Hey guys! What's up?

Thanks for the follows and everything; they make my day, yo. Especially the reviews from tinodnyc, MostardaProductions and FlyingMintBunny579.

So, as always, I don't own SNK and I hope you enjoy!

Three: Book Smart

"Cause I'm T.N.T., I'm dynamite. T.N.T. And I'll win that fight. T.N.T. I'm a power load. T.N.T. Watch me explode."

"Shut the hell up, Jaeger."

The brunette boy frowned, shutting his mouth and eyeing Jean from across the room. "What'd you say, Kirschtein?"

"Nobody wants to hear you screaming, Jaeger. You're making my ears bleed." Jean's words incited laughter from those around him.

"You trying to start something?" Eren Jaeger questioned, rising out of his seat.

A hand fell on the short-fuse's shoulder. "Eren," a beautiful, warning voice began. "Calm down."

After a moment of contemplation, Eren fell back into his seat, leaning closer to Mikasa over her desk, muttering something that Armin's ears could not pick up. Eren snickered to himself as Jean shifted uncomfortably in his desk.

"Oi, Eren. Quit putting the moves on your sister," Connie chuckled.

"Why? Does it bother you?" Eren smirked. Mikasa rolled her eyes. "How about you Kirschtein? Bother you?"

"Shut the hell up, Jaeger."

Ignore them, Armin coached. He continued scribbling lines on his paper. It did him a lot better to do so, rather than get caught up in the politics of his idiotic, violent classmates.

"We all settled down now?" Their professor, an ancient man named Pixis, grinned at them. "I've got your tests from last week. Not the most impressive bunch, but, hey, not my grade."

"Maybe if you were a better teacher," Connie huffed, leaning into his palm.

Setting his paper in front of the shaven boy, Pixis flicked the student's forehead. "Maybe if you weren't such a rotten student, huh, Springer?"

The other students chuckled alongside the teacher.

As much of a "ball-buster" as Old Man Pixis could be, he was a favorite among the students. Rumored to be drunk half the time, with his retirement already guaranteed, his teachings had gone from strict to bullshit at best within the span of two decades.

"Eh heh heh, how'd you do, Jean?" Eren questioned.

Jean scowled. "Fifty-five."

Eren tossed his head back, laughing at his misfortune. "Did shittier than last time!"

"I wouldn't laugh so hard, Jaeger," Pixis warned lightly, placing the paper face-down on the rowdy young man's desk. Waiting for him to look, Pixis smirked as Jaeger crumpled the paper into a ball and toss it at the recycling bin. "Might wanna find yourself a tutor, Jaeger. You fail this class, you lose the credit. I don't wanna have you a second year in a row." Placing Mikasa's test in her hands, he added, "Maybe you oughta take a few lessons from your sister, Jaeger."

"Sir," Mikasa sighed, raising her hand lazily. "I've tried. He can't retain any information."

"Hey! Mikasa!"

"Why not Arlert?" Connie proposed, flicking a paper football at the quiet boy. "The kid's got a shit ton of book smarts, you know. Plus, it'd do you good to have a few more friends, Jaeger. Can't hang around your sister all your life."

Armin looked up at Connie, then to Eren Jaeger.

The look of loathing made him flinch and return his attention back to his paper.

"Oi, Armin."

Armin slammed his locker shut, locking his arm over his books. He wasn't about to have them tossed around. Not today. He wasn't in the mood.

"E-eren," Armin stammered.

The boy stood beside Mikasa, who nudged the stubborn brunette forward. "Go on, Eren," Mikasa encouraged monotonously.

Armin quirked his head.

Eren rolled his green eyes, scratching his head. "Ugh... I was wondering if you'd...dammit, Mikasa, he's not going to."

"Eren."

"Mikasa."

The beautiful girl looked her brother over once before her eyes flit back to Armin. It shook him. They were such intimidating eyes. Pretty eyes. Eyes dulled by something terrifying, eyes stoked by something kind. They were confusing.

"Armin, right?" Mikasa double-checked.

"Yeah," Armin nodded.

"Eren would like to-."

"I can do it," Eren mumbled angrily. Mikasa closed her eyes. To Armin, it was a strange sight; they acted like an old married couple. "Listen, I was wondering if you could come over and...and tutor me."

"Huh?"

"Tutor me," Eren stated. "You know, teach me. Help me out a little."

Armin's mind instantly leapt at every scenario. What if he's just playing around? What if he's leading me into some trap? What if he really needs help? What if...

