WHEN HE SEES ME - A.A.

ch8 - more than friends?

Pieck was starting to show you a side that was less bold and more sweet. At first, she wasn't hesitant at all when she wanted any sort of affection from you.

Now, she got shy when reaching for your hand, looking downward with a blush creeping up her neck. She was shorter than you by a few inches, something that you hadn't noticed until she pointed it out with a small smile.

On some days after school, you'd hitch a ride with Bertholdt even if you didn't need one, just to see her. Some days she wasn't even there and you took the chance to get to know her friends a little better.

There were even some days where you sat at Reiner's table during lunch. There was some unresolved awkwardness at your own table, Eren making it worse when he blurted something weird to diffuse the tension.

You and Pieck became closer as each day passed. It was easy to figure out that she liked you, that much was apparent from the start, but now more than ever.

You weren't entirely sure if you reciprocated her feelings. Yes, you'd always found her gorgeous and talented, and you thrived off of her attention, but there was always that lingering feeling of something missing.

As much as you tried to repress the feeling, it found a way back into your mind. You couldn't shake it, the sense that something was wrong.

Mikasa told you it was because you were such a worrywart. Eren agreed without any context when he walked into Mikasa's room.

Last night, you were at the Jaegers' place for a Saturday night dinner yours and their parents put together.

It was after dinner, which was delicious, courtesy to Mrs. Jaeger. You and Mikasa went up to her room while Eren stayed downstairs and hung out with your little brother.

All Eren heard before he walked in was Mikasa calling you a worrywart.

"Whatever your problem may be, Y/n, it could be easily solved if you stopped worrying about it so damn much. Where's my charger, Mikasa?" he said casually as if he hadn't interrupted your conversation while opening a bunch of drawers.

"Nowhere in here. Stop going through my things," Mikasa replied coldly.

Eren closed the drawer he was scouring through. "Why, are you scared I'll find your diary?" he teased.

"It's a journal! Get out," Mikasa ushered him out of the room.

Once he left, she said, "He's right. Even with zero context, he knows you well."

You only smiled back. The conversation moved onto her persistence of you starting volleyball. You weren't feeling much better about your previous doubts but Mikasa ad Eren's logic checked out at least a little bit.

When Pieck called you later that night, inviting you to Galliard's the next day with her friends, you figured the two might be right. You should push your worries to the side and have a fun time with her.

Pushing open the door to the family-owned shop, you spotted Pieck waving you over to a table not too far from the front counter.

You sat in the chair next to hers, Annie on the other side of you. Reiner, Bertholdt, and Marcel were at the table too.

Setting your coat down on the back of your chair (it hadn't stopped snowing since Friday), you greeted everyone at the table. Pieck got up and said she was off to tell Porco what you wanted.

"So what are we all doing here?" you asked.

"Porco works longer hours on Sundays so we like showing up to make fun of him," Marcel responded.

"Yeah and it's real funny," Porco said sarcastically as he set down everybody else's order. "I'll get you yours in a second," he assured, patting your shoulder before heading behind the counter.

Pieck was standing near the said counter, talking to Colt as Porco passed them. Reiner took her absence from the table as an opportunity to ask something you had done a lot of thinking about, yet never found the answer to.

"So what's going on with you and Pieck?"

"Sorry, what?"

"You know, like relationship-wise. She won't tell us anything despite talking about you all the time," Bertholdt clarified.

Your blush deepened. Apparently, you hadn't come to the full realization that Pieck's friends thought the two of you were dating.

"Oh, I- I don't know," you answered bashfully.

Annie rolled her eyes and the two boys across from her. "You two gossip more than Hitch does."

"It's not gossip. It's an important conversation with our friend, Y/n," Reiner combatted.

Annie dismissed him, "Don't listen to those two, they have no idea what business is theirs and what isn't."

You gave the four of them a small smile as Pieck returned to the table with your ice cream and engaged herself back into the conversation.

Porco got off his shift twenty minutes later and joined the five of you with his own ice cream. Even after you all had cleared your cups, you stayed and talked for a while. Colt even came by to chat for a little before Marcel claimed it was time to close up.

You drove yourself home with a smile on your face after you bid farewell to each of your newfound friends.

You enjoyed hanging out with them almost as much as you enjoyed being around Pieck. If you and her were to end up as something more than friends, you didn't think you would mind that at all.

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word count: 1.4k

sorry this is a bit late, i caught a horrendous cold but i'm feeling better now. happy march!