Do You Feel The Way I Do

Armin POV

Armin awoke to warmth. He was enveloped in warmth. And then he became aware of the headache. It was the worst headache of his life. He let out a groan as he tried to open his eyes. He immediately shut them again.

"Uh oh. Someone's awake." He heard Jean whisper. That was when last night began to come back to Armin. He'd fallen asleep on Jean…in Jean's bed. While that normally would have sent him scurrying for a cave to hide in for the rest of eternity, his head hurt too much to worry about it. He could hear Jean's heartbeat, so his head must be on Jean's chest. He felt Jean lightly playing with a lock of his hair, and found he rather liked it. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Like I got run over by a bus. Everything hurts." He groaned. Once he got past the headache, his whole body felt sore.

"Well, you DID fall off of Ymir's shoulders, over the couch, and onto the floor."

Armin vaguely remembered that happening. It hadn't hurt when it happened. "How much did I drink last night?"

"I'm gonna be honest with you, Armin. I lost track after about 5."

"Shit." He rolled off of Jean and opened his eyes long enough to grab a pillow and pull it over his head. "Can you smother me please?"

"Only if I get to blame Connie."

"Deal."

Jean laughed lightly. "Do you want me to get you an aspirin?"

"Can you make it 12?"

"That seems like a bad call. I'll be right back." Jean patted Armin's calf and Armin heard his footsteps leave the room.

Armin could just die of embarrassment. He must look absolutely ridiculous to Jean. He used the darkness of the pillow to let his eyes adjust. His mind began to go over the events of last night. It seemed like he was watching a totally different person. Dancing on the counter, making fun of Floch, kissing Jean… He sat bolt upright. He had kissed Jean last night. "FUCK."

He scrambled out of bed. What the fuck was wrong with him? He left the bedroom in time to hear Jean say, "Seriously, Daz? Why are you in my bathtub?" Curiosity overcame his embarrassment and he walked down the hall to investigate, passing a sleeping Franz in the hallway. Sure enough, there was Daz, half asleep in the bathtub.

"At least it's empty." He said, looking at Jean.

Jean just shook his head. "Bunch of drunk motherfuckers."

"I was a drunk motherfucker." Armin countered.

"Yeah, but you're cute." Armin blushed, and watched as Jean began to as well. Clearly, he hadn't meant to say that. "Here's the aspirin." He said quickly, holding out the bottle.

"Thanks." Armin took it. "I'm gonna make some coffee."

"Right. Okay." As Armin left the bathroom, he heard Jean bang his head against the door.

Armin went downstairs, almost tripping over Marlowe, who was asleep at the bottom of the stairs. "Jesus." He muttered as he looked around the living room. It was in complete disarray, still sporting the obstacle course from the previous night. At least someone had closed the window, since there were half a dozen people scattered around the room, all asleep. Ymir and Historia were on the couch, Reiner on the floor next to it. There were a couple of people Armin vaguely knew from school, Nifa and Gordon, also asleep on the floor. The most surprising was Floch, who had fallen asleep on the coffee table. That was…unique.

He stepped into the kitchen, where he found three more people asleep, Lynne, Henning, and he was pretty sure the other guy was named Gelgar. It seemed the only other person awake besides Jean and himself was Marco, who was already brewing coffee. "Morning." Marco said softly.

"Morning, Marco." Armin glanced at the clock on the microwave. 7:45. He hadn't slept very long. He never did.

"How was your sleep?" Marco asked, getting a couple of mugs out of the cabinent.

"Short." Armin said, setting the bottle of aspirin on the counter. "How was your's?"

"It was slightly uncomfortable. I had to sleep on the floor."

"Why?"

"Well, I got up to my bed, and found Hannah and Mina already asleep, so I just left them." He poured out two cups of coffee. "Do you want water for the aspirin?" Marco asked as he handed one to Armin.

"Nah. I'm making my own Excedrin." He said, popping a couple pills and taking a swig of coffee.

"Oh, well, okay then. I have creamer and sugar if you want it."

"I'll take some creamer." Seeing as all of the chairs (and the table) were still in the living room, Armin hopped up and sat on the counter. Marco passed him the bottle of creamer from the fridge. Armin poured some in his coffee and handed it back.

