Dissolve

Appearances make the cut

I needed Armin.

The only person who could solve all these shit screwed problems was Armin. Or at least help me getting emotionally stable again.

I knew that nothing could fix the hole in my heart my mother would leave. Yet I was also overjoyed that I had gotten the chance to talk to her again. I was on cloud nine at the possibility of being something to Levi. I was dying because mom was leaving to quickly. I wanted to yell at Mikasa for leaving with no explanation as to why. I wanted to shove my so called father's head in a toilet for being a coward.

I suppressed the growl on my lips as I punched the down sign of the elevator. I needed out. Out of Trost. Out of this area where you got an eyeful of the massive hospital close by. I needed my best friend.

I snapped my phone out when the elevator finally opened with its usually too cheerful ring. Sliding my back on one of the walls of the confined space I dialed Armin's phone but the answer I got on the other end was the last person I wanted to hear from right now.

"Armin's in the shower, Jaeger." Jean's horrid voice told me.

"I need him. Right now." I hoped Jean could hear the venom in my tone, hoping he wasn't about to try to fuck with me like usual.

A pause on the other end made me want to slit his throat. I didn't even care if Jean was there at this point. So I said, "I'm gonna be at his place in five minutes."

I hung up then, not bothering or caring what Jean had to say to that. I decided to walk there, considering Armin lived so close in the district over. I hurried my pace outside of Trost, my strides not missing a beat. I didn't even know what I wanted from Armin. All I knew was that I needed him. I need his level head, his comfort in the end. I needed his arms to hold me because I trusted him comprehensively.

Not that I didn't trust Levi. I just needed a best friend right now. I needed the closest thing I ever had to a brother. That didn't up and disappear without a trace.

I knocked on the door once, wondering briefly if Armin's gramps was here. The old man was sweet and always took care of Armin. I couldn't help but be grateful for the gramps, considering he was the only family Armin had now.

Besides me and Mikasa.

Or just me.

I shook my head, knocking at the stain glass door again. I heard ruffled movement and I was greeted with a horse. Not literal, technically, but close enough.

This horse was also shirtless. I narrowed my eyes at him as Jean let me inside. I plopped on the couch with a huff not bothering with any greeting to him as he buttoned up a shirt.

"Who pissed in your cheerios?" Jean asked, looking mildly amused at my face. I couldn't find what was so funny.

"Not right now, Jean. I can't right now." I said, grinding my teeth together.

Jean went from looking amused to a flash of guilt over his features before he lost any look of emotion at all. It was weird seeing his face like that, an emotionless Jean was a rare sight.

"Are you okay, Eren?" He asked, taking a seat in a green looking recliner.

His sudden concern startled me. Maybe everyone could finally see I was waking up to the realization mom wasn't going to pull through. I opened my mouth with a response but I was cut off.

"Eren! Why didn't you wear a jacket? It's below freezing outside!"

Armin's concerned voice had my head snapping in the direction it came from. He was standing the the hallway with a towel on his head, loose pants slung around his hips with a soft looking shirt on. If I weren't his best friend I'd say he was totally adorable but I could feel a certain glare from a certain horse for ogling his boyfriend.