Chapter 1: Daydreaming
"Armin!" A voice yells in my ear sending a jolt of adrenaline through my system so fast I jump in my chair. Slamming my forearms down on my desk with a bang which I immediately regret. I hardly even registered who decided that screaming in my ear would be a nice way to get my attention. Though I certainly have my guesses as I rub my forearms with sharp breaths going in and out through my teeth. After a moment of recovery from both the jolt of adrenaline that woke me up like a defibrillator had been charged to maximum power and slapped into the side of my skull, as well as the possible bruising of my arms, I look to the culprit who's rubbing the back of his head as he looks around the classroom trying to focus on anything but his crime. Eren. I'd be surprised, if I didn't know him that is.
"Eren, the next time that you want to scream in my ear, don't." I state, leaving him no room to argue, yet inevitable as it is he has something to say in return.
"Hey! It's not my fault that you lounge about like this when we're supposed to be going to our next class. The bell didn't even grab your attention and that thing even startles Mikasa!" Eren's retort is passionate and would be convincing if not for a faint comment of 'No it doesn't' from the girl in question at the door to the classroom. Eren's gaze whipping around to look at her with absolute betrayal. As though she just sold someone his deepest secret for a chocolate bar. She just shrugs plainly and without interest, ever the Mikasa thing to do.
I pack up a textbook and my notebook into my bag quickly now. Letting Eren over-dramatize the 'betrayal' in the background as I readjust. First period of the day, English 2, second block now is Algebra 2. I let out a small sigh. Sophomore year of high school is nothing but joy so far. Not that I have much experience to go off of, it is only the first day after all. Schedules took the first half of freshman year to get the hang of. Four blocks in total, the third block being two hours long with a half hour lunch break, while the other three blocks are an hour and a half. Every other day the first and second, and third and fourth block classes would swap places. So tomorrow the first block class will be Algebra 2 then English 2 after that. It was a weird adjustment from middle school but we got the hang of it quick enough.
I glance up at Eren once all my things are situated in my bag and I stand up. He breaks his stare off with Mikasa to look at me with a wry grin as he swings an arm around my shoulder a bit too forcefully for my taste and drags me along towards the door. "I can walk on my own you know?" I protest to the all too eager Yaeger.
"Come on, let me enjoy walking you to your class Armin. We won't get to see each other until," he holds up his free hand and counts on his fingers. It takes a moment before he continues just as merrily as before he cut himself off, "fourth block for biology!" I roll my eyes a bit. Eren was, scratch that, is terrible at math, and as such he's in Pre-Algebra still instead of Algebra 2 with Mikasa and I. Not only was he not in Algebra 1 for his freshmen year but the level down from it, but even with both Mikasa and I helping him, he shocked us by still failing and needing to take the class again. Grisha, last I heard, got him a personal tutor to help him this time, which in my honest opinion, will only slightly improve his chances if Mikasa and I together failed to help him.
"It really is in one ear out the other with you isn't it, Eren?" I glance at him from the corner of my eye. To which he simply shrugs as we reach the door and Mikasa joins us in walking out.
"You still haven't told me what your third block class is Eren." Mikasa chimes in passively. All we knew was that we all have a different third block class, we all share our first and last block classes, and knew that we'd be separated for second block, but we were all spread out when it came to third block.
"Yeah I haven't, that's true." Eren agrees. Then just doesn't continue. He actually whistles a tune nonchalantly like Mikasa wasn't expecting him to tell us the class.
"Hey, Eren, what's your third block class?" I chime in, getting annoyed at his whistling and feeling Mikasa's death glare have to pierce through me to get to Eren was easily enough motivation to cut the corner needed to save my very soul.
"Oh! I'm glad you ask, Armin!" He says all too cheerily. I think a hole is starting to bore its way through the side of my head to get to Eren. "I've got a study hall today, but on the alternate days it'll be gym." Another somewhat confusing aspect of the school was that some classes would only be half classes, so you would only have them every other day, so you could have, as an example, gym alternating with band, or culinary arts alternating with a study hall. It's no surprise though that Eren is swindling in a study hall conveniently on the lunch block. From my understanding of study hall it's less a study hall so much as it's a do whatever you want so long as you don't leave campus block.
"Just don't try invading our third block classes, Eren." I plead with him. He has pulled that stunt once before, skipping his class last semester to barge into Mikasa's and then my class to steal us away to be picked up by his mother. We had permission, it wasn't like it wasn't planned, but considering his mother was a half hour late and he left his class early without permission, and kidnapped Mikasa and I on top of that, it wasn't exactly appreciated by any of the individuals involved.
"What about you, Armin?" Mikasa asks, causing my gaze to whip around to looking at her walking beside me. I look down at my shoulder to see at that same time that Eren's arm still hasn't figured out personal space and I push it off. Earning a sorrow filled 'awww' to my right, as though I just took away his favorite toy. Something I'd never do, unless that toy is my own being.
"I thought I shared mine when I got my schedule?" I ask raising an eyebrow at the raven haired girl. Raven suits not only the visual but the personality when describing Mikasa, not that I'll ever say that aloud for fear of my life.
