A/N: Hi DA users! So the reasons I brought you hear is because DA said this was too big to put up there. XD Everyone else, HIIII~! It's finally over! X'D Thank you all for the reviews and future reviews I get. They're all so sweet and I love them all! Oh, and more cookies, I love those too. XD With this done, I can focus on that Ereri one shot and a new Eremin fanfiction I'm going to get up after Potent probably. It's called Dead of Night, so keep an eye out for it.
Plug plug, okay, I'm done. XD Gosh, this chapter was hard to write. I had moments set in my head perfectly, but how to recreate into words and make them what I wanted was the hardest part. Especially the scenes between Eren and Armin when everything is revealed. That was hard. Really hard. I said I'd get this out on the weekend and I meant it though! I feel like it's kind of lacking with some scenes, so please let me know what you think. *-*
Song of the day:
Number 9 (No. 9)
By: T-Ara
It's A One Time Thing (Modern AU)
They're are the only ones who trust each other enough to go this far. They keep sayings it's a simple thing, which it means absolutely nothing, but, to be honest, that couldn't be any farther from the truth.
Rated M: Sexual content, adult language
Couple: Eren x Armin
Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin
Armin had walked into work the next day with a look that suggested he was hung over. He wasn't, but he had barely gotten any sleep, and the bags under his eyes proved it. He had been right the day before; all of the crying had left his eyes swollen slightly. He completely ignored Jean's morning greeting, which was the same every day; a simple "Morning Shorty" and a wave of the hand in his direction. When Jean noticed his sluggish behavior, the comments were almost immediate.
"What, is Annie a little too mature for you?" He asked with a laugh. Armin groaned and shook his head. "What's up? You look like you've been to hell and back." Jean stated, and he was right.
Armin's hair hadn't been brushed, he had dark circles under his eyes, his posture was low and weak, and he kept yawning into his hand every five minutes.
"Well obviously something happened between you too. I mean, just look at that hickey." Jean poked at Armin's neck where the red skin was. Armin huffed and swatted his hand away, but his cheeks were red. He knew Eren had left a mark.
"Stop it. It's none of your business." He huffed.
"What? Does Annie like it rough?" Jean teased.
"Knock it off. Besides, Annie didn't do this."
Oh... Bad choice of words...
"Whoa wait! You mean you got action from someone who wasn't your date?" Jean's mouth was slightly open from shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, especially from a boy who never uttered the word "date" in his life. Armin simply blushed and grabbed a band aid from the first aid kit. "So wait... Do you, like, get prostitutes and stuff like that?" Jean asked.
"Of course not. Do I honestly look like that type of person?" Armin placed the band aid over his skin to hide the mark. God forbid Annie came in and saw it.
"No, but if you think about it, it would work out. I've never seen you with someone, you never talk about dating, and all you do is work. If you slept with someone it's not like a crime." Jean explained.
"I'm not that kind of guy, Jean." Armin turned around to face his friend. "And it's not like I don't date by choice." He added.
"Well," Jean mused as he slowly strode over to Armin. While Armin was trapped against the counter, Jean placed his hands on either side of his hips to keep him from moving. "If it wasn't Annie and you aren't getting prostitutes to take care of you, then could it be that it was Ere-" Just before he could finish, the bell on the front door of the diner rang. Armin thanked his lucky stars and slid out from Jean's grasp so he could go help who was ever out there.
"Tell them we aren't open yet." Jean grumbled.
He knew he was right. He had to be. The only person Armin ever spent any personal time with was Eren, and while he didn't have any definitive evidence, it made sense.
"Yeah, yeah." Armin waved his hand back at Jean as he walked out into the diner portion or the restaurant. He saw only one person by the door, looking lost and confused. "Sorry miss we aren't-" Armin began, but he stopped when realizing who it was. "Oh, Mikasa," He said.
Mikasa turned her head to look and him and Armin thought she looked just as bad, if not worse than he did. Her eyes were slightly puffy and red, her hair was tousled and hadn't been brushed, her cheeks and nose were red, and the rest of her skin was pale like she had seen a ghost.
"Armin..." She mumbled. Armin hated the way her voice sounded. She sounded like a gagged cat (not that he would know what one sounds like).
"Is something wrong, Mikasa?" He asked as he stepped out from behind the counter. Mikasa held up her hands to cross them over her chest, as if protecting herself. Armin also noticed her cellphone being crushed between her white fingers.
"Did... Did Eren stay with you last night?" She asked. Armin knew something was wrong by the way she couldn't look into his eyes.
"No, he left after a while. Why?" Armin asked.
"E-Eren never came home last night." She said. Armin's eyes widened with surprise and fear. "He won't answer his phone and he isn't answering any texts I send him. He only said he was going to see you the last time I talked to him." She explained.
"... No, like I said, he left after seeing me." Armin couldn't bring his voice above a dull murmur anymore. Mikasa covered her mouth with her hand, trying to keep herself from choking up and sobbing right in front of Armin, but her friend wasn't blind to such things.
"We were arguing yesterday, b-because he lost his job. I kept saying that I'd pick up more hours; it wasn't a problem, but he... He got so mad at me. He didn't want me doing that. He said I work too much as it is." She said in a shaky voice. Armin had never seen her so defeated before.
"He left saying that he was going to see you, but he left at ten and... I-I hoped that he was still with you." A stray tear slipped down her cheek and Armin swallowed a guilty lump in his throat. He quickly pulled his sullen friend into a hug and rubbed her back, hoping to bring her some comfort and condolence, but it didn't seem to help. If anything, it only made her cry more.
"Please don't cry; I'm sure he's alright." Armin assured, but he wasn't as positive about that as anyone else. He didn't know that Eren had been through an argument with Mikasa, he only knew about his lack of employment. He hadn't even known that Eren had left his home at ten in the morning to see him. Had Armin known the situation, he would have gladly called off work and stayed with him so he wasn't alone, but it was too late for that.
Eren was missing. No one knew where he was and he wouldn't answer his phone. For all they knew, he could have been kidnapped by some sick molester and was being raped as they spoke. Without him answering his phone they had no way of knowing the truth.
"I didn't mean to make him mad; I was just trying to help." Mikasa sobbed lightly against his neck.
"I know and I'm sure he knows too. He just doesn't want you getting sick or tired from working too much." Armin pulled back to look into her eyes. "You know how Eren is. He only got mad because he was afraid." Armin said.
"I know…" Mikasa mumbled. Armin offered her a weak smile.
"Let me talk to Jean and Hitch. Maybe I can get out of work today and I can help you look for him." Armin suggested.
"Okay, but I don't see what you can do." Mikasa mumbled.
"I can be there." Armin said. "Hey Hitch!" Armin called out. Said girl appeared behind one of the tables, her dirty-blond hair pulled up into a messy pony tail and her apron simply hanging off of her neck and loose.
"What is it?" She asked curtly.
"I need to leave. Do you think you can handle things here for today?" Armin asked. Hitch was immediately whining, tossing her hands around in a rude manner while her voice was loud and obnoxious.
"Come on! Today is a Friday and I don't want to have to deal with all of the kids that come in after school all by myself!" She complained.
"I'll let you have all of the pay I get today." Armin said.
"… Okay." Hitch tied her apron around her waist and went to the kitchen where Jean was. Armin looked over to Mikasa and shrugged his shoulders when she gave him a puzzled expression.
"It's not like I'll be here to earn anything." Armin took his apron off and set in on the counter. "Come on, let's go find Eren.
