My Heart Bleeds Blue (Eremin)

6

'I really hope he likes it' Eren thought in the paint section of their local Walmart. He knew Armins favorite color was blue, and he was in love with the ocean, so this gave him a clue on what he needed to paint.  Eren raced to grab all of his colors before heading back home to switch the laundry and grab his paint brushes. 

By the time he got back to the hospital it was midnight, and he hadn't even cleared his project to the head of the program. So, he walked into the director's office and begged to do this, for his dying partner. Partner? Companion? Lover? They would need to sort that out later but surprisingly the begging paid off and Eren was granted permission to start his project. 

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A few hours of painting later, Eren had successfully finished it, and in the process covered himself in little dabs of paint. He untied his bun, and took his spot next to Armin, holding most of him in his arms. 

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Eren couldn't sleep the entire night, so he just cuddled with his lover and recalled all of their memories together. Like, the several times Armin wrote his midterm thesis or helped him figure out how to use Chat GDP, so Armin could take a rest from being a scribe. Or, when they went out for ice cream and Eren used the dad trick of 'let me fix that for you' and proceeded to eat the entire thing. The aftermath of that consisted of the locks being changed and being blocked on all platforms, including Roblox. It took three days for Eren to reenter his apartment. With all of the wonderful thoughts passing through his mind he didn't notice when he was being shaken by Armin. 

"Er, did you do this?" His morning voice sounded glorious to Eren as he opened his eyes to see a smile so bright it outmatched the sun. "Huh?" Eren asked forgetting everything he had done the night before. "The mural was that you?" Armin asked while he slipped his slippers on and slid into his chair. "Yea, do you like it?" before he could even begin to doubt his artwork, he was captured in a kiss, it was quick but just enough to reassure him. "It's beautiful." Armin whispered, their faces still inches apart. The mural captured a scene where the tide was low and there was a blonde man, with a brunette one holding a shell and laughing.

 Eren painted the exact moment he knew he was in love with his best friend. 

"Do you still have that paint?" Armin asked, with a smirk across his face. "Yes... why do you ask?" Eren askes a mixture of concern and confusion in his voice. "Good, to the garden then!" Armin says, as he tries to wheel himself out the door but ultimately failing. Eren takes over wheeling Armin, and they walk down the halls, paint in hand. 

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"Will you tell me why you need the paint now?" Eren begged like a little kid. "Fine, we're here anyways." Armin replied, gesturing for Eren to help him out of his chair and onto the grass. "We're going to paint my wheelchair." Armin states like it's the best idea he's ever come up with. Eren rolls his eyes, "You mean I'm going to paint it and you're going to watch?" He questions light heartedly. "No, I'll help" The blonde tries to defend his honor, but Erens retort is too strong. "Yea, that's what your mom said last night." The adult-child stands up and runs around with a fat grin on his face yelling, truly a sight for sore eyes. "Oh yea, well my mom's dead... And you're gay so, burn." That was one of Armins only flaw, being terrible at comebacks. Eren fakes falling over and says "Jesus, that secondhand embarrassment killed me." He stands back up and goes to sit next to his 'situationship', they really needed to label that it was getting too awkward. Eren wraps his arm around Armins waist and asks, "What do you want to paint?" "I don't know actually; I was hoping you had an idea." He says and leans his head on Erens chest, staring at the chair as if it would magically talk to him, and tell him what to do. "How do you feel about a heart, you know since you don't have a good one, might as well have a good luck charm if you get the heart." Eren said moving his arm up to hold Armins shoulder in a crisscross manor. "Yea, I like that." Armin responds before moving to mix their colors. 

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"Eren, we have a problem, we're out of warm colors." Armin peeks his head out from the back panel that has the heart on it. Eren moved over to look. "Well, you finished the heart, so just make the blood blue seeing as we have a lot of it, it can be a statement." He suggests. "Ok" The shorter one says as he dips his brush in blue. Thus, making his heart bleed blue. 

Once construction on his chair is complete and the varnish has set, they went back inside so Armin could lay down. Even though Armin insisted on putting a brave face on, everyone could see how frail he was and the constant fatigue he carried on his back like a weight. It was hardly six pm and he was exhausted, his condition was deteriorating just as fast as his hope for survival grew. A truly dangerous pair. The reason for his hope was a possible treatment or 'cure' for his disease, though it would be very invasive and extremely risky. He would need a heart transplant. Though in order to get a heart in time, he would have to hold on, and with just the right level of health to move up the list. 

Right now, Armin Arlet, was eighth on the list for the Eldian blood type, with an estimated four months to live. 

They lied down on the bed, Armin in his best friends' arms, drifting off to sleep. Eren simply waiting for him to fall asleep so he could get ready for his night shift. Soon enough sleep captured Armin in a deep sleep, leaving Eren the perfect opportunity to get up and change into his scrubs.

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Even though he needed to, Eren didn't plan on working his shift tonight. Instead, finding his sister and asking her for a favor. He wandered down the Neuro-wing of the hospital until he stumbled upon Mikasa, or otherwise known to the public as, Dr. Ackerman. 

"Hey, Mika, can I call on that huge favor you owe me?" Eren asked in a suspiciously nice tone. "What is it Eren." She replied like usual, in her monotonous voice. "It's big, like so big I can't discuss it here." Eren whispered motioning for her to follow him. 

They entered a small broom closet, where Eren asked for the biggest favor, and possibly the riskiest favor of his life. 

A/N I'm so happy to be back with the cliff hangers, GOD, I LOVE THEM, especially this one. Anyway, you'll find out tomorrow like usual. I would have written the rest but there's about 9 shots of espresso in my system (I'm shaking and have a migraine.) (I haven't had any water since yesterday morning)

word count: 1231