"You probably did, but I have a mediocre memory." A blatant lie if ever I heard one. Mikasa has an eidetic memory, photographic memory in the colloquial. It doesn't mean that she has a perfect memory of everything, far from it, it just means that she's very good at remembering images that she focuses on. However, aside from that, she still has an ungodly accurate memory, bordering on supernatural. It's scary the things she can recall, but then fail to remember other things you would expect her to remember. Such an oddity.
"It can't be that hard to repeat it Armin." Eren chirps in.
"Look who's talking." I chuckle out as I glance at him from the corner of my eye.
He simply shrugs as his gaze wanders off, whistling innocently. Acting as though he's free of any guilt and doing terribly at it. "Come on Armin. Before we get to class and have to lose track of Eren for a couple hours." Eren grips his chest over his heart and feints a non-existent blow to the heart as though Mikasa's words had taken up a bat and slammed it into his chest.
"Fiiiiine!" I groan out. Shifting my bag on my back a bit. The halls are only partially filled, I'm only just now noticing. There's still a couple minutes for the transition between classes. Though by the looks of it a couple of the classes around here are empty so I guess there aren't any classes around this hall this block. It is also only the fir-.
"Armin!" Eren calls into my ear as he slaps me over the head lightly. "Quit the daydreaming and answer before I have to ditch you two."
I roll my eyes at his whining. "Yeah yeah, you only have yourself to blame for that you know?" I smirk at him and he just shrugs as he crosses his arms. "I'm taking Creative Writing for my third block. Happy now?"
"Ecstatic." Eren says, but his voice was not ecstatic.
"Absolutely thrilled." Mikasa says, but her voice was not absolutely thrilled. Though she did pull up her red scarf to cover a small grin. Ever the cover up for any faces she makes.
"And you Miss Nosy?" I inquire. Eren popping his head around me to look at Mikasa with me, our gazes expectant.
"What about me?" She asks, shrugging her shoulders as though she has nothing to answer for.
"Don't play that game, you asked both of us now spill!" Eren says a bit pointedly.
"It's almost time for classes to start Eren you should get a move on." Mikasa says without missing a beat as she turns into our classroom. I would argue with her dodging the question but I find myself preoccupied holding back a snort of laughter as Eren stands dumbfounded outside of our classroom.
"I'll see you later Eren, try to take notes and pay attention, please? I don't want you getting held back on us." I say as I walk in. He simply huffs and waves his hand dismissively. Which is fair I guess since it is the first day. It's not like there's much going on. I'm the only one who even brought a textbook for each class. Probably just me being a nerd. Grandpa did tell me to ease off the load for the first day, saying my back will give out by the end of the semester let alone sophomore year.
I sit next to Mikasa. The room is mostly filled with upperclassmen who I'm guessing took Algebra 1 their sophomore year. For a bit it's giving me the impression we might well be the only Sophomores in this class, until Historia walks in a bit timidly. Spotting her before she can see us I wave to get her attention. She seems to relax when she spots me and walks over sitting in the desk behind me. "I'm so glad there's familiar faces here! I was so worried that I'd be on my own."
"I thought Ymir was in the same Algebra 1 class with you last year? I figured she would move Heaven and Earth to be put in the same Algebra 2 class as you." I say with a small chuckle. Mikasa nods as she's turned to face the both of us, about a minute or two still left before class is supposed to begin. Out of the corner of my eye I see the teacher leaning back in his chair at his desk.
"She was." Historia says as she scratches the back of her head with one hand, and leans her free arm on her desk. "But... She kind of failed the class and has to retake it."
"Same with Eren." Mikasa says. "Not that he would have gotten into our class even if he didn't fail." Her shoulders rise in a simple shrug, evoking a small chuckle from Historia.
"How'd she fail is my question? With her motivation being staying with you I expected her to ace the class." I add in, watching as Historia's face flushes a bit.
"Well, I think... Not that it's my place to guess! But she was probably a bit... Well, distracted by the prize... Instead of focusing on the challenge to get the p-prize." Her voice stutters as she keeps on backtracking and trying to cover what she says, putting a grin on my face and even Mikasa's. I'm about to say something but get cut off by the loud blare of the bell, causing me to flinch as I face forward and go quiet. Not everyone follows that example though, only Mikasa and Historia go silent, a number of hushed words still being exchanged between the upperclassmen, up until the teacher rises and addresses the class.
The rest of the classes go by rather uneventfully. Mostly it's just handing out and going over guidelines for the class. What each class will require, what's expected by the teachers, what we're expected to learn. It's all mostly the same, along with icebreaker questions and 'get to know your classmates' exercises. It's a bit jarring in Algebra 2 as every upperclassman seems to know each other where as Histora, Mikasa and I have no idea who's who beyond each other. Then in Creative Writing there's only five other classmates. Obviously not a popular class, but it makes it a bit more personal so I like it. Now there's only one fellow sophomore in this class, and I'm a bit taken off guard to find it to be Jean. By his reaction when I walked in he was more taken off guard than I was. He didn't really interact with me, which is fair, we've never been friends really but we're definitely not on bad terms. Neutral really, being friends with Eren results in not being able to really become friends with him as the two just don't get along. It's an amusing rivalry for everyone around them though, like we're all half friends simply by the connection of their rivalry.
