whatcha listening to? -armin arlert

two

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Several days go by without any 'Armin sightings,' as Connie likes to put it. Him and Sasha started texting me whenever they saw him, leading me to adapt a copy and paste response.

< i don't know him, weirdo.

When I wake up on Thursday, instead of getting ready immediately like I usually do, I roll over to check my phone. I find myself on Armin's profile, happy to see that he accepted my request. He must have accepted it days ago, but I quickly forgot about our interaction and never checked. Most of his photos are of him and his friends that I met yesterday, the oldest including just Eren and Mikasa. Besides that, there's pictures of the ocean, him at the beach, and books with pretty backgrounds.

I open up his story highlights, and as I reach the end, there's a picture of the campus park with his book in the foreground, his friends with the volleyball in the background. I can just barely make out myself in the back, sitting up with my book and headphones.

With a smile, I go to my own profile and rewatch the story I posted on Sunday and highlighted as well. Basically a copy of Armin's, just with a different book and background. Looking closely, I can make out his friends with the volleyball, and him sitting with his book as well. I giggle at our similarities, before getting up to get ready.

-

Later that night, I'm sitting behind the counter at the campus bookstore. My homework is sprawled out in front of me, laptop perched on a stool beside me as I scribble away at a math problem. The door opens, and I look up to greet the customers.

"(Y/N)! I didn't know you worked here!" Eren says as he walks in with Mikasa and Armin, the latter waving at me.

"Yep, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday." I say, smiling at them.

"But you were at the park on Sunday." Mikasa says, voice void of any emotion.

"After my shift." I say, giving an uncomfortable laugh.

"Well, we need things, can you help us find them?" Eren asks, leaning over the counter to view my homework. "Ew, math. You can definitely help us."

"Ugh, yeah it's killing me. Let me grab someone to watch the front and I'll go with you guys." I say, standing and heading to the door behind me. Annie is back there, sorting through merchandise.

"Hey Annie, could you watch the counter for me? I gotta help some people find some 'things.'" I say, throwing up air quotes. "And if you could take a look at my math homework and mark what's wrong that would be fantastic too." I add, a wide smile on my face as I wiggle my eyebrows at her.

"Of course. I'm getting tired of sorting through these damn boxes anyway. You should really get a tutor." She says, tossing product onto the ground as she stands.

"Can't afford it. Thank you!" I respond, dragging out the 'you.' She follows me out to the counter, and I notice Armin's body go stiff.

"So what kind of things do you guys need?" I ask, leading them away from the counter.

"Well, actually nothing. We just came to kill time before mine and Mikasa's night class. Armin came along for fun." Eren replied, jamming his thumb towards Armin. "Giant nerd, his idea of fun is loitering around a bookstore."

I turn my attention to Armin. "This bookstore is barely books, unfortunately. Mostly just school gear and supplies. The books are all upstairs, it's only, like, five rows of shelves."

"I'll head up there then, I'll catch up with you guys when we leave." Armin says, his eyes clouded by something that I can't figure out.

As he walks away, I turn to Eren and Mikasa. "Is he alright?" I ask.