It was summer and the skies were yellow, the world taking a moment to enjoy itself before locking down again for the next winter. Summers meant one thing for Eren — baths. And that meant time to spend with his best friend. Being four years of age, Eren was not yet exposed to the boundaries that would be later recognized in his life. What personal space was, the fact that not everyone wanted to be your friend, what was and wasn't considered normal. But the innocence and ignorance of youth, as it often does, poured its bliss and happiness all over the young boy. He didn't have a care in the world.
The only things he really cared about were his parents and his best friend, Armin. Armin lived just down the street and they often visited each other's houses to play. You never saw one without the other. It was like they were joined at the hip. Parents and other onlookers would smile as they ran past, recognizing the purity of love and hoping it would last through everything else. Eren however, still four years old, didn't know what love was. He loved his parents, surely, but he didn't fully recognize the connection he had with Armin. The boy was his only friend, anything he'd ever known, so anything they did was normal. It was just how friends were. So in the following years when he would go to school and meet new people, he would begin to realize that the bond he shared with Armin didn't fit under that category of "normal" as others said it was supposed to be.
But hidden from the opinions of others, oblivious to the guidelines people would later expect him to follow religiously, Eren nagged his mom to let Armin over so they could have a bath together.
Carla, Eren's mother, always let the blond come over. She told him he was always welcome and could visit any time he liked. But still Eren always asked. And she always said yes.
She didn't want to spoil the joys of her son's youth, so she didn't stop the bathing. She knew one day they wouldn't want to do something like that together, but figured they could reach that decision on their own. But for now, they were just kids and didn't need to worry about that just yet.
Carla made a call to the Arlert residence, explaining the situation to Armin's mother, as per usual in the summer. One word and Armin was over in minutes, a timid smile on his face. Eren waved from his place behind his mother and the boys ran off while Carla invited Armin's mother in to talk over a cup of tea. Eren had learned how to turn on the water himself since he spent so much time in the tub and didn't hesitate to pull the handle, watching the water gush from the faucet. Armin watched the bath slowly fill, the steam and warmth from the water rising in the air and filling the limited space between them. He had already begun to pull off his shoes, peeling off his socks along with them. Eren slipped his shirt over his head, throwing it blindly on the floor. As the amount of water increased, the amount of clothes did the opposite. Shirts, shorts, underwear, until they stood naked in the bathroom and the tub was full. After turning the faucet the opposite way, the boys climbed in, settling into the warm water and feeling it stir gently around them. Eren grabbed his rubber ducks and toy boat from next to the tub, dropping each item into the water. "What do you wanna play?" Eren asked his friend who furrowed his brow. "I dunno. Knights and dragons?"
Eren smiled, grabbing a nearby duck. "Okay."
He put on what he thought was a brave face, but it didn't appear that way because Armin giggled as he put a fist to his chest. "I, Eren Jaeger, the brave dragon slayer have come to rescue —" he cut off, looking to the blond. "Will you be my princess?"
"Why do I have to be the princess?"
Eren took a moment then. It was the first drops of youth beginning to slip away. He didn't know why Armin had to be his princess, in all honesty. "Uh, well . . . every knight has a princess. And he has to like her because he's saving her all the time. And I like you, so . . ." Eren shrugged, leaving the sentence hang; like a noose for the line between friendship and something more. But Armin seemed satisfied with his response and gave him a gentle nod to signal his continuation. Eren gave him a quick smile before putting on his "brave" face again. "I, Eren Jaeger, the brave dragon slayer have come to rescue the beautiful Princess Armin" — the blond giggled at that — "from the terrible beast that has taken him!"
Armin became the best damsel in distress he could muster. "Oh save me, brave knight! Save me from the dragon!"
He raised his arm out of the soapy water, the bubbles running down his skin. "Don't worry, princess!" he exclaimed. "I'll save you!"
Eren jabbed his fist at one of his rubber ducks, making triumphant sounds as he repeatedly attacked the bird. When the duck had floated away from Armin, he cried out in victory, basking in the imaginary glory. "The dragon is dead!"
Armin laughed. "You saved me, Eren!" he smiled, tucking a strand of blond hair behind his ear. "I must give you something in return."
"It's alright, princess. I don't need anything in return for my bravery." he said, striking another knightley pose. Armin giggled before leaning forward and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Eren's face fell into one of surprise as Armin pulled away, his cheeks beginning to darken. "Thank you, brave knight."
Eren gave a sheepish smile and together they continued to giggle and pretend in the confines of the bathtub while friendship and romance began to blur into one.
