Chapter Text
…
“Hey, you should come out with me and the guys tonight.”
The cracks in the pavement made it some-what difficult to walk, but Armin almost tripped and fell at Eren’s words.
“What are you talking about?”
Eren still had his football jersey on; it served as a shirt considering he hadn’t brought one. Armin was confused as to how his friend wasn’t cold- the blonde was wearing a puffy jacket and he still felt chilly.
“Usually after the last game we all go into town and go out to eat. You should come with us.”
Currently, they were walking back to Eren’s house after the last game of the season; something Eren seemed upset yet happy about at the same time. The game had ended nearly an hour ago, but their team had such a big win that they stayed after and had a mini-celebration.
Armin assumed that the entire team left their Saturday afternoon free to do nothing but celebrate their victory.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Eren furrowed his eyebrows at the blonde’s question, turning his head towards him.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” As Eren spoke he tried to meet Armin’s eyes, but the blonde kept his gaze looking forwards.
Armin knew that high school wasn’t as extreme as all the movies made it out to be. He knew that bullies and the ‘mean kids’ weren’t always the jocks and football players (his best friend has been on the team for two years now).
But he also knew he wasn’t dumb . Being with a group of 20+ people he didn’t know, plus Eren being this only friend, meant that he was going to be left alone within the first ten minutes. It was nothing against the brunette personally; but Armin knew how this stuff worked.
“They’re all your friends, not mine. It would just be awkward.” He looked up and met Eren’s eyes, watching his friend shake his head. “Plus, you’d ditch me after like, five minutes.”
“Hey, I wouldn’t ditch you! And it won’t be awkward I promise .” Eren received an uneasy look, making him continue. “Don’t you know Marco? He’s a science geek.”
They made it to Eren’s driveway when Armin stopped walking, turning his whole body towards his friend. Eren halted his steps, tilting his head before Armin spoke.
“What does Marco liking science have to do with anything?” Armin had his eyebrows narrowed, watching as Eren shifted uncomfortably.
“Well… you like science so-”
“Therefore I know everyone who likes science?”
Eren knew his friend was joking, yet he kept his gaze on the ground. Armin could be scary when he wanted to be.
“So… you don’t know him?”
Armin grunted, shifting his eyes to the side.
“... I do know him-”
“Aha!”
“Not because of science!” When Armin spoke next, he mumbled while having a small blush on his face. “...because of math.”
The blonde could hear his friend hold back a laugh, making him grumble ‘ shut up’ before continuing his way towards Eren’s front door. He refused to look at the brunette when he came up behind him, his house key in hand.
Eren gave his friend a look before opening the door, holding it open as Armin walked in.
“Mom, I’m home with Armin!” As Eren yelled the teens kicked off their shoes, heading into the house. Armin took off his jacket, putting it on one of the kitchen table’s chairs.
Carla was in the kitchen, her body seeming to cover something on the counter. When she heard her son’s voice she quickly turned, heavily leaning her body backwards. She was definitely hiding something.
“B-boys! You’re home!” She looked back and forth between them, eventually keeping her eyes on Eren. “How was the game?”
“It was great, we had them beat after like-”
“You guys won?”
“Yeah! It was-”
Eren was interrupted by his mother’s loud clapping and jumping. Her noise made the pair jump backwards, eyeing the excited woman. She turned around and grabbed what she had previously been hiding. She rushed towards them, revealing a tray of cookies.
“Thank God , otherwise I would’ve felt awful.” She pushed the tray towards them, and Armin almost cried at the fact that cookies were not only shaped like footballs, but had ‘congrats!’ written on them with frosting.
Carla was fucking great. Perfect, even.
The boys wasted no time taking one each, watching as Carla put the tray on the kitchen table. She turned, walking towards Eren who was in the middle of chewing.
“Congratulations, sweetie.” She grabbed the side of the brunette’s head, kissing his cheek. Eren blushed, wiping his face as she let go.
“Ah! Mom, come on .” Carla rolled her eyes, walking back towards the counter. Armin snickered at Eren’s complaints, raising the cookie to his mouth. The brunette blushed harder, before his eyebrows raised as he turned towards his friend.
Eren turned, taking the cookie out of the blonde’s hands before he could take a bite.
“Hey! Wh-”
“You only get the cookie if you go out tonight.” Eren held the food above his own head, watching as Armin looked between him and the stolen item. The blonde groaned, his shoulders hunching.
“Come on , that’s not fair.” The blonde didn’t even attempt to reach for it; he’s known for years that he’d never win that battle. In freshman year Eren grew so fast for no reason.
“ Technically they’re for me, so you’re lucky to even be graced by their presence.” Armin took a moment to glance at Carla, who only shrugged her shoulders. He gave her a look of disbelief.
“He’s not going out unless you or Mikasa go with him, so you might as well go.” Eren turned, meeting his mother’s eyes.
“What? I don’t need a babysitter, Mom!”
“No babysitter, no going out.” The blonde could feel the tension rise.
Eren and Carla glared at one another, their eyes not blinking. The blonde started to sweat at the duration of time they continued to stare at each other. Eren definitely got his temper from his mother.
