Love Me Not - {riren au}

Love Me Not ~ 60

Hi besties just thought I'd share that the first chapter of Castaway Rewritten is ouuuuut!!!

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"So what are you guys up to?" Eren asked.

"Not much, just hanging out." Armin answered.

"That's it?" Eren leaned against the counter.

"Not everyone is sneaking home from their lovers house." Jean smirked.

"Okay well, he's not my lover. I literally slept on the couch with his cat."

"He's a cat person?" Jean asked. "Run."

"He rescued the kitten." Eren rolled his eyes. "Do you ever shut up?"

"What the fuck is your problem?" Jean asked. "You don't have to be such a dick I'm just teasing you."

Eren knew he probably should be biting his tongue. He knew he was being rude. Staying over at Levi's house kind of put him on edge. He tried to change the conversation. "Mikasa, do you know if dad is coming home today?"

"Not sure. He's been gone a lot and when he is home, he's on the phone. It's always something. Work keeps him so busy." Mikasa shrugged.

"It's like we don't even have a parental figure anymore." Eren sighed.

"He doesn't talk about work either. The times I've asked him about work and how it's been since they keep him so late, it's vague." Mikasa was good at getting information from people, so it was easy for her to see that Grisha didn't want her to know something.

"So, do you think something is going on?" Armin asked.

"Maybe the dude just got a girlfriend." Jean ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sure it isn't a big deal. They probably want to get to know each other more before he introduces you guys."

"Yeah right. Dad said after mom died he didn't think he'd ever date again. He said they were soulmates." Eren mumbled. He remembered being a little boy and looking at pictures of the family. He remembered when his mom died clearly. A part was cut out from all of them. He didn't think his dad would ever move on.

Nothing had changed in his house since Karla died. The furniture, the same old tv, and the ugly paint color on the walls that his mom complained about was still there. The couch he would lay on with his mom on days he felt sick and missed school. He spent those days in his mom's arms, dozing off from the feeling of her fingers running through his hair. Those were the memories that stuck out the most to him.

He wished his mom was still around. There was so much he would've asked her and told her. He definitely wouldn't have stayed in the closet for so long. He knew his mom would've picked up on it, his dad was so oblivious. Or maybe just too busy to even notice those small things?

"People get lonely, Eren. Some people want more than just family love. They want a partner and romance." Jean snapped Eren out of his thoughts.

"I'm not saying he can't date. It's just..I don't like that he does it this way. We're starting to get annoyed with him. Then we're sure as hell gonna hate the girlfriend. If he was clear about it and explained that he wanted them to establish things first before we met her, I would've understood." Eren said back.

"Would you have though?" Armin asked.

"You wouldn't feel like it's a replacement for your mom?" Mikasa asked. "I feel like that's usually a big worry when it comes to a parent dating."

"I didn't think about it that way. She wouldn't try and mother us. Would she?" Eren sighed.

"They have the whole evil step mom trope for a reason." Jean mumbled. "I'm sure your dad wouldn't date someone like that. Everyone knows Dr. Jaeger in this town. He was all of our pediatricians before he left when your mom passed."

Eren didn't want to admit it, but Jean was right. His dad wouldn't date someone like that "Alrighty well, let's not talk about this anymore. I feel like my head is going to explode. Mikasa, Armin, on Christmas Eve you're coming to a work party with me."

"Wait, that means I have to go right?" Jean asked.

"Yup, Erwin said all bookstore employees and any friends." Eren shrugged.

"Well that gives me a reason to not sit at home and sulk over what would've been an anniversary." Jean mumbled. "So yeah, I'm definitely going."

"Seeing you so depressed isn't you." Eren said. "You're not as cocky and confident. It feels like something is missing, so figure it out." He grinned a bit.

Jean rolled his eyes. "I didn't know you missed me that much. Now that I know you swing that way I might have to keep an eye on you." He joked.

"Never ever. Not in a million years." Eren shook his head, laughing a bit.

"So a billion years then?" Jean asked.

"You really do go after anything that breathes." Eren murmured.

Eren and Jean had a very complicated relationship. They weren't exactly friends, but weren't strangers. They'd known each other for so long. They'd go at it and fight, but then things would take a full turn. He didn't think he'd be arguing with Jean one second to then getting flirted with by him the next.

"So weird." Mikasa lost interest in the conversation and turned to get a snack. "I wonder if he'll ever be able to keep it in his pants."

Armin stood between Eren and Jean awkwardly. He couldn't tell if they were doing their usual bickering or actually aggressively flirting.

He would rather them bicker than flirt. He didn't need to see the flirting he saw enough of that with Eren and Levi. While he got over it, Levi was still a sore spot for him.

Armin wanted to support Eren and go to the Christmas party, but he already felt anxious. At least Jean would be there. Connie and Sasha would definitely be there then. He wondered if Sasha would bring her new boyfriend along. "So do you think a lot of people will be there?" He asked, trying to make conversation.

"Not really. Maybe us, Sasha, Connie and some of the other employees. Then Erwin, Levi, and I guess the friends they have. He said we could bring whoever we want though." Eren shrugged. "It's nothing too fancy."

Armin nodded. It wasn't formal, which meant he wouldn't have to deal with the awkward interacting with each other. It seemed like it was just going to be a house party.

That made him feel a lot better.

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Don't forget to comment :)

This is where it's starting to pick up a bit 😌