Chapter 3

When Eren opened his eyes, he found himself laying on his side. Under his body, there was a soft mattress, and a warm blanket had been spread all over the bed, covering him. Feeling completely lost, he blinked a few time, trying to figure where he actually was. Well, somewhere…? It must have been a bedroom –as there was a bed, indeed Sherlock Holmes.

It was quiet. What had happened? He could barely remember right now but…

Wait a sec.

The birthday party. Reiner. The drinks.

And Connie.

At that very moment, he held his breath for a few moments, before moving a hand and pinching himself quite hard. The small pain in his arm made him growl a little, and he sat slowly on the bed, rubbing his face with his palm. He wasn't sure about what had really happened in the end. He just could remember the legs under his body –and that very part was quite a problem for his understanding when being drunk as hell-, and…Maybe the hands of Reiner when the guy had thrown him on the bed –yeah the guy THREW him on the bed! LITERALLY. It was just a huge blank after that.

Reality couldn't be that weird, and what's more he didn't get everything, as drunk as he was earlier. There were parts he couldn't understand. And it couldn't be his Connie –he was still so stuck on this point. Probably another one –if that 'Con' really was some 'Connie' after all, but his mind only managed to see the Only One.

A bit disturbed, he quickly checked on himself with a hesitating hand : all his clothes were still in place, even his socks. Just his shoes were missing, someone might have taken them off before putting the blanket over him. And he sighed; no one had dared do something so gay.

From where he was, he could see a ray of light from the crack under the door, but when he started moving from the mattress there was a small motion at his sides, taking his attention. And he stopped right away, focusing on the sound. In the darkness, he didn't even think about the idea that he may not be alone in the bed. A growl confirmed the presence of a human being. Seems that he wasn't the only one thrown on the bed like some trash bag.

"M'rcoooo—"

And Eren fell from the bed trying to rush out of the sheets when he recognized the growling voice, the words lost somewhere in a drunk sleep. The sound of his own fall eventually awoke him a little, his own moan –weak and pitiful- reminding him that he still wasn't feeling that great, and his headache started making him regret his presence to the party.

The curtains of the bedroom weren't closed and when the silence was back, he noticed a small clamor coming from out of the room. They were still there, keeping on drinking and talking. His legs weren't as assured as he would have thought, and if he had to think about it, it might have not been a long time since he fall asleep. Maybe an hour, or two. He felt like he could walk, but heknew he wasn't that confident in all his motions.

Another growl from the bed made him rush a little more. Oh god, how did he happen to sleep in the same bed as Kirshtein, the most gay guy in their company (after Armin of course)? At least he was lucky that the guy was sleeping –and that Armin couldn't read his mind just by looking at his face.

Tottering a little, he managed to reached the door. The corridor's lights made him blind for a moment, until he got used the lightning. He was in that too large corridor, again, the door closing in his back, with that small clank when the latch locked. The voices were a little more higher on this side of the door, he noticed, and he decided to follow them until he could find some landmarks. If he didn't agree about being alone with Jean in a bedroom, he was much more ok being in the middle of those gay guys surrounding him earlier in the living room.

When he got to the big room, the light had grown brighter compared to earlier, making it difficult to look without blinking a lot. Laughter suddenly caught him, and he blinked, again, finally making up through the light.

"Oh, already back?" he heard a voice.

It was Reiner. The blond Rambo had given up on his chair and was quite limp in the big sofa in the middle on the room. Some new glass –full of some drink- in his hand, he waved with the other one to get Eren attention.

"Feel better?"

Eren nodded. Sitting at Reiner side, there was still Berthold. The brown-haired man looked a bit more alive than before when he was almost sleeping on the table, and was talking to some young man, one he had never seen before. He looked quite…Common? No, that wasn't really it. But he didn't know why, the guy looked familiar. But Eren was pretty sure he had never seen him before. It was some small and weak young man, with a slightly tanned skin, big smiling brown eyes as he was talking with Berthold without even noticing the presence of Eren. He was smiling so much, maybe a little drunk –or actually Eren was pretty sure the guy had drunk enough to be far away from them, due to the glass full of something looking like what Reiner had put in his own glass earlier- and Berthold was often rubbing his head with his palm and a smile –some fucking gay smile by the way, oh god.

That guy was bald.

