Chapter Thirteen

In the end, Connie and Ymir both also went home, leaving the others to sleep over. It involved a slight rearrangement of Armin's bedroom, but they figured it out. They blew up the air mattress and pulled Armin mattress onto the floor and all piled in to sleep. Grandfather had expressed concerns about the sleeping arrangements being coed, but by the time they all dropped off, they were so tired, they went right to sleep.

Armin awoke in the morning to the sense of being incredibly warm. He had ended up in the middle, so there were lots of bodies around him. He lifted his head to see how they had ended up sleeping, since he'd been the first to go to bed. He was lying on his right side, with Mikasa facing him on her left side, snuggled up against him. On her other side, Armin could see a swath of red hair that could only belong to Sasha. Next to Sasha was Jean, who was half off the mattress. Armin felt an arm around him and a body pressed against his back. Looking at the hand, he recognized it as Eren's. That meant Annie must be on the other side of Eren, somewhere behind Armin.

Feeling safe and content, he wrapped his arms around Mikasa, snuggled closed, and fell back to sleep. He woke up an indeterminate time later to whispering. "They can seriously sleep, can't they?" That sounded like Annie.

"It's like some weird pile. I mean, I knew they were close, but this is ridiculous." That was Jean.

"Throw in Sasha, and it's just weird."

He heard a familiar sigh. "Believe it or not, they've been sleeping like this for as long as they've been friends." Leave it to Grandfather to reveal personal stuff like that.

"Looking at them, I would believe it." Jean whispered.

"The true marvel is how any of them sleep on their own, with how codependent they've become." Grandfather added. "Well, come downstairs. I'm making coffee."

"Oh, I'd love some coffee right now." Annie whispered.

"Not a coffee drinker, but I'll take the conversation." Jean said.

Armin waited until the footsteps vanished down the stairs before opening his eyes. He thought his vision had gone wonky for a moment until he realized that Mikasa's hair was in his face. He brushed it off, then assessed the situation. He was on his back, with Mikasa's head on his chest and her arms wrapped around him. From what he could, Sasha had her head on Mikasa's back. Armin looked down as he realized his head was not on a pillow. It wasn't until he saw the familiar hand that he realized he was lying on Eren. As Armin used his best friend as a pillow, Eren had thrown an arm around Armin's chest, hugging him tightly. After a moment, Armin came to the conclusion that he was not getting up until the girls did.

Looking at how tangled up they were, Armin could understand why Annie and Jean were marveling at them. He just didn't think anything of it anymore because they had been sleeping like this since they started having sleepovers. But to an outsider, it must be strange. Apparently, Sasha had a similar attitude towards sleeping, so she fit right in with them.

Surprisingly, the first one to stir was Eren. That never happened. "Don't bother trying to get up." Armin whispered. "We're pinned down."

Eren rubbed a hand over his face. "What time is it?"

"No idea. Annie and Jean didn't get tangled up, so they're downstairs with Grandfather."

"Right. Hang on a sec."

Armin could feel Eren shifting around. "What are you doing?"

"Just hang on." After a few moments more, Eren settled back down. "Got it." He held up the book Jean had given Armin. "I thought we could look at it while we wait."

Armin smiled as Eren held the book up for both of them to look at. It reminded him of when they were younger. They paged through it slowly, Eren pointing stuff out and Armin explaining it. They were so engrossed in it that they missed Sasha waking up until she spoke. "You two are so adorable. Like, friendship goals." Sasha still had her head on Mikasa's back as she looked at them.

"Thanks. " Armin whispered.

"No, seriously. I would love to have a best friend like you guys."

"You'll find someone." Eren said softly. "We just got lucky and found each other young." He closed the book and patted Armin on the chest.

"There's coffee in the kitchen." Armin said, not sure how to reply to the conversation.

"Is there food?" Sasha asked.

"There will be once we're all awake."

Sasha lifted her head and looked at Mikasa. "Should I wake her up?"

"I don't recommend it." Armin answered.

"Yeah, that's hazardous to your health." Eren added. "She's killed for less."

Sasha's face paled slightly. "Okay. Well, I'm just gonna go tell the others that you guys are awake." She delicately climbed off the air mattress and left the room.

Armin turned his head to look at Eren. "We almost died there."

"For real. That was close." They grinned at each other.

