Chapter Text
The misty morning air shines through your window, landing on your face. As you begin to stir, you inhale the familiar air of your bedroom. It smelled like everything and nothing all at once: the countless nights you had spent talking with Armin all faded into one familiar scent that you could confidently call ‘home’. You allow your eyes to flutter open, signalling your awoken state. Immediately, you can see your boyfriend lying next to you. He’s still asleep, but he looks adorable. His unkempt blond hair sits perfectly on his forehead, contrasting with the slightly blushed paleness of his skin. In his sleeping state, he looks at peace, as if nothing wrong existed in the world. You could watch him for hours, just allowing yourself to fall even deeper in love with the blond-haired boy.
The subtle rise and fall of Armin’s chest slowly becomes more noticeable over the next five minutes. His breathing shallows, akin to how it would be if he awoke. You let out a small yawn as you adjust to the morning light on your face. Though quiet, it was enough to wake your lover; he was never much of a heavy sleeper. Armin’s long lashes begin to frame his opening blue eyes. Sleepily, he reciprocates your yawn, though a lot gentler. It’s soft and kitten-like, enough to make your heart melt as you fall even deeper in love with him. Since you moved in with him, watching him wake up was a strong contender for the highlight of your day. After rubbing his eyes, Armin notices you staring unconsciously at him, and gives you a sweet, sleepy smile.
‘Morning,’ he whispers.
‘Hi,’ you whisper back.
‘What’s the time?’
In all honesty, you didn’t know, so you glance at the alarm clock behind your lover. ‘It’s 8.’
Armin yawns again, rolling over onto his back. ‘I don’t wanna get up.’
‘Neither.’
He says nothing. Instead, he slightly beckons you over with his middle and index finger. From your side of the bed, you slink over to his side. As the side of your breast meets his pectoral, Armin wraps his arm around you. Your close proximity to him allows you to indulge in his familiar scent. Pressed against the white t-shirt gripping his figure, the somewhat weak aroma of vanilla and sandalwood floods your senses. That was Armin: though lacking in some areas, he always managed to smell good. He tightens his grip around your arm, as you lean more into his touch. Now, your head was resting on his shoulder, a virtue granted by your similar height. Armin rubs your upper arm gently, the soft touch of his fingers caressing your bare skin. You angle your head upwards to face him.
‘You’re very pretty when you sleep,’ you admit.
Armin colours. ‘You really think that, y/n?’ He asks in disbelief.
You giggle; your boyfriend was so cute. ‘Yeah,’ you say. ‘I mean, you drool a bit, but still cute.’
Armin turns completely red. ‘I…I…do?’
You nod. Right now, as much as you loved him, you didn’t want to talk. Just existing with Armin was all you needed. His surprisingly muscular body intertwined with the sleek curvature of your physique was more than enough to satisfy you.
Armin notices your silence, albeit after it is somewhat prolonged. With the hand caressing your arm, he draws the focus of his touch to your hair, barely contained in a satin scrunchie. Armin weaves his fingers through your messy locks. You didn’t look nearly as put together as him just after waking up. He, however, didn’t share your view: although he rarely had the means to articulate it, he always made you feel as though you were the object of desire, mere minutes after waking. The movement of Armin’s hand follows the natural growth of your hair. He savours every moment, intimately getting to know every strand. As he reaches your tips, he smiles at you.
‘Pretty,’ he whispers breathlessly.
Sometimes, he would articulate his thoughts without even realising. Usually, they would be brief, only a word or two. This was one of those times. Armin was never particularly outspoken, but, when caught in a moment of unconsciousness, his true thoughts would shine through. After all, he was still half asleep.
You never really knew how to respond to him in this state. Instead of granting your lover a verbal response, you position your face perpendicular to his, planting a soft kiss on his cheek, leaving the waxy residue of your chapstick on him. As you pull away, Armin looks at you front-on, his eyes still sleepy. He cups your face in his soft hand, gently pushing your chin upwards. He kisses you, his honeysuckle lips resting gently on yours. It was if they belonged there; like they were the one missing piece from the puzzle of y/n. No, it wasn’t as if they were; they absolutely were. Armin was your missing puzzle piece, and you were his.
Even though you could never even dream of matching his intellectual passion, there was one thing you knew for certain: waking up with Armin Arlert was truly a heaven-sent blessing. Truth be told, you couldn’t help falling in love with him.