The Tutor (Eremin) {Editing}

7. something~the beatles

7. something~the beatles

Armin's POV

It was strange, having another human sleep in my room. I had never had a sleepover with anybody before, always the loner kid who looked on as other kids got invited to birthday parties and sleepovers while I spent my nights reading under the blankets with a flashlight.

But now that silent yearning deep within me for that same companionship was quelled by the sounds of Eren's steady snoring from his spot on the floor, bundled up like a burrito next to my bed. I couldn't sleep out of excitement for this unfamiliar feeling, thrashing around as my energized mind focused on the process that led to this very moment. In the end, it had been totally worth it seeing Eren curled up in a ball under the blankets, lying on my bedroom floor. Maybe one day he'll be right next to me, and I'll have been the one that tired him out, I thought with a grin and squirmed around uncomfortably for a while at the inappropriate thought.

Eren's snoring stopped abruptly, and then I heard blankets being kicked around and a sleepy groan followed by a yawn. Peering through the pitch black darkness, I watched as Eren ran a hand through his hair, squinting as he checked his phone screen for the time.

"Eren?" I whispered. "Are you awake?"

Even in the darkness I could see Eren's disheveled hair, and the sleepy way he was rubbing his eyes. "Mm...just a nightmare," he mumbled, barely audible. He flopped back down and made like he was going to go back to sleep, not giving me time to answer or offer my consolation. After a minute, though, he shot straight up again.

"Ugh, now I'm...I can't fall back asleep." I didn't get to respond this time, either. Eren was kneeling, and then clambering his way up onto my bed.

Drawing his knees up to his chest, Eren picked at a thread on his sock. "Do you want to talk about it?" I offered, trying to distract myself from my racing heart at our close proximity in the darkness.

"Sure." Eren shrugged, his mannerisms vaguely withdrawn. "Um, but after I explain...can I get some water?"

"Of course," I assured him.

He began explaining the nightmare, in great detail. He was slaying giant man-eating creatures. One ate his mom. Another ate his sister. They started destroying everything. Soon, he was the last one left, and he was outnumbered...the way he was describing it all had him sounding really freaked out. I knew he wouldn't admit that he was scared, but after I got him a glass of water, he said, trying to keep his tone nonchalant, "I'm just gonna hang out up here a minute, y'know? If that's cool with you?"

"Y-yeah, that's fine," I breathed.

Falling backwards on the bed with a soft thud, Eren released a deep sigh, staring up at the ceiling as silence settled throughout the room. Lying down gingerly, I made sure to leave room between us, despite the minimal space we shared.

"Do you get nightmares a lot?" I inquired in a whisper.

Eren swept a hand over his face. "Um...depends," he murmured in response. "How about you?"

"Kind of." I chewed my lip shyly, studying the silhouette of his still figure, blanketed in darkness. "I'm a pretty anxious person, so I guess that energy manifests itself into my dreams. Even dreams about failing a test are nightmares to me."

Eren chuckled, the sound flooding warmth down to my fingertips. "For me, that's a reality." Pausing, his tone shifted, softening. "Lucky for me I have a genius like you to help me to never fail a test again."

Nudging him playfully, I channeled my flustered feelings of I like this boy so much into a casual reply. "Shhh, stop it, don't be so nice to me," I giggled, my arm brushing against his and causing goosebumps to crop up on my skin, a tiny jolt lighting my every sense on fire.