"Why would you ask me?" Armin inquired quietly, narrowing his eyes. "Mikasa is just as smart as I am."

"Not necessarily," Mikasa interjected. "I couldn't teach Eren if I tried."

"Which she has," Eren added.

Nobody spoke.

"We could pay you," Eren informed him. Fishing around in his back pocket, he pulled out a small leather wallet. "Here." The brunette motioned for Armin to hold out his hand, before slapping a twenty dollar bill into it.

Armin examined the money in his hand before holding it out for Eren to take. "No thanks."

Eren frowned. "You sure?"

"Yes," Armin nodded, urging the brunette to take the money back. "I'll pass."

Eren grimaced at the money before slapping the blonde's hand. "Nah, man." Jaeger shook his head, closing Armin's hand around the bill for him. "Listen," he began, slinging his arm around the shorter boy's shoulder. "I need help to pass and, let's face it, a few friends at this school wouldn't really hurt you."

Armin chewed the inside of his cheek, allowing himself to be guided down the hall by Eren with Mikasa in tow. "What's in it for me? Besides the twenty dollars?"

As they left the school, Armin snuck out of Eren's friendly hold.

"What's to keep you from beating me up in school, then?"

Eren blinked at him. "I've never beat you up."

"No, but your friends have!" Armin shouted, garnering the attention of a few lingering students. "All last week. I can only imagine how much more creative Jean and his buddies'll get!"

He balled the money in his fist. The words were flowing out. Fire. He felt fire. It felt good.

"That's bullshit! I'm just asking you for help!"

"How do I know? How do I know you won't kick the crap out of me or break my stuff?"

"Because I've never done that to you before!"

"You're his friend!"

"Jean isn't even my friend!"

"That's bull-!"

"Armin."

A hand lightly brushed his shoulder, calming him slightly. The fire was there, the fire was burning, but a little less so. It was as if someone had brought him to a boil and very suddenly removed him from the stove burner.

Mikasa shook her head slowly. "Eren isn't looking to trick you. Neither of us are a fan of Jean. We promise."

Armin looked to his feet as if they held the answers.

"Will you teach me?" Eren asked, voice a little calmer.

"I don't know."

"Please?" Mikasa pushed. "Eren's too dumb to do it on his own."

"Mikasa..." Eren laughed and groaned.

Armin looked up from the ground, handing Eren the twenty.

"Look, I said I wasn't friends with that asshole," Eren began, clenching his jaw in annoyance.

"I know," Armin cleared. "But I don't want your money."

"Well," Eren began hesitantly, taking the bill back. "What do you want?"

"Protection." The answer was simple.

"Huh?"

"I want you and Mikasa to protect me," Armin explained. "In exchange for me helping you pass, I-I don't want to be picked on anymore."

Eren smiled. "Really? You'll do it?"

Armin nodded.

Jaeger tossed his head back, whooping and laughing. "Sweet!" Throwing his arm around Armin's shoulder once more, he grinned. "Listen, man, you want to come out with us?"

"O-out?" Armin stuttered.

"Yes," Mikasa nodded. "Everybody at school goes."

"Everyone in town goes," Eren corrected mischievously.

"Wh-when?" A small flame of excitement ignited in Armin's chest. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

"Tonight," Eren told him, flashing a thumbs up.

"Oh..." Armin stopped just short of the buses. The wily boy removed his arm from the blonde's shoulder.

"What? What's wrong? You have plans already?"

"Ah, no," Armin shook his head. "I just have a lot of homework to take care of." A lie. Armin had finished all of his work for the next few days well in advance, as he was wont to do, but the prospect of going out on a school night was a bit blasphemous to him.

"You sure?"

"Y-yes. Thank you though..."

"Well, okay." Eren nodded.

"We should get going," Mikasa advised.

"Yeah." Eren gestured for Armin to come closer. He pulled a Sharpie out of his back pocket. "Dude, let me see your arm."

"Uh, wh-why?"

"I'm gonna give you my number," Eren told him. As he grabbed the blonde's arm, he rolled the sleeve of his dress shirt up to his elbow. "Jaeger," he narrated. "377-8942. Rock and roll."

"Rock and roll?"

Snapping the cap back on his marker, Eren grinned a toothy grin, saluting the blonde. "Rock and roll!"

Admiring the number on his arm, Armin waved to the siblings as they made for the ugly yellow school bus and he headed for home.

Also, I know some people are wondering why I made Jean and them the "bullies." Don't worry; everything will get "better!" ^_^

Peace, L.