Chapter Text
It was strange to move from his parents' house. First of all, because he left with three boxes and a couple of bags with clothes, it was not a move as such. Second, because he realized what independence really means, being alone and that everything depends on him. No food? He has to buy it. Is the house dirty? His work too. Taxes and expenses? All on his own; and, as he really had nothing in his new house, he had to make many but many expenses to furnish it and buy the basic stuff, like a refrigerator. Why is being a responsible adult so expensive?
What is good is that he is relaxed, very relaxed. No one bothers him and can do whatever he wants, sit where he wants, put his feet wherever he wants, eat whatever he wants and every so often drink some wine without feeling observed and judged. In addition, as he works from home and with his own schedules, he can sleep late and wake up quite late. Although, lately…
A couple of days ago the bulb that is in his studio stopped lighting on, it’s where he normally works and, although he managed quite well going to other parts of his house (although it’s not a large apartment), Armin is not entirely comfortable. It also seems that the bathroom bulb is about to stop working too. That’s pretty bad because it is quite dark itself.
Armin Arlert is going to have to do something about it. Or at least try.
It was not easy to buy light bulbs. LED? Ecological? Cold light? Warm light? He thought they were all the same. In the end he took those that seemed to be the same as he has in the house, several just in case. The issue now is to change them: he doesn't know how to do it and he kind of fears electricity. Armin also doesn't even have a ladder and he isn't exactly tall.
Anyway, he will find the moment.
The days pass and he can't find the moment. You could even say he got used to working from the living room.
Armin also noticed that from there he listens perfectly to his neighbors, when they enter and leave their homes. He does not know them in person, it would be a good time to introduce himself when he must go shopping.
At the hall he noticed that there were really no neighbors. He rang the other three bells and no one came out, it seemed weird because he is sure he listens to someone come and go quite often. He is not crazy.
Oh, well, maybe the neighbors work outside. Hadn't thought about it.
Armin touched the elevator button. Wait and wait.
And keep waiting.
Nothing.
It seems that someone is using it and is taking time. Well, it's fine, he’s not in a hurry either, groceries can wait.
When the hall light went out, because of the time, Armin heard the noise of the elevator. Finally. It stopped at his floor, logically, because he had called it a while ago. Armin opened the elevator door (it was one of those old ones) but it was busy, he hadn't noticed before opening.
"Oh, sorry, you go up?" The elevator floor was full of toolboxes and cement bags, even, so there was no space. The guy inside had a backpack in the front and was trying to grab a bag from the floor.
"No, no, I'm from this floor," oh, so they were neighbors. Armin tried to grab one of the cement bags to help him pass, he did it a little awkwardly and, on top of that, the bag was really heavy for him but it didn't seem good to Armin that the man carries everything on his own. His neighbor, realizing it, smiled. "Thank you, you don't need to."
"It's a lot for you to carry alone," and it was true.
"I'm used to it, it's part of my job."
"Are you a builder?" Armin asked innocently, the other simply laughed.
"I work at a hardware store and they often use me as a warehouse because I live nearby." They closed the elevator door once they took everything out, "It's not that bad because they let me use the truck but it's a tiring job to carry everything, even with the elevator."
"I imagine," those bags of cement were really heavy and Armin was surprised to hear that he usually does that on his own. "Do you do this everyday?"
"On Fridays normally, I’m pretty sure you hear the noise," so it was him.
"Are you the only one on this floor? Besides me, of course."
"You're from the C, right?" Armin nodded. "In apartment A lives an old lady, who is deaf, so there is no way she would respond to the door, the B is empty and I live in the D. I work from Monday to Friday and I come home at about five or six in the afternoon, for whatever you need."
"Do you live alone?"
"You are very inquisitive, huh..." Although the neighbor had been giving important information, he didn't know his name. Yeah, just a detail. "I live alone, yes, and you?"
"Yup. First time."
To Armin's relief, they reached the door of the guy’s house, there was little left.
"Well, it's an adventure in the first months, an adventure of taxes and arrangements and expenses but over time it is fun… hey, uh...", again, the name,"what’s your name?"
"Armin," didn't want to be noisy but- "what’s yours?"
"Jean."
"So Jean from apartment D."
"Just Jean is fine," both laughed slightly, "you can leave the things in the entrance, don't worry, you already did a lot."
"Oh, but it was nothing." His back was actually killing him. "Next time, you can ring and I will come to help."
"I'm not going to abuse the trust of a good neighbor that much." Jean smiled at him again, he was very nice. "I thank you anyway. If you need anything, ring the bell."
"Yes… okay, thanks," and maybe it's because he was very kind (and a little handsome, he admits it) and that he works at a hardware store but it didn't seem like a bad idea to ask him if he could help him with the problem of his light bulbs or, at least, to lend him a ladder to try to change them. Before Jean closed the door, Armin spoke. "Excuse me, but do you know anything about electricity?"
Jean thought about it for a while. "Well... it depends."
"You really don't know how to change a light bulb?"
When Armin told him it was about electricity, he thought it was something complex and that he probably couldn't help him but when his neighbor told him he had to change a light bulb... well, Jean thought it was a joke.
"Two light bulbs. The one from the bathroom too."
"Oh, right," he laughed, "sorry."
Armin felt like an idiot when he saw how easy it was to put the light bulb, he could have done it himself. Well, no, again on the subject of the ladder and that he doesn’t have one precisely. Thankfully Jean does. He changed the two light bulbs and, just in case, made sure that the others were fine.
Although it hadn't been a big deal, Armin felt very grateful to his neighbor, he wanted to do something in return.
"How much do I owe you?"
"What?" He frowned, was he serious?
"For the work, how much?"
Jean had no choice but to laugh. "For that silly work? Nothing, don't worry."
"No, but I have to give you something, it can't be, you're going to think I'm ungrateful, that I took advantage of you, I don't know..."
Laughed again. "No, not at all, you're just really," emphasized that last word, "new with this but it's fine, you're going to learn."
"I insist on giving you something."
"Well," a long sigh, "I accept you a beer."
Silence.
"Oh, I don't drink beer."
Another silence.
"Oh... well..."
Silence.
"Do you drink white wine?"
Jean winced, not his type. "Wait, I will go to my apartment to look for a can of beer and some snacks, and you drink your wine."
At first Armin thought Jean wasn’t serious, that he hadn't really gone to look for anything and that he would stay alone another night.
But no.
Jean returned ten minutes later not with a can, but with a pack of cans.
"Damn, I forgot the snacks."
Armin made spaghetti for both.