A/N: Important notice! Rating has been bumped up to M!
Saturday, February 18th
Trost Neighborhood – Apartment of Gentlemen Levi and Furlan
"Don't tell me that's how it ends…"
Nestled comfortably on the couch in the living room, Mikasa groaned in disbelief, still reeling from the ambiguous ending of Drive.
Levi's arm was draped around her shoulder, both raven-haired athletes lounging around and casually enjoying one another's company. At her dejected comment, his eyes drifted from the rolling credits on the flat screen TV to the girl leaning against him.
"Ryan Gosling hops back into the Chevelle and drives away into the night," he drawled. "And that's how it ends."
Mikasa heaved a sigh. "Aside from the open ending, it was a good movie."
"I'm satisfied with the ending," Levi remarked in opposition, reaching for the remote. "The ambiguity makes you think."
"I guess." Mikasa shrugged, stroking his arm.
After Levi had turned the TV off, Mikasa looked over at her phone on the coffee table, reaching for it with the intention of checking the time. Much to her chagrin, the battery had completely drained, and she had left her charger back in her dorm.
"What time is it?" She asked after conceding to the unfortunate discovery.
Levi glanced at his own phone and answered with a nonchalant, "9:12."
Somehow, 'movie night' at Levi's apartment had spanned over three hours. They would have watched Drive sooner had it not been for the countless heated make-out sessions after Furlan took off to meet up with Nifa.
(In retrospect, the delay was forgivable, and perhaps necessary. They'd been restraining themselves for a couple weeks, mindful of their commitment to 'taking things slow.')
But as Mikasa's hand slowly trailed up from Levi's arm to his shoulder and then to his chest, it appeared as though history was bound to repeat itself.
"What time is your roommate supposed to be back?" Mikasa asked in a low whisper.
Levi watched as she positioned herself on top, straddling him at the waist. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts, nearly succumbing to her blatantly initiated seduction.
"Around 10 or so," he recalled, eyes locked with hers.
Mikasa peeled off her light cardigan and tossed it aside, exposing a black tank top underneath while offering full view of narrowed shoulders and toned arms. The tank top was made of thin material, and Levi contemplated whether or not he should just rip it off then and there.
Mikasa gave him the impression that she liked being in control, obliging her power trip by holding off the urge to take her on the very couch they were laid on.
"So then," Mikasa hummed, hands still wandering about Levi's torso, "we have about an hour left 'til we're not alone anymore." She continued tracing along his muscles, moving her hands over to gently massage his chest in small circles.
Levi wondered if she was aware just how torturous and sadistic her teasing was.
"There's a lot you can get done in an hour, Mikasa."
With a smirk, she huffed. "Oh really?" Lowering herself a bit, she placed a chaste kiss on the side of his jaw, then worked her way down to his neck. In between kissing him, she feigned innocence and added, "Like what?"
Having had enough of the pretense, Levi gripped her hips, still pinned under her weight.
"Take your top off," he commanded, letting out a harsh grunt.
Complying with his demand, Mikasa leisurely sat upright, taking her time relieving herself of the thin garment over and above her head.
Coming undone had revealed her black balconette bra, causing Levi to ponder if she had carefully planned this all along.
Levi traced along her defined torso, brushing against her abs as he worked his way up to cupping her breasts.
Mikasa yielded to a faint moan, shuddering at his touch. Before Levi could reach for the bra's clasp at her back, she aggressively pinned him back down to the couch and brought her face at level with his, denying him access to the viewing pleasure of her soft, humble breasts.
Not just yet…
She captured his lips with her own, kissing him deeply at first as she slowly grinded her hips against him. Levi slipped a hand down, positioning it firmly between her legs. After briefly roaming under her shorts and underneath her panties, he found the center of her heat and began rubbing in a steady circular motion, earning a sharp gasp from the girl on top.
Mikasa's breathing became hitched and slightly erratic, his name hanging on the tip of her tongue.