There was a loud thud, and both men looked up. "OW! Son of a bitch, Marlowe! Who the fuck sleeps there?"

Armin winced at the volume of Jean's voice. "So, Jean's awake then." Marco said.

"Yes, I'm awake." Jean made his way into the kitchen. "Sure you wanna be on the counter, Ar?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Shut up." Armin replied, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Jean, it's pretty early on a Sunday morning. You should lower your voice." Marco chided.

"Do you think I care if I give any of these hungover bastards a headache?" Jean retorted.

"I'm a hungover bastard with a headache." Armin said, raising his hand.

"Oh. Sorry." Jean lowered his voice.

Marco glanced between the two, his expression unreadable. "How did you sleep, Jean?"

"Fine, except for when Jaeger woke me up in the middle of the night."

"He's good for that." Armin commented, continuing to sip his coffee.

"I'll bet he is." Jean muttered.

"You shouldn't be so hard on Eren. He's going through a rough time right now." Marco said.

"Aren't we all?" Jean snapped back, glancing at Armin as he said it. "You don't see the rest of us going around acting like we're 12." Jean crossed his arms. "So, he likes someone who doesn't like him. Welcome to the club." Armin wondered who Jean was talking about. Who did he like that didn't like him back? "It's his own damn fault for ruining the relationship."

Armin didn't want to talk about this anymore. So, he drained the rest of his coffee and hopped off the counter. "I think I'm gonna head home."

"Okay. I'll get my keys." Jean said.

"Oh, I wasn't serious about that. You don't actually have to drive me home." Armin blushed.

"Armin, it's like 15 degrees out and you live a 20 minute DRIVE from here. You'll freeze to death. I'm driving you home."

"Right." Armin followed Jean out of the kitchen, too tired to argue, and ran right into the back of him when he came to a dead stop.

"Floch! Get the fuck off my coffee table!"

"Ow." Armin said weakly, his hands going to his head.

"Dude, dial it down." Ymir groaned from the couch. "I know we all hate Floch, but it's too early for this shit."

"Or better yet, get out of my house!" Jean continued.

"Does your anger ever sleep?" Floch groaned.

"No! So get up!"

"Jean, please." Armin said softly.

Jean glanced at him. "Sorry."

After several minutes of searching, Armin let out a huff. "Shit."

"What's wrong?" Jean asked.

"I can't find my coat."

"Take mine." Jean began to pull off his own coat.

"Oh no, I couldn't. I can just run to the car-"

"15 degrees outside, Armin." Before Armin could protest further, Jean's coat had been draped around his shoulders. "Alright, Marco, I'm gonna be gone for a while, so go wake Connie's dumbass up and fix our furniture please." He glanced at Floch and scowled. "And get that prick off of the coffee table. How did he even end up there?"

"I'll explain when you get back." Marco pulled Armin into a hug. "I hope you feel better, Armin."

Armin, rather surprised, hugged Marco back. "Thanks, Marco."

"Let's go." Jean, having pulled on another coat from the closet, grabbed Armin's arm and tugged him from the house.

Armin shivered as they got outside, and he put his arms through the sleeves of the coat. It was too big for him, but he didn't mind. "I'm moving somewhere warm after graduation." He grumbled as they hurried to the car.

"I second that." Jean said, unlocking the car so they could both scramble in. He started the engine and rubbed his hands together as they waited for it to warm up.

"You know, it's a good thing I don't have anything that requires keys, or this whole coat thing could be a real debacle." Armin was sure if he had keys, he'd keep them in his coat pocket.

"How do you get into your dorm room?"

"Keypad locks."

"Fancy." Jean said, pulling on his seatbelt and putting the car into drive.

"It should be. I'm paying out the ass to be there." They drove quietly for a awhile. Armin's mind whirled. Should he bring it up. He had to bring it up. Didn't he? "So, Jean." He started.

"Yes, Armin?"

"Well, I'm not really sure how to phrase this delicately, so I'm just going to come out with it."

"Always a good strategy."

"Last night is sort of hazy to me, but I think- I mean-" he could feel his face grow hot as he grew flustered. "Did I kiss you last night?" he finally got out.

Jean glanced over at him. "Yes."

