Better Off This Way: Eren Jaeger x Reader [MODERN]

~Chapter 17~

The recovery from the infection took an entire week.
By Saturday morning of the following week, I finally awoke feeling myself again.
Remind me to never compulsively do things like that everrrr again.

I stumbled into the kitchen eager for some breakfast, Leo accompanying me.
"Okay, don't be mad." Eren waved his hands in reassurance.
I took a breath and pinched the bridge of my nose, calmly closing my eyes.
"What did you do?" I ask flatly.
"We found out it's your birthday tomorrow, but we figured, partying on a Sunday? Egh. Soooo.... Saturday was a better choice." Eren explained.
"Please tell me you didn't?..." I pipe.
"Well I- you know what? Never mind. Everyone just come out." Eren said.
"Surpriiiseeee!" Everyone yells calmly.
"Fuck my life." I turn around and head back to my room.
"Okay, shower?" Mikasa grabs me, directing me to the bathroom.
"Aaand I'll be waiting for you right... here." She grabs a stool and places it in front of the bathroom.
I close the door.
"Eren, go make sure she isn't crawling out the bathroom window." Mikasa sighs.
"Yep, on it." He sprinted away.

Once I was ready, Mikasa dragged me out to the backyard.
Yep, there they all were.
Sasha, Hange, Jean, Armin, Connie, Reiner, Bertoldt, Ymir, Historia, and Annie.
"Oh! And guess what?" Eren smiled.
"Leeeviii's hereee." He said, dragging Levi out from behind a wooden pillar.
"Watch it." Levi snarled.
"Heh heh, heh. Heh heh." I wanted to cry, but I could not show weakness. So instead, the tears came out as laughter.
I couldn't stop. I just laughed, and laughed.
"Is this a good thing?" Jean asked.
Eren, Mikasa, Sasha and Hange shrugged.
"Meh." They all said mutually.
"Don't worry, she thrives on chaos." Levi said cooly, patting my shoulder as he walked past me.
I continued laughing.
"I need a drink." He then mumbled.

I had been stalking Eren for the last few minutes, skilfully, waiting for my chance at confrontation.
I just have to wait for the perfect moment, as to not give my position away.
After a few more moments of stalking my prey, I finally saw my moment. No one else's eyes were on him, I could preform a sneak attack.
"Hey!" I snarled, shoving my arm into him.
"Here we go..." He replied.
"What THE FUCK?!" I shout, pointing towards the backyard.
"I know, alright? I'm sorry!" He shouted back.
"Why. THE FUCK. Did you. THINK. That this was a good idea? Are you high?" I growl.
"Come on! Is it really that bad? It's just a little party, how is that so unbearable?" Eren scoffed.
"This is my space, there is a group of semi strangers in my space right now!" I say, gesturing to the space around me.
"Levi can't know anything about my life OR my fucked up choices! There's drunk people here, drunk people talk!" I exclaim.
"Levi told me how much you hate your birthday." He sighs.
"I just didn't want you to spend it alone. Look, believe it or not, this might really be good for you. I'm giving you tough love right now young lady!" Eren said jokingly, punching my shoulder.
"You can't hide forever. At some point, you just have to open up to people who love you. If Levi scares you so much, you need to confront him."
"HAH! Yeah why didn't I fuckin think of that? Just confront the giant that overshadowed me my entire life!" I sarcastically nudged Eren.
"You should be a therapist! Shit, my life is going to be PERFECT NOW!" I skip away, jokingly.
"Yeah alright that's enough outta you. I was just being nice. I was trying to be responsible. Y-y-you don't have your shift figured out either." Eren said flatly.
"YEAH! I'm a fuck up! I. Fuck. Things. Up! That's why I don't like people knowing who I am! Because I'm a fuck up!" I scoff.
"Do you know how many times he's had to come to my rescue before?! Quite a fuckin lot buddy."
"Well- Ugh. Fuck! I know how you feel." Eren admits defeat.
"Look, maybe it's time we both stop hiding. It's a journey we can take together." He adds.
Maybe I was too hard on Eren.... after all, he had good intentions... this was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. He's always so nice to me, and I just don't understand why. He tries to make me laugh even after we've argued, even after I've given him no reason to be. It's only making my feelings for him grow, which really fuckin sucks because I know he's with Madeline and I know how much he loves her and I know he would never give up someone like her for someone..... well, like me.
Wait, speaking of which....
"Where's Madeline?" I look around.
"I... kinda figured she should sit this one out." Eren awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Hey... you know what? Let's just celebrate, alright?" Eren smirks a bit, grabbing red solo cups for the two of us to drink out of.
"Cheers." We toast.