Levi nipped at her neck, fingers still fixated on pleasuring her.
Their lips met again, this time crashing into one another with the passion and fury of long lost lovers. Mikasa moaned into his mouth, tensing up.
"Levi…"
Before the heavy-petting session could escalate further, the couple was interrupted by the sound of a key penetrating the lock at the front door.
Shit.
Mikasa and Levi ceased further movement, still tangled up on the couch, both pairs of eyes widening in horror.
Furlan had arrived much earlier than expected, his voice on the other side of the door suggesting he had brought company.
"…and this is my humble abode, Nifa," Furlan said proudly as the door rushed open.
Nifa was about to compliment the interior of the apartment, but fell short of any words when shock came over her at the sight of two lovebirds in the middle of what was originally supposed to be a fairly innocent 'movie night.'
Furlan was worried by her reaction, thinking she found the apartment hideous or something, but upon glancing over at the living room he came to realize he had made a grave mistake.
Trying his best to cover up a partially bare Mikasa, Levi gave his roommate a murderous glare, to which Furlan quickly retreated outside, dragging Nifa along with him.
"…aaaaaaaaaaaaaand this is us leaving," he stammered, slamming the door behind him.
Once they were truly alone, silence filled the air for a brief moment.
Mikasa collapsed against Levi, letting out small intermittent laughs.
Levi let out a deep breath, hoping he hadn't scarred Nifa for life, while simultaneously plotting the details to Furlan's assassination.
Mikasa pulled him from his reverie, eyes sparkling in the purest form of gentleness.
"Let's go to IHOP and get pancakes."
"At this hour?" Levi scoffed, knowing full well she wasn't joking in the slightest.
Mikasa nodded.
Horniness had subsided, and now she was hungry.
Levi ultimately relented. "Okay."
With an ear-to-ear smile, Mikasa stole a quick kiss and shot up from the couch.
He watched as she threw her tank top back on, offering her cardigan in a chivalrous gesture.
Well…
At least one hunger would be satisfied that night…
Marley Neighborhood
The lights above the court came on.
Dribbling the ball to a steady rhythm, Bertolt aimed for the basket ahead and gave it his best shot.
A light swoosh followed immediately after he released the ball from his hands.
Nothing but net.
Shooting hoops at the community basketball court was an efficient way to blow off some steam. School weighed heavily on his mind, Reiner was stressing himself out over his strained relationship with Krista, and (against his attempts at opposition) his parents were trying to set him up with the neighbor's daughter.
It was all too much to take on at once.
Determined to get his mind off things, he walked over to retrieve the ball when suddenly, a voice from behind startled him.
"You're a natural, you know that?" It was Annie.
She lazily strolled up to him, her footsteps treading lightly against the open court. "The head coach at Sina U practically begged you to play for them."
Surprised by her unexpected presence, Bertolt cleared his throat, hoping he didn't seem too awkward. "How long had you been standing there?"
Annie tilted her head. "Just got here actually." She folded her arms across her chest, a smile playing on her lips as a rush of nostalgia overwhelmed her. "I loved watching you play. You were electric on the court. Your aim was sharp and you moved with such finesse… I don't know, it was just… you were amazing."
Bertolt rubbed the back of his neck nervously, shrugging off the remark. "I don't really think I was all that good."
"Well Sina U, UT, and Ehrmich all thought otherwise," Annie countered, hoping to lift his spirits.
Bertolt's only response was a nervous chuckle, a part of him wanting the subject to change.
His love for the game had never died, he just accepted he was never really the competitive type.
Annie's gaze roamed over their surroundings, her eyes ultimately landing at the basketball at Bertolt's feet. She casually sauntered Bertolt's way, taking her time with each stride. She leaned down to pick up the ball, commencing a solid dribble that echoed into the emptiness of the court.
"Up for a game of horse?" She asked, challenging him with an impish attempt at an intimidating stare.