The two had been on their search since early in the morning, checking all of the places they knew Eren liked to go to, but he wasn't at any of them. They constantly kept trying with their phones, but eventually Eren's mailbox became full. They couldn't leave any messages on his phone and could barely get through to begin with. The last message was a simple plead and beg from Armin.
"Hey, Eren. Please answer your phone. Mikasa and I don't know where you are and we're getting worried. At least answer your phone so we know you're okay."
Armin left that at one thirty-three. It was now eight in the evening. There was no sign from Eren. Now the two were sitting on the couch in his and Mikasa's apartment, both cell phones sitting on the coffee table in front of them, and waiting. Mikasa was biting her poor nails down to the numb and Armin kept smacking at her hands, but the poor girl had nothing else to do. There was nothing to distract her tired mind of anything less than Eren and that left her filled with anxiety and fear. Armin was feeling the same way, but not wanting to upset Mikasa anymore by showing his own weakness, he simply kept quiet.
"We should call the police…" Mikasa mumbled.
"They won't do anything until he's been missing for, at least, forty-eight hours." Armin said.
"My brother is missing. I can't simply sit by and wait." Mikasa stood up from the couch to grab her phone. Armin stopped her, earning himself a death glare, but he stood his ground.
"Unfortunately that's all we can do. We have to sit by and wait until either Eren shows up or forty eight hours have gone by." The blond said.
"This is driving me crazy!" Mikasa cried in frustration.
"I know it is. I'm worried about him too, but there's nothing we can do." Armin mumbled.
He hated this just as much as she did. He didn't want to wait. He didn't want to be patient. He didn't want to sit back and simply hope that Eren was alright. He wanted answers.
He wanted to know that Eren was okay. He wanted to know that his friend was alive and not buried in a ditch somewhere. He wanted to know that Eren wasn't in a hospital with an IV in each arm and a ventilator to help him breathe.
He was about ready to pull his hair out. He wanted to cry and he wanted to scream. He felt scared and sad and guilty all at once. He should have never let Eren leave last night.
"W-What if he's hurt somewhere, Armin?" Mikasa questioned. "What if he's been kidnapped or raped or beaten for money or-" Armin quickly stopped her by pressing his hands into her cheeks.
"Don't do that, Mikasa. If you keep thinking like that you'll make yourself sick." Armin reprimanded. "And asking questions like that isn't going to help anyone. It's not going to find Eren and it won't answer the real questions." He did his best to get the point across, wanting Mikasa not to say or even think of these things again.
It seemed to work. Mikasa sniffled a little, trying to clear herself of the sobs that dared to make herself look weak. She offered him a weak and pathetic smile, but it was genuine all the same. She was listening to his words and it made him feel a little better.
Mikasa and Eren had said before that he did more for them than he realized. He guessed one of the things he did was being able to talk to them and make them feel better. If so, then he was doing rather well with it. He was glad that he could give back for once.
"Mikasa, I can't say things are going to be alright, because I don't know that, but I can promise you that Eren wouldn't do anything to get himself into serious trouble." Armin assured. "He is smarter than he looks. Even you should know that." The small joke got a bigger smile on Mikasa's lips, and even a small, timid one on Armin's.
"You're right," She mumbled.
"Aren't I always?" Armin finally released her from his tender grasp as he spoke. Mikasa chuckled from the funny remark, and just as she did her phone began to vibrate on the coffee table. Both of them would have missed it if it weren't because it was leaning on glass. Mikasa's initial reaction wasn't violent. She went to pick up her phone like it were any other phone call. It was only when she saw the caller ID that she went right back into her panicked state.
"It's Eren!" She exclaimed as she picked up the phone. Armin did a running leap over the couch and plopped down on the other side by Mikasa as she answered her phone. "Hello, Eren?" She answered. Armin watched with anxious eyes as she listened to the voice on the other line. He could scarcely hear Eren's voice.
"It's okay, Eren. Where are you?" She asked. There was a long pause. "What do you mean you don't know where you are?" Mikasa asked. Armin hadn't noticed that he was biting his hand until the physical pain broke through his mind.
"Well tell me what the area around you looks like…" Armin felt his breath going cold. Had their inner fears been realized? Had Eren been kidnapped? Was he being abused or drugged? Could he have been held for ransom? What was he and Mikasa to do if that was the case? They didn't have the money to pay heavily, no matter what they did.
"O-Okay, Eren, just stay right there and I'm going to come get you." Mikasa hung up the phone before she could get a reply.
"Let me get my shoes on." Armin said and made a mad dash for his shoes, which had been carelessly tossed into a corner with Mikasa's.
"Don't bother," Mikasa said as she stood up. Armin watched with anxious, blue eyes as Mikasa walked to the front door and opened it. There stood Eren, leaning against the door frame with his phone still to his ear.
"Good bye, Mikasa," He mumbled and dropped his phone to the ground. He looked up to Mikasa, his eyes red and bloodshot. "Oh, hi Mikasa!" He hollered in an absurd and overzealous voice. Armin flinched just by how stupid he sounded.
He was drunk. Utterly, overly, and un-doubtfully drunk.
Eren fell through the door, landing in his sister's waiting arms. He flopped against her chest, grunting heavily when his forehead smacked into her collar bone. Armin could hear the thud and wondered if Mikasa didn't feel any pain or didn't notice it, because she was too distracted to care.
"E-Eren," Mikasa started.
"Whoa! The floor came out from under me!" Eren shouted louder than he needed to.
"Eren don't. You'll piss off our neighbors." Mikasa warned. Eren's snickered at her.
"You said piss…" He muttered and dropped his head. Eren's head was hidden in Mikasa's neck by the time he started to gurgle, a sure sign that he was about ready to vomit whatever was in his system.
"Vomit on me and it'll be the last thing you do." Mikasa grumbled as she pulled Eren to the couch. Armin followed close behind. Mikasa dropped her brother down onto the couch rather roughly, as if a punishment for him getting drunk in the first place. His only reaction was a holler and to fall on his side.
"Whoa," He cooed. Mikasa rolled her eyes and looked to Armin.
"I said serious trouble." Armin murmured.
"You're serious trouble!" Eren roared and tried sitting up, only to fall on his other side and have his head whack into the armrest. Armin ground his teeth together, fearing that Eren was so drunk that he'd say something they'd both regret being let out to Mikasa.
"Eren, don't say crap like that." Mikasa helped her brother to sit up as she scolded him.
"I don't care," Eren grumbled. "And neither does h-he." He stuttered on a hiccup.
"Eren," Armin uttered. Eren hiccupped again before continuing.
"Didn't I tell you that I didn't want to be in your life?" Eren slurred. The words had his gut lunge in pain.
"Eren Jaeger," Mikasa reproached. "If I hear you say that again then I'm locking you in your room." Mikasa had to hold back wagging her finger like a mother at him. She was angry though. No, she was irate. She didn't know why he was talking like this, but she didn't care. She would not allow him to speak like that, even if he was drunk and even if he couldn't control himself.
"Eren," Armin clenched his fists by his side, his body beginning to shake with anger. "I never said I wanted you out of my life." Armin didn't want to talk about what happened between them while Mikasa was still in the room, but it was like verbal diarrhea. It was coming out without his consent and making his whole body hurt with trying to hold it back, but did he really want to hold back? He wanted to scream, wanted to yell, and wanted to vent off all of the anger and pain he was feeling. He was tired of holding back. So, so tired…
"You made it-it obvious!" The drunken boy grunted.
"You overreacted!"
"Enough!" Mikasa yelled over the two. "This is neither the time nor the place to bring things like this up!" Armin was startled by how she had suddenly raised her voice. She had rarely raised her voice, as a matter of fact, he had never heard her do it before.
