𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬| 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 ✔︎

19

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(Y/n)'s P.O.V

There was something about today, it didn't feel right. I woke up, brushed my teeth, took a shower, and changed out of my pj's.

When I went downstairs Sasha wasn't there, I checked her room and found her sleeping with one of her legs sticking out of the covers. I checked the house but no sign of Connie either, whenever he came over he'd just end up sleeping here too.

Not this time though, this time he'd gone to sleep at his house, which made everything oddly sketchy, this must've been some kind of Prank they both planned out or I'm just going crazy.

Why am I worried? I should be relieved that there aren't high school seniors who practically share the same braincell running around. As I'm slumped down in my chair, drinking my morning (f/d), I began to get distracted by my thoughts.

Speaking of people, I wonder how Armin's morning is going. He didn't stay over as much as Connie did, something about not wanting to be a burden to us. I get the consideration but it wouldn't hurt to see him once in a while now, seeing that now we're not exactly friends but we're not lovers either.

My thoughts strayed until I eventually snapped out of it and shook my head, continuing to sip of my
(f/d). Time seemed to pass by more quickly now, I slid on my sneakers and took off for a walk.

I let my legs guide me to wherever I would end up today. I soon found myself standing in the mists of a nearby frog pond. They seemed unbothered by me, maybe that's because I didn't seem to pose as a threat to them. These frogs, they're like me somehow, they go on with their day not giving a care in the world about who does what.

I should've realized it before, the people around me that genuinely care about me. I tend to just brush off their actions and call it whatever, but with Armin, I feel like I can speak what I'm thinking, most of the time.

The person who cared for me the most was right in front of me all this while and I didn't even notice it or rather chose to ignore it. Maybe that's what I've been longing for my whole life, not friends, or a lover, just people who would be willing to take the time out of their day to spend it with me.

Like these frogs, all of them can't be related but they still look out for one another because they share the same tastes, likes, and dislikes. I wonder almost every day about how it might feel to share things in common with someone.

I felt small drops of rain falling into my palm and the sound the droplets make once they hit the pond waters. Then I had a realization that I hadn't brought an umbrella, crap.

I let out a sigh and stood up.
-
As I'm walking home I sense someone behind me, so close that I could feel their breaths flow down my neck. Armin pops out from behind me, adjusting his umbrella over my head.

"Hello (Y/n)" He said.

"How'd you find me," I asked.

"You didn't know? I take walks around here too, I wanted to say hi but I saw you were occupied with the frogs" He laughed.

His laugh...I thought.

"Say..are you free tomorrow? Since we didn't get to check out that new cafe Sasha was talking about before, I thought we could go visit tomorrow" He asked.

"That was the day we.." I muttered.

"Oh sorry, I figured you didn't want me to bring that up," He said.

"No it's fine" I replied.

"So..?" He mumbled.

"Are you asking me out?" I said, looking at him.

He turned away. "Maybe"

"How cute..I'll check to see if I have time" I responded, looking away.

I felt his warm hand slide between my fingers, caressing his thumb on my index finger. I tightened our grip and so did he, I could feel my stomach emitting a weird sensation, it felt like acid eating away my insides, it was an unpleasant feeling but also a pleasant one at the same time.

After that, we both continued walking together, but it didn't feel like how I expected it to.
_
Armin walked me home and then left on his own. I could hear loud screaming noises inside, hesitant to open the door, I do anyway.

"I think this is the first time someone's ever beaten me" Sasha let out.

"Really? It was easy for me" Mikasa said.

I was shocked to see Mikasa here, I know she's my friend but I didn't think she'd come over.

"Oh hey (Y/n)" Mikasa said.

"Hi, Mikasa," I replied, taking off my shoes.

"You didn't take an umbrella?" Sasha said, looking over the chair.

"I was out before it started to rain" I sighed.

"You don't look like you got hit hard," Sasha said, looking at me from the toe and up.

"Armin came," I said, sitting on the couch with her.

"You play this game a lot, Sasha," I said, picking up the controller.

"It's the only one I'm better than Connie at" She chuckled.

"You and Connie, huh?" I said as I grinned.

"Don't look at me like that! It's not like that!" Sasha exclaimed.

Mikasa laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised if you and Connie were dating behind our backs"

"In his dreams" Sasha scoffed.

"Hey~, what about (Y/n) and Armin" Sasha added.

"Don't you go adding me into this!" I scolded, getting up from the chair.

"Fine, fine!" Sasha said, stretches her hands out for me to come back.

"Nope, you guys can continue your boy gossip but leave me and Armin out of it" I exclaimed, marching up to my room.

"Awh" Sasha pouted. "Was it something I said?" She added, looking at Mikasa.

"Don't look at me, what do you think?" Mikasa said.
_
I laid there, starfish position and all, thinking about my exact relationship with Armin.

Were we friends? I thought.

No, I've seen too much to just be friends.

Were we lovers? I thought.

No, not quite, maybe he sees it that way but it's not official.

Enemies? The thought waved through my mind for a split second.

Of course not, We're more of friends than enemies, not even close.

Friends with benefits? I thought.

That's probably the same thought I've been trying to avoid all this time. 'Friends with benefits? That's bullshit, if we're not lovers then we're just friends, right?

All this thinking has worn my energy out, I'm just gonna go to bed and forget everything, I'm not even sure if he even likes me at all, nobody's ever gone for me so why would they start now.