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Eren thinks it’s ironic that you’re giving him something that reminded you of him when they resembled you perfectly. Effortlessly pretty, bright from all the attention from the sun and reminiscent of nature’s most beautiful creations. He doesn’t say this to you because he thinks his pink cheeks and ears say more than he ever could. In response, you give him a massive glossy grin that reveals all your teeth and makes your cheeks rise like bread.
You ran up to your boyfriend awkwardly, as you try to hide the two tulips behind your back. Your summer dress dances in the wind and your hair blew behind you exposing your features to him to admire as if you were on the set for a French perfume advert. He stood patiently waiting for you at the bus stop exactly between both of your homes, ready for your date.
“Hey Rennie.” You looked as if the excitement was bubbling up inside you, trying its hardest not the escape as you were unable to stay still, bouncing on your feet. Eren could hear your huffs and puffs from the run you did and also because you decided to stand literally right under his nose. So close he could see his reflection in your shiny eyes and feel your breath on his face as you gazed into his eyes.
Eren doesn’t know why you’re with him. Now and why you promised him forever. On paper you both wouldn’t work, he’s dark, you’re bright, you’re heaven and he’s hell. But the sparkle on your glossed lips and his key necklace that hung around your neck reminded him that he can leave these thoughts to the times he’s alone in his room without you.
Nevertheless, Eren plays along, wants to keep you smiling. He rolls his eyes at the nickname before leaning in to give you a sweet kiss on your cheek and then the other one.
“Hello my beloved,” he greets in a playful tone but seeing your eyebrows rise and your eyes go distant for a second makes him think you don’t mind it. “What’s behind your back?”
You thrust the flowers at your boyfriend, rather roughly with the energy coursing through your limbs making the buds shake on their own. You grip two tulips, one a buttery yellow and one a blush pink, both with a single leaf on the stems. Eren feels the urge to take a photo of this moment, his pretty girl with these pretty flowers in her hands, looking at him with all the love in the world. But instead, an overwhelming rush of gratitude and endearment filled him. You buying flowers for him?
“I got these for you! I saw them in this little florist on my way here and they reminded me of us.” You looked down at your yellow dress and at the same time a lightbulb went off in Eren’s head at realisation. Albeit a shade off, you and the flower were both matching yellow but the pink?
Eren took the flowers from you, his hands resting on yours before yours slipped away and slid onto his waist. A hearty chuckle rumbled from his stomach to his throat. He’s never had anyone buy him flowers before, something so delicate and innocent. The plant almost looked odd in his hands, juxtaposing his rather large callous palms and thick silver rings, though he held them as if you had just given him gold.
A soft kiss landed on your lips, you felt his baby hairs tickle your forehead as he did so, trying to press all the feelings he can’t articulate into you. You reflexively squeezed his side from the unexpected contact and Eren began to grin into the kiss, his hot breath smelling roughly of the blunt he smoked earlier with the sweetness of his lip balm made you feel dazed. You felt certain there were animated circles and stars spinning on top of your head just from one kiss from your lover.
“Thank you, baby. Nobody’s ever gotten me flowers before, you know?” Eren’s moss green eyes were glossy staring down at the tulips in his hand. He twirled the stem between his fingertips, admiring them from every angle. “But why’d the pink one remind you of me? Pink definitely isn’t my colour.”
His flicked from your lips to your eyes as he waited for an answer. You giggled shyly, making Eren’s necklace in the centre of your chest glimmer, catching the rays of the sun every time you moved. You went to play with the gold bracelets that decorated your arms, one of the more fancy ones being a gift from your boyfriend. The metals jingling as they hit against each other.
“It’s the same shade your cheeks went when I gave them to you. I knew they would.” You said confidently as if you were omniscient in everything about the boy. Ignoring your wide eyes and how you were completely correct, Eren spun himself around to hide his face and gripped your hand pulling you behind him along the street.
“You’re wrong.” He uttered, a pout on his lips.
“I should have taken a photo when I gave you them, you looked so cute,” you sang letting him take you wherever he wanted because you’d go anywhere if it was with him.
For the rest of your date together, if Eren wasn’t holding the flowers tightly to his chest, instead it would be you pressed to it. His head resting on your shoulder, your perfume similar to the tulips he held in his hand. And when they were held tightly in his hand, his other always held yours, the most precious flower he’s ever seen.
The next time you go to Eren’s apartment you see the famous pink and yellow tulips standing a little limp and very awkwardly in a tall pint glass with a random logo on the side. The same pint glass you see Eren use for his casual beer on a Thursday evening and very often nowadays, milk.
The sight made you snigger into the sleeve of your pale yellow jumper, not at all surprised at Eren’s lack of vase and accommodating with the tallest glass he could find. A huff sounded from behind you, his arms crossed against his chest leaning on the door frame.
“I know you know I don’t own a vase; I did what I could!” he whined.
You shrugged, it’s Eren what did you expect? Eren crept up behind you wrapping his strong arms around your waist, your back to his chest, both smiling at the lovely flowers in the ugly glass.
“It’s like me and you right now, in the same position,” Eren exclaimed as if he discovered a new element. The blush pink flower stood behind the butter yellow one, with fresh water resting halfway up the stem. “Two beautiful humans together, trapped in this scary world but we still have each other.”
“Yeah, okay Shakespeare.” You joked looking up to see Eren already looking down at you, a little smile on his face from his cheesy words. “Those flowers are also gonna die in a few days what does that say about us?”
“Wow morbid,” Eren chuckled, rubbing his nose into your cheek, ignoring your “you started it!” “-but at least they die together, right?” His head tilted slightly at the question, mirroring a puppy with doe-like eyes.
Slowly the smile slid from your cheeks, staring at the man you were completely enamoured by, leaving your mouth agape. You stood on your tiptoes to kiss the corner of his mouth before turning back to look at the butter yellow and blush pink tulips.
“Right.”