A/N: I'm not much for author's notes but, I want to thank you for reading in advance and to let you know that this isn't a fic that will grant immediate Shounen Ai or Yaoi, or whatever you're looking for. Though this is Eren/Armin, it takes a little time to get there. Thanks! ~

Chapter 2

Little Talks

The cloudy haze lingering about caused the dark class room to engulf in its own dreariness. It is not as if it needed this for the tasteless movie on cells has most of the class within Dream-land, and Eren nearly dozing. The only thing keeping him conscious is his day-dreams though they rapidly become imageless rambles inside his head. All of them swirling stuff inside his head hold one thing in common.

Armin.

He had been acting stranger than usual. Of course he is always one to be silent, always he was. However, he has never been reclusive, unapproachable. In the past, if he ever asked what the matter was, the other would sheepishly answer. That meekness has always been something he found, dare he say, cute. The way the other would blow up into red as he spoke to a crowd, or excessively use his hands when he had something absolutely profound to say, Eren's face broke into a smile and his heart skipped a beat. But, these thoughts were absolutely revolting and if anyone found out, they would think him a freak. And Armin? He would do the most intelligent thing and keep a constant distance of a mile away.

And though these feelings are strong, he couldn't fathem a way to help the poor blonde. For some unexplained reason when he reached out hand, it seemed to burn the one who refused to receive it. Perhaps he was growing tired of being burned, of being scolded and yelled at. Perhaps he was fighting the right battle by eliminating his closest and most frequent stressor, Eren himself.

He was only trying to send aid, what was the harm in that! Why wouldn't the other just accept it! He became so complicated over the past year…

"Eren."

The chocolate eyes that previously stared into the afternoon haze gaze upon the Asian girl now. "Hn?" He grunts.

"You keep dodging the question."

Though he knows full well of what she is speaking of, he opts to play the dummy. "What question?"

"What were you carrying on about?"

He gives out a short groan even though this doesn't deter Mikasa's curiosity. Her eyes search his as if she would find the answers in them. Though, they have always proved to be veils, always full of ambition and frustration no matter what the actual feeling in his head was.

"What does it matter?" He retorts.

"Exactly."

Her counter stumps him and he turns back to the tedious tale of a cell splitting. Instead of focusing on this, he opts for conversation, even though it's against his will.

"I just…" Eren sighs desperately. "I don't want to see him hurt anymore."

Mikasa blinks at him and out of alarm he begins to ramble like an old man spewing out his life story.

"He just doesn't fight back and it drives me crazy! Could avoid all of the shit he gets but he never does anything about it! I know he can! He just doesn't, Mikasa!" And when I try to help him, he shuts me out like I'm with them!" With a distressed snort, he rubs his temples. "He's never been this complicated before. 'Nd I don't get what's wrong with him."

The girl's face softens as she watches the other's episode. She pats his shoulder lightly in an attempt to support him,

"He just doesn't want to bother you. You know how he is." She tells him softly.

:Well I wish he wasn't," He retorts defiantly.

"Well he is."

"So what do you want me to do: Let them dump their shit on him?"

"Talk to him."

A silence sweeps pass the two before he questions her logic, "What?" He inquires as if it was the most insane request he had ever heard.

"You know freaking out at him gets you nowhere," Mikasa tells him evenly. "He's one for conversation. And you… Not for listening much. So try it out."

Eren turns back to the board then where the projector displays the credits to the movie. As they roll, he loses himself within them, as if the names of the conjurers of something so absolutely educational and tasteless had turned into his thoughts alone.

Talk to him. It sounds easy enough. It should be easy enough. Though, his gut lurches as if screaming out the reminder that it would not be. He's willing to take that chance though. No one else in the world seemed to want to sit down and help the boy but Eren makes it his sworn duty to protect him, to help him out.

Tomorrow; he vows to himself. Tomorrow he would take action.

xXxX

The orange orb in the sky dips low against the horizon, nestling between the homes and the far off silhouettes of buildings. Shadows cascade across the pavement though the only one on the left hand side of the sidewalk that depicts a human is Armin's own. Evenings like this are ones where he couldn't help but fancy a walk. The rain from the previous night chills the air and clears the night for the perfect temperature and humidity. He is even able to strip himself from the beige denim jacket, the cool air soothing his skin. He hadn't yet gone home to change out of his uniform for there was no reason to rush. His grandfather would be working well into the night yet again. Though it was days like this Armin enjoyed, walking laxly home after treating himself to buying a small dinner from the delicatessen a few blocks away. Over each month, he saves up pocket change and to be rewarded with the luxury is nice to say the least.

Hi eyes surf the sky, taking in the exotic shades of pink and yellow that invaded a once hazy sky. Though, patches of blue remain, hanging on to make a first and last impression on the day. Such sight-seeing relaxes him until incoming footsteps bombard the once peaceful moment.

"Out later than usual," Eren's comment arises before Armin can dart his eyes to the floor and fade into the secene as a mere link on the gate he walked beside. He perks up at the voice as he knows it to be a friendly one.

Armin shrugs his shoulders simply, "Nice day."

"Night," Eren corrects with a smirk as he nods up to the transformation in the sky.

In return, a tiny smile is granted and Eren savors it for a moment. He can do this, he reminds himself. The grin is the assurance he needs to go forth.

"Anyway, about today…" His voice comes out awkward, stiff even. This isn't his comfortable medium; of talking problems over and praying it would make something better. "I jumped the gun a bit."

"As per usual," Armin then replies with a wistful tone, to which the latter would have taken to offence had it not been put so sweetly.

"Hey—"

"Kidding, kidding."

Eren looks away then, having faltered for that moment. He wouldn't be beaten, he promised himself he would do this and by God he would! So as he rubs the back of his neck, he nods some. "Yeah, well, if you can do it… Why don't you?"

Armin allows his eyes to fall shut and reopen twice to depict his confusion on the subject.

"You said you can take care of yourself, so—"

As the shorter begins to recall, he begins a rebuttal. "What's the point?"

"The point?" Eren repeats incredulously. "What's the point? So they back the fuck off, Armin!" He lets out a short breath before recollecting himself though in that moment the blonde begins to speak again.

"It's more hassle than it's worth," He counters. "What's the point of fighting all the time, Eren?" He stops in his tracks, eyes pleading to him. "Not everything has to be a battle, and not everyone can make it be. If I say one thing and it turns into a fist-fight, you think I could defend myself? Not against Jean."

A silence sweeps through, though hardly a comfortable one. Armin then turns away from him, his steps leading him forward, showing the conversation is not a wanted on. Eren persists. Even though it was a day early, there is no way he can sit by any longer and allow Armin to ignore and bury all of his hurt inside.

"Armin—" He grips his wrist, tugging him back to himself. The other stumbles into him, catching himself with a hand on Eren's chest. He recoils immediately. "If you can't do it, why don't you take any help!"

The latter shakes his head slowly, slowly edging his wrist from the other's hand. "Shouldn't be your problem."

"I'm not trying to make this harder," Eren tells him flatly, taking in the other's indifferent expression. "Just trying to help you—"

"Please, just don't. There's no need, Eren."

Again, he tries to avoid the subject by avoiding the person though Eren grabs his wrist one last time, tugging him back. Taking the other's cheek, he turns his face to him, forcing those eyes that avoided him to take him in.

"You don't have to do everything alone. I'm your friend for a reason, you know?" He then lets the other go.