Evening all, I've had an incredibly long day so I'mma just leave this here for you while I go to sleep, enjoy :D
When Eren and Levi get to the hospital and to Armin's room there are a lot of tears, mostly on Eren's part. Jean gives Levi a run down of what happened since Armin arrived at the hospital. He doesn't say anything about the prostitution – if Armin wants them to know, he'll tell them – and is quite tight lipped about why all the other doctors seem to be referring to Armin as 'Marco'. Eren stays by Armin's side until they are asked to leave as visiting hours end. Jean promises to look after Armin in Eren's absence, despite the fact that he's been at the hospital pushing forty-eight hours now.
Armin tells him that he'll be fine and that Jean doesn't have to stay but Jean insists that he's staying. I want to stay so I'll stay. The two of them spend most of their time talking and Armin is a lot more willing to open up to him now. Everything is so easy with Jean and Armin craves the time they spend alone together, however fleeting and short it may be.
By the time the weekend comes to a close Jean gives Armin the go ahead to leave. On the one hand Armin is glad that he can go home because hospitals aren't overly nice places to be in, on the other hand he now has to go back to reality. He has to deal with Reiner asking where he's been, he has to deal with Erwin probably docking his pay for not being at work the last few days if he doesn't just out right fire him and, what seems to hurt him the most, is that he won't see Jean as much anymore.
He's packing up his bag when there is a knock at the door. He turns and sees Eren standing in the doorway. "Hey," he says smiling.
"Hey," Eren says, walking over to him. "You all packed and ready to go?"
"I am now," Armin says, zipping up his bag.
"Good," Eren says. He wraps his arms around Armin's waist from behind and rests his chin on Armin's shoulder. "I'm so glad you're alright," he whispers but Armin still just about hears him. He places a hand on top of one of Eren's.
"I'm sorry I made you worry," he says.
Eren hugs him a little tighter. "I'm sorry I left," he whispers.
"I don't blame you," Armin says, giving his hand a squeeze. "If I had had the option to leave I would have done."
"I know but still."
"How is everything going with Levi?" Armin asks, changing the subject.
"It's great," Eren replies, burying his head into Armin's shoulder. "How's things with Reiner?" he asks after a pause.
Armin stiffens slightly but Eren doesn't seem to notice. He should tell him. He should tell him that there was a reason he called him instead of Reiner. Although Eren's probably worked something out, he's not stupid. "Things are okay," he says finally.
"Just okay?" Eren asks.
"Things have been difficult," Armin replies. "Things have been kind of shit for a while and I haven't been able to talk to him about things much."
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Armin says even though they both know it isn't. I wonder if I'll ever find someone who cares for me as much as Levi cares for Eren...
"What are you going to tell him?" Eren asks after another pause.
"What Reiner?"
"Yeah. I mean you've been here nearly a week now, he must at least be wondering where you are and if you're okay," Eren says.
"I think I'm going to tell him that I was with you, if that's okay?" Armin says.
"Yeah that's fine," Eren says.
"I just don't want him to freak out about how long I've been in hospital and how much that might have cost," Armin says.
"Arm you don't have to explain yourself to me," Eren says and Armin thanks him for it. "I mean I doubt Reiner would contact me to ask but I'll cover for you."
"Thank you," Armin says and gives his hand another squeeze.
There is a moment of silence that passes between the two of them, Armin just holding on to Eren. If I let go then I have to go back to that hell and I don't know if I can do that just yet... The silence is broken by Levi's deep voice from the doorway.
"You ready to go?" he asks.
"Yeah," Armin replies as he and Eren finally break apart. He turns to smile at Levi. "Thank you for everything Levi."
"Don't sweat it," Levi says. "Hardly going to leave you in hospital on your own."
"It was great to see you both again," Armin says, smiling fondly, "even if the circumstances weren't great."
"We'll have to come back for a proper visit at some point," Eren says, pulling Armin into another hug.
"Where are you living these days?" Levi asks. "We'll drop you off."
"It's miles out of your way, don't worry about it," Armin says shaking his head.
"It's fine, it's no bother," Levi says.
"Besides," Eren cuts in before Armin can reply, "if Reiner sees me he might be a bit more inclined to believe you were with me."
And if Reiner gets angry then I'll be dragging Eren and Levi into this mess as well. "No seriously it's fine. I could do with the walk, I've been in bed for like four days. I really need the exercise."
"But you said it yourself it's miles out of the way," Levi says.
"Hey!" Eren suddenly calls out into the corridor. "Dr Kirschtein!" Next thing Armin knows Jean comes into the room, looking confused.
"Everything okay?" he asks.
"Can you please tell Armin that he shouldn't be walking home on his own after the condition he was in," Eren pleads.
"I've been given the okay to leave," Armin says. "I'm fine to walk!"
"Don't be so stubborn!" Eren tells him.
