Chapter Text
It went on for about a year. At first, everyone thought they would go their separate ways once the task had been completed, including the boys themselves. But things kept bringing them together and they could only fight it for so long.
There were only 10 more minutes of class and everyone was excited to start spring break until the professor stated that there would be a project due at the beginning of class on the day they were to return. "You and your partner are to create a profile for your murderer," Erwin announced. "Remember to explain what kind of weapon could have been used and their motive using the evidence at the scene to back up your conclusion. For example this is why it was a blunt object, and this is why his motive is hedonistic lust. I will be assigning your partners and emailing you both your case and crime scene right away."
Eren and Armin exchanged a look and sighed. "If I can't work with you, I think I'll just ask Erwin if I can do this project alone," Armin declared. He rose from his seat and Eren watched as he moseyed up to the front of the room to the professor. He hadn't noticed until then just how short Armin must be- wait, why was Erwin motioning toward him? Like a dog hearing his owner open the door, Eren's head perked up and waited for Armin to make his way back to their seats.
"What was that about?" Eren asked.
"Hm? Ah, yeah. Erwin said that I could work alone and he told me to tell you you and Jean are partners," Armin replied.
He was already packing up his notebook and bag by the time Eren snapped out of it. "What?! Horseface?!" He growled, louder than he had realized.
"You have somethin' to say, Jaeger?" Jean snarled from a few seats back, standing up and striding over to them. "Say it to my damn face."
"Chill out, partner," Eren retorted.
"Is that a fucking cowboy joke? I don't look like a fucking horse!"
"Nah, just saying it like it is. Erwin assigned us as partners for this," he snickered as Jean's eyes went wide and then shrunk back into aggressive slivers. They both watched Jean march up to Erwin and even from the back of the class they could tell how loud he was just by how the girls at the front jumped with each exclamation.
Eren couldn't help but burst into giggles at seeing how defeated Jean looked walking back. Jean just shot him a tired death glare. "Fine," he groaned. "Your place or mine?"
"Like you could get me to go into your nasty-ass dorm! There's probably dirty underwear and food all over the floor," Eren rolled his eyes. "You got anything going on after this?"
"After class? No, nothing."
"Just walk to me and Armin's apartment with us. I'm shit with giving directions so it'd be way easier this way." Eren yawns and gathers up his things as well before the three of them wander on home. Its a mostly quiet walk other than the occasional remark from Eren or Jean turning any little thing they see into a insult for the other. Finally they arrived at the building and made their way down the flight of stairs into the boy's apartment.
"Well I always saw this for you, Jaeger. You're officially living in an underground creeper den," Jean remarked without so much as a smirk. "Seriously why aren't there any windows?"
"Because I hate sunlight, it gives me migraines," Eren whines.
"I wouldn't peg you as a vampire. If anyone it would probably be Mikasa... Unless you do some sort of sketchy work that keeps you out all night..." Jean winked.
"Hah, you wish," Eren laughed. "No, I work at the bank on 3rd street."
"Hm..." Jean regarded. "Anyway. Has Erwin emailed you yet?"
"Oh, yeah he did," Eren said, seeing the notification on his phone. "I'll pull it up on my laptop so you can take a look, too." He jogged into his room for his laptop as Jean sat on the couch. He hadn't noticed but Armin must have gone into his own room already to start his own project. 'Makes sense seeing as he probably wouldn't get any work out there with us out here...' Jean thought.
Eren emerged finally and set the laptop on the table in front of the couch. The two worked for several hours- making notes of the pH of the victim's bodily functions if that could show any signs of poisoning or irregularity; discussing what the motive could be; figuring out if it was planned or aggravated. They hadn't even noticed how long they'd been cooperating until Eren's sister dropped by.
"Never thought I'd see this sight," a voice murdered from the doorway. They both turned to see Mikasa holding an armful of paper bags.
"Yo! Did you just get off work?" Eren greeted, not even leaving his seat.
"Oh, hi, Mikasa! Let me help you with those bags!" Jean jumped up and grabbed a few out of her arms and looking around quickly for where he should set them. He opted for the counters in the kitchen that were across the apartment's open layout and scurried over there.
"Uh..." Mikasa was taken aback by Jean's lack of attitude in the presence of his 'nemesis.' "Yeah, I just got off. Armin texted me asking me to bring some liquor to celebrate the start of the break." Mikasa follows Jean's path and puts the rest of the bags on the counter.
"Damn... We still have a project to do over break, though," Eren cried.
"I don't," Armin said as he emerged from his room. "I just finished and emailed Erwin so he can give me feedback and I can edit it as needed." Armin smiled and started rifling through the bags to see what all Mikasa had brought home. Several bottles of wine, vodka, gin... There was more than what they could all finish in a healthy way in one night.
"Mikasa, I didn't know you were twenty one," Jean gawked as more alcohol spilled from the bags.
Mikasa stared back with a blank face as Armin and Eren started laughing. "I'm not but I am hot, so..." she trailed off knowing she didn't need to explain the rest. Duh, Jean could have told her that much, he had been pining after Mikasa since he first met her. "So can we get this started?" Mikasa popped the cork on a bottle of wine and took a seat with it a bit too close to Eren for Jean's comfort. He just frowned and poured himself some of the gin, joining the others.
That night things would happen that in theory no one would be able to forget, but the reality was quite the opposite.