It was starting to rain. The swaying of the wind howling from the once indigo blue sky that was now gray and dull,
The gust roughly dancing around the awning of the rooftops, roaring- stroking everything that came into touch with it, The wind harshly intensifies with the solid it came into contact with, producing a metallic sound that can be heard all across the town.
The current continues to brush fluidly along the elongated hallways before it stops, as the growl of the thunder threatens to downpour momentarily before hitting the roofs like bullets in a swift. Eren could hear the swishing of water in the gullies from afar.
"Bad dreams?"
A familiar voice swept him out of his thoughts, Eren looked to his left and saw his blonde friend. His eyes momentarily trying to familiarise the other, the low- condition light accentuates Armin's round features, making his face even rounder.
He thought his friend looked like a pretty porcelain doll... Although he was not sure whether it was alright to blurt that outloud.
"Everyone else in the squad probably have them too." He replies before he sat down on the bare surface of the grass, he could make out that Armin was doing the same just beside him. He could care less about getting himself damp and soaked, and it seems like Armin thought the same.
".. It's too cold, why does it have to rain?," Armin finally drawls on after an extended moment, ignoring Eren's last sentence. Eren heard him sigh momentarily afterwards, subtly rubbing his palms on his knees.
Eren, simply shrugged at the question directed at him and stares at the sky. He tilted his head and saw Armin gravitating his palm towards the rain to catch the water droplets.
".. I thought you liked the rain?"
He replies while copying Armin, feeling the droplets on his fingers. He watches as those fascinated sky blue eyes intently focus on the small leaves. Those leaves that were twirling so gracefully by the soft breeze that were pondering peekingly around them,
Eren, himself doesn't really like the rain, but somehow it actually feels refreshing like this.
"I don't know.. I like the scent... " there came the reply,
He used to sit like this with Armin, as they watch the rain falls after a rather glaring sunny day.
They talked about the world beyond the walls together, as Eren usually talks about his ambition to join the Survey Corps and Armin about his Grandpa's books. Of course they also do some other useless stuff such as nitpicking at those annoying bullies, talking about how the others are idiots- and stuffs like how his mother's cook was too salty sometimes. He could have snorted at those memories.
They were so free then, Now they have their own responsibilities as members of the survey corps. Towards their fellow squad members, towards the citizens and towards the humanity that they have to preserve itself. He thought they would soon get used to it, but he's never been so wrong. No matter how much he tries to get over it, it would never be the same again when a single mistake could cost someone's life. It could be Eren himself, or Mikasa- or Armin.
Yet, despite of that the both of them were doing something useless such as watching the rain right now, slowly engulfed by it.
The rain was nice.
Well, he hated it when was inconvenient, but he grew to like the scent of it like his blonde friend, Armin was the one who said something absurd like the rain having its own scent, but somehow since then he could easily distinguish that greeny smell as well.
The scent that was brought by the wind as its carrier, that muddy and leafy and earthy smell which carries the memories of their comfortable childhood years. Something about it seemed unorthodox, but it was rather nice at the same time.
And so they spent the next few minutes being infatuated by the rain, the sounds of the wind and the rain chiming into a graceful pleasant alteration,
He'd always loved it how it could always be so restful with his blonde friend.
Somehow, it was always like this with Armin and Mikasa. They never needed to talk, being beside each other side by side was enough, And Armin being there beside him was even more than satisfying,
He was a strong and resilience, presence that Mikasa and he, himself lacked and thus truly needed.
"Hey... Eren?"
His blonde friend called out, breaking the still silence.
"Hm?"
He hums as he tilt his head towards his friend, it seems like Armin was admiring the mother nature too. He watches as Armin's glassy blue eyes were being captivated by those water droplets..
"You've been unusual these days..." it was a statement, not a question.
Eren laughs, Somehow Armin's expressions were so unclear,
"I do?.. Really, What are you on about?" He was sure he was never that obvious, he still acted pretty much or less the same around everyone... Somehow, his friend always knows when there was anything wrong with him.
Eren knows too well it's been quite some time since he's had his peace of mind, but he couldn't help it himself. It was always his fault for not meeting up to their, no- his own expectations.
How could he be the hope of humanity when he had countlessly proved wrong against their hopes? He hated himself for it.
".. I know you... It never was your fault y'know-" Armin's voice pleadingly interrupting his musings, before continuing
"You've always done your best! and I know it's been hard.. and it may be selfish of me to say this, but-" his voice clear and full of determination-, he could hear a soft hitch in the other's voice before continuing again,
"Everyone needs you, so be yourself again.. " The blonde finally said after contemplating, with an audible exhalation.
Eren was in the middle of thinking of some simple and effective reply to keep convincing his friend when he noticed a tinge of pink on Armin's round cheeks,
there were suspicious waters that lingers around his slightly irritated eyes. Did Armin cry?
He didn't know what to do, he felt a surge of panick rushing to his lungs, his veins,
"h-Hey,Armin?" "W..hy are you crying?"
"N-no, I wasn't! .."
..
..
"Jeez, I was fine all along y'know.. You dont have to cry"
In that moment he realised that he's always had Armin with him, he's always had Mikasa with him. They can share their burden together, no matter how hard it would get.
Disclaimer: Sadly I dont own Attack On Titan/SNK, if I do then Eremin would be in a romantic relationship from the start!