Eremin Shorts

Not Your Usual First Impression (F)

Modern AU
Armin's POV

   I can't remember the last time I fell for someone so fast. Probably because it's never happened or those memories have gotten so lost on my head. Some people look at a person and already have it made in their head they're going to marry them, but I'm too sharp for my own good.

   I've been on plenty of dates with other guys but none of them really worked out. Didn't pass my internal interrogations with high expectations. Mostly too flamboyant for my taste. Standing out isn't really my thing given that I've had a history of bullying. But this guy seems really chill.

   Marco hooked me up with him, fawning over the fact that he looked like a model. He was not lying. That originally drove me away because of  my preconceived stereotypes. 'The pretty ones are always the meanest. Drunk with power' But Eren was a huge dork like me. Some times I could see his cockiness and charisma getting to his head, but he was adorably clumsy and nonchalant. Everything I wish I was. Well, maybe minus the cockiness.

   But the one thing that sold me was when he abruptly left our dinner. Strange, I know. But he couldn't stop eyeballing this one girl who was being hit on at the bar. He had pointed them out to me earlier but nothing serious was happening. But now the drunk old guy who was highly intoxicated was slinging his arm around her, slouching so much that he could of knocked her out of the bar stool. She kept pushing and complaining until Eren marched up to them.

   I gulped down the bits of my food quite harshly, watching with widened eyed as the brunet tapped the girl's shoulder and asked her "Hey. Sorry that took so long. Are you ready to go? Who's this..?"

I was so tense watching this that I held my breath unknowingly, wondering if I should get up and help. I was so worried about a fight breaking up and didn't want to be going home in the back of an ambulance.

The drunk guy turned his head to Eren and narrowed his eyes at him, studying the brunet who seemed to be making himself seem bigger like a bear would. "You don't even know her, do you..?" The old man knew he was no match for Eren. You could see it in his eyes. Even so, he tried taking a swing at Eren but got blocked by Eren's forearm pretty quickly, shielding the girl from any harm.

I immediately sprung up from the table, given we weren't seated far from the bar. But once Eren had a old of the guy's wrist, he calmly raised another hand to motion 'stop' at me. A sharp "HEY" boomed from one of the bar tenders, quickly rushing over to the scene and scolding "Both of you, out! There will be no brawling inside or outside of my bar. Do you understand? Get out. Now."

"This dude took the first swing after I was trying to get him off this girl!" Eren tried to refute, but the bar tender just shook his head and motioned to the door. "He said, she said. I don't care. Out now."

Our waitress rushed over to our table given she recognized that Eren was seated with me, holding a bill in her hands as she quietly said "I assumed you would be leaving as well. Would you like the check now? I also brought some boxes and mints."

Eyeballing the brunet who was walking out of the restaurant with the girl in hand, he safely exited after the drunk dude who barely could carry himself. "Yes, thank you so much. Um-" I fumbled as I tried to quickly take out my wallet, opening the check so I could just pay the price in cash. "Thank you, seriously." I looked her right in the eyes with an awkward smile, giving her quite a generous tip for her services.

After the waiter helped box up the food, I rushed out the door while also tried to juggle all of Eren's belongings. Rushing out the door, I heard Eren's voice to the left where him and the girl, were. She was sitting down on a bench with him kneeling in front, giving her some distance in between. "I can call you an taxi if you're not comfortable with walking you home."

"Is she okay? Was she hurt?" I was quick to say, the brunet immediately standing up to take his things and boxes. "I-I'm fine! I just need to get home..." The girl said tearfully, the brunet digging into his coat pockets to hand her compact tissues. She obviously wasn't fine. "You're sure you don't want us to call the police? That guy will be easy to catch, he's so drunk."

"Just let it be... I don't need more trouble. I need to get home." Enough said. I got my phone out and worked on getting her an taxi before the brunet halted me, saying "No, let me. You already payed for both our dinners. By the way, how much was that?"

"Don't worry about it." I agreed to let him get the taxi, however I wasn't planning on splitting the dinner bill. "You can make it up to me by walking me home tonight. Deal?"

Eren caught on to the tiny smirk I had on my face, making his cheeks glow red as he softly muttered "Yeah," trying to distract himself by getting her the taxi.

A female taxi was quick to picking up this girl, both of us giving her some cash to help pay for her trip home since it was a bit of a lengthy one. We both gave her our numbers if she felt she needed someone to talk to and let us know she was alright. As soon as the taxi left, we both looked at each other and exchanged bewildered expressions. I thought there was no better time than now to go ahead and give him a big smooch on the lips, adrenaline distracting me from the fact that I was super nervous to kiss him for the first time.

I went in with no warning. Just two hands on his neck and one big caress that smooshed our noses a little bit. But once I pulled away, I sputtered out to ward off my anxiety "That was literally the bravest thing I've ever seen someone do. And the fact you didn't care if that'd ruin our date and went to help her was just... really hot. Selfless and hot."

   Yikes... Pretty bold for first meeting.

My cheeks hurt I was smiling so much, my face on fire as the brunet got just as smiley, bashfully chuckling in response. His hands hesitantly fell on my waist, hugging me a little closer as he softly questioned "Even though it cut our night short?"

"We can continue our date back at my place where you're more than welcome to stay the night."

"I-I thought you said you'd prefer to take things slow—"

"I just learned a whole lot about your character tonight. Believe me. I want you to stay the night."

"But like... what if I'm a serial killer or something?"

   "Well are you a serial killer?"

   "No. I wouldn't be ballsy enough and make myself known in that bar if I was." Eren seemed to get a little nervous at the question, causing me to snort and pat his shoulder playfully. "You're making a great case for yourself."

    Despite his flustered stance, the brunet's eyes fluttered shut as he leaned in with a more gentle kiss, his hand cupping my face with a comforting warmth. So that's how you kiss...

After pulling away, the brunet flinched and shook his arm a bit, mumbling "Jeez, that old drunk did not hold his punches." He smiled through his pain though, hissing through his teeth as he rubbed at his arm.

"That'll be the first thing we look at when we get to my place, wounded soldier. How about that?" I gently laced my fingers in between his, walking the brunet back to where I lived.

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Author's Notes

   The picture used is from a random bar in Seattle called The Dray