Chapter Text
From: Unknown
"Is it true, that Profesor Johnson wears checkered underwear?"
What?
Eren frowns his brows, gazing carefully at the just received, odd message.
He couldn't recall giving a stranger his phone number in the past few weeks nor having a friend disturbingly interested in his sixty years old's marketings teacher's undergarments.
He looked back and the blanking screen, but the message stayed the same.
To: Unknown
„Why are you interested in a sixty years's old underwear?"
When his finger hit the "send" button, Eren wondered why, in hell, he didn't ask for the interlocutor's identity, but it was too late to delete the message, which the person on the other end had probably already read.
He waited, staring blankly at the phone screen as his legs drilled a hole in the mattress.
However, when after a good three minutes wait, there was still no answer, Eren put the phone on the dresser next to the bed and laid his head on the pillow.
He was just reaching for the light switch lamp when a notification sound rang loud enough to wake anyone sleeping in the distances of thirty meters.
From: Unknown
„I'm just wondering. Women her age often like this type of underwear."
He decided to let go of a question on how the person on the other side of the screen was aware of the underwear trends prevailing among older ladies.
Eren sighted slightly irritated by now.
To: Unknown
„You are so dead tomorrow, horse-head."
From: Unknown
„In this case im grateful I'm not the horse-head."
- The hell? - he grumbled under his breath, rubbing his tired from the whole day of studying eyes.
To: Unknown
„Then who the hell are you?"
„Annie, you are not being funny. You are well aware of the fact that I'm having that test tomorrow, so get lost."
Silence was what responded.
To: Unknown
„Annie?"
„Actually you don't sound like a woman, so...Ymir?!"
From: Unknown
„From what I know, Ymir is a female name, you brat.
- Brat?! - he snorted in disbelief.
To: Unknown
„You know Johnson, so you can't be more than two years older than me. If I'm a "brat" you are one yourself as well!"
From: Unknown
„Why are you so sure I'm not...an graduate, for example? Or maybe an another Profesor? A stalker, perhaps?"
From: Uknown
„Just so you know, you were right, I'm in fact not a woman."
- Ha! I knew it!
Banging on the wall tore him out of the focuse he put on his phone keyboard.
- You knew what, Ereee.... - he paused, yawning.
- ...een?
Shit, did he just woke up Armin?
- Nothing important, Armin. Sorry if I woke you up from your sleep!
From: Unknown
„You got scared, you brat? Don't worry, I'd rather not engage in such activities."
Dang, this dude really types like an elderly...
- I wasn't sleeping! A new Haikyuu chapter was just realised, you know I couldn't missed it! - replied Armin and laughed heartily.
Eren loved the sound. Every time he would hear it, in front of his eyes would appear the best memories of his life.
From: Unknown
„Oi, brat."
„Sleeping already?"
- Come to my dorm tomorrow before nine, so we will reread it together! - he suggested acting all casual, focusing his eyes on the vibrating from notifications phone in his hand.
- Night, Armin!
- Don't stay up too long, otherwise you will be sleepy in class! - warned him Armin, with his face, judging by the sound, stuffed deep into his pillow.
To: Unknown
„I was talking to Armin."
„Why am I even telling you that?"
„You can be anyone."
"Like literally."
From: Unknown
„Wrong."
„You already know I'm not a stalker and that's good for now."
To: Unknown
„You said you are RATHER not a stalker!"
„There's a difference."
„Maybe I'm getting special treatment, who knows?"
From: Unknown
„I'm not doing exceptions for brats."
To: Unknown
"You hurt my feelings, anon!"
From: Unknown
„Anon?"
Eren stifled a laugh with a blanket.
To: Unknown
„How can you NOT KNOW what "anon" means?"
„Are you like, forty?"
From: Unknown
„I think age has nothing to do with it."
„It's you that's just weird."
To: Unknown
„Said by an old man who randomly texted me, to ask about an elderly's ladies' underwear!"
From: Unknown
„I just didn't know how to strike a conversation."
Oh.
To: Unknown
„So it's not some kind of a prank?"
„Why would you want to talk, then?"
Eren was forced to wait for an answer for six, long seconds.
From: Unknown
„Kinda always wanted to do that."
„Just didn't know how."
Oh..okay.
To: Unknown
„And you decided that texting me will be the best option?"
„How did you even get my number?"
From: Unknown
„I'm fairly shy in public."
Shy?! Eren snorted loudly.
If this guy's shy then Annie isn't a coldhearted bitch!
From: Unknown
„It actually wasn't hard to get."
„For a Grisha Jaeger's son you are really irresponsible in terms of sharing your number."
To: Unknown
„Fuck."
„I left my dog out, gotta go get him!"
From: Unknown
„You don't own a dog."
To: Unknown
„It's my neighbour's dog"
From: Unknown
„You live in a dorm, where your only neighbour is this Arlert-guy, who also happens to not own a dog."
To: Unknown
„Huh?! And you are insisting on not being a STALKER?!"
It took a couple minutes to get a reply.