"Still dizzy…" Eren mumbled coming closer to Reiner.

The big blond had a loud laughter, one of those he'd gratified them the whole evening with. "Hangover?"

"Soon, Rambo, thanks to you."

"Jeez, stop calling me Rambo! You should thank Charles-Xavier by the way, he's the one who had carried you to the room when you were looking like some carpet."

Reiner was talking with a slow voice to be sure about what he was saying, making some of their friends smile and giggle at him. He winced a couple of times, finally grinning with them, lifting his hand to show his glass still here, not empty at all, but not really full anymore.

"Hey, Rambo, stop calling me like that!" suddenly said a voice.

A bit curious, Eren turned his attention to the origin of the call. That guy. The bald one. Smiling so much, apparently ready to make some silly comments. Actually, Eren knew that voice. He'd heard it before and wasn't sure what he was looking at that moment. The bald head, carefully shaved, or that fucking…

Oh god.

Eren blinked a few time, trying to understand everything despite his headache. Oh, now he could get that small joke about X-men, Charles-Xavier and stuff. It wasn't a funny joke actually. He also suddenly understood how the guy managed to bring him to the room without even moving a leg.

That guy was in a fucking wheelchair, sitting against the sofa as if he was on it, Berthold leaning above the armrest like it was an old habit.

Feeling uncomfortable, Eren stayed quiet. He didn't really know what to say, only able to stare at the bald guy, who was…Actually doing the same, looking quite surprised. And he finally talked, rubbing his head in some gesture of discomfort. "Wha-what? Something on my face?"

"Yeah yeah, there's your nose, I guess!" Reiner said out loud, with a big laughter.

Eren shook his head, feeling a bit ill-at-ease about his own attitude. Staring at some disabled person wasn't in his habits, but he'd been caught for now and felt like he'd missed something. Where the fuck was that man when they were all here before? He didn't arrive here in the middle of the night, for god's sake!

And Reiner finally got something, raising his eyebrows before looking at the new man. "Hey! Haven't you called me Rambo just now?"

A soft chuckle. "Yeah, you said he didn't stop calling you like that and that sounded pretty good for you! Kind of Barbie Rambo!"

A wave of giggles, and Reiner sighed loudly before shrugging. "At least I'm not a X-men!"

"Jeez, stop it already, big tits!"

"Wha— Bert'! Don't stop me!"

Eren blinked a few times more. Well, they got along pretty good, and everything there was actually quite natural, the exchange between the two (three when Berthold was taking part of it) of them finally becoming quite funny.

"There's no ice anymooooore!" Christa suddenly complained, her sweet face appearing in the entrance. She might be back from the kitchen. "Connie! I'm sure you have something!"

She looked adorably drunk, leaning on the wall to stay straight on her feet. But at least she was still able to walk by herself.

But Eren had frozen. Deeply. Connie? Did he hear it well? Discreetly, he glanced around himself, trying to catch who was that Connie. Because he didn't see any Connie.

That's why, when the young man in the wheelchair started to move, his hands rubbing the thin wheels, yelling some happy "Gonna show you!" and leaving the living room with the girl, Eren felt…Pretty bad.

Ok.

So much.

Bad enough to feel the floor under his ass before he could understand that his legs were so limp again under him.

"Falling again?" Reiner snorted with a grin.

"Fucking god…"

"Without 'fucking' and you almost have my second name" Reiner giggled.

Berthold let out a deep sigh hearing Reiner's stupid comments, and finally shook his head softly.

Slowly, Eren tried to gather himself together. Ok. Everything was ok. It was just…she'd called for 'Connie', right, and that guy answered, but maybe he wasn't Connie, uh? He might have answered for someone else instead. Yeah, that was it.

But he remembered pretty well that moment, when he was dying on Charles-Xavier's knees (What? After all he didn't know his real name!) and she called him 'Con'.

"Eh, Rambo…" he finally managed to say.

"Uh? Don't call me God again?"

"Shut up…Who…"

Eren hesitated a little more. It was just some fucking question about a random man! HE FUCKING DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT !

"Who's that guy by the way?"

"Oh, you don't know Connie? I thought you knew it's his birthday party! Oh, wait, but you already know it, right?"

