Senior Year! (Armin x Reader)

Chapter 13: Boy Talk, Part II

Eren Jaeger was not the type to keep his head down in the face of adversity.

He always managed to spring right back up whenever he was knocked down, coming in swinging.

But as of late, he was a depressed mess.

He hated how Armin was blatantly avoiding him, the blonde not stopping by to even spare him a single glance whenever the two managed to pass each other.

Jean was rightfully annoyed with how Eren had dragged him into the bet in the worst way possible. Basically pinning Armin against him, which Jean did not appreciate in the slightest.

The problems went on.

Eren was still mad at Reiner.

He couldn't look at him and Bertholdt the same way.

And, naturally, Eren hated Porco.

They'd glare at each other 24/7. Almost as if it were a competition to see who could out-hate the other.

Clearly, this was a lot for the normally unbothered teen, so he found himself moping inside of Mikasa's room most of the time, complaining.

"Mikasa, what do I do?" He asked the girl one late afternoon, nearing the end of January. Only a couple of weeks into the new year and he still couldn't make peace with anyone.

"I don't know, Eren. I really don't," Mikasa had responded as she highlighted key phrases in her history book. After hearing the brunette out for what seemed to be the millionth time, she sort of got into the habit of tuning him out.

"Mikasaaaa," Eren groaned as he continued to bother her, laying face down on her bed as the girl tried her best not to smack him off of it.

Giving in, Mikasa closed her book and set it off to the side, then turning to the boy and lightly patting the top of his head.

"Eren, give them time. What you and Reiner did was not good."

"Ugh," the brunette spat out at the mention of Reiner.

"See? Just how you need time from Reiner, they need time from you," Mikasa reasoned, but Eren couldn't accept that.

"No one talks to me anymore," he said with an uncharacteristic softness to his voice. The same soft tone that he always managed to let slip whenever he was feeling down.

Mikasa sighed as soon as she heard it. She knew that Eren was hurting, and even after doing what he did, she still pitied the boy.

"Eren, they'll come around. I'm still here for you," she reassured and Eren stayed silent as he kept his face buried in Mikasa's bed.

After a slight moment of silence, the boy caved in.

"Thank you," he mumbled and Mikasa hummed.

~♢~

February started and Eren did his best to steer clear of Armin, wanting to give his friend some space.

The brunette yawned loudly as he leaned back against the wall and kept his hood on, not really having the energy to lift his hand and pull it off before he entered his classroom.

Jean was there, ignoring Eren while Connie stood by awkwardly, shifting on his toes.

Eren rubbed at his tired eyes as he waited in silence.

"Yeah, I'm going to the mall with her on Tuesday," Eren had overheard. He leaned over to look, finding that it was Porco and Niccolo talking. Just as he was about to throw the boy the usual menacing glare, he froze at what they said next.