A/N: So obviously, this is an Ereri fanfiction… I assume that if you weren't interested in that pairing, you wouldn't have clicked on this anyway… I'd really appreciate it if you could rate and review. More chapters will be up soon, and I promise to update as often as possible.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own Shingeki No Kyojin, nor do I own any of the characters. I make no profit from this work of fiction, and it is merely for entertainment only.
"Armin, c'mon! You know I don't wanna be here," Eren grumbled, trying to wrench his arm out of his friend's grasp. He was being pulled down a dark street by his best friend, who, although he was significantly shorter, had managed to force him out of his house and to a party being hosted by a friend of theirs. As they came round the corner, they could hear faint music being blasted from inside one of the houses, getting louder and more distinct the closer they got to it.
"Aw, don't be a spoilsport, Eren! It'll be fun! Plus, some of the older kids from school are gonna be there…" When Eren didn't respond, Armin just carried on without turning around, "Hanji even said she would bring some alcohol!"
"I'm pretty sure I have plenty of better things to do with my Friday night than get drunk with a load of people I don't particularly like." Finally letting go of Eren's arm, Armin stopped walking and turned around to look at Eren properly.
"Eren, please… I just want to hang out with you, you've barely left your house for nearly a month, and you need to start socialising again!" Eren pointedly looked away, avoiding Armin's gaze. He knew his friend was right, he could sit at home moping forever, but that didn't change the fact that he really didn't want to be here. Instead of properly replying, he just 'hmph'd and started walking back towards the loud house. He heard what he thought sounded like a 'yay' from Armin, and tried to suppress the irritated sigh that threatened to emerge, replacing it with a forced smile instead.
As they walked up to the house, Eren noticed a group of guys sat on the wall outside, drinking out of a bottle and joking among themselves. When they noticed Eren and Armin, one of the boys called out to them. "Hey, Jaeger! I see you've finally left your house. What's this, the first time in, like, a month?"
"Sorry, Jean, I don't speak horse… or should I say, neigh?"
Jean glared at Eren for a second before breaking into laughter. "Good to have you back man!" He clapped Eren on the shoulder and nodded at Armin before they disappeared into the house through the open front door.
A faint voice shouted "New people here!", and a second later, Ymir appeared in front of them, very drunk, with her arm draped over the tiny shoulders of Christa.
"Boys! Glad you could make it!" she shouted, possibly so she could be heard over the music, but more likely because she was too drunk to even notice how loud she was being. "Go wherever you like, do whatever you like, I don't care! Just have fun!" And then she and Christa were gone almost a suddenly as they had appeared. Armin looked awkwardly at Eren.
"Um… Where do you wanna go?"
"Well, I think we can guess from Jean and Ymir that there's alcohol somewhere, so I guess the kitchen is the best place to start…" Armin nodded, and they both pushed their way through the groups of people, peering into rooms as they went past, noting all the people they knew there, and who didn't seem too drunk to hold a coherent conversation.
Once in the kitchen, Armin wandered off to find Hanji, an upper-class student, figuring that she was probably the best person to go to for a bottle or two of vodka. This left Eren stood alone in the doorway, trying to block out the pounding music that seemed to consist only of a single repetitive beat, and peering at the people in the room, trying to spot anyone he could talk to. When he looked over at the breakfast bar at the side of the room the second time he scanned the room, he noticed a surly looking boy he was sure he had never seen before. Eren wondered why he hadn't noticed him when he first walked into the kitchen, or when he had been looking around, before he realised that the guy was really short, at least compared to everyone else hanging around. He was leant on edge of the breakfast bar, with a drink in his hand, but it seemed like it was only there as a prop. He had straight black hair, the fringe falling just above his eyes. When he looked up and noticed Eren staring at him, he shot the dirtiest glare Eren had ever received at him, before pushing off of the breakfast bar and barging past a group of people, walking out of the door that Eren assumed went out to the garden, passing Armin in his way back to Eren.
"Here," Armin said, passing a can of beer to Eren. "What do you wanna do now?" Ignoring the question, Eren opened the can and took a small sip.
"Ugh! What is this stuff?!"
"I dunno, it's just some beer. I was looking for Hanji, but when I passed Sasha she gave me these instead." Armin shrugged, taking a sip of his own.
"It just tastes really weird…" Eren murmured, placing the can on the counter, before turning back to Armin. "Who was that guy you passed on the way back here, by the way? I've not seen him before."
"What guy? I passed loads of people on the way back; Ymir must've invited everyone she knows, not to mention the plus-ones that people probably brought with them! Point him out to me if you see him again?" Eren nodded, and they both went off in search of better drinks.