The Slow Fall | Armin x Mikasa [Arumika Fanfiction]

Chapter I

Mikasa finally woke from her comfortable slumber. All tired and groggy she woke up the moment she realized she was leaning on someone. Her head was turned and rested on a shoulder and her torso inclined so that she didn't have to lean in on an awkward angle.

Her eyes fluttered open and she began to focus on her hand that was resting neatly in front of her. The other loosely holding a pencil that almost slipped from her grip. She must've been writing before she had fallen asleep.

She lifted her head up from her sleepy stature. With the realization soon hitting her. It was quite embarrassing to realize that you had just slept on someone without knowing.

The raven haired female began to apologize for her actions towards her friend, "I'm sorry about that Armin.."

Although Armin didn't seem to mind. Shifting his gaze from the soccer field to her. The blonde haired boy gave Mikasa a genuine smile reassuring her that he didn't mind at all, "Ah you're awake."

"Yeah." Mikasa said as she turned away.

"It looked like you needed the rest anyways." Armin added.

Mikasa glancing from her tired state to find that he was smiling. She began to hang her head in embarrassment and grogginess while she rubbed her eyes.

She refused to accept how lenient Armin was to the situation. After all this wasn't the first time something like that has happened.

"It's not okay." She began. "This is the fourth time this week isn't it?"

He glanced towards her and grinned pulling out a scarf from his bag. "Yes, you've started this habit on Monday, ever since the boy's soccer tryouts began." Mikasa paused realizing what Armin had said. Everything he said was true.

"It just happens to be so quiet. I just start to doze off." Mikasa spoke, turning towards Armin as he handed the scarf over.

Armin raised a brow questioning the validity of her statement. He knew well what was happening with Mikasa and she couldn't hide it for long. "Mikasa, Armin began. You're sleeping because you're tired." He spoke. Mikasa turning towards him as he handed over the scarf that she removed.

"You're just exhausting yourself out." Armin said with a tone of concern in his voice. Attempting to explain the reasons to why he thinks she's been so tired. "You're just doing so many things at once, I think that it's okay to take a nap once in a while."

"Honestly, I don't mind you're napping as long as you get the proper rest."

"You should really get into the habit of sleeping at an earlier time and not overworking yourself."

Armin said, admittedly voicing his concern for her while she paused and stared at him.

His blue eyes glancing down at the notebook filled with notes from biology class. What Armin said was true. She was tired and she did need the rest. However Mikasa always felt the overwhelming urge to do everything without any help. Working until she was fully satisfied.

"I need to take responsibility for my work." Mikasa spoke, "If I want to do that I need to be able to finish this and I can't do that in my sleep."

"Mikasa, I'm saying the because it's your fourth time sleeping like this on the bleachers." Armin said. "You're not usually like this and I'm worried about you."

Her eyes darted towards Armin. Everything he said was true. She was tired but she wasn't going to let something as trivial as fatigue get in her way.

She understood his cocerns. But she could allow herself to stand there without someone giving her the validation to say she didn't have to work as hard.