CHAPTER SIX:
scarecrows.
"Ugh, come on, Eren." Jean groaned. "You're not going to the homecoming game?"
"No! Why should I? The stupid coach didn't even get Shingeki Academy a game with Kyojin High! I don't want to watch Deimon Private!" Eren scowled.
"The boys volleyball team has a game today, too." Mikasa said.
"Well, I don't want to see that because I wanted to join, and it's got trash players," Jean complained.
"We're not going to do anything interesting this week at this point," Armin sighed. "Still seems kind of strange that the school doesn't have a homecoming dance."
"Well, yeah, but they plan the big Halloween dance, instead. Bigger budget, and then it's an incentive for the students." I shrugged.
"I'm gonna go to the library. I have like ten missing assignments. See ya." Eren got up from the couch and picked up his bookbag.
"Wait up, Eren!" Mikasa rushed out behind him.
"Why are you wearing that beanie, Jean? I don't think you need a hoodie over it too?" I asked.
"Oho ho? Curious? Give me ten minutes!" Jean exclaimed as he ran out as well.
Armin and I made conversation for a few minutes before a knock came on the door.
"Hey, Y/N, Jean told me to come here?" A freckled boy said.
"Marco?" I said in confusion.
"Oh hey, Marco." Armin waved.
"Did Jean not-? I can go if you want-" Marco started.
"No, no, it's fine. I'm sure Jean told you to come for a reason. You can sit wherever." I shook my head.
"Hey, have you guys seen that new video game? Titan Warfare?" Marco asked excitedly as he sat down on the couch next to me.
"Yeah! It seems like a better version of the 3D Maneuvering Simulator!" Armin grinned.
"I haven't had a chance to go to stores lately, what with our practices and homework and all. I keep seeing the advertisements for it on YouTube, though, so I might jus-" I started.
Jean walked into my room. "Eh? How do I look?!"
Marco hugged a throw pillow closer. Armin took in a sharp breath.
"Oh my freaking god," I breathed.
Jean's hair was swept back with gel, and had a single red streak through his sandy brown mop of a head.
He had two piercings on the bottom of his left ear. He was wearing a button up shirt, except the top three buttons were undone, so his chest showed a bit. Chunky black boots and black jeans were a part of his ensemble, albeit certainly more normal than the top half of him.
"So? You think Mikasa will like me now?" Jean said excitedly. "I mean, the piercings hurt a bit, but I think it'll be worth it, right?"
"Holy sh*t, Jean. How much- how much did all- that- cost?" Marco managed to stutter out.
"Not too much. Only like 60 dollars for the actual piercing, but I decided to buy some jewelry, so the ears cost about 170 or so total. I found the clothes at a Hot Topic, since I saw that Mikasa buys her shirts and stuff from there, so I thought she'd like my outfit," He bounced on excitement, a big contrast from what the persona he was creating.
"You're crazy, Jean," Marco scoffed.
"Jean, I think you look great. Okay, now that we've established that, I really don't think that Mikasa will be attracted to you just because of this. " I put my hands up. "How about we revisit that song idea? Maybe Armin could help, he's good with that stuff..."
"Hmh. How about Ophelia?? But like, I say Mikasa! Instead of Ophelia!" Jean said excitedly.
"I like that song, it has a nice melody," Armin said, his lips turning up into a small smile.
Marco nodded in agreement, freckles dancing across his face as he put his chin on the pillow. "It's so nostalgic."
I sighed and put my head in my hands.
"No. That's literally such a bad idea."
"Whatever. I suggested that song for the performance mix we have to do," Jean sat down on the couch.
"I hope you're not thinking of confessing during our performance," Armin glared at him. "That's out of the question."
"No, no, of course," He said, although his face showed that he was planning on doing so. I sighed again.
"Seriously , Jean it would put Mikasa on the spot and-" I started.
Mikasa stumbled into the dorm room. She looked at me in confusion when she saw Jean, appearing to not even recognize him. She made eye contact with me. "Who-?"
Then she saw his nervous expression and she had a look of understanding.
"Hi," She squeaked, standing rigidly at the doorway.
"H-he- hello! Um!" Jean stuttered.
"You're doing great, buddy," Marco snickered as we exited the room.
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"I- my hands hurt," I flinched.
"How was that?" Eren panted.
"Why are you out of breath, idiot? You're not the one singing!" Jean rasped.
"That was better. Jean, for the love of god, go fetch yourself a cough drop or something." Professor Ackerman waved him off.
