When You Fall, Just Lean On Me

Jean POV

"Why does it feel like all we do is go to parties?" Jean asked as they got out of the car.

"We don't only go to parties." Marco answered.

"Yeah, sometimes we sleep." Connie grinned.

"Or go to the grocery store." Sasha chimed in.

"When the hell is the last time you went to the grocery store." Jean stopped and stared at her. "You trick Marco into buying things for you."

"He has a point." Marco said, jogging up the front steps. "Besides, it's a birthday party for Marlowe. How crazy can it be?"

At that moment, the door swung open to reveal Hitch in a sheer, black, feather bathrobe, with what appeared to be some sort of vintage night gown on underneath. Jean just stared at her. "Welcome, friends!" She proclaimed.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Jean asked.

"Why the hell are you late?" She countered.

"You know why?" He jammed his thumb over his shoulder at Connie and Sasha.

"Fair enough." Hitch stepped aside to let them in.

"You still haven't answered my question." Jean said as he passed her.

"This is my home, Jean. I don't have to get all dressed up here." She said as she closed the front door.

"But you are dressed up." Armin appeared and Jean felt his breath catch. "You said you were going for the look of an 'Upper class widow who may have poisoned her husband who was several decades older than her'."

"Well, if that's the case, I'd say you nailed it." Marco said.

"Thank you!" Hitch beamed.

"You are so strange." Jean shook his head.

"Watch your mouth or you'll be the one with arsenic in your whiskey." Hitch chided.

"I could only be so lucky." Jean replied.

"Did we miss it?" Sasha chirped up.

"No, but he should be here any minute so all of you get into the dining room." Hitch replied.

"Again, WHY are you dressed like that?" Jean asked as Armin led the others into the darkened dining room.

"Because this is what I wear around the house!" Hitch snapped. "When Marlowe comes home, he's going to expect to look through the front window and see me, wearing this," she motioned to her outfit, "on the couch, watching television, like I am doing every Sunday. If he sees my car out front, and not me in my usual spot, in my usual clothes, he's going to know something is up. The whole point is to surprise him, Jean. Now, get IN there!" She shoved him into the dining room, and slammed the door before marching off towards the front room.

"Yeesh. All I did was ask a question." Jean shook his head.

"Yeah, annoyingly." Annie huffed from somewhere in the room.

"What?"

"You were annoying about your question. And you were condescending her." Annie explained.

"I wasn't."

"You were kind of nagging." Armin said from somewhere close by. Jean nearly jumped out of his skin when someone grabbed his hand. It really was pitch black in the dining room. "It's just me." Armin said soothingly. Jean immediately relaxed. "Come out of the doorway." Jean let Armin pull him through the dark.

"You good?" Marco whispered from nearby.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jean answered.

"I hope Marlowe comes home soon." Sasha whispered. "I hate this dark."

"It's like being in a cave when they turn the lights off." Connie added. "The kind of dark that makes you lose your mind."

"Very helpful, Connie. Way to make everyone feel better." Jean huffed. Connie was such an idiot.

"How did Hitch get it so dark?" That was Bertolt's voice. Jean hadn't known Bertolt was coming.

"Foam board over the windows, with black out curtains overtop." Floch sounded like he was on the other side of the room. "Now, would all of you be quiet? Marlowe will be home any minute and Hitch will kill all of us if the surprise is ruined by you all chattering." After what felt like an eternity, Jean finally heard the front door open. He was glad for it because the silence in this pitch-black room was unbearable, like some sort of torture. The kind of dark to make you lose your mind, indeed. Armin had started squeezing his hand. Clearly, he didn't like it either.

"Hitch, I'm home!" Marlowe called.

"Finally." Hitch huffed.

"I'm not that late." Marlowe countered, sounding defensive.

"I spend all day slaving over your birthday cake, and you repay me by coming home late." Hitch sounded like she was getting closer.

"You made me a cake?" Marlowe sounded surprised.

"It's in here." Hitch flung open the door and flicked on the lights.

"Surprise!" They all shouted in unison. Marlowe jumped in shock, but then smiled broadly.

"You guys!"

"Happy birthday, Marlowe!" Hitch leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek."

