Ribs (Armin Arlert x Reader)

9 :: We're Reeling Through The Midnight Streets

A/N

Hi lovely readers! I know it's been a hot minute since I updated, but I did say that updates would be much slower due to school. I also apologize for the short chapter, it's only five pages, but I did the best I could. Besides school, I've been having major writer's block.

Luckily, I go on spring break in two weeks, and I'll probably be able to get out three to four chapters during that week. I hope you guys find that this chapter was worth the wait!

The songs I listened to while writing this chapter are Jealous by Eyedress and Young by Vacations, as I feel they perfectly described the melancholy feel I wanted to incorporate into this chapter.

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Your fingers double tap at the message Pieck sent as a little red heart popped up on the message to let her know you were agreeing to her thought.

Pieck:

"Can you meet me in my dorm in 20 minutes? I'm on the third floor, the room right above yours."

You once again double tapped her second message before shoving your rectangular device in the back pocket of your jeans and helped yourself up to your feet.

The gravel kneaded with a hard crunch under the weight and movement of your feet as you made your way to the narrow crystalline glass door that led back to the inside of the coffee shop. As you pushed the door open with the palm of your hands against the cool, cylindrical metal door handle, your nose was met with the tickling scent of ground coffee beans and strawberry scones once again.

The shop had emptied from the customers that ordered before and after you, and only Armin remained within peripheral view. His back leaned straight against the wall next to the indoor garbage can to hold up his body weight while his thin, pale, rounded thumbs tapped away at the screen of his phone.

As you approached him, the corner of his vision caught your presence causing his head to snap up towards you. The azure hue in his eyes mirrored the warm light in the coffee shop; making them appear more green as he parted his lips, pouty and flushed pink, to speak.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. Pieck wants to talk." You said, beating Armin to the chase at speaking.

"Don't apologize. I'll run a bit late but I can drive you back to your dorm building if you want?"

"Late for what?"

"Mikasa sent me a text and her flight landed a while ago. Eren was supposed to pick her up but they're on rough terms at the moment."

"Already?" Your head cocked towards your shoulder as you spoke. "I thought she wasn't supposed to be home until this upcoming weekend?"

Your rhetorical inquiry was just met with a phlegmatic shrug delivered by Armin as his bit down gently on the inside of his cheek.

"You don't have to drive me, Armin. You've already been really nice and I don't want to take up any more of your time."

"My time isn't being taken up, I'm here because I want to be. I can let Mikasa know I'm just getting you home and I'll be right with her soon."

You shook your head to decline once more. As much as you enjoyed Armin's constant hand of help, he had been your voice of reason and his generosity outstretched to you for the past twelve hours. You didn't want to outstretch him, and plus you thought you could pick up a late breakfast and clean your dorm for Mikasa before heading to see Pieck; despite the both of you not having much of a relationship.

"Are you sure you don't need me to take you home?" Armin asked once again for final clarification as his fingers wrapped around the cool, cylindrical, metal handle of the coffee shop door; holding it open for you.