Chapter Text
Opening the front door with ease, the poor blonde struggled ever so slightly to reseal it. The piercing wind tried to claw its way inside and disturb the comfortable temperature that was heated to perfection. Armin pressed his shoulder into the wood and he shoved against it with more force. Sighing in relief when a soft ‘click’ sounded, the blonde began to shed off his thick layers. As much as he wanted to keep them on, the soft rain outside had coated his protection with moisture.
“Ahh, it’s so cold!” Armin complained out loud. He hung his jacket, scarf, and hat on a nearby hook to dry. Kicking his shoes off, Armin made sure he wiped away any wetness on the floor with an abused towel that was designated for such a thing.
His ears perked when a spoon clanked against a metal pot further inside the house. Walking away from the entrance, Armin’s lips curved into a gentle smile. His gaze searched for his beloved partner and he soon found the handsome man standing in the kitchen.
Jean’s broad back was facing the blonde, an arm swaying while he stirred a steaming pot of soup. The brown-haired man appeared completely absorbed in cooking their dinner, but it was apparent Jean knew his boyfriend had finally come home. His head was tilted in a way that allowed Armin to know he was listening and patiently waiting for his presence.
Armin took in a slow breath and he hummed with hunger from the rich scent that wafted heavily in the air. Moistening his lips and sniffing back anything from his running nose, his steps grew lighter with rising delight. Finally, home without any lingering worry about work, the bitter cold vanished when his head filled with only thoughts about his boyfriend and warmth.
“You know, you wouldn’t be so cold if you parked in the garage. I know how you hate the weather around this time of year,” Jean finally greeted. Automatically holding his available arm out, he slung it around his waist and his lips sought for evenly parted hair. His eyes fluttered closed, but Jean soon scrunched his face when cold fingers dipped beneath his shirt.
Giggling at the way his boyfriend shivered when his trailing fingers teased the end of his spine, Armin dramatically replied. “As I’ve said before, I would be able to park in there if somebody made room for me! Not only is your car in there but your countless canvases and other art supplies!”
“I’ll deal with it this weekend. I promise. I don’t want my schmoopy to get sick,” he gently replied. Pulling away from the shorter man when the entirety of his chilling hand flattened on his skin, he swatted at him playfully. “Stop that! You’re making me cold!”
“I’m showing you how cold it is!”
“You don’t need to show me! I know it’s cold! I’ve been watching the news!” Jean hissed without any malice. Letting go of the spoon, the sharp-eyed man fully turned towards his boyfriend. Cupping his face, his grin widened while he squeezed reddened cheeks in retaliation. “Armin, quit acting like a bratty child and go wash your hands for dinner.”
“I’m not acting like a child. I’m acting out my frustrations like an adult would, for your information. Work gave me such a headache this afternoon. It was ridiculous!” Armin mumbled to the best of his ability. Sticking his tongue out, he held back a delighted squeal when fingers pinched the very tip of it. Leaning on his toes for an apologetic kiss, slightly chapped lips slotted between his without hesitance.
“Yeah? Is it that case you’ve been dealing with all month?” Jean encouraged. Sharing another kiss, he reluctantly pulled away when his empty stomach growled for food. He busied himself with grabbing bowls and he filled them both with a hearty, full serving. Jean wasted no time in caring for the both of them and his eagerness showed through his swift actions.
Armin worked long and tedious hours, so when he would finally arrive home, dinner was almost always done and simply simmering to keep hot. The blonde had told him time and time again that they could eat separately when needed, but Jean denied the terrible offer. Sharing meals allowed them to bond and destress from a long day of activities. Especially Armin who worked five times a week versus his more leisurely schedule of artistic commissions.
Washing his hands at the sink, Armin dragged a dull hum. His expression grew annoyed while he replayed his afternoon. “Yes. Marie is making the divorce extremely difficult. She’s demanding that everything is split fifty-fifty between them, but what she’s claiming and what she’s giving to Erwin isn’t equally valuable. At one point today, she yelled that she was going to saw the couch in half when he requested full custody over the dog.”
“She sounds like a fucking lunatic!” Jean laughed. Setting the table with their bowls, drinks, and utensils, he pulled out Armin’s chair. Watching him settle into his seat, Jean soon sat across from his boyfriend. He made sure the blonde wouldn’t stress any further while retelling his juicy day. Jean always looked forward to Armin’s worst (comical) divorce cases at his job.
“Jean, of course she’s acting out with distress! Marie came home and found her husband in bed with their neighbor over a month ago!” Armin pointed out. Rubbing his aching hands together, desperate to warm himself up in any way possible, he soon reached for his spoon. “She just wants to win something over him, I suppose. Hurt him in the way she was hurt, if not more.”
