Chasing Stars {Ereri/Riren}

6. Professors That Deadpan

Where was I? Ahh- yes.

I hadn't seen Levi for maybe two weeks at the least. Not that I minded. He still hadn't finished his tantrum about Armin; and most certainly had not recieved the opportunity to make me one of his famous knuckle-sandwiches. Eh, I wasn't that hungry. I recalled the menace's eyes leveled with mine. They alone made him seem to tower over everyone he encountered. I was still intrigued about our last conversation. Our only conversation, at that. He was definitely... something.

I twirled my pen with one hand, paying no mind to class. My feet were propped up on the back of the chair ahead, me slouching in the very back of the auditorium. Business Ethics 2.0 never interested me. Plus, I was surrounded by a bunch of strangers- people I had no intention or interest in getting to know. Obviously I wasn't going to fare well in the real world, having difficulty introducing myself and all.

When I was little- like, really little- my mother used to tell me I would be an excellent pupil. Guys, I should explain why she doesn't anymore, some other time. (Back, in the bar, I wondered how I was going to tell Petra and Hanji about Carla) I found the studies quite uninteresting. Hence me staying up 'til half-past two in the morning, studying for upcoming tests I was incredibly unprepared for. Later in life, I wondered why I had slacked off so much; what had come over and erased the boy my mom loved so much.

I spun my pen again. This time, however, I lost grip of it and it flew diagonally. I lurched forward, my feet stumbling to the hard floor and my books flying everywhere, emanating multiple dull booms from the marble. I winced when the pen whirled through the air and bounced off a guy's head with a thwack, into his lap.

As he turned around, I realized it was that Connie dude who watched Levi and Armin. So this wasn't filled with strangers. And of course, I would think of that in this situation. He tossed my pen back harshly, flipping me the bird in the process. I stuck my tongue out at him- honestly, my tongue! Connie made a face like I had attempted to give a terrible lap dance, really, before turning back to the teacher.

Who had her eyes on me.

"Mr. Yëager." She said my name dully, as if she wasn't surprised it was me who caused a ruckus, but was still aggravated. "Are you finished?"

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, Ms. Leonhart." She turned around and went back to whacking the chalkboard with a long stick thingy then, her yellow bun bouncing about. I scooped up my books and scattered papers, wisely setting them on the chair beside me. Then I reclined back, stretching out my long legs again and putting in an earbud.

The sounds of dubstep filled my left ear as Ms. Leonhart droned on, both of us clearly preferring to be anywhere but here. I slid the hood of my black hoodie over my eyes, arching my head back and blocking out the twaddle (Yes, twaddle is a word, Hanji). Today should be an easy day, I thought. I'd just ask the geek later about today's lesson. Armout or something, whatever. The perks of having an overly-attached bookworm as a friend.

"Eren."

At first, I thought I had imagined it. After all, I think I had been drifting in and out. Then again, more persistant this time. "Eren."

I tilted my head up, squinted open an eye. Every head was angled toward me. I sighed and sat up in my seat, pulling out my music source more than reluctantly. So much for relaxation. At a comment like that, I knew my mom would have scolded me briskly, hissing, "College is not the time for slackers, Eren!" I shook my head, the mini-daydream exploding into small puffs.

"Mr. Bott would like to speak to you," Leonhart deadpanned. I sighed heavily again, standing. A red tint flushed over my cheekbones as I left the classroom, in full view of my classmates. They were shockingly quiet, all wide eyes and some smirks.

Professor Bott held the door open and smiled that smile that all teachers smiled- which thoroughly freaked me out, every time- as I exited it. "Come, Mr. Yëager," he grinned, nodding towards the right wing of the hall. "Let's walk."

Professor Bott- or Marco, as some called him- was relatively close to my age, which made everything impossibly more uncomfortable, in my opinion. In fact, it seemed almost every teacher here was close to their early twenties. Bott practically radiated youth, from his defined freckles to his abs- wait. What.

Did I just-? Hastily, I covered the thought with the excuse, it's because of the black tee shirt that totally hugged his torso. Crap, I just made it worse! Mr. Bott must've sensed my inner battle of the blush, because his beam faded a bit.

"Don't worry, Eren," he reassured with a hint of mirth, mistaking my expression for worry. "You aren't in trouble." He ran a hand through his jet-black hair, motioning with the other which turn to make.

I chuckled nervously. "O-okay."

"On the contrary, it's your sister, Miss Ackerman. She's been making problems again."

"Really?" I asked, a cold sludge filling my stomach with dread. Professor Bott didn't get a chance to respond, for at that moment, we rounded the corner and almost ran into Mikasa.

She was pacing in a flurry of agitation, and upon seeing me, grabbed my shoulders roughly. "Oh, Eren, thank God!" she cried. "Don't believe anything they say!"

Professor Bott watched her with thinly veiled concern. "You see, she has put an individual in the hospital-"

"He thwarted me!" She yelled with mania, gripping my shoulders with bruising force. I pried her hands off me, and then held one in both of mine.

"Talk some sense into her, will you?" Mr. Bott requested politely, alreadly moving to escape through the main building's facade.

"But, Professor-" I stammered, but he cut me off with a warm smile, one hand on the door.

He said the most candid thing one could say in this situation. "Please. Call me Marco." And with that, he disappeared into the sunlight.

I turned back to my sister, sighing with frustration. "Mikasa," I drawled, almost like a parent talking to a child in trouble would. Slowly, her rage-filled eyes met mine. A shuddering breath left her. She dropped my hands.

"Reiner Braun," she confessed softly. "He mocks you, Eren. He mocks Carla."

At that, I gasped sharply, my eyelids fluttering. "He's a respectable man," I combatted dizzily. "He wouldn't-"

"He would, Eren. He did. He did!" Mikasa growled. Suddenly, I was brimming with anger.

"You're lucky you didn't get hauled off to jail, Mikasa!" I argued, my eyebrows furrowing. I poked her in the center of her chest and she stepped back, astonished. "And you're worrying about him insulting me?"

"You weren't there, Eren!" My sister yelled.

"Slim it nice and quick, Mikasa," I snarled. "You're infatuated with the idea of protecting me, honoring our name." I stepped closer, my head almost butting hers. "I shouldn't have to babysit you anymore."

Mikasa opened her mouth and closed it, a firm white line. Her eyes were slitted when she finally spoke. "I respect Carla." And she was off, stomping down the hall as she pulled the red scarf over her mouth.

It was a blow to my stomach. I watched her go, a heavy feeling in my chest. A choked sensation rose in my throat. Strangely, I thought of Levi. And, even more strangely, I felt relieved, that he wasn't the one Mikasa hospitalized.

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A//N: Hey guys! About the earlier scene, with Eren listening to dubstep, I'd like to imagine him listening to the Party Thieves's Remix of Still Young by Midnight. I put it in the side or above, for you app readers. And gah, am I alone when I say Gay Eren thoughts are the best Eren thoughts? High-fives if it hella turns you on!

Anyways, I have been writing in here specifically all the past week, so there may be another update in the next day or two. Don't hold your breath. Life gets unpredictable.

As always, Tātorutaruto, out!