Eren pressed his hands to his ears, her voice too loud for his sensitive ears to handle. He whined, but Mikasa clicked her tongue at him.
"I don't want to hear any more about this, are we clear?" She asked curtly. Eren huffed with irritation.
"I don't want him here…" Eren waved his hand, as if trying to push Armin away, but he was seeing more than one Armin at the time being.
"I'm not going anywhere, Eren." Armin said, standing his ground. Eren glowered at him, his eyes threatening and boring holes into his head.
"Armin is staying and that's the end of it." Mikasa grabbed Eren's arm and pulled so he could stand up. "Now get up. I want you in bed and resting." Eren listened and stood up, but not without some issues trying to stand or tipping from side to side as he walked.
Mikasa helped him fall on his bed in his room, causing Eren to grunt and a pre-vomit burp to rise out of his throat. Mikasa nearly missed it, but she was able to get the trashcan by his bed in time for Eren to vomit over the side. Armin had to leave the room, for he was one with a terribly weak stomach. Mikasa soon joined him; she wasn't weak in the stomach like he was, but there was something she needed to ask.
"Armin," Mikasa's voice was quiet, but it still held that tide of anger.
"Yes?" Armin was leaning over the bathroom sink, cold water running along his hands to keep his body settled.
"Is there something that happened between you two?" Mikasa asked.
"What makes you ask that?" Armin asked. Mikasa gave him a good, hard glare for such a stupid question.
"Armin, I'm not kidding." Mikasa hissed.
"Neither am I." Armin splashed some water onto his face.
"Don't lie to me," Mikasa turned the water off, forcing Armin to keep his attention on her. Armin sighed as he wiped his face off with a dry towel. "If it's something private, alright, I won't pry, but I need to know if you two are at least arguing. At least I won't be left out of the dark." Armin looked up into the mirror, Mikasa's image within the mirror. She looked serious and angry, but he knew that all it was she was feeling was worry. She cared; he couldn't be angry at her for that.
"We got into an argument when he came over yesterday… We said some stuff and he said he was going to stay out of my life… That's all though." Armin explained. There was a long pause from Mikasa, as if she was thinking it through.
"… Okay then," Mikasa mumbled.
"Okay…?" Armin asked.
"Yeah… You're entitled to fights, but you better make sure it's taken care of. If not, I will get the whole story straight and I will fix it myself." Mikasa threatened. Armin felt shivers go down his back.
He was one hundred percent positive that she wasn't kidding.
Eren's green and still bloodshot eyes opened to the fuzzy world around him. He looked over to his bedside table to the neon numbers on his alarm clock. Eight fifty-three they read. His first inner questions why everything was so fuzzy. When blinking a few times to clear that, his second question was what the hell happened? He remembered arguing with Mikasa about their jobs and he remembered arguing with Armin, (although that part seemed pretty fuzzy too) but afterwards, everything was a blank. Did he go somewhere? Did he do something?
Eren tried sitting up so he could getting a drink of water, noticing his throat was dry and he was parched, but upon moving, his stomach turned in violent ways and all of yesterday's "winnings" were chucked right back up into the waste basket beside his bed.
'Oh…' He thought as he collected himself. 'So that's what happened.' He forced himself to sit up despite the heavy nausea he felt. There wasn't much in his system to begin with, so he could assume that whatever was left would become simple dry heaves.
He noticed, now that he wasn't vomiting his soul up, that he was in his room. When and how did he get here? Had he really gotten so wasted that he couldn't even remember how he got home? Maybe he had called Mikasa for a ride? Maybe he got a cab?
It was all such a blur that he couldn't think straight. All he wanted was some water and maybe some crackers to settle his stomach. He also wanted something for this headache that was beating his brain in like a drum.
"Fucking hell…" He cursed as he pushed himself up and out of his bed. The world around him began to spin, but he staggered against the wall of him room and any other jaunting object to hold himself up. He stumbled out of his room, noticing the temperature in the hallway was colder than it was in his room. When walking into the living room, he noticed the small, electric fireplace was on and warming up the apartment. He couldn't have been anymore happy at that moment than any other moment in his life.
Eren dropped down by the fake fire and held out his trembling hands, attempting to warm them up. His body shivered with the contrast of temperatures, but he didn't pull away. It did make him feel better.
"Do you want a blanket?" Eren turned his head to look over his shoulder. Armin was standing behind him, a full trash bag in one hand and a blank stare donning his eyes. Eren turned the rest of his body to face him, confusion obvious on his own face as he simply stared at Armin. What was Armin doing here anyway? Hadn't Eren told him that he didn't want to be a part of his life? Sure, he was happy to see his friend (could he think of Armin as a friend anymore?), but he was still confused.
Normally, when you tell someone you don't want to be in their lives anymore, they listen. They stay as far away from you as physically possible and you never hear from them again or until one or the other breaks. Had that happened at some point and Eren didn't remember it? By the blank stare Armin was giving him, he assumed that wasn't the case.
"Well…?" Armin asked.
"Well what?" Oh god, did he sound like hell…
"Do you want a blanket?" Armin repeated his previous question. There was a quiet and tense moment between them before Eren finally nodded his head. Armin put the trash down against the wall and grabbed a blanket off of the couch. He handed it to Eren, not uttering a word and not giving him a second glance as he went to pick up the garbage.
"W-What are you doing here?" Eren asked with his raw and scratchy voice. He really didn't sound good.
"How much do you remember?" Armin asked in a quiet and bored tone.
"Not much," His friend answered truthfully.
"Well, you went missing for a good twenty-four hours and I came over here to help Mikasa look for you. You came back late yesterday and you've been out ever since." Armin walked away from Eren's spot to wash his hands in the sink. He turned the water on and ran his hands under the water for a moment, letting the warm water dull out the cold seeping into his bones.
"How did I get home?" Eren draped the blanket over his shoulders, but it was nothing compared to the heater in front of him.
"Don't know. You showed up at the front door." Armin's eyes watched the water slip through the faucet, only taking interest in it because it kept his eyes off of Eren. Eren stayed quiet for a few minutes, watching the fake flames go across the screen. He had noticed Armin go silent, leaving another awkward silence to go by.
What was he supposed to say? What could he say? There was nothing he could say at this point that would make up for anything, obviously, but he couldn't say anything that would break the ice into a normal conversation either.
Eren sighed under his breath, cuddling into the blanket for warmth he wasn't getting. He knew that, even with the fire, it wasn't enough. The only thing that had given him true warmth from head to toe was Armin, but he couldn't ask Armin for that now. He probably couldn't do it ever again. He heard the rustling of Armin drying his hands on a kitchen rag and shivered. What he wouldn't give to be by Armin and be warm.
"Uh…" He uttered. Armin turned around to face him, noticing that Eren was slightly turned in his direction, but his face was still directed to the heater. "So… W-What are you still doing here?" Eren asked cautiously. He dared to peak up from the flames to look at Armin, and his friend did not look happy.
"Alright, I get it. I'll go ahead and get out." Armin said, the pain making his voice waver as he walked away from the sink to grab his shoes.
"No, no! That's not what I meant!" Eren jumped up from his spot on the floor, only to suddenly stagger in place from dizziness. He nearly fell against the fireplace, but Armin was quick to grab Eren's arm and help him stay up. The contact was brief and cut when Eren could stand on his own without the aid of Armin.
"What the hell do you mean then?" Armin demanded.
"I-I just meant… Where's Mikasa?" Eren asked, improvising so he wouldn't upset Armin, or upset him more. Armin's eyes softened before he huffed and kicked a nearby chair. The screech of the chair against the wood floor was incredibly loud to Eren's ears, causing him to grip the shells of his ears and block out as much sound as he could.
