Communication Error (Eremin)

Chapter Sixteen • Hobbies

After school, before leaving the building and heading home, Armin asked Mikasa if he could join her in picking Eren up again. She agreed to let him come, and the both of them left together.
    They stayed close in the fog that had refused to clear up yet, though it was much thinner than it had been. On their way, a question popped into Armin's mind, which he was unsure of asking. Once he found a way to word his question without it sounding awkward, he turned to Mikasa and called her name. "Do you think," he began as Mikasa looked at him, "I exclude you at all?"
    "What do you mean?"
    Armin tilted his head. "I mean . . . When Eren is around, do you think I exclude you, and just talk to him instead? Or, maybe I don't talk to him, but I talk about him?" He furrowed his eyebrows in concern as his blue eyes met Mikasa's. "And maybe that makes it look like I don't care about you as much?"
    Mikasa paused in thought, turning her head away and losing direct eye contact. "Mm . . . I don't know, really." She lifted her chin up a little. "I know you like him, and you like talking about him, which you do a lot," she added, which made Armin feel bad. "I don't think I feel excluded though.
"I understand you really only speak to me because you need—or, needed help so you can talk to Eren, so it's understandable that you'd think of him more.
"I'm not going to try to make myself important, though. I don't believe how I feel matters as much," she informed.
    Armin could tell that her statement wasn't true. Her feelings were very important to her; that much wasn't hard to figure out. However, he didn't say anything more about that. He just looked down. "Thank you for letting me know."
    "Mhm." Mikasa hung her arm around Armin's shoulder and pulled him into a tight side hug. She held it as they walked together, never loosening it a bit.

    "Good. You waited inside."
    Mikasa urged Eren out the door of his school. As he stepped out, she swung her hand down and pat him on the butt, before following him out.
    He turned around and faced her, a cross expression on his face.
    "Watch where you're going," Mikasa signed to him, ignoring his reaction. "You'll fall down the steps."
    Urgently, he turned back around and almost slipped on the first step. He caught himself and stepped down heavily. When he was at the bottom, he locked eyes on Armin, who was waiting for the both of them at the foot of the steps.
    "Hello, hello," he greeted to the pale blond.
    "Good afternoon, Eren," Armin returned. "How was school?"
    "It was the same thing as usual. Nothing exciting," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
    The three teenagers walked side-by-side on their ways home. It was a silent walk, but it was full of conversation.
    Armin brought up how he had been restricted from his devices, then, vocally, he added on to Mikasa that he wouldn't be able to do their Skype calls because of the punishment. When she nodded in acknowledgement, he continued signing to the both of them.
    "I still don't know what the actual punishment will be," he told them, "but I do hope it's not restriction from Wednesday night practices—as I said already.
"I don't know . . . I don't think Grandpa would keep me in the house."
    "You don't get out much? Or you didn't, until you met us?" Eren asked innocently.
    "I only got out to the library. But it hasn't been as exciting as it used to be, so I haven't gone as often," Armin admitted. "So, yeah, I guess so."
    "I knew I hadn't heard much of the library from you lately." Mikasa hadn't contributed too much to the conversation, though she was paying close attention. "Are you okay to be missing out so much?"
    Armin looked at her with wide eyes. "Yes, of course. I'm only volunteering. They have enough people, unless they fire half of their staff," he commented.
    "Alright." Mikasa tilted her head to Eren. "Mister Hot Stuff over here doesn't get out at all. He's always keeping himself in his room when he's not at school." Her eyes sparkled.
    Eren met Mikasa's eyes and furrowed his eyebrows. "Really? Was that necessary?"
    "Definitely." She nodded her head.
   "You know you're no better," Eren put in. Directing his attention to Armin, he added, "She lays on her bed Skyping her friends or watching TV."
    "You're just making things up," Mikasa stated when Eren looked back at her.
    Eren frowned. The look in his eyes betrayed him, clearly showing Mikasa that he was messing around.
    Mikasa narrowed her eyes, but said nothing more to him.
    Armin wondered what Mikasa actually did in her free time. With a fit figure such as hers, he guessed she did a lot of physical activities. Curious, he asked her.
    "Well," she began in response, "I spend about two hours—maybe three—trying to keep myself in shape. After that . . . I dunno. Whatever suits my fancy that day, I guess.
    "What about you?"
    Armin blinked slowly. "Eh. Nothing interesting," he mumbled as he shrugged.
    Seeing that he was unlikely to continue, Mikasa changed the subject. "So, I know it's cold outside, but I've got untimely coupons for some frozen yogurt. Don't know why they waited until now to hand out discounts left and right," she grumbled quietly, "but nevertheless, frozen yogurt is great.
    "Want to stick around a little longer and get some?"
    "Frozen yogurt? I've never had that before. It sounds disgusting," Armin snorted.
    Displaying mock offense, Mikasa placed her hand on her chest and gaped at Armin. She turned around and shook Eren's shoulder, signing something to him urgently.
    Eren looked at Armin with the same pretend offense, though with much more exaggeration. "Frozen yogurt is a blessing from the heavens!" he signed matter-of-factly.
    Mikasa shook her head with sorrow. "What a poor boy."
    Armin flashed them a straight, unamused face, though it wasn't genuine. "You two . . .
    "Drama aside, what's frozen yogurt taste like?"
    "Like ice cream, pretty much. But it's better—healthier for you," Mikasa answered.
    "I guess I can tag along. I'll call my gra—wait, I can't. I can't use my phone," he reminded himself.
    "Not even for contacting your grandfather?"
    Armin shrugged. "I don't know. I never asked."
    "You can use my phone," Mikasa offered, pulling her phone out of her pocket.
    "That's nice of you, but that's no different than me using my own. Could you call him for me?"
    "Sure, sure. I think I still have his number somewhere . . ."
    "Okay, good. I was just gonna ask about that."
    Mikasa tapped her phone screen a couple more times before placing the device by her ear. She waited for a moment before greeting Mr. Arlert, then explaining the invitation to him. They chatted through it for a minute or so before Mikasa said her goodbyes and shut her phone off.
    Smiling, she informed, "He said it's fine, but that he wasn't sure you had the money to buy anything. But, don't worry about that. I've got you covered."
    Armin's eyes widened. "Really? Thank you!"
    "My pleasure." Patting Eren's back to get his attention again, she nodded her head. "Let's go."