Hi everyone, today's Jearmin comes with a side of Springles (which I adore as a pairing) and a fun little story about their wedding for the prompt 'dance'. I hope you all like it!
It takes months of everyone rolling their eyes and nudging Connie before he makes his feelings known to Sasha, and months more for him to get used to being with her. So when everyone hears that the pair are engaged about a year after getting together, they're all surprised – previously Connie has very vocally dithered over every big decision in the relationship to anyone who will listen. Then it comes to light that Sasha was the one to propose and the world makes sense again.
The wedding is kept simple and pretty casual – neither of them is one for fuss and weddings tend not to be ostentatious affairs in their line of work in the first place. All either of them really wants is for everyone to get together and celebrate, take a break from all the stuff that comes with what they do and relax for just one day. Their gear is still nearby – just in case – but they all pray they won't need it.
Armin's been wandering slowly around the room, nursing a cup of wine and eyeing everyone else. In one corner, Levi converses quietly with Hange and Erwin, none of the three of them able to quite drop the usual babysitter attitude they have around their soldiers. In the middle of the room, people are dancing to accordion music being played by a younger recruit, another one accompanying him on a flute. Eren is dancing awkwardly with Mikasa, obviously unsure where to put his feet (and hands) while in a corner of the dance-floor, Krista – Historia now? – is conversing quietly with Tomas. In the middle of the gaggle, Connie hasn't let go of Sasha, one hand in hers or on her waist all the time, even when he talks to people or takes sips from his drink, and his gaze barely leaves her. Sasha looks similarly smitten – Armin has never seen her smile so openly and so frequently before when there wasn't food involved.
As Armin's gaze continues to roam the room, he catches a pair of amber eyes watching him: Jean is leaning against the opposite wall, a little smile appearing on his face as their gazes meet. Armin quirks an eyebrow back and starts to slowly make his way around the outside edge of the room and eventually to Jean's side.
"Having fun?" asks Jean.
Armin nods. "It's nice to take a break from everything."
"True," agrees Jean. "I'm glad they're happy."
They glance back at the dancing group, who have started to sway to a slower song. Connie's head rests on Sasha's shoulder and she smiles against his forehead. Nearby, Mikasa guides Eren's hands to her waist and his face colours a furious pink. Armin suppresses a laugh and turns back to Jean.
"You're not dancing?" he asks, and an uncharacteristically serious expression crosses Jean's face.
"You know there's only one person I'd want to dance with."
Armin flushes, glancing over at Eren and Mikasa briefly. "Yeah," he says softly, looking up at Jean again.
"Would you dance with me?" asks Jean, holding out one hand.
The sweet earnestness in Jean's voice tugs at Armin's heartstrings and makes him think of late evenings sitting in secluded corners of the headquarters with Jean, reading together or quietly chatting. He remembers tentative kisses to hands, cheeks, even a few times on the lips, and the exited quickening of his heart every time. There's a thumping in his chest now, a blush coming into his cheeks as he looks from Jean's proffered hand to his face. He's still gazing down at Armin, mouth soft, eyes gentle, and Armin lets himself smile before taking Jean's hand and putting down his cup.
Jean's arms slip easily around Armin as they join the other dancing people and Armin hesitates only a little before putting his arms around Jean's waist. They begin to sway to the music, timid at first but beginning to relax in each other's embrace as the music continues. Jean's body is warm and smells familiar; Armin finds he can't keep a wide smile off his face. As he raises his head, he can see Jean grinning down at him too and his heart skips. Their feet move easily, turning their movements into more of an actual dance with each note, and Armin feels right – more than he has in months. The rest of the room seems to fade around them, especially when Armin runs his hands up Jean's chest until he can put his arms around Jean's neck and Jean's hands slide down to Armin's waist to pull them close together, matching grins on their faces. Armin barely thinks before he tugs at Jean, getting up on the tips of his toes to kiss Jean on the mouth. The kiss is sweet and Jean's lips are warm and soft; Armin can hardly stop smiling as they kiss again and again and he feels like his heart might burst from happiness...
Until they come apart and a fist promptly makes contact with the side of Jean's head.
"EREN!" several voices cry out in unison, and Armin jumps into action to drag Eren off Jean. Apparently words will need to be said about not punching people... again.