"She went to the store to get you some medicine for your headache." Armin curtly answered. Eren uncovered his ears when the ringing in them stopped and when he realized that Armin wasn't going to torture him like that again. "She left about ten minutes ago."
"Wonderful," Eren attempted to smile, but the look on Armin's face made it fade. He still looked like he was about ready to beat Eren until he was black and blue. Eren could see a lot of reasons as to why Armin would be so angry, but at the same time, he didn't understand why Armin was upset with him. He did and didn't understand. What was he supposed to do?
"She'll be back soon and then I'll leave." Armin pushed past Eren to go back to his previous task. In all honesty, his hands couldn't have been cleaner than they were at this moment. He just needed something to do to keep his mind distracted.
"You don't have to do that." Eren said hesitantly. Armin physically stopped in place, his hands clenching by his sides as he let out a shaky sigh.
"I thought you said you were going to stay out of my life, Eren. How can you do that if I stay here?" Armin looked over his shoulder to ask. Eren swallowed down a lump of guilt in his throat. He could hear the emotion practically dripping off of his words.
"Armin… I… I'm sorry. I was upset and angry and I took it out on you." Armin turned more to face Eren, his eyes softening at his apology. "I didn't mean to say what I said, I was just angry at myself and I was confused about Annie and y-"
"Annie?" Uh oh… "What does Annie have to do with any of this?" Armin narrowed his eyes, the anger back and making him shake.
"I-I didn't mean it like-" Eren tried, but Armin stopped him in the middle of his sentence.
"No, go ahead and say it." He demanded. "Say what you meant."
"I-I meant that with you and Annie dating-" The glare he received from Armin stopped him midsentence. He didn't need Armin to do it for him.
"Dating? Eren, I told you, it was one stupid date! A date doesn't mean a damn thing!" Armin argued, his voice rising above a dull roar.
"It means a lot of things, Armin!" Despite how dizzy he felt and how tired he was, Eren was more than livid with anger.
"It does not! She's just my friend!" Armin barked.
"Oh really? Is she as much of a friend as I am for you?" Eren dared to ask.
That broke the last straw.
Armin didn't know what came over him, but he couldn't stop his hand from lashing out and slapping Eren across the face. It did the trick though. Eren covered his red and stinging cheek with his hand while looking up at Armin with wide, green eyes. He was utterly speechless, left only to pant from the overexertion of yelling.
"How could you say such a thing?" Armin asked. Eren could see the tears brimming at the edges of Armin's eyes, making his heart ache. "How could you imply that when you don't even know the whole story? You have no idea what even made her ask!" Armin pushed Eren by the shoulders, effectively knocking him to his butt.
Eren was still so shocked, however, that the words he wanted to express were caught in his throat. His mind was reeling, his cheek was still stinging from the slap, and now he was on his ass and looking up with shock at his friend. He didn't know what Armin meant, though. What he referring to?
"Well…?" Armin provoked. Eren pushed himself up onto his feet, trying to keep himself steady as he stood.
"What, so you're saying that there was some reason for it?" Eren asked bitterly.
"Of course there was!" A tear slipped down Armin's cheek and he wiped it away.
"What then?" Eren asked.
"She lost a bet!" Armin blurted out. Armin could see the emotions go through Eren's face: anger to confusion, sadness to… More confusion. It just became confusion.
"A-A bet…?" Eren asked.
"Ymir and Annie had a bet and she lost. The consequence was asking me on a date." Armin's shoulders slumped as the anger dissipated in the heat of the moment. His hands relaxed from the fisted grip they were in, releasing the skin under his nails that had been trapped under them.
"You… Why did you say yes?" Eren asked, shock still written on his face.
"I was being polite…" Armin shrugged his shoulders. "Apparently that's frowned upon these days…" He huffed with irritation.
"So… When you guys went to the movies…"
"We just went to the movies. Nothing else happened." Armin said. Eren looked away from his friend and looked at his feet instead.
He had been wrong.
"I know how Bertholdt feels about Annie. Why would I ever date someone my friend loved? That's wrong in more ways than one," Armin stated boldly.
"Y-You still went on a date with her," Eren mumbled begrudgingly.
"It wasn't even a date, Eren! It was more like two friends going out and having a good time! Isn't that what we do on occasion, or were those considered dates?" Armin asked, slightly teasing his friend. Eren huffed and pushed at Armin's shoulder with irritation.
"You still did it…" He grumbled.
"God, Eren. You make it sound like I slept with her." The blond said and felt his stomach give off a strange lurch. He really didn't like the idea of sleeping with Annie, or let alone anyone other than Eren. "I told you, Annie is just a friend. I don't care about her as anything more than that."
"That doesn't stop you from caring about someone else…" Eren muttered. He looked over to Armin from the corner of his eyes to see Armin's own go wide from shock. He hadn't realized what he had done until it came out; he actually said it out loud.
"What? Is that what this is about?" Armin asked.
"Maybe," Eren staggered slightly as he walked to his couch to sit. He was getting winded just from having to stand for so long.
"Eren, I thought I told you that my love life is my own." Armin said while motioning to himself.
"And I said I didn't care. I don't care what happens for you." Eren growled. Armin huffed, surprised and dumfounded that Eren possessed such… Stupidity.
"Then why do you keep bringing it up?" Armin asked.
"I didn't bring it up," Eren turned his head away and said.
"You just did!" Bewildered. If Armin needed a word to describe how he felt, bewildered would be the perfect word. Eren scoffed and waved a hand at him. "You did!" Armin stomped his foot in a childish manner.
"Whatever…" Eren groaned.
"Eren!" Armin exclaimed, his hands clenching by his sides again and his body heating up with anger. "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you still drunk?" He accused.
"Nothing is wrong, nothing at all." Eren grumbled.
"You sure don't make it seem that way."
"What do you want me to say, Armin?" Eren pushed himself up, despite the pre-vomit burp that surfaced, and stood in front of Armin.
"Tell me what's wrong." Armin demanded. "Please, I-I want to know." He begged.
"I told you that there is nothing wrong!" Eren barked, making Armin flinch away from the suddenness and tone. He dared to lift his hand, hoping to press it to Eren's still red cheek. Eren, however, didn't see it for how it was. He saw a hand raising a face, getting closer to his cheek. He smacked it away, more prepared for a hit to the face than a gentle touch.
Armin jumped in place, another tear slipping down his cheek. He didn't bother to wipe it away, because he was too mortified to do it.
"Don't," Eren murmured. "Get someone else to do that for you."
"Who else, Eren…?" Armin asked. His voice shook and he felt the lump in his throat forming around his words, making it harder to breathe let alone talk. That lump was of all the pain and sadness, laced with the truth that was so eager to slip away.
"I don't know and I don't care. Anyone else; someone else who is worth your time." Eren turned so he could leave. To where, he didn't know, but a hand grabbed at his wrist and stopped him in his tracks.
"Who else, Eren…? I don't have anyone else in my life." Eren closed his eyes, hoping that it would block some of the pain he was hearing in Armin's wavering voice. It didn't.
"I told you, I don't care-" Eren yanked at his arm for freedom, but Armin yanked back just as hard.
"I do!" He exclaimed. "I don't want to be alone!"
"Who said you'd be alone, huh? You can find someone for you, someone worth the effort!" Eren finally had the endurance to yank his arm free.
"I don't want someone else!" Armin cried, more tears slipping down his cheeks. Eren couldn't take the sight of Armin crying, and knowing it was him that caused it was even more painful. He turned to leave, walking down the hall so he could get to his room and hide. Armin bit at the back of his hand.
