AN: Hellooo~ I figured a good way to get accustomed to writing for the Attack on Titan fandom would be to write some cutesy little one-shots with unnamed OCs, so here ya go~ Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did, I do not have any ownership over the beautiful creation that is Attack on Titan.
It was a rather common thing for me to get up in the middle of the night, the nightmares of the day titans invaded Wall Maria still haunting me, and hover outside on the small porch of the girls' barracks. On occasion I would grow particularly restless and pace, sometimes the nightmares would be so vivid I'd be exhausted, to tired to even stand, but yet unable to sleep. It varied, but the fear and sleepless nights were constant.
What wasn't a common thing was for another shadow to be lingering on the porch of the barracks across the small clearing from mine. Especially not this late. It took a minute to make out more than just the darker patch of black against the wood of the barracks, but the small size and glint of yellow was enough of an indicator.
But what was Armin doing out so late?
I'd never seen him out before, and I came outside at night on a regular basis.
Curiosity getting the better of me, I hesitantly stepped off my porch, fearful that I might get caught sneaking around after lights out. Without making a sound, I found myself standing at the edge of the porch, not sure of whether or not the wood underfoot squeaked, I hovered on the hard packed dirt and resorted to hissing his name quietly.
"Armin, psst, hey!"
"W-who's there?" he turned abruptly, eyes narrowed in an attempt to make out my face.
"[Y/N]"
Breathing a small sigh of relief, he took the two steps that brought him to the steps at the edge and sat down.
"Can't sleep?" I ask, sitting beside him.
"Yeah, keep thinking too much. It happens sometimes."
"Me too," I nod slowly, "Nightmares."
"About that day?"
"Yeah."
"I never had to see them, the titans I mean, so I still feel like I don't really understand. Sometimes that's what I think about when I can't sleep, what it was like, how it would've changed me to witness their brutality first hand."
"What about tonight?"
"Oh, you know, different stuff…" he said evasively.
"Like what?" the two of us had been close since we arrived at the training camp, and I was curious to know what had him wound up so tight.
"Just stuff the guys say, nothing important," he continues to avoid whatever subject it is he's hiding from me.
"They are giving you a hard time are they? Is Eren not sticking up for you? Is it that Jean guy's fault? Oh I swear-" He cut me off before I could say what it was I would do. I was protective by nature, and Armin's quiet personality and lack of defenses only made that worse.
"No, no, it's not like that, sorta, it isn't Jean's fault, and Eren's fine," he brushed the matter aside.
"Then what is it? You know I'm not going to let it go, Armin," I insisted.
"It's just, the others have all, you know, kissed girls before and I haven't," he mumbled so quietly I had to strain to catch his words, "It's just sorta awkward, you know?"
"Oh I doubt that! They all came here when they were like, what? Twelve? Most normal people aren't going around snogging before that, and when would they have had time to be going around getting it on with girls here? I doubt any of the girls even have any interest in them," I laughed.
"You think so?"
"I know so!" I gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder for emphasis before adding, "And you know what else?"
"What's that?" he asked, genuinely curious.
In answer, I slid the hand on his shoulder to hold the collar of his uniform jacket he'd put back on to fend off the chilled night air, and pulled him towards me, placing a quick, chaste kiss on his lips.
"Now you can go tell them you're one step ahead!"