CHAPTER SEVEN:
ill brother.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Hanji yelled as she tore apart Jean and Eren for the third time today.
She was usually the happy one out of her and Professor Ackerman, so witnessing her anger was scary, to say the least.
"Listen, we have seven days to do this if you include today. Levi is sick, and you two! You can't even stop fighting! Mikasa, everytime you even look towards Eren you choke up," Hanji put her face in her hands.
"What happened to the awesome, collaborative, team I saw just three days ago? No, actually, what the heck happened?" Hanji said in an exasperated tone.
Armin banged his head on his piano and sighed, creating a distortion of notes.
Jean scowled at Eren and went to drink water. His cold had disappeared over the last few days, but Professor Ackerman fell ill, and couldn't conduct our practices anymore, so he canceled on Saturday while he found a fill-in.
Mikasa had a newfound tolerance of Jean, and Eren had the audacity to get jealous.
Armin and I were 'perfectly normal' as Hanji put it.
However, our music? Eren kept getting off beat, and Mikasa kept choking up, which threw off the entire product.
Jean would sing with a new confidence and happiness to him, but all of that would disappear the second Eren spoke or made a mistake or overdid his solos.
Cut to 'Shut Up Eren, You Don't Get To Look Cool After What You Did,' and 'Nobody Cares, Jackass, You're Here For A Basic Beat And Basic Beat Only,' from earlier.
Armin's been adding a bit more to his parts, whether it's rhythmic or part of the melody, and has honestly been the backbone of the band today.
"Is nobody going to inform me?" Hanji pushed up her glasses.
We stood in silence.
"Okay, Y/N. Care to tell me what happened?"
"See, I'm not entirely sure if the people involved would like for me to share their personal business so-"
"I'm fine with it." Mikasa said bluntly.
"Okay, then... I guess everybody here knows anyways. Basically, Mikasa confessed her feelings to Eren," I paused to look at Jean. "And um, Jean, here, had a crush on Mikasa, so he got really mad at Eren, because Eren rejected Mikasa and made her- um, sad." I coughed.
That was terrible.
"You three share a room, correct? Tell me, Armin, did Jean and Eren get physical yesterday?" Hanji interjected.
"Erm- it depends what you mean, physical," Armin ran a hand through his hair, blushing slightly.
"Did they have a fight, Armin." Hanji sighed.
"Well- not exactly. Jean never even came home. He drove to his parents' house."
"Then why'd you ask what I meant by physica- y'know what, I don't care. Let's just- just- from the top, the beginning, please." Hanji flopped down onto the sofa.
We started our song from the beginning as she instructed.
Eren began his drum solo, and this was the part where Mikasa would start choking on her words afterwards.
Jean shot her a look and started dancing with her instead.
Perhaps it'd be kind of cute if he didn't suck at it. He was pulling all sorts of moves, from the stereotypical disco, to some sort of waltz.
"Jean- stop, what are you doing?!" Mikasa protested, cutting off her lyrics.
"Sh." Jean spun her around and did one of those cringy game dances. Mikasa frowned, her forehead creasing slightly as she watched Jean's embarrassing display.
Hanji clapped her hands in encouragement. "We've got some entertainment, now!"
If you take excitement in bad dancing and awkward eye contact, then yeah, it's great entertainment.
We went through three songs before the interlude, and Hanji was overjoyed.
"See! This! This is how you all should behave!" Hanji exclaimed with her arms open.
Armin clapped rapidly, glancing around with a hint of concern at the way Jean was panting heavily.
Even Eren cracked a small smirk. I couldn't tell if it was due to Jean's overexertion, or the fact that we finally did things well enough. Either way, he hadn't smiled since yesterday morning.
Jean grinned. "I think- I think you did great, Mikasa."
"Thank you," Mikasa replied as she looked away from Jean, her face an expression of slight confusion.
Eren rolled his eyes.
Hanji cleared her throat. "We should move your instruments. You do have to play during the dance, after all. Levi told me to make sure the stage is set up in the gym, too. So! Let's go!"