"Hey, [Y/N] come meet a friend of mine girl." Jean pulls me over to the new face.
I slowly watch as the person gets out of the car- wait! MARCO?
"No way! I KNOW this guy! He's in my theatre class!" I chirp.
"Jean, why is the lady from the grudge here?" Marco gulps.
"Hahahaa he's so funny! He's always bugging me like this in class." I wrapped my arm around the freckled kid and buddy punched him.
"I'm actually genuinely terrified right now..." Marco sweat drops.
"Hah! See what I mean?" I chuckle.
"It's her birthday we're celebrating today, dummy!" Jean adds.
"Eh- uh- well- happy birthday.." Marco says, handing me a bottle of Brut Rosè.
"This is my favourite wine! How did you know?" I smiled.
"Jean told me." Marco replied, looking at Jean.
I tilt my head.
"Y-yeah... haha, I do my research." He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
I pull the two men into the party all giddy with a smile plastered on my face, both of them confused on how to act.

"Oi! Slow down with the drinking you junkie." Levi said flatly.
"You slow down with the drinking you junkie..." I retort, pointing at him snickering at what I had just said.
"Yep. Just what I would expect from you." Levi shooed my pointing finger, nearly face palming at my behaviour.
Mikasa, Hange, and Sasha were observing the train wreck that was mine and Levi's conversation.
"I think Levi is going to have a heart attack by the time he leaves today." Mikasa stated.
"So how do you all know each other anyway? You two and [Y/N]?" She asks.
"Believe it or not, Levi hired me to tutor her when she was failing science and then her and I just hit it off from there, she was a smart girl she just wasn't applying herself." Hange said in response.
"She tutored me too!" Sasha said with a mouth full of chips.
"So you're pretty good at that stuff then hey?" Mikasa questions again.
"Science fascinates me." Hange smiles.
"Why does a girl that's interested in science own a metaphysics shop?" Mikasa asks.
"I just feel like there's more to the universe than what can just be seen in a Petri dish." Hange explains.
"Plus the metaphysics shop brings in enough revenue to finance my backroom research." Hange begins to get giddy.
"Wow you're pretty smart wit girl." Mikasa smirks.
"Wit girl?" Hange raises an eyebrow.
"Yeah. You guys are my three W's, wall girl, wing girl and wit girl."
"At least you're not wing girl.... My legacy will be a sad one." Sasha said lowering her head with incredible remorse.

"Slow down" Levi says, blocking the cup from my face.
"I should intervene before Levi loses it with [Y/N]." Hange sighed.
She then walks up to Levi and I.
"Hello Levi." Hange smiled with a nod.
"Hange." Levi nodded back.
"I think Hange likes Levi....." I say to Eren.
"SHHHHHH! Don't tell ANYONE..." I whisper loudly again, pushing my finger over Eren's lips excessively.
He slowly took it off.
"Levi's right, I think you should slow down juuuust a little." Eren scoffed.
I nod while shooing my hand, trying to eves drop on Levi and Hange's conversation.
"You enjoying the party?" Hange asks Levi.
"I dislike parties. You?" Levi replies.
"Sort of, [Y/N] is my friend and it's her birthday so I figured I should be here nonetheless." Hange says.
"So, how's the weird voodoo shop you're running been doing?" Levi questions.
"Business is good. Especially with Halloween coming up, you know everyone likes being prepared for witches night." Hange giggles.
"I have been meaning to come by sometime to see what all the fuss is about." Levi replied.
"Oh you should, especially because
[Y/N] is going to be working there soon." Hange chirps.
"Hm, you don't say." Levi nods.
"Yeah! I'm gonna have a job soon, Levi." I smirk cockily.
"Well thank you Hange, she needs all the help she can get." Levi retorts.
"HA! Yeah you're so funny, isn't he funny?" I say sarcastically yet drunkenly.
Levi rolled his eyes.
"Hange, let's go get a drink. If I have to watch this happen, I at least need to be able to tolerate it." He says, making his way to the wine.
I nudge Hange, giving her two happy thumbs up.
"Shhhh!" She hisses, embarrassed.

"Mikasa! Mikasa!" I say over dramatically, slithering up to her.
"Are you drunk?" She asks.
"Why is everyone saying that?" I look up, lifting my arms in a confused manor.
"What's up wall girl?" She replies.
"Wasn't there some form of plan to get Eren and I together?" I ask.
"Huh, I actually sort of forgot all about that." She says.
"Wasn't that the whole point of us forming an alliance?" I giggle.
"Oh... yeah. I guess that was the whole point. I guess we were having so much fun that I forgot." Mikasa said snarkily.
".... You're silly." I smirk.
"Ugh. I need a drink." She sighed.
As I turn around, I notice Levi shaking his head at me.
"Ruh-roh."