Lunch was the least interesting part of the day, as I couldn't find Eren or Mikasa, so I ended up hanging around on my own. Historia and Ymir kept me company, though it was mostly just them sitting with me while Ymir ogles over Historia, and Historia tries to stop her from ogling over her. It would be an amusing back and forth, though I don't really pay it much attention beyond a glance here and there. My mind drifting off to wonder what Mikasa's third class could be that she flat out refused to tell Eren and I. "Mikasa? Knowing her she's definitely gone full gym class for third block." Ymir suggests in one of her few moments of clarity.
"No." I quickly shoot the idea down, before explaining, "Mikasa hates gym as a class. She exercises intensely sure but she despises it as a class." Ymir's eyes widen a bit from shock at that information, but it's not a look she wears for long before returning her attention to messing with Historia.
When it's the last block of the day I've found that I really do hate icebreaker exercises. There's only so many times I can say my name, how old I am, where I'm from and an interesting fact about myself before I want to change my name, forget my age, move to a new home and never be interesting again. Thankfully Ms. Hange, the biology teacher, seems uninterested in getting to know the students or have them introduce themselves to each other. Though I quickly learn to miss the icebreakers as she starts showing off a presentation of pictures of different dissections she's had her biology classes do in the past. Maybe hearing everyone repeat the same age over and over again isn't such a bad thing after all.
The tables for biology are set for groups of four for lab experiments. Mikasa, Eren and I were quick to seat ourselves together when we had arrived, and our fourth table mate winds up being Connie. It could have been a worse fourth really, we could have ended up with two Erens. There were a couple upperclassmen in the class from what I could see but for the most part it's people we know from freshmen year and earlier. Jean, Marco, Historia and Ymir make up a group and Reiner, Bertholdt Annie and Sasha make up another. There are some more familiar faces but I don't have time to really pick them out when I see Mikasa cover Eren's eyes to keep him from gawking at the dissection pictures, her face deadpanning as Eren tries desperately to look around her hand which seems to track his every move. "You're like a parental blocker on TV." He grumbles as he persists in trying to get a view. Mikasa unresponsive as she looks at me. I just shrug, not really knowing what she wants me to do about it. 'You're the babysitter not me' I mouth and she just rolls her eyes before returning her attention to the presentation.
Once the presentation ends the bell to toll the end of the day sounds and I'm somewhat caught off guard as I didn't realize that we were looking at dissected carcasses for over an hour. I pull out my binder and make sure each class' handouts are in their proper folder and that the labels are secure before putting it back in with my textbooks and notebooks, neither of which were put to much of any use today. Then I feel Eren get in close to my ear and I know for a fact he thinks I'm off in my own world again, before he can scream in my ear and take out my ear drums in the process I clamp my hand down on his mouth like a muzzle. "Try it and I'll sick Mikasa on you."
He gives me a look as if to say 'yeah right' but when I glance over at Mikasa she crosses her arms looking at Eren. "If you make Armin deaf the money for his hearing aid is coming out of your pocket.
He shrugs as he pulls back, releasing his face from my grip in the process. "Fine fine. I'll spare him this time."
"This time?" I ask as I pull my bag onto my shoulders.
"Take it Armin. We're not gonna get a better deal than that." Mikasa adds in before Eren can try pulling back on his word.
Eren's arm at that moment slings around my shoulders harshly and the temptation to ask Mikasa to throw Eren has never been stronger. "Let's get a move on you two. I wanna make sure that we claim our seats on the bus before the freshmen try to take them." He doesn't even let me respond as he starts dragging me along with him, Mikasa on the other side of him as we go through the bustling halls, everyone in a rush to go home.
Our bus is part of the second wave of buses that pull up to the front of the school, so we are a bit early and end up waiting around by the first wave of buses. "Mikasa," Eren pipes up, "wanna tell us what your third block is now?"
"No." Her voice is flat, not even a hint of teasing or messing with him as she just flat out makes the statement.
"Oh come on Mikasa, you forced it out of me and Armin!"
"Armin and I." I correct, while looking through my phone at my science news feed. Though that gets interrupted when I feel someone flick the side of my head. I glare over at Eren who's back to drilling Mikasa for answers. My free hand rubbing the side of my head.
"It can't be that bad. Armin's taking creative writing! It doesn't get much more sad than that."
"Hey!" I snap, but he doesn't seem to even hear me.
"I didn't force either of you to tell me. I just asked out of curiosity. Armin technically already told me before, I just forgot." Her retort is flawed for the simple fact that I know she didn't forget she's just messing with us.
"How'd you not know Eren's is my question?" I say before continuing with, "You two live together yet you didn't once hear from him over the Summer what his class is?"
"We all agreed not to share our third block class until school starts to make sure that we don't just all sign up for the same class to stick together." Mikasa states it as plainly as if she were declaring it a mildly temperate day. Her eyes focus on the buses as they leave, standing up with her bag, causing Eren and I to do the same. "And just because we agreed not to share until school starts doesn't mean that I have to now that it has." Sometimes Mikasa scares me with how ordinarily she speaks about anything and everything. She takes the lead in heading for the bus, then me, then Eren at the back.
