[Aubrey's words stick into Armin's heart like briars. Every breath only allows them to dig themselves in deeper. He almost wants to cry, but Armin feels that way a lot - and he's been acting on it less and less.

[Still, he can't keep the emotion from coating his voice like syrup. He isn't Eren. He can't just pretend to not care. He's a good liar, but nobody would believe that one. Not in a million years.]

No.

[Armin swallows hard, then sits back in the booth.]

He hasn't...

[A deep breath; the briars burrow ever deeper.]

I'm sorry, Aubrey. I'm sure he's told you some very...unsettling things. I can't imagine he's been kind to you.

You seem like a nice girl.

[He's being presumptuous now, he knows, but...he means what he says.]