Reiner's voice tone was quite weird at that moment, pretty scoffer. Eren lifted his eyes up to the man who didn't look so drunk actually (but he was, almost crawling down from the sofa). Reiner sighed heavily, and with his hand waved at Berthold who was giving them a long and annoyed glare.

"Bert', make sure Connie won't be back too early."

The tall man nodded slowly, and as slowly as his answer he managed to get up from the sofa and walk to the corridor where he disappeared.

Finally, Reiner slid on the floor to join Eren (and well, actually the floor was safer than the sofa if there was any risk for him to fall), grinning widely. Eren swallowed, unsure about the situation but let the guy act like he wanted to.

"S-so, what's the meaning of all that?" he mumbled.

Reiner giggled a little. "Well, as I told you, that guy's Connie. And today's his birthday, man."

Eren didn't know how to feel. Actually, tons of ideas where coming all together to his mind, most of them saying that it wasn't at all the same person he was looking for, but somewhere there were too much of weird things.

"I see, b-b-but…Armin, uh, how to say…"

"What Armin?"

Reiner's tone was almost soft, and his so low voice was pretty odd at that moment. Maybe it was due to the other people screaming, laughing so hard and loud at the table not so far from them. It was almost like Reiner didn't want them to hear about their little talk.

Eren hesitated a little. "W-well, Armin told me I knew Connie, buuut…I think there's…Some misunderstanding…?"

He'd finally choose that option. It wasn't his Connie, no matter how. Maybe he wanted a bit too much from this night. From everything actually.

By his sides, Reiner sighed loudly, and stared at him remaining silent for a few moments, before he shook his head.

"You're as blind as I've been told then."

"Wha—"

"So, you moved thirteen years ago?"

Eren blinked.

"Uh? Ah, yeah but how—"

"Connie told me."

"You mean Armin," Eren sighed. "God, you're drunk !"

Reiner chuckled and nodded silently at that ascertainment. "Yeah, I am. But even like that, I know what I'm talking about. Just a bit slower than expected…"

"What's all that?" Eren asked with a deep scowl.

"Have you ever thought about the reason Connie never replied anymore to your letters?"

At that moment, Eren fell into silence. There was something wrong with that. He stared for a moment at Reiner, waiting (im)patiently for more. Somehow, it was hard to concentrate: his headache was still there, but his stomach was starting some horrible dance.

"Curious?" Reiner grinned.

"You bet I am. Armin doesn't know about that part. So?"

"He knows, of course."

"Never told him."

"Someone else, then. Eren, I fucking know who you are, and I still don't get how things might have happened to be that way."

"Go sleep, drunk, guess you'll tell me better tomorrow, uh." Eren shook his head, quite annoyed by the turn of the chat. It was hard to focus on Reiner as the guy was still talking so slow and in a so low voice.

"Na. Just a question, then!"

"Mh?"

Reiner's smile grew bigger and he leaned a little to Eren.

"What do you think about a worm and a bird?"

"What the…"

His eyes opened wide, and Eren couldn't stop looking at the man. That question. Actually the only one who asked him once was Connie. But well, definitely, it was Reiner here, right?

And so he tried not to look too much troubled.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Rambo?"

"You've read the book, I know it, but Connie doesn't fucking know."

Oh, that. Eren pursed a little his lips, not sure how he should act. Armin talked too much, obviously.

"None of your business, Rambo. That's just my job."

"I've already noticed with Bert', yeah."

"Shut up."

"Seriously…You really don't get that all?"

"Oy, you're heavy there. That's enough, don't you think?"

"Ah, just wanted some suspense!" Reiner giggled again. "But since you think Connie didn't write the book you're working on…"

"What about that book again?"

"Connie and Connie are the same person, y'know?"

"Silly talking…"

"Yeah yeah but I'm right, at least."

Sighing loudly, Eren let himself fall on the floor and stayed there, laying heavily. Reiner was obviously trying to say something, but the way he was doing it wasn't the best. Even if Eren kind of could understand what the man wanted to tell him.

And he really didn't want to hear it.

Reality sucked that much.

"Connie doesn't know who you are, today."

It fell like a splash. A huge splash. And Eren shifted his eyes to Reiner, unsure. "What?"

Reiner's gold eyes turned to Eren, making sure the guy was attentive. And he sure was.

"He doesn't even know that you're some Eren guy. " he grinded with a low voice.

Eren turned on his side to face the man, scowling a bit.

