The Gift of Memory (Armin Arlert x Reader|Modern AU)

11•Jaeger Residence

"Do you wanna come back to my house?" Mikasa asked as both she and Y/N sat on a bench at the bus stop. It was beginning to rain, but only sprinkling drops so it didn't affect them. Though weather reports did say it would get heavier later in the night.

Ymir was going to drive Sasha home and then take Christa to her own house. The bus was simply more convenient for the two girls leftover.

"I suppose." Y/N shrugged.

After the small conversation, they waited for the bus in silence.

-

Once they made it through the door, Mikasa pointed to the (smaller/taller) girl's shoes as she took off her own and left them by the door. Y/N followed her actions.

Y/N followed her friend upstairs. They quietly passed down the hall, not seeing anyone yet. That was until they happened to pass by a certain brother's room.

"Hey, Mikasa," he turned his head towards the door from the bed, "you're home!"

"Y/N's here." She simply responded with.

"Oh, hey." He waved before turning his head back around to face the TV. Some kind of sitcom was playing, Y/N could tell by the laugh track going off.

With Y/N awkwardly and pointlessly waving back, even though she knew he wasn't paying attention to her, they went into the room across from his.

The walls were a light grayish-purple. The bed sheets were a simple back and white, there was a white desk with a closed laptop and some papers on it, along with a pencil.

There was also a small television on a dark wooden dresser.

"What do you want to do?" Mikasa asked.

In the end, they ended up watching a movie. Mean Girls, it was such a classic.

'I remember when this first came out. I have yet to seen the full thing, though.' Y/N though as they turned on the movie.

When they got to the scene where Cady was studying with Aaron, Eren happened to barge into the room.

"Eren, knock first, next time!" Mikasa scolded.

"Mom's looking for you, I think it's your turn to wash the dishes from dinner." Eren informed.

'Seriously? I wasn't even here.' Mikasa thought to herself, but in reality, she only nodded and stood from the bed. However, she whispered something, passing by her step-brother, "Keep her company."

Eren sighed, knowing how easily Mikasa could harm him if he disobeyed. There wasn't a large chance she would purposefully harm him, but she could be threatening in her own way.

He sat down next to the H/C-ette on the bed.

"So, how was the skating place?" He made small talk as his attention turned to the TV.

Y/N replied in a voice barely above a whisper, "It was okay. Your sister is nice."

He scoffed. "Nice isn't how most people describe her, but whatever. And she's only my step-sister."

"I know that you're not biologically related. I'm not dense. The way she talks about your family gives it away." Y/N softly spoke.

Eren stayed silent, staring at her for a moment.

Her eyes were fixated on the screen. She seemed to talk so mindlessly, unaware of how other people could react. Unaware of what was and wasn't rude.

It slightly agitated him of how carelessly she used her words.

"...Armin also answers me with almost anything I ask."

"What?" He questioned the sudden speak up.

"Armin also answers me with almost anything I ask." The teenage girl repeated.

"Yeah, I got that." He huffed.

"Then why did you ask?"

"Well, that's... because..." he paused, furrowing his eyebrows, "you know what, never mind!"

He shook his head once before hanging the subject to around something, rather someone, they have in common. "So, you and Armin talk a lot?"

"At least five times a week."

"Oh, so you guys are close?"

"We only met a month and three weeks ago."

'That's specific.' Eren deadpanned.

He blinked once and took a breath before continuing to speak, "Well, you know what I mean..."

He looked at her eyes and noticed that she was no longer watching at the movie. Her eyes were focusing on him, but her head wasn't turned. So she was staring at him with only her eyes.

A melancholic smile rested on her lips, as if it was her trademark.

'She's kind of creepy...'

"You would have to ask Armin." Chills were sent down the brunette's spine and he tensed up.

Y/N turned her head to look at him and tilted it. "I'm sorry, I'm creeping you out, or at least making you feel uncomfortable. I don't know how to act around new people, especially if they're not used to people like me."

Eren relaxed once he understood that. "It's okay, but sometimes you aren't making sense."

A short, hollow laugh left her lips. "I know. It takes a while for people to understand what I try to say. That's another thing you should ask him about." She included a half sarcastic comment at the end.

Footsteps were soon heard coming up the stairs and a few minutes later, a wild Mikasa appeared.

"I'm back."

Eren waved his step-sister over to him. Once she slowly walked over to him, her footsteps as quiet as usual, he leaned closer to the ravenette's ear.

"Can I speak with you in the hall?" He whispered, thinking the other female in the room couldn't hear.

-

The brunette closed the door behind him.

"What is it, Eren?"

He cleared his throat. "So, uh. A question about Y/N..." He trailed off. The Ackerwoman, pun, only let silence fall over them.

"Well, um... do you think she is... a special case?"

"What?" Her voice sounded both horrified and pissed off at Eren's accusation.

He gulped, "No, no! That came out wrong!" He quietly exclaimed before taking in a breath and putting his finger to his cheek, scratching it. A common habit among nervous teenagers. "What I meant to say was, well... she acts weird."

Mikasa continued glaring.

"Um-" was the only thing he could bother to get out before being cut off.

"She's not a special case." She simply stated.

"I know that-Jesus, that came out so wrong." The boy sighed to himself.

"Get to know her."

And with that, Mikasa opened up the door back to her room and entered it once again, leaving a flustered Eren all alone in the hall.