He couldn't hide it.
"Why? Why don't you want someone else?" Eren asked as he stood at his door.
It was too late.
"Because the only person I've wanted in my life is you!"
It needed to be said.
Eren's eyes fell onto the figure still standing in his living room, his shoulders trembling as he tried to hold back the sobs that threatened to beat against him like waves on the ocean floor. He watched as Armin attempted to collect himself by wiping the tears spilling relentlessly from his eyes and sniffling, but it didn't work. It only left him with red eyes and a nose that were obvious signs of his pain. He stared up at Eren with those red eyes of his and shrugged his shoulders at his surprised friend.
"I love you, Eren." He said and took a deep breath. Eren slowly stepped out of the hallway, using the wall as his guide as he walked back into the living room where his friend stood. He could hear the rasp in Armin's voice as he tried to breathe, but he was too choked up to do so.
"… You what?" He asked.
"I love you," Armin said. "And I've loved you since we were kids…" He admitted shamefully. Eren wanted to reach out and hold the hand wiping his tears away, but he couldn't seem to move. Maybe he really was still drunk. Could he be hallucinating now?
"W…. Why didn't… You say something sooner?" Eren managed to get out.
"When could I have said it, Eren?" Armin asked, his voice rising slightly. "When you were nine and your mother passed away? Or how about when your father disappeared and you and Mikasa were put into the foster system?" He asked. Eren could hear the bitter tone he was using as he brought up those painful memories. "What about when the only family I had was taken away from me because someone wanted the money in my grandfather's pocket?"
"Armin…"
"What about all of those times we ran away from those families just to see each other again after they had separated us?" Armin asked. "Or was I supposed to tell you when we were fifteen and we had no idea what the hell we were doing?" Eren watched with hopeless eyes as Armin continued to pant from the anger-induced yelling.
"Armin-" He tried again, but Armin wouldn't let him get to it.
"What about when we were eighteen and scrapping our way to get into college?" Armin let his head fall so he could hide his face, but it didn't do much. The tears were falling down his cheeks without any signs of stopping. "What about now?" His voice was muffled while his head hung low, but Eren still heard him.
"What about now?" Eren quietly asked.
"We are just finally getting our lives together. We have homes and friends and we're in school… Why would I mess with how things are now?" Eren pulled gently at Armin's shoulders, bringing him close so Armin's head could rest on his shoulder. Armin hid his face into the space between his neck and shoulder and sobbed, letting out all the pain he had held in for so many years.
Had he known when Eren had first saved him from a group of neighborhood bullies that he'd be suffering this much pain in the future, he would have walked away when Eren held out his hand for him.
"Don't cry, Armin…" Eren tried to sooth his friend by running a hand down his back while the other rubbed the back of his head.
"I wanted to tell you… I tried so many times, but then I'd think… What if you hated me for it?" Armin explained. "What if you pushed me away or called me names… I-I couldn't bare it if I lost you or Mikasa… You're all the family I have left."
Eren sighed as he pressed his cheek against Armin's head.
"I kept telling myself that you wouldn't do those things, but I…I couldn't help it." Armin quietly cried against Eren's shoulder in defeat. He hadn't heard a response from Eren yet, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "I tried to get over them, Eren, I really did, but I couldn't."
"Armin," Eren sighed again. Armin shut his eyes tightly and gripped at the fabric of Eren's shirt so tightly that it hurt his own hands. Was he about to get rejected? Would Eren yell at him for his real feelings or return the formality? Most importantly, what would happen after all of this was over? Would Eren leave him or stay by his side? Did he even really want to know?
"P-Please… Please don't hate me, Eren…" Armin begged. Eren pulled Armin back by his shoulders so he could see those pleading, blue eyes of Armin's. Armin couldn't look though. He couldn't bear to see the look of disgust or hatred on his face, he couldn't.
Armin pushed out of his friend's welcoming embrace to escape. He turned on his heels fast and made a mad dash for the front door, but before he could even grab the doorknob, Eren had grabbed him around the waist and pulled him back.
"Armin, stop! Where are you going?" Eren asked with Armin's back against his chest.
"Anywhere but here!" Armin tried prying himself free from Eren's arms, but Eren's vice grip wouldn't loosen.
"No please, don't go." Eren pleaded. Armin stopped squirming, but he continued to sob with his head low. Eren sounded so broken and defeated, probably a lot like he sounded now. At least Eren had the decency not to cry.
"Please let me go…" Armin quietly begged.
"I can't do that…" Eren mumbled, his lips pressing unconsciously against Armin's shoulder. Armin barely noticed the touch, and even though he noticed it, he passed it off as a simple, everyday touch.
"Why?" The blonde's voice cracked, his breath cold and heavy from the yelling.
"… Because I don't want to lose you either." Eren answered. Armin dared to lift his head to stare to the side, exposing his red face with reluctance. He felt Eren's arms around him tighten, but it didn't stop him from trying to turn in Eren's arms.
"Eren-" He started, but he was caught off guard by Eren's lips against his cheek. It hadn't been Eren's intention to miss, his first goal being Armin's lips, but he hadn't expected the boy to move so suddenly. "W-What-"
"I was afraid of the same things," Eren breathed against his ear. Armin shivered in response, but the words were more impacting than he realized as he fully turned around in Eren's arms. Eren had his own emotions racking through his body, his eyes slightly red and his cheeks and nose pink in an attempt to keep himself calm. Armin could see it, but it was almost like he didn't believe it. "I have Mikasa, so I guess I wouldn't be alone, and then I wouldn't understand where you stood at the matter, but even so, I felt like if something happened and I lost you…" His voice trailed off. His eyes closed for a moment, trying to stop the tears burning the backs of his eyes and collect himself.
"I don't want to lose you, not to anyone else or even myself…" He opened his eyes as he spoke, his green eyes more emotionally striking than Armin had ever seen them before, and he had seen poor Eren suffer through more than anyone should have to.
"W-What are you saying, Eren?" Armin asked in a mumble. He wasn't sure if this was a question he wanted an answer to, even though he felt like he could die rather happy right about now.
Eren chuckled quietly, his hands reaching up and cupping Armin's face into his palms as he pulled him in for a kiss. Armin responded with the smallest of squeaks he was sure he had never made in his life, his hands wrapping tightly around Eren's back and gripping his shirt with so much pressure that it turned his knuckles white. There was no fury or desire, no pleasure or desperation in the kiss. It was tender, gentle, loving, and comforting, something Armin was sure Eren had never tried to communicate. Even their first kiss wasn't like this, albeit being completely uncomfortable and awkward with their lack of skills in the art of kissing.
Armin didn't dare make a move, fearing he'd ruin the precious moment he was sharing with his friend (And it felt good to think of him that way again). It was only after a few seconds that Eren pulled away, but only by an inch or two so their faces could be near and so he could rest his forehead to Armin's without the need to strain his neck.
"I love you, Armin…" He felt his heart beat skip, or maybe it even stopped. He must have been dreaming, delusional, maybe even he was the drunken one, but the look on Eren's face proved to him that he heard the words with his own two ears. He wasn't aware that the look on his face was so funny, because Eren chuckled again. "What's with that face? Didn't you just say the same thing to me a few moments back?" He asked casually.
"Eren…" Armin closed his eyes as he felt fresh tears spring into his eyes. They slipped from his eyes without consent and fell onto Eren's hands which were still cupping his now red cheeks.
"What are you crying for?" Eren asked. Armin weakly smiled as he rubbed his hand against his face, trying to stop the tears.