"What do you mean?"

He definitely couldn't avoid the huge grin on Reiner's lips. And Eren couldn't really say if it was something positive or not for himself.

"You're here as 'Armin's friend', man. Not even 'Eren'. Plus I know a lot about you, forgot about it?"

"You don't—"

Reiner lowed his voice, even more than before, with a small glare to the few people playing at the table. They couldn't hear them, and Eren felt quite thankful to Reiner with what followed.

"I know Armin since highschool, you can be sure I know a lot of things, mister Homophobic. You already met with my fist, remember."

Eren winced deeply at the memory. It was quite true, but that didn't change anything. "Leave me, Rambo," he breathed. "Don't wanna hear about what you think, as much as you don't wanna know what I think."

"Also know that's all due to your sis'."

A pause. Eren couldn't point out if the room was suddenly silent, or if it was his mind and ears, only focusing on Reiner's voice. His eyes opened wide and he held his breath for a few seconds, waiting.

For a moment, he just felt bad. Like, really bad, something like he would be sick in a second, his stomach suddenly wriggling dreadfully. And he wanted to put his fist into Reiner's face, but gave up the second after the thought came.

"You don't know anything," he muttered, shifting his attention back to the ceiling.

"I told you. I know more than you think."

"I've never told Armin about that, so I doubt that you—"

"You've told Connie."

A blank.

And this time, Eren couldn't avoid the subject. He could feel himself breathing with some difficulties. Swallowing thickly, he licked his lips in a quick gesture, and hoped Reiner wasn't looking that much at him. That could be taken, eeerrrr…Weirdly? He knew pretty well about Reiner's tendencies and didn't want to be involved in that type of things.

"You don't ask me how I know?" Reiner smirked.

Actually, Eren wasn't sure if he still wanted to know anything. As about meeting Connie again, he wasn't sure if he really wanted to do it after all that. Somehow, he was feeling like he'd lost something so much important and yet he couldn't let himself live in denial.

And what's more…

Oh god.

"Hey," Reiner groaned again. "Say something, I feel a bit like talking to myself!"

"I'm—"

Eren swallowed again, focusing on the ceiling as strong as he could. He could perceive some motions by his side, where Reiner was laying.

"Yeah, what?"

"Gonna throw up…"

"WHAA-! NOT HERE JERK!"

"Uuuuuh…"

"How comes you're so sick now? You should have been earlier !"

Coughing between two short throws of vomit, Eren hesitated only for an instant before avoiding shaking his head.

"Dun-n-no…" he managed to say.

At least, Reiner had stopped talking about Connie, and it wasn't so bad. Leaning on the toilets wide opened, Eren was still coughing and vomiting at the same time, filling the lavatory as long as he could handle it. He couldn't breath very well, his breath sounding quite jerky.

On his head, he could feel the big, warm hand of Reiner, the long and thick fingers holding back his bangs. Well, he'd rather choose not to be treated so gently by the guy, but at that very moment he was so much more busy with his vomiting condition.

From where they were now, they could hear all the small noises coming from the kitchen. Some soft chuckles, sounds of bottles and glasses (and at the thought of a glass full of alcohol, Eren threw up again).

"God, still at it? When will you be done?"

He heard Reiner sighing, and the fingers moved a little on his forehead.

"You're sweating," the big blond noticed.

"Get out, R-r-rambo…!" he winced.

Groaning a little, Eren let his chin rest against the edge of the porcelain toilets. The smell of alcohol and old dishes was quite awful and he wished he was finally empty of all that. "Oh fuck…I'm so…"

"Mmmh?"

"F-f-fuck," Eren repeated again.

"Does he feel better?"

Eren almost blenched at the voice from behind them, and he could feel Reiner's hand tightening his grip on his hair.

"Yeah, think he's almost done," he heard from Reiner.

Rambo's voice sounded softer than before. Eren spited in the mix of vomit, water and whatever-it-was, trying to get rid of the taste on his tongue. He couldn't turn at that moment to look at the guy who was talking to Reiner. He couldn't and he didn't want. Right? At least he could convince himself.

Yeah, he could.

Not.

He was already trying to eye behind him in the corner of his eye. His breath was still quite jerky, and he didn't know if he was glad for the smell to let him know that all this was the fucking reality.

