"In the evenings, before I went to sleep
and in the mornings, in the moment I woke up
I realized I was praying for rain."
He was sitting in his living room, the voices coming from the television filling the empty silence. It was just another evening, he had just gotten back from school and decided to smoothen out the texture of a pair of wooden shoes. Eren didn't really see the use of making wooden shoes, since he definitely was no clogger. But, his hands had made them before his mind could catch up.
Maybe he could stick dirt into them and use them as decorative flower pots. That was an idea. That was a great idea, actually.
The front door clicked open out of the blue and was shut quietly behind who ever had just walked in. It couldn't have been His father, because the door was always closed heavily when he got home, the man's footsteps were loud as well. So it had to be Mikasa.
"Mikasa?" Eren called out, not taking his eyes off of the sandpaper he was running over the wood. It was looking pretty alright, the wood was getting smooth and without splinters.
Several seconds passed before the raven haired female walked into the living room and glanced to the television. "The weather?"
Eren did have the weather network on, but he wasn't really paying attention after it said a ninety percent chance of rain for the next day.
"Yeah," His voice was distant, he was thinking, though not about what he was doing. Eren was thinking about that beautiful garden he visited during the rain, of the birds that chirped happily and the blossoming flower buds that filled the trees and grass with colour. But, there was also another thing that was taking up his thoughts; that man. He shook his head and rid of those thoughts, focusing his attention on the wooden clogs he was sanding.
"You never told me exactly why you go to that garden, where it is, and why you bring two lunches," She sat down next to Eren, their knees touching. "It's not important," Eren dismissed with a small shrug. It wasn't that he had anything to hide, but Eren felt like that gazebo wasn't something to talk about outside of the park, it wasn't anyone else's business. It was only his, and whomever sat with him there.
Of course, Mikasa would never settle with just that answer, so the boy changed the subject. "Hey, do you know what this means?" He set down what he was doing then took a piece of folded paper from his pocket. Eren had written down that tanka the man spoke to him in his sketchbook. So he wouldn't forget.
The girl unfolded the paper then pinched it between two fingers, reading what it said. "This is a tanka, correct?" Eren nodded with an affirmative hum. "I don't know what it means actually.. maybe you could ask Armin tomorrow? Or Grisha when he comes home,"
"Isn't dad at the bar his girlfriend works at?" If so, it wouldn't come as a shock to Eren "Yes.. he said he is going to stay with her for a few days," Mikasa pursed her lips and tugged the scarf she was wearing up to her nose. The boy knew then that she wasn't telling him something.
"Why? He never does that unless he's upset,"
"I told him about Annie,"
"Oh…,"
Annie Leonhardt was their upperclassman, she was in the third year at their high school and just so happened to have caught interest in first year Mikasa.
"He'll come back in a few days," Eren grunted in response then went back to sanding his shoes.
"I'm going to stay at annie's until then, actually," That made Eren bite his cheek. He'd be alone, huh? That was fine, it was okay. He was very well acquainted with it. "Have fun, then,"
"Don't forget to feed yourself,"
"I'm not a little kid Mikasa!" He huffed out a breath and went back to sanding his shoes. "Plus, I'm the one who makes the meals regularly. You should worry about yourself..,"
The girl bumped shoulders with him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Stop pouting. I'm leaving in an hour, though. Is that okay?"
"It's fine,"
As promised, the girl left the house with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder, just an hour afterwards. And, Eren was alone. The empty sounds felt eerie to his ears, even when he turned on some music from his phone. He moved onto scratching ideas down onto paper with his pencil, how he would go about making those shoe's he had been designing. Everything was planned, sketched out and ready, except for the measurements. He needed a size to make them in..
Eren knew he could have made the shoes in his size, but that didn't seem to sit well with him. He wanted to make them for someone.. he really did. Plus, black leather shoes just wasn't something he wore.
After the sun sunk below the horizon, the sky began to fall to the ground in the form of water once again.
It was a soothing sound to fall asleep to, and even more soothing to wake up to.
