The long-awaited Date of our Larmin is here ♥ I've prepared some bonuses for you ♥
The first thing is that on this special Date, Lara and Armin will be wearing different clothes, so I'll leave a photo of each one's outfit (I'll describe them in the story, too).
Another very important bonus is the song. I've prepared a super special one, the theme of Captain America X Peggy Carter ship, called "It's Been a Long, Long Time", by Harry James. I literally beg you to play this song when I signalize it because it'll make your reading experience much better ♥ You can leave it on repeat :)
The next bonus for you is a photo collage I made of how I kind of imagine Armin would look in real life, based on a character from a TV Series I love called "Downton Abbey". The character's name is Tom Branson and I'll leave at the end of this Chapter a collage I made with his outfits, compared to Armin from Season 4 ♥
And to finish, I also did a drawing from one of the moments of Larmin's Date ♥ I hope you enjoy this Chapter and the bonuses, which I prepared with great care for you! ♥ Don't forget to leave a comment if you want to, I just love reading each one! ♥
Lara was dressing up in front of the mirror on Sunday morning.
Yesterday, before leaving, Armin asked Levi if he could take Lara for a date to have lunch somewhere and walk around during the afternoon. While Lara combed her hair, she noticed her parents watching her from the doorway.
"You're way too pretty," said her father, wrinkling his nose. "I think it's better to leave your hair a little messy."
Lara giggled and patted him on the shoulder.
"Did you sleep well, baby?" asked Hange, stroking her belly.
"I don't think I've ever slept so happily in all my life," Lara gave a passionate sigh.
"Then wait till the day after your wedding night," said Hange, with a cheeky smile.
"Mom! Gee!" exclaimed Lara, turning completely red. Levi stared at his wife, astonished.
"Huh?! What are you guys looking at? Am I lying, by any chance?" she replied, with a cocky pout, "In mine, I slept wonderfully well, isn't it, my love?" Hange gave Levi a meaningful look, who turned purple.
"Sweet Jesus, have mercy..." Lara covered her face, embarrassed.
Hange laughed and walked down the hallway, humming. Recovered from that secondhand embarrassment, Levi turned to his daughter.
"What time he's picking you up?"
Lara checked her wristwatch.
"He must be arriving soon."
Fifteen minutes later, they heard the doorbell ring. Lara happily went to answer the door, and when she did it, her mouth dropped open, just as Armin also dropped his at the sight of his fiancée. Neither of them had seen the other wearing such different clothes. They were much more elegant than yesterday.
Armin was wearing a dark gray suit and vest, with a white shirt. On top, he was wearing a navy blue overcoat, matching his tie and brown shoes. He shyly held a navy blue beret in his brown-gloved hands. His blond hair stood out against the blue tones of his clothes and his eyes.
Lara was wearing a long checkered military green wool skirt, with a matching blazer in the same color and pattern, making an outfit. Underneath, she was wearing a white shirt and a little brown tie, matching with heavy riding boots. To complete the outfit, she was wearing brown gloves and a bowler hat. The day was sunny, but it was pretty cold.
Both Armin and Lara gazed at each other from top to bottom, their eyes gleaming. Hange and Levi watched them from the kitchen, a little open-mouthed.
"My my, babe..." said Hange, holding a hot cup of tea, "Our grandchildren will be so beautiful..."
Unintentionally, Levi nodded in agreement.
Armin had a silly smile on his lips and seemed to have difficulties to speak.
"H-Hi..."
"Hi," replied Lara, shyly.
"Y-You look..." Armin pointed at her, blinking several times, "Perfect."
Lara covered her mouth to giggle.
"I can say the same about you," she said with a smile, which he bashfully replied.
Then, Armin took a white rose out from an inside pocket of his overcoat and handed it to Lara, surprising her. She thanked him, much delighted, and said she would be right back because she was going to put it in a vase with water. As Lara walked toward the kitchen, from the front door, Armin waved to his in-laws.
"Do you wanna come in, dear?" asked Hange.
"N-No," he replied, signaling with his hand, "I don't want to disturb you. We're already leaving."
Lara said goodbye to her parents and to Tiny-Human-Bean and left, closing the door behind her. She intertwined her fingers with Armin's and pulled him down the porch stairs without saying a word, leaving him quite confused as he tried to put on the beret on his head. She didn't speak until they reached the stable.