"Yes sir," Jean coughed out, pulling down a face mask as he walked towards his backpack.
Jean had come up with a small cough after running in the rain while having a mental breakdown. I know this because I was having a breakdown, too.
"L/N, you might just have to replace Jean for this. We have a week until your gig, and Jean can't sing with that shitty voice," Levi sighed.
"Y-actually- why can't Eren sing? He doesn't sound half bad," I managed to say.
"Because Eren can't f*cking multitask. Have you seen him in my class? Idiot can't even take notes and listen at the same time," Professor Ackerman pointed as Eren hung his head in shame.
"Al-alright then." I stuttered out.
Armin cracked his knuckles. "I feel like I'm irrelevant in a lot of these songs."
"No, you're fine," Levi assured him.
"Yeah, Armin, your parts in Electric Love and Ophelia are wonderful. Personally, I think they're the best component," I said as I wrung my hands.
Mikasa tossed another water bottle into the trash can.
"Are you guys going to the Halloween Dance? I heard there'll be a live performance," Eren asked as he stretched his arms.
"Idiot! We are the live performance!" Jean hissed from a corner.
I threw myself onto the couch. We've been at it for a few hours now.
Professor Ackerman failed to inform us explicitly that we were performing for the entire school, but we pieced it together. Or at least, everybody except Eren. I think we all just thought he knew.
"Okay. So. We have about, uh- how many again?" I blanked.
"That's- three songs in a medley with a small piano interlude and then five more and- um- god, I can't do this anymore," Eren groaned.
"I swear to god, I'll never look at music the same way again," Mikasa said quietly.
"Hey, how about you take a break? I should practice the singing parts in case either of you guys lose your voice. You've been straining yourselves. Especially with Jean's cough," I suggested.
"Perhaps I've been working you brats too hard," Levi muttered.
You think? Eren's about to have a stroke from over-thinking.
He ran his hands through his hair and leaned against the wall.
"Good job on that report, by the way, L/N. Your insight on Hamlet was truly something different," the Professor added.
"Oh. Thank you, sir," I mustered a small smile.
So far my strategy of sounding deep while having no idea what the hell was going on was working.
"You can go. Just remember that you have a cleaning day tomorrow," Professor Ackerman grunted.
We muttered our goodbyes and trudged out of the soundproof studio. Armin found a hand truck in a closet about a month back, so occasionally he would bring his keyboard back home to practice. Well, about as home as a boarding school could get. Either way, it made things go quicker.
"I have something to do," Mikasa waved.
"See you later, then," I waved bye.
Jean ruffled my hair and pushed me towards Armin.
"I told you to stop doing that, Jean."
"Eh?" Jean said innocently.
I rolled my eyes as I fixed my hair.
Jean went to his room alongside Eren.
Armin for some reason, kept with me.
"Not going to your room-?" I asked as I pulled off my sweater.
"I um, can I hang out with you for a few? I kind of- I kind of had something to talk to you about," Armin said nervously as he bumped his hand truck up the stairs.
"Y-yeah, of course," I grabbed a handle and pulled up the keyboard with him.
I opened the dorm room door and let him in.
Armin set his piano beside my desk with care, making sure not to knock off any of my things. He sat down stiffly.
I walked into the bathroom and changed into my pajamas.
"So what'd you want to talk about?" I said as I flopped onto the couch next to my desk and Armin. He was tapping his fingers rapidly on my desk. He came out of his trance and looked up at me, looking away a few seconds later.
"Okay, so, um. I really, really, really, I-" Armin stopped and put his face in his hands. He groaned quietly.
"I um, I really wanted to tell you that I- can I borrow a notebook?" Armin stuttered out in a questioning tone, as if he didn't know where his sentence was going.
"Yeah? No need to be so nervous about it," I laughed nervously.
"Okay, n-no, actually. I wanted to ask you, um, I have a- I have a really big crush on you. I like you a lot, as more than- you know what I mean. You always say that you're not good enough, or- or that you're always the second choice, but- I love you. I always have. So will you- will you go to the fall carnival with me tomorrow? Like, um, toget- together? Like- like, a date, maybe?" Armin gulped as he looked down. His golden bangs fell over his eyes as he talked.
I felt my eyes go wide. My stomach exploded in butterflies. I looked down at my hands and took in a shaky breath.
"Y-you don't have to! You don't have to! You don't have to if you don't want to! Just- please don't let things become weird between us! I hope- I hope I didn't freak you out just now-" Armin said rapidly as he waved his hands.