Armin noticed his friend’s arm lowering; he took his chance while Eren was distracted.
The blonde jumped, quickly grabbing the cookie out of the brunette’s hand. Eren turned back around, a glare still remaining on his face. Before he could speak, Armin put his hands up in surrender.
“I’ll go with you, I swear!” He took a bite out of the cookie before continuing. “I’m doing it for these , not for you.”
Eren tsked, turning away. He watched his mother smile, leaving the kitchen while her eyes lingered on the teens. He sighed, looking back at Armin. The blonde was lucky that Carla made good food.
“Whatever.” Eren looked his friend up and down. “But you can’t go out wearing that.” Armin paused as he swallowed, looking down at his clothes.
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“We’re going out , you need to look nice.”
“It’s just a long sleeve.”
“It’s an ugly long sleeve.”
Armin huffed, stretching on the hem of his shirt. He looked up at Eren, who kept his gaze on the piece of clothing.
“Fine, but I’m taking something from your closet.”
Eren rolled his eyes, but followed the blonde as he ran towards the staircase and made his way to the brunette’s bedroom.
Eren wouldn’t comment on how often his friend had ‘borrowed’ his clothes nowadays.
The past hour had almost gone by completely unprocessed; Armin was sure that he blacked out.
The blonde could only remember bits and pieces after him and Eren had gotten dressed. Armin had put on one of Eren’s old sweaters, or as Carla called it a nice shirt that Eren never wore so it'd be a waste not to wear it.
He remembered Eren dressing himself in a t-shirt with the school’s logo, and a jean jacket that the blonde had never seen before.
Speaking of jackets, Armin would’ve had his puffy coat on if Eren hadn’t rushed him outside when he heard Marco honk his horn.
He remembered getting in the back of the car with Eren, greeting Marco and introducing himself to Connie. He was glad that Marco was still his sweet self even though he was with different friends, and he was also thankful that he was the one driving and not Connie.
Connie, or as Eren called him “Con”, was an excited ball of energy and the personification of the sun. He was very nice when he first introduced himself to the blonde; he even complimented the blonde’s hair when he watched Armin get into the car.
The drive itself was a blur, and Armin didn’t know where they were after Marco made an unfamiliar turn about ten minutes in. Whatever part of town they were in wasn’t somewhere the blonde frequented; the inner cities were too crowded for his liking.
“Alright, we’re here! It should be right across the street.”
Marco’s voice interrupted Armin’s thoughts, and the blonde blinked before looking at his surroundings.
They were parked across a strip of buildings, and Armin assumed the group was meant to go to the busiest one. It was a restaurant titled “Richie’s”, where the lights were bright and the people were loud.
Other kids from their school were walking in or hanging outside, most of them having school themed attire or football jerseys. Jeez, there were a lot more people than Armin thought there’d be
At least they had jackets on.
“Dude, you good?”
Armin felt Eren’s eyes on him, and he looked up to see Marco and Connie were already out of the car.
He turned towards Eren, who gave him a concerned look.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“You look kinda tense.” Eren wanted to say his friend looked scared , as if he was watching a scene from a horror movie.
He didn’t want to make Armin feel bad or anything, but the blonde didn’t look eager to leave the car.
“Do I?” The blonde forced out a snicker, unbuckling his seatbelt. “It’ll be fine.”
He grabbed the door handle and looked up at the restaurant once more. There were a lot more people than he thought there’d be.
He quickly turned back to Eren, who took his seatbelt off as well.
“You won’t ditch me, right?” Eren rolled his eyes, reaching over and ruffling the blonde’s hair.
“I already told you I won’t . Come on, let’s go.” Armin glared at his friend once the brunette took his hand off his hair.
He stepped out of the car, closing the door and watched as Marco and Connie greeted their other friends. Eren ran up to the group as well, giving side hugs and fist bumps.
He already regretted coming.
Don’t be ridiculous, Eren saying ‘hi’ to his friends doesn’t mean he forgot about you.
“Oh yeah, guys this is my friend Armin- Armin get over here!” Eren interrupted the blonde’s inner monologue, and Eren watched as his friend finally left the confines of Marco’s car.
The brunette turned back to the group, who were now eyeing the newcomer. He whispered, making it so Armin couldn’t hear him.
“He’s a little shy, so just be cool.” He received a few nods and waves, and turned to look back at Armin. The blonde’s steps were small and slow, and Eren took the liberty of stepping back and wrapping his arm around his friend’s shoulders to push him forward.
“Armin, this is Reiner. Reiner, this is Armin.” The blonde managed to give him a weak wave, trying his best not to show how intimidated he felt.
Words weren’t enough to explain how jacked and tough the tall blonde looked. He probably took football just as seriously as Armin took his biology courses.
“What’s up, bro?” Reiner’s friendly face quickly changed to a questioning one. “Hold on…”
He leaned forwards and stared at Armin’s face. The shorter of the two took a step back into Eren’s arm as Reiner continued to silently interrogate him. Armin swallowed a lump in his throat. If he wasn’t nervous enough before coming here, he’s surely met his anxiety meter’s requirements by now.
“...are you Historia’s brother or something?”
Armin blinked; who the hell was Historia?