"There we go," she said, letting go of their hands and giggling, "Now we can greet each other properly!"
Armin smiled and couldn't resist any longer. He slowly pulled her around the waist for a kiss, holding the back of her neck with his other hand. She gently held his face and their lips moved in perfect sync. Lara noticed that Armin had shaved, for his skin was very soft and she intensified her movements a bit more, feeling butterflies in her stomach. For the first time, Armin noticed that Lara had a sweet scent, almost floral, and his heart beat faster at that moment, squeezing his fiancée's waist even tighter. They finished with a very soft peck kiss and when they pulled away, Armin held her with both hands around her waist, while Lara wrapped her arms around his neck. Panting, they gazed at each other from top to bottom again. Lara patted Armin's chest with an approving look.
"You're looking pretty handsome today, Officer Arlert," Lara teased him, pretending she was going to kiss him again, but she turned her face away. Armin gave her a cheeky smile, gently taking her chin, turning it back and bringing his nose closer until it was brushing hers. He looked at her lips with great interest.
"And you're looking very gorgeous, future Mrs. Arlert," he whispered, holding the back of her neck and giving her a long, soft peck kiss. Lara widened her eyes and giggled.
"Mrs. Arlert?!" she exclaimed, placing her hand on her chest, which rose and fell, "For someone who didn't have at least one family name, now I'm gonna have three!" She gave a big smile and her eyes sparkled. Armin stroked her face and tried to kiss her forehead, but couldn't quite make it because of the bowler hat. They chuckled and in the end, Armin gave her a loud kiss on the cheek.
"Shall we go?" he asked.
"Sure!" exclaimed Lara, mounting her horse, "I'm very curious to know where you're taking me!"
"► Play - It's Been a Long, Long Time, de Harry James"
Lara was walking arm in arm with her fiancé through downtown cobblestone streets, and the sun was shining high. A strong freezing breeze blew past them, nearly sending Armin's beret and Lara's bowler hat flying away, drawing some good laughter from them.
"Since it's quite cold today," said Armin, holding his beret to his head, "I thought I'd take you to a Soup House I've always wanted to visit."
"Hmm, that's interesting!" exclaimed Lara, squeezing his arm and giving him a smile.
They arrived at a restaurant with beige stone walls, with a beautiful rose garden in front of the windows. Boughs of leaves and flowers fell from the wooden roof, and beside the door was a sign with the daily specials written on it, next to a barrel that held a basket full of freshly loaves of bread for sale.
Lara was gaping and her eyes were gleaming. She had never been to a place like that. Armin looked at his fiancée with a big smile and a warmth in his heart.
"Did you like it?" he asked anxiously.
Lara stuttered, puffing out her cheeks until she finally managed to say that she just loved the place. Upon going in, they both could not help but be amazed.
Oil lamps hanging from the stone walls and from the wooden slatted ceiling gave a very cozy atmosphere to the big saloon. Many wooden tables were arranged around the place, with some customers already seated. There were fine painting frames of landscapes decorating the walls and several vases with colorful flowers.
In the back of the saloon, a Blues band played in a low tone, with a female singer accompanying the instruments with a pretty soft voice. In front of the stage, there was a small area for dancing, already with some couples in love dancing together to the slow rhythm of the music.
Lara felt her heart swell with emotion and her eyes water. She looked at Armin and saw that he was just as blissful as she was.
"Babe," she whispered, lifting her feet a little to reach Armin's ear, who leaned down to listen, "this place is wonderful, but isn't it expensive?"
"Don't worry about it," he whispered back, "today, I just want you to enjoy it." He smiled and gave her an unexpected peck kiss. Lara turned red.
A lovely old lady came to welcome them at the front door and set a table for the couple, handing them the menu. They took off their gloves and hats, and looked at the menu options with their hands held, stroking one another. Each chose what they liked best and it didn't take long for the delicious soups to arrive at the table, with a little basket of freshly baked bread.
Lara and Armin talked a lot, not letting go of their hands for even a second. I chose not to tell you what they talked about because it was something private to them. There was much to be said, after all, four years of lost conversations and longing for each other are a lot.
