hey this sucks! i want to add more chapters ... to make it seem not as useless.

i love armin. that's it.


"Where's your bed?" is the first thing Nathaniel asks when he enters Armin's room.

He is absolutely horrified. The light switch isn't working, so all Nathaniel can make out is the unsettling lumps surrounding every inch of Armin's bedroom. It smells faintly of oranges and cilantro. Nathaniel can swear on his life that there is a pair of red eyes gleaming at him from the gaping closet.

His stomach churns.

"Cheeky," Armin says from behind him. He swerves Nathaniel, who is frozen with shock, and gently prods his cheek. "I didn't know you brought lines with you, Nat, you know you can get me without them!"

"That wasn't a line," Nathaniel counters, bristling under Armin's fond expression. "It is an honest question. Is this room for you, or for storage? I am afraid I can't tell."

Armin huffs a laugh. "You're funny. It's mine, idiot, and my bed's right there!" He points at a tall, black pile with a vague wave of his hand and smiles brightly.

Nathaniel watches Armin waltz up to it, heave himself to the very top, and disappear. It is the worst thing he has ever seen.

"I am losing my mind," Nathaniel says calmly.

Without Armin's interruptions and the general nuisance that comes with his presence, it is quiet. Nathaniel tugs on his tie and clears his throat, but Armin does not respond. He feels ridiculous and ridiculously afraid at the same time; he clears his throat again and takes a hesitant step forward.

There is something crinkly under his foot. Nathaniel pauses to consider – rather, feel it out – and confirms that yes, it is crinkly, but also soft. He squints at the floor and flies through his two options: he can either investigate or run away screaming. The latter would be his best choice, but he is just as scared of leaving without Armin than staying with Armin here. Not exactly; Armin's not here, but he's somewhere near, and definitely not there.

Nathaniel recites the multiplications timetables three times, and the fourth time when he makes a mistake. Then he exhales and crouches among the other shapeless Things That (he assures himself) are Inanimate, and peels the crinkly paper off his sock. It's an unfinished Mars bar.

"Hey, I've been looking for that!" exclaims Armin's voice, and he leaps down next to Nathaniel, who is so startled, he almost jumps out of his skin. Armin snatches the chocolate out of Nathaniel's pinched fingers and shoves it in his mouth, wrapper and all.

"You are vile," Nathaniel deadpans. His left eye is twitching.

Armin eats the Mars bar in silence. Nathaniel glares at him with as much malice as he can muster, but Armin merely preens under the attention.

"Either you want me," he says thickly, pointing at himself, "or this bar." He swallows and grins wickedly. "But I've just about finished it. Guess you'll have me instead, huh?"

"Vile," repeats Nathaniel, but he lets Armin kiss him anyway.