Tears started to form in his eyes. "God, I- I ruined it."
"I- I'd actually- I um, I- yes." I managed to get out.
"Yes, I'll go with you. And I have- I have a crush on you too. For a while now, actually. I- you're there for me, always, and I just- you're wonderful, Armin. T-thank you for letting me know about how you- how you actually felt about me," I looked down at my shaking hands.
"Oh thank the lord," I heard Armin whisper under his breath.
"Thank you, Y/N. I really- I'm really happy you feel the same way," He gave a crooked smile. "I'll be going now. I uh, I have a- an errand to attend to! Goodnight!"
He waved and yanked his keyboard out of the electrical outlet and rushed out of my room.
"Goodnight," I called with a smile on my face.
He didn't even close the door.
I sat there with a stupid grin for a few seconds trying to process what just happened. I laughed quietly and looked back at a picture of Armin and I on top of my desk.
Suddenly, Armin ran back in. "I- I um, I left my hand truck." He laughed lightly. "Can I- can I hug you? I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything.."
"You don't have to ask, Armin," I laughed as Armin trapped me in a tight hug. He was breathing heavily, as if he'd run a marathon before.
Mikasa ducked into the room.
Armin looked up and let go of me.
"Oh! Okay, goodnight, now for real." Armin blushed.
" 'Night, Armin!"
Armin waved a nervous hello to Mikasa and ran out again.
"Have you chosen an outfit for the dance?" Mikasa asked as she set down her backpack.
"Not really. I don't think we dress formally or anything right? I mean, we are the 'spectacle,' as Professor Ackerman called us," I said, hugging a pillow closer to me, still thinking about what just happened.
Mikasa nodded as she started to shove her books into her backpack. I leaned back on a pillow and looked up at the ceiling.
Suddenly, I heard yelling outside.
Of course, curiosity got the best of me, so I got up from the couch and walked outside to the balcony.
"This one's for you, HistoriA! You're looking lovely in those pajamas tonight!" Ymir yelled into a microphone, attracting the attention of various students.
"Hey, Mikasa. You should see this," I said in wonder as I looked down at a girl in a plaid skirt and a torn jacket with pins on it strumming a guitar. Annie.
"What- what?" Mikasa whispered.
Beside Annie was Ymir, dressed in a scarlet dress that reached her knees.
Lights came down from above. I looked up to see a reluctant Bertholdt and an angry Reiner shining huge flashlights down onto Ymir.
Ymir started singing.
She had the prettiest voice.
Historia was out on the balcony next to ours.
She looked like she was about to burst into tears. Hitch came out behind her, hair in a towel. Hitch took a look below her, shrieked, and ran back inside.
"We fell in love in October. That's why I love fall," Ymir sang softly.
"This is so romantic, Mikasa, oh my gosh," I breathed.
Annie kept playing her guitar.
About a minute later, nearly all of the students in the first year boarding building were watching Ymir sing to Historia.
"So how 'bout it, dear? Will you be my girl? And or date to the dance?" Ymir yelled with her arms open.
"Yes! Of course!" Historia sobbed.
Suddenly a balcony door slammed open at the far end of the row of rooms.
"Go to sLEEP!" Professor Ackerman yelled loudly. "Why the hell did you think that blasting indie music to propose to your crush at eleven PM was a good idea, brats? And you!" He pointed to everybody who was standing on their balconies. "Get inside! I already have five sick students and one on the brink of losing their voice! I don't need more sniffling brats who can't turn in their work!"
Ymir froze. "Sorry?" She said skeptically.
Annie rolled her eyes. "You owe me thirty dollars."
She said as she tapped Ymir's shoulder as she walked back inside.
Historia waved to Ymir sweetly and disappeared.
Bertholdt and Reiner took back the lights.
I closed the door after Mikasa left, although I lingered on the balcony as I looked out at the dark outside.
"That's a relief," Mikasa said as she took out her laptop.
"Oh? Why so?" I asked.
"Now I have no competition for Eren. That Historia girl was always around him," She said casually.
I debated on telling her that literally nobody but her was after Eren.
"Oh. Makes sense," I said instead.
"Hey, so, I had a crush on somebody, right, and guess what jus-" I started.
"Jean's been talking to me too much recently. He's okay, I guess, but like- why?" Mikasa interrupted.
Okay, I see how it is.
"Oh. Why not give him a chance? He's not all that bad, he's just in love, that's all." I said the last part quietly.