"I-I don't know really," He said and laughed at how stupid he felt for crying when in reality he was so happy. He must have been dreaming, because it was too perfect to be true.
"Fifteen years, and even now, you're still such a cry baby." Eren wiped his thumb across Armin's eyelids, ridding them of tears.
"It's not like I purposely try to cry." Armin said with a pout. Eren smiled as he leaned forward to, once again, press their lips together. This kiss had a little more behind it; that possession Armin felt once before, along with small amounts of passion. Armin wasn't sure if that was something he should have been afraid of or not.
Eren's hands moved to the back of his head, pressing delicately to keep the kiss together while his fingers tangled in his hair. Armin sighed against him, pressing his chest against Eren's in an attempt to get closer. The idea worked, because he could even feel Eren's rapid heartbeat, or maybe it was his own. He wasn't sure anymore.
His lips parted on a nearly silent gasp, giving Eren an opportunity to let his tongue invade. Armin shivered, goose bumps rising on his skin at the sensation of it.
"E-Eren," He sighed once their lips parted. He pushed against Eren's chest, hoping to stop him, but all that really did was make Eren advance to his neck to suck. "M-Mikasa will be home soon…" He reminded begrudgingly.
"I don't care," Eren murmured against his skin. He sucked rather hard on the skin covering his collar bone, hard enough to leave a red mark. It wasn't enough for him though. He wanted to make sure he could leave the worst bruise on Armin that he could possibly make. He wanted the world to know that Armin was his and his alone.
"D-Don't, Eren. People will see," Armin pushed against his chest again, hoping to stop his advances, but it didn't work.
"Good." When the mark was a big, red blotch, Eren considered it satisfactory and pulled at the edge of Armin's shirt. This elicited a rather adorable whine from Armin.
"You're s-so embarrassing." Armin stuttered. "Why now?" He huffed with irritation.
"Why not?" Eren asked while his hands ran over the skin of his back from under his shirt. He could feel the skin beneath his fingers tremble.
"Because you're still hung over from last night!" Armin stated daringly. "Do you really- Hmph!" He stopped when Eren's mouth covered his in a passionate kiss. He returned it with as much vigor as he could muster up, but it didn't seem to work to his advantage. "D-Do you really want to have sex when you're messed up like this?" Armin asked once Eren's lips traveled to his ear to nibble on his earlobe.
"No," Eren mumbled. Armin stilled within his grasp, watching as Eren drew back to look into his eyes. "I want to make love to you." He said, his cheeks red from having to utter the words. Armin flushed brightly from ear to ear, his mouth nearly falling open in shock.
How could he possibly say no to that?
He wasn't sure if he could get any redder. He grabbed at Eren's hand that had been running along his backside and pulled him away to his room. He kept his head low the whole time, until Eren had shut the door behind him. He grabbed at the ends of his shirt, pulled it over his head, and then tossed it to the floor without hesitating for even a moment. Eren stared, eyes wide and bright when seeing his Armin stripe for him.
"What are you waiting for? You said you wanted to make love to me." Armin said, grabbing at Eren's hand and bringing it to Eren's chest. Eren couldn't help but smirking as he pulled Armin against his flushed chest and crushed their lips together. He nipped at his lips and pulled on his hair, though not so much that it would hurt. It was more of a way to show his aggressive passion, raw and loving. It was a side of Eren that Armin loved. Then again, he loved everything about Eren.
He loved that spark in Eren's eyes when he talked about things with passion. He loved how hard of a worker of Eren was and how he strived for the stars, even when everyone around him said that it was impossible. If it were, Eren would find some way to do it, and do it he would.
He loved the way Eren would stare at him with such a longing and needy gaze. He loved the way Eren's hands felt whenever they so much as brushed against his body. He loved when he tugged his hair so his head would tilt back and then his lips would be against his neck. He loved those lips when they were all over his body, kissing him and making his skin crawl with desire. He especially loved it when Eren would use that strength he had (The strength people didn't realize he had because he wasn't overly muscular) and lifted him off of the ground, like what he was doing now.
Armin wrapped his legs around Eren's hips, feeling his own erection straining against his jeans. He moaned against Eren's lips, looking for friction that his body begged for. Eren groaned against his lips.
"God…" Eren mumbled and pressed multiple kisses against Armin's neck.
"It's Armin, b-but I can settle for that." Armin said with a smile. Eren smirked and carried Armin to his bed. He dropped him down rather roughly, earning him a heavy grunt and a disheveled glare, but it wasn't like Armin would complain. Eren joined him on the bed, hovering over his body with a greedy look in his eyes.
"Damn it, Armin," He huffed while his hand trailed along his friend's chest, rubbing over a nipple. Armin squirmed under him in response, but he didn't dare break his stare with Eren. "Do you know what you do to me when you look like this?" Eren asked, a chuckle leaving his kiss-swollen and parted lips.
"I can guess…" Armin breathed while lifting his leg so his knee could graze against the obvious bulge in Eren's pants. Eren quietly gasped, his head falling low and his eyes widening in surprise.
"N-Now you're just teasing me." Eren panted and hooked his fingers under the waistband of Armin's jeans. Armin willingly lifted his hips, allowing his jeans to slide down his pale legs and fall off to the floor. Eren ran his hands up Armin's legs, running his nails along his smooth skin. His hands slipped under the rims under his undergarments, purposely teasing the flesh of his butt and thighs. Armin reacted with more light squirming and small, soft pants.
Eren bent down and licked over his covered erection, making Armin gasp in outright pleasure. His hand found its way into Eren's hair, giving a light tug on it as Eren pressed kisses against his length.
"Look whose t-talking…" Armin whimpered as Eren's grabby hands found his sensitive flesh under his underwear. He helped shuck the garment off, so he could get to his prize, and once Armin was in front of him and bare, Eren let out a breathy sigh. "You make it seem like you're going to eat me." The blond mumbled.
"I wouldn't go that far." Eren leaned over Armin so they could kiss. While their tongues battled it out for dominance (A battle Armin attempted to win, for once), Eren's hand slowly stroked Armin's hardened member. This caused him to whine against his lips, his body convulsing and his back arching into Eren's in favor of more friction.
"Mph… Hng…" Armin scraped at the back of Eren's shoulders, looking for a good grip on him. When doing that only caused a low hiss of pain to escape Eren's throat, he grabbed at his arms and held onto him. "H-Hurry up, Eren." He panted when their lips broke.
Eren smirked while his fondling became slower, more precise. He thumbed the slit of the head and then ghosted down over the skin, making Armin moan with pleasure, or was it desperation? He didn't know, but he knew he liked it.
"Maybe I don't want to." Eren whispered in his ear. "Isn't making love supposed to be slow and passionate?" He asked and ran his tongue along the shell of his ear.
"Ahaa…" Armin tossed his head back into the mattress. Eren looked at the marred skin of his neck, marred by him, and smiled. Eren brought two fingers from his free hand up and to his lips to lick at his fingers while he bent down to offer more pleasure to Armin. His now wet fingers rubbed over his entrance while his mouth didn't bother to hesitate when covering his erection.
Armin continued to writhe under him, his hips rolling with Eren's bobbing head and causing a delicious pleasure to course through his veins. Eren's finger pushed inside him quickly, the heat engulfing him and making him shiver.
Armin had always given him an insane amount of pleasure just from the sounds he made when their previously had sex, but this was different. They were proving just how much they loved it each, and Eren was going to make sure Armin got the picture crystal clear.