Lowering his spoon, he chewed thoroughly before speaking up. “Yeah, I guess you’re right, but still, I think it’s extreme to say you’re going to saw the couch in half because your soon-to-be ex wants the dog. Didn’t you mention that Erwin told you he bought the dog?”
“Yes. He has the original paperwork to prove he bought the dog a few years ago. He brought the certificate this afternoon and that caused another argument. An argument that involved digging up plants and putting them in pots so she could take them to her new place,” he murmured. Taking a large bite of his food, Armin’s feet swung beneath the table in delight. Jean was a far better cook than he ever could be and he was thankful his boyfriend could provide a fulfilling meal for the both of them.
“She’ll ruin the appearance of the house if she does! It won’t sell as quickly as they’re hoping,” Jean pointed out. Drumming his fingers along his prickly chin, his voice faintly broke the brief silence. “I wonder if they’ll hire a landscaper if she does that? I wouldn’t mind getting paid by a lunatic. They don’t give a shit what’s leaving their wallet…”
“ Jean ,” Armin warned with a faint smile.
“I'm just saying! Continue,” he chuckled.
“I mentioned that to her, but Marie was only seeing red today. Somehow I directed the both of them into settling other items without much issue,” he sighed. His replies began to slow with every bite and once Jean grew silent in understanding, Armin indulged in his meal. The hot, mouthwatering soup was filling his stomach and its temperature began to trickle throughout his entire frame.
But even with such a lovingly made dinner that was created from scratch, Armin was still cold.
He disliked when the temperature began to drop for fall, but he truly despised winter. Every single year, he dreaded the season that came at full force and he was jealous of Jean every single time. His boyfriend could wear a few thin layers in several feet of snow and not complain. Armin, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He had purchased the thickest jackets he could find on the entire planet and he still felt the bone-chilling weather pierce through his endless layers.
But just because the blonde despised the change that bashed his sensitive body, Armin still loved fall and especially winter to a degree. He loved watching leaves gradually turn from green to a variety of browns and reds before breaking away from their sanctuary. He adored watching the rain gradually turned into snow, the piling snowflakes blanketing every single surface and painting their small town white. Mother Nature was a beautiful thing and Armin admired every minimal change.
Simply put; it was a love-hate relationship.
The couple settled in the living room after dinner. They sat in their favorite rockers, a small table placed between them with a mixture of their belongings that was normally used during the evening. A hissing and cracking fire brightly burned and heated the entirety of the house while the TV played through its programming for the night.
Jean sat crossed-legged on his chair and he held a sketchbook over an arm. He blinked out of his haze when Armin’s sneeze broke the peaceful atmosphere. Lifting his gaze away from his slow progress, his furrowed brows relaxed. Jean abandoned his work from the poor sight beside him.
Armin’s rocker was placed closest to the fire, his adored blanket wrapped around his entire body. The blonde's legs were tucked beneath him while his hands tightly grasped the very ends of the plush material. Cocooned in pink with yellow cat faces, nobody would ever assume the intelligent blonde was a renowned divorce lawyer in the area.
“Armin, are you still cold?” Jean wondered, though he knew the answer.
Nodding, Armin tightened his grip on the blanket beneath his chin. His lashes slowly parted and he gave his boyfriend a sideways glance. “Yeah. I think you jinxed it by saying you don’t want me to get sick…”
“Hey now, I didn’t jinx anything. You’re just built weird,” he chuckled. Pushing away from his chair, Jean brushed over his thin sweater to get rid of any erasure shavings. He listened to Armin mutter about properly cleaning up his mess, but Jean decided he’d deal with the chore later. “I think I know a way to warm you up, babe.”
“I am not getting undressed while feeling like this,” Armin muttered. He squinted suspiciously at the taller man. Growing rigid beneath his blanket, Armin blinked in slight surprise when a warm hand cupped the side of his face with other intentions. Those tenebrous eyes flashed a tender look and he steadily relaxed when he realized Jean wasn’t hinting for anything more.
“No, I wasn’t thinking about that,” Jean whispered. Bending down, he kissed his forehead and continued to stroke his thumb beneath a dazzling eye. “I was thinking about making some hot cocoa for us. We can cuddle, drink hot drinks, and enjoy the fire together. What do you think?”
“That sounds nice. Can I have extra marshmallows in mine, please?” He pleaded. Perking up from the idea, his smile grew with appreciation.
He gave a firm nod. “You got it! I’ll spruce up the best cocoa you’ve ever had yet! I’m making sure you’ll never be cold again!”
“Well, now you’re just being dramatic,” Armin dully muttered. Chuckling when Jean playfully pinched his nose, he stared after his boyfriend who vanished into the kitchen. Sucking in a slow breath in preparation, Armin shed off his blanket and stood from his chair. He began to gather blankets and pillows for the both of them before Jean would return.
