Complexity- Armin x Reader

Chapter 8: Phantom Beats

A/N: Not gonna lie, I had writer's block for a cool minute and had a tough time figuring out how I wanted to arrange the plot points I had written down. I'm sorry once again, please don't hate me ;~; ! Don't forget to vote if you like this chapter, and if you didn't like it, that's A-ok! Just let me know what I could improve upon. As always, have a good one guys <3

~♢~

Y/n had felt a chill crawl down her spine as she made a deal with Jean that morning. Her mind raced with tons of imaginary failed situations involving plots orchestrated by the boy whose hand she just shook. It was as if she had shaken the Devil's hand.

After getting back to Eren's house and helping clean a bit, the group had gone their separate ways, but not before Jean spoke with Y/n once more. Right before leaving with Armin, Y/n had been pulled aside by Jean into the corridor.

"Thursday at 4."

And with that, the two of them had made plans to meet up at the Coffee Bean and talk about something as trivial as a high school relationship. Y/n was left wondering why it mattered so much to the tall, brown-haired boy.

After Armin's grandfather parked his old, light blue truck in front of Y/n's house, Y/n thanked the man and made her way out, stopping as she heard Armin call out for her to wait up. She turned her attention to the blue-eyed boy who stood a few feet short of where she was on her driveway.

"Hey," he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans, the cool, winter breezes urging strands of his hair to brush against his face, "you know I'm not going to let you spend Christmas Eve alone." He looked at the girl with a strong resolve, his eyes hardened into a determined expression that he wanted desperately to get through to his friend. He knew that Y/n was used to not being able to spend much time with her workaholic mother, but Christmas Eve was just too much for her to go through alone.

Y/n was about to open her mouth to protest, but Armin kept going.

"Y/n, don't you dare say you're going to be a bother. If your mom isn't able to get the day off, then call me. I'll pick you up. Ok?" He came closer to her, piercing blue eyes intently gazing into his friend's watery ones. He took his hand out of his pocket to take her right hand into his, giving it a light squeeze.

Y/n squeezed it back. She smiled softly at him.

"Ok."

Armin, feeling content with the outcome, let go of the girl's hand and grinned triumphantly.

"I'll see you around, Y/n." He waved and turned around to walk back to his grandfather's truck, where the old man was very clearly watching, only for the blonde to be stopped right in his tracks as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his torso from behind. As quick as it happened, it ended with Y/n giving him a rushed "Thank you!" before she scurried off to her front door and disappeared into her household.

Armin stared straight ahead of him, feeling quite surprised. Though he had received many hugs from Y/n in the past, that one had felt different. She had grasped onto him for those short seconds in a way that puzzled him. He figured that maybe he was reading into it too much, but he couldn't help but be charmed by that small embrace.

He walked back to the truck and opened the door, not seeing the knowing look on his grandfather's face. It was after he had put his seatbelt on that he noticed the truck hadn't budged.

"What's wrong, Grandpa?"

"You're smiling so wide that your face might just split."

Armin's lips quickly let go of their curled state and the blonde huffed, looking away. He hadn't realized he was that happy.