"Eren, ahah…" Eren thrust a second finger in, curling his fingers and instantly finding that sweet spot. Armin's toes curled, his back arched, his mouth opened, but no sound came out. Eren smirked against him as he continuously rubbed that spot. It was never one hard to find, knowing Armin from the inside and out like the back of his hand, but that didn't mean teasing him wasn't fun. He could feel the muscles inside Armin twitching, and, not wanting him to release too soon, he pulled his fingers out of him and sat back, leaving Armin to writhe under him.
He really was beautiful. Eren had always thought so. People constantly argued, when they were younger, that Armin looked like a girl. He didn't sound my like one and to Eren who was as much of a boy as he was, but then again, he could see the many things that made him look rather girly. His short, blond hair that went down to his shoulders, his big, blue eyes that always stared at the world with a profound curiosity, his soft skin that covered his small physique, his nimble fingers that held onto his hands gently; okay, so there were more reasons to think he was a girl than he imagined, but there was one thing that set him apart from being a girl, and that was the evidence in between his legs.
"S-Stop staring like that," Armin whined, trying to close his legs. Eren's body between them stopped him from doing so. "You're so embarrassing…"
"I can't help it." Eren ran his fingers down Armin's body, feeling his skin tremble beneath his fingers. He could feel Armin's eyes on him, staring at him with as much love as he could. Eren smiled, his cheeks tinting pink as he leaned forward and kissed him. Armin's body pressed against his own still clothed one, and being reminded of that, Armin tugged at the waistband of his pants.
"Take them off," Armin mumbled against his lips. Eren sat back long enough to do so, throwing them away to the floor like the rest of Armin's clothes to be forgotten about. Armin held his arms out for him and Eren joined him, lying back against his chest and initiating a sweet kiss while he lined himself up with Armin's entrance. He pushed Armin's legs back against his chest, breaking the kiss so he could look into Armin's eyes.
"Ready…?" He asked, a little breathless.
"That's a stupid question." Armin retorted and pulled Eren right back into a kiss. Eren smiled against his lips before pushing himself inside of Armin, feeling the warmth and heat engulf him wonderfully. There was something incredible about doing it this time compared to all of the other times he ever had sex with Armin. All the thoughts that swarmed his head, thoughts of his Armin, of his Armin begging for him, moaning for him and saying only his name; that they weren't having regular and boring sex, but making love to each other; all of it was euphoric.
He thought that this is what a "first time" was supposed to really be like. Being with the one you love, embracing them and kissing them with as much love as the ocean that covered the planet, taking them while you shared a kiss with them, and then looking into each other's eyes as if the world were falling apart around each other. This was how it should have been done when they did it at fifteen, but they were young and stupid, knowing nothing better and having no one else in the world to be with.
This was different. They were adults, they were finally with the ones they loved, they were experienced, they knew what they were doing, and Eren was as sure as hell not going to mess it up.
"Are you okay?" He asked against Armin's lips. Armin nodded his head, a small hum, or maybe a moan, left him as Eren's hands ran over his body from his legs to his chest and wrapped around him, trapping him in an embrace. If that didn't send shivers up and down Armin's spine, then he didn't know what would.
"Eren…" Armin whimpered as Eren moved just a little, causing his muscles to tighten around him. "M-Move already," He begged.
"You sure?" Eren asked, his resistance slipping away.
"Yes, yes, just hurry!" Armin rolled his hips back, hoping to make Eren get things started. Get started they did. Eren smiled slightly as he pulled back and pushed back in slowly, eliciting a rather enticing moan from Armin. He did this a few times, working in a slow movement to simply loosen him up (and secretly tease him). When he figured that Armin was okay for more, he quickened his pace.
Armin tossed his head back when Eren unintentionally brushed against his prostate. He tightened his grip on Eren, but as much as he loved it at times for Eren' to toy with him, now wasn't the time. Eren purposely ignored that one spot, at times coming close to it, but never truly hitting it. Armin whined in protest and Eren chuckled at his pleasure-induced misery.
"Eren- Hng!" Armin cried out as his back arched. Eren decided to indulge his friend, even if only for a minute. He quickly thrust into that one spot that Armin had been begging for. Armin cried out, his nerves going numb and his body convulsing with pleasure. His muscles clenched and Eren grunted, his grip around Armin tightening. He hadn't realized how close he was until Armin did that, but now that he knew, he was determined to make his friend finish before him.
"S-Shit, Armin. Don't clench up like that. You'll ruin it for both of us if I finish early." Eren panted. Armin barely registered his words. All he could do was emit a series of moans, groans, and pants while the pleasure coursed through his veins. He pulled at Eren's neck, yanking him in for a kiss and crying against his lips.
He really didn't care for much at this point. It had been his worry at first that Mikasa would come home and find them, but now he wasn't sure he would care even if she took pictures. He wanted this. He wanted this more than anything he had ever wanted. He could feel his own release building up, stronger than before, and he knew why it was.
It was because he finally had what he had wanted for so long. The only family he had in his life was his. His friend was his and his alone. He had been right when he had said that they were just starting to get their lives together, and he had a feeling (A distant one that he couldn't concentrate on for more than a millisecond) that things were only going to get better.
Their kiss broke and Armin cupped Eren's cheeks within his hands.
"More," He begged breathlessly. "P-Please," Eren groaned within his throat while pulling one of Armin's legs over his shoulder. He didn't try to hold back anymore. He wanted to take it slow, but simply couldn't. He thrust himself mercilessly into the smaller boy without hesitating. He knew Armin wouldn't complain either. He would probably thrill over the new speed and depth, and he did.
To truly make Armin lose his mind, Eren grabbed at him between their bodies, stroking him at a slow pace while thumbing the slit in a circular motion. Armin tried his best to suppress his scream of pleasure, but he barely could as he released himself on his chest and in Eren's hand. His nails dug into the back of Eren's neck, unaware of it drawing some blood. Eren didn't notice either; all he noticed was the heat that engulfed him tighten to an almost painful extent, milking him of his orgasm.
"A-Armin…!" He groaned as he came, spilling himself inside of Armin. This time he did it on purpose. The hickey on Armin's neck would be gone within a week, but this way he had a mark on him that no one else but him would know about. Armin was his, and this was his way to prove it.
He collapsed against Armin's chest, his body tired and achy and already sore from the exertion he just went through. Armin was panting under him, his body sweating like his own and with his fluid painting his bare stomach. Eren didn't care if his shirt got stained from it; as a matter of fact, he didn't care about anything.
"Eren…" Armin whimpered his name over and over again while he came down from his high. He ran his fingers through Eren's hair, rubbing his scalp in a soothing manner that got Eren to look up at him. Their eyes connected, hazy and glazed over with a foggy layer of lust as they stare at each other. Eren smiled as he pushed himself up to kiss Armin. The kiss was lazy and weak, but the emotions Eren forced into such a small kiss were strikingly strong.
Eren's hands wrapped around Armin's back and pulled as he sat up, bringing his friend into his lap. With Eren still inside of him, the sensation and oversensitivity caused him to blush from ear to ear with a strangled groan caught in his throat.
"Eren," He said as their kiss broke.
"If you think we're finished, you've got another thing coming." Eren said with a smirk.
"Huh?" Armin let out. Eren sat back to pull the shirt he had been too busy to remove earlier over his head.
"You're in for a long night, Armin."
It didn't take long for Jean to see the two walk into the diner, and the first thing he noticed was the limp Armin had and the hickey he tried desperately to hide. He sneered at the two, and while Armin blushed and looked away from him, hoping to find something else to do, Eren simply smirked and wrapped his arms around Armin's waist.