Jean straight up walked out, carrying nothing and saying nothing, too.
"Jean? Where're you going-?" Hanji said in confusion.
"I'm a singer. I am my instrument."
"Okay, good one. You still have to help Eren, specifically. Drum sets are heavy, and Y/N has to switch between about three different guitars. So get to work," Hanji picked up an acoustic guitar.
Mikasa picked up the microphones and their stands, while Armin placed his keyboard on his hand truck.
I placed my electric guitar in its case and put it on. I got a hold of another, and walked out of the room.
Eren struggled to dismantle the drum set and ended up picking up the cymbals by themselves, leaving behind the rest.
I stood outside of the practice room as I waited for Armin. We hadn't had many conversations by ourselves since our small (interrupted) date yesterday.
Armin came out, a smile lighting up his face as he saw me. "Hey."
"So how about Jean's dancing?" I said, a small laugh interrupting my sentence as the said boy gave me a look of annoyance.
"I mean.. it's better than what I could do," Armin said, giggling as he mimicked Jean's weird flapping movements.
"Aw, shut up," Jean called out in exasperation. "My dance moves are immaculate."
We walked in silence after that, awkwardly laughing for no explicit reason.
"Wait, have- have you told Eren or Mikasa or Jean about us? This, um, this thing we have? If it is a thing," I said, breaking the silence, but keeping my voice around a whisper.
"Us. I like the sound of that," Armin blushed. "But no. I felt it would be distasteful after yesterday's events. I'm pretty sure none of them even know we went on a date."
"I see."
We walked up the stairs, glancing at each other nervously occasionally. Armin cleared his throat. "I like your outfit," He said.
"Thank you!" I blurted. "You- you look cute as always."
"I need to get used to that. I'm accustomed to people calling me 'cute' as an insult," Armin said softly.
"I would never insult you, Armin."
"Ah, thanks."
"Not seriously, anyway. I'll make fun of you if you pull something like Jean, though."
"Understandable."
ᵐᵒⁿᵈᵃʸ
"I'm Zeke Jaeger. Mr. Jaeger to you. I'll be Professor Ackerman's substitute for the week." A blonde man wrote his name on the whiteboard.
I saw Eren's shadow stiffen behind me.
"Jaeger?" Eren whispered.
"I'm from Marley Private, but I'm here to serve both as a substitute and to start a program here. Any questions?" Zeke asked, sitting down on Professor Ackerman's chair.
Levi won't like that. The Professor hates when people mess with his chair.
"Sir? Are you- do you by any chance know Grisha Jaeger?" Eren stood up from his seat.
Zeke Jaeger's eyebrows went up in surprise. "See me after class. You all can work on the essay that Professor Ackerman assigned."
Eren nodded and sat back down.
A few of the girls were fawning over how 'hot' Mr. Jaeger was. Personally, I was more of a Professor Ackerman person, but-
Bertholdt tapped on my shoulder. "Hey, Y/N?"
"Yeah, Bertl?" I responded.
"Do- do you have a boyfriend?" Bertholdt asked while a blush came on his face.
"Why?" I blurted.
"Reiner- Reiner wants a girlfriend for the dance, but- but since Historia is dating Ymir, he's taking chances with every girl he can."
"This guy.." I rolled my eyes as I facepalmed.
"I told him it was a bad idea." Bertholdt nodded. "Almost every girl is dating somebody- all I've got left to try is Sasha, Mikasa, and Mina."
"Sasha's with Connie," I pointed out. "I think, anyway. Not sure."
"Crap, right," Bertholdt breathed.
"And Mikasa will not date Reiner."
Bertholdt nodded.
"What about Annie?" I asked.
Bertholdt blushed and stiffened.
"Oh," I said softly. "Your secret's safe with me."
He gave a sigh of relief. "Wait. Who're you dating? Eren? Jean? Armin?"
I felt something lightly hit my back.