Eren climbed out of his bed after shutting off his phone alarm and glanced out of the window. Rain was dripping down the glass, condensation making the outside world blurry. Rain.. this means I'll get the go there again..
A soft smile pulled at his lips as he padded over to the kitchen to make himself breakfast (after changing into his school uniform) and some lunch for later. I wonder if he'll be there..
He stopped pushing around the scrambled eggs around in his pan when he thought of that. Why did he keep on thinking of that man… why did his thoughts of that garden seem to always correlate with that stranger. Maybe it was just routine. He was a creature of routine, and that raven haired man threaded his way into Eren's order, simply by sitting on that bench. Of course, that was it. Routine.
Before the eggs had the chance to burn, Eren focused his attention back to his cooking, and turned off the burner. They weren't as fluffy as usual, because of his mild zoning out, but they didn't taste bad when he began to eat them.
There was no rustling in the other room, signifying that Mikasa had woken up, truly; he was alone.
Eren sighed over the last forkful of egg before he ate it, finishing his small breakfast. Lunch was made not even minutes later. He just made two jelly sandwiches. One for himself and the other for.. that man. That was, of course, part of the routine. To make the extra lunch.
He packed his bag, stuffed the two lunches inside along with his books and sketchpad, then pulled on his home made shoes. Not the wooden ones- of course. Those wouldn't sustain through the rainy weather.
As soon as he was outside, Eren popped open his umbrella and began to walk to the train station, his shoes squelching against the rain soaked pavement.
The rain sustained through his ride on the train, even through his walk to the garden. It was a nice patter, but it eventually got distant the further under the tree coverage he went.
"Hello," Eren greeted the man once he stepped under the wooden structure. He was there again, the stranger was there sipping his wine.
There was a pause, then a short grunt, but the man actually responded. "Good morning,"
Eren's lips twitched up into a soft smile as he set his slightly wet bag down onto the bench. "I made sandwiches, do you want one?"
"I don't have a choice, do I?" The student took it as an immediate yes, so he took out the two containers and sat down a bit closer to the stranger. He left a respectable amount of space between them, though. "Hm, not really. Here," Eren handed the man a container, after he set the wine bottle next to his thigh.
"Tch..," The raven haired man took Eren's offering and opened the lid with slight hesitation- that didn't go unnoticed by Eren. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to talk to strangers, brat, let alone offer them food? Honestly..,"
"Well...," He paused for a few moments and scratched his cheek in thought. "She did tell me not to talk to strangers but never said anything about offering them food, so it's okay,"
The man grunted disapprovingly then took a small bite out of the sandwich. It looked like he was trying to keep clean. "Is it good?" Eren questioned over a bite of his own sandwich, crumbs falling onto his lap. "No,"
"What, seriously?" His shoulders slumped forwards slightly in disappointment. He really thought his cooking was okay..
"Shit, don't look like I just kicked your fucking puppy,"
"Yeah, okay," Then, a familiar silence fell upon them. One where the man didn't want to speak, and where Eren had nothing else to say. It didn't bother him though.
After finishing his sandwich, Eren packed away his container then took out his sketchbook. The man was still eating. Actually, He barely made a dent into the sandwich. Maybe it really is that bad.
"Uh, sir, if it's really that bad... You don't have to eat it. Just put it in the container and I'll take it back," That really disappointed Eren, and it must have showed on his face because the man shook his head and kept taking small bites. "It's fine,"
"What, you just said it was bad?"
"It's just a jelly sandwich.. no one could fuck that up, kid. It's good," Something glinted in the man's steel eyes before he glanced away and finished eating the sandwich. Eren's lips curled up into a small smile as he tapped his pencil against his sketchbook, he didn't notice the small whip of regret flashing through the strangers eyes.
