Chapter Text
As winter was just around the corner, the breeze left its cool touch on the teenagers’ tepid skin, making them shiver as they approached the girl’s house.
“Really? Can I come to your house after school?” Eren had asked without remorse after Sasha had brought up to her classmates that her dog recently had a litter. She was taken aback, as they weren’t close friends, but reluctantly agreed and told him to wait for her at the school gate.
It was a path they both knew all too well. Their houses were next to one another, after all, but they never walked home side by side.
Sasha studied the withering leaves on the floor as she walked. The warm colours that surrounded them complemented her auburn hair. She stole a quick glance at Eren, her golden downturned eyes looking nothing like his grey eyes. They looked so… empty, devoid of all colour, as if Sasha’s had taken the last tint.
An awkward silence reigned over the two, and Eren, clearly bothered by it, decided to break it.
“So, how old are the puppies?”
“Two-days old, they were born on Saturday.”
“And will you keep them?”
“Hm, probably. Curly is getting old, so we need a few gun dogs that will take her place.”
Eren nodded, seemingly understanding, until he asked a third question.
“Gun dogs?”
“My dad likes going hunting, so we have a retriever that… retrieves. Yeah, she retrieves game my dad shoots.”
“That’s sick, you know how to use a gun, then?”
“Haha, naturally, and not to boast but I’m pretty good at it, too.”
They kept conversing until they finally reached their destination. Sasha grabbed her keys, inviting the other in.
“Curly doesn’t know you, but she’s a sweetheart, so I’m sure you’ll be okay as long as you don’t get too close.” She said as she left their school bags behind and walked him to the enclosure they kept the animals in.
The door creaked open, followed by a growl as the high schoolers stepped into the room, immediately fixating their gaze on the dog mother and her puppies.
“Aren’t they cute?” Sasha inquired, smiling after seeing Eren’s quiet nodding, dumbfounded.
“I’ll grab one for you to hold. She’s on her guard, so stay put.”
Promptly, the girl picked up a random puppy out of the four and gave it to the boy, their fingers brushing. But as quickly as it came, it vanished. Only a ghost touch lingered in their hands.
“Thanks, Sasha. How’s this one called?”
“We haven’t decided yet, but I’m thinking about Mr. Curls.”
Eren cleared his throat, looking disappointed at Sasha while cradling the small dog in his arms. “That’s… You’re not very good at naming dogs.”
“Oh, really? What do you propose, then?”
“Something cooler, more original! Not just basing off their curly hair. I’m thinking of Panther… Or, or Smokey!”
Sasha huffed and crossed her arms. “Just because they have black hair? Those names are as unoriginal as mine!”
The grey-eyed boy simply smiled weakly as they settled in keeping their options open and leaving the doggies be, as they went and hung out in Sasha’s room instead.
“Please don’t mind the mess, I didn’t know you’d be coming over today…” Sasha let out a fake laugh as she tidied her bed and poorly folded some clothes lying around to shove them into the closet.
“It’s no problem, my room can get quite messy too…” The brunet lied as he scanned the room. It had a lot of natural lighting, which Eren guessed was good. His room, although neat, always had its curtains closed. Carla always tells him the spider mites won’t die if he keeps that up, but he knows there aren’t any in his room.
They awkwardly sat on the bed, again with a loud silence Eren was desperately trying to kill. He looked around his classmate’s bedroom, determined to find a topic to discuss and noticed an acoustic guitar hung on the wall opposite to where they sat, and inquired about it.
“Is the guitar yours?”
“Yup! I begged my dad to let me buy an electric guitar, told him that I had enough money saved, but he said it’d be too loud and I’d just annoy the neighbours, so I had to make do with this... Not that I don’t like it!”
Sasha held up one hand, letting Eren see her calloused fingers.
“Do you mind playing something for me?”
“Mmm... Maybe another time, Eren.”
Her face became a bright red after Eren’s request, so he decided not to press the issue any more. He landed his eyes on a familiar vinyl record on her wall, next to the guitar.
“I didn’t know you listened to Wheatus.” He pointed to it, casually.
“That’s because I don’t crank up the volume to the max while I’m listening to music!” The auburn-haired girl bantered, earning a playful nudge with the elbow.
“So yeah, I like Wheatus and a few other bands and singers. And from the sound of it, you’re very into Radiohead.”
“Guilty as charged. Also Green Day, and sometimes I listen to metal.” He added, as if the girl wasn’t aware by now.
The conversation went on for a while, talking about their favourite songs and some trivia about the artists. Eren revealed he had a record player and that Sasha could come home anytime with her records to listen to them. Their chatting would slowly change topics: from how they were doing at school, to what they thought of some people, to what games the other played, to their family.
“That’s right, don’t you have a little sister? Where is she?” Eren recalled, seeing the house empty except for both their presences.