"Where are you going?" He asked into his ear. Armin jumped, surprised by the sudden contact from his friend.
"You're so embarrassing…" He muttered, trying to hide his face behind his hair.
"I could be doing a lot worse, you know." Eren stated bravely.
"And there isn't a doubt in my mind that you won't try." Armin chuckled as he spoke.
"So, Armin," Armin once again jumped in place. He hadn't known that Jean had left the kitchen to come see the two, and now the man was standing behind them, his smug grin proving Armin's inner fears that he already knew. "What are you doing here today? Today is your day off, isn't it?" He asked while wiping his hands on his apron.
"W-We just came for lunch, that's all." Armin looked down at his feet, noticing Eren still holding onto his waist and not parting for even a second.
"Lunch, huh?" Jean asked. He tapped at Armin's shoulder, and when looking up to Jean, Jean pointed down a row of tables. "Look who else decided to have "lunch" too." He said, motioning to the couple at a table.
"No way," Eren gaped in surprised. Obviously he had seen what Armin hadn't first, but after focusing on it, he could see the couple. It was Annie sitting with Bertholdt, her head against his shoulder and a smile on both of their faces.
"About damn time, right, Armin?" Jean elbowed his shoulder, but it didn't take Armin being a rocket scientist to know that Jean was referring to him and Eren as well. As if her ears had been burning, Annie looked up from her food to the three staring at them. Armin waved at her, giving a wink and all-knowing smirk in her direction. She huffed in an attempt to pass it off, pressing her face into Bertholdt's chest with her cheeks flushing red. Despite her embarrassment, she smiled in his direction.
Armin felt Eren's grip around him tighten. He didn't pay much mind to it until he felt Eren release him. Eren took him by the shoulders and spun him around so Armin could face him.
"Eren, what a-" He couldn't continue his sentence, because Eren's lips covered his in a quick kiss. His eyes widened, his cheeks blushed a dark shade of red, and his knees became weak. He heard Jean gasp in surprise beside him and he couldn't have shaken more with fear than at that moment. What was he doing, and in a public place like Armin's job? In front of Jean? In front of Annie and Bertholdt and everyone else?
Armin pushed at Eren's chest, breaking the kiss and knocking him into the back of an empty booth. He looked rather startled by the action, being something Armin ever so rarely did (the pushing thing), but Armin's blush got him to smirk.
"Eren," Armin whined. "Cut it out."
"So did you get the picture?" Christa's voice said by them.
"Yep, nice and in detail." Reiner said, holding his cellphone up while looking at the picture of the two he had just taken.
"You guys!" Armin hollered. They seemed completely oblivious, looking at the picture and inspecting it. Ymir, who had been standing behind the two, pointed at the picture, mentioning something about seeing tongue, which was a complete and false lie. Armin covered his face with his hands, hiding his red face and wallowing in embarrassment. He heard Eren chuckle behind him, and he immediately turned around to smack his shoulder.
"Ow! What was that for?" Eren asked, still smiling. It hadn't hurt him, it only stung slightly.
"You're so embarrassing!" Armin whined.
"You've said that plenty of times before." Eren said. Armin peaked from behind his hands, his own, devilish smirk playing on his lips when a certain thought came to mind.
"So why did you kiss me, Eren?" He asked, his hand falling to his hips.
"Huh?" Eren's cheeks held a small tint of pink.
"That's a great question," Reiner mused.
"N-No reason, I just uh-"
"There had to be a reason." Armin stepped closer so he could be face to face with Eren. He may have been embarrassed, but he was going to make Eren pay for it. "Could it have been that you were jealous of Annie?" He asked.
"What? N-No!" Eren's voice cracked, his cheeks getting redder.
"It'd make sense," Armin stated. "Was that why you were upset before? You were jealous of Annie?"
"I'm not jealous, Armin!" Eren clenched his fists at his side, trying to stand his ground, but he was utterly failing. He had never had to stand his ground against Armin, so this was totally new to him, new and completely throwing him for a loop.
And to his luck, Annie and Bertholdt had heard the whole thing.
"So are they finally together?" Bertholdt spoke up and asked.
"I guess so; I'm not so good with four play to be able to tell the difference." Reiner shrugged his shoulder and said.
"Four play?" Armin questioned.
"I guess you own me fifty." Bertholdt mumbled. "But you can just use that to pay for the movies for Annie and I tonight."
"Whoa wait! You had bets on when he'd get together?" Eren flushed darker and asked.
"Well you had bets with Armin on when we would get together." Bertholdt said, motioning towards Annie.
"You told him?" Armin asked.
"Yes. I didn't think it would matter if he knew." Annie mumbled quietly.
"Right… I guess that means I owe you a month's rent, right Eren?" Armin asked playfully.
"Ugh, you're all impossible!" Eren huffed with impatience while throwing up his hands. He didn't bother turning back to look at the other's as he exited the diner the way he came in, Armin quickly following behind him and calling out for him.
"Hey, Eren, wait!" He called out. He stepped outside into the nippy, autumn air, looking for his friend when said friend grabbed him from behind by his sweater and pulled him into the diner wall. Armin couldn't even collect the wind that got knocked out of him before Eren's lips were on his in a desperate kiss. He tried to wrap his arms around Eren's shoulders, but Eren pinned his hands against the wall and parted with great reluctance. His gaze was deafening and Armin couldn't even breathe straight at the sight of those striking, green eyes.
"You were right…" He mumbled near his lips.
"… A-About what?" It took a moment for him to respond, seeing as how the blood rushed to somewhere other than his brain.
"I was jealous…" Eren pitifully admitted, his eyes downcast with embarrassment. Somehow, the admission from him couldn't have made Armin any happier.
"Really…?" He knew he shouldn't have sounded so happy for that, but he couldn't help himself. His pulse was racing and his heart was beating so painfully in his chest, but it didn't hurt. It felt really good.
"Yeah…" Eren grumbled.
"B-But why? Why would you be jealous of Annie?" He asked.
"B-Because I…We've been doing this for so long, sometimes I forgot that what we were doing wasn't supposed to mean anything… I got jealous at the thought that you would ever give yourself to anyone else." Eren explained sheepishly, his head slowly falling to rest on Armin's shoulder.
"Oh, Eren…" Armin breathed, his hands pulling from Eren's weak grasp to rub his head. "Somehow that's really flattering." Armin said and laughed. Eren groaned against his neck. "There's no reason to be jealous anymore, Eren." He said.
Eren lifted his head, looking up at him with an almost pleading look. Armin smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Right," Eren murmured and kiss him back, getting at the corner of his lips. "Because you're mine." He fingered with the laces of Armin's sweater, pulling slightly to reveal that bruise Armin tried to cover.
"That's right," Armin said, rather proud of it too. "I'm yours and you're mine. That's never going to change, right?" He asked.
"Right," Eren agreed. Armin pushed himself off of the wall, making Eren move with him.
"Let's go inside. It's cold out here and I'm hungry." He said while zipping his sweater back up to cover the hickey. He wasn't sure why he was trying, considering that Jean already saw it and was more than likely blabbing about it to everyone at this very moment, but he wanted to have some dignity and pride left by the end of the day. He turned back to the door, but Eren's arms found their way around his shoulders, keeping him in place. "What's wrong, Eren?" He asked quietly.
"Armin…" Eren mumbled near his ear.
"Yeah…?" Armin turned his head to the side to see his friends face. Eren's stayed quiet for a moment, simply looking at Armin. Armin was going to speak up, but Eren did it first.
"Move in with me and Mikasa."
A/N: I've figured I'm a sadist if I ended it like that. XD More reivews! And cookies!