Chapter Text
Having perfected our disguise, we spend our lives searching for someone we don’t fool
-Robert Brault
You
WIth every step you took, you felt the dread inside of you grow.
For the past three blocks a man in a red hoodie had been following you, maintaining some distance, but not enough to keep your alarms from going off.
It was late evening and you were just trying to get back to your apartment, but you had taken so many different turns in order to try and throw him off that you no longer knew where you were.
On the plus side, he probably didn’t know where you lived. On the minus side, you didn’t know what you would say on the phone if you were to call someone. But even if you did you probably wouldn’t, not wanting the slightest thing to distract you from the impending danger.
It was during this internal panic that you noticed that you were coming up to a well-lit, presumably busy building. You quickened your pace, and saw that it was a bar called The Garrison. It looked utterly unremarkable, but there were people inside and that was all you needed. You went inside without a second thought, going right up to the bar itself. You put your hands on the countertop, taking in some deep breaths to try and calm yourself. You looked up and noticed a mirror just behind the bar, beside long shelves of various bottles of alcohol. And reflected in that mirror, to your horror, was your pursuer, who had just entered.
You whipped your head around, trying to find an escape route, but in the corner of your eye you saw him approaching via his reflection, and knew that you were running out of time.
Then, at the end of the bar, you saw a lone man.
Before you could think, you made your way over to him, putting on a bright smile and calling out to him. “Hey! Sorry I’m late, got lost.”
He looked up at you, and you saw confusion on his face. You sat on the stool beside him and before he could speak you quickly leaned in, dropping your voice to a whisper he could hear. “The man in the red hoodie behind me has been following me.” You said, voice cracking with fear. “Please, just pretend you know me for five minutes.” You looked up at him, your eyes wide and pleading, silently begging him for help.
The stranger looked back at you, his deep green eyes unreadable. For a moment, you were afraid he would reject your plea, and abandon you.
But instead, he smiled, wrapping a strong arm around your waist as he pulled you closer. “Kept me waiting baby.” He said in a purr, leaning in close to you, almost as if he was going to kiss your cheek. “I’ll act like your boyfriend until the guy leaves.”
A wave of relief washed over you, so intensely that you nearly cried. But you kept your smile up. “Thank you.” You whispered, finally feeling your heart go back down to it’s resting rate.
“I’m Eren.” He said.
“Y/N.” You took a closer look at Eren, finally able to process things normally now that you weren’t fearing for your life. Admittedly, you had made a rather fine choice for a protector. Even sitting down you could tell he was tall, and his black shirt was tight enough to show that he was muscular, easily able to intimidate most men. And beyond that he was, undeniably, rather handsome. His hair was long and dark, pulled back in an unkempt bun that allowed you-and everyone else really-to look at his chiseled, well sculpted face. As far as fake boyfriends go, you could definitely do worse.
“Here, order something.” Eren grabbed a menu, sliding it in front of you. “Make it look more real.”
“Oh yeah, good idea.” You looked down, scanning through it. You settled on a virgin cosmopolitan, wanting to keep a clear head. “I really do appreciate this Eren.” You said quietly. You glanced back over your shoulder and saw that red hoodie was just a ways down the bar, watching you intensely. You quickly looked away. “I’m sorry, if you need to be somewhere I understand.”
“Don’t worry, I’m free all night.” Eren assured you. “And even if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t leave a pretty girl to fend off some creep.”
The compliment caught you off guard, making you feel flustered as you looked down. “A real knight in shining armour huh?” You said, wanting to keep it light, despite the circumstances.
“It was how my mom raised me.” He smiled, and suddenly it felt as if you were the centre of his universe. “So, why were you out so late anyway?”
“Had a late class.” You grimaced. “I thought about going home on a bus but I thought a walk would be good for me.” You snorted then, rolling your eyes at yourself. “That’ll teach me.”
“Hey, you just wanted to enjoy a nice walk. Nothing wrong with that.” Eren’s eyes flickered over your shoulder and then back at you. “Not your fault there are psychos out there.”
You smiled. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I am.” Eren smirked, looking rather smug and self satisfied, and yet you couldn’t help but find it endearing. “So what do you study?”
“Classical studies. You know, ancient Greece and stuff.”
Eren whistled, sounding impressed. “Damn, pretty and smart.” He grinned. “I really lucked out in the fake girlfriend stakes huh?”