From: Unknown
„Like to know who am I speaking to."
„Gn, brat."
Eren's eyes winded in pure shock.
He began to type for dear life.
To: Unknown
„Does that mean I'm not the only one you're texting?!"
„Hey!"
„You!"
To: Unknown
„You realise "you!" is a extremely disrespectful way to address someone?"
To: Unknown
„How I'm supposed to address you, if you haven't even told me your name?"
From: Unknown
„Call me the hell you want."
„Go save the dog, boy."
- Just so you know, I'll fucking go! - he blurted out annoyed.
- Eren, please keep it down! It's like 3am!
It's the stalker fault, not mine, he wanted to scream back. He instead replied,
- I'm so sorry, Armin! I promise to be quiet!
To: Unknown
„I woke up Armin because of you!"
„May your pillow be warm on both sides!"
"And that your milk may produce a sheepskin coat!"
From: Unknown
„Cruel."
Eren just send a crocked smile to a message and turned off the light, not caring enough to answer.
•••
Are you sure you want to save this contact as "Stalker"?
Yes.
To: Stalker
„Why would you want to get to know me?"
„I mean...I know I'm pretty neat and all that, but like.."
„But I don't understand why someone would go to such lengths just to get my number."
From: Stalker.
„Eren! It's fucking 4am, goddamn it!"
To: Stalker
„Exactly. It's 4am, why aren't you sleeping?"
„Ha! You're stalking me, right?!"
„I'mma go close the blinds, you won't see me half-naked!"
From: Stalker
„Just go to sleep, brat."
To: Stalker
„I'm not sleeping until you're not answering my question!"
From: Stalker
„Honestly, I'm starting to regret texting you."
To: Stalker
„You are breaking my heart!"
„Jk."
„Answer my question, stalker."
„You heard me?"
„Hey?"
„Halohaloooo?!"
„Jesus, 'kay sorry! I'm just really curious!"
From: Stalker
„You really are not leaving me alone, aren't you?"
„Okay, so be it."
Eren gave himself a mental highfive.
From: Stalker
„I texted you because...well, I saw a couple times around the campus."
"And I thought to myself that you can't be that bad, so I wanted to know If you really are not that bad."
„As you can see I did it. And I was wrong. You are a stupid moron who won't let me sleep."
„Night, Jaeger."
To: Stalker
„Adorable."
•••
- Eren. You seem sleepy. - Mikasa noticed, when he joined them on their way to the cafeteria.
- No surprise he's sleepy - answered Armin instead. Arlert laughed as he rolled his eyes.
- Whoever you were talking to that night seemed to really make you overly excited!
- You have a test today, Eren. - reminded them his older sister.
- You shouldn't be staying up so late.
Armin nodded, agreeing with Mikasa's words.
- Have you even studied at least? - he asked seemingly worried.
- You are well aware of how Hotgan feels about you.
Eren frowned at yesterday's blurry memories of himself studying for a test.
- Yeah.. - he scratched the back of his neck, shifting his backpack onto other shoulder.
- I read a bit, she won't have what to pick on.
They continued on their way, picking up a sleepy Sasha and Connie, who was talking animatedly on the phone with her mother.
Finally, as they sat down at the table at 10 o'clock sharp, with their trays filled with breakfast offerings, Connie looked around uncertainly.
- Hey, where's Jean?
- Oh, about him.. He starts his lecture at..
- ARMIN! - the entire cafeteria probably heard it. Everyone, without exception, turned to the running Jean, who obviously didn't have the decency to look embarrassed.
- Speaking of the horse... - mumbled Eren, turning back to his scrambled eggs.
- Jean! Aren't your lectures starting in two hours? - Armin asked, jabbing the sleepy Eren with his elbow.
- Let's make him some space.
Eren snorted.
- I thought that horses didn't mind sitting on the floor. - he muttered under his breath, then cursed as he earned a terrifying glare from the blonde next to him.
Eren wasn't timid, quite the opposite.
But even he couldn't deny that angry Armin was the most terrifying thing he had ever witness in his l23 years old life.
- Oi, Eren! - Jean exclaimed.
- What did you just said about me?!
- Nothing? - he muttered and then yawned.
Seeing Jean still looking at him in anger and confusion, he sighed, lifting his head completely.
- I said that horses may as well..
- Enough. - Mikasa interrupted, slamming her glass of juice on the table. There was silence again in the cafeteria.
- If you're going to fight, do it out of my sight. For once, let us eat breakfast in peace.
- But Mikasa...
- Shut up, Jean.
They ate in silence for a couple of minutes, before Armin decided to bite the bullet.
- You wanted something from me earlier, what was it about?
Jean eyes brightened in excitement.
- Oh yeah, right! - he squeaked, rummaging through the briefcase lying on the floor. A few seconds later, in his hands was the latest edition of Armin's favorite manga - Haikyuu!!.
- Have you read the newest volume?! I somehow manage to get it in that bookstore down the street! - he boasted, proudly lifting his chest.
- To be fair, I had to fight some kid for it, but I threatened him with an old Jaeger! He looked like he was about to piss hims..