"Wait yeah we agreed not to share until school started so why'd you tell her during summer Armin?" I feel Eren look at me expectantly behind me, but I just whistle nonchalantly as I follow Mikasa.
We walk down to the back of the bus. The back of the bus having one two person seat then on the other side a one person seat. Mikasa stands aside to let me sit next to the window of the two person seat, then sits next to me. It became law quickly in freshmen year that Eren gets the single person seat. He finds it roomier to be able to sit his bag in the space where the rest of a two person seat easily could have fit and sleep the entire way home. Which he wastes no time in making use of that practice. "It's like he completely forgot about figuring out what your class is." I whisper in awe at how he's already passed out before the bus has even started moving.
"This wasn't even a complicated day. He's gonna collapse in the walkway before he can even get that seat tomorrow." Mikasa comments as she pulls out her earbuds from her bag under the seat.
I don't have my earbuds with me, as in my brilliance this morning I forgot them on my desk. So I just pull out my phone and continue scrolling through my science feed. I slouch down and lift up my knees to rest against the back of the seat in front of us. It's oddly comfortable as it lets me curl up and relax. Though Mikasa looks at me as though I just did a front flip without any context. Confusion written all over her face. "Armin what on Earth are you doing?"
"Relaxing." I say simply and she only gets more confused watching my curled up form.
She's about to put in her second earbud when she sees I've not pulled out mine I guess since she's now holding one of the buds out for me. "You forget yours?"
I shrug almost imperceptibly. "It's fine. I know you hate listening to people on the bus."
"So do you." She shoots back with the faintest of grins.
"It's a waste for us to only half save ourselves from the noise, better one of us survives than neither." I chuckle as she keeps holding out the bud.
"I'm not leaving you behind Armin." She says with mock drama in her voice. "We can both survive this trip just take it!" She commands with a small chuckle. I relent and take the bud from between her index finger and thumb and place it in my ear.
Mikasa's music taste in my experience is mostly rock, not heavy metal levels of rock but also not the kind of rock that borders on pop music. None of which are really my kind of music, but I'm prepared for it as I close my eyes to relax, only for them to snap open when I hear the starts of orchestral music. I glance over at Mikasa incredulously.
"What?" She asks with an eyebrow rising, her red scarf already covering everything below her eyes, which does result in her words getting a bit muffled.
"Since when have you been into classical?" I press the question forward. Though considering how evasive she's been with every other question asked today I'm not sure I'll even get an answer.
"I've been giving it some tries over the Summer. I know you like it so I decided that I'd give it a chance. Turns out it's not that bad." She shrugs a bit.
I can't help but feel my face heat up as I look out the window to avoid continued eye contact with her. It's flattering that she gave it a try because of me, and I'm glad she likes it. I'm just not really sure how to respond. I could just be overthinking it. That's actually just the most likely possibility outright. Wouldn't be the first time I'm overthinking things. I turn to her and smile, about to say 'I'm glad you like it' only to see that her eyes are closed and her head's leaning against the seat. I sigh a bit before leaning my head against the window. I'll just tell her when we get off the bus. Grandpa knows I'm going to be over Eren and Mikasa's for the night, which is hardly an issue since we live right next door to each other. If I need something or he needs me it takes less than a minute for me to get home from their house.
The ride is about an hour long, and I think I at most only lost seven brain cells from what little I heard on the bus. Thanks to Mikasa sharing her ear bud it saved me from far more casualties. Though I mourn for her own losses, from the corner of my eye I could see her open her eyes just faintly to glare forward at some of the things that could be heard ahead of us. I hand the ear bud back to her when the bus stops and she takes it and wraps the cord around her phone before putting it in her pocket. She leans over to Eren and seems to be going to nudge him before abruptly smacking him over the head. To say the least Eren is wide awake as he flails and falls to the floor in a panic.
After a few choice words and collecting all our stuff, Eren barges off the bus like a damn race car. I follow after Mikasa, walking at a human speed rather than replicating the damn road runner cartoon. Once we're off the bus doors close behind us and we make our way up to the Yaeger home's front door. It's a pretty well off home, two stories and a basement, plenty of room, as well as a fair backyard. By comparison to grandpa's home, it's a lot better. Not to say that we aren't well off, it's just by comparison. Grisha is a well off and accomplished doctor after all so it's no surprise that they're just a bit cozier compared to grandpa and I. Though the cost of that is Grisha hardly being around the home.
Eren's already inside and lying on the couch with his shoes launched off into whatever direction he was kicking them off in. "I'm shocked how awake you are after just waking up." I say as I untie and take off my shoes at the door with Mikasa, setting them to the side as Eren just shrugs.
"I blame being abused into waking up." He says pointedly. Mikasa is now the one playing innocent with looks around the room avoiding looking at Eren, humming as if she never heard him.
"Welcome home you three!" Carla calls out from the kitchen. After a moment she comes out and hugs Mikasa then me, before going over to Eren and slapping his legs off the couch. "Make yourselves comfortable! I decided to start dinner prep early, sorry to disappoint Mikasa, there's not much to help with at this point." She offers a small smile to the raven.
