Cosplay Husband

7. Jäegerbomb-bastic

EREN: "You did what?" Jean repeated, a little louder this time.

"Why does it even fucking matter? It's none of your business, okay?" I snapped at him.

Now that I had told Jean, I started to doubt kissing Armin had been a good idea.

"You're fucking gross, kissing a fag like him." Jean said. "You might as well be one, too."

"Don't use that word again, especially not to describe Armin." I said.

"Mikasa sure did you a number, turning you into a little social justice warrior." Jean smirked.

"How is that bad?" I demanded.

"Look, some things won't change. Girls and homos will always be below men, and that's that." Jean decided.

"Why are we even friends? How did I end up being friends with a close-minded asshole like you?"

"Face it, Jäeger, you got nothing if you don't have me."

"I have Armin," I said, "and he's all I need."

"You are a fag just like him," Jean shook his head.

In a fit of rage that almost blinded me, I hastily packed all my stuff back into my boxes.

"Where ya goin', Jäeger?"

"I'm hoping it's not too late to change roommates." I said.

"Good, take your disgusting lifestyle choices with you," Jean muttered.

"A roommate transfer? What for?" The man at the desk asked me.

"My previous roommate was...doing things that were against my religion." I decided. I wasn't a really religious person, but I decided that would be a pretty good excuse.

The guy stared at me for a while. I had already packed up my stuff, so I desperately hoped he wouldn't send me back. Finally, he shrugged and handed me a slip of paper where my new room was.

"Your roommate is some kid named Conrad Springer, room 324." He said.

"Thanks." I took the slip of paper and went up to meet my new roommate. I realized 324 was in Armin's dorm building, and my heart did a little flip in excitement.

I knocked on the door holding the slip of paper between my teeth while I balanced all of my bags in my arms.

The inhabitant of the room opened the door and I dropped my bags. I took the paper out of my mouth. "Hey, sorry about the interruption, but I'm your new roommate. I'm Eren Jäeger." I held out my hand for a shake.

"Conrad Springer, but I prefer Connie. Come on in, Eren." He said.

The kid wore a knit beanie over a buzzcut that made his hair look gray, an old-looking sweater, and tattered jeans. His room was a mess, but that didn't really bother me because I'd eventually contribute to the mess.

"So what made you switch roommates, Jäegerbomb-bastic?" Connie asked, reclining on his bunk.

"My roommate was an asshole," I said.

"Was it that Jean Kirschtein kid?"

"How did you know?"

"You said 'asshole', and he's the first person who came to mind." Connie shrugged.

"Well, you were right." I sat down in the desk chair. "So...what kind of classes are you taking?"

"Ehh, mostly getting my core classes out of the way. I'm not real sure what I'm gonna go into, I'm not smart enough for a lot of it."

"Same with me." I shrugged.

"So Eren, it's been about three weeks of school; got your eyes set on anyone special?"

Even though I didn't like-like Armin, I didn't want to mention him in case Connie was as homophobic as Jean.

"Uhh...no one in particular; what about you?"

"There's this girl in my English class, Sasha Braus: smokin' hot, super smart, has the appetite of a bear--which makes her even hotter, if you ask me--but anyway, yeah."

"Hmm...well good luck to you."

"Good luck to you too, Jäeger," Connie nodded. "Of course, if Sasha weren't my main priority, I'd go for that kid in room 332."

"Marco? Or Armin?" My heart raced at the thought of Armin, not that I had had my eyes set on him. And in him admitting that, at least I didn't have to worry about liking Armin. But I didn't like Armin, at least not in that way.

"Armin, I guess. But I don't know who he likes, and I think Sasha is more within reach for me." Connie said.

"Yeah...I hope you find the courage to ask her out."

"Thanks, man. You know, I'm glad I'm finally not alone in here anymore."

"With Jean as my old roommate, I might as well have been alone."

"Well you're not anymore, Jäegerbomb-bastic." Connie stood up and clapped me on the back.

"Thanks, man."