Eren's eyes eventually shifted to the man's shoes. They were scuffed at the tip, and were looking a bit worn down, more than last time. That made him furrow his brows. Why would a man like him who looked pristine, clean, and well put together, be wearing a pair of old dress shoes? Maybe they were given to him by someone special? No.. then he wouldn't have worn them at all. "Um.. sir? Are those shoes.. special?" The question was stupid, Eren knew as much, but he still asked.
"Hm? These.. well, no. They're not,"
"Then why do you wear them everyday, even though they are worn down?" Maybe it was a question that was too personal to ask a stranger, but Eren was always a curious boy.
"... I suppose they are special then," It was a simple response, and Eren received no other. So he stayed quiet.
A few minutes passed before Eren heard the sound of liquid being guzzled from a bottle. "Do you only drink wine?"
"Hm.. I have the occasional beer. I much prefer wine, though..," He took another sip. "And you prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate?" The man sat the bottle down next to his thigh again and glanced over to Eren, his gaze cold.
"So the brat has a brain. I'm surprised," Even though it served as an insult, Eren found himself laughing lightly. "That wasn't meant to be funny,"
"I know sir, but..,"
"Just go back to drawing or whatever the hell you do- and quit bothering me,"
That definitely shut Eren up. He closed his mouth then glanced back down at his drawings. He hoped to have them in the making process by the next week but..
Wait.. that man was a jerk. He insulted Eren then told him to shut up. But.. the student didn't take offense to it. "You never said I was bothering you before. Don't you like the company?" I sure do..
"No,"
"What?"
"I'd rather be alone,"
After that, the stranger seemed to distant himself from Eren without moving an inch. "But why?"
"Know your boundaries, kid," Oh. Right. He was intruding too much. "Sorry sir, I was just curious,"
There was no answer, not even a grunt. Had Eren offended him? Of course.. he spoke too much, as he always did.
The student gnawed his lower lip then decided to go early. He stood up, packed all of his things into his bag and was about to go when the mans voice graced his ears. "Oi,"
"Yeah, sir?"
"Don't forget your container, brat," The words didn't seem as harsh as usual, for some odd reason. So when Eren turned around to take the container the man was holding out for him, he smiled softly. "Thanks,"
"You're welcome,"
The student then left, his umbrella catching the rain that threatened to spill over him.
"Hey, Armin, you're good in literature right?" The brunette asked once he arrived to school, his umbrella drenched and dripping onto the floor. "Yeah, I'm averaging well… though we don't have our teacher. Mr. Erwin has been a good supply,"
"uh huh, well uh I have this tanka, but I don't know exactly what it's trying to say. Do you think you'd know?" The blond smiled a bit and closed his locker- not mentioning the puddle forming on the floor.
"That depends, what's the tanka?" Eren handed the other boy the piece of paper with words written on them. The blonde took several moments to look over the tanka, his brows knitted together in what seemed to be concentration. "It's missing a part. This is only half the tanka..,"
"Only half….?" Why would he only say half of it..
"Yeah. You'll have to find the other half, the response to the first bit. Sorry, I really don't know this one," Eren sighed a bit as they began to walk to class. He'd just leave his umbrella near the vent. His teacher never minded. "Maybe Mr. Erwin would know, ask him when we get to class?"
"Yeah, I'll do that,"
Mr. Erwin did not end up knowing the tanka, though, a familiar glint did flash in his pale blue eyes. It made Eren think that what his principal- or supply teacher at the time -was saying, was not the complete truth.
"You could find a literature book in the library," The tall man had told Eren. "I'm sure there are books that could hold the other half. Now, sit down Eren, class is about to start,"
The conversation ended just like that, but Eren decided he should do as the man had said.
As he sat at his wooden desk next to Armin, his gaze was out the window, fingers lightly tapping against the oakwood. Only half a tanka… he really is strange..
The Third day into Shinganshina's rainy season, rain fell in the morning- as was expected.
Mikasa was still at Annie's, but she had made sure at school the day before that he was alright. Still so overprotective.. even after all those years.
