Cosplay Husband

13. Bro Code

EREN: Connie wasn't a very obnoxious roommate.

Actually, I take that back; he was obnoxious, but in a different way.

Connie Springer was obnoxious in the way that he played horror games at two in the morning hopped up on Mountain Dew and Cheetos.

Connie Springer was obnoxious in the way that he brought his new girlfriend Sasha over almost every night and made out with her very loudly (never making it past second base, though).

Connie Springer was obnoxious in the way that he almost never cleaned up his dishes and I swear something ran across my chest in the middle of the night. I didn't even know mice could run upward.

But all that was even more bearable than having Jean as a roommate.

I'd heard from Marco that Jean had been denying any feelings for him, and has brought several girls to his room in the past few weeks. Marco was heartbroken over this.

"I was hoping I could go over to his house for Thanksgiving, but I probably should've known he wasn't going to ask me," Marco told me a few days before Thanksgiving break.

"Jean's an asshole," I replied, "I'm not sure why you'd want him."

"Because he's hot!" Marco cried indignantly.

"Dude, trust me when I tell you that Jean isn't worth it." I patted him on the back.

Marco groaned. "But I thought he actually liked me when he let me have sex with him that day!"

"Guys are stupid; you and I both know that." I assured him. "We don't get hints, we suck at relationships...it's up to us to keep each other sane. It's part of the Bro Code."

"Yeah..." Marco agreed solemnly.

"What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" I asked.

"Just going to visit my family and then going to my grandma's like we do every year." He replied.

"I'd ask you to come over to my house or something but my parents are kinda homophobic." I admitted.

"I can tone it down," Marco offered.

"Then you're more than welcome to come over." I smiled.

"Thanks, Eren." Marco replied. He waited for a moment, and then continued, "Hey, how come you're not asking Armin over for Thanksgiving?"

"I figured he had plans already." I admitted. "Why?"

"Because I think he'd like it if you showed up." Marco said.

"I can't just show up," I pointed out.

"Didn't he ask you?" Marco seemed surprised.

"No...?" I answered, still confused why it was so abnormal.

"Okay..." Marco seemed distant now.

"Anyway, you're more than welcome to come. Here's my address." I wrote it down on a scrap of paper and handed it to him.

"Thanks." Marco replied, his voice still airy like it was floating away with his ideas.

Later that day at the coffee shop, I was cleaning up the grinders when Armin offered to have me come over for Thanksgiving. Immediately I knew Marco had asked Armin to do so.

"I'd like to, but if it's a burden on your grandpa then I won't intrude." I told him.

Armin looked surprised. "What? No, my grandpa loves company. You should come over, and bring Marco, too!"

"I...okay. But can it be the day after Thanksgiving? My mom would prefer me to be home for that." I agreed.

"Oh, yeah. We'll save you some leftovers." Armin smiled. "Grandpa makes the best mashed potatoes in the world."

I smiled back at him. "I look forward to it. And, you can come to Thanksgiving at my house."

"Oh...okay," Armin pulled a stray piece of his hair out of his face. "I look forward to it, too."

When I returned to the dorm, I found Connie and Sasha making out on the floor as usual.

"Come on guys, can't you save it for Thanksgiving break?" I griped.

Connie broke away for a second. "I'm already going over to her house. But she said she'd stuff me with so much food I wouldn't have enough room in my stomach to eat her."

I scrunched my face up in disgust.

"You have a pretty ravenous appetite though, babe," Sasha giggled.

I slapped my hand over my face and decided I might as well sleep in the hallway.