"It's fine." Mikasa dismisses the apology as she sits on the couch next to Eren to prevent him from throwing his legs up again and taking all the room. "I'll take care of cleaning up after." Her voice cool and simple, not wasting any words, let alone bothering to leave room for negotiations.
"I'll help too!" I chime in and Carla gives me a smile as she heads back into the kitchen.
"You're too sweet Armin." She says before disappearing back into the kitchen. Eren rolls his eyes as he turns on the TV. I take my seat next to Mikasa and lean on the arm of the couch. Eren spends most of his time just scrolling through the channels. I'm pretty sure he loops back around about three times before going to on demand.
"Is there a reason you won't tell your third block class to us Mikasa or are you just messing with us?" I whisper to her. Eren too in his own world to really hear while he looks at movie trailers to try and find something that might actually catch his interest.
Mikasa looks at me for a moment. Silent as she contemplates before shaking her head and whispering back, "I'll tell you later." Is it just keeping it from Eren then? Is there something about the class that she thinks Eren will not like? Or more likely make fun of her about? It's not unlike Eren to be a bit insensitive when it comes to things he cares about. Just thinking back to his response to me taking Creative Writing says enough on that front. He lacks any tact at all and when it comes to Mikasa and I, he has less than no tact.
"You guys wanna watch the new Pacific Rim movie?" Eren calls over to us as he watches the trailer.
"The first one was alright but it's a sequel Eren." I chide, knowing the cardinal sin for most movies is making an unnecessary sequel.
"Come on, who watches action movies for the story?"
"You just want to watch the fight scenes don't you?" Mikasa surmises before I can say it myself.
"Obviously." Eren answers as though it should be his only reason to watch the movie.
"Fighting giant monsters to decide the fate of Humanity is such an overdone plot though." I groan out as I lean my elbow on the arm of the couch and use the same elbow's hand to hold my head up.
"Like I just said, who cares about plot? Action is all that matters."
"You're insufferable, you know that?"
"Just start it already we're not going to find much else." Mikasa cuts in, preventing any time being wasted with a back and forth. Eren starts up the movie and I lean back into the couch. Drifting off into my own head for a bit.
After a while of white noise going on in the background I snap to attention when I see Carla walk over with a a tray holding three plates. In each plate is a sizzling piece of steak, mashed potatoes, and green peas. Knives and forks on the end of the tray. We all thank Carla as she heads off to eat her own in the kitchen I assume. Carla has no issue with us eating in the living room, knowing that Mikasa and I will keep clean and prevent Eren from making a mess.
We all grab a plate and dig in, Eren still focused on the movie, Mikasa only half paying attention, then me who isn't even watching.
After a couple minutes Carla walks by heading for the door. "I'm going out for a bit, don't burn down the house Eren, Mikasa you know the emergency services number, Armin I hope that your grandpa has some spare space for when he does burn the house down and we have to find shelter for the next few weeks." Mikasa and I share a chuckle, where as Eren waves her off dismissively.
Once I'm done I stand up and take my plate to the kitchen. Cleaning it up as an excuse to get away from the movie. Some pots and pans are in the sink, not entirely sure if they're all from just this dinner, so I start cleaning them up too. After I've cleaned up about half of what was already in the sink I hear Mikasa walk in and stand with me. "Stealing my job, huh?" She asks with a grin. I notice she has Eren's plate with hers, as well as the tray.
"You trying to escape the movie too?" I chuckle as I hand over a sponge for her to take over dishes while I go and clean up the rest of the kitchen.
"Escape is a strong word." She says nonchalantly. I shake my head with a grin. I hear Eren's phone go off in the living room and it quickly be picked up. I glance over and through the hall I can just barely see him standing up and collecting his shoes while he holds the phone to his ear. Is he ditching us? I shrug it off and return to cleaning the counter.
"Hey guys sorry," Eren starts in the doorway into the kitchen, "I'm going out myself for a bit, sorry to ditch you guys but I should be back before mom gets back." Eren turns and heads for the door.
"Where are you going?" Mikasa calls out, leaving the sink with a plate mid clean, heading for Eren.
"Just out for a walk. Quit worrying I'll be back before you know it." He calls back before I hear the door shut out front. Mikasa huffs in the kitchen's door frame before walking back to the sink and finishing cleaning the plates.
I think I can physically feel the silence in the air around me. It's actually kind of cool if not for the fact that Mikasa radiates tension like a fog machine. I want to say something, actually scratch that, I might need to say something or else Mikasa might be the one who burns the house just by turning into a human radiator.
"Mikasa you ok?" I ask. I wince at myself being so ridiculous. OK? Obviously not! The strongest person I've ever met just had the most annoying friend in existence run off on her out of nowhere when she was supposed to be looking after him. What am I expecting? 'Oh yeah Armin I'm fine, it's a peaceful day and everything's going my way!' The only way she'd say that right now is if the very oxygen she breathes now is laced with sarcasm.
"Yeah." She says and I wince as she ye- wait she just said yeah? On second glance she's sitting at the kitchen island her chin on the counter. The completely tense girl I saw all of five seconds ago suddenly loose in thought. I'm taken off guard rather harshly. 'Yeah'? I was prepared to run for the hills just a moment ago and now I feel like I'm watching dog pouting because its owner just left the house.
