Armika Prompt 3: Jerk (AU)-
"We should go to Disneyland tomorrow!" Erika chirped, plopping her hands on Armin's desk.
"Sorry, I have work tomorrow," Armin looked away.
The girl frowned. "Why do you always have work whenever I bring up plans?"
"I just do."
"Armin!" Eren came up, holding up a video game case. "I got the new game! Want to try it out tomorrow at my place?"
"Sure, I don't have anything to do," Armin replied.
Erika watched with a dropped jaw.
After Eren left, Erika looked at the other blond with hurt.
"You lied to me…" She whimpered out. "We- we're dating, but-"
Armin just stood and walked away, leaving her to her own thoughts.
The next day, Erika decided she would try harder to make her boyfriend treat her like a girlfriend.
Although… It wouldn't be as easy as she originally thought. She had confessed to him and asked to be his girlfriend, and he accepted- before stating the fact he didn't know who she was. After doing so, he just walked off. So even as boyfriend and girlfriend, Armin treated Erika worse than he treated the other girls…
So here she was, standing in front of Armin's apartment. "Erika, it's time to walk to school with your boyfriend!" She knocked on the door, but after a minute, there was still no reply. She tried the door, finding it was unlocked. She opened it, finding Armin collapsed on the floor. "A- Armin!" She dove to his side, gently pulling him into his bed. She felt his forehead. "Y- you're burning up… There's no way you're going to school today…" Erika got up and walked to the bathroom (after searching for it for a minute or two) and grabbed a cloth, drenching it in cold water. She went back to Armin's side, gently placing it on his forehead.
When Armin awoke, he saw Erika- who was asleep at his side.
Her head rested on her folding arms as she quietly breathed in and out.
The blond felt a small smile reach his lips.
The sleeping girl awoke a moment later, rubbing her tired eyes with a yawn.
Armin immediately put on his normal façade, coldly speaking. "Why did you breaking into my apartment?"
Erika's eyes widened upon realizing he was awake. "S- sorry, the door was unlocked! I- I saw you collapsed with a fever; I couldn't leave you there on the cold floor!"
"… Get me some soup."
"Sure thing!" Erika quickly got up. Stumbling due to the blood rushing from her head, she hurried out, gripping her wallet.
When Erika returned, she was holding a pot of soup. She rushed to Armin's side, and as she put the pot on the bed beside him, she gently took the lid off, revealing nice, hot beef stew.
Armin stared at it for a moment with an unamused look.
Thinking she did something wrong, Erika began to rapidly apologize.
Ignoring her apologies, the blond took a spoonful and ate it. After swallowing down the warm liquid, he smiled, letting out a contented "Delicious!"
Erika smiled too. This is the first time I've ever seen him smile…
After a while, Armin had finished his soup, lying back down in bed.
"Do you feel better?" Erika questioned.
"Yes, thank you," the blond male replied, a small smile on his face. After a silent moment, he took a hold of Erika's hand. "Let's… Go to Disneyland sometime. You said you wanted to go, right?"
This took the girl by surprise. Was he finally warming up to her? She smiled and nodded. "Yeah!" What caught her even more by surprise was when the boy pulled her close, hugging her. "A- Armin! You're sick!"
"Oh well."
"Armin, you need to get better, not give me your fever!" The girl whined (which earned a small chuckle).
The next day, Erika was glad to see Armin at school. She didn't mind that he was hanging out with his friends. At least he wasn't surrounded by girls.
"Armin!" Erika chirped, waving an arm.
Armin glanced at her with his usual cold stare, immediately looking away.
Ignoring this, she hurried over. "We're going to Disneyland, right? When would be good?"
"Disneyland?" Armin raised an eyebrow, his facial expression not changing. "What are you, a kid?"
Those words made Erika's would crash down around her as she watched Armin walk away with a questioning Eren. Her eyes filled with tears as she felt her fists clench. "So yesterday was all an act!?" She shouted, tears escaping.
Armin didn't even look back.
"You know what!? Why did you even accept my feelings!? Why didn't you just turn them down!? If you hate me so much, why don't you just break up with me!?" She threw her school back at Armin, hitting him in the back.
These words (as well as the bag) caused Armin to just stop, but they weren't strong enough for him to turn around.
"I… I hate you, Armin Arlert!" Erika screamed. Right then, she felt lightheaded, and the whole world disappeared from her sight.
Eren let out a surprised shout. "She- she collapsed!"
Armin spun around, shocked to see Erika on the floor, unconscious. He quickly walked over, gently picking her up. "Eren, hold her bag. I'll see you in class."
Erika woke up in the infirmary, slowly getting up.
"Sorry."
She looked to the side, seeing Armin. She immediately glared at him, looking away. "For what?" She asked, her voice laced with ice-cold venom.
"For getting you sick. … And upsetting you."
Erika, still looking away, let out a small grunt of disbelief. "You're different. When we're alone, you're nice and… And actually look at me like I matter. But when you're with others, you… You treat me worse than you treat everyone else… I- I can't stand it anymore… I- I really liked you, and yet…"
Armin gently pulled her close in an embrace. "I'm sorry, okay? I promise you this, Erika, I won't do it anymore."
Erika sniffled, hanging onto his shirt. "Y- you better not…"
"I'll be better to you. Because… I actually like you."
"That's… That's assuring… Jerk."
"Hey, not nice," Armin laughed a little.
"Says the one who started it."