He'd always hated reality, that was for sure. No matter how things looked like, he still couldn't deal with all that.

Why? Actually, he had to admit his defeat. He'd understood that all long ago. But he didn't want to believe that truth. Again and again.

"Ah, Eren's here!" suddenly said Connie's voice.

And Eren froze. What the…?

"Ah yeah," he heard from Reiner who was chuckling a little, not letting go on his hair. "He finally shows his little face!"

Eren could hear a soft laughter; it was Connie's tone, but something was weird.

"Ereeeen," Connie called again. "There, there, sweetheart!"

A soft noise answered, and at that moment, Eren could sightsee something small running, barely the high of their ankles and jumping on the base of the wheelchair. And a small and weak meow came to his ears.

"What the hell…?" he mumbled, not even leaving his lavatory.

Behind him –wait, the guy was even leaning against him, Eren could feel his heavy body on his back and that thing against his ass wasn't at all a fucking arm shape-, Reiner chuckled a little before whispering in his ear "Well, Connie has a cute cat…Like…Really cute."

"Yeah yeah, 'kay but why that...That fucking name?"

"Find out by yourself, dumbass." Reiner smirked.

"You're too closed, go away !"

"What, got a problem?"

It was definitely NOT an arm against his ass. Just some fucking big cock erected in Reiner's trousers. Swallowing slowly at the image he got, Eren suddenly shifted, almost jumping on reiner to pin him on the hard floor, threatening the man with a hand curled into a fist.

"YOU DAMN FUCKING FAGGOT! DARE YOU TOUCH MY ASS WITH YOUR—"

Luckily, Reiner had stopped his fist before it reached his face –ok that guy was pretty strong. But before Eren could even think about another attack on the blond male, he felt the floor disappear from under his legs and foot as he was straddling Reiner on the wood ground. Something strong had grabbed him by the back of his collar and shoulders, and his body was harshly put on the knees he'd already met earlier.

"Reiner, stop it and go with the others," Eren heard.

It was Connie. But his tone wasn't as soft as before, and from his place, Eren could only see the big guy nod. In a second, the blond Rambo had got quiet and wasn't even trying to explain what had happened. He obeyed, standing on his feet with some difficulties –probably due to all the alcohol he'd drank until now.

"We're going out," Connie added to Eren.

Still feeling like some shit after his throwing up session, Eren could only groan a little and wait as the chair was moving: he hated that sensation, when he was even unable to use his body the way he wanted. If he hadn't been wasted, he could have shut Reiner up easier.

And again, there was that strong arm around him, holding his body like nothing.

"Fuck…" he murmured, mostly to himself but he felt the grip tightening onto him.

Connie might have been using some rail or something: Eren felt some weird things happening in his stomach, like into a soft looping even if his head was still in the good sense. And suddenly, the cold air of the outside was biting his face and he growled again. "What are you doing? Leave me!"

Eren heard the small clap of the door behind them and he lifted his eyes up, looking around them. They were in a small garden, probably behind the small house. One, two trees, and Eren could recognize an apple tree, even without the leaves, flowers and fruits on it.

And as he was trying to move a bit more, he was suddenly thrown away from the knees of the man. Surprised like hell, forgetting immediately the small pain in his side as he met the ground, Eren blinked a little before staring at…

Well, at Connie.

"What's your problem, man?" the young bald man said. "You might be Armin's friend or boyfriend or anything you want, I assume you know the rules perfectly under that roof."

Even if he still didn't want to believe about the identity of the guy, Eren had to admit: that small pouting face, the way the lips were curving, pursing a little, was exactly the way 'Connie' would, with those big brown eyes.

Eren sat on his bottom. "You might not know but that guy just put his fucking dick against my ass!"

"And ? Reiner's all wasted, he wouldn't even be able to do more than it, I'm sure. The rules are pretty clear : no fight or insults. If he'd do anything, you just had to scream and someone would have come right away!"

"What the…" Eren couldn't really get it. What, was it so simple to them? Someone attacks you from behind when you're in a pitiful condition and you just have to yell for someone to save you? "There's no way I'd let such a big fag touch me! God, thinking about that kind of jerk make me vomit!"

"Oh really?" Connie's harsh tone hurt Eren's ear. "Then I guess you have nothing to do here. Go home, or anything. You don't have to handle our presence anymore."

