Ulterior Motive (Armin x Reader)

Part one

It was 4am when you saw him. The flight terminal was dark, save for blinking fluros and the lights of planes taking off in the distance. But it was definitely him. He was seated on a sill by the windows of the concourse waiting area, grey coat neatly pressed and steaming coffee in his hand.

Your suitcase fell slack in yours and your jaw fell open. It didn't make any sense, but you couldn't deny what you were seeing. After all, you'd recognise Armin Arlert anywhere.

He'd worked with you for years now. The two of you were employed by Scouts - a company founded by Erwin Smith. Where you worked in Levi Ackerman's division, Armin worked in Zoe Hange's. You were often on different floors in different buildings across town, but you'd worked together for years nonetheless.

And the one thing you knew after all that time as his colleague, was that he was a very likable man. Friendly. Intelligent. Good at his job. Everyone in the company liked him - from co-workers, to clients, to bosses. Everyone, that is, except for you.

Which was why now, as you stood at the flight terminal ready to head off to Marley for a company-ordered trip, you were surprised to see Armin here too. He hadn't seen you yet, but you didn't doubt that he was expecting you. The second coffee resting on the sill told you as much. You scoffed at the sight of it - how like him to come bearing gifts as he swiped the floor out from under your feet.

Thing is, it wasn't that you hated Armin. It wasn't even dislike, per say. There were plenty of things about him which you liked very much - his enthralling ambition, his creative ideas, his pretty face. You just simply knew the truth - Armin was a manipulative bastard too smart for his own good.

In a business where everyone was out for themselves, it was easy for others to get swept up in his innocence, his softness. But like roses, flush with crimson petals, Armin also hid his fair share of thorns. He sought opportunities and wouldn't hesitate to take them, a smile on his face and reassuring words as he undercut his competitors.

He'd done it to you once, stealing a promotion from right under your nose. That was the day you saw the real Armin. The one that whispered sweet words and wore kind smiles. But also the one that took what he wanted and played everyone for fools. It was safe to assume he always had an ulterior motive.

So as you stood in a semi-crowded waiting area, ticket in one hand and suitcase in the other, you wondered what his motive was this time.

He turned then, those sky blue eyes finding you across the terminal, his face softening. Body still sore with fatigue at this early hour, you squared your shoulders and marched right up to him. "What are you doing here Arlert?"

He sighed. "Nice too see you too, Y/n."

"Yeah, pleasure. Now what are you doing here?"

Armin blinked away your attitude. He'd dealt with you enough over the years to know what you were like. He held out the spare take-away cup, giving it a little shake. "Coffee?"

"I don't want coffee," you said, slapping his hand away. "I want to know why you're here. And I'm not naive enough to think you frequent airports at four in the fucking morning for the coffee, so try to come up with a good excuse, yeah?"

Again, Armin sighed, placing the cup back down. "Erwin didn't tell you?"

Erwin. You knew this must have had something to do with him. As your CEO, he'd given you late instructions yesterday. There was an important client in Marley who was planning to withdraw from a deal with your company. Tyber Industries were beginning to favour more local business, but as one of Scouts' major investors, Erwin was desperate not to lose them.