My Love Untold

Let's Throw a... Party

I wasn't shocked when an odd mixture of disgust and anger built up inside my chest towards the dozens of party guests that Eren had brainwashed me into inviting in my house. I was surprised, however, to find Ymir already up and out of bed, socializing as if nothing had even happened. With the number of injuries she'd sustained, I had expected her to be bedridden for at least a few more weeks. However, when I saw her arm slung over Krista's shoulders, glowing smiles on both of their faces, I found a sense of respect for the two of them.

It took a trained eye to notice the small winces when Ymir moved just a bit too quickly, and the worried glances Krista would send her. Each time, Ymir would give a short shake of her head, getting back to whatever conversation she was in. Watching the pained expression on Krista's face become masked by happiness was something I was rather used to seeing: soldiers forced into feigning happiness in front of civilians. No matter how often I saw it, however, it still sent my body rigid with sadness.

I was standing in the doorway connecting my kitchen and living room, watching over the guests like a hawk, my arms crossed. I knew I looked intimidating - I wanted to be - but the reality of the situation was that my back and arms were throbbing with the effort I was using to keep them crossed. Every now and then, someone would sidestep their way past me, hunching over slightly as if it made them invisible. Each time, I fought the temptation to black them off. I wasn't a huge fan of people digging through my stuff.

"You alright?" Eren asked, hopping up on the counter behind me, shocking me out of my stance. I turned and walked over to her, resting my head against her shoulder in an act of defeat.

"How do you know so many people?" I said as a response, side-eyeing the massive group of people in my living room. She chuckled underneath my head and I smiled despite myself. Eren pulled on the fabric on my arm, silently asking me to join her on the counter. Sighing, I hopped, my good arm immediately flying behind me to grab a hold of the wood as I inched my way up.

"They gravitate towards me," she finally answered, following my eyes as we watched the party continue without us. "Does it still hurt?" I looked down at my arm, twisting it carefully as I tested the limits of my movement. It had been a while since I'd done anything physically taxing, and everyone around me was smart enough to leave the subject alone. I was supposed to start training again within the week, but I wasn't sure how well I'd perform given the fact that it still hurt to do something as simple as cross my arms.

"It could've been worse," I said, curtly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Eren look at me, but I pretended not to notice.

"That's not what I asked." Glancing at her, she quickly understood my frustration and jumped down, patting my knee as an invitation to follow her. I grunted slightly.

"But I just-"

"Shut up and come here," she said, her voice an impossible mixture of delicacy and strictness. Hypnotized by the sudden tone shift, I hopped down, following her as she made her way through my house. Curiosity built up in my chest when I realized we were heading to my room, wanting more than anything to ask what she was doing, but she was keeping the pace brisk and the walk silent. It felt almost eerie to be so quiet when surrounded by so many booming conversations, but I kept my mouth shut.

She opened the door, walking in with a sort of confidence many could only aspire to have, and I hid my smirk. She paused, looking around, and I took the opportunity to ask for clarification about what we were doing.

"So," I started, shoving my hand in my pocket in a failed attempt to look casual. "What are we doing here?" Eren glanced back at me, a mysterious scheming expression on her face that caused a lump to appear in my throat. I coughed, trying to clear it away as my gaze shifted to my bed, and she turned around again.