“N-no, sorry.” Reiner seemed satisfied with his response, his eyes becoming less curious as he leaned back.
“No problem, I was just asking. You guys look really similar.”
“Oh.”
It got silent for a moment, and Armin felt so awkward that he could feel his face blushing. How in the hell was he supposed to continue that conversation?
Before it got too quiet Connie made a loud shout while jumping up and down. Thank God for Connie.
“Come on , guys! It’s cold and I wanna get inside and eat!” He turned to Marco, punching the boy in the arm. “The last one there has to pay for my food!”
Connie began running across the street without a care, earning a ‘be careful!’ from Marco. The latter sighed, shaking his head before jogging after his friend. Eren watched as Reiner laughed at their actions, chasing after the two.
He tightened his grip on Amrin’s shoulder, causing the blonde to flinch. Damn, they weren’t even inside yet and Armin was already fidgeting like a rabbit.
“ C’mon , it’ll be fine.” Armin sent him an accusing look, making Eren sigh before forcing the blonde to walk forwards with him. “Look, you don’t have to be best friends with everybody - I don’t even talk to some of them. I just want you to meet some of the guys I actually like.”
Eren stopped walking as a car came by, slightly pulling Armin back. When the car was far enough the brunette proceeded walking them to the restaurant.
“Why?”
Eren would’ve stopped walking if they weren’t in the middle of the street.
“Dude, are you kidding? I want you to be in the group and shit. I know it’s hard for you to meet new people, and tonight is the perfect time for you to meet everyone.”
Armin blushed as they reached the entrance, and Eren opened the door before he finished speaking.
“Trust me, Min. They’re gonna love you. Connie already does!”
The blonde walked in as Eren held the door open, staying as close as possible. He hadn’t realized that Eren was being so considerate and thoughtful when he originally asked him to come.
He promised himself he’d be more open to meeting everyone, since Eren was being so mindful of his anxiety.
They walked towards a large group of teens that were surrounding a large table, and Armin felt his stomach twist.
There were dozens of people both inside and outside, all of which were Eren’s friends or acquaintances. He knew his best friend was a social butterfly, but he wasn’t aware that Eren knew nearly half of their grade and then some.
Had he been living in a fucking bubble for ten years?
“Yeager! Get your ass over here!”
Armin was quick to grab Eren’s sleeve, not wanting his friend to run off.
You just promised you’d be less nervous, fucking relax.
Eren waved towards the group that called him over, letting the blonde hold his jacket. He was hoping Armin would outgrow his clinginess by the time the rest of the team got to the restaurant.
He walked Armin and himself up to the group, greeting the teenagers that surrounded the table.
Armin could only watch as Eren attempted to introduce him to the group; the blonde counted 18 people before stopping out of fear over overwhelming himself.
He hasn’t been this anxious since his first day of highschool.
“ Armin , huh? Your last name is Arlert, isn’t it?” Armin looked up when he heard his last name. His eyes met the looks of a guy who wore a football jersey, an arrogant expression sitting on the stranger’s face. Definitely a senior.
“Y-yeah, it is.” He watched the guy laugh, elbowing someone next to him before waving him over.
They’re laughing at you.
“I work at Whole Foods, I see your old man there all the time!” Armin blushed at his words, letting out a nervous giggle.
“Yeah, he goes there a lot-”
“He talks about you all the time!” Of course his grandpa would talk about him to random strangers. “You look just like him, dude! Just…”
He looked the blonde up and down, a conceited smile remaining on his face.
“ …a lot skinner…and girlier, no offense.” The stranger continued to laugh, sitting back and looking at his friends. Armin shifted his gaze as he heard them snicker, his blush only becoming more apparent.
“Aww, don’t get all shy, Blondie. I’m just teasin’ you.”
Screw not being nervous. This was fucking humiliating.
His grip on Eren’s sleeve fell when his friend stepped forward, slightly glaring at the senior with a fake smile.
“I don’t think you have room to talk, Oruo. With that haircut?” The teen, apparently named ‘Oruo’, turned towards Eren with an offended look. His friends 'ooed’ at the brunette, but Eren didn’t seem to care about the attention he’d gained.
“What’re you talking about?”
“I’m just saying that you shouldn’t be making fun of him when you’re the one who tries way too hard to look like Mr. Ackerman.”
The large group made various noises, and the only thing Armin could distinctly hear was an ‘oh shit’ coming from the corner.
“I-I’m not trying to-” Eren interrupted him, his face never faltering
“Oruo, save it. The undercut went out of style like ten years ago.”
The table shouted and cheered at Eren’s blow, and the blonde watched Oruo blush before glaring at the brunette. Serves him right.
Before Armin could blink, he felt himself being pulled by Eren’s sudden hold on his upper arm. He could tell how hard Eren was trying to control his temper, and the blonde could see the anger in his friends footsteps.
Now he’s angry and you’re still shaking like a leaf. Pathetic.
Armin let himself be dragged around until they reached a less crowded section of the restaurant. The room was filled with high-rise tables and stools, along with a foosball table currently being used by boys still wearing their football jerseys. Those jerseys made Armin want to vomit.
Eren let go of his arm, and he turned towards Armin with a regretful expression.
