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Jean hates the winter. The way that the bite of cold seemed bent on digging into his veins and chilling him down like he was being cryogenically frozen was irritating and unnecessary. And then there was the constant reminder that Christmas was on the way; the shiny lights coloring the campus buildings and cheer written all over the faces around him. Everyone looked so damn cheery, joy and happiness either painted or etched into their features and it was so sickening. How the fuck can they be so happy about a Christian-fantasy holiday when half of these people probably weren’t even Christian?
Their faces plastered with cheer and his with true Scrooge McDuck qualities, Jean makes his way across campus to the Starbucks they’d made for easy access for all those that needed the extra boost without paying for steroids or their own coffee makers. The coffee shop was placed all the way near the theater department, opposite of where the library stood, and it bothered him even more. Who the fuck thought keeping coffee so far away from studying kids was a good idea. Jean didn’t have to study but the past week he’d spent doing so and barely scraping through with other assignments justified the urge for his favorite drink.
He just wants his double shot caramel macchiato in one of those hard cardboard cups with a stupid stick in the mouth hole to keep it safe from the cold winter. Safer than he felt as he trundled through icy pathways and a bunch of people running around trying to get to their final exams and back to their rooms in time before the snow started pouring down hard.
Being a freshman meant Jean was able to turn in final portfolios and take exams quickly and he was done with that life and thankful that this last trip to Starbucks would be the last thing he’d need to do before climbing into his car and driving back home for the holiday break. The promise of hot coffee in his stomach relaxed him a little as he kept the trek across campus, passing groups of adults huddling for warmth and study guides.
Hours of packing. So many hours of stuffing his dorm room life into the few bags and boxes he’d scrounged in getting was difficult and a prolonged task. No one liked packing and Eren was no exception as he stood in the middle of a now empty room, the other half just the same as he’d left it the first day he’d moved in and found out he wasn’t assigned a roommate. It had been amazing news – not having a roommate. But it also brought out the inevitable and Eren had soon enough used the extra space to store his clothes on during those nights when sleep was blocked away by mountains worth of textbooks and assignments.
Being an environment science major wasn’t supposed to be this taxing his first semester of college. Eren had expected a bunch of General Education classes to pass the filter year by but instead counselors had him starting with the basic Bio 10 class and such and apparently he was rusty at basic biology. And English. The reminder that English was a second language for him and German was something not so widely used was a shock when English 2A papers came back with red slashes marked all over it.
He’s gotten his shit together mid-semester but it still haunted him to the end of finals that there could be a spot where he’d fuck up and fail a class. This meant a lot of all-nighters and a lot of coffee. Speaking of coffee, oh man did he need some double shots in his system before passing out on the train ride back home tonight. Trost was a distance away to where if he had a car or a license or a best friend with a car and license, he’s get home within a couple of hours. Instead the future of trundling through the train system with a large suitcase and a box like he was going off to Hogwarts for the semester rather than taking his dirty laundry back home was set in stone for now.
Grabbing his keys off the desk, Eren made his way across campus. The dorms were a bit away from Starbucks but the promise of warm coffee made him move faster as the cold tried to whip against his open toes. He’d forgotten his sneakers and had instead left with his sandals still on but the cold didn’t hurt as bad considering it wasn’t much compared to Germany’s winters. California could really up their winter game a few notches.
He was pulling the door open, his mind far off as he stared to the side at the group of boys huddling and muttering around a book about how much they hated chemistry when the tragedy happened. He hadn’t noticed the guy that was about to make his way out of the restaurant, his own eyes trained down at the cell phone he was texting away at. His shoulder had been turned to push the heavy door open but it was too late as Eren pulled right then and left the blond with the steaming hot coffee tripping over the ledge of the door and his own feet and spilling the entire drink.
The cup landed in a dramatic thud as it went flying slow motion towards the cold cement at their feet. Eren flinched away before he got anything splattered on him and he looked up and sighed when he saw that the other guy seemed okay as well. He wasn’t yelling about burns or scars or anything. He was staring down bewildered at the sudden change of events, his eyes blown comically wide as he looked at the corpse of his drink and back up at Eren’s passive face. His eyes were sharp and ready to snap a twig in half and Eren wasn’t as built as he had hoped to one day be but the glare he was getting left him gulping down a thickness he hadn’t known was building at the back of his throat. Shit.