"Thank you!" Marlowe looked really touched. Jean was glad he had come. He was also surprised by how many people had actually squeezed into the room. Besides the people he'd heard speak, there was also Historia, Reiner, and Mikasa. It was strange to see Historia without Ymir in tow. Jean had begun to think of them as a package deal. The group began to spread out as the door to the kitchen was opened, and Jean saw a stack of pizza boxes on the counter. "Did you actually bake a cake?" Marlowe asked Hitch.

"I…tried."

"And then she called me!" Historia grinned. "So, I made you a cake!"

"It's definitely going to be better than the monstrosities Hitch created." Floch laughed.

"I was simply not made to be a baker." Hitch shrugged.

"I thought you wanted to be a housewife?" Floch said.

"I want to be a RICH housewife." She corrected. "With my only job to be sitting around, looking pretty."

"That would match her skills." Armin whispered to Jean. Jean snorted. Armin was right.

"Don't be mean." Marco whispered back.

"I'm not being mean. Even she admits it." Armin replied.

"Let's go get some food before Sasha eats it all." Jean cut in. They moved into the kitchen. Armin let go of Jean's hand. His hand felt cold now. Before he could say anything, Mikasa appeared and wrapped her arms around Armin.

"Hey. I haven't seen you all week." She planted a kiss on his cheek.

"I know. I've been keeping to myself." Armin grabbed a rum and coke.

"Did something happen?" Mikasa asked.

Armin glanced around the room nervously, his eyes landing on Jean. "I'll tell you later." He said softly. What had happened? Jean hadn't seen Armin all week either. He didn't get a chance to ask about it as he was separated from Armin. Mikasa pulled him out of the room, and Marco pulled Jean back into the dining room.

"I can't believe how much alcohol is at a party for Marlowe." Marco whispered to him.

"Well, it is Hitch." Jean shrugged. He couldn't keep his attention on what was happening around him. His mind kept wandering back to Armin. What had happened? And why had Armin looked at him like that? Like whatever had happened involved him somehow? He hadn't seen Armin since the incident with Mikasa last weekend. Nothing weird had happened there. Mikasa had slept on the couch and then went back to her mother on Sunday.

"Thank you so much for coming, you guys!" Marlowe came over.

"Of course!" Marco smiled.

"Yeah. Uh, happy birthday." Jean added.

"Thank you!" Marlowe grinned. "Though my actual birthday is on Wednesday."

"Yeah, well you would have killed me if I tried to throw a party in the middle of the week." Hitch laughed.

"That is true. I would never want this many people in my house on a school night." Marlowe chuckled.

Jean's brow furrowed. "Isn't Sunday technically a school night?"

"Not for me. I don't have any classes on Mondays." Marlowe laughed.

"Lucky you." Marco smiled.

"And since I'm the evening supervisor, I don't even start work until 5 pm."

"Do you work every night then?" Jean asked.

"Five nights a week. Library's closed on Sundays, and Linda likes to close one night a week."

"She usually likes Fridays, though she'll switch if Marlowe needs off for something." Hitch continued.

"Do you and Armin work every night?" Jean was curious now.

Hitch laughed. "Hell no. I don't want to work 35 hours a week on top of school. How would I have a social life?"

"True. You wouldn't be able to screw with fuckboys like Chad."

"Exactly!" Hitch grinned, taking a sip of her drink. "I work Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, unless something more interesting pops up."
"Which is often." Marlowe said. "I would say she actually works every other Saturday. I don't know how Linda lets her get away with calling off so much."

"She can't fire me. No one wants to work at the library." Hitch scoffed.

"Why DO you work at the library?" Jean cut in. "I mean, Armin and Marlowe I understand, but you?"

"Because it's the easiest job ever!" Hitch giggled. "I mean, half my job is sitting at the desk waiting for something to happen."

"You should consider it, Jean." Marlowe said. "We're always looking for extra hands."

"And work 35 hours a week?"

"Only this idiot does that." Hitch grinned. "Most of us only work 15 to 20 hours a week." She leaned in closer. "Annnnd, you'd get to hang out with Armin." She continued in a sing-song voice.

"Yeah, and Floch." Jean rolled his eyes.

"Where is Floch?" Marco asked. "I'd have thought he'd be with you two."

"He's probably trailing Armin like a puppy dog again." Marlowe sighed. "Especially since you and Eren aren't around him."
"He's scared of you, Jean." Hitch giggled.

"Good." Jean smirked slightly.