I walk over and hover a hand over her shoulder. Contemplating just how badly I'll need it to function through the rest of my life, but then say screw it and rest it on her shoulder. Maybe me doing that isn't very comfortable but it's all I can do really.
"Art." I hear her mumble faintly. I raise an eyebrow at her as I take a seat and sit next to her, pulling my hand away slowly.
"I'm sorry?" I ask. not quite understanding what she's talking about immediately.
"Third block. I'm taking art." I feel like I'm hearing things for a second. She's taking art? Mikasa? The most hardcore and scary girl I've known since elementary school? In all this time she's never shown any interest in art. Right? "You think it's dumb." She mumbles as she folds her arms on the table and buries her head into her forearms. I feel myself panic a bit.
I stutter out my words as I try to reassure her, saying, "N-no! It's un... expected sure. I n-never knew you had an interest in art is... all." I'm so bad at comforting. I sound like I'm on the verge of having a stroke. I'm too young to die like that!
Then I hear a chuckle. My eyes widen as I look at Mikasa's shoulders bounce lightly. "You're ridiculous Armin." She says as she slowly sits back up. "I'm glad you are though. It's a nice change of pace from dealing with Eren."
"You're only saying that because you don't live with me. I'm not nearly as tolerable when it comes to living with me on a daily basis." I chuckle as I lean on the island. Feeling the tension die down now, and my lungs are thankful for the fresh air now.
"I don't know about that. You wanna try living with Eren?"
"That's all you, I don't have your level of patience."
"Maybe we should leave him to deal with himself to save both ourselves."
"Hah! That would cut our losses immensely."
Mikasa's grin lowers and she sighs a bit. I feel myself tense again. Did I say something wrong? Am I missing something? Is she worrying about Eren? "You have something on your mind Mikasa?" I ask. Yet again the answer is obvious and I mentally slap myself for it.
"A couple things, yeah." She pulls up her scarf, still wrapped around her neck even indoors, and it covers up to her nose now. I find myself fiddling with my nails now. Not picking at them, I kicked that habit a long time ago. Right now I'm just feeling them and trying to distract myself. Not really sure how to help Mikasa. I want to help her. I care about her and I don't like seeing her so shut in. Her usual closed up behavior is fine and is still open enough to enjoy herself, but now she seems to be put off by whatever's going on with Eren. "Armin."
Her voice snaps me out of myself and I look at her curiously, her scarf still covering half her face. "Yeah?" I ask.
"You're... a good friend. I hope you know that..." She pauses a moment looking at me. Her scarf muffling her words a bit. "You know that right?"
I feel myself tense up rapidly. Looking back at her a bit taken by surprise. My eyebrows are probably as high as they can get right now. "I mean, if you think I am then I guess I have... I have to trust your judgement." I chuckle a little, trying to ease myself up. Pulling one hand up to rub the back of my head. Unsure why she's bringing this up.
"Eren's, well he's Eren. I love him like a brother. Which means he has a knack for getting on my nerves like a brother too."
"Why's this coming up Mikasa? Is something up with Eren?"
"Nothing major. I just know he's been sneaking off a lot these past couple weeks. I should probably say something or follow him, but I just don't." She sighs a bit. "I'm probably just being overprotective. He can handle himself. I worry more about him than I worry about myself I feel like."
"Well that's not wrong. But that's not bad either. Since you're acknowledging it though that means you can try doing something about it. Start focusing on what you want more instead of how to keep Eren in check." I find the words coming easier now. No more stuttering, though I still feel tense and I hardly understand why. It's not like Mikasa is about to rip my head off... Right?
She snorts a bit and looks at me curiously. "What I want?"
"You want things right? Or have you gone spiritualist on me while I wasn't looking and are rejecting all materialist objects?"
"What if I am?" She asks, and I can hear the grin in her voice. It's so odd, she hardly ever grins, but I feel like today she's been doing it nonstop.
"Well for starters you're doing terribly at it right now, the scarf is a materialist item, you don't need it to live a happy fulfilling spiritualist life, hand it over." I demand as I reach for the scarf and she laughs as she dodges, hopping out of the chair and keeping out of arm's reach of me. "Hey! I'm just trying to help you live your spiritualist life here don't fight me!" Please, don't fight me, I don't want to die this young.
"No!" She proclaims and darts out of the kitchen. I roll my eyes, deciding that playing along with what I've started is probably the best way to help Mikasa.
I chase her around for a bit. It's actually kind of relaxing, seeing her happy like this. Hearing her laugh. It warms my heart. My friend... Friend...
My thought is cut off out of the blue when Mikasa trips me over in the living room, the sound of robots fighting big monsters still playing on the TV as I land face first on the couch. I feel a pressure on my back for a moment then I'm flipped over, looking up at Mikasa, triumphant as she keeps me pinned with her knee to my chest. Ow. "I win!" She declares.
"Funny. I don't recall this being a game. Is that how you're treating your new spiritualist life Mikasa? Some kind of game?" She rolls her eyes and I can't help but grin.
"I've decided that a spiritualist life is overrated. Materials in the real world are too enjoyable to give up." She shoots back at me with a grin, keeping me pinned securely. Again, ow.
