Chasing Stars {Ereri/Riren}

9. The Pocky Game

[A/N: Warning: Long ass chapter is long.]

I gazed at my drink. Now that I was sitting, the frantic sloshing had stilled. As I stared, it appeared more and more appealing. Even the bitter smell had ceased affecting me. After all I'd been through today, maybe I should drink it. First a fight with Mikasa, then forgetting my books and an awkward session with an infamous bully, and now this party and... the scene behind this wall.

So I lifted the cup to my mouth and attempted to down it all in one gulp. Half of it came bak up in a misty arc as I spat it out, though. I set the empty party cup down and bent over, gagging and spitting. Foamy saliva dripped down off my chin. I stumbled to my feet, leaning against the wall with an outstreched hand. Enough had seemed to go down, by the fuzzy feeling in my chest. Maybe this party wasn't a complete bust.

I wiped off my chin and had bent over to scoop up my cup when a chilling voice rose goosebumps on my arm. "I'd just leave it."

I jerked upright and glared at Levi. "Geesh, how many times are you going to run into me? It's rather untoward, I must say."

"I'm piqued," he muttered dryly, holding a hand to his chest- mock wounded. He held out his hand, in which was another cup. "Here. I saw you come in this hall and heard you choking on that."

I took it unconsciously. "Touching. You sure its not drugged or anything?" I half-joked.

He shrugged. "Doesn't need to be, with all the alcohol in it already."

Levi had a point. I drunk this one with more ease, taking a small sip this time. He looked about to say something when the door to the hallway slammed open. Music poured in, but it didn't seem to hurt as much in my brain this time around. Krista stood in the doorway, smiling at me.

"Eren," she breathed. "Find the bathroom all right?"

A chuckle bubbled up in my throat. If only she knew. "Yup."

"Well come on! Ymir's starting the game. You too, Levi!" She waved us along before disappearing into the massive crowd.

I cast a sideways glance at Levi. "What game?"

He sent me a lopsided grin, and I realized that maybe he'd had a drink, too. "You'll see." He began to weave through the room, and I made sure to keep an eye on his bobbing head as I followed. (A/N: quit 'cher dirty thoughts, pervs.) It was harder than it seemed, though, by his height- and there was an immense lacking of it. (A/N: okay this maybe be harder than it seemed)

I noticed that there weren't a noticeabe amount of people missing from the main room. How many people did Ymir take with her? Had she just chosen an elite corps? Should I be humble? All these swimming questions hurt my brain more than the pulsing music and shoving bodies. So I turned off my question button and followed Levi's melon. Hah- question button. That seemed pretty funny, so I let out an inaudible giggle.

Levi led me through another door that led to a bedroom- another bedroom? Dear God, I thought quietly. On the floor sat a small set of people arranged in a circle. I recognized some- Ymir and Krista, a glaring grudge-holding Connie, Erwin- and some tugged at foggy memories I was too fuzzy to recall.

Krista scooted next to Ymir, grinning at me. I tentatively sat next to her and took another drink. It felt more like soothing water than sandpaper. Across the group, Levi crouched next to Erwin, a clouded emotion in his eyes. In the middle of our circle was an empty beer bottle.

I deadpanned. This was what we were doing? Spin the Bottle- some middle school game for horndogs?

I glanced at Krista. "So what are we doing?" I murmured blandly. She leaned in, grasping one of my shoulders softly. A prick of pleasure jolted up my spine, and I swatted away the feeling.