I looked up to see Armin smiling from the back row. He pointed to the paper and mouthed 'sorry.'
I smiled and bent out of my chair to pick up the small piece of paper, Bertholdt curiously looming over my shoulder.
I unfolded the note. It was written on crisp blue stationary, the writing in neat pencil.
Would you maybe want to eat lunch together in the garden? ~Armin
I looked back up to see a hopeful Armin looking back at me. I suppressed a laugh and nodded yes. He gave a relieved smile.
I folded the note neatly and put it in my bag. Bertholdt frowned slightly, for reasons I didn't know.
An hour later, the bell rang. I was just about to leave when Eren pulled me back.
"Can you wait for me?" Eren whispered.
Things had been a bit awkward between my friend group, with Eren and Mikasa having a terrible tension, and Jean constantly at Eren's throat, and Armin and I not really knowing what to say or do to stop this.
"I guess," I responded, watching as Mikasa left the classroom, her chunky black boots clicking on the floor.
I motioned for Armin to come wait with me.
Eren grimaced and shrugged. "I'll- be a minute."
Mr. Jaeger looked up from his computer and waved Eren over, glasses glistening as he folded his hands on the mahogany table where you would usually see Professor Ackerman sitting.
Eren took in a deep breath and clenched his fists, power walking to the table.
"You have the same last name as me. And you- I'm going to sound crazy, but you look a bit like my dad." Eren blurted.
"Grisha Jaeger, you said?" Zeke replied wearily, putting his face in his hands.
"Um, yeah."
"That's my father," Zeke sighed.
Eren made a face of confusion and shock.
"C-come on, that's- that's not funny, sir."
"I'm not joking."
Armin made a face of visible discomfort.
Eren's sea-green eyes widened a bit more.
"Hah, dad's got some explaining to do, am I right?" Zeke laughed nervously. "No? Is that not funny?"
Eren looked like he was going to throw up. "I- I've got to go!"
I saw Jean stick out his foot and trip Eren in the hallway. I stifled a laugh and helped Armin pull Eren's nauseous body up.
- emetophobia!
"I can't believe this. I'm related- to a twenty something teacher from Marley-" Eren said as he threw up in the boys' bathroom.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed, checking my reflection in the too clean mirror of the boys' bathroom.
"Are- is he done?" Armin whispered. He didn't want to come inside because he gets nauseous around this type of thing.
Honestly, I kind of did too. But I felt like I needed to be there for him. Even if I was standing seven feet away with the protection of a bathroom stall.
Besides, Mikasa didn't seem to be around him as much- even if she did occasionally stare at him for a few minutes during class.
Eren retched and threw up some more.
"Okay Eren, I'm out of here-" Armin mumbled.
It's a miracle Reiner hasn't come inside to look at the boys' privates yet, or I'd have to come out.
Armin told me that Reiner peeks at the boys while they take care of their business. I had no words for that.
Eren made a terrible noise similar to a dying possum. He groaned.
I heard Armin gag and run into the bathroom too.
Armin ran into the stall next to the one Eren was in.
I cringed.
I heard Armin fall down-presumably with his head over the toilet.
"Hey, hey, it's fine," I called, debating on whether or not I should go help him.
Armin whimpered.
The blaring of the now-ringing tardy bell sounded over the intercom.
The bathroom echoed with only Eren's heavy pants and Armin's repulsed noises. I crept towards the stall Armin was in.
"Are you okay, Armin?" I bent down next to him and offered him my water bottle.
Armin looked at me with an apologetic look and an embarrassed smile as he took the water from my hands.
"Thank you," Armin grimaced.
"You're welcome," I said as peeked into Eren's side.
"You should get out of here. It'll be bad enough that you're late to Science, but in the boys' bathroom too-" Armin started.
"We both know that Hanji doesn't care if we're late."
Eren's groans rang out throughout the bathroom.
"Eren? Did you eat something today?" I called.
"Erp- no-" Eren gagged.
"Do you need a doctor?" I said.