Suddenly, Eren felt ill-at-ease hearing Connie. Did 'she' ever use such a lofty tone before when she talked? She was a child but…She did. She did when he was saying nasty things against this or that. That was the only way she had found for him to listen carefully.

He felt bad, so fucking bad, and wasn't sure if he really wanted to stay here, with the real Connie he was meeting, or if he'd rather prefer running back home right now and keep on living with a fake memory of some sweet and female Connie.

"Tss. What's wrong with Armin…" Connie eventually mumbled loudly. "With such awful tastes…Holy shit, why did they even let you come in…"

And finally, he raised an eyebrow –and Eren was sure about it even if they were in some deep darkness outdoor, because he knew the old Connie's habits. "Wait, I don't even know who you are, by the way, how comes?"

Eren winced a little before standing on his feet, slowly and still feeling bad and dizzy in his own body. He shook his head a little, not sure if he really had to answer. Reiner had already made his best for Connie not to understand who he was, and Eren had perfectly gotten it –he wasn't that stupid.

"Ah, hum, well, uuuh…"

PleaselookwastedErenpleaselookwastedandasifyoucantrememberyournameforgodsake

The door behind Connie suddenly opened, pushing a little against the wheelchair. "Ah Eren, you are here! Armin is…Oh, s'rry Con'!" It was Christa's soft voice, still a bit damaged due to the amount of alcohol she'd drunk before.

Nevertheless, she'd caught his attention and…Connie's. For sure. Even here in the darkness of the night, Eren could see his big eyes grew even bigger, staring at him.

"Eren?" he murmured. "How co—"

"AAAAA—AAAAH! Christaaaaa!"

HE JUST COULDN'T. He couldn't let Connie say it. Not NOW. He suddenly didn't feel ready and just…Yelled at Christa. Like…Literally. She opened her eyes wide when Eren almost jumped on her, pushing her inside and leaving Connie on place.

Well, it hadn't been that easy to do, with his legs feeling like some cotton and Eren had to make a huge effort not to fall while rushing inside. He had to admit : he avoided Connie's gaze all along and passed by the wheelchair without looking at him, focusing as much as possible on Christa's face.

And now? Now he was in the middle of the corridor, still holding Christa's arm firmly, and she yelped a little. Taking off his hand of her, he mumbled some apologies before rubbing his hair with his fingers, unsure about what he should do.

"Ah Eren, you're here!" he heard again, this time behind him.

Shifting his eyes to the voice, he discovers with some pleasure Sasha who was coming toward them. She was still with that large smile, some crackers in a hand. Eren gave a quick look at the door not so far; even through the glass door, he couldn't see the shape of Connie and his chair anymore. He might have go further in the garden, not in view at the moment.

"Uh, looking for me?" he asked.

"Gonna see Ymiiiiir!" Christa sang before heading softly to the living room. The place still sounded quite noisy, and Reiner's big laughter was hearable from here.

"Yeah, " Sasha said with a quick look at Christa who was already disappearing. "I didn't know that you already woke up!"

"Oh, yeah…I, I was just walking a little for, uh…"

"You were the one throwing up earlier, I'm sure!"

Eren sighed softly. Well. Sasha might be one of those persons with as much tact as an elephant in a porcelain shop.

"Right…"

"So you're the yelling one as well!"

"Oh god, you heard it?"

She laughed a little, and ate some more crackers. "I think everyone did!"

Eren frowned a little, already imagining: Berthold might have understood who the 'yelling one' was too –and Reiner must have told them if any question. Ok, actually he didn't care that much about those two. What's more, Reiner did something disgusting and all he wanted to do at the moment was giving a fucking high kick in the big bond balls.

A few minutes later, he was in the large kitchen, sitting in a wood chair and not sure if he really could still be here. A bowl full of crackers was in front of him, taunting him. Sighing loudly, he was drinking slowly something that looked like some orange juice. Something sweet, alcohol-less, and it was a better taste than the aftertaste of vomit.

She hadn't drunk as much as the others, but still, she was babbling quite a lot anyway, trying to eat and drink at the same time –still so much and so fast that even if she'd been sober she would have choked anyway.

"Hey, Sasha…" he finally said, and he had to wait until she stopped coughing again. "How long have you known Connie…?"

