Work Text:
The first time it happens it is purely accidental. Armin had been reading some important papers and simultaneously making notes in a notebook as he entered the library of the Survey Corps’ headquarters.
He’d only just glimpsed it in his peripheral vision and his mind was busy with plans and strategies and other such intellectual things when he sat down on what he thought was a stool. It wasn’t until his seat moved and toppled him over, book and papers spilling on the floor, and an irritated voice spoke up that he realized his mistake.
“What’s the big idea, Arlert?” Jean asked as he knelt on the floor straightening his uniform and looking a bit red in the face. Armin gaped at him in surprise before gathering his wits about him and reaching for his papers.
“I’m sorry, Jean. I thought I was sitting on a stool…” Armin shut his mouth as he realized how stupid his excuse sounded. When he looked up at Jean the other boy was giving him a disbelieving look.
“You just sat on my back because you thought I was a stool?” he asked indignantly. Armin flushes and straightens the papers in his hands.
“I-I’m really sorry, Jean. I didn’t mean anything by it. It really was unintentional; I just wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings, but…” Armin hesitated to ask, but his curiosity won out. “What were you doing on the floor on all fours?”
Jean reached under the bookcase next to him and pulled out a pencil. Armin stared at it and then at Jean in confusion. “Sometimes I see things in my mind and I get this urge to put them down on paper,” he explained. “There’s hardly any peace and quiet anywhere, so I came here.”
“W-well, I’m sorry I interrupted you,” Armin said as he stood up, Jean following suit and giving him a small nod. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”
“Yeah, you too,” Jean said as they each took a seat at tables on opposite sides of the room.
The second time it happens it’s completely Reiner and Eren’s fault. They were being more rowdy than usual in the mess hall as they took their food and made their way to sit at a table.
As the two argued over some hand-to-hand combat move or other Reiner bumped shoulders with Eren using more force than he intended. Eren in turn, stumbled against Armin, who wound up tripping backwards and falling into the nearest seat.
He was too preoccupied being thankful that his meal hadn’t ended up spilling all over the mess hall floor to notice that the seat he’d fallen into hadn’t exactly been empty. That is until he heard someone clearing their throat right behind him.
Armin looked over his shoulder to find a very flustered looking Jean giving him an awkward look. “Uh… Armin?”
“Oh, hi, Jean. I didn’t see you there,” he said smiling pleasantly at the taller boy. Jean only blushed a pretty shade of pink, mouth opening and closing much like a fish’s. For a moment Armin waited for him to say what he seemed to be struggling to say.
Armin didn’t seem to notice everyone in the hall had their attention on him and Jean until the other boy looked around, embarrassed. “Umm… C-can you please get off me?” Jean stuttered out weakly.
… Armin finally seemed to realize where he was sitting. “Oh,” he let out, only mildly surprised. Well, that explained why his seat had been so comfortably plush. And warm. “Yeah, sure. Sorry,” he said with a smile as he stood.
Jean only nodded, too embarrassed and not at all confident of how his voice might come out to risk saying anything. “Well, see you later,” Armin called out as he made his way past a stunned Eren and Reiner to where Mikasa was sitting next to Sasha, who was using the distraction to get a few extra bites off people’s plates.
Every time after Armin can barely even make his using Jean as his personal seat seem accidental, so after a while he decides to stop pretending. After all, there are only so many distracted mistakes and accidental stumbles he can fake, and Jean is no idiot. But he can’t quite bring himself to stop altogether; he does so enjoy seeing Jean flustered and stuttering.
The next time he uses Jean as his chair it is during one of the few brakes they’re allowed every week. Jean is sitting under a tree, reclining against its trunk and using the conveniently placed roots as arm rests as he enjoys the beautiful sunny day.
There are a few others about relaxing, horsing around, or even doing something constructive. Jean couldn’t care less, he just wanted to rest after the stressful few weeks he’d had. He closed his eyes, intent on taking a short nap. That’s when he hears soft footsteps coming his way.
Jean opens his eyes in time to see Armin drop into his lap. He could definitely feel his face heat up, could almost in his mind see himself blushing furiously. “A-Armin?” and there he went again, stuttering like a fool. Smooth, bro.
“Hello, Jean, beautiful day, isn’t it?” Armin asked pleasantly, as if he were speaking about the weather… which he was, but that was weird anyway because he was still sitting comfortably on Jean’s lap.
“Armin, what are you doing?” Jean wanted to punch himself in the face as he heard himself squeak out the question.
Armin smiled at him like he’d just asked a silly question. “I’m sitting on you,” he said matter-of-factly. Jean really didn’t know what to do anymore, his brain was bogged down with embarrassment, so he asked the only thing he could. “Why?”
Armin gave a thoughtful pause, considering the answer very carefully before finally saying, “I like it. It feels comfortable. You feel comfortable.”
Jean is stunned by his answer and a bit flattered. He’d never thought his lanky, bony limbs could feel comfortable to someone. He could feel himself blush even harder. With no more words of protest he allowed himself to relax as Armin leaned against his chest.
From that moment on Armin took every opportunity he could to sit on Jean’s lap: at the mess hall, during breaks while they cleaned their 3DMG, even. At first everyone seemed to find the situation very awkward and there were even those who extremely disliked it, i.e., Eren.
It made no difference to Armin, there was no stopping him now. Slowly Jean became more comfortable with being sat on in public, although he still blushed oh so prettily when Armin would come out of nowhere to take a seat on his lap, and that was just fine with Armin.