"Can't even get through a conversation without him blushing or running away. I'm going to tell Eren about my feelings for him soon." She smiled.
"Oh." I said softly. Jean's going to be heartbroken. The dude literally got piercings and his hair dyed for her.
"I'm going to do it tomorrow at the carnival." She said confidently.
Eren- Eren isn't a very smart person, to put it bluntly.
He's honestly quite ignorant.
I wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't figured out, after about seven years, that Mikasa was head over heels for him.
I felt conflicted, because at this point, I knew that Jean was going to
I went to sleep thinking about Armin, with the thought of whether Eren would reject Mikasa politely in the back of my mind.
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"H-ey! You look- really pretty!" Armin blurted as I walked out of the boarding building.
"Thank you!" I beamed.
"O-kay, um. Should we- go now?" Armin pointed to the path behind him. Armin had on a white polo shirt underneath an oversized striped sweater. It hung loose on his thin frame, but it suited him. His black converse's shoelaces were tightly tied in a neat bow as usual.
"Okay," I nodded.
Armin and I walked along the trail that led to the school's back field, which served as the venue for the fall carnival.
Armin shakily brushed his hand against mine.
I gulped down a knot of fear.
I kept walking, accidentally knocking hands with him every so often.
A chilly breeze blew through my hair.
Leaves seemed to fall constantly.
It's now or never, Y/N.
I creeped my hand towards Armin's and linked pinkies with his.
He did the same, and let out a deep sigh of relief as he smiled. He looked at me shyly with that precious smile of his
It was obvious we were both extremely nervous, and it felt agonizing trying to make moves without knowing if he even wanted to go through with them. I think he felt the same way.
"Do- do you want to go to- do you want to go see what's going on everywhere, maybe? Look for something interesting?" He swung his arm a bit.
"Su-sure." I nodded. "Can we get some food first, though?"
After passing several food stands, where Sasha and Connie were eating to their hearts' content, we settled on a small stand that sold hot drinks and pastries.
Armin paid for the (drink) to my protests, and we walked through the fields to nowhere in particular.
We came across a few teachers having a picnic, with Professor Ackerman looking sickly and in dire need of alcohol or a doctor.
Ymir had her arm around Historia while they walked alongside Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner.
Armin took a sip of his hot chocolate.
"You ever wonder if you've met your soulmate already? Because I- I um, I think I've met mine-?" He said suddenly.
Armin turned to me and gave a nervous smile.
"S- I- I, um, I-" I stuttered as we made eye contact.
Armin laughed slightly and poked my side lightly. "Reiner told me that would make you all nervous. I think it made me nervous, too."
I let out a laugh.
We sat there in a comfortable silence for a few minutes.
"Do you want to try the maze?" Armin said.
"Sure," I nodded.
Armin took my hand and pulled me up.
He didn't let go, so we walked hand in hand until we found the maze's entrance. It was a hay bale maze, made from hay that would be used for the horses' food in the winter and spring.
"Two tickets for the maze, please?" Armin asked Mr. Bozardo. This was a school event, after all.
"Here," I started to hand Armin the money for the both of us.
"You're not paying for me. I asked you on this- on this date- so I'll pay," Armin shook his head.
"I'll pay for the maze, you already bought me (drink)," I handed Mr. Bozardo the money forcefully.
"Have fun, lovebirds," Mr. Bozardo rolled his eyes. "If you actually manage to get out of it within an hour without calling the hotline for help, you win a pie, remember that."
Armin blushed. "Y/N, you didn't-"
I smiled at him. "I told you I'd pay, it's fine."
Armin seemed to melt when I smiled.
"You're so cute." He mumbled.
I froze. "T-thanks."
We came to a crossroads after a few easy turns.
"Alright. Do we take this seriously? Should we? I mean- a pie as a prize sounds pretty cool, am I right?" I laughed.
"I think it won't hurt to try, right?" Armin smiled.
"Okay. Which way?" I tried to peek over a hay bale.
"Maybe right? It's been scientifically proven that when faced with a choice of direction, people usually choose the left, and this maze was designed to be hard and scary when it gets darker, so the right direction is probably right. Right?" Armin put a hand in his hair.
"Okay, but what if the maze is like- reverse psychology, and they want us to think that left is wrong and right is right, but left is actually right and right is wrong? Or maybe I'm just overthinking this." I groaned.
"Let's- let's just go right."
A few panicked turns later, we started to hear voices.