“I think I have a great idea for your case!” Jean called out. Placing a small pot on the stove, the taller man went to work by heating milk and gathering his other supplies.
“Oh, really? And what’s that?” Armin mused back. Plopping himself down on the couch, he rubbed his hands over the sleeves of his shirt. Keeping the ends over his wrists, the blonde rolled his eyes with growing amusement from his reply.
Stirring in the chocolate, his available hand rested on a hip rather proudly. “Let them roll a dice. Whoever gets what number they chose in the beginning, that’s the item they take. No bitching about it. Because right now it’s all the shit they share, right?”
“Jean, if you were in that sort of position, would you want a couch, three chairs, and let’s say half of the cutlery instead of a whole set? Would you enjoy part of a collection instead of the whole thing?” He returned. Raising a brow from Jean’s rather immature approach to his job, his smile widened from the mere thought of reciting his boyfriend’s idea. For sure poor Erwin’s ears (especially his own) would hurt from the lashing he would incite.
“Armin, you’re thinking logically with that Marie involved, somebody who wants to cut the couch in half. Do you really think she’d give a damn about having mismatched furniture?” Jean proudly questioned back. Snickering from his devilishly planned idea, his shoulders grew slack once his laughter began to die down. “Also, I would never be in that position. I’m not even engaged yet.”
“Yet,” Armin whispered to himself. His voice rose for Jean to hear the second half. “One of these days, you just might be in that position.”
“Huh?” Jean harshly called out. He immediately frowned at the threat.
“If you keep it up by not moving your work in the garage, we just might fight. I might divorce my boyfriend who keeps pushing off cleaning my side of the garage from your art,” Armin said in a light tune. Biting his lip to suppress his laughter from the incoherent mutterings in the kitchen, the blonde felt rather victorious when Jean spoke clearly.
“Since you’re threatening me to that degree, I promise-promise to organize my shit. We need to get into the garage anyway to pull out our holiday decorations, so it’s a two-for-one deal,” he muttered, though the latter part was mainly to himself.
Jean focused on the creation before him. He occasionally stirred the liquid and watched the pieces of chocolate melt. The milk slowly swirled with dark crumbs until both balanced one another into its signature color. Making sure it was hot enough, Jean poured an even amount of hot cocoa into each cup.
He decorated the tops by spraying cool whip, sprinkling mini marshmallows, and for a final touch, smashed peppermint for him and caramel drizzle for Armin. His boyfriend had a much sweeter tooth and preferred having a tooth-rotting amount compared to him.
Sitting straight when his boyfriend’s steps grew apparent, Armin peered over his shoulder. Holding his hands out, the blonde thanked him softly when a hot cup was placed between them. It almost felt like his iced hands were beginning to thaw out from the blessing and he sighed in bliss.
“Thank you, Jean. I appreciate you taking care of me. And for promising to take care of the garage,” Armin gently murmured.
“You’re welcome, babe. You know I’ll do anything for you,” he sweetly whispered. Holding his cup cautiously, Jean seated himself as close as possible to the shorter man. He guided a large blanket over his shoulder and made sure he left enough for Armin to mirror his movements.
Pillows cushioned their sides and once their feet rested on the coffee table before them, the couple began to relax. Armin pressed flush into Jean’s side and he hummed from the warmth that seeped through his clothes. Bundled in a blanket near the fire that wafted earthy tones in their home, his poor aching bones began to settle in contentment.
“Erwin wants the divorce done as soon as possible. He just wants peace and quiet,” Armin began, returning to their conversation. “I think I’ve figured something out, I’m just waiting for Marie to have the right mood so I can disclose the offer that’ll satisfy both of them.”
Jean dragged a hum. “Fast divorce for a new marriage, right?”
“Jean!” He gasped.
“I’m not wrong! When you were gossiping about the drama, you mentioned that Erwin is head over heels in love with his neighbor. A neighbor who’s short, grouchy, and owns a tea shop, right? He’s obviously so enamored with the man that he’s bound to marry him soon!” Jean retorted. He held out a hand in defense of the obvious.
“I think I need to stop talking about my divorce cases with you. You know too much and one of these days this private information is going to get into the wrong hands. Like Connie and Sasha, for instance!” Armin said with the softest of laughs. Blowing at his hot cocoa, the blonde watched the sinking marshmallows dance against one another in random little swirls. Licking at the cool whip, the caramel sweetness coated his tongue.
“I may be dumb at times, but I’m not that dumb. Like I’d ever tell them about your job to that degree,” Jean huffed in fake hurt.
