Servant

Chapter 5

I took in a deep breath as the dog stared up at me with worry. I smiled and stroked his head, and he arched his back as he stretched and jumped off the bed. The dog bolted under the bed and didn't come out, so I assume that's his home now.

With a yawn, I swung my legs over the side of my bed and stretched my arms. The sunlight shone on the floor and hit my back.

So tired...

The dog licked my toes, and I burst out laughing at the tickling sensation. "S-Stop!" I exclaimed between laughs. The dog let out an excited bark before crawling back under the bed.

"Guess it's time to get up..." I murmured as my feet hit the carpet, and I was doing my morning routine all over again.

-+~•~+-

As I carried the stack of books to the prince's study, I felt my arms quake in exhaustion, mostly because the books weighed a million pounds and I didn't get much sleep the night before. The redhead smiled and opened the door for me as I neared his office, and I gave a nod as I walked inside.

After setting his books down, I quietly bowed and started to walk away."So, what was that?" He asked, not looking up from his book. I froze in my steps and slowly turned around."What do you mean?" I innocently asked. "Don't play dumb. You flew across my study in a second and you're a freaking servant. Last time I checked, you weren't taught to be a ninja in training." He said, flipping a page over in his book.

"Oh! Just... instinct." I muttered, and he sighed. "You're making this so much harder than it needs to be, but if that's what you say I suppose I have no choice but to believe you." He said in a bored voice.

"Sir?" I asked, and he looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "May I please ask a question?" I asked and he shook his head in disappointment. "What?" He asked, probably thinking about how I was gonna ask about food again.

"Why don't you eat?" I asked, desperately wanting to know the answer as to how he can resist such an incredible feast that he got every meal of the day. He tilted his head as he lifted it off the palm that it was resting on earlier, and he dropped it to the table. He stared at me again, and I looked away, waiting for my answer.

"Because I'm far too busy to eat such stupid food." He said, and I clenched my fists."Sir," I started, and he looked at me again as I stared at the floor, a shadow covering my face. "How can you say that?" He looked as if he didn't know how to react, so I continued. "I-I just mean... how could you waste such delicious food?" I asked, knowing that just the thought of royal food was enough to make me drool."Excuse me?" He asked, setting his book down to focus on me. "Are you telling me what to do?" He asked, anger rising in his voice.

I didn't respond, but I rapidly shook my head."N-Not at all..." I muttered, and he heard me."Then what is the point to this?" He asked, and he looked bored again. Then I felt something snap. Don't look bored when you're talking to someone, as a prince, you should know that. "The point is to not be a spoiled brat and waste things just because you can." I mumbled under my breath so he wouldn't hear me."Excuse me?!"

Oops

-+~•~+-

"Why do I always screw up around him? Why can't I just keep my big fat mouth shut? Why oh why oh why?!" I mumbled as I paced around my room after fleeing the study, desperately searching for some kind of distraction from the inevitable ban from Shiganshina.

I yelped at a knock on my door and jumped up onto one foot, my arms in a defensive position.

Who could that be? Is it that redhead?

I bit the inside of my cheek and walked over to the door, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.

I curled my fingers around the doorknob and opened it before bowing, per usual.

"Look at me."

Well thank you, Maria, for the glorious five minutes I had left on this earth, can't say I'll miss it though.

I looked up to meet his steel blue-grey eyes, but what surprised me the most wasn't the absence of guards or the fact that he was here.

No, what surprised me was that he didn't look like he wanted to slit my throat and chop off my fingers before feeding them to me.

"Are you gonna let me in or not?" He asked with his arms crossed, and with a flustered face, I pushed my hair out my eyes (I swear I need a hair cut) and sidestepped out of the doorway.

He briskly walked in with his boots hitting the wood floor and his robe flowing elegantly behind him.

Now is not the time to be checking him out Eren!

I yelled internally whilst, His eyes swept over my room, studying every aspect of it before shaking his head. "What a tiny room. I don't know how you can function like this." He said, sending me a side glance over his shoulder.

I sweatdropped and fumbled with my fingers."Your highness," I whispered, an he turned to look at me with a curious glance. "forgive me for my outburst earlier today. I accept any punishment you will give me, and I am incredibly sorry." I said, lying through my teeth because I wasn't sorry, he deserved every word.

He looked away and stared out of my window to watch the fast approaching sunset. "Can I be honest for a second?" He asked, his hands on his sides, and my curiosity boiling. "I've never had a friend before that wasn't my brother or my parents." He bluntly stated, as if not ashamed of it.

"And everyone is afraid of me nowadays, so I can't even have a decent conversation with someone who isn't my uncle or mother, and even then all we talk about is village affairs, foreign imports, and the future of Shiganshina." He said, still not looking at me. "So, when you spoke to me as if we were two equals, I was..." he trailed off, as if not knowing what word to use, and he shrugged.

"I guess I was shocked, and you're lucky that my shock clouded over my rage because I was definitely angry." He said, sending me a glare that made my blood run cold."Yet, I couldn't help but feel... amazed? Intrigued? I'm not sure what specific word expresses the emotion I was feeling, but those two sum it up." He said, and my cheeks turned a light red. "So I have come with a proposal, one that I don't even think someone as stubborn as you can refuse." He said as he fully faced me, and even though he had a blank expression I could tell he was smirking slightly.

"Instead of being punished, we can be..." he trailed off, as if in thought. "...acquaintances." He mumbled before nodding. "That's the word." He said with clarity."You mean friends?" I asked, shocked by his words. He stared at me for a moment and lightly shrugged. "I guess." He said with a small nod. I couldn't help but let out a little chuckle, which then turned into a harsh laugh, and I held my stomach."W-What's so funny, brat?!" He exclaimed, his face flushing a slight red colour.

"I'm sorry, it's just that... I find it quite funny as to how a person such as yourself wouldn't have friends, much less admit it to a stupid servant." I chuckled, but I quickly stopped, seeing his confused expression."Mr Eren, I can assure you, if I were to describe you, I wouldn't call you stupid, so don't speak of yourself in such a manner. It makes you sound clueless." He said, a face devoid of emotion as he watched my flustered expression.

"W-Well... for never having any friends before, I can assure you, you're good at cheering them up," I muttered and focused on him again. We stared at each other, again, and I tried to see if he was kidding. His face looked as stoic as ever, and I sighed."Are you sure? Getting involved with a servant might damage your reputation." I said, knowing that there was no way this could happen.

"The way I see it is like this; you are below me, and I am better than you," I sweatdropped at his bluntness. "but you and I seem to be in the same position. We both don't have many acquaintances, and you and I both want a better life. So, by being friends, it's like killing two birds with one stone." He finished, and my eyes were slightly wide. He makes perfect sense, but why does he need a friend? Why is he wishing for a better life?

The next sentence flew out of my mouth before I could contemplate them. I guess the offer of a friend was too good to pass up."I'd love to be your friend."

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