together again ♡ | armin x reader

3 - perception

"You're never ready to prioritize yourself over your family and I can't take it!"

"Listen, Bertholdt, you don't tell me if what I'm doing is right or wrong if you've never been in my position. I'm trying so hard to make things work right now! First, my family has some stupid crap that they want me to deal with and now you don't want me to do anything about it!"

"Because it's not helping you! It's helping them and their stupid agenda about power." He took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. His deep frown was threatening to create wrinkles.

"And what exactly can I do about that? Have you ever thought what it's like to be in my shoes?"

Bertholdt couldn't look at you in your face any longer. "Leave." He said.

"What?"

"I've had it. We're over."

You scoffed, "so you're just gonna give up like that? Runaway from this like you've done with every other problem?"

"Yeah, because I'm tired of constantly facing it head-on."

Your brain screamed at you to burst out crying and let everything off your chest but tried your best to control yourself. Your throat felt so tight that it barely allowed you to say anything.

Silently, you put your heels back on and leave.

The cold air nipped at your stocking-clad thighs.

'Fashion over comfort any day.' Oh, how you regretted saying that sentence.

How much longer was Pieck gonna take to get to get here anyway?

Almost as if on cue, her pink Mustang pulled up next to you. You hurried into her car and buried yourself further into your Fendi puffer jacket.

She looked at you with a bright smile. "So did you talk things out?" She took one look at your quivering lips and understood what had happened. She turned her head away from you, "go on then, let it all out. I know how much you hate having people see you cry."

You wailed like a child. Pieck didn't say anything and focused on driving to her apartment, letting you take your time.

A year and a half of pure bliss all down the drain. All that time spent together yet certain doom had awaited your relationship. You had never felt so foolish before.

All your life you had been taken advantage of by the people you liked. No matter how nice they were they would end up using you in the end. Your connections, influence, and power made you seem less human and more of a trophy to them. But Bertholdt was an end to that cycle.

He showed you what it felt like to be truly appreciated and loved by someone. Your perspective of the world changed when he came into your life. You saw colors you had never seen and understood things you used to be confused about.

And yet, when fate tested your relationship you both failed.

You were a whimpering mess by the time you reached Pieck's apartment. "Why don't you go take a bath. I'll ask my chef to whip something up for you." You listened to Pieck and filled her bathtub with warm water.

You hugged your knees and resumed your paused crying session. Unlocking your phone, you saw a string of texts from Armin and the person with who you could never seem to get along, your father.

8:42 pm | Dad: I heard that you went out for lunch with Armin. I'm glad you know where your priorities lie.