Eren Kept his routine: He woke up to his phone alarm. glanced outside the window for rain, smiled when he saw some, then got ready for school- he even made that extra lunch. Some knew things were slipping into his routine. But, it never seemed to bother him.
He walked to his 'sanctuary'- he'd tend to call it, the rain making soothing music against his umbrella. It was nostalgic, and Eren loved it.
It was becoming part of his routine, to bid a hello to the man wearing dark clothes and scuffed shoes, and that was the exact thing he did when he stepped under the wooden coverage. "Mornin', sir,"
Eren clicked shut his umbrella and set it against the bench so it would drip onto the floor. He then got out his sketchpad and Pencil, though the student didn't really know what to do with them. Everything was planned. He sat down and thought for few seconds, before the stranger replied.
"Good morning," The brunette's eyes shifted back to the other once he spoke, a soft smile on his lips. That morning, the man was wearing those black slacks again, another white dress shirt with a dark blazer over top. Though, tied around his neck was something Eren would assume to be called a cravat, a white one too.
There were no more words exchanged after that. Eren skimmed through his sketchbook, his lips curled up into a soft smile. Everything was.. tranquil.
Though, around fifteen minutes later, Eren heard the man stand up and pop open his gray umbrella. The student glanced up and watch the man , who didn't grab his bag though, which was weird. "Are you leaving?" THe brunette questioned, his sketchbook and pencil set down next to his thigh.
"No. I want to stretch my legs," He looked over to the small pathway that was almost grown over with leaves and flowers. After a moment of analyzation, Eren noticed the pathway lead to another wooden structure, though this one was small and probably could only accompany two people.
"Can I join?" Eren completely forgot about his drawings and looked at the man, waiting for the no.
"Do what you want…," It wasn't a no, surprisingly. Eren smiled softly then stood up and popped open his green umbrella, following the man down the pathway. It was a skinny path, so he had to walk behind the rather short man, but that was alright. He wasn't sure if the man would want him walking next to him anyways.
"Oh, it's near the pond," Eren said, his smile quirking larger. They stood under the wooden structure, still needing the umbrella's over their heads.
The large pond was just a few feet away, the ground sloping down a bit past where the structure ended. It was indeed beautiful.
Overhead, pink flowers grew overtop the wooden structure, some even hung down so they were swaying just above their umbrella's. In the pond there was a family of ducks, swimming in a line to wherever they were headed to- probably to coverage from the rain.
The droplets of rain created ripples in the water and it was just so relaxing to watch.
"You enjoy drawing?" The man suddenly spoke, after a while of admiring. Eren smiled a bit and chuckled. "No- actually. I only draw shoes. And feet,"
The raven haired male raised a slime brow at Eren, who only saw it when he looked over. "I aspire to become a shoe maker. That's why I draw in that book- to make plans for them. I know it's out of date… but it's what I like doing,"
The man grunted in response, and Eren twirled his umbrella between both palms out of habit. He, of course, didn't mean to flick the man with droplets of water, he only realized when the stranger started grumbling about him being a brat. He was just too fidgety.
"Watch it, brat,"
"Oh- sorry sir..," Eren didn't know why, but he started chuckling a bit. it seemed to confuse- or maybe irritate the man- as well.
"Honestly..," After that, they stayed in silence once more, standing there; enjoying the scent of flowers and the tranquil sounds of nature.
The two headed back to the gazebo together in silence, this time Eren was leading the way. It was time for the student to go, so he packed up all of his things.
All but one of the lunches he made. Eren turned towards the stranger, his backpack slung over one shoulder, and handed the container of rice and lentils to the man. "Here. don't worry about the container, it's old anyways,"
It seemed to take the raven haired man a while to accept the offering, but he eventually reached out and took the container in his hands. "You're a generous kid,"
"I guess..," Eren glanced over his shoulder briefly before looking back to the man. "Maybe we'll see eachother again?"
"Perhaps- when it's raining,"
The response rang in Eren's head as he left the park with his deep green umbrella overhead.
Will you stay here with me?
Perhaps- when it's raining.
