Happy Valentine's Day! Have some Eremin fluff!

Minor spoiler warning, for anyone who may have just joined the SnK fandom and hasn't made it beyond chapter 9 of the manga or episode 8 of the anime. Spoiler in literally the first sentence. Just taking a precautionary measure here, don't want to spoil anything!

Enjoy!

Maybe it had happened at some point during their childhood. Maybe it had happened when he'd watched helplessly as Eren sacrificed himself to that titan.

Armin couldn't pinpoint the exact moment, but somewhere along the line he'd fallen desperately in love with his best friend. He had no idea what to do.

He, Eren, Captain Levi and several other members of the Scouting Legion had been sent out on an extended mission and were having to camp out in the woods. Everyone had their own individual tent, but they were all huddled together in a circle in a secluded clearing. Eren's was so close next to his own tent that he could hear him snoring softly.

Armin was aware of how terrible he was at hiding his emotions―that had gotten him in trouble on more than one occasion―and it had to be painfully obvious that something was up with him. The thought of Eren finding out how he felt before he was ready to tell him terrified the young blond, and he'd been lying awake for the past several hours, his stomach in knots. How could he sleep when his stupid emotions could be costing him one of his dearest friendships? Surely Eren wasn't remotely interested in him that way. He'd seen the way the dark-haired boy looked at Mikasa.

He was going to be sick. He was definitely going to be sick. The teen started to exit his tent, but then he remembered what Levi had said about staying out of sight and quiet, to avoid any abnormal titans who could actually be active during the night. If the sound of him retching wouldn't attract one of those horrible monsters, the smell of his rejected stomach contents would. So instead he remained there, on his back, trying his best to make the queasiness go away by sheer will.

It was kind of working.

The sound of sudden movement outside his tent made Armin jump. It wasn't loud enough to be a titan, but maybe some sort of wild animal near the campsite? In the boy's already frazzled state, he flew into full-blown panic mode.

"Armin?" whispered a voice; he could hardly hear it over the sound of his own hyperventilating. "Armin! Are you okay?" The flap of his tent opened and revealed Eren's concerned face.

The blond boy calmed down slightly, but was still shaking, wrapped in his sleeping bag like a protective cocoon. "Y-yeah," he sighed. "I...I just couldn't sleep and I heard a noise and...did I wake you? I'm sorry! I-"

Eren crawled all the way into the small tent and placed a hand on Armin's shoulder. "Shh, it's okay. I was actually awake already. I guess Levi and Erwin are taking turns standing watch over the campsite and they started arguing over some stupid thing, and Levi's tent's right next to me so, well..." he explained in a calm whisper. "Then I heard you and wanted to make sure you were all right."

I am, now that you're here...Armin wanted to say, but held his tongue. Instead he silently nodded. "Yeah, I just...panicked I guess. Pretty stupid of me, huh?"

Eren pulled his friend in for a hug. "You're not stupid, Armin," he said, his tone firm but comforting. "You're the smartest person I know. You're a damn good tactician, and you've saved all our asses more than once."

Armin blushed at his friend's kind words. "Really?"

"Yes, really!" the taller boy said with a laugh. "Combat skills are one thing but I wish I was as good at coming up with battle strategies as you. Half as good, even. You don't give yourself nearly enough credit, Armin."

The blond looked away, embarrassed; he could feel tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. Suddenly he felt his face cupped in Eren's hands, and the other boy's emerald eyes were gazing into his own large blue ones.

"Listen to me," he said softly. "You're smart and brave, and you've been there with me whenever I needed you. And, well..." he paused for a second, biting his lip hesitantly. Then before he could give himself the chance to back away, he leaned in and softly kissed Armin on the lips, causing the other to let out a small gasp.

"E―Eren..." he said, once the kiss was broken.

"Yes?"

"I...I thought you liked Mikasa," he said, looking down.

"Oh please, she's practically my sister," he said, flashing a grin that sent Armin's stomach into backflips. "I love you, Armin. I think...I think I always have..."

"I love you too," Armin replied softly as he leaned in for another kiss.