When they were done eating, the dessert menu was given and they ordered a piece of white chocolate cake with strawberries. Completely satisfied, they gazed at each other feeling the purest joy in their hearts.
Then, a song started playing in the band. Lara turned to get a better look.
"I love this song!" she exclaimed. "Would you dance with me?"
Armin's eyes widened. He had never danced once in his life. Lara sensed his fear.
"Oh, please..." she used her trick, the pout, "It's not that hard, I'll teach you."
A little reluctantly, Armin accepted, being led by Lara to the dancing area. There, she guided him to take her hand and waist, and simply rock themselves, according to the rhythm of the music.
In a few seconds, Armin already got the hang of it and soon, Lara was laying her head on his chest and he was resting his cheek on her forehead, their eyes closed, as they listened to the lyrics of the song, which seemed to speak directly to them:
"Never thought that you would be
Standing here so close to me
There's so much I feel that I should say
But words can wait until some other day
Kiss me once,
Then kiss me twice
Then, kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time
Haven't felt like this, my dear
Since I can't remember when
It's been a long, long time
You'll never know
How many dreams I've dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
Kiss me once,
Then kiss me twice
Then, kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time"
At that moment, they felt as if there was no one else around them.
At that moment, there were only Lara and Armin.
As they swayed slowly to the rhythm of the song, he gently took Lara's chin and pressed his lips against hers in a long, soft kiss. Lara ran her fingertips through his hair with affection and they both squeezed their hands, feeling as if their hearts had swelled and warmed, wishing that moment would last forever.
Yeah... It's been a long, long time...
The couple was sitting under a tree, on top of a hill. Lara sat between Armin's legs, leaning against his chest, who embraced her from behind, their faces pressed together, gazing at the gorgeous sunset, which very slowly disappeared behind the mountains ahead. They had taken off their gloves so they could intertwine their fingers.
From where they were, they could see Lara's house, very, very far away, almost like a little spot on the horizon. They took a deep breath, feeling the cold air into their lungs. But they could feel the cozy warmth of their bodies.
"Sometimes I don't believe we live in a world with Titans and with people who want our extinction..." said Lara, squeezing Armin's hands on her waist. She gazed at the landscape, "Seeing this, everything seems so normal, in the most perfect peace..."
Armin gently pressed his nose against her face, brushing his lips on her cheek and giving her a soft kiss.
"What would you do if Titans didn't exist anymore?" he asked, resting his chin on Lara's shoulder.
She leaned her head against his and gazed at some mountains.
"I would open my art gallery," she said decisively. Armin turned to her, surprised.
"Do you wanna be a professional painter?"
"Yes," she nodded, smiling. "If I weren't a soldier, I would dedicate myself completely to my drawings." Lara turned to him, "What about you?"
Armin frowned thoughtfully.
"I don't know..."
Lara gave him a sad smile and lightly patted his face.
"You'll find yourself, babe."
After a few seconds of silence, Armin said:
"I could be your partner-investor, how about that? Your right-hand man, just as I am today in your Squad. I could hold the paint buckets while you paint," they laughed.
"I accept the offer," replied Lara, pressing her lips against his. They opened their mouths to start a kiss but were startled when a flock of birds flew nearby. They smiled at seeing how loud they sang.
"Baby?" called Armin.
"Yes?"
"Where are we going to live when we get married?"
Lara narrowed her eyes, scanning the landscape ahead. Then, she pointed her finger at a piece of land that must have been about ten minutes from her current house.
"Right there," she replied.
Armin raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"I'd like to live close to my parents," continued Lara, still looking ahead. "We're gonna build a wooden house, just like the one I live in now."
Armin felt his heart swell and couldn't help but smile. Then, something occurred to him.
"Do you happen to have the whole project all set in your head?" he asked, with a playful smile.
Lara chuckled, replying:
"Yeah, I do..."
"Since when?" now he was very curious.
"Hmm..." thought Lara, "About a year ago, sort of... I pass by that land every day when I go to the Headquarters with my parents, and then, I couldn't help but imagine how amazing it would be if there was a house in there," she turned to him with a smile, "ours."
Armin felt butterflies in his stomach and faced those blue eyes for a few moments. Then he frowned.
"A year ago? But, at that time, we weren't even close to what we're now..." His expression turned into sadness, "In fact, I don't think I even allowed myself to dream about this possibility anymore..."
