A simple piano tune of straight chords hummed through the strategically placed speakers installed throughout the auditorium. The gentle tempo carried out softly, contrasting with the harsh grunts of Eren's sobbing as he submitted the bedazzled garment in his hands to a vice-like grip.

In the space behind him stood a meagerly attended funeral set, in the middle of which were flickering candles and a smiling photo of the deceased one.

Nostalgically, Eren smiled at how radiant Armin looked in the image with his royal features accentuated by the golden frame.

He missed his love with such fervor, it made his head throb. The deep longing held for their reunion manifested itself into teardrops, they rolled down his cheeks in a clear line of hurt. Eren sighed and flinched at the consistently devastated wrenching of his stomach.

In pairs and the occasional group of three, close friends shuffled to the arranged homage and dropped flowers into a pile behind the candles.

The alternating piano chords picked up in procession, gradually flowing into the actual melody of the song. Down in the front row, a small motion was made for Eren to step forward and start.

Clearing his throat and taking a shallow, shuddering breath, he sang,

"Live in my house,

I'll be your shelter.

Just pay me back

With one thousand kisses.

Be my lover and I'll...

I'll cover you."

On the last word of the first verse, his voice rumbled in his chest, dropping to such a low octave, it trembled and cracked.

With tears streaming down his face and snot bubbling in his nose, he glanced down to the photo of his partner who had passed less than two weeks back.

A high, squeal sounding noise arose from the back of his throat as Sasha came up to his left and curled her arm around his back. In time with the music, she lightly swayed side to side, tenderly moving Eren with her.

She met his gaze and nodded, encouraging him to keep going.

Eyes closed and heart racing, he did,

"Open your door,

I'll be your tenant.

Don't got much baggage

To lay at your feet.

But sweet kisses I've got to spare.

I'll be there and I'll cover you.

Oh, I think they meant it

When they said you can't buy love.

Now I know you can rent it,

A new lease you are my love

On life.

All my life."

His red eyes snapped open and skimmed the surrounding people, briefly locking with multiple mutually reddened pairs.

"I've longed to discover

Something as true as this is, yeah."

Giving his arm a squeeze, Sasha got ready to join in with the serenade, dabbing away her own tears with the sleeve of her tattered sweater.

Forlornly smiling, she tipped her head back and slid her hand into Eren's. Beautifully, she belched out,

"So with a thousand sweet kisses."

Something in the hollow pit of his stomach lurched and a heavy wave of nausea washed over him.

Crying out in priorly concealed anguish, Eren stumbled away from the microphone and Sasha, allowing himself to openly weep.

Concern contorted the faces of every one that was there with him and a few of his best friends spoke out in question as to if he was alright.

Hysterics began to settle into his lungs and his breathing picked up the pace. He started to hyperventilate.

He can't be dead, he isn't dead. He's alright, he's alive, calm down, he thought in a hasty, frantic, and desperate manner.

Armin's favourite shirt uncrumpled as it fell from Eren's shaking hands and landed in a small pile at his feet.

"Where is he?" he whispered, turning around in a burst of speed. His eyes flitted around, landing on object after object, none of which were Armin's lithe figure. Moving faster and faster and glinting with a pleading shine, his eyes widened in panic as his boyfriend failed to show up.

"Eren, wait, slow down," Connie said, jogging across stage and pulling Eren to a standstill. "What's wrong?"

"Where is he?" he repeated when the music cut off. "Where is he? Where's Armin?"

"Armin's not-"

"Where the fuck is he?"

"Why are you so-"

"I can't do this," blurted Eren, snagging his tie out of perfection with one hand and mussing his styled hair with the other. "This is too much. I need to go, I have to- I just gotta-" he gulped, running down the stage stairs and sprinting for the exit door facing the stage.

His fellow cast members stood in place unsure of how to move forth or what to say.

"What are you brats just standing there for?" Snapped the musical director, jumping out of his chair and tossing his hands up in exasperation. "Someone go get Arlert, would you?"

Rolling his eyes, Jean mumbled, "Yeah, yeah," and disappeared backstage. Moments later, he came back out, flanked by a short blond boy whose eyes were bright with worried affection. He instinctively made his way towards Mikasa and titled his head is a silent inquiry.

"Eren was asking for you," she informed him in her usual flat yet comforting tone. Her thin hands reached up to motherly smooth down his hair on their own accord as she watched his expression with a perturbed one twisting her own facial features.

Armin's hands came up to rest on Mikasa's as the unease careened his mind into a chaotic jumble of thoughts, all revolving around Eren.

"Is he alright?" he asked.

"He was crying, Armin. We were going over I'll Cover You Reprise and I think the context of the scene got to him."

Suddenly on alert, he leapt back as if he had been scorched and jumped off stage, completely ignoring the stairs on either side.

The tears that had pooled in the corners of his eyes at having heard that Eren was upset, spilled over as he barged into the lobby, exclaiming,

"Eren!"

"Armin?"

"Eren."

"Armin!"

Their bodies collided and curled around the other as soon as contact was made, seemingly melting together as if it was only natural to.

"You okay, honey?" Armin asked, his cheek tightly pressed to Eren's chest. A noncommittal sound vibrated against the top of Armin's head to which he hummed in mild amusement.

"We're okay," promised the shorter one. His hands rubbed absentminded circles into the small of Eren's back as they both cried against their significant others.

"I couldn't handle the thought of you dying," Eren confessed in a low whisper. "I don't know what I would do without, Armin. God, you're everything to me, you're my life support. I die without you. But I can't help thinking something's gonna happen and you'll end up leaving me for someone presumably better.

My dad and my mom used to have this fight each night. He'd never admit her and I existed. He was always run away, hit the road, don't commit; he was full of shit.

I don't want to be like that towards someone I love. But I've had a knack from way back for fucking up things when I had 'em good and we're really good. Baby, we're everything. In my opinion, at least." Eren started getting choked up again in frustration and in an attempt to avoid that, Armin nuzzled his face closer to him.

"Easy sugar, easy. What do you expect I'm going to do? Put on a tight skirt and flirt with a stranger? I'm not going anywhere, Eren. I'm here with you and it's all okay. Besides, I couldn't leave you if I tried. Everything that you are, your pretty smile, your silhouette, your eyes; it all feels too damn much like home."

With reluctance, they pulled back to be an arm's length apart. Sliding his hands down to intertwine them with Eren's, Armin pulled him down to his level and brought their lips together in a bruising kiss.

They parted with a wet smack, pressing their foreheads together to compensate for the lost physical interaction.

"I'll be here, with you, for the rest of my life. I'll never say goodbye, love."

Eren grinned, his eyes sparkling with contentment through the self-doubt and fear. He gingerly kissed Armin on the nose and chuckled in satisfaction,

"Angel? Indeed."