Armin never believed in love at first sight. That stuff only ever happened in movies and books where it's all scripted and carefully planned out. It doesn't work like that in real life. You can't just look at somebody and instantly feel some sort of profound connection – like love. Sure, you might feel an attraction toward them, but that's mainly because of what you see, what they want you to see. He believed that you needed to really know somebody to actually feel something. If there's no bond, no feelings will spark. Unfortunately, that didn't apply to him. Not necessarily.

Armin fell in love the day he was rescued from the local bullies in junior high by none other than Eren Jaeger. He could remember the occurrence quite vividly. The bully was just about to knock him out until – like the heroic protagonist of a mainstream action movie, such as The Amazing Spiderman – Eren had shown up, angry-faced and sprinting to his rescue. Since then, they've become relatively close and remain friends to this day. More specifically, boyfriends. And college roommates.

Man, this lab report is wearing me out, Armin thought. It was due tomorrow, and he had been working on it for the past three days. He missed the entire week that he had initially planned to work on it, thanks to someone. He shot an accusing glare at Eren who seemed to be laying on the bed, eyes closed. Then it opened, exposing the orbs, gray like the clouds of a rainstorm's sky. Armin quickly turned his head back, heart pounding furiously, facing the laptop in front of him.

"Armin, come here. I'm lonely," Eren whined, pouting while patting the empty bed spot beside him.

How on Earth could you be lonely? You spent the past week with me! Keeping me from completing my work, might I add.

Keeping his cool, Armin straightened out his frown before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Eren, I'm still working on my lab report. I need to get this in by tomorrow or I'm screwed."

A smirk grew on Eren's face. "What if I screwed you?" he suggested.

"W-What are you saying, Eren?! I'm serious! Don't joke around like that!" Armin stammered, his cheeks flushed, head tied up in knots.

Eren chuckled softly before turning his back to Armin. "All right, all right. Continue on with your lab report, I'll take a short nap while you're at it."

This guy drives me crazy, Armin thought, before returning to his work. But I love him.

After what felt like an eternity, Armin finished his report. He threw his head back and heaved a sigh of relief. "Ahh, I finally got it done. I'm free!" He had no more worries. He just had to turn the paper in, and he'd be completely free of stress. Which also meant more time with Eren.

Armin snapped out of his trance after hearing a snore coming out of Eren's mouth. He averted his eyes to the right where he saw Eren's back, his shoulder rising and falling slowly in accordance to his inhalation and exhalation. He put away his laptop and made his way to the bed, climbing in beside the sleeping boy.

Armin's light eyes landed on Eren's dark brown hair, and he stared at it, his breath hitching slightly. Without realizing, he lightly grazed his knuckles across the nape of Eren's neck. "Soft," he whispered subconsciously.

Eren shifted his sleeping position, his sleeping face in Armin's view - lips slightly parted and eyes twitching slightly behind his eyelids. Eren's arm suddenly moved to rest over Armin's waist, and Armin found himself trapped under his embrace. Armin went stiff for a brief moment before slowly relaxing, then inched closer to Eren and slid his arm over his waist. For a split second he thought he saw a smile growing on Eren's face, but it was gone as soon as it appeared.

Even so, he couldn't help but smile himself, closing his eyes.

They had spent a lot of time together recently, even when Armin was busy and stressing out. Eren just couldn't get enough of him, is what Armin thinks, but he can't deny that it makes him happy. Eren is flexibly capable of lifting up Armin's mood whenever he's in the deepest, darkest pit of sadness and stress, so deep that it overwhelms him. Eren saved him, and Armin knows that any time he's in danger, he's capable of doing it all over again.

"Armin…" Eren muttered, his voice raspy.

"Y-Yeah?" Armin stuttered, taken by surprise. Had Eren been awake the entire time?

"Remember that day when you confessed to me?"

Of course he remembered, it was the most embarrassing and best day of his life.

Armin wanted to confess to Eren.

He wanted him to understand how he truly felt. His longtime attraction and desire toward Eren grew bigger and bigger every day, so much that it hurt. The contemplation on whether or not he should confess was distressing him to the brink of self-destruction. What if it ruined their current relationship? They're best friends, and Armin highly doubted that Eren would return his feelings, not when they were so colossal. But he didn't believe he could continue on being friend-zoned. The very thought of Eren rejecting him, leaving his side, was too painful to bear.

