Author's Notes: MarMin is a ship I hold dearly and I hardly see it around anywhere. I really wish I could find more art and fanfics about them, but I thought if I could not find much of it why not contribute into the ship's fanbase? So I decided to take two common AUs that are written with Armin and Marco and mixed them together. I did write this oneshot a long time ago, but finally got around to uploading it onto FF. Anyways, go right ahead into the story!

Pairing: MarMin

Rating: K+

Almost everyday the library in the beautiful city of Maria was open. From the warming air at around the time of noon, till the time dusk started to creep its way through the city, reflecting a soft pink hue within the sky. The library was closed Sundays normally, however. New books would be ordered every couple of weeks and brought down from other cities to bring more of a selection all the time. The library did not matter to most people around the populated area though, with how technology has taken over in these times, but to some, it still had meaning and importance. To read through paper that was once wood on a tree or recycled.

Armin knew all he could know about the library in Maria, believing that it was the most important place that he could ever be at. Every single day the place was open, the short delicate blonde could be found there, sifting through books, or walking around, and sometimes speaking to the nice women at the desks.

On most days he could be found sitting down on one of the soft cushion chairs, unmoving for hours on end, and holding a book within his hands, but never opening it. He would just feel the texture of the book, wondering what the continents within its pages could be, what the true story inside was about. Each and every single one was different in its very own and unique way, and the blonde knew so. As much as he wished to read it, he could not because he was unable to see anymore.

The book Armin held would be different every day as well, and it would always have a different feel to it. Sometimes it would be large and thick with the texture of over-usage all over it. Sometimes even a corner would be cut off or ripped with the spine broken. Other times it would be small and brand new, with a title that stuck out on the small flap of thick paper like an embroidered shirt. Armin would smile whenever he found these types of books for he could feel the title with his fingers and read what it said through his sense of touch. Without this particular type of book, Armin looked like an empty shell, face almost expressionless.

His blue eyes were much dimmer than They were a few years ago. A once deep sea blue that would shimmer brightly with sparking emotions, now looked like a mere puddle on the streets that would be stepped over and ignored.

The women at the desks of the library would always try to make him feel better again. Make him be the once cheerful person who would always show up with a smile, two friends, and a book held tightly in his arms. They have tried many times to bring the happy Arlert back. The Arlert before the dark fate had decided to play its toll on him.

Armin could currently feel the gaze of one of the women burning into the back of him as walked down the main isle near the desk. His fingers were lightly touching the spines of the books as he walked. He stopped and pressed a hand against a random assortment of book spines on the shelf, dim eyes slowly moving to stare towards the desk where he assumed the woman was. The blonde did not like it when other people stared at him. He knew precisely what they were thinking. They felt bad for him because he was blind, and honestly, it did not matter to Armin anymore. They were just wasting their time now. they could not bring his sight back. Once he thought the girl had stopped staring at him he quietly continued on.

Armin did his basic walk through the library as he did everyday, searching for that one right book to hold. It had to be a newer feeling one today he thought. One that could surprise him in some way if he were able to read it. That's right, he should look higher this time. He knew for his height that it would be harder and more risky to feel books up high, but he wanted something different today. A change from the normal, even if that change was a mere small difference compared to everything else. The blonde finally stopped walking and feeling the spines of the books at his level of height. He slowly reached his hand up as high as he could, just hardly making it to one of the shelves above himself. He managed to just barely brush the bottom of a few books with his fingers. Armin softly grunted as he got onto his tip-toes, grabbing for any book that he could reach. His index finger landed on a smaller, more thin book compared to the others on the shelf that he could not reach. He started to tug at it with his one finger, trying to pull it out between the books. It was no use. He could feel the other books beside it pulling themselves out along with the smaller one he had in mind to grab. Armin decided to give it one last pull with his finger.

His mind didn't work fast enough. He felt the air rush through his hair and the sudden lack of ground bellow him before realizing that he had fallen backwards, failing to pull out the book altogether. He gasped and flinched, expecting to hit the floor roughly.

That was when he felt a single strong arm quickly wrap itself from behind, saving him from the fall.

"Whoa there!" Was all the voice said from behind Armin as he was held.

Whoever had caught him helped him right back up onto his feet again, steadying the small blonde and standing in front if him.

"If you needed help you should have asked." The person sounded bright, worried, and genuinely kind. Armin blinked, staring ahead towards the one that saved him, unsure of where the other's eyes could be.

The blonde's brows furrowed a little "Uh. Th-thanks." Was all Armin said in return. The other person's voice sounded gentle to him, almost like a woman's, but yet it could be very easily be depicted that it belonged to a male.

"Hey, its no problem. Just be careful next time please." A youthfulness could still be heard in his voice, and Armin assumes that the other must be close to his own age.

He listened to the stranger shuffle a bit, moving to where he himself had once stood only a minute ago before he fell. Armin heard the other grab the book off of the shelf with ease. His eyes widened, now knowing that his savior was actually taller than him by a fair amount.

"Hm, The Lord of the Flies, huh?" The stranger said aloud to Armin, reading the title of the book. "Oh, that was a good book! I read it back in high school." He stood in front of Armin again and held out the book. "Here you go. I bet you'll like it. I know i did."

The taller one chuckled so softly and sweetly that Armin could not help but have the smallest of smiles placed on his face for once.

His smile quickly broke however as he slowly reached his hands out and took the book from the other. "Y-yeah. Perhaps i would." He said quietly.

There was a pause. "Would?- O-oh! I'm sorry!" He stammered "I completely forgot to introduce myself to you. Ah, how rude of me. My name's Marco Bott, its a pleasure to meet you."

Armin started to wonder if this guy was even real with how honest and kind he was. "I'm Armin. Armin Arlert."