She paused a few seconds, visibly trying to think about the question, then: "So long actually, why?"

Eren shrugged a little. He didn't know the answer, but in a certain way he thought that maybe knowing that she knew Connie for years would be kind of comforting. It wasn't at all. "I've missed something," he said in a low voice, and she had to lean a little to hear him. Or maybe it was due to the sound of the crackers she was still eating one by one. It was quite funny to look at her like that.

She swallowed slowly with a small genuine smile. "Really? Why do you say such a thing?"

He sighed, finally resting his chin in his palm, his elbow remaining on the edge of the table. "Well…Could you believe it, I wonder…Even I, I'm not sure about that all after all…" he started. At that very moment, she stopped eating (and it looked quite weird to see that, for real), staring at him. Seriously.

"Wanna tell me?"

And she looked so sweet. Even with crumbles at the corner of her lips –actually it looked cute, she reminded him of a little girl.

Looking down on the table, he hesitated a little before going on. "Uh…I've known a Connie when I was a kid…" he murmured. "B-but it wasn't…I mean, I've known a girl !"

"And what?" she asked softly.

Eren took a deep breath, trying to make things more clear. At least for himself, in his mind. Of course, Sasha would not understand what was his problem. "And now, well I told you I wasn't sure, uh? I was sure that Connie and Connie weren't the same –you understand what I mean?– but…Now I've come to think that maybe…They're the same person…"

She tilted her head a little, thoughtful. "Mmmh, what makes you think that? Connie's a guy, for sure."

"Well, I…I've read that book of his, and, uh…"

"Which one?"

"The bird and the worm thing…"

"Ah yeah, he talked a lot about that way of thinking he has…So he finally decided to publish it into a book?"

Eren blinked a little. "What do you mean?"

Sasha straightened a little on her sit, waving her hand at him. "He got that story since he was a child if I remember, kind of based on his life story. But I'm not the one who's gonna tell you about it, dear!"

She laughed gently when he was making a weird face, trying to figure out what she meant by all that. "You're mean," he mumbled. "You just put a bomb and run away, traitor!"

And she laughed even louder, making him feel a bit better. She was sweet, not really acting 'cute' but still she was, in some way.

"How comes you live with that guy, by the way?" Eren suddenly asked.

She looked up at the ceiling, thinking a little, then smiled again. "Oh well, dunno, we were already roommates in high school dormitories, and we kept on living like that…"

A bit confused at that idea, Eren raised an eyebrow. As Sasha was a girl, there was no way a normal school would accept for her to sleep with a guy. "Wait, dormitories? How comes? That's not—"

But before he could even go further in his sentence, a figure appeared in the entrance of the kitchen, and Eren glanced at the one interrupting their conversation. Actually, it was Berthold, who looked a bit tired and was giving them a perplex look.

"Sasha, next step and you'll have to go in your room, 'kay?" the tall man sighed.

She chuckled a little, softly –and oh so nicely that Eren couldn't help but smile. And at that moment only, he noticed how closed they got while talking together. Maybe since the moment she started leaning to hear him better. Maybe not. Maybe before. He could almost smell her perfume –something chocolaty, he couldn't remember the name of that perfume for kids that smelt like chocolate and vanilla. He could eat her right away, it wouldn't be a problem.

Glancing at Berthold, she laughed, her hand back in the crackers bowl, nodding. "Yeah yeah, we'll think about that Bert'!" and Eren raised an eyebrow at that. Well, that was quite an invitation. Quite curious, he moved a bit his hand hidden under the table, reaching for her knee. She didn't blench at the contact, but he noticed the way she way softly blushing, innocently in a way. Terribly cute. She just caught his fingers before they could go further under the skirt, and he smile through the kiss.

Ok, then.

Some one-night stand wasn't that bad, and he quite appreciated the idea of sleeping with a pretty girl like Sasha.

And as easily as it finally was, putting aside all that stuff about Connie and everything –especially Berthold's presence-, he suddenly leaned to Sasha, aiming for a soft kiss on her lips.

She tasted like crackers.

Not bad. And it was funny.

"I, uh, I leave you alone," he heard from Berthold's voice.

He could hear the sound of his feet on the floor. Voices, far away in the living room. Sasha had some soft laughter, and the next thing he felt was her hand sliding in his neck.

Finally, it wasn't such a bad night after all.