His blond locks stuck to his forehead, clumped together by the dampness of the sweat. His face felt hot. He was trembling, so lost in thought he didn't notice Mikasa walking up to him.

"Armin, are you all right?" she asked worriedly, wiping his forehead with the handkerchief she conveniently pulled out. "What's wrong?"

"I'm…" he began, slumping his back against the wall, weighing himself down. "I'm…I think I…"

While Mikasa was trying desperately to decipher what Armin was mumbling, Eren showed up. Armin flinched at the sight of him. He didn't want his loved one to see him in such a state.

"Armin?" Eren immediately noticed the blond boy's frantic expression and frowned. "Armin, what's wrong? Come on, let's get you–"

"I love you!" Armin blurted. "Eren, I… I love you." He hung his head low, his bangs hovering over his face.

Finally, he blurted out the words he had been repeating over and over in his head time and time again that he lost track of how many times it had been. He'd felt so flustered.

Mikasa's and Eren's eyes widened. Then Eren smiled.

"Armin…"

"You must hate me right now. I know," Armin spat. "It's okay, Eren. I–"

He was caught off guard when he felt Eren's broad arms encircle him in a tight, warm embrace.

"I don't hate you," Eren whispered, still holding on to the shuddering, frail boy. "How could you ever think that?"

Armin's eyes widened slightly before he quickly regained his composure. "But… But I'm a guy!" he protested. "Don't you find it disgusting?"

He felt Eren's heart beating against his chest. "Armin, the truth is, I…" Eren started, his face reddening, "I've liked you for a long time, ever since we were in junior high. I didn't think in a million years that you would ever return my feelings so I'd never thought of telling you, and I'm terribly sorry for that, Armin."

Hot tears began streaming down Armin's flushed cheeks. His throat felt dry, he couldn't utter a word. Eren had also doubted that the person he liked would return his feelings. Eren… has feelings for him. Armin didn't know what to say. He felt both relieved and doubtful; a pool of the mixture stirring within.

"I've had enough of this."

"Mikasa?" Armin uttered, his voice cracking slightly.

"It's about time the two of you realized your feelings your each other," she said.

Eren gently let go of Armin to get a good look at her. "Wait… You knew?" he inquired, his face still red.

"Of course I knew, it's not that hard to miss. It's quite obvious, the way you two were always longingly staring at each other. Even now. Seeing the both of you as you are is kind of pathetic, but I couldn't be happier for you." Mikasa smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkling faintly. "I'm going to let you two talk it out now, so use this time wisely." She winked before closing the door behind her, leaving the two boys alone in their dorm with red-stained cheeks.

Armin found himself blushing all over, feeling the heat take over his body. He already felt hot with Eren's body warmth radiating around him, and when the increase in warmth didn't cease Armin felt like he was going to melt.

Eren pulled the flushing blond boy closer to him, despite their proximity and the initial lack of space. He snickered. "Someone's looking as red as a tomato," Eren sang.

"S-Shut up! I was thinking about that time… It wasn't too long ago." And so he thought about it some more.

After they had both confessed, they had stood there, clinging to each other helplessly. It had been a shock to the both of them. Who would have guessed? How had Mikasa known? Had they been that obvious about it? Armin thought he probably gave it all away, the little clues and hints of his interest in Eren. Although, at the time, he had hoped he hadn't. Eren, on the other hand, had shown no hints whatsoever. Armin hadn't felt anything from Eren besides the resounding aura that had surrounded him, the feeling that they were just friends – practically brothers – and that was that.

But he doesn't regret anything. He doesn't regret abruptly confessing to Eren, especially when he had been acting so frantic in front of Mikasa. There was that, too – he doesn't regret being seen so vulnerable in front of his two friends. If it wasn't for that, for all of it, what he and Eren have now, it probably wouldn't have been anything at all, besides the simple friendship. It probably wouldn't have progressed into their current relationship, and Armin doesn't know how he would have gone if that were the case. But it isn't, and he's happy. And Eren's happy. And that's all that really matters.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!"

Eren groaned, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, as if removing the sleepiness. "Come on, Armin, it's–" he took a glance over at the clock on his bedside table, "–twelve P.M. on a Saturday!"

"And that's all the more reason for you to get up. Have you forgotten?"