"Oh god- please- don't mention doctors anymore-"
Mr. Grisha Jaeger was a doctor.
Armin put a hand over his mouth and ran out of the bathroom.
"Is it- will you be okay?" I asked as I stood behind Eren on the floor.
"Just- go to class."
"O-Kay then."
I walked out to see Armin still drinking from my water bottle and still looking a bit sick.
"I wish I wasn't so sensitive sometimes." Armin muttered.
"Hey, everybody gets a bit squeamish once in a while," I poked Armin on the arm.
Armin gave a weak smile and took a sip from my water bottle.
"Ayy, indirect kiss, Armeen!" Reiner chuckled as he walked by.
"I will sacrifice you to your family, Reiner," Armin muttered.
Reiner smirked.
Reiner came towards us and muttered 'poundtown,' whatever that means.
I opened the door to Hanji's classroom.
"Hey, Hanji, sorry we're late-" I started.
The classroom was completely empty.
"Um."
"What now?" Armin frowned.
"Let's ask Mr. Berner, I guess."
Moblit Berner told us that Hanji and her class were outside catching frogs from the overflowing pond for our biology project, and that he was just about to head down to help.
Apparently, we had to catch our own observance subjects because the school "didn't have a big enough budget" for other people to do so.
The frog catching was questionable, to say the least. It was a free for all, because it had rained last night, and there were frogs everywhere near the pond.
"Now, usually," Hanji said, "We'd get the cute little buggers from the supplier. However, Headmaster Zackly thinks it'll save us money if we catch them ourselves."
A collective groan rang out from the class as we stood outside in the dewy grass, nervously watching the croaking green and brown amphibians.
Historia raised her hand. "What if they're poisonous?"
"Just wear gloves, duh," Hanji said, much to Moblit's disapproval. "If you guys are so reluctant about it, would the fact that this counts for a PE grade help, too?"
Suddenly everyone was perfectly content with getting in the mud and going on a wild frog-hunt without any of the proper equipment.
It was chaotic as hell, with people tripping over each other and stealing other pairs' nets.
Armin and I managed to catch three, which meant we now had to observe and take care of those three frogs for this semester's final project. Armin took it upon himself to name them Dill, Jimothy, and Marie.
My personal favorite was Jimothy, purely for the fact that it was the only one that was easy to catch and find in the wet grass.
Hitch and Marlo got one, which they named 'Small'- a very creative name on their part. I'm pretty sure that Marlo did all of the work, for Hitch was still perfectly clean at the end of the class.
Ymir and Historia got two, which they called Baguette and Jennifer.
Mina and Marco found two as well, named Lily and Padder. I think they were going for actual frog names.
Mikasa and Reiner got seven, the most of the class, and they didn't give names to any (Hanji was disappointed), except for the smallest one, which Mikasa named Eren, because 'it was weak and disappointing like him.' Jean approved.
He only caught one and called it quits. Well, not literally. He named his frog Frances.
Annie and Bertholdt found only one, and Bertholdt very nervously gave his frog the name Alexander. Good job, Bertl.
But the most amusing pair were probably Sasha and Connie. Armin went into a fit of laughter as it was their turn to present their findings, as well as their ridiculous respective names.
Sasha and Connie caught five, and named them Failure, Your Mom, Chicken Nugget, Daddy, and Berta.
Eren came at the last fifteen minutes of class, when all the frogs were taken, and as a result had to borrow Daddy from Sasha and Connie.
Needless to say, it was hilarious when he let Daddy out of his tank by accident, and was yelling the word 'Daddy' all over the lab.
I carefully put the lid on the glass carrier we were to carry our frogs in.
"Y/N?" Armin tapped on my shoulder. "Are we- are we still on for lunch?"
"Of course," I nodded as I picked up the carrier off of the counter.
"I can help you with that," Armin tugged a handle of the carrier from my hands.
"Thanks."
ʷᵒʳᵈ ᶜᵒᵘⁿᵗ: ²⁵⁴⁹