"Well I can give you a lift home as I live out that way, if making people go out of their way is what you're worried about," Jean chuckles, hardly bothering to hide his grin as Eren and Armin argue.
"What?" Armin asks, his eyes widening.
"Yeah if you won't go home with us then at least go home with him," Eren says.
"We'd all feel better if you didn't go home on your own," Levi says.
Armin bites his lip. Maybe he should take Eren and Levi up on their offer... it might be better then being in a car with Jean. Then again being with Jean for a little longer would be nice. It would also mean that he wasn't making Eren and Levi go miles out the way.
"Okay," he relents. "I'll go with Dr Kirschtein."
"Good," Eren says grinning. He wraps his arms around Armin's neck and pulls him close again. "Hey, he's quite good looking isn't he," he whispers so that Jean can't here but there is no danger of that as he's already talking to Levi. Armin can feel his face heating up as Jean turns to smile at him.
"Is he?" he whispers back. "I hadn't noticed."
Armin hates saying goodbye to Eren but being driven home by Jean really does soften the blow. He manages to make vague conversation a he watches Jean drive. Even the way he drives is sexy... When they reach Armin's front door he has to fight the urge to leave over and hug him. The way Jean is smiling at him makes his stomach flutter and his cheeks turn pink. He thanks him again and pulls his keys out as he leaves the car. At the door he turns and gives Jean a wave, watching him a moment longer as he drives off, before he opens the door.
"I'm home," he says, voice wavering as he prepares himself for the argument he knows is going to happen.
"Where the fuck have you been?" Reiner growls as he comes out of the kitchen.
Armin swallows. He can feel himself shaking. I shouldn't be this scared of the man who's supposed to love me... "Sorry," he says. "I had a bad night the other day and I just needed to be on my own for a little while."
"You were gone for four days!" Reiner hisses. "I had no idea where you were of when you were coming back!"
"I just needed some space," Armin offers lamely. He knows there's no way Reiner is going to accept this as an explanation.
"So where have you been?" Reiner asks.
"I went to go see Eren," he replies.
"He lives out in Stohess! How much did it cost you to get out there?"
"His partner came and picked me up," Armin lies.
"Well you're back now," Reiner says after a pause shrugging.
"Yeah I'm sorry. I won't take off with no explanation again," Armin says.
"By the way," Reiner says after a pause, his voice dipping dangerously, "who was that guy who dropped you off just now."
Fuck!
"He... he's a friend of Eren's," Armin stammers. "He was coming out this way so he said he'd drop me off. Save Levi the second trip."
Reiner glares at him and Armin can feel a storm brewing. Reiner takes a step towards him and he tries not to shrink back against the door. "Don't lie to me, Armin."
"I... I'm not lying," Armin says even though he's digging his grave even deeper.
"Then why won't you look at me?" Reiner hisses. "We've been together long enough that I know when you're lying." Armin realises that he's been staring at the floor or the wall or the ceiling, anywhere but at Reiner's face.
"I... I just..." There's no explanation. He's never been a very good liar and this is only proving it.
"You haven't been in Stohess, tell me the truth!" Reiner snarls, advancing on him. "You've been whoring around with him this whole time!"
"What?" Armin asks indignantly.
"That's where you've been isn't it?" Reiner snaps. "You've been fucking him!" It's too much. The accusations after everything Reiner's pushed on him is too much and something inside Armin snaps too.
"So what if I have?" he asks. "It's my job remember!"
"How much did he pay you then?" Reiner asks. "If it's your job where's the money?"
"Erwin doesn't work like that and you know it!"
"Well you must have something to show for it!"
"What the hell is your problem?" Armin asks. "You were the one who said that as long as I was getting paid it didn't matter and, if I recall, you were the one who told me to do this in the first place."
"That was before I thought you'd use it as a good excuse to give it away for free!" Reiner shouts.
"Wow!" Armin says, taken aback. "Nice to know how little you think of me. I have never done anything like that with anyone other that you unless I was getting paid for it!"
"Really?" Reiner asks incredulously. "Because from where I'm standing that sounds like total bullshit.
"You know what? I can't talk to you when you're like this," Armin says throwing his hands up in anger and frustration. "I don't even want to look at you right now!" He stalks passed Reiner into the kitchen. He doesn't know what he plans to do in there, all he knows is that he can't be around Reiner if he wants to keep a level head.
A rough hand grabs his arm as he passes and he is yanked backwards before the back of Reiner's hand connects with his face. "Don't walk away from me you little slut!"
The blow has Armin reeling, colliding painfully with the door frame. He cries out as Reiner roughly grabs his hair. He's never hit me before... then again he's never called me names and accused me of cheating before so I guess there's a first time for everything.
Reiner's fist raises and Armin closes his eyes, prepared for another blow, but a knock at the door stills Reiner's hand. He tightens his grip on Armin's hair and drags him into the kitchen so they can see who is at the door from the window. Armin's heart sinks as he sees Jean standing in front of the door, waiting.
