Hey guys so this is the last chapter of this story. Thank you all for indulging me, your reads and reviews, I'm so happy to know that you've all enjoyed it as much as I have. I always like to have a very sappy ending so here you go, I hope you enjoy it :)

Over the past year Armin has realised that there are some things he can now no longer live without. Electric blankets – how on earth do people survive the winter without them? – having a job with normal human hours – you mean you can finish work before two in the morning? – and, more than anything else, Jean. Living with Jean has been the most amazing experience in the world, for the first time in his life Armin has financial security, he no longer worries about going home at the end of the day and he's happy.

While Jean's hours are a little sporadic occasionally, Armin doesn't mind and when Jean is working late he takes up extra shifts at the café. He's made an amazing friend in Sasha and even managed to get Ymir a job at the café as well once the club was shut down. When he thinks back to where he was a year ago, how much of a mess his life was, he can't even imagine what he would have done if it weren't for Jean.

A gentle hand brushes his hair out of his face and Jean presses a kiss to his cheek, rousing him from sleep. "Time to get up Sleeping Beauty," he whispers.

Armin buries his head further into the pillows. "No... comfy," he mumbles, his voice muffled even further by layers of material.

"We're going to be late meeting Eren and Levi," Jean chuckles.

"Fine," Armin says, pushing himself up, his eyes still closed, "I'm awake."

"Are you really?"

"No," Armin says, shaking his head.

Jean presses a kiss to his lips. "I made coffee."

"Coffee?" Armin asks opening his eyes, suddenly a lot more alert.

Jean chuckles. "Thought that might perk you up."

"I can think of something else that will perk me up," Armin says. He takes hold of Jean's collar and pulls him in for another kiss.

"Tempting," Jean says once Armin has released his lips, "but do you really want to tell Eren that we're late because we stopped to have sex?"

"Levi would understand even if Eren doesn't," Armin replies.

Jean just laughs and kisses him again. "Come on, get dressed. I'll make it up to you later."

"Fine," Armin sighs theatrically and gets out of bed.

The promise of coffee and an evening of hot sex when they return home has Armin showered, dressed and out of the door in twenty minutes flat. Jean marvels at his speed – that must be new a record – and the two of them leave the house. Now that he's happy Armin thinks that even Shingashina isn't as much of a hovel as it used to be. He stops for a second in the middle of the bridge they're meeting the others on and looks out over the river. It's actually quite pretty out here...

"Hey Armin," Jean says, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah?" He turns to see Jean, down on bended knee and holding out a small box. Armin's heart stops as Jean opens the box to reveal a plain silver band nestled inside.

"I've been thinking about this a lot recently," Jean says. "Armin, I love you and I don't want to be apart from you for even a moment so will you marry me?"

Armin stares at him, tears welling up in his eyes, a mix of emotions flowing through him. Finally he's able to find his voice. "No."

"What?" Jean asks, crestfallen, and Armin's heart aches at the hurt on his face. "Why not?"

"Because..." He can't seem to find the right words to make sense of this.

"You do love me, don't you?" Jean asks.

"Of course I do!"

"And I love you so what's stopping you?"

"Because you deserve better!" Armin cries, desperately holding onto the tears threatening to spill.

"What?"

"You deserve better than me," he says again. "I've done so many things in the past. How could you possible want to stay with me forever?"

"I don't care," Jean says. "I don't care what you've done, that's not you anymore. Even if it was it still wouldn't matter. I feel in love with you and I love you no matter what. You are the most perfect thing in this world and I want to stay by your side for as long as you'll let me and do my absolute best to make you as happy as you've made me. So, with all that in mind, will you marry me?"

The tears are falling down Armin's face now but he doesn't care. He smiles radiantly through them. "Yes," he says, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "Yes of course I will."

Jean's smile splits his face in two. He hurriedly takes the ring out of the box and places it on Armin's finger before he gets to his feet and pulls Armin into a kiss. Armin wraps his arms around Jean's neck, kissing him back just as passionately.

They stay like that, entwined in each others lips and arms, until a loud cough brings them back to earth. They both turn in unison to see Eren and Levi standing a few feet away, watching them.

"Are we interrupting?" Levi asks and Armin's face turns scarlet.

"No..." he mumbles. "We just..."

"Oh my god!" Eren cries suddenly, his eyes zeroing in on Armin's left hand. "Are you two getting married?"

"How do you do that?" Armin asks, shaking his head and grinning.

"It's a gift," Eren says, "so are you?"

"Yeah," Armin replies shyly, smiling up at Jean, "we are."

Eren practically launches himself at Armin, throwing his arms around his neck and hugging him tightly as he congratulates him. Jean watches, smiling fondly at how happy Armin looks. That smile...

"Congratulations," Levi says, breaking him out of his stare as he appears at his side. "I've never seen Armin look as happy as he does when he's with you."

"Thank you," Jean says. "I'll make sure that he stays this happy."

"Good."

Armin looks over and smiles at Jean and his heart swells. This, right here, is perfect and it can only get better.

THE END