“I’m so sorry. Shit man I didn’t see you there and-”
“Dude what the fuck? That was my drink.”
“I know and I’m sorry. I’ve already said that. Look I can buy you another one to make up for it. I have the money shit man. Let me just make it up for you, yeah.”
The blond stared at Eren, his eyes analyzing every part of his face and before he would’ve flinched away as he watched the light brown eyes linger over the scars on his face but he let it happen, trying to show that he meant it about buying him another drink. It must’ve been the Christmas spirit that had him working charity but it was the least he could do for dumping the large cup of coffee onto the ground.
Eren leads the way in, glancing back every few steps to make sure the other boy is following him. He turns back and notices how the glare is a little more subdued and how the blond keeps his eyes down at Eren’s feet to make sure he doesn’t lose him. They find the long line of college students, wrapped around the bar, and they follow along and stand behind a tired looking senior. The boy, whose name Eren doesn’t even know yet, stands next to him, their elbows nearly touching as he stuffs his hands in the pockets of his winter jacket.
“So what’s your name?”
“You don’t need to know that.”
“I know. I would just like to know. What if I have you in a class next semester? I’d need to have at least one acquaintance.”
“I doubt we’ll be in a class together.”
“Well no offense or anything but you look like a freshman and since I am too it’s likely we’ll end up in a GE class together at some point. So. What’s your name blondie?”
The guy huffs and eyes the front door. Probably contemplating an escape but he turns back anyway and answers. “Jean.”
“Mm. Mine’s Eren. What’s your major?”
“Business. Public Relations specifically.”
“Nice! So it that like managing the publicity for companies and shit?”
“Yeah actually. Usually people think it means I wanna be a paparazzi-wrangler but yeah.”
“That’s pretty cool. I’m an environmental science major. I’m from Germany actually. Came down from home for the education and my sister lives a couple towns over so it was perfect excuse to get my parents to let me leave.”
“That would explain the slight accent and choppy English.”
“Excuse me but my accent is sexy. At least that’s what my ex-boyfriend said all the time.”
“Oh.”
“So where are you from?”
“Why do you want to know so much about me? You owe me a coffee, not my life story.”
“Because, like I said, new acquaintances. I have to know something about you so we have something other than formalities to talk about when we meet next semester.”
“We’re not meeting next semester.”
“Meeting. Running into each other again. Same difference. So?”
“Trost.”
“That’s where my sister lives! So are you going back home soon? I’m leaving tonight on the 8pm train.”
“I was about to head out right now once I’d had my coffee. My shit’s all ready to go and everything. Just need my coffee and I can live this shit place.”
“You don’t like university?”
“Not really no.”
“I love it here. Lots of nice people and good weather. Makes studying in peace a lot easier than back home in Germany.”
“Right- hey it’s our turn to order now.”
Eren turns back towards the front of the store, his eyes flashing as he practically runs up to the counter. “Armin! I didn’t know you were working today,” he says more than asks.
The blond working the counter must pick up the tone though as he smiles and grabs a cup from the stack next to the register and uncaps a pen. “Yeah. One last shift and then I’m free.” Armin tilts his head, his eyes traveling back to where Jean is standing close to Eren’s back and is staring incredulously at the back of Eren’s head. “Jean?”
Jean flinches at being addressed personally by name and he paints on an obviously fake smile as he responds. “Hey Armin. How are you?”
“Uh. Good.” Armin turns back towards Eren, that spark of curiosity filling his eyes as usual. “Eren you know Jean?”
“Not really. I kind of bumped into him and made him spill his coffee and I owe him one now.”
“Oh.”
“Why? Wait, how do you guys know each other?”
It’s Jean’s voice that speaks up above the others. He’s firm in his tone and it kind of freaks Eren out how serious he sounds when he says it. “We used to date back in high school. Didn’t really work out going into college.”
Eren whistles lowly as he glances between the two boys. “Oh. So is that why you hate this school? Because of Armin? Dude you’ve got some misplaced feelings going on and I am here to mediate it.”
