Attack on Titan © Isayama Hajime
Tension, tension
The rain began to come with torrential downpour, emptying the pedestrian path in no time.
"This is me being nice," he said, pulling her under his umbrella. "Can you run?"
...
For someone so impulsive, his apartment was surprisingly tidy. Shoes were lined up in rows. Wall void of pictures and decorations, with a lone sofa against it. Blooming morning glories—what a twist, she'd never pegged him to care for delicate things—curiously peeked from the balcony. The window was wide opened and the whole room basked in dull afternoon gray, smelling like rain.
Playing a good host, he had graciously offered to wash her wet clothes and lent her his shirt, which draped on her like a mini dress.
Nobody spoke for awhile, feeling content by sitting and sipping the tea.
"You were right," she broke the silence. "I'm my mother's daughter."
It took him a moment to discern. When he did, he remained indifferent, but his eyes were softened.
"You shouldn't have taken the words of a seventeen years old seriously." Leaning into his palm, half of his lower face was hidden. "Just forget about it."
"I wish I could forget about a lot of things... Messing around with married man has costed me my reputation."
His neck felt tightened all of the sudden, recalling he had witnessed the man picking Historia that day. Not knowing any better, he had accidentally mentioned the fact to another boy. Before summer had ended, everybody had known, making the already shy girl even more withdrawn.
Seeing his troubled expression, Historia pressed on, "You don't know? Back then everybody in highschool knew the whole Historia dating an older man. It even went as far as I got into compensated dating and all. Terrible, right?"
Feeling thoroughly nauseated, he curtly nodded. Then, he decided to come clean, "That rumor in high school, about you dated an older guy... It was me."
She was frozen.
He could hear wheels behind her head turning. She blinked and the air suddenly crackled with electricity.
Here we go, he braced himself.
With a roar, she lunged at him, fingers clawing, legs kicking. She was smaller and lighter that handling her on agressive mode wasn't a problem—almost like stifling an angry cat actually, only bigger—besides he easily overpowered her.
"Historia, wait-"
"You lowlife! You didn't just make highschool unbearable with your unwanted opinion, you had to shit all over it as well!"
He yelped in panic, eye almost got gouged out in the process. Historia was relentless on her pursue, trying her hardest to get ahold of him, hopefully drawing some blood.
"It was just rumor! People stopped talking about it after some time!"
His attempt to dispel her rage only intensified her struggles. Her leg shot up, aiming for his crotch. His free hand intercepted it before she managed to do so. As if able to read her mind, his knee pinned her other leg as well, forcing her to stay still.
"It's been three years! Why are you still holding the grudge!?"
The girl under him threw him a vicious look, eyes burning with hatred.
"You had no idea, didn't you? Those mean girls in highschool posted my profile on adult dating site! I had to deal with lengthy ordeal to take it down! By then, there were perverts, slut-shaming..."
Words hung in the air as she trembled in anger.
The damage had been done. He had screwed her more than he knew. He was about to formally apologized when something stung his neck.
"OUCH!" he exclaimed and rushed to stand, clutching a damp spot on his neck. "You bit me!"
"You asked for it," she growled but sated, at least had managed to harm him.
"I knew you'd play dirty." He plonked back into the sofa and ignored the annoyed look she gave him.
"Shut up or I'll bite your tongue." She slid to the edge of the sofa, purposely distancing herself from him.
"Is that an offer?" he mocked her.
"Don't be cheeky, Eren," she scoffed in dismissive manner. "You're still a kid."
He had thought of a comeback but decided against it. Instead he sat still with a hand rubbing his neck, studying her in cautious manner as someone would do a dangerous animal.
She appeared to be so angelic and kind—even after trying to severe his vein—that boys would flock and worship her without any misgivings, never would have guessed she could be a snarky, manipulative bitch—otherwise how could she got into affair with a seemingly respective gentleman.
Worse he found this version of Historia better. How could he find her batshit attitude to be so appealing? Interesting theory that crazy always draws crazy...
Her lips had a hint of blood. His blood.
"Gross," he made a face and unconsciously reached to wipe it.
She did nothing to stop him.
Kindergarten
"Eren, what's on your neck?"
"Hah! Never knew you're into this kind of thing. How kinky!"
The said person sheepishly raised his collar to cover the glaring evidence.
"Let me see your note, Armin," he tried to change the topic on purpose. "I need all the help I could get in the upcoming exam."
To his chagrin, Jean and Armin exchanged a knowing look, deciding to pester him more.
"Who cares, you'll most likely pass with minimum grade. Anyway who gave you that?"
He shot Jean a dirty look, "None of your bussiness."
"I'm curious as well," Armin peeled his collar to get a better look. "What exactly happened here, Eren?"
"Yeah, what exactly?" Jean parroted the blond. "Nobody on their right mind would stay close to you, let alone leave a hickey."
"...I'm not sure this is a hickey," Armin voiced his doubt, staring at the bluish mark. "To call this a love bite would be an understatement. Whoever did this must have bitten you out of anger, right, Eren?"
"Who bite whom?"
"JESUS! CONNIE!" Jean jumped in surprise. "You shouldn't be left unattended! Where's your siamese twin!?"
The three of them followed Connie's finger to find Sasha walking over their direction. She wasn't alone. Eren's heart almost stopped seeing her companion.
"Isn't that Historia?" Armin squinted his eyes. "What's with the mask?"
Jean scratched his head in respond. "Beats me. Flu season's still months away."
"Sasha, Historia, over here!" Connie waved wildly, then turned to them in conspiratorial stance, "Even with that mask, Historia was still getting hit on, can you believe it?"
"Do you remember Reiner Braun proposed to her silly at the graduation?" Jean shook his head. "Man... if a reliable guy like him got turned down, I guess we wouldn't even stand a chance."
Eren was getting lost on his own thought. Whatever they said had ran past him as he leaned to his elbow, eyes following Historia's move.
They then began to realize something amiss. Halfway to their tables, Historia began to stop. To Eren's horror, the small girl started to turn away and change direction.
"O-oi-what happened?" Connie looked confused.
Jean shrugged, "Hell if I know."
Eren fidgetted nervously on his seat, which didn't go unnoticed by Armin.
When Sasha successfully half-dragged the panic looking Historia and cheerfully greeted them, Armin and Jean couldn't help but inquired about the mask.
"She's wearing mask because she fell and cut her lips," Sasha explained on behalf of the masked girl.
"Is that necessary? I mean, I got cuts all the time and I hardly care."
"Because girls are concerned about appearance, duh," Jean chided Connie, then turned to Historia. "But you don't need to be shy, Historia."
She nodded and mumbled something.
"It's hard to understand with the mask on. It's kind of muffling your voice. How about taking them off?" Armin suggested. When she looked torn, he quickly added in persuasive tone, "We won't judge. You're between friends."
Eren's mouth twitched in annoyance—Armin clearly was up for something, that crafty childhood friend of his—but he didn't dare to say anything for unsaid reason.
He mentally cringed hearing Sasha encourage her, "Armin's right. There's nothing to be embarassed of."
Historia finally relented, pulling the mask off to reveal a pair of swollen lips, most likely caused by a case of rough making out.
"How... unfortunate..." Armin's words came unnatural, following by Sasha's sharp intake, Connie's widened eyes, and Jean's curse.
Eren tightened his collar around his neck, knowing exactly what beneath their collective shocks.