After another few minutes, Mikasa began to stir. "Good morning, sleepy head." Armin said softly, running a hand through her hair.

"What time is it?" she asked sleepily.

"No idea. You're lying on us." Eren answered.

"Oh geez. Eren's awake?" she asked. She hadn't lifted her head yet, so most of her view was Armin's chest and stomach. She seemed really lethargic this morning, and unlike herself.

"Yeah, the world must be ending." Eren smirked.

"You okay, Mikasa? It's not like you to be this out of it." Armin's face wrinkled in concern.

"Or to sleep later than me." Eren added.

Mikasa turned her head so she was looking up at Armin's face. Her face looked slightly flushed. "I just didn't sleep well."

"Well here," Armin wrapped his arms around her and sat up. She felt really warm. "We'll go downstairs and get everyone started on breakfast, and you get some more sleep."

Eren rolled off the bed now that he was free. "You sure it's just lack of sleep? You look sick, Mikasa." His face looked concerned too.

"You DO feel a little feverish." Armin said, his hand on her forehead.

"I guess I don't feel that great. My head hurts."

"Yeah, you're sick. You stay up here and rest." Armin gently laid her down on the bed. "I'm gonna go tell Grandfather." He climbed off the mattress.

"Mikasa, do you want me to stay up here?" Eren asked, smoothing some hair off her forehead.

"Go on downstairs and eat." She said softly.

"Okay." Eren rose to his feet and followed Armin out of the room. "Oh thank god." He whispered as they descended the stairs. "I'm starving."

"I assume she knew that." Armin whispered back.

"Here they are! Can we have food now?" Sasha exclaimed.

"Where's Mikasa?" Grandfather asked.

"She doesn't feel well. I'm just going to make her some toast." Armin said, moving to the counter and popping a couple pieces of bread in the toaster.

"Oh, that's too bad." Grandfather said, turning on the stove and pulling his pancake batter out of the fridge. "Well, pancakes for everyone else."

"Excellent!" Sasha grinned.

"What's wrong with Mikasa?" Jean asked as Armin poured himself a cup of coffee and took a sip.

"She's feverish." Eren answered.

"Armin? Did you just drink coffee…black?" Annie asked.

"Um…yes. Is that a problem?"

"No. It's just…I didn't have you pegged as a coffee drinker at all."

"He says it's bitter, like him." Eren smirked as he poured a glass of water and handed it to Armin. "For Mikasa."

"But Armin's not bitter." Annie said.

"That's what you think." Armin said as the toast popped. Armin put it on a plate and then balanced that, the water glass, and his coffee mug for the walk upstairs. "Mikasa, I brought some toast and water."

"Did you bring a gun to put me out of my misery?" she groaned from under a pile of blankets.

"No, I did not. Not sure where to get one on such short notice."

"Then, I'll take the water." Her hand emerged from the pile.

Armin knelt down and handed it to her, before taking a sip of his coffee. "You doing alright?"

Mikasa sat up, and Armin had to admit, she looked pretty miserable. Her hair was sticking up in all directions, and stuck to her sweaty face. "I feel like shit."

"You still look pretty." He said as he watched her take a sip of water.

"Liar." She replied before taking a piece of toast off the plate Armin was still holding.

"Am not."

"Are too. Eren would tell the truth."

"Well, Eren's downstairs stuffing his face, so you're stuck with me."

"Why aren't you downstairs eating too?" Mikasa took a small bite of toast.

"Because I'm taking care of you." He sat his mug and the plate down on his bedside table and crawled onto the mattress.

Mikasa crawled into his arms after setting her water down. "You should be with your guests." She continued to nibble on toast.

"You're my guest too."

"I'm going to get you sick."

"I think it's a little late for that, Mikasa." He smoothed her hair back and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

Mikasa finished her toast and was quiet for a long time. Armin thought she fell back asleep when she finally spoke up again. "Can I have my water?"

"Yeah, of course." Armin leaned over and grabbed the glass off of the floor and handed it to her.

They were quiet for another long while when Eren poked his head in. "How ya feeling?"

"Like shit."
"You look it."

Mikasa looked at Armin. "I told you he'd be honest."

Armin just shook his head as Eren continued speaking. "Right, I need you to let go of Armin because he needs to say goodbye to his guests."

"Nu uh." Mikasa set the water glass down and wrapped her arms around Armin's neck.