“Dude, I’m sorry about that guy. We don’t really talk for obvious reasons.” Armin’s face softened, still remaining anxious.
Eren looked down, too guilty to look his friend in the eyes. He felt terrible . “I get if you wanna go home-”
“No! I don’t!”
The blonde did not want to ruin Eren’s night because of one dickhead. Truthfully, he did want to go back home, but he was sure that he just needed to calm himself down; give himself a moment to clear his head. Maybe talk to Marco and Connie for a bit? They’re nice.
When did it get so hard to breathe?
You’re an idiot.
“You sure? It’s fine if you do, I can-”
“I don’t want to go home! I- I just need a minute, okay?” Armin ran a hand through his hair, shifting his gaze. “I’ll find Marco o-or Connie or someone.”
This was an awful decision.
The blonde’s response definitely concerned Eren. Armin has never pushed him away when he was upset.
Maybe he wanted to meet people without Eren being there? Was he embarrassing or something?
“A-alright, that’s fine. I’m gonna be by the big table if you need anything okay?” Eren was reluctant to leave Armin when his eyes looked like they were popping out of his head, but maybe he shouldn’t be introducing Armin to big groups of people all at once. Maybe he needed to be alone for a while.
“Okay.” Armin kept his eyes on the floor, and felt Eren pat his shoulder before walking away.
God, he wished he told Eren to stay. He wished he told Eren he wanted to go home.
Now he was by himself in the middle of some random fucking restaurant, standing like a moron.
Gotta get away from everyone.
He contemplated leaving the restaurant all together, but that wasn’t his best option. Not only did that mean he’d have to sneak past Eren on the way out, but it also meant being by himself, surrounded by large groups of people, and freezing his ass off.
Get away from everyone.
He heard a loud noise, and he turned to see two men walking out of the bathroom. The bathroom, that’s a good option. He could sit in the stall for a few minutes, and gather his thoughts before finding Marco. He knew Marco the best out of everyone besides Eren; maybe he could give him some peace of mind.
Go to the bathroom, now.
Armin ran his hands through his hair, feeling the sweat that had formed on his forehead. His body moved on autopilot as he walked as fast as he could to the men’s restroom.
He slowly opened the door, peering into the room and to his luck saw no one inside. Armin stepped in, rushing towards a stall before locking it with shaky hands. He kept his eyes closed, attempting to ignore the pain thudding against his head.
The blonde let out a breath he wasn’t aware he was holding. His legs were wobbling, and he could feel his heart pounding against his chest. He wiped his hands down his jeans, knowing they were clammy without needing to check.
Cheering and shouting was audible from the bathroom, but Armin could only hear muffled noises and distant voices. His throat felt dry, and it became harder to breathe the longer he stood still, leaning against the door.
He stayed in the stall for only God knows how long, trying to calm himself down. There were too many people; too many people he didn’t know.
Was he seriously about to have an anxiety attack? Over some random guy being a dick? Over a crowded room? Over his best friend leaving him by himself in an unfamiliar place when he’d rather be at home, sitting on his couch and watching TV or a movie or-
“Hey… blondie… you in here?”
The unknown voice caused Armin’s eyes to shoot open. The man speaking sounded drunk, his sentences slow and his words slurred. He definitely wasn’t one of Eren’s friends.
Armin kept quiet, unsure if the strange man was talking to him or someone else.
The bathroom remained silent, until Armin’s body shook as his stall door was pounded on.
“Hey! I’m talkin’ to you.”
If he wasn’t nervous before, the blonde was beyond frightful now.
Armin turned around, and slowly opened the stall’s door. He was met with an older man, his body seeming to tower over his own. He smelled of alcohol, his face unshaven and clothes stained of only God knows what.
He continued to stare at the man’s face before he realized what he was doing. He straightened his posture, taking a step back.
“S-sorry. Um…” Armin didn’t want to be cornered in the stall, and he didn’t appreciate the way the man eyed him up and down. “…I-I need to…wash my hands..?”
The man grunted, stepping away to allow the blonde to walk towards the sinks. Armin could feel the man’s eyes on him, and the only thing he could think to do was wash his hands. He had to keep his story straight somehow.
Before he could turn the water on, he felt a pressure on his back that made him halt any further movements. He sucked in his breath when he felt the man put his hands on his waist.
What the hell was this guy doing?
Armin looked up at the mirror, and time seemed to stop when he met the man’s eyes. The stranger’s head was resting next to the blonde’s, his eyes seemed heavy and tired.
They looked lustful .
Holy shit.
When he felt the man’s hands begin to move around, Armin attempted to push himself away and escape. The creep pushed the blonde against the sink, a glare on his face as he brought his mouth next to Armin’s ear.
“I watched you come in here.” The man moved his hands up the blonde’s sweater as he spoke, and Armin felt his heart stop beating when his stomach was touched by calloused hands. “It’s a good thing your boyfriend left.”
Armin could feel his heart in his chest, and his thoughts stopped processing. He was utterly frozen from shock, and could only stand still as the man furthered his advancements.
The man moved his head further into Armin’s neck, and the blonde’s breath hitched when his attacker put his lips where his neck met his shoulder. The man bit down, hard.
“W-wh-”
The man sucked on the blonde’s neck, making his mouth shut close. Words were impossible to get out; Armin didn’t know what to do or say. He felt the man’s lips move down, and he bit down once more.
The man’s hands kept moving around underneath his shirt, and Armin had to close his eyes to avoid looking at himself in the mirror. It was an awful sight to see.
“You’re so soft…” The whisper rang in Armin’s ears, and the blonde felt the corners of his eyes begin to sting.
No way this was fucking happening.
The man scraped his nails down his chest, moving towards his abdomen. Armin hissed at the pain, and the man continued dragging his nails down his stomach.
His hands kept moving down, and Armin’s eyes shot open when he felt the man unbutton his pants.
Hell no.
“S-stop!”
With a shot of adrenaline running through his body, the blonde managed to push against the sink as hard as he could and shove the creep off of him. He turned around, facing his attacker.
The man glared at him, and Armin felt himself freeze once more. The stranger’s eyes were locked onto his own, the man looking angry and hungry.
He had to get out now . He needed to find Eren and get the hell out of there.
Armin made a quick decision and ran towards the bathroom’s door, hoping to escape while he still had the chance. The man caught his motives, grabbing the blonde’s shoulder and shoved Armin’s back against the door.
“Don’t be a bitch, just relax .”
With the man’s face so close to his own, Armin almost threw up on the spot. The stench of hard liquor and cigarettes was more prominent than before.
The blonde let himself cry when the man put his hands back up his shirt. His grip was tighter than before, and he could feel his skin bruising at the rough grasp.
The man reached for his zipper, and Armin’s only reaction was to kick the man’s shins as he pushed the man’s chest away with his hands. The man looked up, looking beyond pissed off.
Armin regretted making such harsh movements, because the man looked less lustful and appeared more irate than before.
“That’s it, come here .”
Armin felt the man take his hands away from his stomach and grab the front of his sweater. The man jostled him around, before throwing him onto the cold tile floor.
They fought against each other’s holds, the man now sitting on top of the blonde’s pelvis. Armin felt crushed by the man’s weight, restricting him from moving.
When the man took Armin’s wrists into one hand and held them above his head, the blonde felt his heart pound against his chest. He was losing the adrenaline he had before, but Armin continued to struggle against the man’s clutches.
“Just stay still .” The man was grunting, still attempting to keep his prey still. When Armin continued to struggle, the man brought his fist into the air.
Armin’s eyes widened, realizing what was about to happen.
The man brought his fist down and punched the side of Armin’s face. The blonde’s vision was impaired for a brief moment, his head turned to the side. He could feel the inside of his mouth begin to bleed as his eyes began to close.
He hasn’t been punched in a long time, but none of his bullies have ever made him feel as disgusting and horrible as this man did.
When he felt the man raise his fist again the blonde flinched away, staying still against the creep’s grip.
I’m gonna die.
Suddenly the man stopped, making Armin slowly open his eyes. His attacker reached forward and grabbed Armin’s face by his jaw. He made the blonde look at him, and he smiled when he saw tears run down his victim’s face.
He cooed, tightening his grip so hard that Armin was sure it would leave bruises.
“You’re lucky you’re too pretty to be beat up.”
The man ran his thumb along the blonde’s lips, and Armin could do nothing but cry as he looked into the man’s dark eyes.
He barely processed the man dipping back into his neck. He looked up at the bathroom’s ceiling and stared at the white paint.
His face and stomach felt sticky, and he could feel his heart in his throat wherever the man continued to mark it.
He felt himself become lightheaded. The only thing the blonde could think to do was space out, almost disassociate from the situation.
That way he wouldn’t have to feel anything.
Meanwhile...
Eren couldn’t help but glare at the table, his foot continuously tapping against the floor. The booth was filled with loud shouts and cheers coming from his friends.
After he left Armin near the foosball table he decided to return to the large booth where most of the team was. He managed to get a seat at the end of the bench, his body barely covering the corner of the booth. He managed to hold a conversation with Bertolt and Reiner for about two minutes before letting his worry get the best of him, excusing himself to collect his thoughts.
He remembered how upset and troubled Amrin looked, yet he convinced himself that he should leave the blonde alone.
No, not alone . Armin said he’d find Marco or Connie to keep himself company. Maybe he even met someone new!
Eren scoffed at his own thoughts; the last time Armin intentionally met someone new was when they became friends over ten years ago.
Connie was out of the question, as the boy was sitting two feet away from him. He was laughing at something Oruo said; it was a fake laugh that Oruo seemed oblivious to.
He was sure that Marco and Armin were off somewhere talking, having a good time. Jeez, Marco was probably being a better friend than he was. Marco wouldn’t force his friend to come out with him, watch as he got bullied, and then ditch him immediately after.
God, Armin looked ready to pass out when he left. He promised he wouldn’t ditch the blonde but look at him now-
“Hey Eren, is Armin okay?” Marco’s voice interrupted his thoughts-
Wait… Marco ? Why was Marco here?”
“W-what?” Eren shook his head as he spoke, realizing that Marco was standing right next to him.
Marco’s face was worried, and he seemed almost restless in an attempt to stand still.
“I saw you guys talk, did you get into a fight?” Eren quickly shook his head, and sat up before responding.
“No, he said wanted to be alone for a bit.” Eren kicked himself in the face for believing the blonde’s words. “But I thought he was with you..?”
“Well, I was about to go up to him and see if he was okay, but he practically sprinted into the bathroom before I got the chance. I thought he was upset about something so I left him alone.”
Eren fully sat up straight at Marco’s words, reality hitting him like a train. There was no doubt in his mind that Armin was having some sort of breakdown (Was it panic attack or anxiety attack? The brunette didn’t know the difference.) which meant that Eren chose to leave him alone at the worst time.
He mumbled ‘shit’ , getting out of his seat and running a hand through his hair. He looked back at Marco, who still seemed worried.
“I think he’s freaking out, I shouldn’t have left him alone. Is he still in there?” Marco nodded at the question, a frown forming on his face.
“He’s been in there for a while, that’s why I wanted to see if you guys were fighting or something.”
Eren let out a deep breath, this situation not being entirely unfamiliar. He’s lost count of the amount of times he’s caught Amrin having a breakdown in school or at home over his anxiety.
He just hoped that Armin would want him there like he usually did; this was the first time Eren ditched him right before it happened. Maybe Marco being there would help?
“Alright, I’m gonna go check on him. Come with me.”
Marco was surprised, but silently followed the brunette as he quickly began to walk away. He couldn’t ignore how fast and rigid Eren’s movements were; he seemed just about as anxious as Armin did the last time Marco saw him.
They pair headed towards the men’s restroom, and as Eren put his hand on the door he hesitated before opening it.
He took a moment to calm himself down, taking a deep breath in. The last thing Armin needed was for Eren to be riled up while he was in the middle of breaking down.
He was calm, and he was collected.
Eren slowly turned the handle and opened the door, keeping his voice low.
“Minnie, are you-”
His eyes met an atrocious sight. He saw a man leaning over a limp body, a pair legs sticking out from underneath the stranger. Both people were making strange noises, both pausing when they heard the door open.
Eren stopped breathing.
He recognized the jeans of the boy laying on the ground.
No fucking way that was Armin.
The man looked over his shoulder, his glare turning into a shocked expression when he realized he was caught.
Eren stood completely frozen, watching the man scramble to pick himself up. He slipped, but eventually stood up straight next to the blonde’s body.
“Marco, close the door.” Eren’s voice was low, but he felt shaky as he spoke. He heard Marco do as he was told, and he could hear how loud his friend was breathing.
He was afraid to look at Armin, but mustered the courage to look at his friend's face. He couldn’t stop the gasp from leaving his mouth.
The side of Armin’s mouth was red, his jaw and cheeks had scarlet marks that were no doubt made from someone’s fingers. His eyes continued to stare at the ceiling, wide and empty while the tears ran down his face.
Eren’s entire body was engulfed in rage, and he clenched his fists at the sides of his body. His eyebrows were narrowed, and he looked back up to see the strange man cowering against the wall.
“Grab him.” Eren spat at Marco, who seemed just as shocked as the brunette did. Eren watched as Marco grabbed the man by his arms, holding them against his back.
The man struggled against the teen’s grip, but failed to escape. He was grunting and grumbling to himself, his eyes eventually landing on Eren. The man glared at him, but failed at hiding his fear.
“Marco, don’t let him go.” Marco nodded at the instruction, tightening his hold around the man’s arms.
Eren slowly walked towards Armin, who was still laying on the ground. Eren was too afraid to touch him, he didn’t know how the blonde would react.
He kneeled down next to his friend’s side, as if he was taking a knee during a game. He kept his voice quiet, and attempted to get his friends attention.
“Minnie.” Armin’s eyes blinked, but his gaze remained on the ceiling. “Min, it’s Eren.”
Armin’s eyes widened at that, his eyes moving around while he stared at the ceiling.
“Is… is he still here?”
At the blonde’s question Eren looked up at Marco. He gestured his head towards the door, indicating that the teen had to take the man outside the bathroom. Marco raised a concerned eyebrow, and mouthed ‘where?’ . Eren thought for a moment before mouthing back.
‘Reiner’ .
Marco nodded before manhandling the creep towards the door. They both grunted as he fought against Marco’s hold, but he teen somehow managed to open the door and push the man into the restaurant.
Eren heard the yelling and shouting coming from outside, and he waited until he heard the door close. When the noises became muffled Eren shifted his gaze back to Armin.
“He’s gone, he’s not here anymore.”
Eren could only watch as Armin attempted to hold back his tears, trying to catch his breath. The blonde slowly sat up, keeping his eyes on the door. The brunette tried to keep his voice as calm and quiet before he spoke.
“Are… are you okay?” Eren knew that was a dumb question, but he was at a loss for words.
Eren wasn’t expecting Armin to shake his head as fast as he did. He usually didn’t admit he was upset until a few more minutes of interrogation. Armin continued to cry, and the blonde started to hug himself.
Eren’s heart felt like it broke in half at the sight. He wanted to help the blonde so bad but he didn’t know what the blonde needed.
“Minnie… wanna come here?”
At Eren’s suggestion, Armin broke. He needed Eren.
The blonde threw himself onto his friend, wrapping his arms around Eren’s shoulders. He stopped caring about his pride and let himself cry into Eren’s neck.
Armin’s actions surprised Eren for a moment, before he wrapped his arms around his friend’s body in response. When he felt Armin cry into his neck he tightened his grip, bringing the blonde closer.
“E-Eren, he…” Armin couldn’t finish his sentence, his lungs felt like they were on fire.
Armin clung to him like a lifeline, and Eren had to hold back a groan at the pain Armin’s fingertips brought to his shoulder blades.
“I know, Min.” Truthfully, he didn’t know all that happened. All he knew was that some random guy was beating Armin up, but that was enough to make Eren see red. “When I find him I’m gonna kill him-”
“No! No! Don’t go! Eren please you can’t…” Armin’s grip got impossibly tighter as he yelled, causing Eren to shush at his friend. “Don’t go…”
“I won't, I won’t, I’m sorry.” He ran his hand up and down Armin’s back as he spoke. “I’m right here, Minnie. I’m not going anywhere.”
He’s never felt more protective over the blonde than he did in that moment. Armin has never sounded so needy or deprived of Eren’s presence; it made Eren more worried than he ever thought he could be.
Eren continued rubbing Armin’s back in an attempt to calm him down; how long was Armin and that creep in here for?
They sat together for a few minutes, unmoving aside from Eren’s hand on the blonde’s back. Armin eventually calmed down enough to breathe, resting his forehead against the brunette’s shoulder.
“Eren?”
The brunette looked down, trying to see Armin’s face.
“Yeah?”
“I wanna go home.”
God, Armin has never sounded so miserable or dependent before.
“We can go home, that’s okay.” He patted the small of his friend’s back, slightly pulling away in an attempt to meet Armin’s eyes. “My house or yours?”
“Mine. Nobody’s there.” The blonde looked tired, and he didn’t try to hide the fatigue in his voice.
Eren wanted to ask how often the blonde was left home alone, but now didn’t seem like the time.
He brought himself to his feet, pulling Armin up with him. The blonde’s legs shaked before he stood, and he kept his hands on Eren’s shoulders to help stabilize himself.
Eren took a moment to look at Armin, to really see the blonde’s face up close. He wouldn’t say it outloud, but he looked awful . He’s never seen Armin so distressed, exhausted and discontent all at once.
He brought a hand to the side of Armin’s face, the side that had a red mark on the corner of the blonde’s mouth. He was very much relieved when Armin didn’t flinch away, and rather rested his head in Eren’s hand.
“Minnie…” Seeing the blonde so defenseless tweaked his heart in a way he couldn’t explain.
Suddenly there was a loud bang against the wall outside the bathroom, and Eren quickly turned towards the noise. When the door swung open he grabbed Armin’s wrist and made sure the blonde was directly behind him.
He would rather die than let someone hurt Armin again.
He was surprised when he didn’t see a complete stranger, but rather his friend Bertolt. The taller teen was sweating as he held the door open, his eyes moving until they met Eren’s.
“Eren, what the hell is going on?!” Bertolt was practically yelling, his voice sounding urgent.
“What’re you talking about?”
“Marco ran out of here with some random guy like he was arresting him . Then he came up to Reiner and I and said something happened to your friend; too be honest I barely heard what he said. Then Reiner started beating the guy up and then the other guys got involved and then it turned into this big fight and then-”
“Bert, slow the fuck down.” He could feel Armin shaking against his back, peering over his shoulder. “Where’s the guy now?”
“Marco and Reiner brought him outside, I think Connie followed them I don’t know.”
Eren’s grip on Armin’s wrist tightened without him meaning to. He needed to go outside and find that guy, but he couldn’t leave Armin. He especially didn’t want the blonde to be around the stranger any longer than he had to be.
But he needed to get outside and find Marco. He needed to get Armin home now .
Eren turned around to face Armin, who was looking back and forth between him and Bertolt. The blonde hadn’t been introduced to him yet, so to him it was just another stranger that had a 50% chance of hurting him in some way.
“Eren, what- what’s going on?”
The brunette leaned down to meet Armin’s eyes, grabbing the sides of the blonde’s head with his hands.
“I’m gonna get you to Marco’s car, okay? He’s gonna take us home, but I need you to listen to me first.” Eren held back the shakiness in his voice, wanting to keep control of the situation. When Armin nodded at his words, he continued.
“We’re gonna leave the restaurant, and you gotta keep your head down. We’re gonna get outside, and I need you to trust me enough to bring you to the car.”
Eren knew that Armin would break again if he realized all of the commotion outside of the bathroom. If the blonde saw the fighting, let alone that man again, Eren was sure Armin would pass out on the spot.
“Okay.”
Eren dropped his hold on Armin’s head and put his arm around the blonde’s shoulders. He guided his friend out of the bathroom as Bertolt held the door for them, unknowing of what was going on.
When they reached the inside of the restaurant Eren made sure Armin did what he was told, and surely enough the blonde kept his head down as low as it could go. Eren couldn’t remember the last time that Armin relied on him as much as he did in these moments.
Eren moved as fast as he could throughout the restaurant, trying to ignore the dozens of people calling his name and shouting at him. Clearly Bertolt wasn’t lying; the entire team had apparently gotten involved in their altercation.
Eren eventually made it to the front door, pushing it open and meeting the chilly air. He could only imagine how cold Armin probably felt; this thought made him tighten his hold on his friend.
He was about to cross the street when he heard a familiar voice call his name. Connie’s voice was calling his name
“Eren! Dude, get over here!” Erne turned and saw how Connie was waving him over towards an alleyway. It was dark outside, making it hard for Eren to see what was going on.
The burnette grunted, walking towards his friend with Armin still wrapped underneath his arm. He continued his way over until he saw Marco and Reiner hunched over a body on the ground. Eren didn’t have to look to know it was the man that had attacked Armin.
He took a step back, now wanting Armin to see what was happening.
“Eren, are we-”
“Keep your head down, Armin.”
Armin kept quiet, deciding to do as Eren said and close his eyes. He wanted to make himself as invisible as possible.
Eren brought his attention back to his teammates, setting his jaw as Armin’s attacker struggled to breathe.
“Marco, can you drive us back to Armin’s?” Eren’s voice seemed to break Marco from his trance, his eyes moving from the man to meet Eren’s hold on Armin.
“Y-yeah, I can do that. Reiner, you got it from here?”
Reiner looked up, looking from Marco, to Eren, to Armin, and back to the man. The teen put his foot on top of the stranger’s chest, not seeming to care that the man groaned from the pain.
“Yeah. Just get him home.”
Eren would have commented on how rough and angry both Marco and Reiner’s voices sounded if he didn’t have his best friend in critical condition, right underneath his arm.
When Connie sent the group a questioning look Marco waved his arm, mumbling ‘ I’ll tell you later ’ before walking into the street towards his car. He unlocked the doors, and opened the back seat to let Eren and Armin get in.
When the two got in the car Marco closed the door behind them, getting behind the wheel before starting the car.
“You got the address?” Marco wasn’t talking to either of them in particular; quite frankly he didn’t know who he should be talking to. On one hand it was Armin’s house, but on the other hand it didn't seem aware enough to hold a conversation.
“Yeah, he lives a few blocks from my place. I’ll just tell you what turns to make.”
After Eren spoke the car remained silent for a while. Armin eventually lifted his head, leaning on Eren’s shoulder as the drive continued. The blonde felt overwhelmingly drowsy, the car’s steady bumps almost lulling him to sleep.
His mind was blank, and he almost didn’t remember what happened nearly a half hour ago. He felt numb yet overloaded at the same time. He almost felt paralyzed. He wished he was paralyzed, that way he wouldn’t be able to feel the pains and aches all over his body.
Armin didn’t even want to think about how much his chest and stomach stung against his sweater; there was no doubt in his mind that the man made him bleed where he scraped against his skin.
He didn’t want to think about the sheer terror and panic he went through just moments ago, but it was hard not to. It was the only thing that consumed his mind while Marco continued to drive.
Don’t be a bitch, just relax.
“Alright, we’re here. You guys need help getting in?”
Marco’s voice made Armin look up, no longer obsessing over his memories. He was home.
His breathing was heavy, and he tried to make the pain in his head go away.
“No, I got it.”
When Eren finished speaking he opened the door, and momentarily unwrapped his arm from Armin to get himself out of the car. He grabbed Armin’s upper arm and helped the blonde stand up, closing the door behind him.
“Got your keys, Min?” The blonde nodded, and Eren released his hold so Armin could reach into his pockets and find his house keys.
Eren took a step towards Marco’s window, leaning down to speak to the teen. Marco rolled the window down, giving Eren a cautious look.
“Seriously, thanks so much for everything tonight, man. You really helped us a lot.” At Eren’s gratitude Marco nodded. He glanced at Armin, who was taking out his house keys from his back pocket.
“Of course, Armin’s my friend too. Just do me a favor and call me in the morning before he wakes up. I need to talk to you about all this.”
Eren was slightly confused, but nodded at Marco’s request. He assumed that Marco was just worried about Armin and wanted to make sure he’d be okay in the morning.
Erne patted the roof of Marco’s car before turning back to Armin, who was staring at the keychain in his hand.
“C’mon, let’s get inside.” The blonde blinked before turning towards Eren, nodding at his suggestion.
Marco watched the pair walk towards the front door and into Armin’s house, Eren holding the blonde’s elbow as they got inside.
The teen sighed as he sat back in the car’s seat, taking a moment to breathe.
He couldn’t get the image of Armin being pinned down, his pants unbuttoned and unzipped as he laid lifeless on the floor.
What he was worried about was the fact that Eren hadn’t noticed those details; the brunette seemed fixated on Armin’s face and the physical injuries above his shoulders.
He was sure that if Eren had seen what he saw, he would’ve murdered the man in cold blood.
He just hoped that Armin was okay and clear headed enough to tell Eren what had happened when they weren’t there.
He prayed that Eren would remember to call him in the morning.
He needed to know what happened.
To be continued…
1/2