"That sounds a bit like Eren and Mika-"
"Wait, sh-" I whispered as I pulled him along, trying to get closer to hear what Eren and Mikasa were saying.
"What?" Armin whispered. "Why are we whispering?"
"Just- just listen," I hissed.
"What- what do you mean a crush? On me?" I could hear the confusion in Eren's voice.
"I- I love you, Eren, as more than a friend," Mikasa repeated hopefully.
Armin gasped lightly, hands digging into my arm out of nervousness.
"Why?" Eren spluttered.
"Because you're always there! You gave me this scarf in the winter when we were-"
"Oh, god. You- you're like a sister to me, Mikasa. I don't think I could be in- in a romantic relationship with someone like you. Ew. Oh god, just-" Eren said.
Mikasa didn't say anything.
Armin gritted his teeth and started to stomp towards them, as if he were about to attack Eren.
"Hey, hey, wait a second, Armin-"
Eren ran past us in a frenzy, not even noticing it was us. He ducked behind a hay bale and retched.
Armin and I found Mikasa sitting down after a few turns, wrapped up in her red scarf, face in her knees.
I grabbed Mikasa's hand and pulled her up. Quiet tears ran down her face.
It was strange to see her like this, especially when she was usually the most emotionally composed out of the four of us.
Armin came on the other side of me and held my hand. I smiled slightly at this, but stopped when I heard Mikasa's quiet sniffles again. Somehow we made it out of the maze.
"Hey! You got done in just under fifty-seven minutes! What type of pie would you like?" Ms. Ral said happily. "Oh, don't cry, the maze was hard for lots of others!"
"Pick a pie, Mikasa," I said softly. "I don't think Armin or I- really- need it."
Mikasa grudgingly pointed to a chocolate cream pie.
Armin nodded as he picked up said pie.
"Um, Mikasa?" Armin asked cautiously.
"What," Mikasa whispered sadly.
"Do- can- do you want to just go home?" I asked.
"Fine," She shrugged carelessly.
" 'kay," Armin said quietly.
We walked outside of the carnival, our previous happy mood gone.
As we climbed the entry stairs of the boarding building, I realized something.
Maybe at the time it wasn't the best thing to think of, but I thought it'd be the perfect chance for Jean to swoop in and shoot his shot. Not asking her out or anything, but maybe try to make a big enough impact for her to forget about Eren.
"Hey, you get her to our room. I need- I need to do something. I'll be up there in five minutes," I whispered to Armin outside of the girls bathroom where we had stopped at.
"O-okay." Armin nodded confusedly.
I ran up the stairs of the boys dormitories and barged into Jean, Armin and Eren's room.
Eren was sitting in his bed with a blanket wrapped around him while he sulked.
Jean was sitting at his table drawing.
I shot a dirty look towards Eren when he saw me, and yanked Jean up.
"Wh- let go of me!" Jean protested.
"Shut up or I won't help you." I hissed.
"And you, you Easy Bake Oven, you need to learn to use your context clues and maybe get a lesson on rejecting girls." I scowled as I pointed the middle finger at Eren.
I ducked out of the room and pulled Jean along as I ran.
"What happened, L/N?!" Jean yelled as he got loose from my grip.
"Okay, first off, don't call me by my last name unless you want me to call you Kirstein, and Eren rejected Mikasa and made her cry. Now come on." I frowned.
Jean's previously confused expression fell into a mix of shock and anger.
"Okay, then let's go!" Jean growled as he tugged my arm and sprinted up the stairs and down the hallways.
Jean snatched the room key from my hand and threw open the dormitory's door.
Mikasa sat in the corner of her bed sobbing next to Armin, who was sitting next to her with his arms around his knees.
Jean's furious face softened into sadness when he caught a look of her. He gasped lightly and immediately went towards her.
Jean shoved Armin aside and sat down next to Mikasa.
"Can- can I hug you?" Jean stuttered.
"I guess," Mikasa sniffled.
Jean wrapped his arms around Mikasa and tucked her head into the crook of his neck.
Armin got up from Mikasa's bed and came up to me. He nodded and we left the room quietly.
I sat down on a step of the stairs.
Armin plopped down next to me.
I scooted a bit closer to him and put my head on his shoulder.
"I had fun today. Thank you," I said.
"Really?" Armin asked.
"Mhm."
"I wish we could've spent more time together, instead of having to mop up Eren's mess as usual," Armin lamented. "But I had a lot of fun too. Maybe next time we can spend more time out."
I smiled at the thought of a 'next time' and sighed.
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