“Oh, she’s staying with some relatives right now, since the school she’s attending is closer to their house than ours.”
“That’s cool, I guess. You don’t have to look after her...” The taller one muttered, staring right into her eyes to see her reaction.
“That's okay with me! I love Kaya, she’s a sweet girl. Truth be told, the house feels empty when she's not here.”
“I see... Well, I have a brother too, an older brother, but I don’t talk about him much. I don’t talk to him much, either... I’m glad you have the type of relationship that makes you miss your sibling, Sasha.”
Eren smiled, his face almost unreadable except for the tiniest hint of sadness buried underneath, the brown-haired girl guessed, but didn’t dare bring it up: Eren and her weren’t that close. Not yet, at least.
So she quickly changed topics. “I forgot to ask you what you wanted to eat!”
“I’m okay, don't worry...”
“You haven’t eaten at all today, Eren, I know you must be starving.” Seeing as the mentioned was about to open his mouth to retort something back, she pointed a finger at him and added. “And the cafeteria food doesn’t count, I know it leaves you hungrier than before!”
He grinned and burst into laughter, having no more excuses to deny his host’s food. Sasha then left the room, presumably to go find something for the both of them.
Eren didn’t mean to snoop around in the meantime, but like hell wasn’t he curious about Sasha’s life now. He saw her messy desk with a few dirty cups, some still with beverages Eren probably wouldn’t drink even if he was paid.
He saw her open closet door where he discovered all the clothes Sasha didn’t wear to school, some a mess because of the way she had shoved them in when Eren came. He bet most were school-friendly attire, and he wondered why she wouldn’t wear them in public, they’d look good on her, he figured.
Maybe she did, and he just wasn’t there to see it.
Something about that thought upset him, but he wouldn’t put a finger on it. Not yet, at least.
Footsteps could be heard arriving at Eren’s location as the owner of the room walked in with a wide smile and all type sweets, biscuits, fruits, and chips for them and only them.
She closed the door behind her with her foot, and sat comfortably on the bed again, putting down the tray of food in between their bodies for easier access.
“Thanks so much, Sasha. Ooh, I love these! Can I?” He exclaimed, grabbing a package and looking at her, expectantly.
“Of course, silly! That’s why I brought them here! But don’t you dare think you’ll get to eat all of this on your own...” Hands rapidly grabbed a hold of a bag of chips, opening it up and taking the contents to put them in her mouth, humming as she enjoyed the taste.
The eating in silence didn’t last long, as they had strong opinions even on their snacks. Red apples versus green apples, Lays or Pringles, M&Ms and Skittles... To Eren, they were all the same, but Sasha swore she could feel a difference, like drinking Pepsi and Coca Cola. That’s something he tasted no difference in, either, so Sasha dropped the topic, defeated.
While discussing Mr. Smith’s upcoming History exam, Sasha’s door bursted open, making both teenagers’ hearts skip a beat or two. The culprit was Lisa Braus, Sasha’s mother, who had arrived from who-knows-where.
“My, Sasha! You didn’t tell your father and I you were having guests over today!” Her expression rapidly softened, but was still analysing the way they were spread all over her daughter’s bed, eating chocolate and only they know what else.
Sasha stiffly sat up on the corner of her bed, straightening her clothes, and Eren figured mimicking her was the best course of action. “Sorry, Mum. Eren right here wanted to meet Curly’s puppies, but I'm taking good care of ‘em.”
Both women turned to face ‘Eren right here’, him becoming the centre of attention, so he got up and offered his hand. “Hello, Mrs. Braus. I’m Eren Yeager, Sasha’s classmate. I live next door.”
She gently shook his hand, telling him to call her Lisa, and asked him if he wanted to stay over for dinner and that she’d inform his mum. Not like it was a long walk back home, anyways. He politely refused, and said he’d better get going since his parents were already waiting for him, so Sasha offered to walk him to the door.
“I’m sorry my mum interrupted us, she can be a bit pushy...” The girl chuckled, glancing back to make sure her mother didn’t hear that.
“No worries, mine is the same. Mikasa and Armin consider her a second mother at this point.”
“Will you come back tomorrow?” Sasha wondered as they reached the door, a secret invitation that the recipient was sure to catch on to.
“Sure. We can spend some more time with the doggies and then study a bit... Or not.” They laughed in unison, Sasha resting her body in the doorframe.
“Okay then, see you later, Sash.” Was casually said as the boy placed a kiss on the other’s cheek, holding her by her arm for comfort, then turning around and walking away to the neighbouring house without looking back.
She held her cheek as she watched him leave at an incredible speed, tripping over air but making a swift recovery.
Was I too bold? Am I imagining things? An extensive variety of thoughts crossed, raced, the teens’ minds, yet one remained the same for both counterparts: I hope I’m not making a fool out of myself.