The soft hum of a distant alarm clock rings through the quiet room, pulling Armin from his dreams. He blinks a few times, the early morning light filtering through the curtains. The familiar scent of coffee and the sound of Levi’s boots clicking against the hardwood floor drift through the thin walls.

Armin stretches, reaching for his phone on the bedside table. A message from Erwin pops up: “Good morning, Armin. Don’t forget to eat before heading out! Love, Dad.”

He smiles softly at the message, feeling the warmth of Erwin’s words. As he reads it over again, he hears the door creak open, and Levi steps inside, already fully dressed for the day. His short black hair is slightly disheveled, but his eyes are sharp as ever.

“Get up, Armin. You’ve got ten minutes to eat something or I’ll drag you out of here myself,” Levi grumbles, his usual stoic expression softened by the hint of concern in his eyes.

Armin chuckles, putting his phone down. “I’m up, I’m up,” he says, throwing the covers off and getting out of bed. “Thanks for the reminder, though.”

Levi nods, stepping back out of the room. “Erwin’s making breakfast. Don’t make him wait too long. We both know how he gets when his plans get delayed.”

Armin quickly grabs his clothes and changes, his mind wandering to the subtle dynamic between his parents. While Levi’s discipline keeps him on track, it’s Erwin’s encouragement that helps Armin chase his dreams.

He heads to the kitchen, finding Erwin sitting at the table, sipping his coffee and reading a report. Erwin looks up as Armin enters, a warm smile spreading across his face.

“Good morning, Armin,” he says, putting down the report and pushing a plate of pancakes toward him. “I made your favorite today. I thought we could talk about your plans for the weekend.”

Armin sits down, taking in the comforting sight of his parents in their familiar roles. Despite the world outside sometimes feeling overwhelming, here, with Levi’s quiet care and Erwin’s constant support, he knows he can face whatever comes next.