Come a little closer

Part two.

"Shit, shit" Armin's head echoed curses over and over, once again blaming himself for not being quick enough, brave enough, for wasting yet another opportunity you were kindly giving him despite his unacceptably distant behaviour. His eyelids fluttered as everyone around you two started moving to position themselves in a circle in the middle of the large room, deep blue orbits fixed into yours. His lips were parted and his breath grew heavier, his back was now lifted from the sofa and his torso leaned towards you almost imperceptibly, almost asking you to wait, to stay. And that's when you realised, you both realised, he wanted to say something.

He was desperate to find the right words, to tell you he's always liked you since the first day he saw you, since the day you stayed behind at the end of the lesson to help him rearrange the pages and pages of notes he would meticulously take. He remembers that day maybe too well, the way you quietly approached him grabbing some of the papers scattered on his desk with the kindest of the smiles painted on your face. He always thought you were so beautiful. And he wasn't the only one, this is for certain. He could tell most of the people in that same biology class often tried to get your attention one way or another, to impress you with jokes that would make you laugh so harmoniously that Armin would find himself drowning in that sweet sound that wasn't even caused by him. And it should have been him, really, he thought as he watched you, admired from afar. But he couldn't, because "how can I even hope to have a chance, if I can't even gather enough courage to talk to her?", he would often complain to Eren who punctually tried, unsuccessfully, to goad him "Armin, do you think that whining about it will change anything? Jesus, you really are daft sometimes. You have to grow some balls and ask her out before someone else does it and, trust me, they will". And only the thought of it, he could swear, made his stomach twist.

But what was he supposed to do, when you made him so nervous with your presence alone?

And how were you supposed to break his walls, when he only kept fortifying them around him?

You were both so close, yet so far.

You scanned his face in silence giving him enough time to gather the thoughts that were clearly clouding his mind but, when you realised his lips shut forming a thing line again, and his eyes started nervously travelling from the group of people that was forming a few metres from you two, to you again, you understood that was not the right time. You understood the evidence to discredit your statement was already there, right in front of your eyes, of his eyes now restlessly inspecting your lips.

You had all the answers you needed.

You, therefore, use your arms to leverage your body from the sofa, your hand still on the blonde's thigh, pressing onto his muscle to help yourself stand up again. The sudden movement sent shivers down his spine, cold air now replacing your warm body. That's when you shrug your shoulders with a smile in an attempt to reassure him everything was okay, to then reach the assembly of people where you end up sitting next to Hitch, which welcomed you with a smirk and then a wink. Safe to assume she watched it all, your interaction with Armin, eager to ask you to tell her every single detail when the time was right. She knew you too much, too well, not to suspect you already had a plan of action.

And she was right, you did.

Armin, on the other hand, was taking his time still frozen on the spot, in the exact same position, too astounded by his own cowardice. Eren, now standing up too, incredulously followed you with his gaze as you walked away from his friend, his eyes then fleeted towards him. His eyebrows were raised, and his amused grin spoke hundreds of words. He was flabbergasted at the sight of his best friend throwing away yet another chance.

"Mate, you're dense," Eren scoffed shaking his head, waiting for the blonde to stand up and follow him towards the agglomeration of people where he spotted his girlfriend, Mikasa. He then sat next to her, letting out a deep breath.