Athenus •armin ✗ reader •

Chronus

The weather had reached peak coldness and the new year was upon us and I couldn't be more excited. Peick's parents flew to Hong Kong every year, so every year since high school began, Peick threw the most insanely awesome New Year's party, and every year it was bigger and better.

I don't think there was a single person in our grade that didn't come to this party, in fact half the other grades tended to show up as well, though uninvited. I was so excited for this party I was ready three hours before it even began, very unlike me.

As I sat on my window seat, admiring the early sunset, I couldn't help but think about how the shade of blue in the ombré sunset was the exact same shade as Armin's eyes. Armin had become like a flesh eating bacteria eating away at my mind, he was all I could think about, at least ever since that moment in the bathroom during the winter formal.

After staring out the window for what felt like seconds but eternity at the same time, I felt my phone vibrate. It was Reiner texting me he was outside so I grabbed my bag and headed it the door, praying my shoes didn't trip me up down the stairs and straight to the ER where I would be forced to have my new years kiss with some doctor who was hopefully a 'mc' of some sort.

"You uh- you look good."

"Why thank you kind sir, you look less 6'2 rumple stiltskin tonight which is nice-ish."

"Wow, thanks for the compliment in return."

"Your most welcome."

As we turned into Peicks neighbourhood, we could already hear the music and see the flood of tipsy teenagers spilling into the front yard. The street was filled with cars on both sides so we had to park pretty far away and walk a few houses down to Peicks place.

The second Reiner and I entered Peick's estate It almost felt like I was experiencing a miniature earthquake. We headed inside and immediately headed for the drinks, only four hours to midnight and zero alcohol in our system was almost shameful, my mother would be ashamed.

Our timing of walking into the kitchen was impeccable, right on time for a round of shots Eren had poured. Let's just say drinks of an unknown nature were consumed... who knows if there was alcohol in them. After many drinks containing a definitley unkown substance, drinking games and some questionable dancing to 90's hit's, the new years countdown was almost among us.

While everyone prepared to shout the countdown in the main room, most of my friends and I settled down in the hottub. We always did this, almost like a tradition, hop in the hottub a half hour or so before new years and just kind of chat, then we would all countdown together and pop some champagne to celebrate.

First into the tub was Peick, Historia, Ymir and I, joined shortly by the new additions of Jean, Eren and Mikasa. Luckily Peicks hottub was quite big so there was plenty of space for two people on each side: Eren and Jean, Historia and Ymir, Peick and Mikasa and finally me by myself. I was just about to move to the centre and spread my arms across the ledge of the hottub man-style when suddenly I heard *his* voice behind me.

"Hey, sorry I took so long, your house is huge Peick." Although he looked so intoxicated I was surprised he knew this was Peick's house and not the firey pits of hell (which is definitley not based off of personal experience)

"True, even I get lost sometimes." Peick replied to him

Unfortunatley for me, the only free space was next to me, and my man-spread was reverted into being the spam of a can, squished to the edge. Armin sat down next to me, his swim shorts an identical blue to what I was wearing. I hadn't seen him since that bathroom and the tension was suffocating. The hottub must have reached max temperature because suddenly everything felt so hot, my cheeks were flushed and my heart was burning.