Complexity- Armin x Reader

Chapter 16: Below Zero

"You don't have to be strong all the time. Sometimes you gotta fall apart to feel better. Which is probably one of the most backward things that humankind has evolved to do, but it's necessary."

Y/n cried into Jean's shoulder and the boy patted her back. The boy's light cologne was somewhat comforting to Y/n as she focused on what it smelled like, taking in the soothing scent and solidifying this very moment into her memories.

This was actually happening, and the moment seemed almost surreal. Dreamlike.

Jean spent a few hours with Y/n, comforting the distressed girl, binging on chips with her and watching horror movies that did not have a single ounce of romance in them. Two pints of ice cream later, Jean had bid his friend farewell and let himself out, leaving Y/n alone in the dark living room with only the light of the TV illuminating a small area.

Y/n couldn't grasp anything that was being said on TV. The words were quick to go in and out of her ears, not a single piece of dialogue being registered in her heartbroken state. The only thing her mind kept echoing back to her was the overheard conversation from earlier and an emptiness she felt within herself. She felt the sunken state of her chest and how compressed it was. The rawness in her throat and the soreness in her red eyes. And the feeling of loneliness that she thought she'd never have to experience again after meeting Armin.

Turns out that it felt just the same as it did back then.

Cold.

The next day, she awoke with a fever. The girl thought she would have to scrape up a reason as to why she couldn't go to school, but it seemed as if the universe was giving her a pass, even though a fever could hardly count as one.

Under her mother's orders, she stayed home from school and missed the rest of the week. She turned off her phone and fell asleep.

Even as her body's temperature crescendoed into the night, it was never quite enough to melt the frigid cold she felt.

By Monday, she had frozen over.

~♢~

Armin was worried sick about Y/n and her wellbeing. He expected the girl to stay home for at least the first day after her illness had sprung up, but he didn't imagine her sickness being bad to the point where she had to miss the first day of the next week. Monday had gone by without her, and it had been four days since he had last seen his friend. He texted her and found that none of his messages had been opened. And none of Eren or Mikasa's either.

And then Tuesday crept up, and Y/n strolled right through the school gates. Armin instantly lit up at the sight and waved at her cheerily, with Eren and Jean being annoyingly loud and calling her over to their normal breakfast spot. But Y/n took one stricken look at them and veered towards a different direction.

Jean overestimated the girl and her ability to fake it. He looked at her distant figure in concern and knew that she was still hurting. It was up to him to keep Armin out of the loop until Y/n had the strength to once again speak to the blonde.

Armin lowered his hand and frowned.

"What happened? Is she still not feeling good?" He questioned.

"Maybe she's going to the nurse's office," Jean responded and Armin looked at him with wide, blue eyes. "She's not helpless to the point where she won't get help if it's serious, Armin."

"Yeah, but if she's really feeling sick, then shouldn't someone be with her so she's not scared?" Armin asked and then he stood up, much to Jean's dismay. "I'm gonna go check on her."

"You can't!" Jean exclaimed as he himself stood up and garnered the attention of everyone at the table, including Armin's calculating gaze.

"And why not?" The blonde challenged.