"Looks like your new man isn't ready to give up on you yet," Reiner hisses derisively. Using the grip he has on his hair he gives Armin a shove in the direction of the door, making him trip and stumble. "Answer it," he snarls.
Armin picks himself up and tries to compose himself as much as possible before he opens the door.
"Hey," Jean smiles and the sight makes Armin's heart melt.
"Jean, what are you doing here?" he asks. He knows Reiner is going to be listening in on every word between them so he should keep it short.
Jean's smile falters and his eyes narrow as he looks at Armin's face. "You left your jacket in the car," he says holding out the aforementioned jacket. "Thought you might want it back."
"Thank you," Armin say, taking the jacket hurriedly.
Jean studies him for a moment. "Are you okay?" He's looking pointedly at Armin's eyes. He tentatively lifts a hand to his face and it stings where his fingers brush. Must be from where he hit me...
"Yeah I'm fine," he lies.
"Okay good," Jean says as he pulls his phone out of his pocket. "I figured I probably shouldn't leave it in the back seat of my car just in case you needed it before I next saw you." As he talks he taps something out and turns the phone around so Armin can see what is written on the screen.
Blink twice if he did this to you
"Thank you for this," Armin says gesturing to the jacket, "and thank you for the ride home." He tries to ignore the request but he can't, not when it's from Jean. He looks him in the eye and blinks twice.
"No problem," Jean says as he pockets his phone. "So I guess I'll see you around then."
"S... sure," Armin says with a sinking heart. What did I think was going to happen? "I'll see you around." Resigned to his fate he closes the door, bracing himself for whatever Reiner is going to throw at him. He stiffens as he feels Reiner looming behind him.
"Looks like he doesn't think you're worth the effort after all," he sneers He grabs a fistful of Armin's hair and yanks his head back, making Armin drop the jacket and cry out. He gropes uselessly at Reiner's wrist but his grip is too strong. Someone please save me from this...
Outside Armin's scream of pain is muffled slightly by the door but it's still loud enough for Jean to hear. He walks away as he pulls out his phone. If I can hear them they might be able to hear me... He presses in the number and hold the phone to his ear.
"Emergency services, who do you need?" a monotonous female voice says as the call connects.
"Police please," Jean says.
Ten minutes of someone bigger and stronger than you using you like a punching bag is a long time. Armin loses all concept of how much time has passed by the time he's on the floor, Reiner's foot connecting with his stomach, and all he wants is for it to be over. He closes his eyes – hopefully he'll get tired and just leave – and waits, hoping and praying.
A pounding on the door makes Reiner stop before he can land the next blow. Armin opens his eyes and blinks up at the door. Could this be his saving grace?
"Police," a voice shouts through the door. "Open up!"
Reiner grabs Armin's hair and roughly pulls him up off the floor. "Did you know about this?"
"No," Armin whimpers, trying to wriggle from Reiner's vice like grip but to no avail. "I swear."
There is another pounding on the door. "Police, is anyone home?"
If I call out then they'll hear me and they can stop this. Summoning all his courage Armin takes a deep breath and shouts as loud as he can. "Someone help me, please!"
"Shut up!" Reiner snarls and shoves Armin's face to the floor.
"If this door doesn't open in ten seconds, we're breaking it down," the voice outside calls. Armin closes his eyes and counts to ten, filled with trepidation.
There is a sudden flurry of activity. The door bursts off its hinges and within seconds Reiner's weight is pulled off him. He looks up to see Reiner, spitting and snarling, fighting against two huge policemen. They manage to force him into a pair of handcuffs and drag him outside. Armin watches him be pulled away, utterly dazed, until a hand appears in front of his face. He looks up and sees Jean.
"Are you alright?" Jean asks.
Armin takes his hand and allows Jean to pull him to his feet. "Yeah, thank you." Jean brushes Armin's hair from his face, inspecting the damage. I must look an absolute mess... Armin opens his mouth to say something, shifting under Jean's gaze, but he's cut off by a policewoman with glasses and long brown hair tied back in a ponytail.
"Hey," she smiles, "I'm Constable Hange Zoe. You okay Honey?"
"Yes, thanks," Armin replies.
"Are you badly hurt?"
"I don't think so," Armin replies.
"I'm a doctor," Jean says. "I can take a proper look at him."
"Okay good," Hange smiles. "What's your name Honey?"
"A... Armin Arlert," Armin stammers.
"And was that your partner we just arrested?"
"Um... yeah."
"Can you accompany us to the station?" Hange asks. "Just need to ask you a few questions about what happened."
"Oh... sure..."
"I can come with you if you want," Jean says and Armin's heart aches. He realises that he's still holding Jean's hand and he tightens his grip slightly.
"Please."