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From the moment they first met they knew they were destine to be. It was Mr. Smith's biology class, first period.
Eren was late to the first day of school. He burst through the door with his hair messed up and toothpaste still stained the corner of his lips.
He practically threw himself into the seat next to Armin. "Hey- hey did I miss anything?"
Just like that, Armin belonged to Eren.
They were friends immediately. Armin went to all of Eren's football practices, Eren "helped" Armin study.
It wasn't a surprise to anyone when Eren asked Armin to homecoming in front of the entire school during an assembly.
It embarrassed Armin like hell, but he'd be a dead man before he'd deny Eren. So with a face as red as roses, he ran down the bleachers of the school gym and said yes.
It was at homecoming that they shared their first kiss. Eren had been planning to kiss him once the slow dance started, but they found themselves outside underneath the big tree in the courtyard, legs too sore from dancing to walk. They bumped noses and clacked teeth, but their first kiss was nothing short of magical.
Eren was there to kiss Armin's forehead and hold his hands as finals came and passed and he was the first to congratulate him when he got valedictorian of their year.
Summer was hot and not just in temperature. That was when Armin found out Eren had abs. Eren was on the swim team and the first time he saw him take off his shirt he nearly fainted.
Then sophomore year rolled around. They didn't share any classes, so at lunch they were extra lovey-dovey.
They fed each other food, cuddled, and kissed and it got them their designated table deemed "Gay Make-Out Table."
It was on Armin's birthday when they finally lost their virginity. It was as sweet as it was clumsy. Their lips never left each other as their bodies intertwined.
They made love, and they couldn't go back. They only fell harder as the year went by.
Armin discovered a new way of helping Eren study. He kissed him after each right answer, he'd never seen Eren retain so much information so fast. He passed his next test with flying colors.
Summer was all museums and football practice. Armin decided to join the football team as a manager and, well, he and Eren were caught making out more than once.
Eren got his drivers license and picked Armin up in his janky truck, driving him around and hooking up in desolate places where the world belonged to them.
Junior year was more or less the same as sophomore year. They didn't have any classes together again, but their table was still theirs.
That was until a group of cocky freshmen decided homophobia was trending and they were harassed out of the cafeteria.
Eren would've beat them up had Armin not stopped him. Something about peace being stronger than violence. Eren didn't really care for that bullshit, he just didn't want Armin to be mad at him.
They made their new home in the library, meeting at a small table behind a bookshelf, enough secrecy to hold hands and kiss cheeks.
When their football team finished the season with a win streak, a huge party was thrown. That was where they first got drunk.
They danced to shitty music and talked about nothing until they couldn't speak anymore. Eren held back Armin's hair as he threw up his whiskey and they complained through their hangovers together.
Eren held Armin's hand as he cried when he failed his psats and kissed him so hard their lips nearly fell off once he passed.
They made promises of forever under starry night skies and fought over meaningless things in the comfort of their homes.
They weren't perfect, but they were perfect for each other. They were soulmates and there was no denying it, even after all the fights and bickering, they always forgave each other.
The summer of senior year was probably the hardest.
Armin, ever the over thinker, couldn't stay in the present. He laid next to Eren in bed, he held his hands, he confided his fears and Eren kissed them away with promises that he couldn't be sure would be upheld.
But he would try. Eren would never give up on Armin, not as long as he loved him and his heart was no longer his own, but Armin's.
Armin's psat mishap must've been a one-time thing. That or Eren's support was made of magic itself. Armin passed his sats with near perfect marks.
Scouts came to look for football players and it was no surprise that Eren was sent a scholarship to Alabama.
Eren held Armin's hand and shared his worries as they waited with bated breath for Armin's college applications to be answered.
When Armin got accepted into M.I.T, they celebrated like they never had before. Though a lingering feeling of unease permeated the air.
It was around Christmas when Armin finally broke down.
He cried for hours in Eren's arms, dreading college, dreading leaving Eren, dreading a life without him.
Eren couldn't do anything. He couldn't say anything. If he did, it would be a lie, and they both knew it.
Yet still, their love only grew. With bouquets of lilies, chocolate heart candies, and vanilla scented candles, their valentine's day was better than they could've ever imagined. Even though Eren's parents accidentally walked in on them making love.
Just like the first time, Eren asked Armin to prom in front of the whole school. Kiss Me Thru The Phone played on the boombox as Eren got on one knee and awkwardly shouted, "Would you go prom with me?"
Just like before, Armin turned as red as a tomato. He didn't think twice before accepting with a big kiss on the lips.
Prom was just as magical as they say, maybe even more.
Eren looked handsome in his navy blue velvet tuxedo and Armin was adorable in his baby blue one. They danced the night away to classics from their childhood, including Kiss Me Thru The Phone which they say wasn't coincidence.
And then the slow dance. Eren put his hand on Armin's waist, Armin on Eren's shoulders. Their eyes never left each other, not once.
Slowly they leaned in. Their noses bumped gently and they pulled back with soft giggles before leaning in once more.
Finally their lips connected. It was the kiss Eren had planned since freshman year. It was better than any kiss they'd ever shared before.
And then summer came.
The first days were filled with silent anxiety, picnics and bike rides and movies to fill the emptiness.
But it was impossible to ignore what would happen. So they faced it.
"I don't want to do long distance," Armin admitted through sobs as Eren ran his fingers through Armin's hair.
Eren's heart sank, but he knew it wouldn't be possible. Armin was too smart to be wrong about this.
One last summer. They'd have one last summer.
They spent every day together, kissing whenever they could, holding hands, cuddling, they didn't waste any time they had together.
And it worked. At least for the first few weeks.
But time was running out.
With just a few days left they kissed and made love, angrily, sadly, happily, they touched each other, they breathed life into each other.
Then the day came. Eren packed his boxes into his janky old truck, the same one he loved Armin in.
He kissed Armin's forehead, then his cheeks, then his nose, then his lips. He whispered goodbye, knowing anything louder would break him.
He got in his truck and honked twice. He turned on their song and cranked up the volume and drove off down their street and turned the corner.
And then he was gone.