Taking slow drags of his drink, the blonde raised a challenging brow. He had almost mentioned the time he had overheard Connie retelling an older divorce case to Sasha, but he decided against it. The blonde was too focused on the way his overpoweringly sweet drink and Jean’s close presence were curing his body completely.
Every cautious sip guided him further into a blissful puddle of satisfaction. His fingers curled and uncurled smoothly, his squeezing legs relaxed, and his tense arms grew loose. The flickering fire caused his cheeks to dust red and even Jean’s furnace-like body made him feel like he was starting to cook. Armin, of course, wasn’t complaining in the slightest. He wasn’t cold anymore and that made him love the cooler weather in a way he preferred.
Armin didn’t mind that his eagerness to drink the entirety of his hot cocoa encouraged a dab of cool whip and caramel to kiss the very tip of his nose. He always did his best for such a cheesy stunt to take place, especially with Jean at his side. His boyfriend would normally tease at his carelessness and take care of his little mess that caused his cheeks to flush with a blush. Armin was a dork in love and he selfishly indulged in every minimal, loving attention Jean gave him.
“Babe,” Jean chuckled. Pressing his partially full cup against his chest, the taller man used his available hand to pinch Armin’s chin. Guiding him to turn his head, he flashed a crooked grin from the sight on his forever red-tipped nose. “Look at you, getting messy with your drink. If only your mother could see how ill-mannered you can be.”
Jean knew Armin had done it on purpose, just like all the other times. He silently wondered if the blonde knew he had caught on (to which Armin did), but he never bothered asking. Jean loved this silly little tradition of cleaning his nose. He adored watching his boyfriend’s reaction each and every time without ever growing bored. Jean always craved that sweetened ‘thank you’ kiss that came right after.
“Shouldn’t I be saying that to you?” Armin mused back.
“Ha-ha. You’re so funny,” he said back in a dull manner. Flashing his teeth when the blonde giggled, Jean leaned closer. Licking at the dab of cream and sticky caramel, he soon pressed a kiss on the tip. “Mah knows what my manners are like, thank you very much. Remember last year’s holiday dinner?”
“Remember last year’s-? Of course I do! She lovingly kept hinting that you’re such a gentleman who should already have swept me off of my feet!” Armin laughed.
His cheeks flushed with a dark blush and he cursed at the extra heat on his face. “Lovingly? She embarrassed the hell out of me! Your parents kept looking at me like they were expecting something to happen! All thanks to mah! Sometimes she’s too damn much… Wait a minute, do you think I haven’t swept you off of your feet?”
“Your mom meant getting engaged.”
“I-I know that! I meant like-”
“I know what you meant,” Armin whispered. Placing his almost empty cup between his thighs, the blonde used both of his hands to cup his boyfriend’s face. Rubbing beneath sharp eyes that had widened during their conversation, Armin continued to gently speak. “Yes, darling, you swept me off of my feet years ago. You still do it time and time again.”
“Do I really?” Jean questioned. Raising a brow curiously, he couldn’t help to act selfishly. Wanting to hear the rest of Armin’s thoughts, the sharp-eyed man tilted his head with encouragement.
“Of course. For example: what you did tonight. You cooked me a hot meal and listened to my rants about work. You made me a cup of cocoa and added all of my favorite ingredients. You’re cuddling with me beneath a blanket and before a fire, making sure that I’m warm to the bone. You didn’t have to go to that length, but you did and I appreciate it. You’ve truly swept me off of my feet tonight,” he honestly confessed. Armin teased evenly peppered hair that graced Jean’s sharp jawline. His lashes grew heavy when the distance between them began to disintegrate.
“You’re buttering me up so well, I just might work on the garage this weekend,” Jean teased with his usual charm. A breathy chuckle escaped from deep within his chest when a harmless blow smacked the side of his head. Armin’s fingers threaded through his jagged locks and he submitted with defeat when his boyfriend brought him into a kiss.
“Make me another cup of cocoa and I might forgive what you just said to me,” Armin whispered against his lips. A smile crept forward, but it softened with every greeting that molded on his reciprocating mouth. His partner was silently apologizing and basking in his attention that it caused his heart to quicken with an undeniable love for the man.
“Another round coming right up for the love of my life,” Jean promised.
Snuggling against one another with a new round of drinks, the couple spoke softly to one another between every sip. The blanket rested over their shoulders and their sides pressed against one another with familiarity. Armin rested his head on the taller man’s shoulder, his eyes low while he admired the dying fire. Jean wrapped an arm around his drifting boyfriend, his gaze admiring a different sight.
Only warmth, love, and gentle whispers filled their shared home through the remaining hour before bed. Outside, the sparring rain and piercing wind softened into drifting flakes and a lazy breeze. Winter was beginning to make its appearance and the dropping temperature was solid proof that more nights like this would present itself to both Jean and Armin.