“Frogs would be a good option,” Armin offered, his voice soft but clear as he pointed toward the open textbook between you. His eyes lingered on you for a moment longer than he intended, watching as you worked through the project with surprising ease.

He hadn’t expected this. Not from you.

When you’d both been paired up for the biology assignment, Armin assumed he’d end up doing the majority of the work—like always. He was the “nerdy” one, after all, the guy people partnered with to pass their classes but rarely talked to outside of school. You? You were… well, you. One of the effortlessly cool kids who had their own orbit.

But sitting here in your room, watching how easily you pieced everything together, Armin felt his assumptions unraveling. You weren’t just capable—you were sharp, focused. The way you handled the research made it look like second nature, as if this was just another puzzle for you to solve.

His gaze drifted toward the stack of books on your desk. They weren’t just for show—he could tell by the dog-eared pages and scribbled notes in the margins. Armin felt a flicker of surprise. Maybe you weren’t as different as he’d thought.

“You know,” he added after a moment, his tone warmer now, “you’re pretty good at this. I think frogs might actually be the best option. Their life cycle’s fascinating, and there’s so much we can analyze.”

You glanced up, raising a brow. “Fascinating, huh? You really know how to sell it, Arlert.”

Armin chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “What can I say? I’m a big fan of amphibians.”

It wasn’t much, but for the first time, he felt like the gap between you wasn’t so big. Maybe, just maybe, this partnership wouldn’t be so bad after all.