"He's not scared of Jean." Marlowe explained. "He just knows he can't compete for Armin's attention while Jean's around."

"Still not seeing that as a bad thing."

Just then, Mikasa's voice resounded from the living room. "Shut up, he fucking didn't!"

"I want to see what that's about." Hitch said.

"Me too." Jean followed her into the living room. Armin was on the couch between Historia and Mikasa. Floch sat on an armchair nearby, clearly looking like he was lurking. Annie was sitting on the arm of the couch.

"He doesn't get to treat you like that!" Mikasa sounded a little drunk. There were three liquor bottles on the table, two of them empty.

"What happened?" Hitch asked, sitting on the other couch arm. Jean decided to hang back.

"Eren's being an asshole." Mikasa said. "Playing with Armin's feelings because he's jealous that Armin likes Jean more than him."

Jean felt his face flush red. Armin liked him more than Eren? "Holy shit! What the fuck?" Hitch exclaimed.

"It gets worse." Annie said.

"How does it get worse?"

"Just wait until you hear this." Floch said.

"Eren said that Jean is only getting closer to Armin in an attempt to date Mikasa." Historia stated.

Jean was sure that Hitch's face had to be a reflection of his own. Her jaw dropped open. "What kind of stupid ass…that has to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Where does he…who says shit like that?"

"Well, Eren, obviously." Mikasa shrugged. "You can't let him talk to you like that, Armin."
"I know." Armin sighed.

"You have to stick up for yourself."

"I did." Armin sounded annoyed.

"You can't fall for his bullshit."

"I know." Armin gritted his teeth.

"Why would he even say that?" Hitch asked.

"Because it's about Mikasa!" Armin snapped. "It's always about Mikasa!"

Mikasa looked taken aback. "Armin…"

"What? It's the truth. Eren and I can't have one single conversation that doesn't end up being about you." Armin stood up. "I'm secondary. I've always been second in Eren's heart, so don't worry. I'm not deluding myself." He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

"Armin!" Mikasa called. She looked hurt.

"Come back!" Historia called.

"I'll get him." Floch jumped to his feet. Jean decided to follow as well. Armin was sitting on the front steps. Floch sat down a couple steps above him.

"Go away, Floch."

"They're right, you know. You can't fall for Eren's bullshit."

"And I didn't, did I?" Armin snapped. "I called him on it. Why does everyone think I'm some helpless, naïve fuck who can't see reality? I don't need saving. Not from Eren."

"You deserve better."

"And what, Floch? You think you're it?" Armin looked at Floch. "You can't even accept that I told you no. If I'm pathetic for my attraction to Eren, what does that make you?" Jean had never heard Armin sound so nasty before, not even to Floch. He actually felt a little bad for Floch. Even Jean could see that Floch was just trying to help.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm not better. But you still deserve better." Floch stood up.

"Armin." Mikasa slipped past Jean to stand on the porch.

"What, Mikasa?"

"You're not secondary."

"Yes, I am. I'm secondary to Eren and I'm secondary to you. That was decided years ago. You two decided that." Armin stood up.

"No, we didn't. I didn't."

"Yes, you did. You chose each other and left me behind. And you didn't even notice." Jean hadn't known Armin had this resentment. He'd never seen him openly hostile to Mikasa before.

"Armin, please." Mikasa pleaded.

"Just admit you've never cared about me as much as Eren!" Armin yelled. "Just stop pretending you have some moral high ground just because he chewed you up and spat you out the same as me!"

Mikasa had tears in her eyes. "That's hurtful, Armin."

"Welcome to my world." Armin huffed as he stood up. Mikasa turned and ran back into the house.

"Mikasa!" Floch called after her.

"Go ahead. Chase after her. It's what everyone always does. Poor Mikasa and her hurt feelings. I'm going home." Floch silently followed Mikasa inside.

"Armin, wait." Jean called out.

"It's fine, Jean. You can chase after her too."

"I'm not making that choice. Just let me get my coat, Armin." Tears sprung into his eyes.

"Nobody ever chooses me." Armin said softly, tears sparkling in his eyes as well.

"I did. I am. I choose you, Armin." Jean stepped out onto the porch, holding his hand out. "Please…just let me get my coat." Slowly, almost impossibly slow, Armin reached out his hand, climbing the stairs. Armin took Jean's hand.

"Okay…I'll wait."