For You | Eren x Reader

Chapter 7- Nothing:

(A/N)~ Hey besties-- how y'all been doing??? It's Friday, 5pm and I've got 3 new chapters for y'all!

I hope everyone is well!! For those of you who are still reading my Jean fic, I should hopefully have a new chapter out before Friday if all goes well❤️❤️

Thank you all SO SO much for taking time out of your day to read this-- it means the world to me. Stay safe out there. I love you!! ❤️❤️

muah~

(PS: things are going to start picking up in the next update-- but I'd also like to warn that next week's chapters deal with some very sensitive stuff, so be warned. I'm so excited for what's coming next because we're gonna be getting into the good stuff soon 😋)

The next day was our field trip to the art museum, organized by Professor Hanji. I left my dorm carrying a small backpack with a lunch and my notebook, and met up in the front of my building. Professor Hanji greeted me upon my arrival, then ushered all of us onto a bus. The class was quite small, so we each got a seat to ourselves. I sat in the middle row, noticing that Eren had decided to make an appearance today. He lounged in the front, paying no mind to anyone or anything around him. He always seemed to be caught in his own little bubble, with his hood up and head down. I sighed, irritated with my growing obsession with the boy.

The bus slowed as we pulled up to the museum. It was large, white, and blocky. We stepped inside and were led past isles and isles of intricate paintings on mostly empty walls until we reached a room of ceramic pots. It was here that we stopped and Professor Hanji began lecturing. I paid close attention, scribbling notes here and there with a pencil until I noticed something move out of the corner of my eye.

I scanned the tiny white room and saw that Eren was missing. Hm...? Maybe he went to the bathroom? I assumed.

Some time passed and Eren had not returned. I lifted my head up and watched Professor Hanji as they talked— they were so invested in the lecture that they probably wouldn't notice if I left. I packed my notebook away and snuck out of the room to find Eren.

The halls had people scattered around here and there; and were a complete maze. It wasn't long until I had gotten lost, realizing I had passed the same painting twice now. On my third encounter with the work, I made a left instead of a right, and found myself in another plain, white room that looked like all the others. However, unlike the rest, this room contained a tall, lean boy, standing aloof while staring at a dark painting.

I walked up to Eren quietly, placing myself beside him. If he noticed me, he made no movement to say so. Seeing that he probably wouldn't acknowledge me, per usual, I turned my gaze towards the artwork.

It was painted with deep reds and blacks, with brilliant, seemingly random bright splashes all over the work. It emanated something depressing. I peeked over at Eren: his expression was unreadable, green eyes flat, hair hanging in his face. He licked his lower lip absentmindedly and pulled something out of his pocket. It was the pen he had stolen from me two days ago. He held it out to me, wrist loose and uncaring:

"Here's your pen, by the way," Eren said gruffly, eyes still fixed on the painting.

I took it from him without a word, keeping my eyes focused on the wall as well.

"How are you feeling?" he continued, shoving his hands in his pockets and turning his eyes to mine.

This is new... Since when did Eren make unnecessary conversation?

I answered shortly, unsure how detailed of a response to give: "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

There was nothing he could know about what happened on Friday— unless he saw Jean drag me home? I flushed at the idea. Wait— why am I embarrassed?

Eren raised an eyebrow. "Oh... I don't know, I guess," he said, looking at the floor and hiding his expression.

My response seemed to have upset him. Damn it. Why is this kid impossible to read?

"What do you think of the painting?" I asked conversationally.

"It's nice."

"Really? I don't think so," I disagreed, examining it further. "It seems kind of dark."

"Yeah, I suppose. I think it has a lot of feeling too, though."

I stared deeper at the flat brush strokes, trying to imagine what Eren could be implying...

I had no idea.

"I guess I can see that," I lied. "You like paintings with feeling? You've been standing here for awhile, it seems... Much longer than I would've been."

"I'm jealous of them," he said shortly.

"Why?" I asked. "This painting feels so depressing."

Eren shuffled his feet and began fiddling with his ring. "Because, lately, I haven't been feeling anything at all."

"Hm—?" I started, before being interrupted by Reiner:

"You guys—!" He said, calling over to us. "Where have you been? We've been waiting for you at the front for ten minutes!"

"Ah, shit, sorry!" I apologized, following Reiner. "I'll be right there!"

I didn't hear Eren's footsteps behind me.

"Eren?" I turned to face him, "Aren't you coming?"

He stared at me, dazed. "Yeah... sure..."

Eren trudged slowly behind Reiner and I as we walked out of the museum and back to the bus.

I sat in the backseat, staring out the window to think. "Because, lately, I haven't been feeling anything at all," he had said. I peeked over the bus rows to the front. Eren sat with his back against the window and his feet against the seat bottom.

What could he be talking about?