Eren let out a sigh and walked over. "Come here." He pried her arms off of Armin and wrapped his arms around her.

Jean and Sasha had come to stand in the doorway. "Is she okay?" Jean asked.

"Yeah, she just gets super cuddly when she's sick." Eren answered.

"Really?" Jean arched an eyebrow.

"Not with you, ya creep!" Eren tightened his grip on Mikasa as Armin got off the bed and walked over to the other two. "It's mostly with Armin anyway."

"Armin?" Sasha questioned.

"Yeah. He's super cuddly, like a human teddy bear or something."

"Really? Now I need to know." Sasha wrapped her arms around Armin and hugged him against her.

"Oh geez." Armin sighed.

"Oh my god! He is!" Sasha looked up at Jean, a look of pure joy on her face.

"Okay, time for you to go home. Come on." Armin patted her on the shoulder as he hugged her back.

"Feel better, Mikasa." Sasha called, letting go of Armin.

"Yeah, I hope you're better soon." Jean echoed.

"Thanks." Mikasa said softly.

Armin shooed them down the stairs. "I'm sorry I've been ignoring you guys this morning."

"It's no problem. She can't help that she's sick." Annie was standing in the hallway, having already pulled on her coat. "You're a good friend." She gave him a smile.

"Yeah. I'd want Armin to take care of me when I'm sick." Sasha grinned, ruffling Armin's hair.

Armin stepped closer to Annie as the other two passed him to go into the living room to put on their shoes. "Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for inviting me." Annie seemed like she had something on her mind. "That stuff I said last week-"

Armin shook his head. "Water under the bridge."

Annie seemed relieved, and stepped forward and flung her arms around him. "Happy birthday."

"I am getting so many hugs today." Armin said as he hugged her back.

"Well, now that we know you're so snuggable, you will be getting so many more." Sasha said from behind him.

Annie pulled away and Armin spun around. "Thank you for coming, Sasha."

"Of course. I had so much fun. We should do this again." She wrapped Armin in a hug. "Oh my god, Jean. You have to do this. I don't want to stop hugging him!"

"Alright, get off of him and put your coat on." Jean had put his coat on while they had been talking.

Sasha reluctantly let go and went to put her coat on. "You sure you don't want a hug, Jean? They seem to be all the rage this morning." Armin smirked.

Jean let out a sigh and opened his arms. "Fine."

Armin smiled brightly and stepped over, letting Jean envelope him. Jean had a strong, sturdy body, and he was tall enough that Armin could nestle his face in Jean's chest. "Thank you for coming." He said, his voice muffled.

"You're killing me." Jean said, squeezing Armin tightly.

"You two are so cute." Sasha squealed.

"Alright, I'm leaving now." Jean said, releasing Armin and stepping up to the door, which Annie opened.

"I just want to hug him one last time." Sasha said, moving towards Armin.

"No, you don't." Jean caught her by the hood and dragged her out of the house, with Annie following behind. Armin went to the door and waved before closing it.

"Give these to Mikasa." Grandfather said from behind him. Armin spun around and saw he was holding a couple of Tylenol.

He took them and went back upstairs. "Mikasa, Granfather said for you to take these." Mikasa had her head on Eren's shoulder, but lifted it upon hearing Armin's voice. He walked over and picked up her water glass and handed it and the pills to her.

"Do you want me to call Mom and have her come pick you up in the car?" Eren asked as she took the pills.

"No. I'm not that sick." She handed her water glass back to Armin, who set in on the bedside table.

"You're acting that sick."

"I can walk home."

Armin took a sip of his coffee, made a disgusted face, and spit it back into his mug. "What's wrong with you?" Eren asked, looking up at him.

"It's cold." He said sadly, setting the mug back down.

"I'm sorry." Mikasa said.

"It's fine." He walked over to where they were. "Move over onto the air mattress, please."

"Why?" Eren asked.

"Because I would like to put my mattress back on my bed."

"Right." Mikasa flopped onto the air mattress while Eren scrambled to his feet to help Armin. After it had been returned, Armin walked over to Mikasa.

"Go lie on my bed. I wanna deflate the air mattress." He held out his hands and she took them. He pulled her to her feet, and walked her over to his bed. She let go of his hands and flopped onto the bed. Eren walked over, having collected all the blankets, and dumped they all on top of her. She let out a tiny, muffled moan.