"Shit. I am so sorry. I literally have no idea what I was thinking and-"

"Armin." Jean interrupted, and Armin shut up. "It's fine. We all act a little weird when we're drunk off our asses. It's hardly the most embarrassing or out of character thing you did last night."

Armin blushed even more. "Oh god. I'm such an idiot."

"No, you're not. You just really needed to cut loose and you cut a little too loose, is all."

Armin lightly banged his head against the headrest. "I didn't kiss anyone else, did I?" he glanced over at Jean. His expression wasn't quite one Armin could place. Jealousy, maybe? No. Possessiveness.

"No, you didn't kiss anyone else."

Why would Jean be feeling possessive? "Okay, good." Jean pulled up outside his dormitory. Armin looked at Jean properly as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Seriously, thank you for taking care of me. It could have been a very different night if you hadn't."

Jean looked at him with a serious expression. "I would never let that happen. Not to you."

There seemed to be a tension in the car that Armin couldn't explain. "Okay, well…do you want your coat back" he still felt flustered.

"Keep it. I'll let you know if we ever find your's."

Armin smiled. "Thanks."

Jean smiled back. "Bye, Armin."

"Bye, Jean." Armin scrambled from the car and rushed his way to the keypad by the door. He made it up to his room and collapsed on his bed. His mind was whirling, but he was also exhausted. He had just begun to doze off when his phone began to ring. He fumbled around for a moment before he was able to grab it and answer. "Why?"

"Armin, it's Eren."

"Why?" he repeated.

"I need to talk to you."

"Why?"

"Dude, I'm outside. Just let me in. It's fucking cold."

Armin sighed heavily. He didn't want to have to get up and go back downstairs. "If I give you the code, will you promise to still call before you come over?"

"Yes."

"4630."

"You're the best."

"Let me know when you're outside my door."

He heard Eren come in the building and get in the elevator, and a moment later, get out. "Okay, I'm at the door."

"3725."

The door swung open and there was Eren. "Dude, you look like shit." He said, hanging up the phone.

"I feel like shit." Armin groaned, dropping his own phone on the bed.

"What are you wearing?"

Armin looked down and realized he'd never taken off Jean's coat. "Oh. I couldn't find my coat, so Jean let me borrow his."

"Right. Shove over." Armin rolled over and Eren climbed up into the bed and lay down next to him.

"So, what's wrong?" Armin asked as they reverted back to a habit they had formed as little kids. He rested his head on Eren's shoulder while Eren wrapped an arm around him.

"I feel very confused."

"About what? I'm too tired for a guessing game, Eren."

"About Mikasa."

"Fucking hell." Armin groaned.

"No, listen. I know we were fighting last night, but something seemed different. Like her heart wasn't in it."

"Sure sounded like it was."

"But Armin, I think we can make up."

"Eren," Armin looked at his best friend's face. "If you try and get back together with Mikasa, I will not speak to you anymore."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. Is it my turn now?"

"Sure. What's up with you?"

"I kissed Jean last night."

"You did WHAT?" Eren sat up, causing Armin to roll off of him. Eren stared down at him. "You what? When? Why? What? Where? Why?"

"Calm down and I'll tell you." Eren shut up. "I got pretty drunk last night, so it's all pretty hazy, but I kissed Jean. Not sure what my motivation was."

"What did he do?"

"Pushed me away. I know he said something, but I can't remember what. But here's the thing, Eren. Even now, I know that I liked it."

"Armin, do you like him?"

Armin stared up into Eren's eyes. "I think I do."

Eren groaned. "Does it HAVE to be him?"

Armin rolled his eyes. "Seriously?"

"Sorry." Eren laid back down and they resumed their previous position. "Does he like you back?"

"I'm not sure."

"Do you want me to ask him?"

"NO! I don't want you to talk to him at all."

That made Eren laugh. "That's probably for the best."

"I know it is. Why do you think I said it?"

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know. Kill myself?"

"Yeah, that'll definitely solve all of your problems. Just make sure you leave all your money to us in your will so the bitch can't get it."

"Gee thanks, Eren. You're such a supportive friend."

Eren laughed and put a hand over Armin's eyes. "Go to sleep, cranky."

"That's what I was trying to do, until your ass showed up with your stupid half-baked ideas." Armin grinned, closing his eyes.