What could he have possibly forgotten? Was it so important that he had to get up at 12 P.M. on a Saturday, when he could have slept in a little longer? The thoughts swirled around his mind. Hold on… he thought. There was something in the back of his mind, right on the tip of his tongue, yet he can't bring himself to remember.

"Wait, Armin…" Eren gave it some more thought, his eyes widening in realization. "Today is…"

Armin chuckled. "That's right," he said, "today is our two-year anniversary!"

Eren smiled broadly. Then it wavered, and he felt a tinge of guilt. "I'm so sorry… I forgot about it for a moment there. And I had reminded you just last night, too!" He threw his hands over his face, hiding his embarrassment.

"No no, Eren, it's okay. I know, and it's a very important day, so let's smile and have a good time, all right?"

Armin flashed him a gentle smile, and suddenly, everything did, indeed, feel okay.

"Exhilaration Nation" was written on a sign that flashed before them.

The two had decided to go to an amusement park for their anniversary. Eren had even suggested it, although he completely forgot the next morning, even if it was for a moment of the unconsciousness he felt after having woken up so suddenly, thanks to Armin. But he was glad. And happy. He gets to spend the entire day with the number one person in his life (at the moment. But he hopes it could be for as long as they live). He really couldn't be any happier than he is right now.

"Okay, Armin. Why don't you pick the first ride?" Eren smiled, despite worrying on the inside. An amusement park isn't his ideal location for a date since he was terrified of roller coasters, but he decided to go with it because Armin had chosen it (Armin loved roller coasters), and he couldn't say no to the ridiculously adorable puppy dog eyes Armin had pulled on him the night before.

The gatekeeper handed them a pamphlet of the park's map. Armin's eyes lit up after briefly scanning it, focused solely on a single ride. "Let's go on this one!"

Eren looked over Armin's shoulder to see which ride he was referring to and gulped silently. Oh, God...

Lights twinkled in the distance, then disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Murmurs could be heard from every direction – left, right, in front, from behind. It was dark – pitched black, almost – and nothing could be seen.

A soft breeze swept by. Excitement was radiating into the air, squeals being heard in the dark nothingness. Everything was moving forward slowly. The fear and anticipation of what was to come brought shivers down to the spine, only growing bigger and bigger with every passing second. In the far distance, now nearing, a flash of light could be seen. That was it. The confined blackness passed by at the speed of light, albeit ironically, nothing could be seen before that. Then –

"AAAHHHHHHHHH!" Eren screamed at the top of his lungs, everything happening so quickly he didn't have a moment to spare and process it all.

Splash

Eren shivered, his face cold and wet thanks to the surprise drop into the river bank of the ride he and Armin had gone on. He was so engaged by the darkness he didn't hear the faint sound of water running right before the drop. Knowing that would've given him a few seconds of preparation.

He looked over at his boyfriend, grinning and bouncing happily on his toes. Eren smiled slightly, despite being annoyed at the dampness of his clothes. "I can't believe you made me go on that."

"Wasn't it awesome? The anticipation of what the darkness held, if there was an end to it at all, and what would come after that. Didn't you feel that fearful excitement? God, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand." Armin was gushing out his excitement like a waterfall, glowing like a child who had just opened his presents on Christmas morning.

Eren couldn't suppress his smile any longer, it was begging to come out and be seen by the vast amount of people around them. He didn't care that his hair and clothes got wet from the ride they previously went on. He didn't care that he was shivering like dog afraid of lightning. He loved Armin. Eren didn't know it was possible to care about someone this much. Seeing Armin happy makes his heart want to jump out of his chest.

"-ren…? Hey, Eren, what are you spacing out for? Come on, the next one is just over there!" Armin extended his finger into the near distance, and Eren followed where it pointed to. He saw a towering ferris wheel, and his heart stopped. He gulped.

"Armin… A-Are you sure about this? I mean… I don't know how long it'll take for me to recover from that last one we went on… I–"

"No, Eren," Armin deadpanned. His face looked so serious it gave Eren goosebumps. "We're going to have fun together, I promise you. I understand your fear of heights, but I'm here. I'll be with you the entire time, so don't worry. Don't even bother thinking about it. Let's simply enjoy the moment."

There it is. Armin has done it once again. He took Eren's breath away and completely rid him of all his silly, little worries. How does he do that? Eren thought dumbfoundedly. He brushed all of his thoughts away and decided to just go with it. He had Armin by his side, and he is surely by Armin's, so there's nothing to worry about. Everything is going to be okay.