Hate Me | Eren Yeager

20. The Sweet in the Bitter

He's wearing a black flannel over a white t-shirt and baggy black pants, and black air forces on his feet. On top of his gold chain he has a longer gold cross necklace, complimented by gold earrings.

If he keeps dressing nice like this it's only going to tempt you more.

"Looks like we both had the same idea." You joke, nodding to the fruit punch he's making.

"Yeah, I guess everyone loves the fruit punch."

You move to sit at the counter barstool across from him, keeping the empty cup in your hand. Now that you're alone with him, there's a feeling you can't stifle.

You find your eyes roaming to every movement of his. Your stomach flutters uncontrollably when his teal eyes meet yours and linger for a couple seconds before moving back to the pitcher

"We haven't gotten to talk much while you've been back, when are you leaving?"

"I'm gone in a few weeks, I have to stay to sign a bunch of things for the new bar. By the way, I..."

He hesitates for moment, briefly meeting your eyes while he slowly stirs the fruit punch, "I uh, heard your broke up with Reiner."

"Y... yeah. I did."

I don't want to talk about Reiner.

"Can... I ask why?"

Now it's your turn to hesitate. You don't want to tell him the real reason, but you also want to be honest. You cross your arms and lean onto the counter, looking down.

"Well, there's a few reasons but... he... he hurt me. A couple times."

He's completely silent, you can't translate the feeling in his teal eyes. Eventually he takes a drink from the cup to his side, you can't stand the silence that makes your skin itch.

"B-but I broke up with him so it's okay n-"

"No it's not."

Your brows raise in surprise at his sudden seriousness.

"He doesn't get to touch you like that. To be honest, I didn't like him. I had a bad feeling about him when we first met."

Something fluttered in your chest when he said those words with such meaning. He doesn't get to touch you like that. You know how he meant it, but it's nice to imagine for even just a moment, that he doesn't like the thought of Reiner touching you.

You sigh then laugh quietly to yourself, "Yeah... I wish I never dated him. I never even really liked him, now that I think about it."

"So then why'd you date him in the first place?"

You stand and shrug nonchalantly, walking over to another counter to pour more vodka into your cup, "I don't know.... I guess I was lonely."

Eren looks at you with an expression you can't quite place, seeming to hold words in his mouth. What does he want to say?

"... I-"

"Oh hey, I was just looking for you." Pieck appears at the doorway with a half-empty drink in hand, wearing a long tight white dress with a thigh slit and a fluffy coat.

Her natural smile widens when she sees you, floating over to place a hand on the small of your back and kissing you gently on the cheek, "Hey love, how are you? Did you break up with that guy yet?"