"You bring shame to spiritualists everywhere with your flippancy." I mock displeasure and sorrow in my voice, causing her to let out small giggle. I feel her knee dig into my heart I think. Wait, no her knee isn't over my heart it's too low.
"Doesn't matter. I still won Arlert."
"I'm still trying to figure out what exactly it is you won here."
She pauses for a second at that. Seeming to close up again. I raise an eyebrow up at her, not sure why she's stuttering about from open and happy to closed up like a clam. It simultaneously confuses me, and fills me with worry. She's obviously not saying what's on her mind, but I can't read what's wrong. "You said earlier." She starts, grabbing my full attention. "You said that I should focus more on what I want. I'm unsure what I want really." Her eyes look away a bit, but she doesn't move away.
"You don't have to rush things Mikasa. There's plenty of time to figure out what you want."
"But what if I can't get what I want?"
"Mikasa, you shouldn't dwell on that." In all honesty I don't know where all this wisdom and sage advice that I'm spilling out is coming from. I think I've read too many books for my own good. "I know this is probably a case of do as I say not as I do, I know I don't have the guts to act on things I want, but I know you do, so I'll give you this advice, it's better to have acted on what you want than to have never acted at all, even if it ends in failure."
She's silent for a moment. Considering my words I think. Her index finger hooked on the top of her scarf, holding it so that it comes just under her eyes, covering nearly her entire face. I feel her shift her weight a bit, causing her knee to grind into my chest again. Once more, ow. She then lifts her knee off of my chest and sits on my stomach with her knees on either side of me to keep me pinned. "You won already so you don't need to keep me pinned ya know?" I ask, hoping that will convince her to get off my fragile person.
She chuckles at that and in the midst of rolling my eyes, her scarf drops on my face. I puff out air to get the cloth out of and away from my mouth. I reach up and grab the scarf, starting to pull it off but being quickly interrupted by Mikasa's hands holding mine still. I open my mouth to ask her why she's tormenting me so inhumanely, only to feel a soft pressure against my lips. My eyes widen under the cloth of the scarf and I'm frozen in place for a moment. What just happened? I feel the scarf lift off my face slowly. I hardly even register that there's no longer a grip on one of my wrists. When it's off I watch Mikasa wrap it around her neck and hold it high enough to cover her cheeks. I wish I had a scarf of my own to do that because I feel my face lighting on fire.
"Mikasa...?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you just...?"
"Yeah."
"I... Uhm..." I struggle to form words and I can tell that I'm not being subtle about my shock.
"Before you... say anything. I'm sorry if it's upset you." Her voice once again a little muffled by her scarf. "I just felt that with what you said about acting on what I want, I should probably listen to you, since you're almost never wrong about anything." She presses the scarf a bit closer to her mouth. "If I failed at least I tr-"
"Mikasa." I interrupt her. I feel her tense up. Her grip on my other hand loosens, I hadn't even realized that it tightened in the first place.
"Armin?" She asks slowly and shyly. I don't know why but I think my heart skips a beat when she says my name.
"The scarf's in the way." I hardly even know what I'm saying. It's like I've gone into an autopilot that I didn't even know existed.
She pulls down her scarf so that it's under her chin now, her face red, and I imagine that mine probably has the same shade. I don't really know what's come over me. I feel sick. It's not sick sick though. Terrified? No not that either. It's weird, yet regardless I find myself leaning up a bit, thankfully Mikasa leans down and meets me halfway, pressing our lips together softly. It sends a jolt through me, not like this morning when Eren screamed in my poor ear. This is different. It's comforting. Like I'm wrapped in a warm blanket. Unlike the fight or flight adrenaline rush that Eren's scream sent through me this jolt is more like a rush of bliss. Like I could stay like this without any wor-
Click! Oh fuck someone's back! Mikasa has the same reaction and rolls off me and lands on the floor and swings around to be propped against the couch like she's watching the TV. Damn she's fast! I curl up in the corner of the couch leaning against the arm as Carla walks in. I'm not surprised to see that Eren failed to get here before her.
"Where's Eren?" She asks as she sets down a bag. When Mikasa and I shrug in response she huffs. "I'm sure you guys tried to stop him from running off. It's the thought that counts. Maybe they won't be able to trace his path of destruction back to us." She says as she walks off to the kitchen. I hear a pleasant sigh from where she went, though I hardly register it as I look at Mikasa, who looks at me. If my face is as red as hers then I wonder how on Earth she missed it. I'm actually thankful that it wasn't Eren since I think we would have been busted if it were. Though thinking about it, Eren has it down to a fine art when it comes to being oblivious.
Mikasa sits up on the couch now and wraps an arm around mine and leans her head on my shoulder, talking low so that only I can hear in case Carla is listening in. "Don't tell Eren, please?"
I grin a bit as I whisper back, "What about? You taking art class or what just happened?"
She swiftly delivers a flick to the side of my head and responds, "Both."
"Hey you two!" Mikasa flings herself to the other side of the couch in the blink of an eye, I think she might have ripped my arm off me if she went any faster. "Thanks so much for cleaning up for me. I doubt Eren thanked you before leaving so I'll say thank you again for him." Carla says cheerily. Mikasa lets out a sigh of relief I think, and I'd be lying if I tried to convince myself I didn't with her.
