Eremin One Shots!!!

Father, Part Two

"But now he thinks something is "wrong" with him...so he didn't want to go to school basically all week after we found out, but he has to go back next week, and I don't know what to do. Everything I tell him doesn't matter, because he insists that he's broken, and can't function normally in society...and I don't want him to feel that way. There's nothing wrong with him, he just handles things differently than other kids, and he's not the only one who struggles with this either. But he refuses to hear it."

In seeing Carla's frustration, I wished I had some solid advice to offer her, but I was coming up short. We had never dealt with a situation akin to hers with Armin, so there was nothing to say that she hadn't already tried. Instead, Erwin and I offered up words of reassurance, which was all we could really do.

Eren and Armin filed into the living room shortly after our conversation switched over to other topics. Eren offered a genuine smile to Carla, and she raised her eyebrows, stunned at his display of positive emotion.

"What did you and Armin talk about?" she asked innocently.

"I told Armin what happened this week, and he helped me feel better," Eren replied earnestly. "Hey, Mama, I think I can go back to school on Monday."

Carla laughed at this, but it was a laugh of relief and gratefulness rather than amusement. She pulled Eren into an embrace, and then took Armin into it as well. No more words were exchanged between Eren and Carla regarding the matter, and she didn't have to ask what Armin had done. She just held them in that embrace for a long time.

•     •     •

Armin full-on had a crush on Eren. With Eren, however, it was hard to tell. He was always so affectionate towards Armin, and always had been, so there was really no distinguishing now, besides in the fleeting moments when he gazed upon Armin as if he was the only one that mattered.

It was during their eighth grade year that Armin approached me with an inquiry.

"Um...s-so there's this...this winter dance at school a-and...I wanted to ask somebody but...I-I'm kinda nervous..."

He stood before me, shifting back and forth from foot to foot in his long socks and shorts, as nervous as ever. I placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

"Who were you planning on asking?" I questioned innocently, although I already knew.

"No one special...j-just...I wanted to know how I should ask him..."

I hid a smile, proceeding to take a seat and beckoning him to me.

"There's no need to do anything fancy. I'm sure that Er—I mean, this person, knows you and knows that it's something you don't need to make a huge deal out of."

Armin nodded. "Okay...so just ask whenever? I mean, I guess it would be more of a surprise if I didn't make a big fuss..."

"Exactly. Don't worry about it, okay? Anybody would be lucky to have you."

The blonde blushed, fiddling with the strings on his hoodie. "Thanks Dad."

The following afternoon, I heard Eren and Armin conversing in the kitchen from my seat at the computer. I wasn't paying their conversation any mind until I heard a telltale phrase: "Um...Eren, c-can I...can I ask you a question?"

There was hesitance in Eren's voice as he started to answer. "Yeah, sure. Is something wrong?"

"N-no! N-nothing's wrong, I-I just...I wanted to ask..."