You laughed, feeling yourself being won over by this near stranger. “A real charmer huh?”
“When I want to be.” Eren smirked. “So, tell me about your classes.”
It took a full half hour for Mr Red Hoodie to finally leave, during which time Eren had thoroughly indulged you, listening intently as you explained the various Greek city states and their habit of fighting each other.
Once you saw the back of that red hoodie leave, you let out a sigh of relief. “Thank God, looks like I’m free to leave.” You finished off your third virgin cosmo, not wanting to waste it. “I really do appreciate this Eren, thank you so much.”
“Like I said, I’m happy to do it.”
You smiled gratefully at him. “Here, let me pay for my drinks.”
“Absolutely not.” Eren said, his voice firm. “You’ve been through enough, you deserve a nice treat.”
You almost gaped at him, a small cluster of butterflies forming in your stomach. “Please, I insist.”
“Nope.” He shook his head, voice firmer now. “I’m paying, no arguments.”
You try to protest but he calls the bartender over and tells him to ignore you as he pays. The bartender raises a brow but doesn’t say anything, just accepts the card and takes away your glass.
“You have to let me pay you back somehow.” You insisted. “How about lunch?”
“You sure about that?” Eren asked. “You are a student after all.”
“I’ll manage.”
Eren seemed to consider this, his eyes raking over you slowly. The look in his eyes was impossible to decipher, and yet it sent a shiver down your spine, heat blossoming inside of you. “Alright. Lunch.”
You beamed. “Perfect.” You reached into your bag, pulling out your phone. “Put your number in my phone and I’ll give you mine so we can meet up.”
You both exchanged phones, adding yourselves to each other’s contact list. You decided to add (from the bar) at the end of your name, just in case he forgot. Once that’s done you put your phone back and stand up. “Text me and let me know when you’re free and I’ll sort something out.” You slipped your jacket back on, adjusting your bag and checking everything was in order.
“Here, let me walk you out, in case the guy is still there.”
Thankfully the guy wasn’t, and you ordered an Uber to take you home as you were still confused. “You really are a sweet guy Eren.” You said, with complete sincerity as you looked at him. Your smile was a little more bashful now, looking up at Eren as he easily dwarfed you.
“Anything for a pretty damsel.” He grinned.
You giggled, just as the Uber arrived. “Let me know about lunch ok?” You said, opening the door and putting your stuff in the back. “And get home safe.”
“You too angel.”
You looked away, not wanting Eren to see how flustered the name made you, even as it also made you smile and giggle like a giddy school girl.
The ride home was thankfully uneventful, and you thanked the driver as you got out, already leaving five stars and a tip as you made your way up.
Once you were through the door into the apartment you let out a sigh of relief, grateful to be somewhere safe and familiar. Unfortunately, that peace is quickly interrupted.
“Y/N!” In no time Historia had rounded the corner into the entryway, eyes wide and panicked. “You’re back!”
“What took you so long?” Naturally Ymir was right behind her, brow furrowed and frowning.
“Sorry guys.” You said sheepishly. “Got held up.”
Ymir raised a brow. “By what?”
You gave them a quick rundown of what happened with your stalker and Eren, trying your best to keep the tone light so that they don’t get more worried and anxious. “I’m sorry, I know I should’ve called, but I was so freaked out the whole time I couldn’t think straight.”
“We totally understand.” Historia insisted. “We’re just glad you’re safe! That Eren guy sounds nice.”
“Y-Yeah.” You stammered slightly and you felt yourself smiling a little. “I invited him out to lunch as a thank you.”
“Awfully bold of you.” Ymir said with a smirk. And, well, she wasn’t wrong. It was entirely like you to extend an offer like that to someone you didn’t know.
“He paid for my drinks!” You said, cheeks flushing. “I did it to say thank you!”
“Sure.” Ymir extended the word, her voice and body language dripping in so much sarcasm even you could pick up on it.
“And don’t tell Sly about this.” You said. “I don’t need it getting back to him. Or any of them for that matter.”
“Why not if it’s just a simple lunch?” Historia asked, seeming innocent but the look in her eyes and the quirk of her brow said otherwise. “You know, just to say thank you.”
You groaned, hiding your warm face in your hands. “I’m moving out, I swear I mean it this time.”
The two girls laugh, and even in your current state, you couldn’t hold back a smile.