It was strange. Bertolt was quick to take notice of her uplifted demeanor. She seemed… happier. He'd been aware of her father's return to the neighborhood. Though he wasn't aware of the details, he figured that must have played a significant part in cheering her up.
The thought alone was enough to make him smile.
Accepting her challenge, he nodded, eager to get a fierce game going.
"You're on, Annie."
Eldia Neighborhood – Grice Household
"Aren't we a little too old for 'Spin the Bottle?'"
A group of high schoolers gathered around in a circle in the living room, disregarding the disdainful comments made by Gabi.
Her friends, Zofia and Udo reluctantly agreed to partaking in the game, while Falco was the only one to share the exact same sentiment as the hot-headed softball player.
Falco's older brother, Colt, had taken advantage of the fact that their parents were out of town for the weekend, and took it upon himself to invite an entire brigade of friends over for the usual underage drinking fest.
Colt, being a senior, separated himself from his junior counterparts; his younger brother included.
"They're only a year ahead of us and they act like we're freshman," Gabi snickered, rolling her eyes as the juniors commenced 'Spin the Bottle,' and the seniors commenced a sloppy rendition of beer pong.
Sick of the unfair treatment, she marched over to the kitchen and confronted Colt directly.
Falco could only watch in pure terror. Gabi?! What are you doing?!
In the opposing setting, Colt welcomed her arrival with a smile. "Hey there, Gabi."
Ignoring his slightly slurred speech, Gabi pointed towards the array of red solo cups, each carrying various amounts of cheap beer.
"Let me have a go at it."
Furrowing his brow, Colt merely replied with, "Have you played before or something?"
Gabi refused to give a clear answer, blinking several times impatiently. "Maybe."
Colt held his hands up in defense, surrendering. "By all means…"
A fresh new set of cups was presented before her. Colt then proceeded to hand her a small ping pong ball.
Eyeing each target as if it were the most tedious task ever, Gabi focused on the cup in the center of the arrangement. The others watched in astonishment as the ball plopped directly inside, hollering boisterously like the obnoxious party animals they were.
Colt was the only one among the group to remain silent. "Beginner's luck," he muttered, seemingly unimpressed as he downed another can of Budweiser.
When Gabi managed to repeat the same action successfully, the ball landing ceremoniously into several other cups following several more tosses, Colt's jaw dropped.
She's definitely done this before.
With only one cup left, Gabi paused for a brief moment, relishing in the sweet victory. She glanced over at Colt, taunting him with a sly grin.
When she turned to fixate herself back to the last remaining solo cup, it wasn't long before she hit another successful sinker.
*plop*
A loud uproar of cheers followed suit, the seniors chanting her name in celebration of her decisive victory.
These assholes are entertained way too easily, Gabi thought to herself, internally mocking them for all their stupid shenanigans.
Colt raised a brow, staring at the girl incredulously. "Your cousin Eren teach you that?" He quipped sardonically.
Gabi shook her head. "There's a reason I'm pitcher for the softball team. I have killer aim."
Colt smirked. Though he'd never admit it out loud, he found her hot-headed and arrogant antics adorable. Deciding it couldn't be helped, he linked his arm over her shoulder, catching her off guard.
"Sure, Gabi."
With their bodies as close as they were, hardly any distance left between them, Gabi felt her heart beat wildly against her chest.
She tried for so long to fight the arousal of these feelings, stuck in limbo amid her abrasive denial. It was getting harder and harder every day; a constant uphill battle.
But in that moment, she realized it was no use denying it any longer.
She had a crush on her best friend's older brother.
Fuck.
Koharu Sushi – Sina Downtown Plaza
"Hitch, I expect you to train the new-hire tonight." The manager of the upscale sushi restaurant was never one to mince words, expressing his expectations of the seasoned employee vehemently and assertively. "Show him the ropes. Introduce him to the hosting staff. And be polite." At the conclusion of his instructions, he bid her 'goodnight' and exited the establishment, making haste for his fancy Mercedes-benz.
