you'd fought against them, only to be seated among your group, bottle in the center of a wide circle.
"It'll be fun!" Sasha shouted as the bottle spun, the first pair of students making their way upstairs. First, the bedrooms would be filled out, with the final couple having to make do in the pantry cupboard. Sasha's cheeks turned red when the bottle's mouth had met her space, burning a deeper scarlet when it had spun again to land on Connie.
That had left you beside Jean, awaiting the final two turns so you'd be able to leave, though as the spinning glass slowed and neared closer to you, your heart had been within your throat. Clear as day, no space for questioning, the green bottle had pointed at no one other than yourself. Time had seemed to slow as you watched anxiously at the second spin, bottle stopping within a matter of seconds. It had been with reluctance as you'd looked up, fear in your eyes replaced with horror when meeting with the bottle's suitor. It can't be-
Levi stared back at you, though hadn't looked frightened - he'd instead been filled with rage. When he'd began to stand, meaning to walk off, he'd been stopped by Erwin, who'd instead offered a shove toward the closet door. You'd been sat in shock, though soon found Eren and Mikasa following Erwin's actions, pushing you toward the pantry only a few meters away until both yourself and Levi had been shoved in, door barricaded on the other side. You'd fought to push it open, shoulder hitting into wood with loud thuds, eventually pushed aside by Levi as he'd repeated your actions. Loud groans of frustration left his chest as he'd kicked at the handle, though it had been in vain.