He reached out his right hand to shake it with Marco's, but ended up lightly bumping it into the other's left one, their handshake quickly becoming awkward and failing.

Things went silent and Armin wondered why the guy had stopped talking all of a sudden. His dim blue eyes trailed down towards where their hands were, feeling a strange and thick amount of gloom in the air.

He eventually heard Marco let out a quiet gasp of surprise, Armin's blindness now dawning on him. "You're-"

"Yeah, i know." He cut Marco off, already used to getting this type of response. Now he waited for the taller one to say sorry, bombard him with a bunch of questions, and feel pity for him. It already seemed to fit his type of personality perfectly.

But none of it came.

"Ah, how silly of me, i should have realized sooner, Armin. Far sooner. I did not mean to put you on the spot like that." His soft chuckle returned, and Armin could tell he was smiling.

He did not know how to feel. Marco had just dropped the subject completely, and continues to treat him as if he was a normal person. In fact, the taller one had just started talking to Armin about his thoughts on the book he held.

Armin really wanted to know what Marco looked like.

Not just by his rough imagination by the others voice. He wanted to know. His amount of interest for this person was unexplainable. It was something about him. He was different then all the other people Armin had spoken to since he had lost his sight. "Marco." Armin said quietly, cutting off the taller one's rant about how he liked the book, and his liking for the plot.

He did not need to see to be able to tell that Marco was looking down at him now and paying full attention.

Armin slowly raised his hands to where he thought Marco's face was. "M-may I?" He said even quieter, feeling a little nervous.

Marco was silent again, and hesitating. A faint sound of a nervous swallow from the other had found its way to Armin's ears.

Just when Armin was about to give up and apologize to the other for making him uncomfortable, Marco spoke. "Yes." He finally said in a voice close to a whisper. "Go ahead."

Armin nodded and slowly moved his hands forward.

His fingers were first met by the other's cheeks. They were smooth and soft like his voice. It fit very well for him. He raised his hands to feel Marco's hair next. There was hair that parted on each side and fell onto Marco's forehead a bit, giving the imitation of short, strange, bangs. Armin was a bit curious of what color it could be.

The blonde had slowly trailed his fingers down Marco's face, moving to touch his jawline, but stopped right when he felt a piece of string near the other's right temple. Marco physically tensed from under his touch as Armin widened his eyes. "What is-" He trailed off, moving his hand to where the string was attached. Armin felt an eyepatch that was placed over Marco's right eye. Armin softly trailed circles over the patch that seemed to be a type of cheap leather. "-This?" Armin completed his question.

"I lost my right eye." Marco responds slowly, and carefully, as if he did not want to say the words himself.

Armin slowly nodded. "How?" the blonde asked on, instinctively pressing his lips into a thin line, feeling a little guilty for placing Marco on the spot like that.

Marco gently took Armin's left wrist and slowly lead it to his right shoulder, and where his arm is, or rather, is suppose to be. The blonde felt the bandages around his shoulder that covered the stub of where his arm should be. "I was in the war." Marco stated quietly, yet calmly.

Armin lowered his arms from Marco, expression forming into a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry. If that means anything." Armin said faintly. The blonde did not need to say no more. The war had taken many lives and Marco was lucky enough to be breathing in front of him, even though, he is missing a few pieces of himself. It was devastating for everyone and all sides.

Armin sensed a soft smile from the other, feeling a bit of a warmth grow in his own chest.

"I was put off duty for-" he paused "-This reason of course." Marco was gesturing to his lost arm and eye, fully aware that Armin could not see him do so.

A small "Oh." Escaped the blonde's lips.

Armin should have known that things were different with this stranger from the beginning. At the first minute of conversation, Marco did not question any further on his disability. People will always look at him with pity, or ask questions, pressuring him all the time. They insisted on helping him every time, but Armin is fine with finding his way around alone. Marco on the other hand was different from the rest. He did not look at him with sympathy or pity. He saw him as an equal. The other did not ask, because he understands exactly how he feels. Marco probably gets just as much attention from his wounds like Armin, perhaps even more. At least the blond's injures are mostly unnoticeable or could easily be looked past.

Marco spoke up again, breaking Armin from his thoughts "So, we're gonna read this book, huh?" He said, holding up the book in front of the blonde and tapping his index finger to it a few times, little to Armin's central awareness.

"But, Marco, I Cant read it."

"What do you mean, Armin?"

Armin thought that perhaps Marco had hit his head during the war so he may have to remind him. Not even a moments hesitation after Armin opened his mouth he was cut off again by Marco. "We're going to read this together."

"E-excuse me?" The blonde stutters, surprised by his offer.

"I mean, why not? I have a lot of time to kill for now. I'm just waiting for someone." There was a pause, where Marco had looked towards the door to check on something. "I think you need my eye more than i do right now. Think of us as sharing my one eye with each other."

"Thank you. I don't know how i can make it up to you." Armin said quietly, feeling the warmth and kindness emitting off of Marco. He could just picture a bright smile plastered on his face right at this moment.

"You don't have to make it up to me. Well, what are we waiting for? Lets go find a seat and start this book. I know you'll like it."

He could hear Marco turn around and start to walk. Armin softly smiled, feeling a bubbling happiness in his chest for once in a long time. He quickly followed after Marco to find somewhere to sit.

Ever since that fateful day when they first met, Marco would come to the library every single day with Armin and read to him. Marco would allow Armin to grab any random title and they would read. It would be any genre of book, any story plot. It would range from romance, to sci-fi. Anything at all. Marco would read it to the blond. They became very close friends within a short span of time, and Armin. Armin eventually found himself becoming genuinely happy once again.

Hope you enjoyed and feel free to review~