together again ♡ | armin x reader

8 - moving forward

You had been itching to have a proper conversation with Armin about what was going on between you two and now that he was finally in front of you, a week later, nothing left your mouth except for what you had been doing at school.

He looked great (as usual) and even better after Levi returned to New York. A blanket of silence engulfed you both as you picked at your plate of filet mignon. Almost as if Armin had read your mind, he held your hand. "What's on your mind? I know you didn't call me just to rant about your group assignment." He chuckled.

"Well, you see, I wanted to apologize for treating you like someone I could run to just for comfort. Especially on Paradis's opening party. That wasn't cool. At all."

Armin only quizzically watched you. He was letting you organize your thoughts and say whatever you want. "All my life I've been used by people. And I'm being used yet again and that too over something as insane as marriage. No offense."

Armin smiled and squeezed your hand. It was his way of telling you that he didn't mind your words. "And when I finally found someone who didn't, he gave up on me. I'm just tired of feeling that way. My own dad doesn't love me as much as his other two children because my mother wasn't a well known person."

Your mind was clouded with your old memories of your father ignoring you as he moved a whole city away from you and Zeke.

"I had an empire to build and you were holding me back."

You resented him for that. You resented him for taking away what you had always wanted- a real family. You were always out of place. New York never felt like your home but you forced yourself to accept it because your father finally wanted you in his life.

Only to be disappointed by him later on.

"After Zeke's mom died, dad wasn't himself anymore. He had me out of the wedlock with some woman he didn't remember and she died right after the paternity test that proved that I was his daughter. That was also when the Upper East Side was finally starting to notice him so he told me not make a lot of noise and live with Zeke's grandparents."

You sighed. "They loved me, of course, but they knew that my life wasn't going to be filled with a real father's love. They knew what dad was like and tried to make up for it as much as possible. When I found out that he wanted me to move to New York for high school I was so happy cause I was finally gonna live with him. Until I found out that he favored Zeke and Eren over me."

Tears rolled down your cheeks. "I'm sorry, Armin. I really didn't mean to make things awkward." Armin rushed to your side and wiped your tears. He held you in a tight embrace. "Don't apologize. Ever."

He moved away to look into your eyes, "I just want you to know that with me, you won't ever feel cheated or unwanted. I promise I'll take care of you." He tenderly kissed your knuckles as he stared into your eyes.

"Thank you, Armin." You cried as you clutched his hands. "Thank you so much."

•••

After you both had left the restaurant you decided to make it official. You posted a picture of yourselves from your date and the internet went insane.

"So it's finally official."

"He's her brother's best friend too. Must've been targeting him for a long time."

"The only one from the Yeager family who has some drama going on lmao."

"Wishing them the best!"

"They're such a pretty couple."

The media had a LOT to say about you both but the one who most happy from it all was your step-mother.

It was Mandatory Family Dinner Monday. With Armin.

"You both do make a great couple." Carla smiled in your and Armin's way. It was much more tolerable now that your dad wasn't shitting on you for no reason.

He was oddly quiet after your melt down in front of him. He didn't say much except for the occasional "hi", "hello", or "good bye".

"Don't you think so too, honey?" Carla was trying to get him to talk to you. She wanted you both to get along but she also didn't want him to be unnecessarily strict with you like before. She had tried to get him to treat you better before but he never let her interfere in your relationship with him. It was almost as if he was guarding you.

Grisha only hummed in agreement as he ate his dinner. You rolled your eyes. You couldn't be bothered by his lack of enthusiasm. He finally got what he wanted yet he wasn't smug about it. How strange.

"I was thinking we could hold the engagement party in June in the Hamptons? That house has been collecting dust for a long time. It's about time we use it." Carla grinned, trying to lighten up the grim mood in the room.

The Hamptons house was only mainly there for Christmas parties which was a fancy way to say prison for you. Evey winter, your grandparents would send you and Zeke to the Hamptons to bond with Eren and Carla as a family.

It was fun at first, hanging out with Eren as a kid and hanging out with him.  And then it got tiring cause your dad never made any effort to spend actual time with you. It was just you, Eren and, Zeke with his books. Sometimes Carla when she wasn't loaded with work.

Now all it reminds you is of loneliness.

You all stopped going there once high school began. The only people going there now are the staff so they can do their regular maintenance work.

"How about the Plaza instead?" You ask. Carla senses the remorseful look in your eyes and smiles. "I'm okay with the Plaza too." Armin chips in for the first time since everyone sat on the table. He holds your hand from under the table.

•••

"I'm really disappointed in you, Ms. Jaeger. I understand that at the moment you may have a lot of other engagements outside of school but your assignments should also be your top priority." To say that your professor was angry at you was an understatement.

Because of all the drama, you weren't able to concentrate on something super important- school. Your dreams of being a fashion designer were put on temporary hold when your mental health wasn't so good. Of course, FIT doesn't take silly excuses and expects absolute efficiency.

Efficiency that you needed to show in your work.

"I'm sorry, I'll work harder."

"You've been saying that for the past 2 months but I've seen no progress whatsoever. I'm giving you an extension one last time and that's it. Submit your designs a week before Student Fashion Week."

You walked out of your professor's class with your head hung low. Pieck, who was waiting outside, handed you a cup of coffee. "I'm sorry, I should've helped you out with school considering everything you were going through."

"Don't worry about it. It's my responsibility."

The car ride back to your apartment was the same- Pieck talked about her and Porco, your wedding, and that she'd want to be the maid of honor. You had no complaints with the last request. You both said your goodbyes and you fell on your couch as soon as you entered your apartment.

Your professor was right. Before applying for college you promised your dad that you'd prove yourself to him but you didn't. You got distracted from reaching your true goal- a stable career in fashion.

All you had dreamed of was designing your own line. Although you had so much to learn you felt like you were ready for it any time.

You called Carla first thing when you started to write your plan down.

"Hey, Carla, I need help with something crazy but cool.

Author's note:
Hi, I'm back! I spent most of last year moving in and out of different cities so it was very hectic to pick up from where I left off. Not a lot of story progression in this chapter but I promise fun things are gonna happen soon <3