Armin chuckles as Jean turns a dark shade of red, the tips of his ears burning under the edge of his red beanie. “How about we leave that for after break. What do you guys want to drink?”
“Right. Jean you first.”
Jean stammers for a second as he looks up at the board, but he shakes his head as he remembers the drink he’d had just a few minutes ago. “Double shot caramel macchiato.”
Armin writes the drink down on the largest cup they sell as Eren just smiles at Jean stupidly, laughing to himself as he turns back to an awaiting Armin. “Make that two lover boy.”
Jean frowns but before he can get a question out, Eren rounds on him at the end of the bar after paying. “That’s actually my usual drink too. Well I don’t always get the double shot but the finals have me dying and needing that extra caffeine. Um. We should probably sit,” he glances around at the large group of people huddled around the counter and points towards an empty table near the far end of the building by the window. “It might be a while.”
Jean grumbles but follows him as they go to sit by the open window that frames the coming storm perfectly. The snow falling serenely as people rush around in its wake to get inside buildings.
Jean sits himself down in front of Eren and Eren’s given the chance to just look at the boy. His blond hair is cut as an undercut from what he can see under his hat, the blond popping out from at the front while the back is shades darker. His eyes are naturally beady and it relaxes Eren a bit that he wasn’t the cause for his constant scowling.
Jean’s the first to break the silence that Eren’s let settle over them as he noticed the way that Jean’s nose turned up slightly at the end. “So. What’s up with you?”
“What do you mean? I’m just me.”
“Rather outgoing and loud for an exchange student.”
“If you don’t live life on the edge and happy then what’s the point, ya know?”
“Right. But it’s a lot don’t you think?”
“I mean not really. I’ve made a new friend haven’t I?”
“You have?” Jean asks, his eyebrows raising up to hide under his long fringe.
“Jean. C’mon man. Give me a break and accept my friendship.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“We already have the same taste in coffee, bro. We have the same friends, even if Armin is an ex. We’re practically best friends now.”
Jean smirks as he pulls his hands to cross them over his chest. His heads shakes in resolve and he looks out the window as they wait in silence again for their cups of coffee. Eren’s eyes wander and linger over at the boy again, taking in the way his shoulders hunch and relax in his seat as his knee sticks out from under the small table between them.
Eren’s name is given out over the small roar of the people sitting and milling around the building and he stands and makes his way towards the bar, leaving Jean sitting and watching him walk away.
He comes back, drinks in hand, making sure to stick the green stick into the cap of the cup before sitting back in front of Jean. Jean accepts the drink graciously, sipping at the taste and making sure nothing was fucked up in the order. He seems to accept the flavor and bite of caffeine as his chair squeaks and grinds against the tile and he stands letting Eren just stare bewildered up at him. “Where are you going?”
“I have to start driving back home. Can’t be late to mom’s dinner.”
“Right, of course. Mom’s happiness is always important.”
“Yeah.” He floats around for a second, his mind wandering as he tries to think of something to say. “Have-have you talked to your mom in a while?”
Eren backs a little at the sudden question. He blinks up at Jean and smiles quietly. “Yeah she said that she’s a bit lonely but I’ll have fun with my sis Mikasa until she can get the paperwork to come visit with dad.”
“Th-that sounds nice. Well I should get going now.”
Eren stands and walks along with Jean as they head out the door. “I should probably head back and continue packing as well.”
“Right so,” Jean points over his shoulder as they stand in front of the door, the snow hitting their shoulders and head lightly. It’s a damn picture=perfect moment. “I’m that way towards the parking lot.”
“I’m in the dorms.”
Jean nods his head, and spins on his hells. Shooting a wave over his shoulders, he mumbles out a small “see ya later” and starts walking.
Eren whispers to himself, his eyes following the boy for a second before doing the same and walking in the opposite direction. “Will definitely see you later, Jean.”
He’s only made it a couple of steps away from the door, letting a group of girls pass him by when the rush of cold hits him hard on the ass. Literally. He spins around and one glance shows him that he’s been pelted with a snowball trained at his ass. Eren looks up with wild eyes trying to find who did it but he smiles when he see Jean smirking back at him, his hands deep in his pockets to warm them from the icy frost.
“Merry Christmas, Eren.”