Armin knelt down and pulled open the valve on the air mattress, and watched as it began to deflate. "I'm going to go get her shoes and stuff. Take her home." Eren said.

"I'll go with you."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I want to thank your parents for my presents anyway." Armin shrugged.

"Okay. I'll be right back, then." Eren left the room.

Armin quickly pulled on his shoes and stood up. He unburied Mikasa. "Sit up." He helped pull her into a sitting position. "Here, arms up." Armin grabbed his thickest sweatshirt and pulled it over her head. He left the hood up on it and wrapped her scarf around her neck. He guessed she must have taken it off in the night as he found it on the floor. She'd gotten it from Eren and almost always wore it, even in the middle of summer.

Eren returned, baring her shoes and coat. He'd already put on his own. Mikasa bent down and started tying her shoes. "Hat." She said simply.

Armin sighed, and grabbed the hat that Mrs. Jaeger had given him. "Ready to go?" He asked as Mikasa stood up and pulled on her coat.

"Where's your coat? It's November."

"I was planning on going out in just my tee shirt." He replied.

"It's downstairs. I just didn't feel like grabbing it." Eren said.

Mikasa just shook her head before the three of them set off downstairs. "Grandfather, I'll be back later." Armin called as he pulled on his coat.

"Okay, feel better, Mikasa." Grandfather called from the living room.

"Thank you. I'll try." Mikasa answered before they stepped outside.

"When did it get so cold?" Eren asked, rubbing his hands together as they started off towards the Jaegers'.

"It's November. It's always cold." Mikasa answered, resting her head on Armin as they walked. Armin wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Alright, smartass. I meant it wasn't nearly this cold last week."

"A cold front moved in." Armin said.

"That seems rather obvious."

"I'm not talking to you anymore, so why don't you go back to sleep, cranky?" Eren shot back.

"And just how am I supposed to walk and sleep at the same time?"

"I could give you a piggyback ride." Armin suggested.

"Really? Would you?" Mikasa lifted her head and looked at him.

"Sure." Armin came to a stop.

"Don't do that. You'll break him." Eren said.

"Are you calling me fat?" Mikasa asked.

"No, I'm calling Armin tiny."

"Shut up." Armin said as Mikasa hopped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. He grabbed her thighs as she rested her cheek against his. "Let's go, Eren." He said as he started walking again.

"Holy shit, dude." They made it the rest of the way with minimal bickering. "Mom, we're home!" Eren called as he opened the front door.

"You're home early." Mrs. Jaeger said as she walked out of the kitchen. "I didn't expect you guys for another few hours. Hello, Armin."

"Hi, Mrs. J."

"Mikasa's sick." Eren said, moving to the stairs, and up to his bedroom.

"Really? What's wrong, honey?" She asked, putting a hand on Mikasa's forehead as Armin set her down on the ground. "Oh yeah, that's a fever. Grisha! Mikasa's sick."

"Grandfather gave her some Tylenol." Armin said as Mr. Jaeger stepped into the hall.

"How many?" Mr. Jaeger asked as he felt Mikasa's neck.

"Two. Can I go lie down now?" Mikasa asked, taking off her coat.

"Yes. Rest is probably the best thing for you." Mr. Jaeger said.

"Thanks for bringing her home, Armin. Did you have a nice party?" Mrs. Jaeger asked, stroking his cheek.

"I did. I wanted to thank you guys for the gift." He replied.

"Oh, you're very welcome, sweetheart." Mrs. Jaeger pulled him into a hug.

"I see you're already putting it to good use." Mr. Jaeger said, patting Armin's head. "Now, if only I could get my own kids to wear their winter hats."

"We're going upstairs now." Mikasa said, grabbing Armin's hand and pulling him out of the grasp of her parents. She towed him behind her to her bedroom where she shut the door. "Take off your coat." She said as she kicked off her shoes.

"Right." Armin said, taking off his coat and shoes. "What are we doing?"

"Going to sleep." She said, pushing him onto the bed flat on his back. She flopped down on top of him, her head resting on his chest. She lifted it and looked at his face. "The beanie is pretty attractive." She whispered, playing with a lock of his hair that was sticking out from beneath the hat.

"Well, I'll be sure to where it more often then." He smiled at her.

"Please do." She smiled back, before lying her head back down. Armin wrapped his arms around her as they dozed off to sleep.