It's mid-July and school is out. The days are almost suffocating in their heat and the evenings are warm and sticky, the air filled with the whizz of insects that come out in a symphony when the sun sets. Armin's shorts are burning against his skin, the perspiration gathering there reminding him of the annoying fabric that he wishes wasn't necessary. The gentle breeze of Eren's broken fan isn't nearly enough to cool the room. It's even hotter inside than it is out. Armin shifts periodically, twisting the controller in his hands as they become too clammy and it starts to get uncomfortable in his grip. But despite the ongoing battle he's fighting with the heat, he absolutely can't, under no circumstances, let Eren beat him at this round of Mario Kart.
He concentrates entirely on the race, both out of the surge of competitiveness he's feeling and also as a distraction against the smothering summer heat. Though it's not nearly as hot as it was earlier in the day, there's something about summer nights that Armin hates more than when the sun is out. In those times, people turn on the air conditioning and hide from the sun's harsh rays. And if there's ever a time Armin needs to face the blinding glare of the outside, it burns for a moment and then it's over. But it's when everything cools down a little, though not completely — never completely — that Armin feels absolutely asphyxiated. It's when it's not exactly cool, but not exactly hot, just warm enough to cause that prickle of discomfort beneath his skin. To make his sheets too warm, but the open air not quite cool enough to let him sleep in peace. It's when people turn off the sweet sanctuary of the air conditioning and resort to using simple household fans that Armin thinks do a lousy job of eliminating the smoldering heat. When perspiration is hot on his brow, his lips dry, and he's unable to sit still for more than five seconds because the summer air settles around him like a blanket.
So when he manages to cross the line a mere second before Eren does, he lets out a warm breath, flashing his best friend a smile. "I beat you." he says and sees the brunet roll his eyes, however fondly. "Whatever. I was just letting you win."
"Sure," he laughs, falling back onto Eren's bed with a light sigh. The sudden rush of air from the movement is refreshing, but it's quickly replaced with a growing discomfort where his back meets the sheets. He spreads his arms and legs, hoping that maybe the more area he covers, the cooler he'll become. It doesn't really work. Eren just laughs at him under his breath and lays down next to him with a dramatic flail of his arms that makes Armin giggle. He sweeps his bangs off of his forehead and spreads blond hair like a halo around his face, trying to expose his skin to rid of the sickening stickiness of the humidity. He glances over at Eren, seeing his eyes closed, his nose twitching as he breathes softly. He sees thick lashes dark and elegant against the tan of his cheeks, the shimmer of a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. His lips are curved into an almost surreptitious smile and he feels his heart swell. Eren's chest rises and falls and for a moment Armin thinks perhaps he's fallen asleep before his lashes lift to reveal stunning green eyes that flick to Armin with a gentle glimmer.
Armin feels his stomach flutter and he swallows, turning away, running a hand over his eyes. He's suddenly reminded of the thing that's been plaguing his mind for the past few months that he's told himself over and over to forget about. "Hey, you okay?"
Eren's voice is strange in the silence. "Yeah," he replies half-heartedly, letting out a gentle sigh, turning his head a bit towards his best friend. "Just tired."
Ocean eyes meet emerald and he can see a glimmer of skepticism there and bites his lip nervously. "You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. Why, does it seem like something's wrong?"
He's said too much. The deception in his voice is subtle, but Eren's known him long enough to pick up on it. The brunet shifts onto his elbow and Armin feels a wave of dread wash over him like the summer heat. Emerald eyes fix on him with such intensity that he feels his cheeks redden, adding to the already unbearable warmth of the surrounding air. "You've been kinda distant these past few months. We don't really hang out as much as we used to."
