Bitter

Five ^Armin's POV^

Armin was on his way to the library for a study group after his classes when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

"Hey, what's up?" He answered.

"Can I please crash at your place tonight?" Eren pleaded on the other end. "I can't deal with Zeke today."

"Yeah, let yourself in whenever. I'll be home in a bit." He assured him, a little concerned by Eren's desperate tone.

"Thanks."

With that, Eren hung up.

I really hope he doesn't regress back to his old self in all this chaos, Armin prayed internally.

He entered the library and looked for his friends. He found Annie, Connie, and Marco sitting at a long table towards the back with books and a few laptops spread out.

"Hi guys." He whispered as he sat down.

"Spill the deets about Y/N, Armin." Connie blurted once he was settled.

Armin grinned and let out a breathy sigh. "There's really not much to say."

"Oh come on," Connie argued, wicked amusement filling his face. "You have a whole class with her."

"You really think Armin is the guy you'll get to talk about seeing Sasha and Y/N naked?" Annie interjected. "Try Jean. Or better yet, Ymir. She loves that lesbo shit."

Armin, not interested in gossiping about you, focused his gaze on the cars driving past the large windows that made up most of the walls of the library.
He hadn't actually formed much of an opinion about you yet. The only thing he knew for certain was that there was a dualistic quality to you. You were a regular girl from his English class to him, but a wildcard to others.
Marco, as observant as ever, slid his laptop towards Armin to end any more potential questions. Pointing at the screen he said, "I really need your help with Chemistry dude."
He only showed up to study groups with his friends to help them with their work, so Armin complied and spent the next hour tutoring.
Despite the earlier interrogation from Connie, he enjoyed their company and bid them a warm farewell as they left the library.

"Oh wait, Armin!" Connie called while catching up to him. "Are you going to Historia's later? She's throwing a little something together tonight."

"I'm not really sure. I have to go check on Eren, he's at my house." He replied.

"Well just bring him, I don't think Historia got a chance to send a formal invite cuz it was so last second."

"I'll ask him."

***

Armin noticed Eren's lowered M5 outside his apartment and parked his little Miata next to it. As he sat in the parked car for a moment, he flicked the shell shaped plushie Eren won for him at Paradis Summer Festival their freshman year. It bounced around on the string that held it to the rear view mirror and he sighed.

"I hope he's okay." Armin muttered to himself with closed eyes.
Reluctantly, he grabbed his bag from the passenger seat and headed up the stairs to his large studio apartment. Armin was a full time student, but his grandpa left him a considerable amount of money when he died and he used it to pay his bills.
As he crossed the threshold of the flat, he caught sight of Eren who was lying face down on the bed with his face tucked into his arms.
Armin set his things down on the dining table next to the kitchen and walked towards his friend.

"Eren, what's going on?" He asked quietly.
Eren rolled over onto his back and looked at his friend with a dark expression.