"It was no problem Mrs. Yaeger." I say, focusing on the TV to distract myself a bit. I hardly even know what just happened, all I know is that Mikasa doesn't want it being known. So I'll keep it between us. In all honesty, I don't know what I'm feeling but it's nice, whatever it is. I spare a glance over to Mikasa, and she's covered her face with her scarf completely.
"Always happy to help." She says as normally as she can. Carla just smiles obliviously and goes back about her business.
"If you guys could contact Eren somehow and tell him to get home ASAP it would be appreciated." Carla calls out from the kitchen. I guess sorting things out as we didn't really organize everything when we interrupted our own work.
I look over to Mikasa, raising an eyebrow, and she shakes her head as if to say 'Not my job.' Not feeling like calling him right now I just pull out my phone and send him a text.
Me: Eren, where are you? You're a bit late to get back before your mother. She seems fine now but I can tell she's ready to blow up at you.
PainInTheAss: sorry got lil caught up
PainInTheAss: b back in 5
Me: Eren, you do know how to spell properly right?
PainInTheAss: nope
Me: You don't even capitalize your first word, it's not that hard! Your phone can even be set to auto-capitalize!
PainInTheAss: HOW BOUT I LEAVE CAPS ON HUH
Me: Never mind. I prefer the no capitalization.
PainInTheAss: thats what i thought
I roll my eyes before I put away my phone. Avoiding losing my sanity with Eren's text speech. I know for a fact that he un-capitalized that I to spite me. "He's on his way back!" I call out to Carla.
She hums her confirmation that she heard and I stretch out in the couch. I can't help but yawn into my shoulder. With the adrenaline shot this morning from Eren mixed with the second adrenaline shot just a few minutes ago I'm rather exhausted shockingly. "We're gonna go set up in my room Carla!" Mikasa calls out, standing up from the couch with a stretch, keeping her head down so that it stays covered by her scarf. I'm guessing in case Carla comes in. Is she really still blushing? Carla hums another confirmation. I think Eren might lose a leg when he gets back. Mikasa takes my hand and leads me upstairs. Opening the door to her room and letting me in first before following me in, and I hear her close the door behind me.
I walk over and flop into her bean bag. Quickly getting comfortable in the bean seat. I hear Mikasa's giggle behind me accompanied by the moving of supplies, which I'm guessing are intended to make a makeshift bed for Eren and I. I don't really pay attention, happily lying face first in the bean bag. "I'll sleep here don't mind me." I mumble into the beans contentedly.
"You sure? I can't imagine it's that comfortable, and don't you like your comfortable sleep?" Mikasa asks, I hear more shifting and movement.
"You offering to donate your bed to me? I can't guarantee that I won't pass out on contact with the mattress."
"Do I need to donate it? Sharing is caring isn't it?" Her voice is laced with her sheepish tone at the question, and I finally turn over to see she's split her bed into three sections with walls of blankets and pillows set up.
"How many blankets and pillows have you stuffed into your closet?"
"Enough."
"How many is enough?"
"You wanna keep asking?"
"A little, but now I'm a little afraid to."
"Get in already before I throw you out to sleep in Eren's room."
"No please!" I plead with a grin as I get up and make my way into her bed. Oh. Now that's not something that would have made my face burn earlier this summer. Though I don't really know what to say on the subject of that kiss. I can hardly believe that that happened. Did it happen? Was I daydreaming? When I lie down against the wall I turn over to look at Mikasa who's already in the middle of the three sections. Sitting criss cross in front of me. I freeze up facing her. I slowly sit up on my knees Face to face with her.
She took off her scarf I realize and it's off on the dresser out of the corner of my eye. I look down a bit awkwardly, unsure of what to say, I watch her fiddling with her hands. seeming to be just as unsure as I am. "Armin..." She speaks up now. I have to force myself a bit to look up at her. Not because I don't want to look at her, but because I'm worried about what she's going to say. "I was a bit forward earlier... I kind of forced you into a situation, and if... You know you don't actually... Feel comfortable about this."
I stop her before she can continue, I hardly register that I've taken her hands in mine. My face heated and probably about ready to turn into a red balloon. "You said you won didn't you? Don't go backing out from what you want now." I offer her a reassuring smile. One that lights her up a bit. She leans in and pecks me on the lips, it's faint but I enjoy it just as much as the other two.
"Get some sleep. I'll make sure Eren doesn't draw on your face before he goes to sleep himself." Mikasa says, guiding me to lie down, which I happily go along with.
"You sure he won't be able to draw even in his sleep? He's pretty committed to that prank."
"If he succeeds he's gonna lose a hand."
"You'll have to get in line I think. I'm pretty sure Carla has first dibs."
"No, she'll break his legs so he can't sneak out anymore. The hands will be fair game."
"You've thought this out more than I'd like to consider."
"I have spare time."
"Should I be worried about my safety?"
"No, I'm your safety now."
I feel my face flare with heat. Damnit, it was just cooling down too. She obviously sees this and giggles at my expense. I want to complain, but the pillow is a bit too comfortable, and my eyelids are getting heavier a bit too quickly. I want to sleep more than I'd like to complain on second thought.