Chapter Text
Eren spent the days following Armin’s visit to his job in a daze. He still couldn’t understand why he was there nor why he couldn’t just say hello to his idol. Regret and sadness filled him and the anxiety that came while he waited every day to see if Armin wouldn’t come again was unbearable.
When a week had passed, Eren had almost lost his hope and slowly he started to just do his job normally without looking at the door and the windows every thirty seconds to see if Armin wouldn’t come. Well, he would just stay the model he admired and loved in an unreachable place, it was not like he would come there again. More and more days passed and Eren wasn’t even thinking of what happened anymore. He was giving a cup of coffee to a customer when he heard the bells ringing on a dull Monday morning, but he didn’t care to look up the door. He took the money from the customer and then looked at his next.
“Hello. I’d like to have a cup of large, black coffee, please.”
No muscle would move. He kept looking at the person in front of him with his mouth hanging open and he couldn’t think straight. Was it really happening? Were his eyes tricking him? It was Armin Arlert, right in front of him again, but this time talking to him. He had to do something. Armin asked him if he was alright and it was then that Eren moved. He wanted to say he would take Armin’s order right away, but instead incomprehensible sounds come through his mouth. He saw Armin’s eyebrows raise before he turned to make his coffee and now he was feeling like the worst person on the whole planet. He sure thought he was a weirdo, but what could he do now? He had to calm down. He finished Armin’s coffee and wrote his name on the cup, but couldn’t call his name like he usually did with other customers. Armin was waiting at the counter, though, and Eren gave him the cup. He was nervous as he had never been. Armin looked at the cup, looked at Eren and giggled.
“Hey, how do you know my name?”
“Uh?”
Eren couldn’t understand the question. Of course he would know his name, he was his idol and… Armin didn’t know that. Holy crap! He had forgotten to ask for his name and still wrote it. He was screwed.
“I… I’m sorry.” He couldn’t think of anything else to say. Armin smiled at him and leaned a bit on the counter.
“So, you happen to know me? Well, you don’t look like you’re interested in models… Actually, I thought no one knew me here, but, oh, well.” Armin kept his smile and Eren couldn’t breathe. He looked awesome, cute and had a hint of mischief in his eyes; it was so sexy Eren couldn’t take it, but he managed to calm down and finally said something.
“I’m a big fan of your work.”
“Thank you.” Armin said and took his wallet off his bag, getting some money off of it. He looked at Eren’s face and then lowered his eyes while he placed the money on the counter. “You can keep the change, Eren.”
Armin grabbed his coffee and left the shop. Eren was breathless. He was glad there was no costumer for him to tend at that time, since the store was never busy at that time of the morning. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. Armin was there with all his magnificence and he had actually talked to him, though it was brief. His dream had come true; he had met Armin Arlert, his idol, the one he thought was the most incredible human being at earth, that perfect guy who had many faces to him, the ones at the photos, the ones at the interviews and a newly discovered one, the one he made in a trivial situation. He was truly amazing to Eren’s eyes. He wished he could keep talking to Armin, but it would be way too creep to tell him to stay and talk to him, even more creep than what he had already done in their interaction. Eren couldn’t keep calm through the rest of the day, he was too excited for that.
More than a week passed by since that day. Eren would wait for Armin, but he would never come. Armin was a busy person, after all. What he couldn’t understand, though, was what was he doing at that store twice. Maybe he had work in New York, but he couldn’t find any information online. Armin came again exactly a week and three days after the day they talked. Eren’s heart started beating faster and he was glad he was the one to take Armin’s order instead of one of his colleagues. Armin smiled at him. Did he remember him?
“Hello.”
“Hello. May I take your order?”
Eren actually managed to say something and take Armin’s order as a professional; it was progress. Armin asked the same thing he had the last time, but this turn he stayed at the counter to drink his coffee. He was the first to talk to Eren.
“Hey, may I ask you something?”
“Yes.”
“Are you really a fan of my work?”
That was the opportunity Eren had to express how much he admired Armin, so he would take it and tell him honestly some of his mind. “Oh, yes. Your photographs always light up my day. You give this strong and mysterious impression on camera, I really like it.”
“You like me only on camera?”
“No!” Eren said instantly. He was flustered and it took him a second to understand what was going on. “I mean, you are incredible and…”
“So, you are my fan… I thought… Maybe I’ve read you wrong, but…” Armin looked down, a slight blush on his cheeks. Eren thought it was adorable and his heart wouldn’t be able to take it any longer. He had to be composed so he wouldn’t look so creepy. Armin kept talking. “You see, I’m living in New York now, but I’m always out of the city, my schedule is very full. What I mean is… I didn’t get a chance yet to go around the city and I don’t really know New York. Would you show me around?”
“Uh?”
His head went blank. Armin… Asking him out? That wasn’t happening. No, that wasn’t… How could…
“If you don’t want to, that’s okay.”
“No!” Eren practically screamed. That was real. Armin was actually asking him to show him the city. He couldn’t make it any more awkward, he had to answer it. “Ah… I want to!”
Armin smiled and grabbed his wallet. He took the money and a small piece of paper off it and put it on the counter. “So, this is my phone. Call me so we can arrange it. I have to go now. Here’s your money too. Bye!” He grabbed his coffee, got up and left while Eren said a faint “bye” back.
What was happening didn’t felt real, but the feeling of the paper on his hands wasn’t an illusion. Armin actually wanted to go out with him… Wait, he couldn’t think much of it, but he was happy they could hang out. He never thought a day like that would ever happen and there he was. Maybe it was the start of something. He felt like he could do anything in life. Happiness was truly something. Maybe that was the time to start moving his life, he felt like he could change it and Armin would be his reason for doing that. He was definitely calling Armin as soon as he could. He couldn’t wait.
Armin left the coffee shop giggling. He felt nervous while doing that, but Eren’s reaction was so cute he now felt light. When he saw him for the first time while cleaning the tables, he thought he was cute. Eren wouldn’t stop looking at him and he seemed scared. Armin wondered what was up with that guy and decided to go to the shop again when he got a day off. He never thought Eren would be his fan and, honestly, he was adorable being so embarrassed, but Armin also thought he was hot. He knew it wasn’t too wise to invite him to a date so soon, but he felt confident on it. Eren seemed like a good guy and his reactions were too innocent for him to mean harm. It could be the start of something and Armin felt truly excited to see how it would turn out. He couldn’t wait for the call.