Complexity- Armin x Reader

Chapter 21: What I Think

"I worked a lot, because for a long time, I thought that it was the only thing that would help me get through your father's--" the woman paused and sniffled. "But I failed to see how it affected you. You needed me."

"Don't cry, mom."

Y/n fought through her exhaustion and hugged her mother. She laid her head against her mother's chest and rested there like she used to.

"Tell me everything, darling."

Mrs. L/n stroked Y/n's hair as she held her close.

"I want to hear about how school is going for you, what dreams you have, how your friends are," she said and then planted a kiss on Y/n's forehead. "And about February."

She hugged Y/n close, lovingly.

"And I swear that I'll listen."

It was a strange feeling, really.

To finally be able to rely on someone that for years, you never relied on.

Y/n let more tears pour out that night. But they were different. They were tears of relief.

She felt happy to get the chance to reestablish her relationship with her mother.

She told her everything. About her burning crush on Armin (which Mrs. L/n had figured out on her own) and about the tougher things, like sixth and seventh grade.

Once again, a new avenue in Y/n's life opened up, and for the better.

As the time burned through the weeks, and Y/n found herself attending school again in the fall, she didn't feel as lonely at home anymore. She had someone to talk to now.

Little by little, she started to confide in her mother once again, and it came at perfect timing. Just in time for the mess that was Y/n's sophomore year.

The rest of Y/n's summer had been uneventful, with the girl not going out except for necessity.

Armin and Jean had called her up many times with the hope that she would spend some time with them. But Y/n had become paranoid because of Ymir's words. She didn't want any more nasty rumors about herself to spring up, just as they had in the past.

Things had become weird.

The events at the bonfire had fractured their small group, with Jean and Ymir nowadays sending leers at each other and Armin no longer sticking around whenever she was near.

And though Armin and Jean hung out with the others as a collective, things were tense between the two, with them rarely speaking to each other.

Passing period always had Y/n feeling uneasy with the thought of possibly bumping into a certain person that she never wanted to be involved with again.

She found herself walking behind Eren, Mikasa, and Armin most of the time, almost as if she were afraid to stick out too much.

The only times Y/n ever went out was to support Armin at swim practice or help her mother out with groceries.

The days were nothing like before. She felt disconnected with her friends. She felt as if a piece of her had crumbled away that night at the beach. The very pieces that Armin had worked so hard to reassemble in eight grade.

Y/n was disappointed.

~♢~

"Swim, my little butterflies! Swim!"

Hange had a crazed look in their eyes as they smiled enthusiastically at the kids in the pool. They were animated, and positively brimming with pride at how their swim team was currently progressing.