- Jean, how many times have I asked you not to threaten people with our father? - Mikasa seemed helpless.
- Yes, I know. I know! - Jean replied hurriedly, never taking his eyes off Armin. Eren stifled a laugh at his sister's expression.
- Ah, well.. - Armin laughed politely.
- Just a couple chapters. - he admit.
- Eren and I were planning on reading it together before breakfast but he SOMEHOW overslept. - the blond looked at him with reproach.
Eren muttered something about annoying mushrooms as he returned to his breakfast.
- Anyway. - Armin got back on Jean.
- What happened in the volume?
- Right, Jean! - Connie joined in, bringing his tray closer.
- The only thing I saw, was a huge confusion on twitter!
Jean cleared his throat, striking a proud pose. Mikasa snorted.
- Karasuno made it to nationals.
- You fucking with me! - screamed Connie, jumping on his seat with excitement.
- They beat Ushijima?! But that's impossible!
- Tshukhki even blhokked him once! - Sasha added, with a fork in her mouth.
- That whhas so chool!
- Take the cutlery out of your mouth first before you speak, potatogirl.
Eren immediately snapped out of his trance. His eyes blazed with fury as he looked up, meeting Annie.
- What are you looking for here, Annie? This is no place for annoying gnomes.
- Och, Eren. - her eyes reviled pure mockery.
- Are you talking about your little boyfriend?
His fist stopped in Reiner's crushing grip. He growled at the blonde, trying to pull his hand away. With no effect.
- Let me go, you overgrown monkey!
- You're basically asking for it, Eren, you suicidal idiot. - Reiner replied, and the next thing Eren registered was a fist hitting his cheek.
He immediately got up from the table he landed on, pouring milk and porridge on himself, and moved towards the attacker.
However, he didn't have time to do anything, held down by Armin and Connie.
Mikasa and Jean were already there, beating the shit out of Reiner and his tall friend, who Eren recognised as Berthold.
- Mikasa! Jean! - he ranted at his friends.
- Let me for once deal with my own fucking problems!
- You mean how, Eren?! - his wall-white friend growled at him.
- How would you like to deal with Reiner and Bertolt? - Armin asked.
- You know damn well that you can't d..
- So we're supposed to let Mikasa and Jean fight them when they have nothing to do with it?! - he yelled, once again trying to break free from Connie's grip.
They only looked up when they heard heels clicking on the tiles.
No one in the dorm wore heels except...
- The Dean's coming!
•••
From: Stalker
„You are insane."
Eren frowned, reaching painfully for the phone. It was one in the morning and Eren was trying to process what had happened today.
To: Stalker
„I see you are well informed."
„Or we are living in the same dorm."
From: Stalker
„Kepp guessing, brat."
„What the Dean said?"
He sighed, turning over with the phone on his other side.
To: Stalker
„Briefly?"
„Mikasa, Jean, Reiner i Bertholdt are suspended for the next two weeks."
„Annie the slut avoided any consequences, obviously."
From: Stalker
„Annie? You were suspecting me about being her yesterday."
"Am I right?"
To: Stalker
„Sorry."
From: Stalker
„You are a weird little one, kiddo."
To: Stalker
„You don't wanna ask why I'm apologising?"
From: Stalker
„I think I know why."
He was just starting to answer when the keyboard and text messages disappeared from the screen, revealing instead an incoming call from Mikasa.
He frowned, then glanced quickly at the clock showing 1am before answering.
- Mikasa?
He heard her wheezing through the speaker before she answered.
- Eren, it's good that you're awake.
His eyebrows rose even higher and his free hand clenched into a fist around the material of his pants.
- Did something happen? You never call unless something important happens.
From: Stalker
„By the way, I checked what your "anon" means."
„You're dumb."
- I went home. - the cold, dry voice showed no emotion, and Eren silently cursed.
- What? Why?! - silence.
- Is something wrong with mom? -
Eren glanced quickly at the clock and then at the suitcase in the corner of the room.
- I can be there in three hours if I go catch the train now! Should I bring something?!
- Eren.
He stopped, gasping in horror.
- Eren, first of all - calm down.
There was silence between the siblings for several seconds before Eren's shaky breathing returned to normal.
Mikasa then continued.
- Mom called me. Father is in hospital. Pre-infarction condition again.
- Should I...come?
- Father demanded to bring you home as soon as possible. I think we both know what he's planning.
From: Stalker
„I'm assuming you fell asleep."
„You had a stressful day, so I'm not surprised."
He struggled to remove his hand from his tangled hair, trying to calm his breathing.
From: Stalker
„Good night, brat."
- Mikasa...he can't be serious! It's way to early for that!
- Eren..
He ended the call and then threw the phone on the carpet. He on the other hand sat down on the bed, hiding his face in his hands. His hair fell, covering the tears streaming down his face.
The phone buzzed, announcing a new message.
From: Best sister.
„Uri Reiss Hospital in Shiganshina."
„Come as soon as possible."
He threw the phone again.