Even though you've been texting Armin since noon, it was only until now that you sent the "I'm on my way" message. You're deathly late by 3 hours from your 6 o' clock meeting for your book session. A guilt-trip knot tied your stomach into a mess and no matter how many good songs came on the radio as you drove, a smile relented to show.
Throughout your day's schedule, you've been quite occupied. A family brunch, a quick movie with friends, and an hour break to buy yourself a treat with the gift-cards you received from them. It seems you lost track of time even though you've still managed to text Armin back; meaning you caught a glimpse of the current hour at least every time you powered your cell on.
Taking a minute more or less than fifteen, you finally arrived at the cafe just as the sun made it's fading farewell across the city surface. Noticing the darkness that was slowly creeping in only made you feel worse.
Armin sat comfortably and alone at the same raised table as the last hang out, reading and keeping to himself like a natural introvert. A plastic bag rested against the leg of his chair which was most definitely concealing new bought books or other things of that sort.
"Armin!" you called out before fully exiting your car. "I'm so so so sorry."
A toothy, apologetic grin flashed you. "Don't sweat it, _(f/n)_. It's been nice reading here so there's no worries."
His tone was stoic in a happy kind of way making you doubt it was a meaningful acceptance of your lagging appearance and instead was a lie to cover his actual impatience because he was too nice to admit it. Your face lit up shades of embarrassment, shame, and pity all at once.
A slight pause held your breath before you mustered up a "thanks" and awkwardly scratched your arm, trying to pull your attention to the irritating feel of your scratch instead of the emotions in your gut.
"Though, if you don't mind my asking," he began while dog-earing the page he was currently at and placing his story down. You awaited his question, completely willing to answer anything he had to quiz on. It was the least you could do for him after all.
"How come you've been so busy today?"
Okay, maybe not completely willing.
If you tell him the truth, he'll just start fretting over doing something special for you or fester up a growing guilt over not buying you a present. Plus, you've already managed to create a bother for him already.
Unfortunately for you, an alibi to cover this fact was not coming to mind.
"I-it's my birthday."
In a split second- no, in a split millisecond, Armin shot up and out from his seated position as his pupils shrunk to small black beads and stared you dead in the eye. "Today?!"
You called this. You knew this was going to happen! Internal screams along those lines pierced your skull; mental slaps following shortly behind.
Sun-flower yellow hairs fell into odd positions on his stressed head (but you were very sure that was a situation he was not worried about), his panicking blue orbs darted around; probably looking for something to say to you.
"Uhm-"
Oh? Perhaps they were searching for confidence.
"I have an idea."
Lips forming a straight-as-a-board line, you kept muted, allowing him to keep on. It's not as if you were planning on saying anything to him, anyways.
"How about we set off the reading for today,"
Disappointment in your own doing flooded your bloodstream, everything wrong you guessed would happen was coming into play right in front of you in a high-pressure explosion.
"What if I drove you around for an hour or two. We don't need to go anywhere specific; maybe where we can't see city sky-scrapers anymore. You can plug your phone into my stereo and we can just,"
"drive."
Scenes unfolded in your mental movie theater. The windows of his car rolled down, letting night-cooled summer air sweep your hair away while your favorite song blasts or standing up in your seat, poking your head out of the top and seeing the empty fields with nude eyes. Maybe you could tell a story or two of your own to Armin, get to know him, laugh with him, look into his sparkling eyes, and hold his hand-
"Let's do it!" you exclaimed, trying to interrupt the lovey-dovey nothings intruding in on your fake scenarios. "I- I'd like that." Seriously, what are you thinking?
Just as he said, the towering buildings began to hide behind the earths ground. After living in such a stuffed city for as long as you have, the open area surrounding you felt freeing; so much to the point you were on pins and needles to take in the nature.
"Here you go, _(f/n)_," Armin chirped, handing you the aux cord.
Oh god, you whimpered to yourself. What if he hates your music? He's too soft-spoken to tell you to change it like your friends would. Plus, he'd probably try to endure it especially because it was your birthday.
The first song to perform on the speakers was the one and only Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran himself. It was a cheesy piece of music but you couldn't resist it. He sang it with such sincerity and the guitar accompanied his voice so melodically All in all making you a cliche crazed girl at the sound of the first note.
In a messy and not-so-smooth hurry, you tried to change it as soon as you could. Thoughts of hand-holding, a car ride alone and love songs will certainly not do you justice in the way you were wanting this night to go about.
Relief coated your tensed nerves as Innocence by Madeon (Daydreamer Remix) (Give a quick listen to set the mood if you feel like it.) found it's way to your playlist. It was calm enough to join the midnight sky and up-beat enough to bring your shoulders, half of your torso and head out of the window in a joyous flurry.
Nothing could touch you; no hesitance, no stress, no fear, nothing at all. The free, untainted and untouched air danced on your skin, the stars lighting up every aspect on the clean open ground around the road. You grinned at the man on the moon and he smiled back at you.
Good songs that were well suited for this picture-perfect moment kept playing on and on, putting your heart in an all out sprint.
You could feel cold travel into your lungs each and every time you inhaled and the warmth it brought back to your drying throat when it left. This car ride was exhilarating and beyond words.
Sliding back into your seat, you spun around to face the one who was making it all happen. Armin already had his eyes on you and his rosy face was illuminated by the nocturnal sun's glow.
'When your legs don't work like they used to before,'
The stars looked very breath-taking tonight,
'And I can't sweep you off of your feet.'
but nothing was as beautiful as that grin on his lips.
'Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?'
It was the same expression you see on him when he reads Star-Crossed to you.
'Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?'
When he's doing something he thoroughly enjoys, he looks just like this. Just like the way he's looking at you.
''Cause darlin', I will be loving you 'til we're seventy,'
Then the music, the tires running over rubble, the engine, your unsteady breathes silenced all at once. The only things left were you and Armin. He slowed the cars pace to ensure safety as his attention wasn't glancing at the road as much as it should have been.
Clear, Texas-afternoon sky eyes stared blankly into yours, getting lost as if they were in a (Eye color) labyrinth. The same could be said about you, as well. Close to nothing would be able to untangle you from his gaze.
Instinctively, you grasped his hand that happened to be relaxed on top of the arm rest. Armin hesitantly laced his cold fingers in yours, taking a firm hold of you.
Love filled the sea in his eyes while they darted between your two ones.
'Take me into your loving arms!'
The feet separating you turned to inches.
'Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars!'
Then inches to mere centimeters.
'Place your head on my beating heart!'
His red nose touching yours and your fingers gripping onto him more.
'I'm thinking out loud'
But then the city lights blared through your moment and Armin had to redirect all of his mind to the road and traffic. What may have happened is all but a "what-could've" but his quivering hand kept yours trapped, showing no signs of letting go. Nervous sweat broke out of his palm, bringing a pale baby pink to your skin. This was happening.
'Maybe we found love right where we are."
'Maybe we found love right where we are."
'We found love right where we are."