"Well, I never stopped, Armin," she replied, gazing deeply at him, "Not for a single second I stopped dreaming about us."
Lara gave him a sad smile. He felt his heart race and a lump form in his throat. Armin faked a cough. Lara noticed but didn't say anything, because she also felt a certain cry choked by the memories of the past. Armin sniffed.
"But tell me," he continued, gently brushing her hair back so they could touch their faces, "how do you imagine our house?"
The sadness that was in Lara's heart vanished at the thought of it, and she smiled.
"First," she started, waving her hands in the air, "the house will be single-story, with only a few stairs to give access to a large porch in front of it, just like my current house. As soon as we go in, at the back, there will be the kitchen. When we turn right, there will be a pretty cozy living room, full of windows, all very well illuminated, with a large couch and four armchairs, facing a fireplace. Next to the living room will be our bedroom, with a bathroom just for us. Back at the front door, turning to the left, we can place a big dining table, for you and my family to eat. Then, further back, it can be the access to the other bedrooms and one or two more bathrooms. Since I know you like to read, I thought that one of the rooms could be a small library, along with my art studio, so you can read while I paint. Then, we can build two more bedrooms for our children."
Armin had a silly smile on his lips, speechless. As Lara spoke, he pictured it all in his mind and felt his heart throb with joy. When she was done, he couldn't help but gently kiss her cheek and hug her tighter, saying it was a beautiful project and that he couldn't wait to start building it.
"But, baby," he said at one point, playful, "I thought you wanted to have quintuplets. I believe only two bedrooms for our children are not enough, don't you think?"
"I said I wish my mother had quintuplets, not me," replied Lara, laughing nervously. "I surely don't want five babies coming out of me at once!"
Armin couldn't help but laugh, covering his face.
"However..." said Lara, very firmly, lifting her index finger, "You and I will have four children. Three boys and a girl."
Armin laughed again, then stopped at seeing that Lara wasn't laughing as well. He frowned.
"Are you serious?" he asked, staring at her.
"I've never been so serious," replied Lara, nodding.
Armin opened and closed his mouth several times.
"How do you know that?"
Lara shrugged.
"I had a dream about it."
He raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
"You... had a dream? When?"
Lara placed her hand on her chin, thoughtful.
"I believe it was right after you cut your hair and showed up in my lab with your new look," she slowly nodded, with a mischievous smile, "Yeah... It was just back at that time, 'cause I remember very well seeing two very blond heads, with the same haircut as you're now. The other two had the same hair color as mine. The four children had blue eyes."
Armin covered his mouth, shaking his head.
"Baby, are you sure? Maybe you just saw some kids around and dreamed about them..."
"Wait and see then," replied Lara, staring at him defiantly.
Armin's eyes widened. She seemed quite sure of what she was saying. Although he was still a little skeptical about it, he couldn't help but imagine the scenario and felt joy in his heart.
Armin, Lara, and four children.
Would this really happen? It was too good to be true...
He would only have six more years of life after they got married, and remembering this fact suddenly brought great anguish to his chest. If what Lara had said was true, when he died, Armin would leave her with four very young children. It was a situation that just the thought of it broke his heart. As if she knew what Armin was thinking, Lara said, as she watched the sunset ahead and gently caressed his hands on her waist:
"Do not think about it for now, babe... Live one day at a time. I will be by your side in every single one of them."
Her words were like crystal water thrown against a dirty window. Armin felt that sadness leave him immediately and a warmth got into his heart.
He gently pulled her face and they got closer. They both brushed their noses and with their mouths slightly open, they touched their lips, also rubbing them slowly as if one wanted to tease the other. Armin closed his eyes and pressed his lips against hers in a soft peck kiss. Lara turned a little more, wrapping her arms around his neck as she ran her fingertips through the back of his head. They felt their hearts beat in a cozy rhythm and they opened their mouths for a passionate kiss. As they moved their heads, the kiss and their breathing intensified. Armin embraced Lara tighter and she held his face, stroking it with her thumbs. It felt like their mouths were made for each other.
They didn't think about anything else, just about what they were feeling now.
The worries of the future days could wait.
But today, nothing was wrong.
Today, everything was perfect.
Armin as Tom Branson: