Armin's Room: A Fictional Narrative

Armin kept his hands clasped together in his lap, pulling and twisting at his fingers like an old dish rag. His nerves were at an all time high and the stress was eating away at his insides like a persistent virus that wouldn't go away. Armin shifted nervously in his chair, his fingers remained intertwined, and he clenched his jaw. He glanced around the room, from corner to corner, as if he was waiting for something, or someone, to pull him out of this nerve-wracking situation.
"S-sir, I appreciate your help. But, I feel as if the incident that took place Friday, won't ever be repeated. Please, just let me handle this on my own. I know I shouldn't.... I want to, but... I-I'm sorry I just can't tell you their names. " Armin sighed shifting his gaze to the

floor. He knew he couldn't lie to Mr. Smith any longer, the man would see right through it.
"Look kid, I'm not doing this because I am required to by law. I am doing this because every student has the right to a safe learning environment, and you don't deserve to be treated with disrespect. You and I both know that those kids who attacked you can and will repeat their actions." Mr. Smith responded while leaning forward in his seat, "Annie Leonheart will not be allowed onto school property for at least a week, and shall be removed from any classes that you two share."
"T-that's not necessary, I don't mind having classes with her." Armin interjected quickly. Mr. Smith rose a brow, but nodded.
"Very well, if that's okay with you. However, I have still not been informed of the other two students names." His principle reminded him, straightening out a stack of papers and setting them aside.
"Right..." Armin whispered, looking around the room, as if that would help him think of a plausible excuse. He gambled back and forth with each option he had. Armin could either tell Mr. Smith the truth, or he could run like hell. He frowned regrettably, knowing there was no way out of this situation. "Okay... I'll tell you their names. But, on one condition, Mr. Smith."
Mr. Smith uncoiled his fingers and leaned back into his chair, "What is it?"
"I don't... want them to be punished."
"So, what happened after that?" Jean asked, while walking Armin home. Armin shrugged, making sure to step around a small anthill. He watched the ants stagger around the tiny pile of dirt, each one carried something on their back.
"Isn't that amazing?" Armin smiled crouching down to get a closer look. "Each one of them has their own job to do. They all play a vital role in the survival of their colony. If only our world worked like that, everyone could be important."
Jean scoffed, rubbing his frozen hands together. "I... guess? But, you kind of avoided my question..." Armin stood and wrapped his arms around himself, in an attempt to stay warm in the freezing weather. It was Halloween today, and Jean was coming over to help hand out candy to the children, Eren and Mikasa would be showing up later.
"We should hurry." Armin spoke up, looking down the street. "It's almost dark, and it's really freezing." He took off down the sidewalk, leaving Jean behind.
"H-hey, wait!" Jean jogged to catch up to Armin, and pulled him back by his arm. "You didn't answer my question! What else happened in Mr. Smith's office?"
"I... Ah, um... Are you sure you're okay with Eren coming over to help? I know you two don't get along very well..." He asked with a chuckle, completely ignoring Jean's question.
"Yes I'm sure!" Jean yelled, still holding onto Armin's wrist, preventing him from walking ahead. "Now tell me what happened!"
I should tell him...He deserves to know.
Armin sighed, pulling his arm away from Jean. He could remember every word Mr. Smith had said after that. Heck, he could remember every word that he said himself. But, he didn't know how to tell the persistent boy in front of him what had happened.
"...I told Mr. Smith not to punish them." Armin whispered, leaning against a nearby tree. The tree's bark rubbed against his palm as he picked at the frozen wood nervously.
"You what!?" Jean yelled, taking a stepped forward. "After everything they did to you!?"
"Y-yeah..." Armin replied shifting his gaze to the anthill once more. The tiny ants started to pile inside the mound of dirt.
"And what did he say? Who were those guys anyway?" Jean questioned, taking another step forward. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I'm sorry, I..." Armin shuffled from foot to foot, keeping his arms wrapped around himself. A cold blast of wind swept past them, causing a shiver to run down his back.
"Look," Jean sighed, fiddling with his scarf.

He pulled the scarf off and wound it around Armin's neck to help stop his trembling. The soft, dark blue fabric helped defend against the biting cold. Armin blushed, holding onto the scarf with one hand. However his blush went unnoticed, due to the freezing weather, his cheeks were already rosy red. Jean stuffed his hands into his coat pockets before continuing, "you don't have to tell me who did it, if you don't want to. But I atleast deserve to know what happened in Mr. Smith's office, don't you think?"
Armin nodded numbly, looking over at the anthill once again. He often thought about silly things in the most inappropriate times. For instance, right now he was wondering where the queen ant was right now. What is she doing down in that anthill? Of course Armin was fascinated with the idea of an underground colony. But, why was he thinking about this of all times? Perhaps it was just a nervous habit.
"Mr. Smith disagreed at first." Armin breathed. Jean nodded, urging the boy to continue. "However, when I suggested the idea of keeping a close eye on the two of them, Mr. Smith hesitantly gave in. But... I just really didn't want them to be kicked off the football

team."
Jean seemed taken aback when he replied, "The people who attacked you... they're going to be on my team?"
"Yes." Armin sighed. "Well, one of them will be. And if this person was to be kicked off the team... our school would most likely lose a lot more games. He's an important player. And everyone would know I caused him to get kicked off team. They would know I was the reason our school would be losing so many games. That's what I told Mr. Smith, and that's why he changed his mind..."
"Armin," Jean frowned, "that's ridiculous. Now that I'm joining the football team we won't have to worry about that, will we? I'll be the best player by the time tryouts come around, just you wait!"
"I guess." Armin chuckled softly, much to Jean's delight. He stepped away from the tree and playfully shoved Jean's shoulder. A huge smile took up Jean's face and the two of them headed down the sidewalk, towards Armin's home. Each of them seemed happy as they walked together, shoulder to shoulder.
"Eren, stop eating the candy!" Armin repeated, ripping the bowl of Halloween treats from the brunette's hands. Eren scowled and swallowed his mouthful of candy.
"I'm hungry." Eren whined. "Are you trying to starve me?!"
"First of all," Armin replied, carrying the bowl to the counter, "this candy is for the children. Secondly, there is food in the kitchen, so stop complaining."
Eren huffed before stalking off to the kitchen and opening the fridge. Mikasa followed him, sliding her phone into her back pocket. She was probably texting Eren's parents about their location.
Armin sighed, looking over his shoulder to see Jean slowly pacing around the living room with his hands stuffed into his pockets. He was looking over the pictures on the living room wall, and studying every object on the shelves. Armin stepped forward and placed his hand on Jean's shoulder. Jean jumped in surprised, stepping away from the shelves.
"S-sorry, I shouldn't have been snooping around like that." Jean chuckled lightly. Armin smiled, and grabbed a picture of his grandpa off the shelf.
"It's okay to be curious." Armin laughed.
"It's just that... I expected your house to be different." Jean said, looking over the living room quickly. Armin frowned placing the picture back on the shelf.
"Huh?"
"I don't know." Jean sighed. "I guess I expected it to be more... Armin."
"So, more like me?" Armin questioned with a smile. Jean blushed and opened his mouth to reply, only for the doorbell to interrupt him. "I'll get it!" Armin yelled rushing to the door with the bowl of candy.
As he opened the front door of his grandfather's home, expecting a child to be waiting on the other side, in walked his grandfather. The old man wore a dark trench coat, along with a light brown hat. He entered the home without a word or second glance towards the children inside. Eren and Mikasa exited the kitchen, staring at the man they knew as Armin's grandfather, with wide eyes. Jean sat on the old, burgundy, couch throwing suspicious glances at the old man entering the home.
"-Oh! Hey grandpa, how was work?" Armin asked with a smile. The old man shook his head with a sigh. He took off his trench coat and hung it up next to the doorway upon a hook. Armin's smile wavered ever so slightly as he set down the bowl of candy onto a nearby stand.
"You were fired for being late again?" His grandfather spoke, completely ignoring the boy's question. "I was informed by your boss."
"Oh." was all Armin said, looking over his shoulder. Jean sat uncomfortably upon the couch, and his other two friends slowly slid back into the kitchen. "About that grandpa-"
"No, it's okay..." His grandfather insisted. "I'm just tired. Have fun with your friends and.." The old man looked over at Jean. "...Whoever that is. I'm going to sleep early tonight, I'm exhausted. Just clean up after yourselves."
"O-okay." Armin stammered. "Goodnight Grandpa." The old man walked away and entered his room without another word. Jean released the breath he had been holding and turned his gaze towards Armin.
"I thought you'd be home alone tonight?" Jean asked.
"So did I..." Armin said, mostly to himself. "Maybe he left work early?"
"Maybe..."
Eren ran back into the living room, his mouth stuffed with whatever foods he could find in the kitchen. Armin watched the brunette suspiciously as he attempted to speak.
"Wash uftp wifch your granschfa?!" Eren shouted. Armin rose an eyebrow before shushing him, indicating that his grandfather was trying to sleep.
"What in the hell are you trying to say?" Jean finally questioned with a glare, interrupting Eren's blabbering.
Eren swallowed so he could respond. However Mikasa cut him off before he could speak. "He said; what's up with your grandpa, Armin?"
Armin shook his head in confusion. His three friends waited patiently for his response. Armin always knew what to say, or what to do. But not in this moment. It's a rare occurrence for Armin to become completely and utterly confused, and this was one of those moments. So all he could manage to say was. "I... I don't know."
It was late at night, long after the local children had stopped trick-or-treating. Mikasa had went home a bit early to get her homework done. And Eren decided to stay, to make sure Jean didn't do something stupid while at Armin's house. They all sat upon the rickety couch that could be found in almost every senior citizen's home. Armin sat in between the two boys, knowing full well they couldn't sit next to each other without fighting. So he remained squished between the two of them to separate their conflicting personalities.
"It just doesn't make since." Armin rambled, "Why is he acting so strange? My grandpa is usually very kind to new people, and welcoming too."
"Maybe he was just upset that you lost your job... I mean, you didn't even tell me about it." Eren grumbled crossing his arms over his chest like a disobedient child.
"You didn't tell him?" Jean whispered to Armin, however Eren could still make out what the taller boy had said.
"You told horse-face about it before me!?" Eren shouted.
"Shhh!" Armin hushed him with a finger placed over his lips. The blonde boy looked over his shoulder and sighed in relief knowing his grandfather was still asleep. "Okay yes, I just didn't get the chance to tell you, alright?"
"I still think it's ridiculous that you want to hang out with this idiot." Eren growled, throwing his hands up.
"Hey!" Jean whisper-yelled, looking around Armin's small frame. Armin leaned forward to block the boy's views of each other. However they could easily see over the top of the smaller boy.
"Well it's true." Eren retorted in anger. "It's bullshit. First you flirt with Mikasa, and now you're trying to take my best friend from me too?"
"Eren, calm down." Armin quickly pushed the two boys father away from each other. "No one's taking me away from you. Don't be ridiculous."
Eren scrunched his eyebrows together in frustration before facing the floor. The brunette's face turned an embarrassing shade of red as he mumbled a quick apology.
"Look, I get it. You two don't like each other. But can you at least pretend to be civilized while we're all together, please?" Armin looked towards Jean whose expression softened instantly. Slowly, the taller boy nodded his head. Eren however remained defiant, looking anywhere except into Armin's eyes. "Come one, Eren." Armin begged. "For me?"
"Fine." Eren huffed. Armin's pink lips stretched into a large smile.
"Alright, now... hug it out." Armin insisted.
"That's where I draw the line." Eren growled, scooting further towards the edge of the couch. Armin frowned in disappointment.
"Sorry, but I have to agree with Jaeger for once." Jean admitted looking down at the blonde.
"Well... that's still a step forward." Armin smiled, patting both of the boy's on their backs. "Good for you guys, now if we can just do something about your attitudes, hmm?"
"Whatever, mom..." Eren grumbled. Armin chuckled slightly causing Jean to follow suit. Soon the household was filled with the two boy's uncontrollable laughter that they attempted to muffle with their hands.
Eren just smiled at the two of them, amusement lacing his tone when he said. "Maybe Mikasa was right about you two..."