Mikasa was still lying on the ground when they heard it, a high, familiar tune. All three of them were bolt upright, still, glancing at each other, almost as if they were making sure that all three of them were hearing the same noise.

"Is that- Is that the ice cream van?" Armin asked, finally, breaking the silence.

Mikasa scrambled to her feet and she and Eren were running within seconds of Armin's question. They were a lot faster then Armin was, so when the boy tried to follow he didn't quite catch up.

The park that they had been playing was at the end of Eren and Mikasa's street, so it took them seconds to return to their homes. Armin assumed they were asking for money, but didn't want to go into either house uninvited, and so sat down on the curb outside Eren's house and waited until the front door slammed closed with a bang.

"Armin Armin Armin!" Eren cried. "We have to be quick!" With his free hand, he grabbed Armin's wrist and started pulling his along. His other was clenched tightly, and Armin could hear coins jangle inside it as the ran. Eren's grip was tight, and hurt a little, so Armin tried to pull his wrist away, but Eren just ended up dragging him along by his hand instead. The blond thought that this was preferable, as it didn't hurt.

Mikasa was with them in mere moments; she was the fastest runner in their school, after all. One of her hands was, like Eren's, clenched tightly in a fist. She had also obtained money. "Hurry up," she said, overtaking them, "he'll be leaving soon!"

Armin worried for a moment he was slowing Eren down, but they finally made it to the end of the street, and there it was. The ice cream van, in all it's glory. There was a small queue, which the trio joined the back of, and waited patiently.

"My mum gave me enough to buy you one too," Eren explained, as they advanced, "so you can choose whatever you like."

"You don't have to get me anything," Armin protested, but Mikasa jabbed him in the back.

"What do you want?" she asked, sternly.

"Um, you can just get me anything, I really don't mind," Armin said quickly. Mikasa seemed to prefer this choice.

A few minutes later, the three of them began making their way back to the park, Armin and Eren with ice cream cones, and Mikasa with some frozen juice lollipop thing. They were quiet, all too intent on eating to attempt conversation.

That is, until Eren said ominously, "Armin, next time we play, let me save the world."


Author's Note: Caitlin don't even pretend there is eremin in this chapter they're excited seven year olds they're allowed to hold hands beside I have seen your brother do things that are like three times more gay than grab his friends hand and your brother is nine