Modern AU, they/them pronouns for Hanji as usual
Armin looked up from his book. It was quiet. Too quiet. It had been too quiet for a while now. Setting the book down, he got up from his recliner. He made a small tour of the apartment, checking every room. All of his flatmates were out except for Hanji, or so he had thought. Maybe they had gone out after all.
He reached the kitchen door and a small sniffle stopped him in his tracks. He peered through the doorway and, sure enough, there was Hanji. They were leaning over the counter, with their back to Armin. To his shock, he saw as Hanji's back shifted, and they continued to sniffle. Are they crying?
Armin was frozen in shocked. He'd seen a lot of bizarre things since moving in with his current flatmates, from practicing speeches in front of the bathroom mirror with no lights on to actual madmen who perched on top of the refrigerator after midnight, but a crying Hanji? Never.
He stood as if transfixed for a few moments longer, watching as Hanji repeatedly sniffled and rubbed at their face with the back of their hand. Finally, he moved forward up to his flatmate, and placed a hand tentatively on their back.
"Are you alright? Y-you can talk to me if you like," he offered them a smile once they looked around, eyes puffy and nose runny.
"Oh, Armin," Hanji rubbed her nose. "It's alright, I was just-" they motioned to the cutting board behind them -"cutting some onions." Armin blushed and, flustered, tried to excuse himself, but Hanji just giggled. "Don't worry about it." They punched him playfully on the arm. "It was very sweet of you to be so concerned." With a final smile, they turned back to their cutting and Armin, cheeks still aflame, went back to his reading.
This is a really short update, I know. Things have been hectic but have finally calmed down and I can get back to writing yay