Hitch gave him a farewell salute, her face contorting into that of disgust as soon as his back was turned.
Her hot-shot employer was kind of an asshole- but he was an asshole who paid her and her fellow co-workers handsomely.
With Ymir gone, the money was the only reason she stuck around.
Only a few days prior, Hitch had been on the verge of strangling the freckled volleyball champ. Ymir informed everyone she was quitting and, amid her delusion, Hitch merely laughed at the reason for her sudden departure.
Ymir had recently been hired at a café run by the Reiss family- the same café Krista worked at.
Un-fucking-believable!
"Thanks for leaving me to die here, Ymir. You crazy, selfish bitch!" Hitch couldn't care less if someone caught her mumbling indignantly to herself.
A part of her blamed Annie. If Annie hadn't left the café, then the café wouldn't have needed a replacement. Which means Ymir wouldn't have applied and ultimately, would've stayed at the sushi joint, keeping a bored Hitch company.
Ugh… whatever.
She leaned against the front desk, dreading the arrival of this mysterious new-hire. She had nary a smidgen of patience that night, already annoyed by the prospect of dealing with the typical clumsiness of an idiot lacking experience.
Just then, the main entrance swiveled open, introducing Ymir's replacement.
Hitch gawked at the sight in an ironic combination of shock and awe.
It was a guy. An attractive guy. A guy who (although was attractive enough, indeed) had the face of horse.
This night just got ten times weirder.
The tall brunet hurriedly walked up to her, a half-smile adorning his face.
It was the same dubious look all newcomers displayed when they first walked into the joint. Pretty soon, 'horseface' would be just as bitter and bored as Hitch. She was sure of it.
The glamour wears off fairly quickly, hun.
"Hey…" he greeted her amiably, peering below at the nametag on her shirt. "Hitch. Nice to meet you. I don't know if management told you or not, but I'm Jean, the new-hire."
"Jean?" Hitch let out a small cackle, composing herself when she remembered the stern voice of her boss. She cleared her throat in desperation. "*Ahem* Yes, of course. I'm aware."
Jean looked around aimlessly, wondering where to go from there. "Are you…?"
Hitch rolled her eyes when he left his question unfinished. "Yes. They put me in charge of training you tonight. Truth be told, it's really not all that necessary. This job is the easiest job in the world." It's a slacker's dream!
"All right then!" Jean clasped his hands together, rubbing them in anticipation. "Sooooooooooooooooooooooo what do we do?"
Hitch yawned, positioning herself behind the front desk, a menu in hand.
"You stand here like this," she began, doling out the basic instruction, "and wait."
Jean's forced-smile twitched. He followed her command without question.
After a minute or so passed, no words relayed between them, Jean looked back at Hitch, tentatively awaiting the next order of business.
"Uhhhhhhh," he droned, "what are we waiting for?"
"People," Hitch replied, like it was obvious. "They come in, usually two or three at a time, and ask for a table and then…" She made a quick gesture towards the dining area before continuing. "We seat them."
Jean nodded slowly, hesitantly. "Gotcha."
She's kind of… cute…
"That's all there is to it," Hitch stated bluntly. She paused before turning to face him, surprised to discover he was already looking at her. What the? "Any questions?"
Like a lovelorn idiot, Jean snapped out of his hazy trance and wildly shook his head.
"Nooooope," came his flustered reply as he nervously fidgeted with his collar.
"Good!" Hitch chirped, enthused and relieved. Talking to new people is so much work!
The newbie appeared capable of learning things quickly, and although no one could ever replace Ymir, Hitch had high hopes for the oddly attractive long-faced chap.
And if he proved himself worthy, they just might become friends.
A/N: I can just imagine Annie trying to pull some seriously ballsy stunts during a game of horse, while poor Bertie only manages to keep up because of his height.