Eren wasn't the type of person who usually got nervous around other people. In fact, everyone at school swore he was immune to embarrassment. He didn't walk into class all panicked when he was late, he never broke his easy stride, he's never fumbled a ball in sports. He wasn't shy, he wasn't awkward, he wasn't quiet. And then came you, the one who made him feel like he was visibly sweating, made his palms clammy, made his throat go dry when you did the most mundane things ever.

You weren't even intimidating. Just... you. You were nice. Smart. So normal, which only seemed to make matters worse for Eren. You weren't popular, you didn't have a bad rep, but for some reason, when he did as much as hand you an assignment the teacher told to pass back, got paired up for you for partner discussion, when you casually asked him for the date, he's fully convinced the entire school can hear his heart pounding.

Of course, his friends noticed. They never missed the chance to jab him in the ribs when you walked by, completely oblivious to their teasing towards Eren about you. It was Jean jabbing him every time, Sasha and Connie raising their eyebrows in a taunting way, and Armin and Mikasa just giggling in response. They'd figured him out. They knew, and before Eren himself could admit it, whatever he was feeling towards you was 200% a crush. Nothing else.

Not that he'd call it that. At least, not out loud. He's kind of in denial. He once said that he'd rather trip in gym class on purpose than tell anyone he had a huge crush on you. It's not that he was embarrassed to like you, never that! It was a mix of something like he didn't want things between you two to grow more awkward, since he makes it awkward enough half the time. He'll suffer either way with you knowing he has a crush on you or not.

Every time you smiled at him in thanks, his brain short-circuited. Every time you said his name from the row behind, he gets embarrassed when he forgets to turn around because the wind was just knocked out of him. When your usual seat is taken and you have no choice but to sit closer to him, he forgets to breathe properly. The teachers must love and hate him with how often they pair you two together.

Today was no different. A simple, less than a minute interaction had his friends snickering from the back row, far from you two that were sat more towards the front. You'd asked Eren to hand you the next page of the assignment the teacher had placed by him, and you tapped on his shoulder. He could feel his ears turn pink.

"Uh- yeah, here. Sorry," He stammered. That, and your fingers brushed when he handed the paper. He mentally cursed himself for sounding like he'd never spoken a day in his life. He rubbed the back of his neck like doing so was going to make the heat go away. But of course, it doesn't work. His jaw clenched in slight frustration. "Do you think I'm dumb? Like looks-wise. I act like a total... fool when I'm around you."